Lyranus Cajetan Estlus Ribera A Lapide all desert their own Text and expound the words according to the Original The Antients also as Chrysostom Theophilact and Oecumenius lay the chief weight of their whole Exposition of this place on the words omitted in that Translation The doctrine of purging our sins by Christ is deep and large extending its self unto many weighty heads of the Gospel but we shall follow our Apostle and in this place pass it over briefly and in general because the consideration of it will directly occur unto us in our progress Two things the Apostle here expresseth concerning the Messiah and one which is the foundation of both the other he implyeth or supposeth First He expresseth What he did he purged our sins Secondly How he did it he did it by himself That which he supposeth as the foundation of both these is that he was the Great High Priest of the Church they with whom he dealt knowing full well that this matter of purging sins belonged only unto the Priest Here then the Apostle tacitely enters upon a Comparison of Christ with Aaron the High Priest as he had done before with all the Prophetical Revealers of the Will of God and as he named none of them in particular no more doth he here name Aaron but afterwards when he comes more largely to insist on the same matter again he expresly makes mention of his name as also of that of Moses And in both the things here ascribed unto him as the great High Priest of his Church doth he prefer him above Aaron First In that he purged our sins that is really and effectually before God and in the Conscience of the sinner and that for ever Whereas the Purgation of sins about which Aaron was employed was in its self but typical external and representative of that which was true and real both of which the Apostle proves at large afterwards Secondly In that he did it by himself or the offering of himself whereas what ever Aaron did of this kind he did it by the offering of the blood of Bulls and Goats as shall be declared And hence appears also the vanity of the Gloss of a learned man on these words postquam saith he morte sua causam dedisset ejus fidei per quam à peccatis purgamur quod nec Moses fecerat nec Prophetae For as we shall see that Christs purging of our sins doth not consist in giving a ground and cause for faith whereby we purge our selves so the Apostle is not comparing the Lord Christ in these words with Moses and the Prophets who had nothing to do in the work of purging sin but with Aaron who by Office was designed thereunto Let us then see what it is that is here ascribed unto the Lord Christ. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth most frequently denote real actual Purification either of outward defilements by healing and cleansing as Mark 1.40 Chap. 7.19 Luke 5.12 or spiritual defilements of sin by sanctifying Grace as Acts 15.9 2 Cor. 7.1 Ephes. 5.26 But it is also frequently used in the same sense with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to purge by Expiation or Attonement as Heb. 9.22 23. And in the like variety is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 also used But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to make a Purgation or Purification of our sins cannot here be taken in the first sense for real and inherent sanctifying First Because it is spoken of as a thing already past and perfected having purged our sins when Purification by Sanctification is begun only in some not all at any time perfected in none at all in this world Secondly Because he did it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by himself alone without the use or Application of any other medium unto them that are purged When real inherent Sanctification is with washing of Water by the word Ephes. 5.26 or by Regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost Titus 3 5. And the gloss above mentioned that Christ should purge us from our sins in his death by occasioning that Faith whereby we are cleansed is excluded as was in part shewed before by the Context That is assigned unto the death of Christ as done really and effectually thereby which was done tipically of old in the Legal Sacrifices by the Priests as is evident from the Antithâ—sis couched in that Expression by himself But this was not the way whereby sins were of old purged by Sacrifices namely by the begetting a perswasion in the minds of men that should be useful for that purpose and therefore no such things is here intended 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then is such a purging as is made by Expiation Lustration and Attonement That is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Propitiatio Attonement Propitiation So is that Word rendered by the LXX Exod. 29.36 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the day of Attonement or Expiation They do indeed mostly render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to propitiate to appease to attone but they do it also by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to purge as Exod. 29.37 and Chap. 30 10. So also in other Authors 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is expiatio expiamentum piaculum Expiation Attonement diversion of guilt So Lucian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We cast him down headlong for an expiation of the Army or as one that by his death should expiate bear take away the guilt of the Army And such Lustrations were common among the Heathen when Persons devoted themselves to destruction or were devoted by others to purge lustrate bear the guilt of any that they might go free such were Codius Menaeceus and the Decii whose stories are known This purging then of our sins which the Apostle declareth to have been effected before the Ascension of Christ and his sitting down at the Right Hand of God consisteth not in the actual Sanctification and Purification of believers by the Spirit in the Application of the blood of Christ unto them but in the Attonement made by him in the Sacrifice of himself that our sins should not be imputed unto us And therefore is he said to purge our sins and not to purge us from our sins And where ever sins not sinners are made the Object of any Mediatory acts of Christ that act immediately respecteth God and not the sinner and intends the removal of sin so as that it should not be imputed So Chap. 2.17 of this Epistle he is a merciful High Priest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to reconcile the sins of the people that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to make Attonement or Reconciliation with God for the sins of the people And again He underwent death 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the redemption of Transgressions under the first Covenant that is to pay a price for them that transgressors might be set free from the sentence
Attonement and Reconciliation and that some such thing was signified in their Sacrifices they do each one for himself torture slay and offer a Cock on the day of Expiation to make attonement for their sins and that unto the Devil The Rites of that Diabolical Solemnity are declared at large by Buxtorfius in his Synagog Judaic cap. 20. But yet as this folly manifests that they can find no rest in their consciences without their Sacrifices so it gives them not at all what they seek after And therefore being driven from all other hopes they trust at length unto their own Death for in Life they have no hope making this one of their constant Prayers Let my Death be the Expiation of all Sins But this is the curse and so no means to avoid it Omitting therefore these horrid follies of men under despair an effect of that wrath which is come upon them unto the uttermost the thing its self may be considered That the Sacrifices of Moses's Law in and by themselves should be a means to deliver men from the guilt of sin and to reconcile them unto God is contrary to the Light of Nature their own proper use and express Testimonies of the Old Testament For First Can any man think it reasonable that the blood of Bulls and Goats should of its self make an Expiation of the sin of the souls of men reconcile them to God the Judge of all and impart unto them an Everlasting Righteousness Our Apostle declares the manifest impossibility hereof Heb. 10. v. 4. They must have very mean and low thoughts of God his Holiness Justice Truth of the Demerit of Sin of Heaven and Hell who think them all to depend on the blood of a Calf or a Goat The Sacrifices of them indeed might by Gods appointment represent that to the minds of men which is effectuall unto the whole End of appeasing Gods Justice and of obtaining his Favour but that they should themselves effect it is unsuitable unto all the Apprehensions which are imbred in the heart of man either concerning the nature of God or the Guilt of Sin Secondly Their Primitive and proper use doth manifest the same For they were to be frequently repeated and in all the Repetitions of them there was still new mention made of sin They could not therefore by themselves take it away for if they could they would not have been reiterated It is apparent therefore that their use was to represent and bring to remembrance that which did perfectly take away sin For a perfect work may be often remembred but it need not it cannot be often done For being done for such an End and that End being obtained it cannot be done again The Sacrifices therefore were never appointed never used to take away sin which they did not but to represent that which did so effectually Besides there were some sins that men may be guilty of whom God will not utterly reject for which there was no Sacrifice appointed in the Law of Moses as was the case with David Psal. 51. v. 16. which makes it undeniable that there was some other way of Attonement besides them and beyond them as our Apostle declares Acts 13. v. 38 39. Thirdly The Scripture expresly rejects all the Sacrifices of the Law when they are trusted in for any such End and Purpose which sufficiently demonstrates that they were never appointed thereunto See Psal. 40 v. 6 7 8. Psal. 50. v. 8 9 10 11 12 13. Isa. 1. v. 11 12 13. Chap. 66. v. 3. Amos. 5.21 22. Micha 6. v. 6 7 8. and other places innumerable Add unto what hath been spoken that during the Observation of the whole Law § 22 of Moses whilest it was in force by the Appointment of God himself He still directed those who sought for Acceptance with him unto a New Covenant of Grace whole Benefits by faith they were then made partakers of and whole nature was afterwards more fully to be declared See Jerem. 31. v. 31 32 33 34. with the inferences of our Apostle thereon Heb. 8.12 13. And this plainly everts the whole Foundation of the Jews Expectation of Justification before God on the account of the Law of Moses given on Mount Sinai For to what purpose should God call them from resting on the Covenant thereof to look for Mercy and Grace in and by another if that had been able to give them the help desired In brief then the Jews fixing on the Law of Moses as the only means of delivery from sin and death as they do thereby exclude all mankind besides themselves from any interest in the Love Favour or Grace of God which they greatly design and desire so they cast themselves also into a miserable restless self-condemned condition in this world by trusting to that which will not relieve them and into Endless misery hereafter by refusing that which effectually would make them Heirs of Salvation For whilest they perish in their sin another better more glorious and sure Remedy against all the Evils that are come upon mankind or are justly feared to be coming by any of them is provided in the Grace Wisdom and Love of God as shall now farther be demonstrated The first intimation that God gave of this work of his Grace in Redeeming mankind § 23 from sin and misery is contained in the Promise subjoyned unto the Curse denounced against our first Parents and their Posterity in them Gen. 3. v. 15. The seed of the Woman shall bruise the Heaa of the Serpent and the Serpent shall bruise his Heel Two things there are contained in these words A Promise of Relief from the misery brought on mankind by the Temptation of Satan and an intimation of the Means or Way whereby it should be brought about That the first is included in these words is evident For First If there be not a Promise of Deliverance expressed in these words whence is it that the execution of the sentence of Death against sin is suspended Unless we will allow an Intervention satisfactory to the Righteousness and Truth of God to be expressed in these words there would have been a truth in the suggestion of the Serpent namely that whatever God had said yet indeed they were not to dye The Jews in the Midrash Tehillim as Kimchi informs us on Psal. 92. whose Title is a Psalm for the Sabbath Day which they generally assign unto Adam say that Adam was cast out of the Garden of Eden on the Evening of the sixth day after which God came to execute the Sentence of Death upon him but the Sabbath being come on the Punishment was deferred whereon Adam made that Psalm for the Sabbath Day Without an interposition of some external Cause and Reason they acknowledge that Death ought immediately to have been inflicted and other besides what is mentioned in these words there was none Secondly The whole Evil of sin and Curse that mankind then did or was to suffer under proceeded from the
priest who Levit. 4.3 The whole Congregation The Ruler A private person The time and manner of this sacrifice The sprinkling of bloud in it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The trespass-offering It s difference from the sin-offering 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Consecration offerings Second sort of Corbans Terumoth § 1 THe principal Worship and Service of God both in the Tabernacle and Temple consisted in Offerings and Sacrifices For these did directly represent and in their general nature answered that which was the foundation of the Church and all the Worship thereof namely the Sacrifice of the Son of God and he is called the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world Joh. 1. v. 29. because he fulfilled and perfectly accomplished what was prefigured by the sacrifice of Lambs and other creatures from the foundation of the world Neither were these Offerings and Sacrifices any thing but means of Gods institution for men to express by them their faith in the first promise Nor were Sacrifices in general now first instituted nor the kinds of them first appointed but the most of them were observed upon Divine Revelation and command from the entrance of sin and giving of the Promise only they were rescued in the repetition of them unto Moses from the superstition that was grown in their observance and directed unto a right Object and attended with suitable instructive Ceremonies in the manner of their performance § 2 Now these Offerings were of three sorts First those of the Court or Brazen Altar by bloud and fire Secondly those of the Sanctuary at the Altar of Incense and table of Shew-bread Thirdly those of the most holy place before the Ark Mercy-seat and Oracle The first of these represented the bloudy death of Christ and sacrifice on the Cross the second his Intercession in Heaven and the third the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or effects of both in Attonement and Reconciliation And these our Apostle mentions chap. 8. v. 3 4. Every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices and there are priests that offer gifts according to the Law Chap. 9. v. 7. Into the second went the high priest alone once every year not without bloud which he offered for himself and the errors of the people v. 12. By the bloud of bulls and calves v. 13. The bloud of bulls and calves and the ashes of an heifer sprinkled v. 22. Almost all things are by the Law purged with bloud chap. 10. For the Law having a shadow of good things to come not the very image of the things can never with those sacrifices which they offer year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect For then would they not have ceased to be offered because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins But in those sacrifices there is remembrance again made of sins every year For it is not possible that the bloud of bulls and goats should take away sins Wherefore when he cometh into the world he saith Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not v. 11. And every priest standeth daily ministring and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices which can never take away sin Chap. 13. v. 11. For the bodies of those beasts whose bloud is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin are burnt without the camp Evident it is that these and the like passages wherein our Apostle refers to the institution § 3 nature use end and manner of the observation of sacrifices cannot be rightly understood without some distinct notion of them as prescribed by God unto Moses and observed by the people under the Old Testament I shall therefore here give a brief system of them and account concerning them Sacrifices of the Altar in general were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Corbanim The name it may § 4 be of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not distinctly applied unto every sort of them but whereas every thing that any man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 brought nigh to dedicate or offer unto God was thence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we may allow it to be the general name of all sacrifices And therefore on the close of the annumeration of all Fire-offerings it is added This is the Law which the Lord commanded Moses in Mount Sinai in the day that he commanded the children of Israel to offer or bring nigh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their Corbans that is offerings or sacrifices of all sorts Now every 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was either 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Isha a Firing or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Terumah an heave-offering § 5 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tenupha a wave-offering the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ishim were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 kodesh kodashim holiness of holiness or most holy all but one the other were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 kodesh hiâ—â—ulim holiness of prayses Levit. 19.24 The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Fireings Fire offerings were expresly of six sorts as they are distinctly § 6 set down Levit. 7. v. 37. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hola the Burnt offering 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mincha the Meat offering 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chataath the Sin-offering 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ascham the Trespass-offering 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Milluim Consecration 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Zebach Shelamim Peace-offâ—rings so are they rendred by ours how rightly we shall see afterwards Besides the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mincha contained that properly so called the Meat-offering and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nesek the Drink-offering The LXX render the verse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is the Law of whole Burnt offerings and of sacrifices and for sin and trespass and of perfection or consummation and of the sacrifice of salvation The particulars shall be examined as they occur The Vulgar Latine reads the words Lex holocausti sacrificii pro peccato delicto pro consecrasione pacificâ—rum victimis This is the Law of the whole-burnt-offering and of the sacrifice for sâ—n and trespass and for consecration and for the sacrifices of peace-makers And herein either the Mincha is wholly left out or the words should be read sacrificii pro peccato and so answer to the Greek expressing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sacrifiâ—ium though improperly These 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fire offerings are moreover distinguished into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Zebach and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 § 7 Mincha in a large sense For it is evident that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mincha is used very variously For 1. Sometimes it is of as large a signification as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Corban it self and is frequently applied unto offerings of bloud as well as of meat and drink Gen. 4. v. 4. 2 Sometimes it is contra-distinguished to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and denotes all sacrifices by fire not of beasts and bloud Psal. 40. v. 6. Dan. 9. v. 27. Levit. 7. v. 34. 3. Sometimes it
