Exercitations on the Epistle to the Hebrews

§ 3 The first is, That the Promises concerning the Messiah do principally respect spiritual things, and that eternal salvation which he was to obtain for his Church. This we have proved at large before; and this, the very nature of the thing its self, and the words of the Promises do abundantly manifest. The Jews, I suppose, will not deny, but the Promise concerning the Messiah, is of the greatest Good that ever God engaged himself to bestow upon them. I do not find, that they any where deny it; And it is at present the sum of all their desires, prayers, and expectations, with the hopes whereof they comfort and support themselves in all their calamities. If they should deny it, it may easily be proved against them by innumerable Testimonies of Scripture; many whereof have been already produced. Now there can be no Reason of this, but only because he was to work and effect for them who ever they be, unto whom he was promised, the greatest Good, that they can or may be made partakers of. And if it be only a Good of an inferior nature that he was to effect, and any other means was to be used for that which was more principal and excellent, that means is much to be preferred before him, and above him; Now what is this Chief Good of man? Doth it consist in Riches, Honour, Power, Pleasures? the blindest of the Heathen were never blind enough, to think so; nor can any man entertain any such imagination, without renouncing not only all right reason, but in an especial manner, the whole Scripture. I think the Jews will not deny, but that this Good consists in the favour of God in this world, and the Eternal Enjoyment of him hereafter. Now if the Messiah were promised only to procure those first, outward, temporary, perishing things; and these latter are to be obtained by another means, namely, by the observation of the Law of Moses; it is evident, that, that is to be preferred infinitely before him; which that it is not, as we said, is manifest from the whole Scripture, and confirmed by the traditional hope and expectation of the Jews. For if they enjoy that which is incomparably the Chiefest Good, to what end do they so miserably bemoan themselves in their present condition, and with so much impatience cry out for the coming of their Messiah?

§ 3 The first is, That the Promises concerning the Messiah do principally respect spiritual things, and that eternal salvation which he was to obtain for his Church. This we have proved at large before; and this, the very nature of the thing its self, and the words of the Promises do abundantly manifest. The Jews, I suppose, will not deny, but the Promise concerning the Messiah, is of the greatest Good that ever God engaged himself to bestow upon them. I do not find, that they any where deny it; And it is at present the summ of all their desires, prayers, and expectations, with the hopes whereof they comfort and support themselves in all their calamities. If they should deny it, it may easily be proved against them by innumerable Testimonies of Scripture; many whereof have been already produced. Now there can be no Reason of this, but only because he was to work and effect for them who ever they be, unto whom he was promised, the greatest Good, that they can or may be made partakers of. And if it be only a Good of an inferior nature that he was to effect, and any other means was to be used for that which was more principal and excellent, that means is much to be preferred before him, and above him; Now what is this Chief Good of man? Doth it consist in Riches, Honor, Power, Pleasures? the blindest of the Heathen were never blind enough, to think so; nor can any man entertain any such imagination, without renouncing not only all right reason, but in an especial manner, the whole Scripture. I think the Jews will not deny, but that this Good consists in the favour of God in this world, and the Eternal Enjoyment of him hereafter. Now if the Messiah were promised only to procure those first, outward, temporary, perishing things; and these latter are to be obtained by another means, namely, by the observation of the Law of Moses; it is evident, that, that is to be preferred infinitely before him; which that it is not, as we said, is manifest from the whole Scripture, and confirmed by the traditional hope and expectation of the Jews. For if they enjoy that which is incomparably the Chiefest Good, to what end do they so miserably bemoan themselves in their present condition, and with so much impatience cry out for the coming of their Messiah?