the new Creation or state of the Church under the Gospel but the whole world and all things therein contained they do in this very Epistle Chap. 11.3 5. Wherever the Apostle in this Epistle speaks in the Judaical Idiom of the Church-State under the Messiah he never calls it by the name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but still with the limitation of to come as Chap. 2.5 Chap. 6.5 And where the word is used absolutely as in this place and Chap. 11.3 it is the whole world that is intended 6. The Context utterly refuseth this Gloss. The Son in the preceeding words is said to be made Heir or Lord of all that is of all things absolutely and universally as we have evinced and is confessed Unto that Assertion he subjoyns a reason of the equity of that transcendent Grant made unto him namely because by him all things were made whereunto he adds his upholding ruling and disposing of them being so made by him he upholdeth all things by the word of his power That between the all things whereof he is Lord and the all things that he upholds there should be an interposition of words of the same importance with them expressing the Reason of them that go afore and the foundation of that which follows knitting both parts together and yet indeed have a signification in them of things utterly heterogeneous to them is most unreasonable to imagine We have now obtained liberty by removing the entanglements cast in our way to proceed to the opening of the genuine sense and importance of these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by whom not as an Instrument or an inferiour intermediate created Cause for then also must he be created by himself seeing all things that were made were made by him Joh. 1.3 but as his own eternal Word Wisdom and Power Prov. 8.22 23 24. Joh. 1.3 The same individual creating act being the work of Father and Son whose Power and Wisdom being one and the same individed so also are the works which outwardly proceed from them And as the joint working of Father and Son doth not inferr any other subordination but that of subsistence and order so the Preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth not of it self intimate the subjection of an instrumental Cause being used sometimes to express the work of the Father himself Gal. 1.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 created so the Apostle expresseth that word Acts 17.24 26. And the LXX most commonly as Gen. 1.1 though sometimes they use 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as our Apostle also doth Chap. 10. He made created produced out of nothing by the things not seen Chap. 11.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so that word is constantly rendered by the Greeks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to hide or to be hid kept secret close undiscovered Whence a Virgin is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one not yet come into the publick state of Matrimony as by the Greeks on the same account 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one shut up or a recluse as the Targumists call an Harlot 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a goer abroad from that description of her Prov. 7.10 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 her feet dwell not in her own house one while she is in the Street another while abroad As the Mother of the Family is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the dweller at home Psalm 68.13 Hence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies the Ages of the world in their succession and duration which are things secret and hidden what is past is forgotten what is to come is unknown and what is present passing away without much Observation See Ecclesiastes 1. v. 10. The world then that is visible and a spectacle in its self in respect of its continuance and duration is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a thing hidden So that the word denotes the fabrick of the world by a Metonymie of the Adjunct When the Hebrews would express the world in respect of the substance and matter of the Universe they do it commonly by a distribution of the whole into its most general and comprehensive parts as the Heavens Earth and Sea subjoyning all things contained in them This the Greeks and Latins from its Order Frame and Ornaments call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and mundus which principally respects that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that beauty and ornament of the Heavens which God made by his Spirit Job 26.13 And as it is inhabited by the Sons of men they call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prov. 8.30 The world of the earth principally the habitable parts of the Earth As quickly passing away they call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in respect of its successive duration 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word here used 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Plural number the worlds so called Chap. 11.3 by a meer Enallage of number as some suppose or with respect to the many Ages of the worlds duration But moreover the Apostle accommodates his expression to the received opinion of the Jews and their way of expressing themselves about the world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 denotes the world as to the subsistence of it and as to its duration in both these respects the Jews distributed the world into several parts calling them so many worlds R.D. Kimchi on Isa. 6. distributes these worlds into three on the account of which he sayes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 holy was three times repeated by the Seraphims There are saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 three worlds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the upper world which is the world of Angels and Spirits 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the world of the Heavens and Stars and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this world below But in the first respect they generally assign these four 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the lower world the depressâ—d world the Earth and Air in the several regions of it 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the world of Angels or Ministring Spirits whom they suppose to inhabit in High Places where they may supervize the affairs of the Earth 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the world of Spheres and 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the highest world called by Paul the third Heaven 2 Cor. 12.2 and by Solomon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Heaven of Heavens 2 Kings 8.27 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Olam hanneshamoth the world of Spirits or souls departed In respect of duration they assign a fivefold world 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 called by Peter the old world or the world before the Flood the world that perished 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the present world or the state of things under the Judaical Church 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the world of the coming of the Messiah or the world to come as the Apostle calls it Chap. 2.5 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the world of the Resurrection
to be at the Right Hand of Christ Psalm 45.9 which as it prefers her above all others so it takes not off her subjection unto Christ. Nero in Suetonius when Tiridâ—tes King of Armenia came to Rome placed him for his Honour on his right hand himself sitting on the Throne of Rule And where three sit together the middle seat is the place of chiefest honour Hence Cato in Africk when Juba would have placed himself in the midst between him and Scipio removed himself to the left hand of Scipio that Juba might not have the place of preheminence above Roman Magistrates It is not unlikely but that there may be an Allusion in this expression unto the Sanhedrin the highest Court of Judicature among the Jews He who presided in it was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Father of Judgement or Father of the House of Judgement and sate at the right hand of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Prince of the Sanhedrin next unto him unto whom belonged the execution of the Sentence of the Court. Of this Ab din mention is made in the Targum Cantic 7.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Father of the House of Judgement who judgeth thy judgements agreeable to that the Father judgeth no man but hath committed all judgement unto the Son The whole Expression then is plainly Metaphorical and taken from what is or was in use amongst men and thence translated to signifie the State and Condition of Christ in Heaven And this is that which the Apostle in general intimates in these words that as the greatest Honour that can be done unto any one among the sons of men is for the Chief Ruler to set him next himself on his Right Hand so is the Son as Mediator made partaker of the greatest glory that God hath to bestow in Heaven It is not then the Essential Eternal Glory of the Son of God that he hath equal with the Father which in these words is expressed and whereof the Apostle had spoken before but that Glory and Honour which is bestowed on him by the Father after and upon the Sacrifice of himself for the Expiation of sin So then the Right hand of God is not here taken absolutely as in other places for the Power and Strength of God but with the adjunct of sitting at it it shadows out a place and eminency of Glory as he is considered on his Throne of Majesty and therefore it is here termed the Right hand of Majesty and not of Omnipotency or Power In particular two things are intended in this Expression First The Security of Christ from all his Adversaries and all sufferings for the future The Jews knew what he suffered from God and Man Hereof he lets them know what was the reason it was for the purging of our sins And moreover declares that now he is everlastingly secured from all Opposition for where he is thither his Adversaries cannot come as Joh. 7.34 He is above their reach beyond their power secure in the Throne and Presence of God Thus the fruit of the Church being secured from the rage and persecution of Sathan is said to be caught up unto God and to his throne Rev. 12.5 Hence though men do and will continue their malice and wrath against the Lord Christ to the end of the world as though they would crucifie him afresh yet he dies no more being secure out of their reach at the Right hand of God Secondly His Majesty and Glory inexpressible All that can be given of God in heaven God on his Throne is God in the full manifestation of his own Majesty and Glory on his Right hand sits the Mediator yea so as that he also is in the midst of the Thrones Revel 5.6 How little can our weak understandings apprehend of this Majesty See Phil. 2.8 Matth. 20.21 Rom. 8.34 Col. 3.5 Ephes. 1.20 These are the things which the Apostle sets forth in this Expression And they are plainly intimated in the Context of the Psalm from whence the words are taken Psal. 110.1 So that it is not his Rule and Authority but his Safety Majesty and Glory which accompany them that are here intended Thirdly We are to enquire what it was that the Apostle had respect unto in this Ascription of Glory and Majesty unto Christ in the old Church state of the Jews and so what it is that he preferreth him above It is thought by many that the Apostle in these words exalteth Christ above David the chiefest King among the Jews Of him it is said that God would make him his first-born higher than the Kings of the earth Psal. 89.27 His Throne was high on the earth and his Glory above that of all the Kings about him but for the Lord Christ he is incomparably exalted above him also in that he is sate down at the Right hand of the Majâ—sty on High But as was said these words denote not the Rule Power or Authority of Christ typed by the Kingdom of David but his Glory and Majesty represented by the magnificent Throne of Solomon Besides he is not treating of the Kingly Power of Christ but of his Sacerdotal Office and the Glory that ensued upon the discharge thereof That therefore which in these words the Apostle seems to have had respect unto was the high Priests entrance into the Holy Place after his offering of the solemn anniversary Sacrifice of Expiation Then alone was he admitted into that Holy Place or Heaven below where was the solemn Representation of the Presence of God his Throne and his Glory And what did he there He stood with all Humility and lowly Reverence ministring before the Lord whose presence was there represented He did not go and sit down between the Cherubims but worshipping at the foot-stool of the Lord he departed It is not saith the Apostle so with Christ but as his Sacrifice was infinitely more excellent and effectual than theirs so upon the offering of it he entered into the Holy Place or Heaven it self above and into the real glorious presence of God not to minister in humility but to a participation of the Throne of Majesty and Glory He is a King and Priest upon his Throne Zech. 6.13 Thus the Apostle shuts up his general Proposition of the whole matter which he intends farther to dilate and treat upon In this description of the Person and Offices of the Messiah he coucheth the springs of all his ensuing Arguments and from thence enforceth the Exhortation which we have observed him constantly to pursue And we also may hence observe 1. That there is nothing more vain foolish and fruitless than the Opposition which Sathan and his Agents yet make unto the Lord Christ and his Kingdom Can they ascend into heaven Can they pluck the Lord Christ from the Throne of God A little time will manifest this madness and that unto Eternity 2. That the service of the Lord Christ is both safe and honourable
〈◊〉 is both to differ and excel but the differentius of the Vulgar yields no good sense in this place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 haereditavit sortitus est jure hereditario obtinuit of the importance of which word before Being in so much preferred exalted made eminent above Angels as he obtained inherited a more excellent name than they There are five things considerable in and for the Exposition of these words First What it is that the Apostle asserts in them as his general Proposition namely that the Son as the great Priest and Prophet of the Church was preferred above and made more glorious and powerful than the Angels and how this was done and wherein it doth consist Secondly When he was so preferred above them which belongs unto the Explication and right understanding of the former Thirdly The Degree of this preference of him above the Angels intimated in the comparison being by so much made more excellent as he hath c. Fourthly The Proof of the Assertion both absolutely and as to the Degree intimated and this is taken from his Name Fifthly The way whereby he came to have this Name he obtained it as his lot and portion or he inherited it First He is made more excellent than the Angels preferred above them that is say some declared so to be Tum res dicitur fieri cum incipit patesieri Frequently in tho Scripture a thing is then said to be made or to be when it is manifested so to be And in this sense the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is sometimes used Rom. 3.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let God be true and every man a liar that is manifested and acknowledged so to be So James 1.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he that is approved in trial and thereby manifested to be sincere and sound In this sense the Apostle tells us Rom. 1.3 that the Lord Christ was declared to be the Son of God by the resurrection from the dead The resurrection from the dead did not make him to be the Son of God but evidently manifested and declared him so to be According to this interpretation of the words that which the holy Ghost intimateth is That whereas the Lord Christ ministred in an outwardly low condition in this world whilst he purged our sins yet by his sitting down at the right hand of God he was revealed manifested declared to be more excellent than all the Angels in heaven But I see no reason why we should desert the proper and most usual signification of the word nothing in the Context perswading us so to do Besides this suits not the Apostles design who doth not prove from the Scripture that the Lord Christ was manifested to be more excellent than the Angels but that really he was preferred and exalted above them So then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is as much as preferred exalted actually placed in more Power Glory Dignity than the Angels This John Baptist affirms of him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He was preferred before me because he was before me Preferred above him called to another manner of Office than that which John ministred in made before or above him in Dignity because he was before him in Nature and Existence And this is the proper sense of the words The Lord Jesus Christ the Revealer of the Will of God in the Gospel is exalted above preferred before made more excellent and glorious than the Angels themselves all or any of them who ministred unto the Lord in the giving of the Law on mount Sinai Some object unto this Interpretation That he who is said to be made or set above the Angels is supposed to have been lower than they before To which I answer And so he was not in respect of Essence Subsistence and real Dignity but in respect of the infirmities and sufferings that he was exposed unto in the discharge of his word here on the earth as the Apostle expresly declares chap. 2.9 2. And this gives us light into our second enquiry on these words namely When it was that Christ was thus exalted above the Angels 1. Some say that it was in the time of his Incarnation for then the Humane Nature being taken into Personal subsistence with the Son of God it became more excellent than that of the Angels This sense is fixed on by some of the Antients who are followed by sundry Modern Expositors But we have proved before that it is not of either Nature of Christ absolutely or abstractedly that the Apostle here speaketh nor of his Person but as vested with his Office and discharging of it And moreover the Incarnation of Christ was part of his Humiliation and Exinanition and is not therefore especially intended where his Exaltation and Glory is expresly spoken of 2. Some say that it was at the time of his Baptism when he was anointed with the Spirit for the discharge of his Prophetical Office Isa. 60.1 2. But yet neither can this Designation of the time be allowed And that because the main things wherein he was made lower than the Angels as his temptations and sufferings and death it self did follow his Baptism and Unction 3. It must therefore be the time of his Resurrection Ascension and Exaltation at the Right hand of God which ensued thereon that is designed as the season wherein he was made more excellent than the Angels as evidently appears from the Text and Context For 1. That was the Time as we have shewed before when he was gloriously vested with that All Power in heaven and earth which was of old designed unto him and prepared for him 2. The Order also of the Apostles discourse leads us to fix on this season After he had by himself purged our sins he sat down c. Being made so much more excellent that is therein and then he was so made 3. The Testimony in the first place produced by the Apostle in the confirmation of his Assertion is elsewhere as we shall see applied by himself unto his Resurrection and the Glory that ensued and consequently they are also in this place intended 4. This Preference of the Lord Christ above the Angels is plainly included in that Grant of All Power made unto him Matth. 28.18 expounded Ephes. 1.21 22. 5. The Testimony used by the Apostle in the first place is the word that God spake unto his King when he set him upon his holy Hill of Sion Psal. 2.6 7 8. which typically expresseth his glorious Enstalment in his heavenly Kingdom The Lord Christ then who in respect of his Divine Nature was always infinitely and incomparably himself more excellent than all the Angels after his Humiliation in the Assumption of the Humane Nature with the sufferings and temptations that he underwent upon his Resurrection was exalted into a condition of Glory Power Authority and Excellency and entrusted with Power over them as our Apostle here informs us 3. In this Preference and Exaltation of the Lord Christ there is
