supream Principles of things a good one and a bad one Thus for the most part the first Question of a Romanist is How do you know the Scriptures to be the Word of God and then the next word is the Cabala the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Orall Law Tradition these are the Foundation of it And in their progress they fail not to assert two Principles both borrowed from the Jews First That the Scripture is imperfect and doth not give us a full and compleat account of all things that are to be believed or practised that God may be glorified and our own souls saved Secondly That what is delivered therein can no way be rightly and truly understood but by the help of those Traditions which they have in their custody But although these are good usefull Inventions and they are men that want not Ability to find out what is conducing unto their own advantage yet they cannot be allowed the Credit of being their first Authors seeing they are expresly borrowed of the Jews § 19 Fourthly When these two Laws the Law of God and their own do come in competition the Jews many of them do expresly prefer that of their own invention before the other and that both as to certainty and use Hence they make it the foundation of their Church and the only safe means to preserve the Truth So are we informed by Isaac Corbulensis in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Do not think saith he that the written Law is the Foundation for the Foundation is the Orall Law For by that Law was the Covenant made as it is written according to these words do I make a Covenant with thee Exod. 34.27 where he takes his Argument from that Expression 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wresting foolishly as they do all his Orall Law from those words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifie nothing but according to nor are any other words intended but those delivered to Moses and written by him And these he adds are the Treasures of the Holy Blessed God For he knew that Israel should be carried Captive among other People and that the Nations would transcribe their Books and therefore would not commit their secret Law to Writing It seems these things were left them in secret Tradition because God was not willing that any besides themselves should know his Mind and Will but they have at last shewed themselves more full of benignity towards mankind than they would allow God to be in as much as they have committed this Secret Law to Writing And to this purpose is their Confession in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Golden Altar 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is impossible for us to stand or abide upon the Foundation of our holy Law which is the written Law unless it be by the Orall Law which is the Exposition thereof Wherein they not only declare their Judgements concerning their Traditions but also express the Reason of their obstinate adherence unto them which is that without it they cannot maintain themselves in their present Judaism And so indeed is the case with them innumerable Testimonies of the Scriptures rising up directly against their Infidelity they were not able to keep their station but by an horrible corrupting of them through their Traditions On this account it is a common thing with them in the advise they give unto their Disciples to prefer the Study of the Talmud before the Study of the Scripture and the sayings of their Wise men before the sayings of the Prophets and plainly express an utter disregard of the Written Word any farther than as they suppose the sense of it explained in their Orall Law Neither are they here forsaken by their Associates The principal design of all the Books which have been lately published by the Romanists and they have not been a few hath been to prove the Certainty and Sufficiency of their Traditions in matters of their Faith and Worship above that of the Written Word § 20 Fifthly There are some few remaining among the Eastern Jews who reject all this Story concerning the Orall Law and professedly adhere unto the Written Word only These the Masters of their present Religion and Perswasion do by common consent brand as Hereticks calling them Scripturists or Scripturarians or Biblists the very name of reproach wherewith the Romanists stigmatize all those who reject their Traditions These are their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Biblists or Scripturarians and every where they term them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hereticks and endeavour to prove them guilty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Heresie in the highest degree Some of them would have them to be the Offspring of the old Sadducees to deny the Resurrection and the World to come as men care not much usually what they impute unto those whom they esteem Hereticks But the falsity hereof is notorious and so acknowledged by others and confuted by the Writings of the Karaeans themselves Yea the Author of Cosri affirms that they are more studious in the Law than the Rabbins and that their Reasons were more weighty than theirs and lead more towards the naked sense of the Scripture But this is that which they charge upon them namely that rejecting the sure Rule of their Traditions they run into singular Expositions of the Law and so divided it and made many Laws of it having no certain means of Agreement among themselves So saith Rabbi Jehuda Levita the Author of the fore-mentioned Cosri 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Karaeans multiply Laws according to their own Opinion which he inveighs against them for after he had commended them And the same is objected against them by Maimonides on Pirke Aboth As though it were not known that the greatest part of their Talmud the Sacred Treasury of their Orall Law is taken up with differences and Disputes of their Masters among themselves with a multitude of various Opinions and contradictory conceptions about their Traditions Thus deal the Romanists also which their Adversaries this they charge them withall They are Hereticks Biblists and by adhering to the Scripture alone have no certainty among themselves but run into diversities of Opinions as having deserted the unerring Rule of their Cabala when the world is filled with the noise of their own conflicts notwithstanding the pretended relief which they have thereby It remains that we consider how these Traditions come to be communicated unto others out of the secret Store-house wherein Originally they were deposited This as I have elsewhere and partly before declared was by their being committed unto writing by Rabbi Juda Hakkadosh whose collections with their Expositions in their Talmud do give us a perfect account if we may believe them of that secret Law which came down unto them by Orall Tradition from Moses And something like hereunto is by the Romanists pretended Many of their Traditions they say are recorded in the Rescripts of Popes Decrees of Councils and Constitutions of the Canon Law and the like sacred means of
those that follow He affirms they may be expounded by that of Philo de Coloniis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But whether this Platonical Declaration of the Nature and Work of the Word of God employed by him as an Instrument in the Making and Government of the World would have been accepted in the Primitive Church when this Place was vexed by the Arians and studiously vindicated by the Orthodox Fathers I much question But to return If the Law and the observance of it be the only Remedy provided of God against the sin and misery of man the only means of Reconciliation with him all that dyed before the giving of it must perish and that eternally But the contrary appears from this very consideration and is undeniably proved by our Apostle in the Instance of Abraham Gal. 3. v. 17. For he received the Promise and was taken into Covenant with God four hundred and thirty years before the giving of the Law And that Covenant conveyed unto him the Love and Favour of God with Deliverance from Sin and the Curse as themselves will not deny There was therefore a Remedy in this case provided long before the giving of the Law on Mount Sinai and therefore the Law was not given unto that purpose but for other Ends at large declared by our Apostle Either then they must grant that all the Patriarchs and he in especiall of whom they boast perished eternally or else that there was a means of Deliverance provided before the giving of the Law and consequently that the Law was not given for that End The first they will not do nor can without an absolute Renunciation of their own Sacred Writings wherein none have obtained a larger Testimony that they pleased God than they The latter therefore followeth undeniably If they shall say they had a way of Deliverance but God provided another afterwards as this would be spoken without Warrant or Authority from the Scripture so I desire to know both what that way was and why it was rejected Of Gods appointment it was and effectual it was unto them that embraced it and why it should be laid aside who can declare Again as was before observed there are two parts of the Law The Moral Precepts § 20 of it and the instituted Worship appointed in it Unto this latter part do the Sacrifices of it belong But neither of these are sufficient unto the End proposed nor jointly can they attain it Two things are evidently necessary from what hath been discoursed unto the Deliverance enquired after First That Man be reconciled unto God by the removal of the Curse and the Wrath due unto him for his Apostacy Secondly That his Nature be freed from that Principle of Sin and enmity against God the evil figment that it is tainted yea possessed withall And neither of these can be effected by the Law or either part of it For First The Moral Precepts of it are the same with those that were written in the heart of man by Nature or the Law of his Creation which he transgressed in his first Rebellion And he must be delivered from that guilt before any new Obedience can be accepted of him His old debt must be satisfied for before he can treat for a new Reward which inseparably follows all acceptable Obedience But this the Precepts of the Law take no notice of nor direct unto any way for its removal only supposing the doing of it by some other means it requires exact Obedience in them that come to God thereby Hence our Apostle concludes that it could not give life but was weak and insufficient in its self unto any such purpose Besides secondly it could not absolutely preserve men in its own Observation for it required that Obedience which never any sinner did or could in all things perform as the Scriptures of the Old Testament abundantly manifest For they tell us there is is no man that sinneth not 1 Kings 8. v. 46. 2 Chron. 6. v. 36. That if the Lord should mark iniquity no man could stand Psal. 130. v. 3. And that if he enter into Judgement according to the Law no man living can be justified in his sight Psal. 143. v. 2. To this Purpose see the excellent Discourse and invincible Reasonings of our Apostle Rom. chap. 3. 4. This the Holy Men of Old confessed this the Scripture bears testimony unto and this Experience confirmes seeing every sin and transgression of that Law was put under a Curse Deut. 27. v. 26. Where then there is no man that sinneth not and every sin is put under the curse the Law in the Preceptive part of it can be no means of delivery from the one or other but is rather a certain means of increasing and aggravating of them both Neither is there any Testimony given concerning any one under the Old Testament that he was any other way justified before God but by Faith and the Pardon of Sins which are not of the Works of the Law See Gen. 15. v. 6. Psal. 32. v. 1 2. Of Noah indeed it is said that he was upright and perfect in his Generation that is sincere in his Obedience and free from the open wickedness of the Age wherein he lived But as this was before the giving of the Law by Moses so the Ground of his Freedom and Deliverance is added to be the Gracious Love and Favour of God This the Jews themselves confess in Bereshith Rabba Sect. 29. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Even Noah himself who was left of them was not every way as he should be but that he found Grace or Favour in the eyes of the Lord. And to the same purpose they speak concerning Abraham himself elsewhere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou findest that Abraham our Father inherited not this world and the world to come any otherwise than by Faith as it is said he believed God This part therefore of the Law is plainly convinced to be insufficient to deliver sinners from an Antecedent guilt and Curse due thereunto § 21 It remains then that the Sacrifices of the Law must yield the Relief enquired after or we are still at a loss in this matter And these the Jews would willingly place their chief confidence in they did so of old Since indeed they have been driven from their Observation they have betaken themselves unto other Helps that they might not appear to be utterly hopeless But they sufficiently manifest their great reserve against the Accusation of their Consciences to be in them by the ludicrous wayes of representing or rather counterfeiting of them that they have invented 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies a man and among the Rabbins a Cock also Hence Ben Vzziel renders 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ezion Geber The name of a City Deut. 2.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the City of a Cock And Isa. 22. v. 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is rendered by Hierom Gallus Gallinaceus Granting therefore that the Punishment of Geber is required unto
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
Psalms and Prophets was very antient in their Church We have mention of it Luke 24.44 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that are written in the law of Moses and in the Prophets and in the Psalms that is in the whole Canonical Scripture And evident it is that this distribution is taken from the subject matter of those principal parts of it This reason of that distribution which they have by Tradition they not knowing or neglecting have feigned the rise of it in a different manner of Revelation and cast the particular books arbitrarily under what heads they pleased as is evident from sundry of them which they reckon unto the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cethubim or Hagiographa which are with them of least esteem But we have a more sure rule both overthrowing that feigned distinction and perfectly equalizing all parts of divine Scripture as to their spring and original St. Peter calls the whole 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Pet. 1.19 the word of Prophesie and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v. 20. Prophesie and therefore it belongs not unto any peculiar part of it to be given out by Prophesie which is an affection of the whole And St. Paul also terms the whole Scriptuâ—◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 16.26 prophetical Scriptures or writings of the Prophets And when he demanded of Agrippa whether he believed the Scriptures he doth it in the same manner 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 28.23 believest thou the prophets that is the Scriptures written by the spirit of Prophesie or by the inspiration 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Pet. 1.12 of the spirit of Christ that was in them God of old spake 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 1.1 in his Revelation of himself unto them and in them and equally spake 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luke 1.70 unto them by the mouth of his holy Prophets from the beginning And thus not this or that part but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Tim. 3.16 all Scripture was given by inspiration And herein all the parts or books of it are absolutely equall And in the giving out of the whole 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Pet. 1.21 holy men of God spake as they were moved by the holy Ghost So that whatever different means God at any time might make use of in the communication of his mind and will unto any of the Prophets or penmen of the Scripture it was this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and being acted by the holy Ghost both as to Things and Words that rendred them infallible Revealers of him unto the Church And thus the foundation of the Canonical authority of the books of the Scripture is absolutely the same in and unto them all without the least variety either from any difference in kind or degree § 9 The same is their condition as to their being Canonical they are all so equally Some of the Antients used that term ambiguously and therefore sometimes call books Canonical that absolutely are not so as not being written by divine inspiration nor given by the Holy Ghost to be any part of the Rule of the Churches faith and obedience Thus the Constantinopolitan Council in Trulla confirms the Canons both of the Synod of Laodicea and the third of Carthage which agree not in the Catalogues they give us of books Canonical which without a supposition of the ambiguity of the word could not be done unless they would give an assent unto a plain and open contradiction And the Council of Carthage makes evident its sense in their Appendiâ—e annexed to the one and fortieth Canon wherein they reckon up the books of the holy Scripture Hoc etiam say they fratri consacerdoti nostro Bonifacio vel aliis earum partium Episcopis pro confirmando isto Canone innotescat quia a patribus ista accepimus legenda liceat etiam legi passiones Martyrum cùm Aniversarii dies celebrantur They speak dubiously concerning their own determination and intimate that they called the books they enumerated Canonical only as they might be read in the Church which priviledge they grant also to the stories of the sufferings of the Martyrs which yet none thought to be properly canonical The same Epiphanius testifies of the Epistles of Clemens But as the books which that Synod added to the Canon of Laodicea are rejected by Melito Origen Athanasius Hilarius Gregorius Nazianzen Cyrillus Hierosolimitamus Epiphanius Ruffinus Hierome Gregorius magnus and others so their reading and Citation is generally declared by them to have been only for direction of manners and not for the confirmation of the faith even as St. Paul cited an Iambick out of Mâ—nandâ—r or rather Euripides 1 Cor. 15.33 an hemistichium out of Aratus Acts 17.28 and a whole Hexameter out of Epimenides Tit. 1.12 non sunt canonici sed leguntur Catechumenis saith Athanasius They are not Canonical but are only read to the Cateâ—humeni And Hierome the Church reads them ad aedificationem plebis non ad Authâ—ritatem Ecclesiasticarum dogmatum confirmandam for the edification of the people but not for the confirmation of any points of faith But although some books truly Canonical were of old amongst some 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Epiphanius speaks doubted of and some were commonly read that are certainly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and rejectitious yet neither the mistake of the former nor later practice can give any countenance to an Apprehension of a second or various sort of books properly canonical For the interest of any book or writing in the canon of the Scripture accrewing unto it as hath been shewed meerly from its divine inspiration and giving by the Holy Ghost for a Rule measure and standard of faith and obedience unto the Church whatever advantage or worth to commend it any writing may have Yet if it have not the propertiâ—s mentioned of Divine inspiration and Confirmation it differs in the whole kind and not in degrees only from all those that have them so that it can be no part regulae regulantis but regulatae at the best not having 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or a self-credibility on its own account or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a self-sufficing Authority but is truth only materially by vertue of its Analogie unto that which is absolutely universally and perfectly so And this was well observed by Lindanus Impio saith he sacrilegio se contaminant qui in scripturarum christianarum corpore quosdam quasi gradus conantur locare quod unam eandemque spiritus sancti vocem impio humanae stultitiae discerniculo audent in varias impares discerpere disturbare Autoritatis classes They desile themselves with the impiety of Sacriledge who endeavour to bring in as it were divers degrees into the body of the Scriptures for by the impious discretion of humane folly they would cast the one voice of the Holy Ghost into various forms of unequal Authority As then whatever difference there may be as to the subject
there is some variety both in antient Copies of the Original and Translations about it the most owning and retaining of it yet it would be of no moment seeing we know not whence or from whom any of them are The Objection then is taken from the want of the wonted Apostolical Salutation which should be in and a part of the Epistle And this is the substance of what on this account is excepted against our Assertion § 16 Various Answers have been given to this Objection some of them of no more validity than its self Hierom replyes it hath no mans name prefixed therefore we may by as good Reason Say it was written by no man as not by Paul which Instance though it be approved by Beza with other learned men and not sufficiently answered by Erasmus with a contrary instance yet indeed it is of no value for being written it must be written by some body though not perhaps by St. Paul Some have thought that it may be the Inscription inquired after was at first prefixed but by some means or other hath been lost But as there are very many Arguments and Evidences to evince the weakness of this imagination so the beginning and entrance of the Epistle is such as is uncapable of any contexture with such a Salutation as that used in other Epistles as is also that of St. John so that this Conjecture can here have no place § 17 Some of the Antients and principally Theodoret insist upon the peculiar allotment of his Work unto him among the Gentiles Paul was the Apostle of the Gentiles in an especial manner and if in Writing unto the Hebrews he had prefixed his name unto his Epistle he might have seemed to transgress the Line of his Allotment And if it be not certain that the Apostles by common consent cast their Work into distinct portions which they peculiarly attended unto as the Antients generally concurr that they did and there was not reason wanting why they should do so yet it is that there was a special Convention and agreement between James Peter and John on the one side and Paul and Barnabas on the other that they should attend the Ministry of the Circumcision and these of the Gentiles Hence Paul finding it necessary for him to write unto the Hebrews would not prefix his name with an Apostolical Salutation unto his Epistle that he might not seem to have invaded the Province of others or transgressed the Line of his Allotment But I must acknowledge that notwithstanding the weight laid upon it by Theodoret and some others this reason seems not unto me cogent unto the end for which it is produced For 1. The Commission given by the Lord Christ unto his Apostles was Catholick and had no bounds but that of the whole Creation of God capable of instruction Matth. 28.19 Mark 16.15 and that Commission which was given unto them all in general was given unto every one in particular and made him in solidum possessor of all the Right and Authority conveyed by it Neither could any following arbitrary agreement pitched on for convenience and the facilitating of their Work abridge any of them from exerting their Authority and exercising their Duty towards any of the Sons of Men as occasion did require And hence it is that notwithstanding the agreement mentioned we find St. Peter teaching of the Gentiles and St. Paul labouring the Conversion of the Jews Secondly In Writing this Epistle on this Supposition St. Paul did indeed that which is pretended was not meet for him to do namely he entered on that which was the Charge of another man only he conceals his Name that he might not appear in doing of a thing unwarrantable and unjustifiable And whether it be meet to ascribe this unto the Apostle is easie to determine As then it is certain that St. Paul in the Writing of this Epistle did nothing but what in duty he ought to do and what the Authority given him by Christ extended its self unto so the concealing of his Name lest he should be thought to have done any thing irregularly is a thing that without much temerity may not be imputed unto him § 18 There is another Answer to this Objection which seemeth to be solid and satisfactory which most of the Antients rest in And it is that St. Paul had weighty Reasons not to declare his Name at the entrance of this Epistle to the Hebrews taken from the prejudices that many of them had against him This is insisted on by Clemens in Eusebius He did Wisely saith he conceal his Name because of the prejudicate Opinion that they had against him and this is at large insisted on by Chrysostom who is followed therein by Theophilact Oecumenius and others without number The persecuting Party of the Nation looked on him as an Apostate a Desertor of the Cause wherein he was once engaged and one that taught Apostasie from the Law of Moses yea as they thought that set the whole World against them and all that they gloried in Acts 21.28 and what enmity is usually stirred up on such occasions all men know and his example is a sufficient instance of it And there was added thereunto which Chrysostom and that justly layes great weight upon that he was no ordinary Person but a man of great and extraordinary abilities which mightily increased the provocation Those among them who with the profession of the Gospel had a mind to continue themselves in and to impose upon others the observance of Mosaical Institutions looked on him as the only person that had frustrated their design Acts 15.2 And this also is usually no small cause of wrath and hatred The Spirit of these men afterwards possessing the Ebonites they despised St. Paul as a Grecian and Desertor of the Law as Epiphanius testifies And even the best among them who either in the use of their liberty or upon an Indulgence given them continued in the Temple Worship had a jealous eye over him lest he had not that esteem for Moses which they imagined became them to retain Acts 21.21 how great a prejudice against his Doctrine and Reasonings these thoughts and jealousies might have created had he at the entrance of his dealing with them prefixed his Name and usiâ—al Salutation is not hard to conjecture This being the State and Condition of things in reference unto St. Paul and not any other known Penman of the Holy Ghost or eminent Disciple of Christ in those dayes this defect of Inscription as Beza well observes proves the Epistle rather to be his than any other Persons whatever And though I know that there may be some Reply made unto this Answer both from the Discovery which he makes of himself in the end of the Epistle and from the high probability that there is that the Hebrews upon the first receipt of it would diligently examine by whom it was written yet I judge it very sufficient to frustrate the
I will wait for him so that their words seem to be taken from this place of the Apostle as apprehending his Testimony to be cited from the Prophet which that it is not we shall prove evidently afterwards The same Verse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Behold I and the children which God hath given me From Isa. 8.17 CHAP. III. § 6 VEr 7 8 9 10 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To day if you will hear his voice harden not your hearts as in the day of Provocation in the day of Temptation in the Wilderness when your Fathers tempted me proved me and saw my Works forty years wherefore I was grieved with that Generation and said they do alwayes err in heart and they have not known my wayes so I swore in my wrath they shall not enter into my rest From Psalm 95. v. 7 8 9 10 11. The Translation of the LXX agrees with the words of the Apostle both of them answering the Original Only the Apostle clearly to express the Reason of Gods Judgements on that people in the Wilderness distinguisheth the Words somewhat otherwise than they are in the Hebrew Text. For whereas that saith When your Fathers tempted me proved me and saw my Works Forty years long was I grieved with that Generation The Apostle adds that season of forty years to the mention of their sins and interposing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wherefore refers his Speech unto the words foregoing as containing the cause of the ensuing Wrath and Judgement And although our present Copies of the Greek Bibles distinguish the Words according to the Hebrew Text yet Theodoret informs us that some Copies made the distinction with the Apostle and added 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 before 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which also is observed by Nobilius and this could arise from no other cause but an attempt to insert the very words of the Apostle in that Text as did the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 also reckoned amongst its various Sections though 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 remain in the vulgar Editions CHAP. IV. § 7 VEr 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And God râ—sted on the seventh day from all his works From Gen. 2. v. 2. The Apostle adds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the Text to complâ—â—t his Assertion and leaves out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which he had made as to his purpose The LXX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and otherwise also differing from the Apostle CHAP. V. VEr 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou art a Priest for ever after § 8 the Order of Melchisedech From Psalm 110. v. 4. So also the LXX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with Jod superfluous 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mos. There is nothing of Variety remaining in these words from any other Translations Ver. 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Blessing I will bless thee and multiplying I will multiply thee From Gen. 22. v. 17. The LXX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will multiply thy seed CHAP. VIII VEr 9 10 11 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 LXX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 § 9 LXX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 LXX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 LXX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Behold the dayes come saith the Lord when I will make a new Covenant with the House of Israel and with the House of Judah Not according to the Covenant that I made with their Fathers when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the Land of Aegypt because they continued not in my Covenant and I regarded them not saith the Lord. For this is the Covenant that I will make with the House of Israel after those dayes saith the Lord I will put my Laws in their minds and write them in their hearts and I will be to them a God and they shall be to me a people And they shall not teach every man his neighbour and every man his Brother saying know the Lord for all shall know me from the least of them to the greatest of them For I will be mercifull to their unrighteousness and their sins and their iniquity will I remember no more From Jer. 31. v. 32 33 34 35. Instead of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his neighbor ver 11. the LXX read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his fellow Citizen But some Copies of the LXX read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and some of this Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which makes it evident that there hath been tampering to bring them to Vniformity But the greatest difficulty of this Quotation ariseth from the Agreement of the Apostles words and the Translation of the LXX where both of them seem to depart from the Original For those words in the Hebrew Text v. 33. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which my Covenant they made void and I was an Husband unto them or ruled over them are rendered by them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And they continued not in my Covenant and I regarded them not The Reason of the Apostles Translation of those words we shall manifest and vindicate in our Exposition of the Context At present the coincidence of it with that of the LXX and that wherein they both seem to differ from the Original and all Translations besides the Syriack and the Arabick which are made out of it though the Syriack follow it not in the confused transpositions that are made of Jeremiah's Prophesies from Chap. 25. to Chap. 40. as the Arabick doth is only to be considered which shall be done so soon as we have recounted the remaining Testimonies whereof some are attended with the same difficulty CHAP. IX § 10 VEr 20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is the blood of the Covenant which God hath enjoyned unto you From Exod. 24.8 The sense of the Hebrew Text is alluded unto not the words absolutely The LXX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with much difference from the words of the Apostle CHAP. X. § 11 VEr 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sacrifice and Offering thou wouldst not have a Body thou hast prepared me From Psalm 40. v. 6. So also the LXX both with great difference from the Original For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my ears hast thou digged or bored is rendered a Body thou hast prepared me Of the Reason of which difference and agreement we shall treat afterwards Ver. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Burnt-Offerings and Sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou hast not required the Apostle expresseth exactly the sense of the Holy Ghost but observes not the first exact signification of the word The LXX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in some copies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 soughtest not Ver. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Behold I come in the Head or beginning of the Book it is written of me to do thy will O God That is Gen. 3. v. 15. Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the roll of the Book Symmachus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