had somewhat of his own to offer unto God other Priests had somewhat to offer but nothing of their own only they offered up the beasts that were brought unto them by the people But the Lord Christ had a Body and Soul of his own prepared for him to offer which was properly his own and at his own disposal chap. 10.5 3. He alone was set over the whole spiritual House of God the whole Family of God in heaven and earth This belongs unto the Office of a High Priest to preside in and over the House of God to look to the rule and disposal of all things therein Now the Priests of old were as unto this part of their Office confined unto the material House or Temple of God but Jesus Christ was set over the whole spiritual House of God to rule and dispose of it chap. 3.6 4. He alone abides for ever The true and real High Priest was not to minister for one Age or Generation only but for the whole people of God unto the end of the world And this Prerogative of the Priesthood of Christ the Apostle insists upon chap. 7.23 24. 5. He alone did and could do the true and proper work of a Priest namely make reconciliation for the sins of the people The Sacrifices of other Priests could only represent what was to be done the thing it self they could not effect for it was not possible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sin as the Apostle shews chap. 10.4 but this was done effectually by that one offering which this High Priest offered verse 11 12 13 14. All which things must be afterwards insisted on in their proper places if God permit This then is his Prerogative this is our priviledge and advantage II. The assumption of our nature and his conformity unto us therein was principally necessary unto the Lord Jesus on the account of his being an High Priest for us It behoved him to be made like unto us that he might be an High Priest it is true that as the great Prophet of his Church he did in part teach and instruct it whilst he was in the flesh in his own Person but this was in a manner a meer consequence of his assuming our nature to be our High Priest For he instructed his Church before and after principally by his Spirit And this he might have done to the full though he had never been incarnate So also might he have ruled it with supreme Power as its King and Head But our High Priest without the assumption of our nature he could not be because without this he had nothing to offer and of necessity saith the Apostle he must have somewhat to offer unto God A Priest without a Sacrifice is as a King without a Subject Had not God prepared him a body he could have had nothing to offer He was to have a self to offer to God or his Priesthood had been in vain For God had shewed that no other Sacrifice would be accepted or was effectual for that end which was designed unto this Office On this therefore is laid the indispensible necessity of the Incarnation of Christ. III. Such was the unspeakable love of Christ unto the Brethren than he would refuse nothing no condition that was needful to fit him for the discharge of the work which he hâ—d undertaken for them Their High Priest he must be this he could not unless he were made like unto them in all things He knew what this would cost him what trouble sorrow suffering in that conformity unto them he must undergo what miseries he must conflict withall all his life what a close was to be put unto his pilgrimage on the earth what woful temptations he was to pass through all lay open and naked before him But such was his Love shadowed out unto us by that of Jacâ—b to Rachel that he was content to submit unto any terms to undergo any condition so that he might save and enjoy his beloved Church See Ephes. 5.25 26. And surely he who was so intense in his love is no less constant therein Nor hath he left any thing undone that was needful to bring us unto God But we are yet farther to proceed with our explication of the words The Apostle having asserted the Priesthood of Christ describes in the fifth place the nature of the Office it self as it was vested in him and this he doth two ways 1. By a general description of the Object of it or that which it is exercised about 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the things appertaining unto God 2. In a particular instance taken from the end of his Priesthood and the great work that he performed thereby to make reconciliation for the sins of the people First He was to be an High Priest in the things pertaining unto God that is either in things that were to be done for God with men as the Apostle speaks We are Ambassadors for Christ as though God did beseech you by us 2 Cor. 5.20 Or in things that were to be done with God for men For there were two general parts of the Office of the High Priest the one to preside in the House and over the Worship of God to do the things of God with men This the Prophet assigns unto Joshua the High Priest an especial Type of Christ Zech. 3.7 Thus saith the Lord of hosts If thou wilt walk in my ways and if thou wilt keep my charge then thou shalt also judge my house and thou shalt also keep my courts And of Christ himself even he shall build the Temple of the Lord and he shall bear the glory and shall sit and rule upon his throne and he shall be a priest upon his throne chap. 6.13 that is the High Priest of our profession chap. 3.1 He was set authoritatively over the House of God to take care that the whole Worship of it were performed according unto his appointment and to declare his Statutes and Ordinances unto the people And in this sense the Lord Christ is also the High Priest of his Church 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 feeding and ruling them in the Name and Authority of God Mich. 5.4 Yet this is not that part of his Office which is here intended by the Apostle The other part of the High Priests Office was to perform the things toward God which on the part of the people were to be performed So Jethro adviseth Moses Exod. 18.19 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Be thou unto the people before God which words the LXX render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the phrase here used by the Apostle Be thou unto the people in things appertaining unto God And this was the principal part of the Office and Duty of the High Priest the other being only a consequent thereof And that it was so as to the Office of Christ the Apostle manifests in the especial limitation which he adjoyns unto this general assertion he was an High
not like Manasseth of late who supposeth that it might not abide above forty years and those immediately preceding the Day of Judgement § 21 It is sufficiently evident that this Opinion and Perswasion of the Jews which is Catholick unto them and hath been so ever since they rejected the true Messiah contains an absolute renunciation of the faith of the Church of old and an utter rejection of all the ends for which the Messiah was promised I shall not therefore enter here upon a particular refutation of it for it will occur in our ensuing Discourses Neither is this the Person about whom we contend with them nor have we any concernment in him When he comes let them make their bâ—st of him we have already received the Captain of our Salvation What also they plead for themselves as the ground of their obstinacy in refusing the True Messiah must afterwards be particularly discussed At present therefore I shall only reflect on those depraved habits of their minds which in concurrence with occasions and Temptations suited unto them have seduced them into these low carnal and earthly imaginations about the Promised Seed his Person Office and Work that he was to perform § 22 In things therefore of this kind Ignorance of their miserable condition by nature both as to sin and wrath justly claims the first place For although as was by instances before manifested the Evidence of Truth and Power of Traditions amongst them have prevailed with some to avow the notion of the Sin of Adam and the corruption of our nature thereby yet indeed there is not any of them that have a true sense and conviction of their Natural Condition and the misery that doth attend it The Messiah as we have proved at large was first promised to relieve mankind from that state whereinto they were cast by the Apostasie of Adam the Common Root and Parent of them all Such as are mens apprehensions of that condition such also will be their thoughts concerning the Messiah who was promised to be a Deliverer from it They who know themselves cast out of the favour of God thereby made obnoxious unto his eternal displeasure and disenabled to do any thing that shall please him as being cast into a state of universal Enmity against him must needs look on the Messiah promised in the Grace Goodness and Wisdom of God for a Saviour and Deliverer to be One that must by suitable wayes and means free them from Sin and Wrath procure for them the favour of God enable them to serve him again unto Acceptation and so bring them at length unto their chief End the everlasting enjoyment of him As these things answer one another and are on both sides fully revealed in the Scripture so the Church of old who had a due Apprehension of their own condition looked for such a Messiah as God had promised Ignorance therefore of this condition is no small cause of the present Judaical misbelief What ever may be the estate of other men about which they do not much trouble themselves for their parts they are Children of Abraham exempted from the common condition of mankind by the Priviledge of their Nativity or at least they are relieved by their circumcision by the pain whereof they make sufficient satisfaction for any ill they bring with them into this world That they are dead in Trespasses and Sins standing in need to be born again that they are by nature children of wrath obnoxious unto the curse of God that the sin of our first Parents is imputed unto them or that if it be that it was of any such demerit as Christians teach they believe not Upon the matter they know no misery but what consists in Poverty Captivity and want of Rule and Dominion And what should a spiritual Redeemer do unto these men What beauty or comeliness can he have in him for which of them he should be desired What Reason can they see why they should understand the Promises concerning him in such a way and sense as that they should not be concerned in them And this blindness had in a great measure possessed their minds at the first promulgation of the Gospel See John 8. v. 33 34. Chap. 9. v. 40 41. And therefore our Apostle in his Epistle unto the Romans wherein he deals both with Jews and Gentiles before he declares the Propitiation that was made with the Justification that was to be obtained by the blood of Christ convinceth them all of their miserable lost condition on the account of sin Original and Actual Chap. 1 2 3. Untill therefore this Pride self-fulness and Ignorance of themselves be taken from them and rooted out of their hearts all Promises of a spiritual Redeemer must needs be unsavoury unto them They stand in no need of him and why should they desire him An Earthly King that would give them Liberty Wealth Ease and Dominion they would gladly embrace and have long in vain looked for Secondly Ignorance of the Righteousness of God both as to what he requireth § 23 that a man may be justified before him and of his Judgement concerning the desert of sin hath the same effect upon them Rom. 10. v. 3 4. The great End for which the Messiah was promised as we have in part declared and shall afterwards farther evince was to make Attonement for sin and to bring in Everlasting Righteousness Dan. 9.24 A Righteousness was to be brought in that might answer the Justice of God and abide its trial Of what nature this Righteousness must be the Scripture declares and that as well in the Revelation it makes of the Holiness of God Psal. 5. v. 4 5. Joshua 24. v. 19. Hab. 1. v. 13. as of the purity and severity of his Law Deut. 33. v. 2. Chap. 27. v. 26. and the absolute Perfection of his Justice in the Execution of it Psalm 50. v. 21. An Universal spotless innocency with a constant unerring Obedience in all things and that in the highest degree of Perfection are required to find Acceptation with this Holy and Righteous God Of the Nature and necessity of this Righteousness the Jews are ignorant and regardless They and their Masters were so of old Matth. 5. v. 20. An outside partial hypocritical Observance of the Law of Moses they suppose will serve their Turns See Rom. 9. v. 31. And indeed there is not any thing that more openly discovers the miserable blindness of the present Jews then the consideration of what they insist upon as their Righteousness before God The Faith and Obedience of their Fore-fathers the Priviledge of Circumcision some outward Observances of Mosaical Precepts with anxious scrupulous abstinencies self macerations in fasts with prayers by tale and number Sabbath rests from outward labour with the like bodily exercises are the summ of what they plead for themselves Now if these things which are absolutely in their own power will compose and make up a Righteouâ—ness acceptable unto God cover all
so at Rome the Pinarii and Potitii sacrificed to Hercules in Ara Maxima Morning and Evening as Livy Plutarch and Dionysius testifie The Custom also of Feasts at this Sacrifice to testifie mutual Love and Peace amongst men was common with the Jews unto the Gentiles Thus when Jethro Moses his Father in Law offered a Burnt-Offering and Sacrifices Aaron and all the Elders of Israel came to eat Bread with him before God Exod. 18.12 And so also in the Sacrifices that Agamemnon offered in Homer Iliad B. he called the Antients and Princes of the Graecians to a Banquet at it with him as did Nestor likewise with those about him at his great Sacrifice Odâ—ss G. The next sort of Offerings that was regulated in the Law was the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which as it denoted an especial kind of Sacrifice we have from the matter of it rendered a Meat-Offering Levit. 2.1 And this as was said of the whole Burnt-Offering before was not then first instituted and appointed but only regulated and solemnly approved For it had been observed from the beginning and consisting in the fruits of the earth had a great foundation in the Law of Nature Thus Cain brought his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mincha of the fruits of the earth to offer unto God Gen. 4.3 And there is no doubt but that as to the kind of it it was acceptable unto God as of his own Institution though the Person that offered it for want of faith was not approved Heb. 11.3 § 25 The Name as was in part before observed is as of an uncertain Original so variously used and applyed Sometimes it is used for a Civil Gift of men one to another or a present 1 Sam. 10.27 Sometimes for any Offering or Sacrifice So Abels Sacrifice which was in especial a Burnt-Offering is called his Mincha Gen. 3. Hence it is sometimes rendred in the New Testament by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Sacrifice a bloody Sacrifice Matth. 9.49 Acts 7.42 And our Apostle from Psal. 40.6 renders 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sebach and Mincha by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 10.5 Sacrifice and Offering by both a which terms Sacrifices only of Attonement and Propitiation were intended and not the especial Meat-Offering which was properly Eucharistical and not Propitiatory And the expression in that of the Psalmist answers directly unto what God speaks concerning the house of Eli 1 Sam. 3.14 The sin of the house of Eli shall not be expiated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 neither by Sebach nor by Mincha that is by no sort of Sacrifices appointed to make Attonement or to expiate sin So also is the word used 1 Sam. 26.19 But as it denotes the especial Offering now under consideration it was not ordinarily appointed to make Attonement I say not ordinarily because there was an especial dispensation in the case of the Poor man who was allowed to bring Flower and Oyle the matter of the Mincha instead of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ascham or Trespass-Offering Levit. 5.11 12. And yet Attonement properly was not made thereby only in it or the appointment of it there was a testification of Gods acceptance of the Person with a non obstante for his Trespass And hence doth our Apostle use his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his almost in this business Heb. 9.22 Almost all things are purged with blood The like allowance was in the Offering of the jealous Person It was to consist of Barley Meal the matter of the Meat-Offering but it made no Attonement for it is expresly said That it was to bring sin to remembrance Numb 5.15 Whereas every Sacrifice of Attonement was for the covering of sin and the casting of it out of Remembrance § 26 As the Mincha denotes a peculiar Offering whose Laws and Ordinances are recorded Levit. 2.1 2 c. the matter of it was 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Soleth simila v. 7. that is the flower of Wheat So it is expresed Ezek. 45.13 15. In one case 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 farina hordacea Barley meal so we render the word was used Numb 5.15 But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Kemach is properly Bran Barley bran This was the Offering in the case of jealousie God appointing therein the use of Barley the worst of Bread-corn and the bran of it the worst of that grain prohibiting the addition of Oyle and Frankincense to testifie his dislike of the matter either in the sin of the Woman or the causeless jealousie of the man 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 biccurim primae fruges frugum primitiae first fruits that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 corn newly ripened in the ear 3. Oyle 4. Frankincense 5. Salt v. 1 2 3 c. And the use of two things are expresly forbidden namely Leaven and Honey v. 11. Hereunto also belongeth the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nesec or Drink-offering which was an addition of Wine unto some Sacrifices never used separately And the Psalmist shews how this degenerated amongst Idolaters who in their superstitious rage made use of the blood of living creatures it may be of men in their libamina They had 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 drink-offering of blood which he abhorred Psal. 16.3 Now this Offering was sometimes offered alone by its self and then it was of the § 27 number of free-will offering whose Law and Manner is prescribed Levit. 2. For the most part it was annexed unto other Sacrifices and it was either stated and general or occasional and particular The stated Meat-Offerings say some concerned the whole Congregation and they reckon up three of them 1. The Wave sheaf Levit. 23. 10 11. 2. The two wave loaves v. 17. 3. The daily shewbread Levit. 24.5 But whereas we have shewed that the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mincha was one of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or a Fire-Offering and also it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 most holy Levit. 2.10 these being neither of them they belonged unto the Terumah of which afterwards and were none of them Mincha or the Meat-Offering properly so called It is true at the offering of the Wave-sheaf and the Wave-loaf there was a Meat-offering offered unto God consisting of two tenth deals of Soleth or wheat-flower mingled with Oyle and the fourth part of an Hin of Wine for a Drink-offering which were burned in the Fire Lev. 23.13 but themselves were a Terumah and not a Mincha The particular and occasional offerings of this nature are reckoned to be 1. The poor mans Offering Levit. 5.11 2. The Jealousie-offering Numb 5.15 3. The Offering of the Priests at their Consecration Levit. 8.26 28. 4. The High Priests daily Meat-Offering Levit. 6.20 5. The Leaper offering Levit. 14.10 6. The Dedication offering mentioned Numb 8. But some of these have a participation in the matter but not in the nature of the especial Mincha The principal signification of this Offering is expressed Isa. 66.20 compared with Rom. 15.16 Mal. 1. 10 11. compared with 1 Tim.
