by him as incarnate that the Suitableness and Correspondency of all things in them might be evident The Word was with God saith he in the beginning and all things were made by him and without him was not any thing made that was made v. 1 2 3. But what was this unto the Gospel that he undertook to declare Yes very much for it appears from hence that when this Word was made flesh and came and dwelt among us v. 14. that he came into the world that was made by him though it knew him not v. 10. he came but to his own what ever were the entertainment that he receeived v. 11. For this End then God made all things by him that when he came to change and renew all things he might have good right and title so to do seeing he undertook to deal with or about no more but what he had originally made The Holy and Blessed Trinity could have so ordered the work of Creation as that it should not immediately eminently and signally have been the work of the Son of the Eternal Word But there was a farther design upon the world to be accomplished by him and therefore the work was signally to be his that is as to immediate Operation though as to Authority and Order it peculiarly belonged to the Father and to the Spirit as to Disposition and Ornament Gen. 1.2 Job 26.13 This I say was done for the End mentioned by the Apostle Ephes. 1.10 All things at first were made by him that when they were lost ruined scattered they might again in the appointed season be gathered together into one head in him of which place more at large else-where And this mysterie of the Wisdom of God the Apostle at large unfoldeth Col. 1.15 16 17 18 19. Speaking of the Son by whom we have Redemption he informs us that in himself and his own nature he is the Image of the invisible God that is of God the Father who until then had alone been clearly revealed unto them and that in respect of other things he is the first-born of every creature or as he terms himself Rev. 3.14 the Beginning of the creation of God that is he who is before all creatures and gave Beginning to the Creation of God For so expresly the Apostle explains himself in the next verses By him all things were created that are in heaven and that are in earth visible and invisible whether they be thrones or dominions or principalities or powers all things were created by him and he is before all things and by him all things consist But this is not the full design of the Apostle He declares not only that All things were made by him but also that All things were made for him v. 16. so made for him that he might be the Head of the Body the Church that is that he might be the fountain head spring and original of the new Creation as he had been of the Old So the Apostle declares in the next words Who is the beginning the first-born from the dead As he was the Beginning and the First-bâ—rn of every creature in the old Creation so he is the Beginning and First-born from the dead that is the Original and Cause of the whole new Creation And hereunto he subjoyns the End and design of God in this whole mysterious work which was that the Son might have the preheminence in all things as he had in and over the works of the old Creation seeing they were all made by him and all consist in him so also he hath over the New on the same account being the Beginning and First-born of them The Apostle in these words gives us the whole of what we intend namely that the making of the worlds and of all things in them in the first Creation by the Son was peculiarly subservient to the Glory of the Grace of God in the Reparation and Renovation of all things by him as incarnate It is not for us to enquire much into or after the reason of this Oeconomy and Dispensation we cannot by searching find out God we cannot find out the Almighty unto perfection Job 11.7 It may suffice us that he disposeth of all things according to the counsel of his own will Ephes. 1.12 This Antecedently unto the consideration of the Effects of it we cannot we may not search into Deut. 29.29 What are the Effects and Consequences of his infinitely holy wise Counsel wherein his Glory shines forth unto his Creatures those we may consider and contemplate on and rejoyce in the light that they will afford us into the treasures of these counsels themselves Now herein we see first that it was the Eternal Design of God that the whole Creation should be put in subjection unto the Word incarnate whereof the Apostle also treats in the second Chapter of this Epistle God hath highly exalted him and given him a name which is above every name that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow of things in heaven and things in earth and things under the earth and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father Phil. 2.9 10 11. God hath put all things in subjection unto him not only the things peculiarly redeemed by him but all things what ever as we shall shew in the next words of our Epistle See 1 Cor. 15 24. Heb. 2.8 Rom. 14.11 Hence John saw every creature which is in heaven and earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea even all that are in them ascribing blessing and honour and glory and power unto the Lamb for ever and ever Rev. 5.13 that is owning and avowing their Duty Obedience and Subjection unto him This being designed of God in the Eternal Counsel of his Will before the world was 1 Pet. 1.2 Tit. 1.2 He prepared and made way for it in the Creation of all things by him so that his Title and right to be the Ruler and Lord of all Angels and Men the whole Creation in and of Heaven and Earth might be laid in this great and blessed foundation that he made them all Again God designed from Eternity that his great and everlasting Glory should arise from the new Creation and the work thereof Herein hath he ordered all things to the praise of the glory of his grace Ephes. 1.6 And this praise will he inhabit for ever It is true the works of the old Creation did set forth the glory of God Psal. 19.1 they manifested his eternal power and Godhead Rom. 1.20 But God had not resolved ultimately to commit the manifestation of his glory unto those works though very glorious and therefore did he suffer sin to enter into the world which stained the beauty of it and brought it wholly under the curse But he never suffered spot nor stain to come upon the work of the new Creation Ephes. 5.6 nothing that might defeat eclipse or impair the glory that
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
appearance of a compensation to be made that the sinner might go free but in the Moral Law there is nothing but absolute universal and exact Righteousness required or admitted without the least provision of relief for them who come short therein But yet our Apostle declarâ—s and proves that neither were these available for the End aimed at as we shall see at large on the ninth and tenth Chapters of this Epistle Now within the compass of these three Natural Light or Reason with ingrafted principles of Good and Evil the Moral Law and the Sacrifices thereof do lye and consist all the hopes and endeavours of sinners after Deliverance and Acceptance with God Nothing is there that they can do or put any confidence in but may be referred unto one of these heads And if all this fail them as assuredly they will which we might prove by Reasons and Demonstrations in numerable though at present we content our selves with the Testimonies above reported it is certain that there is nothing under Heaven can yield them in this case the least relief Again This is the only way for that End which is suited unto the Wisdom of God The Wisdom of God is an infinite abysse which as it lyes in his own Eternal breast we cannot at all look into We can only adore it as it breaks forth and discovers it self in the Works that outwardly are of him or the Effects of it Thus David in the consideration of the Works of God falls into an admiration of the Wisdom whereby they were made Psal. 104.24 and Psal. 136.5 The Wisdom of God opens and manifests its self in its Effects and thence according unto our measure do we learn what doth become it and is suitable unto it But when the Holy Ghost cometh to speak of this Work of our Redemption by Christ he doth not only call us to consider singly the Wisdom of God but his Various and manifold Wisdom Ephes. 3.10 and affirms that all the Treasures of Wisdom are hid in it Col. 2.3 plainly intimating that it is a work so suited unto so answering the Infinite Wisdom of God in all things throughout that it could no otherwise have been disposed and effected And this as well upon the account of the Wisdom of God its self absolutely considered as also as it is that Property whereby God designs and effects the glorifying of all other Excellencies of his Nature whence it is called various or manifold so that we may well conclude that no other way of Deliverance of sinners was suited unto the Wisdom of God Secondly This was alone answered the Holiness and Righteousness of God He is an holy God who will not suffer the guilty to go free of purer eyes than to behold iniquity and his Judgement is that they who commit sin are worthy of death Sin is contrary to his Nature and his Justice requireth that it go not unpunished Besides he is the great and supream Governour of all and whereas sin breaketh and dissolveth the dependance of the creature upon him should he not avenge that defection his whole Rule and Government would be disannulled But now if this Vengeance and Punishment should fall on the sinners themselves they must perish under it eternally not one of them could escape or ever be freed or purged from their sins A commutation then there must be that the Punishment due to sin which the Holiness and Righteousness of God exacteth may be inflicted and Mercy and Grace shewed unto the sinner That none was able fit or worthy to undergo this penalty so as to make a compensation for all the sins of all the Elect that none was able to bear it and break through it so as that the End of the undertaking might be happy blessed and glorious on all hands but only the Son of God we shall farther manifest in our progress and it hath been elsewhere declared And this First should teach us to live in an Holy Admiration of this mighty and wonderful product of the Wisdom Righteousness Grace and Goodness of God which had found out and appointed this Way of delivering sinners and have gloriously accomplished it in the self-sacrifice of the Son of God The Holy Ghost every where proposeth this unto us as a Mysterie a great and hidden Mysterie which none of the Great or Wise or Disputers of the World ever did or could come to the least acquaintance withall And three things he asserts concerning it First That it is revealed in the Gospel and is thence alone to be learned and attained whence we are invited again and again to search and enquire diligently into it unto this very End that we may become wise in the Knowledge and Acknowledgement of this deep and hidden Mysterie Secondly That we cannot in our own strength and by our own most diligent Endeavours come to an holy Acquaintance with it notwithstanding that Revelation that is made of it in the letter of the Word unless moreover we receive from God the Spirit of Wisdom Knowledge and Revelation opening our eyes makeing our minds spiritual and enabling us to discover these depths of the Holy Ghost in a spiritual manner Thirdly That we cannot by these helps attain in this life unto a perfection in the knowledge of this deep and unfathomable Mysterie but must still labour to grow in Grace and in the Knowledge of it Our thriving in all Grace and Obedience depending thereon All these things the Scripture abounds in the Repetition of And besides it every where sets forth the blessedness and Happiness of them who by Grace obtain a spiritual insight into this Mysterie and themselves also find by experience the satisfying Excellency of it with the Apostle Phil. 3.8 all which Considerations are powerful motives unto this Duty of enquiring into and admiring this wonderful Mysterie wherein we have the Angels themselves for our Associates and Companions 2. Consider we may also the unspeakable Love of Christ in this work of his delivering us from sin This the Scripture also abundantly goeth before us in setting forth extolling commending this Love of Christ and calling us to an holy consideration of it Particularly it shews it accompanied with all things that may make Love expressive and to be admired For First It proposeth the Necessity and Exigency of the Condition wherein the Lord Christ gave us this relief that was when we were sinners when we were lost when we were Children of Wrath under the Curse when no eye did pitty us when no hand could relieve us And if John mourned greatly when he thought that there was none found worthy in Heaven or Earth to open his Book of Visions and to unloose the seals thereof how justly might the whole Creation mourn and lament if there had been none found to yield Relief when all were obnoxious to this fatal ruine And this is an exceeding commendation of the love of Christ that he set his hand to that work which none could touch and put
〈◊〉 is both to differ and excel but the differentius of the Vulgar yields no good sense in this place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 haereditavit sortitus est jure hereditario obtinuit of the importance of which word before Being in so much preferred exalted made eminent above Angels as he obtained inherited a more excellent name than they There are five things considerable in and for the Exposition of these words First What it is that the Apostle asserts in them as his general Proposition namely that the Son as the great Priest and Prophet of the Church was preferred above and made more glorious and powerful than the Angels and how this was done and wherein it doth consist Secondly When he was so preferred above them which belongs unto the Explication and right understanding of the former Thirdly The Degree of this preference of him above the Angels intimated in the comparison being by so much made more excellent as he hath c. Fourthly The Proof of the Assertion both absolutely and as to the Degree intimated and this is taken from his Name Fifthly The way whereby he came to have this Name he obtained it as his lot and portion or he inherited it First He is made more excellent than the Angels preferred above them that is say some declared so to be Tum res dicitur fieri cum incipit patesieri Frequently in tho Scripture a thing is then said to be made or to be when it is manifested so to be And in this sense the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is sometimes used Rom. 3.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let God be true and every man a liar that is manifested and acknowledged so to be So James 1.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he that is approved in trial and thereby manifested to be sincere and sound In this sense the Apostle tells us Rom. 1.3 that the Lord Christ was declared to be the Son of God by the resurrection from the dead The resurrection from the dead did not make him to be the Son of God but evidently manifested and declared him so to be According to this interpretation of the words that which the holy Ghost intimateth is That whereas the Lord Christ ministred in an outwardly low condition in this world whilst he purged our sins yet by his sitting down at the right hand of God he was revealed manifested declared to be more excellent than all the Angels in heaven But I see no reason why we should desert the proper and most usual signification of the word nothing in the Context perswading us so to do Besides this suits not the Apostles design who doth not prove from the Scripture that the Lord Christ was manifested to be more excellent than the Angels but that really he was preferred and exalted above them So then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is as much as preferred exalted actually placed in more Power Glory Dignity than the Angels This John Baptist affirms of him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He was preferred before me because he was before me Preferred above him called to another manner of Office than that which John ministred in made before or above him in Dignity because he was before him in Nature and Existence And this is the proper sense of the words The Lord Jesus Christ the Revealer of the Will of God in the Gospel is exalted above preferred before made more excellent and glorious than the Angels themselves all or any of them who ministred unto the Lord in the giving of the Law on mount Sinai Some object unto this Interpretation That he who is said to be made or set above the Angels is supposed to have been lower than they before To which I answer And so he was not in respect of Essence Subsistence and real Dignity but in respect of the infirmities and sufferings that he was exposed unto in the discharge of his word here on the earth as the Apostle expresly declares chap. 2.9 2. And this gives us light into our second enquiry on these words namely When it was that Christ was thus exalted above the Angels 1. Some say that it was in the time of his Incarnation for then the Humane Nature being taken into Personal subsistence with the Son of God it became more excellent than that of the Angels This sense is fixed on by some of the Antients who are followed by sundry Modern Expositors But we have proved before that it is not of either Nature of Christ absolutely or abstractedly that the Apostle here speaketh nor of his Person but as vested with his Office and discharging of it And moreover the Incarnation of Christ was part of his Humiliation and Exinanition and is not therefore especially intended where his Exaltation and Glory is expresly spoken of 2. Some say that it was at the time of his Baptism when he was anointed with the Spirit for the discharge of his Prophetical Office Isa. 60.1 2. But yet neither can this Designation of the time be allowed And that because the main things wherein he was made lower than the Angels as his temptations and sufferings and death it self did follow his Baptism and Unction 3. It must therefore be the time of his Resurrection Ascension and Exaltation at the Right hand of God which ensued thereon that is designed as the season wherein he was made more excellent than the Angels as evidently appears from the Text and Context For 1. That was the Time as we have shewed before when he was gloriously vested with that All Power in heaven and earth which was of old designed unto him and prepared for him 2. The Order also of the Apostles discourse leads us to fix on this season After he had by himself purged our sins he sat down c. Being made so much more excellent that is therein and then he was so made 3. The Testimony in the first place produced by the Apostle in the confirmation of his Assertion is elsewhere as we shall see applied by himself unto his Resurrection and the Glory that ensued and consequently they are also in this place intended 4. This Preference of the Lord Christ above the Angels is plainly included in that Grant of All Power made unto him Matth. 28.18 expounded Ephes. 1.21 22. 5. The Testimony used by the Apostle in the first place is the word that God spake unto his King when he set him upon his holy Hill of Sion Psal. 2.6 7 8. which typically expresseth his glorious Enstalment in his heavenly Kingdom The Lord Christ then who in respect of his Divine Nature was always infinitely and incomparably himself more excellent than all the Angels after his Humiliation in the Assumption of the Humane Nature with the sufferings and temptations that he underwent upon his Resurrection was exalted into a condition of Glory Power Authority and Excellency and entrusted with Power over them as our Apostle here informs us 3. In this Preference and Exaltation of the Lord Christ there is
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
evident but also by all acknowledged who are able to judge of them Want of Catholick Tradition in all Ages of the Church from the first giving forth of § 39 any Writing testifying unto its Divine Original is another impeachment of its pretence unto Canonical Authority And this Argument ariseth fatally against the Apochryphal Books before mentioned Some of them are expresly excluded from the Canon by many of the antient Churches nor are any of them competently testified unto The Suffrage of this kind given unto our Epistle we have mentioned before The Doubts and Scruples of some about it have likewise been acknowledged That they are of no weight to be laid in the ballance against the Testimony given unto it might easily be demonstrated But because they were levied all of them principally against its Author and but by consequence against its Authority I shall consider them in a Disquisition about him wherein we shall give a further confirmation of the Divine Original of the Epistle by proving it undenyably to be Written by the Apostle St. Paul that eminent Penman of the Holy Ghost Thus clear stands the Canonical Authority of this Epistle It is destitute of no evidence § 40 needful for the manifestation of it nor is it obnoxious unto any just exception against its claim of that priviledge And hence it is come to pass that what ever have been the fears doubts and scruples of some the rash temerarious Objections Conjectures and Censures of others the Care and Providence of God over it as a parcel of his most holy Word working with the prevailing evidence of its Original implanted in it and its Spiritual Efficacy unto all the ends of holy Scripture hath obtained an absolute Conquest over the hearts and minds of all that believe and setled it in a full possession of Canonical Authority in all the Churches of Christ throughout the world Exercitatio II. Of the Penman of the Epistle to the Hebrews Knowledge of the Penman of any part of Scripture not necessary Some of them utterly concealed The Word of God gives Authority unto them that deliver it not the contrary Prophets in things wherein they are not actually inspired subject to mistake St. Paul the Writer of this Epistle The haesitation of Origen Heads of Evidence Vncertainty of them who assign any other Author St. Luke not the Writer of it Nor Barnabas The Epistle under his name Counterfeit His Writing of this Epistle by sundry Reasons disproved Not Apollos Nor Clemens Nor Tertullian Objections against St. Pauls being the Penman Dissimilitude of Style Admitted by the Antients Answer of Origen rejected Of Clemens Hierom c. rejected likewise St. Paul in what sense 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 His Eloquence and Skill Causes of the difference in Style between this and other Epistles Coincidence of Expressions in it and them The Epistle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Answer of Hierom Rejected Of Theodoret. Of Chrysostome Prejudice of the Jews against St. Paul Not the Cause of the Forbeâ—rance of his Name The true Reason thereof The Hebrews Church State not Changed Faith Evangelical educed from Old Testament Principles and Testimonies Thâ—se pressed on the Hebrews not meer Apostolical Authority Haesitation of the Latin Church about this Epistle answered Other Exceptions from the Epistle it self removed Arguments to prove St. Paul to be the Writer of it Testimony of St. Peter 2 Epist. 3. v. 15 16. Considerations upon that Testimony The second Epistle of St. Peter Written to the same Persons with the First The First Written unto the Hebrews in their Dispersion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what S. Paul wrote an Epistle unto the same Persons to whom St. Peter wrote That this Epistle Not that to the Galathians Not one lost The Long-suffering of God how declared to be salvation in this Epistle The Wisdom ascribed unto St. Paul in the Writing of this Epistle wherein it appears The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of it Weight of this Testimony The suitableness of this Epistle unto those of the same Author Who competent Judges hereof What required thereunto Testimony of the first Churches or Catholick Tradition Evidences from this Epistle its self The general Argument and Scope Method Way of Arguing All the same with St. Pauls other Epistles Skill in Judaical Learning Traditions and Customs Proper to St. Paul His Bonds and Sufferings His Companion Timothy His Sign and Token subscribed SECOND DISSERTATION § 1 THE Divine Authority of the Epistle being vindicated it is of no great Moment to enquire scrupulously after its Penman Writings that proceed from Divine Inspiration receive no addition of Authority from the Reputation or Esteem of them by whom they were written And this the Holy Ghost hath sufficiently manifested by shutting up the Names of many of them from the knowledge of the Church in all Ages The Close of the Pentateuch hath an uncertain Pen-man unless we shall suppose with some of the Jews that it was written by Moses after his Death Divers of the Psalms have their Penmen concealed as also have the whole Books of Joshua Judges Samuel Kings Ruth Esther Job and the Chronicles are but guessed at Had any prejudice unto their Authority ensued this had not been For those whose Authors are known they were not esteemed to be given by Prophesie because they were Prophets but they were known to be Prophets by the Word which they delivered For if the Word Delivered or Written by any of the Prophets was to be esteemed Sacred or Divine because delivered or Written by such Persons as were known to be Prophets then it must be because they were some other way known so to be and Divinely Inspired as by Working of Miracles or that they were in their dayes received and testified unto as such by the Church But neither of these can be asserted For as it is not known that any one Penman of the Old Testament Moses only excepted ever wrought any miracles so it is certain that the most and chiefest of them as the Prophets were rejected and condemned by the Church of the dayes wherein they lived The only way therefore whereby they were proved to be Prophets was by the Word it self which they delivered and wrote and thereon depended the Evidence and Certainty of their being Divinely inspired See Amos 7.14 15 16. Jer. 23.25 26 27 28 29 30 31. And setting aside that actual Inspiration by the Holy Ghost which they had for the Declaration and Writing of that Word of God which came unto them in particular and the Prophets themselves were subject to mistakes So was Samuel when he thought Eliab should have been the Lords Annointed 1 Sam. 16.6 and Nathan when he approved the purpose of David to build the Temple 1 Chron. 17.2 and the great Elijah when he supposed none left in Israel that worshipped God aright but himself 1 Kings 19.14 18. It was then as we said the Word of Prophesie that gave the Writers of it the Reputation and
