those only of the carnal seed of Abraham who embrace the promise are received in this matter to be his seed so all that follow the faith of Abraham and believe unto Righteousness as he did are his sons and the seed of the promise although carnally they were not his off-spring The same also is to be said concerning those names of Sion and Hierusalem of both which such glorious things are spoken I suppose none can imagine that it is the little Hill so called or the streets and buildings of the Town that God did so regard But one of them having been for a season in the days of David the special place of his worship and the other the principal habitation of Church and people God expresseth his Love and Good-will to his Church and Worship under those names and it is a fond thing to suppose that the respects mentioned should be unto those places themselves which now for a thousand years have lain waste and desolate Those promises then which we find recorded concerning Sion Hierusalem the seed of Abraham Jacob Israel do respect the Elect of God called unto the faith of Abraham and worshipping God according unto his appointment be they of what People or Nation soever under heaven And this we have proved before in our dissertation about the Oneness of the Church of the Old and New Testament Fifthly By all people all Nations the Gentiles all the Gentiles not all absolutely especially § 7 at any one time or season are to be understood but either the most eminent and most famous of them or those in whom the Church by reason of their vicinity is more especially concerned God oftentimes charged the Jews of old that they had worshipped the gods of all the Nations whereby yet not all Nations absolutely but only those that were about them with whom they had commerce and communication were intended Those Expressions then of all Nations and all Kingdoms who are said to come into the Church and submit themselves unto the Kingdom of the Messiah at his coming do not denote all absolutely in the world especially at any one time or season but only such as are either most eminent among them or such as God would cause his light and truth to approach unto And those which in an especial manner seem to be designed in those prophetical expressions are that collection of Nations whereof the Roman Empire was constituted which obtained the common appellation of the whole World being for the main of them the posterity of Japhet who were to be perswaded to dwell in the Tents of Shem. The Jews would have all Nations absolutely to be intended and Kimchi with Aben Ezra tells us on Isa. 2.4 in those words of the Prophet He shall judge among the Nations that all Nations of the Earth shall live at peace for what ever controversies they have among themselves they shall come and refer the determination of them to the Messiah living at Jerusalem But how this should be done by all the Nations of the Earth absolutely they are not pleased to declare unto us Certainly the heat of some of their differences will be much abated before they have made a full end of their journey § 8 Sixthly It must be observed that what ever is to be done and effected by the Spirit Grace or Power of the Messiah during the continuance of his Kingdom in this world it is mentioned in the Promises as that which was to be accomplished at or by his coming But here as we before observed lyeth the mistake of the Jews what ever is spoken about his Work and Kingdom they expect to have fulfilled as it were in a day which neither the nature of the things themselves will bear nor is it any way suited unto the Glory of God or the duration of this Kingdom in the world The Kingdom of the Messiah is prophesied of to be set up in the room of the other great Kingdoms and Monarchies that are in the world And if we take an instance in the last Monarchy of Daniel namely the Roman it is spoken of as that which came forth as it were all at once into the world and did all its work immediately when we know that from its first rise to the end of the things there spoken of there passed above the space of a thousand years But yet all the things ascribed unto it are mentioned as attending its rise and coming and that because they were in process of time affected by its power And in like manner all the things that are foretold about the Kingdom of the Messiah are referred unto his Coming because before that they were not wrought and they are produced by his Spirit and Grace the foundation of them all being perfectly and unchangeably wrought in what he did and effected upon his first coming and appearance It is no wonder then that many particular promises seem as yet to be unfulfilled for they were never designed to be accomplished in a day an year an age one place or season but in a long tract of time during the continuance of his Kingdom that is from his coming unto the end of the world And as the care of the accomplishment of those promises is upon so the ordering of the time and season of their being effected belongs unto the Counsel and Will of the Father who as unto his Children and Servants hath engaged unto him that he should see of the travail of his soul in all Generations and as unto his Adversaries hath said Sit thou on my right hand untill I make thine enemies thy footstool § 9 Again There are two wayes whereby Promises may be said to be accomplished by him who gives them The one is when all is done in respect of outward means helps and advantages that is needful for that end and which if men do not embrace and make use of they are left unexcusable and have none to blame for their coming short of enjoying the full benefit of the Promises but themselves alone And in this sense all the Promises contended about are long since accomplished towards all the world There is plentiful provision made in the doings and Doctrine of the Messiah as to outward means for the peace of all the Nations in the world for the Ruine of all false Worship for the uniting of Jews and Gentiles in one body in Peace and Unity and that these things are not actually effected the whole defect lyes in the blindness unbelief and obstinacy of the sons of men who had rather perish in their sins then be saved through obedience to this Captain of Salvation 2. God doth sometimes accomplish his Promises by putting forth the efficacious power of his Spirit and Grace effectually and actually to fulfill them by working the things promised in and upon them unto whom they are promised And thus are all the Promises of God that concern the Messiah his Work his Mediation with the effects of them his Grace and
separation to bring forth the Messiah then failed and therewith their claim on that account to be the children of Abraham 2. The Ordinances of Worship suited unto that Priviledge expired and came to an end 3. New Ordinances of Worship were appointed suited unto the New Light and grace granted then unto the Church 4. The Gentiles came in to the faith of Abraham together with the Jews to be fellow-heirs with them in his blessing But none of these nor all of them together made any such Alteration in the Church but that it was still one and the same The Olive Tree was the same only some branches were broken of and others planted in the Jews fell and the Gentiles came in their room And this must and doth determine the difference between the Jews and Christians § 8 about the Promises of the Old Testament They are all made unto the Church No individual Person hath any interest in them but by vertue of his Membership therewith This Church is and alwayes was one and the same With whomsoever it remains the Promises are theirs and that not by Application or Analogie but directly and properly They belong as immediately at this day either to the Jews or Christians as they did of old to any The Question is with whom is this Church founded on the promised seed in the Covenant This is Sion Jerusalem Israel Jacob the Temple of God The Jews plead that it is with them because they are the children of Abraham according to the flesh Christians tell them that their Priviledge on this account was of another nature and ended with the coming of the Messiah That the Church unto whom all the Promises belong are only those who are Heirs of Abrahams faith believing as he did and thereby interested in his Covenant Not as though the Promise made to Abraham were of none effect for as it was made good unto his carnal seed in the exhibition of the Messiah so the spiritual Priviledges of it belonged only unto those of the Jews and Gentiles in whom God had graciously purposed to effect the faith of Abraham Thus was and is the Church whereunto all the Promises belong still one and the same namely Abrahams children according to the faith and among those Promises this is one that God will be a God unto them and their seed for ever Exercitatio VII Of the Judaicall distribution of the Old Testament the Originall and Nature of their Orall Law and Traditions the whole disproved Agreement of the Jews and Papists about Traditions instanced in sundry particulars THE Apostle dealing with the Hebrews about the Revelation of the Will of § 1 God made unto their Fathers assigns it in generall unto his speaking unto them in the Prophets v. 1. This speaking unto them the present Jews affirm to consist of two Parts 1. That which Moses and the following Prophets was commanded to write for the publick use of the Church 2. What being delivered only by word of Mouth unto Moses and continued by Orall Tradition untill after the last destruction of the Temple was afterwards committed unto writing And because those who would read our Exposition of this Epistle or the Epistle it self with profit had need of some insight into the Opinions and Traditions of the Jews about these things I shall for the sake of them that want either Skill or Leisure to search after them elsewhere give a brief account of their faith concerning the two Heads of Revelation mentioned and therein discover both the Principle Means and Nature of their present Apostacy and Infidelity The Scripture of the Old Testament they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and divide it into three § 2 parts 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Law 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Prophets 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Writings by Divine Inspiration which are usually called the Hagiographa or Holy Writings And this distribution of the Books of the Old Testament is in general intimated by our Saviour Luke 24.24 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All things written in the Law the Prophets and the Psalms under which last head all the Poetical Books of the Scripture are contained Thus Rabbi Bechai in Cad Hackemach 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Law so sometimes they call the whole Volume is divided into three parts the Law the Prophets and the Holy Writings All comprized generally under the Name of the Law for so they say in Midrash Tehillim Psalm 78. v. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Psalms are the Law and the Prophets are the Law that is the whole Scripture This distribution so far as it is intimated in the words of our Saviour doth evidently arise from the Nature and Subject Matter of the Books themselves And this was the received division of the Books of the Old Testament whilest the Judaical Church stood and Continued But the Postalmudicall Doctors overlooking or neglecting the true Reason of this Distribution have fancied others taken from the different manners and degrees of Revelation by which they were given out unto the Church Amongst these they make the Revelation to Moses the most excellent and are very vain in coining the Priviledges and Preeminences it had above all others which are elsewhere examined In the next degree they place those which proceeded from the Spirit of Prophesie which they distinguish from the Inspiration of the Holy Ghost Yea in the eleven degrees of Divine Revelation assigned by Maimonides Mor. Nebu par 2. That by Inspiration is cast into the last and lowest place But this distinction is groundless and meerly fancied out of the various wayes that God was pleased to use in representing things to the minds of the Prophets when it was in them all the Inspiration of the Holy Ghost alone that enabled them infallibly to declare the mind of God unto the Church 2 Pet. 1.21 Now the Books thus given by the Spirit of Prophesie they make of two sorts 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the former Prophets which are all the Historical Books of the Old Testament written before the Captivity as Joshua Judges Samuel Kings Ruth only excepted 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which are all the Prophetical Books peculiarly so called Daniel only excepted that is Isaiah Jeremiah Ezekiel and the twelve Minor Prophets Of the last sort or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cethubim Books written by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost are the Poetical Books of the Scripture Psalms Job Proverbs Canticles Lamentations with Ecclesiastes whereunto they add Ruth Daniel and the Historical Books written after the Captivity as the Chronicles Ezra and Nehemiah which make up the Canon of the Old Testament why sundry of these Books should be cast into the last sort as the Story of Ruth and the Prophesie of Daniel they can give no tolerable account The other Books also written after the Captivity are plainly of the same nature with those which they call the former Prophets And for that of Daniel it contains in it
only infallible Interpreter of the meaning of such Prophetical Predictions what ever precedes that is but conjecture Wherefore § 34 Secondly Some interpret all these Promises and Prophesies Spiritually without the least respect unto those outward terrene things which are made use of in figurative Expressions only to shaddow out those spiritual heavenly and eternal things which are intended in them And indeed this way of Interpretation which Calvin follows in all his Commentaries is attended with great probability of Truth For the main Ends and work for which the Messiah was promised being as we have proved Spiritual and eternall and whereas it is evident that many promises of things relating unto him and the condition of them that believe in him are Allegorically expressed it being the constant way of the Old Testament to shaddow out spiritual and heavenly things by things earthly and carnall this way of interpreting the Promises seems to have great countenance given unto it both from the nature of the things themselves and the constant tenour of the Prophetical Style According unto this Rule of Interpretation all that is foretold in the Psalms and Prophets of the Deliverance Rest Peace Glory Rule and Dominion of the Church of the subjection and subserviency of Nations Kingdoms Rulers Kings and Queens thereunto intends only either the Kingdom of Grace consisting in Faith Love Holiness Righteousness and Peace in the Holy Ghost with that spirituall Beauty and Glory which is in the Worship of the Gospel or the Kingdom of Heaven its self where lyes our Happiness and Reward And indeed this Interpretation of the Promises as in respect of many of them it is evidently certain true and proper they being so expounded in the Gospel it self so in respect of them all it is safe and satisfactory to the souls of Believers For they who are really made partakers of the spiritual good things of the Messiah and are subjects of his spiritual Kingdom do find and acknowledge that Liberty Rest Peace and Glory those durable Riches therein as they are abundantly content withall what ever their outward condition in this World may be And unto this Exposition as to the main and prime intendment of the Promises the whole Doctrine of the Gospell gives countenance § 35 Thirdly Some acknowledging the Kingdom of the Messiah to be Heavenly and Spiritual and the Promises generally to intend spiritual and heavenly Glory and Riches that is Grace and Peace in Christ Jesus do yet suppose moreover that there is in many of them an intimation given of a blessed quiet peaceable flourishing estate of the Church through the power of the Messiah to be in this world But this they do with these limitations 1. That these Promises were not made unto the Jews as they were the seed of Abraham according unto the flesh primarily and absolutely but unto the Church that is the children of Abraham according unto the Promise Heirs of his Faith and Blessing That is they are made unto all them who receive and believe in the promised Messiah Jews and Gentiles with whom as we have proved the Priviledge of the Church and interest in the Promises was to remain 2. That the Accomplishment of these Promises is reserved unto an appointed time when God shall have accomplished his work of severity on the Apostate Jews and of Tryal and Patience towards the called Gentiles 3. That upon the coming of that season the Lord will by one means or other take off the Veyl from the eyes of the Remnant of the Jews and turn them from ungodliness unto the Grace of the Messiah after which the Jews and Gentiles being made one Fold under the great Shepheard of our souls shall enjoy Rest and Peace in this world This they think to be intimated in many of the Promises of the Old Testament which are brought over unto the use of the Church as yet unaccomplished in the Book of the Revelation And herein lyes all the Glory which the Jews can or may expect and that only on such terms as yet they will not admit of But these things must all of them be spoken unto at large when we come to answer the Objections which they take from them unto our Faith in Jesus Christ. That which above all things manifests the Folly and Irreligion of the imagination § 36 of the Jews about the Person and Work of the Messiah is the Event The true Messiah is long since come hath accomplished the work assigned unto him made known the nature of the first and consequent Promises with the Salvation that he was to effect no way answering the expectation of the Jews but only in his Genealogie according unto the flesh And this is that which is the second Supposition on which all the Discourses and Reasonings of the Apostle in his Epistle to the Hebrews is founded and which being absolutely destructive of the Judaical Infidelity shall be fully confirmed in our ensuing Dissertations Exercitatio XII Second Principle supposed by the Apostle Paul in his Discourses with the Hebrews The Promised Messiah was then come and had done his Work The first Promise recorded 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Promise with the limitation of time for his coming necessary First determination hereof made by Jacob Gen. 49. The Promise confined to Judah afterwards to David no more restrained Jews self-contradicting exceptions to the words of Jacob's Prophesie Interpretation of Jarchi Of Aben Ezra examined Who meant by Judah The Tribe Not his Person proved Scepter and Scribe how continued in Judah The same Polity under various Forms of Government How long they continued Did not depart on the Conquest of Pompey Nor Reign of Herod Continuance of the Sanhedrim The name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Place and Court of Judges Jews Etymologie of the Word Institution of that Court Numb 11.16 The order of the Court. Place of their meeting 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 John 19.13 Qualifications of the Persons Who excluded Their Power Punishments inflicted by them The lesser Courts Mistake of Hilary Shilo who and what the word signifies Judaical Interpretation of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 refuted Argument from the words Rule granted unto Judah Proved by the Context Consent of Targums Judaical Evasions removed Rise and signification of the word Shilo Messiah intended thereby 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 opened and vindicated Consent of Targums Talmuds and most Learned Rabbins Scepter long since departed Story of Benjamin Tudelensis examined Messiah long since come § 1 THE second great Principle supposed by the Apostle in all his Discourses with the Hebrews in his Epistle to them and which he layes as the foundation of all his Arguments is that the Messiah whom we have proved to have been promised from the foundation of the world was actually come and had finished the work appointed for him then when he wrote that Epistle This the Jews pertinaciously deny unto this very day and this denyall is the center
