Two Treatises, Treatise 2 · Chapter 2
CHAP. II.
Chap. 2.Containing an enumeration of ſeveral choice, and honourable Names in Scripture aſcribed unto Chriſt.
AMongſt variety of Names in Scripture appropriated unto Chriſt, I ſhall ſelect theſe following (not naming all that might be named) and explain them as I go along.
The firſt I ſhall mention is Shiloh; Gen.1. Name, Shiloh. 49. 10. Which name the whole current of Orthodox Interpreters unanimouſly apply unto Chriſt. The name ſignifies, ſafe, happy, and bleſſed (as *Eſt nomen verbale, Salvus, beatus, faelix, unde Shiloh derivatur, Servator, felicitetor hoc eſt faelices reddere. Pet. Mart. in Gen. 49. 10.Peter Martyr obſerves) ſome render Shiloh (as learned Jerome and others) He that is to be ſent.
*Quaſi tranquillatorem dicas qui tranquillitatis noſtrae ſpiritualis Auth…r ſit futurus, Scultet. Exercit. Evangel.Scultetus after he had mentioned variety of Interpretations acquieſceth in this. That Shiloh ſignifies to ceaſe and be quiet. Ludovicus de Dieu underſtands Shiloh to be the promiſed Seed, which was to ſpring from Judah. The verſion of the 70 is emphatical, and plainly declares Chriſt to be *foreign. Verſ. 70. Interpretum.a Saviour; That Jacob's Propheſy was fulfill'd, and that the Scepter did not depart from Judah till the coming of Chriſt may thus be convinced: For the Politick ſtate amongſt the Jews was not changed, but ſtill the *Non auferetur Sceptrum Regium, dicet regnum permanſurum eſſe in Judauſ que ad Chriſtum, quantumvis affligeretur & propecollapſum videretur. Va…abl. in loc. … Name, a Star. 1 The Star of Jacob.Regal Dignity and Politick Government continued in Judah, Maugre all Perſecutions, and Oppoſitions whatſoever. Judah was the Law-giveing Tribe: And thoſe Laws continued till the coming of Chriſt. But at Chriſts comeing the Scepter departed from Judah and was tranſlated to an Heathen King.
2. Another Name attributed to Chriſt is a Star. He is called the Star of Jacob, and a bright Morning Star.
1. He is called by Balaam the Star of Jacob, Numb. 24. 17. although Balaam was a Mercenary Prophet who (as he is branded by the Apoſtle) a2 Pet. 2. 15.loved the Wages of unrighteouſneſs. Yet he gives this true atteſtation. There ſhall (ſaith he) come a Star out of Jacob and a Scepter ſhall riſe out of Iſrael. This is a clear Prophecy concerning *foreign. Verſ. 70. Surget Princeps ex Iſrael. Verſ. Syr. Ungetur Chriſtus de dom… Iſrael Paraphr. Chald.Chriſt. Chriſt is that Star that lightneth and Shineth, and what light we have is borrowed, and derived from him, who is that great light bJoh. 1. 9.which lighteth every Man that cometh into the World. Malachy calls him, cMal▪ 4. 2.the Sun of righteouſneſs, Zachary calls him dLuk. 1. 78.The Day ſpring from on high St. Peter calls him e2 Pet. 1. 19.The Day Star. For Chriſt ſhines gloriouſly in the Goſpel; He inlightens, guides and directs: He ſcatters Clouds, and diſpels Miſts and Fogs, and removes darkneſs by the marvelous Sun-ſhine of the Goſpel. Our Duty is not to be led by any other light, but to follow *Dominus▪ non aliter nobis luceat quam dum in ejus verbum intuemur quaſi lucernam. Calv.that light only.
