am well pleased and then at his Transfiguration Matth. 17.5 Behold a voice out of the cloud which said This is my beloved Son The Apostle 1 Joh. 5.7 8. speaks of the Witness of Heaven and of Earth There are three that bear record in heaven the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost and these three are one And there are three that bear witness in earth the Spirit and the Water and the Blood and these three agree in one Now what is the thing which they bear witness to 't is Christ's Sonship for that is instanc'd in as to the First and Supream Witness Vers 9. If we receive the witness of men the witness of God is greater For this is the witness of God which he hath testified af his Son You see how fully this Truth is attested and how abundantly God was pleas'd to clear it up in the first promulgation of the Gospel it being the great thing necessary to be known and believed Indeed the Jews as to the Body of them had a vail before their eyes so that they could not discern this near relation of Christ to God they saw the Son of man but they did not see the Son of God they went no higher than * Matth. 13.55 56. Is not this the Carpenters Son is not his mother called Mary and his brethren James and Joses and Simon and Judas and his sisters are they not all with us * Joh. 6.42 Is not this Jesus the Son of Joseph whose Father and Mother we know how is it then that he saith I came down from heaven Nay when Christ plainly and boldly told them that he was the Son of God they could not bear it Joh. 10.33 For a good work we stone thee not but for blasphemy and because that thou being a man makest thy self God you may know what they meant by this by Christ's reply Vers 36. Say ye of him whom the Father hath sanctified and sent into the world Thou blasphemest because I said I am the Son of God Nay they were so offended at it that for this very thing they took away his life Joh. 19.7 The Jews answered him we have a Law and by our Law he ought to die because he made himself the Son of God You have a full account of it Mark 14.61 to 65. Again the High Priest asked him and said unto him Art thou the Christ the Son of the Blessed And Jesus said I am c. Then the High Priest rent his cloaths and said What need we any further witnesses Ye have heard the blasphemy what think ye and they all condemned him to be guilty of death Thus the eyes of that people were then and O that they were not so still so blinded that they could not perceive Christ to be the Son of God but the Lord hath given sufficient evidence thereof to all who do not willfully shut their eyes upon the light 'T is a Truth out of all question to us who are called Christians yet about the Nature and Manner of Christ's Sonship there are some unhappy Controversies rais'd amongst us 2. Secondly Christ was God's own Son so 't is here signanter God sending hîs own Son I have told you in the Original 't is * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Son of himself or his ‖ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 proper Son as 't is Vers 32. God is Christ's proper Father 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Joh. 5.18 and Christ here is God's proper Son 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He is not barely a Son but a Son in a special and peculiar manner God's own Son This being a Truth of very high import a most Fundamental Point I will endeavour first to explain and prove it and then to vindicate and make good its true and genuine Notion against Opposers Our Lord Jesus Christ is God's own Son whether you consider him comparatively and relatively I mean How Christ is God's own Son in reference to other Sons or absolutely as he is in Himself abstractly considered from all Other Sons God hath three sorts of Sons By Creation by Grace by Nature 1. Consider him Comparatively And so he is thus stiled to difference or distinguish him from all Other Sons For God hath three sorts of Sons 1. Some are so by Creation or in respect of their immediate Creation by God so the Angels are the Sons of God of whom Divines commonly interpret those passages in Job Chap. 1.6 There was a day when the Sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord Chap. 38.7 When the morning Stars sang together and all the Sons of God shouted for joy So Adam upon this account he being immediately made by God is called the Son of God Luke 3.38 2. Some are the Sons of God by Grace viz. the Grace of Regeneration and Adoption thus Believers are the Sons of God as they are spiritually begotten of him and adopted by him Joh. 1.12 13. As many as received him to them gave he power to become the Sons of God c. which were born not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God Jam. 1.18 Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth c. Gal. 4.3 To redeem them that were under the Law that we might receive the adoption of Sons Eph. 1.5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of Chrildren by Jesus Christ to himself according to the good pleasure of his will Rom. 8.14 As many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the Sons of God Gal. 3.26 Ye are all the Children of God by Faith in Christ Jesus 1 Joh. 5.1 Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him Then 3. in contradistinction to these there is God's own Son or his Son by Nature one that is a Son of another rank and Order than the former in this respect God hath but One Son namely Christ True Believers are his Sons which speaks the exuberancy of Divine Love towards them * 1 Joh. 3.1 â—â— Behold what manner of Love the Father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the Sons of God! therefore Christ owns them for his Brethren Heb. 2.11 Both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren and Vers 17. In all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren But yet they are not Sons as Christ is his Sonship and theirs are of a very different nature differing no less than specifically Upon which account he sometimes appropriates the paternal relation in God unto himself Luke 10.22 All things are delivered to me of my Father c. Joh. 14.2 In my Fathers house are many mansions And elsewhere he distinguishes 'twixt God as being his Father and as being the Father of Believers Joh. 20.17 Go to
