of Jordan when the Holy Ghost at his Baptism descended upon him 'T will be easie now to understand what Christ imports For that word denotes the offices of our blessed Saviour to which he was appointed by God and enabled to discharge by the Holy Ghost which was plentifully poured out upon him And as of old publick persons were set apart to their respective offices and dignities by being first anointed with a certain Oil prescribed for that purpose so was our Lord sanctified and fitted to teach and govern the Church of God to be the great mediatour between God and man and the redeemer of mankind by the Holy Ghost which he plentifully received Joh. 3.34 And he that confesses that Jesus is the Christ does thereby acknowledge him to be his Prophet Priest and King and is consequently obliged by virtue of that profession to obey his laws and give himself up to his government as well as to hope for pardon from his bloud God hath made it very plain that our Jesus is the Messias that was promised Who is a Liar says St. John but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ 1 Joh. 2.22 This was that great truth that the Jews opposed vehemently They agreed that if any man confessed him to be Christ he should be put out of the Synagogue What hath been said will be of use to the better understanding the words of St. John Ye have an unction from the holy one and ye know all things 1 Joh. 2.20 He puts Christians in mind of that affusion of the Holy Ghost which he calls the Vnction from the holy one which God hath bestowed on them according to Christ's promise This Holy Ghost did lead them into all truth and the plentiful effusion of this Spirit did bear a clear testimony that Jesus was the true Messias and that the doctrine which he taught came from God This Holy Spirit was the defence which those Christians had against being seduced As it follows These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you and ye need not that any man teach you but as the same anointing teacheth you all things and is truth and is no lie and even as it hath taught you ye shall abide in him 1 Joh. 2.26 27. I shall onely add that from Christ we are all called Christians and that blessed name ought to influence our practice 'T is a great thing to be a Christian 'T is a dignity and honour to the greatest among us and the best of all our titles We may well glory in this blessed name and value it above all our other titles and properties But then we must remember what this name requires at our hands When we name the name of Christ we are obliged to depart from all iniquity Let us consider how well this name becomes us Are we like our blessed Saviour have we that unction from the holy one Does the spirit of Jesus dwell in us If that Holy Spirit be not in us ' we have a name to live and are dead we may fondly conceit what we please of our selves but if any man have not the spirit of Christ he is none of his Rom. 8.9 CHAP. II. The CONTENTS It is agreed between Jews and Christians I. That there was a Messias promised and II. That there was such a person as our Jesus and III. That there was at that time when Jesus lived a general expectation of the Messias That hence it was that there appeared so many Impostours about that time An account of some of them from Josephus Of the promises of the Messias and the gradual revealing of them A Passage in Maimon concerning the Afternoon-Prayer misrepresented by a late learned writer Several particulars relating to the Messias predicted THus having shewed what is meant by Jesus and what by Christ I come next to shew you that our Jesus whom the Jews crucified is the Christ or Messias And before I proceed to consider the several arguments that do confirm this truth I shall premise the following particulars First that there was a Messias promised in the old Testament is not onely affirmed by the Christians but granted by the Jews There is no dispute about this matter Secondly that there was such a person as Jesus that he lived at such a time as we say he did and died as the Gospels report is not denied by the Jews They often mention him in their writings though with scorn and disdain they speak of the time and manner of his death and the names of his Disciples and they are far from denying the matter of fact Thirdly that when Jesus did appear in the world there was a great expectation of the Messias among the Jews Thus we read of Simeon's waiting for the consolation of Israel Luk. 2.25 And that Simeon was no mean person he was the Son of Hillel the great and a man of great place among the Jews Again one Anna a Prophetess a devout and aged Widow who served God with fastings and prayers night and day spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem v. 38. The Woman of Samaria had heard of this fame and general expectation of the Messias among the Jews at that time and that he should be a great Prophet I know says she that Messias cometh which is called Christ when he is come he will tell us all things Joh. 4. 25. Hence the Jews at that time being under a general expectation of the Messias were very prone to take others for him that did then appear And because John Baptist was a man of great vertue and fame and that was greatly followed by the people and that in the very time when the Messias was expected Casaubon Exercit. ad Apparat Baronii Annal. n. 5. they sent Priests and Levites to know who he was Joh. 1.19 That is to know whether or no he were the Messias as appears from what follows And he confessed and denied not but confessed I am not the Christ v. 20. And there have been those that have thought that Herod was by some taken for the Messias also by them who upon that score are called the Herodians in the Gospel I shall not need to dispute that so much is certain that the Jews did expect the Messias at that time And I shall afterwards shew what ground they had so to doe It shall be enough at present to add that as there was a general expectation of the Messias about that time so there were a great number of Impostours that took that occasion to delude the people and draw followers after them Gamaliel names two Theudas and Judas of Galilee Act. 5.36 37. Josephus gives us a farther account of these men He tells us that under the government of Fadus Antiqu. l. 20. c. 2. a certain Magician called Theudas perswaded a great number to follow him to the river Jordan pretending himself
And in that case the anointing of Solomon decided the difference Buxtorf Lexic Rabbin in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But the Priest that succeeded his Father was always anointed The high-Priesthood being not successive as the Kingdom of David was Rabboth fol. 176. The Kings of Israel were not anointed with the holy Oil. Jehu indeed was anointed but not with the holy Oil of Moses but with a certain Balsam Pesikta fol. 10. c. 1. Maimon H. Kele Hammikdash c. 1. Siphra fol. 17. c. 3. That during the second Temple the High Priests were not anointed the holy Oil having been hid and lost and that the sacerdotal garments served instead thereof That the Kings of the house of David were to be anointed by a fountain of water for which they ground themselves upon 1 King 1.38 and in the day time Lev. 6.20 Thus had the Jews under the law of Moses the shadow of good things to come but these excellent things which they had in type we have in substance The law was given by Moses but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ Joh. 1.17 Our blessed Saviour is both Prophet Priest and King He is the great Prophet who hath taught us the will of God Our great High Priest who made attonement for us and is entered into the Holy of Holies He is our King to rule and govern us and from him we expect the great and unspeakable blessing of eternal life And as the Priests and Kings of old were set apart to their offices and dignities by a certain Oil prescribed in the Law of Moses so was our Blessed Saviour by a better anointing of which that Oil was but a shadow namely by the Holy Ghost which did not onely design him and set him apart to these great and important offices but also enable him for the performance of them Thus the Apostle tells us that God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power Act. 10.38 Now our Saviour was anointed with the Holy Ghost First at his Conception Thus the Angel tells the blessed Virgin The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee and the power of the highest shall overshadow thee Therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God Luk. 1.35 Secondly at his Baptism at the river Jordan Matt. 3.13 Mark 1.9 Now when all the people were baptized it came to pass that Jesus also being baptized and praying the heaven was opened And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him and a voice came