confidence as to impose upon him things trite crude and undigested which either ordinary prudence might have concealed or ordinary diligence have amended What ever therefore of that kind may appear unto him I would crave that it may be laid upon the account of the condition which I have intimated before For the Exposition of the Epistle it self whereof I have given here a Specimen in the two first Chapters I confess as was said before that I have had thoughts for many years to attempt something in it and in the whole course of my Studies have not been without some regard thereunto But yet I must now say that after all searching and Reading Prayer and Assiduous Meditation on the Text have been my only reserve and for most useful means of Light and Assistance By these have my thoughts been freed from many and many an entanglement which the Writings of others on the same subject had either cast me into or could not deliver me from Careful I have been as of my life and soul to bring no prejudicate sense unto the words to impose no meaning of my own or other Mens upon them nor to be imposed on by the reasonings pretences or Curiosities of any but alwayes went nakedly to the word it self to learn humbly the mind of God in it and to express it as he should enable me To this end I alwayes in the first place considered the sense meaning and importance of the words of the Text and the consideration of their Original Derivation use in other Authors especially in the LXX of the Old Testament in the Books of the New particularly the Writings of the same Author was constantly made use of to that purpose Oft times the words expressed out of the Hebrew or the things alluded unto amongst that people I found to give much light into the words of the Apostle themselves Unto the general rule of attending unto the design and scope of the place subject treated of mediums fixed on for Arguments Methods of Ratiocination I still kept in my eye the Time and Season of Writing this Epistle the state and condition of them to whom it was wrote their Perswasions Prejudices Customs Light and Traditions the Covenant and Worship of the Church of old the Translation of Covenant Priviledges and Worship over unto the Gentiles upon a new account the course of Providential Dispensations that the people were under the near expiration of their Church and State with the speedy approaching of their utter abolition and destruction with the Temptations that befell them on all these various accâ—unts Without which it is impossible for any one Justly to follow the Apostle so as to keep close to his design or fully to understand his mind and meaning If any shall think that I have referred too many things unto the Customs and Vsages of the Jews and looked too much after some guidance in sundry Expressions and Discourses of the Apostle from them I only Answer that as when I am convinced by particular instances of mistakes therein I shall willingly acknowledge them so for the present I am satisfied that other Expositors have had much too little regard thereunto The Exposition of the Text is attended with an improvement of Practical Observations answering the great end for which the Epistle was committed over to all Generations for the use of the Church If in some of them I shall seem to any to have been too Prolix I must only Answer that having no other way to serve the Edification of the Generality of Christians I thought not so Yet to prevent their farther Objections on that account I intend that if ever any addition in the same work be prepared for publick view to regulate my proceedings therein according as I shall have account from Persons of Learning and Godliness concerning that course of procedure which they esteem to tend most to the good and edification of the Church of God to whose Judgement I heartily submit these and all other endeavours of the like kind whereunto I have been or yet may be called JOHN OWEN ERRATA in the Exercitations PAge 5. lin 2 Mâ—â—robius read Arnobius p. 29. l. 10. à fin◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 35. l. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 48 l. 9. great r. Greek p. 55. l. 31. Heirs r. Heir p. 58. l. 36. coining r. counting p. 72. l. 21. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 73. l. 31 32. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l. 45. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 81. l. 21. r. from contriving p. 97. l. 11. Onselor r. Onbalos p. 98. l. 41. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 99. l. 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 101. l. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 103. l. 23. pliabit r. filiabit l. 34. Psal. 8. r. 80. p. 106. l. 9. à fine distino cholec r. distinc chelec p. 123. l. 5. à fine mere r. more p. 124. l. 11. Anillus r. Armillus p. 126. l. 25. Abriba r. Aâ—iba p. 134. l. 30. Câ—sars of r. Câ—sar Os p. 142. l. 15. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 144. l. 4. à fine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 146. l. 6. à fine Pericus r. Pereriâ—s p. 147. l. 34. Aruth r. Arach p. 151. l. 14. à fine Drusius Amama p. 153. l. 15. Kelanna l. 39. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 154. l. 23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 156. l. 12 20 27. Hysâ—tages r. Hyslaspes p. 160. l. 16. time of r. true p. 166. l. 13. à fine Rambam p. 168. l. 6. à fine context r. contest p. 185. l. 25. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 192. l. 9. r. Darianes p. 193. l. ult substance r. subsistence p. 197 l. 29 36. lest r. lost p. 200. l. 3. commiserant p. 202. l. 9. Vel r. namely l. 42. Jâ—huda p. 207. l. 12. Jews l. 31. Alshech p. 211. l. 14. à fine restitution r. restriction p. 214. l. 6. à fine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 218. l. 4. with r. which p. â—20 l. 41. spiritual p 221. l 14. à fine Mahei l. 4. à fine more r. meer p. 223. l. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 226. l. 12. r. left hid p. 228. clearly expressed p. 229. l. 13.67 r. 17. p. 231. l. 15. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 232. l. 13. Rocheb r. Rochel p. 238. l. 19. the Messiah p. 239. l. 47. advice r. adjure p. 250. l. 29. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 251. l. 9. now r. never p. 252. l. 14. Kings r. King p. 255. l. 18. so proved r.
greatness and urgency of their plea to be admitted unto that series and order These are the Books commonly called Apochrypha not one of them is there wherein humane diligence doth not discover its self to be its fountain and spring Did this Epistle proceed from the same root and principle whence comes it to pass that it no where puts it self forth unto a discovery and conviction for that it doth not so we shall afterwards fully declare Besides to close this consideration the design of the Writer of this Epistle manifests that he sought the Glory of God in Christ according unto his will With this aim and purpose an endeavour to impose that on the Church as an immediate Revelation from God which was the product of his own pains and diligence is utterly inconsistent For by no means could he more dishonour God whose glory in sincerity he appears to have sought nor wrong the Church whose Good he desired to promote than by this imposing on him that whereof he was not the Author so adding unto his words and making himself subject to reproof as a lyar Prov. 30.6 and proposing that unto the Church as a firm and stable rule and object of faith which he knew not to be so leading her thereby into error uncertainty and falshood For this whole Epistle is delivered as the Will and Word of God as coming by Revelation from him without the least intimation of the intervention of the Will Wisdom or Diligence of man any other than is constantly ascribed unto those that declare the will of God by inspiration And if it were not so the evils mentioned cannot be avoided And how groundless this imputation would be our following discourses will manifest And I doubt not but this whole consideration will be and is of weight and moment with them who have their senses exercised in the Scriptures and are enabled by the Spirit breathing in them to discern between Good and Evil Wheat and Chaff Jer. 23.28 § 24 Unto the General Argument we may add the Particular Subject Matter of this Epistle as belonging unto the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of it further confirming its Divine Original This for the most part consists in things of pure Revelation and which have no other foundation in rerum natura Some Books even of the Scripture it self are but the narrations of actions done amongst men which for the substance of them might be also recorded by humane diligence But the things treated of in this Epistle are purely divine spiritual and no wayes to be known but by Revelation And not only so but amongst those that are so There are four things eminent in the subject matter of this Epistle First that the principal things treated of in it are matters of the greatest importance in Christian Religion and such as concern the very foundation of faith Such are the Doctrines about the Person Offices and Sacrifice of Christ of the nature of Gospel Worship our Priviledge therein and Communion with God thereby In these things consist the very vitalls of our Profession and they are all opened and declared in a most excellent and heavenly manner in this Epistle and that as we shall manifest in an Absolute Consonancy unto what is taught concerning them in other places of Scripture Secondly In that some things of great moment unto the faith obedience and consolation of the Church that are but obscurely or sparingly taught in any other places of Holy Writt are here plainly fully and excellently taught and improved Such in particular is the Doctrine of the Priesthood of Christ with the nature and excellency of his Sacrifice and the execution of the remaining parts and duty of that Office in Heaven and how the whole of it was typically represented under the Old Testament He that understands aright the importance of these things their use in the faith and consolation of the Church their influence into our whole course of obedience the spiritual priviledge that faith by them interests a believing soul in the strength and supportment that they afford under Temptations and Trials will be ready to conclude that the world may as well want the Sun in the Firmament as the Church this Epistle And this perswasion we hope through Gods assistance to further in our Exposition of it Thirdly Gods way in teaching the Church of the Old Testament with the use and end of all the operous paedogogie of Moses manifesting it to be full of Wisdom Grace and Love is here fully revealed and the whole Aaronical Priesthood with all the duties and Offices of it translated unto the use of Believers under the Gospel How dark Mosaical institutions were in themselves is evident from the whole state of the Church in the dayes of Christ and his Apostles when they could not see unto the end of the things that were to be done away In their nature they were carnal in their number many as to their reason hidden in their observation heavy and burdensome in their outward shew Pompous and glorious by all which they so possessed the minds of the Church that very few saw clearly into the use intention and end of them But in this Epistle the veyle is taken of from Moses the mysterie of his institutions laid open a perfect clew given unto Believers to pass safely through all the turnings and windings of them unto Rest and Truth in Jesus Christ. Those hidden things of the Old Testament appear now unto us full of light and instruction but we are beholding for all our insight into them and benefit which we receive thereby unto the Exposition and Application of them made by the Holy Ghost in this Epistle And how great a portion of Gospel Wisdom and knowledge consists herein all men know who have any spiritual acquaintance with these things Fourthly the grounds reasons causes and manner of that great Alteration which God wrought and caused in his Worship by taking down the ancient glorious Fabrick of it which had been set up by his own appointment are here laid open and manifested and the greatest controversie that ever the Church of God was exercised withall is here fully determined There was nothing in the first Propagation of the Gospel and plantation of Christian Churches that did so divide and perplex the professors of the Truth and retard the work of promulgating the knowledge of Christ and the worship of God in him as the difference that was about the continuation and observation of Mosaical Rites and Ceremonies To such an height was this difference raised so zealously were the parties at variance ingaged in the pursuit of their various apprehensions of the mind of God in this matter that the Apostles themselves thought meet for a season rather to umpire and compose the controversie by leaving the Jews free to their observation and bringing the Gentiles unto a condescention in things of the greatest exasperation than absolutely and precisely to determine the whole matter between them And
suffered together with him The Story by the way of the Martyrdome of this James is at large reported by § 6 Eusebius out of Hâ—gesippus Histor. Eccles. l. 2. cap. 23. in the Relation whereof he is followed by Hierom and sundry others I shall say no more of the whole Story but that the Consideration of it is very sufficient to perswade any man to use the liberty of his own Reason and Judgement in the perusal of the Writings of the Antients For of the Circumstances therein reported about this James and his death many of them as his being of the Line of the Priests his entring at his pleasure into the Sanctum Sanctorum his being carried up and set by a great multitude of people on a pinacle of the Temple are so palpably false that no colour of probability can be given unto them and most of the rest seem altogether incredible That in general this Holy Apostle of Jesus Christ his kinsman according to the flesh was stoned by Ananus during the Anarchie between the Governments of Festus and Albinus Josephus who then lived testifies and all Ecclesiastical Historians agree § 7 The Churches at this time in Jerusalem and Judaea were very numerous The Oppressors Robbers and Seditious of all sorts being wholly intent upon the pursuit of their own ends filling the Government of the Nation with tumults and disorders the Disciples of Christ who knew that the time of their preaching the Gospel unto their Countreymen was but short and even now expiring followed their work with diligence and success being not greatly regarded in the dust of that confusion which was raised by the Nation 's rushing in to its fatal ruine § 8 All these Churches and the multitudes that belonged unto them were altogether with the Profession of the Gospel addicted zealously unto the Observation of the Law of Moses The Synod indeed at Jerusalem had determined that the yoke of the Law should not be put upon the necks of the Gentile Converts Acts 15. But eight or nine years after that when Paul came up unto Jerusalem again Chap. 21. v. 20 21 22. James informs him that the many thousands of the Jews who believed did all zealously observe the Law of Moses and moreover judged that all those who were Jews by birth ought to do so also and on that account were like enough to assemble in a disorderly multitude to enquire into the practice of Paul himself who had been ill reported of amongst them On this account they kept their Assemblies distinct from those of the Gentiles all the world over as amongst others Hierom informs as in his Notes on the first Chapter of the Galatians All those Hebrews then to whom Paul wrote this Epistle continued in the use and practice of Mosaical Worship as celebrated in the Temple and their Synagogues with all other Legal Institutions whatever Whether they did this out of an unacquaintedness with their liberty in Christ or out of a pertinacious adhâ—rence unto their own prejudicate Opinions I shall not determine § 9 From this time forward the Body of the people of the Jews saw not a day of peace or Quietness Tumults Seditions Outrages Robberies Murders increased all the Nation over And these things by various degrees made way for that fatal War which beginning about six or seven years after the Death of James ended in the utter desolation of the People City Temple and Worship foretold so long before by Daniel the Prophet and intimated by our Saviour to lye at the door This was that day of the Lord whose suddain approach the Apostle declares unto them Chap. 10.36 37. For ye have need of Patience that after ye have done the Will of God ye may receive the Promise For yet a little while and he that shall come will come and will not tarry 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A very little while less than you think of or imagine the manner whereof he declares Chap. 12.26 27 28. And by this means he effectually diverted thâ—m from a pertinacious adherence unto those things whose dissolution from God himself was so nigh at hand which Argument was also afterwards pressed by Peter 2 Epist. Chap. 3. § 10 Our blessed Saviour had long before warned his Disciples of all these things particularly of the desolation that was to come upon the whole people of the Jews with the Tumults Distresses Persecutions and Wars which should precede it directing them to the exercise of patience in the discharge of their duty untill the approach of the final Calamity out of which he advised them to free themselves by flight or a timely departure out of Jerusalem and all Judaea Matth. chap. 24. v. 15 16 17 18 19 20 21. This and no other was the Oracle mentioned by Eusebius whereby the Christians were warned to depart out of Jerusalem It was given as he sayes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to approved men amongst them For although the Prophesie its self was written by the Evangelists yet the especial meaning of it was not known and divulged amongst all The Leaders of them kept this secret for a season least an exasperation of the people being occasioned thereby they should have been obstructed in the work which they had to do before its accomplishment And this was the Way of the Apostles also as to other future events which being foretold by them might provoke either Jews or Gentiles if publickly divulged 2 Thess. 