those that follow He affirms they may be expounded by that of Philo de Coloniis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But whether this Platonical Declaration of the Nature and Work of the Word of God employed by him as an Instrument in the Making and Government of the World would have been accepted in the Primitive Church when this Place was vexed by the Arians and studiously vindicated by the Orthodox Fathers I much question But to return If the Law and the observance of it be the only Remedy provided of God against the sin and misery of man the only means of Reconciliation with him all that dyed before the giving of it must perish and that eternally But the contrary appears from this very consideration and is undeniably proved by our Apostle in the Instance of Abraham Gal. 3. v. 17. For he received the Promise and was taken into Covenant with God four hundred and thirty years before the giving of the Law And that Covenant conveyed unto him the Love and Favour of God with Deliverance from Sin and the Curse as themselves will not deny There was therefore a Remedy in this case provided long before the giving of the Law on Mount Sinai and therefore the Law was not given unto that purpose but for other Ends at large declared by our Apostle Either then they must grant that all the Patriarchs and he in especiall of whom they boast perished eternally or else that there was a means of Deliverance provided before the giving of the Law and consequently that the Law was not given for that End The first they will not do nor can without an absolute Renunciation of their own Sacred Writings wherein none have obtained a larger Testimony that they pleased God than they The latter therefore followeth undeniably If they shall say they had a way of Deliverance but God provided another afterwards as this would be spoken without Warrant or Authority from the Scripture so I desire to know both what that way was and why it was rejected Of Gods appointment it was and effectual it was unto them that embraced it and why it should be laid aside who can declare Again as was before observed there are two parts of the Law The Moral Precepts § 20 of it and the instituted Worship appointed in it Unto this latter part do the Sacrifices of it belong But neither of these are sufficient unto the End proposed nor jointly can they attain it Two things are evidently necessary from what hath been discoursed unto the Deliverance enquired after First That Man be reconciled unto God by the removal of the Curse and the Wrath due unto him for his Apostacy Secondly That his Nature be freed from that Principle of Sin and enmity against God the evil figment that it is tainted yea possessed withall And neither of these can be effected by the Law or either part of it For First The Moral Precepts of it are the same with those that were written in the heart of man by Nature or the Law of his Creation which he transgressed in his first Rebellion And he must be delivered from that guilt before any new Obedience can be accepted of him His old debt must be satisfied for before he can treat for a new Reward which inseparably follows all acceptable Obedience But this the Precepts of the Law take no notice of nor direct unto any way for its removal only supposing the doing of it by some other means it requires exact Obedience in them that come to God thereby Hence our Apostle concludes that it could not give life but was weak and insufficient in its self unto any such purpose Besides secondly it could not absolutely preserve men in its own Observation for it required that Obedience which never any sinner did or could in all things perform as the Scriptures of the Old Testament abundantly manifest For they tell us there is is no man that sinneth not 1 Kings 8. v. 46. 2 Chron. 6. v. 36. That if the Lord should mark iniquity no man could stand Psal. 130. v. 3. And that if he enter into Judgement according to the Law no man living can be justified in his sight Psal. 143. v. 2. To this Purpose see the excellent Discourse and invincible Reasonings of our Apostle Rom. chap. 3. 4. This the Holy Men of Old confessed this the Scripture bears testimony unto and this Experience confirmes seeing every sin and transgression of that Law was put under a Curse Deut. 27. v. 26. Where then there is no man that sinneth not and every sin is put under the curse the Law in the Preceptive part of it can be no means of delivery from the one or other but is rather a certain means of increasing and aggravating of them both Neither is there any Testimony given concerning any one under the Old Testament that he was any other way justified before God but by Faith and the Pardon of Sins which are not of the Works of the Law See Gen. 15. v. 6. Psal. 32. v. 1 2. Of Noah indeed it is said that he was upright and perfect in his Generation that is sincere in his Obedience and free from the open wickedness of the Age wherein he lived But as this was before the giving of the Law by Moses so the Ground of his Freedom and Deliverance is added to be the Gracious Love and Favour of God This the Jews themselves confess in Bereshith Rabba Sect. 29. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Even Noah himself who was left of them was not every way as he should be but that he found Grace or Favour in the eyes of the Lord. And to the same purpose they speak concerning Abraham himself elsewhere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou findest that Abraham our Father inherited not this world and the world to come any otherwise than by Faith as it is said he believed God This part therefore of the Law is plainly convinced to be insufficient to deliver sinners from an Antecedent guilt and Curse due thereunto § 21 It remains then that the Sacrifices of the Law must yield the Relief enquired after or we are still at a loss in this matter And these the Jews would willingly place their chief confidence in they did so of old Since indeed they have been driven from their Observation they have betaken themselves unto other Helps that they might not appear to be utterly hopeless But they sufficiently manifest their great reserve against the Accusation of their Consciences to be in them by the ludicrous wayes of representing or rather counterfeiting of them that they have invented 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies a man and among the Rabbins a Cock also Hence Ben Vzziel renders 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ezion Geber The name of a City Deut. 2.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the City of a Cock And Isa. 22. v. 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is rendered by Hierom Gallus Gallinaceus Granting therefore that the Punishment of Geber is required unto
be the rule of the Political Government of the People wherein many sins such as Adultery and Murder were to be punished with Death and the sinner cut off there was in such cases no Sacrifices appointed nor admitted but in the Sacrifice of Christ there is no exception made unto any sin in those that repent believe and forsake their sins not unto those in particular which were excepted in the Lâ—w of Moses Acts 13.39 So that as the Sin-offering was provided for all sin that disannulled not the Covenant made at Horeb which allowed no life or interest unto Murderers Adulterers Blasphemers and the like in the Typical Land so the Sacrifice of Christ is extended unto all sinners who transgress not the terms and tenor of the New Covenant for whom no place is allowed either in the Church here or Heaven hereafter § 38 Of the Matter of this Offering see Levit. 4.2 which because it differed very little from the Matter of the Burnt-offering I shall not particularly insist upon it As to the Persons that were to offer it there is a general distribution of them in the Text comprehensive of all sorts of Persons whatever For it is applyed to 1. The Priest 2. The whole Congregation jointly 3. The Ruler 4. Any of the People of the Land so that none were excluded from the Priviledge and Benefit of this Sacrifice The first Person mentioned is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Anointed Priest Chap. 4.3 that is say the Jews generally and our Expositors also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the High Priest Aaron and his Sons that ministred in his room in their succession For those only say they were anointed But this seems not to be so For if the High Priest alone be intended there is no provision made for any other Priest to have an interest in this Sin-offering For the Priests are not comprized in any other member of the distribution before mentioned particularly not in that wherein with any colour they might be looked after namely the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v. 27. The people of the Land that is the common people from whom the Priests were alwayes distinguished Any Priest therefore is intended and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 anointed is no more but dedicated separated unto the Office of the Priesthood or it respects that Original anointing which they had all in their fore-fathers the Sons of Aaron when they were first set apart to God Exod. 24. § 39 The case of the Priest wherein this Sacrifice was allowed him is expressed in the same place with words somewhat ambiguous if 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if he sin according to the sin of the people so we Castalio renders the passage si Sacerdos inunctus deliquerit in noxiam populi if the Anointed Priest so sin as to bring guilt upon or dammage unto the people As Achan did and David also Vulg. Lat. delinquere faciens populum causing the people to sin which is another sense of the words And this sense the Jews generally embrace For they apply this sinning of the Annointed Priest unto his teaching the people amiss causing them to err thereby so Aben Ezra and others on the place who are followed by many of ours But if this be so the Priest was not allowed the benefit of this Sacrifice of the Sin-offering for any sin of his own but only when he caused the people to sin also which would render his condition worse than theirs and is contrary unto that of our Apostle that the Priest was to offer for his own sins and then for the sins of the people I would there in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 take 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and render it with our Translators according to when he sinned as another man of the people their Place and Office not freeing them from the common sins of other men And so our Apostle seems to expound this place Heb. 5.2 3. The Priests of the Law were compassed with infirmities and by reason thereof had need to offer Sin-offerings for their own sin as well as for the sins of the people seeing he also sinned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the sin of the people But it is otherwise now saith he with the people of God Chap. 7. v. 26 27. Our High Priest being holy harmless undefiled and separate from sinners that is not sinning according to the sins of the people as the Priests did of old § 40 Secondly The whole Congregation jointly had an interest in this Sacrifice when any such sin was committed as might reflect guilt upon it v. 13. For the observation of the Law being committed in an especial manner unto the whole Congregation there were many Transgressions in the guilt whereof the whole Body of it might be involved Thirdly The Ruler or Rulers had this priviledge also v. 22. with respect as appears by this peculiar institution unto his miscarriages in his Office God graciously providing a relief against the sins of men in their several conditions that they might not through a consciousness of their infirmities be deterred from engaging in any necessary employment among the people when called thereunto Fourthly Any one of the common people had the same liberty and were obliged unto the same duty v. 27. And this Distribution of the people as to their interest in this Sin-offering comprizing them all even all that belonged unto the Congregation of Israel of all sorts and ranks had its accomplishment in the Sacrifice of Christ from which none is excluded that come to God by him for he will in no wise cast them out For the Time and Season of this Sacrifice it may briefly observed that there were § 41 solemn and set Occasions some Monethly some Annual wherein it was to be offered for the whole Congregation by especial Command and Institution As 1. On every New Moon 2. On the fifteenth day of the first Moneth and seven dayes together dureing the Feast of unleavened bread 3. At the Feast of First Fruits 4. At the Feast of Trumpets 5. On the Day of Expiation 6. On the fifteenth day of the seventh Moneth and for eight dayes together during the Feast of Tabernacles And the frequent Repetition of this Sacrifice was to intimate that nothing was accepted with God but on the account of what was prefigured thereby namely that Perfect Sacrifice which took away the sin of the world There were also especial Occasions of it with reference unto the persons before enumerated which have been collected by others The Principal Ceremony in the Manner of its Oblation was the disposal of the § 42 Blood For the Blood of this Sacrifice had a triple disposall The main of the Blood was poured out at the bottom of the Altar of Burnt-offerings in the Court before the door of the Tabernacle v. 7. A part of it was taken and carried by the High Priest into the Sanctuary and put upon the horns of the Altar of Incense that was
seven Treatises containing seventy one Chapters The fourth by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nezikim about loss and dammage and is divided into eight Massicktot whereof the first is divided into three parts called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first middle and last port or entrance containing in them thirty Chapters whereunto forty four are added in the following parts The fifth by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Kodoshim of Sanctifications and is divided into eleven Books containing ninety Chapters The sixth with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Teharoth of Purifications in twelve Books and one hundred twenty six Chapters Unto this Mishnae of R. Juda they annex the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Tosiphot or additions of § 10 Rabbi Chaiah his Scholar expounding many passages in his Masters works to them a more full explanation of the same doctrine of the Mishnae which they call Baracetot is subjoyned being the Collection of some Antitalmudicall Masters About three hundred years after the Destruction of the Temple R. Johanan composed the Hierusalem Talmud consisting in Expositions Comments and Disputes upon the whole Mishnae excepting the last part about Purifications An hundred years or thereabouts after that Rabbi Ase composed the Babylonian Talmud or Gemara thirty two years they say he spent in this work yet leaving it unfinished seventy one years after it was compleated by his Disciples And the whole work of both these Talmuds may be referred unto five heads For first they expound the Text of the Mishnae 2. Decide Questions of right and fact 3. Report the Disputations Traditions and Constitutions of the Doctors that lived between them and the Writing of the Mishnae 4. Give Allegorical monstrous Expositions of the Scripture which they call Midrashoth and 5. Report Stories of the like nature § 11 This at length is their Orall Law grown into and in the learning and practising of these things consists the whole Religion and Worship of the Jews there being not the most absurd saying of any of their Doctors in those huge heaps of folly and vanity that they do not equall unto nay that they are not ready to preferr before the Written Word that perfect and only Guide of their Church whilest God was pleased with it In the dust of this confusion here they dwell loving this darkness more than light because their deeds are evil Having for many generations entertained a prejudicate imagination that these traditional Figments amongst which their crafty Masters have inserted many filthy and blasphemous Fables against our Lord Christ and his Gospel are of Divine Authority and having utterly lost the spiritual sense of the written Word they are by it sealed up in blindness and obdurateness and shall be so untill the vail be taken away when the appointed time of their deliverance shall come A brief discovery of the falseness of this fancy of their Orall Law which is the foundation of all that huge building of Lyes and Vanities that their Talmuds are composed of shall put an end to this Discourse § 12 1. The very Story of the giving of the Law at Mount Sinai sufficiently discovers the folly of this imagination This Orall Law the Jews are ready on all occasions to prefer before that which is written and do openly profess that without it the other is of no use unto them I desire then to know whence it is that all the circumstances of the giving and teaching of the less necessary are so exactly recorded but not one word is spoken of this Orall Law either of Gods revealing of it to Moses or of Moses teaching of it to Joshua or any others Strange that so much should be recorded of every circumstance of the less principal lifeless Law and not one word of either substance or circumstance of that which is if these men may be believed the very life and soul of the other Maimonides in Jad Chazaka tells us there is mention made of it in Exod. 24.12 I will give ye saith the Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Law and Commandment 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith he is the Written Law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Orall when the next words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which I have written that thou mayest teach them the Written Law being on several accounts expressed by both those terms and no other How know they that any such Law was given to Moses as they pretend What Testimony Witness or Record of it was had or made at the time of its giving or in many generations for two thousand years afterwards § 13 2. Did their Fore-fathers at any time before the Captivity transgress this Orall Law or did they not If they say they did not but kept it and observed it diligently we may easily see of what importance it is that the most strict Obsâ—evation of it would not preserve them from all manner of wickedness and what an hedge it is to the Written Law when notwithstanding the obedience yielded unto it that was utterly despised and neglected if they shall say that Law also was broken by them I desire to know whence it comes to pass that whereas God by his Prophets doth reprove them for all their other sins and in particular for contempt of his Written Law the Statutes Ordinances and Institutions of it he no where once mentioneth this their greater guilt of despising the Orall Law but there is as universall a silence concerning its transgression as there is of its giving and institution Can we have any greater evidence of its being fictitious than this that whereas it is pretended that it is the main Rule of their Obedience to God God did never reprove them for the transgression of it though whilest he owned them as his Church and People he suffered none of their sins to pass by unreproved especially not any of that importance which this is by them pretended to be of 3. Moses was commanded to write the whole Law that he received from God and did so accordingly Exod. 24.3 4. Chap. 34.28 Deut. 31.9 24. Where was this Orall Law which they say was not to be written when Moses was commanded to write the whole Law that he had received of God and did accordingly This New Law was not then coyned being indeed nothing but the product of their Apostacy from the Law which was written 4. The sole ground and foundation of this Orall Law lyes in the imperfection of the Written Law This is that which they plead for the necessity of it The written Law extends not to all necessary cases that occurr in Religion many things are redundant many wanting in it and hereof they gather great heaps of Instances so that they will grant that if the Written Law had been perfect there had been no need of this Traditional one But whom in this matter shall we believe a few ignorant Jews or God himself bearing witness that his
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
Prophet unto David to be Equivocal For David enquired of Nathan about building an House or material Temple unto God Nathan returns him answer from God that he shall not do so but that his son should perform that work This Answer David understands of his immediate son and of a material House and thereupon makes material provision for it and preparation in great abundance upon the encouragement he received in this Answer of God Now if neither of these were at all intended in it neither his son nor the material Temple it is evident that he was led into a great mistake by the Ambiguity and Equivocation of the word which we find by the Event that he was not God approving and accepting of his Obedience in what he did It remains then that Solomon firstly and immediately is intended in these words 2. Some on the other hand affirm the whole Prophesie so to belong unto and so to be fulfilled in Solomon and in him alone that there is no direct respect therein unto our Lord Jesus Christ. And the reason for their assertion they take from those words which immediately follow those insisted on by the Apostle namely If he commit iniquity I will chastise him with the rod of men which cannot be applied unto him who did no sin neither was there guile found in his mouth They say therefore that the Apostle applies these words unto Christ only by way of an Allegory thus he deals with the Law of not muzling the Ox which treadeth out the corn applying it to the provision of carnal things to be made for the Dispensers of the Gospel As he also in another place representeth the two Testaments in the story of Sarah and Hagar That which principally is to be insisted on for the removal of this difficulty and which will utterly take it out of our way will fall in with our Confirmation of the third Interpretation to be proposed For the present I shall only answer that as the words cited by the Apostle do principally concern the Person of Christ himself yet being spoken and given out in form of a Covenant they have respect also unto him as he is the Head of the Covenant which God makes with all the Elect in him And thus whole mystical Christ Head and Members are referred unto in the Prophecy and therefore David in his repetition and pleading of this Oracle Psal. 89.30 changeth those words if he commit iniquity into if his children forsake my law Notwithstanding then a supposition of transgression in him concerning whom these words are spoken the Lord Christ may be intended in them such failings and transgressions as disannul not the Covenant often falling out on their part for whom he undertaketh therein But I offer this only in majorem cautelam to secure the testimony insisted on unto our Apostles intention the difficulty it self will be clearly afterwards assoiled 3. We say therefore with others that both Solomon and the Lord Christ are intended in this whole Oracle Solomon literally and nextly as the Type the Lord Christ principally and mystically as he who was typed figured and represented by him And our sense herein shall be farther explained and confirmed in the ensuing Considerâ—tions 1. That there never was any one Type of Christ and his Offices that entirely represented him and all that he was to do For as it was impossible that any one thing or person should do so because of the perfection of his Person and the Excellency of his Office which no one thing that might be appointed to prefigure him as a Type because of its limitedness and imperfection could fully represent so had any such been found out that multiplication of Types which God in his infinite Wisdom was pleased to make use of for the revelation of him intended in them had been altogether useless and needless Wherefore according as God saw good and as he had made them meet and fit so He designed one thing or person to figure out one thing in him another for another end and purpose 2. That no Type of Christ was in all things that he was or did a Type of him but only in that particular wherein he was designed of God so to be and wherein he hath revealed him so to have been David was a Type of Christ but not in all things that he was and did In his Conquests of the Enemies of the Church in his Throne and Kingdom he was so but in his private actions whether as a Man or as a King or Captain he was not so The like must be said of Isaac Melchisedeck Solomon and all other personal Types under the Old Testament and much more of other things 3. That not all things spoken of him that was a Type even therein wherein he was a Type are spoken of him as a Type or have any respect unto the thing signified but some of them may belong unto him in his personal capacity only And the reason is because he who was a Type by God's institution might morally fail in the performance of his duty even then and in those things when and wherein he was a Type Hence somewhat may be spoken of him as to his moral performance of his Duty that may no way concern the Anti-type or Christ prefigured by him And this wholly removes the difficulty mentioned in the second Interpretation of the words excluding the Lord Christ from being directly in the Oracle upon that expression if he sin against me for those words relating to the moral duty of Solomon in that wherein he was a Type of Christ namely the Rule and Administration of his Kingdom may not at all belong to Christ who was prefigured by God's institution of things and not in any moral deportment in the observance of them 4. That what is spoken of any Type as it was a Type and in respect of its institution to be such doth not really and properly belong unto him or that which was the Type but unto him who was represented thereby For the Type it self it was enough that there was some resemblance in it of that which was principally intended the things belonging unto the Anti-type being affirmed of it Analogically on the account of the relation between them by God's institution Hence that which follows on such Enuntiations doth not at all respect or belong to the Type but only to the Anti-type Thus at the Sacrifice of Expiation the scape Goat is said to bear and carry away all the sins of the people into a land not inhabited not really and in the substance of the matter but only in an instituted Representation for the Law was given by Moses but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. Much less may the things that ensue upon the Lord Christ's real bearing and taking away of our sins be ascribed to the devoted beast So is it in this case The words applied by the Apostle to prove the Son to have a more excellent Name than the Angels
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
Gospel asketh them wither they received the Spirit by the works of the Law or by the Word of Faith Chap. 3.2 that is the Gospel That was the Way and means whereby God communicated unto them his Spirit by whom among many other Priviledges we are sealed unto the day of Redemption This is the Covenant of God that his Spirit and the Word of the Gospel shall go and shall abide together with his Elect Isa. 59.1 And he is given unto us by the Gospel on many accounts 1. Because he is the gift and grant of the Author of the Gospel as to all the especial Ends and concernments of salvation John tells us that the Spirit was not given when Jesus was not as yet glorified Chap. 7.39 that is not in that manner as God hath annexed unto this salvation and therefore Peter tells us that when the Lord Christ ascended up on high he received of the Father the Promise of the Spirit and poured him forth on them which did believe Acts 2.33 And this he did according to his own great Promise and Prediction whilest he conversed with his Disciples in the dayes of his flesh There was not any thing that he more supported and encouraged them withal nor more raised their hearts to an Expectation of than this that he would send unto them and bestow upon them the Holy Ghost for many blessed ends and purposes and that to abide with them for ever as we may see Joh. 14.15 16. And this is the great priviledge of the Gospel that the Author of it is alone the donor and bestower of the Holy Spirit which of what concernment it is in the business of our Salvation all men know who have any acquaintance with these things 2. He is promised in the Gospel and therein alone All the Promises of the Scripture whither in the Old Testament or New whose subject is the Spirit are Evangelical they all belong unto and are parts of the Gospel For the Law had no Promise of the Spirit or any Priviledge by him annexed unto it And hence he is called the holy Spirit of promise Ephes. 1.13 Who next unto the Person of Christ was the great subject of Promises from the foundation of the world 3. By these Promises are Believers actually and really made partakers of the Spirit They are vehicula Spiritus the Chariots that bring this holy Spirit into our Souls 2 Pet. 1.4 By these great and precious Promises is the Divine Nature communicated unto us so far forth as unto the indwelling of this blessed Spirit Every Evangelical Promise is unto a Believer but as it were the cloathing of the Spirit in receiving whereof he receives the Spirit himself for some of the blessed Ends of this great salvation God makes use of the Word of the Gospel and of no other means to this purpose So that herein also it is the grace of God that bringeth salvation Thirdly In our Justification And this hath so great a share in this salvation that it is often called salvation it self And they that are justified are said to be saved as Ephes. 2.8 And this is by the Gospel alone which is a point of such importance that it is the main subject of some of Pauls Epistles and is fully taught in them all And in sundry respects it is by the Gospel 1. Because therein and thereby is appointed and constituted the New Law of Justification whereby even a sinner may come to be justified before God The Law of Justification was that he that did the Works of the Law should live in them Rom. 10.5 But this became weak and unprofitable by reason of sin Rom. 8.3 Heb. 8.7 8 9. That any sinner and we have all sinned and come short of the glory of God should be justified by this Law or Rule implyes a contradiction and is utterly impossible Wherefore God by the Gospel hath constituted a new Law of Justification even the Law of faith Rom. 3.27 which is the holy Declaration of his Will and Grace that sinners shall be justified and accepted with him by faith in the blood of Christ without the Works of the Law that he that believeth shall be saved This is equally constituted and appointed in the Law of faith to be proposed unto all that shall believe And on the account hereof the Gospel is salvation 2. Because in every Justification there must be a Righteousness before God on the account whereof the Person to be justified is to be pronounced and declared righteous this is tendered proposed and exhibited unto us in and by the Gospel This is no other but the Lord Christ himself and his Righteousness Isa. 45.21 22. Rom. 8.3 4. Rom. 10.4 2 Cor. 5.21 Gal. 3.13 14. Now Christ with his whole Righteousness and all the benefits thereof are tendered unto us and given unto or bestowed on them that do believe by the Promise of the Gospel Therein is he preached and proposed as crucified before our eyes and we are invited to accept of him which the souls of Believers through the Gospel do accordingly And 3. Faith it self whereby we receive the Lord Christ for all the Ends for which he is tendered unto us and become actually interested in all the fruits and benefits of his Mediation is wrought in us by the Word of the Gospel For as we have declared it is the seed of all Grace whatever and in especial faith cometh by hearing and hearing by this word of God Rom. 10.17 Conviction of sin is by the Law but faith is by the Gospel And this is the Way and means which God hath appointed on our part for the giving us an actual interest in Justification as established in the Law of the Gospel Rom. 5.1 Again 4. The Promise of the Gospel conveyed unto the soul by the Holy Spirit and entertained by faith compleats the justification of a believer in his own conscience and gives him assured Peace with God And then the whole work of this main branch of our salvation is wrought by the Gospel Fourthly There is in this salvation an instruction and growth in spiritual Wisdom and an Acquaintance with the Mysterie of God even of the Father and the Son which also is an Effect of the Gospel Of our selves we are not only dark and ignorant of heavenly things but darkness it self that is utterly blind and incomprehensive of spiritual Divine Mysteries Ephes. 5.8 and so under the Power of darkness Col. 1.13 as that we should no less than the Devils themselves be holden under the chains of it unto the Judgement of the great Day Darkness and ignorance as to the things of God themselves in respect of the Revelation of them and Darkness in the Mind and Understanding of them in a right manner being revealed is upon the whole world And no heart is able to conceive no tongue to express the greatness and misery of this Darkness The removal hereof is a mercy unexpressible the beginning of our entrance into Heaven