from heaven which said Thou art my beloved Son in thee I am well pleased Luk. 3.21 22. Then did the Holy Ghost descend visibly upon Jesus and as of old as I said before anointing was used among the Jews as a sign of God's election and choice of the person anointed so was it now And for the greater assurance of it a voice came from Heaven saying Thou art my beloved Son c. Thus was Jesus declared to be chosen of God by the descent of the Holy Ghost And to this I may add the words of the Prophet to the same purpose Behold my servant whom I uphold mine elect in whom my soul delighteth I have put my spirit upon him c. Isa 42.1 And St. Luke tells presently upon the Baptism of Jesus that he being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan and was led by the spirit into the wilderness Luk. 4.1 And after he was tempted in the Wilderness he tells us that Jesus returned in the power of the spirit into Galilee ver 14. And when he was in the Synagogue at Nazareth he opened the book which was delivered him and found that place where 't was written The spirit of the Lord is upon me because he hath anointed me to preach the Gospel to the poor c. And said unto them This day is this Scripture fulfilled in your ears v. 21. Our blessed Saviour though he were sanctified from the Womb and was anointed by the Holy Ghost yet when he was baptized in Jordan and about thirty years of age he was again anointed by the same divine spirit more publickly and openly than before He was now entring on his great ministry and about to be tempted by the Devil and is now filled by the Holy Ghost and thereby enabled and prepared for that work which he was going about In a word he who was at his Conception anointed with the Holy Ghost was also at his Baptism Matt. 3.16 17. when he was entring upon his ministry not onely by a voice from heaven proclaimed the beloved Son of God but declared to be so by the descending of the spirit of God like a Dove Vid. Exod. 28.41 29.21 Lev. 8.12 with v. 30. See also Abravenel on Exod. 29.21 and lighting upon him It is observed of Aaron the first High Priest and type of the Messias that he was also twice anointed with the holy Oil. And for David who was a most eminent type of the Messias He is said to be twice anointed also Once at Bethlehem during the life of Saul by the hands of Samuel upon which it is said And the spirit of the Lord came upon 1 Sam. 16.13 David from that day forward After this he is said to have been anointed at Hebron by the men of Judah 2 Sam. 2.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theodorer in 2 Reg. Quaest 8. I do grant and it cannot be denied that David was but once anointed with the holy Oil and that where it is said afterward that the men of Judah anointed him the meaning is onely this that they chose him and openly owned and acknowledged him for their King as appears by comparing 2 Sam. 2.4 with chap. 4.3 17. It is enough to my present purpose that David who was more privately anointed at Bethlehem was afterward so publickly owned and acknowledged to be the King that he is said again to have been anointed For in this he was eminently a type of our Lord Christ who was from his Conception anointed with the Holy Ghost and when he was upon his Baptism entring upon his administration was publickly declared to be the Son of God by a voice from heaven and by the descent of the Holy Ghost Among the Jewish Constitutions this was one That the Kings of the house of David were to be anointed by a fountain of water This was a tradition from their Elders grounded upon what we read of Solomon that when he was to be anointed King Zadok and Nathan and the rest that attended upon him brought him unto Gihon 1 King 1.38 This Gihon was a place of waters as appears 2 Chron. 32.30 Let this tradition be as old as you will suppose it came from Moses and was delivered from Mount Sinai as the Jews say their Oral law was so it came to pass that our Jesus the great King of the house of David was anointed by the waters
inconsiderable employments attend upon and publish the Resurrection of Jesus and do also secure the empty Sepulchre from the Jews that they are not able to place another body in the room of that of Jesus which was risen Matt. 28.6 Luk. 24.2 with Joh. 20.12 3. We have a divine Testimony and that a most irrefragable one a Testimony greater than that of men and Angels Our Lord had promised the Holy Spirit who should be with respect to his disciples a Comforter and with respect to our Lord himself an Advocate to plead his cause and defend his innocence Now this promise is fulfilled and this holy Ghost did bear witness to the Resurrection of Jesus After Jesus was risen he breathed on his disciples and said receive ye the Holy Ghost and after his Ascension at the day of Pentecost we find the Holy Ghost more plentifully bestowed on his Disciples And from thence the Apostle argues against them who derided them as those who were full of new Wine that God had raised up Jesus who being exalted had shed forth this which they now saw and heard and afterwards concludes therefore let all the House of Israel know assuredly that God hath made the same Jesus whom ye have crucified both Lord and Christ The effusion of the Holy Ghost was a witness of the Resurrection of Jesus And this Testimony of the Holy Ghost was a divine one it was from Heaven St. Peter tells the Jews that God had raised up Jesus and exalted him at his right hand and says he we are witnesses of these things so is also the Holy Ghost whom God hath given to them that obey him Joh. 14.16 ch 16.7 8 9 10 11. ch 20.22 Act. 2.4 36 ch 5.32 4. Jesus did after his resurrection take away all cause of doubt concerning the truth of his Resurrection He gave sufficient proof that the very same body which was fastened to the Cross dyed there and was buried was raised again to life The Disciples were at first affrighted and supposed that they had seen a Spirit But our Saviour put them out of all doubt Behold says he my hands and my feet Handle me and see for a Spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye see me have He shews his hands and his feet And whereas at his first appearing to his Disciples Thomas was absent and did not believe that he was risen from the dead and said moreover except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails and put my finger into the print of the nails and thrust my hard into his side I will not beleive our Lord convinced this doubting Disciple and gives him the utmost evidence and assurance of the truth of his Resurrection Reach hither thy finger says Jesus to Thomas and behold my hands and reach hither thy hand and thrust it into my side and be not faithless but beleiving upon which Thomas was convinced and forced to cry out my Lord and my God Our Lord gave his followers insallible proofs of his Resurrection in the space of forty days He are and drank with them exposed his body to their view and touch behold says he my hâ—nds and feet that it is my self and when after this they believed not for joy and wondred he took broiled fish and honey comb and did eat before them Greater assurance they were not capable of Luk. 24.37 39 40 41 42. Joh. 20.25 27 28. Act. 1.3.10.41 Luk. 24.39 40. 5. That the truth of the Resurrection of Jesus was abundantly confirmed by those who were the witnesses of it So it was and it was highly fit it should be so that there were a select number of men who were to be the witnesses of the Resurrection of Jesus these were men whom God had appointed and set apart for this purpose and such who upon the account of their knowledge of Jesus and their readiness to part with all for the sake of the truth were sitted and disposed for this purpose Thus St. Peter tells us Him God raised up the third day and shewed him openly not to all the people but to witnesses chosen before of God even unto us who did eat and drink with him after he rose from the dead The Apostles were now the witnesses of the Resurrection of Jesus this they preach and testifie upon all occasions and this is their Character and their Office Act. 10.41 chap. 1.22 and ch 3.15 and chap. 4.2 33. ch 5.30 32. ch 10.30 31. ch 13.31 chap. 17.18 Now these witnesses did abundantly confirm the truth of this Doctrine which they preached every where both by signs and wonders which God wrought by their hands and by an exemplary and holy life And at last by laying down their lives in confirmation of their Doctrine Upon which account they were witnesses beyond all exception For we cannot beleive that men would part with their lives in Confirmation of a lye or that God would assist them to do miracles for so vile and base an end and purpose and they must be very profligate wretches who would affirm a matter of fact of which they had not good assurance The Resurrection