I Have perused this Comment or Exposition upon the Epistle to the Hebrewes and finding it to be learned and judicious plaine and very profitable I allow it to be Printed and published IOHN DOVVNAME THE EXPIATION OF A SINNER IN A COMMENTARY Vpon the Epistle to the HEBREVVES LONDON Printed by THO. HARPER and are to be sold by CHARLES GREENE at his Shop in Ivie Lane 1646. TO THE CHRISTIAN READER THe History of Christ for his life doctrine and miracles for his death resurrection and ascension is copiously described by the foure Evangelists But the Mystery of Christ for the reasons causes and effects of his sufferings and actions especially since his ascension into heaven and session on the Throne of God is exactly revealed in the Epistle to the Hebrewes which seems in manner of an Appendex unto the Evangelists For that Epistle is frequently interserted with severall deep mysteries containing as it were the history of Christ in heaven How there in the behalf of the faithfull he executes the sacred office of his everlasting Priesthood whereby he is able to save them for ever who come unto God by him because he ever liveth to make intercession for them How he commiserates and succours them in all their afflictions and trialls for having himselfe been afflicted and tried he thereby learned the compassion of a mercifull high Priest How he expiates and propitiates them from all their former sinnes and from all their after-lapses whereinto they fall through ignorance or infirmity for by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified How he justifies and here difies them to that eternall blessednesse whereof he is the heire and the donor to admit them as co-heires with him for he is become the author of eternall salvation unto all them that obey him How hee consecrates and dedicates their persons and all their sacrifices or holy services of prayers praises and thanksgivings which through him become acceptable to his Father for he is a Minister of the heavenly Sanctuary and of the true Tabernacle which God hath pitched and not men And therein is further accurately discoursed what admirable benefits and prerogatives are from Christ redundant to the faithfull for whom he hath obtained a Ministery so much more excellent by how much he is the Mediator of a better covenant established upon better promises What necessary duties of holinesse the faithfull on their part over and besides their faith to believe are bound to performe for the application and efficacie of those benefits to render them effectuall to their salvation which without holinesse can never be attained for as without faith it is impossible to please God so without holinesse no man shall see God What vertue and power those benefits have upon the conscience to withdraw her from dead workes and to engage her in all endeavours of holines to serve the living God by way of thankfulnesse to God for his grace in Christ for otherwise the soul is ingratefull and ungracious What solid comforts and assurances under all the distresses of this life arise unto the soule from her endeavours of holinesse without which no soule is capable of solid and assured comfort for a sensuall and sinfull soul may be sometime flattered and deceived but effectually comforted and assured she can never be untill in some measure she bee purged from her sinfulnes and qualified by deeds or desires of holinesse In the prosecution of these and the like points the divine Author of that Epistle proceeds after a grave and solid manner yet soaring sometime into expressions and reasonings so sublime that he seems to penetrate the highest heavens and there to behold our Saviours actions For the points he prosecutes are high mysteries of things so distant and remote from sense that as himself acknowledgeth c. 5. v. 11. many of them are hard to be uttered and therfore certainly hard to be understood Yet for the easier apprehension of them he alwaies CHAPTER I. GOD The supreme and universall father stiled in the old Covenant the God of Israel but in the new the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ At sundry times in the severall ages of the world as in the time of the servitude in Egypt in the time of the Judges of the Kings and of the Captivity and a while afterward till about the finishing of the second Temple And in divers maners At one time after one maner at another after another as to Moses God spake in a singular and familiar maner otherwise then to any other Prophet for he spake with Moses mouth to mouth Num. 12.6 And he knew Moses face to face Deut. 34.10 But to other Prophets God spake after another maner eyther by Angels as his delegates or by a voice sounding in their eares or by a vision before their eyes while they were awake or by a dream while they were asleep Spake Declared his will and pleasure for precepts promises or judgements whether by voice vision or dreame In times past Anciently during the time of the Tabernable and the first Temple for after the finishing of the second Temple God spake very rarely any way Vnto the Fathers Not to the Patriarchs but to the people of Israel and Judah who lived in the time of the Prophets and were ancestors to those Hebrewes to whom this Epistle is written By the Prophets As by Moses and Samuel by Elias and Elisha and by the rest of the Prophets whose workes are extant in the sacred Canon of Scripture 2. In these last dayes The time of the Gospel is called the last dayes partly as opposed to the words before in times past partly because the time of the Law and the Prophets was before it but chiefly because the Church under the Gospel shall not