I shall now shew Gen. 22.4 Hosea 6.2 Mat. 12.38 39. That Jesus did rise the third day after his death Where I shall clear this relation from the Cavils of the Jews It is certain that there could be but one whole day and two nights between the death of Jesus and his Resurrection and yet Jesus had foretold that the Son of man should be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth Again he said after three days I will rise again and destroy this Temple and after three days I will raise it up And elsewhere Jesus is said to have risen again the third day Mat. 12.40 ch 27.63 Joh. 2.19 1 Cor. 15.4 The day on which he dyed is to be reckoned for one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or natural day and that on which he rose for another And thus the Hebrew Writers commonly reckon in other cases The Hebrew Child was to be Circumcised the eighth day but then the day of it's birth and of it's Circumcision were both counted And the Pentecost was the fiftieth day from the day of the Wave-offering but then both the one and the other are reckoned in this account This is but the Phrase of the Old Testament We have a remarkable instance to this purpose It came to pass in the fourth year of King Hezekiah which was the seventh year of Hoshea Son of Ela King of Israel that Shalmaneser King of Assyria came up against Samaria and besieged it And at the end of three years they took it even in the sixth year of Hezekiah that is the ninth year of Hoshea King of Israel Samaria was taken It is evident from hence that that is said to be done at the end of three years which from it's beginning could be but two whole years distant Again the Priests in their courses were to minister one Week as is well known And yet Josephus tells us they were obliged to minister 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Antiqu. l. 7. c. 11. i. e. eight days from one Sabbath to another This will justifie us when we say that the appearance of Christ mentioned Joh. 20.26 happened on the first day of the week or on that day seven-night after his first appearance on the day of his resurrection though it be thus expressed after eight days c. And this will help us with ease to reconcile St. Luke with St. Matthew and St. Mark when he says that happened about eight days after which the other express by after six days For supposing six days compleat St. Luke might well say about eight days after Luk. 1.59 ch 2.21 1 King 18.9 10. Joh. 20.26 Mat. 17.1 Mark 9.2 with Luk. 9.27 I shall consider this third day on which Jesus rose as the first day of the week Abravenel in Legem fol. 282. col 2. ad finem which was a day very famous among the Jewish writers upon twelve accounts which I do not think my self obliged to reckon up in this place It is plain that Jesus rose upon the first day of the Week The day of his death is called the Preparation because then the Jews provided what was needfull against the approaching Sabbath When the even was come because it was the Preparation that is the day before the Sabbath says Mark. St. Luke says that day was the Preparation and the Sabbath drew on It was a preparation to a remarkable Sabbath which fell within the solemn festivity of the Passeover The Jews therefore because it was the preparation that the bodies should not remain upon the Cross the Sabbath day for that Sabbath was an high day besought Pilate c. Mat. 27.62 Joh. 19.42 with Exod. 16.5 Mark 15.42 Luk. 23.54 Joh. 19.31 42. That Christ rose on the first day of the week is a particular which all the four Evangelists do relate and therefore the more carefully to be heeded by us Matt. 28.1 Mark 16.2 Luk. 24.1 Joh. 20.1 The Israelites were obliged when they reaped their harvest to bring a sheaf of their first fruits unto the Priest This sheaf was to be waved on the morrow after the Sabbath This sheaf hollowed all the rest and God's acceptance of this gave the Jews a title to the rest As that was waved the morrow after the Sabbath so was our Lord at that time raised to life as the first fruits of them that slept And his Resurrection infers ours and is the great reason why we instead of the Sabbath day which was buried with our Lord keep holy the first day of the Week in memory of his Resurrection Levit. 23.10 11 12. CHAP. IX The CONTENTS Of the Ascension of Jesus into Heaven That the Messias was to ascend thither This proved from Psalm 68.18 which is justly applied to this matter by St. Paul Eph. 4.8 Psalm 110.1 considered The Jews grant that Psalm to belong to the Messias An eminent type of Christ's ascension That Jesus did ascend into Heaven There were eye-witnesses of it Of the distance of forty days between his Resurrection and Ascension That Christ is not a Metaphorical Priest shewed against the followers of Socinus That this ascension into Heaven was typified by the High Priest's entring into the Holy of Holies That the Authour of the Epistle to the Hebrews does ch 9.24 and elsewhere infer this from the avowed principles of the Jewish Writers That the High Priest was an eminent type of the divine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is acknowledged by Philo. Three remarkable places of that Author to this purpose That the Sanctuary was a representation of the Vniverse and the Holy of Holies of the highest Heavens proved at large from the Modern Jewish Writers and from the more Ancient Of the Veil of the Temple which rent when our Saviour suffered Mat. 27.51 What Veil that was and what was imported by the renting of it Of the effects which followed upon the exaltation of Jesus Of the miraculous gift of the Holy Ghost on the day of Pentecost That that gift was an argument that Jesus was a true Prophet and that he had that power which he had professed to be given to him Of the success of the Religion of Jesus in the world Success barely considered is no good argument of a good Cause and truth of a Religion yet the success of the Christian Doctrine is a good argument of it's truth if it be considered what the Authour and first Preachers of this doctrine were and what is the nature of the doctrine it self and after what manner it did prevail HAving proved that Jesus rose from the dead and shewed that his Resurrection is a great proof that he is also the Christ I shall now proceed to the consideration of the Ascension of Jesus into Heaven and his being concerned there on our behalf and the mighty effects following from thence as a farther proof that Jesus is the Christ And in order hereunto I shall proceed in the following method First I shall shew that the Messias was to ascend