2.5 6. But now when the Work of the Church among the Jews for that season was come to its close the Elect being gathered out of them and the final Desolation of the City and People appearing to be at hand by a concurrence of all the signs foretold by our Saviour those entrusted with the sense of that Oracle warned their Brethren to provide for that flight whereunto they were directed That this flight and departure probably with the loss of all their Possessions was grievous unto them may easily be conceived But that which seems most especially to have perplexed them was their relinquishment of that Worship of God whereunto they had been so zealously addicted That this would prove grievous unto them our Saviour had before intimated Matth. 24. v. 20. Hence were they so slow in their Obedience unto that Heavenly Oracle although excited with the remembrance of what befell Lots Wife in the like Tergiversation Nay as it is likely from this Epistle many of them who had made Profession of the Gospel rather than they would now utterly forego their old Way of Worship deserted the Faith and cleaving to their unbelieving Countreymen perished in their Apostasie whom our Apostle in an especial manner forewarns of their inevitable and sore destruction by that Fire of Gods Indignation which was shortly to devour the Adversaries to whom they associated themselves Chap. 10. v. 25 26 27 28 29 30 31. This was the Time wherein this Epistle was written This the Condition of the Hebrews § 11 unto whom it was
offence unto them with whom he had to do It appears then that from hence no light can be given unto our enquiry after the Language wherein this Epistle was Originally written though it be clear enough upon other Considerations Exercitatio VI. Oneness of the Church Mistake of the Jews about the Nature of the Promises Promise of the Messiah the Foundation of the Church But as including the Covenant The Church confined unto the Person and Posterity of Abraham His Call and Separation for a double End Who properly the Seed of Abraham Mistakes of the Jews about the Covenant Abraham the Father of the faithful and Heir of the world on what account The Church still the same § 1 THe Jews at the Time of writing this Epistle and their posterity in all succeeding Generations follow their Example and Tradition were not a little confirmed in their obstinacy and unbelief by a misapprehension of the true sense and nature of the Promises of the Old Testament For whereas they found many glorious Promises made unto the Church in the dayes of the Messiah especially concerning the great access of the Gentiles unto it they looked upon themselves the posterity of Abraham on the account of their being his children according to the flesh as the first proper and indeed only subject of them unto whom in their accomplishment others were to be proselyted and joyned the substance and foundation of the Church remaining still with them But the Event answered not their expectation Instead of inheriting all the Promises meerly upon their carnal interest and priviledge which they looked for and continue so to do unto this day they found that themselves must come in on a new account to be sharers in them in common with others or be rejected whilest those others were admitted unto the inheritance This filled them with wrath and envy which greatly added to the strengthening of their Unbelief They could not bear with patience an intimation of letting out the Vineyard to other Husbandmen With this Principle and Prejudice of theirs the Apostle dealt directly in his Epistle to the Romans Chap. 9 10 11. On the same grounds he proceedeth with them in this Epistle And because his Answer to their Objection from the Promises lyes at the foundation of many of his reasonings with them the nature of it must be here previously explained Not that I shall here enter into a consideration of the Jews Argument to prove the Messiah not yet to be come because the Promises in their sense of them are not yet accomplished which shall be fully removed in the Close of these Discourses but only as I said open the nature in general of that Answer which our Apostle returns unto them and builds his Reasonings with them upon § 2 We shall have occasion afterwards at large to shew how after the entrance of sin God founded his Church in the Promise of the Messiah given unto Adam Now though that Promise was the supportment and incouragement of mankind to seek the Lord a Promise absolutely considered proceeding from meer Grace and Mercy yet as it was the foundation of the Church it included in it the nature of a Covenant vertually requiring a re-stipulation unto obedience in them who by faith come to have an interest therein And this the nature of the thing its self required for the Promise was given unto this end and purpose that men might have a new bottom and Foundation of Obedience that of the first Covenant being disannulled Hence in the following Explications of the Promise this condition of Obedience is expresly added So upon its renewall unto Abraham God required that he should walk before him and be upright This Promise then as it hath the nature of a Covenant including the Grace that God would shew unto sinners in the Messiah and the Obedience that he required from them was from the the first giving of it the foundation of the Church and the whole Worship of God therein Unto this Church so founded and built on this Covenant and by the means thereof the Redeeming Mediatory Seed promised therein were all the following Promises and the Priviledges exhibited in them given and annexed Neither hath or ever had any individual Person any Spiritual right unto or interest in any of those Promises or Priviledges whatever his outward condition were but only by vertue of his Membership in the Church built on the Covenant whereunto as we said they do all appertain On this account the Church before the dayes of Abraham though scattered up and down in the world and subject unto many changes in its worship by the addition of New Revelations was still but one and the same because founded in the same Covenant and intrusted thereby in all the Benefits or Priviledges that God had given or granted or would do so at any time unto his Church In process of time God was pleased to confine this Church as unto the ordinary visible § 3 dispensation of his Grace unto the Person and Posterity of Abraham Upon this restriction of the Church Covenant and Promise the Jews of old mannaged a Plea in their own Justification against the Doctrine of the Lord Christ and his Apostles We are the children the seed of Abraham was their continual cry on the account whereof they presumed that all the Promises belonged unto them and upon the matter unto them alone And this their perswasion hath cast them as we shall see upon a woful and fatal mistake Two Priviledges did God grant unto Abraham upon his Separation to a special interest in the Old Promise and Covenant First That according to the flesh he should be the Father of the Messiah the promised seed who was the very Life of the Covenant the Fountain and Cause of all the Blessings contained in it That this Priviledge was temporary having a limited season time and end appointed unto it the very nature of the thing it self doth demonstrate For upon this actual Exhibition in the flesh it was to cease In pursuit hereof were his posterity separated from the rest of the world and preserved a peculiar people that through them the promised seed might be brought forth in the fulness of time and be of them according unto the flesh Rom. 9.5 Secondly Together with this he had also another Priviledge granted unto him namely that his faith whereby he was personally interested in the Covenant should be the Pattern of the faith of the Church in all generations and that none should ever come to be a member of it or a sharer in its Blessings but by the same faith that he had fixed on the seed that was in the Promise to be brought forth from him in the world On the account of this Priviledge he became the Father of all them that do believe For they that are of the faith the same are the children of Abraham Gal. 3.7 Rom. 4.11 as also Heirs of the World Rom. 4.13 in that all that should believe
throughout the world bring thereby implanted into the Covenant made with him should become his spiritual children Answerable unto this twofold end of the separation of Abraham there was a double § 4 seed allotted unto him A seed according to the flesh separated to the bringing forth of the Messiah according unto the flesh and a seed according to the Promise that is such as by faith should have interest in the Promise or all the Elect of God Not that these two seeds were alwayes subjectively divers so that the seed separated to the bringing forth of the Messiah in the flesh should neither in whole or in part be also the seed according to the promise or on the contrary that the seed according to the promise should none of it be his seed after the flesh Our Apostle declares the contrary in the instances of Isaac and Jacob with the remnant of Israel that shall be saved Romans Chap. 9 10 11. But sometimes the same seed came under divers considerations being the seed of Abraham both according to the flesh and according to the Promise and sometimes the seed it self was divers those according to the flesh being not of the Promise and so on the contrary Thus Isaac and Jacob were the seed of Abraham according unto the flesh separated unto the bringing forth of the Messiah after the flesh because they were his carnal Posterity and they were also of the seed of the Promise because by their own personal faith they were interested in the Covenant of Abraham their Father Multitudes afterwards were of the carnal seed of Abraham and of the number of the people separated to bring forth the Messiah in the flesh and yet were not of the seed according to the Promise nor interested in the spiritual blessings of the Covenant because they did not personally believe as our Apostle declares Chap. 4. of this Epistle And many afterwards who were not of the carnal seed of Abraham nor interested in the priviledge of bringing forth the Messiah in the flesh were yet designed to be made his spiritual seed by faith that in them he might become heir of the world and all Nations of the Earth be blessed in him Now it is evident that it is the second Priviledge and spiritual seed wherein the Church to whom the Promises are made is founded and whereof it doth consist namely in them who by Faith are interested in the Covenant of Abraham whether they be of the carnal seed or no. § 5 And herein lay the great mistake of the Jews of old wherein they are followed by their Posterity unto this day They thought no more was needfull to interest them in the Covenant of Abraham but that they were his seed according to the flesh And they constantly pleaded the latter Priviledge as the ground and Reason of the former It is true they were the children of Abraham according to the flesh but on that account they can have no other Priviledge than Abraham had in the flesh himself And this was as we have shewed that he should be set apart as a speciall channel through whose loins God would derive the promised seed into the world In like manner were they separated to be a peculiar People as his Posterity from amongst whom he should be so brought forth That this Separation and Priviledge were to cease when the end of it was accomplished and the Messiah exhibited the very nature of the thing declares For to what purpose should it be continued when that was fully effected whereunto it was designed But they would extend this Priviledge and mix it with the other contending that because they were the children of Abraham according to the flesh the whole Blessing and Covenant of Abraham belonged unto them But as our Saviour proved that in the latter sense they were not the children of Abraham because they did not the works of Abraham so as our Apostle plainly demonstrates Rom. 4.9.10.11 Chapters Gal. 3.4 Chap. that those of them who had not the faith of Abraham had no interest in his Blessings and Covenant Seeing therefore that their other Priviledge was come to an end with all the carnal Ordinances that attended it by the actual coming of the Messiah whereunto they were subservient if they did not by faith in the promised seed attain an interest in this of the Spiritual Blessing it is evident that they could on no account be considered as actuall sharers in the Covenant of God § 6 We have seen then that Abraham on the account of his faith and not of his separation according to the flesh was the Father of all that believe and Heir of the world And in the Covenant made with him as to that which concerns not the bringing forth of the promised seed according to the flesh but as unto faith therein and in the work of Redemption to be performed thereby lyes the foundation of the Church in all Ages Wheresoever this Covenant is and with whomsoever it is established with them is the Church unto whom all the Promises and Priviledges of the Church do belong Hence it was that at the coming of the Messiah there was not one Church taken away and another set up in the room thereof but the Church continued the same in those that were the children of Abraham according to the faith The Christian Church is not another Church but the very same that was before the coming of Christ having the same faith with it and interested in the same Covenant It is true the former carnal Priviledge of Abraham and his Posterity expiring on the grounds before mentioned the Ordinances of Worship which were suited thereunto did necessarily cease also And this cast the Jews into great perplexities and proved the last tryall that God made of them For whereas both these namely the carnal and spiritual Priviledges of Abrahams Covenant had been carried on together in a mixed way for many Generations coming now to be separated and a triall to be made Mal. 3. who of the Jews had interest in both who in one only those who had only the carnal Priviledge of being Children of Abraham according to the flesh contended for a share on that single account in the other also that is in all the Promises annexed unto the Covenant But the foundation of their Plea was taken away and the Church unto which the Promises belong remained with them that were heirs of Abrahams faith only § 7 It remains then that the Church founded in the Covenant and unto which all the Promises did and do belong abode at the coming of Christ and doth abide ever since in and among those who are the children of Abraham by Faith The Old Church was not taken away and a new one set up but the same Church was continued only in those who by Faith inherited the Promises Great alterations indeed were then made in the outward state and condition of the Church As 1 The carnall Priviledge of the Jews in their