receive from God any more Innovation or alteration for the time of the Gospel shall last till time shall be no more till eternity and therefore is commonly called in Scripture the last dayes See Act. 2.17 By his son Jesus Christ who here is opposed to the Prophets by whom God spake in time past Not that the Prophets were no way the sons of God but because in comparison of Christ they were not so accounted For Christ by whom God spake the Gospel was more eminently the son of God then any of the Prophets 4 wayes 1. By his conception because he was conceived of a Virgin by the power of the Holy Ghost 2. By his function because he was sanctified by God and sent into the world to publish and confirme the new Covenant for which function he must needs resemble God as a son the father in divine wisdome holinesse and power This reason Christ gives why he called himself the son of God John 10.36 3. By his Institution because God appointed him his universall heire as an only son is to his father 4. By his Resurrection because thereby he was immortalised or enfranchised from death and mortality and consequently deified as the son of
God This reason St. Paul gives applying to the Resurrection of Christ the words of the Psalme Thou art my son this day have I begotten thee Act. 13.33 Whom he hath appointed heire God hath appointed Christ to inherit the sovereigne dominion and Kingdome of God first by granting him a right or title to it and afterward by giving him the reall possession of it Yet he possesseth it not successively after his father as the manner is among men but accessorily and joyntly together with his father Of all things His universall heire he alludes to an only son who is the sole heire of all his fathers estate For Christ is the unigenit or only son of God not that God hath not other sons but that he hath none such as he Seeing then God is the universall proprietary and Lord of all things therefore Christ being his only son and heire becomes universall Lord also of all things over all Angells and men whether alive or dead By whom also he made the world God by the mediation or meane of Christ did reforme and restore mankinde who is the chiefest part of the world by giving him a new state and condition by a new Covenant For the Hebrews who have no or few compound verbs say a thing is made when in regard of some qualities it is altered or renewed or made otherwise then it was before by assuming a new forme or fashion for a better condition So we are said to be created in Christ to good workes and we are called a new creature not in regard of any new creation or new nature but because of new relations unto God or new qualities in our selves 3. Who being the brightnesse of his glory Christ was the lustre raye or beam of Gods Majesty For seeing God is invisible and cannot be seen of men by reason of his immense and infinite light therefore God sent forth Christ as a raye or beam of his light that in Christ men might have a kinde of sight of Gods Majesty And the expresse image of his person These words doe but interpret the former Adam and in him every man made is made in the image of God to resemble God in some of Gods attributes but Christ is the character or image of Gods person for God did as it were imprint his person upon Christ that Christ might be his substitute upon earth to personate represent and resemble the person of God to be in wisdome as God by publishing the mysteries and secrets of God and by knowing the thoughts of men to be in holinesse as God without all staine of sin to be in power as God having dominion over all creatures over windes seas and devills For such divine wisdome holinesse and power are brightnesses images or markes of Gods Supremacie or Soveraigne Majestie Vpholding all things by the word of his power Christ carried all things by his powerfull Command for according to the Hebrew sence Word is put for Command as Psal 33.7 and Psal 143.15 And the Word of his power is an Hebraisme also for his powerfull word q. d. Christ did personate God not onely for the acts of his power but also for the manner of his acts because he wrought all his miracles by his sole Word or Command For at his Word or Command the windes ceased the sea calmed diseases were healed the divels were ejected and the dead raised And to this the Centurion applied his faith when he said Lord Speak the word only and my servant shall be healed Mat. 8.8 When he had by himself purged our sinnes Christ offered up himself in his own person and did not as the Leviticall Priest who used to offer sacrifices that were not himself but Christ was both the Priest who offered and the sacrifice which was offered And by this oblation of himselfe he expiated or purged away our sinnes by removing our guiltines and the punishment due to our sins Christ was a sacrifice to expiate our sinnes and the slaughter of this sacrifice was made on earth upon the crosse but the offering of this sacrifice was then performed when he entred into heaven and made his Appearance in the presence of God as the Leviticall Priest after the sacrifice was slain entered into the Sanctuary to offer the blood of it And this Oblation of Christ had then onely an efficacy or power to expiate our sins but the effect of it followes not upon us till we on our part performe our office by beleeving in Christ and obeying him Sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high The Leviticall high Priest when he went into the Oracle where God was said to dwell and sit betweene the Cherubins did not sit downe with God betweene the Cherubins but stood as a minister or waiter with great