9. The same truth is further revealed and confirmed, Prov. viii. 22-31, “The LorD possessed me in the beginning of his way, be- fore his works of old. I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was.. When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water. Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth: while as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the highest part of the dust of the world. When he pre- pared the heavens, I was there: when he set a compass upon the face of the depth: when he established the clouds above: when he strengthened the fountains of the deep: when he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his commandment: when he appointed the foundations of the earth: then was I by him, as
SECT. 8, 9.] IN THE COUNSEL OF GOD. 59
one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him; rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth ; and my delights were with the sons of men.”
We must first secure this testimony against those who have at- tempted to deprive the church of God of its use and advantage, and then improve it unto our present purpose. In the ancient church none questioned but that the Wisdom which here discourseth is the Son of God; only the Arians greatly endeavoured to corrupt the sense of one passage in it, and thereby to wrest the whole to give countenance unto their heresy. Those of late who agree with them in an opposition unto the same truth, upon other principles, observing _ how they failed in their attempt, do leave the sense of particular passages unquestioned, and call into question the whole subject of the discourse; wherein, if they prevail, the sense of particular places must be accommodated unto what they substitute in the room thereof.
It is Wisdom that speaks and is spoken of. This we believe to be him who is the Wisdom of God, even his eternal Son. This they will not grant, although they are not agreed what it is that is intended. A property, say some, of the divine nature; the exercise of divine wisdom in making the world, say others; the wisdom that is in the law, say the Jews; or, as some of them, the wisdom that was given unto Solomon,—and of their mind have been some of late. With the Arians I shall not much contend, because their heresy seems to be much buried in the world, although some of late haye endeavoured to give countenance unto their opinions, or unto them who main- tained them, Sand. Hist. Eccles. Enucl. lib. ui. It was the 22d verse which they principally insisted on; for whereas it was granted between them and the Homoousians that it is the Son of God which is here spoken of, they hence pleaded for his creation before the world, or his production 2% odx tvrwy, and that there was [a time] when he was not. This they did from these words, 1377 MW 1232 NIM; which words were rendered by the LXX., or the Greek translation then in common use, ‘O Kipsog zxricé we, &pyiy dav abrot-—* Dominus con- didit me initium viarum suarum.” And this is followed by all the old translations. ‘3873, says the Targum; and the Syriac, “ Creavit me;”’ and the Arabic follows them; only the Vulgar Latin reads, “ Possedit,” “Possessed me.” On this corrupt translation the Arians bare themselves so high as to provoke their adversaries unto a deci- sion of the whole controversy between them by the sentence of this one testimony. But the corruption of the common translation is long since confessed. Aquila and Theodotion both render the word by txrjouro, “he possessed.” Nor doth 722 in any place, or on any occasion, signify to make or create, or any thing of the like import- ance, Its constant use is either to acquire and obtain, or to possess
60 ORIGINAL OF THE PRIESTHOOD OF CHRIST [EXERC. XXVIL
and enjoy. That which any one hath, which is with him, which be-
longs unto him and is his own, he is 72?, the possessor of. So is the Father said to possess Wisdom, because it was his, with him, even his eternal Word or Son. No more is intended hereby but what the apostle more clearly declares, John i. 1, 2, "Ev dpyj 6 Abyos jv xpbe viv Ozév—“ In the beginning the Word was with God.” But with these I shall not contend.
10. The Jews, and those who in the things concerning the person of Christ derive from them, and who borrow their weapons to com- bat his deity, we must not pass by; for an examination of their pretences and sophisms in this cause, at least occasionally as they occur unto us, I do not guess, but know to be necessary.
Grotius on this place tells us, “ Hee de ea sapientia que in lege apparet, exponunt Hebrei;”—“ The Hebrews expound these things of that wisdom which is seen in the law.” Andas to many of them this information is true. Whereunto he adds of his own, “ Et sane ei si non soli, at precipue, hee attributa conveniunt;’—* And there- unto, indeed, the things here attributed unto wisdom do agree, if not only, yet principally;’ which whether it be so or ne, the ensu- ing examination will evince.