separation to bring forth the Messiah then failed and therewith their claim on that account to be the children of Abraham 2. The Ordinances of Worship suited unto that Priviledge expired and came to an end 3. New Ordinances of Worship were appointed suited unto the New Light and grace granted then unto the Church 4. The Gentiles came in to the faith of Abraham together with the Jews to be fellow-heirs with them in his blessing But none of these nor all of them together made any such Alteration in the Church but that it was still one and the same The Olive Tree was the same only some branches were broken of and others planted in the Jews fell and the Gentiles came in their room And this must and doth determine the difference between the Jews and Christians § 8 about the Promises of the Old Testament They are all made unto the Church No individual Person hath any interest in them but by vertue of his Membership therewith This Church is and alwayes was one and the same With whomsoever it remains the Promises are theirs and that not by Application or Analogie but directly and properly They belong as immediately at this day either to the Jews or Christians as they did of old to any The Question is with whom is this Church founded on the promised seed in the Covenant This is Sion Jerusalem Israel Jacob the Temple of God The Jews plead that it is with them because they are the children of Abraham according to the flesh Christians tell them that their Priviledge on this account was of another nature and ended with the coming of the Messiah That the Church unto whom all the Promises belong are only those who are Heirs of Abrahams faith believing as he did and thereby interested in his Covenant Not as though the Promise made to Abraham were of none effect for as it was made good unto his carnal seed in the exhibition of the Messiah so the spiritual Priviledges of it belonged only unto those of the Jews and Gentiles in whom God had graciously purposed to effect the faith of Abraham Thus was and is the Church whereunto all the Promises belong still one and the same namely Abrahams children according to the faith and among those Promises this is one that God will be a God unto them and their seed for ever Exercitatio VII Of the Judaicall distribution of the Old Testament the Originall and Nature of their Orall Law and Traditions the whole disproved Agreement of the Jews and Papists about Traditions instanced in sundry particulars THE Apostle dealing with the Hebrews about the Revelation of the Will of § 1 God made unto their Fathers assigns it in generall unto his speaking unto them in the Prophets v. 1. This speaking unto them the present Jews affirm to consist of two Parts 1. That which Moses and the following Prophets was commanded to write for the publick use of the Church 2. What being delivered only by word of Mouth unto Moses and continued by Orall Tradition untill after the last destruction of the Temple was afterwards committed unto writing And because those who would read our Exposition of this Epistle or the Epistle it self with profit had need of some insight into the Opinions and Traditions of the Jews about these things I shall for the sake of them that want either Skill or Leisure to search after them elsewhere give a brief account of their faith concerning the two Heads of Revelation mentioned and therein discover both the Principle Means and Nature of their present Apostacy and Infidelity The Scripture of the Old Testament they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and divide it into three § 2 parts 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Law 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Prophets 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Writings by Divine Inspiration which are usually called the Hagiographa or Holy Writings And this distribution of the Books of the Old Testament is in general intimated by our Saviour Luke 24.24 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All things written in the Law the Prophets and the Psalms under which last head all the Poetical Books of the Scripture are contained Thus Rabbi Bechai in Cad Hackemach 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Law so sometimes they call the whole Volume is divided into three parts the Law the Prophets and the Holy Writings All comprized generally under the Name of the Law for so they say in Midrash Tehillim Psalm 78. v. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Psalms are the Law and the Prophets are the Law that is the whole Scripture This distribution so far as it is intimated in the words of our Saviour doth evidently arise from the Nature and Subject Matter of the Books themselves And this was the received division of the Books of the Old Testament whilest the Judaical Church stood and Continued But the Postalmudicall Doctors overlooking or neglecting the true Reason of this Distribution have fancied others taken from the different manners and degrees of Revelation by which they were given out unto the Church Amongst these they make the Revelation to Moses the most excellent and are very vain in coining the Priviledges and Preeminences it had above all others which are elsewhere examined In the next degree they place those which proceeded from the Spirit of Prophesie which they distinguish from the Inspiration of the Holy Ghost Yea in the eleven degrees of Divine Revelation assigned by Maimonides Mor. Nebu par 2. That by Inspiration is cast into the last and lowest place But this distinction is groundless and meerly fancied out of the various wayes that God was pleased to use in representing things to the minds of the Prophets when it was in them all the Inspiration of the Holy Ghost alone that enabled them infallibly to declare the mind of God unto the Church 2 Pet. 1.21 Now the Books thus given by the Spirit of Prophesie they make of two sorts 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the former Prophets which are all the Historical Books of the Old Testament written before the Captivity as Joshua Judges Samuel Kings Ruth only excepted 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which are all the Prophetical Books peculiarly so called Daniel only excepted that is Isaiah Jeremiah Ezekiel and the twelve Minor Prophets Of the last sort or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cethubim Books written by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost are the Poetical Books of the Scripture Psalms Job Proverbs Canticles Lamentations with Ecclesiastes whereunto they add Ruth Daniel and the Historical Books written after the Captivity as the Chronicles Ezra and Nehemiah which make up the Canon of the Old Testament why sundry of these Books should be cast into the last sort as the Story of Ruth and the Prophesie of Daniel they can give no tolerable account The other Books also written after the Captivity are plainly of the same nature with those which they call the former Prophets And for that of Daniel it contains in it
seven Treatises containing seventy one Chapters The fourth by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nezikim about loss and dammage and is divided into eight Massicktot whereof the first is divided into three parts called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first middle and last port or entrance containing in them thirty Chapters whereunto forty four are added in the following parts The fifth by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Kodoshim of Sanctifications and is divided into eleven Books containing ninety Chapters The sixth with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Teharoth of Purifications in twelve Books and one hundred twenty six Chapters Unto this Mishnae of R. Juda they annex the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Tosiphot or additions of § 10 Rabbi Chaiah his Scholar expounding many passages in his Masters works to them a more full explanation of the same doctrine of the Mishnae which they call Baracetot is subjoyned being the Collection of some Antitalmudicall Masters About three hundred years after the Destruction of the Temple R. Johanan composed the Hierusalem Talmud consisting in Expositions Comments and Disputes upon the whole Mishnae excepting the last part about Purifications An hundred years or thereabouts after that Rabbi Ase composed the Babylonian Talmud or Gemara thirty two years they say he spent in this work yet leaving it unfinished seventy one years after it was compleated by his Disciples And the whole work of both these Talmuds may be referred unto five heads For first they expound the Text of the Mishnae 2. Decide Questions of right and fact 3. Report the Disputations Traditions and Constitutions of the Doctors that lived between them and the Writing of the Mishnae 4. Give Allegorical monstrous Expositions of the Scripture which they call Midrashoth and 5. Report Stories of the like nature § 11 This at length is their Orall Law grown into and in the learning and practising of these things consists the whole Religion and Worship of the Jews there being not the most absurd saying of any of their Doctors in those huge heaps of folly and vanity that they do not equall unto nay that they are not ready to preferr before the Written Word that perfect and only Guide of their Church whilest God was pleased with it In the dust of this confusion here they dwell loving this darkness more than light because their deeds are evil Having for many generations entertained a prejudicate imagination that these traditional Figments amongst which their crafty Masters have inserted many filthy and blasphemous Fables against our Lord Christ and his Gospel are of Divine Authority and having utterly lost the spiritual sense of the written Word they are by it sealed up in blindness and obdurateness and shall be so untill the vail be taken away when the appointed time of their deliverance shall come A brief discovery of the falseness of this fancy of their Orall Law which is the foundation of all that huge building of Lyes and Vanities that their Talmuds are composed of shall put an end to this Discourse § 12 1. The very Story of the giving of the Law at Mount Sinai sufficiently discovers the folly of this imagination This Orall Law the Jews are ready on all occasions to prefer before that which is written and do openly profess that without it the other is of no use unto them I desire then to know whence it is that all the circumstances of the giving and teaching of the less necessary are so exactly recorded but not one word is spoken of this Orall Law either of Gods revealing of it to Moses or of Moses teaching of it to Joshua or any others Strange that so much should be recorded of every circumstance of the less principal lifeless Law and not one word of either substance or circumstance of that which is if these men may be believed the very life and soul of the other Maimonides in Jad Chazaka tells us there is mention made of it in Exod. 24.12 I will give ye saith the Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Law and Commandment 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith he is the Written Law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Orall when the next words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which I have written that thou mayest teach them the Written Law being on several accounts expressed by both those terms and no other How know they that any such Law was given to Moses as they pretend What Testimony Witness or Record of it was had or made at the time of its giving or in many generations for two thousand years afterwards § 13 2. Did their Fore-fathers at any time before the Captivity transgress this Orall Law or did they not If they say they did not but kept it and observed it diligently we may easily see of what importance it is that the most strict Obsâ—evation of it would not preserve them from all manner of wickedness and what an hedge it is to the Written Law when notwithstanding the obedience yielded unto it that was utterly despised and neglected if they shall say that Law also was broken by them I desire to know whence it comes to pass that whereas God by his Prophets doth reprove them for all their other sins and in particular for contempt of his Written Law the Statutes Ordinances and Institutions of it he no where once mentioneth this their greater guilt of despising the Orall Law but there is as universall a silence concerning its transgression as there is of its giving and institution Can we have any greater evidence of its being fictitious than this that whereas it is pretended that it is the main Rule of their Obedience to God God did never reprove them for the transgression of it though whilest he owned them as his Church and People he suffered none of their sins to pass by unreproved especially not any of that importance which this is by them pretended to be of 3. Moses was commanded to write the whole Law that he received from God and did so accordingly Exod. 24.3 4. Chap. 34.28 Deut. 31.9 24. Where was this Orall Law which they say was not to be written when Moses was commanded to write the whole Law that he had received of God and did accordingly This New Law was not then coyned being indeed nothing but the product of their Apostacy from the Law which was written 4. The sole ground and foundation of this Orall Law lyes in the imperfection of the Written Law This is that which they plead for the necessity of it The written Law extends not to all necessary cases that occurr in Religion many things are redundant many wanting in it and hereof they gather great heaps of Instances so that they will grant that if the Written Law had been perfect there had been no need of this Traditional one But whom in this matter shall we believe a few ignorant Jews or God himself bearing witness that his
Recovery For First The Glorious Properties of the Nature of God whose Manifestation and Exaltation in all the works that outwardly are of him he designeth do require that there should be Salvation for Sinners Even this matter of the Salvation of Sinners conduceth yea is necessary unto the manifestation of some of those Divine Excellencies wherein no small part of the glory of God doth consist God had in the Creation of all things glorified his Greatness Power Wisdom and Goodness His Soveraignty Righteousness and Holiness he had in like manner revealed in that Holy Law which he had prescribed unto Angels and Men for the Rule of their Obedience and in the Assignation of their Reward Upon the Sin of Angels and Men he had made known his Severity and Vindictive Justice in the Curse and Punishment inflicted on them But there were yet remaining undiscovered in the Abysse of his Eternal Essence Grace and Pardoning Mercy which in none of his Works had as yet exerted themselves or manifested their Glory And in case no Remedy be provided for mankind under the Evils mentioned and their utter ruine as they must have perished accordingly so those glorious Properties of the nature of God all wayes of exerting their proper and peculiar Acts being secluded all objects of them removed could not have been equally glorified with his other Holy Attributes The creatures know nothing in God but as it manifested in its Effects His Essence in its self dwells in Light inaccessible Had never any stood in need of Grace or Mercy or doing so had never been made partakers of them it could not have been known that there was that kind of Goodness in his Nature which yet it is his design principally to glorifie himself in The necessity therefore of the Manifestation of these Properties of God his Goodness Grace Mercy and Readiness to Forgive which can only be exercised about sinners and that in their Relief and Salvation from Sin and Misery do require that the Deliverance enquired after be admitted and justly expected And this Expectation is so much the more just and firmly grounded in that there is nothing in himself which the Lord more requireth our Conformity unto himself in than in this Condescension Goodness Grace and Readiness to forgive which manifests how dear the glory of them is unto him Secondly To what End shall we conceive the Providence and Patience of God to be exercised towards the Race of Mankind for so long a season in the Earth We see what is the general Issue and Event of the continuance of Mankind in the world God saw it and complained of it long ago Gen. 6. v. 5 6. Shall we now think that God hath no other Design in his Patience towards mankind for so many Generations but meerly to suffer them All and Every one without exception to sin against him dishonour him provoke him that so He may at length everlastingly destroy them That this indeed is the Event with many with the most through their own perverse wickedness blindness and love of the pleasures of sin cannot be denyed But to suppose that God hath no other design at all but meerly by his Patience to forbear them awhile in their folly and then to avenge himself upon them is unsuitable unto his Wisdom and Goodness It cannot be then but that he would long since have cut off the whole Race if there were no way for them to be delivered out of this perishing condition And although this way what ever it be is not Effectual towards All yet for their sakes towards whom through the grace of God it is and shall be so is the Patience of God exercised towards the whole Race of Mankind and their Being is continued in this world Other Reason of this Dispensation of Divine Wisdom and Goodness can none be assigned Thirdly That there is a way of Diliverance for Mankind the Event hath manifested in two remarkable and undeniable Instances First In that sundry Persons who were as others by nature children of Wrath and under the Curse have obtained an undoubted and infallible interest in the love and favour of God and this Testimony that they pleased him What were the Assurances they had hereof I shall not now debate But I take it now for granted which may be farther confirmed as occasion shall require that some Persons in all Generations have enjoyed the Friendship Love and Favour of God which they could never have done unless there had been some way for their Deliverance out of the state of Sin and Misery before described For therein every man upon a just account will find himself in the state of Adam who when he heard the voice of God was afraid Secondly God hath been pleased to require from men a Revenue of Glory by a way of Worship prescribed unto them after the Entrance of sin This he hath not done unto the Angels that sinned nor could it have been done in a consistency with Righteousness unto men without a Supposition of a Possibility of Deliverance from under his Wrath. For in every Prescription of Duty God proposeth himself as a Rewarder which he is only unto them that please him and to please God without the Deliverance enquired after is impossible Besides that God is actually glorified in the world by the Way of Worship required on this supposition shall be elsewhere declared and Arguments added in full measure to confirm our Assertion Deliverance then from this condition may on just grounds be expected and how it might be effected is our next Enquiry § 16 The great Relief enquired after must be brought about by men themselves or by some other for them What they can do themselves herein we may be quickly satisfied about The nature of the Evils under which they suffer and the Event of things in the world sufficiently discover the disability of men to be their own Deliverers Besides who should contrive the way of it for them One Single Person More or All How easily the impossibility of it might be demonstrated on any of these suppositions is too manifest to be insisted on The Evils suffered under are of two sorts both Vniversal and Eternal The first is that of Punishment inflicted from the Righteousness of God There are but two wayes possible setting aside the Consideration of what shall be afterwards fixed on whereby mankind or any individual Person amongst them may obtain deliverance from this Evil And the first is that God without any further consideration should remit it and exempt the Creation from under it But although this way may seem possible unto some it is indeed utterly otherwise Did not the sentence of it proceed from his Righteousness and the Essential Rectitude of his Nature Did he not engage his Truth and faithfulness that it should be inflicted and doth not his Holiness and Justice require that so it should be What should become o◠his glory what would he do unto his great name if now without
any Cause or Reason he should contrary unto all these engagements of his Holy Perfections wholly renâ—â— and take it off Nay this would plainly justifie the Seâ—pent in his Calumny that what ever he pretended yet indeed that no Execution of his Threatning would ever ensâ—â— How also can it be supposed that any of his future Câ—mminations should have a just weight upon the souls of men if that first great and fundamental one shâ—uld be frustrated and evacuated or what Authority would be left unto his Law when he himself should dissolve the Sanction of it Besides if God should do thus which Reason Revelation and the Event of things do manifest that he neither would nor câ—uâ—d for he cannot deny himself this would have been his work and not an acquisition of men themselves which we are now enquiring after So that this way of deliverance as it is but imaginary so it is here of no consideration There is no other way then for man if he will not perish eternally under the punishment due unto his Apostasie and Rebellion but secondly to find out some way of Commutation or making a Recompence for the Evil of sin unto the Law and Righteousness of God But herein his utter insufficiency quickly manifests it self What ever he is or hath or can pretend any Interest in lyes no less under the Curse than he doth himself And that which is under the Curse can contribute nothing unto its removall That which is in its whole Being obnoxious unto the greatest Punishment can have nothing wherewithall to make Commutation for it For that must first be accepted in and for its self which can either make Attonement or be received for any other in Exchange And this is the condition of man and of every individuall of mankind and will be so to Eternity unless Relief arise from another place It is farther also evident that all the endeavours of men must needs be unspeakably disproportionate unto the Effect and End aimed at from the concernment of the other parts of the Creation in the Curse against sin What can they do to restore the Vniverse unto its first Glory and Beauty How can they reduce the Creation unto its Original Harmony Wherewith shall they recompence the Great God for the defacing of so great a portion of that impress of his Glory and Goodness that he had enstamped on it In a word they who from their first date unto their utmost Period are alwayes under the Punishment can do nothing for the total removall of it The Experience also of five thousand years hath sufficiently evinced how insufficient man is to be a Saviour unto himself All the various and uncertain motions of Adam's Posterity in Religion from the Extremity of Atheism unto that of Sacrificing themselves and one another have been destined in vain towards this End Neither can any of them to this day find out a better or more likely way for them to thrive in than those wherewith their Progenitors deluded themselves And in the Issue of all we see that as to what man hath been able of himself to do towards his own Deliverance both himself and the whole world are continued in the same state wherein they were upon the first Entrance of Sin cumulated as it were with another world of Confusion Disorder Mischief and Misery There is also another head of the Misery of man and that is the corrupt spring of Moral Evil that is in his nature This also is Vniversal and Endless It mixeth its self with all and every thing that man doth or can do as a Moral Agent and that alwayes and for ever Gen. 6. v. 5. It is then impossible that it should have an end unless it do either destroy or spend its self But seeing it will do neither of these ever sinning which man cannot but be is not the way to disentangle himself from sin If then any Deliverance be ever obtained for mankind it must be by some other § 17 not involved in the same misery with themselves This must either be God himself or good Angels Other Rational Agents there are none If we look to the latter we must suppose them to undertake this work either by the Appointment of God or upon their own Accord without his previous Command or Direction The latter cannot be supposed They knew too much of the Majesty Holiness and Terror of the great God to venture on an interposition of themselves upon his Counsels and Wayes uncommanded To do so would have been a sinfull dissolution of the Law of their Creation So much also they might discern of the work its self as to stifle unto Eternity every thought of engaging themselves into it Besides they knew the Will of God by what they saw come to pass They saw his Justice and Holiness glorified in the Evils which he had brought upon the world That He would not for ever satisfie himself in that Glory they knew not And what was man unto them that they should busie themselves to retrive him from that condition whereinto he had cast himself by sin finding Him glorified therein in conformity unto whose will their Happiness and Perfection doth consist As remote as men are from thoughts of recovering Fallen Angells so far were they contriving the Recovery of Man But it may be said the God himself might design them to work out the Salvation and deliverance enquired after as was before supposed But this makes God and not them to be the Saviour and them only the Instruments in the Accomplishment of his work Neither yet hath he done so nor were they meet so to be employed What ever is purely poenall in the misery of man is an Effect of the Righteous Judgement of God This as we have manifested could be no otherwise diverted from him but by the undergoing of it by some other in his stead And two things are required in him or them that should so undergoe it First That they were not themselves obnoxious unto it either Personally or upon the first common account Should they be so they ought to look to their own concernment in the first place Secondly that they were such as that the Benefit of their Vndergoing that Penalty might according to the Rules of Justice redound unto them for whom and in whose stead they underwent it otherwise they would suffer in vain Now although the Angels might answer the first of these in their Personal immunity from obnoxiousness unto the Curse yet the latter they were unsuited for They had no Relation unto mankind but only that they were the Workmanship of the same Creator But this is not sufficient to warrant such a substitution Had Angels been to be delivered their Redemption must have been wrought in the Angelical Nature as the Apostle declares Heb. 2. v. 16. But what Justice is it that Man should sin and Angels suffer or from whence should it arise that from their suffering it should be Righteous that he
