492 AN EXPOSITION OF THE [CHAP. V.
(1.) On the part of them for whom he did discharge wt. And these were all the elect of God. He himself looked on this as a part of the glory set before him, that he should be a captain of salvation unto them, and bring them unto the eternal enjoyment of God in im- mortal glory. And a double honour ariseth hence unto Jesus Christ: —[1.] Initial, the love, thankfulness, and worship of the church in all ages, in this world. See Rev. i. 5,6. This is a glory wherein he is delighted, that all his saints, in all parts of the world, do seve- rally, and in their assemblies, with all humility, love, and thankful- ness, worship, adore, bless, praise, and glorify him, as the author and finisher of their recovery unto God, and eternal salvation. Every day do they come about his throne, cleave unto him, and live in the admiration of his love and power. [2.] This glory will be full at the latter day, and so hold unto all eternity, when all his saints, from the beginning of the world unto the end thereof, shall be gathered unto him, and abide with him; adoring him as their head, and shout- ing for joy when they behold his glory. (2.) On his own part. There is a peculiar honour and glory given him of God, as a consequent of his discharge of this office, and on the account thereof, 1 Pet. 1. 21; Phil. i. 9, 10; Eph. i. 20-23: whereof see our exposition on chap. 1,2. (3.) That glory wherein God will be exalted unto all eternity in the praise of his grace,—the end of all his holy purposes towards his church, Eph, i. 6,—doth ensue and depend hereon. Tor these and the like reasons it was that our blessed Saviour, knowing how unable we are in this world to comprehend his glory, as also how great a part of our blessedness doth consist in the knowledge of it, makes that great request for us, that, after we are preserved in, delivered from, and carried through our course in this world, as a principal part of our rest and reward, we may be with him where he is, to behold his glory which is given him of his Father, John xvii. 24. And our present delight in this glory and honour of Christ, is a great evidence of our love of him and faith in him.
Obs. II. Relation and love are the fountain and cause of God’s committing all authority in and over the church to Jesus Christ.
By this expression of relation and love, “'Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee,” doth the apostle prove that God called him to be the high priest of the church. To the same purpose him- self* speaketh, John ii. 35, “ The Father loveth the Son, and hath | given all things into his hand.” In his constitution and declaration to be the great and only prophet of the church, God did it by an expression of his relation and love to him: “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him,” Matt. xvii. 5. And this also was the foundation of his kingly office. Heb, i. 2, “ He hath spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of
Or rather, John the Baptist.—Eb.
VER. 6.] EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 493
all things;”—he who was his Son, and because he was his Son. God would give this glory and honour unto none but unto his only Son; which to prove is the design of our apostle in the first chapter of this epistle. And this his relation unto God manifested itself in all that he did in the discharge of his office; for saith the evangelist, “We beheld his glory, the glory as of the only-begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth,” Johni. 14, Now, first, the relation intended is that one single eternal relation of his being the “Son of God,’ the “only-begotten of the Father,” through the divine in- effable communication of his nature with him, or unto him. And hence the faith hereof is the foundation of the church; for when Peter made that confession of it, in opposition unto all false concep- tions of others concerning his person, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God,” he answers, “ Upon this rock I will build my church,” Matt. xvi. 16,18. And why doth the Lord Christ build his church on ihe profession of this article of our faith concerning his person? It is because we declare our faith therein that God would not commit all power in and over the church, and the work of mediation in its behalf, unto any but him who stood in that re- lation to him, of his only-begotten Son. And hereby, as God de- clares the greatness of this work, which none could effect but his Son, he who is God with himself, and that none other should partake with him in this glory; so he directs us to the worship and honour of him as his Son: for it is the will of God that “all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father,” John v. 23. And those who put in themselves, their wills and authorities, as the pope; or bring in others into the honour of this work, as saints and angels; do rise up in direct opposition to the design of the will and wisdom of God. They must first give some one the relation of an only Son to God, before they ought to ascribe any thing of this great work or the honour of it unto him. Secondly, The Jove intended is two- fold:—1. The natural and eternal love of the Father unto the Son, and his delight in him, as participant of the same nature with him- self, This is expressed, Prov. viii. 30, 31; which place hath been explained and vindicated before. 2. His actual love towards him on the account of his infinite condescension and grace in undertaking _ this work, wherein his glory was so deeply concerned. See Phil. ii. 6-11. And this love hath a peculiar influence into the collation of that glory and honour on Christ which God bestowed on him, And in these things, which must not be here enlarged on, doth lie the blessed, sure, stable foundation of the church, and of our salvation, by the mediation of Christ.