of Jesus was a truth of the greatest moment and consequence whatsoever upon the truth of this our hope and all our Religion does depend It was fit that this truth should be sufficiently attested by persons of undoubted credit The death of Christ was publick the whole multitude were witnesses of his Crucifixion But they were not vouchsafed the honour of being the witnesses of his Resurrection the truth of his Resurrection was too valuable to be concredited to an unconstant and malicious rabble And therefore God who raised up Jesus and shewed him openly or gave him to be made manifest as the Greek hath it did not do it to all the people but to certain select and chosen witnesses These men who conversed with him before his death and after his Resurrection who had known his life and heard his Sermons and been taught by him before that he must dye and rise again these men who had power to confirm this truth with Miracles and were prepared to confirm it with their bloud and did persist in it to their last breath were witnesses indeed beyond all manner of exception I say beyond all exception for there can be no reasonable exception brought against them And if we will give our selves the leisure to consider the thing before us with due application we shall find no cause to except For if there were any such thing it must be because of the thing it self or matter of fact which is attested or the persons who do report it For the thing it self viz. that God raised up Jesus there lies no shadow of reasonable exception against it For that a man should be raised from the dead implyes no contradiction either moral or natural He that beleives that God made the World cannot think it impossible to him to raise a dead man to life again Multò minus
these all having obtained a good report by faith received not the promise God having provided some better thing for us This is the great perfection of the Christian institution that it gives the clear promise and sure hopes of Eternal life And 't is mentioned as doing so when it is compared with the Mosaical institution Heb. 7.19 For the Law made nothing perfect i. e. it did not perfect those very men who lived under it and submitted to it For it not giving a full pardon for offences and not affording express assurance of Eternal life it was not powerfull enough to perfect those who were under it But then follows what the Gospel doeth But the bringing in of a better hope did by the which we draw nigh unto God Where we find the Gospel called the bringing in of a better hope and that must be the hope of Eternal life for the hope of temporal good things was brought in by the Law of Moses Agreeably hereunto it is also said of Jesus that he was made a surety of a better Testament Heb. 7.22 And a Mediatour of a better Covenant which was established upon better promises Heb. 8.6 And it is elsewhere said of Jesus that he hath abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel 2 Tim. 2.10 And the Authour of the Epistle to the Hebrews speaks to the same purpose elsewhere Heb. 9.6 7 8. He tells there were two parts of the Sanctuary which he calls two Tabernacles and that the Priests went always i. e. constantly twice every day into the first Tabernacle accomplishing the service of God viz. to offer incense and to take care of the Lamps But into the second went the high Priest alone once every year not without bloud which he offered for himself and the errours of the people Thus the High Priest at the day of expiation onely was admitted into the Holy of Holies The meaning of this is expressed in the following words The holy Ghost this signifying that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest while as the first Tabernacle was yet standing The meaning of which words is plainly this That the holy Spirit by this appointment in the Mosaical institution Pag. 332. 333. did intimate that the way to Heaven was not laid open during that dispensation And this will evidently appear from what hath been said before to this purpose 2 Pet. 1.3 4. St. Peter blesseth the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope Or an hope of life as it is in another Greek Copy and that of Eternal life also as appears from the following words by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead To an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that fadeth not away reserved in Heaven for you Here we have an encouragement incomparably great and such as will sufficiently move us to obedience The hope of eternal life is enough to engage us to obey the precepts of Jesus and to reconcile us to all the labour and difficulty which may at any time attend upon our obedience Eternal life imports more than we can express or comprehend something more excellent than what our eye hath seen our ear hath heard or our shallow mind is able to conceive Crowns and Scepters Feasts and Triumphs worldly Success and prosperity are but little and faint resemblances of the eternal unspeakable and inconceivable happiness This it clearly revealed the promise is often repeated the thing promised is expressed by words of the highest import and in such a manner as speaks the thing it self too big to be expressed and too glorious to be comprehended by men who dwell in the body It is a reward stupendiously great and therefore very powerfull it is spiritual and therefore engageth us to be so too it is conditional and therefore is fitted to secure our duty The faint hope of riches of honour of temporal good things hath a mighty force The hope of Heaven where it is well grounded where believed and considered with due application will be of great force to render us patient and diligent and fervent in our obedience I proceed to consider The help and power to obey this Religion which the Religion of Jesus is attended with The laws of our Saviour have the promise of Divine assistance annexed to them The effusion of the Holy Ghost was a blessing reserved for the days of the Messias Our Saviour promised this Divine aid and made good his word as hath been shewn before Joel 2.28 Isa 35.7.44.3 Joh. 14. The Prophets of old did foretell what our Jesus made good And when Jesus did promise the Holy Spirit to his followers he did promise him as a Comforter who should abide with them for ever Indeed the miraculous gifts of the Holy Ghost were not designed to continue in the Church any longer than the reason and the necessity of them continued When the Christian Doctrine was planted and Vniversally received Miracles ceased But the Holy Spirit continues still in the Church of Christ and does renew and purifie the hearts of the sincere believers We have the utmost assurance that we shall receive this Holy Spirit who helps our infirmities Lu. 11.13 Rom. 8.26 1 Joh. 44. and is greater in us than he who is in the World The Gospel is the ministration of the Spirit and of such a spirit as does not kill as the letter of the law did but giveth life 2 Cor. 3.6 8. Gal. 2.3 5 14. 'T is by faith and not by the law that we have the promise and the assistance of the Spirit Gal. 4.6 Rom. 8.3 The Gospel is a state of liberty of ingenuity and freedom We are by this Spirit freed from the greatest slavery and bondage from the Dominion of our lusts and the dread and horrors of our conscience We are enabled to obey and endued with power to doe what our Religion does command Hence it is that the Gospel Rom. 5.21 Gal. 5.4 Tit. 2.11 as it is considered in opposition to the law is called grace or the grace of God in the new Testament because it is accompanied with power or grace enableing us to yield obedience to the precepts of Jesus Christ And our obligation to conquer our sins under the Gospel is now inferred from our having embraced it Rom. 6.14 Sin shall not have Dominion over you For ye are not under the law but under grace i. e. Sin shall no longer over-power you now for ye are not under the law which did indeed rigourously require obedience but not help you to obey but ye are under grace that is ye are now admitted to a covenant of grace where you have not onely assurance of pardon upon your sincere repentance but are encouraged also by the promise of eternal life and offered assistance to enable you to obey On the other hand the law