Law is perfect and requiring no more in his Worship but what is in that Law prescribed See Psal. 19.8 Prov. 30.5 6. Deut. 4.1 2. And this perfection of the Written Law though it be perfectly destructive to their Tradions not only the Karaei among themselves do earnestly contend for but also sundry of their Gemarists do acknowledge especially when they forget their own concernments out of a desire to oppose the Gospel And to this head belong all the Arguments that Divines make use of to prove the perfection of the Scripture against the New Talmudists in Christianity 5. God every where sends his people to the Written Law of Moses for the Rule of their Obedience no where unto any Kabal Deut. 11.32 and chap. 10.12 13. Chap. 28.1 Josh. 1.7 8. Chap. 23.6 2 Chron. 30.18 Isa. 8.20 If there be such an Orall Law it is one that God would not have any man to observe which he calls none to the Obedience of nor did ever reprove any man for its Transgression And many more Arguments of the like nature may be added to prove the vanity of § 14 this pretence And yet this Figment is the bottom of the present Judaical Religion and obstinacy When the Apostle wrote this Epistle their Apostacy was not yet arrived at this rock of offence since their falling on it they have increased their blindness misery and ruine Then they were contented to try their cause by what God spake to their Fathers in the Prophets which kept open a door of hope and gave some advantages for their Conversion which are now shut up and removed untill God shall take this vail away from their faces that they may see to the end of the things that were to be done away By this means principally have they for many generations both shut out the § 15 Truth and secured themselves from Conviction For what ever is taught and revealed in the Scripture concerning the Person Office and Work of the Messiah seeing they have that which they esteem a Revelation of equall Authority herewithall teaching them a Doctrine quite of another nature and more suited unto their carnal Principles and Expectations they will rather rest in any evasions than give way to the Testimony thereof And whilest they have a firm perswasion as they have received by the Tradition of many Generations that the written Word is imperfect but an half Revelation of the mind of God in its self unintelligible and not to be received or understood but according to the sense of their Orall Law now recorded in their Talmuds what can the most plain and cogent Testimonies of it avail unto their Conviction And this hath been the fatall way and means of the grand Apostacy of both Churches Judaical and Christian. How far that of the Jews was overtaken with it in the dayes of our Lords Conversation on the Earth the Gospel doth abundantly declare and how they have brought it unto its height we have given now some brief account That of the Roman Church hath been the very same and hath at length arrived unto almost the same issue by the same degrees This some of them perceiving do not only defend the Pharisaical Opinion among the Jews about the Orall Law and Succession of their Traditions as consonant to the pretensions of their own Church but also openly avow that a very great number of their several respective Traditions are either the same or that they nearly resemble one another as doth expresly Josephus de Voysin in his Proaemium to the Pugio fidei of Raimundus Martini And because it is evident that the same have been the way and means whereby both the Judaical and Roman Church have apostatized and departed from the Truth and that they are the same also whereby they maintain and defend themselves in their Apostacy and refusal to return unto the Truth I shall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 manifest their Consent and Agreement in this Principle about their Traditions and Authority of them which have been the Ruine of them both First The Jews expresly contend that their Orall Law their Mass of Traditions was § 16 from God himself Partly they say it was delivered unto Moses on Mount Sinai and partly added by him from Divine Revelations which he afterwards received Hence the Authority of it with them is no less than that of the Written Word which hath all its Authority from its Divine Original and the usefulness of it is much more For although they cannot deny but that this and that particular Tradition that is Practice Custom or Exposition of any place of Scripture was first introduced expressed and declared at such or such seasons by such Masters or Schools amongst them yet they will not grant that they were then first invented or found out but only that they were then first declared out of the Cabalistical Abyss wherein they were preserved from their first Revelation as all of them agree who have written any thing about the nature propagation and continuance of their Orall Law And this is the perswasion of the Romanists about their Cabal of Traditions They plead them to be all of a Divine Original partly from Christ and partly from his Apostles What ever they have added unto the written Word yea though it be never so contrary thereunto still they pretend that it is part of the Orall Law which they have received from them by living Tradition Let one Convention of their Doctors determine that Images are to be adored another that Transubstantiation is to be believed a third add a New Creed with an equall number of Articles unto the old let one Doctor advance the Opinion of Purgatory another of Justification by Works all is one these things are not then first invented but only declared out of that unsearchable Treasure of Traditions which they have in their Custody Had they not inlaid this Perswasion in the minds of men they know that their whole Fabrick would of its own accord have long since sunk into Confusion But they highly contend at this day that they need no other Argument to prove any thing to be of an Heavenly Extract and Divine Originall but that themselves think so and practise accordingly § 17 Secondly This Orall Law being thus given the Preservation of it seeing Moses is dead long ago must be enquired after Now the Jews assign a threefold Depository of it First The whole Congregation Secondly The Sanhedrim and Thirdly The High Priest To this End they affirm that it was three times repeated upon the descent of Moses from Mount Sinai as to what of it he had then received and his after additions had the same promulgation First It was repeated by himself unto Aaron Secondly By them both unto the Elders and Thirdly By the Elders unto the whole Congregation or as Maimonides in Jad Chazakah Moses delivered it unto Eleazar Phineas and Joshuah after the Death of Aaron by whom the Consistory was instructed therein who taught the People
the declaration of the Orall Instructions of our Lord Jesus Christ and his Apostles But herein the Jews deal with us far more ingeniously than they They tell us plainly that now their whole Orall Law is written and that they have no reserve of authentick Traditions not yet declared So that where Austin sayes of his Adversaries Nescit habere praeter Scripturas Legitimas Propheticas Judaeos quasdam traditiones suas quas non Scriptas habent sed memoriter tenent alter in alterum loquendo transfundit quam deuterosin vocant either he knew not of the Mishnae that was then written or this opinion of Secret Traditions was continued untill the finishing and promulgation of the Babilonical Talmud which was sundry years after his Death But here the Romanists fail us for although they have given us heaps upon heaps of their Traditions by the means afore mentioned yet they plead that they have still an inexhaustible Treasure of them laid up in their Church stores and Breast of their Holy Father to be drawn forth at all times as occasion shall require And thus have we taken a brief Prospect of the Consent of both the Apostatical Churches in that Principle which hath been the means of their Apostasie and is the great Engine whereby they are rendered incurable therein Exercitatio VIII The First Dissertation concerning the Messiah proving him to be promised of Old Principles presupposed in the Apostles Discourse in his Epistle to the Hebrews First A Messiah promised from the Foundation of the World Of the Evil that is in the World Of Sin and Punishment Original and Entrance of them Ignorance of Mankind about them The Sin and Fall of Adam Their Consequents Jews Opinion about the Sin of Adam Also of the Curse and corruption of Nature Their sense of both at large evinced God not unjust if all mankind had perished in this condition Instance of the Sin and Punishment of Angels Differences between the Sin of Angels and Man Angels lost Mankind relieved Evidences of that Deliverance How attainable Not by Men themselves Not by Angels Nor the Law That proved against the Jews Their Fable of the Law made before the World with the occasion of it The Patriarchs saved before the giving of the Law Observation of the Moral Precepts of the Law no means of Relief nor the Sacrifices of it The New Covenant God the Author of it How to be accomplished The first Promise of it Gen. 3.16 discussed Sense of the Jews upon it manifested Examined Promise of a Deliverer the Foundation of all Religion in the World The Promise renewed unto Abraham Gen. 12.1 2 3. Nature of it as given unto him Testified unto and confirmed Gen. 49.10 Numb 24.17 19. Job 19.25 Opened with sundry other Places End of the Separation of the Posterity of Abraham unto â— peculiar People and Church This Deliverer the MESSIAH Denotation of the Word The Person who WEE proceed now unto our Principal intendment in all these Discourses which is the Consideration and Discussion of those great Principles as of all Religion in general so of the Christian in particular which the Apâ—stle supposeth as the Foundation of his whole Treaty with the Hebrews and which § 1 are the Basis that he stands upon in the management of his whole Design For in all Discourses that are Paraenetical as this Epistle for the most part is there are alwayes some Principles taken for granted which give Life and Efficacy unto the Exhortations in them and whereinto they are resolved For as to perswade men unto particulâ—rs in Faith Opinion or Practice without a previous conviction of such general Principles of Truth as from which the Perswasions used do naturally flow and arise is a thing weak and inefficacious so to be exercised in the Demonstration of the Principles themselves when the especial End aimed is to perswade would bring confusion into all Discourse Wherefore although our Apostle do assert and confirm those dogmata and Articles of Truth which he dealt with the Hebrews in a way of Perswasion to embrace yet he supposeth and takes for granted those more general 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or first Maxims which are the Foundation both of the Doctrines and Exhortations insisted on as all skill in teaching doth require And these are those which now we aim to draw forth and consider being these that follow First That there was a Messiah or Saviour of mankind from Sin and Punishment promised upon and from the first entrance of Sin into the World in whom all acceptable Worship of God was founded and in whom all the Religion of the Sons of men was to center Secondly That this Messiah long before Promised was now actually exhibited in the world and had finished the work committed unto him when the Apostle wrote this Epistle Thirdly That Jesus of Nazareth was this Messiah and that what he had done and suffered was the work and duty promised of old concerning him There is not a Line in the Epistle to the Hebrews that doth not virtually begin and end in these Principles not an Assertion not a Doctrine not an Exhortation that is not built on this Triple Foundation They are also the great Verities 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Christian Profession or Religion A sincere endeavour therefore in their Explanation and Vindication especially in these dayes wherein as on the one hand there are various thoughts of heart about the Jews their present condition and expectation so on the other there are many who are ready with a presumptuous boldness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and to call in question the fundamentals of all Religion may not be unacceptable Now the first of these Principles is at this day by several vain imaginations obscured by the Jews to their utter loss of all benefit by it and hath been so for many Generations although it were the Life and Soul of the Religion of their fore-fathers as shall be demonstrated and the two latter are by them expresly denyed and maliciously contended against Here then we shall fix and confirm these Principles in the order wherein we have laid them down declaring on every one of them the Conceptions and Perswasions of the Jews concerning the promised Messiah removing in the Close their Objections against the Faith of Christians in this matter in a peculiar Exercitation to that Purpose And the Confirmation and Vindication of the first of these Principles is that which our present Discourse is designed unto Besides the Testimony of God himself in his Word we have a concurrent suffrage § 2 from the whole Creation that man in the Beginning was formed as in the Image so in the Favour of God and unto his Glory And as he was not liable unto any evil which is the effect of Gods displeasure nor defective in any Good necessary to preserve him in the condition wherein he was made so he was destitute of nothing that was any way requisite to carry him on
unto that farther enjoyment of God whereunto he was designed Gen. 1. v. 26 31. Ecclesiast 7. v. 29. For God being infinitely Good Wise Righteous and Powerfull creating man to know love honour and enjoy him and thereby to glorifie those Holy Properties of his nature which exerted themselves in his creation which that he did the nature of those intellectual Perfections wherewith He endowed him doth undeniably evince it was utterly impossible that either He should not delight in the work of his own hands the effect of his own Wisdom and Power or not furnish him with those Faculties and Abilities by which he might answer the Ends of his Creation To suppose a Failure in any of these is contrary to the prime Dictates of Reason For Infinite Wisdom can do nothing in vain nothing not perfectly suited unto the End whereunto it is designed Neither can Infinite Goodness allow of any defect in ought that proceedeth from it Gen. 1. v. 31. God saw every thing that he had made and behold it was very Good Hence many Philosophers saw and granted that the First Cause in the Production of all things did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 proceed by such a certain Reason and Way as that every thing might both in its self and with reference unto its own especial End and also in Relation unto the Vniverse have its proper Rectitude and Goodness sufficient unto its Station and Condition This 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Scripture calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ephes. 1. v. 11. The Counsel of the Will of God expressing a contemporation of absolute Soveraignty and Infinite Wisdom And these uncontroulable Notions of Nature or Reason cast men of old into their entanglements about the Original of Evil. For this they plainly saw that it must be accidental and occasional but where to fix that Occasion they knew not Those who to extricate themselves out of this difficulty fancied two Supream Principles or Causes the one Author of all Good the other of all Evil were ever exploded as Persons bidding defiance unto all Principles of Reason whereby we are distinguished from the Beasts that perish This I say men generally discerned that Evil wherein it now lyes could not have entred into the world without a disturbance of that Harmony wherein all things at the beginning were constituted by Infinite Wisdom and Goodness and some interruption of that dependance on God from whence it did proceed The very first Apprehensions of the Nature of God and the Condition of the Vniverse declare that man was formed free from sin which is his voluntary subduction of himself from under the Government of his Maker and free from Trouble which is the effect of his displeasure on that Subduction or Deviation in which two the whole nature of Evil consisteth so that it must have some other Original Furthermore In this first Effort of immense Power did God glorifie himself as in the § 3 Wisdom and Goodness wherewith it was accompanied so also in that Righteousness whereby as the Supream Rector and Governour of All he allotted unto his Rational Creatures the Law of their Obedience annexing a Reward thereunto in a mixture of Justice and Bounty For that Obedience should be rewarded is of Justice but that such a Reward should be proposed unto the temporary Obedience of a creature as is the eternal enjoyment of God was of meer Grace and Bounty And that things should have continued in the state and condition wherein they were created I mean as unto mankind supposing an accomplishment of the Obedience prescribed unto them is manifest from the very first notions we have of the nature of God for we do no sooner conceive that he is but withall we assent that he is the Rewarder of them that diligently seek him Heb. 11.6 which is essential unto him and inseparable from his Nature as the Soveraign Ruler of the works of his hands And thus was the continuance of this Blessed State of the Creation of all things provided for and laid in a tendency unto farther Glory being absolutely exclusive of any distance between God and man besides that which is natural necessary and infinite from their Beings There was no sin on the one side nor dissavour on the other And this secured the Order of the Vniverse For what should cause any confusion there whilest the Law of its Creation was observed which could not be transgressed by Brute and inanimate Creatures § 4 That this estate of things hath been altered from time immemorial that there is a corrupt Spring of sin and disorder in the nature of man that the whole world lieth in Ignorance Darkness Evil and Confusion that there is an Alienation and displeasure between God and mankind God revealing his Wrath and Judgements from Heaven whence at first nothing might be expected but fruits of goodness and pledges of love and man naturally dreading the Presence of God and trembling at the effects of it which at first was his Life Joy and Refreshment Reason it self with prudent Observation will discover it hath done so unto many contemplative men of old The whole Creation groans out this complaint as the Apostle witnesseth Rom. 8. v. 20 21. and God makes it manifest in his Judgements every day Chap. 1. v. 18. That things were not made at first in that state and condition wherein now they are that they came not thus immediately from the hand of Infinite Wisdom and Goodness is easily discernable God made not man to be at a perpetual quarrell with him nor to fill the world with tokens of his displeasure because of sin This men saw of old by the light of Nature but what it should be that opened the Flood-gates unto all that Evil and Sin which they saw and observed in the world they could not tell The springs of it indeed they searched after but with more vanity and disappointment than those who sought for the Heads of Nilus The Evils they saw were Catholick and unlimited and therefore not to be assigned unto Particular Causes and of any generall one proportioned unto their Production they were utterly ignorant And this ignorance filled all their Wisdom and Science with fatal mistakes and rendered the best of their Discoveries but meer uncertain conjectures Yea the Poets who followed the confused Rumours of Old Traditions about things whose Original was Occasional and Accidental give us a better shadow of Truth than the Philosophers who would reduce them unto general Rules of Reason which they would no way answer Post ignem aethereâ domo Subductum Macies nova febrium Terris incubuit Cohors Semotique prius tarda necessitas Lethi corripuit Gradum Horat. Car. lib. 1. Od. 3. is a better Allusion to the Original of Sin and Punishment than all the Disputations of the Philosophers will afford us § 5 But that which they could not attain unto and which because they could not attain unto they wandered in all their Apprehensions about God and
themselves without Certainty or Consistency we are clearly acquainted withall by Divine Revelation The summ of it is briefly proposed by the Apostle Rom. 5. v. 12. By one man sin entered into the World and Death by Sin Sin and Death are comprehensive of all that is Evil in any kind in the world All that is morally so is sin all that is poenally so is Death The entrance of both into the World was by the sin of one man that is Adam the common Father of us all This the Philosophers knew not and therefore knew nothing clearly of the Condition of Mankind in relation unto God But two things doth the Scripture teach us concerning this entrance of Evil into the world First The Punishment that was threatned unto and inflicted on the disobedience of Adam Whatever there is of Disorder Darkness or Confusion in the nature of things here below whatever is uncertain irregular horrid unequal destructive in the Vniverse what ever is poenal unto man or may be so in this Life or unto Eternity what ever the Wrath of the Holy Righteous God revealing its self from Heaven hath brought or shall ever bring on the Works of his hands are to be referred unto this head Other Original of them can no man assign Secondly The moral corruption of the Nature of man the Spring of all sin the other head of Evil proceeded Hence also For by this means that which before was good and upright is become an inexhaustible Treasure of Sin And this was the state of things in the World immediately upon the Fall and Sin of Adam Now the work which we assign unto the Messiah is the Deliverance of Mankind from this State and condition Upon the Supposition and Revelation of this Entranâ—e of Sin and the Evil that ensued thereon is the whole Doctrine of his Office founded as shall afterwards more largely be declared And because we contend against the Jews that he waâ— promised and exhibited for a Relief in the Wisdom Grace and Righteousness of God against this sin and misery of mankind as our Apostle also expresly proveth Chap. 2. of his Epistle unto them this being denyed by them as that which would overthrow all their fond imaginations about his Person and Office we must consider what is their Sense and Apprehension about these things with what may be thence educed for their own Conviction and then confirm the Truth of our Assertion from those Testimonies of Scripture which themselves own and receive The first effect and consequent of the sin of Adam was the punishment wherewith it § 6 was attended What is written hereof 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Scripture the Jews neither can nor do deny Death was in the commination given to deter him from his Transgression 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gen. 2.17 Dying thou shalt dye Neither can it be reasonably pretended to be singly Death unto his own Person which is intended in that expression The Event sufficiently evinceth the contrary What ever is or might be Evil unto himself and his whole Posterity with the residue of the Creation so far as he or they might be any way concerned therein hath grown out of this commination And this is sufficiently manifested in the first Execution of it Gen. 3.16 17 18 19. The Malediction was but the Execution of the Commination It was not consistent with the Justice of God to increase the Penalty after the sin was committed The threatning therefore was the Rule and measure of the Curse But this is here extended by God himself not only to all the miseries of Man Adam and his whole Posterity in this Life in labour disappointment sweat and sorrow with Death under and by vertue of the Curse but to the whole Earth also and consequently unto those superiour Regions and Orbs of Heaven by whose influence the Earth is as it were governed and disposed unto the Use of Man Hos. 2. v. 21 22. It may be yet farther enquired what was to be the duration and continuance of the Punishment to be inflicted in the pursuit of this Commination and Malediction Now there is not any thing in the least to intimate that it should have a term prefixed unto it wherein it should expire or that it should not be commensurate unto the existence or being of the sinner God layes the Curse on man and there he leaves him and that for ever A miserable life he was to spend and then to dye under the Curse of God without hopes of emerging into a better condition About his subsistence after this Life we have no controversie with the Jews They all acknowledge the immortality of the Soul for the Sect of the Sadducees is long since extinct neither are they followed by the Karaeans in their Atheistical Opinions as hath been declared Some of them indeed encline unto the Pythagorean Metempsuchosis but all acknowledge the Souls Perpetuity Supposing then Adam to dye poenally under the Curse of God as without extraordinary Relief he must have done the Righteousness and Truth of God being engaged for the Execution of the Threatning against him I desire to know what should have been the State and condition of his Soul Doth either Revelation or Reason intimate that he should not have continued for ever under the same Penalty and Curse in a state of Death or Separation from God And if he should have done so then was Death eternal in the Commination This is that which with respect unto the present effects in this life and the punishment due to sin is termed by our Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Thess. 1. v. 10. the Wrath to come from whence the Messiah is the Deliverer Nor will the Jews themselves contend that the guilt of any sin respects only temporal punishment The Event of Sin unto themselves they take to be that only imagining their Observation of the Law of Moses such as it is to be a sufficient Expiation of Punishment eternal But unto all strangers from the Law all that have not a Relief provided they make every sin mortal and Adam as I suppose had not the Priviledge of the Present Jews to observe Moses Law Wherefore they all agree that by his Repentance he delivered himself from Death eternal which if it were not due unto his Sin he could not do for no man can by any means escape that whereof he is in no danger And this Repentance of his they affirm to have been attended with severe Discipline and self maceration intimating the greatness of his sin and the difficulty of his escape from the punishment due thereunto So Rabbi Eliezer in Pirke Aboth cap. 20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 On the first day of the Week Adam entred into the Waters of the upper Gihon until the Waters came unto his neck and he afflicted himself seven Weeks untill his Body became like a Sieve And Adam said before the Holy Blessed God Lord of the whole World let my sins I pray thee be
any Cause or Reason he should contrary unto all these engagements of his Holy Perfections wholly renâ—â— and take it off Nay this would plainly justifie the Seâ—pent in his Calumny that what ever he pretended yet indeed that no Execution of his Threatning would ever ensâ—â— How also can it be supposed that any of his future Câ—mminations should have a just weight upon the souls of men if that first great and fundamental one shâ—uld be frustrated and evacuated or what Authority would be left unto his Law when he himself should dissolve the Sanction of it Besides if God should do thus which Reason Revelation and the Event of things do manifest that he neither would nor câ—uâ—d for he cannot deny himself this would have been his work and not an acquisition of men themselves which we are now enquiring after So that this way of deliverance as it is but imaginary so it is here of no consideration There is no other way then for man if he will not perish eternally under the punishment due unto his Apostasie and Rebellion but secondly to find out some way of Commutation or making a Recompence for the Evil of sin unto the Law and Righteousness of God But herein his utter insufficiency quickly manifests it self What ever he is or hath or can pretend any Interest in lyes no less under the Curse than he doth himself And that which is under the Curse can contribute nothing unto its removall That which is in its whole Being obnoxious unto the greatest Punishment can have nothing wherewithall to make Commutation for it For that must first be accepted in and for its self which can either make Attonement or be received for any other in Exchange And this is the condition of man and of every individuall of mankind and will be so to Eternity unless Relief arise from another place It is farther also evident that all the endeavours of men must needs be unspeakably disproportionate unto the Effect and End aimed at from the concernment of the other parts of the Creation in the Curse against sin What can they do to restore the Vniverse unto its first Glory and Beauty How can they reduce the Creation unto its Original Harmony Wherewith shall they recompence the Great God for the defacing of so great a portion of that impress of his Glory and Goodness that he had enstamped on it In a word they who from their first date unto their utmost Period are alwayes under the Punishment can do nothing for the total removall of it The Experience also of five thousand years hath sufficiently evinced how insufficient man is to be a Saviour unto himself All the various and uncertain motions of Adam's Posterity in Religion from the Extremity of Atheism unto that of Sacrificing themselves and one another have been destined in vain towards this End Neither can any of them to this day find out a better or more likely way for them to thrive in than those wherewith their Progenitors deluded themselves And in the Issue of all we see that as to what man hath been able of himself to do towards his own Deliverance both himself and the whole world are continued in the same state wherein they were upon the first Entrance of Sin cumulated as it were with another world of Confusion Disorder Mischief and Misery There is also another head of the Misery of man and that is the corrupt spring of Moral Evil that is in his nature This also is Vniversal and Endless It mixeth its self with all and every thing that man doth or can do as a Moral Agent and that alwayes and for ever Gen. 6. v. 5. It is then impossible that it should have an end unless it do either destroy or spend its self But seeing it will do neither of these ever sinning which man cannot but be is not the way to disentangle himself from sin If then any Deliverance be ever obtained for mankind it must be by some other § 17 not involved in the same misery with themselves This must either be God himself or good Angels Other Rational Agents there are none If we look to the latter we must suppose them to undertake this work either by the Appointment of God or upon their own Accord without his previous Command or Direction The latter cannot be supposed They knew too much of the Majesty Holiness and Terror of the great God to venture on an interposition of themselves upon his Counsels and Wayes uncommanded To do so would have been a sinfull dissolution of the Law of their Creation So much also they might discern of the work its self as to stifle unto Eternity every thought of engaging themselves into it Besides they knew the Will of God by what they saw come to pass They saw his Justice and Holiness glorified in the Evils which he had brought upon the world That He would not for ever satisfie himself in that Glory they knew not And what was man unto them that they should busie themselves to retrive him from that condition whereinto he had cast himself by sin finding Him glorified therein in conformity unto whose will their Happiness and Perfection doth consist As remote as men are from thoughts of recovering Fallen Angells so far were they contriving the Recovery of Man But it may be said the God himself might design them to work out the Salvation and deliverance enquired after as was before supposed But this makes God and not them to be the Saviour and them only the Instruments in the Accomplishment of his work Neither yet hath he done so nor were they meet so to be employed What ever is purely poenall in the misery of man is an Effect of the Righteous Judgement of God This as we have manifested could be no otherwise diverted from him but by the undergoing of it by some other in his stead And two things are required in him or them that should so undergoe it First That they were not themselves obnoxious unto it either Personally or upon the first common account Should they be so they ought to look to their own concernment in the first place Secondly that they were such as that the Benefit of their Vndergoing that Penalty might according to the Rules of Justice redound unto them for whom and in whose stead they underwent it otherwise they would suffer in vain Now although the Angels might answer the first of these in their Personal immunity from obnoxiousness unto the Curse yet the latter they were unsuited for They had no Relation unto mankind but only that they were the Workmanship of the same Creator But this is not sufficient to warrant such a substitution Had Angels been to be delivered their Redemption must have been wrought in the Angelical Nature as the Apostle declares Heb. 2. v. 16. But what Justice is it that Man should sin and Angels suffer or from whence should it arise that from their suffering it should be Righteous that he