Earth The third day on which Jesus rose considered as the first day of the Week pag. 264 265. CHAP. IX Of the Ascension of Jesus into Heaven That the Messias was to ascend thither This proved from Psalm 68.18 which is justly applied to this matter by St. Paul Eph. 4.8 Psalm 110.1 considered The Jews grant that Psalm to belong to the Messias An eminent type of Christ's ascension That Jesus did ascend into Heaven There were eye-witnesses of it Of the distance of forty days between his Resurrection and Ascension That Christ is not a Metaphorical Priest shewed against the followers of Socinus That this ascension into Heaven was typified by the High Priest's entring into the Holy of Holies That the Authour of the Epistle to the Hebrews does ch 9.24 and elsewhere infer this from the avowed principles of the Jewish Writers That the High Priest was an eminent type of the divine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is acknowledged by Philo. Three remarkable places of that Authour to this purpose That the Sanctuary was a representation of the Vniverse and the Holy of Holies of the highest Heavens proved at large from the Modern Jewish Writers and from the more Ancient Of the Veil of the Temple which rent when our Saviour suffered Mat. 27.51 What Veil that was and what was imported by the renting of it Of the effects which followed upon the exaltation of Jesus Of the mirculous gift of the Holy Ghost on the day of Pentecost That that gift was an argument that Jesus was a true Prophet and that he had that power which he had professed to be given to him Of the success of the Religion of Jesus in the world Success barely considered is no good argument of a good Cause and truth of a Religion yet the success of the Christian Doctrine is a good argument of it's truth if it be considered what the Authour and first Preachers of this doctrine were and what is the nature of the Doctrine it self and after what manner it did prevail pag. 305 306 307. CHAP. X. What was predicted of the Messias was fulfilled in our Jesus This appeared in the birth of Jesus in his Office and Character in his Works in his Sufferings and Resurrection and the spreading of his doctrine The adoreable providence of God in bringing Events to pass This shewed in very many particulars This is a farther proof that Jesus is the Christ pag. 376. CHAP. XI The Christian Religion more Excellent than that given by Moses and consequently the best in the World The Pagan Religion not worthy of regard The wiser Heathens guilty of great inconsistencies and evil Principles The Stoicks upon sundry accounts very blameable The Law given by Moses came from God in what sense it was a perfect Law It was not unalterable A general distribution of the Precepts of that Law The defects of it I As a rule of life Many of its Precepts not good in their own Nature They obliged the Jews onely and were annexed to their Land or some part of it Many of them Political II The reward annexed to the Obedience of that Law was but Temporal III It was not attended with the promise of Divine assistance IV Nor was there that hope of pardon which was afterward given in the Gospel The Sacrifices allowed to that purpose very defective This shewed at large For some sins no Sacrifice was allowed Sacrifices were not pleasing to God of their own Nature The Expiation did not depend upon the value of the oblation He that brought an Expiatory sacrifice was not allowed to eat any part of it The repetition of the Sacrifices another Argument of their weakness In some cases the Sacrifice was but one of those things required in order to pardon The Legal Sacrifices were not designed to continue for ever That the defects of the Law of Moses are supplied in the Christian Religion Of the excellent Precepts of the Christian Religion Of the promise of Eternal life therein clearly revealed and of the great moment of it Of the Divine assistance attending this Religion Of the assurance of pardon from the Christian Religion and the sure foundation which it lays for the quieting the Consciences of Men. The usefulness of the foregoing discourse A more particular inquiry into the great Ends or Causes for which the Law of Moses was given The Conclusion of this Discourse pag. 394 395. THE INTRODUCTION I Do intend with God's assistance in the ensuing Discourse to prove that our Jesus is the Christ And shall by way of introduction to this weighty Argument reflect something upon the words of St. Peter to the Jews Act. 2.36 And for the better understanding those words it is to be remembred that our Jesus before he left his Disciples promised them the presence and the aid of the Holy Ghost and a little before his Ascension into Heaven he commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem but wait for the promise of the Father which saith he ye have heard of me Act. 2.4 Nor did our Saviour fail to make good his promise but when the day of Pentecost was fully come they are filled with the Holy Ghost and spake with divers tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance This happened at Jerusalem at a great solemnity and at a time when the devout and religious of several Nations were together in the City who heard the Apostles speak in the language of their several Countries the wonderfull works of God And they were all amazed and were in a doubt saying one to another what meaneth this v. 12. And there were among the rest very evil men that were so malicious as to mock and say these men are full of new wine v. 13. This calumny St. Peter disproves and lets them know that they spake by the power of the Holy Ghost And then he preaches to them the resurrection and ascension of Jesus who was approved of God by miracles and wonders and signs And he gives them to understand that as this Jesus had received of the father the promise of the Holy Ghost so he had also now bestowed this Holy Ghost upon them the effect of which gift they saw and heard And thereupon concludes as well he might that he is the Messias that was promised Therefore let all the House of Israel know assuredly that God hath made that same Jesus whom ye have crucified both Lord and Christ Act. 11.36 Before I proceed I shall take notice of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God hath made that same Jesus That is says Chrysostome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he hath ordained or appointed Jesus to be Lord and Christ And the Greek word will well bear this sense as well as the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thus it is said of our Saviour Mar. 3.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i.e. he made twelve or ordained twelve as we translate it well He chose twelve says the Syriac version Again Gen. 41.34 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
doubt with God's assistance not onely to shew that these things were fulfilled in Jesus but that they were also fulfilled by a most stupendious providence of God that we must be forced to say This was the Lord's doing and it may well be wonderfull in our eyes CHAP. III. The CONTENTS Of the birth of Jesus Of his lineage and kindred Of the place of his birth The seeming difference in the account of Bethlehem by the Prophet Micah and St. Matthew reconciled Of his being born of a Virgin A particular explication of 1 Tim. 2.15 She shall be saved in Child-bearing The time of his birth agreed with the predictions and general expectation of some great Person Several testimonies to this purpose The miserable shifts and evasions of the Jews I Shall first of all consider the birth of Jesus and see whether in that particular the predictions of old concerning the Messias were fulfilled in him or not And under this head I shall consider the following particulars First The Targum on Isa 11.10 Jer. 23 â— his lineage and kindred or the family of which he was born The Messias was to be of the house and family of David Mic. 5.2 understands those places of the Messias and of him doth Kimchi expound Ezek. 34.23 Thus he is called a root of Jesse Isa 11.10 A righteous branch raised up to David Jer. 23.5 And David also Ezek. 34.23 And no wonder then that he should be said to be of the tribe of