or effects to any certain People as the Legal Sacrifices were 2. The Resurrection of Jesus from the dead gives farther assurance of our pardon When our Lord gave himself up to death as our surety he undertook our ransome but when he arose again he assured our discharge Rom. 4.25 He was delivered for our offences that is a foundation of some hope But then he was raised again for our justification If death had detained our Lord his death would not have afforded us any hope Our hope was raised with our Saviour 3. Our Saviour's entring into Heaven and intercession there on our behalf does still give us farther assurance of our Pardon and Forgiveness If any man sin we have an advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous 1 John 2.1 2. And he is the propitiation for our sins and not for ours onely but also for the sins of the whole world Act. 5.31 Again him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour for to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins The Jews expected pardon of their sins on their great day of Expiation when the High Priest went into the most holy place with bloud which he offered for himself Heb. 9.7 and the errours of the People Their High Priest had sins of his own to be expiated and the bloud which he offered was the bloud of a beast upon both accounts the Peoples hope was the more languid But blessed be God we are better provided for and our hope is more firmly built We have an high Priest the most perfect and spotless Such an High Priest became us Heb. 7.26 27 28. who is holy harmless undefiled separate from sinners and made higher than the Heavens who needeth not daily as those high Priests to offer up Sacrifice first for his own sins and then for the peoples For this he did once when he offered up himself For the Law maketh men High Priests which have infirmity but the word of the Oath which was since the Law maketh the Son who is consecrated for evermore Here is nothing wanting toward the quieting our Consciences and the securing our pardon Jesus is our High Priest our Patron and Advocate with God D. Outram de sacrificiis p. 290. There are but three things required to render a Priest the most excellent and perfect in the highest degree and they are all to be found in our Jesus First that he have sufficient power with God to render him propitious to those for whom he undertakes Secondly that he have so much good will for those whose advocate he is as to incline him to use his power for their advantage Thirdly that he always live and continue in that Authority and Power and with that good will Our Jesus hath sufficient Power with God He hath all Power in Heaven and Earth Mat. 28.18 Phil. 2.9 and a name above every name and he hath great good will for those for whom he undertakes He hath been acquainted with the infirmities of humane nature an High Priest that is touched with the feeling of our infirmities having been tempted like as we are Heb. 4.15 with ch 5.2 ch 2.17 Heb. 7.24 25. He is at once a Mercifull as well as faithfull High Priest And besides this He ever lives to make intercession He continueth ever and hath a Priesthood that is unchangeable or which passeth not from one to another So that the death and the resurrection and intercession of Jesus as our high Priest lay a sure foundation for the quiet of our conscience These three are put together by St. Paul to my present purpose Rom. 8.34 Who is he that condemneth says He It is Christ that died yea rather that is risen again who is even at the right hand of God who also maketh intercession for us 4. The holy Spirit which Jesus did not onely promise but bestow upon his followers is still a farther pledge of our pardon and forgiveness and indeed of our future glory and happiness For so the holy Spirit is said to be the earnest of our inheritance The Greek word which we truly render earnest Eph. 1.14 2 Cor. 1.22.5.5 Eph. 4.30 signifies a part of price or wages which is given in hand to secure the receiver of the whole summ And such is the holy Spirit to us He gives us full assurance that we shall be admitted to the whole inheritance The Spirit it self beareth witness with our Spirit Rom. 8.16 17. that we are the Children of God and if Children then heirs heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ We are elsewhere said to be by the holy Spirit of God Eph. 4.30 sealed to the day of redemption And that expression is of the same import with the former We seal and mark things that are of the greatest value and which are to be preserved and kept safe as a peculiar Rev. 7.3 Ezek. 9.4 And this was the reason why those who were designed to be preserved are said to be sealed and marked for by this they were set aside to be preserved from the common destruction We do by recieving the Spirit receive a great assurance of our pardon and future glory The Apostle's argument is very strong Rom. 8.11 If the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you We are now rendred secure of our future inheritance and glory how mean soever our present condition be Our Saviour hath given us the earnest of the Spirit and taken from us the earnest of our flesh Quemadmodum nobis arrabonem spiritus reliquit ita à nobis arrabonem carnis accepit vexit in coelum pignus totius summae c. Tertullian de resurr Carnis and carried it into Heaven as a token that his followers shall be translated thither Says one of the Ancient Fathers of the Church 5. The Sacraments which Jesus hath instituted and annexed to this covenant of grace do give us farther evidence and assurance of our pardon and forgiveness By Baptism we are received into the Church of Christ where pardon is to be had and into a State of pardon and forgiveness John the Baptist is said to baptize in the Wilderness and Preach the Baptism of repentance for the remission of sins Mark 1.4 And Ananias said arise and be baptized and wash away thy sins Act. 22.16 Baptism was a pledge of Salvation and they who received it were marked out not for destruction but for deliveranâ—e and safety And thus it was understood of old to be a pledge of safety When John Baptist saw the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his Baptism he said unto them O Generation of Vipers who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come Act. 2.38.40 Matt. 3.7 Repent and be baptized says St. Peter to the
Earth The third day on which Jesus rose considered as the first day of the Week pag. 264 265. CHAP. IX Of the Ascension of Jesus into Heaven That the Messias was to ascend thither This proved from Psalm 68.18 which is justly applied to this matter by St. Paul Eph. 4.8 Psalm 110.1 considered The Jews grant that Psalm to belong to the Messias An eminent type of Christ's ascension That Jesus did ascend into Heaven There were eye-witnesses of it Of the distance of forty days between his Resurrection and Ascension That Christ is not a Metaphorical Priest shewed against the followers of Socinus That this ascension into Heaven was typified by the High Priest's entring into the Holy of Holies That the Authour of the Epistle to the Hebrews does ch 9.24 and elsewhere infer this from the avowed principles of the Jewish Writers That the High Priest was an eminent type of the divine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is acknowledged by Philo. Three remarkable places of that Authour to this purpose That the Sanctuary was a representation of the Vniverse and the Holy of Holies of the highest Heavens proved at large from the Modern Jewish Writers and from the more Ancient Of the Veil of the Temple which rent when our Saviour suffered Mat. 27.51 What Veil that was and what was imported by the renting of it Of the effects which followed upon the exaltation of Jesus Of the mirculous gift of the Holy Ghost on the day of Pentecost That that gift was an argument that Jesus was a true Prophet and that he had that power which he had professed to be given to him Of the success of the Religion of Jesus in the world Success barely considered is no good argument of a good Cause and truth of a Religion yet the success of the Christian Doctrine is a good argument of it's truth if it be considered what the Authour and first Preachers of this doctrine were and what is the nature of the Doctrine it self and after what manner it did prevail pag. 305 306 307. CHAP. X. What was predicted of the Messias was fulfilled in our Jesus This appeared in the birth of Jesus in his Office and Character in his Works in his Sufferings and Resurrection and the spreading of his doctrine The adoreable providence of God in bringing Events to pass This shewed in very many particulars This is a farther proof that Jesus is the Christ pag. 376. CHAP. XI The Christian Religion more Excellent than that given by Moses and consequently the best in the World The Pagan Religion not worthy of regard The wiser Heathens guilty of great inconsistencies and evil Principles The Stoicks upon sundry accounts very blameable The Law given by Moses came from God in what sense it was a perfect Law It was not unalterable A general distribution of the Precepts of that Law The defects of it I As a rule of life Many of its Precepts not good in their own Nature They obliged the Jews onely and were annexed to their Land or some part of it Many of them Political II The reward annexed to the Obedience of that Law was but Temporal III It was