should go free By what notions of God could we have been instructed in the Wisdom and Righteousness of such a Proceeding Add hereunto that this God hath not done and we may safely conclude that it became him not so to do But what need all this Enquiry The Jews with whom we principally have to do § 18 in this matter plead constantly that God hath appointed unto men at least unto themselves a way and means of Delivery out of this condition And this is by the observation of Moses's Law By this they say they are justified in the sight of God and have Deliverance from all wrath due unto sin This they trusted in of old Rom. 9. v. 32. this they continue to make their Refuge at this day Spiritualis liberatio solummodo dependet ab Observatione legis quam Deus in monte Sinai promulgavit Spiritual Deliverance dependeth solely on the Observation of the Law which God promulgated on Mount Sinai saith the Author of the Answers unto certain Questions proposed to the Jews Quest. 5. published by Brenius who in his reply hath betrayed unto them the most important Doctrines of the Christian Religion But this is their Perswasion The giving of this Law unto them they suppose to have freed them utterly from every thing in the condition before described so far as they will acknowledge it to concern any of the Posterity of Adam And whereas they cannot deny but that they sometimes sin against the Moral Precepts of this Law and so stand in need of Help against their Helper they fix in this case upon a double relief The first is of their own Personal Repentance and the other the Sacrifices that are appointed in the Law But whereas they now are and have been for many Generations deprived of the Priviledge as they esteem it of offering Sacrifices according to the Law they hope that their own Repentance with their death which they pray that it may be expiatory will be sufficient to obtain for them the forgiveness of sin Only they say this might better and more easie be effected if they might enjoy the Benefit of Sacrifices So saith the forementioned Jew whose Discourse is published by Brenius Quamvis jam nulla sint Sacrificia quae media erant ad tanto facilius impetrandam remissionem peccatorum eadem tamen per poenitentiam resipiscentiam impetratur And again Hodie victimas offere non possumus destituti mediis ad hoc necessariis quae quando obtinebimus tum remissio illa tanto facilior reddetur Respon ad Quaest. Septim If they cannot obtain the use of Sacrifices yet the matter may be effected by their Repentance only it were much easier to do it by Sacrifices And they seem to long for them principally on this account that by them they may free themselves from somewhat of Discipline and Penance which now their consciences enforce them unto But this as all other Articles of their Creed which are properly Judaical is feigned by them to suit their present condition and Interest For where do they find that their Sacrifices especially that which they most trust in namely that on the Feast of Expiation Lev. 16. was ever designed for this End to enable them the more easily to obtain the Remission of sins by another means which they use For it is said directly that the Sacrifice on that day did expiate their sin and make Attonement for it that they might not dye and not that it did help them in procuring pardon another way But this is now taken from them and what shall they do Why rather than they will look or come to him who was represented in that Sacrifice and on whose account alone it had all its efficacy they will find out a new way of doing that which their Sacrifices were appointed unto and this they must do or openly acknowledge that they all perish eternally I shall not insist long on the casting down of this Imagination all the Foundations of it being long ago demolished by our Apostle in his Epistles especially those to the Romans Galatians and the Hebrews themselves And this he hath not done meerly by a new Revelation of the Mind and Will of God but upon the Principles and by the Testimonies of the Old Testament its self as will afterwards more fully appear Only because it is here set up in competition with that blessed and All-sufficient Remedy against Sin and the Curse which God indeed hath provided I shall briefly remove it out of our Way and that by manifesting that it is neither in its self suited unto that End nor was ever of God designed thereunto § 19 That all mankind was cast into the condition we have described by and upon the the sin of Adam we have before sufficiently confirmed Other just Reason or Occasion of it no man can assign It hath been also evinced that God would and consequently did prepare a Remedy for them or a Way of Deliverance to be proposed unto them If this were only the Law of Moses and the Observance thereof as the Jews pretend I desire to know what became of them what was their Estate and Condition who lived and dyed before the giving of that Law Not only the Patriarchs before the Flood who some of them had this Testimony that they pleased God and one of whom was taken alive into Heaven but Abraham also himself who received the Promises must on this Supposition be excluded from a participation in the Deliverance enquired after For they observed not the Law of Moses What they dream about the making of their Law before the Foundation of the World and the study of God therein and that night and day by day in the Written Law and by night in the Oral Cabal is not to be mentioned where matters of importance unto the souls of men are under consideration But yet I may add by the way that neither this nor the like monstrous figments are invented or broached by them without some especial design In the Eighth Chapter of the Proverbs there is mention of the Wisdom of God and such a description given of it as allows not an Essential Property of his nature to be thereby intended This is there said to be with God before the foundation of the world his delight and companion Whence it appears that nothing but the Eternal Word Wisdom and Son of God can possibly be intended thereby To avoid this Testimony given unto his Eternal subsistence the Jews first invented this Fable that the Law was created before the world and that the Wisdom of it was that which God conversed with and delighted in And I have often wondered at the Censure of a learned Christian Annotator upon the place Haec saith he de ea sapientia quae in Lege apparet exponunt Hebraei sane ei si non soli at praecipue haec attributa conveniunt contrary to the Faith of the Church in all Ages It is true on v. 22. and
Attonement and Reconciliation and that some such thing was signified in their Sacrifices they do each one for himself torture slay and offer a Cock on the day of Expiation to make attonement for their sins and that unto the Devil The Rites of that Diabolical Solemnity are declared at large by Buxtorfius in his Synagog Judaic cap. 20. But yet as this folly manifests that they can find no rest in their consciences without their Sacrifices so it gives them not at all what they seek after And therefore being driven from all other hopes they trust at length unto their own Death for in Life they have no hope making this one of their constant Prayers Let my Death be the Expiation of all Sins But this is the curse and so no means to avoid it Omitting therefore these horrid follies of men under despair an effect of that wrath which is come upon them unto the uttermost the thing its self may be considered That the Sacrifices of Moses's Law in and by themselves should be a means to deliver men from the guilt of sin and to reconcile them unto God is contrary to the Light of Nature their own proper use and express Testimonies of the Old Testament For First Can any man think it reasonable that the blood of Bulls and Goats should of its self make an Expiation of the sin of the souls of men reconcile them to God the Judge of all and impart unto them an Everlasting Righteousness Our Apostle declares the manifest impossibility hereof Heb. 10. v. 4. They must have very mean and low thoughts of God his Holiness Justice Truth of the Demerit of Sin of Heaven and Hell who think them all to depend on the blood of a Calf or a Goat The Sacrifices of them indeed might by Gods appointment represent that to the minds of men which is effectuall unto the whole End of appeasing Gods Justice and of obtaining his Favour but that they should themselves effect it is unsuitable unto all the Apprehensions which are imbred in the heart of man either concerning the nature of God or the Guilt of Sin Secondly Their Primitive and proper use doth manifest the same For they were to be frequently repeated and in all the Repetitions of them there was still new mention made of sin They could not therefore by themselves take it away for if they could they would not have been reiterated It is apparent therefore that their use was to represent and bring to remembrance that which did perfectly take away sin For a perfect work may be often remembred but it need not it cannot be often done For being done for such an End and that End being obtained it cannot be done again The Sacrifices therefore were never appointed never used to take away sin which they did not but to represent that which did so effectually Besides there were some sins that men may be guilty of whom God will not utterly reject for which there was no Sacrifice appointed in the Law of Moses as was the case with David Psal. 51. v. 16. which makes it undeniable that there was some other way of Attonement besides them and beyond them as our Apostle declares Acts 13. v. 38 39. Thirdly The Scripture expresly rejects all the Sacrifices of the Law when they are trusted in for any such End and Purpose which sufficiently demonstrates that they were never appointed thereunto See Psal. 40 v. 6 7 8. Psal. 50. v. 8 9 10 11 12 13. Isa. 1. v. 11 12 13. Chap. 66. v. 3. Amos. 5.21 22. Micha 6. v. 6 7 8. and other places innumerable Add unto what hath been spoken that during the Observation of the whole Law § 22 of Moses whilest it was in force by the Appointment of God himself He still directed those who sought for Acceptance with him unto a New Covenant of Grace whole Benefits by faith they were then made partakers of and whole nature was afterwards more fully to be declared See Jerem. 31. v. 31 32 33 34. with the inferences of our Apostle thereon Heb. 8.12 13. And this plainly everts the whole Foundation of the Jews Expectation of Justification before God on the account of the Law of Moses given on Mount Sinai For to what purpose should God call them from resting on the Covenant thereof to look for Mercy and Grace in and by another if that had been able to give them the help desired In brief then the Jews fixing on the Law of Moses as the only means of delivery from sin and death as they do thereby exclude all mankind besides themselves from any interest in the Love Favour or Grace of God which they greatly design and desire so they cast themselves also into a miserable restless self-condemned condition in this world by trusting to that which will not relieve them and into Endless misery hereafter by refusing that which effectually would make them Heirs of Salvation For whilest they perish in their sin another better more glorious and sure Remedy against all the Evils that are come upon mankind or are justly feared to be coming by any of them is provided in the Grace Wisdom and Love of God as shall now farther be demonstrated The first intimation that God gave of this work of his Grace in Redeeming mankind § 23 from sin and misery is contained in the Promise subjoyned unto the Curse denounced against our first Parents and their Posterity in them Gen. 3. v. 15. The seed of the Woman shall bruise the Heaa of the Serpent and the Serpent shall bruise his Heel Two things there are contained in these words A Promise of Relief from the misery brought on mankind by the Temptation of Satan and an intimation of the Means or Way whereby it should be brought about That the first is included in these words is evident For First If there be not a Promise of Deliverance expressed in these words whence is it that the execution of the sentence of Death against sin is suspended Unless we will allow an Intervention satisfactory to the Righteousness and Truth of God to be expressed in these words there would have been a truth in the suggestion of the Serpent namely that whatever God had said yet indeed they were not to dye The Jews in the Midrash Tehillim as Kimchi informs us on Psal. 92. whose Title is a Psalm for the Sabbath Day which they generally assign unto Adam say that Adam was cast out of the Garden of Eden on the Evening of the sixth day after which God came to execute the Sentence of Death upon him but the Sabbath being come on the Punishment was deferred whereon Adam made that Psalm for the Sabbath Day Without an interposition of some external Cause and Reason they acknowledge that Death ought immediately to have been inflicted and other besides what is mentioned in these words there was none Secondly The whole Evil of sin and Curse that mankind then did or was to suffer under proceeded from the
change of place And thence Aben Ezra interprets that expression Chap. 20. v. 22. Ye have seen that I have talked with you from Heaven God was still in Heaven when his Glory was on the Mount Yet those words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 do rather refer to his descent before described then denote the place where he spake For in giving the Law God spake on Earth Heb 12.25 That God in this glorious manifestation of his presence on Mount Sinai made use of the ministry of Angels both the nature of the thing declares and the Scripture testifies Psalm 68.17 The voices fire trembling of the Mountain smoke and noise of the Trumpet were all effected by them And so also was the forming of the words of the Law conveyed unto the ears of Moses and the People Hence the Law is not only said to be received by them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 7. v. 53. by the disposition or orderly ministries of the Angels and to be disposed by them into the hand of Moses Gal. 3. v. 19. but is also called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 2. v. 2. the word spoken or pronounced by Angels that is outwardly and audibly As to him that presided and ruled the whole action some Christians think it was a created Angel representing God and speaking in his name But if this be so we have no certainty of any thing that is affirmed in the Scripture that it may be referred directly and immediately unto God but we may when we please substitute a delegated Angel in his room For in no place not in that concerning the Creation of the world is God himself more expresly spoken of Besides the Psalmist in the place mentioned affirms that when those Chariots of God were on Mount Sinai Jehovah himself was in the middest of them And this Presence of God the Hebrews call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereby they now understand a Majestaticall and Sanctifying Presence indeed it intends him who is the Brightness of the Fathers glory and the express image of his Person who was delegated unto this work as the great Angel of the Covenant giving the Law in the strength of the Lord in the Majesty of the name of the Lord his God Exod. 23. v. 20 21 22. Behold I send an Angel before thee to keep thee in the way and § 16 to bring thee into the place that I have prepared Beware of him and obey his voyce provoke him not for he will not pardon your transgressions for my name is in him But if thou shalt indeed obey his voice and do all that I speak then will I be an enemy unto thine enemies and an adversary unto thine adversâ—ries The Angel here promised is he that went in the midst of the People in the Wilderness whose Glory appeared and was manifested among them And moreover another Angel is promised unto them v. 23. For mine Angel shall go before thee and bring thee into the Amorites and I will cut them off It is a ministring Angel to execute the Judgements and vengeance of God upon the enemies of his people And that this Angel of v. 23. is another from that of v. 20. appears from Chap. 33. v. 2 3. compared with v. 13 14 15 16. of the same Chapter v. 2. I will send an Angel before thee and I will drive out the Canaanite and the Amorite which is the Promise and the Angel of Chap. 23. v. 23. But saith he v. 3. I will not go up in the middest of thee which he had promised to do in and by the Angel of v. 20 21. in whom his name was This the people esteemed evil tidings and mourned because of it v. 4. Now God had not promised to go in the middest of them any otherwise than by the Angel mentioned which both Moses and the People were abundantly satisfied withall But whereas he here renews his Promise of the Ministry and Assistance of the Angel of v. 23. yet he denies them his own presence in the Angel of v. 20. For which Moses reneweth his request v. 13. whereunto God replies My presence shall go with thee v. 14. concerning which Presence or Face of God or which Angel of his Presence we must a little more particularly enquire § 17 First It is said to the People concerning him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 beware of him or rather take heed to thy self before him before his Face in his Presence v. 21. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Niphal is sibi cavit cave tibi And this is the caution that is usually given the People requiring that Reverence and awe which is due unto the Holiness of the Presence of God 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and obey his voice This is the great Precept which is solemnly given and so often reiterated in the Law with reference unto God himself 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 provoke him not or rebell not against him This is the usual word whereby God expresseth the Transgression of his Covenant a rebellion that can be committed against God alone 4. Of these Precepts a twofold Reason is given whereof the first is taken from the Soveraign Authority of this Angel for he will not pardon your transgressions that is as Joshua afterwards tells the same people he is an holy God he is a jealous God he will not forgive your transgressions nor your sâ—ns Joshua Chap. 24. v. 19. Namely sins of rebellion that break and disannul his Covenant And who can forgive sins but God To suppose here a created Angel is to open a door unto Idolatry for he in whose power it is absolutely to pardon and punish sin may certainly be worshipped with Religious Adoration The second Reason is taken from his Name for my Name is in him A more excellent Name than any of the Angels do enjoy Heb. 1. v. 4. He is God Jehovah that is his Name and his nature answereth thereunto Hence v. 22. it is added if indeed thou obey his vâ—ice and do all that I speak His voice is the voice of God in his speaking doth God speak and upon the Peoples obedience thereunto depends the accomplishment of the Promise Moreover Chap. 33. v. 14 15. God sayes concerning this Angel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my presence my Face shall go with thee which Presence Moses calls his Glory v. 18. his essential Glory which was manifested unto him Chap. 34. v. 6. though but obscurely in comparison of what it was unto them who in his humane nature wherein dwelt the fulness of the Godhead bodily Col. 2. v. 9. behâ—ld his Glory the Glory as of the only begotten of the Father John 1. v. 14. For this Face of God is he whom who so seeth he seeth the Father John 14. v. 19. because he is the Brightness of his Glory and the express image of his Person Heb. 1. v. 3. who accompanied the people in the Wilderness 1 Cor. 10. v. 4. and
not Moses but their Church under the Law refused that Angel of Gods Presence who was to conduct them that obey him into everlasting rest And the Church of Believers under Joshua which was a Type of the Church of the New Testament adhering unto him found rest unto their souls And this Angel of whom we have spoken was he whom the Talmudists call § 23 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Metatron Ben Vzziel in his Targum on Gen. 5. ascribes this name unto Enoch He ascended saith he into Heaven by the Word of the Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and his name was called Metraton the great Scribe But this Opinion is rejected and confuted in the Talmud There they tell us that Metatron is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Prince of the world Or as Elias calls him in Tishbi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Prince of Gods Presence The mention of this name is in Talm. Tract Saned cap. 4. where they plainly intimate that they intend an uncreated Angel thereby For they assign such things unto him as are incompetent unto any other And as Reuchlin informeth us from the Cabbalists they say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Metatron was the Master or Teacher of Moses himself He it is saith Elias who is the Angel alwayes appearing in the Presence of God of whom it is said my name is in him And the Talmudists add that he hath power to blot out the sins of Israel whence they call him the Chancellor of Heaven And Bechai a famous Master among them affirms that his Name signifies both a Lord a Messenger and a Keeper on Exod. 23. A Lord because he ruleth all A Messenger because he standeth alwayes before God to do his Will and a Keeper because he keepeth Israel The Etymologie I confess which he gives unto this Purpose of that name is weak and foolish Nor is that of Elias one jot better who tells us that Metatron is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Greek Tongue One sent But yet it is evident what is is intended by these obscure intimations which are the corrupted relicts of antient Traditions namely the increated Prince of Glory who being Lord of all appeared of old unto the Patriarchs as the Angel or Messenger of the Father And as for the word its self it is either a corrupt expression of the Latin Mediator such as are usual amongst them or a more Gematrical Fiction to answer unto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Almighty there being a coincidence in their numericall signification of their Letters And this was another way whereby God instructed the Church of old in the Mysterie of the Person of the Messiah who was promised unto them Exercitatio XI Messiah promised of Old Faith of the antient Church of the Jews concerning him State of the Jews at his coming Expectations of it Exposed to the seducements of Impostors Faith of their Fore-fathers lost among them Sadducees expected a Messiah On what Grounds Consistency of their Principles True Messiah rejected by them General Reason thereof Story of Barcosba and Rabbi Akiba Miracles to be wrought by the Messiah State of the Jews after the dayes of Barcosba Faith of their Fore-fathers utterly renounced Opinion of Hillel denying any Messiah to come Occasion of it Their Judgement of him The things concerning the Messiah mysterious Seeming inconsistencies in the Prophesies and Descriptions of him Reconciled in the Gospel That rejected by the Jews Their imagination of two Messiah's Messiah Ben Joseph and Messiah Ben David Story of Messiah Ben Joseph Of Annillus Rise and occasion of the Fable concerning him Jews acqainted with the Revelation Their story of the building of Rome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what Death of Ben Joseph The Fable concerning him disproved The same with that of the Romanists concerning Anti-christ Of Messiah Ben David The faith and expectation of the Jews concerning him The Opinion of Maimonides Summ of the Judaicall Creed Ground and Reason of their present Vnbelief Ignorance of their miserable condition by Nature Ignorance of Acceptable Righteousness And of the Judgement of God concerning Sin Also of the Nature and End of the Law Corrupt Assertions Envy against the Gentiles Because of the Priviledges claimed by them And their Oppressions Judaical Faith concerning the Messiah The Folly of it Of the Promises of the Old Testament Threefold Interpretation of them § 1 WEE have proved the Promise of a Person to be born and annointed unto the Work of relieving mankind from sin and misery and to bring them back unto God And what kind of Person he was to be we have also shewed It remains that we consider what was the Faith of the Antient Church of the Jews concerning him as also what are and have been for many Generations the Apprehensions and Expectations of the same People about the same object of faith with the Occasions and Reasons of their present Infidelity and obstinacy § 2 For the faith of the Antient Church it hath been already sufficiently discoursed What God revealed that they believed They saw not indeed of old clearly and fully into the sense of the Promises as to the way and manner whereby God would work out and accomplish the Mercy and Grace which they lived and dyed in the Faith and hope of But this they knew that God would in his appointed time in and by the nature of man in one to be born of the seed of Abraham and house of David caused Attonement to be made for sin bring in Everlasting Righteousness and work out the Salvation of his Elect. This was abundantly revealed this they stedfastly believed and in the faith thereof obtained a good report or Testimony from God himself that they pleased him inherited the Promises and were made partakers of Life eternal and farther at present we need not enquire into their Light and Apprehensions seeing they must be considered in our Exposition of the Epistle it self which now way is making unto § 3 For the Jews as divested of the Priviledges of their Fore-fathers we may consider them with reference unto two Principal Seasons First From the time of the actual exhibition of the promised seed or the coming of the Messiah to the time of the composition of their Mishnae and Talmuds that ensued thereon Secondly from thence unto this present day and in both these seasons we may consider the prevailing Opinions amongst them concerning the promised Messiah his coming and the work that he hath to do That towards the close of Prophesie in the Church of old the hearts and Spirits of men were intently fixed on a desire and expectation of the coming of the Messiah the last of the Prophets clearly testifies Mal. 3. v. 1. The Lord whom ye are seeking the Angel of the Covenant whom you are desiring shall come suddenly As the time of his coming drew nigh this expectation was encreased and heightned so that they continually looked out after him as if he were to enter amongst them every moment No sooner
prove that he is come already they contend that it is said he shall be born at Bethlehem because he is to spring of David who was born there for of the Tribe of Judah and Family of David he must proceed although they have neither distinction of Tribes nor succession of Families left in the world amongst them To relieve themselves from that difficulty they feign that he shall restore unto them all their Genealogies About the time of his coming they are wofully perplexed as we shall see afterwards But many tokens they have of it when it doth come for they heap up out of some Allegorical passages in the Scripture such stupendous Prodigies as never were nor shall be in the world One of the principal of them is the sounding of the great Trumpet which all Israel shall hear and the world tremble at from Isa. 27. v. 13. The finding of the Ark and Sacred Fire which things were talked of in the late Rumours about them are indeed a part of their Creed in this matter His Office when he comes is to be a King which he shall be annointed unto by them when they are gathered together And the work he is to do is in War to fight with Armillus Gog and Magog to conquer the Edomites and Ishmaelites that is the Romish Christians and Turks or Saracens and in so doing to erect a glorious Kingdom at Jerusalem in Peace he is to Rule righteously not only over Israel but also all the Nations of the world if they have any difference amongst them shall refer all unto his determination and Vmpirage In Religion he shall build the Third Temple mentioned by Ezekiel restore the Sacrifices and cause the Law of Moses to be most strictly observed But that which is the head of all he shall free the Jews from their Captivity restore them to their own Land make Princes and Lords of them all giving them the wealth of all Nations either conquered by him or brought voluntarily unto him feast them on Behemoth Zis and the Wine of Paradise so that they shall see want and poverty no more This is the substance of their perswasion concerning his Coming Person Office and Work When he shall come whether he shall live alwayes or dye at an hundred years old whether he shall have Children and if he have whether they shall succeed him in his Throne whether all the Jews that are dead shall rise at his coming and their Galgal or rolling in the earth from all parts of the world into the Land of Canaan shall then happen or no whether the general Resurrection shall not succeed immediately upon his Reign or at least within forty years after or how long it will be to the end of the world they are not at all agreed But this as hath been declared is the substance of their perswasion and expectation that he shall be a meer man and that the Deliverance which he shall effect shall be by mighty Wars wherein the Jews shall be alwayes victorious and that in the Dominion and Rule which they shall have over all Nations the Third Temple shall be built the Law of Moses be observed by him and them and the Noachichal Precepts be imposed on all others As for any Spiritual Salvation from sin and the curse of the Law of Justification and Righteousness by him or the procurement of Grace and Glory they utterly reject all thoughts about them With these Opinions many of them have mixed prodigious fancies rendering their § 19 estate under their Messiah in this world not much inferiour unto that which Mahomet hath promised unto his followers in another And some of them on the other hand endeavour to pare off what superfluities they can spare and to render their folly as plausible as they are able Wherefore that it may appear what is the utmost height of their conceptions in this matter and that which the most contemplative persons amongst them fix upon I shall subjoyn a description of him and his Kingdom in the words of Maimonides one of the wisest and soberest persons that hath been amongst them since their last fatal dispersion This man therefore in his Exposition of the tenth Chapter of Tractat. Saned observing the fond and frivolous imaginations of their Talmudical Masters about the Messiah gives many rules and instructions about the right understanding of their sayings to free them from open impieties and contradictions And hereunto he subjoyns as he supposeth the true Notion of the Messiah and his Kingdom in the ensuing words As to the dayes of the Messiah they are the time when the Kingdom shall be restored unto Israel and they shall return unto Palestine And this King shall be Potent the Metropolis of whose Kingdom shall be Sion and his Name shall be famous unto the uttermost parts of the Earth He shall be greater and richer then Solomon and with him the Nations shall make peace and yield him obedience because of his Justice and the Miracles that he shall perform If any one shall rise against him God shall give him up into his hand to be destroyed All the Scripture declares his Happiness and the Happiness we shall have by him Howbeit nothing in the nature of things shall be changed only Israel shall have the Kingdom for so our Wise men say expresly there is no difference between these dayes and the dayes of the Messiah but only the subduing of the Nations under us So indeed sayes Rab. Samuel and others of them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He goes on In those dayes Victuals shall be had at an easie rate as if the earth brought forth Cates and Cloathes And afterwards The Messiah shall dye and his Son and his Sons Son shall reign after him but his Kingdom shall endure long and men shall live long in those dayes so that some think his Kingdom shall continue a thousand years But the dayes of the Messiah are not so much to be desired that we may have store of Corn and Wealth ride on Horses and drink Wine with Musick but for the society and conversation of good men the Knowledge and Righteousness of the King and that then without wearisomness trouble or constraint the whole Law of Moses shall be observed § 20 This is the summ of the Creed of the most sober part of the Jews concerning the Messiah whom they look and long for if any are so sober as to embrace it For the same Author tells us that there were very few so minded it may be scarce anothâ—r in an Age besides himself generally they look after nothing but Rule Dominion Wealth and Pleasure But he and they all own him as a temporal King a mighty Warriour subduing the Nations unto the Jews a Furius Camillus or an Alexander or a Caesars of Redemption from sin death and Hell of Pardon of sin Justification and Righteousness of eternal Salvation by him they know they believe nothing Maimonides thinks indeed that his Kingdom shall long continue
the sins whereof they know themselves to be guilty to what end should they look for a Redeemer to bring in Everlasting Righteousnâ—ss or to make Attonement for sin Why should they look out in this case for Relief seeing they have enough at home to serve their turns Let them that are weâ—â—y and heavy laden seek after such a Deliverer they have no need of him or his Salvation According therefore as this building of Self-Righteousness went on and prospered amongst them Faith in the Messiah as to the true Ends for which He was promised decayed every day more and more untill at length it was utterly lost For as our Apostle tells them if Righteousness were by the Law the Promise of the Messiah was to no purpose and if the Law made things Perfect the bringing in of another Priesthood and Sacrifice was altogether needless § 24 So is it also with them as to their Apprehension of the Judgement of God concerning the Desert of sin The natural notion hereof the vilest Hypocrites amongst them were sometimes perplexed withall See Isa. 33. v. 14 15. Micah 6. v. 8. But the generality of them have long endeavoured by prejudicate Imaginations to cast out the true and real sense of it That God is angry at sin that in some cases an Attonement is needfull they will not deny But so low and carnal are their thoughts of his severity that they think any thing may serve the turn to appease his Wrath or to satisfie his Justice especially towards them whom alone he loves Their Afflictions and Persecutions the Death of their Children and their own Death especially if it be of a painful distemper they suppose to make a sufficient Propitiation for all their sins Such mean and unworthy thoughts have they of the Majesty Holiness and Terror of the Lord. Of late also lest there should be a failure on any account they have found out an invention to give their sins unto the Devil by the Sacrifice of a Cock the manner whereof is at large described by Buxtorfius in his Synagoga Judaica And this also hath no small influence on their minds to pervert them from the Faith of their Fore-Fathers Let the Messiah provide well for them in this world and they will look well enough unto themselves as to that which is to come § 25 And hence ariseth also their Ignorance of the whole Nature Vse and End of the Mosaical Law which also contributes much to the producing of the same Effect upon them To what End the Law was given whereunto it served what was the nature and proper use of its Institutions shall be declared as occasion is offered in the Exposition of the Epistle its self For the present it may suffice unto our purpose to consider their Apprehensions of it and what influence they have into their misbelief In general they look on the Law and their observance of it as the only means of obtaining Righteousness and making an Attonement with God So they did of old Rom. 9. v. 32 33 34. In the observation of its Precepts they place all their Righteousness before God and by its Sacrifices they look for Attonement of all their sins That the Law was not given that the Sacrifices were not appointed for these Ends that the Fathers of old never attended unto them absolutely with any such Intention shall be afterwards declared In the mean time it is evident that this Perswasion corrupts their minds as to their thoughts about the Messiah For if Righteousness may be obtained and Attonement made without him to what End serves the Promise concerning him But having thus taken from him the whole Office and Work whereunto of God he was designed that he might not be thought altogether useless they have cut out for him the work and employment before mentioned For looking on Righteousness and Attonement with the consequent of them Eternal Salvation as the proper Effects of the Law they thought meet to leave unto their Messiah the work of procuring unto them Liberty Wealth and Dominion which they found by experience that the Law was not able to do But had indeed their Eyes been opened in the knowledge of God and themselves they would have found the Law no less insufficient to procure by its self an Heavenly than an Earthly Kingdom for them And against their Prejudicate obstinacy in this matter doth the Apostle principally oppose himself in his Epistle unto them § 26 But here by the way some may possibly enquire how the Jews if they look for Attonement and the Remission of sins by the Sacrifices of the Law can now expect to have their sins pardoned without which they cannot be eternally saved seeing they are confessedly destitute of all Legal Sacrifices whatever Have they found out some other way or do they utterly give over seeking after Salvation This very Question being put unto one of them he answers that they now obtain the pardon of their Sins by Repentance and Amendment of Life according to the Promises made in the Prophets unto that Purpose as Ezek. 18. v. 20. And concludes Quamvis jam nulla sint sacrificia quae media erant ad tanto facilius impetrandam remissionem peccatorum eadem tamen per poenitentiam ac resipiscentiam declinando a viis malis impetratur Although there are now no Sacrifices which were a means the more easily to obtain the forgiveness of sins yet it may be obtained by Repentance and a departure from wayes of evil This is their Hope which like that of the Hypocrite is as the giving up of the Ghost For 1. It is true Repentance and Amendment of Life are required in them who seek after the forgiveness of their sins and many Promises are made unto them But is this all that God required that sin might be forgiven They are sufficient indeed in their own way and place but are they so absolutely also Did not God moreover appoint and require that they should make use of Sacrifices to make attonement for sins without which they should not be done away See Levit. 16. And 2. What is the meaning of that Plea that by Sacrifices indeed Remission of sins might more easily be obtained but obtained it may be without them Doth this more easily respect God or man if they say it respects God I desire to know if he can pardon sin without Sacrifice why he cannot do it as easily as with them or what is he eased of by Sacrifices If it respect themselves as indeed it doth then it may be enquired what it is that they shall be eased of in the obtaining of the Pardon of sins by the use of Sacrifices when that is again restored unto them this can be of nothing but of that which they are now forced to make use of for that end and purpose and what is that Why Repentance and Amendment of Life If then they had their Sacrifices these might be spared or at least much in them abated which at
