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
thus stedfast upon the account of its being spoken from God and stands in no need of the contribution of any strength Authority or Testimony from men Church Tradition or ought else that is extrinsecal unto it The Testimonies given hereunto in the Scripture it self which are very many with the general Grounds and Reasons hereof I shall not here insist upon and that because I have done it elsewhere I shall only mention that one consideration which this place of the Apostle suggests unto us and which is contained in our second Observation from the word stedfast Take this word as spoken from God without the help of any other Advantages and the stedfastness of it is the Ground of Gods inflicting Vengeance on them that receive it not that obey it not Because it is his Word because it is cloathed with his Authority if men believe it not they must perish But now if this be not sufficiently evidenced unto them namely that it is his Word God could not be just in taking vengeance of them for he should punish them for not believing that which they had no sufficient Reason to believe which suits not with the Holiness and Justice of God The Evidence then that this Word is from God that it is his being the foundation of the Justice of God in his proceeding against them that do not believe it it is of indispensible necessity that he himself also do give that Evidence unto it For whence also should it have it from the Testimony of the Church or from Tradition or from probable moral inducements that men can tender one to another Then these two things will inevitably follow 1. That if men should neglect their duty in giving Testimony unto the Word as they may do because they are but men then God cannot justly condemn any man in the world for the neglect of his Word in not believing it or not yielding obedience unto it And the Reason is evident because if they have not sufficient Grounds to believe it to be his without such Testimonies as are not given unto it it is the highest Injustice to condemn them for not believing it and they should perish without a cause For what can be more unjust than to punish a man especially eternally for not doing that which he had no just or sufficient Reason to do This be far from God to destroy the innocent with the wicked 2. Suppose all men aright to discharge their duty and that there be a full Tradition concerning the Word of God that the Church give Testimony unto it and Learned men produce their Arguments for it if this all or any part hereof be esteemed as the sufficient Proposition of the Scripture to be the Word of God then is the Execution of infinite divine Justice built upon the Testimony of men which is not divine or infallible but such as might deceive For God on this supposal must condemn men for not believing with faith divine and infallible that which is proposed unto them by Testimonies and Arguments humane and fallible quod absit It remaineth then that the Righteousness of the Act of God in condemning unbelievers is built upon the Evidence that the Object of Faith or Word to be believed is from him And this he gives unto it both by the Impression of his Majesty and Authority upon it and by the Power and Efficacy wherewith by his Spirit it is accompanied Thus is every Word of God stedfast as a Declaration of his Will unto us by what means soever it is made known unto us V. Every Transaction between God and man is alwayes confirmed and ratified by promises and Threatnings Rewards and Punishments every trespass VI. The most glorious Administrators of the Law do stoop to look into the Mysteries of the Gospel See 1 Pet. 1.12 VII Covenant transgressions are attended with unavoidable penalties every transgression that is of the Covenant disannulling of it received a meet recompence of reward VIII The Gospel is a Word of Salvation to them that do believe IX The Salvation tendered in the Gospel is great Salvation X. Men are apt to entertain thoughts of escaping the wrath of God though they live in a neglect of the Gospel This the Apostle insinuates in that interrogation How shall we escape XI The neglecters of the Gospel shall unavoidably perish the wrath of God How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation These last Observations may be cast into one Proposition and so be considered together namely That the Gospel is great Salvation which who so neglecteth shall therefore unavoidably perish without remedy We shall first enquire how the Gospel is said to be Salvation and that Great Salvation and then shew the equity and unavoidableness of their Destruction by whom it is neglected and therein the vanity of their hopes who look for an escaping in the contempt of it By the Gospel we understand with the Apostle the Word preached or spoken by Christ and his Apostles and now recorded for our use in the Books of the New Testament not exclusively unto what was declared of it in the Types and Promises of the Old Testament But by the way of Eminency we appropriate the whole name and nature of the Gospel unto that delivery of the Mind and Will of God by Jesus Christ which included and perfected all that had preceded unto that purpose Now the Gospel is salvation upon a double account First Declaratively In that the Salvation of God by Christ is declared taught and revealed thereby So the Apostle informs us Rom. 1.16 17. It is the power of God unto salvation because therein the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith that is the Righteousness of God in Christ whereby Believers shall be saved And therefore it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Titus 2.11 the saving or salvation bringing Grace of God The Grace of God as that which teacheth and revealeth his Grace And thence they that abuse it to their lusts are said to turn the grace of God into lasciviousness Jude 4. that is the Doctrine of it which is the Gospel And therefore under the Old Testament it is called the Preaching or declaring of glad tydings tydings of peace and salvation Nahum 2.1 Isa. 52.7 and is described as a Proclamation of Mercy Peace Pardon and Salvation unto sinners Isa. 61.1 2. And life and immortality are said to be brought to light thereby 2 Tim. 1.10 It is true God had from all Eternity in his infinite Grace contrived the salvation of sinners but this Contrivance and the Purpose of it lay hid in his own Will and Wisdom as in an infinite Abysse of darkness utterly imperceptible unto Angels and men untill it was brought to light or manifested and declared by the Gospel Ephes. 3.9 10. Coloss. 1.25 26 27. There is nothing more vain than the supposals of some that there are other wayes whereby this Salvation might be discovered and made known The Works of Nature