Attonement rendered this of Thankfulness acceptable unto God see Heb. 13.15 16. § 34 Secondly The peculiar Parts of the Beast in this Sacrifice that were to be burned on the Altar are enumerated namely the Suet and Fat of the inwards the Kidnies and their fat the fat on the Flanks and the Caul of the Liver or the Midriff Hence it is laid down as a general Rule that all the fat is the Lords v. 16 And it is called a perpetual Statute for all their Generations through all their dwellings that they should eat no fat v. 17. But yet this general Precept had a double limitation First That only that fat which was to be offered was excepted from eating Of the other fat diffused through the rest of the flesh they might eat Secondly It was only the fat of Beasts appointed to be offered in Sacrifice that was forbidden as it is directly exppressed Levit. 7.25 Of the fat of other clean Beasts they might eat And this offering of the Fat seems to denote our serving of God with the best that we have which yet is not acceptable but by vertue of the Blood of Christ as the fat was to be burned in the Burnt-offering or Sacrifice of Attonement § 35 Of the kind of these Shelamim were the Offerings among the Heathen which they sacrificed either upon any great undertaking which they called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in a way of Vow or upon any success So Cyrus Minor Xenophon and Arianus in their Expeditions sacrificed Sacrificia Votiva and the latter sort were in an especial manner provided for in the Pontifical Law as it is reported by Festus Cujus auspicio classe procincta opima spolia capiuntur Jovi feretrito darier oportet bovem caedito qui caepit aeris ducenta Secunda spolia in Martis aram in Campo solitaurilia utra voluerit caedito Tertia spolia Jano Quirino agnum Marem caedito centum qui caeperit ex aere dato The next sort of Sacrifice was the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chataath or Sin-offering whose Laws and § 36 Rites are described Levit. 4. This Sacrifice is not expresly called a Corban or a Gift it being wholly a Debt to be paid for Expiation and Attonement but being brought nigh unto God it partook in general of the nature of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Corbanim It was of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fireings or Fire-offerings expresly v. 12. because of the burning of the Fat on the Altar and of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or slain Sacrifices And also it was of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or most holy things from its Institution and Signification The name of it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chataath that is sin He shall do to the Bullock as he did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the Bullock of the Sin that is of the Sin-offering Levit. 4.20 So Ezek. 45.1 The Priest shall take 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the blood of the sin that is the Sin-offering 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chata in kal is to sin to offend to err from the way to contract the guilt of sin Hence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chataim are men given up unto and wandring in the ways of sin Psal. 1.1 In Pihel it hath a contrary signification namely to purge to expiate to cleanse to make Attonement to undergo penalty to make satisfaction Gen. 31.39 That which was torn saith Jacob to Laban I brought it not to thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 achatennah I answered for it I paid for it I went by the loss of it See Exod. 29.36 Numb 19.19 Levit. 6.26 According to this signification of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used to denote an Offering for sin that whereby sin is expiated pardon of it is procured Attonement is made So prayes David Psal. 51. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou shalt purge me with Hysop as Numb 19. that is clear me free me as by an Offering for sin And this kind of expression our Apostle retains not only where he reports a Testimony of the Old Testament as Heb. 10. v. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Burnt-offerings and for sin that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sin-offering but also where he makes Application of it unto the Lord Christ and his Sacrifice which was typified thereby Rom. 8.3 God sent his Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Offering for sin a Sin-offering as the word should have been translated And 2 Cor. 5.21 Him who knew no sin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he made sin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Sin-offering for us The general cause of this Sacrifice was sin committed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Levit. 4.2 say we § 37 through ignorance So the LXX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Vulgar Latin per ignorantiam through ignorance Some old Copies of the Greek have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not voluntarily not wilfully For it had respect unto all sins as were not committed so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 willingly wilfully presumptuously as that there was no Sacrifice appointed for them the Covenant being disannulled by them Heb. 10.26 And there is no sort of sins no sin whatever that is between this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this sin of ignorance or error and sin committed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with an high hand or presumptuously See expresly Numb 15.28 29 30. Hence this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this Sin-offering was the great Sacrifice of the solemn Day of Expiation Levit. 16. whereby Attonement was made for all the uncleanness of the children of Israel and because of their transgressions in all their sins v. 16. And upon the head of the live Goat which was a part of the Sin-offering on that day there was confessed and laid all the iniquities of the children of Israel and all their transgressions in all their sins v. 27. That is all iniquities not disannulling the Covenant which had 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a revenging Recompence allotted unto them Heb. 2.2 And accordingly are those words to be interpreted where the cause of this Sacrifice is expressed Levit. 4.2 If a soul sin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by Error Ignorance imprudently against any of the commandments of the Lord as it ought not to do and shall do against any of them And an instance is given in him who killed his neighbour without propense malice Deut. 9.4 Any sin is there intended whereinto men fall by Error Ignorance Imprudence Incogitancy Temptation Violence of Affections and the like For such was this Sacrifice instituted And the End which it typically represented is expressed 1 John 2.1 2. If any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the Righteous and he is the Propitiation for our sins namely in the room of and as represented by the Sin-offering of old whereby Attonement and Propitiation was typically made for sin Only there was this difference That whereas the Law of Moses was appointed to
therein v. 7. The third part which was first disposed of was to be carried into the Most Holy Place as it was done accordingly on the day of Expiation Levit. 16. But because it was not lawful for him to enter in thither but once in the year namely on that Day at all other times he dipped his Finger in the blood and sprinkled it seven times towards the Veyle that parted the Most Holy Place from the Sanctuary v. 6. So that every place of the Tabernacle and all the concernments of it were sanctified with this Blood even as Jesus Christ who was represented in all this was dedicated unto God in his own Blood the Blood of the Covenant Heb. 10.29 That seven is the number of Perfection greatly used and variously applyed in the Scriptures many have observed And the perfect cleansing of sin by the Blood of Jesus was evidently represented by this sevenfold sprinkling Heb. 9. 13 14. and therefore in Allusion hereunto it is called the Blood of sprinkling Heb. 12.24 Even that which was prefigured by all the Blood of the Sacrifices that was sprinkled towards the Most Holy Place and the Mercy seat therein § 43 The next sort of Fire-offerings was the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Asham whose Laws and Ordinances are directed Levit. 5. and the particular occasion of it Chap. 7. We call it the Trespass-offering And it differed very little from that next before described For it is not only said concerning them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as is the Chataath or Sin-offering so is the Asham or Trespass-offering there is one Law for them Chap. 7. v. 7. but also that he who had sinned or trespassed should bring his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his Trespass-offering unto the Lord for his sin which he had sinned a female from the flock or a kid of the Goats 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for a Sin-offering Some think that there was a difference between them and that it lay in this that the Chataath respected sins of Omission and the Asham sins of Commission But that this will not hold is openly evident in the Text. Some think that whereas in both these Offerings there was respect unto ignorance that that in the Chataath was Juris of the right or Law that in the Asham was Facti of the particular fact But this opinion also may be easily disproved from the Context This to me seems to be the Principal if not the only difference between them that the Asham provided a Sacrifice in some particular instances which seem not to be comprized under the general Rules of the Sin-offering And hence in a peculiar manner it is said of Jesus Christ that he should give 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his Soul an Asham or piacular Sacrifice as for all so for such delinquencies and sins as seem to bring a destroying guilt on the soul Isa. 53.10 And this kind of offering also was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Most Holy Levit. 6.20 § 44 The last sort of Fire-Offerings were the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which are reckoned as a distinct species of Sacrifices Levit. 7.36 that is plenitudinum impletionum consecrationum Sacrifices of Consecration or that were instituted to be observed at the Consecration of Priests It s name it seems to have taken from the filling their hands or their bringing their Offering in their hands when they approached unto the Lord in their setting apart unto Office And thence was the expression of him that came to be consecrated a Priest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Chron. 13. v. 9. He that came to fill his hand with a bullock The rise of this Expression we have marked before on Exod. 28.41 The Lord giving directions unto Moses for the Consecration of Aaron and his Sons he tells him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou shalt fill their hand that is put the flesh of the Sacrifice with the Bread and its Appurtenances into their hands which being the initiating Ceremony of their investiture with Office gave name afterwards unto the whole And hence the Sacrifices appointed then to be offered although they differed not in kind from those foregoing yet are accounted to be a distinct Offering and are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or fillings And this may suffice as a brief account of the fire Offerings of the Law of Moses whose Use and End we are fully instructed in in this Epistle to the Hebrews § 45 There was yet a second sort of Corbans or offerings unto God under the Law which were of things or parts of things not burned on the Altar but one way or other devoted or consecrated to God and his service These were the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Terumoth which we have rendred sometimes offerings in general and sometimes Heave-offerings under which kind the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Wave-offerings also were comprized Concerning these bâ—cause the handling of them is not without its difficulties being diffused in their use throughout the whole Worship of God and that some things not vulgarly known might have been declared concerning them I thought to have treated at large but whereas they are not directly referred unto by our Apostle in this Epistle and these discourses being encreased much beyond my first design I shall here wholly omit all farther disquisition about them FINIS AN EXPOSITION OF THE TWO FIRST CHAPTERS OF THE EPISTLE OF PAUL the APOSTLE UNTO THE HEBREWS WHEREIN The Original Text is Opened and Cleared Antient and Modern Translations are compared and examined The Design of the Apostle with his Reasonings Arguments and Testimonies are unfolded The Faith Customs Sacrifices and other Usages of the Judaical Church are opened and declared The true sense of the Text is Vindicated from the wrestings of it by Socinians and others And lastly Practical Observations are Deduced and Improved John 5.39 Search the Scriptures By J. Owen D.D. LONDON Printed by Robert White for Nathaniel Ponder at the Sign of the Peacock in Chancery-Lane near Fleetstreet 1668. THE PREFACE THE general concernments of this Epistle have all of them been discussed and cleared in the preceding Exercitations and Discourses The things and matters confirmed in them we therefore here suppose and take for granted And they are such some of them as without a Demonstration whereof a genuine and perspicuous Declaration of the Design of the Author and sense of the Epistle cannot be well founded or carried on Vnto them therefore we must remit the Reader who desires to peruse the ensuing Exposition with profit and advantage But yet because the manner of the handling of things in those Discourses may not be so suited unto the minds of all who would willingly enquire into the Exposition its self I shall here make an entrance into it by laying down some such General Principles and Circumstances of the Epistle as may give a competent prospect into the design and Argument of the Apostle in the whole thereof 1. The first of these concerns the Persons whose instruction and edification
