Wherefore he watcheth over them to succour them that are tempted Heb. 2 18. and to give out help unto them all in time of need Chap. 4.16 and hence they who have no might no sufficiency can do all things through Christ that strengtheneth them Phil. 4.13 Nothing is too hard for them nothing can prevail against them because of the constant supplyes of Grace which the Captain of their salvation communicates unto theâ— And this makes the Wayes of the Gospel marvellous both to the World and to Believers themselves Their Life is hid with God in Christ Col. 3. And they have a new name that no man knoweth Rev. 2. The World seeing poor mean weak contemptible Creatures willing ready and able to suffer endure and dye for the name of Christ stand astonished not knowing where their great strength lyes as the Philistins did at the might of Sampson whom they saw with their eyes to be like other men Let them in the height of their Pride and Rage of their madness pretend what they please they cannot but be they really are amazed to see poor Creatures whom otherwise they exceedingly despise constant unto the Truth and Profession of the Gospel against all their Allurements and Affrightments They know not they consider not the constant supplyes of the Strength and Grace which they receive from their Leader He gives them the Spirit of Truth which the world neither sees nor knows John 14.17 And therefore wonder from whence they have their Ability and Constancy They cry What will nothing turn these poor foolish creatures out of their way They by them one way and then another add one weight of Affliction and Oppression unto another and think surely this will effect their design but they find themselves deceived and know not whence it is The Wayes of Oâ—edience are hence also marvellous unto Believers themselves When they consider their own frailty and weakness how ready they are to faint how often they are surprized and withal take a prospect of what Opposition lyes against them from indwelling sin Satan and the World which they are acquainted with in several instances of their Power and Prevalency they neither know how they have abode so long in their course as they have done nor how they shall continue it unto the end But they are relieved when they come to the Promise of the Gospel There they see whence their Preservation doth proceed They see this Captain of their Salvation in whom is the fulness of the Spirit and to whom are committed all the stores of Grace giving out daily and hourly unto them as the matter doth require As the Captain in an Army doth not at once give out unto his Souldiers the whole provision that is needful for their way and undertaking which if he should the most of them would instantly waste it and so quickly perish for want but he keeps provision for them all in his stores and gives out unto them according to their daily necessities So God gave the people Manna for their daily food in the Wilderness even so deals this great Leader with the Sons of God He keeps the stores of Grace and spiritual strength in his own hand and from thence imparts unto them according as they stand in need Fourthly He subdues their enemies And this belongs unto his Office as the Captain of their salvation in an especial manner Many Enemies they have and unless they are conquered and subdued they can never enter into Glory Satan the World Death and Sin are the chief or heads of them and all these are subdued by Christ and that two wayes First In his own Person For they all attempted him and failed in their enterprize John 14.30 He bruised the Serpents head Gen. 3.15 and destroyed him that had the power of death that is the Devil v. 14. of this Chapter destroyed his Power in a glorious and triumphant manner Col. 2.15 He spoyled principalities and powers and made a shew of them openly triumphing over them in his Cross adding the utmost complement unto his Victory in a Triumph And he overcome the world John 16.33 Be of good chear saith he I have overcome the world Both it and the Prince of it were put under his feet Death also was subdued by him He swallowed it up in victory 1 Cor. 15.54 He plucked out its sting broke its Power disannulled its peremptory Law when he shook it off from him and rose from under it Acts 2.24 Sin also set upon him in his Temptations but was utterly foiled as all sin is destroyed in its very being where it is not obeyed And all this was for the Advantage of the Sons of God For 1. He hath given them encouragement in shewing them that their Enemies are not invincible their Power is not uncontrollable their Law not peremptory or eternal but that having been once conquered they may the more easily be dealt withal 2. They know also that all these Enemies set upon his Person in their quarrel and as he was the great Defender of the faithful So that although they were not conquered by their Persons yet they were conquered in their Cause and they are called in to be sharers in the Victory although they were not engaged in the Battle 3. That he subdued them by Gods Ordinance and Appointment as their Representative declaring in his Person who is the Head what should be accomplished in every one of his members And 4. That by his Personal Conquest over them He hath left them weak maimed disarmed and utterly deprived of that power they had to hurt and destroy before he engaged with them For he hath thereby deprived them 1. Of all their Right and Title to exercise their Enmity against or Dominion over the Sons of God Before his dealing with them they had all Right to the utmost over mankind Satan to rule the World to vex Sin to enslave Death to destroy and give up unto Hell And all this Right was enrolled in the Law and hand-writing of Ordinances which was against us This was cancelled by Christ nailed to the Cross never to be pleaded more Col. 2.14 And when any have lost their Right or Title unto any thing what ever their strength be they are greatly weakned But he hath herein 2. Deprived them of their strength also He took away the strength of sin as a Law and the sting of death in sin the arms of the world in the curse and the power of Satan in his works and strong-holds But this is not all He not only subdues these Enemies for them but also in them and by them For though they have neitâ—â—r Title nor Arms yet they will try the remainder of their Power against them also But thanks be to God saith the Apostle who giveth us the victory by Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 15.57 He enables us in our own Persons to conquer all these enemies Nay saith he in all these things we are more than conquerors Rom. 8.37 Because we
and enemies are the same Rom. 5. v. 8 10. Col. 1. v. 21. It is that which makes special direct and immediate opposition to the quickning sanctifying and saving of his his people Rom. 7. v. 21 23. Jam. 1. v. 14 15. 1 Pet. 2. v. 11. 3. Sathan is the sworn enemy of Christ the adversary that openly constantly avowedly opposeth him in his Throne Matth. 16.18 Ephes. 6. v. 12. 1 Pet. 5.8 And he exerts his enmity by temptations 1 Cor. 7. v. 5. 1 Thess. 3. v. 5. accusations Rev. 12. v. 10. persecutions Rev. 2. v. 10. All which are the works of an enemy 4. The World is also a professed enemy of the Kingdom of Christ Joh. 15. v. 18. in the Things of it the Men of it the Rule of it it sets it self against the work of the Lord Christ on his Throne The things of it as under the curse and subject to vanity are suited to alienate the hearts of men from Christ and so act an enmity against him Jam. 4. v. 4. 1 Joh. 2. v. 15 16 17. 1 Tim. 6. v. 9 10 11. Matth. 13. v. 22 The men of the world act the same part Matth. 10. v. 22. chap. 24. v. 9. By examples by temptations by reproaches by persecutions by allurements they make it their business to oppose the Kingdom of Christ. And to that end is the Rule of it for the most part directed or over-ruled 1 Cor. 15. v. 24 25. 5. Death is also an enemy so it is expresly called 1 Cor. 15.26 it designs execution of the first Curse against all believers and therein contributes aid and Assistance unto all other Adversaries giving up its self to the service of Satan and therefore said to be in his power Chap. 2.14 of this Epistle and borrows a sting of sin 1 Cor. 15.56 to make its self the more terrible and sharp 6. The Grave is an Adversary also It fights against the faith of the Subjects of Christ by reducing their Mortality into Corruption and holding fast the dead untill they are powerfully rescued from the jaws of it 7. Lastly Hell is that Enemy in a subordination whereunto all these others do act They all aim to bring men into Hell which is an Eternal Enemy where it prevails This attends the workings and successes of those other Adversaries to consume and destroy if it were possible the whole Inheritance of Christ Rev. 6.8 All these are Enemies to Christ in his Work and Kingdom with every thing that contributes aid or Assistance unto them every thing that they make use of in the pursuit of their Enmity against him Now all these Enemies as far as they oppose the spiritual internal carrying on of the work of Christ must be made the footstool of his feet The Expression is Metaphorical and is to be interpreted and applyed variously according to the Nature and Condition of the Enemies with whom he hath to do The Allusion in general is taken from what was done by Joshua his Type towards the Enemies of his people Josh. 10. v. 24. To shew the ruine of their power and his absolute prevalency against them he caused the people to set their feet upon their necks See 2 Sam. 22.39 Psal. 8.6 To have his Enemies then brought under his feet is to have an absolute compleat conquest over them And their being made his footstool their perpetual and unchangeable Duration in that condition under the weight of what ever burden he shall be pleased to lay upon them This being that which is to be done we may consider how it is accomplished now this whole work of conquest and prevalency over all his enemies is done 1. Meritoriously 2. Exemplarily 3. Efficiently 1. Meritoriously By his Death and blood-shedding he hath procured the sentence of Condemnation in the Cause depending between him and them to be pronounced against them so that they shall have no more Right to exert their Enmity against him or his He hath given them all their deaths wounds and leaves them to dye at his pleasure So hath he prevailed against the Law Gal. 3.13 Col. 2.14 Rom. 7.6 He hath removed that strength which it gave to sin 1 Cor. 15.55 56. So that it hath no right to disquiet or condemn any of his Subjects for the future And 2. Against sin Rom. 8.2 3. So that it should not reign in nor condemn his any more And 3. Satan also Heb. 2.14 15. as to all pretence of Liberty or Right unto any part of his cursed work And 4. So likewise the World Joh. 16.33 Gal. 1.4 And against 5. Death Heb. 2.14 15. 1 Cor. 15.55 56. with 6. The Grave and 7. Hell or the wrath to come 1 Thess. 1.10 They are all meritoriously conquered in his death and Resurrection And all this hath he done for his Church 2. Exemplarily All these Adversaries peculiarly exercised their Enmity against and tryed their strength and power upon his own person The Law brought its curse upon him Gal. 3.13 Sin its Guilt 2 Cor. 5.21 Rom. 8.2 3. Satan put forth all his power against him Col. 2.15 as also did the World in all sorts of things and persons in all kinds of Opposition and Persecutions Death also he tasted of Heb. 2.9 and lay in the Grave descending into the lower parts of the earth Ephes. 4.9 And he was not unassaulted by the pains of Hell when he bare our Iniquities Isa. 53.5 6 10. Now all of them did he absolutely conquer in his own person For he satisfied the Law removed the Curse and took it away Rom. 8.3 made an end of sin Dan. 9.24 destroyed the Devil Heb. 2.14 and triumphed over him Col. 2.15 subdued the world John 16. â—3 conquered death Acts 2.24 and the Grave v. 27. and Hell also And in his own person hath he set an Example of what shall be done in and for the whole Church 3. It is done Efficiently in by and for his whole Church and this in three instances 1. Initially in their Vnion with himself When and as he unites any of them unto himself he begins the conquest of all Enemies in them and for them giving them a Right to the compleat total and final Victory over them all 2. Gradualy he carries them on in their several seasons towards perfections treading down their Enemies by degrees under them And 3. Perfectly at the last day when having freed them from the Law and sin trodden down Satan prevailed against the World recovered them from death rescued them from the Grave and delivered them from Hell he shall be himself perfectly victorious in them and they made compleatly sharers in his Victory wherein the making of all his Enemies his Footstool consisteth Secondly The Kingdom of Christ respects his Administration of it visibly in this world in the Profession and Obedience of his Subjects unto him and this also with the Opposition made unto it is respected in this Expression God the Father in the Exaltation of Jesus Christ hath given unto him
Ghest but lastly as the Master of the House see James 1.14 15. And according to their wonted manner on Gen. 4. v. 7. where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Masculine Gender is joyned with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Foeminine they observe in Bereshith Rabba sec. 22. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at first it is like a woman but afterwards it waxeth strong like a man § 12 More Testimonies of this nature from the Writings that are of Authority amongst them might be produced but that these are sufficient unto our Purpose That we aim at is to evidence their Conviction of that manifold misery which came upon mankind on the Entrance of Sin into the world And two things we have produced their Suffrage and Consent unto First The Change of the Primitive Condition of Man by his Defection from the Law of his Creation This made him obnoxious in his whole Person and all his Concernments to the displeasure and Curse of God to all the Evil which in this world he feels or fears in another to Death Temporal and Eternal And hence did all the disorder which is in the Vniverse arise All this we have found them freely testifying unto And this must be acknowledged by all men who will not brutishly deny what their own Consciences dictate unto them and which the condition of the whole lower world proclaims or irrationally ascribe such things unto God as are utterly inconsistent with his Wisdom Goodness Righteousness and Holiness And Secondly We have manifested their acknowledgement that a Principle of Sin or Moral Evil hath invaded the nature of man or that from the sin of our first Parents there is an Evil Concupiscence in the heart of every man continually and incessantly inclining the Soul unto Operations suitable unto it that is unto all Moral Evil whatever From both these it unavoidably follows on the first Notions of the Righteousness Holiness Veracity and Faithfulness of God that mankind in this estate and condition can justly expect nothing but a confluence of Evil in this world and at the close of their Pilgrimage to perish with a Ruine Commensurate unto their Existence For God having in Wisdom and Righteousness as the Soveraign Lord of his Creature given them a Law good just and equal and having appointed the Penalty of Death and his everlasting displeasure therein unto the Transgression thereof and withall having sufficiently promulgated both Law and Penalty all which things we have before demonstrated the Transgression prohibited actually ensuing God himself being Judge it remains that all this Constitution of a Law and threatning of a penalty was vain and ludricous as Satan in the Serpent pretended or that mankind is rendered absolutely miserable and cursed and that for ever Now which of these is to be concluded Divine Revelation in the Scripture Reason and the Event of things will readily determine § 13 That God without the least impeachment of his Righteousness or Goodness might have left all mankind remediless in this Condition is manifest both from what hath been discoursed concerning the means whereby they were brought into it and his dealing with Angels on the like occasion The condition wherein man was created was morally good and upright the state wherein he was placed outwardly happy and blessed the Law given unto him just and equall the Reward proposed unto him glorious and sure and his Defection from this condition voluntary What shall we say then is God unjust who inflicteth Vengeance God forbid The Execution of a Righteous Sentence upon the voluntary Transgression of a Law just and equal hath no unrighteousness in it And this was the summ of what God did in this matter as to the misery that came on mankind And who should judge Him if he left him for ever to eat of the fruit of his own wayes and to be filled with his own devices He had before as expressed his Power and Wisdom so satisfied his Goodness and Bounty in his Creation with his endowments and enjoyments according unto the Law thereof and what could man look for farther at his hands Hence Adam when his eyes were opened to see the nature of Evil in that actual sense which he had in his Conscience of the guilt that he had contracted had not the least Expectation of Relief or Mercy And the folly of the course which he took in hiding himself argues sufficiently both his present Amazement and that he knew of nothing better to betake himself unto Therefore doth he give that account of the Result of his thoughts as unto the Relation that was between God and him and what only he now looked for from him I heard thy voice and was afraid Neither would any Revelation that God had then made of himself either by the Works of his Power and Wisdom or by any inbred impressions on the souls of men concreated with them give encouragement unto them that had sinned against him to expect Relief Besides He had dealt thus with Angels Upon their first Sin he spared them not but at once without hope of Recovery cast them under the Chains of Darkness to be kept unto the final Judgement of the last day This our Apostle discourseth unto the Hebrews chap. 2. Now God dealt not unsuitably unto any of the Excellencies of his Nature when he left the Apostatizing Angels to perish without Remedy unto Eternity Had he dealt so also with Apostatizing Mankind who were drawn into a conspiracy against him by the Head of the Defection his wayes had been Holy and Righteous Yet doth not this great Instance of Gods dealing with Angels absolutely conclude his § 14 leaving of mankind remediless in his misery also He might justly do so but thence it doth not follow that necessarily he must so do And although the chief and indeed only Reason of his extending Grace and Mercy unto Men and not unto Angels was his own Soveraign Will and Pleasure concerning which who can say unto him What doest thou yet there was such a difference between these two sorts of Original Transgressoâ—s as may manifest a Condecency or suitableness unto his Righteousness and Goodness in his various proceeding with them For there are sundry things that put an Aggravation on the Rebellion of Angels above that of man and some that render their ruine less destructive unto the Glory of the Universe than that of mankind would have been For First The Angels were created in an estate and condition much superiour unto and more excellent than that of Man and so likewise were their present or actual enjoyments far above his though they also were admirable and blessed The place of their first Habitation which they left Jude 6. was the Highest Heavens the most glorious receptacle of created Beings in opposition whereunto they are said to be cast into the lowest Hell 2 Pet. 2.4 Whereas Man was placed in the Earth which although then beautifull and excellently suited to his condition yet was every way inferiour
