§. 24. Of Christs not glorifying himself.
BEcause the Apostle had before declared the high-Priesthood to be an a 1.1 〈◊〉〈◊〉▪ he here sheweth, that to attain thereunto, is to be glorified.
b 1.2 Glory implieth excellency (as was shewed Chap. 1. v. 3. §. 19. & Chap. 2 v. 7. §. 6.)
c 1.3 To glorifie, according to the notation of the word is to make glorious: and •…•…o it is translated, 2 Cor. 3. 10.
This is done two waies:
- 1. By ascribing to one that glory or excellency which is his own, most due to him. Thus creatures may glorifie their Creator, Rev. 15. 4.
- 2. By conferring glory upon one: even such glory as he had not before. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the Creator glorifieth creatures, Act. 3. 13. Rom. 8. 30.
These words following, to be made an Highpriest, give evidence that the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 kinde of glorifying is here meant: namely a conferring of that glory upon Christ, which he had not before.
The Highpriesthood was an honour: for Christ to have taken that to himself, had been to glorifie himself by conferring glory and honour upon himself.
This negative that Christ glorified not himself, giveth proof that Christ 〈◊〉〈◊〉 no honour to himself, I seck not my own glory, (saith he) Ioh. 8. 50. This Christ •…•…∣veth by many arguments, Ioh. 5 31, &c.
Christ would not arrogate honour to himself, but rather wait upon the Father to confer upon him what honour he saw meet, that our faith might be the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 strengthened in those things which Christ did on our behalf: and also that he might make himself an example unto us.
Let therefore the same minde be in us that was in Christ Iesus, Phil. 2. 5. Let 〈◊〉〈◊〉 not thrust our selves into any place, before we are called; nor arrogate any ho∣nour to our selves, that belongeth not unto us. We are by nature too prone here∣unto. Let Magistrates, Ministers, and all of all sorts so carry themselves, as it may be truly said of them, They glorified not themselves.
The particular instance whereby this generall negative, that Christ glorified 〈◊〉〈◊〉 himself, is evidenced, is the high-Priesthood: For that was an honour, and Christ, by having that conferred on him, was indeed glorified. So much is intended under his particle of opposition, * 1.4 BUT: as if it had been said, Though Christ •…•…∣fied not himself by assuming the Priesthood to himself, yet he was glorified thereby, by his Fathers conserring it upon him.
To make the Apostles meaning more clear, take all these words, He that 〈◊〉〈◊〉 unto him, Thou art my Son, to day have I begotten thee, as a description of the Fa∣ther: and b 1.5 repeat the word c 1.6 glorified, (which must needs be here understood) then the sense will appear to be this, Christ glorified not himself to be 〈◊〉〈◊〉 an Highpriest, but his Father glorified him, in ordaining him to be the Highpriest.