end of the world 1. Because he hath promised so to do innumerable are the Promises on record that are made unto Jesus Christ unto this purpose God hath engaged to hold him in his Hand and to hide him as a polished shaft in his quiver to give him a Throne a Glorious Kingdom an everlasting Rule and Government and the like Now what he hath promised in Love and Grace he will make good with Care and Power See Isa. 49.5 6 7 8 9. Chap. 50.7 8 9. 2. All these Promises have respect unto the Obedience of the Lord Christ in the work of Mediation which being performed by him rightly and to the utmost gives him a peculiar Right unto them and makes that just and righteous in the Performance which was meer soveraign Grace in the Promise The condition being absolutely performed on the part of Christ the Promise shall be certainly accomplished on the part of the Father By this is the Covenant of the Redeemer compleated ratified and established the condition of it on his part being performed unto the uttermost there shall be no failure in the Promises Isa. 53.11 12. 3. The Lord Christ makes it his request that he may enjoy the Presence and Power of his Father with him in his work and the Administration of his Mediation and the Father alwayes hears him Part of his Covenant with his Father was like that of Barak who was a type of him with Deborah the Prophetess who spake in the name of the Lord Judg. 4.8 If thou wilt go with me I will go against all the enemies of the Church Isa. 50.8 9. And accordingly upon his engagement to go with him he requests his Presence and in the assurance of it professeth that he is not alone but that his Father is with him John 8.16 To this purpose see his requests John 17. 4. The nature of his Work and Kingdom require it God hath appointed him to reign in the middest of his Enemies and mighty Opposition is made on all hands to his whole Design and every particular Act of it The whole work of Satan sin and the world is both to obstruct in general the Progress of his Kingdom and to ruine and destroy every particular subject of it And this is carried on continually with unspeakable Violence and unsearchable Stratagems This makes the Presence of the Authority and Power of the Father necessary to him in his work This he asserts as a great ground of consolation to his Disciples John 10.28 29. There will be great plucking great contending to take believers out of the hand of Christ one way or other to make them come short of Eternal Life and though his own Power be such as is able to preserve them yet he lets them know also for their greater Assurance and Consolation that his Father who is over all is greater more powerful than all greater than he himself in the Work of Mediation John 14.28 is also engaged with him in their defence and preservation So also is he as to the Destruction of his Adversaries all opposing power whatever Psal. 110.5 6. The Lord stands by him on his right hand to smite and tread down his enemies all that arise against his design interest and Kingdom be they never so many never so great he will ruine them and make them his footstool every one See Micha 5.4 Verse VI. THe Apostle proceeds to the confirmation of the same important Truth by another Testimony wherein we shall meet with some difficulty both in the manner of the Citation and the importance of the Testimony it self Verse 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 V.L. cum introducit primogenitum in orbem terrae dicit adorent eum omnes Angeli Dei omitting 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 again Syr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rursum autem cum inducit and again when he bringeth in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into the world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 again is omitted in the Arabick as in the Vulgar Latin Beza Rursum autem cum inducit primogenitum in orbem terrarum dicit adorent Eras. Adorabunt eum omnes Angeli Dei which is exactly expressed by Ours And again when he bringeth in the first begotten into the world he saith and let all the Angels of God worship him There is not much of Difficulty in the Words themselves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cum autem quando autem but whâ—n 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rursum again as in the former Verse What sense it is here used in and what Word it is to be joyned withal shall be afterwards declared 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Inducit or inducet or introducit he bringeth in or leadeth in or shall bring in of which Difference also afterward 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first begotten the first born He before whom none is born not necessarily after whom any is so Under the Law there was a Sacrifice for the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 first begotten so called when as yet none were begotten after him and very uncertain whether ever any should be so of the same womb or no and doubtless it often fell out that none were so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the habitable world or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prov. 8. The publick place of Habitation where the Creatures of God do dwell The Word is no where used absolutely in Scripture in any sense but for this habitable World Only sometimes it hath a restrained sense denoting the Roman Empire as Luke 2.1 According to the usual Language of those dayes wherein the People of Rome or their Emperours were styled Rerum and Orbis terrarum Domini and sometimes indefinitely denotes any part of the world as habitable Luke 17.6 Chap. 19.27 Chap. 21.26 And therâ—fore oftentimes hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the whole joyned with it when it is extended universally to the Habitable Earth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Imperative in Hithpael from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to incline to bow down The LXX constantly render that word by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is probably derived from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and thence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 osculor to kiss which also is sometimes used for to Adore or Worship as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is saith Eustathius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they worship me as their Lord for being joyned with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bowing or falling down it expresseth the whole use and signification of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 How kissing was of old a Sign Token and Pledge of Worship especially to bow down and kiss the ground I have elsewhere declared And this derivation of the word I prefer far before that which makes it primitively signifie more canum adulari as if taken from the crouching of Dâ—gs In the New Testament it is no where used but for that Religious Worship which is due to God alone And when it is remembred of any that
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
EXERCITATIONS ON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS Also concerning the MESSIAH WHEREIN The Promises concerning him to be a Spiritual Redeemer of Mankind are Explained and Vindicated His Coming and Accomplishment of his Work according to the Promises is proved and confirmed The Person or who he is is declared The whole Oeconomy of the Mosaical Law Rites Worship and Sacrifices is explained AND IN ALL The Doctrine of the Person Office and Work of the Messiah is opened The nature and demerit of the first sin is unfolded The Opinions and Traditions of the Antient and Modern Jews are examined Their Objections against the Lord Christ and the Gospel are answered The time of the coming of the Messiah is stated And the great fundamental Truths of the Gospel vindicated With an Exposition and Discourses on the Two First Chapters of the said Epistle to the HEBREWS 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. TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE S r William Morrice K t One of His Majesties Most Honourable Privy Council and Principal Secretary of State c. SIR THE Dedication of Books unto Persons of Worth and Honour hath secured it self from the Impeachment of Censure by taking Sanctuary in the Usage of all Times and Ages Herein therefore as none is needed so I shall make use of no Apology But the consideration of some Circumstances needless to be repeated seem to render an account of the reason of my particular address unto You in this manner necessary This therefore I shall give but briefly Ne longo sermone morer tua tempora That which principally in this matter I resolved my thoughts into was a design to answer my own inclination and desire in Testifying a respectful Honor to a Person who in a place of Eminency hath given so fair an example of a singular conjunction in himself of Civil Prudence and all manner of useful Literature with their mutual Subserviency unto each other an endeavour whereof the Wisdom of all Ages hath esteemed needfull though few individuals have attained unto it For whereas a defect in Learning hath tempted some otherwise Prudent and Wise in the Management of Affairs unto a contempt of it and skill therein hath given unto others a mistaken confidence that it alone is sufficient for all the ends of Humane Life an Industrious Attempt for a furnishment of the Mind with a due mixture of them both hath been greatly Neglected to the no small disadvantage of Humane Affairs It cannot therefore seem strange nor ought any to be offended that one who dares profess a great Honour unto and Admiration of both these Endowments of the mind of Man should express them with that respect which alone he is capable to give unto Him who in a Place of Eminent Trust and Employment hath given a singular instance of their happy conjunction and readiness to Coalesce in the same mind to enable it unto a regular and steady pursuit of their common ends Whether I shall by this address attain that end or no I know not but this is that which principally I aimed at therein And to the Reason whereof I leave the Judgement of my undertakings But yet I may not omit that your favour hath also given me particular grounds for this confidence and such as have been prevalent against those impressions of discouragements which I am naturally very liable to admit of and receive Your Candid Esteem of some former Endeavours in this kind and which when carried without the Verge of those Lines of Communication within whose compass Men and their Writings are Judged by Party and scarce otherwise have received a fair acceptance in the world were no small encouragement unto me not to desert those wearisome Labours which have no other Reward or End but the furtherance of Publick Good especially having this only way left me to serve the Will of God and the Interest of the Church in my Generation It was also through the countenance of your Favour that this and some other Treatises have received Warrant to pass freely into the world which though I am uncertain of what advantage they may be unto any by reason of their own defects and the prejudices of others yet I want not the highest Security that there is nothing in them tending to the least disadvantage unto those whose concernment lyes in Peace and Truth in these Nations For the Treatises themselves which I desire herewith to represent to some of your Leisure hours I shall not offend against the Publick Service in detaining you with an account of them Their Subject Matter as to its Weight Worth and Necessity will speak for it self the main objects of our present Faith and principal Foundations of our future expectations our Pleas and Evidences for a blessed Etâ—rnity are here insisted on And whether the Temptations Opinions and bold Presumptions of many in these dayes do not call for a renewed consideration and confirmation of them is left to the Judgement of Persons indifferent and unprejudiced the manner of their handling is submitted unto yours which is highly and singularly estemed by March 20. 1667. SIR Your most humble and obliged Servant JOHN OWEN Christian Reader IF thou intendest to engage any part of thy time in the perusal of the ensuing Discourses and Exposition it may not be amiss to take along with thee the consideration of some things concerning the design and aim of their Author in the Writing and present publishing of them which are here proposed unto thee It is now sundry years since I purposed in my self if God gave life and opportunity to endeavour according to the measure of the Gift received an Exposition of the Epistle to the Hebrews A Subject this was I then knew and now acknowledge much laboured in by many eminent and learned men both of old and of late In particular some entire Commentaries composed with good judgment and to very good purpose have been published in our own Language Yea from him who first began a serious Exposition of this Epistle and whom none in all things have to this day exceeded there have passed few ages wherein some or other have not endeavoured the Explication of it And this also hath been done by men of all sorts and parties of all perswasions and Opinions in Christian Religion an account of whose several endeavours shall else-where be given Somewhat there was of encouragement unto me in my designed undertaking and somewhat of quite another tendency in this consideration The help which I might receive from the sedulous labours of so many learned men and those in Times Places Principles distant and distinguished from each other as also managing their common design with great variety as to particular intentions I looked on as a matter of no small advantage unto me Some I found had critically examined many of the Words Phrases and Expressions of the Writer some compared his
suffered together with him The Story by the way of the Martyrdome of this James is at large reported by § 6 Eusebius out of Hâ—gesippus Histor. Eccles. l. 2. cap. 23. in the Relation whereof he is followed by Hierom and sundry others I shall say no more of the whole Story but that the Consideration of it is very sufficient to perswade any man to use the liberty of his own Reason and Judgement in the perusal of the Writings of the Antients For of the Circumstances therein reported about this James and his death many of them as his being of the Line of the Priests his entring at his pleasure into the Sanctum Sanctorum his being carried up and set by a great multitude of people on a pinacle of the Temple are so palpably false that no colour of probability can be given unto them and most of the rest seem altogether incredible That in general this Holy Apostle of Jesus Christ his kinsman according to the flesh was stoned by Ananus during the Anarchie between the Governments of Festus and Albinus Josephus who then lived testifies and all Ecclesiastical Historians agree § 7 The Churches at this time in Jerusalem and Judaea were very numerous The Oppressors Robbers and Seditious of all sorts being wholly intent upon the pursuit of their own ends filling the Government of the Nation with tumults and disorders the Disciples of Christ who knew that the time of their preaching the Gospel unto their Countreymen was but short and even now expiring followed their work with diligence and success being not greatly regarded in the dust of that confusion which was raised by the Nation 's rushing in to its fatal ruine § 8 All these Churches and the multitudes that belonged unto them were altogether with the Profession of the Gospel addicted zealously unto the Observation of the Law of Moses The Synod indeed at Jerusalem had determined that the yoke of the Law should not be put upon the necks of the Gentile Converts Acts 15. But eight or nine years after that when Paul came up unto Jerusalem again Chap. 21. v. 20 21 22. James informs him that the many thousands of the Jews who believed did all zealously observe the Law of Moses and moreover judged that all those who were Jews by birth ought to do so also and on that account were like enough to assemble in a disorderly multitude to enquire into the practice of Paul himself who had been ill reported of amongst them On this account they kept their Assemblies distinct from those of the Gentiles all the world over as amongst others Hierom informs as in his Notes on the first Chapter of the Galatians All those Hebrews then to whom Paul wrote this Epistle continued in the use and practice of Mosaical Worship as celebrated in the Temple and their Synagogues with all other Legal Institutions whatever Whether they did this out of an unacquaintedness with their liberty in Christ or out of a pertinacious adhâ—rence unto their own prejudicate Opinions I shall not determine § 9 From this time forward the Body of the people of the Jews saw not a day of peace or Quietness Tumults Seditions Outrages Robberies Murders increased all the Nation over And these things by various degrees made way for that fatal War which beginning about six or seven years after the Death of James ended in the utter desolation of the People City Temple and Worship foretold so long before by Daniel the Prophet and intimated by our Saviour to lye at the door This was that day of the Lord whose suddain approach the Apostle declares unto them Chap. 10.36 37. For ye have need of Patience that after ye have done the Will of God ye may receive the Promise For yet a little while and he that shall come will come and will not tarry 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A very little while less than you think of or imagine the manner whereof he declares Chap. 12.26 27 28. And by this means he effectually diverted thâ—m from a pertinacious adherence unto those things whose dissolution from God himself was so nigh at hand which Argument was also afterwards pressed by Peter 2 Epist. Chap. 3. § 10 Our blessed Saviour had long before warned his Disciples of all these things particularly of the desolation that was to come upon the whole people of the Jews with the Tumults Distresses Persecutions and Wars which should precede it directing them to the exercise of patience in the discharge of their duty untill the approach of the final Calamity out of which he advised them to free themselves by flight or a timely departure out of Jerusalem and all Judaea Matth. chap. 24. v. 15 16 17 18 19 20 21. This and no other was the Oracle mentioned by Eusebius whereby the Christians were warned to depart out of Jerusalem It was given as he sayes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to approved men amongst them For although the Prophesie its self was written by the Evangelists yet the especial meaning of it was not known and divulged amongst all The Leaders of them kept this secret for a season least an exasperation of the people being occasioned thereby they should have been obstructed in the work which they had to do before its accomplishment And this was the Way of the Apostles also as to other future events which being foretold by them might provoke either Jews or Gentiles if publickly divulged 2 Thess. 2.5 6. But now when the Work of the Church among the Jews for that season was come to its close the Elect being gathered out of them and the final Desolation of the City and People appearing to be at hand by a concurrence of all the signs foretold by our Saviour those entrusted with the sense of that Oracle warned their Brethren to provide for that flight whereunto they were directed That this flight and departure probably with the loss of all their Possessions was grievous unto them may easily be conceived But that which seems most especially to have perplexed them was their relinquishment of that Worship of God whereunto they had been so zealously addicted That this would prove grievous unto them our Saviour had before intimated Matth. 24. v. 20. Hence were they so slow in their Obedience unto that Heavenly Oracle although excited with the remembrance of what befell Lots Wife in the like Tergiversation Nay as it is likely from this Epistle many of them who had made Profession of the Gospel rather than they would now utterly forego their old Way of Worship deserted the Faith and cleaving to their unbelieving Countreymen perished in their Apostasie whom our Apostle in an especial manner forewarns of their inevitable and sore destruction by that Fire of Gods Indignation which was shortly to devour the Adversaries to whom they associated themselves Chap. 10. v. 25 26 27 28 29 30 31. This was the Time wherein this Epistle was written This the Condition of the Hebrews § 11 unto whom it was
the Targum its self is here silent of the Messiah for the very same Reason and perverts the whole Psalm to apply it unto David and yet is forced on v. 4. to refer the things spoken of unto the World to come or Dayes of the Messiah And the most of their Masters when they mention this Psalm occasionally and mind not the Controversie they have about it with Christians do apply it unto him So doth the Midrash Tehillim on Psalm 2. v. 7. and also on this Psalm v. 1. though there be an endeavour therein foolishly to wrest it unto Abraham Ra. Saadias Gaon on Dan. 7. v. 13. whose words are reported by Solomon Jarchi on Gen. 35. v. 8. Ra. Arama on Gen. 15. as he is at large cited by Munster on this Psalm Moses Haddarshan on Gen. 18. v. 1. Ra. Obediah on the place All whose words it would be tedious here to report It is sufficiently manifest that they have an open conviction that this Psalm contains a Prophecy concerning the Messiah and what excellent things are revealed therein touching his Person and Offices we shall have occasion to declare in the Exposition of the Epistle its self wherein the most material passages of it are applied unto our Lord Jesus Christ. § 27 In the Targum on the Canticles there is frequent mention also of the Mâ—ssiah as Chap. 1. v. 8. Chap. 4. v. 5. Chap. 7. v. 14. Chap. 8. v. 1 2 3 4. But because the Jews are utterly ignorant of the true Spiritual sense of that Divine Song and the Targum of it is a confused Miscellany of things sufficiently heterogeneous being a much later endeavour than the most of those on the other Books I shall not particularly insist on the places cited but content my self with directing the Reader unto them The like also may be said of Eccles. Chap. 1. v. 11. Chap. 7. v. 25. where without any occasion from the Text the mention of him is importunely inculcated by the Targumists § 28 We are now entring on the Prophets the Principal Work of some whereof was to testifie before hand the sufferings of Christ and the Glory that was to follow 1 Pet. 1. v. 11. And therefore I do not at all design to gather up in our passage all that is foretold promised declared and taught concerning him in them a work right worthy of more peace leisure and ability than what in any kind I am entrusted withal but only to report some of the most eminent places concerning which we have the common suffrage of the Jews in their general Application unto the Messiah Among these that of Isaiah Chap. 2. v. 2 3 4. occurreth in the first place And it shall come to pass in the last dayes that the Mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established in the top of the Mountains and shall be exalted in the top of the Hills and all Nations shall flow unto it and many people shall go and say come ye and let us go up to the Mountain of the Lord to the House of the God of Jacob and he will teach us of his Wayes and we will walk in his Paths For out of Zion shall go forth the Law and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem And he shall judge among the Nations and shall rebuke many people and they shall beat their Swords into Plow-shares The same Prophesie is given out by Micah in the same words Chap. 4. v. 1 2 3. And by the common consent of the Jews the Messiah is here intended although he be not mentioned in the Targum The Talmudical Fable also of the lifting up of Jerusalem three Leagues high and the setting of Mount Moriah on the top of Sinai Carmel and Tabor which shall be brought together unto that purpose mentioned in Midrash Tehellim and in Baba Bathra distinc Hammocher is wrested from these words But those also of them who pretend to more sobriety do generally apply them to the promised Messiah Kimchi gives it for a Rule that that expression 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the latter dayes doth still denote the times of the Messiah which I suppose is not liable unto any exception And as he giveth a tolerable Exposition of the establishing of the Mountain of the Lord on the top of the Mountains assigning it to the Glory of the Worship of God above all the False and Idolatrous Worship of the Gentiles which they observed on Mountains and High Places so concerning those words v. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he shall judge among the Nations he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This Judge or He that judgeth is the King Messiah The like also saith Aben Ezra on the same place and Jarchi on the same words in the Prophesie of Micah And as this is true so whereas Jehovah alone is mentioned in the foregoing Verses unto whom and no other this expression can relate how it is possible for them to deny that the Messiah is the Lord the God of Jacob also for undeniably it is he concerning whom it is said that he shall judge among the Nations And by their confession that it is the Messiah who is the Shophet the Judge here intended they are plainly convinced out of their own mouths and their infidelity condemned by themselves Abarbinel seems to have been aware of this entanglement and therefore as he wrests the Prophesie by his own confession contrary to the sense of all other Expositors unto the times of the building of the Second Temple so because he could not avoid the conviction of one that should judge among the Nations he makes it to be the House it self wherein as he sayes Thrones for Judgement were to be erected the vanity of which figment secures it from any further confutation We have then evidently in these words three Articles of the Faith of the Antient Church concerning the Messiah as First That as to his Person he should be God and man the God of Jacob who should in a bodily presence judge the People and send forth the Law among the Nations v. 4. Secondly That the Gentiles should be called unto faith in him and the Obedience of his Law v. 3. Thirdly That the Worship of the Lord in the dayes of the Messiah should be far more glorious than at any time whilest the first Temple was standing for so it is foretold v. 2. and so our Apostle proves it to be in his Epistle to the Hebrews And this whole Prophesie is not a little perverted by them who apply it to the defeat of Resin and Pekah when they came against Jerusalem and who in their Annotations on the Scripture whereby they have won to themselves a great Reputation in the world seldom depart from the sense of the Jews unless it be where they are in the Right Isa. 4. v. 2. In that day shall the branch of the Lord be Beauty and Glory Targ. § 29 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at that time shall the Messiah of the Lord