to oppose its Canonical Authority with their frivolous Cavils and Objections Neither is this Experience meerly satisfactory to themselves alone as is by some pretended It is a thing pleadable and that not only in their own defence to strengthen their Faith against Temptations but to others also though not to Atheistical Scoffers yet to humble enquirers which ought to be the frame of all men in the Investigation of Sacred Truths § 34 Unto what hath been spoken we may add that the Canonical Authority of this Epistle is confirmed unto us by Catholick Tradition By this Tradition I intend not the Testimony only of the present Church that is in the world nor Fancy a trust of a Power to declare what is so in any Church whatever but a generall uninterrupted Fame conveyed and confirmed by particular Instances Records and Testimonies in all Ages In any other sense how little weight there is to be laid upon Traditions we have a pregnant instance in him who first began to magnifie them This was Papias a contemporary of Policarpus in the very next Age after the Apostles Tradition of what was done or said by Christ or the Apostles what Expositions they gave he professed himself to set an high value upon equal to if not above the Scripture And two things are considerable in his search after them First That he did not think that there was any Church appointed to be the Preserver and Declarer of Apostolical Traditions but made his enquiry of all the individual ancient men that he could meet withall who had conversed with any of the Apostles Secondly That by all his pains he gathered together a Rhapsody of incredible Stories Fables Errors and useless Curiosities Such issue will the endeavours of men have who forsake the stable Word of Prophesie to follow rumors and reports under the specious name of Traditions But this Catholick Fame whereof we speak confirmed by particular Entrances and Records in all Ages testifying unto a matter of Fact is of great importance And how clearly this may be pleaded in our present case shall be manifested in our Investigation of the Penman of this Epistle And thus I hope we have made it evident that this Epistle is not destitute of any one of those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or infallible proofs and Arguments whereby any particular Book of the Scripture evinceth its self unto the Consciences of men to be written by Inspiration from God It remaineth now to shew that it is not liable unto any of those Exceptions or Arguments whereby any Book or Writing pretending a claim to a Divine Original and Canonical Authority thereupon may be convicted and manifested to be of another Extract whereby its just priviledge will be on both sides secured § 35 The first consideration of this nature is taken from the Author or Penman of any such Writing The Books of the Old Testament were all of them written by Prophets or holy men inspired of God Hence St. Peter calls the whole of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prophesie 2 Pet. 1.21 Prophesie delivered by men acted or moved therein by the Holy Ghost And though there be a distribution made of the several Books of it from the Subject Matter into the Law Prophets and Psalms Luke 24.44 and often into the Law and Prophets on the same account as Acts 26.2 Rom. 3.22 yet their Penmen being all equally Prophets the whole in general is ascribed unto them and called Prophesie Rom. 1.8 Chap. 16.26 Luke 24.25 2 Pet. 1.19 So were the Books of the New Testament written by Apostles or men endowed with an Apostolical Spirit and in their work equally inspired by the Holy Ghost whence the Church is said to be built on the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone Ephes. 2.20 If then the Author of any Writing acknowledgeth himself or may otherwise be convinced to have been neither Prophet nor Apostle nor endued with the same infallible Spirit with them his work how excellent soever other wayes it may appear must needs be esteemed a meer fruit of his own Skill Diligence and Wisdom and not any way to belong unto the Canon of the Scripture This is the condition for instance of the second Book of Maccabees In the close of it the Author being doubtful what acceptance his endeavours and manner of Writing would find amongst his Readers makes his excuse and affirms that he did his utmost to please them in his Style and Composition of his words So he tells us before Chap. 2. v. 24. that he did but Epitomize the History of Jason the Cyrenean wherein he took great pains and labour The truth is he that had before commended Judas Machabaeus for offering Sacrifices for the dead which indeed he did not but for the living no where appointed in the Law and affirmed that Jeremiah hid the holy Fire Ark Tabernacle and Altar of Incense in a Cave that the same person Antiochus was killed at Nanea in Persia Chap. 1. v. 16. and dyed in the Mountains of torments in his Bowels as he was coming to Judea Chap. 9. whom the first Book affirms to have dyed of sorrow at Babylon Chap. 6. v. 16. who affirms Judas to have written Letters to Aristobulus in the one hundred eighty eighth year of the Seleucian Empire who was slain in the one hundred fifty second year of it Lib. 1. Chap. 1.3 that is thirty six years after his death with many other such mistakes and falshoods had no great need to inform us that he had no special Divine Assistance in his Writing but leaned unto his own Understanding But yet this he doth as we shewed and that openly For the Holy Ghost will not be an Epitomator of a Profane Writing as he professeth himself to have been nor make excuses for his weakness nor declare his pains and Sweat in his Work as he doth And yet to that pass are things brought in the World by Custome Prejudice love of Reputation scorn to be esteemed mistaken in any thing that many earnestly contend for this Book to be written by Divine Inspiration when the Author of it himself openly professeth it to have been of another Extract For although this Book be not only rejected out of the Canon by the Council of Laodicea Hierom and others of the Antients but by Gregory the Great Bishop of Rome himself yet the Church of Rome would now by force thrust it thereinto But were the Author himself alive again I am so well perswaded of his Ingenuity and Honesty from the Conclusion of his Story that they would never be able to make him say that he wrote by Divine Inspiration and little reason then have we to believe it Now this Epistle is free from this Exception The Penman of it doth no where intimate directly or indirectly that he wrote in his own strength or by his own ability which yet if he had done in an Argument of that
