and to be wise to sobriety And the Rule of that Sobriety is given us for ever Deut. 29.28 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Secret things belong to the Lord our God but revealed things to us and our Children Divine Revelation is the Rule and measure of our knowledge in these things and that bounds and determines our sobriety And hence the Apostle condemning the Curiosity of men in this very subject about Angels makes the nature of their sin to consist in exceeding these bounds by an enquiry into things unrevealed and the rise of that evil to lye in Pride Vanity and Fleshliness and the tendency of it to be unto false Worship Superstition and Idolatry Col. 2.18 Neither is there any thing more averse from Right Reason nor more condemned by wise men of former times than a curious humour of prying into those things wherein we are not concerned and for whose investigation we have no certain honest lawful Rule or medium And this evil is encreased where God himself hath given bounds to our enquiries as in this case he hath 2. This alone will bring us unto any Certainty and Truth Whilest men indulge to their own imaginations and fancies as too many in this matter have been apt to do it is sad to consider how they have wandered up and down and with what fond Conceits they have deceived themselves and others The world hath been filled with monstrous Opinions and Doctrines about Angels their Nature Offices and Employments some have Worshipped them others pretended I know not what Communion and entercourse with them in all which conceits there hath been little of Truth and nothing at all of Certainty Whereas if men according to the Example of the Apostle would keep themselves to the word of God as they would know enough in this matter for the discharging of their own Duty so they would have Assurance and Evidence of Truth in their conceptions without which pretended high and raised notions are but a shadow of a dream worse then professed ignorance II. We may hence observe That the Glory Honour and Exaltation of Angels lyes in their subserviency to the Povidence of God It lyes not so much in their Nature as in their work and service The intention of the Apostle is to shew the Glory of Angels and their Exaltation which he doth by the induction of this Testimony reporting their serviceableness in the works wherein of God they are employed God hath endowed the Angels with a very Excellent Nature furnished them with many eminent properties of Wisdom Power Agility Perpetuity but yet what is hereby glorious and honourable herein consists not meerly in their nature it self and its Essential Properties all which abide in the horridest and most to be detested Part of the whole Creation namely the Devils but in their conformity and answerableness unto the Mind and Will of God that is in their moral not meerly natural Endowments These make them amiable glorious excellent Unto this their Readiness for and compliance with the will of God that God having made them for his service and employing them in his work their discharge of their Duty therein with Cheerfulness Alacrity Readiness and Ability is that which renders them truly honourable and glorious Their Readiness and Ability to serve the Providence of God is their Glory For 1. The greatest Glory that any Creature can be made partaker of is to serve the Will and set forth the Praise of its Creator That is its Order and Tendency towards its Principal End in which two all true Honour consists It is glorious even in the Angels to serve the God of Glory what is there above this for a creature to aspire unto what that its nature is capable of Those among the Angels who as it seems attempted somewhat farther somewhat higher attained nothing but an endless Ruine in shame and misery Men are ready to fancy strange things about the Glory of Angels and do little consider that all the difference in Glory that is in any parts of Gods Creation lyes meerly in Willingness Ability and Readiness to serve God their Creator 2. The works wherein God employes them in a subservience unto his Providence are in an especial manner glorious works For the service of Angels as it is intimated unto us in the Scripture it may be reduced unto two Heads For they are employed either in the communication of Protection and Blessings to the Church or in the Execution of the Vengeance and Judgements of God against his Enemies Instances to both these purposes may be multiplyed but they are commonly known Now these are glorious works God in them eminently exalts his Mercy and Justice the two properties of his Nature in the Execution whereof he is most eminently exalted and from these works ariseth all that Revenue of Glory and Praise which God is pleased to reserve to himself from the world so that it must needs be very honourable to be employed in these works 3. They perform their Duty in their service in a very glorious manner with great Power Wisdom and uncontroulable Efficacy Thus one of them flew 145000. of the Enemies of God in a night Another set fire on Sodom and Gomorrah from Heaven of the like Power and Expedition are they in all their services in all things to the utmost capacity of creatures answering the Will of God God himself it is true sees that in them and their Works which keeps them short of absolute Purity and Perfection which are his own Properties but as to the capacity of meer Creatures and for their state and condition there is a perfection in their Obedience and that is their Glory Now if this be the great Glory of Angels and we poor worms of the earth are invited as we are into a Participation with them therein what unspeakable folly will it be in us if we be found negligent in labouring to attain thereunto Our future Glory consists in this that we shall be made like unto Angels and our Way towards it is to do the Will of our Father on Earth as it is done by them in Heaven Oh in how many Vanities doth vain man place his Glory nothing so shamefull that one or other hath not gloried in whilest the true and only glory of doing the will of God is neglected by almost all But we must treat again of these things upon the last Verse of this Chapter Verse VIII IX HAving given an Account of what the Scripture teacheth and testifieth concerning Angels in the following Verses He sheweth how much other things and far more glorious are spoken to and of the Son by whom God revealed his will in the Gospel Ver. 8 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But unto the Son Syr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but of the Son he saith which is necessarily supplyed as to the Apostles design In the Psalm the words are spoken by way of Apostrophe to the Son and they are recited by
gave the Answer unto it before intimated namely that the Epistle was Originally written in Hebrew by St. Paul and Translated by some other into the Greek Language So Oecumenius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The cause of the Alteration or difference of Style in this Epistle is manifest for it is said to be written unto the Hebrews in their own Language and to be afterwards Translated Hierom and Clemens also incline to this Opinion and Answer And Theophylact though following Theodoret he egregiously confutes them who deny St. Paul to be the Author of this Epistle from the Excellency Efficacy and irrefragable Power and Authority wherewith it is accompanied yet admits of this Objection and answers with others that it was Translated by St. Luke or Clemens Only Chrysostome who indeed is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without taking notice of the pretended dissimilitude of Style ascribes it directly to St. Paul But to this Answer incline generally the Divines of the Roman Church as Catharinus Bellarminus Baronius Cornelius à Lapide Canus Mathâ—us Galenus Ludovicus Tena and others without number though it be rejected by Estius and some others among themselves What is to be thought of it we shall afterwards consider in a Dessertation designed unto that Purpose For the present we affirm that it is no way needful as an Answer unto the Objection insisted on as we shall now farther particularly manifest The Foundation of this Objection lyes in St. Pauls acknowledgement that he was § 11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rude in Speech 2 Cor. 11.6 This Origen presseth and Hierom takes occasion hence to censure his skill in his Mother Tongue for so was the Greek unto them that were born at Tarsus in Cilicia and this was the place of St. Paul's nativity though the same Hierom from I know not what Tradition affirms that he was born at Ghiscalis a Town of Galile from whence he went afterwards with his Parents to Tarsus contrary to his own express testimony Acts 22.23 I verily was born in Tarsus a City of Cilicia But this seems an infirm foundation of the Objection insisted on Paul in that place is dealing with the Corinthians about the false Teachers who seduced them from the Simplicity of the Gospel The Course which they took to ensnare them was vain affected Eloquence and strains of Rhetorick unbecoming the Work they pretended to be ingaged in Puffed up with this singularity they contemned St. Paul as a rude unskilful Person no way able to match them in their fine Declamations In answer hereunto He first tells them that it became not him to use 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 1.17 that Wisdom of Words or Speech which Orators flourished withall or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 2.13 the Words that Mans Wisdom teacheth or an artificial composition of Words to entice thereby which he calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chap. 2.1 And many Reasons he gives why it became him not to make use of those things so as to make them his design as the Seducers and false Apostles did Again he answers by Concession in this Place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 suppose I be or were rude or unskilful in speech doth this matter depend thereon is it not manifest unto you that I am not so in the knowledge of the Mysterie of the Gospel He doth not confess that he is so saith Austin but grants it for their Conviction And in this sense concurr Oecumenius Aquinas Lyra Catharinus Clarius and Capellus with many others on the place If then by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here that seducing enâ—icing Rhetorick wherewith the false Teachers entangled the Affections of their unskilful hearers be intended as we grant that St. Paul it may be was unskilful in it and are sure that he would make no use of it so it is denyed that any footsteps of it appear in this Epistle and if any thing of solid convincing unpainted Eloquence be intended in it it is evident that St. Paul neither did nor justly could confess himself unacquainted with it only he made a Concession of the Objection made against him by the False Teachers to manifest how they could obtain no manner of advantage thereby § 12 Neither are the other Epistles of St. Paul written in so low and homely a Style as is pretended Chrysostome speaking of him tells us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that for his Eloquence he was esteemed Mercury by the Gentiles Somewhat hath been spoken hereunto before whereunto I shall now only add the Words of a Person who was no incompetent Judge in things of this nature Quum saith he orationis ipsius totam indolem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 proprius considero nullam ego in ipso Platone similem grandiloquentiam quoties illi libuit Dei Mysteria detonare nullam in Demosthene parum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 comperisse me fateor quoties animos velmetu Divini Judicii perterrefacere vel commonefacere vel ad contemplandam Dei bonitatem attrahere vel ad pietatis misericordiae officia constituit adhortari nullam denique vel in ipso Aristotele Galeno praestantissimis alioquin artificibus magis exactam docendi Methodum invenio When I well consider the Genius and Character of the Speech and Style of this Apostle I confess I never found that Grandure in Plato himself as in him when he thundereth out the Mysteries of God nor that Gravity and Vehemency in Demosthenes as in him when he intends to terrifie the minds of men with a dread of the Judgements of God or would warn them or draw them to the contemplation of his Goodness or the performance of the Duties of Piety and Mercy Nor do I find a more exact Method of Teaching in those great and excellent Masters Aristotle and Galen than in him So it is plainly so the Greek Fathers almost with one consent do testifie so do most of the Latines also so the best Learned of the later Criticks and so may it be defended against any opposition And Hierom himself who takes most Liberty to censure his Style doth so far in other places forget his own temerity therein as to cry out against those who dreamed as he speaks that St. Paul was not throughly acquainted with all propriety of Speech And he who was the first that ever spake word about any defect of this kind though as able to judge as any one what ever who hath since passed his Censure unto the same purpose was in an evident mistake in the very instance which he pitched on to confirm his Observation This was Irenaeus one of the first and most Learned of the Greek Fathers For affirming that there were many hyperbata in the Style of this Apostle which render it uneven and difficult he confirms his Assertion with an instance in 2 Cor. 4.4 In whom the God of this World bath blinded the minds of them which believe not For saith he the Words should