whos 's Mercifull Good Pleasure towards them Moses prayed for Deut. 33.16 that is the Father of Lights from whom descendeth every good and perfect Gift James 1. v. 17. These things evidently express God and none other and yet he is said to be an Angel sent of God in his Name and unto his Work So that he can be no other but a certain Person of the Deity who accepted of this Delegation and was therein revealed unto the Church as he who was to take upon him the seed of Abraham and to be their eternal Redeemer § 18 Josh. 5. v. 13 14 15. And it came to pass whilest Joshua was by Jericho that he lift up his eyes and looked and behold there stood a man over against him with his sword drawn in his hand and Joshuah went unto him and said unto him art thou for us or for our adversaries and he said Nay but as Prince of the Host of the Lord am I now come And Joshuah fell on his face to the earth and did worship and said unto him what saith my Lord unto his servant And the Prince of the Lords Host said unto Joshuah loose thy shooe from of thy foot for the place whereon thou standest is holy The appearance here is of a Man v. 13. A man of War as God is called Exod. 15. v. 3. armed with his sword drawn in his hand as a token of the business he came about At first sight Joshuah apprehends him to be a Man only which occasioned his enquiry art thou for us or for our adversaries which discovers his courage and undaunted magnanimity for doubtless the appearance was august and glorious But he answers unto his whole question 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I am not that is a man either of your party or of the enemies but quite another Person 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Prince of the Host of the Lord. And this was another illustrious manifestation of the Son of God unto the Church of old accompanyed with many instructive circumstances As 1. From the shape wherein he appeared namely of a man as a pledge of his future incarnation 2. The Title that he assumes to himself the Captain of the Lords Host he unto whom the guidance and conduct of them unto rest not only temporal but eternal was committed whence the Apostle in Allusion unto this Place and Title calls him the Captain of our Salvation Heb. 2. v. 10. and 3. The Person unto whom he spake when he gave himself this Title was the Captain of the People at that time teaching both him and them that there was another supream Captain of their eternal deliverance 4. From the time and place of his appearance which was upon the first entrance of the people into Canaan and the first opposition which therein they met withall so engaging his Presence with his Church in all things which oppose them in their way unto eternal Rest. 5. From the Adoration and Worship which Joshuah gave unto him which he accepted of contrary to the duty and practice of created Angels Rev. 19. v. 10. Chap. 22. v. 8 9. 6. From the Prescription of the Ceremonies expressing Religious Reverence put off thy shoo 's with the reason annexed for the place whereon thou standest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is holiness made so by the Presence of God the like Precept whereunto was given to Moses by the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob. Exod. 3. v. 5. By all these things was the Church instructed in the Person Nature and Office of the Son of God even in the Mysterie of his eternal distinct subsistence in the Deity his future Incarnation and condescention unto the Office of being the Head and Saviour of his Church These Manifestations of the Son of God unto the Church of old as the Angel or § 19 Messenger of the Father subsisting in his own Divine Person are all of them Revelations of the Promisâ—d Seed the great and only Saviour and Deliverer of the Church in his eternal Pre-existence unto his Incarnation and pledges of his future taking flesh for the accomplishment of the whole work committed unto him And many other instances of the like nature may be added out of the former and later Prophets which because in most important Circumstances they are coincident with these need not here particularly be insisted on Some of late would apply all these Appearances unto a created delegate Angel § 20 which conceit as it is irreconcileable unto the sacred Text as we have manifested so is it contrary unto the sense of the antient Writers of the Christian Church A large Collection of Testimonies from them is not suited unto our present Design and Purpose I shall therefore only mention two of the most antient of them one of the Latin the other of the Greek Church The first is Tertullian who tells us Christus semper egit in Dei Patris nominâ— ipse ab initio conversatus est congressus cum Patriarchis Prophetis adv Mâ—râ— lib. 2. Christ alwayes dealt with men in the name of God the Father and so himself from the beginning conversed with the Patriarchs and Prophets And again Christus ad colloquia humana semper descendit ah Adam usque ad Patriarchas Prophetas in visione in somno in speculo in aenigmate ordinem suum praestruâ—ns semper aâ— initio Deus in terris cum hominibus conversatus est non alius quam sermo qui caro erat futurus Adv. Praxeam It was Christ who descended into communion with men from Adam unto the Patriarchs and Prophets in Visions Dreams and Appearances or Representations of himself instructing them in his future condition from the beginning And God who conversed with men on earth was no other but the Word who was to be made flesh The other is Justin Martyr whose word needs not be produced seeing it is known how he contends for this very thing in his Dialogue with Trypho That which is more direct unto our purpose is to enquire into the Apprehensions § 21 of the Jewish Masters concerning the Divine Appearances insisted on granted unto the Patriarchs and Church of old with what may thence be collected for their conviction concerning the Person of the Messiah The most part of their Expositors do I confess pass over the difficulties of the places mentioned I mean those which are such unto their present Infidelity without taking the least notice of them Some would have the Angel mentioned to be Michael whom they assign a Prerogative unto above the other Angels who preside over other Countreys But who that Michael is and wherein that Prerogative doth consist they know not Some say that Michael is the High Priest of Heaven who offers up the prayers of the Righteous so R. Mâ—nahem The Priest above that offereth or presenteth the souls of the Righteous saith another more agreeably unto the Truth then they are aware of One signal instance only of the evidence of the Truth
the wisest among them turn every stone to retain this interpretation of the words and yet to avoid the force of the Testimony insisted on from them This then we have from this testimony obtained namely that the Political Rule § 33 and National Government should not absolutely and Irrecoverably be removed and taken away from the Tribe of Judah untill the promised seed should be exhibited untill the Messiah should come It remaineth that we also evidence that all Rule Government and Polity is long since taken away from and ceased in Judah and that for many Generations there hath been no such thing as a Tribe of Judah in any National or Political Condition or Constitution in the world And had we not here to do with men obstinate and impudent there would need very few words in this matter But they must have that proved unto them which all the world sees and knows and takes care to make good and which themselves as occasion serves confess and bewail Is it not known to all the world that for these sixteen hundred years last past they have been scattered over the face of the earth leading a precarious Life under the Power of Kings Princes Common-wealths as their several lots in their dispersion have fallen sine Deo sine homine rege cast out of Gods especial care they wander up and down without Law Government or Authority of their own or amongst themselves And this as I said themselves also confess as they have occasion To this purpose see Kimchi on Hosea 3.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And these are the dayes of Captivity wherein we are at this day for we have neither King nor Priest of Israel But we are in the power of the Gentiles and under the Power of their Kings and Princes doth this man think that Scepter and Law-giver are departed from Judah or no And the Targum of Jonathan on that place is considerable for saith he The children of Israel shall abide many dayes without a King of the house of David and without a Ruler in Israel afterwards the children of Israel shall repent and seek the Worship of the Lord their God and shall obey the Messiah the Son of David the King So also are the words of Abarbinel on Isa. 53. he tells us that in their Captivity and Banishment part of their misery is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that in Israel there is neither Kingdom nor Rule nor Scepter of Judgement that is plainly Scepter and Law-giver are departed And therefore if there be any truth in this Prophesie the Messiah is long since come In like manner Maimonides from the time that we have left our own Land we have no power of making Laws and they jointly confess in the Talmud Tract Saned that sometime before the destruction of the Temple all power of Judging both as unto life and death and as unto pecuniary punishments was taken from them So that if there be a certainty in any thing in this world it is certain that Scepter and Law-giver are long since departed from Judah There are not many things wherein the present Jews do more betray the desperateness § 34 of their cause then in their endeavour to obscure this open and known truth in matter of fact That which they principally insist upon is a story out of the Itinerary of Benjamin Tudelensis This Benjamin was a Jew who about 500. years ago passed out of Europe into the Eastern parts of the world in a disquisition of his Countrey-men and their state and condition whereof he hath given an account in his Itinerary after the manner of vulgar Travellers Among other things which he relates fide Rabbinica he tells us of a Jew that hath or then had a principality at Bagdat whom his Countreymen called the Son of David there being a thousand of them living there all in subjection unto him This honour was allowed him by the Caliph who in those dayes ruled there so that when he passeth in the streets they cry before him make way for the Son of David Fagius long since returned a proper Answer to this Story in a Proverb of their own 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He that hath a mind to lye let him place his Witnesses at distance enough When Benjamin passed over those Eastern parts of the world they were greatly unknown to Europaeans and he had thence advantage to feign what he pleased for the reputation of his Nation which he was not wanting to the improvement of Time hath now brought truth to light The people of Europe especially the English and Hollanders have some while since discovered the state of things in those parts and can hear no tidings of Benjamins principality nor his Son of David nor could the Jews ever since get any one to confirm his relation Besides if all that he averrs should be granted to be true as in the main it is undoubtedly false what would it amount unto as to the matter in hand Is this the Scepter and Law-giver promised unto Judah as the great priviledge above his Brethren It seems an obscure unknown person in Bagdat in Captivity by the permission of a Tyrant whose Slave and Vassal he is hath a pre-eminence among a thousand Jews all slaves to the same Tyrant And this is all they pretend unto in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the forty second story where they give us an account of this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prince or Head of the Captivity as they would have him esteemed A rich Jew they would make him to be chosen unto a Presidentship by the Heads or Rectors of the Schools of Bagdat Sora and Pombeditha And they confess that for many Ages they have chosen no such President because the Saracens killed the last that was so chosen Is this I say the continuance of the Tribe and Scepter of Judah Judah must be a Nation a People in a Political Sense and State dwelling in his own Land and have Rule and Dominion exercised therein according to its own Law or the Scepter and Law-giver are departed from it and this they evidently are sixteen hundred years ago and therefore the Shilo the promised Messiah is long since come which is the Truth whose Confirmation from this Testimony was intended Exercitatio XIII Other Testimonies proving the Messiah to be come Hagg. 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9. Mal. 3.1 2. State of the People at the building of the Second Temple In the dayes of Darius Hystaspes not Nothus The House treated of by Haggai the second House Proved against Abarbinel The Glory promised to this House Brief summary of the Glory of Solomons Temple It s Projection Magnificence Treasure spent about it Number of Workmen employed in it Ornaments Worship Second Temple compared with it Pretensions of the Rabbins about its Greatness and Duration removed What was the Glory promised to the second House Opinion of the Jews The Promise of it not conditional The meaning of
The glory of this latter house shall be great above that of the former To clear our Argument intended from these words we must consider 1. What was this latter House we spoke of 2. Wherein the Glory of it did consist § 3 First We are to enquire what House it is whereof the Prophet speaks now this is most evident in the Context This House saith he v. 4. that your eyes look upon and which you so much despise in comparison of the former And v. 8. I will fill saith the Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this House which you are now finishing with glory And v. 9. it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this latter House The Prophet doth as it were point to it with his finger This House that you and I are looking upon this House which is so contemptible in your eyes in comparison with that of Solomon which you have either seen or read of this House shall be filled with glory It is true this Temple was three hundred years after re-edified by Herod in the eighteenth year of his Reign which yet hindered not but that it was still the same Temple For this first Structure was never destroyed nor the materials of it at once taken down But notwithstanding the reparation of it by Herod it still continued the one and the same House though much enlarged and beautified by him And therefore the Jews in the dayes of our Saviour overlooked as it were the re-edification of the Temple by Herod and affirm that that House which then stood was forty six years in building John 2.20 as they supposed it to have been upon the first return from Captivity when the whole work and building of Herod was finished within the space of eight years The Targum also of Jonathan Aben Ezra and Kimchi and others interpret the words of that House which was then building by Zerubbabel and Joshua nor do any of the Antient Jews dissent Abarbinel one of their great Masters and Chief among them who invent pretences § 4 to their impenitences and unbelief in his Comment on this place after he hath endeavoured his utmost against the interpretations of the Christians and made use of the reasonings of former Expositors to apply the whole Prophecy unto the second House at least as it was restored by Herod at length refers all that is spoken of the House here unto a third Temple prophesied as he fancieth by Ezekiel to be built in the dayes of the Mâ—ssiah because he saw that if the second House was intended it would be hard to avoid the coming of the Messiah whilest that House stood and continued But we need not insist long in the removall of this fond imagination For 1. It is contrary to express re-doubled affirmations in the Text before insisted on 2. To the whole design of the Context and Prophecy which is expresly to encourage the Jews unto the building of that House which seemed so contemptible in the eyes of some of them 3. To the repetition of this Prophecy Mal. 3.1 where the second Temple is evidently expressed 4. To the Prophecy of Ezekiel wherein a Spiritual and not a material Temple is delineated as we shall elsewhere demonstrate 5. To the time assigned to the glorifying of the House spoken of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet a little while which in no sense can be applyed unto a Temple to be built longer afterwards then that Nation had been a people From the Call of Abraham to the giving of this Promise there had passed about fourteen hundred and ten years and it is now above two thousand years since this Prophecy which in what sense it can be called a little while is hard to imagine This then is the sense that Abarbinel would put on these words It is yet a little while and I will fill this House with Glory that is a very great while hence longer hence then you have been a people in the world I will cause another House to be built 6. To the Targum and all the antient Masters among the Jews themselves 7. To its self for it is by his own confession promised that the Messiah should come to the Temple that is promised to be filled with Glory but the other Third Temple that he fancies is as he said to be built by himself so as he cannot be said to come unto it So that this evasion will not yield the least relief to their obstinacy and unbelief It is evidently the second Temple built by Zerubbabel whose Glory is here foretold The Glory promised unto this house is nextly to be considered This is expressed § 5 absolutely v. 7. I will fill this House with Glory and comparatively with reference unto the Temple of Solomon which some of them had seen v. 9. The Glory of this latter House shall be greater then of the former To understand aright this Promise we must reflect a little upon the Glory of the first House which the glory of this second was to excell It would not answer our present design to digress unto a particular description of Solomon's Temple It is also done by others with great Judgement Diligence and Accuracy I shall therefore only give a brief account of some of the heads of its excellency which our present Argument doth require First then It was very Glorious its principal Architect which was God himself § 6 He contrived the whole Fabrick and disposed of all the parts of it in their order For when David delivered unto Solomon the pattern of the House and the whole Worship of it he tells him All these things the Lord made me understand in writing by his hand upon me even all the Work of this pattern 1 Chron. Chap. 25.19 God gave him the whole in writing That is divinely and immediately inspired him by his holy Spirit to set down the frame of the House and all the concernments of it according to his own appointment and disposal This rendered the House Glorious as answering the Wisdom of him by whom it was contrived And herein it had the advantage above all the Fabricks that ever was on the Earth and in particular the Second Temple whose Builders had no such Idea of their Work given them by inspiration Secondly It was Glorious in the Greatness State and Magnificence of the Fabrick § 7 it self Such a Building it was as was never paralelled in the world which sundry Considerations will make evident unto us as First The design of Solomon the Wisest and Richest King that ever was in this world in the building of it When he undertook the work and sent to Hyram King of Tyre for his assistance he tells him that the House which he was to build was to be great because their God was great above all Gods 2 Chron. 2.5 Nay saith he The House which I am about to build shall be wonderfull and great No doubt but he designed the Structure Magnificent to the utmost that his Wisdom and Wealth would
