all the concernments of it Nothing is in it needless nothing useless Men sometimes perplex themselves to find out the suitableness of some Testimonies produced out of the Old Testament unto the confirmation of things and Doctrines in the New by the Pen-men of the holy Ghost when all the difficulty ariseth from a fond conceit that they can apprehend the depth and breadth of the Wisdom that is laid up in any one Text of Scripture when the Holy Ghost may have a principal aim at those things which they are not able to dive into Every letter and tittle of it is teaching and every thing that relates unto it is instructive in the Mind of God And it must be so because 1. It proceeds from infinite Wisdom which hath put an impress of it self upon it and filled all its capacitie with its blessed effects In the whole Frame Structure and Order of it in the Sense Words Coherence Expression it is filled with Wisdom which makes the Commandment exceeding broad and large so that there is no absolute comprehension of it in this life We cannot perfectly trace the foot-steps of infinite Wisdom nor find out all the Effects and characters of it that it hath left upon the Word The whole Scripture is full of Wisdom as the Sea is of Water which fills and covers all the parts of it And 2. Because it was to be very Comprehensive It was to contain directly or by consequence one way or other the whole Revelation of God unto us and all our Duty unto him both which are marvelous great large and various Now this could not have been done in so narrow a room but that every Part of it and all the Concernment of it with its whole Order were to be filled with Mysteries and Expressions or intimations of the Mind and Will of God It could not hence be that any thing superfluous should be put into it or any thing be in it that should not relate to Teaching and Instruction 3. It is that which God hath given unto his servants for their continual Exercise day and night in this world And in their enquiry into it he requires of them their utmost Diligence and endeavours This being assigned for their Duty it was convenient unto Divine Wisdom and Goodness to find them blessed and useful work in the whole Scripture to exercise themselves about That every where they might meet with that which might satisfie their Enquiry and answer their Industry There shall never be any Time or Strength lost or mispent that is laid out according to the Mind of God in and about his Word The matter the Words the Order the Contexture of them the Scope Design and aim of the Holy Ghost in them all and every one of them may well take up the utmost of our Diligence are all divine Nothing is empty unfurnished or unprepared for our spiritual use advantage and benefit Let us then learn hence 1. To admire and as one said of old to adore the fulness of the Scripture or of the Wisdom of God in it it is all full of Divine Wisdom and calls for our Reverence in the Consideration of it And indeed a constant Awe of the Majesty Authority and Holiness of God in his word is the only teachable frame Proud and careless spirits see nothing of Heaven or Divinity in the Word but the humble are made wise in it 2. To stir up and exercise our Faith and Diligence to the utmost in our study and search of the Scripture It is an endless store-house a bottomless Treasure of Divine Truth Gold is in every sand All the wise men in the world may every one for himself learn somewhat out of every Word of it and yet leave enough still behind them for the Instruction of all those that shall come after them The fountains and springs of Wisdom in it are endless and will never be dry We may have much truth and power out of a word sometimes enough but never All that is in it There will still be enough remaining to exercise and refresh us anew for ever So that we may attain a True sâ—nse but we can never attain the full sense of any Place we can never exhaust the whole impress of infinite Wisdom that is on the Word And how should this stir us up to be meditating in it day and night and many the like inferences may hence be taken Learn also 2. That it is lawful to draw consequences from Scripture Assertions and such consequences rightly deduced are infaliibly true and de fide Thus from the Name given unto Christ the Apostle deduceth by just consequence his Exaltation and Preheminence above Angels Nothing will rightly follow from Truth but what is so also and that of the same nature with the Truth from whence it is derived So that whatever by just consequence is drawn from the Word of God is it self also the Word of God and of Truth infallible And to deprive the Church of this liberty in the interpretation of the Word is to deprive it of the chiefest benefit intended by it This is that on which the whole Ordinance of Preaching is founded which makes that which is derived out of the Word to have the Power Authority and Efficacy of the Word accompanying it Thus though it be the proper Work and Effect of the Word of God to quicken regenerate sanctifie and purifie the Elect and the Word primarily and directly is only that which is written in the Scriptures yet we find all these effâ—cts produced in and by the preaching of the Word when perhaps not one sentence of the Scripture is verbatim repeated And the Reason hereof is because whatsoever is directly deduced and delivered according to the Mind and Appointment of God from the Word is the Word of God and hath the Power Authority and Efficacy of the Word accompanying of it 3. The Declaration of Christ to be the Son of God is the Care and Work of the Father He said it he recorded it he revealed it This indeed is to be made known by the Preaching of the Gospel but that it shall be done the Father hath taken the care upon himself It is the design of the Father in all things to glorifie the Son that all men may honour him even as they honour the Father This cannot be done without the Declaration of that Glory which he had with him before the world was that is the Glory of his Eternal Sonship This he will therefore make known and maintain in the world 4. God the Father is perpetually present with the Lord Christ in Love Care and power in the Administration of his Office as he is Mediator Head and King of the Church He hath taken upon himself to stand by him to own him to effect every thing that is needfull unto the Establishment of his Throne the enlargement of his Kingdom and the Ruine and Destruction of his Enemies And this he will assuredly do to the
Promises 1. That his Kingdom shall not be like the Kingdoms of the earth obnoxious to change and mutation by intestine divisions or outward force or secret decayes by which means all the Kingdoms of the earth have been ruined and brought to nought In Opposition hereunto the Kingdom of Christ is asserted to be perpetual as that which no Opposition shall ever prevail against no means ever impair which yet hinders not but that a day may be prefixed unto its end 2. The Continuance of it unto the total full Accomplishment of all that is to be performed in it or by it in the Eternal Salvation of all his subjects and final Destruction of all his Enemies is in these and the like places foretold but yet when that work is done that Kingdom and Rule of his may have an end And in this sense the Term of Limitation here expressed seems to be expounded by the Apostle 1 Cor. 15.24 At the end he shall deliver up the Kingdom unto God the Father For although those words may admit of another Interpretation namely that he shall give up an account unto the Father of the accomplishment of the whole work committed unto him as King of his Church which he may do and not cease from holding the same Kingdom still yet as they are further interpreted by the Sons coming into a new subjection unto the Father that God may be all in all as v. 28. They seem to imply directly the ceasing of his Kingdom Though this matter be not indeed without its Difficulty yet the different Opinions about it seem capable of a fair Reconciliation which we shall attempt in the ensuing Proposals 1. The Lord Christ as the Son of God shall unto all Eternity continue in the Essential and Natural Dominion over all Creatures and they in their dependance upon him and subjection unto him He can no more divest himself of that Dominion and Kingdom than he can cease to be God Suppose the being of any creatures and that subjection unto him which is the Rise of this Kingdom is natural and indispensible 2. As to the Oeconomical Kingdom of Christ over the Church and all things in order unto the protection and salvation thereof the immediate Ends of it will cease All his Saints being saved all his Sons brought unto Glory all his Enemies subdued the End of that Rule which consisted in the Guidance and Preservation of the one in the Restraint and Ruine of the other must necessarily cease 3. The Lord Christ shall not so leave his Kingdom at the last day as that the Father should take upon himself the Administration of it Upon the giving up of his Kingdom what ever it be the Apostle doth not say the Father shall Rule or raign as though he should exercise the same Kingdom but that God shall be all in all that is God the Father Son and Holy Ghost without the use or intervention of such wayes or means as were in use before during the full continuance of the dispensatory Kingdom of Christ shall fill and satisfie all his Saints support and dispose of the remnant Creation 4. This ceasing of the Kingdom of Christ is no way derogatory unto his Glory or the perpetuity of his Kingdom no more than his ceasing to intercede for his people is to that perpetuty of his Priesthood which he hath by Oath confirmed unto him His Prophetical Office also seems to cease when he shall teach his people no more by his Word and Spirit 5. In three respects the Kingdom of Christ may be said to abide unto Eternity First In that all his Saints and Angels shall eternally adore and worship him on the account of the Glory which he hath received as the King and Head of the Church and be filled with joy in beholding of him Joh. 17.22 24. Secondly In that all the Saints shall abide in their state of Vnion unto God through him as their Head God communicating of his fulness to them through him which will be his eternal Glory when all his Enemies shall be his Footstool Thirdly In that as the Righteous Judge of all he shall to all Eternity continue the punishment of his Adversaries And this is the last Testimony insisted on by the Apostle to prove the preheminence of Christ above Angels and consequently above all that were used or employed of old in the Disposition and Administration of the Law which was the thing he had undertaken to make good And therefore in the close of this Chapter having denyed that any of these things are spoken concerning Angels he shuts up all with a Description of their Nature and Office such as was then known and received among the Jewes before the consideration whereof we must draw out from what hath been insisted on some Observations for our own Instruction which are these that follow I. The Authority of God the Father in the Exaltation of Jesus Christ as the Head and Mediator of the Church is greatly to be regarded by Believers He sayes unto him sit thou at my right hand Much of the consolation and security of the Church depends on this consideration II. The Exaltation of Christ is the great pledge of the Acceptation of the work of Mediation performed in the behalf of the Church Now saith God sit thou at my right hand the Work is done wherein my soul is well pleased III. Christ hath many Enemies unto his Kingdom saith God I will deal with all of them IV. The Kingdom and Rule of Christ is perpetual and abiding notwithstanding all the Opposition that is made against it His Enemies rage indeed as though they would pull him out of his Throne but altogether in vain He hath the Faithfulness and Power the Word and Right hand of God for the security of his Kingdom V. The end whereunto the Lord Jesus Christ will assuredly bring all his Enemies let them bluster whilest they please shall be unto them miserable and shameful to the Saints joyful to himself victorious and triumphant It is the Administration of the Kingdom of Christ in the world that this Truth principally respects Great is the enmity of this world against it great the Opposition that is and hath alwayes been made unto it But this will be the assured issue of it Ruine to the Enemies Joy to the Saints Glory to Christ. This is that which is typed unto us in the Prophesie of Gog. That Prophesie is a Recapitulation of all the Enmity that is acted in the world against the interest of Christ. What his Counsel is the Prophet declares Ezek. 38.11 I will go up to the Land of unwalled Villages I will go up to them that are at rest that dwell safely all of them dwelling without walls and having neither bars nor gates They look upon the Church of Christ as a feeble people that hath no visible Power or Defence and therefore easie to be destroyed this encourageth them to their work who or what can deliver them out of
world though usually by that expression they intend the World of future bliss But the world here intended is no other but the promised state of the Church under the Gospel This with the Worship of God therein with especial Relation unto the Messiah the Author and Mediator of it administring its heavenly things before the Throne of Grace thereby rendring it spiritual and heavenly and diverse from the state of the Worship of the Old Testament which was worldly and carnal was the World to come that the Jews looked for and which in this place is intended by the Apostle This we must farther confirm as the foundation of the ensuing Exposition That this then is the intendment of the Apostle appeareth First From the limitation annexed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 concerning which we treat This is the world whereof he treats with the Hebrews in this Epistle namely the Gospel-State of the Church the Worship whereof he had in the words immediately foregoing pressed them unto the observation of And not only so but described it also by that State wherein the miraculous Gifts of the Holy Ghost were given and enjoyed And the mention of them in the words directly preceding is that description of the World to come which the Apostle in these words refers unto concerning which we speak And the Tradition of this New World or the Restauration of all things under the Messiah was one of the principal Reports of Truth received among the Jews which the Apostle presseth them withall Some suppose that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we speak is put for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we have spoken and would have it refer unto Ch. 1.6 But what the Apostle there intendeth by the World we have sufficiently evinced and declared The World there by an usual Synechdoche is put for the habitable earth the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the Son of God made and came unto John 1.11 Here a certain state and condition of things in the world about which he treated with the Hebrews is intended Besides they who would thus change the word Grotius Crellius Schlictingius by the world Chap. 1.6 understand Heaven it self the state of Glory which is not here insisted on by the Apostle For Secondly He treats of that which was already done in the crowning of Jesus with Glory and Honor as the words following do manifest This crowning of him was upon his Ascension as we have before proved at large Then was not the state of Glory made subject unto him because it was not then nor is yet in being And therefore they who turn we speak into we have before spoken are forced also to pervert the following words and to interpret he hath made all things subject unto him he hath purposed or decreed so to do both without cause or reason The World whereof the Apostle treats was immediately made subject to Jesus that is the Church of the New Testament when God anointed him King upon his holy Hill of Sion and therefore in the Psalm is there mention made of those other parts of the Creation to be joyned in this subjection that have no Relation unto Heaven Thirdly The Apostle doth not treat directly any where in this Epistle concerning Heaven or the world of the blessed to come he frequently indeed mentions Heaven not absolutely but as it belongs unto the Gospel world as being the place of the constant residence of the High Priest of the Church and wherein also the Worship of it is through faith celebrated Fourthly The Apostle in these words insists on the Antithesis which he pursueth in his whole discourse between the Judaical and Evangelical Church-state for what ever power Angels might have in and over things formerly this World to come saith he is not made subject unto them Now it is not Heaven and Glory that he opposeth to the Judaical Church-state and Worship but that of the Gospel as we shall find in the progress of the Epistle which is therefore necessarily here intended Fifthly If by the World to come the eternal blessed state of Glory be designed to begin at or after the general Judgment then here is a promise that that blessed estate shall de novo be put in subjection to Jesus Christ as Mediator but this is directly contrary unto what is else-where revealed by the same Apostle concerning the transactions between the Father and the Son as Mediator at that day 1 Cor. 15.28 And when all shall be subdued unto him then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him who put all things under him that God may be all in all Which words if they do not absolutely assert the ceasing of the Kingdom of the Mediator but only the order of all things unto Eternity in their subjection unto God by Christ yet they are plainly exclusive of the grant of a new Power or Authority unto him or of a-new making subject of all things unto him Adde unto all this that the Apostle proves the subjection of this world unto the Lord Christ and not unto Angels by a testimony expressing directly the present things of this world antecedent unto the day of Judgment From what hath been discoursed we conclude that the World to come here expressed is the State and Worship of the Church under the Messiah called so by the Apostle according to the usual appellation which then it had obtained among the Jews and allowed by him until the Mosaical Church-state was utterly removed And he afterwards declares how this comprized Heaven it self also because of the Residence of our High Priest in the Holiest not made with hands and the continual admission of the Worshippers unto the Throne of Grace This is the subject of the Apostles Proposition that concerning which he treats Concerning this World the Apostle first declares negatively that it is not made subject unto Angels The subjecting of this World to come unto any is such a disposal of it as that he or they unto whom it is put in subjection should as the Lord of it erect institute or set it up rule and dispose of it being erected and judge or reward it in the end of its course and time This is denied concerning Angels and the denial proved tacitly because no such thing is testified in the Scripture And herein the Apostle either preventeth an Objection that might arise from the power of the Angels in and over the Church of old as some think or rather proceeds in his design of exalting the Lord Jesus above them and thereby prefers the Worship of the Gospel before that prescribed by the Law of Moses For he seems to grant that the old Church and Worship were in a sort made subject unto Angels this of the World to come being solely and immediately in his power who in all things was to have the preeminence And this will farther appear if we consider the instances before mentioned wherein the subjection of this World to come unto any doth consist First It was
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
Quotations with the places in the Old Testament from whence they are taken Some had endeavoured an Analysis of the several Discourses of the Author with the nature and force of the Arguments insisted on by him The labours of some were to improve the Truths contained in the Epistle unto Practice others have collected the difficulties which they observed therein and scanned them in a Scholastical way with Objections and Solutions after their manner Others had an especial design unto the Places whose sense is controverted amongst the several Parties at variance in Christian Religion all in their way and manner endeavouring to give light to the intentions of the Holy Ghost either in particular passages or in the whole Epistle The helps and advantages in the investigation of the mind of God which by their labours might be obtained I looked on as a great encouragement to undertake the same work with them and to promote the light of truth thereby But on the other side no small objection unto the whole work and design did hence also arise For it might seem to some altogether needless to ingage in that which so many had already gone through with to the great profit and edification of the Church And nothing can or ought more justly to weaken and take off the resolution of any in this kind of endeavours than that they are needless For what ever is so will also thereby be useless and because useless burthensome This consideration I confess did for a long time deter me from executing my purpose of casting my Mite into this Sanctuary But yet after I had made a through perusal of all the Comments Expositions Annotations or Observations on the Epistle which by any means I could obtain I returned again upon sundry considerations unto my former thoughts and resolutions For first I found the excellency of the Writing to be such the depths of the Mysteries contained in it to be so great the compass of the truth asserted unfolded and explained so extensive and diffused through the whole body of Christian Religion the usefulness of the things delivered in it so important and indispensibly necessary as that I was quickly satisfied that the Wisdom Grace and Truth treasured in this sacred Store-house are so far from being exhausted and fully drawn forth by the endeavours of any or all that are gone before us or from being all perfectly brought forth to light by them as that I was assured that there was â—eft a sufficient ground and foundation not only for renewed investigation after rich Branches in this Mine for the present Generation but for all them that shall succeed unto the consummation of all things For if we find it thus in Humane Sciences that no Ability no Industry no Combination of the most happy Wits for their improvement in former Ages hath precluded the way unto persons of Ingenuity and Learning to adde considerably in several kinds unto their respective advancement nor shall the sedulity of this present Age in the furtherance and adorning of them be ever able to bring them unto any such perfection as to condemn succeeding Generations unto the slothful and servile drudgery of the meer perusal of their Dictates and Prescriptions and so by the use of their Inventions leave unto others only that of their memory how much more must we grant the same in things Divine and the spiritual knowledge of them whose stores in this life are absolutely inexhaustible and whose depths are not fully to be fathomed Again it is evident that the principal things asserted and taught in this Epistle such as is the Doctrine of the Person and the Priesthood of Jesus Christ have received a more eager and subtil opposition since the labours and endeavours of the most in the Exposition of it than they had done before And as this renders the vindication of the places wherein they are taught and asserted necessary so it is not unknown unto those who are conversant in these kinds of studies what advantage may be obtained in the investigation of truth by the opposition that is made unto it especially when that Opposition is managed with a curious search into every word and syllable which may seem to give countenance unto it as also in the sifting of every tittle and particle that stands in its way which course of procedure the enemies of the Truths mentioned have with much art and industry engaged themselves into But that which most of all took off the weight of the discouragement that arose from the multiplied endeavours of learned Men in this kind was an Observation that all of them being intent on the sense of the words as absolutely considered and the use of them to the present Church had much over-looked the direct respect and regard that the Author had in the writing of this Epistle to the then past present and future condition of the Hebrews or Church of the Jews Looking at these things as dead and buried of no use in the present state of the Church they did either wholly neglect them or pass them over in a light and perfunctory manner Nor indeed had many of them though otherwise excellently well qualified a competency of skill for the due consideration of things of that nature But yet those that shall seriously and with judgment consider the design of the Writer of this Epistle the time wherein he wrote it the proper end for which it was composed the subject matter treated of in it the principles he proceeds upon and his manner of arguing will easily perceive that without a serious consideration of them it is not possible to come to a right comprehension in many things of the mind of the Holy Ghost therein Many Principles of Truth he takes for granted as acknowledged amongst the Hebrews during their former Church state and makes them a foundation for his own Superstructure many Customs Vsages Ordinances Institutions received sense of places of Scripture amongst the Jews he either produceth or reflects upon and one way or other makes use of the whole Mosaical Oeconomy or System of Divine Worship under the Law unto his own purpose The common neglect of these things or slight transaction of them in most Expositors was that which principally relieved me from the fore-mentioned discouragement And this also was that which at length gave rise unto those Exercitations which take up the greatest part of the ensuing Book Some of them are indeed indispensibly due to the work it self Such are those which concern the Canonical Authority of the Epistle the Writer of it the Time of its writing the Phraseology of the Author with the way he proceeds in the Quotations of Testimonies out of the Old Testament and some other of the same tendency the residue of them were occasioned meerly by the consideration before insisted on Some great Principles I observed that the Apostle supposed which he built all his arguings and exhortations upon not directly proving or confirming the Principles
reproved l. 30. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 256. l. 31. large Discourses p. 260. l. 16. also r. after l. 10. à fine commission r. omission p. 275. l. 2. r. Judicial p. 276. l. 16. Sanction r. Section p. 290. l. 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 308. l. 5. who thought l. 26. and other p. 311. l. 17. laying r. flaying p. 315. l. 4. serebrito r. seretrio There are sundry other mistakes in pointings changes and transpositions of letters in the Hebrew and English which a diligent and Candid Reader will easily observe and amend And it is not worth the while to collect them for those who are otherwise Exercitatio I. The Canonical authority of the Epistle to the Hebrews Notation of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Kaneh a measuring reed The beam of a ballance Thence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the same signification Metaphorically a moral rule Rectum and Canon how far the same The Scripture a rule Canonical The Antiquity of that Appellation The Canon of the Scripture What required to render a book Canonical All books of the holy Scripture equall as to their divine Original Jews distinction of the books of the old Testament as to the manner of their writing disproved All equally Canonical No book Canonical of a second sort or degree The Epistle to the Hebrews Canonical Opposed by Hereticks of old Not received into the Latin Church untill the dayes of Hierome Proved against Baronius Not rejected by any of that Church only not publiquely approved The Church of Rome not the sole proposer of books Canonical Occasion of its nâ—n-admittance at Rome Boldness of some in rejecting and corrupting the Scripture By whom this Epistle opposed of late The objection of the uncertainty of the Pen-man Answered Citations out of the old Testament not found therein Answer Citations not to his purpose Answer Countenance to old Heresies Answer General heads of Arguments to prove its Canonical Authority Characters to discover between books of divine inspiration and others 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The General Arguments of books truly Canonical Subject Matter Design Style Of the style of the Sacred writings Mistakes of many about it The nature of Eloquence Excellency of Scripture Style Energie Efficacy Tradition concerning the Authority of this Epistle not justly lyable to any exceptions from the Author Circumstances Subject Matter Style Testimonyes Conclusion THe Canonical Authority of the Epistle unto the Hebrews having § 1 been by some called into Question we must in our entrance declare both what it is which we intend thereby as also the clear interest of this Epistle therein for this is the foundation of all those ensuing discourses from it and that exposition of it which we intend The Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which gives rise unto that term Canonical § 2 seems to be derived from the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Kaneh and this as it sometimes denotes an Aromatical cane that contained spices in it used in the worship of God as Isai. 43. v. 24. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou hast bought me no sweet Cane with silver for this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 precious Cane growing not in their own Countrey was bought from a far off Jer. 6.20 so in general it signifies any reed whatever 1 Kings 14.15 Isai. 42.3 whence a multitude of fierce and wicked men compared to the devouring Crocodile whose lurking place is in the canes or reeds are termed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the beast of the reed Psal. 68.30 Particularly it signifies a reed made into an instrument wherewith they measured their buildings containing six Cubits in length Ezek. 40.7 Chap. 42.16 And hence indefinitely it is taken for a Rule or a Measure Besides it signifies the jugum or scapus or beam with the tongue of a ballance keeping the poyse of the scales equal and discovering the rectitude or declensions thereof Isai. 46.6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they weighed silver on the Cane that is saith the Targum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the ballance the supporter and director of the scales being put for the whole The Rabbins call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the reed of the scales that which tryes and weighs and gives every thing its just moment § 3 And this also is the first and proper signification of the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Canon So the Scholiast on that of Aristophanes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tells us that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 properly that which is over the scales bringing them and the things weighed in them to equality The very same with the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from which it is derived So Varinus tells us that it is properly the tongue in the ballance and in use 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thus Aristotle sayes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by that which is right we know its self and that which is crooked for the Canon is judge of both where he useth the word for any kind of rule or measure answering unto the other signification of Kaneh in the Hebrew Rectum and Canon that which is right and the rule are one and the same the one expression denoting the nature of any thing the other its Use and Application § 4 From this original proper importance of the word is its metaphorical use deduced which is most Common and therein it signifiâ—s a moral Rule or a measure for direction tryall and judgement Hence the Philosopher calls the Law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the rule of the administration or government of the Common-wealth that whereby all the parts of it arâ— disposed into their proper places whereby they are regulated and all things done in it are tryed and judged And in this sense it is applyed by St. Paul unto divine Revelation Gal. 6.16 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as many as proceed orderly that is in a direct way for so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 denotes according to this rule or Canon And to the same purpose he useth again the samâ— expression Phil. 3.16 For as the words of the Scripture are in themselves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 words of Truth so the writing it self is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a right writing or as the LXX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which is written in uprightness to be a rule and Judge unto all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is Genitivus adjuncti not materiae declaring the property of the writing not the subject matter that is it is Canonical for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which is right and a rule we have shewed to be the same And from hence it is that the Scripture or written Word of God being in it self every way absolutely right and perfect and appointed by him to be the Rule or Canon of the Churches faith and obedience requiring trying regulating judging wholly and absolutely of them is become 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