the declaration of the Orall Instructions of our Lord Jesus Christ and his Apostles But herein the Jews deal with us far more ingeniously than they They tell us plainly that now their whole Orall Law is written and that they have no reserve of authentick Traditions not yet declared So that where Austin sayes of his Adversaries Nescit habere praeter Scripturas Legitimas Propheticas Judaeos quasdam traditiones suas quas non Scriptas habent sed memoriter tenent alter in alterum loquendo transfundit quam deuterosin vocant either he knew not of the Mishnae that was then written or this opinion of Secret Traditions was continued untill the finishing and promulgation of the Babilonical Talmud which was sundry years after his Death But here the Romanists fail us for although they have given us heaps upon heaps of their Traditions by the means afore mentioned yet they plead that they have still an inexhaustible Treasure of them laid up in their Church stores and Breast of their Holy Father to be drawn forth at all times as occasion shall require And thus have we taken a brief Prospect of the Consent of both the Apostatical Churches in that Principle which hath been the means of their Apostasie and is the great Engine whereby they are rendered incurable therein Exercitatio VIII The First Dissertation concerning the Messiah proving him to be promised of Old Principles presupposed in the Apostles Discourse in his Epistle to the Hebrews First A Messiah promised from the Foundation of the World Of the Evil that is in the World Of Sin and Punishment Original and Entrance of them Ignorance of Mankind about them The Sin and Fall of Adam Their Consequents Jews Opinion about the Sin of Adam Also of the Curse and corruption of Nature Their sense of both at large evinced God not unjust if all mankind had perished in this condition Instance of the Sin and Punishment of Angels Differences between the Sin of Angels and Man Angels lost Mankind relieved Evidences of that Deliverance How attainable Not by Men themselves Not by Angels Nor the Law That proved against the Jews Their Fable of the Law made before the World with the occasion of it The Patriarchs saved before the giving of the Law Observation of the Moral Precepts of the Law no means of Relief nor the Sacrifices of it The New Covenant God the Author of it How to be accomplished The first Promise of it Gen. 3.16 discussed Sense of the Jews upon it manifested Examined Promise of a Deliverer the Foundation of all Religion in the World The Promise renewed unto Abraham Gen. 12.1 2 3. Nature of it as given unto him Testified unto and confirmed Gen. 49.10 Numb 24.17 19. Job 19.25 Opened with sundry other Places End of the Separation of the Posterity of Abraham unto â— peculiar People and Church This Deliverer the MESSIAH Denotation of the Word The Person who WEE proceed now unto our Principal intendment in all these Discourses which is the Consideration and Discussion of those great Principles as of all Religion in general so of the Christian in particular which the Apâ—stle supposeth as the Foundation of his whole Treaty with the Hebrews and which § 1 are the Basis that he stands upon in the management of his whole Design For in all Discourses that are Paraenetical as this Epistle for the most part is there are alwayes some Principles taken for granted which give Life and Efficacy unto the Exhortations in them and whereinto they are resolved For as to perswade men unto particulâ—rs in Faith Opinion or Practice without a previous conviction of such general Principles of Truth as from which the Perswasions used do naturally flow and arise is a thing weak and inefficacious so to be exercised in the Demonstration of the Principles themselves when the especial End aimed is to perswade would bring confusion into all Discourse Wherefore although our Apostle do assert and confirm those dogmata and Articles of Truth which he dealt with the Hebrews in a way of Perswasion to embrace yet he supposeth and takes for granted those more general 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or first Maxims which are the Foundation both of the Doctrines and Exhortations insisted on as all skill in teaching doth require And these are those which now we aim to draw forth and consider being these that follow First That there was a Messiah or Saviour of mankind from Sin and Punishment promised upon and from the first entrance of Sin into the World in whom all acceptable Worship of God was founded and in whom all the Religion of the Sons of men was to center Secondly That this Messiah long before Promised was now actually exhibited in the world and had finished the work committed unto him when the Apostle wrote this Epistle Thirdly That Jesus of Nazareth was this Messiah and that what he had done and suffered was the work and duty promised of old concerning him There is not a Line in the Epistle to the Hebrews that doth not virtually begin and end in these Principles not an Assertion not a Doctrine not an Exhortation that is not built on this Triple Foundation They are also the great Verities 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Christian Profession or Religion A sincere endeavour therefore in their Explanation and Vindication especially in these dayes wherein as on the one hand there are various thoughts of heart about the Jews their present condition and expectation so on the other there are many who are ready with a presumptuous boldness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and to call in question the fundamentals of all Religion may not be unacceptable Now the first of these Principles is at this day by several vain imaginations obscured by the Jews to their utter loss of all benefit by it and hath been so for many Generations although it were the Life and Soul of the Religion of their fore-fathers as shall be demonstrated and the two latter are by them expresly denyed and maliciously contended against Here then we shall fix and confirm these Principles in the order wherein we have laid them down declaring on every one of them the Conceptions and Perswasions of the Jews concerning the promised Messiah removing in the Close their Objections against the Faith of Christians in this matter in a peculiar Exercitation to that Purpose And the Confirmation and Vindication of the first of these Principles is that which our present Discourse is designed unto Besides the Testimony of God himself in his Word we have a concurrent suffrage § 2 from the whole Creation that man in the Beginning was formed as in the Image so in the Favour of God and unto his Glory And as he was not liable unto any evil which is the effect of Gods displeasure nor defective in any Good necessary to preserve him in the condition wherein he was made so he was destitute of nothing that was any way requisite to carry him on
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
chap. 32.17 And this Mercy-seat or covering of Gold seems to have lain upon the Ark within the verge of gold or Crown that encompassed it being its self plain without any such verge or Crown for it was placed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon the Ark just over it v. 20. and so was incompassed with its Crown the Glory both of Justice and Mercy of Law and Gospel being the same in Christ Jesus § 14 At the two ends of this Mercy-seat were placed two Cherubims one at the one end the other at the other both of Gold and as it should seem of one continued work with the covering it self The name of Cherubims hath prevailed for these Figures or Images from the Hebrews partly because it is retained by our Apostle who calls them Cherubims of glory 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 9.5 and partly because the signification of the word being not well known it cannot properly be otherwise expressed for which reason it was retained also by the LXX They were of those things which our Apostle chap. 9.23 terms 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Examples expressions or similitudes of things in Heaven whose framing and erection in reference unto the worship of God is forbidden under the name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Exod. 20.3 The likeness of any thing in the heavens above The first mention of Cherubims is Gen. 3 24. God placed Cherubims which seems to intimate that the proto-types of these figures were heavenly Ministers or Angels though Aben-Ezra suppose that the word denotes any erected figures or appearances what ever Others of the Jews as Kimchi think the word to be compounded of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 caph a note of similitude and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a child to signifie like a child being so called from their form and shape But this answers not unto the description given afterwards of them in Ezekiel much less with the same appellation given to the winds and clouds Psal. 18.10 The word hath a great affinity with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Chariot so are the Angels of God called his Chariots Psal. 68.17 and David so calls expresly the Cherubims that were to be made in Solomon's Temple 1 Chron. 28.18 gold for the pattern 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hammercheba hacherubim where the allusion is open the Chariot of the Cherubims and Ezekiel describes his Cherubims as a triumphant Chariot chap. 10. It is not therefore unlikely that their name is derived from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies to ride or to be carried to pass on swiftly expressing the Angelical Ministry of the blessed Spirits above if they were not rather meer emblems of the power and speed of God in his works of grace and providence These Cherubims are said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is not molten but beaten even and § 15 smooth and seem to have been one continued piece with the Mercy-seat beat out with it and from it There is no more mention of their form but only that they had faces and wings Of what sort those faces were or how many in number were their wings is not expressed In Ezekiel's Vision of the living creatures which he also calleth Cherubims chap. § 16 10.2 there is the shape of a man ascribed unto them they had the likeness of a man chap. 1.5 faces ver 6. feet ver 7. hands ver 8. sides or body ver 8 11. each of them also had four faces of a Man a Lion an Ox and an Eagle ver 10. and each had four wings ver 23. In John's vision in the Revelation seeming to answer this of Ezekiel's Cherubims from the eyes that his living creatures were full of and the appearance of their faces they had each of them six wings answering unto those of the Seraphims in the Vision of Isaiah chap. 6.2 The Jews generally affirm that these visions of the glory of God by Isaiah and Ezekiel § 17 were the same and that Ezekiel saw nothing but what Isaiah saw also only they say that Ezekiel saw the glory of God and his Majesty as a country man who admires at all the splendor of the Court of the King Isaiah as a Courtier who took notice only of the Person of the King himself But there are many evident differences in their visions Isaiah calls the glorious Ministers of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Seraphims from their nature compared to fire and light Ezekiel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cherubims from their speed in the accomplishment of their duty Isaiah saw his vision as in the Temple for although from those words I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne high and lifted up and his train filled the Temple Aben-Ezra and Kimchi suppose that he saw the Throne of God in Heaven and only his train of Glory descending into the Temple yet it is more probable that he saw the Throne it self in the Temple his train spreading abroad to the filling of the whole house For he calls the Temple the Throne of his Glory Jer. 14.21 and a glorious high Throne chap. 17.12 that is a Throne high and lifted up as in this place Ezekiel saw his vision abroad in the open field by the River of Chebar chap. 1.3 Isaiah first saw the Lord himself and then his glorious attendants Ezekiel first the Charist of his glory and then God above it Isaiah's Seraphims had six wings with two whereof they covered their faces which Ezekiel's Cherubims had not and that because Isaiah's vision represented Christ Joh. 12.41 with the mysterie of the calling of the Gentiles and rejection of the Jews which the Angels were not able to look into Ephes. 