way belong unto that in whose confirmation they are produced by the Author of this Epistle Erasmus upon his Testimony in Chap. 2. produced out of Psalm 8.4 5. which as he saith is urged to the direct contrary of the intention of the Psalmist and scope of the words Eniedinus insists on the same places and others Now two things must be supposed to give countenance unto this Objection First That those who make it do better understand the meaning and the importance of the Testimonies so produced out of the Old Testament than he did by whom they are here alledged This is the foundation of this Exception which if once admitted it may be easily imagined how able some men will quickly think themselves to question other allegations in the New Testament and thereby render the Authority of the whole dubious They must I say take upon themselves to know the true meaning of them and that in the uttermost extent of signification and intention as given out by the Holy Ghost before they can charge their misapplication on this Author How vain unjust arrogant and presumptious this supposition is needs little labour to demonstrate The understandings of men are a very sorry measure of the Truth with the whole sense and intendment of the Holy Ghost in every place of Scripture Nay it may much more rationally be supposed that though we all know enough of the mind and will of God in the whole Scripture to guide and regulate our faith and obedience yet that we are rather ignorant of his utmost intention in every place than that we know it in all There is a depth and breadth in every word of God because his which we are not able to fathom and compass to the utmost It being enough for us that we may infallibly apprehend so much of his mind and will as is indispensably necessary for us to the obedience that he requires at our hands An humble reverential Consideration of all indeed almost any of the Testimonies alledged in the New Testament out of the old is sufficient to evince the truth of this Consideration We know but in part and we prophesie in part 1 Cor. 13.9 Quantum est quod nescimus how much is it that we know not or as Job speaks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 how small is the word that we understand of God Chap. 26.24 One sayes well est Sacra Scriptura veluti fons quidam in bono terrae loco scaturiens quem quo altius foderis eo magis exuberantem invenies ita quo diligentius Sacram Scripturam interpretaris eo abundantiores aquae vivae venas reperies Brent Hom. 36. in 1 Sam. 11. That Objection then must needs be very weak whose fundamental strength consists in so vain a presumption Again they must take it for granted that they are aforehand fully acquainted with the particular intention of the Author in the Assertions which he produceth these Testimonies in the Confirmation of and with all the wayes of arguing and pressing Principles of faith used by men writing by Divine inspiration Neither is this supposition less rash or presumptious than the former Men who bring their own Hypothesis and preconceived senses unto the Scripture with a desire to have them cofirmed are apt to make such conclusions Those that come with humility and reverence of his Majesty with whom they have to do to learn from him his mind and will therein whatever he shall thereby reveal so to be will have other thoughts and apprehensions Let men but suffer the Testimonies and Assertions whose unsuitableness is pretended to explain one another and the agreement will quickly appear And the worst that will ensue will be only the emergence of a sense from them which perhaps they understood not in either of them singly or separately considered Thus infirm on all accounts is this Objection For the instances themselves some light will be given unto them from what we shall afterwards discourse of the Authors wayes and Principles that he proceeds upon in his Citations of Testimonies out of the Old Testament And in particular in our Exposition of the places themselves we shall manifest that his Application of them is every way suitable to the very letter of the Text and manifest intention of the Holy Ghost So false and unjust as well as rash and presumptious is this Objection § 21 Neither is there any more reall weight in that which Erasmus in the next place objects namely that some things in it seem to give Countenance unto some exploded Opinions of Antient Hereticks whereof he gives us a double instance First Quod velum seperans sanctum sanctorum interpretatur coelum that he interprets the Vail separating the Most Holy Place to be Heaven which indeed he neither doth but only affirms that the Most Holy Place in the Tabernacle was a Type or Figure of Heaven it self nor if he should have so done had he given the least countenance unto the fondness of the Manichees whom I suppose he intendeth His whole Discourse perfectly exploding their abominations His other Instance is in that vexed place chap. 6.6 favouring as he pretends the Novatians denying recovery by repentance unto them who had fallen into sin after Baptism But the incompetency of this Objection rising meerly from their ignorance of the true meaning of the Holy Ghost that made it as for the end for which it was used hath been demonstrated by many of old and late And the Lord assisting in our Exposition of that place we shall shew that it is so far from giving Countenance unto any error or mistake which any man may fall into contrary to the Gospel that a more plain familiar and wholesome commination is hardly to be found in the whole Book of God And this is the summ of what I can meet withall that is objected against the Canonical Authority of this Epistle which how little it amounts unto beyond an evidence of mens willingness to lay hold on slight occasions to vent their Curiosities and Conceptions the Reader that is godly and wise will quickly perceive § 22 Having removed these Objections out of our way we shall now proceed to demonstrate the Canonical Authority of this Epistle in the strict and proper sense at large before declared Now the summ of what we shall plead in this cause amounts to this that whereas there are many 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or infallible evidences of any Writings being given by Divine inspiration and sundry Arguments whereby Books or Writings ungroundedly pretending to that Original may be disproved that of the former there is no one that is not Applicable unto this Epistle nor is it obnoxious unto any one of the latter sort Of what nature in general that evidence is which is given unto the Divine Original of the Scripture by the Characters thereof implanted in it or other Testimony given unto it or what is the assurance of mind concerning it which thereupon we are furnished withall
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
themselves without Certainty or Consistency we are clearly acquainted withall by Divine Revelation The summ of it is briefly proposed by the Apostle Rom. 5. v. 12. By one man sin entered into the World and Death by Sin Sin and Death are comprehensive of all that is Evil in any kind in the world All that is morally so is sin all that is poenally so is Death The entrance of both into the World was by the sin of one man that is Adam the common Father of us all This the Philosophers knew not and therefore knew nothing clearly of the Condition of Mankind in relation unto God But two things doth the Scripture teach us concerning this entrance of Evil into the world First The Punishment that was threatned unto and inflicted on the disobedience of Adam Whatever there is of Disorder Darkness or Confusion in the nature of things here below whatever is uncertain irregular horrid unequal destructive in the Vniverse what ever is poenal unto man or may be so in this Life or unto Eternity what ever the Wrath of the Holy Righteous God revealing its self from Heaven hath brought or shall ever bring on the Works of his hands are to be referred unto this head Other Original of them can no man assign Secondly The moral corruption of the Nature of man the Spring of all sin the other head of Evil proceeded Hence also For by this means that which before was good and upright is become an inexhaustible Treasure of Sin And this was the state of things in the World immediately upon the Fall and Sin of Adam Now the work which we assign unto the Messiah is the Deliverance of Mankind from this State and condition Upon the Supposition and Revelation of this Entranâ—e of Sin and the Evil that ensued thereon is the whole Doctrine of his Office founded as shall afterwards more largely be declared And because we contend against the Jews that he waâ— promised and exhibited for a Relief in the Wisdom Grace and Righteousness of God against this sin and misery of mankind as our Apostle also expresly proveth Chap. 2. of his Epistle unto them this being denyed by them as that which would overthrow all their fond imaginations about his Person and Office we must consider what is their Sense and Apprehension about these things with what may be thence educed for their own Conviction and then confirm the Truth of our Assertion from those Testimonies of Scripture which themselves own and receive The first effect and consequent of the sin of Adam was the punishment wherewith it § 6 was attended What is written hereof 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Scripture the Jews neither can nor do deny Death was in the commination given to deter him from his Transgression 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gen. 2.17 Dying thou shalt dye Neither can it be reasonably pretended to be singly Death unto his own Person which is intended in that expression The Event sufficiently evinceth the contrary What ever is or might be Evil unto himself and his whole Posterity with the residue of the Creation so far as he or they might be any way concerned therein hath grown out of this commination And this is sufficiently manifested in the first Execution of it Gen. 3.16 17 18 19. The Malediction was but the Execution of the Commination It was not consistent with the Justice of God to increase the Penalty after the sin was committed The threatning therefore was the Rule and measure of the Curse But this is here extended by God himself not only to all the miseries of Man Adam and his whole Posterity in this Life in labour disappointment sweat and sorrow with Death under and by vertue of the Curse but to the whole Earth also and consequently unto those superiour Regions and Orbs of Heaven by whose influence the Earth is as it were governed and disposed unto the Use of Man Hos. 2. v. 21 22. It may be yet farther enquired what was to be the duration and continuance of the Punishment to be inflicted in the pursuit of this Commination and Malediction Now there is not any thing in the least to intimate that it should have a term prefixed unto it wherein it should expire or that it should not be commensurate unto the existence or being of the sinner God layes the Curse on man and there he leaves him and that for ever A miserable life he was to spend and then to dye under the Curse of God without hopes of emerging into a better condition About his subsistence after this Life we have no controversie with the Jews They all acknowledge the immortality of the Soul for the Sect of the Sadducees is long since extinct neither are they followed by the Karaeans in their Atheistical Opinions as hath been declared Some of them indeed encline unto the Pythagorean Metempsuchosis but all acknowledge the Souls Perpetuity Supposing then Adam to dye poenally under the Curse of God as without extraordinary Relief he must have done the Righteousness and Truth of God being engaged for the Execution of the Threatning against him I desire to know what should have been the State and condition of his Soul Doth either Revelation or Reason intimate that he should not have continued for ever under the same Penalty and Curse in a state of Death or Separation from God And if he should have done so then was Death eternal in the Commination This is that which with respect unto the present effects in this life and the punishment due to sin is termed by our Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Thess. 1. v. 10. the Wrath to come from whence the Messiah is the Deliverer Nor will the Jews themselves contend that the guilt of any sin respects only temporal punishment The Event of Sin unto themselves they take to be that only imagining their Observation of the Law of Moses such as it is to be a sufficient Expiation of Punishment eternal But unto all strangers from the Law all that have not a Relief provided they make every sin mortal and Adam as I suppose had not the Priviledge of the Present Jews to observe Moses Law Wherefore they all agree that by his Repentance he delivered himself from Death eternal which if it were not due unto his Sin he could not do for no man can by any means escape that whereof he is in no danger And this Repentance of his they affirm to have been attended with severe Discipline and self maceration intimating the greatness of his sin and the difficulty of his escape from the punishment due thereunto So Rabbi Eliezer in Pirke Aboth cap. 20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 On the first day of the Week Adam entred into the Waters of the upper Gihon until the Waters came unto his neck and he afflicted himself seven Weeks untill his Body became like a Sieve And Adam said before the Holy Blessed God Lord of the whole World let my sins I pray thee be
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
root 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in this order 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Ark propitiatory and Cherubins one that is the whole furniture of the Sanctuary 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Divine Majesty or Presence the second It entered not into the House in that glorious and solemn manner that it did into the Temple of Solomon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Holy Ghost which is Prophecy the third all Prophesies ceasing under that House from the dayes of Malachi unto John Baptist 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vrim and Thummim the fourth thing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fire from Heaven to kindle the everlasting fire on the Altar the fifth thing They that acknowledge all these things to have been wanting in the second Temple as the Jews generally do and the Talmud in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chap. 5. expresly cannot well compare the glory of it with the glory of that Temple wherein they were and whereof they were indeed the chiefest glory and the most eminent pledges of the presence of God therein The pretence about the glory of this House from the riches of the Hasmonaeans and § 15 Herod is no less vain That which amongst the Hasmonaeans had the greatest appearance of glory was their High Priest who also came irregularly unto that Office assuming the Royal Power and Titles But this as themselves confess was a sinful disorder and their whole race was quickly extirpated for Herod the great it is well they are on this occasion reconciled unto him whom elsewhere they execrate as an Usurper cruel Tyrant and Slave to the Romans all which he was indeed Little glory came to the Temple by his Rule and Soveraignty Besides during his Reign and the Rule of the remainder of his Race the High Priests were thrust in and out at the pleasures of Brutish Tyrants no order in their Succession no beauty in their Worship being observed or sought after Hence comparing the number of High Priests under the Second Temple with that of them under the first which it trâ—bly surmounts they apply unto it that of Solomon because of the wickedness of the people the Rulers are many To seek for the Glory mentioned among these things and persons is assuredly vain Wherefore others of these Masters waving these empty pretences would have the § 16 glory of this second House to consist in its duration So R. Jonathan in Bereshith Rabba Jarchi on this place and Kimchi whose opinion is repeated by Abarbinel Kimchi tells us that their Masters are divided in this matter and Jarchi that it was Raf and Samuel that were the Authors of this different opinion one affirming that the glory of this House consisted in its greatness the other in its duration and their Dispute in this matter is in Perek Kama of Baba Bathra 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The first House saith he continued four hundred and ten years The second four hundred and twenty This is their account though in truth it continued longer as did the first House also But is this the Glory promised What was the condition of that House in those ten years and almost half ten times ten years before The whole Nation during this space of time was shattered and wasted with Oppressions Seditions and Miseries inexpressible and the House it self made a Dâ—n of Thieves and for the greatest part of the ten years they boast of was filled with cruel bloodshed and daily murders And is it likely that a meer duration in that season wherein for what it was put unto it was abhorred of God and all good men should in this prediction of its State deserve that Prophetical Eulogie of obtaining more glory then the House of Solomon was ever made partaker of There is then nothing more evident then that these inventions are evasions of men who diligently endeavour to hide themselves from Light and Truth not in the least answering either the letter of the Prophecy or the intention of him that gave it It remaineth then that we enquire from the Text what is the truâ— Glory promised § 17 unto this House wherein it was to have the preheminence above the former Now this is expresly said to be the coming unto it of the desire of all Nations The desire of all Nations shall come and I will fill this House with glory and the glory of this latter House shall be greater then that of the former This is directly affirmed to be the glory promised and nothing else is in the least intimated wherein it should consist And there are three circumstances of this glory expressed in the Text. 1. The way whereby it should be brought in I will shake the Heavens and the Earth and the Sea and the dry Land and I will shake all Nations Secondly The season wherein this was to be done Yet once it is a little while Thirdly The Event of it and in this place will I give peace saith the Lord of Hosts all which are severally to be considered and the intendment of the Holy Ghost in them vindicated from the objections of the Jews The first thing we are to enquire after is the Glory it self that is promised in these § 18 words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the desire of all Nations shall come The Jews by these words generally understand the desirable things of the Nations their Silver and Gold which above all things are unto them most desirable These they say the Nations being shaken did bring unto the Temple and therein the glory of it did consist Herein all their Expositors on this place Jarchi Aben Ezra Kimchi and others of them whose Judgements are repeated by Abarbinel do agâ—ee Aben Ezra briefly The Nations shall be shaken 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and shall bring gifts unto my house 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and they shall bring the Treasures of Gold and Silver saith Jarchi as it is recorded in the Book of Joseph Ben Gorion Kimchi to the same purpose somewhat largely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As if it had been said they shall bring in their hands all desirable things that are found in their Lands Vessels of Silver and of Gold Garments and pretious stones and this as I said is their general sâ—nse But First It is directly contrary unto the Context for it is the plain design of the Holy Ghost to take of the thoughts of the people from that kind of glory which consisted in coacervation of ornaments of Silver and Gold which being all of them alwayes in his power he could at that time have furnishâ—d them withall but that he would have them look for another glory Secondly It is perfectly false as to the event for when was there such an outward shaking of all Nations under the second Temple as that thereon they brought their Silver and Gold unto it and that in such abundance as to render it more rich and glorious then the House of Solomon So to wrest the words is plainly to averr that the Promise was never fulfilled
