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
at least so long he continued under restraint though in his own hired Hâ—use This time was expired before the writing of this Epistle For he was not only absent from â—â—me in some other part of Italy when he wrote it Chap. 13.24 but also so far at liberty and sui juris as that he had entertained a Resolution of going into the East so soon as Timothy should come unto him Chap. 13.23 And it seems likewise to be written before the Martyrdom of James at Jerusalem in that he affirms that the Church of the Hebrews had not yet resisted unto Blood Chap. 12.4 it being very probable that together with him many others were slain Many great difficulties they had been exercised withal but as yet the Matter was not come to blood which shortly after it arrived unto That is certain also that it was not only written but communicated unto and well known by all the believing Jews before the writing of the Second Epistle of Peter who therein makes mention of it as we have declared Much light I confess to the precise time of its writing is not hence to be obtained because of the uncertainty of the time wherein Peter wrote that Epistle Only it appears from what he affirms concerning the approaching of the time of his suffering Chap. 1.13 that it was not long before his death This as is generally agreed happened in the thirteenth year of Nero when a great progress was made in that War which ended in the fatall and finall destruction of the City and Temple § 3 From these Observations it appears that the best guide we have to find out the certain time oâ— the Writing of this Epistle is Pauls being sent Prisoner unto Rome Now this was in the first year of the Government of Festus after he had been two years detained in Prison at Caesarea by Felix Acts 24.27 Chap. 25. v. 26 27. This Felix was the Brother of Pallas who ruled all things under Claudius and fell into some disgrace in the very first yeâ—â— of Nero as Tacitus informs us But yet by the countenance of Agrippina the Mother of Nero he continued in some regard untill the fifth or sixth year of his Raign when together with his Mother he destroyed many of her Friends and Favourites During this time of Pallas his declension in power it is most probable that his Brother Felix was displaced from the Rule of his Province and Festus sent in his room That it was before his utter ruine in the sixth year of Nero is evident from hence because he made means to keep his Brother from punishment when he was accused for Extortion and Oppression by the Jews Most probably then Paul was sent unto Rome about the fourth or fifth year of Nero which was the fifty ninth year from the Nativity of the Lord Jesus Christ. There he abode as we shewed at the least two years in custody where the Story of the Acts of the Apostles ends in the seventh year of Nero and sixty first of our Lord or the beginning of the year following That year it is presumed he obtained his liberty And this was about thirteen years after the determination of the Controversie about Mosaical Institutions as to their obligation on the Gentiles made by the Synâ—d at Jerusalem Acts 13. Presently upon his liberty whilest he abode in some part of Italy expecting the coming of Timothy before he entered upon the journey he had promised unto the Philippians Chap. 2. v. 24. he wrote this Epistle Here then we must stay a little to consider what was the general state and condition of the Hebrews in those dayes which might give occasion unto the writing thereof The time fixed on was about the death of Festus who dyed in the Province and the § 4 beginning of the Government of Albinus who was sent to succeed him What was the state of the people at that time Josephus declares at large in his Second Book of their Wars In brief the Governours themselves being great Oppressors and rather mighty Robbers amongst them than Rulers the whole Nation was filled with Spoil and Violence What through the fury and outrage of the Souldiers in the pursuit of their insatiable Avarice what through the Incursions of Thieves and Robbers in Troops and Companies wherewith the whole Land abounded and what through the tumults of Seditious persons daily incited and provoked by the cruelty of the Romans there was no peace or safety for any sober honest men either in the City of Jerusalem or any where else throughout the whole Province That the Church had a great share of suffering in the outrage and misery of those dayes as in such dissolutions of Government and Licence for all wickedness it commonly falls out no man can question And this is that which the Apostle mentions Chap. 10.31 32 33 34. Ye endured a great sight of aâ—flictions partly whilest ye were made a gazing-stock both by reproaches and aâ—flictions and partly whilest ye became companions of them that were so used and took joyfully the spoyling of your goods This was the lot and portion of all honest and sober minded men in those dayes as their Historian at large declares For as no doubt the Christians had a principal share in all those sufferings so some others of the Jews also were their Companions in them it being not a special persecution but a general calamity that the Apostle speaks of One Joseph the Son of Caehias was in the beginning of those dayes High-Priest put into § 5 that Office by Agrippa who not long before had put him out On the death of Festus he thrust him out again and placed Ananus his Son in his stead This man a young rash Fellow by Sect and Opinion a Sadduce who of all others were the most violent in their hatred of the Christians being especially ingaged therein by the peculiar Opinion of their Sect and Party which was the denyal of the Resurrection first began a direct Persecution of the Church Before his advancement to the Priesthood their Afflictions and Calamities were for the most part common unto them with other peaceable men Only the rude and impious multitude with other seditious persons seem to have offered especial violences unto their Assemblies and Meetings which some of the more unsteadfast and weak began to omit on that account Chap. 10.25 Judicial proceeding against them as to their lives when this Epistle was written there doth not appear to have been any for the Apostle tells them as we before observed that as yet they had not resisted unto blood Chap. 12. v. 4. But this Ananus the Sadduce presently after being placed in power by Agrippa taking advantage at the death of Festus and the time that passed before Albinus his Successor was setled in the Province convents James before himself and his Associates There to make short work he is condemned and immediately stoned And it is not unlikely but that other private Persons
suffered together with him The Story by the way of the Martyrdome of this James is at large reported by § 6 Eusebius out of Hâ—gesippus Histor. Eccles. l. 2. cap. 23. in the Relation whereof he is followed by Hierom and sundry others I shall say no more of the whole Story but that the Consideration of it is very sufficient to perswade any man to use the liberty of his own Reason and Judgement in the perusal of the Writings of the Antients For of the Circumstances therein reported about this James and his death many of them as his being of the Line of the Priests his entring at his pleasure into the Sanctum Sanctorum his being carried up and set by a great multitude of people on a pinacle of the Temple are so palpably false that no colour of probability can be given unto them and most of the rest seem altogether incredible That in general this Holy Apostle of Jesus Christ his kinsman according to the flesh was stoned by Ananus during the Anarchie between the Governments of Festus and Albinus Josephus who then lived testifies and all Ecclesiastical Historians agree § 7 The Churches at this time in Jerusalem and Judaea were very numerous The Oppressors Robbers and Seditious of all sorts being wholly intent upon the pursuit of their own ends filling the Government of the Nation with tumults and disorders the Disciples of Christ who knew that the time of their preaching the Gospel unto their Countreymen was but short and even now expiring followed their work with diligence and success being not greatly regarded in the dust of that confusion which was raised by the Nation 's rushing in to its fatal ruine § 8 All these Churches and the multitudes that belonged unto them were altogether with the Profession of the Gospel addicted zealously unto the Observation of the Law of Moses The Synod indeed at Jerusalem had determined that the yoke of the Law should not be put upon the necks of the Gentile Converts Acts 15. But eight or nine years after that when Paul came up unto Jerusalem again Chap. 21. v. 20 21 22. James informs him that the many thousands of the Jews who believed did all zealously observe the Law of Moses and moreover judged that all those who were Jews by birth ought to do so also and on that account were like enough to assemble in a disorderly multitude to enquire into the practice of Paul himself who had been ill reported of amongst them On this account they kept their Assemblies distinct from those of the Gentiles all the world over as amongst others Hierom informs as in his Notes on the first Chapter of the Galatians All those Hebrews then to whom Paul wrote this Epistle continued in the use and practice of Mosaical Worship as celebrated in the Temple and their Synagogues with all other Legal Institutions whatever Whether they did this out of an unacquaintedness with their liberty in Christ or out of a pertinacious adhâ—rence unto their own prejudicate Opinions I shall not determine § 9 From this time forward the Body of the people of the Jews saw not a day of peace or Quietness Tumults Seditions Outrages Robberies Murders increased all the Nation over And these things by various degrees made way for that fatal War which beginning about six or seven years after the Death of James ended in the utter desolation of the People City Temple and Worship foretold so long before by Daniel the Prophet and intimated by our Saviour to lye at the door This was that day of the Lord whose suddain approach the Apostle declares unto them Chap. 10.36 37. For ye have need of Patience that after ye have done the Will of God ye may receive the Promise For yet a little while and he that shall come will come and will not tarry 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A very little while less than you think of or imagine the manner whereof he declares Chap. 12.26 27 28. And by this means he effectually diverted thâ—m from a pertinacious adherence unto those things whose dissolution from God himself was so nigh at hand which Argument was also afterwards pressed by Peter 2 Epist. Chap. 3. § 10 Our blessed Saviour had long before warned his Disciples of all these things particularly of the desolation that was to come upon the whole people of the Jews with the Tumults Distresses Persecutions and Wars which should precede it directing them to the exercise of patience in the discharge of their duty untill the approach of the final Calamity out of which he advised them to free themselves by flight or a timely departure out of Jerusalem and all Judaea Matth. chap. 24. v. 15 16 17 18 19 20 21. This and no other was the Oracle mentioned by Eusebius whereby the Christians were warned to depart out of Jerusalem It was given as he sayes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to approved men amongst them For although the Prophesie its self was written by the Evangelists yet the especial meaning of it was not known and divulged amongst all The Leaders of them kept this secret for a season least an exasperation of the people being occasioned thereby they should have been obstructed in the work which they had to do before its accomplishment And this was the Way of the Apostles also as to other future events which being foretold by them might provoke either Jews or Gentiles if publickly divulged 2 Thess. 2.5 6. But now when the Work of the Church among the Jews for that season was come to its close the Elect being gathered out of them and the final Desolation of the City and People appearing to be at hand by a concurrence of all the signs foretold by our Saviour those entrusted with the sense of that Oracle warned their Brethren to provide for that flight whereunto they were directed That this flight and departure probably with the loss of all their Possessions was grievous unto them may easily be conceived But that which seems most especially to have perplexed them was their relinquishment of that Worship of God whereunto they had been so zealously addicted That this would prove grievous unto them our Saviour had before intimated Matth. 24. v. 20. Hence were they so slow in their Obedience unto that Heavenly Oracle although excited with the remembrance of what befell Lots Wife in the like Tergiversation Nay as it is likely from this Epistle many of them who had made Profession of the Gospel rather than they would now utterly forego their old Way of Worship deserted the Faith and cleaving to their unbelieving Countreymen perished in their Apostasie whom our Apostle in an especial manner forewarns of their inevitable and sore destruction by that Fire of Gods Indignation which was shortly to devour the Adversaries to whom they associated themselves Chap. 10. v. 25 26 27 28 29 30 31. This was the Time wherein this Epistle was written This the Condition of the Hebrews § 11 unto whom it was
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
as occasion did require What the People knew of it is uncertain but what they did so was quickly lost The Consistory or great Sanhedrim 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as they call it the House of Judgement of Seventy and one was more faithfull in its charge Hence Rab. Moses in the same Book Tractat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Rebells or Transgressors teacheth us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The great Consistory or House of Judgement at Jerusalem was the foundation of the Orall Law These are the Pillars of Doctrine from whom Statutes and Judgements went forth unto all all Israel And he afterwards affirms with what Truth may be easily judged 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whilest this great Consâ—story continued there was no dissention in Israel For not only the famous differences between Hillel and Shammai with their Disciples which involved all the Schools Scribes and Lawyers among them arose and were propagated whilest that Consâ—story continued but also the Atheistical Sect of the Sadduces rose unto that height and interest as to obtain the Presidentship in the Sanhedrim its self But the High Priests are those whom they fix upon as the principal Conservators of this Orall Law To this End they give us Catalogues of them from first to last that by their uninterrupted Succession we we may be secured of the incorrupt preservation of their Original Traditions Only it may here be added by the way that they bind not themselves precisely in all their Religious Observances unto this Oral Law whereunto they assign a Divine Original but ascribe an Authority unto the Sanhedrim and the High Priest to constitute things of themselves in the Worship of God besides and beyond the word For whatever they pretend of their Orall Law when they come unto particular Instances they would fain educe the Constitutions of it from some Word or Letter or manner of Interpretation of the Scripture its self But those Constitutions of the Consistory and Wisemen they ascribe unto their own Authority Some of these are recounted by Maimonides in his Preface unto Jad Chazaka as the Reading of the Book or Roll of Esther with Fasting lights on the Feast of Dedication The Fast on the seventh of Ab. or July various Mixtures and Washings of hands things plainly of that nature which our Lord Jesus condemned amongst them And it is observable how he frees them from transgressing that Precept Deut. 12.32 Thou shalt not add unto this word by this Constitution 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For saith he they say not that the holy blessed God hath commanded these things that there should be such Mixtures that the Book of Esther should be read with fasting for if they should say so they should add to the Law but thus we speak such and such a Prophet or the Consistory commanded and appointed that the Book of Esther should be read with fasting to celebrate the Glory of the Holy Blessed God in our Deliverance and so of the rest It seems then they may add what they will of their own so they entitle not the Name of God to their Inventions by which means they have set themselves at liberty to multiply superstitious Observations at their pleasure which they had actually done in the dayes of our Saviour and thereby made the Law of God of none effect In all these things are they followed and imitated by the Romanists In the same manner do they lay up the stock of their Traditions In general they make the Church the repository of them although they do not so distinctly explain the way and means whereby they were committed thereunto as the Jews do Unto the Sanhedrim Councils are succeeded in the same Office But their Nature Work Authority Assistance and Use are so variously disputed amongst them that nothing of certainty from them or by them singly considered is to be obtained It is the High Priest or Pope that is the Principal Conservator of this Sacred Treasury of Traditions Upon their Succession doth the certainty of them depend And whilest there is a Pope at Rome the knowledge of the new Orall Law will not fail as the Old one did not whilest the Jews had an High Priest though in the pursuit of it they Crucified the Messiah and continue to reject him unto this day Besides like the Jews they content not themselves with what they pretend to be of antient Tradition but assume a Power of making new Constitutions in the things of God whereby they would have us to think they do not violate the prohibitions of adding because they ascribe them not unto the Word of God but to the Authority of the present Church Thus far therefore they are fully agreed Thirdly The Jews in favour and unto the Honour of these Traditions affirm that the § 18 written Word without them is imperfect and not to be understood but as it is interpreted by them This they are constant unto and earnestly contend for Aben Ezra in his Preface to the Law discourseth at large of five several wayes of the Interpretation of it but concludes at last that the whole written Law of Moses is founded on the Orall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and this is a sign unto us that the Law of Moses is founded on the Orall Law which is the joy of our hearts so apt are they to rejoyce in a thing of nought To the same purpose are the words of another Famous Master amongst them Rabbi Bechai in Cad Hakkemach 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Orall Law is the Foundation of the written nor can the Written Law be expounded but by the Oral By this being the Foundation of the Written Law they intend that the sense of it is so enwrapped and contained therein that without the Explications thereof it cannot be understood And to this End Manasse one of their late Masters expresly disputes that in many things it is defective and in some things redundant so that it is not able to give us a full and clear direction in the things of God without their Traditional Explications and in the confirmation of his opinion he instanceth in sundry Precepts and Prohibitions that he would prove so obscure as that no Obedience can be yielded unto them in a due manner without the help of the Cabala which because for the most part his Exceptions from them are Childish Cavils and have been answered by others shall be here passed over This they are arrived unto this is the common perswasion of them all and we shall yet hear what farther Progress they have made And herein are they imitated by their Successors Their Orall Law also is made by them the foundation of the Written As those Hereticks of old who having got some Sophistical Cavils about Evil where ever they met with any one not of their mind they presently fell upon him with their Vnde maluâ—n whence had evil its Original so thinking to bring them to the acknowledgement of two
