Exercitations on the Epistle to the Hebrews

§ 24 We have formerly evinced that the foundation and end of the Judaical Church and State, and of the preservation of the Davidical family, was solely the bringing forth of the promised Messiah. And this the Event hath fully demonstrated in their utter rejection after the accomplishment of that end. And hence the pr•mise of the Messiah was the Foundation, Cause, and Reason of all other promises made unto that people, as to any mercy or privileges, that as such, they were entrusted withal. For ⟨p. 219⟩that for whose sake they were a people, must needs be the reason and cause of all good things; that as a people were bestowed upon them. Thus God often promiseth them to do this or that unto them, for Abraham's sake, and Davids sake, that is upon the account of the promise of the Messiah signally made unto Abraham and David, when his bringing forth into the world was restrained unto their families and posterity. And hence also in times of straits and difficulties, when the people were pressed on every side, and laboured for deliverance, God oftentimes renewed unto them the promise of the Messiah, partly to support their spirits with expectation of his coming, and the salvation that it should be accompanied withal, and partly to give them assurance, that they should not be consumed or utterly perish under their calamity, because the great work of God by them in bringing forth the Messiah, was not yet accomplished. So to this purpose the 4. chapter of this Prophecy. And on this account it was, namely, of the temporal concernment of that people in the coming of the Messiah, that the promise of him was oftentimes mixed and interwoven with the mention of other things, that were of present use and advantage unto them; so that it was not easy sometimes to distinguish the things that are properly spoken with reference unto him, from those other things which respected what was present; seeing both sorts of them are together spoken of, and that to the same end and purpose.

§ 24 We have formerly e•inced that the foundation and end of the Judaical Church and State, and of the preservation of the Davidical family, was solely the bringing forth of the promised M•ssiah. And this the Event hath fully demonstrated in their utter rejection after the accomplishment of that end. And hence the pr•mise of the Messiah was the Foundation, Cause, and Reason of all other promises made unto that people, as to any mercy or priviledges, that as such, they were entrusted withal. For