Chapter X (continued, part 3)
himself saw brought to a great perfection when he writ this epistle.
And it is requisite we have our hearts and eyes intent upon it, as a token and sign, great and marvellous ; these two works, the conversion of the
Gentiles, and the mutual coalition of Jew and Gentile into one new man,
being of all other the greatest miracle wrought under the New Testament, the most glorious fruit of Christ s death, and among the strongest evidences
of the truth of Christian religion.
And that the greatness, together with the reality and truth thereof, may
appear, it is necessary that I first shew, out of the records of the Acts of the
Apostles, the enmity or distance that continued and remained in the new
Christian Jews towards the poor Gentiles ; for in the Jew, principally and
* root of bitterness, and most deeply seated ; together with the sore mischiefs which might have further arisen from them, even to
originally, was the
the danger of a perpetual hindrance of the Gentiles conversion.
It may seem strange to hear, that the godly Jews, after they had received
Christ, the promised Desire of all nations, as well as of themselves, yea, * Printed in the first volume of his works. Part III. [In vol II. of this edition. See note, p. 359 of that vol. ED.] VOL. V. G g
and the Holy Ghost likewise sent down from heaven by Christ, should yet retain so great a degree of distance, et simultas, towards the Gentiles, as we read and find was in them. It is a wonder, that their being filled with the Holy Ghost as with new wine, should not have sweetened their spirits, hut that yet so great a must of the old vessel should yet remain unwrought out
in them. But God himself takes time to work out long retained principles ; and men may thence well learn so to do towards their brethren.
And the dangerous effects and consequents of the Jews grudge against the Gentiles do make it yet more strange, and aggravate the evil of it. For, 1. It would have been (if it had not been removed) an eternal bar and
obstacle unto the very calling and conversion of the Gentiles to the Chris
tian faith, and the propagation of the gospel to them who were fellow-heirs of it, together with themselves ; than which, what can be supposed of more mischief ! But, 2. After that bar was taken out of the way, and the Gentiles were called and converted, there still continued such degrees and relics of this old tinc
ture, as occasioned such actual violent and high division in the church be tween the then become Gentile Christian and the believing Jew, that all the
apostles then living, with all their skill and powerful applications, could
hardly cure and remove; which yet in the end was allayed, and both made one in the issue.
It is requisite for me, before I enter upon these heads, especially the
first, to set forth, as in a brief map, those several degrees of spiritual lati tudes and distance which these Gentiles lay in as to the apprehensions and
calculations of the Jews. The Scriptures, in general, had termed them
afar off, both in the Old and New Testaments, which is spoken of them in
respect of their incapacity and remoteness from Christ and the covenant of
grace ; whereas of the Jews, it is oppositely said, They that were nigh ; of both which more afterwards. Now though all the Gentiles are said to be afar off, yet some were in further degrees of latitude than other ; and the Jews accordingly in their spirits were less or more remote in converse with them.
I distinguish them into these four ranks or climates.
1. The first were Samaritans, who were indeed in place neighbours, but
by their original extraction Gentiles, as you read in the book of Kings, who became inhabitants of the land of Canaan, and succeeded the ten tribes
therein, after that the most of the ten tribes were carried captive. These
also were circumcised, owned Moses s law, professed of themselves to seek the true God, and to sacrifice to him, as did the Jews, Ezra iv. 3 ; but were so corrupt in their observation thereof, and with such a mixture, that Christ says there was no salvation to be expected in their profession. Though they were nearer in place to the Jews, living in part of the holy land, yet from these the Jews were most alienated in their affections, and abhorred them, of all other Gentiles, as being nearer in the profession of the same religion, and yet so dissenting in the observation of it.
2. There were Gentiles who were become proselytes to the Jewish reli
gion, that had joined themselves to the Lord, Isa. Ivi. 6, had submitted
to the whole ceremonial law, and to that end had received the seal of cir
cumcision, having been first washed, or baptized ; and these, though Gen
tiles, were yet to the native Jews as any other of their own nation. Now, as to such, there was no scruple in any Jew to converse with them ; for
they were accounted clean, and came as freely into the temple as them
selves, and were called proselyti fcederis, proselytes of the covenant, Isa.
EPH. II. 14-16.] BY CHRIST S DEATH. 467
Ivi. 6, where they are termed the * strangers that join themselves to the
* take hold of the covenant.
Lord, and
3. A third set were such Gentiles, who, though truly converted to the
acknowledgment, fear, and worship of the true God, wrought righteousness according to the moral law, yet entertained not their circumcision, nor the
observation of the rites of the law ceremonial, such as Cornelius, Acts x., and others, who under the term of devout men and women, as those
Greeks, Acts xvii. 4, are distinguished from the Jews, Acts xiii. 16, 43. The like was Naaman, the Assyrian of old ; and even those, not circum
cised, nor obliging themselves to Moses s law, the Jews did reckon unclean.
4. A forth set were such as remained in their Gentilism, the idolaters of
this world, as Paul calls them, which were the generality of all nations, which therefore the Jews did much more reckon unclean than the third
sort.
This map or division of the Gentiles it is necessary to have in our eye, for the following discourse hath often reference to each of these sorts (as occasion shall be given to make mention of them), and by understanding this difference we the better shall discern the approaches God made by degrees into this great work of the Gentiles conversion. Which difference of the Gentiles is by this commended to our regard and observation, that the Holy Ghost thought it a subject worthy to spend much of the book of the Acts upon.
These things premised, I am to present you with the history of the con version of these Gentiles, even those whom the Jews esteemed more unclean ; and that by these Jews themselves ; and of the difficulties and bars that lay in the way thereof in the Jewish spirits, even after their own conversion to the faith of Christ, and how this wall of division mouldered, and by degrees was dissolved and levelled to the ground. The narrative of which is of great use to us in our dissension and distances (far less than
these), to assure us that they may and will be, though by degrees, abolished.
The case between the converted Jews and the rest of the elect Gentiles
to be converted, stood thus. The time was now come, which had been
foretold, that the Gentiles should become the spouse of Christ ; yea, and the ordination of God was, that the word, or means to convert them, was
to go forth out of Zion to all the earth, and those of the Jewish nation
(being such themselves converted) were to be instruments of their greater
call, or the prophecies had not been fulfilled ; and yet the nine first chap ters of the Acts give us such a character of the patent constitution of the new converted Jews, yea, of the apostles themselves, as renders them not
only far and backward, but wholly averted ; yea, in conscience, kept off from the least endeavour after such a work. They stand bound up in their
spirits, not so much as to preach the gospel to the Gentiles, though the Gentiles themselves should have sent to them, and have earnestly desired
it of them, and like men confined to a circle, they dare not stir one foot
that way. Peter, and the rest of the apostles, that with zeal and boldness dared the utmost of persecution to convert their own countrymen the Jews, or circumcised o,aonj-a of the Gentiles, were yet under such an awe and
bondage of Jewish scruple, that in conscience they durst not converse with
an uncircumcised Gentile, though it were to save his soul eternally.