very mysterious Nature but the greatest mystery of all is that there should be such a mystery I mean that there should be such a thing for such poor creatures O consider you who sometimes were * Eph. 2.13 a far off even you are made nigh not only by Christ but to Christ you who were so far from being in Christ that you were even * 1 Joh. 5.19 in the wicked one and in him you did lie even as the carnal world doth yet you are now under a blessed conjunction with Christ You who by nature * Rom. 11.17 were grafted into the wild Olive are now grafted into and made partakers of the root and fatness of the Olive tree O incomparable transcendent mercy That so great a person as Christ the * Joh. 3.16 only begotten Son of God * Rom. 9.5 God blessed forever * Heb. 1.3 the brightness of his Fathers glory should stoop so low as to be made one with dust and ashes that you who are no better than worms which crawl on the earth should be joyned to so glorious an Head that he who did at first assume your Nature into so near an union with himself should afterwards take your Persons also and mystically unite them to his own person that it should not only be * Matth. 1.23 God with you but God in you and you in God O how will you be able in some suitable manner to bless God and Christ for such unconceivable astonishing Love as this is This being in Christ as a limb and part of him here on earth will certainly bear a great share in your highest thanksgivings and Hallelujahs when you shall be with him in Heaven To get the Vnion more cleared up 2. Endeavour after a further clearness in this Vnion This I would urge 1. With respect to the Nature of the thing 2. With respect to your Personal interest in it First get the thing it self more and more cleared up that your knowledge of it may be more full and more distinct Some further Head knowledge about it would not be amiss It 's a mystery that very mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations but 't is now made manifest to the Saints to whom God hath made known the riches of the glory of this mystery which is Christ in you the Hope of Glory as the Apostle sets it forth Col. 1.27 now is it a mystery which hath been hid so long but is now revealed in the Gospel and shall we not labour after a clearer light about it It being a priviledge that is common to all Believers there being also such a revelation of it 't is to be lamented that it is no better understood by us 'T is true in this life we cannot hope fully to comprehend it yet we might know much more of it than generally we do Paul speaks of * Eph. 3.19 the love of Christ as passing knowledge and yet he prayed for the Ephesians that they might know it i.e. that they might know as much of it as was possible though all could not be known the same I say concerning the Mystical Vnion But chiefly In the Second place labour to be more clear as to your personal interest in it Are not many of God's people very much in the dark about this often questioning with themselves whether they be in Christ or not Is it better with you have you assurance of your spiritual conjunction with Christ As you value your comfort your inward settledness and establishment take pains after this assurance so as that with the Apostles evidence and confidence you may be able to say * 1 Joh. 5.20 we are in him that is true Could you but once arrive at this how great would your rejoycing be I have told you 't is a sad thing for a man to get no higher than a peradventure with respect to Non-condemnation now the assurance of that depends upon the assurance of Vnion The Apostle would have Christians know distinctly how the case stands with them in reference to their being in Christ and Christ's being in them 2 Cor. 13.5 Prove your own selves know ye not your own selves how that Christ is in you except ye be Reprobates In order to this assurance you must pray much for the Spirit 's witness for that Spirit which promotes it doth also discover and give the evidence of it The objective evidence you may have in your selves viz. Grace in the heart the new Creature Faith c. but the subjective evidence you will not have till the Spirit by a divine irradiation doth make out the thing to you To maintain the Vnion 3. Are you in Christ O maintain and keep up your Vnion with him this is the abiding in him which he himself speaks so much of Joh. 15.4 Abide in me and I in you so v. 5 6 7 't is not enough to be in Christ unless you abide in him You 'le say is not the Union indissoluble that which shall never cease I answer yes it is so yet you may do that which may tend to the dissolving of it though through Grace it shall not actually dissolve it and you may do that which may utterly deprive you of the sense and evidence and comfort of it though the thing it self shall remain firm and sure it concerns you therefore upon these accounts to be very careful Wherein why do not sin willingly and knowingly against God and do not abate in your constant and fervent performance of duty for these things strike at the Union at the untying of that knot which God hath tyed so fast And if it should once come to that what would become of you No sooner is the branch broken off from the root but it immediately withers and dyes could you imagine a Believer to be broken off from Christ but for one moment what a withering dying person would he be O Sirs your life strength fruitfulness comfort your all is in Christ and secured by your Union with him if that should fail all would fail do nothing therefore to endanger it Joh. 15.4 As the branch cannot bear fruit of it self except it abide in the vine no more can ye except ye abide in me v. 5. he that abideth in me and I in him the same bringeth forth much fruit for without me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seorsim à me separated from me so Beza renders the word ye can do nothing So long as you preserve your Union you 'l be strong strong to do and strong to suffer but if you once make a breach upon that you 'l be no better than Sampson when his * Judg. 16.19 strength was departed from him what is the cutting off the hair to divulsion and separation from the head 4. Improve your Vnion with Christ To improve it Are you in him you should always be drawing and deriving from him So the member doth from the head and
