Wherein human diligence doth not discover itself to be its fountain and spring. Did this Epistle proceed from the same root and principle, whence comes it to pass, that it no where puts itself forth unto a discovery and conviction? for that it doth not so, we shall afterwards fully declare. Besides, to close this consideration, the design of the writer of this Epistle manifests that he sought the glory of God in Christ, according unto his will. With this aim and purpose, an endeavour to impose that on the church, as an immediate revelation from God, which was the product of his own pains and diligence, is utterly inconsis tent. For by no means could he more dishonour God, whose glory in sincerity he appears to have sought; nor wrong the church whose good he desired to promote; than by thus ascribing to God, that whereof he was not the author, so adding unto his words, and making himself subject to reproof as a liar, Prov. xxx. 6. and proposing that unto the church as a firm and stable rule and object of faith, which he knew not to be so, leading her thereby into error, uncertainty, and falsehood. For this whole Epistle is delivered as the will and word of God, as coming by revelation from him, without the least intimation of the intervention of the will, wisdom or diligence of man, any other than is constantly ascribed unto those that declare the will of God by inspiration. And if it were not so, the evils mentioned cannot be avoided. But how groundless this imputation would be, our following discourses will manifest. And I doubt not but this whole consideration is, and will be, of weight and moment with them, who have their senses exercised in the Scriptures, and are enabled by the Spirit breathing in them, to discern between good and evil, wheat and chaff, Jer. xxiii. 28.

$24. Unto the general argument, we may add the particular subject-matter of this Epistle, as belonging unto the gran of it, further confirming its divine original. This, for the most part, consists in things of pure revelation, and which have no other foundation in rerum natura. Some books, even of the Scripture itself, are but the narrations of actions done amongst men, which for the substance of them might be also recorded by human diligence. But the things treated of in this Epistle, are purely divine, spiritual, and no ways to be known but by revelation. And not only so, but amongst those things, there are these four most eminent in the subject-matter of this Epistle. First, that the principal things treated of in it, are matters of the greatest importance in Christian religion, and such as concern the very foundation of faith. Such are the doctrines about the person, offices, and sacrifice of Christ, of the nature of gospel worship, our privilege therein, and communion with God thereby. In these things consist the very vitals of our

profession; and they are all opened and declared in a most ex cellent and heavenly manner in this Epistle; and that, as we shall manifest, in an absolute consonancy unto what is taught concerning them in other places of Scripture. Secondly, in that some things of great moment unto the faith, obedience and consolation of the church, that are but obscurely or sparingly taught in any other places of holy writ, are here plainly, fully, and excellently taught and improved. Such in particular is the doctrine of the priesthood of Christ, with the nature and excellency of his sacrifice, and the execution of the remaining parts and duty of that office in heaven: and how the whole of it was typically represented under the Old Testament. He that understands aright the importance of these things, their use in the faith and consolation of the church, their influence upon our whole course of obedience, the spiritual privileges that faith by them interests a believing soul in, the strength and supportment that they afford under temptations and trials, will be ready to conclude, that the world may as well want the sun in the firmament, as the church this epistle. And this persuasion we hope, through God's assistance, to further in our exposition of it. Thirdly, God's way in teaching the church of the Old Testament with the use and end of all the laborious discipline of Moses, manifesting it to be full of wisdom, grace and love, is here fully revealed; and the whole Aaronical priesthood, with all the duties and offices of it, is made instructive to believers under the gospel. How dark Mosaical institutions were in themselves, is evident from the whole state of the church in the days of Christ and his apostles, when they could not see unto the end of the things that were to be done away. In their nature they were carnal; in their number, many; as to their reason, hidden; in their observance, heavy and burdensome; in their outward show, pompous and glorious; by all which, they so possessed the minds of the church, that very few saw clearly into the use, intention, and end of them. But in this Epistle, the veil is taken off from Moses, the mystery of his institutions laid open, a perfect guide given unto believers to pass safely through all the turnings and windings of them, unto rest and truth in Jesus Christ. Those hidden things of the Old Testament appear now unto us full of light and instruction; but we are beholden for all our insight into them, and benefit which we receive thereby, unto the exposition and application of them made by the Holy Ghost in this Epistle. And how great a portion of gospel wisdom and knowledge consists herein all men know, who have any spiritual acquaintance with these things. Fourthly, The grounds, reasons, causes, and manner of that great alteration which God wrought and eaused in his worship, by taking down the ancient glorious fa

brie of it, which had been set up by his own appointment, are here laid open and manifested, and the greatest controversy that ever the church of God was exercised with, is here fully determined.

There was nothing in the first propagation of the gospel and plantation of Christian churches, that did so divide and perplex the professors of the truth, and retard the work of promulgating the knowledge of Christ, and the worship of God in him, as the difference that was about the continuation and observation of Mosaical rites and ceremonies. To such an height was this difference raised, so zealously were the parties at variance engaged in the pursuit of their various apprehensions of the mind of God in this matter, that the apostles themselves thought meet for a season, rather to umpire and compose the controversy, by leaving the Jews free to observe these rites, and bringing the Gentiles unto a condescension in things of the greatest exasperation, than absolutely and precisely to determine the whole matter between them. And indeed, this being a difference, wherein the will, authority, and command of God were pleaded on the mistaken side; these being all clear and full in support of what the Jews pleaded for: nothing but an immediate declaration of the mind of God himself, as to his removing and taking off the obligation of his own law, could put such an end unto it, as that the spirits of men might acquiesce therein. Now the will of God to this purpose before the writing of this Epistle, could only be collected from the nature and state of things in the church, upon the coming of the Messiah, and conclusions from thence, which the believing Jews were very slow to admit. Add hereunto, that many prophesies and promises of the Old Testament, setting forth the glory and beauty of gospel-worship, under the names and condition of the worship then in use, as of priests, Levites, sacrifices, offerings, feast of tabernacles, and the like, lay directly, in the letter, against that cessation of Mosaical rites, which the Jews opposed.