condition with whom in an especial manner he had to do and this in perfect Harmony with the Wisdom of the Holy Ghost in other portions of Scripture So that on this account also its Station in the Holy Canon is secured § 32 Moreover Besides the Peculiar Excellency which is found in the Style of the holy Scripture either evidencing its Divine Original or at least manifesting that there is nothing in it unworthy of such an extract the Authority of its principal Author exerts it self in the whole of it unto the consciences of men And herein is this Epistle an especial sharer also Now this Authority as it respects the minds of men is in part an exurgency of the Holy Matter contained in it and the Heavenly Manner wherein it is declared They have in their Conjunction a peculiar Character differencing their Writings from all Writing of an humane Original and manifesting it to be of God Neither can it otherwise be but that things of Divine Revelation expressed in words of Divine Suggestion and determination will appear to be of a Divine Original And partly it consists in an Ineffable Eâ—anation of Divine Excellency communicating unto his own Word a distinguishing property from its Relation unto him We speak not now of the work of the Holy Ghost in our hearts by his Grace enabling us to believe but of his work in the Word rendring it credible and meet to be bâ—lieved not of the Seal and Testimony that he gives unto the hearts of individual Persons of the Truth of the Scripture or rather of the things contained in it but of the Seal and Testimony which in the Scripture he gives unto it and by it to be his own Work and Word Such a character have the Works of other Agents whereby they are known and discerned to be theirs By such properties are the Works of men discâ—rned and oftentimes of Individuals amongst them They bear the likeness of their Authors and are thereby known to be theirs Neither is it possible that there should be any work of God proceeding so immediately from him as do Writings by Divine Inspiration but there will be such a communication of his Spirit and likeness unto it such an impression of his Greatness Holiness Goodness Truth and Majesty upon it as will manifest it to be from him The false Prophets of old pretended their Dreams Visions Predictions and Revelations to be from him They prefixed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he saith unto all the Declarations of them Jer. 23.31 and therefore doubtless framed them to as great a likeness unto those that were by inspiration from him as they were able And yet the Lord declares that all their imaginations were as discernable from his Word as Chaff from Wheat and this by that Authority and power wherewith his Word is accompanied whereof they were utterly destitute vers 28 29. And this Authority do all they who have their senses exercised in it find and acknowledge in this Epistle wherein their minds and consciences do acquiesce They hear and understand the voice of God in it and by that Spirit which is promised unto them discern it from the voice of a Stranger And when their minds are prepared and fortified against Objections by the former considerations this they ultimately resolve their perswasion of its Divine Authority into For From this Authority they find a Divine Efficacy proceeding a powerful operation § 33 upon their souls and consciences unto all the Ends of the Scripture A Reverence and awe of God from his Authority shining forth and exerting its self in it being wrought in them they find their minds effectually brought into captivity unto the obedience taught therein This Efficacy and power is in the whole Word of God Is not my Word as a Fire saith the Lord and like an Hammer that breaketh the rocks in pieces Jer. 23.29 that is living and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword piercing even to the dividing asunder of the soul and spirit and of the joints and marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart Heb. 4.12 As it hath an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Authority over men Matth. 7.29 So it hath a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or powerfull Efficacy in and towards them Acts 20.32 James 1.21 yea it is the Power of God himself for its proper end Rom. 1.16 and therefore said to be accompanied with the demonstration of the Spirit and power 1 Cor. 1.4 a Demonstration 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Basil drawing the Soul to consent beyond the Efficacy of Rational or Logical Arguments or Geometrical Demonstrations as he adds in the same place And this Divine Power and Efficacy of the Word as to all the ends of it proceeding from the Authority of God in it with his designation of it unto those ends which is that which giveth energie unto all things enabling them to produce their proper Effects and setting limits and bounds to their operation as it is testified unto in innumerable places of the Scripture its self so it hath and doth sufficiently manifest and evidence its self both in the fruits and effects of it on the souls of particular persons and in that work which it hath wrought and doth yet carry on invisibly in the world in despight of all the opposition that is made unto it by the power of Hell in conjunction with the unbelief darkness and lusts of the minds of men as may elsewhere be more at large declared A Learned Man said well Non monent non persuadent Sacrae literae sed cogunt agitant vim inferunt Legis rudia verba agrestia Sed viva sed animata flammea aculeata ad imum spiritum penetrantia hominem totum potestate mirabili transformantia expressing the summ of what we discourse From hence is all that supernatural Light and knowledge that conviction and restraint that Conversion Faith Consolation and Obedience that are found amongst any of the Sons of men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Basil 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The whole Scripture is divinely inspired and profitable being written by the Holy Ghost for this purpose that in it as a common healing Office for souls all men may chuse the Medicine suited to cure their own distempers Such is the Nature Power and Efficacy of this Epistle towards them that do believe It searches their hearts discovers their thoughts principles their consciences judges their Acts inward and outward supports their Spirits comforts their souls enlightens their minds guides them in their hope confidence and love to God directs them in all their communion with him and obedience unto him and leads them to an enjoyment of him And this Work of the Holy Ghost in it and by it seals up its Divine Authority unto them so that they find rest spiritual satisfaction and great assurance therein When once they have obtained this Experience of its Divine Power it is in vain for Men or Devils
to oppose its Canonical Authority with their frivolous Cavils and Objections Neither is this Experience meerly satisfactory to themselves alone as is by some pretended It is a thing pleadable and that not only in their own defence to strengthen their Faith against Temptations but to others also though not to Atheistical Scoffers yet to humble enquirers which ought to be the frame of all men in the Investigation of Sacred Truths § 34 Unto what hath been spoken we may add that the Canonical Authority of this Epistle is confirmed unto us by Catholick Tradition By this Tradition I intend not the Testimony only of the present Church that is in the world nor Fancy a trust of a Power to declare what is so in any Church whatever but a generall uninterrupted Fame conveyed and confirmed by particular Instances Records and Testimonies in all Ages In any other sense how little weight there is to be laid upon Traditions we have a pregnant instance in him who first began to magnifie them This was Papias a contemporary of Policarpus in the very next Age after the Apostles Tradition of what was done or said by Christ or the Apostles what Expositions they gave he professed himself to set an high value upon equal to if not above the Scripture And two things are considerable in his search after them First That he did not think that there was any Church appointed to be the Preserver and Declarer of Apostolical Traditions but made his enquiry of all the individual ancient men that he could meet withall who had conversed with any of the Apostles Secondly That by all his pains he gathered together a Rhapsody of incredible Stories Fables Errors and useless Curiosities Such issue will the endeavours of men have who forsake the stable Word of Prophesie to follow rumors and reports under the specious name of Traditions But this Catholick Fame whereof we speak confirmed by particular Entrances and Records in all Ages testifying unto a matter of Fact is of great importance And how clearly this may be pleaded in our present case shall be manifested in our Investigation of the Penman of this Epistle And thus I hope we have made it evident that this Epistle is not destitute of any one of those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or infallible proofs and Arguments whereby any particular Book of the Scripture evinceth its self unto the Consciences of men to be written by Inspiration from God It remaineth now to shew that it is not liable unto any of those Exceptions or Arguments whereby any Book or Writing pretending a claim to a Divine Original and Canonical Authority thereupon may be convicted and manifested to be of another Extract whereby its just priviledge will be on both sides secured § 35 The first consideration of this nature is taken from the Author or Penman of any such Writing The Books of the Old Testament were all of them written by Prophets or holy men inspired of God Hence St. Peter calls the whole of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prophesie 2 Pet. 1.21 Prophesie delivered by men acted or moved therein by the Holy Ghost And though there be a distribution made of the several Books of it from the Subject Matter into the Law Prophets and Psalms Luke 24.44 and often into the Law and Prophets on the same account as Acts 26.2 Rom. 3.22 yet their Penmen being all equally Prophets the whole in general is ascribed unto them and called Prophesie Rom. 1.8 Chap. 16.26 Luke 24.25 2 Pet. 1.19 So were the Books of the New Testament written by Apostles or men endowed with an Apostolical Spirit and in their work equally inspired by the Holy Ghost whence the Church is said to be built on the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone Ephes. 2.20 If then the Author of any Writing acknowledgeth himself or may otherwise be convinced to have been neither Prophet nor Apostle nor endued with the same infallible Spirit with them his work how excellent soever other wayes it may appear must needs be esteemed a meer fruit of his own Skill Diligence and Wisdom and not any way to belong unto the Canon of the Scripture This is the condition for instance of the second Book of Maccabees In the close of it the Author being doubtful what acceptance his endeavours and manner of Writing would find amongst his Readers makes his excuse and affirms that he did his utmost to please them in his Style and Composition of his words So he tells us before Chap. 2. v. 24. that he did but Epitomize the History of Jason the Cyrenean wherein he took great pains and labour The truth is he that had before commended Judas Machabaeus for offering Sacrifices for the dead which indeed he did not but for the living no where appointed in the Law and affirmed that Jeremiah hid the holy Fire Ark Tabernacle and Altar of Incense in a Cave that the same person Antiochus was killed at Nanea in Persia Chap. 1. v. 16. and dyed in the Mountains of torments in his Bowels as he was coming to Judea Chap. 9. whom the first Book affirms to have dyed of sorrow at Babylon Chap. 6. v. 16. who affirms Judas to have written Letters to Aristobulus in the one hundred eighty eighth year of the Seleucian Empire who was slain in the one hundred fifty second year of it Lib. 1. Chap. 1.3 that is thirty six years after his death with many other such mistakes and falshoods had no great need to inform us that he had no special Divine Assistance in his Writing but leaned unto his own Understanding But yet this he doth as we shewed and that openly For the Holy Ghost will not be an Epitomator of a Profane Writing as he professeth himself to have been nor make excuses for his weakness nor declare his pains and Sweat in his Work as he doth And yet to that pass are things brought in the World by Custome Prejudice love of Reputation scorn to be esteemed mistaken in any thing that many earnestly contend for this Book to be written by Divine Inspiration when the Author of it himself openly professeth it to have been of another Extract For although this Book be not only rejected out of the Canon by the Council of Laodicea Hierom and others of the Antients but by Gregory the Great Bishop of Rome himself yet the Church of Rome would now by force thrust it thereinto But were the Author himself alive again I am so well perswaded of his Ingenuity and Honesty from the Conclusion of his Story that they would never be able to make him say that he wrote by Divine Inspiration and little reason then have we to believe it Now this Epistle is free from this Exception The Penman of it doth no where intimate directly or indirectly that he wrote in his own strength or by his own ability which yet if he had done in an Argument of that
None of them give any Countenance unto it or intimate any Grounds of that supposition only Hierom affirms that there is some Similitude between the Style of this Epistle and that of Clemens which occasioned the suspition of his Translating of it whereof afterwards Erasmus hath since taken up that Report and seems to give credit unto it but hath not contributed any thing of Reason or Testimony unto its Confirmation A Worthy Holy Man was this Clemens no doubt and Bishop of the Church at Rome But none of the Antients of any Learning or Judgement ever laid weight on this Conjecture For what had he who was a Convert from among the Gentiles to do with the Churches of the Hebrews what Authority had he to interpose himself in that which was their peculiar concernment Whence may it appear that he had that Skill in the Nature Use and End of Mosaical Rites and Institutions which the Writer of this Epistle discovers in himself Neither doth that Epistle of his to the Church of Corinth which is yet extant though excellent in its kind permit us to think that he wrote by Divine Inspiration Besides the Author of this Epistle had a desire and purpose to go to the Hebrews chap. 13.22 Yea he desires to be restored unto them as one that had been with them before But as it doth not appear that this Clemens was ever in Palestine so what Reason he should have to leave his own charge now to go thither no man can imagine And to end this needless Debate in that Epistle which was truly his own he makes use of the Words and Authority of this as Eusebius long since observed § 8 Sixtus Sinensis affirms that the Work whose Author we enquire after was by some assigned unto Tertullian A fond and impious imagination and such as no man of Judgement or Sobriety could ever fall into This Epistle was famous in the Churches before Tertullian was born is ascribed by himself unto Barnabas and some passages in it are said by him to be corrupted by one Theodotus long before his time From the Vncertainty of these Conjectures with the Evidence of Reason and Circumstances whereby they are disproved two things we seem to have obtained First That no Objection on their Account can arise against our Assertion And Secondly that if St. Paul be not acknowledged to be the Writer of this Epistle the whole Church of God is and ever was at a total loss whom to ascribe it unto And it may reasonably be expected that the weakness of these Conjectures should if not add unto yet set of the credibility of the Reasons and Testimonies which shall be produced in the Assignement of it unto him § 9 The Objections that are laid by some against our Assignation of this Epistle unto St. Paul according unto the Order proposed are nextly to be considered These I shall pass through with what briefness I can so as not to be wanting unto the Defensative designed Dissimilitude of Style and manner of writing from that used by St. Paul in his other Epistles is pressed in the first place and principally insisted on And indeed it is the whole of what with any colour of Reason is made use of in this Cause This the Antients admitted The Elegancy propriety of Speech and sometimes Loftiness that occurr in this Epistle difference it as they say from those of St. Pauls writings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Oecumenius it seems not to be St. Pauls because of the Style or Character of Speech For this cause Clemens of Alexandria supposed it to be written in Hebrew and to be translated into Greek by St. Luke the Evangelist the Style of it as he sayes being like unto that which is used in the Acts of the Apostles and yet that is acknowledged by all to be purely Greek whereas this is accused to be full of Hebraisms so little weight is to be laid on these Critical Censures wherein Learned men perpetually contradict one another Origen also confesseth that it hath not in its Character 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Idiotism or propriety of the Language of St. Paul who acknowledgeth himself to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 11.6 rude in Speech and this Epistle is saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the composition of its Speech Elegantly Greek in comparison of his which if we may believe him any one will discern who can judge between the difference of Styles And Hierom Scripserat autem ad Hebraeos Hebraice id est suo eloquio disertissimè ut eo quae eloquuntur scripta fuerant in Hebraeo aliquatenus verterentur in Graecum hanc causam esse quod a coeteris Pauli Epistolis discrepare videatur It seems to differ from the rest of St. Pauls Epistles because of its Translation out of Hebrew wherein he speaks not with his wonted confidence And elsewhere he sayes that the Style of this Epistle seems to be like that of Clemens Erasmus presseth this Objection Restat saith he Jam argumentum illud quo non aliud certius stylus ipse orationis Character qui nihil habet affinitatis cum Phrasi Paulina The Style and Character of Speech have no affinity with the Phrase of St. Paul This Consideration also drew Calvin into the same Opinion and it is insisted on by Camero and Grotius to the same purpose The summ of this Objection is that St. Paul was rude in Speech which is manifest in his other Epistles but the Style of this is pure elegant florid such as hath no affinity with his so that he cannot be esteemed the Penman of it As this Objection was taken notice of by them of old and the matter of it admitted § 10 as true so because they constantly adhered to the Assignation of it unto St. Paul they gave sundry Answers unto it Origen gives us his Judgement that the Sense or Subiect Matter of this Epistle was from St. Paul which are excellent and no way inferiour to those of the same Apostle in any other Epistles as every one exercised in the Reading of his Epistles will grant but the Structure and Phrase of it he supposeth to have been the Work of some other who taking the Dictates of his Master from thence composed this Epistle But this Answer can by no means be admitted of nor accommodated unto any Writing given by Divine Inspiration For not only the Matter but the very Words of their Writings were suggested unto his Penmen by the Holy Ghost that the whole might have no influence from humane frailty or fallibility which alone renders the Authority of their Writings Sacred and Divine But this intimation would resolve the Truth in this Epistle into the Care and Diligence of him that took the sense of St. Paul and thence composed it wherein he was liable to mistakes unless we shall vainly suppose that he also was inspired Wherefore generally they who admitted of this Objection
diligent Observer may find running through this and all his other Epistles But 3. That which under this Head I would press is the Consideration of the Spirit Genius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and manner of Writing proceeding from them peculiar to this Apostle in all his Epistles Many things are required to enable any one to judge aright of this intimation He must as Bernard speaks drink of Pauls Spirit or be made partaker of the same Spirit with him in his measure who would understand his Writings Without this Spirit and his saving Light they are all obscure intricate sapless unsavoury when unto them in whom it is they are all sweet gracious in some measure open plain and powerful A great and constant exercise unto an acquaintance with his frame of Spirit in Writing is also necessary hereunto Unless a man have contracted as it were a familiarity by a constant conversation with him no Critical skill in Words or Phrases will render him a competent Judge in this matter This enabled Caesar to determine aright concerning any Writings of Cicero And he that is so acquainted with this Apostle will be able to discern his Spirit as Austin sayes his Mother Monica did divine Revelations nescio quo sapore by an inexpressable Spiritual savour Experience also of the power and efficacy of his Writings is hereunto required He whose heart is cast into the Mould of the Doctrine by him delivered will receive quick impressions from his Spirit exerting its self in any of his Writings He that is thus prepared will find that Heavenliness and perspicuity in unfolding the deepest Evangelical Mysteries that peculiar exaltation of Jesus Christ in his Person Office and Work that Spiritual persuasiveness that transcendent manner of Arguing and Reasoning that wise insinuation and pathetical pressing of well grounded Exhortations that Love Tenderness and Affection to the Souls of men that Zeal for God and Authority in Teaching which enliven and adorn all his other Epistles to shine in this in an eminent manner from the beginning to the End of it And this Consideration what ever may be the apprehensions of others concerning it is that which gives me satisfaction above all that are pleaded in this Cause in ascribing this Epistle to Paul The Testimony of the first Churches of whose Testimony any record is yet remaining § 26 with a successive Suffrage of the most Knowing Persons of following Ages may also be pleaded in this Cause Setting aside that limitation of this Testimony which with the grounds and occasions of it as to some in the Latin Church we have already granted and declared and this Witness will be acknowledged to be Catholick as to all other Churches in the World A Learned Man of late hath reckoned up and reported the Words of above thirty of the Greek Fathers and fifty of the Latin reporting this Primitive Tradition I shall not trouble the Reader with a Catalogue of their Names nor the Repetition of their Words and that because the whole of what in general we assert as to the Eastern Church is acknowledged Amongst them was this Epistle first made publick as they had far more advantages of discovering the Truth in this Matter of Fact than any in the Roman Church or that elsewhere followed them in after Ages could have Neither had they any thing but the Conviction and Evidence of Truth its self to induce them to embrace this Perswasion And he that shall consider the Condition of the first Churches under Persecution and what difficulties they met withal in Communicating those Apostolical Writings which were delivered unto any of them with that special Obstruction unto the spreading of this unto the Hebrews of which we have already discoursed cannot rationally otherwise conceive of it but as an eminent fruit of the Good Providence of God that it should so soon receive so publick an Attestation from the first Churches as it evidently appears to have done § 27 The Epistle it self several wayes discovers its Author Some of them we shall briefly recount 1. The General Argument and Scope of it declares it to be Pauls Hereof there are two parts 1. The Exaltation of the Person Office and Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ with the Excellency of the Gospel and the Worship therein commanded revealed by him 2. A Discovery of the Nature Vse and Expiration of Mosaical Institutions their present Unprofitableness and ceasing of their obligation unto obedience The first part we may grant to have been equally the design of all the Apostles though we find it in a peculiar way insisted on in the Writings of Paul The latter was his special work and business This partly ex instituto partly occasionally from the opposition of the Jews was he ingaged in the promotion of all the world over The Apostles of the Circumcision according to the Wisdom given them and suitable to the nature of their work did more accommodate themselves to the prejudicate Opinion of the Jewish Professors and the rest of the Apostles had little occasion to deal with them or others on this subject Paul in an eminent manner in this work bare the burthen of that day Having well setled all other Churches who were troubled in this Controversie by some of the Jews he at last treats with themselves directly in this Epistle giving an account of what he had elsewhere Preached and taught to this purpose and the grounds that he proceeded upon and this not without great success as the burying of the Judaical Controversie not long after doth manifest 2. The Method of his proceedure is the same with that of his other Epistles which also was peculiar unto him Now this in most of them yea in all of them not regulated by some particular occasions is first to lay down the Doctrinal Mysteries of the Gospel vindicating them from Oppositions and Exceptions and then to descend to Exhortations unto Obedience deduced from them with an enumeration of such special Moral Duties as those unto whom he wrote stood in need to be minded of This is the general Method of his Epistles to the Romans Ephesians Colossians Philippians and the most of the rest And this also is observed in this Epistle Only whereas he had a special respect unto the Apostacy of some of the Hebrews occasioned by the Persecution which then began to grow high against them what ever Argument or Testimony in his passage gave him advantage to press an Exhortation unto constancy and to deterr them from back-sliding he layes hold upon it and diverts into practical Inferences unto that purpose before he comes to his general Exhortations towards the end of the Epistle Excepting this occasional difference the Method of this is the same with that used in the other Epistles of Paul and which was peculiarly his own 3. His Way of Argument in this and his other Epistles is the same Now this as we shall see is Sublime and Mystical accommodated rather to the Spiritual Reason of Believers
almost all the eminent kinds of Revelation whereby themselves would distinguish the Spirit of Prophesie from the Inspiration of the Holy Ghost Neither have they any Reason for this distribution but finding the general division before mentioned to have been received in the Church of old they have disposed of the particular Books into their orders at their pleasure casting Daniel as is probable into their last order because so many of his Visions and Prophesies relate unto other Nations besides their own The Law or the Books of Moses they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the Pentateuch from the number of the Books or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the fives or the five parts of the Law whereunto Hierom in his Epistle to Paulinus wrests those words of the Apostle 1 Cor. 14.19 I had rather speak 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 five words in the Church as if he had respect to the Law of Moses These five Books they divide into Paraschae or Sections whereof they read one each Sabbath day in their Synagogues Genesis into twelve Exodus into eleven Leviticus into ten Numbers into ten Deuteronomy into ten which all make fifty-three whereby reading one each day and two in one day they read through the whole in the course of a year beginning at the Feast of Tabernacles And this they did of old as James testifies Acts 15.21 For Moses of Old time hath in every City them that preach him being read in the Synagogues every Sabbath day Some of them make fifty four of these Sections dividing the last of Genesis into two beginning the latter at Chap. 47. v. 18. constituting the following Chapter in a distinct Section though it have not the usual note of them prefixed unto it but only one single Samech to note as they say its being absolutely closed or shut up on the account of the Prophesie of the coming of the Messiah Chap. 49. whose season is unknown to them They also divide it into lesser Sections and those of two sorts open and close which § 3 have their distinct marks in their Bibles and many superstitious Observations they have about the beginning and ending of them Of the first sort there are in Gen. 43. of the latter 48. In Exodus of the first sort 69. of the latter 95. In Leviticus of the first sort 52. of the Latter 46. In Numbers of the first 92. of the latter 66. Deuteronomy of the first sort 34. of the latter 379. in all 669. Besides they observe the number of the Verses at the end of every Book as also that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Levit. 11.42 is the middle letter of the Law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lev. 10 16. the middle word Levit. 13.33 the middle Verse the number of all which through the Law is 23206. Moreover they divide the Law or five Books of Moses into 153. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sedarim or Distinctions whereof Genesis contains 42. Exodus 29. Leviticus 23. Numbers 32. Deuteronomy 27. which kind of Distinctions they also observe throughout the Scripture assigning unto Joshuah 14. Judges 14. Samuel 34. Kings 35. Isaiah 26. Jeremiah 31. Ezekiel 29. the Lesser Prophets 21. Psalms 19. Job 8. Proverbs 8. Ecclesiastes 4. Canticles and Lamentations are not divided Daniel 7. Ester 7. Ezra and Nehemiah 10. Chronicles 25. Besides they distribute the Prophets into Sections called Haphters that answer the Sections which are read every Sabbath day in their Synagogues And this Division of the Prophets they affirm to have been made in the dayes of Antiochus Epiphanes whom they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that wicked one when the reading of the Law was prohibited unto them All which things are handled at large by others Having for a long season lost the Promise of the Spirit and therewith all saving § 4 spiritual Knowledge of the mind and will of God in the Scripture the best of their employment about it hath been in reference to the Words and Letters of it wherein their diligence hath been of use in the preservation of the Copies of it entire and free from corruption For after that the Canon of the Old Testament was compleated in the dayes of Ezra and Points or Vowels added to the Letters to preserve the Knowledge of the Tongue and facilitate the right Reading and Learning of it it is incredible what industry diligence and curiosity they have used in and about the Letter of the whole Scripture The collection of their pains and Observations to this purpose is called the Massora or Messara consisting in Criticall Observations upon the words and letters of the Scripture begun to be collected of old even it may be from the dayes of Ezra and continued untill the time of Composing the Talmud with some additional Observations since annexed unto it The Writers Composers and Gatherers of this work they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whose principal Observations were gathered and published by Rabbi Jacob Chaiim and annexed to the Venetian Bibles whereas before the Massora was written in other Books innumerable In this their Critical Doctrine they give us the number of the Verses of the Scripture as also how often every Word is used in the whole and with what variety as to Letters and Vowels what is the whole number of all the Letters in the Bible and how often each Letter is severally used with innumerable other useful Observations the summ whereof is gathered by Buxtorfe in his excellent Treatise on that subject And herein is the knowledge of their Masters bounded they go not beyond the Letter but are more blind than Moles in the Spiritual sense of it And thus they continue an example of the righteous Judgement of God in giving them up to the Counsells of their own hearts and an evident instance how unable the Letter of the Scripture is to furnish men with the saving knowledge of the Will of God who enjoy not the Spirit promised in the same Covenant to the Church of the Elect Isa 59.21 § 5 Unto that ignorance of the mind of God in the Scripture which is spread over them they have added another prejudice against the Truth in a strange Figment of an Orall Law which they make equall unto yea in many things prefer before that which is written The Scripture becoming a lifeless Letter unto them the true understanding of the mind of God being utterly departed and hid from them it was impossible that they should rest therein or content themselves with what is revealed by it For as the word whilest it is enjoyed and used according to the mind of God and is accompanied with that Spirit which is promised to lead them that believe into all Truth is full of sweetness and life to the souls of men a perfect Rule of walking before God and that which satiates them with wisdom and knowledge so when it is enjoyed meerly on an outward account as such a writing without any dispensation of suitable Light