Jesus is as much as (b) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Occumenius Lex Spiritus vitae i. e. gubernatio Spiritus vitalis quem suppeditat Christus non solum admonens nos exemplo mortis suae ad charitatis opera perficienda sed etiam operans illam in cordibus nostris Oecolamp by Christ Jesus the Spirit is given and doth work as a regenerating Spirit or the Spirit of life according to the will and good pleasure of Christ 4. (c) In Christo Jesu quia non datur nisi his qui sunt in Christo Jesu Aquin. As this Spirit is given onely to those who are in Christ Men out of Christ have nothing to do with it his Members are onely its Temples without the Spirit there 's no Vnion and without the Vnion there 's no Spirit As the Member doth not participate of the Animal Spirit but as 't is united to the Head so a man doth not participate of the blessed quickening Spirit of God but as he is united to Christ but these things will be more largely insisted upon when I come to the ninth and tenth Verses Now the Words which I am opening mainly point to this what is it which is in Christ Jesus why 't is the Spirit it self therefore (d) Placet supplementum qui ut referatur ad Spiritum in Graeco subaudiatur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasi scriptum sit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Piscat So Erasm Some also would have an Article inserted here to make the reference to the Spirit more clear thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3. Then as to the Third and Last thing the Law of the Spirit that too is in Christ Jesus Thus that mighty power which the Spirit at any time doth exert in the work of Regeneration it is conveyed to a person and doth take hold of him in Christ Jesus that is in and through Christ viz. as this effectual Operation of the Spirit is grounded upon Christ's purchase and is put forth in pursuance of Christ's redeeming love This is a truth which might be largely opened but I fear I have been too long already upon the clearing up of this Branch of the Text And yet I cannot omit to tell you that there 's One reference more which * Quamquam nihil vetat quin illa verba 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 construantur cum verba sequente 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Piscat in Schol. Some do mention as this in Christ Jesus may refer to and be joyned with the Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath made free Then the Sense would be this 't is by Christ that Saints are made free from Sin and Death whatever spiritual freedome Believers have they owe it all to Christ he hath the great hand in it as the Efficient and meritorious Cause thereof But this I 'le pass by because though it be a thing unquestionably true yet the generally received pointing of the Words will not admit it to be here intended I have now finished the Explicatory part the difficulty of the Words and the different Expositions put upon them all of which may be useful though all are not so pertinent and proper must be my Excuse for my being so redious and prolix upon it Having given you their proper sense and monning I should next draw out those Doctrinal Truths which are contained in them but that I shall not do at present Onely there 's One of them which I shall mention and briefly close with How the Spirit of God is the Spirit of Life 't is this The Holy and Blessed Spirit is the Spirit of Life so he is here expresly stiled the Law of the Spirit of Life Which Words are applied to the Witnesses Rev. 11.11 where 't is said of them that the Spirit of Life from God entred upon them but yet know though 't is the same words yet 't is not the same sense For by the Spirit of Life as applied to the Witnesses nothing is meant but their civil living again in their restunration to their former Power Office Liberties of Service c. but when 't is applied to the Great Spirit of God it carries a quite other and much higher sense in it What 's that why it notes his living in himself and also his being the Cause of Life to the Creature He 's the Spirit of Life 1. Formally 2. Effectively or Causally A few words to each 1. First as to the Formal Notion The Spirit of God is the Spirit of Life as he is a living Spirit as he lives in himself or hath life in himself For as the Father hath life in himself and hath given to the Son to have life in himself Joh 5.26 so the Spirit hath life in himself also And 't is not an ordinary or common life which the Spirit lives but 't is the self same life which the Father and the Son do live he being truly God lives the same increated infinite independent blessed life which the two Other Persons do * Genitivus Hebraico more pro Epitheto ponitur Calvin Est Genitivus Epitheti loco Estius Expositors generally observe that Life when 't is here joyned with the Spirit is not to be taken Substantive but Adjective 't is according to the Hebrew I diome where when two Substantives are put together the Latter of which is in the Genitive Case that is to be rendred as an Adjective or as an Epithete of the Former as the Bread of life is living bread the Water of life is living water the Glory of Grace is glorious Grace c. so here the Spirit of life is the living Spirit Theophylact joyning this Life with the Law going before saith this is spoken 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if the Law of Life was set in opposition to the Law of Sin and Death but Life is not to be joyned with the Law but with the Spirit himself 2. Secondly the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of life Effectively or Causally He is a quickening a life-bestowing or life-working Spirit in the Creature he makes Sinners to live and is the spring of that heavenly and supernatural life which is in the gracious Soul As he hath life in Himself so he communicates it to Others he is not onely a living Spirit but he is also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a quickening Spirit And this is One of his great acts namely to quicken he 's the Spirit of * 2 Cor. 3.17 liberty and he 's also the Spirit of life he 's a teaching inlightning convincing strengthening comforting purifying Spirit and he 's also an enlivening and quickening Spirit And as the Father and the Son live in themselves and quicken * Joh. 5.21 whom they will so the Holy Ghost too hath life in himself and quickens whom he will as he is said to divide gifts to every one severally even as he will 1 Cor. 12.11 The Spirit is * Oecumen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the