great is the Mysterie of § 9 Godliness God was manifest in the flesh justified in the Spirit seen of Angels Preached unto the Gentiles believed on in the World received up into Glory All things which concern the Messiah his Person Office and Work are exceedingly Mysterious as containing the principal effect of the Eternal Wisdom and Goodness of God and the sacred depths of the counsel of his Will Hence the things spoken of him in the Old Testament are unto carnal Reason full of seeming inconsistencies As for instance it is promised of him that he should be the seed of the Woman Gen. 3. v. 15. of the seed of Abraham Gen. 22. v. 18. and of the Posterity of David And yet that his name should be the Mighty God the Everlasting Father the Prince of Peace Isa. 9. v. 6. and of him it is said Thy Throne O God is for ever and ever Psal. 45. v. 6. that he is the Lord our Righteousness Jer. 23. v. 6. that he is the Lord of Hosts Zech. 2. v. 8. Moreover it is declared that he shall sit upon his Throne for ever and reign whilest his enemies are made his footstool Isa. 9. v. 7. Psalm 2.7 8. Psalm 45.6 7. and yet that he shall be cut off Dan. 9. v. 26. that he shall be pierced in his hands and feet Psalm 22. v. 16. slain by the sword of God Zech. 13. v. 7. and that in his death he shall have his grave made among the wicked and with the rich Isa. 53. v. 9. Alâ—o That he shall come with great Glory and the clouds of Heaven Dan. 7. v. 13 14. and that he shall come lowly riding on an Ass and a Colt the Foal of an Ass Zech. 9. v. 9. That the soul of the Lord was well pleased with him and alwayes delighted in him Isa. 42. v. 1. and yet that it pleased him to bruise him and put him to grief Isa. 53. v. 10. to forsake him Psalm 22. v. 1. That he was to be a King and a Priest upon his Throne Zech. 6. v. 13. and yet these things were inconsistent the Kingdom being annexed unto the family of David and the Priesthood to the Posterity of Aaron by Divine Constitution That he should be honoured and worshipped of all Nations Psal. 45. v. 11 12. Psal. 72. v. 10 11 15. and yet that he should be rejected and despised as one altogether undesirable Isa. 53. v. 3. That he should stand and feed or Rule in the Name and Majesty of God Micah 5. v. 4. and yet complains I am a worm and no man a reproach of Men and despised of the People Psal. 22. v. 6. All which with sundry others of the like nature concerning his Office and Work are clearly reconciled in the New Testament and their concurrence in the Person of our Lord Jesus Christ openly and fully declared § 10 At the time of his coming the Jews were generally as ignorant of these things as Nicâ—demus was of Regeneration they knew not how they might be And therefore when ever our Saviour intimated unto them his Divine Nature they were filled with rage and madness John 8. v. 58 59. They woâ—ld stone him because being a man he declared himself to be God John 10. v. 30 31 33. and yet when he proved it to them that the Messiah was to be so inasmuch as that being Davids Son yet David in Spirit calâ—ed him Lord they were confounded not being able to answâ—r him a word Matth. 22. v. 42 43 44 45 46. when he told them that the Son of Man the Messiah must be lifted up that is in his death on the Cross they objâ—cted unto him out of the Law that Christ abideth for ever John 12. v. 34. and they knew not how to reconcile these things Hence some of his own Disciples thought he could not be the Mâ—ssiah when they saw that he dyed Luke 24. v. 20 21. and the bâ—st of them seemed to have expected an outward temporal Kingdom But of all these difficulties as was said and seeming inconsistencies there is a blessed Reconciliation revealed in the Gâ—spel and an Application made of them to the Person of the Lord Jâ—sus the Office he bare and the Work that he accomplished This the Jews refusing by unbelief they have invented many fond and lewd imaginations to free themselves from these difficulties and entanglements Some things they deny to be spoken concerning the Mâ—ssiah some things they wrest and pervert to their own apprehensions and somewhat they allow and look for that is truly promised § 11 First For his Person and the things spoken concerning it they apply thereunto the Principal Engine which they have invented for their relief For whereas the Scripture hath declared unto us such a Messiah as should have the natures of Gâ—d and man in one Person which Person should in the nature of man suffer and dye and reign for spiritual ends and purposes thâ—y have rejected the Divine Nature of this Person and split that which remaineth into two Persons to the one wherâ—of they assign one part of his work as to sorrow suffer and dye to the other another part namely to Conquer Rule and Reign according unto their carnal Apprâ—hensions of these things They have I say feigned two Messiah's between whom they have distributed the whole work of him that is promised according unto their understanding of it And one of these is to come as they say before the other to prepare his way for him This first they call Messiah Ben Joseph because he is to be of the Tribe of Ephraim the other Messiah Ben David of whom afterwards Both of them are mentioned together in the Targum on Cant. 4.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thy two Deliverers which shall deliver thee Messiah the Son of David and Messiah the Son of Ephraim are like to Moses and Aaron The same words are repeated again Chap. 7. v. 3. And in those places alone in the whole series of Targums is there any mention of this fictitious Messiah the Author of that Paraphrase on the Canticles being Josephus Caecus who lived after the finishing of the Talmuds whereof he maketh mention In other parts of the Targum he appeareth not But in the Talmud he is frâ—quently brought on the Stage So Tractat. de Fâ—â—to Tâ—bernaâ—ul Distinct. Hachalil Chamesha It is a Tradition of our Masters that the Holy Blessed God shall say unto Messiah the Son of David who shall redeem us let him do it suddainly in our dayes ask somewhat of me and I will give it thee as Psal. 2. And when he shall hear that Messiah the Son of Joseph is ssain he shall say before the Lord Lord of the world I only ask life of thee for it seems that he shall be much terrified with the death of Ben Joseph Unto this Messiah they assign all things that are dolorous and include suffering in them which they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that are in the Scripture assigned to
our Apostle manifests at large Chap. 9.19 20 21. Wherefore the People taking upon themselves the performance of it and all the Statutes and Laws thereof of which yet they knew not what they were did give up themselves unto the Soveraignty and Wisdom of God which is the indispensible duty of all that will enter into Covenant with him § 35 For the farther preparation of the people God appoints that they should be sanctified and wash their cloaths v. 10. which was done accordingly v. 14. The first contained their moral the latter their Ceremonial significative preparation for converse with God The former consisted in the due disposal of their minds unto that godly fear and holy Reverence that becomes poor worms of the Earth unto whom that glorious God makes such approaches as he did unto them The latter denoted that purity and holiness which was required in their inward man From this latter temporary occasional institution such as they had many granted to them whilest they were in the Wilderness before the giving of the Law the Rabbins have framed a Baptism for those that enter into their Synagogue a fancy too greedily embraced by some Christian Writers who would have the holy Ordinance of the Churches Baptism to be derived from thence But this washing of their cloaths not of their bodies was temporary never repeated neither is there any thing of any such Baptism or washing required in any Proselytes either Men or Women where the Laws of their admission are strictly set down Nor are there the lâ—ast footsteps of any such usage amongst the Jews untill after the dayes of John Baptist in imitation of whom it was first taken up by some Anti-mishnical Rabbins § 36 The next thing which Moses did by the command of God after he returned from the Mount was to set bounds unto it and the people that none of them might press to go up untill the Trumpet had done its long and last sounding a sign of the departure of the presence of God v. 12 13. And thou shalt set bounds unto the People round about saying take heed to your selves that you go not up into the Mount or touch the border of it whosoever toucheth the Mount shall be surely put to death there shall not an hand touch it but he shall surely be stoned or shot through whether it be beast or Man it shall not live when the Trumpet soundeth long they shall come up to the Mount The Law the Sanction and the duration of the obedience required are here represented The Law expresseth an evil prohibited both in it self and in the end of it The evil it self was going up into or so much as touching by any means the Mountain or the border of it The End wherefore this was prohibited was that they might not gaze v. 21. Charge the People lest they break through unto the Lord to gaze The Sanction is death enjoyned from the hand of Men in these Verses and threatned from the hand of Heaven v. 21 24. The continuance of the observance was untill the Trumpet sounded long or had done sounding the sign of the departure of Gods special presence which made the place holy only during its continuance § 37 For the Law it is said expresly that the Mount was not to be touched It might not be touched by Man or Beast Yet our Apostle treating concerning it calls it the Mount that might be touched Heb. 12.21 For although de jure whilst that temporary command continued in force it might not be touched which seemed to render it glorious yet saith the Apostle it was but a carnal thing that might de facta be touched by Man or Beast had they not been severely prohibited and so is no way to be compared with that Heavenly Mount Sion which we are called unto in the Worship of God under the Gospel § 38 The contexture of the words in our Translation seems to have some difficulty Whosoever toucheth the Mount v. 12 13. there shall not an hand touch it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it should seem that by it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Mount it self is intended and that the Law is reinforced in a particular caution that so much as an hand should not touch the Mount But it is far more probable that by it touch it the Person Man or Beast that touched the Mountain is intended And the words declare the manner how the offender should be destroyed being made Anathema devoted accursed by his presumptuous sin no man was to touch him or to lay hand on him to deliver him lest he also contracted of his guilt And this sense the ensuing words with the series of them evinceth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is no hand shall touch it either to save it or to punish it but stoning it shall be stoned or thrusting through it shall be thrust through whether Man or Beast it shall not live Let none think by laying hand on it to deliver it whence Aquila renders 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He shall be slain or destroyed cum impetu horrore with force and terror all being to cast stones at him or to shoot him through with arrows or thrust him through with darts So Aben Ezra 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The meaning is Men shall not gather about him to take him but those that see him shall stone him from the place of their Station And if he be afar off they shall shoot him through with arrows Touching the Mountain or the border limit or bound set unto it by Gods appointment § 47 was the sin forbidden And the end of it as was said was that they should not break through 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to see to gaze say we properly to look with curiosity on the appearances of Gods glory for which cause he smote the men of Bethshemesh upon their looking into the Ark 1 Sam. 6. God intending by this prohibition to beget in the People an awe and reverence of his holy Majesty as the Great Law-giver and by the terror thereof to bring them and their posterity into that bondage frame of Spirit that servile awe that was to abide upon them untill such time as he came who was to give liberty and boldness to his Church by dispencing unto Believers the Spirit of Adoption enabling them to cry Abba Father and to enter with boldness into the Holy Place even to the Throne of Grace In case the punishment appointed were neglected by the people God threatens to § 48 see the execution of it himself v. 21. Lest they break through unto the Lord to gaze and many of them perish v. 24. And let not the Priests and the People break through to come up unto the Lord lest he break forth upon them For to make them watchfull in their duty he lets them know that their miscarriage in this matter devolving the punishment of the Transgressor by their neglect upon him should be imputed by him unto
done to them which they would have done unto others or brought upon them Deut. 19.19 10. That a Calf be slain where a dead Body is found the Murtherer not known Deut. 21.1 11. That six Cities of refuge for the Man-slayer be appointed and the wayes to them be prepared Deut. 19.2 12. That the Levites have Cities and Suburbs granted them Numb 35.2 13. That the tops of the Houses have a battlement about them Deut. 22.8 The Ninth Family of Affirmative Precepts respects truth and Doctrines comprehending § 14 twenty five Commands 1. That the Idolatry of the Gentiles be extirpated out of the Land Deut. 12.2 2. That the City and Citizens which fall to Idolatry be utterly destroyed Deut. 13.16 3. That the seven Nations of Canaan be blotted out Deut. 20.16 4. That the Israelites remember what Amalek did unto them Deut. 25.15 16. 5. That the memory of Amalek be blotted out from under Heaven Exod. 17.14 6. That War be undertaken and managed according to the Law Deut. 20.1 7. That a Priest be annointed to go forth to the War Deut. 20.2 8. That every one carry a Paddle with his arms Deut. 23.13 9. That a place be assigned for covering of ejections of nature v. 12. 10. That what is stolen be restored Lev. 6.4 11. That an Hebrew servant be well rewarded at the end of his service Deut. 15.14 12. That we lend freely to the poor and needy Exod. 22.25 13. That the pledge be restored unto the owner Deut. 24.13 14. That the Labourer be paid his hire or wages the same day Deut. 24.15 15. That the hire-ling working in the Field or Vine-yard may eat of the fruits to his satisfaction Deut. 23.24 25. 16. That we help the Beast of our Neighbour fallen under his burden Exod. 23.5 17. That we help our neighbour in leading his Beast by the way Deut. 22.4 18. That what is lost by one and found by another be restored to the owner Deut. 22.1 19. That we rebuke our neighbour when he sinneth or offendeth Lev. 19.17 20. That we love our neighbour Lev. 19.18 21. That we love a Stranger Lev. 10.19 22. That weights and measures and scales be exact Lev. 19.36 23. That Wise Men or Men skilful in the Law be honoured or had in reputation Lev. 19.32 24. That Father and Mother be honoured Exod. 20.12 25. That they be feared Lev. 19.3 The Tenth Family concerns Women and Matrimony in twelve Precepts 1. That § 15 marriage be entered into by all Gen. 1.28 2. That a Contract or betroathing precede marriage Deut. 24.1 3. That the new married Man rejoyce with his Wife the first year Deut. 24.5 4. That the Male Children of Israel be circumcised Gen. 17.10 Lev. 12.5 5. That the Widow of a Man dying without Children marry unto her Husbands Brother Deut. 25.5 6. That he who refuseth so to take the Widow of one dying without Children being next of kin have his shooe pulled off and be spit upon Deut. 25.7 7. That he who hath violated the Chastity of a Virgin by force be compelled to marry her Deut. 22.29 8. That He who hath defamed his Wife without cause keep her without hope of divorce Deut. 22.19 9. That he who seduceth a Virgin to Fornication pay fifty shekels Exod. 22.16 10. That a fair Woman taken in War be dealt withall according to the Law Deut. 21.11 11. That divorces be made by a Writing or Bill of divorcement Deut. 24.1 12. That a Woman suspected of adultery be dealt withall according to the Law Numb 5.30 The Eleventh Family concerneth criminal Judgements and Punishments and hath § 16 eight Precepts belonging unto it 1. That criminal persons not guilty of sins deserving capital punishments be beaten with stripes Deut. 24.3 2. That he who slew a man at unawares be banished from conversing among the people Numb 35.25 3. That those guilty of it be hanged or strangled Lev. 20.10 4. That others as is appointed be slain by the Sword Exod. 20.21 5. Others to be burned 20.14 6. That those who deserve it by the Law be stoned with stones 7. That those appointed thereunto be hanged up after death Deut. 21 22. 8. That all who suffer death be buryed the same day Deut. 21.23 § 17 The Twelfth and last Family of this sort of Precepts which is about Judgements in Civil Causes contains seventeen Precepts 1. That the Hebrew servant be dealt withall according to the Law Exod. 21.2 2. That an Hebrew Maid Servà nt be married to her Master or his Son if humbled by either of them Exod. 21.8 3. That an Hebrew Maid Servant may be redeemed Exod. 21.8 4. That only Canaanites or Heathens may be made perpetual Servants or brought into bondage for ever Lev. 25.46 5. That he who procures the hurt of any one do repair it by a pecuniary mulct 6. That hurt done by a Beast be repaired Exod. 21.28 29. 7. That loss or hurt from the not covering or safeguarding of a pit be repaired Exod. 21.23 8. That theft be judged according to the Law Exod. 22.1 9. That the dammage done by one Mans Beasts in other Mens Fields be repaired Exod. 22.5 10. That dammage by sire voluntarily be repaired Exod. 22.5 11. That judgement be made of any thing deposited or trusted without reward according to the Law Exod. 22.6 12. That what is lent or hired for gain if lost be judged according unto the Law Exod. 22.10 13. Also what is borrowed for use v. 14. 14. That things concerning buying and selling be judged according to the Law Lev. 25.14 15. That the cause of the Plaintiff and Defendant be judged according to the Law Exod. 22.9 16. That a Man pursued by his Enemy to death may be delivered with the death of his pursuer Deut. 25.12 17. That the rights of Inheritances be determined according to the Law Numb 27 8 9 10 11. § 18 These are the Precepts which they gather out of the Law as Affirmatively expressed That some of them are by no means rightly educed from those Texts which they draw them from will appear at first view unto him that shall examine them It is also justly questionable whether sundry of them be indeed Precepts of God or no especially as by them explained But that this is the just number of the Affirmative Precepts of the Law that there are no more of that kind and that these are all so many distinct precepts is vain to imagine Only whereas in general the most of the particular commands that belong unto the same things are gathered by them into certain heads wherein they are summarily represented I thought not unmeet to give them here in their order § 19 The Negative Precepts also are by them in like manner cast into twelve distinct Families which with the same brevity we shall pass through § 20 The First Family of these Precepts relates unto False Worship concerning which they gather up forty seven Prohibitions 1. That we have no other God but
and the performance of duties required in it yet it was greatly increased and aggravated by that multitude of commands wherein it consisted Whence our Apostle calls it the Law of Commandments contained in Ordinances Ephes. 2.15 Consisting of an endless number of commands concerning which their minds could never attain any comfortable satisfaction whether they had answered their duty aright in them or no. Exercitatio XXI The Sanction of the Law in Promises and Threatnings The Law considered several ways As the Rule of the old Covenant As having a new end put to it As it was the Instrument of the Jewish Polity The sanction of it in those senses Punishments threatned to be inflicted by God himself By others Promises of three sorts To be fulfilled by God himself By others Parents how they prolong the lives of their children Punishment 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what Providential punishments Partial Total Persons entrusted with power of punishment The original distribution of the people Task-masters and Officers in Egypt who The authority of Moses The distribution of the people in the Wilderness Institution of the Sanhedrin Judges Kings Penalties Ecclesiastical The three degrees of it explained and examined Causes of Niddui Instance Joh. 9.20 Of Cherem And Shammatha Forms of an Excommunication The Sentence Ezra 10.7 8. explained Civil Penalties and Capital The several sorts of them BY the Sanction of the Law we intend the Promises and Penalties wherewith by § 1 God the observation of it and obedience unto it was enforced This the Apostle hath respect unto in sundry places of this Epistle the principal whereof are reported in the fore-going Dissertation To represent this distinctly we may observe that the Law falls under a three-fold consideration First As it was a Repetition and Expression of the Law of Nature and the Covenant of Works established thereon Secondly as it had a new End and design put upon the Administration of it to direct the Church unto the use and benefit of the Promise given of old to Adam and renewed unto Abraham four hundred and thirty years before Thirdly As it was the Instrument of the Rule and Government of the Church and People of Israel with respect unto the Covenant made with them in and about the Land of Canaan And in this three-fold respect it had a three-fold Sanction First As considered absolutely it was attended with promises of life and threatnings § 2 of death both Eternal The original promise of life upon obedience and the curse on its transgression were inseparably annexed unto it yea were essential parts of it as it contained the Covenant between God and Man See Gen. 2. Deut. 27.26 Rom. 6.23 Rom. 4.4 Rom. 10.5 Rom. 11.6 Lev. 18.5 Ezek. 29.11 Gal. 3.12 13. Now in the Administration of the Law the Church was thus far brought under § 3 the obligation of these Promises and Threatnings of Life and Death eternal so far interested in the one and made obnoxious unto the other as that if they used not the Law according to the new dispensation of it wherein it was put into a subserviency unto the Promise as Gal. 3.19 20 21 22 23 24. that they were left to stand and fall according to the absolute tenure of that first Covenant and its ratification which by reason of the entrance of sin proved fatally ruinous unto all that cleaved unto it Rom. 8.3 chap. 9.31 Secondly The Law had in this Administration of it a new End and design put § 4 upon it and that in three things First that it was made directive and instructive unto another End and not meerly preceptive as at the beginning The Authoritative Institutions that in it were super-added to the Moral commands of the Covenant of works did all of them direct and teach the Church to look for Righteousness and Salvation the original ends of the first Covenant in Another and by another way as the Apostle at large disputes in this Epistle and declares positively Gal. 3. throughout Secondly In that it had a dispensation added unto the commands of obedience and interpretation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by condiscension given by God himself as to the perfection of its observance and manner of its performance in reference unto this new end It required not absolutely perfect obedience but perfectness of heart integrity and uprightness in them that obeyed And unto the Law thus considered the former promises and threatnings are annexed For the neglect of this use of it left the Transgressors obnoxious to the Curse denounced in general against them that continued not in the whole Law to do it Thirdly It had merciful relief provided against sin for the supportment and consolation of sinners as we shall see in the consideration of their Sacrifices § 5 Thirdly it may be considered as it was the Instrument of the Rule and Government of the People and Church of Israel according to the tenure of the Covenant made with them about the Land of Canaan and their living unto God therein And in this respect it had four things in it First That it represented unto the people the Holiness of God the Effects whereof are implanted in the Law according to its Original constitution whereupon in it they are so often called to be holy because the Lord and Law-giver was holy Secondly A Representation of his Grace and Condiscention pardoning of sin in the Covenant of mercy in as much as he allowed a Compensation by Sacrifices for so many transgressions which in their own nature were forfeitures of their interest in that Land Thirdly That it was a righteous Rule of obedience unto that People as unto their especial Covenant condition Fourthly That it fully represented the severity of God against wilful transgressors of his Covenant as now renewed in order to the Promise seeing every such transgression was attended in their Administration of Rule with death without mercy § 6 It is of the Law under this third consideration though not absolutely as the Instrument of the Government of the People in Canaan but as it had a Representation in it of that Administration of grace and mercy which was contained in the Promises whereof we treat Concerning this or the Law in this sense we may consider first the Promises then the Threatnings of it And the Promises are of two sorts First such as God took immediately upon himself the accomplishment of Secondly such as others by his institution and appointment were to communicate the benefit of unto the obedient § 7 The first are of three sorts First of Life Temporal as it was an Instrument of their Government and eternal with God as the Promise or Covenant of grace was exemplified or represented therein Levit. 18.5 Ezek. 20.11 Rom. 10.5 Gal. 3.12 Secondly Of a Spiritual Redeemer Saviour Deliverer really to effect what the Ordinances of Institution did represent so to save them eternally to be exhibited in the fulness of time as we have at large already proved Thirdly There are
