〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Text. Evasions of Abarbinel Kimchi and Aben Ezra examined Their Opinion of the Glory promised to the second House Of the greatness of it Things wanting in it by their own confession The Glory of this House not in the dayes of the Hasmonaeans or Herodians Not in its continuance Circumstances proving the true Messiah to be the Glory Anomalous Construction of the Words removed Mal. 3.1 explained Confession of the antient Jews WEE shall now proceed to other Testimonies of the same evidence and importance § 1 with the foregoing The end of calling and separating the people of the Jews from the rest of the world the forming of them into a Nation and the setting up of a Political State and Rule amongst them being solely as we have declared to bring forth the promised Messiah by them and to shaddow out his Spiritual Kingdom It was necessary that he should come before their utter desolation and final rejection from that state and condition which also he did according to the promise and prediction before insisted on and explained The same was the end of their Ecclesiastical or Church-State with all the Religious Worship that was instituted therein Whilest that also therefore continued and was accepted of God in the place of his own appointment he was to be brought forth and to accomplish his work in the world This also in sundry places of the Old Testament is foretold one or two of the most eminent of them we shall consider and manifest from them that the true Messiah is long since come and exhibited unto the world according to the Promise given of old to that purpose The first we shall fix upon is that of Haggai Chap. 2. v. 3 4 6 7 8 9. whereunto we shall add Mal. 3.1 The words of the former place are Who is left among you that saw this house in her first Glory and how do you see it now Is it not in your eyes in comparison of it as nothing Thus saith the Lord of Hosts Yet once it is a little while and I will shake the Heavens and the Earth and the Sea and the dry Land and I will shake all Nations and the desire of all Nations shall come And I will fill this House with Glory saith the Lord of Hosts The Silver is mine and the Gold is mine saith the Lord of Hosts and the Glory of this latter House shall be greater then the former saith the Lord of Hosts And in this place will I give peace saith the Lord of Hosts Those of the latter are Behold I will send my Messenger and he shall prepare the way before me and the Lord whom I seek shall suddenly come to his Temple even the Messenger of the Covenant whom ye delight in Behold he shall come saith the Lord of Hosts Both to the same purpose The occasion of the former words must be enquired after from the story of § 2 those times in Ezra and the whole Discourse of the Prophet in that place The people returning from their Captivity with Zerubbabel in the dayes of Cyrus had laid the foundation of the Temple but having begun their work great opposition was made against it and great discouragements they met withall as it will fall out with all men that engage in the work of God in any Generation The Kings of Persia who first encouraged them unto this work and countenanced them in it Ezra 1.7 8 9. being possessed with false reports and slanders as is usual also in such cases at first began to withdraw their assistance as it should seem in the dayes of Cyrus himself Ezra 4.5 And at length expresly forbad their proceedings causing the whole work to cease by force and power v. 23. Besides this outward opposition they were moreover greatly discouraged by their own poverty and disability for the carrying on their designed work in any measure so as to answer the beauty and glory of their former House builded by Solomon Hence the Elders of the people who had seen the former House in its glory wept with a loud voice when they saw the foundations of this laid Ezra 4.12 13. As fore-seeing how much the splendor and beauty of their Worship would be ecclipsed and impaired for as the measures of the Fabrick it self assigned unto it by Cyrus Ezra 6.3 did no way answer Solomons Structure so for the Ornaments of it wherein its magnificence did principally consist they had no means or ability to make any provision of them Being therefore thus hindered and discouraged the work ceased wholly from the end of Cyrus Reign unto the second year of Darius Hystiages For there is no reason to suppose that this intercision of the work continued unto the Reign of Darius Nothus Between the first year of the whole Empire of Cyrus to the second of Darius Nothus there were no less then a hundred years as we shall afterwards declare Now it is evident in Ezra that Zerubbabel and Joshuah who began the work in the Reign of Cyrus were alive and carried it on in the dayes of Darius And it is scarcely credible that they who it may be were none of the youngest men when they first returned unto Jerusalem should live there an hundred years and then return unto the work again Outward force and Opposition then they were delivered from in the second year of Darius Hystiages But their discouragements from their poverty and disability still continued This the Prophet intimates v. 4. Who is there left among you who saw this House in its first glory and what do you now see it Is it not as nothing in your eyes There is no necessity of reading the words with a supposition As Scaliger contends if there were any amongst you who had seen For it is much more likely that some who had seen the former House of Solomon and wept at the laying of the foundation of this in the dayes of Cyrus should now see the carrying of it on in the second year of Darius Hystiages that is about ten or twelve years after then that those who began the work in the Reign of Cyrus should live to perfect it in the second year of Darius Nothus an hundred years after However it is evident that the old discouragement was still pressing upon them The former House was Glorious and Magnificent Famous and Renowned in the world and full of comfort unto them from the visible pledges of the presence of God that were therein To remove this discouragement and to support them under it the Lord by this Prophet makes them a Promise that whatever the streightness and poverty of the house were which they undertook to build however short it came of the glory of that of old yet from what he himself would do he would render that House far more glorious then the former namely by doing that in it for which both it and the former were instituted and erected Saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
root 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in this order 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Ark propitiatory and Cherubins one that is the whole furniture of the Sanctuary 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Divine Majesty or Presence the second It entered not into the House in that glorious and solemn manner that it did into the Temple of Solomon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Holy Ghost which is Prophecy the third all Prophesies ceasing under that House from the dayes of Malachi unto John Baptist 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vrim and Thummim the fourth thing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fire from Heaven to kindle the everlasting fire on the Altar the fifth thing They that acknowledge all these things to have been wanting in the second Temple as the Jews generally do and the Talmud in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chap. 5. expresly cannot well compare the glory of it with the glory of that Temple wherein they were and whereof they were indeed the chiefest glory and the most eminent pledges of the presence of God therein The pretence about the glory of this House from the riches of the Hasmonaeans and § 15 Herod is no less vain That which amongst the Hasmonaeans had the greatest appearance of glory was their High Priest who also came irregularly unto that Office assuming the Royal Power and Titles But this as themselves confess was a sinful disorder and their whole race was quickly extirpated for Herod the great it is well they are on this occasion reconciled unto him whom elsewhere they execrate as an Usurper cruel Tyrant and Slave to the Romans all which he was indeed Little glory came to the Temple by his Rule and Soveraignty Besides during his Reign and the Rule of the remainder of his Race the High Priests were thrust in and out at the pleasures of Brutish Tyrants no order in their Succession no beauty in their Worship being observed or sought after Hence comparing the number of High Priests under the Second Temple with that of them under the first which it trâ—bly surmounts they apply unto it that of Solomon because of the wickedness of the people the Rulers are many To seek for the Glory mentioned among these things and persons is assuredly vain Wherefore others of these Masters waving these empty pretences would have the § 16 glory of this second House to consist in its duration So R. Jonathan in Bereshith Rabba Jarchi on this place and Kimchi whose opinion is repeated by Abarbinel Kimchi tells us that their Masters are divided in this matter and Jarchi that it was Raf and Samuel that were the Authors of this different opinion one affirming that the glory of this House consisted in its greatness the other in its duration and their Dispute in this matter is in Perek Kama of Baba Bathra 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The first House saith he continued four hundred and ten years The second four hundred and twenty This is their account though in truth it continued longer as did the first House also But is this the Glory promised What was the condition of that House in those ten years and almost half ten times ten years before The whole Nation during this space of time was shattered and wasted with Oppressions Seditions and Miseries inexpressible and the House it self made a Dâ—n of Thieves and for the greatest part of the ten years they boast of was filled with cruel bloodshed and daily murders And is it likely that a meer duration in that season wherein for what it was put unto it was abhorred of God and all good men should in this prediction of its State deserve that Prophetical Eulogie of obtaining more glory then the House of Solomon was ever made partaker of There is then nothing more evident then that these inventions are evasions of men who diligently endeavour to hide themselves from Light and Truth not in the least answering either the letter of the Prophecy or the intention of him that gave it It remaineth then that we enquire from the Text what is the truâ— Glory promised § 17 unto this House wherein it was to have the preheminence above the former Now this is expresly said to be the coming unto it of the desire of all Nations The desire of all Nations shall come and I will fill this House with glory and the glory of this latter House shall be greater then that of the former This is directly affirmed to be the glory promised and nothing else is in the least intimated wherein it should consist And there are three circumstances of this glory expressed in the Text. 1. The way whereby it should be brought in I will shake the Heavens and the Earth and the Sea and the dry Land and I will shake all Nations Secondly The season wherein this was to be done Yet once it is a little while Thirdly The Event of it and in this place will I give peace saith the Lord of Hosts all which are severally to be considered and the intendment of the Holy Ghost in them vindicated from the objections of the Jews The first thing we are to enquire after is the Glory it self that is promised in these § 18 words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the desire of all Nations shall come The Jews by these words generally understand the desirable things of the Nations their Silver and Gold which above all things are unto them most desirable These they say the Nations being shaken did bring unto the Temple and therein the glory of it did consist Herein all their Expositors on this place Jarchi Aben Ezra Kimchi and others of them whose Judgements are repeated by Abarbinel do agâ—ee Aben Ezra briefly The Nations shall be shaken 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and shall bring gifts unto my house 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and they shall bring the Treasures of Gold and Silver saith Jarchi as it is recorded in the Book of Joseph Ben Gorion Kimchi to the same purpose somewhat largely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As if it had been said they shall bring in their hands all desirable things that are found in their Lands Vessels of Silver and of Gold Garments and pretious stones and this as I said is their general sâ—nse But First It is directly contrary unto the Context for it is the plain design of the Holy Ghost to take of the thoughts of the people from that kind of glory which consisted in coacervation of ornaments of Silver and Gold which being all of them alwayes in his power he could at that time have furnishâ—d them withall but that he would have them look for another glory Secondly It is perfectly false as to the event for when was there such an outward shaking of all Nations under the second Temple as that thereon they brought their Silver and Gold unto it and that in such abundance as to render it more rich and glorious then the House of Solomon So to wrest the words is plainly to averr that the Promise was never fulfilled
Christ upon his coming into the Temple Though the words of the Promise are thus clear in themselves we may yet see § 21 what further light is contributed unto our interpretation from the Circumstances before observed as First the way of bringing in this Glory is there expressed by the Prophet from the mouth of the Lord I will shake the Heavens and the Earth the Sea and the dry Land and I will shake all Nations All the Jewish Expositors agree that these words are to be interpreted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Metaphorically and figuratively Yet it cannot be denyed that a great concussion and shaking of the World and all the Nations of it is intended in them otherwise nothing is signified by them And this must be with reference unto that house and the Worship thereof and that in a tendency unto its glory Now I desire to know what work among the Nations in the whole World it is that was wrought with respect unto the Temple which is here intended The Nations indeed under Antiochus and almost ruined it under Crassus and robbed it under Pompey and prophaned it under Titus and destroyed it But what tended all this to its glory But refer these words unto the coming of the Messiah and all things contained in them were clearly fulâ—illed Take the words litterally and they suit the event At his Birth a New Star appeared in the Heavens Angels celebrated his Nativity Wise men came from the East to enquire after him Herod and all Jerusalem was shaken at the tidings of him and upon his undertaking of his work he wrought Miracles in Heaven and Earth Sea and dry Land upon the whole Creation of God Take them Metaphorically as they are rather to be understood for the mighty change which God would work in his Worship and the stirring up of the Nations of the world to receive him and his Doctrine and the event is yet more evident All Nations under Heaven were quickly shaken and moved by his coming Some were stirred up to enquire after him some to oppose him untill the world as to the greatest and the most noble parts of it was made subject unto him Evident it is that since the creation of all things never was there such an Alteration and Concussion in the world as that wherewith the Messiah and his Doctrine was brought into it and which is therefore so expressed by the Prophet Abarbinel affirms that the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christian Doctors would argue and prove § 22 from hence that it is not thâ— Temple of the Jews but their own House of Worship that is intended in these words and that because there was no such confluence of the Nations unto the Jews either under the first or second Temple as is here promised But unto their Church and Faith all Nations were converted But he mistakes and confounds things as all of them constantly do in their Disputations against Christians We contend not that it is the Christian Church that is here intended by the House that Glory was to come unto Only we say that he to whom the Nations or Gentiles were to be gathered whom they were shaken and stirred up to receive did actually come unto the Temple at Jerusalem and thereby gave it a greater Glory then what ever the Temple of Solomon received This first Circumstance then clears our intention from this Text. § 23 The season wherein the promised glory was to be brought in is next noted in the Context It is expressed v. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Jews generally refer these words unto the Rule or Kingdom of the Hasmonaeans under whom the people were to enjoy their liberty which is said to be a little season as continuing seventy or eighty years For it is said to be little because they had but a small Dominion in comparison of their former Kingdom and Empire But it is evident from the Context that the Prophet had no respect unto Rule or Dominion in these words For what ever is intended in this Expression it hath a direct and immediate influence into the bringing in of the desire of all Nations and the glory promised which the Rule of the Hasmonaeans reached not unto Our Apostle Heb. 12.24 renders these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 literally and properly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet more once or yet once more God had before done some work whereunto that which he promised now to do is compared Such a concussion of all things had been before and this as is evident from v. 5. was the work that he wrought at the giving of the Law and the erection of the Judaical Church State and Ordinances In answer hereunto he would bring in the everlasting Kingdom of the Messiah and the spiritual Worship to be celebrated therein the Old Church-State of the Jews in this shaking of all things being removed and taken away And this plainly is evinced from the comparison that God makes between the work here promised and that which he wrought when he covenanted with the people upon their coming up out of Aegypt Concerning the work which God will thus do once more it is said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a little while that is ere it be accomplished It is not the nature or quality of the work but the season or time wherein it shall be wrought that is denoted in these words In that sense is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 often used in the Scripture as we prove elsewhere As the same work Mal. 3.1 is promised to be done 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 suddenly speedily It is then foretold that it should be but a little space of time before this work should be wrought And hence Abarbinel would prove that it cannot respect the coming of our Messiah which was about four hundred years after But this season is not called a little while absolutely but with respect unto the former duration of the people or Church of the Jews either from the calling of Abraham or the giving of the Law by Moses And this space of four hundred years is but a little in comparison thereof and is so termed to stir up Believers unto a continual expectation of it and desire after it It being now nearer unto them then unto their Fore-fathers who beheld the time of its performance a very great way off And this also serves for the conviction of the Jews for whereas their fore-fathers of old did confess and themselves at present cannot with any modesty deny but that the Messiah is here intended whom they suppose not yet to be come how can this space of time from the days of Haggai in any sense be called a little while seeing it far exceeds all the space of time that went before from the Call of Abraham which is the first Epocha of their priviledge and claim § 24 The last circumstance contributing light unto our interpretation of this place is taken from the event or the coming of the desire of
Jesus of Nazareth setting aside that knowledge and worship of God which was in Judea a little corner of the earth and that also by their own confession then horribly defiled and profaned the whole world especially the greatest and most potent and flourishing Nations of it in particular the whole Roman Empire especially concerned in these predictions was utterly ignorant of the true God and engaged in the Worship of Idols and Devils and that from time immemorial 2. That although the Jews had taken great pains and compassed Sea and Land to make Proselytes yet they were very few and those very obscure persons whom they could at any time or in any place prevail withall to receive the knowledge or give up themselves unto the Worship of the God of Israel of converting People or Nations unto his obedience they now entertained the least hopes 3. It is manifest to all the world that not only upon the coming of Jesus but also by vertue of his Law and Doctrine all the Old Idolatry of the world was destroyed and that whole fabrick of Superstition which Satan had been so many Ages engaged in the erection of was cast to the ground and those Gods of the Earth which the Nations worshipped utterly famished Hence it is come to pass at this day that no People or Nation under Heaven doth continue to worship those Gods which the Old Empires of the World adored as their Deities and in whose service they waged War against the God of Israel and his people And all that knowledge that is at this day in the world of one true living God and the reception of the God of Israel for that true God however abused as it is by some Mahumetans and others it did all originally proceed from the Doctrine of Jesus Christ whom these ungrateful people hate and persecute Had it not been for him and his Gospel the true God the God of their fore-fathers had been no more owned in the world at this day then he was at his coming in the flesh and yet these poor blinded creatures can see no glory in him or in his Ministry 4. The Lord Jesus Christ by his Spirit and Word did not only destroy Idolatry and false Worship in the world but also brought the greatest and most potent Nations of it to the Knowledge of God that in comparison of what was past it covered the earth as the Waters cover the Seas This the Jews saw and repined at in the flourishing times of the Roman Empire when the Lord was one and his Name was one in the whole earth as that Expression is used in the Scripture 5. The Way whereby this Knowledge and Worship of the true God was dispersed over the face of the earth and spread its self like an mundation of saving waters over the world was by such a secret energy of the spirit of Christ accompanying his Word and the Ministration of it that it wholly differed from that operous burdensome and for the most part ineffectual way of teaching which was used by the Priests Levites and Scribes of old there being much more of the efficacy of Grace then of the pains of the Teachers seen in the Effects wrought and produced according to the Words of the Promise Jerem. 31.34 6. In this diffusion of the knowledge of God there was way made for the Union Agreement and joint Consent in Worship of those that should receive it For both the partition wall between Jews and Gentiles was removed and both people did actually coalesce into one body worshipping God with one lip and shoulder and also an holy and plain way of spirituall Worship was prescribed unto all that should or did embrace the Law of the Messiah 7. Notwithstanding all that hath been already accomplished yet there is still room and time left and remaining for the further accomplishment of these predictions so that before the close of the Kingdom of the Messiah not one Tittle of them shall fall to the ground And thus also the open Event known to all the world doth manifest the due and full accomplishment of these Promises making it unquestionable that the Messiah is long since come and hath fulfilled the work that he was designed of old unto Neither are the Exceptions of the Jews of any force to invalidate our Application § 19 of these Promises Two things they object unto us First the Idolatry that is yet in the world especially among Christians Secondly The differences in Religion that every where abound amongst men For 1. We have shewed already that these and the like Predictions are to have a gradual accomplishment not all at once in every place It is sufficient that there is an everlasting foundation laid for the destruction of all false Worship which having had a conspicuous and glorious Effect in the most eminent Nations of the world sufficient to answer the intention of the Prophecy shall yet further in the appointed seasons root out the remainder of all superstition and Apostacy from God 2. For what concerns Christians themselves it cannot be denyed but that many who are so called have corrupted themselves and contracted the guilt of that horrible iniquity which they charge upon them But this being the crime and guilt of some certain Persons and not of the whole society of the Professors of Christianity ought not to be objected unto them And I desire to know by what means the Jews suppose that themselves and the Nations of the world shall be kept from Idolatry and false Worship in the dayes of their Messiah if it be because their Messiah shall give such a perfect Law and such full instructions in the mind and will of God that all men may clearly know their duty we say that this is already done in the highest degree of perfection that is conceivable but what if notwithstanding this men will follow their own vain reasonings and imaginations and fall from the rule of their obedience into Will-worship and Superstition what remedy have they provided against such backsliding if they have none but only the pressing upon them their duty to the Law Word and Institutions of God we have the same and do make use of it to the same end and purpose If they shall say that their Messiah will kill them and slay them with the sword we confess that ours is not of that mind and desire them to take heed least in the room of the holy humble merciful Kings promised the Church they look for and desire a bloody Tyrant that should exercise force over the minds of men and execute their revenge and lusts on those whom they like not 3. This Apostacy of some Professors of Christianity into false Worship Idolatry and Persecution is foretold obscurely in the Writings of the Old Testament it self but most plainly in those of the Gospel or Revelations made by the Lord Christ unto his Apostles concerning the state of the Church unto the end of the world so that from thence
