A53696:1418
Exercitations on the Epistle to the Hebrews
Exercitations on the Epistle to the Hebrews also concerning the Messiah wherein the promises concerning him to be a spiritual redeemer of mankind are explained and vindicated, his coming and accomplishment of his work according to the promises is proved and confirmed, the person, or who he is, is declared, the whole economy of the mosaical law, rites, worship, and sacrifice is explained : and in all the doctrine of the person, office, and work of the Messiah is opened, the nature and demerit of the first sin is unfolded, the opinions and traditions of the ancient and modern Jews are examined, their objections against the Lord Christ and the Gospel are answered, the time of the coming of the Messiah is stated, and the great fundamental truths of the Gospel vindicated : with an exposition and discourses on the two first chapters of the said epistle to the Hebrews / by J. Owen ...Exercitations on the Epistle to the Hebrews also concerning the Messiah wherein the promises concerning him to be a spiritual redeemer of mankind are explained and vindicated, his coming and accomplishment of his work according to the promises is proved and confirmed, the person, or who he is, is declared, the whole oeconomy of the mosaical law, rites, worship, and sacrifice is explained : and in all the doctrine of the person, office, and work of the Messiah is opened, the nature and demerit of the first sin is unfolded, the opinions and traditions of the antient and modern Jews are examined, their objections against the Lord Christ and the Gospel are answered, the time of the coming of the Messiah is stated, and the great fundamental truths of the Gospel vindicated : with an exposition and discourses on the two first chapters of the said epistle to the Hebrews / by J. Owen ...
London: printed by Robert White for Nathaniel Ponder, 1668
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.
1. Granting that the Messiah was to come to their Government and Worship, they laboured to keep them up, and to restore them being cast down, that so they might prolong their expectation of that to come, which indeed was already past. This in the righteous and holy Providence of God proved the means of their ruin. For their endeavour to maintain their Liberty, Rule, and Government after the coming of the Messiah, was the cause of the utter overthrow of all Rule, Authority and public Worship amongst them by Vespasian and Titus his Son. Their endeavour, to restore themselves into a State and People under their false Messiah Barcosbi, was the means of their utter desolation from all hopes of being a people and Nation any more by Adrian; as also of their extermination for ever out of that Country, wherein they were separated from all Nations for that End which God appointed unto them. After this, once more, still to avoid the thoughts that the Messiah was come, and had put an end unto their former condition, they endeavoured and were encouraged by Julian the Emperor to rebuild their Temple, and restore their Sacrifices. And this attempt also God turned to their further confusion. For whereas in former days in the building of the Temple he encouraged and supported them against all difficulties and oppositions; being now upheld and strengthened by the favour and wealth of the Roman Empire in the same work, he sets himself against them, and scatters them with no less indignation, than he did the builders of Babel of old. When he would have a Temple amongst them, he punished them with famine for building their own houses, and suffering his to lye waste, Hag. 2. v. 8, 9, 10, 11. Now they may build houses for themselves where they please; but if they take in hand to build a Temple, God is against them. This State of theirs being now continued sixteen hundred years, were not blindness come upon them to the utmost, they could not but see, that it is not the Will of God, that they should be a People, State, or Church on the former account any more. What then is become of their Messiah, who was to come unto them whilst they were so; seeing they were so by their own confession only for his sake? This puts their latter Masters to their last miserable shifts. For,
1. Granting that the Messiah was to come to their Government and Worship, they laboured to keep them up, and to restore them being cast down, that so they might prolong their expectation of that to come, which indeed was already past. This in the righteous and holy Providence of God proved the means of their ruine. For their endeavour to maintain their Liberty, Rule, and Government after the coming of the Messiah, was the cause of the utter overthrow of all Rule, Authority and publick Worship amongst them by Vespasian and Titus his Son. Their endeavour, to restore themselves into a State and People under their false Messiah Barcosbi, was the means of their utter desolation from all hopes of being a people and Nation any more by Adrian; as also of their extermination for ever out of that Countrey, wherein they were separated from all Nations for that End which God appointed unto them. After this, once more, still to avoid the thoughts that the Messiah was come, and had put an end unto their former condition, they endeavoured and were encouraged by Julian the Emperour to rebuild their Temple, and restore their Sacrifices. And this attempt also God turned to their further confusion. For whereas in former dayes in the building of the Temple he encouraged and supported them against all difficulties and oppositions; being now upheld and strengthened by the favour and wealth of the Roman Empire in the same work, he sets himself against them, and scatters them with no less indignation, than he did the builders of Babel of old. When he would have a Temple amongst them, he punished them with famine for building their own houses, and suffering his to lye waste,