who in their Expositions of them do ever and anon grant that this and that is to be interpreted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Allegorically Now when it is granted that the subject matter treated on is principally spiritual all these Metaphors are plain and easily accommodated unto the principal scope and end intended Again as this was the manner of the Prophets so it is a way exceedingly instructive and suited to convey an apprehension and sense of the things treated on unto the minds and understandings of men All men know the worth and usefulness of the precious things of the Creation Gold Silver precious Stones of the desirable things of natural life Health Strength long Life of the good things of men in civil conversation Wealth Riches Liberty Rule Dominion and the like Men know somewhat of the worth of these things and commonly esteem them above it Now what is likely more to affect their minds with and raise their affections unto spirituall things then to have them proposed unto them under the names of these things whose Excellency they are so well acquainted withall and whose enjoyment they so much desire For nothing can be more evident unto them then that God in these condescensions unto their capacities doth declare that the things which he promiseth are indeed the most excellent and desirable that they can be made partakers of Thirdly the state and condition of the Church of old required such a way of instruction For as they had then in the Covenant of the Land of Canaan many Promises of earthly and carnal things so they themselves were carnal and received great encouragement to abide in their expectation of the coming of the Messiah from that outward Glory which they apprehended that it would be attended withall Besides the time was not yet come wherein the veil was to be removed and believers were with open face to behold the glory of God And therefore although this way of instruction by Similitudes Metaphors and Allegories was suited as we observed in general to affect their minds and to stir up their affections yet it did not give them that clear distinct apprehension of the things of the Kingdom of the Messiah which was afterwards revealed God had other work to do among them by them and upon them then openly and plainly to reveal his whole Counsel in these things unto them Hence the Prophets themselves who received the Promises and Revelations treated of from God were fain to enquire with all diligence into the nature of the Office Work Sufferings and Glory of the Messiah which they prophesied unto the Church about 1 Pet. 1.11 12. and yet all their enquiry came short of the understanding of those mysteries which he had who only saw the Messiah come in the flesh and died before he had acaccomplished his work But in all these promises there was provision laid in to compel as it were the most carnal mind to look principally after spiritual things and to own an Allegory in the expressions of them For many of them are such or otherwise have no tolerable signification or sense nor ever shall have accomplishment unto Eternity Can any man be so stupidly sottish as to think that in the days of the Messiah hills shall leap and trees clap their hands and waste places sing and sheep of Kedar and rams of Nebaioth be made ministers and Jews suck milk from the breasts of Kings and little children play with Cockatrices literally and properly And yet those things with innumerable of the like kind are promised Do they not openly proclaim to every understanding that all the expressions of them are Metaphorical and that some other thing is to be sought for in them Some of the Jews I confess would fain have them all litterally fulfilled unto a tittle They would have a trumpet to be blown that all the world should hear mountains to be levelled seas to be dried up wildernesses to be filled with springs and roses the Gentiles carrying Jews upon their shoulders and giving them all their gold and silver but the folly of these imaginations is unspeakable and the blindness of their Authors deplorable neither to gratifie them must we expose the Word of God to the contempt and scorn of Atheistical scoffers which such Expositions and Applications of it would undoubtedly do Now this rule which we insist upon is especially to be heeded where spiritual and temporal things though far distant in their natures yet do usually come under the same Appellation Thus is it with the Peace that is promised in the days of the Messiah Peace is either spiritual and eternal with God or outward and external with men in this world Now these things are not only divers and such as may be distinguished one from the other but such as whose especial nature is absolutely different yet are they both Peace and so called The former is that which was chiefly intended in the coming of the Messiah but this being Peace also is often promised in those words which in their first signification denotes the later or outward peace in this world amongst men And this is frequent in the Prophets Fourthly By the seed of Abraham by Jacob and Israel in many places of the Prophets not § 6 the carnal seed at least not all the carnal seed of them is intended but the children of the faith of Abraham who are the inheritors of the promise Here I acknowledge the Jews universally differ from us They would have none but themselves intended in those expressions and what ever is spoken concerning the seed of Abraham if it be not accomplished in themselves they suppose it hath no effect on any other in the world And from this apprehension an objection was raised of old against the doctrine of our Apostle For on supposition that Jesus was the Messiah and that the blessing was to be obtained by faith in him whereas it was evident that far the greatest part of the Jews believed not in him it would seem to follow that the promise of God made to Abraham was of none effect Rom. 9.1 But the Apostle answers that the promise did never belong unto all the carnal seed of Abraham for whereas he had many sons one of whom Ishmael was his first-born yet Isaac only inherited the promise And whereas Isaac himself had two sons yet one only of them and he the younger enjoyed the priviledge and all this proceeded from the especial purpose of God who takes into that priviledge whom he pleaseth So was his dealing with the Jews at that time he called whom he pleased to a participation of the promise and passed by whom he would whereby it came to pass at last that all the Elect obtained and the rest were hardned Now the seed to whom the promise is given are those only that obtain it by faith bâ—ing chosen thereunto the residue being not intended in that appellation of Israel Jacob the sons and seed of Abraham Moreover as
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
for those who have thus in any measure known the terror of the Lord they will be secured from you by his Grace Besides what ground do such men leave unto the Lord Christ to stand upon as it were in his Intercession for us in Heaven Do they not take that blood out of his hand which he is carrying into the Holy Place And how do they despoil him of his Honor in taking of from his work a miserable employment when men shall study and take pains to perswade themselves and others that Christ hath not done that for them which he hath done for all that are his and which if he hath not done for them they must perish for evermore Is it worth the while for them to weaken Faith Love and Thankfulness unto Christ From whom can such men look for their Reward Can Right Reason or a Light within be no otherwise adored but by sacrificing the blood of Christ unto them no otherwise be enthroned but by deposing him from his Office and taking his work out of his hand and by an horrible ingratitude because they know no other could do that work to conclude that it is needless Are men so resolved not to be beholding unto Jesus Christ that rather than grant that he hath made Reconciliation for us by his blood they will deny that there was any need that any such Reconciliation should be made O the depths of Satan Oh the stupidity and blindness of men that are taken alive by him and lead captive at his pleasure 2. They who would come unto God by Christ may see what in the first place they are to look after Indeed if they are once brought into that Condition wherein they will seriously look after him they will not be able to look from it though for a while it may be they will be unwilling to look unto it Reconciliation they must have or they can have no peace This lyes straight before them they are willing it may be to look upon the right hand and the left to see if there be any thing nigh them that will yield them relief but all is in vain If any thing else gives them ease it gives them poyson if it gives them peace it gives them ruine Reconciliation by the blood of Christ is the only relief for their souls And nothing more discovers the vanity of much of that Religion which is in the world than the regardlesness of men in looking after this which is the Foundation-stone of any durable building in the things of God This they will do and that they will do but how they shall have an interest in the Reconciliation made for sin they trouble not themselves withall II. The Lord Christ suffered under all his temptations sinned in none He suffered being tempted sinned not being tempted He had the Heart of a man the Affections of a man and that in the highest degree offense and tenderness What ever sufferings the soul of a man may be brought under by Grief Sorrow Shame Fear Pain Danger loss by any afflictive passions within or impressions of force from without he underwent he felt it all Because he was alwayes in the Favour of God and in the assurance of the indissolubility of the Vnion of his Person we are apt to think that what came upon him was so overballanced by the Blessedness of his Relation unto God as not to cause any great Trouble unto him But we mistake when we so conceive No sorrows were like to his no sufferings like unto his He fortified not himself against them but as they were meerly poenal he made bare his breast unto their strokes and laid open his soul that they might soak into the inmost parts of it Isa. 50.6 All those Reliefs and diversions of this life which we may make use of to alleviate our sorrows and sufferings he utterly abandoned He left nothing in the whole Nature of sorrow or suffering that he tasted not and made experience of Indeed in all his sufferings and temptations he was supported with the thoughts of the glory that was set before him but our thoughts of his present glory should not divert us from the contemplation of his past real sufferings All the advantage that he had above us by the Excellency of his Person was only that the sorrows of his heart were enlarged thereby and he was made capable of greater enduring without sin And it was to be thus with him 1. Because although the Participation of Humane Nature was only necessary that he might be an High Priest yet his sufferings under Temptations were so that he might be a merciful High Priest for tempted sufferers Such have need not only to be saved by his Attonement but to be relieved favoured comforted by his Grace They did not only want one to undertake for them but to undertake for them with Care Pity and tenderness Their state required delivery with compassion God by that way of Salvation that he provides for them intends not only their final Safety in Heaven but also that in the sense of the first fruits of it in this world they may glorifie him by Faith and Thankful Obedience To this end it was necessary that they should have relief provided for them in the Tenderness and Compassion of their High Priest which they could have no greater pledge of than by seeing him for their sakes exposing himself unto the miseries which they had to conflict withal and so alwayes to bear that sense of them which that impression would surely leave upon his soul. And 2. Because although the Lord Jesus by vertue of the Vnion of his Person and plenary unction with the Spirit had an habitual fulness of mercy and compassion yet he was to be particularly excited unto the exercise of them towards the Brethren by the experience he had of their condition His internal habitual fulness of Grace and mercy was capable of excitation unto suitable actings by external Objects and sensible Experience It added not to his mercifulness but occasioned his readiness to dispose it unto others and shut the door against pleas of delaying succour He bears still in his holy mind the sense he had of the sorrows wherewith he was pressed in the time of his Temptations and thereon seeing his Brethren conflicting with the like difficulties is ready to help them and because his Power is proportioned unto his Will it is said he is able And what ever may be the real effects on the mind of Christ from his temptations and sufferings now he is in Heaven I am sure they ought to be great on our Faith and Consolation when we consider him undergoing them for this very end and purpose that seeing he was constituted our High Priest to transact all our Affairs with God he would be sensible of that condition in his own person which he was afterwards to present unto God for relief to be afforded unto it III. Temptations cast souls into Danger They have need
indeed this being a difference wherein the Will Authority and Command of God were pleaded on the mistaken side they being all of them clear and full as to the matter by them pleaded for nothing but an immediate Declaration of the mind of God himself as to his removing and taking off the obligation of his own Law could put such an end unto it as that the spirits of men might acquiesce therein Now the Will of God to this purpose before the Writing of this Epistle could only be collected from the nature and state of things in the Church upon the coming of the Messiah and conclusions from thence which the believing Jews were very slow in the admittance of Add hereunto that many Prophesies and promises of the Old Testament setting forth the Glory and beauty of Gospel worship under the names and condition of the Worship then in use as of Priests Levites Sacrifices Offerings Feast of Tabernacles and the like lay directly in the letter against that cessation of Mosaical Rites which the Jews opposed Now who was fit who was able to determine upon these different and various Institutions of God but God himself To declare positively that all Obligation from his former commands was now ceased that his institutions were no more to be observed that the Time allotted unto the Churches obedience unto him in their observance was expired this was no otherwise to be effected but by an immediate Revelation from himself And this is done in this Epistle and that in this only as to the Jews whereby it became the main instrument and means of pulling up their old Church-state and translating it anew into the appointments of our Lord Jesus Christ. Neither is this done by a bare declaration of Gods Authoritative interposition but in a way of Excellent and singular Wisdom and condescention with a manifestation of Gods Love and care unto his Church in the institutions that were now to be removed and the progress of his Wisdom in their gradual instruction as they were able to bear the whole nature design and intendment of them is evidenced to be such as that having received their full End and accomplishment they did of themselves naturally expire and disappear And hereby in that great Alteration which God then wrought in the outward worship of his Church there is discovered such an oneness and unchangeableness in his love and care such a suitableness Harmony and Consonancy in the effects of his Will such an Evidence of infinite Wisdom in disposing of them into a subserviency one to another that they should no where in any thing cross or enterfere and all of them to his own glory in the promotion and furtherance of the light faith and obedience of his Church as sufficiently manifests the Original and fountain whence it doth proceed For my part I can truly say that I know not any portion of Holy Writt that will more effectually raise up the heart of an understanding Reader to an holy Admiration of the Goodness Love and Wisdom of God than this Epistle doth Such I say is the subject matter of this Epistle so divine so excellent so singular And in the handling hereof have we not the least occasional mixture of any Matter Words Sentences Stories Arguments or Doctrines so unsuited to the whole as to argue the interposure of a fallible Spirit Thus we know it hath fallen out in all the Writings of the Christians of the first Ages after the sealing of the Canon of the Scriptures Many things in them appear to proceed from an holy and Heavenly Spirit breathing in their Authors and most of what they contain to be consonant unto the mind of God yet have they all of them evident footsteps that the Authors were subject unto Errors and mistakes even in and about the things written by them And the continuance of their failings in their Writings capable of an easie conviction is no small fruit of the Holy Wise Providence of God and his care over his Church that it might not in after Ages be imposed upon with the great and weighty pretence of Antiquity to admit them into a competition with those which himself gave out to be its infallible and therefore only Rule That nothing of this nature nothing humanitùs meerly after the manner of men befell the Writer of this Epistle in his Work we hope through the assistance of its principal Author to manifest in our Exposition of the several parts of it And this subject matter of this Epistle thus handled further secures us of its original § 25 The design aim and end of the Epistle with the purpose and intention of its Writer which belongs to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the Ancients made a characterism of Writings given by divine inspiration are consonant unto the General Argument and peculiar subject matter of it That the whole Scripture hath an especial end which is peculiar unto it and wherein no other writing hath any share but only so far as it is taken from thence and composed in obedience thereunto is evident unto all that do seriously consider it This end supremely and absolutely is the glory of that God who is the Author of it This is the center where all the lines of it do meet the scope and mark towards which all things in it are directed It is the Revelation of himself that is intended of his mind and Will that he may be glorified wherein also because he is the principal fountain and last end of all consists the order and perfection of all other things Particularly the demonstration of this glory of God in and by Jesus Christ is aimed at The works of Gods Power and Providence do all of them declare his Glory the glory of his eternal Perfections and Excellencies absolutely and in themselves But the End of the Scripture is the glory of God in Christ as he hath revealed himself and gathered all things to an head in him unto the manifestation of his glory For this is life eternal that we know him the only true God and whom he hath sent Jesus Christ. The means whereby God is thus glorified in Christ is by the Salvation of them that do believe which is therefore also an intermediate End of the Scripture These things are written that we may believe that Jesus is the Son of God and that believing we may have life through his name John 20.31 1 Tim. 4.16 Moreover whereas this eternal life unto the glory of God cannot be obtained without faith and obedience according to his will the Scripture is given for this purpose also that it may instruct us in the mind of God and make us wise unto salvation 2 Tim. 3.15 16. Rom. 1.16 2 Pet. 1.3 These in their mutual subserviency and dependance compleat the characteristical End of the Scripture I confess Plato in his Timaeus makes it the End of Philosophy that we may thereby be made like unto God But that Philosophy of his having its
throughout the world bring thereby implanted into the Covenant made with him should become his spiritual children Answerable unto this twofold end of the separation of Abraham there was a double § 4 seed allotted unto him A seed according to the flesh separated to the bringing forth of the Messiah according unto the flesh and a seed according to the Promise that is such as by faith should have interest in the Promise or all the Elect of God Not that these two seeds were alwayes subjectively divers so that the seed separated to the bringing forth of the Messiah in the flesh should neither in whole or in part be also the seed according to the promise or on the contrary that the seed according to the promise should none of it be his seed after the flesh Our Apostle declares the contrary in the instances of Isaac and Jacob with the remnant of Israel that shall be saved Romans Chap. 9 10 11. But sometimes the same seed came under divers considerations being the seed of Abraham both according to the flesh and according to the Promise and sometimes the seed it self was divers those according to the flesh being not of the Promise and so on the contrary Thus Isaac and Jacob were the seed of Abraham according unto the flesh separated unto the bringing forth of the Messiah after the flesh because they were his carnal Posterity and they were also of the seed of the Promise because by their own personal faith they were interested in the Covenant of Abraham their Father Multitudes afterwards were of the carnal seed of Abraham and of the number of the people separated to bring forth the Messiah in the flesh and yet were not of the seed according to the Promise nor interested in the spiritual blessings of the Covenant because they did not personally believe as our Apostle declares Chap. 4. of this Epistle And many afterwards who were not of the carnal seed of Abraham nor interested in the priviledge of bringing forth the Messiah in the flesh were yet designed to be made his spiritual seed by faith that in them he might become heir of the world and all Nations of the Earth be blessed in him Now it is evident that it is the second Priviledge and spiritual seed wherein the Church to whom the Promises are made is founded and whereof it doth consist namely in them who by Faith are interested in the Covenant of Abraham whether they be of the carnal seed or no. § 5 And herein lay the great mistake of the Jews of old wherein they are followed by their Posterity unto this day They thought no more was needfull to interest them in the Covenant of Abraham but that they were his seed according to the flesh And they constantly pleaded the latter Priviledge as the ground and Reason of the former It is true they were the children of Abraham according to the flesh but on that account they can have no other Priviledge than Abraham had in the flesh himself And this was as we have shewed that he should be set apart as a speciall channel through whose loins God would derive the promised seed into the world In like manner were they separated to be a peculiar People as his Posterity from amongst whom he should be so brought forth That this Separation and Priviledge were to cease when the end of it was accomplished and the Messiah exhibited the very nature of the thing declares For to what purpose should it be continued when that was fully effected whereunto it was designed But they would extend this Priviledge and mix it with the other contending that because they were the children of Abraham according to the flesh the whole Blessing and Covenant of Abraham belonged unto them But as our Saviour proved that in the latter sense they were not the children of Abraham because they did not the works of Abraham so as our Apostle plainly demonstrates Rom. 4.9.10.11 Chapters Gal. 3.4 Chap. that those of them who had not the faith of Abraham had no interest in his Blessings and Covenant Seeing therefore that their other Priviledge was come to an end with all the carnal Ordinances that attended it by the actual coming of the Messiah whereunto they were subservient if they did not by faith in the promised seed attain an interest in this of the Spiritual Blessing it is evident that they could on no account be considered as actuall sharers in the Covenant of God § 6 We have seen then that Abraham on the account of his faith and not of his separation according to the flesh was the Father of all that believe and Heir of the world And in the Covenant made with him as to that which concerns not the bringing forth of the promised seed according to the flesh but as unto faith therein and in the work of Redemption to be performed thereby lyes the foundation of the Church in all Ages Wheresoever this Covenant is and with whomsoever it is established with them is the Church unto whom all the Promises and Priviledges of the Church do belong Hence it was that at the coming of the Messiah there was not one Church taken away and another set up in the room thereof but the Church continued the same in those that were the children of Abraham according to the faith The Christian Church is not another Church but the very same that was before the coming of Christ having the same faith with it and interested in the same Covenant It is true the former carnal Priviledge of Abraham and his Posterity expiring on the grounds before mentioned the Ordinances of Worship which were suited thereunto did necessarily cease also And this cast the Jews into great perplexities and proved the last tryall that God made of them For whereas both these namely the carnal and spiritual Priviledges of Abrahams Covenant had been carried on together in a mixed way for many Generations coming now to be separated and a triall to be made Mal. 3. who of the Jews had interest in both who in one only those who had only the carnal Priviledge of being Children of Abraham according to the flesh contended for a share on that single account in the other also that is in all the Promises annexed unto the Covenant But the foundation of their Plea was taken away and the Church unto which the Promises belong remained with them that were heirs of Abrahams faith only § 7 It remains then that the Church founded in the Covenant and unto which all the Promises did and do belong abode at the coming of Christ and doth abide ever since in and among those who are the children of Abraham by Faith The Old Church was not taken away and a new one set up but the same Church was continued only in those who by Faith inherited the Promises Great alterations indeed were then made in the outward state and condition of the Church As 1 The carnall Priviledge of the Jews in their