Law is perfect and requiring no more in his Worship but what is in that Law prescribed See Psal. 19.8 Prov. 30.5 6. Deut. 4.1 2. And this perfection of the Written Law though it be perfectly destructive to their Tradions not only the Karaei among themselves do earnestly contend for but also sundry of their Gemarists do acknowledge especially when they forget their own concernments out of a desire to oppose the Gospel And to this head belong all the Arguments that Divines make use of to prove the perfection of the Scripture against the New Talmudists in Christianity 5. God every where sends his people to the Written Law of Moses for the Rule of their Obedience no where unto any Kabal Deut. 11.32 and chap. 10.12 13. Chap. 28.1 Josh. 1.7 8. Chap. 23.6 2 Chron. 30.18 Isa. 8.20 If there be such an Orall Law it is one that God would not have any man to observe which he calls none to the Obedience of nor did ever reprove any man for its Transgression And many more Arguments of the like nature may be added to prove the vanity of § 14 this pretence And yet this Figment is the bottom of the present Judaical Religion and obstinacy When the Apostle wrote this Epistle their Apostacy was not yet arrived at this rock of offence since their falling on it they have increased their blindness misery and ruine Then they were contented to try their cause by what God spake to their Fathers in the Prophets which kept open a door of hope and gave some advantages for their Conversion which are now shut up and removed untill God shall take this vail away from their faces that they may see to the end of the things that were to be done away By this means principally have they for many generations both shut out the § 15 Truth and secured themselves from Conviction For what ever is taught and revealed in the Scripture concerning the Person Office and Work of the Messiah seeing they have that which they esteem a Revelation of equall Authority herewithall teaching them a Doctrine quite of another nature and more suited unto their carnal Principles and Expectations they will rather rest in any evasions than give way to the Testimony thereof And whilest they have a firm perswasion as they have received by the Tradition of many Generations that the written Word is imperfect but an half Revelation of the mind of God in its self unintelligible and not to be received or understood but according to the sense of their Orall Law now recorded in their Talmuds what can the most plain and cogent Testimonies of it avail unto their Conviction And this hath been the fatall way and means of the grand Apostacy of both Churches Judaical and Christian. How far that of the Jews was overtaken with it in the dayes of our Lords Conversation on the Earth the Gospel doth abundantly declare and how they have brought it unto its height we have given now some brief account That of the Roman Church hath been the very same and hath at length arrived unto almost the same issue by the same degrees This some of them perceiving do not only defend the Pharisaical Opinion among the Jews about the Orall Law and Succession of their Traditions as consonant to the pretensions of their own Church but also openly avow that a very great number of their several respective Traditions are either the same or that they nearly resemble one another as doth expresly Josephus de Voysin in his Proaemium to the Pugio fidei of Raimundus Martini And because it is evident that the same have been the way and means whereby both the Judaical and Roman Church have apostatized and departed from the Truth and that they are the same also whereby they maintain and defend themselves in their Apostacy and refusal to return unto the Truth I shall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 manifest their Consent and Agreement in this Principle about their Traditions and Authority of them which have been the Ruine of them both First The Jews expresly contend that their Orall Law their Mass of Traditions was § 16 from God himself Partly they say it was delivered unto Moses on Mount Sinai and partly added by him from Divine Revelations which he afterwards received Hence the Authority of it with them is no less than that of the Written Word which hath all its Authority from its Divine Original and the usefulness of it is much more For although they cannot deny but that this and that particular Tradition that is Practice Custom or Exposition of any place of Scripture was first introduced expressed and declared at such or such seasons by such Masters or Schools amongst them yet they will not grant that they were then first invented or found out but only that they were then first declared out of the Cabalistical Abyss wherein they were preserved from their first Revelation as all of them agree who have written any thing about the nature propagation and continuance of their Orall Law And this is the perswasion of the Romanists about their Cabal of Traditions They plead them to be all of a Divine Original partly from Christ and partly from his Apostles What ever they have added unto the written Word yea though it be never so contrary thereunto still they pretend that it is part of the Orall Law which they have received from them by living Tradition Let one Convention of their Doctors determine that Images are to be adored another that Transubstantiation is to be believed a third add a New Creed with an equall number of Articles unto the old let one Doctor advance the Opinion of Purgatory another of Justification by Works all is one these things are not then first invented but only declared out of that unsearchable Treasure of Traditions which they have in their Custody Had they not inlaid this Perswasion in the minds of men they know that their whole Fabrick would of its own accord have long since sunk into Confusion But they highly contend at this day that they need no other Argument to prove any thing to be of an Heavenly Extract and Divine Originall but that themselves think so and practise accordingly § 17 Secondly This Orall Law being thus given the Preservation of it seeing Moses is dead long ago must be enquired after Now the Jews assign a threefold Depository of it First The whole Congregation Secondly The Sanhedrim and Thirdly The High Priest To this End they affirm that it was three times repeated upon the descent of Moses from Mount Sinai as to what of it he had then received and his after additions had the same promulgation First It was repeated by himself unto Aaron Secondly By them both unto the Elders and Thirdly By the Elders unto the whole Congregation or as Maimonides in Jad Chazakah Moses delivered it unto Eleazar Phineas and Joshuah after the Death of Aaron by whom the Consistory was instructed therein who taught the People
the Targumist in this Prophesie Chap. 4. v. 7. Chap. 6. v. 12. Chap. 10. v. 4. In all which places he is certainly designed by the Holy Ghost There are also many of them who acknowledge him to be intended Chap. 9. v. 9. Chap. 11. v. 12 13. Chap. 12. v. 10. where he is not mentioned in the Targum I have not insisted on these Places as though they were all the Testimonies that to the same purpose might be taken out of the Prophets seeing they are a very small portion of the Praedictions concerning the Person Grace and Kingdom of the Messiah and not all those which are most eminent in that kind but because they are such as wherein we have either the consent of all the Jews with us in their application from whence some advantage may be taken for their conviction or we have the suffrage of the more antient and authentick Masters to reprove the Perversness of the Modern Rabbins withall § 50 And this is He whom we enquire after One who was promised from the Foundation of the world to relieve mankind from under that state of Sin and Misery whereinto they were cast by their Apostasy from God This is he who from the first Promise of him or intimation of Relief by him was the Hope Desire Comfort and Expectation of all that aimed at Reconciliation and Peace with God Upon whom all their Religion Faith and Worship was founded and in whom it centered He for whose sake or for the bringing of whom into the world Abraham and the Hebrews his Posterity were separated to be a peculiar people distinct from all the Nations of the Earth In the faith of whom the whole Church in and from the Dayes of Adam that of the Jews in especial celebrated its Mystical Worship endured Persecution and Martyrdom waiting and praying continually for his Appearance He whom all the Prophets taught Preached Promised and raised up the Hearts of Believers unto a desire and expectation of describing before hand his sufferings with the Glory that was to ensue He of whose coming a Catholick Tradition was spread over the world which the old Serpent with all his subtility was never able to obliterate Exercitatio X. Ends of the Promises and Prophesies concerning the Messiah Other wayes of his Revelation Of his Oblation by Sacrifices Of his Divine Person by Visions What meant in the Targums by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Word of God The Expression first used Gen. 3.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what or who 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Apprehensions of the Antient Jews about the Word of God Of the Philosophers Application of the Expression 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the Son by John Expressions of Philo. Among the Mahumetans Christ called the Word of God Intention of the Targumists vindicated How the Voice walked Aben Ezra refuted and R. Jona The appearance of the second Person unto our first Parents Gen. 18.1 2 3. Gods appearance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Suddenness of it Who appeared The occasion of it Reflection of Aben Ezra on some Christian Expositors retorted A Trinity of Persons not proved from this place Distinct Persons proved No created Angel representing the Person of God called Jehovah Chap. 19.24 from the Lord. Exceptions of Aben Ezra and Jarchi removed Appearance of the second Person Gen. 32.24 26 27 28 29 30. Occasion of this Vision The Person in appearance a man in Office an Angel in nature God Gen. 48.16 Hos. 12.3 4 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what Who it was that appeared Exod. 3.2 3 4 5 6 14. God that appeared Exod. 19.20 21 22. Who gave the Law Not a created Angel The Ministery of Angels how used therein Exod. 23.20 21 22 23. Chap. 33.2 3 4 13 14. Different Angels promised The Angel of Gods presence who Josh. 5.13 14 15. Captain of the Lords hâ—st described Sense of the Antient Church concerning thâ—se Appearances Of the Jews Opinion of Nachmanides Tanchuma Talmud Fiction of the Angell rejected by Moses accepted by Joshua Sense of it Metatron Whâ— Derivation of the Name WEE have seen how plentifully God instructed the Church of old by his § 1 Prophets in the knowledge of the Person Office and work of the Messiah And this He did partly that nothing might be wanting unto the Faith and Consolation of Believers in a suitableness and proportion unto that condition of Light and Grace wherein it was his good pleasure to keep them before his actual coming and partly that his Righteous Judgements in the rejection and ruine of those who obstinately refused him might from the means of their conviction be justified and rendered glorious Neither were these Promises and Predictions alone the means whereby God would manifest and reveal him unto their faith There are two things concerning the Messiah which are the Pillars and Foundation of the Church The One is his Divine Nature and the other his Work of Mediation in the Attâ—nement for sin which he was to make by his suffering or the Sacrifice of himself For the Declaration of these unto them who according unto the Promise looked for his coming there were two especial wayes or means graciously designed of God The latter of these wayes was that Worship which he instituted and the various Sacrifices which he appointed to be observed in the Church as Types and Representations of that one Perfect Oblation which he was to offer in the Fulness of time The unfolding and particular application of this way of Instruction is the principal design and scope of the Apostle in his Epistle unto the Hebrews Whereas therefore that must be at large insisted on in our Exposition of that Epistle I shall not anticipate what is to be spoken concerning it in these previous Discourses which are all intended in a subserviency thereunto The other way which concerns his Divine Person was by those Visions and Appearances of the Son of God as the Head of the Church which were granted unto the Fathers under the Old Testament And these as they are directly suited unto our Purpose in our enquiry after the Proâ—nostiâ—â—s of the Advent of the Messiah so are they eminently usefull for the conviction of the Jews For in them we shall manifest that a Revelation was made of a diâ—tinct Pâ—rson in the Deity who in a peculiar manner did mannage all the concernments of the Church after the entrance of sin And herein also according unto our proposed Method we shall enquire what Light concerning this Truth hath been received by any of the Jewish Masters as also manifest what confusions they are driven unto when they seek to evade the Evidence that is in the Testimonies to this Purpose § 2 There is frequent mention in the Targumists of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Word of the Lord. And it first occurs in them on the first appearance of a Divine Person after the Sin and Fall of Adam Gen. 3. v. 8. The words of the Original Text are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
he should be conceived and born of a Virgin so certain should be their present deliverance which they so desired § 32 It is further insisted on by them that the deliverance promised was to be wrought before the Child spoken of should know to refuse the evil and chuse the good or should come to years of discretion v. 16. and what was this unto him that was to be born some hundred years after Answ. 1. That the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mentioned v. 16. is the same with the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 promised v. 14. doth not appear The Prophet by the command of God when he went unto the King with his message took with him Shear-jashub his Son v. 3. This certainly was for some especial end in the Word or Message that he had to deliver the Child being then but an Infant and of no use in the whole matter unless to be made an instance of something that was to be done It is therefore probable that he was the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the young Child designed v. 16. before whose growing up to discretion those Kings of Damascus and Samaria were destroyed or 2. The Expression may denote the time of any Child 's being born and coming to the maturity of understanding and so consequently the promised Child In as short a space of time as this promised Child when he shall be born shall come to know to refuse the evil and choose the good shall this deliverance be wrought Their remaining Cavils are of little importance The Child intended Chap. 8. § 33 was to be the Son of the Prophet and Prophetess and so not this Child that was to be born of a Virgin Besides he is plainly promised as a sign of other things then those treated of in this Chapter Yea of things quite contrary unto them Again this Child they tell us was to be called Immanuel whereas the Son of Mary was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or as they malitiously write it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But this name is given to signifie what he should be and do and not what he should be commonly called He was to be God and man in one person to reconcile God and man to be every way Immanuel And this kind of expression in the Scripture when a thing is said to be called that which it is the name denoting the Being Nature and quality of it is so frequent that there is nothing peculiar in it as here used See Isa. 1.26 Chap. 8.3 Chap. 9.6 Jer. 23.6 Zech. 8.2 The like also may be said to that which thâ—y except in the last place namely that they know not that Jâ—sus of Nazareth was brought up with Butter and Hony which is foretold concâ—rning this Child For the expression signifies no more but that the Child should be educated with the common food of the Country such as Children were in those places and times nourished withal It being the especial blessing of that Land that it flowed with Milk and Honey And thus have we asserted and vindicated the third characteristical note of the true Messiah he was to be born of a Virgin which none but only our Lord Jesus ever was from the foundation of the world There remain yet other descriptive notes of the Messiah consisting in what he was to § 34 teach and do and suffer all of them guiding the faith of the Church unto our Lord Jesus who in all things fully answered unto them all I shall briefly pass through them according unto our design and purpose and begin with what he was to teach This Moses directs us unto giving that great predescription of him which we have Deut. 18.18 19. I will raise them up a Prophet from among their Brethren like unto thee and will put my words in his mouth and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him And it shall come to pass that whâ—soever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name I will require it of him This is that signal Testimony concerning the Messiah which Philip urged out of Moses unto Nathaniel John 1.45 which Peter not only applyes unto him but declares that he was soly intended in it Acts 3.22 23. and Stephen seals that application with his blood Acts 7.37 Neither can or do the Jews deny that the Messiah was to be a Prophet or that he was promised unto the Church in the Wilderness in these words but we shall consider the particulars of them Sundry things are here asserted by Moses concerning the Messiah as 1. In general § 35 that he should be a Prophet a Teacher of the Church and not a King only The Jews indeed who greedily desire the things which outwardly attend Kingly Power and Dominion in this world do principally fix their thoughts and expectations on his Kingdom The Revelation of the Will of God which was to be made by him they little desire or enquire after But the common faith of their Ancestors from this and other places was that the Messiah was to be a Prophet and reveal unto the Church the whole counsel of God as we shall evince in our Comment on the first words of the Epistle 2. That this Prophet should be raised up unto them from among their Brethren He shall be of the posterity of Abraham and of the Tribe of Judah as was promised of old or made of them according unto the flesh Rom. 1.3.9.5 So that as to his original or extract he was to be born in the level of the people from among his Brethren was be to be raised up Unto this Office of a Prophet and Teacher of the Church 3. That he must be like unto Moses The words are plain in many places that in the ordinary course of Gods dealing with that Church among the Prophets there was none like unto Moses neither before or after him Hence Maimonides with his followers conclude that nothing can ever be altered in their Law because no Prophet was ever to arise of equal Authority with him who was their Law-giver But the words of the Text are plain The Prophet here foretold was to be like unto him wherein he was peculiar and exempted from comparison with all other Prophets which were to build on his foundation without adding any thing to the Rule of Faith and Worship which he had revealed or changing any thing therein In that is the Prophet here promised to be like unto him That is he was to be a Law-giver to the House of God as our Apostle proves and declares chap. 3.1 2 3 4 5. And we have the consent of the most sober among the Jews to the same purpose The words of the Author of Sepher Ikkarim lib. 3. cap. 10. are remarkable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It cannot be that there should not at some tim◠〈◊〉 a Prophet like unto Moses or greater then he for Messiah the King should be like him â—â— greater then he but thus these words there arose none