3.9 10. and were therefore said to cover their faces with their wings as not being able to look into the depths of those mysteries but in Ezekiel's vision when they attended the Will of God in the works of his Providence they looked upon them with open face Wherefore from the diversity in all these Visions it appears that nothing certain concerning the form or wings of the Cherubims made by Moses can be collected Most probably they had each of them only one face directly looking one towards the other and each two wings which being stretched out forward over the Mercy-seat met each other and were meer Emblems of the Divine presence and care over his Covenant People and Worship And this was the whole furniture of the most holy Place in the Tabernacle of § 18 Moses In that of the Temple of Solomon which was more August and spatious there was by God's direction two other Cherubims added These were great and large made of the wood of the Olive tree over-laid with Gold and they stood on their feet behind the Ark Westward with their backs towards the end of the Oracle their faces over the Ark and Mercy-seat Eastward toward the Sanctuary their wings extending twenty cubits long even the whole breadth of the house and meeting in the midst their inward wings were over the Ark 1
2.8 And two things in it express the Grace of the Covenant First The handful that was for a memorial that is to bring to memory the Covenant of God and Secondly The Salt which declared it firm and stable Hereunto as we have said belongs the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nesek which as directed in the Law was § 28 but one part of the Mincha and is not reckoned among the distinct species of Offerings as they are summed up Lev. 7.37 And the Reason is because under the Law it was never offered alone by its self but as an Appendix unto Burnt-offerings Sin-offerings and Peace-offerings to compleat the Mincha or Meat-offering that accompanied them But of old before the Reformation of Sacrifices by Moses it was a distinct Offering by its self Gen. 35.14 Jacob offered a Drink-offering that is of Wine which was its primitive Institution and Practice And it was alwayes to be of Wine Numb 15. This Chap. 28. v. 7. is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Shechar which although we generally translate strong drink yet it appears from hence to have been a strong inebriating Wine and so the most learned of the Jews suppose We call this Nesek a Drink-offering in answer to the name we give unto the Mincha a Meat-offering that is Offerings whose matter was of things to be eat and drunk It may be otherwise called a Pouring an Offering poured out Libamen a sacred effusion And these Offerings were most holy also Lev. 2.10 These Offerings of the fruits of the earth as they were in use among the Heathen so § 29 the most learned of them did contend that they were far the most antient kind of Sacrifices amongst men as Plato expresly lib. 6. de Legib. but we know the contrary from Gen. 4. where the first Sacrifices in the world are recorded The latter Pythagoraeans also condemned all other Offerings all that were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of living creatures as I have elsewhere shewed out of Porphyrie though Cicero testifie of Pythagoras himself that he sacrificed an Ox. And whatever was appointed in this Meat-offering they also made use of Their Far Mola salsa 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is flower of Wheat or Barly mingled with water and salt is of most frequent mention amongst their sacred things So also were their placentae and Liba adorea their Cakes made with Flower Oyle and Honey What was their use to the same purpose of Wine and Frankincencense the Reader may see at large in the seventh Book of Arnobius advers Gentes The next solemn Sacrifice in the Order of their Appointment under the Law is § 30 that which is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sebach Shelamin which we render Peace-offerings Levit. 3.1 It is by Translators rendered with more variety than any other Word used in this matter By the Greeks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Sacrifice of Salvation of Expiation of Praise of Perfection And the Latins have yet more varied in their expression of it Sacrificium pacium perfectionum gratulationum salutis retributionum integrorum mundorum sanctisicatorum immaculatorum A Sacrifice of Peace of Perfection of Thanksgiving of Safety or Salvation of Retribution of them that are clean or sanctified or unspotted Most of these various expressions also arise from the different signification of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whence most suppose that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was taken But others think that it comes from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Peace which of late is almost generally received In general this Sacrifice was Corban a Gift or Offering brought nigh and dedicated unto God and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a firing or an offering by Fire and in specie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Sacrifice from the slaying and killing of the Beast that was offered But it is no where said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or most holy as being meerly expressive of Moral duties in a way accommodated to the present Oeconomy of Divine Worship see Heb. 13.15 but it is usually reckoned amongst them that were so § 31 Peace-Offerings as was observed is the name that hath prevailed though it respected Vows of thanksgiving or for the impetration of Mercies see Chap. 7. v. 12 17. The Reason given by Jarchi for this Appellation namely because it brought Peace unto the world is like much of what they say in such Cases a sound of words without any meaning Kimchi gives a more sober and rational account of it The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith he or Burnt-offering was all of it burned only the skin was the Priests The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sin and Trespass-offering were burned in part the Breast and Shoulder were the Priests and all the flesh that was not burned as also the skin But in this Sacrifice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the fat ascended on the Altar the Breast and Shoulder were the Priests the residue of the flesh belonged unto the Offerers or them that brought it to eat themselves and so it was a Sacrifice of Peace among all Parties If this Reason please not we may choose one of the other significations of the Word as of Perfections or Retributions which latter the nature of it inclines unto § 32 The Matter of this Sacrifice was the same with that of the Burnt-offering namely as to Beasts of the Heard Bullocks or Heifers of the Flock Goats Rams Lambs or Kids of Fowls the same with the former v. 6 7. In the Causes of it it was either a Free-will-offering for impetration or from a Vow for Thanksgiving or Retribution The appointed seasons and occasions of it were 1. At the Consecration of a Priest Exod. 29. 2. At the Purification of a Leper Levit. 14. 3. At the Expiration of a Nazaretical Vow Numb 6.14 4. At the solemn Dedication of the Tabernacle and Temple The manner of its Offering is peculiarly described Levit. 3. and the Jews observations about it the Reader may see in the Annotations of Ainsworth on the place § 33 Two things were peculiar to this Sacrifice First That it is appointed to be offered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v. 5. And Aarons sons shall burn it on the Altar 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is saith the Vulgar Latin in holocaustum for a Burnt-offering as though its self were so or substituted in the room of the whole Burnt-offering The LXX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon the Burnt-offerings So we upon the Burnt-sacrifice But what is the intendment of that expression is not so evident The Jews say that the daily Burnt-offering is intended which was alwayes first to be offered and then immediately upon it or whilest it was yet burning the Peace-offering was to be added thereunto It is not indeed declared whether the Hola mentioned were the daily Burnt-offering or no. Most probably it was so and that being a Sacrifice of
all the concernments of it Nothing is in it needless nothing useless Men sometimes perplex themselves to find out the suitableness of some Testimonies produced out of the Old Testament unto the confirmation of things and Doctrines in the New by the Pen-men of the holy Ghost when all the difficulty ariseth from a fond conceit that they can apprehend the depth and breadth of the Wisdom that is laid up in any one Text of Scripture when the Holy Ghost may have a principal aim at those things which they are not able to dive into Every letter and tittle of it is teaching and every thing that relates unto it is instructive in the Mind of God And it must be so because 1. It proceeds from infinite Wisdom which hath put an impress of it self upon it and filled all its capacitie with its blessed effects In the whole Frame Structure and Order of it in the Sense Words Coherence Expression it is filled with Wisdom which makes the Commandment exceeding broad and large so that there is no absolute comprehension of it in this life We cannot perfectly trace the foot-steps of infinite Wisdom nor find out all the Effects and characters of it that it hath left upon the Word The whole Scripture is full of Wisdom as the Sea is of Water which fills and covers all the parts of it And 2. Because it was to be very Comprehensive It was to contain directly or by consequence one way or other the whole Revelation of God unto us and all our Duty unto him both which are marvelous great large and various Now this could not have been done in so narrow a room but that every Part of it and all the Concernment of it with its whole Order were to be filled with Mysteries and Expressions or intimations of the Mind and Will of God It could not hence be that any thing superfluous should be put into it or any thing be in it that should not relate to Teaching and Instruction 3. It is that which God hath given unto his servants for their continual Exercise day and night in this world And in their enquiry into it he requires of them their utmost Diligence and endeavours This being assigned for their Duty it was convenient unto Divine Wisdom and Goodness to find them blessed and useful work in the whole Scripture to exercise themselves about That every where they might meet with that which might satisfie their Enquiry and answer their Industry There shall never be any Time or Strength lost or mispent that is laid out according to the Mind of God in and about his Word The matter the Words the Order the Contexture of them the Scope Design and aim of the Holy Ghost in them all and every one of them may well take up the utmost of our Diligence are all divine Nothing is empty unfurnished or unprepared for our spiritual use advantage and benefit Let us then learn hence 1. To admire and as one said of old to adore the fulness of the Scripture or of the Wisdom of God in it it is all full of Divine Wisdom and calls for our Reverence in the Consideration of it And indeed a constant Awe of the Majesty Authority and Holiness of God in his word is the only teachable frame Proud and careless spirits see nothing of Heaven or Divinity in the Word but the humble are made wise in it 2. To stir up and exercise our Faith and Diligence to the utmost in our study and search of the Scripture It is an endless store-house a bottomless Treasure of Divine Truth Gold is in every sand All the wise men in