themselves without Certainty or Consistency we are clearly acquainted withall by Divine Revelation The summ of it is briefly proposed by the Apostle Rom. 5. v. 12. By one man sin entered into the World and Death by Sin Sin and Death are comprehensive of all that is Evil in any kind in the world All that is morally so is sin all that is poenally so is Death The entrance of both into the World was by the sin of one man that is Adam the common Father of us all This the Philosophers knew not and therefore knew nothing clearly of the Condition of Mankind in relation unto God But two things doth the Scripture teach us concerning this entrance of Evil into the world First The Punishment that was threatned unto and inflicted on the disobedience of Adam Whatever there is of Disorder Darkness or Confusion in the nature of things here below whatever is uncertain irregular horrid unequal destructive in the Vniverse what ever is poenal unto man or may be so in this Life or unto Eternity what ever the Wrath of the Holy Righteous God revealing its self from Heaven hath brought or shall ever bring on the Works of his hands are to be referred unto this head Other Original of them can no man assign Secondly The moral corruption of the Nature of man the Spring of all sin the other head of Evil proceeded Hence also For by this means that which before was good and upright is become an inexhaustible Treasure of Sin And this was the state of things in the World immediately upon the Fall and Sin of Adam Now the work which we assign unto the Messiah is the Deliverance of Mankind from this State and condition Upon the Supposition and Revelation of this Entranâ—e of Sin and the Evil that ensued thereon is the whole Doctrine of his Office founded as shall afterwards more largely be declared And because we contend against the Jews that he waâ— promised and exhibited for a Relief in the Wisdom Grace and Righteousness of God against this sin and misery of mankind as our Apostle also expresly proveth Chap. 2. of his Epistle unto them this being denyed by them as that which would overthrow all their fond imaginations about his Person and Office we must consider what is their Sense and Apprehension about these things with what may be thence educed for their own Conviction and then confirm the Truth of our Assertion from those Testimonies of Scripture which themselves own and receive The first effect and consequent of the sin of Adam was the punishment wherewith it § 6 was attended What is written hereof 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Scripture the Jews neither can nor do deny Death was in the commination given to deter him from his Transgression 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gen. 2.17 Dying thou shalt dye Neither can it be reasonably pretended to be singly Death unto his own Person which is intended in that expression The Event sufficiently evinceth the contrary What ever is or might be Evil unto himself and his whole Posterity with the residue of the Creation so far as he or they might be any way concerned therein hath grown out of this commination And this is sufficiently manifested in the first Execution of it Gen. 3.16 17 18 19. The Malediction was but the Execution of the Commination It was not consistent with the Justice of God to increase the Penalty after the sin was committed The threatning therefore was the Rule and measure of the Curse But this is here extended by God himself not only to all the miseries of Man Adam and his whole Posterity in this Life in labour disappointment sweat and sorrow with Death under and by vertue of the Curse but to the whole Earth also and consequently unto those superiour Regions and Orbs of Heaven by whose influence the Earth is as it were governed and disposed unto the Use of Man Hos. 2. v. 21 22. It may be yet farther enquired what was to be the duration and continuance of the Punishment to be inflicted in the pursuit of this Commination and Malediction Now there is not any thing in the least to intimate that it should have a term prefixed unto it wherein it should expire or that it should not be commensurate unto the existence or being of the sinner God layes the Curse on man and there he leaves him and that for ever A miserable life he was to spend and then to dye under the Curse of God without hopes of emerging into a better condition About his subsistence after this Life we have no controversie with the Jews They all acknowledge the immortality of the Soul for the Sect of the Sadducees is long since extinct neither are they followed by the Karaeans in their Atheistical Opinions as hath been declared Some of them indeed encline unto the Pythagorean Metempsuchosis but all acknowledge the Souls Perpetuity Supposing then Adam to dye poenally under the Curse of God as without extraordinary Relief he must have done the Righteousness and Truth of God being engaged for the Execution of the Threatning against him I desire to know what should have been the State and condition of his Soul Doth either Revelation or Reason intimate that he should not have continued for ever under the same Penalty and Curse in a state of Death or Separation from God And if he should have done so then was Death eternal in the Commination This is that which with respect unto the present effects in this life and the punishment due to sin is termed by our Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Thess. 1. v. 10. the Wrath to come from whence the Messiah is the Deliverer Nor will the Jews themselves contend that the guilt of any sin respects only temporal punishment The Event of Sin unto themselves they take to be that only imagining their Observation of the Law of Moses such as it is to be a sufficient Expiation of Punishment eternal But unto all strangers from the Law all that have not a Relief provided they make every sin mortal and Adam as I suppose had not the Priviledge of the Present Jews to observe Moses Law Wherefore they all agree that by his Repentance he delivered himself from Death eternal which if it were not due unto his Sin he could not do for no man can by any means escape that whereof he is in no danger And this Repentance of his they affirm to have been attended with severe Discipline and self maceration intimating the greatness of his sin and the difficulty of his escape from the punishment due thereunto So Rabbi Eliezer in Pirke Aboth cap. 20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 On the first day of the Week Adam entred into the Waters of the upper Gihon until the Waters came unto his neck and he afflicted himself seven Weeks untill his Body became like a Sieve And Adam said before the Holy Blessed God Lord of the whole World let my sins I pray thee be
of them on especial Occasions were so Thence were they called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Annointed Ones And because this Annointing with Oyle was not appointed for its own sake but for somewhat signified thereby those who received the thing so signified although not actually annointed with corporeal Oyle are called Annointed ones also Psalm 105. v. 15. Now this Promised Seed this Saviour or Deliverer being appointed of God to perform his Work in the discharge of a Triple Office of King Priest and Prophet unto his Sacred People and being furnished with those Gifts and Endowments which were signified by the Annointing Oyle is by an Antanomasia called the Messiah Or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Messiah the King Dan. 9.25 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Messiah the Prince Ruler or Leader and v. 26. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Messiah absolutely The Greeks render this name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which twice occurs in the New Testament where Persons of the Jewish Faith and Church are introduced expressing the Saviour they looked for John 1. v. 41. Chap. 4. v. 25. Otherwise the Holy Penmen constantly call the same Person by another name of the same signification in the Language wherein they wrote with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Annointed One Christ. The Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Latine Messiah seem rather to be taken immediately from the Chaldee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Messicha than from the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Messiach and to come nearer unto it in sound and Pronunciation It is true that the name is sometimes applied unto prophane and wicked men with respect unto the Office or Work whereunto they were of God designed as to Saul 1 Sam. 24. v. 7. and to Cyrus Isaiah 45. v. 1. And the Jews call the Priest who was to sound the Trumpet when the People went forth to Battel Deut. 20. v. 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the annointed unto the War But as was said it is applied by the way of Eminency unto the Promised Seed unto others by way of Allusion and with respect unto their Office and present Work Exercitatio IX The First Promise explained in the subsequent The Name Messiah seldom used in the Original frequently in the Targums Places applyed unto him therein Gen. 3.15 Vse of their Testimony against the present Jewes Gen. 35.21 Occasion of the mention of the Messiah in that place from Micah 4.8 Genesis 49.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 first mentioned V. 10. Vntill Shilo come Agreement of Targums Exod. 12. v. 42. Christ typified by the Paschal Lamb. Exod. 40.9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who Dan. 9.25 Numb 11.26 Tradition about the Prophecying of Eldad and Medad Numb 23.21 Chap. 24.7 17 20 24. Consent of Targums Talmudists Cabalists Deut. 18.15 16 17 18 19. The Prophet promised who 1 Sam. 2.10 Hannas Prophecy of Christ. 2 Sam. 23.3 Davids in his lasts words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Kings 4.33 Solomons Prophecie Light of the Church increased by David Psal. 2. Vindicated Psal. 18. v. 32. Psal. 21.3 4. Psal. 45. Psal. 68. Psal. 69. Psal. 72. Targum Midrash Commentators Vulgar Latin corrupted and the LXX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What. Psal. 80. v. 16 18. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 how to be rendered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who Psal. 110. Prophesie of the Messiah Confession of the Jews Of the Targum in Solomons Song Isa. 2.2 3 4. Chap. 4. v. 2. Vindicated Chap. 9. v. 6. Sense of the Targum on the place Vulgar Latin noted Intanglements of the Jews from this Testimony Four things promised not agreeing to Hezekia Answer of Jarchi Kimchi Aben Ezra The Name mentioned whose 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who Answer of Abarbinel Of the increase of his Government Chap. 10. v. 27. Chap. 11.1 Abarbinels Prediction of the ruine of the Christians Isaiah 16. v. 1. Chap. 28. v. 5. Chap. 42. v. 1. Jeremiah 23. v. 5. Corruption of Old Translations Purity of the Original Messiah Jehovah our Righteousness Ezek. 37. v. 24. Jerem. 30.21 Jerem. 33.15 16 Hos. 3.5 Hos. 14.8 Micha 5.2 Vindicated Kimchi's Blasphemy Zech. 3.8 Chap. 4.7 Chap. 6.12 Chap. 10.4 Chap. 9.9 Chap. 11.12 13. Chap. 12.10 Conclusion HAving considered the first great Promise concerning the Messiah and evinced § 1 from thence the nature of his Work and Office as also shewed in generall how Testimony is given unto him throughout the Old Testament and whence his Name is derived we shall now moreover enquire in particular into those places where he is expresly foretold promised or prophesied of that we may thence gather what farther Light concerning his Person and Natures with his employment was granted unto the Church of old which the present Jews wilfully reject And herein as I aim not to collect all the Prophecies and Promises which God gave concerning him by the mouth of his holy Prophets from the foundation of the World but only to single out some of the most eminent that give us a direct description of his Person or his Grace in answer unto or the confirmation of what hath been already discoursed about them so I shall have an especial respect unto them which the Jews themselves do acknowledge to belong unto him There is a Book written by Abarbinel which he calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wherein he undertakes to explain all those Texts of Scripture or Prophecies which cannot be understood either Spiritually or of the Second Temple but of their Redemption by the Messiah This at present among others I am forbidden the use of which might have been of Advantage in the present design I shall therefore principally insist on those places which are applied unto him in the Targums the most Authentick Writings amongst them whereunto some others shall be added which I have observed to be interpreted unto the same purpose in the best of their Commentators The name of Messiah is but twice or thrice at most used in the Old Testament directly § 2 and immediately to denote the Promised Seed Namely Dan. 9. v. 25. and v. 26. whereunto Psalm 2. v. 2. may be added But this Name on the Reasons before given prevailing in the Judaical Church it is frequently made use of and inserted in the Targums where he is treated of although he be not expresly named in the Original Elias in his Methurgamim reckons up fifty of those places whereunto one and twenty more are added by Buxtorfius The Principal of these deserve our Consideration considering that some of the most eminent of them are denyed by the latter Jews to belong unto him those especially which give Testimony unto that part of the faith of Christians concerning him his Person and Office which by them is opposed or denyed And this consent of the Targums is of great weight against them as containing an Evidence of what Perswasion prevailed amongst them before such time as they suited all their Expositions of Scripture unto their own infidelity in
Psalm 75. they ascribe this place unto the Messiah and reckon his Horn as the tenth horn of strength granted unto Israel R. Levi Ben Gershom understands by the King in the first place He shall give strength unto his King Saul and by Messiah in the close of the words David who was to be annointed by Samuel the Son of Hanna whose words these are Kimchi applies the words to the Mâ—ssiah whom as he sayes she intended by the Spirit of Prophesie or spoke of from Tradition And indeed the words seem directly to intend him For by him alone doth the Lord judge the Ends of the Earth and he was the Annointed whose Power he would signally exalt And I mention this place only as an instance of the Faith of the Church of old who in all their mercies still had a regard unto the Great Promise of the Messiah which was the Fountain of them all And therefore Hanna here closeth her Prophetical Eulogie with her acknowledgement thereof and faith therein § 15 2 Sam. 23. v. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He that Ruleth in man just Ruler in or of the fear of the Lord Targ. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He said he would appoint unto me a King which is the Messiah who shall arise and Rule in the fear of the Lord. And it refers thâ—s whole last Prophesie of David or his last words that he spake by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost unto the dayes of the Messiah whence it gives this Preface unto them These are the words of the Prophesie of David which he prophâ—sied concerning the End of the world or for the end of the world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the dayes of Consolation that were to come Rab. Isaiah and Rashi interpret the words of David himself and Kimchi also but he mentions the application of it unto the Messiah who was to come of David whom God would raise up unto him which he approveth of Christian Expositors who follow the Jews interpret those words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the rock of Israel spake to me by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spake concerning me that is by Samuel who annointed me to be King Some he spake unto me by Nathan Our Translators keep to the Letter he spake unto me And that alone answers unto the words of the Verse foregoing The Spirit of the Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spake in me or to me so are the Revelations of God expressed See Zech. 4. v. 1 4. and it expresseth the Communication of the mind of God unto the Prophet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and not his speaking by him unto others And from these very words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the spirit of the Lord spake in me do the Jews take occasion to cast the writings of David amongst those which they assign unto that kind of Revelation which they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Books written by inspiration of the Holy Ghost The other words also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his word was in my tongue manifest that it is David himself that is spoken unto and not of in the third Verse and therefore it is some other who is Prophesied of by him namely the Messiah And this the words whereby he is described do also manifest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ruling in man that is saith Jarchi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 over Israel who is called man as it is said and ye the flock of my pasture are men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 you are man Ezek. 34.1 But where the word Adam is used with this praefix 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as here it no where signifies Israel but is expresly used in a contradistinction from them as Jerem. 32.20 which hast set Signs and Wonders in the Land of Aegypt even unto this day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in Israel and in Adam that is as we render it amongst other men that are not Israel So that if any especial sort of men are intended in this Expression it is not Israel but other men And indeed this word is commonly used to denote mankind in general as Gen. 6. v. 3. Chap. 9. v. 6. Exod. 8.18 Chap. 9.10 Chap. 13.2 and universally where ever it is used it signifies either all mankind or humane nature So that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is he who is the Ruler over all mankind which is the Messiah alone Unless we shall inteâ—pret this Expression by that of Psal. 68. v. 19. Thou hast ascended on high thou hast lead captivity captive 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 accepisti dona in homine and thou hast received gifts in man that is in the humane nature exalted whereof the Psalmist treats in that place For whereas the Apostle Ephâ—s 4. v. 8. renders these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he gave gifts unto men it is manifest that he expresseth the End and Effect of that which is spoken in the Psalm for the Lord Christ received gifts in his own humane nature that he might give and bestow them on others as Peter declareth Acts 2. v. 33. The remainder also of the words contain a description of the Messiah He is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the just and Righteous One Acts 3.14 And He alone is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he that rules in the things that concern the fear and Worship of God Isa. 11. v. 2 3. So that this place doth indeed belong unto the faith of the Antient Church concerning the Messiah 1 Kings 4. v. 33. In stead of those words concerning Solomon He spake of Trees § 16 from the Cedar Tree that is in Lebanon unto the Hyssop that springeth out of the Wall The Targum reads 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And be Prophecied of the Kings of the house of David in this world the duration of time and state of things under the Old Testament and of the Messiah in the world to câ—me so they call the dayes of the Messiah I know of none who have considered what occasion the Targumists could take from the words of the Text to mention this matter in this place I will not say that he doth not intend the Book of Canticles wherein under an Allegory of Trees Herbs and Spices Solomon Prophesieth of and sets forth the Grace and Love of Christ towards his Church and wherein many things are by the latter Targumist applied unto the Messiah also as we shall see There is mention likewise made of the Messiah in the Targum by an addition unto § 17 the Text Ruth 3. v. 15. It was said in the Prophesie that six Righteous Persons should come of Ruth David and Daniel with his Companions and the King Mâ—ssiah The general End of the writing of this Book of Ruth was to declare the Providence of God about the Genealogie of the Messiah And this seems to have been kept in Tradition amongst them And for this Cause doth Matthew expresly mention her name in his Rehearsal of the Genealogie of Christ Mâ—t.