reverence of the Divine Majestie offering and sprinkling that blood wherewith he entered But Christ ascending on high and entering into heaven did not stand before the Throne of God as a minister or supplicant but sat downe at the right hand of Gods Majestie Yet he sat not by way of an Assistant unto God as Nobles and Councellers doe to earthly Princes but by way of Cor-regnant to reigne with him having absolute power over the people or Church of God and for the Churches sake over all other things For according to Saint Paul 1. Cor. 15.25 To sit at the right hand of God is to reigne and governe as God And Christ doth now reigne and governe absolutely and arbitrarily in all things not defined by Gods law but where Gods law orders things there he governs accordingly 4. Being made so much better then the Angels The Apostle formerly having tacitely preferred Christ before all the Prophets and before the high Priests proceeds now to compare and preferre Christ before the Angels to wit which must be marked from the time of his session at Gods right hand corregnant with him Whereupon he layes down this position or doctrine That Christ sitting at Gods right hand reigning with him in absolute power is become more excellent then the Angels This doctrine he presently proves by severall arguments following As he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name then they This is the first argument whereby he proves his former doctrine because Christ hath obtained a more excellent name then the Angels By name here we are not to understand that dominion or dignity of Christ whereby he reignes with his Father in absolute power for this were to argue tautologously seeing he mentioned that before But by name he meanes the Appellation or title given to Christ noting his state and condition For from Appellations and titles especially given by God we may easily gather the dignitie and excellency of any person And this excellent name Christ hath obtained by Inheritance Which shewes that he had it not by nature nor from eternitie but in time by grace from the favour of God 5. For unto which of the Angels said he at any time
thou art my son He confirms his former reason by a testimony from Scripture Psal 2.7 Why Christ hath a more excellent Name then Angels Because God gave Christ the Name or title of Sonne which is a title of honour above that of Angels whose name or title signifies them to be the Messengers or Legats of God The Angels in generall are some time in Scripture called the Sons of God as Iob 1.6 But God on his part never calls them so in generall much lesse doth he single out any one peculiar Angel apart from the rest to entitle him by the name or Son But God entitles Christ by that Name Thou art my Sonne thou and no other person properly For the Pronoune thou is here put exclusively to sequester all other persons beside from the participation of that name as a proper and personall title Indeed as the Angels in generall so all Christians are in common called the Sonnes of God but Christ onely is so called peculiarly personally and singularly This day have I begotten thee He confirms why Christ is singularly entituled and named the Sonne of God because God after a singular manner hath begotten him i. Raised him from the dead for in Davids Psalmes from whence this testimonie is taken extream dangers resemble death and made him most resemblant and like to God himselfe by giving him Immortality and universall Royalty to bee King over his people For this generating or begetting of Christ hath respect to his Resurrection and Ascension for so Saint Paul expresly refers it Acts 13.33 Not that Christ was not begotten or not called the Sonne of God before his Resurrection but because by his Resurrection he was most assimilated and made semblant unto God by being made an immortall and universall King whereby he had the highest degree under God therefore God is said to have then begotten him and then to call him his Sonne For God is called God by reason of his supream power and dominion whereof they also are called Gods and the sons of God that have power and dominion and the greater their power is or the nearer it resembles Gods power so much the rather and more neerly are they his sonnes And he is most of all his Sonne whose power and dominion is made either the same with Gods or equall to it Christ was the Sonne of God before his Resurrection for during his prophetick function he was a great Potentate and wrought powerfull miracles but after his Resurrection upon his Regall office he became most neerly and highly the Sonne of God because then God made him an immortall and universall Potentate for then all Power was given him in heaven and earth Mat. 28.18 This day It is an Hebraisme frequently added to speeches wherein some remarkable matter is either done or given or promised or commanded as in this place to the end that day might be kept in memory or as it were remaine for a day of Commemoration that the action of that day might be kept in perpetual remembrance See Gen. 4.14 Jer. 1.10 and many places in Deuteronomie And againe I will be to him a Father and he shall be to me a Sonne Hee confirmes that Christ is the Son of God from another testimony of Scripture 2. Sam. 7.14 which was literally spoken of by Solomon as the former testimony of David but both mystically of Christ Intimating the deare love and affection of God toward him whereupon it must needs follow that Christ must be exalted to a most excellent state and condition above all other persons And as these words were spoken of Solomon futurely before hee was borne and indeed the Sonne