Judah Mic. 5.2 God had made a solemn and unalterable promise of the Messias unto David and that he should be of his seed I have made a covenant with my chosen I have sworn unto David my servant Thy seed will I establish for ever and build up thy throne to all generations Psal 89.3 4. These words are too great to have their completion in Solomon and the succeeding Kings of Judah who were of David's family and lineage And it is not hard to discern what a learned man hath observed that the Psalmist does distinguish between David's seed and David's sons By his seed the Messias is to be meant and what is said of his seed is to be understood of Christ having a precise reference to him but what is said of his sons and children hath a reference to his descendants and his successours and the promises made to them are conditional that of the Messias who was to be of his family was absolute Thus 't is said His seed also will I make to endure for ever and his throne as the days of heaven v. 29. The kingdom of the Messias shall never fail and nothing shall hinder his being exhibited to the world But then for David's sons viz. Solomon and his other off-spring it follows If his children forsake my law and walk not in my judgments if they break my statutes and keep not my commandments then will I visit their transgression with a rod and their iniquity with stripes v. 30 31 32. This will God doe with the Sons of David to whom his promises which referred to them were but conditional but then it follows Nevertheless my loving kindness will I not utterly take from him nor suffer my faithfulness to fail My covenant will I not break nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips Once have sworn by my holiness that I will not lie unto David His seed shall endure for ever and his throne as the Sun before me It shall be established for ever as the Moon and as a faithfull witness in heaven v. 33. 37. Now for our Jesus it is evident and not denied by the Jews that he was of the seed of David When Gabriel went to the blessed Virgin it is said that he went to a Virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph of the house of David Luk. 1.27 And Zacharias does bless God for raising up an horn of salvation in the house of his servant David v. 69. The Gospel begins The book of the generation of Jesus Christ the Son of David Matt. 1.1 By this name Jesus was called frequently Thou son of David have mercy upon us say the blind men Matt. 9.27 And the people said of him Is not this the son of David Matt. 12.23 The multitude cried out Hosanna to the son of David Mat. 21.9 See also c. 15. v. 20. c. 20. v. 30 31. The Jews knew very well that the Messias was to be the Son of David and the Priests and Scribes were displeased when they heard Jesus called the son of David Matt. 21.15 When Jesus asked the Pharisees whose Son Christ is they say unto him the son of David Matt. 22.42 And when there arose a question about Jesus the Jews said Hath not the Scripture said that Christ cometh of the seed of David Joh. 7.42 And our Saviour therefore might well be called the Lion of the tribe of Judah and the Root of David Rev. 5.5 and the off-spring of David c. 22. v. 16. And the authour of the Epistle to the Hebrews even in that Epistle which he writes to the Jews says it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Judah Heb. 7.14 I grant that there is some difficulty in the account we have of the genealogy of Jesus as it is delivered to us by St. Matthew and St. Luke But those are very unreasonable men that will upon that score now reject Christianity For we do not find that the Jews of old denied our Jesus to be of the family of David or that they accused the Christians for affirming him to be of the tribe of Judah And yet it is not to be imagined that they would have omitted to have charged the first Christians of forgery had there been any ground for such a charge And sure I am if the Jews could not charge the Christians upon this score and that they did not is an argument that they could not doe it they are very unreasonable that now make the objection Secondly I consider the place of his birth Of the Messias it is foretold that he should be born not onely of the family but in the city or town of David also Thus the Prophet tells us that out of Bethlehem he should come forth that was to be ruler in Israel Mic. 5.2 Now certain it is that the ancient Jews understood that Prophecy of the Messias whatever artifices the later Jews have used to evade the force of that divine testimony of which we have very good evidence to this day And the Chaldee Paraphrast on the place speaks plain enough in this argument when he paraphraseth upon those words Out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel thus Out of thee before me shall come Messias or Christ that he may rule c. and to the same purpose doth Jonathan the Targumist speak on Gen. 35.21 where 't is said that Israel journied and spread his tent beyond the tower of Edar To which he adds these
a doctrine which Christ never taught and which contradicts our sense and our reason at the same time And the stories which they tell of the sweating and motion of their Images serve to advance the worshipping of Images In a word their works are trifling and vain and their doctrine is impious and false and to say the least of it not revealed by God 3. The miracles which Christ did were seasonable and necessary at that time to confirm his doctrine whether we consider the obstinacy of the Jews or the Idolatry of the Gentiles Upon both accounts it was needfull that the Christian doctrine should be confirmed with miracles and so it was But the Popish miracles are out of time there is no need of them to confirm the Christian doctrine where it is already planted Miracles are for the sake of unbelievers and as the world grew Christian they ceased nor is it to be imagined that God will work them without any cause at all In the old Testament we shall find that the greatest number of miracles were wrought by Moses their Law-giver in Egypt and in the wilderness before and upon the giving the Law no man wrought so many miracles nay not all the succeeding Prophets together as he wrought Thus was the Law confirmed And when this was done you rarely read of miracles wrought afterward when the Jews had received and continued in the profession of the Law of Moses The greatest number that were wrought afterward was when there was the greatest reason for them and that was after Jeroboam had revolted from the worship of God and set up his Calves in Dan and Bethel and no less than ten Tribes revolted with him Then indeed there were some number of miracles wrought to convince them of their sin and reduce them from their Schism Then was the Altar at Bethel cleft in pieces Jeroboam's hand withered and restored as miraculously upon the prayer of the Man of God And these miracles were wrought in Bethel among the Schismaticks which were to be convinced and reduced Then Elijah shut up the Heavens is miraculously fed by the Ravens multiplies the meal and raises to life the Widow's Son he calls for fire from Heaven and fasts forty days and destroys the Captains and their fifties by fire which he called from Heaven He divides Jordan with his Garment and is miraculously taken up into Heaven And Elishah during this time did many wonderfull works also He divides the river