The LORD possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old. I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was. When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water. Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth: While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the highest part of the dust of the world. When he prepared the heavens, I was there: when he set a compass upon the face of the depth: When he established the clouds above: when he strengthened the fountains of the deep: When he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his commandment: when he appointed the foundations of the earth: Then I was by him, as one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him; Rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth; and my delights were with the sons of men.
In these few verses are contained very many of the most sublime truths of the gospel, if we consider (as I have been all along considering through the chapter), that it is Jesus as Mediator, God and man in one person, here speaking to his church of himself and of his Father. In this sense Christ was as indeed possessed, set up, constituted and determined upon in the beginning of his ways. Set up secretly, not as yet openly to the church, but secretly in the divine decrees. And set up, not as God only, for then in this case the expression would not be suited to the divine nature, for how can God be said to be set up, who inhabiteth eternity. Neither as man only, for how could man be set up as man from everlasting. But in both natures as God-man Mediator he might be said to be set up, and possessed in the divine mind from all eternity. And in this sense also Christ might be said to be set up as the Wisdom-Christ, the pattern and sampler of the future creation of man. Paul, speaking to the same effect saith, that he is the image of the invisible God, the first born of every creature. Colossians 1:15 Intimating that though there is nothing visible in God, yet there was an holy thing, so called, Luke 1:35, to be openly born in after ages, which subsisted in the Son of God; and in this union of character, the Wisdom-Mediator elect stood by, when there were no depths, nor fountains abounding with water, and before an atom of the dust of the world was made. And in this sense also the expression as one brought up with him, is plain and intelligible. For the sacred persons of the God-head had not then gone forth in acts of creation. The Son of God had not then taken into union with himself the manhood. But the contemplation of the future event of this mysterious union with, all the blessed consequences of it, in the glories of the Mediator, and Jehovah's glory in him, together with all the salvation of his church; these made the Mediator Jehovah's delight, and the Mediator's delights were in contemplating his love and duty to his Father in redemption-work, and the final happiness of his church, thus rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth, and his delights were with the sons of men: The same word rendered brought up in this chapter, is in the book of the Canticles, (Song of Solomon 7:1) translated cunning workmen; meaning, jointly concerned in the works of creation, redemption, providence, and grace. As one brought up with him; wrapt up in the very bosom of the Father, embosomed, if the expression be allowable. So that there are two most blessed and glorious truths here contained. The sacred persons were unceasingly enjoying and solacing themselves in one another. This is one sweet thought. And the other is, that one, of their enjoyments arose from the salvation they had determined for our nature: I was daily his delight, said Jesus; and my delights were with the sons of men.