sent purpose, proceeds to shew who it is that was especially intended, and in whom the words had their full accomplishment. "But," saith he, "we see Jesus," &c. The words of this verse are attended with many difficulties, all which we shall endeavour to clear. First, by shewing in general how in them the apostle applies the testimony produced by him to Jesus. Secondly, by freeing them from the obscurity that ariseth from a yx, or transposition of expression in them. Thirdly, by opening the several things taught and asserted in them. And, fourthly, by a vindication of the whole interpretation from exceptions and objections. First, The apostle positively applies this testimony to Jesus, as he who was principally intended therein, or as he in whom the things that God did when he minded man, were accomplished. And this the Syriac translation directly expresseth, -but him whom he made low דמך כליל מן מלאכא דהויו ישוע er a little while than the angels, we see that it is Jesus.' That First, saith he, "We see that for a little while he was made lower than the angels," or brought into a state and condition of more exigency and want than they are, or can be exposed to. And hereby he evidently declares, that those words in the psalm do not belong to the dignity of man spoken of; as if he had said, He is so excellent that he is but little beneath angels: for as he ascribes to him a dignity far above all angels, inasmuch as all things without exception are put under his feet, so he plainly declares that these words belong to the depression and minoration of Jesus, in that he was so humbled that he might die. And therefore he proceeds to shew, how that part of the testimony concerned his present purpose, not as directly proving what he had proposed to confirmation concerning his dignity, but as evidently designing the person that the whole belonged to. As also he takes occasion from hence to enter on the exposition of another part of Christ's mediation, as prophesied of in this place. For though he was so lessened, yet it was not on his own account, but that " by the grace of God he might taste death for every man." Secondly, For the other part of the testimony, We see, saith he, on the evidences mentioned, that he is crowned with glory and honour, and consequently that all things are put under his feet. So that the whole testimony in both parts of it, is verified in him, and in him alone. And hereby he fully evinceth what he had before proposed to confirmation, namely the preeminence of Jesus the Messiah above the angels, or principal administrators of the law, in this especial instance, that the world to come was put into subjection to him and not to them; and therefore in the state of the church intended in that expression are his teachings, his doctrine, his worship diligently to be attended to by all those who desire to be partakers of the promises and good things thereof. Secondly, There seems to be a vys in the words, by a transposition of some expressions from their proper place and coherence, which must be removed. Τον δε βραχυ τι παρ' αγγελος ηλατίωμενον βλεπομεν Ιησεν, δια το παθημα τε θάνατο, δόξη και τιμη εστεφανωμένον ; όπως χαριτι Θεὸ ὑπες παντος γεύσηται θανατ8. Some would have those words τον βραχυ τι ελατωμενον, to belong to the subject of the proposition, whose prædicate alone is crowned with glory and honour, whereof the suffering of death is inserted as the meritorious cause. So reading the words to this purpose, "We see that Jesus who was for a little while made lower than the angels for his suffering of death, is crowned with glory and honour." Others would have Jesus alone to be the subject of the proposition, of whose prædicate there are two parts, or two things are affirmed concerning him. First, that "he was made lower than the angels," the reason whereof is added, namely, "that he might suffer death," which is farther explained in the close of the verse, by the addition of the cause and end of that his suffering, "that by the grace of God he might taste of death for every man," so reading the words to this purpose, "We see Jesus made lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned" (or, and crowned)" with glory and honour." The difficulty principally consists in this only, namely, whether the apostle by dia to Tatnuα T bavare," for the suffering of death," intends the final cause of the humiliation of Christ; he was made low" that he might suffer death," or the meritorious cause of his exaltation, for, or because he suffered death, he was crowned with glory and honour. And the former seems evidently the intention or the words, according to the latter resolution of them, and our application of the testimony foregoing. For, 1. If the cause and means of the exaltation of Christ had been intended, it would have been expressed by δια τα παθήματος τα θανατε, δια requiring a Genitive case, where the cause or means of any thing is intended; but dia to mainua expresseth the end of what was before affirmed. 2. These words" for the suffering of death," must express either the minoration and humiliation of Christ, or the end of it; if they express the end of it, then we obtain that which is pleaded for, he was made less that he might suffer. If they express his minoration itself, then the end of it is contained only in the close of the verse," that he might taste of death for every man." In which exposition of the words, the sense would be, that he suffered death, that by the grace of God he might taste death, which is no sense at all.. 3. If those words denote only the means or meritorious cause of the exaltation of Christ, I inquire what is the medium intended of that end in the close, a xagit, "that he by the grace of God might όπως χαριτι, taste death?" The word is, that so,' plainly refers to some preparatory means preceding, which in this way can be nothing but the crowning him with glory and honour, which we know was not the means, but the effect of it. He was humbled, not exalted, that he might taste of death. 