And that which increaseth the wonder is, that though our Saviour at his ascension had given in commission, and in charge, and in express terms, to preach the gospel to all nations, and every creature under
heaven, yet they were averse to any converger with the Gentiles : so
468 RECONCILIATION OP THE PEOPLE OF GOD [EPH. II. 14-16.
deeply had the tradition and enmity received from their forefathers prepos sessed their spirits.
And I dare not affirm the reason of this to be, that the calling of the Gentiles was wholly an arcanum, hidden to them. For besides that even the Jews at this day understand and acknowledge this to have been prophe
sied of (as Beza, Acts ii. 39), to fall out in the days of the Messiah ; and what the envious and hardened Jews acknowledge now, cannot be sup posed hid from them then, especially from the apostles ; our Lord also
expressly foretold it, Mat. ix. 11, 12 ; John xii. 32, andgiveth it clearly in his last commission ; yea, it seems clear that Peter understood it (at least
in the confused notion), by his interpretation of that promise, Joel ii., Acts ii.
< I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh ; and it shall come to
17,^20, 21,
pass, whoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. Which
promise, ver. 39, he declares to belong to them afar off, who, in their known
language, were the Gentiles (to encourage the Jews the more to embrace
it) ; and that by them afar off to be called the Gentiles are to be under
stood, the Old and New Testament gave in evidence both when they speak of their calling, as Peter there ; so Isaiah in the Old, and not to go far from my text, the immediate foregoing 13th and following 17th verses of this
: and, ver. 15, He came and preached the word to them that were afar off (you Gentiles), and you that are nigh ; but how that this should be effected in the end, as yet neither he nor any of his fellowapostles knew the time when, nor
chapter, You Gentiles, who were afar off, are made nigh
yet had their consciences received any particular discharge or quietus est from those fore-mentioned Jewish principles, but lay still bound up thereby from so much as conversing familiarly with the Gentiles ; and therefore were much more restrained from any industrious setting themselves to con
vert them, by preaching the gospel to them ; much less baptizing them, or
giving them the Holy Ghost, so as if they did understand so much, or that themselves were the men designed to this work ; yet how these commands and laws of not converting the Gentiles, that lay upon them (as they yet thought from God), should be annulled, they were ignorant of. For this
is certain, that the story of the Acts puts this averseness of theirs upon the
remainder of that old enmity and principles of their Jewish religion, taken
in by tradition from their fathers, which appears evidently in the instance of Peter, and other Jews, as also the practice of the rest of the disciples that were the most zealous of winning others to the knowledge of Christ.
First, for Peter : The story in Acts x. informs us what chains they were he stood fettered with, which held him fast from giving consent to Cornelius, a Eoman gentile (who yet was, in his religion, come half way to him, being a proselyte, a worshipper of the true God, only was not circumcised, nor had submitted himself to Moses s rites), until God himself released Peter, and knocked off those fetters, with saying from heaven, ver. 20, Arise, go, nothing doubting ; and if you will know what the scruple that made him doubtful was, himself expressing it, ver. 28, You know (speaking afore
his Jews), how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to
keep company, or to come unto one of another nation, that was uncircum-
cised, as Cornelius was ; for we read the quarrel was, Acts xi. 3, against Peter for this fault of his, that he went into men uncircumcised ; for else those proselytes of other nations that were circumcised, and submitted to the law, were accounted as native Jews, and called proselyti fcederis. But God immediately shewed me (saith Peter thereupon), that I should not account any man common or unclean. Those words, nothing doubting,
EPH. II. 14-16.] BY CHRIST S DEATH. 469
evidently import inward scruples and argumentations in their mind, con
trary, by reason of these fore-mentioned principles, and he took more notice on this as the eminent, if not sole cause of that obstruction ; inasmuch as he again repeats these very words in his apology, made Acts xi. 12, The
Spirit bade me go, nothing doubting. And in the 29th verse of that chap
* I thereupon (God having struck off all contrary apprehen
ter, he saith,
sions) came without gainsaying. So then he had hitherto stuck in the mud of this principle, and could not stir a step forth of it, to the saving of
any Gentiles by converse with them. And, 2. As Peter, so all the rest of the Christian Jews that continued at
Jerusalem, were of the same mind and spirit. For upon his return to
Jerusalem, after this so happy handsel of the first Gentile uncircumcised who
believed on Christ Jesus, they all there quarrelled with him for this which he had done : Acts xi. 2, When Peter was come to Jerusalem, they that were of the circumcision contended with him, saying, Thou wentest in unto men uncircumcised, and didst eat with them ; and so they quarrelled him much more for having preached to him, and having baptized him. Peter s
apology argues their speech to have been most bent against that ; for in the conclusion there, ver. 15, he thus speaks, As I began to preach, the Holy Ghost fell on them ; and I remembered the words of the Lord, about
baptism, &c. But forasmuch as God gave them the like gift, what was I, that I could withstand God ? namely, in this baptizing them ; thereby also
shewing his former averseness and unsatisfaction to such an act, to have been such as theirs now was. Yea, 3. This was commonly received and taken for granted principles amongst all professors of Christ that were Jews in those first times. You know, saith Peter to those Jews, ver. 10, how it is unlawful, appealing to the common maxim that had obtained amongst them to that very hour. And, 4. Hereupon you read of a shyness in the first Christian Jews to preach the gospel to any but such as were of their own nation, or proselytes circum
cised and submitted to Moses s law, who were all one, in their esteem, as Jews ; as appears by the practice of those of the first at Jerusalem, who had been scattered from Jerusalem, ver. 8, who though they carried such a fire
of zeal in their bosoms, to seek to convert others to the faith of Christ, yet
carrying withal along with them these common principles of their nation and
religion, they were damped and restrained in their spirits thereunto ; for as
they travelled through heathen countries, it is with a certainty recorded, that they preached the word to none but to Jews only, so Acts xi. 29 ; that
is, either Jews by birth or race, who were then and long afore dispersed over all nations, as Acts ii. 5 shews, or such proselytes which were to them
as Jews, as was said. They perhaps, as some conjecture, understand Christ s commission to preach the gospel to all nations, to have been still intended of the Jewish nation, or proselytes, as were in those times dispersed throughout all nations, as in Acts ii. appears ; and so still compliant and
consistent with those Jewish principles, not conversing with any other
nations, whom they accounted unclean.