2. Chriſt is called the Bright and Morning 2. The right and Morning Star.Star. Rev. 22. 16. As the Morning Star excels all others, ſo Chriſt excels all Men and Angels. And this Epithite of Bright is attributed to Chriſt, becauſe of his brightneſs, which is ſo reſplendent, as to expel darkneſs and blindneſs out of our Minds. *foreign. Ariſt. Et…. lib. 5. c. 1.Ariſtotle (though an Heathen) hath high thoughts of Juſtice, inſomuch that he prefers it before the Night-Star and Morning Star. Chriſt without all queſtion is more bright, more amiable, and deſireable, and more glorious then all the Stars. For he is ſaid to be *foreign. Splendor gloriae Dei: Et quid eſt gloria Dei, niſi glorioſa Dei natura inacceſſâ luce refulge…s. Pareus. Filius eſt ſplendor a l…ce Paternâ editus, ſicut in Symbolo legitur Lum…n de Lumine. Victor. Strigel. in Nov. Teſt.the Brightneſs of his Fathers Glory: The expreſſion is ſublime yet it comes far ſhort of the Original; Chriſt irradiates his Children with Splendor, and Glory, and according to their meaſure they participate of his brightneſs▪ But the Glory and Splendor of Saints is thus diſtinguiſhed from the Glory and Splendor that is in Chriſt; In them the Glory is as a Beam, in Chriſt as the Sun, in them as a drop, in Chriſt as the Ocean, in them as Rivulets in Chriſt as the Fountain from whence they are derived. There is a fulneſs of a Fountain, and a fulneſs of a Veſſel; In Chriſt there is a fulneſs of a Fountain, in the Saints (though glorify'd) there's only the fullneſs of a Veſſel, and this Veſſel is fill'd by Chriſt, and receives all of his fulneſs; Joh. 1. 16. And of his fulneſs have all we received, and grace for grace (i. e.) By Chriſt we receive *Gratiam gratiâ cumulatam. Dunaeus, Piſcator, Davenant. Gatakerus, &c. vid. Gatak. Miſcell. cap. 26.grace upon grace, or abundant increaſe of all grace; For all grace is the free gift of Jeſus Chriſt, although *foreign. Chryſ. Probat (inquit Beza) ſententiam Chryſoſtomi, Cyrilli, Theophylaſti, & Auguſtini ſtatuentium foreign hic ſignificare vice, loco, & ſenſum eſſe accepimus grati…m Novi Faederis loco gratiae veteris, vel gratiam Evangelii pro grati… Legis. Lud. de. Dieu.ſome Learned Authors underſtand by grace for grace the grace of the New Teſtament, and the ſingular benefit thereof, inſtead of the old, yet its undoubtedly true that whatever grace it is, it comes to us from Jeſus Chriſt the only Liberal Doner thereof, from whom we receive grace both in the truth, and in the growth thereof.
A third Name of Chriſt is a Prophet. 3. Name, a Prophet.The promiſe is recorded, Deut. 18. 15. The Lord thy God will raiſe up unto thee a Prophet from the midſt of thy Brethren like unto me; unto him ſhall ye hearken. This place is cited. Act. 3. 22. and Act. 7. 37. Chriſt is he, of whom Moſes and the Prophets wrote, ſo Philip informs Nathaniel; Joh. 1. 45.—When the Jews askt John who he was, they askt art thou that Prophet: Joh. 1. 21? In asking after *foreign, Chryſoſt. in Joh. 1. 21.that Prophet, theres ſome ſingularity and ſpecial remark of excellency and preheminency above all other Prophets. And ſo is Chriſt The Prophet in Dignity above all other Prophets. But a farther inlargement I ſhall refer to another place, where I ſhall inſiſt more largely upon the Prophetical Office of Chriſt.