separation to bring forth the Messiah then failed and therewith their claim on that account to be the children of Abraham 2. The Ordinances of Worship suited unto that Priviledge expired and came to an end 3. New Ordinances of Worship were appointed suited unto the New Light and grace granted then unto the Church 4. The Gentiles came in to the faith of Abraham together with the Jews to be fellow-heirs with them in his blessing But none of these nor all of them together made any such Alteration in the Church but that it was still one and the same The Olive Tree was the same only some branches were broken of and others planted in the Jews fell and the Gentiles came in their room And this must and doth determine the difference between the Jews and Christians § 8 about the Promises of the Old Testament They are all made unto the Church No individual Person hath any interest in them but by vertue of his Membership therewith This Church is and alwayes was one and the same With whomsoever it remains the Promises are theirs and that not by Application or Analogie but directly and properly They belong as immediately at this day either to the Jews or Christians as they did of old to any The Question is with whom is this Church founded on the promised seed in the Covenant This is Sion Jerusalem Israel Jacob the Temple of God The Jews plead that it is with them because they are the children of Abraham according to the flesh Christians tell them that their Priviledge on this account was of another nature and ended with the coming of the Messiah That the Church unto whom all the Promises belong are only those who are Heirs of Abrahams faith believing as he did and thereby interested in his Covenant Not as though the Promise made to Abraham were of none effect for as it was made good unto his carnal seed in the exhibition of the Messiah so the spiritual Priviledges of it belonged only unto those of the Jews and Gentiles in whom God had graciously purposed to effect the faith of Abraham Thus was and is the Church whereunto all the Promises belong still one and the same namely Abrahams children according to the faith and among those Promises this is one that God will be a God unto them and their seed for ever Exercitatio VII Of the Judaicall distribution of the Old Testament the Originall and Nature of their Orall Law and Traditions the whole disproved Agreement of the Jews and Papists about Traditions instanced in sundry particulars THE Apostle dealing with the Hebrews about the Revelation of the Will of § 1 God made unto their Fathers assigns it in generall unto his speaking unto them in the Prophets v. 1. This speaking unto them the present Jews affirm to consist of two Parts 1. That which Moses and the following Prophets was commanded to write for the publick use of the Church 2. What being delivered only by word of Mouth unto Moses and continued by Orall Tradition untill after the last destruction of the Temple was afterwards committed unto writing And because those who would read our Exposition of this Epistle or the Epistle it self with profit had need of some insight into the Opinions and Traditions of the Jews about these things I shall for the sake of them that want either Skill or Leisure to search after them elsewhere give a brief account of their faith concerning the two Heads of Revelation mentioned and therein discover both the Principle Means and Nature of their present Apostacy and Infidelity The Scripture of the Old Testament they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and divide it into three § 2 parts 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Law 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Prophets 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Writings by Divine Inspiration which are usually called the Hagiographa or Holy Writings And this distribution of the Books of the Old Testament is in general intimated by our Saviour Luke 24.24 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All things written in the Law the Prophets and the Psalms under which last head all the Poetical Books of the Scripture are contained Thus Rabbi Bechai in Cad Hackemach 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Law so sometimes they call the whole Volume is divided into three parts the Law the Prophets and the Holy Writings All comprized generally under the Name of the Law for so they say in Midrash Tehillim Psalm 78. v. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Psalms are the Law and the Prophets are the Law that is the whole Scripture This distribution so far as it is intimated in the words of our Saviour doth evidently arise from the Nature and Subject Matter of the Books themselves And this was the received division of the Books of the Old Testament whilest the Judaical Church stood and Continued But the Postalmudicall Doctors overlooking or neglecting the true Reason of this Distribution have fancied others taken from the different manners and degrees of Revelation by which they were given out unto the Church Amongst these they make the Revelation to Moses the most excellent and are very vain in coining the Priviledges and Preeminences it had above all others which are elsewhere examined In the next degree they place those which proceeded from the Spirit of Prophesie which they distinguish from the Inspiration of the Holy Ghost Yea in the eleven degrees of Divine Revelation assigned by Maimonides Mor. Nebu par 2. That by Inspiration is cast into the last and lowest place But this distinction is groundless and meerly fancied out of the various wayes that God was pleased to use in representing things to the minds of the Prophets when it was in them all the Inspiration of the Holy Ghost alone that enabled them infallibly to declare the mind of God unto the Church 2 Pet. 1.21 Now the Books thus given by the Spirit of Prophesie they make of two sorts 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the former Prophets which are all the Historical Books of the Old Testament written before the Captivity as Joshua Judges Samuel Kings Ruth only excepted 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which are all the Prophetical Books peculiarly so called Daniel only excepted that is Isaiah Jeremiah Ezekiel and the twelve Minor Prophets Of the last sort or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cethubim Books written by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost are the Poetical Books of the Scripture Psalms Job Proverbs Canticles Lamentations with Ecclesiastes whereunto they add Ruth Daniel and the Historical Books written after the Captivity as the Chronicles Ezra and Nehemiah which make up the Canon of the Old Testament why sundry of these Books should be cast into the last sort as the Story of Ruth and the Prophesie of Daniel they can give no tolerable account The other Books also written after the Captivity are plainly of the same nature with those which they call the former Prophets And for that of Daniel it contains in it
〈◊〉 a living Redeemer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the living one is a Property of God He is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the living God 1 Tim 4. v. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Tim. 6.16 who alone hath immortality A mortal man is not rightly called a living Redeemer one that hath life in his power Besides Job met with no such Redeemer out of his troubles and therefore R. Levi Ben. Gershom confesseth that it is God who is intended 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who is the Living One and liveth to Eternity Of this Redeemer Job saith he shall stand on the Earth or arise on the dust if the words be taken in the former sense as they will bear either his Incarnation and coming into the world if in the latter his Resurrection out of the dust is intended The former seems most probable and the Earth is expressed by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the dust to denote the infinite condescention of this Redeemer in coming to converse on this dust that we live in and upon And this he shall do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word is used to express the Eternity of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Isa. 44. v. 6. I am the first and I am the last so Chap. 48.11 Whence Ralbag before mentioned interprets this expression with respect to the works that God shall do in the earth in the latter dayes And in this respect our Goel is said to be Alpha and Omega the first and the last the beginning and the ending He that abides thus the same after all shall stand on the Earth But the word also is often joyned with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Generation a time a season Psalm 48.4 6 14. Psalm 102. v. 19. and denotes the futurition of it that it is to come and shall come So also with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a day as Isa. 30. v. 8. pointing out some signal latter day And here it is used absolutely for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the latter dayes which is the ordinary description and designation of the Dayes of the Messiah in the Old Testament This is that which Job expected which he believed Though he was among the Gentiles yet he believed the Promise and expected his own Personal Redemption by the blessed seed And thus although God confined the Posterity of Abraham after the flesh unto the Land of Canaan yet because in the Promised Seed he was to be Heir of the World he gives unto the Messiah the Heathen to be his inheritance and the utmost parts of the Earth for his Possession Psalm 2. v. 8. And upon the accomplishment of the work assigned unto him he promiseth that all the Ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the Lord and all the Kindreds of the Nations shall worship before him Psalm 22. v. 27. a plain declaration of the Gentiles coming in for their share and interest in the Redemption wrought by him See Psal. 45. v. 16. For these Rebellious ones was he to receive gifts that the Lord God might dwell among them Psalm 68. v. 18. So that by him Aegypt and Aethiopia were to stretch forth their hands unto God v. 31. Yea all Kings were to bow down to him and all Nations to serve him Psalm 72. v. 11 12 13 14 15 16 17. These poor Gentiles were the little Sister of the Judaical Church which were to § 31 be provided for in the love of her Spouse the Messiah Cant. 8. v. 8 9. For in the last dayes the dayes of the Messiah many People yea all Nations are to be brought unto the house of the Lord and to worship him acceptably Isa. 2. v. 2 3 4. And expresly Chap. 11. v. 10. The Root of Jesse which the Jews grant to be the Messiah is to stand for an Ensign unto the People and to it shall the Gentiles seek even for that Salvation and Deliverance which he had wrought and they are preferred therein before Israel and Juda v. 12. Aegypt and Assyria that is the other Nations of the world are to be brought into the same Covenant of the Messiah with Israel Chap. 19. v. 25. For all flesh was to see the glory of God and not the Jews only Chap. 40. v. 5. And the Isles or utmost parts of the Earth were to wait for the Law of the Promised Messiah Chap. 42. v. 4. And the whole of what we assert is summed up Chap. 49. v. 6. where God speaks unto the Promised Seed and sayes It is a light thing that thou shouldst be my Servant to raise up the Tribes of Jacob and to restore the preserved of Israel I will also give thee for a Light unto the Gentiles that thou mayest be my Salvation unto the Ends of the Earth Where he is as fully promised unto the Gentiles to be their Salvation as ever he was unto Abraham or his Posterity See Chap. 51. v. 5. Chap. 53.12 And on this account doth God call unto men in general to come into his Covenant promising unto them an interest in the mercies of David and that because he hath given this seed as a witness unto them as a Leader and Commander or the Captain of their Salvation Chap. 55. v. 1 2 3 4. The effect of which call in the Faith of the Gentiles and their gathering unto the Promised Seed is expressed v. 5. The like Prophecies and Predictions of the Gentiles partaking in the Redemption to be wrought occur in all the Prophets especially Ezechiel Micah Zechâ—riâ—h and Malachie but the instances already produced are sufficient unto our purpose § 32 There seems yet to be somewhat inconsistent with what we have declared in the words of the Apostle Eph. 3. v. 5 6. God by Revelation made known unto me the mysterâ—e which in other Ages was not made known unto the Sons of mâ—n as it is now revealed unto his holy Apostles and Prophets by the Spirit that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs and of the same body and partakers of his Promise in Christ by the Gospel The Apostle seems to deny that this mysterie of the participation of the Gentiles in the Blessing by the promised seed was revealed or made known before the time of its discovery in and by the Gospel and therefore could not be so declared by the Prophets under the Old Testament as we have evinced But indeed he doth not absolutely deny what is asserted only he prefers the Excellency of the Revelation then made above all the discoveries that were before made of the same thing The mysterie of it was intimated in many Prophecies and Praedictions though before their accomplishment they were attended with great obscurity which now is wholly taken away In former Ages 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it was not saith he fully clearly manifestly known 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the Sons of men in common and promiscuously though it were intimated unto the Prophets and by them obscurely represented unto the Church but it was not made known 〈◊〉
of them on especial Occasions were so Thence were they called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Annointed Ones And because this Annointing with Oyle was not appointed for its own sake but for somewhat signified thereby those who received the thing so signified although not actually annointed with corporeal Oyle are called Annointed ones also Psalm 105. v. 15. Now this Promised Seed this Saviour or Deliverer being appointed of God to perform his Work in the discharge of a Triple Office of King Priest and Prophet unto his Sacred People and being furnished with those Gifts and Endowments which were signified by the Annointing Oyle is by an Antanomasia called the Messiah Or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Messiah the King Dan. 9.25 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Messiah the Prince Ruler or Leader and v. 26. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Messiah absolutely The Greeks render this name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which twice occurs in the New Testament where Persons of the Jewish Faith and Church are introduced expressing the Saviour they looked for John 1. v. 41. Chap. 4. v. 25. Otherwise the Holy Penmen constantly call the same Person by another name of the same signification in the Language wherein they wrote with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Annointed One Christ. The Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Latine Messiah seem rather to be taken immediately from the Chaldee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Messicha than from the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Messiach and to come nearer unto it in sound and Pronunciation It is true that the name is sometimes applied unto prophane and wicked men with respect unto the Office or Work whereunto they were of God designed as to Saul 1 Sam. 24. v. 7. and to Cyrus Isaiah 45. v. 1. And the Jews call the Priest who was to sound the Trumpet when the People went forth to Battel Deut. 20. v. 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the annointed unto the War But as was said it is applied by the way of Eminency unto the Promised Seed unto others by way of Allusion and with respect unto their Office and present Work Exercitatio IX The First Promise explained in the subsequent The Name Messiah seldom used in the Original frequently in the Targums Places applyed unto him therein Gen. 3.15 Vse of their Testimony against the present Jewes Gen. 35.21 Occasion of the mention of the Messiah in that place from Micah 4.8 Genesis 49.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 first mentioned V. 10. Vntill Shilo come Agreement of Targums Exod. 12. v. 42. Christ typified by the Paschal Lamb. Exod. 40.9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who Dan. 9.25 Numb 11.26 Tradition about the Prophecying of Eldad and Medad Numb 23.21 Chap. 24.7 17 20 24. Consent of Targums Talmudists Cabalists Deut. 18.15 16 17 18 19. The Prophet promised who 1 Sam. 2.10 Hannas Prophecy of Christ. 2 Sam. 23.3 Davids in his lasts words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Kings 4.33 Solomons Prophecie Light of the Church increased by David Psal. 2. Vindicated Psal. 18. v. 32. Psal. 21.3 4. Psal. 45. Psal. 68. Psal. 69. Psal. 72. Targum Midrash Commentators Vulgar Latin corrupted and the LXX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What. Psal. 80. v. 16 18. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 how to be rendered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who Psal. 110. Prophesie of the Messiah Confession of the Jews Of the Targum in Solomons Song Isa. 2.2 3 4. Chap. 4. v. 2. Vindicated Chap. 9. v. 6. Sense of the Targum on the place Vulgar Latin noted Intanglements of the Jews from this Testimony Four things promised not agreeing to Hezekia Answer of Jarchi Kimchi Aben Ezra The Name mentioned whose 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who Answer of Abarbinel Of the increase of his Government Chap. 10. v. 27. Chap. 11.1 Abarbinels Prediction of the ruine of the Christians Isaiah 16. v. 1. Chap. 28. v. 5. Chap. 42. v. 1. Jeremiah 23. v. 5. Corruption of Old Translations Purity of the Original Messiah Jehovah our Righteousness Ezek. 37. v. 24. Jerem. 30.21 Jerem. 33.15 16 Hos. 3.5 Hos. 14.8 Micha 5.2 Vindicated Kimchi's Blasphemy Zech. 3.8 Chap. 4.7 Chap. 6.12 Chap. 10.4 Chap. 9.9 Chap. 11.12 13. Chap. 12.10 Conclusion HAving considered the first great Promise concerning the Messiah and evinced § 1 from thence the nature of his Work and Office as also shewed in generall how Testimony is given unto him throughout the Old Testament and whence his Name is derived we shall now moreover enquire in particular into those places where he is expresly foretold promised or prophesied of that we may thence gather what farther Light concerning his Person and Natures with his employment was granted unto the Church of old which the present Jews wilfully reject And herein as I aim not to collect all the Prophecies and Promises which God gave concerning him by the mouth of his holy Prophets from the foundation of the World but only to single out some of the most eminent that give us a direct description of his Person or his Grace in answer unto or the confirmation of what hath been already discoursed about them so I shall have an especial respect unto them which the Jews themselves do acknowledge to belong unto him There is a Book written by Abarbinel which he calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wherein he undertakes to explain all those Texts of Scripture or Prophecies which cannot be understood either Spiritually or of the Second Temple but of their Redemption by the Messiah This at present among others I am forbidden the use of which might have been of Advantage in the present design I shall therefore principally insist on those places which are applied unto him in the Targums the most Authentick Writings amongst them whereunto some others shall be added which I have observed to be interpreted unto the same purpose in the best of their Commentators The name of Messiah is but twice or thrice at most used in the Old Testament directly § 2 and immediately to denote the Promised Seed Namely Dan. 9. v. 25. and v. 26. whereunto Psalm 2. v. 2. may be added But this Name on the Reasons before given prevailing in the Judaical Church it is frequently made use of and inserted in the Targums where he is treated of although he be not expresly named in the Original Elias in his Methurgamim reckons up fifty of those places whereunto one and twenty more are added by Buxtorfius The Principal of these deserve our Consideration considering that some of the most eminent of them are denyed by the latter Jews to belong unto him those especially which give Testimony unto that part of the faith of Christians concerning him his Person and Office which by them is opposed or denyed And this consent of the Targums is of great weight against them as containing an Evidence of what Perswasion prevailed amongst them before such time as they suited all their Expositions of Scripture unto their own infidelity in
Psalm 75. they ascribe this place unto the Messiah and reckon his Horn as the tenth horn of strength granted unto Israel R. Levi Ben Gershom understands by the King in the first place He shall give strength unto his King Saul and by Messiah in the close of the words David who was to be annointed by Samuel the Son of Hanna whose words these are Kimchi applies the words to the Mâ—ssiah whom as he sayes she intended by the Spirit of Prophesie or spoke of from Tradition And indeed the words seem directly to intend him For by him alone doth the Lord judge the Ends of the Earth and he was the Annointed whose Power he would signally exalt And I mention this place only as an instance of the Faith of the Church of old who in all their mercies still had a regard unto the Great Promise of the Messiah which was the Fountain of them all And therefore Hanna here closeth her Prophetical Eulogie with her acknowledgement thereof and faith therein § 15 2 Sam. 23. v. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He that Ruleth in man just Ruler in or of the fear of the Lord Targ. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He said he would appoint unto me a King which is the Messiah who shall arise and Rule in the fear of the Lord. And it refers thâ—s whole last Prophesie of David or his last words that he spake by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost unto the dayes of the Messiah whence it gives this Preface unto them These are the words of the Prophesie of David which he prophâ—sied concerning the End of the world or for the end of the world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the dayes of Consolation that were to come Rab. Isaiah and Rashi interpret the words of David himself and Kimchi also but he mentions the application of it unto the Messiah who was to come of David whom God would raise up unto him which he approveth of Christian Expositors who follow the Jews interpret those words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the rock of Israel spake to me by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spake concerning me that is by Samuel who annointed me to be King Some he spake unto me by Nathan Our Translators keep to the Letter he spake unto me And that alone answers unto the words of the Verse foregoing The Spirit of the Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spake in me or to me so are the Revelations of God expressed See Zech. 4. v. 1 4. and it expresseth the Communication of the mind of God unto the Prophet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and not his speaking by him unto others And from these very words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the spirit of the Lord spake in me do the Jews take occasion to cast the writings of David amongst those which they assign unto that kind of Revelation which they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Books written by inspiration of the Holy Ghost The other words also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his word was in my tongue manifest that it is David himself that is spoken unto and not of in the third Verse and therefore it is some other who is Prophesied of by him namely the Messiah And this the words whereby he is described do also manifest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ruling in man that is saith Jarchi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 over Israel who is called man as it is said and ye the flock of my pasture are men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 you are man Ezek. 34.1 But where the word Adam is used with this praefix 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as here it no where signifies Israel but is expresly used in a contradistinction from them as Jerem. 32.20 which hast set Signs and Wonders in the Land of Aegypt even unto this day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in Israel and in Adam that is as we render it amongst other men that are not Israel So that if any especial sort of men are intended in this Expression it is not Israel but other men And indeed this word is commonly used to denote mankind in general as Gen. 6. v. 3. Chap. 9. v. 6. Exod. 8.18 Chap. 9.10 Chap. 13.2 and universally where ever it is used it signifies either all mankind or humane nature So that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is he who is the Ruler over all mankind which is the Messiah alone Unless we shall inteâ—pret this Expression by that of Psal. 68. v. 19. Thou hast ascended on high thou hast lead captivity captive 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 accepisti dona in homine and thou hast received gifts in man that is in the humane nature exalted whereof the Psalmist treats in that place For whereas the Apostle Ephâ—s 4. v. 8. renders these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he gave gifts unto men it is manifest that he expresseth the End and Effect of that which is spoken in the Psalm for the Lord Christ received gifts in his own humane nature that he might give and bestow them on others as Peter declareth Acts 2. v. 33. The remainder also of the words contain a description of the Messiah He is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the just and Righteous One Acts 3.14 And He alone is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he that rules in the things that concern the fear and Worship of God Isa. 11. v. 2 3. So that this place doth indeed belong unto the faith of the Antient Church concerning the Messiah 1 Kings 4. v. 33. In stead of those words concerning Solomon He spake of Trees § 16 from the Cedar Tree that is in Lebanon unto the Hyssop that springeth out of the Wall The Targum reads 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And be Prophecied of the Kings of the house of David in this world the duration of time and state of things under the Old Testament and of the Messiah in the world to câ—me so they call the dayes of the Messiah I know of none who have considered what occasion the Targumists could take from the words of the Text to mention this matter in this place I will not say that he doth not intend the Book of Canticles wherein under an Allegory of Trees Herbs and Spices Solomon Prophesieth of and sets forth the Grace and Love of Christ towards his Church and wherein many things are by the latter Targumist applied unto the Messiah also as we shall see There is mention likewise made of the Messiah in the Targum by an addition unto § 17 the Text Ruth 3. v. 15. It was said in the Prophesie that six Righteous Persons should come of Ruth David and Daniel with his Companions and the King Mâ—ssiah The general End of the writing of this Book of Ruth was to declare the Providence of God about the Genealogie of the Messiah And this seems to have been kept in Tradition amongst them And for this Cause doth Matthew expresly mention her name in his Rehearsal of the Genealogie of Christ Mâ—t.
