Exercitation on Hebrews

(so sometimes they call the whole Volume) is divided into three parts, the Law, the Prophets, and the Holy Writings. All comprised generally under the Name of the Law; for so they say in Midrash Tehillim. Psalm 78. v. 1. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the Psalms are the Law, and the Prophets are the Law ; that is the whole Scripture.

This distribution so far as it is intimated in the words of our Savior, doth evidently arise from the Nature and Subject Matter of the Books themselves. And this was the received division of the Books of the Old Testament, whilst the Judaical Church stood and Continued; But the Postalmudicall Doctors overlooking or neglecting the true Reason of this Distribution, have fancied others, taken from the different manners and degrees of Revelation, by which they were given out unto the Church. Amongst these they make the Revelation to Moses the most excellent, and are very vain in coining the Privileges and Preeminences it had above all others, which are elsewhere examined. In the next degree they place those which proceeded from the Spirit of Prophesy, which they distinguish from the Inspiration of the Holy Ghost. Yea, in the eleven degrees of Divine Revelation assigned by Maimonides Mor. Nebu: par. 2. That by Inspiration is cast into the last and lowest place. But this distinction is groundless and merely fancied out of the various ways, that God was pleased to use in representing things to the minds of the Prophets; when it was in them all, the Inspiration of the Holy Ghost alone, that enabled them infallibly to declare the mind of God unto the Church, 2 Pet. 1.21.

Now the Books thus given by the Spirit of Prophesy they make of two sorts; 1. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the former Prophets, which are all the Historical Books of the Old Testament written before the Captivity, as Joshua, Judges, Samuel, Kings; Ruth only excepted: 2. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , which are all the Prophetical Books peculiarly so called, Daniel only excepted; that is Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and the twelve Minor Prophets; Of the last sort, or 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Cethubim, Books written by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, are the Poetical Books of the Scripture; Psalms, Job, Proverbs, Canticles, Lamentations, with Ecclesiastes, whereunto they add Ruth, Daniel and the Historical Books written after the Captivity, as the Chronicles, Ezra, and Nehemiah, which make up the Canon of the Old Testament; why sundry of these Books should be cast into the last sort, as the Story of Ruth, and the Prophesy of Daniel, they can give no tolerable account. The other Books also written after the Captivity are plainly of the same nature with those which they call the former Prophets; And for that of Daniel, it contains in it almost all the eminent kinds of Revelation whereby themselves would distinguish the Spirit of Prophesy from the Inspiration of the Holy Ghost. Neither have they any Reason for this distribution; but finding the general division before mentioned to have been received in the Church of old, they have disposed of the particular Books into their orders, at their pleasure, casting Daniel as is probable into their last order, because so many of his Visions and Prophesies relate unto other Nations besides their own.

The Law or the Books of Moses they call 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , or the Pentateuch from the number of the Books; or 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the fives, or the five parts of the Law ; whereunto Jerome in his Epistle to Paulinus, wrests those words of the Apostle, 1 Cor. 14.19. I had rather speak 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , five words in the Church ; as if he had respect to the Law of Moses.

These five Books they divide into Paraschae, or Sections, whereof they read one each Sabbath day in their Synagogues; Genesis into twelve, Exodus into eleven, Leviticus into ten; Numbers into ten; Deuteronomy into ten; which all make fifty-three; whereby reading one each day, and two in one day, they read through the whole in the course of a year, beginning at the Feast of Tabernacles. And this they did of old, as James testifies, Acts 15.21. For Moses of Old time hath in every City them that preach him, being read in the Synagogues every Sabbath day. Some of them make fifty four of these Sections, dividing the last of Genesis into two, beginning the latter at Chap. 47. v. 18. constituting the following Chapter in a distinct Section, though it have not the usual note of them prefixed unto it, but only one single Samech ; to note, as they say, its being absolutely closed or shut up, on the account of the Prophesy of the coming of the Messiah, Chap. 49. whose season is unknown to them.

They also divide it into lesser Sections; and those of two sorts; open and close, which [§ 3] have their distinct marks in their Bibles, and many superstitious Observations they have about the beginning and ending of them. Of the first sort there are in Gen. 43. of the latter 48. In Exodus of the first sort 69. of the latter 95. In Leviticus of the first sort 52. of the Latter 46. In Numbers of the first 92. of the latter 66. Deuteronomy of the first sort 34. of the latter 379. in all 669. Besides they observe the number of the Verses at the end of every Book: as also that 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Levite. 11.42. is the middle letter of the Law; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Lev. 10, 16. the middle word; Levite. 13.33. the middle Verse; the number of all which through the Law is 23206.

Moreover they divide the Law, or five Books of Moses into 153. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Sedarim, or Distinctions; whereof Genesis contains 42. Exodus 29. Leviticus 23. Numbers 32. Deuteronomy 27. which kind of Distinctions they also observe throughout the Scripture, assigning unto Joshua 14. Judges 14. Samuel 34. Kings 35. Isaiah 26. Jeremiah 31. Ezekiel 29. the Lesser Prophets 21. Psalms 19. Job. 8. Proverbs 8. Ecclesiastes 4. Canticles and Lamentations are not divided; Daniel 7. Ester 7. Ezra and Nehemiah 10. Chronicles 25.

Besides they distribute the Prophets into Sections called Haphters, that answer the Sections which are read every Sabbath day in their Synagogues; And this Division of the Prophets they affirm to have been made in the days of Antiochus Epiphanes, whom they call 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , that wicked one, when the reading of the Law was prohibited unto them. All which things are handled at large by others.

Having for a long season lost the Promise of the Spirit, and therewith all saving [§ 4] spiritual Knowledge of the mind and will of God in the Scripture, the best of their employment about it, hath been in reference to the Words and Letters of it, wherein their diligence hath been of use in the preservation of the Copies of it entire and free from corruption; For after that the Canon of the Old Testament was completed in the days of Ezra, and Points or Vowels added to the Letters, to preserve the Knowledge of the Tongue, and facilitate the right Reading and Learning of it, it is incredible what industry, diligence and curiosity they have used in and about the Letter of the whole Scripture. The collection of their pains and Observations to this purpose is called the Massora or Messara, consisting in Criticall Observations upon the words and letters of the Scripture, begun to be collected of old, even it may be from the days of Ezra, and continued until the time of Composing the Talmud, with some additional Observations since annexed unto it.

The Writers, Composers and Gatherers of this work they call 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 whose principal Observations were gathered and published by Rabbi Jacob Chaiim, and annexed to the Venetian Bibles ; whereas before the Massora was written in other Books innumerable. In this their Critical Doctrine, they give us the number of the Verses of the Scripture, as also how often every Word is used in the whole, and with what variety, as to Letters and Vowels; what is the whole number of all the Letters in the Bible, and how often each Letter is severally used, with innumerable other useful Observations; the sum whereof is gathered by Buxtorfe in his excellent Treatise on that subject. And herein is the knowledge of their Masters bounded; they go not beyond the Letter, but are more blind than Moles in the Spiritual sense of it. And thus they continue an example of the righteous Judgment of God, in giving them up to the Counsels of their own hearts, and an evident instance how unable the Letter of the Scripture is to furnish men with the saving knowledge of the Will of God, who enjoy not the Spirit promised in the same Covenant to the Church of the Elect, Isa 59.21.

[§ 5] Unto that ignorance of the mind of God in the Scripture which is spread over them, they have added another prejudice against the Truth, in a strange Figment of an Oral Law, which they make equal unto, yea in many things prefer before, that which is written. The Scripture becoming a lifeless Letter unto them, the true understanding of the mind of God being utterly departed and hid from them, it was impossible that they should rest therein, or content themselves with what is revealed by it. For as the word whilst it is enjoyed and used according to the mind of God, and is accompanied with that Spirit which is promised to lead them that believe, into all Truth, is full of sweetness and life to the souls of men, a perfect Rule of walking before God, and that which satiates them with wisdom and knowledge; so when it is enjoyed merely on an outward account as such a writing, without any dispensation of suitable Light and Grace, it will yield men no satisfaction, which makes them constantly turn aside to other means and ways of knowing and serving God. This being so eminent in the Jews, and the Medium they have fixed on to supply that want, which they suppose to be in the Scripture, but is indeed in themselves, proving to be the great Engine of their hardening and obstinacy in their Infidelity; I shall first declare what it is that they intend by the Oral Law, and then briefly show the absurdity and falseness of their pretensions about it; though it must not be denied that it is one of the most Antient Fables that is credited amongst any of the Sons of men at this day in the world.

[§ 6] This Oral Law they affirm to be an unwritten Tradition and Exposition of the written Law of Moses, given unto him in Mount Sinai, and committed by him to Joshua and the Sanhedrim, to be by them delivered over by Oral Tradition unto those who should succeed them in the Government of that Church. It doth not appear that in the days of Christ or his Apostles, whilst the Temple was standing that there was any stated opinion amongst them about this Oral Law ; though it is evident that not long after it began to be received by the body of the People. Nay it is evident that there was no such Law then acknowledged; For the Sadducees who utterly reject all the main Principles of it, were then not only tolerated, but also in chief Rule, one of them being High Priest.

That they had multiplied many superstitious Observances amongst them under the name of Traditions, is most clear in the Gospel; and it doth not appear that then they knew whom to assign their original unto, and therefore indefinitely called them the Traditions of the Elders, or those that lived of old before them. After the Destruction of their Temple, when they had lost the life and spirit of that Worship, which the Scripture revealed, betaking themselves wholly unto their Traditional figments, they began to bethink themselves how they might give countenance to their Apostasy from the Perfection and Doctrine of the written Law. For this end they began to fancy that these Traditions were no less from God, than the written Law itself. For when Moses was forty days and forty nights in the Mountain, they say that in the day time he wrote the Law from the mouth of God, and in the night, God instructed him in the Oral Law, or unwritten Exposition of it, which they have received by Tradition from him. For when he came down from the Mount, after he had read unto them the Written Law, as they say, he repeated to Aaron and Eleazar and the Sanhedrim, all that secret instruction which he had received in the night from God, which it was not lawful for him to write; but in especial he committed the whole to Joshua. Joshua did the same to Eleazar, as he did to his Son Phi • ease, after whom they give us a Catalogue of several Prophets that lived in the ensuing generations, all whom they employ in this service of conveying down the Oral Law to their Successors. The High Priests also they give a place unto in this work; of whom there were eighty three from the first Institution of that Office, to the destruction of the Temple; Joseph. lib. 20. cap. 18. From Aaron to the building of Solomon's Temple thirteen; from thence to the Captivity eighteen; all the rest take up the troublesome time of the Apostasy of their Church unto the final ruin of it; their Rulers being many because of their wickedness, as themselves observe.

The last Person whom they would have to preserve the Oral Law absolutely pure, was that Simeon, whom they call 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the Just, mentioned by Jesus the Son of Sirach, Chap. 50. And it is very observable, that the latter Jews have left out Simeon the Son of Hillel, whom their ancient Masters placed upon the Roll of the Preservers of this Treasure, supposing he might be that Simeon who in his old age received our Savior in his arms, when he was presented in the Temple, Luke 2.25. a crime sufficient among the Jews to brand him with a perpetual ignominy: neither are they alone in turning men's glory, into reproach and shame.

After the destruction of the Temple and City, when the evil Husbandmen were slain, [§ 7] and the Vineyard of the Lord let out to others, the Kingdom given to another Nation, and therewith the Covenant sanctified use of the Scripture, the remaining Jews having lost wholly the mind of God therein, betook themselves to their Traditions, and as I said before, began to fancy and contend that they came from God himself; whereas their Predecessors durst not plead anything for them, but that they came unto them from th • m of old, that is some of the Masters of preceding Generations. Hereupon a while after, (as I have elsewhere shown at large) one of them whom they call Rabbi Jud • Hum • si, and Hakkadosh, the Prince, and the Holy, took upon him to gather their scattered Traditions, and to cast them into form, order, and method, in Writing, that they might be unto the Jews a Rule of Life and Worship forever. The Story of his work and undertaking is given us by Maimonides in Jad Chazacha, the Authors of Sedar Ol •• n, Halicoth Olam, Tzemach David, and many others; and they all agree that this their great Master lived about the times of Marcus Antoninus two hundred years, or thereabouts after the destruction of City and Temple.

This Collection of his they call 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 or 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Mishne, or Mishnaioth, being as is [§ 8] pretended 〈◊〉 repetition of the Law in an Exposition of it; indeed a farrago of all sorts of Traditions, true, and false; with a monstrous mixture of Lyes, useless, foolish and wicked. The things contained in it, are by themselves referred to five heads: 1. The Oral Law received by Moses on Mount Sinai, preserved by the means before declared: 2. Oral Constitutions of Moses himself after he came down from the Mount: 3. Constitutions and Orders drawn by various ways of arguing; (13. as Rambam tells us) out of the written Law; 4. The Answers and Decrees of the Sanhedrim ; and other wise men in former Ages; 5. Immemoriall Customs, whose original being unknown are supposed to be divine.

The Whole is divided into six parts: noted with the initial letter of the word which [§ 9] signifies the chief things treated on in it. As the first by 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , z, that is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Zeraim, Seeds ; which is divided into eleven Massicktot or Treatises, containing all of them seventy five Chapters. The second by 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , m, that is, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Moad, or appointed feasts, which is distributed into Twelve Massicktot, containing in them eighty eight Chapters. The Third by 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 that is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , of Women, and is distributed in seven Treatises, containing seventy one Chapters. The fourth by 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , that is, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Nezikim, about loss and damage, and is divided into eight Massicktot, whereof the first is divided into three parts, called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the first, middle, and last port or entrance, containing in them thirty Chapters, whereunto forty four are added in the following parts. The fifth by 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , that is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Kodoshim, of Sanctifications, and is divided into eleven Books containing ninety Chapters. The sixth with 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , that is, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Teharoth, of Purifications, in twelve Books, and one hundred twenty six Chapters.

Unto this Mishnae of R. Judah they annex the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the Tosiphot, or additions of [§ 10] Rabbi Chaiah his Scholar, expounding many passages in his Masters works; to them a more full explanation of the same doctrine of the Mishnae, which they call Baracetot is subjoined, being the Collection of some Antitalmudicall Masters. About three hundred years after the Destruction of the Temple R. Johanan composed the Jerusalem Talmud, consisting in Expositions, Comments, and Disputes upon the whole Mishnae, excepting the last part about Purifications. An hundred years or thereabouts after that, Rabbi Ase, composed the Babylonian Talmud, or Gemara ; thirty two years they say he spent in this work, yet leaving it unfinished; seventy one years after, it was completed by his Disciples. And the whole work of both these Talmuds may be referred unto five heads: For first, they expound the Text of the Mishnae ; 2. Decide Questions of right and fact; 3. Report the Disputations, Traditions and Constitutions of the Doctors that lived between them and the Writing of the Mishnae ; 4. Give Allegorical monstrous Expositions of the Scripture, which they call Midrashoth ; and 5. Report Stories of the like nature.

[§ 11] This at length is their Oral Law grown into; and in the learning and practicing of these things consists the whole Religion and Worship of the Jews; there being not the most absurd saying of any of their Doctors in those huge heaps of folly and vanity, that they do not equal unto, nay that they are not ready to prefer before the Written Word; that perfect and only Guide of their Church whilst God was pleased with it.

