Online Bible 1995 March/ROM-1025.iso/olb/gill/3_600_e.lzh/3_605.TXT

Text File | 1995-01-30 | 5KB | 102 lines

\*Ver. 4. \\Their line is gone out through all the earth\\,
&c.] Not the line or writings in the book of the
creatures, the heavens, and the earth, which lie open,
and are legible, and to be seen and read of all men;
nor the line and writings in the book of the Scriptures,
called line upon line, and precept upon precept, \\#Isa
28:13\\, which, though first given to the Jews, were
written for the instruction of others, and have been
communicated to them; but the line of the apostles:
every one had his line or measure; or the course he
was to steer was measured out and directed to him;
the line of one, where he was to go and preach the
Gospel, reached so far one way, and the line of another
reached so far another way; and what with one and
another, their line reached throughout all the earth;
see \\#2Co 16:13-16\\; the apostle citing these words in
\\#Ro 10:18\\; renders them, %their sound went%, &c. the
sound of the Gospel, as published by them; which
agrees with the next clause;
\*\\and their words to the end
of the world\\; to the isles afar off, even to these northern
and distant ones of England, Scotland, and Ireland,
which were reached and visited with the Gospel,
either by the apostles, or at least by some of the first
ministers of the word;
\*\\in them hath he set a tabernacle
for the sun\\; that is, in the heavens and firmament,
where the natural sun is placed; and its habitation is
fitly called a tabernacle, because it is always in motion
and never stops: or this may have some respect to its
setting, when, according to the vulgar appearance, and
to common understandings, it seems to be hid as in a
tent or tabernacle; to be as it were gone to bed, and
at rest; when in the morning it rises gay and cheerful,
and comes forth like a bridegroom out of his chamber,
as is said in \\#Ps 19:5\\: but this is all to be understood,
spiritually and mystically, of Christ the sun of
righteousness, who has his tabernacle among his
people, his churches; and particularly has a place,
and the chief place, in the ministry of the Gospel,
being the sum and substance of it; and this is of God's
putting there, who committed to his apostles the
word of reconciliation, the sum of which is Christ; and
this is what makes the Gospel so glorious a light, so
clear a revelation as it is: the nature, continuance, and
extent of this revelation, are described in the foregoing
verses; the perspicuity and clearness of it is set forth
in this clause, and in what follows.

\*Ver. 5. \\Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his
chamber\\, &c.] His nuptial chamber, on which Elias writes {y},
\*"we call the garment (or
"canopy) spread over the head of the bridegroom and bride, supported
"by four pillars, in the time of their espousals, \^hpx\^."\*
\*who looks
lovely and beautiful in his nuptial robes, cheerful and
pleasant in his countenance, creating pleasure and delight
in all his friends that see him and hear his voice:
and this simile is expressive of the brightness and
glory of the sun when it rises; and of the joy and
pleasure which it produces in the minds of men when
they behold it: all which sets forth the loveliness and
beauty of Christ, as he is held forth in the ministration
of the Gospel, and the joy unspeakable and full of
glory which his presence yields, after a short departure
from his people; see \\#Isa 61:10 Joh 3:29\\;
\*\\[and] rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race\\; in which
he shows his readiness, velocity, and strength; and
this denotes the swiftness of the sun in running its
course, and its indefatigableness in its constant motion;
though it has been employed therein for so many
thousands of years, yet every morning rises with the
same cheerfulness, pursues its course, and is never
Weary: all which may point at the readiness of Gospel
ministers, their swiftness to run to and fro, and their
strength to fulfil the course of their ministry, in which
Christ, the sun of righteousness, is held forth in so
glorious a manner.

\*Ver. 6. \\His going forth is from the end of the heaven\\,
&c.] From the east, where it rises:
\*\\and his circuit to
the ends of it\\; to the west, where it sets; which is expressive
of the large compass the Gospel ministration
took in the times of the apostles; whereby the grace
of God appeared to all men, shone out in a very illustrious
manner, and Christ became, what the sun is to
the earth, the light of the world;
\*\\and there is nothing
hid from the heat thereof\\; though things may be hid
from the light of it, yet not from its heat, so forcible
and penetrating it is Christ, in the ministration of
the Gospel to all to whom it comes with power, not
only enlightens their minds, but quickens their souls,
warms their hearts, causes them to burn within them,
arises with healing in his wings upon them, and makes
his Gospel the savour of life unto life unto them. The
psalmist goes on to say more and excellent things of
the Gospel, its nature and usefulness.

{y} Elias, in his Tishbi, p. 119. The same word is used Isa. iv.5. and
translated %a defence%.