by the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Angels of God of the Reason whereof afterwards The LXX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Worship him all ye his Angels differing from the Apostle both in form of Speech and Words Hence some not understanding whence this Testimony was cited by the Apostle have inserted his words into the Greek Bible Deut. 32. v. 43. where there is no colour for their introduction nor any thing in the Original to answer unto them whereas the Psalmist expresly treateth of the same subject with the Apostle to the reason of which insertion into the Greek Version we shall speak afterwards Ver. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who maketh his Angels Spirits and his Ministers a flame of fire From Psal. 104. v. 4. The LXX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a flaming fire Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fire of flame Aquila 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a vehement fire Symmachus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a fiery flame much variety with little or no difference as it often falls out amongst good Translators rendring peculiar Hebraisms such as this is The Apostles expression is his own not borrowed from the LXX Ver. 8 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 § 3 Thy Throne O God for ever and ever The Verb substantive is left out by the Apostle in Answer unto the Original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rendered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the Apostrophe requires A Scepter of Vprightness is the Scepter of thy Kingdom thou hast loved Righteousness and thou hast hated Iniquity wherefore God thy God hath anointed thee with the Oyle of gladness above thy fellows The words exactly answer the Original and they are the same in the Translation of the LXX and whence that coincidence was we shall afterwards enquire Aquila somewhat otherwise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Symmachus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 came to be translated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from likeness of sound in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O God he expresseth the Apostrophe which is evident in the Context 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he renders by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sceptrum a Scepter properly as we shall see afterwards on Gen. 49. v. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou hast hated ungodliness impiety 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with the Oyle of Joy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Symmachus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 another word of the same signification with that used by the Apostle From Psal. 45.6 7. Ver. 10 11 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And thou O Lord in the beginning hast founded the Earth and the Heavens are the Works of thine hands they shall perish but thou remainest and they shall wax old as doth a garment And as a Vesture shalt thou fold them up and they shall be changed but thou art the same and thy years shall not fail From Psalm 102. v. 26 27 28. And these words of the Apostle are now exactly in the Greek Bibles Some little difference there is in them from the Hebrew the Reason whereof we shall afterwards give an account of Symmachus for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 reads 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so did the Copies of the LXX of old the Word being yet retained in some of them and reckoned by all amongst the various Readings of that Translation The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O Lord inserted by the Apostle is also undoubtedly taken from hence into the Greek Bibles For as the inserting of it was necessary unto the Apostle to denote the Person treated of so it is not in the Original nor will the context of the Psalm admit of it so that it could no otherwise come in that place but from this of the Apostle Nor is it probable that the LXX would translate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou shalt roll up and immediately render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they shall be changed but here also the words have been borrowed from the Apostle whose design was not exactly to translate but faithfully to apply the sense of the place unto his own purpose Ver. 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sit thou at my Right hand untill I place thine enemies the footstool of thy feet From Psalm 110.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at my right hand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the plural number of the reason of which Change and Manner of Expression we shall treat in its proper place And here there remains nothing of difference in any Old Translation CHAP. II. CHap. 2. v. 6 7 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 § 4 What is man that thou art mindful of him or the Son of man that thou visitest him thou hast made him less for a little while than the Angels thou hast crowned him with glory and honour and hast set him over the works of thy hands Thou hast subjected all things under his feet From Psalm 8. v. 5 6 7 8. The words of the Apostle are the same with those in the present Copy of the LXX Theodotion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the ambiguous signification of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 about which great stirs have been raised whereof in their proper place Chrysâ—stome on this Text mentions some different Translations of the words of the Psalms 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 another Book reads what is he according to man that thou remembrest him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What is mortal man Again 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Another instead of thou visitest him that thou wilt visit him Agâ—in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 instead of less or a little while than Angels Another a little less than God and Another lâ—ss than God And he adds the Hebrew is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So different was their pronuntiation of the Hebrew from that in use amongst us Again he adds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou shalt crown him with Glory and Honour and yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou madest him to have power From all which variety it is most evident that there were various Readings of this Context in the antient Copies of the LXX for no footsteps of them appear in the remains of Aquila Theodotion or Symmachus and that therefore the Common Reading which is now fixed in the Great Bible was translated thither from this place of the Apostle Chap. 2. v. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will declare thy name unto my Brethren in the middest of the Congregation I will sing praise unto thee From Psal. 22. v. 23. The LXX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ver. 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will put my trust in him From Psal. 18.3 LXX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will hope in him but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is rightly rendered by the the Apostle I will trust in him The LXX have these words of the Apostle Isai. 8.17 where the words of the Original are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and
themselves without Certainty or Consistency we are clearly acquainted withall by Divine Revelation The summ of it is briefly proposed by the Apostle Rom. 5. v. 12. By one man sin entered into the World and Death by Sin Sin and Death are comprehensive of all that is Evil in any kind in the world All that is morally so is sin all that is poenally so is Death The entrance of both into the World was by the sin of one man that is Adam the common Father of us all This the Philosophers knew not and therefore knew nothing clearly of the Condition of Mankind in relation unto God But two things doth the Scripture teach us concerning this entrance of Evil into the world First The Punishment that was threatned unto and inflicted on the disobedience of Adam Whatever there is of Disorder Darkness or Confusion in the nature of things here below whatever is uncertain irregular horrid unequal destructive in the Vniverse what ever is poenal unto man or may be so in this Life or unto Eternity what ever the Wrath of the Holy Righteous God revealing its self from Heaven hath brought or shall ever bring on the Works of his hands are to be referred unto this head Other Original of them can no man assign Secondly The moral corruption of the Nature of man the Spring of all sin the other head of Evil proceeded Hence also For by this means that which before was good and upright is become an inexhaustible Treasure of Sin And this was the state of things in the World immediately upon the Fall and Sin of Adam Now the work which we assign unto the Messiah is the Deliverance of Mankind from this State and condition Upon the Supposition and Revelation of this Entranâ—e of Sin and the Evil that ensued thereon is the whole Doctrine of his Office founded as shall afterwards more largely be declared And because we contend against the Jews that he waâ— promised and exhibited for a Relief in the Wisdom Grace and Righteousness of God against this sin and misery of mankind as our Apostle also expresly proveth Chap. 2. of his Epistle unto them this being denyed by them as that which would overthrow all their fond imaginations about his Person and Office we must consider what is their Sense and Apprehension about these things with what may be thence educed for their own Conviction and then confirm the Truth of our Assertion from those Testimonies of Scripture which themselves own and receive The first effect and consequent of the sin of Adam was the punishment wherewith it § 6 was attended What is written hereof 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Scripture the Jews neither can nor do deny Death was in the commination given to deter him from his Transgression 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gen. 2.17 Dying thou shalt dye Neither can it be reasonably pretended to be singly Death unto his own Person which is intended in that expression The Event sufficiently evinceth the contrary What ever is or might be Evil unto himself and his whole Posterity with the residue of the Creation so far as he or they might be any way concerned therein hath grown out of this commination And this is sufficiently manifested in the first Execution of it Gen. 3.16 17 18 19. The Malediction was but the Execution of the Commination It was not consistent with the Justice of God to increase the Penalty after the sin was committed The threatning therefore was the Rule and measure of the Curse But this is here extended by God himself not only to all the miseries of Man Adam and his whole Posterity in this Life in labour disappointment sweat and sorrow with Death under and by vertue of the Curse but to the whole Earth also and consequently unto those superiour Regions and Orbs of Heaven by whose influence the Earth is as it were governed and disposed unto the Use of Man Hos. 2. v. 21 22. It may be yet farther enquired what was to be the duration and continuance of the Punishment to be inflicted in the pursuit of this Commination and Malediction Now there is not any thing in the least to intimate that it should have a term prefixed unto it wherein it should expire or that it should not be commensurate unto the existence or being of the sinner God layes the Curse on man and there he leaves him and that for ever A miserable life he was to spend and then to dye under the Curse of God without hopes of emerging into a better condition About his subsistence after this Life we have no controversie with the Jews They all acknowledge the immortality of the Soul for the Sect of the Sadducees is long since extinct neither are they followed by the Karaeans in their Atheistical Opinions as hath been declared Some of them indeed encline unto the Pythagorean Metempsuchosis but all acknowledge the Souls Perpetuity Supposing then Adam to dye poenally under the Curse of God as without extraordinary Relief he must have done the Righteousness and Truth of God being engaged for the Execution of the Threatning against him I desire to know what should have been the State and condition of his Soul Doth either Revelation or Reason intimate that he should not have continued for ever under the same Penalty and Curse in a state of Death or Separation from God And if he should have done so then was Death eternal in the Commination This is that which with respect unto the present effects in this life and the punishment due to sin is termed by our Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Thess. 1. v. 10. the Wrath to come from whence the Messiah is the Deliverer Nor will the Jews themselves contend that the guilt of any sin respects only temporal punishment The Event of Sin unto themselves they take to be that only imagining their Observation of the Law of Moses such as it is to be a sufficient Expiation of Punishment eternal But unto all strangers from the Law all that have not a Relief provided they make every sin mortal and Adam as I suppose had not the Priviledge of the Present Jews to observe Moses Law Wherefore they all agree that by his Repentance he delivered himself from Death eternal which if it were not due unto his Sin he could not do for no man can by any means escape that whereof he is in no danger And this Repentance of his they affirm to have been attended with severe Discipline and self maceration intimating the greatness of his sin and the difficulty of his escape from the punishment due thereunto So Rabbi Eliezer in Pirke Aboth cap. 20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 On the first day of the Week Adam entred into the Waters of the upper Gihon until the Waters came unto his neck and he afflicted himself seven Weeks untill his Body became like a Sieve And Adam said before the Holy Blessed God Lord of the whole World let my sins I pray thee be
Christians have taken these three Persons to have been the three Persons of the Trinity it were an easie thing to out-ballance their mistake with instances of his own and companions pernicious Curiosities and Errors It is true a Trinity of Persons in the Deity cannot be proved from this place seeing one of them is expresly called Jehovah and the other two in distinction from him are said to be Angels so and no more Chap. 19.1 But yet a distinction of Persons in the Deity although not the precise number of them is hence demonstrable For it is evident that he of the three that spake unto Abraham and to whom he made his supplication for the sparing of Sodom was Jehovah the Judge of all the world v. 22 25. And yet all the three were sent upon the work that one being the Prince and Head of the Embassie as he who is Jehovah is said to be sent by Jehovah Zech. 2. v. 8 9. Neither is there any ground for the late Exposition of this and the like places namely that a created Angel representing the Person of God doth both speak and act in his name and is called Jehovah an invention to evade the Appearances of the Son of God under the Old Testament contrary to the sense of all Antiquity nor is any reason or instance produced to make it good The Jews indeed say that they were three Angels because of the threefold work they were employed in for they say no more than one Angel is at any time sent about the same work So one of these was to renew the Promise unto Abraham another to deliver Lot and the third to destroy Sodom But besides that this is a rule of their own making and evidently false as may be seen Gen. 32. v. 1 2. 2 Kings 6. v. 17. so in the story its self it is manifest that they were all employed in the same work one as Lord and Prince the other two as his ministring servants And this is further cleared in that expression of Moses Chap. 19. v. 24. The Lord rained upon Sodom and Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord in Heaven Targum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from before the Lord or the face of the Lord. Aben Ezra answers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that this is the Elegancy of the Tongue and the sense of it is from himself and this gloss some of our late Criticks embrace And there are instances collected by Solomon Jarchi to confirm this sense Namely the words of Lâ—mech Gen. 4. v. 23. Hear my voice ye Wives of Lamech not my Wives And of David 1 Kings 1. v. 33. Take with you the servants of your Lord not my servants And of Ahasuerus unto Mordecai Esther 4. v. 8. Write you for the Jews in the Kings name not in my name But the difference of these from the words under consideration is wide and evident In all these places the Persons are introduced speaking of themselves and describe themselves either by their Names or Offices suitably unto the occasion and subject spoken of But in this place it is Moses that speaketh of the Lord and had no occasion to repeat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were it not to intimate the distinct Persons unto whom that name denoting the nature and self-existence of God was proper one whereof then appeared on the Earth the other manifesting his glorious presence in Heaven Wherefore Rashi observing somewhat more in this expression contents not himself with his supposed Parallel Places but adds that the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to be understood and gives this as a Rule 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 every place where it is said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Lord He and his House of Judgement are intended as if God had a Sanhedrim in Heaven a fancy which they have invented to avoid the expressions which testifie unto a Plurality of Persons in the Deity There is therefore in this place an Appearance of God in an humane shape and that of one distinct Person in the Godhead who now represented himself unto Abraham in the form and shape wherein he would dwell amongst men when of his seed he would be made flesh This was one signall means whereby Abraham saw his day and rejoyced which himself layes upon his Prae-existence unto his Incarnation and not upon the Promise of his coming John 8. v. 56 58. A Solemn Praeludium it was unto his taking of flesh a Revelation of his Divine Nature and Person and a pledge of his coming in humane nature to converse with men Gen. 32. v. 24. And Jacob was left alone and there wrestled a man with him untill § 8 the ascending of the morning v. 26. And he said let me go for the day ascendeth and he said I will not let thee go except thou bless me v. 27. And he said unto him what is thy name and he said Jacob. v. 28. And he said thy name shall be called no more Jacob but Israel for as a Prince hast thou Power with God and men and hast prevailed v. 29. And Jacob asked him and said Tell me I pray thee thy name and he said wherefore dost thou ask after my name and he blessed him there v. 30. And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel for I have seen God face to face and my life is preserved This Story is twice reflected upon in the Scripture afterwards Once by Jacob himself Gen. 48. v. 15 16. And he blessed Joseph and said God before whom my Fathers Abraham and Isaac did walk the God which fed me all my life long unto this day the Angel which redeemed me from all evil bless the Lads And once by the Prophet Hosea Chap. 12. v. 3 4. By his strength he had power with God yea he had power over the Angel and prevailed he wept and made supplication unto him he found him in Bethel and there he spake with us v. 5. Even the Lord God of Hosts the Lord is his memorial In the first place he is called a man there appeared a man v. 24. In the second Jacob calls him an Angel the Angel that redeemed me v. 16. And in the third he is expresly said to be God the Lord of Hosts v. 3 5. Jacob was now passing with his whole Family into the Land of Canaan to take § 9 seizure of it by vertue of the Promise on the behalf of his Posterity At the very entrance of it he is met by his greatest Adversary with whom he had a severe contest about the Promise and the Inheritance its self This was his Brother Esau who coming against him with a Power which he was no way able to withstand he feared that he would utterly destroy both his Person and his Posterity v. 11. In the Promise about which their contest was the blessed seed with the whole Church-state and Worship of the Old Testament was included so that it was the greatest Controversie and had the greatest weight depending on it of any that
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
him the refreshing word of the Gospel unto poor weary sinners was the gift of the Father 3. As to the manner of his receiving of the Revelation of the Will of God a double mistake must be removed and then the nature of it must be declared 1. The Socinians to avoid the force of those Testimonies which are urged to confirm the Deity of Christ from the assertions in the Gospel that he who spake to the Disciples on earth was then also in Heaven John 3.13 Chap. 6.35 51. Chap. 7.32 33 41 42 57 58. Chap. 8.29 have broached a Mahumetan fancy that the Lord Christ before his entrance on his publick Ministry was locally taken up into Heaven and there instructed in the mysterie of the Gospel and the mind of God which he was to reveal Catech. Raccov cap. 3. de Offic. Ch. Prophet Quest. 4 5. Smalcius de Divinitat Christi cap. 4. Socin Respons ad Paraen Vol. pag. 38 39. But 1. There was no cause of any such Rapture of the humane Nature of Christ as we shall evidence in manifesting the way whereby he was taught of the Father especially after his Baptism 2. This imaginary Rapture is grounded solely on their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the Lord Christ in his whole Person was no more than a meer man 3. There is no mention of any such thing in the Scripture where the Fathers revealing his mind and will to the Son is treated of which had it been ought not to have been omitted 4. The fancy of it is expresly contrary to Scripture for 1. The Holy Ghost affirms that Christ entered once into the Holy Place and that after he had obtained eternal Redemption Heb. 9.12 which should have been his second entrance had he been taken thither before in his humane nature so that coming of his into the world which we look for at the last day is called his second coming his coming again because of his first entrance into it at his incarnation Heb. 9.28 2. He was to suffer before his entry into Heaven and his glory therein Luke 24.26 And 3. As to the time of his Ascension which these men assign namely the forty dayes after his baptism it is said expresly that he was all that time in the wilderness amongst the wild Beasts Mark 1.13 So that this figment may have no place in our enquiry into the way of the Fathers speaking in the Son 2. Some lay the whole weight of the Revelation of the will of God unto Christ upon the endowments of the Humane Nature by vertue of its Personal Vnion with the Eternal Word but this is wholly inconsistent with the many Testimonies before rehearsed of the Fathers revealing himself unto him after that Vnion Wherefore to declare the Nature of this Revelation we must observe further 4. That Jesus Christ in his divine Nature as he was the Eternal Word and Wisdom of the Fathers not by a voluntary communication but eternal generation had an omnisciency of the whole nature and will of God as the Father himself hath because the same with that of the Father their will and wisdom being the same This is the blessed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or in-being of each Person the one in the other by vertue of their oneness in the same nature Thus as God he had absolute omniscience Moreover the mysterie of the Gospel the especial Counsel and Covenant of it concerning the Redemption of the Elect in his blood and the Worship of God by his Redeemed ones being transacted between Father and Son from all eternity was known unto him as the Son by vertue of his own personal transactions with the Father in the eternal Counsel and Covenant of it See what we have elsewhere delivered concerning that Covenant 5. The Lord Christ discharged his Office and work of Revealing the Will of the Father in and by his humane nature that nature wherein he dwelt among us Joh. 1.14 For although the Person of Christ God and man was our Mediator Acts 20.28 Joh. 1.14 18. yet his humane nature was that wherein he discharged the duties of his Office and the principium quod of all his mediatory actings 1 Tim. 2.5 6. This Humane Nature of Christ as he was in it made of a woman made under the Law Gal. 4.4 was from the instant of its Vnion with the Person of the Son of God an holy thing Luke 1.35 Holy harmless undefiled separated from sinners and radically filled with all that perfection of habitual Grace and Wisdom which was or could be necessary to the discharge of that whole duty which as a man he owed unto God Luke 2.40 49 52. Joh. 8.46 1 Pet. 2.22 But 7. Besides this furniture with habitual Grace for the performance of all holy obedience unto God as a man made under the Law there was a peculiar endowment with the Spirit without and beyond the bounds of all comprehensible measures that he was to receive as the great Prophet of the Church in whom the Father would speak and give out the last Revelation of himself This communication of the Spirit unto him was the foundation of his sufficiency for the discharge of his Prophetical Office Isa. 11.2 3. Chap. 48.16 Chap. 61.1 2 3. Dan. 9.24 As to the reality and being of this Gift of the Spirit he received it from the womb whence in his infancy he was said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luke 2.40 filled with wisdom wherewith he confuted the Doctors to amazement v. 47. And with his years were these Gifts encreased in him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he went forwards in wisdom and stature and favour v. 52. But the full communication of this Spirit with special reference unto the discharge of his publick Office with the visible pledge of it in the Holy Ghost descending on him in the shape of a Dove he was made partaker of in his baptism Matth. 3.16 when also he received his first publick Testimony from Heaven v. 17. which when again repeated received the additional command of hearing him Matth. 17.5 designing the Prophet that was to be heard on pain of utter extermination Deut. 18.18 19. And therefore he was thereupon said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luke 4.1 full of the Holy Ghost and sealed to this work by the sign foretold of God Joh. 1.33 This was the foundation of the Fathers speaking in the Son as incarnate He spake in him by his Spirit so he did in the Prophets of old 2 Pet. 1.21 And herein in general the Prophecy of Christ and theirs did agree It remaineth then to shew wherein his Preheminence above them did consist so that the word spoken by him is principally and eminently to be attended unto which is the Argument of that which the Apostle hath in hand in this place 8. The Preheminencies of the Prophecy of Christ above that of Moses and all other Prophets were of two sorts 1. Such as arose from his Person who was the Prophet 2. Such