given out with the Law various Promises of intervenient and mixed mercies to be enjoyed in earthly things in this world that had their immediate respect unto the mercy of the Land of Canaan representing spiritual Grace annexed to the then present Administration of the Covenant of Grace Some of these concerned the collation of good things others the preventing of or delivery of them from Evils both expressed in great variety § 8 Of the Promises whose accomplishment depended on the Institution of God by others that is the principal and comprehensive of the rest which is expressed Exod. 20.12 Honour thy father and thy mother that thy days may be prolonâ—ed This saith our Apostle is the first commandment with promise Ephes. 6.2 Not that the fore-going Precepts have no Promises annexed to the observation of them nor meerly because this hath a Promise literally expressed but that it had the special kind of Promise wherein Parents by Gods institution have power to prolong the lives of obedient Children 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They shall prolong thy days that is negatively in not cutting of their life for disobedience which was then in the power of natural Parents and possibly by praying for their prosperity blessing them in the name of God and directing them into the ways and means of universal obedience whereby their days might be multiplied and on sundry other accounts § 9 For the penalties annexed unto the transgression of the Law which our Apostle principally hath respect unto in his discourses on this subject they will require somewhat a larger consideration and they were of two sorts First such as God took upon himself to inflict and secondly such as he appointed others to see unto the execution of The first are of three sorts First That Eternal punishment which he threatned unto them that transgressed and disannull'd his Covenant as renewed and ordered in the Administration of the Law and the Ordinances thereof This we have manifested elsewhere to be the importance of the Curse which every such transgressor was obnoxious unto Secondly The punishment which the Jews express by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Excision or cutting off It is first mentioned Gen. 17.14 in the matter of Circumcision Sometimes emphatically Numb 15.31 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cutting off that soul shall be cut off from among his people and frequently afterwards Exod. 12.15 19. chap. 31.14 Levit. 7.10 chap. 20.3 5 6. It is rendred by the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 3.23 shall be destroyed from among the people that is by the hand of God as is declared 1 Cor. 10.10 Heb. 11.28 Twenty five times is this punishment threatned in the Law still unto such sins as disannul the Covenant which our Apostle expresly respects chap. 2.2 as shall be declared on that place Now this punishment the Jews generally agree to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the hand of § 10 Heaven or that which God himself would immediately inflict and it is evidently declared so to be in the interpretation given of it Levit. 17.10 chap. 20.4 5 6. But what this punishment was or wherein it did consist neither Jews nor Christians are absolutely agreed the latter on this subject doing little more then representing the opinions and judgments of the other which course also we may follow Some of them say that Vntimely Death is meant by it so Abarbinel on Numb 5.22 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is the cutting off the days of the sinner and his death before the natural term of it inflicted by the hand of Heaven This untimely death they reckon to be between the years of twenty and sixty whence Schindler 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 exterminium cum quis praematurâ morte inter vigessimum sexagessimum annum à Deo è medio tollitur ita tamen ut relinquat liberos Cutting off is when any one is taken away by untimely death between the twintieth and sixtieth year of his age yet so as that he leave children That clause or condition so that yet he leave posterity or children behind him is as far as I can find no where added by them nor doth any thing in the Scripture give countenance thereunto Yea many of the Hebrews think that this punishment consisted in this that such a one should leave no children behind him but that either he should be wholly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without children or if he had any before his sin they should all die before him and so his name and posterity be cut off which say they is to be cut off from among his people So Aben-Ezra on Gen. 17.14 And this opinion is not without its countenance from the Scripture it self And therefore Jarchi on the same place with much probability puts both these together He shall be cut off by untimely death and leave no children behind him to continue his name or remembrance amongst the people 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as they speak He that hath no children is accounted as dead but he that hath is as if he lived and his name is not cut off They have a third opinion also that by this cutting off the death of the soul is intended § 11 especially when the word is ingemminated Cutting off he shall be cut off as Numb 15.31 So Maimonides 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that soul shall perish it shall not live or subsist any more for ever Few embrace this opinion as being contrary to their general perswasion of Eternal punishments for the transgressions of the Covenant Wherefore it is disputed against by Abarbinel on Numb 15. who contends that the death of the soul in everlasting separation from God is intended in this threatning And both the principal parts of these various opinions namely that of immature corporal death and eternal punishment ate joyned together by Jonathan in his Targum on Numb 15.31 He shall be cut off in this world and that man shall be cut off in the world to come and bear his sin in the day of Judgment For my part as I have shewed that eternal death was contained in the curse of the Law so this especial 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or extermination from among the people seems to me to intend some especial judgment of God in taking away the life of such a person answering unto that putting to death by the Judges and Magistrates in such cases when they were known which God did appoint And herein also was an eminent Representation of the everlasting cutting off of obstinate and final transgressors of the Covenant Thirdly In Judgments to be brought providentially upon the whole Nation by Pestilence § 12 Famine Sword and Captivity which are at large declared Levit. 26. and Deut. 28. Fourthly Total Rejection of the whole body of the people in case of unbelief and disobedience upon the full and perfect Revelation that was to be made of the will and mind of God upon the coming of the Messiah Deut. 18.18
adultery as is known was capital by the express sentence of the Law As 1. With a Sister 2. A Fathers Sister 3. A Mothers Sister 4. A Wifes Sister 5. A Brothers Widow 6. An Vncles Widow 7. A Woman separated Many other Crimes also they reckon up with reference unto Ceremonial Institutions as eating of fat and blood and leaven on the Passeover making an Oyle like the holy Oyle even all such trangressions as are threatned with punishment but have no express kind of punishment annexed unto them § 28 Secondly Punishments respecting State and Condition were of two sorts First Pecuniary in a quadruple restitution in case of Theft Secondly Personal in banishment or confinement unto the City of Refuge for him that had slain a Man at unawares Numb 35.25 § 29 Thirdly Capital punishments they inflicted four wayes Fiâ—st By Strangulation which was inflicted on six sorts of Transgressors 1. Adulterers 2. Strikers of Parents 3. Men-stealers 4. Old Men exemplarily rebellious against the Law 5. False Prophets 6. Prognosticators by the Names of Idols Secondly Burning Lev. 20.14 And this the Jews say was inflicted by pouring molten Lead into their mouths and the Crimes that this punishment were allotted to were 1. The Adultery of the Priests Daughter 2. Incest 1. With a Daughter 2. With a Sons Daughter 3. A Wises Daughter 4. A Wises Daughters Daughter 5. A Wises Sons Daughter 6. A Wifes Mother 7. The Mother of her Father 8. The Mother of her Father in Law Thirdly Death was inflicted by the Sword Deut. 20.21 1. On the voluntary Man-slayer 2. On the Inhabitants of any City that fall to Idolatry Fourthly By Stoning Which was executed for Incest 1. With a Mother 2. A Mother in Law 3. A Daughter in Law 4. Adultery with a betroathed Virgin 5. Vnnatural uncleaness with Men 6. With Beasts by Men 7. With Beasts by Women 8. Blasphemy 9. Idolatry 10. Offering to Moloch 11. A Familiar Spirit of Ob 12. Of Jiedeoni 13. On Impostors 14. On Seducers 15. On Enchanters or Magicians 16. Prophaners of the Sabbath 17. Cursers of Father or Mother 18. The dissolute and stubborn Son Concerning all which it is expresly said that they shall be stoned § 30 Unto the execution of these penalties there was added two Cautionary Laws First That they that were put to death for the increase of their ignominy and terror of others should be hanged on a Tree Deut. 21.21 Secondly That they should be buryed the same day v. 23 And this is a brief abstract of the Penalties of the Law as it was the Rule of the Polity of the People in the Land of Canaan Exercitatio XXII The Building of the Tabernacle Moses Writing and Reading the Book of the Covenant Considerations of the particulars of the Fabrick and Vtensils of the Tabernacle Omitted One Instance insisted on The Ark. The same in the Tabernacle and Temple The Glory of God in what sense The principal Sacred Vtensil The matter whereof it was made The Form of it The End and Vse of it The Residence and Motions of it The Mercy-Seat that was upon it The matter thereof Of the Cherubims Their Form and Fashion The Visions of Isaiah and Ezekiel compared Difference in them and Reason thereof THe People having received the Law in the Wilderness and therein a Foundation § 1 being laid of their future Church-State and Worship which was to continue untâ—â— the Times of Reformation Heb. 9.10 they had also by Gods direction a place and Building for the seat of that Worship assigned unto them This was the Tabernacle erected in the Wilderness suited to their then moving state and condition into the Room whereof the Temple built afterwards by Solomon suceeded when they had attained a fixed station in the Land of Promise Our Apostle respecting the Ordinances of that Church as first instituted by Moses which the Hebrews boasted of as their priviledge and on the account whereof they obstinately adhered unto their observation insists only on the Tabernacle whereunto the Temple and its services were referred and conformed And this he doth principally Chap. 9 v. 1 2 3 4 5. Then verily the first Covenant had also Ordinances of divine Service and a worldly Sâ—â—ctuary For there was a Tabernacle made the first wherein was the candlestick and the Table and the Shew-bread which is called the Sanctuary And after the second Veil the Tabernacle which is called the Holiest of all which had the Golden Censor and the Ark of the Covenant overlaid round about with Gold wherein was the Golden Pot that had Manna and Aarons Rod that budded and the Tables of the Covenant And over it the Cherubims of Glory shaddowing the Mercy Seat The Preparation for the Directions which God gave for the building of this Tabernacle § 2 is declared Exod. 24. The Body of the people having heard the Law that is the ten Words or Commandments which was all they heard Deut. 9.10 what God spake to them was written in the Two Tables of stone they removed unto a greater distance from the Mount Exod. 20.18 19. After their Removal Moses continued to receive from the Lord that summary of the whole Law which is expressed Chap. 21.22 23. And all this as it should seem at the first hearing he wrote in a Book from the Mouth of God For it is said Chap. 24. v. 4. that he wrote all the words of the Lord. And v. 7. that he took the Book of the Covenant and read in the audience of the people The Jewish Masters suppose that it was the Book of Genesis that is there intended For § 3 say they the rest of the Law was not yet written namely before God himself had written or engraven the Ten Words on the Two Tables of Stone But this is a fond imagination seeing the Book which Moses read contained the form and tenour of the Covenant made with that people at Horeb and is expresly so called and as such was then solemnly confirmed and ratified by Sacrifice It may therefore be supposed that there is a Prolepsis used in the recording of this story and that indeed the confirmation of the Covenant by Sacrifice which was accompanied with the Reading of the Book was not until after the third return of Moses from the Mount with the renewed Tables But this also may well be doubted seeing this Sacrifice was prepared and offered by the young Men of the Children of Israel v. 5. that is the First Born whose Office was superseded upon the Separation of Aaron and his Sons unto the Priesthood which God had designed before that last descent of Moses from the Mount We must therefore leave things in the order wherein they are set down and recorded It appears therefore that Moses wrote the Law as he received it from God This being done he came down and read it in the ears of the people And he proposed it unto them as containing the Terms of the Covenant that God would have them enter
Righteousness of any Law whatever 2. Wisdom is required to the making of Righteous Laws This is the eye of Authority without which it can act nothing rightly or equally Effects of Power without Wisdom are commonly unjust and Tyranical alwayes useless and burdensom The Wisdom of Law-makers is that which hath principally given them their renown So Moses tells the Israelites that all Nations would admire them when they perceived the Wisdom of their Laws Deut. 4. Now the Lord Christ is abundantly furnished with Wisdom for this purpose He is the foundation stone of the Church that hath seven eyes upon him Zech. 3.9 A perfection of Wisdom and Understanding in all Affairs of it being anointed with the Spirit unto that purpose Isa. 11.3 4. Yea in him are hid all the Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge Col. 2.3 it having pleased the Father that in him all fulness should dwell Col. 1.19 So that there can be no defect in his Laws and Administrations on this account He is Wise of heart and knows perfectly what Rules and Actings are suited to the Glory of God and the condition of the subjects of his Kingdom and what tendeth to their spiritual and eternal Advantage He knows how to order all things unto the great end which in his Government he aimeth at And thence do all his Laws and Administrations become righteous And this also well deserves their consideration who take upon them to appoint Laws and Rules within his Dominion unto his Subjects for the ends of his Rule and substance of his Worship Have they Wisdom sufficient to enable them so to do doth the Spirit of the Lord Christ rest upon them â—o make them of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord Are they acquainted with the state and condition the Weakness Temptations Graces of all the people of Christ If they are not how know they but that they may command and appoint them things greatly to their disadvantage when they think to profit them It seems a great self-assuming for men to suppose themselves wise enough to give Laws to the Subjects of Christ in things directly appertaining to his Kingdom 3. They are Righteous because they are Easie gentle and not burdensome The Righteousness and uprightness here mentioned doth not denote strict rigid severe Justice extending its self unto the utmost of what can be required of the subjects to be ruled but Equity mixed with Gentleness tenderness and condescension which if it be absent from Laws and they breath nothing but severity rigor and arbitrary impositions though they may not be absolutely unjust yet they are grievous burdensom Thus Peter calls the Law of commandments contained in the Ordinances of old a yoke which neither their Fathers nor themselves were able to bear Acts 15.10 that is could never obtain rest or peace in the precise rigid observation required of them But now for the Rule of Christ he tells us that his yoke is easie and his burden light Matth. 11.30 and that his commandments are not grievous 1 John 5.3 And this gentleness and easiness of the rule of Christ consisteth in these three things 1. That his Commands are all of them Reasonable and suited unto the principles of that natural Obedience we owe to God and so not grievous unto any thing in us but that principle of sin and darkness which is to be destroyed He hath not multiplied Precepts meerly arbitrary and to express his Authority but given us only such as are in themselves Good and suitable unto the Principles of Reason as might be evinced by the particular considerations of his Institutions Hence our Obedience unto them is called our reasonable service Rom. 12.1 2. His commands are easie because all of them are suited to that principle of the new Nature or new Creature which he worketh in the hearts of all his Disciples It likes them loves them delights in them which makes them easie unto it The Lord Christ rules as we said by his Word and Spirit these go together in the Covenant of the Redeemer Isa. 59.20 21. And their work is suited and commensurate one to the other The Spirit creates a new Nature fitted for Obedience according to the Word and the Word gives out Laws and Precepts suited unto the inclination and disposition of that Nature and in these two consist the Scepter and Rule of Christ. This suitableness of Principle and Rule one to the other makes his Government easie upright and righteous 3. His commands are easie becauses he continually gives out supplies of his Spirit to make his subjects to yield obedience unto them This is that which above all other things sets a lustre upon his Rule The Law was holy just and good of old but whereas it exhibited not strength unto men to enable them unto Obedience it became unto them altogether useless and unprofitable as to the end they aimed at in its observation It is otherwise in the Kingdom of Christ what ever he requires to have done of his subjects he gives them strength by his Spirit and grace to perform it which makes his rule easie righteous equal and altogether lovely Neither can any of the sons of men pretend to the least share or interest in this priviledge 4. This Rule and Administration of Christs Kingdom is righteous because useful and profitable Then are Laws good wholesome and equal when they lead unto the benefit and advantage of them that do observe them Laws about slight and trivial things or such as men have no benefit or advantage by their observation are justly esteemed grievous and burdensome But now all the Laws and whole Rule of the Lord Christ are every way useful and advantagious to his subjects They make them holy righteous such as please God and are useful to mankind This is their nature this their tendency Whatsoever things are true whatsoever things are honest whatsoever things are just whatsoever things are pure whatsoever things are lovely whatsoever things are of good report they are all ingenerated in the soul by and in the observance of these Laws of Christ's Rule They free the soul from the power of lust the service of sin fear of death hell and the world guide it in the truth make it fruitful amongst mankind and amiable unto God himself 5. Their end manifests them to be righteous The worth and equity of Laws is taken off when low and unworthy ends are proposed unto their observation But these of the Lord Christ direct unto the highest end propose and promise the most glorious reward so that whatsoever may be done or suffered in an adherence unto them bears no proportion to that exceeding rich and eternal reward which they are attended withall which renders them highly righteous and glorious And many other considerations of the like nature may be added And hence a three-fold Corolary may be taken 1. That our submission to this Scepter of the Lord Christ our obedience to the Laws of his Kingdom and the