Now this being the condition wherein things stood in that first church of
Christians, and these their apprehensions, either their judgments must be
cleared of these obstructions, or the gospel would not have run and flowed
forth through these channels unto any of the Gentiles ; and yet the prophecies in the Old Testament, and God s ordinations, were fixed and peremptory, that the gospel was to go forth from Zion ; and these very Christian Jews were
to be the very instruments of propagating of it. What, shall these all be
470 BECONCILIATION OF THE PEOPLE OF GOD [EPH. II. 14-16.
frustrate, and Christ lose his spouse through these men s scruples ? No,
verily. This other part thereof of this story, namely, how this first wall of
partition the text speaks of, mouldered by degrees, and in the end was laid
flat, and an highway paved throughihe hearts of these Jews from Jerusalem
to Assyria ; this was a great work, and it is to be marvellous in our eyes. And the observation of it may support our faith (which is the end of my
relating it) under the like slow-paced, gradual, yet sure proceedings of our God, towards the effecting of that union among the saints in our times.
The first step (though but a small one to what after followed) was the conversion of the Samaritans (the first sort of those Gentiles I in that short scheme made mention of), a mongrel between Jews and Gentiles, yet inha
bitants of the holy land, circumcised, and owning the law of Moses, so as
they were Jews in profession. Concerning those, it was a while a matter
of difficulty unto me (as it hath been to other writers) how it came to pass that these Samaritans, being hated above all nations by the Jews as the
speech of that woman to Christ shews, How is it that thou being a Jew, askest drink of me that am a Samaritan ? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans how, I say, it should come to pass, that these Chris
tian Jews, Peter, and the rest, should without any hesitation or scruple, or new extraordinary revelation about them, so freely converse with, preach
to, and baptize these Samaritans ; as in Acts viii. we read. Philip broke in
first, then Peter also (who yet himself did still scruple) doing the like ; and John laid on hands, and they received the Holy Ghost. The difference, upon search, I found to lie partly in a more special warrant and command,
given them by our Lord himself concerning these Samaritans, which the
apostles had more easily understood him in, than in that concerning other
Gentiles, having also his own practice to confirm them in it.
(1.) This command. He had at his ascension said, Acts i. 8, You shall be witnesses to me both in Jerusalem and all Judea, and in Samaria, and
the utmost parts of the earth ; which latter part of their commission was
perhaps more ambiguous to them, for they might still have understood it
of Jews only, that were then spread in all nations ; but Samaria was ex
pressly named. And further, this was the recalling of a prohibition given by Christ, Mat. x. 5.
(2.) They might also perhaps consider and understand from his own
practice and peculiar prediction in his life, a special design to Samaria, to be a harvest ripe for them to thrust their sickles into, after that Judea should be converted. For his practice. Himself had converted a Samaritan woman, yea, and her fellow-citizens also, and abode two days with them, John iv., where, whilst he was upon the place, he measured out and
quartered forth that country, and the inhabitants thereof, for his own har
vest. And by having had in those first fruits, he thereby had consecrated the rest of the same standing to be reaped into his garner with the fruits of
other upon his ascension ; concerning which, he therefore then renewed his commission a second time.
(3.) But that which did further facilitate the apostles preaching to the
Samaritans, and gave them liberty to have compassion on these, with differ ence from other Gentiles, was indeed the different condition of their persons from other pure Gentiles ; for the Samaritans were, though the most of them in
their original Gentiles, yet circumcised all, receiving and acknowledging the
five books of Moses, expecting the Messias, John|iv. Yea many of the seed of Abraham remained mingled among them, without known distinction by gene
alogies, that is, of the ten tribes, it being their country, and were all now alike
EPH. II. 14-16.] BY CHRIST S DEATH. 471
inhabitants of the same promised land; and in all these respects as immediately capable of the preaching of the apostles as were the inhabitants of Galilee, where Christ himself spent the most of his ministry. For the inhabitants
of Galilee and Capernaum were the posterity of those Gentiles brought in
by Salmanassar, mingled with some remainders of the old inhabiters of the seed of Abraham, even as well as those of Samaria were ; and in these
respects they were distinguished from other common Gentiles at large by Christ himself, in that caution (as I may call it, rather than a prohibition) given in his lifetime, and lout pro tempore, for that time, namely Mat. x. 5,
* Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter not, but go rather to the lost sheep of Israel ; where he distinguishes Samaritans from Gentiles, and prohibits them only with the rather, the reason of that prohibition or caution having been, that the gospel was first
in order to be thoroughly preached unto the pure Jews. And seeing that
for that small space, until his ascension, they had enough to do to go over and preach it in the region of Judea, so as if they then should have stepped into the cities of Samaria, they should not have accomplished that work designed; therefore rather, says he, confine yourselves for the present to Judea. In that new enlarged commission, Acts i. 8, wherein he more particularly sets forth the course of the gospel s progress, he mentions Samaria still next after
Judea, but with a manifest distinction from all other Gentiles afar off, when he calls the rest the ends of the earth. Yea, and this difference was mani
festly acknowledged by the rigidest Jew, then turned Christian. For
though they contended with Peter for going in to Cornelius, yet they mur mur not, no not so much as mention his going in to the Samaritans, nor doth he give any account of it to them. Nay, it was warranted by his
fellow-apostle before he went, Acts viii. 14 ; so then this of preaching the
gospel, and conversing with Samaritans, was an exception grounded upon a special reason, from, the difference between them and Gentiles, universally acknowledged by the Christian Jews.
And as for that enmity and estrangement of the common Jew from the Samaritan before mentioned, it lay rather in malice in their wills, not in any express prohibition that their law gave them ; which distance from these
Samaritans, a zeal for the conversion of souls, soon struck off in these new converted Christian Jews. Well but for all this, that so open a door was
set open into Samaria and the regions thereof, yet still they durst not go a
step further, to baptize, or similarly converse with any supposed pure Gentile, though proselytes to the true God, if they were not circumcised, and subscribed not themselves to the ceremonial law ; for notwithstanding this successful inroad into Samaria, which is recorded chap. viii. of the Acts, we find Peter and all his fellows with him still at a stand, chap, x., to go in unto Cornelius (though he was such a proselyte as was just, holy, and feared God), merely because uncircumcised ; and that is the true account
why, notwithstanding the conversion of Samaria, which was in order before
that of Cornelius, that that is made the first instance of the Gentiles con version to the faith of Christ by two apostles, Peter and James, Acts xv.