Act of Obedience and most absolute subjection This they have in command Heb. 1.6 Let all the Angels of God worship him Psal. 97.7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 worship him with prostration self-abasement and all possible subjection to him of which place afterwards Their practice answers the command given them Rev. 5.11 12 13 14. All the Angels round about his Throne fall down and ascribe blessing and honour and glory and power unto him as we are taught to do in our deepest acknowledgment of the Majesty and Authority of God Matth. 6.13 And as to outward obedience they are ready in all things to receive his commands being ministring spirits sent forth to minister for them who shall inherit salvation Heb. 1.13 and that by him who is Head over all things unto the Church Ephes. 1.22 As for instance he sent out one of them to his servant John Rev. 1.1 who from their employment under him towards them that believe are said to be their fellow-servants that is unto Christ namely of all them have the Testimony of Jesus Rev. 19.10 chap. 22.9 And to this purpose 4. They always attend his Throne Isa. 6.1 2. I saw the Lord upon his throne and about it stood the Seraphims This Isaiah spake of him when he saw his glory Joh. 12.39 40. He was upon his Throne when he spake with the Church in the wilderness Act. 7.38 that is in Mount Sinai where the Angels attending him as on Chariots ready to receive his commands were twenty thousands even thousands of Angels Psal. 68.19 Ephes. 4.8 or thousand thousands and ten thousand times ten thousand as another Prophet expresseth it Dan. 7.10 And so he is in the Church of the New Testament Rev. 5.11 and from his walking in the midst of his golden Candlesticks Rev. 1.13 are the Angels also present in Church Assemblies as attending their Lord and Master 1 Cor. 11.10 And so attended shall he come to Judgment 2 Thess. 1.7 when he shall be revealed from heaven with the Angels of his power which was fore-told concerning him from the beginning of the world Jude 7 8. Thus his Lordship over Angels is Vniversal and absolute and their subjection unto him answerable thereunto The manner of the Grant of this excellency power and dignity unto him must be further cleared in the opening of these words of the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Being made better than the Angels the original right and equity of this Grant with the ends of it are now only to be intimated 1. The Radical fundamental Equity of this Grant lies in his Divine Nature and his creation of Angels over whom as Mediator he is made Lord. Unto the general Assertion of his being made Heir of all the Apostle in this place subjoyns that general Reason manifesting the rise of the Equity of it in the Will of God that it should be so By whom also he made the worlds Which reason is particularly applicable to every part of his inheritance and is especially pleaded in reference unto Angels Col. 1.15 16. Who is the image of the invisible God the first-born of every creature that is the Heir and Lord of them all and the reason is Because by him were all things created that are in heaven and that are in earth visible and invisible whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers all things were created by him and for him His creation of those heavenly powers is the foundation of his Heirship or Lordship over them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is saith a learned man Grotius on the place not created or made but ordered ordained all things were ordered by Christ as to their state and dignity But what reason is there to depart from the proper usual yea only sense of the word in this place Because saith he mention is made of Christ which is the name of a man and so the Creation of all things cannot be attributed unto him But Christ is the name of the Son of God incarnate God and Man Christ who is over all God blessed for ever Rom. 9.5 See Luke 2.11 And he is here spoken of as the Image of the invisible God v. 15. the essential Image of the Father endowed with all his eternal Attributes and so the Creator of all The Socinians adde that the words are used in the abstract Principalities and Powers and therefore their Dignities not their Persons are intended But 1. All things created in heaven and earth visible and invisible are the Substances and Essences of things themselves and not their Qualities and Places only 2. The Distribution into Thrones and Dominions Principalities and Powers respects only the last branch of things affirmed to be created by him namely things in heaven invisible so that if it should be granted that he made or created them only as to their Dignity Order and Power yet they obtain not their purpose since the Creation of all other things as to their being and subsistence is ascribed unto him But 3. The use of the Abstract for the Concrete is not unusual in Scripture See Ephes. 6.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rulers and Kings Matth. 10.18 are termed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Principalities and Powers Luke 12.11 And in this particular those who are here Principalities and Powers are Angels great in power 2 Pet. 2.10 11. And Ephes. 1.20 21. he is exalted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is above all vested with principality and power as the next words evince and every name that is named So Jude tells us of some of whom he says 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They despise dominion and speak evil of dignities that is those vested with them And Paul Rom. 8.38 39. I am perswaded that neither Angels 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nor principalities nor powers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nor any other creature So that these Principalities and Powers are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 certain creatures created things and subsistences that is the Angels variously differenced amongst themselves in respect of us great in power and dignity This is the first foundation of the Equity of this Grant of all power over the Angels unto the Lord Christ in his Divine Nature he made them and in that respect they were before his own as on the same account when he came into the world he is said to come 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Joh. 1.11 to his own or the things that he had made 2. It is founded in that Establishment in the condition of their Creation which by his interposition to recover what was lost by sin and to preserve the untainted part of the Creation from ruine they did receive In their own Right the Rule of their Obedience and the Example of those of their number and society who apostatized from God they found themselves in a state not absolutely impregnable Their Confirmation which also was attended with that Exaltation which they received by their new
that is the Creation of the whole world and all things contained in it hath been elsewhere proved and must be granted or we may well despair of ever understanding one line in the Scripture or what we ordinarily speak one to another 3. John doth not mention any particular of the old Creation affirming only in general that by the Word all things were made whereof he afterwards affirms that it was the Light of men not assigning unto him in particular the Creation of Light as is pretended 3. He tells us the Article preposed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 intimates that it is not the old Creation that is intended but some new especial thing distinct from it and preferred above it Answ. 1. As the same Article doth used by the same Apostle to the same purpose in another place Acts 14.15 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who made the Heaven the Earth and Sea which were certainly those created of old 2. The same Article is used with the same word again in this Epistle Chap. 11.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by faith we understand that the worlds were made where this Author acknowledgeth the old Creation to be intended 4. He adds that the Author of this Epistle seems to allude to the Greek Translation of Isa. 9.6 wherein 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Father of Eternity or eternal Father is rendred the Father of the world to come Answ. 1. There is no manner of Relation between 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Father of the world to come and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by whom he made the worlds unless it be that one word is used in both places in very distinct senses which if it be sufficient to evince a cognation between various places very strange and uncouth interpretations would quickly ensue Nor 2. Doth that which the Apostle here treats of any way respect that which the Prophet in that place insists upon his name and nature being only declared by the Prophet and his works by the Apostle And 3. It is presumption to suppose the Apostle to allude to a corrupt Translation as that of the LXX in that place is there being no ground for it in the Original for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the eternal Father and what the Jews and LXX intend by the world to come we shall afterwards consider 5. His last refuge is in Isa. 51.16 Where the work of God as he observes in the reduction of the people of the Jews from the Captivity of Babylon is called his planting the Heavens and laying the foundation of the Earth And the Vulgar Latin Translation as he farther observes renders the word ut corlum plantes ut terram fundes ascribing that to the Prophet which he did but declare and in this sense he contends that God the Father is said to make the worlds by his Son Answ. 1. The work mentioned is not that which God would do in the reduction of the people from Babylon but that which he had done in their delivery from Aegypt recorded to strengthen the faith of Believers in what for the future he would yet do for them 2. The expressions of planting the Heavens and laying the foundation of the Earth are in this place of the Prophet plainly Allegorical and are in the very same place declared so to be First In the circumstance of time when this work is said to be wrought namely at the coming of the Israelites out of Aegypt when the Heavens and the Earth properly so called could not be made planted founded or created Secondly By an adjoyned Exposition of the Allegory I have put my words into thy mouth and said unto Zion thou art my people This was his planting of the Heavens and laying the foundation of the Earth even the erection of a Church and Political State amongst the Israelites 3. It is not to the Prophet but to the Church that the words are spoken and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are not ut plantes ut fundes but ad plantandum to plant and ad fundandum to lay the foundation and our Author prejudicates his cause by making use of a Translation to uphold it which himself knows to be corrupt 4. There is not then any similitude between that place of the Prophet wherein words are used Allegorically the Allegory in them being instantly explained and this of the Apostle whose discourse is didactical and the words used in it proper and suited to the things intended by him to be expressed And this is the substance of what is pleaded to wrest from believers this illustrious Testimony given to the eternal Deity of the Son of God We may yet further consider the reasons that offer themselves from the Context for the removal of the interpretation suggested 1. It sinks under its own weakness and absurdity The Apostle intending to set out the Excellency of the Son of God affirms that by him the worlds were made that is say they Christ preaching the Gospel converted some to the faith of it and many more were converted by the Apostles preaching the same Doctrine whereupon blessed times of Light and Salvation ensued Who not overpowered with prejudice could once imagine any such sense in these words especially considering that it is as contrary to the design of the Apostle as it is to the importance of the words themselves This is that which Peter calls mens wresting the Scripture to their own perdition 2. The Apostle as we observed writes didactically plainly expressing the matter whereof he treats in words usual and proper To what end then should he use so strained an Allegory in a point of Doctrine yea a fundamental Article of the Religion he taught and that to express what he had immediately in the words foregoing properly expressed For by whom he made the worlds is no more in these mens apprehensions than in him hath he spoken in these latter dayes Nor is this Expression any where used no not in the most allegorical Prophecies of the Old Testament to denote that which here they would wrest it unto But making of the world signifies making of the World in the whole Scripture throughout and nothing else 3. The making of the worlds here intended was a thing then past 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he made them that is he did so of old and the same word is used by the LXX to express the old Creation But now that which the Jews called the world to come or the blessed state of the Church under the Messiah the Apostle speaks of as of that which was not yet come the present worldly State of the Judaical Church yet continuing 4. The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which are so rendred taken absolutely as they are here used do never in any one place in the Scripture in the Old or New Testament signifie
the new Creation or state of the Church under the Gospel but the whole world and all things therein contained they do in this very Epistle Chap. 11.3 5. Wherever the Apostle in this Epistle speaks in the Judaical Idiom of the Church-State under the Messiah he never calls it by the name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but still with the limitation of to come as Chap. 2.5 Chap. 6.5 And where the word is used absolutely as in this place and Chap. 11.3 it is the whole world that is intended 6. The Context utterly refuseth this Gloss. The Son in the preceeding words is said to be made Heir or Lord of all that is of all things absolutely and universally as we have evinced and is confessed Unto that Assertion he subjoyns a reason of the equity of that transcendent Grant made unto him namely because by him all things were made whereunto he adds his upholding ruling and disposing of them being so made by him he upholdeth all things by the word of his power That between the all things whereof he is Lord and the all things that he upholds there should be an interposition of words of the same importance with them expressing the Reason of them that go afore and the foundation of that which follows knitting both parts together and yet indeed have a signification in them of things utterly heterogeneous to them is most unreasonable to imagine We have now obtained liberty by removing the entanglements cast in our way to proceed to the opening of the genuine sense and importance of these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by whom not as an Instrument or an inferiour intermediate created Cause for then also must he be created by himself seeing all things that were made were made by him Joh. 1.3 but as his own eternal Word Wisdom and Power Prov. 8.22 23 24. Joh. 1.3 The same individual creating act being the work of Father and Son whose Power and Wisdom being one and the same individed so also are the works which outwardly proceed from them And as the joint working of Father and Son doth not inferr any other subordination but that of subsistence and order so the Preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth not of it self intimate the subjection of an instrumental Cause being used sometimes to express the work of the Father himself Gal. 1.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 created so the Apostle expresseth that word Acts 17.24 26. And the LXX most commonly as Gen. 1.1 though sometimes they use 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as our Apostle also doth Chap. 10. He made created produced out of nothing by the things not seen Chap. 11.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so that word is constantly rendered by the Greeks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to hide or to be hid kept secret close undiscovered Whence a Virgin is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one not yet come into the publick state of Matrimony as by the Greeks on the same account 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one shut up or a recluse as the Targumists call an Harlot 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a goer abroad from that description of her Prov. 7.10 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 her feet dwell not in her own house one while she is in the Street another while abroad As the Mother of the Family is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the dweller at home Psalm 68.13 Hence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies the Ages of the world in their succession and duration which are things secret and hidden what is past is forgotten what is to come is unknown and what is present passing away without much Observation See Ecclesiastes 1. v. 10. The world then that is visible and a spectacle in its self in respect of its continuance and duration is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a thing hidden So that the word denotes the fabrick of the world by a Metonymie of the Adjunct When the Hebrews would express the world in respect of the substance and matter of the Universe they do it commonly by a distribution of the whole into its most general and comprehensive parts as the Heavens Earth and Sea subjoyning all things contained in them This the Greeks and Latins from its Order Frame and Ornaments call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and mundus which principally respects that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that beauty and ornament of the Heavens which God made by his Spirit Job 26.13 And as it is inhabited by the Sons of men they call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prov. 8.30 The world of the earth principally the habitable parts of the Earth As quickly passing away they call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in respect of its successive duration 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word here used 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Plural number the worlds so called Chap. 11.3 by a meer Enallage of number as some suppose or with respect to the many Ages of the worlds duration But moreover the Apostle accommodates his expression to the received opinion of the Jews and their way of expressing themselves about the world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 denotes the world as to the subsistence of it and as to its duration in both these respects the Jews distributed the world into several parts calling them so many worlds R.D. Kimchi on Isa. 6. distributes these worlds into three on the account of which he sayes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 holy was three times repeated by the Seraphims There are saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 three worlds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the upper world which is the world of Angels and Spirits 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the world of the Heavens and Stars and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this world below But in the first respect they generally assign these four 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the lower world the depressâ—d world the Earth and Air in the several regions of it 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the world of Angels or Ministring Spirits whom they suppose to inhabit in High Places where they may supervize the affairs of the Earth 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the world of Spheres and 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the highest world called by Paul the third Heaven 2 Cor. 12.2 and by Solomon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Heaven of Heavens 2 Kings 8.27 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Olam hanneshamoth the world of Spirits or souls departed In respect of duration they assign a fivefold world 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 called by Peter the old world or the world before the Flood the world that perished 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the present world or the state of things under the Judaical Church 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the world of the coming of the Messiah or the world to come as the Apostle calls it Chap. 2.5 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the world of the Resurrection
are two things assigned unto him The former relating unto his Power as he is the Brightness of Glory he sustaineth or ruleth and disposeth of all things by the Word of his Power Tâ—e latter unto his Love and Work of Mediation by himself or in his own Person he hath purged our sins His present and perpetual Enjoyment as a consequent of what he was and did or doth is expressed in the last words he sate down at the right hand of the Majesty on high Some of these Expressions may well be granted to contain some of those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Things hard to be understood which Peter affirms to be in this Eâ—istle of Paul 2 Epist. 3.16 which unstable and unlearned men have in all Ages wrested unto their own destruction The Things intended are unquestionably sublime and Mysterious The Terms wherein they are expressed are rare and no where else used in the Scripture to the same purpose some of them not at all which deprives us of one great help in the Interpretation of them The Metaphors used in the Words or Types alluded unto by them are abstruse and dark so that the difficulty of discovering the true precise and genuine meaning of the Holy Ghost in them is such as that this verse at least some part of it may well be reckoned among those places which the Lord hath left in his Word to exercise our Faith and Diligence and Dependance on his Spirit for a right Understanding of them It may be indeed that from what was known and acknowledged in the Judaical Church the whole intention of the Apostle was more plain unto them and more plainly and clearly delivered than now it seemeth unto us to be who are deprived of their Advantages However both to them and us the things were and are deep and Mysterious And we shall desire to handle as it becometh us both Things and Words with Reverence and Godly fear looking up unto him for Assistance who alone can lead us into all Truth We begin with the double Description given us of the Lord Christ at the entrance of the Verse as to What he is in himself and here a double Difficulty presents it self unto us First In general unto what Nature in Christ or unto what of Christ this Description doth belong Secondly what is the particular meaning and importance of the Words or Expressions themselves For the First Some assert that these words intend only the Divine Nature of Christ wherein he is Consubstantial with his Father Herein as he is said to be God of God and Light of Light an expression doubtless taken from hence receiving as the Son his Nature and subsistence from the Father so fully and absolutely as that he is every way the same with him in respect of his Essence and every way like him in respect of his Person so he is said to be the brightness of his Glory and the Character of his Person on that account This way went the Antients generally and of Modern Expositors very many as Calvin Brentius Marlorat Rollocus Gomarus Paraeus Estius Tena A Lapide Rihera and sundry others Some think that the Apostle speaks of him as Incarnate as he is declared in the Gospel or as preached to be the Image of the invisible God 2 Cor. 4.4 And these take three wayes in the Explication of the words and their Application of them unto him First Some affirm that their meaning is that whereas God is in himself infinite and incomprehensible so that we are not able to contemplate on his Excellencies but that we are overpowred in our minds with their Glory and Majesty he hath in Christ the Son as incarnate contemperated his infinite Love Power Goodness Grace Greatness and Holiness unto our Faith Love and Contemplation they all shining forth in him and being eminently expressed in him so Beza Secondly Some think that the Apostle pursues the Description that he was entered upon of the Kingly Office of Jesus Christ as Heir of all and that his being exalted in Glory unto Power Rule and Dominion expressing and representing therein the Person of his Father is intended in these words so Camero Thirdly Some refer these words to the Prophetical Office of Christ and say that he was the Brightness of Gods Glory c. by his revealing and declaring of the Will of God unto us which before was done darkly only and in shadows So the Socinians generally though Schlictingius refer the Words unto all that similitude which they fancy to have been between God and the man Christ Jesus whilest he was in the earth and therefore renders the Participle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not by the present but praeterimperfect tense who was that is whilest he was on the Earth though as he sayes not exclusively unto what he is now in Heaven I shall not examine in particular the Reasons that are alledged for these several Interpretations but only propose and confirm that sense of the place which on full and due consideration appears as agreeable unto the Analogie of Faith so expresly to answer the Design and intendment of the Apostle wherein also the unsoundness of the two last branches or wayes of applying the second Interpretation with the real coincidence of the first and first branch of the latter Exposition will be discovered To this End the following Positions are to be observed First It is not the direct and immediate design of the Apostle to treat absolutely of either Nature of Christ his Divine or Humane but only of his Person Hence though the things which he mentioneth and expresseth may some of them belong unto or be the Properties of his Divine Nature some of his Humane yet none of them are spoken of as such but are all considered as belonging unto his Person And this solves that difficulty which Chrysostom observes in the Words and strives to remove by a similitude namely that the Apostle doth not observe any Order or Method in speaking of the Divine and Humane Natures of Christ distinctly one after another but first speaks of the one then of the other and then returns again to the former and that frequently But the Truth is he intends not to speak directly and absolutely of either nature of Christ but treating ex professo of his Person some things that he mentions concerning him have a special Foundation in and respect unto his Divine Nature some in and unto his Humane as must every thing that is spoken of him And therefore the Method and Order of the Apostle is not to be enquired after in what relates in his expressions to this or that Nature of Christ but in the Progress that he makes in the description of his Person and Offices which alone he had undertaken Secondly That which the Apostle principally intends in and about the Person of Christ is to set forth his Dignity Preeminence and Exaltation above all and that not only consequentially to his discharge of the Office of Mediator