interprets the Angel to be sent before him the Angel of Gods presence from Heaven to lead the people out of their Captivity as of old he went before them in the Wilderness when they came out of Aegypt But we are better taught who this Messenger was Matth. 11.10 Mark 1.2 As for the Lord whom they sought he speaks plainly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is the King the Messiah and this the Angel of the Covenant he adds indeed the old Story about Elijah and his zeal for the Covenant whence he had the honour to preside at Circumcision to see the Covenant observed and may be thence called the Angel of the Covenant But it is plain in the words and confessed by Aben Ezra that the Lord whom they sought and the Angel of the Covenant are the same And as to these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he shall come suddenly unto his Temple he adds in their Explication 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because the time of the end is not revealed nor unfolded in the Book of Daniel It is said he shall come suddenly because there is no man that knows the day of his coming before he came We grant that the precise day of his coming was not known before he came but that the time of it was foretold limited and unfolded in the Book of Daniel so far as the season and age of it would admit was made evident all future expectation declared to be void and that in the Book of Daniel we shall immediately demonstrate At present we have proved and find that they cannot deny but that he was to come unto the second Temple whilest it was yet standing § 27 Once more we may yet add the consent of others of their Masters besides these Expositors Some Testimonies out of their Doctors are Cited by others I shall only name one or two of them in Talmud it self Tractat. Sanâ—d caâ— 11. the application of this place of Haggai unto the Messiah is ascribed unto Rabbi Akiha his words as they report them are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a little glory will I give unto Israel and then the Messiah shall come And this man of so great repute among them that Rabbi Eleazar affirms that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all the wise men of Israel were like a little Garlick in comparison of that bald Rabbi This then is their own avow'd Tradition and the other place of Malachi concerning the Angel of the Covenant is expounded of the Messiah by Rainbain in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the dayes saith he of the Messiah the Children of Israel shall be restored unto their Genealogies by the Holy Ghost that shall rest upon him as it is said Behold I send my Messenger before me and the Lord whom ye seek shall come unto his Temple We have then found out both from the clear words of both these Prophesies and the consent of the Jews themselves who it is that is here promised in them that he should come to his Temple § 28 This is the glory of the second house promised in Haggai The end of the Temple and of all the glory of it and all the Worship performed in it was to prefigure the promised seed who was the true and only substantial glory of them all and of the people to whom they were committed for he was to be a Light to light the Gentiles and the glory of his people Israel Therefore in all the Worship of the Temple those who believed and in the use of the Ordinances of it saw unto the end of their institution did continually exercise faith on his coming and earnestly desire the accomplishment of the promise concerning it The great glory then of this Temple could consist in nothing but this coming of the Lord whom they sought the desire of all Nations unto it Now that he should come whilest the Temple stood and continued is here confirmed by this double Prophetical Testimony and the Temple being utterly and irreparably destroyed now above 1600. years ago It must be acknowledged that the Messiah is long since come unless we will say that the Word of God is vain and his Promise of none effect The General Exception of the Jews unto this Argument taken from the limitation § 29 of the time allotted unto the coming of the Messiah we shall afterwards consider In one word that which they relieve themselves withall against the prediction of Haggai and Malachi that he should come unto the Temple then built amongst them which they acknowledge is so truly ridiculous that I shall not need to retain the Reader with the consideration of it They say the Messiah was born at the Time determined before the destruction of the second Temple but that he is kept hid in the Sea or in Paradise or dwells at the Gates of Rome among the Lepers waiting for a Call from Heaven to go and deliver the Jews with such follies do men please themselves in the great Concernments of the glory of God and their own eternal welfare who are left destitute of the Spirit of light and truth sealed up under the efficacy of their own blindness and unbelief But hereof we shall treat further in the Consideration of their General Answers to this whole Argument in hand Exercitatio XIV Daniels Weeks Chap. 9.24 25 26 27. proposed unto consideration Attempt of a Learned man to prove the coming and suffering of the Messiah not to be intended examined First Reason from the difficulties of the Computation and differences about it removed Whether this place be used in the New Testament Objection from the time of the Beginning of this computation answered Distribution of the LXX Weeks into VII LXII and one Reason of it Objectiâ—n thence answered The cutting of the Messiah and the destruction of the City not joyned in one Week Things mentioned v. 24. peculiar to the Messiah The Prophecy owned by all Christians to respect the Messiah The Events mentioned in it not to be accommodated unto any other No Types in the words but a naked prediction The Prophecies of Daniel not principally intending the Churches of the latter dayes Streights of time intimated when they fell out Coincidence of Phrases in this and other Predictions considered Removal of the daily Offering and causing the Sacrifice and Offering to cease how they differ The Desolation foretold Distribution of the LXX Weeks accommodated unto the Material Jerusalem Objections removed Distribution of things contained in this Prophecy Argument from the computation of time warranted First neglected by the Jews then cursed yet used by them vainly Concurrent Expectation and Fame of the coming of the Messiah upon the Expiration of Daniels Weeks Mixture of things good and poenal Abarbinels Figment rejected Four hundred and ninety years the time limited Fancy of Origen and Apollinaris The true Messiah intended Proved from the Context The Names and Titles given unto him The work assigned to him That work particulary explained the expressions vindicated To make an
but that either they have contracted the guilt of some sin wherewith God was more displeased then with the Idolatry of their fore-fathers or that the Covenant made with them is expired or that there hath been a coincidence of both these and that indeed is the condition of things with them The Messiah came in whom the carnal Covenant was to expire and they rejected and slew him justly deserving their perpetuall rejection from it and disinheritance § 11 Sometimes they will plead that it is for their own sins and the sins of the Generations that succeeded the destruction of the second Temple that they are kept thus long in misery and captivity But we know that they use this plea only as a covering for their obstinate blindness and infidelity Take them from this dispute and they are continually boasting of their Righteousness and Holiness for they do not only assure us that they are better then all the world besides but also much better then their fore-fathers as Manasse plainly affirms in the place before cited and that on the day of Expiation that is once a year they are as holy as the Angels in Heaven There are therefore one or two things which I would desire to know of them as to this pretence of their own sins which on another account must also be afterwards insisted on First Then whereas it is a principle of their faith That all Jews excepting Apostates are so holy and righteous that they shall all be saved have all a portion in the blessed world to come whence is it that none of them are so Righteous as to be returned into the Land of Canaan Is it not strange that that Righteousness which serves the turn to bring them all to Heaven will not serve to bring any one of them to Jerusalem This latter being more openly and frequently promised unto them then the former I know not how to solve this difficulty ipsi viderint Again Repentance from their sins is a thing wholly in their own power or it is not if they shall say it is in their own power as generally they do I desire to know why they defer it The brave imaginations that they have of the levelling of Mountains the dividing of Rivers the singing of Woods and dancing of Trees of the Coaches and Chariots of Kings to carry them as also their riding upon the shoulders of their rich neighbours into Jerusalem the Conquest of the world the eating of Behemoth and drinking the Wine of Paradice the Riches Wives and long Life that they shall have in the dayes of the Messiah do make them as they pretend patiently endure all their long exile and calamitie And can this not prevail with them for a little Repentance which they may perform when they please with a wet finger and so obtain them all in a trice If they are so evidently blind foolish and mad in and about that which they look upon as their only great concernment in this world have they not great cause to be jealous lest they are also equally blind in other things and particularly in that wherein we charge them with blindness This it seems is the State of these things Unless they repent the Messiah will not come unless he come they cannot be delivered out of their calamitie nor enjoy the promises To repent is a thing in their own power which yet they had rather endure all miseries and foregoe all the promises of God then take in hand or go through with it And what shall we say to such a perverse generation of men who openly proclaim that they will live in their sins though they have never more to do with God unto eternity If they shall say that Repentance is the gift of God and that without his powring forth his Spirit upon them they cannot attain unto it then I desire to know whence it is that God doth not give them Repentance as he did to their fore-fathers if the Covenant continue established with them as in former dayes From what hath been discoursed It doth sufficiently appear that the state and condition of the Jews hath been such in the world for these sixteen hundred years as manifests the end of their special Covenant to be long since come and consequently the Messiah in whom it was to expire There is one of them a nameless person not unlearned who hath written somewhat § 12 lately in the Portugal Language which is translated into Latin by Brenius the Socinian who gives so satisfactory an Answer in his own conceit unto this Argument that he concludes that every one who is not obstinate or blinded with corrupt affections must needs acquiesce therein His confidence if not his reasons deserves our consideration especially considering that he offers somewhat new unto us which their former Masters did not insist upon That then which he returns as an Answer unto the enquiry of the Causes and Reasons of their present long captivities and miserie is the sins of their fore-fathers under the first Temple The greatness of these sins he saith is expressed by the Prophet Ezekiel Chap. 16.48 As I live saith the Lord God Sodom thy Sister hath not done she nor her daughters as though hast done thou and thy daughters To which he adds Isa. 1.9 where mention is made again of Sodom So that this Captivity is to them in the room of such a destruction as Sodom was overthrown withall But it may be said that these sins what ever they were were expiated in the Babylonish Captivity and pardoned unto them upon their return So that now they must suffer on the account of their sins committed under the second Temple to which he replyes that this exception is of no force Nam liberatio e Babilone nihil aliud suit quam exploratio qua Deus experiri voluit an cum restitutione Regni Templi possint abbreviari expiari enormia ista quae commiscerant adulterii homicidii Idolatriae peccata sed pro antecedentium debitorum solutione quam prestare debuerunt nova insuper debita accumulaverunt For the deliverance from Babylon was nothing but a tryal whereby God would make an experiment whether with the restitution of their Kingdom and Temple these enormous sins of Adultery Murder and Idolatry which they had committed might have been cut off and expiated but instead of a discharge of their former arrears which they were obliged unto they heaped up new debts by their sins Thus he At their deliverance out of Babylon the people had no discharge of their former sins by the pardon of them but were only tryed how they would afresh acquit themselves with a resolution in God that if they made not satisfaction then for those sins to charge the guilt of them again upon themselves and all their posterity for all the generations that are passed untill this day But First This is plainly a fiction of this mans own devising Let him produce any one word from the Scripture
foresee that their conditions and manners would be such as the event hath proved them whence he must also know that it was impossible that the Messiah should come at the time limited and determined I ask to what end and purpose he doth so often and at so great a distance of time promise and foretell that he should come at such a time and season seeing he knew perfectly that he should not so do and so that not one word of his predictions should be fulfilled why I say did he fix on a time and season foretell it often limit it by signs infallible give out an exact computation of the years from the time of his predictions and call all men unto an expectation of his coming accordingly when by his foresight of the Jews want of merit and repentance no such thing could possibly fall out God who is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth not deal thus with the sons of men This were not to promise and foretell in infinite veracity but purposely to deceive The condition then pretended cannot be put upon the promise of the coming of the Messiah without a direct denyal of some and by just consequence of all the essential properties of the nature of God § 20 Thirdly there is not in the whole Scripture the least intimation of any such condition as that which they pretend the promise insisted on to be clogged withall It is no where said no where intimated that if the Jews repented and merited well the Messiah should come at the time mentioned no where threatned that if they did not so his coming should be put off unto an uncertain day We know not nor are they able to inform us whence they had this condition unless they will acknowledge that they have forged it in their own brains to give countenance unto their infidelity Before the time allotted was elapsed and they had obstinately refused him who was sent and came according unto promise There was not the least rumour of any such thing amongst them Some of their Predecessors invented it to palliate their impiety which so they may do they are not solicitous what reflection it may cast upon the honour of God Besides as the Scripture is silent as to any thing that may give the least colour unto this pretence so it delivers that which is contrary unto it and destructive of it for it informs us that the season of the coming of the Mâ—ssiah shall be a time of great sin darkness and misery which also their own Masters in other places and on other occasions acknowledges So Isa. 52. 53. Jer. 31.32 33. Dan. 9.24 Zach. 13.1 Mal. 3.4 He was to come to turn men from ungodliness and not because they were turned so before his coming There can be no place then for this Condition § 21 Fourthly The suggestion of this condition overthrows the rise of the promise and the whole nature of the thing promised We have before manifested that the rise and spring of this promise was meer love and soveraign Grace There was not any thing in man Jew nor Gentile that should move the Lord to provide a remedy and relief for them who had destroyed themselves Now to suspend the promise of this Love and Grace on the righteousness and repentance of them unto whom it was made is perfectly to destroy it and to place the merit of it in man whereas it arose purely from the Grace of God Again it utterly takes away and destroyes the nature of the thing promised We have proved that it is a Relief a Recovery a Salvation from sin and misery that is the subject matter of this promise To suppose that this shall not be granted unless men as a condition of it deliver themselves from their sins is to assert a plain contradiction so wholly to destroy the promise He was not promised unto men because they were penitent and just but to make them so And to make the righteousness of Jews or Gentiles the condition of his coming is to take his work out of his hand and to render both him and his coming useless But this figment proceeds from the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Jews namely that the Messiah is not promised to free them from their own sins but to make them possessors of other mens goods not to save their souls but their bodies and estates not to make men heirs of Heaven but Lords of the earth which folly hath been before discovered and disproved Fifthly The Jews on several accounts are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or self-condemned in § 22 the use of this plea or pretence Their great sins they say are the cause why the coming of the Messiah is retarded But First what those sins are they cannot declare We readily grant them to be wicked enough but withal we know their great wickedness to consist in that which they will not acknowledge namely not in being unfit for his coming but in refusing him when he came They instance sometimes in their hatred one of another their mutual animosities and frequent adulteries and want of observing the Sabbath according to the rules of their present superstitious scrupulosity But what is all this unto the Abominations which God passed over formerly in their Nation and also fulfilled his promises unto them though really conditionall 2. Take them from the rack of our Arguments and you hear no more of their confessions no more of their sins and wickedness but they are immediately all righteous and holy all beloved of God and better then their fore-fathers yea 3. On the day of expiation they are all as holy if we may believe them as the Angels in Heaven There is not one sin amongst them so that it is strange the Messiah should not at one time or another come to them on that day 4. They have a Tradition among themselves that the coming of the Messiah may be hastened but not retarded So they speak in their gloss on Isa. 60.22 I the Lord will hasten it in its time Tractat. Saned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rabbi Alexander said and Rabbi Joshua the Son of Levi it is written in his time and it is written I will hasten it I will hasten it if they deserve it and if they deserve it not yet in its own time and this they apply to the coming of the Messiah 5. They assert many of them that it is themselves who are spoken of in the fifty third of Isaiah and their being causelesly afflicted by the Gentiles now he whom the Prophet there speaks of is one perfectly innocent and righteous and so they must needs be in their own esteem supposing themselves there intended So that this pretence is known to themselves to be no more Sixthly This plea is directly contrary to the nature of the Covenant which God promised § 23 to make at the coming of the Messiah or that which he came to ratifie and establish and the reason which God gives for the making of