Attonement and Reconciliation and that some such thing was signified in their Sacrifices they do each one for himself torture slay and offer a Cock on the day of Expiation to make attonement for their sins and that unto the Devil The Rites of that Diabolical Solemnity are declared at large by Buxtorfius in his Synagog Judaic cap. 20. But yet as this folly manifests that they can find no rest in their consciences without their Sacrifices so it gives them not at all what they seek after And therefore being driven from all other hopes they trust at length unto their own Death for in Life they have no hope making this one of their constant Prayers Let my Death be the Expiation of all Sins But this is the curse and so no means to avoid it Omitting therefore these horrid follies of men under despair an effect of that wrath which is come upon them unto the uttermost the thing its self may be considered That the Sacrifices of Moses's Law in and by themselves should be a means to deliver men from the guilt of sin and to reconcile them unto God is contrary to the Light of Nature their own proper use and express Testimonies of the Old Testament For First Can any man think it reasonable that the blood of Bulls and Goats should of its self make an Expiation of the sin of the souls of men reconcile them to God the Judge of all and impart unto them an Everlasting Righteousness Our Apostle declares the manifest impossibility hereof Heb. 10. v. 4. They must have very mean and low thoughts of God his Holiness Justice Truth of the Demerit of Sin of Heaven and Hell who think them all to depend on the blood of a Calf or a Goat The Sacrifices of them indeed might by Gods appointment represent that to the minds of men which is effectuall unto the whole End of appeasing Gods Justice and of obtaining his Favour but that they should themselves effect it is unsuitable unto all the Apprehensions which are imbred in the heart of man either concerning the nature of God or the Guilt of Sin Secondly Their Primitive and proper use doth manifest the same For they were to be frequently repeated and in all the Repetitions of them there was still new mention made of sin They could not therefore by themselves take it away for if they could they would not have been reiterated It is apparent therefore that their use was to represent and bring to remembrance that which did perfectly take away sin For a perfect work may be often remembred but it need not it cannot be often done For being done for such an End and that End being obtained it cannot be done again The Sacrifices therefore were never appointed never used to take away sin which they did not but to represent that which did so effectually Besides there were some sins that men may be guilty of whom God will not utterly reject for which there was no Sacrifice appointed in the Law of Moses as was the case with David Psal. 51. v. 16. which makes it undeniable that there was some other way of Attonement besides them and beyond them as our Apostle declares Acts 13. v. 38 39. Thirdly The Scripture expresly rejects all the Sacrifices of the Law when they are trusted in for any such End and Purpose which sufficiently demonstrates that they were never appointed thereunto See Psal. 40 v. 6 7 8. Psal. 50. v. 8 9 10 11 12 13. Isa. 1. v. 11 12 13. Chap. 66. v. 3. Amos. 5.21 22. Micha 6. v. 6 7 8. and other places innumerable Add unto what hath been spoken that during the Observation of the whole Law § 22 of Moses whilest it was in force by the Appointment of God himself He still directed those who sought for Acceptance with him unto a New Covenant of Grace whole Benefits by faith they were then made partakers of and whole nature was afterwards more fully to be declared See Jerem. 31. v. 31 32 33 34. with the inferences of our Apostle thereon Heb. 8.12 13. And this plainly everts the whole Foundation of the Jews Expectation of Justification before God on the account of the Law of Moses given on Mount Sinai For to what purpose should God call them from resting on the Covenant thereof to look for Mercy and Grace in and by another if that had been able to give them the help desired In brief then the Jews fixing on the Law of Moses as the only means of delivery from sin and death as they do thereby exclude all mankind besides themselves from any interest in the Love Favour or Grace of God which they greatly design and desire so they cast themselves also into a miserable restless self-condemned condition in this world by trusting to that which will not relieve them and into Endless misery hereafter by refusing that which effectually would make them Heirs of Salvation For whilest they perish in their sin another better more glorious and sure Remedy against all the Evils that are come upon mankind or are justly feared to be coming by any of them is provided in the Grace Wisdom and Love of God as shall now farther be demonstrated The first intimation that God gave of this work of his Grace in Redeeming mankind § 23 from sin and misery is contained in the Promise subjoyned unto the Curse denounced against our first Parents and their Posterity in them Gen. 3. v. 15. The seed of the Woman shall bruise the Heaa of the Serpent and the Serpent shall bruise his Heel Two things there are contained in these words A Promise of Relief from the misery brought on mankind by the Temptation of Satan and an intimation of the Means or Way whereby it should be brought about That the first is included in these words is evident For First If there be not a Promise of Deliverance expressed in these words whence is it that the execution of the sentence of Death against sin is suspended Unless we will allow an Intervention satisfactory to the Righteousness and Truth of God to be expressed in these words there would have been a truth in the suggestion of the Serpent namely that whatever God had said yet indeed they were not to dye The Jews in the Midrash Tehillim as Kimchi informs us on Psal. 92. whose Title is a Psalm for the Sabbath Day which they generally assign unto Adam say that Adam was cast out of the Garden of Eden on the Evening of the sixth day after which God came to execute the Sentence of Death upon him but the Sabbath being come on the Punishment was deferred whereon Adam made that Psalm for the Sabbath Day Without an interposition of some external Cause and Reason they acknowledge that Death ought immediately to have been inflicted and other besides what is mentioned in these words there was none Secondly The whole Evil of sin and Curse that mankind then did or was to suffer under proceeded from the
friendship contracted between the Woman and the Serpent and her fixing faith in him God here declares that he will break that League and put Enmity between them Being now both of them under the same condition of sin and Curse this could not be without a change of Condition in one of them Satan is not divided from himself nor is at Enmity with them that are left wholly in his Estate A change of Condition therefore on the part of the Woman and her Seed is plainly promised that is by a Deliverance from the state of sin and misery wherein they were Without this the Enmity mentioned could not have ensued Thirdly In pursuit of this Enmity the seed of the woman was to bruise the Head of the Serpent The Head is the seat of his Power and Craft Without the destruction of the Evil and pernicious effects which by his Counsel he had brought about his Head cannot be bruised By his Head he had contrived the Ruine of mankind and without the Destruction of his Works and a Recovery from that Ruine he is not conquered nor his Head bruised And as these things though they may now seem somewhat obscurely expressed in these words are yet made plain unto us in the Gospel so the importance of them was evident unto our first Parents of old being expounded by all the Circumstances wherewith the matter of fact was attended Again there is an intimation of the manner how this work shall be performed This First God takes upon himself I will do it I will put Enmity It is an issue of his Soveraign Wisdom and Grace But Secondly He will do it in and by the nature of man the seed of the Woman And two things must concur to the effecting of it First That this seed of the Woman must conquer Satan bruise his Head destroy his Works and procure Deliverance for mankind thereby Secondly That he must suffer from and by the means of Satan in his so doing the Serpent must bruise his Heel This is the Remedy and Relief that God hath provided for mankind And this is the MESSIAH or God joyning with the Nature of man to Deliver mankind from sin and Eternal misery § 24 This Promise of Relief by the seed of the Woman is as the first so the only intimation that God gave unto our first Parents of a way of Deliverance from that condition whereinto they and the whole Creation were brought by the Entrance of Evil or Sin It was likewise the first Discovery that there was in him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Benignity Grace Kindness or Mercy Compassion Pardon Hereby he declared himself to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Neh. 9. v. 17. A God of Pardons Gracious and tenderly mercifull As also Psalm 86. v. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Good and pardoning and much in mercy And if this be not acknowledged it must be confessed that all the world at least unto the Flood if not unto the dayes of Abraham in which space of Time we have Testimony concerning some that they walked with God and pleased him were left without any certain ground of Faith or hope of Acceptance with him For without some knowledge of this Mercy and the Provision of a way for its exercise they could have no such Perswasion This then we have obtained that God presently upon the Entrance of sin into the World and the breach of its publick Peace thereby promised a Reparation of that Evil in the whole Extent of it to be wrought in and b◠the seed of the Woman That is the MESSIAH § 25 According unto our Design we may take along with us the thoughts of the Jews in this matter expressed after their manner For the Serpent that tempted Eve who is here threatned as the Head of all the Evil that ensued thereon they confess that Satan accompanied him and was principally intended in the Curse denounced against him So the Targum of Ben Vzziel When the Serpent came to tempt Eve she saw 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Samael the Angel of Death upon him And Maimonides gives a large account of the Doctrine of their Wisemen in this matter More Nebuch pag. 2. cap. 20. At neque hoc praetereundum quod in Midrash adducunt Sapientes nostri Serpentem equitatum fuisse quantitatem ejus instar Cameli sessorem ejus fuisse illum qui decepit Evam huncque Sessorem fuisse Samaelem quod nomen absolute usurpant de Sathana Invenies enim quod in multis locis dicunt Sathanam voluisse impedire Abrahamum ne ligaret Isaacum sic voluisse impedire Isaacum ne obsequeretur voluntati patris sui alibi vero in hoc eodem negotio dicunt venit Samael ad Abrahamum sic itaque apparet quod Samael sit ipse Sathan To omit their Fables this in evident that they acknowledge it was Satan who deceived Eve And in Bereshith Rabba sect 10. They give an account why God expostulated with Adam and Eve before he pronounced Sentence against them but without any Word or Question proceeded immediately unto the Doom of the Serpent For say they the Holy Blessed God said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This Serpent is wicked and a cunning disputer and if I speak unto him he will strait way say thou gavest them a Commandment and I gave them a Commandment why did they leave thy Commandment and follow my Commandment and therefore he presently pronounced sentence against him And the same words are repeated in Midrash Vaiikra ad cap. 13. v. 2. which things can be understood of Satan only I know some of the later Masters have other thoughts of these things because they discover what use may be made of the Truth and the Faith of their fore-fathers in this matter Aben Ezra in his Commentary on this place disputes the Opinions of their Doctors and although he acknowledge that Rabbi Saadias Haggaon and Rabbi Samuel Ben Hophni with others that is indeed their Targums and Talmuds and all their antient Writers affirm Satan to be intended yet he contends for the Serpent only on the weak pretences that Satan goeth not on his Belly nor eateth Dust which things in the letter are confessed to belong unto the Instrument that he used And hereon they would have it that the Serpent was deprived of voice and understanding which before he had so making him a rational subsistence who is expresly reckoned amongst the Beasts of the Field The Root of all Evil also they would have to lye in the matter whereof we were originally made an impossible figment invented to reflect the guilt of all sin on Him that made us Thus every thing seems right to men that will serve the present turns whilest they shut their Eyes against the Truth But we have the consent of the Antientest Best and Wisest of them in this matter as also unto the Deliverance here promised The two Targums of Vzzielides and that called Jerusalem both agree that these words contain a Remedy of
indignation against their obstinacy for any one seriously to consider how wofully they wrest the words up and down to make a tolerable application of them unto Hezekiah whom they would fix this Prophesie upon and on the occasion given us by the Targum I shall take a little view of their sentiments on this place of the Prophet That of old they esteemed a Prophesie of the Messiah not only the Targum as we have seen but the Talmud also doth acknowledge Besides also they manifest the same conviction in their futilous Traditions In Tractat. Saned Distino Cholech They have a Tradition that God thought to have made Hezekiah to be the Messiah and Senacherib to have been Gog and Magog but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Property of Judgement interposed and asked why David rather was not made the Messiah who had made so many Songs to the praise of God And Rabbi Hillel as we shall see afterwards contended that Israel was not any more to look for a Messiah seeing they enjoyed him in Hezekiah Now these vain Traditions arose meerly from the concessions of their old Masters granting the Messiah to be here spoken of and the craft of their later ones wresting the words unto Hezekiah so casting them into confusion that they knew not what to say nor believe But let us see how they acquit themselves at last in this matter Four things are here promised concerning this Child or Son that should be given § 33 unto the Church 1. That the Government should be on his shoulder 2. That his name should be callâ—d Wonderful Counsellor the mighty God the Everlasting Father the Prince of Peace 3. That of the increase of his Government there should be no end 4. That he should sit on the Throne of David to order it for ever And we may see how well they accommodate these things unto Hezekiah their endeavours being evidently against the Faith of the antient Church the Traditions of their Fathers and it may be doubted their own light and conviction First The Government shall be on his shoulder saith Sol. Jarchi Because the Rule and yoke of God shall be upon him in the study of the Law This pleaseth not Kimchi as it is indeed ridiculous and therefore he observeth that mention is not made of the Shoulder but with reference unto Burden and weight whence he gives this interpretation of the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Because Ahaz served the King of Assyria and his burden was on his shoulder he sayes of this Child he shall not be a servant with his shoulder but the Government shall be on him And this it seems is all that is here promised and this is all the concernment of the Church in this Promise Hezekiah shall not serve the King of Assyria Neither is it true that Ahaz served the King of Assyria under tribute and it may seem rather that Hezekiah did so for a season seeing it is expresly said that he rebelled against him and served him no more 2 Chron. 18. v. 7. Yea plainly he did so and paid him by way of tribute three hundred Talents of Silver and thirty talents of Gold 2 Kings 18. v. 14. So He. Aben Ezra passeth over this expression without taking notice of it Secondly As to the name ascribed unto him they are for the most part agreed and § 34 unless that one evasion which they have fixed on will relieve them they are utterly silent Now this is as was before declared that the words are to be read The Wonderfull Counsellor the mighty God the Everlasting Father shall call his Name the Prince of Peace so that the Prince of Peace only is the name of the promised Child all the rest are the Name of God But 1. If words may be so transposed and shufled together as they are to produce this sense there will nothing be left certain in the Scripture nor can they give any one instance of such a disposal of words as they fancy in this place 2. The very reading of the words rejects this Gloss He shall call his Name Wonderfull 3. It is the name of the Child and not of God that gives him which is expressed for the comfort of the Church 4. What tolerable Reason can be given for such an accumulation of Names unto God in this place 5. There is nothing in the lâ—ast not any distinctive accent to separate between the Prince of Peace and the expressions foregoing but the same Person is intended by them all so that it was not Hezekiah but the mighty God himself who in the Person of the Son was to be incarnate that is here spoken of Besides on what account should Hezekiah so eminently be called The Prince of Peace § 35 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Prince is never used in the Scripture with reference unto any thing but he that is so called hath chief Power and Authority over that whereof he is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prince Chief or Captain as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the General or Chief Commander of the Army under whose Command and at whose disposal it is By the Greeks it is rendered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Apostle calls our Lord Jesus Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 13.15 the Prince of Life and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 2. v. 10. The Prince or Captain of Salvation Nor is the word once in the Old Testament applied unto any one but he that had Power and Authority over that which he was the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Prince of to give grant or dispose of it as he thought meet And in what sense then can Hezekiah be called the Prince of Peace Had he the Power of Peace of any sort in his hand Was he the Lord of it Was it at his disposal The most of his reign he spent in War first with his Neighbours the Philistins 2 Kings 18. v. 8. And afterwards with the King of Assyria who took all the Cities of Juda one or two only excepted 2 Kings 18. v. 13. And in what sense shall he be called the Prince of Peace The Rabbins after their wonted manner to fetch any thing out of a word whether it be ought to their Purpose or no answer that it was because of that saying Isa. 39. v. 8. For there shall be Peace and Truth in my dayes But this being spoken with respect unto the very latter part of his Raign and that only with reference unto the Babylonian Captivity which was afterwards to ensue is a sorry foundation to entitle him unto this illustrious Name the Captain Prince or Lord of Peace which bespeaks one that had all Peace and that in the Scripture Language is all that is Good or prosperous both temporal and spiritual in reference unto God and man in his power and disposal And yet this is the utmost that any of them pretend to give countenance unto this Appellation § 36 Abarbinel who heaps together
the Interpretations Conjectures and Traditions of most that went before him seems to agree with Kimchi in that of the Government being upon his Shoulder because his Father Ahaz sent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Present unto the King of Assyria but he did not whereas it is expresly said that he paid him Tribute of three hundred Talents of Silver and thirty Talents of Gold for the raising whereof he emptied his own Treasures and the Treasures of the House of God yea and cut off the Gold from the Doors and Pillars of the Temple 2 Kings 18. v. 15 16. yet he mentions that other fancy of Rashi about the study of the Law and so leaves it But in this of the Name ascribed unto him he would take another course For finding Hezekiah in their Talmud Tract Saned Pereck Chelek called by his Masters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He who had eight names as Senacherib is also childishly there said to have had he would in the first place ascribe all these names unto Hezekiah giving withall such Reasons of them as I dare not be so importune on the Readers patience as to transcribe and himself after he had ascribed this Opinion to Jonathan the Targumist and Rashi embraceth the other of Kimchi before confuted And yet knows not how to abide by that neither § 37 Thirdly How can it be said of Hezekiah that of the increase of his Government there should be no end seeing he lived but four and fifty years and reigned but twenty five And his own Son Manasseh who succeeded him was carried captive into Babylâ—n But as unto this Question and that which follows about his sitting upon the Throne of David for ever after they have puzled themselves with the great Mysterie of Mem Clausum in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they would have us to suppose that these words concerned only the life of Hezekiah though it be not possible that any other word should be used more significantly expressing Perpetuity Of the increase of his Government 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 no end it shall be endless and he shall rule 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from hence or now and unto for ever for evermore And thus by the Vindication of this Place from the Rabbinical Exceptions we have not only obtained our principal intention about the promise of a Deliverer but also shewed who and what manner of Person he was to be even a Child that was to be born who should also be the Mighty God the Everlasting Father the Prince of Peace whose Rule and Dominion was to endure for ever § 38 Isaiah 10. v. 27. The yoke shall be destroyed because of the Annointing Targum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the People shall be broken before the Messiah And it may be some respect may be had in these words unto the Promised Seed upon whose account the yoke of the oppressors of the Church shall be broken but the words are variously interpreted and I shall not contend § 39 Isaiah 11.1 And there shall come forth a rod out of the stemm of Jesse and a branch shall grow out of his Roots Targum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And a King shall come forth from the Sons of Jesse and Messiah shall be annointed from the Sons of his Sons his Posterity Ver. 6. The Wolf shall dwell with the Lamb Targum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the dayes of the Messiah of Israel peace shall be multiplyed in the earth and the Wolf shall dwell with the Lamb. That this Chapter contains a Prophesie of the Messiah and his Kingdom and that immediately and directly all the Jews confess Hence is that part of their usual Song in the Evening of the Sabbath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Shake thy self from dust arise My People clothed in glorious guise For from Bethlehem Jesse's Son Brings to my soul Redemption They call him the Son of Jesse from this place which makes it somewhat observable that some Christians as Grotius should apply it unto Hezekiah Judaizing in their interpretations beyond the Jews Only the Jews are not well agreed in what sense those words the Wolf shall dwell with the Lamb and the Leopard shall lye down with the Kid c. are to be understood Some would have it that the nature of the brute Beasts shall be changed in the dayes of the Messiah but this is rejected by the wisest of them as Maimonides Kimchi Aben Ezra and others and these interpret the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 allegorically applying them unto that Vniversal Peace which shall be in the world in the dayes of the Messiah But the Peace they fancy is far from answering the words of the Prophesie which express a change in the nature of the worst of men by vertue of the Rule and Grace of the Messiah I cannot but add that Abarbinel writing his Commentaries about the time that the Europaean Christian Nations were fighting with the Saracens for the Land of Palestine or the Holy Land he interprets the latter end of the tenth Chapter to the destruction of them on both sides by God whereon their Messiah should be revealed as is promised in this which he expresseth in the close of his Exposition of the first Verse of Chap. 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And there shall prevail great War between the Nations of the world one against another on or for the Holy Land and strong Nations shall fall in it by the sword of one another and therefore it is said behold the Lord the Lord of Host shall lop Chap. 10. v. 33. And a little after he adds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the middest of that War shall Messiah the King be revealed For those Nations he would have had to be Gog and Magog and in many places doth he express his hopes of the ruine of the Christians by that War but the issue hath disappointed his hopes and desires Ise. 16. v. 1. Send ye the Lamb to the Ruler of the Land Targum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 § 40 They shall bring their Tribute unto the Messiah of Israel Oâ—serving as it should seem that the Moabites unto whom these words are spoken were never after this time tributary to Judah and withall considering the Prophesie of v. 5. which he applies also and that properly unto the Messiah the Targumist conceived him to be the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Ruler here mentioned unto whom the Moabites are invited to yield obedience and I conceive it will not be very easie to fix upon a more genuine sense of the words So also ver 5. Then shall the Throne of the Messiah of Israel be prepared in Goodness Doubtless with more Truth than those Christians make use of who wrest these words also to Hezekiah Isa. 28.5 In that day shall the Lord of Hosts be for a Crown of Glory Targum § 41 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Messiah of the Lord of Hosts the Lord
the better see the perversness of this man and therein of his followers I shall briefly give an account of the Exposition of Rashi his Companion in Annotations on the Pentateuch in their Rabbinnical Bibles First By 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Scepter he understands Rule and Government as he doth Scholars in the Law by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from between his feet expressing as he conceived the posture of Disciples By Judah he understands the House of David the Ruling Family amongst them the Authority whereof was preserved in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Heads of the Captivity whilest they were in Babel And on these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 waving all the former trivial exceptions he adds expresly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vntill the Shilo come that is Messiah the King to whom that Kingdoms belongs as the words are interpreted by Onkelos in his Targum and in Midrash Agadah and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he expounds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the collection or gathering together of the people so agreeing with the Targum and the the truth in the most material passages of the Text. § 6 But Aben Ezra as we observed is otherwise minded and in him we have an example of the wilfull blindness of the residue of them who will not endure the light of that Conviction which is tendered unto them in this Testimony First By Shebet he grants Rule to be intended or preheminence above others being then somewhat more modest then their latter Masters This saith he shall not depart from Judah 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 untill David come and why David 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for he was the beginning of the Kingdom of Judah So that it seems the meaning of the words is that the Scepter shall not depart untill the Scepter come that is they should have rule untill they had rule For as himself well observes the Kingdom of Judah began in David But what Scepter had the House of Judah before Four hundred years the people were ruled under Judges of which but one was of that Tribe At length a Kingdom was set up in the House of Benjamin where was all this while the Scepter of Judah If that was the space of time designed for its continuance Two instances he gives hereof First 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Standard of Judah marched first in the Wilderness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Again God said Judah shall go up first But what was this to a Scepter and a Law-giver The first belonged only unto the order of the Tribes in the Wilderness whilest Moses was Prince of the Tribe of Levi and afterwards Joshua of the Tribe of Ephraim nor was that priviledge if any it were peculiar unto Judah but common to the other Tribes joyned with him The other was only an occasional Expedition wherein the especial concernment of Judah lay which gave him no power nor Soveraignty amongst his Brethren So that we have here no small instance how the Wisest of their Masters do befool themselves in seeking evasions from this Testimony Of the sense of the following words abstracting from the design of the whole he gives a tolerable account Nor a Law-giver from between his feet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mechochek is a Scribe who engrosseth any thing on a Roll or Books 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that expression of from between his feet is taken from the common custom of such Scribes to sit at or between the feet of the Prince namely to record and enroll the Laws of his Kingdom Although the phrase of speech seems to encline to another sense but about this we will not differ with him § 7 He next proceeds to the interpretation of the word Shilo which before he applyed unto David and to shew the uncertainty and wandrings of all them who reject the true and only intendment of the Holy Ghost in this expression he gives us the various opinions of his Masters not knowing himself what to adhere unto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some he sayes there are who interpret it from the Syriack as it were as much as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unto him or cujus omnia But this yields him no advantage Sundry learned men suspect some such sense in the word or derivation of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being put for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Translation of the LXX reading 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seems to have had respect thereunto But then the Messiah is signally denoted whose the Kingdom was whom the Promises especially respected and to whom the gathering of the people was to be Some he adds derive it from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies the Embrio in the Womb and in allusion hereunto many interpret the word his Son from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is as much as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the second Birth or certain Membranes of the Womb and he adds afterwards that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be as much as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being put for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But yet neither can he hence obtain any thing towards his design Wherefore he proceeds some expound it of the City Shilo and then they interpret 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall come 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as that the Sun cometh that is sets or goes down Eccles. 4. that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 untill the end of Shilo come for so it is written he rejected the Tabernacle at Shilo and chose David his servant But it is evident unto all who use the least attention unto these things how forced indeed foolish this Exposition is untill Shilo come that is untill the City Shilo be deserted or forsaken or destroyed so that untill it comes signifies when it shall be no more The application of that word to the setting of the Sun 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Sun goeth down is clearly from the nature of the thing it self and the preceding words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Sun riseth but thence to draw it here to express the destruction of a City in which sense it is never used is a Conceit purely Rabbinicall Besides we have shewed already that Scepter and Law-giver could in no sense be said to abide with Judah untill David came for before his dayes that Tribe had no especial interest in Government at all But this catching at relief from a word no way suited to contribute the least assistance in the case in hand is as strong an Argument of a desperate sinking cause which rather than men will foregoe they will reach after helps from the shaddow of the least twigg that seems to be nigh unto them I shall not contend with him about what he nextly asserts namely that this untill doth not prove the ceasing of Rule and Government when the Shilo comes It s enough for us that it was not to cease before it came as shall further be manifested in our ensuing
he that hath Dominion shall not be taken from the House of Judah And Jonathan 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Kings and Rulers shall not cease from the House of Judah The same words are used by that called of Jerusalem The Authority of these Paraphrases among the Jews is such as that they dare not openly recede from them And therefore Manasse in his Conciliator where he endeavours to enervate this Testimony passeth over these Targums in silence as having nothing to oppose to their Authority which is a sufficient evidence that he saw the desperateness of the cause wherein he was engaged Solomon and Bechai acknowledge Rule and Dominion to be intended in the words but according to the latter they are not to be erected untill the coming of the Messiah which is no less expresly contrary to the Targum then to the Text it self affirming plainly that then it was to end and not begin Add hereunto further to manifest the consent of the Antient Jews unto this sense of the words that in their Talmuds they affirm the Law-giver here mentioned to be the Sanhedrim whose power continued in Judah untill the Shilo came whereof we have spoken before § 26 Unto these Reasons and Testimonies we may subjoyn the use of the words themselves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is originally and properly a rod or staff all other significations of it are Metaphoricall Among them the principall is that of Scepter an Ensign of Rule and Government Nor is it absolutely used in any other sense in that very frequently Psalm 45. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Scepter of uprightness is the Scepter of thy Kingdom Numb 24.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Scepter shall arise out of Israel that is a Prince or a Ruler Targum Christ shall rule out of Israel And this sense of the words is made more evident by its conjunction with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Law-giver he that prescribes and writes Laws with Authority to be observed Deut. 33.2 in a portion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Law-giver hidden that is Moses the great Scribe saith the Targum for as they suppose the Sepulchre of Moses was in the Lot of Gad. Mechokek saith Aben Ezra that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the great President or Ruler Psal. 108.19 Judah 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my Law-giver with Allusion to this Prediction of Jacob. Isa. 33.22 The Lord is our Judge the Lord is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our Law-giver These two words then in conjunction do absolutely denote Rule and Dominion The latter Masters of the Jews to avoid the force of this Testimony have coined § 27 a new signification for these words Shebet they say is only a rod of Correction and Mechokek any Scribe or Teacher which they would refer to the Rabbins they have had in every Generation Some of them by Shebet understand a staff of supportment which they were to enjoy in the middest of their troubles so I remember Manasse Ben Israel not long since made it one of his reasons for their admission into England that therein this Prophesie might receive somewhat of accomplishment by this countenance and encouragement in this Land But the most of them adhere to the former sense of the words So they call the story of their calamities and sufferings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the rod of Judah But this evasion is plainly and fully obviated in the former opening of the words and confirmation of their genuine importance For 1. It is openly contrary to the whole Context and Scope of the Place 2. To the meaning and constant use of the words themselves especially as conjoined 3. To the Targums and all old Translations 4. To the Talmud and all their own Antient masters 5. To the truth of the Story Judah having been long in a most flourishing and prosperous condition without any such signal calamity as that which they would intimate to be intended in the words namely such as for sixteen hundred years they have now undergone 6. The supportment they have had hath not been National nor afforded to Judah as a Tribe or People but hath consisted meerly in the greatness and wealth of a few individual persons scattered up and down the world neither themselves nor any else knowing unto what Tribe they did belong And 7. This hath been in things no way relating to the Worship of God or their Church-state or their spiritual good 8. Their Scribes were not formerly of the Tribe of Judah and their latter Rabbins wholly of an uncertain extraction so that this pretence proves nothing but the misery of their present State and condition wherein they seek a refuge for their infidelity in vanity and falshood Our second enquiry is concerning the subject of the Promise under consideration § 28 which is the Shilo whereby we say the promised Seed is intended About the derivation and precise significations of the word we have no need to contend Most learned men look upon it as derived from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be quiet safe happy prosperous whence also is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal. 122. safety peace prosperity Abundance Hence Shilo sayes Mercer sonat tranquillum prosperum pacatum felicem Augustum victorem cui omnia prospere succedunt signifies one quiet prosperous peaceable happy honourable a Conqueror to whom all things succeed well and happily To this Etymologie of the word agrees Galatinus Fagius Melancthon Pagninus Prusius Schindler Buxtorfius Armama and generally all the most learned in the Hebrew tongue The Vulgar Latin rendring the words qui mittendus est who is to be sent as if it were from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 corrupts the sense and gives advantage to the Jews to pervert the words as both Raymandus and Galatinus observe Neither is there any thing nearer the truth in the derivation of the word from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as though 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were put for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so making it as much as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quae ei which to him whereunto yet that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Greeks the first mentioned by Eusebius the latter in the present Copies both by Justin Martyr do relate or allude Others suppose 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to signifie a Son from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which denotes the after birth or Membrane wherein the Child is wrapt in the Womb. Thence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Shilo should be the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his Son 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being put for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is not unusual saith Kimchi But Galatinus supposeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be a foeminine affix denoting that the Messiah was to be the seed of the Woman or to be born of a Virgin Neither is his conjecture absolutely to be rejected Although Mercer pronounce it to be against the rule of Grammar for we know they hold