and consequently to be preferred above them do not at all prove that Solomon of whom they were spoken meerly as he was a Type should be esteemed to be preferred above all Angels seeing he did only represent him who was so and had these words spoken unto him not absolutely but with respect unto that Representation And this removes the fourth Objection made in the behalf of the first Interpretation excluding Solomon from being at all intended in the Prophecy for what was spoken of him as a Type required not a full accomplishment in his own person but only that he should represent him who was principally intended 5. That there is a two-fold Perpetuity mentioned in the Scripture the one limited and relative the other absolute and both these are applied unto the Kingdom of David First there was a Perpetuity promised unto him and his Posterity in the Kingdom as of the Priesthood to Aaron that is a limited perpetuity namely during the continuance of the typical state and condition of that People whilst they continued the Rule by right belonged unto the House of David There was also an absolute perpetuity promised to the Kingdom of David to be made good only in the Kingdom and Rule of the Messiah and both these kinds of Perpetuity are expressed in the same words giving their sense according as they are applied If applied to the successors of David as his Kingdom was a Type of that of Christ they denote the limited Perpetuity before mentioned as that which respected an Adjunct of the Typical state of that People that was to be regulated by it and commensurate unto it but as they were referred to the Kingdom of Christ represented in the other so an Absolute Perpetuity is expressed in them And this takes away the third Reason excluding Solomon from being intended in these words the Perpetuity promised being unto him limited and bounded These considerations being premised I say the words insisted on by the Apostle I will be unto him a Father and he shall be unto me a son belonged first and nextly unto Solomon denoting that fatherly Love Care and Protection that God would afford unto him in his Kingdom so far forth as Christ was represented by him therein which requires not that they must absolutely and in all just consequences from them belong unto the person of Solomon principally therefore they intend Christ himself expressing that eternal unchangeable Love which the Father bore unto him grounded on the Relation of Father and Son The Jews I confess of all others do see least of Typicalness in Solomon But the reason of it is because that his sin was the Occasion of ruining their carnal earthly Glory and Wealth which things alone they lust after But the thing was doubtless confessed by the Church of old with whom Paul had to do and therefore we see that the Writer of the Book of the Chronicles written after the return of the People from their Captivity when Solomon's line was failed and Zerubbabel of the house of Nathan was Governour amongst them yet records again this Promise as that which looked forward and was yet to receive its full accomplishment in the Lord Christ. And some of the Rabbins themselves tell us that Solomâ—â— because of his sin had only the name of peace God stirring up Adversaries against him the thing it self is to be looked for under Messiah Ben-david The allegation of these words by the Apostle being thus fully and at large vindicated I shall now briefly enquire into the sense and meaning of the words themselves It was before observed that they are not produced by the Apostle to prove the Natural Sonship of Jesus Christ nor do they signifie it nor were they urged by him to confirm directly and immediately that he is more excellent than the Angels of whom there is nothing spoken in them nor in the place from whence they are taken But the Apostle insists on this testimony meerly in confirmation of his former Argument for the preheminence of the Son above Angels taken from that more excellent Name which he obtained by inheritance which being the Name of the Son of God he hereby proves that indeed he was so called by God himself Thus then do these words confirm the intention of the Apostle For to which of the Angels said God at any time I will be to him a Father and he shall be to me a Son The words contain a great and signal priviledge they are spoken unto and concerning the Messiah and neither they nor any thing equivalent unto them were ever spoken of any Angel especially the Name of the Son of God so emphatically and in way of distinction from all others was never assigned unto any of them And this as hath been already shewed proves an Eminency and Preheminence in him above all that the Angels attain unto All this I say follows from the peculiar signal Appropriation of the Name of the Son of God unto him and his especial Relation unto God therein expressed Briefly we may adjoyn the intention of the words as in themselves considered and so complete the Exposition of them Now God promiseth in them to be unto the Lord Christ as exalted into his Throne a Father in love care power to protect and carry him on in his Rule unto the end of the world And therefore upon his Ascension he says that he went unto his God and Father Joh. 20.17 And he rules in the Name and Majesty of God Mic. 5.4 This is the importance of the words they intend not the Eternal and Natural Relation that is between the Father and Son which neither is nor can be the subject of any Promise but the Paternal care of God over Christ in his Kingdom and the dearness of Christ himself unto him If it be asked on what account God would thus be a Father unto Jesus Christ in this peculiar manner it must be answered that the radical fundamental cause of it lay in the Relation that was between them from his Eternal Generation but he manifested himself to be his Father and engaged to deal with him in the love and care of a Father as he had accomplished his work of Mediation on the Earth and was exalted unto his Throne and Rule in Heaven And this is the first Argument of the Apostle whereby he proves that the Son as the Revealer of the Mind and Will of God in the Gospel is made more excellent than the Angels whose Glory was a refuge to the Jews in their adherance to Legal Rites and Administrations even because they were given unto them by the Disposition of Angels According unto our proposed method we must in our progress draw hence also some Instructions for our own use and edification As 1. Every thing in the Scripture is instructive The Apostles arguing in this place is not so much from the thing spoken as from the manner wherein it is spoken even that also is highly Mysterious So are
the Fifth Opinion before mentioned referring the words to the coming of Christ at the General Day of Judgement and is unserviceable unto any of the rest But yet neither is this satisfactory for the Question is not whether it be any where recorded that the Angels worshipped Christ at his first Entrance into the World but whether the Lord Christ upon his Incarnation was not put into that condition wherein it was the Duty of all the Angels of God to worship him Now this being at least interpretative a Command of God and the Angels expresly alwayes doing his Will the thing it self is certain though no particular Instances of it be recorded Besides the Angels attendance on his Birth proclamation of his Nativity and celebrating the Glory of God on that account seem to have been a performance of that duty which they had received command for And this is allowed by those of the Antients who suppose that the second bringing of Christ into the world was upon his Nativity 3. They say that this bringing in of the first begotten into the world denotes a glorious Presenting of him in his Rule and enjoyment of his Inheritance But 1. This proves not that the Words must respect the coming of Christ unto Judgement to which End this Reason is insisted on because he was certainly proclaimed with Glory to be the Son Lord and Heir of all upon his Resurrection and by the first preaching of the Gospel And 2. No such thing indeed can be rightly deduced from the words The Expression signifies no more but an Introduction into the world a real bringing in without any intimation of the way or manner of it 4. It is argued in the behalf of the same Opinion from the Psalm from whence these words are taken that it is a Glorious Reign of Christ and his coming unto Judgement that is set forth therein and not his coming and abode in the state of Humiliation And this reason Camero affirms to prove undeniably that it is the coming of Christ unto Judgement that is intended But the Truth is the consideration of the scope of the Psalm doth quite reject the Opinion which is sought to be maintained by it For 1. v. 1. upon the Reign of the Lord therein set forth both Jews and Gentiles the Earth and the multitude of the Isles are called to rejoyce therein that is to receive delight in and be glad of the Salvation brought by the Lord Christ unto mankind which is not the Work of the last day 2. Idolaters are deterred from their Idolatry and exhorted to worship him v. 7. a duty incumbent on them before the day of Judgement 3. The Church is exhorted upon his Reign to abstain from sin and promised Deliverance from the wicked and oppressors all which things as they are unsuited unto his coming at the day of Judgement so they expresly belong unto the setting up of his Kingdom in this world And hereby it appears that that Opinion which indeed seems with any probability to assert a second coming of Christ into the world to be intended in these words is inconsistent with the scope of the place from whence the Testimony is taken and consequently the design of the Apostle himself The other Conjectures mentioned will easily be removed out of the way Unto that of the Antients assigning this bringing in of Christ into the world unto his Incarnation we say it is true but then that was his first bringing in and being supposed to be intended in this place the words can be no otherwise rendered but that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 again must be esteemed only an Intimation of the Citation of a new Testimony Neither can the Resurrection of the Lord Christ be assigned as the season of the Accomplishment of this word which was not indeed a bringing of him into the world but rather an Entrance into his leaving of it neither did he at his death leave the world utterly for though his Soul was separated from his Body yet his Body was not separated from his Person and therein he continued on the Earth The coming of Christ to Reign here on earth a 1000 years is if not a groundless Opinion yet so dubious uncertain as not to be admitted a place in the Analogy of Faith to regulate our interpretation of Scripture in places that may fairly admit of another Application The figment of the Socinians that the Lord Christ during the time of his forty days fast was taken into Heaven which they lay as a Supposition unto their Interpretation of this place I have else-where shewed to be Irrational Anti-scriptural Mahumetical and derogatory to the Honour of our Lord Jesus as he is the Eternal Son of God From what hath been spoken it is evident that the Trajection proposed may be allowed as it is by most of the Antient and Modern Translations And so the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 again relating unto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he saith denotes only the Introduction of a new proof and doth not intimate a second bringing in of the Lord Christ. And unto what hath already been spoken I shall only adde that such an intention in the words as hath been pleaded for would be so far from promoting the Apostles design that it would greatly weaken and impair it For the matter he had in hand was to prove the Preheminence of the Lord Christ above the Angels not absolutely but as he was the Revealer of the Gospel and if this was not so and proved to be so by this testimony whilst he was employed in that work in the world it is nothing at all to his purpose Having cleared this Difficulty and shewed that no Second Coming of Christ is intended in this word but only a new testimony to the same purpose with them foregoing produced the intention of the Apostle in his Prefatory Expression may be farther opened by considering what that world is whereunto the Father brought the Son with how and when he did so and the manner of it There are two Opinions about the World whereinto Christ is said to be brought by the Father the one is that of the Socinians asserted as by others of them so by Schliclingius in his Comment on this place and by Grotius after them in his Annotations 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Grotius est regio illa superna quae ab angelis habitatur ut ipse mox scriptor noster ad haec sua verba respiciens dicet cap. 2.5 It is saith he that Region above which is inhabited by the Angels that is intended and our Author declares as much in that respect which he hath to these words chap. 2.5 In like manner Schliclingius Per terram istam non esse intelligendam hanc quam mortales incolimus sed coelestem illam quam aliquando immortales affecti incolemus res ipsa D. autor sequenti capite v. 5. aperte declarat That is by the Earth not the Earth but the Heaven
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
The Apostle proceedeth to the farther confirmation of it in the same way and that by ballancing single Testimonies concerning the Nature and Offices of the Angels with some others concerning the same things in the Lord Christ of whom he treats And the first of these relating unto Angels he layes down in the next verse Verse 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There is not much of Difficulty in the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unto the Angels Syr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of or concerning the Angels 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is often used for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and on the contrary and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the Angels is as much as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of or concerning the Angels But as concerning the Angels or and of the Angels he saith for these words are not spoken unto the Angels as the following words are directly spoken unto the Son He is the Person as well spoken to as spoken of but so are not the Angels in the place from whence this Testimony is taken wherein the Holy Ghost only declareth the Providence of God concerning them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he saith that is God the Father saith or the Holy Ghost in the Scripture saith as was before observed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is Minister publicus a publick Minister or Agent from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Hesychius renders it publick He that is employed in any great and publick work is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hence of old Magistrates were termed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as they are by Paul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 13.4 The Ministers of God And Chap. 8. v. 2. of this Epistle he calls the Lord Jesus in respect of his Priestly Office 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the publick Minister of Holy Things and himself in respect of his Apostleship 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 15.16 A Minister of Jesus Christ. So the name is on this account aequipollent unto that of Angels For as that denoteth the Mission of those spirits unto their work so doth this their Employment therein This Testimony is taken from Psal. 104. v. 4. where the words are to the same purpose 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Translation now in the Greek is the same with that of the Apostle only for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a flame of fire some Copies have it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a flaming fire more express to the Original and the change probably was made in the Copies from this place of the Apostle Symmachus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a devouring Fire Verse 7. But unto of the Angels he saith who maketh his Angels Spirits and his Ministers a flame of fire or flaming fire The Apostle here entereth upon his Third Argument to prove the Preheminence of the Lord Christ above Angels and that by comparing them together either as to their Natures or as to their Employments according as the one and the other is set forth declared and testified unto in the Scriptures of the Old Testament And this first Place which he refers unto Angels we shall now explain and vindicate And in so doing enquire both Who they are of whom the Psalmist speaks and what it is that he affirmeth of them There is a threefold sense given of the words of the Psalmist as they lye in the Hebrew Text. 1. The First is that of the Modern Jews who deny that there is any mention made of Angels affirming the Subject that the Psalmist treats of to be the Winds with Thunder and Lightning which God employes as his Messengers and Ministers to accomplish his Will and Pleasure So he made the Winds his Messengers when he sent them to raise a storm on Jonah when he fled from his Presence and a flaming fire his Minister when by it he consumed Sodom and Gomorrah and this Opinion makes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which it interprets Winds and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a flaming fire to be the Subject of the Proposition of whom it is affirmed that God employes them as his Messengers and Ministers That this Opinion which is directly contradictory to the Authority of the Apostle is so also to the Design of the Psalmist sense of the Words Consent of the Antient Jews and so no way to be admitted shall afterwards be made to appear 2. Some averr that the Winds and Meteors are principally intended but yet so as that God affirming that he makes the Winds his Messengers doth also intimate that it is the Work and Employment of his Angels above to be his Messengers also and that because he maketh use of their Ministry to cause those Winds and Fires whereby he accomplisheth his Will And this they illustrate by the Fire and Winds caused by them on Mount Sinai at the giving of the Law But this Interpretation whatever is pretended to the contrary doth not really differ from the former denying Angels to be intentionally spoken of only hooking in a respect unto them not to be seen to contradict the Apostle and therefore will be disproved together with that which went before 3. Others grant that it is the Angels of whom the Apostle treats but as to the Interpretation of the words they are of two Opinions 1. Some make Spirits to be the subject of what is affirmed and Angels to be the Predicate In this sense God is said to make those spiritual Substances Inhabitants of Heaven his Messengers employing them in his service and them whose nature is a flaming fire that is the Seraphims to be his Ministers and to accomplish his pleasure And this way after Austin go many Expositors making the Term Angels here meerly to denote an Employment and not the Persons employed But as this Interpretation also takes off from the Efficacy and Evidence of the Apostles Argument so we shall see that there is nothing in the words themselves leading to the Embracement of it It remains therefore that it is the Angels that are here spoken of as also that they are intended and designed by that name which denotes their Persons and not their employment 1. That Angels are primarily intended by the Psalmist contrary to the first Opinion of the Modern Jews and the second mentioned leaning thereunto appears 1. From the scope and design of the Psalmist For designing to set out the Glory of God in his works of Creation and Providence after he had declared the framing of all things by his Power which come under the name of Heaven v. 2 3. before he proceeds to the Creation of the Earth passing over with Moses the creation of Angels or couching it with him under the production of Light or of the Heavens as they are called in Job he declareth his Providence and Soveraignty in employing his Angels between Heaven and Earth as his servants for the accomplishment of his pleasure Neither doth it at all suit
and to be wise to sobriety And the Rule of that Sobriety is given us for ever Deut. 29.28 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Secret things belong to the Lord our God but revealed things to us and our Children Divine Revelation is the Rule and measure of our knowledge in these things and that bounds and determines our sobriety And hence the Apostle condemning the Curiosity of men in this very subject about Angels makes the nature of their sin to consist in exceeding these bounds by an enquiry into things unrevealed and the rise of that evil to lye in Pride Vanity and Fleshliness and the tendency of it to be unto false Worship Superstition and Idolatry Col. 2.18 Neither is there any thing more averse from Right Reason nor more condemned by wise men of former times than a curious humour of prying into those things wherein we are not concerned and for whose investigation we have no certain honest lawful Rule or medium And this evil is encreased where God himself hath given bounds to our enquiries as in this case he hath 2. This alone will bring us unto any Certainty and Truth Whilest men indulge to their own imaginations and fancies as too many in this matter have been apt to do it is sad to consider how they have wandered up and down and with what fond Conceits they have deceived themselves and others The world hath been filled with monstrous Opinions and Doctrines about Angels their Nature Offices and Employments some have Worshipped them others pretended I know not what Communion and entercourse with them in all which conceits there hath been little of Truth and nothing at all of Certainty Whereas if men according to the Example of the Apostle would keep themselves to the word of God as they would know enough in this matter for the discharging of their own Duty so they would have Assurance and Evidence of Truth in their conceptions without which pretended high and raised notions are but a shadow of a dream worse then professed ignorance II. We may hence observe That the Glory Honour and Exaltation of Angels lyes in their subserviency to the Povidence of God It lyes not so much in their Nature as in their work and service The intention of the Apostle is to shew the Glory of Angels and their Exaltation which he doth by the induction of this Testimony reporting their serviceableness in the works wherein of God they are employed God hath endowed the Angels with a very Excellent Nature furnished them with many eminent properties of Wisdom Power Agility Perpetuity but yet what is hereby glorious and honourable herein consists not meerly in their nature it self and its Essential Properties all which abide in the horridest and most to be detested Part of the whole Creation namely the Devils but in their conformity and answerableness unto the Mind and Will of God that is in their moral not meerly natural Endowments These make them amiable glorious excellent Unto this their Readiness for and compliance with the will of God that God having made them for his service and employing them in his work their discharge of their Duty therein with Cheerfulness Alacrity Readiness and Ability is that which renders them truly honourable and glorious Their Readiness and Ability to serve the Providence of God is their Glory For 1. The greatest Glory that any Creature can be made partaker of is to serve the Will and set forth the Praise of its Creator That is its Order and Tendency towards its Principal End in which two all true Honour consists It is glorious even in the Angels to serve the God of Glory what is there above this for a creature to aspire unto what that its nature is capable of Those among the Angels who as it seems attempted somewhat farther somewhat higher attained nothing but an endless Ruine in shame and misery Men are ready to fancy strange things about the Glory of Angels and do little consider that all the difference in Glory that is in any parts of Gods Creation lyes meerly in Willingness Ability and Readiness to serve God their Creator 2. The works wherein God employes them in a subservience unto his Providence are in an especial manner glorious works For the service of Angels as it is intimated unto us in the Scripture it may be reduced unto two Heads For they are employed either in the communication of Protection and Blessings to the Church or in the Execution of the Vengeance and Judgements of God against his Enemies Instances to both these purposes may be multiplyed but they are commonly known Now these are glorious works God in them eminently exalts his Mercy and Justice the two properties of his Nature in the Execution whereof he is most eminently exalted and from these works ariseth all that Revenue of Glory and Praise which God is pleased to reserve to himself from the world so that it must needs be very honourable to be employed in these works 3. They perform their Duty in their service in a very glorious manner with great Power Wisdom and uncontroulable Efficacy Thus one of them flew 145000. of the Enemies of God in a night Another set fire on Sodom and Gomorrah from Heaven of the like Power and Expedition are they in all their services in all things to the utmost capacity of creatures answering the Will of God God himself it is true sees that in them and their Works which keeps them short of absolute Purity and Perfection which are his own Properties but as to the capacity of meer Creatures and for their state and condition there is a perfection in their Obedience and that is their Glory Now if this be the great Glory of Angels and we poor worms of the earth are invited as we are into a Participation with them therein what unspeakable folly will it be in us if we be found negligent in labouring to attain thereunto Our future Glory consists in this that we shall be made like unto Angels and our Way towards it is to do the Will of our Father on Earth as it is done by them in Heaven Oh in how many Vanities doth vain man place his Glory nothing so shamefull that one or other hath not gloried in whilest the true and only glory of doing the will of God is neglected by almost all But we must treat again of these things upon the last Verse of this Chapter Verse VIII IX HAving given an Account of what the Scripture teacheth and testifieth concerning Angels in the following Verses He sheweth how much other things and far more glorious are spoken to and of the Son by whom God revealed his will in the Gospel Ver. 8 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But unto the Son Syr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but of the Son he saith which is necessarily supplyed as to the Apostles design In the Psalm the words are spoken by way of Apostrophe to the Son and they are recited by
