$9. Obs. 3. The whole creation is deeply concern ed in God's bringing forth Christ into the world, and his exaltation in his kingdom,

(1.) Because in that work consisted the principal manifestation of the wisdom, power, and goodness of God. The very inanimate parts of the world are introduced, by a figure, rejoicing, exulting, shouting, and clapping their hands, when the glory of God is manifested; in all which, their suitableness and propensity to their proper end is declared; as also, by their being burdened and groaning under such a state and condition of things, as doth any way eclipse the glory of their Maker. Now in this work of bringing forth the first-born is the glory of God principally and eminently exalted: for the Lord Christ is the brightness of his glory; and in him the treasures of wisdom, grace, and goodness are laid up.

(2.) The whole creation receiveth a real advancement and honor in the Son being made the "first-born of every creature," that is, the special heir and Lord of them all. Their being brought into a new dependence on the Lord Christ, is their honor, and they are exalted by becoming his possession. And however any part of it be violently, for a season, detained under its old bondage, yet it hath substantial grounds of ant earnest expectation of a full and total deliverance, a glorious liberty, by virtue of this primogeniture of Christ.

(3.) Angels and men, the inhabitants of heaven and earth, the principal parts of the creation, on whom God hath in an especial manner enstamped his own likeness and image, are hereby made partakers of such inestimable benefits, as indispensably call for rejoicing, thankfulness, and gratitude. And if this be the duty of all without exceptions, it is easy to discern in what a special

manner it is incumbent on believers, whose benefit and glory was principally intended in the whole of this stupendous work. Should they be wanting in this duty, God might as of old call heaven and earth to witness against them.

$10. Obs. 4. The command of God is the ground and reason of all religious worship. He saith, "Worship him all ye angels." Now the command of God is two-fold, formal and vocal; or real and interpretative. The very nature of an intelligent creature made for the glory of God, and placed in a moral dependence upon him, and subjection to him, hath in it the force of a command, as to the worship and service that God requireth. But this law in man being blotted and impaired through sin, God hath in mercy to us collected and disposed all the directions and commands of it in vocal formal precepts, recorded in his word; whereunto he hath superadded sundry new commands in the institutions of his worship. With angels it is otherwise. The ingrafted law of their creation requiring of them the worship of God, and obedience to his whole will, is kept and preserved entire; so that they have no need to have it expressed in vocal formal commands. And by virtue of this law were they obliged to constant and everlasting worship of the eternal Son of God, as being created and upheld by him. But now when God brings forth his Son into the world, and placeth him in a new condition of being incarnate, and so becoming the head of his church, there is a new modification of the worship that is due to him brought in, and a new respect to things not considered in the first creation. Hence God gives a new command to the angels for that peculiar kind of worship and honor which is due to him in that state. Thus in one way or other command is the ground and cause of all worship. For,

All worship is obedience; obedience respects authority; and authority exerts itself in commands. And if this authority be not the authority of God, the worship performed in obedience to it, is not the worship of God, but of him or them whose commands and authority are the reason and cause of it. It is the authority of God alone that can make any worship to be religious, or the performance of it to be an act of obedience to him.

§11. We might hence also farther observe,

(1.) That the mediator of the new covenant is, in his own person, "God blessed for ever," to whom Divine or religious worship is due from the angels themselves. As also that,

(2.) The Father, upon the account of the work of Christ in the world, and his kingdom thence ensuing, gives a new command to the angels to worship him, his glory being greatly concerned therein. And that,

(3.) Great is the church's security and honor, when the head of it is worshipped by all the angels in heaven. And also that,

(4.) It can be no duty of the saints to worship angels, who are their fellow servants in the worship of Jesus Christ.

VERSE 7.

And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire.

§1. The subject stated. §2, 3. (L.) Who they are of whom the psalmist speaks. §4. (II.) What it is that he affirmeth of them. §5, 6. (III.) Observations.

$1. HAVING AVING in one testimony from the scriptures, expressing the subjection of angels to the Lord Christ, signally proved his main design; the apostle proceeds to his third argument in proof of the same point. And here we shall inquire,

I. Who they are of whom the psalmist speaks? II. What it is that he affirmeth of them? And then, III. Improve the subject by suitable observations. §2. The modern Jews deny that there is any mention made of angels; and affirm, that the psalmist treats of the winds, with thunder and lightning, which God employs as his messengers and ministers to accomplish his will and pleasure. But as this opinion is directly contradictory to the authority of the apostle; so is it also to the design of the psalmist, the sense of the words, and the consent of the ancient Jews; and so is not admissible. Some aver that the winds and meteors are principally intended, but yet so, as that God affirming, that he makes the winds his messengers, doth also intimate that it is the work and employment of his angels above to be his messengers also; and that because he maketh use of their ministry to cause those winds and fires, whereby he accomplisheth his will, and this they illustrate by the fire and winds caused by them on Mount Sinai, at the giving of the law. But this interpretation, whatever is pretended to the contrary, doth not really differ from the former, denying angels to be intentionally spoken of, and only hooking in, as it were, a respect to them, not to be seen to contradict the apostle. Others grant, that it is the angels of whom the apostle treats, but make spirits to be the subject of what is affirmed, and angels to be the predicate. In this sense, God is said to make those spiritual substances, those inhabitants of heaven, his messengers, employing them in his service, them whose nature is a flaming fire, that is, the seraphims, to be his ministers to accomplish his pleasure; making the term "angels" to denote merely an employment, not

persons.

$3. But neither of these interpretations appears satisfactory. On the contrary, that the winds and tempests and their use in the earth are not intended, either by the psalmist or the apostle, and that the angels are properly designed by both, might be shewn from the scope and design of the passages, the consent of the ancient Jews, from the common use of the word () rendered angels, seeing no reason can be given why it should not denote them here; from the apostle and Septuagint fixing the articles before the words (αγγελους and λειτουργούς) angels and ministers, which plainly determine them to be the subject spoken of. Not to insist particularly on these things, let it be only observed, that the apostle's intention is to prove by this testimony, that the angels are employed in such works and services, and in such a manner, as that they are no way to be compared to the Son of God, in respect of that office which, as Mediator, he hath undertaken; which the sense and construction now contended for, but no other, evidently prove.

§4. (II.) Our next inquiry is after what is affirmed concerning these angels and ministers spoken of, and that is, that God makes them "spirits" and a "flame of fire." Some suppose that the creation of angels is contended, and the nature whereof they were made. He made them spirits; that is, of a spiritual substance; and his heavenly ministers quick, powerful, agile, as a flaming fire. But the psalm evidently refers to the providence of God employing angels, and not to his power in making them. And the apostle in this place nath nothing to do with the essence and nature of the angels, but with their dignity, honor, and employment. Wherefore the providence of God in disposing and employing of them in his service is intended in the words, and so they may have a double sense; either,