In the dust of this confusion here they dwell, loving this darkness more than light, because their deeds are evil. Having for many generations entertained a prejudicate imagination, that these traditional Figments, amongst which their crafty Masters have inserted many filthy and blasphemous Fables against our Lord Christ, and his Gospel, are of Divine Authority, and having utterly lost the spiritual sense of the written Word, they are by it sealed up in blindness and obdurateness, and shall be so, until the veil be taken away, when the appointed time of their deliverance shall come. A brief discovery of the falseness of this fancy of their Oral Law, which is the foundation of all that huge building of Lyes and Vanities that their Talmuds are composed of, shall put an end to this Discourse.

[§ 12] 1. The very Story of the giving of the Law at Mount Sinai, sufficiently discovers the folly of this imagination: This Oral Law the Jews are ready on all occasions to prefer before that which is written: and do openly profess that without it, the other is of no use unto them. I desire then to know, whence it is that all the circumstances of the giving and teaching of the less necessary are so exactly recorded, but not one word is spoken of this Oral Law, either of God's revealing of it to Moses, or of Moses teaching of it to Joshua or any others; Strange! that so much should be recorded of every circumstance of the less principal, lifeless Law, and not one word of either substance or circumstance of that which is, if these men may be believed, the very life and soul of the other. Maimonides in Jad Chazaka tells us, there is mention made of it in Exod. 24.12. I will give ye, saith the Lord 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 a Law and Commandment ; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 saith he, is the Written Law 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the Oral ; when the next words are 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , which I have written that thou mayest teach them ; the Written Law being on several accounts expressed by both those terms, and no other. How know they that any such Law was given to Moses as they pretend? What Testimony Witness or Record of it, was had or made at the time of its giving, or in many generations, for two thousand years afterwards.

[§ 13] 2. Did their Fore-fathers at any time before the Captivity transgress this Oral Law, or did they not? If they say they did not, but kept it, and observed it diligently, we may easily see of what importance it is, that the most strict Obs • evation of it, would not preserve them from all manner of wickedness, and what an hedge it is to the Written Law, when notwithstanding the obedience yielded unto it, that was utterly despised and neglected; if they shall say that Law also was broken by them; I desire to know whence it comes to pass, that whereas God by his Prophets doth reprove them for all their other sins, and in particular for contempt of his Written Law, the Statutes, Ordinances and Institutions of it, he nowhere once mentioneth this their greater guilt of despising the Oral Law, but there is as universal a silence concerning its transgression, as there is of its giving and institution. Can we have any greater evidence of its being fictitious than this; that whereas it is pretended that it is the main Rule of their Obedience to God, God did never reprove them for the transgression of it, though whilst he owned them as his Church and People, he suffered none of their sins to pass by unreproved, especially not any of that importance, which this is by them pretended to be of.

3. Moses was commanded to write the whole Law that he received from God, and did so accordingly; Exod. 24.3, 4. Chap. 34.28. Deut. 31.9, 24. Where was this Oral Law which they say was not to be written, when Moses was commanded to write the whole Law that he had received of God; and did accordingly. This New Law was not then coined, being indeed nothing but the product of their Apostasy from the Law which was written.

4. The sole ground and foundation of this Oral Law lies in the imperfection of the Written Law. This is that which they plead, for the necessity of it; The written Law extends not to all necessary cases that occur in Religion; many things are redundant, many wanting in it, and hereof they gather great heaps of Instances; so that they will grant that if the Written Law had been perfect, there had been no need of this Traditional one. But whom in this matter shall we believe, a few ignorant Jews, or God himself, bearing witness that his Law is perfect, and requiring no more in his Worship but what is in that Law prescribed? See Psal. 19.8. Prov. 30.5, 6. Deut. 4.1, 2. And this perfection of the Written Law, though it be perfectly destructive to their Tradions, not only the Karaei among themselves do earnestly contend for, but also sundry of their Gemarists do acknowledge, especially when they forget their own concernments out of a desire to oppose the Gospel. And to this head belong all the Arguments that Divines make use of to prove the perfection of the Scripture, against the New Talmudists in Christianity.

5. God everywhere sends his people to the Written Law of Moses, for the Rule of their Obedience, nowhere unto any Kabal, Deut. 11.32. and chap. 10.12, 13. Chap. 28.1. Josh. 1.7, 8. Chap. 23.6. 2 Chron. 30.18. Isa. 8.20. If there be such an Oral Law it is one that God would not have any man to observe; which he calls none to the Obedience of, nor did ever reprove any man for its Transgression.

And many more Arguments of the like nature may be added to prove the vanity of [§ 14] this pretence. And yet this Figment is the bottom of the present Judaical Religion and obstinacy. When the Apostle wrote this Epistle, their Apostasy was not yet arrived at this rock of offense; since their falling on it, they have increased their blindness, misery, and ruin. Then they were contented to try their cause by what God spake to their Fathers in the Prophets, which kept open a door of hope, and gave some advantages for their Conversion, which are now shut up and removed, until God shall take this veil away from their faces, that they may see to the end of the things that were to be done away.

By this means principally have they for many generations both shut out the [§ 15] Truth, and secured themselves from Conviction. For what ever is taught and revealed in the Scripture concerning the Person, Office, and Work of the Messiah, seeing they have that which they esteem a Revelation of equal Authority herewithal, teaching them a Doctrine quite of another nature, and more suited unto their carnal Principles and Expectations, they will rather rest in any evasions, than give way to the Testimony thereof. And whilst they have a firm persuasion, as they have, received by the Tradition of many Generations, that the written Word is imperfect, but an half Revelation of the mind of God, in its self unintelligible, and not to be received or understood but according to the sense of their Oral Law now recorded in their Talmuds, what can the most plain and cogent Testimonies of it avail unto their Conviction? And this hath been the fatal way and means of the grand Apostasy of both Churches, Judaical and Christian. How far that of the Jews was overtaken with it, in the days of our Lord's Conversation on the Earth, the Gospel doth abundantly declare; and how they have brought it unto its height, we have given now some brief account. That of the Roman Church hath been the very same, and hath at length arrived unto almost the same issue, by the same degrees. This some of them perceiving, do not only defend the Pharisaical Opinion among the Jews, about the Oral Law and Succession of their Traditions, as consonant to the pretensions of their own Church, but also openly avow that a very great number of their several respective Traditions are either the same, or that they nearly resemble one another; as doth expressly Josephus de Voysin in his Proaemium to the Pugio fidei of Raimundus Martini. And because it is evident, that the same have been the way and means, whereby both the Judaical and Roman Church have apostatized and departed from the Truth, and that they are the same also whereby they maintain and defend themselves in their Apostasy and refusal to return unto the Truth, I shall 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , manifest their Consent and Agreement in this Principle, about their Traditions and Authority of them, which have been the Ruin of them both.

First, The Jews expressly contend that their Oral Law, their Mass of Traditions was [§ 16] from God himself. Partly they say it was delivered unto Moses on Mount Sinai, and partly added by him from Divine Revelations which he afterwards received. Hence the Authority of it with them is no less than that of the Written Word, (which hath all its Authority from its Divine Original) and the usefulness of it is much more. For although they cannot deny but that this and that particular Tradition, that is Practice, Custom, or Exposition of any place of Scripture was first introduced, expressed, and declared, at such or such seasons, by such Masters or Schools amongst them, yet they will not grant that they were then first invented or found out, but only that they were then first declared out of the Cabalistical Abyss, wherein they were preserved from their first Revelation; as all of them agree who have written anything about the nature, propagation, and continuance of their Oral Law.

And this is the persuasion of the Romanists about their Cabal of Traditions. They plead them to be all of a Divine Original ; partly from Christ, and partly from his Apostles. What ever they have added unto the written Word, yea, though it be never so contrary thereunto, still they pretend that it is part of the Oral Law which they have received from them by living Tradition; Let one Convention of their Doctors determine that Images are to be adored, another that Transubstantiation is to be believed, a third add a New Creed with an equal number of Articles unto the old, let one Doctor advance the Opinion of Purgatory, another of Justification by Works ; all is one, these things are not then first invented, but only declared out of that unsearchable Treasure of Traditions, which they have in their Custody. Had they not inlaid this Perswasion in the minds of men, they know that their whole Fabric would of its own accord have long since sunk into Confusion. But they highly contend at this day, that they need no other Argument to prove anything to be of an Heavenly Extract and Divine Original, but that themselves think so, and practice accordingly.

[§ 17] Secondly, This Oral Law being thus given, the Preservation of it, seeing Moses is dead long ago, must be inquired after. Now the Jews assign a threefold Depository of it. First, The whole Congregation; Secondly, The Sanhedrim, and Thirdly, The High Priest. To this End they affirm, that it was three times repeated upon the descent of Moses from Mount Sinai, as to what of it, he had then received, and his after additions had the same promulgation. First, It was repeated by himself unto Aaron ; Secondly, By them both unto the Elders : and Thirdly, By the Elders unto the whole Congregation ; or as Maimonides in Jad Chazakah, Moses delivered it unto Eleazar, Phineas and Joshua after the Death of Aaron, by whom the Consistory was instructed therein, who taught the People as occasion did require. What the People knew of it is uncertain, but what they did so, was quickly lost; The Consistory or great Sanhedrim 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , as they call it, the House of Judgment, of Seventy and one, was more faithful in its charge. Hence Rab. Moses in the same Book, Tractat, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 of Rebells or Transgressors, teacheth us, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , The great Consistory (or House of Judgment) at Jerusalem was the foundation of the Oral Law; These are the Pillars of Doctrine, from whom Statutes and Judgments went forth unto all all Israel. And he afterwards affirms, with what Truth may be easily judged 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , whilst this great Cons • story continued, there was no dissention in Israel. For not only the famous differences between Hillel and Shammai with their Disciples, which involved all the Schools, Scribes and Lawyers, among them, arose and were propagated whilst that Cons • story continued, but also the Atheistical Sect of the Sadducees, rose unto that height and interest, as to obtain the Presidentship in the Sanhedrim its self. But the High Priests are those whom they fix upon as the principal Conservators of this Oral Law. To this End they give us Catalogues of them from first to last, that by their uninterrupted Succession, we we may be secured of the incorrupt preservation of their Original Traditions. Only it may here be added by the way; that they bind not themselves precisely in all their Religious Observances unto this Oral Law whereunto they assign a Divine Original; but ascribe an Authority unto the Sanhedrim and the High Priest, to constitute things of themselves in the Worship of God besides and beyond the word. For whatever they pretend of their Oral Law, when they come unto particular Instances they would fain educe the Constitutions of it, from some Word, or Letter or manner of Interpretation of the Scripture its self. But those Constitutions of the Consistory and Wisemen they ascribe unto their own Authority.

Some of these are recounted by Maimonides in his Preface unto Jad Chazaka ; as the Reading of the Book or Roll of Esther with Fasting; lights on the Feast of Dedication; The Fast on the seventh of Ab. or July; various Mixtures, and Washings of hands ; things plainly of that nature which our Lord Jesus condemned amongst them. And it is observable how he frees them from transgressing that Precept, Deut. 12.32. Thou shalt not add unto this word, by this Constitution. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . For, saith he, they say not that the holy blessed God hath commanded these things, that there should be such Mixtures, that the Book of Esther should be read with fasting; for if they should say so, they should add to the Law; but thus we speak, such and such a Prophet or the Consistory, commanded and appointed, that the Book of Esther should be read with fasting to celebrate the Glory of the Holy Blessed God in our Deliverance, and so of the rest. It seems then they may add what they will of their own, so they entitle not the Name of God to their Inventions ; by which means they have set themselves at liberty to multiply superstitious Observations at their pleasure, which they had actually done in the days of our Savior, and thereby made the Law of God of none effect.

In all these things are they followed and imitated by the Romanists. In the same manner do they lay up the stock of their Traditions. In general they make the Church the repository of them, although they do not so distinctly explain the way and means whereby they were committed thereunto as the Jews do. Unto the Sanhedrim, Councils are succeeded in the same Office. But their Nature, Work, Authority, Assistance, and Use, are so variously disputed amongst them, that nothing of certainty from them, or by them singly considered is to be obtained. It is the High Priest, or Pope that is the Principal Conservator of this Sacred Treasury of Traditions; Upon their Succession doth the certainty of them depend. And whilst there is a Pope at Rome, the knowledge of the new Oral Law will not fail, as the Old one did not whilst the Jews had an High Priest, though in the pursuit of it they Crucified the Messiah, and continue to reject him unto this day. Besides, like the Jews, they content not themselves with what they pretend to be of ancient Tradition, but assume a Power of making new Constitutions in the things of God; whereby they would have us to think they do not violate the prohibitions of adding, because they ascribe them not unto the Word of God, but to the Authority of the present Church. Thus far therefore they are fully agreed.

Thirdly, The Jews in favor and unto the Honor of these Traditions, affirm that the [§ 18] written Word without them is imperfect, and not to be understood, but as it is interpreted by them. This they are constant unto, and earnestly contend for. Ibn Ezra in his Preface to the Law, discourseth at large of five several ways of the Interpretation of it, but concludes at last that the whole written Law of Moses is founded on the Oral; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 saith he, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , and this is a sign unto us, that the Law of Moses is founded on the Oral Law, which is the joy of our hearts ; so apt are they to rejoice in a thing of naught. To the same purpose are the words of another Famous Master amongst them; Rabbi Bechai in Cad. Hakkemach. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . The Oral Law is the Foundation of the written, nor can the Written Law be expounded but by the Oral.

By this being the Foundation of the Written Law, they intend that the sense of it, is so enwrapped and contained therein, that without the Explications thereof it cannot be understood. And to this End Manasseh one of their late Masters, expressly disputes that in many things it is defective, and in some things redundant, so that it is not able to give us a full and clear direction in the things of God, without their Traditional Explications ; and in the confirmation of his opinion, he instanceth in sundry Precepts and Prohibitions, that he would prove so obscure, as that no Obedience can be yielded unto them in a due manner without the help of the Cabala ; which because for the most part his Exceptions from them are Childish Cavils, and have been answered by others, shall be here passed over. This they are arrived unto; this is the common persuasion of them all, and we shall yet hear, what farther Progress they have made. And herein are they imitated by their Successors. Their Oral Law also is made by them the foundation of the Written.

As those Heretics of old, who having got some Sophistical Cavils about, Evil, where ever they met with any one not of their mind, they presently fell upon him with their Unde malu • n ; whence had evil its Original ; so thinking to bring them to the acknowledgement of two supreme Principles of things, a good one, and a bad one.

Thus for the most part the first Question of a Romanist is, How do you know the Scriptures to be the Word of God? and then the next word is, the Cabala, the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Oral Law, Tradition, these are the Foundation of it; And in their progress they fail not to assert two Principles both borrowed from the Jews. First, That the Scripture is imperfect, and doth not give us a full and complete account of all things that are to be believed or practiced, that God may be glorified, and our own souls saved. Secondly, That what is delivered therein can no way be rightly and truly understood, but by the help of those Traditions which they have in their custody. But although these are good useful Inventions, and they are men that want not Ability to find out what is conducing unto their own advantage, yet they cannot be allowed the Credit of being their first Authors, seeing they are expressly borrowed of the Jews.