than the Artificial Rules of Philosophers That he should more abound with Testimonies and Quotations out of the Scripture of the Old Testament in this than other Epistles as he doth the Matter whereof he treats and the Persons to whom he wrote did necessarily require 4. Many things in this Epistle evidently manifest that he who wrote it was not only mighty in the Scripture but also exceedingly well versed and skillfull in the Customs Practices Opinions Traditions Expositions and Applications of Scripture then received in the Judaical Church as we shall fully manifest in our progress Now who in those dayes among the Disciples of Christ could this be but Paul For as he was brought up under one of the Best and Most Famous of their Masters in those dayes and profited in the Knowledge of their then present Religion above his Equals so for want of this kind of Learning the Jews esteemed the chief of the other Apostles Peter and John to be Ideots and Vnlearned 5. Sundry particulars towards and in the close of the Epistle openly proclaim Paul to have been the Writer of it As 1. The mention that he makes of his bonds and the Compassion that the Hebrews shewed towards him in his sufferings and whilest he was a Prisoner Chap. 10.34 Now as the Bonds of Paul were afterwards famous at Rome Phil. 1.13 So there was not any thing of greater notoriety in reference to the Church of God in those dayes than those that he suffered in Judaea which he minds them of in this Expression With what earnest endeavours what rage and tumult the Rulers and Body of the People sought his destruction how publickly and with what Solemnity his Cause was sundry times heard and debated with the time of his imprisonment that ensued are all declared in the Acts at large Now no man can imagine but that whilest this great Champion of their Profession was so publickly pleading their Cause and exposed to so much danger and hazzard thereby but that all the Believers of those parts were exceedingly solicitous about his condition as they had been about Peters in the like case and gave him all the Assistance and encouragement that they were able This Compassion of theirs and his own Bonds as an evidence of his Faith and their Mutual Love in the Gospel he now minds them of Of no other Person but Paul have we any ground to conjecture that this might be spoken and yet the suffering and compassion here mentioned seem not to have been things done in a corner So that this one Circumstance is able of its self to enervate all the Exceptions that are made use of against his being esteemed the Author of this Epistle 2. The mention of Pauls dear and constant Companion Timothy is of the same importance Chap. 13.23 That Timothy was at Rome with Paul in his Bonds is expresly asserted Phil. 1.13 14. That he himself was also cast into Prison with Paul is here intimated his release being expressed Now surely it is scarcely credible that any other should in Italy where Paul then was and newly released out of Prison write unto the Churches of the Hebrews and therein make mention of his own Bonds and the Bonds of Timothy a man unknown unto them but by the means of Paul and not once intimate any thing about his condition The exceptions of some as that Paul used to call Timothy his Son whereas the Writer of this Epistle calls him Brother when indeed he never terms him Son when he speaks of him but only when he wrote unto him or that there might be another Timothy when he speaks expresly of him who was so generally known to the Churches of God as one of the chiefest Evangelists deserve not to be insisted on And surely it is altogether incredible that this Timothy the Son of Paul as to his begetting of him in the Faith and continued Paternal Affection his known constant Associate in doing and suffering for the Gospel his Minister in attending of him and constantly imployed by him in the Service of Christ and the Churches known unto them by his means honâ—ured by him with two Epistles written unto him and the association of his Name with his own in the Inscription of sundry others should now be so absent from him as to be adjoyned unto another in his Travail and Ministry 3. The Constant Sign and token of Pauls Epistles which himself had publickly signified to be so 2 Thess. 3.13 is subjoyned unto this Grace be with you all That Originally this was written with Pauls own hand there is no ground to question and it appears to be so because it was written and he affirms that it was his Custome to subjoyn that Salutation with his own hand Now this Writing of it with his own hand was an evidence unto them unto whom the Original of the Epistle first came unto those who had only transcribed Copies of it it could not be so the Salutation its self was their Token being peculiar to Paul and among the rest annexed to this Epistle And all these Circumstances will yet receive some further enforcement from the Consideration of the Time wherein this Epistle was written whereof in the next place we shall Treat Exercitatio III. The Time of the Writing of this Epistle to the Hebrews The Vse of the right stating thereof After his release out of Prison Before the Death of James Before the Second of Peter The Time of Pauls coming to Rome The Condition of the affairs of the Jews at that time The Martyrdom of James State of the Churches of the Hebrews Constant in the Observation of Mosaical Institutions Warned to leave Jerusalem That Warning what and how given Causes of their unwillingness so to do The Occasion and Success of this Epistle § 1 THAT was not amiss observed of Old by Chrysostome Praesat in Com. ad Epist. ad Rom. that a due Observation of the Time and Season wherein the Epistles of Paul were written doth give great light unto the understanding of many passages in them This Baronius ad A.C. 55. N. 42. well confirms by an instance of their mistake who suppose the Shipwrack of Paul at Mileta Acts 27. to have been that mentioned by him 2. Cor. 11. when he was a night and a day in the deep that Epistle being written some years before his sayling towards Rome And we may well apply this Observation to this Epistle unto the Hebrews A discovery of the Time and season wherein it was written will both free us from sundry mistakes and also give us some light into the occasion and design of it This therefore we shall now inquire into § 2 Some general intimations we have in the Epistle it self leading us towards this discovery and somewhat may be gathered from some other places of Scripture for Antiquity will afford us little or no help herein After Pauls being brought a Prisoner to Rome Acts 28. two full years he continued in that condition v. 30.
