A53696:255
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.
Secondly, Together with this, he had also another Privilege granted unto him, namely that his faith whereby he was personally interested in the Covenant should be the Pattern of the faith of the Church in all generations, and that none should ever come to be a member of it, or a sharer in its Blessings, but by the same faith that he had fixed on the seed that was in the Promise, to be brought forth from him in the world. On the account of this Privilege, he became the Father of all them that do believe; For they that are of the faith, the same are the children of Abraham, Gal. 3.7. Rom. 4.11. as also Heirs of the World; Rom. 4.13. in that all that should believe throughout the world, bring thereby implanted into the Covenant made with him, should become his spiritual children.
Secondly, Together with this, he had also another Priviledge granted unto him, namely that his faith whereby he was personally interested in the Covenant should be the Pattern of the faith of the Church in all generations, and that none should ever come to be a member of it, or a sharer in its Blessings, but by the same faith that he had fixed on the seed that was in the Promise, to be brought forth from him in the world. On the account of this Priviledge, he became the Father of all them that do believe; For they that are of the faith, the same are the children of Abraham, Gal. 3.7. Rom. 4.11. as also Heirs of the World; Rom. 4.13. in that all that should believe throughout the world, bring thereby implanted into the Covenant made with him, should become his spiritual children.
Answerable unto this twofold end of the separation of Abraham, there was a double § 4 seed allotted unto him. A seed according to the flesh, separated to the bringing forth of the Messiah, according unto the flesh: and a seed according to the Promise, that is, such as by faith should have interest in the Promise, or all the Elect of God. Not that these two seeds were always subjectively divers; so that the seed separated to the bringing forth of the Messiah in the flesh, should neither in whole or in part be also the seed according to the promise; or on the contrary, that the seed according to the promise, should none of it, be his seed after the flesh. Our Apostle declares the contrary in the instances of Isaac and Jacob, with the remnant of Israel that shall be saved, Romans Chap. 9, 10, 11. But sometimes the same seed came under divers considerations, being the seed of Abraham both according to the flesh and according to the Promise; and sometimes the seed it self was divers, those according to the flesh being not of the Promise, and so on the contrary. Thus Isaac and Jacob were the seed of Abraham according unto the flesh, separated unto the bringing forth of the Messiah after the flesh, because they were his carnal Posterity, and they were also of the seed of the Promise, because by their own personal faith they were interested in the Covenant of Abraham their Father. Multitudes afterwards were of the carnal seed of Abraham, and of the number of the people separated to bring forth the Messiah in the flesh, and yet were not of the seed according to the Promise, nor interested in the spiritual blessings of the Covenant, because they did not personally believe, as our Apostle declares, Chap. 4. of this Epistle. And many afterwards, who were not of the carnal seed of Abraham, nor interested in the privilege of bringing forth the Messiah in the flesh, were yet designed to be made his spiritual seed by faith, that in them he might become heir of the world, and all Nations of the Earth be blessed in him. Now it is evident, that it is the second Privilege and spiritual seed, wherein the Church to whom the Promises are made, is founded, and whereof it doth consist; namely in them, who by Faith are interested in the Covenant of Abraham, whether they be of the carnal seed or no.