Disputation before the Pope and Cardinals at Rome which they have recorded in Shebat Jehuda they openly professed that they never expected so great glory by their Messiah as that which they saw them attended withall And Manasseh confesseth that it is no great or extraordinary matter which they looked for by him De Resur lib. 2. cap. 21. Non est saith he tantum miraculum si Messias veniat subjugatum regna sibi imperia multa cum non raro accidisse videamus ut humiles aliqui abjectique ad regna imperia pervenerint terrarumque multarum Domini fierent It is no such Miracle that the Messiah should come and subdue many Kingdoms and Empires unto himself seeing it often falls out that men of mean and abject condition do come unto Kingdoms and Empires and are made Lords of many Countreys It is so indeed they say nothing of him but what may be paralelled in the Stories of the Nations of the world especially considering the shortness of his reign which they begin to think shall not be above forty years § 31 But do these things answer the Promises made concerning him from the foundation of the world Is this the meaning of the Promise given unto Adam Was this the End of the Call and Separation of Abraham This the intendment of the Promise made unto him that in his seed all the Nations of the Earth should be blessed Is this only the importance of it that towards the end of the world many of them shall be conquered Was this the intent of the Oath made unto David and of the sure mercies confirmed unto him and his thereby Do all the Promises in the Prophets set out in words glorious and magnificent end in a Warriâ—ur inferior it may be unto many of those whose destruction they Prophesied of Or is not this rather a way to expose the whole Old Testament unto scorn and reproach as making the Promises thereof not to extend unto that Glory which in others the Penmen of it despised or at least to regard only things of the same nature with them Was this the Expectation of the Fathers of old Is this that which they desired prayed for longed for esteeming all the Glory of their present Enjoyments as nothing in comparison of it What is in this Messiah that he should be the Hope and Desire of all Nations Did God set him forth as the great Effect of his Love Grace Goodness and Faithfulness towards them and then bring forth a Military King in whose exploits they were not all to be concerned Was the Church in travail for so many Generations to bring forth this Fighter Had they no Eye of old unto Spiritual and Eternal things in the Promise of the Messiah Of late indeed Josephus Albo tells us that the Doctrine of the coming of the Messiah is not fundamental And Hiliel of old maintained that Hezekiah was the Mâ—ssiah He should have been so saith another had he composed a Song unto God Barcosba a seditious Negromancer is the Messiah sayes R. Akiha He shall come it may be immediately before the Resurrection saith Manasse But do these thoughts suit the Faith Hope Prayers and Expectations of the Church of old Do they answer any one Promise of God concerning him No man not utterly unacquainted with the Scripture can give the least countenance unto such imaginations What all this while is become of the work every where in the Scripture assigned § 32 unto the Messiah Who is that cast off unto Who shall break the Serpents Head Who shall take away the curse that entered on Sin Who shall be a blessing unto all Nations To whom shall the Gentiles be gathered to be saved by him Who shall be a Priest after the Order of Melchizedeck Who shall have a Body prepared him to offer in stead of the Sacrifices of the Law Who shall have his hands and feet pierced in his suffering and his Vesture parted by Lot Who shall make his Soul an Offering for sin Who shall be bruised grieved and afflicted by God himself because he shall bear the Iniquities of his People Who shall make Attonement for Transgressors and bring in everlasting Righteousness Who shall for ever make Intercession for Transgressors And who shall sit at the Right Hand of God in his Rule over the whole world All these things and sundry others of the like kind are openly and frequently promised concerning the true Messiah whereof not any of them is to be accomplished in or by him whom they look for But these men indeed take a way to destroy all Religion and to turn the whole Bible into a story of earthly things without either Life Spirit or Heavenly Mystery in it It is acknowledged that there are many Promises of Mercy and Glory unto the § 33 Church in the Dayes of the Messiah expressed in Words whose first literal sense represents things outward and temporall And there is a threefold Interpretation of them contended for The first is that of the Jews who would have them all understood according unto their literall importance without the allowance of any Figure or Allegory in them But no thing can be more vain then this imagination nor do they make use of it but where they suppose that it will serve their present design For whereas the Wisest of them do grant that in the dayes of the Messiah the Nature of things shall not be changed but only their use many of these Promises in their first literall sense import a full and direct alteration in the Heavens and Earth and all things contained in them So Isa. 11. v. 6 7 8. Lions Bears Leopards Cockatrices Aspes Calves and young Children are said all to live feed and play together And Chap. 60. v. 7. That the Flocks of Kedar and the Rams of Nebaioth should minister unto the Church ver 16. that they shoâ—ld suck the Milk of Kings and ver 19. that the Sun should no more give light by day and yet ver 20. that it should no more go down Chap. 65. v. 17. That new Heavens and a new Earth shall be created and that the old shall be remembered no more that Trees and Fields shall rejoyce and clap their hands for gladness with other things innumerable in the same kind Now if they grant as they must unless they intend to expose all Sacred Truth to the scorn and contempt of Atheists that these expressions are figurative and Allegorical they must do the same in all other Promises of earthly things as of Peace Plenty Victory long Life Dominion Wealth and the like being set out in the same kind of Allegorial Expressions At least they cannot make them in the strict literal sense of the words the object of their Faith and Expectation unless they can by some infallible rule declare what is figuratively to be understood in them what properly or which Promises are expressed Allegorically which not And this they can never do The Event therefore is the
refrained or kept my feet from every evil way Psal. 40. v. 12. Thou Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wilt not with-hold or restrain thy mercy from me So also to shut up or put a stop unto as Jerem. 52. v. 3. Haggai 1. v. 10. 1 Sam. 25. v. 33. Psalm 88. v. 9. Thence is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Carcer a Prison wherein men are put under restraint From the similitude of Letters and Sound in Pronuntiation some suppose it to have an affinity in signification with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to consummate to end to finish But there is no pregnant instance of this coincidence For although 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 do sometimes signifie to restrain or shut up as Psalm 74. v. 11. yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 no where signifies to consummate finish or compleat The first thing therefore promised with the Messiah which he was to do at his coming was to coerce and restrain Transgression to shut it up from overflowing the world so universally as it had done formerly Trangression from the day of its first entrance into the world had passed over the whole lower Creation like a flood God would now set bounds unto it coerce and restrain it that it should not for the future overflow mankind as it had done This was the work of the Messiah By his Doctrine by his Spirit by his Grace and the Power of his Gospel he set bounds to the rage of wickedness rooted out the old Idolatry of the world and turned millions of the Sons of Adam unto Righteousness And the Jews who deny his coming can give no instance of any other restraint laid upon the prevalency of Transgression within the time limited by the Angel and so directly deny the Truth of the Prophecy because they will not apply it unto him unto whom alone it doth belong The second thing to be done at the season determined is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to seal § 31 up sins 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to seal or to seal up The expression is Metaphorical To seal is either to keep safe or to hide cover and conceal The former can have no place here though the word seem once to be used in that sense with reference unto sin Job 14. v. 14. But this sense hath a perfect inconsistency with what is spoken immediately before and what follows directly after in the Text. And the most proper sense of the word is to cover or conceal and thence to seal because thereby a thing is hidden Cant. 4. v. 12. Now to hide sin or transgression in the Old Testament is to pardon it to forgive it As then the former expression respecteth the sâ—op that was put to the power and progress of sin by the Grace of the Gospel as Titus 2. v. 11 12. so doth this the pardon and removal of the guilt of it by the mercy proclaimed and tendred in the Gospel And in this way of expression is God said to cast our sins behind his back to cover them and to cast them into the bottom of the sea That this was no way to be done but by the Messiah we have before evinced Neither can the Jews assign any other way of the accomplishment of this part of the prediction within the time limited For setting aside this only consideration of the pardon of sin procured by the Mediation of the Messiah and there was never any age wherein God did more severely bring forth sin unto Judgement as themselves had large experience § 32 Thirdly This season is designed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to make Reconciliation for iniquity To reconcile iniquity so our Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 renders this expression Heb. 2. v. 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to reconcile iniquities That is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to make reconciliation with God for iniquity to make attonement The sense of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when applied unto sin is known and granted If it be spoken of God it is to hide to cover to pardon sin to be gracious unto sinners if of men in the use of any of his institutions it is to propitiate appease attone make attonement or reconciliation as I have elsewhere at large declared How this was to be done by the Messiah hath been already evinced This was that work for which he was promised unto our first Parents from the foundation of the world That he was to do it we are taught in the Old Testament how he did it in the Gospel To expect this work of making attonement for sin from any other or to be wrought by any other wayes or means is fully to renounce the first promise and the Faith of the Fathers from the foundation of the world § 33 That which in the fourth place is mentioned answers the former To make Reconciliation for iniquities and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to bring in everlasting Righteousness There was a Legal Righteousness amongst the people before consisting partly in their blameless observation of the institutions of the Law and partly in their ritual attonements for sin made annually and occasionally Neither of these could constitute their Righteousness everlasting Not the former for by the deeds of the Law can no flesh be justified that is not absolutely what ever they might be as to the possession of the promised Land Not the latter for as our Apostle observes the annual repetition of Legal Sacrifices did sufficiently manifest that they could not make perfect them that came unto God by them In opposition unto these an Everlasting Righteousness such as is absolute perfect and enduring for ever is promised to be brought in by the Messiah the Righteousness which he wrought in his life and death doing and suffering the whole will of God being imputed unto them that believe And this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Everlasting Righteousness procureth and endeth in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 everlasting Salvation mentioned Isa. 45. v. 17. both opposed unto the ritual Righteousness and temporal deliverance of the Law To declare the nature and the way of bringing in this Righteousness is the design of the Gospel Rom. 1. v. 16 17. And I desire to know of the Jews how it was brought in within the time limited According unto their Principles the time here determined was so far from being a season of bringing in Everlasting Righteousness that by their own confession it brought in nothing but a deluge of wickedness in the sins of their Nation and oppressions of the Gentiles This therefore is the proper work of the Messiah foretold by the Prophets expected by all the Fathers and not denyed by the Jews themselves at this day though they would shamefully avoid the application of it unto him in this place But he who ever he be that brings in Everlasting Righteousness He and no other is the Promised Seed the true and only Messiah § 34 The fifth thing here foretold is in those words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to seal Vision and Prophet 〈◊〉
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Saadias Haggeon on Daniel the 9th Israel had no Prophet after the finishing of the second house but those who enjoyed the Bath Kol But what is now become of that Bath Kol also for a thousand six hundred years Is not all pretence of Revelations utterly departed what then is become of that Covenant wherein it was promised unto them yea we know that they have not only left the Holy Ghost as a spirit of Prophecy but also as a spirit of grace and supplications so that besides a few superstitious forms repeated by number and tale there is no such thing as prayer amongst them as some of their late Masters have acknowledged What reason now can be assigned of this state and condition of things but only § 8 that the Covenant wherein the good things mentioned were promised unto them had a time limited unto it when it was to give place unto a new one of another nature And this the Jews acknowledge is to take date from the coming of the Messiah God is faithful unchangeable able to make good his promises and his word to the utmost The present Jews are no less Jews of the carnal seed of Abraham then their forefathers were It cannot be then but that the Covenant made with them until the coming of the Messiah is long since expired And therefore also that he is long since come Two things in general the Jews reply unto these considerations the one as they § 9 have occasion and advantage the other openly and constantly The first which they only mention as they have occasion is the prosperity of some of their Nation in this or that Country with the honour and riches that some of them have attained unto Unto this purpose they tell us stories of their number and wealth in the East out of Benjamin Tudulensis and others with the riches of some of them in the Western parts of the world also But themselves know that none of these things not one of them was promised unto them in the Covenant that God made with them upon Mount Horeb. All the promises of it respected the Land of Canaan with their preservation there or return thither What they get abroad in the world elsewhere under the power and dominion of other Nations befalls them in a way of common providence as the like things do the vilest wretches of the earth and not in a way of any especial promise And therefore when Daniel and Nehemiah with others were exalted unto glory and riches among the Babylonians and Persians yet they rested not therein but pleaded the Covenant of God for their restauration unto the Land promised unto Abraham And to suppose that the wealth of a few Jews up and down the world gotten by Physick or Vsury or farming of Customs is an accomplishment of the promises before insisted on is openly to despise the promises and the Author of them § 10 But it is pleaded secondly by them That it is for their sins that the coming of the Messiah is thus retarded and prolonged But it is not about the coming of the Messiah directly and immediately that they are pressed withall in these considerations that which we enquire about is their present state and their long continuance therein with the reason of it only aiming to find out and discover the true cause thereof This they say is because of their sins and this also in general we grant But yet must further enquire what they intend thereby I ask therefore whether it be for the sins of their forefathers who lived before the last final dispersion or for their sins who have since lived in their several Generations that they are thus utterly forsaken If they shall say it is for the sins of their forefathers as Manasseh plainly doth Quest. 43. in Gen. p. 65. And sundry others of them do the same then I desire to know whether they think God to be changed from what he was of old or whether he be not still every way the same as to all the promises of the Covenant supposing they will say that he is still the same I desire to know whether he did not in former times in the daies of their Judges and Kings especially in the Babylonian Captivity punish them for their sins with that contemperation of Justice and mercy which was agreeable unto the Tenor of the Covenant This I suppose they will not deny the Scripture speaking so fully unto it and the Righteousness of God requiring it I desire then to know what were the sins of their forefathers before the destruction of the second Temple and your final dispersion which so much according to the Rules of the Covenant exceeded the sins of them who lived before the desolation of the first Temple and the captivity that ensued for we know that the sins of those former were punished only with a dispersion which some of them saw the beginning and ending of the duration of the whole of it not exceeding seventy years after which they were returned again to their own Land But the captivity and dispersion which hath befallen them upon the sins of those who lived before the destruction of the second Temple as they were in their manner and entrance much more terrible dreadful and tremendious then the former so they have now continued in them above twenty times seventy years without any promise of a recovery God being still the same that he was if the Old Covenant with the Jews be still in force The difference between this dispensation must arise from the difference of the sins of the one sort of persons and the other Now of all the sins which on the general account of the Law of God the sons of men can make themselves guilty of Idolatry doubtless is the greatest The choosing of other Gods is a compleat renunciation of the true one And therefore comprised in it all other sins what ever for casting off the yoke of God and our dependance on him as the first cause and last end of all it doth that in gross and by whole-sale which other sins do only by retail and therefore is this sin forbidden in the head of the Law as intimating that if the command of owning the true God and him alone be not adhered unto it is to no purpose to apply our selves unto them that follow Now it is known to all that this sin of Idolatry abounded amongst them under the first Temple and that also for a long continuance attended with Violence Adulteries Persecution and Oppression but that those under the second Temple had contracted the guilt of this sin the present Jews do not pretend and we know that they hated all appearance of it Nor are they able to assign any other sins what ever wherein they went higher in their provocations then their Progenitors under the first Temple What then is the cause of the different event and success between them before insisted on It cannot be
where it treats of these things in the least giving countenance thereunto or let him shew how this procedure is suitable unto the Justice of God either unto the general notion that we have of it or as unto any other instance recorded of it in the Scripture But if these men may fain what they please there is no doubt but they will justifie themselves and maintain their own cause Secondly Why did none of the latter Prophets whom God granted unto the people after their return from Captivity as Haggai Zechariah and Malachi let the people know that this was the condition of their return into their Land but only require of them to walk answerable unto the mercies they had then received Thirdly As the very nature of the dispensation did declare that God having purged out the Rebels of the people and destroyed them with his sore judgements had forgiven their sins and was returned unto them in a way of mercy and grace never to call over their forepast iniquities any more so the Prophets that treated concerning that dispensation of God do in places innumerable assert the same and plainly contradict this imagination Fourthly God punisheth not the sins of the Fathers upon their children unless the Children continue in the sins of their Fathers This he declareth at large Ezek. 18. Now what were the sins of this people under the first Temple before their captivity our Author reckons Adultery Murder and Idolatry It is no doubt but many of them were Adulterers and that sin among others was charged on them by the Prophets but it is evident that their principal ruining sins were their Idolatry and persecution or killing of the Prophets And God by Ezekiel declares that in and by their Captivity he would punish and take away all their Idolatry and Adulteries evâ—n from the Land of Aegypt or their beginning to be his people Chap. 23.11 27. Now were the Jews that is the body of the people guilty of these sins under the second House it is known that from all Idolatry they preserved themselves which was that sin that in an especial manner was their ruine before and for killing the Pophets they acknowledge that after Malachi they had none so that none could be persecuted by them but those whom they will not own to be Prophets But Fifthly Suppose that all those under the second House continued in the sins of their fore-fathers which yet is false and denyed by themselves as occasion requires yet what have the Jews done for sixteen hundred years since the destruction of that House they plead themselves to be holy and in application of the Prophecy Isa. 53. unto themselves proclaim themselves innocent and righteous at least they would not have us to think that the generality of them are Adulterers Murderers and Idolaters whence is it then that the punishment of their Fathers sins lyes so long on them What Rule of Justice is observed herein What instance of the like dispensation can they produce for our parts we affirm that they continue unto this day in the same sin for which their fore-fathers under the second House were rejected and destroyed and so know the righteousness of God in their present captivities and miseries Besides Sixthly They say they abhor the sins of their fore-fathers repent of them and do obtain Remission of sins through their observation of the Law of Moses Wherein then is the faithfulness of God in his promâ—ses unto them Why are they not delivered out of captivity Why not restored to their Land according to express Testimonies of the Covenant made with them unto that purpose There is no colour of truth nor reason therefore in this evasion which they invented to countenance themselves in their obstinate blindness and unbelief But our Author yet adds an Instance whereby he hopes to reinforce and confirm § 13 his former answer saith he Deus per manus Salamanassani decem tribus in captivitatem passus est abduci in regiones nobis incognitas sexcentis fere annis ante destructionem Templi secundi hoc â—â—t ante presentem hanc nostram captivitatem nâ—cdum in hodiernam hanc diem in terram siâ—am reversae aut dominio suo restitutae sunt quae omnia speciali Dei Providentia nobis ita evâ—nerunt ne quis causam hujus nostrae captivitatis speciali alicui peccato sub secunda domo commisso imputaret Cum decem tribus qui tum absuerunt captivitatem pati debent sexcentâ—s annis longiorem God suffered the ten Tribes to be carried captive by Salamanasser into Countreys unknown to us six hundred years before the destruction of the second Temple and our present captivity neither are they yet returned to their own Land or restored to their former rule all which things have happened unto us by the especial Providence of God That nâ—ne might impute the cause of the captivity unto any sin committed under the second Temple seeing the ten Tribes that were then absent must endure a captivity six hundred years longer Neither will this instance yield them the least relief For 1. It was before granted that the sins under the second Temple were even greater then those under the first whence the punishment of them was revived which is here denyed manifâ—sting that this is an evasion invented to serve the present turn 2. What ever is pretended no impartial man that owns the special relation of that people unto God and his Covenant with them can but grant that their present rejection is for some outragious sins breaking the Covenant under the second Temple and continued in by themselves unto this day 3. The case of the tâ—n Tribes after they had publickly rejectâ—d all that Worship of God and all that Government of the people which was appointed to Type out and to continue unto the bringing of the â—â—ssiah is different from that of the othâ—r Tribes to whom the Promises wâ—re appropriated in Judah and in the house of David so that their rejection implies no disannulling of the Covenant 4. As all of the two Tribes came not up to Jerusalem at the return from the captivity of Babylon so very great numbers of the ten Tribes appear so to have done which bâ—ing added to those multitudes of them which before that had fallen away to Judah partly upon the account of the Worship of God partly upon the account of outward peace when their own Land was wasted makes the condition of the body of the people to be one and the same and these men committed and their posterity continue in the sins on which we charge their present dispersion and captivity 5. The remant of that people dispersed amongst strange Nations seems voluntarily to have embraced their manners and customs and utterly to have forgotten their own Land whereas those with whom we have to do daily expect desire and endeavour a return thereunto so that neither doth this evasion yield our present Jews any relief and we may return to
worn about them They are sanctified in the Law and in a word the Targum on the Canticles Chap. 8. v. 3. tells us that God chose them above all people because they wore the Phylacteries So just cause had our Lord Jesus Christ to reprove their hypocrisie superstition and self-justification in the use abuse and boasting of these things Mat. 23.5 All their works they do for to be seen of Men they make broad their Phylacteries and enlarge the borders of their garments This about the borders of their garments was an after Institution yet because of its answerableness unto this we may add it in this place To this purpose God gives his command Num. 15.38 39 40. Speak unto the Children of Israel and bid them that they make them fringes in the borders of their garments throughout their generations and that they put upon the fringe of the borders a Ribband of blâ—w and it shall be unto you as a fringe that ye may look upon it and remember all the commandments of the Lord and do them and that you seek not after your own heart and your own eyes after which ye use to go a whoring that you may remember and do all my commandments and be holy unto your God which Law is repeated again Deut. 22.12 Thou shalt make thee fringes upon the four quarters of thy Vestures wherewith thou coverest thy self These 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 locks or fringes made of thread fastened unto the wings or skirts of their garments with a Ribband 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of a blew colour which how to make at present the Jews confess they know not but suppose it was made with the blood of a Fish called Chalazon mixt with Vermilion had vertue and efficacy from the institution of God who alone is able to bless and sanctifie things in themselves indifferent unto Sacred Use to the keeping of their hearts in a due reverence unto himself and their eyes from wandering after false Worship and Superstition which being now removed and taken away the things themselves are among the present Jews turned into the greatest superstition imaginable Their principal vanities about these things having been represented by others out of Maimonides his Treatise on that subject need not here be repeated The last appointment of God occasioned by the mercy solemnly remembred in the § 22 Passover was the dedication of all the first-born Males unto himself The Law of this dedication is recorded Exod. 13.12 13. and the manner of its performance is farther added Numb 18 15 16 17. Every thing that openeth the matrix in all flesh which they bring unto the Lord whether it be of men or beast shall be thine nevertheless the first-born of man shalt thou surely redeem and the first firstling of unclean beasts shalt thou redeem and those that are to be redeemed from a month old shalt thou redeem according to thine estimation for the mony of five shekels after the shekel of the Sanctuary which is twenty Gerahs But the firstling of a Cow or the firstling of a Sheep or the firstling of a Goat thou shalt not redeem they are holy thou shalt sprinkle their bloud upon the Altar and shalt burn their fat for an offering made by fire for a sweet savour unto the Lord. The whole dedication of the first-born Males is distributed into three parts 1. Children who were to be redeemed with five shekels twenty Gerahs to one shekel that is about twelve shillings of our mony 2. Clean beasts such as were appointed to be offered in sacrifice on other occasions as the Kine the Sheep and the Goats These were to be offered unto God in a Sacrifice of burnt-offering without redemption or commutation after they had been kept a month with the dam. 3. Vnclean beasts whereof an instance is given in the Ass which were either to be redeemed with mony by an agreement with the Priest or to have their necks broke at the choice of the owner And all of this to call to remembrance the mercy of God in sparing them and theirs when the first-born of man and beast clean and unclean in Egypt were destroyed For hence a peculiar right of especial preservation arose unto God towards all their first-born and this also not without a prospect towards the Redemption of the Church of the first-born by Jesus Christ. Heb. 12.23 And this gave a period to the first dispensation of God towards the Church in the § 23 posterity of Abraham for the space of 430 years With the provision and furniture of these Ordinances of Worship they left Egypt and passing through the Red-sea came into the Wilderness of Sinai where they received the Law and were made perfect in the beauty of Typical holiness and worship Unto these Ordinances succeeded the Solemn 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or giving of the Law on § 24 Mount Sinai with the Precepts and Sanctions thereof mentioned in several places by our Apostle as chap. 2.2 For if the word spoken by Angels was stedfast and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward Chap. 1O 28 He that despised Moses Law died without mercy under two or three witnesses Chap. 12.18 19 20 21. For ye are not come unto the Mount that might be touched and that burned with fire nor unto blackness and darkness and tempest and the sound of a trumpet and the voice of words which they that heard intreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more for they could not endure that which was commanded and if so much as a beast touched the mountain it shall be stoned or thrust through with a dart And so terrible was the sight that Moses said I exceedingly fear and quake ver 25. They escaped not who refused him that spake on earth And in other places Three things must be explained in reference unto this great and solemn foundation § 25 of that Judaical Church state which our Apostle treateth about in this whole Epistle First The Preparations for it Secondly The Manner of the giving of it Thirdly The Law it self For the preparations for it they are either more remote or immediately preceding it The former were those temporary occasional instructive Ordinances which God gave them at their entrance into the Wilderness before they came to receive the Law on Sinai The first mentioned of this nature is Exod. 15.23 24 25 26. And when they came to Marah they could not drink of the waters of Marah for they were bitter therefore the name of it was called Marah And the people murmured against Moses saying What shall we drink And he cried unto the Lord and the Lord shewed him a tree which when he had cast into the waters the waters were made sweet There he made a Statute and an Ordinance and there he proved them and said If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God and wilt do that which is right in his sight and wilt give ear to