and Speech for that occasion is blasphemously to make God the sole-Author of that Temptation which he so much abhorred Lastly Considering the Punishment denounced against mankind of Death Temporall and Eternall that which is threatned unto the Serpent bears no proportion unto it if it concern only the Serpent its self And what Rule of Justice will admit that the Accessory should be punished with greater Sufferings than the Principal Neither doth this Punishment as to the Principal part of it the bruising of the Head befall all Serpents yea but few of them in comparison doubtless not one of a Million whereas all mankind none excepted were liable unto the Penalty denounced against them Were no more men intended herein than are bitten on the heel by Serpents the matter were otherwise but death is passed upon all in as much as all have sinned Satan then it was who was the Principal in this Seduction the Author of all Apostasie from God who using the Serpent its instrument involved that also so far in the Curse as to render it of all Creatures the most abhorred of mankind § 27 Against this Seducer it is denounced that his Head should be bruised The Head of Satan is his Craft and Power From these issued all that Evil whereinto mankind was fallen In the bruising therefore of his Head the defeat of his Counsel the destruction of his Work and the Deliverance of Mankind is contained as our Apostle most excellently declares Heb. 2. Death must be removed and Righteousness brought in and acceptance with God procured or the Head of Satan is not bruised This therefore is openly and plainly a promise of the Deliverance enquired after Moreover There is a Declaration made how this Victory shall be obtained and this Deliverance wrought and that is by the Seed of the Woman This seed is twice repeated in the words once expresly and her seed and Secondly it is included in the Pronoun 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it And as by seed in the first place the Posterity of the Woman some to be born of her race partakers of humane nature may be intended as the subjects of the Enmity mentioned so in the latter some single person some one of her Posterity or seed that should obtain the Victory is expresly denoted For as all her seed in common do never go about this work the greatest part of them continuing in a willing Subjection unto Satan so if all of them should combine to attempt it they would never be able to accomplish it as we have before proved at large Some one therefore to come of Her with whom God would be present in an especiall and extraordinary manner is here expresly promised And this is the Messiah God having in infinite Wisdom and Grace provided this way of Relief and given § 28 this intimation of it That Revelation became the Foundation and Center of all the Religion that ensued in the world For as those who received it by Faith and adhered unto it continued in the Worship of the true God expressing their Faith in the Sacrifices that he had appointed typically to represent and exemplifie before their eyes the work its self which by the promised seed was to be accomplished so also all that false Worship which the generality of mankind apostatized into was laid in a general perswasion that there was a way for the Recovery of the favour of God but what that was they knew not and therefore wandered in wofull uncertainties Some suppose that our great Mother Eve in those words Genes 4. ver 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 expressed an Apprehension that she had bore him who was Man-God the Man the Lord the Promised Seed And they do not only contend for this meaning of the words but also reproach them who are otherwise minded as may be seen in the Writings of Hunnius and Helvicus against Calvin Junius Paraeus and Piscator That she together with Adam believed the Promise had the consolation and served God in the Faith of it I no way doubt But that she had an Apprehension that the Promised Seed should be so soon exhibited and knew that he should be the Lord or Jehovah and yet knew not that he was to be born of a Virgin and not after the ordinary way of mankind I see no cogent Reason to evince Nor do the words mentioned necessarily prove any such apprehension in her The whole weight of that supposition lyes on the Construction of the words from the interposition of the Particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—enoting as they say after Verbs active alwayes an Accusative Case But instances may be given to the contrary whence our Translation reads the words I have gotten a man from the Lord without the least intimation of any other sense in the Original And Drusius is bold to affirm that it is want of solid skill in the Sacred Tongue that was the cause of that conception Besides if she had such thoughts she was manifoldly mistaken and to what end that mistake of hers should be here expressed I know not And yet notwithstanding all this I will not deny but that the expression is unusuall and extraordinary if the sense of our Translation be intended and not that by some contended for I have gotten or obtained the Man the Lord. And this it is possible caused Jonathan Ben Vzziel to give us that gloss on the words in his Targum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And Adam knew his Wife Eve who desired the Angel and she conceived and bare Cain and said I have obtained the man or a man the Angel of the Lord. That is him who was promised afterwards under the name of the Angel of the Lord or the Angel of the Covenant which the Jews may do well to consider But we have farther Expositions of this first Promise and farther Confirmations of § 29 this Grace in the Scripture its self For in Process of time it was renewed unto Abraham and the Accomplishment of it confined unto his Family For his gratuitous Call from Superstition and Idolatry with the Separation of him and his Posterity from all the Families of the Earth was subservient only unto the fulfilling of the Promise before treated of The first mention of it we have Gen. 12. v. 1 2 3. Now the Lord had said unto Abraham Get thee out of thy Countrey and from thy Kindred and from thy Fathers House unto a Land that I will shew thee And I will make of thee a great Nation and I will bless thee and make thy Name great and thou shalt be a blessing And I will bless them that bless thee and curse him that curseth thee and in thee shall all the Families of the Earth be blessed And this is again expressed Chap. 18. v. 18. All the Nations of the Earth shall be blessed in him And Chap. 22.18 And in thy seed shall all the Nations of the Earth be blessed And when he doubted of the accomplishment of this
informs us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was a great Wise Man and one of the Wise Men of the Mishnae as his sayings in it manifest so that all the Wise men of that Generation followed him and took this Barcosba for their King and Mâ—ssiah And He first applyed unto him the Prophesie of Balaam Num. 24. v. 17. concerning the Star that should arise out of Jacob whereon they changed his name and called him Barchocheba or the Son of the Star or as some say that was his name at first whence the blind Rabbin took occasion to apply that Prediction unto him Concerning him also they interpreted the Prophesie of the Shilo and that also in Hâ—ggai about the shaking of the Heavens and the earth as they acknowledge in the Talmud in the place fore-cited This man therefore a Magician and a bloody Murderer by the common advise and Counsel of their Doctors and Wise men they gathered unto in multitudes and embraced as their Deliverer So soon as he had got strength and power he set himself to the work which they expected from their Messiah namely to conquer the Romans and to extirpate the Christians which last as Justin Martyr who lived near those dayes informs us he endeavoured with all Cruelty In the pursuit of this design he continued for three years and an half obstinately managing a bloody War against the Romans until the Impostor himself was slain their great Rabbi taken and tortured to death with iron Cards and such a devastation made of the whole Nation as that to this day they could never gather together in great numbers in any place of the world Maimonides tells us of this Barcosba whom they all received for their Messiah 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the Wise men required of him neither Sign nor Wonder that is no miracle but others of them report that he caused Fire to come out of his mouth with other diabolical delusions fit to deceive a poor blinded credulous multitude And the Opinion of Maimonides that they look for no Miracles from the Messiah seems to be vented on purpose to obviate the plea of the Christians from the Miracles wrought by the Lord Jesus and is contrary unto the constant perswasion of most of their Masters and his own judgement declared in other places And the Targum its self in Hâ—b 3. v. 18. hath these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because of the Miraculous Signs and Redemption that thou shalt work for or by thy Messiah So they call the Miracles wrought at their coming out of Aegypt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 see Hos. 2.15 Targum And on this ground do they studiously and wickedly endeavour to stain by any means the Glory of the Miracles of the Lord Jesus But the end of this Impostor who probably was intended in those words of our Saviour John 5.43 if another come in his own name him will ye receive hath proved the shame and reproach of their hopes and expectations unto all Generations From this time forward the remaining Jews with their Posterity utterly rejected § 7 the faith of their Father Abraham and of the rest of their Progenitors who thereby obtained a good report and this Testimony that they pleased God A Messiah that should be promised unto Adam the common Father of us all one that should be a Spiritual Redeemer from sin and misery a Goel or Redeemer from Death and Wrath a Peace-maker between God and man one that should work out everlasting Salvation the great blessing wherein all the Nations of the Earth were to have an interest a spiritual and eternal Prophet Priest and King God and man in one Person they neither looked for any more nor desired A temporal King and Deliverer promised unto themselves alone to give them Ease Dominion Wealth and Power they would now have or none at all They would not think it thank-worthy towards God himself to send them a Messiah to deliver them from sin And in their expectations of such a one after they had been well wearied with many frustrations they were as was said in their adherence unto Barcosbi almost extirpated from the face of the earth only God in his Providence who hath yet another work to accomplish towards them hath preserved them a Remnant unto his Glory In this condition some of them began to deny that there was any Messiah to be expected § 8 or looked for This opinion is ascribed in the Talmud unto Rabbi Hillel lib. Sand. Câ—p. Chelek This was not that Hilâ—el whom they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Elder the famous Master of Traditions who with Shammai lived under the second Temple but another of whom some say that he was the Son of Gamaliel others more probably that he lived a long time after those dayes But when ever he lived they say of him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rabbi Hillel said A Messiah shall not be given unto Israel for they enjoyed him in the dayes of Hezekiah This was a fruit of their applying that Prophesie of Isaiah Chap. 9. v. 5 6. unto Hezekiah for if he was intended therein he was unquestionably the only Messiah But it doth not appear that this opinion was much followed for a great dispute arose amongst them whither Hillel were not to be esteemed an Apostate and to have lost his interest in the world to come by this Opinion Those who following Maimonides make the Article of the coming of the Messiah one of the Fundamentals of the Law are greatly offended at him but he is more gently treated by Joseph Albo Sepher Ikkarim Orat. 1. on the account that this Article is not fundamental but only one branch of the great Root of Reward and Punishments Abarbinel goes another way to excuse him but generally they all condemn his Opinion In this Perswasion then that a Messiah is promised and shall come they all continue But whereas as was before observed they have utterly rejected the Faith and Light of the Church of old they have in their Talmuds and Ages ensuing their Composition coyned so many foolish imaginations concerning Him his Person Work Office Kingdom Life Continuance and Succession as are endless to recount But yet that the Reader may in them consider the wofull condition of men rejected of God cast out of his Covenant and bereaved of his Spirit and withall of how little use the Letter of the Old Testament is unto the vain minds of men wholly destitute of Divine Illumination and Grace and also learn what is that present Perswasion of the Jews which they prefer before the faith of their Fore-fathers and what they conceive of that Messiah for whose sake they reject him in whom alone there is Salvation I shall give an account of the most important heads of their Opinions and conjectures about him as also of the principal occasions of their being hardened in their impenitency and unbelief Our Apostle tells us 1 Tim. 3. v. 16. That without Controversie
great is the Mysterie of § 9 Godliness God was manifest in the flesh justified in the Spirit seen of Angels Preached unto the Gentiles believed on in the World received up into Glory All things which concern the Messiah his Person Office and Work are exceedingly Mysterious as containing the principal effect of the Eternal Wisdom and Goodness of God and the sacred depths of the counsel of his Will Hence the things spoken of him in the Old Testament are unto carnal Reason full of seeming inconsistencies As for instance it is promised of him that he should be the seed of the Woman Gen. 3. v. 15. of the seed of Abraham Gen. 22. v. 18. and of the Posterity of David And yet that his name should be the Mighty God the Everlasting Father the Prince of Peace Isa. 9. v. 6. and of him it is said Thy Throne O God is for ever and ever Psal. 45. v. 6. that he is the Lord our Righteousness Jer. 23. v. 6. that he is the Lord of Hosts Zech. 2. v. 8. Moreover it is declared that he shall sit upon his Throne for ever and reign whilest his enemies are made his footstool Isa. 9. v. 7. Psalm 2.7 8. Psalm 45.6 7. and yet that he shall be cut off Dan. 9. v. 26. that he shall be pierced in his hands and feet Psalm 22. v. 16. slain by the sword of God Zech. 13. v. 7. and that in his death he shall have his grave made among the wicked and with the rich Isa. 53. v. 9. Alâ—o That he shall come with great Glory and the clouds of Heaven Dan. 7. v. 13 14. and that he shall come lowly riding on an Ass and a Colt the Foal of an Ass Zech. 9. v. 9. That the soul of the Lord was well pleased with him and alwayes delighted in him Isa. 42. v. 1. and yet that it pleased him to bruise him and put him to grief Isa. 53. v. 10. to forsake him Psalm 22. v. 1. That he was to be a King and a Priest upon his Throne Zech. 6. v. 13. and yet these things were inconsistent the Kingdom being annexed unto the family of David and the Priesthood to the Posterity of Aaron by Divine Constitution That he should be honoured and worshipped of all Nations Psal. 45. v. 11 12. Psal. 72. v. 10 11 15. and yet that he should be rejected and despised as one altogether undesirable Isa. 53. v. 3. That he should stand and feed or Rule in the Name and Majesty of God Micah 5. v. 4. and yet complains I am a worm and no man a reproach of Men and despised of the People Psal. 22. v. 6. All which with sundry others of the like nature concerning his Office and Work are clearly reconciled in the New Testament and their concurrence in the Person of our Lord Jesus Christ openly and fully declared § 10 At the time of his coming the Jews were generally as ignorant of these things as Nicâ—demus was of Regeneration they knew not how they might be And therefore when ever our Saviour intimated unto them his Divine Nature they were filled with rage and madness John 8. v. 58 59. They woâ—ld stone him because being a man he declared himself to be God John 10. v. 30 31 33. and yet when he proved it to them that the Messiah was to be so inasmuch as that being Davids Son yet David in Spirit calâ—ed him Lord they were confounded not being able to answâ—r him a word Matth. 22. v. 42 43 44 45 46. when he told them that the Son of Man the Messiah must be lifted up that is in his death on the Cross they objâ—cted unto him out of the Law that Christ abideth for ever John 12. v. 34. and they knew not how to reconcile these things Hence some of his own Disciples thought he could not be the Mâ—ssiah when they saw that he dyed Luke 24. v. 20 21. and the bâ—st of them seemed to have expected an outward temporal Kingdom But of all these difficulties as was said and seeming inconsistencies there is a blessed Reconciliation revealed in the Gâ—spel and an Application made of them to the Person of the Lord Jâ—sus the Office he bare and the Work that he accomplished This the Jews refusing by unbelief they have invented many fond and lewd imaginations to free themselves from these difficulties and entanglements Some things they deny to be spoken concerning the Mâ—ssiah some things they wrest and pervert to their own apprehensions and somewhat they allow and look for that is truly promised § 11 First For his Person and the things spoken concerning it they apply thereunto the Principal Engine which they have invented for their relief For whereas the Scripture hath declared unto us such a Messiah as should have the natures of Gâ—d and man in one Person which Person should in the nature of man suffer and dye and reign for spiritual ends and purposes thâ—y have rejected the Divine Nature of this Person and split that which remaineth into two Persons to the one wherâ—of they assign one part of his work as to sorrow suffer and dye to the other another part namely to Conquer Rule and Reign according unto their carnal Apprâ—hensions of these things They have I say feigned two Messiah's between whom they have distributed the whole work of him that is promised according unto their understanding of it And one of these is to come as they say before the other to prepare his way for him This first they call Messiah Ben Joseph because he is to be of the Tribe of Ephraim the other Messiah Ben David of whom afterwards Both of them are mentioned together in the Targum on Cant. 4.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thy two Deliverers which shall deliver thee Messiah the Son of David and Messiah the Son of Ephraim are like to Moses and Aaron The same words are repeated again Chap. 7. v. 3. And in those places alone in the whole series of Targums is there any mention of this fictitious Messiah the Author of that Paraphrase on the Canticles being Josephus Caecus who lived after the finishing of the Talmuds whereof he maketh mention In other parts of the Targum he appeareth not But in the Talmud he is frâ—quently brought on the Stage So Tractat. de Fâ—â—to Tâ—bernaâ—ul Distinct. Hachalil Chamesha It is a Tradition of our Masters that the Holy Blessed God shall say unto Messiah the Son of David who shall redeem us let him do it suddainly in our dayes ask somewhat of me and I will give it thee as Psal. 2. And when he shall hear that Messiah the Son of Joseph is ssain he shall say before the Lord Lord of the world I only ask life of thee for it seems that he shall be much terrified with the death of Ben Joseph Unto this Messiah they assign all things that are dolorous and include suffering in them which they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that are in the Scripture assigned to
the twenty seventh of Cyrus or first § 6 of the whole Monarchy and the first of the sixty second Olympiad continued two hundred and two years as is generally acknowledged by all antient Historians ending on and including in it the second year of the one hundred and twelfth Olympiad which was the last of Darius Codomanus For Cyrus reigned after this three years Cambyses and Smerdes Magus eight Darius Histaspes thirty four Xerxes with the moneths ensuing of Artabanus twenty one Artaxerxes Longimanus forty one Darius Nothus nineteen Artaxerxes Mnemon forty three Ochus twenty three Arses three Darius Codomanus seven in all two hundred and two years After his death Alexander beginning his Reign in the third year of the 112th Olympiad reigned six years from him there is a double account by the two most famous branches of the Graecian Empire The first is by the Syrian or Aera of the Seleucidae which takes its date from the tenth year after the death of Alexander when after some bloody contests Seleucus setled his Kingdom in Syria and reigned thirty years After him reigned Antiochus Soter twenty one years Antiochus Theos fifteen Seleucus Callinicus twenty Seleucus Ceraunus two Antiochus Magnus thirty seven Seleucus Philopater twelve Antiochus Epiphanes twelve Eupator two Dementrius Soter ten In the second year of this Demetrius which was the 153d of the account of the Seleucidae was Judas Macchabaeus slain being the one hundred sixty ninth year after the death of Darius Codomanus or end of the Persian Empire allowing six years to the reign of Alexander and ten more to the beginning of the Kingdom of the Seleucidae Demetrius Soter in the tenth year of his reign was expelled out of his Kingdom by Alexander Vales in the second year of whose reign ten years after the death of Judas Jonathan his Brother took upon him the supream Government of the people of the Jews and began the Rule or Reign of the Hasmonaeans So that the time of the Graecian Empire in Syria from the death of Darius Codomanus unto the liberty of the Jews and erection of a supream Government amongst them was one hundred seventy nine years which being added unto two hundred and two years of the Persian Empire makes up three hundred eighty one years To the same issue comes also the account by the other branch of the Graecian Empire § 7 in Aegypt For Alexander reigned as we said after the death of Darius six years Ptolomaeus Lagi thirty nine Philadelphus thirty eight Euergetes twenty four Philopater nineteen Epiphanes twenty three Philometor thirty in which thirtieth year began the rule of the Hasmonaeans The Rule of the Hasmonaeans with the reign of Herod the great who obtained the § 8 Kingdom by means of their divisions continued untill the Birth of Christ one hundred forty years For Jonathan began his Rule in the second year of the one hundred fifty seventh Olympiad as may be seen by adding the Seleucian Aera to the one hundred and fourteenth Olympiad wherein Alexander dyed and our Lord Christ was born in the second year of the one hundred ninety fourth Olympiad in the last year or the last save one of Herod the great This summ of one hundred forty eight years being added to the fore-mentioned from the beginning of the Empire of Cyrus which is three hundred eighty one years makes up in all five hundred twenty nine years From the Birth of our Lord Christ in the second year of the one hundred ninety fourth Olympiad to the destruction of the City and Temple in the third year of the two hundred and eleventh Olympiad are seventy years which makes up the whole summ before mentioned of five hundred ninety nine years from the first of the Empire of Cyrus unto the destruction of Jerusalem Petavius and our Mountacue reckon from the first of Cyrus unto the eighteenth of Tiberius wherein our Lord Christ suffered five hundred ninety four years which differs very little from the account we have insisted on For take from them twenty seven years of the reign of Cyrus before the first of his Empire and add unto them thirty seven for the continuance of the City and Temple after the death of Christ and the summ remaining will exceed our account only four years or five at the most But the computation we have fixed on being every way consistent with it self and the stated Aeras of the Nations and abridging the time to the shortest size that will endure the tryall we shall abide by it Now the number of five hundred ninety nine years exceeds the time limited in this Prophecy of four hundred and ninety the whole space of one hundred and nine years § 9 Hence it evidently appears that the seventy Weeks of Gabriel or the four hundred and ninety years are not commensurate to the whole space of time between the first Decree of Cyrus in the first year of his general Empire and the final desolation of City and Temple by Titus One hundred and nine years must be taken from it either at the beginning or at the ending or partly at the one partly at the other § 10 We shall first consider the End of them which being clear in the Prophecy will regulate fix and state the beginning Two things in general are insisted on in this Prophecy 1. The coming of Messiah the Prince his annointing unto the work which he had to do and his cutting off as we before declared 2. The Ceasing of the daily Sacrifice with the destruction of the City and Temple by War and a flood of desolations Now these things happened not at the same time for the City and Sanctuary were destroyed thirty seven years after the cutting off or death of the Messiah We are to enquire therefore which of these it was that the time mentioned was determined for and was to expire withall Now it is the coming annointing and cutting off of the Messiah that is the thing chiefly intended in this Prophecy This we have proved undeniably before manifesting that the Vision was granted unto Daniel and given out by him for the consolation of himself and the Church as was the way of the Holy Ghost in all his dealings with the Fathers of old Hereunto the desolation and destruction of the City and Temple was only a consequent a thing that should follow and ensue on what was principally foretold and promised And it is doubtless unreasonable to extend the duration of the time beyond the principal subject matter treated of and on the account whereof alone the computation is granted unto that which is only occasionally mentioned as the consequent of the accomplishment of the Prophecy it self Besides the computation it self is pointed directly by the Angel unto the Messiah and his cutting off Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people Know therefore that from the going forth of the Commandment unto Messiah the Prince shall be c. And after sixty two weeks shall Messiah be cut off But there