the world may every one for himself learn somewhat out of every Word of it and yet leave enough still behind them for the Instruction of all those that shall come after them The fountains and springs of Wisdom in it are endless and will never be dry We may have much truth and power out of a word sometimes enough but never All that is in it There will still be enough remaining to exercise and refresh us anew for ever So that we may attain a True sâ—nse but we can never attain the full sense of any Place we can never exhaust the whole impress of infinite Wisdom that is on the Word And how should this stir us up to be meditating in it day and night and many the like inferences may hence be taken Learn also 2. That it is lawful to draw consequences from Scripture Assertions and such consequences rightly deduced are infaliibly true and de fide Thus from the Name given unto Christ the Apostle deduceth by just consequence his Exaltation and Preheminence above Angels Nothing will rightly follow from Truth but what is so also and that of the same nature with the Truth from whence it is derived So that whatever by just consequence is drawn from the Word of God is it self also the Word of God and of Truth infallible And to deprive the Church of this liberty in the interpretation of the Word is to deprive it of the chiefest benefit intended by it This is that on which the whole Ordinance of Preaching is founded which makes that which is derived out of the Word to have the Power Authority and Efficacy of the Word accompanying it Thus though it be the proper Work and Effect of the Word of God to quicken regenerate sanctifie and purifie the Elect and the Word primarily and directly is only that which is written in the Scriptures yet we find all these effâ—cts produced in and by the preaching of the Word when perhaps not one sentence of the Scripture is verbatim repeated And the Reason hereof is because whatsoever is directly deduced and delivered according to the Mind and Appointment of God from the Word is the Word of God and hath the Power Authority and Efficacy of the Word accompanying of it 3. The Declaration of Christ to be the Son of God is the Care and Work of the Father He said it he recorded it he revealed it This indeed is to be made known by the Preaching of the Gospel but that it shall be done the Father hath taken the care upon himself It is the design of the Father in all things to glorifie the Son that all men may honour him even as they honour the Father This cannot be done without the Declaration of that Glory which he had with him before the world was that is the Glory of his Eternal Sonship This he will therefore make known and maintain in the world 4. God the Father is perpetually present with the Lord Christ in Love Care and power in the Administration of his Office as he is Mediator Head and King of the Church He hath taken upon himself to stand by him to own him to effect every thing that is needfull unto the Establishment of his Throne the enlargement of his Kingdom and the Ruine and Destruction of his Enemies And this he will assuredly do to the
certain Rule Way or means to come to the knowledge of the Truth yet they ceased not with indefatigable diligence and industry to enquire after it and to trace the obscure footsteps of what was left in their own natures or implanted on the works of Creation But many the most of those unto whom God hath granted the inestimable benefit and priviledge of his Word as a sure and infallible Guide to lead them into the knowledge of all useful and saving Truth do openly neglect it not accounting it worthy their searching study and diligent Examination How wofully will this rise up in Judgement against them at the last day is not difficult to conceive And how much greater will be their misery who under various pretences for their own corrupt ends do deter yea and drive others from the study of it II. It is the duty of all Believers to rejoyce in the Glory Honour and Dominion of Jesus Christ. The Church in the Psalm takes by faith a prospect at a great distance of his Coming and Glory and breaks out thereon in a way of Exultation and Triumph into those words Thy Throne O God is for ever And if this were a matter of such joy unto them who had only an obscure Vision and Representation of the glory which many Ages after was to follow 1 Pet. 1.11.12 what ought the full Accomplishment and manifestation of it be unto them that believe now in the dayes of the the Gospel This made them of old rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of Glory even because they saw and heard the things which Kings Wise men and Prophets desired to see and saw them not God having prepared some better thing for us that they without us should not be made perfect Chap. 11.40 For 1. Herein God is glorified The Kingdom of Christ is the glory of God thereby is his Name and Praise exalted in the world and therefore upon the Erection and setting of it up are all his People so earnestly invited to rejoyce and triumph therein Psal. 95.1 2 3. Psal. 96.1 2 3 4. Psal. 97.1 2 c. This I say is a cause of Eternal Joy unto all his Saints that God is pleased to glorifie himself and all the infinite Excellencies of his Nature in the Kingdom and Rule of Jesus Christ. 2. Herein doth the Honour and Glory of Christ as Mediator consist which is a matter of great rejoycing unto all that love him in sincerity He tells his Disciples John 14.28 That if they loved him they would rejoyce because he said he went unto the Father They considered only their own present condition and distres being filled with sorrow because he had told them of his Departure from them but saith he Where is your Love to me Ought you not to have that in your hearts as well as care of your selves for your Condition I shall take care and provide for your security and if you love me you cannot but rejoyce because I go to my Father to receive my Kingdom That he who loved us that gave himself for us that underwent every thing that is reproachful or miserable for our sakes is now exalted glorified enthroned in an everlasting immoveable Kingdom above all his Enemies secure from all Opposition is a matter of inexpressible Joy if we have any love unto him 3. Our own concernment security safety present and future happiness lyes herein Our All depends upon the Kingdom and Throne of Christ. He is our King if we are Believers our King to Rule Govern Protect and Save us to uphold us against Opposition to supply us with strength to guide us with Counsel to subdue our Enemies to give us our Inheritance and Reward and therefore our principal interest lyes in his Throne the Glory and Stability thereof Whilest he reigneth we are safe and in our way to Glory To see by faith this King in his Beauty upon his Throne high and lifted up and his train filling the Temple to see all Power committed unto him all things given into his hands and herein disposing of all and ruling all things for the Advantage of his Church must needs cause them to rejoyce whose whole interest and concernment lyes therein 4. The whole world all the Creation of God are concerned in this Kingdom of Christ. Setting aside his cursed Enemies in Hell and the whole Creation is benefited by this Rule and Dominion for as some men are made partakers of saving Grace and salvation thereby so the residue of that race by and with them do receive unspeakable Advantages in the Patience and Forbearance of God and the very creature it self is raised as it were into an Hope and Expectation thereby of Deliverance from that state of Vanity whereunto now it is subjected Rom. 8.20 21. So that if we are moved with the Glory of God the Honour of Jesus Christ our own only and eternal interest with the Advantage of the whole Creation we have cause rejoyce in this Throne and Kingdom of the Son III. It is the Divine Nature of the Lord Christ that gives Eternity Stability and Vnchangeableness to his Throne and Kingdom Thy Throne O God is for ever Concerning this see what hath formerly been delivered about the Kingdom of Christ. IV. All the Laws and the whole Administration of the Kingdom of Christ by his Word and Spirit are all equal righteous and holy His Scepter is a Scepter of Righteousness The world indeed likes them not all things in his Rule seem unto it weak absurd and foolish 1 Cor. 1.20 21. but they are otherwise the Holy Ghost being judge and such they appear unto them that do believe yea whatever is requisite to make Laws and Administrations righteous it doth all concurr in those of the Lord Jesus Christ. As 1. Authority a just and full Authority for enacting is requisite to make Laws righteous Without this Rules and Precepts may be good materially but they cannot have the formality of Law which depends on the just Authority of the Legislator without which nothing can become a righteous Law Now the Lord Christ is vested with sufcient Authority for the enacting of Laws and Rules of Administration in his Kingdom All Authority all Power in Heaven and Earth is committed unto him as we have before proved at large And hence those that will not see the Equity of his Rule shall be forced at last to bow under the Excellency of his Authority And it were to be wished that those who undertake to make Laws and Constitutions in the Kingdom of Christ would look well to their Warrant For it seems that the Lord Christ unto whom all Power is committed hath not delegated any to the sons of men but only that whereby they may teach others to do and observe what he hath commanded Matth. 28.20 If moreover they shall command or appoint ought of their own they may do well to consider by what Authority they do so seeing that is of indispensible necessity unto the
pride and persecution Acts 12. And this Ministry of theirs is in an especial manner pointed unto in several places of the Revelation where the Judgements of God are foretold to be executed on the persecution of the world And this work they wait for in an holy Admiration of the Patience of God towards many a provoking Generation and are in a continual readiness to discharge it unto the uttermost when they shall receive their Commission so to do Dan. 7. 7. They carry the souls departed into Abrahams bosom Luke 16.22 8. Lastly The Ministry of Angels respects the general Resurrection and Day of Judgement The Lord Christ is every where described coming to Judgement at the last day attended with all his holy and glorious Angels Matth. 24.31 Chap. 25.31 2 Thess. 1.7 8. Jude 14.15 And great shall be their work towards the Elect in that day when the Lord Christ shall be admired even by them in all those that do believe For although the work of the Resurrection like that of the Creation is to be effected by the immediate Operation of Almighty Power without the interveniency of any secundary finite Agents limited in their Power and operation yet many things pâ—eparatory thereunto and consequents thereof shall be committed unto the Ministry of Angels By them are the signs and tokens of it to be proclaimed unto the world to them is the sounding of the last Trumpet and general summons given out unto all flesh to appear before Jesus Christ committed with all the glorious solemnity of the Judgement it self And as they bear and accompany the departing souls of the Saints into the receptacles of their rest in Heaven so doubtless also shall they accompany them in their joyful return unto their beloved old Habitations By them also will the Lord Christ gather them together from all parts wherein their redeemed bodies have been reduced into dust and so also at length by them bring all the heirs of salvation triumphantly into the full Possession of their inheritance And thus much may suffice to have spoken about the Ministry of Angels here mentioned by the Apostle by all which it farther appears how neither in their Nature nor their Office they are any way to be compared with the Son of God in his Ministry towards the Church Some deductions also for our especial Use and Instruction may here be added from what hath been spoken As 1. That we ought to be very careful to use sobriety in our Speculations and Meditations about this matter Herein doth the Caution of the Apostle take place in an especial manner that we should be wise unto sobriety Rom. 12.3 and not to think our selves wise above that which is written This some neglecting of old and endeavouring to intrude themselves into the things which they had not seen Col. 2.18 that is boasting of the knowledge and acquaintance with Angels which they had no ground for nor any safe Instruction in fell into Pride Curiosity Superstition