his commandments and keep all his statutes I will put none of those diseases upon thee which I have brought upon the Egyptians for I am the Lord that healeth thee The whole course of God's proceeding with his people whereof we have here the first pledge in the Wilderness was by a constant series of temporal providential Streights sinful Murmurings and Typical Mercies The waters being bitter that they could not drink of them God shewed to Moses a Tree that is say some of the Jewish Doctors he shewed him the virtue of a Tree to cure and make wholesome bitter waters And they say it was a Tree whose flowers and fruit were bitter for no other reason but because Elisha afterwards cured salt waters by casting into them a cruise of salt The Targum of Jonathan and that of Jerusalem say God shewed him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the bitter tree Ardiphne which is nothing but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Daphne the Lawrel And on this Tree the Author of that fabulous Paraphrase would have the glorious name of God to be written according to the incantations in use amongst them in his days but that which is designed in the whole is that God preparing them for the bitter consuming Law that was to be given them and discovering unto them their disability to drink of the waters of it for their refreshment gave them an intimation of the cure of that curse and bitterness by him who bare our sins in his body upon the Tree 1 Pet. 2.24 who is the end of the Law for righteousness unto them that do believe § 26 Their second Preparation for the receiving of the Law was the giving of Manna unto them from Heaven Being come into the Wilderness of Sin between Elim and Sinai called so from a City in Egypt that it extended unto in the midst of the second month after their departure from Egypt the stores they brought with them from thence being spent and exhausted the whole Congregation murmured for food As still their wants and murmurings lay at the bottom and were the occasion of those reliefs whereby the spiritual mercies of the Church by Christ were typed out In this condition God sends them Manna Exod. 16.14 15. In the morning the dew lay round about the host And when the dew that lay was gone up behold upon the face of the wilderness there lay a small round thing as small as the hoar frost of the ground And when the children of Israel saw it they said one to another It is Manna for they wist not what it was And Moses said unto them This is the bread which the Lord hath given you to eat ver 31. And the house of Israel called the name thereof Manna and it was like Coriander seed white and the taste of it like wafers made with hony When the children of Israel saw it they said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Man hu and ver 31. the children of Israel called the name of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Man The reason of this name is very uncertain The calling of it Manna in the New Testament gives countenance to the derivation of the word from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Manah to prepare and distribute For what some have thought that it should be an abbreviation of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a guist and spoken by them in their precipitate haste is destitute of all probability If it be from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Manah it signifies a prepared meat or portion So upon the sight of it they said one to another Here is a portion prepared But the truth is the following words wherein there is a reason given why they said upon the sight of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Man hu inclines strongly to another signification 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For they knew not Ma hu what it was They said one to another Man hu because they knew not Ma hu that is what it was So that Man hu is as much as What is it and so the words are rendred by the LXX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What is this and by the vulgar Latine Quid est hoc But this difficulty remains that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Man is not in the Hebrew tongue an interrogative of the thing no nor yet of the person nor doth signifie what Aben-Ezra says it is an Arabick word Chiskuni an Egyptian and it is evidently an interrogative of the Person in the Chaldee and sometimes of the thing as Judg. 13.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What is thy name Yea it seems to be used towards this sense in the Hebrew Psalm 61.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where though most take 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Man to be the Imperative in Pihel from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Manah which no where else occurs yet the LXX took it to be an Interrogation from the Chaldee rendring the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Who shall find out Being therefore the language of the common people in their admiration of a thing new unto them that is expressed it is no wonder that they made use of a word that had obtained amongst them from some of the Nations with whom they had been conversant differing little in sound from that of their own of the same signification and afterwards admitted into common use amongst them From this occasional interrogation did the food provided for them take its name of Man called in the New Testament Manna such occasional imposition of names to persons and things being at all times frequent and usual as in the Chapter fore-going the place was called Marah from the bitterness of the water that they cried out of upon their first tasting it And in the next Massah and Meribah from their temptations and provocations That which alone we have to observe concerning this dispensation of God towards them is that they had this eminent renewed pledge of the Bread of Life the food of their souls the Lord Christ given unto them before they were entrusted with the Law which by making their only glory and betaking themselves unto without the healing Tree and heavenly Manna is become their snare and ruine See Joh. 6.31 32 48 49 51. Rev. 2.17 A third signal preparation for the Law on the like occasion and to the same purpose § 27 with the former is repeated Exod. 17 1 2 3 4 5 6 7. And all the Congregation of the children of Israel journeyed from the wilderness of Sin after their journeys according to the commandment of the Lord and pitched in Rephidim and there was no water for the people to drink Wherefore the people did chide with Moses and said Give us water that we may drink And Moses said unto them Why chide ye with me wherefore do ye tempt the Lord And the people thirsted there for water and the people murmured against Moses and said Wherefore is this that thou hast brought us up out of Egypt to kill us with thirst And Moses cried unto the Lord saying What shall
I do unto this people they be almost ready to stone me And the Lord said unto Moses Go on before the people and take with thee of the Elders of Israel and thy Rod wherewith thou smotest the River take in thine hand and go behold I will stand before thee there upon the Rock in Horeb and thou shalt smite the Rock and there shall come water out of it that they may drink And Moses did so in the sight of the Elders of Israel And he called the name of the place Massah and Meribah because of the chiding of the children of Israel and because they tempted the Lord saying Is the Lord amongst us or not Marching up farther into the Wilderness and coming to Rephidim their fourth station from the Red-sea meeting with no waters to their satisfaction they fell into an high murmuring against the Lord and mutiny against Moses their Leader And this iniquity the Jewish Doctors suppose aggravated because they were in no absolute necessity of water the dew which fell from the Manna running in some streams Hereon God leads Moses to the Rock of Horeb where himself appeared in the cloud which he had prepared for the place of giving the Law commanding him to take his Rod in his hand to smite the Rock whereon waters flowed out for the relief of this sinful murmuring people And the holy Ghost hath put sundry remarks upon this dispensation of God towards them First Upon the sin of the people whence he gave a double name to the place where they sinned for a memorial to all generations he called it Massah and Meribah which words our Apostle renders by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 chap. 3.9 Temptation and provoking Contention And it is often mentioned again both on the part of the people either to reproach and burthen them with their sin as Deut. 9.22 And at Massah ye provoked the Lord to wrath or to warn them of the like miscarriage chap. 6.16 You shall not tempt the Lord your God as you tempted him in Massah as also Psal. 95.8 And on the part of Moses as to the signal trial that God had there of his faith and obedience in that great difficulty which he conflicted withall as also of those of the Tribe of Levi who in a preparation unto their ensuing dedication unto God clave unto him in his straits Deut. 33.8 And of Levi he said Let thy Thummim and thy Vrim be with thy holy one whom thou didst prove at Massah and with whom thou didst strive at the waters of Meribah The mercy likewise that ensued in giving them water from the Rock is most frequently celebrated Deut. 8.15 Psal. 78.15 16. Psal. 105.41 Neh. 9.15 Now all this was done to bring them to attend and enquire diligently into the kernel the pearl of this mercy whose outward shell was so undeservedly free and so deservedly pretious For in this Rock of Horeb lay hid a spiritual Rock as our Apostle tells us 1 Cor. 10.4 even Christ the Son of God who being smitten with the Rod of Moses or the stroke and curse of the Law administred by him gave out waters of life freely unto all that thirst and come unto him Thus did God prepare this people for the receiving of the Law by a triple intimation § 28 of Him who is the Redeemer from the Law and by whom alone the Law that was to be given could be made useful and profitable unto them And all these intimations were still given them on their great and signal provocations to declare that neither did their Goodness deserve them nor could their sins hinder the progress of the counsel of God's will and the work of his grace Hereby also did God revive unto them the grace of the promise which being given as our Apostle observes four hundred and thirty years before the giving of the Law could not be disanull'd or impeach'd thereby And these I call the remote preparations of the people for the receiving of the Law consisting in three Revelations of the Grace of God in Christ happening and granted unto them in the three moneths space which they spent between the Red Sea and their coming unto the Wilderness of Sinai or to the Mountain where they received the Law § 29 The immediate preparations for giving of the Law are all of them expressed Exod. 19. and these we shall briefly pass through the most of them being insisted on or referred unto by our Apostle in the places before mentioned First The time of the Peoples coming unto the place where they were to receive the Law is related v. 1. it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 novilunio tertio in the third moneh after their coming up out of Egypt That is on the first day of the moneth the moneth Sivan on the day of the New Moon And therefore it is added 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on the same day on which Aben Ezra observes Moses went up first into the Mountain to receive the commands of God and returning on that day to the people he went up again on the third day that is the third day of the moneth to give in their answer unto the Lord v. 11.16 And this fell out if not on the day yet about the time of Pentecost whereon afterwards the Holy Ghost descended on the Apostles enabling them to preach the Gospel and therein our deliverance from the curse of the Law given at that time § 30 For the special time of the day when God began to give out the appearances of his glory it is said v. 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whilest it was yet morning And Jarchi observes that all Moses's ascents into the Mountain were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 early in the morning which he proves from Chap. 34.4 And Moses rose up early in the morning and went up unto Mount Sinai And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Boker properly signifies the first appearance of the morning the light that must be enquired and sought after before the rising of the Sun So David Psalm 130.6 compares the earnest expectation of his soul for mercy unto the diligent watching of men for the morning that is the first appearance of light And this was the season wherein our blessed Saviour rose from the grave and from under the curse of the Law bringing with him the tidings of peace with God and deliverance He rose between the first dawning of light and the rising of the Sun Matth. 28.1 Mark 16.2 unto that latitude of time doth the Scripture assign it and the first evidence of it For whereas John sayes that Mary Magdalen came to the Sepulchre very early whilest it was yet dark Chap. 20.1 Matthew when it began to dawn towards day Chap. 28.1 Mark very early in the morning at the rising of the Sun Chap. 16.2 who compriseth the utmost abode of the women at the Sepulchre Luke expresses it indefinitely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 profundo mane that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
unto the remainder of his Ministry These brief remarks being given upon the preparation for and the manner of the giving of the Law we shall summarily consider the general nature of the Law and its Sanction in our next Exercitation Exercitatio XX. What meant by the Law among the Jews The common distribution of it into Moral Ceremonial and Judaical by them rejected The ground of that distribution 613 Precepts collected by the Jews Reasons of that number Of these 248 Affirmative 365 Negative Twelve Houses of each sort First House of Affirmatives concerning God and his Worship in twenty Precepts The second concerning the Temple and Priesthood in number 19. The third concerning Sacrifices in 57 Precepts The fourth of Cleanness and Vncleanness 18. The fifth of Alms and Tithes in 32 Precepts The sixth about things to be eaten in seven commands The seventh concerning the Passover and Festivals 20. The eighth of Rule and Judgment in 13 Precepts The ninth of Doctrine and Truth whose commands are 25. The tenth concerning Women and Matrimony in 12 Precepts The eleventh of Criminal Judgments and Punishments in eight Precepts The twelfth of civil Judgments in 17 Precepts Censure of this Collection Negative Precepts in 12 Families 1. Of false Worship in 47 Prohibitions c. THe Law it self and its Sanctions are the next thing that our Apostle makes § 1 mention of in the Oeconomy of the Judaical Church By this Law he especially understands the Law given on Mount Sinai or partly there partly from the Tabernacle the Type of Christ after it was erected The Jews by the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Law generally understand the whole five books of Moses as they are also called in the New Testament and all Precepts that they can gather out of them any where they refer to the Law wherein they are not to be contended withall This whole Law is generally distributed into three parts First the Moral Secondly § 2 the Ceremonial Thirdly the Judicial part of it And indeed there is no Precept but may conveniently be referred unto one or other of these Heads as they are usually explained That which is commonly called the Moral Law the Scripture terms 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Exod. 34.28 The words of the Covenant the ten words from whence is the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the Law of ten words or precepts all which in their substance are moral and universally obligatory to all the sons of men That part of the Law which the Scripture calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Judgments Exod. 21.1 determining of Rights between Man and Man and of punishments upon transgressions with especial reference unto the interest of the people in the Land of Canaan is by us usually termed the Judicial Law And the institutions of Ceremonial Worship are most commonly expressed by the name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the whole system whereof is termed the Law Ceremonial The Jews either acknowledge not or insist not much on this distinction which § 3 is evidently founded in the things themselves but casting all these parts of the Law together contend that there is amongst them 613 Precepts For the numeral Letters of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 denote 611 of them and the other two which as they say are the two first of the Decalogue were delivered by God himself to the people and so come not within the compass of the word Torah in that place whence they take this important consideration namely Deut. 33.4 Moses commanded us a Law that is of 611 Precepts two being given by God himself compleats the number of 613. There is none who sees not the vanity and folly of these things which yet is a part of their Oral Law whereunto as hath been shewed they ascribe more oftentimes then to the written Word it self Of these 613 Precepts 248 they say are Affirmative Precepts because there are as § 4 they affirm which I leave to our Anatomists to judge of so many distinct members or bones in the body of a man And 365 Negative Precepts because there are so many days in the year man being bound to keep the Law with his whole body all the year long both which numbers make up 613. And lest this observation should not seem sufficiently strengthned by these arguments they add that which they suppose conclusive namely that in the Decalogue there are 613 Letters if you will but set aside the last two words which in common civility cannot be well denied unto them § 5 These 613 Precepts they divide or distinguish into twelve Families according to the number of the Tribes of Israel that is either general part into twelve First the Affirmative and secondly the Negative And although their distribution be not satisfactory for many Reasons and hath been also represented by others yet for the advantage of the Reader I shall here give a summary account of them § 6 The first Family which hath Relation to God in his Worship consists of twenty Precepts which I shall briefly enumerate as those following without any examination of their stating of them and due fixing to their several stations 1. Faith and acknowledgment of God's divine Essence and Existence Exod. 20.2 2. Faith of the Vnity of God Deut. 6.4 chap. 32.39 3. Love of God Deut. 6.5 chap. 10.12 4. Fear of God Deut. 6.13 5. Acknowledgment of God's Righteousness in Afflictions Deut. 8.5 6. Prayer unto God Exod. 23.25 Deut. 11.13 7. Adherence unto God Deut. 10.20 8. To swear by the name of God Exod. 6.13 Deut. 10.20 9. To walk in the ways of God Deut. 28.9 10. To sanctifie the Name of God Levit. 22.32 11. Twice a day to repeat that Sanction Hear O Israel Deut. 6.7 chap. 11.19 12. That we learn and teach the Law Deut. 5.1 chap. 11 8. 13. To wear Philacteries or Tephilin on the head Deut. 6.8 14. To wear them on the arm in the same place 15. To make Fringes Numb 15.38 39 40. 16. To put Writings of the Scripture on the posts of our doors Deut. 6.9 17. That the People be called together to hear the Law at the end of the Feast of Tabernacles Duet 31.12 18. That every one write him a Copy of the Law Deut. 31.19 19. That the King moreover write out another for himself as King Deut. 17.28 20. That at our eating of meat we give thanks or bless God Deut. 8.10 This is the first Family which though it sometimes fail in educing its precepts from the Word yet good use may be made of the observation in reducing these things to one certain head § 7 The second Family of the first general Head of Affirmative precepts contain those which concern the Sanctuary and Priesthood being nineteen in number 1. That a Sanctuary Tabernacle or Temple should be built Exod. 25.8 2. That being built it should be reverenced Levit. 19.30 3. That the Priests and Levites always keep the Temple and no others Numb 18.2 4. That the work or
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
Acts 3.32 Hos. 2.23 Isa. 10.22 23. Rom. 9. These are the Heads of the punishments which God took upon himself to inflict in an extraordinary manner on the transgressors of the Law that is those who proceeded to do it so with an high hand as that his Covenant was made void thereby as to all the ends of its re-establishment in the administration of the LaW The second sort of penalties annexed unto the transgression of the Law were such as Men by God's institution and appointment were enabled to inflict concerning § 13 which we must consider First who and what the Persons were who were enabled and authorised to inflict these penalties Secondly of what sort these penalties were and for what transgressions necessarily inflicted § 14 The original division of the people after the dayes of Jacob was into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tribes whereof at first there were Twelve which by dividing the Tribe of Joseph into two were encreased into Thirteen and upon the matter reduced again unto Twelve by the special Exemption of the Tribe of Levi from Inheritances and their separation to the Worship of God Secondly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Families or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Houses of Fathers which on many probabilities may be supposed to have been seventy the number of them who went down with Jacob into Aegypt each of which constituted a particular Family And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 particular Housholds all which are enumerated Josh. 7.14 This distribution continued amongst the people whilest they were in Aegypt and this only they being not capable to cast themselves into any Civil Order there by reason of their Oppressions and therefore contented themselves with that which was natural Accordingly there were three sorts of persons that were in some kind of Dignity and preheminence among the people although it may be after their Oppression began they were hindered from exercising the Authority that belonged unto them First As to the Tribes there were some who were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Princes or Heads of the Tribes Numb 1.16 Twelve in number according to the number of the Tribes Secondly For the Families or principal Houses of the Fathers there were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Elders who presided over them These Moses and Aaron gathered together at their first coming into Aegypt Exod. 4.29 And these as I said before being the Rulers of the first Families were probably in number seventy from whence afterwards was the constitution of seventy Elders for Rule Exod. 24.1 Thirdly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Priests it may be in every private Houshold the first born which are mentioned and so called before the constitution of the Aaronical Priesthood Exod. 19.21 Besides these there were Officers who attended the service of the whole People as to the Execution of Justice and order called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Shoterim which we have rendered by the general name of Officers Exod. 5.14 And they are afterwards distinguished from the Elders and Judges Deut. 16.18 For there are two sorts of persons mentioned that were over the people in respect of their works even in Aegypt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Exactors or Task-Masters and Officers Exod. 5.6 the former or the Nogheshim the Jews say were Aegyptians and the latter or the Shoterim Israelites which occasions that distinct expression of them Pharaoh commanded the same day the Task-masters of the People and their Officers and v. 13 14. And the Task-Masters hasted them saying fulfill your works and the Officers of the Children of Israel were beaten And they tell us in Midrash Rabba on Exod. Sect. 1. that one of these Nogheshim was over ten of the Israelitish Officers and one of them over ten Israelites whence was the following division of the people into tens and hundreds and unto this in the same place they add a putid Story of an Exactor killed by Moses § 15 What was the Authority of these and how it was executed by them in Aegypt nothing is recorded Probably at the beginning of their works and Afflictions they were made use of only to answer for the pretended neglects or miscarriages of the multitude of their Brethren as Exod. 5.14 After their coming up out of Aegypt during their abode in the Wilderness Moses presided over them with all manner of Authority as their Law-giver King and Judge He judged and determined all their causes as is frequently affirmed and that alone untill by the advice of Jethro he took in others unto his assistance Exod. 15.16.25 And there is mention of four particular cases that he determined One Religious one Civil and two Capital relating to Religion in these he made especial enquiry of God The first was about the Vnclean that would keep the Passeover Numb 9.7 8. The second about the daughters of Zelophead who claimed their Inheritance Numb 27. 4 5. The third about the Blasphemer Lev. 24. The last about him that profaned the the Sabbath Numb 15.32 33 34. In which also as the Jews say he set a pattern to future Judges as determining the lesser causes speedily but those wherein blood was concerned not without stay and much deliberation § 16 In the Wilderness the body of the People was cast into a new distribution of Thousands Hundreds Fifties and Tens all which had their peculiar Officers or Rulers chosen from amongst themselves Exod. 18.25 Deut. 1.13 14. And Moses is said to chuse them because being chosen by the People he approved of them as the places foregoing compared do manifest The principal distributions of these planting themselves together in the Cities or Towns of Canaan however afterward they multiplyed or were decreased continued to be called by the names of the thousands of Israel or Judah So Bethlehem Ephratah is said to be little among the thousands of Judah Micah 5.2 One of those thousands that had their especial Head and Ruler over them and their distinct Government as to their own concernments among themselves sate down at Bethlehem which Colony afterwards variously flourished or drew towards a decay After these things by Gods appointment was constituted the great Court of the § 17 Sanhedrin which because we have treated of a-part elsewhere with those lesser Courts of Justice which were instituted in imitation of it sufficiently to our purpose I shall here wholly omit Neither shall I need to mention their Judges raised up extraordinarily of God for the general Rule of the whole People Nor of their Kings continued by Succession in the Family of David because their story in general is sufficiently known and the especial consideration of their power with the manner of the Administration of it would draw us too far out of the way of our present design And these are they unto whom the Lord in their several Generations committed the execution of those punishments that he had allotted unto the transgression of the Law The Penalties themselves with the especial causes of them are lastly to
so at Rome the Pinarii and Potitii sacrificed to Hercules in Ara Maxima Morning and Evening as Livy Plutarch and Dionysius testifie The Custom also of Feasts at this Sacrifice to testifie mutual Love and Peace amongst men was common with the Jews unto the Gentiles Thus when Jethro Moses his Father in Law offered a Burnt-Offering and Sacrifices Aaron and all the Elders of Israel came to eat Bread with him before God Exod. 18.12 And so also in the Sacrifices that Agamemnon offered in Homer Iliad B. he called the Antients and Princes of the Graecians to a Banquet at it with him as did Nestor likewise with those about him at his great Sacrifice Odâ—ss G. The next sort of Offerings that was regulated in the Law was the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which as it denoted an especial kind of Sacrifice we have from the matter of it rendered a Meat-Offering Levit. 2.1 And this as was said of the whole Burnt-Offering before was not then first instituted and appointed but only regulated and solemnly approved For it had been observed from the beginning and consisting in the fruits of the earth had a great foundation in the Law of Nature Thus Cain brought his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mincha of the fruits of the earth to offer unto God Gen. 4.3 And there is no doubt but that as to the kind of it it was acceptable unto God as of his own Institution though the Person that offered it for want of faith was not approved Heb. 11.3 § 25 The Name as was in part before observed is as of an uncertain Original so variously used and applyed Sometimes it is used for a Civil Gift of men one to another or a present 1 Sam. 10.27 Sometimes for any Offering or Sacrifice So Abels Sacrifice which was in especial a Burnt-Offering is called his Mincha Gen. 3. Hence it is sometimes rendred in the New Testament by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Sacrifice a bloody Sacrifice Matth. 9.49 Acts 7.42 And our Apostle from Psal. 40.6 renders 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sebach and Mincha by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 10.5 Sacrifice and Offering by both a which terms Sacrifices only of Attonement and Propitiation were intended and not the especial Meat-Offering which was properly Eucharistical and not Propitiatory And the expression in that of the Psalmist answers directly unto what God speaks concerning the house of Eli 1 Sam. 3.14 The sin of the house of Eli shall not be expiated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 neither by Sebach nor by Mincha that is by no sort of Sacrifices appointed to make Attonement or to expiate sin So also is the word used 1 Sam. 26.19 But as it denotes the especial Offering now under consideration it was not ordinarily appointed to make Attonement I say not ordinarily because there was an especial dispensation in the case of the Poor man who was allowed to bring Flower and Oyle the matter of the Mincha instead of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ascham or Trespass-Offering Levit. 5.11 12. And yet Attonement properly was not made thereby only in it or the appointment of it there was a testification of Gods acceptance of the Person with a non obstante for his Trespass And hence doth our Apostle use his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his almost in this business Heb. 9.22 Almost all things are purged with blood The like allowance was in the Offering of the jealous Person It was to consist of Barley Meal the matter of the Meat-Offering but it made no Attonement for it is expresly said That it was to bring sin to remembrance Numb 5.15 Whereas every Sacrifice of Attonement was for the covering of sin and the casting of it out of Remembrance § 26 As the Mincha denotes a peculiar Offering whose Laws and Ordinances are recorded Levit. 2.1 2 c. the matter of it was 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Soleth simila v. 7. that is the flower of Wheat So it is expresed Ezek. 45.13 15. In one case 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 farina hordacea Barley meal so we render the word was used Numb 5.15 But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Kemach is properly Bran Barley bran This was the Offering in the case of jealousie God appointing therein the use of Barley the worst of Bread-corn and the bran of it the worst of that grain prohibiting the addition of Oyle and Frankincense to testifie his dislike of the matter either in the sin of the Woman or the causeless jealousie of the man 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 biccurim primae fruges frugum primitiae first fruits that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 corn newly ripened in the ear 3. Oyle 4. Frankincense 5. Salt v. 1 2 3 c. And the use of two things are expresly forbidden namely Leaven and Honey v. 11. Hereunto also belongeth the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nesec or Drink-offering which was an addition of Wine unto some Sacrifices never used separately And the Psalmist shews how this degenerated amongst Idolaters who in their superstitious rage made use of the blood of living creatures it may be of men in their libamina They had 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 drink-offering of blood which he abhorred Psal. 16.3 Now this Offering was sometimes offered alone by its self and then it was of the § 27 number of free-will offering whose Law and Manner is prescribed Levit. 2. For the most part it was annexed unto other Sacrifices and it was either stated and general or occasional and particular The stated Meat-Offerings say some concerned the whole Congregation and they reckon up three of them 1. The Wave sheaf Levit. 23. 10 11. 2. The two wave loaves v. 17. 3. The daily shewbread Levit. 24.5 But whereas we have shewed that the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mincha was one of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or a Fire-Offering and also it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 most holy Levit. 2.10 these being neither of them they belonged unto the Terumah of which afterwards and were none of them Mincha or the Meat-Offering properly so called It is true at the offering of the Wave-sheaf and the Wave-loaf there was a Meat-offering offered unto God consisting of two tenth deals of Soleth or wheat-flower mingled with Oyle and the fourth part of an Hin of Wine for a Drink-offering which were burned in the Fire Lev. 23.13 but themselves were a Terumah and not a Mincha The particular and occasional offerings of this nature are reckoned to be 1. The poor mans Offering Levit. 5.11 2. The Jealousie-offering Numb 5.15 3. The Offering of the Priests at their Consecration Levit. 8.26 28. 4. The High Priests daily Meat-Offering Levit. 6.20 5. The Leaper offering Levit. 14.10 6. The Dedication offering mentioned Numb 8. But some of these have a participation in the matter but not in the nature of the especial Mincha The principal signification of this Offering is expressed Isa. 66.20 compared with Rom. 15.16 Mal. 1. 10 11. compared with 1 Tim.