A fourth Name is Immanuel. Iſai. 7. 14.4. Name, Immanuel. And you have the Interpretation of this Name. Matth. 1. 23▪ God with us. This Name repreſents Chriſts infinite condeſcentionto make his *Addi… qu…que Propheta n… men partus illus Immanuel, ad exprimandam perſonam ejus ſimul ac …fficium, & familiarem ejus cum hominibus converſationem quod habi…urus eſſet inter homines. Joh. 1. 14. Caelo terram conjuncturus, & hominem Deo in gratiâ, prout utrumque conjuncturus erit in perſonâ. Walaeus. in Mat. 1. 21.abode for a time and converſe with Men: *Nomina illa Jeſus & Immanuel in eo ſolum differunt quod nomen Ieſus foreign principaliter deſignet officium, ſecundario perſonam; Immanuel principaliter perſonam ſecundario officium. Span…. Dub. Evang.Immanuel is a Name of Dignity and Preheminence. The Divine Nature of Chriſt is thereby ſet forth: It's likewiſe a Name of ſingular profit and benefit to us, becauſe he is God with us, and thereby is ſet forth the humane Nature of Chriſt. And as a Learned Expoſitor obſerves; *Quod quaeſo hoc fructu …btabilius? Hic virginis partus jam nobis attulit, ut humano gen…ri ſe Deus c…junxerit in Chriſto. Nec putandum eſt …tioſam eſſe, & infr…gif… ram iſtam conjunctionem, quae primum nos Deo recon…li…vit in Chriſto. 2 Cor. 5. 19. Deinde carnem noſtram ad dextram Patris in caelis collocavit, & ſupra omnia exaltavit. Tertio etiam hoc attulit, ut in omnibus adverſis fi…nt…r dicer… liceat. Si De…s pro nobi… qu… contra …s Rom. 8. 31. Muſc. in loc.what fruit can be more deſireable then this, this fruit of the Virgin brought this to us, that God in Chriſt joyn'd himſelf to mankind, neither may we conceive that this conjunction is uſeleſs and fruitleſs, which firſt hath Reconcil'd us to God in Chriſt, and afterward placeth our bodies at the Right Hand of the Father, and laſtly gives us boldneſs and confidence in all adverſity; If God be for us, who can be againſt us.—But I ſhall inlarge no more of this Name, becauſe I may ſee cauſe to reſume a farther expoſition thereof, when I treat of Chriſts Hypoſtatical Union.
A fifth Name is Meſſiah or Meſſias, Propheſyed5 Name, Meſſiah. of by Daniel. Dan. 9. 25, 26.—But Joh. 1. 41. it's ſaid—We have found the Meſſias. Both Jews and Samarita…s excepted Redemption and Inſtruction in all things from Chriſt as may appear by the Woman of Samaria's anſwer Joh. 4. 25. The Woman ſaith unto him I know that Meſſias comes which is called Chriſt, when he is come he will tell us all things *… …gliſh D…i…es on Dan. 9. 25. Antiquitus i… populo Dei, Reges, Prophetae, …c S…cerdot…s …geba…t…r, unctione ſignificatur copia Spiritus quâ iſta tria hominum genera perfundu…r. Pet Mart. Loc. c….ſome underſtand Meſſiah and Chriſt to be of one and the ſame ſignification For (ſay they) the eternal-Word is by the Angel named Meſſiah (i. e.) in Greek foreign, Chriſt, or anointed, or written in Abſtracto. Annointed in regard of both natures, as to the Office of Reconciliation and Redemption. But anointed in the humane nature only as to the gifts of the Holy Ghoſt …llated upon it, and infuſed in… it. This Name *Breve verb… ſed efficaciſſimum fatend… …um ſ… eſſe Meſſiam quid aliud innuit, quam ſ… eſſet …um q… vere a D…o …nct…s ſit in Regem & ſacerdotem, adeo ut ad ſe confugi…ntes, ne dum poſſit defender… ut Rex, ſed etiam Deo reconciliare ut verus Sacerdos. Ferus. in Joh. …. 26.Meſſiah carries Royalty and high Dignity in it, becauſe its the ſame with Chriſt, annointed; and becauſe the Prophet Daniel plainly ſets down the Name and Dignity of Chriſt conjoyned in the place forecited. Dan. 9. 25. Meſſiah the Prince. Thus the Prophet Iſaiah, fIſai. 9. 6.calls him the Prince of Peace gIſa. 32. 1.a King that ſhall reign in righteouſneſs. The Pſalmiſt calls him a King hPſ. 2. 6.yet have I ſet my King upon my Holy Hill of Zion. Chriſt hath abſolute rule and government: All Subjection muſt be to him, all Scepters, all Government muſt yield homage unto Chriſt and be ſubordinate and ſubſervivent unto him. *Biſhop Reynolds on Pſal. 110. v. 1. p. 12. Edit. 1.A Learned and Reverend Divine thus Expounds; Phil. 2. 10. foreign &c. At the name of Jeſus every Knee ſhall bow of things in Heaven and things in earth, and things under the earth; (i. e.) unto that Holy thing, unto the Power and Scepter of that Divine Perſon, which is unto us ſo comfortably manifeſted in a Name of Salvation, every Knee ſhould bow.