no impeachment can arise against our Interpretation of the predictions insisted on which have a perfect coincidence therewithall 4. The same is the state of things in reference unto what they object about the variety of Religions that are in the world and the multitude of Sects which every where spring up For 1. Although de facto there are at this time sundry false Religions in the world and amongst them that which is professed by the Jews yet de jure they ought not to be there being one true Religion sufficiently declared and promulgated unto the children of men For whereas the Jews and others do wilfully shut their eyes against the light and evidence of truth the guilt and misery is their own the Lord Christ having graciously provided and tendered unto them means of better instruction And 2. It is a mistake that the different Opinions and Sects that are amongst Christians themselves do constitute different Religions For as they all agree in the Worship of the God of Israel by Jesus Christ the Messiah which contains the summ of their Religion so their profession its self is not to be measured by the Doctrines and Conceptions of some amongst them but by the Scripture which they all receive and acknowledge This is the Religion of them all and it is one and the same amongst all that receive Jesus Christ for their Saviour That there are such pertinacious contests about mens different apprehensions of the mind of God in the Word that they labour to impose their private conceptons one upon another is the fault of some men which doth not prejudice the oneness of that Religion which is taught in the Gospel Upon all which it appears that the Promises insisted on have received a glorious and blessed accomplishment § 20 Thirdly They insist on the Promises which concern themselves and these of all others they most mind and urge against their Adversaries Nothing they say is more certain and evident in the Scripture then that the People of Israel shall be brought into a blessed and prosperous condition by the Messiah at his coming and in particular that by him they shall be brought home into their own Land And to this purpose they plead Isa. 11.13 Chap. 52.54 60 61 62 63 66. Jer. 30. 31. Ezek. 36.37 38 39 40 41 42. whereunto sundry other places of a like importance may be added But now say they instead hereof that whole people is scattered over the face of the earth under great misery and oppression for the most part without the least interest in the Country promised unto them And from hence it is that they most obstinately conclude that the Messiah is not yet come for untill they are rich wealthy and powerful they will not believe that God is faithfull § 21 Answ. It would be too long a work and not suitable unto our present design to go over all the Promises in particular which seem to have an aspect this way or wherein mention is made of Abraham the seed of Abraham Jacob Israel and the people of Israel and Judah Besides the Exposition of them may readily be sought from many Learned Commentaries extant in all Languages on the Prophecies of the Old Testament I shall therefore only give such general Answers as being applyed unto the several particular instances will manifest the insufficiency of the Jews Argument from Promises of this Nature 1. Then in the consideration of these Promises we must carefully distinguish between those who had their full at least principal accomplishment in that return of the people from the Captivity of Babylon and those which have a direct respect unto the dayes of the Messiah It is known that the Prophets do very usually set out that mercifull deliverance in Metaphorical Expressions so to set off the greatness of the mercy its self But the present Jews who now look for the accomplishing of all the most strained Allegories in a literal sense supposing that the deliverance which their fore-fathers then obtained because of their ensuing trouble and poverty did not answer what is spoken of it do wrest them all to the times of the Messiah when they hope they shall receive them in full measure For they reckon of all things according to their outward gain and profit and not according to the manifestation of the Love and Glory of God therein These Promises then are in the first place to be set apart as not concerned in our present business and difference 2. We have manifested before that there is mention of a double Israel in the Scripture the spiritual Israel that is all the sons of the faith of Abraham in all Ages and places throughout the world and an Israel according to the flesh or the carnal posterity of Jacob which the present Jews are This distinction we have elsewhere confirmed Now many of the Promises pleaded belong to Israel in the first sense that is the Church and people of God who by faith are admitted into the Covenant of Abraham and so made inheritors of the Promises And these also which are by far the greatest number are to be set aside from our present consideration of them 3. It hath been proved that oftentimes spiritual things are expressed metaphorically in the Prophets by words which in their literal first sense denote things outward and corporeal This is sufficiently evident from the instances formerly given wherein such things are spoken as it is utterly impossible that they should have a literal accomplishment and of the like sort there are others innumerable And thus most of the predictions that concern Peace and Prosperity must necessarily intend spiritual peace with God because concerning the same seasons Wars and Trials are in other places foretold 4. Whatever is foretold and promised concerning the Jews themselves in the dayes of the Messiah doubtless they have no ground nor colour of reason to expect the accomplishment of it until they receive him own him and submit unto him which to this day they have not done When Moses went forth to visit them of old in their distress and slew the Aegyptian that smote one of them because they refused him and would not understand that it was he whom God would deliver them by and endeavoured to betray him to death their bondage was continued forty years longer and yet at length by the same Moses were they delivered And although they have refused and rejected him who was promised to be their Saviour and so continue to this day in their captivity spiritual and temporal yet it is he by whom in the time appointed they shall be delivered from the one and the other But this shall not be done untill they own and receive him which when God shall give them hearts to do they will quickly find the blessed success thereof For 5. We grant that there are many Promises on record in the Scripture concerning their gathering together their return to God by the Messiah with great Peace and Glory
were directed to give him this name of an High Father by the Spirit of Prophesie yet considering it suitableness unto what God had designed him for and its readiness to yield unto that Change which God made afterwards in it unto a great strengthning of his faith and significancy in a way of instruction unto future generations we must grant that it was done by the designing holy wise Providence of God For he was an High Father indeed as being the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ according to the flesh In process of time upon the solemn establishment of the Covenant with him God change this name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gen. 17. v. 5. Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram but thy name shall be Abraham And on the like account did God also change the names of some other persons or superadded new names unto those whereby they were called before as of Israel unto Jacob Gen. 33. v. 28. upon his prevalency with God as a Prince Jedidiah unto Solomon 2 Sam. 12. v. 25. because the Lord loved him And many doubtless had new names given unto them by themselves or others or some letter or syllable changed in their names withall altering their signification upon emergent occasions Hence have we so many in the Old Testament whom we find in several places expressed by divers names or varied in one place from another Now this change in the name of Abraham was not as the Jews fancy to honour him with the addition of a letter out of the Tetragrammaton but for the addition of a new Prophetical significancy unto it as God himself expresly declares Thy name shall be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Abraham for a father of a multitude of nations have I made thee According as he said before v. 3. Thou shalt be a father of a multitude of nations 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in his name denoting 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a multitude that is of Nations God himself expounding his own intention and design And herein is a solemn prefiguration of the implanting of Believers of all Nations into the Covenant and Faith of Abraham for this name he received upon the solemn establishment of the Covenant with him as the Apostle explains the place Rom. 4. v. 11 12 13 14 15 16 17. All then that believe are taken into the Covenant of Abraham And as unto the priviledges of it and inheritance to be obtained by it they are no less his children and heirs then those who proceeded from his loins according to the flesh as hath been manifested in our Exercitation concerning the Oneness of the Church And herein also God manifested what was his design in his Call and separation unto himself even to make and constitute him and his Posterity the means of bringing forth the promised seed wherein all Nations were to be blessed Abraham being the tenth Generation from Noah exclusivè was the son of Terah of § 5 whom it is said Gen. 11.26 that Terah lived seventy years and begat Abram Nahor and Haran not doubtless in the same year but then the eldest of them was born who ever he was If Abraham was the eldest as he is first expressed he was born 292 years after the flood in the three hundred ninety second year of the life of Shem who out-lived him thirty five years And he was the sixth from Heber born in the two hundred twenty fifth year of his age who continuing longest of all the Postdiluvian Patriarchs outlived Abraham about sixty four years But there is a difficulty in this account For if Abraham was born in the seventieth year of the age of Terah Terah living in all two hundred and five years Abraham at the death of Terah must needs be one hundred thirty five years of age But the Scripture saith expresly that at his departure out of Haran upon the death of his Father he was no more but seventy five years old And if he was seventy five years old at the death of his Father who lived two hundred and five years he must be born in the one hundred and thirtieth of his Fathers life and not before which carries on his birth and death sixty years beyond the former account So that he outlived Shem twenty five years and dyed only four years before Heber Although therefore he be mentioned before Haran Gen. 11.26 yet indeed Haran was the Eldest Son of Terah and born before Abraham sixty years And it appears in the Story that Lot and Sarah who were the Children of Haran if Sarah was the Ischa mentioned as most suppose she was Gen. 11.29 were not much younger then Abraham himself For when Abraham was an hundred years old Sarah was ninety Gen. 17.17 and Lot may well be supposed to be Elder then she so that of Necessity Haran must be many years elder then Abraham even no less then sixty as we have declared § 6 His Nativity and Education was in Vr of the Chaldees Gen. 11.28 31. This place is said to be on the other side of the flood 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the River Josh. 24.2 that is from the Land of Canaan on the other side of the great River Euphrates eastward It was so also of Tygris on the East of Aram Naharaim or Mesopotamia properly so called which is not insisted on because Abraham came over Tygris unto Haran with his Father Terah He came out saith Stephen from the Land of the Chaldaeans and dwelt in Canaan Acts 7.4 he sayes indeed that before he came unto Canaan he dwelt in Mesopotamia v. 2. wherein Haran was also For the name of Mesopotamia was given of old unto all the adjacent Regions even unto the Persian Sea So doth Pliny evidently lib. 6. cap. 26. Mesopotamia tota Assyriorum fuit vicatim dispersa praeter Babylona Ninum All Mesopotamia belonged unto the Assyrians and consuled of scattered Villages unless it were Babylonia and the Countrey about Nineveth And again Reliqua pars Mesopotamiae Assyriaeque-Babylonia appellata est So that he equals Mesopotamia with Assyria which how great a Tract of those Regions it comprehended is manifest from Ptolomy Strabo and others Eupolemus in Eusebius praeparat Evang. l. 9. placeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vra in Babylonia and there also Pliny mentioneth Vra upon the banks of Euphrates lib. 5. cap. 24. Fertur Euphrates usque ad Vram But this seems not to be the Vr where Abraham dwelt Nor was there any reason that in a design for Canaan he should remove from any part of Babylonia upon Euphrates unto Charan It is more likely to be the place mentioned by Ammianus lib. 5. where he sayes that the Romans in six dayes came from Corduena in Armenia ad Vr nomine Persicum Castellum unto Ur a Persian Castle And this he placeth between Nisibis and Tygris and was not far from the place where it is probably supposed that the Ark rested after the flood the family
into Covenant with him in the promise of the Land of Canaan v. 7. And this Call of his was the great foundation whereon God afterwards built the whole Structure of his Worship under the Old Testament For herein he both appropriated the promise of the Messiah unto him designing his person as the spring from whom he should proceed according to the flesh and set both him and his posterity a-part to be visibly subservient unto the great design of his Grace in the accomplishment of the promise of a Deliverer made unto our first Parents This we have elsewhere at large declared and shewed how that after his Call every thing was disposed unto a significancy of that which was for to come and was suited for a continuance unto that season and no longer § 10 When Abraham was ninety and nine years old that is also he had been twenty four years in the Land of Canaan The Lord confirms his Covenant with him and his seed by the sign and token of Circumcision Gen. 17.8 9 10 11 12. which Paul calls the seal of the righteousness of faith Rom. 4.12 because God thereby confirmed and assured unto him an interest in the promised seed who is the Lord our Righteousness Isai. 45.24 25. Jerem 23.6 And because he had accepted of the righteousness and salvation which in and by him God had prepared for sinners in believing the promise Gen. 15.6 And herein did God manifest that he took his seed together with him into the Covenant as those who no less then himself were to be made partakers of the righteousness exhibited therein as also to be used for the chanel where the holy seed was to be carried on untill the Word was to take it and to be made flesh John 1.14 Mar. 1.1 Rom. 9.5 And by this Ordinance of Circumcision were his posterity separated from the rest of the world and united among themselves For however Ishmael and Esau carried the outward sign of circumcision out of the pale and limits of the Church communicating it unto the Nations that sprang of them unto this day unto whose observance they also adhere who being of another extract have received the Law of Mahomet who was of the off-spring of persecuting Ishmael as the Turks and Persians with very many of the Indians yet their observance of it was never under the Law of God nor accepted with him but is rather accursed by him But as it was continued in the posterity of Abraham according unto the promise it was the fundamental uniting principle of the Church amongst them though dispersed into innumerable particular families For as there were as many Churches before as there were families Ecclesiastical and Oeconomical or paternal Rule being the same now the Covenant being one and the token of the Covenant being one and the same unto all the families that sprang of Abraham which in their several generations were as the sands of the Sea shore or as the Stars for multitude were incorporated into one body among themselves and separated from all the rest of the world Not that this Ordinance alone was sufficient to constitute the whole Nation one Ecclesiastical Body or Church which was done by the following Institutions of Worship but that the foundation thereof was first laid herein Neither without some such general initiation into union could it have been orderly accomplished And as it was the Glory of the people of old whilst they walked in the steps of the faith of Abraham So it was the carnal boast of their degenerate posterity Hence have we so often mention of those who were uncircumcised in the way of reproach and contempt and when they renewed the administration of it among themselves upon their first entrance into the Land of Canaan after its commission in the Wilderness it is said that they rolled away the reproach of Aegypt Josh. 5.9 because they were now no more as the Aegyptians uncircumcised And it was their glory both because God made it the token of his receiving them to be his peculiar people out of all the Nations of the Earth as also because it was the pledge of their obedience unto God which is the glory of any person or people But their posterity being carnal and degenerating from the faith and obedience of Abraham having quite lost the Grace betokened by it which as Moses often declares unto them was the circumcision of their hearts to hear and obey the voice of God did yet and do yet to this day boast of it as a sign of their separation unto God from other people not considering that these things were mutual answering one another and that this latter is nothing where the former is not also attended unto And these are the chief heads that are looked I upon by our Apostle in the Call of § 11 Abraham which also we have been more brief in the explication of because its consideration hath elsewhere occurred unto us Now from this Call of Abraham unto the deliverance of the Children of Israel out of Aegypt was as Moses assures us four hundred and thirty years Exod. 12.40 41. and so saith our Apostle Gal. 3.17 But because the Lord tells Abraham that his posterity should be afflicted in a strange Land four hundred years Gen. 11.13 which words are repeated by Stephen in his Sermon to the Jews Acts 7.6 the reason of this different account may be briefly enquired after Here is a double limitation of time 1. of four hundred and thirty years by Moses and Paul 2. Of four hundred years by God himself unto Abraham repeated by Stephen The words of Moses are recorded Exod. 12.40.41 Now the sojournings of the Children of Israel in Aegypt were four hundred and thirty years and it came to pass at the end of four hundred and thirty years even on the self same day it came to pass that all the Hosts of the Lord went out of the Land of Aegypt It is evident that there is an ambiguity in the words of Moses for if 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the sojourning or dwelling in the beginning of the Verse do relate unto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dwelt in Aegypt it can design no longer space of time then they dwelt there after the descent of Jacob which by an evident computation of the times containeth but half the space limited of four hundred and thirty years If it refer only to the children of Israel then it takes in all the sojournings and peregrinations of that People who dwelt in Aegypt from the first day of their being the people of God Now this ambiguity is perfectly removed by our Apostle Gal. 3.16 17. Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made and the Covenant that was confirmed before of God in Christ the Law which was four hundred and thirty years after cannot disannul The giving of the Law was as we shall see immediately upon their coming out of Egypt and saith he the 430 years are to be reckoned from the