trial above sixteen hundred years in the world challenging the wit and malice of its adversaries to discover any one thing or circumstance of any thing that is untrue false evil uncomely not useful or inconvenient in it or to find out any thing that is morally good virtuous useful praise-worthy in hâ—bit or exercise in any instances of opâ—rations in any degree of intention of mind any duty that man owes to God others or himself that is not taught injoyned incouraged and commanded by it or to discover any motives incouragements or reasons unto and for the pursuit of that which is good and the avoidance of evil that are true real solid and rational which it affordeth not unto them that embrace it This absolute perfection of the Doctrine of this Prophet joyned with those Characters of Divine Authority which are enstâ—mped on it doth sufficiently evidence that it contains the great promised full final Revelation of the Will of God which was to be given forth by the Messiah Add hereunto that since the delivery of this Doctrine the whole race of mankind hath not been able to invent or find out any thing that without the most palpable folly and madness might be added unto it much less stand in competition with it and it will it self sufficiently demonstrate its Author Secondly We have declared in the entrance of this discourse that the Messiah was § 38 the means promised for the delivery of mankind from that woful estate of sin and misery whereunto they had cast themselves This was declared unto all in general this they believed whom God graciously enabled thereunto But how this deliverance should be wrought in particular by the Messiah how the works of the Devil should be destroyed how God and Man should be reconciled how sinners might recover a title unto their lost happiness and be brought to an enjoyment of it this was unknown not only unto all the Sons of Men but also to all the Angels in Heaven themselves who then shall unfold this mysterie which was hid in the counsel of God from the foundation of the world It was utterly beyond the reason and wisdom of man to give any tolerable conjecture how these things should be effected and brought about But all this is fully declared by this Prophet himself In his Doctrine in what he taught doth this great and hidden mysterie of the Reconciliation and Salvation of mankind open it self gloriously to the minds and understandings of them that believe whose eyes the God of this world hath not blinded and them alone for although this promise of the Messiah was all that God gave out unto Adam and by him unto his posterity to keep their hopes alive in their miserable condition in the Earth yet such was its obscurity that meeting with the minds of men full of darkness and hearts set upon the pursuit of their lusts it was as to the substance of it utterly lost to the greatest part of mankind Afterwards the thing it self was again retrived unto the faith and knowledge of some by new Revelations and Promises only the manner of its accomplishment was still lost hid in the depths of the bosom of the Almighty But as we said by the preaching of Jesus both the thing its self and the manner of it are together brought to light made known and established beyond all the power of Satan to prevail against it This was the work of the promised Prophet this was done by Jesus of Nazareth who is therefore both Lord and Christ. § 39 Thirdly We have also declared how God in his Wisdom and Soveraignty restrained the Promise unto Abraham and his posterity shadowing out among them the accomplishment of it in Mosaical Rites and Institutions And these also received manifold Explications by the succeeding Prophets From the whole a Systeme of Worship and Doctrine did arise which turned wholly on this hinge of the promised Messiah relating in all things to the salvation to be wrought by him But yet the will and mind of God was in this whole dispensation so folded and wrapt up in Types so vailed and shadowed by carnal Ordinances so obscure and hid in Allegorical Expressions that the bringing of them forth unto light the removal of the clouds and shades that were cast upon them with a declaration of the Nature Reason and Use of all those Institutions was a work no less glorious then the very first Revelation of the promise it self This was that which was reserved for the great Prophet the Messiah for that God would prescribe Ordinances and Institutions unto his Church whose full Nature Use and End should be everlastingly unknown unto them is unreasonable to imagine Now this is done in the Doctrine of our Lord Jesus Christ. The spiritual End Use and Nature of all these Sacrifices and Typical Institutions which unto them who were conversant only with their outside Servile performances were an insupportable yoke of bondage as the Jews find them unto this day being never able to satisfie themselves in their most scrupulous attendance unto them are all made evident and plain and all that was taught by them accomplished This was the work of the Prophet like unto Moses He fulfilled the End and unvailed the mind of God in all these Institutions And he hath done it so fully that whoever looks upon them through his declaration of them cannot but be amazed at the blindness and stupidity of the Jews who rejecting the Revelation of the Counsel of God by him adhere pertinaciously unto that whereof they understand aright no one title or syllable for there is not the meanest Christian who is instructed in the Doctrine of the Gospel but can give a better account of the Nature Use and End of Mosaical Institutions then all the profound Rabbins in the world either can or ever could do He that is least in the Kingdom of God being greater in this light and knowledge then John Baptist himself who yet was not behind any of the Prophets that went before him This I say is that which the promised Prophet was to do and moreover to add the Institutions of his own immediate Revelations even as Moses had given them the Law of Ordinances of old And in this superinstitution of new Ordinances of Worship thereby superceding those instituted by Moses was he like unto him as was foretold § 40 Lastly The Event confirms the Application of this Character unto the Lord Jesus Whoever should not receive the word of this Prophet God threatens to require it of him that is as themselves confess to exterminate them from among the number of his people or to reject them from being so Now this was done by the body of the Jewish Nation they received him not they obeyed not his voice and what was the end of this their disobedience they who for their despising persecuting killing the former Prophets were only corrected chastened afflicted and again quickly recovered out of the worst and greatest of
Some of them say that this Prophecy indeed concerneth the Messiah but not Messiah Ben David who shall be alwayes victorious but Messiah Ben Joseph who shall be slain in Battel against Gog and Magog But 1. This figment wholly overthrows the faith of the true Messiah and they may as well make twenty as two of them 2. That Ben Joseph whom they have coyned in their own brains is to be a great Warrior from his first appearance and after many Victories to be slain in a Battle or at least be reputed so to be But this Prophecy is concerning a man poor destitute despised afflicted all his life bound imprisoned rejected scorned condemned and slain under a pretence of Judgement no one thing whereof they do or can ascribe unto their Ben Joseph 2. Others feign that the true Messiah was born long ago and that he lived amongst the leprous people at the Gates of Rome being himself leprous and full of sores which as they say is foretold in this Prophecy Such monstrous imaginations as these might not be repeated without some kind of participation in the folly of their Authors but that poor immortal souls are ruined by them and that they evidence what a foolish thing man is when left unto himself or judicially given up to blindness and unbelief We are ready to admire at the senseless stupidity of their fore-fathers they do so themselves who chose to worship Baal and Moloch rather then the true God who had so eminently revealed himself unto them but it doth no way exceed that of those who have lived since their rejection of the true Messiah nor do we need any other instance then that before us to make good our Observation And yet neither doth this Prodigie of folly this leprosy in any thing answer the words of the Prophecy nor indeed hath any countenance from any one word therein that single word they reflect upon signifying any kind of infirmities or sorrows in general 3. Some of them apply this Prophecy to Jeremiah concerning whom Abarbinel affirms and that truly that no one Line or Verse in the whole can with any colourable pretence be applyed unto him which also I have in particular manifested on another occasion Himself applies it two wayes 1. To Josia 2. To the whole body of the people contradicting himself in the Exposition of every particular instance and the truth in the whole But it is the whole people in their last desolation that they chiefly desire to wrest this Prophecy unto But this is 1. Contrary to the Testimony of their Targum and Talmud all their antient Masters and some of the wisest of their latter Doctors 2. To their own principles profession and belief for whereas they acknowledge that their present misery is continued on them for their sins and that if they could but repent and live to God their Messiah would undoubtedly come this place speaks of the perfect Innocency and Righteousness of him that suffers no way on his own account deserving so to do which if they once ascribe unto themselves their Messiah being not yet come they must for ever bid adiew to all their expectations of him 3. Contrary to the express words of the Text plainly describing one individual Person 4. Contrary to the Context distinguishing the people of the Jews from him that was to suffer by them among them and for them v. 3 4 5 6. 5. Contrary to every particular assertion and passage in the whole Prophecy no one of them being applicable unto the body of the people And all these things are so manifest unto every one who shall but read the place with attention and without prejudice that they stand not in need of any farther confirmation Hence Johannes Isaac confesseth that the consideration of this place was the means of his conversion § 49 Again The whole work promised from the foundation of the world to be accomplished by the Messiah is here ascribed unto the person treated of and his sufferings Peace with God is to be made by his Chastisement v. 5. and healing of our wounds by sin is from his stripes He bears the iniquity of the Church v. 6. that they may find acceptance with God In his hand the pleasure of the Lord for the Redemption of his people was to prosper v. 10. And he is to justifie them for whom he dyed v. 11. If these and the like things here mentioned may be performed by any other the Messiah may stay away there is no work for him to do in this world But if these are the things which God hath promised that he shall perform then he and none other is here intended § 50 Neither are the Cavils of the Jews about the Application of some expressions unto the Lord Jesus worth the least consideration For besides that they may all of them be easily removed the whole being exactly accomplished in him and his passion set forth beyond any instance of a Prophetick description of a thing future in the whole Scripture let them but grant that the true and only Messiah was to converse among the people in a despised contemned reproached condition that he was to be rejected by them to be persecuted to suffer to bear our iniquities and that from the hand of God to make his soul an Offering for sin by that means spiritually to redeem and save his people and as themselves know well enough that there is an end of this Controversie so the Lord Jesus must and will on all hands be acknowledged to be the true and only Messiah § 51 But that we may not seem to avoid any of their pretences or exceptions that they make use of when they are pressed with this Testimony I shall briefly consider what their latter Masters who think themselves wiser in the Authors of their Targum and Talmud and all their antient Doctors who with one consent acknowledge the Messiah to be intended in this Prophecy and wrest it unto the People of the Jews themselves unto whom not one line or word of it is applicable do object unto our interpretation of the place First Then they say it is not the Prophet from the Lord nor in the Persons of the people of the Jews but the Kings of the Earth which formerly had afflicted them who are mentioned Chap. 52. v. 15. who utter and speak the words of this Chapter in an admiration of the blessed estate that the Jews shall at length attain unto Answ. Any man that shall but view the Context will easily see the shamefull folly of this evasion For 1. Where is there any instance in the whole Scripture of the like introduction of Aliens and Forreigners and the Prophets personating of them in what they say and why should such a singular imagination here take place 2. How could they say Who hath believed our report or the Doctrine that we had heard and taught concerning this person or these persons Had the Kings and Nations so preached the
10.17 18. This being performed by him after the dissolution of his humane nature in the open visible separation of his body and soul in which state it was utterly impossible that that nature should put forth any act toward the retrievement of its former condition manifested his existence in another superiour nature acting with power on the humane in the same Person And this one Miracle was a sufficient vindication of the truth which he had taught concerning himself namely that he was the Messiah the Son of God And though any should question his being raised again from the dead by his own power yet the evidence is uncontrollable that he was raised again by the power of God without the application of the means and Ministry of any other whereby the Holy and Eternal God of truth entitled himself unto all that he had taught concerning his Person and Office whilest he was alive And this leaves no room for haesitation in this matter For this being granted none will deny but that he was the Messiah and what principles we proceed upon for the proof of it unto the Jews hath been before declared § 68 Unto what hath been summarily recounted we may lastly add the continuance of the miracles wrought by his power after his leaving of this world and his Ascention into Heaven And there is in them an additional evidence unto what hath been insisted on For whereas the miraculous works that were wrought by himself and his Disciples whilest he conversed with them in the flesh were confined as we observed before unto the Land of Canaan those who afterwards received power from above by his Grant and Donation continued to assert the like mighty works and miracles all the world over so that within the space of a few years there was scarce a famous Town or City in the world wherein some of his Disciples had not received the miraculous gifts of the Holy Ghost And this also distinctly confirms him to be the promised Messiah for whereas the Isles of the Gentiles were to wait for and to receive his Law it was necessary that among them also it should receive this solemn kind of attestation from Heaven § 69 Now from what hath been spoken it appears not only that the Miracles wrought by Jesus were sufficient to confirm the Testimony which he gave concerning himself namely that he was the promised Messiah the Son of God but also that they were so much more eminent then those wherewith God was pleased to confirm the Ministry of Moses in the giving of the Law that the Jews have no Reason to doubt or question his Authority for the reversing of any Institutions of Worship which they had formerly been obliged unto To close this Argument I shall only manifest that the Jews of old were convinced § 70 of the truth of the Miracles wrought by the Lord Jesus and therein a little discover the variety of those pretences whereby they attempt to shield themselves from the natural consequence of that conviction 1. For those who lived in his own dayes see Matth. 18.11 12 13 14. Joh. 7.31 Chap. 19.16 24. Acts 4.16 Acts 19.13 Neither did they at any time dispute his works but only the power whereby they were wrought of which afterwards 2. The fame and reputation of them was such amongst them that those who made an Art and Trade of casting out of Devils used the invocation of the name of Jesus over their possessed which the notoriety of his exerting his Divine power in that kind of works induced them unto See Acts 19.13 They adjured the Spirits by the Name of Jesus whom Paul preached observing the miracles that he wrought in that name For they being ignorant of the true way and means whereby the Apostle wrought his miraculous works after the manner of Magicians they used the name of him whom he preached in their Exorcisms as it was ever the custom of that sort of men to intermix their charms with the names of such persons as they knew to have excelled in mighty works And that this was common among the Jews of those dayes is evident from Luke 9.49 which could no otherwise arise but from a general consent in the acknowledgement of the works wrought by him 3. We have also hereunto the suffrage of the Talmudical Rabbins themselves the most malitious adversaries that ever the Lord Jesus had in this world They intend not indeed to bear witness unto his miracles but partly whilest they relate stories that were continued amongst them by Tradition partly whilest they endeavour to shield their unbelief from the Arguments taken from them they tacitly acknowledge that they were indeed wrought by him This I say they do whilest they labour to shew by what wayes and means those Prodigies and wondrou◠works which are recorded of him were wrought and effected For they who say this or that was the way whereby such a thing was accomplished do plainly acknowledge the doing of the thing it self Greater evidence of their self-conviction it is impossible they should give in or need we desire First In the Talmud its self they have traditional stories of miracles wrought by the § 71 Disciples of Jesus and by others in his name which although they are like the rest of their Narrations foolish and insipid yet they evidence the Tradition that was amongst them from the forementioned conviction Thus in Aboda Zara they have a story concerning James who lived longest amongst them It happened they say that Eleacer the Son of Dama was bitten by a Serpent and James of the Village of Sechaniah that is Bethany came to cure him in the name of Jesus the son of Pandira but R. Ishmael opposed him and said it is not lawful for thee thou Son of Dama So owning that Miracles and Cures were wrought by James in the name of Jesus And in Sabbat Hierusal Distinct. Schemona Scheraticin they tell us that the Son of Rab. Jose the Son of Levi had swallowed poyson a certain man came and communed with him in the name of Jesus the Son of Pandira and he was healed but when he was gone out one said unto him how didst thou advice him he said by such a word the other replied tha◠it had been better for him to have dyed then to have heard that word I mention these things only to shew that they were never able to stifle the Tradition that passed among themselves concerning the Miracles wrought by Jesus and his Disciples But this conviction more evidently discovers its self in their endeavours to assign his § 72 mighty works unto other causes so that they may not from them be forced to acknowledge his Divine power and the presence of God with him And there are two pretences which they make use of The first is that of their fore-fathers Mat. 12.24 They would have the Devil to be the Author of them and that he wrought them by Magical Incantations This they pleaded of old and this
and destructive And where this is no Wars nor tumults can hinder but that the persons enjoying it shall be preserved in perfect peace and this if the Jews did believe they would have experience of 6. He hath also wrought true spiritual Peace and Love between all that sincerely believe in him all his Elect which although it frees them not from outward troubles persecutions oppressions and afflictions in the earth and that from some also that may make profession of his Name for Judah may be in the siege against Jerusalem Zach. 12.2 yet they having peace with God and among themselves they enjoy the promise unto the full satisfaction of their souls And this peace of the Elect with God and among themselves is that which singly and principally is intended in this Prediction though set out under terms and expressions of the things wherein outward Peace in this world doth consist 7. The Lord Christ by his doctrine hath not only proclaimed and offered Peace with God unto all Nations but also given Precepts of Peace and self-denial directing and guiding all the sons of men were they attended unto and received to live in Peace among themselves whereas the Jews of old had express command for War and destroying of the Nations among whom they were to inhabit which gives a great foundation unto the promises of Peace in the days of the Messiah 8. Let it be supposed that it is general outward Peace Prosperity and Tranquility that is here promised unto the world yet then 1. The precise time of its accomplishment is not here limited nor determined If it be effected during the Kingdom and Reign of the Messiah in the world the word is established and the Prophesie verefied 2. Our Lord Jesus Christ and his Apostles have fore-told that after his Law and Doctrine should be received in the world there should a great defection and Apostasie from the power and purity of it ensue which should be attended with great persecution troubles afflictions wars and tumults which after they are all removed and all his Adversaries subdued he will give peace and rest unto his Churches and People all the world over and herein and in that season which now approacheth lies the accomplishment of all the promises concerning the glorious and peaceable estate of the Church in this world Take then this Prophesie in what sense soever it may be literally expounded and there is nothing in it that gives the the least countenance unto the Judaical pretence from the words § 16 The next collection of promises which they insist upon to their purpose is of those which intimate the destruction of Idolatry and false worship in the world with the abundance of the knowledge of the Lord taking away all diversity in Religion that shall be in the days of the Messiah Such is that of Jerem. 31. v. 34. They shall teach no more every man his neighbour and every man his brother saying Know the Lord for they shall all know me from the greatest of them to the least of them saith the Lord. And Zeph. 3.9 I will turn to the people a pure language that they may call on the name of the Lord with one consent As likewise that of Zach. 14.9 And the Lord shall be King over all the earth In that day shall there be one Lord and his Name shall be One. And sundry other predictions there are of the same importance all which are to be accomplished at the coming of the Messiah But for the present we see say they the contrary prevailing in the world Idolatry is still continued and that among the Christians themselves diversities of Religion abound so that there are now more sects and opinions in the world nor can the Jews and Christians agree in this very matter about the Messiah all which make it evident that he is not yet come who shall put an end to all this state of things § 17 Answ. It will prove in the issue that the mention of these as well as of other Promises will turn to their disadvantage Their accomplishment in the sense of the Scripture hath been so plain evident and manifest that nothing but Prejudice and obstinate blindness can once call it into question For the further manifestation hereof we may observe 1. That these things are not spoken absolutely but comparatively It is not to be thought that in the days of the Messiah there shall be no means of instruction in the knowledge of the Lord used as that Parents should not teach their children the Officers of the Church and others those that stand in need of teaching for neither do the Jews indeed imagine any such thing nor can they do so without the rejection of the Precepts of the Law of Moses and the Predictions recorded in the Prophets wherein God promiseth that in those days he will give the people Pastors after his own heart Priests and Levites to teach them his mind and will But this is that which is signified in these expressions namely that in those days there shall be such a plentiful effusion of the Spirit of Wisdom and Grace as shall cause the true saving knowledge of God to be more easily obtained and much more plentifully to abound then it did in the time of the Law when the people by an hard yoke and insupportable burden of carnal Ordinances were darkly meanly and difficultly instructed in some part of the knowledge of God And that the words are thus to be interpreted the many promises that are given concerning the instruction of the Church in the days of the Messiah and his own Office of being the great Prophet of the Church which the Jews acknowledge do undeniably evince 2. That the terms of all people and Nations are necessarily to be understood as before explained for many Nations those in an especial manner in whom the Church of Christ is concerned neither can any one place be produced where an absolute universality of them is intended 3. That the season of the accomplishment of these and the like Predictions is not limited to the day or year of the Messiah's coming as the Jews amongst other impossible fictions imagine but extends it self unto the whole duration of the Kingdom of the Messiah as hath been shewed before 4. That God sometimes is said to do that which he maketh provision of outward means for the effecting of though as to some persons and times they may be frustrated of their effect and this the Jews not only acknowledge but also contend for when they give an account why the promises which concern themselves are not yet fulfilled the reason whereof they suppose or at least pretend to lie in their sin and unworthiness § 18 These things being supposed we may quickly see what was the Event as to those Promises upon the coming of the true and only Messiah For 1. It is known to all and not denied by those with whom we have to do that at the coming of