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 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
but that either they have contracted the guilt of some sin wherewith God was more displeased then with the Idolatry of their fore-fathers or that the Covenant made with them is expired or that there hath been a coincidence of both these and that indeed is the condition of things with them The Messiah came in whom the carnal Covenant was to expire and they rejected and slew him justly deserving their perpetuall rejection from it and disinheritance § 11 Sometimes they will plead that it is for their own sins and the sins of the Generations that succeeded the destruction of the second Temple that they are kept thus long in misery and captivity But we know that they use this plea only as a covering for their obstinate blindness and infidelity Take them from this dispute and they are continually boasting of their Righteousness and Holiness for they do not only assure us that they are better then all the world besides but also much better then their fore-fathers as Manasse plainly affirms in the place before cited and that on the day of Expiation that is once a year they are as holy as the Angels in Heaven There are therefore one or two things which I would desire to know of them as to this pretence of their own sins which on another account must also be afterwards insisted on First Then whereas it is a principle of their faith That all Jews excepting Apostates are so holy and righteous that they shall all be saved have all a portion in the blessed world to come whence is it that none of them are so Righteous as to be returned into the Land of Canaan Is it not strange that that Righteousness which serves the turn to bring them all to Heaven will not serve to bring any one of them to Jerusalem This latter being more openly and frequently promised unto them then the former I know not how to solve this difficulty ipsi viderint Again Repentance from their sins is a thing wholly in their own power or it is not if they shall say it is in their own power as generally they do I desire to know why they defer it The brave imaginations that they have of the levelling of Mountains the dividing of Rivers the singing of Woods and dancing of Trees of the Coaches and Chariots of Kings to carry them as also their riding upon the shoulders of their rich neighbours into Jerusalem the Conquest of the world the eating of Behemoth and drinking the Wine of Paradice the Riches Wives and long Life that they shall have in the dayes of the Messiah do make them as they pretend patiently endure all their long exile and calamitie And can this not prevail with them for a little Repentance which they may perform when they please with a wet finger and so obtain them all in a trice If they are so evidently blind foolish and mad in and about that which they look upon as their only great concernment in this world have they not great cause to be jealous lest they are also equally blind in other things and particularly in that wherein we charge them with blindness This it seems is the State of these things Unless they repent the Messiah will not come unless he come they cannot be delivered out of their calamitie nor enjoy the promises To repent is a thing in their own power which yet they had rather endure all miseries and foregoe all the promises of God then take in hand or go through with it And what shall we say to such a perverse generation of men who openly proclaim that they will live in their sins though they have never more to do with God unto eternity If they shall say that Repentance is the gift of God and that without his powring forth his Spirit upon them they cannot attain unto it then I desire to know whence it is that God doth not give them Repentance as he did to their fore-fathers if the Covenant continue established with them as in former dayes From what hath been discoursed It doth sufficiently appear that the state and condition of the Jews hath been such in the world for these sixteen hundred years as manifests the end of their special Covenant to be long since come and consequently the Messiah in whom it was to expire There is one of them a nameless person not unlearned who hath written somewhat § 12 lately in the Portugal Language which is translated into Latin by Brenius the Socinian who gives so satisfactory an Answer in his own conceit unto this Argument that he concludes that every one who is not obstinate or blinded with corrupt affections must needs acquiesce therein His confidence if not his reasons deserves our consideration especially considering that he offers somewhat new unto us which their former Masters did not insist upon That then which he returns as an Answer unto the enquiry of the Causes and Reasons of their present long captivities and miserie is the sins of their fore-fathers under the first Temple The greatness of these sins he saith is expressed by the Prophet Ezekiel Chap. 16.48 As I live saith the Lord God Sodom thy Sister hath not done she nor her daughters as though hast done thou and thy daughters To which he adds Isa. 1.9 where mention is made again of Sodom So that this Captivity is to them in the room of such a destruction as Sodom was overthrown withall But it may be said that these sins what ever they were were expiated in the Babylonish Captivity and pardoned unto them upon their return So that now they must suffer on the account of their sins committed under the second Temple to which he replyes that this exception is of no force Nam liberatio e Babilone nihil aliud suit quam exploratio qua Deus experiri voluit an cum restitutione Regni Templi possint abbreviari expiari enormia ista quae commiscerant adulterii homicidii Idolatriae peccata sed pro antecedentium debitorum solutione quam prestare debuerunt nova insuper debita accumulaverunt For the deliverance from Babylon was nothing but a tryal whereby God would make an experiment whether with the restitution of their Kingdom and Temple these enormous sins of Adultery Murder and Idolatry which they had committed might have been cut off and expiated but instead of a discharge of their former arrears which they were obliged unto they heaped up new debts by their sins Thus he At their deliverance out of Babylon the people had no discharge of their former sins by the pardon of them but were only tryed how they would afresh acquit themselves with a resolution in God that if they made not satisfaction then for those sins to charge the guilt of them again upon themselves and all their posterity for all the generations that are passed untill this day But First This is plainly a fiction of this mans own devising Let him produce any one word from the Scripture
the notions of their more antient Masters For a Close then of these considerations I shall add some of the confessions of the Jews themselves which the evidence of the Truth contended for hath at several seasons extorted from them And this I shall not do as though they were of great importance in themselves or unto us but only to discover their entanglements in contending against the light for the present Masters of their unbelief are more perplexed with the convictions of their Predecessors then with the plainest testimonies of the Scripture The Authority of their Predecessors being equal with them unto if not more sacred then that of the word of God its self First then Being pressed with the Testimonies before insisted on out of Haggai concerning the glory of the second Temple and the coming of the desire of all Nations thereunto they have a Tradition that the Messiah was born the same day that the second Temple was destroyed The story indeed which they make it up with is weak fabulous and ridiculous and he who is offended with the citation of such things out of their Talmudical Doctors is desired only to exercise patience until he shall be able himself to report from them things more serious and of greater importance and yet from them must we learn the perswasions and convictions of the Antient Jews or be utterly ignorant of them Be their storiâ—s what they will also the powerfull convincing Evidence of Truth and the miserable shifts that the poor wretches are put unto to keep off the Efficacy of it from their minds do sufficiently appear in them The Tradition mentioned they give us in Tractat. Bezaroth distinct Hajakorr in § 14 these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rabbi Joden in the name of Rabbi Ibbo said the Messiah was born in the day that the house of the Sanctuary was destroyed and the story they tell to this purpose is as followeth It came to pass that as a Jew was plowing his Ox before him lowed and there passed by him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Arabian and he heard a voice saying O Jew the Son of a Jew loose thy Oxen for behold the house of the Sanctuary is destroyed the Ox lowed the second time and he said O Jew the Son of a Jew Yoke thy Oxen for behold Messiah the King is born he said unto him what is his name he answered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Menachem that is the Comforter And in Bereshith Rabba on Gen. 30. they have a long story to the same purpose 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rabbi Samuel the son of Nachman said as Elias of good memory was walking on the way on that very day that the house of the Sanctuary was destroyed he heard 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the voice from Heaven crying unto him the house of our holy Sanctuary is brought unto destruction when Elias of good memory heard this he thought the whole world should be destroyed he went therefore and finding 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 men plowing and sowing he said unto them the holy blessed God is angry with the world or all this generation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and will destroy his house and send his children into captivity among the Nations of the world and you are solicitous about this temporal life 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 came forth again and said unto him Let them alone for unto Israel is born a Saviour he said unto the voice where is he the voice said unto him in Bethlehem Judah he went and found a woman sitting in the door of her house and her Child lying in its own blood before her he said unto her my daughter hast thou born a Son she said unto him yea he said and why doth it lye so long in its own blood she said unto him because of the great evil for on this day wherein he is born the house of the Sanctuary is destroyed he said unto her my daughter be of good Courage and take care of the Child for great salvation shall be wrought by his hand and she was streightway encouraged and took care of him In the process of this story they tell us that this Child was carried away by the four winds of Heaven and kept in the great Sea four hundred years of which afterwards I doubt not but this Tale is hammered out of the second of Luke about the appearance of the Angels to the Shepheards and their finding his Mother in a stable All the use that I intend to put this confession of theirs unto is to urge the present Jews with a conviction and acknowledgement of their fore-fathers that the Messiah was to be born under the second Temple § 15 Again They have a Tradition out of the School of one Elias a famous Master amongst them of the Tannarei or Antetalmudical Doctors which they have recorded in the Talmud Tractat. Saned distinct Chelec about the continuance of the world which is as follows 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is a Tradition of Elias that the world shall continue six thousand years two thousand void which the gloss of Rabbi Solomon Jarchi reckons from the Creation of the world unto the Call of Abraham two thousand to the Law from thence to the destruction of the second Temple and two thousand to the dayes of the Messiah It is incredible how the latter Rabbins are perplexed with this Tradition of their Masters which is recorded in the Talmud as sacred In the account they give in Shebet Sehuda of a Disputation they had with one Hierom a converted Jew before the Bishop of Rome they know not how to disintangle themselves from the Authority of it The summ of their answer is that the next words in the Tradition are that that time is elapsed because of their sins but as others have already manifested that that gloss is no part of the Tradition but an addition of the Talmudists so we shall immediately manifest the vanity of that pretence Others of them say that it sufficeth to maintain the truth and credit of the Tradition if the Messiah come at any time within the last two thousand years But besides that even they also are now drawing towards their period not a fifth part in their computation of that space of time remaining so this gloss is directly contrary to the very words of the Tradition For as two thousand years are assigned to the world before the Law and two thousand to the Law which they reckon from the Call of Abraham to the ruine of the second Temple so the two thousand years allotted to the time of the Messiah must begin with his coming as the other portions do one of them with the Creation the other with the Call of Abraham or else the space of time above sixteen hundred years between the expiration of the second two thousand years and the third must be left out of the computation And the time limited for the duration of the world extended
above sixteen hundred years beyond what is allotted unto it in their Tradition § 16 Many other the like concessions and acknowledgements hath the evidence of truth wrested from sundry of them which having been collected by others we shall not trouble the Reader with their recital these that have been insisted on may and do suffice to make good the Argument in hand And so we have fully demonstrated the second thing proposed unto confirmation Namely that the true Messiah is long since come and hath finished the work allotted unto him Now whereas we have in our passage vindicated the Testimonies insisted on from the particular exceptions of the Jews It remaineth for the closing of this Discourse that we consider the general Answer which they give unto the whole Argument taken from them all That which they principally insist on is a concession with an exception rendring § 17 as they suppose the whole useless to our purpose They grant therefore that the time fixed on was determined for the coming of the Messiah But add withall It is prolonged beyond the limited season because of their sins that is that the promise of his coming at that season was not absolute but conditional namely on supposition that the Jews were righteous holy and worthy to receive him Thus unto the Tradition of Elias before mentioned determining the coming of the Messiah upon the end of the second two thousand years of the worlds duration they add in the Talmud Tractat Saned distinct Cheleck cap. 11. these words as an exception 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because of our sins those dayes have exceeded the time all that is past And again they add in the same place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rab. said all times appointed are finished and this matter is not suspended but upon account of repentance and good works And nothing is more common with them then this condition if they deserve it if they repent the Messiah will come the time is already past but because of our sins he is not come If all Israel could repent but one day he would come This is the summ of their Answer There was a time limited and determined for the coming of the Messiah This time is signified in general in the Scripture to be before the destruction of the Second Temple and the utter departure of Scribe and Law-giver from Judah but all this designation of the time was but conditional and the accomplishment of it had respect unto their righteousness repentance good works and merits which they failing in their Messiah is not yet come To this issue is their infidelity at length arrived But there are reasons innumerable that make naked the vanity of this pretence Some of them I shall briefly insist upon at present and more fully afterwards First We have before proved that not the Jews only but the Gentiles also even § 18 the whole world was concerned in the coming of the Messiah The first promise of him concerned mankind in general without the least particular respect unto any one peculiar people Gen. 3.15 The next solemn renovation of it unto Abraham extends the blessing wherewith it was to be attended unto all the kindreds of the earth Gen. 12.3 Chap. 18.18 The whole restriction of the promise unto him and to his posterity consisted only in the designation of them to be the means of bringing forth that Messiah who was to be a blessing unto all Nations And when Jacob foretells his coming of Judah Gen. 49.10 he declares who were to have an equall share in the blessing of it together with his posterity to him saith he shall be the gathering of the people The same course do all the succeeding Prophets proceed in They every where declare that the Gentiles the Nations of the world were equally concerned with the Jews in the promise of the coming of the Messiah if not principally intended because of their greatness and number In mercy love compassion and philanthrophy did God provide this blessed remedy for the recovery of mankind both Jews and Gentiles out of that misery whereunto they had cast themselves by sin and Apostacy from him The time of exhibiting this remedy unto them he promised also and limited stirring them up unto an expectation of its accomplishment as that whereon all their happiness did depend Shall we now suppose that all this love grace and mercy of God towards mankind that his faithfulness in his promises were all suspended on the goodness righteousness merits and repentance of the Jews that God who so often testifies concerning them that they were a people wicked obstinate stubborn and rebellious should make them keepers of the everlasting happiness of the whole world that he hath given the fountain of his grace and love which he intended and promised should overflow the whole earth and make all tâ—e barren Wildernesses of it fruitful unto him to be closed and stopped by them at theiâ— pleasure that it should be in their power to restrain all the promised â—ffects of them from the world As if he should say in his promises I am resolved out of mine infinite Goodness and Compassion towards you O ye poor miserable Sons of Adam to send you a Saviour and a Deliverer who at such a time shall come and declare unto you the way of life eternal shall open the door of Heaven and save you from the wrath that you have deserved but I will do it on this condition that the Jews an obstinate and rebellious people be good holy righteous and penitent for unless they be so the Saviour shall not come nor is it possible he should untill they be so This of themselves they will never be nor do I intend to make them so If they can perswade us that God hath thus placed them in his Throne and given his Grace and truth into their hands to make effectuall or frustrate at their pleasure and suspended his good will towards the residue of mankind on their obedience whom he testifieth to have been alwayes stubborn and disobedient they may also hope to prevail with us to believe that they only are men and all other beasts as some of their Talmudical Masters have affirmed At present we find it by blessed experience that their wickedness hath not made the Truth of God of no effect § 19 Secondly When God limited and foretold the time of the coming of the Messiah he either foresaw what would be the State and condition of the Jews as to their Repentance and Good Works or he did not If they say he did not then besides that they deny him to be God by denying those Essential Attributes of his nature which the very Heathen acknowledged in their Deities They also utterly overthrow all the Prophecies and predictions of the Old Testament for there is not any of them but depend on a supposition of the prescience of God and this is nothing but to countenance their unbelief with perfect Atheism If they say he did
be so because of the prophanation of Ruth the Moabitess who was in thee out of thee shall come forth to me the Messiah the Son of David and so he saith the stone which the builders refused And though Kimchi seems to deny that the Messiah shall be born in Bethlehem yet he grants that it is he who is here prophesied of out of thee shall come forth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unto me the Messiah for he shall be of the seed of David who was of Bethlehem He grants I say that it is the Mâ—ssiah that is here prophesied of though against Rashi the Targum and the Text he would deny that he â—hould be born in Bethlehem But his interpretation is fond and forced to serve the present turn because the Jews know that the Lord Jesus was born there God speaks to Bethlehem the City of David and gives an account how greatly he will magnifie it beyond what it then seemed to deserve and this he will do by raising out of and from that place not from David who was born at that place the Messiah who was to rule his people Israel This then was the place of old designed for the birth of the Messiah and there was our Lord Jesus born at the appointed time of the Tribâ— of Judah and Family of David and there are sundry circumstances giving weight unto this consideration First Whereas the Parents of Jesus were outwardly of a mean condition and living § 18 in Galilee it may be supposed that they were very little known or taken notice of to be of the lineage and off-spring of David nor it may be in their low estate did they much desire to declare that which would be of no advantage and perhaps of some hazard unto them But now their coming unto Bethlehem and that whether they would or no upon the command of publick Authority made their house and kindred known unto all the Jews especially those of the Family of David who were then all of them gathered together in that place Secondly There is no just nor appearing reason to be given that should move the Roman Emperour to decree that description and enrolment of persons which brought them unto Bethlehem A matter it was of great charge and trouble to the whole Empire which at that time enjoyed the greatest peace and tranquility The Temple of Janus was then shut and all things in quietness in all parts of the world Neither was there afterwards any publick use made of that enrollment nor is it certain that it was accomplished in many other Nations But the infinite holy wise Governour of all the world puts this into his mind and incites him on this work to set mankind into a motion that two persons of low condition might be brought out of Galilee into Bethlehem that Jesus might according unto this Prophecy be born there Thirdly It is not likely that Joseph and Mary had any thoughts at that time about the place where the Messiah should be born and so probably had not the least design of removing their habitation unto Bethlehem or if they had so yet their doing of it on their own accord might have given advantage unto the Jews to say that the Mother of Jesus did not indeed any way belong unto Bethlehem but only went thither to be delivered that she might report her Son the better to be the Messiah But by this admirable providence of God all these and sundry other difficulties of the like nature are removed out of the way their minds are determined a Journey they must take and that at a time very unseasonable for the Holy Virgin when she was so near the time of her delivery and be publickly enrolled of the Family of David upon the command of him who never knew ought of that business which none but himself could be instrumental to accomplish Fourthly Not long after this that Town of Bethlehem was utterly destroyed nor hath been for a thousand and six hundred years either great or small among the Thousands of Judah And all these circumstances give much light unto this characteristical presignation of the person of the Messiah from the place of his birth or nativity The Exceptions of the Jews unto the Evangelists citation of the words of the Prophet § 19 concern not the testimony it self nor are indeed of any great importance For first The Evangelist intended no more but only to direct unto that Testimony which was given unto the Nativity of the Messiah at Bethlehem reciting so much of the words and in such manner as to prove by them that which he intended He took not upon him to repeat every word as they were written by the Prophet which he might easily have done had he designed it and that without the least disadvantagâ— unto what he aimed at but only to declare how the Assertion was proved that the Messiah was to be born at Bethlehem Secondly He useth the words to no other purpose thâ—â— that for which by the Jews acknowledgement they were recorded by the Prophet â—â—ther in the Alterations that are made in this recital is there one letter taken from the Prophets words or added unto them used by him to the advantage of his Assertion which is the whole that the utmost scrupulosists can require in the recital of the words of another by the way of Testimony Thirdly He seems not to repeat the words of the Prophet himself immediately but only to record the answer which from these words of the Prophet was given unto Herod by the Priests and Scribes So that the repetition of the words is theirs and not his properly Fourthly Whose ever the words are as there is nothing in the whole of them discrepant from much less contrary unto those of the Prophet nor are used to signifie any thing but the open plain intention of the Prophet so are all the particulars wherein a difference appears between them capable of a fair Reconciliation This we shall manifest by passing briefly through them The first difference is in the first words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and thou Bethlehem Ephrata which are rendered in the Evangelist 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and thou Bethlehem in the Land of Judah That Bethlehem which was of old called Ephrata from its first Builder 1 Chron. 4.4 that name being now forgotten and worn out of use is here said to be as it was indeed in the Land of Judah to distinguish it from Bethlehem that was in the Lot or Land of Zebulun as both Rashi and Kimchi observe Josh. 19.15 And it may be to denote withall the relation that the Messiah had to Judah So that here there is no discrepancy Bethlehem Ephrata and Bethlehem in the Land Iudah are one and the same name and place 2. In the ensuing words there is more variety 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 little to be in the thousands of Iudah in the Evangelist 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 art not the least among the Leaders of Judah 〈◊〉