Will and Understanding of the Humane Nature is the principle of those Theandrical acts whereby Christ ruleth over all in the Kingdom given him of his Father Rev. 1. v. 17 18. As he was God he was Davids Lord but not his Son As he was Man he was Davids Son and so absolutely could not be his Lord. In his Person as he was God and Man he was his Lord and his Son which is the intention of our Saviours Question Matth. 22. v. 45. 3. For the Nature and Manner of this speaking when and how God said it four things seem to be intended in it 1. The Eternal Decree of God concerning the Exaltation of the Son incarnate So David calls this Word the Decree the Statute or Eternal Appointment of God Psal. 2. v. 7. This is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Internal and Eternal Word or speaking of the Mind Will and Counsel of God referred unto by Peter 1 Epist. 1. v. 20. God said this in the Eternal Purpose of his Will to and concerning his Son 2. The Covenant and Compact that was between the Father and Son about and concerning the Work of Mediation is expressed also in this saying That there was such a Covenant and the nature of it I have else-where declared See Prov. 8. v. 30 31. Isa. 53. v. 10 11 12. Zech. 6. v. 12 13. Joh. 17. v. 4 5 6 In this Covenant God said unto him Sit thou at my right hand which he also pleaded in and upon the discharge of his work Isa. 50. v. 8 9. Joh. 17. v. 4 5. 3. There is also in it the Declaration of this Decree and Covenant in the Prophesies and Promises given out concerning their accomplishment and execution from the foundation of the world Luke 1. v. 40. 1 Pet. 1.11 12. Gen. 3.15 He said it by the mouth of his holy prophets which have been since the world began And in this sense David only recounts the prophesies and promises that went before Luke 24. v. 25 26 27. And all these are comprised in this speaking here mentioned Thus the Lord said unto him And all these were past when recorded by David But he yet looks forward by a Spirit of prophesie into the actual accomplishment of them all when upon the Resurrection of Christ and the fulfilling of his work of Humiliation God actually invested him with the promised Glory which is the fourth thing intended in the expression Acts 2. v. 33.36 chap. 5.33 1 Pet. 1. v. 20 21. All these four things center in a new Revelation now made to David by the Spirit of Prophesie This he here declares as the stable Purpose Covenant and Promise of God the Father revealed unto him The Lord said And this also gives us an account of the manner of this Expression as to its imperative Enunciation Sit thou It hath in it the force of a promise that he should do so as it respected the Decree Covenant and Declaration thereof from the foundation of the world God engaging his Faithfulness and Power for the effecting of it in its appointed season speaks concerning it as a thing instantly to be done And as those words respect the glorious accomplishment of the thing it self so they denote the acquiescence of God in the work of Christ and his Authority in his glorious Exaltation 4. The thing spoken about is Christ's sitting at the right hand of God wherein that consists hath been declared on verse 3. In brief it is the Exaltation of Christ into the glorious Administration of the Kingdom granted unto him with Honour Security and Power or as in one word our Apostle calls it his Reigning 1 Cor. 15.25 Concerning which we have treated already at large And herein we shall acquisce and not trouble our selves with the needless curiosity and speculation of some about these words Such is that of Maldonat on Matth. 16. before remarked on verse 3. saith he Cum filius dicitur sedere ad dextram Patris denotatur comparatio virtutis filii Patris potentia filii major dicitur ratione functionis Officii administrationis Ecclesiae Paterque videtur fecisse filium quodammodo se superiorem donasse illi nomen etiam supra ipsum Dei nomen quod omnes Christiani tacitè significant cùm audito nomine Jesu detegunt caput audito autem nomine Dei non item Than which nothing could be more presumptuously nor foolishly spoken For there is not in the words the least intimation of any comparison between the Power of the Father and the Son but only the Father's Exaltation of the Son unto Power and Glory expressed But as was said these things have been already considered 5. There is in the words the End aimed at in this sitting down at the right hand of God and that is the making of his Enemies the foot-stool of his feet This is that which is promised unto him in the state and condition whereunto he is exalted For the opening of these words we must enquire 1. Who are these Enemies of Christ. 2. How they are to be made his foot-stool 3. By whom For the first we have shewed that it is the glorious Exaltation of Christ in his Kingdom that is here spoken of and therefore the Enemies intended must be the Enemies of his Kingdom or Enemies unto him in his Kingdom that is as he sits on his Throne carrying on the work designed and ends of it Now the Kingdom of Christ may be considered two ways First in respect of the Internal Spiritual Power and Efficacy of it in the hearts of his subjects Secondly with respect unto the outward glorious Administration of it in the world And in both these respects it hath enemies in abundance all and every one whereof must be made his foot-stool We shall consider them apart The Kingdom Rule or Reigning of Christ in the first sense is the Authority and Power which he puts forth for the conversion sanctification and salvation of his Elect. As he is their King he quickens them by his Spirit sanctifies them by his grace preserves them by his faithfulness raiseth them from the dead at the last day by his power and gloriously rewardeth them unto Eternity in his righteousness In this work the Lord Christ hath many enemies as the Law Sin Sathan the World Death the Grave and Hell all these are enemies to the Work and Kingdom of Christ and consequently to his Person as having undertaken that work 1. The Law is an enemy unto Christ in his Kingdom not absolutely but by accident and by reason of the consequents that attend it where his subjects are obnoxious unto it It slays them Rom. 7. v. 9 10 11. which is the work of an enemy is against them and contrary unto them Col. 2. v. 14. and contributes strength to their other adversaries 1 Cor. 15. v. 56. which discovers the nature of an enemy 2. Sin is universally and in its whole nature an enemy unto Christ Rom. 8. v. 7. Sinners
not the Original Authoritative giving of the Law but the Ministerial ordering of things in its promulgation is that which is ascribed to Angels They raised the fire and smoke they shook and rent the rock they framed the sound of the Trumpet they effected the Articulate Voyces which conveyed the words of the Law to the ears of the people and therein proclaimed and published the Law whereby it became the Word spoken by Angels Grotius on this place contends that it was a created Angel who represented the Person of God on Mount Sinai and in the confirmation of his conjecture after he hath made use of the imagination before rejected he adds that if the Law had been given out by God in his own person as he speaks then upon that account it would have been preferred above the Gospel But as the Apostle grants in the first words of his Epistle that the Law no less than the Gospel was primitively and originally from God so we say not that God gave the Law immediately without the Ministry of Angels And the Comparison which the Apostle is pursuing respects not the first Author of Law or Gospel but the principal Ministerial Publishers of them which of the one was Angels of the other the Son himself And in these words lyes the spring of the Apostles Argument as is manifest in those Interrogatory Particles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for if for if the Law that was published unto our Fathers by Angels was so vindicated against the disobedient how much more shall the neglect of the Gospel be revenged Secondly He affirms concerning this word thus published that it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 firm or stedfast That is it became an assured Covenant between God and the people That Peace which is firm and well grounded is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a firm unalterable Peace And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is Publick Security The Law 's becoming 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then firm sure stedfast consists in its being ratified to be the Covenant between God and that people as to their Typical Inheritance Deut. 5.2 The Lord our God made a Covenant with us in Horeb. And therefore in the greater transgressions of the Law the people were said to forsake to break to prophane to transgress the Covenant of God Levit. 26.15 Deut. 3.20 Chap. 17.2 Hos. 6.7 Josh. 7.11 2 Kings 18.12 1 Kings 19.14 Jerem. 22.9 Mal. 2.10 And the Law thus published by Angels became a stedfast Covenant between God and the people by their mutual stipulation thereon Exod. 20.19 Josh. 24.22 24. Being thus firm and ratified Obedience unto it became necessary and reasonable for hence Thirdly The Event of Disobedience unto this word is expressed every Transgression and every stubborn disobedience received a meet retribution Sundry things must be a little enquired into for the right Understanding of these words As 1. The difference between 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And the first is properly any Transgression which the Hebrews call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the latter includes a refusal so to attend as to obey Contumacy stubborness rebellion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And so the latter word may be exegetical of the former such Transgressions the Apostle speaks of as were accompanied with Contumacy and stubborness or they may both intend the same things under divers respects 2. How may this be extended to every sin and Transgression seeing it is certain that some sins under the Law were not punished but expiated by Attonements Answ. 1. Every sin was contrary 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the Doctrine of the Law its commands and precepts 2. Punishment was assigned unto every sin though not executed on every sinner And so the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 denotes not the actual Infliction of Punishment but the Constitution of it in the sanction of the Law 3. Sacrifices for Attonement manifested punishments to have been due though the sinner was relieved against them But 4. The sins especially intended by the Apostle were such as were directly against the Law as it was a Covenant between God and the people for which there was no Provision made of any Attonement or Compensation but the Covenant being broken by them the sinners were to dye without mercy and to be exterminated by the hand of God or man And therefore the sins against the Gospel which are opposed unto those are not any Trangressions that Professors may be guilty of but final Apostacy or Vnbelief which render the Doctrine of it altogether unprofitable unto men Thirdly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a Recompence just and equal proportionable unto the crime according to the Judgement of God That which answers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Judgement of God which is that they which commit sin are worthy of death Rom. 1.32 And there were two things in the sentence of the Law against Trangressors 1. The Temporal punishment of cutting off from the Land of the living which respected that dispensation of the Law which the Israelites were subjected unto And the several sorts of punishment that were among the Jews under the Law have been declared in our Prolegomena to discover the nature whereof let the Reader consult the twenty first Exercitation And 2. Eternal Punishment which was figured thereby due unto all Transgressors of the Law as it is a Rule of Obedience unto God from all mankind Jews and Gentiles Now it is the first of these which the Apostle directly and primarily intendeth because he is comparing the Law in the Dispensation of it on Horeb unto the Jews with all its Sanctions unto the present Dispensation of the Gospel and from the Penalties wherewith the breach of it as such among that people was then attended argues unto the sorer punishment that must needs ensue upon the neglect of the dispensation of the Gospel as he expounds himself Chap. 10.28 29. For otherwise the penaltie assigned unto the Transgression of the Moral Law as a Rule is the very same in the nature and kind of it with that which belongs unto despisers of the Gospel even death eternal 4. Chrysostom observes some impropriety in the use of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because it rather denotes a Reward for a good work than a punishment for an evil one But the word is indifferent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and notes only a Recompence suitable unto that whereunto it is applyed So is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 used by our Apostle Rom. 1.27 excellently expressed by Solomon Prov. 1.31 Sinners shall eat of the fruit of their own wayes and be filled with their own devises Such Rewards we have recorded Numb 15.30 1 Sam. 6.6 1 Kings 13.4 and Chap. 20.36 2 Kings 2.23 24. 2 Chron. 30.20 This the Apostle layes down as a thing well known unto the Hebrews namely that the Law which was delivered unto them by Angels received such a Sanction from God after it was established as
dangers that attended him in the course of his obedience are inexpressible And surely this renders salvation by him very great But yet there is that remains which gives it another Exaltation For 3. This Son of God after the course of his obedience to the whole will of God must die shed his bloud and make his soul an offering for sin And herein the glory of this salvation breaks forth like the Sun in its strength Obedient he must be unto death the death of the cross Phil. 2.8 If he will be a Captain of salvation to bring many sons to glory he must himself be made perfect by sufferings Heb. 2.10 There were Law and Curse and Wrath standing in the way of our salvation all of them to be removed all of them to be undergone and that by the Son of God For we were not redeemed with silver and gold or corruptible things but with the precious bloud of Christ 1 Pet. 1.18 And therein God redeemed his Church with his own bloud Acts 20.28 And herein assuredly was the love of God manifest that he laid down his life for us 1 Joh. 3.16 This belongs unto the means whereby our salvation is procured Nor yet is this all for if Christ had only died for us our faith in him had been in vain and we had been still in our sins Wherefore 4. To carry on the same work he rose from the dead and now lives for ever to make intercession for us and so save unto the uttermost them that come unto God by him By these means was the salvation preached in the Gospel obtained which surely manifest it to be great salvation Would God have sent his Son his only Son and that in such a manner were it not for the accomplishment of a work as well great and glorious init self as indispensibly necessary with reference untoits end Would the Son himself have so emptied himself of his glory condescended to so low a condition wrestled withsuch difficulties and undergone at length such a cursed and shameful death had not the work been great wherein he was employed O the blindness hardness and stupidityof the sons of men they profess they believe these things to be true at least they dare not deny them so to be but forthe effect of them for the salvation wrought by them they value it the least of all things that they have any acquaintance withall If this salvation thus procured do seize on them in their sleep and fall upon them whether they will or no they will not much resist it provided that it cross them in none of their lusts purposes or pleasures But to see the Excellency of it to put a valuation upon it according to the price whereby it is purchased that they are utterly regardless of Hear ye despisers wonder and perish Shall the Son of God shed his blood in vain Shall he obey and suffer and bleed and pray and die for a thing of nought Is it nothing unto you that heshould undergo all these things Was there want of Wisdom in God or love unto his Son so toemploy him so to use him in a business which you esteem of sovery small concernment as that you will scarce turn aside tomake enquiry after it Assure your selves these things are not so as you will one day find unto your eternal ruine Thirdly This salvation will appear to be great if we shall consider what by it we are delivered from and what we are interested in or made partakers of by vertue thereof These also may denominate salvation to be great and they may therefore be considered apart First What are we delivered from by this salvation In a word Every thing that is evil in this world or that which is to come And all evil may be referred unto two heads 1. That which corrupteth and depraveth the principles of our nature in their being and operation And 2. That which is destructive of our nature as to its well-being and happiness The first of these is sin the latter is punishment and both of them take up the whole nature of evil The particulars comprised in them may not here be distinctly and severally insisted on The former containeth our Apostasie from God with all the consequences of it in darkness folly filth shame bondage restlesness service of lust the world and Sathan and therein constant rebellion against God and diligence in working out our own everlasting ruine all attended with a senseless stupidity in not discerning these things to be evil hurtful noisome corruptive of our natures and beings and for the most part with bruitish sensuality in the approbation and liking of them But he who understands no evil in being fallen off from God the first Cause chiefest Good and last End of all in being under the power of a constant Enmity against him in the disorder of his whole soul and all the faculties of it in the constant service of sin the fruit of bondage and captivity in the most vile condition will be awakened unto another apprehension of these things when a time of deliverance from them shall be no more The latter of these consists in the wrath or curse of God and comprizeth what ever is or may be poenal and afflictive unto our Nature unto Eternity Now from both these with all their effects and consequences are Believers delivered by this salvation namely from sin and wrath The Lord Christ was called Jesus because he saves his people from their sins Matth. 1.21 And he isalso the Saviour who delivers them from the wrath to come 1 Thess. 1.10 And this is great salvation If a man be but the means of delivering another from poverty imprisonment or a dangerous disease especially if such a one could be no otherwise delivered but by him how great is the kindness of it esteemed tobe and that deservedly Providential deliverances from imminent dangers of death temporal are looked on as great salvations and that by good men and so they ought to be 2 Cor. 1.10 But what are all these unto this salvation What is the sickness of the body unto the disease yea the death of the soul What is imprisonment of the out-ward man under the wrath of poor worms like our selves and that for a fewdays unto the chains of everlasting darkness What is alittle outward want and poverty to the want of the favour love and presence of God unto Eternity What is death temporal past in a moment an end of troubles anentrance into Rest unto death eternal an eternaldying under the curse wrath and righteous vengeance of the holyGod These things have no proportion one to another So unexpressibly great is this salvation that there is nothing left us to illustrate it withall And this excellency of Gospel salvation will at length be known to them by whom at present it is despised when they shall fall and perish under the want of it and that to Eternity Lastly This salvation is Great upon the