extend not unto In brief they do not precisely assert that at the End of the Seven Weeks Messiah the Prince should be for although they are distinguished from the other for some certain Purpose not expressed as to the Determination of the time of the coming of the Mâ—ssiah they are to be joyned with the sixty two Weeks as is expresly affirmed in the following words Now not to prevent my self in what is more largely afterwards to be insisted on in the Exposition of the several passages of this Prophecy after a full consideration of what sundry learned men have offered for the solving of this Difficulty I shall here briefly propose my apprehensions concerning it which I hope the Candid and Judicious Reader will find to answer the Conduct of the Context and Design of the place First I fix it here as unquestionable that the whole space of Seventy Weeks doth § 7 precisely contain the time between the going forth of the Decree and the Vnction of the Most Holy with his Passion that ensued some few years of the last Week remaining not reckoned on to keep the Computation entire by weeks of years This is so expresly affirmed v. 24. that the Interpretation of all that ensues is to be regulated thereby And this as we shall afterwards prove so here we take it for granted as the Hypothesis on which the present difficulty is to be solved There is then a Distribution of these LXX Weeks into VII LXII and One upon the account of some remarkable events happening at the distinct expiration of those several parcels of the whole season v. 25. We have two portions of this time expressed namely VII Weeks and LXII Weeks and two Events attending them Messiah the Prince and the building of the Street and Wall From the going forth of the Decree to restore and to build Jerusalem unto Messiah the Prince shall be seven Weeks and threescore and two Weeks the Street shall be built again and the Wall in troublous times The two Events here mentioned did ensue the two distinct parcels of time limited but not in the Order which the words at first view seem to represent as is evident from the Context For as the Messiah did not come at the Expiration of the VII Weeks so the LXII Weeks were not expired before the building of the City nor is that mentioned as the Event designed by the whole space of LXIX Weeks but as that which should fall out in some interval of it for the Prophecy issues not in the Restauration but Desolation of the City The Angel therefore expresseth the distinct divisions of time and the principal distinct events of them but not the Order of their accomplishment For the natural Order of these things is that in VII Weeks the building of the City Wall and Street should be finished and in LXII Weeks after the Messiah should be cut off And this is evident from the Text for as the building of the City can no way be said to be after the LXII Weeks but in and after the seven which was the season wherein the Decree was executed so the cutting off the Messiah is expresly said in the next verse to be after those LXII Weeks which succeeded unto the VII Weeks wherein the Restauration of the City was finished And to suppose the Messiah in v. 25. not to be the same with the Messiah v. 26. and the Most Holy v. 24. is to confound the whole order of the Words and to leave no certain sense in them For the single remaining Weeks the use of it shall be afterwards declared This distinction therefore of the several portions of the whole time limited doth rather confirm our Application of this Prophecy then any way impeach the Truth or Evidence of it It is added Fourthly That the cutting off the Messiah here spoken of is expresly joyned § 8 with the destruction of the City in one Week to be accomplished the last seven years whereas Christ sufferred above thirty years before the destruction of the Materiall Jerusalem v. 26 27. Answer There appears no such thing in the Text. The destruction of the City and People is only mentioned as a consequent of the cutting off and rejection of the Messiah without any limitation of time wherein it should be performed and de facto it succeeded immediately in the causes of it and direct tendency thereunto § 9 In the last place he sayes Those Phrases v. 24. to finish the Transgression to make an end of sin to purge iniquity and to bring in everlasting Righteousness are manifest Characters of the time of the end as shall be shewed Answ. But why are not the other Ends expressed in the Prophecy namely to seal up Vision and Prophecy and to annoint the Most Holy here mentioned also Why is that Phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 translated to purge iniquity whereas it rather signifies to make Attonement or Reconciliation for iniquity Is it not because it would be very difficult to make any tolerable application of these things unto the season which is called the time of the End In brief these things are so proper so peculiar unto the Lord Christ and the work of his Mediation that in their first direct and proper sense they cannot be ascribed unto any other things or Persons without some impiety And there is no reason why we should here wrest them from their native and genuine signification all which will be fully manifest in our ensuing Exposition of the words themselves § 10 I shall not here insist on those Reasons and Arguments whereby we prove the true and only Messiah to be intended in this Prophecy For as they are needless unto Christians who are universally satisfied with the truth hereof so we shall from the Context and other Evidences immediately confirm them against the Modern Jews and their Masters In the mean time wholly to remove this unexpected Objection out of our way I shall shew the invalidity of those pretences which the same Learned Author makes use of to countenance his Application of this whole Angelical Message unto the Christian Churches of these latter dayes which are these that follow § 11 First saith he Because the effects Characterizing the end of those years the consuming of transgression and the bringing in of everlasting righteousness are effects to be accomplished in the Christian Church at the fall of Antichrist Isa. 1.25 26 27 28. and 27.19 Apocal. 21.27 Answ. These are but some of the effects mentioned and one of them not rightly expressed there are others in the Prophecy as the Annointing of the most Holy and cutting off the Messiah that can with no colour of probability be applyed unto that season 2. However something analogous unto what is here spoken of as an effect and product of it may be wrought at another time in the conformity of the Church unto its Head yet properly and directly as here intended they are the immediate effects of the annointing death and
besides the confession of the Antient Jews consenting unto the Truth contended for we have for our confirmation therein the wofull perplexities of their later Masters in their attempts to evade the force of this Testimony For some Ages they have abhorred nothing more then that the true Messiah should be thought to be here intended For if that be once granted they know that it brings an instant ruine unto the pretences of their Infidelity and that not meerly upon the account of his coming which they have invented a sorry relief against but on that of his being poenally cut off which can no way be reconciled unto their presumptions and expectations But if he be not here intended it is incumbent on them to declare who is For the utmost extent of the time limited in the Prediction being long since expired the Prophecy hath certainly had accomplishment in some one or other and it is known or may be known who or otherwise the whole Angelical Message never was nor ever will be of any use to the Church of God But here our Masters are by no means agreed amongst themselves nor do they know what to answer unto this enquiry And if they do guess at any one it is not because they think it possible he should be designed but because they think it impossible for them to keep life in their cause and not to speak when the sword of truth lyes at the heart of it Some of them therefore affirm the Messiah spoken of to be Cyrus whom God calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his Annointed Isa. 45. v. 1. But what the cutting off or death of Cyrus should make in this Prediction they know not Nor do they endeavour to shew that any thing here mentioned to fall out with the cutting off the Messiah hath the least Relation unto Cyrus or his death And if because Cyrus is once called the Annointed of the Lord he must be supposed to be intended in that place where no one word or circumstance is applicable unto him they may as well say that it is Saul the first King of Israel who is spoken of seeing he also is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Annointed of the Lord 1 Sam. 24. v. 6. as was Zedekiah also Lament 4. v. 20. But it must needs be altogether incredible unto any unless they are Jews who can believe what they please that serves their ends that because the Lord calleth Cyrus his Annointed in reference unto the especial work of destroying the Babylonian Empire in which sense the term of annointing namely for a designation unto any employment is obvious and familiar in the Old Testament should therefore be esteemed the promised Messiah of the people of God who is here evidently described But that which casts this fancy beneath all consideration is the time allotted to the cutting off of the Messiah Those amongst the Jews themselves who begin the Account of the Weeks from the most early date imaginable fix their Epocha in the giving of the Promise unto Jeremiah concerning their return from captivity which was in the dayes of Jehojakim Now from thence unto the Death of Cyrus no computation will allow above LXXX years which comes short somewhat above four hundred years of the season here allotted for the cutting off the Messiah And the same is the case with Joshua Zerubbabel and Nehemiah whom some of them would have to be designed For neither were any of them poenally cut off nor did they cause in any sense the Sacrifices to cease but endeavoured to continue them in a due manner nor did they live within some hundreds of years of the time determined nor was any thing besides here forefold wrought or accomplished in their days § 39 Abarbinel and after him Manasse Ben Israel with some others of them fix on Agrippa the last King of the Jews who as they say with his son Monabasius was cut off or slaine at Rome by Vespasian A learned man in his Apparatus ad Origines Ecclesiasticas mistakes this Agrippa for Herod Agrippa who was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 12. But he who dyed long before the destruction of the City is not intended by them but the younger Agrippa the Brother and Husband of Berenice Neither is there any colour of probability in this Fancy For neither was that Agrippa properly ever King of the Jews having only Galilee under his Jurisdiction nor was he ever annointed to be their King nor designed of God unto any work on the account whereof he might be called his Annointed nor was he of the posterity of Israel nor did by any thing deserve an illustrious mention in this Prophecy Besides in the last fatal War he was still of the Roman side and party nor was he cut off or slain by Vespasian but after the War lived at Rome in honour and dyed in peace Yea he did not only out-live Vespasian but Titus and Domitian his Sons also and continued unto the third year of Trajan as Justus the Tiberian assures us in his History whose words are reported by Photius in his Bibliotheca So that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there is nothing of Truth no colour of probability in this desperate figment Their last evasion is that by Messiah the Prince the Office of Magistracy and Priesthood § 40 and in them all annointed unto Authority are intended These they say were to be cut off in the destruction of the City And herein they have the consent of Africanus Clemens Alexandrinus and Eusebius among the Antients who are also followed by some later Writers But this evasion also is of the same nature with the former yea more vain then they if any thing may be allowed so to be The Angel twice mentioneth the Messiah in his message First His coming and annointing v. 25. and then his cutting off v. 26. If the same person or thing be not intended in both places the whole Discourse is aequivocal and unintelligible no circumstance being added to difference between them who are called by the same Name in the same place And to suppose that the Holy Ghost by one and the same Name within a few words continuing his speech of the same matter without any note of Difference or distinction should signifie things diverse from one another is to leave no place for the understanding of any thing that is spoken by him The Messiah therefore who was to come and be annointed and cut off is one and the same individual person Now it is expresly said that there shall be seven Weeks and sixty two Weeks that is four hundred eighty three years from the going forth of the Decree unto Messiah the Prince I desire therefore to know whether that space of time was passed before they had any such Magistrates or Priests as they pretend afterwards were cut off This is so far from Truth that before that time the Rule of the Hasmonaeans the last Supream Magistrates of their own Nation was put to an end This
is no guidance or direction of the time limited unto the desolation of the City and Sanctuary which is only said to ensue thereon Thirdly It is expresly said that the time limited extends it self only unto the death of the Messiah or a very few years farther For he was to come after seven weeks and sixty two weeks which are the whole time limited within one week or seven of years Now his coming here intended is not his Incarnation but the time of his Vnction in his Baptism which fell out at the end of sixty nine weeks After these sixty nine weeks or seven and sixty two he is to be cut off that is in the middle or towards the end of the last week when he had confirmed the Covenant by preaching three years and an half of that seven years which remained And if we shall say that his Unction being to be after the seven weeks and sixty two we must grant it to be in the first or second year of the last week whereunto add the three years and an half of his Preaching and the remnant Fraction of one year or two can no way disturb the account there being nothing more frequent then the casting in of such parcels of time to compleat and fill up an entire and round number Here then must we fix the end of four hundred and ninety years in the death of the Messiah and so wholly lay aside the account of them who would extend the time determined unto the desolation of the City and Temple § 11 We must therefore in the first place abate from the whole account of five hundred ninety nine years before stated the summ of thirty seven years which ensued after the death of our Saviour untill the destruction of Jerusalem and the remnant is five hundred sixty two years Now five hundred sixty two years exceeds the number of four hundred ninety stated in Daniels Vision seventy two years It appears then that the beginning and ending of the seventy Weeks cannot be the Decree of Cyrus and the death of our Saviour there being seventy two years between them more then the Weeks contain or can be extended unto The end we have already fixed from the Text and therefore it doth not appear that their date and rise can be taken from the Decree of Cyrus Sundry things are offered to disintangle us from this difficulty The most learned Reynolds in his Praelaections on the Apocryphal Books allowing our account above-mentioned as to the substance of it especially that which concerneth the Persian Empire about which alone there is any considerable difference resolves yet at length that the number of seventy Weeks which is a round compleat number is put for an uncertain number thereabouts more or less over or under not much varying from it And on this supposition he dates the beginning of the Weeks in the Decree of Cyrus To confirm his opinion he giveth sundry instances of this kind of computation in the Scripture and contends that the particular reason of limiting the whole time unto seventy Weeks was to make it answer unto the seventy years captivity that immediately preceded it The time to follow being declared to be just seven times as much This Interpretation of words might it be admitted would I confess solve all difficulties § 12 and entirely preserve the sacred and prophane accounts from all appearance of enterfering But there are two reasons upon the account whereof I cannot assent unto it The first is because indeed there is no other instance in the Scripture to give countenance unto it namely wherein a number of years coming so far short of the true and exact account as this doth is yet put for the whole especially considering this number is given out for this very purpose that men might aright compute it and so come to know the time of its expiration But to name 490 for 562 seems rather to be a conjecture then a Prophecy This may then be the condition of some few odd years that may be cast in unto a full round number but of so considerable a part of the whole as 72 is there is no reason to suppose it so disposed of Secondly The word used by the Angel to express the limitation of this time 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 plainly proves that a precise duration of time and number of years is signified The Vulgar Latine renders that word abbreviate shortned or cut short And a learned man of our own approves of that interpretation of it in opposition unto our own Translation and that of Junius De annis saith he porro loquitur signanter Propheta quod sint non decisi as Junius non determinati as ours apud Deum statuti quod tamen verum erat sed quod erant abbreviati quemadmodum transtulit doctissimus interpres vetus Mon. App. ad Orig. Eccl. And thereon disputes at large how the years are said to be shortned and yet concludes dicuntur autem abbreviatae hebdomadae â—o quod erant decisae determinatae as though shortned or abbreviated was the proper sense of the word only it might be interpreted determined or that the daies are said to be shortned because they were determined But the truth is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth not signifie to abbreviate or make short and all the reason given to shew why the times here are said to be shortned are perfectly cast away It is in this place only used in the Scripture and that in the singular number joyned with a Noun of the plural to intimate that every week of the whole number was limited and determined and cut out as is usual in the Hebrews Among the Rabbins it is to cut off and from it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a piece cut off as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a piece of flesâ— cut off and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a cutting or incision So that the word in its precise signification is cut out or cut off that is set apart limited or determined A portion of time cut out limited and apportioned unto the end for the accomplishment of the work foretold Now there is nothing more contrary unto a precise determination of time then that a certain number of years should be named to signifie an uncertain and that so exceeding distant from the exact account as 490 years are from 562. So that here is no place for the conjecture of that most learned and renowned person The Jews take another course to solve this difficulty as also to give some countenance § 13 unto their computation in dating the weeks from the destruction of the Temple by the Chaldaeans and ending them in the desolation of the second house by the Romans for they will allow no more Kings of Persia then are mentioned in the Scripture nor that they reigned any longer then they find mention therein of the years of their Reign As though whether they did good or evil towards Jerusalem it was fatal unto them so that
22 23. But also that he should appoint and erect a Civil Government and Magistracy with supreme power over the lives liberties and estate of men to be exercised as occasion required v. 25 26. Which alone and no other was the building of the City mentioned by Gabriel for it is not walls and houses but Policy Rule and Government that makes and constitutes a City § 23 And it is very considerable what a conviction of the necessity of this work was then put upon the spirits of the Governours of the Persian Empire for the King himself he calls Ezra the Scribe of the Law of the God of Heaven owning him therein for the true God for he who is the God of Heaven is God alone all others are but the dunghill gods of the Earth v. 12. Again he declares that he was perswaded that if this work was not done there would be wrath from Heaven upon himself his Kingdom and his Son v. 23 The seven Counsellors they joyn in that Law v. 14. And the mighty Princes of the Kingdom assisted Ezra in his work v. 28. So that no command that concerned that people before or after was accompanied with that solemnity or gave such glory unto God as this did Besides the whole work of the Reformation of the Church the restitution of the Worship of God the recollection and recognition of the sacred Oracles was begun carried on and finished by this Ezra as we elsewhere at large have declared All which considerations falling in with the account before insisted on makes it manifest that it was this and no other Decree that was intended by the Angel Gabriel and from thence unto the death of the Messiah was seventy weeks or four hundred and ninety years the just and true limitation of which time we have been â—nquiring after § 24 I declared at the entrance of this discourse that thâ— force of our Argument from this place of Daniel against the Jews doth not depenâ— on tâ—â—s Chronological Computation of the time determined All then that I aimeâ— at it was to vindicate it in general from such perplexities as whereby they pretend to render the whole place inargumentative And this we have not only done but also â—o stâ—â—ed the account as that they are not able from any records of times past to lay any one considerable objection against it or which may not be easily solved Return we now to what remains of our former designed discourse Exercitatio XVI Other Considerations proving the Messiah to be long since come Fluctuation of the Jews about the Person and Work of the Messiah Their state and condition in the world for sixteen Ages Promises of the Covenant made with them of old All fulfilled unto the expiration of that Covenant Not now made good unto them Reason thereof The Promise of the Land of Canaan failed Of protection and Temporal deliverance Spirit of Prophecy departed Covenant expired Jews exceptions Their prosperity Their sins Of their fore-fathers of themselves Vanity of these exceptions Concessions of the Antient Jews Folly of Talmudical Doctors Traditions of the Birth of the Messiah before the destruction of the second Temple Tradition of the School of Elias about the worlds continuance Answers of the Jews unto our Arguments by way of concession The time prolonged because of their sins Vanity of this pretence Not the Jews only but the Gentiles concerned in the coming of the Messiah The Promise not Conditional Limitations of time not capable of conditions No mention of any such condition The condition supposed overthrâ—ws the Promise The Jews in the use of this plea self condemned The Covenant overthrown by it The Messiah may never come upon it UNto the invincible Testimonies before insisted on we may add some other § 1 considerations taken from the Jews themselves that are both suitable unto their conviction and of use to strengthen the faith of them who do believe And the first thing that offers its self unto us is their miserable fluctuation and uncertainty in the whole Doctrine about the Messiah ever since the time of his coming and their rejection of him That the great fundamentall of their profession from the dayes of Abraham and that § 2 which all their Worship was founded in and had respect unto was the promise of the coming of the Messiah we have before sufficiently proved Untill the time of his coming this they were unanimous in as also in their desires and expectations of his Advent Since that time as they have utterly lost all faith in him as to the great end for which he was promised so all truth as to the Doctrine concerning his Person Office and Work plentifully delivered in the Old Testament In their Talmud Tractat. Sanedr they do nothing but wrangle conjecture and contend about him and that under such notions and apprehensions of him as the Scripture giveth no countenance unto When he shall come and how where he shall be born and what he shall do they wrangle much about but are not able to determine any thing at all at which uncertaintie the Holy Ghost never left the Church in things of so great importance Hence some of them adhered to Barcosby for the Messiah a bloody Rebel and some of them in after ages to David el David a wandring Jugler and Moses Cretensis and sundry other pretenders have they given up themselves to be deluded by as of late unto the foolish Apostate Sabadia with his false Prophets R. Levi and Nathan who never made the least appearance of any one character of the true Messiah as Maimonides confesseth and bewaileth The Disputes of their late Masters have not any thing more of certainty or consistency then those of their Talmudical Progenitors And this at length hath driven them to the present miserable relief of their infidelity and dâ—spair asserting that he shall not come untill immediately before the Resurrection of the dead only they take care that some small time may be left for them to â—njoy wealth and pleasure with dominion over the Edomites and Ishmalites that is Christians and Turks under whom they live as yet full of thoughts of revenge and retaliation in the dayes of their Messiah Now whereunto can any man ascribe this fluctuation and uncertainty in and about that which was the great fundamental Article of the faith of their Fore-fathers and their utter renuntiation of the true Notion and Knowledge of the Messiah But unto this that having long ago renounced him they exercise their thoughts and expectation about a Chimoera of their own Brains which having no substance in its self nor foundâ—tion in any work or word of God can afford them no certainty or satisfaction in their contemplation about it § 3 Again The State and condition of this people for the space of above sixteen hundred and thirty years gives evidence to the truth contended for The whole time of the continuance of their Church State and Worship from the giving of the
their troubles upon their rejection of him and disobedience unto his voice are cut off destroyed exterminated from the place of their solemn Worship and utterly rejected from being the pâ—ople of God Whatever may be conceived to be contained in the commination against those who disobey the voice of that Prophet promised is all of it to the full and in its whole extent come upon the Jews upon and for their disobedience unto the Doctrine of Jesus of Nazareth which added unto the foregoing considerations undeniably prove him to have been that Prophet There is yet another Character given of the Messiah in the Old Testament namely § 41 in what he was to suffer in the world in the discharge of his work and office This being that wherein the main foundation of the whole was to consist and that which God knew would be most contrary to the appreâ—ension and expectation of that carnal people is of all other notes of him most clearly and fully asserted The nature and effects of these sufferings of the Messiah and how they were to be satisfactory to the Justice of God without which apprehension of them little or nothing of the promise or of Mosaical Institutions can rightly be understood because we must treat of them in our explication of the Epistle it self shall not here be insisted on It is sufficient unto our present intention that we prove that the Messiah was to suffer and that as many other miseries so death it self and this his suffering is foretold as a Character to know and discern him by that Jesus of Nazareth by so many other demonstrations and evident tokens proved to be the Messiah did also suffer the utmost that could be inflicted on a man and in particular the things and evils which the Messiah was to undergo we shall not need to prove the Jews confess it and even glory that their forefathers were the instrumental cause of his sufferings Neither doth it at present concern us to declare what he suffered from God himself what from man what from Satan in his life and death in his soul and body and all his concernments it being abundantly sufficient unto our present purpose that he suffered all manner of miseries and lastly death it self and that not for himself but for the sins of others The first evident Testimony given hereunto is in Psal. 22. from the beginning to § 42 the 22. vers that sufferings and those very great and unexpressible are treated of in this Psâ—lm the Jews themselves confess and the matter is too evident to be denied That dereliction of God tortures and pains in body and soul revilings mockings with cruel death are sufferings is certain and they are all here fore-told Again it is evident that some individual person is designed as the subject of those sufferings Most of the Jews would interpret this Psalm of the body of the people to whom not one line in it can be properly applyed for besides that the person intended is spoken of singularly throughout the whole Prophecy he is also plainly distinguished from all the people of what sort soever from the evil amongst them who reviled and persecuted him v. 7 8. and from the residue whom he calls his Brethren and the Congregation of Israel v. 22. It cannot then be the Congregation of Israel that is spoken of for how can the Congregation of Israel be said to declare the praises of God before the Congregation of Israel which is the summ of Kimchi's Exposition Some of them from the title of the Psalm 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the hind of the morning would have it to be a Prophecy of Hester who appeared as beautiful as the morning in the deliverance of Israel But as the Title is of another importance respecting the nature of the Psalm not the person treated of in it so they are not able to apply one verse or word in it unto her Others of them plead that it is David himself who is intended and this is not without some shadow of Truth for David might in some things propose his own afflictions and sufferings as Types of the sufferings of the Messiah But there are many things in this Psalm that cannot be applied unto him absolutely When did any open their lips and shake their heads at him using the words mentioned v. 7 8 When was he or his blood poured forth like water and all his bones dis-joynted v. 14 When were his hands and feet pierced v. 16 When did any part his garments and cast lots on his vesture v. 18 When was he brought to the dust of death before his last and final dissolution v. 15 And yet all these things were to be accomplished in the person of him who is principally treated of in this Psalm This whole Psalm then is a Prophecy of the Messiah and absolutely of no other as § 43 may further be evidenced from sundry passages in the Psalm it self For first it treats of one in whom the welfare of the whole Church was concerned they are therefore all of them invited to praise the Lord on his account and for the event and success of his sufferings which they had the benefit of v. 22 23 Secondly it is he by whom the meek shall be satisfied and obtain life eternal v. 26. Thirdly upon his sufferings as the event and success of them the Gentiles are to be gathered in unto God v. 27. All the ends of the World shall remember and turn unto the Lord and all the kindreds of the Nations shall worship before thee And this by the confession of the Jews is the proper work of the Messiah to be effected in his dayes and by him alone Fourthly The preaching of the Truth and Righteousness and Faithfulness of God in his Promise unto all Nations that is of the Gospel ensues on the sufferings described v. 31. which they also acknowledge to belong unto his dayes So that it is the Messiah and he alone who is absolutely and ultimately intended in this Psalm § 44 Now the whole of what is here prophesied on was so exactly fulfilled in Jesus of Nazareth in all the instances of it that it appears to be spoken directly of him and no other The manner of his sufferings is scarcely more cleared expressed in the Story of it by the Evangelists then it is here foretold by David in Prophecy and therefore many passages out of this Psalm are expressed by them in their Records He it was who pressed with a sense of Gods dereliction cryed out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me He it was that was accounted a worm and no man and reviled and reproached accordingly at him did men wagg their heads and reproach him with his trust in God his bones were drawn out of joint by the manner of his sufferings his hands and feet were pierced and upon his Vestures lots were cast upon his sufferings were the truth and Promises of God declared and preached unto all