hard as that the power of the Son of God cannot effect it and what can be so high as that the Obedience of the Son of God cannot merit it Had Christ been only the Son of Man then indeed Faith could not have bore up with such confidence but he being the Son of God also and having the Nature Essence Attributes of God how may Faith triumph as to the efficacy and meritoriousness of his obedience 'T was the blood of God which he shed Acts 20.28 O what a greatness and * Superest ut poena illa Fidejussoris nostri pretio dignitate atque merito foret infinita id quod allter fieri non potuit quam si Persona patiens foret ipsa infinita Nam ut Pèccati c. Vid. Thes Salmur de Christo Mediat parte 1. th 13. p. 246. infiniteness of Merit must needs result from the greatness and infiniteness of such a Person Heb. 9.13 14. If the blood of Bulls and of Goats and the ashes of an Heifer sprinkling the unclean sanctifieth to the purifying of the Flesh How much more shall the blood of Christ who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God purge your Conscience from dead works to serve the Living God 4. You may go boldly to the throne of Grace upon all occasions For you have God's own Son to lead you thither and to make way for you and not only so but this own Son improves all his interest in and with the Father for your good why are you afraid to go to God Heb. 4.14 16. Seeing then that we have a great High Priest that is passed into the heavens Jesus the Son of God c. let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of Grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need 5. You need not in the least question the prevalency of Christ's intercession Doth Christ intercede and shall he not prevail will not the Father hear such a Son Suppose he may deny you which he will not yet surely he will not deny his own and onely Son Christ upon this relation may ask any thing and he shall have it mark the connexion Psal 2.7 I will declare the decree the Lord hath said unto me thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee what follows now upon this why Vers 8. Ask of me and I shall give thee the Heathen for thine inheritance and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession God thinks nothing too much for this Son when he asks it of him and 't is the same when he asks for you as when he asks for himself therefore fear not but that your Prayers shall be graciously answered Christ himself interceding for you when the Kings own Son carrys the Petition doubtless it shall be granted 6. This is the Person to whom you are mystically united and therefore his Glory and Greatness reflects a Glory and Greatness upon you You are in Christ not only as he is the Son of Man but as he is the Son of God also for the Vnion is terminated not in this or that Nature but in the whole Person the Apostle therefore takes special notice of this 1 Joh. 5.20 We know that the Son of God is come and hath given us an understanding that we may know him that is true and we are in him that is true even in his Son Jesus Christ O to be in this Son there 's the glory and safety of a believer I have done with this high and most Evangelical Truth The Lord Jesus is God's own Son upon which I have been somewhat large partly because of the excellency of the Argument it self and partly because of the great opposition made against it 2 Joh. 3. Grace be with you mercy and peace from God the Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ the Son of the Father in truth and love ROM 8.3 c. In the likeness of sinful Flesh CHAP. XII Of Christ's Incarnation and abasement in Flesh A Fourth General in the Words handled Why the Apostle is so express in the further adding of these Words to the former Five things laid down for the explication of them Flesh not taken here in the same sense with Flesh in what went before A double Synecdoche in the word Flesh Christ did not bring Flesh from Heaven with him but assum'd it here on Earth His sending in Flesh was not his taking a meer humane shape c. Likeness to be joyn'd not with Flesh but with sinful Flesh Two Propositions rais'd from the Words Of the First that Christ was sent in Flesh What his sending in Flesh imports this opened more strictly and more largely Of Marcion and Others who denied the verity of Christ's Incarnation and Body That proved as to both as also the verity of his whole Manhood Of his having a true Soul Of his submitting to the common adjuncts and infirmities of Flesh How the Humane Nature in Christ and in us differ His Incarnation not impossible not incredible The Reasons of it 1. That the Old-Testament Prophecies Promises Types might thereby receive their accomplishment 2. That Christ might be qualified for his Office as Mediator and the work of Redemption 3. Because it was the fittest and the best way in order to the redeeming of man Seven Propositions laid down for the due stating and opening of Christ's Incarnation As 1. That Christ who before was the eternal Son of God and had a praevious existence was made Flesh this made good against the SOCINIANS 2. That the Second Person only was incarnate 3. That this was not done till the fulness of time 4. That 't was not the divine Essence absolutely considered which assumed Flesh but that Essence considered as subsisting in the Second Person 5. That the Nature assuming was the Divine Nature 6. That the Humane Nature was so assum'd as to subsist in the Divine and that both of these Natures make but one Person where the Hypostatical Union is opened and prov'd 7. 'T is probable that if Adam had not fallen Christ had not been sent in the Flesh Of the Second Proposition That Christ was sent in the likeness yet but in the likeness of sinful Flesh Of the Sanctity of Christ's Humane Nature The Grounds thereof Use 1. To inform 1. Of the excellency of the Gospel and of the Christian Religion As also 2. Of the excellency of Christ's Flesh or Manhood Use 2. Wherein several Duty 's are urged upon Christians as namely 1. To give a full and firm assent to the Truth of Christ's Incarnation and also firmly to adhere to Christ as having assumed our Flesh where something is spoken against those who make little of a Christ in Flesh but are all for a Christ within 2. To be much in the study and contemplation of Christ incarnate 3. To adore the Mystery it self and also the Father and the Son in the Mystery 4. To endeavour after the powerful influence of it