should go free By what notions of God could we have been instructed in the Wisdom and Righteousness of such a Proceeding Add hereunto that this God hath not done and we may safely conclude that it became him not so to do But what need all this Enquiry The Jews with whom we principally have to do § 18 in this matter plead constantly that God hath appointed unto men at least unto themselves a way and means of Delivery out of this condition And this is by the observation of Moses's Law By this they say they are justified in the sight of God and have Deliverance from all wrath due unto sin This they trusted in of old Rom. 9. v. 32. this they continue to make their Refuge at this day Spiritualis liberatio solummodo dependet ab Observatione legis quam Deus in monte Sinai promulgavit Spiritual Deliverance dependeth solely on the Observation of the Law which God promulgated on Mount Sinai saith the Author of the Answers unto certain Questions proposed to the Jews Quest. 5. published by Brenius who in his reply hath betrayed unto them the most important Doctrines of the Christian Religion But this is their Perswasion The giving of this Law unto them they suppose to have freed them utterly from every thing in the condition before described so far as they will acknowledge it to concern any of the Posterity of Adam And whereas they cannot deny but that they sometimes sin against the Moral Precepts of this Law and so stand in need of Help against their Helper they fix in this case upon a double relief The first is of their own Personal Repentance and the other the Sacrifices that are appointed in the Law But whereas they now are and have been for many Generations deprived of the Priviledge as they esteem it of offering Sacrifices according to the Law they hope that their own Repentance with their death which they pray that it may be expiatory will be sufficient to obtain for them the forgiveness of sin Only they say this might better and more easie be effected if they might enjoy the Benefit of Sacrifices So saith the forementioned Jew whose Discourse is published by Brenius Quamvis jam nulla sint Sacrificia quae media erant ad tanto facilius impetrandam remissionem peccatorum eadem tamen per poenitentiam resipiscentiam impetratur And again Hodie victimas offere non possumus destituti mediis ad hoc necessariis quae quando obtinebimus tum remissio illa tanto facilior reddetur Respon ad Quaest. Septim If they cannot obtain the use of Sacrifices yet the matter may be effected by their Repentance only it were much easier to do it by Sacrifices And they seem to long for them principally on this account that by them they may free themselves from somewhat of Discipline and Penance which now their consciences enforce them unto But this as all other Articles of their Creed which are properly Judaical is feigned by them to suit their present condition and Interest For where do they find that their Sacrifices especially that which they most trust in namely that on the Feast of Expiation Lev. 16. was ever designed for this End to enable them the more easily to obtain the Remission of sins by another means which they use For it is said directly that the Sacrifice on that day did expiate their sin and make Attonement for it that they might not dye and not that it did help them in procuring pardon another way But this is now taken from them and what shall they do Why rather than they will look or come to him who was represented in that Sacrifice and on whose account alone it had all its efficacy they will find out a new way of doing that which their Sacrifices were appointed unto and this they must do or openly acknowledge that they all perish eternally I shall not insist long on the casting down of this Imagination all the Foundations of it being long ago demolished by our Apostle in his Epistles especially those to the Romans Galatians and the Hebrews themselves And this he hath not done meerly by a new Revelation of the Mind and Will of God but upon the Principles and by the Testimonies of the Old Testament its self as will afterwards more fully appear Only because it is here set up in competition with that blessed and All-sufficient Remedy against Sin and the Curse which God indeed hath provided I shall briefly remove it out of our Way and that by manifesting that it is neither in its self suited unto that End nor was ever of God designed thereunto § 19 That all mankind was cast into the condition we have described by and upon the the sin of Adam we have before sufficiently confirmed Other just Reason or Occasion of it no man can assign It hath been also evinced that God would and consequently did prepare a Remedy for them or a Way of Deliverance to be proposed unto them If this were only the Law of Moses and the Observance thereof as the Jews pretend I desire to know what became of them what was their Estate and Condition who lived and dyed before the giving of that Law Not only the Patriarchs before the Flood who some of them had this Testimony that they pleased God and one of whom was taken alive into Heaven but Abraham also himself who received the Promises must on this Supposition be excluded from a participation in the Deliverance enquired after For they observed not the Law of Moses What they dream about the making of their Law before the Foundation of the World and the study of God therein and that night and day by day in the Written Law and by night in the Oral Cabal is not to be mentioned where matters of importance unto the souls of men are under consideration But yet I may add by the way that neither this nor the like monstrous figments are invented or broached by them without some especial design In the Eighth Chapter of the Proverbs there is mention of the Wisdom of God and such a description given of it as allows not an Essential Property of his nature to be thereby intended This is there said to be with God before the foundation of the world his delight and companion Whence it appears that nothing but the Eternal Word Wisdom and Son of God can possibly be intended thereby To avoid this Testimony given unto his Eternal subsistence the Jews first invented this Fable that the Law was created before the world and that the Wisdom of it was that which God conversed with and delighted in And I have often wondered at the Censure of a learned Christian Annotator upon the place Haec saith he de ea sapientia quae in Lege apparet exponunt Hebraei sane ei si non soli at praecipue haec attributa conveniunt contrary to the Faith of the Church in all Ages It is true on v. 22. and
him the Name of God and shall fulfill the whole Law is a blessed Truth This Fagius and Munster before him observed out of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Bundle of Myrrh a Cahalistical Comment on the Pentateuch by R. Abraham But they all contend against the Application of this Prediction unto our Lord Jesus Christ for when say they did he smite the Corners of Moab when did he destroy all the Children of Seth and how were those words v. 18. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which they interpret and Israel shall gather wealth or substance fulfilled But we have sufficiently proved the Messiah to be a Spiritual Redeemer and therefore however his Kingdom may be expressed in words signifying literally outward and temporal things yet things spiritual and eternall are to be understood as figuratively set out by the other Neither can these words be absolutely understood according to the Letter For whereas Seth was the Son given unto Adam in the room of Abel and all the Posterity of Cain wa◠cut off at the Flood if the Messiah destroy literally all the children of Seth he must not leave any one man alive in the world which certainly is not the work he was promised for Besides the Lord Christ hath partly already and in due time will utterly destroy all the stubborn Enemies of his Kingdom Neither can the Jews press the instance of Moab literally seeing themselves by Edom do constantly understand Rome or the Roman Empire Deut. 18. v. 15 16 17 18 19. This place is an eminent Prophesie concerning the § 11 Messiah and his Prophetical Office not before any where mentioned But the Law being now given which was to continue inviolably unto his coming Mal. 4.4 when it was to be changed removed and taken away this part of his work that he was to make the last full perfect Declaration of the will of God is now declared The Targums are here silent of him for they principally attend unto those places which make mention of his Kingdom Rashi refers the words unto the series of Prophets which were afterwards raised up Aben Ezra to Joshua others to Jeremiah upon the rejection of whose warnings the people were carried into captivity which they collect from v. 19. Whatever now they pretend of old they looked for some one signal Prophet from this place which should immediately come before the Messiah himself Thence was that Question in their Examination of John Baptist Art thou that Prophet John 1.21 namely whom they looked for from this Prediction of Moses But it is the Messiah himself and none other that is intended For First None other ever arose like unto Moses This is twice repeated in the words of Moses unto the people v. 15. God will raise thee up a Prophet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 like unto me and in the words of God to Moses v. 18. I will raise them up a Prophet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 like unto thee as thou art Lipman a blasphemous Jew in his Nizzachon contends that Jesus cannot be intended because he was not like Moses for Moses was a man only Jesus declared himself to be God Moses had Father and Mother Jesus had not as we say But the comparison intended doth not at all respect their Persons or their Natures but their Office It was in the Prophetical Office that the Prophet foretold was to be like unto Moses It is a Law-giver one that should institute New Ordinances of Worship by the Authority of God for the use and Observance of the whole Church as Moses did one that should reveal the whole will of God as Moses did as to that season wherein God employed him That this could not be Joshua nor any of the Prophets that ensued is evident from that Testimony of the Holy Ghost Deut. 34. v. 10. There arose not since a Prophet in Israel like unto Moses This must therefore be referred unto some singular Prophet who was then to come or there is an express contradiction in the Text. And this is none other but the Messiah concerning whom they acknowledge that he shall be a Prophet above Moses Secondly the extermination threatned unto the people upon their disobedience unto this Prophet here promised v. 19. never befell them untill they had rejected the Lord Jesus the true and only Messiah Wherefore this place is rightly applyed unto him in the New Testament Acts 3.22 23. Chap. 7.37 And we have hence a farther discovery of the Nature of the Deliverer and Deliverance promised of old and therein of the Faith of the Antient Church He was to be a blessed Prophet to reveal the mind and will of God which also he hath done unto the utmost And from this place it is that the Jews themselves in Midrash Coheleth cap. 1. say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The latter Redeemer is to be like the former Deut. 25. v. 19. Thou shalt blot out the Remembrance of Amaleck from under Heaven § 12 thou shalt not forget it Jonathan Targum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And also in the dayes of the Messiah the King thou shalt not forget it But as this savours too much of those revengefull thoughts which they frequently discover themselves to be filled withall so all these apprehensions proceed from the Old Tradition that by the Messiah we should be delivered from the hands of all our Enemies which they being carnal and earthly do wrest to give countenance unto their own desires and imaginations Deut. 30. v. 4. If any of thine be driven out unto the utmost parts of heaven from thence § 13 will the Lord thy God gather thee and from thence will he fetch thee Jonath Targum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from thence will the word of the Lord gather thee by the hand of Elijah the great Priest and from thence will he bring thee by the hand of Messiah the King The place is not amiss applyed unto the Deliverance which they shall one day have by the Messiah for it is to happen after the whole Curse of the Law is come upon them for their disobedience and that they shall turn again unto the Lord by Repentance v. 1 2. And whereas the words are doubled they suppose them to intimate a-double work of Deliverance one whereof they have committed to Elias from Mal. 4. v. 5. who was to be and was the fore-runner of the Messiah And these are places in the Books of Moses wherein they acknowledge that mention is made of the Messiah For that way whereby the Church of old was principally instructed in his work and office namely in the Sacrifices and Ceremonies of the Law they know nothing of it nor shall it here be insisted on seeing it must have so large a place in the Exposition of the Epistle its self § 14 1 Sam. 2.10 He shall give strength unto his King and exalt the horn of his annointed Targ. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and he shall exalt the Kingdom of his Messiah In Midrash Tillim also on
the Targum its self is here silent of the Messiah for the very same Reason and perverts the whole Psalm to apply it unto David and yet is forced on v. 4. to refer the things spoken of unto the World to come or Dayes of the Messiah And the most of their Masters when they mention this Psalm occasionally and mind not the Controversie they have about it with Christians do apply it unto him So doth the Midrash Tehillim on Psalm 2. v. 7. and also on this Psalm v. 1. though there be an endeavour therein foolishly to wrest it unto Abraham Ra. Saadias Gaon on Dan. 7. v. 13. whose words are reported by Solomon Jarchi on Gen. 35. v. 8. Ra. Arama on Gen. 15. as he is at large cited by Munster on this Psalm Moses Haddarshan on Gen. 18. v. 1. Ra. Obediah on the place All whose words it would be tedious here to report It is sufficiently manifest that they have an open conviction that this Psalm contains a Prophecy concerning the Messiah and what excellent things are revealed therein touching his Person and Offices we shall have occasion to declare in the Exposition of the Epistle its self wherein the most material passages of it are applied unto our Lord Jesus Christ. § 27 In the Targum on the Canticles there is frequent mention also of the Mâ—ssiah as Chap. 1. v. 8. Chap. 4. v. 5. Chap. 7. v. 14. Chap. 8. v. 1 2 3 4. But because the Jews are utterly ignorant of the true Spiritual sense of that Divine Song and the Targum of it is a confused Miscellany of things sufficiently heterogeneous being a much later endeavour than the most of those on the other Books I shall not particularly insist on the places cited but content my self with directing the Reader unto them The like also may be said of Eccles. Chap. 1. v. 11. Chap. 7. v. 25. where without any occasion from the Text the mention of him is importunely inculcated by the Targumists § 28 We are now entring on the Prophets the Principal Work of some whereof was to testifie before hand the sufferings of Christ and the Glory that was to follow 1 Pet. 1. v. 11. And therefore I do not at all design to gather up in our passage all that is foretold promised declared and taught concerning him in them a work right worthy of more peace leisure and ability than what in any kind I am entrusted withal but only to report some of the most eminent places concerning which we have the common suffrage of the Jews in their general Application unto the Messiah Among these that of Isaiah Chap. 2. v. 2 3 4. occurreth in the first place And it shall come to pass in the last dayes that the Mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established in the top of the Mountains and shall be exalted in the top of the Hills and all Nations shall flow unto it and many people shall go and say come ye and let us go up to the Mountain of the Lord to the House of the God of Jacob and he will teach us of his Wayes and we will walk in his Paths For out of Zion shall go forth the Law and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem And he shall judge among the Nations and shall rebuke many people and they shall beat their Swords into Plow-shares The same Prophesie is given out by Micah in the same words Chap. 4. v. 1 2 3. And by the common consent of the Jews the Messiah is here intended although he be not mentioned in the Targum The Talmudical Fable also of the lifting up of Jerusalem three Leagues high and the setting of Mount Moriah on the top of Sinai Carmel and Tabor which shall be brought together unto that purpose mentioned in Midrash Tehellim and in Baba Bathra distinc Hammocher is wrested from these words But those also of them who pretend to more sobriety do generally apply them to the promised Messiah Kimchi gives it for a Rule that that expression 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the latter dayes doth still denote the times of the Messiah which I suppose is not liable unto any exception And as he giveth a tolerable Exposition of the establishing of the Mountain of the Lord on the top of the Mountains assigning it to the Glory of the Worship of God above all the False and Idolatrous Worship of the Gentiles which they observed on Mountains and High Places so concerning those words v. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he shall judge among the Nations he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This Judge or He that judgeth is the King Messiah The like also saith Aben Ezra on the same place and Jarchi on the same words in the Prophesie of Micah And as this is true so whereas Jehovah alone is mentioned in the foregoing Verses unto whom and no other this expression can relate how it is possible for them to deny that the Messiah is the Lord the God of Jacob also for undeniably it is he concerning whom it is said that he shall judge among the Nations And by their confession that it is the Messiah who is the Shophet the Judge here intended they are plainly convinced out of their own mouths and their infidelity condemned by themselves Abarbinel seems to have been aware of this entanglement and therefore as he wrests the Prophesie by his own confession contrary to the sense of all other Expositors unto the times of the building of the Second Temple so because he could not avoid the conviction of one that should judge among the Nations he makes it to be the House it self wherein as he sayes Thrones for Judgement were to be erected the vanity of which figment secures it from any further confutation We have then evidently in these words three Articles of the Faith of the Antient Church concerning the Messiah as First That as to his Person he should be God and man the God of Jacob who should in a bodily presence judge the People and send forth the Law among the Nations v. 4. Secondly That the Gentiles should be called unto faith in him and the Obedience of his Law v. 3. Thirdly That the Worship of the Lord in the dayes of the Messiah should be far more glorious than at any time whilest the first Temple was standing for so it is foretold v. 2. and so our Apostle proves it to be in his Epistle to the Hebrews And this whole Prophesie is not a little perverted by them who apply it to the defeat of Resin and Pekah when they came against Jerusalem and who in their Annotations on the Scripture whereby they have won to themselves a great Reputation in the world seldom depart from the sense of the Jews unless it be where they are in the Right Isa. 4. v. 2. In that day shall the branch of the Lord be Beauty and Glory Targ. § 29 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at that time shall the Messiah of the Lord
indignation against their obstinacy for any one seriously to consider how wofully they wrest the words up and down to make a tolerable application of them unto Hezekiah whom they would fix this Prophesie upon and on the occasion given us by the Targum I shall take a little view of their sentiments on this place of the Prophet That of old they esteemed a Prophesie of the Messiah not only the Targum as we have seen but the Talmud also doth acknowledge Besides also they manifest the same conviction in their futilous Traditions In Tractat. Saned Distino Cholech They have a Tradition that God thought to have made Hezekiah to be the Messiah and Senacherib to have been Gog and Magog but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Property of Judgement interposed and asked why David rather was not made the Messiah who had made so many Songs to the praise of God And Rabbi Hillel as we shall see afterwards contended that Israel was not any more to look for a Messiah seeing they enjoyed him in Hezekiah Now these vain Traditions arose meerly from the concessions of their old Masters granting the Messiah to be here spoken of and the craft of their later ones wresting the words unto Hezekiah so casting them into confusion that they knew not what to say nor believe But let us see how they acquit themselves at last in this matter Four things are here promised concerning this Child or Son that should be given § 33 unto the Church 1. That the Government should be on his shoulder 2. That his name should be callâ—d Wonderful Counsellor the mighty God the Everlasting Father the Prince of Peace 3. That of the increase of his Government there should be no end 4. That he should sit on the Throne of David to order it for ever And we may see how well they accommodate these things unto Hezekiah their endeavours being evidently against the Faith of the antient Church the Traditions of their Fathers and it may be doubted their own light and conviction First The Government shall be on his shoulder saith Sol. Jarchi Because the Rule and yoke of God shall be upon him in the study of the Law This pleaseth not Kimchi as it is indeed ridiculous and therefore he observeth that mention is not made of the Shoulder but with reference unto Burden and weight whence he gives this interpretation of the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Because Ahaz served the King of Assyria and his burden was on his shoulder he sayes of this Child he shall not be a servant with his shoulder but the Government shall be on him And this it seems is all that is here promised and this is all the concernment of the Church in this Promise Hezekiah shall not serve the King of Assyria Neither is it true that Ahaz served the King of Assyria under tribute and it may seem rather that Hezekiah did so for a season seeing it is expresly said that he rebelled against him and served him no more 2 Chron. 18. v. 7. Yea plainly he did so and paid him by way of tribute three hundred Talents of Silver and thirty talents of Gold 2 Kings 18. v. 14. So He. Aben Ezra passeth over this expression without taking notice of it Secondly As to the name ascribed unto him they are for the most part agreed and § 34 unless that one evasion which they have fixed on will relieve them they are utterly silent Now this is as was before declared that the words are to be read The Wonderfull Counsellor the mighty God the Everlasting Father shall call his Name the Prince of Peace so that the Prince of Peace only is the name of the promised Child all the rest are the Name of God But 1. If words may be so transposed and shufled together as they are to produce this sense there will nothing be left certain in the Scripture nor can they give any one instance of such a disposal of words as they fancy in this place 2. The very reading of the words rejects this Gloss He shall call his Name Wonderfull 3. It is the name of the Child and not of God that gives him which is expressed for the comfort of the Church 4. What tolerable Reason can be given for such an accumulation of Names unto God in this place 5. There is nothing in the lâ—ast not any distinctive accent to separate between the Prince of Peace and the expressions foregoing but the same Person is intended by them all so that it was not Hezekiah but the mighty God himself who in the Person of the Son was to be incarnate that is here spoken of Besides on what account should Hezekiah so eminently be called The Prince of Peace § 35 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Prince is never used in the Scripture with reference unto any thing but he that is so called hath chief Power and Authority over that whereof he is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prince Chief or Captain as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the General or Chief Commander of the Army under whose Command and at whose disposal it is By the Greeks it is rendered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Apostle calls our Lord Jesus Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 13.15 the Prince of Life and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 2. v. 10. The Prince or Captain of Salvation Nor is the word once in the Old Testament applied unto any one but he that had Power and Authority over that which he was the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Prince of to give grant or dispose of it as he thought meet And in what sense then can Hezekiah be called the Prince of Peace Had he the Power of Peace of any sort in his hand Was he the Lord of it Was it at his disposal The most of his reign he spent in War first with his Neighbours the Philistins 2 Kings 18. v. 8. And afterwards with the King of Assyria who took all the Cities of Juda one or two only excepted 2 Kings 18. v. 13. And in what sense shall he be called the Prince of Peace The Rabbins after their wonted manner to fetch any thing out of a word whether it be ought to their Purpose or no answer that it was because of that saying Isa. 39. v. 8. For there shall be Peace and Truth in my dayes But this being spoken with respect unto the very latter part of his Raign and that only with reference unto the Babylonian Captivity which was afterwards to ensue is a sorry foundation to entitle him unto this illustrious Name the Captain Prince or Lord of Peace which bespeaks one that had all Peace and that in the Scripture Language is all that is Good or prosperous both temporal and spiritual in reference unto God and man in his power and disposal And yet this is the utmost that any of them pretend to give countenance unto this Appellation § 36 Abarbinel who heaps together
not Moses but their Church under the Law refused that Angel of Gods Presence who was to conduct them that obey him into everlasting rest And the Church of Believers under Joshua which was a Type of the Church of the New Testament adhering unto him found rest unto their souls And this Angel of whom we have spoken was he whom the Talmudists call § 23 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Metatron Ben Vzziel in his Targum on Gen. 5. ascribes this name unto Enoch He ascended saith he into Heaven by the Word of the Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and his name was called Metraton the great Scribe But this Opinion is rejected and confuted in the Talmud There they tell us that Metatron is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Prince of the world Or as Elias calls him in Tishbi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Prince of Gods Presence The mention of this name is in Talm. Tract Saned cap. 4. where they plainly intimate that they intend an uncreated Angel thereby For they assign such things unto him as are incompetent unto any other And as Reuchlin informeth us from the Cabbalists they say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Metatron was the Master or Teacher of Moses himself He it is saith Elias who is the Angel alwayes appearing in the Presence of God of whom it is said my name is in him And the Talmudists add that he hath power to blot out the sins of Israel whence they call him the Chancellor of Heaven And Bechai a famous Master among them affirms that his Name signifies both a Lord a Messenger and a Keeper on Exod. 23. A Lord because he ruleth all A Messenger because he standeth alwayes before God to do his Will and a Keeper because he keepeth Israel The Etymologie I confess which he gives unto this Purpose of that name is weak and foolish Nor is that of Elias one jot better who tells us that Metatron is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Greek Tongue One sent But yet it is evident what is is intended by these obscure intimations which are the corrupted relicts of antient Traditions namely the increated Prince of Glory who being Lord of all appeared of old unto the Patriarchs as the Angel or Messenger of the Father And as for the word its self it is either a corrupt expression of the Latin Mediator such as are usual amongst them or a more Gematrical Fiction to answer unto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Almighty there being a coincidence in their numericall signification of their Letters And this was another way whereby God instructed the Church of old in the Mysterie of the Person of the Messiah who was promised unto them Exercitatio XI Messiah promised of Old Faith of the antient Church of the Jews concerning him State of the Jews at his coming Expectations of it Exposed to the seducements of Impostors Faith of their Fore-fathers lost among them Sadducees expected a Messiah On what Grounds Consistency of their Principles True Messiah rejected by them General Reason thereof Story of Barcosba and Rabbi Akiba Miracles to be wrought by the Messiah State of the Jews after the dayes of Barcosba Faith of their Fore-fathers utterly renounced Opinion of Hillel denying any Messiah to come Occasion of it Their Judgement of him The things concerning the Messiah mysterious Seeming inconsistencies in the Prophesies and Descriptions of him Reconciled in the Gospel That rejected by the Jews Their imagination of two Messiah's Messiah Ben Joseph and Messiah Ben David Story of Messiah Ben Joseph Of Annillus Rise and occasion of the Fable concerning him Jews acqainted with the Revelation Their story of the building of Rome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what Death of Ben Joseph The Fable concerning him disproved The same with that of the Romanists concerning Anti-christ Of Messiah Ben David The faith and expectation of the Jews concerning him The Opinion of Maimonides Summ of the Judaicall Creed Ground and Reason of their present Vnbelief Ignorance of their miserable condition by Nature Ignorance of Acceptable Righteousness And of the Judgement of God concerning Sin Also of the Nature and End of the Law Corrupt Assertions Envy against the Gentiles Because of the Priviledges claimed by them And their Oppressions Judaical Faith concerning the Messiah The Folly of it Of the Promises of the Old Testament Threefold Interpretation of them § 1 WEE have proved the Promise of a Person to be born and annointed unto the Work of relieving mankind from sin and misery and to bring them back unto God And what kind of Person he was to be we have also shewed It remains that we consider what was the Faith of the Antient Church of the Jews concerning him as also what are and have been for many Generations the Apprehensions and Expectations of the same People about the same object of faith with the Occasions and Reasons of their present Infidelity and obstinacy § 2 For the faith of the Antient Church it hath been already sufficiently discoursed What God revealed that they believed They saw not indeed of old clearly and fully into the sense of the Promises as to the way and manner whereby God would work out and accomplish the Mercy and Grace which they lived and dyed in the Faith and hope of But this they knew that God would in his appointed time in and by the nature of man in one to be born of the seed of Abraham and house of David caused Attonement to be made for sin bring in Everlasting Righteousness and work out the Salvation of his Elect. This was abundantly revealed this they stedfastly believed and in the faith thereof obtained a good report or Testimony from God himself that they pleased him inherited the Promises and were made partakers of Life eternal and farther at present we need not enquire into their Light and Apprehensions seeing they must be considered in our Exposition of the Epistle it self which now way is making unto § 3 For the Jews as divested of the Priviledges of their Fore-fathers we may consider them with reference unto two Principal Seasons First From the time of the actual exhibition of the promised seed or the coming of the Messiah to the time of the composition of their Mishnae and Talmuds that ensued thereon Secondly from thence unto this present day and in both these seasons we may consider the prevailing Opinions amongst them concerning the promised Messiah his coming and the work that he hath to do That towards the close of Prophesie in the Church of old the hearts and Spirits of men were intently fixed on a desire and expectation of the coming of the Messiah the last of the Prophets clearly testifies Mal. 3. v. 1. The Lord whom ye are seeking the Angel of the Covenant whom you are desiring shall come suddenly As the time of his coming drew nigh this expectation was encreased and heightned so that they continually looked out after him as if he were to enter amongst them every moment No sooner