Says James, ver. 14, 15, Simon hath declared, xaQus wgurbs, how first
(so the words are) God did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name. Now how or what manner of declaration had Peter made,
. which James refers us to, you had in the verses foregoing. Brethren, you know how, ap qpsguv ag^diuv,
l from the first days or early days, namely, of the preaching of the gospel, God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe, God bearing
472 RECONCILIATION OF THE PEOPLE OF GOD [EPH. II. 14-16.
them witness, by giving them the Holy Ghost. These Gentiles he insists on as the first converted, were manifestly Cornelius and those with him, and not the Samaritans, who had first believed through Philip s preaching, and
first* by Peter s ; and Peter appealing to the cognisance of many now pre sent at that meeting, says, Brethren, you know how ; and refers both to those that were eye and ear witnesses, and present at Cornelius s house, and Peter s sermon there made, as likewise to whom he had faithfully given the narration, and who had rested thereon satisfied, chap, xi., at both of which some were present.
I come therefore (where this hath brought to) to a second branch of this
story ; and that is, to shew how this wall of distance and separation from all the nations was removed out of the way ; by what means this great sluice of enmity was pulled up, that stopped the current and overflow of the gos
pel to the rest of the world. And of this, that last instance of Cornelius s conversion gives a full and particular account ; and you shall now behold
all and every of the same persons that you have seen scrupled and bound up to this, brought now in and unbound, and abundantly satisfied therein,
(which was a marvellous work of God), 1st Peter ; 2dly, then his fellows ;
3dly, those Jews that had been scattered, (chap, viii., and preached the
gospel only to the Jews ) ; and, 4thly, the generality of the converted Jews.
1. I shall begin first with Peter, the great wheel and engine that brought
all the others.
After Peter had finished his journey through Samaria and the villages thereof, and so returned, Acts viii. 25, unto Jerusalem, we find him to take indeed another progress into Palestina, to Lydda and Joppa, but so
as to converse with Jews only, and visit in those cities those brethren of the Jewish nation that had believed. Thus Acts ix. 32. And we find him
(or Christ s Spirit rather takes him) at one Simon s house, a Jew, as his name gives evidence, for at none other s durst he as yet lie or abide ; and
thereupon a vision befalls him. And the interpretation of it, with a com mand to go unto Cornelius, which gave him such ample satisfaction, as
everlastingly silenced all scruple in him. And to this end, that now at once this door of faith might be set open wide enough, without any more
distinction or qualification of persons, and difference of Gentile from Gen
tile, proselytes of this sort or the other, and make the way alike for the
bringing in of all alike, whether they were legally pure or impure, clean
or unclean, the grossest idolaters as well as any other ; God therefore made the rule and commission large enough, and seals the warrant of it with a vision from heaven, the mystery of which held forth this great latitude,
chap. x. A sheet from heaven is let down, having four corners fastened to the several quarters of heaven, wherein were all manner of four-footed
beasts, wild beasts, creeping things, serpents, and fowls of the air, whereof many were pronounced unclean ; yea, by the law of commandments given the Jews, many of them were abhorrent even to nature, as toads, and were now declared purified: ver. 15, What God hath cleansed, call not that common. And these beasts of all sorts signified men of all sorts, even
Gentiles of all nations, professions whatever, though never so venomous. Thus Peter applies it, ver. 28, God hath shewed me (it was God s own
* that I should not call any man common or unclean ; that is, in respect of that outward ceremonial impurity, such as by that law had been in fine both in meats and in beasts, and parallelly in men. For now God had taken that away ; and by that sheet, in which all, both * Qu. not first ? ED.
interpretation of it)
EPH. H. 14-16.] BY CHRIST S DEATH. 473
clean and unclean, were met, was signified the universal catholic church of
the New Testament, which was let down from heaven, Gal. iv. 26, and to be taken into heaven, as that sheet in the vision was, in which are all sorts
gathered, all things in earth, Eph. i. 10, Jews and Gentiles ; and yet from
all the four corners of heaven, to which this sheet was knit, importing their gathering to be from East, West, North, and South, to sit down with Abraham and his children. Upon this vision, and the circumstances that
accompanied it (which often confirm the mind of God unto us), as that
messengers should be knocking at the door the while to bring news of an
other vision made to Cornelius to send for him, Peter hereupon professeth the greatest conviction : chap. x. 34, Of a truth I perceive that God is no
: but in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh
respecter of persons
righteousness, is accepted with him. He speaks as a man, either whose
judgment was now altered, or but now fully convinced and determined of
that which he had but an inkling of before : xMraXatfifi&QfHU, I have it, I
apprehend it, and take it in. Although he had taken in the inkling of it
afore, yet as it falls out in a new degree of spiritual knowledge, especially in a matter wherein the mind was anything wavering, but is now confirmed
therein, so Peter here professeth as but now to take in the apprehension of
phrase, M aXydsias,
it, as the word xaraXa/A/Scbo/za/, I apprehend it, or I take it in. And that
< of a truth, notes not out only the infallibility and
certainty of light now came in, causing him to apprehend it as a certain
truth, but that now he had experimentally seen the truth of it. Indeed, that speech argues that the Jews, yea, Peter himself, had formerly been so
rigid in their judgments about such kind of proselytes as submitted not to Moses s law, that they questioned whether they were such as God did save. The like argues that speech of those disciples, Acts xi. 18,
* Then hath God
also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life. And though they had
repented, yet it would seem they doubted whether unto life or no. And
so he goes on to enlarge upon this, and to give a further account of his
* that this was indeed the word (or message, and so parts* the gospel itself) which God sent to
satisfaction in it : I perceive now, says he,
the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ, Lord of all. The
Spirit of God was promised to bring all things seasonably to the memories and understandings of the apostles by Christ, but not understood, which had been by him spoken afore, which promise was eminently fulfilled in
this passage of Peter s. For now he understood that embassy of peace on
earth, good will to men, spoken of as the consequent of Christ coming into
the world, to concern all nations. He remembered also the many speeches which Christ himself had uttered when preaching this : he spake of the
calling of the Gentiles, Mat. viii. 11, 12 and John xii. 82, and how all were to be gathered into one and the same fold, John x., and so the enmity to be removed. And Peter annexeth this reason of confirmation to it,
* he
is Lord of all, that is, of Gentile as well as the Jew indifferently; and now
I fully remember (thought he) how when Christ went to heaven he saith, All power is committed to me both in heaven and in earth ; and how, as an inference from it, he added, Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, the
intent and evidence whereof he had now seen. And Peter further tells us, how a cloud of testimonies came into his mind from all the prophets, which
afore he understood not so clearly, confirming to him this truth ; it being God s manner to second extraordinary visions with testimonies of his word
coincident therewith. Thus, ver. 43, To him give all the prophets wit- * Qu. part of ? ED.