of God so also of Christ 6. And again when he bringeth in Another testimonie of Scripture to prove Christ better then the Angels because all the Angels are commanded to worship him which must needs follow upon the state and condition of his filiation For all servants must worship or reverence their masters sonne and heire especially then when his father had made over his inheritance or estate unto him This testimonie is taken out of 97. Psalme whereof the inscription in the Septuagint is A Psalme of David when the land was restored unto him namely when his kingdome was restored after his expulsion from it by Absolon but mystically meant of Christ And therefore againe may well be referred to his bringing in For after Christ was expelled the world by his death and buriall God brought him into the world againe by his Resurrection in raising him from the grave The first begotten Christ is the first begotten Sonne of God because God begot him before all his other sonnes who are called the brethren of Christ for God first begot Christ in that manner wherein God is said to beget sons for those he begets whom he assimilates and makes like unto himselfe and so Christ was the first that was assimilated or made like unto God in holinesse in such holinesse as he requires in the new Covenant Secondly Christ is the first begotten of God by his Resurrection because by the power of God hee was raised and brought in againe from death to an immortall life for which cause hee is called the first begotten from the dead and the first fruits of them that slept 1. Cor. 15.20 Lastly he is the first begotten in all things whatsoever whereby the faithfull of Christ become the sons of God for Christ hath preceded them all that as St. Paul speakes he in alâ— things might have the preeminence Col. 1.18 Into the world First to be upon the earth a while after his Resurrection from the grave but chiefly when he brought him into heaven which is the superiour and future world and seated him at his right hand for then Christ became the Lord and head over men and angels and till then the angels worshipped him not For in this sence the Apostle here takes the world as himselfe shewes in the next cap. ver 5. where he saith thaâ— the world to come is the world whereof he spake And let all the angels of God worship him The words are Imperative laying a Command upon all the angels of God none excepted to worship Christ and therefore it followes that Christ is made much better then the angels In the Hebrew of the Psalme it is Worship him all ye Gods where the word Gods is opposed to Idols which were the Heathen Gods whose woâ—shippers are there commanded to be ashamed and againe to those Idols Christ is opposed who not onely is not an Idol but so true a God that all other Gods who are not idols must worship him But because by Gods there we can understand none but the Angels therefore the Septuagint translâ—tes it the Angels of God whom this divine Author followes Worship him Vse divine reverence before him and unto him by standing up bowing downe and falling downe before him in â—he very same manner that is done or due to God himself Because Christ sustaines the
the Arke and was a figure of Gods mercy whereby he was propitious to forgive or cover the sins against the Law For sins are no other way propitiated or expiated then as it were by covering or hiding that they may no more appeare against us in the sight of God Hence Gods people are said to be reconciled unto God that is to be sanctified and purged from their sins for when the Tabernacle was sanctified and purged from the sins of the people it was called reconciling Levit. 16.20 And hence God is said to be propitiated or pacified or appeased not as if hereby he were alwayes turned from anger which was in him before but many times that he should not desist from being propitious but continue pacified or appeased towards us and that he should passe by just causes of anger which otherwise he might have For thus God was anciently pacified by the Sacrifices ordained by his Law for it is no way likely that God was really angry with his people for those sins for which he granted an expiation under the Law then when the people procured the timely expiation of their sinnes according to the prescript of Gods Law then certainely God was not actually angry for then God must be angry at set times of the yeare yearely at every solemnity of the Expiation By those sacrifices therefore God was not pacified by being drawne from anger but thereby order was taken that God might still continue pacified and not turne away his grace and favour from his people by reason of their sinnes Hence it appeares that from these words of Reconciling and Pacifying we must not conclude that Gods wrath against us was appeased by Christ but when we heare these words referred unto sinnes we must thereby understand nothing else but their expiation or purgation made by Christ as this Author termed it before chap. 1. v. 3. But how Christ now residing in heaven and exercising the office of his Priesthood doth purge away our sins shall be declared hereafter namely no other way then by the power God hath granted him to forgive them that we should not be punished and perish eternally for them The faithfull are the people of God who are reconciled and whose sins are expiated And this as was noted before was proper to the office of the high Priest who used not to make reconciliation for single persons but for the people on the day of Expiation 18. For in that he himselfe hath suffered being tempted He saith not simply that Christ hath suffered but he addes being