the highest happiness in eternal Glory and all this in a way of meer Grace this is to be admired Thirdly Because it appeareth that God is more glorified in the Humiliation and Exaltation of the Lord Christ and the salvation of mankind thereby than in any of or all the Works of the first Creation How glorious those works are and how mightily they set forth the glory of God we have before declared But as the Psalmist intimates God rested not in them He had yet a farther design to manifest his Glory in a more eminent and singular manner and this he did by minding and visiting of man in Christ Jesus None almost is so stupid but on the first view of the Heavens the Sun Moon and Stars but he will confess that their Fabrick Beauty and Order is wonderful and that the Glory of their framer and builder is for ever to be admired in them But all this comes short of that Glory which ariseth unto God from this Condescension and Grace And therefore it may be the day will come and that speedily wherein these Heavens and this whole old Creation shall be utterly dissolved and brought to nothing For why should they abide as a monument of his power unto them who enjoying the blessed vision of him shall see and know it far more evidently and eminently in himself However they shall undoubtedly in a short time cease as to their Vse wherein at present they are principally subservient unto the manifestation of the glory of God But the Effects of this regard of God to man shall abide unto Eternity and the glory of God therein This is the foundation of Heaven as it is a state and condition as it denotes the Glorious Presence of God among his Saints and holy ones Without this there would be no such Heaven all that is there and all the glory of it depends thereon Take away this foundation and all that beauty and glory disappears Nothing indeed would be taken from God who ever was and ever will be eternally blessed in his own Self sufficiency But the whole Theatre which he hath erected for the manifestation of his glory unto Eternity depends on this his holy Condescension and Grace which assuredly render them meet for ever to be admired and adored This then let us exercise our selves unto Faith having infinite eternal incomprehensible things proposed unto it acts it self greatly in this Admiration We are every where taught that we now know but imperfectly in part and that we see darkly as in a glass not that the Revelation of these things in the Word is dark and obscure for they are fully and clearly proposed but that such is the nature of the things themselves that we are not in this life able to comprehend them and therefore faith doth principally exercise it self in an holy admiration of them And indeed no Love or Grace will suit our condition but that which is incomprehensible We find our selves by Experience to stand in need of more Grace Goodness Love and Mercy than we can look into search to the bottom of or fully understand But when that which is infinite and incomprehensible is proposed unto us there all fears are overwhelmed and faith finds rest with Assurance And if our admiration of these things be an Act an Effect a fruit of faith it will be of singular use to endear our hearts unto God and to excite them unto thankful obedience For who would not love and delight in the eternal fountain of this inconceivable Grace And what shall we render unto him who hath done more for us than we are any way able to think or conceive II. Observe also that such was the inconceivable Love of Jesus Christ the Son of God unto the souls of men that he was free and willing to condescend unto any condition for their good and salvation That was the end of all this dispensation And the Lord Christ was not humbled and made less than the Angels without his own Will and consent His Will and good liking concurred unto this work Hence when the Eternal Counsel of this whole matter is mentioned it is said of him as the Wisdom of the Father that he rejoyced in the habitable part of the earth and his delights were with the Sons of men Prov. 8.31 He delighted in the counsel of redeeming and saving them by his own Humiliation and suffering And the Scripture makes it evident upon these two considerations First In that it shews that what he was to do and what he was to undergo in this work was proposed unto him and that he willingly accepted of the terms and conditions of it Psalm 40.6 God sayes unto him that sacrifice and offering would not do this great work burnt-offering and sin-offering would not effect it that is no kind of Offerings or Sacrifices instituted by the Law were available to take away sin and to save sinners as our Apostle expounds that place at large Heb. 10 1 2 3 4. confirming his Exposition with sundry Arguments taken from their nature and Effects What then doth God require of him that this great design of the salvation of sinners may be accomplished even that he himself should make his own soul an offering for sin pour out his soul unto death and thereby bear the sin of many Isa. 53.10.12 That seeing the Law was weak through the flesh that is by reason of our sins in the flesh that he himself should take upon him the likeness of sinful flesh and become an offering for sin in the flesh Rom. 8.3 That he should be made of a woman made under the Law if he would redeem them that were under the Law Gal. 4.4 5. that he should make himself of no reputation but take upon him the form of a servant and be made in the likeness of man and being found in fashion as a man to humble himself and to become obedient unto death the death of the Cross Phil. 2.7 8. These things were proposed unto him which he was to undergo if he would deliver and save mankind And how did he entertain this proposal how did he like these Conditions I was not saith he rebellious I turned not away back Isa. 50.5 He declined them not he refused none of the terms that were proposed unto him but underwent them in a way of Obedience and that with Willingness Alacrity and delight Psal. 40.6 7 8. Thou saith he hast opened my ears or prepared a body for me wherein I may yield this obedience that the Apostle declares to be the sense of the expression Chap. 10. This Obedience could not be yielded without a body wherein it was performed and whereas to hear or to have the ear opened is in the Scripture to be prepared unto obedience the Psalmist in that one Expression Mine ear hast thou opened comprizeth both these even that Christ had a body prepared by a Synechdoche of a part for the whole and also in that body he was
go against their Convictions But the mind that was in Christ will lead us unto it out of Love unto him with freedom and enlargedness of heart which is required of us III. The blessed issue of the abasement of Jesus Christ in his exaltation unto honour and glory is an assured pledge of the final glory and blessedness of all that believe in him what ever difficulties and dangers they may be exercised withal in the way His Humiliation and Exaltation as we have seen proceeded out of Gods condescension and love to mankind His Electing Love the eternal gracious purpose of his Will to recover lost sinners and to bring them unto the enjoyment of himself was the ground of this dispensation And therefore what he hath done in Christ is a certain pledge of what he will do in and for them also He is not crowned with Honour and Glory meerly for himself but that he may be a Captain of Salvation and bring others unto a Participation of his Glory IV. Jesus Christ as the Mediator of the New Covenant hath absolute and supream authority given unto him over all the works of God in Heaven and Earth This we have so fully manifested and insisted on upon the foregoing Chapter that we shall not here farther pursue it but only mind by the way that blessed is the state and condition great is the spiritual and eternal security of the Church seeing all things are under the very feet of its Head and Saviour V. The Lord Jesus Christ is the only Lord of the Gospel state of the Church called under the Old Testament the world to come and therefore he only hath Power to dispose of all things in it relating unto that Worship of God which it is to perform and celebrate It is not put into subjection unto any other Angels or men This priviledge was reserved for Christ this honour is bestowed on the Church He is the only Head King and Law-giver of it and nothing is it to be taught to observe or do but what he hath commanded But this will fall more directly under our consideration in the beginning of the next Chapter VI. The Lord Jesus Christ in his death did undergo the poenal sentence of the Law in the room and stead of them for whom he dyed Death was that which by the sentence of the Law was due unto sin and sinners For them did Christ dye and therein tasted of the bitterness of that death which they were to have undergone or else the fruit of it could not have redounded untô them for what was it towards their discharge if that which they had deserved was not suffered but somewhat else wherein the least part of their concernment did lye But this being done certain deliverance and salvation will be the lot and portion of them of all them for whom he dyed and that upon the rules of Justice and righteousness on the part of Christ though on theirs of meer Mercy and Grace Verse X. THE Apostle in the Verses fore-going made mention of that which of all other things the Jews generally were most offended at and which was of the greatest importance to be believed namely the sufferings of the Messiah wherein a great part of the discharge of his Sacerdotal Office whereunto he here makes a Transition did consist This his own Disciples were slow in the belief of Matth. 16.22 chap. 17.22 23. Luke 24.25 26. and the Jews generally stumbled at They thought it strange that the Messiah the Son of God the Saviour of his people and Captain of their salvation concerning whom so great and glorious things were promised and foretold should be brought into a low despised condition and therein to suffer and die Hence they cried unto him on the Cross If thou be the Christ come down and save thy self intimating that by his suffering he was assuredly proved not to be so for why any one should suffer that could deliver himself they saw no reason Besides they had inveterate prejudices about the Salvation promised by the Messiah and the way whereby it was to be wrought arising from their love and over-valuation of temporal or carnal things with their contempt of things spiritual and eternal They expected a deliverance outward glorious and Kingly in this world and that to be wrought with Arms Power and a mighty hand And what should they expect from a Messiah that suffered and died Wherefore the Apostle having asserted the sufferings of Christ saw it necessary to proceed unto a full confirmation of it with a declaration of the Reasons Causes and Ends of it partly to evert that false perswasion which prevailed amongst them about the nature of the salvation to be wrought by Christ partly to shew that nothing would thence ensue derogatory unto what he had before delivered about his preheminence above Angels but principally to instruct them in the Sacerdotal Office of the Messiah the Redemption which he wrought and the means whereby he accomplished it which was the great business that he had designed to treat with them about For the Salvation it self he declares that it was not to be of the same kind with that which they had of old when they were brought out of Egypt and setled in the Land of Canaan under the conduct of Joshua but spiritual and heavenly in a deliverance from sin Sathan death and hell with a manuduction into life and blessedness eternal The way whereby this was to be wrought he informs them that it was to be by the sufferings and death of the Messiah and that no other way it could be accomplished on which account they were indispensibly necessary And the first reason hereof he expresseth in this tenth verse Verse 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 One or two Copies read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 against the sense and design of the place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is needlesly repeated unless put for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and then it disturbs the whole meaning of the verse and is inconsistent with the passive Verb following in this Reading 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the singular number relates only unto death expressed in the verse foregoing by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but here All the sufferings of Christ as well those antecedent unto death as death it self are intended 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Passive is followed by some Copies of the Vulgar Translation reading consummari both inconsistent with the sense of the place as we shall see Translations differ but little about these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 most Decebat enim cum For it became him Beza Decebat enim ut iste For it was meet that he to make the following words flow regularly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 propter quem omnia Syr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cui omnia for whom are all things Beza Propter quem sunt haec omnia expressing the Article as restrictive to the things spoken of For whom are all these things One Syriack Copy
two branches for it is either Remunerative or Vindictive And this Righteousness of God as the Supreme Ruler and Judge of all is that upon the account whereof it was meet for him or became him to bring the sons to glory by the sufferings of the Captain of their salvation It was hence just equal and therefore indispensibly necessary that so he should do Supposing that man was created in the Image of God capable of yielding Obedience unto him according to the Law concreated with him and written in his heart which Obedience was his moral being for God as he was from or of him supposing that he by sin had broken this Law and so was no longer for God according to the primitive Order and Law of his Creation supposing also notwithstanding all this that God in his infinite Grace and Love intended to bring some men unto the enjoyment of himself by a new way Law and appointment by which they should be brought to be for him again Supposing I say these things which are all here supposed by our Apostle and were granted by the Jews it became the Justice of God that is it was so just right meet and equal that the Judge of all the world who doth right could no otherwise do than cause him who was to be the Way Cause Means and Author of this Recovery of men into a new condition of being for God to suffer in their steed For whereas the Vindictive Justice of God which is the respect of the Universal Rectitude of his Holy Nature unto the deviation of his rational creatures from the Law of their Creation required that that deviation should be revenged and themselves brought into a new way of being for God or of glorifying him by their sufferings when they had refused to do so by Obedience it was necessary on the account thereof that if they were to be delivered from that condition that the Author of their deliverance should suffer for them And this excellently suits the design of the Apostle which is to prove the necessity of the suffering of the Messiah which the Jews so stumbled at For if the Justice of God required that so it should be how could it be dispensed withall Would they have God unjust Shall he fore-go the glory of his Righteousnâ—ss and Holiness to please them in their presumption and prejudices It is true indeed if God had intended no salvation of his sons but one that was temporal like that granted unto the people of old under the conduct of Joshua there had been no need at all of the sufferings of the Captain of their salvation But they being such as in themselves had sinned and come short of the glory of God and the salvation intended them being spiritual consisting in a new ordering of them for God and the bringing of them unto the eternal enjoyment of him in Glory there was no way to maintain the Honour of the Justice of God but by his sufferings And as here lay the great mistake of the Jews so the denial of this condecency of Gods Justice as to the sufferings of the Messiah is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Socinians Schlictingius on this place would have no more intended but that the way of bringing Christ to suffer was answerable unto that design which God had laid to glorifie himself in the salvation of man But the Apostle says not that it became or was suitable unto an arbitrary free decree of God but it became himself as the Supreme Ruler and Judge of all he speaks not of what was meet unto the execution of a free Decree but what was meet on the account of Gods Holiness and Righteousness to the constitution of it as the description of him annexed doth plainly shew And herein have we with our Apostle discovered the great indispensible and fundamental cause of the sufferings of Christ. And we may hence observe that V. Such is the desert of sin and such is the immutability of the Justice of God that there was no way possible to bring sinners unto glory but by the death and sufferings of the Son of God who undertook to be the Captain of their salvation It would have been unbecoming God the Supreme Governour of all the world to have passed by the desert of sin without this satisfaction And this being a truth of great importance and the foundation of most of the Apostles ensuing discourses must be a while insisted on In these Verses that fore-going this and some of those following the Apostle directly treats of the Causes of the sufferings and death of Christ. A matter as of great importance in it self comprizing no small part of the mystery of the Gospel so indispensibly necessary to be explained and confirmed unto the Hebrews who had entertained many prejudices against it In the fore-going Verse he declared the cause 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the inducing leading moving cause which was the Grace of God by the grace of God he was to taste death for men This grace he farther explains in this Verse shewing that it consisted in the Design of God to bring many sons to glory All had sinned and come short of his glory He had according to the exigence of his Justice denounced and declared Death and Judgment to be brought upon all that sinned without exception Yet such was his infinite Love and Grace that he determined or purposed in himself to deliver some of them to make them sons and to bring them unto glory Unto this end he resolved to send or give his Son to be a Captain of salvation unto them And this Love or Grace of God is every where set forth in the Gospel How the sufferings of this Captain of salvation became useful unto the sons upon the account of the manifold union that was between them he declares in the following Verses farther explaining the Reasons and Causes why the benefit of his sufferings should redound unto them In this Verse he expresseth the cause 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the procuring cause of the death and sufferings of Christ which is the Justice of God upon supposition of sin and his purpose to save sinners And this upon examination we shall find to be the great cause of the death of Christ. That the Son of God who did no sin in whom his soul was always well pleased on the account of his obedience should suffer and die and that a death under the sentence and curse of the Law is a great and astonishable mystery all the Saints of God admire at it the Angels desire to look into it What should be the cause and reason hereof why God should thus bruise him and put him to grief This is worth our enquiry and various are the conceptions of men about it The Socinians deny that his sufferings were poenal or that he died to make satisfaction for sin but only that he did so to confirm the Doctrine that he had taught and to set us an