474 RECONCILIATION OF THE PEOPLE OF GOD [EHP. II. 14-16.
ness, as to be the Messiah promised to the Jews ; so to the great procla mation concerning him, that
* whosoever believeth on him shall receive remission of sins. By those words, crayra rov vKtrt jovra, whoever be
lieves, he understood and intends the general pardon now proclaimed under the gospel to Gentiles as well as Jews. As it is the brief sum and
substance of the prophet s predictions in this point, so it fell out to be that
very promise which Peter out of Joel ii. 82 had been harping at in his first sermon to the Jews, Acts ii. ; which he had interpreted to concern as well
the Gentiles that were afar off as the Jews and their children. But yet he then was himself
* afar off from the clear and distinct apprehension of
it, yet groped at it as in the dark ; but now he hath a full, clear, distinct, overcoming light brought into his soul about it, as often on the sudden
there useth to be unto us about things wherein we had but confused notions we minded or heeded not. A general notion he had of this thing then ; but now all the prophets, that is, such that were of the Old Testament, come in distinctly to his mind, with their several verdicts and testimonies hereunto. He had a sudden view and thorough light, which ran through them all as to this great point ; and such a view the Spirit often gives us
in things we considered not afore.
And unto this general sum and substance of the gospel concerning the
Gentiles calling, drawn out of the prophets by Peter, did the like speeches and quotations of Paul fall in, and give their express suffrage and consent, Rom. x. 11, where, being upon the same argument Peter is upon here, he
speaks in the very same language that Peter here doth. I need but read
* For the Scripture says, Whosoever shall believe in him shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Gen
the words ;
tile ; for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him ; and then quotes the words of Joel, which to this purpose Peter also had done,
* Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. And
that I may bring all this same to my text, the very next words do hold a
correspondence with, and explain those other passages of Peter s sermons
as directed to this scope, and each give light to the other. Peter he says,
4 This is the word which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all. In answer thereto, here Paul
* He came and preached peace to you. What ! did Christ
says of Christ,
ever preach to the Ephesians ? No. Those words can have no better comment than the words of Peter, namely, that Christ, in many of his ser
mons, though delivered only to the children of Israel, yet proclaimed him
self the universal peace between Jew and Gentile ; and there what follows but an answer to, and confirmation of, that other passage rementioned in
Peter s first sermon, to one and the same effect ? He came and preached peace to them that were afar off, the Gentiles, and to them that were nigh, the Jews. Peter s words are,
* The promise to you (Jews) and to them afar
5 So then, you see Peter now fully gained and won to a reconciliation with the Gentiles.
off.
Then 2. For the rest of the Jews with him, they came over to the same mind ; for when, in the 44th verse, they saw the Holy Ghost fall on these uncircumcised Gentiles, as formerly he had done on the Jews, it is said, ver. 45, that they of the circumcision which believed were also nigh, even
as many of them as came with Peter, and were so far convinced themselves, that at Peter s command they baptized them, ver. 48, which they would never else have done. Therefore those other Jews, who, as you heard out
of chap, xi., contended with Peter about this fact, they also, when they
EPH. II. 14-16.] BY CHRIST S DEATH. 475
bad heard a narrative of all these things from Peter s mouth, confirmed by the testimony of them that were with him, even at the first they were so
far won upon as they held their peace. Their mouths were stopped ; but not only so, but there they glorified God, which argues not their judgments
only, but their hearts, rejoicing that God had added the Gentiles to make one body to himself with them ; and they set down this as a final conclu
sion and determination (as to their judgments) of this controversy for ever.
* Then hath God also granted unto the Gentiles repentance unto life, which
afore they doubted, as was observed.
3. For those other Jews that had been dispersed into several countries
afore this fell out, and had, as they went along, scrupulously preached unto Jews only ; they also were in the end fetched about to preach unto the
Gentiles ; yea, and the set scope of the ensuing part of that llth chapter is
to give a narration thereof, on purpose subjoining that story of theirs next
this of Peter s concerning Cornelius and the Gentiles, as being both one continued woof of the same thread, namely, a continuation of the account how the gospel was propagated unto the Gentiles by other disciples as well
as by Peter, the Holy Ghost industriously setting these things together in one view, because this work was the greatest thing done in the world since
Christ s ascension, and of the highest concernment. And that these other Jews did preach freely to the Gentiles, the next words shew, ver. 19, 20,
21, Now they that were scattered abroad, upon the persecution that arose about Stephen, travelled as far as Phenice, and Cyprus, and Antioch,
preaching the word to Jews only. And some of them were men of Cyprus and Gyrene, which, when they were come to Antioch, spake unto the
Grecians, preaching the Lord Jesus. And the hand of the Lord was with them: and a great number believed, and turned to the Lord. There hath been a question among some interpreters, whether these Grecians to whom
these Jews preached were of Grecian birth and race, or Jews by race, but
living among the Gentiles, which, making use of the Greek translation in
their synagogues, were called EXXji>/<rra/, or Grecising Jews (the word there
used), and which was commonly given to such Jews as live among the Greeks. But it is evident, as Beza long ago, and Capel, and others since, have observed from the contexture of the 19th and 20th verses, that they were Gentiles, Grecians by race, and not Jews (though perhaps proselytes, such as Cornelius was ; as those Grecians, Acts xvii. 4, also were) ; for Luke here having immediately afore related how those of the dispersion had preached the word to none but Jews only (ver. 19), he doth then by way of exception hereunto add, ver. 20, rt sav fe rmg ; but there were some of them, &c., namely, of that company of the dispersion, that preached it
to Grecians that were Gentiles. The opposition clearly carries it ; so
accordingly in the manuscript copy sent by Cyril, that worthy patriarch of
Constantinople, to king Charles I., they are expressly called (as it is here
translated) EXX?jvgg, Grecians by birth and extraction. And to set out this work the more, which the Holy Ghost s eye was so intent upon, he adds,
1 And the hand of the Lord was with them : and a great number believed, and turned unto the Lord; ver. 21, a great number, namely of that sort of Grecians whom they set themselves to preach unto.