2.9 3. Of Grace in his Humane Nature Joh. 1.14 Chap. 3.34 Luke 2.52 Chap. 4.1 4. An Authoritative fulness to communicate of it unto others that is the fulness here intended For it is in him as the head of the Church v. 18. so as that from him or that fulness which it pleased the Father to entrust him withall believers might receive grace for grace Joh. 1.16 17. Thus he testifies that all things are delivered to him of the Father Matth. 11.27 put into his power and possession And they are the things he there intends on the account whereof he invites sinners weary and laden to come unto him v. 28. That is all Mercy and Grace which are the things that burdened sinners need and look after The same is testified Joh. 3.35 36. and fully Joh. 16.15 All things that the Father hath are mine Joh. 16.19 All the Grace and Mercy that are in the Heart of God as a Father to bestow upon his Children they are all given into the hand of Christ and are his or part of his Inheritance In particular 1. All Pardoning Grace for the Acceptance of our Persons and Forgiveness of our sins is his he is the Lord of it Acts 5.31 He is made a Prince and a Saviour to give repentance and the forgiveness of sins Forgiveness of sin is wholly given unto him as to the Administration of it nor doth any one receive it but out of his stores And what is the Dominion of ten thousands of worlds in comparison of this Inheritance Sure he shall be my God and King who hath all forgiveness at his disposal All that this World can do or give is a thousand times lighter than the dust of the ballance if compared with these good things of the Kingdom of Christ. 2. All Regenerating quickning sanctifying assisting Grace is his 1. Joh. 5.21 He quickneth whom he pleaseth He walks among dead souls and sayes to whom he will Live And 2. He sanctifies by his Spirit whom he pleaseth Joh. 4.14 All the living waters of saving Grace are committed to him and he invites men unto them freely Cant. 5.1 Isa. 55.1 Rev. 21. And 3. All Grace actually assisting us unto any duty is his also for without him we can do nothing Joh. 15.5 for it is he alone that gives out suitable help at the time of need Heb. 4.16 No man was ever quickned purified or strengthened but by him nor can any dram of this Grace be obtained but out of his Treasures Those who pretend to stores of it in their own wills are so far Antichrists 3. The Grace of our Preservation in our Acceptation with God and Obedience unto him is solely his Joh. 10.28 And so also 4. Are all the blessed and gracious Priviledges whereof we are made partakers in our Adoption Joh. 1.12 Heb. 3.6 He is so Lord over the whole House and family of God as to have the whole inheritance in his power and the absolute disposal of all the good things belonging unto it These are the Riches and Treasure of the Kingdom of Christ the good things of his House the Revenues of his Dominion The Mass of this Treasure that lyes by him is infinite the stores of it are inexhaustible and he is ready free gracious and bountiful in his Communications of them to all the Subjects of his Dominion This part of his Heirship extends unto 1. All the Grace and Mercy that the Father could find in his own gracious Heart to bestow when he was full of Counsels of Love and designed to exalt himself by the way of Grace Ephes. 1.6 2. To all the Grace and Mercy which he himself could purchase by the Effusion of his Blood Heb. 9.14 Eph. 1.13 and indeed these are commensurate if things in respect of us altogether boundless may be said to be commensurate 3. All that Grace which hath saved the World of Sinners which are already in the enjoyment of God and that shall effectually save all that come to God by him 4. All that Grace which in the Promises of it in the Old Testament is set out by all that is rich precious glorious all that is eminent in the whole Creation of God and in the New is called Treasures unsearchable Riches and exceeding Excellency which being communicated by him to all the subjects of his Kingdom makes every one of them richer than all the Potentates of the earth who have no interest in him The especial Foundation of all this Trust is in an eminent manner expressed Esay 53.10 11 12. His suffering for the sins of all those to whom he intends to communicate of this his fulness according to the will of God and the Purchase he made in his death according to the tenour of the Covenant of the Mediator makes it just and righteous that he should enjoy this part of his Inheritance Heb. 2.17 chap. 9.12 The Father says unto him Seest thou these poor wretched Creatures that lie perishing in their bloud and under the curse They had once my Image gloriously enstamped on them and were every way meet for my service but behold the Misery that is come upon them by their sin and rebellion sentence is gone forth against them upon their sin and they want nothing to shut them up under Everlasting Ruine but the Execution of it Wilt thou undertake for to be their Saviour and Deliverer to save them from their sins and the wrath to come Wilt thou make thy Soul an Offering for their sins and lay down thy Life a Ransome for them Hast thou Love enough to wash them in thy own Blood in a Nature to be taken of them Being obedient therein unto death the death of the Cross Whereunto he replies I am content to do thy Will and will undertake this work and that with joy and delight Lo I come for that purpose my delight is with these sons men Psal. 40.8 Prov. 8.31 What they have taken I will pay What is due from them let it be required at my hand I am ready to undergo Wrath and curse for them and to pour out my soul unto death It shall be saith the Father as thou hast spoken and thou shalt see of the travel of thy soul and be satisfied I will give thee for a Covenant and a Leader unto them and thou shalt be the Captain of their salvation To this end take into thy power and disposal all the Treasures of Heaven all Mercy and Grace to give out unto them for whom thou hast undertaken Behold here are unsearchable hidden Treasures not of many Generations but laid up from Eternity take all these Riches into thy power and at thy disposal shall they be for ever This is the noble peculiar foundation of this part of the Inheritance of Christ. From what hath been spoken the Rule also whereby the Lord Christ proccedeth in disposing these Treasures to the sons of men is made evident Though he hath all Grace committed unto him yet he bestowes not
dangers that attended him in the course of his obedience are inexpressible And surely this renders salvation by him very great But yet there is that remains which gives it another Exaltation For 3. This Son of God after the course of his obedience to the whole will of God must die shed his bloud and make his soul an offering for sin And herein the glory of this salvation breaks forth like the Sun in its strength Obedient he must be unto death the death of the cross Phil. 2.8 If he will be a Captain of salvation to bring many sons to glory he must himself be made perfect by sufferings Heb. 2.10 There were Law and Curse and Wrath standing in the way of our salvation all of them to be removed all of them to be undergone and that by the Son of God For we were not redeemed with silver and gold or corruptible things but with the precious bloud of Christ 1 Pet. 1.18 And therein God redeemed his Church with his own bloud Acts 20.28 And herein assuredly was the love of God manifest that he laid down his life for us 1 Joh. 3.16 This belongs unto the means whereby our salvation is procured Nor yet is this all for if Christ had only died for us our faith in him had been in vain and we had been still in our sins Wherefore 4. To carry on the same work he rose from the dead and now lives for ever to make intercession for us and so save unto the uttermost them that come unto God by him By these means was the salvation preached in the Gospel obtained which surely manifest it to be great salvation Would God have sent his Son his only Son and that in such a manner were it not for the accomplishment of a work as well great and glorious init self as indispensibly necessary with reference untoits end Would the Son himself have so emptied himself of his glory condescended to so low a condition wrestled withsuch difficulties and undergone at length such a cursed and shameful death had not the work been great wherein he was employed O the blindness hardness and stupidityof the sons of men they profess they believe these things to be true at least they dare not deny them so to be but forthe effect of them for the salvation wrought by them they value it the least of all things that they have any acquaintance withall If this salvation thus procured do seize on them in their sleep and fall upon them whether they will or no they will not much resist it provided that it cross them in none of their lusts purposes or pleasures But to see the Excellency of it to put a valuation upon it according to the price whereby it is purchased that they are utterly regardless of Hear ye despisers wonder and perish Shall the Son of God shed his blood in vain Shall he obey and suffer and bleed and pray and die for a thing of nought Is it nothing unto you that heshould undergo all these things Was there want of Wisdom in God or love unto his Son so toemploy him so to use him in a business which you esteem of sovery small concernment as that you will scarce turn aside tomake enquiry after it Assure your selves these things are not so as you will one day find unto your eternal ruine Thirdly This salvation will appear to be great if we shall consider what by it we are delivered from and what we are interested in or made partakers of by vertue thereof These also may denominate salvation to be great and they may therefore be considered apart First What are we delivered from by this salvation In a word Every thing that is evil in this world or that which is to come And all evil may be referred unto two heads 1. That which corrupteth and depraveth the principles of our nature in their being and operation And 2. That which is destructive of our nature as to its well-being and happiness The first of these is sin the latter is punishment and both of them take up the whole nature of evil The particulars comprised in them may not here be distinctly and severally insisted on The former containeth our Apostasie from God with all the consequences of it in darkness folly filth shame bondage restlesness service of lust the world and Sathan and therein constant rebellion against God and diligence in working out our own everlasting ruine all attended with a senseless stupidity in not discerning these things to be evil hurtful noisome corruptive of our natures and beings and for the most part with bruitish sensuality in the approbation and liking of them But he who understands no evil in being fallen off from God the first Cause chiefest Good and last End of all in being under the power of a constant Enmity against him in the disorder of his whole soul and all the faculties of it in the constant service of sin the fruit of bondage and captivity in the most vile condition will be awakened unto another apprehension of these things when a time of deliverance from them shall be no more The latter of these consists in the wrath or curse of God and comprizeth what ever is or may be poenal and afflictive unto our Nature unto Eternity Now from both these with all their effects and consequences are Believers delivered by this salvation namely from sin and wrath The Lord Christ was called Jesus because he saves his people from their sins Matth. 1.21 And he isalso the Saviour who delivers them from the wrath to come 1 Thess. 1.10 And this is great salvation If a man be but the means of delivering another from poverty imprisonment or a dangerous disease especially if such a one could be no otherwise delivered but by him how great is the kindness of it esteemed tobe and that deservedly Providential deliverances from imminent dangers of death temporal are looked on as great salvations and that by good men and so they ought to be 2 Cor. 1.10 But what are all these unto this salvation What is the sickness of the body unto the disease yea the death of the soul What is imprisonment of the out-ward man under the wrath of poor worms like our selves and that for a fewdays unto the chains of everlasting darkness What is alittle outward want and poverty to the want of the favour love and presence of God unto Eternity What is death temporal past in a moment an end of troubles anentrance into Rest unto death eternal an eternaldying under the curse wrath and righteous vengeance of the holyGod These things have no proportion one to another So unexpressibly great is this salvation that there is nothing left us to illustrate it withall And this excellency of Gospel salvation will at length be known to them by whom at present it is despised when they shall fall and perish under the want of it and that to Eternity Lastly This salvation is Great upon the
from the beginning of the world unto the end of it think otherwise and will glorifie Godto eternity for the righteousness of his judgments on them thatobey not the Gospel But Secondly Suppose the destruction of these persons be in itself righteous yet there may be some remedy and relief provided for them that they maynot actually fall under it there may yet some way of escape remain for them and so their ruine not be so unavoidable as is pretended It hath been shewed that itwas a righteous thing that the transgressors of the Law should perish and yet a way of escape is providedfor them God is merciful and things may be found atthe last day otherwise than now they are reported at least allthat Faith Diligence Obedience and Holiness which is spoken of is not required to free men from being neglecters of the Gospel so that they who come short of them may nevertheless escape I answer that we are not now discoursing of the Nature of that Faith and Obedience which is required tointerest men in Gospel salvation But certain it is that it will be found to be that which the Word requires and no other even that faith which purifieth the heart that faith which reformeth the life that faith which is fruitful in good works that faith which bringeth forth universal Holiness without which no man shall see God A faith consisting with the love and service of sin with neglect of Gospel duties with conformity to the Word with a sensual profane or wicked life will stand men in no stead in this matter But this is not the subject of our present discourse It may suffice in general that the Faith and Obedience which the Gospel requireth are indispensably necessary to free men from being Gospel despisers what they are is all our concernment to enquire and learn for where they are wanting there is no relief nor remedy what ever wind and ashes of vain hopes men may feed upon and deceive themselves withall It is true there was a remedy provided for the transgression of the Law and this remedy was 1. Reasonable in that there was no mixture of mercy or grace in that dispensation And God saw meet to glorifie those properties of his Nature as well as those which before shone forth in the Creation of all things and giving of the Law Pardoning mercy was not sinned against in the breach of the Law and therefore that might interpose for a relief which was done accordingly And yet 2. Neither would this have been either reasonable or righteous if that only and last way of satisfying the Righteousness and the Law by the sufferings and Sacrifice of the Son of God had not intervened Without this Mercy and Grace must have eternally rested in the bosome of God without the least exercise of them as we see they are in respect unto the Angels that sinned whose Nature the Son of God assumed not thereby to relieve them And 3. This relief was declared immediately upon the entrance of sin and the promises of it renewed continually until it waswrought and accomplished And hereby it became the subject of the whole Book of God and the principal matter of all entercourse between God and sinners But all these things fully discover that there neither is nor can any relief be provided for them that sin against the Gospel For 1. From what spring what fountain should it proceed Mercy and Grace are principally sinned against in it and their whole design of it therein defeated The utmost of mercy and grace is already sinned against and what remaineth now for the relief of a sinner Is there any other Propertie of the Divine Nature whose consideration will administer unto men any ground of hope Is there any thing in the Name of God in that Revelation that he hath made of himself by his Works or in his Word to give them encouragement Doubtless nothing at all But yet suppose that God had not laid out all the riches and treasures of his Wisdom Grace Love and Goodness in Gospel salvation by Jesus Christ which yet he affirmeth that he hath suppose that in Infinite Mercy there were yet a reserve for pardon by what way and means 2. Should it be brought forth and made effectual We have seen that God neither would nor could ever have exercised pardoning mercy towards sinners had not way been made for it by the Bloud of his Son what then Shall Christ die again that the despisers of the Gospel may be saved Why besides that the Scripture affirms positively that henceforth he dieth no more and that there is no more sacrifice for sin this is the most unreasonable thing that can be imagined Shall he die again for them by whom his death hath been despised Is the Bloud of Christ such a common thing as to be so cast away upon the lusts of men Besides when should he make an end of dying They who have once neglected the Gospel may do so upon a second trial nay undoubtedly would do so and thence should Christ often die often be offered and all still in vain Neither hath God any other Son to send to die for sinners he sent his only begotten Son once for all and he that believeth not on him must perish for ever In vain then will all mens expectations be from such a mercy as there is nothing to open a door unto nor to make way for its exercise Nay this mercy is a meer figment of secure sinners there is no such thing in God All the mercy and grace that God hath for his creatures is engaged in Gospel salvation and if that be despised in vain shall men look for any other Neither 3. Is there any word spoken concerning any such relief or remedy for Gospel neglecters Pardon being provided for transgressions of the Law instantly it is promised and the whole Scripture is written for the manifestation of it but as for a provision of mercy for them that despise theGospel where is any one word recorded concerning it Nay doth not the Scripture in all places fully and plainly witness against it He that believeth not shall be damned There remains no more sacrifice for sin He that believeth not the wrath of God abideth on him And will men yet feed themselves with hopes of mercy whilst they neglect the Gospel Well fare them who being not able to retrieve secure sinners against this light and evidence of the want of any relief reielved for them have carried the whole matter behind the curtain and invented a Purgatory for them to help them when they are gone from hence and cannot return to complain of them by whom they are deceived But this also as all other reliefs will prove a broken reed to them that lean on it for they who neglect the Gospel must perish and that eternally for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it Thirdly Then all hopes of escaping must arise from hence That he whose right it is