wherein all the lies of their unbelief do meet and hereupon in a miserable deplorable condition do they continue crying for and expecting his coming who came long since and was rejected by them Now this being the great difference between them and Christians and that such an one as hath a certain influence into their Eternal condition As they have endeavoured to invent evasions from the force of the Testimonies and Arguments whereby our Faith and Profession is confirmed so are we to use diligence in their vindication and establishment which we hope to do unto the satisfaction of the sober and godly wise in our ensuing Discourse § 2 The first great Promise of the Messiah at large insisted on before declared only his coming and the end of it in general This Promise was recorded 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psalm 40.8 or as our Apostle Heb. 10.7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the beginning head or first roll of the Book of God namely Gen. 3. as a stable foundation of all the rest that ensued And it respected all the posterity of Adam that they might have a refuge whereunto to repair in all their distresses When the care of it and respect unto it and faith in it were rejected by the world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 14.16 God left it unto the wayes of its own choosing to shift for its self and in his Soveraign Grace and Pleasure renewed the Promise unto Abraham with a restriction and limitation of it unto his Family as that which was to be separated from the rest of mankind and dedicated to the bringing forth of the Messiah in the appointed season as we have declared Upon the giving of that Promise with the Call and Separation of Abraham wherein the Church became in a special manner visible there wanted nothing to confirm the faith and fix the expectation of those that desired his coming but only the determination of the time wherein he should so do And this was necessary upon a double account 1. That those who were to live before his Advent or appearance in the flesh might not only by faith see his Person afar off and be refreshed as Cant. 2.8 but also Behold his Day or the time limited and prefixed unto his coming and rejoyce therein and that not only as Abraham who knew that such a day should be John 8.56 but also those who had a certain day so limited as that by diligent enquiry 1 Pet. 1.11 they might take some especial prospect of it 2. To guide them who were to live in the dayes of the accomplishment of the Promise unto a more earnest expectation of him and desire after him as Daniel had for the return of the People from the Captivity when he understood by Books that the time limited for it was accomplished Dan. 9.2 3. Accordingly it came to pass for from hence it was that at that season when he was to be exhibited all men were in expectation of him and prepared thereby to enquire after him Luke 3.15 Now this determination of time enquired after was first made by Jacob Gen. 49.8 § 3 9 10. accompanied with a signal demonstration of one especial person from whom the Messiah was to proceed even in the Family of Abraham himself such another restriction also and but one ensued when that priviledge which originally rested in Abraham and his family and afterwards restrained unto Judah and his posterity and lastly confin'd unto David and his off-spring was ever after left at large unto any branch of that Family And this I mention by the way to prevent any difficulties about his Genealogie For as in the very first instance of the Regal Succession in the house of David there was no respect had to the Primogeniture 1 Kings 2.22 So there was no necessity that the Messiah should spring from the reigning Family although he did so but only that he should be of the Seed of David For as after the Promise given unto Abraham the Messiah might have sprung from any Family whatever of his posterity by Isaac untill the limitation made by Jacob unto the person of Judah and after that limitation might have done so from any Family of his Tribe or Posterity untill the confienment of that priviledge to the person of David so no restriction or limitation being afterwards added his production by any person of his Posterity whether in a nearer or further alliance to or from the Reigning Line was all that was included in the Promise To return the words of the place above quoted are Judah thou art be whom thy Brethren shall praise thine hand shall be in the neck of thine enemies Thy Fathers children shall bow down before thee Judah is a Lyons whelp from the prey my Son thou art gone up he stooped down he couched as a Lion and as an old Lion who shall rouse him up 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Scepter shall not depart from Judah nor a Law-giver or Scribe from between his feet untill Shilo come and to him the gathering of people These last words are the seat of our Argument the former therefore we shall no otherwise consider but as they give light and evidence to their interpretation The great Masters among the Jews are exceedingly perplexed with this Testimony § 4 and have therefore invented endless wayes for the enervating of it openly and lowdly contradicting one another almost about every word in the Text Some would evade the sense of it by interpreting 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be only a Rod of correction say some of supportment say others and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they would only have to be a Scribe such as they fancy their present Rabbins to be Some by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 understand the person of Judah unto whom they ascribe I know not what pre-eminence and not his Family and Tribe Some would have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be separated from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that follows because of the accent Jethib and to signifie for ever Some by the Shilo would have David intended some Ahijah the Prophet some the City Shilo and most know not what 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some would have to be destruction some instruction and obedience And on every one of these cavils do they build various interpretations and provide various evasions for themselves all which we shall either obviate or remove out of the way in the ensuing Discourse It were endless to consider all their several Expositions and useless because they are § 5 fully confuted by one another And what ever seems of importance in any of their exceptions will be fully answered in our Exposition and vindication of the Text and Context Only to give the Reader a specimen of their Sentiments I shall briefly consider the sense and Exposition of one of them and he of such reputation that he hath generally obtained the name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Wise. And this is R.A.B. Meir Aben Ezra And that we may
interprets the Angel to be sent before him the Angel of Gods presence from Heaven to lead the people out of their Captivity as of old he went before them in the Wilderness when they came out of Aegypt But we are better taught who this Messenger was Matth. 11.10 Mark 1.2 As for the Lord whom they sought he speaks plainly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is the King the Messiah and this the Angel of the Covenant he adds indeed the old Story about Elijah and his zeal for the Covenant whence he had the honour to preside at Circumcision to see the Covenant observed and may be thence called the Angel of the Covenant But it is plain in the words and confessed by Aben Ezra that the Lord whom they sought and the Angel of the Covenant are the same And as to these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he shall come suddenly unto his Temple he adds in their Explication 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because the time of the end is not revealed nor unfolded in the Book of Daniel It is said he shall come suddenly because there is no man that knows the day of his coming before he came We grant that the precise day of his coming was not known before he came but that the time of it was foretold limited and unfolded in the Book of Daniel so far as the season and age of it would admit was made evident all future expectation declared to be void and that in the Book of Daniel we shall immediately demonstrate At present we have proved and find that they cannot deny but that he was to come unto the second Temple whilest it was yet standing § 27 Once more we may yet add the consent of others of their Masters besides these Expositors Some Testimonies out of their Doctors are Cited by others I shall only name one or two of them in Talmud it self Tractat. Sanâ—d caâ— 11. the application of this place of Haggai unto the Messiah is ascribed unto Rabbi Akiha his words as they report them are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a little glory will I give unto Israel and then the Messiah shall come And this man of so great repute among them that Rabbi Eleazar affirms that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all the wise men of Israel were like a little Garlick in comparison of that bald Rabbi This then is their own avow'd Tradition and the other place of Malachi concerning the Angel of the Covenant is expounded of the Messiah by Rainbain in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the dayes saith he of the Messiah the Children of Israel shall be restored unto their Genealogies by the Holy Ghost that shall rest upon him as it is said Behold I send my Messenger before me and the Lord whom ye seek shall come unto his Temple We have then found out both from the clear words of both these Prophesies and the consent of the Jews themselves who it is that is here promised in them that he should come to his Temple § 28 This is the glory of the second house promised in Haggai The end of the Temple and of all the glory of it and all the Worship performed in it was to prefigure the promised seed who was the true and only substantial glory of them all and of the people to whom they were committed for he was to be a Light to light the Gentiles and the glory of his people Israel Therefore in all the Worship of the Temple those who believed and in the use of the Ordinances of it saw unto the end of their institution did continually exercise faith on his coming and earnestly desire the accomplishment of the promise concerning it The great glory then of this Temple could consist in nothing but this coming of the Lord whom they sought the desire of all Nations unto it Now that he should come whilest the Temple stood and continued is here confirmed by this double Prophetical Testimony and the Temple being utterly and irreparably destroyed now above 1600. years ago It must be acknowledged that the Messiah is long since come unless we will say that the Word of God is vain and his Promise of none effect The General Exception of the Jews unto this Argument taken from the limitation § 29 of the time allotted unto the coming of the Messiah we shall afterwards consider In one word that which they relieve themselves withall against the prediction of Haggai and Malachi that he should come unto the Temple then built amongst them which they acknowledge is so truly ridiculous that I shall not need to retain the Reader with the consideration of it They say the Messiah was born at the Time determined before the destruction of the second Temple but that he is kept hid in the Sea or in Paradise or dwells at the Gates of Rome among the Lepers waiting for a Call from Heaven to go and deliver the Jews with such follies do men please themselves in the great Concernments of the glory of God and their own eternal welfare who are left destitute of the Spirit of light and truth sealed up under the efficacy of their own blindness and unbelief But hereof we shall treat further in the Consideration of their General Answers to this whole Argument in hand Exercitatio XIV Daniels Weeks Chap. 9.24 25 26 27. proposed unto consideration Attempt of a Learned man to prove the coming and suffering of the Messiah not to be intended examined First Reason from the difficulties of the Computation and differences about it removed Whether this place be used in the New Testament Objection from the time of the Beginning of this computation answered Distribution of the LXX Weeks into VII LXII and one Reason of it Objectiâ—n thence answered The cutting of the Messiah and the destruction of the City not joyned in one Week Things mentioned v. 24. peculiar to the Messiah The Prophecy owned by all Christians to respect the Messiah The Events mentioned in it not to be accommodated unto any other No Types in the words but a naked prediction The Prophecies of Daniel not principally intending the Churches of the latter dayes Streights of time intimated when they fell out Coincidence of Phrases in this and other Predictions considered Removal of the daily Offering and causing the Sacrifice and Offering to cease how they differ The Desolation foretold Distribution of the LXX Weeks accommodated unto the Material Jerusalem Objections removed Distribution of things contained in this Prophecy Argument from the computation of time warranted First neglected by the Jews then cursed yet used by them vainly Concurrent Expectation and Fame of the coming of the Messiah upon the Expiration of Daniels Weeks Mixture of things good and poenal Abarbinels Figment rejected Four hundred and ninety years the time limited Fancy of Origen and Apollinaris The true Messiah intended Proved from the Context The Names and Titles given unto him The work assigned to him That work particulary explained the expressions vindicated To make an
shall take or remove away the continual Offering that is hinder the observation of it and attendance unto it when it ought to be observed Of the Prince Chap. 9. v. 27. it is said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he shall cause to cease Sacrifice and Offering so that de jure they ought no more to be observed § 18 In the same time saith he the said Prince is said v. 27. for the overspreading of abominations to make desolate a phrase attributed unto Antichrist Chap. 8.12 13. 11.31 there said to set up the abominations making desolate Answ. Although great desolations and destructions being treated of in all these places it would not be strange if the same Author should express the alike events in the same terms yet those which we are referred unto are not the same in the Original nor of any considerable correspondency And the like may be said of another instance which he adds in the ninth place between an expression Chap. 9. v. 27. and Chap. 11. v. 36. wherein is no agreement at all and the places treat directly of things different yea contrary § 19 It is added in the last place That as in the seventy Weeks the division of the seven from the sixty and of both from the one Week are unapplicable to the material restauration out of real Babylon so they will exactly and precisely agree to the Restauration out of Antichristian Babylon as shall be shewed Answ. That the distribution of the LXX Weeks mentioned in the Text is applicable unto the continuance of the Judaical Church and State with the coming of the Messiah and the accomplishment of his work hath been in part already shewed and shall be fully cleared in our ensuing Exposition of the place 2. Unto the exact answering of it unto the Restauration of the Church from Antichristianism I shall only say that if men may be allowed to fix Epocha's arbitrarily at their pleasure and make applications of what is spoken in any place of Scripture unto what things and persons they please there is no doubt but that they may make their own imaginations to adhere and agree well enough together § 20 This brief view we have taken of the Reasons of this Reverend Author both those whereby he endeavours to prove that in this Prophecy the coming of the Messiah is not intended and those whereby he would induce a perswasion that the whole of it is not only applicable unto but also doth directly intend the state and condition of the Church in these latter dayes whereby whether he hath evinced his intention and whether his Arguments are sufficient to dispossess us of the Catholick Faith of the Church in all Ages concerning the sense and importance of this Angelical Message unto Daniel is left unto the Judgement of men sober and learned For my part I shall take it for granted that they are all of them so far removed out of our way as that we may proceed with our designed Explication and Vindication of this Prophecy from the exceptions of the Jews without any disturbance from them § 21 There are three things that in thiâ— illustrious Prophecy offer themsâ—lves unto our consideration First The general Testimony given unto the coming of the Messiah and the limitation of time wherein he should so come Secondly The especial sense of the words in the several passages of it and the distinct Prophecies contained in them Thirdly The Chronological computation of the time designed in an exact account of the space of time limited from the beginning unto the end The First of these is that wherein principally we have to do with the Jews namely to prove from hence that there was a time limited and determined for the coming of the Messiah which is long since expired And all things herein we shall find clear and evident Both the space of time limited and the several coincidencies of its expiration are sufficiently manifest In the second also we have to deal with them in order unto the confirmation of the former In both these the latter Masters have studiously endeavoured to cast difficulties and perplexiâ—ies on the words which must be removed by the consideration of their use and genuine importance wâ—th tâ—e scope of the Prophecy and the help unto the understanding of it which is conâ—ribâ—ted from other places of Scripture The third is attended with sundry entanglementâ— which although they are not absolutely inextricable yet are such in respect oâ— some minute parts of calculation as will not suffer us to so demonstrative a certainty as that all men should be compelled to acquiesce therein This is sufficiently manifested in the different calculations of the most Learned of the antient and later Writers who have laboured in this subject In reference therefore hereunto I shall do these two things First Manifest that our Argument from this place is not at all concerned in the exact Chronological Computation of the times whereunto the accomplishment of this Prophecy relates And Secondly Shall demonstrate that this difficulty is conquerable by giving a clear and satisfactory account of the time specified and limited such as is not liable unto any Material Objection â—irst It is evident in general that here is given out by the Holy Ghost himself a § 22 computation of the Time wherein the Messiah was to come and to perform the work allotted unto him And this gives warrant unto the kind and nature of Argument which we now insist upon No small part this was of the Churches Treasure of old and a blessed Guide it would have been unto the Faith and Obedience of them concerned therein had it been diligently attended unto But having sinfully neglected it in its season they have ever since wickedly opposed it To Daniel it was granted as a great favour relief and priviledge upon his deep humiliation and fervent supplications as himself records Whilest saith he I was speaking and praying with fasting sackloth and ashes v. 3. and confessing my sins and the sins of my people Israel and presenting my supplications before the Lord my God for the holy Mountain of my God yea whilest I was speaking in prayer the man Gabriel whom I had seen in the Vision at the beginning being caused to fly swiftly touched me about the time of the evening Oblation and he informed me and talked with me and said O Daniel I am now come forth to give thee skill and understanding At the beginning of thy supplications the commandment came forth and I am come to shew thee for thou art greatly beloved therefore understand the matter and consider the Vision seventy weeks c. v. 20 21 22 23. This was the Answer that God gave him upon his great and fervent prayer for the Church and that for his relief comfort and supportment whence it is evidently manifest that the great blessing of the Church was enwrapped in it And the computation of time mentioned was granted as a light to guide the Jews that they
22 23. But also that he should appoint and erect a Civil Government and Magistracy with supreme power over the lives liberties and estate of men to be exercised as occasion required v. 25 26. Which alone and no other was the building of the City mentioned by Gabriel for it is not walls and houses but Policy Rule and Government that makes and constitutes a City § 23 And it is very considerable what a conviction of the necessity of this work was then put upon the spirits of the Governours of the Persian Empire for the King himself he calls Ezra the Scribe of the Law of the God of Heaven owning him therein for the true God for he who is the God of Heaven is God alone all others are but the dunghill gods of the Earth v. 12. Again he declares that he was perswaded that if this work was not done there would be wrath from Heaven upon himself his Kingdom and his Son v. 23 The seven Counsellors they joyn in that Law v. 14. And the mighty Princes of the Kingdom assisted Ezra in his work v. 28. So that no command that concerned that people before or after was accompanied with that solemnity or gave such glory unto God as this did Besides the whole work of the Reformation of the Church the restitution of the Worship of God the recollection and recognition of the sacred Oracles was begun carried on and finished by this Ezra as we elsewhere at large have declared All which considerations falling in with the account before insisted on makes it manifest that it was this and no other Decree that was intended by the Angel Gabriel and from thence unto the death of the Messiah was seventy weeks or four hundred and ninety years the just and true limitation of which time we have been â—nquiring after § 24 I declared at the entrance of this discourse that thâ— force of our Argument from this place of Daniel against the Jews doth not depenâ— on tâ—â—s Chronological Computation of the time determined All then that I aimeâ— at it was to vindicate it in general from such perplexities as whereby they pretend to render the whole place inargumentative And this we have not only done but also â—o stâ—â—ed the account as that they are not able from any records of times past to lay any one considerable objection against it or which may not be easily solved Return we now to what remains of our former designed discourse Exercitatio XVI Other Considerations proving the Messiah to be long since come Fluctuation of the Jews about the Person and Work of the Messiah Their state and condition in the world for sixteen Ages Promises of the Covenant made with them of old All fulfilled unto the expiration of that Covenant Not now made good unto them Reason thereof The Promise of the Land of Canaan failed Of protection and Temporal deliverance Spirit of Prophecy departed Covenant expired Jews exceptions Their prosperity Their sins Of their fore-fathers of themselves Vanity of these exceptions Concessions of the Antient Jews Folly of Talmudical Doctors Traditions of the Birth of the Messiah before the destruction of the second Temple Tradition of the School of Elias about the worlds continuance Answers of the Jews unto our Arguments by way of concession The time prolonged because of their sins Vanity of this pretence Not the Jews only but the Gentiles concerned in the coming of the Messiah The Promise not Conditional Limitations of time not capable of conditions No mention of any such condition The condition supposed overthrâ—ws the Promise The Jews in the use of this plea self condemned The Covenant overthrown by it The Messiah may never come upon it UNto the invincible Testimonies before insisted on we may add some other § 1 considerations taken from the Jews themselves that are both suitable unto their conviction and of use to strengthen the faith of them who do believe And the first thing that offers its self unto us is their miserable fluctuation and uncertainty in the whole Doctrine about the Messiah ever since the time of his coming and their rejection of him That the great fundamentall of their profession from the dayes of Abraham and that § 2 which all their Worship was founded in and had respect unto was the promise of the coming of the Messiah we have before sufficiently proved Untill the time of his coming this they were unanimous in as also in their desires and expectations of his Advent Since that time as they have utterly lost all faith in him as to the great end for which he was promised so all truth as to the Doctrine concerning his Person Office and Work plentifully delivered in the Old Testament In their Talmud Tractat. Sanedr they do nothing but wrangle conjecture and contend about him and that under such notions and apprehensions of him as the Scripture giveth no countenance unto When he shall come and how where he shall be born and what he shall do they wrangle much about but are not able to determine any thing at all at which uncertaintie the Holy Ghost never left the Church in things of so great importance Hence some of them adhered to Barcosby for the Messiah a bloody Rebel and some of them in after ages to David el David a wandring Jugler and Moses Cretensis and sundry other pretenders have they given up themselves to be deluded by as of late unto the foolish Apostate Sabadia with his false Prophets R. Levi and Nathan who never made the least appearance of any one character of the true Messiah as Maimonides confesseth and bewaileth The Disputes of their late Masters have not any thing more of certainty or consistency then those of their Talmudical Progenitors And this at length hath driven them to the present miserable relief of their infidelity and dâ—spair asserting that he shall not come untill immediately before the Resurrection of the dead only they take care that some small time may be left for them to â—njoy wealth and pleasure with dominion over the Edomites and Ishmalites that is Christians and Turks under whom they live as yet full of thoughts of revenge and retaliation in the dayes of their Messiah Now whereunto can any man ascribe this fluctuation and uncertainty in and about that which was the great fundamental Article of the faith of their Fore-fathers and their utter renuntiation of the true Notion and Knowledge of the Messiah But unto this that having long ago renounced him they exercise their thoughts and expectation about a Chimoera of their own Brains which having no substance in its self nor foundâ—tion in any work or word of God can afford them no certainty or satisfaction in their contemplation about it § 3 Again The State and condition of this people for the space of above sixteen hundred and thirty years gives evidence to the truth contended for The whole time of the continuance of their Church State and Worship from the giving of the