and Idolatry as the Apostle in that place declareth And almost in all Ages of the Church men have failed on this account The Curiosity of the Jews we did in some measure before manifest To them in their Imaginations succeeded the Gnosticks whose portentous Aeones and Genealogies of inferiour Deities recounted by Irenaeus Origen Tertullian Epiphanius and others of the Antients were nothing but wicked and foolish Imaginations about Angels Unto them succeeded those about the beginning of the fourth Century who flatly Worshipped Angels and had Conventicles or private meetings for that purpose who are expresly condemned in the thirty fifth Canon of the Councel of Laodicea An. 364. in these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wherein they plainly adjudge that practice to be Idolatry and Apostasie from Jesus Christ. After these about the end of the fourth or beginning of the fifth Century He vented his curious speculations about their Hierarchy Orders and Operations who personated Dionysius the Areopagite of whom we spake before From them all did that sink of Idolatry Superstition and Heresies the Church of Rome derive her present Speculations Adoration Worship and Invocation of Angels But as these things are all of them without besides and against the Word in general so they are in particular expresly prejudged and condemned by the Apostle in the place to the Colossians before mentioned And of such kind of needless useless unprofitable dangerous Speculations we are to beware and many of them I could in particular recite but that I would not teach them unto any by condemning them before all but yet 2. Danger should not deter us from Duty Because some have miscarried in this matter we ought not therefore wholly to neglect it there being so great a concernment of the glory of God and our own good enwrapped therein Had others erred or wandred indeed because they had neither Way to walk in or Guide to attend unto it had been sufficient to restrain us from attempting any thing in this matter but whereas it is evident that they wilfully neglected the Way or pressed farther than the paths of it lead them and despised their Guide following their own imagination instead thereof shall others be discouraged in their Duty whereas they may avoid their miscarriages Wary indeed this may and ought to make us in our enquiries but not neglective of our duties We have the Word of God for our Way and Guide if we go not besides it if we go not beyond it we are as safe when we treat of Angels as if we treated of Worms We have seen in part of what signal use their Ministry is as unto our good and the glory of Jesus Christ. And it is pride to the height not to enquire after what may be known because there are many things that we may not know nor comprehend If that take place it will debar us from all search into the Mysteries of the Gospel For upon our utmost Attainments we know but in part Gods Revelation is the Object of our knowledge So far as that is made and given so far we may enquire and learn Besides it is the height of Ingratitude not to search after what may be known of this great Priviledge and Mercy whereof we are made partakers in the Ministry of Angels God hath neither appointed nor revealed it for nothing He expects a reverence of Praise and Glory for it and how can we bless him for it when we know nothing of it This Ministry then of Angels is that which with sobriety we are in a way of Duty to enquire into 3. Let us on this account glorifie God and be thankful Great is the Priviledge manifold are the Blessings and Benefits that we are made partakers of by this Ministry of Angels Some of them have been before recounted What shall we render for them and to whom Shall we go and bow our selves down to the Angels themselves and pay our homage of Obedience unto them They all cry out with one accord see
for concerning him alone came that Voice from the excellent glory This is my beloved Son hear him So also in the other sense the Apostle is not comparing the manner of their attending unto the Doctrine of the Law which certainly they ought to have done with all diligence and their attendance unto the Gospel but shews the reasons which they had to attend unto the one and the other as the following verses clearly manifest This then may be that which the Apostle intimates in this word namely that they had more abundant cause and a more excellent reason for their attending unto the Doctrine of the Gospel than they had unto that of the Law on this account that he by whom the Gospel was immediately preached unto us was the Son of God himself But the other application of the word is more commonly received wherein it intends the duty enjoyned In reference unto the Duty exhorted unto there is expressed the Object of it The things heard Thus the Apostle chuseth to express the Doctrine of the Gospel with respect unto the way and manner whereby it was communicated unto them namely by preaching for faith cometh by hearing and hearing is of the word preached Rom. 10.14 15. And herein doth he magnifie the great Ordinance of preaching as every where else he maketh it the great means of begetting faith in men The Lord Christ himself first preached the Gospel Acts 1.1 and verse 4. of this chapter Concerning him it was said from heaven Hear him Matth. 17.5 as he who revealed the Father from his own bosome Joh. 1.18 From him the Gospel became to be the Word heard When he had finished the course of his Personal Ministery he committed the same work unto others sending them as the Father sent him They also preached the Gospel and called it the Word that is that which they preached See 1 Cor. 1. So in the Old Testament it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Isa. 53.1 Auditus an hearing or that which was heard being preached So that the Apostle insists on and commends unto them not only the things themselves wherein they had been instructed but also the way whereby they were communicated unto them namely by the great Ordinance of preaching as he farther declares verse 4. This as the means of their believing as the ground of their profession they were diligently to remember consider and attend unto The Duty it self directed unto and the manner of its performance are expressed in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to attend or give heed What kind of attendance is denoted by this word was in part before declared An attendance it is with Reverence Assent and Readiness to obey So Acts 16.14 God opened the heart of Lydia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to attend unto the things that were spoken not to give them the hearing only there was no need of the opening of her heart for the meer attention of her ear but she attended with readiness humility and resolution to obey the Word The effect of which attention is expressed by the Apostle Rom. 6.17 To attend then unto the Word preached is to consider the Author of it the Matter of it the Weight and concernment of it the Ends of it with Faith Subjection of spirit and Constancy as we shall with our Apostle more at large afterwards explain The Duty exhorted unto being laid down a Motive or Enforcement unto it is subjoyned taken from the danger that would ensue the neglect thereof And this is either from the Sin or Punishment that would attend it according unto the various interpretations of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 flow out or fall before mentioned It it signifies to fall or perish then the punishment of the neglect of this Duty is intimated We shall perish as water that is poured on the earth Thereunto is the frail life of man compared 2 Sam. 14.14 This sense of the word is embraced by few Expositors yet hath it great countenance given unto it by the ensuing discourse verse 2 and 3. and for that reason is not unworthy our consideration For the design of the Apostle in those verses is to prove that they shall deservedly and assuredly perish who should neglect the Gospel And the following particles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and if in verse 2. may seem to relate unto what was before spoken and so to yield a reason why the Unbelievers should so perish as he had intimated which unless it be expressed in this word the Apostle had not before at all spoken unto And in this sense the Caution here given is That we should attend unto the word of the Gospel left by our neglect thereof we bring upon our selves inevitable ruine and perish as water that is spilt on the ground which cannot be gathered up again But the truth is that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 prefixed will not be well reconciled unto this sense and interpretation unless we should suppose it to be redundant and insignificative and so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lest at any time we should flow out should be the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 absolutely that we fall not But there is no just reason to render that word so useless Allow it therefore significative and it may have a double sense 1. To denote an uncertain time quando aliquando at any time 2. A conditional event fortè ne fortè lest it should happen In neither of these senses will it allow the words to be expounded of the Punishment that shall befall Unbelievers which is most certain both as to the Time and the Event Neither doth the Apostle in the next Verses threaten them that neglect the Gospel that at some time or other they may perish but le ts them know that their destruction is certain and that from the Lord. It is then our sinful losing of the Word and the benefits thereof which the Apostle intendeth And in the next verses he doth not proceed to prove what he had asserted in this verse but goes on to other Arguments to the same purpose taken from the unquestionable event of our neglect of the Word and losing the benefits thereof The especial reason therefore why the Apostle thus expresseth our losing of the doctrine of the Gospel by want of diligent attendance unto it is to be enquired after Generally the expression is looked on as an allusion unto leaking vessels which suffer the water that is poured into them one way to run out many As he speaks in the Comedian who denied that he could keep secret some things if they were communicated unto him Plenus rimarum sum huc atque illuc effluo I am full of chinks and flow out on every side And the word relates unto the persons not to the things because it contains a crime It is our duty to retain the word which we have heard and therefore it is not said that the Word flows out but that we as it
by every lazie passenger on the surface of the earth they must dig seek and search who intend to be made partakers of them and they do so accordingly And so must we do for these treasures of heavenly wisdom The mystery of the grace of the Gospel is great and deep such as the Angels desire to bow down and look into 1 Pet. 1.12 which the Prophets of old notwithstanding the advantage of their own especial Revelations enquired diligently after verse 11. Whereas now if any pretend though falsly to a Revelation they have immediately done with the Word as that which by the deceit of their imaginations they think beneath them when indeed it is only distant from them and is really above them As if a man should stand on tip-toe on a mole-hill and despise the Sun appearing newly above the Horizon as one beneath him Diligent sedulous searching into the Word belongs unto this heeding of it Psal. 1.1 Or a labouring by all appointed means to become acquainted with it wise in the mystery of it and skilled in its doctrine Without this no man will hold fast his profession Nor doth any man neglect the Gospel but he that knows it not 2 Cor. 4.3 4. This is the great principle of Apostasie in the world men have owned the Gospel but never knew what it was and therefore leave the profession of it foolishly as they took it up lightly Studying of the Word is the security of our faith 3. Mixing the Word with faith is required in this attention See chap. 4.2 As good not hear as not believe Believing is the end of hearing Rom. 10.11 And therefore Lydia's faith is called her attention Acts 16.14 This is the life of heeding the Word without which all other exercise about it is but a dead carcase To hear and not believe is in spiritual life what to see meat and not to eat is in the natural it will please the fancy but will never nourish the soul. Faith alone realizeth the things spoken unto the heart and gives them subsistence in it Heb. 11.1 without which as to us they flow up and down in loose