ready to yield obedience unto God in this great work which could not be accomplished by Sacrifices and Burnt-offerings And this readiness and willingness of Christ unto this work is set out under three heads in the ensuing words 1. His Tender of himself unto this work then said he Lo I come in the volume of thy book it is written of me This thou hast promised this is recorded in the head beginning of thy book namely in that great Promise Gen. 3.15 That the seed of the woman should bruise the head of the serpent and now thou hast given me and prepared me in the fulness of time a Body for that purpose Lo I come willing and ready to undertake it 2. In the frame of his mind in this engagement he entred into it with great delight I delight to do thy will O my God he did not delight in the thoughts of it only of old as before and then grew heavy and sorrowful when it was to be undertaken but he went unto it with cheaâ—fulness and delight although he knew what sorrow and grief it would cost him before it was brought unto perfection 3. From the Principle whence this Obedience and delight did spring which was an universal conformity of his Soul Mind and Will unto the Law Will and Mind of God thy Law is in my heart in the midst of my bowels every thing in me is compliant with thy Will and Law There is in me an universal conformity thereunto Being thus prepared thus principled he considered the Glory that was set before him the glory that would redound unto God by his becoming a Captain of salvation and that would ensue unto himself He endured the Cross and despised the shame He. 12.2 He armed himself with those considerations against the hardships and sufferings that he was to meet withall as the Apostle adviseth us with the like mind when we are to suffer 1 Pet. 4.1 By all which it appears that the Good will and Love of Jesus Christ was in this matter of being humbled and made less than Angels as the Apostle sayes expresly that he humbled himself and made himself of no reputation Phil. 2.7 8. as well as it is here said that God humbled him or made him less than Angels Secondly The Scripture peculiarly assigns this work unto the Love and Condescension of Christ himself For although it abounds in sitting forth the Love of the Father in the designing and contriving this work and sending his Son into the world yet it directs us unto the Lord Christ himself as the next immediate cause of his engaging into it and performance of it So saith the Apostle Gal. 2.20 I live by the faith of the Son of God that is by faith in him who loved me and gave himself for me It was the Love of Christ that moved him to give himself for us which is excellently expressed in that doxology Rev. 1.5 6. To him that loved us and washed us in his own blood from our sins and hath made us Kings and Priests unto God and his Father unto him be glory and dominion for ever and ever Amen All this was the fruit of his Love and therefore unto him is all Praise and Honour to be given and ascribed And so great was this Love of Christ that he declined nothing that was proposed unto him This the Apostle calls his Grace 2 Cor. 8 9. Ye know the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ that though he was rich yet for your sakes he became poor that ye through his poverty might be rich He condescended unto a poor and low condition and to suffer therein for our good that we might be made partakers of the Riches of the Grace of God And this was the love of the Person of Christ because it was in and wrought equally in him both before and after his Assumption of our nature Now the Holy Ghost makes an especial Application of this truth unto us as unto one part of our Obedience Phil. 2.5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus and what that mind was he declares in the ensuing Verses laying out his infinite condescension in taking our nature upon him and submitting to all misery reproach and death it self for our sakes If this mind were in Christ should not we endeavour after a Readiness and Willingness to submit our selves unto any condition for his glory Forasmuch saith Peter as Christ hath suffered for us in the flâ—sh arm your selves likewise with the same mind 1 Pet. 4.1 Many difficulties will lye in our way many Reasonings will rise up against it if we consult with flesh and blood but saith he arm your selves with the same mind that was in Christ get your souls strengthened and fenced by Grace against all Oppositions that you may follow him and imitate him Some that profess his name will suffer nothing for him if they may enjoy him or his wayes in peace and quietness well and good but if Persecution arise for the Gospel immediately they fall away These have neither lot nor portion in this matter Others the most the best have a secret lothness and unwillingness to condescend unto a condition of trouble and distress for the Gospel Well if we are unwilling hereunto What doth the Lord Christ lose by it Will it be any real Abatement of his honour or glory Will he lose his Crown or Kingdom thereby So far as suffering in this world is needful for any of his blessed Ends and Purposes he will not want them who shall be ready even to dye for his name sake But what if he had been unwilling to be humbled and to suffer for us If the same mind had been in Christ as was in us what had been our state and condition unto eternity In this Grace Love and Willingness of Christ lyes the foundation of all our Happiness of all our Deliverance from misery and ruine and shall we reckon our selves to have an interest therein and yet find our selves altogether unready to a conformity unto him Besides the Lord Christ was really rich when he made himself poor for our sakes he was in the form of God when he took upon him the form of a servant and became for us of no reputation nothing of this was due to him or belonged unto him but meerly on our account But we are in our selves really poor and obnoxious unto infinitely more miseries for our own sins than what he calls us unto for his name Are we unwilling to suffer a little light transitory trouble in this world for him without whose sufferings for us we must have suffered misery and that Eternal whether we would or no And I speak not so much about suffering it self as about the mind and frame of Spirit wherewith we undergo it Some will suffer when they cannot avoid it but so unwillingly so unchearfully as makes it evident that they aim at nothing nor act from no Principle but meerly that they dare not
brought to glory There is a double act of Gods Predestination the first is his designation of some unto grace to be sons Ephes. 1.5 the other his appointment of those sons unto glory both to be wrought and accomplished by Christ the Captain of their salvation The latter and the execution of it namely the bringing of those who by grace are made sons unto glory is that which the Apostle here expresseth He dealeth not with the Hebrews in this Epistle about the conversion of the Elect the traduction of them into a state of grace and sonship but of the government of them being made sons and their guidance unto glory And therefore the sufferings of Christ which absolutely and in themselves are the cause of our sonship and reconciliation with God are mentioned here only as the means whereby Christ entred into a condition of leading sons into glory or of saving them who upon the account of his sufferings are made sons by grace But yet this is not so precisely respected neither but that the Apostle withall intimates the necessity of the sufferings of Christ as to the whole effect of it towards the Elect. Now these sons thus to be brought unto glory are said to be many not all absolutely not a few or of the Jews only which they looked for but all the Elect of God who are many Rev. 7.9 And this work of bringing many sons unto glory is here signally assigned by the Apostle unto God the Father whose Love Wisdom and Grace Believers are principally to eye in the whole work of their salvation wrought out and accomplished by Jesus Christ. This therefore we shall a little insist upon to declare the grounds and reasons on the account whereof it is so ascribed unto him or what acts are peculiarly assigned unto the Father in this work of bringing many sons unto glory which will secure the ascription of it unto him and therein our interpretation of the place 1. The Eternal designation of them unto that glory whereunto they are to be brought is peculiarly assigned unto him He predestinates them to be conformed to the image of his Son Rom. 8.28 29 30. The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ chooseth us before the foundation of the world and predestinateth us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ unto himself Ephes. 1.3 4 5. And he hath from the beginning chosen us unto salvation 2 Thess. 2.13 14. And this electing love of God this eternal purpose of his good pleasure which he purposed in himself is the fountain and spring of all other immediate causes of our salvation From hence Faith Acts 13.45 Sanctification 2 Thess. 2.13 Holiness Ephes. 1.4 preservation in grace 2 Tim. 2.19 the death of Christ for them Joh. 3.16 and final glory it self 2 Tim. 2.10 do all ensue and proceed so that on the account hereof he may be justly said to be the Bringer of many sons to glory 2. He was the spring and fountain of that Covenant as in all other Operations of the Deity that was of old between himself and his Son about the salvation and glory of the Elect. See Zech. 6.13 Isa. 42.1 Prov. 8.20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30. Isa. 50.4 chap. 53.11 12. Psal. 16.10 to Psal. 110.1 6. He in his love and grace is still declared as the Proposer both of the Duty and of the Reward of the Mediator the Son incarnate as the Son accepts of his Terms and Proposals Heb. 10.5 6 7 8. And hence the Intenseness of his Love the Immutability of his Counsel the Holiness of his Nature his Righteousness and Faithfulness his Infinite Wisdom do all shine forth in the Mediation and sufferings of Christ Rom. 3.25 26. chap. 5.8 1 Joh. 4.9 Heb. 6.17 18. Tit. 1.2 Rather than his Love should not be satisfied and his Counsel accomplished He spared not his own Son but gave him unto death for us 3. He signally gave out the first Promise that great foundation of the Covenant of Grace and afterwards declared confirmed and ratified by his Oath that Covenant wherein all the means of bringing the elect unto glory are contained Gen. 3.15 Jerem 31.32 33 34. Heb. 8.8 The Person of the Father is considered as the principal Author of the Covenant as the Person covenanting and taking us into covenant with himself the Son as the Messiah being considered as the Surety and Mediator of it Heb. 7.22 chap. 9.15 and the Purchaser of the Promises of it 4. He gave and sent his Son to be a Saviour and Redeemer for them and unto them so that in his whole work in all that he did and suffered he obeyed the Command and fulfilled the Will of the Father Him did God the Father send and seal and give and set forth as the Scripture every where expresseth it And our Lord Jesus Christ every where remits us to the consideration of the Love Will and Authority of his Father in all that he did taught or suffered so seeking the Glory of God that sent him 5. He draws his Elect and enables them to come to the Son to believe in him and so to obtain life salvation and glory by him No man saith our Saviour can come to me except the Father which hath sent me draw him Joh. 6.44 No man no not any one of the Elect can come to Christ unless the Father in the pursuit of that love from whence it was that he sent the Son do put forth the efficacy of his grace to enable him thereunto and accordingly he reveals him unto some when he is hidden from others Matth. 11.25 For the Revelation of Christ unto the soul is the immediate act of the Father Matth. 16.17 6. Being reconciled unto them by the blood of his Son he reconciles them unto himself by giving them pardon and forgiveness of sins in and by the Promises of the Gospel without which they cannot come to glory 2 Cor. 5.18 19 20 21. He is in Christ reconciling us unto himself by the non-imputation or forgiveness of our sins Forgiving us all our trespasses for Christ his sake Ephes. 4.32 There are many things concurring unto the pardon of sin that are peculiar acts of the Father 7. He quickens them and sanctifies them by his Spirit to make them meet for the inheritance of the Saints in light that is for the enjoyment of glory He that raised up Jesus from the dead quickens us by his Spirit Rom. 8.11 So saving us by the washing of Regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost which he shed on us richly by Jesus Christ Tit. 3.5 6. This sanctification and renovation by the Holy Ghost and all supplies of actual grace enabling us unto obedience are every where asserted as the Grant and Work of the Father who worketh in us both to will and to do of his own good pleasure And so in especial is the saving illumination of our minds to know the mystery of his grace and discern the
example to suffer for the truth But his Doctrine carried its own evidence with it that it was from God and was besides uncontrollably confirmed by the Miracles that he wrought So that his sufferings on that account might have been dispensed withall And surely this great and stupendous matter of the dying of the Son of God is not to be resolved into a Reason and Cause that might so easily be dispensed with God would never have given up his Son to die but only for such causes and ends as could no otherwise have been satisfied or accomplished The like also may be said of the other cause assigned by them namely to set us an example It is true in his death he did so and of great and singular use unto us it is that so he did But yet neither was this from any precedent Law or Constitution nor from the nature of the thing it self nor from any property of God indispensibly necessary God could by his grace have carried us through sufferings although he had not set before us the example of his Son so he doth through other things no less difficult wherein the Lord Christ could not in his own Person go before us as in our conversion unto God and mortification of indwelling sin neither of which the Lord Christ was capable of We shall leave them then as those who acknowledging the death of Christ do not yet acknowledge or own any sufficient cause or reason why he should die Christians generally allow that the sufferings of Christ were poenal and his death satisfactory for the sins of men but as to the cause and reason of his so suffering they differ Some following Austine refer the death of Christ solely unto the Wisdom and Sovereignty of God God would have it so and therein are we to acquiesce Other ways of saving the Elect were possible but this God chose because so it seemed good unto him Hence arose that saying That one drop of the blood of Christ was sufficient to redeem the whole world only it pleased God that he should suffer unto the utmost And herein are we to rest that He hath suffered for us and that God hath revealed But this seems not to me any way to answer that which is here affirmed by the Apostle namely that it became God as the Supreme Governour of all the world so to cause Christ to suffer nor do I see what demonstration of the glory of Justice can arise from the punishing of an innocent Person who might have been spared and yet all the ends of his being so punished to have been otherwise brought about And to say that one drop of Christs bloud was sufficient to redeem the world is derogatory unto the Goodness Wisdom and Righteousness of God in causing not only the whole to be shed but also his Soul to be made an offering for sin which was altogether needless if that were true But how far this whole Opinion is from truth which leaves no necessary cause of the death of Christ will afterwards appear Others say that on supposition that God had appointed the Curse of the Law and death to be the penalty of sin his faithfulness and Veracity were engaged so far that no sinner should go free or be made partaker of glory but by the intervention of satisfaction And therefore on the supposition that God would make some men his sons and bring them to glory it was necessary with respect unto the engagement of the truth of God that he should suffer die and make satisfaction for them But all this they refer originally unto a free constitution which might have been otherwise