Attonement rendered this of Thankfulness acceptable unto God see Heb. 13.15 16. § 34 Secondly The peculiar Parts of the Beast in this Sacrifice that were to be burned on the Altar are enumerated namely the Suet and Fat of the inwards the Kidnies and their fat the fat on the Flanks and the Caul of the Liver or the Midriff Hence it is laid down as a general Rule that all the fat is the Lords v. 16 And it is called a perpetual Statute for all their Generations through all their dwellings that they should eat no fat v. 17. But yet this general Precept had a double limitation First That only that fat which was to be offered was excepted from eating Of the other fat diffused through the rest of the flesh they might eat Secondly It was only the fat of Beasts appointed to be offered in Sacrifice that was forbidden as it is directly exppressed Levit. 7.25 Of the fat of other clean Beasts they might eat And this offering of the Fat seems to denote our serving of God with the best that we have which yet is not acceptable but by vertue of the Blood of Christ as the fat was to be burned in the Burnt-offering or Sacrifice of Attonement § 35 Of the kind of these Shelamim were the Offerings among the Heathen which they sacrificed either upon any great undertaking which they called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in a way of Vow or upon any success So Cyrus Minor Xenophon and Arianus in their Expeditions sacrificed Sacrificia Votiva and the latter sort were in an especial manner provided for in the Pontifical Law as it is reported by Festus Cujus auspicio classe procincta opima spolia capiuntur Jovi feretrito darier oportet bovem caedito qui caepit aeris ducenta Secunda spolia in Martis aram in Campo solitaurilia utra voluerit caedito Tertia spolia Jano Quirino agnum Marem caedito centum qui caeperit ex aere dato The next sort of Sacrifice was the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chataath or Sin-offering whose Laws and § 36 Rites are described Levit. 4. This Sacrifice is not expresly called a Corban or a Gift it being wholly a Debt to be paid for Expiation and Attonement but being brought nigh unto God it partook in general of the nature of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Corbanim It was of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fireings or Fire-offerings expresly v. 12. because of the burning of the Fat on the Altar and of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or slain Sacrifices And also it was of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or most holy things from its Institution and Signification The name of it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chataath that is sin He shall do to the Bullock as he did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the Bullock of the Sin that is of the Sin-offering Levit. 4.20 So Ezek. 45.1 The Priest shall take 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the blood of the sin that is the Sin-offering 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chata in kal is to sin to offend to err from the way to contract the guilt of sin Hence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chataim are men given up unto and wandring in the ways of sin Psal. 1.1 In Pihel it hath a contrary signification namely to purge to expiate to cleanse to make Attonement to undergo penalty to make satisfaction Gen. 31.39 That which was torn saith Jacob to Laban I brought it not to thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 achatennah I answered for it I paid for it I went by the loss of it See Exod. 29.36 Numb 19.19 Levit. 6.26 According to this signification of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used to denote an Offering for sin that whereby sin is expiated pardon of it is procured Attonement is made So prayes David Psal. 51. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou shalt purge me with Hysop as Numb 19. that is clear me free me as by an Offering for sin And this kind of expression our Apostle retains not only where he reports a Testimony of the Old Testament as Heb. 10. v. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Burnt-offerings and for sin that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sin-offering but also where he makes Application of it unto the Lord Christ and his Sacrifice which was typified thereby Rom. 8.3 God sent his Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Offering for sin a Sin-offering as the word should have been translated And 2 Cor. 5.21 Him who knew no sin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he made sin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Sin-offering for us The general cause of this Sacrifice was sin committed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Levit. 4.2 say we § 37 through ignorance So the LXX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Vulgar Latin per ignorantiam through ignorance Some old Copies of the Greek have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not voluntarily not wilfully For it had respect unto all sins as were not committed so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 willingly wilfully presumptuously as that there was no Sacrifice appointed for them the Covenant being disannulled by them Heb. 10.26 And there is no sort of sins no sin whatever that is between this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this sin of ignorance or error and sin committed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with an high hand or presumptuously See expresly Numb 15.28 29 30. Hence this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this Sin-offering was the great Sacrifice of the solemn Day of Expiation Levit. 16. whereby Attonement was made for all the uncleanness of the children of Israel and because of their transgressions in all their sins v. 16. And upon the head of the live Goat which was a part of the Sin-offering on that day there was confessed and laid all the iniquities of the children of Israel and all their transgressions in all their sins v. 27. That is all iniquities not disannulling the Covenant which had 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a revenging Recompence allotted unto them Heb. 2.2 And accordingly are those words to be interpreted where the cause of this Sacrifice is expressed Levit. 4.2 If a soul sin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by Error Ignorance imprudently against any of the commandments of the Lord as it ought not to do and shall do against any of them And an instance is given in him who killed his neighbour without propense malice Deut. 9.4 Any sin is there intended whereinto men fall by Error Ignorance Imprudence Incogitancy Temptation Violence of Affections and the like For such was this Sacrifice instituted And the End which it typically represented is expressed 1 John 2.1 2. If any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the Righteous and he is the Propitiation for our sins namely in the room of and as represented by the Sin-offering of old whereby Attonement and Propitiation was typically made for sin Only there was this difference That whereas the Law of Moses was appointed to
therein v. 7. The third part which was first disposed of was to be carried into the Most Holy Place as it was done accordingly on the day of Expiation Levit. 16. But because it was not lawful for him to enter in thither but once in the year namely on that Day at all other times he dipped his Finger in the blood and sprinkled it seven times towards the Veyle that parted the Most Holy Place from the Sanctuary v. 6. So that every place of the Tabernacle and all the concernments of it were sanctified with this Blood even as Jesus Christ who was represented in all this was dedicated unto God in his own Blood the Blood of the Covenant Heb. 10.29 That seven is the number of Perfection greatly used and variously applyed in the Scriptures many have observed And the perfect cleansing of sin by the Blood of Jesus was evidently represented by this sevenfold sprinkling Heb. 9. 13 14. and therefore in Allusion hereunto it is called the Blood of sprinkling Heb. 12.24 Even that which was prefigured by all the Blood of the Sacrifices that was sprinkled towards the Most Holy Place and the Mercy seat therein § 43 The next sort of Fire-offerings was the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Asham whose Laws and Ordinances are directed Levit. 5. and the particular occasion of it Chap. 7. We call it the Trespass-offering And it differed very little from that next before described For it is not only said concerning them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as is the Chataath or Sin-offering so is the Asham or Trespass-offering there is one Law for them Chap. 7. v. 7. but also that he who had sinned or trespassed should bring his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his Trespass-offering unto the Lord for his sin which he had sinned a female from the flock or a kid of the Goats 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for a Sin-offering Some think that there was a difference between them and that it lay in this that the Chataath respected sins of Omission and the Asham sins of Commission But that this will not hold is openly evident in the Text. Some think that whereas in both these Offerings there was respect unto ignorance that that in the Chataath was Juris of the right or Law that in the Asham was Facti of the particular fact But this opinion also may be easily disproved from the Context This to me seems to be the Principal if not the only difference between them that the Asham provided a Sacrifice in some particular instances which seem not to be comprized under the general Rules of the Sin-offering And hence in a peculiar manner it is said of Jesus Christ that he should give 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his Soul an Asham or piacular Sacrifice as for all so for such delinquencies and sins as seem to bring a destroying guilt on the soul Isa. 53.10 And this kind of offering also was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Most Holy Levit. 6.20 § 44 The last sort of Fire-Offerings were the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which are reckoned as a distinct species of Sacrifices Levit. 7.36 that is plenitudinum impletionum consecrationum Sacrifices of Consecration or that were instituted to be observed at the Consecration of Priests It s name it seems to have taken from the filling their hands or their bringing their Offering in their hands when they approached unto the Lord in their setting apart unto Office And thence was the expression of him that came to be consecrated a Priest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Chron. 13. v. 9. He that came to fill his hand with a bullock The rise of this Expression we have marked before on Exod. 28.41 The Lord giving directions unto Moses for the Consecration of Aaron and his Sons he tells him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou shalt fill their hand that is put the flesh of the Sacrifice with the Bread and its Appurtenances into their hands which being the initiating Ceremony of their investiture with Office gave name afterwards unto the whole And hence the Sacrifices appointed then to be offered although they differed not in kind from those foregoing yet are accounted to be a distinct Offering and are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or fillings And this may suffice as a brief account of the fire Offerings of the Law of Moses whose Use and End we are fully instructed in in this Epistle to the Hebrews § 45 There was yet a second sort of Corbans or offerings unto God under the Law which were of things or parts of things not burned on the Altar but one way or other devoted or consecrated to God and his service These were the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Terumoth which we have rendred sometimes offerings in general and sometimes Heave-offerings under which kind the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Wave-offerings also were comprized Concerning these bâ—cause the handling of them is not without its difficulties being diffused in their use throughout the whole Worship of God and that some things not vulgarly known might have been declared concerning them I thought to have treated at large but whereas they are not directly referred unto by our Apostle in this Epistle and these discourses being encreased much beyond my first design I shall here wholly omit all farther disquisition about them FINIS AN EXPOSITION OF THE TWO FIRST CHAPTERS OF THE EPISTLE OF PAUL the APOSTLE UNTO THE HEBREWS WHEREIN The Original Text is Opened and Cleared Antient and Modern Translations are compared and examined The Design of the Apostle with his Reasonings Arguments and Testimonies are unfolded The Faith Customs Sacrifices and other Usages of the Judaical Church are opened and declared The true sense of the Text is Vindicated from the wrestings of it by Socinians and others And lastly Practical Observations are Deduced and Improved John 5.39 Search the Scriptures By J. Owen D.D. LONDON Printed by Robert White for Nathaniel Ponder at the Sign of the Peacock in Chancery-Lane near Fleetstreet 1668. THE PREFACE THE general concernments of this Epistle have all of them been discussed and cleared in the preceding Exercitations and Discourses The things and matters confirmed in them we therefore here suppose and take for granted And they are such some of them as without a Demonstration whereof a genuine and perspicuous Declaration of the Design of the Author and sense of the Epistle cannot be well founded or carried on Vnto them therefore we must remit the Reader who desires to peruse the ensuing Exposition with profit and advantage But yet because the manner of the handling of things in those Discourses may not be so suited unto the minds of all who would willingly enquire into the Exposition its self I shall here make an entrance into it by laying down some such General Principles and Circumstances of the Epistle as may give a competent prospect into the design and Argument of the Apostle in the whole thereof 1. The first of these concerns the Persons whose instruction and edification
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
his own likeness and Image are hereby made partakers of such inestimable Benefits as indispensably call for rejoycing in a way of Thankfulness and Gratitude This the whole Gospel declares and therefore it needs not our particular improvement in this place And if this be the duty of the whole Creation it is easie to discern in what a special manner it is incumbent on them that believe whose Benefit Advantage and Glory was principally intended in this whole work of God Should they be found wanting in this Duty God might as of old call Heaven and Earth to witness against them Yea Thankfulness to God for the bringing forth of the first-born into the world is the summ and substance of all that Obedience which God requires at the hands of believers IV. The Command of God is the ground and Reason of all Religious Worship The Angels are to worship the Lord Christ the Mediator and the ground of their so doing is Gods command he saith Worship him all ye Angels Now the command of God is twofold 1. Formal and vocal when God gives out a Law or Precept unto any creature superadded to the Law of its Creation Such was the Command given unto our first Parents in the Garden concerning the Tree of the knowledge of Good and Evil and such were all the Laws Precepts and Institutions which he afterwards gave unto his Church with those which to this day continue as the Rule and Reason of their Obedience 2. Real and interpretative consisting in an impression of the Mind and Will of God upon the nature of his creatures with respect unto that Obedience which their state condition and dependance on him requireth The very nature of an intellectual Creature made for the Glory of God and placed in a moral dependance upon him and subjection unto him hath in it the force of a Command as to the Worship and Service that God requireth at their hands But this Law in man being blotted weakned impaired through sin God hath in mercy unto us collected drawn forth and disposed all the Directions and Commands of it in vocal formal Precepts recorded in his Word whereunto he hath superadded sundry new Commands in the Institutions of his Worship Wiâ—h Angels it is otherwise The ingrafted Law of their Creation requiring of them the Worship of God and Obedience to his whole Will is kept and preserved entire so that they have no need to have it repeated and expressed in vocal formal Commands And by vertue of this Law were they obliged to constant and everlasting Worship of the Eternal Son of God as being created and upheld in an universal dependance upon him But now when God brings forth his Son into the world and placeth him in a new condition of being incarnate and becoming so the Head of his Church there is a new Modification of the Worship that is due to him brought in and a new respect unto things not considered in the first creation With reference hereunto God gives a new Command unto the Angels for that peculiar kind of Worship and Honour which is due unto him in that state and condition which he had taken upon himself This the Law of their Creation in general directed them unto but in particular required not of them It enjoyned the Worship of the Son of God in every condition but that condition was not expressed This God supplies by a new Command That is such an Intimation of his Mind and Will unto them as answers unto a vocal Command given unto men who by that means only may come to know the Will of God Thus in one way or other Command is the Ground and Cause of all Worship For 1. All Worship is Obedience Obedience respects Authority and Authority exerts it self in Commands And if this Authority be not the Authority of God the Worship performed in Obedience unto it is not the Worship of God but of him or them whose Commands and Authority are the Reason and cause of it It is the Authority of God alone that can make any Worship to be religious or the performance of it to be an Act of Obedience unto him 2. God would never allow that the Will and Wisdom of any of his Creatures should be the rise Rule or measure of his Worship or any part of it or any thing that belongs unto it This Honour he hath reserved unto himself neither will he part with it unto any other He alone knows what becomes his own Greatness and Holiness and what tends to the Advancement of his Glory Hence the Scripture abounds with severe Interdictions and Comminations against them who shall presume to do or appoint any thing in his Worship besides or beyond his own Institution 3. All Prescriptions of Worship are vain where men have not strength to perform it in a due manner nor Assurance of Acceptance when it is performed Now both these are and must be from God alone nor doth he give strength and ability for any thing in his Worship but what himself commands nor doth he promise to accept any thing but what is of his own Appointment so that it is the greatest folly imaginable to undertake any thing in his Worship and Service but what his Appointment gives warrant for And this should teach us in all that we have to do in the Worship of God carefully to look after his word of Command and Institution Without this all that we do is lost as being no Obedience unto God Yea it is an open setting up of our own Wills and Wisdom against him and that in things of his own especial concernment which is intolerable boldness and presumption Let us deal thus with our Rulers amongst men and obey them not according to their Laws but our own fancies and see whether they will accept our persons And is the Great and Holy God less to be regarded besides what we have our own Inventions or the Commands of other men as the ground and reason of our doing it we have nothing but our own or their warranty for its Acceptance with God and how far this will secure us is easie to judge We might hence also farther observe V. That the Mediator of the New Covenant is in his own Person God blessed for ever to whom Divine or Religious Worship is due from the Angels themselves As also that VI. The Father upon the account of the Work of Christ in the World and his Kingdom that ensued it gives a new Commandment unto the Angels to Worship him his Glory being greatly concerned therein And that VII Great is the Churches security and Honour when the Head of it is worshipped by all the Angels in Heaven as also that VIII It can be no duty of the Saints of the New Testament to worship Angels who are their fellow servants in the worship of Jesus Christ. Verse VII HAving in one Testimony from the Scripture expressing the subjection of Angels unto the Lord Christ signally proved his main Design
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
and vigour untill the very day of his death But he sayes it was old and decayed when it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 near to a disappearance to its End Period and an utter uselesness as then it was even as all things that naturally tend to an end do it by Age and decayes And in this not the former sense are the Heavens and Earth said to wax old because of their tendency to that period which either in themselves or as to their use they shall receive which is sufficient to manifest them to be of a changeable perishing nature And it may be that it shall be with these Heavens and Earth at the last day as it was with the Heavens and Earth of Judaical Institutions for so are they frequently called especially when their dissolution or abolition is spoken of in the day of Gods creating the new Heavens and the Earth in the Gospel according to his promise For though the use of them and their power of obliging to their Observation was taken away and abolished yet are they kept in the world as abiding monuments of the Goodness and Wisdom of God in teaching his Church of old So may it be with the Heavens and Earth of the old creation though they shall be laid aside at the last day from their use as a Garment to cloath and teach the Power and Wisdom of God to men yet may they be preserved as eternal monuments of them In opposition hereunto it is said of Christ that he abideth he is the same and his years fail not One and the same thing is intended in all these Expressions even his Eternal and absolutely immutable Existence Eternity is not amiss called a nunc stans a present existence wherein or whereunto nothing is past or future it being alwayes wholly present in and to its self This is expressed in that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou standest abidest endurest alterest not changest not The same is also expressed in the next words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou art he or art the same or as the Syriack hath it the same that thou art There is an Allusion in these words unto if not an expression of that name of God I am that is who is of himself in himself alwayes absolutely and unchangeably the same And this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tu ipse the Hebrews reckon as a distinct name of God Indeed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are all the same name of God expressing his Eternal and immutable self-subsistence The last Expression also though Metaphorical is of the same importance Thy years fail not He who is the same Eternally properly hath no years which are a measure of transient time denoting its Duration Beginning and Ending This is the measure of the world and all things contained therein Their Continuance is reckoned by years To shew the Eternal subsistence of God in Opposition to the frailty of the world and all things created therein it is said his years fail not that is theirs do and come to an end of his Being and Existence there is none How the Apostle proves his Intendment by this Testimony hath been declared in the opening of the words and the force of it unto his purpose lyes open to all we may now divert unto those Doctrinal Observations which the words offer unto us As I. All the Properties of God considered in the Person of the Son the head of the Church are suited to give Relief Consolation and supportment unto Believers in all their distresses This Truth presents it self unto us from the use of the words in the Psalm and their Connection in the design of the Psalmist Under the consideration of his own mortality and frailty he relieves himself with thoughts of the Omnipotency and Eternity of Christ and takes Arguments from thence to plead for relief And this may a little further be unfolded for our use in the ensuing Observations 1. The Properties of God are those whereby God makes known himself to us and declares both what he is and what we shall find him to be in all that we have to deal with him He is infinitely Holy Just Wise Good Powerful c. And by our Apprehension of these things are we lead to that Acquaintance with the Nature of God which in this life we may attain Exod. 34.5 6 7. 2. God oftentimes declares and proposeth these properties of his nature unto us for our supportment Consolation and Relief in our Troubles Distresses and endeavours after Peace and Rest to our souls Isa. 40.27 28 29 30 31. 3. That since the Entrance of sin these Properties of God absolutely considered will not yield that Relief and satisfaction unto the souls of men which they would have done and did whilest man continued obedient unto God according to the Law of his Creation Hence Adam upon his sin knew nothing that should encourage him to expect any help pity or relief from him and therefore fled from his presence and hid himself The Righteousness Holiness Purity and Power of God all infinite eternal unchangeable considered absolutely are no way suited to the Advantage of sinners in any condition Rom. 1.32 Heb. 1.12 4. These Properties of the Divine Nature are in every person of the Trinity entirely so that each Person is so infinitely holy just wise good and powerful because each person is equally partaker of the whole Divine Nature and Being 5. The Person of the Word or the Eternal Son of God may be considered either absolutely as such or as designed in the Counsel Wisdom and Will of the Father by and with his own Will and Consent unto the work of Mediation between God and Man Prov. 8.22 27 28 29 30 31. And in him as such it is that the Properties of the nature of God are suited to yield relief unto Believers in every condition For 1. It was the Design of God in the Appointment of his Son to be Mediator to retrieve the communion between himself and his creature that was lost by sin Now man was so created at first as that every thing in God was suited to be a Reward unto him and in all things to give him satisfaction This being wholly lost by sin and the whole Representation of God to man becoming full of dread and terror all gracious intercourse in a way of special love on the part of God and spiritual willing Obedience on the part of man was intercepted and cut off God designing again to take sinners into a communion of Love and Obedience with himself it must be by Representing unto them his blessed Properties as suited to their encouragement satisfaction and reward And this he doth in the Person of his Son as designed to be our Mediator Heb. 1.2 3. For 2. The Son is designed to be our Mediator and the Head of his Church in a way of Covenant wherein there is an Engagement for the exerting of all the Divine Properties of the nature of God for the Good and
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
by interposing after his usual manner in this Epistle subservient Motives Arguments and Considerations tending directly to his principal end and connatural unto the subject treated on Thus the main Argument wherewith he presseth his preceding Exhortation unto attendance and Obedience unto the Word is taken ab incommodo or ab eventu pernitioso from the pernitious end and event of their disobedience thereunto The chief proof of this is taken from another Argument à minori and that is the confessed Event of disobedience unto the Law v. 2. To confirm and strengthen which reasoning he gives us a summary comparison of the Law and the Gospel whence it might appear that if a disregard unto the Law was attended with a sure and sore revenge that much more must and would the Neglect of the Gospel be so And this comparison on the part of the Gospel is expressed 1. In the Nature of it it is Great Salvation 2. The Author of it it was spoken by the Lord 3. The manner of its Tradition being confirmed unto us by them that heard them and the Testimony given to it and them by signs and wonders and distributions of the Holy Ghost from all which he infers his purpose of the pernitious Event of disobedience unto it or disregarding of it This is the summ of the Apostles Reasoning which we shall further open as the words present it unto us in the Text. The first thing we meet with in the word is his subservient Argument à minori v. 2. wherein three things occur 1. The Description that he gives us of the Law which he compares the Gospel withal it was the word spoken by Angels 2. An Adjunct of it which ensued upon its being spoken by them it was firm and stedfast 3. The Event of disobedience unto it every transgression of it and stubborn disobedience had a just recompence of reward How from hence he confirms his Assertion of the pernitious Consequence of neglecting the Gospel we shall see afterwards The first thing in the words is the Description of the Law by that Periphrasis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word spoken or pronounced by Angels 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a word very variously used in the New Testament The special senses of it we shall not need in this place to insist upon It is here taken for a system of Doctrine and by the addition of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as published preached or declared Thus the Gospel from the principal subject matter of it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 1.18 the Word the Doctrine the Preaching concerning the Cross or Christ crucified So 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here the word is the Doctrine of the Law that is the Law it self spoken declared published promulgated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by Angels that is by the Ministry of Angels It is not the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he from whom the Law was given that the Apostle intends but the Ministerial Publishers of it by whom it was given The Law was given from God but it was given by Angels in the way and manner to be considered Two things we may observe in this Periphrasis of the Law 1. That the Apostle principally intends that part of the Mosaical Dispensation which was given on Mount Sinai and which as such was the Covenant between God and that people as unto the priviledge of the promised Land 2. That he fixed on this Description of it rather than any other or meerly to have expressed it by the Law 1. Because the Ministry of Angels in the giving of the Law by Moses was that by which all the prodigious Effects wherewith it was attended which kept the people in such a durable Reverence unto it were wrought This therefore he mentions that he might appear not to undervalue it but to speak of it with Reverence unto that Excellency of its Administration which the Hebrews even boasted in 2. Because having newly insisted on a comparison between Christ and the Angels his Argument is much strengthened when it shall be considered that the Law was the Word spoken by the Angels the Gospel was delivered by the Son so far exalted above them But the manner how this was done must be a little farther enquired into That the Law was given by the Ministry of Angels the Jews alwayes confessed yea and boasted So saith Josephus one much antiente◠than any of their Rabbins extant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lib. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We learned the most excellent and most holy constitutions of the Law from God by Angels The same was generally acknowledged by them of old This Stephen treating with them takes for granted Acts 7.53 You received the Law by the disposition of Angels And our Apostle affirms the same Gal. 3.19 It was ordained by Angels in the hand of a Mediator a word of the same Original and sense is used in both places though by ours variously rendered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This then is certain but the manner of it is yet to be considered First then nothing is more unquestionable than that the Law was given from God himself He was the Author of it This the whole Scripture declares and proclaims And it was the impious Abomination of the Valentinians and Marcionites of old to ascribe the Original of it unto any other Author Secondly He who spake in the name of God on Mount Sinai was no other than God himself the second Person in the Trinity Psal. 68.17 18 19. Him Stephen calls the Angel Acts 7.30 38. Even the Angel of the Covenant the Lord whom the people sought Mal. 3.1 2. Some would have it to be a Created Angel delegated unto that work who thereon took on him the Presence and Name of God as if he himself had spoken But this is wholly contrary to the nature of all Ministerial work Never did Embassador speak in his own name as if he were the King himself whose person he doth represent The Apostle tells us that the Preachers of the Gospel were Gods Embassadors and that God by them doth perswade men to be reconciled in Christ 2 Cor. 5.20 But yet if any on that account should take on him to personate God and to speak of himself as God he would be highly blasphemous Nor can this be imagined in this place where not only he that speaks speaks in the Name of God I am the Lord thy God but also elsewhere it is frequently affirmed that Jehovah himself did give that Law which is made unto the people an Argument unto Obedience And the things done on Sinai are alwayes ascribed unto God himself Thirdly It remains then to consider how notwithstanding this the Law is said to be the Word spoken by Angels It is no where affirmed that the Law was given by Angels but that the people received it by the disposition of Angels and that it was ordained by Angels and here spoken by them From hence it is evident that