fifty or sixty years after after the death of Eliashib Joiada and Jonathan his Great Grand-Father Grand-Father and Father So that no evidence can be taken from hence for the continuance of his life unto the end of the Persian Monarchy Aâ—â— for that Sanballat mentioned by Josephus in the time of Alexander it is not improbable but that he might name him as the head of the Samaritans there being no name of any other after him left upon record 2. There is no reason to think that the Nehemiah mentioned Ezra 2. v. 2. who came up with Zerubbabel was that Nehemiah who was afterwards Governour of Judah and whose actions we have written probably the most part by himself no more then there is to think that the Seraiah there mentioned was the Seraiah that was slain at the taking of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar The Daniel mentioned Ezra 8.2 was not Daniel the Prophet nor Baruch Nehem. 10.6 that Baruch who was the Scribe of Jeremiah nor that Jeremiah mentioned Neh. 12. v. 11. Jeremiah the Prophet Besides Ezra is said to come up with Zerubbabel Nehem. 12.1 which either must not be that Ezra the great Scribe or he must be said to come up with Zerubbabel because he followed him on the same errand and account It cannot be denyed but that there were sundry men at the same time of the same name as the same person had sundry names much more might several men have the same name in successive generations Thus after Joshua was High Priest there was another Joshua chief of the Levites Neh. 12.7 8. And that about this time there were two Zerubbabels one of the house of Nathan the other of the posterity of Solomon we shall make it appear in the consideration of the Genealogies of Matthew and Luke 3. That this was not the Nehemiah that went up with Zerubbabel the sacred story it self gives us sufficient evidence For 1. He was ignorant of the state and condition of Jerusalem when he lived in the Court of Persia Chap. 1. had he been there before and seen their condition and but newly returned unto Shushan he could not have been so surprized as he was ver 4. upon the account then given him thereof 2. Chap. 7. v. 5 6. He speaks of it as a great matter that he should find a Roll or Register of them that came first up to Jerusalem with Zerubbabel in the dayes of Cyrus amongst whom that Nehemiah was one Now if this had been himself what reason had he to mention it as a great discovery which he could not but by his own knowledge be full well acquainted withall Unto what time soever then the period of his life was extended there is no colour to surmise that he was amongst them who returned from captivity in the dayes of Cyrus The account therefore before laid down being established it is certain enough that § 16 the Decree mentioned by Gabriel from the going forth whereof the seventy weeks are to be dated was not that of the first of Cyrus for the return of the Captivity and building of the Temple For from thence the period would ensue long before the just time allotted unto it yea before the beginning of the reign of Herod the great where Eusebius would have them to expire We must therefore enquire for some other Word Decree or Commandment from whence to date the four hundred and ninety years enquired after § 17 The second Decree of the Kings of Persia in reference unto the Jews was that of Darius made in his second year when the work of the building of the Temple was carried on through the Prophecy of Haggai and Zechariah This is the Decree or Commandment mentioned in Ezra 6. granted by Darius upon appeal made unto him from his neighbouring Governours and it was a meer revival of the Decree of Cyrus the Roll whereof was found in Achmetha in the Province of the Medes v. 2. And this is that which Haggai and Zechariah relate unto dating their Prophecies from the second year of Darius Hag. 1.2 10. Zech. 1.1 Upon the Roll of the Kings of Persia we find three called by the name of Darius or Darianes as the Jews term him 1. Darius Hystaspes who succeeded Camhyses by the election of the Princes of Persia upon the killing of Smordes Magus the Usurper 2. Darius Nothus who succeeded Artaxerxes Longimanus 3. Darius Codomanus in whom the Persian Empire had its period by Alexander the great That the last of these can be no way concerned in the Decree is notorious The two others are disputed Most learned men grant that it was Darius Hystaspes which was the Author of this Decree and indeed that it was so at least that it can be ascribed unto no other Darius we shall afterwards undeniably prove And it is not unlikely that he was enclined unto this favour and moderation towards the Jews by his general design to relieve men from under the oppressions that were upon them during the reign of Cambyses and to renue the Acts of Cyrus their first Emperour who was renowned amongst them to ingratiate himself unto Mankind and confirm himself in that Kingdom whereunto he came not by succession And it is not improbable but that this was he who was the Hâ—sband of Hester though if so it was not untill after this Decree made in the second year of his reign the putting away of Vashti happening in his third Hest. 1.3 Now Cyrus reigned after his first Decree three years Cambyses with Sâ—erdes eight whom succeeded this Darius who issued out this Decree in the second year of his reign that is at most thirteen years after the death of Cyrus or if with some we should grant Cyrus to have reigned twenty years over the whole Empire it was but nineteen or twenty years at the most Now the whole summ of years from the first of Cyrus to the cutting off the Messiah we have manifested to have been five hundred sixty two deduct thirteen years from five hundred sixty two and there yet remains five hundred forty nine years which exceeds the number of years enquired after fifty nine years neither doth the addition of seven years to the reign of Cyrus make any alteration in this general account For on that supposition his first year must be taken seven years backwards and the space of time from thence unto the end of the weeks will be five hundred sixty nine years and the remnant from Darius as we declared before five hundred forty nine years So that neither can this be the Commandment intended there being from the going forth of it unto the cutting off of the Messiah not four hundred and ninety years but as is declared five hundred forty nine Besides indeed this Decree of Darius was no new command nor had any respect unto the restauration of Jerusalem but was a meer renovation or a new acknowledgement of the Decree of Cyrus about the re-edifying of the Temple and so doubtless was not designed
their troubles upon their rejection of him and disobedience unto his voice are cut off destroyed exterminated from the place of their solemn Worship and utterly rejected from being the pâ—ople of God Whatever may be conceived to be contained in the commination against those who disobey the voice of that Prophet promised is all of it to the full and in its whole extent come upon the Jews upon and for their disobedience unto the Doctrine of Jesus of Nazareth which added unto the foregoing considerations undeniably prove him to have been that Prophet There is yet another Character given of the Messiah in the Old Testament namely § 41 in what he was to suffer in the world in the discharge of his work and office This being that wherein the main foundation of the whole was to consist and that which God knew would be most contrary to the appreâ—ension and expectation of that carnal people is of all other notes of him most clearly and fully asserted The nature and effects of these sufferings of the Messiah and how they were to be satisfactory to the Justice of God without which apprehension of them little or nothing of the promise or of Mosaical Institutions can rightly be understood because we must treat of them in our explication of the Epistle it self shall not here be insisted on It is sufficient unto our present intention that we prove that the Messiah was to suffer and that as many other miseries so death it self and this his suffering is foretold as a Character to know and discern him by that Jesus of Nazareth by so many other demonstrations and evident tokens proved to be the Messiah did also suffer the utmost that could be inflicted on a man and in particular the things and evils which the Messiah was to undergo we shall not need to prove the Jews confess it and even glory that their forefathers were the instrumental cause of his sufferings Neither doth it at present concern us to declare what he suffered from God himself what from man what from Satan in his life and death in his soul and body and all his concernments it being abundantly sufficient unto our present purpose that he suffered all manner of miseries and lastly death it self and that not for himself but for the sins of others The first evident Testimony given hereunto is in Psal. 22. from the beginning to § 42 the 22. vers that sufferings and those very great and unexpressible are treated of in this Psâ—lm the Jews themselves confess and the matter is too evident to be denied That dereliction of God tortures and pains in body and soul revilings mockings with cruel death are sufferings is certain and they are all here fore-told Again it is evident that some individual person is designed as the subject of those sufferings Most of the Jews would interpret this Psalm of the body of the people to whom not one line in it can be properly applyed for besides that the person intended is spoken of singularly throughout the whole Prophecy he is also plainly distinguished from all the people of what sort soever from the evil amongst them who reviled and persecuted him v. 7 8. and from the residue whom he calls his Brethren and the Congregation of Israel v. 22. It cannot then be the Congregation of Israel that is spoken of for how can the Congregation of Israel be said to declare the praises of God before the Congregation of Israel which is the summ of Kimchi's Exposition Some of them from the title of the Psalm 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the hind of the morning would have it to be a Prophecy of Hester who appeared as beautiful as the morning in the deliverance of Israel But as the Title is of another importance respecting the nature of the Psalm not the person treated of in it so they are not able to apply one verse or word in it unto her Others of them plead that it is David himself who is intended and this is not without some shadow of Truth for David might in some things propose his own afflictions and sufferings as Types of the sufferings of the Messiah But there are many things in this Psalm that cannot be applied unto him absolutely When did any open their lips and shake their heads at him using the words mentioned v. 7 8 When was he or his blood poured forth like water and all his bones dis-joynted v. 14 When were his hands and feet pierced v. 16 When did any part his garments and cast lots on his vesture v. 18 When was he brought to the dust of death before his last and final dissolution v. 15 And yet all these things were to be accomplished in the person of him who is principally treated of in this Psalm This whole Psalm then is a Prophecy of the Messiah and absolutely of no other as § 43 may further be evidenced from sundry passages in the Psalm it self For first it treats of one in whom the welfare of the whole Church was concerned they are therefore all of them invited to praise the Lord on his account and for the event and success of his sufferings which they had the benefit of v. 22 23 Secondly it is he by whom the meek shall be satisfied and obtain life eternal v. 26. Thirdly upon his sufferings as the event and success of them the Gentiles are to be gathered in unto God v. 27. All the ends of the World shall remember and turn unto the Lord and all the kindreds of the Nations shall worship before thee And this by the confession of the Jews is the proper work of the Messiah to be effected in his dayes and by him alone Fourthly The preaching of the Truth and Righteousness and Faithfulness of God in his Promise unto all Nations that is of the Gospel ensues on the sufferings described v. 31. which they also acknowledge to belong unto his dayes So that it is the Messiah and he alone who is absolutely and ultimately intended in this Psalm § 44 Now the whole of what is here prophesied on was so exactly fulfilled in Jesus of Nazareth in all the instances of it that it appears to be spoken directly of him and no other The manner of his sufferings is scarcely more cleared expressed in the Story of it by the Evangelists then it is here foretold by David in Prophecy and therefore many passages out of this Psalm are expressed by them in their Records He it was who pressed with a sense of Gods dereliction cryed out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me He it was that was accounted a worm and no man and reviled and reproached accordingly at him did men wagg their heads and reproach him with his trust in God his bones were drawn out of joint by the manner of his sufferings his hands and feet were pierced and upon his Vestures lots were cast upon his sufferings were the truth and Promises of God declared and preached unto all
see c. Considering therefore what is elsewhere written of all the Regions about bringing in their sick weak and impotent and of the cures of Persons by the touching of his garment it is evident that his Personal Miracles amounted unto thousands which might well give occasion to the Hyperbole used by John in recounting of them Hence some among the Jews were convinced that he was the Messiah not only by the greatness but also by the number of his works John 7.31 Many of the People believed on him and said when Christ cometh will he do more Miracles then these which this man doeth And what are the seventy six Miracles of Moses unto those as to number which in the first place the Jews glory in And if we may add those which were wrought by his power by them that preached the Gospel on his Commission as they are all of the same efficacy unto the end proposed or confirmation of his being the Messiah they amount not unto thousands only but probably unto millions For of this sort were all the miraculous gifts of the Holy Ghost that were granted unto the Church all the world over So that as to the number of Miracles he was sufficiently by them attested unto to be the Messiah the great Law-giver of the people of the New Covenant Again The Jews much insist on this that all other Prophets wrought Miracles by § 64 the Intervention of Prayer Moses alone without it at his own pleasure The Rod they say was committed unto him as a Kingly Scepter to denote that Authority whereunto the whole nature of things gave place It is true indeed it is not recorded that Moses prayed in words before every Miracle that was wrought by him or in reference unto his Ministry but yet this is plain in story that he wrought no mighty work but either upon his prayer or some express command and direction from God in particular which everts the Judaical pretence of an abiding power remaining with him enabling him to work Miracles when and how he would But this which they falsly ascribe unto Moses was eminently true in the Lord Jesus Those thousands of miraculous works which he wrought were the arbitrary effects of a word of command without any especial direction for every new work arguing the constant presence of an infinite power with him exerted according to his will Come forth of him come out of the grave I will be thou clean be ye opened and the like expressions he used as signs and pledges thereof Thus was it not with Moses as the story manifests yea he himself greatly doubted of the greatest effect of the Divine power put forth by him when he smote the Rock to bring forth water The nature of the Miracles also wrought by the one and the other may be compared § 65 and we shall see from thence on which side the pre-eminence will be found For those wrought by Moses or by God himself whilest he employed him in the service of giving the Law and the delivery of the people they were for the most part portentous Prodigies suited to fill men with wonder astonishment and fear Such were all the signs of the presence of God on Mount Sinai The effects also of most of them were evil and destructive proceeding from wrath and indignation against sin and sinners such were all the mighty works wrought in Aegypt such those of the swallowing up of Dathan and Abiram in the Wilderness Those that tended unto the good and relief of mankind as the bringing of water from the rock were typical and occasional And those kinds of works were suited unto that Ministry of Death and Condemnation which was committed unto him But on the other side the mighty works of the Lord Jesus were evidently effects of Goodness as well as of Power and consisted in things useful and helpful unto mankind Healing the sick opening the eyes of the blind and ears of the deaf giving strength to the lame casting out of Devils feeding hungry multitudes raising the dead are things amiable and useful And though terrible Prodigies may more affect and astonish carnal minds such as the Jews were filled with yet these works of Grace and Goodness do more allure those who attend unto the dictates of right Reason Evidences they were of a gracious Ministry tending unto salvation and peace in every kind such as that of the Messiah was promised and foretold to be As Miracles then were the tokens of their several Ministries and bespake the nature of them those of the Lord Christ were exceedingly more excellent then those of Moses § 66 Furthermore as Moses had not a power of working miracles constantly resident with him which he might exert according unto his own will so he was very far from being able to communicate any such power unto others God indeed took of the Spirit that was on him and gave it unto the Elders that were to be joyned with him in the Government of the people Numb 11.25 but yet neither was there a power of working miracles going along with that Spirit but only ability for Rule and Government nor yet was that communication of it any act of Moses at all But now our Lord Jesus as he had the Divine Power mentioned alwayes with him so he could give Authority and Power unto whom he pleased to effect all such miraculous works as were any way necessary for the confirmation of their Doctrine Of this nature was the Commission which he gave the Twelve when he sent them forth Matth. 10.8 Heal the sick cleanse the Lepers raise the dead cast out Devils As also that unto the LXX Luke 10.17 19. yea he promised them which also came to pass that by his power and presence with them they should do greater things then those which they had seen him to do John 14.12 Mark 16.17 And this difference is so eminent that nothing can be objected against it This more evidently confirmed him to be the Master then all the mighty works which he wrought in his own Person on the earth § 67 Again all the miracles of Moses ended with his life The Jews indeed some of them tell us a company of foolish stories about his death which as their manner is they would fix on those words Deut. 34.5 and Moses dyed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the mouth or word of the Lord as namely how he contended with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Angel of Death and drove him away with his rod so that he could not dye until God laid his mouth unto his and so took out his soul from him But these figments are shamefull and such as become none but themselves However these things extended only unto his death therewith ended his Ministry and Miracles But now the greatest Miracle of our Lord Jesus was wrought by him after the violent and cruel death which he underwent for our sakes For he took his life again and raised himself from the dead John