God might have ordered things so without any derogation unto the glory of his Justice or Holiness in the Government of all things as that sinners might have been saved without the death of Christ. For if he had not engaged his Word and declared that death should be the penalty of sin he might have freely remitted it without the intervention of any satisfaction And thus all this whole work of death being the punishment of sin and of the sufferings of Christ for sinners is resolved into a free purpose and Decree of Gods Will and not into the exigence of any essential property of his Nature so that it might have been otherwise in all the parts of it and yet the glory of God preserved every way entire Whether this be so or no we shall immediately enquire Others grant many free Acts of the Mind and Will of God in this matter as 1. The Creation of man in such a condition as that he should have a moral dependance on God in reference unto his utmost end was an effect of the Sovereign Pleasure Will and Wisdom of God But on supposition of this Decree and Constitution they say the Nature Authority and Holiness of God required indispensibly that man should yield unto him that obedience which he was directed unto and guideâ— in by the Law of his Creation so that God could not suffer him to do otherwise and remain in his first state and come unto the end first designed unto him without the loss of his Authority and wrong of his Justice Again they say that God did freely by an Act of his Sovereign Will and Pleasure decree to permit man to sin and fall which might have been otherwise But on supposition that so he should do and would do and thereby infringe the Order of his dependance on God in reference unto his utmost end that the Justice of God as the Supreme Governour of all things did indispensibly require that he should receive a meet recompence of reward or be punished answerably unto hiâ— crimes so that God could not have dealt otherwise with him without an high derogation from his own Righteousness Again they say that God by a meer free Act of his Love and Grace designed the Lord Jesus Christ to be the way and means for the saving of sinners which might have been otherwise He might without the least impeachment of the glory of any of his Essential Properties have suffered all mankind to have perished under that penalty which they had justly incurred but of his own meer Love free Grace and good pleasure he gave and sent him to redeem them But on the supposition thereof they say the Justice of God required that he should lay on him the punishment due unto the sons whom he redeemed it became him on the account of his Natural Essential Justice to bring him unto sufferings And in this Opinion is contained the truth laid down in our Proposition which we shall now farther confirm namely that it became the Nature of God or the Essential Properties of his Nature required indispensibly that sin should be punished with death in the sinner or in his surety And therefore if he would bring any sons to glory the Captain of their salvation must undergo death and sufferings to make satisfaction for them For First Consider that description
frequent use when respecting God as its Object it is to praise by Hymns or Psalms as the Apostle here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tibi hymnos câ—nam or te hymnis celebrabo I will sing hymns unto thee or praise thee with hymns which was the principal way of setting forth Gods praise under the Old Testament It is not certain whence the second Testimony is taken Some suppose it to be from Isa. 8.17 from whence the last also is cited The words of the Prophet there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are rendered by the LXX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the words here used by the Apostle But there are sundry things that will not allow us to close with this supposal First The Original is not rightly rendered by the LXX and as we shall see the Apostles words do exactly express the Original in another place Besides 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is never but in this place and once more turned into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the LXX but is constantly rendered by them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So that it is not improbable but that these words might be inserted into the Greek Text out of this place of the Apostle there being some Presumptions and likelihoods that it was the place intended by him especially because the next Testimony used by the Apostle consists in the Words immediately ensuing these in the Prophet But yet that yields another Reason against this supposition For if the Apostle continued on the words of the Prophet to what end should he insert in the midst of them that constant note of proceeding unto another Testimony 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and again especially considering that the whole Testimony speaks to the same purpose We shall then referr these words unto Psal. 18.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the LXX render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will hope in him the Apostle more properly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will put my trust in him And that that Psalm had respect unto the Lord Christ and his Kingdom our Apostle sheweth elsewhere by citing another Testimony out of it concerning the calling of the Gentiles Rom. 15.9 Nor was the latter part of the Psalm properly fulfilled in David at all The last Testimony is unquestionably taken out of Isa. 8.17 where the words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and rendered by the LXX as here by the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is properly nati 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those that are begotten or born of any one whilest they are in their tender age But it may be rendered by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it is by the LXX Gen. 30.36 Chap. 32.22 Chap. 33.1 2. which is children in a larger sense Verse 11 12 13. For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren saying I will declare thy name unto my brethren in the midst of the Church will I sing praise unto thee And again I will put my trust in him And again behold I and the children which God hath given me The words contain First A farther Description of the Captain of salvation and the sons to be brought unto Glory by him mentioned in the Verse foregoing taken from his Office and Work towards them and the Effect thereof upon them He that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified which is the subject of the first Proposition in these words Secondly An Assertion concerning them they are all of one Thirdly A natural consequence of that Assertion which includes also the scope and design of it He is not ashamed to call them brethren Fourthly The confirmation hereof by a Triple Testimony from the Old Testament First He describes the Captain of salvation and the Sons to be brought unto glory by their mutual Relation to one another in sanctification He is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he that sanctifieth and they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they that are sanctified That it is the Son the Captain of salvation that is intended by the sanctifier both what the Apostle affirms immediately of him and them and the ensuing Testimonies whereby he confirms it do make evident And as in the Verse foregoing giving an account why God would have Christ to suffer he describes him by that Property of his Nature which includes a necessity of his so doing so setting forth the Causes on our part of that suffering and the grounds of our advantage thereby he expresseth him and the children by those terms which manifest their Relation unto one another and which they could not have stood in had they not been of the same nature as he afterwards declares Now the same word being here used actively and passively it must in both places be understood in the same sense the one expressing the Effect of the other As Christ sanctifies so are the children sanctified And the Act of Christ which is here intended is that which he did for the Sons when he suffered for them according to Gods appointment as v. 10. Now as was said before to sanctifie is either to separate and to dedicate unto sacred Use or to purifie and make realâ—y holy which latter sense is here principally intended Thus when the Apostle speaks of the effects of the Offerings of Christ for the Elect he distinguisheth between their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or consummation and their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or sanctification Chap. 10.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by one offering he consummated or perfected the sanctified First He sanctifieth them and then dedicates them unto God so that they shall never more need any Initiation into his Favour and service This work was the Captain of salvation designed unto the children that were to be brought unto glory being in themselves unclean and unholy and on that account separated from God he was to purge their natures and to make them holy that they might be admitted into the favour of and find acceptance with God And for the Nature of this work two things must be considered 1. The Impetration of it or the Way and Means whereby he obtained this Sanctification for them and 2. The Application of that Means or real effecting of it The first consisteth in the sufferings of Christ and the merit thereof Hence we are so often said to be sanctified and washed in his blood Eph. 5.25 Acts 20.32 Rev. 1.5 and his blood is said to cleanse us from all our sins 1 John 1.7 As it was shed for us he procured by the merit of his Obedience therein that those for whom it was shed should be purged and purified Titus 2.14 The other consists in the effectual workings of the Spirit of Grace communicated unto us by vertue of the bloodshedding and sufferings of Christ as the Apostle declares Tit. 3.4 5 6. And they who place this sanctification meerly on the Doctrine and Example of Christ as Grotius on this place
besides that they consider not at all the design and scope of the place so they reject the principal End and the most blessed Effect of the death and bloodshedding of the Lord Jesus Now in this Description of the Captain of Salvation and of the Sons the Apostle intimates a farther necessity of his sufferings because they were to be sanctified by him which could no otherwise be done but by his death and bloodshedding Having many things to observe from these Verses we shall take them up as they offer themselves unto us in our procedure As here I. That all the children which are to be brought unt◠glory antecedently unto their Relation unto the Lord Christ are polluted defiled separate from God They are all to be sanctified by him both as to their real Purification and Consecration to be Gods hallowed Portion This for many blessed Ends the Scripture abundantly instructs us in Tit. 3.3 We our selves also were sometimes foolish and disobedient deceived serving divers lusts and pleasures living in malice and envy hateful and hating of one another A most wretched defiled and loathsome condition that which justly might be an Abhorrency to God and all his holy Angels and such indeed God describes it to be by his Prophet Ezek. 16.5 6. Thou wast polluted in thy blood and cast out in the field to the loathing of thy Person Thus we were saith the Apostle even w◠who are now sanctified and cleansed by the means which he afterwards relates The like description he gives of this estate 1 Cor. 6.11 12. with an Assertion of the same delivery from it We are naturally very proud apt to please our selves in our selves to think of nothing less than of being polluted or defiled or at least not so far but that we can wash our selves What a hard thing is it to perswade the great men of the world in the midst of their Ornaments Paintings and Perfumes that they are all over vile leprous loathsome and defiled Are they not ready to wash themselves in the blood of them who intimate any such thing unto them But whether men will hear or forbear this is the condition of all men even of the Sons of God themselves before they are washed and sanctified by Christ Jesus And as this sets out the Infinite Love of God in taking notice of such vile creatures as we are and the unspeakable Condescension of the Lord Christ with the Efficacy of his Grace in cleansing us by his blood so it is sufficient to keep us humble in our selves and thankful unto God all our dayes II. That the Lord Christ is the great sanctifier of the Church His Title is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Sanctifier of which more afterwards Thirdly The Lord Christ the Captain of our Salvation sanctifies every Son whom he brings unto glory He will never glorifie an unsanctified person The world indeed is full of an Expectation of Glory by Christ but of that which is indispensibly previous thereunto they have no regard But this the Scripture gives us as a principal Effect of the whole Mediation of Christ. Of his death Ephes. 5.26 Titus 2.14 Of his communication of his Word and Spirit John 17.19 Titus 3.5 6. Of his blood-shedding in an especial manner 1 John 1.7 Rom. 6.5 6. Rev. 5.5 Of his Life in Heaven and Intercession for us Col. 3.1 2 3. This he creates his people unto by his Grace Ephes. 2.8 excites them unto by his Promises 2 Cor. 7.1 and commands John 15.16 17. So that no End of the Mediation of Christ is accomplished in them who are not sanctified and made holy And this was necessary for him to do on the part 1. Of God 2. Of himself 3. Of themselves 1. Of God unto whom they are to be brought in glory He is holy of purer eyes than to behold iniquity No unclean thing can stand in his presence Holy in his nature glorious in Holiness holy in his Commands and will be sanctified in all that draw nigh unto him And this Peter urgeth as that which requires Holiness in us 1 Epist. 1.15 16. As he that hath called them is holy so be ye holy in all manner of Conversation because it is written be ye holy for I am holy and thence it is said that Holiness becometh his house that is all that draw nigh unto him and the Apostle sets it down as an uncontrollable Maxime that without Holiness no man shall see God If the Lord Christ then will bring the children unto God he must make them Holy or they can have no admittance into his presence no acceptance with him for no unclean thing nothing that defileth can enter into the New Jerusalem the place where his Holiness dwelleth It is utterly impossible that any soul not washed with the blood of Christ not sanctified by his Spirit and Grace should stand in the sight of God And this was expressed in all the typical Institutions about cleansing which God appointed unto his people of old He did it to teach them that unless they were sanctified washed and cleansed from their sins they could be admitted unto no Communion with him nor Enjoyment of him Neither can any serve him here unless their consciences be purged by the blood of Christ from dead works nor can they come to him hereafter unless they are washed from all their defilements Their services here he rejects as an unclean and polluted thing and their confidences for the future he despiseth as a presumtuous abomination God will not divest himself of his Holiness that he may receive or be enjoyed by unholy creature And the day is coming wherein poor unsanctified creatures who think they may miss Holiness in the way to glory shall cry out who amongst us shall inhabit with those everlasting burnings for so will he appear unto all unsanctified persons 2. Of Himself and the Relation whereunto he takes these Sons with himself He is their Head and they are to be members of his body Now he is holy and so must they be also or this Revelation will be very unsuitable and uncomely A living head and dead members a beautiful head and rotten members how uncomely would it be Such a monstrous body Christ will never own Nay it would overthrow the whole nature of that Relation and take away the life and form of that Union that Christ and his are brought into as head and members For whereas it consists in this that the whole Head and members are animated quickned and acted by one and the self same Spirit of life nor doth any thing else give Union between head and members if they be not sanctified by that Spirit there can be no such Relation between them Again he takes them unto himself to be his Bride and Spouse Now you know that it was appointed of old that if any one would take up a Captive Maid to be his Wife she was to shave her head and pare her nayls and wash her self that