not attended with the promise of Divine assistance IV Nor was there that hope of pardon which was afterward given in the Gospel The Sacrifices allowed to that purpose very defective This shewed at large For some sins no Sacrifice was allowed Sacrifices were not pleasing to God of their own Nature The Expiation did not depend upon the value of the oblation He that brought an Expiatory sacrifice was not allowed to eat any part of it The repetition of the Sacrifices another Argument of their weakness In some cases the Sacrifice was but one of those things required in order to pardon The Legal Sacrifices were not designed to continue for ever That the defects of the Law of Moses are supplied in the Christian Religion Of the excellent Precepts of the Christian Religion Of the promise of Eternal life therein clearly revealed and of the great moment of it Of the Divine assistance attending this Religion Of the assurance of pardon from the Christian Religion and the sure foundation which it lays for the quieting the Consciences of Men. The usefulness of the foregoing discourse A more particular inquiry into the great Ends or Causes for which the Law of Moses was given The Conclusion of this Discourse pag. 394 395. THE INTRODUCTION I Do intend with God's assistance in the ensuing Discourse to prove that our Jesus is the Christ And shall by way of introduction to this weighty Argument reflect something upon the words of St. Peter to the Jews Act. 2.36 And for the better understanding those words it is to be remembred that our Jesus before he left his Disciples promised them the presence and the aid of the Holy Ghost and a little before his Ascension into Heaven he commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem but wait for the promise of the Father which saith he ye have heard of me Act. 2.4 Nor did our Saviour fail to make good his promise but when the day of Pentecost was fully come they are filled with the Holy Ghost and spake with divers tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance This happened at Jerusalem at a great solemnity and at a time when the devout and religious of several Nations were together in the City who heard the Apostles speak in the language of their several Countries the wonderfull works of God And they were all amazed and were in a doubt saying one to another what meaneth this v. 12. And there were among the rest very evil men that were so malicious as to mock and say these men are full of new wine v. 13. This calumny St. Peter disproves and lets them know that they spake by the power of the Holy Ghost And then he preaches to them the resurrection and ascension of Jesus who was approved of God by miracles and wonders and signs And he gives them to understand that as this Jesus had received of the father the promise of the Holy Ghost so he had also now bestowed this Holy Ghost upon them the effect of which gift they saw and heard And thereupon concludes as well he might that he is the Messias that was promised Therefore let all the House of Israel know assuredly that God hath made that same Jesus whom ye have crucified both Lord and Christ Act. 11.36 Before I proceed I shall take notice of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God hath made that same Jesus That is says Chrysostome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he hath ordained or appointed Jesus to be Lord and Christ And the Greek word will well bear this sense as well as the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thus it is said of our Saviour Mar. 3.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i.e. he made twelve or ordained twelve as we translate it well He chose twelve says the Syriac version Again Gen. 41.34 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
purpose in hand in shewing that this Doctrine is in it self false When God was about to send Moses to the Israelites in Egypt Ex. 4.1 we find Moses objected and said they will not believe me Hereupon God bids him cast his rod upon the ground and the rod was turned into a serpent And this that they may believe that the Lord God of their fathers v. 5. c. hath appeared unto thee saith God to Moses After this the hand of Moses was turned leprous and restored again upon which Moses is told that if the Israelites would not believe him upon the first v. 8. that they should believe the voice of the latter sign Moses tells Pharaoh that at his request the plague of frogs should be removed Ex. 8.10 that thou mayst know says he that there is none like unto the Lord our God So far it is evident that Moses wrought signs to procure belief But let us follow Moses out of Egypt into the Wilderness and see whether it be true which Maimon affirms that those Miracles were not wrought to gain belief to his Prophecy I shall content my self with one of the Miracles which Maimon himself mentions as a work that Moses did to serve a present necessity and not to gain credit to his Prophecy And that is the Miracle which was wrought upon occasion of the rebellion of Corah and his company Now it is very evident from the Text that that Miracle was wrought to assert the Prophecy of Moses as well as the right of Aaron as will appear from the words of Moses to Corah and his company Numb 16.5 To morrow says he the Lord will shew who are his and who is holy and will cause him to come near unto him even him whom he hath chosen will he cause to come near unto him Again when those evil men were about to be swallowed up we find Moses saying Hereby ye shall know that the Lord hath sent me to doe all these works for I have not done them of mine own mind If these men dye the common death of all men or if they be visited after the visitation of all men then the Lord hath not sent me v. 28 29 30. But if the Lord make a new thing and the Earth open her mouth and swallow them up with all that appertain unto them and they go down quick into the pit then ye shall understand that these men have provoked the Lord. Hence it is evident that the Miracle confirmed the Mission of Moses and so had a direct tendence to gain credit and belief unto his Prophecy and that a Miracle is a good confirmation of a Doctrine No wonder then that we find our Saviour frequently appealing to his Miracles as the evidences of his commission I have says he greater witness than that of John for the work which the father hath given me to finish Joh. 5.36 the same works that I doe bear witness of me that the father hath sent me Again we read elsewhere to the same purpose Then came the Jews round about him and said unto him how long dost thou make us to doubt If thou be the Christ tell us plainly And thereupon it follows presently Jesus answered them Joh. 10.24 25. I told you and ye believed not The works that I doe in my father's name bear witness of me Again Believe me that I am in the father and the father in me or else believe me for the very works sake And in another place our Saviour says Joh. 14.11.15.24.10.37 38. If I had not done among them the works which none other man did they had not had sin Again if I doe not the works of my father believe me not but if I do though ye believe not me believe the works that ye may know and believe that the father is in me and I in him Besides we find that men were greatly convinced by the Miracles which Jesus wrought when he had miraculously fed five thousand men with five loaves and two fishes as it is said then those men when they had seen the Miracle that Jesus did said Joh. 6.14.2.11.23 this is of a truth that Prophet that should come into the world And when he had turned water into wine 't is said that his disciples believed on him And when he was at Jerusalem at the Passover in the feast-day many believed in his name when they saw the Miracles which he did The works of Jesus were very convictive and great was the evidence that they were attended with When our Saviour raised the widows son of Naim There came a great fear on all Luk. 7.16 and they glorified God saying that a great Prophet is risen up among us and that God hath visited his people To this purpose Nicodemus tells our Lord. Joh. 3.2 Rabbi say he we know that thou art a teacher come from God And then follows that which gives him the ground of this perswasion of his For no man can doe those Miracles which thou doest except God be with him And the blind man who was restored to sight speaks to the same purpose Joh. 9.32 33. Since the world began says he it was not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind If this man were not of God he could doe nothing whence it appears that the people were greatly convinced by the works which they saw Jesus doe Indeed our Saviour appeared in a mean and poor condition in the world he was reproached and traduced and accused by evil men But then the works which he did which were the works of the spirit did clear and justifie our Saviour 1 Tim. 3.16 And to this sense I understand the Apostle's words where he tells us that God was manifested in the flesh and adds that he was justified in the spirit Or justified and cleared from false accusations by the spirit ' Ev signifies by Matt. 17.21 ch 23. v. 16. Luk. 4. v. 1. Heb. 1.1 Matt. 12.28 For so those words may be rendred which we render in the spirit It was we know 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the spirit of God that Jesus cast out Devils His miraculous works did proceed from the spirit of God And he was justified by that spirit when he wrought miracles This is no new interpretation We find it in one of the ancient Fathers He was justified by the spirit i. e. by the divine spirit he wrought miracles But if I cast out Devils by the spirit of God says he It was therefore demonstrated and plain by miracles that he was true God Theodoret in 1 〈◊〉 c. 3. v. 16. and the Son of God Thus the Centurion by the Cross when he saw the earthquake and the darkness said This of a truth is the Son of God The Holy Spirit did acquit our blessed Saviour from the aspersions which were cast upon him And may very well be said to be an Advocate to our