see c. Considering therefore what is elsewhere written of all the Regions about bringing in their sick weak and impotent and of the cures of Persons by the touching of his garment it is evident that his Personal Miracles amounted unto thousands which might well give occasion to the Hyperbole used by John in recounting of them Hence some among the Jews were convinced that he was the Messiah not only by the greatness but also by the number of his works John 7.31 Many of the People believed on him and said when Christ cometh will he do more Miracles then these which this man doeth And what are the seventy six Miracles of Moses unto those as to number which in the first place the Jews glory in And if we may add those which were wrought by his power by them that preached the Gospel on his Commission as they are all of the same efficacy unto the end proposed or confirmation of his being the Messiah they amount not unto thousands only but probably unto millions For of this sort were all the miraculous gifts of the Holy Ghost that were granted unto the Church all the world over So that as to the number of Miracles he was sufficiently by them attested unto to be the Messiah the great Law-giver of the people of the New Covenant Again The Jews much insist on this that all other Prophets wrought Miracles by § 64 the Intervention of Prayer Moses alone without it at his own pleasure The Rod they say was committed unto him as a Kingly Scepter to denote that Authority whereunto the whole nature of things gave place It is true indeed it is not recorded that Moses prayed in words before every Miracle that was wrought by him or in reference unto his Ministry but yet this is plain in story that he wrought no mighty work but either upon his prayer or some express command and direction from God in particular which everts the Judaical pretence of an abiding power remaining with him enabling him to work Miracles when and how he would But this which they falsly ascribe unto Moses was eminently true in the Lord Jesus Those thousands of miraculous works which he wrought were the arbitrary effects of a word of command without any especial direction for every new work arguing the constant presence of an infinite power with him exerted according to his will Come forth of him come out of the grave I will be thou clean be ye opened and the like expressions he used as signs and pledges thereof Thus was it not with Moses as the story manifests yea he himself greatly doubted of the greatest effect of the Divine power put forth by him when he smote the Rock to bring forth water The nature of the Miracles also wrought by the one and the other may be compared § 65 and we shall see from thence on which side the pre-eminence will be found For those wrought by Moses or by God himself whilest he employed him in the service of giving the Law and the delivery of the people they were for the most part portentous Prodigies suited to fill men with wonder astonishment and fear Such were all the signs of the presence of God on Mount Sinai The effects also of most of them were evil and destructive proceeding from wrath and indignation against sin and sinners such were all the mighty works wrought in Aegypt such those of the swallowing up of Dathan and Abiram in the Wilderness Those that tended unto the good and relief of mankind as the bringing of water from the rock were typical and occasional And those kinds of works were suited unto that Ministry of Death and Condemnation which was committed unto him But on the other side the mighty works of the Lord Jesus were evidently effects of Goodness as well as of Power and consisted in things useful and helpful unto mankind Healing the sick opening the eyes of the blind and ears of the deaf giving strength to the lame casting out of Devils feeding hungry multitudes raising the dead are things amiable and useful And though terrible Prodigies may more affect and astonish carnal minds such as the Jews were filled with yet these works of Grace and Goodness do more allure those who attend unto the dictates of right Reason Evidences they were of a gracious Ministry tending unto salvation and peace in every kind such as that of the Messiah was promised and foretold to be As Miracles then were the tokens of their several Ministries and bespake the nature of them those of the Lord Christ were exceedingly more excellent then those of Moses § 66 Furthermore as Moses had not a power of working miracles constantly resident with him which he might exert according unto his own will so he was very far from being able to communicate any such power unto others God indeed took of the Spirit that was on him and gave it unto the Elders that were to be joyned with him in the Government of the people Numb 11.25 but yet neither was there a power of working miracles going along with that Spirit but only ability for Rule and Government nor yet was that communication of it any act of Moses at all But now our Lord Jesus as he had the Divine Power mentioned alwayes with him so he could give Authority and Power unto whom he pleased to effect all such miraculous works as were any way necessary for the confirmation of their Doctrine Of this nature was the Commission which he gave the Twelve when he sent them forth Matth. 10.8 Heal the sick cleanse the Lepers raise the dead cast out Devils As also that unto the LXX Luke 10.17 19. yea he promised them which also came to pass that by his power and presence with them they should do greater things then those which they had seen him to do John 14.12 Mark 16.17 And this difference is so eminent that nothing can be objected against it This more evidently confirmed him to be the Master then all the mighty works which he wrought in his own Person on the earth § 67 Again all the miracles of Moses ended with his life The Jews indeed some of them tell us a company of foolish stories about his death which as their manner is they would fix on those words Deut. 34.5 and Moses dyed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the mouth or word of the Lord as namely how he contended with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Angel of Death and drove him away with his rod so that he could not dye until God laid his mouth unto his and so took out his soul from him But these figments are shamefull and such as become none but themselves However these things extended only unto his death therewith ended his Ministry and Miracles But now the greatest Miracle of our Lord Jesus was wrought by him after the violent and cruel death which he underwent for our sakes For he took his life again and raised himself from the dead John
into Covenant with him in the promise of the Land of Canaan v. 7. And this Call of his was the great foundation whereon God afterwards built the whole Structure of his Worship under the Old Testament For herein he both appropriated the promise of the Messiah unto him designing his person as the spring from whom he should proceed according to the flesh and set both him and his posterity a-part to be visibly subservient unto the great design of his Grace in the accomplishment of the promise of a Deliverer made unto our first Parents This we have elsewhere at large declared and shewed how that after his Call every thing was disposed unto a significancy of that which was for to come and was suited for a continuance unto that season and no longer § 10 When Abraham was ninety and nine years old that is also he had been twenty four years in the Land of Canaan The Lord confirms his Covenant with him and his seed by the sign and token of Circumcision Gen. 17.8 9 10 11 12. which Paul calls the seal of the righteousness of faith Rom. 4.12 because God thereby confirmed and assured unto him an interest in the promised seed who is the Lord our Righteousness Isai. 45.24 25. Jerem 23.6 And because he had accepted of the righteousness and salvation which in and by him God had prepared for sinners in believing the promise Gen. 15.6 And herein did God manifest that he took his seed together with him into the Covenant as those who no less then himself were to be made partakers of the righteousness exhibited therein as also to be used for the chanel where the holy seed was to be carried on untill the Word was to take it and to be made flesh John 1.14 Mar. 1.1 Rom. 9.5 And by this Ordinance of Circumcision were his posterity separated from the rest of the world and united among themselves For however Ishmael and Esau carried the outward sign of circumcision out of the pale and limits of the Church communicating it unto the Nations that sprang of them unto this day unto whose observance they also adhere who being of another extract have received the Law of Mahomet who was of the off-spring of persecuting Ishmael as the Turks and Persians with very many of the Indians yet their observance of it was never under the Law of God nor accepted with him but is rather accursed by him But as it was continued in the posterity of Abraham according unto the promise it was the fundamental uniting principle of the Church amongst them though dispersed into innumerable particular families For as there were as many Churches before as there were families Ecclesiastical and Oeconomical or paternal Rule being the same now the Covenant being one and the token of the Covenant being one and the same unto all the families that sprang of Abraham which in their several generations were as the sands of the Sea shore or as the Stars for multitude were incorporated into one body among themselves and separated from all the rest of the world Not that this Ordinance alone was sufficient to constitute the whole Nation one Ecclesiastical Body or Church which was done by the following Institutions of Worship but that the foundation thereof was first laid herein Neither without some such general initiation into union could it have been orderly accomplished And as it was the Glory of the people of old whilst they walked in the steps of the faith of Abraham So it was the carnal boast of their degenerate posterity Hence have we so often mention of those who were uncircumcised in the way of reproach and contempt and when they renewed the administration of it among themselves upon their first entrance into the Land of Canaan after its commission in the Wilderness it is said that they rolled away the reproach of Aegypt Josh. 5.9 because they were now no more as the Aegyptians uncircumcised And it was their glory both because God made it the token of his receiving them to be his peculiar people out of all the Nations of the Earth as also because it was the pledge of their obedience unto God which is the glory of any person or people But their posterity being carnal and degenerating from the faith and obedience of Abraham having quite lost the Grace betokened by it which as Moses often declares unto them was the circumcision of their hearts to hear and obey the voice of God did yet and do yet to this day boast of it as a sign of their separation unto God from other people not considering that these things were mutual answering one another and that this latter is nothing where the former is not also attended unto And these are the chief heads that are looked I upon by our Apostle in the Call of § 11 Abraham which also we have been more brief in the explication of because its consideration hath elsewhere occurred unto us Now from this Call of Abraham unto the deliverance of the Children of Israel out of Aegypt was as Moses assures us four hundred and thirty years Exod. 12.40 41. and so saith our Apostle Gal. 3.17 But because the Lord tells Abraham that his posterity should be afflicted in a strange Land four hundred years Gen. 11.13 which words are repeated by Stephen in his Sermon to the Jews Acts 7.6 the reason of this different account may be briefly enquired after Here is a double limitation of time 1. of four hundred and thirty years by Moses and Paul 2. Of four hundred years by God himself unto Abraham repeated by Stephen The words of Moses are recorded Exod. 12.40.41 Now the sojournings of the Children of Israel in Aegypt were four hundred and thirty years and it came to pass at the end of four hundred and thirty years even on the self same day it came to pass that all the Hosts of the Lord went out of the Land of Aegypt It is evident that there is an ambiguity in the words of Moses for if 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the sojourning or dwelling in the beginning of the Verse do relate unto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dwelt in Aegypt it can design no longer space of time then they dwelt there after the descent of Jacob which by an evident computation of the times containeth but half the space limited of four hundred and thirty years If it refer only to the children of Israel then it takes in all the sojournings and peregrinations of that People who dwelt in Aegypt from the first day of their being the people of God Now this ambiguity is perfectly removed by our Apostle Gal. 3.16 17. Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made and the Covenant that was confirmed before of God in Christ the Law which was four hundred and thirty years after cannot disannul The giving of the Law was as we shall see immediately upon their coming out of Egypt and saith he the 430 years are to be reckoned from the
them in this Argument which are no other for the most part then what were granted by the Jews of all sorts 4. What Testimonies out of the Old Testament he insists on to prove his purpose namely such as were commonly received in the Judaical Church to belong unto the Messiah and his Office 5. What he labours to instruct them in as to the general use of all sorts amongst them which is the nature and use of Mosaical Rites 6. The main Argument he insists on for the ends before mentioned which is the Excellency of the Gospel the Worship instituted therein and the Righteousness manifested thereby upon the account of its Author and subject the Principal Efficient Cause of its Worship and only Procurer of the Righteousness exhibited in it even Jesus Christ the Messiah Mediator the eternal Son of God Vnless these things are well borne in mind and the case of the Jews particularly heeded our Exposition will it may be seem oft times to go out of the way though it constantly pursue the design and scope of the Apostle VI. Though this Epistle was written unto the Hebrews and immediately for their use yet it is left on record in the Canon of the Scripture by the Holy Ghost for the same general End with the other parts of the Scripture and the use of all believers therein to the end of the world This Use in our Exposition is also to be regarded and that principally in the paraenetical or hortatory part of it That then which is dogmatical and the foundation of all the Exhortations insisted on may be two wayes considered 1. Properly as to the special and peculiar tendency of the Principles and Doctrines handled and so they specially intend the Jews and must be opened with respect to them their Principles Traditions Opinions Objections all which must therefore be considered that the peculiar force and efficacy of the Apostles reasonings with respect unto them may be made manifest And from the Doctrinal part of this Epistle so opened the Exhortations that arise do chiefly respect the Jews and are peculiarly suited unto them their State and condition 2. Again the Doctrines treated on by the Apostle may be considered absolutely and abstractedly from the special Case of the Jews which he had in his eye meerly as to their own nature and so they are many of them of the chief fundamental Principles of the Gospel In this respect they are grounds for the application of the Exhortations in the Epistle unto all Professors of the Gospel to the end of the world And this must guide us in our Exposition Having to deal with the Jews the Doctrinal parts of the Epistle must be opened with special respect unto them or we utterly lose the Apostles aim and design and dealing with Christians the Hortatory part shall be principally insisted on as respecting all Professors yet not so but that in handling the Doctrinal part we shall weigh the Principles of it as Articles of our Evangelical Faith in general and consider also the peculiar respect that the Exhortations have unto the Jews Now whereas as was said many Principles of the Jews are partly supposed and taken for granted partly urged and insisted on to his own purpose by the Apostle we must in our passage make some stay in their discovery and declaration and shall insert them under their proper heads where they occurr even as many of them as are not already handled in our Prolegomena AN EXPOSITION OF THE TWO FIRST CHAPTERS OF THE Epistle of PAUL the APOSTLE UNTO THE HEBREWS CHAP. I. THE General scope and design of the Apostle in this whole Epistle hath been before declared and needs not here be repeated In this first Chapter he fixeth and improveth the principal consideration that he intends to insist on throughout the Epistle to prevail with the Hebrews unto constancy and perseverance in the Doctrine of the Gospel And this is taken from the immediate Author of it the promised Messiah the Son of God Him therefore in this Chapter he at large describes and that two wayes 1. Absolutely declaring what he is in his Person and Offices as also what he hath done for the Church And 2. Comparatively with respect unto other Ministerial Revealers of the mind and will of God especially insisting on his Excellency and preeminence above the Angels as we shall see in the Explication of the several Parts and Verses of it Verse 1 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 MAny of these words being variously rendred their true Grammatical sense and importance is to be considered before we open the meaning of the whole and aim of the Apostle in them in which way we shall also proceed throughout the whole Epistle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Syr. in all parts or by many parts Multisariam Vulg. Eras. A Montan. diversly Multis vicibus Beza which ours render at sundry times 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is sortior divido to part to take part to divide whence is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the part of any thing and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which consisteth of many parts and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by many parts which is also used as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for alternis vicibus sundry changes The word properly is by many parts fully by several parts at several times as our Translation intimates yet so that a diversity of parts and degrees rather than of times and seasons is intended 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Syr. in all forms multisque modis Vul. Eras a Montan. Beza many wayes or as ours diverse manners 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Syr. ab initio from the beginning Olim the Latin Translations of old formerly in times past 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is olim quondam pridem jamdudum any time past that is opposed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to that which is present properly time some good while past as that was whereof the Apostle treats having ended in Malachy four hundred years before 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Syr. with our Fathers to the Fathers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Syr. in the Prophets so all the Latin Translations in Prophetis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Syr. and in those last dayes ultimis diebus hisce ultimis diebus istis in these last dayes novissimè diebus istis Vul. last of all in these dayes Some Greek Copies have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in extremo dierum istorum in the end of these dayes the reason of which variety we shall see afterwards 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as before in the Prophets not by his Son but in the Son The Emphasis of the expression is necessarily to be retained as the opening of the words will discover 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mundos secula 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Syr. the ages times worlds In the remaining words there is no difficulty as to the Grammatical signification we shall then read them Vers. 1 2. By sundry parts and in diverse manners God having formerly or