10.17 18. This being performed by him after the dissolution of his humane nature in the open visible separation of his body and soul in which state it was utterly impossible that that nature should put forth any act toward the retrievement of its former condition manifested his existence in another superiour nature acting with power on the humane in the same Person And this one Miracle was a sufficient vindication of the truth which he had taught concerning himself namely that he was the Messiah the Son of God And though any should question his being raised again from the dead by his own power yet the evidence is uncontrollable that he was raised again by the power of God without the application of the means and Ministry of any other whereby the Holy and Eternal God of truth entitled himself unto all that he had taught concerning his Person and Office whilest he was alive And this leaves no room for haesitation in this matter For this being granted none will deny but that he was the Messiah and what principles we proceed upon for the proof of it unto the Jews hath been before declared § 68 Unto what hath been summarily recounted we may lastly add the continuance of the miracles wrought by his power after his leaving of this world and his Ascention into Heaven And there is in them an additional evidence unto what hath been insisted on For whereas the miraculous works that were wrought by himself and his Disciples whilest he conversed with them in the flesh were confined as we observed before unto the Land of Canaan those who afterwards received power from above by his Grant and Donation continued to assert the like mighty works and miracles all the world over so that within the space of a few years there was scarce a famous Town or City in the world wherein some of his Disciples had not received the miraculous gifts of the Holy Ghost And this also distinctly confirms him to be the promised Messiah for whereas the Isles of the Gentiles were to wait for and to receive his Law it was necessary that among them also it should receive this solemn kind of attestation from Heaven § 69 Now from what hath been spoken it appears not only that the Miracles wrought by Jesus were sufficient to confirm the Testimony which he gave concerning himself namely that he was the promised Messiah the Son of God but also that they were so much more eminent then those wherewith God was pleased to confirm the Ministry of Moses in the giving of the Law that the Jews have no Reason to doubt or question his Authority for the reversing of any Institutions of Worship which they had formerly been obliged unto To close this Argument I shall only manifest that the Jews of old were convinced § 70 of the truth of the Miracles wrought by the Lord Jesus and therein a little discover the variety of those pretences whereby they attempt to shield themselves from the natural consequence of that conviction 1. For those who lived in his own dayes see Matth. 18.11 12 13 14. Joh. 7.31 Chap. 19.16 24. Acts 4.16 Acts 19.13 Neither did they at any time dispute his works but only the power whereby they were wrought of which afterwards 2. The fame and reputation of them was such amongst them that those who made an Art and Trade of casting out of Devils used the invocation of the name of Jesus over their possessed which the notoriety of his exerting his Divine power in that kind of works induced them unto See Acts 19.13 They adjured the Spirits by the Name of Jesus whom Paul preached observing the miracles that he wrought in that name For they being ignorant of the true way and means whereby the Apostle wrought his miraculous works after the manner of Magicians they used the name of him whom he preached in their Exorcisms as it was ever the custom of that sort of men to intermix their charms with the names of such persons as they knew to have excelled in mighty works And that this was common among the Jews of those dayes is evident from Luke 9.49 which could no otherwise arise but from a general consent in the acknowledgement of the works wrought by him 3. We have also hereunto the suffrage of the Talmudical Rabbins themselves the most malitious adversaries that ever the Lord Jesus had in this world They intend not indeed to bear witness unto his miracles but partly whilest they relate stories that were continued amongst them by Tradition partly whilest they endeavour to shield their unbelief from the Arguments taken from them they tacitly acknowledge that they were indeed wrought by him This I say they do whilest they labour to shew by what wayes and means those Prodigies and wondrou◠works which are recorded of him were wrought and effected For they who say this or that was the way whereby such a thing was accomplished do plainly acknowledge the doing of the thing it self Greater evidence of their self-conviction it is impossible they should give in or need we desire First In the Talmud its self they have traditional stories of miracles wrought by the § 71 Disciples of Jesus and by others in his name which although they are like the rest of their Narrations foolish and insipid yet they evidence the Tradition that was amongst them from the forementioned conviction Thus in Aboda Zara they have a story concerning James who lived longest amongst them It happened they say that Eleacer the Son of Dama was bitten by a Serpent and James of the Village of Sechaniah that is Bethany came to cure him in the name of Jesus the son of Pandira but R. Ishmael opposed him and said it is not lawful for thee thou Son of Dama So owning that Miracles and Cures were wrought by James in the name of Jesus And in Sabbat Hierusal Distinct. Schemona Scheraticin they tell us that the Son of Rab. Jose the Son of Levi had swallowed poyson a certain man came and communed with him in the name of Jesus the Son of Pandira and he was healed but when he was gone out one said unto him how didst thou advice him he said by such a word the other replied tha◠it had been better for him to have dyed then to have heard that word I mention these things only to shew that they were never able to stifle the Tradition that passed among themselves concerning the Miracles wrought by Jesus and his Disciples But this conviction more evidently discovers its self in their endeavours to assign his § 72 mighty works unto other causes so that they may not from them be forced to acknowledge his Divine power and the presence of God with him And there are two pretences which they make use of The first is that of their fore-fathers Mat. 12.24 They would have the Devil to be the Author of them and that he wrought them by Magical Incantations This they pleaded of old and this
priest who Levit. 4.3 The whole Congregation The Ruler A private person The time and manner of this sacrifice The sprinkling of bloud in it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The trespass-offering It s difference from the sin-offering 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Consecration offerings Second sort of Corbans Terumoth § 1 THe principal Worship and Service of God both in the Tabernacle and Temple consisted in Offerings and Sacrifices For these did directly represent and in their general nature answered that which was the foundation of the Church and all the Worship thereof namely the Sacrifice of the Son of God and he is called the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world Joh. 1. v. 29. because he fulfilled and perfectly accomplished what was prefigured by the sacrifice of Lambs and other creatures from the foundation of the world Neither were these Offerings and Sacrifices any thing but means of Gods institution for men to express by them their faith in the first promise Nor were Sacrifices in general now first instituted nor the kinds of them first appointed but the most of them were observed upon Divine Revelation and command from the entrance of sin and giving of the Promise only they were rescued in the repetition of them unto Moses from the superstition that was grown in their observance and directed unto a right Object and attended with suitable instructive Ceremonies in the manner of their performance § 2 Now these Offerings were of three sorts First those of the Court or Brazen Altar by bloud and fire Secondly those of the Sanctuary at the Altar of Incense and table of Shew-bread Thirdly those of the most holy place before the Ark Mercy-seat and Oracle The first of these represented the bloudy death of Christ and sacrifice on the Cross the second his Intercession in Heaven and the third the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or effects of both in Attonement and Reconciliation And these our Apostle mentions chap. 8. v. 3 4. Every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices and there are priests that offer gifts according to the Law Chap. 9. v. 7. Into the second went the high priest alone once every year not without bloud which he offered for himself and the errors of the people v. 12. By the bloud of bulls and calves v. 13. The bloud of bulls and calves and the ashes of an heifer sprinkled v. 22. Almost all things are by the Law purged with bloud chap. 10. For the Law having a shadow of good things to come not the very image of the things can never with those sacrifices which they offer year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect For then would they not have ceased to be offered because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins But in those sacrifices there is remembrance again made of sins every year For it is not possible that the bloud of bulls and goats should take away sins Wherefore when he cometh into the world he saith Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not v. 11. And every priest standeth daily ministring and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices which can never take away sin Chap. 13. v. 11. For the bodies of those beasts whose bloud is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin are burnt without the camp Evident it is that these and the like passages wherein our Apostle refers to the institution § 3 nature use end and manner of the observation of sacrifices cannot be rightly understood without some distinct notion of them as prescribed by God unto Moses and observed by the people under the Old Testament I shall therefore here give a brief system of them and account concerning them Sacrifices of the Altar in general were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Corbanim The name it may § 4 be of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not distinctly applied unto every sort of them but whereas every thing that any man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 brought nigh to dedicate or offer unto God was thence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we may allow it to be the general name of all sacrifices And therefore on the close of the annumeration of all Fire-offerings it is added This is the Law which the Lord commanded Moses in Mount Sinai in the day that he commanded the children of Israel to offer or bring nigh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their Corbans that is offerings or sacrifices of all sorts Now every 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was either 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Isha a Firing or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Terumah an heave-offering § 5 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tenupha a wave-offering the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ishim were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 kodesh kodashim holiness of holiness or most holy all but one the other were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 kodesh hiâ—â—ulim holiness of prayses Levit. 19.24 The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Fireings Fire offerings were expresly of six sorts as they are distinctly § 6 set down Levit. 7. v. 37. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hola the Burnt offering 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mincha the Meat offering 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chataath the Sin-offering 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ascham the Trespass-offering 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Milluim Consecration 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Zebach Shelamim Peace-offâ—rings so are they rendred by ours how rightly we shall see afterwards Besides the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mincha contained that properly so called the Meat-offering and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nesek the Drink-offering The LXX render the verse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is the Law of whole Burnt offerings and of sacrifices and for sin and trespass and of perfection or consummation and of the sacrifice of salvation The particulars shall be examined as they occur The Vulgar Latine reads the words Lex holocausti sacrificii pro peccato delicto pro consecrasione pacificâ—rum victimis This is the Law of the whole-burnt-offering and of the sacrifice for sâ—n and trespass and for consecration and for the sacrifices of peace-makers And herein either the Mincha is wholly left out or the words should be read sacrificii pro peccato and so answer to the Greek expressing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sacrifiâ—ium though improperly These 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fire offerings are moreover distinguished into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Zebach and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 § 7 Mincha in a large sense For it is evident that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mincha is used very variously For 1. Sometimes it is of as large a signification as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Corban it self and is frequently applied unto offerings of bloud as well as of meat and drink Gen. 4. v. 4. 2 Sometimes it is contra-distinguished to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and denotes all sacrifices by fire not of beasts and bloud Psal. 40. v. 6. Dan. 9. v. 27. Levit. 7. v. 34. 3. Sometimes it
use of the whole Church So that this dispensation of Gods speaking in the Prophets continued for the space of twenty one Jubilees or near eleven hundred years That it had been now ceased for a long time the Apostle intimates in this word and that agreeably to the confessed Principles of the Jews whereby also he confirmed his own of the coming of the Messiah by the reviving of the gift of Prophecy as was foretold Joel 2.28 29. And we may by the way a little consider their thoughts in this matter For as we have observed and proved before the Apostle engageth with them upon their own acknowledged Principles The Jewes then generally grant unto this day that Prophecy for the publick use of the Church was not bestowed under the second Temple after the dayes of Malachie nor is to be expected untill the coming of Elias The delusions that have been put upon them by impostors they now labour all they can to conceal and are of late by experience made incredulous towards such pretenders as in former Ages they have been brought to much misery by Now as their manner is to fasten all their conjectures be they true or false on some place word or letter of the Scripture so have they done this assertion also Observing or supposing the want of sundry things in the second House they pretend that want to be intimated Hag. 1.7 8. where God promising to glorifie himself in that Temple the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will glorifie is written defectively without 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Keri notes That letter being the numeral note of five signifies as they say the want of five things in that House The first of these was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Ark and Cherubims The second 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the anointing Oyle The third 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the wood of disposition or perpetual fire The fourth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vrim and Thummim The fifth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Holy Ghost or Spirit of Prophecy They are not indeed all agreed in this enumeration The Talmud in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Joma cap. 5. reckons them somewhat otherwise 1. The Ark with the Propitiation and Cherubims 2. The Fire from Heaven which answers the third or wâ—â—d of disposition in the former order 3. The Divine Majesty in the room of the Anointing Oyle 4. The Holy Ghost 5. Vrim and Thummim Another order there is according to Rabbi Bechai Comment in Pentateuch Sectione 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who places the Anointing Oyle distinctly and confounds the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Divine Majesty with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Holy Ghost contradicting the Gemara The Commonly approved order is that of the Author of Aruch in the Root 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Ark Propitiatory and Cherubims one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Divine Majesty the second thing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Holy Ghost which is Prophecy the third 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vrim and Thummim the fourth thing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fire frome Heaven the fifth thing But as this Argument is ridiculous both in general in wire-drawing Conclusions from letters deficient or redundant in writing and in particular in reference to this word which in other places is written as in this as Numb 24.12 1 Sam. 2.20 Isa. 66.5 so the observation its self of the want of all these five things in the second House is very questionable and seems to be invented to give countenance to the confessed ceasing of Prophecy by which their Church had been planted nourished and maintained and now by its want was signified to be near expiration For although I will grant that they might offer Sacrifices with other Fire than that which was traduced from the flame descending from Heaven though Nadab and Abihu were destroyed for so doing because the Law of that Fire attended the giving of it whence upon its providential ceasing it was as lawful to use other fire in Sacrifice as it was before its giving out yet as to the Ark the Vrim and Thummim the matter is more questionable and as the anointing Oyle out of question because it being lawful for the High Priest to make it at any time it was no doubt restored in the time of Ezra's Reformation I know Abarbinel on Exod. Chap. 30. sec. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 affirms that there was no High Priest anointed with oyle under the second House for which he gives this reason 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because the anointing Oyle was now hid 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for Josiah had hid it with the rest of the holy things a talmudical figment to which he adds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and they had no power to make it I will not much contend about matter of fact or what they did but that they might have done otherwise is evident from the first institution of it for the prohibition mentioned Exod. 30.31 32. respects only private persons And Josephus tells us that God ceased to give answer by Vrim and Thummim two hundred years before he wrote Lib. 3. cap. 12. which proves they had it It is indeed certain that at their first return from Babylon they had not the Vrim and Thummim Ezra 2.63 There was no Priest with Vrim and Thummim yet it doth not appear that afterwards that Jewel what ever it were was not made upon the Prophecies of Haggai and Zechary whereby the Restauration of the Temple and the Worship belonging thereunto was carryed on to perfection Especially considering the vision of Zechary about cloathing the High Priest with the Robes of his Office Chap. 3. after which time it seems they were made and in use as Josephus shews us Lib. 11. Chap. 8. treating of the Reverence done by Alexander the Great to the name of God engraven in the Plate of Gold on the High-Priests forehead And Maimonides Tractat. Saned Chap. 10. Sect. 10. sayes expresly that all the eight robes of the High Priest were made under the second Temple and particularly the Vrim and Thummim howbeit as he sayes they enquired not of God by them because the Holy Ghost was not on the Priests Of the Ark we shall have occasion to treat afterwards and of its fictitious hiding by Hieremiah or Josia as the Jews fancy This we may observe for the present that as it is certain that is was carried away by the Babylonians amongst other Vessels of Gold belonging to the Temple either amongst them that were taken away in the dayes of Jehojakim 2 Chron. 36.7 or those taken away with Jehojachin his Son v. 11. or when all that was left before great and small was carried away in the dayes of Zedekiah v. 18. So it may be supposed to be restored by Cyrus of whom it is said that he returned all the Vessels of the House of the Lord that Nebuchadnezzar brought from Jerusalem Ezra 1.6 And it is uncertain to what end was the solemn yearly