quaked greatly These things were very terrible and so were other works which we read of afterward which spoke indeed the presence and power of God but then they spoke his anger too The Sons of Aaron were destroyed by fire Miriam is struck with leprousie the earth swallows up Korah and his company and the fiery serpents plague the people On the other hand our Lord saves but does not destroy Instead of killing or inflicting plagues and diseases upon men he feeds the hungry cures the sick cleanseth the Lepers restores the blind and lame dispossesseth the Demoniacks and raises the dead 4. Our Saviour confirmed his doctrine by raising himself from the dead Moses dyed as well as the other Prophets And though the Jews tell us upon a trifling ground that he did die by the kiss of God's mouth and not after the ordinary manner of men yet they cannot deny that he dyed and 't is not affirmed by any that he rose from the dead He dyed on this side the Land of Promise and was buried over against Beth Peor Deut. 34.8 but the Jews are so far from affirming that he rose again that they knew not where his Sepulchre or place of burial was So that there was no room left for their fraud None could take away his Body and pretend he was risen from the dead Our blessed Saviour did rise from the dead notwithstanding all the art used to prevent it aswell as the spreading of it He had many witnesses of his Resurrection some whereof sealed the truth with their Bloud I shall now consider the pretended miracles of the Church of Rome not that I think them worthy to be compared with those of our blessed Saviour But that Church hath boasted of Miracles and we have large accounts of the wonders which have been wrought within the verge of her own Communion And not to inlarge too far I shall confine my self to those three marks or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which a learned Writer discoursing of this argument hath pitched upon 1. Whereas the miracles which Jesus wrought were grave and serious works substantial and such as proclamed the power and goodness and the wisedom of the Authour of them there is nothing more ridiculous and trifling than many of those which are reported to be done in the Church of Rome Such are the many stories which are told of our Saviour and the Virgin Mary They tell us that she frequently comes from Heaven offers her self in Marriage and brings knacks along with her and bestows them upon her friends and familiars They tell us also of our Saviour that he appears in his Mother's armes as a little Child that sometimes he goes from her and that he was once almost lost in the Snow They tell that the Virgin Mary's house in Nazareth upon discontent removed from thence and travail'd from place to place for the space of about two thousand miles Durand Rational Divin Offic. till it sate down at Loretto They tell that when one of their Preachers who was blind preached though there were no auditours to do it yet the stones that were about him cryed out Amen at his concluding I am ashamed to report the ridiculous stories which they tell of men who carried their heads in their hands after they had been Beheaded for several miles together of others who spake after they were dead of Sheep and Asses running to hear St. Francis preach and of Swine falling dead under his curse Of St. Dominick who hung in the air like a bird and at his Devotions forcing the Devil to hold a light and burn his fingers at that service of Christina who contracted her self at prayer into a round form like that of an Hedgehog and who could climb the highest trees like a Squirrel and swim in rivers like a Fish Of Catharine of Sienna who desired a new heart and thereupon Christ came to her opened her Breast took out her heart goes away with it and brings another and tells her that was his own I will not entertain you with the Stories of the sweating and speaking and motion of their Images of the great feats which have been done by the relicks of Saints and holy water and such like things Such Pranks as these are reported which look more like the feats of Demons of Hob-goblins and Fairies than the finger of God The works of Jesus spake the great wisedom power and goodness of God they were works of great mercy and relief But these stories are Romances and false representations or which is worse they look like the works of an evil Spirit who is abroad ready to deceive them who obey not the truth These things can serve no good and wise purpose and that is not all for they serve a very evil one These false stories are a temtation to men to question the true Men will be too ready to suspect the miracles of Christ when they find themselves imposed upon by those who profess themselves his followers 2. The miracles which Christ did were to confirm the truth of the Christian doctrine But these pretended miracles are brought to confirm a doctrine which Christ and his Apostles never taught Christ and his Apostles taught all Christian doctrine and all the necessary matters of faith And now though an Angel from Heaven should Preach any other Gospel we ought not to receive him Gal. 1.8 9. Were the works of the Church of Rome like our Saviour's works and their doctrine the same with his these works would be of great use to convince unbelievers but not at all requisite where the doctrine was believed before For the doctrine of the Church of Rome it is the same with that of the holy Scriptures or it is not If it be the same there is no need of miracles especially among them who believe the holy Scriptures to confirm that which hath been sufficiently confirmed already But if it be not the same we are not to regard miracles in that Case Nay if an Apostle or Angel from Heaven should Preach another Gospel let him be accursed We shall find that the pretended miracles in the Church of Rome are alledged for the confirmation of the Novel doctrines of that Church not of the Christian doctrine taught by Christ and his Apostles We are told that Christ spake intelligibly several times out of the Wafer to a Spanish Franciscan Again that upon the Altar he turned himself from the form of a Consecrated Wafer into that of a little Child and then from that of a Child to that of a Wafer Again that a Woman's Bees not thriving she stole a Consecrated Wafer and put it into one of her Hives The devout Bees in honour to that fall to work and with their honey-combs make a little Church with windows with roof and door with belfry and Altar upon which they laid the Host and did fly about it continually praising the Lord All this is for the confirmation of the doctrine of Transubstantiation