A ſixth Name is A Branch. This name6 Name, a Branch. Iſai. 4. 2. Iſai. 11. 1. Jer. 33. 15. is twice mention'd. Zec. 13. 8, 9. and c. 6. 12. In the former, God promiſeth, behold I will bring forth my Servant the Branch; And in the latter (as if the) Prophecy was already accompliſhed) God points him out: Behold the Man, whoſe Name is the Branch, and he ſhall grow up out of his place, and he ſhall build the Temple of the Lord. Chriſt is often in Scripture call'd a Branch, thereby (*Eſt Germen propri… quod è terrâ oritur. Quo Chriſti manifeſtatio in carne & ortus … Virgine Mariae ha…d obſcur… innuitur. Druſ. Sic d…ſignat… Chriſti Nativitas terrena, quod inſtar ſurculi ê terra proditurus eſſet, & e trunco velut ſucciſo & omni ramorum, viroris, et florum gloriâ deſtitut…. Spanh…m. dub. Evangel. as is obſerv'd) the Humane Nature of Chriſt is ſhadowed forth. And we read Math. 2, 23. He ſhall be called a Nazarene. Where to find the word▪ Nazarene, in ſo many Syllables in the Old Teſtament is not probable. No particular Prophet is cited by the Evangeliſt. But we frequently find the Word Netzera Branch. And that Chriſt▪ is called a Nazarene, is an alluſion to thoſe Propheſies which call Chriſt a Branch. I am not *Huc r…ſpicientes aliqui du… conantur hoc Teſtimonium ad c…tum referre locum fu…ptum puta…t ex Iſ. 11. 1. Et egredi…tur virga de radice Jeſſe et flos de radice ejus aſcendet, Porro quod Netzer ſoli 70 tranſt…lerunt Radicem, at que Sym. et Theod. verterunt foreign i. e. ſtirpem ſive truncu… ▪ In hanc ferme ſententiam Hieronymus annotavit locum. Eraſmus. in Matt. 2. 23.alone in my judgment. Now this Branch is both beautiful, and glorious. Iſa. 42. Its a growing and a Templebuilding Branch Ze. 6. 12. It's there ſaid he ſhall grow out of his place. (i. e.) He ſhall ſprout forth of Bethlehem, where he was born, out of the Stem▪ and Root of David, to whom he was promiſed, and he ſhall build the Temple of the Lord (i. e.) by the Preaching of the Goſpel he ſhall build up the Church made of all true Believers. Chriſt ſhall faſten them (as Stones in a Building) to himſelf the chief Corner-Stone.
A ſeventh Name is Jeſus, and why he7. Name, Jeſus. Scite annotat Caſſianus liberare a peccat…s & …opulum ſuum, non poſſe foreign convenire niſi e… qui uaturâ ſit Deus. Beza. was ſo call'd is expreſt: Mat. 1. 21. And ſhe ſhall bring forth a Son, and thou ſhalt call his Name JESƲS, for he ſhall ſave his People from their Sins. Joſhua was only a Temporal Saviour, but Jeſus is an Eternal Saviour: Joſhua a Type, Jeſus the Truth; Joſhua brought the Iſraelites into a Temporal Canaan, Jeſus Chriſt brings all the Iſrael of God (whether Jews or Gentiles) into an Eternal Canaan, a Heavenly Jeruſalem, a Manſion not made with hands, eternal in the Heavens. Now when we ſpeak of Chriſt according to his Name Jeſus. What can be more ſaid, for this is a Name above every Name? It is i1 Theſ. 1. 10.Jeſus, which delivereth us from the wrath to come. The only Name whereby kAct. 4. 12.we muſt be ſaved. lEph. 1. 7.We have Redemption through his Blood the forgiveneſs of Sins. mEph. 2. 14.He is our Peace; nMat. 20. 28.A Ranſome; o2 Cor. 5. 19.our Reconciler; the p1 Tim. 2. 5.only Mediator, our Interceſſor, qHeb. 7. 25.for he ever liveth to make Interceſſion for his Saints. He is likewiſe an *Vel Patronum; aut etiam Mediatorem, & interceſſorem omnia enim haec ſignificat vox Graeca foreign Vatabl. 