example to suffer for the truth But his Doctrine carried its own evidence with it that it was from God and was besides uncontrollably confirmed by the Miracles that he wrought So that his sufferings on that account might have been dispensed withall And surely this great and stupendous matter of the dying of the Son of God is not to be resolved into a Reason and Cause that might so easily be dispensed with God would never have given up his Son to die but only for such causes and ends as could no otherwise have been satisfied or accomplished The like also may be said of the other cause assigned by them namely to set us an example It is true in his death he did so and of great and singular use unto us it is that so he did But yet neither was this from any precedent Law or Constitution nor from the nature of the thing it self nor from any property of God indispensibly necessary God could by his grace have carried us through sufferings although he had not set before us the example of his Son so he doth through other things no less difficult wherein the Lord Christ could not in his own Person go before us as in our conversion unto God and mortification of indwelling sin neither of which the Lord Christ was capable of We shall leave them then as those who acknowledging the death of Christ do not yet acknowledge or own any sufficient cause or reason why he should die Christians generally allow that the sufferings of Christ were poenal and his death satisfactory for the sins of men but as to the cause and reason of his so suffering they differ Some following Austine refer the death of Christ solely unto the Wisdom and Sovereignty of God God would have it so and therein are we to acquiesce Other ways of saving the Elect were possible but this God chose because so it seemed good unto him Hence arose that saying That one drop of the blood of Christ was sufficient to redeem the whole world only it pleased God that he should suffer unto the utmost And herein are we to rest that He hath suffered for us and that God hath revealed But this seems not to me any way to answer that which is here affirmed by the Apostle namely that it became God as the Supreme Governour of all the world so to cause Christ to suffer nor do I see what demonstration of the glory of Justice can arise from the punishing of an innocent Person who might have been spared and yet all the ends of his being so punished to have been otherwise brought about And to say that one drop of Christs bloud was sufficient to redeem the world is derogatory unto the Goodness Wisdom and Righteousness of God in causing not only the whole to be shed but also his Soul to be made an offering for sin which was altogether needless if that were true But how far this whole Opinion is from truth which leaves no necessary cause of the death of Christ will afterwards appear Others say that on supposition that God had appointed the Curse of the Law and death to be the penalty of sin his faithfulness and Veracity were engaged so far that no sinner should go free or be made partaker of glory but by the intervention of satisfaction And therefore on the supposition that God would make some men his sons and bring them to glory it was necessary with respect unto the engagement of the truth of God that he should suffer die and make satisfaction for them But all this they refer originally unto a free constitution which might have been otherwise God might have ordered things so without any derogation unto the glory of his Justice or Holiness in the Government of all things as that sinners might have been saved without the death of Christ. For if he had not engaged his Word and declared that death should be the penalty of sin he might have freely remitted it without the intervention of any satisfaction And thus all this whole work of death being the punishment of sin and of the sufferings of Christ for sinners is resolved into a free purpose and Decree of Gods Will and not into the exigence of any essential property of his Nature so that it might have been otherwise in all the parts of it and yet the glory of God preserved every way entire Whether this be so or no we shall immediately enquire Others grant many free Acts of the Mind and Will of God in this matter as 1. The Creation of man in such a condition as that he should have a moral dependance on God in reference unto his utmost end was an effect of the Sovereign Pleasure Will and Wisdom of God But on supposition of this Decree and Constitution they say the Nature Authority and Holiness of God required indispensibly that man should yield unto him that obedience which he was directed unto and guideâ— in by the Law of his Creation so that God could not suffer him to do otherwise and remain in his first state and come unto the end first designed unto him without the loss of his Authority and wrong of his Justice Again they say that God did freely by an Act of his Sovereign Will and Pleasure decree to permit man to sin and fall which might have been otherwise But on supposition that so he should do and would do and thereby infringe the Order of his dependance on God in reference unto his utmost end that the Justice of God as the Supreme Governour of all things did indispensibly require that he should receive a meet recompence of reward or be punished answerably unto hiâ— crimes so that God could not have dealt otherwise with him without an high derogation from his own Righteousness Again they say that God by a meer free Act of his Love and Grace designed the Lord Jesus Christ to be the way and means for the saving of sinners which might have been otherwise He might without the least impeachment of the glory of any of his Essential Properties have suffered all mankind to have perished under that penalty which they had justly incurred but of his own meer Love free Grace and good pleasure he gave and sent him to redeem them But on the supposition thereof they say the Justice of God required that he should lay on him the punishment due unto the sons whom he redeemed it became him on the account of his Natural Essential Justice to bring him unto sufferings And in this Opinion is contained the truth laid down in our Proposition which we shall now farther confirm namely that it became the Nature of God or the Essential Properties of his Nature required indispensibly that sin should be punished with death in the sinner or in his surety And therefore if he would bring any sons to glory the Captain of their salvation must undergo death and sufferings to make satisfaction for them For First Consider that description
which the Scripture giveth us of the Nature of God in reference unto sin and this it doth either metaphorically or properly in the first way it compares God unto fire unto a consuming fire and his actings toward sin as the acting of fire on that which is combustible whose nature it is to consume them Deut. 4.24 Thy God is a consuming fire which words the Apostle repeats Heb. 12.23 Devouring fire and everlasting burnings Isa. 33.14 Hence when he came to give the Law which expresseth his wrath and indignation against sin his presence was manifested by great and terrible fires and burnings until the people cried out Let me not see this great fire any more lest I die Deut. 18.16 They saw death and destruction in that fire because it expressed the indignation of God against sin and therefore the Law it self is also called a fiery Law Deut. 33.2 because it contains the sense and judgment of God against sin as in the execution of the sentence of it the breath of the Lord is said to kindle the fire of it like a stream of brimstone Isa. 30.33 so chap. 66.15 16. And by this metaphor doth the Scripture lively represent the Nature of God in reference unto sin For as it is the nature of fire to consume and devoure all things that are put into it without sparing any or making difference so is the Nature of God in reference unto sin where ever it is he punisheth and revengeth it according to its demerit The metaphor indeed expresseth not the manner of the operation of the one and the other but the Certainty and Event of the working of both from the Principles of the Nature of the one and the other The fire so burneth by a necessity of nature as that it acts to the utmost of its quality and faculty by a pure natural necessity God punisheth sin as suitably unto the principle of his Nature that otherwise he cannot do yet so as that for the manner time measure and season they depend on the constitution of his Wisdom and Righteousness assigning a meet and equal recompence of reward unto every transgression And this the Scripture teacheth us by this metaphor or otherwise we are led by it from a right conception of that which it doth propose for God cannot at all be unto sin and sinners as a devouring fire unless it be in the principles of his Nature indispensibly to take vengeance on them Again The Scripture expresseth this Nature of God with reference unto sin properly as to what we can conceive thereof in this world and that is by his Holiness which it sets forth to be such as that on the account thereof he can bear with no sin nor suffer any sinner to approach unto him that is let no sin go unpunished nor admit of any sinner into his presence whose sin is not expiated and satisfied for And what is necessary upon the account of the Holiness of God is absolutely and indispensibly so his Holiness being his Nature Thou art saith Habakkuk of purer eyâ—s than to behold evil and canst not look on iniquity chap. 1.13 Thou canst not by any means havâ— any thing to do with sin that is it may be because he will not nay saith he it is upon the account of his Purity or Holiness That is such as he cannot pass by sin or let it go unpunished The Psalmist also expresseth the nature of God to the same purpose Psal. 5.4 5 6. Thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness neither shall evil dwell with thee the foolish shall not stand in thy sight thou hatest all the workers of iniquity thou shalt destroy them that speak leasing the Lord will abhor the bloody and deceitful man What is the formal Reason and Cause of all these things that he hates abhors and will destroy sin and sinners It is because he is such a God Thou art not a God to do otherwise a God of such Purity such Holiness and should he pass by sin without the Punishment of it he would not be such a God as he is Without ceasing to be such a God so infinitely holy and pure this cannot be The foolish and all Workers of Iniquity must be destroyed because he is such a God And in that proclamation of his name wherein he declared many blessed Eternal Properties of his Nature he adds this among the rest that he will by no means clear the guilty Exod. 34.7 This his Nature this his Eternal Holiness requireth that the guilty be by no means cleared So Joshua instructs the people in the Nature of this Holiness of God Chap. 24.19 Ye cannot serve the Lord for he is an holy God he is a jealous God he will not forgive your transgressions nor your sins That is if you continue in your sins if there be not a way to free you from them it is in vain for you to have any thing to do with this God for he is Holy and Jealous and will therefore certainly destroy you for your iniquities Now if such be the nature of God that with respect thereunto He cannot but punish sin in whomsoever it be found then the suffering of every sinner in his own person or by his surâ—ty doth not depend on a meer free Voluntary Constitution nor is resolved meerly into the Veracity of God in his commination or threâ—tning but is antecedently unto them indispensibly necessary unless we would have the Nature of God changed that sinners may be freed Whereas therefore the Lord Christ is assigned the Captain of our Salvation and hath undertaken the work of bringing sinners unto Glory it was meet with respect unto the Holiness of God that he should undergo the punishment due unto their sin And thus the necessity of the sufferings and satisfaction of Christ is resolved into the Holiness and Nature of God He being such a God as he is it could not otherwise be Secondly The same is manifest from that principle whereunto the punishment of sin is assigned which is not any free Act of the Will of God but an Essential property of his nature namely his Justice or Righteousness What God doth because he is righteous is necessary to be done And if it be just with God in respect of his Essential Justice to punish sin it would be unjust not to do it for to condemn the innocent and to acquit the guilty is equally unjust Justice is an eternal and unalterable Rule and what is done according unto it is necessary it may not otherwise be and Justice not be impeached That which is to be done with respect to Justice must be done or he that is to do it is unjust Thus it is said to be a righteous thing with God to render tribulation unto sinners 2 Thess. 1.6 Because he is Righteous and from his Righteousness or Justice So that the contrary would be unjust not answer his Righteousness And it is the judgement of God that they who commit
sin are worthy of death Rom. 1.32 Namely it is that which his Justice requireth should be so that is the judgement of God Not only doth he render death unto sinners because he hath threatned so to do but because his Justice necessarily requireth that so he should do So the Apostle farther explains himself Chap. 2.5 6 7 8 9. Where he calls the last day the day of the Revelation of the righteous Judgement of God wherein by rendring tribulation unto sinners he will manifest what his Righteousness requires And what that requires cannot otherwise be God being naturally necessarily essentially Righteous And this Property of Gods nature requiring that Punishment be inflâ—cted on sin and sinners is often in Scripture called his Anger and Wrath. For although sometimes the Effects of Anger and Wrath in Punishment it self be denoted by those expressions yet often also they denote the Habitude of the Nature of God in his Justice towards sin For Anger in it self being a Passion and Perturbation of mind including change and Weakness cannot properly be ascribed unto God and therefore when it is spoken of as that which is in him and not of the Effects which he works on others it can intend nothing but his Vindictive Justice that property of his nature which necessarily enclines him unto the punishment of sin Thus it is said that his Wrath or Anger is revealed from Heaven against all ungodliness Rom. 1.18 That is he discovers in his judgements what is his Justice against sin And thus when he comes to deal with Christ himself to make him a propitiation for us he is said to have set him forth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 3.25 26. To declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that he might be just and the justifier of them that believe in Jesus as God would pardon sin and justifie them that believe so he would be just also and how could this be by punishing our sins in Christ that declared his Righteousness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here is as much as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 documentum a declaration by an especial instance or Example or as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as he is said to have punished Sodom and Gomorrah and to have left them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Example unto them that should live ungodly that is an instance of what his dealings would be with sinners So God is said here to have declared his Righteousness by an Example in the sufferings of Christ which indeed was the greatest instance of the severity and inexorableness of Justice against sin that God ever gave in this world And this he did that he might be just as well as gracious and merciful in the forgiveness of sin Now if the Justice of God did not require that sin should be punished in the Mediator how did God give an instance of his Justice in his sufferings for nothing can be declared but in and by that which it requires For to say that God shewed his Righteousness in doing that which might have been omitted without the least impeachment of his Righteousness is in this matter not safe Thirdly God is the Supream Ruler Governour and Judge of all To him as such it belongeth to do right So saith Abraham Gen. 18.25 Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right undoubtedly he will do so it belongs unto him so to do For saith the Apostle Is God unrighteous who taketh vengeance God forbid for then how shall God judge the world Rom. 3.5 6. Right Judgement in all things belongs unto the Vniversal Rectitude of the Nature of God as he is the Supream Governour and Judge of all the world Now the Goodness and Rightness of all things consists in the Observation of that Place and Order which God in their Creation allotted unto them whereon he pronounced that they were exceeding Good And that this Order be preserved for the good of the whole it belongs unto the Government of God to take care or if it be in any thing transgressed not to leave all things in Confusion but to reduce them into some new Order and subjection unto himself That this Order was broken by sin we all know What shall now the Governour of all the world do Shall he leave all things in disorder and confusion Cast off the works of his hands and suffer all things to run at random Would this become the Righteous Governour of all the world What then is to be done to prevent this confusion Nothing remains but that he who brake the first Order by sin should be subdued into a new one by punishment This brings him into subjection unto God upon a new account And to say that God might have let his sin go unpunished is to say that he might not be righteous in his Government nor do that which is necessary for the Good Beauty and Order of the whole But hereof somewhat was spoken in the opening of the words so that it needs not farther be insisted on Lastly There is no common presumption engrafted in the hearts of men concerning any free Act of God and which might have been otherwise No free Decree or Act of God is or can be known unto any of the children of men but by Revelation much less have they all of them universally an inbred Perswasion concerning any such Acts or actings But of the natural properties of God and his acting suitable unto them there is a secret Light and Perswasion engrafted in the hearts of all men by nature At least those things of God whereof there is a natural and indelible Character in the hearts of all men are natural necessary and essential unto him Now that God is just and that therefore he will punish sin all sin is an inbred Presumption of nature that can never be rooted out of the minds of men All sinners have an inbred Apprehension that God is displeased with sin and that punishment is due unto it They cannot but know that it is the judgement of God that they who commit sin are worthy of death And therefore though they have not the Law written to instruct them yet their thoughts accuse them upon sin Rom. 1.14 15. that is their Consciences which is the judgement which a man makes of himself in reference unto the judgement of God And therefore all Nations who retained any knowledge of a Deity constantly invented some Wayes and Means whereby they thought they might expiate sin and appease the God that they feared All which manifests that the Punishment of sin inseparably follows the nature of God and such properties thereof as men have a natural inbred notion and presumption of For if it depended meerly on the Will of God and his Faithfulness in the accomplishing of that Threatning and constitution whereof they had no knowledge they could not have had such an immoveable and unconquerable Apprehension of it But these things I have handled at large elsewhere And this fully discovers the vile and
the waster or destroyer and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to waste or destroy as also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which as John tells us is the Hebrew name of the Angel of the bottomless pit Revel 9.11 as his Greek name is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thirdly The latter Jews suppose that this Angel of death takes away the life of every man even of those who die a natural death And hereby as they express the old faith of the Church that death is poenal and that it came upon all for sin through the temptation of Sathan so also they discover the bondage that they themselves are in for fear of death all their days For when a man is ready to die they say the Angel of death appears to him in a terrible manner with a sword drawn in his hand From thence drops I know not what poison into him whereon he dies Hence they wofully houl lament and rend their garments upon the death of their friends And they have composed a prayer for themselves against this terrour Because also of this their being slain by the Angel of death they hope and pray that their death may be an expiation for all their sins Here lies the sting of death mentioned by the Apostle 1. Cor. 15.55 Hence they have a long story in their Midrash or mystical Exposition of the Pentateuch on the last section of Deuteronomy about Samaels coming to take away the life of Moses whom he repelled and drove away with the Rod that had the Shem Hamphorash written in it And the like story they have in a book about the acts of Moses which Aben-Ezra rejects on Exod. 4.20 This hand of Sathan in death manifesting it to be poenal is that which keeps them in bondage and fear all their days Fourthly they suppose that this Angel of death hath power over men even after death One horrible penalty they fancy in particular that he inflicts on them which is set down by Elias in his Tishbi in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 out of the Midrash of Rabbi Isaac the son of Parnaer for when a man as they say departs out of this world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Angel of death comes and sits upon his grave And he brings with him a Chain partly of iron partly of fire and making the soul to return into body he breaks the bones and torments variously both body and soul for a season This is their Purgatory and the best of their hopes are that their punishment after this life shall not be eternal And this various interest of Sathan in the power of death both keeps them in dismal bondage all their days and puts them upon the invention of several ways for their deliverance Thus one of their solemn Prayers on the day of Expiation is to be delivered from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or this punishment of the devil in their graves to which purpose also they offer a Cock unto him for his pacification And their prayer to this purpose in their Berachoth is this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That it may please thee good Lord to deliver us from evil Decrees or Laws from poverty from contempt from all kind of punishments from the judgment of hell and from beating in the grave by the Angel of death And this supposition is in like manner admitted by the Mahumetans who have also this prayer Deus noster libera nos ab Angelo interrogante tormento sepulchri à via mala And many such lewd imaginations are they now given up unto proceeding from their ignorance of the Righteousness of God But yet from these apprehensions of theirs we may see what the Apostle intended in this expression calling the devil him that had the power of death 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Et liberaret ipsos hos quotquot quicunque and free those who 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to dismiss discharge free and in the use of the word unto the Accusative case of the Person the Genitive of the thing is added or understood 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I free thee from this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aristoph to deliver thee from this eye-sore And sometimes the Genitive case of the thing is expressed where the Accusative of the person is omitted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to free or deliver one from fear as here the Accusative case of the person is expressed and the Genitive of the thing omitted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to deliver them that is from death or from fear because of death 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is obnoxius obstrictus reus damnas He that is legally obnoxious subject liable to any thing that is Law Crime Judge Judgment Punishment in all which respects the word is used He that is under the power of any Law is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 subject unto its authority and penalty See Matth. 