the Apostle as spoken of him that is so spoken to him as to continue a Description of him and his State or Kingdom 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal. 45.7 is the place from whence the words are taken 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The LXX render these words as the Apostle Aquila 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thy Throne O God for ever and yet Symmachus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thy Throne O God is everlasting and yet and that because it is not said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 absolutely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as in the Translation of Aquila 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a Kingly Throne nor is it ever used in Scripture for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Common Seat Metonymically it is used for Power and Government and that frequently The LXX almost constantly render it by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Athenae lib. 5. A free open Seat with a Foot-stool And such a Throne is here properly assigned unto the Lord Christ mention of his Foot-stool being immediately subjoyned So God says of himself Heaven is my Throne and the Earth is my Foot-stool as the Heathen termed Heaven 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Throne of God Thy Throne O God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In seculum usque in sempiternum perpetuo in seculum seculorum The Duration denoted by the conjunction of both these words is mostly an absolute perpetuity and a certain uninterrupted continuance where the subject spoken of admits a limitation Many of the Greek Interpreters render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 attending to the sound rather than the use and signification of the word so is yet in our language This we express by For ever and ever 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the variation of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the first place before mentioned takes off from the Elegancy of the Expression and darkens the sense for the Article prefixed to the last 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 declares that to be the subject of the Proposition The words of the Psalmist are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Shelet is Virga and Sceptrum and in this place is rendred by Aquila 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Rod a Staff a Scepter always a Scepter when referred to Rule as in this place it is called the Scepter of the Kingdom A Scepter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rectus fuit to be right streight upright principally in a moral sense 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Uprightness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is properly such a Rectitude as we call streight opposed to crooked and Metaphorically only is it used for moral uprightness that is Equity and Righteousness Syr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Boderianus Sceptrum erectum a Scepter listed up or held upright The Paris Edition Sceptrum protensum a Scepter stretched out and the stretching out of the Scepter was a sign and token of mercy Esth. 5.2 Tremelius Virga recta which answers mischor in both its acceptations Erpenius to the same purpose Sceptrum rectum a right Scepter Thou hast loved Righteousness and hated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iniquity Unrighteousness Wickedness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 propterea propter quod quare ideo idcirco Wherefore for which cause Some copies of the LXX and Aquila read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seems to have been taken into the LXX from this rendring of the words by the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God thy God hath anointed thee The words in Greek and Hebrew are those from whence the Names of Christ and Messiah are taken which are of the same importance and signification the Anointed one And the same is expressed by the Targumist Aquila 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hath anointed thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Instrument in doing of the thing intended expressed by the Accusative Case whereof there are other instances in that Language Of old the LXX read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with the Oil of delight or Ornament so that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 came also into the Greek Version from this place of the Apostle and is more proper than the old reading the Oil of rejoycing Joy or Gladness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 before or above those that partake with thee Thy fellows or companions so Symmachus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vers. 8 9. But unto the Son he saith Thy Throne O God is for ever the Scepter of thy Kingdom is a Scepter of Righteousness Thou hast loved Righteousness and hated Iniquity wherefore God thy God hath anointed thee with the Oil of gladness above thy fellows This testimony is produced by the Apostle in answer unto that fore-going concerning Angels Those words saith he were spoken by the Holy Ghost of the Angels wherein their Office and Employment under the Providence of God is described These are spoken by the same Spirit of the Son or spoken to him denoting his Praeexistence unto the Prophesies themselves There is little or no difficulty to prove that this Testimony belongs properly unto him by whom it is applied by the Apostle The antient Jews granted it and the present Doctors cannot deny it One of them sayes indeed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this Psalm is spoken of David or the Messiah These are the words and this is the opinion of Aben-Ezra who accordingly endeavours to give a double sense of the chief passages in this Psalm one as applied unto David another as applied unto the Messiah which he enclines unto Jarchi turns it into an Allegory without any tollerable sense throughout his discourse But though it might respect them both yet there is no pretence to make David the subject of it the Title and whole Contexture of it excluding such an Application The Targum wholly applies the Psalm to the Messiah which is somewhat a better evidence of the Conception of the antient Jews than the private Opinion of any later Writer can give us And the Title of the Psalm in that Paraphrase would make it a Prophesie given out in the days of Moses for the use of the Sanedrin which manifests what account it had of old in their Creed concerning the Messiah Some Christian Interpreters have so far assented unto the latter Rabbins as to grant that Solomon was primarily intended in this Psalm as a Type of Christ and that the whole was an Epithalamium or Marriage-song composed upon his Nuptials with the Daughter of Pharaoh But there want not important Reasons against this Opinion For 1. It is not probable that the Holy Ghost should so celebrate that Marriage which as it was antecedently forbidden by God so it was never consequently blessed by him she being among the number of those strange women which tuâ—ned his heart from God and was cursed with barrenness the first forreign breach that came upon his Family and all
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the beginning And our Translation needed not to have used any difference of expression in the Psalm and this place of the Apostle as they do there of old here in the beginning Thou hast founded not laid the foundation of the earth And the heavens are the works 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the work which the Greek renders works because of their variety of thy hands They shall perish 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but thou shalt stand or dost abide The word used in our Translation of the Psalm endure doth ill answer the Original but the margin gives relief Psal. Yea all of them shall wax old like a garment here And they shall all wax old as doth a garment A little variety without difference and that needless the Greek Text exactly expressing the Hebrew And as a vesture shalt thou fold them up 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shalt thou change them The change of a vesture whereunto the change of the Heavens is compared being by folding up and laying aside at least from former use the Apostle instead of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou shalt change renders the word by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou shall fold or roll them up 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tu ipse and thou art he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and thy years shall have no end shall not fail 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall not consume There is no question but that these words do sufficiently prove the Preheminence of him of whom they are spoken incomparably above all Creatures what ever Two things therefore are questioned by the Enemies of the Truth contained in them 1. Whether they were originally spoken at all of Christ which the present Jews deny 2. Whether they are spoken all of Christ which is questioned by the Socinians These Enquiries being first satisfied the words shall be opened and the force of the Apostles Argument from thence declared 1. That what is spoken in this Psalm doth properly respect the Messiah is denied by the present Jews That it was owned by the antient Hebrews is sufficiently evident from hence that the Apostle dealing with them on their own Principles urgeth them with the testimony of it The Psalm also it self-gives us light enough into the same instruction It is partly Euctical partly Prophetical both parts suited unto the condition of the Church when the Temple was wasted and Sion lay in the dust during the Babylonish Captivity In the Prophetical part there are three things signal 1. The Redemption of the people with the Re-edification of the Temple as a Type of that Spiritual Temple and Worship which was afterwards to be erected As v. 13. Thou shalt arise and have mercy upon Sion for the time to favour her yea the set time is come And v. 16. When the Lord shall build Sion he shall appear in his glory 2. The Calling of the Gentiles to the Church and Worship of God v. 15. The Heathen shall fear the name of the Lord and all the Kings of the earth thy glory V. 21 22. To declare the name of the Lord in Sion and his praise in Jerusalem when the people are gathered together and the kingdoms to serve the Lord. 3. Hereby the creation of a new people a new world is brought in v. 18. This shall be written for the generation to come the world to come and the people that shall be created the new creation of Jews and Gentiles shall praise the Lord. These are the heads of the Prophetical part of the Psalm and they all respect things every where peculiarly assigned unto the Son who was to be incarnate or the days of the Messiah which is all one For 1. The Redemption and deliverance of the Church out of trouble is his proper work Where ever it is mentioned it is he who is intended Psal. 98.18 so signally Zech. 2.8 9 10 11 12 13. and other places innumerable 2. The bringing in of the Gentiles is acknowledged by all the Jews to respect the time of the Messiah it being he who was to be a light unto the Gentiles and the salvation of God unto the ends of the earth 3. Also the Generation to come and people to be created the Jews themselves interpret of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 world to come or the new state of the Church under the Messiah These two last put together the gathering of the people and the world to come created for the praise of God makes it evident that it is the Son whom the Psalmist hath respect unto Grotius in this place affirms that the Apostle accommodates unto the Messiah what was spoken of God And he thinks it a sufficient argument to prove the words were not spoken of the Messiah because they were spoken of God whereas they are produced by the Apostle to prove his Excellency from the properties and works of his Divine Nature And he addes as the sense of the words as accommodated unto Christ Thou hast laid the foundation of the earth that is the world was made for thy sake But this Interpretation or violent detortion of the words destroys it self For if they are spoken of God absolutely and not of the Messiah to whom they are accommodated how can it be said that the world was made for his sake and not by him both senses of the words cannot be true But this is indeed plainly to deny the Authority of the Apostle It appeareth then that many things in this Psalm are spoken directly and immediately of the Son though it be probable also that sundry things in it are affirmed distinctly of the Person of the Father And hence it may be are those frequent variations of speech from the Second to the Third Person that occur in this Psalm 2. As to the second Enquiry the Socinians who grant the Divine Authority of this Epistle and therefore cannot deny but that these words some way or other belong unto the Lord Christ yet plainly perceiving that if they are wholly understood of him that there is an end of all their Religion the creation not of a new but of that world which was made of old and which shall perish at the last day being here ascribed unto him fix here upon a new and peculiar Evasion Some words they say of this testimony belong unto Christ so much they will yield to the authority of the Apostle but not all of them whereby they hope to secure their own errour Now because if this pretence hold not this testimony is fatal to their perswasion I hope it will not be unacceptable if in our passage we do consider the distribution they make of the words according to their supposition and the Arguments they produce for the confirmation of their Exposition as they are managed by Crellius or Schlictingius in their Comment on this place 1. He says that this testimony doth so far belong unto Christ as it pertaineth unto the scope of the
Writer of the Epistle This Scripture saith he as appears from v. 4. is to prove that after Christ sate down at the right hand of God he was made more excellent than the Angels whereto the affirming that he made heaven and earth doth no way conduce Answ. 1. Suppose that to be the scope of the Apostle which is intimated how doth this Author know that it suits not his purpose to shew that the Lord Christ is God by whom Heaven and Earth were made seeing it is manifest that himself thought otherwise or he had not produced this testimony thereof 2. The Testimony is not unsuited unto the scope pretended For whereas in the Administration of his Office the Son was apparently for a while made lower than the Angels he may in these words discover the equity of his after Exaltation above them in that in his Divine Nature and Works he was so much more excellent than they 3. The true and proper design of the Apostle we have before evinced which is to prove the Excellency of the Person by whom the Gospel was revealed and his Preheminence above Men and Angels which nothing doth more unquestionably demonstrate than this that by him the world was created whence the Assignation of a Divine Nature unto him doth undeniably ensue 2. To promote this Observation he addes a large discourse about the use and application of testimonies out of the Old Testament in the New and says That they are made use of by the writers of it either because of some agreement and likeness between the things intended in the one and the other or because of some subordination In the former way that which is spoken of the Type is applied unto the Anti-type and sometimes for likeness sake that which was spoken of one thing is applied unto another as Matth. 15.7 8. our Saviour applies those words of Isaiah to the present Jews which were spoken of their fore-fathers Answ. That which is spoken in the first place of an instituted Type is also spoken of the Anti-type or things pre-figured by it so far as it is represented by the Type so that one thing teaches another and thereon the words have a double application first to the Type ultimately to the Anti-type But herein such testimonies as this have no concernment 2. The Scripture sometimes makes use of Allegories illustrating one thing by another as Gal. 4.21 22 23 24. Neither hath this any place here 3. That what is spoken of one should because of some similitude be affirmed to be spoken of another and nothing agree properly unto him is untrue and not to be exemplified with any seeming instance 4. The words of Isaiah chap. 29.13 which our Saviour makes use of Matth. 15.7 8 9. were a Prophesie of the Jews who then lived as both our Saviour expresly affirms and the Context in the Prophet doth plainly declare Some things he addes Are applied unto others than they are spoken of because of their subordination to him or them of whom they are spoken Thus things that are spoken of God are applied unto Christ because of his subordination to him and of this saith he we have an instance in Acts 13.47 where the words spoken of the Lord Christ Isa. 49.6 I have set thee to be a light to the Gentiles that thou shouldest be for salvation to the ends of the earth are applied unto the Apostles because of their subordination unto Christ. And in this case the words have but one sense and belong primarily unto him of whom they are first spoken and are secondarily applied unto the other Answ. According to this Rule there is nothing that ever was spoken of God but it may be spoken of and applied unto any of his Creatures All things being in subordination unto him At least it may be so in that wherein they act under him and are in a peculiar subordination to him And yet neither can such a subordination according to this mans Opinion be applied unto Christ who in the Creation of Heaven and Earth was in no other subordination to God than any other things not yet made or existing so that this Rule that what is spoken of God is applied unto them who are in subordination unto him as it is false in it self so it is no way suited to the present business Christ being in this man's judgment in no subordination to God when the world was made being absolutely in all respects in the condition of things that were not Nor doth the instance given at all prove or illustrate what is pretended The Apostle in the citing of those words to the Jews doth not in the least apply them to himself but only declares the ground of his going to preach the Gospel unto the Gentiles which was that God had promised to make Him whom he preached to be a Light and to bring salvation unto them also Wherefore he addes 3. what is direct to his pretension That all the words or things signified by them in any testimony which are firstly spoken of one and then are for some of the causes mentioned that is conveniency similitude or subordination applied unto another are not to be looked on as proper to him to whom they are so applied but so much of them is to be admitted as agrees to the scope of him by whom the testimony is used as in the testimony produced v. 7. I will be unto him a Father and he shall be to me a Son the words immediately following are If he shall offend against me I will chastise him with the rod of men which words being spoken of Solomon can no way be applied unto Christ. Answ. What is spoken of any Type and of Christ jointly is not so spoken for any natural conveniency similitude or subordination but because of Gods institution appointing the Type so to represent and shadow out the Lord Christ that what he would teach concerning him should be spoken of the Type whereby he was represented Now no person that was appointed to be a Type of that being in all things a Type it is not necessary that what ever was spoken of him was also spoken of Christ but only what was spoken of him under that formal consideration of an instituted Type This we shewed the case to have been with Solomon of whom the words mentioned were spoken as he bare the Person of Christ Other things being added in the same place that belonged unto him in his own personally moral capacity And therefore those things as that if he offend against me are not at all mentioned by the Apostle as not being spoken of him as a Type And this plainly over-throws the pretension of our Commentator For if the Apostle would not produce the very next words to the testimony by by him brought because they did not belong unto him of whom he spake it proves undeniably that all those which he doth so urge and produce were properly spoken of him And I cannot reach the strength
of this inference because in a place where all that was spoken was not spoken of Christ the Apostle makes use of what was so spoken of him and omits that which was not therefore of that which he doth produce in the next place somewhat does belong to him and somewhat does not If any thing be offered to this purpose it must be in an instance of a testimony produced in the words whereof which are produced and not in what may follow in the same Chapter and Psalm there is that affirmed which doth now no more belong unto Christ than the making of heaven or earth belongeth to this Writer which is the case in hand Having premised these general considerations he makes Application of them in particular to his Interpretation of this Testimony used by the Apostle These words saith he being first expresly spoken of God and here by this Writer referred unto Christ we must consider what in them makes to his scope and purpose what is agreeable to the nature and condition of Christ who certainly was a man and such certainly is not He which the Psalm speaks of about the Creation of heaven and earth And this was well known to them with whom the Apostle had to do But any one may perceive that these things are spoken gratis and upon the supposition that Christ was a meer Man and not God by Nature When the words themselves ascribing a prae-existence to the World and Omnipotency unto him do prove the contrary What is the scope of the Apostle in the whole discourse under consideration hath been shewed as also how directly this whole Testimony tends to the proof of what he had proposed It is true that the words are spoken of him who is God but no less true the Apostle being judge that it is the Son of God who is that God It is true that he also was Man and nothing is ascribed unto him but what belongs unto him who was Man but not as he was man And such was the Creation of Heaven and Earth The opinion of these men is that whereas two things are mentioned in the words the Creation of the world which was past and the dissolution or destruction of it which was to come that the latter is assigned unto Christ but not the former and for this division of the words which confessedly is not in the least intimated by the Apostle he gives these reasons 1. All the words of the Psalm being manifestly spoken of the high God and no word in the Psalm declaring Christ to be that God yet of necessity if these words be applied unto Christ he must be supposed to be the high God there spoken of But if this Divine Writer had taken this for granted he had been eminently foolish to go about to prove by Arguments and Testimonies that the Creator does excel all creatures He should use in a matter no way doubtful witnesses no way necessary This is the first Reason whereby he would prove that the Apostle did not apply the words to Christ though himself say plainly that he does for his Preface to them is But to the Son he said Or that if he doth so he doth it wondrous foolishly for such liberty do poor worms take to themselves That the Psalm so speaketh of the high God that it directly and peculiarly intends Christ the Son of God hath been in part declared and shall farther afterwards be evinced And the Elogium in these words given unto him proves him to be so And though he affirm that it was a foolish thing in the Apostle to prove from the works of him that is God that he is above the Angels the most glorious of made creatures yet God himself most frequently from these his works his Omniscience Omnipresence and other Attributes declared in them proves his excellency in comparison of Idols which have no existence but in the imagination of men See Isa. 41.20 21 c. By this testimony then the Holy Ghost with infinite Wisdom proves that he who was made less for a little while than the Angels in one respect was absolutely and in his own person infinitely above them as being the Creator of Heaven and Earth He addes Secondly Those Hebrews to whom he wrote were either perswaded that Christ was God the Creator of Heaven and Earth or they were not if they were what need of all these Arguments and Testimonies one word might have dispatched this whole controversie by affirming that Christ was the Creator Angels creatures between whom there could be no comparison nor any reason to fear that the Law given by the Administration of Angels should be preferred to the Gospel whereof he was the Author if we shall say the latter that they did not yet believe it how do we suppose that he takes a great deal of pains to little purpose for he assures and takes for granted that that was true which was alone in question What need He then to prove by so many Arguments that Christ was more excellent than the Angels and to take that for granted which would have put it out of question namely that he was God who made heaven and earth Answ. This Dilemma hath as much force against the other testimonies produced in this Chapter or else-where by the Apostle as it hath against this so that the using of it doth scarce argue that Reverence to the Holy Word of God which is required of us But the truth is grant whether of the suppositions you please nothing of inconveniency as unto the Apostles argumentation will ensue Let it be granted that they did believe and that expresly Christ to be God Have Believers no need to have their faith confirmed by testimonies out of the Word that may not so readily occur to themselves Have they no need to be strengthned in the faith especially in such points as were in those days greatly opposed as was this of the Eternal Glory of the Messiah concerning which the believing Hebrews had to do with learned and stubborn Adversaries continually And if the Apostle might have ended the whole controversie by plainly affirming that he was the Creator of all things and the Angels creatures might he not as well have ended the dispute about his Preheminence above Angels with one word without citing so many testimonies to prove it But had he then unfolded the mysteries of the Old Testament to the Hebrews which was his design Had he manifested that he taught nothing but what was before revealed though obscurely to Moses and the Prophets which he aimed to do thereby to strengthen and confirm in the faith those that did believe and convince gain-sayers Again suppose some of them to whom he wrote did not yet expresly believe the Deity of Christ as the Apostles themselves did not for a while believe his Resurrection could any more convincing way be fixed on to perswade them thereunto than by minding them of those testimonies of the Old Testament wherein the Attributes
