Grecian Cuftoms, who put Men to death by giving them a Cup of Poiſon, as the Athenians executed Socrates, 0 To render Sin re- miſſible to all Perſons, and them ſalyable, God puniſhing man's Sin in him, and laying on him the Iniquities of us all, 12. 53. 4, 5, 6. t Fobn 2. 2, and ſo God became propitious and plauſible to all; and if all are not ſaved by it,it is becauſe they do not repent and believe in him, 2 Cor, 5. 19, 20, 21, COMP. Fob! lo. 15, This was evident to, and well known by theſe Hebrews, as if they ſaw it, the Work, Concomitants and Effects of it demonſtrating it. And this now in the Goſpel is evident to Faith ; It was ſo certainly viſible and evi- dently true, as not to he denied but by Infidels, Pom; 30 For it became him p, * for whom are all things, 5s, *and by whom are all things q, in bringing many ſons #48,,z, unto glory r, to make + the captain of their ſalyation %& 5. || perfect through ſufferings 5. * p A further Reaſon of Chritt's Humiliation and Sufferings is ad- fp. 5 ded, to ſhew the neceſſity of his heing lower than the Angels for a 2 while ; in which the Spirit prevents what theſe Hebrews were apt to queſtion, why God would have Chrift thus to dye, ©. by ad- ding, Therefore it became him ſo ro do. It was agreeable to him, and had a Meetnels in it to his excellent Perfe&ion ; by it diſplayin wether his Divine Wiſdom, Juſtice, Mercy and Power. Among al! his Methods, he pitch'd upon this as the beſt, and did by it what was beficting and becoming 4 God to do. He likewiſe revealed this lo becoming INecree of his by the Prophets to the Church, and it was meet$o, and becoming his Truth to fulfil it, J/2 ch. 53. Luke 24, X | 25, 25, 27. q For the Manifeftition of God the Father's Glory, | "whale tGrace gaveChrilt todie for us,are all things which have a Be- = | ing, and by him are all thiags as the Etficient and Creator of them,
ny 3 TT TY w
HEBREWS.
Chap. II,
by his powerful Word they are. This beg likewiſe attributed to the Goſpel-Prophet, God-Man, Joh. 1. 1. and Colof: 1, 16, By whom 3 it ſhews he is no more an Inftrument in this Work than the Father, and equally Efficient with him,Rom. 3. 26. 7 A3a2/yme cannot agree with az T@ him, for that is the Dative Caſe, but with what follows Aeww3v, the Leader of their Salvation bringing many Sons to Glory : So that though the Father indeed Glorifie, vet it is moſt properly ſpoken of the Leader, to lead or bring his Company thither, and ſo it is written, Epbeſ. 2. 18. and 2. 12, He ſhewed and led them the way wherein they were to reach it, 1 Per, 43, 18, who though for State were Sinners, yet made fit by Regeneration and Adoption, and have their Title from their Leader, Fobz 1, 12, 13. He merited by his Sufferings both the Relation and Inheritance for them, Roms 8. 14, to 18, 1 Per. 1.2,3,4,5-and fo as to bring them to that glori- ous State and Condition,for Perſons and En joyments in the heaven- ly Canaan prepared for them, Mar. 25. 34. 1 Per. 5, 10. 1 Fob. 3. I, 2, 3. 5 So their *Apgy22s a Prime Leader of many, a Perſon emi- nent for Priority and Dignity, direQting and ordering all under his Power, who is the Prime of the Creation of God, Coleſc 1. 18. ha- ving the Pre-eminency of all Angels and Men; he was p:feed. Tao lignifieth the conſecrating, or accompliſhing of a Forge Office by Sacrifice ; ſo Chriſt uſeth it, Luk, 13. 22. I ſhall be perfeQed, i.e, ſacrificed and compleated in my Office by Death, So F 0k. 19.30. by his ſufferings of all ſorts accompliſhed in Death,and by the Blood of that Sacrifice was this great Goſpel-Prophet made a perfett Me. diator, and fitted for his officiating and miniftring in Heaven for ever, herein fulfilling his Types, ch. 9. 11, 12, 14, 15, 22, 23, 24. comp. Exod, ch, 29. He in reſpett of ſaving his, is the Author, Pur- chaſer, and Perfetter of it to them ; he by his ſufferings and Death merited falyation for them 3 by his Word and Spirit fits for it ; by his Interceſhon increaſeth and applieth it, he vanquiſhes all oppo- ſers of it, and puts them finally into the a&ual Poſſeſhon of it in Glory in Heaven,
11 For both he that ſanQifieth t, and they who are ſanCtified «u, * are all of onew : For which cauſe hes ag, x7; is not aſhamed to call them brethren x. 26,
8 For, ſhews the Reaſon of the Son's Incarnation, viz, the nece(- ſity of Union in Nature between the ſanQifying Mediator and the ſanttified Sinner, The great Goſpel Minifter was to bring many 7 Sons to Glory by ſuffering, which he was not capable of, but by being United to one and the ſame Nature with them to whom the Penalty was due, and ſo he muſt be Head of them. This God-mar is ſeparating and conſecrating of penitent believing Sinners from the common Maſs to God, meriting by his Death for them Remiſh- on of their Sins, and ſanifying their Perſons by his Spirit from their Pollutions by them, 1 Cor. 6. 11, Titus 3. 4, 5, 6, 7. Heb. 9. I4, and 19, 10, 14. «Penitent believing Sinners, fied by his Blood, and ſan{ified by his Spirit, Epheſ. 5. 25, 26, 27, w This is an Attribute of the Unity of the Principle of both theſe, ſuch art one, as is proper to Man with himſelf, whom he ſanCtifieth, and not competent to Angels, It muſt therefore be the Principle of Huma- nity, He took an Human Soul and Body and United them to his Perſon, and ſo became of one Nature with us. Compare ver. 14. of one Human Majs, alluding to the Firſt-fruits offered at the Paſſover, or the Loaves at Pentecoſt, whereby all the reft were ſan&ified : So Chriſt aſſumed the ſame Zuma Nature, that he might be the Head, and leading Repreſentative of a Body of Mankind, diffe- renced from them by his being Holy, and they finful, and perſonal- ly United to the Word. x The Unity of him and them in the Hu- man Nature, is the cauſe why he calls them Brethren, therefore they muſt be one, Conſidering him in the Z0Jineſs of his Deity,and chem in thefilthineſs of Sin, he might have been aſhamed of ſuch a Brotherhood but by his effeftual Word he adopted them into a State of Childſhip and Heirſhip to God with himſelf ; and in the Fleſh to give them that Glory, that they might be one with God, as he and the Father are one, Fohn 17, 22,
12 Saying y, I will declare thy name unto my bres thren z : in the midſt of the church will I ſing praiſe unto thee 7. .