thus stedfast upon the account of its being spoken from God and stands in no need of the contribution of any strength Authority or Testimony from men Church Tradition or ought else that is extrinsecal unto it The Testimonies given hereunto in the Scripture it self which are very many with the general Grounds and Reasons hereof I shall not here insist upon and that because I have done it elsewhere I shall only mention that one consideration which this place of the Apostle suggests unto us and which is contained in our second Observation from the word stedfast Take this word as spoken from God without the help of any other Advantages and the stedfastness of it is the Ground of Gods inflicting Vengeance on them that receive it not that obey it not Because it is his Word because it is cloathed with his Authority if men believe it not they must perish But now if this be not sufficiently evidenced unto them namely that it is his Word God could not be just in taking vengeance of them for he should punish them for not believing that which they had no sufficient Reason to believe which suits not with the Holiness and Justice of God The Evidence then that this Word is from God that it is his being the foundation of the Justice of God in his proceeding against them that do not believe it it is of indispensible necessity that he himself also do give that Evidence unto it For whence also should it have it from the Testimony of the Church or from Tradition or from probable moral inducements that men can tender one to another Then these two things will inevitably follow 1. That if men should neglect their duty in giving Testimony unto the Word as they may do because they are but men then God cannot justly condemn any man in the world for the neglect of his Word in not believing it or not yielding obedience unto it And the Reason is evident because if they have not sufficient Grounds to believe it to be his without such Testimonies as are not given unto it it is the highest Injustice to condemn them for not believing it and they should perish without a cause For what can be more unjust than to punish a man especially eternally for not doing that which he had no just or sufficient Reason to do This be far from God to destroy the innocent with the wicked 2. Suppose all men aright to discharge their duty and that there be a full Tradition concerning the Word of God that the Church give Testimony unto it and Learned men produce their Arguments for it if this all or any part hereof be esteemed as the sufficient Proposition of the Scripture to be the Word of God then is the Execution of infinite divine Justice built upon the Testimony of men which is not divine or infallible but such as might deceive For God on this supposal must condemn men for not believing with faith divine and infallible that which is proposed unto them by Testimonies and Arguments humane and fallible quod absit It remaineth then that the Righteousness of the Act of God in condemning unbelievers is built upon the Evidence that the Object of Faith or Word to be believed is from him And this he gives unto it both by the Impression of his Majesty and Authority upon it and by the Power and Efficacy wherewith by his Spirit it is accompanied Thus is every Word of God stedfast as a Declaration of his Will unto us by what means soever it is made known unto us V. Every Transaction between God and man is alwayes confirmed and ratified by promises and Threatnings Rewards and Punishments every trespass VI. The most glorious Administrators of the Law do stoop to look into the Mysteries of the Gospel See 1 Pet. 1.12 VII Covenant transgressions are attended with unavoidable penalties every transgression that is of the Covenant disannulling of it received a meet recompence of reward VIII The Gospel is a Word of Salvation to them that do believe IX The Salvation tendered in the Gospel is great Salvation X. Men are apt to entertain thoughts of escaping the wrath of God though they live in a neglect of the Gospel This the Apostle insinuates in that interrogation How shall we escape XI The neglecters of the Gospel shall unavoidably perish the wrath of God How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation These last Observations may be cast into one Proposition and so be considered together namely That the Gospel is great Salvation which who so neglecteth shall therefore unavoidably perish without remedy We shall first enquire how the Gospel is said to be Salvation and that Great Salvation and then shew the equity and unavoidableness of their Destruction by whom it is neglected and therein the vanity of their hopes who look for an escaping in the contempt of it By the Gospel we understand with the Apostle the Word preached or spoken by Christ and his Apostles and now recorded for our use in the Books of the New Testament not exclusively unto what was declared of it in the Types and Promises of the Old Testament But by the way of Eminency we appropriate the whole name and nature of the Gospel unto that delivery of the Mind and Will of God by Jesus Christ which included and perfected all that had preceded unto that purpose Now the Gospel is salvation upon a double account First Declaratively In that the Salvation of God by Christ is declared taught and revealed thereby So the Apostle informs us Rom. 1.16 17. It is the power of God unto salvation because therein the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith that is the Righteousness of God in Christ whereby Believers shall be saved And therefore it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Titus 2.11 the saving or salvation bringing Grace of God The Grace of God as that which teacheth and revealeth his Grace And thence they that abuse it to their lusts are said to turn the grace of God into lasciviousness Jude 4. that is the Doctrine of it which is the Gospel And therefore under the Old Testament it is called the Preaching or declaring of glad tydings tydings of peace and salvation Nahum 2.1 Isa. 52.7 and is described as a Proclamation of Mercy Peace Pardon and Salvation unto sinners Isa. 61.1 2. And life and immortality are said to be brought to light thereby 2 Tim. 1.10 It is true God had from all Eternity in his infinite Grace contrived the salvation of sinners but this Contrivance and the Purpose of it lay hid in his own Will and Wisdom as in an infinite Abysse of darkness utterly imperceptible unto Angels and men untill it was brought to light or manifested and declared by the Gospel Ephes. 3.9 10. Coloss. 1.25 26 27. There is nothing more vain than the supposals of some that there are other wayes whereby this Salvation might be discovered and made known The Works of Nature
account of the End of it or that which it brings Believers unto The deliverance of the People of Israel of old out of Egypt was great salvation so doth God every where set it forth and so did the people esteem it and that justly They who murmured under it they who despised the pleasant land fell all of them under the sore displeasure of God But yet as this deliverance was but from temporal outward bondage so that which it brought them unto was but outward rest for a few days in a plentiful country it gave them an inheritance of Houses and Lands and Vineyards in the Land of Canaan but yet there also they quickly died and many of them perished in their sins But as we have seen what we are delivered from by this salvation so the Excellency of the Inheritance which we obtain thereby is such as no heart can conceive no tongue can express It brings us into the favour and love of God unto the Adoption of children into durable rest and peace in a word unto the enjoyment of God in glory eternal Oh the Blessedness of this Rest the Glory of this Inheritance the Excellency of this Crown the Eternity and unchangeableness of this Condition the Greatness of this Salvation how mean how weak how low how unworthy are our apprehensions of it yet surely through the blessed Revelation of the Spirit of Grace by the word of the Gospel we see we feel we experience so much of it as is sufficient to keep us up unto an holy Admiration and longing after it all the days of our pilgrimage here on earth It remaineth now that we declare the unavoidableness of their destruction who neglect this so great salvation There are three things that make the punishment or destruction of any person to be unavoidable 1. That it be just and equal 2. That there be no relief nor remedy provided for him And 3. That he to whom it belongs to inflict punishment be able and resolved so to do and they all concur to the height in this case For 1. It is just and equal that such persons should be destroyed whence the sentence concerning them is so decretory and absolute He that believeth not shall be damned Matth. 16.16 And the Holy Ghost supposeth this case so clear evident and undeniable that he refers the proceedings of God therein unto the judgmentof sinners themselves Heb. 10.29 And they who are judged on this account at the last day will be speechless have nothing to reply nothing to complainof And the sentence denounced against them will appearunto all to be righteous 1. Because they despise an overture of a treaty about Peace and Reconciliation between God and their souls There is by nature an enmity between God and them a state and condition whereby themselves alone would be losers and that for ever God who hath no need of them nor their obedience or friendship tenders them a Treaty upon terms of peace What greater condescension love or grace could be conceived or desired This is tendred in the Gospel 2 Cor. 5.19 Now what greater indignity can be offered unto him than to reject his tenders without so much as an enquiry after what his terms are as the most do to whom the Gospel is preached Is not this plainly to tell him that they despise his love scorn his offers of Reconciliation and fear not in the least what he can do unto them And is it not just that such persons should be filled with the fruit of their own ways Let men deal thus with their Rulers whom they have provoked that have power over them and see how it will fare with them Neither will God be mocked nor shall his grace always be despised When men shall see and learn by woful experience what pitiful poor worms they are and have some beams of the Greatness Majesty and Glory of God shining upon them how will they be filled with shame and forced to subscribe to the righteousness of their own Condemnation for refusing his treaty and terms of Peace 2. These terms contain salvation Men in the neglect of them neglect and refuse their own salvation and can any man perish more justly than they who refuse to be saved If God's Terms had been great hard and difficult yet considering by whom they were proposed and to whom there was all the reason in the world why they should be accepted and their destruction would be just thatshould not endeavour to preserve them unto the utmost But now itis life and salvation that he tenders on whose neglect he complains that men will not come unto him that they might have life Certainly there can be no want of righteousness in the ruine of such persons But 3. That which the Apostle principally builds the Righteousness and inevitableness of the destruction of Gospel neglecters upon is the greatness of the salvation tendered unto them How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation How it is so and wherein the greatness and excellency of it doth consist hath been be fore declared Such and so great it is that there is nothing which as inner can fear or suffer but it will deliver him from it nothing that a creature can desire but it will bring him to the possession of it And if this be despised is it not righteous that men should perish If we know not yet God knows how to set a value upon this great Effect of his Love Wisdom and Grace and how to proportion punishment unto its contempt The truth is God alone is able sufficiently to revenge the greatness of this sin and indignity done unto him We have before shewed how meet it was that the transgression of the Law should be punished with punishment eternal and yet the Law had provided no relief for any in distress or misery only taking men as it found them in the first place it required obedience of them and then promised a reward And a good holy and righteous Law it was both in its Commands and in its Promises and Threatnings It found men in a good estate and promised them a better on their obedience wherein if they failed it threatned them with the loss of their present condition and also with the superaddition of eternal ruine And in all this it was a clear effect of the righteousness holiness and faithfulness of God But the Gospel finds men in quite another state and condition in a condition of misery and ruine helpless and hopeless and is provided on purpose both for their present relief and future everlasting happiness And shall they escape by whom it is despised Is it not just and equal that it should prove a savour of death unto death unto them Is it meet that God should be mocked his Grace be despised his Justice violated his Glory lost all that sinners may go unpunished Let them think so whilst they please God thinketh otherwise all the Angels in Heaven think otherwise all the Saints
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
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
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
horrid nature of sin Fools as the Wise man tells us make a mock of it Stifling for a while their natural convictions they act as if sin were a thing of nought at least not so horrible as by some it is represented And few there are who endeavour aright to obtain a true notion of it contenting themselves in general that it is a thing that ought not to be What direct Opposition it stands in unto the Nature Properties Rule and Authority of God they consider not But the last day will discover the true nature of it when all eyes shall see what it deserves in the judgement of God which is according unto Righteousness Is it a small thing for a Creature to break that Order which God at first placed him and all things in To cast off the Rule and Authority of God to endeavour to dethrone him so that he cannot continue to be the Supream Governour of all things and Judge of all the world unless he punish it Is it a small thing to set up that which hath an utter inconsistency with the Holiness and Righteousness of God so that if it go free God cannot be holy and righteous If these things will not now sink into the minds of men if they will not learn the severity of God in this matter from the Law on the threatning and curse whereof he hath impressed the Image of his Holiness and Justice as was said they will learn it all in Hell Why doth God thus threaten and curse sin and sinners Why hath he prepared an Eternity of Vengeance and Torment for them Is it because he would Nay because it could not otherwise be God being so Holy and Righteous as he is Men may thank themselves for Death and Hell They are no more than sin hath made necessary unless God should cease to be Holy Righteous and the Judge of all that they might sin freely and endlesly And this appears most eminently in the Cross of Christ for God gave in him an instance of his Righteousness and of the desert of sin Sin being imputed unto the only Son of God he could not be spared If he be made sin he must be made a curse If he will take away our iniquities he must make his soul an offering for sins and bear the punishment due unto them Obedience in all Duties will not do it Intercession and Prayers will not do it sin required another manner of Expiation Nothing but undergoing the wrath of God and the Curse of the Law and therein answering what the eternal Justice of God required will effect that End How can God spare sin in his Enemies who could not spare it on his only Son Had it been possible this Cup should have passed from him but this could not be and God continue Righteous These things I say will give us an insight into the nature of sin and the horrible provocation wherewith it is attended And this also opens the Mysterie of the Wisdom and Love and Grace of God in the salvation of sinners This is that which he will for ever be admired in A way he hath found out to exercise Grace and satisfie Justice at the same time in and by the same Person sin shall be punished all sin yet Grace exercised sinners shall be saved yet Justice exalted all in the Cross of Christ. Verse XI XII XIII THe great Reason and Ground of the Necessity of the sufferings of Christ hath been declared It became God that he should suffer But it doth not yet appear on what Grounds this suffering of his could be profitable or beneficial unto the Sons to be brought unto Glory It was the sinner himself against whom the Law denounced the Judgement of death And although the Lord Christ undertaking to be a Captain of Salvation unto the Sons of God might be willing to suffer for them yet what Reason is there that the Punishment of One should be accepted for the sin of Another Let it be granted that the Lord Christ had an absolute and Soveraign Power over his own Life and all the Concernments of it in the nature which he assumed as also that he was willing to undergo any sufferings that God should call him unto this indeed will acquit the Justice of God in giving him up unto death But whence is it that sinners should come to be so interested in these things as thereon to be acquitted from sin and brought unto Glory In these Verses the Apostle enters upon a discovery of the Reasons hereof also He supposeth indeed that there was a Compact and Agreement between the Father and Son in this matter which he afterwards expresly treateth on Chap. 10. He supposeth also that in his Soveraign Authority God had made a Relaxation of the Law as to the Person suffering though not as to the Penalty to be suffered which God abundantly declared unto the Church of the Jews in all their Sacrifices as we shall manifest These things being supposed the Apostle proceeds to declare the grounds of the Equity of this Substitution of Christ in the room of the Sons and of their Advantage by his suffering the Proposition whereof he layes down in these Verses and the especial Application in those that ensue Verse 11 12 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There is no Variety in the reading of these words in any Copies nor do Translators differ in rendring the sense of them The Syriack renders the last Testimony as if the words were spoken unto God Behold I and the children 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whom thou hast given unto me O God The Aethiopick Wherefore they who sanctifie and they who are sanctified are altogether to what purpose I cannot ghess 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Is used in this Epistle both in the Legal sense of it to separate consecrate dedicate and in the Evangelical to purifie sanctifie to make internally and really holy It seems in this place to be used in the latter sense though it include the former also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by just consequence for they who are sanctified are separated unto God The Word then expresseth what the Lord Christ doth unto and for the Sons as he is the Captain of their salvation He consecrates them unto God through the sanctification of the Spirit and washing in his own blood 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It may be of the Masculine Gender and so denote one Person or of the Neuter and so one thing one Mass one common Principle whereof afterwards The first Testimony is taken from Psal. 22.24 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the LXX render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The first word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 narrab◠annuntiabo the Apostle renders by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 more properly than they by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the rest of the words there is a Coincidence the Originall being expresly rendered in them For though 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be rendered simply to praise yet it s most
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
omnes inimicos suos quorum caput est diabolus coercet eorum vires frangit eosque tandem penitus abolebit But if this be so and the abolishing of the power of Satan be an act of Soveraign Power then it was not done by the death of Christ nor was there any need that he should partake of flesh and blood for that purpose or dye So that this Exposition contradicts both the express words of the Apostle and also the whole design of his discourse No proposition can be more plain than this is that the Power of Satan was destroyed by the death of Christ which in this Interpretation of the words is denyed 5. And hence it lastly appears what was the Delivery that was procured for the children by this dissolution of the Power of Satan It respects both what they feared and what ensued on their fear that is Death and Bondage For the delivery here intended is not meerly a Consequent of the destruction of Satan but hath regard unto the things themselves about which the power of Satan was exercised They were obnoxious unto death on the Guilt of sin as poenal as under the Curse as attended with Hell or everlasting misery This he delivered the children from by making an Attonement for their sins in his death virtually loosing their Obligation thereunto and procuring for them Eternal Redemption as shall afterwards be fully declared Hereon also they are delivered from the Bondage before described The fear of death being taken away the bondage that ensues thereon vanisheth also And these things as they are done virtually and legally in the death of Christ so they are actually accomplished in and towards the children upon the Application of the death of Christ unto them when they do believe And we may now close our consideration of these Verses with one or two other Observations as X. The death of Christ through the wise and righteous disposal of God is victorious all conquering and prevalent The aim of the world was to bring him unto death and therein they thought they had done with him The aim of Satan was so also who thereby supposed he should have secured his own Kingdom And what could worldly or Satanical Wisdom have imagined otherwise He that is slain is conquered His own followers were ready to think so We trusted say they that it had been he who should have redeemed Israel Luke 24.21 But he is dead and their hopes are with him in the grave What can be expected from him who is taken slain crucified Can he save others who it seems could not save himself Per mortem alterius stultum est sperare salutem Is it not a foolish thing to look for life by the death of another This was that which the Pagans of old reproached the Christians withal that they believed in one that was crucified and dyed himself and what could they expect from him And our Apostle tells us that this death this Cross was a stumbling block unto the Jews and folly to the Greeks 1 Cor. 1.18 23. And so would it have been in its self Acts 2.13 Chap. 4.28 had not the Will and Counsel and Wisdom and Grace of God been in it But he ordered things so that this death of Christ should pull out that pin which kept together the whold fabrick of sin and Satan that like Sampson he should in his death pull down the pallace of Satan about his ears and that in dying he should conquer and subdue all things unto himself All the Angels of Heaven stood looking on to see what would be the end of this great trial Men and Devils were ignorant of the great work which God had in hand And whilest they thought they were destroying him God was in and by him destroying them and their power Whilest his heel was bruised he brake their head And this should teach us to leave all Gods works unto himself See John 11.6 7 8 9 10. He can bring light out of darkness and meat out of the Eater He can disappoint his Adversaries of their greatest hopes and fairest possibilities and raise up the hopes of his own out of the grave He can make suffering to be saving death victorious and heal us by the stripes of his Son And in particular it should stir us up to meditate on this mysterious work of his Love and Wisdom We can never enough search into it whilest our Enquiry is guided by his Word New Mysteries all fountains of Refreshment and Joy will continually open themselves unto us untill we come be to satisfied with the endless fulness of it unto Eternity Again XI One principal end of the death of Christ was to destroy the power of Satan To destroy him that had the power of death This was promised of old Gen. 3.15 He was to break the head of the Serpent From him sprang all the miseries which he came to deliver his Elect from and which could not be affected without the dissolution of his Power He was anointed to proclaim liberty to the Captives and the opening the Prison to them that were bound Isa. 61.1 To this End he was to conquer him who detained them which he did by his death Col. 2.15 and so lead Captivity Captive Psalm 68.18 stilling this enemy and self-avenger Psal. 8.3 binding the strong man Mat. 12. and dividing the spoil with him Isa. 53.12 And this he did by the merit of his blood and the Attonement he made for sin thereby This took away the Obligation of the Law unto death and disarmed Satan And moreover by the Power of the Eternal Spirit whereby he offered himself unto God he conquered and quelled him Satan laid his claim unto the Person of Christ but coming to put it in Execution he met with that great and hidden Power in him which he knew not and was utterly conquered And this as it gives us a particular consideration of the Excellency of our Redemption wherein Satan our old Enemy who first foyled us who alwayes hates us and seeks our ruine is conquered spoiled and chained so it teacheth us how to contend with him by what Weapons to resist his Temptations and to repell his Affrightments even those whereby he hath been already subdued Faith in the death of Christ is the only Way and Means of obtaining a Conquest over him He will fly at the Sign of the Cross rightly made Verse XVI HAving asserted the Incarnation of the Lord Christ the Captain of our salvation and shewed the necessity of it from the Ends which were to be accomplished by it and therein given the Reason of his concession that he was for a season made less than the Angels The Apostle proceeds in this Verse to confirm what he had taught before by Testimony of the Scripture and adds an especial Amplification of the Grace of God in this whole Dispensation from the consideration of the Angels who were not made partakers of the like Love and Mercy Verse 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