him the refreshing word of the Gospel unto poor weary sinners was the gift of the Father 3. As to the manner of his receiving of the Revelation of the Will of God a double mistake must be removed and then the nature of it must be declared 1. The Socinians to avoid the force of those Testimonies which are urged to confirm the Deity of Christ from the assertions in the Gospel that he who spake to the Disciples on earth was then also in Heaven John 3.13 Chap. 6.35 51. Chap. 7.32 33 41 42 57 58. Chap. 8.29 have broached a Mahumetan fancy that the Lord Christ before his entrance on his publick Ministry was locally taken up into Heaven and there instructed in the mysterie of the Gospel and the mind of God which he was to reveal Catech. Raccov cap. 3. de Offic. Ch. Prophet Quest. 4 5. Smalcius de Divinitat Christi cap. 4. Socin Respons ad Paraen Vol. pag. 38 39. But 1. There was no cause of any such Rapture of the humane Nature of Christ as we shall evidence in manifesting the way whereby he was taught of the Father especially after his Baptism 2. This imaginary Rapture is grounded solely on their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the Lord Christ in his whole Person was no more than a meer man 3. There is no mention of any such thing in the Scripture where the Fathers revealing his mind and will to the Son is treated of which had it been ought not to have been omitted 4. The fancy of it is expresly contrary to Scripture for 1. The Holy Ghost affirms that Christ entered once into the Holy Place and that after he had obtained eternal Redemption Heb. 9.12 which should have been his second entrance had he been taken thither before in his humane nature so that coming of his into the world which we look for at the last day is called his second coming his coming again because of his first entrance into it at his incarnation Heb. 9.28 2. He was to suffer before his entry into Heaven and his glory therein Luke 24.26 And 3. As to the time of his Ascension which these men assign namely the forty dayes after his baptism it is said expresly that he was all that time in the wilderness amongst the wild Beasts Mark 1.13 So that this figment may have no place in our enquiry into the way of the Fathers speaking in the Son 2. Some lay the whole weight of the Revelation of the will of God unto Christ upon the endowments of the Humane Nature by vertue of its Personal Vnion with the Eternal Word but this is wholly inconsistent with the many Testimonies before rehearsed of the Fathers revealing himself unto him after that Vnion Wherefore to declare the Nature of this Revelation we must observe further 4. That Jesus Christ in his divine Nature as he was the Eternal Word and Wisdom of the Fathers not by a voluntary communication but eternal generation had an omnisciency of the whole nature and will of God as the Father himself hath because the same with that of the Father their will and wisdom being the same This is the blessed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or in-being of each Person the one in the other by vertue of their oneness in the same nature Thus as God he had absolute omniscience Moreover the mysterie of the Gospel the especial Counsel and Covenant of it concerning the Redemption of the Elect in his blood and the Worship of God by his Redeemed ones being transacted between Father and Son from all eternity was known unto him as the Son by vertue of his own personal transactions with the Father in the eternal Counsel and Covenant of it See what we have elsewhere delivered concerning that Covenant 5. The Lord Christ discharged his Office and work of Revealing the Will of the Father in and by his humane nature that nature wherein he dwelt among us Joh. 1.14 For although the Person of Christ God and man was our Mediator Acts 20.28 Joh. 1.14 18. yet his humane nature was that wherein he discharged the duties of his Office and the principium quod of all his mediatory actings 1 Tim. 2.5 6. This Humane Nature of Christ as he was in it made of a woman made under the Law Gal. 4.4 was from the instant of its Vnion with the Person of the Son of God an holy thing Luke 1.35 Holy harmless undefiled separated from sinners and radically filled with all that perfection of habitual Grace and Wisdom which was or could be necessary to the discharge of that whole duty which as a man he owed unto God Luke 2.40 49 52. Joh. 8.46 1 Pet. 2.22 But 7. Besides this furniture with habitual Grace for the performance of all holy obedience unto God as a man made under the Law there was a peculiar endowment with the Spirit without and beyond the bounds of all comprehensible measures that he was to receive as the great Prophet of the Church in whom the Father would speak and give out the last Revelation of himself This communication of the Spirit unto him was the foundation of his sufficiency for the discharge of his Prophetical Office Isa. 11.2 3. Chap. 48.16 Chap. 61.1 2 3. Dan. 9.24 As to the reality and being of this Gift of the Spirit he received it from the womb whence in his infancy he was said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luke 2.40 filled with wisdom wherewith he confuted the Doctors to amazement v. 47. And with his years were these Gifts encreased in him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he went forwards in wisdom and stature and favour v. 52. But the full communication of this Spirit with special reference unto the discharge of his publick Office with the visible pledge of it in the Holy Ghost descending on him in the shape of a Dove he was made partaker of in his baptism Matth. 3.16 when also he received his first publick Testimony from Heaven v. 17. which when again repeated received the additional command of hearing him Matth. 17.5 designing the Prophet that was to be heard on pain of utter extermination Deut. 18.18 19. And therefore he was thereupon said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luke 4.1 full of the Holy Ghost and sealed to this work by the sign foretold of God Joh. 1.33 This was the foundation of the Fathers speaking in the Son as incarnate He spake in him by his Spirit so he did in the Prophets of old 2 Pet. 1.21 And herein in general the Prophecy of Christ and theirs did agree It remaineth then to shew wherein his Preheminence above them did consist so that the word spoken by him is principally and eminently to be attended unto which is the Argument of that which the Apostle hath in hand in this place 8. The Preheminencies of the Prophecy of Christ above that of Moses and all other Prophets were of two sorts 1. Such as arose from his Person who was the Prophet 2. Such
the new Creation or state of the Church under the Gospel but the whole world and all things therein contained they do in this very Epistle Chap. 11.3 5. Wherever the Apostle in this Epistle speaks in the Judaical Idiom of the Church-State under the Messiah he never calls it by the name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but still with the limitation of to come as Chap. 2.5 Chap. 6.5 And where the word is used absolutely as in this place and Chap. 11.3 it is the whole world that is intended 6. The Context utterly refuseth this Gloss. The Son in the preceeding words is said to be made Heir or Lord of all that is of all things absolutely and universally as we have evinced and is confessed Unto that Assertion he subjoyns a reason of the equity of that transcendent Grant made unto him namely because by him all things were made whereunto he adds his upholding ruling and disposing of them being so made by him he upholdeth all things by the word of his power That between the all things whereof he is Lord and the all things that he upholds there should be an interposition of words of the same importance with them expressing the Reason of them that go afore and the foundation of that which follows knitting both parts together and yet indeed have a signification in them of things utterly heterogeneous to them is most unreasonable to imagine We have now obtained liberty by removing the entanglements cast in our way to proceed to the opening of the genuine sense and importance of these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by whom not as an Instrument or an inferiour intermediate created Cause for then also must he be created by himself seeing all things that were made were made by him Joh. 1.3 but as his own eternal Word Wisdom and Power Prov. 8.22 23 24. Joh. 1.3 The same individual creating act being the work of Father and Son whose Power and Wisdom being one and the same individed so also are the works which outwardly proceed from them And as the joint working of Father and Son doth not inferr any other subordination but that of subsistence and order so the Preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth not of it self intimate the subjection of an instrumental Cause being used sometimes to express the work of the Father himself Gal. 1.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 created so the Apostle expresseth that word Acts 17.24 26. And the LXX most commonly as Gen. 1.1 though sometimes they use 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as our Apostle also doth Chap. 10. He made created produced out of nothing by the things not seen Chap. 11.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so that word is constantly rendered by the Greeks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to hide or to be hid kept secret close undiscovered Whence a Virgin is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one not yet come into the publick state of Matrimony as by the Greeks on the same account 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one shut up or a recluse as the Targumists call an Harlot 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a goer abroad from that description of her Prov. 7.10 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 her feet dwell not in her own house one while she is in the Street another while abroad As the Mother of the Family is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the dweller at home Psalm 68.13 Hence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies the Ages of the world in their succession and duration which are things secret and hidden what is past is forgotten what is to come is unknown and what is present passing away without much Observation See Ecclesiastes 1. v. 10. The world then that is visible and a spectacle in its self in respect of its continuance and duration is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a thing hidden So that the word denotes the fabrick of the world by a Metonymie of the Adjunct When the Hebrews would express the world in respect of the substance and matter of the Universe they do it commonly by a distribution of the whole into its most general and comprehensive parts as the Heavens Earth and Sea subjoyning all things contained in them This the Greeks and Latins from its Order Frame and Ornaments call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and mundus which principally respects that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that beauty and ornament of the Heavens which God made by his Spirit Job 26.13 And as it is inhabited by the Sons of men they call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prov. 8.30 The world of the earth principally the habitable parts of the Earth As quickly passing away they call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in respect of its successive duration 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word here used 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Plural number the worlds so called Chap. 11.3 by a meer Enallage of number as some suppose or with respect to the many Ages of the worlds duration But moreover the Apostle accommodates his expression to the received opinion of the Jews and their way of expressing themselves about the world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 denotes the world as to the subsistence of it and as to its duration in both these respects the Jews distributed the world into several parts calling them so many worlds R.D. Kimchi on Isa. 6. distributes these worlds into three on the account of which he sayes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 holy was three times repeated by the Seraphims There are saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 three worlds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the upper world which is the world of Angels and Spirits 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the world of the Heavens and Stars and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this world below But in the first respect they generally assign these four 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the lower world the depressâ—d world the Earth and Air in the several regions of it 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the world of Angels or Ministring Spirits whom they suppose to inhabit in High Places where they may supervize the affairs of the Earth 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the world of Spheres and 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the highest world called by Paul the third Heaven 2 Cor. 12.2 and by Solomon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Heaven of Heavens 2 Kings 8.27 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Olam hanneshamoth the world of Spirits or souls departed In respect of duration they assign a fivefold world 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 called by Peter the old world or the world before the Flood the world that perished 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the present world or the state of things under the Judaical Church 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the world of the coming of the Messiah or the world to come as the Apostle calls it Chap. 2.5 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the world of the Resurrection
he intended to exalt himself in thereby Yet God hath so ultimately laid up his glory in the new Creation as that he will not lose any thing of that which also is due unto him from the Old but yet he will not receive it immediately from thence neither but as it is put over into a subserviency unto the work of the New Now God ordered all things so as that this might be effected without force coaction or wresting of the Creation or putting it besides its own order And is there any thing more genuine natural and proper than that the world should come into subjection unto him by whom it was made although there be some alteration in its state and condition as to outward dispensation in his being made Man And this I take to be the meaning of that discourse of the Apostle about the bondage and liberty of the creature which we have Rom. 8.19 20 21 22. The Apostle tells us that the Creature it self had an expectation and desire after the Manifestation of the Sons of God or the bringing forth of the Kingdom of Christ in Glory and Power v. 19. and gives this reason for it because it is brought into a condition of vanity corruption and bondage wherein it did as it were unwillingly abide and groaned to be delivered from it that is by the entrance of sin the Creation was brought into that condition as wherein it could not answer the end for which it was made and erected namely to declare the glory of God that he might be worshipped and honoured as God but was as it were left especially in the Earth and the Inhabitants of it to be a stage for men to act their enmity against God upon and a means for the fulfilling and satisfaction of their filthy lusts This state being unsuitable unto its primitive constitution preternatural occasional and forced it is said to dislike it to groan under it to hope for Deliverance doing that in what it is by its nature which it would do voluntarily were it endowed with a rational understanding But saith the Apostle there is a better condition for this Creation which whilst it was afar of it put out its head after and unto What is this better state Why the glorious liberty of the Sons of God that is the new state and condition that all things are restored unto in order unto the glory of God by Jesus Christ. The Creation hath as it were a natural propensity yea a longing to come into a subjection unto Christ as that which retrieves and frees it from the Vanity Bondage and Corruption that it was cast into when put out of its first Order by sin And this ariseth from that plot and design which God first laid in the Creation of all things that they being made by the Son should naturally and willingly as it were give up themselves unto Obedience unto him when he should take the Rule of them upon the new account of his Mediation Thirdly God would hereby instruct us both in the Vse that we are to make of his creatures and the improvement that we are to make of the work of the Creation unto his glory For the first it is his Will that we should not use any thing as meerly made and created by him though originally for that purpose seeing as they are so left they are under the curse and so impure and unclean unto them that use them Tit. 1.15 But he would have us to look upon them and receive them as they are given over unto Christ. For the Apostle in his Application of the eighth Psalm unto the Lord Christ chap. 2.6 7 8. manifests that even the beasts of the field on which we live are passed over in a peculiar manner unto his Dominion And he lays our interest in their use as to a clear profitable and sanctified way of it in the new state of things brought in by Christ. 1 Tim. 4.4 5. Every creature of God is good and nothing to be refused if it be received with thanksgiving for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer The word of promise confirmed in Christ called on by the Spirit given by Christ in prayer gives a sanctified use of the creatures This God instructs us in namely to look for a profitable sanctified Vse of the creatures in Christ in that himself ordered them in the very first Creation to fall at length naturally under his Rule and Dominion making them all by him And hereby also we are instructed how to learn the glory of God from them The whole mystery of laying the works of the old Creation in a subserviency unto the New being hidden from many Ages and Generations from the foundation of the world men did by the Effects and works which they saw conclude that there was an Eternal Power and Infinite Wisdom whereby they were produced But whereas there is but a two-fold holy use of the works of the Creation the one suited unto the state of Innocency and the moral natural Worship of God therein which they had lost the other to the state of Grace and the Worship of God in that which they had not attained the world and the inhabitants thereof being otherwise involved in the Curse and Darkness wherewith it was attended exercised themselves in fruitless speculations about them foolish imaginations as the Apostle calls them and glorified not God in any due manner Rom. 1.21 Neither do nor can men unto this day make any better improvement of their contemplation on the Works of Creation who are unacquainted with the Recapitulation of all things in Christ and the Beauty of it in that all things at first were made by him But when men shall by faith perceive and consider that the Production of all things owes it self in its first original unto the Son of God in that by him the world was made and that unto this End and Purpose that he being afterwards Incarnate for our Redemption they might all be put into subjection unto him they cannot but be ravished with the Admiration of the Power Wisdom Goodness and Love of God in this holy wise beautiful disposition of all his works and ways And this is the very subject of the Eighth Psalm The Psalmist considers the Excellency and Glory of God in the Creation of all things instancing in the most glorious and eminent parts of it But doth he do this absolutely as they are such doth he rest there No but proceeds to manifest the cause of his Admiration in that God did of old design and would at length actually put all these things into subjection unto the Man Christ Jesus as the Apostle expounds his meaning chap. 2. which causeth him to renew his Admiration and praise v. 9. that is to glorifie God as God and to be thankful which yet Paul declared that they were not who considered the works of God only absolutely with reference to their first Original from infinite Power and Wisdom
is to be understood But 1. This suits not at all with the Purpose and Design of the Apostle which is plainly to prove that the Lord Christ then when he spake to us and revealed the will of God and in that work was above the Angels which is not at all proved by shewing what befell him after his work was accomplished 2. It receives no countenance from that other place of chap. 2.5 whither we are sent by these Interpreters For that the Apostle is there treating of a matter quite of another nature without any respect unto these words shall be there declared Neither doth he absolutely there mention 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the world but with the addition of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to come which what it is we shall enquire upon the place 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies properly the Habitable Earth and is never used absolutely in the Scripture but for the habitable world or men dwelling in it and causelesly to wrest it unto another signification is not to interpret but to offer violence unto the Text. 2. By 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then the World or Habitable Earth with them that dwell therein and nothing else is intended for as the word hath no other signification so the Psalmist in the place from whence the ensuing testimony is taken expounds it by the multitude of the Isles or the Nations lying abroad in the wide earth This is the World designed even that Earth wherein the rational creatures of God converse here below Into this was the Lord Christ brought in by the Father We are therefore nextly to enquire wherein the Fathers bringing of the Son into this world did consist We have seen formerly that some have assigned it unto One thing in particular some Another some to his Incarnation and Nativity some to his Resurrection some to his Mission of the Spirit and propagation of his Kingdom that ensued The Opinion about his Coming to reign in the world a thousand years as also that of his coming at the general Judgment we have already excluded Of the others I am apt to think that it is not any one particular exclusive to the other that the Apostle intendeth or designeth That which was intended in the Old Testament in the Promises of his coming into the world is that which is here expressed by the phrase of bringing him in See Mal. 3.2 The Lord whom ye seek shall come but who may abide the day of his coming Now it was not any one special Act nor any one particular Day that was designed in that and the like Promises But it is the whole work of God in bringing forth the Messiah by his Conception Nativity Unction with the Spirit Resurrection Sending of the Holy Ghost and preaching of the Gospel which is the subject of those Promises And their accomplishment it is which those words express When he brings the first-born into the world that is after he had kept his Church under the Administration of the Law given by Angels in the hand of Moses the Mediator in the expectation of the coming of the Messiah when he bringeth him forth unto and carries him on in his work unto the accomplishment of it he says Let all the Angels of God worship him And herein most of the former senses are comprised And this Interpretation of the words compleatly answers the intention of the Apostle in the citation of the ensuing Testimony namely to prove that in the discharge of his work of revealing the Will of God he was such an One as by reason of the Dignity of his Person had all Religious Worship Honour due unto him from the Angels themselves This sense also we are led unto by the Psalm whence the ensuing testimony is taken Psal. 97. The Exultation which the first verse of the Psalm requires and calls for is not unlike that which was in the Name of the whole Creation expressed at his Nativity Luke 2.11 And the four following verses are an Allegorical description of the work that the Lord Christ should make in and by the preaching of the Gospel See Mal. 3.2 3 4. chap. 4.1 Matth. 3.10 Luke 2.24 And hereon ensues that shame and ruine which was brought upon Idols and Idolaters thereby v. 7. And the joy of the whole Church in the presence of Christ v. 8. attended with his glorious Reign in Heaven as a consequent of the Accomplishment of his work v. 9. Which is proposed as a motive unto Obedience and a matter of confidence and rejoycing unto the Church And this is the Fathers bringing of the Son into the world described by the Psalmist and intended by the Apostle It remains that we enquire why and in what sense Christ is here called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 primogenitus or the first-born The common Answer is Non quod post illum alii sed quod ante illum nullus Not that any was born after him in the same way but that none was born before him which as we have shewed before will agree well enough with the use of the Word And this is applied both to the Eternal Gâ—neration of his Divine Person and to the Conception and Nativity of his Humane Nature But if we suppose that his Person and Eternal Generation may be intended in this Expression we must make 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the first-born to be the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or only begotten which may not be allowed for Christ is absolutely called the only begotten of the Father in his Eternal Generation his Essence being infinite took up the whole Nature of Divine Filiation so that it is impossible that with respect thereunto there should be any more Sons of God But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or first-born is used in relation unto others and yet as I shewed before it doth not require that he who is so should have any other brethren in the same kind of Sonship But because this is by some asserted namely that Christ has many Brethren in the same kind of sonship whereby he is himself the Son of God and is on that account called the first-born which is an assertion greatly derogatory to his Glory and Honour I shall in our passage remove it as a stumbling-block out of the way Thus Schliclingius on the place Primogenitum eum nomine Dei Filium appellat innuens hoc pacto plures Dei esse Filios etiam ad Christum respectu habito scilicet ut ostenderet non ita Christum esse Dei Filium quin alii etiam eodem filiationis genere contineantur quanquam filiationis perfectione gradu Christo multò inferiores And again Primogenitus dicitur Christus quod eum Deus ante omnes Filios eos nimirum qui Christi fratres appellantur genuerit eo scilicet modo quo Deus Filios gignere solet eos autem gignit quos sibi similes efficit primus est Christus qui Deo ea sanctitate similis fuit qualem