great is the Mysterie of § 9 Godliness God was manifest in the flesh justified in the Spirit seen of Angels Preached unto the Gentiles believed on in the World received up into Glory All things which concern the Messiah his Person Office and Work are exceedingly Mysterious as containing the principal effect of the Eternal Wisdom and Goodness of God and the sacred depths of the counsel of his Will Hence the things spoken of him in the Old Testament are unto carnal Reason full of seeming inconsistencies As for instance it is promised of him that he should be the seed of the Woman Gen. 3. v. 15. of the seed of Abraham Gen. 22. v. 18. and of the Posterity of David And yet that his name should be the Mighty God the Everlasting Father the Prince of Peace Isa. 9. v. 6. and of him it is said Thy Throne O God is for ever and ever Psal. 45. v. 6. that he is the Lord our Righteousness Jer. 23. v. 6. that he is the Lord of Hosts Zech. 2. v. 8. Moreover it is declared that he shall sit upon his Throne for ever and reign whilest his enemies are made his footstool Isa. 9. v. 7. Psalm 2.7 8. Psalm 45.6 7. and yet that he shall be cut off Dan. 9. v. 26. that he shall be pierced in his hands and feet Psalm 22. v. 16. slain by the sword of God Zech. 13. v. 7. and that in his death he shall have his grave made among the wicked and with the rich Isa. 53. v. 9. Alâ—o That he shall come with great Glory and the clouds of Heaven Dan. 7. v. 13 14. and that he shall come lowly riding on an Ass and a Colt the Foal of an Ass Zech. 9. v. 9. That the soul of the Lord was well pleased with him and alwayes delighted in him Isa. 42. v. 1. and yet that it pleased him to bruise him and put him to grief Isa. 53. v. 10. to forsake him Psalm 22. v. 1. That he was to be a King and a Priest upon his Throne Zech. 6. v. 13. and yet these things were inconsistent the Kingdom being annexed unto the family of David and the Priesthood to the Posterity of Aaron by Divine Constitution That he should be honoured and worshipped of all Nations Psal. 45. v. 11 12. Psal. 72. v. 10 11 15. and yet that he should be rejected and despised as one altogether undesirable Isa. 53. v. 3. That he should stand and feed or Rule in the Name and Majesty of God Micah 5. v. 4. and yet complains I am a worm and no man a reproach of Men and despised of the People Psal. 22. v. 6. All which with sundry others of the like nature concerning his Office and Work are clearly reconciled in the New Testament and their concurrence in the Person of our Lord Jesus Christ openly and fully declared § 10 At the time of his coming the Jews were generally as ignorant of these things as Nicâ—demus was of Regeneration they knew not how they might be And therefore when ever our Saviour intimated unto them his Divine Nature they were filled with rage and madness John 8. v. 58 59. They woâ—ld stone him because being a man he declared himself to be God John 10. v. 30 31 33. and yet when he proved it to them that the Messiah was to be so inasmuch as that being Davids Son yet David in Spirit calâ—ed him Lord they were confounded not being able to answâ—r him a word Matth. 22. v. 42 43 44 45 46. when he told them that the Son of Man the Messiah must be lifted up that is in his death on the Cross they objâ—cted unto him out of the Law that Christ abideth for ever John 12. v. 34. and they knew not how to reconcile these things Hence some of his own Disciples thought he could not be the Mâ—ssiah when they saw that he dyed Luke 24. v. 20 21. and the bâ—st of them seemed to have expected an outward temporal Kingdom But of all these difficulties as was said and seeming inconsistencies there is a blessed Reconciliation revealed in the Gâ—spel and an Application made of them to the Person of the Lord Jâ—sus the Office he bare and the Work that he accomplished This the Jews refusing by unbelief they have invented many fond and lewd imaginations to free themselves from these difficulties and entanglements Some things they deny to be spoken concerning the Mâ—ssiah some things they wrest and pervert to their own apprehensions and somewhat they allow and look for that is truly promised § 11 First For his Person and the things spoken concerning it they apply thereunto the Principal Engine which they have invented for their relief For whereas the Scripture hath declared unto us such a Messiah as should have the natures of Gâ—d and man in one Person which Person should in the nature of man suffer and dye and reign for spiritual ends and purposes thâ—y have rejected the Divine Nature of this Person and split that which remaineth into two Persons to the one wherâ—of they assign one part of his work as to sorrow suffer and dye to the other another part namely to Conquer Rule and Reign according unto their carnal Apprâ—hensions of these things They have I say feigned two Messiah's between whom they have distributed the whole work of him that is promised according unto their understanding of it And one of these is to come as they say before the other to prepare his way for him This first they call Messiah Ben Joseph because he is to be of the Tribe of Ephraim the other Messiah Ben David of whom afterwards Both of them are mentioned together in the Targum on Cant. 4.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thy two Deliverers which shall deliver thee Messiah the Son of David and Messiah the Son of Ephraim are like to Moses and Aaron The same words are repeated again Chap. 7. v. 3. And in those places alone in the whole series of Targums is there any mention of this fictitious Messiah the Author of that Paraphrase on the Canticles being Josephus Caecus who lived after the finishing of the Talmuds whereof he maketh mention In other parts of the Targum he appeareth not But in the Talmud he is frâ—quently brought on the Stage So Tractat. de Fâ—â—to Tâ—bernaâ—ul Distinct. Hachalil Chamesha It is a Tradition of our Masters that the Holy Blessed God shall say unto Messiah the Son of David who shall redeem us let him do it suddainly in our dayes ask somewhat of me and I will give it thee as Psal. 2. And when he shall hear that Messiah the Son of Joseph is ssain he shall say before the Lord Lord of the world I only ask life of thee for it seems that he shall be much terrified with the death of Ben Joseph Unto this Messiah they assign all things that are dolorous and include suffering in them which they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that are in the Scripture assigned to
the sins whereof they know themselves to be guilty to what end should they look for a Redeemer to bring in Everlasting Righteousnâ—ss or to make Attonement for sin Why should they look out in this case for Relief seeing they have enough at home to serve their turns Let them that are weâ—â—y and heavy laden seek after such a Deliverer they have no need of him or his Salvation According therefore as this building of Self-Righteousness went on and prospered amongst them Faith in the Messiah as to the true Ends for which He was promised decayed every day more and more untill at length it was utterly lost For as our Apostle tells them if Righteousness were by the Law the Promise of the Messiah was to no purpose and if the Law made things Perfect the bringing in of another Priesthood and Sacrifice was altogether needless § 24 So is it also with them as to their Apprehension of the Judgement of God concerning the Desert of sin The natural notion hereof the vilest Hypocrites amongst them were sometimes perplexed withall See Isa. 33. v. 14 15. Micah 6. v. 8. But the generality of them have long endeavoured by prejudicate Imaginations to cast out the true and real sense of it That God is angry at sin that in some cases an Attonement is needfull they will not deny But so low and carnal are their thoughts of his severity that they think any thing may serve the turn to appease his Wrath or to satisfie his Justice especially towards them whom alone he loves Their Afflictions and Persecutions the Death of their Children and their own Death especially if it be of a painful distemper they suppose to make a sufficient Propitiation for all their sins Such mean and unworthy thoughts have they of the Majesty Holiness and Terror of the Lord. Of late also lest there should be a failure on any account they have found out an invention to give their sins unto the Devil by the Sacrifice of a Cock the manner whereof is at large described by Buxtorfius in his Synagoga Judaica And this also hath no small influence on their minds to pervert them from the Faith of their Fore-Fathers Let the Messiah provide well for them in this world and they will look well enough unto themselves as to that which is to come § 25 And hence ariseth also their Ignorance of the whole Nature Vse and End of the Mosaical Law which also contributes much to the producing of the same Effect upon them To what End the Law was given whereunto it served what was the nature and proper use of its Institutions shall be declared as occasion is offered in the Exposition of the Epistle its self For the present it may suffice unto our purpose to consider their Apprehensions of it and what influence they have into their misbelief In general they look on the Law and their observance of it as the only means of obtaining Righteousness and making an Attonement with God So they did of old Rom. 9. v. 32 33 34. In the observation of its Precepts they place all their Righteousness before God and by its Sacrifices they look for Attonement of all their sins That the Law was not given that the Sacrifices were not appointed for these Ends that the Fathers of old never attended unto them absolutely with any such Intention shall be afterwards declared In the mean time it is evident that this Perswasion corrupts their minds as to their thoughts about the Messiah For if Righteousness may be obtained and Attonement made without him to what End serves the Promise concerning him But having thus taken from him the whole Office and Work whereunto of God he was designed that he might not be thought altogether useless they have cut out for him the work and employment before mentioned For looking on Righteousness and Attonement with the consequent of them Eternal Salvation as the proper Effects of the Law they thought meet to leave unto their Messiah the work of procuring unto them Liberty Wealth and Dominion which they found by experience that the Law was not able to do But had indeed their Eyes been opened in the knowledge of God and themselves they would have found the Law no less insufficient to procure by its self an Heavenly than an Earthly Kingdom for them And against their Prejudicate obstinacy in this matter doth the Apostle principally oppose himself in his Epistle unto them § 26 But here by the way some may possibly enquire how the Jews if they look for Attonement and the Remission of sins by the Sacrifices of the Law can now expect to have their sins pardoned without which they cannot be eternally saved seeing they are confessedly destitute of all Legal Sacrifices whatever Have they found out some other way or do they utterly give over seeking after Salvation This very Question being put unto one of them he answers that they now obtain the pardon of their Sins by Repentance and Amendment of Life according to the Promises made in the Prophets unto that Purpose as Ezek. 18. v. 20. And concludes Quamvis jam nulla sint sacrificia quae media erant ad tanto facilius impetrandam remissionem peccatorum eadem tamen per poenitentiam ac resipiscentiam declinando a viis malis impetratur Although there are now no Sacrifices which were a means the more easily to obtain the forgiveness of sins yet it may be obtained by Repentance and a departure from wayes of evil This is their Hope which like that of the Hypocrite is as the giving up of the Ghost For 1. It is true Repentance and Amendment of Life are required in them who seek after the forgiveness of their sins and many Promises are made unto them But is this all that God required that sin might be forgiven They are sufficient indeed in their own way and place but are they so absolutely also Did not God moreover appoint and require that they should make use of Sacrifices to make attonement for sins without which they should not be done away See Levit. 16. And 2. What is the meaning of that Plea that by Sacrifices indeed Remission of sins might more easily be obtained but obtained it may be without them Doth this more easily respect God or man if they say it respects God I desire to know if he can pardon sin without Sacrifice why he cannot do it as easily as with them or what is he eased of by Sacrifices If it respect themselves as indeed it doth then it may be enquired what it is that they shall be eased of in the obtaining of the Pardon of sins by the use of Sacrifices when that is again restored unto them this can be of nothing but of that which they are now forced to make use of for that end and purpose and what is that Why Repentance and Amendment of Life If then they had their Sacrifices these might be spared or at least much in them abated which at
refrained or kept my feet from every evil way Psal. 40. v. 12. Thou Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wilt not with-hold or restrain thy mercy from me So also to shut up or put a stop unto as Jerem. 52. v. 3. Haggai 1. v. 10. 1 Sam. 25. v. 33. Psalm 88. v. 9. Thence is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Carcer a Prison wherein men are put under restraint From the similitude of Letters and Sound in Pronuntiation some suppose it to have an affinity in signification with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to consummate to end to finish But there is no pregnant instance of this coincidence For although 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 do sometimes signifie to restrain or shut up as Psalm 74. v. 11. yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 no where signifies to consummate finish or compleat The first thing therefore promised with the Messiah which he was to do at his coming was to coerce and restrain Transgression to shut it up from overflowing the world so universally as it had done formerly Trangression from the day of its first entrance into the world had passed over the whole lower Creation like a flood God would now set bounds unto it coerce and restrain it that it should not for the future overflow mankind as it had done This was the work of the Messiah By his Doctrine by his Spirit by his Grace and the Power of his Gospel he set bounds to the rage of wickedness rooted out the old Idolatry of the world and turned millions of the Sons of Adam unto Righteousness And the Jews who deny his coming can give no instance of any other restraint laid upon the prevalency of Transgression within the time limited by the Angel and so directly deny the Truth of the Prophecy because they will not apply it unto him unto whom alone it doth belong The second thing to be done at the season determined is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to seal § 31 up sins 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to seal or to seal up The expression is Metaphorical To seal is either to keep safe or to hide cover and conceal The former can have no place here though the word seem once to be used in that sense with reference unto sin Job 14. v. 14. But this sense hath a perfect inconsistency with what is spoken immediately before and what follows directly after in the Text. And the most proper sense of the word is to cover or conceal and thence to seal because thereby a thing is hidden Cant. 4. v. 12. Now to hide sin or transgression in the Old Testament is to pardon it to forgive it As then the former expression respecteth the sâ—op that was put to the power and progress of sin by the Grace of the Gospel as Titus 2. v. 11 12. so doth this the pardon and removal of the guilt of it by the mercy proclaimed and tendred in the Gospel And in this way of expression is God said to cast our sins behind his back to cover them and to cast them into the bottom of the sea That this was no way to be done but by the Messiah we have before evinced Neither can the Jews assign any other way of the accomplishment of this part of the prediction within the time limited For setting aside this only consideration of the pardon of sin procured by the Mediation of the Messiah and there was never any age wherein God did more severely bring forth sin unto Judgement as themselves had large experience § 32 Thirdly This season is designed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to make Reconciliation for iniquity To reconcile iniquity so our Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 renders this expression Heb. 2. v. 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to reconcile iniquities That is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to make reconciliation with God for iniquity to make attonement The sense of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when applied unto sin is known and granted If it be spoken of God it is to hide to cover to pardon sin to be gracious unto sinners if of men in the use of any of his institutions it is to propitiate appease attone make attonement or reconciliation as I have elsewhere at large declared How this was to be done by the Messiah hath been already evinced This was that work for which he was promised unto our first Parents from the foundation of the world That he was to do it we are taught in the Old Testament how he did it in the Gospel To expect this work of making attonement for sin from any other or to be wrought by any other wayes or means is fully to renounce the first promise and the Faith of the Fathers from the foundation of the world § 33 That which in the fourth place is mentioned answers the former To make Reconciliation for iniquities and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to bring in everlasting Righteousness There was a Legal Righteousness amongst the people before consisting partly in their blameless observation of the institutions of the Law and partly in their ritual attonements for sin made annually and occasionally Neither of these could constitute their Righteousness everlasting Not the former for by the deeds of the Law can no flesh be justified that is not absolutely what ever they might be as to the possession of the promised Land Not the latter for as our Apostle observes the annual repetition of Legal Sacrifices did sufficiently manifest that they could not make perfect them that came unto God by them In opposition unto these an Everlasting Righteousness such as is absolute perfect and enduring for ever is promised to be brought in by the Messiah the Righteousness which he wrought in his life and death doing and suffering the whole will of God being imputed unto them that believe And this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Everlasting Righteousness procureth and endeth in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 everlasting Salvation mentioned Isa. 45. v. 17. both opposed unto the ritual Righteousness and temporal deliverance of the Law To declare the nature and the way of bringing in this Righteousness is the design of the Gospel Rom. 1. v. 16 17. And I desire to know of the Jews how it was brought in within the time limited According unto their Principles the time here determined was so far from being a season of bringing in Everlasting Righteousness that by their own confession it brought in nothing but a deluge of wickedness in the sins of their Nation and oppressions of the Gentiles This therefore is the proper work of the Messiah foretold by the Prophets expected by all the Fathers and not denyed by the Jews themselves at this day though they would shamefully avoid the application of it unto him in this place But he who ever he be that brings in Everlasting Righteousness He and no other is the Promised Seed the true and only Messiah § 34 The fifth thing here foretold is in those words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to seal Vision and Prophet 〈◊〉
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Saadias Haggeon on Daniel the 9th Israel had no Prophet after the finishing of the second house but those who enjoyed the Bath Kol But what is now become of that Bath Kol also for a thousand six hundred years Is not all pretence of Revelations utterly departed what then is become of that Covenant wherein it was promised unto them yea we know that they have not only left the Holy Ghost as a spirit of Prophecy but also as a spirit of grace and supplications so that besides a few superstitious forms repeated by number and tale there is no such thing as prayer amongst them as some of their late Masters have acknowledged What reason now can be assigned of this state and condition of things but only § 8 that the Covenant wherein the good things mentioned were promised unto them had a time limited unto it when it was to give place unto a new one of another nature And this the Jews acknowledge is to take date from the coming of the Messiah God is faithful unchangeable able to make good his promises and his word to the utmost The present Jews are no less Jews of the carnal seed of Abraham then their forefathers were It cannot be then but that the Covenant made with them until the coming of the Messiah is long since expired And therefore also that he is long since come Two things in general the Jews reply unto these considerations the one as they § 9 have occasion and advantage the other openly and constantly The first which they only mention as they have occasion is the prosperity of some of their Nation in this or that Country with the honour and riches that some of them have attained unto Unto this purpose they tell us stories of their number and wealth in the East out of Benjamin Tudulensis and others with the riches of some of them in the Western parts of the world also But themselves know that none of these things not one of them was promised unto them in the Covenant that God made with them upon Mount Horeb. All the promises of it respected the Land of Canaan with their preservation there or return thither What they get abroad in the world elsewhere under the power and dominion of other Nations befalls them in a way of common providence as the like things do the vilest wretches of the earth and not in a way of any especial promise And therefore when Daniel and Nehemiah with others were exalted unto glory and riches among the Babylonians and Persians yet they rested not therein but pleaded the Covenant of God for their restauration unto the Land promised unto Abraham And to suppose that the wealth of a few Jews up and down the world gotten by Physick or Vsury or farming of Customs is an accomplishment of the promises before insisted on is openly to despise the promises and the Author of them § 10 But it is pleaded secondly by them That it is for their sins that the coming of the Messiah is thus retarded and prolonged But it is not about the coming of the Messiah directly and immediately that they are pressed withall in these considerations that which we enquire about is their present state and their long continuance therein with the reason of it only aiming to find out and discover the true cause thereof This they say is because of their sins and this also in general we grant But yet must further enquire what they intend thereby I ask therefore whether it be for the sins of their forefathers who lived before the last final dispersion or for their sins who have since lived in their several Generations that they are thus utterly forsaken If they shall say it is for the sins of their forefathers as Manasseh plainly doth Quest. 43. in Gen. p. 65. And sundry others of them do the same then I desire to know whether they think God to be changed from what he was of old or whether he be not still every way the same as to all the promises of the Covenant supposing they will say that he is still the same I desire to know whether he did not in former times in the daies of their Judges and Kings especially in the Babylonian Captivity punish them for their sins with that contemperation of Justice and mercy which was agreeable unto the Tenor of the Covenant This I suppose they will not deny the Scripture speaking so fully unto it and the Righteousness of God requiring it I desire then to know what were the sins of their forefathers before the destruction of the second Temple and your final dispersion which so much according to the Rules of the Covenant exceeded the sins of them who lived before the desolation of the first Temple and the captivity that ensued for we know that the sins of those former were punished only with a dispersion which some of them saw the beginning and ending of the duration of the whole of it not exceeding seventy years after which they were returned again to their own Land But the captivity and dispersion which hath befallen them upon the sins of those who lived before the destruction of the second Temple as they were in their manner and entrance much more terrible dreadful and tremendious then the former so they have now continued in them above twenty times seventy years without any promise of a recovery God being still the same that he was if the Old Covenant with the Jews be still in force The difference between this dispensation must arise from the difference of the sins of the one sort of persons and the other Now of all the sins which on the general account of the Law of God the sons of men can make themselves guilty of Idolatry doubtless is the greatest The choosing of other Gods is a compleat renunciation of the true one And therefore comprised in it all other sins what ever for casting off the yoke of God and our dependance on him as the first cause and last end of all it doth that in gross and by whole-sale which other sins do only by retail and therefore is this sin forbidden in the head of the Law as intimating that if the command of owning the true God and him alone be not adhered unto it is to no purpose to apply our selves unto them that follow Now it is known to all that this sin of Idolatry abounded amongst them under the first Temple and that also for a long continuance attended with Violence Adulteries Persecution and Oppression but that those under the second Temple had contracted the guilt of this sin the present Jews do not pretend and we know that they hated all appearance of it Nor are they able to assign any other sins what ever wherein they went higher in their provocations then their Progenitors under the first Temple What then is the cause of the different event and success between them before insisted on It cannot be