Jesus of Nazareth setting aside that knowledge and worship of God which was in Judea a little corner of the earth and that also by their own confession then horribly defiled and profaned the whole world especially the greatest and most potent and flourishing Nations of it in particular the whole Roman Empire especially concerned in these predictions was utterly ignorant of the true God and engaged in the Worship of Idols and Devils and that from time immemorial 2. That although the Jews had taken great pains and compassed Sea and Land to make Proselytes yet they were very few and those very obscure persons whom they could at any time or in any place prevail withall to receive the knowledge or give up themselves unto the Worship of the God of Israel of converting People or Nations unto his obedience they now entertained the least hopes 3. It is manifest to all the world that not only upon the coming of Jesus but also by vertue of his Law and Doctrine all the Old Idolatry of the world was destroyed and that whole fabrick of Superstition which Satan had been so many Ages engaged in the erection of was cast to the ground and those Gods of the Earth which the Nations worshipped utterly famished Hence it is come to pass at this day that no People or Nation under Heaven doth continue to worship those Gods which the Old Empires of the World adored as their Deities and in whose service they waged War against the God of Israel and his people And all that knowledge that is at this day in the world of one true living God and the reception of the God of Israel for that true God however abused as it is by some Mahumetans and others it did all originally proceed from the Doctrine of Jesus Christ whom these ungrateful people hate and persecute Had it not been for him and his Gospel the true God the God of their fore-fathers had been no more owned in the world at this day then he was at his coming in the flesh and yet these poor blinded creatures can see no glory in him or in his Ministry 4. The Lord Jesus Christ by his Spirit and Word did not only destroy Idolatry and false Worship in the world but also brought the greatest and most potent Nations of it to the Knowledge of God that in comparison of what was past it covered the earth as the Waters cover the Seas This the Jews saw and repined at in the flourishing times of the Roman Empire when the Lord was one and his Name was one in the whole earth as that Expression is used in the Scripture 5. The Way whereby this Knowledge and Worship of the true God was dispersed over the face of the earth and spread its self like an mundation of saving waters over the world was by such a secret energy of the spirit of Christ accompanying his Word and the Ministration of it that it wholly differed from that operous burdensome and for the most part ineffectual way of teaching which was used by the Priests Levites and Scribes of old there being much more of the efficacy of Grace then of the pains of the Teachers seen in the Effects wrought and produced according to the Words of the Promise Jerem. 31.34 6. In this diffusion of the knowledge of God there was way made for the Union Agreement and joint Consent in Worship of those that should receive it For both the partition wall between Jews and Gentiles was removed and both people did actually coalesce into one body worshipping God with one lip and shoulder and also an holy and plain way of spirituall Worship was prescribed unto all that should or did embrace the Law of the Messiah 7. Notwithstanding all that hath been already accomplished yet there is still room and time left and remaining for the further accomplishment of these predictions so that before the close of the Kingdom of the Messiah not one Tittle of them shall fall to the ground And thus also the open Event known to all the world doth manifest the due and full accomplishment of these Promises making it unquestionable that the Messiah is long since come and hath fulfilled the work that he was designed of old unto Neither are the Exceptions of the Jews of any force to invalidate our Application § 19 of these Promises Two things they object unto us First the Idolatry that is yet in the world especially among Christians Secondly The differences in Religion that every where abound amongst men For 1. We have shewed already that these and the like Predictions are to have a gradual accomplishment not all at once in every place It is sufficient that there is an everlasting foundation laid for the destruction of all false Worship which having had a conspicuous and glorious Effect in the most eminent Nations of the world sufficient to answer the intention of the Prophecy shall yet further in the appointed seasons root out the remainder of all superstition and Apostacy from God 2. For what concerns Christians themselves it cannot be denyed but that many who are so called have corrupted themselves and contracted the guilt of that horrible iniquity which they charge upon them But this being the crime and guilt of some certain Persons and not of the whole society of the Professors of Christianity ought not to be objected unto them And I desire to know by what means the Jews suppose that themselves and the Nations of the world shall be kept from Idolatry and false Worship in the dayes of their Messiah if it be because their Messiah shall give such a perfect Law and such full instructions in the mind and will of God that all men may clearly know their duty we say that this is already done in the highest degree of perfection that is conceivable but what if notwithstanding this men will follow their own vain reasonings and imaginations and fall from the rule of their obedience into Will-worship and Superstition what remedy have they provided against such backsliding if they have none but only the pressing upon them their duty to the Law Word and Institutions of God we have the same and do make use of it to the same end and purpose If they shall say that their Messiah will kill them and slay them with the sword we confess that ours is not of that mind and desire them to take heed least in the room of the holy humble merciful Kings promised the Church they look for and desire a bloody Tyrant that should exercise force over the minds of men and execute their revenge and lusts on those whom they like not 3. This Apostacy of some Professors of Christianity into false Worship Idolatry and Persecution is foretold obscurely in the Writings of the Old Testament it self but most plainly in those of the Gospel or Revelations made by the Lord Christ unto his Apostles concerning the state of the Church unto the end of the world so that from thence
that shall ensue thereupon Set aside their opinion concerning the perpetuity of the Ceremonial Law and their return in the observation of it unto their carnal Ordinances built on a supposition that God is pleased with the blood of Bulls and Goats for its own sake and not for a signification of that which was infinitely more excellent and glorious an apprehension which the whole world hath as it were by joint consent long ago renounced and cast away the vain and foolish imaginations about their sensual pleasures Behemoth the Wine of Paradice and literal accomplishment of professed Allegories which the wisest among themselves begin to be ashamed of and there is nothing in their own expectations but we acknowledge that they shall be made partakers of it Return they shall to their own Land enjoy it for a quiet and everlasting possession their Adversaries being destroyed filled they shall be also with the Light and Knowledge of the Will and Worship of God so as to be a guide and blessing unto the residue of the Gentiles who seek after the Lord and it may be be entrusted with great Empire and Rule in the world The most of these things are foretold concerning them not only in their own Prophetical Writings but also by the Divine Writers of sundry Books of the New Testament But all this we say must come to pass when the veil shall be taken from before their eyes and they shall look on him whom they have pierced and joyfully receive him whom they have sinfully rejected for so many Generations Untill this be done they may wrestleâ—s they can with their own perplexities and comfort themselves as well as they are able in their miseries get money in their dispersions by all unlawfull Arts and ways imaginable and expose themselves to the delusions of Impostors false Prophets and pretenders to be their Deliverers which to their unspeakable misery and reproach they have now done ten times deliverance peace tranquility acceptance with God and man they shall not obtain Here lyes the Crisis of their condition When they shall receive acknowledge and believe in that Messiah who came so long time since unto them whom their Fathers wickedly slew and hanged on a Tree and whom themselves have since no less wickedly rejected and when by his Spirit and Grace they shall be turned from ungodliness and have their eyes opened to see the Mysterie of the Grace Wisdom and Love of God in the blood of his Son then shall they obtain mercy from the God of their fore-fathers and returning again into their own Land Jerusalem shall be inhabited again even in Jerusalem Exercitatio XIX Ordinances and Institutions of the Judaical Church respected and unfolded in the Epistle to the Hebrews Principal Heads of them mentioned therein The call of Abraham Heb. 11.8 9 c. The foundation of the Church in his Posterity The name of Abram signification of it Changed into Abraham its signification The time of his Birth and Death Whence called Ur of the Chaldees where And Haran Extent of Mesopotamia Moses and Stephen reconciled Abraham before his call infected with Idolatry Time of his call Institution of Circumcision End and use of it Time of the Israelites sojourning in Egypt Gen. 11.13 Exod. 12.40 41. Act. 7.6 Gal. 3 17. reconciled The beginning and ending of the 430 years The Fatal period of Changes in that Church Institution of the Passover The time of its celebration The month Time of the day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 between the Evenings when The occasion and nature of this Ordinance The matter of it The manner of its observance Sundry things suited to its first celebration not afterward observed The number required at the eating of the Lamb. By whom it was killed Where How dressed Jews traditions rejected The Feast of unleavened Bread Its Rites Excision to the neglect of what Ordinances annexed Jews acknowledge the figurative nature of this Ordinance Of Frontlets and Philacteries Exod. 23.9 Signes and memorials The sections of the Law written in the Frontlets The Jews manner of making their Phylacteries deceits therein Their trust in them so proved by our Saviour Of their Fringes their appointment making and use Dedication of the first-born males to God Price of the Redemption of Children Close of God's first dispensation towards that Church The solemn 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Preparations for it Remote Occasional temporary institutions between the Red-sea and Sinai Of the waters of Marah The giving of Manna Derivation and signification of the name Water brought out of the Rock That Rock Christ. Immediate preparations for the receiving of the Law The time that the people came to Sinai The Day The time of the day that the appearance of God's Glory began The same time that Christ rose from the dead The place Sinai the name of the mountain Horeb of the Wilderness Of the Monastery there Moses first Ascent The ground of it The people prepared by the remembrance of Mercies and Promises Of their washing their cloaths Not a Baptism of standing use Bounds set unto the Mount In what sense it might be touched Heb. 12.21 How the Offendor was to be punished 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 opened The station and order of the people in receiving of the Law The ministry of Angels in the preparations for God's glorious presence How the People met God and God them When Moses used those words I exceedingly fear and quake THere are in the Epistle unto the Hebrews either direct discourses concerning § 1 or occasional mention is made of all or at least the most important things in the whole Mosaical Oeconomy and state of the Church and Worship of God therein under the Old Testament Yea there is nothing material from the call of Abraham unto the utmost issue of God's dispensations towards his posterity that is omitted by him And if we have not a previous acquaintance with these things which he supposed in them to whom he wrote much darkness and many mistakes must needs attend us in the consideration of what he treateth on and the ends which he proposeth unto himself Now because it will no way be expedient every time the mention of them doth occur or allusion is made unto them to insist upon them as first instituted I thought meet in the close of these Prolegomena to present the Reader with a brief Scheme and delineation of the whole Mosaical Oeconomy as also of those other previous concernments of the Church in the posterity of Abraham which by the Apostle in this Epistle we are called and directed unto And they are these that follow 1. The call and obedience of Abraham chap. 11. v. 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17. 2. The institution and observation of the Passover chap. 11. v. 28. 3. The giving of the Law chap. 1. v. 1. chap. 2. v. 1. chap. 12. v. 18 19 20 21 25 26. 4. The sanction of the Law in Promises and Penalties chap. 2. v. 2 21.
into This they solemnly engaged to the performance of and thereby had their admission into a New Church-State This being done the whole was confirmed by Sacrifice and the sprinkling of blood to prefigure the great confirmation of the New Covenant by the blood of Christ as we shall see afterwards § 4 Things being thus setled Moses goes up again into the Mount to receive directions for that Worship of God which he appointed and enjoyned unto them in that Church-State whereunto they were newly admitted And here in the first place the Lord instructs him in the frame and whole fabrick of the Tabernacle as that which was an eminent Type of the Humane Nature of Christ and so indispensibly necessary unto the solemn Worship then ordained as that no part of it could be rightly performed but with respect thereunto This therefore with all the Parts and Vtensils of it should now come under consideration But there are sundry Reasons for which I shall omit it in this place As 1. The most material things belonging unto it must necessarily be considered in our Exposition of those places in our Apostle where they are expresly insisted on 2. Many things relating unto it as the measures of it some part of the matter whereof it was made divers Colours used about it are very dubious and some of them so absolutely uncertain that the Jews themselves can come to no agreement about them and it is not meet to enter into the discussion of such things without more room and liberty then our present design will allow unto us 3. Many Learned Men have already travailed with great diligence and skill in the discovery of all the several concernments of the Tabernacle and Temple from whom the Reader may receive much satisfaction who hath a mind to enquire into these things Add unto all this that the Writing of this part of these Discourses is fallen upon such a season as affords me very little encouragement or assistance to enlarge upon them Only that the Reader may not go away without a taste in one instance of what he might have expected in the whole I shall chuse out one particular Vtensil of the Tabernacle and give an account of it unto him And this shall be the Ark and its Attendencies § 5 The Ark was the only furniture of the most Holy Place the most sacred and holy of all the Vtensils of the Tabernacle and Temple And it was the same in them both as is evident 1 Kings 8.4.6 It was the Repository of the Covenant for so the Law written by the finger of God in Tables of stone is often called Metonymically and being annointed Exod. 40.9 became 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 holiness of holinesses or most holy a Type of him who was to fulfill the Law and establish the Covenant between God and Man being thereunto anointed as the most holy Dan. 9.26 It was also the great pledge of the presence of God in the Church whence it is not only sometimes called his Glory Psal. 78.61 he gave 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his Glory Beauty Majesty into the hand of the Enemy when the Ark was taken whereon the Wife of Phineas cryed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Where is the Glory 1 Sam. 4.21 because therein the Glory departed from Israel v. 22. but in its presence also Glory was said to dwell in the Land Psal. 85.9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because therein the Shechina or Chabod or Glorious Presence of God dwelt and abode among his People Yea it hath the name of God himself attributed to it by reason of its representation of his Majesty Psalm 24.7 9 10. We call it by the same name with the great Vessel wherein Noah and the seed of all living Creatures were preserved But their Names are far distant in the Original both in sound and signification this was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aaron a Chest it may be from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a certain Wood whereof such Chests were made that was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tebah the name of any Vessell in the water great or small though made with Bulrushes Exod. 2.3 § 6 It was as the principal so the first Vtensil of the Tabernacle that God appointed to be made Exod. 25.10 and therein was as the heart from which by a communication of sacred holiness from the presence of God all other things belonging unto the Worship of the whole were spirited and as it were enlivened And immediately upon its entrance into the Temple the visible pledges of the presence of God therein appeared to all and not before 1 Kings 8.8 9 10 11 12. § 7 Th◠matter whereof it was made was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Exod. 25.10 Shittim wood or boards of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tree mentioned Isa. 41.18 What wood it was it altogether uncertain although it seems sure enough to have been none that grew in the Wilderness where the people were at the erection of the Tabernacle For these Shittim boards were reckoned amongst the stores of silver and brass and such other things as they had brought with them into the Wilderness Exod. 35.25 and that expression 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Every one with whom was found Shittim-wood intimates the rarity of it and that it may be it had been preserved by them for sundry Generations There is indeed a place called Shittim and Abel Shittim mentioned Numb 25.1 and chap. 33.49 not probably from these trees However it was in the plains of Moab whereunto the Israelites came not until fourty years after the making of the Ark. Farther then we know nothing of the Shittim-tree or of this wood for what ever is discoursed of it as it hath been discoursed by many is meer conjecture ending in professed uncertainty Only it seems to have been notable for firmness and duration as continuing in the Ark apparently 900 years even from the making of it unto the destruction of the Temple by the Caldeans And it may be was returned to the second Temple not perishing absolutely until the Covenant with that people expired 600 years after the Captivity But herein it had the advantage of preservation from all external causes of putrefaction by its inclosure on all parts in a covering of gold The form of the Ark was of a long square chest of small dimensions two cubits and § 8 an half in length one and an half in breadth and so in heighth also Exod. 25.10 that is according to the most approved estimation of their measures near four foot long and two foot and some inches broad and high and farther exactness or accuracy about these measures is of little certainty and less use How the boards of it were joyned is not mentioned Over-laid it was with pure Gold beaten gold pure and immixed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 intus extra undequaque on all the boards of it both within and without so that no part of the wood was any where to be seen or touched Round about it
that is on the edge of the side upwards it had 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon it round about 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Diadem or a fringe of Gold-work such as encompassed Diadems or Crowns And this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Diadem was put only on the Ark the Mercy-seat and the Altar of Incense intending expressions of Rays of Gold as coming from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to scatter abroad in the manner of rays and beams which Heb. 1.3 is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the brightness of glory And hence the Rabbins speak of a three-fold Crown of the Ark Altar and Table of the last for the King of the midst for the Priest of the first for they know not whom as Rabbi Solomon expresly Indeed all representing the three-fold Offices of Christ for whom the Crowns were laid up Zach. 6. At the four corners on the outside were annexed unto it four Rings of Gold on § 9 each side two Through these rings went two staves or bars wherewith the Ark was to be carried on the shoulders of the Levites Exod. 25.11 12. for the neglâ—ct of which service strictly enjoyned them Numb 7.9 God made a breach on Vzza in the days of David 2 Sam. 6.7 The end wherefore God appointed the making of this Ark was to put therein § 10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Testimony Exod. 25.16 that is the two Tables of stone engraved on all sides with the ten Commandements pronounced by the Ministry of Angels written with the finger of God Besides this there was in it nothing at all as is expresly affirmed 1 King 8.9 2 Chron. 5.10 Deut. 10.2 5. The appearance of a dissent from hence in an expression of our Apostle chap. 9. shall be considered in its proper place This Ark made at Horeb 1 King 8.9 that is at the foot of the mountain where the People encamped finished with the rest of the Tabernacle on the first day of the first month of the second year of the coming of the Israelites out of Egypt Exod. 40.13 being as we have shewed the visible pledge of the presence of God amongst them as it was placed with its Tabernacle in the midst of the People whilst they were encamped in the Wilderness the body of them being distributed into four Hosts to the four quarters of Heaven Numb 2. that a blessing from thence might be equally communicated unto them all and all might have an alike access to the worship of God so it was carried in their marching in the midst of their Armies with a pronunciation of a solemn Benediction when it began to set forward and when it returned unto its Repository in the most holy place Numb 10.35 36. This was the ordinary course in the removals of the Ark. In an extraordinary manner God appointed it to be carried before all the people when the waters of Jordan were divided by his power whereof that was a pledge Josh. 3.15 which the people on their own heads going afterwards to imitate in their wars with the Philistins received a sad reward of their temerity and boldness 1 Sam. 4. From the Wilderness the Ark was carried to Gilgal Josh. 5.10 thence removed with the Tabernacle to Shilo Josh. 18.2 Some suppose that after this it was occassionally removed to Mizpeh as Judg. 11.11.20.1 27.21.1 2. because it is said in those places that such things were done before the Lord in Mizpeh but that expression doth not necessarily inter the presence of the Ark and Sanctuary in that place Yea the context seems to intimate that it was at another place distant from thence as v. 26. they went up from the place of the Assembly in Mizpeh to the house of God where the Ark was In Shechem also it is supposed to have been from the Assembly that Joshua made there chap. 24.1 upon the close whereof he fixed a stone of memorial bâ—fore the Sanctuary v. 26. But yet neither doth this evince the removal of the Ark or Sanctuary For Shechem being not far from Shilo the people might meet in the Town for convenience and then go some of them with Joshua unto Shilo as is most probable that they did From Shilo it was carried into the field of Aphek against the Philistins 1 Sam. 4.2 and being taken by them was carried first to Ashdod then to Ekron then to Gath 1 Sam. 5. thence returned to Kiriath-jearim 1 Sam. 6. to the house of Abinadab 1 Sam. 6. thence to the house of Obed-Edom 2 Sam. 6. thence to mount Sion in Jerusalem 2 Sam. 6. into a place prepared for it by David And from thence was solemnly introduced into and enthroned in the most holy place of the Temple built by Solomon 1 King 8.6 7. In the mean time whether occasionally or by advice the Tabernacle was removed from Shilo and that first place of the solemn Worship of God altogether deserted and made an example of what God would afterwards do unto the Temple when his Worship therein also was neglected and defiled Jer. 7.12 14.26.6 9. In the Temple of Solomon it continued either unto the captivity of Jeboiakim when Nebuchadnezzar took away all the goodly vessels of the house of the Lord 2 Chron. 36.10 or unto the captivity of Zedekiah when he carried away all the remaining vessels great and small v. 18. Of the Talmudical fable concerning the hiding of it by Josiah or Jeremiah with the addition of its supposed restoration at the last day in the second Book of Machabees I have spoken else-where Whether it were returned again with the vessels of the house of the Lord by Cyrus is uncertain If it were not it was an intimation that the Covenant made with that people was waxing old and hasting unto an expiration § 12 The things that accompanied this Ark in the most holy place were upon it the Mercy-seat on the ends of it two Cherubims The Mercy-seat as to its making form use and disposition is declared Exod. 25.17 it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cipporeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies to hide to cover to plaister over to shut to plaister with Bitumen or pitch In Pihel to expiate sin Exod. 30.10 Levit. 4.10 If the name of the Mercy-seat be taken from the word in Kal it signifies only Operimentum tegumentum tegmen a covering and so ought to be rendred If it be taken from the sense of the word in Pihel it retains the signification of Expiation and consequently of pardon and mercy So it is by ours rendred a Mercy-seat and that with respect unto the rendring of it by the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 9. as by the LXX in this place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Propitiatory placed on the Ark wherein what râ—spect was had to the Lord Christ the Apostle declares Rom. 3.25 and largely in our Epistle chap. 9. § 13 Its matter was of pure Gold and for its dimensions it was just as broad and long as the Ark whereon it was laid