God speaketh and I suppose we need no interposition of Church or Tradition to give Authority or Credit unto what he says or speaks This then is the sum of these words of the Apostle Again in another place where the Holy Ghost fore-tells the bringing forth into the world and amongst men him that is the Lord and Heir of all to undertake his work and to enter into his Kingdom and Glory the Lord speaks to this purpose Let all the Angels of God worship him To manifest this testimony to be apposite unto the confirmation of the Apostles assertion three things are required 1. That it is the Son who is intended and spoken of in the place from whence the words are taken and so designed as the Person to be worshipped 2. That they are Angels that are spoken unto and commanded to worship him 3. That on these suppositions the words prove the Preheminence of Christ above the Angels For the two former with them that acknowledge the Divine Authority of this Epistle it is sufficient in general to give them satisfaction The place is applied unto Christ and this passage unto the ministring Angels by the same Spirit who first wrote that Scripture But yet there is room left for our enquiry how these things may be evidenced whereby the strength of the Apostles Reasonings with them who were not yet convinced of the infallibility of his Assertions any farther than they were confirmed by testimonies out of the Old Testament and the faith of the Antient Church of the Hebrews in this matter may be made to appear as also a check given to their boldness who upon pretence of the impropriety of these Allegations have questioned the Authority of the whole Epistle And our first enquiry must be whence this testimony is taken Many of the Antients as Epiphanius Theodoret Euthymius Procopius and Anselm conceive the words to be cited from Deut. 32.42 where they expresly occur in the Translation of the LXX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rejoyce ye Heavens with him and let all the Angels of God worship him But there are two considerations that put it beyond all pretensions that the words are not taken from this place of the LXX 1. Because indeed there are no such words in the Original Text nor any thing spoken that might give occasion to the sense expressed in them but that whole Verse is inserted in the Greek Version quite besides the scope of the place Now though it may perhaps be safely granted that the Apostles in citing the Scripture of the Old Testament did sometimes use the words of the Greek Translation then in use yea though not exact according to the Original whilst the sense and meaning of the Holy Ghost was retained in them yet to cite that from the Scripture as the word and testimony of God which indeed is not therein nor was ever spoken by God but by humane failure and corruption crept into the Greek Version is not to be imputed unto them And indeed I no way question but that this addition unto the Greek Text in that place was made after the Apostle had used this testimony For it is not unlikely but that some considering of it and not considering from whence it was taken because the words occur not absolutely and exactly in the Greek any where inserted it into that place of Moses amidst other words of an alike sound and somewhat an alike importante such as immediately precede and follow the clause inserted 2. The Holy Ghost is not treating in that place about the Introduction of the First-born into the world but quite of another matter as is evident upon the first view of the Text so that this testimony is evidently not taken from this place nor would nor could the Apostle make use of a testimony liable unto such just exceptions Later Expositors generally agree that the words are taken out of Psal. 97. v. 7. where the Original is rendred by the LXX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which with a very small variation in the words and none at all in the sense is here expressed by the Apostle And let all the Angels of God worship him The Psalm hath no Title at all in the Original which the Greek Version noteth affirming that it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but it addes one of its own namely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Psalm of David when his land was restored Hence it is referred by some to the time of his return unto Hierusale◠after he had been expelled the Kingdom by Absolom by others with more probability to the time of his bringing the Ark into the Tabernacle from the house of Obed-edom when the land was quieted before him And unquestionably in it the Kingdom of God was shadowed out under the Type of the Kingdom of David which Kingdom of God was none other but that of the Messiah It is evident that this Psalm is of the same Nature with that which goes before yea a part of it or an Appendix unto it The first words of this take up and carrie on what is affirmed in the tenth verse or close of that so that both of them are but one continued Psalm of Praise Now the Title of that Psalm and consequently this is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A new song v. 1. which Psalms as Rashi confesseth are to be referred unto the World to come that is the Time and Kingdome of the Messiah So Kimchi affirms that this Psalm and that following respect the time when the people shall be delivered from the Captivity out of all Nations that is the time of the Messiah And Rakenati affirms that the last verse of it He cometh to judge the earth can respect nothing but the coming and reign of the Messiah Thus they out of their Traditions Some of the Antients I confess charge them with corrupting this Psalm in the version of the 10 verse affirming that the words sometimes were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Lord reigned from the Tree denoting as the say the Cross. So Justin Martyr in his Dialogue with Trypho And after him the same words are remembred by Tertullian ad Judae cap. 10. ad Marci lib. 3. And Augustin Enarr in Psal. 95. And though the fraud and corruption pretended be improbable indeed impossible nor are the words mentioned by Justine acknowledged by the Targum or any Greek Translator or Hierom yet it is evident that all parties granted the Messiah and his Kingdom to be intended in the Psalm or there had been no need or colour for the one to suspect the other of corruption about it It is then evident that the Antient Church of the Jews whose Tradition is herein followed by the Modern acknowledged this Psalm to contain a description of the Kingdom of God in the Messiah and on their consent doth the Apostle proceed And the next Psalm which is of the same importance with this is entituled by the Targumist 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Prophetical Psalm namely
of the Kingdom and Reign of the Messiah But the matter of the Psalm it self makes it manifest that the Holy Ghost treateth in it about God's bringing in the first-born into the world and the setting up of his Kingdom in him A Kingdom is described wherein God would reign which should destroy Idolatry and false-worship a Kingdom wherein the Isles of the Gentiles should rejoyce being called to an interest therein a Kingdom that was to be preached proclaimed declared unto the encrease of Light and Holiness in the world with the manifestation of the glory of God unto the ends of the earth every part whereof declareth the Kingdom of Christ to be intended in the Psalm and consequently that it is a Prophesie of the bringing in of the first-begotten into the world 2. Our second enquiry is Whether the Angels be intended in these words They are as was before observed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 omnes dii and are so rendred by Hierom Adorate eum omnes dii and by ours Worship him all ye gods The preceding words are Confounded be all they that serve graven images 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that boast themselves in or of idols Vanities Nothings as the word signifies whereon ensues this Apostrophe Worship him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all ye gods And who they are is our present enquiry Some as all the Modern Jews say that it is the gods of the Gentiles those whom they worship that are intended so making 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gods and vain idols to be the same in this place But 1. It cannot be that the Psalmist should exhort the idols of the Heathen some whereof were Devils some dead men some inanimate parts of the Creation unto a reverential worshipping of God reigning over all Hence the Targumist seeing the vanity of that Interpretation perverts the words and renders them Worship before him all ye Nations which serve idols 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Elohim is so far in this place from being exegetical of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gods or vain idols that it is put in direct Opposition unto it as is evident from the words themselves 3. The word Elohim which most frequently denoteth the true God doth never alone and absolutely taken signifie false gods or idols but only when it is joyned with some other word discovering its application as his god or their gods or the gods of this or that people in which case it is rendred by the LXX sometimes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an idol sometimes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an idol made with hands sometimes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an abomination but here it hath no such limitation or restriction Whereas therefore there are some Creatures who by reason of some peculiar Excellency and likeness unto God or subordination unto him in his work are called gods it must be those or some of them that are intended in the expression now these are either Magistrates or Angels First Magistrates are somewhere called Elohim because of the Representation they make of God in his Power and their peculiar subordination unto him in their working The Jews indeed contend that no other Magistrates but only those of the Great Sanedrin are any where called gods but that concerns not our present enquiry some Magistrates are so called but none of them are here intended by the Psalmist there being no Occasion administred unto him of any such Apostrophe unto them Secondly Angels also are called Elohim 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 8.5 They have the Name of God attributed unto them as we have shewed before in some instances And these alone are they whom the Psalmist speaks unto Having called on the whole Creation to rejoyce in the bringing forth of the Kingdom of God and pressed his Exhortation upon things on the Earth he turns unto the ministring Angels and calls on them to the discharge of their duty unto the King of that Kingdom Hence the Targumist in the beginning of Psal. 96. which is indeed in the beginning of this expresly mentioneth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his high Angels joyning in his praise and worship using the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for distinction sake as on the same account it often occurs in the Targum We have thus evinced that the Psalm treats about the bringing in of the first-born into the world as also that they are the ministring Angels who are here commanded to worship him For the command it self and the nature of it it consisted in these two things 1. A declaration of the state and condition of the Messiah which is such as that he is a meet Object of Religious Adoration unto the Angels and attended with peculiar motives unto the discharge of their duty The former he hath from his Divine Nature the latter from his Work with his State and Dignity that ensued thereon 2. An intimation of the pleasure of God unto the Angels not that Divine Worship was absolutely due unto the Son of God which they knew from the first instant of their Creation but that all Honour and Glory were due unto him on the account of his Work and Office as Mediator and King of his Church 3. It remaineth only that we shew that this testimony thus explained was suitable unto the Apostles design and purpose and did prove the Assertion in the Confirmation whereof it is produced Now this is a matter of so full and clear an evidence that it will not at all detain us For it is impossible that there should be any more clear or full demonstration of this truth That the Lord Christ hath an unspeakable Preheminence above the Angels than this that they are all appointed and commanded by God himself to adore him with Divine and Religious Worship We may now therefore consider what Observations the words will afford us for our own instruction It appears then from hence 1. That the Authority of God speaking in the Scripture is that alone which Divine Faith rests upon and is to be resolved into He saith It was the begetting of faith in some of the Hebrews and the increase or establishment of it in others that the Apostle aimed at That which he proposeth to them as the Object of their faith that which they were to believe was that Excellency of the Person and Kingly Authority of the Messiah wherein they had not as yet been instructed And hereof he endeavours not to beget an Opinion in them but that Faith which cannot deceive or be deceived To this end he proposeth that unto them which they ought to submit unto and which they may safely rest in For as Faith is an Act of Religious Obedience it respects the Authority of God requiring it and as it is a Religious infallible assent of the mind it regards the Truth and Veracity of God as its Object On this alone it rests God saith And in what ever God speaks in the Scripture his Truth and Authority manifest themselves to
is spoken to and denoted by that name Elohim O God as being the true God by Nature though what is here affirmed of him be not as God but as the King of his Church and People as in another place God is said to redeem his Church with his own bloud Secondly We may consider what is assigned unto him which is his Kingdom and that is described 1. By the Insignia regalia the Royal Ensigns of it namely his Throne and Scepter 2. By its duration it is for ever 3. His manner of Administration it is with Righteousness his Scepter is a Scepter of righteousness 4. His furniture or preparation for this Administration he loved righteousness and hated iniquity 5. By an adjunct priviledge unction with the Oil of gladness Which 6. is exemplified by a comparison with others it is so with him above his fellows The first insigne regium mentioned is his Throne whereunto the Attribute of Perpetuity is annexed it is for ever And this Throne denotes the Kingdom it self A Throne is the seat of a King in his Kingdom and is frequently used metonymically for the Kingdom it self and that applied unto God and man See Dan. 7.9 1 King 8.2 7. Angels indeed are called Thrones Col. 1.16 But that is either metaphorically only or else in respect of some especial service allotted unto them as they are also called Princes Dan. 10.13 yet being indeed servants Rev. 22.9 Heb. 1.14 These are no where said to have Thrones the Kingdom is not theirs but the Sons And whereas our Lord Jesus Christ promiseth his Apostles that they shall at the last day sit on Thrones judging the Tribes of Israel as it proves their participation with Christ in his Kingly Power being made Kings unto God Rev. 1.5 and their interest in the Kingdom which it is his pleasure to give them so it proves not absolutely that the Kingdom is theirs but his on whose Throne theirs do attend Neither doth the Throne simply denote the Kingdom of Christ or his supream Rule and Dominion but the Glory also of his Kingdom being on his Throne is in the height of his Glory And thus because God manifests his Glory in Heaven he calls that his Throne as the Earth is his footstool Isa. 66.1 So that the Throne of Christ is his Glorious Kingdom elsewhere expressed by his sitting down at the right hand of the Majesty on high Secondly To this Throne Eternity is attributed it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for ever and ever So is the Throne of Christ said to be in Opposition unto the frail mutable Kingdoms of the earth Of the increase of his Government and Peace there shall be no end upon the Throne of David and upon his Kingdom to order it and to establish it with judgement and with justice from henceforth and for ever Isa. 9.7 His Dominion is an everlasting Dominion which shall not pass away and his Kingdom that which shall not be destroyed Dan 7.14 Micah 4.7 Psal. 72.7 17. Psal. 145.13 It shall neither decay of it self nor fail through the Opposition of its Enemies for he must reign untill all his enemies are made his footstool 1 Cor. 15.24 25 26 27. Nor is it any impeachment of the perpetuity of the Kingdom of Christ that at the last day he shall deliver it up to God the Father 1 Cor. 15.24 Seeing that then shall be an end of all Rule It is enough that it continue untill all the Ends of Rule be perfectly accomplished that is untill all the enemies of it be subdued and all the Church be saved and the Righteousness Grace and Patience of God be fully glorified whereof afterwards Thirdly The second insigne Regium is his Scepter And this though it sometimes also denote the Kingdom it self Gen. 49.10 Numb 24.17 Isa. 14.5 Zech. 10.11 Yet here it denotes the actual Administration of Rule as is evident from the Adjunct of Vprightness annexed unto it And thus the Scepter denotes both the Laws of the Kingdom and the Efficacy of the Government it self So that which we call a Righteous Government is here called a Scepter of Uprightness Now the Means whereby Christ carrieth on his Kingdom are his Word and Spirit with a subserviency of Power in the works of his Providence to make way for the progress of his Word to avenge its Contempt So the Gospel is called The rod of his strength Psalm 110.2 See 2 Cor. 10.4 5 6. He smites the earth with the rod of his mouth and slayes the wicked with the breath of his lips Isa. 11.4 And these are attended with the sword of his Power and Providence Psal. 45.3 Revel 19.15 or his rod Psal. 2.8 or sickle Revel 14.18 In these things consists the Scepter of Christs Kingdom Fourthly Concerning this Scepter it is affirmed that it is a Scepter of Vprightness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 denotes either the Nature of the Scepter that it is straight and right or the Vse of it that it is lifted up or stretched out as was shewed in the opening of the words In the first sense it denoteth Righteousness in the latter Mercy According to the first sense the following words thou hast loved Righteousness discover the habitual root of his actual Righteous Administration According to the latter there is a progress made in them to a farther qualification of the Rule of Christ or of Christ in his Rule But the former sense is rather to be embraced the latter Metaphor being more strained and sounded only in one instance that I remember in the Scripture and that not taken from among the people of God but Strangers and Oppressors Esther 5.2 The Scepter then of the Kingdom of Christ is a Scepter of Righteousness because all the Laws of his Gospel are Righteous Holy Just full of Benignity and Truth Titus 2.11 12. And all his Administration of Grace Mercy Justice Rewards and Punishments according to the Rules Promises and Threats of it in the Conversion Pardon Sanctification Trials Afflictions Chastisements and Preservation of his Elect in his convincing hardening and destruction of his Enemies are all Righteous holy unblameable and good Isa. 11.4 5 6. Chap. 32.7 Psal. 145.17 Rev. 15.34 Chap. 16.5 and as such will they be gloriously manifested at the last day 2 Thess. 1.10 though in this present world they are reproached and despised Fifthly The Habitual Frame of the Heart of Christ in his Regal Administrations He loveth Righteousness and hateth Iniquity This shews the absolute compleatness of the Righteousness of Christs Kingdom and of his Righteousness in his Kingdom The Laws of his Rule are righteous and his Administrations are righteous and they all proceed from an habitual love to Righteousness and hatred of Iniquity in his own person Among the Governments of this world oft times the very Laws are tyranical unjust and oppressive and if the Laws are good and equal yet oft times their Administration is unjust partial and wicked or when
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
Will and Understanding of the Humane Nature is the principle of those Theandrical acts whereby Christ ruleth over all in the Kingdom given him of his Father Rev. 1. v. 17 18. As he was God he was Davids Lord but not his Son As he was Man he was Davids Son and so absolutely could not be his Lord. In his Person as he was God and Man he was his Lord and his Son which is the intention of our Saviours Question Matth. 22. v. 45. 3. For the Nature and Manner of this speaking when and how God said it four things seem to be intended in it 1. The Eternal Decree of God concerning the Exaltation of the Son incarnate So David calls this Word the Decree the Statute or Eternal Appointment of God Psal. 2. v. 7. This is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Internal and Eternal Word or speaking of the Mind Will and Counsel of God referred unto by Peter 1 Epist. 1. v. 20. God said this in the Eternal Purpose of his Will to and concerning his Son 2. The Covenant and Compact that was between the Father and Son about and concerning the Work of Mediation is expressed also in this saying That there was such a Covenant and the nature of it I have else-where declared See Prov. 8. v. 30 31. Isa. 53. v. 10 11 12. Zech. 6. v. 12 13. Joh. 17. v. 4 5 6 In this Covenant God said unto him Sit thou at my right hand which he also pleaded in and upon the discharge of his work Isa. 50. v. 8 9. Joh. 17. v. 4 5. 3. There is also in it the Declaration of this Decree and Covenant in the Prophesies and Promises given out concerning their accomplishment and execution from the foundation of the world Luke 1. v. 40. 1 Pet. 1.11 12. Gen. 3.15 He said it by the mouth of his holy prophets which have been since the world began And in this sense David only recounts the prophesies and promises that went before Luke 24. v. 25 26 27. And all these are comprised in this speaking here mentioned Thus the Lord said unto him And all these were past when recorded by David But he yet looks forward by a Spirit of prophesie into the actual accomplishment of them all when upon the Resurrection of Christ and the fulfilling of his work of Humiliation God actually invested him with the promised Glory which is the fourth thing intended in the expression Acts 2. v. 33.36 chap. 5.33 1 Pet. 1. v. 20 21. All these four things center in a new Revelation now made to David by the Spirit of Prophesie This he here declares as the stable Purpose Covenant and Promise of God the Father revealed unto him The Lord said And this also gives us an account of the manner of this Expression as to its imperative Enunciation Sit thou It hath in it the force of a promise that he should do so as it respected the Decree Covenant and Declaration thereof from the foundation of the world God engaging his Faithfulness and Power for the effecting of it in its appointed season speaks concerning it as a thing instantly to be done And as those words respect the glorious accomplishment of the thing it self so they denote the acquiescence of God in the work of Christ and his Authority in his glorious Exaltation 4. The thing spoken about is Christ's sitting at the right hand of God wherein that consists hath been declared on verse 3. In brief it is the Exaltation of Christ into the glorious Administration of the Kingdom granted unto him with Honour Security and Power or as in one word our Apostle calls it his Reigning 1 Cor. 15.25 Concerning which we have treated already at large And herein we shall acquisce and not trouble our selves with the needless curiosity and speculation of some about these words Such is that of Maldonat on Matth. 16. before remarked on verse 3. saith he Cum filius dicitur sedere ad dextram Patris denotatur comparatio virtutis filii Patris potentia filii major dicitur ratione functionis Officii administrationis Ecclesiae Paterque videtur fecisse filium quodammodo se superiorem donasse illi nomen etiam supra ipsum Dei nomen quod omnes Christiani tacitè significant cùm audito nomine Jesu detegunt caput audito autem nomine Dei non item Than which nothing could be more presumptuously nor foolishly spoken For there is not in the words the least intimation of any comparison between the Power of the Father and the Son but only the Father's Exaltation of the Son unto Power and Glory expressed But as was said these things have been already considered 5. There is in the words the End aimed at in this sitting down at the right hand of God and that is the making of his Enemies the foot-stool of his feet This is that which is promised unto him in the state and condition whereunto he is exalted For the opening of these words we must enquire 1. Who are these Enemies of Christ. 2. How they are to be made his foot-stool 3. By whom For the first we have shewed that it is the glorious Exaltation of Christ in his Kingdom that is here spoken of and therefore the Enemies intended must be the Enemies of his Kingdom or Enemies unto him in his Kingdom that is as he sits on his Throne carrying on the work designed and ends of it Now the Kingdom of Christ may be considered two ways First in respect of the Internal Spiritual Power and Efficacy of it in the hearts of his subjects Secondly with respect unto the outward glorious Administration of it in the world And in both these respects it hath enemies in abundance all and every one whereof must be made his foot-stool We shall consider them apart The Kingdom Rule or Reigning of Christ in the first sense is the Authority and Power which he puts forth for the conversion sanctification and salvation of his Elect. As he is their King he quickens them by his Spirit sanctifies them by his grace preserves them by his faithfulness raiseth them from the dead at the last day by his power and gloriously rewardeth them unto Eternity in his righteousness In this work the Lord Christ hath many enemies as the Law Sin Sathan the World Death the Grave and Hell all these are enemies to the Work and Kingdom of Christ and consequently to his Person as having undertaken that work 1. The Law is an enemy unto Christ in his Kingdom not absolutely but by accident and by reason of the consequents that attend it where his subjects are obnoxious unto it It slays them Rom. 7. v. 9 10 11. which is the work of an enemy is against them and contrary unto them Col. 2. v. 14. and contributes strength to their other adversaries 1 Cor. 15. v. 56. which discovers the nature of an enemy 2. Sin is universally and in its whole nature an enemy unto Christ Rom. 8. v. 7. Sinners