which as they are contained in the first Promise so that they were allowed of by the Hebrews of old we have fully proved else-where And by all these doth the Apostle yield a reason of his former concession that the Messiah was for a little while made lower than the Angels the Causes and Ends whereof he here declares There are in the words First A supposition of a two-fold state and condition of the children to be brought unto glory First Natural or their natural state and condition they were all of them in common partakers of flesh and bloud For as much then as the children were partakers of flesh and blood Secondly Moral their moral state and condition they were obnoxious unto death as it is poenal for sin and in great bondage through fear of it them who through fear of death were all their life time subject unto bondage Secondly There is a double inference with respect unto this supposition on the part of Christ the Captain of salvation First As to their natural condition that he did partake of it he was so to do He himself also did partake of the same Secondly As to their moral condition he freed them from it and deliver them Thirdly The means whereby he did this or this was to be done evidencing the necessity of his participation with them in their condition of nature that he might relieve them from their condition of trouble he did it by death that by death Fourthly The immediate Effect of his death tending unto their delivery and freedom and that is the destruction of the devil as to his power over and interest in death as poenal whereof their deliverance is an infallible consequent and destroy him c. In the first place the Apostle expresseth as by way of supposition the natural condition of the children that is the children whom God designed to bring unto glory those who were given unto Christ they were in common partakers of flesh and blood I shall not stay to remove the conceit of some who yet are not a few among the Romanists who refer those words unto the participation of the flesh and blood of Christ in the Sacrament whereunto also as we observed the Aethiopick Version gives countenance For not only is there not any thing in the expression that inclines unto such an imagination but also it enervates the whole design of the Apostles discourse and argument as from the former consideration of it doth appear Flesh and blood are by an usual Synecdoche put for the whole humane nature not as though by blood the soul was intended because the life is said to be in it as not acting without it but this expression is used because it is not humane nature as absolutely considered but as mortal passible subject unto infirmities and death it self that is intended And it is no more than if he had said the children were men subject unto death For he gives his reason herein why the Lord Christ was made a man subject unto death That he and the children should be of one nature he had shewed before for as much then as this was the condition of the children that they were all partakers of humane nature liable to sufferings sorrow and death he was so also And this is thus expressed to set forth the love and condescension of Jesus Christ as will afterward appear The second thing in these words is the moral condition of the children and there are sundry things partly intimated partly expressed in the description that is here given us of it as 1. Their estate absolutely considered they were subject to death 2. The consequences of that estate 1. It wrought fear in them 2. That fear brought them into bondage 3. The continuance of that condition it was for the whole course of their lives First It is implied that they were subject obnoxious unto guilty of death and that as it was poenal due to sin as contained in the curse of the Law which what it comprehendeth and how far it is extended is usually declared On this supposition lies the whole weight of the Mediation of Christ. The children to be brought unto glory were obnoxious unto death the curse and wrath of God therein which he came to deliver them from Secondly The first effect and consequent of this obnoxiousness unto death concurring unto their state and condition is that they were filled with fear of it for fear of death Fear is a perturbation of mind arising from the apprehension of a future imminent evil And the greater this evil is the greater will the perturbation of the mind be provided the apprehension of it be answerable The fear of death then here intended is that trouble of mind which men have in the expectation of death to be inflicted on them as a punishment due unto their sins And this apprehension is common to all men arising from a general presumption that death is poenal and that it is the judgment of God that they which commit sin are worthy of death as Rom. 1.32 chap. 2.15 But it is cleared and confirmed by the Law whose known sentence it is The soul that sinneth shall die And the troublesome expectation of the event of this apprehension is the fear of death here intended And according unto the means that men have to come unto the knowledge of the righteousness of God are or ought to be their apprehensions of the evil that is in death But even those who had lost all clear knowledge of the consequents of death natural or the dissolution of their present mortal condition yet on a confused apprehension of its being poenal always esteemed it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the most dreadful of all things that are so unto humane nature And in some this is heightned and increased until it come to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as our Apostle speaks chap. 10.27 A fearful expectation of judgment and fiery indignation which shall devour the adversaries And this is the second thing that is in this description of the estate and condition of the children to be brought unto glory being obnoxious unto the sentence of death they could not but live in fear of the execution of it Thirdly They are by this means brought into bondage The troublesome expectation of death as poenal brings them into bondage into the nature whereof we must a little enquire Sundry things concur to make any state a state of bondage as 1. That it be involuntary no man is in bondage by his will that which a man chuseth is not bondage unto him A man that would have his ear bored though he were always a servant was never in bondage for he enjoyed the condition that pleased him Properly all bondage is involuntary 2. Bondage ingenerates strong desires after and puts men on all manner of attempts for liberty Yokes gall and make them on whom they are desire ease So long as men are sensible of bondage which is against nature for that
omnes inimicos suos quorum caput est diabolus coercet eorum vires frangit eosque tandem penitus abolebit But if this be so and the abolishing of the power of Satan be an act of Soveraign Power then it was not done by the death of Christ nor was there any need that he should partake of flesh and blood for that purpose or dye So that this Exposition contradicts both the express words of the Apostle and also the whole design of his discourse No proposition can be more plain than this is that the Power of Satan was destroyed by the death of Christ which in this Interpretation of the words is denyed 5. And hence it lastly appears what was the Delivery that was procured for the children by this dissolution of the Power of Satan It respects both what they feared and what ensued on their fear that is Death and Bondage For the delivery here intended is not meerly a Consequent of the destruction of Satan but hath regard unto the things themselves about which the power of Satan was exercised They were obnoxious unto death on the Guilt of sin as poenal as under the Curse as attended with Hell or everlasting misery This he delivered the children from by making an Attonement for their sins in his death virtually loosing their Obligation thereunto and procuring for them Eternal Redemption as shall afterwards be fully declared Hereon also they are delivered from the Bondage before described The fear of death being taken away the bondage that ensues thereon vanisheth also And these things as they are done virtually and legally in the death of Christ so they are actually accomplished in and towards the children upon the Application of the death of Christ unto them when they do believe And we may now close our consideration of these Verses with one or two other Observations as X. The death of Christ through the wise and righteous disposal of God is victorious all conquering and prevalent The aim of the world was to bring him unto death and therein they thought they had done with him The aim of Satan was so also who thereby supposed he should have secured his own Kingdom And what could worldly or Satanical Wisdom have imagined otherwise He that is slain is conquered His own followers were ready to think so We trusted say they that it had been he who should have redeemed Israel Luke 24.21 But he is dead and their hopes are with him in the grave What can be expected from him who is taken slain crucified Can he save others who it seems could not save himself Per mortem alterius stultum est sperare salutem Is it not a foolish thing to look for life by the death of another This was that which the Pagans of old reproached the Christians withal that they believed in one that was crucified and dyed himself and what could they expect from him And our Apostle tells us that this death this Cross was a stumbling block unto the Jews and folly to the Greeks 1 Cor. 1.18 23. And so would it have been in its self Acts 2.13 Chap. 4.28 had not the Will and Counsel and Wisdom and Grace of God been in it But he ordered things so that this death of Christ should pull out that pin which kept together the whold fabrick of sin and Satan that like Sampson he should in his death pull down the pallace of Satan about his ears and that in dying he should conquer and subdue all things unto himself All the Angels of Heaven stood looking on to see what would be the end of this great trial Men and Devils were ignorant of the great work which God had in hand And whilest they thought they were destroying him God was in and by him destroying them and their power Whilest his heel was bruised he brake their head And this should teach us to leave all Gods works unto himself See John 11.6 7 8 9 10. He can bring light out of darkness and meat out of the Eater He can disappoint his Adversaries of their greatest hopes and fairest possibilities and raise up the hopes of his own out of the grave He can make suffering to be saving death victorious and heal us by the stripes of his Son And in particular it should stir us up to meditate on this mysterious work of his Love and Wisdom We can never enough search into it whilest our Enquiry is guided by his Word New Mysteries all fountains of Refreshment and Joy will continually open themselves unto us untill we come be to satisfied with the endless fulness of it unto Eternity Again XI One principal end of the death of Christ was to destroy the power of Satan To destroy him that had the power of death This was promised of old Gen. 3.15 He was to break the head of the Serpent From him sprang all the miseries which he came to deliver his Elect from and which could not be affected without the dissolution of his Power He was anointed to proclaim liberty to the Captives and the opening the Prison to them that were bound Isa. 61.1 To this End he was to conquer him who detained them which he did by his death Col. 2.15 and so lead Captivity Captive Psalm 68.18 stilling this enemy and self-avenger Psal. 8.3 binding the strong man Mat. 12. and dividing the spoil with him Isa. 53.12 And this he did by the merit of his blood and the Attonement he made for sin thereby This took away the Obligation of the Law unto death and disarmed Satan And moreover by the Power of the Eternal Spirit whereby he offered himself unto God he conquered and quelled him Satan laid his claim unto the Person of Christ but coming to put it in Execution he met with that great and hidden Power in him which he knew not and was utterly conquered And this as it gives us a particular consideration of the Excellency of our Redemption wherein Satan our old Enemy who first foyled us who alwayes hates us and seeks our ruine is conquered spoiled and chained so it teacheth us how to contend with him by what Weapons to resist his Temptations and to repell his Affrightments even those whereby he hath been already subdued Faith in the death of Christ is the only Way and Means of obtaining a Conquest over him He will fly at the Sign of the Cross rightly made Verse XVI HAving asserted the Incarnation of the Lord Christ the Captain of our salvation and shewed the necessity of it from the Ends which were to be accomplished by it and therein given the Reason of his concession that he was for a season made less than the Angels The Apostle proceeds in this Verse to confirm what he had taught before by Testimony of the Scripture and adds an especial Amplification of the Grace of God in this whole Dispensation from the consideration of the Angels who were not made partakers of the like Love and Mercy Verse 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
that Office do flow was to make Reconciliation or Attonement for sin This John declares 1 Ep. 2.2 We have an Advocate with the Father and he is a propitiation for our sins What he doth for us in Heaven as our Advocate depends on what he did on earth when he was a Propitiation for our sins This work was that which was principally regarded in the first Promise Gen. 3.15 namely That which he was to do by his sufferings To shadow out and represent this unto the Church of old were all the Sacrifices of the Law and the Typical Priesthood it self instituted They all directed Believers to look for and to believe the Attonement that was to be made by him And that this should be the foundation of all his other actings as an High Priest was necessary First On the part of his Elect for whom he undertook that Office They were by nature Enemies of God and children of Wrath unless Peace and Reconciliation be made for them in the first place they could neither have encouragement to go to him with their Obedience nor to expect any mercy from him or Acceptation with him For as Enemies they could neither have any mind to serve him nor hope to please him Here lye the first thoughts of all who have any design seriously to appear before God or to have to do with him wherewith shall we come before him how shall we obtain Reconciliation with him Until this Enquiry be answered and satisfied they find it in vain to address themselves unto any thing else nor can obtain any ground of hope to receive any good thing from the hand of God This order of things the Apostle layes down Rom. 5.8 9 10. The first thing to be done for us was to reconcile us to God whilest we were sinners and enemies this was done by the death by the blood of Christ when as our High Priest he offered himself a Sacrifice for us This being performed as we have abundant Cause of and Encouragement unto Obedience so also just ground to expect what ever else belongs unto our salvation as he also argues Chap. 8. Secondly It was so on his own part also Had not this been first accomplished he could not have undertaken any other Act of his Priestly Office for us What the Lord Christ doth in Heaven on our behalf was prefigured by the entrance of the High Priest into the Holy Place Now this he could not do unless he had before offered his Sacrifice of Attonement the blood whereof he carried along with him into the presence of God All his Intercession for us his watching for our Good as the merciful High Priest over the House of God is grounded upon the Reconciliation and Attonement which he made his Intercession indeed being nothing but the blessed Representation of the Blood of the Attonement Besides this was required of him in the first place namely that he should make his soul an Offering for sin and do that in the Body prepared for him which all the Sacrifices and Burnt-Offerings of old could not effect nor accomplish And therefore hereon depended all the Promises that were made unto him about the success of his Mediation so that without the performance of it he could not claim the accomplishment of them Thirdly It was so on the part of God also For herein principally had he designed to manifest his Righteousness Grace Love and Wisdom wherein he will be glorified Rom. 3.25 He set him forth to be a propitiation to declare hâ—s Righteousness the Righteousness of God was most eminently glorified in the Reconciliation wrought by Christ when he was a Propitiation for us or made attonement for us in his blood And herein also God commendeth his Love unto us Rom. 5.8 John 3.16 1 John 4.9 And what greater demonstration of it could possibly be made than to send his Son to dye for us when we were enemies that we might be reconciled unto him All after actings of God towards us indeed are full of Love but they are all streams from this fountain or Rivers from this Ocean And the Apostle summs up all the Grace of the Gospel in this that God was in Christ reconciling us to himself and that by this way of Attonement making him to be sin for us who knew no sin that we might become the Righteousness of God in him 2 Cor. 5.19 21. And so also he declares that this was the mysterie of his Will wherein he abounded towards us in all Wisdom and Prudence Ephes. 