and Works of God are ascribed unto him Nor was it now in question whether Christ was God or no but whether he were more Excellent than the Angels that gave the Law And what more effectual course could be taken to put an end to that Enquiry than by proving that he made the Heaven and Earth that is producing a testimony wherein the creation of all things is assigned unto him is beyond the wisdom of man to invent 3. He addes That Christ might be spoken of in this place either in respect of his Human◠Nature or of his Divine if of the former to what end should he make mention of the creation of Heaven and Earth Christ as a man and as made above the Angels made not Heaven and Earth If as God how could he be said to be made above the Angels But the answer is easie Christ is said to be made above and more excellent than the Angels neither absolutely as God nor absolutely as man but as he was God-Man the Mediator between God and man in which respect as Mediator for the discharge of one part of his Office he was a little while made lower than they and so the Creation of Heaven and earth does demonstrate the Dignity of his Person and the Equity of his being made more excellent than the Angels in his Office And this fully removes his following exceptions that the remembring of his Deity could be no argument to prove that the Humanity was exalted above the Angels for it is not an argument of the Exaltation of his Humanity but the demonstration of the Excellency of his Person that the Apostle hath in hand 4. He alledgeth That it is contrary to the perpetual use of the Scripture to affirm absolutely of Christ that he created any thing When any creation is ascribed unto him it is still applied to him as the immediate cause and said to be made by him or in him he is no where absolutely said to create And if he created the world why did not Moses as plainly attribute that unto him as the Writers of the New Testament do the new Creation Answ. Were it affirmed in this only place that Christ made all things yet the words being plain and evident and the thing it self agreeable to the Scripture in other places and not repugnant to any testimony therein contained there is no pretence for them who truly reverence the Wisdom and Authority of the Holy Ghost in the Word to deny the words to be spoken properly and directly Nor if we may take that course will there be any thing left sacred and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Scripture Besides we have shewed already the vanity of that distinction of God's making things by Christ as though it denoted any subordination in causality nor will the Socinians themselves admit of any such thing but confute that notion in the Arians But this is not the only place wherein it is affirmed that Christ made all things that are in the Heaven and the Earth Joh. 1.1 2. Col. 1.16 v. 3. of this Chapter with sundry other places affirm the same For what they exact of Moses did we not believe that God knew what Revelation of himself became that dark dispensation better than they we might consider it But yet there are even in Moses himself many and his Expositors the Prophets more Testimonies of the Creation of the world by the Word that is the Son of God which have elsewhere been opened and vindicated 5. He concludes That the Order and Method of the Apostles procedure do evince that this Creation of Heaven and Earth is not attributed unto him For we see that he proves the excellency of Christ above Angels from his name that he is by the way of eminency called the Son of God and then he proceeds to his adoration by Angels and in the third place he goes on to the Kingly Honour and Throne of Christ after which he produceth the testimony we insist upon and then adds the end of that Kingdom which Christ now administreth in the Earth to what end in this discourse should he mention the Creation of Heaven and Earth when if that be omitted all the series of the discourse agrees and hangs well together For having declared the Kingdom of Christ with the continuance of his person for ever he asserts an eminent effect of the Kingdom in the abolition of Heaven and Earth and then the end of that Kingdom it self But this Analysis of the Apostles discourse agreeth not to the mind of the Apostle or his Design in the place nor to the Principles of the men that formed it nor is indeed any thing but vain words to perswade us that the Apostle did not say that which he did say and which is written for our instruction It is not first agreeable to their own Principles For it placeth the naming of Christ the Son of God and his Adoration by the Angels as antecedent to his being raised to his Kingly Throne both which especially the latter they constantly make consequent unto it and effects of it Nor is it at all agreeable to the Apostles design which is not to prove by these Testimonies directly that Christ was exalted above Angels but to shew the Dignity and Excellency of his person who was so exalted and how reasonable it is that it should be so which is eminently proved by the Testimonie under consideration For the proof of this Excellency the Apostle produceth those Testimonies that are given unto him in the Old Testament and that as to his Name his Honour and Glory and his Works in this place Neither is there any Reason of ascribing the Destruction of Heaven and Earth unto the Kingly Power of Christ excluding his Divine Power in their Creation for the Abolition of the world if such it is to be or the change of it is no less an effect of Infinite Power than the Creation of it nor doth it directly appertain to the Kingdom of Christ but by accident as do other works of the Providence of God These Exceptions then being removed before we proceed to the Interpretation of the words we shall see what Evidence may be added unto what we have already offered from the Psalm to evince and prove that this whole Testimony doth belong unto him which were there no other as there are very many Testimonies to this purpose were abundantly sufficient to determine this Controversie 1. We have the Authority of the Apostle for it ascribing it unto him the word And in the beginning of the Verse relates confessedly unto but unto the Son he saith v. 8. as if he had said but unto the Son he saith thy Throne O God is for ever and ever and to the Son he said Thou O God in the beginning hast founded the earth Again the whole Testimony speaks of the same person there being no colour of thrusting another person into the Text not intended in the beginning so that if any
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the beginning or as the word is here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of old before they were or existed They had their being and beginning from thee of old they were not but in thy season thou gavest Existence or being unto them Verse 10. Thou hast laid the foundation of the Earth and the Heavens are the works of thy hands TWo things are observable in this Expression of the Creation of all things 1. The Distribution made of them into Heaven and Earth being distinctly mentioned In the consideration of the works of God to admire his Greatness Power and Wisdom in them or to set forth his praise for them it is usual in the Scripture to distribute them into parts the more to fix the Contemplation of the mind upon them and to excite it unto Faith Admiration and Praise So dealeth the Psalmist with the works of Gods Providence in bringing the Children of Israel out of Aegypt Psal. 136. He takes as it were that whole curious work into its several pieces and subjoyns that Inference of praise to every one of them for his mercy endureth for ever And so he dealeth with the works of Creation Psal. 19. and in sundry other places 2. What is peculiar in the Expressions with respect unto each of them Of the Earth it is said he founded it because of its stability and unmoveableness which is the Language of the Scripture He set it fast he established it that it should not be moved for ever It may be also the whole Fabrick of Heaven and Earth is compared to an Aedifice or Building whereof the Earth as the lowest and most depressed part is looked on as the Foundation of the whole but the stability unmoveableness and firmness of it is that which the word expresseth and which is most properly intended 2. Of the Heavens that they are the Works of his hands alluding to the curious frame and garnishing of them with all their Host or Glorious Lights wherewith they are adorned The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Job 26.13 the beautifulness adorning or garnishing of the Heavens in the Curious Glorious forming and fashioning of them is that which in a way of Distinction the Psalmist aims to express in these words the Heavens are the works of thy hands that which thy Hands thy Power with infinite Wisdom hath framed so as to set off and give lustre and beauty to the whole Fabrick as a Master-Workman doth the upper and more noble parts of his building This is the first thing assigned to the Lord in this Testimony of his Glory The second is in the Change or Abolition of them Most suppose that the Heavens and the Earth at the last day shall only be changed altered or renewed as to their quality and beauty some that they shall be utterly destroyed consumed and abolished The discussing of that doubt belongs not directly to the Interpretation or Exposition of this place neither sense of the words conducing particularly to the Apostles purpose and design in reciting this Testimony It is enough to his Argument that the work which was of old in the Creation of the world and that which shall be in the mutation or abolition of it which is no less an effect of Infinite Power then the former is ascribed unto the Lord Christ. What ever the work be he compares them to a Garment no more to be used or at least not to be used in the same kind wherein it was before and the work it self to the folding up or rolling up of such a garment intimating the Greatness of him by whom this work shall be performed and the facility of the work unto him The whole Creation is as a Garment wherein he shews his Power cloathed unto men Whence in particular he is said to cloath himself with Light as with a Garment And in it is the hiding of his power hid it is as a man is hid with a garment not that he should not be seen at all but that he should not be seen perfectly and as he is it shews the man and he is known by it but also it hides him that he is not perfectly or fully seen So are the works of Creation unto God he so far makes them his garment or cloathing as in them to give out some instances of his Power and Wisdom but He is also hid in them in that by them no creatures can come to the full and perfect knowledge of him Now when this work shall cease and God shall uncloath or unvail all his glory to his Saints and they shall know him perfectly see him as he is so far as a created nature is capable of that comprehension then will he lay them aside and fold them up at least as to that use as easily as a man layes aside a garment that he will wear or use no more This lyes in the Metaphor On this Assertion he insinuates a Comparison between this glorious fabrick of Heaven and Earth and him that made them as to Durableness and Stability which is the thing he treats about complaining of his own misery or mortality For the Heavens and the Earth he declares that they are in themselves of a flux and perishing nature 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 isti they shall perish The word immediately relates to the Heavens but by the figure Zeugma comprehends and takes in the Earth also the Earth and the Heavens shall perish This fading nature of the fabrick of Heaven and Earth with all things contained in them he sets forth First By their future End they shall perish Secondly Their tendency unto that end they wax old as a garment By their perishing the most understand their perishing to their present condition and use in that Alteration or change that shall be made of them Others their utter Abolition And to say the truth it were very hard to suppose that an Alteration only and that to the better a change into a more glorious condition should be thus expressed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that word as the Greek also being alwayes used in the worst sense for a perishing by a total Destruction Their tendency unto this condition is their waxing old as a garment Two things may be denoted in this Expression 1. The gradual Decay of the Heavens and Earth waxing old worse and decaying in their worth and use 2. A near Approximation or drawing nigh to their End and Period In this sense the Apostle in this Epistle affirms that the Dispensation of the Covenant which established the Judaical Worship and Ceremonies did wax old and decay Chap. 8.13 Not that it had lost any thing of its first Vigour Power and Efficacy before its Abolition The strict Observation of all the Institutions of it by our Saviour himself manifests its Power and Obligation to have continued in its full force And this was typified by the continuance of Moses in his full strength
and vigour untill the very day of his death But he sayes it was old and decayed when it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 near to a disappearance to its End Period and an utter uselesness as then it was even as all things that naturally tend to an end do it by Age and decayes And in this not the former sense are the Heavens and Earth said to wax old because of their tendency to that period which either in themselves or as to their use they shall receive which is sufficient to manifest them to be of a changeable perishing nature And it may be that it shall be with these Heavens and Earth at the last day as it was with the Heavens and Earth of Judaical Institutions for so are they frequently called especially when their dissolution or abolition is spoken of in the day of Gods creating the new Heavens and the Earth in the Gospel according to his promise For though the use of them and their power of obliging to their Observation was taken away and abolished yet are they kept in the world as abiding monuments of the Goodness and Wisdom of God in teaching his Church of old So may it be with the Heavens and Earth of the old creation though they shall be laid aside at the last day from their use as a Garment to cloath and teach the Power and Wisdom of God to men yet may they be preserved as eternal monuments of them In opposition hereunto it is said of Christ that he abideth he is the same and his years fail not One and the same thing is intended in all these Expressions even his Eternal and absolutely immutable Existence Eternity is not amiss called a nunc stans a present existence wherein or whereunto nothing is past or future it being alwayes wholly present in and to its self This is expressed in that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou standest abidest endurest alterest not changest not The same is also expressed in the next words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou art he or art the same or as the Syriack hath it the same that thou art There is an Allusion in these words unto if not an expression of that name of God I am that is who is of himself in himself alwayes absolutely and unchangeably the same And this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tu ipse the Hebrews reckon as a distinct name of God Indeed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are all the same name of God expressing his Eternal and immutable self-subsistence The last Expression also though Metaphorical is of the same importance Thy years fail not He who is the same Eternally properly hath no years which are a measure of transient time denoting its Duration Beginning and Ending This is the measure of the world and all things contained therein Their Continuance is reckoned by years To shew the Eternal subsistence of God in Opposition to the frailty of the world and all things created therein it is said his years fail not that is theirs do and come to an end of his Being and Existence there is none How the Apostle proves his Intendment by this Testimony hath been declared in the opening of the words and the force of it unto his purpose lyes open to all we may now divert unto those Doctrinal Observations which the words offer unto us As I. All the Properties of God considered in the Person of the Son the head of the Church are suited to give Relief Consolation and supportment unto Believers in all their distresses This Truth presents it self unto us from the use of the words in the Psalm and their Connection in the design of the Psalmist Under the consideration of his own mortality and frailty he relieves himself with thoughts of the Omnipotency and Eternity of Christ and takes Arguments from thence to plead for relief And this may a little further be unfolded for our use in the ensuing Observations 1. The Properties of God are those whereby God makes known himself to us and declares both what he is and what we shall find him to be in all that we have to deal with him He is infinitely Holy Just Wise Good Powerful c. And by our Apprehension of these things are we lead to that Acquaintance with the Nature of God which in this life we may attain Exod. 34.5 6 7. 2. God oftentimes declares and proposeth these properties of his nature unto us for our supportment Consolation and Relief in our Troubles Distresses and endeavours after Peace and Rest to our souls Isa. 40.27 28 29 30 31. 3. That since the Entrance of sin these Properties of God absolutely considered will not yield that Relief and satisfaction unto the souls of men which they would have done and did whilest man continued obedient unto God according to the Law of his Creation Hence Adam upon his sin knew nothing that should encourage him to expect any help pity or relief from him and therefore fled from his presence and hid himself The Righteousness Holiness Purity and Power of God all infinite eternal unchangeable considered absolutely are no way suited to the Advantage of sinners in any condition Rom. 1.32 Heb. 1.12 4. These Properties of the Divine Nature are in every person of the Trinity entirely so that each Person is so infinitely holy just wise good and powerful because each person is equally partaker of the whole Divine Nature and Being 5. The Person of the Word or the Eternal Son of God may be considered either absolutely as such or as designed in the Counsel Wisdom and Will of the Father by and with his own Will and Consent unto the work of Mediation between God and Man Prov. 8.22 27 28 29 30 31. And in him as such it is that the Properties of the nature of God are suited to yield relief unto Believers in every condition For 1. It was the Design of God in the Appointment of his Son to be Mediator to retrieve the communion between himself and his creature that was lost by sin Now man was so created at first as that every thing in God was suited to be a Reward unto him and in all things to give him satisfaction This being wholly lost by sin and the whole Representation of God to man becoming full of dread and terror all gracious intercourse in a way of special love on the part of God and spiritual willing Obedience on the part of man was intercepted and cut off God designing again to take sinners into a communion of Love and Obedience with himself it must be by Representing unto them his blessed Properties as suited to their encouragement satisfaction and reward And this he doth in the Person of his Son as designed to be our Mediator Heb. 1.2 3. For 2. The Son is designed to be our Mediator and the Head of his Church in a way of Covenant wherein there is an Engagement for the exerting of all the Divine Properties of the nature of God for the Good and
Advantage of them for whom he hath undertaken and whom he designed to bring again into favour and communion with God Hence Believers do no more consider the Properties of God in the Person of the Son absolutely but as engaged in a way of Covenant for their Good and as proposed unto them for an everlasting satisfactory Reward This is the ground of his calling upon them so often to behold see and consider him and thereby to be refreshed They consider his Power as he is mighty to save His Eternity as he is an everlasting Reward his Righteousness as faithful to justifie them All his Properties as engaged in Covenant for their Good and Advantage What ever he is in himself that he will be to them in a way of Mercy Thus do the holy Properties of the Divine Nature become a means of supportment unto us as considered in the Person of the Son of God And this is 1. A great encouragement unto Believing The Lord Christ as the Wisdom of God inviting sinners to come in unto him and to be made partakers of him layes down all his Divine Excellencies as a motive thereunto Prov. 8.14 15 c. For on the account of them he assures us that we may find Rest Satisfaction and an abundant Reward in him And the like invitation doth he give to poor sinners Isa. 45.22 Look unto me and be saved all the ends of the Earth for I am God and there is none else They may justly expect Salvation in him who is God and in whom all Divine Attributes are proposed to their Benefit as they find who come unto him v. 24.25 The consideration hereof prevents all the Fears and answers all the Doubts of them that look up unto him 2. An instruction how to consider the Properties of God by faith for our Advantage that is as engaged in the Person of the Son of God for our Good Absolutely considered they may fill us with dread and terror as they did them of old who concluded when they thought they had seen God or heard his voyce that they should dye Considered as his Properties who is our Redeemer they are alwayes relieying and comforting Isa. 54.4 5. II. The whole Old Creation even the most glorious parts of it hastening unto its period at least of our present interest in it and use of it calls upon us not to fix our hearts on the small perishing shares which we have therein especially since we have him who is Omnipotent and Eternal for our Inheritance The Figure or fashion of this world the Apostle tells us is passing away that lovely Appearance which it hath at present unto us it is hastening unto its period it is a fading dying thing that can yield us no true satisfaction III. The Lord Christ the Mediator the Head and Spouse of the Church is infinitely exalted above all creatures whatever in that he is God over all Omnipotent and Eternal IV. The whole World the Heavens and Earth being made by the Lord Christ and being to be dissolved by him is wholly at his disposal to be ordered for the good of them that do believe And therefore V. There is no just cause of fear unto Believers from any thing in Heaven or Earth seeing they are all of the making and at the disposal of Jesus Christ. VI. Whatever our changes may be inward or outward yet Christ changing not our eternal condition is secured and relief provided against all present troubles and miseries The Immutability and Eternity of Christ is the spring of our consolation and security in every condition The summ of all is that VII Such is the frailty of the nature of man and such the perishing condition of all created things that none can ever obtain the least stable consolation but what ariseth from an interest in the Omnipotency Soveraignty and Eternity of the Lord Christ. This I say is that which the words insisted on as they are used in the Psalm do instruct us in and this therefore we may a little farther improve This is that which we are instructed in by the Ministry of John Baptist Isa. 40.6 7 8. The voyce cryed all flesh is grass and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field the grass withereth and the flower fadeth because the Spirit of God bloweth upon it surely the People is grass The grass withereth the flower fadeth but the word of our God shall stand for ever All is grass fading grass though it bloom and appear goodly for a little season yet there is no continuance no consistency in it Every Wind that passeth over it causeth it to wither This is the best of flesh of all that in and by our selves we are we do we enjoy or hope for The Crown of the Pride of man and his glorious Beauty is but a fading flower Isa. 28.1 What Joy what Peace what Rest can be taken in things that are dying away in our hands that perish before every breath of Wind that passeth over them Where then shall this poor Creature so frail in its self in its Actings in its Enjoyments seek for Rest Consolation and satisfaction in this alone that the Word of the Lord abides for ever in the eternally abiding Word of God that is the Lord Jesus Christ as preached in the Gospel so Peter applyes these words 1 Ep. 1.25 By an Interest in him alone his Eternity and Unchangeableness may relief be obtained against the consideration of this perishing dying state and condition of all things Thus the Psalmist tells us that verily every man living in his best estate is altogether vanity Psal. 39.5 and thence takes the Conclusion now insisted on v. 7. And now Lord seeing it is thus Seeing this is the condition of mankind what is thence to be looked after What is to be expected nothing at all not the least of use or comfort What wait I for My hope is in thee from thee alone as a God Eternal pardoning and saving do I look for Relief Man indeed in this Condition seeks oftentimes for satisfaction from himself from what he is and doth and enjoyes and what he shall leave after him comforting himself against his own frailty with an Eternity that he fancieth to himself in his Posterity and their Enjoyment of his Goods and Inheritance So the Psalmist tells us Psal. 49.11 Their inward thought is that their Houses shall continue for ever and their dwelling places unto all generations and they call their Lands after their own names They see indeed that all men dye Wise men and Fools v. 10. and cannot but from thence observe their own frailty Wherefore they are resolved to make provision against it they will perpetuate their Posterity and their Inheritance This they make use of to relieve them in their inmost Imaginations But what censure doth the Holy Ghost pass upon this Contrivance v. 12. Nevertheless saith he notwithstanding all these imaginations Man being in honour abideth not he is like the
