by Eusebius That he was the most eminently learned and knowing person of the Roman or Latine Church in those dayes will I suppose not be greatly questioned Now to suppose that he knew not the customes opinions and practice of that Church but would suffer himself to be imposed on by a stranger destitute of those advantages which he had to come unto an unquestionable certainty in it is a very fond thing Besides he doth not any where speak as one that reported the words and Judgement of another but in three or four places expresly affirms it as of his own knowledge when at the same time in opposition thereunto he contends that it was received by all other Churches in the world and all Writers from the dayes of the Apostles § 15 Neither yet doth it appear from any thing delivered by Caius Hippolitus Eusebius or Hierome that the Latine Church did ever reject this Epistle Yea we shall find that many amongst them even in those dayes reckoned it unto the Canon of the Scripture and owned St. Paul as the Penman of it Eusebius himself acknowledges that Clemens useth sundry Testimonies out of it in his Epistle ad Corinthios And others also there were concurring with his judgement therein But these two things I allow on the testimonies insisted on 1. That sundry particular persons of note and esteem in the Roman Church owned not the Canonical authority of this Epistle as not esteeming it written by St. Paul 2. The Church it self had not before the dayes of Hierome made any publick Judgement about the Author or Authority of this Epistle nor given any Testimony unto them For it seems utterly impossible that if any such Judgement had passed or testimony been given that Hierome living in the midst of that Church should know nothing of it but so often affirm the contrary without haesitation And this undenyably evinceth the injustice of some mens pretensions that the Roman Church is the only proposer of Canonical Scripture and that upon the Authority of her proposal alone it is to be received Four hundred years were passed before she her self publickly received this Epistle or read it in her Assemblies so far was she from having proposed it unto others And yet all this while was it admitted and received by all other Churches in the world as Hierom testifies and that from the dayes of the Apostles whose judgement the Roman Church it self at length submitted unto No impeachment then of the Authority of this Epistle can be taken from this defect and inadvertency of the Roman Church it being convinced to be so by the concurrent suffrage and Testimony of all other Churches in the world from the dayes of the Apostle as we shall afterwards more fully declare Neither are the occasions of this haesitation of the Western Church obscure The Epistle was written it may be in Rome at least it was in some part of Italy Chap. 13.24 There no doubt it was seen and it may be Copied out before its sending by some who used to accompany the Apostle as Clemens who as we have shewed not long after mentioned divers things contained in it The Originall was without question speedily sent into Judea unto the Hebrews to whom it was written and directed as were all others of the Epistles of the same Apostle unto those Churches that were immediately intended and concerned in them That Copies of it were by them also communicated unto their Brethren in the East equally concerned in it with themselves cannot be doubted unless we will suppose them grosly negligent in their duty towards God and man which we have no reason to do But the Churches of the Hebrews living at that time and for some while after if not in a seperation yet in a distinction by reason of some peculiar observances from the Churches of the Gentiles especially those of the West they were not it may be very forward in communicating this Epistle unto them being written as they supposed about an especial concernment of their own By this means this Epistle seems to have been kept much within the Compass of the Churches of the Jews untill after the destruction of the Temple when by their dispersion and coalescency with other Churches in the East it came to be generally received amongst them and non solum ab Ecclesiis orientis sed ab omnibus retro Ecclesiis Graeci sermonis Scriptoribus as Hierom speaks But the Latin Church having lost that advantage of receiving it upon its first writing it may be also upon the consideration of the removall of its peculiar Argument upon the finall destruction of the whole Judaical Church and Worship was somewhat slow in their inquiry after it Those that succeeded in that Church it is not unlikely had their scruples increased because they found it not in common use amongst their Predecessors like to the rest of St. Pauls Epistles not considering the occasion thereof Add hereunto that by that time it had gradually made its progress in its return into the West where it was first written and attended with the Suffrage of all the Eastern Churches began to evince its own Authority sundry persons who were wrangling about peculiar opinions and practices of their own began to seek advantages from some expressions in it So did in particular the Novatians and the Donatists This might possibly increase the scruple amongst the Orthodox and make them wary in their admission of that Authority which they found pleaded against them And well was it for them that their opinions about which they disagreed with their Adversaries were according unto truth seeing it may justly be feared that some then would have made them their Rule and Standard in their reception or rejection of this Epistle for it was no new thing for the Orthodox themselves to make bold sometime with the Scripture if they supposed it to run cross unto their conceptions So Epiphanius informs us in Ancorat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And also he wept for so it is read in the uncorrected Copies of the Gospell according to Luke and St. Irenaeus useth this Testimony in his Book against Heresies for their confutation who affirmed that Christ took flesh only in appearance but the Orthodox or Catholicks being afraid of the importance of that expression took away that word out of the Copies not understanding its use and sense So also Sixtus Sinensis after he hath informed us out of Hilary that many Orthodox persons denyed the story of our Saviours Agony and bloody Sweat adds of his own Suspicor à Catholicis sublatam esse pio sed simplici zelo quod favere videbatur Arianis I suspect that the Story was taken out of the Copies by some Catholicks out of a godly but simple zeal because it seemed to favour the Arians So great is the power of prejudice and so little occasions have men taken whom others have esteemed Orthodox and pious to make bold with that word whereby both we
greatness and urgency of their plea to be admitted unto that series and order These are the Books commonly called Apochrypha not one of them is there wherein humane diligence doth not discover its self to be its fountain and spring Did this Epistle proceed from the same root and principle whence comes it to pass that it no where puts it self forth unto a discovery and conviction for that it doth not so we shall afterwards fully declare Besides to close this consideration the design of the Writer of this Epistle manifests that he sought the Glory of God in Christ according unto his will With this aim and purpose an endeavour to impose that on the Church as an immediate Revelation from God which was the product of his own pains and diligence is utterly inconsistent For by no means could he more dishonour God whose glory in sincerity he appears to have sought nor wrong the Church whose Good he desired to promote than by this imposing on him that whereof he was not the Author so adding unto his words and making himself subject to reproof as a lyar Prov. 30.6 and proposing that unto the Church as a firm and stable rule and object of faith which he knew not to be so leading her thereby into error uncertainty and falshood For this whole Epistle is delivered as the Will and Word of God as coming by Revelation from him without the least intimation of the intervention of the Will Wisdom or Diligence of man any other than is constantly ascribed unto those that declare the will of God by inspiration And if it were not so the evils mentioned cannot be avoided And how groundless this imputation