which he did assume And this salves the Paralogism of Felbinger on this place which is that wherewith the Jews and Socinians perpetually intangle themselves Deus altissimus non potest salvâ majestate suâ ab aliquo haeres constitutus esse Filius Dei à Deo est haeres omnium constitutus ergo Filius Dei non est Deus altissimus God is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the High or most High God with reference to his Sovereign and Supreme exaltation over all his creatures as the next words in the place where that Title is given unto him do declare 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Possessor of heaven and earth Gen. 14.19 He is not termed Deus altissimus the most high God as though there were another Deus altus an high God that is not the Altissimus which is the sense of the Socinians This one Dâ—us altissimus most high God absolutely in respect of his Divine Nature cannot be appointed an Heir by any other But he who is so this High God as to be the eternal Son of the Father and made Man may in respect of the Office which in the nature of Man he undertook to discharge by his Father be made Heir of all II. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Heir 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a lot and a peculiar portion received by lot thence an inheritance which is a mans lot and portion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an inheritance under controversie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an heir to goods divided by lot or he that distributeth an inheritance to others by lot Absolutely an Heir So the Poet of the covetous Hermocrates 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He appointed himself his own heir in his last Will and Testament It hath also a more large signification 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he is in Plato whose turn it was to speak next Strictly it is the same with Haeres an Heir And an Heir is he Qui subentrat jus lâ—cum dominium rerum defuncti ac si eadem persona esseâ— Who entreth into the right place and title of him that is deceased as if he were the same person But yet the name of an Heir is not restrained in the Law to him that so succeeds a deceased person in which sense it can have no place here Haeredis nomen latiore significatione possessorem fidei Commissarium Legatarium comprehendit it comprehends a Possessor a Trustee and a Legatary so Spigelius This sense of the word takes off the Catachresis which must be supposed in the application of it unto the Son if it only denoted such an Heir as Abraham thought Eliezer would be to him Gen. 15.3 4. One that succeâ—ds into the right and goods of the deceased For the Father dieth not nor doth ever forego his own Title or Dominion Neither is the Title and right given to the Son as Mediator the same with that of God absolutely considered This is eternal natural coexistent with the being of all things that new created by grant and donation by whose erection and establishment the other is not at all impeached For whereas it is affirmed that the Father judgeth no man but hath comâ—itted all judgment to the Sâ—n Joh. 5.22 27 30. it respects not Title and Rule but actual Administration In the latter sense of the word as it denotes any rightful Possessor by Grant from another it is properly ascribed unto the Son and there are three things intended in this woâ—d 1. Title Dominion Lordship Haeres est qui herus for thence is the word and not from aere as Isidore supposeth The Heir is the Lord of that which he is heir unto So the Apostle Gal. 4.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Heir is Lord of all And in this sense is Christ called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first born Psal. 89.27 I will give him to be my first-born higher than or and high above the Kings of the earth Princeps Dominus Caput familiae the Pâ—ince Lord and Head of the family that hath right to the inheritance and distributes portions to others Hence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used for every thing that excelleth and hath the preheminence in its own kind Job 18.10 Isa. 14.30 Ezek. 47.12 So Col. 1.15 2. Possâ—ssion Christ is made actual Possessor of that which he hath Title unto As he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such a Possessor as comes to his possession by the surrender or grant of another God in respect of his Dominion is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the absolute Possâ—ssor of heaven and earth Gen. 14.22 Christ as a Mediator is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Possessor by grant And there was a suitableness that he that was the Son should thus be Heir Whence Chrysostome and Theophylact affirm that the words denote 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The propriety of his Sonship and the immutability of his Lordship Not that he was thus made Heir of all as he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the only begotten Son of the Father Joh. 1.14 But it was agreeable and consonant that he who was eternally 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and had on that account an absolute dominion over all with his Father becoming 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 8.29 the first-born amongst many brethren should have a delegated Heirship of all and be given to be the head over all unto the Churcâ— Ephes. 1.22 3. That he hath both this Title and Possession by Grant from the Father of which afterwards Christ then by vertue of a Grant from the Father is made Lord by a new Title and hath Possession given him according to his Title he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Heir III. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of all This is the object of the Hâ—irship of Christ his Inheritance The word may be taken in the Mâ—sculine gender and denote all persâ—ns all those of whom he had spoken before all the Revealers of the Will of God under the Old Testament the Son was the Lord over them all which is true but the word in the Neuter gender denotes all things absolutely and so it is in this place to be understood For 1. It is so used elsewhere to the same purpose 1 Cor. 15.27 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he hath subjected all things unto him So Rom. 9.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Who is God over all 2. This sense suits the Apostles Argument and addes a double force to his intention and design For 1. The Author of the Gospel being Heir and Lord of all things what ever the sovereign disposal of all those Rites and Ordinances of Worship about which the Jews contended must needs be in his hand to change and alter them as he saw good 2. He being the Heir and Lord of all things it was easie for them to conclude that if they intended to be made partakers of any good in heaven or earth in a way of love
Relation unto God in and through him they received by his means God gathering up all things to a consistency and permanency in him Ephes. 1.10 And hence also it became equal that the Rule and power over them should be committed unto him by whom although they were not like us recovered from ruine yet they were preserved from all danger of it So that in their subjection unto him consists their principal Honour and all their safety And as this act of God in appointing Christ Lord of Angels hath these equitable foundations so it hath also sundry glorious Ends. 1. It was as an addition unto that Glory that was set before him in his undertaking to redeem sinners A Kingdom was of old promised unto him and to render it exceedingly glorious the Rule and Scepter of it is extended not only to his Redeemed ones but to the holy Angels also and the sovereignty over them is granted him as a part of his Reward Phil. 2.8 9 10 11. Ephes. 1.20 21. 2. God hereby gathers up his whole family at first distinguished by the Law of their Creation into two especial kinds and then differenced and set at variance by Sin into one Body under one Head reducing them that originally were twain into one entire family Ephes. 1.10 In the fulness of time he gathered together in one all things in Christ both which are in heaven and which are in earth in him as was before declared Before this the Angels had no immediate created Head for themselves are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gods Psal. 97.7 1 Cor. 8.5 Who ever is the Head must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the God of Gods or Lord of Lords which Christ alone is and in him or under him as One Head is the whole Family of God united 3. The Church of Mankind militant on the earth whose conduct unto Eternal Glory is committed unto Christ stands in need of the ministery of Angels And therefore hath God granted Rule and Power over them unto him that nothing might be wanting to enable him to save unto the uttermost them that come unto God by him So God hath given him to be head over all things to the Church Ephes. 1.22 that he should with an absolute sovereignty use and dispose of all things to the benefit and advantage of the Church This is the first branch of the Lordship and Dominion of Christ according to the distribution of the severals of it before laid down He is Lord of Angels and they are all of them his servants the fellow-servants of them that have the testimony of Jesus And as some men do wilfully cast themselves by their Religious adoration of Angels under the curse of Canaan to be servants unto servants Gen. 8.25 so it is the great honour and priviledge of true believers that in their worship of Christ they are admitted into the society of an innumerable company of Angels Heb. 12.22 Rev. 15.11 13. for they are not ashamed to esteem them their fellow-servants whom their Lord and King is not ashamed to call his Brethren And herein consists our communion with them that we have one common Head and Lord and any intercourse with them but only on this account or any worship performed towards them breaks the bond of that communion and causeth us not to hold the Head Col. 2.19 The priviledge the safety and advantage of the Church from this subjection of Angels to its Head and Saviour are by many spoken unto II. There is another sort of Angels who by sin left their primitive station and fell off from God of whom their Sin Fall Malice Wrath Business Craft in evil and Final judgment the Scripture treateth at large These belong not indeed to the possession of Christ as he is the Heir but they belong unto his Dominion as he is a Lord. Though he be not a King and Head unto them yet he is a Judge and Ruler over them All things being given into his hand they also are subjected unto his power Now as under the former head I shall consider 1. The Right or Equity and 2. The End of this Authority of Christ over this second sort of the first Race of Intellectual Creatures the Angels that have sinned 1. As before this Right is founded in his Divine Nature by vertue whereof he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fit for this Dominion He made these Angels also and therefore as God hath an absolute Dominion over them The Creatures cannot cast off the Dominion of the Creator by rebellion though they may lose their moral Relation unto God as obedient creatures yet their natural as creatures cannot be dissolved God will be God still be his creatures never so wicked and if they obey not his Will they shall bear his Justice And this Dominion of Christ over faln Angels as God makes the grant of Rule over them to him as Mediator just and equal 2. The immediate and peculiar Foundation of his Right unto Rule over faln Angels rendring the special grant of it equal and righteous is Lawful Conquest This gives a special Right Gen. 48.22 Now that Christ should conquer faln Angels was promised from the foundation of the world Gen. 3.15 The seed of the woman the Messias was to break the Serpents head despoil him of his power and bring him into subjection which he performed accordingly Col. 2.15 He spoiled principalities and powers divested faln Angels of all that Title they had got to the world by the sin of man triumphing over them as Captives to be disposed of at his pleasure He stilled or made to cease as to his power this Enemy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and self-avenger Psal. 8.2 leading captivity captive Psal. 6.18 breaking in pieces the Head over the large earth Psal. 110.6 binding the strong man armed and spoiling his goods And the Scripture of the New Testament is full of instances as to his executing his Power and Authority over Evil Angels They take up a good part of the Historical Books of it Man having sinned by the instigation of Satan he was by the just Judgement of God delivered up unto his power Heb. 2.14 The Lord Christ undertaking to recover lost man from under his power by destroying his works 1 Joh. 3.8 and to bring them again into favour with God Satan with all his might sets himself to oppose him in his Work and failing in his enterprise being utterly conquered he became absolutely subjected unto him trodden under his feet and the prey he had taken delivered from him This is the next Foundation of the Authority of Christ over the Evil Angels He had a great Contest and War with them and that about the Glory of God his own Kingdom and the Eternal Salvation of the Elect prevailing absolutely against them he made a Conquest over them and they are put in subjection unto him for ever They are subjected unto him as to their present actings and future condition He now rules them and will
of the dead And 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the prolonged world or life eternal Principally with respect to the first distribution as also unto the duration of the whole world unto the last dispensation mentioned in the second doth the Apostle here call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the worlds Thus the Apostle having declared the Honour of the Son as Mediator in that he was made Heir of all adds thereunto his Excellency in himself from his eternal power and Godhead which he not only asserts but gives evidence unto by an Argument from the works of Creation And to avoid all streightning thoughts of this work he expresseth it in terms comprehending the whole Creation in that distribution whereunto it was usually cast by themselves As John contents not himself by affirming that he made all things but adds to that Assertion that without him nothing was made that was made Joh. 1.3 And this was of old the common faith of the Judaical Church That all things were made and all things disposed by the Word of God they all confessed Evident footsteps of this faith abide still in their Targums For that by the Word of God so often mentioned in them they did not understand the Word of his Power but an Hypostasis in the Divine Nature is manifest from the Personal Properties which are every where assigned unto it as the Word of God did this said that thought went and the like as Psal. 68.17 They affirm that Word which gave the Law on Mount Sinai to dwell in the highest heavens Yea and they say in Bereschit Rabba of those words Gen. 1.2 The Spirit of God moved on the face of the waters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this is the Spirit of the King Messiah by which they cannot deny but that all things were formed And the Apostle in this expression lets the Hebrews know that Jesus the Messiah was that Word of God by whom all things were made And so the influence of these words into his present Argument is manifest For the Son in whom the Father had now spoken to them and declared the Gospel being his Eternal Word by whom the world and all Ages were created there could be no question of his Authority to alter their ceremonious Worship which he himself had appointed for a season Before we pass to the next Verses we may mark out those Instructions which the words passed through afford us in common as to the abiding interest of all Believers The foundation of them is That the Lord Jesus Christ who is the great Prophet of his Church under the New Testament the only Revealer of the Will of the Father as the Son and Wisdom of God made the Worlds and all things contained in them And therein 1. We have an illustrious testimony given to the Eternal Godhead and Power of the Son of God for he who made all things is God as the Apostle else-where affirms And 2. Unto the Equity of his being made Heir Lord and Judge of all No creature can decline the Authority or wave the Tribunal of him that made them all And 3. A stable bottom of Faith Hope Contentment and Patience is administred unto the Saints in all dispensations He who is their Redeemer that bought them hath all that interest in all things wherein they are concerned that the Sovereign right of Creation can afford unto him besides that Grant which is made unto him for this very end that they might be disposed of to his own Glory in their good and advantage Isa. 54. v. 4 5. And 4. From this Order of things that Christ as the Eternal Son of God having made the worlds hath them and all things in them put under his power as Mediator and Head of the Church we may see what a subserviency to the interest of the Saints of the most High the whole Creation is laid and disposed in And 5. The way of obtaining a sanctified Interest in and use of the things of the Old Creation namely not to receive them meerly on the general account as made by the Son of God but on the more especial of their being granted unto him as Mediator of the Church And 6. How men on both these foundations are to be accountable for their use or abuse of the things of the first Creation But besides these particular Instances there is that which is more general and which we may a little insist upon from the Context and design of the Apostle in this whole discourse whose consideration will not again occur unto us and it is That God in infinite wisdom ordered all things in the first Creation so as that the whole of that work might be subservient to the glory of his grace in the new creation of all by Jesus Christ. By the Son he made the worlds in the beginning of time that in the fulness of time he might be the just Heir and Lord of all The Jews have a saying that the world was made for the Messiah which is thus far true that both it and all things in it were made disposed of and ordered in their Creation so as that God might be everlastingly glorified in the work which he was designed unto and which by him he had to accomplish I shall consider it only in the present instance namely that by the Son he made the worlds that he might be the proper Heir and Lord of them of which latter we shall treat more particularly on the ensuing words This was declared of Old where he was spoken of as the Wisdom of God by whom he wrought in the Creation and Production of all things Prov. 8.22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30. This Son or Wisdom of God declares at large 1. His Coexistence with his Father from Eternity before all or any of the visible or invisible Creation were by his Power brought forth v. 22 23 and so onward And then sets forth the Infinite Eternal and Ineffable Delight that was between him and his Father both before and also in the work of Creation v. 30. Farther he declares his presence and co-operation with him in the whole work of making the world and the several parts of it v. 27 28 29 30. which in other places is expressed as here by the Apostle that God by him made the worlds After which he declares the End of all this Dispensation namely that he might rejoyce in the habitable parts of the earth and his delight be with the sons of men to whom therefore he calls to hearken unto him that they may be blessed v. 31. to the end of the chapter that is that he might be meet to accomplish the work of their Redemption and bring them to Blessedness to the Glory of the Grace of God which work his heart was set upon and which he greatly delighted in Psal. 40.6 7 8. Hence the Apostle John in the beginning of his Gospel brings both the Creations together the first by the Eternal Word absolutely the other