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
and Grace it will yield men no satisfaction which makes them constantly turn aside to other means and wayes of knowing and serving God This being so eminent in the Jews and the Medium they have fixed on to supply that want which they suppose to be in the Scripture but is indeed in themselves proving to be the great Engine of their hardening and obstinacy in their Infidelity I shall first declare what it is that they intend by the Orall Law and then briefly shew the absurdity and falseness of their pretensions about it though it must not be denyed that it is one of the most Antient Fables that is credited amongst any of the Sons of men at this day in the world § 6 This Orall Law they affirm to be an unwritten Tradition and Exposition of the written Law of Moses given unto him in Mount Sinai and committed by him to Joshua and the Sanhedrim to be by them delivered over by Orall Tradition unto those who should succeed them in the Government of that Church It doth not appear that in the dayes of Christ or his Apostles whilest the Temple was standing that there was any stated opinion amongst them about this Orall Law though it is evident that not long after it began to be received by the body of the People Nay it is evident that there was no such Law then acknowledged For the Sadduces who utterly reject all the main Principles of it were then not only tolerated but also in chief Rule one of them being High Priest That they had multiplyed many superstitious Observances amongst them under the name of Traditions is most clear in the Gospel and it doth not appear that then they knew whom to assign their original unto and therefore indefinitely called them the Traditions of the Elders or those that lived of old before them After the Destruction of their Temple when they had lost the life and spirit of that Worship which the Scripture revealed betaking themselves wholly unto their Traditional figments they began to bethink themselves how they might give countenance to their Apostacy from the Perfection and Doctrine of the written Law For this end they began to fancy that these Traditions were no less from God than the written Law it self For when Moses was forty dayes and forty nights in the Mountain they say that in the day time he wrote the Law from the mouth of God and in the night God instructed him in the Orall Law or unwritten Exposition of it which they have received by Tradition from him For when he came down from the Mount after he had read unto them the Written Law as they say he repeated to Aaron and Eleazer and the Sanhedrim all that secret instruction which he had received in the night from God which it was not lawfull for him to write but in especial he committed the whole to Joshua Joshua did the same to Eleazer as he did to his Son Phiâ—eas after whom they give us a Catalogue of several Prophets that lived in the ensuing generations all whom they employ in this service of conveying down the Orall Law to their Successors The High Priests also they give a place unto in this work of whom there were eighty three from the first Institution of that Office to the destruction of the Temple Joseph lib. 20. cap. 18. From Aaron to the building of Solomons Temple thirteen from thence to the Captivity eighteen all the rest take up the troublesome time of the Apostacy of their Church unto the finall ruine of it their Rulers being many because of their wickedness as themselves observe The last Person whom they would have to preserve the Orall Law absolutely pure was that Simeon whom they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Just mentioned by Jesus the Son of Syrach Chap. 50. And it is very observable that the latter Jews have left out Simeon the Son of Hillel whom their antient Masters placed upon the Roll of the Preservers of this Treasure supposing he might be that Simeon who in his old age received our Saviour in his arms when he was presented in the Temple Luke 2.25 a crime sufficient among the Jews to brand him with a perpetual ignominy neither are they alone in turning mens glory into reproach and shame After the destruction of the Temple and City when the evil Husbandmen were slain § 7 and the Vineyard of the Lord let out to others the Kingdom given to another Nation and therewith the Covenant sanctified use of the Scripture the remaining Jews having lost wholly the mind of God therein betook themselves to their Traditions and as I said before began to fancy and contend that they came from God himself whereas their Predecessors durst not plead any thing for them but that they came unto them from thâ—m of old that is some of the Masters of preceding Generations Hereupon a while after as I have elsewhere shewed at large one of them whom they call Rabbi Judâ— Humâ—si and Hakkadosh the Prince and the Holy took upon him to gather their scattered Traditions and to cast them into form order and method in Writing that they might be unto the Jews a Rule of Life and Worship for ever The Story of his work and undertaking is given us by Maimonides in Jad Chazacha the Authors of Sedar Olâ—â—n Halicoth Olam Tzemach David and many others and they all agree that this their great Master lived about the times of Marcus Antoninus two hundred years or thereabouts after the destruction of City and Temple This Collection of his they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mishne or Mishnaioth being as is § 8 pretended 〈◊〉 repetition of the Law in an Exposition of it indeed a farrago of all sorts of Traditions true and false with a monstrous mixture of Lyes useless foolish and wicked The things contained in it are by themselves referred to five heads 1. The Orall Law received by Moses on Mount Sinai preserved by the means before declared 2. Orall Constitutions of Moses himself after he came down from the Mount 3. Constitutions and Orders drawn by various wayes of arguing 13. as Rambam tells us out of the written Law 4. The Answers and Decrees of the Sanhedrim and other wise men in former Ages 5. Immemoriall Customs whose original being unknown are supposed to be divine The Whole is divided into six parts noted with the initial letter of the word which § 9 signifies the chief things treated on in it As the first by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 z that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Zeraim Seeds which is divided into eleven Massicktot or Treatises containing all of them seventy five Chapters The second by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 m that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Moad or appointed feasts which is distributed into Twelve Massicktot containing in them eighty eight Chapters The Third by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Women and is distributed in
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
Law is perfect and requiring no more in his Worship but what is in that Law prescribed See Psal. 19.8 Prov. 30.5 6. Deut. 4.1 2. And this perfection of the Written Law though it be perfectly destructive to their Tradions not only the Karaei among themselves do earnestly contend for but also sundry of their Gemarists do acknowledge especially when they forget their own concernments out of a desire to oppose the Gospel And to this head belong all the Arguments that Divines make use of to prove the perfection of the Scripture against the New Talmudists in Christianity 5. God every where sends his people to the Written Law of Moses for the Rule of their Obedience no where unto any Kabal Deut. 11.32 and chap. 10.12 13. Chap. 28.1 Josh. 1.7 8. Chap. 23.6 2 Chron. 