A53678:1263
A continuation of the exposition of the Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the…
A continuation of the exposition of the Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Hebrews viz, on the sixth, seventh, eight, ninth, and tenth chapters : wherein together with the explication of the text and context, the priesthood of Christ ... are declared, explained and confirmed : as also, the pleas of the Jews for the continuance and perpetuity of their legal worship, with the doctrine of the principal writers of the Socinians about these things, are examined and disproved / by J. Owen ...
London: printed for Nathaniel Ponder, 1680
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
2. Peace between Jews and Gentiles belongs unto this state. For God designed not the erecting of his Kingdom amongst one Party or sort of Mankind. That it should be otherwise, that the Gentiles should become the Children of Abraham, and be made Heirs of the Promise, was a great Mystery under the Old Testament, Ephes. 3. 4, 5, 6. And we know how slow the Disciples of Christ himself were in the receiving and understanding hereof. But evident it is, that this was God's design from the giving of the first Promise, and we see now in the light of the Gospel that he gave many intimations of it unto the Church of Old, with respect whereunto the Veil abideth on the minds of the Jews unto this day. Wherefore without this Peace also, the perfect state of the Church aimed at could not be attained. But this could never have been brought about by the Levitical Priesthood and Law. For they were indeed the principal Occasion of the Distance between them, and the means of the continuance of their Disagreement. And that which the Jews thought to have been the principal Advantage and Privilege of Abraham in his Posterity, was that which whilst it continued, kept him from the actual Possession of his greatest Glory in being the Heir of the World, and a Father of a Multitude of Nations. Nor whilst that Priesthood was standing, could Japheth be persuaded to dwell in the Tents of Shem. Hence this Peace was so far from being the Effect of the Levitical Priesthood and the Law, as that it could not be introduced and established until they were both taken out of the way, as our Apostle expressly declares, Ephes. 2. 14, 15, 16. The last Issue of this contest came unto these two Heads. (1.) Whether the Gentiles should at all be called unto the Faith of the Gospel. (2.) Whether being Called, they should be obliged unto the Observation of the Law of Moses. The first fell out among the Apostles themselves, but quickly determined by our Lord Jesus Christ unto their Joy and Satisfaction. And this he did two ways. (1.) By sending Peter to Preach the Gospel unto Cornelius, and therein bestowing the Holy Ghost on them that did Believe, Acts 10. 14, 17, 45, 46, 47. Chap. 11. 17, 18. (2.) By giving Paul an open full Commission to go to the Gentiles and Preach the Gospel unto them,