and uncertain notions This then is the principal part of our duty in heeding the things spoken for it gives entrance to them into the soul without which they are poured upon it as water upon a stick that is fully dry 4. Labouring to express the Word received in a conformity of heart and life unto it is another part of this Attention This is the next proper end of our hearing And to do a thing appointed unto an End without aiming at that End is no better than the not doing it at all in some cases much worse The Apostle says of the Romans that they were cast into the mould of the doctrine of the Gospel chap. 6.13 It left upon their hearts an impression of its own likeness or produced in them the express image of that Holiness Purity and Wisdom which it revealeth This is to behold with open face the glory of the Lord in a glass and to be changed into the same image 2 Cor. 4.18 that is the image of the Lord Christ manifested unto us and reflected upon us by and in the glass of the Gospel When the heart of the hearer is quickned enlivened spirited with Gospel truths and by them is moulded and fashioned into their likeness and expresseth that likeness in its fruits or a Conversation becoming the Gospel then is the Word attended unto in a right manner This will secure the Word a station in our hearts and give it a permanent abode in us This is the Indwelling of the Word whereof there are many degrees and we ought to aim that it should be plentiful 5. Watchfulness against all opposition that is made either against the Truth or Power of the Word in us belongs also unto this duty And as these Oppositions are many so ought this Watchfulness to be great and diligent And these things have we added for the further Explication of the Duty that is pressed on us by the Apostle the necessity whereof for the preservation of the truth in our hearts and minds will further appear in the ensuing Observation II. There are sundry times and seasons wherein and several ways and means whereby men are in danger to lose the word that they have heard if they attend not diligently unto its preservation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at any time or by any way or means This our Saviour teacheth us at large in the Parable of the Seed which was retained but in one sort of ground of those four whereinto it was cast Matth. 13. And this the experience of all Times and Ages confirmeth Yea few there are at any time who keep the Word heard as they ought We may briefly name the Seasons wherein and the Ways whereby the hearts and minds of men are made as leaking vessels to pour out and lose the Word that they have heard 1. Some lose it in a time of Peace and Prosperity That is a season which slays the foolish Jesurun waxes sat and kicks According to mens pastures they are filled and forget the Lord. They feed their lusts high until they loath the Word Quails often make a lean soul. A prosperous outward estate hath ruined many a Conviction from the Word yea and weakened faith and obedience in many of the Saints themselves The warmth of Prosperity breeds swarms of Apostates as the heat of the Sun doth Insects in the Spring 2. Some lose it in a time of persecution When persecution ariseth saith our Saviour they fall away Many go on apace in profession until they come to see the Cross this fight puts them to a stand and then turns them quite out of the way They thought not of it and do not like it We know what havock this hath made amongst Professors in all Ages and commonly where it destroys the Bodies of ten it destroys the Souls of an hundred This is the season wherein Stars fall from the Firmament in reference whereunto innumerable are the Precepts for Watchfulness Wisdom Patience Enduring that are given us in the Gospel 3. Some lose it in a time of trial by temptation it pleaseth God in his Wisdom and Grace to suffer sometimes an hour of temptation to come forth upon the world upon the Church in the world for their trial Rev. 3.10 And he doth it that his own thereby may be made conformable unto their Head Jesus Christ who had his especial hour of temptation Now in such a season temptation worketh variously according as men are exposed unto it or as God seeth meet that they should be tried by it Every thing that such days abound withall shall have in it the force of a temptation And the usual effect of this work is that it brings Professors into a slumber Matth 25.5 In this state many utterly lose the Word They have been cast into a negligent slumber by the secret power and efficacy
of temptation and when they awake and look about them the whole power of the Word is lost and departed from them With reference unto these and the like seasons it is that the Apostle gives us this caution to take heed lest at any time the word which we have heard do slip out 2. The ways and means also whereby this wretched effect is produced are various yea innumerable some of them only I shall mention whereunto the rest may be reduced As 1. Love of this present world This made Demas a leaking vessel 2 Tim. 4.10 and choaks one fourth part of the seed in the Parable Matth. 13. Many might have been rich in grace had they not made it their end and business to be rich in this world 1. Tim. 6.9 But this is too well known as well as too little regarded 2. Love of sin A secret lust cherished in the heart will make it plenum remarum full of chinks that it will never retain the showers of the Word and it will assuredly open them as fast as convictions stop them 3. False Doctrines Errors Heresies false Worship Superstition and Idolatries will do the same I place these things together as those which work in the same kind upon the Curiosity Vanity and Darkness of the minds of men These break the vessel and at once pour out all the benefits of the Word that ever were received And many the like instances might be given And this gives us the reason of the necessity of that heeding the Word which we before insisted on Without it at one time or other by one means or other we shall lose all the design of the Word upon our souls That alone will preserve us and carrie us through the course and difficulties of our Profession The Duty mentioned then is of no less concernment unto us than our souls for without it we perish Let us not deceive our selves a slothful negligent hearing of the Word will bring no man to life The commands we have to watch pray strive labour and fight are not in vain The warnings given us of the Opposition that is made to our faith by indwelling sin Sathan and the world are not left on record for nothing no more are the sad examples which we have of many who beginning a good Profession have utterly turned aside to sin and folly All these things I say teach us the necessity of the Duty which the Apostle enjoyneth and which we have explained III. The Word heard is not lost without the great sin as well as the inevitable ruine of the souls of men Lost it is when it is not mixed with faith when we receive it not in good and honest hearts when the end of it is not accomplished in us and towards us And this befalls us not without our sin and woful neglect of duty The Word of its own nature is apt to abide to incorporate it self with us and to take root but we cast it out we pour it forth from us And they have a woful account to make on whose souls the guilt thereof shall be found at the last day IV. It is in the nature of the Word of the Gospel to water barren hearts and to make them fruitful unto God Hence as was shewed was it compared to Water Dews and Rain which is the foundation of the Metaphorical expression here used Where this word comes it makes the parched ground a pool and the thirsty land springs of water Isa. 35.7 These are the waters of the Sanctuary that heal the barren places of the earth and make them fruitful Ezek. 47. The River that makes glad the City of God Psal. 46.7 That River of living water that comes forth from the Throne of God Rev. 22.1 And the places and persons which are not healed or benefited by these waters are left to barrenness and burning for evermore Ezek. 47.11 Heb. 6 8. With the dew hereof doth God water his Church every moment Isa. 27.3 And then doth it grow as a Lilly and cast forth its roots as Lebanâ—n Hos. 14.5 6 7. Abundant fruitfulness unto God follows a gracious receiving of this dew from him Blessed are they who have this dew distilling on them every morning who are watered as the Garden of God as a land that God careth for V. The consideration of the Revelation of the Gospel by the Son of God is a powerful motive unto that diligent attendance unto it which we have before described This is the inference that the Apostle makes from the Proposition that he had made of the Excellency of the Son of God Therefore And this is that which in the greatest part of the ensuing Chapter he doth pursue This is that which God declares that he might so justly expect and look for namely that when he sent his Son to the Vineyard he should be regarded and attended unto And this is most reasonable upon many accounts 1. Because of the Authority wherewith he spake the word Others spake and delivered their message as servants he as the Lord over his own house chap. 3.6 The Father himself gave him all his Authority for the revealing of his Mind and therefore proclaimed from heaven that if any one would have any thing to do with God they were to hear him Matth. 17.10 2 Pet. 1.17 The whole Authority of God was with him for him did God the Father seal or put the stamp of all his Authority upon him and he spake accordingly Matth. 7.29 And therefore he spake both in his own Name and the Name of his Father so that this Authority sprung partly from the Dignity of his Person for being God and Man though he spake on the earth yet he who was the Son of man was in heaven still Joh. 3.13 and therefore is said to speak from heaven Heb. 12.21 and coming from heaven was still above all Joh. 3.31 having power and authority over all And partly from his Commission that he had from his Father which as we said before gave all Authority into his hand Joh. 5.26 Being then in himself the Son of God and being peculiarly designed to reveal the Mind and Will of the Father which the Prophet calls his standing and feeding in the strength of the Lord in the Majesty of the Name of the Lord his God Mic. 5.4 All the Authority of God over the souls and consciences of men is exerted in this Revelation of the Gospel by him It cannot then be neglected without the contempt of all the Authority of God And this will be a sore aggravation of the sin of Vnbelievers and Apostates at the last day If we attend not unto the word on this account we shall suffer on it He that despiseth the word despiseth him and he that despiseth him despiseth him also who sent him 2. Because of the Love that is in it There is in it the love of the Father in sending the Son for the revealing of himself and his mind unto the
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
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