30.18 Isa. 8.20 If there be such an Orall Law it is one that God would not have any man to observe which he calls none to the Obedience of nor did ever reprove any man for its Transgression And many more Arguments of the like nature may be added to prove the vanity of § 14 this pretence And yet this Figment is the bottom of the present Judaical Religion and obstinacy When the Apostle wrote this Epistle their Apostacy was not yet arrived at this rock of offence since their falling on it they have increased their blindness misery and ruine Then they were contented to try their cause by what God spake to their Fathers in the Prophets which kept open a door of hope and gave some advantages for their Conversion which are now shut up and removed untill God shall take this vail away from their faces that they may see to the end of the things that were to be done away By this means principally have they for many generations both shut out the § 15 Truth and secured themselves from Conviction For what ever is taught and revealed in the Scripture concerning the Person Office and Work of the Messiah seeing they have that which they esteem a Revelation of equall Authority herewithall teaching them a Doctrine quite of another nature and more suited unto their carnal Principles and Expectations they will rather rest in any evasions than give way to the Testimony thereof And whilest they have a firm perswasion as they have received by the Tradition of many Generations that the written Word is imperfect but an half Revelation of the mind of God in its self unintelligible and not to be received or understood but according to the sense of their Orall Law now recorded in their Talmuds what can the most plain and cogent Testimonies of it avail unto their Conviction And this hath been the fatall way and means of the grand Apostacy of both Churches Judaical and Christian. How far that of the Jews was overtaken with it in the dayes of our Lords Conversation on the Earth the Gospel doth abundantly declare and how they have brought it unto its height we have given now some brief account That of the Roman Church hath been the very same and hath at length arrived unto almost the same issue by the same degrees This some of them perceiving do not only defend the Pharisaical Opinion among the Jews about the Orall Law and Succession of their Traditions as consonant to the pretensions of their own Church but also openly avow that a very great number of their several respective Traditions are either the same or that they nearly resemble one another as doth expresly Josephus de Voysin in his Proaemium to the Pugio fidei of Raimundus Martini And because it is evident that the same have been the way and means whereby both the Judaical and Roman Church have apostatized and departed from the Truth and that they are the same also whereby they maintain and defend themselves in their Apostacy and refusal to return unto the Truth I shall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 manifest their Consent and Agreement in this Principle about their Traditions and Authority of them which have been the Ruine of them both First The Jews expresly contend that their Orall Law their Mass of Traditions was § 16 from God himself Partly they say it was delivered unto Moses on Mount Sinai and partly added by him from Divine Revelations which he afterwards received Hence the Authority of it with them is no less than that of the Written Word which hath all its Authority from its Divine Original and the usefulness of it is much more For although they cannot deny but that this and that particular Tradition that is Practice Custom or Exposition of any place of Scripture was first introduced expressed and declared at such or such seasons by such Masters or Schools amongst them yet they will not grant that they were then first invented or found out but only that they were then first declared out of the Cabalistical Abyss wherein they were preserved from their first Revelation as all of them agree who have written any thing about the nature propagation and continuance of their Orall Law And this is the perswasion of the Romanists about their Cabal of Traditions They plead them to be all of a Divine Original partly from Christ and partly from his Apostles What ever they have added unto the written Word yea though it be never so contrary thereunto still they pretend that it is part of the Orall Law which they have received from them by living Tradition Let one Convention of their Doctors determine that Images are to be adored another that Transubstantiation is to be believed a third add a New Creed with an equall number of Articles unto the old let one Doctor advance the Opinion of Purgatory another of Justification by Works all is one these things are not then first invented but only declared out of that unsearchable Treasure of Traditions which they have in their Custody Had they not inlaid this Perswasion in the minds of men they know that their whole Fabrick would of its own accord have long since sunk into Confusion But they highly contend at this day that they need no other Argument to prove any thing to be of an Heavenly Extract and Divine Originall but that themselves think so and practise accordingly § 17 Secondly This Orall Law being thus given the Preservation of it seeing Moses is dead long ago must be enquired after Now the Jews assign a threefold Depository of it First The whole Congregation Secondly The Sanhedrim and Thirdly The High Priest To this End they affirm that it was three times repeated upon the descent of Moses from Mount Sinai as to what of it he had then received and his after additions had the same promulgation First It was repeated by himself unto Aaron Secondly By them both unto the Elders and Thirdly By the Elders unto the whole Congregation or as Maimonides in Jad Chazakah Moses delivered it unto Eleazar Phineas and Joshuah after the Death of Aaron by whom the Consistory was instructed therein who taught the People
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
a Degree intimated being made so much more c. now our conceptions hereabout as to this place are wholly to be regulated by the Name given unto him Look saith the Apostle how much the Name given unto the Messiah excels the Name given unto Angels so much doth he himself excell them in Glory Authority and Power for these Names are severally given them of God to signifie their state and condition What and how great this difference is we shall afterwards see in the consideration of the Instances given of it by the Apostle in the Verses ensuing 4. The Proof of this Assertion which the Apostle first fixeth on is taken from the Name of Christ. His Name not given him by man not assumed by himself but ascribed unto him by God himself Neither doth he here by the Name of Christ or the name of the Angels intend any individual proper names of the one or the other but such Descriptions as are made of them and Titles given unto them by God as whereby their state and condition may be known Observe saith he how they are called of God by what Names and Titles he owns them and you may learn the Difference between them This Name he declares in the next Verse God said unto him Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee It is not absolutely his being the Son of God that is intended but that by the testimony of the holy Ghost God said these words unto him Thou art my Son and thereby declared his state and condition to be far above that of the Angels to none of whom he ever said any such thing but speaks of them in a far distinct manner as we shall see But hereof in the next Verse Some by this excellent Name understand his Power and Dignity and Glory called his name above every name Phil. 2.8 but then this can no way prove that which the Apostle produceth it for it being directly the same with that which is asserted in whose confirmation it is produced 5. The last thing considerable is How the Lord Christ came by this Name or obtained it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he obtained it by Inheritance as his peculiar lot and portion for ever In what sense he is said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Heir was before declared As he was made the Heir of all so he inherited a more excellent Name than the Angels Now he was made Heir of all in that all things being made and formed by him the Father committed unto him as Mediator a peculiar Power over all things to be disposed of by him unto all the ends of his Mediation So also being the Natural and Eternal Son of God in and upon the discharge of his work the Father declared and pronounced