C 74 An Expoltíon of the i, L Matth.28. 18 expounded Ephef, 1.21, 22. 5. The Te(iimony ufed by We Apoftle in the firfi place, is the word that God fpake untohis King,' whenhe let hiln upon his holy Hill ofSion, Pfàl. 2. 6, 7, 8. which typically expreffeth his glorious Enitalment inhis heavenly Eingdom. The Lord Child then, who in refpeCt of his Divine Nature was always infinitely and incomparably himfelfmore excellent thanall the Angels, after his H' miliation in the Affumption of the Humane Nature, with the fufferìngs andtemptat'ons that he underwent,, upon his Refurreetion was exalted into acondition of Glory, P wet, Au- thority, and Excellency, and entrufted with Power over them, as our.2/0ie here informs us. 3. In this Preference and Exaltationof the Lord Chrift, there is a Degree intimated; beingmade fa much more, &c. now our conceptions hereabout, as to this place, are wholly to be regulatedby the Name givenunto him. Look, faith the Apoftle, how much the Name given unto the lVLiah,excels the Name given untoAngels,fo much doth he himfelfexcell them in Glory, Authority and Power ; for thefe Names are fevetally giventhetri of God, to lignifie rheirftateand condition. What, and how great this difference is, we thall afterwards fee, in the conlideration ofthe Inflances given of it by the Apoftle in the Verfes enfuing. 4. The Proof of this Affertion which the Apoftle era fixeth on, is taken from the Name ofChrilt. His Name, not given him by man, not afrumeegby himfelf, but afcribed unto him by God himfelf. Neither Both he hereby the Name ofChrift, or the name ofthe Angels, intend any individual proper names of the one or the other s but filch Defcriptions as are made of them, andTitlesgiven unto them by God,as whereby their hate and condition may be known. Obferve,faith he, how they are called ofGod ; by what Names and Titleshe owns them, and you may learn the Difference between them. This Name he declares in the next Verfe; God laid unto him, Thouart my : ''Sot, this day have I begotten thee, It is not abfolutely his being theSonof God that is intended ; but that by the teftitnony ofthe holy Glioftç God Paid thefe words unto him, Thouart my Son, and thereby declared his hate and condition tobe far above that of the Angels, to none ofwhom he ever laid anySuch thing, but fpeaks of them ina tar dilliriftmanner; as we (hall fee. But hereofin the next Verfe. Some by this excellent Name underhand his Power, and Dignity, and Glory, called his name above every name, Phil. z. S. but then the can no way prove that which the Apoftle produceth it for, it beingdirectly the fame with that which is afferted, in whofe confirmation it is produced. . 5. The lull thing confiderabie is, Hem the LordChrift came by this Name, or. ob- nEx) 'i''''. tained it ; xsonsevisint ; he obtained it by Inheritance; as his peculiar lot and portion for ever. In what font he is Paid to be sontwúuer, the Heir, was before declared. As he was made the Heir ofall, fo he inherited a more excellent Name than the Angels. Now he was made Heir ofall, in thatall things being made and formed by him, the Father committed unto him as Mediator a peculiarPower over all things, to be dif- pofed of by himunto all the ends of his Mediation. So alto being the Natural and Eternal Son bf God, in, and upon the difcharge ofhiswork, the Fatherdeclared and pronounced that to be his Name i fee Laity t. 35. Ifa.7. 14. chap. 9. 6. His being the Son ofGod, is the proper foundationofhis being called fo -, and his difchargeof his Of-, fice the Occafion ofits declaration t fo he came untoit by Right of Inheritance, when he was declared tobe the Son of God with Power, by the- refurreaion from the dead, Rom. i. 3. This then is the film ofthe Apofiles Propofition, and the Confirmation of it. A Name given.by God to that end and purpofe, doth truly declare the nature, (rate and condition ofhim or them.to whom it is given. But unto Chrift the Mediator there is a- Name givenof God himfelf, exceedinglymore excellent than any that by him is given unto the Angels; which undeniably evinceth, thathe is placed ina Mate and condition ofGlory far above them, orpreferred before them. I (hall only obferve one or twothings,. concerning the Hebrews to whom theApo- file wrote, and fo put an end to our Expoíìtionofthis Verfe. Eirjt then, this difcourfe oftheApart proving the Prebeminence ofthe Meffiab above theAngeels, was very neceffary unto the, Hebrews, although it were very fuitableunto their own principles, and in general acknowledged by them. It is to this day aTra- dition.amongft Chem, that the Mefah,fhallbe exaltedabove Abraham, and Mofes, and the minjtring Angels. Betides, theyacknowledged the Scriptures ofthe-OldTeltament, wherein
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