full assurance of understanding to the acknowledgement of the Mysterie of God and of the Father and of Christ Chap. 2.2 that is that they might have a spiritual and saving acquaintance with the Mysterie of this great salvation the Love Grace and Wisdom of God therein which without this Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation from above we shall not attain unto This then in the first place is to be sought after this are we to abide in constant Prayers and supplications for the teaching instructing revealing enlightning Work and Efficacy of this Spirit that we may be enabled to look into these deep things of God that we may in some measure with all Saints comprehend them and grow wise in the Mysterie of salvation Solomon tells us how this wisdom is to be obtained Prov. 2.3 4 5. If thou cryest after knowledge and liftest up thy voyce for understanding if thou seekest for her as for silver and searchest for her as for hid treasures then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God It is by praying crying supplications with diligence and perseverance that we attain this Wisdom abide herein or all other attempts will prove but vain How many poor souls otherwise weak and simple have by this means grown exceeding wise in the Mysterie of God And how many more wise in this world through the neglect of it do walk in darkness all their dayes Secondly Diligent study of the Word wherein this Mysterie of God is declared and proposed unto our faith and holy contemplation but this hath been spoken unto in part already and must again be considered and so need not here to be insisted on Thirdly Sincere love unto and delight in the things that are by the Spirit of God revealed unto us is another part of this duty Herein our Apostle declares what was his frame of heart Phil. 3.8 How doth his heart triumph in and rejoyce over the knowledge he had obtained of Jesus Christ and then indeed do we know any thing of the Grace of God aright when our hearts are affected with what we know Peter tells us that the Saints of old in their believing rejoyced with joy unspeakable and full of glory 1 Ep. 1.8 They discovered that in Christ which maâ—â— their hearts leap within them and all their affections to overflow with delight and joy And this is an Essential part of this Holy Admiration which distinguisheth it from that barren fruitless notional speculation of it which some are contented withall This are we to stir up our hearts unto in all our Meditations of the Grace of God and not to rest untill we find them affected satisfied and filled with an holy complacency which is the most eminent evidence of our interest in and Union unto the things that are made known unto us Fourthly All these things are to be attended with thankfulness and praise This the Apostle was full of and brake forth into when he entred upon the description of this Grace Eph. 1.3 4. and this will be the frame of his heart who is exercised unto an holy admiration of it When our Lord Jesus Christ considered the Grace of God in revealing the mysteries of this salvation unto his Disciples it is said of him that he reioyced in Spirit Luke 10.21 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his Spirit leaped in him and he breaks forth into a solemn Doxologie giving Praise and Glory unto God And is it not their duty to whom they are revealed to do that which out of love unto them our Lord Christ Jesus did on their behalf Thankfulness for the things themselves thankfulness for the Revelation of them thankfulness for the Love of God and the Grace of Jesus Christ in the one and the other is a great part of this duty Secondly This will teach us what esteem we ought to have of the Word of the Gospel by which alone this great salvation is revealed and exhibited unto us the great means and instrument which God is pleased to use in bringing us unto a participation of it This one consideration is enough to instruct us unto what valuation we ought to make of it what price we should set upon it seeing we cannot have the pearl without the purchase of this Field Some neglect it some despise it some persecute it some look upon it as foolishness some as weakness but unto them that believe it is the power of God and the wisdom of God To further us in this duty I shall take up some of those considerations which the words we insist upon do offer unto us and thereby also pass through what yet remains for our instruction in them And we may consider 1. The Excellency and Preheminence of the Gospel which ariseth from the first Revealer that is the Lord Christ the Son of God It was begun to be spoken unto us by the Lord Herein the Apostle prefers it before the Law It is that Word which the Son came to reveal and declare from the bosome of the Father and surely he deserves to be attended unto Hence it is so often called the Word of Christ and the Gospel of Christ not only because it treateth of him but because it proceedeth from him and on that account is worthy of all Acceptation And 2. To neglect the Gospel is to neglect and despise the Son of God who was the Author of it and consequently the Love and Grace of God in sending him So the Lord Christ tells them that preach the Gospel he that despiseth you despiseth me and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me Neglect of the Gospel reflects immediately upon the Lord Christ and the Father and therefore our Apostle bids us take heed that we despise not him who spake from Heaven which can be no otherwise done but by neglect of his word Some pretend to honour Christ but they have no regard for his Word yea they may say of it as Ahab of Micaiah that they hate it and have therefore some of them endeavoured to extirpate the preaching of it out of the world as the Papists have done at least have looked on it as an useless thing that the Church might be well enough without But such men will find themselves mistaken when it is too late to seek after a remedy the true Cause of their hatred unto the word is because they can find no other way to express their hatred unto Christ himself Neither did ever any man hate or loath the Gospel but he that first hated and loathed Jesus Christ but against the Word they have many pretences against the Person of Christ none that are as yet passable in the world This makes the Word to bear that which is intended against Christ himself and so will he interpret it at the last day 3. Consider that this Word was confirmed and witnessed unto from Heaven by the mighty Works and Miracles which attended the dispensation thereof So our Apostle here informs us and
Neither is the nature of Angels exposed to such Dangers and Troubles as to make it necessary for them to betake themselves unto Gods Protection with respect thereunto And this the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 used by the Psalmist properly signifies to betake a mans self unto the Care and Protection of another as Psal. 2. ult This then the condition of the Lord Christ required and this he did perform in all Troubles and Difficulties that he had contended withal He put his trust in God as Isa. 50.8 9. Psal. 22.19 And this evinceth him to have been truly and really of one with the children his brethren seeing it was his Duty no less than it is theirs to depend on God in troubles and distresses And in vain doth Schlictingius hence endeavour to prove that Christ was the Son of God by Grace only because he is said to depend on him which if he had been God by nature he could not do True if he had been God only but the Apostle is now proving that he was man also like unto us in all things sin only excepted And as such his duty it was in all streights to betake himself by faith unto the care and protection of God And some things may hence also be briefly observed As 1. That the Lord Christ the Captain of our salvation was exposed in the dayes of his flesh unto great Difficulties Anxiety of mind Dangers and Troubles This is included in what he here affirms about putting his trust in God And they were all typified out by the great sufferings of David before he came unto his Kingdom In the consideration of the sufferings of Christ men commonly fix their thoughts solely unto his Death And indeed therein was a Recapitulation of all that he had before undergone with an addition of the Wrath of God But yet neither are the sufferings of his Life to be disregarded Such they were as made his whole Pilgrimage on the earth dangerous and dolorous There was upon him a confluence of every thing that is evil or troublesome unto Humane Nature And herein is he principally our Example at least so far that we should think no kind of sufferings strange unto us 2. The Lord Christ in all his Perplexities and troubles betook himself unto the protection of God trusting in him See Isa. 50.7 8. And he alwayes made an open Profession of this trust insomuch as that his Enemies reproached him with it in his greatest distress Matth. 27.39 But this was his Course this was his Refuge wherein at length he had blessed and glorious success 3. He both suffered and trusted as our Head and President What he did in both these kinds he calls us unto As he did so must we undergo Perplexities and Dangers in the course of our Pilgrimage The Scripture abounds with Instructions unto this purpose and Experience confims it And Professors of the Gospel do but indulge unto pleasing dreams when they fancy any other condition in this world unto themselves They would not be willing I suppose to purchase it at the price of Inconformity unto Jesus Christ. And he is a President unto us in trusting as well as in suffering As he betook himself unto the protection of God so should we do also and we shall have the same blessed success with him There remains yet one Testimony more which we shall briefly pass through the consideration of Behold I and the children which God hath given me It is taken from Isa. 8.18 That it was a Prophecy of Christ which is there insisted on we have proved at large in our Prolegomena so that we need not here again farther to discourse that matter That which the Apostle aims at in the citation of this Testimony is farther to confirm the Vnion in nature and the Relation that ensues thereupon between the Captain of salvation and the Sons to be brought unto glory Now as this is such that thereon he calls them Brethren and came into the same condition of trouble with them so they are by the Grant and Appointment of God his children Being of the same nature with them and so meet to become a common Parent unto them all God by an act of Soveraign Grace gives them unto him for his children This is the aim of the Apostle in the use of this Testimony unto his present purpose In the words themselves we may consider First That God gives all the Sons that are to be brought unto glory to Jesus Christ. The Lord hath given them unto me Thine they were saith he and thou gavest them unto me John 17.6 God having separated them as his peculiar Portion in the Eternal Counsel of his Will gives them unto the Son to take care of them that they may be preserved and brought unto the glory that he had designed for them And this work he testifies that he undertook so that none of them shall be lost but that what ever difficulties they may pass through he will raise them up at the last day and give them an entrance into Life and Immortality Secondly He gives them to him as his children to be provided for and to have an Inheritance purchased for them that they may become Heirs of God and Coheirs with himself Adam was their first Parent by nature and in him they lost that Inheritance which they might have expected by the Law of their Creation They are threrefore given to the second Adam as their Parent by Grace to have an inheritance provided for them which accordingly he hath purchased with the Price of his Blood Thirdly That the Lord Christ is satisfied with and rejoyceth in the portion given him of his Father his Children his Redeemed ones This the manner of the Expression informs us in Behold I and the children though he considers himself and them at that time as signs and wonders to be spoken against He rejoyceth in his Portion and doth not call it Chabul as Hiram did the Cities given him of Solomon because they displeased him He is not only satisfied upon the sight of the travail of his soul Isa. 53.11 but glorieth also that the lines are fallen unto him in pleasantnesses that he hath a goodly heritage Psal. 16.6 Such was his Love such was his Grace for we in our selves are a people not to be desired Fourthly That the Lord Jesus assumes the children given him of his Father into the same condition with himself both as to Life and Eternity I and the children as he is so are they His lot is their lot his God is their God his Father their Father and his Glory shall be theirs Fifthly From the Context of the words in the Prophet expressing the separation of Christ and the Children from the world and all the Hypocrites therein combined together in the pursuit of their sinful courses we are taught that Christ and believers are in the same Covenant confederate to trust in God in difficulties and troubles in opposition unto all the