laboured to defend their obstinacy and unbelief And this we shall engage into with as much briefness as the nature of the matter treated of will admit Many are the Books which they have written among themselves mostly in the Hebrew Tongue and some in other Languages but the Hebrew Character against Christians and their Religion Unto sundry of these they give triumphant insulting Titles as though they had undoubtedly obtained a perfect Victory over their Adversaries but the Books themselves in nothing answer their specious Frontispieces Take away wilful mistakes gross Paralogisms false Stories and some few Grammatical nicities and they vanish into nothing What is spoken by them or for them that seems to have any weight shall be produced and examined Sundry things they object unto the Doctrine of the Gospel concerning the Person of the Messiah or his being God and man the rejection of the Mosaical Ceremonies and Law which they deem eternal and many exceptions they lay against particular passages and expressions in the Historical Books of the New Testament But all these things have been long since cleared and answered by others and I have also my self spoken to the most important of them partly in the preceding Discourses partly in my defence of the Deity and satisfaction of Christ against the Socinians For what concerns the Law of Moses and the abolition of it as to the Ceremonious Worship therein instituted it must be at large insisted on in that Exposition of the Epistle to the Hebrews which these discourses are only intended to make way unto I shall not here therefore enter upon a particular discussion of their Opinions Arguments and Objections about these things besides they belong not immediately to the subject of our present Discourse It is about the coming of the Messiah simply that we are disputing this we assert to be long since past the Jews deny him to be yet come living in the hope and expectation of him which at present is in them but as the giving up of the Ghost The means whereby this dying deceiving hope is supported in them comes now under examination and this alone is the subject of our ensuing Discourse To countenance themselves then in their denial of the coming of the Messiah they do § 2 all of them make use of one general Argument which they seek to confirm in and by several instances Now this is that the Promises made and recorded to be accomplished at the coming of the Messiah are not fulfilled and therefore the Messiah is not yet come This fills up their Books of Controversies and is constantly made use of by their Expositors so often as any occasion seems to offer its self unto them The Messiah say they was promised of old Together with him and to be wrought by him many other things were promised These things they see not at all fulfilled nay not those which contain the only work and business that he was promised for and therefore they will not â—elieve that he is come This general Argument I say they seek to confirm by instances wherein they reckon up all the promises which they suppose as yet unaccomplished and so endeavour to establish their Conclusion These we shall afterwards cast under the several heads whereunto they do belong and return that answer which the Word of Truth its self and the event do manifest to be the mind of God in them For the present unto their general Argument we say that all the Promises concerning the coming of the Messiah are actually fulfilled and those which concern his Grace and Kingdom are partly already accomplished and for the remainder shall be so in the manner time and season appointed for them and designed unto them in the purpose and Counsel of God So that from hence nothing can be concluded in favour of the Jews incredulity To evidence the truth of this Answer I shall lay down and confirm certain unquestionable principles that will guide us in the interpretation of the Promises that are under consideration § 3 The first is That the Promises concerning the Messiah do principally respect spiritual things and that eternal salvation which he was to obtain for his Church This we have proved at large before and this the very nature of the thing its self and the words of the Promises do abundantly manifest The Jews I suppose will not deny but the Promise concerning the Messiah is of the greatest Good that ever God engaged himself to bestow upon them I do not find that they any where deny it And it is at present the summ of all their desires prayers and expectations with the hopes whereof they comfort and support themselves in all their calamities If they should deny it it may easily be proved against them by innumerable Testimonies of Scripture many whereof have been already produced Now there can be no Reason of this but only because he was to work and effect for them who ever they be unto whom he was promised the greatest Good that they can or may be made partakers of And if it be only a Good of an inferior nature that he was to effect and any other means was to be used for that which was more principal and excellent that means is much to be preferred before him and above him Now what is this Chief Good of man Doth it consist in Riches Honor Power Pleasures the blindest of the Heathen were never blind enough to think so nor can any man entertain any such imagination without renouncing not only all right reason but in an especial manner the whole Scripture I think the Jews will not deny but that this Good consists in the favour of God in this world and the Eternal Enjoyment of him hereafter Now if the Messiah were promised only to procure those first outward temporary perishing things and these latter are to be obtained by another means namely by the observation of the Law of Moses it is evident that that is to be preferred infinitely before him which that it is not as we said is manifest from the whole Scripture and confirmed by the traditional hope and expectation of the Jews For if they enjoy that which is incomparably the Chiefest Good to what end do they so miserably bemoan themselves in their present condition and with so much impatience cry out for the coming of their Messiah Are they such slaves in their affections unto earthly perishing things that living in the enjoyment of all that is needful to procure them the love and favour of God with the eternal enjoyment of him they can have no rest or quiet because they enjoy not the good things of this life Doubtless this great expectation had a greater rise and cause then now they will own I know men are apt to complain under and to desire relief from outward trouble but to place the main of their Religion herein when they have Grace the pardon of sin and Heaven on other accounts this is only done
as accompanied the nature and manner of the Revelation made unto him 1. They arise from the infinite Excellency of his Person above theirs This is that which the Apostle from the close of this verse insists upon to the very end of the Chapter making his discourse upon it the basis of ensuing his exhortations I shall therefore remit the consideration of it unto its proper place 2. There were sundry Excellencies that attended the very Revelation it self made unto him or his Prophecie as such For 1. Not receiving the Spirit by measure Joh. 3.34 as they all did he had given unto him altogether a comprehension of the whole will and mind of God as to what ever he would have revealed of himself with the mystery of our salvation and all that obedience and worship which in this world he would require of his Church It pleased the Father that in him all fulness should dwell Col. 1.19 that is of Grace and Truth Joh. 1.17 not granting him a transient irradiation by them but a permanency and constant abode of them with him in their fulness all treasures of wisdom and knowledge being hid in him Col. 2.3 as their home and proper abiding place which made him of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord Isa. 11.3 All the Mysteries of the counsel between the Father and the Eternal Word for the salvation of the Elect with all the ways whereby it was to be accomplished through his own blood were known unto him as also were all the bounds the whole extent of that Worship which his Church was to render unto God with the assistance of the Spirit that was to be afforded unto them for that end and purpose Hence the only reason why he did not at once reveal unto his Disciples the whole counsel of God was not because all the treasures of it were not committed unto him but because they could bear no other but that gradual communication of it which he used towards them Joh. 16.12 But he himself dwelt in the midst of those treasures seeing to the bottom of them All other Prophets even Moses himself receiving their revelation by transient irradiations of their minds had no treasure of truth dwelling in them but apprehended only that particular wherein they were enlightned and that not clearly neither in its fulness and perfection but in a measure of light accommodated unto the Age wherein they lived 1 Pet. 1.11 12. Hence the Spirit is said to rest on him Isa. 11.2 3. and to abide on him Matth. 3.16 who did only in a transient act affect the minds of other Prophets and by an actual motion which had not an habitual spring in themselves cause them to speak or write the will of God as an instrument of Musick gives forth a sound according to the skill of him that strikes it and that only when it is so stricken or used Hence 2. The Prophets receiving their Revelations as it were by number and tale from the holy Ghost when they had spoken or written what in particular at any season they had received from him could not adde one word or syllable of the same infallibility and authority with what they had so received But the Lord Christ having all the treasures of Wisdom Knowledge and Truth hid and laid up in him did at all times in all places with equal infallibility and authority give forth the mind and will of God even as he would what he so spake having its whole Authority from his speaking of it and not from its consonancy unto any thing otherwise revealed 3. The Prophets of old were so barely instrumental in receiving and revealing the will of God being only servants in the house Heb. 3.4 for the good of others 1 Pet. 1.11 that they saw not to the bottom of the things by themselves revealed and did therefore both diligently read and study the books of them that wrote before their time Dan. 9.2 and meditated upon the things which the Spirit uttered by themselves to obtain an understanding in them 1 Pet. 1.10 11 12. But the Lord Jesus the Lord over his own house had an absolutely perfect comprehension of all the mysteries revealed to him and by him by that divine Wisdom which always dwelt in him 4. The Difference was no less between them in respect of the Revelations themselves made to them and by them For although the substance of the will and mind of God concerning salvation by the Messiah was made known unto them all yet it was done so obscurely to Moses and the Prophets that ensued that they came all short in the light of that Mystery to John the Baptist who did not rise up in a clear and distinct apprehension of it unto the least of the true Disciples of Christ Matth. 11.11 whence the giving of the Law by Moses to instruct the Church in that Mystery by its types and shadows is opposed to that Grace and Truth which were brought by Jesus Christ Joh. 1.17 18. See Ephes. 3.8 9 10 11. Col. 1.26 27. Tit. 2.11 2 Tim. 1.10 In these and sundry other things of the like importance had the Fathers speaking in the Son the preheminence above his speaking in Moses and the Prophets for which cause the Apostle placeth this consideration in the head of his Reasonings and Arguments for attendance unto and observation of the things revealed by him For even all these things have influence into his present Argument though the main stress of it be laid on the excellency of his Person of which at large afterwards 6. We must yet further observe that the Jews with whom the Apostle had to do had all of them an expectation of a new signal and final Revelation of the will of God to be made by the Messias in the last days that is of their Church state and not as they now fondly imagine of the world Some of them indeed imagined that great Prophet promised Deut. 18. to have been one distinct from the Messias Joh. 1.21 but the general expectation of the Church for the full Revelation of the will of God was upon the Messias Joh. 4.25 Of the same mind were their more antient Doctors that retained any thing of the tradition of their Fathers asserting that the Law of Moses was alterable by the Messias and that in some things it should be so Maimonides is the leader in the opinion of the eternity of the Law whose Arguments are answered by the Author of Sepher Ikkarim lib. 3. cap. 13. and some of them by Nachmanides Hence it is laid down as a Principle in Neve shalom 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Messias the King shall be exalted above Abraham be high above Moses yea and the ministring Angels And it is for the excellency of the Revelation made by him that he is so exalted above Moses Whence Maimonides himself acknowledgeth Tractat. de Regibus that at the coming of the Messiah 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hidden and deep things i. e. of
and that by it to declare his rule even over his enemies and to make his people those given unto him willing and obedient v. 3. The inheritance given by the Father unto Christ being wholly in the possession of another it became him to take it out of the Vsurpers hand and deliver it up to him whose right it was and this he did and doth by the Revelation of his mind in the preaching of the Word Col. 1.12 13. And from these considerations it is that 4. The whole Revelation and Dispensation of the will of God in and by the Word is as was said eminently appropriated unto the Father Eternal life the counsel the purpose ways means and procurer of it was with the Father and was manifested to us by the word of truth 1 Joh. 1.1 2. And it is the Father that is his will mind purpose grace love that the Son declares Joh. 1.18 in which work he speaks nothing but what he heard from and was taught by the Father Joh. 8.28 And thence he says the doctrine is not mine that is principally and originally but his that sent me Joh. 7.16 And the Gospel is called the Gospel of the glory of the blessed God 1 Tim. 1.11 which is a periphrasis of the Person of the Father who is the Father of glory Ephes. 1.17 And we might also declare that the great work of making this Gospel effectual on the minds of men doth peculiarly belong unto the Father which he accomplisheth by his Spirit 2 Cor. 3.18 c. 4.6 But that is not our present business Thus the Revelation of events that should befall the Church to the end of the world that Christ signified by his Angel unto John was first given him of the Father Revel 1.1 And therefore though all declarations of God and his will from the foundation of the world were made by the Son the second Person of the Trinity and his Spirit speaking in the Prophets 1 Pet. 1.11 12 13. yet as it was not by him immediately no more was it as absolutely so but as the great Angel and Messenger of the Covenant by the will and appointment of the Father And therefore the very Dispensers of the Gospel are said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to treat as Embassadours about the business of Christ with men in the name of God the Father 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith the Apostle as if God the Father exhorted in and by us 2 Cor. 5.20 For to him doth this whole work principally relate And from the appropriating of this work originally and principally to the Father there are three things that are particularly intimated unto us 1. The Authority that is to be considered in it the Father is the Original of all power and Authority of him the whole Family of Heaven and Earth is named Ephes. 3.15 He is the Father of the whole Family from whom Christ himself receives all his Power and Authority as Mediator Mat. 28.18 which when his work is accomplished he he shall give up again into his hand 1 Cor. 15.28 He sent him into the world set him over his house gave him command unto his work The very name and Title of Father carries Authority along with it Mal. 1.6 And in the disposal of the Church in respect of this paternal power doth the Son affirm that the Father is greater than he Joh. 14.28 And runs up the contempt of the word in the preaching of it by his Messengers into a contempt of this Authority of the Father he that refuseth you refuseth me he that refuseth me refuseth him that sent me The Revelation then and dispensation of the mind and will of God in the word is to be considered as an act of Supream Soveraign Authority requiring all subjection of Soul and Conscience in the receiving of it It is the Father of the Family that speaks in this word he that hath all power and Authority essentially in him over the souls and eternal conditions of them to whom he speaks And what holy reverence humility and universal subjection of soul to the word this in a particular manner requires is easie to be apprehended 2. There is also Love In the Oeconomy of the blessed Trinity about the work of our Salvation that which is eminently and in an especial manner ascribed unto the Father is Love as hath been at large elsewhere shewed 1 Joh. 4.9 10 16. God that is the Father saith he is Love And how he exerts that property of his nature in the work of our Salvation by Christ he there shews at large So Joh. 3.16 Rom. 5.7 8. To be Love full of Love to be the especial spring of all fruits of Love is peculiar to him as the Father And from Love it is that he makes the Revelation of his Will whereof we speak Deut. 7.8 c. 33.3 Psal. 147.19 20. 2 Cor. 5.18 19. It was out of infinite Love mercy and compassion that God would at all reveal his Mind and Will unto sinners He might for ever have locked up the treasures of his Wisdom and Prudence wherein he abounds towards us in his word in his own eternal breast He might have left all the Sons of men unto that woful darkness whereunto by Sin they had cast themselves and kept them under the chains and power of it with the Angels that sinned before them unto the judgement of the great dâ—y But it was from infinite Love that he made this condescension to reveal himself and his Will unto us This mixture of Authority and Love which is the spring of the Revelation of the Will of God unto us requires all readiness willingness and chearfulness in the receipt of it and subâ—ission unto it Besides these also 3. There is Care eminently seen in it The great Care of the Church is in and on the Father He is the Husbandman that takes Care of the Vine and Vineyard Joh. 15.1 2. And thence our Saviour who had a delegated Care of his people commends them to the Father Joh. 17. as to whom the Care of them did principally and originally belong Care is proper to a Father as such to God as a Father Care is inseparable from paternal Love And this also is to be considered in the Revelation of the Will of God What directions from these Considerations may be taken for the use both of them that dispense the word and of those whose duty it is to attend unto the dispensation of it shall only be marked in our passage For the Dispensers of the Word Let them 1. Take heed of pursuing that work negligently which hath its spring in the Authority Love and Care of God See 1 Tim. 4.13 14 15 16. 2. Know to whom to look for supportment help ability and encouragement in their work Ephes. 6.19 20. And 3. Not be discouraged whatever opposition they meet with in the discharge of their duty considering whose work they have in hand 2 Cor. 4.15 16. 4. Know how they ought to dispense the
that the Apostle had with the Jews and is of great use and importance unto the faith of the Saints in all ages I shall first free the words from false glosses and interpretations and then explain the Truth asserted in them both absolutely and with relation to the present purpose of the Apostle That which some men design in their wresting of this place is to deface the illustrious Testimony given in it unto the Eternal Deity of the Son of God and to this purpose they proceed variously 1. By 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by whom they say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for whom is intended And so the sense of the place is that for Christ for his sake God made the world so Eniedinus and Grotius embraceth his notion adding in its confirmation that this was the opinion of the Jews namely that all things were made for the Messiah and therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he renders by condiderat as signifying the time long since past before the bringing forth of Christ in the world as also that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is put for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Rom. 6.4 Rev. 4.11 Chap. 1.14 and therefore may be here so used According to this Exposition of the words we have in them an expression of the Love of God towards the Messiah in that for his sake he made the worlds but not any thing of the Excellency Power and Glory of the Messiah himself It is manifest that the whole strength of this interpretation lyes in this that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be taken for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by whom instead of for whom but neither is it proved that in any other place those expressions are equipollent nor if that could be supposed is there any reason offâ—red why the one of them should in this place be put for the other For 1. The places referred unto do no way prove that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with a Genitive doth ever denote the final cause but the efficient only With an Accusative for the most part it is as much as propter signifying the final Cause of the thing spoken of and rarely in the New Testament is it otherwise used 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rev. 4.11 At thy will or pleasure the efficient and disposing not the final Cause seems to be denoted And Chap. 13.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the signs that were given him to do the formal cause is sigfied But that joyned with a Genitive Case it any where signifies the final Cause doth not appear Beza whom Grotius cites sayes on Rom. 6.4 that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the glory of the Father may be taken for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unto the glory But the case is not the same where things as where Persons are spoken of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here relates unto a Person and yet is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 joyned with it asserted to denote the end of the things spoken of which is insolent Besides 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in that place is indeed the glorious power of the Father the efficient of the Resurrection of Christ treated of So that whereas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used six hundred times with a Genitive Case in the New Testament no one instance can be given where it may be rendered propter for and therefore cannot be so here 2. On supposition that some such instance might be produced yet being contrary to the constant use of the Word some cogent Reason from the Text wherein it is used or the thing treated of must be urged to give that sense admittance And nothing of that nature is or can be here pleaded 3. As 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are distinguished the one expressing the efficient the other the final cause Rom. 11.36 so also are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in this very Epistle Chap. 2.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for whom are all things and by whom are all things and is it likely that the Apostle would put one of them for the other contrary to the proper use which he intended immediately to assign severally unto them 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by whom here is the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by him Joh. 1.3 which the same Person interprets properly for the Efficient Cause On these accounts the foundation of this Gloss being removed the superadded Translation of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by condiderat is altogether useless and what the Jews grant that God did with respect to the Messiah we shall afterwards consider 2. The Socinians generally lay no exception against the Person making whom they acknowledge to be Christ the Son but unto the Worlds said to be made These are not say they the things of the Old but of the new Creation not the fabrick of Heaven and Earth but the Conversion of the souls of men not the first institution and forming of all things but the Restauration of mankind and Translation into a new condition of life This Sclictingius at large insists on in his Comment in this place bringing in the justification of his interpretation the summ of what is pleaded by any of them in answer not only to this Testimony but also to that of Joh. 1.3 and that also of Coloss. 1.16 17. 1. The old Creation he sayes is never said to be performed by any intermediate Cause as the Father is here said to make these worlds by the Son But 1. This is petitio principii that this expression doth denote any such intermediate cause as should interpose between the Father and the Creation of the world by an operation of its own divers from that of the Father Job 26.13 God is said to adorn the Heavens 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by his Spirit which they will not contend to denote an intermediate cause and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here is but what the Hebrews express by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. In the Creation of the world the Father wrought in and by the Son the same creating act being the act of both Persons Joh. 5.17 their Will Wisdom and Power being essentially the same 2. He adds There is an allusion only in the words unto the first Creation as in John Chap. 1.1 2 3. where the Apostle sets out the beginning of the Gospel in the terms whereby Moses reports the Creation of the world And therefore mentions light in particular because of an allusion to the light at first created by God when of all other things wherein there is no such allusion he maketh no mention Answ. 1. The new Creation granted by the men of this perswasion being only a moral Swasion of the minds of men by the outward Doctrine of the Gospel I know not what Allusion can be fancied in it unto the Creation of the world out of nothing 2. It is granted that the Apostle speaks here of the same Creation that John treats of in the beginning of his Gospel but that
are two things assigned unto him The former relating unto his Power as he is the Brightness of Glory he sustaineth or ruleth and disposeth of all things by the Word of his Power Tâ—e latter unto his Love and Work of Mediation by himself or in his own Person he hath purged our sins His present and perpetual Enjoyment as a consequent of what he was and did or doth is expressed in the last words he sate down at the right hand of the Majesty on high Some of these Expressions may well be granted to contain some of those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Things hard to be understood which Peter affirms to be in this Eâ—istle of Paul 2 Epist. 3.16 which unstable and unlearned men have in all Ages wrested unto their own destruction The Things intended are unquestionably sublime and Mysterious The Terms wherein they are expressed are rare and no where else used in the Scripture to the same purpose some of them not at all which deprives us of one great help in the Interpretation of them The Metaphors used in the Words or Types alluded unto by them are abstruse and dark so that the difficulty of discovering the true precise and genuine meaning of the Holy Ghost in them is such as that this verse at least some part of it may well be reckoned among those places which the Lord hath left in his Word to exercise our Faith and Diligence and Dependance on his Spirit for a right Understanding of them It may be indeed that from what was known and acknowledged in the Judaical Church the whole intention of the Apostle was more plain unto them and more plainly and clearly delivered than now it seemeth unto us to be who are deprived of their Advantages However both to them and us the things were and are deep and Mysterious And we shall desire to handle as it becometh us both Things and Words with Reverence and Godly fear looking up unto him for Assistance who alone can lead us into all Truth We begin with the double Description given us of the Lord Christ at the entrance of the Verse as to What he is in himself and here a double Difficulty presents it self unto us First In general unto what Nature in Christ or unto what of Christ this Description doth belong Secondly what is the particular meaning and importance of the Words or Expressions themselves For the First Some assert that these words intend only the Divine Nature of Christ wherein he is Consubstantial with his Father Herein as he is said to be God of God and Light of Light an expression doubtless taken from hence receiving as the Son his Nature and subsistence from the Father so fully and absolutely as that he is every way the same with him in respect of his Essence and every way like him in respect of his Person so he is said to be the brightness of his Glory and the Character of his Person on that account This way went the Antients generally and of Modern Expositors very many as Calvin Brentius Marlorat Rollocus Gomarus Paraeus Estius Tena A Lapide Rihera and sundry others Some think that the Apostle speaks of him as Incarnate as he is declared in the Gospel or as preached to be the Image of the invisible God 2 Cor. 4.4 And these take three wayes in the Explication of the words and their Application of them unto him First Some affirm that their meaning is that whereas God is in himself infinite and incomprehensible so that we are not able to contemplate on his Excellencies but that we are overpowred in our minds with their Glory and Majesty he hath in Christ the Son as incarnate contemperated his infinite Love Power Goodness Grace Greatness and Holiness unto our Faith Love and Contemplation they all shining forth in him and being eminently expressed in him so Beza Secondly Some think that the Apostle pursues the Description that he was entered upon of the Kingly Office of Jesus Christ as Heir of all and that his being exalted in Glory unto Power Rule and Dominion expressing and representing therein the Person of his Father is intended in these words so Camero Thirdly Some refer these words to the Prophetical Office of Christ and say that he was the Brightness of Gods Glory c. by his revealing and declaring of the Will of God unto us which before was done darkly only and in shadows So the Socinians generally though Schlictingius refer the Words unto all that similitude which they fancy to have been between God and the man Christ Jesus whilest he was in the earth and therefore renders the Participle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not by the present but praeterimperfect tense who was that is whilest he was on the Earth though as he sayes not exclusively unto what he is now in Heaven I shall not examine in particular the Reasons that are alledged for these several Interpretations but only propose and confirm that sense of the place which on full and due consideration appears as agreeable unto the Analogie of Faith so expresly to answer the Design and intendment of the Apostle wherein also the unsoundness of the two last branches or wayes of applying the second Interpretation with the real coincidence of the first and first branch of the latter Exposition will be discovered To this End the following Positions are to be observed First It is not the direct and immediate design of the Apostle to treat absolutely of either Nature of Christ his Divine or Humane but only of his Person Hence though the things which he mentioneth and expresseth may some of them belong unto or be the Properties of his Divine Nature some of his Humane yet none of them are spoken of as such but are all considered as belonging unto his Person And this solves that difficulty which Chrysostom observes in the Words and strives to remove by a similitude namely that the Apostle doth not observe any Order or Method in speaking of the Divine and Humane Natures of Christ distinctly one after another but first speaks of the one then of the other and then returns again to the former and that frequently But the Truth is he intends not to speak directly and absolutely of either nature of Christ but treating ex professo of his Person some things that he mentions concerning him have a special Foundation in and respect unto his Divine Nature some in and unto his Humane as must every thing that is spoken of him And therefore the Method and Order of the Apostle is not to be enquired after in what relates in his expressions to this or that Nature of Christ but in the Progress that he makes in the description of his Person and Offices which alone he had undertaken Secondly That which the Apostle principally intends in and about the Person of Christ is to set forth his Dignity Preeminence and Exaltation above all and that not only consequentially to his discharge of the Office of Mediator