1. Joh. 2. 1. Luke 22. 44. Fuit ſud…r ejus inſtar ſanguinis concreti deſcendens ſaper tern…in. L de Dieu. 1 Joh. 2. 1. foreign: Quicun que adeo alteri in cauſa officij gratia. Pr… ces Eccleſiae Chriſtus more Advocati Deo commendat. Grot.Advocate to Plead our Cauſe; in Perſon and as Mediator and Advocate both, he Pleads for all his Children in ſuch Language:—This is the Man for whom I came to be incarnate, for whom I ſweated drops of Blood, clodded blood, and congealdforeign, for whoſe Sins I died and roſe again for his Juſtification: Righteous-Father ſince thy Juſtice muſt be ſatisfied impute all this perſons Sins upon my Score, and impute Righteouſneſs unto him. And this Office of an Advocate is of ſingular Benefit and Conſolation unto all the Children of God, amidſt their Fears, Perplexities, Doubts, Mournings, and Weepings over their manifold Infirmities, that they have an Advocate to Plead their Cauſe as Lawyers do by Vertue of their Calling, and Interpoſe in their behalfs: Our Prayers come as from us but raw, and cold very indigeſted, and imperfect, but our Advocate mends and perfects them, and Pleads for them as if they were abſolutely exact and perfect; for he interpoſeth his own merits and pleads ſatisfaction of Juſtice, from his own meritorious Sufferings. Hence the Apoſtle grounds the Conſolation o… the Saints: 1 Joh. 2. 12. If any Man Sin, we have an Advocate with the Father Jeſus Chriſt the righteous, and he is the Propitiation of our Sins, and not for ours only, but the Sins of the whole World. In this excellent Scripture we may obſerve ſeveral Singularities.
1. There is an Advocate for Sinners. An Advocate is upon the place, and undertakes the Cauſe, by defending and pleading. And ſo doth Chriſt as an *Dum oſtendere vult quomodo redeamus cum Deo in gratiam, dicit Chriſt…m eſſe nobis Advec… tum, n…m in hoc apparet coram facie Dei, ut ſacrificii ſui vim & efficaciam erga no sexerat. Calv. in loc.Advocate and Pleader carries on the Cauſe of poor Sinners, even all ſuch as he hath loved, and waſht in his Blood.
2. This Advocate is Jeſus Chriſt the Eternal Son of God, the ſecond perſon in Trinity, the Beloved Son, rMatth. 3. 17.in whom the Father is well pleaſed.
3. He pleads with the Father the perſon offended.
4. He is Jeſus Chriſt the righteous, without Sin, for no guile was ever found in his Mouth, and therefore being righteous he is the only fit perſon to be an Advocate. ſHeb. 7. 26.He is Holy, harmleſs, undefiled, ſeparated from Sinners.
5. He is the Propitiation for Sins, he offer'd up himſelf for a Propitiation, he interpoſed as a ſurety, payd the debt and ſatisfied Juſtice to the utmoſt, and not only for our Sins, but
6thly, For the Sins of the *Uſit atum eſt Hebraeis totum mundum dicere pro certâ univerſitate quorundam de quibus in ſubjectâ materiâ agitur, ubi agitur de fidelibus, (loquitur enim fidelis fidelibus) intelliguntur per totius mundi peccata, omnium quot-quot ſunt fidelium peccata. Lud. de dieu. in 1 Joh. 2. 2.whole World. Not that for every individual perſon Chriſt was a Propitiation: But there the whole world implies all thoſe who out of the Nations of the World ſhall believe in him. Compare this with Rev. 5. 9. Thou haſt Re-deemed us to God by thy blood out of every Kindred, and Tongue and People, and Nation. I ſhall now come from the Names to treat of the Natures of Chriſt, but this ſhall be the buſineſs of the next Chapter.