heals the water encreases the Widow's oil foretells that the Shunamite should have a Child and raised it from the dead He removes the death that was in the pot miraculously feeds the people heals Naaman of his Leprosie He causeth Iron to swim strikes Gehazi with a leprosie and the enemies of Israel with blindness and his dry bones after all these things which he did in his life restored one that was dead to life again Thus in a little time many miracles were wrought more than had been wrought before and after for some hundreds of years So that the great number of miracles were wrought upon the giving the Law and upon the greatest defection from it and that to confirm the truth and convince gain-sayers But what means the Church of Rome to boast of miracles If they be wrought in her own Communion they serve no purpose There 's no need of a miracle where men believe without it Their miracles are done at a great distance from us who are to be convinced and such they are which we cannot see at all or else we may easily see through them Of one thing we are sure viz. that their doctrine is false and then we shall have no cause to be drawn aside with lying miracles The Israelites had warning in this case and so have we Christians also not to believe against our rule any pretence whatsoever Deut. 13.1 Gal. 1.8 9. And we are forewarned of false people who should pretend to miracles Matt. 24.24 2 Thessal 2.9 Rev. 13.13 I shall proceed to consider the miracles which are storied of the Heathens I will not descend to all the stories that may be found upon record to this purpose because besides that we want sufficient Evidence of the truth of those matters of fact so they are not worthy of consideration being things of trifling regard and such as import no advantage to mankind Origen contra Cels l. 3. Such is that which Celsus mentions of Abaris who could fly into the air and keep pace with an Arrow in that flight And that of the speaking of an Image in Valerius Maximus Valerius Maxim l. 1. c. 8. Augustin de civitat Dei l. 10. c. 16. The cutting a Whet-stone in two with a Rasour by Attius Navius The sweating of an Image of Apollo at Cumae and of that of Victory at Capua and that of the Shields which were gnawed by the mice the extraordinary swelling of the Lacus Albanus That of the Serpent which followed Aesculapius when he sailed to Rome and of the Vestal Virgin which took up water out of Tiber and kept it in a Sieve These things are trifling and mean and they who report them do it not with sufficient assurance but upon traditions and common fame and not upon their certain and personal knowledge For what is storied of Vespasian and Adrian's curing the blind I shall not need to say any more than this That if those reports be true they are far short of what our Saviour did nor do we read of any who laid down their lives in testimony thereof And as I do not deny that there have been providential miracles out of the Church of God so it is not to be wondred at that the Devil should exert his utmost power to keep men in errour and as much as may be endeavour to imitate God And more particularly still to consider what is storied of Vespasian and of Adrian I shall desire it may be considered That what is reported of Vespasian to this purpose cannot fairly be denied Tacit. Histor l. 4. it being affirmed by very good Authours And therefore I admit that he did such miraculous cures as are told of him Sueton. Vespasian But then it is to be considered that he was not onely an excellent Prince but that very person who was to execute God's displeasure against the Jews for rejecting and crucifying Jesus And no wonder that God should honour him with an extraordinary power whom he employed in so great a work especially if it be considered that upon his coming to the Empire at first as Suetonius tells us he wanted majesty and authority which was supplied by this means Nor is there any thing in this that does at all derogate from the works of Jesus But then what is storied of Adrian to the same purpose we have not the same cause to believe Aelius Spartianus Adrian and the very Historian which reports it gives us at the same time ground to believe that what is
as Kings and Priests are for their people whom they govern or for whom they intercede 1 King 2.19 Matt. 26.64 Heb. 1.3.8.1 Ro. 8 34. For the Typical representations of this great truth I doubt not but I might find many However I shall take notice but of one but that a most eminent and illustrious one and that which the divine Author of the Epistle to the Hebrews takes a more particular notice of viz. The going of the High Priest into the Holy of Holies on the day of expiation to make an atonement with bloud which was shed without for the sins of the people Lev. 16.2 This was an exact type of our Saviour's entring into Heaven and his being concerned there on our behalf Heb. 9.11 12. Christ beiâ—g come an High Priest of good things to come by a greater and more perfect Tabernacle not made with hands that is to say not of this building Neither by the bloud of Bulls and Calves but by his own bloud he entred in once into the holy place having obtained eternal redemption for us But of this I shall have occasion to speak at large afterward I shall shew that our Jesus did ascend into Heaven and that he is there concerned in behalf of his people In speaking to which I shall not enlarge at present because afterward I shall have occasion farther to confirm this truth from arguments in their own nature the most powerfull and unexceptionable By Heaven is meant the highest heaven and it is very reasonable to suppose so because the Holy of Holies into which the High Priest onely entred was the type and shadow of the Heaven into which the Messias was to enter And as the most holy place in the Sanctuary was of all others whatsoever whether in the Sanctuary or elsewhere the most separate and holy place so it is but reasonable to suppose that when Christ ascended into Heaven he did not take up in any of the lower parts of Heaven but was exalted to the highest of them all The Sanctuary was divided into three parts The Courts the holy place and the most holy each of these are frequently called the Sanctuary or the Temple though the third of these were the most holy place And so the Air and the place of Planets and Stars are called Heaven and yet there is a third or higher Heaven into which St. Paul was caught up and into which our Lord entred Our Saviour is said to be received up into glory i. e. into the highest Heavens the Anti-type of that holy place where God did more especially presentiate himself and where the Ark stood the symbol of his presence and which was called the Glory Jesus is elsewhere said to have passed through the Heavens and to be made higher than the Heavens and to have ascended up far above all Heavens and to be entred into that within the veil And as he humbled himself greatly so God highly exalted him and set him at his own right hand in the Heavenly places far above all principality and power and might and dominion and every name that is named 1 Tim. 3.16 1 Sam. 4.22 with Rom. 9.4 Heb. 4.14.9.5.7.26 Eph. 4.10 Heb. 6.19 Philip. 