would be our following discourses will manifest And I doubt not but this whole consideration will be and is of weight and moment with them who have their senses exercised in the Scriptures and are enabled by the Spirit breathing in them to discern between Good and Evil Wheat and Chaff Jer. 23.28 § 24 Unto the General Argument we may add the Particular Subject Matter of this Epistle as belonging unto the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of it further confirming its Divine Original This for the most part consists in things of pure Revelation and which have no other foundation in rerum natura Some Books even of the Scripture it self are but the narrations of actions done amongst men which for the substance of them might be also recorded by humane diligence But the things treated of in this Epistle are purely divine spiritual and no wayes to be known but by Revelation And not only so but amongst those that are so There are four things eminent in the subject matter of this Epistle First that the principal things treated of in it are matters of the greatest importance in Christian Religion and such as concern the very foundation of faith Such are the Doctrines about the Person Offices and Sacrifice of Christ of the nature of Gospel Worship our Priviledge therein and Communion with God thereby In these things consist the very vitalls of our Profession and they are all opened and declared in a most excellent and heavenly manner in this Epistle and that as we shall manifest in an Absolute Consonancy unto what is taught concerning them in other places of Scripture Secondly In that some things of great moment unto the faith obedience and consolation of the Church that are but obscurely or sparingly taught in any other places of Holy Writt are here plainly fully and excellently taught and improved Such in particular is the Doctrine of the Priesthood of Christ with the nature and excellency of his Sacrifice and the execution of the remaining parts and duty of that Office in Heaven and how the whole of it was typically represented under the Old Testament He that understands aright the importance of these things their use in the faith and consolation of the Church their influence into our whole course of obedience the spiritual priviledge that faith by them interests a believing soul in the strength and supportment that they afford under Temptations and Trials will be ready to conclude that the world may as well want the Sun in the Firmament as the Church this Epistle And this perswasion we hope through Gods assistance to further in our Exposition of it Thirdly Gods way in teaching the Church of the Old Testament with the use and end of all the operous paedogogie of Moses manifesting it to be full of Wisdom Grace and Love is here fully revealed and the whole Aaronical Priesthood with all the duties and Offices of it translated unto the use of Believers under the Gospel How dark Mosaical institutions were in themselves is evident from the whole state of the Church in the dayes of Christ and his Apostles when they could not see unto the end of the things that were to be done away In their nature they were carnal in their number many as to their reason hidden in their observation heavy and burdensome in their outward shew Pompous and glorious by all which they so possessed the minds of the Church that very few saw clearly into the use intention and end of them But in this Epistle the veyle is taken of from Moses the mysterie of his institutions laid open a perfect clew given unto Believers to pass safely through all the turnings and windings of them unto Rest and Truth in Jesus Christ. Those hidden things of the Old Testament appear now unto us full of light and instruction but we are beholding for all our insight into them and benefit which we receive thereby unto the Exposition and Application of them made by the Holy Ghost in this Epistle And how great a portion of Gospel Wisdom and knowledge consists herein all men know who have any spiritual acquaintance with these things Fourthly the grounds reasons causes and manner of that great Alteration which God wrought and caused in his Worship by taking down the ancient glorious Fabrick of it which had been set up by his own appointment are here laid open and manifested and the greatest controversie that ever the Church of God was exercised withall is here fully determined There was nothing in the first Propagation of the Gospel and plantation of Christian Churches that did so divide and perplex the professors of the Truth and retard the work of promulgating the knowledge of Christ and the worship of God in him as the difference that was about the continuation and observation of Mosaical Rites and Ceremonies To such an height was this difference raised so zealously were the parties at variance ingaged in the pursuit of their various apprehensions of the mind of God in this matter that the Apostles themselves thought meet for a season rather to umpire and compose the controversie by leaving the Jews free to their observation and bringing the Gentiles unto a condescention in things of the greatest exasperation than absolutely and precisely to determine the whole matter between them And
unto the glory and lustre of the other which God so had Garnished by his Spirit Job 26.13 and which for its curious Excellency is called the Work of his Fingers Psalm 8.3 And in these different places of their Habitation Secondly Their several Employments also did greatly differ The work of Angels was immediately to attend the Throne of God to minister before him and to give glory unto him and to execute the Commands of his Providence in the Government of the works of his hands Psal. 68. v. 17. Dan. 7. v. 10. Ezek. 1.5 6 7. Heb. 1.14 Revel 5.11 the highest pitch of Honour that a meer creature can be exalted unto Man during his natural life was to be employed in tilling and dressing of the Ground Gen. 2.16 a labour that would have been easie usefull and suitable unto his condition but yet in honour advantage and satisfaction unspeakably beneath the Duty of the Others Thirdly Their Enjoyments also greatly differed For the Angels enjoyed the immediate glorious Presence of God without any external created resemblances of it when man was kept at a greater Distance and not admitted unto such immediate communion with God or enjoyment of his Glorious Presence Now all these and the like Considerations although on the one side they do not in the least extenuate or excuse the sin and crime of Man in his Apostasie yet they greatly aggravate the Wickedness Ingratitude and Pride of the Angels Moreover they differed in their Intellectual Perfections whereby they were enabled to discern the Excellencies and to know the mind of God For although man had all that Light Knowledge and Wisdom concreated with him and so naturall unto him which were any way needfull to enable him unto a right and due performance of the Obedience required of him in the Observance whereof he should have been brought unto the Enjoyment of God yet it came far short of that Excellency of Understanding and that piercing Wisdom which was in those Spiritual Beings which they were endowed withall to fit them for that near contemplation of the glory of God whereunto they were admitted and that ready Apprehension of his mind which they were to observe And as these were in themselves and ought to have been improved by themselves as blessed means of preserving them in their Obedience so being despised and neglected they were a great Aggravation of the Wickedness of their Apostasy There was likewise Fifthly a difference in the manner of their Defection Man was circumvented by the Craft and Policy of the Angels who were made before him and sinned before him And this although He was furnished with an Ability and Power to have rejected and overcome yet it had that influence into his Sin and Fall that the Holy Ghost affirms that our first Parents were SEDUCED or deceived 1 Tim. 2.14 2 Cor. 11.3 and therefore calls Sathan their Murderer John 8.34 But the Angels had nothing without them to excite provoke or lay snares for them but of their own Voluntary Choice and meer motion of their own mind in the Exercise of that Freedom of their Wills which was bestowed on them for their own honour and advantage in their Obedience left their stations and set up themselves in a way of