upon Heart and Life So as 1. To be humble 2. Not to give way to Sin 3. Especially not to those sins which do more directly disparage and debase the Humane Nature 4. To love God and Christ 5. To be willing to do to suffer to be abased for Christ 6. To labour after a participation of the Divine Nature 7. To be highly thankful both for the Thing it self and also for the revelation of it Use 3. Of Comfort As 1. Christ in Flesh must needs be un effectual way for promoting God's Glory and the Sinners Good 2. In this God hath given out a very high demonstration of his Love 3. By this all the Promises are seal'd and all the great things of Faith and Hope made sure and credible Particularly 1. The Mystical Union 2. Communion with God Christ's special presence the inhabitation of the Spirit 3. The Communications of Grace from God 4. Our Sonship to God 5. The Resurrection of our Bodies 6. The Future Glory 4. God is now knowable and accessible 5. The Humane Nature highly dignify'd and advanc'd 6. Christ upon this is the more compassionate 7. There are few troubles of Conscience wherein this may not afford matter of ease and relief The Fourth General in the Words THis branch of the Words contains a Fourth Head in it which comes next to be opened Our Apostle having spoken of God's sending his own Son he goes on to shew in what manner he sent him and as to that he saith God sent him in the likeness of sinful flesh Here 's nothing in the Text but Wonders but the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the great things of God! the further we go the deeper the Waters are and still new matter offers it self to heighten our admiration 't was wonderful that God should send such a Son but that he should send such a Son in such a manner in Flesh yea in the likeness of sinful Flesh this is yet more wonderful O Christian stay alittle pause upon these Words get thy thoughts up thy heart elevated in the contemplation of what is here set before thee and then read one Why this Branch is added to what goes before In my entrance upon them it may be enquired why the Apostle is so particular and so express in this matter * Nonne satis erat dicere mittens Filium suum Hoc ipso verbo declaratum non fuisset istud magnum mysterium scituque dignissimum quomodo videlicet peccatum peccati damnavit Omnipotens similitudine â—arnis peccati peccatores à peccato liberans c. Corn. Mussus had it not been enough for him to have said God sent his own Son and so to have broke off but he must also add that God sent him in the likeness c To which I answer there was great reason for this amplification for the Apostle being here treating of such great mysteries of such high and glorious discoveries of the Wisdom Grace Love of God towards lost Sinners he thought in these he could not be too full or too express and he being to set down in a little room the whole model and platform of mans Salvation the good Spirit of God directed him to put in enough both for the setting forth of God's admirable Love Mercy c. and also for the encouragement of the Believers Faith with respect to the certainty compleatness and fulness of his Salvation Now Christ's incarnation and abasement in Man's Nature being so pertinent and proper and so necessary as to both of these ends therefore our Apostle will not pass that over without a particular mentioning of it And elsewhere you find him when he had spoken of Christ's mission presently to subjoyn Christ's incarnation also as Gal. 4.4 When the fulness of time was come God sent his Son made of a woman c. 'T was not only God's sending of Christ but his so sending of him viz. in Flesh yea in the likeness of sinful Flesh which puts such an emphasis and accent upon his own Grace and which doth give such full assurance to poor Creatures that they shall be effectually redeem'd and sav'd Upon these Considerations therefore besides the admirableness of the thing in it self Paul when he is upon such an Argument might very well superadde this to what preceded and he 's not satisfied with the once mentioning of it in the general but he repeats it and more particularly shows what use God made of Christ's Flesh or what good did by that redound to us for sin he condemned sin in the Flesh that is in the flesh of Christ The Explication of the Words For the clearing up the true meaning of the Words and the vindicating of them from those false interpretations which some of the old Hereticks put upon them I will lay down a Few Particulars 1. First that Flesh as here used concerning Christ carry's a quite other sense in it than what it did when it was spoken of before You had it Vers 1. Who walk not after the Flesh c. in this Verse what the Law could not do in that it was weak through the Flesh in which sense as 't is there used it occurs in many following Verses Now Flesh in these places is taken in a very different notion from Flesh in this for in them 't is taken morally and accidentally but here where Christ is concern'd in it 't is taken Physically and substantially in them it notes Man's nature as corrupted but here the very being and substance of the Humane nature or the verity of the Humane nature it self abstracted from any such adjunct and so 't is twice taken in this Verse 2. That Flesh in this application is not to be understood in its more narrow and limited sense but in its more general and comprehensive sense Here 's a double Synecdoche in the word as it signifies 1. the whole Body 2. the whole Man or the whole nature of man Flesh in its strict acceptation is but a part of the body and the body but a part of the Man but so you are not here to take it for Christ had a perfect entire compleat body and every thing as well as meer Flesh which is proper to a body for instance he had blood as well as Flesh therefore both are named Heb. 2.14 He also took part of the same i.e. of Flesh and blood and he had bones as well as flesh Luke 24.39 A Spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye see me have Further Christ was not only clothed with Flesh as that is limited but to one part of Man but he assumed the * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cyrill Alexandr in Joh. p. 95. whole Nature of Man he had a Soul as well as a Body which two are the essential constitutive parts of Man What more common in Scripture than by Flesh to set forth Man in his whole entire humane Nature See Gen. 6.12 Psal 65.2 Isa 40.5 Joel 2.28 Luk. 3.6 Rom. 3.20 Joh. 17.2
