Page images
PDF
EPUB

CHAP. I.

The CONTENTS.

The Apostle's first Argument for diffwading the Jewish Chriftians from Apoftizing from Christianity to the Jewifh Religion; viz. The Truth and Certainty of Christ's Religion, and the Superlative Dignity of his Perfon, not only above Mofes, but even thofe very Angels by whom the Jewish Law was delivered.

G

OD who at fun- 1 & 2. dry * times,and in divers manners, spake in time past unto the fathers by the Prophets,

T

O preferve you, dear Written Brethren, from that A. D. 63. general Apoftacy from the Christian Faith, to which the falfe Doctrines, and furious Perfecutions of the Jews 2 Hath in these are now fo prevalent to draw the laft days fpoken unto Believers of that Nation: Let me us by his Son, whom request you seriously to confider, he has appointed heir that your Chriftian Religion is a Reof all things, by whom velation from the fame God, who alfo he made the in feveral Times, Manners and Deworlds. grees, revealed his Will to your Forefathers, down from Adam, Abraham, Mofes, and all the Jewish Prophets, to this Day; wherein he has made the Laft and Compleat Discovery of his Divine Will to us and all Mankind, by Jefus Chrift, the promised Meffiah: A Person of moft Superlative Dignity and Excellence, being that Word † and Son of God, by whom the Father Created the whole World, and governs all the Dispenfations of it, and has Conftituted him the Lord and Governour over all Created Beings.

3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the exprefs image of his perfon, and upholding all

things

3. Whose Origination is not like that of other Prophets and Lawgivers, of mere Human and Mortal Extraction, nor produced into Being by the Agency of any Subordinate Power,

as

* Ver. 1. At fundry Times. Apps, or in fundry Parts, or Parcels.

I,

Job i

&c.

† τε αιώνας. The Ages or Difpenfations.

A.D. 63. things by the word of his power, when he - had by himfelf purged our fins, fate down on the right hand of the majesty on high:

μαι

33.

as inftrumental in his Production; He being an inimediate Ray of the Divine Majefty it felf; the perfect Image and Refemblance of God the Father, by whom the Father made and preferves all Things. Nor did He, after the great Sacrifice of himself in the Flesh, for the perfect Redemption of Mankind, die and leave us, like other Priests; but was exalted to the highest Degree of Heavenly Glory and Majefty, to become a moft powerful and conftant Interceffor with the Father for all true Believers.

4 Being made fo
much better than the
Angels, as he hath by

inheritance obtained a
more excellent name
than they.

ly be feen from all the Perfon, Office, 5 For unto which A xiii. of the Angels faid he at any time, Thou art

my fon, this day have
I begotten thee? And
again, I will be to him
a Father, and he fhall
be to me a Son?

4. Thus is Chrift, in Dignity of Nature and Character, far Superior, not only to all Mankind, but even to the very Angels, by whofe Miniftry the Mofai al Law was delivered to your Nation. As may moft clearthofe Scripture Paflages that defcribe and Authority of the Meffiah.

5. Thus (in Pfal. ii.) He is ftiled, the || Son, the peculiarly Begotten Son of God. And (in 2 Sam. vii. 14. 1 Chron. xxii. 10.) God declares Himfelf his Father, by way of special Eminence. Which Expreffions, as they could no way be applicable + to the Perfons of David or Solomon (though the most famous Princes) fo neither were fuch diftinguishing Characters ever given to the highest Angel or Archangel whatever; but must be meant of Christ, of whom David was a Type and Figure.

6+ And again, when he bringeth in the firftbegotten

6. Again, The Scripture, in other Paffages, fpeaking † of the Trium

* See the learned Mr. Pierce's Note upon this Verfe.

And again, when he bringeth in

phant

εισαγάγῃ may refer either to the Scripture, or to God the Father. The bringing Him again into the World, may fignify either the Scriptures fpeaking again of Chrift's coming into the World, or the Father's bringing Christ into the World again at his Refurrection, fay fome, or at the last Day of Judgment, as others. I have expreffed it as agreeably as I could to each of these Acceptations.

begotten into the world, he faith, And let all the Angels of God worship him.

phant Refurrection of Christ, and his A. D. 63.
being made the Saviour, Lord, and
Judge of the whole World, repre-

fents God the Father as Command

ing All Angels to Reverence Him, (Pfal. xcvii. 7. * )

7 And of the Angels he faith, Who maketh his Angels fpirits, and his minifters a flame of fire.

7. Whereas, the loftieft Titles the Scriptures ever give to the Angels, are no higher than thofe of Messengers and Minifters of God; comparing them, for their Swiftness and Efficacy in their Office, to Winds and Flames (Pfal. 1 0 Oxilir 20, 21.)

...