him the refreshing word of the Gospel unto poor weary sinners was the gift of the Father 3. As to the manner of his receiving of the Revelation of the Will of God a double mistake must be removed and then the nature of it must be declared 1. The Socinians to avoid the force of those Testimonies which are urged to confirm the Deity of Christ from the assertions in the Gospel that he who spake to the Disciples on earth was then also in Heaven John 3.13 Chap. 6.35 51. Chap. 7.32 33 41 42 57 58. Chap. 8.29 have broached a Mahumetan fancy that the Lord Christ before his entrance on his publick Ministry was locally taken up into Heaven and there instructed in the mysterie of the Gospel and the mind of God which he was to reveal Catech. Raccov cap. 3. de Offic. Ch. Prophet Quest. 4 5. Smalcius de Divinitat Christi cap. 4. Socin Respons ad Paraen Vol. pag. 38 39. But 1. There was no cause of any such Rapture of the humane Nature of Christ as we shall evidence in manifesting the way whereby he was taught of the Father especially after his Baptism 2. This imaginary Rapture is grounded solely on their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the Lord Christ in his whole Person was no more than a meer man 3. There is no mention of any such thing in the Scripture where the Fathers revealing his mind and will to the Son is treated of which had it been ought not to have been omitted 4. The fancy of it is expresly contrary to Scripture for 1. The Holy Ghost affirms that Christ entered once into the Holy Place and that after he had obtained eternal Redemption Heb. 9.12 which should have been his second entrance had he been taken thither before in his humane nature so that coming of his into the world which we look for at the last day is called his second coming his coming again because of his first entrance into it at his incarnation Heb. 9.28 2. He was to suffer before his entry into Heaven and his glory therein Luke 24.26 And 3. As to the time of his Ascension which these men assign namely the forty dayes after his baptism it is said expresly that he was all that time in the wilderness amongst the wild Beasts Mark 1.13 So that this figment may have no place in our enquiry into the way of the Fathers speaking in the Son 2. Some lay the whole weight of the Revelation of the will of God unto Christ upon the endowments of the Humane Nature by vertue of its Personal Vnion with the Eternal Word but this is wholly inconsistent with the many Testimonies before rehearsed of the Fathers revealing himself unto him after that Vnion Wherefore to declare the Nature of this Revelation we must observe further 4. That Jesus Christ in his divine Nature as he was the Eternal Word and Wisdom of the Fathers not by a voluntary communication but eternal generation had an omnisciency of the whole nature and will of God as the Father himself hath because the same with that of the Father their will and wisdom being the same This is the blessed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or in-being of each Person the one in the other by vertue of their oneness in the same nature Thus as God he had absolute omniscience Moreover the mysterie of the Gospel the especial Counsel and Covenant of it concerning the Redemption of the Elect in his blood and the Worship of God by his Redeemed ones being transacted between Father and Son from all eternity was known unto him as the Son by vertue of his own personal transactions with the Father in the eternal Counsel and Covenant of it See what we have elsewhere delivered concerning that Covenant 5. The Lord Christ discharged his Office and work of Revealing the Will of the Father in and by his humane nature that nature wherein he dwelt among us Joh. 1.14 For although the Person of Christ God and man was our Mediator Acts 20.28 Joh. 1.14 18. yet his humane nature was that wherein he discharged the duties of his Office and the principium quod of all his mediatory actings 1 Tim. 2.5 6. This Humane Nature of Christ as he was in it made of a woman made under the Law Gal. 4.4 was from the instant of its Vnion with the Person of the Son of God an holy thing Luke 1.35 Holy harmless undefiled separated from sinners and radically filled with all that perfection of habitual Grace and Wisdom which was or could be necessary to the discharge of that whole duty which as a man he owed unto God Luke 2.40 49 52. Joh. 8.46 1 Pet. 2.22 But 7. Besides this furniture with habitual Grace for the performance of all holy obedience unto God as a man made under the Law there was a peculiar endowment with the Spirit without and beyond the bounds of all comprehensible measures that he was to receive as the great Prophet of the Church in whom the Father would speak and give out the last Revelation of himself This communication of the Spirit unto him was the foundation of his sufficiency for the discharge of his Prophetical Office Isa. 11.2 3. Chap. 48.16 Chap. 61.1 2 3. Dan. 9.24 As to the reality and being of this Gift of the Spirit he received it from the womb whence in his infancy he was said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luke 2.40 filled with wisdom wherewith he confuted the Doctors to amazement v. 47. And with his years were these Gifts encreased in him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he went forwards in wisdom and stature and favour v. 52. But the full communication of this Spirit with special reference unto the discharge of his publick Office with the visible pledge of it in the Holy Ghost descending on him in the shape of a Dove he was made partaker of in his baptism Matth. 3.16 when also he received his first publick Testimony from Heaven v. 17. which when again repeated received the additional command of hearing him Matth. 17.5 designing the Prophet that was to be heard on pain of utter extermination Deut. 18.18 19. And therefore he was thereupon said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luke 4.1 full of the Holy Ghost and sealed to this work by the sign foretold of God Joh. 1.33 This was the foundation of the Fathers speaking in the Son as incarnate He spake in him by his Spirit so he did in the Prophets of old 2 Pet. 1.21 And herein in general the Prophecy of Christ and theirs did agree It remaineth then to shew wherein his Preheminence above them did consist so that the word spoken by him is principally and eminently to be attended unto which is the Argument of that which the Apostle hath in hand in this place 8. The Preheminencies of the Prophecy of Christ above that of Moses and all other Prophets were of two sorts 1. Such as arose from his Person who was the Prophet 2. Such
that the Apostle had with the Jews and is of great use and importance unto the faith of the Saints in all ages I shall first free the words from false glosses and interpretations and then explain the Truth asserted in them both absolutely and with relation to the present purpose of the Apostle That which some men design in their wresting of this place is to deface the illustrious Testimony given in it unto the Eternal Deity of the Son of God and to this purpose they proceed variously 1. By 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by whom they say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for whom is intended And so the sense of the place is that for Christ for his sake God made the world so Eniedinus and Grotius embraceth his notion adding in its confirmation that this was the opinion of the Jews namely that all things were made for the Messiah and therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he renders by condiderat as signifying the time long since past before the bringing forth of Christ in the world as also that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is put for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Rom. 6.4 Rev. 4.11 Chap. 1.14 and therefore may be here so used According to this Exposition of the words we have in them an expression of the Love of God towards the Messiah in that for his sake he made the worlds but not any thing of the Excellency Power and Glory of the Messiah himself It is manifest that the whole strength of this interpretation lyes in this that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be taken for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by whom instead of for whom but neither is it proved that in any other place those expressions are equipollent nor if that could be supposed is there any reason offâ—red why the one of them should in this place be put for the other For 1. The places referred unto do no way prove that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with a Genitive doth ever denote the final cause but the efficient only With an Accusative for the most part it is as much as propter signifying the final Cause of the thing spoken of and rarely in the New Testament is it otherwise used 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rev. 4.11 At thy will or pleasure the efficient and disposing not the final Cause seems to be denoted And Chap. 13.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the signs that were given him to do the formal cause is sigfied But that joyned with a Genitive Case it any where signifies the final Cause doth not appear Beza whom Grotius cites sayes on Rom. 6.4 that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the glory of the Father may be taken for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unto the glory But the case is not the same where things as where Persons are spoken of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here relates unto a Person and yet is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 joyned with it asserted to denote the end of the things spoken of which is insolent Besides 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in that place is indeed the glorious power of the Father the efficient of the Resurrection of Christ treated of So that whereas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used six hundred times with a Genitive Case in the New Testament no one instance can be given where it may be rendered propter for and therefore cannot be so here 2. On supposition that some such instance might be produced yet being contrary to the constant use of the Word some cogent Reason from the Text wherein it is used or the thing treated of must be urged to give that sense admittance And nothing of that nature is or can be here pleaded 3. As 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are distinguished the one expressing the efficient the other the final cause Rom. 11.36 so also are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in this very Epistle Chap. 2.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for whom are all things and by whom are all things and is it likely that the Apostle would put one of them for the other contrary to the proper use which he intended immediately to assign severally unto them 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by whom here is the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by him Joh. 1.3 which the same Person interprets properly for the Efficient Cause On these accounts the foundation of this Gloss being removed the superadded Translation of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by condiderat is altogether useless and what the Jews grant that God did with respect to the Messiah we shall afterwards consider 2. The Socinians generally lay no exception against the Person making whom they acknowledge to be Christ the Son but unto the Worlds said to be made These are not say they the things of the Old but of the new Creation not the fabrick of Heaven and Earth but the Conversion of the souls of men not the first institution and forming of all things but the Restauration of mankind and Translation into a new condition of life This Sclictingius at large insists on in his Comment in this place bringing in the justification of his interpretation the summ of what is pleaded by any of them in answer not only to this Testimony but also to that of Joh. 1.3 and that also of Coloss. 1.16 17. 1. The old Creation he sayes is never said to be performed by any intermediate Cause as the Father is here said to make these worlds by the Son But 1. This is petitio principii that this expression doth denote any such intermediate cause as should interpose between the Father and the Creation of the world by an operation of its own divers from that of the Father Job 26.13 God is said to adorn the Heavens 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by his Spirit which they will not contend to denote an intermediate cause and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here is but what the Hebrews express by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. In the Creation of the world the Father wrought in and by the Son the same creating act being the act of both Persons Joh. 5.17 their Will Wisdom and Power being essentially the same 2. He adds There is an allusion only in the words unto the first Creation as in John Chap. 1.1 2 3. where the Apostle sets out the beginning of the Gospel in the terms whereby Moses reports the Creation of the world And therefore mentions light in particular because of an allusion to the light at first created by God when of all other things wherein there is no such allusion he maketh no mention Answ. 1. The new Creation granted by the men of this perswasion being only a moral Swasion of the minds of men by the outward Doctrine of the Gospel I know not what Allusion can be fancied in it unto the Creation of the world out of nothing 2. It is granted that the Apostle speaks here of the same Creation that John treats of in the beginning of his Gospel but that
of the dead And 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the prolonged world or life eternal Principally with respect to the first distribution as also unto the duration of the whole world unto the last dispensation mentioned in the second doth the Apostle here call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the worlds Thus the Apostle having declared the Honour of the Son as Mediator in that he was made Heir of all adds thereunto his Excellency in himself from his eternal power and Godhead which he not only asserts but gives evidence unto by an Argument from the works of Creation And to avoid all streightning thoughts of this work he expresseth it in terms comprehending the whole Creation in that distribution whereunto it was usually cast by themselves As John contents not himself by affirming that he made all things but adds to that Assertion that without him nothing was made that was made Joh. 1.3 And this was of old the common faith of the Judaical Church That all things were made and all things disposed by the Word of God they all confessed Evident footsteps of this faith abide still in their Targums For that by the Word of God so often mentioned in them they did not understand the Word of his Power but an Hypostasis in the Divine Nature is manifest from the Personal Properties which are every where assigned unto it as the Word of God did this said that thought went and the like as Psal. 68.17 They affirm that Word which gave the Law on Mount Sinai to dwell in the highest heavens Yea and they say in Bereschit Rabba of those words Gen. 1.2 The Spirit of God moved on the face of the waters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this is the Spirit of the King Messiah by which they cannot deny but that all things were formed And the Apostle in this expression lets the Hebrews know that Jesus the Messiah was that Word of God by whom all things were made And so the influence of these words into his present Argument is manifest For the Son in whom the Father had now spoken to them and declared the Gospel being his Eternal Word by whom the world and all Ages were created there could be no question of his Authority to alter their ceremonious Worship which he himself had appointed for a season Before we pass to the next Verses we may mark out those Instructions which the words passed through afford us in common as to the abiding interest of all Believers The foundation of them is That the Lord Jesus Christ who is the great Prophet of his Church under the New Testament the only Revealer of the Will of the Father as the Son and Wisdom of God made the Worlds and all things contained in them And therein 1. We have an illustrious testimony given to the Eternal Godhead and Power of the Son of God for he who made all things is God as the Apostle else-where affirms And 2. Unto the Equity of his being made Heir Lord and Judge of all No creature can decline the Authority or wave the Tribunal of him that made them all And 3. A stable bottom of Faith Hope Contentment and Patience is administred unto the Saints in all dispensations He who is their Redeemer that bought them hath all that interest in all things wherein they are concerned that the Sovereign right of Creation can afford unto him besides that Grant which is made unto him for this very end that they might be disposed of to his own Glory in their good and advantage Isa. 54. v. 4 5. And 4. From this Order of things that Christ as the Eternal Son of God having made the worlds hath them and all things in them put under his power as Mediator and Head of the Church we may see what a subserviency to the interest of the Saints of the most High the whole Creation is laid and disposed in And 5. The way of obtaining a sanctified Interest in and use of the things of the Old Creation namely not to receive them meerly on the general account as made by the Son of God but on the more especial of their being granted unto him as Mediator of the Church And 6. How men on both these foundations are to be accountable for their use or abuse of the things of the first Creation But besides these particular Instances there is that which is more general and which we may a little insist upon from the Context and design of the Apostle in this whole discourse whose consideration will not again occur unto us and it is That God in infinite wisdom ordered all things in the first Creation so as that the whole of that work might be subservient to the glory of his grace in the new creation of all by Jesus Christ. By the Son he made the worlds in the beginning of time that in the fulness of time he might be the just Heir and Lord of all The Jews have a saying that the world was made for the Messiah which is thus far true that both it and all things in it were made disposed of and ordered in their Creation so as that God might be everlastingly glorified in the work which he was designed unto and which by him he had to accomplish I shall consider it only in the present instance namely that by the Son he made the worlds that he might be the proper Heir and Lord of them of which latter we shall treat more particularly on the ensuing words This was declared of Old where he was spoken of as the Wisdom of God by whom he wrought in the Creation and Production of all things Prov. 8.22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30. This Son or Wisdom of God declares at large 1. His Coexistence with his Father from Eternity before all or any of the visible or invisible Creation were by his Power brought forth v. 22 23 and so onward And then sets forth the Infinite Eternal and Ineffable Delight that was between him and his Father both before and also in the work of Creation v. 30. Farther he declares his presence and co-operation with him in the whole work of making the world and the several parts of it v. 27 28 29 30. which in other places is expressed as here by the Apostle that God by him made the worlds After which he declares the End of all this Dispensation namely that he might rejoyce in the habitable parts of the earth and his delight be with the sons of men to whom therefore he calls to hearken unto him that they may be blessed v. 31. to the end of the chapter that is that he might be meet to accomplish the work of their Redemption and bring them to Blessedness to the Glory of the Grace of God which work his heart was set upon and which he greatly delighted in Psal. 40.6 7 8. Hence the Apostle John in the beginning of his Gospel brings both the Creations together the first by the Eternal Word absolutely the other