that he who offered up himself was God as well as Man therefore the Apostle speaking of the efficacy of this Sacrifice above the Levitical Sacrifices lays it upon Christ's Godhead Heb. 9.14 How much more shall the blood of Christ who through the eternal Spirit his Deity offered himself c. The chiefest difficultys not lying in these things I do not you see make any long stay upon them but there being a twofold Enquiry which will carry us into the very bowels of the main Truth and take in what is most struck at by our Adversaries that I would rather to spend my time upon The Lord Jesus being a Sacrifice it will be asked 1. What a kind of a Sacrifice he was 2. When and where he was that Sacrifice What a kind of Sacrifice Jesus Christ was Ans An expiatory Sacrifice To the First I answer he was a propitiatory or expiatory Sacrifice answering unto yet infinitely exceeding the Jewish expiatory Sacrifices by which he was shadowed out and typify'd The proof and illustration of this very thing is the design and business of the Apostle in that Epistle I mean that written to the Hebrews which gives us more light into it than all the Books that ever were written before or besides Pray reade again and again the 5 7 8 9 10 Chapters thereof and you 'l find the Apostle there doing these three things 1. He proves that Christ was not only a Sacrifice but that he was truly and really an expiatory Sacrifice for he instances in all the proper constitutive ingredients into and effects of the Law-expiatory Sacrifices all of which he applys and brings down to Christ 2. He shows the analogy and resemblance 'twixt those expiatory Sacrifices and this of Christ and what respect they all carried to this 3. He shows wherein and how far the latter exceeded the former The discussing of these three Heads takes up the greatest part of that most excellent Commentary upon the Law-Sacrifices the particular Texts in it I will not at present cite as they are proper to what I have now laid down but that will be done in what will follow A short account of the difference and distinction of the Jewish Sacrifices Of which in particular see Philo. Jud. de Victimis Joseph Antiq. Jud. l. 3. c. 10. Sigon de Repub Hebr. l. 3. c. 2. with very many Others Dr. Owen on the Hebr. in Proleg Exercit. 24. Dr. Stillingfl Answer to Crellius p. 473. For our better procedure in speaking to this important Truth before I can well fall upon the close handling of it it will not be amiss for us a little to cast our eye upon and to take a short view of the Jewish Sacrifices With the general Nature whereof I intend not at all to meddle only give me leave that being proper to the business in hand and indeed necessary for the better understanding of it to shew how these were diversify'd and distinguished Concerning which several Divisions and Distinctions are given of them but the best and shortest is this viz. Some were gratulatory and some Propitiatory or some Eucharistical and some Expiatory Eucharistical were those that were design'd for the expressing of gratitude for the giving of thanks and praise to the Lord upon the receiving of mercy of which you reade Lev. 7.15 22.29 Psal 50.14 Hos 14.2 but these I am not concerned about Expiatory were those that were design'd for the atoning and pacifying of God the averting of his anger the doing away the guilt of Sin and the preventing or removing of the punishment of it these were the Sacrifices which took up the greatest room in the body of Mosaical Sacrifices and which did in special point to the grand Sacrifice of our Lord Jesus and to that too as expiatory Now these expiatory Sacrifices were many and various all of them carrying something in them whereby they differ'd and were distinguished each from the other which differences with the grounds and reasons of them if we could exactly hit upon 't would be of marvellous great use to us in many things but alas excepting where the Gospel it self opens this for us we are much in the dark about it the Jewish Writers that should help therein contribute but very little help as they tell us who are most conversant in them If we take a brief and general Scheme of them this is clear the old expiatory Sacrifices differ'd in the matter of them for in some 't was living Creatures in others 't was what grew from the earth and often these two were joyn'd the Zebach and the Mincah going together in the same Sacrifice as in the daily Sacrifice Exod. 29.39 40. and in diverse others They differ'd in the Rites us'd about them all of which were prescrib'd by God himself some were to be poured out some burnt some to be slain and offered by the ordinary Priests some by the High Priest himself the blood of some to be carried into the Holy of Holy's of others not so some to be wholly consum'd and God to have all as in the Holocausts some but in part consum'd in which of what was left one part was to go to the Priests as in the Sin and Trespas-offering and the other to the Persons who brought the Sacrifice as in the Peace-offering provided that that which was offered was for private persons for if it was offered for the whole Congregation then no private person might share in the residue Levit. 23.19 20. They differ'd in the Time which was appointed for them for some were to be offer'd every day morning and evening call'd the daily Sacrifice Exod. 29.38 39 40. Numb 28.3 4 5. 2 Chron. 8.13 1 Chron. 16.40 Ezek. 46.13 14. Dan. 8.11 9.21 11.31 12.11 Nehem. 10.33 Ezra 9.4 5. Some to be offered but every Sabbath day Numb 28.9 10. Some at the New Moons Numb 28.11 Some at the revolution of the Sabbatical year Levit. 25.2 c. Some at the great Jubile Levit. 25.8 c. Some at the Solemn Feasts as that of the Passeover Exod. 12. Numb 28.26 of Pentecost Lev. 23.17 c. of Tabernacles Numb 29.12 Some but once a year at the great aniversary Expiation Levit. 16. per tot They differ'd in the Rise of them some being purely from the will of the Offerer the * Vide L'Empereur de Leg. Hebr. p. 264. Free-will Offerings Levit. 7.16 Levit. 22.21 others occasioned by some special emergency of Providence when some eminent mercy was received or some great judgment to be removed c. 2 Sam. 6.13 17. 1 Chron. 15.26 2 Chron. 29.21 c. 2 Sam. 24. ult Others were constant being set and stated by God himself as those that have been already mentioned They differ'd according to the Persons for whom they were appointed some for the Prince some for the Priests some for private men some for the whole Community for each of which directions are given Lev. 4. And then as to the