particular exceptions of the Jews and then their opposition to our Thesis in general is to be removed referring an Answer unto their special Objections unto another Dissertation § 2 That we may the more orderly annex our present Discourse unto that foregoing our first Argument shall be taken from that which is proved and confirmed therein namely the time limited and determined for the coming of the Messiah Two wayes there are whereby the time fore-appointed of God for the coming of the Messiah is signified and made known First By certain 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or evident tokens taken from the Judaical Church with the state and condition of the whole people of the Jews This we have insisted on from Gen. 49.10 Hagg. 2.8 Mal. 3.1 2. Secondly By a computation of the time its self as to its duration from a certain fixed date unto its expiration This way we have unfolded and vindicated at large from Dan. 9.24 25 26 27. And although herein we have evidenced the truth and exactness of the computation insisted on by us as far as any Chronological accounts of times past are capable of being demonstrated Yet we have also manifested that our Argument depends not on the precise bounding of the time limited But lying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is of equal force however the computation be calculated the whole time limited being undeniably expired before or at the destruction of the City and Temple Hence is the foundation of our first Argument Before or at the expiration of that time the promised Messiah was to come Before or at that time as denoted and described by the general 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or evident tokens before mentioned and limited by the computation insisted on came Jesus and no other that the Jews can or do pretend to have been the Messiah and therefore he was the true promised Messiah § 3 The foundation of this Argument namely that the Messiah was to come within the time limited prefixed and foretold cannot be shaken without calling into question the Truth of all promises and preâ—ictions in the Old Tâ—stament and consequently the faithfâ—lnâ—ss and power of God Tâ—e great design whose lines are drawn in the face and whose substance lyes in the bowels of the Old Testament and which is the Spirit that enlivens the whole Doctrine and story of it the bond of union wherein all the parts of it do center withouâ— which they would be loose scattered and deformed heaps is the bringing forth of the Messiah the Saviour of the world Without an apprehension of this design and faith therein neither can a letter of it be understood nor can a rational man discover any important Excellency in it Him it promiseth Him it typifieth Him it teacheth and prophesieth about Him it calls all men to desire and expect When it hath done thus in several places it expresly limits foretells and declares the time wherein He shall be sent and exhibited If there be a failure herein seeing it is done to give evidence to all other things that are spoken concerning him by which they are to be tryed and to stand or fall as they receive approbation or discountenance from thence To what end should any man trouble himself about that which is cast as a fancy and empty imagination by its own verdict If then the Messiah came not within the time limited all Expectation from the Scripture of the Old Testament must come to nought which these with whom at present we contend will not grant Nor can the Jews on such a supposition in any measure defend the truth of it against an Infidel For unto his enquiry where is the promised Messiah if they shall plead their usual pretences It is easie for him to reply that these things bâ—ing no where mentioned nor intimated in the Books themselves They are only such subterfuges as any man may palliate the most open untruths withal And indeed the ridiculous figment of his being born at the time appointed but kept hid to this day they know not where is not to be pleaded when they deal with men not bereft of their senses or Judicially blinded by God For besides that the whole of it is a childish toyish fiction inconsistant with the nature and being of their Messiah whom thâ—y make to be a meer man subject to mortality in his whole person like all the other sons of Adam it suits not at all unto the difficulty intended to be assoyled by it For it is not his being born only but also his accomplishment of his Work and Office at the time determined which is foretold Nor is there any one jot more of probability in their other pretence about their own sins and unworthiness For as we have declared this is nothing but in plain terms to assert that God hath violated his faith and promise and that in a matter wherein the great Concernments of his own Glory and the welfare of all mankind doth consist upon the account of their miscarriages which as they either cannot or will not remedy so he himself hath not though he might have so done provided any relief against This then stands upon equal evidence with the whole Authority of the Old Testament namely that the promised Messiah was to come within the time prefixed for his coming and foretold We ask them then If Jesus of Nazareth be not the Messiah where is he or who is he that came in answer to the Prophecies insisted on Two things then remain to be proved First That our Lord Jesus Christ came lived and dyed within the time limited for the coming of the Messiah Secondly That no other came within that season that either pretended with any colour of probability unto that dignity or was ever as such owned or esteemed by the Jews themselves First then that Jesus came and lived in the time limited unto the coming of the § 4 Messiah some short space of time before the departure of Scepter and Scribe from Judah the ceasing of the daily Sacrifice and final desolation of the second Temple we have all the evidence that a matter of fact so long passed is capable of as good as that the world was of old by God created The Stories of the Church are express that he was born during the Empire of Augustus Caesar in the latter end of the Reign of Herod over Judaea when Cyrenius was Governour over Syria that he lived unto the time wherein Pontius Pilate was Governour of Judaea under Tiberius about thirty six or thirty seven years before the destruction of the Nation City and Temple by Titus This the stories written by Divine inspiration and committed unto the care of the Church expresly affirm neither have the Jews any thing to object against the truth of the relation what ever thoughts they have of his Person who he was or what he did That he lived and dyed then and there is left testified on Records beyond controll And if they should deny it
he should be conceived and born of a Virgin so certain should be their present deliverance which they so desired § 32 It is further insisted on by them that the deliverance promised was to be wrought before the Child spoken of should know to refuse the evil and chuse the good or should come to years of discretion v. 16. and what was this unto him that was to be born some hundred years after Answ. 1. That the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mentioned v. 16. is the same with the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 promised v. 14. doth not appear The Prophet by the command of God when he went unto the King with his message took with him Shear-jashub his Son v. 3. This certainly was for some especial end in the Word or Message that he had to deliver the Child being then but an Infant and of no use in the whole matter unless to be made an instance of something that was to be done It is therefore probable that he was the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the young Child designed v. 16. before whose growing up to discretion those Kings of Damascus and Samaria were destroyed or 2. The Expression may denote the time of any Child 's being born and coming to the maturity of understanding and so consequently the promised Child In as short a space of time as this promised Child when he shall be born shall come to know to refuse the evil and choose the good shall this deliverance be wrought Their remaining Cavils are of little importance The Child intended Chap. 8. § 33 was to be the Son of the Prophet and Prophetess and so not this Child that was to be born of a Virgin Besides he is plainly promised as a sign of other things then those treated of in this Chapter Yea of things quite contrary unto them Again this Child they tell us was to be called Immanuel whereas the Son of Mary was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or as they malitiously write it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But this name is given to signifie what he should be and do and not what he should be commonly called He was to be God and man in one person to reconcile God and man to be every way Immanuel And this kind of expression in the Scripture when a thing is said to be called that which it is the name denoting the Being Nature and quality of it is so frequent that there is nothing peculiar in it as here used See Isa. 1.26 Chap. 8.3 Chap. 9.6 Jer. 23.6 Zech. 8.2 The like also may be said to that which thâ—y except in the last place namely that they know not that Jâ—sus of Nazareth was brought up with Butter and Hony which is foretold concâ—rning this Child For the expression signifies no more but that the Child should be educated with the common food of the Country such as Children were in those places and times nourished withal It being the especial blessing of that Land that it flowed with Milk and Honey And thus have we asserted and vindicated the third characteristical note of the true Messiah he was to be born of a Virgin which none but only our Lord Jesus ever was from the foundation of the world There remain yet other descriptive notes of the Messiah consisting in what he was to § 34 teach and do and suffer all of them guiding the faith of the Church unto our Lord Jesus who in all things fully answered unto them all I shall briefly pass through them according unto our design and purpose and begin with what he was to teach This Moses directs us unto giving that great predescription of him which we have Deut. 18.18 19. I will raise them up a Prophet from among their Brethren like unto thee and will put my words in his mouth and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him And it shall come to pass that whâ—soever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name I will require it of him This is that signal Testimony concerning the Messiah which Philip urged out of Moses unto Nathaniel John 1.45 which Peter not only applyes unto him but declares that he was soly intended in it Acts 3.22 23. and Stephen seals that application with his blood Acts 7.37 Neither can or do the Jews deny that the Messiah was to be a Prophet or that he was promised unto the Church in the Wilderness in these words but we shall consider the particulars of them Sundry things are here asserted by Moses concerning the Messiah as 1. In general § 35 that he should be a Prophet a Teacher of the Church and not a King only The Jews indeed who greedily desire the things which outwardly attend Kingly Power and Dominion in this world do principally fix their thoughts and expectations on his Kingdom The Revelation of the Will of God which was to be made by him they little desire or enquire after But the common faith of their Ancestors from this and other places was that the Messiah was to be a Prophet and reveal unto the Church the whole counsel of God as we shall evince in our Comment on the first words of the Epistle 2. That this Prophet should be raised up unto them from among their Brethren He shall be of the posterity of Abraham and of the Tribe of Judah as was promised of old or made of them according unto the flesh Rom. 1.3.9.5 So that as to his original or extract he was to be born in the level of the people from among his Brethren was be to be raised up Unto this Office of a Prophet and Teacher of the Church 3. That he must be like unto Moses The words are plain in many places that in the ordinary course of Gods dealing with that Church among the Prophets there was none like unto Moses neither before or after him Hence Maimonides with his followers conclude that nothing can ever be altered in their Law because no Prophet was ever to arise of equal Authority with him who was their Law-giver But the words of the Text are plain The Prophet here foretold was to be like unto him wherein he was peculiar and exempted from comparison with all other Prophets which were to build on his foundation without adding any thing to the Rule of Faith and Worship which he had revealed or changing any thing therein In that is the Prophet here promised to be like unto him That is he was to be a Law-giver to the House of God as our Apostle proves and declares chap. 3.1 2 3 4 5. And we have the consent of the most sober among the Jews to the same purpose The words of the Author of Sepher Ikkarim lib. 3. cap. 10. are remarkable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It cannot be that there should not at some tim◠〈◊〉 a Prophet like unto Moses or greater then he for Messiah the King should be like him â—â— greater then he but thus these words there arose none
like him ought to be interpreted not as though none should ever be like him but that none should be like him as to some particular quâ—lity or accident or that in all the space of time wherein the Prophets followed him until Prophecy ceased none should be like unto Moses but hereafter there shall be one like him or rather greater then he This is that which we affirmed before in the whole Series of Prophets that succeeded in that Church building on Moses foundation there was none like unto him but the Prophet here promised was to be so and in other regards as appears from other Testimonies far greater then he This was of old their common faith from this prediction of Moses And wherein this likeness was to consist our Apostle declares at large in his third chapter Moses was the great Law-giver by whom God revealed his mind and will as to his whole Worship whilst the Church State instituted by him was to continue Such a Prophet was the Messiah to be a Law-giver so as to abolish the old and to institute new Rites of Worship as we shall afterwards more fully prove and confirm 4. This raising up of a Prophet like unto Moses declares that the whole will of God as to his Worship and the Churches obedience was not yet revealed Had it so been there would have been no need of a Prophet like unto Moses to lay new foundations as he had done Those who succeeded building on what he had fixed and therefore said not to be like unto him would have sufficed But there are new counsels of the Will of God as yet hid to be finally and fully revealed by this Prophet And after his work is done there is no intimation of any further Revelation to ensue 5. The presence of God with this Prophet in his work is set down He would put his word into his mouth or speak in him as our Apostle expresseth the same matter chap. 1. v. 1. And lastly his Ministry is further described from the Event with respect unto them who would not submit unto his Authority nor receive the Law of God at his mouth God would require it at their hands that is as those words are interpreted by Peter they should be cut off from among his people or from being so And this signal Commination in the accomplishment of it gives light unto the whole praediction Some of the Jews from these words have fancied unto themselves another great Prophet whom they expect as they did of old before the coming of the Messiah So in their dealing with John the Baptist they asked him whetheâ—â—e was Elias which he denied because though he were promised under that name yet he was not that individual person whom they looked for that is the soul of Elias the Tishbite as Kimchi tells us with a body new created like unto the former Wherein they further demand whether he were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Prophet promised by Moses which he also denies because that Prophet was no other then the Messiah Joh. 1.21 To this purpose also is it that the Spirit of the Lord is promised to rest upon the Messiah Isa. 11.3 to make him of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord that he might not judge after the sight of his eyes c. v. 3 4 5. So also cap. 61.1 2. And from this great Prophet were the Isles of the Gentiles to receive the Law chap. 42.1 2. The summ of all is the Messiah was to be a Prophet a Prophet like unto Moses that is a Law-giver one that should finally and perfectly reveal the whole will and counsel of God all with that Authority that whosoever refused to obey him should be exterminated and cast out from the priviledge of being reckoned among the people of God § 36 We are then in the next place to consider the Accomplishment of this promise in the person of Jesus of Nazareth Now this the story of him and the event do abundantly testifie that he was a Prophet and so esteemed by the Jews themselves until through the envy of the Scribes and Pharisees and their own unwillingness to admit of the purity and holiness of his Doctrine they were stirred up to oppose and persecute him as they had done all other Prophets who in their several Generations foretold his coming is evident from the records of the Evangelical story see Joh. 1.46 chap. 6.17 Act. 3.22 23. Their present obstinate denial hereof is a meer contrivance to justifie themselves in their rejection and murder of him But this is not all he was not only a Prophet in general but he was that Prophet who was foretold by Moses and all the Prophets who built on his foundation who was to put the last hand unto divine Revelations in a full declaration of the wâ—ole counsel of God the peculiar work of the Messiah and this we shall evince in the ensuing considerations of his Doctrine and Prophesie with the success and event of them First The Nature of the Doctrine taught by this Prophet gives Testimony unto our § 37 assertion Whatever Characters of that Truth which is holy and heavâ—nly can rationally be conceived or apprehended thâ—y are all eminently and incomparably imprinted on the Doctrine of Jesus Christ. Whatever tends to the glory of God as the first Cause and last End of all things as the only Soveraign Ruler Judge and disposer of all as the only infinitely holy wise righteous good gracious merciful powerful faithful independent Being is clearly evidently and in a heaveâ—ly manner revealed therein Whaâ—ever is usâ—ful or suitable to excite and improve all that is of good in man in the nâ—tiâ—ns of his mind or inclinations of his will to discover his wants and defects that he may not â—xalt himself in his own imagâ—nation abovâ— hâ—s state and condition whatever is needful to reveal unto him his End or his Way hâ—s Happiness or the Means conducing thereunto whatever may bring him into a dâ—e subjection unto God and subordination unto his Glory whatever mâ—y teâ—ch him to be usâ—ful in all those Relations wherein he may be cast within the bounds and compass of the moral principles of his nature as a creature made for society wâ—atever is useful the deterr him from and sâ—ppress in him every thing that is evil even in those hidden seeds and Embrios of it which lye beneath the first instances that Reason can reach unto to discovery of and that in an absolute universality without thâ— lâ—ast indulgence on any pretence whatever and to stâ—r him up provoke him unto and direct him in the practice of whatever thing is true honest just pure lovely of good report that is virtuous or praise-worthy that may begin bound guide limit finish and perfâ—ct the whole Systeme of moral actions in him in relation unto God himself and others it is all revealed confirmed and ratified in the Doctrine of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It hath-stood upon its
Some of them say that this Prophecy indeed concerneth the Messiah but not Messiah Ben David who shall be alwayes victorious but Messiah Ben Joseph who shall be slain in Battel against Gog and Magog But 1. This figment wholly overthrows the faith of the true Messiah and they may as well make twenty as two of them 2. That Ben Joseph whom they have coyned in their own brains is to be a great Warrior from his first appearance and after many Victories to be slain in a Battle or at least be reputed so to be But this Prophecy is concerning a man poor destitute despised afflicted all his life bound imprisoned rejected scorned condemned and slain under a pretence of Judgement no one thing whereof they do or can ascribe unto their Ben Joseph 2. Others feign that the true Messiah was born long ago and that he lived amongst the leprous people at the Gates of Rome being himself leprous and full of sores which as they say is foretold in this Prophecy Such monstrous imaginations as these might not be repeated without some kind of participation in the folly of their Authors but that poor immortal souls are ruined by them and that they evidence what a foolish thing man is when left unto himself or judicially given up to blindness and unbelief We are ready to admire at the senseless stupidity of their fore-fathers they do so themselves who chose to worship Baal and Moloch rather then the true God who had so eminently revealed himself unto them but it doth no way exceed that of those who have lived since their rejection of the true Messiah nor do we need any other instance then that before us to make good our Observation And yet neither doth this Prodigie of folly this leprosy in any thing answer the words of the Prophecy nor indeed hath any countenance from any one word therein that single word they reflect upon signifying any kind of infirmities or sorrows in general 3. Some of them apply this Prophecy to Jeremiah concerning whom Abarbinel affirms and that truly that no one Line or Verse in the whole can with any colourable pretence be applyed unto him which also I have in particular manifested on another occasion Himself applies it two wayes 1. To Josia 2. To the whole body of the people contradicting himself in the Exposition of every particular instance and the truth in the whole But it is the whole people in their last desolation that they chiefly desire to wrest this Prophecy unto But this is 1. Contrary to the Testimony of their Targum and Talmud all their antient Masters and some of the wisest of their latter Doctors 2. To their own principles profession and belief for whereas they acknowledge that their present misery is continued on them for their sins and that if they could but repent and live to God their Messiah would undoubtedly come this place speaks of the perfect Innocency and Righteousness of him that suffers no way on his own account deserving so to do which if they once ascribe unto themselves their Messiah being not yet come they must for ever bid adiew to all their expectations of him 3. Contrary to the express words of the Text plainly describing one individual Person 4. Contrary to the Context distinguishing the people of the Jews from him that was to suffer by them among them and for them v. 3 4 5 6. 5. Contrary to every particular assertion and passage in the whole Prophecy no one of them being applicable unto the body of the people And all these things are so manifest unto every one who shall but read the place with attention and without prejudice that they stand not in need of any farther confirmation Hence Johannes Isaac confesseth that the consideration of this place was the means of his conversion § 49 Again The whole work promised from the foundation of the world to be accomplished by the Messiah is here ascribed unto the person treated of and his sufferings Peace with God is to be made by his Chastisement v. 5. and healing of our wounds by sin is from his stripes He bears the iniquity of the Church v. 6. that they may find acceptance with God In his hand the pleasure of the Lord for the Redemption of his people was to prosper v. 10. And he is to justifie them for whom he dyed v. 11. If these and the like things here mentioned may be performed by any other the Messiah may stay away there is no work for him to do in this world But if these are the things which God hath promised that he shall perform then he and none other is here intended § 50 Neither are the Cavils of the Jews about the Application of some expressions unto the Lord Jesus worth the least consideration For besides that they may all of them be easily removed the whole being exactly accomplished in him and his passion set forth beyond any instance of a Prophetick description of a thing future in the whole Scripture let them but grant that the true and only Messiah was to converse among the people in a despised contemned reproached condition that he was to be rejected by them to be persecuted to suffer to bear our iniquities and that from the hand of God to make his soul an Offering for sin by that means spiritually to redeem and save his people and as themselves know well enough that there is an end of this Controversie so the Lord Jesus must and will on all hands be acknowledged to be the true and only Messiah § 51 But that we may not seem to avoid any of their pretences or exceptions that they make use of when they are pressed with this Testimony I shall briefly consider what their latter Masters who think themselves wiser in the Authors of their Targum and Talmud and all their antient Doctors who with one consent acknowledge the Messiah to be intended in this Prophecy and wrest it unto the People of the Jews themselves unto whom not one line or word of it is applicable do object unto our interpretation of the place First Then they say it is not the Prophet from the Lord nor in the Persons of the people of the Jews but the Kings of the Earth which formerly had afflicted them who are mentioned Chap. 52. v. 15. who utter and speak the words of this Chapter in an admiration of the blessed estate that the Jews shall at length attain unto Answ. Any man that shall but view the Context will easily see the shamefull folly of this evasion For 1. Where is there any instance in the whole Scripture of the like introduction of Aliens and Forreigners and the Prophets personating of them in what they say and why should such a singular imagination here take place 2. How could they say Who hath believed our report or the Doctrine that we had heard and taught concerning this person or these persons Had the Kings and Nations so preached the