of that mind are many still it being so rendred by the Vulgar Translation But the consideration of these vexed Questions tending not to the opening of the design of the Apostle and meaning of the holy Ghost in this place I shall not insist upon them The 1. Hypostasis of the Father is the Father himself Hereof or of him is the Son said to be the express image As is the Father so is the Son And this agreement likeness and conveniency between the Father and the Son is Essential not Accidental as those things are between relations finite and corporeal What the Father is doth hath that the Son is doth hath or else the Father as the Father could not be fully satisfied in him nor represented by him 2. By Character two things seem to be intended 1. That the Son in himself is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the likeness of God Phil. 2.6 2. That unto us he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the image of God representing him unto us Col. 1.16 For these three words are used of the Lord Christ in respect unto God the Father 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and their use seems thus to difference them 1. That is said of him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being existing subsisting in the form of God that is being so essentially so for there is no 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Form in the Deity but what is Essential unto it This he was absolutely antecedently unto his Incarnation The whole Nature of God being in him and consequently he being in the Form of God 2. In the Manifestation of God unto us he is said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Col. 1.16 The image of the invisible God because in him so partaker of the Nature of the Father do the Power Goodness Holiness Grace and all other glorious Properties of God shine forth being in him represented unto us 2 Cor. 4.6 And both these seem to be comprised in this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 both that the whole Nature of God is in him as also that by him God is declared and expressed unto us Neither were the Jews of old ignorant of this notion of the Son of God So Philo expresseth their sense de confusione linguarum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If any one be not yet worthy to be called the Son of God yet endeavour thou to be conformed unto his first begotten Word the most antient Angel the archangel with many names for he is called the Beginning the name of God the man according to the Image of God the Seer of Israel And again 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For if we are not meet to be called the sons of God let us be so of his eternal Image the most sacred Word for that most antient Word is the Image of God Thus he expressing some of their conceptions concerning this Eternal character of the Person of the Father We have seen what it is that is intended in this Expression and shall only adde thereunto a consideration of that from whence the Expression is taken The ordinary ingraving of Rings or Seals or Stones is generally thought to be alluded unto It may be also that the Apostle had respect unto some Representation of the glory of God by Ingraving amongst the Institutions of Moses Now there was scarcely any thing of old that more gloriously represented God than that of the Ingraving of his Name on a plate of gold to be worn on the front of the Mitre of the High priest at the sight whereof the great Conqueror of the East fell down before him Mention of it we have Exod. 28.36 Thou shalt make a plate of pure gold and grave upon it like the ingraving of a signet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Holiness of Jehovah or to Jehovah Here was that Name of God which denotes his Essence and Being characterized and ingraven to represent his Holiness and glory to the people And Aaron was to wear this ingraven Name of God on his fore-head that he might bear the iniquity of the holy things and gifts of the children of Israel which could really be done only by him who was Jehovah himself And thus also when God promiseth to bring forth the Son as the corner stone of the Church he promiseth to ingrave upon him the seven eyes of the Lord Zech. 3.9 or the perfection of his Wisdom and Power to be expressed unto the Church in him There having been then this Representation of the presence of God by the character or ingraving of his glorious Name upon the plate of gold which the High priest was to wear that he might bear iniquities the Apostle lets the Hebrews know that in Christ the Son is the real accomplishment of what was typified thereby the Father having actually communicated unto him his Nature denoted by that name whereby he was able really to bear our iniquities and most gloriously represent the Person of his Father unto us And this with submission to better judgments do I conceive to be the design of the Apostle in this his description of the Person of Jesus Christ. It pleased the holy Ghost herein to use these terms and expressions to mind the Hebrews how they were of old instructed though obscurely in the things now actually exhibited unto them and that nothing was now preached or declared but what in their Typical Institutions they had before given their assent unto We have been somewhat long in our Explication of this description of the Person of the Son of God yet as we suppose not any longer than the nature of the things treated of and the manner of their expression necessarily required us to be We shall therefore here stay a while before we proceed to the ensuing words of this verse and take some observation from what hath been spoken for our direction and refreshment in our passage Observe 1. All the glorious Perfections of the Nature of God do belong unto and dwell in the person of the Son Were it not so he could not gloriously represent unto us the Person of the Father nor by the Contemplation of him could we be led to an acquaintance with the Person of the Father This the Apostle here teacheth us as in the Explication of the words we have manifested Now because the confirmation of this allusion depends on the proofs and testimonies given of and unto the Divine Nature of Christ which I have else-where largely insisted on and vindicated from Exceptions I shall not here reassume that task especially considering that the same Truth will again occur unto us Observ. 2. The whole Manifestation of the Nature of God unto us and all communications of grace are immediately by and through the Person of the Son He represents him unto us and through him is every thing that is communicated unto us from the fulness of the Deity conveyed There are sundry signal instances wherein God reveals himself and communicates from his own infinite fulness unto his creatures and in all of them
I begotten thee do contain the formal Reasâ—n of Christs being properly called the Son of God and so to denote his Eternal Generation Others think they express only some outward Act of God towards the Lord Christ on the Occasion whereof he was declared to be the Son of God and so called The former way went Austin with sundry of the Antients The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the bodie or this day here was the same with them which the nunc stans as they call it of Eternity and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have begotten thee denotes as they say the proper natural Genâ—ration of the Son by an unconceivable communication of the Essence and Substance of the Godhead by the Person of the Father unto him And this doctrine is true but whether here intended or no is by some greatly questioned Others therefore take the words to express only an Occasion of giving this name at a certain season to the Lord Christ when he was revealed or declared to be the Son of God And some assign this to the day of his Incarnation when he declared him to be his Son and that he should be so called as Luke 1.35 Some to the Day of his Baptism when he was again solemnly from Heaven proclaimed so to be Mat. 3.17 Some to the Day of his Resurrection when he was declared to be the Son of God with Power Rom. 1.3 and Acts 13.33 Some to the day of his Ascension whereunto these words are applyed And all these Interpretations are consistent and reconciliable with each other in as much as they are all means serving unto the same end That of his Resurrection from the dead being the most signal amongst them and fixed on in particular by our Apostle in his Application of this Testimony unto him Acts 13.33 And in this sense alone the words have any Appearance of respect unto David as a Type of Christ seeing he was said as it were to be begotten of God when he raisâ—d him up and established him in his Rule and Kingdom Neither indeed doth the Apostle treat in this place of the Eternal Generation of the Son but of his Exaltation and Preheminence above Angels The word also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 constantly in the Scripture denotes some signal time one day or more And that expression This Day have I begotten thee following immediately upon that other Typical one I have set my King upon my holy hill of Sion seems to be of the same Importance and in like manner to be interpreted Thus far I then chuse to embrace the latter Interpretation of the words namely that the Eternal Generation of Christ on which his Filiation or Sonship both name and thing doth depend is to be taken only declaratively and that declaration to be made in his Resurrection and Exaltation over all that ensued thereon But every one is left unto the Liberty of his own Judgement herein And this is the first Testimony whereby the Apostle confirms his Assertion of the Preheminence of the Lord Christ above the Angels from the name that he inherits as his peculiar Right and Possession For the further confirmation of the same Truth he adds another Testimony of the same Importance in the words ensuing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vulg. rursum ego ero illi in patrem ipse erit mihi in filium I will be unto him for a Father and he shall be to me for a Son So also Syriack 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in patrem and in filium not pro patre pro filio as some render the words Erasmus worse than they ego ero ei loco patris ille erit mihi loco filii instead of a Father and instead of a Son or in the place which agrees not with the letter and corrupts the sense Bâ—za Ego ero ei pater ipse erit mihi filius who is followed by ours And again I will be to him a Father and he shall be to me a son 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and again That is in another place or again it is said to the Son what is no where spoken unto the Angels 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the prefix'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth not denote a Substitution or Comparison but the truth of the thing itself So it is said of Rebeckah 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 she was unto him not for or instead or in the place of but his wife And in the words of the Covenant Jer. 31.33 I will be to them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and they shall be to me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not I will be unto them instead of God and they shall be unto me instead of a people but I will be their God and they shall be my people And the same is the signification of these words I will be his Father and he shall be my Son This is the second testimony produced by the Apostle to prove the preheminence of the Lord Christ above the Angels from the excellency of the Name given unto him One word one witness the testimony being that of God and not of man had been sufficient to have evinced the truth of his assertion But the Apostle addes a second here partly to manifest the importance of the matter he treated of and partly to stir them up unto a diligent search of the Scripture where the same truths especially those that are of most concernment unto us are stored up and down in sundry places as the holy Ghost had Occasion to make mention of them This is that Mine of precious Gold which we are continually to dig for and search after if we intend to grow and to be rich in the knowledge of God in Christ Prov. 2.3 4. Expositors do generally perplex themselves and their Readers about the application of these words unto the Lord Christ. Cajetan for this cause that this Testimony is not rightly produced nor applied as it ought rejects the whole Epistle as not written by the Apostle nor of Canonical authority Such instances do even Wise and Learned men give of their folly and self-fulness every day The conclusion that he makes must needs be built on these two suppositions First that what ever any man might or could apprehend concerning the right application of this testimony that he himself might and could so do for otherwise he might have acknowledged his own insufficiency and have left the solution of the difficulty unto them to whom God should be pleased to reveal it Secondly That when men of any Generation cannot understand the force and efficacy of the Reasonings of the Pen-men of the holy Ghost nor discern the suitableness of the Testimonies they make use of unto the things they produce them in the confirmation of they may lawfully reject any portion of Scripture thereon The folly and iniquity of which principles or suppositions are manifest The application of Testimonies out of the Old Testament in the New depends
as to their authority on the veracity of him that maketh use of them and as to their cogency in Argument on the acknowledgment of them on whom they are pressed Where we find these concurring as in this place there remains nothing for us but to endeavour a Right understanding of what is in it self infallibly true and unquestionably cogent unto the ends for which it is used Indeed the main Difficulty which in this place Expositors generally trouble themselves withall ariseth purely from their own mistake They cannot understand how these words should pâ—ove the Natural Sonship of Jesus Christ which they supposed they are produced to confirm seeing it is from thence that he is exalted above the Angels But the truth is the words are not designed by the Apostle unto any such end his aim is only to prove that the Lord Christ hath a Name assigned unto him more excellent either in it self or in the manner of its Attribution than any that is given unto the Angels which is the medium of this first Argument to prove him not as the Eternal Son of God nor in respect of his Humane Nature but as the Revealer of the Will of God in the Gospel to be preferred above all the Angels in heaven and consequently in particular above those whose ministery was used in the giving of the Law Two things then are necessary to render this Testimony effectual to the purpose for which it is cited by the Apostle first that it was originally intended of him to whom he doth apply it secondly that there is a Name in it assigned unto him more excellent than any ascribed unto the Angels For the first of these we must not wave the Difficulties that Interpreters have either found out in it or cast upon it The words are taken from 2 Sam. 7.14 and are part of the Answer returned from God unto David by Nathan upon his resolution to build him an house The whole Oracle is as followeth v. 11. The Lord telleth thee that he will make thee an house v. 12. And when thy days be fulfilled and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers I will set up thy seed after thee which shall proceed out of thy bowels and I will establish his Kingdom Or as 1 Chron. 17.11 And it shall come to pass when thy days be expired that thou must go to be with thy fathers that I will raise up thy seed after thee which shall be of thy sons and I will establish his kingdom v. 13. He shall build an house for my name and I will establish the throne of his kingdom for ever chap. 13. v. 12. he shall build me an house and I will establish his throne for ever v. 14. I will be his Father and he shall be my son if he commit iniquity I will chastise him with the rod of men and with the stripes of the children of men v. 15. But my mercy shall not depart away from him as I took it from Saul whom I put away before thee 1 Chron. 13. I will be his Father and he shall be my son and I will not take my mercy away from him as I took it from him that was before thee v. 16. And thy house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before me thy throne shall be established for ever 1 Chron. But I will settle him in mine house and in my kingdom for ever and his throne shall be established for evermore This is the whole Divine Oracle from whence the Apostle takes the testimony under consideration and the difficulty wherewith it is attended ariseth from hence that it is not easie to apprehend how any thing at all in these words should be appropriated unto the Lord Christ seeing Solomon seems in the whole to be directly and only intended And concerning this difficulty there are three Opinions among Interpreters 1. Some cutting that knot which they suppose could not otherwise be loosed affirm that Solomon is not at all intended in these words but that they are a direct and immediate Prophesie of Christ who was to be the Son of David and to build the Spiritual House or Temple of God And for the confirmation of this Assertion they produce sundry Reasons from the Oracle it self As 1. It is said That God would raise up to David a seed or son intimating that he was not as yet born being foretold to be raised up whereas Solomon was born at the time of this Prophesie 2. It is also affirmed that this Son or seed should reign and sit upon the throne of David after his decease and being gathered unto his fathers whereas Solomon was made King and sate upon the Throne whilst David was yet alive and not entred into rest with his fathers 3. The Throne of this Son is to be established for ever or as the same promise is expressed Psal. 89. whilst the Sun and Moon continue The Throne of Solomon and his posterity failing within a few Genâ—rations 4. The Title there given unto him who is directly prophesied of shews him as our Apostle intimates to be preferred above all the Angels and none will say that Solâ—mon was so who as he was inferiour to them in Nature and Condition so by sin he greatly provoked the Lord against himself and his posterity But yet all these Observations though they want not some appearance and probability of reason come short of proving evidently what they are produced for as we may briefly manifest for 1. It doth not appear that Solomon was born at the time of the giving forth of this Oracle if we must suppose that God intimated in it unto David that none of the sons which he then had should succeed him in his Kingdom yea it is manifest from the story that he was not Besides raising up doth not denote the Birth or Nativity of the person intended but his Designation or Exaltation to his Throne and Office as is the usual meaning of that expression in the Scripture so that Solomon might be intended though now born yea and grown up if not yet by the providence of God marked and taken out from amongst his brethren to be King as afterwards he was 2. Although a few days before the death of David to prevent Sedition and Division about Titles and Pretensions to the Kingdom Solomon by his appointment was proclaimed King or Heir to the Crown yet he was not actually vested with the whole Power of the Kingdom until after his natural decease Moreover also David being then very weak and feeble and rendred unable for Publick Administration the short remainder of his days after the Inauguration of Solomon needed no Observation in the Prophesie The other two remaining Reasons must be afterwards spoken unto And for the present removal of this Exposition I shall only observe That to affirm Solomon not at all to be intended in this Oracle nor the House or Temple which afterwards he built is to make the whole Answer of God by the
in novo faedere praecipit But these things agree neither with the truth nor with the design of the Apostle in this place nor with the Principles of them by whom they are asserted It is acknowledg'd that God hath other sons besides Jesus Christ and that with respect unto him for in him we are adopted the only way whereby any one may attain unto the priviledge of Sonship but that we are sons of God with or in the same kind of sonship with Jesus Christ is 1. False because 1. Christ in his Sonship is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the only begotten Son of God and ther◠〈◊〉 is impossible that God should have any more sons in the same kind with him for if he had certainly the Lord Christ could not be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his only begotten Son 2. The only way of Filiation the only kind of Sonship that Believers share in is that of Adoption in any other kind of sonship they are not partakers Now if Christ be the Son of God in this kind he must of necessity antecedently unto his Adoption be a Member of another Family that is of the Family of Sathan and the World as we are by Nature and from thence be transplanted by Adoption into the Family of God which is Blasphemy to imagine So that neither can Believers be the sons of God with that kind of sonship which is proper to Christ he being the only begotten of the Father nor can the Lord Christ be the Son of God with the same kind of Sonship as Believers are which is only by Adoption and their translation out of one Family into another So that either to exalt Believers into the same kind of Sonship with Christ or to depress him into the same rank with them is wholly inconsistent with the Analogy of Faith and Principles of the Gospel 3. If this were so that the Lord Christ and Believers were the Sons of God by the same kind of Sonship only differing in degrees which also are imaginary for the formal Reason of the same kind of Sonship is not capable of variation by degrees what great matter is in the condescension mentioned by the Apostle chap. 2.11 that he is not ashamed to call them brethren which yet he compares with the condescension of God in being called their God chap. 11.16 2. This conceit as it is Vntrue so it is contrary to the design of the Apostle For to assert the Messiah to be the Son of God in the same way with men doth not tend at all to prove him more excellent than the Angels but rather leaves us just ground of suspecting their preference above him 3. It is contrary unto other declared Principles of the Authors of this Assertion They else-where affirm that the Lord Christ was the Son of God on many accounts as first and principally because he was conceived and born of a Virgin by the power of God now surely all Believers are not partakers with him in this kind of Sonship Again they say he is the Son of God because God raised him from the dead to confirm the Doctrine that he had taught which is not so with Believers Also they say he is the Son of God and so called upon the account of his sitting at the Right Hand of God which is no less his peculiar priviledge than the former So that this is but an unhappy attempt to lay hold of a word for an advantage which yields nothing in the issue but trouble and perplexity Nor can the Lord Christ which is affirmed in the last place be called the Son of God and the first-born because in him was that Holiness which is required in the new Covenant for both all Believers under the Old Testament had that Holiness and likeness unto God in their degrees and that Holines consists principally in Regeneration or being born again by the Word and Spirit out of a corrupted estate of death and sin which the Lord Christ was not capable of Yea the truth is the Holiness and Image of God in Christ was in the kind of it that which was required under the first Covenant an Holiness of perfect Innocency and perfect Righteousness in Obedience So that this last invention hath no better success than the former It appeareth then that the Lord Christ is not called the first-begotten or the first-born with any such respect unto others as should include him and them in the same kind of Filiation To give therefore a direct account of this Appellation of Christ we may observe that indeed the Lord Christ is never absolutely called the first-begotten or first-born with respect either to his Eternal Generation or to the Conception and Nativity of his Humane Nature In respect of the former he is called the Son and the only begotten Son of God but no where the first-born or first-begotten and in respect of the latter indeed he is called the first-begotten Son of the Virgin because she had none before him but not absolutely the first-born or first-begotten which Title is here and else-where ascribed unto him in the Scripture It is not therefore the thing it self of being the first-born but the Dignity and Priviledge that attended it which are designed in this Appellation So Col. 1.15 he is said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first-born of the creation which is no more but he that hath Power and Authority over all the creatures of God The word which the Apostle intends to express is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which oft-times is used in the sense now pleaded for namely to denote not the birth in the first place but the priviledge that belonged thereunto So Psal. 89.27 God is said to make David his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his first-born which is expounded in the next words higher than the Kings of the earth So that the Lord Christ being the first-born is but the same which we have insisted on of his being Heir of all which was the priviledge of the first-born And this priviledge was sometimes transmitted unto others that were not the first-born although the natural course of their nativity could not be changed Gen. 21.10 chap. 49. v. 3 4 8. The Lord Christ then by the appointment of the Father being entrusted with the whole Inheritance of Heaven and Earth and Authority to dispose of it that he might give out portions to all the rest of God's family is and is called the first-born thereof There remains now but one word more to be considered for the opening of this Introduction of the ensuing Testimony and that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he saith that is God himself saith they are His words which shall be produced What ever is spoken in the Scripture in his name it is his speaking and he continueth to speak it unto this day He speaks in the Scripture unto the end of the world This is the foundation of our faith that which it riseth from and that which it is râ—solved into
the satisfaction of faith and no where else doth it find rest II. That for the begetting increasing and strengthning of faith it is useful to have important fundamental Truths confirmed by many testimonies of Scripture Again he saith Any one word of God is sufficient to establish the most important Truth to Eternity so as to hang the salvation of all mankind thereon neither can any thing impeach or weaken what is so confirmed No more is required in any case to make Faith necessary on our part as a Duty of Obedience and infallible as to the Event but that God hath by any means by any one word revealed that which he requires our assent unto But God dealeth not upon strict terms Infinite Condescension lies at the bottom of all wherein he hath to deal with us He respects not what the nature of the thing strictly requires but what is needful unto our infirmity and weakness Hence he multiplies his Commands and Promises and confirms all by his Oath swearing to his Truth by himself to take away all pretence of distrust and unbelief For this cause he multiplies Testimonies to the Truths wherein the concernments of his Glory and our Obedience do lie as might be manifested by the consideration of instances innumerable Thus in his name deals the Apostle in this place And this is useful to Faith For 1. What is it may be obscure in one is cleared in another and so what doubts and fears remain on the consideration of one Testimony are removed by another whereby the souls of Believers are carried on unto a full Assurance And therefore because such is our weakness that there is need hereof in our selves such is the Goodness of God that there is no want of it in the Word 2. Faith discerns hereby the weight that God lays upon its embracing of the Truth so testified unto He knows our concernment in it and thereon urgeth us with its acceptance This awakens and excites Faith unto Attention and Consideration the eminent means of its growth and increase It knows that it is not for nothing that the Holy Ghost thus presseth his Truth upon it and attends the more diligently upon his urgency 3. Every testimony hath something single in it and peculiar unto it Though many bear witness to the same truth yet such is the fulness of the Scripture and such the Wisdom of God laid up therein that every one of them hath also somewhat of its own somewhat singular tending to the enlightning and establishment of our minds This Faith makes a discovery of and so receives peculiar profit and advantage thereby And this should teach us to abound in the study and search of the Scriptures that we may thereby come to establishment in the truth God hath thus left us many testimonies to each important Truth and he hath not done it in vain he knows our need of it and his Condescension in so doing when he might have bound us up to the strictest terms of closing with the least intimation of his will is for ever to be admired For us to neglect this great effect and product of the Wisdom Grace and Love of God is unspeakable folly If we think we need it not we make our selves wiser than God if we think we do and neglect our duty herein we are really as unwise as the Beasts that perish Want of this fortifying of faith by a diligent search after the testimonies given unto the truth proposed unto it to be believed is the cause that so many every day turn away from it and therewithall make shipwrack of faith and a good conscience Let us then never think our selves safe in the knowledge and profession of any truth but whilst we continue sincerely in the investigation of all the confirmation that God hath given it in his Word The Opposition made to every Truth is so various and from so many hands that not the least contribution of evidence unto it can be neglected with safety III. The whole Creation of God hath a great concernment in God's bringing forth Christ into the world and his Exaltation in his Kingdom Hence in the Psalm from whence these words are taken all the principal parts of it are called on to triumph and rejoyce therein The Earth and the multitude of the Isles the Heaven and all People are invited unto this congratulation neither is any thing excluded but Idols and Idolaters whose ruine God intends in the Erection of the Kingdom of Christ. And this they have ground for 1. Because in that Work consisted the principal manifestation of the Wisdom Power and Goodness of God The whole Creation is concerned in the Glory of the Creator In his Exaltation doth their honour interest and blessedness consist For this End were they made that God might be glorified The more that is done by any means the more is their End attained Hence the very inanimate parts of it are introduced by a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rejoycing exulting shouting and clapping their hands when the Glory of God is manifested in all which their suitableness and propensity to their proper End is declared as also by their being burdened and groaning under such an Estate and Condition of things as doth any way eclipse the Glory of their Maker Now in this work of bringing forth the first-born is the Glory of God principally and eminently exalted For the Lord Christ is the Brightness of his Glory and in him all the Treasures of Wisdom Grace and Goodness are laid up and hid What ever God had any other wayes before parcelled out of and concerning his Glory by the works of his hands is all and altogether and with an unspeakable Addition of Beauty and Excellency repeated in Christ. 2. The whole Creation receiveth a real Advancement and honour in the Sons being made the first-born of every creature that is the especial Heir and Lord of them all Their being brought into a new dependance on the Lord Christ is their Honour and they are exalted by becoming his Possession For after that they had lost their first Original Dependance on God and their respect unto him grounded on his pronouncing of them exceeding good that is such as became his Wisdom and Power to have made they fell under the power of the Devil who became Prince of this world by sin Herein consisted the vanity and debasement of the Creature which it was never willingly or of its own accord subject unto But God setting up the Kingdom of Christ and making him the first-born the whole Creation hath a right unto a new glorious Lord and Master And however any part of it be violently for a season detained under its old bondage yet it hath grounds of an earnest Expectation of a full and total Deliverance into Liberty by vertue of this Primogeniture of Christ Jesus 3. Angels and Men the Inhabitants of Heaven and Earth the principal parts of the Creation on whom God hath in an especial manner estamped