in his Annotations on Bertram it was doubtless only made use of in the last and greatest exclusion which is supposed to be the Shammatha The form of the Curse is as ensues § 23 By the Sentâ—nce of the Lord of Lords let such a one the Son of such a one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be in anathema or be accursed in each house of Judgement that above and that below that is by God and his Church in the curse of the holy Ones on high In the curse of the Seraphims and Ophannim the Wheels or Cherubims in Ezekiel's Vision In the curse of the whole Church from the greatest to the least Let there be upon him strokes greaâ— and abiding Diseases great and horrible Let his house be an habitation of Dragons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Serpents Let his Star or Planet be dark in the Clouds Let him be exposed to Indignation anger and wrath And let his dead Body be cast to Wild Beasts and Serpents Let his Enemies and Adversaries rejoyce over him And let his Silver and Gold be given to others And let all his Children be cast at the doors of his Adversaries And let Posterity be astonished at his day Let him be accursed out of the mouth of Addiriron and Athariel from the mouth of Sandalphon and Hadraniel from the mouth of Ansisiel and Pathiel from the mouth of Seraphiel and Sagansael from the mouth of Michael and Gabriel from the mouth of Raphiel and Mesharethiel Let him be accursed from the mouth of Zazabib and from the mouth of Havabib who is the great God and from the mouth of the seventy names of the great King and from the mouth of Tzorlak the great Chancelor these names partly significant and partly insignificant coined to strike a terror into the minds of weak and distempered Persons they invent and apply at their pleasure to Angels good and bad not unlike the monstrous names which the Gnosticks gave to the Aeons who borrowed many things from the Tradition of the Jews and returned them again unto them with an improvement but they proceed Let him be swallowed up as Corah and his Company and let his soul depart with fear and terror Let the rebuke of the Lord slay him and let him be strangled like Achitophel Let his leprosie be as the leprosie of Gehazi neither let there be any restoration of his ruine Let not his burial be in the burials of Israel Let his Wife be given to strangers and let others humble her in his death Vnder this curse let such a one the Son of such a one be with his whole Inheritance But unto me and all Israel let God extend his peace and blessing Amen Now Because it is certain that this is a form of the greatest and last Anathema of a § 24 final and total Excommunication and yet he who is devoted is every where said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Muchram and under the Cherem it is almost evident that these three degrees are not distinguished as is commonly supposed namely that the Shammatha should exceed the Cherem and that only the Niddui the highest and extremest sentence in this solemn form being so often called the Cherem Shammatha therefore is only a general Name for the Expulsion of a Person sometimes with the Niddui and sometimes with the Cherem which yet I do not suppose was alwayes thus horrid and fierce To add unto the terror of this Sentence they used to accompany the pronouncing § 25 of it with the sound of Trumpets and Horns as the Targum sayes Barak did in his cursing of Mezoz Judges 5.23 He shammatized him with four hundred Trumpets And herein have they been imitated by the Church of Rome in their shaking of Candles and ringing of Bells on the like occasion I have not reported these things as though for matter and manner they wholly belonged unto the penalties of the Law that were of Divine Institution Many things in the manner of their performance as they are now expressed by the Rabbins were certainly of their own arbitrary invention When their use amongst them first began is unknown though it be not improbable that sundry things of this nature were practised by them before the destruction of the Second Temple when they had mixed many of their own Superstitions with the Worship of God as is evident from the Gospel But this also is certain that God in sundry cases had appointed that some Transgressors § 26 should be separated from the Congregation devoted to destruction and be cut off An instance of the Execution of which Institution we have Ezra 10.7 8. They made a Proclamation throughouâ— Judah and Jerusalem unto all the Children of the Captivity that they should gather themselves together unto Jerusalem and thâ—t whosoever would not come within three dayes according to the counsel of the Princes and the Elders all his substance should be divided and himself separated from the Congregation of those that had been carried away A double penalty is here threatned upon disobedient Persons the one concerned the Person of such a one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He shall be separated from the Congregation of the Captivity that is of Israel then returned out of Captivity and this was the Niddui or expulsion from Sacred communion which we before described He should be esteemed as an Heathen Secondly As to his substance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All his substance his goods and possessions should be anathematized devoted put under Cherem taken away for Sacred Uses Hence some have made this distinction between the three degrees of excommunication First The Niddui concerned only the Person and his separation from Sacred Offices Cherem had also Confiscation of Goods attending of it the substance of the Transgressor being devoted and Shammatha was accompanied with the death of the devoted Person Which carnal penalties under the Gospel being removed that great and sore revenge which disobedient sinners are to expect from the hand of God at the last day is substituted by our Apostle in the room of them all Heb. 10.28 29. Civil Punishments next succeed and they were of three sorts First Corporeal § 27 Secondly Such as respect the Outward Estate and Condition of the Offendor Thirdly Capital First Corporeal punishment was that only of Stripes not exceeding the number of forty Deut. 25.23 An account of the Jews Opinions and the manner of their execution of this punishment is given us by many in particular exactly by Buxtorf in his Preface unto his Bibliotheca Rabbinica whither I refer the Reader They call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or beating by strokes and sometimes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the beating of forty or with forty And he that was liable unto it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 filius plagarum Many Crimes doubtless rendered Persons obnoxious to this penalty but they are not directly expressed in the Law The Jews now reckon up seven instances of unlawful copulation with Women free and unmarried for
of the Law So that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is as much as having made attonement for our sins And this the Apostle further declareth by manifesting the Way whereby he did it that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by himself that is by the Sacrifice and Offering of himself as Chap. 9.14 Ephes. 5.2 The High Priest of old made Attonement and typically purged the sins of the People by sacrificing of Beasts according unto the Appointment of the Law Levit. 16. This High Priest by the Sacrifice of himself Isa. 53.10 Heb. 9.12 Of the nature of Propitiatory or Expiatory Sacrifices we must treat at large afterwards We keep our selves now unto the Apostles general Proposition expressing briefly the Sacerdotal Office of Christ and the Excellency of it in that he really purged our sins and that by the Sacrifice of himself And this was in and by his death on the Cross with his antecedent preparatory sufferings Some distinguish between his Death and the Oblation of himself This they say he performed in Heaven when as the High Priest of his Church he entered into the Holiest not made with hands whereunto his death was but a preparation For the slaying of the Beast they say was not the Sacrifice but the offering of its blood upon the Altar and the carrying of it into the Holy Place But this utterly overthrows the whole Sacrifice of Christ which indeed is the thing by them aimed at It is true the slaying of the Beast was not the whole Sacrifice but only an essential part of it as was also the offering of its blood and the sprinkling of it in the Holy Place in the anniversary Sacrifice of Attonement but not in any other And the Reason why the whole Sacrifice could not consist in any one Action arose meerly from the imperfection of the things and persons employed in that work The Priest was one thing the Beast to be sacrificed another the Altar another the Fire on the Altar another the Incense added another each of them limited and designed unto its peculiar end so that the attonement could not be made by any one of them nor the Sacrifice consist in them But now in this sacrifice of Christ all these meet in one because of his Perfection He himself was both Priest Sacrifice Altar and Incense as we shall see in our progress and he perfected his whole sacrifice at once in and by his death and blood-shedding as the Apostle evidently declares Chap. 9.12.14 Thus by himself did Christ purge our sins making an Attonement for them by the sacrifice of himself in his death that they should never be imputed unto them that believe And this part of this Verse will afford us also this distinct Observation So great was the work of freeing us from sin that it could no otherwise be effected but by the self-sacrifice of the Son of God Our Apostle makes it his design in several places to evince that none of those things from whence mankind usually did or might with any hopes or probabilities expect relief in this case would yield them any at all The best that the Gentiles could attain all that they had to trust unto was but the Improvement of natural Light and Reason with an attendance unto those seeds and Principles of Good and Evil which are yet left in the depraved nature of man Under the Conduct and in Obedience unto these they sought for Rest Glory and Immortality how miserably they were disappointed in their aims and expectations and what a wofull issue all their endeavours had the Apostle declares and proves at large Rom. 1.18 unto the end The Jews who enjoyed the benefit of Divine Revelation having lost for the most part the true spiritual import of them sought for the same ends by the Law and their own diligent Observation of it They rested in the Law Rom. 2.17 namely that by it they should obtain Deliverance from sin and Acceptance with God and followed after it Chap. 9.31 that is to attain Righteousness and Salvation by it And this seemed to be a sufficient bottom and foundation for them to build upon for having lost the spiritual Understanding the use and End of the Law as renewed unto them in the Covenant of Horeb they went back unto th◠primitive Use and End of it upon its first giving in Innocency and foolishly thought as many more yet do that it would do the same things for sinners that it would have done for men if they had not sinned in Adam that is have given them Acceptance with God here and Eternal Life hereafter Wherefore the Apostle in many places takes great pains to undeceive them to rectifie their mistake and to prove that God had no such design in giving them the Law as that which they would impose upon him And First He asserts and proves in general that the Law would deceive their Expectation and that by the deeds of the Law no flesh should be justified Rom. 3.20 and that it would not give them life Gal. 3.21 or Righteousness And that they might not complain that then God himself had deceived them in giving a Law that would not serve the turn for which it was given he declares Secondly That they had mistaken the End for which the Law was renewed unto them which was not that it might give them Life or Righteousness but that it might discover sin exact obedience and by both drive and compell them to look out after some other thing that might both save them from their sin and afford them a Righteousness unto Salvation And furthermore he Thirdly Acquaints them whence it was that the Law was become unsufficient for these ends and that was because it was become weak through the flesh Rom. 8.3 The Law was able to continue our Acceptance with God in that condition wherein at first we were created but after that man by sin became flesh to have a Principle of Enmity against God in him bringing forth the fruits of sin continually the Law stood aside as weakened and insufficient to help and save such an one And these things the Apostle expresly and carefully insists upon in his Epistles to the Romans and Galatians But Thirdly Though the Law and an earnest endeavour after the Observation of it in general would not serve to save us from our sins yet there were especial Institutions of the Law that were appointed for that End and Purpose as namely the Sacrifices in particular which were designed to make Attonement for the delivery of sinners and to procure their Reconciliation with God These the Jews principally rested on and trusted unto and indeed to expect Righteousness and Justification by the Mosaical Sacrifices as they did was far more rational than to expect it by the Works of the Moral Law as some now do for all Good works what ever are required in the Law and so far are works of the Law For in the Sacrifices there was a supposition of sin and an
appearance of a compensation to be made that the sinner might go free but in the Moral Law there is nothing but absolute universal and exact Righteousness required or admitted without the least provision of relief for them who come short therein But yet our Apostle declarâ—s and proves that neither were these available for the End aimed at as we shall see at large on the ninth and tenth Chapters of this Epistle Now within the compass of these three Natural Light or Reason with ingrafted principles of Good and Evil the Moral Law and the Sacrifices thereof do lye and consist all the hopes and endeavours of sinners after Deliverance and Acceptance with God Nothing is there that they can do or put any confidence in but may be referred unto one of these heads And if all this fail them as assuredly they will which we might prove by Reasons and Demonstrations in numerable though at present we content our selves with the Testimonies above reported it is certain that there is nothing under Heaven can yield them in this case the least relief Again This is the only way for that End which is suited unto the Wisdom of God The Wisdom of God is an infinite abysse which as it lyes in his own Eternal breast we cannot at all look into We can only adore it as it breaks forth and discovers it self in the Works that outwardly are of him or the Effects of it Thus David in the consideration of the Works of God falls into an admiration of the Wisdom whereby they were made Psal. 104.24 and Psal. 136.5 The Wisdom of God opens and manifests its self in its Effects and thence according unto our measure do we learn what doth become it and is suitable unto it But when the Holy Ghost cometh to speak of this Work of our Redemption by Christ he doth not only call us to consider singly the Wisdom of God but his Various and manifold Wisdom Ephes. 3.10 and affirms that all the Treasures of Wisdom are hid in it Col. 2.3 plainly intimating that it is a work so suited unto so answering the Infinite Wisdom of God in all things throughout that it could no otherwise have been disposed and effected And this as well upon the account of the Wisdom of God its self absolutely considered as also as it is that Property whereby God designs and effects the glorifying of all other Excellencies of his Nature whence it is called various or manifold so that we may well conclude that no other way of Deliverance of sinners was suited unto the Wisdom of God Secondly This was alone answered the Holiness and Righteousness of God He is an holy God who will not suffer the guilty to go free of purer eyes than to behold iniquity and his Judgement is that they who commit sin are worthy of death Sin is contrary to his Nature and his Justice requireth that it go not unpunished Besides he is the great and supream Governour of all and whereas sin breaketh and dissolveth the dependance of the creature upon him should he not avenge that defection his whole Rule and Government would be disannulled But now if this Vengeance and Punishment should fall on the sinners themselves they must perish under it eternally not one of them could escape or ever be freed or purged from their sins A commutation then there must be that the Punishment due to sin which the Holiness and Righteousness of God exacteth may be inflicted and Mercy and Grace shewed unto the sinner That none was able fit or worthy to undergo this penalty so as to make a compensation for all the sins of all the Elect that none was able to bear it and break through it so as that the End of the undertaking might be happy blessed and glorious on all hands but only the Son of God we shall farther manifest in our progress and it hath been elsewhere declared And this First should teach us to live in an Holy Admiration of this mighty and wonderful product of the Wisdom Righteousness Grace and Goodness of God which had found out and appointed this Way of delivering sinners and have gloriously accomplished it in the self-sacrifice of the Son of God The Holy Ghost every where proposeth this unto us as a Mysterie a great and hidden Mysterie which none of the Great or Wise or Disputers of the World ever did or could come to the least acquaintance withall And three things he asserts concerning it First That it is revealed in the Gospel and is thence alone to be learned and attained whence we are invited again and again to search and enquire diligently into it unto this very End that we may become wise in the Knowledge and Acknowledgement of this deep and hidden Mysterie Secondly That we cannot in our own strength and by our own most diligent Endeavours come to an holy Acquaintance with it notwithstanding that Revelation that is made of it in the letter of the Word unless moreover we receive from God the Spirit of Wisdom Knowledge and Revelation opening our eyes makeing our minds spiritual and enabling us to discover these depths of the Holy Ghost in a spiritual manner Thirdly That we cannot by these helps attain in this life unto a perfection in the knowledge of this deep and unfathomable Mysterie but must still labour to grow in Grace and in the Knowledge of it Our thriving in all Grace and Obedience depending thereon All these things the Scripture abounds in the Repetition of And besides it every where sets forth the blessedness and Happiness of them who by Grace obtain a spiritual insight into this Mysterie and themselves also find by experience the satisfying Excellency of it with the Apostle Phil. 3.8 all which Considerations are powerful motives unto this Duty of enquiring into and admiring this wonderful Mysterie wherein we have the Angels themselves for our Associates and Companions 2. Consider we may also the unspeakable Love of Christ in this work of his delivering us from sin This the Scripture also abundantly goeth before us in setting forth extolling commending this Love of Christ and calling us to an holy consideration of it Particularly it shews it accompanied with all things that may make Love expressive and to be admired For First It proposeth the Necessity and Exigency of the Condition wherein the Lord Christ gave us this relief that was when we were sinners when we were lost when we were Children of Wrath under the Curse when no eye did pitty us when no hand could relieve us And if John mourned greatly when he thought that there was none found worthy in Heaven or Earth to open his Book of Visions and to unloose the seals thereof how justly might the whole Creation mourn and lament if there had been none found to yield Relief when all were obnoxious to this fatal ruine And this is an exceeding commendation of the love of Christ that he set his hand to that work which none could touch and put