by the Jews But the truth is although they continue in their desires of the coming of the Messiah yet they have lost the reason why they do so only this they find that their fore-fathers from the dayes of Abraham placed all their happiness in his coming and therefore they think that they also ought to do so though why they cannot tell or will not understand But this is that which we have proved to be the object of their faith and expectation of old namely that the Messiah was promised to be a Spiritual Redeemer to save them from Sin Satan Death and Hell to procure for them the favour of God and to bring them to an enjoyment of him Set this aside and what have we to do to contend with the Jews about one that shall come and make War for them conquer their enemies and make them rich Much good may it do them with such an one when he comes They say indeed that having the affluence of all things under him they shall be the better enabled to keep the Law of Moses and so the way to Heaven will be easier for them But I fear that which they manifest their hearts to be set upon as their chiefest end and aim will scarcely much farther them unto any other end whatever the last end will not be made the means to another Nor was it otherwise with their fore-fathers Jeshurun waxed fat and kicked According to their pasture they were filled and forgot the Lord Prosperity ruined them nor did they ever reform but under sore afflictions The Messiah then that we contend with them about is a Spiritual Redeemer such an one he was promised to be as we have abundantly proved And all Promises of that nature are perfectly accomplished He is come and hath saved his people from their sins He hath made an end of sin and made Reconciliation for iniquity and brought in everlasting Righteousness There is not one Promise concerning Grace Mercy Pardon the Love of God and eternal Blessedness by the Messiah which contain the whole of his direct and principal work but they are all yea and ámen in Christ Jesus are all exactly made good and accomplished And this is testified unto by millions of souls now in the unchangeable fruition of God and all that seriously believe in him who are yet alive And this is firstly to be considered in our enquiry after the accomplishment of the Promises concerning the Coming Grace and Kingom of the Messiah Secondly Hence it follows That all Promises concerning temporal things at his coming § 4 or by it are but accessory and occasional and such as directly appertain not to his principal work and main design of his coming Certain it is that the whole work for which God of old promised the Messiah might have been effected and fully accomplished if not one word had been spoken of any outward advantage to ensue thereon in this world These Promises then belong not directly and immediately to the Covenant of the Redeemer but are declarations only of the Soveraign Will and Wisdom of God as to what he would do in the dispensation of his Providence at such and such a season Hence two things will ensue First That all these Promises may be conditional Those which concerned the sending of the Messiah for the accomplishment of his principal work were absolute and depended not upon any thing in any or all of the Sons of men The whole of it was a meer effect of Soveraign Grace He was therefore infallibly to come at his appointed season But those that concern the dispensation of Gods Providence in temporal things may all of them be conditional And evident it is that they have one Condition annexed to the fulfilling of every one of them and that is that those who would partake of them do submit themselves unto the Law and Rule of the Messiah For in the midst of the greatest collection of Promises in the whole Old Testament which at first view seem to express the glory of the Kingdom of the Messiah in outward things it is added the Nation and Kingdom that will not serve them shall perish yea those Nations shall be utterly wasted Isa. 60.12 So that all the happiness intimated depends on the condition of mens submitting themselves to the Law of the Messiah without which they are threatned with desolation and utter wasting This condition belongs unto them all and what other particular considerations there may be on which their accomplishment may be suspended we know not Secondly It follows also from hence that as to the times seasons and places of their accomplishment they are left unto the designation of Gods Soveraign Will Wisdom and Pleasure as are those of all other works of his Providence whatever It is not necessary that they should all of them be accomplished at the same time or in the same place or after the same manner God may and God doth fulfill them when where how and towards whom he pleaseth so that in the issue they shall all have that accomplishment which he hath designed unto them and which the Church hath ground to expect And thus hath God provided that they should be a ground of comfort and direction to the Church in all Ages containing encouragements unto obedience and consolations in what his Saints may expect to fall upon their persecuting adversaries The Jews indeed who know not even how to fancy the Kingdom of their Messiah to be any other but what the Roman Common-wealth of men only was like to prove res unius aetatis the business of one age would have all these temporal promises to be fulfilled all at once momento turbinis all on a sudden But the real Kingdom of Christ being to continue through many Generations even from his coming unto the end of the world and that in such a variety of states and conditions as God saw conducing unto his own glory and the exercise of the faith and obedience of his people the accomplishment of these promises in several Ages and at several seasons according to the counsel of the will of God is exceedingly suited unto the Nature Glory and Exaltation of it And this one observation may be easily improved to the frustrating all the objections of the Jews from the non-accomplishment pretended of these promises § 5 Thirdly Whereas spiritual things have the principal place and consideration in the work and Kingdom of the Messiah they are oftentimes promised in words whose first signification denotes things temporal and corporeal And this came to pass and was so ordered on several accounts For first the very way and manner of the Prophets expression of their Visions and Revelations wherein after the way of the people of the East they made use of many Metaphors and Allegories lead them so to set forth spiritual things That this was the custom of the Prophets as they expresly own it and is manifest in their writings so it is confessed by the Jews
Jesus of Nazareth setting aside that knowledge and worship of God which was in Judea a little corner of the earth and that also by their own confession then horribly defiled and profaned the whole world especially the greatest and most potent and flourishing Nations of it in particular the whole Roman Empire especially concerned in these predictions was utterly ignorant of the true God and engaged in the Worship of Idols and Devils and that from time immemorial 2. That although the Jews had taken great pains and compassed Sea and Land to make Proselytes yet they were very few and those very obscure persons whom they could at any time or in any place prevail withall to receive the knowledge or give up themselves unto the Worship of the God of Israel of converting People or Nations unto his obedience they now entertained the least hopes 3. It is manifest to all the world that not only upon the coming of Jesus but also by vertue of his Law and Doctrine all the Old Idolatry of the world was destroyed and that whole fabrick of Superstition which Satan had been so many Ages engaged in the erection of was cast to the ground and those Gods of the Earth which the Nations worshipped utterly famished Hence it is come to pass at this day that no People or Nation under Heaven doth continue to worship those Gods which the Old Empires of the World adored as their Deities and in whose service they waged War against the God of Israel and his people And all that knowledge that is at this day in the world of one true living God and the reception of the God of Israel for that true God however abused as it is by some Mahumetans and others it did all originally proceed from the Doctrine of Jesus Christ whom these ungrateful people hate and persecute Had it not been for him and his Gospel the true God the God of their fore-fathers had been no more owned in the world at this day then he was at his coming in the flesh and yet these poor blinded creatures can see no glory in him or in his Ministry 4. The Lord Jesus Christ by his Spirit and Word did not only destroy Idolatry and false Worship in the world but also brought the greatest and most potent Nations of it to the Knowledge of God that in comparison of what was past it covered the earth as the Waters cover the Seas This the Jews saw and repined at in the flourishing times of the Roman Empire when the Lord was one and his Name was one in the whole earth as that Expression is used in the Scripture 5. The Way whereby this Knowledge and Worship of the true God was dispersed over the face of the earth and spread its self like an mundation of saving waters over the world was by such a secret energy of the spirit of Christ accompanying his Word and the Ministration of it that it wholly differed from that operous burdensome and for the most part ineffectual way of teaching which was used by the Priests Levites and Scribes of old there being much more of the efficacy of Grace then of the pains of the Teachers seen in the Effects wrought and produced according to the Words of the Promise Jerem. 31.34 6. In this diffusion of the knowledge of God there was way made for the Union Agreement and joint Consent in Worship of those that should receive it For both the partition wall between Jews and Gentiles was removed and both people did actually coalesce into one body worshipping God with one lip and shoulder and also an holy and plain way of spirituall Worship was prescribed unto all that should or did embrace the Law of the Messiah 7. Notwithstanding all that hath been already accomplished yet there is still room and time left and remaining for the further accomplishment of these predictions so that before the close of the Kingdom of the Messiah not one Tittle of them shall fall to the ground And thus also the open Event known to all the world doth manifest the due and full accomplishment of these Promises making it unquestionable that the Messiah is long since come and hath fulfilled the work that he was designed of old unto Neither are the Exceptions of the Jews of any force to invalidate our Application § 19 of these Promises Two things they object unto us First the Idolatry that is yet in the world especially among Christians Secondly The differences in Religion that every where abound amongst men For 1. We have shewed already that these and the like Predictions are to have a gradual accomplishment not all at once in every place It is sufficient that there is an everlasting foundation laid for the destruction of all false Worship which having had a conspicuous and glorious Effect in the most eminent Nations of the world sufficient to answer the intention of the Prophecy shall yet further in the appointed seasons root out the remainder of all superstition and Apostacy from God 2. For what concerns Christians themselves it cannot be denyed but that many who are so called have corrupted themselves and contracted the guilt of that horrible iniquity which they charge upon them But this being the crime and guilt of some certain Persons and not of the whole society of the Professors of Christianity ought not to be objected unto them And I desire to know by what means the Jews suppose that themselves and the Nations of the world shall be kept from Idolatry and false Worship in the dayes of their Messiah if it be because their Messiah shall give such a perfect Law and such full instructions in the mind and will of God that all men may clearly know their duty we say that this is already done in the highest degree of perfection that is conceivable but what if notwithstanding this men will follow their own vain reasonings and imaginations and fall from the rule of their obedience into Will-worship and Superstition what remedy have they provided against such backsliding if they have none but only the pressing upon them their duty to the Law Word and Institutions of God we have the same and do make use of it to the same end and purpose If they shall say that their Messiah will kill them and slay them with the sword we confess that ours is not of that mind and desire them to take heed least in the room of the holy humble merciful Kings promised the Church they look for and desire a bloody Tyrant that should exercise force over the minds of men and execute their revenge and lusts on those whom they like not 3. This Apostacy of some Professors of Christianity into false Worship Idolatry and Persecution is foretold obscurely in the Writings of the Old Testament it self but most plainly in those of the Gospel or Revelations made by the Lord Christ unto his Apostles concerning the state of the Church unto the end of the world so that from thence
〈◊〉 in the first appearance and dawning of light at which time the preparation for the promulgation of the Law began § 31 The place they came unto is called the Wilderness of Sinai v. 2. and so was the Mountain also it self whereon the glorious Majesty of God appeared v. 20. it was also called Horeb Exod. 3.1 He came to the Mountain of God even to Horeb where they were to serve God v. 12. and it was on this account afterwards called Horeb the Mount of God 1 Kings 19.8 And the whole Wilderness was termed the Wilderness of Horeb Deut. 1. It is therefore generally supposed that they were several names of the same places the Mountain and Wilderness wherein it was being both called Sinai and Horeb. And they were both occasional names taken from the nature of the place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sinai from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Seneh a Bush such as the Angel appeared unto Moses in Exod. 3.2 such whereof a multitude were in that place And Horeb from its drought and barrenness which is the signification of the word But the opinion of Moses Gerundensis is far more probable that Horeb was the name of the Wilderness and Sinai of the Mountain That Sinai was the name of the Hill is expresly affirmed Chap. 19.18 20. And Mount Sinai was altogether on a smoak because the Lord descended upon it in fire and the Lord came down upon Mount Sinai on the top of the Mount So Psalm 68.17 And whereas mention is made of the Wilderness of Sinai it is no more but the Wilderness wherein Mount Sinai was And for those places before referred to where Horeb seems to be called the Mount of God the words in them all will bear to be read to the Mount of God in Horeb Strabo calls this very Mount 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lib. 16. And Justin of Moses Montem Sinan occupat The people therefore aboad in Horeb at the foot of the Mountain or about it and the Law was promulgated on the top of Sinai in the most desart solitude of that Wilderness And in this place hath the superstition of some Christians in latter Ages built a Monastery for the Celebration of their devotion by an order of Monks whose Archimandrite was not many years since in England But as the place materially considered is as evident an object of Gods displeasure against the lower part of the Creation upon the account of sin as almost any place in the world a wast and howling Wilderness a place left to solitude and barrenness so in its allusion or relation to the Worship of God it is cast by our Apostle under bondage and placed in an opposition to the Worship and Church State of the Gospel Gal. 4.24 25. Being come unto this place it is said Moses went up unto the Mount unto God It § 32 doth not appear that he had any new immediate express command so to do probably he both came to that place and so soon as he came thither went up into the Mountain in obedience to the command and faith in the promise of God which he received upon his first call Exod. 3.12 wherein it was given him for a token and pledge of their deliverance that thereon they should worship God or receive the Law in that Mountain which is also the judgement of Aben Ezra upon the place And it is not unlikely but that God at that time fixed the cloud which went before them as the token of his presence on the top of Sinai as a new direction unto Moses for his going up thither Being ascended God calls unto him the word of the Lord saith Jonathan and § 33 teacheth him to prepare the People for the receiving of the Law v. 4 5. Two things he proposeth to their consideration First The benefits that they had already been made partakers of hinted out unto them by the mighty and wonderful works of his power And Secondly New Priviledges to be granted unto them In the first he minds them that he had born them on Eagles wings This Jarchi interprets of their sudden gathering out of all the Coasts of Goshen unto Ramesis to go away together the same night Chap. 12.37 But although it may be allowed that they had in that wonderfull collection of themselves some especial Assistance of Providence besides the preparation which they had been making for sundry dayes before yet this expression evidently extends it self unto the whole dispensation of God towards them from the first of their deliverance unto that day Generally they all of them explain this Allegorical expression from the manner how the Eagles as they say carry their young which is on their backs or wings because they fear nothing above them as soaring over all whereas other Fowls carry their young between their feet as fearing other Birds of Prey above them But there is no need to wring the expression to force out of it such uncertain niceties There is no more intended but that God carried them speedily and safely as an Eagle is born by its wings in her course To this Remembrance of former mercies God adds Secondly A treble Promise First That they should be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Segullah a word that hath none to declare it by We render it here and elsewhere a peculiar Treasure Eccles. 2.8 it is rendered by our Apostle Titus 2.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a peculiar people and by another 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Pet. 2.9 which we translate in like manner Secondly That they should be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Kingdom of Priests that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Princes saith Jarchi as David's Sons who were Princes are said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And it is not denyed but that the word is sometimes so used But whereas here it intendeth the special separation and dedication of the people unto God after the manner of Priests thence the allusion is taken the dignity of Princes being included in that of a Kingdom And this Peter renders 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Kingly Priesthood And in the translation of this priviledge over unto Believers under the Gospel it is said that by Christ they are made Kings and Priests unto God Rev. 1.6 it is added that they should be an Holy Nation as expresly 1 Pet. 2.9 That which God on the other hand requires of them is that they keep his Covenant § 34 v. 5. Now this Covenant of God with them had a double expression First In the giving of it unto Abraham and its confirmation by the sign of Circumcision But this is not that which is here especially intended for it was the Administration of the Covenant wherein the whole People became the peculiar Treasure and inheritance of God upon a new account which is respected Now this Covenant was not yet made nor was it ratified untill the dedication of the Altar in the sprinkling of it with the blood of the Covenant as Aben Ezra well observes and
our Apostle manifests at large Chap. 9.19 20 21. Wherefore the People taking upon themselves the performance of it and all the Statutes and Laws thereof of which yet they knew not what they were did give up themselves unto the Soveraignty and Wisdom of God which is the indispensible duty of all that will enter into Covenant with him § 35 For the farther preparation of the people God appoints that they should be sanctified and wash their cloaths v. 10. which was done accordingly v. 14. The first contained their moral the latter their Ceremonial significative preparation for converse with God The former consisted in the due disposal of their minds unto that godly fear and holy Reverence that becomes poor worms of the Earth unto whom that glorious God makes such approaches as he did unto them The latter denoted that purity and holiness which was required in their inward man From this latter temporary occasional institution such as they had many granted to them whilest they were in the Wilderness before the giving of the Law the Rabbins have framed a Baptism for those that enter into their Synagogue a fancy too greedily embraced by some Christian Writers who would have the holy Ordinance of the Churches Baptism to be derived from thence But this washing of their cloaths not of their bodies was temporary never repeated neither is there any thing of any such Baptism or washing required in any Proselytes either Men or Women where the Laws of their admission are strictly set down Nor are there the lâ—ast footsteps of any such usage amongst the Jews untill after the dayes of John Baptist in imitation of whom it was first taken up by some Anti-mishnical Rabbins § 36 The next thing which Moses did by the command of God after he returned from the Mount was to set bounds unto it and the people that none of them might press to go up untill the Trumpet had done its long and last sounding a sign of the departure of the presence of God v. 12 13. And thou shalt set bounds unto the People round about saying take heed to your selves that you go not up into the Mount or touch the border of it whosoever toucheth the Mount shall be surely put to death there shall not an hand touch it but he shall surely be stoned or shot through whether it be beast or Man it shall not live when the Trumpet soundeth long they shall come up to the Mount The Law the Sanction and the duration of the obedience required are here represented The Law expresseth an evil prohibited both in it self and in the end of it The evil it self was going up into or so much as touching by any means the Mountain or the border of it The End wherefore this was prohibited was that they might not gaze v. 21. Charge the People lest they break through unto the Lord to gaze The Sanction is death enjoyned from the hand of Men in these Verses and threatned from the hand of Heaven v. 21 24. The continuance of the observance was untill the Trumpet sounded long or had done sounding the sign of the departure of Gods special presence which made the place holy only during its continuance § 37 For the Law it is said expresly that the Mount was not to be touched It might not be touched by Man or Beast Yet our Apostle treating concerning it calls it the Mount that might be touched Heb. 12.21 For although de jure whilst that temporary command continued in force it might not be touched which seemed to render it glorious yet saith the Apostle it was but a carnal thing that might de facta be touched by Man or Beast had they not been severely prohibited and so is no way to be compared with that Heavenly Mount Sion which we are called unto in the Worship of God under the Gospel § 38 The contexture of the words in our Translation seems to have some difficulty Whosoever toucheth the Mount v. 12 13. there shall not an hand touch it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it should seem that by it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Mount it self is intended and that the Law is reinforced in a particular caution that so much as an hand should not touch the Mount But it is far more probable that by it touch it the Person Man or Beast that touched the Mountain is intended And the words declare the manner how the offender should be destroyed being made Anathema devoted accursed by his presumptuous sin no man was to touch him or to lay hand on him to deliver him lest he also contracted of his guilt And this sense the ensuing words with the series of them evinceth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is no hand shall touch it either to save it or to punish it but stoning it shall be stoned or thrusting through it shall be thrust through whether Man or Beast it shall not live Let none think by laying hand on it to deliver it whence Aquila renders 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He shall be slain or destroyed cum impetu horrore with force and terror all being to cast stones at him or to shoot him through with arrows or thrust him through with darts So Aben Ezra 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The meaning is Men shall not gather about him to take him but those that see him shall stone him from the place of their Station And if he be afar off they shall shoot him through with arrows Touching the Mountain or the border limit or bound set unto it by Gods appointment § 47 was the sin forbidden And the end of it as was said was that they should not break through 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to see to gaze say we properly to look with curiosity on the appearances of Gods glory for which cause he smote the men of Bethshemesh upon their looking into the Ark 1 Sam. 6. God intending by this prohibition to beget in the People an awe and reverence of his holy Majesty as the Great Law-giver and by the terror thereof to bring them and their posterity into that bondage frame of Spirit that servile awe that was to abide upon them untill such time as he came who was to give liberty and boldness to his Church by dispencing unto Believers the Spirit of Adoption enabling them to cry Abba Father and to enter with boldness into the Holy Place even to the Throne of Grace In case the punishment appointed were neglected by the people God threatens to § 48 see the execution of it himself v. 21. Lest they break through unto the Lord to gaze and many of them perish v. 24. And let not the Priests and the People break through to come up unto the Lord lest he break forth upon them For to make them watchfull in their duty he lets them know that their miscarriage in this matter devolving the punishment of the Transgressor by their neglect upon him should be imputed by him unto
given out with the Law various Promises of intervenient and mixed mercies to be enjoyed in earthly things in this world that had their immediate respect unto the mercy of the Land of Canaan representing spiritual Grace annexed to the then present Administration of the Covenant of Grace Some of these concerned the collation of good things others the preventing of or delivery of them from Evils both expressed in great variety § 8 Of the Promises whose accomplishment depended on the Institution of God by others that is the principal and comprehensive of the rest which is expressed Exod. 20.12 Honour thy father and thy mother that thy days may be prolonâ—ed This saith our Apostle is the first commandment with promise Ephes. 6.2 Not that the fore-going Precepts have no Promises annexed to the observation of them nor meerly because this hath a Promise literally expressed but that it had the special kind of Promise wherein Parents by Gods institution have power to prolong the lives of obedient Children 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They shall prolong thy days that is negatively in not cutting of their life for disobedience which was then in the power of natural Parents and possibly by praying for their prosperity blessing them in the name of God and directing them into the ways and means of universal obedience whereby their days might be multiplied and on sundry other accounts § 9 For the penalties annexed unto the transgression of the Law which our Apostle principally hath respect unto in his discourses on this subject they will require somewhat a larger consideration and they were of two sorts First such as God took upon himself to inflict and secondly such as he appointed others to see unto the execution of The first are of three sorts First That Eternal punishment which he threatned unto them that transgressed and disannull'd his Covenant as renewed and ordered in the Administration of the Law and the Ordinances thereof This we have manifested elsewhere to be the importance of the Curse which every such transgressor was obnoxious unto Secondly The punishment which the Jews express by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Excision or cutting off It is first mentioned Gen. 17.14 in the matter of Circumcision Sometimes emphatically Numb 15.31 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cutting off that soul shall be cut off from among his people and frequently afterwards Exod. 12.15 19. chap. 31.14 Levit. 7.10 chap. 20.3 5 6. It is rendred by the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 3.23 shall be destroyed from among the people that is by the hand of God as is declared 1 Cor. 10.10 Heb. 11.28 Twenty five times is this punishment threatned in the Law still unto such sins as disannul the Covenant which our Apostle expresly respects chap. 2.2 as shall be declared on that place Now this punishment the Jews generally agree to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the hand of § 10 Heaven or that which God himself would immediately inflict and it is evidently declared so to be in the interpretation given of it Levit. 17.10 chap. 20.4 5 6. But what this punishment was or wherein it did consist neither Jews nor Christians are absolutely agreed the latter on this subject doing little more then representing the opinions and judgments of the other which course also we may follow Some of them say that Vntimely Death is meant by it so Abarbinel on Numb 5.22 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is the cutting off the days of the sinner and his death before the natural term of it inflicted by the hand of Heaven This untimely death they reckon to be between the years of twenty and sixty whence Schindler 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 exterminium cum quis praematurâ morte inter vigessimum sexagessimum annum à Deo è medio tollitur ita tamen ut relinquat liberos Cutting off is when any one is taken away by untimely death between the twintieth and sixtieth year of his age yet so as that he leave children That clause or condition so that yet he leave posterity or children behind him is as far as I can find no where added by them nor doth any thing in the Scripture give countenance thereunto Yea many of the Hebrews think that this punishment consisted in this that such a one should leave no children behind him but that either he should be wholly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without children or if he had any before his sin they should all die before him and so his name and posterity be cut off which say they is to be cut off from among his people So Aben-Ezra on Gen. 17.14 And this opinion is not without its countenance from the Scripture it self And therefore Jarchi on the same place with much probability puts both these together He shall be cut off by untimely death and leave no children behind him to continue his name or remembrance amongst the people 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as they speak He that hath no children is accounted as dead but he that hath is as if he lived and his name is not cut off They have a third opinion also that by this cutting off the death of the soul is intended § 11 especially when the word is ingemminated Cutting off he shall be cut off as Numb 15.31 So Maimonides 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that soul shall perish it shall not live or subsist any more for ever Few embrace this opinion as being contrary to their general perswasion of Eternal punishments for the transgressions of the Covenant Wherefore it is disputed against by Abarbinel on Numb 15. who contends that the death of the soul in everlasting separation from God is intended in this threatning And both the principal parts of these various opinions namely that of immature corporal death and eternal punishment ate joyned together by Jonathan in his Targum on Numb 15.31 He shall be cut off in this world and that man shall be cut off in the world to come and bear his sin in the day of Judgment For my part as I have shewed that eternal death was contained in the curse of the Law so this especial 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or extermination from among the people seems to me to intend some especial judgment of God in taking away the life of such a person answering unto that putting to death by the Judges and Magistrates in such cases when they were known which God did appoint And herein also was an eminent Representation of the everlasting cutting off of obstinate and final transgressors of the Covenant Thirdly In Judgments to be brought providentially upon the whole Nation by Pestilence § 12 Famine Sword and Captivity which are at large declared Levit. 26. and Deut. 28. Fourthly Total Rejection of the whole body of the people in case of unbelief and disobedience upon the full and perfect Revelation that was to be made of the will and mind of God upon the coming of the Messiah Deut. 18.18