[§ 19] Fourthly, When these two Laws, the Law of God, and their own, do come in competition, the Jews many of them do expressly prefer that of their own invention before the other, and that both as to certainty, and use. Hence they make it the foundation of their Church, and the only safe means to preserve the Truth. So are we informed by Isaac Corbulensis in 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Do not think, saith he, that the written Law is the Foundation; for the Foundation is the Oral Law; For by that Law was the Covenant made, as it is written, according to these words do I make a Covenant with thee. Exod. 34.27. (where he takes his Argument from that Expression, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , wresting foolishly, as they do all, his Oral Law from those words, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 which signify nothing but according to, nor are any other words intended, but those delivered to Moses and written by him.) And these, he adds, are the Treasures of the Holy Blessed God; For he knew that Israel should be carried Captive among other People, and that the Nations would transcribe their Books, and therefore would not commit their secret Law to Writing.

It seems these things were left them in secret Tradition, because God was not willing that any besides themselves, should know his Mind and Will; but they have at last shown themselves more full of benignity towards mankind, than they would allow God to be, in as much as they have committed this Secret Law to Writing. And to this purpose is their Confession in 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ; The Golden Altar ; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ; It is impossible for us to stand, or abide, upon the Foundation of our holy Law, which is the written Law; unless it be by the Oral Law which is the Exposition thereof. Wherein they not only declare their Judgments concerning their Traditions, but also express the Reason of their obstinate adherence unto them; which is that without it, they cannot maintain themselves in their present Judaism. And so indeed is the case with them; innumerable Testimonies of the Scriptures rising up directly against their Infidelity, they were not able to keep their station, but by an horrible corrupting of them through their Traditions. On this account it is a common thing with them in the advise they give unto their Disciples, to prefer the Study of the Talmud, before the Study of the Scripture, and the sayings of their Wise men before the sayings of the Prophets; and plainly express an utter disregard of the Written Word, any farther than as they suppose the sense of it explained in their Oral Law. Neither are they here forsaken by their Associates. The principal design of all the Books which have been lately published by the Romanists, and they have not been a few; hath been to prove the Certainty and Sufficiency of their Traditions in matters of their Faith and Worship, above that of the Written Word.

[§ 20] Fifthly, There are some few remaining among the Eastern Jews, who reject all this Story concerning the Oral Law, and professedly adhere unto the Written Word only. These the Masters of their present Religion and Perswasion do by common consent brand as Heretics : calling them Scripturists, or Scripturarians, or Biblists, the very name of reproach wherewith the Romanists stigmatize all those who reject their Traditions. These are their 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , that is Biblists or Scripturarians : and everywhere they term them 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Heretics, and endeavor to prove them guilty 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 of Heresy in the highest degree. Some of them would have them to be the Offspring of the old Sadducees, to deny the Resurrection, and the World to come, as men care not much usually what they impute unto those whom they esteem Heretics. But the falsity hereof is notorious, and so acknowledged by others, and confuted by the Writings of the Karaeans themselves. Yea the Author of Cosri affirms that they are more studious in the Law than the Rabbins ; and that their Reasons were more weighty than theirs, and lead more towards the naked sense of the Scripture. But this is that which they charge upon them, namely that rejecting the sure Rule of their Traditions, they run into singular, Expositions of the Law, and so divided it, and made many Laws of it, having no certain means of Agreement among themselves. So saith Rabbi Jehuda Levita the Author of the fore-mentioned Cosri, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . The Karaeans multiply Laws according to their own Opinion, which he inveighs against them for, after he had commended them. And the same is objected against them by Maimonides on Pirke Aboth. As though it were not known, that the greatest part of their Talmud, the Sacred Treasury of their Oral Law, is taken up with differences and Disputes of their Masters among themselves, with a multitude of various Opinions, and contradictory conceptions about their Traditions. Thus deal the Romanists also which their Adversaries, this they charge them withal; They are Heretics, Biblists, and by adhering to the Scripture alone, have no certainty among themselves, but run into diversities of Opinions, as having deserted the unerring Rule of their Cabala ; when the world is filled with the noise of their own conflicts, notwithstanding the pretended relief which they have thereby.

It remains that we consider how these Traditions come to be communicated unto others, out of the secret Store-house wherein Originally they were deposited. This as I have elsewhere, and partly before declared, was by their being committed unto writing by Rabbi Judah Hakkadosh, whose collections, with their Expositions in their Talmud, do give us a perfect account, if we may believe them, of that secret Law which came down unto them by Oral Tradition from Moses. And something like hereunto is by the Romanists pretended. Many of their Traditions they say, are recorded in the Rescripts of Popes, Decrees of Councils, and Constitutions of the Canon Law, and the like sacred means of the declaration of the Oral Instructions of our Lord Jesus Christ and his Apostles.

But herein the Jews deal with us far more ingeniously than they. They tell us plainly, that now their whole Oral Law is written, and that they have no reserve of authentic Traditions not yet declared. So that where Austin says of his Adversaries Nescit habere praeter Scripturas Legitimas & Propheticas, Judaeos quasdam traditions suas quas non Scriptas habent, sed memoriter tenent, & alter in alterum loquendo transfundit, quam deuterosin vocant ; either he knew not of the Mishnae, that was then written, or this opinion of Secret Traditions, was continued, until the finishing and promulgation of the Babilonical Talmud, which was sundry years after his Death. But here the Romanists fail us; for although they have given us heaps upon heaps of their Traditions, by the means afore mentioned, yet they plead that they have still an inexhaustible Treasure of them, laid up in their Church stores, and Breast of their Holy Father, to be drawn forth at all times as occasion shall require.

And thus have we taken a brief Prospect of the Consent of both the Apostatical Churches, in that Principle which hath been the means of their Apostasy, and is the great Engine whereby they are rendered incurable therein.

Exercitatio VIII. The First Dissertation concerning the Messiah, proving him to be promised of Old.

WEE proceed now unto our Principal intendment in all these Discourses; which is the Consideration and Discussion of those great Principles, as of all Religion in general, so of the Christian in particular, which the Ap • stle supposeth as the Foundation of his whole Treaty with the Hebrews, and which [§ 1] are the Basis that he stands upon, in the management of his whole Design. For in all Discourses that are Paraenetical, as this Epistle for the most part is, there are always some Principles taken for granted, which give Life and Efficacy unto the Exhortations in them, and whereinto they are resolved. For as to persuade men unto particul • rs in Faith, Opinion or Practice, without a previous conviction of such general Principles of Truth, as from which the Perswasions used do naturally flow and arise, is a thing weak and inefficacious; so to be exercised in the Demonstration of the Principles themselves, when the especial End aimed, is to persuade, would bring confusion into all Discourse.

Wherefore although our Apostle do assert and confirm those dogmata and Articles of Truth, which he dealt with the Hebrews in a way of Perswasion to embrace; yet he supposeth and takes for granted those more general 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , or first Maxims, which are the Foundation both of the Doctrines and Exhortations insisted on; as all skill in teaching doth require. And these are those which now we aim to draw forth and consider; being these that follow.

First, That there was a Messiah, or Savior of mankind from Sin and Punishment, promised upon and from the first entrance of Sin into the World, in whom all acceptable Worship of God was founded, and in whom all the Religion of the Sons of men was to center.

Secondly, That this Messiah long before Promised, was now actually exhibited in the world, and had finished the work committed unto him, when the Apostle wrote this Epistle.

Thirdly, That Jesus of Nazareth was this Messiah, and that what he had done and suffered, was the work and duty promised of old concerning him.

There is not a Line in the Epistle to the Hebrews, that doth not virtually begin and end in these Principles; not an Assertion, not a Doctrine, not an Exhortation, that is not built on this Triple Foundation. They are also the great Verities 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , of the Christian Profession or Religion. A sincere endeavor therefore in their Explanation and Vindication, especially in these days, wherein as on the one hand, there are various thoughts of heart, about the Jews, their present condition and expectation, so on the other, there are many who are ready with a presumptuous boldness 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , and to call in question the fundamentals of all Religion, may not be unacceptable. Now the first of these Principles, is at this day by several vain imaginations obscured by the Jews, to their utter loss of all benefit by it, and hath been so for many Generations, although it were the Life and Soul of the Religion of their forefathers, as shall be demonstrated; and the two latter are by them expressly denied, and maliciously contended against. Here then we shall fix; and confirm these Principles in the order wherein we have laid them down; declaring on everyone of them, the Conceptions and Perswasions of the Jews concerning the promised Messiah, removing in the Close their Objections against the Faith of Christians in this matter, in a peculiar Exercitation to that Purpose. And the Confirmation, and Vindication of the first of these Principles, is that which our present Discourse is designed unto.

Besides the Testimony of God himself in his Word, we have a concurrent suffrage [§ 2] from the whole Creation, that man in the Beginning was formed, as in the Image, so in the Favor of God, and unto his Glory. And as he was not liable unto any evil which is the effect of God's displeasure, nor defective in any Good, necessary to preserve him in the condition wherein he was made, so he was destitute of nothing that was any way requisite to carry him on unto that farther enjoyment of God whereunto he was designed. Gen. 1. v. 26, 31. Ecclesiast. 7. v. 29. For God being infinitely Good, Wise, Righteous, and Powerful, creating man to know, love, honor, and enjoy him, and thereby to glorify those Holy Properties of his nature, which exerted themselves in his creation, (which that he did, the nature of those intellectual Perfections wherewith He endowed him, doth undeniably evince) it was utterly impossible that either He should not delight in the work of his own hands, the effect of his own Wisdom and Power, or not furnish him with those Faculties and Abilities by which he might answer the Ends of his Creation. To suppose a Failure in any of these, is contrary to the prime Dictates of Reason. For Infinite Wisdom can do nothing in vain, nothing not perfectly suited unto the End whereunto it is designed; Neither can Infinite Goodness allow of any defect in ought that proceedeth from it. Gen. 1. v. 31. God saw everything that he had made, and behold it was very Good. Hence many Philosophers saw and granted, that the First Cause in the Production of all things, did 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 proceed by such a certain Reason and Way, as that everything might both in its self and with reference unto its own especial End, and also in Relation unto the Universe, have its proper Rectitude and Goodness, sufficient unto its Station and Condition. This 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the Scripture calls, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Ephes. 1. v. 11. The Counsel of the Will of God ; expressing a contemporation of absolute Sovereignty, and Infinite Wisdom. And these uncontrollable Notions of Nature or Reason, cast men of old into their entanglements about the Original of Evil. For this they plainly saw, that it must be accidental and occasional, but where to fix that Occasion they knew not. Those who to extricate themselves out of this difficulty, fancied two Supreme Principles, or Causes, the one Author of all Good, the other of all Evil, were ever exploded as Persons bidding defiance unto all Principles of Reason whereby we are distinguished from the Beasts that perish. This I say men generally discerned, that Evil, wherein it now lies, could not have entered into the world, without a disturbance of that Harmony, wherein all things at the beginning were constituted by Infinite Wisdom and Goodness, and some interruption of that dependence on God, from whence it did proceed.

The very first Apprehensions of the Nature of God, and the Condition of the Universe declare, that man was formed free from sin, which is his voluntary subduction of himself from under the Government of his Maker, and free from Trouble, which is the effect of his displeasure on that Subduction or Deviation, in which two, the whole nature of Evil consisteth; so that it must have some other Original.

Furthermore, In this first Effort of immense Power did God glorify himself, as in the [§ 3] Wisdom and Goodness wherewith it was accompanied, so also in that Righteousness whereby as the Supreme Rector and Governor of All, he allotted unto his Rational Creatures, the Law of their Obedience, annexing a Reward thereunto in a mixture of Justice and Bounty. For, that Obedience should be rewarded is of Justice, but that such a Reward should be proposed unto the temporary Obedience of a creature, as is the eternal enjoyment of God, was of mere Grace and Bounty. And that things should have continued in the state and condition wherein they were created, I mean as unto mankind, supposing an accomplishment of the Obedience prescribed unto them, is manifest from the very first notions we have of the nature of God; for we do no sooner conceive that he is, but withal we assent that he is the Rewarder of them that diligently seek him, Heb. 11.6. which is essential unto him, and inseparable from his Nature as the Sovereign Ruler of the works of his hands. And thus was the continuance, of this Blessed State of the Creation of all things provided for; and laid in a tendency unto farther Glory; being absolutely exclusive of any distance between God and man, besides that which is natural, necessary, and infinite, from their Beings. There was no sin on the one side, nor dissavour on the other. And this secured the Order of the Universe. For what should cause any confusion there, whilst the Law, of its Creation was observed, which could not be transgressed by Brute and inanimate Creatures.

[§ 4] That this estate of things hath been altered from time immemorial, that there is a corrupt Spring of sin and disorder in the nature of man; that the whole world lieth in Ignorance, Darkness, Evil and Confusion; that there is an Alienation and displeasure between God and mankind; God revealing his Wrath and Judgments from Heaven, whence at first nothing might be expected but fruits of goodness, and pledges of love; and man naturally dreading the Presence of God, and trembling at the effects of it, which at first was his Life, Joy and Refreshment, Reason itself with prudent Observation will discover, it hath done so, unto many contemplative men of old. The whole Creation groans out this complaint, as the Apostle witnesseth. Rom. 8. v. 20, 21. and God makes it manifest in his Judgments every day; Chap. 1. v. 18. That things were not made at first in that state and condition wherein now they are, that they came not thus immediately from the hand of Infinite Wisdom and Goodness, is easily discernible. God made not man to be at a perpetual quarrel with him, nor to fill the world with tokens of his displeasure because of sin. This men saw of old by the light of Nature; but what it should be that opened the Flood-gates unto all that Evil and Sin which they saw and observed in the world, they could not tell. The springs of it indeed they searched after, but with more vanity and disappointment, than those who sought for the Heads of Nile. The Evils they saw were Catholic and unlimited; and therefore not to be assigned unto Particular Causes, and of any general one, proportioned unto their Production, they were utterly ignorant. And this ignorance filled all their Wisdom and Science with fatal mistakes; and rendered the best of their Discoveries, but mere uncertain conjectures. Yea, the Poets who followed the confused Rumours of Old Traditions, about things whose Original was Occasional and Accidental, give us a better shadow of Truth, than the Philosophers, who would reduce them unto general Rules of Reason, which they would no way answer▪

is a better Allusion to the Original of Sin and Punishment, than all the Disputations of the Philosophers will afford us.

[§ 5] But that which they could not attain unto, and which because they could not attain unto, they wandered in all their Apprehensions about God and themselves, without Certainty or Consistency, we are clearly acquainted withal by Divine Revelation. The sum 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 threatened 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 Universe, what ever is penal 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 Entran • 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 wa • 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 expressly proveth, Chap. 2. of his Epistle unto them, this being denied 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 non-Latin alphabet 〉 in the Scripture, the Jews neither can, nor do deny. Death was in the commination given to deter him from his Transgression. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Gen. 2.17. Dying thou shalt die. 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 threatening 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 labor, disappointment, sweat and sorrow, with Death under, and by virtue of the Curse, but to the whole Earth also, and consequently unto those superior 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 inquired, 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 anything 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 lays the Curse on man, and there he leaves him, and that forever▪ A miserable life he was to spend, and then to die under the Curse of God, without hopes of emerging into a better condition. About his subsistence after this Life, we have no controversy 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 incline unto the Pythagorean Metempsuchosis, but all acknowledge the Souls Perpetuity.