And so that first part of the relation, how for a long time all of them
generally had preached but to Jews only, comes in to make way, and give illustration to the latter part, namely, that yet at last some of them (that had .been then narrow) were set at liberty, and altered their practice therein, and after Peter s example, did preach to the Gentiles also, as he had done;
476 BECONCILIATION OF THE PEOPLE OF GOD [EPH. II. 14-16.
and therefore it is that this relation of what became of those dispersed (whose dispersion is recorded, chap, viii., at the beginning) was deferred
until now, and then subjoined presently after that of Peter and the Jews
fully ended, because it was a story of the same sort and to the same pur pose with the other, a continuation of the conversion of the Gentiles ; and how this Jewish narrow spirit, though it had for a while everywhere hin
dered, yet was still as fast removed in those places, as well as at Jerusalem ; and he sews both together as pieces of the same cloth, yea, and doth it
perhaps to insinuate, how that the noise of this faith of Peter s, together with the Jews satisfaction about it, arriving at the ears of these Jews that were travelling abroad, was the occasion of this sudden and strange altera
tion of judgment and practice in them, which news overtook them not till
they came to Antioch. For we read, Acts xv. 2, that in Phenice, which was one of the regions these had travelled through afore they came to
Antioch, the conversion of the Gentiles was but news to them a good while
after this, the reason whereof may be, that there was a quicker intercourse betwixt Jerusalem and Antioch, being two greater cities, than Phenice and Jerusalem ; which appears from what follows in the next words, that the news of what was now done at Antioch went back again as fast to Jeru
salem, before it came to these other places. Then tidings of these things coming to the ears of the church which was at Jerusalem, they sent forth Barnabas as far as Antioch, to shew their approbation of, and zeal to pro secute this happy beginning among the Gentiles, whose success also in this new work among these Gentiles the Holy Ghost records ; for when he was
come, ver. 23, 24, he both encouraged those already converted, and added now a full and open trade of gaining Gentiles souls, that had been as contrabanded merchandise afore ; and factors were sent on purpose from
the Jews themselves about it ; and this holy commerce was set open in the
world, and so an union of Jew and Gentile into one new man hereby effected and procured.
I have insisted the longer hereon, because the only work of wonder set
forth in these passages is, and hath been usually understood to have been, another than simply the story of the enlargement of the church, in conver
sion of new souls to Christ, and spreading the gospel in those first times ; whereas the Holy Ghost s principal design was to shew how the Gentiles conversion was laid and carried on, and so Jew and Gentile made one new man, which was the greatest (as it was the first) work Christ hath done
since he went to heaven ; which Paul having seen effected, had a special eye to it in the text, when he says, He hath broken down the partition
wall, and created both into one man in himself.
I have now mentioned one man (the great apostle Paul) whose part in
this great scene hath hitherto wholly been omitted. But if you inquire how his spirit stood pointed upon his conversion to this conversing with, and converting Gentiles, and how and when wrought thereunto, the return
thereto is wonderful. Christ s dealing with him in this particular was not
as with the other apostles, whom he instructed by degrees ; but he was,
together with his own conversion, at the same instant converted ^hereunto. He took it in together with that milk or seed of the word that begat him unto life ; yea, so earnest was Christ himself, who immediately converted
him, and zealous in this point, that he feels his commission to teach the
Gentiles with the first news of his own salvation. And truths that are
impressed upon our souls, at or upon our first conversion, are of the great est moment to us, and have the deepest stamp, and are never worn out ;
EPH. II. 14-16.] BY CHRIST S DEATH. 477
and duties which are then set on, we ever after do or ought most to mind, as being conditions which God designed us to, and converted us.
Here Paul himself tells the story, Acts ix. 15, The Lord said to Ananias (whom he employed first to bring the glad tidings of salvation unto Paul), Go thy way, and tell him ;
* he is a chosen vessel to me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel. The children
of Israel (you see) do in Paul s commission come in in the rear, but the Gentiles are the first in his commission ; and the very same did God speak as expressly to him by revelation, as Paul relates it, Gal. i. Yea, and if
you observe the set and full scope of that relation of his conversion in that
place, it is evident to be on purpose to clear this very thing (which he makes the argument in the first part of that epistle), namely, how the Gentiles were admitted into the fellowship of the gospel, without any sub
jection of theirs to the Jewish ceremonies ; and that he accordingly had had a revelation from the first of his conversion, to go and preach the
gospel upon such terms first to the Gentiles ; and a great part of that
chapter is taken up with the narration of the strange workings about of his
spirit to this point of the compass, to which it had stood clean contrary afore, as much as any other Jew whatever ; as that singular passage in the narra
tive of his first conversion shews. You have heard of my conversation in times past, says he, in the Jewish religion, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers, whereof this was one, and the most deeply rooted ;
* but when it pleased God to reveal his Son in me ; for what work? that I might preach him among the heathen : and immediately (for thus soon was he instructed in the main article of his commission),
* I conferred not with flesh and blood ; I went with so full a conviction of this new truth revealed to me, as that I would not so much as ask counsel of any man else ; and then, whither did the Spirit carry him ? Straight into
Arabia, who were the world of heathens, Ishmael s seed and posterity, whose
hands, as in Genesis, were against every man, and every man against them (like the wild Irish), of all the most barbarous; and he fell first
a-preaching unto them, without scruple or regard at all had to any Jewish
tradition, or to any Jew ; and as his first conversion had thus taught him
this, so he accordingly bears this written in his style, and title, and glories in it, The apostle, doctor, and teacher of the Gentiles. I have but one thing more to add, the universal joy and acclamations that were in the whole church of God, at the addition and first rearing of
this new and greatest part of God s house, the Gentiles ; and this both in Jews and others, which in all places they were generally filled withal, which the Holy Ghost in the end of every of these stories takes notice of, and is as the Epiphontma. There was never such joy on earth as then upon all occasions ; never such joy in heaven as upon Christ s nativity, when the
angels sang, Glory to, &c. For, first, those Jews who had withstood
Peter, chap, xi., they sing a Glory to God on high upon it, as the angels did upon Christ s nativity, chap. xi. 18, They glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life. Then again, when the Gentiles at Antioch were converted, the news came instantly to Jerusalem ; and they out of an earnest desire to know the truth of it, and
to forward the work, sent Barnabas, who, when he came and saw the grace
of God, Oh, how glad was he ! The Holy Ghost could
s not but relate it;
* He was glad, and exhorted them all, says the text. Then Barnabas searches out Paul, and in the end meets him ; and they were well met, being alike spirited to this work; and they are sent out, chap, xiii., to the con-
478 RECONCILIATION OF THE PEOPLE OF GOD BY CHRIST S DEATH.
version of new regions of the Gentiles. And this is the joyful account of
that whole journey ; chap. xiv. 27, They rehearsed all that God had done with them, and how God had opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles. Then again, chap. xv. ver. 8, 4, going from thence to Jerusalem, and pass ing through Phoenicia and Samaria, what news was it they carried which
their hearts were big with ? Even this, Declaring the conversion of the Gentiles ; and they caused great joy to all the brethren, even those that were Jews.
THE ONE SACRIFICE,
THE ONE SACRIFICE.
A SERMON.
For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sin.
Wherefore, when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and burnt-
offerings thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me : in burnt-
offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast no pleasure : then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of thy book it is written of me) to do thy will, God. HEB. X. 4-7.