that to be his Name see Luke 1.35 Isa. 7.14 chap. 9.6 His being the Son of God is the proper foundation of his being called so and his discharge of his Office the Occasion of its declaration so he came unto it by Right of Inheritance when he was declared to be the Son of God with Power by the resurrection from the dead Rom. 1.3 This then is the sum of the Apostles Proposition and the Confirmation of it A Name given by God to that end and purpose doth truly declare the nature state and condition of him or them to whom it is given But unto Christ the Mediator there is a Name given of God himself exceedingly more excellent than any that by him is given unto the Angels which undeniably evinceth that he is placed in a state and condition of Glory far above them or preferred before them I shall only observe one or two things concerning the Hebrews to whom the Apostle wrote and so put an end to our Exposition of this Verse First then this discourse of the Apostle proving the Preheminence of the Messiah above the Angels was very necessary unto the Hebrews although it were very suitable unto their own principles and in general acknowledged by them It is to this day a Tradition amongst them that the Messiah shall be exalted above Abraham and Moses and the ministring Angels Besides they acknowledged the Scriptures of the Old Testament wherein the Apostle shews them that this Truth was taught and confirmed But they were dull and flow in making Application of these Principles unto the confirmation of their faith in the Gospel as the Apostle chargeth them Chap. 5.11 12. And they had at that time great Speculations about the Glory Dignity and Excellency of Angels and were fallen into some kind of worshipping of them And it may be this Curiosity Vanity and Superstition in them was heightned by the heat of the Controversie between the Pharisees and Sadduces about them the one denying their Existence and being the other whom the body of the People followed exâ—lting them above measure and inclining to the Worship of them This the Apostle declares Col. 2.18 treating of those Judaizing Teachers who then troubled the Churches he chargeth them with fruitless and curious speculations about Angels and the worshipping of them And of their Ministry in the giving of the Law they still boasted It was necessary therefore to take them off from this Confidence of that Priviledge and the superstition that ensued thereon to instruct them in the Preheminence of the Lord Christ above them all that so their thoughts might be directed unto him and their Trust placed in him alone And this Exaltation of the Messiah some of their latter Doctors assert on Dan. 7.9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I behold until the Thrones were set placed exalted as in the Original Chaldee and as all old Translations Greek Latin Syriack and Arabick render the words however Ours read untill the Thrones were cast down affirming that one of those Thrones was fâ—r the Messiah before whom all the Angels ministred in obedience Secondly It may not be amiss to remark that the Jews have alwayes had a Tradition of the glorious name of the Messiah which even since their utter Rejection they retain some obscure remembrance of The name which they principally magnifie is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Metatron Ben Vzziel in his Targum on Gen. 5. ascribâ—s this name to Enoch when he was translated he ascended into Heaven in the word of the Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and his name was called Mitatron the greâ—t Scribe But this opinion of Enoch being Metatron 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 Thisbi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Prince of Gods Presence And in the first mention of this Name which is Talmud Tract Saned cap. 4. fol. 38. they plainly intimate that they intended an uncreated Angel by this Expression And such indeed must He be unto whom may be assigned what they ascribe unto Metatron For as Reuchlin from the Cabbalists informs us they say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
The Teacher of Moses himself was Metatron He it is saith Elias that is the Angel alwayes appearing in the Presence of God of whom it is said My name is in him And the Talmudists that he hath power to blot out the sins of Israel whence they call him the Chancellour of Heaven And Bechai on Exod. 23. affirms that this name signifies both a Lord a Messenger and a Keeper A Lord because he ruleth all a Messenger because he stands alwayes before God to do his Will and a Keeper because he keepeth Israel I confess the Etymologie that he gives of this name to that purpose is weak and foolish as is also that of Elias who tells us that Metatron is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Greek Tongue one sent But yet it is evident what is intended by all these obscure Intimations the increated Prince of Glory and his Exaltation over all with the Excellency of his name is aimed at For the word it self it is either a meer corruption of the Latin word Mediator such as is usual amongst them or a Gematrical Fiction to answer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Almighty there being a coincidence in their numeral letters The Doctrine of the Preference and Preheminence of Christ is insisted on by the Apostle unto the End of this Chapter and therefore I shall not treat of it untill we have gone through all the Proof's of it produced and then but briefly neither having already in part spoken of it in our Consideration of his Soveraignty and Lordship over all That which we are peculiarly instructed in by these words is that All Preheminence and Exaltation of one above others depends on the supream Counsel and Will of God The instance he gives of him who is exalted over all sufficiently confirms our general Rule He had his Name denoting his Glory and excellency by Inheritance an heritage designed for him and given unto him in the Counsel Will and good pleasure of God He gave him that name above every name Phil. 2.9 And that of his own Will and pleasure It pleased the Father that in him all fulness should dwell That so in all things he might have the Preheminence Col. 1.16 17. He fore-ordained him unto it from Eternity 1 Pet. 1.20 and actually exalted him according to his Eternal Counsel in the fulness of time Acts 2.36 Chap. 5.31 This Prelation then of Christ above all depends on the Counsel and Pleasure of God and he is herein a Pattern of all Priviledge and Preheminence in others Grace Mercy and Glory spiritual things and eternal are those wherein really there is any difference among the Sons of men Now that any one in these things is preferred before another it depends meerly on the sole good pleasure of God No man in these things makes himself to differ from another neither hath he any thing that he hath not received God hath Mercy on whom he will have mercy And this Discrimination of all things by the Supream Will of God especially Spiritual and Eternal is the Spring Fountain and Rule of all that Glory which he will manifest and be exalted in unto Eternity Verse V. THe Apostle proceedeth to the confirmation of his Proposition concerning the Preheminence of the Lord Christ above the Angels and of his proof of it from the Excellency of the Name given unto him And this he doth by sundry Testimonies produced out of the Old Testament two whereof are conjoyned in this Verse as the Verses are divided in our Bibles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vulg. dixit aliquando said he sometimes for at any time Syr 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from at any time said God Eloah God is supplyed needlesly though better than those who would render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 impersonally was it said at any time For it is express in the Psalm from whence the words are taken 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lord said The Lord said unto me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou my Son this day have I begotten thee The Elipsis of the Verb substantive in the Original which is perpetual is supplyed