v. 33. Herein are we to rest and to put a stop unto all our enquiries So it pleased him Matth. 11. v. 25. And he giveth no account of his matters Job 33. v. 12 13. This we are to acquiesce in as the great Reason of all God's dispensations and ways even his own infinite Wisdom and sovereign Pleasure He alone knows what becomes his own Goodness and Greatness and of creatures not one but as he is pleased to reveal it For can we find out the Almighty unto perfection can we by searching find out God Job 11. v. 7. How shall poor limited finite creatures come to know what beseems the Infinite Holy One to do any otherwise but as himself declareth that he hath done it And then we know the work is holy and wise and such as becometh Infinite Perfection because he hath done it Herein then we principally rest as to the meetness and condecency of the ministery of Angels God hath appointed it Whereunto we may adde those other Reasons which the Scripture suggests unto us as 1. God doth it for the preserving and manifestation of the Glorious Order of his Kingdom God is pleased to rule his Creation as a Supreme Lord and King Hence there is so often mention made in the Scripture that he is the King the only Potentate the Lord of Lords and King of Kings as also of his Throne his Kingdom Dominion Reign and Government And God doth this that he might thereby give an Understanding of his Sovereignty unto his creatures and make way thereby for the manifestation of his Glory Now unto a Kingdom there are three things essential Rule Obedience and Order In this Kingdom the Sovereign Ruâ—e is in the hand of God alone the Kingdom or Monarchy is his Obedience is the work and duty of the whole Creation every thing according to its nature capacity and condition The Glory of both these lies in Order Hereof there are two parts first that which respects the Being of the Creatures in their dependance on God secondly that which respects their Operation in Obedience unto him God hath in infinite Wisdom endowed the works of his hands with such various natures whereon their uses do depend as that they are placed thereby in several ranks series and Orders in an useful subserviency unto one another so far as they are advantaged thereby in their common and absolute subjection to himself This is the Order of their Being the Order of their Operation is such as they are fitted for by their natures and whereby they set out the Glory of this Kingdom of God Thus he takes the Angels being fitted thereunto in that place which they hold in the Order of Nature and Being unto the next and immediate attendance upon the Throne of his Kingdom There they wait upon him to receive and execute his commands in all the affairs of his Kingdom So are they every where described in the Scripture Psal. 68. and 103. Dan. 7. Revel 5. Isa. 6. and else-where And by this Ministery of Angels doth God insinuate unto us the Glory and Order of his Kingdom His glorious and fiery Throne being attended with millions of these mighty Angels ready to accomplish his will And whereas God hath erected imperium in imperio a Kingdom in a Kingdom like the wheels within the wheels in Ezekiel's Vision namely the Oeconomical Dispensatory Kingdom of Christ in his Oecumenical Kingdom over the whole Creation and hath annexed thereunto the principal manifestation of his Glory Rule and Dominion those blessed Ministers do principally attend the Affairs thereof And thus though God can govern and dispose of all things solo nutu by the Almighty immediate Emanations of his own Power yet for the manifestation of the glory of his Kingdom especially of that Rule which is committed unto the Lord Christ he useth the ministery of his creatures in that Order which his infinite Wisdom had disposed them unto at the first Creation 2. God is pleased to do this to exercise the Obedience of the Angels themselves and that upon a three-fold account First to keep preserve and rule them fitly to their state and condition Being Creatures they have a natural and necessary dependance on God their Creator and being Intellectual creatures they have a moral dependance on him according to a Law and Rule with reference unto the utmost End whereunto they were created This requires their constant Obedience unto the Will of God without which they leave and forsake the Law of their Creation and Condition and also deviate from the End for which they were made Wherefore to exercise them unto and in this their Obedience God makes use of their ministery and service in his Government of the Church And this they shall continue to do unto the end of the world when the course of their Obedience being accomplished they shall be everlastingly satiated with the contemplation of God's infinite Excellencies and enjoyment of him as their Reward Secondly That in them he might give an Example of ready Obedience unto the Church These Angels of God being in their nature excellent and great in power always ready watchful and free from all Diversions or Avocations eminent in Light and Holiness as always beholding the face of God and filled with his Grace are proposed unto us in their Obedience and readiness to do the Will of God as an Example and pattern which we are to imitate unto our utmost though we are never able perfectly to express And thence are we directed by our Saviour to pray that we may do the will of God on earth as it is done by them in heaven Thirdly That they themselves may be made partakers of this singular Honour and Glory to serve the most High God in his most glorious work the preservation and salvation of his Church for that this is their Honour was before declared 3. God emploieth them in an especial manner in this ministery for the good of them that are Heirs of salvation to manifest unto them the Greatness and Glory of the work of the gathering preserving and redemption of his Church with the value that he puts upon all the fruits of the Death and Concernments of the Mediation of his Son Jesus Christ. For as of themselves they desire to look particularly into these things which in general appear so glorious unto them 1 Pet. 1. v. 12. that their delight in the Wisdom and Love of God may be more and more encreased so by God's dealings with his Church in whose behalf they are employed they learn therein the manifold Wisdom of God and riches of his grace Ephes. 3. v. 10. And thus in all their employment about the Saints wherein they are sent out to minister for their good they learn much of the Wisdom and Love of God and are thereby excited to honour applaud glorifie him and praise him Somewhat of this they shall see in the least and meanest work toward any Believer that is committed unto them
And they eternally rejoyce in the over-flowings of the Love and Grace of God taking care of all the concernments of the poorest and meanest of his servants 4. This is done that God may in an especial manner give glory and honour unto Jesus Christ thereby This is his will that all men should honour the Son as they honour the Father Joh. 5.23 He hath therefore raised him up and given him Honour and Glory and in particular exalted him far above the Angels putting them in subjection unto him as their Head Prince Ruler and Governour Ephes. 1. v. 21 22. Neither is it a shew of Glory or a titular Kingdom and Dominion that he hath given to Jesus Christ but a real and absolute Sovereignty wherein all things subject unto him are at his absolute disposal and therefore must the Angels themselves be at his service in the affairs of his Kingdom and so they acknowledge themselves to be and the fellow-servants of them that keep his testimonie Rev. 22.9 Now the Heart and Love of Jesus Christ is greatly upon that part of his Church and People which are labouring with Sin Affliction and Persecution here below Heb. 2.17 chap. 4.15 It is then greatly for his honour and glory which in all things the Father aimeth at Col. 1.18 19. that the glâ—rious Angels should be employed for the good and in the behalf of all his poor labouring Saints This honour is done to Jesus Christ in heaven when all the Attendants of the Throne of God do see that care that is taken about the meanest that believe in him 5. The Love and Care and Condescension of God unto his Saints is hereby manifested unto the Saints themselves God emploieth the Angels for their good that they may know how he careth for them and be comforted thereby Psal. 91.10 The Saints of God have mean and low thoughts of themselves as it becomes them to have They know and confess that they are less than all the mercies of God and unworthy that he should have any regard of them Such thoughts as these their mean terrene condition and their manifold sins and failings do fill them withall Of the glorious Angels their thoughts and apprehensions are high and honourable Their Nature their State and condition their Power and Greatness their Holiness and Enjoyment of the Presence of God do all present them unto their minds under a notion of much Excellency and Glory Hence some weak superstitious and curious minds have been drawn to adore them with Religious Worship and Adoration the Saints know sufficiently the folly hereof But yet when they consider that God is pleased to use employ and send out these glorious spirits to take care of them to do them good to watch over them and round about them to keep them from evil this fills them as with an holy Admiration of the infinite Love and Condescension of God towards them so also of the Excellency of the Mediation of the Lord Christ who hath brought them into this condition of favour from both which much spiritual comfort and rejoycing in the Lord doe arise And for this end also doth God choose to do that mediately by the ministery of Angels which otherwise by an inconceivable facility he could do by his own immediate Power 6. A blessed Entercourse Society Communion and Fellowship is hereby maintained and kept up between the several parts of the Family of God that of Angels above and this of Believers below It hath been formerly declared how the Angels in Heaven and all elect Believers were reduced into one Family when God reconciled the things in heaven and earth unto himself and brought them all into subjection unto and dependance upon one common Head Christ Jesus Ephes. 1.10 From hence are Angels and Men reduced into one Family the Family in heaven and earth the Angels by Transition Men by Adoption Now it is the will of God that for the Honour of our Lord Jesus Christ the immediate Head of this Family that there should be an Entercourse and an helpful communion between the several parts of it for to this end are we brought into the society of the innumerable company of Angels Heb. 12.22 Now because our Goodness our Usefulness our Helpfulness is confined and limited unto the Saints that are in the earth Psal. 16.3 not extending it self unto God or any of his holy ones above we cannot help assist counsel nor advise the Angels nor do they in any thing stand in need of our aid or assistance And since the communication of our minds unto them by way of Religious Subjection Adoration Faith Trust Affiance is absolutely forbidden unto us it remaineth that this fellowship and society must be maintained by the aid help and assistance which they are able to afford unto us and which we stand in need of And on this account doth God employ them about the affairs and concernments of Believers that so a becoming fellowship may be kept up in the Family of Christ and an usefulness between the several parts thereof 7. God makes use of the ministery of Angels in the service of the Church to reproach awe restrain and torment the Devil It is a continual reproach cast upon Sathan when he sees those unto whom he is like in Nature and with whom he was sometimes a Companion in Glory willingly cheerfully triumphantly obeying the will of God in the service of Christ having by his wickedness cast out himself from the same honourable Employment and mancipated himself to the vilest services that any part of the Creation of God is cast down unto The whole work of the Angels is a continual reproach unto Sathan for his sin and folly It cries unto him This might have been thy work this might have been thy condition the gnawing of which consideration is no small part of his torment and present restless vexation They also put an awe upon him in all his Attempts He knows well their Power their Authority their Commission and that it is not for him to contend with them With one word they can at any time defeat him The Lord rebuke thee Sathan the Lord rebuke thee And he knows not where he may meet with them in his Attempts And this keeps him in continual awe and perpetual uncertainties of success in all that he undertakes or goes about And hereby God also in many things frustrates his endeavours restrains his power and disappoints his malice It is inconceivable what havock he would make of the Lives and Liberties and Estates of the Saints did not these Watchers from the Holy One disappoint him And all these things adde to his torment Much of his present punishment consists in the endless workings of Wrath Envy Malice Blood-thirstiness and Rage Now as these where ever they are found but in the least degree are tormenting passions so where they are all in their height rage and fury and are not by any considerable vent abated or slacked what can be worse in
hell it self but only the immediate wrath of God But thus is it with Sathan from this ministery of Angels He sees the Church and every Member of it all whom he seeks to devour encamped about protected and defended by this Heavenly Host so that he cannot in any measure have his will at them nay that he cannot touch the soul of any one of them nor cause an hair of the head of any one of them to perish This fills him with self-devouring rage envy and wrath And thus doth God by this way accomplish his judgment upon him And these are some of the Reasons which the Scripture intimates unto us why the Lord is pleased thus to make use of the ministery of Angels which may suffice for an Answer to the first Question before proposed II. The second is Vnto what Ends and Purposes doth God make use of the ministery of Angels for the good of them that do believe The thing it self we suppose in both these Questions It is so directly asserted in the words of the Apostle and so many instances are given of it else-where in the Scripture that it needs not any especial confirmation It will also be farther declared in our annumeration of the ends and purposes of it ensuing As 1. In general God doth it to communitate by them the Effects of his Care and Love unto the Church by Jesus Christ. This God represented unto Jacob in the Vision that he gave him of the Ladder which stood upon the earth and whose top reached unto heaven Gen. 28.12 13. For although the Jews say somewhat to the purpose when they affirm this Ladder to have denoted the dependance of all things here below on them above under the Rule of the Providence of God yet they say not all that was signified thereby Our Saviour tells us Joh. 1.52 That from thence his disciples should see heaven opened and Angels ascending and descending upon the Son of man Plainly alluding unto this Vision of Jacob. For those words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon the son of man cannot denote meerly the Object of Angelical ministration that they should be exercised in their work about his Person but also that by him by means of his mediation the Angels ascend and descend in the work of ministring unto the Saints It is true the great instance of their ministery was given in and about the Person of Christ as Head of the Church They declared his Conception and Nativity Matth. 1.20 Luke 1.35 Luke 2 11 12. They ministred unto him after his temptation Matth. 4.11 They strengthned him in his Agony Luke 22.43 They were Witnesses of his Resurrection and Ascension Luke 24.4 Acts 1.10 11. But by him and on his account they perform the Offices of their mission towards others also even all the Heirs of salvation but this still upon the account of Christ. They ascend and descend on his mediation sent by his Authority aiming at his glory doing his work carrying on his interest as in the following particulars will appear For 1. They are sent in an extraordinary manner to make Revelations of the Will of God about things tending unto the obedience and spiritual advantage of them that do believe Hereof we have many instances in the Old Testament especially in God's dealing with the Patriarchs before the giving of the Law For although the Second Person of the Trinity the Son of God himself did often appear unto them as to Abraham Gen. 18.1 2. with chap. 19.24 and unto Jacob chap. 32.24 whom he calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gen. 48.16 yet God also made frequent use of created Angels in the revelation and discovery of his Mind and Will unto them as is evident from many passages in their story That he used their ministration in the giving of the Law we have before abundantly shewed the Holy Ghost declaring and affirming of it Psal. 68.17 18. Acts 7.63 The like also he continued to do in the Visions of them granted unto the Prophets that ensued unto the end of that Dispensation especially unto Ezekiel and Zechariah So also the same was done under the New Testament as to omit others we have an especial instance Rev. 1.1 How far God is pleased to continue this ministration of Angels unto this day is hard to determine For as many have pretended unto Revelations by Angels which have been meer delusions of Sathan or imaginations of their own brains So to say that God doth not or may not send his Angels unto any of his Saints to communicate his mind unto them as to some particulars of their own duty according unto his word or to fore-shew unto them somewhat of his own approaching work seems in my judgment to be unwarrantably to limit the Holy One of Israel Howbeit such things in particular are to be duly weighed with sobriety and reverence 2. God by them suggests good motions into the minds of his Saints As the devil sets himself on work to tempt them unto evil by suggestions suited unto the principle of sin within them so God employs his holy Angels to provoke them to that which is good by suggesting that unto them which is suitable unto the principle of spiritual life and grace that is in them And as it is difficult to discover the suggestions of Sathan in most cases from the workings of our own minds and our unbelief in them partly because of their connaturalness one to the other and partly because his impressions are not sensible nor produce any effects but as they mix themselves with our own darkness and lusts so it is no less difficult distinctly to take notice of these Angelical motions upon the like account on the other hand For being suitable unto the inclinations of that principle of Grace which is in the hearts of believers and producing no effect but by them they are hardly discerned So that we may have the benefit of many Angelical suggestions of good things which we our selves take no notice of And if it be enquired how these good motions from Angels are or may be distinguished from the motions of the holy Ghost and his actings in Believers I answer that they are differenced sundry ways as 1. These Angelical are ab extra from without Angels have no inbeing in us no residence in our souls but work upon us as an external principle whereas the Holy Spirit abideth with us and dwelleth in us and works ab intra from within the very principles of our souls and minds Whence it follows 2. That these Angelical motions consist in occasional impressions on the mind phancy and imagination by advantages taken from outward objects and present disposition of the mind rendring it meet to receive such impressions and so disposing it to affect the Heart the Will and the Affections whereas the Holy Ghost closeth in his Operations with all the facultie of the soul really and immediately exciting every one of them to gracious actings according to their nature and
of temptation and when they awake and look about them the whole power of the Word is lost and departed from them With reference unto these and the like seasons it is that the Apostle gives us this caution to take heed lest at any time the word which we have heard do slip out 2. The ways and means also whereby this wretched effect is produced are various yea innumerable some of them only I shall mention whereunto the rest may be reduced As 1. Love of this present world This made Demas a leaking vessel 2 Tim. 4.10 and choaks one fourth part of the seed in the Parable Matth. 13. Many might have been rich in grace had they not made it their end and business to be rich in this world 1. Tim. 6.9 But this is too well known as well as too little regarded 2. Love of sin A secret lust cherished in the heart will make it plenum remarum full of chinks that it will never retain the showers of the Word and it will assuredly open them as fast as convictions stop them 3. False Doctrines Errors Heresies false Worship Superstition and Idolatries will do the same I place these things together as those which work in the same kind upon the Curiosity Vanity and Darkness of the minds of men These break the vessel and at once pour out all the benefits of the Word that ever were received And many the like instances might be given And this gives us the reason of the necessity of that heeding the Word which we before insisted on Without it at one time or other by one means or other we shall lose all the design of the Word upon our souls That alone will preserve us and carrie us through the course and difficulties of our Profession The Duty mentioned then is of no less concernment unto us than our souls for without it we perish Let us not deceive our selves a slothful negligent hearing of the Word will bring no man to life The commands we have to watch pray strive labour and fight are not in vain The warnings given us of the Opposition that is made to our faith by indwelling sin Sathan and the world are not left on record for nothing no more are the sad examples which we have of many who beginning a good Profession have utterly turned aside to sin and folly All these things I say teach us the necessity of the Duty which the Apostle enjoyneth and which we have explained III. The Word heard is not lost without the great sin as well as the inevitable ruine of the souls of men Lost it is when it is not mixed with faith when we receive it not in good and honest hearts when the end of it is not accomplished in us and towards us And this befalls us not without our sin and woful neglect of duty The Word of its own nature is apt to abide to incorporate it self with us and to take root but we cast it out we pour it forth from us And they have a woful account to make on whose souls the guilt thereof shall be found at the last day IV. It is in the nature of the Word of the Gospel to water barren hearts and to make them fruitful unto God Hence as was shewed was it compared to Water Dews and Rain which is the foundation of the Metaphorical expression here used Where this word comes it makes the parched ground a pool and the thirsty land springs of water Isa. 35.7 These are the waters of the Sanctuary that heal the barren places of the earth and make them fruitful Ezek. 47. The River that makes glad the City of God Psal. 46.7 That River of living water that comes forth from the Throne of God Rev. 22.1 And the places and persons which are not healed or benefited by these waters are left to barrenness and burning for evermore Ezek. 47.11 Heb. 6 8. With the dew hereof doth God water his Church every moment Isa. 27.3 And then doth it grow as a Lilly and cast forth its roots as Lebanâ—n Hos. 14.5 6 7. Abundant fruitfulness unto God follows a gracious receiving of this dew from him Blessed are they who have this dew distilling on them every morning who are watered as the Garden of God as a land that God careth for V. The consideration of the Revelation of the Gospel by the Son of God is a powerful motive unto that diligent attendance unto it which we have before described This is the inference that the Apostle makes from the Proposition that he had made of the Excellency of the Son of God Therefore And this is that which in the greatest part of the ensuing Chapter he doth pursue This is that which God declares that he might so justly expect and look for namely that when he sent his Son to the Vineyard he should be regarded and attended unto And this is most reasonable upon many accounts 1. Because of the Authority wherewith he spake the word Others spake and delivered their message as servants he as the Lord over his own house chap. 3.6 The Father himself gave him all his Authority for the revealing of his Mind and therefore proclaimed from heaven that if any one would have any thing to do with God they were to hear him Matth. 17.10 2 Pet. 1.17 The whole Authority of God was with him for him did God the Father seal or put the stamp of all his Authority upon him and he spake accordingly Matth. 7.29 And therefore he spake both in his own Name and the Name of his Father so that this Authority sprung partly from the Dignity of his Person for being God and Man though he spake on the earth yet he who was the Son of man was in heaven still Joh. 3.13 and therefore is said to speak from heaven Heb. 12.21 and coming from heaven was still above all Joh. 3.31 having power and authority over all And partly from his Commission that he had from his Father which as we said before gave all Authority into his hand Joh. 5.26 Being then in himself the Son of God and being peculiarly designed to reveal the Mind and Will of the Father which the Prophet calls his standing and feeding in the strength of the Lord in the Majesty of the Name of the Lord his God Mic. 5.4 All the Authority of God over the souls and consciences of men is exerted in this Revelation of the Gospel by him It cannot then be neglected without the contempt of all the Authority of God And this will be a sore aggravation of the sin of Vnbelievers and Apostates at the last day If we attend not unto the word on this account we shall suffer on it He that despiseth the word despiseth him and he that despiseth him despiseth him also who sent him 2. Because of the Love that is in it There is in it the love of the Father in sending the Son for the revealing of himself and his mind unto the