is evident that where Sacrifice was allowed toward the obtaining pardon yet sometimes the pardon was not obtained by the Sacrifice For the piacular Sacrifice was but one of the conditions upon which the pardon of the offerer did depend So that supposing the Sacrifice offered up exactly according to the Law yet the sinner was not thereupon remitted In case of trespass and wrong there was required by the Law of Moses confession of the sin and restitution also of the principal and sometime the addition of a fifth part as well as sacrifice Numb 5.7 As in some cases no Sacrifice was admitted so at other times where it was allowed yet it did not restore him to favour some other things being also required necessary to his pardon as well as that The Jews themselves tell us that the day of expiation did not procure the pardon of those sins Joma cap. 8. which men committed against their brethren till they had given satisfaction to their brethren whom they had injured If they had injured them in words they were bound to appease them and to be reconciled if they had done it in their goods they were bound to make restitution Eighthly It was a very hard thing for the Jew to know whether he were pardoned or not And notwithstanding the provision made by Sacrifices yet that provision could not ease the sinner's mind We will suppose the greatest care used to obtain pardon by an expiatory Sacrifice yet the offerer would be left uneasie in his own mind In such a multitude of precepts and of that nature also which the Mosaical were it was almost impossible for a man to know whether he had transgressed or not and consequently whether he was obliged to bring his sin or trespass-offering Hence it was that the Jews appointed a trespass-offering which they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or a doubtfull trespass-offering which they thought themselves obliged to bring when it was a doubtfull case whether they had transgressed or not Lastly It is very certain that these Sacrifices of the Law of Moses were not to continue for ever The Jews were given to understand so much and God taught them this more ways than one He annexed them to a certain place and to a certain family who were to offer them up and when that place was no longer in the possession of the Jews they were discharged from all their obligation to offer Sacrifices at once And besides that many of them were but types and shadows of things to come and were therefore in due time to cease God did expresly foretell this to the Jews and the Jewish writers themselves are forced to confess no less Of the Messias the Prophet Daniel prophesies that he should cause the sacrifice and oblation to cease Dan. 9.27 That is all the offerings made by fire whatsoever The Authour of the Epistle to the Hebrews tells us the same of burnt-offerings and sacrifices for sin Heb. 10.6 That is Sacrifices which were expiatory And there is a saying to this purpose among the Jewish writers Midrash Tillim in Psal 56.12 v. Abravenel de cap. fidei cum Vorstio c. 13. that every Corban or Sacrifice should cease but that the Sacrifice of praise should never cease And this saying of the Jews relates to the days of the Messias The Sacrifices allowed in the Law of Moses were of very little moment in their own nature They were never designed to continue longer than the City the Temple and Altar stood to which they were annexed v. Seder Tephilloth fol. 6. c. 3. Venetiis Anno 1566. The expiatory ones were shadows of an invaluable Sacrifice and the others that were Eucharistical as to the main continue still We now offer up our spiritual Sacrifices our Prayers and our Alms and our whole selves to the Great Creatour and Governour of Heaven and Earth the God and Father of Jesus Christ The holy flame upon the Altar during the Law of Moses was says Philo the Jew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Phil. Jud. de Victim offerent a symbol of thanksgiving Thore things were types or symbols he tells us of spiritual things and that the gratefull mind of a wise man is God's Altar Thus I have given some account of the defects of the Jewish Religion as it was delivered to them by Moses and as it stands compared with the Religion which our Jesus taught I shall now proceed to shew That these defects are made up and supplied by the Gospel of Jesus Christ and that the Christian Religion is thereupon very far preferible to that of the Jews And to the making this evident I shall 1. Consider the Precepts of Christian Religion and look upon it as a rule of life and we shall find it the most accurate rule of life that ever was made known to the World There is not in any Religion whatsoever any parallel to the Christian The Precepts of this Religion are agreeable to the reason of mankind they tend to perfect humane nature and render it like the Divine They approve themselves to the Consciences of all wife and considering men and those very men who do not obey them cannot but approve of them and have an inward veneration for them who do As to that duty we owe to God we are taught to perform it becoming his Divine Majesty and his adorable perfections We are directed to believe him to fear him above all to love him with our whole heart to trust in him and depend upon him in all our straits and needs to submit quietly to his Government and to do his will To worship him with pure hearts to pray to him with great fervour and constancy To give him hearty thanks and to do what we do for his Glory And these duties are founded upon the greatest reason For if we believe his veracity we are obliged to give credit to his Revelation though we be not able to comprehend what he doth reveal He that is almighty ought to be feared above all and he who is onely good and most beneficial to us ought be loved with our whole heart Upon whom shall we trust and relye but upon him who is able and willing to help them that trust in him Is it not fit we should submit to him who is infinitely wise and who governs all things in Heaven and earth And whose will should we do but his who is without iniquity who is just and right If he be a Spirit it is fit we should worship him in Spirit and in truth And since we know that he hears it is very reasonable we should at all times and with great ardour pray unto him And since we receive all good things from him it is but just we should praise him as the Authour of all and that we should glorifie him as the ultimate end of all For the duties we owe to one another Christian Religion gives the most incomparable rules It requires a patient submission to our Superiors
Jews every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins And presently after that he added save your selves from this untoward Generation 1 Pet. 3.21 The same Apostle elsewhere speaking of the Ark of Noah wherein they were saved who entred into it adds the like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us c. And the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper is also a pledge of God's favour and our reconciliation We are admitted to feast upon the great Sacrifice which was offered upon the Cross This was not allowed in Sacrifices under the Law that were expiatory to the People We partake of the body and bloud of Christ of that body which was offered upon the Cross and of that bloud of the New Testament which was shed for many for the remission of sins Matt. 26.26 6. Our Lord Jesus sent forth his Messengers into the World to declare pardon to the penitent He took care that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all Nations Luk. 24.46 They were entrusted with the Power of the Keys to bind and loose to let into the Kingdom of God and to exclude from it It were easie to shew that the Christian Religion does upon other accounts besides what have been named excell the Law of Moses It had a better Mediatour and was better confirmed It was more succesfull and farther spread and affords both more and more conspicuous Examples than are to be found under that Law It is attended with greater motives to obedience as well as greater motives of Credibility The Jews are pressed to obey God because he brought them out of Egypt The motive had great force but 't was peculiar to that People We are constrained by the Love of God in Christ Jesus We are moved by the love of Christ which passeth knowledge His death and passion the comforts of the Holy Ghost the unspeakable love of God and hope of pardon and of Eternal life these are our motives to obedience These are great enough to thaw and unlock the most obdurate heart to work upon the most benummed minds I proceed to consider The usefulness of the foregoing discourse And that is very great where it is duly weighed and considered It would be of great use to the Jew would he but consider it and lay it to heart And is of very great use to the Christian to awaken him to the greatest regard to his holy Religion and to a very hearty embracing of it I shall at present onely consider this one advantage which it will afford us viz. that it gives us a fair occasion of inquiring into the grâ—at Ends and Causes for which the Law of Moses was given I will not here undertake to insist upon all the Causes of the Law of Moses Much less will I goe about to inquire into the reason of the particular Precepts of that Law I make no doubt but that God gave the Jews that Law to keep them from Idolatry and to that purpose to preserve that People separate from the neighbour Nations Many of the rites appointed I doubt not were therefore prescribed because they ran Counter to those rites which did obtain among Idolaters then in being I will onely consider the ends of this Law as far as my present argument is concerned And that I shall doe in the