2.9 Eph. 1.20 21. That Jesus did ascend into Heaven is plainly taught Luk. 24.51 Act. 1.9 10. and there were eye-witnesses of it His Disciples stood by when he went up into Heaven They did not doe so when he rose from the dead Not that his Resurrection did not need attestation as much as his Ascension into Heaven His followers had need be assured of the truth of that and indeed they had the utmost assurance and did upon all occasions bear witness to it and were particularly the witnesses of his Resurrection But in order to their being so it was not needfull that they should be the eye-witnesses thereof as they were and indeed ought to be before they could be competent witnesses of it of his Ascension into Heaven It was enough to make them competent witnesses of his Resurrection that they saw him that was risen they need not see him rise For it being certain and granted so to be even by the Jews themselves that he died it was not needfull that they should see him rise from the dead it was enough if they saw him who died alive again But then he ascended in the view of his Disciples and 't was in this case needfull that there should be eye-witnesses and so it was that nothing might be wanting to the strengthning of our faith And as we are by eye-witnesses assured of the Ascension of Jesus into Heaven so those witnesses were unexceptionable also For besides that they knew his person and had of a long time conversed with him so they had done it a competent time after his Resurrection from the dead Act. 1.3 To them he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs beiâ—g seen of them forty days c. This was a sufficient time to give them abundant proof that it was the same body which was nailed on the Cross and was buried that was risen from the dead And this distance of forty days which were between his resurrection and ascension to heaven Act. 13.31 Luk. 2.21 22. with Levit. 12.2 4. is the very same space of time which did intervene between his birth of the Virgin and his being presented according to the Law of Moses in the Temple Our Saviour was twice born and twice presented He was born of the Virgin and raised out of the grave And he was twice presented too first at the Temple at Jerusalem and afterwards at the Temple above or Heaven And forty days after each birth he was presented After the first in the Temple below after the second in Heaven or the Temple above the Anti-type of that which was made with hands Just so many days did he continue upon earth after his Resurrection as Jonas who was a type of him allowed the Ninevites to repent in So exactly did he answer the type The Jews had the sign of the Prophet Jonas forty days though they repented not as the Ninevites did Again they were allowed a year for a day likewise from Christ's Resurrection to the destruction of Jerusalem Such was the Lenity of God so great his forbearance Their Forefathers wandred forty years in the Wilderness for their Rebellion God allowed the Jews the same time for repentance But this will be thought too great a digression But as Jesus is entred within the Veil so he is for us entred also as our high Priest and Patron with God And as his Ascension was not figurative and metaphorical but real so is his Priesthood He is now concerned for us there He ever lives to make intercession for those who come unto God by him Again who is he that condemneth it is Christ that died yea rather that is risen again who is even at the right hand of God who also maketh intercession for us
Again if any man sin we have an advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous Again he appears in the presence of God for us Heb. 7.25 Rom. 8.35 1 Joh. 2. 1. Heb. 9.24 After this manner is that care and concern expressed which Jesus hath for his followers Shall he after all this be called a Metaphorical Priest onely Heb. 8.2 Shall he that is the Minister of the true Tabernacle be himself but improperly a Priest shall Aaron the type be truly a Priest and shall the Anti-type be one improperly so called Can any thing be said by the followers of Socinus upon weaker grounds than this There need to have been no change of the Law if the change of the Priesthood had onely been into that which is figurative Heb. 7.11 12.8.4.8.3 Christ might have been a Metaphorical Priest upon earth and very consistently with the order of Aaron What need had this High Priest as well as those of the order of Aaron to have something to offer if he had been onely Tanquam Pontifex Crellii Paraphras in Heb. 9.14 as it were an high Priest for such an one never can want an offering Spiritual Sacrifices are always at hand to every good man Shall the High Priest of this order of Melchisedeck not deserve this name which was justly due to the Sons of Aaron And the Anti-type be less real than the Type is It is evident that Jesus is a Priest of the highest order and nothing is wanting to speak him so in the most perfect sense For he wants not power with God nor compassion for his people and then he ever lives and is a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedeck And the High Priest in the Holy of Holies on the day of expiation was but a Type of our high Priest and his concern in Heaven for us And this leads me in the next place To shew that the divine Authour of the Epistle to the Hebrews does chap. 9.24 and elsewhere infer this truth from the avowed principles of the Jâ—wish writers For we find he spends much time in discoursing of the Priesthood of Christ and of his concern for his people now he is in Heaven and infers this from what the High Priest among the Jews did in the Holy of Holies and it will appear that this discourse of his is so far from being inconsequent and impertinent that it is founded upon principles allowed by those Jews to whom he directs that Epistle and especially upon these two First that the High Priest under the law of Moses was a type of the Messias Secondly That the Holy of Holies was a type of the highest Heavens into which Christ entered he being said to have entred into that within the veil Heb. 6.19 First that the High Priest under the law of Moses was a type of the Messias And that he was so and a most eminent one no Christian can deny and it would be no hard task to prove it at large and shew a great many correspondences between the type and the anti-type But to doe that is no part of my present business All that I am to doe at present is to shew that the Jews have no reason to quarrel with the way of arguing which the divine Authour of the Epistle to the Hebrews makes use of because the high Priest was among them esteemed a type of the Messias To this purpose I shall not trouble my self in searching after the opinions of the latter Jews touching this matter I shall content my self with the Testimony of one of their ancient writers who for his antiquity for his singular wit and learning for his being unsuspected of any bad design and interest in the question we are now speaking of is more valuable than some scores of their later Authours and that is Philo the Jew And I find in that Authour three considerable Testimonies to my present purpose Phil. Jud. de Profugis This Authour discoursing of the Cities of refuge under the law of Moses inquires the reason why the man-slayer was not to be released till the death of the High Priest and thereupon he does expresly affirm That the High Priest was not a man but the divine word free from all sin both voluntary and involuntary The meaning of which can be no more nor less than this that he was in this the type of the