The apostle says not that Jesus Christ spake only in the latter — days, Heb. i. but that God in the last days spake unto us in his — Son. And the immediate speaking unto us by the Son in the last days, as he was incarnate, hinders not but that he spake before by his Spirit in the prophets, as the apostle Peter affirms him to have done, 1 Epist. 1. 11. And by this Spirit did be speak,—that is, teach and instruct men,—in the days of Solomon, and from the foundation of the world, 1 Pet. ii. 18-20.
“ Denique prophetia illa, Esa. xlii. 1, 2, ‘Ecce servus meus quem — elegi, non clamabit, neque audiet aliquis in plateis vocem ejus,’ ap- plicatur Christo, Matt. xu. 18,19. At hee sapientia dicitur clamasse in plateis. Itaque falsum est hance sapientiam Solomonis fuisse Jesum Christum.”
A man of gravity and learning ought to have been ashamed of such a puerile cavil. The prophet Isaiah, setting out the meekness and peaceableness of the Lord Christ in the discharge of his office, with his tenderness and condescension towards the poorest and meanegthat come unto him, expresseth it, among others, by these words, “ He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street;” intending no more but that he should do nothing by way of strife, contention, or violence, in private or public places. And this prophecy is applied unto him by Matthew at that very sea- son when “ great multitudes followed him” in the streets and fields, whom he taught and healed, Matt. xii. 15-17. Hence this man would conclude, that because Wisdom is said to cry in the streets,— that is, to instruct men in public places, which he did formerly by
SECT. 13.] IN THE COUNSEL OF GOD. 67
his Spirit, and in the days of his flesh in his own person,—the Son of God cannot be intended. Yet he further adds :—
“ Postremo de sapientia ista, non dicitur quod sit ab eterno ge- nita; sed tantum ut in Hebrzo habetur a seculo formata; quod longe aliud significat, quam ab eterno gigni. Et potest aliquid a seculo, hoc est a mundi creatione vel etiam ante illam extitisse; inde tamen non sequitur esse zternum.”
He tells us not where in the Hebrew text wisdom is said to be “formata a seculo;” nor is there any such passage in the context. It says, indeed, verse 23, ‘M253 DYN; which words of themselves do not absolutely and necessarily declare eternity, though no other ex- pression or antecedent eternity be commonly made use of; but as this 02192 is here particularly explained to denote the existence of Wisdom before the whole creation or any part of it, as it is at large in the whole ensuing discourse, especially verses 25, 26, it doth ne- cessarily denote eternity, nor can it be otherwise expressed. And although we do not particularly prove the relation of the Son to the Father by eternal generation from this place, yet as Wisdom is not said here to be formed or created, so the word used verse 25, ‘F22in, which we have rendered, “I was brought forth,” doth more than intimate that generation.
This being the whole of what the enemies of the sacred Trinity haye to object unto our application of this discourse to the eternal Word or Son of God, we may upon its removal proceed unto the improvement of this testimony unto our present design.
_ 13. A personal transaction, before the creation of the world, be- tween the Father and the Son, acting mutually by their one Spirit, peteerentl the state and condition of mankind, with respect unto divine love and favour, is that which we inquire after, and which is here fully expressed ; for the Wisdom or Word of God having declared his eternal existence with the Father and distinction from him, manifests withal his joint creation of all things, especially his presence with God when he made Pan NMDY WN, verse 26, “the highest part of the dusts of the habitable world ;” that is, o1N penn, “The first Adam,” as Jarchi interprets it, and that not im- probably. ‘Then he declares that he was }88, “ by him,” with him, before him, verse 30; that is, xpis riv O<év, Johni. 1,2. And he was with him, iO, “ Nutricius,’” “One brought up with him.” The word seems to be of a passive signification, or the participle Pahul, and is of the masculine gender, though referring unto 7227, Wis- dom, which speaks of itself and is of the feminine, and that because it is a person which is intended; such constructions being not in- frequent in the Hebrew, where the adjunct agrees with and respects the nature of the subject, rather than the name or some other name
68 ORIGINAL OF THE PRIESTHOOD OF CHRIST [ EXERC. XXVII.
of the same thing. See Gen. iv. 7. The word may have various — significations, and is accordingly variously rendered by interpreters. The Chaldee render it jo'nD, that is, “ faithful,’ “I was faithful with him;” and the LXX., dpusZovew, “ framing, forming,” that is, all things with him. So also Ralbag on the place expounds it ac- tively, “ One nourishing all things,” as Jarchi doth passively, ndsy wy, “brought up with him;” which sense of the words our transla- tion follows. And it is used unto that purpose, Lam. iy. 5, DIPS yein Y, “ brought up in scarlet.” And although it may be not un- decently taken in an active sense, yet I rather judge it to be used passively, “ nutricius, alumnus,” one that is in the care and love of another, and to be disposed by him.