creatures, might he not as well have ended the dispute about his pre-eminence above angels with one word, without citing so many testimonies to prove it? But would he then have unfolded the mysteries of the Old Testament to the Hebrews, which was his design, had he manifested that he taught nothing but what was before revealed, though obscurely, to Moses and the prophets, which he aimed to do, thereby to strengthen and confirm in the faith those that did believe, and convince gain-sayers? Again, suppose some of them to whom he wrote did not yet expressly believe the deity of Christ, as the apostles themselves did not for a while believe his resurrection, could any more convincing way be fixed on to persuade them thereunto, than by reminding them of those testimonies of the Old Testament, wherein the attributes and works of God are ascribed unto him? Nor was it now in question whether Christ was God or not; but whether he were more excellent than the angels that gave the law. And what more effectual course could be taken to put an end to that inquiry, than by proving that he made the heaven and earth; that is, producing a testimony wherein the creation of all things is assigned unto him? It is beyond the wisdom of man to invent a more conclusive proof of pre-emi

nence.

3. He adds, That Christ might be spoken of in this place, either in respect of his human nature, or of his divine; if of the former, to what end should he make mention of the creation of heaven and earth? Christ as a man, and as made above the angels, made not heaven and earth. If as God, how could he be said to be made above the angels ?"

But the answer is easy: Christ is said to be made above, and more excellent than the angels, neither absolutely as God, nor absolutely as man, but as he was God-man, the Mediator between God and man; in which respect, as Mediator for the discharge of one part of his office, he was a little while made lower than they; and so the creation of heaven and earth does demonstrate the dignity of his person, and the equity of his being made more excellent than the angels in his office. And this fully removes his following exceptions, that the remembering of his deity could be no argument to prove that the humanity was exalted above the angels; for it is not an argument of the exaltation of his humanity, but the demonstration of the excellency of his person, that the apostle hath in hand.

4. He allegeth, That it is contrary to the perpetual use of the Scripture, to affirm absolutely of Christ that he created any thing. When any creation is ascribed unto him, it is still applied to him as the immediate cause, and said to be made by him, or in him: he is no where absolutely said to create. And if he created the world, why did not Moses as plainly attribute

that unto him, as the writers of the New Testament do the new creation ?'

Answ. Were it affirmed in this place only that Christ made all things, yet the words being plain and evident, and the thing itself agreeable to the Scripture in other places, and not repugnant to any testimony therein contained, there is no pretence for them who truly reverence the wisdom and authority of the Holy Ghost in the word, to deny the words to be spoken properly and directly. Indeed if we may take that course, there will be nothing left sacred and axToy in the Scripture. Besides, we have shewed already the vanity of that distinction, of God's making things by Christ, as though it denoted any subordination in causality; nor will the Socinians themselves admit of any such thing, but confute that notion in the Arians. But this is not the only place wherein it is affirmed, that Christ made all things that are in the heaven and the earth; John i. 1, 2. Col. i. 16. ver. 3. of this chapter, with sundry other places, affirm the same. For what they exact of Moses, did we not believe that God knew what revelation of himself became that dark dispensation better than they, we might consider it. But yet there are even in Moses himself many, and in his expositors the prophets, more testimonies of the creation of the world by the Word, that is, the Son of God, which have elsewhere been opened and vindicated.

5. He concludes, That the order and method of the apostle's procedure do evince, that this creation of heaven and earth is not attributed unto him. For we see that he proves the excellency of Christ above angels from his name, that he is by the way of eminence called the Son of God; and then he proceeds to his adoration by angels. And in the third place, he goes on to the kingly honour and throne of Christ; after which he produceth the testimony we insist upon, and then adds the end of that kingdom which Christ now administereth in the earth. To what end in this discourse should he mention the creation of heaven and earth, when if that be omitted all the series of the discourse agrees and hangs well together? For having declared the kingdom of Christ, with the continuance of his person for ever, he asserts an eminent effect of the kingdom in the abolition of heaven and earth, and then the end of that kingdom itself.'

But this analysis of the apostle's discourse, agreeth not to the mind of the apostle, or his design in the place, nor to the principles of the men that formed it, nor is indeed any thing but vain words, to persuade us that the apostle did not say that which he did say, and which is written for our instruction. First, It is not agreeable to their own principles; for it placeth the naming of Christ, the Son of God, and his adoration by the

angels, as antecedent to his being raised to his kingly throne, both which, especially the latter, they constantly make consequent unto it, and effects of it. Nor is it at all agreeable to the apostle's design, which is not to prove by these testimonies directly that Christ was exalted above angels; but to shew the dignity and excellency of his person who was so exalted, and how reasonable it is that it should be so; which is eminently proved by the testimony under consideration. For the proof of this excellency, the apostle produceth those testimonies that are given unto him in the Old Testament, and that as to his name, his honour and glory, and his works, in this place. Neither is there any reason of ascribing the destruction of heaven and earth unto the kingly power of Christ, excluding his divine power in their creation; for the abolition of the world, if such it is to be, or the change of it, is no less an effect of infinite power, than the creation of it; nor doth it directly appertain to the kingdom of Christ, but by accident, as do other works of the providence of God.

These exceptions then being removed, before we proceed to the interpretation of the words, we shall see what evidence may be added unto what we have already offered from the Psalm, to evince and prove that this whole testimony doth belong unto him, which, were there no other (as there are very many) testimonies to this purpose, were abundantly sufficient to determine this controversy.