be considered § 18 And these in general were of two sorts First Ecclesiastical Secondly Civil Ecclesiastical penalties were the Authoritative Exclusion of an offending Person from the society of the Church and the Members of it That such an Exclusion is prescribed in the Law in sundry cases hath in several instances been by others evidenced Many Disputes also have been about it both concerning the causes of it the Authority whereby it was done with its ends and effects But these things are not of our present consideration who intend only to represent things as they are in Facto instituted or observed Of this Exclusion the Jews commonly make three Degrees and that not without § 19 some countenance from the Scripture The First they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Niddui The second 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cherem and the Third 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Shammatha That which they call Niddui from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to expell to separate to cast off is with the most of them the first and lowest degree of this separation and exclusion And Persons who are to pronounce this sentence and put it into execution are according to the Jews any Court from the highest Sanhedrin of seventy one at Jerusalem to the meanest in their Synagogues Yea any Ruler of a Synagogue or Wise Man in Authority might accorcording unto them do the same thing And many ridiculous stories they have about the mutual Excommunication and Absolution of one another by consent The time of its continuance or the first space of time given to the Persons offending to repent was thirty dayes to which on his neglect he was left unto sixty and then to ninety when upon his obstinacy he was obnoxious to the Cherem As the Causes of it they reckon up in Jerusalem Talmud moed Katon twenty four crimes on the guilt whereof any one may be thus dealt withal 1. He that despiseth a Wise Man that is a Rabbi Master or Doctor even after his death 2. He that contemneth a Minister or Messenger of the House of Judgement 3. He that calleth his Neighbour Servant or Slave 4. He to whom the Judge sends and appoints him a time of Appearance and he doth not appear 5. He that despiseth the words of the Scribes much more the words of the Law of Moses 6. He that doth not obey and stand unto the sentence denounced against him 7. He that hath any hurtful thing in his power as a biting Dog and doth not remove it 8. He that sells his Field to a Christian or any Heathen 9. He that gives witness against an Israelite in the Courts of the Christians 10. A Priest that killeth Cattle and doth not separate the guifts that belong to another Priest 11. He that profaneth the second Holy-day in Captivity 12. He that doth any work in the afternoon before the Passeover 13. He that taketh the name of God in vain on any account 14. He that induceth others to profane the name of God 15. He that draweth others to eat of holy things without the Temple 16. He that computes the times or writes Kalendars or Almanacks fixing the Moneths out of the Land of Israel 17. He that causeth a blind man to fall 18. He that hindereth others from doing the work of the Law 19. He that makes profane the killing of any Creature by his own fault 20. He that killeth and doth not shew his Knife before hand before a Wise Man whereby it may appear to be fit 21. He that is unwilling to or makes himself difficult in learning 22. He that putteth away his Wife and afterwards hath commerce with her in buying and selling which may induce them to cohabitation 23. A Wise Man of evil Fame and Report 24. He that excommunicateth him who deserveth not that sentence Aâ— instance of this exclusion we have expresly in the Gospel John 9.20 The Jews § 20 had aâ—ready agreed that if any Man should confess He was Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he should be put out of the Synagogue He should be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Menuddeh put under the sentence of Niddui And according to this sentence they proceeded with the blind man whose eyes were opened by the Lord Christ v. 34. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is saith the Margin of our Translation they excommunicated him But that is not the signification of the word it denotes only their causing him to be thrust out of the Synagogue by their Officers although there is no doubt but that at the same time they pronounced sentence against him § 21 If a Man dyed under this sentence they laid a stone upon his Beir intimating that he deserved Lapidation if he had lived Howbeit they excluded him not from teaching or learning of the Law so that he kept four paces distant from other persons He came in and went out of the Temple at the contrary door to others that he might be known All which with sundry other things were of their Traditional Additionals to the just prescriptions of the Word § 22 In case this Process succeeded not and upon some greater demerits the sentence of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cherem was to be proceeded unto This is an high degree of Authoritative Separation from the Congregation and is made use of either when the former is despised or as was said upon greater provocations This sentence must not be denounced but in a Congregation of ten at least and with such a one that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thus Anathematized it is not lawful so much as to eat The third and last sentence in this kind which contains a total and irrecoverable Exemption of a person from the Communion of the Congregation is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Shammatha Some of the Talmudical Rabbins in moed katon give the Etymologie of this word as if it should be as much as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sham metha death is theâ—e But it is generally agreed that it is from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to exclude expell cast out that is from the Covenant of Promise and Common-wealth of Israel And this the most take to be total and final the Persons that fall under it being left to the judgement of God without hope of Reconciliation unto the Church Hence it is called in the Targum Numb 21.25 Deut. 7.27 The Curse the Execration of God and by the Talmudists 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the anathema of the God of Israel But yet it cannot be denyed but that in many places they speak of it as the general name for any Excommunication and so as not at all to difference it from Niddui which is taken to be the least degree thereof The most learned Buxtorf hath given us out of an antient Hebrew Manuscript a form of this Excommunication which is truly ferale carmen as sad and dismall an imprecation as according to their principles could well be invented It is indeed by him applyed unto the Cherem but as L'Empereur hath observed
Eli blessed Hannah 1 Sam. 1.17 Thirdly His work also was to Judge the people 1. In things concerning the House and Worship of God Zech. 3.7 2. In hard and difficult cases he joyned with the Judge or Ruler in judging between men according to the Law Deut. 17.12 3. He was always a member of the Sanhedrim This I know is denied by some of the Jews but it seems to be warranted from Deut. 17. v. 8 9 10 11 12 13. § 9 Being thus appointed in his Office a Succession also therein was designed namely by the First-born Male of the eldest Family or Branch of the Posterity or House of Aaron But the tracing of this succession in particular is greatly perplexed for it is no where directly given us in the Scripture for that space of time wherein the story of the Church is recorded therein Different names are also in several places given unto the same persons as seems most probable Besides Josephus who is the only approved Writer of the Jews in things of this nature is either corrupted in some passages on this subject or doth palpably contradict himself The Postalmudical Masters are so far from yielding any relief in this matter that by their jarrings and wranglings they render it more perplexed Neither have those amongst our Writers who of old or of late have laboured to trace this Succession been able to agree in their computations Four or five differing Catalogues I could give in that are contended for with some earnestness I shall not therefore hope in this brief account of things which I am confined unto to give light unto a matter of such intricacy and perplexity I shall therefore content my self to give the most passant account among the Jews of this Succession in general with some few observations upon it and so close this discourse § 10 It is generally agreed after Josephus that the whole number of High priests from Aaron inclusively to the destruction of the second Temple was eighty and three For though in the Babylonian Talmud some of them reckon up above eighty High priests under the second Temple alone yet the more learned of the later Jews as the Author of Tzemach David ad Millen 4. An. 829. expresly prefer the authority of Josephus above them all Of these eighty three thirteen administred before the Lord under the Tabernacle or whilst the Tabernacle built by Moses in the Wilderness was the sacred seat of divine Worship and Ordinances Of these the first was Aaron the last Abiathar who was put by the Priesthood by Solomon a little before the building of the Temple And in this Succession there was but one interruption namely when Eli of the House of Ithamar the younger son of Aaron was preferred to the Priesthood It is probable that he had been second Priest in the days of his Predecessor and was doubtless admitted unto the Office upon the reputation of his Holiness and Wisdom And it may be that he whose right it was to succeed of the House of Phineas was either uncapable or judged unworthy § 11 In the first or Solomon's Temple there administred eighteen High Priests whose names are recounted by Josephus lib. 11. cap. 4. lib. 20. cap. 9. Of these the first was Zadock the last Jehozadeck who was carried into captivity by Nebuchadnezzar 1 Chron. 6.14 though I question whether ever he administred as High Priest only he was left at the destruction of the City and Temple after the death of his father Seraiah Nor was there any known interruption in this Series of Succession being carried down in a right line from the House of Phineas by Zadock § 12 The remainder of the number before mentioned served under the second Temple being multiplied by the tumults and disorders which the people then fell into The first of them was Joshua the son of Josedech the last one Phineas or Phananias made High Priest by the seditious Villains a little before the last Siege and destruction of the City And this succession or that during this season had interruptions many and great The first mentioned by Josephus was after the death of Onias the fourteenth High Priest from the building of the Temple when Antiochus first put in Joshua who was called Jason the brother of Onias and afterwards displacing him thrust in Menelaus into his room After a while he puts out this Menelaus and placeth one Alcimus of another Family in his steed After this Alcimus the Family of the Machabees or Hasmoneans took on them the office of the High priesthood Their race being extirpated by Herod Ananus a private Priest was by force and power put into the place And from this time forward to the destruction of the Temple there was no order observed in the Succession of the High Priest but persons were put in and out at the pleasure of the Rulers either the Romans or the Herodians For Hyrcanus being taken prisoner by the Parthians and Antigonus the son of Aristohulus his brother being taken by Herod and Sofia and crucified at Antioch by Marc. Antony in whom the race of the Hasmonaeans ended vile persons were put in and out at pleasure some for a year some for a month one for a day some for a longer season until the whole Nation Church and State rushing into its final and fatal ruine in their Rebellion at Hierusalem they thrust out Matthias put in by Agrippa and chose one by lot to succeed him when God to manifest his disapprobation of them caused the lot to fall upon one Phananias a meer Ideot who knew nothing of the place or office which they called him unto with whom ended the Church and Priesthood of the Jews Exercitatio XXIV Sacrifices the principal Worship of God Three sorts of them 1. Of the Brazen Altar 2. Of the Sanctuary 3. Of the most Holy place Respected by the Apostle All sacrifices of the Altar 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Every Corban either Isha or Terumah 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of six sorts 1. Hola 2. Mincha 3. Chataath 4. Asham 5. Milluim 6. Shelamim A second distinction of fire Offerings Either Zebach or Mincha These distinctions and differences explained at large The matter of all sacrifices 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first particular sacrifice The rise use and direction of it Vse of it among the Heathen What of antient tradition what of their own invention The manner of their sacrifice The end of it To make Expiation or Attonement what Seasons and occasions of this sacrifice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A meat-offering The use of that name general particular The matter of this offering 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the drink offering The matter of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Peace offerings Reason of the name Things peculiar to this kind of sacrifice The use of it among the Heathen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The sin-offering The name and causes of it Sins 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what The persons to offer this sacrifice The annointed
Righteousness of any Law whatever 2. Wisdom is required to the making of Righteous Laws This is the eye of Authority without which it can act nothing rightly or equally Effects of Power without Wisdom are commonly unjust and Tyranical alwayes useless and burdensom The Wisdom of Law-makers is that which hath principally given them their renown So Moses tells the Israelites that all Nations would admire them when they perceived the Wisdom of their Laws Deut. 4. Now the Lord Christ is abundantly furnished with Wisdom for this purpose He is the foundation stone of the Church that hath seven eyes upon him Zech. 3.9 A perfection of Wisdom and Understanding in all Affairs of it being anointed with the Spirit unto that purpose Isa. 11.3 4. Yea in him are hid all the Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge Col. 2.3 it having pleased the Father that in him all fulness should dwell Col. 1.19 So that there can be no defect in his Laws and Administrations on this account He is Wise of heart and knows perfectly what Rules and Actings are suited to the Glory of God and the condition of the subjects of his Kingdom and what tendeth to their spiritual and eternal Advantage He knows how to order all things unto the great end which in his Government he aimeth at And thence do all his Laws and Administrations become righteous And this also well deserves their consideration who take upon them to appoint Laws and Rules within his Dominion unto his Subjects for the ends of his Rule and substance of his Worship Have they Wisdom sufficient to enable them so to do doth the Spirit of the Lord Christ rest upon them â—o make them of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord Are they acquainted with the state and condition the Weakness Temptations Graces of all the people of Christ If they are not how know they but that they may command and appoint them things greatly to their disadvantage when they think to profit them It seems a great self-assuming for men to suppose themselves wise enough to give Laws to the Subjects of Christ in things directly appertaining to his Kingdom 3. They are Righteous because they are Easie gentle and not burdensome The Righteousness and uprightness here mentioned doth not denote strict rigid severe Justice extending its self unto the utmost of what can be required of the subjects to be ruled but Equity mixed with Gentleness tenderness and condescension which if it be absent from Laws and they breath nothing but severity rigor and arbitrary impositions though they may not be absolutely unjust yet they are grievous burdensom Thus Peter calls the Law of commandments contained in the Ordinances of old a yoke which neither their Fathers nor themselves were able to bear Acts 15.10 that is could never obtain rest or peace in the precise rigid observation required of them But now for the Rule of Christ he tells us that his yoke is easie and his burden light Matth. 11.30 and that his commandments are not grievous 1 John 5.3 And this gentleness and easiness of the rule of Christ consisteth in these three things 1. That his Commands are all of them Reasonable and suited unto the principles of that natural Obedience we owe to God and so not grievous unto any thing in us but that principle of sin and darkness which is to be destroyed He hath not multiplied Precepts meerly arbitrary and to express his Authority but given us only such as are in themselves Good and suitable unto the Principles of Reason as might be evinced by the particular considerations of his Institutions Hence our Obedience unto them is called our reasonable service Rom. 12.1 2. His commands are easie because all of them are suited to that principle of the new Nature or new Creature which he worketh in the hearts of all his Disciples It likes them loves them delights in them which makes them easie unto it The Lord Christ rules as we said by his Word and Spirit these go together in the Covenant of the Redeemer Isa. 59.20 21. And their work is suited and commensurate one to the other The Spirit creates a new Nature fitted for Obedience according to the Word and the Word gives out Laws and Precepts suited unto the inclination and disposition of that Nature and in these two consist the Scepter and Rule of Christ. This suitableness of Principle and Rule one to the other makes his Government easie upright and righteous 3. His commands are easie becauses he continually gives out supplies of his Spirit to make his subjects to yield obedience unto them This is that which above all other things sets a lustre upon his Rule The Law was holy just and good of old but whereas it exhibited not strength unto men to enable them unto Obedience it became unto them altogether useless and unprofitable as to the end they aimed at in its observation It is otherwise in the Kingdom of Christ what ever he requires to have done of his subjects he gives them strength by his Spirit and grace to perform it which makes his rule easie righteous equal and altogether lovely Neither can any of the sons of men pretend to the least share or interest in this priviledge 4. This Rule and Administration of Christs Kingdom is righteous because useful and profitable Then are Laws good wholesome and equal when they lead unto the benefit and advantage of them that do observe them Laws about slight and trivial things or such as men have no benefit or advantage by their observation are justly esteemed grievous and burdensome But now all the Laws and whole Rule of the Lord Christ are every way useful and advantagious to his subjects They make them holy righteous such as please God and are useful to mankind This is their nature this their tendency Whatsoever things are true whatsoever things are honest whatsoever things are just whatsoever things are pure whatsoever things are lovely whatsoever things are of good report they are all ingenerated in the soul by and in the observance of these Laws of Christ's Rule They free the soul from the power of lust the service of sin fear of death hell and the world guide it in the truth make it fruitful amongst mankind and amiable unto God himself 5. Their end manifests them to be righteous The worth and equity of Laws is taken off when low and unworthy ends are proposed unto their observation But these of the Lord Christ direct unto the highest end propose and promise the most glorious reward so that whatsoever may be done or suffered in an adherence unto them bears no proportion to that exceeding rich and eternal reward which they are attended withall which renders them highly righteous and glorious And many other considerations of the like nature may be added And hence a three-fold Corolary may be taken 1. That our submission to this Scepter of the Lord Christ our obedience to the Laws of his Kingdom and the
Administration thereof is very righteous equal and reasonable What can be farther desired to render it so or to provoke us unto it 2. That the condemnation of those that refuse the Reign of Christ over them that will not yield obedience unto his Laws is most just and righteous On these accounts will their mouthes be stopped for ever when he comes to deal with them who know not God and obey not the Gospel 3. It is our wisdom to content our selves with the Laws of Christ in things that belong unto his Kingdom They alone as we have seen have those properties which make our obedience useful or profitable what-ever we do else in reference unto the same end with them is needless and fruitless drudging V. The righteous Administrations of the Lord Christ in his Government proceed all from his own habitual righteousness and love thereunto See this declared by the Prophet Isa. 11. v. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7. VI. God is a God in especial covenant with the Lord Christ as he is the Mediator God thy God Of this Covenant I have treated largely else-where and therefore shall not here insist upon it VII The collation of the Spirit on the Lord Christ and his glorious Exaltation are the peculiar works of God the Father God thy God hath anointed thee It was God the Father who designed and appointed him unto his work who actually sent him and set him forth in the fulness of time and therefore on him was it incumbent both to furnish him unto his work and to crown him upon its performance And herein these several Acts partly Eternal partly Temporal are considerable 1. The ingagement of the Eternal Will Wisdom and Counsel of the Father with the Son about his work Prov. 8.22 23 30 31. Isa. 40.10 11 12. 2. His fore-ordination of his coming by an eternal free act of his will 1 Pet. 1.20 Act. 2.23 3. His Covenant with him to abide by him in the whole course of his work Isa. 49.6 7 8 9. chap. 50.7 8 9. 4. His Promise of him from the foundation of the world often reiterated and repeated Gen. 3.15 5. His actual Mission and sending of him in his Incarnation Zech. 2.8 9 10. 6. The exerting of his Almighty power unto that purpose and effect Luke 1.35 7. His giving of him command and commission for his work Joh. 10.18 Joh. 20.21 8. Furnishing him with all the gifts and graces of his Spirit to fit him and enable him unto his work Isa. 11.2 3. Isa. 61.1 2. Matth. 3.16 17. Joh. 1.32 33. Col. 1.19 9. Abiding by him in Care Love Power and Providence during the whole course of his Obedience and Ministry Isa. 49.2 8. 10. Speaking in him working by him and in both bearing witness unto him Heb. 1.1 Joh. 5.19 20 21 22 11. Giving him up unto death Rom. 8.32 Act. 2.23 12. Raising him from the dead 1 Pet. 1.21 Act. 2.24 13. Giving all Power Authority and Judgment unto him Joh. 5.22 Matth. 28.18 14. Exalting of him by his Assumption into heaven and glorious session at his right hand Act. 2.32 33. Phil. 2.9 10. 15. Giving him to be the Head over all unto the Church and subjecting all things under his feet Ephes. 1.20 21 22. 16. In all things crowning him with eternal glory and honour Joh. 17.5 Heb. 2.9 All these and sundry other particulars of the like nature are assigned unto the Father as part of his work in reference unto the Mediation of the Son And amongst them his Exaltation and Vnction with the Oil of gladness hath an eminent place And this are we taught that in this whole work we might see the Authority Counsel and Love of the Father that so our faith and hope through Jesus Christ might be in God who raised him up from the dead and gave him glory 1 Pet. 1.21 VIII The Lord Jesus Christ is singular in this Vnction This is that which the Apostle proves in sundry instances and by comparing him with others who in the most eminent manner were partakers of it And this we are in the consideration of as the particulars of it do occur Neither shall I at present farther insist on the ensuing Observations because I will not longer detain the Reader from the Context namely that IX All that serve God in the work of building the Church according to his appointment are anointed by his Spirit and shall be rewarded by his Power Dan. 12.3 X. The Disciples of Christ especially those who serve him in his Church faithfully are his companions in all his grace and glory Verse X XI XII IN the following Verses the Apostle by another illustrious Testimony taken out of Psal. 102. confirms his principal Assertion in the words ensuing Vers. 10 11 12. Vers. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vers. 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vers. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the last verse for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one copy hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to answer unto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And M.S.T. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The words are the same in the Greek Bibles as in this place of the Apostle nor is there any foot-step of any other old Translation of them in the Psalm The Syriack differs little 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it renders 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and again to shew that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is no part of the testimony cited but serves only to the introduction of another v. 11. For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they shall perish 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they shall pass away alluding to that of 2 Pet. 3.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the heavens shall pass away with a noise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but thou abidest thou continuest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tu stans es tu stas tu stabilis es and Thou standest thou art standing answering the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Psalm 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou shalt roll them up 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which words Interpreters render variously though to the same purpose involves Boderianus roll them complicabis Tremelius fold them Duplicabis D' Dieu double them up And it is manifest that the Translator reads 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and I doubt not but the same word was inserted into the Translation of the Psalm from this place of the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou art the same or thou art I am 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Boderia Et tu sicut existens es and thou art as thou existest Tremel Tu autem sicut es cris But thâ—u shalt be as thou art Properly And thou as thou art art that is art the same The Translation of the Apostle in all things material answereth the Original in the Psalm v. 26 27. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou O Lord is supplied out of the verse fore-going I said O my God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of old before it was that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
and vigour untill the very day of his death But he sayes it was old and decayed when it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 near to a disappearance to its End Period and an utter uselesness as then it was even as all things that naturally tend to an end do it by Age and decayes And in this not the former sense are the Heavens and Earth said to wax old because of their tendency to that period which either in themselves or as to their use they shall receive which is sufficient to manifest them to be of a changeable perishing nature And it may be that it shall be with these Heavens and Earth at the last day as it was with the Heavens and Earth of Judaical Institutions for so are they frequently called especially when their dissolution or abolition is spoken of in the day of Gods creating the new Heavens and the Earth in the Gospel according to his promise For though the use of them and their power of obliging to their Observation was taken away and abolished yet are they kept in the world as abiding monuments of the Goodness and Wisdom of God in teaching his Church of old So may it be with the Heavens and Earth of the old creation though they shall be laid aside at the last day from their use as a Garment to cloath and teach the Power and Wisdom of God to men yet may they be preserved as eternal monuments of them In opposition hereunto it is said of Christ that he abideth he is the same and his years fail not One and the same thing is intended in all these Expressions even his Eternal and absolutely immutable Existence Eternity is not amiss called a nunc stans a present existence wherein or whereunto nothing is past or future it being alwayes wholly present in and to its self This is expressed in that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou standest abidest endurest alterest not changest not The same is also expressed in the next words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou art he or art the same or as the Syriack hath it the same that thou art There is an Allusion in these words unto if not an expression of that name of God I am that is who is of himself in himself alwayes absolutely and unchangeably the same And this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tu ipse the Hebrews reckon as a distinct name of God Indeed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are all the same name of God expressing his Eternal and immutable self-subsistence The last Expression also though Metaphorical is of the same importance Thy years fail not He who is the same Eternally properly hath no years which are a measure of transient time denoting its Duration Beginning and Ending This is the measure of the world and all things contained therein Their Continuance is reckoned by years To shew the Eternal subsistence of God in Opposition to the frailty of the world and all things created therein it is said his years fail not that is theirs do and come to an end of his Being and Existence there is none How the Apostle proves his Intendment by this Testimony hath been declared in the opening of the words and the force of it unto his purpose lyes open to all we may now divert unto those Doctrinal Observations which the words offer unto us As I. All the Properties of God considered in the Person of the Son the head of the Church are suited to give Relief Consolation and supportment unto Believers in all their distresses This Truth presents it self unto us from the use of the words in the Psalm and their Connection in the design of the Psalmist Under the consideration of his own mortality and frailty he relieves himself with thoughts of the Omnipotency and Eternity of Christ and takes Arguments from thence to plead for relief And this may a little further be unfolded for our use in the ensuing Observations 1. The Properties of God are those whereby God makes known himself to us and declares both what he is and what we shall find him to be in all that we have to deal with him He is infinitely Holy Just Wise Good Powerful c. And by our Apprehension of these things are we lead to that Acquaintance with the Nature of God which in this life we may attain Exod. 34.5 6 7. 2. God oftentimes declares and proposeth these properties of his nature unto us for our supportment Consolation and Relief in our Troubles Distresses and endeavours after Peace and Rest to our souls Isa. 40.27 28 29 30 31. 3. That since the Entrance of sin these Properties of God absolutely considered will not yield that Relief and satisfaction unto the souls of men which they would have done and did whilest man continued obedient unto God according to the Law of his Creation Hence Adam upon his sin knew nothing that should encourage him to expect any help pity or relief from him and therefore fled from his presence and hid himself The Righteousness Holiness Purity and Power of God all infinite eternal unchangeable considered absolutely are no way suited to the Advantage of sinners in any condition Rom. 1.32 Heb. 1.12 4. These Properties of the Divine Nature are in every person of the Trinity entirely so that each Person is so infinitely holy just wise good and powerful because each person is equally partaker of the whole Divine Nature and Being 5. The Person of the Word or the Eternal Son of God may be considered either absolutely as such or as designed in the Counsel Wisdom and Will of the Father by and with his own Will and Consent unto the work of Mediation between God and Man Prov. 8.22 27 28 29 30 31. And in him as such it is that the Properties of the nature of God are suited to yield relief unto Believers in every condition For 1. It was the Design of God in the Appointment of his Son to be Mediator to retrieve the communion between himself and his creature that was lost by sin Now man was so created at first as that every thing in God was suited to be a Reward unto him and in all things to give him satisfaction This being wholly lost by sin and the whole Representation of God to man becoming full of dread and terror all gracious intercourse in a way of special love on the part of God and spiritual willing Obedience on the part of man was intercepted and cut off God designing again to take sinners into a communion of Love and Obedience with himself it must be by Representing unto them his blessed Properties as suited to their encouragement satisfaction and reward And this he doth in the Person of his Son as designed to be our Mediator Heb. 1.2 3. For 2. The Son is designed to be our Mediator and the Head of his Church in a way of Covenant wherein there is an Engagement for the exerting of all the Divine Properties of the nature of God for the Good and