no impeachment can arise against our Interpretation of the predictions insisted on which have a perfect coincidence therewithall 4. The same is the state of things in reference unto what they object about the variety of Religions that are in the world and the multitude of Sects which every where spring up For 1. Although de facto there are at this time sundry false Religions in the world and amongst them that which is professed by the Jews yet de jure they ought not to be there being one true Religion sufficiently declared and promulgated unto the children of men For whereas the Jews and others do wilfully shut their eyes against the light and evidence of truth the guilt and misery is their own the Lord Christ having graciously provided and tendered unto them means of better instruction And 2. It is a mistake that the different Opinions and Sects that are amongst Christians themselves do constitute different Religions For as they all agree in the Worship of the God of Israel by Jesus Christ the Messiah which contains the summ of their Religion so their profession its self is not to be measured by the Doctrines and Conceptions of some amongst them but by the Scripture which they all receive and acknowledge This is the Religion of them all and it is one and the same amongst all that receive Jesus Christ for their Saviour That there are such pertinacious contests about mens different apprehensions of the mind of God in the Word that they labour to impose their private conceptons one upon another is the fault of some men which doth not prejudice the oneness of that Religion which is taught in the Gospel Upon all which it appears that the Promises insisted on have received a glorious and blessed accomplishment § 20 Thirdly They insist on the Promises which concern themselves and these of all others they most mind and urge against their Adversaries Nothing they say is more certain and evident in the Scripture then that the People of Israel shall be brought into a blessed and prosperous condition by the Messiah at his coming and in particular that by him they shall be brought home into their own Land And to this purpose they plead Isa. 11.13 Chap. 52.54 60 61 62 63 66. Jer. 30. 31. Ezek. 36.37 38 39 40 41 42. whereunto sundry other places of a like importance may be added But now say they instead hereof that whole people is scattered over the face of the earth under great misery and oppression for the most part without the least interest in the Country promised unto them And from hence it is that they most obstinately conclude that the Messiah is not yet come for untill they are rich wealthy and powerful they will not believe that God is faithfull § 21 Answ. It would be too long a work and not suitable unto our present design to go over all the Promises in particular which seem to have an aspect this way or wherein mention is made of Abraham the seed of Abraham Jacob Israel and the people of Israel and Judah Besides the Exposition of them may readily be sought from many Learned Commentaries extant in all Languages on the Prophecies of the Old Testament I shall therefore only give such general Answers as being applyed unto the several particular instances will manifest the insufficiency of the Jews Argument from Promises of this Nature 1. Then in the consideration of these Promises we must carefully distinguish between those who had their full at least principal accomplishment in that return of the people from the Captivity of Babylon and those which have a direct respect unto the dayes of the Messiah It is known that the Prophets do very usually set out that mercifull deliverance in Metaphorical Expressions so to set off the greatness of the mercy its self But the present Jews who now look for the accomplishing of all the most strained Allegories in a literal sense supposing that the deliverance which their fore-fathers then obtained because of their ensuing trouble and poverty did not answer what is spoken of it do wrest them all to the times of the Messiah when they hope they shall receive them in full measure For they reckon of all things according to their outward gain and profit and not according to the manifestation of the Love and Glory of God therein These Promises then are in the first place to be set apart as not concerned in our present business and difference 2. We have manifested before that there is mention of a double Israel in the Scripture the spiritual Israel that is all the sons of the faith of Abraham in all Ages and places throughout the world and an Israel according to the flesh or the carnal posterity of Jacob which the present Jews are This distinction we have elsewhere confirmed Now many of the Promises pleaded belong to Israel in the first sense that is the Church and people of God who by faith are admitted into the Covenant of Abraham and so made inheritors of the Promises And these also which are by far the greatest number are to be set aside from our present consideration of them 3. It hath been proved that oftentimes spiritual things are expressed metaphorically in the Prophets by words which in their literal first sense denote things outward and corporeal This is sufficiently evident from the instances formerly given wherein such things are spoken as it is utterly impossible that they should have a literal accomplishment and of the like sort there are others innumerable And thus most of the predictions that concern Peace and Prosperity must necessarily intend spiritual peace with God because concerning the same seasons Wars and Trials are in other places foretold 4. Whatever is foretold and promised concerning the Jews themselves in the dayes of the Messiah doubtless they have no ground nor colour of reason to expect the accomplishment of it until they receive him own him and submit unto him which to this day they have not done When Moses went forth to visit them of old in their distress and slew the Aegyptian that smote one of them because they refused him and would not understand that it was he whom God would deliver them by and endeavoured to betray him to death their bondage was continued forty years longer and yet at length by the same Moses were they delivered And although they have refused and rejected him who was promised to be their Saviour and so continue to this day in their captivity spiritual and temporal yet it is he by whom in the time appointed they shall be delivered from the one and the other But this shall not be done untill they own and receive him which when God shall give them hearts to do they will quickly find the blessed success thereof For 5. We grant that there are many Promises on record in the Scripture concerning their gathering together their return to God by the Messiah with great Peace and Glory
chap. 3. chap. 4. chap. 10. v. 28. 5. The building of the Tabernacle in the Wilderness and afterwards of the Temple in answer thereunto chap. 3. v. 3 4. chap. 9. v. 1 2 3 4 5. chap. 10. v. 19 20 21 22. with its utensils 6. The Calling Succession and Office of the High-priest chap. 7. v. 16 17 21 23. chap. 8. v. 3 4 5. 7. The Sacrifices and Services of them both chap. 8. v. 3 5. chap. 9. v. 6 7 10 12 13. chap. 10. v. 1 2 3 4 5 6 11. chap. 13. v. 11 12. It is plain and evident that under these heads all the principal concernments of the ancient Church with the Worship and Rule of God therein are comprised and they are all of them reflected on most of them explained and applied unto Gospel-ends by our Apostle However I shall not in our present consideration of them engage in the exposition of the particular places in the Epistle where they are treated on which is to be done else-where but only represent them as they are expressed in their institution and transaction in the Old Testament so to make way unto a right conception of them as they are mentioned and made use of in the New § 2 Many of these things I acknowledge especially those concerning the Temple its Fabrick and its Worship have been so largely discussed by others as that I should judge my endeavours in a review of them altogether needless would the nature of our present design admit of its forbearance For besides what hath been formerly attempted with excellent success with reference unto the Fabrick of Divine Worship and the Ceremonies thereof from the Scripture Josephus and the latter Jewish Masters by Ahubensci Arius Montanus Villalpandus Capellus Ribera Constantine Emperour Broughton Ainsworth Weemse Rivet and all learned Expositors on these parts of holy Writ where these things are recorded there are also some of laâ—e who amongst our selves have travelled with much diligence in this subject Persons worthily skilled in and industriously improving their knowledge of all that learning which is needful unto the due and accurate handling of this subject and that in discourses But as things are fallen out considering the necessity of this discourse unto my present design and that most of the things in our proposal from the Epistle above mentioned are such as fell not under the consideration of those learned persons nor are handled by them and that I design not an exact examination of the particular concernments of all these things with a discussion of the Reasons and Arguments wherewith various apprehensions of them are attâ—stâ—d but only to reprâ—sent such a scheme of them unto the Reader as may enable him to judge aright of the references of the Apostle unto them and of the use that he puts them unto I shall proceed in my designed way § 3 First then the call of Abraham which was the foundation whereon all the following Administrations of God towards his Posterity and his whole Worship amongst them were built is excellently and fully described by our Apostle chap. 11. v. 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19. By faith Abraham when he was called to go out into a place which he should afterwards receive for an inheritance obeyed and he went out not knowing whither he went Gen. 11. v. 4. By faith he sojourned in the land of promise as in a strange country dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob the heirs with him of the same promise for he looked for a city which hath foundations whose builder and maker is God Gen. 12.13 14. Through faith also Sarah her self received strength to conceive seed and was delivered of a child when she was past age because she judged him faithful who had promised Gen. 17. v. 19. chap. 21. v. 2. Therefore sprang there even of one and him as good as dead as the stars of the sky in multitude and as the sand which is by the sea-shore innumerable v. 13. v. 16. Gen. 15. v. 5. These all died in faith not having received the promises but having seen them afar of and were perswaded of them and embraced and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth Gen. 23. v. 4. chap. 47.9 1 Chron. 29.15 For they that say such things declare plainly that they sâ—ek a country and truly if they had been mindful of that from whence they came out they might have had opportunity to have returned Gen. 24. v. 5 6 7. But now they desire a better that is an heavenly wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God for he had prepared for them a city By faith Abraham when he was tried offered up Isaac and or even he that received the promises offered up his only begotten son of whom it was said In Isaac shall thy seed be called so that he was his only begotten with respect unto the promise Gen. 21. v. 12. chap. 22. v. 9. Accounting that God was able even to raise him up from the dead from whence also he received him in a figure The design of the Apostle in this discourse is to set forth and commend the faith of Abraham from the fruits and effects of it in the whole course of his obedience but he builds it upon and resolves it into his call By faith Abraham being CALLED Neither is it my present purpose to open particularly the discourse of the Apostle which must be referred to its proper place only because what we do now is in a subserviency unto the right understanding of this Epistle I have laid down this account given us therein of the call of Abraham and his faith and obedience shewn as the reason of our insisting on it and the foundation whereon what we do therein is built Neither shall I now at large declare the nature of this Call of Abraham with the several occurrencies that accompanied it partly because it is already touched upon in a former Exercitation and partly because I have else-where handled it more largely and cleared it from the corrupt traditions and opinions of the Jews concerning it But because this was the root on which the Judaical Church did grow the stock whereinto all Mosaical Institutions of worship were inserted and grafted it is necessary that we give a brief Historical account concerning it Abraham he was first called by his Parents 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Abram that is an High Father § 4 not without a signal presaging providence of God For as of old they gave significant names unto their children so therein they had respect unto their present condition or some prospect they had given them by the Spirit of God of things future wherein they or theirs should be concerned So have we the reasons given us of the names of Cain Gen. 4. v. 5. of Seth v. 28. of Noah chap. 5. v. 29. of Peleg chap. 10. v. 25. and of sundry others And if we may not suppose that the Parents of Abraham
I do unto this people they be almost ready to stone me And the Lord said unto Moses Go on before the people and take with thee of the Elders of Israel and thy Rod wherewith thou smotest the River take in thine hand and go behold I will stand before thee there upon the Rock in Horeb and thou shalt smite the Rock and there shall come water out of it that they may drink And Moses did so in the sight of the Elders of Israel And he called the name of the place Massah and Meribah because of the chiding of the children of Israel and because they tempted the Lord saying Is the Lord amongst us or not Marching up farther into the Wilderness and coming to Rephidim their fourth station from the Red-sea meeting with no waters to their satisfaction they fell into an high murmuring against the Lord and mutiny against Moses their Leader And this iniquity the Jewish Doctors suppose aggravated because they were in no absolute necessity of water the dew which fell from the Manna running in some streams Hereon God leads Moses to the Rock of Horeb where himself appeared in the cloud which he had prepared for the place of giving the Law commanding him to take his Rod in his hand to smite the Rock whereon waters flowed out for the relief of this sinful murmuring people And the holy Ghost hath put sundry remarks upon this dispensation of God towards them First Upon the sin of the people whence he gave a double name to the place where they sinned for a memorial to all generations he called it Massah and Meribah which words our Apostle renders by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 chap. 3.9 Temptation and provoking Contention And it is often mentioned again both on the part of the people either to reproach and burthen them with their sin as Deut. 9.22 And at Massah ye provoked the Lord to wrath or to warn them of the like miscarriage chap. 6.16 You shall not tempt the Lord your God as you tempted him in Massah as also Psal. 95.8 And on the part of Moses as to the signal trial that God had there of his faith and obedience in that great difficulty which he conflicted withall as also of those of the Tribe of Levi who in a preparation unto their ensuing dedication unto God clave unto him in his straits Deut. 33.8 And of Levi he said Let thy Thummim and thy Vrim be with thy holy one whom thou didst prove at Massah and with whom thou didst strive at the waters of Meribah The mercy likewise that ensued in giving them water from the Rock is most frequently celebrated Deut. 8.15 Psal. 78.15 16. Psal. 105.41 Neh. 9.15 Now all this was done to bring them to attend and enquire diligently into the kernel the pearl of this mercy whose outward shell was so undeservedly free and so deservedly pretious For in this Rock of Horeb lay hid a spiritual Rock as our Apostle tells us 1 Cor. 10.4 even Christ the Son of God who being smitten with the Rod of Moses or the stroke and curse of the Law administred by him gave out waters of life freely unto all that thirst and come unto him Thus did God prepare this people for the receiving of the Law by a triple intimation § 28 of Him who is the Redeemer from the Law and by whom alone the Law that was to be given could be made useful and profitable unto them And all these intimations were still given them on their great and signal provocations to declare that neither did their Goodness deserve them nor could their sins hinder the progress of the counsel of God's will and the work of his grace Hereby also did God revive unto them the grace of the promise which being given as our Apostle observes four hundred and thirty years before the giving of the Law could not be disanull'd or impeach'd thereby And these I call the remote preparations of the people for the receiving of the Law consisting in three Revelations of the Grace of God in Christ happening and granted unto them in the three moneths space which they spent between the Red Sea and their coming unto the Wilderness of Sinai or to the Mountain where they received the Law § 29 The immediate preparations for giving of the Law are all of them expressed Exod. 19. and these we shall briefly pass through the most of them being insisted on or referred unto by our Apostle in the places before mentioned First The time of the Peoples coming unto the place where they were to receive the Law is related v. 1. it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 novilunio tertio in the third moneh after their coming up out of Egypt That is on the first day of the moneth the moneth Sivan on the day of the New Moon And therefore it is added 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on the same day on which Aben Ezra observes Moses went up first into the Mountain to receive the commands of God and returning on that day to the people he went up again on the third day that is the third day of the moneth to give in their answer unto the Lord v. 11.16 And this fell out if not on the day yet about the time of Pentecost whereon afterwards the Holy Ghost descended on the Apostles enabling them to preach the Gospel and therein our deliverance from the curse of the Law given at that time § 30 For the special time of the day when God began to give out the appearances of his glory it is said v. 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whilest it was yet morning And Jarchi observes that all Moses's ascents into the Mountain were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 early in the morning which he proves from Chap. 34.4 And Moses rose up early in the morning and went up unto Mount Sinai And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Boker properly signifies the first appearance of the morning the light that must be enquired and sought after before the rising of the Sun So David Psalm 130.6 compares the earnest expectation of his soul for mercy unto the diligent watching of men for the morning that is the first appearance of light And this was the season wherein our blessed Saviour rose from the grave and from under the curse of the Law bringing with him the tidings of peace with God and deliverance He rose between the first dawning of light and the rising of the Sun Matth. 28.1 Mark 16.2 unto that latitude of time doth the Scripture assign it and the first evidence of it For whereas John sayes that Mary Magdalen came to the Sepulchre very early whilest it was yet dark Chap. 20.1 Matthew when it began to dawn towards day Chap. 28.1 Mark very early in the morning at the rising of the Sun Chap. 16.2 who compriseth the utmost abode of the women at the Sepulchre Luke expresses it indefinitely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 profundo mane that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
hereafter finally judge them Wherein he suffers them in his Holiness and Wisdom to act in Temptations Seductions Persecutions he bounds and limits their Rage malice actings orders and disposes the Events of them to his own holy and righteous ends and keeps them under chains for the Judgement of the last day when for the full manifestation of his Dominion over them he will cause the meanest of his servants to set their feet on the necks of these conquered Kings and to joyn with himself in sentencing them unto eternal ruine 1 Cor. 6.3 which they shall be cast into by him Rev. 19. 2. The Ends of this Lordship of Christ are various as 1. His own Glory Psal. 110.1 2. Churches safety Mat. 16.18 Revel 12.7 8 9. And 3. Exercise for their Good 1. By Temptation 1 Pet. 5.8 9 10. And 2. Persecution Rev. 2.10 Chap. 12.10 both which he directs regulates and bounds unto their eternal Advantage 4. The exercising of his Wrath and vengeance upon his stubborn enemies whom these slaveâ— and vassals to his righteous power seduce blind harden provoke ruine and destroy Revel 12.15 Ch. 16.13 14. Psalm 106. And how much of the peace safety and consolation of Believers lyes wrapt up in this part of the Dominion of Christ were easie to demonstrate as also that Faiths improvement of it in every condition is the greatest part of our Wisdom in our pilgrimage III. All Mankind the second sort of Intellectual Creatures or Rational subsistencies belong to the Lordship and Dominion of Christ. All Mankind was in the power of God as one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one mass or Lump out of which all Individuals are made and framed Rom. 9.21 Some to honour some to dishonour the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not denoting the same substance but one common condition and the making of the Individuals is not by Temporal Creation but Eternal Designation So that all mankind made out of nothing and out of the same condition destined to several Ends for the glory of God are branched into two sorts Elect or vessels from the common mass unto Honour and Reprobates or vessels from the common mass unto dishonour As such they were typed by Jacob and Esau Rom. 9.11 12. and are expressed under that distribution 1 Thess. 5.9 Some 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the beginning being chosen to salvation 2 Thess. 2.13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ephes. 1.4 before the foundation of the world Rom. 8.29 Chap. 11.5 Matth. 20.16 2 Tim. 2.10 Revel 21.27 Others are appointed to the day of evil Prov. 16.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of old fore-ordained to condemnation Jude 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for to be destroyed 2 Pet. 2.12 See Rom. 9.22 Chap. 11.7 Revel 20.15 Both these sorts or all Mankind is the Lordship of Christ extended to and to each of them respectively 1. He is Lord over all flesh Joh. 17.2 both living and dead Rom. 14.9 Phil. 2.9 10. 2. Particularly he is Lord over all the Elect And besides the general foundation of the Equity of his Authority and power in his Divine Nature and Creation of all things the Grant of the Father unto him as Mediator to be their Lord is founded in other especial Acts both of Father and Son For 1. They were given unto him from Eternity in design and by compact that they should be his peculiar portion and he their Saviour Joh. 17.2 Of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all flesh over which he hath Authority there is a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an universality of them whom the Father gave him in a special manner Of whom he sayes thine they were and thou gavest them unto me v. 6. Acts 18.10 They are a portion given him to save Joh. 9.39 of â—hich he takes the Care as Jacob did of the Sheep of Laban when he served him for a â—â—se Gen. 31.30 40. See Prov. 8.30 This was an Act of the Will of the Father in the Eternal Covenant of the Mediator whereof elsewhere 2. His Grant is strengthened by Redemption Purchase and Acquisition This was the condition of the former Grant Isa. 53.10 11 12. which was made good by him so that his Lordship is frequently asserted on this very account 1 Cor. 6.10 1 Pet. 1.18 19. 1 Tim. 3.6 Joh. 10.15 Eph. 5.25 26 27. Rev. 5.9 Joh. 11.52 And this purchase of Christ is peculiar to them so given him of the Father in the Covenant of the Mediator as 1. Proceeding from his especial and greatest Love Joh. 15.17 Rom. 5.8 1 Joh. 3.16 Chap. 4.9 10. Acts 20.28 Rom. 8.32 And 2. Being accompanied with a purchase for them which they shall certainly enjoy and that of Grace and Glory Acts 20.28 Eph. 1.14 Acts 2.36 Phil. 1.29 Heb. 9.12 15. And indeed the Controversie about the deâ—th of Christ is not primarily about its Extent but its Efficacy and Fruits in respect of them for whom he dyed 3. These thus given him of the Father and redeemed by him are of two sorts 1. Such as are actually called to faith in him and Union with him These are further become his upon many other especial accounts They are his in all Relations of Subjection his Children Servants Brethren Disciples Subjects his House his Spouse He stands towards them in all Relations of Authority is their Father Master Elder Brother Teacher King Lord Ruler Judge Husband Ruling in them by his Spirit and Grace over them by his Laws in his Word preserving them by his power chastening them in his Care and Love feeding them out of his stores trying them and delivering them in his Wisdom Bearing with their miscarriages in his Patience and taking them for his portion lot and inheritance in his Providence raising them at the last day taking them to himself in Glory every way avouching them to be his and himself to be their Lord and Master 2. Some of them are alwayes uncalled and shall be so untill the whole number of them be compleated and filled But before they belong on the former accounts unto his Lot Care and Rule John 10.6 They are already his sheep by grant and purchase though not yet really so by Grace and Holiness They are not yet his by present Obediential Subjection but they are his by Eternal Designation and reall Acquisition Now the power that the Lord Jesus hath over this sort of Mankind is Vniversal unlimited absolute and exclusive of all other power over them as unto the things peculiarly belonging unto his Kingdom He is their King Judge Law-giver and in things of God purely Spiritual and Evangelical other they have none It is true he takes them not out of the world and therefore as unto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the things of this life things of the world they are subject to the Laws and Rulers of the world but as unto the things of God he is the only Law-giver who is able to kill and make alive But the nature and ends of the Lordship of Christ over the Elect