Opposition unto their Creator who had exalted them above their companions newly brought out of the same Nothing with themselves into a condition of the highest created Glory imaginable Again Sixthly although the condition of mankind being to be propagated by naturall Generation from one common Stock made it necessary that our First Parents should have a greater Trust reposed in them by Reason of their Representation of their whole Posterity in that Covenant wherein they stood before God than any Angel could have seeing they stood every one only in his own name and for himself yet they were but two persons that actually sinned at first and those one after another one seduced by another whereas the Angels in multitudes inconceivable by a joint conspiracy at the same instant combined together against the Authority and Law of their Creator and as it should seem appointed one among themselves for the Head of their Apostasie Now although as was said none of those things can or do in the least extenuate the sin of man which was the product of inconceivable infidelity and ingratitude yet they contain such Aggravations of the Sin of Angels as may evidence a condecency unto Divine Wisdom and Goodness in passing them by in their sin and misery unto Eternity and yet giving Relief unto mankind Lastly We may add unto what hath been spoken the concernment of the glory of God in the Vniverse For if man had been left for ever without Relief the whole race or kind of Creatures partakers of Humane Nature had been utterly lost nothing of that kind could ever have come unto the Enjoyment of God nor could God have ever been glorified by them in a way of Thankfulness and Praise which yet was the End why he made that sort of Creatures For the whole race of them as to the Event would have been meer Objects of Wrath and Displeasure But in the Fall of Angels they were only a certain number of individuals that sinned the whole kind was not lost as to the first End of their Creation Angelical Nature was preserved in its orderly dependance on God in those millions that kept their Obedience and Primitive condition thereon which is continued unto them with a superaddition of Glory and Honour as shall be elsewhere declared God then having made himself two Families unto his Praise amongst whom he would dwell that above of Angels and this below of mankind had sinning Man which was the whole Creation participating in Humane Nature been utterly cast off one Family had been lost for ever though so great a Remnant of the other was preserved Wherefore as we shall afterwards see it seemed good unto his Infinite Wisdom as to preserve that Portion of his Superiour Family which sinned not so to recover a portion of that below and to make them up into one Family in one New Head his Son Jesus Christ in whom he hath now actually gathered into One all things that are in Heaven and Earth unto his Praise and Glory Ephes. 1.10 It appears then that no certain conclusion can hence be drawn that man is left remediless in his Sin and Misery because Angels are so seeing that although the whole Cause of the difference made is to be referred unto the Soveraign Will Wisdom and Pleasure of God yet there is that appearing unto Reason which manifests a suitableness unto his Excellencies in the distinction to be put between them § 15 There is then no Necessary Reason inducing us to believe that God hath left all mankind to perish in their sin and misery under the Curse without any provision of a Remedy yea there are on the other side Evidences many and certain that there is a Way provided for their
whos 's Mercifull Good Pleasure towards them Moses prayed for Deut. 33.16 that is the Father of Lights from whom descendeth every good and perfect Gift James 1. v. 17. These things evidently express God and none other and yet he is said to be an Angel sent of God in his Name and unto his Work So that he can be no other but a certain Person of the Deity who accepted of this Delegation and was therein revealed unto the Church as he who was to take upon him the seed of Abraham and to be their eternal Redeemer § 18 Josh. 5. v. 13 14 15. And it came to pass whilest Joshua was by Jericho that he lift up his eyes and looked and behold there stood a man over against him with his sword drawn in his hand and Joshuah went unto him and said unto him art thou for us or for our adversaries and he said Nay but as Prince of the Host of the Lord am I now come And Joshuah fell on his face to the earth and did worship and said unto him what saith my Lord unto his servant And the Prince of the Lords Host said unto Joshuah loose thy shooe from of thy foot for the place whereon thou standest is holy The appearance here is of a Man v. 13. A man of War as God is called Exod. 15. v. 3. armed with his sword drawn in his hand as a token of the business he came about At first sight Joshuah apprehends him to be a Man only which occasioned his enquiry art thou for us or for our adversaries which discovers his courage and undaunted magnanimity for doubtless the appearance was august and glorious But he answers unto his whole question 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I am not that is a man either of your party or of the enemies but quite another Person 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Prince of the Host of the Lord. And this was another illustrious manifestation of the Son of God unto the Church of old accompanyed with many instructive circumstances As 1. From the shape wherein he appeared namely of a man as a pledge of his future incarnation 2. The Title that he assumes to himself the Captain of the Lords Host he unto whom the guidance and conduct of them unto rest not only temporal but eternal was committed whence the Apostle in Allusion unto this Place and Title calls him the Captain of our Salvation Heb. 2. v. 10. and 3. The Person unto whom he spake when he gave himself this Title was the Captain of the People at that time teaching both him and them that there was another supream Captain of their eternal deliverance 4. From the time and place of his appearance which was upon the first entrance of the people into Canaan and the first opposition which therein they met withall so engaging his Presence with his Church in all things which oppose them in their way unto eternal Rest. 5. From the Adoration and Worship which Joshuah gave unto him which he accepted of contrary to the duty and practice of created Angels Rev. 19. v. 10. Chap. 22. v. 8 9. 6. From the Prescription of the Ceremonies expressing Religious Reverence put off thy shoo 's with the reason annexed for the place whereon thou standest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is holiness made so by the Presence of God the like Precept whereunto was given to Moses by the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob. Exod. 3. v. 5. By all these things was the Church instructed in the Person Nature and Office of the Son of God even in the Mysterie of his eternal distinct subsistence in the Deity his future Incarnation and condescention unto the Office of being the Head and Saviour of his Church These Manifestations of the Son of God unto the Church of old as the Angel or § 19 Messenger of the Father subsisting in his own Divine Person are all of them Revelations of the Promisâ—d Seed the great and only Saviour and Deliverer of the Church in his eternal Pre-existence unto his Incarnation and pledges of his future taking flesh for the accomplishment of the whole work committed unto him And many other instances of the like nature may be added out of the former and later Prophets which because in most important Circumstances they are coincident with these need not here particularly be insisted on Some of late would apply all these Appearances unto a created delegate Angel § 20 which conceit as it is irreconcileable unto the sacred Text as we have manifested so is it contrary unto the sense of the antient Writers of the Christian Church A large Collection of Testimonies from them is not suited unto our present Design and Purpose I shall therefore only mention two of the most antient of them one of the Latin the other of the Greek Church The first is Tertullian who tells us Christus semper egit in Dei Patris nominâ— ipse ab initio conversatus est congressus cum Patriarchis Prophetis adv Mâ—râ— lib. 2. Christ alwayes dealt with men in