Promises 1. That his Kingdom shall not be like the Kingdoms of the earth obnoxious to change and mutation by intestine divisions or outward force or secret decayes by which means all the Kingdoms of the earth have been ruined and brought to nought In Opposition hereunto the Kingdom of Christ is asserted to be perpetual as that which no Opposition shall ever prevail against no means ever impair which yet hinders not but that a day may be prefixed unto its end 2. The Continuance of it unto the total full Accomplishment of all that is to be performed in it or by it in the Eternal Salvation of all his subjects and final Destruction of all his Enemies is in these and the like places foretold but yet when that work is done that Kingdom and Rule of his may have an end And in this sense the Term of Limitation here expressed seems to be expounded by the Apostle 1 Cor. 15.24 At the end he shall deliver up the Kingdom unto God the Father For although those words may admit of another Interpretation namely that he shall give up an account unto the Father of the accomplishment of the whole work committed unto him as King of his Church which he may do and not cease from holding the same Kingdom still yet as they are further interpreted by the Sons coming into a new subjection unto the Father that God may be all in all as v. 28. They seem to imply directly the ceasing of his Kingdom Though this matter be not indeed without its Difficulty yet the different Opinions about it seem capable of a fair Reconciliation which we shall attempt in the ensuing Proposals 1. The Lord Christ as the Son of God shall unto all Eternity continue in the Essential and Natural Dominion over all Creatures and they in their dependance upon him and subjection unto him He can no more divest himself of that Dominion and Kingdom than he can cease to be God Suppose the being of any creatures and that subjection unto him which is the Rise of this Kingdom is natural and indispensible 2. As to the Oeconomical Kingdom of Christ over the Church and all things in order unto the protection and salvation thereof the immediate Ends of it will cease All his Saints being saved all his Sons brought unto Glory all his Enemies subdued the End of that Rule which consisted in the Guidance and Preservation of the one in the Restraint and Ruine of the other must necessarily cease 3. The Lord Christ shall not so leave his Kingdom at the last day as that the Father should take upon himself the Administration of it Upon the giving up of his Kingdom what ever it be the Apostle doth not say the Father shall Rule or raign as though he should exercise the same Kingdom but that God shall be all in all that is God the Father Son and Holy Ghost without the use or intervention of such wayes or means as were in use before during the full continuance of the dispensatory Kingdom of Christ shall fill and satisfie all his Saints support and dispose of the remnant Creation 4. This ceasing of the Kingdom of Christ is no way derogatory unto his Glory or the perpetuity of his Kingdom no more than his ceasing to intercede for his people is to that perpetuty of his Priesthood which he hath by Oath confirmed unto him His Prophetical Office also seems to cease when he shall teach his people no more by his Word and Spirit 5. In three respects the Kingdom of Christ may be said to abide unto Eternity First In that all his Saints and Angels shall eternally adore and worship him on the account of the Glory which he hath received as the King and Head of the Church and be filled with joy in beholding of him Joh. 17.22 24. Secondly In that all the Saints shall abide in their state of Vnion unto God through him as their Head God communicating of his fulness to them through him which will be his eternal Glory when all his Enemies shall be his Footstool Thirdly In that as the Righteous Judge of all he shall to all Eternity continue the punishment of his Adversaries And this is the last Testimony insisted on by the Apostle to prove the preheminence of Christ above Angels and consequently above all that were used or employed of old in the Disposition and Administration of the Law which was the thing he had undertaken to make good And therefore in the close of this Chapter having denyed that any of these things are spoken concerning Angels he shuts up all with a Description of their Nature and Office such as was then known and received among the Jewes before the consideration whereof we must draw out from what hath been insisted on some Observations for our own Instruction which are these that follow I. The Authority of God the Father in the Exaltation of Jesus Christ as the Head and Mediator of the Church is greatly to be regarded by Believers He sayes unto him sit thou at my right hand Much of the consolation and security of the Church depends on this consideration II. The Exaltation of Christ is the great pledge of the Acceptation of the work of Mediation performed in the behalf of the Church Now saith God sit thou at my right hand the Work is done wherein my soul is well pleased III. Christ hath many Enemies unto his Kingdom saith God I will deal with all of them IV. The Kingdom and Rule of Christ is perpetual and abiding notwithstanding all the Opposition that is made against it His Enemies rage indeed as though they would pull him out of his Throne but altogether in vain He hath the Faithfulness and Power the Word and Right hand of God for the security of his Kingdom V. The end whereunto the Lord Jesus Christ will assuredly bring all his Enemies let them bluster whilest they please shall be unto them miserable and shameful to the Saints joyful to himself victorious and triumphant It is the Administration of the Kingdom of Christ in the world that this Truth principally respects Great is the enmity of this world against it great the Opposition that is and hath alwayes been made unto it But this will be the assured issue of it Ruine to the Enemies Joy to the Saints Glory to Christ. This is that which is typed unto us in the Prophesie of Gog. That Prophesie is a Recapitulation of all the Enmity that is acted in the world against the interest of Christ. What his Counsel is the Prophet declares Ezek. 38.11 I will go up to the Land of unwalled Villages I will go up to them that are at rest that dwell safely all of them dwelling without walls and having neither bars nor gates They look upon the Church of Christ as a feeble people that hath no visible Power or Defence and therefore easie to be destroyed this encourageth them to their work who or what can deliver them out of
inexcusable Joh. 10.38 Thirdly The Gospel being of this nature thus taught thus delivered thus confirmed there is a neglect of it supposed vers 3. If we neglect 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the conditional is included in the manner of the expression If we neglect if we regard not if we take not due care about it The word intimateth an omission of all those duties which are necessary for our retaining the Word preached unto our profit and that to such a degree as utterly to reject it for it answers unto those transgressions of and stubborn disobedience unto the Law which disannulled it as a Covenant and were punished with excision or cutting off If we neglect that is if we continue not in a diligent observation of all those duties which are indispensably necessary unto an holy useful profitable profession of the Gospel Fourthly There is a punishment intimated upon this sinful neglect of the Gospel How shall we escape flie from or avoid wherein both the punishment it self and the manner of its expression are to be considered For the punishment it self the Apostle doth not expresly mention it it must therefore be taken from the words going before How shall we escape that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a just retribution a meet recompence of reward The breach of the Law had so a punishment suitable unto the demerit of the crime was by God assigned unto it and inflicted on them that were guilty So is there unto the neglect of the Gospel even a punishment justly deserved by so great a crime so much greater and more sore than that designed unto the contempt of the Law by how much the Gospel upon the account of its Nature Effects Author and Confirmation was more excellent than the Law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a sorer punishment as our Apostle calls it chap. 10. as much exceeding it as eternal destruction under the curse and wrath of God exceeds all temporal punishments what ever What this punishment is see Matth. 16.16 chap. 25.46 2 Thess. 1.8 The manner of ascertaining the punishment intimated is by an Interrogation How shall we escape wherein three things are intended 1. A denial of any ways or means for escape or deliverance There is none that can deliver us no way whereby we may escape See 1 Pet. 4.17 18. And 2. the certainty of the punishment it self it will as to the event assuredly befall us And 3. the inexpressible greatness of this unavoidable evil How shall escape We shall not there is no way for it nor ability to bear what we are liable unto Matth. 23.33 1 Pet. 4.18 This is the scope of the Apostle in these Verses this the importance of the several things contained in them His main design and intendment is to prevail with the Hebrews unto a diligent attendance unto the Gospel that was preached unto them which he urgeth by an argument taken from the danger yea certain ruine that will undoubtedly ensue on the neglect of it whose Certainty Unavoidableness Greatness and Righteousness he manifests by the consideration of the punishment assigned unto the transgressions of the Law which the Gospel on many accounts doth excel The Observations for our own instruction which these Verses offer unto us are these that follow 1. Motives unto a due valuation of the Gospel and perseverance in the prosession of it taken from the penalties annexed unto the neglect of it are Evangelical and of singular use in the preaching of the Word How shall we escape if we neglect This consideration is here managed by the Apostle and that when he had newly set forth the glory of Christ and the greatness of the salvation tendred in the Gospel in the most perswading and attractive manner Some would fancy that all comminations and threatnings do belong unto the Law as though Jesus Christ had left himself and his Gospel to be securely despised by profane and impenitent sinners but as they will find the contrary to their eternal ruine so it is the will of Christ that we should let them know so and thereby warn others to take heed of their sins and their plagues Now these Motives from Comminations and threatnings I call Evangelical 1. Because they are recorded in the Gospel there we are taught them and by it commanded to make use of them Matth. 10.28 chap. 24.50 chap. 25.41 Mar. 16.16 Joh. 3.36 2 Cor. 2.15 16. 2 Thess. 1.8 9. and in other places innumerrable And to this end are they recorded that they may be preached and declared as part of the Gospel And if the Dispencers of the Word insist not on them they deal deceitfully with the souls of men and detain from them the counsel of God And as such persons will find themselves to have as weak and an enervous Ministery here so also that they will have a sad account of their partiality in the Word to give hereafter Let not men think themselves more Evangelical than the Author of the Gospel more skilled in the mystery of the Conversion and Edification of the souls of men than the Apostles in a word more wise than God himself which they must do if they neglect this part of his Ordinance 2. Because they become the Gospel It is meet the Gospel should be armed with Threatnings as well as attended with Promises and that 1. On the part of Christ himself the Author of it However the world persecuted and despised him whilst he was on the earth and he threatned not 1 Pet. 2.23 on his own account however they continue to contemn and blaspheme his Ways and Salvation yet he lets them know that he is armed with power to revenge their disobedience And it belongs unto his Honour to have it declared unto them A Scepter in a Kingdom without a Sword a Crown without a Rod of Iron will quickly be trampled on Both are therefore given into the hand of Christ that the Glory and Honour of his Domiâ—â—on may be known Psal. 2.9 10 11 12. 2. They become the Gospel on the part of sinners yea of all to whom the Gospel is preached And those are of two sorts 1. Unbelievers Hypocrites Apostates impenitent Neglecters of the great salvation declared in it It is meet on this account that the Dispensation of the Gospel be attended with Threatnings and comminations of punishments And that 1. To keep them here in awe and fear that they may not boldly and openly break out in contempt of Christ. These are his Arrows that are sharp in the hearts of his adversaries whereby he aws them galls them and in the midst of all their pride makes them to tremble sometimes at their future condition Christ never suffers them to be so secure but that his terrors in these Threatnings visit them ever and anon And hereby also doth he keep them within some bounds bridles their rage and overpowers many of them unto some usefulness in the world with many other blessed ends not now to be insisted on
we may know of our selves what it is to sin against him Besides we know not what is the Opposition that is made by sin unto the Holiness the Nature and very Being of God As we cannot know him perfectly against whom we sin so we know not perfectly what we do when we sin It is the least part of the malignity and poyson that is in sin which we are able to discern We see not the depth of that malicious respect which it hath unto God and are we capable to judge aright of what is its Demerit But all these things are open and naked before that Infinite Wisdom of God which accompanieth his Righteousness in all his Works He knows himself against whom sin is he knows the Condition of the sinner He knows what contrariety and Opposition there is in sin unto himself in a word what it is for a finite limited dependent creature to subduct it self from under the Government and oppose it self unto the Authority and Being of the Holy Creator Ruler and Governour of all things all absolutely and perfectly and so alone knows what sin deserves 2. From this Infinite Wisdom is the proportioning of the several degrees in the punishment that shall be inflicted on sin For although his Righteousness require that the final punishment of all sin should be an Eternal separation of the sinner from the enjoyment of him and that in a state of Wrath and misery yet by his Wisdom he hath constituted Degrees of that wrath according unto the Variety of Provocations that are found among sinners And by nothing else could this be done What else is able to look through the Unconceivable variety of Aggravating Circumstances which is required hereunto For the most part we know not what is so and when we know any thing of its being we know nothing almost of the true nature of its demerit And this is another thing from whence we may learn that Divine Punishment of sin is alwayes a meet Recompence of Reward Thirdly In the final punishment of sin there is no mixture of mercy nothing to alleviate or to take off from the uttermost of its desert This world is the time and place for mercy Here God causeth his Sun to shine and his rain to fall on the worst of men filling their hearts with food and gladness Here he endures them with much patience and forbearance doing them Good in unspeakable variety and to many of them making a daily tender of that mercy which might make them blessed to Eternity But the season of these things is past in the Day of Recompence Sinners shall then hear nothing but go ye cursed They shall not have the least effect of Mercy shewed unto them unto all Eternity They shall then have judgement without mercy who shewed no mercy The Grace Goodness Love and Mercy of God shall be glorified unto the utmost in his Elect without the least mixture of allay from his displeasure and so shall his Wrath Severity and Vindictive Justice in them that perish without any temperature of pity or compassion He shall rain upon them snares and fire and brimstone this shall be their portion for ever Wonder then not at the Greatness or Duration of that Punishment which shall exhaust the whole wrath of God without the least mitigation And this will discover unto us the nature of sin especially of Vnbelief and neglect of the Gospel Men are apt now to have slight thoughts of these things but when they shall find them revenged with the whole Wrath of God they will change their minds What a folly what a madness is it to make light of Christ unto which an Eternity of punishment is but a meet Recompence of Reward It is good then to learn the nature of sin from the Threatnings of God rather than from the common Presumptions that pass among secure perishing sinners Consider what the Righteousness what the Holiness what the Wisdom of God hath determined to be due unto sin and then make a Judgement of the nature of it that you be not overtaken with a woful surprizal when all means of relief are gone and past As also know that 2. This World alone is the time and place wherein you are to look and seek for mercy Cryes will do nothing at the last day not obtain the least drop of water to cool the tongue in its torment Some men doubtless have secret reserves that things will not go at the last day as by others they they are made to believe They hope to meet with better Quarter than is talked of that God will not be inexorable as is pretended Were not these their inward thoughts it were not possible they should so neglect the season of Grace as they do But alas how will they be deceived God indeed is gracious merciful and full of Compassion but this world is the time wherein he will exercise them They will be for ever shut up towards unbelievers at the last day This is the acceptable day this is the day of salvation if this be despised if this be neglected expect no more to hear of mercy unto Eternity III. Every concernment of the Law and Gospel both as to their nature and promulgation is to be weighed and considered by Believers to beget in their hearts a right and due valuation of them To this end are they here so distinctly proposed as of the Law that it was spoken by Angels and of the Gospel that it is great salvation the word spoken by the Lord confirmed with signs and miracles all which the Apostle would have us to weigh and distinctly consider Our Interest lyes in them and our Good is intended by them And to stir up our attention unto them we may observe First That God doth nothing in vain nor speaks any thing in vain especially in the things of his Law and Gospel wherein the great concernments of his own Glory and the souls of men are enwrapped And therefore our Saviour lets us know that there is a worth in the least apex and iota of the word and that it must have its Accomplishment An End it hath and that End shall be fulfilled The Jews have a foolish curiosity in reckoning all the letters of the Scripture and casting up how often every one doth occurr But yet this curiosity of theirs vain and needless as it is will condemn our negligence if we omit a diligent enquiry into all the Things and Circumstances of it that are of real importance God hath an holy and wise End in all that he doth As nothing can be added unto his Word or Work so nothing can be taken from it it is every way perfect And this in general is enough to quicken us unto a diligent search into all the Circumstances and Adjuncts both of Law and Gospel and of the way and manner whereby he was pleased to communicate them unto us Secondly There is in all those Concernments of the Law and Gospel a mixture of
Divine Wisdom and Grace From this fountain they all proceed and the living waters of it run through them all The Times the Seasons the Authors the Instruments the manner of their Delivery were all ordered by the manifold Wisdom of God which especially appears in the dispensation of the Gospel Ephes. 3.9 10. The Apostle placeth not the Wisdom of God only in the Mystery of the Gospel but also in the season of its promulgation It was hid saith he in God v. 9. that is in the purpose of God v. 10 11. From the Ages past but now is made manifest and herein doth the manifold Wisdom of God appear Were we able to look into the depth of any circumstance that concerns the Institutions of God we should see it full of Wisdom and Grace and the neglect of a due consideration thereof hath God sometime severely revenged Lev. 10.1 2. Thirdly There is in them all a Gracious Condescension unto our weakness God knows that we stand in need of an especial remark to be set on every one of them Such is our weakness our slowness to believe that we have need that the Word should be unto us line upon line and precept upon precept here a little and there a little As God told Moses Exod. 4.8 That if the children of Israel would not believe on the first sign they would on the second So it is with us one consideration of the Law or the Gospel oftentimes proves ineffectual when another over-powres the heart unto obedience And therefore hath God thus graciously condescended unto our weakness in proposing unto us the several considerations mentioned of his Law and Gospel that by some of them we may be laid hold upon and bowed unto his mind and will in them Accordingly Fourthly They have had their various Influences and Successes on the souls of men Some have been wrought upon by one consideration some by another In some the Holiness of the Law in others the manner of its Administration have been effectual Some have fixed their hearts principally on the Grace of the Gospel some on the Person of its Author And the same persons at several times have had help and assistance from these several considerations of the one and the other So that in these things God doth nothing in vain nothing is in vain towards believers Infinite Wisdom is in all and infinite Glory will arise out of all And this should stir us up unto a diligent search into the Word wherein God hath recorded all the concernments of his Law and Gospel that are for our use and advantage That is the Cabinet wherein all these Jewels are laid up and disposed according to his Wisdom and the counsel of his Will A general view of it will but little satisfie and not at all enrich our souls This is the Mine wherein we must digg as for hid treasures One main reason why we believe no more why we obey no more why we love no more is because we are no more diligent in searching the Word for substantial Motives unto them all A very little insight into the Word is apt to make men think that they see enough But the Reason of it is because they like not what they see As men will not like to look farther into a Shop of Wares when they like nothing which is at first presented unto them But if indeed we find sweetness benefit profit life in the discoveries that are made unto us in the Word about the Law and Gospel we shall be continually reaching after a farther Acquaintance with them It may be we know somewhat of those things but how know we that there is not some especial concernment of the Gospel which God in an holy condescension hath designed for our good in particular that we are not as yet arrived unto a clear and distinct knowledge of Here if we search for it with all diligence may we find it and if we go maimed in our Faith and Obedience all our dayes we may thank our own sloth for it Again whereas God hath distinctly proposed those things unto us they should have our distinct consideration We should severally and distinctly meditate upon them that so in them all we may admire the Wisdom of God and receive the effectual influence of them all upon our own souls Thus may we sometimes converse in our hearts with the Author of the Gospel sometimes with the manner of its delivery sometimes with the Grace of it and from every one of these heavenly flowers draw nourishment and refreshment unto our own souls Oh that we could take care to gather up these fragments that nothing might be lost unto us as in themselves they shall never perish IV. What means soever God is pleased to use in the Revelation of his Will he gives it a Certainty Stedfastness Assurance and Evidence which our faith may rest in and which cannot be neglected without the greatest Sin The word spoken was stedfast Every word spoken from God by his Appointment is stedfast and that because spoken from him and by his Appointment And there are two things that belong unto this stedfastness of the Word spoken 1. That in respect of them unto whom it is spoken it is the foundation of Faith and Obedience The formal Reason of them and last Ground whereunto they are resolved 2. That on the part of God it is a stable and sufficient ground of Righteousness in proceeding to take vengeance on them by whom it is neglected The punishment of transgressors is a meet Recompence of Reward because the word spoken unto them is stedfast And this latter follows upon the former For if the word be not a stable firm foundation for the Faith and Obedience of men they cannot be justly punished for the neglect of it That therefore must be briefly spoken unto and this will naturally ensue as a consequent thereof God hath as we saw on the first Verse of this Epistle by various wayes and means declared and revealed his mind unto men That Declaration what means or instruments so ever he is pleased to make use of therein is called his Word And that because originally it is his proceeds from him is delivered in his name and Authority reveals his mind and tends to his Glory Thus sometimes he spake by Angels using their Ministry either in delivering his Messages by words of an outward sound or by Representation of things in Visions and Dreams and sometimes by the Inspiration of the Holy Ghost enabling them so inspired to give out the word which they received purely and entirely all remaining his Word still Now what wayes soever God is pleased to use in the Communication of his Mind and Will unto men for their Obedience there is that stedfastness in the Word it self that Evidence to be from him as make it the duty of men to believe in it with faith divine and supernatural and that stability which will never deceive them It is I say