THE apostle Paul in 2 Cor. v. 18th, 19th, and 20th verses, does summarily tell us what is the argument (as I may so speak) of that great mystery of the gospel.
The theme it dilates upon is reconciliation; To wit, says he, that God was in Christ reconciling the world.
And therefore the title he gives the doctrine of it is this, The ministry of reconciliation. And so the foot of the angels song, Luke ii. 14, was
reconciliation, which consists of two parts, peace and good will. The full scope of the words you may conceive as cast into this frame ; and withal, what is the sum of all I have to deliver to you about it.
1. The world, the whole world of mankind, being created in an estate of
amity and friendship with God, as the word xaraXXa^rs, reconcile, implies. To make friends again, argues former friendship.
2. And then, this whole lump of men being treacherously fallen off from God into a deep rebellion against him, and become of the devil s seed and
faction,
3. God, who is infinite in love and rich in mercy, bearing everlasting and
secret good will to some of these rebels in all ages, hath always maintained
certain lieger ambassadors in the world (as ver. 20 implies), to treat with
this rebellious rout, and conclude a peace betwixt them and him.
4. And that his agents and dealers for him, whom in his business he hath and doth employ, might be fully enabled to conclude it, he hath
furnished them (as all other ambassadors use to be) with a large and
gracious commission, the title of which is, the ministry of reconciliation, ver. 18 ; Hath given to us, &c., which includes in it two things.
t The delivery of a gracious message, a.s from himself, intimating and manifesting his royal mind and inclination, how it stands towards them. For when two are at variance, there can never be any hope of peace or
l i Kt
agreement, unless the party injured shews an inclineableness at least to
listen to it. VOL. V. H h
482 THE ONE SACRIFICE. [HEB. X. 4-7.
Now, the effect of that message in brief is,
First, That whereas they might conceive him most justly to be averse to
the very motion of it, that yet he for his part is not only contented and
inclined to listen to an agreement, but is, and hath been, ever so fully
willing to, and desirous of it, that as he hath been a-reconciling the world ; even from everlasting God was reconciling, &c., hath made (as it were) his
chief business, that he hath plotted and been desirous to bring about. And
though all things else are of him, as ver. 18 tells us, yet this mainly above
all the rest, totus in illo, wholly set upon it. And, secondly, whereas presently it might be thought that he being so
just and so jealous a God, sensible of the least injury, so tender of his glory,
and jealous of the least wrong to it, as that he would require and propound to have full satisfaction first, as the condition of their agreement ; which
that they, or any other creature, either were able or willing to perform, was
out of all hope.
Therefore, secondly, I say, he bids us declare, for that also men need not trouble themselves, for he himself hath been so jealous in this business, as that he hath took order for it beforehand. He hath been
* in Christ,
reconciling the world ; that is, in him and by him (as a mediator and
umpire, and surety between him and you), this great matter hath been taken up and accorded. He and Jesus Christ, his only Son, have from all
eternity laid their heads together (as we may speak with reverence) to end
the quarrel. Christ should undertake to satisfy his Father for all the wrong was done him. He was made sin, that is, a surety and a satisfaction for
it, who knew no sin, ver. 21, That they, &c. And God the Father
upon it is so fully satisfied, as he is ready not to impute their sins to them, but to impute all Christ s righteousness to them, and to receive them into
favour more fully than ever. God was in Christ reconciling the world, not imputing their sins, &c. The second part of our commission is, that he hath given us full power and authority to deal with men about it, and to transact and perfect this
agreement, with charge to tell this message to all and every man in the
world. And upon this ground, that reconciliation is to be obtained from God for them, to entreat them to be reconciled. And when men accord
ingly seek it, as thus revealed to them, though by us, it is as if God had done it, ver. 20, As though God, and, I in Christ s stead, says the
apostle.
And this, my brethren, is to preach the gospel unto men ; which is the
best news that ever ear heard, or tongue was employed to utter ; which took
up God s thoughts from eternity, and lay hid in his breast, which none but he and his Son knew. Which, if it were but for the antiquity of the story of it, it is worth the relating, it being the greatest plot and state affair that
ever was transacted in heaven or earth, or ever will be.
Having by way of preface to the great business of reconciliation, said thus much, I now proceed to the words of my text, For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sin, &c. These words are a record of the greatest and deepest mystery of state, and the secret passages thereof, that ever yet was transacted either in heaven or earth : no less than the consultation and conference, yea, the
very words that passed between God the Father and the Son, spoken at the
counciltable, at which no one was present besides, but the great secretary of state, the blessed Spirit, who revealed this.
And this, when they sat upon the greatest business of state, the treaty
HEB. X. 4-7.] THE ONE SACRIFICE. 483
of peace between God and men ; and this, just at the time when God was
despatching his Son to come down into the world, and had prepared him a
body ready for him to transact it in.
* Then when he cometh into the world, he saith, &c. Which speech of
his hath yet further reference unto, and quotes a record far more ancient, even the first general council kept in heaven, and the records of it, In the volume of thy book, &c. The book is, liber decretalium, the book of God s decrees ; yea, and a record that was written in the first page of that book. In the volume of the book, indefinitely says the psalmist. But the Holy Ghost, who had read over and written every leaf of it, quoting it here, says, sv xspaXibi rou
J&CX/ou, in capite, in the beginning of it, which varies not the sense, but
interprets it. And if you hope to find it (as some have gone about to do) in the first words of Genesis In principle creavit Deus you are deceived ;
it is the book of God s decrees ; there Christ remembers it written, that he was appointed to do God s will.
More plainly, the words contain much of the first part of the story of the
gospel (the riches of the glory of which I have elsewhere discoursed of
in general). For as there are three persons, as I have formeily shewed, who have a joint hand in that work of salvation, the subject of the gospel, so the whole story of the gospel hath three parts also, in every of which some one of them bears an especial part.
The first part God the Father had the chiefest hand in, who drew the
platform of this great work, contrived it, made the motion first to his Son, as you shall see anon.
The second, God the Son, when he came down and took flesh, and, cloth
ing himself in the habit of a servant, transacted the redemption of the world
according to that draft.
As after him, when he was off the stage, came the Spirit, to apply what he had done, and all the benefits of it, whose work makes np the third part. Now tiwfirtt part, which is most hidden, being invisibly done in heaven before the world was, the discovery of which gives light to the other two, which, of all stories that ever were recorded, is the ancientest. This is the subject of my discourse, and partly of this text ; I shall dis cover so much of it as the words carry me unto, and divide and open the text in handling of it.
And first, to begin with the business itself, which is the subject of this
story, which was the aim and end of all. The 4th verse tells us it was the taking away of sins. This I mention first, because it is the hinge the text and my discourse turns on.