divine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ph. Jud. de Victimis by whom alone we obtain our redemption which he hath wrought for us by his death The same Authour elsewhere speaking of those words Lev. 4.3 if the Priest that is anointed do sin according to the sin of the people tells us that the latter part of those words do insinuate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. That he who is truly the High Priest and not falsely so called is free from sins And he adds that if he do chance to slip that it happens to him upon the peoples account and not upon his own And in another place speaking of the vestments of the High Priest he adds That it was necessary that he who was a Priest to the Father of the World and bore the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on his breast Ph. Jud. de Vita Mosis l. 3. of which he speaks just before should make use of his most perfect Son as an advocate to procure pardon of sins and a plentifull supply of good things Secondly that the Holy of Holies was a type of the highest Heavens into which Christ entred he being said to have entred into that within the veil I shall consider what the Authour of the Epistle to the Hebrews says of this matter and afterwards shew how agreeably he discourses of it to the Hebrews and their sense of this matter Christ is not entred saith he into the holy places made with hands Heb. 9.24 which are the figures of the true but into Heaven it self now to appear in the presence of God for us By the holy places made with hands rendred by the Vulgar in that place Manufacta Sancta is meant the Holy of Holies or the Holiest of all as it is v. 3. And if we compare v. 8. and v. 12. with what we read Levit. 16.2 16 20. We shall find the Holy of Holies is sometimes expressed by one word viz. the Holy or Holies which we render here by the holy places and might perhaps as well have been rendred by holies onely This holy place is said to be made with hands and indeed the whole Sanctuary was made by the hands of men and the name of the workmen are upon record and it is called by Philo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ph. Jud. de Vita Mosis l. 3. the Sanctuary made with hands And is by the Author of the Epistle to the Hebrews called a worldly Sanctuary Heb. 9.2 ch 8.2 and that in respect to the true Tabernacle which the Lord pitched and not man These holy places
he is brought in speaking in the Book of Wisedom of the Temple which he built in these words Wisd 9.8 Thou hast commanded me to build a Temple says he upon thy holy mount and an altar in the City wherein thou dwellest a resemblance of the holy Tabernacle which thou hast prepared from the beginning To what hath been said I shall add this that as the Holy of Holies was by the Jews allowed to be a type of Heaven so it was the fittest representation of that holy place where God dwells into which no unclean thing shall enter Rev. 21.27 Maimon Beth Habbechir c. 7. Maimon tells us that though the whole land of Israel was more holy than other lands yet there are ten degrees of holiness one above another in that holy land 1. Walled Cities were more holy than the rest of the land and hence Lepers were shut out of them and dead bodies were buried without their gates 2. Jerusalem was more holy than other Cities within the Walls of which were eaten holy things and the second tithes 3. The mountain of the Lord's house was more holy than the City from which were excluded those who were unclean by issues or fluxes upon Child-bearing or on account of menstruous impurities 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 4. The inclosure or intermural space about the Court was holier still which would admit of no Gentile nor of any that were defiled by the dead 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 5. The Court of Women was holier than that for it excluded him who was defiled with such an uncleanness onely as required his washing and the setting of the Sun 6. The Court of Israel was holier still for that admitted not of a man that wanted expiation 7. The Court of the Priests was holier still for that did not ordinarily admit any Israelite unless upon necessary service 8. The space between the Porch and the Altar admitted of no blemished Person of the Priests nor any of them bare-headed or with garments rent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 9. The Temple still was more holy no man might enter into it with unwashed hands and feet 10. The Holy of Holies was more holy still no man was permitted to enter in thither but the High Priest once a year on the day of Expiation From what hath been said it appears that the Holy of Holies in the sense of the learned among the Jews was a type of the highest Heavens into which Christ is entred And this being so great a truth and so Universally acknowledged that the Sanctuary below was a sign or type of that which is above it is not strange that it should be put for it It being very usual to put the sign for the thing signified and represented Thus says the Psalmist The Lord is in his holy Temple v. Kimchi in Psalm 11.4 Psal 18.6 i.e. he is in Heaven as it follows the Lord's throne is in Heaven Again he heard my voice out of his holy Temple i.e. Out of Heaven And conformably hereunto Jesus is said to have entred within the veil Heb. 6.20.9.23 and we are said to have a liberty of entring into the holiest by which Heaven is meant the type being put for the anti-type I shall take this occasion to give some account of a passage in S. Matthew relating to my present argument He tells us that upon the death of Jesus the veil of the Temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom Matt. 27.51 This is a particular that requires a distinct consideration This rupture of the veil not being the effect of the earth-quake mentioned in the next words for then it would rather have been rent from the bottom to the top it not being reasonable to suppose that a rent from the top to the bottom should be the consequent and effect of an earth-quake or renting of the Rocks And for that reason I suppose it mentioned here before the mention of the earth-quake and renting the Rocks as that which was not the effect of them and was of a separate consideration from them It will be worth our while to inquire what veil it was that was rent and what the renting of it did import and by that time I have done this it will appear that this passage hath a relation to the argument I am now upon Maimon tells us Maimon Beth Habbechirah cap. 4. that in the first Temple there was a Wall between the holy and the most holy place of the thickness of a Cubit and that when they built the second Temple there arose a doubt among the builders whether the space that this Wall took up were to be allowed out of the holy or most holy place and that for that reason they left a space between the one and the other of the extent of a Cubit and built no Wall but instead of that they made two Veils one towards the Holy of Holies and the other towards the holy place leaving a space between them of the thickness of a Cubit where the Wall was supposed to stand in the Temple of Solomon Of this partition between the Holy and Holy of Holies the words of the Evangelist are to be understood There were indeed two Veils in the Sanctuary One at the entring into the holy place Exod. 26.37 Another which divided the holy from the