The Jews, then, affirm that the wisdom here intended is the wis- dom of the law, as in the law, or the wisdom that God used in giving the law; but how the things here ascribed unto Wisdom can belong unto the law given on Sinai is hard to conceive. To take off this difficulty, they tell us that the law was one of the seven things which God made before the creation of the world; which they prove from this place, verse 22, “The Lorp possessed me in the beginning of his way,” yea, and that, as they say, two thousand years before crea- tion, signified by the two alephs in that sentence ; Midrash Bamidmar, in cap. viii. But Aben Ezra, in his preface unto his Annotations on the Bible, tells us that they are mystical allegories, and not true in their literal sense; as doth also the author of Nizachon, See. Beresh. sect. 3, who likewise informs us that these things are said to be made before the world, maw m3 "55, “ because of their excellency and worth,” whence they were first thought upon. But these fig- ments we need not trouble ourselves about. Their apprehension that the wisdom intended is that of the law, which Grotius gives countenance unto, shall be examined. The Socinians are not soli- citous what the things mentioned are ascribed unto, so they can satisfy themselves in their exceptions unto our ascription of them — unto the Son of God. I shall, therefore, first confirm our exposition of the place, and then remove their exceptions out of our way.
11. First, It is an imtelligent person that is here intended; for all sorts of personal properties are ascribed unto it. It cannot,
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_ SECT. 10-12. | IN THE COUNSEL OF GOD. 61
therefore, be a mere essential property of the divine nature, nor can the things spoken concerning it with respect unto God be any way verified in his essential attributes. Much less is it wisdom in general, or wisdom in man, as by some it is expounded, no one thing ‘here mentioned being in any tolerable sense applicable thereunto. For,—(1.) In the whole discourse Wisdom speaks as an intelligent person, whereof almost every verse in the whole chapter is an in- stance. (2.) Personal authority and power are assumed by it: Verses 15, 16, “By me kings reign, and princes decree justice. By me princes rule, and nobles, even all the judges of the earth.” (3.) Per- _ sonal promises upon duties to be performed towards it, due unto God himself: Verse 17, “I love them that love me, and those that seek me early shall find me;’ which is our respect unto God, Ps, lxii. 1, “O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee,’ and which is elsewhere often expressed. (4.) Personal divine actions: Verses 20, 21, “I lead in the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of judgment: that I may cause those that love me to inherit substance; and I will fill their treasures,” Verses 30,31, “I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him; ..... and my delights were with the sons of men.” (5.) Personal properties; as eternity, verses 23-25, “I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was;” wisdom, verse 14, “ Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom; I am understanding; I have strength.”
Secondly, The name of Wisdom is the name of the Son, who is the wisdom of God. For the Wisdom mentioned, chap. ix. 1, the Jews themselves confess that it is one of the ny», or distinct pro- perties that are in the divine mw, that is, substance or essence; whereby the Son of God alone can be intended.
Thirdly, The things here spoken of Wisdom are all of them, or at least the principal, expressly elsewhere attributed unto the Son, verse 11, Phil. iii. 8; verse 15, Rev. xix. 16; verse 22, John i. 1-3; verses 23, 24, Col. i 15-17; verse 30, John i. 14; verse 32, Rev. xxi 14,
Fourthly, The relation of the Wisdom that speaks unto God de- clares it to be his eternal Word or Son: “I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him;” as he did in whom his soul is always well pleased.
And, lastly, as we shall further see, they are the eternal trans- actions of the Father and Son that are here described, which are capable of no other interpretation.
12. It is not my design to plead here the eternal existence of the Son of God antecedent unto his incarnation. I have done it also at large elsewhere. But because the faith thereof is the foundation of what I shall further offer concerning the original of his priesthood,
62 ORIGINAL OF THE PRIESTHOOD OF CHRIST [ EXERC. XXVII.
the testimonies produced unto that purpose must be vindicated from the exceptions of the professed adversaries of that fundamental truth ; and these, as to this place, are summed up and put together by Enjedinus. And his manner is, as was before observed (wherein also he is followed by all those of his way and persuasion), to mul- tiply sophistical exceptions, that so by any means they may distract the mind of the reader and render him uncertain; and therefore they consider not whether what they offer be true or no, but com- monly their evasions contradict and overthrow one another. But so the truth may be rejected, they regard not what is received. First, therefore, he lays his exception to the whole matter, and affirms that it is not wisdom, but prudence, that speaks these words, and is the subject of the whole discourse :—