the name of God the Father and so himself from the beginning conversed with the Patriarchs and Prophets And again Christus ad colloquia humana semper descendit ah Adam usque ad Patriarchas Prophetas in visione in somno in speculo in aenigmate ordinem suum praestruâ—ns semper aâ— initio Deus in terris cum hominibus conversatus est non alius quam sermo qui caro erat futurus Adv. Praxeam It was Christ who descended into communion with men from Adam unto the Patriarchs and Prophets in Visions Dreams and Appearances or Representations of himself instructing them in his future condition from the beginning And God who conversed with men on earth was no other but the Word who was to be made flesh The other is Justin Martyr whose word needs not be produced seeing it is known how he contends for this very thing in his Dialogue with Trypho That which is more direct unto our purpose is to enquire into the Apprehensions § 21 of the Jewish Masters concerning the Divine Appearances insisted on granted unto the Patriarchs and Church of old with what may thence be collected for their conviction concerning the Person of the Messiah The most part of their Expositors do I confess pass over the difficulties of the places mentioned I mean those which are such unto their present Infidelity without taking the least notice of them Some would have the Angel mentioned to be Michael whom they assign a Prerogative unto above the other Angels who preside over other Countreys But who that Michael is and wherein that Prerogative doth consist they know not Some say that Michael is the High Priest of Heaven who offers up the prayers of the Righteous so R. Mâ—nahem The Priest above that offereth or presenteth the souls of the Righteous saith another more agreeably unto the Truth then they are aware of One signal instance only of the evidence of the Truth
the use of others And so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth sometimes signifie to give Hos. 14.2 Verbum accipiendi dare significat cuâ—n accipiunt aliunde ut dent say the Jewish Masters And it was after his Resurrection that this accession was made unto his Kingdom in such an eminent and visible manner as to be a testimony of his Office Joh. 7.39 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the holy Ghost was not yet because Jesus was not yet glorified not eminently given and received as to these gifts Acts 19.2 And this investiture of him with power over all gifts he makes the bottom of the mission of the Apostles Matth. 28.18 This he had as a fruit of his suffering as a part of his purchase and it is a choice portion of his Lordship and Kingdom The End also why all these gifts are given into his power and disposal is evident 1. The propagation of his Gospel and consequently the setting up of his Kingdom in the world dâ—pends upon them These are the Arms that he furnished his Messengers withall when he sent them forth to fight with to conquer and subdue the world unto him And by these they prevailed By that Spirit of wisdom and knowledge prayer utterance wherewith they were endowed attended where and when needful with the extraordinary gifts before mention'd did they accomplish the work committed unto their charge Now the Lord Christ having a right unto a Kingdom and Inheritance given him which was actually under possession of his Adversary it was necessary that all those arms wherewith he was to make a conquest of it should be given to his disposal 2 Cor. 10.4 These were the weapons of the warfare of his Apostles and Disciples which through God were so mighty to cast down the strong holds of sin and Sathan These are the slings and stones before which the Goliahs of the Earth and Hell did fall This was that power from above which he promised his Apostles to furnish them withall when they should address themselves to the conquest of the world Acts 1.8 With these weapons this furniture for their warfare a few despised persons in the eyes of the world went from Judea unto the ends of the earth subduing all things before them to the obedience of their Lord and Master And 2. By these is his Church edified and to that end doth he continue to bestow them on men and will do so to the end of the world 1 Cor. 12.7 13 14. Ephes. 4.8 9 10 11 12 13. Rom. 12.6 7 8. 1 Pet. 3.10 11. Col. 2.19 And for any to hinder their growth and exercise is what in them lies to pull down the Church of Christ and to set themselves against that testimony which he gives in the world that he is yet alive and that he takes care of his Disciples being present with them according unto his promise 3. And by these means and ways is God glorified in him and by him which is the great end of his Lordship over all the gifts of the Spirit That we may a little by the way look into our especial concernment in these things the order of them and their subserviency one to another may be briefly considered For as Natural gifts are the foundation of and lie in an especial subordination unto Spiritual so are Spiritual gifts enlivened made effectual and durable by Grace The principal end of Christ's bestowing gifts is the erection of a Ministery in his Church for the ends before mentioned And where all these in their order and mutual subserviency unto one another are received by any there and there alone is a competent furniture for the work of the Ministery received And where any of them as to their whole kind are wanting there is a defect in the Person if not a nullity as to the Office Natural gifts and endowments of mind are so necessary a foundation for any that looks towards the work of the Ministery that without some competent measure of them it is madness and folly to entertain thoughts of any progress Unless unto these Spiritual gifts are in Christ's time super-added the other will be never of any use for the edification of the Church as having in their own nature and series no especial tendency unto that end Nor will these super-added spiritual gifts enable any man to discharge his duty unto all well-pleasing before God unless they also are quickned and seasoned by Grace And where there is an intercision of this series and order in any the defect will quickly appear Thus some we see of excellent natural endowments in their first setting forth in the world and in their endeavours on that single stock promising great usefulness and excellency in their way who when they should come to engage in the service of the Gospel evidence themselves to be altogether unfurnished for the employment they undertake yea and to have lost what before they seemed to have received Having gone to the utmost length and bounds that Gifts meerly Natural could carry them out unto and not receiving super-added Spiritual gâ—fts which the Spirit of Christ bestoweth as he pleaseth 1 Cor. 12.11 they faint in the way wither and become utterly useless And this for the most part falleth out when men either have abused their natural gifts to the service of their lusts and in an opposition to the simplicity of the Gospel or when they set upon Spiritual things and pretend to the service of Christ meerly in their own strength without dependance on him as the Heir and Lord of all for abilities and furniture for his work or when they have some fixed corrupt end and design to accomplish and bring about by a pretence of the Ministery without regard to the glory of Christ or compassion to the souls of men which the Lord Christ will not prostitute the gifts of his Spirit to make them serviceable unto And sundry other causes of this failure may be assigned It is no otherwise as to the next degree in this order in reference unto spiritual gifts and saving grace When these gifts in the good pleasure of the Lord of them are super-added unto the natural endowments before mentioned they carry on them who have received them cheerfully comfortably and usefully in their way and progress The former are increased heightned strengthned and perfected by the latter towards that special end whereunto themselves are designed namely the glory of Christ in the work of the Gospel But if these also are not in due season quickned by saving grace if the heart be not moistned and made fruitful thereby even they also will wither and decay Sin and the world in process of time will devour them whereof we have daily experience in this world And this is the Order wherein the Great Lord of all these Gifts hath laid them in a subserviency one kind unto another and all of them unto his own glory And this that hath been spoken will abundantly discover the reason and ground of the