in the Faith is here aymed at These in general were the Hebrews the Posterity of Abraham and the only Church of God before the promulgation of the Gospel who in those dayes were distributed into three sorts or parties 1. Some of them believing in Christ through the Gospel were perfectly instructed in the Liberty given them from the Mosaical Law with the foundation of that Liberty in its accomplishment in the Person Office and Work of the Messiah Acts 2.41 42. 2. Some with their Profession of Faith in Christ as the Messiah promised retained an opinion of the necessary observation of Mosaical Rites and these also were of two sorts 1. Such as from a pure Reverence of their Original Institutions either being not fully instructed in their Liberty or by reason of prejudices not readily admitting the consequences of that Truth wherein they were instructed abode in their observation without seeking for Righteousness or Salvation by them Acts 21. v. 20. 2. Such as urged their observation as indispensably necessary to our Justification before God Acts 15.1 Gal. 3.4 The first sort of those the Apostles bare with in all meekness yea and using the Liberty given them of the Lord to avoid offending of them joyned with them in their practice as occasion did require Acts 16.3 Chap. 21.23 24 26. Chap. 27.9 1 Cor. 9.20 whence for a long season in many places the Worship of the Gospel and Synagogue Worship of the Law were observed together James 2.2 though in process of time many disputes and differences were occasioned thereby between the Gentile and Jewish Worshippers Rom. 14. The other sort they opposed as perverters of the Gospel which they pretended to profess Acts 15.5 Gal. 2.13 14 15 16. Chap. 4.9 10 11. Chap. 5.2 And of these some afterwards apostatized to Judaism others abiding in a corrupt mixture of both professions separated themselves from the Church and were called Nazarenes and Ebionites 3. Others far the greatest number of the whole people persisted in their Old Church-State not receiving the salvation that was tendered unto them in the preaching of the Gospel and these also were of two sorts 1. Such as who although they had not embraced the faith yet were free and willing to attend unto the Doctrine of it searching the Scriptures for a discovery of its Truth and in the mean time instantly serving God according to the Light of the Old Testament which they had received and in these was the essence of the Judaical Church preserved to its final dissolution Acts 17.11 Chap. 28.22 23 24. 2. Such as being hardned in their Infidelity blasphemed scoffed at and persecuted the Gospel with all that professed it Acts 13.45 50. Chap. 15.19 Chap. 17.5 1. Thess. 2.15 16. Rom. 11.7 8 9 10. whom not long after the vengeance of God overtook in their total destruction Now our Apostle vehemently thirsting after the salvation of the Hebrews in general Rom. 9.1 Chap. 10.1 having all these several sorts or parties to deal withal he so frames his Epistle unto them that it might be suited to all their Good in their Conversion Instruction Edification and Establishment as their several conditions did require the latter sort only excepted who being under judicial blindness were cast out of the care of God and his Acts 13.46 51. Hence in part is that admirable contexture of this Epistle which Peter ascribes unto his eminent wisdom 2 Pet. 3.18 As it is indeed evident from the story that he did excell in applying himself to the various Principles Capacities and prejudices of them with whom he had to do The Lord Christ having set him forth as a great example of that diligence zeal and prudence which he requires in the dispensers of the Gospel Divine reasonings instructions exhortations promises threats arguments are so interwoven in this Epistle from the beginning to the end that all to whose hands or hearing it should come might every where meet with that which was of especial and immediate concernment to themselves unto which of the sorts before mentioned soever they did belong And this Principle we must have respect unto in that intermixture of Arguments to prove the Truth of the Gospel with Exhortations to constancy in the profession of it which we shall meet withall The several conditions of those to whom the Apostle wrote required that way of proceedure Hence no one Chapter in the Epistle is purely dogmatical the first only excepted nor purely Paraenetical For though the design that lyes in view and is never out of sight be Exhortation yet far the greatest part of the Epistle of taken up in those doctrinalls wherein the foundations of the exhortations do lye both interwoven together somewhat variously from the method of the same Apostle in all his other Epistles as hath been observed that to the Galatians which is of the like nature with this only excepted II. A second thing to be previously observed is that although those to whom the Apostle wrote were of the several sorts before mentioned yet they centered in this that they were Hebrews by Birth and Religion who all agreed in some common Principles relating to the subject he treated with them about These he makes use of unto them all For though the unbelieving Jews did deny or did not yet acknowledge that Jesus was the Christ yet they also consented unto or could not gainsay what in the Old Testament was revealed concerning the Person Office Dignity and Work of the Messiah when he should come that being the faith whereby they were saved before his appearance Acts 26 6 7. Vpon these genoral Principles wherein they also agreed and which were the general perswasion of the whole Judaical Church the Apostle layes the foundation of all his Arguments And hence he oft times takes that for granted which without this consideration should we look on any of those to whom he writes under the general notion of unbelievers would seem to be the thing principally in question And therefore have we at large already manifested what was the avowed Profession of the sounder part of the Judaical Church in those dayes concerning the Messiah which the Apostle here and elsewhere in dealing with the Jews built upon Acts 26.22 23 27. Chap. 28.23 Chap. 13.16 17 c. which the Reader must have constant respect unto III. In urging Testimonies out of the Old Testament he doth not alwayes make use of those that seem to be most perspicuous and apposite to his purpose but often times takes others more abstruse obscure and of less evident consequence at first view And that upon a double account First That he might instruct the Believers amongst them in the more abstruse Prophecies of the Old Testament and thereby incite them to the further search after Christ under the Mosaical Veil and Prophetical Allegories whereby he is therein expressed aiming to lead them on towards perfection Chap. 5.12.6.1 Secondly Because most of the Testimonies he makes use of were generally granted
God ordaining him before the foundation of the world unto his Work and Inheritance 1 Pet. 1.20 2. The Covenant that was of old between the Father and Son for the accomplishment of the great work of Redemption this Inheritance being included in the Contract Prov. 8.30 31. Isa. 53.10 11. 3. The Promises made unto him in his Types Abraham David and Solomon Gen. 15. Psal. 72. 4. The Promises left upon record in the Old Testament for his supportment and assurance of success Psal. 2. Isa. 49. c. 5. The solemn proclamation of him to be the great Heir and Lord of all at his first coming into the world Luke 2.11 30 31 32. But it is the consummation of all these whatever was intended or declared in these previous acts of the Will and Wisdom of God that is principally intended in this expression Some suppose it of importance in this matter of the Heirship of Christ to assert that he was the rightful Heir of the Crown and Scepter of Israel This opinion is so promoted by Baronius as to contend that the right of the Kingdom was devolved on him which was caused to cease for a season in Antigonus who was slain by M. Anthony But what was the right of the Kingdom that was in Antigonus is hard to declare The Hasmonaeans of whom that ruled he was the last were of the Tribe of Levi. Their right to the Scepter was no more but what they had won by the sword So that by his death there could be no devolution of a Right to reign unto any it being that which he never had Nor is it probable that our Saviour was the next of kin to the reigning House of Judah nor was it any wise needful he should be so nor is there any promise to that purpose His lineal descent was from Nathan and not from Solomon of that House was Zerubbabel the Aichmalotarches which therefore is specially mentioned in the Reformation Zech. 12.12 Besides the Heirship promised unto Christ was neither of a Temporal Kingdom of Israel which he never enjoyed nor of any other thing in dependance thereon Were it so the Jews must first have the Dominion before he could inherit it And such indeed was the mistake of the Disciples as it is of the Jews to this day who enquired not whither he would take the Kingdom to himself but whether he would restore it unto Israel We have opened the Words it remaineth that we consider the sense and perswasion of the Hebrews in this matter 2. Shew the influence of this assertion into the Argument that the Apostle hath in hand and 3. Annex a brief Scheme of the whole Lordship and Kingdom of Christ. The Testimonies given to this Heirship of the Messiah in the Old Testament sufficiently evidencing the faith of the Church guided by the rule thereof will be mentioned afterwards For the present I shall only intimate the continuance of this perswasion among the Jews both then when the Apostle wrote unto them and afterwards To this purpose is that of Jonathan in the Targum on Zech. 4.7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He shall reveal the Messiah whose name is from everlasting who shall have the dominion over all Kingdoms See Psal. 72.11 And of him who was brought before the Antient of dayes like the Son of Man Dan. 7. to whom all power is given they say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he is Messiah the King So R. Solomon on the place So R. Bechai on Exod. 23.21 My name is in him he is called saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because in that name two significations are included 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Lord and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Embassador the reasons of which Etymologie out of the Greek and Latin Tongues he subjoyns I confess foolishly enough but yet he adds to our purpose It may have a third signification of a Keeper for the Targum instead of the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because he that is the Messiah preserves or keeps the world he is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Keeper of Israel hence it appears that he is the Lord of all things they being put under him and that the whole host of things above and below are in his hand He is also the messenger of all above and beneath because God hath made him to rule over all hath appointed him the Lord of his house the Ruler of all he hath which expressions how consonant they are to what is delivered by the Apostle in this place and Chap. 3. is easily discerned The Influence of this Assertion or common Principle of the Judaical Church into the Argument that the Apostle hath in hand is evident and manifest He who is the Heir and Lord of all things Spiritual Temporal Ecclesiastical must needs have power over all Mosaical Institutions be the Lord of them which are no where exempted from his Rule The words being opened and the design of the Apostle in them discovered because they contain an eminent Head of the Doctrine of the Gospel concerning the Lordship and Kingdom of Jesus Christ the Messiah I shall stay here a little to give in a Scheme of his whole Dominion seeing the consideration of it will not again so directly occur unto us That which is the intendment of the words in the interpretation given of them is this God the Father in the pursuit of the Soveraign purpose of his Will hath granted unto the Son as incarnate and Mediator of the New Covenant according to the eternal Council between them both a Soveraign Power and Authority over all things in Heaven and Earth with the Possession of an absolute proprietor to dispose of them at his pleasure for the furtherance and Advancement of his proper and peculiar work as Head of his Church I shall not insist on the several Branches of this Thesis but as I said in general confirm this Grant of Power and Dominion unto the Lord Christ and then give in our Scheme of his Kingdom in the several Branches of it not enlarging our Discourse upon them but only pointing at the heads and springs of things as they lye in the Scripture Of the Kingdom or Lordship of Christ. THe Grant of Dominion in general unto the Messiah is intimated in the first promise of him Gen. 3.15 His Victory over Satan was to be attended with Rule Power and Dominion Psal. 68.18 Isa. 53.12 Ephes. 4.8 9. Col. 2.15 and confirmed in the Renewal of that Promise to Abraham Gen. 22.17 18. For in him it was that Abraham was to be Heir of the world Rom. 4.13 As also unto Judah whose seed was to enjoy the Scepter and Law-giver until he came who was to be Lord over all Gen. 49.10 As Baalam also saw the Star of Jacob with a Scepter for Rule Numb 24.17 19. This Kingdom was fully revealed unto David and is expressed by him Psal. 2. throughout Psal. 45.3 4 5
Administration thereof is very righteous equal and reasonable What can be farther desired to render it so or to provoke us unto it 2. That the condemnation of those that refuse the Reign of Christ over them that will not yield obedience unto his Laws is most just and righteous On these accounts will their mouthes be stopped for ever when he comes to deal with them who know not God and obey not the Gospel 3. It is our wisdom to content our selves with the Laws of Christ in things that belong unto his Kingdom They alone as we have seen have those properties which make our obedience useful or profitable what-ever we do else in reference unto the same end with them is needless and fruitless drudging V. The righteous Administrations of the Lord Christ in his Government proceed all from his own habitual righteousness and love thereunto See this declared by the Prophet Isa. 11. v. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7. VI. God is a God in especial covenant with the Lord Christ as he is the Mediator God thy God Of this Covenant I have treated largely else-where and therefore shall not here insist upon it VII The collation of the Spirit on the Lord Christ and his glorious Exaltation are the peculiar works of God the Father God thy God hath anointed thee It was God the Father who designed and appointed him unto his work who actually sent him and set him forth in the fulness of time and therefore on him was it incumbent both to furnish him unto his work and to crown him upon its performance And herein these several Acts partly Eternal partly Temporal are considerable 1. The ingagement of the Eternal Will Wisdom and Counsel of the Father with the Son about his work Prov. 8.22 23 30 31. Isa. 40.10 11 12. 2. His fore-ordination of his coming by an eternal free act of his will 1 Pet. 1.20 Act. 2.23 3. His Covenant with him to abide by him in the whole course of his work Isa. 49.6 7 8 9. chap. 50.7 8 9. 4. His Promise of him from the foundation of the world often reiterated and repeated Gen. 3.15 5. His actual Mission and sending of him in his Incarnation Zech. 2.8 9 10. 6. The exerting of his Almighty power unto that purpose and effect Luke 1.35 7. His giving of him command and commission for his work Joh. 10.18 Joh. 20.21 8. Furnishing him with all the gifts and graces of his Spirit to fit him and enable him unto his work Isa. 11.2 3. Isa. 61.1 2. Matth. 3.16 17. Joh. 1.32 33. Col. 1.19 9. Abiding by him in Care Love Power and Providence during the whole course of his Obedience and Ministry Isa. 49.2 8. 10. Speaking in him working by him and in both bearing witness unto him Heb. 1.1 Joh. 5.19 20 21 22 11. Giving him up unto death Rom. 8.32 Act. 2.23 12. Raising him from the dead 1 Pet. 1.21 Act. 2.24 13. Giving all Power Authority and Judgment unto him Joh. 5.22 Matth. 28.18 14. Exalting of him by his Assumption into heaven and glorious session at his right hand Act. 2.32 33. Phil. 2.9 10. 15. Giving him to be the Head over all unto the Church and subjecting all things under his feet Ephes. 1.20 21 22. 