following particulars 1. The Law was given to restrain the Jews and keep them from a loose and licentious Course of sinning The promise of the Messias was made to Abraham above four hundred years before the giving of the Law But though the Messias were then promised God did not think fit to send him presently In the mean time the Jews the Children of Abraham whom God had chosen for his Church were to be restrained from living as they list They were very prone to wickedness and needed a restraint in the mean time Therefore was the Law given and given with great solemnity and terrour It denounced many evils against transgressours and left them liable to a curse the more effectually to oblige them to obedience It was not given as God's last revelation nor to give life and to justifie them Gal. 3.19 Wherefore then serveth the Law It was added because of transgressions God did not think it fit that they should be left unrestrained 1 Tim. 1.9 with Gal. 5.22 The Law is not made for a righteous man but for the lawless and disobedient 2. The Law was given as that which contained types and shadows of good things to come and was therefore given that they might have among them a pledge of those spiritual good things to be bestowed in the days of the Messias The great promise which God made to Abraham was the promise of the Messias this promise was renewed afterward when Isaac was born it was repeated by Jacob to his Sons before his death The Messias was the desire and expectation of the more wise and devout Israelites They receive a Law in the mean time full of types and shadows of what they were to expect in the latter days or the days of the Messias Hence it is that the Gospel as it is distinguished from this Law is called truth not as truth is opposed to falsehood but as it is opposed to types and shadows and as it speaks the substance of what was but symbolically represented before Thus it is said that the Law was given by Moses and that grace and truth come by Jesus Christ John 1.17 And the Gospel is called the word of truth Eph. 1.13 Joh. 14.6 Joh. 4.23 Heb. 8.2 Our Saviour tells us that he is the way and the truth and tells the Woman of Samaria that the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth They that obey the Gospel are said to walk in the truth and obey the truth And Heaven is called the true Tabernacle Heb. 10.1 ch 8.5 The Law had a shadow of good things to come and not the very Image of the things The Priests under the Law are said to serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things Coloss 2.17 Heb. 3.5 That Law was a pledge of a better and the things therein commanded were but a shadow of things to come Moses was faithfull as a servant for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken viz. by Jesus and his followers For so the Syriack hath it for those things which were to be spoken by him 3. To dispose men for the reception of the Gospel of Christ It was well fitted for this end And that this was the end of it is very evident from the words of the Apostle Gal. 3.22 23 24. The Scripture hath concluded all under sin that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe But before faith came we were under the Law shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed wherefore the Law was our
will rise again Ibid. Chap. Ver. St. Mark VIII 11. And the Pharisees came forth and began to question c. Page 144 Chap. Ver. St. Luke I. 69. And hath raised up an horn of Salvation for us in the house of his Servant David Page 16 Chap. Ver. II. 49. Wist ye not that I must be about my Fathers business Page 101 Chap. Ver. IX 12. with Mat. XIV 15. And when the day began to wear away c. Page 218 Chap. Ver. Ib. 28. with Mat. XVII 1. About an eight days after c. Page 303 Chap. Ver. XXII 69 Hereafter shall the Son of man c. Page 337 Chap. Ver. XXIV 13. And behold two of them went that same day to a village c. Page 267 Chap. Ver. Ib. 33. And they rose up the same hour and returned to Jerusalem c. Ibid. Chap. Ver. St. John I. 17. For the law was given by Moses but grace and truth c. Page 477 Chap. Ver. II. 11. This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee c. Page 125 Chap. Ver. III. 14. And as Moses lifted up the Serpent in the Wilderness even c. Page 209. Chap. Ver. X. 41. And many resorted unto him and said John did no miracle c. Page 133. Chap. Ver. XI 9. Jesus answered are there not twelve hours in the day Page 216 Chap. Ver. Ib. 39. Lord by this time he stinketh for he hath been dead four days Page 299. Chap. Ver. XV. 24. If I had not done among them the works c. Page 166 Chap. Ver. XVI 8. And when he is come he will reprove the world of sin c. Page 140 Chap. Ver. XVII 19. And for their sakes I sanctifie c. Page 236 Chap. Ver. XIX 36. For these things were done that the Scriptures should be fulfilled A bone of him shall not c. Page 232 Chap. Ver. XX. 19. Then the same day at evening being the first day of the Week c. Page 267 Ib. 26. And after eight days again his Desciples were within c. Page 303 Ib. 31. But these are written that ye might believe c. Page 114 Chap. Ver. XXI 14. This is now the third time that Jesus shewed himself to his Disciples after that he was risen from the dead Page 273 The Acts of the Apostles Chap. Ver. I. 3. To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs c. Page 317 Chap. Ver. II. 36. Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly c. Page 2 3. Chap. Ver. III. 1. Now Peter and John went up together into the Temple at the hour of Prayer c. Page 220 Romans Chap. Ver. IV. 25. Who was delivered for our offences and was raised again for our justification Page 467 Chap. Ver. V. 10. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled c. Page 459 Chap. Ver. VI. 14. For sin shall not have dominion over you for ye are not under the law but under Grace Page 455 Chap. Ver. X. 9. That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus c. Page 295 Galatians Chap. Ver. III. 21. Is the law then against the promises of God God forbid for if there had been a law c. Page 478 Ib. 2â— 23 But before faith came we were kept under the law c. Page 478 Ib. 24. Wherefore the law was our School-Master to bring us unto Christ that we might be justified by faith Page 478 Ephesians Ib. 14. Which is the earnest of our inheritance c. Page 470 Chap. Ver. I. 19 20. And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us ward who believe according to the working of his mighty power c. Page 297 Chap. Ver. II. 14 15. For he is our peace who hath made both one and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us Having abolished in his flesh the enmity even the law of commandments c. Page 448 Chap. Ver. IV. 8. with Psal LXVIII 18. Wherefore he saith when he ascended c. Page 308 Ib. 9. Now that he ascended what is it but that he also descended c. Page 287 Ib. 30. And grieve not the holy Spirit of God whereby ye are sealed c. Page 471 1 Timothy Chap. Ver. II. 12. But I suffer not a Woman to teach c. Page 72 73. Ib. 15. She shall be saved in Child-bearing Ib. Chap. Ver. III 16. And without all controversie great is the mystery of Godliness God was manifest in the flesh justified in the Spirit c. Page 139 Hebrews Chap. Ver. III. 5. a Testimony of those things which were to be spoken after Page 478 Chap. Ver. VI. 20. Whither the four-runner is for us entered even Jesus made an High Priest c. Page 332 Chap. Ver. VII 19. For the law made nothing perfect but the bringing in of a better hope did c. Page 450 Chap. Ver. VIII 7. For if that first covenant had been faultless c. Page 409 Hebrews Chap. Ver. IX 6 7 8. Now when these things were thus ordained the Priests went always into the first Tabernacle accomplishing the Service of God But into the second c. Page 451 Ib. 13. For if the bloud of Bulls and of Goats and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling c. Page 437 Ib. 24. For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands c. Page 320 Chap. Ver. X. 29. Of how much sorer punishment suppose ye shall he be thought worthy who hath troden under foot the Son of God and hath counted the bloud c. Page 248 Chap. Ver. XI 39 40. And these all having obtained a good report through faith received not the promise God having provided some better thing for us that they c. Page 400 Chap. Ver. XII 24. And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant and to the bloud of sprinkling that speaketh better things than that of Abel Page 466 Chap. Ver. XIII 12. Wherefore Jesus also that he might Sanctifie the people with his own bloud suffered without the Gate Page â—37 c. 1 John Chap. Ver. II. 20. But ye have an unction from the holy one and ye know all things Page 40 Chap. Ver. III. 8. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested that he might destroy c. Page 141. THE END