a Degree intimated being made so much more c. now our conceptions hereabout as to this place are wholly to be regulated by the Name given unto him Look saith the Apostle how much the Name given unto the Messiah excels the Name given unto Angels so much doth he himself excell them in Glory Authority and Power for these Names are severally given them of God to signifie their state and condition What and how great this difference is we shall afterwards see in the consideration of the Instances given of it by the Apostle in the Verses ensuing 4. The Proof of this Assertion which the Apostle first fixeth on is taken from the Name of Christ. His Name not given him by man not assumed by himself but ascribed unto him by God himself Neither doth he here by the Name of Christ or the name of the Angels intend any individual proper names of the one or the other but such Descriptions as are made of them and Titles given unto them by God as whereby their state and condition may be known Observe saith he how they are called of God by what Names and Titles he owns them and you may learn the Difference between them This Name he declares in the next Verse God said unto him Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee It is not absolutely his being the Son of God that is intended but that by the testimony of the holy Ghost God said these words unto him Thou art my Son and thereby declared his state and condition to be far above that of the Angels to none of whom he ever said any such thing but speaks of them in a far distinct manner as we shall see But hereof in the next Verse Some by this excellent Name understand his Power and Dignity and Glory called his name above every name Phil. 2.8 but then this can no way prove that which the Apostle produceth it for it being directly the same with that which is asserted in whose confirmation it is produced 5. The last thing considerable is How the Lord Christ came by this Name or obtained it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he obtained it by Inheritance as his peculiar lot and portion for ever In what sense he is said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Heir was before declared As he was made the Heir of all so he inherited a more excellent Name than the Angels Now he was made Heir of all in that all things being made and formed by him the Father committed unto him as Mediator a peculiar Power over all things to be disposed of by him unto all the ends of his Mediation So also being the Natural and Eternal Son of God in and upon the discharge of his work the Father declared and pronounced that to be his Name see Luke 1.35 Isa. 7.14 chap. 9.6 His being the Son of God is the proper foundation of his being called so and his discharge of his Office the Occasion of its declaration so he came unto it by Right of Inheritance when he was declared to be the Son of God with Power by the resurrection from the dead Rom. 1.3 This then is the sum of the Apostles Proposition and the Confirmation of it A Name given by God to that end and purpose doth truly declare the nature state and condition of him or them to whom it is given But unto Christ the Mediator there is a Name given of God himself exceedingly more excellent than any that by him is given unto the Angels which undeniably evinceth that he is placed in a state and condition of Glory far above them or preferred before them I shall only observe one or two things concerning the Hebrews to whom the Apostle wrote and so put an end to our Exposition of this Verse First then this discourse of the Apostle proving the Preheminence of the Messiah above the Angels was very necessary unto the Hebrews although it were very suitable unto their own principles and in general acknowledged by them It is to this day a Tradition amongst them that the Messiah shall be exalted above Abraham and Moses and the ministring Angels Besides they acknowledged the Scriptures of the Old Testament wherein the Apostle shews them that this Truth was taught and confirmed But they were dull and flow in making Application of these Principles unto the confirmation of their faith in the Gospel as the Apostle chargeth them Chap. 5.11 12. And they had at that time great Speculations about the Glory Dignity and Excellency of Angels and were fallen into some kind of worshipping of them And it may be this Curiosity Vanity and Superstition in them was heightned by the heat of the Controversie between the Pharisees and Sadduces about them the one denying their Existence and being the other whom the body of the People followed exâ—lting them above measure and inclining to the Worship of them This the Apostle declares Col. 2.18 treating of those Judaizing Teachers who then troubled the Churches he chargeth them with fruitless and curious speculations about Angels and the worshipping of them And of their Ministry in the giving of the Law they still boasted It was necessary therefore to take them off from this Confidence of that Priviledge and the superstition that ensued thereon to instruct them in the Preheminence of the Lord Christ above them all that so their thoughts might be directed unto him and their Trust placed in him alone And this Exaltation of the Messiah some of their latter Doctors assert on Dan. 7.9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I behold until the Thrones were set placed exalted as in the Original Chaldee and as all old Translations Greek Latin Syriack and Arabick render the words however Ours read untill the Thrones were cast down affirming that one of those Thrones was fâ—r the Messiah before whom all the Angels ministred in obedience Secondly It may not be amiss to remark that the Jews have alwayes had a Tradition of the glorious name of the Messiah which even since their utter Rejection they retain some obscure remembrance of The name which they principally magnifie is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Metatron Ben Vzziel in his Targum on Gen. 5. ascribâ—s this name to Enoch when he was translated he ascended into Heaven in the word of the Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and his name was called Mitatron the greâ—t Scribe But this opinion of Enoch being Metatron is rejected and confuted in the Talmud There they tell us that Metatron is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Prince of the world or as Elias calls him in Thisbi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Prince of Gods Presence And in the first mention of this Name which is Talmud Tract Saned cap. 4. fol. 38. they plainly intimate that they intended an uncreated Angel by this Expression And such indeed must He be unto whom may be assigned what they ascribe unto Metatron For as Reuchlin from the Cabbalists informs us they say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
The Teacher of Moses himself was Metatron He it is saith Elias that is the Angel alwayes appearing in the Presence of God of whom it is said My name is in him And the Talmudists that he hath power to blot out the sins of Israel whence they call him the Chancellour of Heaven And Bechai on Exod. 23. affirms that this name signifies both a Lord a Messenger and a Keeper A Lord because he ruleth all a Messenger because he stands alwayes before God to do his Will and a Keeper because he keepeth Israel I confess the Etymologie that he gives of this name to that purpose is weak and foolish as is also that of Elias who tells us that Metatron is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Greek Tongue one sent But yet it is evident what is intended by all these obscure Intimations the increated Prince of Glory and his Exaltation over all with the Excellency of his name is aimed at For the word it self it is either a meer corruption of the Latin word Mediator such as is usual amongst them or a Gematrical Fiction to answer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Almighty there being a coincidence in their numeral letters The Doctrine of the Preference and Preheminence of Christ is insisted on by the Apostle unto the End of this Chapter and therefore I shall not treat of it untill we have gone through all the Proof's of it produced and then but briefly neither having already in part spoken of it in our Consideration of his Soveraignty and Lordship over all That which we are peculiarly instructed in by these words is that All Preheminence and Exaltation of one above others depends on the supream Counsel and Will of God The instance he gives of him who is exalted over all sufficiently confirms our general Rule He had his Name denoting his Glory and excellency by Inheritance an heritage designed for him and given unto him in the Counsel Will and good pleasure of God He gave him that name above every name Phil. 2.9 And that of his own Will and pleasure It pleased the Father that in him all fulness should dwell That so in all things he might have the Preheminence Col. 1.16 17. He fore-ordained him unto it from Eternity 1 Pet. 1.20 and actually exalted him according to his Eternal Counsel in the fulness of time Acts 2.36 Chap. 5.31 This Prelation then of Christ above all depends on the Counsel and Pleasure of God and he is herein a Pattern of all Priviledge and Preheminence in others Grace Mercy and Glory spiritual things and eternal are those wherein really there is any difference among the Sons of men Now that any one in these things is preferred before another it depends meerly on the sole good pleasure of God No man in these things makes himself to differ from another neither hath he any thing that he hath not received God hath Mercy on whom he will have mercy And this Discrimination of all things by the Supream Will of God especially Spiritual and Eternal is the Spring Fountain and Rule of all that Glory which he will manifest and be exalted in unto Eternity Verse V. THe Apostle proceedeth to the confirmation of his Proposition concerning the Preheminence of the Lord Christ above the Angels and of his proof of it from the Excellency of the Name given unto him And this he doth by sundry Testimonies produced out of the Old Testament two whereof are conjoyned in this Verse as the Verses are divided in our Bibles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vulg. dixit aliquando said he sometimes for at any time Syr 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from at any time said God Eloah God is supplyed needlesly though better than those who would render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 impersonally was it said at any time For it is express in the Psalm from whence the words are taken 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lord said The Lord said unto me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou my Son this day have I begotten thee The Elipsis of the Verb substantive in the Original which is perpetual is supplyed by the Apostle with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou art my Son Further difficulty in the Grammatical sense of the words there is not And hâ—re we shâ—ll close this Verse or at least consider this Testimony by its self Verse 5. Vnto which of the Angels did he at any time or ever say thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee Two things are considerable in these words 1. The manner of the Apostles producing the Testimony which he intended to make use of Vnto which of the Angels said he at any time 2. The Testimony it self Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee In the former three things may be observed First That the Testimonie which in a matter of Faith he insisted on is that of the Scripture He refers the Jews unto that common Principle which was acknowledged between them Men had not as yet learned in such contests to make that cavilling return which we are now used unto How do you know those Scriptures to be the word of God Nor indeed is it suitable unto common Honesty for men to question the credit and prostitute the Authority of their own most Sacred Principles for no other end but to prejudice their Adversaries But our Apostle here confidently sends the Hebrews to the acknowledged Rule of their Faith and Worship whose Authority he knew they would not decline Isa. 8.21 Secondly That the Apostle argues negatively from the Authority and Perfection of the Scripture in things relating to Faith and the Worship of God It is no where said in the Scripture to Angels therefore they have not the Name spoken of or not in that manner wherein it is ascribed to the Messiah This Argument saith an Expositor of great name in this place seems to be weak and not unlike unto that which the Hereticks make use of in the like cases And therefore answers that the Apostle argues negatively not only from the Scripture but from Tradition also But this Answer is far more weak than the Argument is pretended to be The Apostle deals expresly in all this Chapter from the Testimony of Scripture and to that alone do his words relate and therein doth he issue the whole Controversie he had in hand knowing that the Jews had many corrupt Traditions expresly contrary to what he undertook to prove particularly that the Law of Moses was Eternally Obligatory against which he directly contends in the whole Epistle An Argument then taken negatively from the Authority of the Scripture in matters of Faith or what relates to the Worship of God is valid and effectual and here consecrated for ever to the use of the Church by the Apostle Thirdly That the Apostle either indeâ—d grants or else for Arguments sake condescends unto the Apprehension of the Hebrews that there is a distinction of degrees and preheminence amongst the Angels
the satisfaction of faith and no where else doth it find rest II. That for the begetting increasing and strengthning of faith it is useful to have important fundamental Truths confirmed by many testimonies of Scripture Again he saith Any one word of God is sufficient to establish the most important Truth to Eternity so as to hang the salvation of all mankind thereon neither can any thing impeach or weaken what is so confirmed No more is required in any case to make Faith necessary on our part as a Duty of Obedience and infallible as to the Event but that God hath by any means by any one word revealed that which he requires our assent unto But God dealeth not upon strict terms Infinite Condescension lies at the bottom of all wherein he hath to deal with us He respects not what the nature of the thing strictly requires but what is needful unto our infirmity and weakness Hence he multiplies his Commands and Promises and confirms all by his Oath swearing to his Truth by himself to take away all pretence of distrust and unbelief For this cause he multiplies Testimonies to the Truths wherein the concernments of his Glory and our Obedience do lie as might be manifested by the consideration of instances innumerable Thus in his name deals the Apostle in this place And this is useful to Faith For 1. What is it may be obscure in one is cleared in another and so what doubts and fears remain on the consideration of one Testimony are removed by another whereby the souls of Believers are carried on unto a full Assurance And therefore because such is our weakness that there is need hereof in our selves such is the Goodness of God that there is no want of it in the Word 2. Faith discerns hereby the weight that God lays upon its embracing of the Truth so testified unto He knows our concernment in it and thereon urgeth us with its acceptance This awakens and excites Faith unto Attention and Consideration the eminent means of its growth and increase It knows that it is not for nothing that the Holy Ghost thus presseth his Truth upon it and attends the more diligently upon his urgency 3. Every testimony hath something single in it and peculiar unto it Though many bear witness to the same truth yet such is the fulness of the Scripture and such the Wisdom of God laid up therein that every one of them hath also somewhat of its own somewhat singular tending to the enlightning and establishment of our minds This Faith makes a discovery of and so receives peculiar profit and advantage thereby And this should teach us to abound in the study and search of the Scriptures that we may thereby come to establishment in the truth God hath thus left us many testimonies to each important Truth and he hath not done it in vain he knows our need of it and his Condescension in so doing when he might have bound us up to the strictest terms of closing with the least intimation of his will is for ever to be admired For us to neglect this great effect and product of the Wisdom Grace and Love of God is unspeakable folly If we think we need it not we make our selves wiser than God if we think we do and neglect our duty herein we are really as unwise as the Beasts that perish Want of this fortifying of faith by a diligent search after the testimonies given unto the truth proposed unto it to be believed is the cause that so many every day turn away from it and therewithall make shipwrack of faith and a good conscience Let us then never think our selves safe in the knowledge and profession of any truth but whilst we continue sincerely in the investigation of all the confirmation that God hath given it in his Word The Opposition made to every Truth is so various and from so many hands that not the least contribution of evidence unto it can be neglected with safety III. The whole Creation of God hath a great concernment in God's bringing forth Christ into the world and his Exaltation in his Kingdom Hence in the Psalm from whence these words are taken all the principal parts of it are called on to triumph and rejoyce therein The Earth and the multitude of the Isles the Heaven and all People are invited unto this congratulation neither is any thing excluded but Idols and Idolaters whose ruine God intends in the Erection of the Kingdom of Christ. And this they have ground for 1. Because in that Work consisted the principal manifestation of the Wisdom Power and Goodness of God The whole Creation is concerned in the Glory of the Creator In his Exaltation doth their honour interest and blessedness consist For this End were they made that God might be glorified The more that is done by any means the more is their End attained Hence the very inanimate parts of it are introduced by a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rejoycing exulting shouting and clapping their hands when the Glory of God is manifested in all which their suitableness and propensity to their proper End is declared as also by their being burdened and groaning under such an Estate and Condition of things as doth any way eclipse the Glory of their Maker Now in this work of bringing forth the first-born is the Glory of God principally and eminently exalted For the Lord Christ is the Brightness of his Glory and in him all the Treasures of Wisdom Grace and Goodness are laid up and hid What ever God had any other wayes before parcelled out of and concerning his Glory by the works of his hands is all and altogether and with an unspeakable Addition of Beauty and Excellency repeated in Christ. 2. The whole Creation receiveth a real Advancement and honour in the Sons being made the first-born of every creature that is the especial Heir and Lord of them all Their being brought into a new dependance on the Lord Christ is their Honour and they are exalted by becoming his Possession For after that they had lost their first Original Dependance on God and their respect unto him grounded on his pronouncing of them exceeding good that is such as became his Wisdom and Power to have made they fell under the power of the Devil who became Prince of this world by sin Herein consisted the vanity and debasement of the Creature which it was never willingly or of its own accord subject unto But God setting up the Kingdom of Christ and making him the first-born the whole Creation hath a right unto a new glorious Lord and Master And however any part of it be violently for a season detained under its old bondage yet it hath grounds of an earnest Expectation of a full and total Deliverance into Liberty by vertue of this Primogeniture of Christ Jesus 3. Angels and Men the Inhabitants of Heaven and Earth the principal parts of the Creation on whom God hath in an especial manner estamped
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
person For neither did the Church of the Jews hear the Law as it was pronounced on Horeb by Angels but had it confirmed unto them by the wayes and means of Gods appointment And he doth not say meerly that the Word was taught or preached unto us by them but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it was confirmed made firm and stedfast being delivered infallibly unto us by the Ministry of the Apostles There was a divine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 firmness certainty and infallibility in the Apostolical Declaration of the Gospel like that which was in the Writings of the Prophets which Peter comparing with Miracles calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a more firm stedfast and sure Word And this Infallible certainty of their word was from their Divine Inspiration Sundry Holy and Learned men from this Expression confirmed unto us wherein they say the Writer of this Epistle placeth himself among the number of those who heard not the word from the Lord himself but only from the Apostles conclude that Paul cannot be the Penman thereof who in sundry places denyeth that he received the Gospel by Instruction from men but by immediate Revelation from God Now because this is the only Pretence which hath any Appearance of Reason for adjudging the writing of this Epistle from him I shall briefly shew the invalidity of it And 1. It is certain that this term U S comprizes and casts the whole under the condition of the generality or major part and cannot receive a particular Distribution unto all Individuals For this Epistle being written before the Destruction of the Temple as we have demonstrated it is impossible to apprehend but that some were then living at Jerusalem who attended unto the Ministry of the Lord himself in the dayes of his flesh and among them was James himself one of the Apostles as before we have made it probable so that nothing can hence be concâ—â—deâ— to every individual as though none of them might have heard the Lord 〈…〉 The Apostle hath evidently a respect unto the foundation of the Church 〈…〉 at Hierusalem by the preaching of the Apostles immediately after th◠〈…〉 of the Holy Ghost upon them Acts 2.3 4 5. which as he was not hâ—◠〈…〉 â—â—â—ed in so he was to mind it unto them as the beginning of their faith and 〈…〉 3. Paul himself did not hear the Lord Christ teaching Personally on the earth 〈◊〉 he began to reveal the great salvation 4. Nor doth he say that those of whom hâ—â—pâ—â—ks were originally instructed by the Hearers of Christ but only that by them the Word was confirmed unto them and so it was unto Paul himself Gal. 2.1 2. But 5. yet it is apparent that the Apostle useth an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 placing himself among those unto whom he wrote though not personally concerned in every particular spoken a thing so usual with him that there is scarce any of his Epistles wherein sundry instances of it are not to be found See 1 Cor. 10.8 9. 1 Thess. 4.17 The like is done by Peter 1 Epist. 3.4 Having therefore in this place to take of all suspition of jealousie in his Exhortation to the Hebrews unto Integrity and Constancy in their profession entred his discourse in this Chapter in the same way of expression Therefore ought we as there was no need so there was no place for the change of the persons so as to say you instead of us So that on many accounts there is no ground for this Objection 4. He farther yet describes the Gospel by the Divine Attestation given unto it which also addes to the force of his Argument and Exhortation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word is of a double composition denoting a concurring testimony of God a testimony given unto or together with the testimony and witness of the Apostles Of what nature this testimony was and wherein it consisted the next words declare by Signs and Wonders Mighty works and Distributions of the Holy Ghost All which agree in the general nature of works supernatural and in the especial end of attesting to the truth of the Gospel being wrought according to the promise of Christ Matth. 16.17 18. by the ministery of the Apostles Acts 2.3 4. and in especial by that of Paul himself Rom. 15.19 2 Cor. 12.12 But as to their especial differences they are here cast under four heads The first are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Signs that is miraculous works wrought to signifie the presence of God by his power with them that wrought them for the approbation and confirmation of the Doctrine which they taught The second are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prodigies Wonders works beyond the power of Nature above the Energie of natural causes wrought to fill men with wonder and admiration stirring men up unto a diligent attention to the Doctrine accompanied with them for whereas they surprize men by discovering 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a present divine power they dispose the mind to an embracing of what is confirmed by them Thirdly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mighty works wherein evidently a mighty power the power of God is exerted in their operation And fourthly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gifts of the Holy Ghost enumerated 1 Cor. 12. Ephes. 4.7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 free gifts freely bestowed called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 divisions or distributions for the reason at large declared by the Apostle 1 Cor. 12.7 8 9 10 11. All which are intimated in the following words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is indifferent whether we read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and refer it to the will of God or of the Holy Ghost himself his own will which the Apostle guides unto 1 Cor. 12.11 As we said before all these agree in the same general nature and kind of miraculous operations the variety of expressions whereby they are set forth relating only unto some different respects of them taken from their especial end and effects The same works were in different respects Signs Wonders Mighty works and Gifts of the Holy Ghost But being effectual unto several ends they received these various denominations In these works consisted the divine attestation of the Doctrine of the Apostles God in and by them giving testimony from heaven by the ministration of his Almighty Power unto the things which were taught and his approbation of the Persons that taught them in their work And this was of especial consideration in dealing with the Hebrews For the delivery of the Law and the ministery of Moses having been accompanied with many signs and prodigies they made great enquiry after signs for the confirmation of the Gospel 1 Cor. 1.22 which though our Lord Jesus Christ neither in his own Person nor by his Apostles would grant unto them in their time and manner to satisfie their wicked and carnal curiosity yet in his own way and season he gave them forth for their conviction or to leave them