they did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or perform the Duty and Homage denoted by this Word unto any but God it is remembred as their Idolatry Rev. 13.12 16. 2. And unto this sense was it restrained of old by the Spartans who denyed that it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lawfull for them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to fall down to or to adore a man Herodot in Polym And in this sense it is exceedingly restrained from the use and importance of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yea and from that of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Hithpael though that alwayes signifie a bowing down with Respect and Reverence for it is employed to denote Civil as well as Religious Worship But for several sorts of Religious Worship diversified by its Objects the Scripture knows nothing The word properly denotes to bow down and when it is referred unto God it respects the inward Reverence and Subjection of our minds by a Metonymie of the Adjunct See it for Civil respect Gen. 27.29 Chap. 133.6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Elohim is rendered Angels by the LXX Gen. 31.24 Job 38.7 Psal. 8.6 Psal. 96.8 Psal. 137 1. of which Interpretation of the word we shall treat in the ensuing Exposition This is the second Argument used by the Apostle to confirm his Assertion of the Preference of the Son above Angels and is taken from the command of God given unto them to worship him For without Controversie He who is to be worshipped is greater than they whose duty it is to worship him In the words we must consider 1. The Apostles Preface 2. His Proof And in the latter must weigh 1. The Sense of it 2. The Suitableness of it to his present Purpose His Preface or the manner of his producing of this second Testimony is this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which words have been exposed unto variety of Interpretations for if 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be joyned with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which immediately follows they are to be rendered and when he bringeth in again into the world if with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which follows it after the Interposition of sundry other words then is it to be rendered as by our Interpreters and again when he brings he saith Moreover it is not clear in what sense Christ is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the First-born who is elsewhere termed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Only Begotten Son of the Father We must also enquire what is the Introduction or bringing in here intended How and When performed as also what is the world whereinto he was brought The difficulties about all which must be severally considered 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 again may be joyned with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And then the sense of the words must run as above intimated namely when he bringeth in again the first-born into the world And it is evident that most Expositors both Antient and Modern embrace this sense So do Chrysostom Theodoret Ambrose Oecumenius Thomas Lyra Cajetan Ribera Camero Gomarus Estius A Lapide our Mede with many others But about what this bringing in again or Second bringing in of the first-born into the world should be they are greatly divided The Antients refer it to his Incarnation affirming somewhat harshly that he was brought before into the world when all things were made by him 2. Others refer it to the Resurrection which was as it were a second bringing of Christ into the world as David was brought into his Kingdom again after he had expelled by the Conspiracy and Rebellion of Absolom 3. Others refer it unto his coming forth in the Effectual Preaching of the Gospel after his Ascension whereby he was brought forth in another manner and with another kind of Power than that which he appeared in in the Dayes of his flesh 4. Some suppose the Personal Reign of Christ on the earth for a thousand years with his Saints is intended in these words when God will bring him again with Glory into the world of which judgement was Mede and now many follow him 5. Others again and they the most assign the Accomplishment of what is here asserted to the General Judgement and the Second Coming of Christ in the Glory of the Father with all the holy Angels attending him to judge the quick and the dead 6. Some of the Socinians refer them unto the Triumphant Ascension of Christ into Heaven after his Resurrection he having as they fancy once before been taken into it there to be instructed in the Mind and Will of God Now all these Assertions concerning the bringing in of Christ into the world have a Truth in them absolutely considered but whether any of them be here intended by the Apostle we must enquire by an Examination of the common Foundation that all their Authors proceed upon with the Reasons given for its Confirmation Now this is that which we observed before namely that in the Construction of the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 again is to be joyned with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he bringeth in and so to be rendered when he brings in again or a second time the first-born which must needs point to a second coming of Christ of one kind or another And to this purpose they say 1. That the Trajection of the words in the other sense is hard and difficult and not to be admitted but upon very cogent Reasons It is to suppose that the Apostle by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 When Again intends 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Again when And besides the Interposition of the many words between it and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he saith will not admit that they should be conjoyned in Sense and Construction But this Reason is not cogent for 1. Most of the antient Translations acknowledge this Transposition of the words so the Syriack reading thus and again when he bringeth in so the Vulgar Latin and the Arabick omitting the term again as not designing any new thing but meerly denoting a new Testimony And they are followed by Valla Erasmus Beza and the best of Modern Translators 2. Such Trajections are not unusual and that in this place hath a peculiar Elegancy For the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 again being used in the head of the Testimony foregoing this Transposition adds to the Elegancy of the words and that there was cause for it we shall see afterwards 3. The Apostle having immediately before used the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 again as his note of producing a second Testimony and placing it here in the entrance of a third it must needs be used Equivocally if the Trajection opposed be not allowed 2. They deny that the Angels worshipped Christ at his first coming into the world that is that they are recorded so to have done and therefore it must needs be his second coming that is intended when he shall come in Glory with all his holy Angels openly worshipping him and performing his commands This Reason is especially suited unto
of this inference because in a place where all that was spoken was not spoken of Christ the Apostle makes use of what was so spoken of him and omits that which was not therefore of that which he doth produce in the next place somewhat does belong to him and somewhat does not If any thing be offered to this purpose it must be in an instance of a testimony produced in the words whereof which are produced and not in what may follow in the same Chapter and Psalm there is that affirmed which doth now no more belong unto Christ than the making of heaven or earth belongeth to this Writer which is the case in hand Having premised these general considerations he makes Application of them in particular to his Interpretation of this Testimony used by the Apostle These words saith he being first expresly spoken of God and here by this Writer referred unto Christ we must consider what in them makes to his scope and purpose what is agreeable to the nature and condition of Christ who certainly was a man and such certainly is not He which the Psalm speaks of about the Creation of heaven and earth And this was well known to them with whom the Apostle had to do But any one may perceive that these things are spoken gratis and upon the supposition that Christ was a meer Man and not God by Nature When the words themselves ascribing a prae-existence to the World and Omnipotency unto him do prove the contrary What is the scope of the Apostle in the whole discourse under consideration hath been shewed as also how directly this whole Testimony tends to the proof of what he had proposed It is true that the words are spoken of him who is God but no less true the Apostle being judge that it is the Son of God who is that God It is true that he also was Man and nothing is ascribed unto him but what belongs unto him who was Man but not as he was man And such was the Creation of Heaven and Earth The opinion of these men is that whereas two things are mentioned in the words the Creation of the world which was past and the dissolution or destruction of it which was to come that the latter is assigned unto Christ but not the former and for this division of the words which confessedly is not in the least intimated by the Apostle he gives these reasons 1. All the words of the Psalm being manifestly spoken of the high God and no word in the Psalm declaring Christ to be that God yet of necessity if these words be applied unto Christ he must be supposed to be the high God there spoken of But if this Divine Writer had taken this for granted he had been eminently foolish to go about to prove by Arguments and Testimonies that the Creator does excel all creatures He should use in a matter no way doubtful witnesses no way necessary This is the first Reason whereby he would prove that the Apostle did not apply the words to Christ though himself say plainly that he does for his Preface to them is But to the Son he said Or that if he doth so he doth it wondrous foolishly for such liberty do poor worms take to themselves That the Psalm so speaketh of the high God that it directly and peculiarly intends Christ the Son of God hath been in part declared and shall farther afterwards be evinced And the Elogium in these words given unto him proves him to be so And though he affirm that it was a foolish thing in the Apostle to prove from the works of him that is God that he is above the Angels the most glorious of made creatures yet God himself most frequently from these his works his Omniscience Omnipresence and other Attributes declared in them proves his excellency in comparison of Idols which have no existence but in the imagination of men See Isa. 41.20 21 c. By this testimony then the Holy Ghost with infinite Wisdom proves that he who was made less for a little while than the Angels in one respect was absolutely and in his own person infinitely above them as being the Creator of Heaven and Earth He addes Secondly Those Hebrews to whom he wrote were either perswaded that Christ was God the Creator of Heaven and Earth or they were not if they were what need of all these Arguments and Testimonies one word might have dispatched this whole controversie by affirming that Christ was the Creator Angels creatures between whom there could be no comparison nor any reason to fear that the Law given by the Administration of Angels should be preferred to the Gospel whereof he was the Author if we shall say the latter that they did not yet believe it how do we suppose that he takes a great deal of pains to little purpose for he assures and takes for granted that that was true which was alone in question What need He then to prove by so many Arguments that Christ was more excellent than the Angels and to take that for granted which would have put it out of question namely that he was God who made heaven and earth Answ. This Dilemma hath as much force against the other testimonies produced in this Chapter or else-where by the Apostle as it hath against this so that the using of it doth scarce argue that Reverence to the Holy Word of God which is required of us But the truth is grant whether of the suppositions you please nothing of inconveniency as unto the Apostles argumentation will ensue Let it be granted that they did believe and that expresly Christ to be God Have Believers no need to have their faith confirmed by testimonies out of the Word that may not so readily occur to themselves Have they no need to be strengthned in the faith especially in such points as were in those days greatly opposed as was this of the Eternal Glory of the Messiah concerning which the believing Hebrews had to do with learned and stubborn Adversaries continually And if the Apostle might have ended the whole controversie by plainly affirming that he was the Creator of all things and the Angels creatures might he not as well have ended the dispute about his Preheminence above Angels with one word without citing so many testimonies to prove it But had he then unfolded the mysteries of the Old Testament to the Hebrews which was his design Had he manifested that he taught nothing but what was before revealed though obscurely to Moses and the Prophets which he aimed to do thereby to strengthen and confirm in the faith those that did believe and convince gain-sayers Again suppose some of them to whom he wrote did not yet expresly believe the Deity of Christ as the Apostles themselves did not for a while believe his Resurrection could any more convincing way be fixed on to perswade them thereunto than by minding them of those testimonies of the Old Testament wherein the Attributes
and Ends of it that it no way takes off from the evidence of their subordination and subjection unto him And with this Demonstration the Apostle closeth the Argument he had so long insistâ—d on Of the nature of this Ministery of Angels for the good of them that shall inherit salvation because it belongs not directly unto the present design of the Apostle and would in the full consideration of it cause a long diversion from the work in hand I shall not treat although it be a matter singularly deserving our meditation For the present it may suffice us to observe That in the government and protection of his Saints here below both as to the dispensation of Grace and Providence God is pleased to make use of the Ministery of Angels wherein much of their Honour and our Safety doth consist For a close of the whole we may only observe the Way and Manner whereby the Apostle proposeth this doctrine of the Ministery of Angels unto the Hebrews Are they not saith he he speaks of it as a matter well known unto them and acknowledged by them Their Nature their Dignity their Office was declared in the Old Testament Thence were they instructed that as to their Nature they were Spirits in Dignity Thrones Principalities and Powers in Office Ministers unto God sent out for the good of his Church And therefore these things the Apostle in sundry places takes for granted as those that were already known and received in the Church of God Rom. 8. v. 32. Ephes. 1. v. 20 21. Col. 1. v. 16. This Doctrine then I say was propagated from the Jews unto the Christians And from them also came forth much of that curiosity and superstition about Angels which afterwards infected the minds of many in the Christian Church For after they were forsaken of God and began to give up themselves unto vain speculations there was not any thing wherein the vanity of their minds did more early manifest it self than in their imaginations about Angels wherein they exercise themselves unto this day For to omit their monstrous figments about the Original of Devils most of whom they affirm to have been begotten by Adam on Lilith before God formed Eve and many to have issued from Adam and Eve severally whilst they lived separate an 150 years after the death of Abel as later follies it is certain that some of them began to vent curiosities about Angels in the Apostles time Col. 2.18 and to express their fancies about their Names Orders Degrees and Employments And this they continue yet to do although they peremptorily deny that they are to be invocated or prayed unto wherein they are out-done by others Names they have invented for them innumerable and those many of them uncouth and insignificant Orders also or Degrees they assign unto them some four some five some seven some nine some thirteen according as it hath seemed good unto this or that Great Master among them From them the Pseudodionysius about the fourth or fifth Century after Christ took the occasion and rise of his operous figment about the Celestial Hierarchy though he mixed their inventions with many Peripatetical and Pythagorean notions Aristotle proportioned the number of the Intelligencies unto the Spheres of the Heavens more he granted not The Pythagoreans and Platonicks asserted all things here below to be influenced by the Planets in their Orbs the inferiour receiving a communication of vertue from the higher and imparting it unto them beneath So they interpreted the Exsection of Saturn by Jupiter as that of Coelum by Saturn to be the interception of their procreative influence that it should not immediately be communicated unto things below but by them Out of all these fancies did Dionysius raise his Hierarchy From the Jews he took the Disposition of his Angels into Orders of Superiority and Rule from Aristotle their number placing an Order instead of a single Intelligence to answer what is taught in the Scripture concerning their multitude and from the Pythagorean Platonicks the communication of Light Knowledge and Illumination from God by the highest to the lowest Series or Order and from them to Men on earth And on this foundation such as it is are built the Discourses of many Commentators on this place in their Enquiries whether Angels of the Superiour Orders are sent forth to minister for the good of Believers which is denied by many though by some later Expositors as Estius Ribera Tena A Lapide granted and proved not without much ado So hard is it sometimes for men to cast down sear-crows of their own setting up It remaineth only that we close our whose discourses on this Chapter with some Observations for our own use and instruction from this last Verse as 1. The highest Honour of the most glorious Spirits in Heaven is to minister unto the Lord in the service whereunto he appoints them This is the Office this the work of Angels and this is their Honour and Glory For what greater Honour can a Creature be more partaker of than to be emploied in the service of his Creator What greater glory than to stand in the Presence and to do the Will of the King of Heaven If it be an Honour on earth to stand before Princes dying perishing men and that unto men in nature and kind equal unto those before whom they stand what is it for them who by nature are at an infinite distance from the Glory of God to stand before him who lives for ever and ever And surely it will be unconceivably woful unto poor souls at the last day to find how they despised in this world a share and interest in that service which is and ever was the Glory and Honour of Angels 2. Such is the love and care of God towards his Saints labouring here below that he sends the most glorious Attendants on his Throne to minister unto him in taking care of them He who gave his only Son for them will not spare to send his holy Angels unto them Heaven and earth shall be witnesses of his care of them and the value that he puts upon them Now this being a matter of so great importance as it is unto the Churches consolation and the Doctrine directly taught in the Text we may a little farther enquire into it in answer unto these two Questions First Wherefore God is pleased to use the Ministry of Angels in the dispensation of his care and good will unto the Church the Heirs of salvation seeing he can by an Almighty facility exert all the effects of it by his own immediate Power Secondly Vnto what especial end and purpose doth God make use of the Ministery of Angels for the good of them that believe For the first of these the principal account of it is to be resolved into his own Sovereign Will Wisdom and Pleasure Thus are we always to live in an holy Admiration of him when ever we consider any of his works or ways Rom. 11.