Supposing then Adam to die 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 forever 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, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , 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 Privilege 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. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ; On the first day of the Week Adam entered into the Waters of the upper Gihon, until the Waters came unto his neck; and he afflicted himself seven Weeks, until 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 done away from me, and accept of my Repentance, that all Ages may know that there is Repentance, and that thou wilt receive them that Repent and turn unto thee. Hence also they tell us, that upon the Pardon of his sin, he sang a Song of Praise unto the Lord on the Sabbath Day, which is mentioned in the Targum on the Song of Solomon, chap. 1. v. 1. as one of the Songs in reference whereunto that of Solomon is called, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the Song of Songs, or the most excellent of them. And although indeed that expression, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , dying thou shalt die, according to the propriety of the Hebrew Tongue, denotes only the Certainty and Vehemency of the Death threatened, in which case it useth reduplications ; yet some of them have not been averse to apprehend, a twofold death, of the Body, and of the Soul, to be intimated in that expression; as Fagius on the place well observes. Body and Soul they say both sinned, and therefore both were to be punished. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ; If the flesh s • n without the spirit, why is the soul punished? Is it one thing that sins, and another that is punished? or rather is it not thus, that both sin together ; and so both are justly punished together.

[§ 7] Thus is the condition of the Sin and Punishment of our first Parents themselves, acknowledged by them. And the same is that of their Posterity. What was threatened unto, what was inflicted upon those who first sinned, they are all liable and obnoxious unto. Are they not all as subject unto Death, as was Adam himself? Are the miseries of man in his labor, or the sorrows of Women in Childbearing taken away? Is the Earth its self freed from the Effects of the Curse? Do they not die who never sinned after the similitude of Adams Transgression? The Jews themselves grant that all death is penal. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ; There is no Death without Sin; no Punishment or Correction without iniquity : It is the saying of R. Ame in the Talmud, Tractat. Sabbat. cited in Sepher Ikharim, lib. 4. cap. 13. And this Principle M • imonides carries so high, as to deny all 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Correction of Love, affirming none to be of that mind, but some Gaeonims deceived by the Sect of Muatzali. More Nebuch. p. 3. cap. 17. And they who die poenally under the Curse, abide in no other estate than that mentioned. They acknowledge also the remainder of the Curse on the Earth its self on the same account. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . The whole World, says one of their Masters, was not created but for man; and therefore after man sinned, it came short of its first perfection. But these things being of some use for their Conviction, as also to discover the perverse obstinacy of some of their later Masters, we may a little more particularly take them along with us.

[§ 8] First, They acknowledge that Adam was a common Head unto all mankind. So saith Manasseh Ben. Israel from their Principles. Cum itaque esset Adam futurus caput & principium humanae naturae, necesse erat illi a Deo conferri omnem perfectionem & scientiam: De Fragilitate ; pag. 34. Whereas Adam was to be the Head and Principle of human nature, it was necessary that God should endow him with all perfection and knowledge. And this Perfection of his knowledge Ibn Ezra on Gen. 12. proves from God's bringing all Creatures unto him to, give them Names according to their Nature. And the same Author again in his Discourse de Termino Vitae. Ibn Ezra inquit nominibus propriis in Sacra Scriptura non praefigi 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , He demonstrativum, quod tamen in voice Adam fit, Gen. 3.22. ratio est quia in Adamo notantur omnes ejus posteri, & universa species humana designatur. Ibn Ezra says, that He Hajedia is not prefixed unto proper names in the Scripture; only it is so unto the Word Adam, Gen. 3. v. 22. and the Reason is, because in Adam all his Posterity, the whole Race of Mankind is denoted and signified. Now this could not be, but by virtue of some Divine Constitution. For, naturally Adam could have no other Relation to his Posterity than every other man hath unto his own. And this was no other but that Covenant which God made with all mankind in him; whose Promises and Threatenings, Rewards and Punishments, must therefore equally respect them with him.

Wherefore, Secondly, they grant that on this account, his Sin was imputed unto all his Posterity. That is some of them do so, and those the most sober of them. So Rabbi Menahem Rakanatensis in sec. Bereshith. &c. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ; It is no wonder why the Sin of Adam and Eve was engraven and sealed with the Signet of the King to be propagated unto all following Generations; For in the day that Adam was created all things were finished, so that he was the Perfection and Complement of the whole workmanship of this world. Therefore when he sinned the whole world sinned, whose Sin we hear and suffer, which is not so in the Sin of his Posterity. To be sealed with the Signet of the King, is their Expression of God's Constitution.

And these words are very consonant to those of our Apostle, Rom. 5.12. As by one man Sin entered into the World, and Death by Sin, so Death passed upon all men, for that, or because in him all have sinned. To the same purpose speaks the Targum on Eccles. 7. v. 29. in the Copies followed by the Jayan and London Bibles; (for so the words are not in those of Buxtorf, nor the Biblia Regia ) God made the First man upright and innocent before him, but the Serpent and Eve seduced him, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , and gave cause why the day of Death should come on him and all the Inhabitants of the Earth. And we can have no more Authentic Testimony of the Apprehensions of their ancient Doctors, than what their Targums afford us. And therefore Joseph Albo in Scher Itharim expressly concludes lib. 1. chap. 11. that all the punishments relating unto Adam and Eve for their first Sin belong unto all mankind. And whereas they fancy that some Persons spent their days without actual sin; at least any such as should deserve Death, they charge their Death on the guilt of the sin of Adam. So the Targum on the last Chapter of Ruth; And Hobed begat Jesse, who was called Nachash, and there was no iniquity, or corruption in him for which he should be delivered into the h • nd of the Angel of Death to take his soul from him; and he lived man • days, until the Counsel that the Serpent gave to Eve, abode before the Lord; and upon that Couns • ll were all the inhabitants of the Earth made guilty of death, and upon the a ••• unt of that sin died Jesse the Righteous. Lud. Cappel in his Annotations on John 3. hath an observation on this passage in the Targum, not unworthy consideration. The J • ws call Jesus 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 without 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 : which differs little from 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ; and so he may be here intended; for he may be called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 both because he was prefigured by the Brazen Serpent, and because the Names of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 are the same by Gematry, or in their Numeral Letters; a great occasion amongst them to change the Names of Persons and things. And this they might have from some Tradition which they understood not. The like Testimony we have in Siphre ; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Rabbi Jose the Galilean said, go forth and learn the Merit of Messiah the King, and the reward of that Righteous One above the first Adam, who had only Negative Precepts given unto him which he transgressed; behold how many deaths befell him and his Generations, and the Generations of his Generations, unto the End of all Generations. Answerable unto that of the Apostle, Rom. 5.18. Therefore as by the offense of one, judgment came upon all men unto condemnation, even so by the righteousness of one, the free gift came upon all men unto the justification of Life.

And this Punishment of the Sin of Adam and Eve they grant to have been so terrible, that they say, that in the day they were cast out of Paradise God lamented over them. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Even as Adam and Eve when they were judged and cast out of the Garden of Eden, and the Lord of the world lamented over them. Targum, on Lamenta, chap. 1. v. 1. And to show also that the whole creation was made subject unto Vanity upon the Sin of our first Parents, M • ses H • dd • rshan in Bereschit Rabba on Gen. 3. v. 6. informs us, that Eve gave of the fruit of the Tree which she took unto all the Beasts of the field, and Birds of the air, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 only, (which they interpret the Phoenix ) excepted. The Truth indeed in these Expressions is clouded with Fables and trifles; but th • y who are offended at them may do w • ll to direct us unto Judaical Writers that are free from such follies; and yet on th • se things do innumerable poor souls venture their Eternal Condition, in an opposition to the blessed Gospel of the glorious God,

The later Masters I acknowledge are in this whole matter lubricous and uncertain; [§ 9] and th • y have been so in especial manner ever since they began to understand the plea of Christians for the necessity of satisfaction to be made by the sufferings of the Messiah from the Doctrine of the Fall and Sin of Man. Hence Abarbinel in his Commentary on Isa. 53. expressly argues against those sufferings of the Messiah, from the non-necessity of them with reference unto the Sin of Adam. They contend also some of them that it was not so sorely revenged, as we plead it to have been. Ask an Heretic (a Christian) saith Lipman in his Nizzachon, how it can enter into their hearts to think that God should use so great severity against the Sin of Adam, that he should hold him bound for so small a matter, namely, for the eating of an Apple, that he should destroy him in this world, and that to come, and that n • t him only but all his Posterity.

But the blind Pharisee disputes not so much against us as against God himself. Who was it that denounced death in case he so transgressed? Who was it that pronounc • d him miserable, and the world accursed on the account thereof? Are we to blame if the Jews are not pleased with the ways of God? Besides although to eat an Apple be in its self but a small thing, yet to disobey the command of the great God, is no such small matter as the Jew supposeth; especially that command which set boundaries unto that excellent condition, wherein Adam in the right of all his Posterity was placed. But these Exceptions owe their Original unto a discovery of the Tendency of that Truth, which otherwise as we have shown they are convinced of; and which we have sufficiently cleared from the Scripture.

[§ 10] The second consequent of the first sin of man, is the Moral corrupti • n of Nature, the spring of all that evil of actual sin that is in the world. And herein we have • full consent from the Jews, delivered after their manner, both in the Tar • ums, Talmuds, and private Writings of their principal Masters. For an Evil Concupiscence i • the heart of man from his very conception they generally acknowledge.

The name they give unto it, is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 figmentum malum ; the evil figment of the Heart; properly enough, from Gen. 6. v. 5. And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , and th •• 〈◊〉 whole figment of the thoughts, or computation of his heart, was only evil, eve •• 〈◊〉 . Hence have they taken their 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , a more proper name than that used by Christian Divines of Originale Peccatum. And it is a ludicrous ignorance in some of the late Rabbins, who profess themselves to deny Original Sin, as doth the Author of the Questions and Objections, published by Brenius, and others of them, and yet in t • e mean time grant this Evil figment in all mankind, which was not in Ad • m in his innocence. And hereunto they oppose that 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , that Good Concupis • ence, whi • h they fancy to come on everyone at the Age of thirteen years, when he becomes • i •• us Praecepti, or liable unto the commands of God. The • argumis • s term it in the Cha • d • e Tongue, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 to the same Purpose. And it is mentioned by them, Psal. 13.5. That 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the Evil figment say not I have ruled over him ; instead of the Enem • ; for it is the chief enemy of men. Twice also it is mentioned in the Targum of Ps •• m 50. v. 14. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 restrain the Evil figment, and it shall • e acc • unted b • f • re God as a Sacrifice. Doubtless none more acceptable; and to the same purpose the words are also v. 23. And in Psalm 91.12. that thy foot stumble not at the evil figment which is like a stone. That is, that it seduce thee not, that it cause thee not to offend, to stumble and fall into sin. See James 1.14. And Psalm 119. v. 70. they call it absolutely 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the figment, or evil fomes, of the heart. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ; the figment of their heart is made thick or hard as with fatness ; an expression not unusual in the Scripture to set out impenitency and security in sinning: Isa. 6.10. And in Isa. 62. v. 10. they mention 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the thought of lust, or of the figment ; which is that conceiving of it, mentioned by James, Chap. 1.14▪ For 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is the inward evil thoughts of the heart, or the first motion of sin. Moreover they do not unfitly describe it by other property; as Eccles. 9.14. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ; The evil figment or concupiscence which is like unto a great King ; namely because of its power; on which account in the New Testament it is said 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , to reign as a King, because of the subjection unto it, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , in the Lusts or Concupiscence of the heart, Rom. 6.12. and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , or to have Dominion. v. 14. which is to the same purpose with that of the Targumist ; evil concupiscence is like a great King. And this Testimony we have given unto this Moral corruption of nature in the Targums, the most ancient Records of the Judaical Apprehensions about these things, that are now extant, or have been so for many Ages.

[§ 11] The Talmudists have expressed the same thoughts about this inbred and indwelling sin; and to set forth their conceptions about it, they have given it several names not unsuited unto those descriptions of it, which are given us by the Holy Ghost in the New Testament. As,

First, They call it 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , that is, malum Evil; a Name as they say given by God himself; Gen. 8.21. Hence is that Observation of R. Moses Haddarshan, from R. Jose in Bereshith Rabba ; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Sad, or dark is that Mass against which he that made it gives Testimony that it is Evil; and our Masters affirm that naught is that plant, which he that planted it witnesseth to be Evil. And in answer hereunto it is termed in the New Testament, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , that sin, that Evil thing that dwelleth in us: Rom. 7.

Secondly, They say, that Moses calleth it, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , praeputium, or uncircumcision, Deut. 10.16. And therefore in Tract. Sand. cap. 11. to the Question, when an Infant may be made partaker of the World to come, Ka. Nachman the Son of Isaac answereth, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , presently after he is circumcised ; Circumcision being admitted of old, as the sign of the taking away by Grace of the natural evil figment of the heart. And in Answer hereunto, it is called by our Apostle 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , or Uncircumcision; Col. 2.13.

Thirdly, They say, David calls it 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 an Vnclean thing. This they draw from Psalm 51. v. 12. by the Rule of Contraries, a great Guide in their Expositions. Create in me a Clean Heart O God; whence it appears that the Heart of its self is unclean. And the Apostle gives it us under the same Name and Notion, 1 Thes. 4. v. 7. 1 Cor. 7. v. 14.

Fourthly, Solomon as they suppose calls it 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 an Enemy or Hater, Prov. 25. v. 21. How properly they gather this name from that place, ipsi viderint ; This I know that to the same purpose it is called in the New Testament, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Enmity, or Hatred; Rom. 8.7. and all the Effects of Enmity, or actings of an Enemy, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , are ascribed unto it, 1 Pet. 2.11.

Fifthly, Isaiah calls it 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the offense, or stumbling block, Isa. 57.17. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Rom. 5.18. See James Chap. 1. v. 14, 15. The cause of our stumbling and falling.

Sixthly, Ezekiel calls it, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , a stone, chap. 36. v. 26. The Reason of this Appellation is commonly known; neither doth any Allusion better set out the nature of it from its Effects. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , an hard and impenitent heart, Rom. 2. v. 5.

Seventhly, Joel calls it, as they say, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , that hidden thing, chap. 2.20. for so they interpret 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in that place; whereby they seem to intend that Darkness and Deceitfulness, which are often ascribed unto it, in the New Testament. And these names they largely Comment upon. Now though I shall not justify their deduction of them, from the places mentioned, which yet some of them are proper enough unto their purpose; yet, as was said, the Names themselves seem not unsuitable unto that description of it which we have in the New Testament. Besides they speak elsewhere to the same purpose. In Neve Shalom lib. 10. cap. 9. They term it 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the defilement of the Serpent; See 2 Cor. 11.3. and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , from Eccles. 4. v. 13. An old and foolish King ; So is that place interpreted in Midrash Coheleth. And this as we observed before answers what we are taught in the New Testament, concerning the Reign and Dominion of Sin; as also the Name given it by the Apostle, of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the Old Man ; both being comprised in that expression, an old and foolish King, though the Text be wrested by them in their usual manner. And they give a tolerable Reason in the same place, of this Appellation of the Old Man ; because say they, it is joined unto a man in his infancy, continuing with him unto his Old Age; but the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , that is, the New man, or Good concupiscence comes not on our nature until the Age of thirteen years ; so the Midrash, feeling in the dark after that supply of of Grace, which is so clearly revealed in the Gospel. And in Tractat. Sandrim. fol. 91. they ask this Question; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , from what time doth the Evil Concupiscence bear rule in a man? from the Time of his birth, or from the time of his forming in the Womb? Rabbi answered from the time of his conception and forming in the Womb. And this Kimchi, on Psalm 51. illustrates by a similitude, not altogether impertinent. As, saith he, He that sows a bitter Berry, that bitterness becomes natural unto the Tree and Fruit that grows thereon. And this Concupiscence which is in the heart of man from his Conception, they acknowledge to have proceeded Originally from the Sin of our first Parents, for if it were implanted in him at his Creation, it cannot be avoided but that God himself must be assigned as the Principal efficient Cause of all Moral Evil.