16. In all things crowning him with eternal glory and honour Joh. 17.5 Heb. 2.9 All these and sundry other particulars of the like nature are assigned unto the Father as part of his work in reference unto the Mediation of the Son And amongst them his Exaltation and Vnction with the Oil of gladness hath an eminent place And this are we taught that in this whole work we might see the Authority Counsel and Love of the Father that so our faith and hope through Jesus Christ might be in God who raised him up from the dead and gave him glory 1 Pet. 1.21 VIII The Lord Jesus Christ is singular in this Vnction This is that which the Apostle proves in sundry instances and by comparing him with others who in the most eminent manner were partakers of it And this we are in the consideration of as the particulars of it do occur Neither shall I at present farther insist on the ensuing Observations because I will not longer detain the Reader from the Context namely that IX All that serve God in the work of building the Church according to his appointment are anointed by his Spirit and shall be rewarded by his Power Dan. 12.3 X. The Disciples of Christ especially those who serve him in his Church faithfully are his companions in all his grace and glory Verse X XI XII IN the following Verses the Apostle by another illustrious Testimony taken out of Psal. 102. confirms his principal Assertion in the words ensuing Vers. 10 11 12. Vers. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vers. 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vers. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the last verse for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one copy hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to answer unto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And M.S.T. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The words are the same in the Greek Bibles as in this place of the Apostle nor is there any foot-step of any other old Translation of them in the Psalm The Syriack differs little 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it renders 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and again to shew that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is no part of the testimony cited but serves only to the introduction of another v. 11. For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they shall perish 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they shall pass away alluding to that of 2 Pet. 3.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the heavens shall pass away with a noise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but thou abidest thou continuest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tu stans es tu stas tu stabilis es and Thou standest thou art standing answering the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Psalm 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou shalt roll them up 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which words Interpreters render variously though to the same purpose involves Boderianus roll them complicabis Tremelius fold them Duplicabis D' Dieu double them up And it is manifest that the Translator reads 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and I doubt not but the same word was inserted into the Translation of the Psalm from this place of the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou art the same or thou art I am 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Boderia Et tu sicut existens es and thou art as thou existest Tremel Tu autem sicut es cris But thâ—u shalt be as thou art Properly And thou as thou art art that is art the same The Translation of the Apostle in all things material answereth the Original in the Psalm v. 26 27. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou O Lord is supplied out of the verse fore-going I said O my God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of old before it was that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the beginning And our Translation needed not to have used any difference of expression in the Psalm and this place of the Apostle as they do there of old here in the beginning Thou hast founded not laid the foundation of the earth And the heavens are the works 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the work which the Greek renders works because of their variety of thy hands They shall perish 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but thou shalt stand or dost abide The word used in our Translation of the Psalm endure doth ill answer the Original but the margin gives relief Psal. Yea all of them shall wax old like a garment here And they shall all wax old as doth a garment A little variety without difference and that needless the Greek Text exactly expressing the Hebrew And as a vesture shalt thou fold them up 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shalt thou change them The change of a vesture whereunto the change of the Heavens is compared being by folding up and laying aside at least from former use the Apostle instead of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou shalt change renders the word by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou shall fold or roll them up 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tu ipse and thou art he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and thy years shall have no end shall not fail 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall not consume There is no question but that these words do sufficiently prove the Preheminence of him of whom they are spoken incomparably above all Creatures what ever Two things therefore are questioned by the Enemies of the Truth contained in them 1. Whether they were originally spoken at all of Christ which the present Jews deny 2. Whether they are spoken all of Christ which is questioned by the Socinians These Enquiries being first satisfied the words shall be opened and the force of the Apostles Argument from thence declared 1. That what is spoken in this Psalm doth properly respect the Messiah is denied by the present Jews That it was owned by the antient Hebrews is sufficiently evident from hence that the Apostle dealing with them on their own Principles urgeth them with the testimony of it The Psalm also it self-gives us light enough into the same instruction It is partly Euctical partly Prophetical both parts suited unto the condition of the Church when the Temple was wasted and Sion lay in the dust during the Babylonish Captivity In the Prophetical part there are three things signal 1. The Redemption of the people with the Re-edification of the Temple as a Type of that Spiritual Temple and Worship which was afterwards to be erected As v. 13. Thou shalt arise and have mercy upon Sion for the time to favour her yea the set time is come And v. 16. When the Lord shall build Sion he shall appear in his glory 2. The Calling of the Gentiles to the Church and Worship of God v. 15. The Heathen shall fear the name of the Lord and all the Kings of the earth thy glory V. 21 22. To declare the name of the Lord in Sion and his praise in Jerusalem when the people are gathered together and the kingdoms to serve the Lord. 3. Hereby the creation of a new people a new world is brought in v. 18. This shall be written for the generation to come the world to come and the people that shall be created the new creation of Jews and Gentiles shall praise the Lord. These are the heads of the Prophetical part of the Psalm and they all respect things every where peculiarly assigned unto the Son who was to be incarnate or the days of the Messiah which is all one For 1. The Redemption and deliverance of the Church out of trouble is his proper work Where ever it is mentioned it is he who is intended Psal. 98.18 so signally Zech. 2.8 9 10 11 12 13. and other places innumerable 2. The bringing in of the Gentiles is acknowledged by all the Jews to respect the time of the Messiah it being he who was to be a light unto the Gentiles and the salvation of God unto the ends of the earth 3. Also the Generation to come and people to be created the Jews themselves interpret of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 world to come or the new state of the Church under the Messiah These two last put together the gathering of the people and the world to come created for the praise of God makes it evident that it is the Son whom the Psalmist hath respect unto Grotius in this place affirms that the Apostle accommodates unto the Messiah what was spoken of God And he thinks it a sufficient argument to prove the words were not spoken of the Messiah because they were spoken of God whereas they are produced by the Apostle to prove his Excellency from the properties and works of his Divine Nature And he addes as the sense of the words as accommodated unto Christ Thou hast laid the foundation of the earth that is the world was made for thy sake But this Interpretation or violent detortion of the words destroys it self For if they are spoken of God absolutely and not of the Messiah to whom they are accommodated how can it be said that the world was made for his sake and not by him both senses of the words cannot be true But this is indeed plainly to deny the Authority of the Apostle It appeareth then that many things in this Psalm are spoken directly and immediately of the Son though it be probable also that sundry things in it are affirmed distinctly of the Person of the Father And hence it may be are those frequent variations of speech from the Second to the Third Person that occur in this Psalm 2. As to the second Enquiry the Socinians who grant the Divine Authority of this Epistle and therefore cannot deny but that these words some way or other belong unto the Lord Christ yet plainly perceiving that if they are wholly understood of him that there is an end of all their Religion the creation not of a new but of that world which was made of old and which shall perish at the last day being here ascribed unto him fix here upon a new and peculiar Evasion Some words they say of this testimony belong unto Christ so much they will yield to the authority of the Apostle but not all of them whereby they hope to secure their own errour Now because if this pretence hold not this testimony is fatal to their perswasion I hope it will not be unacceptable if in our passage we do consider the distribution they make of the words according to their supposition and the Arguments they produce for the confirmation of their Exposition as they are managed by Crellius or Schlictingius in their Comment on this place 1. He says that this testimony doth so far belong unto Christ as it pertaineth unto the scope of the
and vigour untill the very day of his death But he sayes it was old and decayed when it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 near to a disappearance to its End Period and an utter uselesness as then it was even as all things that naturally tend to an end do it by Age and decayes And in this not the former sense are the Heavens and Earth said to wax old because of their tendency to that period which either in themselves or as to their use they shall receive which is sufficient to manifest them to be of a changeable perishing nature And it may be that it shall be with these Heavens and Earth at the last day as it was with the Heavens and Earth of Judaical Institutions for so are they frequently called especially when their dissolution or abolition is spoken of in the day of Gods creating the new Heavens and the Earth in the Gospel according to his promise For though the use of them and their power of obliging to their Observation was taken away and abolished yet are they kept in the world as abiding monuments of the Goodness and Wisdom of God in teaching his Church of old So may it be with the Heavens and Earth of the old creation though they shall be laid aside at the last day from their use as a Garment to cloath and teach the Power and Wisdom of God to men yet may they be preserved as eternal monuments of them In opposition hereunto it is said of Christ that he abideth he is the same and his years fail not One and the same thing is intended in all these Expressions even his Eternal and absolutely immutable Existence Eternity is not amiss called a nunc stans a present existence wherein or whereunto nothing is past or future it being alwayes wholly present in and to its self This is expressed in that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou standest abidest endurest alterest not changest not The same is also expressed in the next words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou art he or art the same or as the Syriack hath it the same that thou art There is an Allusion in these words unto if not an expression of that name of God I am that is who is of himself in himself alwayes absolutely and unchangeably the same And this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tu ipse the Hebrews reckon as a distinct name of God Indeed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are all the same name of God expressing his Eternal and immutable self-subsistence The last Expression also though Metaphorical is of the same importance Thy years fail not He who is the same Eternally properly hath no years which are a measure of transient time denoting its Duration Beginning and Ending This is the measure of the world and all things contained therein Their Continuance is reckoned by years To shew the Eternal subsistence of God in Opposition to the frailty of the world and all things created therein it is said his years fail not that is theirs do and come to an end of his Being and Existence there is none How the Apostle proves his Intendment by this Testimony hath been declared in the opening of the words and the force of it unto his purpose lyes open to all we may now divert unto those Doctrinal Observations which the words offer unto us As I. All the Properties of God considered in the Person of the Son the head of the Church are suited to give Relief Consolation and supportment unto Believers in all their distresses This Truth presents it self unto us from the use of the words in the Psalm and their Connection in the design of the Psalmist Under the consideration of his own mortality and frailty he relieves himself with thoughts of the Omnipotency and Eternity of Christ and takes Arguments from thence to plead for relief And this may a little further be unfolded for our use in the ensuing Observations 1. The Properties of God are those whereby God makes known himself to us and declares both what he is and what we shall find him to be in all that we have to deal with him He is infinitely Holy Just Wise Good Powerful c. And by our Apprehension of these things are we lead to that Acquaintance with the Nature of God which in this life we may attain Exod. 34.5 6 7. 2. God oftentimes declares and proposeth these properties of his nature unto us for our supportment Consolation and Relief in our Troubles Distresses and endeavours after Peace and Rest to our souls Isa. 40.27 28 29 30 31. 3. That since the Entrance of sin these Properties of God absolutely considered will not yield that Relief and satisfaction unto the souls of men which they would have done and did whilest man continued obedient unto God according to the Law of his Creation Hence Adam upon his sin knew nothing that should encourage him to expect any help pity or relief from him and therefore fled from his presence and hid himself The Righteousness Holiness Purity and Power of God all infinite eternal unchangeable considered absolutely are no way suited to the Advantage of sinners in any condition Rom. 1.32 Heb. 1.12 4. These Properties of the Divine Nature are in every person of the Trinity entirely so that each Person is so infinitely holy just wise good and powerful because each person is equally partaker of the whole Divine Nature and Being 5. The Person of the Word or the Eternal Son of God may be considered either absolutely as such or as designed in the Counsel Wisdom and Will of the Father by and with his own Will and Consent unto the work of Mediation between God and Man Prov. 8.22 27 28 29 30 31. And in him as such it is that the Properties of the nature of God are suited to yield relief unto Believers in every condition For 1. It was the Design of God in the Appointment of his Son to be Mediator to retrieve the communion between himself and his creature that was lost by sin Now man was so created at first as that every thing in God was suited to be a Reward unto him and in all things to give him satisfaction This being wholly lost by sin and the whole Representation of God to man becoming full of dread and terror all gracious intercourse in a way of special love on the part of God and spiritual willing Obedience on the part of man was intercepted and cut off God designing again to take sinners into a communion of Love and Obedience with himself it must be by Representing unto them his blessed Properties as suited to their encouragement satisfaction and reward And this he doth in the Person of his Son as designed to be our Mediator Heb. 1.2 3. For 2. The Son is designed to be our Mediator and the Head of his Church in a way of Covenant wherein there is an Engagement for the exerting of all the Divine Properties of the nature of God for the Good and