and to be wise to sobriety And the Rule of that Sobriety is given us for ever Deut. 29.28 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Secret things belong to the Lord our God but revealed things to us and our Children Divine Revelation is the Rule and measure of our knowledge in these things and that bounds and determines our sobriety And hence the Apostle condemning the Curiosity of men in this very subject about Angels makes the nature of their sin to consist in exceeding these bounds by an enquiry into things unrevealed and the rise of that evil to lye in Pride Vanity and Fleshliness and the tendency of it to be unto false Worship Superstition and Idolatry Col. 2.18 Neither is there any thing more averse from Right Reason nor more condemned by wise men of former times than a curious humour of prying into those things wherein we are not concerned and for whose investigation we have no certain honest lawful Rule or medium And this evil is encreased where God himself hath given bounds to our enquiries as in this case he hath 2. This alone will bring us unto any Certainty and Truth Whilest men indulge to their own imaginations and fancies as too many in this matter have been apt to do it is sad to consider how they have wandered up and down and with what fond Conceits they have deceived themselves and others The world hath been filled with monstrous Opinions and Doctrines about Angels their Nature Offices and Employments some have Worshipped them others pretended I know not what Communion and entercourse with them in all which conceits there hath been little of Truth and nothing at all of Certainty Whereas if men according to the Example of the Apostle would keep themselves to the word of God as they would know enough in this matter for the discharging of their own Duty so they would have Assurance and Evidence of Truth in their conceptions without which pretended high and raised notions are but a shadow of a dream worse then professed ignorance II. We may hence observe That the Glory Honour and Exaltation of Angels lyes in their subserviency to the Povidence of God It lyes not so much in their Nature as in their work and service The intention of the Apostle is to shew the Glory of Angels and their Exaltation which he doth by the induction of this Testimony reporting their serviceableness in the works wherein of God they are employed God hath endowed the Angels with a very Excellent Nature furnished them with many eminent properties of Wisdom Power Agility Perpetuity but yet what is hereby glorious and honourable herein consists not meerly in their nature it self and its Essential Properties all which abide in the horridest and most to be detested Part of the whole Creation namely the Devils but in their conformity and answerableness unto the Mind and Will of God that is in their moral not meerly natural Endowments These make them amiable glorious excellent Unto this their Readiness for and compliance with the will of God that God having made them for his service and employing them in his work their discharge of their Duty therein with Cheerfulness Alacrity Readiness and Ability is that which renders them truly honourable and glorious Their Readiness and Ability to serve the Providence of God is their Glory For 1. The greatest Glory that any Creature can be made partaker of is to serve the Will and set forth the Praise of its Creator That is its Order and Tendency towards its Principal End in which two all true Honour consists It is glorious even in the Angels to serve the God of Glory what is there above this for a creature to aspire unto what that its nature is capable of Those among the Angels who as it seems attempted somewhat farther somewhat higher attained nothing but an endless Ruine in shame and misery Men are ready to fancy strange things about the Glory of Angels and do little consider that all the difference in Glory that is in any parts of Gods Creation lyes meerly in Willingness Ability and Readiness to serve God their Creator 2. The works wherein God employes them in a subservience unto his Providence are in an especial manner glorious works For the service of Angels as it is intimated unto us in the Scripture it may be reduced unto two Heads For they are employed either in the communication of Protection and Blessings to the Church or in the Execution of the Vengeance and Judgements of God against his Enemies Instances to both these purposes may be multiplyed but they are commonly known Now these are glorious works God in them eminently exalts his Mercy and Justice the two properties of his Nature in the Execution whereof he is most eminently exalted and from these works ariseth all that Revenue of Glory and Praise which God is pleased to reserve to himself from the world so that it must needs be very honourable to be employed in these works 3. They perform their Duty in their service in a very glorious manner with great Power Wisdom and uncontroulable Efficacy Thus one of them flew 145000. of the Enemies of God in a night Another set fire on Sodom and Gomorrah from Heaven of the like Power and Expedition are they in all their services in all things to the utmost capacity of creatures answering the Will of God God himself it is true sees that in them and their Works which keeps them short of absolute Purity and Perfection which are his own Properties but as to the capacity of meer Creatures and for their state and condition there is a perfection in their Obedience and that is their Glory Now if this be the great Glory of Angels and we poor worms of the earth are invited as we are into a Participation with them therein what unspeakable folly will it be in us if we be found negligent in labouring to attain thereunto Our future Glory consists in this that we shall be made like unto Angels and our Way towards it is to do the Will of our Father on Earth as it is done by them in Heaven Oh in how many Vanities doth vain man place his Glory nothing so shamefull that one or other hath not gloried in whilest the true and only glory of doing the will of God is neglected by almost all But we must treat again of these things upon the last Verse of this Chapter Verse VIII IX HAving given an Account of what the Scripture teacheth and testifieth concerning Angels in the following Verses He sheweth how much other things and far more glorious are spoken to and of the Son by whom God revealed his will in the Gospel Ver. 8 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But unto the Son Syr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but of the Son he saith which is necessarily supplyed as to the Apostles design In the Psalm the words are spoken by way of Apostrophe to the Son and they are recited by
Congruency and Conveniency unto an antecedent discharge of Office in the Lord Christ and are of the same importance with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal. 2.9 and so can respect nothing but his glorious Exaltation which is thus expressed The last thing considerable in the words is the Prerogative of the Lord Christ in this Priviledge He is anointed above his fellows Now these Fellows Companions or Associates of the Lord Christ may be considered either generally for all those that partake with him in this Unction which are all Believers who are Co-heirs with him and thereby heirs of God Rom. 8.17 or more especially for those who were employed by God in the Service Building and Rule of his Church in their subordination unto him such as were the Prophets of old and afterwards the Apostles Ephes. 2.20 In respect unto both sorts the Lord Christ is anointed with the Oyle of gladness above them but the latter sort are especially intended concerning whom the Apostle gives an especial instance in Moses Ch. 3. affirming the Lord Christ in his work about the Church to be made partaker of more Glory than he In a word he is incomprehensibly exalted above Angels and Men. And this is the first Testimony whereby the Apostle confirms his Assertion of the preheminence of the Lord Christ above Angels in that comparison which he makes between them which also will afford the ensuing Observations I. The conferring and comparing of Scriptures is an excellent means of coming to an Acquaintance with the Mind and Will of God in them Thus dealeth the Apostle in this place he compareth what is spoken of Angels in one place and what of the Son in another and from thence manifesteth what is the mind of God concerning them This duty lyes in the command we have to search the Scriptures John 5.39 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 make a diligent Investigation of the Mind of God in them comparing spiritual things with spiritual What God hath declared of the mind of the Spirit in one place with what in like manner he hath manifested in another God to try our Obedience and to exercise our Diligence unto a study in his Word day and night Psal. 1.2 and our continual Meditation thereon 1 Tim. 4.15 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Meditate on these things be wholly in them hath planted his Truths with great Variety up and down his Word yea here one part and there another of the same Truth which cannot be throughly learned unless we gather them together into one view For instance In one place God commands us to circumcise our Hearts and to make unto our selves new hearts that we may fear him which at first consideration seems so to represent it not only as our Duty but also within our Power as though we had no need of any help from Grace for its Accomplishment In another he promiseth absolutely to circumcise our hearts and to give us new hearts to fear him as though it were so his work as not to be our concernment to attempt it But now these several places being spiritually compared together make it evident that as it is our Duty to have new and circumcised hearts so it is the Effectual Grace of God that must work and create them in us And the like may be observed in all the important Truths that are of Divine Revelation And this 1. Discovers the Root of almost all the Errors and Heresies that are in the World Men whose hearts are not subdued by Faith and Humility unto the Obedience of the Truth lighting on some Expressions in the Scripture that singly considered seem to give countenance to some such Opinion as they are willing to embrace without farther search they fix it on their minds and imagination untill it is too late to oppose any thing unto it For when they are once fixed in their perswasions those other places of Scripture which they should with Humility have compared with that whose seeming sense they cleave unto and from thence have learned the mind of the Holy Ghost in them all are considered by them to no other End but only how they may pervert them and free themselves from the Authority of them This I say seems to be the way of the most of them who pertinaciously cleave unto false and foolish Opinions They rashly take up a seeming sense of some particular places and then obstinately make that sense the Rule of interpreting all other Scriptures what ever Thus in our own dayes we have many who from the outward sound of those words Joh. 1.9 He is the true light which lighteneth every man that comes into the world having taken up a rash foolish and false imagination that Christ is that Light which is remaining in all men and therein their Guide and Rule do from thence either wrest the whole Scripture to make it suit and answer that supposal or else utterly slight and despise it when if they had compared it with other Scriptures which clearly explain and declare the mind of God in the things which concern the Person and Mediation of the Lord Christ with the Nature and Works of natural and saving spiritual light and submitted to the Authority and Wisdom of God in them they might have been preserved from their delusion It shews also 2. The Danger that there is unto men unskilled and unexercised in the Word of Truth when without the Advice Assistance or Directions of others who are able to guide them and instruct their Enquiry after the mind of God They hastily embrace Opinions which it may be some one Text or other of Scripture doth seemingly give countenance unto By this means do men run themselves into the fore-mentioned Danger every day especially where any seducing Spirit applyes himself unto them with swelling words of vanity boasting of some misunderstood word or other Thus have we seen multitudes lead by some general Expressions in two or three particular places of Scripture into an Opinion about a general Redemption of all mankind and every Individual thereof when if they had been wise and able to have searched those other Scriptures innumerable setting forth the Eternal Love of God to his Elect his purpose to save them by Jesus Christ the nature and end of his Oblation and ransom and compared them with others they would have understood the vanity of their hasty Conceptions 3. From these things it appears what Diligence Patience Waiting Wisdom is required of all men in searching of the Scriptures who intend to come unto the acknowledgement of the Truth thereby And unto this end and because of the greatness of our concernment therein doth the Scripture it self abound with Precepts Rules Directions to enable us unto a right and profitable discharging of our Duty They are too many here to be inserted I shall only add that the Diligence of Heathens will rise up in judgement and condemn the sloth of many that are called Christians in this matter For whereas they had no
certain Rule Way or means to come to the knowledge of the Truth yet they ceased not with indefatigable diligence and industry to enquire after it and to trace the obscure footsteps of what was left in their own natures or implanted on the works of Creation But many the most of those unto whom God hath granted the inestimable benefit and priviledge of his Word as a sure and infallible Guide to lead them into the knowledge of all useful and saving Truth do openly neglect it not accounting it worthy their searching study and diligent Examination How wofully will this rise up in Judgement against them at the last day is not difficult to conceive And how much greater will be their misery who under various pretences for their own corrupt ends do deter yea and drive others from the study of it II. It is the duty of all Believers to rejoyce in the Glory Honour and Dominion of Jesus Christ. The Church in the Psalm takes by faith a prospect at a great distance of his Coming and Glory and breaks out thereon in a way of Exultation and Triumph into those words Thy Throne O God is for ever And if this were a matter of such joy unto them who had only an obscure Vision and Representation of the glory which many Ages after was to follow 1 Pet. 1.11.12 what ought the full Accomplishment and manifestation of it be unto them that believe now in the dayes of the the Gospel This made them of old rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of Glory even because they saw and heard the things which Kings Wise men and Prophets desired to see and saw them not God having prepared some better thing for us that they without us should not be made perfect Chap. 11.40 For 1. Herein God is glorified The Kingdom of Christ is the glory of God thereby is his Name and Praise exalted in the world and therefore upon the Erection and setting of it up are all his People so earnestly invited to rejoyce and triumph therein Psal. 95.1 2 3. Psal. 96.1 2 3 4. Psal. 97.1 2 c. This I say is a cause of Eternal Joy unto all his Saints that God is pleased to glorifie himself and all the infinite Excellencies of his Nature in the Kingdom and Rule of Jesus Christ. 2. Herein doth the Honour and Glory of Christ as Mediator consist which is a matter of great rejoycing unto all that love him in sincerity He tells his Disciples John 14.28 That if they loved him they would rejoyce because he said he went unto the Father They considered only their own present condition and distres being filled with sorrow because he had told them of his Departure from them but saith he Where is your Love to me Ought you not to have that in your hearts as well as care of your selves for your Condition I shall take care and provide for your security and if you love me you cannot but rejoyce because I go to my Father to receive my Kingdom That he who loved us that gave himself for us that underwent every thing that is reproachful or miserable for our sakes is now exalted glorified enthroned in an everlasting immoveable Kingdom above all his Enemies secure from all Opposition is a matter of inexpressible Joy if we have any love unto him 3. Our own concernment security safety present and future happiness lyes herein Our All depends upon the Kingdom and Throne of Christ. He is our King if we are Believers our King to Rule Govern Protect and Save us to uphold us against Opposition to supply us with strength to guide us with Counsel to subdue our Enemies to give us our Inheritance and Reward and therefore our principal interest lyes in his Throne the Glory and Stability thereof Whilest he reigneth we are safe and in our way to Glory To see by faith this King in his Beauty upon his Throne high and lifted up and his train filling the Temple to see all Power committed unto him all things given into his hands and herein disposing of all and ruling all things for the Advantage of his Church must needs cause them to rejoyce whose whole interest and concernment lyes therein 4. The whole world all the Creation of God are concerned in this Kingdom of Christ. Setting aside his cursed Enemies in Hell and the whole Creation is benefited by this Rule and Dominion for as some men are made partakers of saving Grace and salvation thereby so the residue of that race by and with them do receive unspeakable Advantages in the Patience and Forbearance of God and the very creature it self is raised as it were into an Hope and Expectation thereby of Deliverance from that state of Vanity whereunto now it is subjected Rom. 8.20 21. So that if we are moved with the Glory of God the Honour of Jesus Christ our own only and eternal interest with the Advantage of the whole Creation we have cause rejoyce in this Throne and Kingdom of the Son III. It is the Divine Nature of the Lord Christ that gives Eternity Stability and Vnchangeableness to his Throne and Kingdom Thy Throne O God is for ever Concerning this see what hath formerly been delivered about the Kingdom of Christ. IV. All the Laws and the whole Administration of the Kingdom of Christ by his Word and Spirit are all equal righteous and holy His Scepter is a Scepter of Righteousness The world indeed likes them not all things in his Rule seem unto it weak absurd and foolish 1 Cor. 1.20 21. but they are otherwise the Holy Ghost being judge and such they appear unto them that do believe yea whatever is requisite to make Laws and Administrations righteous it doth all concurr in those of the Lord Jesus Christ. As 1. Authority a just and full Authority for enacting is requisite to make Laws righteous Without this Rules and Precepts may be good materially but they cannot have the formality of Law which depends on the just Authority of the Legislator without which nothing can become a righteous Law Now the Lord Christ is vested with sufcient Authority for the enacting of Laws and Rules of Administration in his Kingdom All Authority all Power in Heaven and Earth is committed unto him as we have before proved at large And hence those that will not see the Equity of his Rule shall be forced at last to bow under the Excellency of his Authority And it were to be wished that those who undertake to make Laws and Constitutions in the Kingdom of Christ would look well to their Warrant For it seems that the Lord Christ unto whom all Power is committed hath not delegated any to the sons of men but only that whereby they may teach others to do and observe what he hath commanded Matth. 28.20 If moreover they shall command or appoint ought of their own they may do well to consider by what Authority they do so seeing that is of indispensible necessity unto 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
of this inference because in a place where all that was spoken was not spoken of Christ the Apostle makes use of what was so spoken of him and omits that which was not therefore of that which he doth produce in the next place somewhat does belong to him and somewhat does not If any thing be offered to this purpose it must be in an instance of a testimony produced in the words whereof which are produced and not in what may follow in the same Chapter and Psalm there is that affirmed which doth now no more belong unto Christ than the making of heaven or earth belongeth to this Writer which is the case in hand Having premised these general considerations he makes Application of them in particular to his Interpretation of this Testimony used by the Apostle These words saith he being first expresly spoken of God and here by this Writer referred unto Christ we must consider what in them makes to his scope and purpose what is agreeable to the nature and condition of Christ who certainly was a man and such certainly is not He which the Psalm speaks of about the Creation of heaven and earth And this was well known to them with whom the Apostle had to do But any one may perceive that these things are spoken gratis and upon the supposition that Christ was a meer Man and not God by Nature When the words themselves ascribing a prae-existence to the World and Omnipotency unto him do prove the contrary What is the scope of the Apostle in the whole discourse under consideration hath been shewed as also how directly this whole Testimony tends to the proof of what he had proposed It is true that the words are spoken of him who is God but no less true the Apostle being judge that it is the Son of God who is that God It is true that he also was Man and nothing is ascribed unto him but what belongs unto him who was Man but not as he was man And such was the Creation of Heaven and Earth The opinion of these men is that whereas two things are mentioned in the words the Creation of the world which was past and the dissolution or destruction of it which was to come that the latter is assigned unto Christ but not the former and for this division of the words which confessedly is not in the least intimated by the Apostle he gives these reasons 1. All the words of the Psalm being manifestly spoken of the high God and no word in the Psalm declaring Christ to be that God yet of necessity if these words be applied unto Christ he must be supposed to be the high God there spoken of But if this Divine Writer had taken this for granted he had been eminently foolish to go about to prove by Arguments and Testimonies that the Creator does excel all creatures He should use in a matter no way doubtful witnesses no way necessary This is the first Reason whereby he would prove that the Apostle did not apply the words to Christ though himself say plainly that he does for his Preface to them is But to the Son he said Or that if he doth so he doth it wondrous foolishly for such liberty do poor worms take to themselves That the Psalm so speaketh of the high God that it directly and peculiarly intends Christ the Son of God hath been in part declared and shall farther afterwards be evinced And the Elogium in these words given unto him proves him to be so And though he affirm that it was a foolish thing in the Apostle to prove from the works of him that is God that he is above the Angels the most glorious of made creatures yet God himself most frequently from these his works his Omniscience Omnipresence and other Attributes declared in them proves his excellency in comparison of Idols which have no existence but in the imagination of men See Isa. 41.20 21 c. By this testimony then the Holy Ghost with infinite Wisdom proves that he who was made less for a little while than the Angels in one respect was absolutely and in his own person infinitely above them as being the Creator of Heaven and Earth He addes Secondly Those Hebrews to whom he wrote were either perswaded that Christ was God the Creator of Heaven and Earth or they were not if they were what need of all these Arguments and Testimonies one word might have dispatched this whole controversie by affirming that Christ was the Creator Angels creatures between whom there could be no comparison nor any reason to fear that the Law given by the Administration of Angels should be preferred to the Gospel whereof he was the Author if we shall say the latter that they did not yet believe it how do we suppose that he takes a great deal of pains to little purpose for he assures and takes for granted that that was true which was alone in question What need He then to prove by so many Arguments that Christ was more excellent than the Angels and to take that for granted which would have put it out of question namely that he was God who made heaven and earth Answ. This Dilemma hath as much force against the other testimonies produced in this Chapter or else-where by the Apostle as it hath against this so that the using of it doth scarce argue that Reverence to the Holy Word of God which is required of us But the truth is grant whether of the suppositions you please nothing of inconveniency as unto the Apostles argumentation will ensue Let it be granted that they did believe and that expresly Christ to be God Have Believers no need to have their faith confirmed by testimonies out of the Word that may not so readily occur to themselves Have they no need to be strengthned in the faith especially in such points as were in those days greatly opposed as was this of the Eternal Glory of the Messiah concerning which the believing Hebrews had to do with learned and stubborn Adversaries continually And if the Apostle might have ended the whole controversie by plainly affirming that he was the Creator of all things and the Angels creatures might he not as well have ended the dispute about his Preheminence above Angels with one word without citing so many testimonies to prove it But had he then unfolded the mysteries of the Old Testament to the Hebrews which was his design Had he manifested that he taught nothing but what was before revealed though obscurely to Moses and the Prophets which he aimed to do thereby to strengthen and confirm in the faith those that did believe and convince gain-sayers Again suppose some of them to whom he wrote did not yet expresly believe the Deity of Christ as the Apostles themselves did not for a while believe his Resurrection could any more convincing way be fixed on to perswade them thereunto than by minding them of those testimonies of the Old Testament wherein the Attributes
and vigour untill the very day of his death But he sayes it was old and decayed when it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 near to a disappearance to its End Period and an utter uselesness as then it was even as all things that naturally tend to an end do it by Age and decayes And in this not the former sense are the Heavens and Earth said to wax old because of their tendency to that period which either in themselves or as to their use they shall receive which is sufficient to manifest them to be of a changeable perishing nature And it may be that it shall be with these Heavens and Earth at the last day as it was with the Heavens and Earth of Judaical Institutions for so are they frequently called especially when their dissolution or abolition is spoken of in the day of Gods creating the new Heavens and the Earth in the Gospel according to his promise For though the use of them and their power of obliging to their Observation was taken away and abolished yet are they kept in the world as abiding monuments of the Goodness and Wisdom of God in teaching his Church of old So may it be with the Heavens and Earth of the old creation though they shall be laid aside at the last day from their use as a Garment to cloath and teach the Power and Wisdom of God to men yet may they be preserved as eternal monuments of them In opposition hereunto it is said of Christ that he abideth he is the same and his years fail not One and the same thing is intended in all these Expressions even his Eternal and absolutely immutable Existence Eternity is not amiss called a nunc stans a present existence wherein or whereunto nothing is past or future it being alwayes wholly present in and to its self This is expressed in that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou standest abidest endurest alterest not changest not The same is also expressed in the next words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou art he or art the same or as the Syriack hath it the same that thou art There is an Allusion in these words unto if not an expression of that name of God I am that is who is of himself in himself alwayes absolutely and unchangeably the same And this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tu ipse the Hebrews reckon as a distinct name of God Indeed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are all the same name of God expressing his Eternal and immutable self-subsistence The last Expression also though Metaphorical is of the same importance Thy years fail not He who is the same Eternally properly hath no years which are a measure of transient time denoting its Duration Beginning and Ending This is the measure of the world and all things contained therein Their Continuance is reckoned by years To shew the Eternal subsistence of God in Opposition to the frailty of the world and all things created therein it is said his years fail not that is theirs do and come to an end of his Being and Existence there is none How the Apostle proves his Intendment by this Testimony hath been declared in the opening of the words and the force of it unto his purpose lyes open to all we may now divert unto those Doctrinal Observations which the words offer unto us As I. All the Properties of God considered in the Person of the Son the head of the Church are suited to give Relief Consolation and supportment unto Believers in all their distresses This Truth presents it self unto us from the use of the words in the Psalm and their Connection in the design of the Psalmist Under the consideration of his own mortality and frailty he relieves himself with thoughts of the Omnipotency and Eternity of Christ and takes Arguments from thence to plead for relief And this may a little further be unfolded for our use in the ensuing Observations 1. The Properties of God are those whereby God makes known himself to us and declares both what he is and what we shall find him to be in all that we have to deal with him He is infinitely Holy Just Wise Good Powerful c. And by our Apprehension of these things are we lead to that Acquaintance with the Nature of God which in this life we may attain Exod. 34.5 6 7. 2. God oftentimes declares and proposeth these properties of his nature unto us for our supportment Consolation and Relief in our Troubles Distresses and endeavours after Peace and Rest to our souls Isa. 40.27 28 29 30 31. 3. That since the Entrance of sin these Properties of God absolutely considered will not yield that Relief and satisfaction unto the souls of men which they would have done and did whilest man continued obedient unto God according to the Law of his Creation Hence Adam upon his sin knew nothing that should encourage him to expect any help pity or relief from him and therefore fled from his presence and hid himself The Righteousness Holiness Purity and Power of God all infinite eternal unchangeable considered absolutely are no way suited to the Advantage of sinners in any condition Rom. 1.32 Heb. 1.12 4. These Properties of the Divine Nature are in every person of the Trinity entirely so that each Person is so infinitely holy just wise good and powerful because each person is equally partaker of the whole Divine Nature and Being 5. The Person of the Word or the Eternal Son of God may be considered either absolutely as such or as designed in the Counsel Wisdom and Will of the Father by and with his own Will and Consent unto the work of Mediation between God and Man Prov. 8.22 27 28 29 30 31. And in him as such it is that the Properties of the nature of God are suited to yield relief unto Believers in every condition For 1. It was the Design of God in the Appointment of his Son to be Mediator to retrieve the communion between himself and his creature that was lost by sin Now man was so created at first as that every thing in God was suited to be a Reward unto him and in all things to give him satisfaction This being wholly lost by sin and the whole Representation of God to man becoming full of dread and terror all gracious intercourse in a way of special love on the part of God and spiritual willing Obedience on the part of man was intercepted and cut off God designing again to take sinners into a communion of Love and Obedience with himself it must be by Representing unto them his blessed Properties as suited to their encouragement satisfaction and reward And this he doth in the Person of his Son as designed to be our Mediator Heb. 1.2 3. For 2. The Son is designed to be our Mediator and the Head of his Church in a way of Covenant wherein there is an Engagement for the exerting of all the Divine Properties of the nature of God for the Good and
for concerning him alone came that Voice from the excellent glory This is my beloved Son hear him So also in the other sense the Apostle is not comparing the manner of their attending unto the Doctrine of the Law which certainly they ought to have done with all diligence and their attendance unto the Gospel but shews the reasons which they had to attend unto the one and the other as the following verses clearly manifest This then may be that which the Apostle intimates in this word namely that they had more abundant cause and a more excellent reason for their attending unto the Doctrine of the Gospel than they had unto that of the Law on this account that he by whom the Gospel was immediately preached unto us was the Son of God himself But the other application of the word is more commonly received wherein it intends the duty enjoyned In reference unto the Duty exhorted unto there is expressed the Object of it The things heard Thus the Apostle chuseth to express the Doctrine of the Gospel with respect unto the way and manner whereby it was communicated unto them namely by preaching for faith cometh by hearing and hearing is of the word preached Rom. 10.14 15. And herein doth he magnifie the great Ordinance of preaching as every where else he maketh it the great means of begetting faith in men The Lord Christ himself first preached the Gospel Acts 1.1 and verse 4. of this chapter Concerning him it was said from heaven Hear him Matth. 17.5 as he who revealed the Father from his own bosome Joh. 1.18 From him the Gospel became to be the Word heard When he had finished the course of his Personal Ministery he committed the same work unto others sending them as the Father sent him They also preached the Gospel and called it the Word that is that which they preached See 1 Cor. 1. So in the Old Testament it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Isa. 53.1 Auditus an hearing or that which was heard being preached So that the Apostle insists on and commends unto them not only the things themselves wherein they had been instructed but also the way whereby they were communicated unto them namely by the great Ordinance of preaching as he farther declares verse 4. This as the means of their believing as the ground of their profession they were diligently to remember consider and attend unto The Duty it self directed unto and the manner of its performance are expressed in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to attend or give heed What kind of attendance is denoted by this word was in part before declared An attendance it is with Reverence Assent and Readiness to obey So Acts 16.14 God opened the heart of Lydia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to attend unto the things that were spoken not to give them the hearing only there was no need of the opening of her heart for the meer attention of her ear but she attended with readiness humility and resolution to obey the Word The effect of which attention is expressed by the Apostle Rom. 6.17 To attend then unto the Word preached is to consider the Author of it the Matter of it the Weight and concernment of it the Ends of it with Faith Subjection of spirit and Constancy as we shall with our Apostle more at large afterwards explain The Duty exhorted unto being laid down a Motive or Enforcement unto it is subjoyned taken from the danger that would ensue the neglect thereof And this is either from the Sin or Punishment that would attend it according unto the various interpretations of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 flow out or fall before mentioned It it signifies to fall or perish then the punishment of the neglect of this Duty is intimated We shall perish as water that is poured on the earth Thereunto is the frail life of man compared 2 Sam. 14.14 This sense of the word is embraced by few Expositors yet hath it great countenance given unto it by the ensuing discourse verse 2 and 3. and for that reason is not unworthy our consideration For the design of the Apostle in those verses is to prove that they shall deservedly and assuredly perish who should neglect the Gospel And the following particles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and if in verse 2. may seem to relate unto what was before spoken and so to yield a reason why the Unbelievers should so perish as he had intimated which unless it be expressed in this word the Apostle had not before at all spoken unto And in this sense the Caution here given is That we should attend unto the word of the Gospel left by our neglect thereof we bring upon our selves inevitable ruine and perish as water that is spilt on the ground which cannot be gathered up again But the truth is that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 prefixed will not be well reconciled unto this sense and interpretation unless we should suppose it to be redundant and insignificative and so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lest at any time we should flow out should be the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 absolutely that we fall not But there is no just reason to render that word so useless Allow it therefore significative and it may have a double sense 1. To denote an uncertain time quando aliquando at any time 2. A conditional event fortè ne fortè lest it should happen In neither of these senses will it allow the words to be expounded of the Punishment that shall befall Unbelievers which is most certain both as to the Time and the Event Neither doth the Apostle in the next Verses threaten them that neglect the Gospel that at some time or other they may perish but le ts them know that their destruction is certain and that from the Lord. It is then our sinful losing of the Word and the benefits thereof which the Apostle intendeth And in the next verses he doth not proceed to prove what he had asserted in this verse but goes on to other Arguments to the same purpose taken from the unquestionable event of our neglect of the Word and losing the benefits thereof The especial reason therefore why the Apostle thus expresseth our losing of the doctrine of the Gospel by want of diligent attendance unto it is to be enquired after Generally the expression is looked on as an allusion unto leaking vessels which suffer the water that is poured into them one way to run out many As he speaks in the Comedian who denied that he could keep secret some things if they were communicated unto him Plenus rimarum sum huc atque illuc effluo I am full of chinks and flow out on every side And the word relates unto the persons not to the things because it contains a crime It is our duty to retain the word which we have heard and therefore it is not said that the Word flows out but that we as it