Unto this purpose speaks their late Master in his Preface to his Book de Fragilitate. Haec vitiositas, saith he, ex primorum Parentum profecta crimine contagio{que}, invasit utram{que} animae rationals facultatem, mentem, qua apprehendimus, & voluntatem qua appetimus; This vitiosity and contagion proceeding from the Sin of our First Parents, hath invaded both the faculties of our Rational Souls, both the Understanding and the Will. And for the continuance of this Evil, or its abode in us, they express it in Bereshith Rabba ; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , so long as the Righteous live they wage War with their concupiscence. And they variously set forth the growth of it, where it is not corrected by Grace. At first they say, it is like a Spiders thread, but at last like a Cartrope ; from Isa. 59. v. 5. and Chap. 5. v. 18. And again, in the beginning it is like a stranger, then as a Ghest, but lastly as the Master of the House; see James 1.14, 15. And according to their wonted manner on Gen. 4. v. 7. where 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 of the Masculine Gender is joined with 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 of the Foeminine, they observe: in Bereshith Rabba: sec. 22. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , at first it is like a woman, but afterwards it waxeth strong like a man.

[§ 12] More Testimonies of this nature, from the Writings that are of Authority amongst them, might be produced, but that these are sufficient unto our Purpose. That we aim at, is to evidence their Conviction of that manifold misery which came upon mankind, on the Entrance of Sin into the world. And two things we have produced their Suffrage and Consent unto.

First, The Change of the Primitive Condition of Man, by his Defection from the Law of his Creation. This made him obnoxious in his whole Person and all his Concernments to the displeasure and Curse of God, to all the Evil which in this world he feels, or fears in another; to Death Temporal and Eternal. And hence did all the disorder which is in the Universe arise. All this we have found them freely testifying unto. And this must be acknowledged by all men, who will not brutishly deny what their own Consciences dictate unto them, and which the condition of the whole lower world proclaims, or irrationally ascribe such things unto God, as are utterly inconsistent with his Wisdom, Goodness, Righteousness, and Holiness. And,

Secondly, We have manifested their acknowledgement, that a Principle of Sin, or Moral Evil, hath invaded the nature of man; or that from the sin of our first Parents, there is an Evil Concupiscence in the heart of every man, continually and incessantly inclining the Soul unto Operations suitable unto it; that is unto all Moral Evil whatever. From both these it unavoidably follows, on the first Notions of the Righteousness, Holiness, Veracity, and Faithfulness of God, that mankind in this estate and condition, can justly expect nothing, but a confluence of Evil in this world, and at the close of their Pilgrimage, to perish with a Ruin Commensurate unto their Existence. For God having in Wisdom and Righteousness, as the Sovereign Lord of his Creature, given them a Law, good, just, and equal, and having appointed the Penalty of Death and his everlasting displeasure therein unto the Transgression thereof; and withal having sufficiently promulgated both Law and Penalty, (all which things we have before demonstrated) the Transgression prohibited actually ensuing, God himself being Judge, it remains that all this Constitution of a Law, and threatening of a penalty was vain and ludricous, as Satan in the Serpent pretended, or that mankind is rendered absolutely miserable and cursed, and that forever. Now which of these is to be concluded, Divine Revelation in the Scripture, Reason, and the Event of things, will readily determine.

[§ 13] That God without the least impeachment of his Righteousness or Goodness might have left all mankind remediless in this Condition, is manifest, both from what hath been discoursed concerning the means whereby they were brought into it, and his dealing with Angels on the like occasion. The condition wherein man was created, was morally good and upright; the state wherein he was placed outwardly happy and blessed; the Law given unto him, just and equal, the Reward proposed unto him, glorious and sure, and his Defection from this condition voluntary. What shall we say then, is God unjust who inflicteth Vengeance? God forbid. The Execution of a Righteous Sentence, upon the voluntary Transgression of a Law just and equal, hath no unrighteousness in it. And this was the sum of what God did in this matter, as to the misery that came on mankind. And who should judge Him, if he left him forever to eat of the fruit of his own ways, and to be filled with his own devices? He had before, as expressed his Power and Wisdom, so satisfied his Goodness and Bounty in his Creation, with his endowments, and enjoyments according unto the Law thereof; and what could man look for farther at his hands?

Hence Adam when his eyes were opened to see the nature of Evil in that actual sense which he had in his Conscience of the guilt that he had contracted, had not the least Expectation of Relief or Mercy. And the folly of the course which he took in hiding himself, argues sufficiently both his present Amazement, and that he knew of nothing better to betake himself unto. Therefore doth he give that account of the Result of his thoughts, as unto the Relation that was between God and him, and what only he now looked for from him, I heard thy voice, and was afraid. Neither would any Revelation that God had then made of himself, either by the Works of his Power and Wisdom, or by any inbred impressions on the souls of men concreated with them, give encouragement unto them that had sinned against him to expect Relief. Besides He had dealt thus with Angels. Upon their first Sin, he spared them not, but at once without hope of Recovery cast them under the Chains of Darkness to be kept unto the final Judgment of the last day. This our Apostle discourseth unto the Hebrews; chap. 2. Now God dealt not unsuitably unto any of the Excellencies of his Nature, when he left the Apostatizing Angels to perish without Remedy unto Eternity. Had he dealt so also with Apostatizing Mankind, who were drawn into a conspiracy against him by the Head of the Defection, his ways had been Holy and Righteous.

Yet doth not this great Instance of God's dealing with Angels absolutely conclude his [§ 14] leaving of mankind remediless in his misery also. He might justly do so, but thence it doth not follow that necessarily he must so do. And although the chief, and indeed only Reason of his extending Grace and Mercy unto Men, and not unto Angels, was his own Sovereign Will and Pleasure, concerning which who can say unto him, What doest thou? yet there was such a difference between these two sorts of Original Transgresso • s, as may manifest a Condecency or suitableness unto his Righteousness and Goodness in his various proceeding with them. For there are sundry things that put an Aggravation on the Rebellion of Angels above that of man; and some that render their ruin less destructive unto the Glory of the Universe, than that of mankind would have been. For,

First, The Angels were created in an estate and condition, much superior unto, and more excellent than that of Man; and so likewise were their present or actual enjoyments far above his, though they also were admirable and blessed. The place of their first Habitation which they left, Jude 6. was the Highest Heavens, the most glorious receptacle of created Beings; in opposition whereunto they are said to be cast into the lowest Hell, 2 Pet. 2.4. Whereas Man was placed in the Earth, which although then beautiful and excellently suited to his condition; yet was every way inferior unto the glory and luster of the other, which God so had Garnished by his Spirit, Job 26.13. and which for its curious Excellency is called the Work of his Fingers, Psalm 8.3. And in these different places of their Habitation,

Secondly, Their several Employments also did greatly differ; The work of Angels was immediately to attend the Throne of God, to minister before him, and to give glory unto him, and to execute the Commands of his Providence in the Government of the works of his hands; Psal. 68. v. 17. Dan. 7. v. 10. Ezek. 1.5, 6, 7. Heb. 1.14. Revel. 5.11. the highest pitch of Honor that a mere creature can be exalted unto. Man during his natural life was to be employed in tilling and dressing of the Ground, Gen. 2.16. a labor that would have been easy, useful, and suitable unto his condition, but yet in honor, advantage, and satisfaction, unspeakably beneath the Duty of the Others.

Thirdly, Their Enjoyments also greatly differed. For the Angels enjoyed the immediate glorious Presence of God, without any external created resemblances of it; when man was kept at a greater Distance, and not admitted unto such immediate communion with God, or enjoyment of his Glorious Presence. Now all these, and the like Considerations, although on the one side they do not in the least extenuate or excuse the sin and crime of Man in his Apostasy, yet they greatly aggravate the Wickedness, Ingratitude and Pride of the Angels.

Moreover, they differed in their Intellectual Perfections, whereby they were enabled to discern the Excellencies, and to know the mind of God. For although man had all that Light, Knowledge and Wisdom concreated with him, and so natural unto him, which were any way needful to enable him unto a right and due performance of the Obedience required of him, in the Observance whereof he should have been brought unto the Enjoyment of God; yet it came far short of that Excellency of Understanding, and that piercing Wisdom which was in those Spiritual Beings, which they were endowed withal to fit them for that near contemplation of the glory of God whereunto they were admitted, and that ready Apprehension of his mind which they were to observe. And as these were in themselves, and ought to have been improved by themselves, as blessed means of preserving them in their Obedience, so being despised and neglected they were a great Aggravation of the Wickedness of their Apostasy.

There was likewise (Fifthly) a difference in the manner of their Defection. Man was circumvented by the Craft and Policy of the Angels, who were made before him, and sinned before him. And this, although He was furnished with an Ability and Power to have rejected and overcome, yet it had that influence into his Sin and Fall, that the Holy Ghost affirms that our first Parents were SEDUCED, or deceived, 1 Tim. 2.14. 2 Cor. 11.3. and therefore calls Satan their Murderer, John 8.34. But the Angels had nothing without them to excite, provoke, or lay snares for them; but of their own Voluntary Choice, and mere motion of their own mind, in the Exercise of that Freedom of their Wills which was bestowed on them for their own honor and advantage in their Obedience, left their stations, and set up themselves in a way of Opposition unto their Creator, who had exalted them above their companions, newly brought out of the same Nothing with themselves, into a condition of the highest created Glory imaginable.

Again (Sixthly) although the condition of mankind being to be propagated by natural Generation from one common Stock, made it necessary that our First Parents should have a greater Trust reposed in them, by Reason of their Representation of their whole Posterity in that Covenant wherein they stood before God, than any Angel could have, seeing they stood everyone, only in his own name, and for himself; yet they were but two persons that actually sinned at first, and those one after another, one seduced by another; whereas the Angels in multitudes inconceivable, by a joint conspiracy at the same instant combined together against the Authority and Law of their Creator; and as it should seem appointed one among themselves for the Head of their Apostasy. Now although, as was said, none of those things can, or do in the least extenuate the sin of man, which was the product of inconceivable infidelity and ingratitude, yet they contain such Aggravations of the Sin of Angels, as may evidence a condecency unto Divine Wisdom and Goodness, in passing them by in their sin and misery unto Eternity, and yet giving Relief unto mankind.

Lastly, We may add unto what hath been spoken the concernment of the glory of God in the Universe. For if man had been left forever without Relief, the whole race or kind of Creatures, partakers of Human Nature, had been utterly lost; nothing of that kind could ever have come unto the Enjoyment of God, nor could God have ever been glorified by them in a way of Thankfulness and Praise, which yet was the End why he made that sort of Creatures. For the whole race of them as to the Event would have been mere Objects of Wrath and Displeasure. But in the Fall of Angels, they were only a certain number of individuals, that sinned, the whole kind was not lost as to the first End of their Creation. Angelical Nature was preserved in its orderly dependence on God, in those millions that kept their Obedience, and Primitive condition thereon, which is continued unto them with a superaddition of Glory and Honor, as shall be elsewhere declared. God then having made himself two Families unto his Praise, amongst whom he would dwell, that above of Angels, and this below of mankind, had sinning Man, which was the whole Creation participating in Human Nature, been utterly cast off, one Family had been lost forever, though so great a Remnant of the other was preserved. Wherefore, as we shall afterwards see, it seemed good unto his Infinite Wisdom, as to preserve that Portion of his Superior Family which sinned not, so to recover a portion of that below, and to make them up into one Family in one New Head, his Son Jesus Christ, in whom he hath now actually gathered into One, all things that are in Heaven and Earth unto his Praise and Glory, Ephes. 1.10. It appears then that no certain conclusion can hence be drawn, that man is left remediless in his Sin and Misery, because Angels are so; seeing that although the whole Cause of the difference made is to be referred unto the Sovereign Will, Wisdom and Pleasure of God, yet there is that appearing unto Reason, which manifests a suitableness unto his Excellencies in the distinction to be put between them.

[§ 15] There is then no Necessary Reason inducing us to believe, that God hath left all mankind to perish in their sin and misery under the Curse without any provision of a Remedy ; yea, there are on the other side Evidences many and certain, that there is a Way provided for their Recovery. For,

First, The Glorious Properties of the Nature of God whose Manifestation and Exaltation in all the works that outwardly are of him, he designeth, do require that there should be Salvation for Sinners. Even this matter of the Salvation of Sinners conduceth, yea is necessary unto the manifestation of some of those Divine Excellencies, wherein no small part of the glory of God doth consist. God had in the Creation of all things glorified his Greatness, Power, Wisdom and Goodness. His Sovereignty, Righteousness, and Holiness, he had in like manner revealed in that Holy Law which he had prescribed unto Angels and Men for the Rule of their Obedience, and in the Assignation of their Reward. Upon the Sin of Angels and Men, he had made known his Severity and Vindictive Justice, in the Curse and Punishment inflicted on them. But there were yet remaining undiscovered in the Abyss of his Eternal Essence, Grace, and Pardoning Mercy, which in none of his Works had as yet exerted themselves, or manifested their Glory. And in case no Remedy be provided for mankind under the Evils mentioned, and their utter ruin, as they must have perished accordingly, so those glorious Properties of the nature of God, all ways of exerting their proper and peculiar Acts being secluded, all objects of them removed, could not have been equally glorified with his other Holy Attributes. The creatures know nothing in God, but as it manifested in its Effects. His Essence in its self dwells in Light inaccessible. Had never any stood in need of Grace or Mercy, or doing so, had never been made partakers of them, it could not have been known that there was that kind of Goodness in his Nature, which yet it is his design principally to glorify himself in. The necessity therefore of the Manifestation of these Properties of God, his Goodness, Grace, Mercy, and Readiness to Forgive, which can only be exercised about sinners, and that in their Relief and Salvation from Sin and Misery do require that the Deliverance inquired after be admitted and justly expected. And this Expectation is so much the more just and firmly grounded in that there is nothing in himself which the Lord more requireth our Conformity unto himself in, than in this Condescension, Goodness, Grace, and Readiness to forgive, which manifests how dear the glory of them is unto him.