Divine Wisdom and Grace From this fountain they all proceed and the living waters of it run through them all The Times the Seasons the Authors the Instruments the manner of their Delivery were all ordered by the manifold Wisdom of God which especially appears in the dispensation of the Gospel Ephes. 3.9 10. The Apostle placeth not the Wisdom of God only in the Mystery of the Gospel but also in the season of its promulgation It was hid saith he in God v. 9. that is in the purpose of God v. 10 11. From the Ages past but now is made manifest and herein doth the manifold Wisdom of God appear Were we able to look into the depth of any circumstance that concerns the Institutions of God we should see it full of Wisdom and Grace and the neglect of a due consideration thereof hath God sometime severely revenged Lev. 10.1 2. Thirdly There is in them all a Gracious Condescension unto our weakness God knows that we stand in need of an especial remark to be set on every one of them Such is our weakness our slowness to believe that we have need that the Word should be unto us line upon line and precept upon precept here a little and there a little As God told Moses Exod. 4.8 That if the children of Israel would not believe on the first sign they would on the second So it is with us one consideration of the Law or the Gospel oftentimes proves ineffectual when another over-powres the heart unto obedience And therefore hath God thus graciously condescended unto our weakness in proposing unto us the several considerations mentioned of his Law and Gospel that by some of them we may be laid hold upon and bowed unto his mind and will in them Accordingly Fourthly They have had their various Influences and Successes on the souls of men Some have been wrought upon by one consideration some by another In some the Holiness of the Law in others the manner of its Administration have been effectual Some have fixed their hearts principally on the Grace of the Gospel some on the Person of its Author And the same persons at several times have had help and assistance from these several considerations of the one and the other So that in these things God doth nothing in vain nothing is in vain towards believers Infinite Wisdom is in all and infinite Glory will arise out of all And this should stir us up unto a diligent search into the Word wherein God hath recorded all the concernments of his Law and Gospel that are for our use and advantage That is the Cabinet wherein all these Jewels are laid up and disposed according to his Wisdom and the counsel of his Will A general view of it will but little satisfie and not at all enrich our souls This is the Mine wherein we must digg as for hid treasures One main reason why we believe no more why we obey no more why we love no more is because we are no more diligent in searching the Word for substantial Motives unto them all A very little insight into the Word is apt to make men think that they see enough But the Reason of it is because they like not what they see As men will not like to look farther into a Shop of Wares when they like nothing which is at first presented unto them But if indeed we find sweetness benefit profit life in the discoveries that are made unto us in the Word about the Law and Gospel we shall be continually reaching after a farther Acquaintance with them It may be we know somewhat of those things but how know we that there is not some especial concernment of the Gospel which God in an holy condescension hath designed for our good in particular that we are not as yet arrived unto a clear and distinct knowledge of Here if we search for it with all diligence may we find it and if we go maimed in our Faith and Obedience all our dayes we may thank our own sloth for it Again whereas God hath distinctly proposed those things unto us they should have our distinct consideration We should severally and distinctly meditate upon them that so in them all we may admire the Wisdom of God and receive the effectual influence of them all upon our own souls Thus may we sometimes converse in our hearts with the Author of the Gospel sometimes with the manner of its delivery sometimes with the Grace of it and from every one of these heavenly flowers draw nourishment and refreshment unto our own souls Oh that we could take care to gather up these fragments that nothing might be lost unto us as in themselves they shall never perish IV. What means soever God is pleased to use in the Revelation of his Will he gives it a Certainty Stedfastness Assurance and Evidence which our faith may rest in and which cannot be neglected without the greatest Sin The word spoken was stedfast Every word spoken from God by his Appointment is stedfast and that because spoken from him and by his Appointment And there are two things that belong unto this stedfastness of the Word spoken 1. That in respect of them unto whom it is spoken it is the foundation of Faith and Obedience The formal Reason of them and last Ground whereunto they are resolved 2. That on the part of God it is a stable and sufficient ground of Righteousness in proceeding to take vengeance on them by whom it is neglected The punishment of transgressors is a meet Recompence of Reward because the word spoken unto them is stedfast And this latter follows upon the former For if the word be not a stable firm foundation for the Faith and Obedience of men they cannot be justly punished for the neglect of it That therefore must be briefly spoken unto and this will naturally ensue as a consequent thereof God hath as we saw on the first Verse of this Epistle by various wayes and means declared and revealed his mind unto men That Declaration what means or instruments so ever he is pleased to make use of therein is called his Word And that because originally it is his proceeds from him is delivered in his name and Authority reveals his mind and tends to his Glory Thus sometimes he spake by Angels using their Ministry either in delivering his Messages by words of an outward sound or by Representation of things in Visions and Dreams and sometimes by the Inspiration of the Holy Ghost enabling them so inspired to give out the word which they received purely and entirely all remaining his Word still Now what wayes soever God is pleased to use in the Communication of his Mind and Will unto men for their Obedience there is that stedfastness in the Word it self that Evidence to be from him as make it the duty of men to believe in it with faith divine and supernatural and that stability which will never deceive them It is I say
the Contemplation of his Excellencies for which end they were created Here therefore infinite Wisdom infinite Grace infinite Goodness and infinite Holiness discover themselves in that contrivance of salvation which solves all those difficulties and seeming contradictions keeps entire the Glory of God's Attributes repairs the Honour lost by sin and reduceth the whole Creation into a new Order and subserviency to the Glory of its Maker Hence this great Projection and design is called the Wisdom of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as that wherein he was pleased principally to lay open the fountain and spring of his eternal Wisdom Rom. 11.33 1 Cor. 1.24 And not only so but the manifold wisdom of God Ephes. 3.10 That is infinite Wisdom exerting it self in great and unspeakable variety of means and ways for the accomplishment of the end designed Yea all the Treasures of wisdom are said to be laid out in this matter and laid up in Christ Jesus Col. 2.3 As if he had said that the whole store of infinite wisdom was laid out herein And thus though God made all things in wisdom yet that which he principally proposeth unto our consideration in the creation of all things is his Sovereign Will and Pleasure joyned with infinite Power For his will or pleasure were all things created Rev. 5.11 But in this work of contriving the salvation of sinners he minds us of the counsel of his will Ephes. 1.11 that is the infinite wisdom wherewith the Holy Acts of his Will concerning it were accompanied And the mystery of his good pleasure wherein he designed to gather up all things into one head by Jesus Christ verse 10. Certainly the product of infinite and eternal Wisdom of the Counsel of the Will of the most Holy wherein the Treasures of it were laidout with a design to display it in manifold variety must needs be Great very Great so great as cannot be conceived or expressed Might we here stay to contemplate and admire in our dim and dawning light in our weakness according to the meanness of our apprehensions of the reflections of it in the Glass of the Gospel the Eternity of this contrivance the transactions between Father and Son about it the Retrievment of the lost Glory of God by sin and ruined creation in it the security of the Holiness Righteousness Veracity and Vindictive Justice of God provided for in it with the abundant overflowings of Grace Goodness Love Mercy and Patience that are the life of it we might manifest that there is enough in this Fountain to render the streams flowing from it great and glorious And yet alass what a little what a small portion of its Glory Excellency Beauty Riches is it that we are able in this world to attain unto How weak and mean are the conceptions and thoughts of little children about the designs and counsels of the wise men of the earth and yet there is a Proportion between the Understandings of the one and the other but there is none at all between ours and the infinite depths of the Wisdom and Knowledge of God which are laid out in this matter we think as children we speak as children we see darkly as in a glass and the best acting of our faith in this business is humble Admiration and holy Thankfulness Now certainly it is not in the capacity of a creature to cast greater contempt on God than to suppose he would set all his glorious Properties on work and draw forth all the Treasures of his Wisdom to produce or effect that which should be low mean not every way admirable And yet unto that height of impiety hath unbelief arrived amongst many of them unto whom theGospel is and hath been preached as to reject and contemn the whole mystery of it as meer folly as an empty notion fit to be neglected and despised So hath the god of this world blinded the eyes of men that the light of the glorious Gospel should not shine into their minds But when God shall come to be admired in all them thatbelieve on the account of this design of his Grace and Wisdom they will with astonishment see the glory of it in others when it shall be too late for to obtain any benefit by it unto themselves Secondly The Salvation preached in the Gospel is Great upon the account of the way and means whereby it was wrought and accomplished or the great effect of the infinite Wisdom and Grace of God in the Incarnation Mediation and Suffering of his Son Thus was it wrought and no otherwise could it be effected We were not redeemed with silver and gold and corruptible things 1 Pet. 1.18 No such price would be accepted with God Salvation is more precious than to be so purchased Psal. 49.6 7. But it may be it might be effected and brought about by the Law which was God's own Institution either its Precepts or its Sacrifices might effect this work and Salvation may be attained by the works of the Law But yet neither will this suffice For the Law is weak and insufficient as to any such purpose Rom. 8.23 nor would the Sacrifices of it be accepted unto that end Heb. 10.7 8. How then shall it be wrought is there none worthy in heaven or earth to undertake this work and must it cease for ever No the Eternal Son of God himself the Word Power and Wisdom of the Father the brightness of his Glory and the express image of his Person he hath undertaken this work This renders it Great and glorious that the Son of God in his own Person should perform it it must assuredly be great salvation which he came himself to work out And how doth he do it by the mighty word of hispower as he made all things of old No this work is of another nature and in another manner must be accomplished For 1. To this purpose he must be Incarnate made flesh Joh. 1.14 made of a Woman Gal. 4.4 Though hewere in the form of God and equal to God yet he was to humble and empty himself unto and in the form of a man Phil. 2.6 7. This is that great mystery of godliness God manifested in the flesh that the Angels desire to look into That the Son of God should take the Nature of Man into subsistence with himself in the same Person which was necessary for the effecting of this salvation is a thing that the whole Creation must admire unto Eternity And yet this is but an entrance into this work For 2. In this Nature he must be made under theLaw Gal. 4.4 obnoxious to the commands of it and boundto the obedience which it required It became him to fulfillall righteousness that he might be our Saviour for though he were a Son yet he was to learn and yield obedience Without his perfect obedience unto the Law our salvation could not be perfected The Son of God must obey that we may be accepted and crowned The difficulties also temptations and
and on whom it is incumbent totake vengeance on them that nâ—glect the Gospel will not be able so to do or at least not to such a degree as to render it so fearful as is pretended This need not much to be insisted on It is God with whom men have to do in this matter And they who allow his Being cannot deny him to be Omnipotent and Eternal Now what cannot he do who is so It will at length be found to be a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God There is unto wicked men the same everlasting cause of Being and Punishment The same hand that upholds them shall afflict them and that for ever What his Righteousness requires his Power and Wrath shall execute unto the uttermost so that there will be no escaping And thâ—se are the holy foundations on which all Gospel Threatnings and Comminations are built which will all of of them take place and be accomplished with no less certainty than the Promises themselves Now from all that hath been spoken unto this Proposition we may learn 1. To admire the Riches of the Grace of God which hath provided so great salvation for poor sinners Such and so great as it is we stood in need of it Nothing could be abated without our eternal ruine But when Divine Wisdom Goodness Love Grace and Mercy shall set themselves at work what will they not accomplish And the effect of them doth the Scripture set forth in those expressions So God loved theworld God commendeth his love unto us Greater love hath nonethan this Riches of grace Treasures of wisdom Exceeding greatness of Power and the like In this will God be glorified and admired unto all Eternity And in the contemplation hereof are we to be exercised here and hereafter and thereby may we grow up into the image of God in Christ 2 Cor. 3.18 Which way soever we look what ever we consider in it here is that which will entertain our souls withdelight and satisfaction The Eternal Counsel of God the Person of Christ his Mediation and Grace the Promises of the Gospel the evil and wrath we are freed from the Redemption and Glory purchased for us the Priviledges we are admitted unto a participation of the Consolations and Joys of the Spirit the Communion with God that we are called unto how glorious are they in the eyes of Believers or assuredly at all times ought they so to be How can we enough bewail that vanity whence it is that the mind suffereth it self to be possessed and filled with other things Alas what are they if compared to the excellency of this Love of God in Christ Jesus Here lies our treasure here lies our inheritance why should not our hearts be here also Were our minds fixed on these things as they ought how would the glory of them cast out our cares subdue our fears sweeten our afflictions and persecutions and take off our affections from the fading perishing things of this world and make us in every condition rejoyce in the hopes of the glory that shall be revealed And indeed we lose the sweetness of the life of faith the benefit of our profession the reward that is in believing and are made a scorn to the world and a prey unto temptations because we dwell not enough in the contemplation of this great salvation To stir us up then hereunto we may consider 1. The excellency of the things themselves that are proposed unto our meditations they are the Great the Deep the hidden things of the Wisdom and Grace of God Men justifie themselves in spending their time and speculations about the things of Nature and indeed the employment is better and more noble than what the generality of men do exercise themselves about For some seldom raise their thoughts above the dunghills whereon they live and some stuff their minds with such filthy imaginations as make them an Abomination to God Mich. 2.1 2. They are conversant only about their own Lusts and making Provision to fulfill and satisfie them But yet what are these things which the better and more refined part of mankind doth search and enquire into things that came out of nothing and are returning thitherward apace things which when they are known do not much inrich the mind nor better it at all as to its eternal condition nor contribute any thing to the Advantage of their souls But these things are eternal glorious mysterious that have the characters of all Gods Excellencies enstamped upon them whose knowledge gives the mind its perfection and the soul its blessedness John 17.3 This made Paul cry out that he accounted all things to be but loss and dung in comparison of an acquaintance with them Phil. 3.8 And the Prophets of old to search diligently into the nature of them 1 Pet. 1.11 12. as the things which alone deserved to be enquired after and which enquiry renders them noble in whom it is Acts 17.11 and that which alone differenceth men in the sight of God Jer. 9.23 24. 2. Our Interest and Propriety in them If we are believers these are our things The Rich man is much in the contemplation of his Riches because they are his own and the Great man of his Power because of his propriety in it Men take little delight in being conversant in their minds about things that are not their own Now all these things are ours if we are Christs 1 Cor. 3.22 This salvation was prepared for us from all Eternity and we are the heirs of it Heb. 1.13 It was purchased for us by Jesus Christ we have redemption and salvation by his blood It is made over unto us by the promise of the Gospel and conferred upon us by the Spirit of Grace Are these things to be despised Are they to be cast aside among the things wherein we are least concerned Or can there be any greater evidence that we have no Propriety in them than that would be if our hearts should not be set upon them What all these Riches ours all these Treasures this goodly Inheritance this Kingdom this Glory and yet we not be constant in thoughts and meditations about them It is doubtless a sign at least that we question our Title unto them and that the Evidences we have of them will not endure the tryall But wo unto us if that should be the end of our profession and if it be otherwise why are not our minds fixed on that which is our own and which no man can take from us 3. The Profit and Advantage which we shall have hereby which will be much every way for 1. By this means we shall grow up into a likeness and conformity unto these things in our inward man Spiritual Meditation will assimulate our minds and souls unto that which is the object of it So the Apostle tells the Romans that they were delivered into the form of the Doctrine preached unto them Chap. 6.17 obeying it by faith the
likeness of it was brought forth upon their souls and by the renewing of their minds transformed quite into another image in their souls Chap. 12.2 This the Apostle most excellently expresseth 2 Cor. 3.18 A constant believing contemplation of the Glory of God in this salvation by Christ will change the mind into the image and likeness of it and that by various degrees untill we attain unto perfection when we shall know as we are known Accustoming of our minds unto these things will make them heavenly and our affectious which will be conformed unto them holy This is the way to have Christ dwell plentifully in us and for our selves to grow up into him who is our head And is it nothing to get our minds purged from an evil habit enclining unto earthly things or continually forging foolish and hurtful Imaginations in our hearts This Meditation will cast the soul into another mould and frame makeing the heart a good treasure out of which may be drawn at all times Good things new and old 2. Consolation and supportment under all Afflictions will from hence spring up in the soul. When the Apostle would describe that property of faith whereby it enables a Believer to do and suffer great things joyfully and comfortably he doth it by its work and effect in this matter it is saith he the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen Chap. 11.1 that is it brings into the soul and makes evident unto it the great things of this salvation the great things of the Love and Grace of God therein and thus it doth no otherwise than by a constant contemplation and holy admiration of them and when this is once done he multiplyes instances to evince what great Effects it will produce especially in its enabling of us to go through difficulties tryals and afflictions And the same also he ascribeth unto Hope which is nothing but the souls waiting and expectation to be made partaker of the fulness of this salvation whose greatness and satisfactory Excellency it doth admire Rom. 5.2 3 4 5. When any Affliction or Tribulation presseth upon a believer hâ— can readily divert his thoughts from it unto the rich grace of God in this salvation which will fill his heart with such a sense of his love as shall carry him above all the assaults of his trouble And a direction to this purpose the Apostle pursues at large Rom. 8.16 17 18 24 25 34 35 36 37 38. This is a safe harbour for the soul to betake it self unto in every storm as he teacheth us again 2 Cor. 4.16 17 18. Whatever befalls us in our outward man though it should press so sore upon us as to ruine us in this world yet we faint not we despond not and the reason is because these things which we suffer bear no proportion unto what we enjoy or expect and the way whereby this consideration is made effectual unto us is by a constant Contemplation by faith on the great unseen things of this salvation which takes off our minds and spirits from a Valuation of the things which we presently suffer and endure And this experience assures us to be our only relief in afflictions which undoubtedly it is our wisdom to be provided for 3. The same may be said concerning Persecution one especial part of Affliction and commonly that which most entangles the minds of them that suffer Now no man can endure Persecution quietly patiently constantly according to the Will of God especially when the Devil pursues his old design of bringing it home unto their persons Job 2.5 unless he hath in readiness a greater Good which shall in its self and in his own mind out-ballance the evil which he suffers And this the Grace of this Salvation will do The soul that is exercised in the contemplation and Admiration of it will despise and triumph over all his outward sufferings which befall him on the account of his interest therein as all Persecution doth This the Apostle declares at large Rom. 8.31 32 33 34. He directs us to an holy Meditation on Gods electing Love the Death and Mediation of Christ the two springs of this Meditation And thence leads us v. 35 36. to a supposition of the great and sore persecutions that may befall us in this world and from the former consideration triumphs over it all v. 37. with a joy and exaltation beyond that of Conquerors in a battle which yet is the greatest that the nature of man is capable of in and about temporal things When the soul is prepossessed with the Glory of this Grace and his interest therein it will assuredly bear him up against all the threatnings reproaches and persecutions of this World even as it did the Apostles of old making them esteem that to be their Honour and Glory which the World looked on as their shame Acts 5.41 and without this the heart will be very ready to sink and faint 4. This also will greatly tend unto the confirmation of our faith by giving us a full Experience of the things that we do believe Then the Heart is immovable when it is established by Experience when we find a substance a reality a spiritual nourishment in things proposed unto us Now how can this be obtained unless we are conversant in our minds about them unless we dwell in our thoughts and affections upon them For thereby do we taste and find how good the Lord is in this work of his Grace Thus this duty being on many accounts of so great importance we may do well to consider wherein it consisteth and there are these four things belonging unto it First Intense Prayer for a Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation to give us an Acquaintance with the Mysterie and Grace of this great salvation In our selves we have no inbred knowledge of it nor can we by our own endeavours attain unto it We must have a new understanding given us or we shall not know him that is true 1 Job 5.20 For notwithstanding the Declaration that is made of this Mysterie in the Gospel we see that the most men live in Darkness and Ignorance of it It is only the Spirit of God which can search these deep things of God and reveal them unto us 1 Cor. 2.10 By him must he who commanded light to shine out of darkness shine into our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of this glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 4.6 And therefore the Apostle prayes for the Ephesians that God would give unto them the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation in the knowledge of him that the eyes of their understandings being opened they may know what is the hope of his calling and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the Saints and what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us ward who believe Chap. 1.17 18 19. And for the Colossians that they might come unto all riches of the