his own likeness and Image are hereby made partakers of such inestimable Benefits as indispensably call for rejoycing in a way of Thankfulness and Gratitude This the whole Gospel declares and therefore it needs not our particular improvement in this place And if this be the duty of the whole Creation it is easie to discern in what a special manner it is incumbent on them that believe whose Benefit Advantage and Glory was principally intended in this whole work of God Should they be found wanting in this Duty God might as of old call Heaven and Earth to witness against them Yea Thankfulness to God for the bringing forth of the first-born into the world is the summ and substance of all that Obedience which God requires at the hands of believers IV. The Command of God is the ground and Reason of all Religious Worship The Angels are to worship the Lord Christ the Mediator and the ground of their so doing is Gods command he saith Worship him all ye Angels Now the command of God is twofold 1. Formal and vocal when God gives out a Law or Precept unto any creature superadded to the Law of its Creation Such was the Command given unto our first Parents in the Garden concerning the Tree of the knowledge of Good and Evil and such were all the Laws Precepts and Institutions which he afterwards gave unto his Church with those which to this day continue as the Rule and Reason of their Obedience 2. Real and interpretative consisting in an impression of the Mind and Will of God upon the nature of his creatures with respect unto that Obedience which their state condition and dependance on him requireth The very nature of an intellectual Creature made for the Glory of God and placed in a moral dependance upon him and subjection unto him hath in it the force of a Command as to the Worship and Service that God requireth at their hands But this Law in man being blotted weakned impaired through sin God hath in mercy unto us collected drawn forth and disposed all the Directions and Commands of it in vocal formal Precepts recorded in his Word whereunto he hath superadded sundry new Commands in the Institutions of his Worship Wiâ—h Angels it is otherwise The ingrafted Law of their Creation requiring of them the Worship of God and Obedience to his whole Will is kept and preserved entire so that they have no need to have it repeated and expressed in vocal formal Commands And by vertue of this Law were they obliged to constant and everlasting Worship of the Eternal Son of God as being created and upheld in an universal dependance upon him But now when God brings forth his Son into the world and placeth him in a new condition of being incarnate and becoming so the Head of his Church there is a new Modification of the Worship that is due to him brought in and a new respect unto things not considered in the first creation With reference hereunto God gives a new Command unto the Angels for that peculiar kind of Worship and Honour which is due unto him in that state and condition which he had taken upon himself This the Law of their Creation in general directed them unto but in particular required not of them It enjoyned the Worship of the Son of God in every condition but that condition was not expressed This God supplies by a new Command That is such an Intimation of his Mind and Will unto them as answers unto a vocal Command given unto men who by that means only may come to know the Will of God Thus in one way or other Command is the Ground and Cause of all Worship For 1. All Worship is Obedience Obedience respects Authority and Authority exerts it self in Commands And if this Authority be not the Authority of God the Worship performed in Obedience unto it is not the Worship of God but of him or them whose Commands and Authority are the Reason and cause of it It is the Authority of God alone that can make any Worship to be religious or the performance of it to be an Act of Obedience unto him 2. God would never allow that the Will and Wisdom of any of his Creatures should be the rise Rule or measure of his Worship or any part of it or any thing that belongs unto it This Honour he hath reserved unto himself neither will he part with it unto any other He alone knows what becomes his own Greatness and Holiness and what tends to the Advancement of his Glory Hence the Scripture abounds with severe Interdictions and Comminations against them who shall presume to do or appoint any thing in his Worship besides or beyond his own Institution 3. All Prescriptions of Worship are vain where men have not strength to perform it in a due manner nor Assurance of Acceptance when it is performed Now both these are and must be from God alone nor doth he give strength and ability for any thing in his Worship but what himself commands nor doth he promise to accept any thing but what is of his own Appointment so that it is the greatest folly imaginable to undertake any thing in his Worship and Service but what his Appointment gives warrant for And this should teach us in all that we have to do in the Worship of God carefully to look after his word of Command and Institution Without this all that we do is lost as being no Obedience unto God Yea it is an open setting up of our own Wills and Wisdom against him and that in things of his own especial concernment which is intolerable boldness and presumption Let us deal thus with our Rulers amongst men and obey them not according to their Laws but our own fancies and see whether they will accept our persons And is the Great and Holy God less to be regarded besides what we have our own Inventions or the Commands of other men as the ground and reason of our doing it we have nothing but our own or their warranty for its Acceptance with God and how far this will secure us is easie to judge We might hence also farther observe V. That the Mediator of the New Covenant is in his own Person God blessed for ever to whom Divine or Religious Worship is due from the Angels themselves As also that VI. The Father upon the account of the Work of Christ in the World and his Kingdom that ensued it gives a new Commandment unto the Angels to Worship him his Glory being greatly concerned therein And that VII Great is the Churches security and Honour when the Head of it is worshipped by all the Angels in Heaven as also that VIII It can be no duty of the Saints of the New Testament to worship Angels who are their fellow servants in the worship of Jesus Christ. Verse VII HAving in one Testimony from the Scripture expressing the subjection of Angels unto the Lord Christ signally proved his main Design
they could by any means subduct themselves from under his Power or be delivered from his Wrath where would be his Glory where his Honour Here they reproach him blaspheme him despise him persecute him shall they escape and go free Shall they alwayes prosper What then would he do to his great name The Glory of Christ indispensibly requires that there be a season a day appointed for the Eternal Ruine of all his stubborn Adversaries 5. His Saints pray that it may be so and that both upon his account and their own Upon his that his Glory which is dearer to them than their lives may be vindicated and exalted their own that their Miseries may be ended that the Blood of their fellow servants may be revenged that the whole Church may be delivered and all Promises fulfilled Now he will not disappoint their Prayers nor frustrate their Expectations in any thing much less in those that are of so great importance He will avenge his Elect he will avenge them speedily 6. His Enemies deserve it unto the utmost so that as well his Justice as his Glory and Interest and People are concerned in their destruction In the most of them their Outrage against him is notorious and visible in the eyes of men and Angels in all of them there is a cruel old lasting Enmity and hatred which he will lay open and discover at the last day that all shall see the Righteousness of his Judgements against them God hath given him a Kingdom appointed him to reign they declare that he shall not do so and endeavour their utmost to keep him from his Throne and that with scorn despight and malice so that whilest God is Righteous and the Scepter of Christs Kingdom a Scepter of Righteousness themselves call aloud for their own Destruction The Vses of this Truth in the comfort of the Disciples of Christ against all fears despondencies and other effects of unbelief with the terror of wicked men are obvious and exposed unto all Verse XIV THe Apostle having proved the Preheminence of the Son as Mediator of the New Testament above all the Angels from those Attributions of Honour and Glory that are made unto him in the Scriptures the like whereunto are no where made or given unto Angels that he may not appear to argue meerly negatively from what is not said concerning them adds in this last Verse such a description of their Natures and Office or Work and Employment as shews that indeed no such thing can be rightly spoken or affirmed concerning them as he hath before manifested to be spoken and recorded concerning the Son Ver. 