Secondly, To what End shall we conceive the Providence and Patience of God to be exercised towards the Race of Mankind, for so long a season in the Earth? We see what is the general Issue and Event of the continuance of Mankind in the world; God saw it and complained of it long ago, Gen. 6. v. 5, 6. Shall we now think that God hath no other Design in his Patience towards mankind for so many Generations, but merely to suffer them All, and Everyone without exception, to sin against him, dishonor him, provoke him, that so He may at length everlastingly destroy them? That this indeed is the Event with many, with the most, through their own perverse wickedness, blindness, and love of the pleasures of sin, cannot be denied. But to suppose that God hath no other design at all, but merely by his Patience to forbear them awhile in their folly, and then to avenge himself upon them, is unsuitable unto his Wisdom and Goodness. It cannot be then, but that he would long since have cut off the whole Race, if there were no way for them to be delivered out of this perishing condition. And although this way what ever it be, is not Effectual towards All, yet for their sakes towards whom, through the grace of God it is, and shall be so, is the Patience of God exercised towards the whole Race of Mankind, and their Being is continued in this world. Other Reason of this Dispensation of Divine Wisdom and Goodness can none be assigned.

Thirdly, That there is a way of Diliverance for Mankind, the Event hath manifested in two remarkable and undeniable Instances.

First, In that sundry Persons who were as others by nature children of Wrath, and under the Curse, have obtained an undoubted and infallible interest in the love and favor of God, and this Testimony that they pleased him. What were the Assurances they had hereof, I shall not now debate. But I take it now for granted, which may be farther confirmed as occasion shall require, that some Persons in all Generations, have enjoyed the Friendship, Love and Favor of God; which they could never have done, unless there had been some way for their Deliverance out of the state of Sin and Misery before described. For therein every man upon a just account will find himself in the state of Adam, who when he heard the voice of God was afraid.

Secondly, God hath been pleased to require from men a Revenue of Glory by a way of Worship prescribed unto them after the Entrance of sin. This he hath not done unto the Angels that sinned; nor could it have been done in a consistency with Righteousness unto men without a Supposition of a Possibility of Deliverance from under his Wrath. For in every Prescription of Duty, God proposeth himself as a Rewarder, which he is only unto them that please him; and to please God without the Deliverance inquired after is impossible. Besides that God is actually glorified in the world, by the Way of Worship required on this supposition, shall be elsewhere declared, and Arguments added in full measure to confirm our Assertion. Deliverance then from this condition may on just grounds be expected; and how it might be effected, is our next Enquiry.

[§ 16] The great Relief inquired after, must be brought about by men themselves, or by some other for them. What they can do themselves herein we may be quickly satisfied about. The nature of the Evils under which they suffer, and the Event of things in the world sufficiently discover the disability of men to be their own Deliverers. Besides, who should contrive the way of it, for them? One Single Person, More, or All? How easily the impossibility of it might be demonstrated on any of these suppositions, is too manifest to be insisted on. The Evils suffered under, are of two sorts, both Universal and Eternal. The first is that of Punishment, inflicted from the Righteousness of God.

There are but two ways possible (setting aside the Consideration of what shall be afterwards fixed on) whereby mankind, or any individual Person amongst them, may obtain deliverance from this Evil: And the first is, that God without any further consideration should remit it, and exempt the Creation from under it. But although this way may seem possible unto some, it is indeed utterly otherwise. Did not the sentence of it proceed from his Righteousness, and the Essential Rectitude of his Nature▪ Did he not engage his Truth and faithfulness, that it should be inflicted? and doth not his Holiness and Justice require that so it should be? What should become o • his glory, what would he do unto his great name, if now without any Cause or Reason he should contrary unto all these engagements of his Holy Perfections, wholly ren •• and take it off? Nay, this would plainly justify the Se • pent in his Calumny, that what ever he pretended, yet indeed that no Execution of his Threatning would ever ens •• . How also can it be supposed that any of his future C • mminations should have a just weight upon the souls of men; if that first great and fundamental one sh • uld be frustrated and evacuated? or what Authority would be left unto his Law, when he himself should dissolve the Sanction of it? Besides if God should do thus, which Reason, Revelation, and the Event of things do manifest that he neither would nor c • u • d, (for he cannot deny himself) this would have been his work, and not an acquisition of men themselves, which we are now enquiring, after. So that this way of deliverance, as it is but imaginary, so it is here of no consideration.

There is no other way then for man, if he will not perish eternally under the punishment due unto his Apostasy and Rebellion, but secondly to find out some way of Commutation, or making a Recompence for the Evil of sin unto the Law and Righteousness of God. But herein his utter insufficiency quickly manifests itself. What ever he is, or hath, or can pretend any Interest in, lies no less under the Curse than he doth himself. And that which is under the Curse can contribute nothing unto its removal. That which is in its whole Being obnoxious unto the greatest Punishment, can have nothing wherewithal to make Commutation for it. For that must first be accepted in, and for its self, which can either make Atonement, or be received for any other in Exchange. And this is the condition of man, and of every individual of mankind, and will be so to Eternity, unless Relief arise from another place. It is farther also evident, that all the endeavors of men must needs be unspeakably disproportionate unto the Effect and End aimed at, from the concernment of the other parts of the Creation in the Curse against sin. What can they do to restore the Universe unto its first Glory and Beauty? How can they reduce the Creation unto its Original Harmony? Wherewith shall they recompense the Great God for the defacing of so great a portion of that impress of his Glory and Goodness that he had enstamped on it? In a word, they who from their first date unto their utmost Period are always under the Punishment, can do nothing for the total removal of it. The Experience also of five thousand years hath sufficiently evinced, how insufficient man is to be a Savior unto himself. All the various and uncertain motions of Adam's Posterity in Religion, from the Extremity of Atheism unto that of Sacrificing themselves and one another have been destined in vain, towards this End. Neither can any of them to this day, find out a better, or more likely way for them to thrive in, than those wherewith their Progenitors deluded themselves. And in the Issue of all we see, that as to what man hath been able of himself to do towards his own Deliverance, both himself and the whole world, are continued in the same state wherein they were upon the first Entrance of Sin cumulated as it were with another world of Confusion, Disorder, Mischief and Misery. There is also another head of the Misery of man, and that is the corrupt spring of Moral Evil that is in his nature. This also is Universal and Endless. It mixeth its self with all, and everything, that man doth, or can do, as a Moral Agent, and that always, and forever, Gen. 6. v. 5. It is then impossible that it should have an end, unless it do either destroy, or spend its self. But seeing it will do neither of these, ever sinning ; which man cannot but be, is not the way to disentangle himself from sin.

If then any Deliverance be ever obtained for mankind, it must be by some other [§ 17] not involved in the same misery with themselves. This must either be God himself or good Angels. Other Rational Agents there are none. If we look to the latter, we must suppose them to undertake this work either by the Appointment of God, or upon their own Accord, without his previous Command or Direction. The latter cannot be supposed. They knew too much of the Majesty, Holiness, and Terror of the great God to venture on an interposition of themselves upon his Counsels and Ways, uncommanded. To do so would have been a sinful dissolution of the Law of their Creation. So much also they might discern of the work its self, as to stifle unto Eternity, every thought of engaging themselves into it. Besides they knew the Will of God, by what they saw come to pass. They saw his Justice and Holiness glorified in the Evils which he had brought upon the world. That He would not forever satisfy himself in that Glory, they knew not. And what was man unto them, that they should busy themselves to retrive him from that condition whereinto he had cast himself by sin, finding Him glorified therein, in conformity unto whose will their Happiness and Perfection doth consist? As remote as men are from thoughts of recovering Fallen Angels, so far were they contriving the Recovery of Man.

But it may be said, the God himself might design them to work out the Salvation and deliverance inquired after, as was before supposed. But this makes God, and not them to be the Savior, and them only the Instruments in the Accomplishment of his work. Neither yet hath he done so, nor were they meet so to be employed. What ever is purely penal in the misery of man is an Effect of the Righteous Judgment of God. This, as we have manifested could be no otherwise diverted from him, but by the undergoing of it, by some other in his stead. And two things are required in him, or them that should so undergo it. First, That they were not themselves obnoxious unto it, either Personally, or upon the first common account: Should they be so, they ought to look to their own concernment in the first place. Secondly, that they were such, as that the Benefit of their Undergoing that Penalty, might according to the Rules of Justice redound unto them, for whom, and in whose stead they underwent it; otherwise they would suffer in vain. Now although the Angels might answer the first of these in their Personal immunity from obnoxiousness unto the Curse, yet the latter they were unsuited for. They had no Relation unto mankind, but only that they were the Workmanship of the same Creator. But this is not sufficient to warrant such a substitution. Had Angels been to be delivered, their Redemption must have been wrought in the Angelical Nature, as the Apostle declares, Heb. 2. v. 16. But what Justice is it that Man should sin, and Angels suffer? or from whence should it arise that from their suffering it should be Righteous, that he should go free? By what notions of God could we have been instructed in the Wisdom and Righteousness of such a Proceeding? Add hereunto, that this God hath not done, and we may safely conclude, that it became him not so to do.

But what need all this Enquiry? The Jews with whom we principally have to do [§ 18] in this matter, plead constantly, that God hath appointed unto men, at least unto themselves, a way and means of Delivery out of this condition. And this is, by the observation of Moses's Law. By this they say, they are justified in the sight of God, and have Deliverance from all wrath due unto sin. This they trusted in of old; Rom. 9. v. 32. this they continue to make their Refuge at this day. Spiritualis liberatio solummodo dependet ab Observatione legis quam Deus in monte Sinai promulgavit. Spiritual Deliverance dependeth solely on the Observation of the Law which God promulgated on Mount Sinai, saith the Author of the Answers unto certain Questions proposed to the Jews, Quest. 5. published by Brenius, who in his reply hath betrayed unto them the most important Doctrines of the Christian Religion. But this is their Perswasion. The giving of this Law unto them, they suppose to have freed them utterly from everything in the condition before described, so far as they will acknowledge it to concern any of the Posterity of Adam. And whereas they cannot deny but that they sometimes sin against the Moral Precepts of this Law, and so stand in need of Help against their Helper, they fix in this case upon a double relief. The first is of their own Personal Repentance ; and the other the Sacrifices that are appointed in the Law.

But whereas they now are, and have been for many Generations, deprived of the Privilege as they esteem it of offering Sacrifices according to the Law, they hope that their own Repentance with their death, which they pray that it may be expiatory, will be sufficient to obtain for them the forgiveness of sin. Only they say this might better and more easy be effected, if they might enjoy the Benefit of Sacrifices. So saith the forementioned Jew, whose Discourse is published by Brenius. Quamvis jam nulla sint Sacrificia, quae media erant ad tanto facilius impetrandam remissionem peccatorum, eadem tamen per poenitentiam & resipiscentiam impetratur: And again, Hodie victimas offere non possumus destituti mediis ad hoc necessariis, quae quando obtinebimus, tum remissio illa tanto facilior reddetur. Respon. ad Quaest. Septim. If they cannot obtain the use of Sacrifices, yet the matter may be effected by their Repentance ; only it were much easier to do it by Sacrifices. And they seem to long for them principally on this account, that by them they may free themselves from somewhat of Discipline and Penance which now their consciences enforce them unto: But this, as all other Articles of their Creed which are properly Judaical, is feigned by them to suit their present condition and Interest. For where do they find that their Sacrifices, especially that which they most trust in, namely, that on the Feast of Expiation, Lev. 16. was ever designed for this End, to enable them the more easily to obtain the Remission of sins by another means which they use? For it is said directly, that the Sacrifice on that day did expiate their sin, and make Atonement for it, that they might not die; and not that it did help them in procuring pardon another way. But this is now taken from them, and what shall they do? Why rather than they will look or come to him, who was represented in that Sacrifice, and on whose account alone it had all its efficacy, they will find out a new way of doing that which their Sacrifices were appointed unto; and this they must do, or openly acknowledge that they all perish eternally. I shall not insist long on the casting down of this Imagination, all the Foundations of it being long ago demolished by our Apostle in his Epistles, especially those to the Romans, Galatians, and the Hebrews themselves. And this he hath not done merely by a new Revelation of the Mind and Will of God, but upon the Principles, and by the Testimonies of the Old Testament its self; as will afterwards more fully appear. Only because it is here set up in competition with that blessed and All-sufficient Remedy against Sin and the Curse, which God indeed hath provided: I shall briefly remove it out of our Way, and that by manifesting that it is neither in its self suited unto that End, nor was ever of God designed thereunto.

[§ 19] That all mankind was cast into the condition we have described by and upon the the sin of Adam, we have before sufficiently confirmed. Other just Reason, or Occasion of it, no man can assign. It hath been also evinced that God would, and consequently did prepare a Remedy for them, or a Way of Deliverance to be proposed unto them. If this were only the Law of Moses and the Observance thereof, as the Jews pretend, I desire to know what became of them, what was their Estate and Condition who lived and died before the giving of that Law? Not only the Patriarchs before the Flood, who some of them had this Testimony, that they pleased God, and one of whom was taken alive into Heaven, but Abraham also himself who received the Promises, must on this Supposition be excluded from a participation in the Deliverance inquired after. For they observed not the Law of Moses. What they dream about the making of their Law before the Foundation of the World, and the study of God therein, and that night and day, by day in the Written Law, and by night in the Oral Cabal, is not to be mentioned where matters of importance unto the souls of men are under consideration.

But yet I may add by the way, that neither this, nor the like monstrous figments are invented or broached by them, without some especial design, In the Eighth Chapter of the Proverbs, there is mention of the Wisdom of God, and such a description given of it, as allows not an Essential Property of his nature to be thereby intended. This is there said to be with God before the foundation of the world his delight and companion. Whence it appears that nothing but the Eternal Word, Wisdom and Son of God can possibly be intended thereby. To avoid this Testimony given unto his Eternal subsistence, the Jews first invented this Fable, that the Law was created before the world, and that the Wisdom of it, was that which God conversed with, and delighted in. And I have often wondered at the Censure of a learned Christian Annotator upon the place; Haec, saith he, de ea sapientia quae in Lege apparet exponunt Hebraei; & sane ei, si non soli at praecipue haec attributa convenient, contrary to the Faith of the Church in all Ages. It is true on v. 22. and those that follow, He affirms they may be expounded by that of Philo de Coloniis. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . But whether this Platonical Declaration of the Nature, and Work of the Word of God, employed by him as an Instrument in the Making and Government of the World, would have been accepted in the Primitive Church, when this Place was vexed by the Arians, and studiously vindicated by the Orthodox Fathers, I much question. But to return; If the Law and the observance of it, be the only Remedy provided of God against the sin and misery of man, the only means of Reconciliation with him, all that died before the giving of it, must perish, and that eternally. But the contrary appears from this very consideration, and is undeniably proved by our Apostle in the Instance of Abraham, Gal. 3. v. 17. For he received the Promise, and was taken into Covenant with God four hundred and thirty years before the giving of the Law. And that Covenant conveyed unto him the Love and Favor of God, with Deliverance from Sin and the Curse, as themselves will not deny.

There was therefore a Remedy in this case provided long before the giving of the Law on Mount Sinai ; and therefore the Law was not given unto that purpose, but for other Ends at large declared by our Apostle. Either then they must grant that all the Patriarchs, and he in especial of whom they boast perished eternally, or else that there was a means of Deliverance provided before the giving of the Law, and consequently that the Law was not given for that End. The first they will not do, nor can without an absolute Renunciation of their own Sacred Writings, wherein none have obtained a larger Testimony that they pleased God than they. The latter therefore followeth undeniably. If they shall say they had a way of Deliverance, but God provided another afterwards, as this would be spoken without Warrant or Authority from the Scripture, so I desire to know both what that way was, and why it was rejected. Of God's appointment it was, and effectual it was unto them that embraced it, and why it should be laid aside who can declare?