the Covenant between him and the people that the Transgression of it so as to disannul the terms and conditions of it had by Divine Constitution the punishment of death temporal or Excision appointed unto it And this in the next words he proceeds to improve unto his purpose by the way of an Argument à minori ad majus How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation c. There is an Antithesis expressed in one branch as we observed before between the Law and the Gospel namely that the Law was the Word spoken by Angels the Gospel being revealed by the Lord himself But there are also other differences intimated between them though expressed only on the part of the Gospel as that it is in its nature or Effects Great Salvation that is not absolutely only but comparatively unto the benefit exhibited to their fore Fathers by the Law as given on Mount Horeb. The confirmation also of the Gospel by the Testimony of God is tacitely opposed unto the confirmation of the Law by the like Witness and from all these considerations doth the Apostle enforce his Argument proving the Punishment that shall befall Gospel neglecters In the words as was in part before observed there occurrs 1. The Subject matter spoken of so great salvation 2 A further Description of it 1. From its principal Author it began to be spoken by the Lord. 2. From the manner of its propagation it was confirmed unto us by them that heard it 3. From its Confirmation by the Testimony of God Which 4. Is exemplified by a distribution into 1. Signs 2. Wonders 3. Mighty Works and 4. Various Gifts of the Holy Ghost whereof there is 3. A neglect supposed if we neglect and 4. Punishment there intimated wherein 1. The Punishment its self and 2. The manner of its expression how shall we escape are to be considered all which are to be severally explained 1. The subject matter treated of is expressed in those words so great Salvation And it is the Gospel which is intended in that Expression as is evident from the preceding Verse For that which is there called the word which we have heard is here called great salvation As also from the following words where it is said to be declared by the Lord and farther propagated by them that heard him And the Gospel is called Salvation by a Metonymy of the Effect for the Cause For it is the Grace of God bringing salvation Titus 2.11 The Word that is able to save us The Doctrine the Discovery the instrumentally efficient Cause of Salvation Rom. 1.16 1 Cor. 1.20 21. And this Salvation the Apostle calls Great upon many accounts which we shall afterwards unfold And calling it so great salvation he refers them unto the Doctrine of it wherein they had been instructed 〈◊〉 whereby the Excellency of the Salvation which it brings is declared Now though the Apostle might 〈…〉 pressed the Gospel by the word which was declared unto us by the Lord as 〈…〉 the Law by the word spoken by Angels yet to strengthen his Argument 〈◊〉 Moâ—â—â— unto Obedience which he insists upon he chose to give a brief Description of iâ— from its principal Effect it is great Salvation The Law by reason of sin proved the Ministry of Death and Condemnation 2 Cor. 3.9 yet being fully published only by Angels Obedience was indispensibly required unto it And shall not the Gospel the Ministry of life and great salvation be attended unto 2. He farther describes the Gospel from its principal Author or Revealer it began to be spoken by the Lord. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The words may have a twofold sense for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may denote either principium temporis the beginning of time or principium operis the beginning of the work In the first way it asserts that the Lord himself was the first Preacher of the Gospel before he sent or employed his Apostles and Disciples in the same work In the latter that he only began the work leaving the perfecting and finishing of it unto those who were chosen and enabled by him unto that end And this latter sense is also true for he finished not the whole Declaration of the Gospel in his own person teaching vivâ voce but committed the work unto his Apostles Matth. 10.27 But their teaching from him being expressed in the next words I take the words in the first sense referring unto what he had delivered Chap. 1.1 Of Gods speaking in these last dayes in the Person of the Son Now the Gospel hath had a threefold beginning of its Declaration First In Prediction by Promises and Types and so it began to be declared from the foundation of the world Luke 1.70 71. Secondly In an immediate Preparation and so it began to be declared in and by the Ministry of John the Baptist Mark 1.1 2. Thirdly In its open clear actual full Revelation so this work was begun by the Lord himself and carried on to perfection by those who were appointed and enabled by him thereunto Joh. 1.17 18. Thus was it by him declared in his own person as the Law was by Angels And herein lyes the stress of the Apostles Reasonings with reference unto what he had before discoursed concerning the Son and Angels and his Preheminence above them The great Reason why the Hebrews so pertinaciously adhered unto the Doctrine of the Law was the glorious Publication of it It was the word spoken by Angels they received it by the disposition of Angels If saith the Apostle that were a sufficient cause why the Law should be attended unto and that the neglect of it should be so sorely revenged as it was though in it self but the Ministry of death and condemnation Then consider what is your Duty in reference unto the Gospel which as it was in its self a Word of life and great salvation so it was spoken declared and delivered by the Lord himself whom we have manifested to be so exceedingly exalted above all Angels whatever 3. He farther describes the Gospel from the way and means of its conveyance unto us It was confirmed unto us by them that heard him And herein also he prevents an Objection that might arise in the minds of the Hebrews inasmuch as they at least the greatest part of them were not acquainted with the Personal Ministry of the Lord they heard not the word spoken by him For hereunto the Apostle replyes that though they themselves heard him not yet the same word which he preached was not only declared but confirmed unto them by those that heard him And herein he doth not intend all of them who at any time heard him teaching but those whom in an especial manner he made choice of to employ them in that work namely the Apostles So that this expression those that heard him is a Periphrasis of the Apostles from that great priviledge of hearing immediately all things that our Lord taught in his own
or Creation and Providence the Sun Moon and Stars showres from Heaven with fruitful seasons are in their judgement Preachers of the salvation of sinners I know not what also they say that the Reason of man by the Contemplation of these things may find out of I know not what Placability in God that may incite sinners to go unto him and enable them to find Acceptance with him But we see what success all the world and all the Wise men of it had in the use and improvement of these means of the salvation of sinners The Apostle tells us not only that by their Wisdom they knew not God 1 Cor. 1.21 but also that the more they searched the greater loss they were at untill they waxed vain in their imaginations and their foolish hearts were darkned Rom. 1.21 And indeed whatever they had amongst them which had any semblance of an obscure Apprehension of some way of salvation by Atonement and Intercession as in their Sacrifices and Mediations of inferiour Deities which the Apostle alludes unto 1 Cor. 8.5 6 as they had it by Tradition from those who were somewhat instructed in the Will of God by Revelation so they turned it into horrible Idolatries and the utmost contempt of God And this was the issue of their disquisitions who were no less wise in the principles of inbred Reason and the knowledge of the works of nature than those who now contend for their Ability to have done better Besides the salvation of sinners is a Mysterie as the Scripture every where declareth a blessed a glorious Mysterie Rom. 16.25 The Wisdom of God in a Mysterie 1 Cor. 2.7 Ephes. 1.9 Col. 1.25 26. That is not only a thing secret and marvellous but such as hath no dependance on any Causes that come naturally within our Cognizance Now what ever men can find out by the Principles of Reason and the contemplation of the works of God in Creation and Providence it is by natural scientifical conclusions and what is so discovered can be no heavenly spiritual glorious Mysterie such as this salvation is What ever men may so find out if they may find out any thing looking this way it is but natural science it is not a Mysterie and so is of no use in this matter what ever it be Moreover it is not only said to be a Mysterie but an hidden Mysterie and that hid in God himself as Ephes. 3.9 10. Col. 1.25 26. 1 Cor. 2.7 8. That is in the Wisdom Purpose and Will of God Now it is very strange that men should be able by the the natural means fore-mentioned to discover an heavenly supernatural Wisdom and that hidden on purpose from their finding by any such enquiry and that in God himself so coming unto the knowledge of it as it were whether he would or no. But we may pass over these Imaginations and accept of the Gospel as the only way and means of declaring the salvation of God And therefore every Word and Promise in the whole Book of God that intimateth or revealeth any thing belonging unto this Salvation is it self a part of the Gospel and so to be esteemed And as this is the work of the Gospel so is it in an especial manner its proper and peculiar work with respect unto the Law The Law speaks nothing of the salvation of sinners and is therefore called the Ministry of death and condemnation as the Gospel is of life and salvation 2 Cor. 3.9 10. And thus the Gospel is salvation declaratively Secondly It is Salvation Efficiently in that it is the great Instrument which God is pleased to use in and for the Collation and bestowing salvation upon his Elect. Hence the Apostle calls it the Power of God unto salvation Rom. 1.16 Because God in and by it exerts his mighty Power in the saving of them that believe as it is again called 1 Cor. 1.18 Whence there is a saving Power ascribed unto the Word it self And therefore Paul commits believers unto the Word of grace as that which is able to build them up and give them an inheritance among all them that are sanctified Acts 20.32 And James calls it the ingrafted Word which is able to save our souls Chap. 1.21 The mighty Power of Christ being put forth in it and accompanying of it for that purpose But this will the better appear if we consider the several principal parts of this Salvation and the Efficiency of the Word as the Instrument of God in the communication of it unto us As First In the Regeneration and Sanctification of the Elect the first external Act of this Salvation This is wrought by the Word 1 Pet. 1.23 We are born again not of corruptible seed but of incorruptible by the Word of God Wherein not only the thing it self of our Regeneration by the Word but the manner of it also is declared It is by the Collation of a new spiritual life upon us whereof the Word is the seed As every life proceeds from some seed that hath in its self virtually the whole life to be educed from it by natural wayes and means so the Word in the hearts of men is turned into a vital principle that cherished by suitable means puts forth vital acts and operations By this means are we born of God and quickned who by nature are children of wrath dead in trespasses and sins So Paul tells the Corinthians that he had begotten them in Jesus Christ by the Gospel 1 Cor. 4.15 I confess it doth not do this work by any Power resident in its self and alwayes necessarily accompanying its Administration For then all would be so regenerated unto whom it is preached and there would be no neglecters of it But it is the Instrument of God for this end and mighty and powerful through God it is for the accomplishment of it And this gives us our first real Interest in the Salvation which it doth declare Of the same Use and Efficacy is it in the progress of this work in our Sanctification by which we are carried on towards the full Enjoyment of this salvation So our Saviour prayes for his Disciples Joh. 17.19 Sanctifie them by thy Word as the means and instrument of their Sanctification And he tells his Apostles that they were clean through the word that he had spoken unto them Chap. 15.3 For it is the food and nourishment whereby the spiritual Principle of Life which we revive in our Regeneration is cherished and encreased 1 Pet. 2.2 and so able to build us up untill it give us an inheritance among them that are sanctified Secondly It is so in the Communication of the Spirit unto them that do believe to furnish them with the Gifts and Graces of the Kingdom of Heaven and to interest them in all those Priviledges of this salvation which God is pleased in this life to impart unto us and to entrust us withal So the Apostle dealing with the Galatians about their backsliding from the
dangers that attended him in the course of his obedience are inexpressible And surely this renders salvation by him very great But yet there is that remains which gives it another Exaltation For 3. This Son of God after the course of his obedience to the whole will of God must die shed his bloud and make his soul an offering for sin And herein the glory of this salvation breaks forth like the Sun in its strength Obedient he must be unto death the death of the cross Phil. 2.8 If he will be a Captain of salvation to bring many sons to glory he must himself be made perfect by sufferings Heb. 2.10 There were Law and Curse and Wrath standing in the way of our salvation all of them to be removed all of them to be undergone and that by the Son of God For we were not redeemed with silver and gold or corruptible things but with the precious bloud of Christ 1 Pet. 1.18 And therein God redeemed his Church with his own bloud Acts 20.28 And herein assuredly was the love of God manifest that he laid down his life for us 1 Joh. 3.16 This belongs unto the means whereby our salvation is procured Nor yet is this all for if Christ had only died for us our faith in him had been in vain and we had been still in our sins Wherefore 4. To carry on the same work he rose from the dead and now lives for ever to make intercession for us and so save unto the uttermost them that come unto God by him By these means was the salvation preached in the Gospel obtained which surely manifest it to be great salvation Would God have sent his Son his only Son and that in such a manner were it not for the accomplishment of a work as well great and glorious init self as indispensibly necessary with reference untoits end Would the Son himself have so emptied himself of his glory condescended to so low a condition wrestled withsuch difficulties and undergone at length such a cursed and shameful death had not the work been great wherein he was employed O the blindness hardness and stupidityof the sons of men they profess they believe these things to be true at least they dare not deny them so to be but forthe effect of them for the salvation wrought by them they value it the least of all things that they have any acquaintance withall If this salvation thus procured do seize on them in their sleep and fall upon them whether they will or no they will not much resist it provided that it cross them in none of their lusts purposes or pleasures But to see the Excellency of it to put a valuation upon it according to the price whereby it is purchased that they are utterly regardless of Hear ye despisers wonder and perish Shall the Son of God shed his blood in vain Shall he obey and suffer and bleed and pray and die for a thing of nought Is it nothing unto you that heshould undergo all these things Was there want of Wisdom in God or love unto his Son so toemploy him so to use him in a business which you esteem of sovery small concernment as that you will scarce turn aside tomake enquiry after it Assure your selves these things are not so as you will one day find unto your eternal ruine Thirdly This salvation will appear to be great if we shall consider what by it we are delivered from and what we are interested in or made partakers of by vertue thereof These also may denominate salvation to be great and they may therefore be considered apart First What are we delivered from by this salvation In a word Every thing that is evil in this world or that which is to come And all evil may be referred unto two heads 1. That which corrupteth and depraveth the principles of our nature in their being and operation And 2. That which is destructive of our nature as to its well-being and happiness The first of these is sin the latter is punishment and both of them take up the whole nature of evil The particulars comprised in them may not here be distinctly and severally insisted on The former containeth our Apostasie from God with all the consequences of it in darkness folly filth shame bondage restlesness service of lust the world and Sathan and therein constant rebellion against God and diligence in working out our own everlasting ruine all attended with a senseless stupidity in not discerning these things to be evil hurtful noisome corruptive of our natures and beings and for the most part with bruitish sensuality in the approbation and liking of them But he who understands no evil in being fallen off from God the first Cause chiefest Good and last End of all in being under the power of a constant Enmity against him in the disorder of his whole soul and all the faculties of it in the constant service of sin the fruit of bondage and captivity in the most vile condition will be awakened unto another apprehension of these things when a time of deliverance from them shall be no more The latter of these consists in the wrath or curse of God and comprizeth what ever is or may be poenal and afflictive unto our Nature unto Eternity Now from both these with all their effects and consequences are Believers delivered by this salvation namely from sin and wrath The Lord Christ was called Jesus because he saves his people from their sins Matth. 1.21 And he isalso the Saviour who delivers them from the wrath to come 1 Thess. 1.10 And this is great salvation If a man be but the means of delivering another from poverty imprisonment or a dangerous disease especially if such a one could be no otherwise delivered but by him how great is the kindness of it esteemed tobe and that deservedly Providential deliverances from imminent dangers of death temporal are looked on as great salvations and that by good men and so they ought to be 2 Cor. 1.10 But what are all these unto this salvation What is the sickness of the body unto the disease yea the death of the soul What is imprisonment of the out-ward man under the wrath of poor worms like our selves and that for a fewdays unto the chains of everlasting darkness What is alittle outward want and poverty to the want of the favour love and presence of God unto Eternity What is death temporal past in a moment an end of troubles anentrance into Rest unto death eternal an eternaldying under the curse wrath and righteous vengeance of the holyGod These things have no proportion one to another So unexpressibly great is this salvation that there is nothing left us to illustrate it withall And this excellency of Gospel salvation will at length be known to them by whom at present it is despised when they shall fall and perish under the want of it and that to Eternity Lastly This salvation is Great upon the
likeness of it was brought forth upon their souls and by the renewing of their minds transformed quite into another image in their souls Chap. 12.2 This the Apostle most excellently expresseth 2 Cor. 3.18 A constant believing contemplation of the Glory of God in this salvation by Christ will change the mind into the image and likeness of it and that by various degrees untill we attain unto perfection when we shall know as we are known Accustoming of our minds unto these things will make them heavenly and our affectious which will be conformed unto them holy This is the way to have Christ dwell plentifully in us and for our selves to grow up into him who is our head And is it nothing to get our minds purged from an evil habit enclining unto earthly things or continually forging foolish and hurtful Imaginations in our hearts This Meditation will cast the soul into another mould and frame makeing the heart a good treasure out of which may be drawn at all times Good things new and old 2. Consolation and supportment under all Afflictions will from hence spring up in the soul. When the Apostle would describe that property of faith whereby it enables a Believer to do and suffer great things joyfully and comfortably he doth it by its work and effect in this matter it is saith he the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen Chap. 11.1 that is it brings into the soul and makes evident unto it the great things of this salvation the great things of the Love and Grace of God therein and thus it doth no otherwise than by a constant contemplation and holy admiration of them and when this is once done he multiplyes instances to evince what great Effects it will produce especially in its enabling of us to go through difficulties tryals and afflictions And the same also he ascribeth unto Hope which is nothing but the souls waiting and expectation to be made partaker of the fulness of this salvation whose greatness and satisfactory Excellency it doth admire Rom. 5.2 3 4 5. When any Affliction or Tribulation presseth upon a believer hâ— can readily divert his thoughts from it unto the rich grace of God in this salvation which will fill his heart with such a sense of his love as shall carry him above all the assaults of his trouble And a direction to this purpose the Apostle pursues at large Rom. 8.16 17 18 24 25 34 35 36 37 38. This is a safe harbour for the soul to betake it self unto in every storm as he teacheth us again 2 Cor. 4.16 17 18. Whatever befalls us in our outward man though it should press so sore upon us as to ruine us in this world yet we faint not we despond not and the reason is because these things which we suffer bear no proportion unto what we enjoy or expect and the way whereby this consideration is made effectual unto us is by a constant Contemplation by faith on the great unseen things of this salvation which takes off our minds and spirits from a Valuation of the things which we presently suffer and endure And this experience assures us to be our only relief in afflictions which undoubtedly it is our wisdom to be provided for 3. The same may be said concerning Persecution one especial part of Affliction and commonly that which most entangles the minds of them that suffer Now no man can endure Persecution quietly patiently constantly according to the Will of God especially when the Devil pursues his old design of bringing it home unto their persons Job 2.5 unless he hath in readiness a greater Good which shall in its self and in his own mind out-ballance the evil which he suffers And this the Grace of this Salvation will do The soul that is exercised in the contemplation and Admiration of it will despise and triumph over all his outward sufferings which befall him on the account of his interest therein as all Persecution doth This the Apostle declares at large Rom. 8.31 32 33 34. He directs us to an holy Meditation on Gods electing Love the Death and Mediation of Christ the two springs of this Meditation And thence leads us v. 35 36. to a supposition of the great and sore persecutions that may befall us in this world and from the former consideration triumphs over it all v. 37. with a joy and exaltation beyond that of Conquerors in a battle which yet is the greatest that the nature of man is capable of in and about temporal things When the soul is prepossessed with the Glory of this Grace and his interest therein it will assuredly bear him up against all the threatnings reproaches and persecutions of this World even as it did the Apostles of old making them esteem that to be their Honour and Glory which the World looked on as their shame Acts 5.41 and without this the heart will be very ready to sink and faint 4. This also will greatly tend unto the confirmation of our faith by giving us a full Experience of the things that we do believe Then the Heart is immovable when it is established by Experience when we find a substance a reality a spiritual nourishment in things proposed unto us Now how can this be obtained unless we are conversant in our minds about them unless we dwell in our thoughts and affections upon them For thereby do we taste and find how good the Lord is in this work of his Grace Thus this duty being on many accounts of so great importance we may do well to consider wherein it consisteth and there are these four things belonging unto it First Intense Prayer for a Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation to give us an Acquaintance with the Mysterie and Grace of this great salvation In our selves we have no inbred knowledge of it nor can we by our own endeavours attain unto it We must have a new understanding given us or we shall not know him that is true 1 Job 5.20 For notwithstanding the Declaration that is made of this Mysterie in the Gospel we see that the most men live in Darkness and Ignorance of it It is only the Spirit of God which can search these deep things of God and reveal them unto us 1 Cor. 2.10 By him must he who commanded light to shine out of darkness shine into our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of this glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 4.6 And therefore the Apostle prayes for the Ephesians that God would give unto them the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation in the knowledge of him that the eyes of their understandings being opened they may know what is the hope of his calling and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the Saints and what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us ward who believe Chap. 1.17 18 19. And for the Colossians that they might come unto all riches of the