also wherein he was made like unto them still the Regulation from the End is to be carried along with us That therein which was needful thereunto this Assimulation or conformity extends unto that which was otherwise it supposeth not And as the first part of this double limitation is made evident in the instance of sin so the truth and necessity of the latter will appear in the consideration of the things wherein this Conformity doth consist As First He was made like unto them in the Essence of humane nature a Rational Spiritual Soul and a mortal body quickned by its Union therewithal This it was necessary he should be like the Brethren in and not have a phantastical Body or a body animated by the Deity as some fancied of old But that he should take this nature upon him by natural Generation after the manner of the Brethren this was not necessary yea so to have done would not have farthered the End of his Priesthood but have enervated the Efficacy of it and have rendered him incapable of being such a Priest as he was to be For whereas the Original contagion of sin is derived by natural procreation had he been by that means made partaker of humane nature how could he have been holy harmless undefiled separate from sinners as it became our High Priest to be Chap. 7.26 Again it was not necessary that this Humane Nature should have its individuation from its self and a particular subsistence in and by its self yea this also would have overthrown his Priesthood For whereas the efficacy thereof depends on the excellency of the Divine Nature this could not have given its influence thereunto had not the Humane Nature been taken into the same personal subsistence with its self Only as we said that he should have an Humane Nature truly and really as the Brethren and therein be like unto them this was necessary that he might be an offering Priest and have of his own to offer unto God Secondly It was also necessary that in and with his Humane Nature he should take upon him all the Properties and Affections of it that so he might be made like unto the Brethren He was not to have an ubiquatarian body a body commensurate to the Deity that is immense and consequently no true body at all Nor was his soul to be freed from the Affections which are connatural to an humane rational soul as Love Joy Fear Sorrow Shame and the like nor was his Body to be free from being obnoxious unto Hunger Thirst Cold Pain Death it self But now whereas these things in the Brethren are attended with irregular perturbations for the most part and whereas all the individuals of them have their proper infirmities in their own Persons partly by inordinate inclinations from their Tempers and Complexions partly in Weaknesses and Sicknesses proceeding either from their Original Constitutions or other following inordinacies it was no way needful that in any of these he should be made like unto the Brethren yea a Conformity unto them therein would have absolutely impeded the work he had to do Thirdly He was also like unto us in Temptations for the Reason which the Apostle gives in the last Verse but herein also some difference may be observed between him and us For the most of our Temptations arise from within us from our own Unbelief and Lusts. Again in those that are from without there is somewhat in us to take part with them which alwayes makes us fail in our duty of resistance and oft-times leads to farther miscarriages But from these things he was absolutely free For as he had no inward disposition or inclination unto the least evil being perfect in all Graces and all their Operations at all times So when the Prince of this world came unto him he had no part in him nothing to close with his suggestions or to entertain his terrors Fourthly His Sufferings were of the same kind with them that the Brethren underwent or ought so to have done yet they had far different Effects on him from what they would have had on them For whereas he was perfectly innocent and perfectly righteous no way deserving them in his own Person he was free from all impressions of those sinful consequents which attend the utmost sufferings under the Curse of the Law by sinners themselves Thus the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the likeness in all here asserted is capable of a double limitation the first concerning some things themselves as sin the other the mode or manner of the things wherein the conformity doth really consist Now thus to be made like unto them it became him it was meet just and necessary that God should make him so because of the Office Duty and Employment that he had assigned him unto which as the End hereof is nextly to be enquired after Fourthly The general End of his Conformity unto the Brethren is that he might be a merciful and faithful High Priest Two things are comprized herein First The Office that he was designed unto He was to be an High Priest Secondly His Qualifications for that Office He was to be merciful and faithful His conformity unto the Brethren as we have seen consisted in two things First His Participation of their nature Secondly His Copartnership with them in their condition of suffering and temptation The first of these was necessary unto his Office the latter unto his Qualifications He was made man that he might be an High Priest he suffered being tempted that he might be merciful and faithful There was no more required that he might be an High Priest but that he should partake of our nature but that he might be merciful and faithful with that kind of mercy and faithfulness which the Brethren stood in need of it was moreover required that he should suffer and be tempted which things must be distinctly considered First That he might be an High Priest it was necessary that he should be partaker of the Nature of them for whom he was to administer in the things of God So the Apostle informs us Chap. 5.1 Every High Priest for men must be taken from among men This is not work for an Angel nor for God himself as such And therefore although the benefits of the Priesthood of Christ were communicated unto all Believers from the foundation of the world by vertue of the compact and agreement between the Father and him for the undertaking and execution of that Office at the time appointed yet he was not actually nor could be an High Priest untill he was cloathed with flesh and made partaker of the nature of the children The duty which as an High Priest he had perform namely to offer Gifts and Sacrifices unto God Chap. 8.3 with the especial nature of that great Sacrifice that he was to offer which was himself his Body and Soul prepared and given him for that purpose Chap. 10.10 require and make necessary this Conformity For this cause
A person offended to be pacified attoned reconciled 3. A person offending to be pardoned accepted 4. A Sacâ—iâ—ice or other means of making the attonement sometimes one is expressed sometimes another but the use of the word hath respect unto them all And in vain doth Crellius pretend ad Grot. ad cap. 7. p. 360. that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are the same and denote the same thing the former always denoting the person offended the latter the person offending or the offence it self the one is to attone or appease another the other to make attonement for another which surely are sufficiently different 3. The Jews to whom Paul wrote knew that the principal work of the High Priest was to make attonement with God for sin whereof their Expiations and freedom from it was a consequent and therefore they understood this act and duty accordingly it bâ—ing the usual expression of it that the Apostle applies unto it They knew that the great work of their High Priest was to make attonement for them for their sins and transgressions that they might not die that the punishment threatned in the Law might not come upon them as Levit. 16.10 and 21. is fully declared And the Apostle now instructs them in the substance of what they had before attended unto in types and shadows Nor is there any mention in the Scripture of the expiation of sins but by attonement nor doth this word ever in any place signifie the real cleansing of sin inherent from the sinner so that the latter sense proposed hath no consistency with it The difficulty pretended from the construction is not of any moment The sense and constant use of the word being what we have evinced there must be an Ellipsis supposed and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the same in sense with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to make reconciliation with God for sins as the same phrase is in other places explained Sixthly There is a farther double enforcement of the necessity of what was before affirmed concerning his being made like unto his brethren in all things with reference unto his Priesthood and the first is taken from what he did or suffered in that condition the other from the benefits and advantages which ensued thereon The first in those words For that he himself hath suffered being tempted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for in that that is say some in the same nature he suffered in the flesh that he took being tempted But the words seem rather only an illation of what the Apostle concludes or infers from that which he had before laid down 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereas in as much seeing that so both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are often used Rom. 6.12 Now it is here affirmed of Christ that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he suffered being tempted not it hapned unto him to be tempted which we before rejected The Vulgar Latin and Expositors following that Translation He suffered and was tempted But the and inserted we have shewed to be superfluous and it is acknowledged to be so by Erasmus Estius A Lapide though Tena with some others contend for the retaining of it It is not the suffering of Christ in general that is here intended nor is the end mentioned of it that of his suffering in general which was to make reconciliation but the succouring and relieving of them that are tempted which regards the sufferings that befell him in his temptations It is not his sufferings absolutely considered nor his being tempted that is peculiarly designed but his suffering in his temptation as was before observed To know then what were these sufferings we must enquire what were his temptations and how he was affected with them To tempt and temptations are things in themselves of an indifferent nature and have no moral evil in them absolutely considered What ever attends them of that kind proceeds either from the intention of the tempter or the condition of them that are tempted Hence God is said to tempt men but not to induce them unto sin Gen. 22.1 James 1.13 What of evil ensues on temptation is from the tempted themselves Moreover though temptation seems to be of an active importance yet in it self it is meerly for the most part neutral Hence it compriseth any thing state or condition whereby a man may be tried exercised or tempted And this will give us light into the various temptations under which the Lord Christ suffered For although they were all external and by impressions from without yet they were not confined unto the assaults of Sathan which are principally regarded under that name Some of the heads of them we may briefly recount 1. His state and condition in the world He was poor despised persecuted reproached especially from the beginning unto the end of his publick ministery Herein lay one continued temptation that is a trial of his obedience by all manner of hardships Hence he calls this whole time the time of his temptations You have abode with me in my temptations or in the work that he carried on in a constant course of temptation arising from his outward state and condition See James 1.2 1 Pet. 5.9 In this temptation he suffered Hunger Poverty Weariness Sorrow Reproach Shame Contempt wherewith his holy Soul was deeply affected And he underwent it cheerfully because it was to be the condition of them whose preservation and salvation as their High Priest he had undertaken as we shall see And his experience hereof is the spring of their comfort and safety 2. Whilst he was in this state and condition innumerable particular temptations befell him under all which he suffered 1. Temptations from his Relations in the flesh being disregarded and disbelieved by them which deeply affected his compassionate heart with sorrow 2. From his Followers being forsaken by them upon his preaching the Mysteries of the Gospel 3. From his chosen Disciples all of whom left him one denyed him and one betrayed him 4. From the anguish of his Mother when a sword pierced through her soul in his sufferings 5. From his enemies of all sorts All which are at large related in the Gospel from all which his sufferings were inexpressible 3. Satan had a principal hand in the temptations wherein he suffered He set upon him in the entrance of his Ministery immediately in his own Person and followed him in the whole course of it by the instruments that he set on work He had also a season an hour of darkness allowed unto him when he was to try his utmost strength and policy against him under which assault from him he suffered as was fore-told from the foundation of the world the bruising of his heel or the temporal ruine of all his concernments 4. Gods desertion of him was another temptation under which he suffered As this was most mysterious so his sufferings under it were his greatest perplexity Psal. 22.1 2. Heb. 5.7 These