Again, as was before observed, there are two parts of the Law; The Moral Precepts [§ 20] of it, and the instituted Worship appointed in it. Unto this latter part do the Sacrifices of it belong. But neither of these are sufficient unto the End proposed, nor jointly can they attain it. Two things are evidently necessary from what hath been discoursed, unto the Deliverance inquired after. First, That Man be reconciled unto God, by the removal of the Curse, and the Wrath due unto him for his Apostasy. Secondly, That his Nature be freed from that Principle of Sin and enmity against God, (the evil figment) that it is tainted, yea, possessed withal. And neither of these can be effected by the Law, or either part of it. For,

First, The Moral Precepts of it are the same with those that were written in the heart of man by Nature, or the Law of his Creation which he transgressed in his first Rebellion. And he must be delivered from that guilt before any new Obedience can be accepted of him. His old debt must be satisfied for, before he can treat for a new Reward, which inseparably follows all acceptable Obedience. But this the Precepts of the Law take no notice of, nor direct unto any way for its removal; only supposing the doing of it by some other means, it requires exact Obedience in them that come to God thereby. Hence our Apostle concludes, that it could not give life, but was weak and insufficient in its self unto any such purpose.

Besides secondly, it could not absolutely preserve men in its own Observation; for it required that Obedience which never any sinner did or could in all things perform; as the Scriptures of the Old Testament abundantly manifest. For they tell us, there is is no man that sinneth not, 1 Kings 8. v. 46. 2 Chron. 6. v. 36. That, if the Lord should mark iniquity no man could stand, Psal. 130. v. 3. And that, if he enter into Judgment (according to the Law) no man living can be justified in his sight, Psal. 143. v. 2. To this Purpose see the excellent Discourse, and invincible Reasonings of our Apostle, Rom. chap. 3. & 4. This the Holy Men of Old confessed, this the Scripture bears testimony unto, and this Experience confirms, seeing every sin, and transgression of that Law was put under a Curse, Deut. 27. v. 26. Where then, there is no man that sinneth not, and every sin is put under the curse, the Law in the Preceptive part of it can be no means of delivery from the one or other, but is rather a certain means of increasing and aggravating of them both. Neither is there any Testimony given concerning any one under the Old Testament that he was any other way justified before God, but by Faith and the Pardon of Sins, which are not of the Works of the Law. See Gen. 15. v. 6. Psal. 32. v. 1, 2. Of Noah indeed it is said, that he was upright, and perfect in his Generation ; that is sincere in his Obedience, and free from the open wickedness of the Age wherein he lived. But as this was before the giving of the Law by Moses, so the Ground of his Freedom and Deliverance is added to be the Gracious Love and Favor of God. This the Jews themselves confess in Bereshith Rabba: Sect. 29. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Even Noah himself who was left of them was not every way as he should be, but that he found Grace or Favor in the eyes of the Lord. And to the same purpose they speak concerning Abraham himself elsewhere. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Thou findest that Abraham our Father inherited not this world and the world to come any otherwise than by Faith; as it is said he believed God. This part therefore of the Law, is plainly convinced to be insufficient to deliver sinners from an Antecedent guilt, and Curse due thereunto.

[§ 21] It remains then that the Sacrifices of the Law must yield the Relief inquired after, or we are still at a loss in this matter. And these the Jews would willingly place their chief confidence in; they did so of old. Since indeed they have been driven from their Observation; they have betaken themselves unto other Helps, that they might not appear to be utterly hopeless. But they sufficiently manifest their great reserve against the Accusation of their Consciences to be in them, by the ludicrous ways of representing, or rather counterfeiting of them that they have invented. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 signifies a man ; and among the Rabbins a Cock also. Hence Ben Vzziel renders 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Ezion Geber. The name of a City, Deut. 2.8. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the City of a Cock. And Isa. 22. v. 17. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is rendered by Jerome, Gallus Gallinaceus. Granting therefore that the Punishment of Geber is required unto Atonement and Reconciliation, and that some such thing was signified in their Sacrifices, they do each one for himself, torture, slay, and offer a Cock on the day of Expiation to make atonement for their sins, and that unto the Devil. The Rites of that Diabolical Solemnity are declared at large by Buxtorfius in his Synagog. Judaic. cap. 20. But yet as this folly manifests that they can find no rest in their consciences without their Sacrifices, so it gives them not at all what they seek after. And therefore being driven from all other hopes they trust at length unto their own Death, for in Life they have no hope; making this one of their constant Prayers, Let my Death be the Expiation of all Sins. But this is the curse, and so no means to avoid it. Omitting therefore these horrid follies of men under despair, an effect of that wrath which is come upon them unto the uttermost, the thing its self may be considered.

That the Sacrifices of Moses's Law in and by themselves, should be a means to deliver men from the guilt of sin, and to reconcile them unto God, is contrary to the Light of Nature, their own proper use, and express Testimonies of the Old Testament. For First, Can any man think it reasonable that the blood of Bulls and Goats should of its self make an Expiation of the sin of the souls of men, reconcile them to God the Judge of all, and impart unto them an Everlasting Righteousness? Our Apostle declares the manifest impossibility hereof, Heb. 10. v. 4. They must have very mean and low thoughts of God, his Holiness, Justice, Truth, of the Demerit of Sin, of Heaven and Hell, who think them all to depend on the blood of a Calf or a Goat. The Sacrifices of them indeed might by God's appointment represent that to the minds of men which is effectual unto the whole End of appeasing God's Justice, and of obtaining his Favor; but that they should themselves effect it, is unsuitable unto all the Apprehensions which are imbred in the heart of man, either concerning the nature of God, or the Guilt of Sin. Secondly, Their Primitive and proper use, doth manifest the same. For they were to be frequently repeated, and in all the Repetitions of them, there was still new mention made of sin. They could not therefore by themselves take it away; for if they could, they would not have been reiterated. It is apparent therefore that their use was to represent and bring to remembrance that which did perfectly take away sin. For a perfect work may be often remembered, but it need not, it cannot be often done. For being done for such an End, and that End being obtained it cannot be done again. The Sacrifices therefore were never appointed, never used to take away sin, which they did not, but to represent that which did so effectually.

Besides, there were some sins that men may be guilty of whom God will not utterly reject, for which there was no Sacrifice appointed in the Law of Moses: as was the case with David, Psal. 51. v. 16. which makes it undeniable that there was some other way of Atonement besides them and beyond them, as our Apostle declares, Acts 13. v. 38, 39. Thirdly, The Scripture expressly rejects all the Sacrifices of the Law, when they are trusted in for any such End and Purpose, which sufficiently demonstrates that they were never appointed thereunto. See Psal. 40 v. 6, 7, 8. Psal. 50. v. 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13. Isa. 1. v. 11, 12, 13. Chap. 66. v. 3. Amos. 5.21, 22. Micah 6. v. 6, 7, 8. and other places innumerable.

Add unto what hath been spoken, that during the Observation of the whole Law [§ 22] of Moses, whilst it was in force by the Appointment of God himself, He still directed those who sought for Acceptance with him, unto a New Covenant of Grace, whole Benefits by faith they were then made partakers of, and whole nature was afterwards more fully to be declared. See Jerem. 31. v. 31, 32, 33, 34. with the inferences of our Apostle thereon, Heb. 8.12, 13. And this plainly everts the whole Foundation of the Jews Expectation of Justification before God on the account of the Law of Moses given on Mount Sinai. For to what purpose should God call them from resting on the Covenant thereof, to look for Mercy and Grace in and by another, if that had been able to give them the help desired?

In brief then, the Jews fixing on the Law of Moses, as the only means of delivery from sin and death, as they do thereby exclude all mankind besides themselves from any interest in the Love, Favor, or Grace of God, which they greatly design and desire, so they cast themselves also into a miserable restless self-condemned condition in this world, by trusting to that which will not relieve them, and into Endless misery hereafter, by refusing that which effectually would make them Heirs of Salvation. For whilst they perish in their sin, another, better, more glorious and sure Remedy against all the Evils that are come upon mankind, or are justly feared to be coming by any of them, is provided in the Grace, Wisdom, and Love of God, as shall now farther be demonstrated.

The first intimation that God gave of this work of his Grace in Redeeming mankind [§ 23] from sin and misery, is contained in the Promise subjoined unto the Curse denounced against our first Parents, and their Posterity in them, Gen. 3. v. 15. The seed of the Woman shall bruise the Heaa of the Serpent, and the Serpent shall bruise his Heel. Two things there are contained in these words, A Promise of Relief from the misery brought on mankind by the Temptation of Satan; and an intimation of the Means or Way, whereby it should be brought about. That the first is included in these words is evident; For,

First, If there be not a Promise of Deliverance expressed in these words, whence is it, that the execution of the sentence of Death against sin, is suspended? Unless we will allow an Intervention satisfactory to the Righteousness and Truth of God to be expressed in these words, there would have been a truth in the suggestion of the Serpent, namely, that whatever God had said, yet indeed they were not to die. The Jews in the Midrash Tehillim, as Kimchi informs us on Psal. 92. whose Title is, a Psalm for the Sabbath Day, which they generally assign unto Adam, say that Adam was cast out of the Garden of Eden, on the Evening of the sixth day ; after which God came to execute the Sentence of Death upon him; but the Sabbath being come on, the Punishment was deferred, whereon Adam made that Psalm for the Sabbath Day. Without an interposition of some external Cause and Reason they acknowledge that Death ought immediately to have been inflicted; and other besides what is mentioned in these words, there was none.

Secondly, The whole Evil of sin and Curse that mankind then did, or was to suffer under, proceeded from the friendship contracted between the Woman and the Serpent, and her fixing faith in him. God here declares that he will break that League, and put Enmity between them. Being now both of them under the same condition of sin and Curse, this could not be without a change of Condition in one of them. Satan is not divided from himself; nor is at Enmity with them that are left wholly in his Estate. A change of Condition therefore on the part of the Woman and her Seed, is plainly promised; that is, by a Deliverance from the state of sin and misery wherein they were. Without this the Enmity mentioned could not have ensued.

Thirdly, In pursuit of this Enmity the seed of the woman was to bruise the Head of the Serpent. The Head is the seat of his Power and Craft. Without the destruction of the Evil and pernicious effects which by his Counsel he had brought about, his Head cannot be bruised. By his Head he had contrived the Ruin of mankind; and without the Destruction of his Works, and a Recovery from that Ruin, he is not conquered, nor his Head bruised. And as these things though they may now seem somewhat obscurely expressed in these words, are yet made plain unto us in the Gospel; so the importance of them was evident unto our first Parents of old, being expounded by all the Circumstances wherewith the matter of fact was attended.

Again, there is an intimation of the manner how this work shall be performed. This First, God takes upon himself; I will do it; I will put Enmity : It is an issue of his Sovereign Wisdom and Grace. But Secondly, He will do it in and by the nature of man; the seed of the Woman. And two things must concur to the effecting of it. First, That this seed of the Woman must conquer Satan; bruise his Head, destroy his Works, and procure Deliverance for mankind thereby. Secondly, That he must suffer from, and by the means of Satan in his so doing; the Serpent must bruise his Heel. This is the Remedy and Relief, that God hath provided for mankind. And this is the MESSIAH; or God joining with the Nature of man, to Deliver mankind from sin and Eternal misery.

[§ 24] This Promise of Relief by the seed of the Woman, is as the first, so the only intimation that God gave unto our first Parents, of a way of Deliverance from that condition whereinto they and the whole Creation were brought by the Entrance of Evil or Sin. It was likewise the first Discovery that there was in him, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Benignity, Grace, Kindness, or Mercy, Compassion, Pardon. Hereby he declared himself to be, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Neh. 9. v. 17. A God of Pardons, Gracious, and tenderly merciful. As also Psalm 86. v. 5. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Good and pardoning and much in mercy. And if this be not acknowledged, it must be confessed that all the world, at least unto the Flood, if not unto the days of Abraham, in which space of Time we have Testimony concerning some, that they walked with God and pleased him, were left without any certain ground of Faith, or hope of Acceptance with him. For without some knowledge of this Mercy, and the Provision of a way for its exercise, they could have no such Perswasion. This then we have obtained, that God presently upon the Entrance of sin into the World, and the breach of its public Peace thereby, promised a Reparation of that Evil in the whole Extent of it, to be wrought in and b • the seed of the Woman ; That is the MESSIAH.

[§ 25] According unto our Design we may take along with us the thoughts of the Jews in this matter, expressed after their manner.

For the Serpent that tempted Eve, who is here threatened as the Head of all the Evil that ensued thereon, they confess that Satan accompanied him, and was principally intended in the Curse denounced against him. So the Targum of Ben Uzziel; When the Serpent came to tempt Eve, she saw 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Samael the Angel of Death upon him. And Maimonides gives a large account of the Doctrine of their Wisemen in this matter. More Nebuch. pag. 2. cap. 20. At neque hoc praetereundum quod in Midrash adducunt Sapientes nostri, Serpentem equitatum fuisse, quantitatem ejus instar Cameli, & sessorem ejus fuisse illum qui decepit Evam, huncque Sessorem fuisse Samaelem, quod nomen absolute usurpant de Sathana. Invenies enim quod in multis locis dicunt Sathanam voluisse impedire Abrahamum ne ligaret Isaacum, sic voluisse impedire Isaacum ne obsequeretur, voluntati patris sui; alibi vero in hoc eodem negotio dicunt, venit Samael ad Abrahamum; sic itaque apparet quod Samael sit ipse Satan. To omit their Fables, this in evident, that they acknowledge it was Satan who deceived Eve. And in Bereshith Rabba, sect. 10. They give an account why God expostulated with Adam and Eve before he pronounced Sentence against them, but without any Word or Question proceeded immediately unto the Doom of the Serpent; For say they, the Holy Blessed God said, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ; This Serpent is wicked, and a cunning disputer, and if I speak unto him, he will strait way say, thou gavest them a Commandment, and I gave them a Commandment; why did they leave thy Commandment, and follow my Commandment; and therefore he presently pronounced sentence against him ; And the same words are repeated in Midrash Vaiikra ad cap. 13. v. 2. which things can be understood of Satan only. I know some of the later Masters have other thoughts of these things, because they discover what use may be made of the Truth, and the Faith of their forefathers in this matter.

Ibn Ezra in his Commentary on this place disputes the Opinions of their Doctors; and although he acknowledge that Rabbi Saadias Haggaon, and Rabbi Samuel Ben Hophni, with others, (that is indeed their Targums, and Talmuds, and all their ancient Writers) affirm Satan to be intended, yet he contends for the Serpent only, on the weak pretences that Satan goeth not on his Belly, nor eateth Dust, which things in the letter are confessed to belong unto the Instrument that he used. And hereon they would have it that the Serpent was deprived of voice and understanding which before he had, so making him a rational subsistence, who is expressly reckoned amongst the Beasts of the Field.