8 But unto the Son be faith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever, a scepter of righteoufness is the Scepter of thy kingdom:

9 Thou haft loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladnefs above thy fellows. 10 And, Thou, Lord,

8, 9, 10, 11 & 12. But, in a quite different Strain, does David reprefent the Meffiah; viz. As the Only Son of God, the Creator, Lord and Governour of the whole World; as a perfectly Wife, Just, and Righteous Governour over all Created Beings; and not, like them of a Created, Finite and Temporary Existence, at least of a Finite and Temporary Authority, but of a Nature and Dominion truly Divine, Eternal and Immutable.

:

in the beginning haft laid the foundation of the earth and the heavens are the works of thine hands.

11 They fhall perish, but thou remainest and they all shall wax old as doth a garment.

12 And as a vesture fhalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed, but thou art the fame, and thy years shall not fail.

13 But to which of the Angels faid he at

any

13. So alfo, when the Pfalmift (Pfal.cx. 1.) introduceth God the

Father

*Deut. xxxii. 43. according to the LXX; and to that Paffage, in all Probability (as fome think) the Apostle refers; that of Pjal. xcvii. 7. being, not as 'tis here, All the Angels of God, but All ye Gods. But as Angels are often ftiled Gods in Scripture, there is no Weight in that Argument. See Mr. Pierce upon this Place..

A. D. 63. any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool?

Father speaking to Chrift his Son, to take Poffeffion of his utmost Height of Heavenly Glory and Majefty, and get the entire Conqueft over Sin, Satan, Death, and all the Enemies of his Kingdom: It is in such Expreffions as are infinitely too great to be meant of the moft Exalted Angel or Created Spirit.

14 Are they not all miniftring fpirits, fent forth to minifter for them who should be

14. In fine, the higheft of Angels are but Minifters and Messengers of God; they were but Ministers in delivering the Law the Jews fo much boast of; and they are still the fame to the Chriftian Church; Affifting and Miniftring to Us, in fuch Measures as God is pleafed to appoint: But Chrift is the Lord and Head over both Us and Them*.

heirs of falvation?

* Note, For a more compleat Understanding of the Force of the Apoftle's Argument in thefe Paffages, I can do nothing better than to refer the Reader to the learned Notes of Mr. Pierce.

CHA P. II.

The CONTENTS.

An Inference from the foregoing Argument; viz. That
Chriftians are obliged to the utmost Care and Conftancy
in their Religion, as being delivered by a Perfon of greater
Dignity than the very Angels that conveyed the Mofaical
Law. The Excellency of Christ's Perfon further illuftra-
ted. His being a Suffering Saviour no Objection; but
the utmoft Teftimony of the Wisdom and Goodness of the
Chriftian Difpenfation, for the Benefit of finful Mankind.
1. HE Superlative Dignity then
of the Perfon of Jefus Chrift,
ought to render you the more regard-
ful of the Religion, and the more re-
folute to adhere to the Doctrines he
has revealed to us; so as never to be
drawn, or tempted from them.
2, 3 & 4. For

Hereforewe ought
T
to give the more
earneft heed to the
things which we have
heard, left at any time
we should let them flip.
2 For

·T

2 For if the word spoken by Angels was ftedfaft, and every tranfgreffion and difo

bedience received a juft recompence of reward:

3 How shall we escape if we neglect fo great falvation, which at the first began to be fpoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him.

4 God alfo bearing them witness, both with figns and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Gholt, according to his own will?

5

For unto the An

2 3 & 4. For if God did in fo A.D.63. exact and fevere a Manner, vindicate the Honour of the Jewish Law; that was convey'd to that People by the Miniftry of Angels only; infomuch that every contemptuous Violation of it was punished with immediate Death*, and had no Sacri- Chap. v., fices to attone for it: How much more dreadful must be the Punishment of fuch as wilfully neglect and forfake the Mercies of the Christian Religion, that were revealed and brought down to us from Heaven by the very Son of God Himself; the Truth whereof was, in fuch ample Manner, demonftrated to us His Apoftles, by the Powers of the Holy Ghoft; and by us to the rest of Mankind?

5. Remember, I fay, that your gels hath he not put Religion was conveyed to Mankind in fubjection the world by one that is Superior to all Angels; to come, whereof we and that the Chriftian Church has the speak. Happiness to be under the immediate Conduct and Government of the Son of God himself. 6 But one in a cer

tain place testified, saying, What is man that or the fon of man that thou vifiteft

thou art mindful of

him?

7 Thou madeft him a little lower than the Angels, thou crowneft him with glory and honour, and didft fet

him over the works of thy hands.

6, 7 & 8. Of whom those Words of the Pfalmist (Psal. viii. 4, &c.) [though we fhould fuppofe they were] primarily fpoken of Adam, and his Pofterity in general; yet, in their Full and Compleat Senfe, could not be true of Them; because they exprefly represent a Person as perfect Lord and Governour over all Created Beings; a compleat Conqueror over all the Enemies of God's Kingdom; which can never be faid of Adam, or of any Branch of Human Race.

8 Thou haft put all things in fubjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we fee not yet all things put under him.

[ocr errors]

Whereas

« EelmineJätka »