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There is no difference in the Reading nor much about the Translation of those words Are they not all ministring Spirits sent out to Minister to unto a Ministry for them that shall inherit salvation This was the common received Doctrine of the Church concerning Angels suitable unto the Scripture and to the purpose of the Apostle as manifesting their dis-interest in the Glory before ascribed unto the Son Sundry things are here expressed concerning Angels which we must briefly pass through the Consideration of As 1. Their Nature They are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ruchoth Spirits Spiritual subsistences not Qualities or Natural Faculties as the Sadduces imagined and which by an Homonomy of the Name Maimonides More Nebuch p. 2. cap. 3. admits also to be Angels but falsly and without Authority from Scripture or Reason This is their Nature this the Hebrews acknowledge so to be they are Created Spirits not to be compared with or equalled unto him that made and created all things 2. Their Office They are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ministring Spirits So are they termed Psal. 103.21 Praise the Lord all his Hosts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 LXX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his Ministers doing his will Hence in general the Jews call them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ministers and among other Titles assign this unto God that he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Creator of Ministring Spirits or Angels And expresly in the Talmud they are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as more frequently by the Rabbins in the Hebrew Dialect 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Angels of Ministry above whom that the Messiah was to be we have formerly shewed from themselves Now what kind of Office or Ministry it is that is ascribed unto them the Word it self doth in part declare 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to Minister principally about holy things Nor is it above once applyed unto any other Ministry And such a Ministry it signifies as is performed with Honour and Ease and is opposed unto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is to Minister with Labour and Burden So the Ministry of the Levites in bearing the Burden of the Tabernacle is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Ministry with Labour Numb 8. When the more easie and honourable Employment which was attended by them who by reason of their Age were exempted from bearing of burdens is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v. 16. and Deut. 18.7 Such is the Ministry of Angels It is in and about holy things and unto themselves honourable and easie And this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is rendered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which expresseth some times such a general Ministry as compâ—izeth the whole Service and Worship of the Church Acts 13.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as they ministred unto the Lord that is attended unto the performance of all the Duties of the Church This then in general is the Office of the Angels they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ministring Spirits that wait on God in and about his Holy Services for the good of the Church which also in the like manner ministreth unto God in its own state and condition And hence it is that the Church and they do make up one Family Ephes. 4.15 and that they are all fellow-servants in the same Family with them that keep the Testimony of Jesus Rev. 22.9 And this some of the latter Jews have retained the Tradition of Whence is that of Maimonides More Nebuch part 2. cap. 6. which he citeth out of the Talmud 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The holy blessed God dâ—â—h nothing unless he consult with his superiour family Only not knowing the rise of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nor what it should signifie he tells us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that in the Greek Tongue it signifies an Host whereas it is purely the Latine familia without the least alteration And the description of this superiour part of the Family of God is given us Dan. 7.10 Thousand thousands did minister unto him and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him In which words Pseudo-Dionysius Gregory and Aquinas with sundry of the School-men have coined a distinction of Angels into ministrantes those that minister unto God and assistentes those that stand before him Whereas the whole intendment of the expression is
thus stedfast upon the account of its being spoken from God and stands in no need of the contribution of any strength Authority or Testimony from men Church Tradition or ought else that is extrinsecal unto it The Testimonies given hereunto in the Scripture it self which are very many with the general Grounds and Reasons hereof I shall not here insist upon and that because I have done it elsewhere I shall only mention that one consideration which this place of the Apostle suggests unto us and which is contained in our second Observation from the word stedfast Take this word as spoken from God without the help of any other Advantages and the stedfastness of it is the Ground of Gods inflicting Vengeance on them that receive it not that obey it not Because it is his Word because it is cloathed with his Authority if men believe it not they must perish But now if this be not sufficiently evidenced unto them namely that it is his Word God could not be just in taking vengeance of them for he should punish them for not believing that which they had no sufficient Reason to believe which suits not with the Holiness and Justice of God The Evidence then that this Word is from God that it is his being the foundation of the Justice of God in his proceeding against them that do not believe it it is of indispensible necessity that he himself also do give that Evidence unto it For whence also should it have it from the Testimony of the Church or from Tradition or from probable moral inducements that men can tender one to another Then these two things will inevitably follow 1. That if men should neglect their duty in giving Testimony unto the Word as they may do because they are but men then God cannot justly condemn any man in the world for the neglect of his Word in not believing it or not yielding obedience unto it And the Reason is evident because if they have not sufficient Grounds to believe it to be his without such Testimonies as are not given unto it it is the highest Injustice to condemn them for not believing it and they should perish without a cause For what can be more unjust than to punish a man especially eternally for not doing that which he had no just or sufficient Reason to do This be far from God to destroy the innocent with the wicked 2. Suppose all men aright to discharge their duty and that there be a full Tradition concerning the Word of God that the Church give Testimony unto it and Learned men produce their Arguments for it if this all or any part hereof be esteemed as the sufficient Proposition of the Scripture to be the Word of God then is the Execution of infinite divine Justice built upon the Testimony of men which is not divine or infallible but such as might deceive For God on this supposal must condemn men for not believing with faith divine and infallible that which is proposed unto them