The Root of all Evil also they would have to lie in the matter whereof we were originally made ; an impossible figment, invented to reflect the guilt of all sin on Him that made us. Thus everything seems right to men that will serve the present turns, whilst they shut their Eyes against the Truth. But we have the consent of the Antientest, Best, and Wisest of them in this matter; as also unto the Deliverance here promised. The two Targums, of Uzzielides and that called Jerusalem, both agree, that these words contain a Remedy of the Effects of Satan's Temptation, and that to be wrought by the Messiah, or as they speak in his days. And hence they have a common saying, that in the last days, (which is the Old Testament Periphrasis of the Days of the Messiah ) all things shall be healed but the Serpent and the Gibeonites ; by whom they understand all Hypocrites and Unbelievers. Satan therefore is to be conquered by the bruising of his Head ; and conquered he is not, nor can be, unless his work be destroyed. In the destruction of his work, consists the Delivery of mankind from the twofold evil mentioned. And this is to be effected by the seed of the Woman, to be brought forth into the world unto that end and purpose. For when the Production of this Seed is restrained unto the Family and Posterity of Abraham, it is said expressly, that in, or by it, all the Kindreds of the earth should be blessed, which they could not be, without a removal and taking away of the Curse.

We may now therefore take the sum of this Discourse, and of the whole matter [§ 26] that we have insisted on, about the Entrance of sin into the world, and the Remedy provided in the Grace and Wisdom of God against it. It appears upon our Enquiry; First, That the Sin of our First Parents, was the Occasion and Cause of all that Evil which is in the world, of all that is felt or justly feared by mankind. For as those who knew not, or received not the Revelation of the Truth in these things made unto us in the Scripture, could never assign any other cause of it, that might be satisfactory unto an ordinary rational Enquiry, so the Testimonies of the Scripture make it most evident, and especially that insisted on. Secondly, It hath been evinced, tha • mankind could not recover, or deliver themselves from under the power of their own innate corruption and disorder, nor from the effects of the Curse and Wrath of God that came upon them. Neither is there any ground of Expectation of Relief from any other part of God's Creation. But yet that God for the praise of the glory of his Grace, Mercy and Goodness, would effect it and bring it about. Thirdly, That this Relief and Deliverance is first intimated and declared, in those words of God unto the Serpent; I will put Enmity between thee and the Woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. Which appears,

First, Because in and with the Serpent, Satan who was the Head of all Apostasy from God, and by whom our first Parents were beguiled, is intended in these words. This we have made evident from the Confession of the Jews with whom in this matter principally we have to do. And to what hath been already observed unto that purpose, we may add the Testimonies of some other of them to the same Purpose, Rabbi Bechai, he whom they call 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Bechai the Elder, in his Comment on the Law unto these words, Gen. 3. v. 15. speaks to this purpose. We have no more enmity with the Serpent than with other creeping things. Wherefore the Scripture Mystically signifies him who was hid in the Serpent. For the body of the crafty Serpent was a fit instrument for that force, or virtue, that joined its self therewithal. That was it which made Eve to sin, whence death came on all her Posterity. And this is the Enmity between the Serpent and the seed of the Woman. And this is the Mystery of the Holy Tongue, that the Serpent is sometimes called Saraph, according to the name of an Angel, who is also called Saraph. And now thou knowest that the Serpent is Satan, and the evil Figment, and the Angel of Death. And Rabbi Judah ; in 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Many Interpreters say, that the Evil Figment hath all its force from the Old Serpent; or Satan. To the same purpose, the Author of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Caphtor Vapaerach; The Devil and the Serpent are called by one name. And many other Testimonies of the like importance might be collected out of them.

We have also asurer word for our own satisfaction, in the Application of this place unto Satan in the Divine Writings of the New Testament : as 2 Cor. 11.3. 2 Tim. 2.14. Rom. 5.11, 12, 13, 15. Heb. 2.14, 15. 1 John 3.8. Revel. 12.9. and Chap. 20. v. 2, 3. but we forbear to press them on the Jews.

Besides, it is most evident from the thing itself. For (1.) Who can be so sottish as to imagine, that this great Alteration which ensued on the works of God, that which caused him to pronounce them accursed, and to inflict so sore a Punishment on Adam and all his Posterity, should arise from the Actings of a Brute Creature. Where is the glory of this dispensation? How can we attribute it unto the Wisdom and Greatness of God? What is there in it suitable unto his Righteousness and Holiness? Whereas supposing this to be the work of him who was in himself the beginning of all Apostasy, and who first brake the Law of his Creation, all things answer the Excellency of the Divine Perfections. Moreover is it imaginable that the nature of man then flourishing in the vigor of all its intellectual Abilities, Reason, Wisdom, Knowledge; in that Order and Rectitude of them which was his Grace, should be surprised, seduced and brought into subjection, unto the Craft and Machinations of an inferior Creature, a Beast of the Field, and that unto its own Ruin Temporal and Eternal? The whole nature of the inferior creatures, James tells us, is tamed by the nature of Man, Chap. 3. v. 7. and that now in his lessened and depraved condition; and shall we think that this Excellent Nature, in the blossom of its strength, and right unto Rule over all, should be tamed, corrupted, subdued, by the nature of a Beast or a Serpent. And yet again, whereas in the whole action of the Serpent, there is an open design against the glory and honor of God, with the welfare and happiness of mankind, and that managed with Craft, Subtilty, and Forecast, how can we imagine that such a contrivance should befall a brute Worm, uncapable of Moral Evil, and newly framed out of the dust by the power of its Creator? Hitherto it had continued under the Law and Order of its Creation; and shall we now think that suddenly on an instant, it should engage thus desperately against God and man? And further the actings of the Serpent were by Reason and with Speech. And doth not a supposal that he was endowed with them plainly exempt him from that Order and kind of Creatures whereof he was, and place him among the number of the intellectual and rational parts of the Creation? And is not this contrary to the Analogy of the Scripture, and the open truth of the thing its self, he being cursed among the Beasts of the Field ? To say, as Ibn Ezra seems to do, that God gave him Reason and Speech for that occasion, is blasphemously to make God the sole-Author of that Temptation which he so much abhorred. Lastly, Considering the Punishment denounced against mankind, of Death Temporal and Eternal, that which is threatened unto the Serpent bears no proportion unto it, if it concern only the Serpent its self. And what Rule of Justice will admit, that the Accessory should be punished with greater Sufferings than the Principal? Neither doth this Punishment as to the Principal part of it, the bruising of the Head, befall all Serpents, yea, but few of them in comparison, doubtless not one of a Million, whereas all mankind none excepted were liable unto the Penalty denounced against them. Were no more men intended herein than are bitten on the heel by Serpents, the matter were otherwise; but death is passed upon all, in as much as all have sinned. Satan then it was, who was the Principal in this Seduction, the Author of all Apostasy from God, who using the Serpent its instrument, involved that also so far in the Curse, as to render it of all Creatures the most abhorred of mankind.

[§ 27] Against this Seducer it is denounced, that his Head should be bruised. The Head of Satan, is his Craft and Power. From these issued all that Evil whereinto mankind was fallen. In the bruising therefore of his Head, the defeat of his Counsel, the destruction of his Work, and the Deliverance of Mankind is contained, as our Apostle most excellently declares, Heb. 2. Death must be removed, and Righteousness brought in, and acceptance with God procured, or the Head of Satan is not bruised. This therefore is openly and plainly a promise of the Deliverance inquired after.

Moreover, There is a Declaration made, how this Victory shall be obtained, and this Deliverance wrought, and that is by the Seed of the Woman. This seed is twice repeated in the words; once expressly, and her seed ; and Secondly it is included in the Pronoun 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , it. And as by seed in the first place the Posterity of the Woman, some to be born of her race, partakers of human nature may be intended, as the subjects of the Enmity mentioned, so in the latter some single person, some one of her Posterity or seed, that should obtain the Victory, is expressly denoted. For as all her seed in common, do never go about this work, the greatest part of them continuing in a willing Subjection unto Satan ; so if all of them should combine to attempt it, they would never be able to accomplish it, as we have before proved at large. Some one therefore to come of Her, with whom God would be present in an especial and extraordinary manner, is here expressly promised. And this is the Messiah.

God having in infinite Wisdom and Grace, provided this way of Relief, and given [§ 28] this intimation of it, That Revelation became the Foundation and Center of all the Religion that ensued in the world. For as those who received it by Faith, and adhered unto it, continued in the Worship of the true God, expressing their Faith in the Sacrifices that he had appointed typically to represent and exemplify before their eyes the work its self which by the promised seed was to be accomplished; so also all that false Worship which the generality of mankind apostatized into, was laid in a general persuasion, that there was a way for the Recovery of the favor of God; but what that was they knew not, and therefore wandered in woeful uncertainties.

Some suppose that our great Mother Eve in those words, Genes. 4. ver. 1. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , expressed an Apprehension that she had bore him who was Man-God, the Man the Lord, the Promised Seed. And they do not only contend for this meaning of the words, but also reproach them who are otherwise minded; as may be seen in the Writings of Hunnius and Helvicus, against Calvin, Junius, Pareus, and Piscator. That she together with Adam believed the Promise, had the consolation▪ and served God in the Faith of it, I no way doubt. But that she had an Apprehension that the Promised Seed should be so soon exhibited, and knew that he should be the Lord, or Jehovah, and yet knew not, that he was to be born of a Virgin, and not after the ordinary way of mankind, I see no cogent Reason to evince. Nor do the words mentioned necessarily prove any such apprehension in her. The whole weight of that supposition, lies on the Construction of the words from the interposition of the Particle 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 • enoting as they say after Verbs active always an Accusative Case. But instances may be given to the contrary; whence our Translation reads the words, I have gotten a man from the Lord, without the least intimation of any other sense in the Original. And Drusius is bold to affirm, that it is want of solid skill in the Sacred Tongue, that was the cause of that conception. Besides, if she had such thoughts, she was manifoldly mistaken; and to what end that mistake of hers should be here expressed, I know not. And yet notwithstanding all this, I will not deny but that the expression is unusual and extraordinary, if the sense of our Translation be intended, and not that by some contended for, I have gotten or obtained the Man the Lord. And this, it is possible caused Jonathan Ben Uzziel to give us that gloss on the words in his Targum. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . And Adam knew his Wife Eve, who desired the Angel: and she conceived and bare Cain, and said, I have obtained the man (or a man) the Angel of the Lord. That is, him who was promised afterwards, under the name of the Angel of the Lord, or the Angel of the Covenant, which the Jews may do well to consider.

But we have farther Expositions of this first Promise, and farther Confirmations of [§ 29] this Grace in the Scripture its self. For in Process of time it was renewed unto Abraham, and the Accomplishment of it confined unto his Family. For his gratuitous Call from Superstition and Idolatry, with the Separation of him and his Posterity from all the Families of the Earth, was subservient only unto the fulfilling of the Promise before treated of. The first mention of it, we have Gen. 12. v. 1, 2, 3. Now the Lord had said unto Abraham, Get thee out of thy Country, and from thy Kindred, and from thy Fathers House, unto a Land that I will show thee. And I will make of thee a great Nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy Name great, and thou shalt be a blessing. And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee, and in thee shall all the Families of the Earth be blessed. And this is again expressed, Chap. 18. v. 18. All the Nations of the Earth shall be blessed in him. And Chap. 22.18. And in thy seed shall all the Nations of the Earth be blessed. And when he doubted of the accomplishment of this Promise, because he was Childless, and said, Behold unto me thou hast given no seed, as knowing that therein lay the Promise, Chap. 15. v. 3. God tells him, that he who should come forth of his own Bowels should be his Heir, ver. 4. which was afterwards restrained unto Isaac. chap. 17.21. Thus he is called and separated, as from his own family and kindred, so from all other Nations, and a peculiar portion of the earth assigned unto him and his, for their habitation. Now the especial End of this Divine dispensation, of this Call and Separation of Abraham, was to be a means of accomplishing the Former Promise, or the bringing forth of him, who was to be the Deliverer of mankind from the Curse that was come upon them for their sin. For,

First, It is said that Abraham hereupon should be a blessing. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . And thou shalt be a Blessing: not only blessed thyself, which is expressed in the former words, I will bless thee ; but the means of conveying Blessings, the great Blessing unto others; And how was this done in and by Abraham? In his own Person he conversed but with few of them, unto some whereof through their own sins he was an occasion of Punishment; as to the Egyptians, Chap. 12. v. 17. and to the Philistines, Chap. 20. v. 4, 7. Some he destroyed with the sword, Chap. 14.15. and was not in anything signally a blessing unto any of them. So his Posterity extirpated sundry Nations from the face of the Earth, were a scourge unto others, and occasioned the Ruin of many more. He must needs then be made a Blessing unto the world on some other Account. And this can be nothing, but that he was separated to be the peculiar channel, by which the promised blessing Seed, should be brought forth into the world.

Secondly, It is said, that all the Families of the Earth should be blessed in him, Chap. 12. v. 3. that is, not in his Person, but in his seed as it is expounded, Chap. 22. v. 18. that is in the Promised Seed that should come of him, Chap. 12.3. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , shall be blessed in the passive Conjugation of Niphal ; referring solely unto the Grace and Favor of God in giving the Seed, Chap. 22. v. 18. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , in Hithpael, so blessed in the Seed when exhibited, as that they shall come for the blessing by faith, and so in him obtaining it, bless themselves. And this is spoken of all Nations, all Families, the Posterity of Adam in general. They were all cursed in Adam as hath been declared; and God here promiseth, that they shall be blessed in the seed of Abraham ; and by him, the seed of the Woman. And this blessing must enwrap in it all the good things whereof by the Curse they were deprived, or it will be of no use or benefit unto them; a Blessing indeed, it will not be. For a while he intended to leave mankind to walk in their own ways ; partly, that he might show his Severity against sin; partly, that he might evidence the Sovereignty and undeserved Freedom of that Grace wherein he had provided a Deliverer; and partly, that they might try and experiment their own Wisdom and Strength in searching after a way of Deliverance. But in this Promise was the Ore laid up, which after many Generations was brought forth and stamped with the Image of God.

Thirdly, The Curse unto Satan is here again renewed, I will bless them that bless thee, and I will Curse HIM that curseth thee. The Blessing is to many ; but the Curse respecteth one principally, that is Satan, as the Scripture generally expresseth the opposite Apostate Power under that name. Neither is there any just cause of the variation of the number, unless we look on the words as a pursuit of the first Promise, which was accompanied with an especial Malediction on Satan, and who acts his enmity in all obloquy, and cursing against the blessed Seed, and those that are blessed therein. And this change of the number in these words is observed by Ibn Ezra ; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , They that bless thee, many; He that curseth, one ; as though many should bless, and few curse, the contrary whereof is true. And Baal Hatturim 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ; they that bless thee in the plural Number; he • hat curseth thee in the singular ; and an interpretation is given of the last word, becoming those Annotations which are immeasurably Judaical, that is sottish and superstitious. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ; He that curseth thee, I will Curse ; that is, by Gematry, Balaam that cometh to curse thy Sons ; The Numeral Letters of each making up 422. of which fantastical work amongst some of them, there is no end. But one Single Person, in which way Satan is usually spoken of, they saw to be intended; which is passed over, as far as I have observed by Christian Expositors.

[§ 30] After the giving of this Promise, the whole Old Testament beareth witness, that a Person was to be born of the Posterity of Abraham, in and by whom the Nations of the Earth should be saved, that is delivered from sin and Curse and made eternally happy. Abraham died himself without one foot of an Inheritance in this world, nor did he concern himself personally in the Nations of the Earth beyond his own Family. Another therefore is to be looked after in whom they may be blessed. And this we must further demonstrate, to evince the perverseness of the Jews who exclude all others besides themselves from an interest in these Promises made to