4. The apostle doth not merely take it for granted, that Jesus was for a little while made less than the angels, but asserts it as proved in the testimony insisted on, whereto he subjoins the end of that his comparative minoration, because he intended it as the especial subject of his ensuing discourse. This therefore is the import and natural order of the words: "But we see Jesus crowned with glory and honour, who was for a little while made lower than the angels for the suffering of death, that he by the grace of God might taste death for every man." And the only reason of the transposition of the words consisteth in the apostle's following the order of the things testified to by the psalmist, first his humiliation, then his exaltation, and yet connecting that which he would next treat of, to that which was first laid down, passing by the other as now sufficiently confirmed. Thirdly, The general design of the words, and their order being cleared, we shall open them in particular, seeing that besides the application of the testimony of the psalmist to the Lord Jesus now vindicated, there is an assertion in them, containing that which of all other things was of most difficult acceptation with the Jews, on the account whereof the apostle VOL. III. confirms it with many reasons in the verses following, to the end of this chapter. And indeed we have here the sum of the gospel, and the doctrine of it concerning the person and office of the Messiah, asserted and vindicated from the prejudicate opinions of many of the Jews, under these two heads. 1. That the salvation and deliverance that God had promised and intended to accomplish by the Messiah, was spiritual and eternal, from death, sin, Satan and hell, ending in everlasting glory; not temporal and carnal with respect to the world, and the concomitants of it in this life, as they vainly imagined. 2. That this salvation could be no otherwise wrought nor brought about but by the incarnation, suffering and death of the Messiah, not in especial, by arms, war and mighty power, as the people was of old led into Canaan under the conduct of Joshua the captain of that salvation, and as some of them expected yet to be saved and delivered by the Messiah. Now the apostle strengthening his discourse by multiplicity of reasons and arguments, he doth not only in these words apply his testimony to what he had before proposed, for confirmation, namely, the subjection of the world to come to Christ, but also lays in it the springs of those two other principles which we have mentioned, and whose proof and confirmation in the next verses he pursues. Sundry things, as we have partly seen, are contained in the words. As first, The exinanition and humiliation of Christ. We see Jesus for a little while made lower, and brought into a more indigent condition than the angels are, or ever were obnoxious to. 2. The general end of that exinanition and depression of Jesus, it was that he might "suffer death." 3. His exaltation to power and authority over all things, in particular the world to come; "crowned with glory and honour." 4. A numerous amplification subjoined, of the end of his depression, and the death that it tended to. 1. From the cause of it, "the grace of God." 2. The nature of it, he was to "taste of death." 3. The end of it, it was for others. And, 4. Its extent, "for all." "That he by the grace of God might taste death for all." 1. Toy de; de for aλ, an adversative, intimating the introduction of one singular person in opposition to him or them spoken of in the end of the foregoing verse. "We see not all things put under his feet," (which some against the whole context apply to Christ,) " but we see Jesus." Had the same person been spoken of in both verses, the expression would have been, autor ds, but we see him; but a new antecedent being here introduced, "but we see Jesus," another person is substituted as the subject spoken of, as the Syriac version declares, "we see him, that it is Jesus." How and in what sense he was made lower than the angels hath been declared in opening the words, as they lie in the g tois, comprised in that testimony of the psalmist. Only it may be inquired whether this exinanition of Christ, or minoration in respect of angels, did consist merely in his incarnation and participation of human nature, which in general is esteemed beneath angelical, or in the misery and anxiety which in that nature he conflicted withal. And the apostle seems not absolutely to intend the former. 1. Because he speaks of Jesus as the subject of this minoration; now that name denotes the Son of God as incarnate, who is supposed so to be, when he is said to be "made less than the angels." 2. Because the human nature in the very instant of its union to the person of that Son of God, was absolutely advanced above the angelical, and might have immediately been possessed of glory, if other works in it had not been to be performed. And yet neither doth it intend the low condition wherein he was placed exclusively to his incarnation, though that be afterwards (ver. 14.) particularly spoken to, but his being incarnate and brought forth, and in that condition wherein he was exposed to suffering, and so consequently to death itself. And thus was he made less than angels in part, in that nature which he assumed; he was obnoxious to all the infirmities which attend it, as hunger, thirst, weariness, pain, sorrow, grief, and exposed to all the miseries from without, that any person partaker of that nature, is obnoxious to, and in sum death itself, from all which miseries angels are exempted. This we see, know and grant to have been the state and condition of Jesus. But, saith he, this was but "for a little while," during his conversation with us on the earth, ending at his death. The apostle knew, that he had now fixed on that which of all things the Jews most stumbled at, the low and mean despised condition of Jesus, they having inveterate prejudicate opinions of another manner of state and condition for the Messiah; wherefore he immediately subjoins the end why he was humbled into this condition, which he first explains, and then vindicates the necessity of it. 2. The end then is, alua re duvars, the suffering of death,' he was so humbled that he might suffer death. This yet more displeased the Jews, the necessity whereof he therefore immediately proves. Adding by the way, 3. To complete the application of the testimony produced, his exaltation on his suffering, "he was crowned with glory and honour," referring us to the testimony itself, to declare what was contained in that exaltation, namely an absolute dominion over all things, God only excepted, and so consequently over the world to come, that was not put in subjection to angels. And in these words the apostle closeth his argument for the excellency of Christ above the angels, from the subjection of all |