tell us that they delivered unto us what they received from the Lord and command us not to be wise above what is written But I know not how it is come to pass that these men think that the Lord Christ is not a compleat Head in this matter that he hath not instituted all Rules and Laws that are needful and convenient for the right discharge of the Worship of God and Obedience of the Church therein at least that somewhat may be added unto what he hath appointed that may be much to the advantage of the Church And this they take to be their work by vertue of I know not what unsealed warrant unwritten commission But to adde any thing in the Worship of God unto the Laws of the Church is to exercise Authority over it dominion over its faith and to pretend that this world to come this blessed Gospel Church-state is put in subjection unto them although it be not so to Angels A vain and proud pretence as at the last day it will appear But you will say Christ gives his Laws only unto his whole Church and not to individual believers who receive them from the Church and so he is not an immediate Head unto every one in particular I answer That the Lord Christ commits his Laws unto the Churches ministery to teach them unto believers but his own Authority immediately affects the soul and conscience of every believer He that subjects himself aright unto them doth it not upon the authority of the Church by whom they are taught and declared but upon the authority of Christ by whom they are given and enacted 3. It appears from hence that as he is our only Head so he is our immediate Head We have our immediate dependance upon him and our immediate access unto him He hath indeed appointed means for the communicating of his grace unto us and for the exercising of his Rule and Authority over us Such are all his Ordinances with the Offices and Officers that he hath appointed in his Church the first whereof he requires us to be constant in the use of the latter he requires our obedience and submission unto But these belong only unto the way of our dependance and hinder not but that our dependance is immediate on himself he being the immediate Object of our Faith and Love The soul of a believer rests not in any of these things but only makes use of them to confirm his faith in subjection unto Christ. For all these things are ours it is appointed for our use and we are Christs as he is Gods 1 Cor. 3.21 22 23. And so have we our immediate access unto him and not as some foolishly imagine by Saints and Angels and by him to God even to the Throne of Grace 4. This priviledge is greatly augmented in that the Church being made subject unto Christ alone and cast into a dependance upon him he will assuredly take care of all its concernments seeing unto him only doth it betake it self The Church made it of old part of her plea that she was as one fatherless Hos. 14.3 that is every way helpless that had none to relieve or succour her And the Lord Christ giveth this as a reason why he stirreth up himself unto the assistance of his people because there was no man that appeared for their help no Intercessor to interpose for them Isa. 59.16 Now God having placed the Church in this condition as to be oft-times altogether Orphans in this world to have none to give them the least countenance or assistance and the Church it self chusing this condition to renounce all hopes and expectations from any else beside betaking it self unto the Power Grace and Faithfulness of the Lord Christ alone it cannot as it were but be a great Obligation upon him to take care of it and to provide for it at all times They are members of his Body and he alone is their Head they are Subjects of his Kingdom and he alone is their King they are Children and Servants in his Family and he alone is their Father Lord and Master and can he forget them can he disregard them Had they been committed to the care of men it may be some of them would have fought and contended for them though their faithfulness is always to be suspected and their strength is a thing of nought Had they been put into subjection unto Angels they would have watched for their good though their Wisdom and Ability be both finite and limited so that they could never have secured their safety and shall not the Lord Jesus Christ now they are made his special care as his Power and Faithfulness is infinitely above those of any meeâ— creature excel them also in care and watchfulness for our good And all these things do sufficiently set out the Greatness of that priviledge of the Church which we insist upon And there are two things that make this Libâ—rty and Exaltation of the Church necessary and reasonable 1. That God having exalted our nature in the Person of his Son into a condition of Honour and Glory so as to be worshipped and adored by all the Angels of Heaven it was not meet nor convenient that it should in our persons when united unto Christ as our Head be made subject unto them God would not allow that whereas there is the strictest union between the Head and the Members there should be such an interposition between them as that the Angels should depend on their Head and the Members should depend on Angels which indeed would utterly destroy the Union and immediate entercourse that is and ought to be between them 2. God is pleased by Jesus Christ to take us into an holy communion with himself without any other medium or means of communication but only that of our nature personally and inseparably united unto his own Nature in his Son And this also our subjection unto Angels is inconsistent withall This order of dependance the Apostle declares 1 Cor. 3.22 23. All things are yours and you are Christs and Christ is Gods As there is no interposition between God and Christ no more is there between Christ and us and in and by him alone do we relate unto God himself And this should teach us 1. The equity and necessity of our universal obedience unto God in Christ. He hath freed us from subjection unto men and Angels that we might serve him and live unto him He hath taken us to be his peculiar ones his lot and portion from whom he expects all his Reverence of Glory out of this world And he hath left us no pretence no excuse for the neglect of any duties of obedience that he requireth of us We cannot plead that we had other work to do other Lords and Masters to serve he hath set us free from them all that we might be his If a King take a servant into his family and thereby free and discharge him from being liable unto any
Wherefore he watcheth over them to succour them that are tempted Heb. 2 18. and to give out help unto them all in time of need Chap. 4.16 and hence they who have no might no sufficiency can do all things through Christ that strengtheneth them Phil. 4.13 Nothing is too hard for them nothing can prevail against them because of the constant supplyes of Grace which the Captain of their salvation communicates unto theâ— And this makes the Wayes of the Gospel marvellous both to the World and to Believers themselves Their Life is hid with God in Christ Col. 3. And they have a new name that no man knoweth Rev. 2. The World seeing poor mean weak contemptible Creatures willing ready and able to suffer endure and dye for the name of Christ stand astonished not knowing where their great strength lyes as the Philistins did at the might of Sampson whom they saw with their eyes to be like other men Let them in the height of their Pride and Rage of their madness pretend what they please they cannot but be they really are amazed to see poor Creatures whom otherwise they exceedingly despise constant unto the Truth and Profession of the Gospel against all their Allurements and Affrightments They know not they consider not the constant supplyes of the Strength and Grace which they receive from their Leader He gives them the Spirit of Truth which the world neither sees nor knows John 14.17 And therefore wonder from whence they have their Ability and Constancy They cry What will nothing turn these poor foolish creatures out of their way They by them one way and then another add one weight of Affliction and Oppression unto another and think surely this will effect their design but they find themselves deceived and know not whence it is The Wayes of Oâ—edience are hence also marvellous unto Believers themselves When they consider their own frailty and weakness how ready they are to faint how often they are surprized and withal take a prospect of what Opposition lyes against them from indwelling sin Satan and the World which they are acquainted with in several instances of their Power and Prevalency they neither know how they have abode so long in their course as they have done nor how they shall continue it unto the end But they are relieved when they come to the Promise of the Gospel There they see whence their Preservation doth proceed They see this Captain of their Salvation in whom is the fulness of the Spirit and to whom are committed all the stores of Grace giving out daily and hourly unto them as the matter doth require As the Captain in an Army doth not at once give out unto his Souldiers the whole provision that is needful for their way and undertaking which if he should the most of them would instantly waste it and so quickly perish for want but he keeps provision for them all in his stores and gives out unto them according to their daily necessities So God gave the people Manna for their daily food in the Wilderness even so deals this great Leader with the Sons of God He keeps the stores of Grace and spiritual strength in his own hand and from thence imparts unto them according as they stand in need Fourthly He subdues their enemies And this belongs unto his Office as the Captain of their salvation in an especial manner Many Enemies they have and unless they are conquered and subdued they can never enter into Glory Satan the World Death and Sin are the chief or heads of them and all these are subdued by Christ and that two wayes First In his own Person For they all attempted him and failed in their enterprize John 14.30 He bruised the Serpents head Gen. 3.15 and destroyed him that had the power of death that is the Devil v. 14. of this Chapter destroyed his Power in a glorious and triumphant manner Col. 2.15 He spoyled principalities and powers and made a shew of them openly triumphing over them in his Cross adding the utmost complement unto his Victory in a Triumph And he overcome the world John 16.33 Be of good chear saith he I have overcome the world Both it and the Prince of it were put under his feet Death also was subdued by him He swallowed it up in victory 1 Cor. 15.54 He plucked out its sting broke its Power disannulled its peremptory Law when he shook it off from him and rose from under it Acts 2.24 Sin also set upon him in his Temptations but was utterly foiled as all sin is destroyed in its very being where it is not obeyed And all this was for the Advantage of the Sons of God For 1. He hath given them encouragement in shewing them that their Enemies are not invincible their Power is not uncontrollable their Law not peremptory or eternal but that having been once conquered they may the more easily be dealt withal 2. They know also that all these Enemies set upon his Person in their quarrel and as he was the great Defender of the faithful So that although they were not conquered by their Persons yet they were conquered in their Cause and they are called in to be sharers in the Victory although they were not engaged in the Battle 3. That he subdued them by Gods Ordinance and Appointment as their Representative declaring in his Person who is the Head what should be accomplished in every one of his members And 4. That by his Personal Conquest over them He hath left them weak maimed disarmed and utterly deprived of that power they had to hurt and destroy before he engaged with them For he hath thereby deprived them 1. Of all their Right and Title to exercise their Enmity against or Dominion over the Sons of God Before his dealing with them they had all Right to the utmost over mankind Satan to rule the World to vex Sin to enslave Death to destroy and give up unto Hell And all this Right was enrolled in the Law and hand-writing of Ordinances which was against us This was cancelled by Christ nailed to the Cross never to be pleaded more Col. 2.14 And when any have lost their Right or Title unto any thing what ever their strength be they are greatly weakned But he hath herein 2. Deprived them of their strength also He took away the strength of sin as a Law and the sting of death in sin the arms of the world in the curse and the power of Satan in his works and strong-holds But this is not all He not only subdues these Enemies for them but also in them and by them For though they have neitâ—â—r Title nor Arms yet they will try the remainder of their Power against them also But thanks be to God saith the Apostle who giveth us the victory by Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 15.57 He enables us in our own Persons to conquer all these enemies Nay saith he in all these things we are more than conquerors Rom. 8.37 Because we
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v. 17. every way like Here it is restrained by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the same that is flesh and blood Humane Nature as to the Humane Nature he was every way as the children 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Partem habuit particeps erat he took part And in the use of this Word the Dative Case of the Person is still understood and sometimes expressed So Plato 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he might share or partake in the same acts with them And it is here also understood That he might partake with them of flesh and blood And the Apostle purposely changeth the word from that which he had before used concerning the children 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they had Humane Nature in common they were men and that was all having no Existence but in and by that nature Concerning him he had before proved that he had a Divine Nature on the account whereof he was more excellent than the Angels And here he sayes of him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Existing in his Divine Nature he moreover took part of that nature with them which makes a difference between their Persons though as to Humane Nature they were every way alike and this removes the exception of Schlictingius or Crellius that he is no more said to be incarnate than the children That by death 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This word is peculiar to Paul He useth it almost in all his Epistles and that frequently Elsewhere it occurs but once in the New Testament Luke 13.17 and that in a sense whereunto by him it is not applyed That which he usually intends in this word is to make a thing or person to cease as to its present condition and not to be what it was So Rom. 3.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall their unbelief make the faith of God of none effect cause it to cease render the promise useless And v. 31. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 do we make the Law void by faith take away its use and End Chap. 4.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the promise is made ineffectual Chap. 7.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If her husband is dead she is freed from the Law The Law of the Husband hath no more power over her So v. 6. 1 Cor. 13.8 10 11. Chap. 15.24 26. 2 Cor. 3.10 13. Gal. 3.17 Chap. 5.4 11. Ephes. 2.15 The Intention of the Apostle in this word is the making of any thing to cease or to be void as to its former Power and Efficacy not to remove annihilate or destroy the Essence or Being of it And the Expression here used is to the same purpose with that in Psalm 8.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to quiet or make to cease the enemy and self-avenger 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is properly vis robur potentia Force Strength Power like that of Arms or Armies in battle And sometimes it is used for Rule Empire and Authority 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to be in Place of Power and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to be able to dispose of what it relates unto And in both senses we shall see that the Devil is said to have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the power of death Now there is not any notion under which the Devil is more known unto or spoken of among the Jews than this of his having the power of death his common appellation among them is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Angel of death And they call him Samael also So the Targum of Jonathan 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gen. 3.6 And the woman saw Samael the Angel of death And Maimon More Nebu. lib. 2. cap. 30. tells us from the Midrash that Samael rode upon the Serpent when he deceived Eve that is used him as his instrument in that work And most of them acknowledge Sathan to be principally intended in the temptation of Eve though Aben Ezra deny it in his Comment on the words and dispute against it And he addes that by Samael the Angel of death they understand Sathan which he proves from the words of their wise men who say in some places that Sathan would have hindred Abraham from sacrificing of Isaac and in others that Samael would have done it which proves that it is one and the same who by both names is intended And hence they usually call him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the wicked Samael the Prince of all the devils and say of him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Samael brought death upon all the world So that by this Samael or Angel of death it is evident that they intend him who is termed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Prince and Ruler of the rest So also they speak expresly in Baba Bathra distinc Hashatephir 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rabbi Simeon said the same is Sathan and the Angel of death and the evil figment that is the cause and author of it And they call him the Angel of death on many accounts the consideration whereof may give us some light into the reason of the Expression here used by the Apostle The first is that before mentioned namely that by his means death entred and came upon all the world His temptation was the first occasion of death and for that reason is he termed by our Saviour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Joh. 8.44 a murtherer from the beginning And herein he had the power of death prevailing to render all mankind obnoxious to the sentence and stroke of it Secondly Because he is employed in great and signal Judgments to inflict death on men He is the head of those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 evil Angels who slew the Aegyptians Psal. 78 49. So in Psal. 91.5 those words Thou shalt not fear 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the arrow that flieth by day are rendred by the Targum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the arrow of the Angel of death which he shooteth by day And in the next verse those words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the destruction that wasteth at noon day they render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the troop of devils that walk at noon-day the Psalmist treating of great and sudden destructions which they affirm to be all wrought by Sathan and thence the Hellenists also render the latter place by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the devil at noon-day wherein they are followed by the Vulgar Latine Arabick and Aethiopick Translations And this the Apostle seems to allude unto 1 Cor. 10.10 where he says that those who murmured in the wilderness were destroyed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the destroyer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the destroying Angel or the Angel of death as in this Epistle he terms him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 chap. 11.28 And it may be this is he who is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Job 18.13 the first-born of death or he that hath right unto the administration of it They term him also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
in his Annotations on Bertram it was doubtless only made use of in the last and greatest exclusion which is supposed to be the Shammatha The form of the Curse is as ensues § 23 By the Sentâ—nce of the Lord of Lords let such a one the Son of such a one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be in anathema or be accursed in each house of Judgement that above and that below that is by God and his Church in the curse of the holy Ones on high In the curse of the Seraphims and Ophannim the Wheels or Cherubims in Ezekiel's Vision In the curse of the whole Church from the greatest to the least Let there be upon him strokes greaâ— and abiding Diseases great and horrible Let his house be an habitation of Dragons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Serpents Let his Star or Planet be dark in the Clouds Let him be exposed to Indignation anger and wrath And let his dead Body be cast to Wild Beasts and Serpents Let his Enemies and Adversaries rejoyce over him And let his Silver and Gold be given to others And let all his Children be cast at the doors of his Adversaries And let Posterity be astonished at his day Let him be accursed out of the mouth of Addiriron and Athariel from the mouth of Sandalphon and Hadraniel from the mouth of Ansisiel and Pathiel from the mouth of Seraphiel and Sagansael from the mouth of Michael and Gabriel from the mouth of Raphiel and Mesharethiel Let him be accursed from the mouth of Zazabib and from the mouth of Havabib who is the great God and from the mouth of the seventy names of the great King and from the mouth of Tzorlak the great Chancelor these names partly significant and partly insignificant coined to strike a terror into the minds of weak and distempered Persons they invent and apply at their pleasure to Angels good and bad not unlike the monstrous names which the Gnosticks gave to the Aeons who borrowed many things from the Tradition of the Jews and returned them again unto them with an improvement but they proceed Let him be swallowed up as Corah and his Company and let his soul depart with fear and terror Let the rebuke of the Lord slay him and let him be strangled like Achitophel Let his leprosie be as the leprosie of Gehazi neither let there be any restoration of his ruine Let not his burial be in the burials of Israel Let his Wife be given to strangers and let others humble her in his death Vnder this curse let such a one the Son of such a one be with his whole Inheritance But unto me and all Israel let God extend his peace and blessing Amen Now Because it is certain that this is a form of the greatest and last Anathema of a § 24 final and total Excommunication and yet he who is devoted is every where said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Muchram and under the Cherem it is almost evident that these three degrees are not distinguished as is commonly supposed namely that the Shammatha should exceed the Cherem and that only the Niddui the highest and extremest sentence in this solemn form being so often called the Cherem Shammatha therefore is only a general Name for the Expulsion of a Person sometimes with the Niddui and sometimes with the Cherem which yet I do not suppose was alwayes thus horrid and fierce To add unto the terror of this Sentence they used to accompany the pronouncing § 25 of it with the sound of Trumpets and Horns as the Targum sayes Barak did in his cursing of Mezoz Judges 5.23 He shammatized him with four hundred Trumpets And herein have they been imitated by the Church of Rome in their shaking of Candles and ringing of Bells on the like occasion I have not reported these things as though for matter and manner they wholly belonged unto the penalties of the Law that were of Divine Institution Many things in the manner of their performance as they are now expressed by the Rabbins were certainly of their own arbitrary invention When their use amongst them first began is unknown though it be not improbable that sundry things of this nature were practised by them before the destruction of the Second Temple when they had mixed many of their own Superstitions with the Worship of God as is evident from the Gospel But this also is certain that God in sundry cases had appointed that some Transgressors § 26 should be separated from the Congregation devoted to destruction and be cut off An instance of the Execution of which Institution we have Ezra 10.7 8. They made a Proclamation throughouâ— Judah and Jerusalem unto all the Children of the Captivity that they should gather themselves together unto Jerusalem and thâ—t whosoever would not come within three dayes according to the counsel of the Princes and the Elders all his substance should be divided and himself separated from the Congregation of those that had been carried away A double penalty is here threatned upon disobedient Persons the one concerned the Person of such a one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He shall be separated from the Congregation of the Captivity that is of Israel then returned out of Captivity and this was the Niddui or expulsion from Sacred communion which we before described He should be esteemed as an Heathen Secondly As to his substance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All his substance his goods and possessions should be anathematized devoted put under Cherem taken away for Sacred Uses Hence some have made this distinction between the three degrees of excommunication First The Niddui concerned only the Person and his separation from Sacred Offices Cherem had also Confiscation of Goods attending of it the substance of the Transgressor being devoted and Shammatha was accompanied with the death of the devoted Person Which carnal penalties under the Gospel being removed that great and sore revenge which disobedient sinners are to expect from the hand of God at the last day is substituted by our Apostle in the room of them all Heb. 10.28 29. Civil Punishments next succeed and they were of three sorts First Corporeal § 27 Secondly Such as respect the Outward Estate and Condition of the Offendor Thirdly Capital First Corporeal punishment was that only of Stripes not exceeding the number of forty Deut. 25.23 An account of the Jews Opinions and the manner of their execution of this punishment is given us by many in particular exactly by Buxtorf in his Preface unto his Bibliotheca Rabbinica whither I refer the Reader They call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or beating by strokes and sometimes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the beating of forty or with forty And he that was liable unto it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 filius plagarum Many Crimes doubtless rendered Persons obnoxious to this penalty but they are not directly expressed in the Law The Jews now reckon up seven instances of unlawful copulation with Women free and unmarried for
adultery as is known was capital by the express sentence of the Law As 1. With a Sister 2. A Fathers Sister 3. A Mothers Sister 4. A Wifes Sister 5. A Brothers Widow 6. An Vncles Widow 7. A Woman separated Many other Crimes also they reckon up with reference unto Ceremonial Institutions as eating of fat and blood and leaven on the Passeover making an Oyle like the holy Oyle even all such trangressions as are threatned with punishment but have no express kind of punishment annexed unto them § 28 Secondly Punishments respecting State and Condition were of two sorts First Pecuniary in a quadruple restitution in case of Theft Secondly Personal in banishment or confinement unto the City of Refuge for him that had slain a Man at unawares Numb 35.25 § 29 Thirdly Capital punishments they inflicted four wayes Fiâ—st By Strangulation which was inflicted on six sorts of Transgressors 1. Adulterers 2. Strikers of Parents 3. Men-stealers 4. Old Men exemplarily rebellious against the Law 5. False Prophets 6. Prognosticators by the Names of Idols Secondly Burning Lev. 20.14 And this the Jews say was inflicted by pouring molten Lead into their mouths and the Crimes that this punishment were allotted to were 1. The Adultery of the Priests Daughter 2. Incest 1. With a Daughter 2. With a Sons Daughter 3. A Wises Daughter 4. A Wises Daughters Daughter 5. A Wises Sons Daughter 6. A Wifes Mother 7. The Mother of her Father 8. The Mother of her Father in Law Thirdly Death was inflicted by the Sword Deut. 20.21 1. On the voluntary Man-slayer 2. On the Inhabitants of any City that fall to Idolatry Fourthly By Stoning Which was executed for Incest 1. With a Mother 2. A Mother in Law 3. A Daughter in Law 4. Adultery with a betroathed Virgin 5. Vnnatural uncleaness with Men 6. With Beasts by Men 7. With Beasts by Women 8. Blasphemy 9. Idolatry 10. Offering to Moloch 11. A Familiar Spirit of Ob 12. Of Jiedeoni 13. On Impostors 14. On Seducers 15. On Enchanters or Magicians 16. Prophaners of the Sabbath 17. Cursers of Father or Mother 18. The dissolute and stubborn Son Concerning all which it is expresly said that they shall be stoned § 30 Unto the execution of these penalties there was added two Cautionary Laws First That they that were put to death for the increase of their ignominy and terror of others should be hanged on a Tree Deut. 21.21 Secondly That they should be buryed the same day v. 23 And this is a brief abstract of the Penalties of the Law as it was the Rule of the Polity of the People in the Land of Canaan Exercitatio XXII The Building of the Tabernacle Moses Writing and Reading the Book of the Covenant Considerations of the particulars of the Fabrick and Vtensils of the Tabernacle Omitted One Instance insisted on The Ark. The same in the Tabernacle and Temple The Glory of God in what sense The principal Sacred Vtensil The matter whereof it was made The Form of it The End and Vse of it The Residence and Motions of it The Mercy-Seat that was upon it The matter thereof Of the Cherubims Their Form and Fashion The Visions of Isaiah and Ezekiel compared Difference in them and Reason thereof THe People having received the Law in the Wilderness and therein a Foundation § 1 being laid of their future Church-State and Worship which was to continue untâ—â— the Times of Reformation Heb. 9.10 they had also by Gods direction a place and Building for the seat of that Worship assigned unto them This was the Tabernacle erected in the Wilderness suited to their then moving state and condition into the Room whereof the Temple built afterwards by Solomon suceeded when they had attained a fixed station in the Land of Promise Our Apostle respecting the Ordinances of that Church as first instituted by Moses which the Hebrews boasted of as their priviledge and on the account whereof they obstinately adhered unto their observation insists only on the Tabernacle whereunto the Temple and its services were referred and conformed And this he doth principally Chap. 9 v. 1 2 3 4 5. Then verily the first Covenant had also Ordinances of divine Service and a worldly Sâ—â—ctuary For there was a Tabernacle made the first wherein was the candlestick and the Table and the Shew-bread which is called the Sanctuary And after the second Veil the Tabernacle which is called the Holiest of all which had the Golden Censor and the Ark of the Covenant overlaid round about with Gold wherein was the Golden Pot that had Manna and Aarons Rod that budded and the Tables of the Covenant And over it the Cherubims of Glory shaddowing the Mercy Seat The Preparation for the Directions which God gave for the building of this Tabernacle § 2 is declared Exod. 24. The Body of the people having heard the Law that is the ten Words or Commandments which was all they heard Deut. 9.10 what God spake to them was written in the Two Tables of stone they removed unto a greater distance from the Mount Exod. 20.18 19. After their Removal Moses continued to receive from the Lord that summary of the whole Law which is expressed Chap. 21.22 23. And all this as it should seem at the first hearing he wrote in a Book from the Mouth of God For it is said Chap. 24. v. 4. that he wrote all the words of the Lord. And v. 7. that he took the Book of the Covenant and read in the audience of the people The Jewish Masters suppose that it was the Book of Genesis that is there intended For § 3 say they the rest of the Law was not yet written namely before God himself had written or engraven the Ten Words on the Two Tables of Stone But this is a fond imagination seeing the Book which Moses read contained the form and tenour of the Covenant made with that people at Horeb and is expresly so called and as such was then solemnly confirmed and ratified by Sacrifice It may therefore be supposed that there is a Prolepsis used in the recording of this story and that indeed the confirmation of the Covenant by Sacrifice which was accompanied with the Reading of the Book was not until after the third return of Moses from the Mount with the renewed Tables But this also may well be doubted seeing this Sacrifice was prepared and offered by the young Men of the Children of Israel v. 5. that is the First Born whose Office was superseded upon the Separation of Aaron and his Sons unto the Priesthood which God had designed before that last descent of Moses from the Mount We must therefore leave things in the order wherein they are set down and recorded It appears therefore that Moses wrote the Law as he received it from God This being done he came down and read it in the ears of the people And he proposed it unto them as containing the Terms of the Covenant that God would have them enter