brought to glory There is a double act of Gods Predestination the first is his designation of some unto grace to be sons Ephes. 1.5 the other his appointment of those sons unto glory both to be wrought and accomplished by Christ the Captain of their salvation The latter and the execution of it namely the bringing of those who by grace are made sons unto glory is that which the Apostle here expresseth He dealeth not with the Hebrews in this Epistle about the conversion of the Elect the traduction of them into a state of grace and sonship but of the government of them being made sons and their guidance unto glory And therefore the sufferings of Christ which absolutely and in themselves are the cause of our sonship and reconciliation with God are mentioned here only as the means whereby Christ entred into a condition of leading sons into glory or of saving them who upon the account of his sufferings are made sons by grace But yet this is not so precisely respected neither but that the Apostle withall intimates the necessity of the sufferings of Christ as to the whole effect of it towards the Elect. Now these sons thus to be brought unto glory are said to be many not all absolutely not a few or of the Jews only which they looked for but all the Elect of God who are many Rev. 7.9 And this work of bringing many sons unto glory is here signally assigned by the Apostle unto God the Father whose Love Wisdom and Grace Believers are principally to eye in the whole work of their salvation wrought out and accomplished by Jesus Christ. This therefore we shall a little insist upon to declare the grounds and reasons on the account whereof it is so ascribed unto him or what acts are peculiarly assigned unto the Father in this work of bringing many sons unto glory which will secure the ascription of it unto him and therein our interpretation of the place 1. The Eternal designation of them unto that glory whereunto they are to be brought is peculiarly assigned unto him He predestinates them to be conformed to the image of his Son Rom. 8.28 29 30. The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ chooseth us before the foundation of the world and predestinateth us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ unto himself Ephes. 1.3 4 5. And he hath from the beginning chosen us unto salvation 2 Thess. 2.13 14. And this electing love of God this eternal purpose of his good pleasure which he purposed in himself is the fountain and spring of all other immediate causes of our salvation From hence Faith Acts 13.45 Sanctification 2 Thess. 2.13 Holiness Ephes. 1.4 preservation in grace 2 Tim. 2.19 the death of Christ for them Joh. 3.16 and final glory it self 2 Tim. 2.10 do all ensue and proceed so that on the account hereof he may be justly said to be the Bringer of many sons to glory 2. He was the spring and fountain of that Covenant as in all other Operations of the Deity that was of old between himself and his Son about the salvation and glory of the Elect. See Zech. 6.13 Isa. 42.1 Prov. 8.20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30. Isa. 50.4 chap. 53.11 12. Psal. 16.10 to Psal. 110.1 6. He in his love and grace is still declared as the Proposer both of the Duty and of the Reward of the Mediator the Son incarnate as the Son accepts of his Terms and Proposals Heb. 10.5 6 7 8. And hence the Intenseness of his Love the Immutability of his Counsel the Holiness of his Nature his Righteousness and Faithfulness his Infinite Wisdom do all shine forth in the Mediation and sufferings of Christ Rom. 3.25 26. chap. 5.8 1 Joh. 4.9 Heb. 6.17 18. Tit. 1.2 Rather than his Love should not be satisfied and his Counsel accomplished He spared not his own Son but gave him unto death for us 3. He signally gave out the first Promise that great foundation of the Covenant of Grace and afterwards declared confirmed and ratified by his Oath that Covenant wherein all the means of bringing the elect unto glory are contained Gen. 3.15 Jerem 31.32 33 34. Heb. 8.8 The Person of the Father is considered as the principal Author of the Covenant as the Person covenanting and taking us into covenant with himself the Son as the Messiah being considered as the Surety and Mediator of it Heb. 7.22 chap. 9.15 and the Purchaser of the Promises of it 4. He gave and sent his Son to be a Saviour and Redeemer for them and unto them so that in his whole work in all that he did and suffered he obeyed the Command and fulfilled the Will of the Father Him did God the Father send and seal and give and set forth as the Scripture every where expresseth it And our Lord Jesus Christ every where remits us to the consideration of the Love Will and Authority of his Father in all that he did taught or suffered so seeking the Glory of God that sent him 5. He draws his Elect and enables them to come to the Son to believe in him and so to obtain life salvation and glory by him No man saith our Saviour can come to me except the Father which hath sent me draw him Joh. 6.44 No man no not any one of the Elect can come to Christ unless the Father in the pursuit of that love from whence it was that he sent the Son do put forth the efficacy of his grace to enable him thereunto and accordingly he reveals him unto some when he is hidden from others Matth. 11.25 For the Revelation of Christ unto the soul is the immediate act of the Father Matth. 16.17 6. Being reconciled unto them by the blood of his Son he reconciles them unto himself by giving them pardon and forgiveness of sins in and by the Promises of the Gospel without which they cannot come to glory 2 Cor. 5.18 19 20 21. He is in Christ reconciling us unto himself by the non-imputation or forgiveness of our sins Forgiving us all our trespasses for Christ his sake Ephes. 4.32 There are many things concurring unto the pardon of sin that are peculiar acts of the Father 7. He quickens them and sanctifies them by his Spirit to make them meet for the inheritance of the Saints in light that is for the enjoyment of glory He that raised up Jesus from the dead quickens us by his Spirit Rom. 8.11 So saving us by the washing of Regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost which he shed on us richly by Jesus Christ Tit. 3.5 6. This sanctification and renovation by the Holy Ghost and all supplies of actual grace enabling us unto obedience are every where asserted as the Grant and Work of the Father who worketh in us both to will and to do of his own good pleasure And so in especial is the saving illumination of our minds to know the mystery of his grace and discern the
in your minds The Sons of God are sometimes ready to think it strange that they should fall into calamity and distresses and are apt to say with Hezekiah Remember O Lord we beseech thee how we have walked before thee in truth and with an upright heart and have done that which is good in thy sight and weep sore supposing that this might have freed them from oppositions and Persecutions And as it was with Gideon when the Angel told him the Lord was with him He replies Whence is all this evil come upon us For when they find it is otherwise and begin to apply themselves unto their condition yet if their troubles continue if they are not in their season removed they are ready to be weary and faint in their minds But saith the Apostle consider the Captain of your salvation he hath set you another manner of Example notwithstanding all his sufferings he fainted not The like Argument he presseth Chap. 13.12 13. And the Scripture in many places represents unto us the same consideration The Jews have a saying that a third part of the afflictions and troubles that shall be in the world do belong unto the Messiah But our Apostle who knew better than they makes all the afflictions of the Church to be the afflictions of Christ Col. 1.24 who both before underwent them in his own person and lead the way to all that shall follow him And as the Obedience of Christ which is our pattern doth incomparably exceed what ever we can attain unto so the sufferings of Christ which are our Example did incomparably exceed all that we shall be called unto Our pattern is excellent inimitable in the substance and parts of it unattainable and unexpressible in its degrees and he is the best Proficient who attends most thereunto But what is the End of all this Obedience and suffering death lyes at the door as the Ocean whereunto all these streams do run and seems to swallow them up that there they are lost for ever No for 3. This Captain of our salvation is gone before us in passing through death and entring into glory He hath shewed us in his own Resurrection that great pledge of our immortality that death is not the end of our course but a passage into another more abiding condition He promiseth that whosoever believeth on him that they shall not be lost or perish or consumed by death but that he will raise them up at the last day John 6.39.40 But how shall this be confirmed unto them Death looks ghastly and dreadful as a Lyon that devours all that come within his reach why saith Christ behold me entring into his jaws passing through his power rising from under his dominion and fear not so shall it be with you also This our Apostle disputes at large 1 Cor. 15.12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21. He is gone before us through death and is become the first fruit of them that sleep And had Christ passed into Heaven before he dyed as did Enoch and Elijah we had wanted the greatest Evidence of our future immortality What then remains for the finishing of our course why the Captain of our salvation after he had suffered entred into Glory and that as our Leader or fore-runner Heb. 6.20 Jesus as our fore-runner is entered into Heaven He is gone before us to evidence unto us what is the End of our Obedience and Sufferings In all this is he a Captain and Leader unto the Sons of God Secondly He guides them and directs them in their way This also belongs unto him as their Captain and Guide Two things in this are they of themselves defective in 1. They know not the way that leads to happiness and glory and 2. They want ability to discern it aright when it is shewed unto them and in both they are relieved and assisted by their Leader in the first by his Word in the latter by his Spirit First Of themselves they know not the way as Thomas said how can we know the way The Will of God the Mysterie of his Love and Grace as to the way whereby he will bring sinners unto Glory is unknown to the Sons of men by nature It was a secret hid in God a sealed Book which none in Heaven or Earth could open But this Jesus Christ hath fully declared in his Word unto all the Sons that are to be brought unto glory He hath revealed the Father from his own bosome John 1.18 and declared those heavenly things which no man knew but he that came down from Heaven and yet at the same time was in Heaven John 3.12 13. In his Word hath he declared the Name and revealed the whole counsel of God and brought life and immortality to light 2 Tim. 1.10 What ever is any way needful useful helpful in their Obedience Worship of God Suffering Expectation of Glory he hath taught it them all revealed it all unto them Other Teachers they need not Had there been any thing belonging unto their way which he had not revealed unto them he had not been a perfect Captain of salvation unto them And men do nothing but presumptuously derogate from his Glory who will be adding and imposing their prescriptions in and about this way Again The Way being revealed in the Word he enables them by his Spirit to see discern and know it in such an holy and saving manner as is needful to bring them unto the End of it He gives them eyes to see as well as provides paths for them to walk in It had been to no purpose to have declared the way if he had not also given them light to see it This blessed work of his Spirit is every where declared in the Scripture Isa. 43.16 And by this means is he unto us what he was unto the Church in the Wilderness when he went before them in a Pillar of fire to guide them in their way and to shew them where they should rest And herein lyes no small part of the discharge of his Office towards us as the Captain of our salvation What ever acquaintance we have with the Way to Glory we have it from him alone and what ever Ability we have to discern the way he is the fountain and Author of it This God hath designed and called him unto And all our Wisdom consists in this that we betake our selves unto him to him alone for instruction and direction in this matter Mark 17.5 Doth not he deservedly wander yea and perish who in war will neglect the orders and directions of his General and attend unto every idle tale of men pretending to shew him a way that they have found out better than that which his Captain hath limited him unto Thirdly He supplyes them with strength by his Grace that they may be able to pass on in their way They have much work lyes before them much to do much to suffer and without him they can do nothing John 15.5
two branches for it is either Remunerative or Vindictive And this Righteousness of God as the Supreme Ruler and Judge of all is that upon the account whereof it was meet for him or became him to bring the sons to glory by the sufferings of the Captain of their salvation It was hence just equal and therefore indispensibly necessary that so he should do Supposing that man was created in the Image of God capable of yielding Obedience unto him according to the Law concreated with him and written in his heart which Obedience was his moral being for God as he was from or of him supposing that he by sin had broken this Law and so was no longer for God according to the primitive Order and Law of his Creation supposing also notwithstanding all this that God in his infinite Grace and Love intended to bring some men unto the enjoyment of himself by a new way Law and appointment by which they should be brought to be for him again Supposing I say these things which are all here supposed by our Apostle and were granted by the Jews it became the Justice of God that is it was so just right meet and equal that the Judge of all the world who doth right could no otherwise do than cause him who was to be the Way Cause Means and Author of this Recovery of men into a new condition of being for God to suffer in their steed For whereas the Vindictive Justice of God which is the respect of the Universal Rectitude of his Holy Nature unto the deviation of his rational creatures from the Law of their Creation required that that deviation should be revenged and themselves brought into a new way of being for God or of glorifying him by their sufferings when they had refused to do so by Obedience it was necessary on the account thereof that if they were to be delivered from that condition that the Author of their deliverance should suffer for them And this excellently suits the design of the Apostle which is to prove the necessity of the suffering of the Messiah which the Jews so stumbled at For if the Justice of God required that so it should be how could it be dispensed withall Would they have God unjust Shall he fore-go the glory of his Righteousnâ—ss and Holiness to please them in their presumption and prejudices It is true indeed if God had intended no salvation of his sons but one that was temporal like that granted unto the people of old under the conduct of Joshua there had been no need at all of the sufferings of the Captain of their salvation But they being such as in themselves had sinned and come short of the glory of God and the salvation intended them being spiritual consisting in a new ordering of them for God and the bringing of them unto the eternal enjoyment of him in Glory there was no way to maintain the Honour of the Justice of God but by his sufferings And as here lay the great mistake of the Jews so the denial of this condecency of Gods Justice as to the sufferings of the Messiah is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Socinians Schlictingius on this place would have no more intended but that the way of bringing Christ to suffer was answerable unto that design which God had laid to glorifie himself in the salvation of man But the Apostle says not that it became or was suitable unto an arbitrary free decree of God but it became himself as the Supreme Ruler and Judge of all he speaks not of what was meet unto the execution of a free Decree but what was meet on the account of Gods Holiness and Righteousness to the constitution of it as the description of him annexed doth plainly shew And herein have we with our Apostle discovered the great indispensible and fundamental cause of the sufferings of Christ. And we may hence observe that V. Such is the desert of sin and such is the immutability of the Justice of God that there was no way possible to bring sinners unto glory but by the death and sufferings of the Son of God who undertook to be the Captain of their salvation It would have been unbecoming God the Supreme Governour of all the world to have passed by the desert of sin without this satisfaction And this being a truth of great importance and the foundation of most of the Apostles ensuing discourses must be a while insisted on In these Verses that fore-going this and some of those following the Apostle directly treats of the Causes of the sufferings and death of Christ. A matter as of great importance in it self comprizing no small part of the mystery of the Gospel so indispensibly necessary to be explained and confirmed unto the Hebrews who had entertained many prejudices against it In the fore-going Verse he declared the cause 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the inducing leading moving cause which was the Grace of God by the grace of God he was to taste death for men This grace he farther explains in this Verse shewing that it consisted in the Design of God to bring many sons to glory All had sinned and come short of his glory He had according to the exigence of his Justice denounced and declared Death and Judgment to be brought upon all that sinned without exception Yet such was his infinite Love and Grace that he determined or purposed in himself to deliver some of them to make them sons and to bring them unto glory Unto this end he resolved to send or give his Son to be a Captain of salvation unto them And this Love or Grace of God is every where set forth in the Gospel How the sufferings of this Captain of salvation became useful unto the sons upon the account of the manifold union that was between them he declares in the following Verses farther explaining the Reasons and Causes why the benefit of his sufferings should redound unto them In this Verse he expresseth the cause 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the procuring cause of the death and sufferings of Christ which is the Justice of God upon supposition of sin and his purpose to save sinners And this upon examination we shall find to be the great cause of the death of Christ. That the Son of God who did no sin in whom his soul was always well pleased on the account of his obedience should suffer and die and that a death under the sentence and curse of the Law is a great and astonishable mystery all the Saints of God admire at it the Angels desire to look into it What should be the cause and reason hereof why God should thus bruise him and put him to grief This is worth our enquiry and various are the conceptions of men about it The Socinians deny that his sufferings were poenal or that he died to make satisfaction for sin but only that he did so to confirm the Doctrine that he had taught and to set us an