And to accomplish this, what needed so much ado ? Nothing had been more easy for God than to take away sins, by taking away it e sinners, both at a stroke, and so to cause sin to cease, as Ezekiel speaks, Ezek. xxiii. 48. Nay, was it not a hard thing for him to keep his hands off them ? And therefore it is attributed to the greatness of his power, that he is able to contain himself, Num. xiv. 17. And it had been nothing out of his way to have taken sin and sinners thus away, he is able enough to bear the loss of souls. What is it to thee if the nations perish? Wisd. xii. He weakens not himself, as kings do when they cut off an army of rebels, and so are forced to forgive the most, because their glory consists in the multi tude of their subjects. No ; he could create enough anew. But this is not my meaning, but so to take away sins, as the sinner might stand still, to stand and be justified in his sight. There are some, even among
484 THE ONE SACRIFICE. [HEB. X. 4-7.
sinners, whom he bears a secret good-will to, and hath done from everlast
* Shall they fall, and not
ing, of whom he says with himself, as Jer. viii. 4,
arise ? shall he turn away, and not return ? Some his mind lingers after, as that place expresseth it. Their sins have separated between him and
them, and he would fain separate their sins as far from them, that so he
might draw nigh to them and communicate himself. And because sin is a burden they can neither stand under nor throw off themselves
* A wounded
spirit who can bear ? they can never give thanks enough for his benefits
received, much less to satisfy for sins, therefore he resolves to have them taken off, apa/gg/v, as the word seems to signify, and not to take away sins
only ; that is but one-half of the project, the 4th verse mentioneth no more, because the blood of bulls and goats could not do so much ; yet the will
of God mentioned in the 7th verse, had a further aim, not only to take
away sins that he might not hate us, but to give us such a righteousness
again, for which he might have more cause to love us than ever, and loving, to delight in us. His will meant not peace to us only, or pardon, but
good-will towards men, as well as peace on earth ; his will is to have us
adopted, accepted graciously, as well as pardoned.
Secondly ; The text resolves us whence the first motion of this business
came, and from whom, who set it first afoot ; and it is behoveful for those whom it concerns to know this. He who makes the first motion in a mat
ter of favour expects the most thanks. It was thy will, God : Christ
speaks unto a person distinct from himself. This is not the first time that
the name of God and Lord is taken personally, and not essentially, espe
cially when the persons are speaking one to another : Mat. xxti. 44, The Lord said unto my Lord ; neither was this here the Holy Ghost, for the
Spirit works from the Son, he sends him, John xv. 26. And he takes of
his, &c., chap. xvi. 15 ; and that it was the Father, it is said, Col. i. 19,
1 It pleased the Father by him to reconcile ; and indeed he hath the honour and prerogative to be the only first propounder of all businesses that pass in the great regent-house of heaven : 2 Cor. v. 18,
* All things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself: no graces pass without him, especially this of reconciliation. The Son does nothing without him : John v. 19, The Son does nothing of himself, but what he sees the Father do ; as the Spirit doth nothing without the Son, John xvi. 15. As they have all
the same common essence, so they all concur in the same works. And
look, what order there is in their manner of subsisting, the same is in their
order of working. The Father subsists first, and the Son from him, and
therefore all things are from him, and particularly the taking away of sin ; for he is the first and chief person offended, and therefore reconciliation is made to him in his name for all the rest. It pleased the Father to recon
cile to himself; Christ goes but about his Father s business, Luke ii. 48.
* We have an advocate with the Father.
1 John ii. 1,
Thirdly ; Christ tells us what it was in his Father that set him first
a-work. It was his will ; to do thy will, which I therefore take notice
of. For this act of will expresseth more particularly that act, which in
working is most proper and peculiar to the Father, and eminently attributed
to him.
I. For as in man three things have a stroke in every business he goes about : will, which is the first mover and spring to all the rest ; wisdom, by which he plots and orders all the wheels ; and power, by which he turns
them, which answers to the manner of the three persons working works ad extra (for of those we speak), in these three. Will is more uusally
HEB. X. 4-7.] THE ONE SACRIFICE. 485
given to the Father, as Mat. xi. 26, Eph. i. 3, 11, compared. The Father
it is, that works all according to the counsel of his will. So wisdom is more eminently attributed to the Son, who is the Wisdom of the Father, Prov. viii. ; power to the Holy Ghost, as Luke i. 35, he is called the power of the Most High.
II. As also, to inquire no further, in many of the strange courses he hath in this business of all else, if he doth not give a reason, then rest in
this : it was his will, though he wrought all in it according to the counsel of his own will, Eph. i. 11. Yet who has been his counsellor? Kom.
xi. 34. And yet because one of the main attributes that shine in the work of redemption is his wisdom, and is therefore called the wisdom of the
Father, 1 Cor. i. 24, it is not spoken of him there essentially, but inani-
festative, therefore God hath revealed many of his reasons, and lets us at
least see the conveniencies and harmonies of this plot.
III. It is said to be his will ; to distinguish this greatest work of all his works ad extra, to wit, the incarnation of his Son, as wherein the chiefest
good did communicate himself to his creatures by the nighest union to the utmost ; yet to distinguish it from his works ad extra, and shew that it was not necessary (as Anselm and others have thought), being deceived with
this reason, Summum bonum sua communicare oportet. It became him indeed to do so, but it was not necessary ; and it became him not as any part of his intrinsecal perfections to communicate himself, for then he had
always done it ; but as having infinite perfections in him, it became him to
perfect others by them. It is a work, you see, of his will, not of his nature. To beget his Son as God was an act of his nature, therefore could not be otherwise ; but to prepare a body for him, and that he should be born the Son of man, was an act of his will ; Lo, when he conies into the world, he says, &c. ; as he begets us of his own will, James i. Will you know how much his will was in it, how strongly set ? Know, for
further explication s sake, that the taking away of sins by the incarnation
of Christ was one of his greatest resolutions, and the strongest that ever he took up, not simply a velleity or inclineableness, so as he could be con
tent it were done ; but it was that upon which his will was more set than ever upon any thing he was deeply and intimately affected unto ; so as his
thoughts are said to run most upon it, and to be taken up with it. And his delights also, the chiefest of them, were in it ; which continued
it from everlasting. All purposes vanish, if not fed with delight ; but this
purpose became matter of greatest delight. Gladder (as it were) he was
that he should see this effected, than anything else that was in his power to effect. This you may see ground for in Ps. xl. 5, which place I quote, because this text is taken out of the next words, to which that 5th verse is a preface. Many, says he in the general, are the wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts to us-ward cannot be reckoned :