(7) Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power. (8) Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; (9) And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: (10) To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, (11) According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord: (12) In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.
Reader! You and I may pause a moment to admire the grace given to this great Apostle, who, while we behold him as an eminent servant, of the Lord, he considered himself as less than the least of all saints; yea, the chief of sinners! 1 Timothy 1:15. Grace always humbles. The higher a child of God is advanced in divine know ledge, the lower he lays before God in humility. The more he limits of Christ, the more contemptible he thinks of himself But profitable as such views are of God's best servants, the subject Paul is here upon, is too sublime, to lose a moment in looking at the servant, while we hear of the Person, and unsearchable riches of the Master. Paul calls it a mystery, and the fellowship of the mystery. And what a mystery, indeed, the whole forms? Great is the mystery of godliness. God, manifest in the flesh, is the first chapter. And what an endless subject, of the unsearchable riches of Christ, doth this one open ? It contains depths of wisdom, and depths of love, which, like an ocean without bottom or shore, affords infinite scope for all God's intelligent creatures, to exercise their faculties, in sailing over, but never fully to explore, for it passeth all knowledge. Nevertheless, the Lord encourageth his people to enter upon the discovery, in that we are told, that though from the beginning of the world it was hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ; yet, is it now made known to the Church. And, however, still hid from the wise and prudent, it is revealed onto the saints. The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him, and he will show them his Covenant. Psalms 25:14. A few of the more prominent parts of this mystery, as here opened by the Apostle, we shall do well to regard, the Lord being our Teacher.
And, first. Th e Apostle tells us, that before God went forth in acts of creation, when he created all things by Jesus Christ, the fellowship of this mystery had been hid in his bosom, and, of con sequence, it was unknown to angels. It was an eternal purpose, which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord. So that there was none privy to it but God himself, in his threefold character of Persons, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. And herein became the greatest, if not the first discovery, of the Personalities in the Godhead. For, although at Creation we find the Sacred Three in One, speaking on the subject of creation to one another, at the forming man, saying, Let us make man in our Image, after our Likeness; Genesis 1:26. yet, it was at the revelation concerning the Lord JESUS, as the manifold wisdom of God, that we find the blessed discovery of the Holy Three in One becoming witnesses in heaven to these great truths. 1 John 5:7. And I would ask the Reader, (but not speak decidedly), do we not discover those heavenly witnesses, when, as in this very Epistle to the Church, we read of God the Father's choosing the Church, God the Son's redeeming the Church, and God the Spirit's regenerating the Church, as so many distinct and personal acts in this mystery ? Yea, are not these as so many blessed discoveries afforded us, that we might have somewhat to form to ourselves, suited apprehensions, both of the Personality, and of the love and favor of God, in this threefold character of Being. Ephesians 1:4-9
No doubt, when God went, forth in acts of creation, be made a vast display of his divine perfections. In all those works we behold a proof of them. And, although, in respect to his own eternal glory, there needed no such manifestations, resting in his own unchangeable complacency, and being infinitely blessed, had men or angels never been called into being; yet, when the Lord was pleased to raise up such magnificent works of his hands, the contemplation of them called forth his praise, when, as we are told, the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy. Job 38:7. But when Christ, as God-man, came to be revealed to the Church, and all the great events included in that high administration of his Person, offices, and character, were unfolded to view; here was discovered such unsearchable riches proclaimed the manifold wisdom of God. The very Person of Christ alone, in the union of his double nature, God and Man in One, opened such an object of glory to feast our ravished souls upon, as in himself, and independent of any one act of love and grace towards his Church and people, as her Savior and Redeemer, was enough to produce the highest sensations Of joy to all eternity. And when to the view of his Person, as God-man, we add the gracious offices of the Mediator, when we not only consider Him as He is in himself; but as He is to his people; what he hath done for us, and what he is to us; what he was in his relation to his Church, as her Head and Husband, before all worlds; what he is, as her Surety, Redeemer, High Priest, and Advocate, during the whole of her time-state while on earth; and what he will be, when he will bring home his Church, as her Lord, to be one with him to all eternity: these views leave at an infinite distance every other, and open, even now, though in the present unripe state of our being, we can only behold objects, as through mediums darkly; a joy unspeakable, and full of glory.
But, Reader! let You and I seek for grace rightly, to value our mercies. Angels, we are told, when this eternal purpose, which God purposed in Christ, came to be opened were amazed at the vast discovery, and unable to comprehend such depths of the manifold wisdom of God, desired to look into. Holy men, and Prophets, though taught by the Spirit of Christ, which was in them, to enquire and search diligently concerning this salvation, were unconscious of what was meant by the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow; but it was revealed unto them, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto us by them. 1 Peter 1:11-12. And while we daily behold the truths of God confirmed, that the world by wisdom knew not God; the Lord's people are blessed in the saving knowledge of them by the Spirit. According to this sweet scripture, it is said, that God's intent now is, that it might be known by the Church, the manifold wisdom of God. So, that the mystery which hath been hid from ages, and from generations, is now made manifest to the saints. Colossians 1:26. Well may every child of God cry out with the Apostle, Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift. 2 Corinthians 9:15.