other duty or service what ever may he not justly expect that such a one will be diligent in the observation of all his commands especially considering also the Honour and Advantage that he hath by being taken near unto his person employed in his affairs And shall not God much more expect the like from us considering how exceedingly the priviledge we have by this relation unto him surpasseth all that men can attain by the favour of earthly Princes And if we will choose other Lords of our own to serve if we are so regardless of our selves as that we will serve our lusts and the world when God hath had such respect unto us as that he would not suffer us to be subject unto the Angels of heaven how inexcusable shall we be in our sin and folly You shall be for me saith God and not for any other what ever And are we not miserable if we like not this agreement 2. For the manner of our obedience how ought we to endeavour that it be performed with all holiness and reverence Moses makes this his great argument with the people for Holiness in all their Worship and services because no people had God so nigh unto them as they had And yet that nearness which he insisted on was but that of his Institutions and some visible Pledges and Representations therein of his Presence among them now much more cogent must the considerations of this real and spiritual nearness which God hath taken us unto himself in by Jesus needs be to the same purpose All that we do we do it immediately unto this holy God not only under his Eye and in his Presence but in an especial and immediate relation unto him by Jesus Christ. Verse VI. THe Apostle hath shewed that the World to come which the Judaical Church looked for was not made subject unto Angels no mention of any such thing being made in the Scripture That which he assumes to make good his Assertion of the Preheminence of the Lord Jesus above the Angels is that unto him it was put in subjection And this he doth not expresly affirm in words of his own but insinuateth in a Testimony out of the Scripture which he citeth and urgeth unto that purpose And this Way he proceedeth for these two ends 1. To evidence that what he taught was suitable unto the Faith of the Church of old and contained in the Oracles committed unto it which was his especial way of dealing with these Hebrews 2. That he might from the Words of that Testimony take occasion to obviate a great Objection against the Dignity of Christ and Mysteries of the Gospel taken from his Humiliation and Death and thereby make way to a farther Explication of many other Parts or Acts of â—is Mediation many Difficulties there are in the Words and Expressions of these Verses more in the Apostles Application of the Testimony by him produced unto the Person and End by him intended all which God assisting we shall endeavour to remove And to that End shall consider 1. The way and manner of his introducing this Testimony which is peculiar 2. The Testimony it self produced with an Explication of the meaning and importance of the Words in the Place from whence it is taken 3. The Application of it unto the Apostles purpose both as to the Person intended and as to the especial End aimed at And 4. Farther unfold what the Apostle adds about the death and sufferings of Christ as included in this Testimony though not intended as to the first use and design of it And 5. Vindicate the Apostles Application of this Testimony with our Explication of it accordingly from the Objections that some have made against it All which we shall pass through as they present themselves unto us in the Text it self First The manner of his citing this Testimony is somewhat peculiar One testified in a certain place Neither person nor place being specified As though he had intended 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a certain Person whom he would not name But the Reason of it is plain both Person and Place were sufficiently known to them to whom he wrote And the Syriack Translation changeth the Expression in the Text into but as the Scripture witnesseth and saith without Cause The Hebrews were not ignorant whose words they were which he made use of nor where they were recorded The one there mentioned is David and the certain place is the eighth Psalm whereof much need not to be added A Psalm it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the High Praises of God and such Psalms do mostly if not all of them respect the Messiah and his Kingdom as the Jews themselves acknowledge For the time of the Composure of this Psalm they have a conjecture which is not altogether improbable namely that it was in the Night whilest he kept his Fathers sheep Hence in his Contemplation of the Works of God he insists on the Moon and Stars then gloriously presenting themselves unto him not mentioning the Sun which appeared not So also in the Distribution that he makes of the things here below that amongst others are made subject unto man he fixeth in the first place on 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 flocks of Sheep which were then peculiarly under his care So should all the works of God and those especially about which we are conversant in our particular Callings excite us to the Admiration of his Glory and Praise of his name And none are usually more void of holy thoughts of God than those who set themselves in no way acceptable unto him This is the place from whence this Testimony is taken whose especial Author the Apostle omitteth both because it was sufficiently known and makes no difference at all who ever was the Penman of this or that Portion of Scripture seeing it was all equally given by Inspiration from God whereon alone the authority of it doth depend 2. The Testimony it self is contained in the words following v. 6 7. What is man c. Before we enter into a particular Explication of the words and of the Apostles Application of them we may observe that there are two things in general that lye plain and clear before us As First That All things whatsoever are said to be put in subjection unto man that is unto Humane Nature in one or more Persons in opposition unto Angels or nature Angelical To express the former is the plain Design and Purpose of the Psalmist as we shall see And whereas there is no such Testimony any where concerning Angels it is evident that the meaning of the word is unto man and not unto Angels which the Apostle intimates in that adversative 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but but of man it is said not of Angels Secondly That this Priviledge was never absolutely nor universally made good in or unto the nature of man but in or with respect unto the Person of Jesus Christ the Messiah This the Apostle call us to the
the highest happiness in eternal Glory and all this in a way of meer Grace this is to be admired Thirdly Because it appeareth that God is more glorified in the Humiliation and Exaltation of the Lord Christ and the salvation of mankind thereby than in any of or all the Works of the first Creation How glorious those works are and how mightily they set forth the glory of God we have before declared But as the Psalmist intimates God rested not in them He had yet a farther design to manifest his Glory in a more eminent and singular manner and this he did by minding and visiting of man in Christ Jesus None almost is so stupid but on the first view of the Heavens the Sun Moon and Stars but he will confess that their Fabrick Beauty and Order is wonderful and that the Glory of their framer and builder is for ever to be admired in them But all this comes short of that Glory which ariseth unto God from this Condescension and Grace And therefore it may be the day will come and that speedily wherein these Heavens and this whole old Creation shall be utterly dissolved and brought to nothing For why should they abide as a monument of his power unto them who enjoying the blessed vision of him shall see and know it far more evidently and eminently in himself However they shall undoubtedly in a short time cease as to their Vse wherein at present they are principally subservient unto the manifestation of the glory of God But the Effects of this regard of God to man shall abide unto Eternity and the glory of God therein This is the foundation of Heaven as it is a state and condition as it denotes the Glorious Presence of God among his Saints and holy ones Without this there would be no such Heaven all that is there and all the glory of it depends thereon Take away this foundation and all that beauty and glory disappears Nothing indeed would be taken from God who ever was and ever will be eternally blessed in his own Self sufficiency But the whole Theatre which he hath erected for the manifestation of his glory unto Eternity depends on this his holy Condescension and Grace which assuredly render them meet for ever to be admired and adored This then let us exercise our selves unto Faith having infinite eternal incomprehensible things proposed unto it acts it self greatly in this Admiration We are every where taught that we now know but imperfectly in part and that we see darkly as in a glass not that the Revelation of these things in the Word is dark and obscure for they are fully and clearly proposed but that such is the nature of the things themselves that we are not in this life able to comprehend them and therefore faith doth principally exercise it self in an holy admiration of them And indeed no Love or Grace will suit our condition but that which is incomprehensible We find our selves by Experience to stand in need of more Grace Goodness Love and Mercy than we can look into search to the bottom of or fully understand But when that which is infinite and incomprehensible is proposed unto us there all fears are overwhelmed and faith finds rest with Assurance And if our admiration of these things be an Act an Effect a fruit of faith it will be of singular use to endear our hearts unto God and to excite them unto thankful obedience For who would not love and delight in the eternal fountain of this inconceivable Grace And what shall we render unto him who hath done more for us than we are any way able to think or conceive II. Observe also that such was the inconceivable Love of Jesus Christ the Son of God unto the souls of men that he was free and willing to condescend unto any condition for their good and salvation That was the end of all this dispensation And the Lord Christ was not humbled and made less than the Angels without his own Will and consent His Will and good liking concurred unto this work Hence when the Eternal Counsel of this whole matter is mentioned it is said of him as the Wisdom of the Father that he rejoyced in the habitable part of the earth and his delights were with the Sons of men Prov. 8.31 He delighted in the counsel of redeeming and saving them by his own Humiliation and suffering And the Scripture makes it evident upon these two considerations First In that it shews that what he was to do and what he was to undergo in this work was proposed unto him and that he willingly accepted of the terms and conditions of it Psalm 40.6 God sayes unto him that sacrifice and offering would not do this great work burnt-offering and sin-offering would not effect it that is no kind of Offerings or Sacrifices instituted by the Law were available to take away sin and to save sinners as our Apostle expounds that place at large Heb. 10 1 2 3 4. confirming his Exposition with sundry Arguments taken from their nature and Effects What then doth God require of him that this great design of the salvation of sinners may be accomplished even that he himself should make his own soul an offering for sin pour out his soul unto death and thereby bear the sin of many Isa. 53.10.12 That seeing the Law was weak through the flesh that is by reason of our sins in the flesh that he himself should take upon him the likeness of sinful flesh and become an offering for sin in the flesh Rom. 8.3 That he should be made of a woman made under the Law if he would redeem them that were under the Law Gal. 4.4 5. that he should make himself of no reputation but take upon him the form of a servant and be made in the likeness of man and being found in fashion as a man to humble himself and to become obedient unto death the death of the Cross Phil. 2.7 8. These things were proposed unto him which he was to undergo if he would deliver and save mankind And how did he entertain this proposal how did he like these Conditions I was not saith he rebellious I turned not away back Isa. 50.5 He declined them not he refused none of the terms that were proposed unto him but underwent them in a way of Obedience and that with Willingness Alacrity and delight Psal. 40.6 7 8. Thou saith he hast opened my ears or prepared a body for me wherein I may yield this obedience that the Apostle declares to be the sense of the expression Chap. 10. This Obedience could not be yielded without a body wherein it was performed and whereas to hear or to have the ear opened is in the Scripture to be prepared unto obedience the Psalmist in that one Expression Mine ear hast thou opened comprizeth both these even that Christ had a body prepared by a Synechdoche of a part for the whole and also in that body he was
things that are God 2 Cor. 4.6 Col. 2.2 Ephes. 3.13 14 15 16 17 18. Matth. 11.25 8. As the Great Father of the Family he adopts them and makes them his sons that so he may bring them unto glory He gives them the power or priviledge to become the sons of God Joh. 1.11 making them heirs and coheirs with Christ Rom. 8.14 15 16 17. sending withall into their hearts the Spirit of adoption enabling them to cry Abba Father Gal. 4.6 The whole right of adopting children is in the Father and so is the authoritative translation of them out of the world and kingdom of Sathan into his own Family and Houshold with their investiture in all the rights and priviledges thereof 9. He confirms them in Faith establisheth them in Obedience preserveth them from dangers and oppositions of all sorts and in manifold wisdom keeps them through his power unto the glory prepared for them as 2 Cor. 1.21 22. Ephes. 3.20 21. 1 Pet. 1.5 Joh. 17.11 10. He gives them the Holy Ghost as their Comforter with all those blessed and unspeakable benefits which attend that gift of his Matth. 7.11 Luke 11.13 Joh. 14.16 17. Gal. 4.6 In brief in bringing the Elect unto Glory all the Sovereign Acts of Power Wisdom Love and Grace exerted therein are peculiarly assigned unto the Father as all ministerial acts are unto the Son as Mediator So that there is no reason why he may not be said by the way of eminency to be the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the leader or bringer of his sons unto glory And herein lies a great direction unto Believers and a great supportment for their faith Peter tells us That by Christ we do believe in God that raised him from the dead and gave him glory that our faith and hope might be in God 1 Pet. 1.21 Jesus Christ considered as Mediator is the next but not the ultimate Object of our faith and hope We so believe in him as by him to believe in God that is the Father whose Love is the supreme fountain and spring of our salvation which the Apostle manifests in that double instance of his raising up Christ and giving of him glory thereby declaring himself the principal Author of the great work of his Mediation This he directs us unto so to believe in Christ as that discerning in and by him the Grace Good-will and Love of the Father himself towards us we may be encouraged to fix our faith and hope on him seeing he himself loveth us So that Christ himself had no need to pray for the love of the Father unto us but only for the communication of the effects of it Joh. 16.26 27. And this is the work of faith when as we are directed we pray to the Father in the name of Christ Joh. 16.23 24. And we thus place our faith in God the Father when we conceive of him as the Sovereign Leader of us unto glory by all the instances before mentioned And then doth faith find rest in him delight complacency and satisfaction as we have else-where declared Thirdly There is in these words intimated the principal means that God fixed on for the accomplishment of this design of his for the bringing of many sons unto glory it was by appointing a Captain of their salvation The Jews generally granted that the Messiah was to be the Captain of their salvation but misunderstanding that salvation they also mistook the whole nature of his Office The Apostle doth here evidently compare him unto Joshua the Captain and Leader of the people into Canaan as he had before preferred him above the Angels by whose ministery the Law was given unto the people in the Wilderness which was a Type of their salvation as he farther declares chap. 4. All the sons of God are put under his conduct and guidance as the people of old were under the rule of Joshua to bring them into the glory designed for them and promised unto them in the Covenant made with Abraham And he is called their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prince Ruler and Captain or Author of their salvation on several accounts 1. Of his Authority and Right to rule over them in order unto their salvation so he appeared unto Joshua as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Josh. 5.14 The Captain of the Lords host intimating then that there was another Captain and other work to do than what Joshua had then in hand The General of all the People of God as Joab was to Israel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. Of his actual leading and Conduct of them by his Example Spirit and Grace through all the difficulties of their warfare so he was promised as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Isa. 55.4 Princeps Dux Antecessor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Leader and Commander of the people one that goes before them for their direction and guidance giving them an example in his own person of doing and suffering the Will of God and so entring into glory So is he their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 6.20 Antecessor Fore-runner or as Daniel calls him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dan. 9.25 Messiah the Prince or Guide 3. As he is unto them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as chap. 5.9 the Author or Cause of eternal salvation he procured and purchased it for them So that the expression denotes both his acquisition of salvation it self and his Conduct or Leading of the people of God unto the enjoyment of it And the Holy Ghost hereby also intimates that the way whereby God will bring the Sons unto Glory is full of Difficulties Perplexities and Oppositions as that of the Israelites into Canaan was also so that they have need of a Captain Leader and Guide to carry them through it But yet all is rendered safe and secure unto them through the Power Grace and Faithfulness of their Leader They only perish in the Wilderness and dye in their sins who either out of love unto the flesh-pots of Aegypt the pleasures of this world or being terrified with the hardships of the warfare which he calls them unto refuse to go up under his command Fourthly There is expressed in the words the especial way whereby God fitted or designed the Lord Christ unto this Office of being a Captain of salvation unto the Sons to be brought unto Glory To understand this aright we must observe that the Apostle speaks not here of the Redemption of the Elect absolutely but of the bringing them to Glory when they are made Sons in an especial manner And therefore he treats not absolutely of the Designation Consecration or fitting of the Lord Christ unto his Office of Mediator in general but as unto that part and the Execution of it which especially concerns the leading of the Sons unto glory as Joshuah lead the Israelites into Canaan This will give us light into what Act of God towards the Lord Christ is intended in this expression 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And sundry are here pleaded by Expositors not
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
under them of relief and succour Their spring rise nature tendency effects all make this manifest Many perish by them many are wounded none escape free that fall into them Their kinds are various so are their degrees and seasons but all dangerous But this I have elsewhere particularly insisted on IV. The great duty of tempted souls is to cry out unto the Lord Christ for help and relief To succour any one is to come unto his help upon his cry and call This being promised by Christ unto those that are tempted supposeth their earnest cry unto him If we be slothful if we be negligent under our Temptations if we look other wayes for Assistance if we trust unto or rest in our own endeavours for the conquest of them no wonder if we are wounded by them or fall under them This is the great arcanum for the cure of this disease the only means for supportment deliverance and conquest namely that we earnestly and constantly apply our selves unto the Lord Christ for succour and that as our merciful High Priest who had experience of them This is our duty upon our first surprizal with them which would put a stop to their progress this our Wisdom in their success and prevalency What ever we do against them without this we strive not lawfully and shall not receive the crown Were this more our practice than it is we should have more freedom from them more success against them than usually we have Never any soul miscarried under temptation that cryed unto the Lord Christ for succour in a due manner that cryed unto him under a real apprehension of his danger with Faith and Expectation of relief And hereunto have we encouragement given us by the great qualifications of his Person in this Office he is faithful he is merciful and that which is the Effect of them both he is able he is every way sufficient to relieve and succour poor tempted souls He hath a sufficiency of Care Wisdom and Faithfulness to observe and know the seasons wherein succour is necessary unto us a sufficiency of Tenderness Mercy and Compassion to excite him thereunto a sufficiency of Power to afford succour that shall be effectual a sufficiency of Acceptation at the Throne of Grace to prevail with God for suitable supplies and succour He is every way able to succour them that are tempted to Him be Praise and Glory for evermore FINIS Aristoph in Ran. Ac. 3. Sc. 1. Aristot. de Aâ—im lib. 1. cap. ult Aristot. pol. ib. 2. cap. 8. Concil Laod. Can. 59. Euseb. Eccles. Hist. lib. 7. cap. 30. Iren. lib. 4. cap. 69. Chrysost. in 2 ad Cor. cap. 6. ad finem August de unitat Eccles. cap. 16. Lib. 2. de Bap. ad Donat. cap. 6. Aquin. in 1 Tim. 6. lec 1. Athanas. in Synops. Ruffin Exposit. symb Apostol August ad Cresion lib. 2. cap. 31. Maimon More nebuch p. 2. c. 52. Kimchi praf â—d Psal. Concil Coâ—stan in Tral can 2. Concil Cartha 3. cap. 47. Cod. can 20. Epiphan Haer 30. caâ— 15. Euseb. lib. 4. cap. 26. Lib. 6. cap. 25. Athanas. in synops Hilar. praesat in Psal. Nazian in Câ—mâ—n Cyâ—l Câ—â—ech 4 Eâ—â—phan Hae. 8. Russ. Exposit. symb Hierâ—n praef Gaâ—eat ad Paulin. Hierâ—n praef in lib. Solom Epiphan Hae. 8. Lindan panopl. Evang. lib. 3. cap. 4. Iâ—enaeus lib. 1. cap. 2. Epiphan Hâ—r 30. cap. 25. Euseb. lib. 6. cap. 2.1 Epiâ—han Haer. 42. cap. 9. Hierom. praes in com ad Tâ—um Theodor. praes in Ep. ad Heb. Petrus Clupia Epist. ad Petrobrusia Euseb. lib. 2. cap. 24. Lib. 6. cap. 14. Photius Biblieth Cod. 48. God 120. Lib. 3. cap. 3. Epist. 129. ad Dardanum Comment in Isa. cap. 8. in Cap. 1. ad Eccles. de Scriptor Ecclesiast in Cain in Matth. cap. 26. â—â— Zecha cap. 8. Lib. 4. de Trin. Lib. 2. de Cain Annal. Ecclesia An. 61. nu 43. Exposit. symâ— Apostol Ecclesiast Hist. lib. 3. cap. 32. Epist. ad Dardan De Verb. Dei lib. 1. cap. 11. Euseb. Hist. Eccles lib. 3. c. 22. Coâ—fess lib. 3. cap. 5. Praesat in Isaiam Amosum Franciscus Picus exam Doct. Gent. lib. 2. c. 2. Bibliander de ratione discendi Hebrâ— Mornaeus de Veritat Christ. Relig. cap. 26. Riveâ— Isaâ—og ad Sac. Script cap. â—8 Glassius Philol sac Praes ad Rhetor. Origen Tom. 4. in Evang. Johan Hieron Epist. 151. ad Algas Cornelius à Lapide praefat in Epist. Pauli Dyon Hâ—licar Tractat. de Isoc Senec. Ep. 115. Picus Mâ—rand Ep. ad Homo Barbar Augustin de Doct. Christ. lib. 4. c. 6. Hilar. in Psal. 126. Basil. in Psal. 115. Pleus Mirand Epist. ad Hermol Barbar Basil. in Psalm 1. Euseb. Eccles. Hist. l. 3. c. ult Synod Laod. cap. 59. Hieron Cat. Viror illust in Joseph Gregor Mor. lib. 19. cap. 16. Hieron Prae. in Prov. Solo. Clemens Origen Eusebius Hieronym Theodoret. Chrysostom Cajetan Erasmus Camero Grotius omnes fere Commentatores Frider. Span. Fil. de Au. Epist. ad Heb. Euseb. Eccles. Hist. lib. 6. cap. 24. Eccles. Hist. lib. 6. cap. 13. â—râ—t Praefat. in annot ad Epist. ad Heb. Hieron Scrip. Eccles. in Paul Scrip. Ecclesiast in Clement Tertul. de Pudicit cap. 20. Hieron Gat. Scrip. in Pau. Barnab Philastr Hae. 41. Camero Qua. in Epist. ad Heb. Spanh de Auth. Epist. ad Heb. Grotius Praef. Annot. in Ep. ad Heb. Baron An. Eccles. A. 51. N. 55. Hieron de Nomin Heb. Epiphan Haer. lib. 1.10 Euseb. Eccles. Hist. l. 1. c. 13. Hieron Epist. ad August Com. in cap 2. Ep. ad Gal. Baron An. Eccl. A. â— 51. N. 39 40 41. Mâ—nceius de Vitul Aur. Luther in Gen. cap. 48. v. 10. Erasm. An. in cap. 13. Sixtus Sinen Biblioth lib. 7. cap. 8. Tertul. praes ad Haeres Occumen Praes in Ep. ad Heb. Clemens in Hypotyp Euseb. Eccles. Hist. l. 6. c. 24. Hieronym Catal. Scri. in Pau. Erasm. An. in cap. 13. v. 24. Theodor. A gu in Ep. ad Heb. Chrysosl Praes in Ep. ad Heb. Cathar de Auth. Epist. ad Heb. diss Bâ—llar â—e Verb. Dei l. 1. c. 17. Baron An. Eccles. A.C. 51. N. 55. A Lapid Prae. in Epist. Can. loc com lib. 2. cap. 11. Galenus Praes in Epist. ad Heb. Ten. Praelud 4. Estius Prolegom Chrysost. Proaem in Ep. ad Rom. Beza Annot. in 2 Cor. 11.6 Euseb. Hist. lib. 6. cap. 13. Proaem in Ep. ad Heb. Aust. lib. 2. Con. adver Leg. 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