by Testimonies and Arguments humane and fallible quod absit It remaineth then that the Righteousness of the Act of God in condemning unbelievers is built upon the Evidence that the Object of Faith or Word to be believed is from him And this he gives unto it both by the Impression of his Majesty and Authority upon it and by the Power and Efficacy wherewith by his Spirit it is accompanied Thus is every Word of God stedfast as a Declaration of his Will unto us by what means soever it is made known unto us V. Every Transaction between God and man is alwayes confirmed and ratified by promises and Threatnings Rewards and Punishments every trespass VI. The most glorious Administrators of the Law do stoop to look into the Mysteries of the Gospel See 1 Pet. 1.12 VII Covenant transgressions are attended with unavoidable penalties every transgression that is of the Covenant disannulling of it received a meet recompence of reward VIII The Gospel is a Word of Salvation to them that do believe IX The Salvation tendered in the Gospel is great Salvation X. Men are apt to entertain thoughts of escaping the wrath of God though they live in a neglect of the Gospel This the Apostle insinuates in that interrogation How shall we escape XI The neglecters of the Gospel shall unavoidably perish the wrath of God How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation These last Observations may be cast into one Proposition and so be considered together namely That the Gospel is great Salvation which who so neglecteth shall therefore unavoidably perish without remedy We shall first enquire how the Gospel is said to be Salvation and that Great Salvation and then shew the equity and unavoidableness of their Destruction by whom it is neglected and therein the vanity of their hopes who look for an escaping in the contempt of it By the Gospel we understand with the Apostle the Word preached or spoken by Christ and his Apostles and now recorded for our use in the Books of the New Testament not exclusively unto what was declared of it in the Types and Promises of the Old Testament But by the way of Eminency we appropriate the whole name and nature of the Gospel unto that delivery of the Mind and Will of God by Jesus Christ which included and perfected all that had preceded unto that purpose Now the Gospel is salvation upon a double account First Declaratively In that the Salvation of God by Christ is declared taught and revealed thereby So the Apostle informs us Rom. 1.16 17. It is the power of God unto salvation because therein the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith that is the Righteousness of God in Christ whereby Believers shall be saved And therefore it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Titus 2.11 the saving or salvation bringing Grace of God The Grace of God as that which teacheth and revealeth his Grace And thence they that abuse it to their lusts are said to turn the grace of God into lasciviousness Jude 4. that is the Doctrine of it which is the Gospel And therefore under the Old Testament it is called the Preaching or declaring of glad tydings tydings of peace and salvation Nahum 2.1 Isa. 52.7 and is described as a Proclamation of Mercy Peace Pardon and Salvation unto sinners Isa. 61.1 2. And life and immortality are said to be brought to light thereby 2 Tim. 1.10 It is true God had from all Eternity in his infinite Grace contrived the salvation of sinners but this Contrivance and the Purpose of it lay hid in his own Will and Wisdom as in an infinite Abysse of darkness utterly imperceptible unto Angels and men untill it was brought to light or manifested and declared by the Gospel Ephes. 3.9 10. Coloss. 1.25 26 27. There is nothing more vain than the supposals of some that there are other wayes whereby this Salvation might be discovered and made known The Works of Nature
she might be meet for him And the Lord Christ taking this Bride unto himself by the conquest he hath made of her must by Sanctification make them meet for this Relation with himself And therefore he doth it Ephes. 5.25 26. Christ loved the Church and gave himself for it that he might sanctifie and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word v. 27. that he might present it unto himself a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle or any such things but that it should be holy and without blemish This it became him to do this was the End why he did it he sanctifieth his Church that he may present it a meet Bride or Spouse unto himself The like may be said of all other Relations wherein the Lord Christ stands unto his people there is no one of them but makes their sanctification absolutely necessary On the part of the Children themselves for unless they are Regenerate or born again wherein the foundation of their sanctification is laid they can by no means enter into the Kingdom of God It is this that makes them meet for the inheritance of the Saints in light As without it they are not meet for their Duty so are they not capable of their Reward Yea Heaven it self in the true light and notion of it is undesirable unto an unsanctified person Such an one neither can nor would enjoy God if he might In a word There is no one thing required of the Sons of God that an unsanctified Person can do no one thing promised unto them that he can enjoy There is surely then a woful mistake in the world If Christ sanctifier all whom he saves many will appear to have been mistaken in their Expectations another day It is grown amongst us almost an Abhorrency unto all flesh to say that the Church of God is to holy What though God hath promised that it should be so that Christ hath undertaken to make it so What if it be required to be so What if all the duties of it he rejected of God if it be not so it is all one if men be baptized whether they will or no and outwardly profess the name of Christ though not one of them be truly sanctified yet they are as it is said the Church of Christ. Why then let them be so but what are they the better for it Are their Persons or their Services therefore accepted with God Are they related or united unto Christ Are they under his conduct unto glory Are they meet for the Inheritance of the Saints in light not at all not all not any of these things do they obtain thereby What is it then that they get by the furious contest which they make for the Reputation of this Previledge Only this that satisfying their minds by it resting if not pâ—iding themselves in it they obtain many Advantages to stifle all convictions of their condition and so perish unavoidably A sad success and son ever to be bewailed Yet is there nothing at this day more contended for in this world than that Christ might be thought to be a Captain of salvation unto them unto whom he is not a Sanctifier that he may have an unholy Church a dead Body These things tend neither to the glory of Christ nor to the good of the souls of men Let none then deceive themselves sanctification is a qualification indispensibly necessary unto them who will be under the conduct of the Lord Christ unto salvation to lead none to heaven but whom he sanctifies on the earth The holy God will not receive unholy persons This living Head will not admit of dead members nor bring men into the possession of a glory which they neither love nor like Secondly Having given this description of the Captain of salvation and of the sons to be brought unto glory The Apostle affirms of them that they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of one which made it meet for him to suffer and for them to be made partakers of his sufferings The equity hereof lies in the agreement that he and they are of one which what it is we must now enquire The word hath this ambiguity in it that it may be of the Masculine Gender and denote one person or of the Neuter and signifie one thing If it relate unto the person it may have a double interpretation First That it is God who is intended they are of one that is God And this may be spoken in several respects The Son was of him by Eternal Generation the many sons by Temporal Creation they were made by him Or they are all of him he ordained him to be the Sanctifier them to be sanctified Him to be the Captain of salvation and them to be brought unto glory And this sense the last testimony produced by the Apostles seems to give countenance unto Behold I and the