example to suffer for the truth But his Doctrine carried its own evidence with it that it was from God and was besides uncontrollably confirmed by the Miracles that he wrought So that his sufferings on that account might have been dispensed withall And surely this great and stupendous matter of the dying of the Son of God is not to be resolved into a Reason and Cause that might so easily be dispensed with God would never have given up his Son to die but only for such causes and ends as could no otherwise have been satisfied or accomplished The like also may be said of the other cause assigned by them namely to set us an example It is true in his death he did so and of great and singular use unto us it is that so he did But yet neither was this from any precedent Law or Constitution nor from the nature of the thing it self nor from any property of God indispensibly necessary God could by his grace have carried us through sufferings although he had not set before us the example of his Son so he doth through other things no less difficult wherein the Lord Christ could not in his own Person go before us as in our conversion unto God and mortification of indwelling sin neither of which the Lord Christ was capable of We shall leave them then as those who acknowledging the death of Christ do not yet acknowledge or own any sufficient cause or reason why he should die Christians generally allow that the sufferings of Christ were poenal and his death satisfactory for the sins of men but as to the cause and reason of his so suffering they differ Some following Austine refer the death of Christ solely unto the Wisdom and Sovereignty of God God would have it so and therein are we to acquiesce Other ways of saving the Elect were possible but this God chose because so it seemed good unto him Hence arose that saying That one drop of the blood of Christ was sufficient to redeem the whole world only it pleased God that he should suffer unto the utmost And herein are we to rest that He hath suffered for us and that God hath revealed But this seems not to me any way to answer that which is here affirmed by the Apostle namely that it became God as the Supreme Governour of all the world so to cause Christ to suffer nor do I see what demonstration of the glory of Justice can arise from the punishing of an innocent Person who might have been spared and yet all the ends of his being so punished to have been otherwise brought about And to say that one drop of Christs bloud was sufficient to redeem the world is derogatory unto the Goodness Wisdom and Righteousness of God in causing not only the whole to be shed but also his Soul to be made an offering for sin which was altogether needless if that were true But how far this whole Opinion is from truth which leaves no necessary cause of the death of Christ will afterwards appear Others say that on supposition that God had appointed the Curse of the Law and death to be the penalty of sin his faithfulness and Veracity were engaged so far that no sinner should go free or be made partaker of glory but by the intervention of satisfaction And therefore on the supposition that God would make some men his sons and bring them to glory it was necessary with respect unto the engagement of the truth of God that he should suffer die and make satisfaction for them But all this they refer originally unto a free constitution which might have been otherwise God might have ordered things so without any derogation unto the glory of his Justice or Holiness in the Government of all things as that sinners might have been saved without the death of Christ. For if he had not engaged his Word and declared that death should be the penalty of sin he might have freely remitted it without the intervention of any satisfaction And thus all this whole work of death being the punishment of sin and of the sufferings of Christ for sinners is resolved into a free purpose and Decree of Gods Will and not into the exigence of any essential property of his Nature so that it might have been otherwise in all the parts of it and yet the glory of God preserved every way entire Whether this be so or no we shall immediately enquire Others grant many free Acts of the Mind and Will of God in this matter as 1. The Creation of man in such a condition as that he should have a moral dependance on God in reference unto his utmost end was an effect of the Sovereign Pleasure Will and Wisdom of God But on supposition of this Decree and Constitution they say the Nature Authority and Holiness of God required indispensibly that man should yield unto him that obedience which he was directed unto and guideâ— in by the Law of his Creation so that God could not suffer him to do otherwise and remain in his first state and come unto the end first designed unto him without the loss of his Authority and wrong of his Justice Again they say that God did freely by an Act of his Sovereign Will and Pleasure decree to permit man to sin and fall which might have been otherwise But on supposition that so he should do and would do and thereby infringe the Order of his dependance on God in reference unto his utmost end that the Justice of God as the Supreme Governour of all things did indispensibly require that he should receive a meet recompence of reward or be punished answerably unto hiâ— crimes so that God could not have dealt otherwise with him without an high derogation from his own Righteousness Again they say that God by a meer free Act of his Love and Grace designed the Lord Jesus Christ to be the way and means for the saving of sinners which might have been otherwise He might without the least impeachment of the glory of any of his Essential Properties have suffered all mankind to have perished under that penalty which they had justly incurred but of his own meer Love free Grace and good pleasure he gave and sent him to redeem them But on the supposition thereof they say the Justice of God required that he should lay on him the punishment due unto the sons whom he redeemed it became him on the account of his Natural Essential Justice to bring him unto sufferings And in this Opinion is contained the truth laid down in our Proposition which we shall now farther confirm namely that it became the Nature of God or the Essential Properties of his Nature required indispensibly that sin should be punished with death in the sinner or in his surety And therefore if he would bring any sons to glory the Captain of their salvation must undergo death and sufferings to make satisfaction for them For First Consider that description
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v. 17. every way like Here it is restrained by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the same that is flesh and blood Humane Nature as to the Humane Nature he was every way as the children 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Partem habuit particeps erat he took part And in the use of this Word the Dative Case of the Person is still understood and sometimes expressed So Plato 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he might share or partake in the same acts with them And it is here also understood That he might partake with them of flesh and blood And the Apostle purposely changeth the word from that which he had before used concerning the children 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they had Humane Nature in common they were men and that was all having no Existence but in and by that nature Concerning him he had before proved that he had a Divine Nature on the account whereof he was more excellent than the Angels And here he sayes of him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Existing in his Divine Nature he moreover took part of that nature with them which makes a difference between their Persons though as to Humane Nature they were every way alike and this removes the exception of Schlictingius or Crellius that he is no more said to be incarnate than the children That by death 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This word is peculiar to Paul He useth it almost in all his Epistles and that frequently Elsewhere it occurs but once in the New Testament Luke 13.17 and that in a sense whereunto by him it is not applyed That which he usually intends in this word is to make a thing or person to cease as to its present condition and not to be what it was So Rom. 3.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall their unbelief make the faith of God of none effect cause it to cease render the promise useless And v. 31. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 do we make the Law void by faith take away its use and End Chap. 4.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the promise is made ineffectual Chap. 7.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If her husband is dead she is freed from the Law The Law of the Husband hath no more power over her So v. 6. 1 Cor. 13.8 10 11. Chap. 15.24 26. 2 Cor. 3.10 13. Gal. 3.17 Chap. 5.4 11. Ephes. 2.15 The Intention of the Apostle in this word is the making of any thing to cease or to be void as to its former Power and Efficacy not to remove annihilate or destroy the Essence or Being of it And the Expression here used is to the same purpose with that in Psalm 8.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to quiet or make to cease the enemy and self-avenger 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is properly vis robur potentia Force Strength Power like that of Arms or Armies in battle And sometimes it is used for Rule Empire and Authority 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to be in Place of Power and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to be able to dispose of what it relates unto And in both senses we shall see that the Devil is said to have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the power of death Now there is not any notion under which the Devil is more known unto or spoken of among the Jews than this of his having the power of death his common appellation among them is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Angel of death And they call him Samael also So the Targum of Jonathan 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gen. 3.6 And the woman saw Samael the Angel of death And Maimon More Nebu. lib. 2. cap. 30. tells us from the Midrash that Samael rode upon the Serpent when he deceived Eve that is used him as his instrument in that work And most of them acknowledge Sathan to be principally intended in the temptation of Eve though Aben Ezra deny it in his Comment on the words and dispute against it And he addes that by Samael the Angel of death they understand Sathan which he proves from the words of their wise men who say in some places that Sathan would have hindred Abraham from sacrificing of Isaac and in others that Samael would have done it which proves that it is one and the same who by both names is intended And hence they usually call him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the wicked Samael the Prince of all the devils and say of him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Samael brought death upon all the world So that by this Samael or Angel of death it is evident that they intend him who is termed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Prince and Ruler of the rest So also they speak expresly in Baba Bathra distinc Hashatephir 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rabbi Simeon said the same is Sathan and the Angel of death and the evil figment that is the cause and author of it And they call him the Angel of death on many accounts the consideration whereof may give us some light into the reason of the Expression here used by the Apostle The first is that before mentioned namely that by his means death entred and came upon all the world His temptation was the first occasion of death and for that reason is he termed by our Saviour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Joh. 8.44 a murtherer from the beginning And herein he had the power of death prevailing to render all mankind obnoxious to the sentence and stroke of it Secondly Because he is employed in great and signal Judgments to inflict death on men He is the head of those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 evil Angels who slew the Aegyptians Psal. 78 49. So in Psal. 91.5 those words Thou shalt not fear 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the arrow that flieth by day are rendred by the Targum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the arrow of the Angel of death which he shooteth by day And in the next verse those words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the destruction that wasteth at noon day they render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the troop of devils that walk at noon-day the Psalmist treating of great and sudden destructions which they affirm to be all wrought by Sathan and thence the Hellenists also render the latter place by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the devil at noon-day wherein they are followed by the Vulgar Latine Arabick and Aethiopick Translations And this the Apostle seems to allude unto 1 Cor. 10.10 where he says that those who murmured in the wilderness were destroyed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the destroyer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the destroying Angel or the Angel of death as in this Epistle he terms him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 chap. 11.28 And it may be this is he who is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Job 18.13 the first-born of death or he that hath right unto the administration of it They term him also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
which as they are contained in the first Promise so that they were allowed of by the Hebrews of old we have fully proved else-where And by all these doth the Apostle yield a reason of his former concession that the Messiah was for a little while made lower than the Angels the Causes and Ends whereof he here declares There are in the words First A supposition of a two-fold state and condition of the children to be brought unto glory First Natural or their natural state and condition they were all of them in common partakers of flesh and bloud For as much then as the children were partakers of flesh and blood Secondly Moral their moral state and condition they were obnoxious unto death as it is poenal for sin and in great bondage through fear of it them who through fear of death were all their life time subject unto bondage Secondly There is a double inference with respect unto this supposition on the part of Christ the Captain of salvation First As to their natural condition that he did partake of it he was so to do He himself also did partake of the same Secondly As to their moral condition he freed them from it and deliver them Thirdly The means whereby he did this or this was to be done evidencing the necessity of his participation with them in their condition of nature that he might relieve them from their condition of trouble he did it by death that by death Fourthly The immediate Effect of his death tending unto their delivery and freedom and that is the destruction of the devil as to his power over and interest in death as poenal whereof their deliverance is an infallible consequent and destroy him c. In the first place the Apostle expresseth as by way of supposition the natural condition of the children that is the children whom God designed to bring unto glory those who were given unto Christ they were in common partakers of flesh and blood I shall not stay to remove the conceit of some who yet are not a few among the Romanists who refer those words unto the participation of the flesh and blood of Christ in the Sacrament whereunto also as we observed the Aethiopick Version gives countenance For not only is there not any thing in the expression that inclines unto such an imagination but also it enervates the whole design of the Apostles discourse and argument as from the former consideration of it doth appear Flesh and blood are by an usual Synecdoche put for the whole humane nature not as though by blood the soul was intended because the life is said to be in it as not acting without it but this expression is used because it is not humane nature as absolutely considered but as mortal passible subject unto infirmities and death it self that is intended And it is no more than if he had said the children were men subject unto death For he gives his reason herein why the Lord Christ was made a man subject unto death That he and the children should be of one nature he had shewed before for as much then as this was the condition of the children that they were all partakers of humane nature liable to sufferings sorrow and death he was so also And this is thus expressed to set forth the love and condescension of Jesus Christ as will afterward appear The second thing in these words is the moral condition of the children and there are sundry things partly intimated partly expressed in the description that is here given us of it as 1. Their estate absolutely considered they were subject to death 2. The consequences of that estate 1. It wrought fear in them 2. That fear brought them into bondage 3. The continuance of that condition it was for the whole course of their lives First It is implied that they were subject obnoxious unto guilty of death and that as it was poenal due to sin as contained in the curse of the Law which what it comprehendeth and how far it is extended is usually declared On this supposition lies the whole weight of the Mediation of Christ. The children to be brought unto glory were obnoxious unto death the curse and wrath of God therein which he came to deliver them from Secondly The first effect and consequent of this obnoxiousness unto death concurring unto their state and condition is that they were filled with fear of it for fear of death Fear is a perturbation of mind arising from the apprehension of a future imminent evil And the greater this evil is the greater will the perturbation of the mind be provided the apprehension of it be answerable The fear of death then here intended is that trouble of mind which men have in the expectation of death to be inflicted on them as a punishment due unto their sins And this apprehension is common to all men arising from a general presumption that death is poenal and that it is the judgment of God that they which commit sin are worthy of death as Rom. 1.32 chap. 2.15 But it is cleared and confirmed by the Law whose known sentence it is The soul that sinneth shall die And the troublesome expectation of the event of this apprehension is the fear of death here intended And according unto the means that men have to come unto the knowledge of the righteousness of God are or ought to be their apprehensions of the evil that is in death But even those who had lost all clear knowledge of the consequents of death natural or the dissolution of their present mortal condition yet on a confused apprehension of its being poenal always esteemed it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the most dreadful of all things that are so unto humane nature And in some this is heightned and increased until it come to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as our Apostle speaks chap. 10.27 A fearful expectation of judgment and fiery indignation which shall devour the adversaries And this is the second thing that is in this description of the estate and condition of the children to be brought unto glory being obnoxious unto the sentence of death they could not but live in fear of the execution of it Thirdly They are by this means brought into bondage The troublesome expectation of death as poenal brings them into bondage into the nature whereof we must a little enquire Sundry things concur to make any state a state of bondage as 1. That it be involuntary no man is in bondage by his will that which a man chuseth is not bondage unto him A man that would have his ear bored though he were always a servant was never in bondage for he enjoyed the condition that pleased him Properly all bondage is involuntary 2. Bondage ingenerates strong desires after and puts men on all manner of attempts for liberty Yokes gall and make them on whom they are desire ease So long as men are sensible of bondage which is against nature for that
he could not dye which it was necessary that he should do I desire to know why if the death which he was to undergo was not that death which they were obnoxious unto for whom he dyed how could it be any way more beneficial unto them than any thing else which he might have done for them although he had not dyed There is no ground then to pretend such an Amphibologie in the words as that which some contend for Now as we observed before the Death of Christ is here placed in the midst as the End of one thing and the Means or cause of another the End of his own Incarnation and the means of the Childrens Deliverance from the first we may see VII That the first and principal End of the Lord Christs assuming Humane Nature was not to reign in it but to suffer and dye in it He was indeed from of old designed unto a Kingdom but he was to suffer and so to enter into his glory Luke 24.26 And he so speaks of his coming into the world to suffer to dye to bear witness unto the truth as if that had been the only work that he was incarnate for Glory was to follow a Kingdom to ensue but suffering and dying was the principal work he came about Glory he had with his Father before the world was John 17.5 and therein a joynt Rule with him over all the works of his hands He need not have been made partaker of flesh and blood to have been a King for he was the King immortal invisible the King of Kings and Lord of Lords the only Potentate from everlasting But he could not have dyed if he had not been made partaker of our Nature And therefore when the People would have taken him by force and have made him a King he hid himself from them John 6.15 But he hid not himself when they came to take him by force and put him to death but affirmed that for that hour or business he came into the world John 18.4 5 11. And this farther sets forth his Love and Condescension He saw the work that was proposed unto him how he was to be exposed unto Miseries Afflictions and Persecutions and at length to make his soul an offering for sin yet because it was all for the Salvation of the children he was contented with it and delighted in it And how then ought we to be contented with the Difficulties Sorrows Afflictions and Persecutions which for his sake we are or may be exposed unto When he on purpose took our nature that for our sakes he might be exposed and subject unto much more than we are called unto There yet remains in these Verses the Effects of the Death of Christ that he might destroy sin and deliver wherein we must consider 1. Who it is that had the Power of Death 2. Wherein that Power of his did consist 3. How he was destroyed 4. How by the Death of Christ 5. What was the Delivery that was obtained for the children thereby 1. He that had the Power of Death is described by his name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Devil the great Enemy of our salvation the great Calumniator make-bate and false Accuser the firebrand of the creation The Head and Captain of the Apostasie from God and of all desertion of the Law of the creation The old Serpent Prince of the Apostate Angels with all his Associates who first falsly accused God unto man and continues to accuse men falsly unto God of whom before 2. His Power in and over Death is variously apprehended What the Jews conceive hereof we have before declared and much of the Truth is mixed with their fables And the Apostle deals with them upon their Acknowledgement in general that he had the Power of death Properly in what sense or in what respect he is said so to have it Learned Expositors are not agreed All consent 1. That the Devil hath no absolute or Soveraign supream power over death Nor 2. Any 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Authority about it de jure in his own Right or on Grant so as to act lawfully and rightly about it according unto his own Will Nor 3. Any judging or determining power as to the Guilt of death committed unto him which is peculiar to God the supream Rector and Judge of all Gen. 2.17 Deut. 32.39 Rev. 1.18 But wherein this Power of Satan doth positively consist they are not agreed Some place it in his Temptations unto Sin which bind unto death some in his Execution of the Sentence of death he hath the Power of an Executioner There cannot well be any doubt but that the whole Interest of Satan in reference unto Death is intended in this Expression This Death is that which was threatned in the beginning Gen. 2.17 Death poenally to be inflicted in the way of a Curse Deut. 27.26 Gal. 3.20 that is death consisting in the Dissolution of soul and body with every thing tending poenally thereunto with the everlasting Destruction of body and soul. And there are sundry things wherein the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Power of Satan in reference unto this death doth consist As 1. He was the means of bringing it into the world So is the Opinion of the Jews in this matter expressed in the Book of Wisdom written as is most probable by one of them not long before this Epistle They tell us Chap. 1.13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God made not death it belonged not unto the Original Constitution of all things but Chap. 2.24 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the Envy of the Devil-death entred into the world And that expression of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is retained by the Apostle Rom. 5.12 Only he layes the End of it on the morally deserving cause the sin of man as here it is laid on the efficiently procuring cause the Envy of the Devil And herein consisted no small part of the Power of Satan with respect unto death Being able to introduce sin he had power to bring in death also which in the righteous judgement of God and by the Sentence of the Law was inseparably annexed thereunto And by a parity of Reason so far as he yet continueth to have Power over sin deserving death he hath Power over death it self 2. Sin and Death being thus entered into the world and all mankind being guilty of the one and obnoxious unto the other Satan became thereby to be their Princess as being the Prince or Author of that state and condition whereinto they are brought Hence he is called the Prince of this world John 12.32 and the God of it 2 Cor. 4.4 Inasmuch as all the world is under the Guilt of that sin and death which he brought them into 3. God having passed the sentence of death against sin it was in the Power of Satan to terrifie and affright the consciences of men with the Expectation and dread of it so bringing them into Bondage And many God gives up