1. We have the authority of the apostle for it, ascribing it unto him. The word and, in the beginning of the verse, relates confessedly to, "but unto the Son he saith," ver. 8. as if he had said; but unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever:" and to the Son he said, "Thou, O God, in the beginning hast founded the earth." 2. Again, the whole testimony speaks of the same person, there being no colour of thrusting into the text another person not intended in the beginning; so that if any part of what is spoken do belong to Christ, the whole of necessity must do so. To suppose that in this sentence, "Thou hast laid the foundation of the earth," and thou shalt fold them up as a garment," that one person is understood in the first place, another in the latter, no such thing being intimated by the Psalmist or the apostle, is to suppose what we please, that we may attain what we have a mind to. One person is here certainly and only spoken to. If this be the Father, the words concern not Christ at all, and the apostle was deceived in his allegation of them; if the Son, the whole is spoken of him, as the apostle affirms. Nor, 3. Can any reason be assigned why the latter words should be attributed to Christ, and not the former. They say it is because God by him shall destroy the world, which is the thing in the last

words spoken of; but where is it written, that God shall destroy the world by Christ? If they say in this place, I say then Christ is spoken to, and of in this place; and if so, he is spoken of in the first words, and thou Lord, or not at all. Besides, to whom do those closing words belong, "but thou art the same, and thy years fail not?" If these words are spoken of Christ, it is evident that all the foregoing must be so also; for his enduring the same, and the not failing of his years, that is his eternity, is opposed to the creation and temporary duration of the world. If they say, that they belong to the Father primarily, but are attributed unto Christ, as that of changing or abolishing the world, because the Father doth it by him, I desire to know what is the meaning of these words, Thou art the same by Christ?' and, Thy years fail not by Christ?' Is not the Father eternal but in the man Christ Jesus? If they say, that they belong not at all to Christ, then this is the sum of what they say; the beginning of the words, and the close of them, if spoken of Christ, would prove his infinite power, eternity, and divine nature: one passage there is in the words, which we suppose will not do so; therefore we will grant, that that passage concerneth him, but not the beginning nor end of the testimony, though spoken undeniably of the same person. And whether this becomes men professing a reverence of the word of God, is left to themselves to judge. Besides, should we grant all these suggestions to be true, the apostle by his citing of this testimony would prove nothing at all to his purpose, no not any thing toward that which they affirm him to aim at; namely, that he was made more excellent than the angels. For whence out of these words shall any such matter be made to appear? They say in that by him God will fold up the heavens as a vesture; but, first, no such thing is mentioned nor intimated. He who made them, is said to fold them; and if they say that from other places it may be made to appear, that it shall be done by Christ; then as this place must be laid aside as of no use to the apostle, so indeed there is nothing ascribed to Christ, but what the angels shall have a share in, and that probably the most principal; namely in folding up the creation as a garment, which is a work that servants are employed in, and not the King, or Lord himself. Indeed he that shall without prejudice consider the apostie's discourse, will find little need of arguments to manifest whom he applies this testimony unto. He calls him Kugios, in the beginning,' using that word which perpetually in the New Testament denotes the Lord Christ, as plainly expounding the text so far as to deciare of whom it speaks. Nor doth this testimony ascribe any thing to him, but what in general he had before affirmed of him, namely, that by him the worlds were made; nor was it ever heard of, that any

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man in his right wits should cite a testimony to confirm his purpose, containing words that were never spoken of him to whom he applies them; words in which there is scarce any thing that can tolerably be applied unto him, and a testimony the greater part of which would declare him to be that which he is not at all; so that the words, as used to his purpose, must needs be both false and ambiguous. Who then can but believe, on this testimony of the apostle, that Christ the Lord made heaven and earth; and if the apostle intended not to assert it, what is there in the text, or near it, as a buoy to warn men from running on a shelf, there where so fair a harbour appears unto them? From all that hath been said, it is evident that this whole testimony belongs to Christ, and is by the apostle asserted so to do.

We now proceed to the interpretation of the words. The person spoken of, and spoken to in them, is the Lord: v Kugs, thou, Lord.' The words are not in the Psalm in this verse; but what is spoken is referred unto , my God.' I said, “O my God, take me not away in the midst of my days;" comforting himself under the consideration of the frailty and misery of his life, with the thoughts and faith of the eternity and power of Christ. For be our lives never so frail, yet as to life eternal, because he liveth, we shall live also; and he is of power to raise us up at the last day, John xiv. 19. 1 Cor. xv. and that is the ground of all our consolation against the brevity and misery of our lives. Whereby it also further appears, that it is the Lord Christ whom the Psalmist addresses himself unto; for from the absolute consideration of the omnipotence and eternity of God, no consolation can be drawn. And indeed the people of the Jews openly affirmed, that they could not deal immediately with God, but by a Mediator, which God eminently approved in them, wishing that such a heart would always abide in them, Deut. v. 25-29. Accordingly, he suffered them not to approach his typical presence between the cherubims, but by a typical mediator, their high priest; so also were they instructed in their real approach unto God, that it was not to be made immediately to the Father, but by the Son, whom in particular the apostle declares the Psalmist in this place to intend.

Concerning this person, or the Lord, he affirms two things, or attributes two things unto him: 1. The creation of heaven and earth. 2. The abolition or change of them. From that attribution, he proceeds to a comparison between him and the most glorious of his creatures, and that as to duration or eternity; frailty and change in and of himself, one of the creatures, being that which in particular he addresseth himself to the Lord about.

2. The time or season of the creation is first intimated: '