Gospel asketh them wither they received the Spirit by the works of the Law or by the Word of Faith Chap. 3.2 that is the Gospel That was the Way and means whereby God communicated unto them his Spirit by whom among many other Priviledges we are sealed unto the day of Redemption This is the Covenant of God that his Spirit and the Word of the Gospel shall go and shall abide together with his Elect Isa. 59.1 And he is given unto us by the Gospel on many accounts 1. Because he is the gift and grant of the Author of the Gospel as to all the especial Ends and concernments of salvation John tells us that the Spirit was not given when Jesus was not as yet glorified Chap. 7.39 that is not in that manner as God hath annexed unto this salvation and therefore Peter tells us that when the Lord Christ ascended up on high he received of the Father the Promise of the Spirit and poured him forth on them which did believe Acts 2.33 And this he did according to his own great Promise and Prediction whilest he conversed with his Disciples in the dayes of his flesh There was not any thing that he more supported and encouraged them withal nor more raised their hearts to an Expectation of than this that he would send unto them and bestow upon them the Holy Ghost for many blessed ends and purposes and that to abide with them for ever as we may see Joh. 14.15 16. And this is the great priviledge of the Gospel that the Author of it is alone the donor and bestower of the Holy Spirit which of what concernment it is in the business of our Salvation all men know who have any acquaintance with these things 2. He is promised in the Gospel and therein alone All the Promises of the Scripture whither in the Old Testament or New whose subject is the Spirit are Evangelical they all belong unto and are parts of the Gospel For the Law had no Promise of the Spirit or any Priviledge by him annexed unto it And hence he is called the holy Spirit of promise Ephes. 1.13 Who next unto the Person of Christ was the great subject of Promises from the foundation of the world 3. By these Promises are Believers actually and really made partakers of the Spirit They are vehicula Spiritus the Chariots that bring this holy Spirit into our Souls 2 Pet. 1.4 By these great and precious Promises is the Divine Nature communicated unto us so far forth as unto the indwelling of this blessed Spirit Every Evangelical Promise is unto a Believer but as it were the cloathing of the Spirit in receiving whereof he receives the Spirit himself for some of the blessed Ends of this great salvation God makes use of the Word of the Gospel and of no other means to this purpose So that herein also it is the grace of God that bringeth salvation Thirdly In our Justification And this hath so great a share in this salvation that it is often called salvation it self And they that are justified are said to be saved as Ephes. 2.8 And this is by the Gospel alone which is a point of such importance that it is the main subject of some of Pauls Epistles and is fully taught in them all And in sundry respects it is by the Gospel 1. Because therein and thereby is appointed and constituted the New Law of Justification whereby even a sinner may come to be justified before God The Law of Justification was that he that did the Works of the Law should live in them Rom. 10.5 But this became weak and unprofitable by reason of sin Rom. 8.3 Heb. 8.7 8 9. That any sinner and we have all sinned and come short of the glory of God should be justified by this Law or Rule implyes a contradiction and is utterly impossible Wherefore God by the Gospel hath constituted a new Law of Justification even the Law of faith Rom. 3.27 which is the holy Declaration of his Will and Grace that sinners shall be justified and accepted with him by faith in the blood of Christ without the Works of the Law that he that believeth shall be saved This is equally constituted and appointed in the Law of faith to be proposed unto all that shall believe And on the account hereof the Gospel is salvation 2. Because in every Justification there must be a Righteousness before God on the account whereof the Person to be justified is to be pronounced and declared righteous this is tendered proposed and exhibited unto us in and by the Gospel This is no other but the Lord Christ himself and his Righteousness Isa. 45.21 22. Rom. 8.3 4. Rom. 10.4 2 Cor. 5.21 Gal. 3.13 14. Now Christ with his whole Righteousness and all the benefits thereof are tendered unto us and given unto or bestowed on them that do believe by the Promise of the Gospel Therein is he preached and proposed as crucified before our eyes and we are invited to accept of him which the souls of Believers through the Gospel do accordingly And 3. Faith it self whereby we receive the Lord Christ for all the Ends for which he is tendered unto us and become actually interested in all the fruits and benefits of his Mediation is wrought in us by the Word of the Gospel For as we have declared it is the seed of all Grace whatever and in especial faith cometh by hearing and hearing by this word of God Rom. 10.17 Conviction of sin is by the Law but faith is by the Gospel And this is the Way and means which God hath appointed on our part for the giving us an actual interest in Justification as established in the Law of the Gospel Rom. 5.1 Again 4. The Promise of the Gospel conveyed unto the soul by the Holy Spirit and entertained by faith compleats the justification of a believer in his own conscience and gives him assured Peace with God And then the whole work of this main branch of our salvation is wrought by the Gospel Fourthly There is in this salvation an instruction and growth in spiritual Wisdom and an Acquaintance with the Mysterie of God even of the Father and the Son which also is an Effect of the Gospel Of our selves we are not only dark and ignorant of heavenly things but darkness it self that is utterly blind and incomprehensive of spiritual Divine Mysteries Ephes. 5.8 and so under the Power of darkness Col. 1.13 as that we should no less than the Devils themselves be holden under the chains of it unto the Judgement of the great Day Darkness and ignorance as to the things of God themselves in respect of the Revelation of them and Darkness in the Mind and Understanding of them in a right manner being revealed is upon the whole world And no heart is able to conceive no tongue to express the greatness and misery of this Darkness The removal hereof is a mercy unexpressible the beginning of our entrance into Heaven
the Kingdom of Light and Glory and an especial part of our salvation For God is light and in him there is no darkness at all so that whilest we are under the power of it we can have no entercourse with him For what communion hath light with Darkness Now the removal hereof is by the Gospel 2 Cor. 4.6 God who commands light to shine out of darkness shines in our hearts to give us the knowledge of his Glory in the face of his Son and he doth it by the Illumination of the glorious Gospel of Christ v. 4. For not only is the Object revealed hereby Life and Immortality being brought to light by the Gospel but also the Eyes of our understandings are enlightened by it savingly to discern the Truths by it revealed For by it it is that both the eyes of the blind are opened and light shineth unto them that sit in darkness whence we are said to be called out of darkness into marvelous light 1 Pet. 2.9 And our Calling is no otherwise but by the Word of the Gospel And as the implanting of this heavenly Light in us is by the Word so the growth and encrease of it in spiritual Wisdom is no otherwise wrought 2 Cor. 3.18 Col. 2.2 And this spiritual Acquintance with God in Christ this saving Wisdom in the Mysterie of Grace this holy Knowledge and Understanding of the Mind of God this growing Light and insight into Heavenly things which is begun encreased and carryed on by the Gospel is an especial dawning of that Glory and immortality which this salvation tendeth ultimately unto Fifthly There belongs unto it also that Joy and Consolation which believers are made partakers of by the Holy Ghost in this world Oft times their Tryals are many their troubles great and their temptations abound in the course of their obedience And these things are ready to fill them with Cares Fears Sorrows and Disconsolation Now though our Lord Jesus Christ hath foretold his Disciples of all the tribulations and sorrows that should attend them in this world and taught them to uphold and support their spirits with the thoughts and hopes of the glory that shall be revealed yet in the salvation that he hath purchased for them there is provision of comfort with joy unspeakable and full of glory even during their pilgrimage here below Such joy indeed it is as the world knoweth not nor can know The principles and causes of it its Nature and Effects are all hidden unto them Yet such it is that all the contentments and enjoyments of this world are no way to be compared with it and such do all that have tasted of it esteem it to be Now this also is wrought in us and communicated unto us by the Gospel It is the Word of Promise whereby God gives strong consolation unto the heirs of salvation Heb. 6.17 18. And upon the receiving of this Word by faith it is that Believers rejoyce with unspeakable and full of glory Not only supportment and comfort in the bearing of troubles but glorious Exultations and Extasies of joy are oft-times wrought in the hearts of Believers by the Gospel Now they can endure now they can suffer now they can die joy is upon their heads and in their hearts and sorrow and sighing flie away Here is Rest here is Peace here are Refreshments here are Pleasures here is Life to be desired The good Lord sweeten and season all our hearts with all these Consolations these joys of his Kingdom and that by the blessed Word of his Grace Lastly to instance in no more particulars the Gospel is the Word of Salvation and the instrument in the hand of God for the conferring of it upon Believers because they shall be taken into the full possession and enjoyment of it at the last day by and according unto the word and sentence of it It is the Symbol and Tessera that gives men final admission into glory The secrets of all hearts shall be judged according to the Gospel Rom. 2.6 And by the word of it shall the Elect receive their Crown And in these respects is the Gospel a word of salvation But secondly it is said in our Proposition as in the Text to be great salvation Now we have seen that the Gospel is called salvation metonymically the Cause being called by the name of the Effect But in this adjunct of Great so great the Effect it self Salvation it self preached and tendred by the Gospel is principally intended That then in the next place we are to declare namely that this Salvation preached in the Gospel is great salvation Neither is it absolutely said to be great salvation but such or so great salvation And it is usual in the Scripture where it would suggest unto our minds and thoughts an inconceivable greatness to use some such expressions as plainly intimate somewhat more than can be expressed See 1 Pet. 4.17 18. Heb. 10.29 Joh. 3.16 So great that is absolutely so and comparatively so with respect unto the benefits received by the Law and inconceivably so beyond what we can conceive or express There ought then to be no expectation that we should declare the real greatness of this salvation which the Apostle intimates to be inexpressible we shall only point at some of those considerations wherein the greatness of it doth most principally consist and appear First it is great in the Eternal contrivance of it When sin had defaced the glory of the first Creation and the Honour of God seemed to be at a stand no way remaining to carry it on unto that End which all things at first tended unto all Creatures were and for ever would have been ignorant of a way for the retrievment of things into the former or a better Order or the bringing forth a salvation for that which was lost For besides that there were such horrible confusions and such inextricable intanglements brought upon the Creation and the several parts of it which none could discern how they might be joynted and set in order again there appeared a repugnancy in the very properties of the Divine Nature unto any relief or salvation of sinners Let sinners be saved and what shall become of the Justice Holiness and Wrath of God all which are engaged to see a meet recompence of reward rendred unto every transgression And this was enough eternally to silence the whole Creation by reason of that indispensible Obligation which is on them always and in all things to prefer the Honour and Glory of their Maker before the Being or well-being of any creatures what ever Should the holy Angels have set upon a contrivance for the salvation of sinners upon the first discovery that it would interfere and clash with the Glory of God as every contrivance of Wisdom finite and limited would have done undoubtedly yea rise up against his very Blessedness and Being they would instantly have cast it from them as an abominable thing and have rested eternally in
likeness of it was brought forth upon their souls and by the renewing of their minds transformed quite into another image in their souls Chap. 12.2 This the Apostle most excellently expresseth 2 Cor. 3.18 A constant believing contemplation of the Glory of God in this salvation by Christ will change the mind into the image and likeness of it and that by various degrees untill we attain unto perfection when we shall know as we are known Accustoming of our minds unto these things will make them heavenly and our affectious which will be conformed unto them holy This is the way to have Christ dwell plentifully in us and for our selves to grow up into him who is our head And is it nothing to get our minds purged from an evil habit enclining unto earthly things or continually forging foolish and hurtful Imaginations in our hearts This Meditation will cast the soul into another mould and frame makeing the heart a good treasure out of which may be drawn at all times Good things new and old 2. Consolation and supportment under all Afflictions will from hence spring up in the soul. When the Apostle would describe that property of faith whereby it enables a Believer to do and suffer great things joyfully and comfortably he doth it by its work and effect in this matter it is saith he the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen Chap. 11.1 that is it brings into the soul and makes evident unto it the great things of this salvation the great things of the Love and Grace of God therein and thus it doth no otherwise than by a constant contemplation and holy admiration of them and when this is once done he multiplyes instances to evince what great Effects it will produce especially in its enabling of us to go through difficulties tryals and afflictions And the same also he ascribeth unto Hope which is nothing but the souls waiting and expectation to be made partaker of the fulness of this salvation whose greatness and satisfactory Excellency it doth admire Rom. 5.2 3 4 5. When any Affliction or Tribulation presseth upon a believer hâ— can readily divert his thoughts from it unto the rich grace of God in this salvation which will fill his heart with such a sense of his love as shall carry him above all the assaults of his trouble And a direction to this purpose the Apostle pursues at large Rom. 8.16 17 18 24 25 34 35 36 37 38. This is a safe harbour for the soul to betake it self unto in every storm as he teacheth us again 2 Cor. 4.16 17 18. Whatever befalls us in our outward man though it should press so sore upon us as to ruine us in this world yet we faint not we despond not and the reason is because these things which we suffer bear no proportion unto what we enjoy or expect and the way whereby this consideration is made effectual unto us is by a constant Contemplation by faith on the great unseen things of this salvation which takes off our minds and spirits from a Valuation of the things which we presently suffer and endure And this experience assures us to be our only relief in afflictions which undoubtedly it is our wisdom to be provided for 3. The same may be said concerning Persecution one especial part of Affliction and commonly that which most entangles the minds of them that suffer Now no man can endure Persecution quietly patiently constantly according to the Will of God especially when the Devil pursues his old design of bringing it home unto their persons Job 2.5 unless he hath in readiness a greater Good which shall in its self and in his own mind out-ballance the evil which he suffers And this the Grace of this Salvation will do The soul that is exercised in the contemplation and Admiration of it will despise and triumph over all his outward sufferings which befall him on the account of his interest therein as all Persecution doth This the Apostle declares at large Rom. 8.31 32 33 34. He directs us to an holy Meditation on Gods electing Love the Death and Mediation of Christ the two springs of this Meditation And thence leads us v. 35 36. to a supposition of the great and sore persecutions that may befall us in this world and from the former consideration triumphs over it all v. 37. with a joy and exaltation beyond that of Conquerors in a battle which yet is the greatest that the nature of man is capable of in and about temporal things When the soul is prepossessed with the Glory of this Grace and his interest therein it will assuredly bear him up against all the threatnings reproaches and persecutions of this World even as it did the Apostles of old making them esteem that to be their Honour and Glory which the World looked on as their shame Acts 5.41 and without this the heart will be very ready to sink and faint 4. This also will greatly tend unto the confirmation of our faith by giving us a full Experience of the things that we do believe Then the Heart is immovable when it is established by Experience when we find a substance a reality a spiritual nourishment in things proposed unto us Now how can this be obtained unless we are conversant in our minds about them unless we dwell in our thoughts and affections upon them For thereby do we taste and find how good the Lord is in this work of his Grace Thus this duty being on many accounts of so great importance we may do well to consider wherein it consisteth and there are these four things belonging unto it First Intense Prayer for a Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation to give us an Acquaintance with the Mysterie and Grace of this great salvation In our selves we have no inbred knowledge of it nor can we by our own endeavours attain unto it We must have a new understanding given us or we shall not know him that is true 1 Job 5.20 For notwithstanding the Declaration that is made of this Mysterie in the Gospel we see that the most men live in Darkness and Ignorance of it It is only the Spirit of God which can search these deep things of God and reveal them unto us 1 Cor. 2.10 By him must he who commanded light to shine out of darkness shine into our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of this glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 4.6 And therefore the Apostle prayes for the Ephesians that God would give unto them the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation in the knowledge of him that the eyes of their understandings being opened they may know what is the hope of his calling and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the Saints and what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us ward who believe Chap. 1.17 18 19. And for the Colossians that they might come unto all riches of the
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