He is as a Good so a glorious Master one that sits at the Right Hand of God 3. Great is the spiritual and eternal security of them that truly believe in Christ. Of all which severally afterwards Verse IV. THE design of the Apostle as we have now often shewed is to evince the necessity of abiding in the Doctrine of the Gospel from the Excellency of the Person by whom it pleased God to reveal it unto us This he hath done already in general in that Description which he hath given us of his Person Power Works Offices and Glory whereby he hath made it evident that no creature whom God was pleased at any time to make use of in the Revelation of his Will or the Institution of his Worship was any way to be compared with him Having proceeded thus far in general he descends now to the consideration of particular instances in all those whom God imploied in the Ministration of the Law and constitution of Mosaical Worship and takes occasion from them all to set forth the Dignity and incomparable Excellencies of the Lord Christ whom in all things he exalts First then he treateth concerning Angels as those who were the most glorious creatures imployed in the giving of the Law The Hebrews owned yea pleaded this in their own defence That besides the Mediation of Moses God used the Ministery of Angels in the giving of the Law and in other occasional instructions of their forefathers Some of them contend that the last of the Prophets was personally an Angel as the signification of his name imports Holy Stephen upbraiding them with their abuse and contempt of their greatest priviledges tells them that they received the Law by the disposition ordering or ministery of Angels Acts 7. v. 53. And the Targum interprets the Chariots of God with the thousands of Angels Psal. 68.18 19. of the Angels by whose ministery God taught Israel the Law This then might leave a special prejudice in their minds that the Law being so delivered by Angels must needs have therein the advantage above the Gospel and be therefore excellent and immutable To remove this prejudice also and further to declare the Excellency and Preheminence in all things of him who revealed the Gospel the Apostle takes occasion from what he had newly taught them concerning the Exaltation of Jesus Christ at the Right Hand of God to prove unto them out of the Scriptures of the Old Testament that he is exceedingly advanced and glorious above the Angels themselves whose concurrence in the Ministration of the Law they boasted in and to this purpose produceth four signal testimonies one after another This is the design of the Apostle which he pursues and makes out unto the end of this Chapter and that we may rightly conceive of his intention and the meaning of the Holy Ghost in the whole we shall before we consider his Proposition laid down in this fourth verse or the ensuing confirmations of it enquire in general what it is in Christ which he compareth with and preferreth above the Angels and wherein it is that he so exalts him The comparison entred on between the Lord Christ and Angels must be either with respect unto their Natures or unto their Dignity Office Power and Glory If the comparison be of Nature with Nature then it must be either in respect of the Divine or Humane Nature of Christ. If it should be of the Divine Nature of Christ with the Nature of Angels then it is not a comparison of Proportion as between two Natures agreeing in any general kind of being as do the nature of a man and a worm but a comparison only manifesting a Difference and distance without any Proportion So answereth Athanasius Orat. 2. and Arian But the truth is the Apostle hath no design to prove by Arguments and Testimonies the Excellency of the Divine Nature above the Angelical There was no need so to do nor do his Testimonies prove any such thing Besides speaking of Angels the other part of the comparison he treats not of their Nature but their Office Work and Employment with their honourable and glorious Condition therein Whereas therefore the Apostle produceth sundry Testimonies confirming the Deity of the Son he doth it not absolutely to prove the Divine Nature to be more excellent that the Angelica◠but only to manifest thereby the glorious condition of him who is partaker of it and consequently his Preheminence above Angels or the Equity that it should be so Neither is the comparison between the Humane Nature of Christ and the Nature of Angels For that absolutely considered and in it self is inferiour to the Angelical whence in regard of his Participation of it he is said to be made lower than the Angels chap. 2. The Apostle then treats of the Person of Christ God and Man who was appointed and designed of God the Father to be the Revealer of the Gospel and Mediator of the New Testament As such he is the subject of the ensuing general Proposition as such he was spoken of in the words immediately fore-going and concerning him as such are the ensuing testimonies to be interpreted even those which testifie his Divine Nature being produced to demonstrate the Excellency of his Person as vested with the Offices of the King Priest and Prophet of his Church the great Revealer of the will of God in the last days 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Syr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ipse tantum praestantior suit Bodesian and he was so much more excellent at tanto potior factus est Tremel And he is made so much more better at ipse toto excellit or as De Dieu at hoc totum excellit And he wholly excelleth or in all things he excelleth Vulg. tanto melior facius angelis the translation of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by melior is blamed by Erasmus Beza Vatablus and is generally deserted by the Expositors of the Roman Church And it is hard if not impossible to find melior in any good Author used in the sense that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is here and else-where constantly applied unto Ours render the word Better made better to avoid I believe a coincidence with that which they express 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by more excellent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is properly nobilior potentior praestantior excellentior more Powerful Able Excellent as to Love Honour or State and Condition as in that of Homer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Eustathius multo potentior more powerful able to prevail or more excellent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 factus effectus made was became 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 differentius different which is sometimes put absolutely for the best things or things far better than other things that differ the best things Make to differ to prefer make better 1 Cor. 4.7 Syr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 excellentius more excellent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
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
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the beginning And our Translation needed not to have used any difference of expression in the Psalm and this place of the Apostle as they do there of old here in the beginning Thou hast founded not laid the foundation of the earth And the heavens are the works 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the work which the Greek renders works because of their variety of thy hands They shall perish 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but thou shalt stand or dost abide The word used in our Translation of the Psalm endure doth ill answer the Original but the margin gives relief Psal. Yea all of them shall wax old like a garment here And they shall all wax old as doth a garment A little variety without difference and that needless the Greek Text exactly expressing the Hebrew And as a vesture shalt thou fold them up 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shalt thou change them The change of a vesture whereunto the change of the Heavens is compared being by folding up and laying aside at least from former use the Apostle instead of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou shalt change renders the word by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou shall fold or roll them up 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tu ipse and thou art he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and thy years shall have no end shall not fail 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall not consume There is no question but that these words do sufficiently prove the Preheminence of him of whom they are spoken incomparably above all Creatures what ever Two things therefore are questioned by the Enemies of the Truth contained in them 1. Whether they were originally spoken at all of Christ which the present Jews deny 2. Whether they are spoken all of Christ which is questioned by the Socinians These Enquiries being first satisfied the words shall be opened and the force of the Apostles Argument from thence declared 1. That what is spoken in this Psalm doth properly respect the Messiah is denied by the present Jews That it was owned by the antient Hebrews is sufficiently evident from hence that the Apostle dealing with them on their own Principles urgeth them with the testimony of it The Psalm also it self-gives us light enough into the same instruction It is partly Euctical partly Prophetical both parts suited unto the condition of the Church when the Temple was wasted and Sion lay in the dust during the Babylonish Captivity In the Prophetical part there are three things signal 1. The Redemption of the people with the Re-edification of the Temple as a Type of that Spiritual Temple and Worship which was afterwards to be erected As v. 13. Thou shalt arise and have mercy upon Sion for the time to favour her yea the set time is come And v. 16. When the Lord shall build Sion he shall appear in his glory 2. The Calling of the Gentiles to the Church and Worship of God v. 15. The Heathen shall fear the name of the Lord and all the Kings of the earth thy glory V. 21 22. To declare the name of the Lord in Sion and his praise in Jerusalem when the people are gathered together and the kingdoms to serve the Lord. 3. Hereby the creation of a new people a new world is brought in v. 18. This shall be written for the generation to come the world to come and the people that shall be created the new creation of Jews and Gentiles shall praise the Lord. These are the heads of the Prophetical part of the Psalm and they all respect things every where peculiarly assigned unto the Son who was to be incarnate or the days of the Messiah which is all one For 1. The Redemption and deliverance of the Church out of trouble is his proper work Where ever it is mentioned it is he who is intended Psal. 98.18 so signally Zech. 2.8 9 10 11 12 13. and other places innumerable 2. The bringing in of the Gentiles is acknowledged by all the Jews to respect the time of the Messiah it being he who was to be a light unto the Gentiles and the salvation of God unto the ends of the earth 3. Also the Generation to come and people to be created the Jews themselves interpret of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 world to come or the new state of the Church under the Messiah These two last put together the gathering of the people and the world to come created for the praise of God makes it evident that it is the Son whom the Psalmist hath respect unto Grotius in this place affirms that the Apostle accommodates unto the Messiah what was spoken of God And he thinks it a sufficient argument to prove the words were not spoken of the Messiah because they were spoken of God whereas they are produced by the Apostle to prove his Excellency from the properties and works of his Divine Nature And he addes as the sense of the words as accommodated unto Christ Thou hast laid the foundation of the earth that is the world was made for thy sake But this Interpretation or violent detortion of the words destroys it self For if they are spoken of God absolutely and not of the Messiah to whom they are accommodated how can it be said that the world was made for his sake and not by him both senses of the words cannot be true But this is indeed plainly to deny the Authority of the Apostle It appeareth then that many things in this Psalm are spoken directly and immediately of the Son though it be probable also that sundry things in it are affirmed distinctly of the Person of the Father And hence it may be are those frequent variations of speech from the Second to the Third Person that occur in this Psalm 2. As to the second Enquiry the Socinians who grant the Divine Authority of this Epistle and therefore cannot deny but that these words some way or other belong unto the Lord Christ yet plainly perceiving that if they are wholly understood of him that there is an end of all their Religion the creation not of a new but of that world which was made of old and which shall perish at the last day being here ascribed unto him fix here upon a new and peculiar Evasion Some words they say of this testimony belong unto Christ so much they will yield to the authority of the Apostle but not all of them whereby they hope to secure their own errour Now because if this pretence hold not this testimony is fatal to their perswasion I hope it will not be unacceptable if in our passage we do consider the distribution they make of the words according to their supposition and the Arguments they produce for the confirmation of their Exposition as they are managed by Crellius or Schlictingius in their Comment on this place 1. He says that this testimony doth so far belong unto Christ as it pertaineth unto the scope of the
they could by any means subduct themselves from under his Power or be delivered from his Wrath where would be his Glory where his Honour Here they reproach him blaspheme him despise him persecute him shall they escape and go free Shall they alwayes prosper What then would he do to his great name The Glory of Christ indispensibly requires that there be a season a day appointed for the Eternal Ruine of all his stubborn Adversaries 5. His Saints pray that it may be so and that both upon his account and their own Upon his that his Glory which is dearer to them than their lives may be vindicated and exalted their own that their Miseries may be ended that the Blood of their fellow servants may be revenged that the whole Church may be delivered and all Promises fulfilled Now he will not disappoint their Prayers nor frustrate their Expectations in any thing much less in those that are of so great importance He will avenge his Elect he will avenge them speedily 6. His Enemies deserve it unto the utmost so that as well his Justice as his Glory and Interest and People are concerned in their destruction In the most of them their Outrage against him is notorious and visible in the eyes of men and Angels in all of them there is a cruel old lasting Enmity and hatred which he will lay open and discover at the last day that all shall see the Righteousness of his Judgements against them God hath given him a Kingdom appointed him to reign they declare that he shall not do so and endeavour their utmost to keep him from his Throne and that with scorn despight and malice so that whilest God is Righteous and the Scepter of Christs Kingdom a Scepter of Righteousness themselves call aloud for their own Destruction The Vses of this Truth in the comfort of the Disciples of Christ against all fears despondencies and other effects of unbelief with the terror of wicked men are obvious and exposed unto all Verse XIV THe Apostle having proved the Preheminence of the Son as Mediator of the New Testament above all the Angels from those Attributions of Honour and Glory that are made unto him in the Scriptures the like whereunto are no where made or given unto Angels that he may not appear to argue meerly negatively from what is not said concerning them adds in this last Verse such a description of their Natures and Office or Work and Employment as shews that indeed no such thing can be rightly spoken or affirmed concerning them as he hath before manifested to be spoken and recorded concerning the Son Ver. 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There is no difference in the Reading nor much about the Translation of those words Are they not all ministring Spirits sent out to Minister to unto a Ministry for them that shall inherit salvation This was the common received Doctrine of the Church concerning Angels suitable unto the Scripture and to the purpose of the Apostle as manifesting their dis-interest in the Glory before ascribed unto the Son Sundry things are here expressed concerning Angels which we must briefly pass through the Consideration of As 1. Their Nature They are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ruchoth Spirits Spiritual subsistences not Qualities or Natural Faculties as the Sadduces imagined and which by an Homonomy of the Name Maimonides More Nebuch p. 2. cap. 3. admits also to be Angels but falsly and without Authority from Scripture or Reason This is their Nature this the Hebrews acknowledge so to be they are Created Spirits not to be compared with or equalled unto him that made and created all things 2. Their Office They are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ministring Spirits So are they termed Psal. 103.21 Praise the Lord all his Hosts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 LXX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his Ministers doing his will Hence in general the Jews call them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ministers and among other Titles assign this unto God that he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Creator of Ministring Spirits or Angels And expresly in the Talmud they are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as more frequently by the Rabbins in the Hebrew Dialect 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Angels of Ministry above whom that the Messiah was to be we have formerly shewed from themselves Now what kind of Office or Ministry it is that is ascribed unto them the Word it self doth in part declare 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to Minister principally about holy things Nor is it above once applyed unto any other Ministry And such a Ministry it signifies as is performed with Honour and Ease and is opposed unto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is to Minister with Labour and Burden So the Ministry of the Levites in bearing the Burden of the Tabernacle is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Ministry with Labour Numb 8. When the more easie and honourable Employment which was attended by them who by reason of their Age were exempted from bearing of burdens is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v. 16. and Deut. 18.7 Such is the Ministry of Angels It is in and about holy things and unto themselves honourable and easie And this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is rendered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which expresseth some times such a general Ministry as compâ—izeth the whole Service and Worship of the Church Acts 13.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as they ministred unto the Lord that is attended unto the performance of all the Duties of the Church This then in general is the Office of the Angels they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ministring Spirits that wait on God in and about his Holy Services for the good of the Church which also in the like manner ministreth unto God in its own state and condition And hence it is that the Church and they do make up one Family Ephes. 4.15 and that they are all fellow-servants in the same Family with them that keep the Testimony of Jesus Rev. 22.9 And this some of the latter Jews have retained the Tradition of Whence is that of Maimonides More Nebuch part 2. cap. 6. which he citeth out of the Talmud 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The holy blessed God dâ—â—h nothing unless he consult with his superiour family Only not knowing the rise of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nor what it should signifie he tells us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that in the Greek Tongue it signifies an Host whereas it is purely the Latine familia without the least alteration And the description of this superiour part of the Family of God is given us Dan. 7.10 Thousand thousands did minister unto him and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him In which words Pseudo-Dionysius Gregory and Aquinas with sundry of the School-men have coined a distinction of Angels into ministrantes those that minister unto God and assistentes those that stand before him Whereas the whole intendment of the expression is
quality Whence also it appears 3. That Angelical motions communicate no strength power or ability unto men to act do or perform the Good which they guide and direct unto Only they provoke and stir up men to act and exert the strength which they have in the duties that they are minded of But the Holy Ghost in his motions doth really communicate spiritual Grace strength and power unto the faculties of the soul enabling them unto a right performance of the duties proposed unto them And 4. Whereas Angelical impressions are transient and abide not at all in themselves but only in the Effects which the Mind warned and excited by them doth produce there is a constant abiding effectual Work of the Holy Ghost in the hearts of Believers enabling them to will and to do according unto his good pleasure And this is a second part of the Ministry of Angels in particular the benefit whereof we are oftner made partakers of than perhaps we are aware And these motions which are an Effect of their Ministry the Sadducees of old took to be Angels denying all spiritual subsistences from whom they should proceed 3. God sends forth his Angels unto this Ministry for the good of Believers to preserve them from many dangers and ruinous casualties that would otherwise befall them Much of the Design of Psal. 91. is to acquaint us therewithal for though the charge of Angels is expressed only in ver 11. 12. yet as the Expression there of keeping us in all our wayes that we stumble not is comprehensive of all the Dangers which we are or may be exposed unto so the same work of theirs respects all the evils and casualties enumerated in the beginning of the Psalm And to this purpose also is it said that the Angel of the Lord encampeth about them that fear him as they did about Elisha of old namely to preserve them from the Dangers that they are exposed unto Nor is this impeached by the observations of the Evils Troubles Calamities and miseries that befall the people of God for God hath not given his Angels a Commission to act ad ultimum virium to the utmost of their strength viis modis for the preservation of his but only to act according to his especial Good Pleasure and this they alwayes do Now it is the Will of God that his Saints should be exercised with various troubles and calamities for the trial of their Faith and Obedience But yet in the ordering and management of these calamitous Accidents or troubles they have no less benefit by the Ministry of Angels than they have in respect of those from which they are preserved by them For inasmuch as they also are designed and ordered for their Good their exposing to them in their seasons supportment under them during their continuance and deliverance from them in the appointed time thereof are all signal mercies which they receive by the Ministry of Angels 4. By this Ministry of Angels doth God in particular preserve us from the suddain and violent incursions of Satan Satan in the Scripture is called a Serpent from his subtilty and lying in wait to do mischief and a Lyon from his rage and fury and spoiling from his lurking places And as the one and the other he continually seeks the harm mischief and ruine of the whole man not only of our souls in sin and desert of punishment but of our bodies in our lives health and welfare Hence we find so many in the Gospel troubled with bodily infirmities from the assaults and impressions of Satan And what he prevails to do against any one that he is continually attempting against all the whole seed of Abraham Hereunto also belong all those hurtful Terrors Affrightments and Surprizals which he endeavoureth by himself and his Agents to cast upon us Had he his Liberty he would make our whole Lives to be filled with Disappointments Horrors vain Fear and perplexities if he could proceed no farther Now in all these designs it is more probable that he is prevented by the Ministry of Angels We find in the first of Job that in all the Devils walks in the earth for the executing of his malice the Angels still observe him and are ready to answer him when he comes with his Accusations against the Saints into the presence of the Lord. And hereon depends the safety and security of our lives without which Satan would by all means continually attempt to fill them with Terrors Vexations Losses and Troubles Not one of us should escape him any better than Job did when God for a season suspended his Protection over his Relations Possessions and Enjoyments 5. They are in their Ministry appointed to be Witnesses of the Obedience Sufferings and Worship of the Disciples of Christ that they may give Testimony unto them before God and in the great Assembly of the last day so glorifying God for the Grace bestowed upon them and the assistance afforded unto them Thus Paul tells us that the Apostles in their Preaching and Sufferings were made a spectacle unto Angels 1 Cor. 4.9 The Holy Angels of God looked on rejoycing to behold how gloriously they acquitted themselves in the work and Ministry committed unto them And to this end doth he charge Timothy before the elect Angels to look unto and discharge aright the Work of an Evangelist 1 Tim. 5.21 because they were appointed of God to be Witnesses of his faithfulness and diligence therein And it is not improbable but he hath respect unto the presence of Angels in the assemblies of the Saints for the Worship of God where he enjoyns Modesty and Sobriety unto Women in them on their account 1 Cor. 11.10 And from that particular instance a general Rule may be drawn for the Observation of Comeliness and Order in all our Assemblies namely from the presence of these holy Witnesses at all our solemn Worship For Church-Assemblies are the Court the dwelling place the Throne of Jesus Christ and therefore in them he is in an especial manner attended by these glorious Ministers of his presence And therefore although an holy regard unto God and our Lord Jesus Christ himself be the first and principal motive unto a right and holy acquitment of our selves in all our Obedience Sufferings and Worship yet in subordination thereunto we may have also respect unto the Angels as those who are employed by him to be Witnesses of our wayes and carriage Such a respect I mean as may administer Occasion unto them to glorifie God in Christ on our behalf that so all the Honour may finally redound unto him alone 6. God useth the Ministry of Angels to avenge his Elect of their enemies and Persecutors to render unto them a Recompence and Vengeance even in this world in the due and appointed season Thus by an Angel he destroyed the Army of Sennacherib when he intended and threatned the destruction of Jerusalem And by an Angel he smote Herod in the midst of his