then was he made like unto the Brethren in a Participation of Humane Nature Secondly That in this nature he should be perfectly Holy and exactly discharge his duty according unto the Mind and Will of God was all that was required of him as to his being an High Priest But this was not all that the estate and condition of the Brethren required Their sorrows tenderness weakness miseries disconsolations are such that if there be not a contemperation of his sublime Holiness and absolute perfection in fulfilling of all Righteousness with some Qualifications enclining him to Condescension Pity Compassion and tender sense of their condition what ever might be the issue of their safety in the life to come their Comforts in this life would be in continual hazard For this cause therefore was he made like unto them in the infirmities of their nature their Temptations and Sufferings from whence all their disconsolations and sorrows do arise Hence was the necessity of the Qualifications for his Office which by his sufferings and Temptations he was furnished withal and they are two First Mercifulness he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 merciful tenderly compassionate as the Syriack Version renders the word misericors one that layes all the miseries of his people to heart so caring for them to relieve them Mercy in God is but a naked simple Apprehension of misery made Effective by an act of his holy Will to relieve Mercy in Christ is a compassion a condolency and hath a moving of pity and sorrow joyned with it And this was in the Humane Nature of Christ a Grace of the Spirit in all perfection Now it being such a Vertue as in the operation of it deeply affects the whole soul and body also and being incomparably more excellent in Christ than in all the Sons of men it must needs produce the same effects in him wherewith in others in lesser degrees it is attended Thus we find him at all times full of this Compassion and pity towards all the Sons of men yea the worst of his enemies expressing it self by sighs and tears intimating the deep compassion of his heart And this made him as it were even forget his own miseries in his greatest distress when seeing the Daughters of Jerusalem mourn for him as he was going to his Cross he minds them of that which his compassionate heart was fixed on even their approaching misery and ruine Luke 23.28 But yet neither is this Mercifulness in general that which the Apostle intends but he considers it as excited provoked and drawn forth by his own temptations and sufferings He suffered and was tempted that he might be merciful not absolutely but a merciful High Priest The Relation of the Sufferings and Temptations of Christ unto his Mercifulness is not as unto the Grace or Habit of it but as unto its especial Exercise as our High Priest And this mercifulness of Christ is the gracious Condolency and Compassion of his whole soul with his people in all their temptations sufferings dangers fears and sorrows with a continual propensity of Will and Affections unto their Relief implanted in him by the Holy Ghost as one of those Graces which were to dwell in his nature in all fulness excited and provoked as to its continual exercise in his Office of High Priest by the sense and experience which he himself had of those Miseries which they undergo whereof more on the last Verse Secondly The other Qualification mentioned is that he should be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 faithful Some understand by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 verus legitimus true and rightful made so in a due manner whereof the Apostle treats expresly Chap. 5.5 Others his general Faithfulness Integrity and Righteousness in the discharge of his Office being faithful unto him that appointed him as Chap. 3.2 But neither of these senses answer the especial design of the Apostle nor his referring of this Qualification unto his conformity with the Brethren in sufferings and temptations It must also answer that mercifulness which we have before described It consists therefore in his exact constant careful consideration of all the concernments of the Brethren under their temptations and sufferings This he is excited unto by his own Experience of what it is to serve God in such a condition It is described Isa. 40.11 Not his Faithfulness then in general whereby he discharged his whole Office and accomplished the work committed unto him mentioned John 17.4 but his constant Care and Condescension unto the Wants and Sorrows of his suffering and tempted Brethren is here intended Before we proceed unto the Explication of the remaining passages of these Verses what offers it self from what hath been already discoursed unto our Instruction may be observed As First The promised Messiah was to be the great High Priest of the people of God This the Apostle here presumes and proves elsewhere And this we have elsewhere confirmed The especial Office of Priesthood for one to perform it in the behalf of others came in after sin upon the first Promise In the state of Innocency every one was to be Priest for himself or perform in his own name the things which with God he had to do according unto the Law of his Creation This priviledge failing by sin which cut off all gracious entercourse between God and man a new way was provided and included in the first Promise for the transaction of things between God and sinners This was by Christ alone the promised seed But because he was not to be immediately exhibited in the flesh and it was the will of God that sundry Sacrifices should be offered unto him partly for his Honour and Glory in the world and to testifie the subjection of his people unto him partly to teach and instruct them in the Nature and Benefits of the Priesthood which he had designed for them and to exemplifie it in such Representations as they were capable of he did at several seasons institute various sorts of temporary fading typical Priests this he did both before and after the Law Not that ever there was amongst them a Priest properly and absolutely so called by whom the things of men might be completely and ultimately transacted with God Only those who were appointed to administer before the Lord in the behalf of others were called Priests as Rulers are called gods because they represented the true Priest and outwardly expressed his actings unto the people The true proper and absolute High Priest is Jesus Christ alone the Son of God for he alone had all the solemnities that were necessary for the constitution and confirmation of such a Priest As in particular the Oath of God was necessary hereunto that his Priesthood might be stable and unchangeable Now none was ever appointed a Priest by the Oath of God but Christ alone as the Apostle declares chap. 7.20 21. And how this differences his Office from that of others shall on that place be made manifest 2. He alone
A person offended to be pacified attoned reconciled 3. A person offending to be pardoned accepted 4. A Sacâ—iâ—ice or other means of making the attonement sometimes one is expressed sometimes another but the use of the word hath respect unto them all And in vain doth Crellius pretend ad Grot. ad cap. 7. p. 360. that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are the same and denote the same thing the former always denoting the person offended the latter the person offending or the offence it self the one is to attone or appease another the other to make attonement for another which surely are sufficiently different 3. The Jews to whom Paul wrote knew that the principal work of the High Priest was to make attonement with God for sin whereof their Expiations and freedom from it was a consequent and therefore they understood this act and duty accordingly it bâ—ing the usual expression of it that the Apostle applies unto it They knew that the great work of their High Priest was to make attonement for them for their sins and transgressions that they might not die that the punishment threatned in the Law might not come upon them as Levit. 16.10 and 21. is fully declared And the Apostle now instructs them in the substance of what they had before attended unto in types and shadows Nor is there any mention in the Scripture of the expiation of sins but by attonement nor doth this word ever in any place signifie the real cleansing of sin inherent from the sinner so that the latter sense proposed hath no consistency with it The difficulty pretended from the construction is not of any moment The sense and constant use of the word being what we have evinced there must be an Ellipsis supposed and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the same in sense with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to make reconciliation with God for sins as the same phrase is in other places explained Sixthly There is a farther double enforcement of the necessity of what was before affirmed concerning his being made like unto his brethren in all things with reference unto his Priesthood and the first is taken from what he did or suffered in that condition the other from the benefits and advantages which ensued thereon The first in those words For that he himself hath suffered being tempted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for in that that is say some in the same nature he suffered in the flesh that he took being tempted But the words seem rather only an illation of what the Apostle concludes or infers from that which he had before laid down 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereas in as much seeing that so both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are often used Rom. 6.12 Now it is here affirmed of Christ that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he suffered being tempted not it hapned unto him to be tempted which we before rejected The Vulgar Latin and Expositors following that Translation He suffered and was tempted But the and inserted we have shewed to be superfluous and it is acknowledged to be so by Erasmus Estius A Lapide though Tena with some others contend for the retaining of it It is not the suffering of Christ in general that is here intended nor is the end mentioned of it that of his suffering in general which was to make reconciliation but the succouring and relieving of them that are tempted which regards the sufferings that befell him in his temptations It is not his sufferings absolutely considered nor his being tempted that is peculiarly designed but his suffering in his temptation as was before observed To know then what were these sufferings we must enquire what were his temptations and how he was affected with them To tempt and temptations are things in themselves of an indifferent nature and have no moral evil in them absolutely considered What ever attends them of that kind proceeds either from the intention of the tempter or the condition of them that are tempted Hence God is said to tempt men but not to induce them unto sin Gen. 22.1 James 1.13 What of evil ensues on temptation is from the tempted themselves Moreover though temptation seems to be of an active importance yet in it self it is meerly for the most part neutral Hence it compriseth any thing state or condition whereby a man may be tried exercised or tempted And this will give us light into the various temptations under which the Lord Christ suffered For although they were all external and by impressions from without yet they were not confined unto the assaults of Sathan which are principally regarded under that name Some of the heads of them we may briefly recount 1. His state and condition in the world He was poor despised persecuted reproached especially from the beginning unto the end of his publick ministery Herein lay one continued temptation that is a trial of his obedience by all manner of hardships Hence he calls this whole time the time of his temptations You have abode with me in my temptations or in the work that he carried on in a constant course of temptation arising from his outward state and condition See James 1.2 1 Pet. 5.9 In this temptation he suffered Hunger Poverty Weariness Sorrow Reproach Shame Contempt wherewith his holy Soul was deeply affected And he underwent it cheerfully because it was to be the condition of them whose preservation and salvation as their High Priest he had undertaken as we shall see And his experience hereof is the spring of their comfort and safety 2. Whilst he was in this state and condition innumerable particular temptations befell him under all which he suffered 1. Temptations from his Relations in the flesh being disregarded and disbelieved by them which deeply affected his compassionate heart with sorrow 2. From his Followers being forsaken by them upon his preaching the Mysteries of the Gospel 3. From his chosen Disciples all of whom left him one denyed him and one betrayed him 4. From the anguish of his Mother when a sword pierced through her soul in his sufferings 5. From his enemies of all sorts All which are at large related in the Gospel from all which his sufferings were inexpressible 3. Satan had a principal hand in the temptations wherein he suffered He set upon him in the entrance of his Ministery immediately in his own Person and followed him in the whole course of it by the instruments that he set on work He had also a season an hour of darkness allowed unto him when he was to try his utmost strength and policy against him under which assault from him he suffered as was fore-told from the foundation of the world the bruising of his heel or the temporal ruine of all his concernments 4. Gods desertion of him was another temptation under which he suffered As this was most mysterious so his sufferings under it were his greatest perplexity Psal. 22.1 2. Heb. 5.7 These
that Office do flow was to make Reconciliation or Attonement for sin This John declares 1 Ep. 2.2 We have an Advocate with the Father and he is a propitiation for our sins What he doth for us in Heaven as our Advocate depends on what he did on earth when he was a Propitiation for our sins This work was that which was principally regarded in the first Promise Gen. 3.15 namely That which he was to do by his sufferings To shadow out and represent this unto the Church of old were all the Sacrifices of the Law and the Typical Priesthood it self instituted They all directed Believers to look for and to believe the Attonement that was to be made by him And that this should be the foundation of all his other actings as an High Priest was necessary First On the part of his Elect for whom he undertook that Office They were by nature Enemies of God and children of Wrath unless Peace and Reconciliation be made for them in the first place they could neither have encouragement to go to him with their Obedience nor to expect any mercy from him or Acceptation with him For as Enemies they could neither have any mind to serve him nor hope to please him Here lye the first thoughts of all who have any design seriously to appear before God or to have to do with him wherewith shall we come before him how shall we obtain Reconciliation with him Until this Enquiry be answered and satisfied they find it in vain to address themselves unto any thing else nor can obtain any ground of hope to receive any good thing from the hand of God This order of things the Apostle layes down Rom. 5.8 9 10. The first thing to be done for us was to reconcile us to God whilest we were sinners and enemies this was done by the death by the blood of Christ when as our High Priest he offered himself a Sacrifice for us This being performed as we have abundant Cause of and Encouragement unto Obedience so also just ground to expect what ever else belongs unto our salvation as he also argues Chap. 8. Secondly It was so on his own part also Had not this been first accomplished he could not have undertaken any other Act of his Priestly Office for us What the Lord Christ doth in Heaven on our behalf was prefigured by the entrance of the High Priest into the Holy Place Now this he could not do unless he had before offered his Sacrifice of Attonement the blood whereof he carried along with him into the presence of God All his Intercession for us his watching for our Good as the merciful High Priest over the House of God is grounded upon the Reconciliation and Attonement which he made his Intercession indeed being nothing but the blessed Representation of the Blood of the Attonement Besides this was required of him in the first place namely that he should make his soul an Offering for sin and do that in the Body prepared for him which all the Sacrifices and Burnt-Offerings of old could not effect nor accomplish And therefore hereon depended all the Promises that were made unto him about the success of his Mediation so that without the performance of it he could not claim the accomplishment of them Thirdly It was so on the part of God also For herein principally had he designed to manifest his Righteousness Grace Love and Wisdom wherein he will be glorified Rom. 3.25 He set him forth to be a propitiation to declare hâ—s Righteousness the Righteousness of God was most eminently glorified in the Reconciliation wrought by Christ when he was a Propitiation for us or made attonement for us in his blood And herein also God commendeth his Love unto us Rom. 5.8 John 3.16 1 John 4.9 And what greater demonstration of it could possibly be made than to send his Son to dye for us when we were enemies that we might be reconciled unto him All after actings of God towards us indeed are full of Love but they are all streams from this fountain or Rivers from this Ocean And the Apostle summs up all the Grace of the Gospel in this that God was in Christ reconciling us to himself and that by this way of Attonement making him to be sin for us who knew no sin that we might become the Righteousness of God in him 2 Cor. 5.19 21. And so also he declares that this was the mysterie of his Will wherein he abounded towards us in all Wisdom and Prudence Ephes. 1.8 9 10. So that in all things the great glory which God designed in the Mediation of Christ is founded alone in that Act of his Priesthood whereby he made Reconciliation for the sins of his people And therefore 1. They who weaken oppose or take away this Reconciliation are Enemies to the salvation of men the Honour of Christ and the Glory of God From men they take their Hopes and Happiness from Christ his Office and Honour from God his Grace and Glory I know they will allow of a Reconciliation in Words but it is of Men to God not of God unto men They would have us reconcile our selves unto God by Faith and Obedience but for the Reconciliation of God unto us by Sacrifice Satisfaction and Attonement that they deny What would they have poor sinners do in this case they are Enemies unto God go say they and be reconciled unto him lay aside your Enmity and be no more his adversaries but alas he is our Enemy also we are children of wrath obnoxious to the curse as transgressors of his Law and how shall we be delivered from the wrath to come Take no care of that there is no such Justice in God no such Indignation against sin and sinners as you imagine but our Consciences tell us otherwise the Law of God tells us otherwise the whole Scripture testifies to the contrary all the Creation is filled with tokens and evidences of this Justice and Indignation of God against sin which you deny And would you have us to give credit unto you contrary to the constant dictates of our own Consciences the Sentence of the Law the Testimony of the Word the Voyce of the whole Creation and that in a matter of such importance and everlasting concernment unto us What if all these should prove true and you should prove lyars should we not perish for ever by relying on your testimony Is it reasonable we should attend unto you in this matter Go with your Sophisms unto men who were never burdened with a sense of the Guilt of sin whose Spirits never took in a sense of Gods displeasure against it who never were brought under bondage by the sentence of the Law who never were forced to cry out in the bitterness and anguish of their souls what shall we do to be saved Wherewith shall we come before the Lord or appear before the High God and it may be they will be entangled and seduced by you but
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
appearance of a compensation to be made that the sinner might go free but in the Moral Law there is nothing but absolute universal and exact Righteousness required or admitted without the least provision of relief for them who come short therein But yet our Apostle declarâ—s and proves that neither were these available for the End aimed at as we shall see at large on the ninth and tenth Chapters of this Epistle Now within the compass of these three Natural Light or Reason with ingrafted principles of Good and Evil the Moral Law and the Sacrifices thereof do lye and consist all the hopes and endeavours of sinners after Deliverance and Acceptance with God Nothing is there that they can do or put any confidence in but may be referred unto one of these heads And if all this fail them as assuredly they will which we might prove by Reasons and Demonstrations in numerable though at present we content our selves with the Testimonies above reported it is certain that there is nothing under Heaven can yield them in this case the least relief Again This is the only way for that End which is suited unto the Wisdom of God The Wisdom of God is an infinite abysse which as it lyes in his own Eternal breast we cannot at all look into We can only adore it as it breaks forth and discovers it self in the Works that outwardly are of him or the Effects of it Thus David in the consideration of the Works of God falls into an admiration of the Wisdom whereby they were made Psal. 104.24 and Psal. 136.5 The Wisdom of God opens and manifests its self in its Effects and thence according unto our measure do we learn what doth become it and is suitable unto it But when the Holy Ghost cometh to speak of this Work of our Redemption by Christ he doth not only call us to consider singly the Wisdom of God but his Various and manifold Wisdom Ephes. 3.10 and affirms that all the Treasures of Wisdom are hid in it Col. 2.3 plainly intimating that it is a work so suited unto so answering the Infinite Wisdom of God in all things throughout that it could no otherwise have been disposed and effected And this as well upon the account of the Wisdom of God its self absolutely considered as also as it is that Property whereby God designs and effects the glorifying of all other Excellencies of his Nature whence it is called various or manifold so that we may well conclude that no other way of Deliverance of sinners was suited unto the Wisdom of God Secondly This was alone answered the Holiness and Righteousness of God He is an holy God who will not suffer the guilty to go free of purer eyes than to behold iniquity and his Judgement is that they who commit sin are worthy of death Sin is contrary to his Nature and his Justice requireth that it go not unpunished Besides he is the great and supream Governour of all and whereas sin breaketh and dissolveth the dependance of the creature upon him should he not avenge that defection his whole Rule and Government would be disannulled But now if this Vengeance and Punishment should fall on the sinners themselves they must perish under it eternally not one of them could escape or ever be freed or purged from their sins A commutation then there must be that the Punishment due to sin which the Holiness and Righteousness of God exacteth may be inflicted and Mercy and Grace shewed unto the sinner That none was able fit or worthy to undergo this penalty so as to make a compensation for all the sins of all the Elect that none was able to bear it and break through it so as that the End of the undertaking might be happy blessed and glorious on all hands but only the Son of God we shall farther manifest in our progress and it hath been elsewhere declared And this First should teach us to live in an Holy Admiration of this mighty and wonderful product of the Wisdom Righteousness Grace and Goodness of God which had found out and appointed this Way of delivering sinners and have gloriously accomplished it in the self-sacrifice of the Son of God The Holy Ghost every where proposeth this unto us as a Mysterie a great and hidden Mysterie which none of the Great or Wise or Disputers of the World ever did or could come to the least acquaintance withall And three things he asserts concerning it First That it is revealed in the Gospel and is thence alone to be learned and attained whence we are invited again and again to search and enquire diligently into it unto this very End that we may become wise in the Knowledge and Acknowledgement of this deep and hidden Mysterie Secondly That we cannot in our own strength and by our own most diligent Endeavours come to an holy Acquaintance with it notwithstanding that Revelation that is made of it in the letter of the Word unless moreover we receive from God the Spirit of Wisdom Knowledge and Revelation opening our eyes makeing our minds spiritual and enabling us to discover these depths of the Holy Ghost in a spiritual manner Thirdly That we cannot by these helps attain in this life unto a perfection in the knowledge of this deep and unfathomable Mysterie but must still labour to grow in Grace and in the Knowledge of it Our thriving in all Grace and Obedience depending thereon All these things the Scripture abounds in the Repetition of And besides it every where sets forth the blessedness and Happiness of them who by Grace obtain a spiritual insight into this Mysterie and themselves also find by experience the satisfying Excellency of it with the Apostle Phil. 3.8 all which Considerations are powerful motives unto this Duty of enquiring into and admiring this wonderful Mysterie wherein we have the Angels themselves for our Associates and Companions 2. Consider we may also the unspeakable Love of Christ in this work of his delivering us from sin This the Scripture also abundantly goeth before us in setting forth extolling commending this Love of Christ and calling us to an holy consideration of it Particularly it shews it accompanied with all things that may make Love expressive and to be admired For First It proposeth the Necessity and Exigency of the Condition wherein the Lord Christ gave us this relief that was when we were sinners when we were lost when we were Children of Wrath under the Curse when no eye did pitty us when no hand could relieve us And if John mourned greatly when he thought that there was none found worthy in Heaven or Earth to open his Book of Visions and to unloose the seals thereof how justly might the whole Creation mourn and lament if there had been none found to yield Relief when all were obnoxious to this fatal ruine And this is an exceeding commendation of the love of Christ that he set his hand to that work which none could touch and put
the Covenant between him and the people that the Transgression of it so as to disannul the terms and conditions of it had by Divine Constitution the punishment of death temporal or Excision appointed unto it And this in the next words he proceeds to improve unto his purpose by the way of an Argument à minori ad majus How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation c. There is an Antithesis expressed in one branch as we observed before between the Law and the Gospel namely that the Law was the Word spoken by Angels the Gospel being revealed by the Lord himself But there are also other differences intimated between them though expressed only on the part of the Gospel as that it is in its nature or Effects Great Salvation that is not absolutely only but comparatively unto the benefit exhibited to their fore Fathers by the Law as given on Mount Horeb. The confirmation also of the Gospel by the Testimony of God is tacitely opposed unto the confirmation of the Law by the like Witness and from all these considerations doth the Apostle enforce his Argument proving the Punishment that shall befall Gospel neglecters In the words as was in part before observed there occurrs 1. The Subject matter spoken of so great salvation 2 A further Description of it 1. From its principal Author it began to be spoken by the Lord. 2. From the manner of its propagation it was confirmed unto us by them that heard it 3. From its Confirmation by the Testimony of God Which 4. Is exemplified by a distribution into 1. Signs 2. Wonders 3. Mighty Works and 4. Various Gifts of the Holy Ghost whereof there is 3. A neglect supposed if we neglect and 4. Punishment there intimated wherein 1. The Punishment its self and 2. The manner of its expression how shall we escape are to be considered all which are to be severally explained 1. The subject matter treated of is expressed in those words so great Salvation And it is the Gospel which is intended in that Expression as is evident from the preceding Verse For that which is there called the word which we have heard is here called great salvation As also from the following words where it is said to be declared by the Lord and farther propagated by them that heard him And the Gospel is called Salvation by a Metonymy of the Effect for the Cause For it is the Grace of God bringing salvation Titus 2.11 The Word that is able to save us The Doctrine the Discovery the instrumentally efficient Cause of Salvation Rom. 1.16 1 Cor. 1.20 21. And this Salvation the Apostle calls Great upon many accounts which we shall afterwards unfold And calling it so great salvation he refers them unto the Doctrine of it wherein they had been instructed 〈◊〉 whereby the Excellency of the Salvation which it brings is declared Now though the Apostle might 〈…〉 pressed the Gospel by the word which was declared unto us by the Lord as 〈…〉 the Law by the word spoken by Angels yet to strengthen his Argument 〈◊〉 Moâ—â—â— unto Obedience which he insists upon he chose to give a brief Description of iâ— from its principal Effect it is great Salvation The Law by reason of sin proved the Ministry of Death and Condemnation 2 Cor. 3.9 yet being fully published only by Angels Obedience was indispensibly required unto it And shall not the Gospel the Ministry of life and great salvation be attended unto 2. He farther describes the Gospel from its principal Author or Revealer it began to be spoken by the Lord. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The words may have a twofold sense for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may denote either principium temporis the beginning of time or principium operis the beginning of the work In the first way it asserts that the Lord himself was the first Preacher of the Gospel before he sent or employed his Apostles and Disciples in the same work In the latter that he only began the work leaving the perfecting and finishing of it unto those who were chosen and enabled by him unto that end And this latter sense is also true for he finished not the whole Declaration of the Gospel in his own person teaching vivâ voce but committed the work unto his Apostles Matth. 10.27 But their teaching from him being expressed in the next words I take the words in the first sense referring unto what he had delivered Chap. 1.1 Of Gods speaking in these last dayes in the Person of the Son Now the Gospel hath had a threefold beginning of its Declaration First In Prediction by Promises and Types and so it began to be declared from the foundation of the world Luke 1.70 71. Secondly In an immediate Preparation and so it began to be declared in and by the Ministry of John the Baptist Mark 1.1 2. Thirdly In its open clear actual full Revelation so this work was begun by the Lord himself and carried on to perfection by those who were appointed and enabled by him thereunto Joh. 1.17 18. Thus was it by him declared in his own person as the Law was by Angels And herein lyes the stress of the Apostles Reasonings with reference unto what he had before discoursed concerning the Son and Angels and his Preheminence above them The great Reason why the Hebrews so pertinaciously adhered unto the Doctrine of the Law was the glorious Publication of it It was the word spoken by Angels they received it by the disposition of Angels If saith the Apostle that were a sufficient cause why the Law should be attended unto and that the neglect of it should be so sorely revenged as it was though in it self but the Ministry of death and condemnation Then consider what is your Duty in reference unto the Gospel which as it was in its self a Word of life and great salvation so it was spoken declared and delivered by the Lord himself whom we have manifested to be so exceedingly exalted above all Angels whatever 3. He farther describes the Gospel from the way and means of its conveyance unto us It was confirmed unto us by them that heard him And herein also he prevents an Objection that might arise in the minds of the Hebrews inasmuch as they at least the greatest part of them were not acquainted with the Personal Ministry of the Lord they heard not the word spoken by him For hereunto the Apostle replyes that though they themselves heard him not yet the same word which he preached was not only declared but confirmed unto them by those that heard him And herein he doth not intend all of them who at any time heard him teaching but those whom in an especial manner he made choice of to employ them in that work namely the Apostles So that this expression those that heard him is a Periphrasis of the Apostles from that great priviledge of hearing immediately all things that our Lord taught in his own