most holy place Exod. 26.35 Which is called the second Veil Heb. 9.3 And that the words of the Evangelist are to be understood of this second Veil is evident from the words themselves For he uses the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is the very word the LXXII make use of Exod. 26.35 Where that Veil is mentioned they having another word for the other Veil v. 37. Besides Ph. Jud. de Vita Mosis l. 3. this being the principal Veil the Greek word with the Article prefixed where the Subject matter will bear it will determine the sense to this Veil But besides all this Philo the Jew when he mentions both these Veils does call that which divided the most holy from the holy place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereas he calls the other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or covering It will not be hard to understand what this imported The Veil rent asunder and the most holy place is thereby laid open which was shut up before and none had access to it but the High Priest once a year Jesus hath opened the Kingdom of Heaven to all beleivers he hath brought life and immortality to light and made manifest the way into the holiest of all into which we have a liberty to enter by his bloud Heb. 10.20 by a new and living way which he hath consecrated for us through the Veil that is to say his flesh I shall make it appear from the effects following upon the exaltation of Jesus in Heaven that he did indeed ascend thither and was there concerned on our behalf and that therefore our Jesus is the Christ
a prediction afterwards Isa 7. This was fulfilled in our Jesus who was made of a Woman Gal. 4.4 And born of a Virgin Mat. 1.18 and v. 22 23. For the lineage and kindred of the Messias that is also predicted viz. That he should be of the Tribe of Judah of the Family of Jesse and the house of David Micah 5.2 Gen. 49.10 Isa 11.10 Jer. 23.5 This was also fulfilled in our Jesus Luk. 1.27 69. Mat. 1.1 The place where the Messias was to be born was Bethlehem and this was fulfilled in our Jesus Micah 5.2 with Mat. 2.5 6. Again Jesus was born at that time when the Messias was to be born according to the predictions of the old Testament Gen. 49.10 Dan. 9. Hag. 2. Mal. 3. If the Messias were to be a Prophet and like unto Moses so was Jesus also Deut. 18.18 Joh. 6.14 If he were to live in Galilee so did Jesus Isa 9.1 2 3. Mat. 2.22 23. with ch 4.14 If the Messias be described as peaceable as righteous as lowly all this agrees to our Jesus also Isa 9.6.11.5 Zech. 9.9 with Mat. 11.29 and ch 12.18 If the Messias were to appear in the second Temple so did Jesus Hag. 2.7 9. with Joh. 18.20 The very works which the Messias was to doe Jesus did Isa 35.5 6. with Mat. 11.4 5. And they were such works as none could do without the assistance of God himself If the Messias were to suffer so did Jesus He dyed after the same manner and at the same time and in the same place and under the same circumstances which were predicted of old concerning the Messias The very Person which betrayed him the price for which he was sold the company that suffered with him the usage he was to receive in his last minutes these things were foretold of the Messias and accomplished in our Jesus The very parting of his Garments the Scoffs of the multitude his behaviour and his last words the exempting his bones from being broken these things were predicted and prefigured of old and all fulfilled in Jesus and so was his honourable burial and interment as I have shewed before at large in the seventh Chapter of this discourse If the Messias was to rise from the dead so did Jesus He rose again the third day as he himself had foretold and as had been predicted of the Messias Of the truth of the matter of fact we have the utmost evidence After this he went up into Heaven and sent thence the miraculous gift of the Holy Ghost and his Religion was preached to every creature And as it was universally preached so it spread universally also and that it did so is an argument that it came from God From a small and unlikely beginning it came to a very great encrease It prospered under afflictions and the severest persecutions It put to flight the Devil and his Kingdom that made head against it with Sword and Buckler without striking a stroke It prevailed upon warlike Nations without the instruments of War It triumphed over the wise without any worldly eloquence It vanquished the strong holds of the Devil by instruments that were very weak and inconsiderable It advanced by prayers and tears by patience under sufferings by meekness and gentleness Thus it conquered and grew big in spight of all the power the malice and cunning of the Devil and all his instruments No fire could consume it no enemies Sword could destroy it no proscriptions could banish it out of the world It was too strong for the powerfull Tyrant it seared neither his Rod or Axes nay it despised his greatest torments and most studied cruelties It is farther to be considered that as all which was predicted of the Messias was as hath been shewn fulfilled in our Jesus so these accomplishments came to pass by a most stupendious and adorable providence of God in such a way and such a manner through so many unlikely hoods and seeming contingences as speaks a miraculous and over-ruling Providence of God Here 's nothing of the wisedom and craft of men nothing of their power and cooperation to be acknowledged The Stone which the Builders rejected the same became the head-stone of the Corner And from thence we may very justly infer that this was the Lord's doing And if we attend to it with due application of mind it will be wonderfull in our eyes This consideration must needs strike every pious and devout Soul with a profound sense of the unspeakable wisedom as well as goodness of God in contriving our Salvation by ways that men could never have devised and in making good and accomplishing what he had promised and foretold by ways and means to humane wisedom very unlikely and very disproportionate I shall look back upon what I have said concerning the completing the predictions in our Jesus and shew the wonderfull providence of God in bringing Events to pass Christ was to be born at Bethlehem and so it must be God had foretold it the Jews expected it and the Chief Priests and Scribes when they were consulted by Herod where he was to be born tell him the same Mat. 2.4 5. It was very unlikely that Jesus should have been born there for he was conceived at Nazareth there his Mother lived when she was great with Child at a great distance from Bethlehem but removes to Bethlehem in her own Tribe upon an occasion of a decree of Augustus Caesar Luk. 2. c. Who therein though unwittingly was an occasion of fulfilling a Divine Prophecy Again the Messias was promised under the Character of the seed of the Woman that expression does not exclude the Womans relation to a man but will admit the Woman to be espoused and betrothed It was afterwards predicted that he should be born of a Virgin It was not likely indeed that this should be verified in Jesus For besides that what was foretold was against the course of nature viz. that a Virgin should conceive and bring forth a Son so it was very probable that she that was espoused to a man and in the sense of the law his wife would not continue a Virgin But God had foretold this and he will make his word good And Jesus was born of the Blessed Virgin even after she was espoused unto Joseph She continued a Virgin though she were betrothed and so far had upon her the obligation of a wife Thus at once was Jesus the seed of a Woman as that word implies her betrothed to a man and the Son of a Virgin also This was a most surprising thing to the Blessed Virgin her self She said unto the Angel who told her what should come to pass How shall this be Luk. 1.34 I shall add to this head the words of a very excellent Person which he spake upon this occasion I am fully perswaded says he that if either Jew or Atheist would but search the Scriptures with hearts as devoid of prejudice and minds as free from other thoughts and cares