2. That they may be left inexcusable and the Lord Christ be justified in his proceedings against them at the last day If they should be surprized with fiery indignation and everlasting burnings at the last day how might they plead that if they had been warned of these things they would have endeavoured to have fled from the wrath to come And how apt might they be to repine against his Justice in the amazing Greatness of their destruction But now by taking order to have the Penalty of their disobedience in the threatnings of the Gospel declared unto them they are left without excuse and himself is glorified in taking vengeance He hath told them before-hand plainly what they are to look for Heb. 10.26 27. 2. They are so on the part of Believers themselves Even they stand in need to be minded of the terrour of the Lord and what a fearful thing it is to fall into the hands of the living God and that even our God is a consuming fire And this 1. To keep up in their hearts a constant Reverence of the Majesty of Jesus Christ with whom they have to do The threatning sanction of the Gospel bespeaks the Greatness Holiness and Terrour of its Author and insinuates into the hearts of Believers thoughts becoming of them It lets them know that he will be sanctified in all that draw nigh unto him and so calls upon them for a due reverential preparation for the performance of his Worship and unto all duties wherein they walk before him Heb. 12.28 29. This influenceth them also into a diligent attendance unto every particular Duty incumbent on them as the Apostle declares 2 Cor. 5.11 2. They tend unto their Consolation and supportment under all their afflictions and sufferings for the Gospel This relieves their hearts in all their sorrows when they consider the sore vengeance that the Lord Jesus Christ will one day take of all his stubborn adversaries who know not God nor will obey the Gospel 2 Thess. 1.5 6 7 8 9 10. For the Lord Jesus is no less faithful in his Threatnings than in his Promises and no less able to inflict the one than to accomplish the other And he is glorious unto them therein Isa. 63. 11 12 13. 3. They give them constant matter of praise thankfulness when they see in them as in a Glass that will neither flatter nor causelesly terrifie a Representation of that wrath which they are delivered from by Jesus Christ 1 Thess. 1.10 For in this way every Threatning of the Gospel proclaims the Grace of Christ unto their souls And when they hear them explained in all their terrour they can rejoyce in the hope of the glory that shall be revealed And 4. They are needful unto them to ingenerate that fear which may give check unto the remainder of their lusts and corruptions with that security and negligence in attending to the Gospel which by their means is apt to grow upon them To this purpose is the punishment of despisers and back-sliders here made use of and urged by our Apostle The hearts of Believers are like Gardens wherein there are not only flowers but weeds also and as the former must be watered and cherished so the latter must be curbed and nipped If nothing but dews and showers of Promises should fall upon the heart though they seem to tend to the cherishing of their Graces yet the weeds of corruption will be apt to grow up with them and in the end to choak them unless they are nipped and blasted by the severity of the threatnings And although their Persons in the use of means shall be secured from falling under the final execution of Comminations yet they know there is an infallible connexion signified in them between sin and destruction 1 Cor. 6.9 and that they must avoid the one if they will escape the other 5. Hence they have in a readiness wherewith to ballance Temptations especially such as accompany sufferings for Christ and the Gospel Great reasonings are apt to rise in the hearts of Believers themselves in such a season and they are byassed by their infirmities to attend unto them Liberty would be spared Life would be spared it is hard to suffer and to die How many have been betrayed by their fears at such a season to forsake the Lord Christ and the Gospel But now in these Gospel threatnings we have that in a readiness which we may oppose unto all these reasonings and the efficacy of them Are we afraid of a man that shall die Have we not much more reason to be afraid of the Living God Shall we to avoid the anger of a Worm cast our selves into his wrath who is a consuming fire Shall we to avoid a little momentary trouble to preserve a perishing life which a sickness may take away the next day run our selves into eternal ruine Man threatens me if I forsake not the Gospel but God threatens if I do Man threatens death temporal which yet it may be he shall not have power to inflict God threatens death eternal which no back-slider in heart shall avoid On these and the like accounts are Comminations useful unto Believers themselves 3. These declarations of eternal punishment unto Gospel neglecters do become the Gospel with respect unto them that are the Preachers and dispensers of it that their message be not slighted nor their persons despised God would have even them to have in a readiness wherewith to revenge the disobedience of men 2 Cor. 10.6 not with carnal weapons killing and destroying the bodies of men but by such a denunciation of the vengeance that will ensue on their disobedience as shall undoubtedly take hold upon them and end in their everlasting ruine Thus are they armed for the warfare wherein by the Lord Christ they are engaged that no may be encouraged to despise them or contend with them They authorized to denounce the eternal wrath of God against disobedient sinners and whomsoever they bind under the sentence of it on earth they are bound in heaven unto the judgment of the Great Day On these grounds it is that we say that the threatnings and denunciations of future punishments unto all sorts of persons are becoming of the Gospel and therefore the using of them as motives unto the end for which they are designed is Evangelical And this will farther appear if we shall yet consider 1. That threatnings of future Penalties on the disobedient are far more clear and express in the Gospel than in the Law The Curse indeed was threatned and denounced under the Law and a pledge and instance of its execution were given in the temporal punishments that were inflic◠〈…〉 â—â—ansgressors of it But in the Gospel the nature of this curse is explained 〈…〉 â—â—nsisteth in is made manifest For as Eternal life was obscurely only proâ—◠〈…〉 â—ld Testament though promised so death eternal under the curse an◠〈…〉 was only obscurely threatned therein though threatned And thereâ—◠〈◊〉
though we saw not those Miracles yet we have them left on infallible Record for our use that by them we might be yet stirred up to value and attend unto the Word in a due manner God hath so ordered things in his holy Providence that none can neglect the Word without shutting his eyes against such Light and Evidence of conviction as will leave them abundantly inexcusable at the last day Now from these and the like considerations the duty proposed may be enforced Verse V VI VII VIII IX THe Apostle in these Verses proceeds in the pursuit of his former design From the Doctrine of the first Chapter he presseth the Exhortation at the beginning of this which we have passed through The Foundation of that Exhortation was the Preheminence of the Lord Christ the Author of the Gospel above the Angels by whom the Law was spoken and delivered This he now farther confirms and that by an instance suited to his present Purpose and not as yet by him insisted on And he doth it the rather because by the Testimonies wherewith he proves his Assertion he is lead to the Consideration of other concernments of the Mediation of Christ which he thought meet to declare unto these Hebrews also And this method he is constant unto throughout this whole Epistle In the midst of his Reasonings and Testimonies for the Explanation or Confirmation of what he delivers dogmatically he layes hold on some Occasion or other to press his Exhortation unto Faith Obedience with Constancy and Perseverance in the Profession of the Gospel And in the Arguments which he enterweaveth and Testimonies which he produceth for the enforcement of his Exhortations something still offers it self which accordingly he layes hold upon leading him to some farther Explication of the Doctrine which he had in hand so insensibly passing from one thing unto another that he might at the same time inform the Minds and Work upon the Affections of them with whom he dealt All which will appear in our ensuing Exposition of these Verses Verse 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 subjecit in ordinem coegit put into subjection brought into order under rule 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vul. orbem terrae futurum the habitable earth to come Arias habitatam futuram to the same purpose improperly Syr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mundum or seculum futurum The world or age to come Bez◠mundum illum futurum that world to come And indeed the repetition of the Article with the words following concerning which we speak require that it be so expressed That world to come or the world that is to come 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So most commonly expressed by the LXX as sometimes though seldom by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the earth and sometimes by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the things under the Heavens The Apostle useth this word from Psal. 8. where it denotes a mixture of Inhabitants there described 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 concerning which we treat about which we reason The Vulgar Latin adds Deus to the Text. Deus non subjecit God hath not put in subjection needlesly as is acknowledged De quo Christo saith the interlinear Gloss but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not of Christ. Verse 5. For unto the Angels hath he not made subject that world to come whereof we speak concerning which we treat Verse 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Syr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But as the Scripture witnesseth and saith limiting what was spoken indefinitely by the Apostle needlesly the words themselves declaring who spake them and where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vul. in quodam loco in a certain place Beza alicubi somewhere that is Psal. 8.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quid homo mortalis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 frail mortal man or the Son of man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 filius hominis terreni 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 è terra editus man of the earth or an earthly man Verse 6. But one a certain man testified hath witnessed in a certain place somewhere that is in the Scripture from whence he is arguing saying what is man that thou art mindful of him or the Son of man that thou visitest him Ver. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The latter words which are commonly placed at the beginning of the eighth Verse I have added unto this seventh the sense and Hebrew Text so requiring it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so the Apostle renders 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Psalmist and that properly Vul. Minuisti which is not thou hast made less but thou hast lessened which hath another sense than that here intended Syr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 depressisti thou hast depressed or made him less or lower than he was Beza fecisti eum inferiorem thou hast made him lower and so ours Rhemists thou didst minish him a little less obscurely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is imminuo diminuo to make less to take from as to state and condition So in Isocrates 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to lessen the Dignity State and Condition of the People As in Latin Capitis diminutio is lessening of State or dignity as by loss of Liberty For when one was made a captive by the enemy he lost his dignity untill he recovered it jure postliminii So Regulus is termed by the Poet Capitis minor when a Prisoner to the Garthaginians or by change of Family as when Clodius a Patrician was adopted by a Plebeian or by Banishment all such are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lessened in State or Dignity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word used by the Psalmist hath the same signification and though it be variously rendered by the LXX yet they never much depart from its native signification 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to minish make less take from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to become indigent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be in want 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all to the same purpose 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to deprive 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to want to be indigent to come short and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to make empty that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word used Phil. 2.7 I observe this various rendering of the Word by the LXX only to shew that it doth constantly denote a diminution of state and condition with an addition of Indigency which will give us light into the Interpretation of the place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 breve quiddam Vul. paulo minus Syr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 paululum a little or paulisper a little while 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is frequently by the LXX rendered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 parvum paululum a little intending quantity Sometimes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which they refer to number a few and sometimes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and then it constantly respects
in your minds The Sons of God are sometimes ready to think it strange that they should fall into calamity and distresses and are apt to say with Hezekiah Remember O Lord we beseech thee how we have walked before thee in truth and with an upright heart and have done that which is good in thy sight and weep sore supposing that this might have freed them from oppositions and Persecutions And as it was with Gideon when the Angel told him the Lord was with him He replies Whence is all this evil come upon us For when they find it is otherwise and begin to apply themselves unto their condition yet if their troubles continue if they are not in their season removed they are ready to be weary and faint in their minds But saith the Apostle consider the Captain of your salvation he hath set you another manner of Example notwithstanding all his sufferings he fainted not The like Argument he presseth Chap. 13.12 13. And the Scripture in many places represents unto us the same consideration The Jews have a saying that a third part of the afflictions and troubles that shall be in the world do belong unto the Messiah But our Apostle who knew better than they makes all the afflictions of the Church to be the afflictions of Christ Col. 1.24 who both before underwent them in his own person and lead the way to all that shall follow him And as the Obedience of Christ which is our pattern doth incomparably exceed what ever we can attain unto so the sufferings of Christ which are our Example did incomparably exceed all that we shall be called unto Our pattern is excellent inimitable in the substance and parts of it unattainable and unexpressible in its degrees and he is the best Proficient who attends most thereunto But what is the End of all this Obedience and suffering death lyes at the door as the Ocean whereunto all these streams do run and seems to swallow them up that there they are lost for ever No for 3. This Captain of our salvation is gone before us in passing through death and entring into glory He hath shewed us in his own Resurrection that great pledge of our immortality that death is not the end of our course but a passage into another more abiding condition He promiseth that whosoever believeth on him that they shall not be lost or perish or consumed by death but that he will raise them up at the last day John 6.39.40 But how shall this be confirmed unto them Death looks ghastly and dreadful as a Lyon that devours all that come within his reach why saith Christ behold me entring into his jaws passing through his power rising from under his dominion and fear not so shall it be with you also This our Apostle disputes at large 1 Cor. 15.12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21. He is gone before us through death and is become the first fruit of them that sleep And had Christ passed into Heaven before he dyed as did Enoch and Elijah we had wanted the greatest Evidence of our future immortality What then remains for the finishing of our course why the Captain of our salvation after he had suffered entred into Glory and that as our Leader or fore-runner Heb. 6.20 Jesus as our fore-runner is entered into Heaven He is gone before us to evidence unto us what is the End of our Obedience and Sufferings In all this is he a Captain and Leader unto the Sons of God Secondly He guides them and directs them in their way This also belongs unto him as their Captain and Guide Two things in this are they of themselves defective in 1. They know not the way that leads to happiness and glory and 2. They want ability to discern it aright when it is shewed unto them and in both they are relieved and assisted by their Leader in the first by his Word in the latter by his Spirit First Of themselves they know not the way as Thomas said how can we know the way The Will of God the Mysterie of his Love and Grace as to the way whereby he will bring sinners unto Glory is unknown to the Sons of men by nature It was a secret hid in God a sealed Book which none in Heaven or Earth could open But this Jesus Christ hath fully declared in his Word unto all the Sons that are to be brought unto glory He hath revealed the Father from his own bosome John 1.18 and declared those heavenly things which no man knew but he that came down from Heaven and yet at the same time was in Heaven John 3.12 13. In his Word hath he declared the Name and revealed the whole counsel of God and brought life and immortality to light 2 Tim. 1.10 What ever is any way needful useful helpful in their Obedience Worship of God Suffering Expectation of Glory he hath taught it them all revealed it all unto them Other Teachers they need not Had there been any thing belonging unto their way which he had not revealed unto them he had not been a perfect Captain of salvation unto them And men do nothing but presumptuously derogate from his Glory who will be adding and imposing their prescriptions in and about this way Again The Way being revealed in the Word he enables them by his Spirit to see discern and know it in such an holy and saving manner as is needful to bring them unto the End of it He gives them eyes to see as well as provides paths for them to walk in It had been to no purpose to have declared the way if he had not also given them light to see it This blessed work of his Spirit is every where declared in the Scripture Isa. 43.16 And by this means is he unto us what he was unto the Church in the Wilderness when he went before them in a Pillar of fire to guide them in their way and to shew them where they should rest And herein lyes no small part of the discharge of his Office towards us as the Captain of our salvation What ever acquaintance we have with the Way to Glory we have it from him alone and what ever Ability we have to discern the way he is the fountain and Author of it This God hath designed and called him unto And all our Wisdom consists in this that we betake our selves unto him to him alone for instruction and direction in this matter Mark 17.5 Doth not he deservedly wander yea and perish who in war will neglect the orders and directions of his General and attend unto every idle tale of men pretending to shew him a way that they have found out better than that which his Captain hath limited him unto Thirdly He supplyes them with strength by his Grace that they may be able to pass on in their way They have much work lyes before them much to do much to suffer and without him they can do nothing John 15.5
unto him to be agitated and terrified as it were at his pleasure To this end were Persons excommunicate given up unto Satan to vex 1 Tim. 1.20 He threatens them as an Executioner with the work that he hath to do upon them 4. God hath ordained him to be the Executioner of the sentence of Death upon stubborn sinners unto all Eternity partly for the Aggravation of their Punishment when they shall alwayes see and without relief bewail their folly in hearkening unto his Allurements and partly to punish himself in his wofull Employment And for these several Reasons is Satan said to have the power of death And hence it is evident That VIII All the Power of Satan in the world over any of the sons of men is founded in Sin and the Guilt of Death attending it Death entered by sin the Guilt of sin brought it in Herewith comes in Satans interest without which he could have no more to do in the Earth than he hath in Heaven And according as sin abounds or is subdued so his Power is enlarged or streightned As he is a Spirit he is mighty strong wise as sinful he is malitious subtle ambitious revengeful proud Yet none of all these give him his Power He that made him can cause his sword to pierce unto him and preserve man though weak and mortal from all his force as a mighty Spirit and his Attempts as a wicked one And yet these are the things in him that men are generally afraid of when yet by them he cannot reach one hair of their heads But here lyes the foundation of his power even in sin which so few regard Then IX All sinners out of Christ are under the power of Satan They belong unto that Kingdom of Death whereof he is the Prince and Ruler The whole world lyes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the power of this wicked one If the Guilt of death be not removed from any the Power of the Devil extends unto them A power indeed it is that is regulated Were it Soveraign or absolute he would continually devour But it is limited unto times seasons and degrees by the Will of God the Judge of all But yet great it is and answerable unto his Titles the Prince the God of the world And however men may flatter themselves as the Jews did of old that they are free if they are not freed by an interest in the death of Christ they are in bondage unto this beastly Tyrant and as he works effectually in them here he will ragingly inflict vengeance on them hereafter 3. He is destroyed To destroy him The sense and importance of the word here used was before declared It is not applyed unto the Nature Essence or Being of the Devil but unto his Power in and over death As it is elsewhere declared John 12.32 Now is the Judgement of this world now is the Prince of this world cast out that which is here called the destroying of the Devil is there called the casting out of the Prince of this world It is the casting him out of his Power from his Princedom and Rule and Col. 2.15 Having spoiled principalities and powers he made an open shew of them triumphing over them in his cross as Conquerors used to do when they had not slain the Persons of their Enemies but deprived them of their Rule and lead them Captives The Destruction then here intended of him that had the power of death is the Dissolution Evacuation and Removing of that Power which he had in and over death with all the effects and consequences of it 4. The means whereby Satan was thus destroyed is also expressed It was by death by his own death This of all others seemed the most unlikely way and means but indeed was not only the best but the only way whereby it might be accomplished And the manner how it was done thereby must be declared and vindicated The fourfold power of Satan in reference unto death before mentioned was all founded in sin The Obligation of the sinner unto death was that which gave him all his Power The taking away then of that Obligation must needs be the Dissolution of his Power The foundation being removed all that is built upon it must needs fall to the ground Now this in reference unto the Children for whom he dyed was done in the death of Christ Virtually in his death it self Actually in the Application of it unto them When the sinner ceaseth to be obnoxious unto death the Power of Satan ceaseth also And this every one doth that hath an interest in the death of Christ for there is no condemnation unto them that are in Christ Jesus Rom. 8.1 And this because he dyed he dyed for their sins took that death upon himself which was due unto them which being conquered thereby and their Obligation thereunto ceasing the Power of Satan is therewith dissolved The first Branch of his Power consisted in the bringing of sin into the world This is dissolved by Christs taking away the sin of the world John 1.29 which he did as the Lamb of God by the Sacrifice of himself in his death typified by the Paschal Lamb and all other Sacrifices of old Again His power consisted in his Rule in the world as cast under sin and death From this he was cast out John 12.32 in the death of Christ when contending with him for the continuance of his Soveraignty he was conquered the ground whereon he stood even the guilt of sin being taken away from under him and his Title defeated And actually Believers are translated from under his Rule from the Power of Darkness into the Kingdom of Light and of the Son of God Nor can he longer make use of death as poenal as threatned in the curse of the Law to terrifie and affright the consciences of men for being justified by faith in the death of Christ they have peace with God Rom. 5.1 Christ making Peace between God and us by the blood of his Cross Ephes. 2.14 15. 2 Cor. 5.19 20 21. the Weapons of this part of his Power are wrested out of his hand seeing Death hath no power to terrifie the conscience but as it expresseth the curse of God And lastly his final Execution of the sentence of death upon sinners is utterly taken out of his hand by the death of Christ inasmuch as they for whom he dyed shall never undergo death poenally And thus was Satan as to his power over death fully destroyed by the death of Christ. And all this depended on Gods Institution appointing the satisfactory sufferings of Christ and accepting them instead of the sufferings of the children themselves The Socinians give us another Exposition of these words as knowing that insisted on to be no less destructive of their Error than the death of Christ is of the power of the Devil The Reason hereof saith Schlictingius is quia per mortem Christus adeptus est supremam potestatem in omnia qua