not put in subjection unto Angels in its Erection or Institution That work was not committed unto them as the Apostle declares in the entrance of this Epistle They did not reveal the Will of God concerning it nor were intrusted with Authority to erect it Some of them indeed were employed in messages about its preparatory work but they were not employed either to reveal the mysteries of it wherewith they were unacquainted nor authoritatively in the Name of God to erect it For the Wisdom of God in the nature and mystery of this work they knew not but by the effects in the work it self Ephes. 3.9 10. which they looked and enquired into to learn and admire 1 Pet. 1.12 and therefore could not be intrusted with authority for its Revelation and the building of the Church thereon But things were otherwise of old The Law which was the foundation of the Judaical Church-state was given by the Disposition of Angels Acts 7.53 Gal. 3.19 And our Apostle here calls it the Word spoken by Angels They were therefore intrusted by God to give the Law and the Ordinances of it unto the people in his Name and Authority which being the foundation of the Mosaical Church-state it was so far put in subjection unto them Secondly It is not put in subjection unto Angels as to the Rule and disposal of it being erected Their Office in this world is a Ministery chap. 1.13 not a Rule or Dominion Rule in or over the Church they have none but are brought into a co-ordination of service with them that have the testimony of Jesus Rev. 19.10 chap. 22.9 being equally with us subjected unto him in whom they and we are gathered into one head Ephes. 1.10 And from their ministerial presence in the Congregations of Believers doth our Apostle press women unto modesty and sobriety in their habit and deportment 1 Cor. 11.10 And the Church of old had an apprehension of this truth of the presence of an Angel or Angels in their Assemblies but so as to preside in them Hence is that caution relating to the Worship of God Eccles. 5.5 6. Better it is that thou shouldst not vow than thou shouldest vow and not pay suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin neither say thou before the Angel that it was an errour why should God be angry at thy voice and destroy the work of thine hands By vowing and not paying a man brought upon his flesh that is himself and his posterity a guilt not to be taken away with excuses of haste or precipitation made unto the Angel presiding in their Worship to take an account of its due performance It is true the absolute sovereign power over the Church of old was in the Son of God alone but an especial immediate power over it was committed unto Angels And hence was the Name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God Judge Mighty One communicated unto them namely from their Authority over the Church that Name expressing the Authority of God when unto him ascribed And because of this their acting in the Name and representing the Authority of God the Saints of old had an apprehension that upon their seeing of an Angel they should die from that saying of God that none should see his face and live Exod. 33.20 So Manoah expresly Judg. 13.22 He knew that it was an Angel which appeared unto him and yet says to his wife We shall surely die because we have seen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Angel vested with the Authority of God And hence it is not unlikely but that there might be a respect or Worship due unto the Angels under the Old Testament which themselves declare not to be meet for them under the New Rev. 19. not that they are degraded from any Excellency or Priviledge which before they enjoyed but that the Worshippers under the New Testament through their Relation unto Christ and the Exaltation of their nature in his Person are delivered from that under-age estate wherein they differed not from servants Gal. 4.1 and are advanced into an equality of liberty with the Angels themselves Heb. 12.24 25. Ephes. 1.10 chap. 3.14 15. As amongst men there may be a respect due from an inferiour to a superiour which may cease when he is advanced into the same condition with the other though the superiour be not at all abased And to this day the Jews contend that Angels are to be adored with some kind of Adoration though they expresly deny that they are to be invocated or prayed unto Furthermore about their Power and Authority in the disposal of the outward concernments of the Church of old much more might be declared from the Visions of Zechary and Daniel with their works in the two great typical deliverances of it from Aegypt and Babylon But we must not here insist on particulars Thirdly as to the power of judging and rewarding at the last day it is openly manifest that God hath not put this world to come in subjection unto Angels but unto Jesus alone This then is the main Proposition that the Apostle proceeds upon in his present Argument The most glorious effect of the Wisdom Power and Grace of God and that wherein all our spiritual concernments here are enwrapped consists in that blessed Church state with the eternal consequences of it which having been promised from the foundation of the world was now to be erected in the days of the Messiah That you may saith he no more cleave unto your old institutions because given out unto you by Angels nor hearken after such works of wonder and terrour as attended their Disposition of the Law in the Wilderness consider that this world so long expected and desired this blessed estate is not on any account made subject unto Angels or committed unto their disposal the Honour thereof being entirely reserved for another Having thus fixed the true and proper sense of this verse we may stop here a little to consult the Observations that it offers for our own instruction Many things in particular might be hence educed but I shall insist on one only which is comprehensive of the design of the Apostle and it is That This is the great priviledge of the Church of the Gospel that in the things of the Worship of God it is made subject unto and immediately depends upon the Lord Jesus Christ and not any other Angels or Men. That this is the priviledge thereof and that it is a great and blessed priviledge will both appear in our consideration of what it is and wherein it doth consist And among many other things these ensuing are contained therein 1. That the Lord Christ is our Head So it was promised of old that their King should pass before them and the Lord on the head of them Mic. 2.13 He shall be their King Head and Ruler God hath now gathered all things all the things of his Church into an Head in Christ Ephes. 1.10 They were all scattered and
disordered by sin but are now all recollected and brought into order under one Head Him hath he given to be Head over all things unto the Church verse 22. The whole Sovereignty over all the whole Creation that is committed unto him is only for this end that he may be the more perfect and glorious Head to the Church He is that Head on which the whole body hath its orderly and regular dependance Ephes. 4.15 16. The head of the body the Church Col. 1.18 The head of every man that is of every believer 1 Cor. 11.3 Ephes. 5.23 And this is every where proposed both as our great Honour and our great Advantage To be united unto him subjected unto him as our Head gives us both honour and safety What greater honour can we have than to be free-men of that Corporation whereof he is the Head than to be subjects of his Kingdom What greater safety than to be united unto him insâ—parably who is in Glory invested with all Power and Authority over the whole Creation of God every thing that may do us good or evil 2. That he is our only Head The Church is so put in subjection unto the Lord Christ as not to be subject unto any other It is true the Members of the Church as men on the earth have other Relations in respect whereof they are or may be subject one to another Children unto Parents Servants unto Masters People unto Rulers but as they are Members of the Church they are subject unto Christ and none other If any other were or might be an Head unto them they must be Angels or men As for Angels we have it here plainly testified that the Church is not made subject in any thing unto them And amongst men the Apostles of all others might seem to lay the justest claim to this Priviledge and Honor. But they openly disclaim any pretence thereunto So doth Paul 2 Cor. 1.24 We have no Dominion Rule Lordship Headship over your faith any thing that concerns your obedience to God and your Worship but are helpers of your joy And again saith he We preach not our selves but Jesus Christ the Lâ—rd the only Lord and our selves your servants for Jesus sake 2 Cor. 4.5 And Peter as it should seem foreseeing that some who should come after would pretend unto such Preheminence warns the Elders that they should not think themselves Lords over Gods heritage 1 Pet. 5.3 And this they did in pursuit of the instructions and charge which their Lord and Master gave them Matth. 23.25 26 27. where he warns them that they should neither think of Dignity nor Dominion over the Church but apply themselves with all Humility unto the service of it for which he else-where addes his reason namely that all his Disciples have one Lord and Master and no more Joh. 13.13 Matth. 23.9 10. And it is a woful confusion that the Papists run themselves into in this matter For first they put the whole Church into subjection unto a man whom they call the Pope the common Father and Master of Christians the Head of the Church and then subject both him and it unto Angels in the Adoration and Invocation of them the greatest subjection possible when the Scripture assigneth one only Head of the Church expresly even the Lord Jesus and fully declares that it is not put in subjection unto Angels at all But to pass them by the Lord Christ is not only thus the only Head in general unto the whole Church but also unto every individual Believer in the Church The Head of every man is Christ 1 Cor. 11.3 He is so to every believer respectively and severally and that in both those senses wherein he is an Head that is according to the natural and metaphorical use of the word For 1. He is the only Head of Vital Influence to the whole Church and every member thereof As from the natural Head all influences of life for subsistence motion acting guidance and direction are communicated unto the whole body and to every member thereof so from the Lord Christ alone as he is the spiritually vital Head of the Church in whom are the springs of life and all quickning grace there are communicated unto the whole Church and every believer therein both the first quickning vital principle of life it self and all succeeding supplies and influences of grace for the enlivening strengthning acting guiding and directing of them This himself declares by comparing the Relations of all believers unto him unto that of branches unto the Vine Joh. 15.2 4. which have no life but by vertue of their union unto the Vine nor sap for fruitfulness but what is derived therefrom which he teacheth expresly verse 5. Without me saith he ye can do nothing And this the Apostle lively sets out unto us in the similitude of the natural body Col. 2.19 And this placing of all fulness in the Lord Christ as the Head of the Church that thence the whole and every member of it might derive needful supplies to themselves is fully taught us in the Gospel Hence the Church is called the fulness of Christ Ephes. 1.2 3. or that whereunto Christ communicates of his All-fulness of Grace until it comes unto the measure or degree of growth and perfection which he hath graciously assigned unto it And none I suppose will contend but that the Lord Christ is the alone and only Head of the Church in this sense It hath not a spiritual dependance on any other for grace There is indeed I know not what monster lies in the Opinion of them who take upon themselves to confer grace unto others by vertue of such things as they do unto them or for them but this we do not now consider If any man think he may have grace from any but Christ alone be they Angels or men let him turn himself unto them but withall know assuredly that he forsakes the Fountain of living waters for broken cisterns which will yield him no relief 2. He is the only Head of Rule and Government unto the whole Church and every member thereof This Rule or Government of the Church concerneth all that Obedience which it yields unto God in his Worship And unto an Head herein it is required that he give perfect Rules and Laws for all things necessarily belonging thereunto and to take care that they be observed And here a great contest ariseth in the world The Papists in behalf of their Pope and others under him contend to be sharers with the Lord Christ in this his Headship and fain they would perswade us that he himself hath appointed that so it should be The Scripture tells us that he was faithful in the whole house of God as was Moses and that as a Lord over his own house to erect rule and establish it and himself when he gives commission unto his Apostles bids them to teach men to do and observe all that he had commanded them And accordingly they
consideration of previously unto his Application of this Testimony in a peculiar manner unto Jesus v. 8. We sâ—e not all things Now there is not any thing absolutely necessary to make good the Apostles Reasoning but what is comprized in these two general Assertions which lye evident in the Text and are acknowledged by all We shall therefore distinctly consider the Testimony it self The whole of it consists in a Contemplation of the Infinite Love and Condescension of God towards man which is set out 1. In the manner of the expressing it 2. In and by the words of the Expression 3. In the Acts of the Mind and Will of God wherein that Condescension and Grace consisted and 4. In the Effects thereof in his dispensation towards him First In the manner of the Expression What is man by way of Admiration yea he cryes out with a kind of astonishment The immediate Occasion hereof is omitted by the Apostle as not pertinent unto his purpose but it is evident in the Psalm David having exercised his thoughts in the contemplation of the Greatness Power Wisdom and Glory of God manifesting themselves in his mighty works especially the Beauty Order Majesty and usefulness of the Heavens and those glorious bodies which in them present themselves to all the world falls thereon into this Admiration that this great and infinitely Wise God who by the word of his mouth gave Being and Existence unto all those things and thereby made his own Exellencies conspicuous to all the world should condescend unto that Care and Regard of man which on this occasion his thoughts fixed themselves upon What is man saith he And this is or should be the great Vse of all our Contemplation of the works of God namely that considering his Wisdom and Power in them we should learn to admire his Love and Grace in setting his heart upon us who are every way so unworthy seeing he might for ever satisfie himself in those other appearingly more glorious products of his Power and Godhead Secondly He farther expresseth his Admiration at this Condescension of God in the words that he useth intimating the Low and mean Estate of man in his own nature 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what is poor miserable mortal man obnoxious to Grief Sorrow Anxiety Pain Trouble and Death 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but the Greeks have no name for man fully expressing that here used by the Psalmist 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cometh nearest it but is not used in the Scripture He adds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Son of man of one made of the earth This name the Apostle alludes to yea expresseth 1 Cor. 15.45 47. The first man Adam is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of the earth earthly So was it recorded of old Gen. 2.7 The Lord God formed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That man Adam which was the Father of us all of the dust of the ground and so again Gen. 3.19 Poor man made of the dust of the ground When the Scripture would express Man with reference unto any thing of Worth or Excellency in him it calls him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are Sons of men in Place Power and esteem So these words are distinguished Psalm 62.9 where we translate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sons of Adam men of low degree and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sons of Ish men of high degree Now the Psalmist useth this expression to heighten his Admiration at the Grace and Condescension of God And as the Person of the first Adam cannot be here especially intended For although he made himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a miserable man and subject unto death yet was he not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Son of man of any man for he was of God Luke 3. ult So there is nothing in the words but may properly be ascribed unto the nature of man in the Person of the Messiah For as he was called in an especial manner 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Son of man so was he made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a man subject to sorrow and acquainted above all men with grief and trouble and was born on purpose to dye Hence in the contemplation of his own miserable condition wherein unto the Dolorous afflicting Passions of Humane Nature which he had in himself outward Oppositions and Reproaches were superadded he cryes out concerning himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal. 22.7 I am a worm and not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a man of any consideration in the world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at best Thirdly He expresseth this Condescension of God in the Affections and acting of his mind towards man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that thou remembrest him or art mindfull of him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that thou shouldst be mindful of him To Remember in the Scripture when ascribed unto God alwayes intends some Act of his mind and Purpose of his Will and that either for good or evil towards them that are remembred in a signal manner So also is Remembrance it self used On this account God is said sometimes to remember us for good and sometimes to remember our sins no more So that it denotes the Affection of the mind of God towards any creature for Good or Evil attended with the Purpose of his Will to act towards them accordingly In the first way it is here used and so also by Job Chap. 7.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What is man that thou shouldst magnifie him that thou shouldst set thine heart upon him That is Remember him or be mindful of him set thine heart upon him for Good The frame of the heart and mind of God towards the Nature of man in the Person of Jesus Christ in reference unto all the Good that he did in it and by it is intended in this Expression The whole Councel and Purpose of God concerning the salvation of mankind in and by the Humiliation Exaltation and whole Mediation of the man Christ Jesus is couched herein Fourthly There are in this Condescension the Effects of this Act of Gods Mind and Will in remembring of man And they are expressed 1. Under one General head and 2. In Particular Instances of them First The general effect of Gods remembring man is that he visiteth him As the same word is used in Job in the place before mentioned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though variously used yet it constantly denotes the acting of a supâ—riour towards an inferiour And though it be often otherwise used yet commonly it expresseth the acting of God towards his people for good And in especial is this term of visiting used to express the acting of of God in doing of us good by sending of Jesus Christ to take our nature on him Luke 1.68 He hath visited and redeemed his people And to the same purpose v. 78. The day spring from on high hath visited us both relating to the acting of God towards us in the Person of his Son incarnate So Chap. 7.16