person For neither did the Church of the Jews hear the Law as it was pronounced on Horeb by Angels but had it confirmed unto them by the wayes and means of Gods appointment And he doth not say meerly that the Word was taught or preached unto us by them but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it was confirmed made firm and stedfast being delivered infallibly unto us by the Ministry of the Apostles There was a divine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 firmness certainty and infallibility in the Apostolical Declaration of the Gospel like that which was in the Writings of the Prophets which Peter comparing with Miracles calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a more firm stedfast and sure Word And this Infallible certainty of their word was from their Divine Inspiration Sundry Holy and Learned men from this Expression confirmed unto us wherein they say the Writer of this Epistle placeth himself among the number of those who heard not the word from the Lord himself but only from the Apostles conclude that Paul cannot be the Penman thereof who in sundry places denyeth that he received the Gospel by Instruction from men but by immediate Revelation from God Now because this is the only Pretence which hath any Appearance of Reason for adjudging the writing of this Epistle from him I shall briefly shew the invalidity of it And 1. It is certain that this term U S comprizes and casts the whole under the condition of the generality or major part and cannot receive a particular Distribution unto all Individuals For this Epistle being written before the Destruction of the Temple as we have demonstrated it is impossible to apprehend but that some were then living at Jerusalem who attended unto the Ministry of the Lord himself in the dayes of his flesh and among them was James himself one of the Apostles as before we have made it probable so that nothing can hence be concâ—â—deâ— to every individual as though none of them might have heard the Lord 〈…〉 The Apostle hath evidently a respect unto the foundation of the Church 〈…〉 at Hierusalem by the preaching of the Apostles immediately after th◠〈…〉 of the Holy Ghost upon them Acts 2.3 4 5. which as he was not hâ—◠〈…〉 â—â—â—ed in so he was to mind it unto them as the beginning of their faith and 〈…〉 3. Paul himself did not hear the Lord Christ teaching Personally on the earth 〈◊〉 he began to reveal the great salvation 4. Nor doth he say that those of whom hâ—â—pâ—â—ks were originally instructed by the Hearers of Christ but only that by them the Word was confirmed unto them and so it was unto Paul himself Gal. 2.1 2. But 5. yet it is apparent that the Apostle useth an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 placing himself among those unto whom he wrote though not personally concerned in every particular spoken a thing so usual with him that there is scarce any of his Epistles wherein sundry instances of it are not to be found See 1 Cor. 10.8 9. 1 Thess. 4.17 The like is done by Peter 1 Epist. 3.4 Having therefore in this place to take of all suspition of jealousie in his Exhortation to the Hebrews unto Integrity and Constancy in their profession entred his discourse in this Chapter in the same way of expression Therefore ought we as there was no need so there was no place for the change of the persons so as to say you instead of us So that on many accounts there is no ground for this Objection 4. He farther yet describes the Gospel by the Divine Attestation given unto it which also addes to the force of his Argument and Exhortation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word is of a double composition denoting a concurring testimony of God a testimony given unto or together with the testimony and witness of the Apostles Of what nature this testimony was and wherein it consisted the next words declare by Signs and Wonders Mighty works and Distributions of the Holy Ghost All which agree in the general nature of works supernatural and in the especial end of attesting to the truth of the Gospel being wrought according to the promise of Christ Matth. 16.17 18. by the ministery of the Apostles Acts 2.3 4. and in especial by that of Paul himself Rom. 15.19 2 Cor. 12.12 But as to their especial differences they are here cast under four heads The first are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Signs that is miraculous works wrought to signifie the presence of God by his power with them that wrought them for the approbation and confirmation of the Doctrine which they taught The second are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prodigies Wonders works beyond the power of Nature above the Energie of natural causes wrought to fill men with wonder and admiration stirring men up unto a diligent attention to the Doctrine accompanied with them for whereas they surprize men by discovering 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a present divine power they dispose the mind to an embracing of what is confirmed by them Thirdly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mighty works wherein evidently a mighty power the power of God is exerted in their operation And fourthly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gifts of the Holy Ghost enumerated 1 Cor. 12. Ephes. 4.7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 free gifts freely bestowed called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 divisions or distributions for the reason at large declared by the Apostle 1 Cor. 12.7 8 9 10 11. All which are intimated in the following words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is indifferent whether we read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and refer it to the will of God or of the Holy Ghost himself his own will which the Apostle guides unto 1 Cor. 12.11 As we said before all these agree in the same general nature and kind of miraculous operations the variety of expressions whereby they are set forth relating only unto some different respects of them taken from their especial end and effects The same works were in different respects Signs Wonders Mighty works and Gifts of the Holy Ghost But being effectual unto several ends they received these various denominations In these works consisted the divine attestation of the Doctrine of the Apostles God in and by them giving testimony from heaven by the ministration of his Almighty Power unto the things which were taught and his approbation of the Persons that taught them in their work And this was of especial consideration in dealing with the Hebrews For the delivery of the Law and the ministery of Moses having been accompanied with many signs and prodigies they made great enquiry after signs for the confirmation of the Gospel 1 Cor. 1.22 which though our Lord Jesus Christ neither in his own Person nor by his Apostles would grant unto them in their time and manner to satisfie their wicked and carnal curiosity yet in his own way and season he gave them forth for their conviction or to leave them
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
followeth from the Apostles Application of the Psalmists words unto the Person of Christ and consequently the regard of God unto us in his Mediation And this is such as that the Apostle tells us that at the last day it shall be his great Glory that he will be admired in all them that do believe 2 Thess. 1.10 When the work of his Grace shall be fully perfected in and towards them than the Glory of his Grace appeareth and is magnified for ever This is that which the Admiration of the Psalmist tends unto and rests in That God should so regard the nature of man as to take it into Union with himself in the Person of his Son and in that nature humbled and exalted to work out the Salvation of all them that believe on him There are other wayes wherein the Respect of God towards man doth appear even in the effects of his Holy Wise Providence over him He causeth his Sun to shine and his rain to fall upon him Mat. 5.45 He leaves not himself without witness towards us in that he doth good and gives us rain from Heaven and fruitful seasons filling our hearts with food and gladness Acts 14.17 And these wayes of his Providence are singularly admirable But this Way of his Grace towards us in the Person of his Son assuming our nature into union with himself is that wherein the exceeding and unspeakable riches of his Glory and Wisdom are made manifest So the Apostle expresseth it Ephes. 1.17 18 19 20 21 22 23. He hath that to declare unto them which because of its Greatness Glory and Beauty they are no way able of themselves to receive or comprehend And therefore he prayes for them that they may have the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation to give them the knowledge of Christ or that God by his Spirit would make them wise to apprehend and give them a gracious discovery of what he proposeth to them as also that hereby they may enjoy the blessed effect of an enlightned Understanding without which they will not discern the Excellency of this matter and what is it that they must thus be helped assisted prepared for to understand in any measure What is the Greatness the Glory of it that can no otherwise be discerned why saith he marvel not at the necessity of this preparation that which I propose unto you is the glory of God that wherein he will principally be glorified here and unto Eternity and it is the Riches of that Glory the treasures of it God hath in other things set forth and manifested his Glory but yet as it were by parts and parcels one thing hath declared his Power another his Goodness and Wisdom and that in part with reference unto that particular about which they have been exercised But in this he hath drawn forth displayed manifested all the Riches and Treasures of his Glory so that his Excellencies are capable of no greater Exaltation And there is also in this work the unspeakable Greatness of his power engaged that no property of his nature may seem to be uninterested in this matter Now whereunto doth all this tend why it is all to give a blessed and eternal Inheritance unto believers unto the hope and expectation whereof they are called by the Gospel And by what way or means is all this wrought and brought about even by the working of God in Jesus Christ in his Humiliation when he dyed and his Exaltation in his Resurrection putting all things under his feet crowning him with glory and honour which the Apostle shews by a citation of this place of the Psalmist for all this is out of Gods regard unto man it is for the Church which is the body of Christ and his fulness So full of glory such an object of eternal Admiration is this work of the Love and Grace of God which as Peter tells us the very Angels themselves desire to look into 1 Pet. 1.12 And this further appears First Because all Gods regard of man in this way is a fruit of meer Soveraign Grace and condescension And all Grace is admirable especially the Grace of God and that so great Grace as the Scripture expresseth it There was no consideration of any thing without God himself that moved him hereunto He had glorified himself as the Psalmist shews in other works of his hands and he could have rested in that Glory Man deserved no such thing of him being worthless and sinful It was all of Grace both in the head and members The Humane nature of Christ neither did nor could merit the Hypostatical Vnion It did not because being made partaker of it from the instant of his Conception all antecedent Operations that might procure it were prevented and a thing cannot be merited by any after it is freely granted antecedently unto any deserts Nor could it do so Hypostatical Union could be no reward of obedience being that which exceeds all the order of things and Rules of Remunerative Justice The Assumption then of our nature into Personal Union with the Son of God was an Act of meer free soveraign unconceivable Grace And this is the foundation of all the following fruits of Gods regard unto us and that being of Grace so must they be also What ever God doth for us in and by Jesus Christ as made man for us which is all that he so doth it must I say be all of Grace because his being made man was so Had there been any merit any desert on our part any Preparation for or Disposition unto the Effects of this regard had our nature that portion of it which was sanctified and separated to be united unto the Son of God any way procured or prepared it self for its Union and Assumption things had fallen under some rules of Justice and Equality whereby they might be apprehended and measured but all being of Grace they leave place unto nothing but eternal Admiration and thankfulness Secondly Had not God been thus mindful of man and visited him in the Person of his Son incarnate every one partaker of that nature must have utterly perished in their lost condition And this also renders the Grace of it an object of Admiration We are not only to look what God takes us unto by this Visitation but to consider also what he delivers us from Now this is a great part of that vile and base condition which the Psalmist wonders that God should have regard unto namely that we had sinned and come short of his Glory and thereby exposed our selves unto eternal misery In that condition we must have perished for ever had not God freed us by this Visitation It had been Great Grace to have taken an innocent a sinless man into Glory Great Grace to have freed a sinner from misery though he should never be brought to the enjoyment of the least positive Good But to free a sinner from the utmost and most inconceivable misery in eternal ruine and to bring him unto
the highest happiness in eternal Glory and all this in a way of meer Grace this is to be admired Thirdly Because it appeareth that God is more glorified in the Humiliation and Exaltation of the Lord Christ and the salvation of mankind thereby than in any of or all the Works of the first Creation How glorious those works are and how mightily they set forth the glory of God we have before declared But as the Psalmist intimates God rested not in them He had yet a farther design to manifest his Glory in a more eminent and singular manner and this he did by minding and visiting of man in Christ Jesus None almost is so stupid but on the first view of the Heavens the Sun Moon and Stars but he will confess that their Fabrick Beauty and Order is wonderful and that the Glory of their framer and builder is for ever to be admired in them But all this comes short of that Glory which ariseth unto God from this Condescension and Grace And therefore it may be the day will come and that speedily wherein these Heavens and this whole old Creation shall be utterly dissolved and brought to nothing For why should they abide as a monument of his power unto them who enjoying the blessed vision of him shall see and know it far more evidently and eminently in himself However they shall undoubtedly in a short time cease as to their Vse wherein at present they are principally subservient unto the manifestation of the glory of God But the Effects of this regard of God to man shall abide unto Eternity and the glory of God therein This is the foundation of Heaven as it is a state and condition as it denotes the Glorious Presence of God among his Saints and holy ones Without this there would be no such Heaven all that is there and all the glory of it depends thereon Take away this foundation and all that beauty and glory disappears Nothing indeed would be taken from God who ever was and ever will be eternally blessed in his own Self sufficiency But the whole Theatre which he hath erected for the manifestation of his glory unto Eternity depends on this his holy Condescension and Grace which assuredly render them meet for ever to be admired and adored This then let us exercise our selves unto Faith having infinite eternal incomprehensible things proposed unto it acts it self greatly in this Admiration We are every where taught that we now know but imperfectly in part and that we see darkly as in a glass not that the Revelation of these things in the Word is dark and obscure for they are fully and clearly proposed but that such is the nature of the things themselves that we are not in this life able to comprehend them and therefore faith doth principally exercise it self in an holy admiration of them And indeed no Love or Grace will suit our condition but that which is incomprehensible We find our selves by Experience to stand in need of more Grace Goodness Love and Mercy than we can look into search to the bottom of or fully understand But when that which is infinite and incomprehensible is proposed unto us there all fears are overwhelmed and faith finds rest with Assurance And if our admiration of these things be an Act an Effect a fruit of faith it will be of singular use to endear our hearts unto God and to excite them unto thankful obedience For who would not love and delight in the eternal fountain of this inconceivable Grace And what shall we render unto him who hath done more for us than we are any way able to think or conceive II. Observe also that such was the inconceivable Love of Jesus Christ the Son of God unto the souls of men that he was free and willing to condescend unto any condition for their good and salvation That was the end of all this dispensation And the Lord Christ was not humbled and made less than the Angels without his own Will and consent His Will and good liking concurred unto this work Hence when the Eternal Counsel of this whole matter is mentioned it is said of him as the Wisdom of the Father that he rejoyced in the habitable part of the earth and his delights were with the Sons of men Prov. 8.31 He delighted in the counsel of redeeming and saving them by his own Humiliation and suffering And the Scripture makes it evident upon these two considerations First In that it shews that what he was to do and what he was to undergo in this work was proposed unto him and that he willingly accepted of the terms and conditions of it Psalm 40.6 God sayes unto him that sacrifice and offering would not do this great work burnt-offering and sin-offering would not effect it that is no kind of Offerings or Sacrifices instituted by the Law were available to take away sin and to save sinners as our Apostle expounds that place at large Heb. 10 1 2 3 4. confirming his Exposition with sundry Arguments taken from their nature and Effects What then doth God require of him that this great design of the salvation of sinners may be accomplished even that he himself should make his own soul an offering for sin pour out his soul unto death and thereby bear the sin of many Isa. 53.10.12 That seeing the Law was weak through the flesh that is by reason of our sins in the flesh that he himself should take upon him the likeness of sinful flesh and become an offering for sin in the flesh Rom. 8.3 That he should be made of a woman made under the Law if he would redeem them that were under the Law Gal. 4.4 5. that he should make himself of no reputation but take upon him the form of a servant and be made in the likeness of man and being found in fashion as a man to humble himself and to become obedient unto death the death of the Cross Phil. 2.7 8. These things were proposed unto him which he was to undergo if he would deliver and save mankind And how did he entertain this proposal how did he like these Conditions I was not saith he rebellious I turned not away back Isa. 50.5 He declined them not he refused none of the terms that were proposed unto him but underwent them in a way of Obedience and that with Willingness Alacrity and delight Psal. 40.6 7 8. Thou saith he hast opened my ears or prepared a body for me wherein I may yield this obedience that the Apostle declares to be the sense of the expression Chap. 10. This Obedience could not be yielded without a body wherein it was performed and whereas to hear or to have the ear opened is in the Scripture to be prepared unto obedience the Psalmist in that one Expression Mine ear hast thou opened comprizeth both these even that Christ had a body prepared by a Synechdoche of a part for the whole and also in that body he was