the Scripture doth not only in general speak of Christ's taking away or expiating of Sin but it shews in what manner he did it and wherein the nature of that expiation did consist as namely that he did expiate it in that way which was agreeable to what was done in and by the old Sacrifices and that according to the notion proper to their expiation so his must be understood For in speaking thereof it uses those expressions which point to those Sacrifices and to their expiation thereby noting 1. that Christ did expiate in that very way wherein they did and 2. that therefore his expiation in the nature of it must run parallel with theirs Take a few Instances Heb. 9.13 14. For if the blood of Bulls and Goats and the ashes of an Heifer sprinkling the unclean * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh How much more shall the blood of Christ who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 purge your Conscience from dead works to serve the living God Vers 22 23. And almost all things are by the Law purged with blood and without shedding blood is no remission It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the Heavens should be ‖ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 purified with these but the Heavenly things themselves with better Sacrifices than these Heb. 1.3 When he had by himself * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 purged our sins or as 't is in the Greek he having by himself made purgation or expiation of our sins 1 Joh. 1.7 and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cleanseth us from all sin by which cleansing the Apostle meant the expiation or remission of sin for Vers 9. he puts them together he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness Heb. 10.22 having our bearts * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sprinkled from an evil Conscience and our bodies †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 washed with pure water Revel 1.5 Vnto him that loved us and ‖ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 washed us from our sins in his own blood Now pray observe from these Scriptures 1. That the expiating of sin under the terms of purifying purging cleansing washing sprinkling is expresly attributed to Christ 2. That he as being a Sacrifice by dying and shedding his blood so did expiate sin 3. That the proper and primary effect of his death and blood was the expiation of sins guilt and as a consequent thereof its remission Matth. 26.28 This is my blood of the New Testament which is shed for many for the remission of sins Eph. 1.7 In whom we have redemption through his blood the forgiveness of sins So Rom. 3.25 4. That as the Jewish Sacrifices were truly expiatory they in their way taking off sins guilt and the punishment due thereupon wherein the formal nature of their expiation did consist so answerably Christ Jesus was a true expiatory Sacrifice he in his way too taking off sins guilt c. wherein the formal nature of his expiation did and must consist also This I ground upon a twofold consideration 1. Because by those very Words which were proper to those Sacrifices and by which their expiation of sin was seth forth I say by those very Words the Sacrifice of Christ and the efficasy thereof is described therefore it must be as truly expiatory of sin as they were this is sufficiently proved in the places that have been cited And I might further add that the words there used are the very same with those which the Greek prophane Authors do always use when they are speaking of their expiatory Sacrifices and of the effect of them of which many instances are given by the * Stuck de Sacrif fol. 148. Grot. de Sat. p. 128 129. with many Others Learned 2. Because the Apostle who most uses these words and in the place too where he most uses them I mean in his Epistle to the Hebrews doth professedly draw a parallel 'twixt Christ and the Law-Sacrifices shewing there was a great analogie and resemblance betwixt them True he asserts a greater excellency and efficacy in the one than in the other and as to the manner of working he shews there was a vast difference between them but yet as to the great effect of a Sacrifice expiation of sin in that so far as the nature of the things would admit of they did agree Well then if they did purifie and expiate so must Christ and as they did purifie and expiate in taking away guilt by death and blood so must Christ otherwise where would the analogie be between them was it not thus there would be expiation in the type and none in the antitype and one way of expiation in the type and another in the antitype both of which are directly contrary to the Apostles scope and design in the forenamed Epistl◠Some possibly will ask why I multiply so many words and stay so long upon this point I 'le tell them I do it to vindicate both the reality and also the true notion of our Saviours expiatory Sacrifice For the SOCINIANS who have not left us one fountain of Evangelical Comfort un-poyson'd herein deal with their usual subtilty very fair words are spoken by them as though they were for and did own Christ's * Socin de Serv. p. 2. c. 11.13 14 16 17. Crellius contra Grot. cap. 10. sect 2. expiation of sin but when they come to open it and to shew what they mean by it they make it a quite other thing than what indeed it is they keep the Word but quit the Scripture-sense thereof Christ say they did expiate sin but how why by begetting Faith in the Sinner by working repentance in him by turning and drawing him off from sin by delivering from the effects of it by declaring the Will of God about remission and the way thereunto as his death was an antecedent to his exaltation in Heaven where say they he only expiates sin c. in such things as these but not in Christ's undergoing the punishment due to the Sinner and dying in his stead they make his expiation of Sin to lie Now though much might be and * Grot. de Sat. p. 136. Hoorneb p. 581. c. Franz p. 207. 450. Dr. Stillingst against Crell c. 6. p. 507. c. Turret p. 202. c. Jacob. ad Portum p. 464. c. is said against each of these particularly yet that which I have in the general insisted upon is a sufficient confutation of them all viz. Christ must expiate sin in that way and sense wherein the Sacrifices under the Law did now did they expiate any other way than as they were substituted in the Offenders room and as they dy'd in his stead therefore that must be the way wherein Christ our Sacrifice doth expiate also