by every lazie passenger on the surface of the earth they must dig seek and search who intend to be made partakers of them and they do so accordingly And so must we do for these treasures of heavenly wisdom The mystery of the grace of the Gospel is great and deep such as the Angels desire to bow down and look into 1 Pet. 1.12 which the Prophets of old notwithstanding the advantage of their own especial Revelations enquired diligently after verse 11. Whereas now if any pretend though falsly to a Revelation they have immediately done with the Word as that which by the deceit of their imaginations they think beneath them when indeed it is only distant from them and is really above them As if a man should stand on tip-toe on a mole-hill and despise the Sun appearing newly above the Horizon as one beneath him Diligent sedulous searching into the Word belongs unto this heeding of it Psal. 1.1 Or a labouring by all appointed means to become acquainted with it wise in the mystery of it and skilled in its doctrine Without this no man will hold fast his profession Nor doth any man neglect the Gospel but he that knows it not 2 Cor. 4.3 4. This is the great principle of Apostasie in the world men have owned the Gospel but never knew what it was and therefore leave the profession of it foolishly as they took it up lightly Studying of the Word is the security of our faith 3. Mixing the Word with faith is required in this attention See chap. 4.2 As good not hear as not believe Believing is the end of hearing Rom. 10.11 And therefore Lydia's faith is called her attention Acts 16.14 This is the life of heeding the Word without which all other exercise about it is but a dead carcase To hear and not believe is in spiritual life what to see meat and not to eat is in the natural it will please the fancy but will never nourish the soul. Faith alone realizeth the things spoken unto the heart and gives them subsistence in it Heb. 11.1 without which as to us they flow up and down in loose and uncertain notions This then is the principal part of our duty in heeding the things spoken for it gives entrance to them into the soul without which they are poured upon it as water upon a stick that is fully dry 4. Labouring to express the Word received in a conformity of heart and life unto it is another part of this Attention This is the next proper end of our hearing And to do a thing appointed unto an End without aiming at that End is no better than the not doing it at all in some cases much worse The Apostle says of the Romans that they were cast into the mould of the doctrine of the Gospel chap. 6.13 It left upon their hearts an impression of its own likeness or produced in them the express image of that Holiness Purity and Wisdom which it revealeth This is to behold with open face the glory of the Lord in a glass and to be changed into the same image 2 Cor. 4.18 that is the image of the Lord Christ manifested unto us and reflected upon us by and in the glass of the Gospel When the heart of the hearer is quickned enlivened spirited with Gospel truths and by them is moulded and fashioned into their likeness and expresseth that likeness in its fruits or a Conversation becoming the Gospel then is the Word attended unto in a right manner This will secure the Word a station in our hearts and give it a permanent abode in us This is the Indwelling of the Word whereof there are many degrees and we ought to aim that it should be plentiful 5. Watchfulness against all opposition that is made either against the Truth or Power of the Word in us belongs also unto this duty And as these Oppositions are many so ought this Watchfulness to be great and diligent And these things have we added for the further Explication of the Duty that is pressed on us by the Apostle the necessity whereof for the preservation of the truth in our hearts and minds will further appear in the ensuing Observation II. There are sundry times and seasons wherein and several ways and means whereby men are in danger to lose the word that they have heard if they attend not diligently unto its preservation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at any time or by any way or means This our Saviour teacheth us at large in the Parable of the Seed which was retained but in one sort of ground of those four whereinto it was cast Matth. 13. And this the experience of all Times and Ages confirmeth Yea few there are at any time who keep the Word heard as they ought We may briefly name the Seasons wherein and the Ways whereby the hearts and minds of men are made as leaking vessels to pour out and lose the Word that they have heard 1. Some lose it in a time of Peace and Prosperity That is a season which slays the foolish Jesurun waxes sat and kicks According to mens pastures they are filled and forget the Lord. They feed their lusts high until they loath the Word Quails often make a lean soul. A prosperous outward estate hath ruined many a Conviction from the Word yea and weakened faith and obedience in many of the Saints themselves The warmth of Prosperity breeds swarms of Apostates as the heat of the Sun doth Insects in the Spring 2. Some lose it in a time of persecution When persecution ariseth saith our Saviour they fall away Many go on apace in profession until they come to see the Cross this fight puts them to a stand and then turns them quite out of the way They thought not of it and do not like it We know what havock this hath made amongst Professors in all Ages and commonly where it destroys the Bodies of ten it destroys the Souls of an hundred This is the season wherein Stars fall from the Firmament in reference whereunto innumerable are the Precepts for Watchfulness Wisdom Patience Enduring that are given us in the Gospel 3. Some lose it in a time of trial by temptation it pleaseth God in his Wisdom and Grace to suffer sometimes an hour of temptation to come forth upon the world upon the Church in the world for their trial Rev. 3.10 And he doth it that his own thereby may be made conformable unto their Head Jesus Christ who had his especial hour of temptation Now in such a season temptation worketh variously according as men are exposed unto it or as God seeth meet that they should be tried by it Every thing that such days abound withall shall have in it the force of a temptation And the usual effect of this work is that it brings Professors into a slumber Matth 25.5 In this state many utterly lose the Word They have been cast into a negligent slumber by the secret power and efficacy
children of men There is also in it the love of the Son himself condescending to teach and instruct the sons of men who by their own fault were cast into error and darkness Greater love could not God nor his Eternal Son manifest unto us than that he should undertake in his own Person to become our Instructer See 1 Joh. 5.20 He that shall consider the bruitish stupidity and blindness of the generality of mankind in the things of God the miserable fluctuating and endless uncertainties of the more enquiring part of them and withall the greatness of their concernment in being brought unto the knowledge of the truth cannot but in some measure see the greatness of this love of Christ in revealing unto us the whole counsel of God Hence his words and speech are said to be gracious Luke 4.22 and grace to be poured into his lips Psal. 45.2 And this is no small motive unto our attention unto the word 3. The fulness of the Revelation it self by him made unto us is of the same importance He came not to declare a part or parcel but the whole will of God all that we are to know all that we are to do all that we are to believe In him are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge Col. 2.3 He opened all the dark sentences of the will of God hidden from the foundation of the world There is in his Doctrine all wisdom all knowledge as all light is in the Sun and all water in the Sea there being nothing of the one or the other in any other thing but by a communication from them Now if every word of God be excellent if every part and parcel of it delivered by any of his servants of old was to be attended unto on the penalty of extermination out of the number of his people how much more will our condition be miserable is our blindness and obstinacy so if we have not an heart to attend unto this full Revelation of himself and his will 4. Because it is final Last of all he sent his Son and hath spoken unto us by him Never more in this world will he speak with that kind of speaking No new no farther Revelation of God is to be expected in this world but what is made by Jesus Christ. To this we must attend or we are lost for ever VI. The true and only way of honouring the Lord Christ as the Son of God is by diligent attendance and obedience unto his word The Apostle having evidenced his Glory as the Son of God makes this his only Inference from it So doth he himself if you love me saith he keep my Commandments Where there is no Obedience unto the Word there is neither faith in nor love unto Jesus Christ. But this whole Argument the Apostle further pursues in the following Verses Verse II III IV. IN these three Verses the Apostle follows on his Exhortation laid down in that foregoing and giveth many peculiar enforcements unto a due compliance with it as we shall see in our Exposition of them Verse 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 si enim etenim and if for if 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sermo dictus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Syr. Sermo qui dictus est or pronuntiatius the word which was spoken or pronounced properly as we shall see 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Syr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the hand of Angels an Hebraism for their Ministry The word pronounced by the Ministry of Angels The Arabick refers these words to the Testimonies before insisted on about Angels and renders them if that which is spoken concerning the Angels be approved or confirmed to be true that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 factus est firmus Ar. V.L. was made firm or stable became sure Fuit firmus Eras. Beza was firm or as ours stedfast 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Syr. Confirmatus fuit was confirmed or established 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Et omnis praevaricatio inobedientia V.L. Ar praevarication and disobedience Rhem. Omnisque transgressio contumacia Beza every transgression and stubborn disobedience the Syriack a little otherwise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and every one that heard it and transgressed it with peculiar respect as it should seem to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which includes a disobedience to that which is heard 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 accepit justam mercedis retributionem V.L. Bez. retulit praemii Eras. all to the same purpose received a just recompence reward a just compensation Syr. received a retribution in Righteousness Verse 3. For if the word spoken pronounced by Angels was sure stedfast and every transgression and stubborn disobedience received a just meet equall retribution or recompence of reward Verse 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 si neglexerimus V.L. Eras. Beza if we neglect 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Syr. si contemnamus if we dispise if we care not about if we take no care of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tantam salutem so great salvation the Syriack a little otherwise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 super ea ipsa quae sunt vitae those things which are our life or as others render the words eos sermones qui vivi sunt those words which are living The former Translation taking the Pronoun in the Neuter Gender and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 substantively with respect unto the Effects of the Gospel most suits the place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quae cum primum enarrari caepit Eras. Bez. Which when it was begun to be declared and so the Syriack which began to be declared which was first at first spoken declared pronounced Verse 4. How shall we escape fly or avoid if we neglect not taking care about so great salvation which began to be was first of all spoken declared by the Lord and was confirmed assured established unto us by them that heard it of him Verse 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 contestante Deo V.L. attestante Deo Eras. Testimonium illis praebente Deo Beza God withal testifying attesting it giving Testimony unto them It is doubtful whether it be the word it self or the Preachers of it that God is said to give Testimony unto Syr When God had testified unto them Arab. whose Truth was also proved unto us besides the Testimony of God with wonders separating between Gods Testimony to the Word and the signs or wonders that accompanied it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prodigiis portentis miraculis Verse 5. God bearing witness with Signs and Wonders Prodigies and divers various mighty works powers and distributions divisions of the Holy Ghost according to his own will The design of the Apostle in these three Verses is to confirm and enforce the Inference and Exhortation laid down in the first as that which arose from the Discourse of the former Chapter The way he proceeds in for this end is
person For neither did the Church of the Jews hear the Law as it was pronounced on Horeb by Angels but had it confirmed unto them by the wayes and means of Gods appointment And he doth not say meerly that the Word was taught or preached unto us by them but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it was confirmed made firm and stedfast being delivered infallibly unto us by the Ministry of the Apostles There was a divine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 firmness certainty and infallibility in the Apostolical Declaration of the Gospel like that which was in the Writings of the Prophets which Peter comparing with Miracles calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a more firm stedfast and sure Word And this Infallible certainty of their word was from their Divine Inspiration Sundry Holy and Learned men from this Expression confirmed unto us wherein they say the Writer of this Epistle placeth himself among the number of those who heard not the word from the Lord himself but only from the Apostles conclude that Paul cannot be the Penman thereof who in sundry places denyeth that he received the Gospel by Instruction from men but by immediate Revelation from God Now because this is the only Pretence which hath any Appearance of Reason for adjudging the writing of this Epistle from him I shall briefly shew the invalidity of it And 1. It is certain that this term U S comprizes and casts the whole under the condition of the generality or major part and cannot receive a particular Distribution unto all Individuals For this Epistle being written before the Destruction of the Temple as we have demonstrated it is impossible to apprehend but that some were then living at Jerusalem who attended unto the Ministry of the Lord himself in the dayes of his flesh and among them was James himself one of the Apostles as before we have made it probable so that nothing can hence be concâ—â—deâ— to every individual as though none of them might have heard the Lord 〈…〉 The Apostle hath evidently a respect unto the foundation of the Church 〈…〉 at Hierusalem by the preaching of the Apostles immediately after th◠〈…〉 of the Holy Ghost upon them Acts 2.3 4 5. which as he was not hâ—◠〈…〉 â—â—â—ed in so he was to mind it unto them as the beginning of their faith and 〈…〉 3. Paul himself did not hear the Lord Christ teaching Personally on the earth 〈◊〉 he began to reveal the great salvation 4. Nor doth he say that those of whom hâ—â—pâ—â—ks were originally instructed by the Hearers of Christ but only that by them the Word was confirmed unto them and so it was unto Paul himself Gal. 2.1 2. But 5. yet it is apparent that the Apostle useth an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 placing himself among those unto whom he wrote though not personally concerned in every particular spoken a thing so usual with him that there is scarce any of his Epistles wherein sundry instances of it are not to be found See 1 Cor. 10.8 9. 1 Thess. 4.17 The like is done by Peter 1 Epist. 3.4 Having therefore in this place to take of all suspition of jealousie in his Exhortation to the Hebrews unto Integrity and Constancy in their profession entred his discourse in this Chapter in the same way of expression Therefore ought we as there was no need so there was no place for the change of the persons so as to say you instead of us So that on many accounts there is no ground for this Objection 4. He farther yet describes the Gospel by the Divine Attestation given unto it which also addes to the force of his Argument and Exhortation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word is of a double composition denoting a concurring testimony of God a testimony given unto or together with the testimony and witness of the Apostles Of what nature this testimony was and wherein it consisted the next words declare by Signs and Wonders Mighty works and Distributions of the Holy Ghost All which agree in the general nature of works supernatural and in the especial end of attesting to the truth of the Gospel being wrought according to the promise of Christ Matth. 16.17 18. by the ministery of the Apostles Acts 2.3 4. and in especial by that of Paul himself Rom. 15.19 2 Cor. 12.12 But as to their especial differences they are here cast under four heads The first are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Signs that is miraculous works wrought to signifie the presence of God by his power with them that wrought them for the approbation and confirmation of the Doctrine which they taught The second are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prodigies Wonders works beyond the power of Nature above the Energie of natural causes wrought to fill men with wonder and admiration stirring men up unto a diligent attention to the Doctrine accompanied with them for whereas they surprize men by discovering 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a present divine power they dispose the mind to an embracing of what is confirmed by them Thirdly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mighty works wherein evidently a mighty power the power of God is exerted in their operation And fourthly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gifts of the Holy Ghost enumerated 1 Cor. 12. Ephes. 4.7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 free gifts freely bestowed called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 divisions or distributions for the reason at large declared by the Apostle 1 Cor. 12.7 8 9 10 11. All which are intimated in the following words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is indifferent whether we read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and refer it to the will of God or of the Holy Ghost himself his own will which the Apostle guides unto 1 Cor. 12.11 As we said before all these agree in the same general nature and kind of miraculous operations the variety of expressions whereby they are set forth relating only unto some different respects of them taken from their especial end and effects The same works were in different respects Signs Wonders Mighty works and Gifts of the Holy Ghost But being effectual unto several ends they received these various denominations In these works consisted the divine attestation of the Doctrine of the Apostles God in and by them giving testimony from heaven by the ministration of his Almighty Power unto the things which were taught and his approbation of the Persons that taught them in their work And this was of especial consideration in dealing with the Hebrews For the delivery of the Law and the ministery of Moses having been accompanied with many signs and prodigies they made great enquiry after signs for the confirmation of the Gospel 1 Cor. 1.22 which though our Lord Jesus Christ neither in his own Person nor by his Apostles would grant unto them in their time and manner to satisfie their wicked and carnal curiosity yet in his own way and season he gave them forth for their conviction or to leave them
to help assist or relieve can in any sense be applied unto the Angels that must be intended if any For the word must denote either any help assistance or relief in general or that especial help and assistance which is given by Christ in the work of Reconciliation and Redemption If the first be intended I much question the truth of the assertion seeing the Angels owe their establishment in grace unto Christ and their advancement in glory Ephes. 1.10 If it be to be taken in the latter sense as is pretended then the nature of the discrete Axiom here used by the Apostle requires that there be the same need of the help intimated in both the disparates which is denied as unto the one and affirmed as unto the other But now the Angels that is the good Angels had no need of the help of Redemption and Reconciliation unto God or of being freed from death or the fear of it which they were never obnoxious unto And what remains for the clearing of the mind of the Apostle will appear yet farther in the ensuing Observations from the words I. The Lord Jesus Christ is truly God and Man in one Person and this is fully manifested in these words For first there is supposed in them his prae-existence in another Nature than that which he is said here to assume He was before he subsisted before or he could not have taken on him what he had not This was his Divine Nature as the like is intimated where he is said to be made flesh Joh. 1.14 to be made of a woman Gal. 4.4 to be manifested in the flesh 1 Tim. 3.16 to take on him the form of a servant Phil. 2.8 9. as here he took the seed of Abraham he was before he did so that is the Son the Word of God the Son of God as in the places mentioned eternally prae-existing unto this his Incarnation For the subject of this Proposition he took on him c. denotes a person prae-existing unto the act of taking here ascribed unto him which was no other than the Son of God 2. He assumed he took to himself another nature of the seed of Abraham according unto the promise so continuing what he was he became what he was not For 3. He took this to be his own nature he so took it as himself to become truly the seed of Abraham to whom and concerning whom the promise was given Gal. 3.16 and was himself made of the seed of David according to the flesh Rom. 1.3 and as concerning the flesh came of the fathers Rom. 9.5 and so was the Son of David the Son of Abraham Matth. 1.1 And this could no otherwise be done but 4. by taking that Nature into Personal Subsistence with himself in the Hypostasis of the Son of God the nature he assumed could no otherwise become his For if he had by any ways or means taken the person of a man to be united unto him in the strictest union that two persons are capable of a Divine and an Humane the nature had still been the nature of that other person and not his own But he took it to be his own nature which it could no ways be but by personal union causing it to subsist in his own person And he is therefore a true and perfect Man for no more is required to make a complete and perfect man but the entire nature of man subsisting And this is in Christ as a man the Humane nature having a subsistence communicated unto it by the Son of God And therefore 6. This is done without a multiplication of persons in him For the Humane Nature can have no personality of its own because it was taken to be the nature of another person who was prae-existent unto it and by assuming of it prevented its proper personality Neither 7. did hence any mixture or confusion of natures ensue or of the essential properties of them for he took the seed of Abraham to be his Humane Nature which if mixed with the Divine it could not be And this he hath done 8. inseparably and for ever Which things are handled at large else-where II. The Redemption of Mankind by the taking of our nature was a work of meer Sovereign grace He took the seed of Abraham he took not the nature of Angels And for what cause or reason Can any be assigned but the Sovereign Grace Pleasure and Love of God nor doth the Scripture any where assign any other And this will the better appear if we consider First That for a sinning nature to be saved it was indispensibly necessary that it should be assumed The nature of Angels being not taken those that sinned in that nature must perish for ever and they that fancy a possibility of saving sinners any other way but by satisfaction made in the nature that had sinned seem not to have considered aright the nature of sin and the Justice of God Had any other way been possible why doth the perishing of Angels so inevitably follow the non-assumption of their nature This way alone then could it be wrought Secondly That we were carrying away all humane nature into endless destruction for so it is intimated whence Christs assumption of it is expressed by his putting forth his hand and taking hold of it to stop it in its course of apostasie and ruine Of Angels only some individual persons fell from God but our whole nature in every one to whom it was communicated from and by Adam was running head-long to destruction In it self there could be no relief nor any thing to commend it unto God Here Sovereign Grace interposeth The love of God to mankind Tit. 3.4 As to the Angels he spared them not 2 Pet. 2.4 He spared not them and spared not his Son for us Rom. 8.32 And if we consider rightly what the Scripture informs us of the number and dignity of the Angels that sinned of their nature and ability to accomplish the will of God and compare therewith our own vileness and low condition we may have matter of eternal admiration suggested unto us And there was infinite Wisdom as well as Sovereign Grace in this dispensation sundry branches whereof the Apostle afterwards holds out unto us Verse XVII XVIII HAving declared the general Reasons why the Son or Messiah was for a little while to be made lower than the Angels in his Incarnation and sufferings and shewed the ends thereof the Apostle proceeds to declare other especial ends of this divine Dispensation and therein makes way unto what he had to instruct the Hebrews in about the Priestly Office of Christ which was the principal ground and foundation of what he intended more fully afterwards to discourse with them about and to inform them in Verse 17 18. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 V. unde debuit whence he ought So Beza Syr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for which cause or wherefore it was just meet or equal Others
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prophet for Prophecy the concrete for the abstract The expression being Metaphorical is capable of a triple Interpretation or Application every one of them proper unto the Messiah his work and the times wherein he came and to no other 1. To seal is to consummate to establish and confirm Things are perfected compleated established and confirmed by sealing Jer. 34. v. 44. Isa. 8. v. 16. John 3. v. 34. Rom. 4. v. 11. In this sense Vision and Prophecy were sealed in the Messiah They had all of them respect unto the coming of the Just One the promised seed God had spoken of him by the mouths of his Holy Prophets from the foundation of the world In the bringing of him forth he sealed the Truth of their Predictions by their actual accomplishment The Law and the Prophets were untill John and then they were to be fulfilled This was the season wherein all Vision and Prophecy centred this the Person who was the principal subject and End of them He therefore and his coming is here foretold 2. To seal is to finish conclude and put an end unto any thing Isai. 29. v. 11. Thus also were Vision and Prophecy then sealed among the Jews They were shut up and finished The Priviledge Use and Benefit of them were no more to be continued in their Church And this also fell out accordingly By their own confession from that day to this they have not enjoyed either Vision or Prophet That work as unto them came wholly to an end in the coming of the Messiah 3. By sealing the confirmation of the Doctrine concerning the Messiah his Person and Office by Vision and Prophecy may be intended The Visions and Prophecies that went before by reason of their darkness and obscurity left the people in sundry particulars at great uncertainty Now all things were cleared and confirmed The Spirit of Prophecy accompanying the Messiah and by him given unto his Disciples foretold by Joel Chap. 2. v. 28 29. was in his Revelations express clear and evident directing unto and confirming every thing belonging unto his Person and Doctrine Neither had these words any other accomplishment but what is contained in these things Sixthly It is affirmed that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Messiah shall he cut off Not occidetur shall § 35 be slain as the Vulgar Latin renders the word but excidetur shall be cut off that is poenally as one punished for sin For the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when it includes death constantly denotes a poenal excision or cutting off for sin See Gen. 17. v. 14. Exod. 12. v. 15. Numb 15. v. 30. This the Jews themselves acknowledge to be the meaning of the Word So Rab. Suadias Gaeon in Haemunâ—th cap. 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is not used for slaying unless it be of him who is slain by the sentence of the Judge or is judicially cut off as it said every one that eats of it shall be cut off Levit 17. v. 14. It is then foretold that the Messiah shall be cut off poenally for sin which he was when he was made a curse for sin all our iniquities meeting upon him And this also is intimated in the ensuing particles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and not to him For an Objection is prevented that might arise about the poenal excision of the Messiah for how could it be seeing he was every way Just and Righteous To this it is answered by way of concession that it was not on his own account not for himself but for us as is at large declared Isa. 51. Or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not to him may be a farther declaration of of his state and condition namely that notwithstanding those carnal Apprehensions which the Jews would have of his outward Splendour Glory Wealth and Riches yet in Truth he should have nothing in or of this world none to stand up for him not where to lay his head And this is that part of the Prophecy for the sake whereof the Jews do so pertinaciously contend that the true Messiah is not here intended For say they he shall not be poenally cut off But who told them so Shall we believe the Angel or them Will they not suffer God to send his Messiah in his own way but they must tell him that it must not be so To cast off Prophecies when and because they suit not mens carnal lusts is to reject all Authority of God and his Word This is that which hath proved their ruine temporal and eternal they will not receive a Messiah that shall suffer and be cut off for sin though God foretold them expresly that it must be so It is added Seventhly concerning the person here spoken of and whose coming is § 36 foretold 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he shall confirm or strengthen the Covenant unto many The Covenant spoken of absolutely can be none but that everlasting Covenant which God made with his Elect in the promised seed The great Promise whereof was the foundation of the Covenant with Abraham And hence God sayes that he will give him for a Covenant unto the people Isa. 42. v. 6. Chap. 49. v. 8. And the Salvation which they looked for through him God promiseth through the blood of the Covenant Zech. 9. v. 11. This Covenant he strengthened unto many in the Week wherein he suffered even unto all that believed in him This everlasting Covenant was ratified in his blood Heb. 9. v. 15. and after he had declared it in his own Ministry he caused it to be proclaimed in and by his Gospel At the time here determined the especial Covenant with Israel and Judah was broken Zech. 11. v. 10. and they were thereon cast off from being a Church or people Nor was there at that season any other ratification of the Covenant but only what was made in the death of the Messiah § 37 Then also Eighthly did he cause to cease the Sacrifice and Gift or Offering First He caused it to cease as unto force and efficacy or any use in the Worship of God by his own accomplishment of all that was prefigured by it or intended in it Hereby it became as a dead thing useless unprofitable and made ready to disappear Heb. 8. v. 13. And then shortly after he caused it utterly to be taken away by a perpetual desolation brought upon the place where alone Sacrifices and Offerings were acceptable unto God according unto the Law of Moses And this is the third evidence that this Prophecy affords unto our Assertion namely that it is the true promised Messiah and none other whose coming and cutting off is here foretold The great things here mentioned were fulfilled in him alone nor had they ever the least respect unto any other And the Jews do not in any thing more evidently manifest the desperateness of their cause then when they endeavour to wrest these words unto any other sense or purpose § 38 Moreover