tempted The sufferings of Christ were not punishments but temptations or trials of his excellent fidelity and piety For there was no sinne in Christ for which he should be punished seeing punishments are onely for sinne And therefore chap. 4. v. 15. speaking of Christs being tempted or tried he expresly addeth that he was without sinne i. his triall was not a punishment as no way merited by sin He is able to succour them that are tempted Afflictions to the faithfull are temptations of their faith and righteousnesse whether they will persevere in their obedience to God or be beaten off by worldly calamities as the offering of Isaac was a temptation to Abraham and our whole spirituall warfare against Satan the world and the flesh is a daily temptation or triall of us In these their trials Christ doth succour them by his assistance of them from perishing under the miseries that presse them And this he doth when he affords them strength and courage to sustaine the afflictions lest by force thereof they fall from the faith and forsake it Or when he so moderates the afflictions that they be not too great for paine or too long for time by lightning of them if they be too or shortening them if they be too long or lastly when he receives their spirits at their death to restore them againe in due time with supreame glory And when Christ succours the faithfull in this manner he doth even thereby expiate their sinnes For thereby he endeavours and provides with all care lest that sinking under their afflictions or being destitute at their death they should by this meanes suffer punishment for their sinnes And therefore the word able to help must be ampliated and extended to be both able willing and carefull for otherwise he should not be a mercifull and faithfull high Priest if having power to succour he had neither will nor care to performe it Hence appeare three verities 1. That Christ our high Priest expiateth our sinnes by succouring us in our temptations 2. That the principall function of his Priestly office is performed now in heaven and was not performed at this death wherein there was only a preparation toward it 3. That neither the Priestly function of Christ nor his Expiation of sins thereby procured consist in this that Christ should suffer punishment for our sins seeing that can have no place in heaven The sum or Contents of this second Chapter are 5. 1. Wee Christians have more cause to persevere in the Gospel then the Iews had to persist in the law verse 1. Reason 1. Because if wee neglect it our punishment will be more certaine then theirs 2. Because it was first taught by Christ and confirmed by his Apostles by miracles and gifts of the holy Ghost 2. Christ was made lower then the Angels verse 7. Reason 1. Because he was to suffer death not thereby to succour them but men 3. Christ and the faithfull are brethren verse 11. Reason 1. Because they come of one Father who is God Testimonies 3. out of Scripture 4. Christ suffed death verse 14. Reason 1. Because he was to destroy the devill that had the power of death 2. Because he was to deliver the faithfull from the feare and bondage of death for he was to succour not Angels but them 5. Christ was afflicted and tempted like the faithful in all things ver 17. Reason 1. Because he was to be their high Priest to expiate their sinnes 2. Because he was to succour them when they are afflicted and tempted CHAPTER III. 1. WHerefore It referres to all that hath been spoken hitherto concerning the dignity of Christ who seeing hee is so excellent a person as yee have heard therefore ye have great reason to consider him well Holy brethren Separated from the prophane vulgar and worldly by your knowledge in divine mysteries and allied to me not by a vulgar and carnall fraternitie but by a spirituall affinitie in Christ Partakers of the heavenly calling Who together with me and all other Christians have one common spirituall calling whereto we are called And this calling is called heavenly not only because it was notified from heaven and comes from thence but also because it is directive to heaven to teach us the way thither and conductive to heaven to carry us safely thither So that heaven is the double terme of our spirituall calling for heaven is the start of it from
But we have already shewed that the Israelites in Massa tempted God not with excesse of trust but with defect of it The like words in the like sence are used by Peter Acts 15 10. Now therefore why tempt ye God to put a yoake upon the neck of the Disciples c. q.d. Hath not God already given us experiments and arguments enough and sufficient that we should not impose upon the Disciples the yoke of legall Ceremonies seeing he hath given the holy Ghost to them as well as to us seeing he hath made no difference betweene us and them purifying their hearts by faith why therefore as if the thing were not already apparent enough do ye require more arguments and tokens of it and so tempt God 9. When your fathers tempted me Me here is referred to God whom the Israelites tempted for here according to an usuall forme in Scripture the person is changed and God himselfe is brought in speaking of himselfe whereas in the words before David spake of God in the third person but now brings in God speaking in the first person of himselfe In the Originall it is not when but where for here the circumstantiall particle is not temporall for the time when they tempted but locall for the place where they tempted and that place hath reference to the wildernesse immediately before mentioned For in the wildernesse they tempted God not onely at that time but