from thence doth he proceed to the consideration of his condescension in his regard and love to man v. 4. And to direct us in this duty with the Psalmist we may observe First That the Works of God those especially which were the peculiar subject of his Meditation the heavenly bodies which we behold are indeed in themselves exceedingly glorious Their Frame Greatness Beauty Order Course Usefulness all speak them admirable and glorious The naked view of them is enough to fill the mind of man with Admiration and Astonishment And the more we contemplate on them the more skilful are we in the consideration of their Nature Order and Use the more excellent do they appear unto us and yet it is the least part of their Greatness and beautiful disposition that we can attain a certain knowledge of So that still they remain more the objects of our Admiration and wonder than of our Science Hence the wisest among the Heathen who were destitute of the teachings of the Word and Spirit of God did with one consent ascribe of old a Deity unto them and worshipped them as Gods yea the very name of God in the Greek Language 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is taken from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to run which they derived from the constant course of the heavenly bodies They saw with their Eyes how glorious they were they found out by Reason their Greatness and dreadful motion Experience taught them their Use as the immediate fountains of Light Warmth Heat Moysture and so consequently of Life Growth and all useful things It may be they had some Tradition of that Rule and Dominion which was at first allotted unto the Sun and Moon over day and night Gen. 1.16 On these and the like accounts having lost the knowledge of the true and only God they knew not so well whither to turn themselves for a Deity as to those things which they saw so full of Glory and which they found to be of so universal a communicative Goodness and usefulness And in them did all Idolatry in the world begin And it was betimes in the world as we see in Job where it is mentioned and condemned Chap. 31.26 27. If I beheld the Sun when it shined or the Moon walking in brightness and my heart hath been secretly enticed or my mouth hath kissed my hand he condemns the Idolatry but yet withall shews that the Lustre Brightness and Glory of those heavenly lights had a great influence on the hearts of men to entice them unto a secret Adoration which would break out into outward Worship whereof salutation by kissing the hand was one part and act And therefore God cautions his people against this Temptation Deut. 4.19 Lest thou lift up thine eyes up unto Heaven and where thou seest the Sun and the Moon and the Stars even all the Host of Heaven shouldst be driven to worship them which the Lord thy God hath divided unto all Nations under the whole Heaven If men forget the true God and then lift up their eyes unto or fall into the contemplation of the Heavenly Bodies such is their Glory Majesty and Excellency that they will be driven and hurried unto the Adoration and Worship of them And so universal was this folly of old that from those latter words which the Lord thy God hath divided unto all Nations the Jews affirm that God hath given the Sun Moon and Stars to be the Deities of the Gentiles for them to worship But the distribution there mentioned is as unto their common use unto all Nations and not as to their Veneration nor is God the Author of Idolatry as they blasphemously imagine But this their Glory and Excellency lead them unto And when any of them ascended higher to apprehend living intelligent Spirits for their Deities they yet conceived at least that they had their glorious Habitation in the Heavenly Bodies Yea and some Christians have fallen into vain imaginations from a false Translation of the latter end of the fourth Verse of Psalm 19. by the LXX and the Vulgar Latin who read the words he hath placed his Tabernacle in the Sun instead of he hath set in them that is in the Heavens a Tabernacle for the Sun as the words are plain in the Original What should I mention the madness of the Manichees who affirmed that Christ himself was gone into if not turned into the Sun I name these things only to shew what Influence upon the minds of men destitute of the Word the Glory and Excellency of these heavenly bodies hath had And what inestimable Grace God sheweth unto us in the benefit of his Word for we are the posterity of them and by nature not one jot wiser than they who worshipped these things which are not God But exceeding glorious works of God they are and the more we consider them the more will their Glory and Greatness appear unto us And as the children of Israel said of the Sons of Anah we were before them in our own sight as Grashoppers and so we were in their sight May we not much more say concerning our selves compared with these Glorious Works of the hands of God we are all but as Grashoppers in comparison of them and whence is it that God should set his heart upon us Secondly These glorious works of God do indeed shew the infinite Glory of him that made them This is the use that men should have made of their Contemplation of them and not have chosen them for their Gods as they did when their foolish hearts were darkened and they waxed vain in their imaginations This use the Psalmist here makes of them and this the Scripture every where directs us unto This David brings them in Preaching unto all the world Psal. 19.1 2 3 4 5 6. They have a Voice they speak aloud unto all the world and by their Beauty Greatness Order Usefulness they make known the incomprehensible glory of him that made them The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which may be known of God is manifest in them saith Paul Rom. 1.19 And what is that even his Eternal Power and Godhead v. 20. That is his infinite Power Alsufficiency and self-subsistence These things are clearly seen in them Being all made and created by him in their season doth it not manifest that he was before them from Eternity and that existing without them in perfect blessedness And that he hath made them so beautiful so glorious so excellent and that out of nothing doth it not declare his infinite Power Wisdom and Goodness Do they not all lead us to the contemplation of his Infinite Excellencies And whence is it that he who made all these things of nothing should have such regard to the weak frail nature of man But that this consideration may be the more effectual let us take a little weak view of some of those Excellencies of the Nature of God which his works declare and which set an especial lustre on his
Person in respect of his Divine Nature wherein he is and was God over all blessed for ever He did not so become man as to cease to be God Though he drew a vail over his infinite Glory yet he parted not with it He who calls us Brethren who suffered for us who died for us was God still in all these things The condescension of Christ in this respect the Apostle in an especial manner insists upon and improves Phil. 2.5 6 7 8 9 10 11. That he who in himself is thus over all eternally blessed holy powerful should take us poor worms of the earth into this Relation with himself and avow us for his brethren as it is not easie to be believed so it is for ever to be admired And these are some of the heads of that distance which is between Christ and us Notwithstanding his participation of the same nature with us yet such was his love unto us such his constancy in the pursuit of the design and purpose of his Father in bringing many sons unto glory that he over-looks as it were them all and is not ashamed to call us brethren And if he will do this because he is of one with us because a foundation of this relation is laid in his participation of our nature how much more will he continue so to do when he hath perfected this Relation by the communication of his Spirit And this is a ground of unspeakable consolation unto Believers with supportment in every condition No unworthiness in them no misery upon them shall ever hinder the Lord Christ from owning them and open avowing them to be his Brethren He is a Brother born for the day of trouble a Redeemer for the fâ—iendless and fatherless Let their miseries be what they will he will be ashamed of none but of them who are ashamed of him and his ways when persecuted and reproached A little while will clear up great mistakes all the world shall see at the last day whom Christ will own and it will be a great surprisal when men shall hear him call them brethren whom they hate and esteem as the off-scouring of all things He doth it indeed already by his Word but they will not attend thereunto But at the last day they shall both see and hear whether they will or no. And herein I say lies the great consolation of Believers The world rejects them it may be their own Relations despise them they are persecuted hated reproached but the Lord Christ is not ashamed of them He will not pass by them because they are poor and in rags it may be reckoned as he himself was for them among malefactors They may see also the Wisdom Grace and Love of God in this matter His great design in the Incarnation of his Son was to bring him into that condition wherein he might naturally care for them as their Brother that he might not be ashamed of them but be sensible of their wants their state and condition in all things and so be always ready and meet to relieve them Let the World now take its course and the men thereof do their worst let Sathan rage and the powers of hell be stirred up against them let them load them with reproaches and scorn and cover them all over with the filth and dirt of their false imputations let them bring them into rags into dungeons unto death Christ comes in the midst of all this confusion and says Surely these are my Brethren the children of my Father and he becomes their Saviour And this is a stable foundation of comfort and supportment in every condition And are we not taught our duty also herein namely not to be ashamed of him or his Gospel or any one that bears his image The Lord Christ is now himself in that condition that even the worst of men esteem it an honour to own him when indeed they are no less ashamed of him than they would have been when he was carrying his Cross upon his shoulders or hanging upon the tree For every thing that he hath in this world they are ashamed his Gospel his Ways his Worship his Spirit his Saints they are all of them the objects of their scorn and in these things it is that the Lord Christ may be truly honoured or be despised For those thoughts which men have of his present glory abstracting from these things he is not concerned in them they are all exercised about an imaginary Christ that is inconcerned in the Word and Spirit of the Lord Jesus These are the things when we are not to be ashamed of him See Rom. 1.16 2 Tim. 1.16 chap. 4.16 That which remaineth of these Verses consisteth in the testimonies which the Apostle produceth out of the Old Testament in the confirmation of what he had taught and asserted And two things are to be considered concerning them the end for which they are produced and the especial importance of the words contained in them The first he mentions is from Psal. 22.22 I will declare thy name unto my brethren in the midst of the congregation will I sing praise unto thee The end why the Apostle produceth this testimony is to confirm what he had said immediately before namely that with respect unto his being one with the children Christ owns them for his brethren for this he doth expresly in this place And we are to take notice that the Apostle in the use of these testimonies doth not observe any order so that one of them should confirm one part and another part of his assertion in the order wherein he had laid them down it sufficeth him that his whole intendment in all the parts of it is confirmed in and by them all one having a more especial respect unto one part than another In this first it is clear that he proves what he had immediately before affirmed namely that the Lord Christ owns the children for his brethren because of their common interest in the same nature And there needs nothing to evince the pertinency of this testimony but only to shew that it is the Messiah which speaketh in that Psalm and whose words these are which we have done fully already in our Prolegomena For the Explication of the words themselves we may consider the two-fold Acâ—or Duty that the Lord Christ takes upon himself in them first that he will declare the Name of God unto his brethren and secondly that he would celebrate him with praises in the congregation In the former we must enquire what is meant by the Name of God and then how it is or was declared by Jesus Christ. This expression the Name of God is variously used Sometimes it denotes the Being of God God himself sometimes his Attributes his Excellencies or Divine Perfections some one or more of them As it is proposed unto sinners as an object for their Faith Trust and Love it denotes in an especial manner his Love Grace and Goodness that in himself he
is good gracious and merciful Isa. 50.10 And withall it intimates what God requires of them towards whom he is so good and gracious This Name of God is unknown to men by nature so is the way and means whereby he will communicate his Goodness and Grace unto them And this is the Name of God here intended which the Lord Jesus manifested unto the men given him out of the world Joh. 17.5 which is the same with his declaring the Father whom no man hath seen at any time Joh. 1.18 This is that Name of God which the Lord Jesus Christ had experience of in his sufferings and the manifestation whereof unto his Brethren he had procured thereby Hereof he says in the Psalm 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will declare it recount it in order number the particulars that belong unto it and so distinctly and evidently make it known 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will make it known as a messenger sent from thee and by thee And there are two ways whereby the Lord Christ declared this Name of God 1. In his own Person and that both before and after his sufferings for although it be mentioned here as a work that ensued his death yet is it not exclusive of his teachings before his suffering because they also were built upon the supposition thereof Thus in the dayes of his flesh he instructed his Disciples and preached the Gospel in the Synagogues of the Jews and in the Temple declaring the name of God unto them So also after his Resurrection he conferred with his Apostles about the Kingdom of God Acts 1. 2. By his Spirit and that both in the Effusion of it upon his Disciples enabling them personally to preach the Gospel unto the men of their own generation and in the Inspiration of some of them enabling them to commit the Truth unto writing for the Instruction of the Elect unto the end of the world And herein doth the Apostle according unto his wonted manner not only confirm what he had before delivered but make way for what he had farther to instruct the Hebrews in namely the Prophetical Office of Christ as he is the great Revealer of the Will of God and Teacher of the Church which he professedly insists upon in the beginning of the next Chapter In the second part of this first Testimony is declared farther 1 What Christ will moreover do He will sing praises unto God and 2. Where he will do it in the midst of the Congregation The Expression of both these is accommodated unto the Declaration of Gods Name and praising of him in the Temple The singing of Hymns of praise unto God in the great Congregation was then a principal part of his Worship And in the first Expression two things are observable 1. What Christ undertakes to do and that is to praise God Now this is only Exegetical of what went before He would praise God by declaring his name There is no way whereby the Praise of God may be celebrated like that of declaring his Grace Goodness and love unto men whereby they may be won to believe and trust in him whence Glory redounds unto him 2. The chearfulness and alacrity of the Spirit of Christ in this work he would do it as with Joy and Singing with such a frame of heart as was required in them who were to sing the praises of God in the great Assemblies in the Temple 2. Where would he do this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the midst of the Congregation the great Congregation as he calls it v. 25. that is the great Assembly of the people in the Temple And this was a Type of the whole Church of the Elect under the New Testament The Lord Christ in his own Person by his Spirit in his Apostles and his Word by all his Messengers unto the end of the world setting forth the Love Grace Goodness and Mercy of God in him the Mediator sets forth the praise of God in the midst of the Congregation I shall only add that whereas singing of hymns unto God was an especial part of the Instituted Worship under the Old Testament to whose use these Expressions are accommodated it is evident that the Lord Christ hath eminently set forth this praise of God in his Institution of Worship under the New Testament wherein God will ever be glorified and praised This was that which the Lord Christ engaged to do upon the Issue of his sufferings and we mâ—y propose it unto our Example and Instruction namely V. That which was principally in the heart of Christ upon his sufferings was to declare and manifest the Love Grace and Good will of God unto men that they might come to an Acquaintance with him and Acceptance before him There are two things in the Psalm and the words that manifest how much this was upon the heart of Christ. The most part of the Psalm containeth the great conflâ—ct that he had with his sufferings and the Displeasure of God against sin declared therein He is no sooner delivered from thence but instantly he engageth in this work As he lands upon the shore from that Tempest wherein he was tossed in his Passion he cryes out I will declare thy name unto my brethren in the midst of the Congregation will I sing praise unto thee And thus we find that upon his Resurrection he did not immediately ascend into glory but first declared the name of God unto his Apostles and Disciples and then took order that by them it should be declared and published to all the world This was upon his Spirit and he entered not into his glorious Rest untill he had performed it The words themselves also do evidence it in that Expression of celebrating Gods name with hymns with singing It was a joy of heart unto him to be engaged in this work Singing is the frame 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 James 5.13 of them that are in a glad free rejoycing condition So was the Lord Christ in this work He rejoyced of old with the very thoughts of this work Prov. 8.30 31. Isa. 61.1 2 3. And it was one of the glorious Promises that were made unto him upon his undertaking the work of our Salvation that he should declare or preach the Gospel and the name of God therein unto the Conversion of Jews and Gentiles Isa. 49.1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10. He rejoyced therefore greatly to do it and that First Because herein consisted the Manifestation and Exaltation of the glory of God which he principally in his whole work aimed at He came to do the will and thereby to set forth the glory of the Father By and in him God designed to make his glory known the glory of his Love and Grace in sending him the glory of his Justice and faithfulness in his sufferings the glory of his Mercy in the Reconciliation and Pardon of sinners the glory of his Wisdom in the whole Mysterie of his Mediation and the glory together
had somewhat of his own to offer unto God other Priests had somewhat to offer but nothing of their own only they offered up the beasts that were brought unto them by the people But the Lord Christ had a Body and Soul of his own prepared for him to offer which was properly his own and at his own disposal chap. 10.5 3. He alone was set over the whole spiritual House of God the whole Family of God in heaven and earth This belongs unto the Office of a High Priest to preside in and over the House of God to look to the rule and disposal of all things therein Now the Priests of old were as unto this part of their Office confined unto the material House or Temple of God but Jesus Christ was set over the whole spiritual House of God to rule and dispose of it chap. 3.6 4. He alone abides for ever The true and real High Priest was not to minister for one Age or Generation only but for the whole people of God unto the end of the world And this Prerogative of the Priesthood of Christ the Apostle insists upon chap. 7.23 24. 5. He alone did and could do the true and proper work of a Priest namely make reconciliation for the sins of the people The Sacrifices of other Priests could only represent what was to be done the thing it self they could not effect for it was not possible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sin as the Apostle shews chap. 10.4 but this was done effectually by that one offering which this High Priest offered verse 11 12 13 14. All which things must be afterwards insisted on in their proper places if God permit This then is his Prerogative this is our priviledge and advantage II. The assumption of our nature and his conformity unto us therein was principally necessary unto the Lord Jesus on the account of his being an High Priest for us It behoved him to be made like unto us that he might be an High Priest it is true that as the great Prophet of his Church he did in part teach and instruct it whilst he was in the flesh in his own Person but this was in a manner a meer consequence of his assuming our nature to be our High Priest For he instructed his Church before and after principally by his Spirit And this he might have done to the full though he had never been incarnate So also might he have ruled it with supreme Power as its King and Head But our High Priest without the assumption of our nature he could not be because without this he had nothing to offer and of necessity saith the Apostle he must have somewhat to offer unto God A Priest without a Sacrifice is as a King without a Subject Had not God prepared him a body he could have had nothing to offer He was to have a self to offer to God or his Priesthood had been in vain For God had shewed that no other Sacrifice would be accepted or was effectual for that end which was designed unto this Office On this therefore is laid the indispensible necessity of the Incarnation of Christ. III. Such was the unspeakable love of Christ unto the Brethren than he would refuse nothing no condition that was needful to fit him for the discharge of the work which he hâ—d undertaken for them Their High Priest he must be this he could not unless he were made like unto them in all things He knew what this would cost him what trouble sorrow suffering in that conformity unto them he must undergo what miseries he must conflict withall all his life what a close was to be put unto his pilgrimage on the earth what woful temptations he was to pass through all lay open and naked before him But such was his Love shadowed out unto us by that of Jacâ—b to Rachel that he was content to submit unto any terms to undergo any condition so that he might save and enjoy his beloved Church See Ephes. 5.25 26. And surely he who was so intense in his love is no less constant therein Nor hath he left any thing undone that was needful to bring us unto God But we are yet farther to proceed with our explication of the words The Apostle having asserted the Priesthood of Christ describes in the fifth place the nature of the Office it self as it was vested in him and this he doth two ways 1. By a general description of the Object of it or that which it is exercised about 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the things appertaining unto God 2. In a particular instance taken from the end of his Priesthood and the great work that he performed thereby to make reconciliation for the sins of the people First He was to be an High Priest in the things pertaining unto God that is either in things that were to be done for God with men as the Apostle speaks We are Ambassadors for Christ as though God did beseech you by us 2 Cor. 5.20 Or in things that were to be done with God for men For there were two general parts of the Office of the High Priest the one to preside in the House and over the Worship of God to do the things of God with men This the Prophet assigns unto Joshua the High Priest an especial Type of Christ Zech. 3.7 Thus saith the Lord of hosts If thou wilt walk in my ways and if thou wilt keep my charge then thou shalt also judge my house and thou shalt also keep my courts And of Christ himself even he shall build the Temple of the Lord and he shall bear the glory and shall sit and rule upon his throne and he shall be a priest upon his throne chap. 6.13 that is the High Priest of our profession chap. 3.1 He was set authoritatively over the House of God to take care that the whole Worship of it were performed according unto his appointment and to declare his Statutes and Ordinances unto the people And in this sense the Lord Christ is also the High Priest of his Church 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 feeding and ruling them in the Name and Authority of God Mich. 5.4 Yet this is not that part of his Office which is here intended by the Apostle The other part of the High Priests Office was to perform the things toward God which on the part of the people were to be performed So Jethro adviseth Moses Exod. 18.19 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Be thou unto the people before God which words the LXX render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the phrase here used by the Apostle Be thou unto the people in things appertaining unto God And this was the principal part of the Office and Duty of the High Priest the other being only a consequent thereof And that it was so as to the Office of Christ the Apostle manifests in the especial limitation which he adjoyns unto this general assertion he was an High