unto him to be agitated and terrified as it were at his pleasure To this end were Persons excommunicate given up unto Satan to vex 1 Tim. 1.20 He threatens them as an Executioner with the work that he hath to do upon them 4. God hath ordained him to be the Executioner of the sentence of Death upon stubborn sinners unto all Eternity partly for the Aggravation of their Punishment when they shall alwayes see and without relief bewail their folly in hearkening unto his Allurements and partly to punish himself in his wofull Employment And for these several Reasons is Satan said to have the power of death And hence it is evident That VIII All the Power of Satan in the world over any of the sons of men is founded in Sin and the Guilt of Death attending it Death entered by sin the Guilt of sin brought it in Herewith comes in Satans interest without which he could have no more to do in the Earth than he hath in Heaven And according as sin abounds or is subdued so his Power is enlarged or streightned As he is a Spirit he is mighty strong wise as sinful he is malitious subtle ambitious revengeful proud Yet none of all these give him his Power He that made him can cause his sword to pierce unto him and preserve man though weak and mortal from all his force as a mighty Spirit and his Attempts as a wicked one And yet these are the things in him that men are generally afraid of when yet by them he cannot reach one hair of their heads But here lyes the foundation of his power even in sin which so few regard Then IX All sinners out of Christ are under the power of Satan They belong unto that Kingdom of Death whereof he is the Prince and Ruler The whole world lyes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the power of this wicked one If the Guilt of death be not removed from any the Power of the Devil extends unto them A power indeed it is that is regulated Were it Soveraign or absolute he would continually devour But it is limited unto times seasons and degrees by the Will of God the Judge of all But yet great it is and answerable unto his Titles the Prince the God of the world And however men may flatter themselves as the Jews did of old that they are free if they are not freed by an interest in the death of Christ they are in bondage unto this beastly Tyrant and as he works effectually in them here he will ragingly inflict vengeance on them hereafter 3. He is destroyed To destroy him The sense and importance of the word here used was before declared It is not applyed unto the Nature Essence or Being of the Devil but unto his Power in and over death As it is elsewhere declared John 12.32 Now is the Judgement of this world now is the Prince of this world cast out that which is here called the destroying of the Devil is there called the casting out of the Prince of this world It is the casting him out of his Power from his Princedom and Rule and Col. 2.15 Having spoiled principalities and powers he made an open shew of them triumphing over them in his cross as Conquerors used to do when they had not slain the Persons of their Enemies but deprived them of their Rule and lead them Captives The Destruction then here intended of him that had the power of death is the Dissolution Evacuation and Removing of that Power which he had in and over death with all the effects and consequences of it 4. The means whereby Satan was thus destroyed is also expressed It was by death by his own death This of all others seemed the most unlikely way and means but indeed was not only the best but the only way whereby it might be accomplished And the manner how it was done thereby must be declared and vindicated The fourfold power of Satan in reference unto death before mentioned was all founded in sin The Obligation of the sinner unto death was that which gave him all his Power The taking away then of that Obligation must needs be the Dissolution of his Power The foundation being removed all that is built upon it must needs fall to the ground Now this in reference unto the Children for whom he dyed was done in the death of Christ Virtually in his death it self Actually in the Application of it unto them When the sinner ceaseth to be obnoxious unto death the Power of Satan ceaseth also And this every one doth that hath an interest in the death of Christ for there is no condemnation unto them that are in Christ Jesus Rom. 8.1 And this because he dyed he dyed for their sins took that death upon himself which was due unto them which being conquered thereby and their Obligation thereunto ceasing the Power of Satan is therewith dissolved The first Branch of his Power consisted in the bringing of sin into the world This is dissolved by Christs taking away the sin of the world John 1.29 which he did as the Lamb of God by the Sacrifice of himself in his death typified by the Paschal Lamb and all other Sacrifices of old Again His power consisted in his Rule in the world as cast under sin and death From this he was cast out John 12.32 in the death of Christ when contending with him for the continuance of his Soveraignty he was conquered the ground whereon he stood even the guilt of sin being taken away from under him and his Title defeated And actually Believers are translated from under his Rule from the Power of Darkness into the Kingdom of Light and of the Son of God Nor can he longer make use of death as poenal as threatned in the curse of the Law to terrifie and affright the consciences of men for being justified by faith in the death of Christ they have peace with God Rom. 5.1 Christ making Peace between God and us by the blood of his Cross Ephes. 2.14 15. 2 Cor. 5.19 20 21. the Weapons of this part of his Power are wrested out of his hand seeing Death hath no power to terrifie the conscience but as it expresseth the curse of God And lastly his final Execution of the sentence of death upon sinners is utterly taken out of his hand by the death of Christ inasmuch as they for whom he dyed shall never undergo death poenally And thus was Satan as to his power over death fully destroyed by the death of Christ. And all this depended on Gods Institution appointing the satisfactory sufferings of Christ and accepting them instead of the sufferings of the children themselves The Socinians give us another Exposition of these words as knowing that insisted on to be no less destructive of their Error than the death of Christ is of the power of the Devil The Reason hereof saith Schlictingius is quia per mortem Christus adeptus est supremam potestatem in omnia qua
omnes inimicos suos quorum caput est diabolus coercet eorum vires frangit eosque tandem penitus abolebit But if this be so and the abolishing of the power of Satan be an act of Soveraign Power then it was not done by the death of Christ nor was there any need that he should partake of flesh and blood for that purpose or dye So that this Exposition contradicts both the express words of the Apostle and also the whole design of his discourse No proposition can be more plain than this is that the Power of Satan was destroyed by the death of Christ which in this Interpretation of the words is denyed 5. And hence it lastly appears what was the Delivery that was procured for the children by this dissolution of the Power of Satan It respects both what they feared and what ensued on their fear that is Death and Bondage For the delivery here intended is not meerly a Consequent of the destruction of Satan but hath regard unto the things themselves about which the power of Satan was exercised They were obnoxious unto death on the Guilt of sin as poenal as under the Curse as attended with Hell or everlasting misery This he delivered the children from by making an Attonement for their sins in his death virtually loosing their Obligation thereunto and procuring for them Eternal Redemption as shall afterwards be fully declared Hereon also they are delivered from the Bondage before described The fear of death being taken away the bondage that ensues thereon vanisheth also And these things as they are done virtually and legally in the death of Christ so they are actually accomplished in and towards the children upon the Application of the death of Christ unto them when they do believe And we may now close our consideration of these Verses with one or two other Observations as X. The death of Christ through the wise and righteous disposal of God is victorious all conquering and prevalent The aim of the world was to bring him unto death and therein they thought they had done with him The aim of Satan was so also who thereby supposed he should have secured his own Kingdom And what could worldly or Satanical Wisdom have imagined otherwise He that is slain is conquered His own followers were ready to think so We trusted say they that it had been he who should have redeemed Israel Luke 24.21 But he is dead and their hopes are with him in the grave What can be expected from him who is taken slain crucified Can he save others who it seems could not save himself Per mortem alterius stultum est sperare salutem Is it not a foolish thing to look for life by the death of another This was that which the Pagans of old reproached the Christians withal that they believed in one that was crucified and dyed himself and what could they expect from him And our Apostle tells us that this death this Cross was a stumbling block unto the Jews and folly to the Greeks 1 Cor. 1.18 23. And so would it have been in its self Acts 2.13 Chap. 4.28 had not the Will and Counsel and Wisdom and Grace of God been in it But he ordered things so that this death of Christ should pull out that pin which kept together the whold fabrick of sin and Satan that like Sampson he should in his death pull down the pallace of Satan about his ears and that in dying he should conquer and subdue all things unto himself All the Angels of Heaven stood looking on to see what would be the end of this great trial Men and Devils were ignorant of the great work which God had in hand And whilest they thought they were destroying him God was in and by him destroying them and their power Whilest his heel was bruised he brake their head And this should teach us to leave all Gods works unto himself See John 11.6 7 8 9 10. He can bring light out of darkness and meat out of the Eater He can disappoint his Adversaries of their greatest hopes and fairest possibilities and raise up the hopes of his own out of the grave He can make suffering to be saving death victorious and heal us by the stripes of his Son And in particular it should stir us up to meditate on this mysterious work of his Love and Wisdom We can never enough search into it whilest our Enquiry is guided by his Word New Mysteries all fountains of Refreshment and Joy will continually open themselves unto us untill we come be to satisfied with the endless fulness of it unto Eternity Again XI One principal end of the death of Christ was to destroy the power of Satan To destroy him that had the power of death This was promised of old Gen. 3.15 He was to break the head of the Serpent From him sprang all the miseries which he came to deliver his Elect from and which could not be affected without the dissolution of his Power He was anointed to proclaim liberty to the Captives and the opening the Prison to them that were bound Isa. 61.1 To this End he was to conquer him who detained them which he did by his death Col. 2.15 and so lead Captivity Captive Psalm 68.18 stilling this enemy and self-avenger Psal. 8.3 binding the strong man Mat. 12. and dividing the spoil with him Isa. 53.12 And this he did by the merit of his blood and the Attonement he made for sin thereby This took away the Obligation of the Law unto death and disarmed Satan And moreover by the Power of the Eternal Spirit whereby he offered himself unto God he conquered and quelled him Satan laid his claim unto the Person of Christ but coming to put it in Execution he met with that great and hidden Power in him which he knew not and was utterly conquered And this as it gives us a particular consideration of the Excellency of our Redemption wherein Satan our old Enemy who first foyled us who alwayes hates us and seeks our ruine is conquered spoiled and chained so it teacheth us how to contend with him by what Weapons to resist his Temptations and to repell his Affrightments even those whereby he hath been already subdued Faith in the death of Christ is the only Way and Means of obtaining a Conquest over him He will fly at the Sign of the Cross rightly made Verse XVI HAving asserted the Incarnation of the Lord Christ the Captain of our salvation and shewed the necessity of it from the Ends which were to be accomplished by it and therein given the Reason of his concession that he was for a season made less than the Angels The Apostle proceeds in this Verse to confirm what he had taught before by Testimony of the Scripture and adds an especial Amplification of the Grace of God in this whole Dispensation from the consideration of the Angels who were not made partakers of the like Love and Mercy Verse 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
which necessarily infers his prae-existence in another nature their perswasion about the Person of Christ is utterly overthrown Their exceptions in their controversial writings unto this place have been else-where considered Those of Eniedinus on this Text are answered by Paraeus those of Castalio by Beza and the objections of some others by Gomarus We shall in the first place consider what is proposed for the confirmation of their sense by Schlictingius or Crellius and then the exception of a very learned Expositor unto the sense before laid down and confirmed And Schlictingius first argues from the Context Praeter ipsa verba saith he quae hunc sensum nullo modo patiuntur ut postea dicemus contextus ratiocinatio authoris id repudiat qui pro ratione argumento id sumere non potuit debuitve quod sibi hoc ipso argumento ratione probandum sumsisset De eo enim erat quaestio cur Christus qui nunc ad tantam majestatem gloriam est evectus non angelicam sed humanam morti variis calamitatibus obnoxiam habuerit naturam bujus vero rei quo pacto ratio redderetur per id quod non angelicam sed humanam naturam assumpserit cum istius ipsius rei quae in hac quaestione continetur nempe quod Christus homo fuit natus nunc causa ratioque quaeratur At vero si haec verba de juvandis non Angelis sed hominibus deque ope iis ferenda intelligamus pulcherrime omnia cohaerent nempe Christum hominem mortalem fuisse non angelum aliquem quod non angelis sed hominibus juvandis servandisque fuerit destinatus But the foundation of this Exposition of the Context is a mistake which his own preceding discourse might have relieved him from For there is no such question proposed as here is imagined nor doth he in his following Exposition suppose it The Apostle doth not once propose this unto confirmation that it behoved the Lord Christ to be a man and not an Angel But having proved at large before that in Nature and Authority he was above the Angels he grants verse 8. that he was for a little while made lower than they and gives at large the reason of the necessity of that dispensation taken from the work which God had designed him unto which being to bring many sons unto glory he shews and proves by sundry reasons that it could not be accomplished without his death and suffering for which end it was indispensibly necessary that he should be made partaker of flesh and blood And this he confirms farther by referring the Hebrews unto the Scripture and in especial unto the great Promise of the Messiah made unto Abraham that the Messiah was to be his seed the love and grace whereof he amplifies by an intimation that he was not to partake of the Angelical nature That supposition therefore which is the foundation of this Exposition namely that the Apostle had before designed to prove that the Messiah ought to partake of humane nature and not of Angelical which is nothing to his purpose is a surmise suited only to the present occasion Wherefore Felbinger in his Demonstrationes Evangelica takes another course and affirms that these words contain the end of what was before asserted verse 14 15. namely about Christs participation of flesh and blood which was not to help Angels but the seed of Abraham and to take them into grace and favour But these things are both of them expresly declared in those verses especially verse 15. where it is directly affirmed that his design in his Incarnation and Death was to destroy the devil and to free and save the children And to what end should these things be here again repeated and that in words and terms far more obscure and ambiguous than those wherein it was before taught and declared For by Angels they understand evil Angels and there could be no cause why the Apostle should say in this Verse that he did not assist or relieve them when he had declared in the words immediately fore-going that he was born and died that he might destroy them Neither is it comely to say that the end why Christ destroyed the devil was that he might not help him or the end why he saved the children was that he might assist them Besides the introduction of this assertion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 will not allow that here any end is intimated of what was before expressed there being no insinuation of any final cause in them The Context therefore not answering their occasion they betake themselves to the words Verbum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith he significat proprie manu aliquem apprehendere sive ut illum aliquo ducas sive ut sustentes hinc ad opitulationem significandum commodè transfertur quos enim adjutos volumus ne cadant vel sub onere aliquo succumbant aut si ceciderint erectos cupimus iis manum injicere solemus quo sensu Ecclesiastic 4. v. 12. De sapientia dictum est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hoc est opitulatur quaerentibus se eadem est significatio verbi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod qui aliquem sublevatum velint illi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 adverso manum porrigere solent It is acknowledged that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth frequently signifie as here is alledged namely to help and assist as it were by putting forth the hand for to give relief But if that were intended by the Apostle in this place what reason can be assigned why he should wave the use of a word proper unto his purpose and frequently so applied by himself in other places and make use of another which signifying no such thing nor any where used by him in that sense must needs obscure his meaning and render it ambiguous Whereas therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies to help and relieve and is constantly used by our Apostle in that sense it being not used or applied by him in this place to express his intention but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies no such thing nor is ever used by him to that purpose the sense contended for of help and relief is plainly excluded The place of Ecclesiasticus and that alone is referred unto by all that embrace this Exposition But what if the word be abused in that place by that Writer must that give a rule unto its interpretation in all other Writers where it is properly used But yet neither is the word used there for to help and relieve but to take and receive Wisdom suscipit receiveth or taketh unto it self suo more those that seek it which is the sense of the word we plead for and so is it rendred by Translators So the Lord Christ suo modo took to himself the seed of Abraham by uniting it unto his person as he was the Son of God In the very entrance also of his discourse this Author acknowledgeth that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