by the Apostle with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou art my Son Further difficulty in the Grammatical sense of the words there is not And hâ—re we shâ—ll close this Verse or at least consider this Testimony by its self Verse 5. Vnto which of the Angels did he at any time or ever say thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee Two things are considerable in these words 1. The manner of the Apostles producing the Testimony which he intended to make use of Vnto which of the Angels said he at any time 2. The Testimony it self Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee In the former three things may be observed First That the Testimonie which in a matter of Faith he insisted on is that of the Scripture He refers the Jews unto that common Principle which was acknowledged between them Men had not as yet learned in such contests to make that cavilling return which we are now used unto How do you know those Scriptures to be the word of God Nor indeed is it suitable unto common Honesty for men to question the credit and prostitute the Authority of their own most Sacred Principles for no other end but to prejudice their Adversaries But our Apostle here confidently sends the Hebrews to the acknowledged Rule of their Faith and Worship whose Authority he knew they would not decline Isa. 8.21 Secondly That the Apostle argues negatively from the Authority and Perfection of the Scripture in things relating to Faith and the Worship of God It is no where said in the Scripture to Angels therefore they have not the Name spoken of or not in that manner wherein it is ascribed to the Messiah This Argument saith an Expositor of great name in this place seems to be weak and not unlike unto that which the Hereticks make use of in the like cases And therefore answers that the Apostle argues negatively not only from the Scripture but from Tradition also But this Answer is far more weak than the Argument is pretended to be The Apostle deals expresly in all this Chapter from the Testimony of Scripture and to that alone do his words relate and therein doth he issue the whole Controversie he had in hand knowing that the Jews had many corrupt Traditions expresly contrary to what he undertook to prove particularly that the Law of Moses was Eternally Obligatory against which he directly contends in the whole Epistle An Argument then taken negatively from the Authority of the Scripture in matters of Faith or what relates to the Worship of God is valid and effectual and here consecrated for ever to the use of the Church by the Apostle Thirdly That the Apostle either indeâ—d grants or else for Arguments sake condescends unto the Apprehension of the Hebrews that there is a distinction of degrees and preheminence amongst the Angels
in novo faedere praecipit But these things agree neither with the truth nor with the design of the Apostle in this place nor with the Principles of them by whom they are asserted It is acknowledg'd that God hath other sons besides Jesus Christ and that with respect unto him for in him we are adopted the only way whereby any one may attain unto the priviledge of Sonship but that we are sons of God with or in the same kind of sonship with Jesus Christ is 1. False because 1. Christ in his Sonship is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the only begotten Son of God and ther◠〈◊〉 is impossible that God should have any more sons in the same kind with him for if he had certainly the Lord Christ could not be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his only begotten Son 2. The only way of Filiation the only kind of Sonship that Believers share in is that of Adoption in any other kind of sonship they are not partakers Now if Christ be the Son of God in this kind he must of necessity antecedently unto his Adoption be a Member of another Family that is of the Family of Sathan and the World as we are by Nature and from thence be transplanted by Adoption into the Family of God which is Blasphemy to imagine So that neither can Believers be the sons of God with that kind of sonship which is proper to Christ he being the only begotten of the Father nor can the Lord Christ be the Son of God with the same kind of Sonship as Believers are which is only by Adoption and their translation out of one Family into another So that either to exalt Believers into the same kind of Sonship with Christ or to depress him into the same rank with them is wholly inconsistent with the Analogy of Faith and Principles of the Gospel 3. If this were so that the Lord Christ and Believers were the Sons of God by the same kind of Sonship only differing in degrees which also are imaginary for the formal Reason of the same kind of Sonship is not capable of variation by degrees what great matter is in the condescension mentioned by the Apostle chap. 2.11 that he is not ashamed to call them brethren which yet he compares with the condescension of God in being called their God chap. 11.16 2. This conceit as it is Vntrue so it is contrary to the design of the Apostle For to assert the Messiah to be the Son of God in the same way with men doth not tend at all to prove him more excellent than the Angels but rather leaves us just ground of suspecting their preference above him 3. It is contrary unto other declared Principles of the Authors of this Assertion They else-where affirm that the Lord Christ was the Son of God on many accounts as first and principally because he was conceived and born of a Virgin by the power of God now surely all Believers are not partakers with him in this kind of Sonship Again they say he is the Son of God because God raised him from the dead to confirm the Doctrine that he had taught which is not so with Believers Also they say he is the Son of God and so called upon the account of his sitting at the Right Hand of God which is no less his peculiar priviledge than the former So that this is but an unhappy attempt to lay hold of a word for an advantage which yields nothing in the issue but trouble and perplexity Nor can the Lord Christ which is affirmed in the last place be called the Son of God and the first-born because in him was that Holiness which is required in the new Covenant for both all Believers under the Old Testament had that Holiness and likeness unto God in their degrees and that Holines consists principally in Regeneration or being born again by the Word and Spirit out of a corrupted estate of death and sin which the Lord Christ was not capable of Yea the truth is the Holiness and Image of God in Christ was in the kind of it that which was required under the first Covenant an Holiness of perfect Innocency and perfect Righteousness in Obedience So that this last invention hath no better success than the former It appeareth then that the Lord Christ is not called the first-begotten or the first-born with any such respect unto others as should include him and them in the same kind of Filiation To give therefore a direct account of this Appellation of Christ we may observe that indeed the Lord Christ is never absolutely called the first-begotten or first-born with respect either to his Eternal Generation or to the Conception and Nativity of his Humane Nature In respect of the former he is called the Son and the only begotten Son of God but no where the first-born or first-begotten and in respect of the latter indeed he is called the first-begotten Son of the Virgin because she had none before him but not absolutely the first-born or first-begotten which Title is here and else-where ascribed unto him in the Scripture It is not therefore the thing it self of being the first-born but the Dignity and Priviledge that attended it which are designed in this Appellation So Col. 1.15 he is said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first-born of the creation which is no more but he that hath Power and Authority over all the creatures of God The word which the Apostle intends to express is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which oft-times is used in the sense now pleaded for namely to denote not the birth in the first place but the