great Sacrifice which is now fully revealed to us and actually exhibited for us they had variety and multiplicity of them we have all in one theirs were costly and burdensom ours costs us nothing but thankful application theirs of themselves could only cleanse from ritual and civil guilt ours from all guilt whatsoever they had the blood of Beasts we the blood of God's own Son One of the * Vide Alting Shiloh l. 5. c. 17. In hoc Sacrificio vertitur omnis ratio variatio faederis c. great differences 'twixt the Covenant of Grace as then and as now dispensed lies in the difference of the Sacrifices to them it was testified and ratified by the blood of ordinary Creatures to us 't is so by the blood of Christ compare Exod. 24.8 with Matth. 26.28 Surely we have the advantage over them God having provided some better thing for us that they without us should not be made perfect as 't is Heb. 11.40 O what degree of thankfulness can be high enough for that knowledge of interest in benefit by Christ's Sacrifice which we now have under the Gospel above what they had who liv'd under the Jewish Sacrifice And if our state be better than theirs how much more is it better than the state of the poor Gentiles As to Jews and Christians 't is happiness and happiness compar'd together but as to Gentiles and Christians 't is happiness and misery the Jews had their Sacrifices from God himself to whom they were offered and by whom they were owned but in the Pagan Sacrifices there were none of these they were neither instituted by God nor directed to him therefore it could not be expected that ever they should be blessed by him And besides this there was nothing of Christ in their Sacrifices Men-Sacrifices they had but as to the Sacrifice of Christ God-Man that they knew nothing of without which what could all their Sacrifices signifie for the purging away of guilt They had great variety of them some blind notions of expiation purgation atonement by them but alas not being offered to the true God nor back'd with the true and only propitiatory Sacrifice of Christ they were all in vain They us'd to twit Christians with their want of * Origen contra Ceisum l. 8. Temples Altars Sacrifices c. but we can easily answer them we have all in Christ whose one Sacrifice upon the Cross was more than all their Hecatombs and Sacrifices whatsoever we may be the objects of their derision but surely they should be the objects of our compassion and whilst we pity them let us be highly * See the Grounds of this fully set forth by Stuckius de Sacrif f. 154. c. in his Antithesis Ethnicismi Christianismi thankful for our selves that ever this one only perfect Sacrifice was made known to us as well as offered for us Of the excellency of Christ's Priesthood and Sacrifice 6. Sixthly we may from hence take notice of the excellency of Christ's Priesthood and Sacrifice I put them together because they do mutually prove the excellency each of the other his Priesthood must needs be excellent because he offered up such an excellent Sacrifice and his Sacrifice must needs be excellent because it was offered by such an excellent Priest The setting forth of the excellency of both is the main scope and business of the Apostle in his Epistle to the Hebrews that full and most Evangelical Commentary upon the Levitical Sacrifices but he reduces the latter under the former proving the glory and excellency of the Priesthood of Christ from the excellency of his Sacrifice Indeed in the making out of that he makes use of several other Mediums or Arguments as 1. the greatness and dignity of Christ's Person Heb. 4.14 2. the extraordinariness of his Call Heb. 5.4 5. 3. the preheminence of the Order according to which he was Priest above the Aaronical order he being Priest after the order of MELCHISEDECH Heb. 5.6.10 Chap. 6.20 4. his oneness and singleness in this office Heb. 7 23 24. 5. his solemn inauguration into it Heb. 7.20 21. 6. its perpetuity and everlastingness Heb. 5.6 Heb. 7.16 24. 7. the excellency of the Sanctuary where 't is discharg'd Heb. 8.1 c. Heb. 9.11 12 24. 8. the betterness of the Covenant to which it refers Heb. 8.6 c. All these Heads the Apostle doth distinctly insist upon but that Medium or Argument which he is most large upon to prove the excellency of Christ's Priesthood is the excellency of his Sacrifice above all the Law-Sacrifices and that he makes out 1. from the matter of it The Priests under the Law offered such and such things only not themselves but Christ offered himself they the blood of Creatures he his own blood Heb. 9.12 Neither by the blood of Goats and Calves but by his own blood he entred in once into the holy place c. Vers 14. How much more shall the blood of Christ who through the eternal Spirit offered himself c. Vers 23. It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these i.e. the blood of beasts but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these Heb. 1.3 When he had by himself purged our sins so Heb. 7.27 9.26 2. From the virtue and efficacy of it The Law-Sacrifices were weak and unprofitable could make nothing perfect Heb. 7.18 19. could not make him that did the service perfect as pertaining to the Conscience they only sanctified as to the purifying of the flesh Heb. 9.9 13. It is not possible that the blood of Bulls and of Goats should take away sins Heb. 10.4 But Christ by his Sacrifice hath obtained eternal redemption Heb. 9.12 that reaches the Conscience to purge it from dead works c. Heb. 9.14 3. Those Sacrifices being thus weak were many and often to be repeated but this of Christ having such an efficacy in it was but one and but once offered never any more to be repeated Heb. 7.27 Who needeth not daily as those high Priests to offer up Sacrifice for this he did once when he offered up himself Heb. 9.12 by his own blood he entred in once into the holy place 25. c. Nor yet that he should offer himself often as the high Priest entereth into the holy place every year with the blood of others For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the Sacrifice of himself Heb. 10.1 c. The Law having a shadow of good things to come and not the very image of the things can never with those Sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect For then would they not have ceased to be offered because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more Conscience of sins c. to these now