the Son there is full and plenary satisfaction tendered unto us that
the whole counsel of God was originally known unto him; so that there is no ground of the least suspicion that there is any reserve in the counsels of God concerning us that he hath not made known. (3.) To this end also it was necessary that he should have these counsels of God always abiding with him, that at all times and on all
ita
VER, 1, 2.] EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 507
occasions he might be able to declare the mind and will of God. It was not enough that originally, as he was God, he knew all the things of God, but also as he was sent, as he was the apostle of God, the counsel of God was constantly to abide with him. This is another thing; for the wisdom and knowledge of Christ as mediator, to be acted in the human nature, was distinct from his knowledge as he was in himself God over all, blessed for ever. And without this none could have been a meet apostle from God unto sinners; for how else should he reveal the will of God unto them according unto all emergencies and occasions? When the council of Trent was sit- ting, and any hard matter (indeed almost any thing) came to be de- termined amongst them, the leaders of them, not knowing what to do, always sent to Rome to the pope and his cardinals for their de- termination. When this came to them, they decreed it under the usual form, “It pleaseth the Holy Ghost, and us.” Hence there grew a common by-word amongst the people, that the Holy Ghost came once a week from Rome to Trent in a portmanteau. But when any men are not sufficiently furnished in themselves for the discharge . of their duty, according to the variety of occasions and emergencies that they may meet withal, they will put themselves, as will also those with whom they have to do, unto great difficulties and dis- tresses. It was necessary, therefore, that God’s apostle unto sinners should, in the whole discharge of his office, be furnished with a full comprehension of the whole mind of God, as to the affair committed unto him. Now, this never any was nor ever can be capable of, but only Jesus Christ, the Son of God. It wholly exceeds the capacity of any merely created person to comprehend at once, and have resi- dent with him, the whole of the will and mind of God in the busi- ness of his transaction with sinners; for after the utmost of their attainments, and the communications of God unto them, they still know but in part. It is true, they may be able to know so much of the mind of God as to declare unto others the whole of their duty,— whence Paul tells the elders of Ephesus that he had “not shunned to declare unto them all the counsel of God,’ Acts xx. 27,—yet, as to a full, habitwal comprehension of the whole mind of God in this mat- ter, to reside with them, answering all occasions and emergencies, and that originally and immediately, that no mere creature was capable of. But as this was needful to the great apostle, so it was found in Jesus Christ, the Son of God. “The Spirit of the Lorp did rest upon him” (not came upon him at times, but did rest upon him, remained on him, John i. 82, 33), “the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of know- ledge and of the fear of the Lorp; and made him of quick under- standing in the fear of the Lorp,” Isa. xi. 2, 8. It may be you will say, ‘It did so in some degrees of it only, or in a’singular measure
508 AN EXPOSITION OF THE [CHAP. IIT.
above others.’ Nay, “God gave not the Spirit by measure unto him,” John iii. 34, when he was sent to speak the words of God ; not in such a way as that he should only have a greater measure of the Spirit than others, but in a way wholly different from what they received. So that when it is said, he was “anointed with the oil of gladness above his fellows,” Heb. i. 9, it is not intended only that he received the Spirit in a degree above them, but the same Spirit in another kind; for “it pleased the Father that in him all fulness should dwell,’ Col. i. 19,—all fulness of wisdom and counsel, in a complete comprehension of the whole will and mind of God. And accordingly, “in him were hid” (laid up safely) “all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge,” Col. ii. 3. This also was requisite unto this great apostle, and it was possible to be found only in the Son of God. (4.) The nature of the work required that the ambassador of God to sinners should be able to make his message to be believed and recewed by them. Without this the whole work and undertaking might be frustrated. Nor is it sufficient to say that the message itself is so great, so excellent, so advantageous unto sinners, that there is no doubt but that upon the first proposal of it they will receive it and embrace it; for we find the contrary by multiplied experience. And not only so, but it is certain also that no sinner is able of him- self and in his own strength to receive it or believe it; for “ faith is not of ourselves, it is the gift of God.” Now, if this ambassador, this apostle from God, have not power to enable men to receive his mes- sage, the whole design of God must needs be frustrated therein. And who shall effect or accomplish this? Is this the work of a man, to quicken the dead, to open the blind eyes, to take away the stony heart, tocreate a new spiritual light in the mind, and life in the will? all which are necessary, that God’s message unto sinners may be savingly re- ceived. This also could be done only by the Son of God; for “no man knoweth the Father but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him,” Matt. xi. 27. And this he doth by the effectual work- ing of his Spirit, the dispensation whereof is committed wholly unto him, as hath been elsewhere declared. By him doth he write the law of his message in the fleshy tables of the hearts of them to whom he is sent, 2 Cor. iii. 8, as Moses wrote his message, or had it writ- ten, in tables of stone. So that the nature of this work required that it should be committed unto the Son of God. And so did,— 3. The end of tt. This was no less than to proclaim and establish peace between God and man. It is not a place to show how old, fixed, lasting, and universal this enmity was; nor yet how great, ex- cellent, and precious, in the means, causes, and nature of it, that peace was which God sent about. These things are known and con- — fessed. These things were such as none were fit to intermeddle withal but the Son of God only. He alone who made this peace