unto him to be agitated and terrified as it were at his pleasure To this end were Persons excommunicate given up unto Satan to vex 1 Tim. 1.20 He threatens them as an Executioner with the work that he hath to do upon them 4. God hath ordained him to be the Executioner of the sentence of Death upon stubborn sinners unto all Eternity partly for the Aggravation of their Punishment when they shall alwayes see and without relief bewail their folly in hearkening unto his Allurements and partly to punish himself in his wofull Employment And for these several Reasons is Satan said to have the power of death And hence it is evident That VIII All the Power of Satan in the world over any of the sons of men is founded in Sin and the Guilt of Death attending it Death entered by sin the Guilt of sin brought it in Herewith comes in Satans interest without which he could have no more to do in the Earth than he hath in Heaven And according as sin abounds or is subdued so his Power is enlarged or streightned As he is a Spirit he is mighty strong wise as sinful he is malitious subtle ambitious revengeful proud Yet none of all these give him his Power He that made him can cause his sword to pierce unto him and preserve man though weak and mortal from all his force as a mighty Spirit and his Attempts as a wicked one And yet these are the things in him that men are generally afraid of when yet by them he cannot reach one hair of their heads But here lyes the foundation of his power even in sin which so few regard Then IX All sinners out of Christ are under the power of Satan They belong unto that Kingdom of Death whereof he is the Prince and Ruler The whole world lyes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the power of this wicked one If the Guilt of death be not removed from any the Power of the Devil extends unto them A power indeed it is that is regulated Were it Soveraign or absolute he would continually devour But it is limited unto times seasons and degrees by the Will of God the Judge of all But yet great it is and answerable unto his Titles the Prince the God of the world And however men may flatter themselves as the Jews did of old that they are free if they are not freed by an interest in the death of Christ they are in bondage unto this beastly Tyrant and as he works effectually in them here he will ragingly inflict vengeance on them hereafter 3. He is destroyed To destroy him The sense and importance of the word here used was before declared It is not applyed unto the Nature Essence or Being of the Devil but unto his Power in and over death As it is elsewhere declared John 12.32 Now is the Judgement of this world now is the Prince of this world cast out that which is here called the destroying of the Devil is there called the casting out of the Prince of this world It is the casting him out of his Power from his Princedom and Rule and Col. 2.15 Having spoiled principalities and powers he made an open shew of them triumphing over them in his cross as Conquerors used to do when they had not slain the Persons of their Enemies but deprived them of their Rule and lead them Captives The Destruction then here intended of him that had the power of death is the Dissolution Evacuation and Removing of that Power which he had in and over death with all the effects and consequences of it 4. The means whereby Satan was thus destroyed is also expressed It was by death by his own death This of all others seemed the most unlikely way and means but indeed was not only the best but the only way whereby it might be accomplished And the manner how it was done thereby must be declared and vindicated The fourfold power of Satan in reference unto death before mentioned was all founded in sin The Obligation of the sinner unto death was that which gave him all his Power The taking away then of that Obligation must needs be the Dissolution of his Power The foundation being removed all that is built upon it must needs fall to the ground Now this in reference unto the Children for whom he dyed was done in the death of Christ Virtually in his death it self Actually in the Application of it unto them When the sinner ceaseth to be obnoxious unto death the Power of Satan ceaseth also And this every one doth that hath an interest in the death of Christ for there is no condemnation unto them that are in Christ Jesus Rom. 8.1 And this because he dyed he dyed for their sins took that death upon himself which was due unto them which being conquered thereby and their Obligation thereunto ceasing the Power of Satan is therewith dissolved The first Branch of his Power consisted in the bringing of sin into the world This is dissolved by Christs taking away the sin of the world John 1.29 which he did as the Lamb of God by the Sacrifice of himself in his death typified by the Paschal Lamb and all other Sacrifices of old Again His power consisted in his Rule in the world as cast under sin and death From this he was cast out John 12.32 in the death of Christ when contending with him for the continuance of his Soveraignty he was conquered the ground whereon he stood even the guilt of sin being taken away from under him and his Title defeated And actually Believers are translated from under his Rule from the Power of Darkness into the Kingdom of Light and of the Son of God Nor can he longer make use of death as poenal as threatned in the curse of the Law to terrifie and affright the consciences of men for being justified by faith in the death of Christ they have peace with God Rom. 5.1 Christ making Peace between God and us by the blood of his Cross Ephes. 2.14 15. 2 Cor. 5.19 20 21. the Weapons of this part of his Power are wrested out of his hand seeing Death hath no power to terrifie the conscience but as it expresseth the curse of God And lastly his final Execution of the sentence of death upon sinners is utterly taken out of his hand by the death of Christ inasmuch as they for whom he dyed shall never undergo death poenally And thus was Satan as to his power over death fully destroyed by the death of Christ. And all this depended on Gods Institution appointing the satisfactory sufferings of Christ and accepting them instead of the sufferings of the children themselves The Socinians give us another Exposition of these words as knowing that insisted on to be no less destructive of their Error than the death of Christ is of the power of the Devil The Reason hereof saith Schlictingius is quia per mortem Christus adeptus est supremam potestatem in omnia qua
or Creation and Providence the Sun Moon and Stars showres from Heaven with fruitful seasons are in their judgement Preachers of the salvation of sinners I know not what also they say that the Reason of man by the Contemplation of these things may find out of I know not what Placability in God that may incite sinners to go unto him and enable them to find Acceptance with him But we see what success all the world and all the Wise men of it had in the use and improvement of these means of the salvation of sinners The Apostle tells us not only that by their Wisdom they knew not God 1 Cor. 1.21 but also that the more they searched the greater loss they were at untill they waxed vain in their imaginations and their foolish hearts were darkned Rom. 1.21 And indeed whatever they had amongst them which had any semblance of an obscure Apprehension of some way of salvation by Atonement and Intercession as in their Sacrifices and Mediations of inferiour Deities which the Apostle alludes unto 1 Cor. 8.5 6 as they had it by Tradition from those who were somewhat instructed in the Will of God by Revelation so they turned it into horrible Idolatries and the utmost contempt of God And this was the issue of their disquisitions who were no less wise in the principles of inbred Reason and the knowledge of the works of nature than those who now contend for their Ability to have done better Besides the salvation of sinners is a Mysterie as the Scripture every where declareth a blessed a glorious Mysterie Rom. 16.25 The Wisdom of God in a Mysterie 1 Cor. 2.7 Ephes. 1.9 Col. 1.25 26. That is not only a thing secret and marvellous but such as hath no dependance on any Causes that come naturally within our Cognizance Now what ever men can find out by the Principles of Reason and the contemplation of the works of God in Creation and Providence it is by natural scientifical conclusions and what is so discovered can be no heavenly spiritual glorious Mysterie such as this salvation is What ever men may so find out if they may find out any thing looking this way it is but natural science it is not a Mysterie and so is of no use in this matter what ever it be Moreover it is not only said to be a Mysterie but an hidden Mysterie and that hid in God himself as Ephes. 3.9 10. Col. 1.25 26. 1 Cor. 2.7 8. That is in the Wisdom Purpose and Will of God Now it is very strange that men should be able by the the natural means fore-mentioned to discover an heavenly supernatural Wisdom and that hidden on purpose from their finding by any such enquiry and that in God himself so coming unto the knowledge of it as it were whether he would or no. But we may pass over these Imaginations and accept of the Gospel as the only way and means of declaring the salvation of God And therefore every Word and Promise in the whole Book of God that intimateth or revealeth any thing belonging unto this Salvation is it self a part of the Gospel and so to be esteemed And as this is the work of the Gospel so is it in an especial manner its proper and peculiar work with respect unto the Law The Law speaks nothing of the salvation of sinners and is therefore called the Ministry of death and condemnation as the Gospel is of life and salvation 2 Cor. 3.9 10. And thus the Gospel is salvation declaratively Secondly It is Salvation Efficiently in that it is the great Instrument which God is pleased to use in and for the Collation and bestowing salvation upon his Elect. Hence the Apostle calls it the Power of God unto salvation Rom. 1.16 Because God in and by it exerts his mighty Power in the saving of them that believe as it is again called 1 Cor. 1.18 Whence there is a saving Power ascribed unto the Word it self And therefore Paul commits believers unto the Word of grace as that which is able to build them up and give them an inheritance among all them that are sanctified Acts 20.32 And James calls it the ingrafted Word which is able to save our souls Chap. 1.21 The mighty Power of Christ being put forth in it and accompanying of it for that purpose But this will the better appear if we consider the several principal parts of this Salvation and the Efficiency of the Word as the Instrument of God in the communication of it unto us As First In the Regeneration and Sanctification of the Elect the first external Act of this Salvation This is wrought by the Word 1 Pet. 1.23 We are born again not of corruptible seed but of incorruptible by the Word of God Wherein not only the thing it self of our Regeneration by the Word but the manner of it also is declared It is by the Collation of a new spiritual life upon us whereof the Word is the seed As every life proceeds from some seed that hath in its self virtually the whole life to be educed from it by natural wayes and means so the Word in the hearts of men is turned into a vital principle that cherished by suitable means puts forth vital acts and operations By this means are we born of God and quickned who by nature are children of wrath dead in trespasses and sins So Paul tells the Corinthians that he had begotten them in Jesus Christ by the Gospel 1 Cor. 4.15 I confess it doth not do this work by any Power resident in its self and alwayes necessarily accompanying its Administration For then all would be so regenerated unto whom it is preached and there would be no neglecters of it But it is the Instrument of God for this end and mighty and powerful through God it is for the accomplishment of it And this gives us our first real Interest in the Salvation which it doth declare Of the same Use and Efficacy is it in the progress of this work in our Sanctification by which we are carried on towards the full Enjoyment of this salvation So our Saviour prayes for his Disciples Joh. 17.19 Sanctifie them by thy Word as the means and instrument of their Sanctification And he tells his Apostles that they were clean through the word that he had spoken unto them Chap. 15.3 For it is the food and nourishment whereby the spiritual Principle of Life which we revive in our Regeneration is cherished and encreased 1 Pet. 2.2 and so able to build us up untill it give us an inheritance among them that are sanctified Secondly It is so in the Communication of the Spirit unto them that do believe to furnish them with the Gifts and Graces of the Kingdom of Heaven and to interest them in all those Priviledges of this salvation which God is pleased in this life to impart unto us and to entrust us withal So the Apostle dealing with the Galatians about their backsliding from the
Gospel asketh them wither they received the Spirit by the works of the Law or by the Word of Faith Chap. 3.2 that is the Gospel That was the Way and means whereby God communicated unto them his Spirit by whom among many other Priviledges we are sealed unto the day of Redemption This is the Covenant of God that his Spirit and the Word of the Gospel shall go and shall abide together with his Elect Isa. 59.1 And he is given unto us by the Gospel on many accounts 1. Because he is the gift and grant of the Author of the Gospel as to all the especial Ends and concernments of salvation John tells us that the Spirit was not given when Jesus was not as yet glorified Chap. 7.39 that is not in that manner as God hath annexed unto this salvation and therefore Peter tells us that when the Lord Christ ascended up on high he received of the Father the Promise of the Spirit and poured him forth on them which did believe Acts 2.33 And this he did according to his own great Promise and Prediction whilest he conversed with his Disciples in the dayes of his flesh There was not any thing that he more supported and encouraged them withal nor more raised their hearts to an Expectation of than this that he would send unto them and bestow upon them the Holy Ghost for many blessed ends and purposes and that to abide with them for ever as we may see Joh. 14.15 16. And this is the great priviledge of the Gospel that the Author of it is alone the donor and bestower of the Holy Spirit which of what concernment it is in the business of our Salvation all men know who have any acquaintance with these things 2. He is promised in the Gospel and therein alone All the Promises of the Scripture whither in the Old Testament or New whose subject is the Spirit are Evangelical they all belong unto and are parts of the Gospel For the Law had no Promise of the Spirit or any Priviledge by him annexed unto it And hence he is called the holy Spirit of promise Ephes. 1.13 Who next unto the Person of Christ was the great subject of Promises from the foundation of the world 3. By these Promises are Believers actually and really made partakers of the Spirit They are vehicula Spiritus the Chariots that bring this holy Spirit into our Souls 2 Pet. 1.4 By these great and precious Promises is the Divine Nature communicated unto us so far forth as unto the indwelling of this blessed Spirit Every Evangelical Promise is unto a Believer but as it were the cloathing of the Spirit in receiving whereof he receives the Spirit himself for some of the blessed Ends of this great salvation God makes use of the Word of the Gospel and of no other means to this purpose So that herein also it is the grace of God that bringeth salvation Thirdly In our Justification And this hath so great a share in this salvation that it is often called salvation it self And they that are justified are said to be saved as Ephes. 2.8 And this is by the Gospel alone which is a point of such importance that it is the main subject of some of Pauls Epistles and is fully taught in them all And in sundry respects it is by the Gospel 1. Because therein and thereby is appointed and constituted the New Law of Justification whereby even a sinner may come to be justified before God The Law of Justification was that he that did the Works of the Law should live in them Rom. 10.5 But this became weak and unprofitable by reason of sin Rom. 8.3 Heb. 8.7 8 9. That any sinner and we have all sinned and come short of the glory of God should be justified by this Law or Rule implyes a contradiction and is utterly impossible Wherefore God by the Gospel hath constituted a new Law of Justification even the Law of faith Rom. 3.27 which is the holy Declaration of his Will and Grace that sinners shall be justified and accepted with him by faith in the blood of Christ without the Works of the Law that he that believeth shall be saved This is equally constituted and appointed in the Law of faith to be proposed unto all that shall believe And on the account hereof the Gospel is salvation 2. Because in every Justification there must be a Righteousness before God on the account whereof the Person to be justified is to be pronounced and declared righteous this is tendered proposed and exhibited unto us in and by the Gospel This is no other but the Lord Christ himself and his Righteousness Isa. 45.21 22. Rom. 8.3 4. Rom. 10.4 2 Cor. 5.21 Gal. 3.13 14. Now Christ with his whole Righteousness and all the benefits thereof are tendered unto us and given unto or bestowed on them that do believe by the Promise of the Gospel Therein is he preached and proposed as crucified before our eyes and we are invited to accept of him which the souls of Believers through the Gospel do accordingly And 3. Faith it self whereby we receive the Lord Christ for all the Ends for which he is tendered unto us and become actually interested in all the fruits and benefits of his Mediation is wrought in us by the Word of the Gospel For as we have declared it is the seed of all Grace whatever and in especial faith cometh by hearing and hearing by this word of God Rom. 10.17 Conviction of sin is by the Law but faith is by the Gospel And this is the Way and means which God hath appointed on our part for the giving us an actual interest in Justification as established in the Law of the Gospel Rom. 5.1 Again 4. The Promise of the Gospel conveyed unto the soul by the Holy Spirit and entertained by faith compleats the justification of a believer in his own conscience and gives him assured Peace with God And then the whole work of this main branch of our salvation is wrought by the Gospel Fourthly There is in this salvation an instruction and growth in spiritual Wisdom and an Acquaintance with the Mysterie of God even of the Father and the Son which also is an Effect of the Gospel Of our selves we are not only dark and ignorant of heavenly things but darkness it self that is utterly blind and incomprehensive of spiritual Divine Mysteries Ephes. 5.8 and so under the Power of darkness Col. 1.13 as that we should no less than the Devils themselves be holden under the chains of it unto the Judgement of the great Day Darkness and ignorance as to the things of God themselves in respect of the Revelation of them and Darkness in the Mind and Understanding of them in a right manner being revealed is upon the whole world And no heart is able to conceive no tongue to express the greatness and misery of this Darkness The removal hereof is a mercy unexpressible the beginning of our entrance into Heaven