been perverted by some men and scoffed at by others In all that I have done I have sincerely pursued after truth if I have any where mistaken I shall most readily and thankfully hearken to him who shall shew me my Error I do intend a second part in which I design to examine the objections which we find in the Jewish writers against the truth which I have defended in this first and against the Religion which Jesus taught I shall in that particularly consider their pretenses for their unbelief And they are such as these viz. That their law is of perpetual obligation that the promise of the Messias was conditional and the time of his coming not fixed that there are some Prophecies relating to the Messias and his times not fulfilled in Jesus c. I do very well know that there are in the Church of England a great number of men who are better sitted for such an undertaking than I am I should be so far from esteeming it a disappointment if any of them would prevent me in what I design farther that it would be matter of rejoycing to me And if what I have done already may be but an occasion to excite some other person to doe better I shall think my time well spent and be very well content that what I have here offered should be laid aside or overlooked The Contents of the several Chapters contained in this Book CHAP. I. Of the name Jesus That this name by which our Saviour was called and distinguished from other men is no objection against the Prediction Isa 7.14 The importance of the name Jesus In what sense our Lord is said to be a Saviour His Salvation compared with the deliverances mentioned in the Old Testament Of the word Christ Of anointing things and persons and the design of it Of the anointing of Jesus Some account of the Jewish constitutions about anointing with their holy Oil. pag. 5 6. CHAP. II. It is agreed between Jews and Christians I. That there was a Messias promised and II. That there was such a person as our Jesus and III. That there was at that time when Jesus lived a general expectation of the Messias That hence it was that there appeared so many Impostours about that time An account of some of them from Josephus Of the promises of the Messias and the gradual revealing of them A Passage in Maimon concerning the Afternoon-Prayer misrepresented by a late learned writer Several particulars relating to the Messias predicted pag. 42. CHAP. III. Of the birth of Jesus Of his lineage and kindred Of the place of his birth The seeming difference in the account of Bethlehem by the Prophet Micah and St. Matthew reconciled Of his being born of a Virgin A particular explication of 1. Tim. 2.15 She shall be saved in Child-bearing The time of his birth agreed with the predictions and general expectation of some great Person Several testimonies to this purpose The miserable shifts and evasions of the Jews pag. 58. CHAP. IV. That the Messias was to be a Prophet Deut. 18. v. 18. considered That our Jesus was a Prophet like unto Moses shewed in sundry particulars That the Messias was to converse much in Galilee according to the prediction Isa 9.1 2 3. That place more particularly considered That our Jesus did so Several other Characters of the Messias belonged to Jesus That the Messias as was predicted was to doe stupendious works pag. 87. CHAP. V. The works of Jesus Mat. 11.4 5. considered Of the miracles which Jesus did The vanity of the Jews in attempting to disparage them The opinion of Maimonides that the Messias would not work miracles considered and the Authour of Tractatus Theolog Polit. What a Miracle imports That the Messias was to work miracles proved against Maimonides That they are a good argument of the truth of a Doctrine That Jesus did work true miracles This proved at large pag. 105 106. CHAP. VI. The Miracles which Jesus did compared with those which were really wrought by the hands of Moses with the pretended ones of the Church of Rome and with those storied of Apollonius Tyanaeus and some other Heathens Of the sufficient assurance which we have that Jesus did those works which are reoprted of him pag. 161. CHAP. VII That the Messias according to the predictions of him was to suffer This proved against the Jews Of the vanity of their twofold Messias the Son of Joseph and the Son of David The reason why the Jews make use of this pretence That Jesus did suffer That he suffered those things which the Messias was to suffer Luk. 24.26 46. and Act. 3.18 considered Zech. 9.9 to be understood of the Messias this proved against the Jews at large Of the kind of Christ's death Crucifixion was none of the Jewish capital punishments Of the Brazen Serpent Numb 21. St. John ch 3.14 considered The Jewish Writers acknowledge that the brazen Serpent was symbolical and spiritually to be understood Of the time when Jesus suffered that it did exactly agree with the type of the sufferings of the Messias A large digression concerning this matter Exod 12.6 considered Castalio justly censured for his ill rendring that place Of the two Evenings among the Jews The ground we have for it in the Scriptures The testimony of R. Solomon Of the practice of the Jewish Nation as to the time of offering their evening Sacrifice and the Passeover This shewed from their best Authours An objection from Deut. 16. v. 6. answered Jesus died at that time when the Paschal Lamb was to be slain Of the place and many other particulars relating to the sufferings of Jesus Of the great causes and reasons of the sufferings of Jesus Of the Burial of Jesus pag. 191 192. CHAP. VIII Of the Resurrection of Jesus That we have sufficient evidence that Jesus did rise from the dead That we have the most unexceptionable humane Testimony Why the same number of men are called the eleven and the twelve elsewhere when they were but Ten John 21.14 Explained This confirmed by the Testimony of an Angel and by Divine Testimony That Jesus removed all cause of doubting of the truth of his Resurrection That there were a select number of Men chosen to be witnesses of the Resurrection of Jesus That these witnesses as also the Evangelists are worthy of belief That it was foretold that the Messias should rise from the dead The words Ps 11.5 This day have I begotten thee are justly applied to this matter This proved against the Jews at large That Jesus rose from the dead is an undeniable proof that he is the Messias and of the greatest importance to us Of the time when Jesus rose from the dead Why on the third day And how he could be said to rise on the third day who was but one whole day in the Sepulchre and how this agrees with Matt. 12.40 where Jesus said he should be three days and three nights in the heart of the