The glory here refers to the divers manners in which GOD spake to the fathers at sundry times, mentioned in the first verse; and the plain easy meaning is, that the Son, by whom God had spoken in the last days, was the brightness or resplendence of all the glory exhibited, promised, or prophecied of in the old testament dispensation. The glory that was then revealed, was but like the dawn of the morning, in comparison of the noon-day splendor of the sun of righteousness: such morning rays only announced the approach of the refulgent sun, who spread abroad the glorious light of divine truth through the world in the most open, clear, and conspicuous manner. Jesus Christ was the spirit and substance of all the glory manifested in the declarations, appearances, tabernacle, temple, priesthood, and pompous services. They all centre in him whose character and work is the meridian lustre, the excelling glory of what was more darkly said and shadowed of him under the old testament. The glorious appearances which were made, the glory of the tabernacle, temple, and priesthood, and especially that glory which appeared from off the mercy-seat, (to which this phrase in the text may perhaps particularly allude) was externally striking to the senses, and often surprized the beholders; but not to be compared with that permanent, spiritual, and divine glory, which shone so conspicuously in the whole character of JESUS CHRIST.

Though the latter Jewish temple wanted many things that tended to enhance the glory of the first, as we are told by Haggai-" Who is among you that saw this house in her first glory? and how do ye see it now? Is it not in your eyes in comparison of it as nothing? Notwithstanding this preference

*Hag, ii, 3.

with respect to external glory, and several valuable privileges suited to that dispensation, which were wanting in the latter temple; the same prophet tells us," I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come, and I will fill this house with glory, saith the LORD of Hosts. The glory of this latter house shall be greater than the former, saith the LORD of Hosts." The presence of GOD manifested in flesh, did more than make up all defects in the latter temple, and made it exceedingly excel the former in glory: yea, with respect to all the glory of the Jewish economy, the apostle says,-" Thatt which was made glorious, had no glory in this repect, by reason of the glory that excelleth. For if that which was done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth."-The life of Christ here, was a most glorious exhibition of the moral perfections of God,-his death an amazing declaration of the love, mercy, and condescension of God, his resurrection the clearest display of the omnipotent power and unerring faithfulness of God, his exaltation at God's right hand,-kingly dignity, universal dominion and government, and giving such holy and divine laws and ordinances for the perpetual order, comfort, and establishment of his church, make up such a refulgence of glory, as made Isaiah, under a prophetic view thereof, cry out to the church with admiration," Arise, shine, for thy light is come, and the glory of JEHOVAH is risen upon thee.-JEHOVAH shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee.-Rejoice ye with Jerusalem, and be glad with her, all ye that love her, rejoice for joy with her, and be delighted with the abundance of her glory." Not the boasted glory of Sharon, Carmel, and Lebanon, which the

* Hag. ii. 7, 9.

t 2 Cor. iii. 10, 11. ↑ Isa. lx. 1, 2. Ibid. lxvi. 10, 11.

Jews delighted so much in; but the quintessence and excellence of all glory. "The glory of JEHOVAH, the excellency of ELOHIM." HE, who is the medium or mirror of all the divine perfections,-who exhibits all the glorious relations which JEHOVAH stands in to his church. Hence, says John," The* WORD was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father) full of grace and truth." Paul tells us,+ " In him dwelleth all the fulness of Deity bodily." Therefore he says here with the utmost propriety, "WHO IS THE BRIGHTNESS OR REFULGENCE OF GLORY."

The next clause in this verse is rendered, "The express image of his person." The ordinary sense imposed upon these words so translated is, "That Christ as a Son, is the essential image of the Father's person." The inconsistency of this sentiment I considered above.

I shall here shew that neither such words nor ideas are in the text. The Greek word xagaxing character, which is not that I know of in the new testament, except in this verse, signifies literally a distinguishing mark: and Urais is a word compounded of hypo, under, and stasis, a station, and so literally signifies an under station, or foundation: and according to the use of it in this place, may be justly expressed by the English word condescension. So the text will read, 66 Who is the brightness or splendor of glory, and the distinguishing mark of his condescension." This can have no relation to person at all. The word hypostasis, here translated person, is other four times in the new testament, in three of which it is rendered confidence, and in the other substance; neither

of these can have any relation to person; nor is any of them the proper meaning of the word. But what makes it pretty evident that foundation would be a better translation of it is, that this word agrees better with the scope of the apostle, in every place where it is used, than any other word it is rendered by. As for example, "Faith is the firm foundation of things not seen," &c. In the other three texts, itt is confidence, but foundation would read much better, as the reader may see by consulting the passages.

Whatever way ecclesiastical writers may render this word, there is no classical author that makes use of it to signify person. Revelation would have appeared more clear, if divines had taken words in their nearest signification; and not borrowed for them a remote sense, that they might be easier adapted to systems composed by themselves or others, as the meaning of revelation. In this instance, it is plain the text is wrested to favor some such purpose, whereas the obvious meaning of it is agreeable to the scope of revelation in general, a glorious display of the character of Christ our Savior, and conveys the strongest idea of the great love and condescension of God, expressed in Christ coming to save sinners. This is here set forth as a most interesting part of his character. That he who was heir of all things,—— by whom the worlds were made,-who upholds all things,-who was the brightness of glory, should humble himself to that low station he was in here, submit to a shameful and ignominious death for sinners, out of voluntary and matchless condescension! And that this is the idea included in the phrase, is evident from what immediately follows, which is another branch of his character + 2 Cor. ix, 4. and xi, 17. Heb. iii, 14,

* Heb. xi. 1.

as the Savior of men: "When he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the majesty on high."

In this view of the passage, the ideas are connected, and quite agreeable to the scope of the apostle, in presenting to the Hebrews a description of the Son of God, as the substance and splendor of all that dispensation, in which they gloried so much, his coming to save sinners, the most distinguished mark of divine condescension: and having finished his humiliation work, was advanced at GOD's right hand, "being made (as in the fourth verse) so much better than the angels, as he had by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they." Whatever mysteries others may think they see in this passage, as eternal generation,— natural sonship,-Christ the essential image of the Father's person, &c. according to the plain meaning of the words, and the design of the apostle's argument in this part of the epistle, the impartial examiner will say with him,-"We see JESUS, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor." This is the best comment on the passage, given by the apostle himself.†

* Heb. ii. 9.

I hope the impartial reader is fully convinced of the propriety of these observations, and that we have now attained to a clear and determined sense of this passage, which hath been not a little excruciating to interpreters. The embarrassment they have been under, was owing to their departure from the sense of scripture terms, which are clearly discovered, and imposing a meaning upon them to favor doctrines, which could not otherwise find any countenance in scripture and in this instance, as well as some others, which we have had occasion to notice before, it is easy to see, how far they have departed from the plain sense of the terms; and also how easily the inattentive may be misled by traditions and systems. When once words acquire a meaning, which the writer did not intend they should convey, it is nothing strange, if