5.21 22. chap. 26.66 Mark 3.29 1 Cor. 11.27 James 2.10 Now the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 servitude or bondage here mentioned is poenal and therefore are men said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 obnoxious unto it Verse 14 15. For as much then as or seeing therefore that the children are were in common partakers of flesh and blood he also himself likewise after the same manner took part did partake of the same that through by death he might destroy make void the authority of him that had the power of death that is the devil And deliver free discharge them who through fear of death were all their life time subject to bondage In former Verses as was shewed the Apostle declared the necessity that there was on the part of God intending to bring many sons unto glory to constitute such an union between them and the Captain of their salvation as that it might be just for him to suffer in their stead In these he proceeds to manifest in particular what that Nature is in the common participation whereof their union designed did consist wherein they were all of one and what were the especial reasons why the Lord Christ was made partaker of that nature This coherence of these Verses Chrysostom briefly gives us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Having shewed the brotherhood that was between Christ and the children he lays down the causes of that dispensation and what they are we shall find here expressed There are sundry things which the Apostle supposeth in these words as known unto and granted by the Hebrews As first that the Devil had the power of death Secondly That on this account men were filled with fear of it and led a life full of anxiety and trouble by reason of that fear Thirdly That a deliverance from this condition was to be effected by the Messiah Fourthly That the way whereby he was to do this was by his suffering All
which as they are contained in the first Promise so that they were allowed of by the Hebrews of old we have fully proved else-where And by all these doth the Apostle yield a reason of his former concession that the Messiah was for a little while made lower than the Angels the Causes and Ends whereof he here declares There are in the words First A supposition of a two-fold state and condition of the children to be brought unto glory First Natural or their natural state and condition they were all of them in common partakers of flesh and bloud For as much then as the children were partakers of flesh and blood Secondly Moral their moral state and condition they were obnoxious unto death as it is poenal for sin and in great bondage through fear of it them who through fear of death were all their life time subject unto bondage Secondly There is a double inference with respect unto this supposition on the part of Christ the Captain of salvation First As to their natural condition that he did partake of it he was so to do He himself also did partake of the same Secondly As to their moral condition he freed them from it and deliver them Thirdly The means whereby he did this or this was to be done evidencing the necessity of his participation with them in their condition of nature that he might relieve them from their condition of trouble he did it by death that by death Fourthly The immediate Effect of his death tending unto their delivery and freedom and that is the destruction of the devil as to his power over and interest in death as poenal whereof their deliverance is an infallible consequent and destroy him c. In the first place the Apostle expresseth as by way of supposition the natural condition of the children that is the children whom God designed to bring unto glory those who were given unto Christ they were in common partakers of flesh and blood I shall not stay to remove the conceit of some who yet are not a few among the Romanists who refer those words unto the participation of the flesh and blood of Christ in the Sacrament whereunto also as we observed the Aethiopick Version gives countenance For not only is there not any thing in the expression that inclines unto such an imagination but also it enervates the whole design of the Apostles discourse and argument as from the former consideration of it doth appear Flesh and blood are by an usual Synecdoche put for the whole humane nature not as though by blood the soul was intended because the life is said to be in it as not acting without it but this expression is used because it is not humane nature as absolutely considered but as mortal passible subject unto infirmities and death it self that is intended And it is no more than if he had said the children were men subject unto death For he gives his reason herein why the Lord Christ was made a man subject unto death That he and the children should be of one nature he had shewed before for as much then as this was the condition of the children that they were all partakers of humane nature liable to sufferings sorrow and death he was so also And this is thus expressed to set forth the love and condescension of Jesus Christ as will afterward appear The second thing in these words is the moral condition of the children and there are sundry things partly intimated partly expressed in the description that is here given us of it as 1. Their estate absolutely considered they were subject to death 2. The consequences of that estate 1. It wrought fear in them 2. That fear brought them into bondage 3. The continuance of that condition it was for the whole course of their lives First It is implied that they were subject obnoxious unto guilty of death and that as it was poenal due to sin as contained in the curse of the Law which what it comprehendeth and how far it is extended is usually declared On this supposition lies the whole weight of the Mediation of Christ. The children to be brought unto glory were obnoxious unto death the curse and wrath of God therein which he came to deliver them from Secondly The first effect and consequent of this obnoxiousness unto death concurring unto their state and condition is that they were filled with fear of it for fear of death Fear is a perturbation of mind arising from the apprehension of a future imminent evil And the greater this evil is the greater will the perturbation of the mind be provided the apprehension of it be answerable The fear of death then here intended is that trouble of mind which men have in the expectation of death to be inflicted on them as a punishment due unto their sins And this apprehension is common to all men arising from a general presumption that death is poenal and that it is the judgment of God that they which commit sin are worthy of death as Rom. 1.32 chap. 2.15 But it is cleared and confirmed by the Law whose known sentence it is The soul that sinneth shall die And the troublesome expectation of the event of this apprehension is the fear of death here intended And according unto the means that men have to come unto the knowledge of the righteousness of God are or ought to be their apprehensions of the evil that is in death But even those who had lost all clear knowledge of the consequents of death natural or the dissolution of their present mortal condition yet on a confused apprehension of its being poenal always esteemed it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the most dreadful of all things that are so unto humane nature And in some this is heightned and increased until it come to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as our Apostle speaks chap. 10.27 A fearful expectation of judgment and fiery indignation which shall devour the adversaries And this is the second thing that is in this description of the estate and condition of the children to be brought unto glory being obnoxious unto the sentence of death they could not but live in fear of the execution of it Thirdly They are by this means brought into bondage The troublesome expectation of death as poenal brings them into bondage into the nature whereof we must a little enquire Sundry things concur to make any state a state of bondage as 1. That it be involuntary no man is in bondage by his will that which a man chuseth is not bondage unto him A man that would have his ear bored though he were always a servant was never in bondage for he enjoyed the condition that pleased him Properly all bondage is involuntary 2. Bondage ingenerates strong desires after and puts men on all manner of attempts for liberty Yokes gall and make them on whom they are desire ease So long as men are sensible of bondage which is against nature for that
which is not so is not bondage they will desire and labour for liberty When some in the Roman Senate asked an Ambassador of the Priernates after they were overthrown in battel if they granted them peace how they would keep it what peace they should have with them He answered Si bonam dederitis fidam perpetuam si malam haud diuturnam Whereat when some in the Senate stormed as if he had threatned them with War and Rebellion the wiser sort commended him as one that spake like a man and a free-man adding as their reason An credi posse ullum populum aut hominem denique in ea conditione cujus eam poeniteat diutius quam necesse sit mansurum Liv. lib. 8. So certain it is that bondage wearieth and stirreth up restless desires in all endeavours in some after liberty 3. Bondage perplexeth the mind It ariseth from fear the greatest perturbation of the mind and is attended with weariness and distrust all which are perplexing 4. Where bondage is compleat it lies in a tendency unto future and greater evils Such is the bondage of condemned malefactors reserved for the day of execution such is the bondage of Sathan who is kept in chains of darkness for the judgment of the great day And all these things concur in the bondage here intended which is a dejected troublesome state and condition of mind arising from the apprehension and fear of death to be inflicted and their disability in whom it is to avoid it attended with fruitless desires and vain attempts to be delivered from it and to escape the evil feared And this is the condition of sinners out of Christ whereof there are various degrees answerable unto their convictions For the Apostle treats not here of mens being servants unto sin which is voluntary but of their sense of the guilt of sin which is wrought in them even whether they will or no and by any means they would cast off the yoke of it though by none are they able so to do for Fourthly They are said to continue in this estate all their lives Not that they were always perplexed with this bondage but that they could never be utterly freed from it For the Apostle doth not say that they were thus in bondage all their days but that they were obnoxious and subject unto it They had no ways to free or deliver themselves from it but that at any time they might righteously be brought under its power and the more they cast off the thoughts of it the more they increased their danger This was the estate of the children whose deliverance was undertaken by the Lord Christ the Captain of their salvation And we may hence observe that All sinners are subject unto death as it is poenal The first sentence reacheth them all Gen. 2.17 And thence are they said by nature to be children of wrath Ephes. 2.3 obnoxious unto death to be inflicted in a way of wrath and revenge for sin This passeth upon all in as much as all have sinned Rom. 5.12 This all men see and know but all do not sufficiently consider what is contained in the sentence of death and very few how it may be avoided Most men look on death as the common lot and condition of mankind upon the account of their frail natural condition as though it belonged to the natural condition of the children and not the moral and were a consequent of their being and not the demerit of their sin They consider not that although the principles of our nature are in themselves subject unto a dissolution yet if we had kept the Law of our Creation it had been prevented by the power of God engaged to continue life during our obedience Life and obedience were to be commensurate until temporal obedience ended in life eternal Death is poenal and its being common unto all hinders not but that it is the punishment of every one How it is changed unto Believers by the death of Christ shall be afterward declared In the mean time all mankind is condemned as soon as born Life is a reprieve a suspension of execution If during that time a pardon be not effectually sued out the sentence will be executed according to the severity of justice Under this Law are men now born this yoke have they pulled on themselves by their apostasie from God Neither is it to any purpose to repine against it or to conflict with it there is but one way of delivery 2. Fear of death as it is poenal is inseparable from sin before the sinner be delivered by the death of Christ. They were in fear of death There is a fear of death that is natural and inseparable from our present condition that is but natures aversation of its own dissolution And this hath various degrees occasioned by the differences of mens natural constitution and other accidental occurrences and occasions so that some seem to fear death too much and others not at all I mean of those who are freed from it as it is in the curse and under the power of Sathan But this difference is from occasions forreign and accidental there is in all naturally the same aversation of it And this is a guiltless infirmity like our weariness and sickness inseparably annexed unto the condition of mortality But sinners in their natural state fear death as it is poenal as an issue of the curse as under the power of Sathan as a dreadful entrance into eternal ruine There are indeed a thousand ways whereby this fear is for a season stifled in the minds of men Some live in brutish ignorance never receiving any full conviction of Sin Judgment or Eternity Some put off the thoughts of their present and future estate resolving to shut their eyes and rush into it when as they can no longer avoid it Fear presents it self unto them as the fore-runner of death but they avoid the encounter and leave themselves to the power of death it self Some please themselves with vain hopes of deliverance though well they know not how nor why they should be partakers of it But let men fore-go these helpless shifts and suffer their own innate light to be excited with such means of conviction as they do enjoy and they will quickly find what a judgment there is made in their own souls concerning death to come and what effects it will produce They will conclude that it is the judgment of God that they which commit sin are worthy of death Rom. 1.32 and then that their own consciences do accuse and condemn them Rom. 2.14 15. Whence unavoidably fear dread and terrour will seize upon them And then 3. Fear of death as poenal renders the minds of men obnoxious unto bondage which what it is we have in part before declared It is a state of trouble which men dislike but cannot avoid It is a poenal disquietment arising from sense of future misery fain would men quit themselves of it but are not
able there is a chain of God in it not to be broken men may gall themselves with it but cannot remove it and if God take it from them without granting them a lawful release and delivery it is to their farther misery And this is in some measure or other the portion of every one that is convinced of sin before they are freed by the Gospel And some have disputed what degrees of it are necessary before believing But what is necessary for any one to attain unto is his duty But this bondage can be the duty of no man because it is involuntary It will follow conviction of sin but it is no mans duty rather it is such an effect of the Law as every one is to free himself from so soon as he may in a right way and manner This estate then befalls men whether they will or no. And this is so if we take bondage passively as it affects the soul of the sinner which the Apostle seems to intend by placing it as an effect of the fear of death take it actively and it is no more than the sentence of the Law which works and causeth it in the soul and so all sinners are inevitably obnoxious unto it And this estate as we observed fills men with desires after and puts them upon various attempts for deliverance Some desire only present ease and they commonly with-draw themselves from it by giving up themselves wholly unto their hearts lusts and therein to Atheism which God oftentimes in his righteous judgment gives them up unto knowing that the day is coming wherein their present woful temporal relief will be recompenced with eternal misery Some look forwards unto what is to come and accordingly to their light and assistance variously apply themselves to seek relief Some do it by a righteousness of their own and in the pursuit thereof also there are ways innumerable not now to be insisted on and some do it by Christ which how it is by him effected the Apostle in the next place declares Two things as was shewed are affirmed of the Lord Christ in consequence unto the premised supposition of the childrens being partakers of flesh and bloud and of their obnoxiousness unto death and to bondage 1. That of their natural condition he himself partook 2. That from their moral condition he delivered them which that he might do it was necessary that he should partake of the other 1. He himself did likewise partake of the same The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 likewise in like manner doth denote such a similitude as is consistent with a specifical identity And therefore Chrysostom from hence urgeth the Marcionites and Valentinians who denyed the reality of the Humane Nature of Christ seeing that he partook of it in like manner with us that is truly and really even as we do But yet the word by force of its composition doth intimate some disparity and difference He took part of humane nature really as we do and almost in like manner with us For there were two differences between his being partaker of humane nature and ours First In that we subsist singly in that nature but he took his portion in this nature into subsistence with himself in the Person of the Son of God Secondly This nature in us is attended with many infirmities that follow the individual persons that are partakers of it in him it was free from them all And this the Apostle also intimates in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 changing his expression from that whereby he declared the common interest of the children in the same nature which is every way equal and alike The whole is That he took his own Portion in his own Manner unto himself And this Observation removes what is hence objected against the Deity of Christ. Cum Christus saith Schlictingius hominum mortalium fragilium dux fautor sit propterea is non Angelus aliquis multo verò minus ipse Deus summus qui solus immortalitatem habet sed homo suo tempore malis variis calamitatibus obnoxius esse debuit It is true it appears from hence that Christ ought to be a man subject to sufferings and death and not an Angel as the Apostle farther declares in the next verse but that he ought not to be God it doth not appear As God indeed he could not die but if he who was God had not taken part of flesh and bloud God could not have redeemed his Church with his own blood But this is the perpetual Paralogism of these men Because Christ is asserted to have been truly a man therefore he is not God which is to deny the Gospel and the whole mystery of it He proceeds with his exceptions against the application of these words unto the incarnation of the Lord Christ the sum whereof is that the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 denote an universal conformity or specifick identity between Christ and the children not only as to the Essence but also as to all other concernments of humane nature or else no benefit could redound unto them from what he did or suffered But 1. The words do not assert any such thing as hath been declared 2. It is not true The children were partakers of humane nature either by Creation out of the dust of the earth as Adam or by natural generation The Lord Christ was conceived of a Virgin by the power of the Holy Ghost and yet the benefit redounds unto the children It is evident then that the similitude urged by the Apostle is confined to the substance of flesh and bloud or the Essence of Humane Nature and is not to be extended unto the personal concernments of the one or the other nor the way whereby they became partakers of the same nature Nor is the argument for the Incarnation of Christ taken meerly from the expressions in this verse but whereas he had before proved him to be above and before the Angels even God over all and here intimating his existence antecedent to his participation of flesh and blood his Incarnation doth necessarily ensue The necessity of this Incarnation of Christ with respect unto the End of it hath before been declared evinced and confirmed We shall now stay only a little to admire the Love Grace and Mysterie of it And we see here IV. That the Lord Christ out of his inexpressible Love willingly submitted himself unto every condition of the Children to be saved by him and to every thing in every condition of them sin only excepted They being of flesh and blood which must be attended with many infirmities and exposed unto all sorts of Temptations and miseries he himself would also partake of the same His delight was of Old in the Sons of men Prov. 8.30 and his heart was full of thoughts of Love towards them and that alone put him on this Resolution Gal. 2.20 Rev. 1.5 When God refused Sacrifices and Burnt-Offerings as insufficient to make the