world though usually by that expression they intend the World of future bliss But the world here intended is no other but the promised state of the Church under the Gospel This with the Worship of God therein with especial Relation unto the Messiah the Author and Mediator of it administring its heavenly things before the Throne of Grace thereby rendring it spiritual and heavenly and diverse from the state of the Worship of the Old Testament which was worldly and carnal was the World to come that the Jews looked for and which in this place is intended by the Apostle This we must farther confirm as the foundation of the ensuing Exposition That this then is the intendment of the Apostle appeareth First From the limitation annexed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 concerning which we treat This is the world whereof he treats with the Hebrews in this Epistle namely the Gospel-State of the Church the Worship whereof he had in the words immediately foregoing pressed them unto the observation of And not only so but described it also by that State wherein the miraculous Gifts of the Holy Ghost were given and enjoyed And the mention of them in the words directly preceding is that description of the World to come which the Apostle in these words refers unto concerning which we speak And the Tradition of this New World or the Restauration of all things under the Messiah was one of the principal Reports of Truth received among the Jews which the Apostle presseth them withall Some suppose that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we speak is put for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we have spoken and would have it refer unto Ch. 1.6 But what the Apostle there intendeth by the World we have sufficiently evinced and declared The World there by an usual Synechdoche is put for the habitable earth the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the Son of God made and came unto John 1.11 Here a certain state and condition of things in the world about which he treated with the Hebrews is intended Besides they who would thus change the word Grotius Crellius Schlictingius by the world Chap. 1.6 understand Heaven it self the state of Glory which is not here insisted on by the Apostle For Secondly He treats of that which was already done in the crowning of Jesus with Glory and Honor as the words following do manifest This crowning of him was upon his Ascension as we have before proved at large Then was not the state of Glory made subject unto him because it was not then nor is yet in being And therefore they who turn we speak into we have before spoken are forced also to pervert the following words and to interpret he hath made all things subject unto him he hath purposed or decreed so to do both without cause or reason The World whereof the Apostle treats was immediately made subject to Jesus that is the Church of the New Testament when God anointed him King upon his holy Hill of Sion and therefore in the Psalm is there mention made of those other parts of the Creation to be joyned in this subjection that have no Relation unto Heaven Thirdly The Apostle doth not treat directly any where in this Epistle concerning Heaven or the world of the blessed to come he frequently indeed mentions Heaven not absolutely but as it belongs unto the Gospel world as being the place of the constant residence of the High Priest of the Church and wherein also the Worship of it is through faith celebrated Fourthly The Apostle in these words insists on the Antithesis which he pursueth in his whole discourse between the Judaical and Evangelical Church-state for what ever power Angels might have in and over things formerly this World to come saith he is not made subject unto them Now it is not Heaven and Glory that he opposeth to the Judaical Church-state and Worship but that of the Gospel as we shall find in the progress of the Epistle which is therefore necessarily here intended Fifthly If by the World to come the eternal blessed state of Glory be designed to begin at or after the general Judgment then here is a promise that that blessed estate shall de novo be put in subjection to Jesus Christ as Mediator but this is directly contrary unto what is else-where revealed by the same Apostle concerning the transactions between the Father and the Son as Mediator at that day 1 Cor. 15.28 And when all shall be subdued unto him then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him who put all things under him that God may be all in all Which words if they do not absolutely assert the ceasing of the Kingdom of the Mediator but only the order of all things unto Eternity in their subjection unto God by Christ yet they are plainly exclusive of the grant of a new Power or Authority unto him or of a-new making subject of all things unto him Adde unto all this that the Apostle proves the subjection of this world unto the Lord Christ and not unto Angels by a testimony expressing directly the present things of this world antecedent unto the day of Judgment From what hath been discoursed we conclude that the World to come here expressed is the State and Worship of the Church under the Messiah called so by the Apostle according to the usual appellation which then it had obtained among the Jews and allowed by him until the Mosaical Church-state was utterly removed And he afterwards declares how this comprized Heaven it self also because of the Residence of our High Priest in the Holiest not made with hands and the continual admission of the Worshippers unto the Throne of Grace This is the subject of the Apostles Proposition that concerning which he treats Concerning this World the Apostle first declares negatively that it is not made subject unto Angels The subjecting of this World to come unto any is such a disposal of it as that he or they unto whom it is put in subjection should as the Lord of it erect institute or set it up rule and dispose of it being erected and judge or reward it in the end of its course and time This is denied concerning Angels and the denial proved tacitly because no such thing is testified in the Scripture And herein the Apostle either preventeth an Objection that might arise from the power of the Angels in and over the Church of old as some think or rather proceeds in his design of exalting the Lord Jesus above them and thereby prefers the Worship of the Gospel before that prescribed by the Law of Moses For he seems to grant that the old Church and Worship were in a sort made subject unto Angels this of the World to come being solely and immediately in his power who in all things was to have the preeminence And this will farther appear if we consider the instances before mentioned wherein the subjection of this World to come unto any doth consist First It was
disordered by sin but are now all recollected and brought into order under one Head Him hath he given to be Head over all things unto the Church verse 22. The whole Sovereignty over all the whole Creation that is committed unto him is only for this end that he may be the more perfect and glorious Head to the Church He is that Head on which the whole body hath its orderly and regular dependance Ephes. 4.15 16. The head of the body the Church Col. 1.18 The head of every man that is of every believer 1 Cor. 11.3 Ephes. 5.23 And this is every where proposed both as our great Honour and our great Advantage To be united unto him subjected unto him as our Head gives us both honour and safety What greater honour can we have than to be free-men of that Corporation whereof he is the Head than to be subjects of his Kingdom What greater safety than to be united unto him insâ—parably who is in Glory invested with all Power and Authority over the whole Creation of God every thing that may do us good or evil 2. That he is our only Head The Church is so put in subjection unto the Lord Christ as not to be subject unto any other It is true the Members of the Church as men on the earth have other Relations in respect whereof they are or may be subject one to another Children unto Parents Servants unto Masters People unto Rulers but as they are Members of the Church they are subject unto Christ and none other If any other were or might be an Head unto them they must be Angels or men As for Angels we have it here plainly testified that the Church is not made subject in any thing unto them And amongst men the Apostles of all others might seem to lay the justest claim to this Priviledge and Honor. But they openly disclaim any pretence thereunto So doth Paul 2 Cor. 1.24 We have no Dominion Rule Lordship Headship over your faith any thing that concerns your obedience to God and your Worship but are helpers of your joy And again saith he We preach not our selves but Jesus Christ the Lâ—rd the only Lord and our selves your servants for Jesus sake 2 Cor. 4.5 And Peter as it should seem foreseeing that some who should come after would pretend unto such Preheminence warns the Elders that they should not think themselves Lords over Gods heritage 1 Pet. 5.3 And this they did in pursuit of the instructions and charge which their Lord and Master gave them Matth. 23.25 26 27. where he warns them that they should neither think of Dignity nor Dominion over the Church but apply themselves with all Humility unto the service of it for which he else-where addes his reason namely that all his Disciples have one Lord and Master and no more Joh. 13.13 Matth. 23.9 10. And it is a woful confusion that the Papists run themselves into in this matter For first they put the whole Church into subjection unto a man whom they call the Pope the common Father and Master of Christians the Head of the Church and then subject both him and it unto Angels in the Adoration and Invocation of them the greatest subjection possible when the Scripture assigneth one only Head of the Church expresly even the Lord Jesus and fully declares that it is not put in subjection unto Angels at all But to pass them by the Lord Christ is not only thus the only Head in general unto the whole Church but also unto every individual Believer in the Church The Head of every man is Christ 1 Cor. 11.3 He is so to every believer respectively and severally and that in both those senses wherein he is an Head that is according to the natural and metaphorical use of the word For 1. He is the only Head of Vital Influence to the whole Church and every member thereof As from the natural Head all influences of life for subsistence motion acting guidance and direction are communicated unto the whole body and to every member thereof so from the Lord Christ alone as he is the spiritually vital Head of the Church in whom are the springs of life and all quickning grace there are communicated unto the whole Church and every believer therein both the first quickning vital principle of life it self and all succeeding supplies and influences of grace for the enlivening strengthning acting guiding and directing of them This himself declares by comparing the Relations of all believers unto him unto that of branches unto the Vine Joh. 15.2 4. which have no life but by vertue of their union unto the Vine nor sap for fruitfulness but what is derived therefrom which he teacheth expresly verse 5. Without me saith he ye can do nothing And this the Apostle lively sets out unto us in the similitude of the natural body Col. 2.19 And this placing of all fulness in the Lord Christ as the Head of the Church that thence the whole and every member of it might derive needful supplies to themselves is fully taught us in the Gospel Hence the Church is called the fulness of Christ Ephes. 1.2 3. or that whereunto Christ communicates of his All-fulness of Grace until it comes unto the measure or degree of growth and perfection which he hath graciously assigned unto it And none I suppose will contend but that the Lord Christ is the alone and only Head of the Church in this sense It hath not a spiritual dependance on any other for grace There is indeed I know not what monster lies in the Opinion of them who take upon themselves to confer grace unto others by vertue of such things as they do unto them or for them but this we do not now consider If any man think he may have grace from any but Christ alone be they Angels or men let him turn himself unto them but withall know assuredly that he forsakes the Fountain of living waters for broken cisterns which will yield him no relief 2. He is the only Head of Rule and Government unto the whole Church and every member thereof This Rule or Government of the Church concerneth all that Obedience which it yields unto God in his Worship And unto an Head herein it is required that he give perfect Rules and Laws for all things necessarily belonging thereunto and to take care that they be observed And here a great contest ariseth in the world The Papists in behalf of their Pope and others under him contend to be sharers with the Lord Christ in this his Headship and fain they would perswade us that he himself hath appointed that so it should be The Scripture tells us that he was faithful in the whole house of God as was Moses and that as a Lord over his own house to erect rule and establish it and himself when he gives commission unto his Apostles bids them to teach men to do and observe all that he had commanded them And accordingly they
is good gracious and merciful Isa. 50.10 And withall it intimates what God requires of them towards whom he is so good and gracious This Name of God is unknown to men by nature so is the way and means whereby he will communicate his Goodness and Grace unto them And this is the Name of God here intended which the Lord Jesus manifested unto the men given him out of the world Joh. 17.5 which is the same with his declaring the Father whom no man hath seen at any time Joh. 1.18 This is that Name of God which the Lord Jesus Christ had experience of in his sufferings and the manifestation whereof unto his Brethren he had procured thereby Hereof he says in the Psalm 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will declare it recount it in order number the particulars that belong unto it and so distinctly and evidently make it known 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will make it known as a messenger sent from thee and by thee And there are two ways whereby the Lord Christ declared this Name of God 1. In his own Person and that both before and after his sufferings for although it be mentioned here as a work that ensued his death yet is it not exclusive of his teachings before his suffering because they also were built upon the supposition thereof Thus in the dayes of his flesh he instructed his Disciples and preached the Gospel in the Synagogues of the Jews and in the Temple declaring the name of God unto them So also after his Resurrection he conferred with his Apostles about the Kingdom of God Acts 1. 2. By his Spirit and that both in the Effusion of it upon his Disciples enabling them personally to preach the Gospel unto the men of their own generation and in the Inspiration of some of them enabling them to commit the Truth unto writing for the Instruction of the Elect unto the end of the world And herein doth the Apostle according unto his wonted manner not only confirm what he had before delivered but make way for what he had farther to instruct the Hebrews in namely the Prophetical Office of Christ as he is the great Revealer of the Will of God and Teacher of the Church which he professedly insists upon in the beginning of the next Chapter In the second part of this first Testimony is declared farther 1 What Christ will moreover do He will sing praises unto God and 2. Where he will do it in the midst of the Congregation The Expression of both these is accommodated unto the Declaration of Gods Name and praising of him in the Temple The singing of Hymns of praise unto God in the great Congregation was then a principal part of his Worship And in the first Expression two things are observable 1. What Christ undertakes to do and that is to praise God Now this is only Exegetical of what went before He would praise God by declaring his name There is no way whereby the Praise of God may be celebrated like that of declaring his Grace Goodness and love unto men whereby they may be won to believe and trust in him whence Glory redounds unto him 2. The chearfulness and alacrity of the Spirit of Christ in this work he would do it as with Joy and Singing with such a frame of heart as was required in them who were to sing the praises of God in the great Assemblies in the Temple 2. Where would he do this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the midst of the Congregation the great Congregation as he calls it v. 25. that is the great Assembly of the people in the Temple And this was a Type of the whole Church of the Elect under the New Testament The Lord Christ in his own Person by his Spirit in his Apostles and his Word by all his Messengers unto the end of the world setting forth the Love Grace Goodness and Mercy of God in him the Mediator sets forth the praise of God in the midst of the Congregation I shall only add that whereas singing of hymns unto God was an especial part of the Instituted Worship under the Old Testament to whose use these Expressions are accommodated it is evident that the Lord Christ hath eminently set forth this praise of God in his Institution of Worship under the New Testament wherein God will ever be glorified and praised This was that which the Lord Christ engaged to do upon the Issue of his sufferings and we mâ—y propose it unto our Example and Instruction namely V. That which was principally in the heart of Christ upon his sufferings was to declare and manifest the Love Grace and Good will of God unto men that they might come to an Acquaintance with him and Acceptance before him There are two things in the Psalm and the words that manifest how much this was upon the heart of Christ. The most part of the Psalm containeth the great conflâ—ct that he had with his sufferings and the Displeasure of God against sin declared therein He is no sooner delivered from thence but instantly he engageth in this work As he lands upon the shore from that Tempest wherein he was tossed in his Passion he cryes out I will declare thy name unto my brethren in the midst of the Congregation will I sing praise unto thee And thus we find that upon his Resurrection he did not immediately ascend into glory but first declared the name of God unto his Apostles and Disciples and then took order that by them it should be declared and published to all the world This was upon his Spirit and he entered not into his glorious Rest untill he had performed it The words themselves also do evidence it in that Expression of celebrating Gods name with hymns with singing It was a joy of heart unto him to be engaged in this work Singing is the frame 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 James 5.13 of them that are in a glad free rejoycing condition So was the Lord Christ in this work He rejoyced of old with the very thoughts of this work Prov. 8.30 31. Isa. 61.1 2 3. And it was one of the glorious Promises that were made unto him upon his undertaking the work of our Salvation that he should declare or preach the Gospel and the name of God therein unto the Conversion of Jews and Gentiles Isa. 49.1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10. He rejoyced therefore greatly to do it and that First Because herein consisted the Manifestation and Exaltation of the glory of God which he principally in his whole work aimed at He came to do the will and thereby to set forth the glory of the Father By and in him God designed to make his glory known the glory of his Love and Grace in sending him the glory of his Justice and faithfulness in his sufferings the glory of his Mercy in the Reconciliation and Pardon of sinners the glory of his Wisdom in the whole Mysterie of his Mediation and the glory together
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