afterwards also at divers other times and in other particular places of that wildernesse For at Cadeshbarnea whence the twelve spies were sent to search the land of Canaan and upon their returne the people bad stone Caleb and Joshuah because they discented from the other ten who had brought up an evill report upon the Land then the Lord complaines that they had provoked him long and often that they had long distrusted him notwithstanding all the signes he had shewed amongst them Numb 14.11 And againe at ver 22. he complaines that they had tempted him now ten times i. very many times Proved me He expresseth the same thing in another word For as to tempt a man argues distrust and doubt of him so also to prove him And saw my workes The particle and is by an Hebraisme put for although q.d. If they had not seene my wondrous works it had beene lesse wonder that they tempted me but now although they see them yet they doubt of my power and goodnesse toward them what a strange diffidence and distrust is this What works God wrought both in Egypt and in the Wildernesse to certifie the people of his promise and to gaine faith for their passage into Canaan are largely described in the books of Exodus and Numbers Forty yeares This space of forty yeares as the history it selfe and the Hebrew text and this Author also signifies at ver 17. must be referred forwards to Gods indignation whereby he was grieved with them for the space of forty yeares Yet it is true also that this space may be referred backward as the Septuagint have pointed it to the peoples tempting of God and seeing his works for the space of forty yeares for so long the people tempted him and so long saw his works For even at the expiration of those yeares when Miriam was dead in Cadesh they againe murmured against Moses and Aaron for want of water as their fathers had done before at Meriba and Massa and that place also was branded by the name of Meriba or waters of strife where the diffidence or distrust in God was greater then any formerly for it was extended even to Moses and Aaron who were also infected with the sin of it Numb 20. And this seemes to be cause of the Greek pointing and reading which this Author followed having fallen upon it that he might not seeme to make any alteration in it though afterward at the 17. verse he plainly shews that he was not ignorant of the true reading as it was pointed in the Hebrew But here is meant that other tentation mentioned Numb 14. upon which God sware the people should not enter into his rest as appeares by the verses here following Hence appeares their errour who from hence conclude that the holy Ghost is that God who was tempted of the Jews therefore because here God himselfe speakes and saith he was tempted of their fathers and the Author affirmes that the holy Ghost spake these things These men marke not that from the first words of this place and so from the former of the whole Psalme wherein David himselfe speakes in very deed in his owne person and professeth himselfe one of Gods people to worship and serve God it will by the same reason follow that the holy Ghost is also David For the former words wherein David is brought in speaking are no lesse attributed to the holy Ghost When the sayings of holy Writers are attributed to the holy Ghost we are not thereby to understand that the holy Ghost is that person who indeed speaks or to whom those things really agree which he attributes to himselfe that speakes or is brought in speaking but onely that those sayings were uttered by the vertue and motion of the holy Ghost and not onely by the will and pleasure of men whosoever the person be that speaketh as Peter teacheth 2 Pet. 1.21 For otherwise there must be one onely person alwaies brought in speaking namely the holy Ghost to whom alone all sayings must be attributed which he attributes to himselfe that speaketh then which nothing can be further from the truth For the Prophets for the most part use to speake in their owne persons sometime they bring in God speaking whose Spirit the Holy Ghost is sometime they bring in other persons Besides from this that the words of God are attributed to the Holy Ghost we cannot rightly conclude that therefore the Holy Ghost is God himselfe Are they not rightly attributed to him therefore because God speaks by him as we read that the words of Christ are attributed to the Spirit Rev. 2.7 although the Spirit be not Christ So Paul Rom. 11.4 attributes the words of God to the oracle and this Author cap. 12.5 attributes the words of God to the Exhortation not that either the oracle or the exhortation is God but because God is supposed to speake by the oracle and the exhortation 10. Wherefore I was grieved with that generation That is a Generation according to Scripture which comprehends the men that live within the period of one and the same age And that generation wherewith God was grieved were those persons of Israel whom hee brought out of Egypt who saw his mighty workes and received the Law at Mount Sinai This generation provoked and tempted God and therefore God was grieved with it God is not passively grieved as man but then he is said to be grieved when he doth such actions as persons grieved use to doe especially being thereto provoked by the sinnes of men And said they doe