he could not dye which it was necessary that he should do I desire to know why if the death which he was to undergo was not that death which they were obnoxious unto for whom he dyed how could it be any way more beneficial unto them than any thing else which he might have done for them although he had not dyed There is no ground then to pretend such an Amphibologie in the words as that which some contend for Now as we observed before the Death of Christ is here placed in the midst as the End of one thing and the Means or cause of another the End of his own Incarnation and the means of the Childrens Deliverance from the first we may see VII That the first and principal End of the Lord Christs assuming Humane Nature was not to reign in it but to suffer and dye in it He was indeed from of old designed unto a Kingdom but he was to suffer and so to enter into his glory Luke 24.26 And he so speaks of his coming into the world to suffer to dye to bear witness unto the truth as if that had been the only work that he was incarnate for Glory was to follow a Kingdom to ensue but suffering and dying was the principal work he came about Glory he had with his Father before the world was John 17.5 and therein a joynt Rule with him over all the works of his hands He need not have been made partaker of flesh and blood to have been a King for he was the King immortal invisible the King of Kings and Lord of Lords the only Potentate from everlasting But he could not have dyed if he had not been made partaker of our Nature And therefore when the People would have taken him by force and have made him a King he hid himself from them John 6.15 But he hid not himself when they came to take him by force and put him to death but affirmed that for that hour or business he came into the world John 18.4 5 11. And this farther sets forth his Love and Condescension He saw the work that was proposed unto him how he was to be exposed unto Miseries Afflictions and Persecutions and at length to make his soul an offering for sin yet because it was all for the Salvation of the children he was contented with it and delighted in it And how then ought we to be contented with the Difficulties Sorrows Afflictions and Persecutions which for his sake we are or may be exposed unto When he on purpose took our nature that for our sakes he might be exposed and subject unto much more than we are called unto There yet remains in these Verses the Effects of the Death of Christ that he might destroy sin and deliver wherein we must consider 1. Who it is that had the Power of Death 2. Wherein that Power of his did consist 3. How he was destroyed 4. How by the Death of Christ 5. What was the Delivery that was obtained for the children thereby 1. He that had the Power of Death is described by his name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Devil the great Enemy of our salvation the great Calumniator make-bate and false Accuser the firebrand of the creation The Head and Captain of the Apostasie from God and of all desertion of the Law of the creation The old Serpent Prince of the Apostate Angels with all his Associates who first falsly accused God unto man and continues to accuse men falsly unto God of whom before 2. His Power in and over Death is variously apprehended What the Jews conceive hereof we have before declared and much of the Truth is mixed with their fables And the Apostle deals with them upon their Acknowledgement in general that he had the Power of death Properly in what sense or in what respect he is said so to have it Learned Expositors are not agreed All consent 1. That the Devil hath no absolute or Soveraign supream power over death Nor 2. Any 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Authority about it de jure in his own Right or on Grant so as to act lawfully and rightly about it according unto his own Will Nor 3. Any judging or determining power as to the Guilt of death committed unto him which is peculiar to God the supream Rector and Judge of all Gen. 2.17 Deut. 32.39 Rev. 1.18 But wherein this Power of Satan doth positively consist they are not agreed Some place it in his Temptations unto Sin which bind unto death some in his Execution of the Sentence of death he hath the Power of an Executioner There cannot well be any doubt but that the whole Interest of Satan in reference unto Death is intended in this Expression This Death is that which was threatned in the beginning Gen. 2.17 Death poenally to be inflicted in the way of a Curse Deut. 27.26 Gal. 3.20 that is death consisting in the Dissolution of soul and body with every thing tending poenally thereunto with the everlasting Destruction of body and soul. And there are sundry things wherein the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Power of Satan in reference unto this death doth consist As 1. He was the means of bringing it into the world So is the Opinion of the Jews in this matter expressed in the Book of Wisdom written as is most probable by one of them not long before this Epistle They tell us Chap. 1.13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God made not death it belonged not unto the Original Constitution of all things but Chap. 2.24 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the Envy of the Devil-death entred into the world And that expression of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is retained by the Apostle Rom. 5.12 Only he layes the End of it on the morally deserving cause the sin of man as here it is laid on the efficiently procuring cause the Envy of the Devil And herein consisted no small part of the Power of Satan with respect unto death Being able to introduce sin he had power to bring in death also which in the righteous judgement of God and by the Sentence of the Law was inseparably annexed thereunto And by a parity of Reason so far as he yet continueth to have Power over sin deserving death he hath Power over death it self 2. Sin and Death being thus entered into the world and all mankind being guilty of the one and obnoxious unto the other Satan became thereby to be their Princess as being the Prince or Author of that state and condition whereinto they are brought Hence he is called the Prince of this world John 12.32 and the God of it 2 Cor. 4.4 Inasmuch as all the world is under the Guilt of that sin and death which he brought them into 3. God having passed the sentence of death against sin it was in the Power of Satan to terrifie and affright the consciences of men with the Expectation and dread of it so bringing them into Bondage And many God gives up
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
Lyranus Cajetan Estlus Ribera A Lapide all desert their own Text and expound the words according to the Original The Antients also as Chrysostom Theophilact and Oecumenius lay the chief weight of their whole Exposition of this place on the words omitted in that Translation The doctrine of purging our sins by Christ is deep and large extending its self unto many weighty heads of the Gospel but we shall follow our Apostle and in this place pass it over briefly and in general because the consideration of it will directly occur unto us in our progress Two things the Apostle here expresseth concerning the Messiah and one which is the foundation of both the other he implyeth or supposeth First He expresseth What he did he purged our sins Secondly How he did it he did it by himself That which he supposeth as the foundation of both these is that he was the Great High Priest of the Church they with whom he dealt knowing full well that this matter of purging sins belonged only unto the Priest Here then the Apostle tacitely enters upon a Comparison of Christ with Aaron the High Priest as he had done before with all the Prophetical Revealers of the Will of God and as he named none of them in particular no more doth he here name Aaron but afterwards when he comes more largely to insist on the same matter again he expresly makes mention of his name as also of that of Moses And in both the things here ascribed unto him as the great High Priest of his Church doth he prefer him above Aaron First In that he purged our sins that is really and effectually before God and in the Conscience of the sinner and that for ever Whereas the Purgation of sins about which Aaron was employed was in its self but typical external and representative of that which was true and real both of which the Apostle proves at large afterwards Secondly In that he did it by himself or the offering of himself whereas what ever Aaron did of this kind he did it by the offering of the blood of Bulls and Goats as shall be declared And hence appears also the vanity of the Gloss of a learned man on these words postquam saith he morte sua causam dedisset ejus fidei per quam à peccatis purgamur quod nec Moses fecerat nec Prophetae For as we shall see that Christs purging of our sins doth not consist in giving a ground and cause for faith whereby we purge our selves so the Apostle is not comparing the Lord Christ in these words with Moses and the Prophets who had nothing to do in the work of purging sin but with Aaron who by Office was designed thereunto Let us then see what it is that is here ascribed unto the Lord Christ. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth most frequently denote real actual Purification either of outward defilements by healing and cleansing as Mark 1.40 Chap. 7.19 Luke 5.12 or spiritual defilements of sin by sanctifying Grace as Acts 15.9 2 Cor. 7.1 Ephes. 5.26 But it is also frequently used in the same sense with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to purge by Expiation or Attonement as Heb. 9.22 23. And in the like variety is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 also used But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to make a Purgation or Purification of our sins cannot here be taken in the first sense for real and inherent sanctifying First Because it is spoken of as a thing already past and perfected having purged our sins when Purification by Sanctification is begun only in some not all at any time perfected in none at all in this world Secondly Because he did it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by himself alone without the use or Application of any other medium unto them that are purged When real inherent Sanctification is with washing of Water by the word Ephes. 5.26 or by Regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost Titus 3 5. And the gloss above mentioned that Christ should purge us from our sins in his death by occasioning that Faith whereby we are cleansed is excluded as was in part shewed before by the Context That is assigned unto the death of Christ as done really and effectually thereby which was done tipically of old in the Legal Sacrifices by the Priests as is evident from the Antithâ—sis couched in that Expression by himself But this was not the way whereby sins were of old purged by Sacrifices namely by the begetting a perswasion in the minds of men that should be useful for that purpose and therefore no such things is here intended 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then is such a purging as is made by Expiation Lustration and Attonement That is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Propitiatio Attonement Propitiation So is that Word rendered by the LXX Exod. 29.36 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the day of Attonement or Expiation They do indeed mostly render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to propitiate to appease to attone but they do it also by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to purge as Exod. 29.37 and Chap. 30 10. So also in other Authors 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is expiatio expiamentum piaculum Expiation Attonement diversion of guilt So Lucian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We cast him down headlong for an expiation of the Army or as one that by his death should expiate bear take away the guilt of the Army And such Lustrations were common among the Heathen when Persons devoted themselves to destruction or were devoted by others to purge lustrate bear the guilt of any that they might go free such were Codius Menaeceus and the Decii whose stories are known This purging then of our sins which the Apostle declareth to have been effected before the Ascension of Christ and his sitting down at the Right Hand of God consisteth not in the actual Sanctification and Purification of believers by the Spirit in the Application of the blood of Christ unto them but in the Attonement made by him in the Sacrifice of himself that our sins should not be imputed unto us And therefore is he said to purge our sins and not to purge us from our sins And where ever sins not sinners are made the Object of any Mediatory acts of Christ that act immediately respecteth God and not the sinner and intends the removal of sin so as that it should not be imputed So Chap. 2.17 of this Epistle he is a merciful High Priest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to reconcile the sins of the people that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to make Attonement or Reconciliation with God for the sins of the people And again He underwent death 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the redemption of Transgressions under the first Covenant that is to pay a price for them that transgressors might be set free from the sentence
of the Law So that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is as much as having made attonement for our sins And this the Apostle further declareth by manifesting the Way whereby he did it that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by himself that is by the Sacrifice and Offering of himself as Chap. 9.14 Ephes. 5.2 The High Priest of old made Attonement and typically purged the sins of the People by sacrificing of Beasts according unto the Appointment of the Law Levit. 16. This High Priest by the Sacrifice of himself Isa. 53.10 Heb. 9.12 Of the nature of Propitiatory or Expiatory Sacrifices we must treat at large afterwards We keep our selves now unto the Apostles general Proposition expressing briefly the Sacerdotal Office of Christ and the Excellency of it in that he really purged our sins and that by the Sacrifice of himself And this was in and by his death on the Cross with his antecedent preparatory sufferings Some distinguish between his Death and the Oblation of himself This they say he performed in Heaven when as the High Priest of his Church he entered into the Holiest not made with hands whereunto his death was but a preparation For the slaying of the Beast they say was not the Sacrifice but the offering of its blood upon the Altar and the carrying of it into the Holy Place But this utterly overthrows the whole Sacrifice of Christ which indeed is the thing by them aimed at It is true the slaying of the Beast was not the whole Sacrifice but only an essential part of it as was also the offering of its blood and the sprinkling of it in the Holy Place in the anniversary Sacrifice of Attonement but not in any other And the Reason why the whole Sacrifice could not consist in any one Action arose meerly from the imperfection of the things and persons employed in that work The Priest was one thing the Beast to be sacrificed another the Altar another the Fire on the Altar another the Incense added another each of them limited and designed unto its peculiar end so that the attonement could not be made by any one of them nor the Sacrifice consist in them But now in this sacrifice of Christ all these meet in one because of his Perfection He himself was both Priest Sacrifice Altar and Incense as we shall see in our progress and he perfected his whole sacrifice at once in and by his death and blood-shedding as the Apostle evidently declares Chap. 9.12.14 Thus by himself did Christ purge our sins making an Attonement for them by the sacrifice of himself in his death that they should never be imputed unto them that believe And this part of this Verse will afford us also this distinct Observation So great was the work of freeing us from sin that it could no otherwise be effected but by the self-sacrifice of the Son of God Our Apostle makes it his design in several places to evince that none of those things from whence mankind usually did or might with any hopes or probabilities expect relief in this case would yield them any at all The best that the Gentiles could attain all that they had to trust unto was but the Improvement of natural Light and Reason with an attendance unto those seeds and Principles of Good and Evil which are yet left in the depraved nature of man Under the Conduct and in Obedience unto these they sought for Rest Glory and Immortality how miserably they were disappointed in their aims and expectations and what a wofull issue all their endeavours had the Apostle declares and proves at large Rom. 1.18 unto the end The Jews who enjoyed the benefit of Divine Revelation having lost for the most part the true spiritual import of them sought for the same ends by the Law and their own diligent Observation of it They rested in the Law Rom. 2.17 namely that by it they should obtain Deliverance from sin and Acceptance with God and followed after it Chap. 9.31 that is to attain Righteousness and Salvation by it And this seemed to be a sufficient bottom and foundation for them to build upon for having lost the spiritual Understanding the use and End of the Law as renewed unto them in the Covenant of Horeb they went back unto th◠primitive Use and End of it upon its first giving in Innocency and foolishly thought as many more yet do that it would do the same things for sinners that it would have done for men if they had not sinned in Adam that is have given them Acceptance with God here and Eternal Life hereafter Wherefore the Apostle in many places takes great pains to undeceive them to rectifie their mistake and to prove that God had no such design in giving them the Law as that which they would impose upon him And First He asserts and proves in general that the Law would deceive their Expectation and that by the deeds of the Law no flesh should be justified Rom. 3.20 and that it would not give them life Gal. 3.21 or Righteousness And that they might not complain that then God himself had deceived them in giving a Law that would not serve the turn for which it was given he declares Secondly That they had mistaken the End for which the Law was renewed unto them which was not that it might give them Life or Righteousness but that it might discover sin exact obedience and by both drive and compell them to look out after some other thing that might both save them from their sin and afford them a Righteousness unto Salvation And furthermore he Thirdly Acquaints them whence it was that the Law was become unsufficient for these ends and that was because it was become weak through the flesh Rom. 8.3 The Law was able to continue our Acceptance with God in that condition wherein at first we were created but after that man by sin became flesh to have a Principle of Enmity against God in him bringing forth the fruits of sin continually the Law stood aside as weakened and insufficient to help and save such an one And these things the Apostle expresly and carefully insists upon in his Epistles to the Romans and Galatians But Thirdly Though the Law and an earnest endeavour after the Observation of it in general would not serve to save us from our sins yet there were especial Institutions of the Law that were appointed for that End and Purpose as namely the Sacrifices in particular which were designed to make Attonement for the delivery of sinners and to procure their Reconciliation with God These the Jews principally rested on and trusted unto and indeed to expect Righteousness and Justification by the Mosaical Sacrifices as they did was far more rational than to expect it by the Works of the Moral Law as some now do for all Good works what ever are required in the Law and so far are works of the Law For in the Sacrifices there was a supposition of sin and an