children whom God hath given unto me Me to be their Father Captain Leader they to be the children to be cared for and conducted by me And this way went most of the Antients in their Exposition of this place In this sense the reason yielded by the Apostle in these words why the Captain of salvation should be made perfect by sufferings because the sons to be brought unto glory were also to suffer and they were all of one both he and they even of God But though these things are true yet they contain not a full reason of what the Apostle intends to prove by this assertion For this Interpretation allows no other Relation to be expressed between Christ and the sons than what is between him and Angels they are also with him of one God And yet the Apostle afterward sheweth that there was another Vnion and Relation between Christ and the Elect needful that they might be saved by him than any that was between him and Angels And if nothing be intimated but the good pleasure of God appointing him to be a Saviour and them to be saved because they were all of himself of one God which was sufficient to make that appointment just and righteous then is here nothing asserted to prove the meetness of Christ to be a Saviour unto men and not to Angels which yet the Apostle in the following Verses expresly deduceth from hence Secondly If it respect a Person it may be ex uno homine of one man that is of Adam they are all of one common Root and stock he and they came all of one Adam unto him is the Genealogie of Christ referred by Luke And as a common stock of our nature he is often called the One the One man Rom. 5. And this for the substance of it falls in with what will be next considered Secondly It may be taken in the Neuter sense and denote one thing and so also it may receive a double Interpretation First It may denote the same mass of humane nature 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of one and the same mass of humane nature or
of all his Eternal Excellencies in bringing his Sons unto the everlasting Enjoyment of him Now nothing of all this could have been made known unless the Lord Christ had taken upon him to preach the Gospel and declare the name of God Without this what ever else he had done or suffered had been lost as unto the interest of the glory of God This then being that which he principally aymed at this design must needs be greatly in his mind He took care that so great Glory built on so great a foundation as his Incarnation and Mediation should not be lost His other work was necessary but this was a Joy of heart and soul unto him Secondly The Salvation of the Sons to be brought unto glory with all their Interest in the Benefit of his sufferings depended on this work of his How much he sought that his whole work declares For their sakes it was that he came down from Heaven and was made flesh and dwelt amongst them for their sakes did he undergo all the miseries that the world could cast upon him for their sakes did he undergo the Curse of the Law and wrestle with the Displeasure and Wrath of God against sin And all this seemed as it were little unto him for the love he barâ— them as Jacobs hard service did to him for his love unto Rachel Now after he had done all this for them unless he had declared the Name of God unto them in the Gospel they could have had no Benefit by it For if they believe not they cannot be saved And how should they believe without the word and how or whence could they hear the word unless it had been preached unto them They could not of themselves have known any thing of that name of God which is their life and salvation Some men talk of I know not what Declaration of Gods Name Nature and Glory by the works of Nature and Providence but if the Lord Christ had not indeed revealed declared and preached these things these Disputers themselves would not have been in any other Condition than all mankind is who are left unto those Teachers which is most dark and miserable The Lord Christ knew that without his performance of this work not one of the Sons the conduct of whom to glory he had undertaken could ever have been brought unto the knowledge of the name of God or unto faith in him or obedience unto him which made him earnestly and heartily engage into it Thirdly Hereon depended his own Glory also His Elect were to be gathered unto him in among and over them was his glorious Kingdom to be erected Without their Conversion unto God this could not be done In the state of nature they also are children of Wrath and belong to the Kingdom of Satan And this Declaration of the name of God is the great Way and means of their Calling Conversion and Translating from the power of Satan into his Kingdom The Gospel is the Rod of his strength whereby his people are made willing in the day of his power In brief the gathering of his Church the setting up of his Kingdom the establishment of his Throne the setting of the Crown upon his head depend wholly on his declaring the name of God in the preaching of the Gospel Seeing therefore that the glory of God which he aimed at the salvation of the Sons which he sought for and the Honour of his Kingdom which was promised unto him do all depend on this Work it is no wonder if his Heart were full of it and that he rejoyced to be engaged in it And this Frame of heart ought to be in them who under him are called unto this work The work it self we see is noble and excellent such as the Lord Christ carried in his Eye through all his sufferings as that whereby they were to be rendered useful unto the glory of God and the souls of men And by his Rejoycing to be engaged in it he hath set a Pattern unto them whom he calls to the same Employment Where men undertake it for filthy lucre for self Ends and carnal Respects this is not to follow the Example of Christ nor to serve him but their own bellies Zeal for the glory of God Compassion for the souls of men Love to the Honour and Exaltation of Christ ought to be the principles of men in this undertaking Moreover the Lord Christ by declaring that he will set forth the praise of God in the Church manifests what is the Duty of the Church it self namely to praise God for the work of his Love and Grace in our Redemption by Christ Jesus This he promiseth to go before them in and what he leads them unto is by them to be persisted in This is indeed the very End of gathering the Church and of all the Duties that are performed therein and thereby The Church is called unto the glory of the Grace of God Ephes. 1.6 that it may be set forth in them and by them This is the End of the Institution of all Ordinances of Worship in the Church Ephes. 3.8 9 10. And in them do they set forth the Praises of God unto men and Angels This is the Tendency of Prayer the Work of Faith the fruit of Obedience It is a fond imagination which some have fallen upon that God is not praised in the Church for the work of Redemption unless it be done by Words and Hymns particularly expressing it All Praying all Preaching all Administration of Ordinances all our Faith all our Obedience if ordered aright are nothing but giving glory to God for his Love and Grace in Christ Jesus in a due and acceptable manner And this is that which ought to be in our design in all our Worship of God especially in what we perform in the Church To set forth his praise to declare his name to give glory unto him by believing and the profession of our faith is the End of all we do And this is the first Testimony produced by our Apostle His next is taken from Psalm 18.2 I will put my trust in him The whole Psalm literally respects David with his Streights and Deliverances not absolutely but as he was a Type of Christ. That he was so the Jews cannot deny seeing the Messiah is promised on that account under the name of David And the close of the Psalm treating of the calling of the Gentiles as a fruit of his deliverance from sufferings manifest him principally to be intended And that which the Apostle intends to prove by this Testimony is that he was really and truly of one with the Sons to be brought unto glory and that he doth from hence inasmuch as he was made and brought into that condition wherein it was necessary for him to trust in God and act in that Dependance upon him which the nature of man whilest exposed unto Troubles doth indispensibility require Had he been only God this could have been spoken of him