other duty or service what ever may he not justly expect that such a one will be diligent in the observation of all his commands especially considering also the Honour and Advantage that he hath by being taken near unto his person employed in his affairs And shall not God much more expect the like from us considering how exceedingly the priviledge we have by this relation unto him surpasseth all that men can attain by the favour of earthly Princes And if we will choose other Lords of our own to serve if we are so regardless of our selves as that we will serve our lusts and the world when God hath had such respect unto us as that he would not suffer us to be subject unto the Angels of heaven how inexcusable shall we be in our sin and folly You shall be for me saith God and not for any other what ever And are we not miserable if we like not this agreement 2. For the manner of our obedience how ought we to endeavour that it be performed with all holiness and reverence Moses makes this his great argument with the people for Holiness in all their Worship and services because no people had God so nigh unto them as they had And yet that nearness which he insisted on was but that of his Institutions and some visible Pledges and Representations therein of his Presence among them now much more cogent must the considerations of this real and spiritual nearness which God hath taken us unto himself in by Jesus needs be to the same purpose All that we do we do it immediately unto this holy God not only under his Eye and in his Presence but in an especial and immediate relation unto him by Jesus Christ. Verse VI. THe Apostle hath shewed that the World to come which the Judaical Church looked for was not made subject unto Angels no mention of any such thing being made in the Scripture That which he assumes to make good his Assertion of the Preheminence of the Lord Jesus above the Angels is that unto him it was put in subjection And this he doth not expresly affirm in words of his own but insinuateth in a Testimony out of the Scripture which he citeth and urgeth unto that purpose And this Way he proceedeth for these two ends 1. To evidence that what he taught was suitable unto the Faith of the Church of old and contained in the Oracles committed unto it which was his especial way of dealing with these Hebrews 2. That he might from the Words of that Testimony take occasion to obviate a great Objection against the Dignity of Christ and Mysteries of the Gospel taken from his Humiliation and Death and thereby make way to a farther Explication of many other Parts or Acts of â—is Mediation many Difficulties there are in the Words and Expressions of these Verses more in the Apostles Application of the Testimony by him produced unto the Person and End by him intended all which God assisting we shall endeavour to remove And to that End shall consider 1. The way and manner of his introducing this Testimony which is peculiar 2. The Testimony it self produced with an Explication of the meaning and importance of the Words in the Place from whence it is taken 3. The Application of it unto the Apostles purpose both as to the Person intended and as to the especial End aimed at And 4. Farther unfold what the Apostle adds about the death and sufferings of Christ as included in this Testimony though not intended as to the first use and design of it And 5. Vindicate the Apostles Application of this Testimony with our Explication of it accordingly from the Objections that some have made against it All which we shall pass through as they present themselves unto us in the Text it self First The manner of his citing this Testimony is somewhat peculiar One testified in a certain place Neither person nor place being specified As though he had intended 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a certain Person whom he would not name But the Reason of it is plain both Person and Place were sufficiently known to them to whom he wrote And the Syriack Translation changeth the Expression in the Text into but as the Scripture witnesseth and saith without Cause The Hebrews were not ignorant whose words they were which he made use of nor where they were recorded The one there mentioned is David and the certain place is the eighth Psalm whereof much need not to be added A Psalm it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the High Praises of God and such Psalms do mostly if not all of them respect the Messiah and his Kingdom as the Jews themselves acknowledge For the time of the Composure of this Psalm they have a conjecture which is not altogether improbable namely that it was in the Night whilest he kept his Fathers sheep Hence in his Contemplation of the Works of God he insists on the Moon and Stars then gloriously presenting themselves unto him not mentioning the Sun which appeared not So also in the Distribution that he makes of the things here below that amongst others are made subject unto man he fixeth in the first place on 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 flocks of Sheep which were then peculiarly under his care So should all the works of God and those especially about which we are conversant in our particular Callings excite us to the Admiration of his Glory and Praise of his name And none are usually more void of holy thoughts of God than those who set themselves in no way acceptable unto him This is the place from whence this Testimony is taken whose especial Author the Apostle omitteth both because it was sufficiently known and makes no difference at all who ever was the Penman of this or that Portion of Scripture seeing it was all equally given by Inspiration from God whereon alone the authority of it doth depend 2. The Testimony it self is contained in the words following v. 6 7. What is man c. Before we enter into a particular Explication of the words and of the Apostles Application of them we may observe that there are two things in general that lye plain and clear before us As First That All things whatsoever are said to be put in subjection unto man that is unto Humane Nature in one or more Persons in opposition unto Angels or nature Angelical To express the former is the plain Design and Purpose of the Psalmist as we shall see And whereas there is no such Testimony any where concerning Angels it is evident that the meaning of the word is unto man and not unto Angels which the Apostle intimates in that adversative 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but but of man it is said not of Angels Secondly That this Priviledge was never absolutely nor universally made good in or unto the nature of man but in or with respect unto the Person of Jesus Christ the Messiah This the Apostle call us to the
that Rest and Satisfaction in them which he had not in himself before for that which is Infinite must necessarily and unavoidably give eternal satisfaction unto that which is Infinite but only by a most free Act of his Will he chose by the Creation of all things to express somewhat of his Power Wisdom and Goodness in something without himself Absolutely he was self-sufficient from all Eternity and that both as to Rest Satisfaction and Blessedness in himself as also in respect of any Operation as to outward Works which his Will and Wisdom should encline him unto being every way able and powerful in and from himself to do what ever he pleaseth And this infinite satisfaction and complacency of God in himself arising from that fulness of Divine Being which is in all the Properties of his Nature is another Object of our holy Admiration and Adoration This God was this God did before the world was created Now what is man that this every way all-sufficient God should mind regard and visit him Hath he any need of him or his services Doth his Goodness extend to him Can he profit God as a man profiteth his neighbour If he sin what doth he against him Or if his transgressions be multiplied what doth he against him That is to his disadvantage If he be righteous what giveth he unto him or what receiveth he at his hand Job 35.6 7. Nothing but Infinite Condescension and Grace is the fountain of all Gods regard unto us Thirdly His Infinite and Eternal Power is by the same means manifested This the Apostle expresly affirms Rom. 1.20 He that made all these things of nothing and therefore can also make and create in like manner what ever else besides he pleaseth must needs be infinite in power or as he is called the Lord God Omnipotent Rev. 19.6 This himself sets forth in general Isa. 40.28 And to convince Job hereof he treats with him in particular instances about some few of his fellow creatures here below in the Earth and in the Waters Chap. 38.39 And if the Power of God in making this or that creature which we see and behold be so admirable declaring his Soveraignty and the infinite distance of man from him in his best condition how glorious is it in the whole Vniverse and in the creation of all things visible and invisible and that by a secret Emanation of Omnipotency in a Word of Command The Art of man will go far in the framing fashioning and ordering of things but there are two things in the least of the creatures of God that make the creating Energie that is seen in them infinitely to differ from all limited and finite power First That they are brought out of nothing now let all Creatures combine their Strength and Wisdom together unless they have some praeexistent matter to work upon they can produce nothing effect nothing Secondly To many of his creatures of the least of them God hath given life and spontaneous motions to all of them an especial inclination and operation following inseparably the Principles of their Nature But as all created Power can give neither life nor spontaneous motion nor growth to any thing no more can it plant in any thing a new natural principle that should encline it unto a new kind of Operation which was not originally connatural unto it There is a peculiar impress of Omnipotency upon all the works of God as he declares at large in that Discourse with Job Chap. 38.39 And this Power is no less effectual nor less evident in his sustentation and preservation of all things than in his creation of them Things do no more subsist by themselves than they were made by themselves He sustaineth all things by the word of his power Heb. 1.3 And by him all things consist Col. 1.17 He hath not made the World and then turned it off his hand to stand on its own bottom and shift for it self But there is continually every moment an emanation of Power from God unto every creature the greatest the least the meanest to preserve them in their Being and Order which if it were suspended but for one moment they would all lose their station and being and by confusion be reduced into nothing In him we live and move and have our being Acts 7.28 and He giveth unto all life and breath and all things verse 25. God needs not put forth any act of his Power to destroy the Creation the very suspension of that constant emanation of Omnipotency which is necessary unto its subsistence would be sufficient for that end and purpose And who can admire as he ought this Power of God which is greater in every particular grass of the field than we are able to search into or comprehend And what is man that he should be mindful of him Fourthly His Wisdom also shines forth in these works of his hands In wisdom hath he made them all Psal. 104.24 So also 136.5 his Power was that which gave all things their Being but his Wisdom gave them their Order beauty and use How admirable this is how incomprehensible it is unto us Zophar declares in Job chap. 11. verse 6 7 8 9 10. The secrets of this Wisdom are double unto what may be known of it infinitely more than we can attain to the knowledge of Searching will not do it it is absolutely incomprehensible He that can take but a little weak faint consideration of the glorious Disposition of the Heavenly Bodies their Order Course Respect to each other their usefulness and influences their disposition and connexion of Causes and Effects here below the orderly concurrence and subserviency of every thing in its place and operation to the consistency use and beauty of the Vniverse will be forced to cry out with the Psalmist O Lord how manifold are thy works in wisdom hast thou made them all the earth is full of thy riches But alas what can the best and wisest of men attain unto in the investigation of the Wisdom of God There is not the least creature but considered apart by it self hath somewhat belonging unto it that will bring them unto wonder and astonishment And what shall we say concerning the most glorious concerning the Order of them all unto one another and the whole there must all mens considerations end and among them this of ours Fifthly His Goodness is in like manner manifest in these things There is in the whole and every part of God's Creation a four-fold goodness 1. A goodness of being and subsistence That which is so far forth as it is is good So God saw all things as he made them that they were good The very being of every thing is its first goodness on which all other concernments of it do depend And this ariseth from hence because thereby and therein it participates of the first absolute Goodness which is Being whereunto a nothingness if I may so speak is negatively opposed ad infinitum 2. A
the Apostles rejoyced thâ—t they had the honour to suffer shame for his Name Acts 5.41 that is the things which the world looked on as shameful but themselves knew to be honourable They are so in the sight of God of the Lord Jesus Christ of all the holy Angels which are competent judges in this case God hath a great cause in the world and that such a one as wherein his Name his Goodness his Love his Glory is concerned this in his infinite Wisdom is to be witnessed confirmed testified unto by sufferings Now can there be any greater Honour done unto any of the sons of men than that God should single them out from among the rest of mankind and appoint them unto this work Men are honoured according to their riches and treasures And when Moses came to make a right judgment concerning this thing he esteemed the reproach of Christ greater riches than all the treasures of Egypt Heb. 1â— 29 We believe that God gave great honour unto the Apostles and Martyrs of old in all their sufferings Let us labour for the same spirit of faith in reference unto our selves and it will relieve us under all our trials This then also hath Christ added unto the way of sufferings by his consecration of it for us All the glory and honour of the world is not to be compared with theirs unto whom it is given in the behalf of Christ not only to believe on him but also to suffer for him 1 Pet. 4.14 15 16. Thirdly He hath thereby made them usâ—ful and profitable Troubles and afflictions in themselves and their own nature have no good in them nor do they tend unto any good end they grow out of the first sentence against sin and are in their own nature poenal tending unto death and nothing else Nor are they in those who have no interest in Christ any thing but effects of the wrath of God But the Lord Christ by his consecrating of them to be the way of our following him hath quite altered their nature and tendency he hath made them good useful and profitable I shall not here shew the usefulness of Afflictions and sufferings the whole Scripture abundantly testifieth unto it and the experience of Believers in all ages and seasons confirms it I only shew whence it is that they become so and that is because the Lord Christ hath consecrated dedicated and sanctified them unto that end He hath thereby cut them off from their old stock of wrath and the curse and planted them on that of Love and Good-will He hath taken them off from the Covenant of works and translated them into that of Grace He hath turned their course from death towards life and immortality mixing his Grace Love and Wisdom with these bitter waters he hath made them sweet and wholesome And if we would have benefit by them we must always have regard unto this consecration of them Fourthly He hath made them safe They are in their own nature a Wilderness wherein men may endlesly wander and quickly lose themselves But he hath made them a way a safe way That way-faring men though fools may not erre therein Never did a Believer perish by afflictions or persecutions never was good Gold or Silver consumed or lost in this Furnace Hypocrites indeed and false Professors fearful and unbelievers are discovered by them and discarded from their hopes But they that are Disciples indeed are never safer than in this way and that because it is consecrated for them Sometimes it may be through their unbelief and want of heeding the Captain of their salvation they are wounded and cast down by them for a season but they are still in the way they are never turned quite out of the way And this through the grace of Christ doth turn also unto their advantage Nay it is not only absolutely a safe way but comparatively more safe than the way of Prosperity And this the Scripture with the experience of all Saints bear plentiful witness unto And many other blessed ends are wrought by the consecration of this way for the Disciples of Christ not now to be insisted on There remains yet to be considered in the words of the Apostle the Reason why the Captain of our salvation was to be consecrated by sufferings and this he declares in the beginning of the Verse It became God so to deal with him which he amplifies by that description of him For whom are all things and by whom are all things Having such a design as he had to bring many sons unto glory and being he for whom are all things and by whom are all things it became him so to deal with the Captain of their salvation What is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here intended and what is the importance of the word was declared before This Becomingness what ever it be it ariseth from hence That God is he for whom are all things and by whom are all things It became him not only who is so but as he is so and because he is so There is no reason for the addition of that consideration of God in this matter but that the cause is in them contained and expressed why it became him to do that which is here ascribed unto him We are then to enquire what it is that is principally regarded in God in this Attribution and thence we shall learn how it became him to bring the Lord Christ unto suffering Now the description of God in these words is plainly of him as the first Cause and last End of all things neither is it absolutely his Power in making all of nothing and his Sovereign Eternal Being requiring that all things tend unto his glory that are intended in the words But he is the Governour Ruler and Judge of all things made by him and for him with respect unto that Order and Law of their Creation which they were to observe This Rule and Government of all things taking care that as they are of God so they should be for him is that which the Apostle respects This then is that which he asserts namely that it became God as the Governour Ruler and Judge of all to consecrate Christ by sufferings which must be farther explained Man being made an intellectual Creature had a Rule of Moral Obedience given unto him This was he to observe to the glory of his Creator and Law-giver and as the condition of his coming unto him and enjoyment of him This is here supposed by the Apostle and he discourseth how man having broken the Law of his Creation and therein come short of the glory of God might by his grace be again made partaker of it With respect unto this state of things God can be no otherwise considered but as the Supreme Governour and Judge of them Now that Property of God which he exerteth principally as the Ruler and Governour of all is his Justice Justitia regiminis the Righteousness of Government Hereof there are
them as that they might enjoy the blessed effects thereof in deliverance and salvation Thirdly The Apostle lays down an Inference from his preceding assertion in those words For which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren In which words we have 1. The respect of that which is here affirmed unto the assertion fore-going for which cause 2. The thing it self affirmed which is That the Lord Christ calls the sons to be brought unto glory his brethren 3. The manner of his so doing he is not ashamed to call them so And herein also the Apostle according to his wonted way of proceeding which we have often observed makes a transition towards somewhat else which he had in design namely the Prophetical Office of Christ as we shall see afterwards For which cause that is because they are of one partakers of one common nature He calls them brethren This gives a rightful foundation unto that Appellation Hereon is built that relation which is between him and them It is true there is more required to perfect the relation of Brotherhood between him and them than meerly their being of one but it is so far established from hence that he was meet to suffer for them to sanctifie and save them And without this there could have been no such relation Now his calling of them Brethren doth both declare that they are so and also that he owns them and avouches them as such But whereas it may be said that although they are thus of one in respect of their common nature yet upon sundry other accounts he is so glorious and they are so vile and miserable that he might justly disavow this cognation and reject them as strangers The Apostle tells us it is otherwise and that passing by all other distances between them and setting aside the consideration of their unworthiness for which he might justly disavow them and remembring wherefore he was of one with them he is not ashamed to call them brethren There may be a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the words and the contrary asserted to that which is denied he is not ashamed that is willingly cheerfully and readily he doth it But I rather look upon it as an expression of condescension and love and herein doth the Apostle shew the use of what he taught before that they were of one namely that thereby they became Brethren he meet to suffer for them and they meet to be saved by him What in all this the Apostle confirms by the ensuing testimonies we shall see in the explication of them in the mean time we may learn for our own instruction IV. That notwithstanding the union of nature which is between the Son of God incarnate the Sanctifier and the children that are to be sanctified there is in respect of their Persons as inconceivable distance between them so that it is a marvellous condescension in him to call them brethren He is not ashamed to call them so though considering what himself is and what they are it should seem that he might justly be so The same expression for the like reasons is used concerning Gods owning his people in covenant chap. 11.16 Wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God And this distance between Christ and us which makes his condescension so marvellous relates unto a four-fold head First The immunity of the nature wherein he was of one with us in his Person from all sin He was made like unto us in all things sin excepted The nature of man in every other individual person is defiled with and debased by sin We are every one gone astray and are become altogether filthy or abhominable This sets us at no small distance from him Humane nature defiled with sin is farther distanced from the same nature as pure and holy in worth and excellency than the meanest worm is from the most glorious Angel Nothing but sin casts the creature out of its own place and puts it into another distance from God than it hath by being a creature This is a debasement unto hell as the Prophet speaks Thou didst debase thy self-even unto hell Isa. 57.9 And therefore the condescension of God unto us in Christ is set out by his regarding of us when we were enemies unto him Rom. 5.10 that is whilst we were sinners as verse 8. This had cast us into hell it self at the most inconceivable distance from him Yet this hindred not him who was holy harmless undefiled separate from sinners to own us as his brethren He says not with those proud hypocrites in the Prophet Stand farther off I am holier than you but he comes unto us and takes us by the hand in his love to deliver us from this condition Secondly We are in this nature obnoxious unto all miseries in this world and that which is to come Man now is born to trouble all the trouble that sin can deserve or a provoked God inflict his misery is great upon him and that growing and endless He justly in himself free from all obnoxious to nothing that was grievous or irksome no more than the Angels in heaven or Adam in Paradise Poena noxam sequitur Punishment and trouble follow guilt only naturally He did no sin nor was there guile found in his mouth so that God was always well pleased with him What ever of hardship or difficulty he underwent it was for us and not for himself Might not he have left us to perish in our condition and freely enjoyed his own We see how unapt those who are in prosperity full and rich are to take notice of their nearest Relations in poverty misery and distress and who among them would do so if it would cast them into the state of those who are already miserable yet so it did the Lord Christ. His calling us brethren and owning of us made him instantly obnoxious unto all the miseries the guilt whereof we had contracted upon our selves The owning of his alliance unto us cost him as it were all he was worth for being rich for our sakes he became poor He came into the prison and into the furnace to own us And this also renders his condescension marvellous Thirdly He is inconceivably distanced from us in respect of that Place and Dignity which he was designed unto This as we have shewed at large was to be Lord of all with absolute sovereign authority over the whole Creation of God We are poor abjects who either have not bread to eat or have no good right to eat that which we meet withall Sin hath set the whole Creation against us And if Mephibosheth thought it a great condescension in David on his Throne to take notice of him being poor who was yet the son of Jonathan what is it in this King of Kings to own us for Brethren in our vile and low condition Thoughts of his glorious Exaltation will put a lustre on his condescension in this matter Fourthly He is infinitely distanced from us in his