1.8 9 10. So that in all things the great glory which God designed in the Mediation of Christ is founded alone in that Act of his Priesthood whereby he made Reconciliation for the sins of his people And therefore 1. They who weaken oppose or take away this Reconciliation are Enemies to the salvation of men the Honour of Christ and the Glory of God From men they take their Hopes and Happiness from Christ his Office and Honour from God his Grace and Glory I know they will allow of a Reconciliation in Words but it is of Men to God not of God unto men They would have us reconcile our selves unto God by Faith and Obedience but for the Reconciliation of God unto us by Sacrifice Satisfaction and Attonement that they deny What would they have poor sinners do in this case they are Enemies unto God go say they and be reconciled unto him lay aside your Enmity and be no more his adversaries but alas he is our Enemy also we are children of wrath obnoxious to the curse as transgressors of his Law and how shall we be delivered from the wrath to come Take no care of that there is no such Justice in God no such Indignation against sin and sinners as you imagine but our Consciences tell us otherwise the Law of God tells us otherwise the whole Scripture testifies to the contrary all the Creation is filled with tokens and evidences of this Justice and Indignation of God against sin which you deny And would you have us to give credit unto you contrary to the constant dictates of our own Consciences the Sentence of the Law the Testimony of the Word the Voyce of the whole Creation and that in a matter of such importance and everlasting concernment unto us What if all these should prove true and you should prove lyars should we not perish for ever by relying on your testimony Is it reasonable we should attend unto you in this matter Go with your Sophisms unto men who were never burdened with a sense of the Guilt of sin whose Spirits never took in a sense of Gods displeasure against it who never were brought under bondage by the sentence of the Law who never were forced to cry out in the bitterness and anguish of their souls what shall we do to be saved Wherewith shall we come before the Lord or appear before the High God and it may be they will be entangled and seduced by you but
King 6.23 28. 2 Chron. 3.11 12 13. § 19 And this was that appearance of his Glory which the Lord God of Israel granted unto his Church of old which though it were beautiful and excellent as appointed by himself yet was it but carnal and worldly in comparison of the Heavenly and glorious mysteries of the Gospel especially of him who being obscurely shadowed out by all this preparation of Glory was in himself the real brightness of his Glory and the express image of his Person as shall further be declared on chap. 1.3 Exercitatio XXIII Of the Office of the Priesthood the High Priest in particular The most illustrious Type of Christ. The Call of Aaron unto the Priesthood Things concurring unto his Call and Separation unto his Office The Garments prescribed unto him Ordinary Extraordinary The Nature of the Office of the High Priest What he performed himself alone What with the Assistance of other Priests What with the Assistance of Priests and Levites His blessing the people His judging of them The succession of these Priests How many served under the Tabernacle How many under the First Temple How many under the Second Temple The disturbance of this Succession Fatal End of the Aaronical Priesthood THe principal Glory or all Mosaical Worship consisted in the Person and Office § 1 of the High Priest The Scripture calls him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Great Priest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This Priest with his Attendants of the same Family was the hinge whereon the whole Worship of the Judaical Church depended and turned And therefore our Apostle doth undeniably prove that the Law of Commandments contained in Ordinances was to be changed because there was a promise of raising up a Priest that was not of the House of Aaron nor of the Tribe of Levi which the observation of the Law in the Worship of God could not consist withal Heb. 7.11 12. Now this High Priest being in his Person and his Office the Most Illustrious Type of the Messiah and his Office and the principal means whereby God instructed his Church of Old in the Mysterie of the Reconciliation and Salvation of sinners most things concerning him are expresly and at large handled by our Apostle and must God assisting come under our consideration in the several places wherein by him they are insisted on I shall therefore here only in these previous discourses give a brief account of some such concernments of his Person and Office as will not directly again occur unto us What was the state and condition of the Priesthood in the Church from the § 2 foundation of the world untill the time we now treat of by whom that Office was executed how they came unto it and wherein it did consist I have declared elsewhere The Foundation of an especial Priesthood in the Church of Israel is laid Exod. 28. v. 1. Provision being made of Holy Things God proceeds to supply the Church with Holy or Dedicate Persons for their Administration The first thing expressed is the Call of the High Priest Hereof there are two parts First Gods Revelation and Authoritative Constitution concerning it Secondly His actual Consecration The former is expressed Exod. 28.1 And take thou unto thee Aaron thy Brother and his Sons that they may Minister unto me in the Priests Office Aaron was the Elder Brother of Moses born three years before him Exod. 7.7 and was now eighty four or eighty five years of Age when God thus calls and appoints him to the Office of the Priesthood With him all his Sons all the Males of his Family were dedicated unto the Service of God in their successive Generations And in this Call unto his Office he was a Type of Christ who entered not on his Priesthood but by the Designation and Authority of the Father Heb. 5.4 5. Secondly Unto the compleating of his Call there concurred his Consecration or Separation § 3 unto God at large described Exod. 29. In general it is expressed v. 1. by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we render to Hallow that is to sanctifie to separate unto God in the Work of the Priesthood This is general expression of his Consecration for what we afterwards translate to consecrate v. 9.29 respects only one particular Act of the whole work or Duty Now the parts hereof were many which may briefly be enumerated First There was their Manuduction their bringing to the Door of the Tabernacle chap. 29. v. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou shalt bring them nigh the Word used in all sacred Approaches and Dedications to God The Priests themselves were made a Corban Secondly They were washed with water v. 4. Thou shalt wash them with water After this the Priests on all occasions were to wash themselves at present this being a sacred action and they being not as yet consecrated it was performed towards them by Moses who at this and other times discharged the Office of an Extraordinary Priest Thirdly Being washed they were cloathed with the Holy Garments v. 5 6. of which afterwards Fourthly The High Priest being cloathed was anointed with the Holy Oyle poured on his Head and running down over all his Garments v. 7. Psalm 132. v. 2. The making and use of this Ointment prefiguring the Unction of the Lord Christ with all the Graces of the Spirit Heb. 1.6 are declared Chap. 30. v. 25. Fifthly Sacrifices of all sorts were offered unto God 1. The Mincha or Meat-Offering 2. The Chataath or Sin-Offering v. 13 1 4. 3. The Hola or whole Burnt Offerings v. 18.25 4. Shelamim or Peace-Offerings v. 25. 5. Tenumoth and Tenuphoth Heave and Wave-Offerings v. 25 26. 6. Nesek or the Drink-Offerings v. 40. So that in the Consecration of the Priest all Sacrifices also were as it were a-new consecrated unto God Sixthly In the use of this Sacrifice there were five Ceremonies used belonging in a peculiar manner unto their Consecration 1. The Filling of their Hand Ver. 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This we have rendred Thou shalt consecrate them as though their Consecration was some peculiar Act distinct from these prescribed Ceremonies But that which is thus expressed is only one of them or the putting of some parts of the Sacrifice into or upon their Hands to bear to the Altar which being the first Action in them belonging to the Sacerdotal Office for in all the former passages they were meerly passive is sometimes by a Synecdoche used for Consecration its self 2. The putting of Blood upon the Tips of their right Ears and upon the Thumbs of their right Hands and the great Toes of their right Feet v. 20. intimating their readiness to hear and perform the Will of God And this blood was taken from one of the Rams that was offered for a Burnt-Offering 3. The sprinkling of them with blood from the Altar and the Anointing Oyle together upon all their Garments v. 21. The Imposition or laying of their hands on the
Head of the Beast to be sacrificed for a Sin-Offering v. 10.15 denoting the passing away of their sin from them that they might be fit to Minister before the Lord. 5. The delivery of the Wave-Offering into their Hands as a pledge of their future portion v. 24 28. Seventhly The continuance of all this Ceremony is observed v. 30. By the Repetition of the Sacrifices mentioned it was continued seven dayes During this time Aaron and his Sons abode night and day at the door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation after all which they were admitted unto and administred in their Office Now all this Solemnity was used by the appointment of God partly to beget a Reverence in the Priests themselves unto his Worship and in the Administration of it partly to teach and instruct the whole Church in the Mysteries of their Redemption by the true High Priest whose Person and Office was shadowed out hereby as afterwards will more fully appear § 4 Immediately upon the Revelation of the mind of God for the setting apart of Aaron to the Priesthood He prescribes the Garments that he was to use in the discharge of the Duties of his Office For the Worship now instituted bâ—ing outward and carnal that which made an Appearance of Glory and Beauty as these Vestments did was of principal consideration therein These Garments of the High Priest were of two sorts First Those of his ordinary and constant Ministration in the Sanctuary Secondly Those of his annual and extraordinary Ministry in the Most Holy Place The first are appointed Exod. 28. consisting of eight Parts First 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Breeches of Linnen for to cover the flesh of his nakedness Exod. 28.42 43. that is to wear next unto him on his loins Secondly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Exodus 39. v. 27. A Coat of fine Linnen or Silk which was next them over the Breeches from the shoulders unto the Ancles Thirdly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Exod. 39.29 A Girdle of Silk or twined Linnen with Purple Blew and Scarlet wherewith they girt the Coat under the Paps or Breast Fourthly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Exod. 28.4 A Robe all of Blew with Bells of Gold and Pomegranats hanging interchangably at the Fringes of it in number as the Jews say seventy two of each sort this Robe covered the Coat and Girdle Fifthly Upon the Robe was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Ephod which name we have retained as not finding any garment in use else-where that should answer unto it It was a covering for the shoulders made of gold blue purple scarlet and fine linnen curiously wrought In the top hereof on the shoulders of the Priest were two precious stones Onyx say some Beril say others with the names of the Tribes of the children of Israel engraven on them six on one stone and six on the other Exod. 28.9 10 11. Sixthly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we render a Breast-plate wrought as the Ephod and of the same materials Herein were fastned in ouches of gold twelve precious stones with the names of the Tribes engraven on them which Jewel because of its use in Judgment was called as I suppose Urim and Thummim Exod. 28.15 16 17 18 30. Seventhly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or a Miter for the head made of fine linnen after the fashion of an Eastern Turban sixteen cubits long wreathed about his head Exod. 28. Eighthly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a plate a flowring of gold fastned with a lace of blue on the fore-front of the Mitre wherein was engraven 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Holiness to the Lord. I have only named these things without farther consideration of them partly because § 5 they have been enquired into and controverted by many already and partly because I cannot my self come unto any certainty about sundry things relating unto them The colours which we render blue purple and scarlet with the substance of that which we after translate fine linnen cannot be clearly manifested what they were The stones of the Breast-plate and Ephod for the most part are unknown and their names are applied only by conjecture unto such whose names are known to us Concerning these things the Jews themselves are at a loss and give us only various rumors and surmises and I shall not adde to the heap of conjectures which have already been cast into this treasury The extraordinary Garments of the High priest I call them which he wore only § 6 on the day of Attonement because they were worn but once only And these he used not in the whole service of that day but only when he entred into the most holy place Now these though for the kind of them they were the same with the linnen garments before mentioned yet they were made particularly for that day For after the service of that day they were laid up in some of the Chambers belonging unto the Sanctuary and they were four linnen Breeches a linnen Coat a linnen Girdle and a linnen Mitre Levit. 16. v. 4. v. 25. These the Jews call the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 white garments as the other his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 garments of gold The High priest being thus arraied was prepared for the work of his Office which § 7 was three-fold 1. To offer Sacrifices to God for the people 2. To bless the people in the name of God 3. To judge them For the first our Apostle declares it and insists upon it frequently in this Epistle chap. 8.3 chap. 9.3 4. chap. 7.2 chap. 10.1 And his work in the business of sacrifices was three-fold First That which he performed himself alone none being admitted to assist him or to be present with him or so much as to look upon him This was that which he performed when he carried the bloud into the most holy place on the day of Atonement Levit. 16. Heb. 9.7 The sacrifice before the Ark Mercy-seat and Cherubims was peculiar to himself alone And in case of any occasional hinderance or impediment that might befall him there was always a second Priest who was substituted in his room that the great service of that day might not be omitted Secondly That which he performed assisted by other Priests Such was the whole service of the Sanctuary Heb. 9.6 about the daily Incense the Shew-bread the Candle-sticks and Lamps even all the service of the Holy place Thirdly That wherein he had the assistance of the other Priests and the service of the Levites Such were all the services of the Court at the Brazen Altar where the Levites assisted in the killing slaying and removal of the bodies of the beasts that were sacrificed The especial season of these services Diurnal Sabbatical Monthly and Annual are of too great variety and extent to be here insisted on Secondly His blessing of the people was two-fold First Solemn at stated seasons § 8 according unto a Form prescribed unto him Numb 6.23 24 25 26 27. Secondly Occasional with respect unto particular seasons as