5Q, An Expofition of the is the Father ofhimfelf, and the Son ofthe Father. 2. As the Sun, without diminu- tion or partition of itsfubttance, without change or alteration in its nature, pro- duceth the Beam ; fo is the Sonbegotten of the Father. 3. As the Sun in Order ofNa- ture is before the Beam, but in time both are coexiftent ; fo is the Father inOrder of Nature before the Son, though in ExiftencebothCoeternal. 4. As the Beam is diltin6t from the Sun, fo that the Sun is not the Beam, and the Beam is not the Sun ; fo is it between the Father and the Son. 5. As the Beam is never feparated from the Sun, not can the Sunbe without the Beam ; nomore can the Son befrom the Father, nor was theFather everwithout theSon. 6. As the Sun cannot be Peen but by the Beam, no more can the Father but in and by the Son. I acknowledge that theft things are true, and that there is nothing in them difa- greeable unto theAnalogy offaith. But yet as fundry other things maybe affirmed of the Sun and its Beam, whereofno tollerable Application can be made to the matter in hand ; fo I am not perfwadedthat the ApoJlle intended any filch Comparifon or Ill- lufion, or aimed at our Information or Inftruótion by them. They were common people of the Jews, and not Philofphers, to whom the Apoftle wrote this EpiJile. And therefore eitherhe exprefleth the thingsthat he intends, itr terms anfweringunto what was in ufe among themfelves to the fame purpofe, or elfe he affects them Vainly in words, as meet to exprefs them properly by, as any that are in ufe amongft men. To fay there is an Al'ufion in thewords, and that the Son is not properly, but by a Metaphor the brightneßofGlory, is to teach the Apoftle to exprefs himfelf in the things ofGod. For mypart, I underhand as much of the Nature, Glory; and Properties of theSon, in, and by this expreftion, He it the BrightneßofGlory, as I do by any of the mod accurate expreffions, which men have arbitrarily invented to fignifie the fame thing. That he is one diltindt from God theFather, related unto hilt, and partaker ofhis glory, is clearely affected intheft words, and more is not intended irfthem. Sixthly,Thefe things then being premifed,wemay difcern thegeneral importanceof theft expreflions. The words themfelves,as was before obferved,being no where elfi ufed in theScripture,we may receive a contribution oflight unto them from thole in other places,whichare oftheir neare(f alliance.Such are theft and the Iike,We havefen hirglory, the glory ofthe only Son of God, job. r. 54. He is theImage ofthe invifible God, Col. a. r 5. ThegloryofGodfhinerforth in him, 2Cor. 4. 6. Now in there and the like places, the glory of the Divine Nature is fo intimated, as that we are direfted to look unto the Glory ofthe abfolutely invifible and incomprehenfible God, in himIncarnate. And this in general is the meaningand intendment of the ApoJlle in thefe expreflions ; .the Son in whom God fpeaks untous in the Revelation ofthe Gofpel, doth in bio own Perfon fo every way anlwer the Excellencies and Perfections of God the Father, that he is in him exprefly reprefented unto our Faith and Contemplation. It remaineth then in the fecondplace that we confider the Exprlions feverally, with the reafons why the Apoftle thus expreffeth the Divinegloryof Jefus Chrilt, "os my àsaúyaaµa q' .ríens ; Who being the Brightneß; Light, Luffre, Majefty of Glory. The ApoJlle, inmy judgment, (which is humbly fubmittedunto confideration) alludes and attends unto fame thing, that the people were inftru, ted by typically under theOld Teltament, in this great Myftery of the manifeftation of theglory of God unto them in andby the Son, the Second Perlon in the Trinity. The Ark, whichwas the molt lignal Reprefentation ofthe prefenceofGod amongft them, was called bio Glory. So the Wife of Phineas, upon the taking ofthe Ark, affirmed, that the Glory was departed, r Sam. 4. Zn. Theglory is departed from Iliac!, for the Ark ofGodis taken. And the Pfal- miff mentioning the fame thing, callsit ha glory abfolutely : Pfal. 78. 65. He gave his glory into the hand ofhis enemies ; that is the Ark. Now on the filling of the Taber- nacle with the fignsof God's prefence inCloud and Fire, the Jews affirm that there was a confiant áoratlyaaua,a tt1D401, or MajeJfickfbiningglory rating on the Ark ; which was the ciaavyaapa 1 d"s ns, theJßlendor of the glory ofGod, in that Typical Reprefcn- ration ofhis Prefince. And thiswas to intiruétthem in the way and manner whereby God woulddwell amongftthem. The Apoftle therefore calling them from the Types, by which in much darknefs they had been inffrulhed in theft Myfieries, unto the things themfelves reprefented o'fcurely by them, acquaints themwith what that Ty- picalglory andfilendourof it fignified, namely the Eternalglory of God, with the Effen- tial beaming and brightnefs ofit in theSon, in and by whom the glory of the Father fhineth forth unto us. So that the words feem to relate unto that wayoflnfruthon, whichwas of old granted unto them. . Beides, CHAP. I.
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