Now who was fit, who was able to determine upon these different and various institutions of God, but God himself? To declare positively, that all obligation from his former commands was now ceased, that his institutions were no more to be observed, that the time allotted unto the church's obedience unto him in their observance was expired, this was no otherwise to be effected but by an immediate revelation from himself. this is done in this Epistle, and that in this only as to the Jews; whereby it became the main instrument and means of pulling up their old church state, and translating it anew into the appointments of our Lord Jesus Christ. Neither is this done by a bare declaration of God's authoritative interposition, but in a

And

way of excellent and singular wisdom and condescension. God's love and care of his church, are manifested in the institutions that were now to be removed; and his wisdom appears in their gradual instruction as they were able to bear; and the whole nature and design of these institutions is evidenced to be such, as that having received their full end and accomplishment, they did of themselves naturally expire and disappear. And hereby, in that great alteration which God then wrought in the outward worship of his church, there is discovered an oneness and unchangeableness in his love and care; and a suitableness, harmony and consonancy, in the effects of his will. Infinite Wisdom is also seen, so arranging these alterations in a subserviency one to another, that they should no where in any thing cross or interfere, and all of them be to his own glory in the promotion and furtherance of the light, faith, and obedience of his church, as sufficiently manifests the original and fountain whence it doth proceed. For my part, I can truly say, that I know not any portion of holy writ, that will more effectually raise up the heart of an understanding reader, to an holy admiration of the goodness, love, and wisdom of God, than this Epistle doth. Such, I say, is the subject-matter of this Epistle, so divine, so excellent, so singular. And in the handling hereof, we have not the least occasional mixture, of any matter, words, sentences, stories, arguments or doctrines so unsuited to the whole, as to argue the interposure of a fallible spirit.

Thus we know it hath fallen out in all the writings of the Christians of the first ages, after the sealing of the canon of the Scriptures. Many things in them appear to proceed from an holy and heavenly Spirit breathing in their authors; and most of what they contain to be consonant unto the mind of God; yet have they all of them evident footsteps that the authors were subject unto errors and mistakes, even in and about the things written by them. And the continuance of these failings in their writings, capable of an easy conviction, is no smali fruit of the holy wise providence of God, and his care over his church, that it might not in after ages be imposed upon with the great and weighty pretence of antiquity, to admit them into a competition with those, which himself gave out to be its infallible, and therefore only rule. That nothing of this nature, nothing humanitus, merely after the manner of men, befel the writer of this Epistle in his work, we hope through the assistance of its principal Author, to manifest in our Exposition of the several parts of it. And this subject-matter of this Epistle, thus handled, further secures us of its original.

$25. The design, aim, and end of the Epistle, with the purpose and intention of its writer, which belongs to the gig

which the ancients made a characterism of writings given by divine inspiration, are consonant unto the general argument, and peculiar subject-matter of it. That the whole Scripture hath an especial end, which is peculiar unto it, and wherein no other writing hath any share, but only so far as it is taken from thence, and composed in obedience thereunto, is evident unto all that do seriously consider it.

This end supremely and absolutely, is the glory of that God who is the Author of it. This is the centre where all the lines of it do meet, the scope and mark towards which all things in it are directed. It is the revelation of himself that is intended, of his mind and will, that he may be glorified; wherein also, because he is the principal fountain, and last end of all, consists the order and perfection of all other things. Particularly the demonstration of this glory of God, in and by Jesus Christ, is aimed at. The works of God's power and providence do all of them declare his glory; the glory of his eternal perfections and excellencies, absolutely and in themselves. But the end of the Scripture, is the glory of God in Christ, as he hath revealed himself, and gathered all things to an head in him, unto the manifestation of his glory." For this is life eternal, that we know him the only true God, and whom he hath sent, Jesus Christ." The means whereby God is thus glorified in Christ, is by the salvation of them that do believe, which is therefore also an intermediate end of the Scripture: "These things are written, that we may believe that Jesus is the Son of God, and that believing, we may have life through his name," John xx. 31. 1 Tim iv. 16. Moreover, whereas this eternal life unto the glory of God, cannot be obtained without faith and obedience according to his will, the Scripture is given for this purpose also, that it may instruct us in the mind of God, and make us wise unto salvation, 2 Tim. iii. 15, 16. Rom. i. 16. 2 Peter i. 3. These, in their mutual subserviency and dependence, complete the characteristical end of the Scripture. I confess Plato, in his Timaus, makes it the end of philosophy, that we may thereby be made like unto God. But that philosophy of his, having its rise and spring in inbred notions of nature, and the contemplation of the works of God's providence, could have no other end but conformity unto him, as his perfections were revealed absolutely; whereunto the Scripture adds this revelation in Christ Jesus, John i. 18. which gives them, as I said, their special and peculiar end. It makes God known as all in all, and man to be nothing as to goodness or blessedness, but what God is pleased to do for him, and communicate unto him; and Jesus Christ to be the great and only way and means whereby he will communicate of himself, and bring us unto himself. The more clearly any portion of Scripture discovers