A learned and very useful commentary on the whole epistle to the Hebrews wherein every word and particle in the original is explained ... : being the substance of thirty years Wednesdayes lectures at Black-fryers, London / by that holy and learned divine Wiliam Gouge ... : before which is prefixed a narrative of his life and death : whereunto is added two alphabeticall tables ...

§. 19. Of Christ the brightness of Gods glory.

STill doth the Apostle proceed in setting out the divine glory of that Sonne, by* 1.1 whom the Father hath made known his will to us under the Gospel, in these* 1.2 words spoken of the Sonne in relation to the Father; Who being the brightness of his glory, &c.

The word translated brightness, is metaphoricall; but very fit for the point in hand. The Verb whence it is derived, signifieth to send forth brightnesse, or light:* 1.3 and the Noun here used, such brightness as cometh from light: as the brightness or light, or sun beams issuing from the Sun.

No resemblance taken from any other creature, can more fully set out the mutu∣all relation between the Father and the Sonne. For

• 1. The brightness issuing from the Sun, is of the same nature that the Sun is.
• 2. It is of as long continuance as the Sun: Never was the Sun without the bright∣ness of it.
• ...

• 3. This brightness cannot be separated from the Sun: The Sun may as well be made no Sun, as have the brightness thereof severed from it.
• 4. This brightness is from the Sun; not the Sun from it.
• 5. This brightness cometh naturally and necessarily from the Sun; not volunta∣rily and at pleasure.
• 6. The Sun and the brightness are distinct each from other: the one is not the other.
• 7. All the glory of the Sun is in this brightness.
• 8. The light which the Sun giveth to the world is by this brightness.

How distinctly and clearly doth this metaphor set out the great Mysteries of our Christian faith, concerning God the Father and Sonne! For they are

• 1. Of one and the same essence, Ioh. 10. 30.
• 2. Coeternall, Ioh. 1. 1.
• 3. Inseparable, Prov. 8. 30.
• 4. The Sonne is from the Father: God of God, light of light, very God of very God.* 1.4
• 5. The Sonne is begotten of the Father, by nature, not by will, favour or good pleasure, Rom. 8. 7, 32.
• 6. The person of the one is distinct from the other: For the Father is not the Sonne; nor the Sonne the Father, Joh. 5. 17.
• 7. The incomprehensible glory of the Father, most brightly shineth forth in the* 1.5 Sonne, Ioh. 17. 5.
• 8. All that the Father doth in relation to creatures, he doth by the Sonne: As in these respects Christ is fitly and justly stiled brightness; so in regard of his surpas∣sing excellency, he is said to be the brightness of GLORY. Of the Hebrew and Greek words translated glory, see Chap. 2. v. 7. §. 60.

Glory attributed to a thing, in the Hebrew dialect, importeth the surpassing excel∣lency thereof: as a Crown of Glory (Prov. 16. 31.) a Throne of Glory (Ier. 17. 12.) a Name of Glory (Isa. 63. 14.) a most excellent and glorious Crown, Throne and Name. Thus to set out the surpassing excellency, and most glorious majesty of God, he is stiled the God of Glory, Acts 7. 2. the Father of Glory, Eph. 1. 17. And* 1.6 his Sonne, the Lord of Glory, the King of Glory, 1 Cor. 2. 8. Psal. 24. 7. Never was any brightness like to the brightness here mentioned: well therefore might it in re∣gard of e 1.7 the excellency of it, be stiled brightness of Glory. Glory and excellency are set together (Isa. 4. 2.) signifying the same thing. See more of Glory, Chap. 2. §. 60, 93.

Our English doth here well insert this relative particle HIS, in reference to the Father▪ thus, the brightness of his glory: for the particle, his, expressed by the Ori∣ginall in the next clause, his person, may have reference to both the branches: as,* 1.8 his glory, his person. This much amplifieth the point in hand, and sheweth that the Sonne was in his Fathers greatest excellency, no whit inferior to him, but every way equal. He was brightness, the brightness of his Father; yea also the brightness of his Fathers glory. What excellency soever was in the Father, the same was likewise in the Sonne, and that in the most transplendent manner. f 1.9 Glory sets out excellency: Brightness of glory, the excellency of excellency.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Verse 3.
• * 1.2

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, splendorem 〈◊〉〈◊〉 lucem •…•…mittere.
• * 1.3

  Sicut flamma splendorem quem gignit tempore non praecedit: ita Pater nuuquam sine Filio fuit. Ar•…•…br. de Fide. l. 4. c. 4.
• * 1.4

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Fidei Co•…•…fes. Synod. Nic•…•…n.
• * 1.5

  Generatio no•…•… in voluntati•…•… possibilitate, sed injure quo∣dam & propri∣etate paterni vi∣detur esse secre∣ti. Ambr. de Fi∣de, l. 4. c. 4. Glory intima∣teth excellen∣cy.
• * 1.6

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 glori•…•… solium. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 gloriae nom•…•…n.
• e 1.7

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Of the empha∣sis of this, see §. 25.
• * 1.8

  In •…•…oc apparebit majestatis aequa∣litas, si nec infe∣riorem patre, nec posteriorem suspexere. Bern. sup•…•…r Cant. Serm. 76.
• f 1.9

  See the Guide to go to God. Or my Expla∣nation of the Lords Prayer, §. 216, &c.