3. They say that this bringing in of the first-begotten into the world denotes a glorious presenting of him in his rule and enjoy- ment of his inheritance.
But, (1.) This proves not that the words must respect the coming of Christ unto judgment, to which end this reason is insisted on; because he was certainly proclaimed with power to be the Son, Lord, and Heir of all, upon his resurrection, and by the first preaching of
‘the gospel. And, (2.) No such thing, indeed, can be rightly deduced from the words. The expression signifies no more but an introduc- tion into the world, a real bringing in, without any intimation of the way or manner of it.
4, It is argued in the behalf of the same opinion, from the psalm from whence these words are taken, that it isa glorious reign of Christ and his coming unto judgment that are set forth therein, and not his coming and abode in the state of humiliation. And this rea- son Cameron affirms, to prove undeniably that it is the coming of Christ unto judgment that is intended.
But the truth is, the consideration of the scope of the psalm doth quite reject the opinion which is sought to be maintained by it; for, (1.) Verse 1, Upon the reign of the Lord therein set forth, both Jews and Gentiles, the earth and the multitude of the isles, are called to rejoice therein; that is, to receive, delight in, and be glad of the salvation brought by the Lord Christ unto mankind,—which is not the work of the last day.. (2.) Idolaters are deterred from their
154 AN EXPOSITION OF THE [CHAP. I.
idolatry, and exhorted to worship him, verse 7,—a duty incumbent on them before the day of judgment. (8.) The church is exhorted upon his reign to abstain from sin, and promised deliverance from the wicked and oppressors. All which things, as they are unsuited unto his coming at-the day of judgment, so they expressly belong unto the setting up of his kingdom in this world.
And hereby it appears, that that opinion which indeed seems with any probability to assert a second coming of Christ into the world to be intended in these words, is inconsistent with the scope of the place from whence the testimony is taken, and consequently the de- sign of the apostle himself.
The other conjectures mentioned will easily be removed out of the way.
Unto that of the ancients, assigning this bringing in of Christ into the world unto his incarnation, we say it is true; but then that was his first bringing in, and being supposed to be intended in this place, the words can be no otherwise rendered but that raéAw, “again,” must be esteemed only an intimation of the citation of a new tes- timony.
Neither can the resurrection of the Lord Christ be assigned as the season of the accomplishment of this word, which was not, indeed, a bringing of him into the world, but rather an entrance into his leay- ing of it; neither did he at his death leave the world utterly, for though his soul was separated from his body, yet his body was not separated from his person, and therein he continued on the earth.
The coming of Christ to reign here on earth a thousand years is, if not a groundless opinion, yet so dubious and uncertain as not to be admitted a place in the analogy of faith to regulate our inter- pretation of Scripture in places that may fairly admit of another application.
The figment of the Socinians, that the Lord Christ during the time of his forty days’ fast was taken into heaven,—which they lay as a foundation unto their interpretation of this place,—I have else- where showed to be irrational, antiscriptural, Mohammedan, and de- rogatory to the honour of our Lord Jesus, as he is the eternal Son of God.
From what hath been spoken, it is evident that the trajection proposed may be allowed, as it is by most of the ancient and mo- dern translations. And so the word rdén, “again,” relating unto réver, “he saith,” denotes only the introduction of a new proof, and doth not intimate a second bringing in of the Lord Christ. And unto what hath already been spoken I shall only add, that such an intention in these words as hath been pleaded for would be so far from promoting the apostle’s design, that it would greatly weaken and impair it; for the matter he had in hand was to prove the pre-
VER. 6.] EPISTLE 10 THE HEBREWS. 155
eminence of the Lord Christ above the angels, not absolutely, but as he was the revealer of the gospel; and if this was not so, and proved to be so by this testimony, whilst he was employed in that work in the world, it is nothing at all to his purpose.
Having cleared this difficulty, and showed that no second coming of Christ is intended in this word, but only a new testimony to the same purpose with them foregoing produced, the intention of the apostle in his pretatory expression may be further opened, by con- sidering what that world is whereinto the Father brought the Son, with how and when he did so, and the manner of it.
There are two opinions about the world whereinto Christ is said to be brought by the Father. 1. The one is that of the Socinians, asserted as by others of them, so by Schlichtingius in his comment on this place, and by Grotius after them in his annotations. “ O/xou- evn, saith Grotius, “ est ‘regio illa superna que ab angelis habitatur,’ ut ipse mox scriptor noster ad heec sua verba respiciens dicet, cap. ii, 5;”—“ It is,” saith he, “ that region above which is inhabited by the angels that is intended; and our author declares as much in that respect which he hath to these words, chap. i 5.” In like manner Schlichtingius: “ Per terram istam, non esse intelligendam hane quam mortales incolimus, sed ccelestem illam quam aliquando immortales effecti incolemmus, et res ipsa, et D, auctor sequenti capite ver, 5, aperte declarat.” That is, by the earth, not the earth but the heaven is to be understood! But,—