He, then, communicates his mind unto his saints, and unto
them only; — his mind, the counsel of his love, the thoughts of
his heart, the purposes of his bosom, for our eternal good, — his mind, the
ways of his grace, the workings of his Spirit, the rule of his sceptre, And
the obedience of his gospel. Mal. iv. 2;
Luke i. 78; 2 Pet. i.
19. All spiritual revelation is by Christ.
He is “the true Light, that lighteth every man that comes into the world,”
John i. 9. He is the “Day-spring,”
the “Day-star,” and the “Sun;” so that it is impossible any light should be
but by him. From him it is that “the secret of the Lord is with them that
fear him, and he shows them his covenant,” Ps. xxv.
14; as he expresses it at large, John xv. 14, 15, “Voluntatem Dei nosse quisquam desiderat? fiat amicus Deo,
quia si voluntatem hominis nosse vellet, cujus amicus non esset, omnes ejus
impudentiam et stultitiam deriderent.” — August, de Gen. Cont. Man., lib. i. cap.
2. “Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.
Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his
lord doth: but I have called you friends; for “Vox πάντα ex subjecta materia, restrictionem ad doctrinam
salutis requirit.” — Tarnov. in loc. all things that I have heard of
my Father I have made known unto you.” He makes them as his friends, and
useth them as friends, — as bosom friends, in whom he is
delighted. He makes known all his mind unto them; every thing that his
Father hath committed to him as Mediator to be revealed, Acts xx. 24. And the apostle
declares how this is done, 1 Cor.
ii. 10, 11, “ ‘God hath revealed these things unto us by his
Spirit;’ for we have received him, ‘that we might know the things that are
freely given us of God.’ ” He sends us his Spirits as he promised, to make
known his mind unto his saints, and to lead them into all truth. And
thence the apostle concludes, “We have known the mind of Christ,” verse 16; “for he useth us as
friends, and declareth it unto us,” John i.
18. There is not any thing in the heart of Christ, wherein
these his friends are concerned, that he doth not reveal to them. All his
love, his good-will, the secrets of his
covenant, the paths of obedience, the mystery of faith,
is told them.