priviledge that belonged thereunto So Psal. 89.27 God is said to make David his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his first-born which is expounded in the next words higher than the Kings of the earth So that the Lord Christ being the first-born is but the same which we have insisted on of his being Heir of all which was the priviledge of the first-born And this priviledge was sometimes transmitted unto others that were not the first-born although the natural course of their nativity could not be changed Gen. 21.10 chap. 49. v. 3 4 8. The Lord Christ then by the appointment of the Father being entrusted with the whole Inheritance of Heaven and Earth and Authority to dispose of it that he might give out portions to all the rest of God's family is and is called the first-born thereof There remains now but one word more to be considered for the opening of this Introduction of the ensuing Testimony and that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he saith that is God himself saith they are His words which shall be produced What ever is spoken in the Scripture in his name it is his speaking and he continueth to speak it unto this day He speaks in the Scripture unto the end of the world This is the foundation of our faith that which it riseth from and that which it is râ—solved into
God speaketh and I suppose we need no interposition of Church or Tradition to give Authority or Credit unto what he says or speaks This then is the sum of these words of the Apostle Again in another place where the Holy Ghost fore-tells the bringing forth into the world and amongst men him that is the Lord and Heir of all to undertake his work and to enter into his Kingdom and Glory the Lord speaks to this purpose Let all the Angels of God worship him To manifest this testimony to be apposite unto the confirmation of the Apostles assertion three things are required 1. That it is the Son who is intended and spoken of in the place from whence the words are taken and so designed as the Person to be worshipped 2. That they are Angels that are spoken unto and commanded to worship him 3. That on these suppositions the words prove the Preheminence of Christ above the Angels For the two former with them that acknowledge the Divine Authority of this Epistle it is sufficient in general to give them satisfaction The place is applied unto Christ and this passage unto the ministring Angels by the same Spirit who first wrote that Scripture But yet there is room left for our enquiry how these things may be evidenced whereby the strength of the Apostles Reasonings with them who were not yet convinced of the infallibility of his Assertions any farther than they were confirmed by testimonies out of the Old Testament and the faith of the Antient Church of the Hebrews in this matter may be made to appear as also a check given to their boldness who upon pretence of the impropriety of these Allegations have questioned the Authority of the whole Epistle And our first enquiry must be whence this testimony is taken Many of the Antients as Epiphanius Theodoret Euthymius Procopius and Anselm conceive the words to be cited from Deut. 32.42 where they expresly occur in the Translation of the LXX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rejoyce ye Heavens with him and let all the Angels of God worship him But there are two considerations that put it beyond all pretensions that the words are not taken from this place of the LXX 1. Because indeed there are no such words in the Original Text nor any thing spoken that might give occasion to the sense expressed in them but that whole Verse is inserted in the Greek Version quite besides the scope of the place Now though it may perhaps be safely granted that the Apostles in citing the Scripture of the Old Testament did sometimes use the words of the Greek Translation then in use yea though not exact according to the Original whilst the sense and meaning of the Holy Ghost was retained in them yet to cite that from the Scripture as the word and testimony of God which indeed is not therein nor was ever spoken by God but by humane failure and corruption crept into the Greek Version is not to be imputed unto them And indeed I no way question but that this addition unto the Greek Text in that place was made after the Apostle had used this testimony For it is not unlikely but that some considering of it and not considering from whence it was taken because the words occur not absolutely and exactly in the Greek any where inserted it into that place of Moses amidst other words of an alike sound and somewhat an alike importante such as immediately precede and follow the clause inserted 2. The Holy Ghost is not treating in that place about the Introduction of the First-born into the world but quite of another matter as is evident upon the first view of the Text so that this testimony is evidently not taken from this place nor would nor could the Apostle make use of a testimony liable unto such just exceptions Later Expositors generally agree that the words are taken out of Psal. 97. v. 7. where the Original is rendred by the LXX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which with a very small variation in the words and none at all in the sense is here expressed by the Apostle And let all the Angels of God worship him The Psalm hath no Title at all in the Original which the Greek Version noteth affirming that it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but it addes one of its own namely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Psalm of David when his land was restored Hence it is referred by some to the time of his return unto Hierusale◠after he had been expelled the Kingdom by Absolom by others with more probability to the time of his bringing the Ark into the Tabernacle from the house of Obed-edom when the land was quieted before him And unquestionably in it the Kingdom of God was shadowed out under the Type of the Kingdom of David which Kingdom of God was none other but that of the Messiah It is evident that this Psalm is of the same Nature with that which goes before yea a part of it or an Appendix unto it The first words of this take up and carrie on what is affirmed in the tenth verse or close of that so that both of them are but one continued Psalm of Praise Now the Title of that Psalm and consequently this is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A new song v. 1. which Psalms as Rashi confesseth are to be referred unto the World to come that is the Time and Kingdome of the Messiah So Kimchi affirms that this Psalm and that following respect the time when the people shall be delivered from the Captivity out of all Nations that is the time of the Messiah And Rakenati affirms that the last verse of it He cometh to judge the earth can respect nothing but the coming and reign of the Messiah Thus they out of their Traditions Some of the Antients I confess charge them with corrupting this Psalm in the version of the 10 verse affirming that the words sometimes were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Lord reigned from the Tree denoting as the say the Cross. So Justin Martyr in his Dialogue with Trypho And after him the same words are remembred by Tertullian ad Judae cap. 10. ad Marci lib. 3. And Augustin Enarr in Psal. 95. And though the fraud and corruption pretended be improbable indeed impossible nor are the words mentioned by Justine acknowledged by the Targum or any Greek Translator or Hierom yet it is evident that all parties granted the Messiah and his Kingdom to be intended in the Psalm or there had been no need or colour for the one to suspect the other of corruption about it It is then evident that the Antient Church of the Jews whose Tradition is herein followed by the Modern acknowledged this Psalm to contain a description of the Kingdom of God in the Messiah and on their consent doth the Apostle proceed And the next Psalm which is of the same importance with this is entituled by the Targumist 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Prophetical Psalm namely
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