words of the Psalme wherein God calls this rest his rest For the Rest proper to God himselfe wherewith he himselfe rested is by a far better title called the Rest of God then that whereof God was only the donor such as was the Rest of the Israelites in the land of Canaan Not that this rest proper to God is numerically the very same with that future rest which God hath promised us but because generically it is a Rest of the same kinde For as Gods Rest was a perpetuall Rest in resting from his workes for ever so shall our Rest bee perpetuall in resting for ever from all our labours and troubles wherein we shall have an eternall festivall 4. For he spake in a certaine place of the seventh day Here hee shews the reason why he understands that rest of God to be his Rest from his workes which hee had finished from the beginning of the world namely because the Scripture or the Holy Ghost speaking in the Scripture speaketh in that manner of the seventh day as Gen. 2 2. and Exod 20.11 And God did rest the seventh day from all his works In these words wee have shewed us the Rest of God neither in the whole Scripture to which only we must look here is mentioned or named any other rest of God whereof the people should come to bee partakers 5. And in this place againe If they shall enter into my rest q d. Wherefore seeing here againe in these words of the Psalme there is mention made of Gods rest whereof Gods people shall partake therefore with good reason in a genuine and mysticall sense doe we understand it of that only rest of God specified in the Scripture But that this rest also belongs unto the people the very festivall and rest of the Sabbath commanded to Gods people is a clear argument wherein there is not only a commemoration of Gods rest past but also a Representation of the Rest of Gods people to come Whereof we shall speake further at the ninth verse following 6. Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein After he had shewed that by the words of the Psalme in a mysticall sense we must understand the proper rest of God or that wherein God himselfe rested now he proceeds on to shew that that rest of God mentioned in the words of the Psalme doth appertaine unto us and that a passage therto is opened unto us And first he layes certain grounds for this doctrine and then removes the obstacles that may seem against it The first ground is That some must enter into the rest 2. That they to whom it was first proposed and promised entered not into it For from these two grounds it will follow That some other after that time must enter it But because it might be objected That though those Israelites who came our of Egypt entered not that rest yet their children entred it by the conduct of Josuah their Captaine And therefore it cannot bee concluded that Christians are they that shall enter it This Objection or rather Exception hee dissolves by shewing that in those words of the Psalme whereof he yet treats for some severall ages after the Israelites were possessed of the land of Canaan there is another time appointed wherein an entrance into Gods Rest was to be opened whence it followes that by the conduct of Joshuah Gods people have not yet attained the true rest Whereupon the Author at length concludes That as yet there remaines a Sabbatisme or rest for the people of God This being done he repeats the exhortation begun at the beginning of this Chapter and so returnes to the point from whence he had digressed This is the summe of all that is said unto the end of the 11 verse Now let us consider the severall words in order That some must enter therein Seeing it is the will and good pleasure of God that a passage should be open to that rest and that some should enter into it for this the Author supposeth as a thing well knowne and no way doubtfull For that those first people that fell in the wildernesse were by their owne fault excluded from it this nothing derogates from Gods promise whereby he assured this rest by oath upon the posterity of Abraham to be fulfilled in other persons better and more worthy then those first that failed of it But under the cover of carnall promises and an earthly rest there lay hidden spirituall promises of an heavenly rest pertaining to the spirituall seed of Abraham And the entrance of the Israelites into that earthly rest obtained by the conduct of Josuah what is it else but a type and shadow of Christians future entrance into a heavenly rest by the conduct of Jesus Christ And they to whom it was first preached entred not in because of unbeliefe First preached in the originall they that had the first good message for the entring of it This is the other point that he confirmes and by occasion whereof the Holy Ghost leaves us the following admonition To day if ye will heare his voice harden not your hearts For because those first of our fathers to whom God had sent the message by Moses for the entring of that rest deserved by their diffidence and disobedience to be excluded from it therefore the Holy Ghost hath in these words appointed to their posterity another day or time wherein they may and must ente into Gods rest and withall exhorts them to it lest following the like disobedience to their forefathers they incur a like issue of their impiety 7. Againe he limiteth a certaine day This is very good cause why another day should be limited for enterance into Gods rest if some must enter it at all and they who were first invited entered it not For if either none were to enter it or some had already entered it then there were no necessity why another day or time should be limited or appointed for entering it But in these words of the Psalm that the holy Ghost in a mysticall sence shewes there is such a day limited which pertains to the times of the Messias these following arguments declare 1. Because by these words the people are admonished to shunne the example of their forefathers that came out of Egypt that they may not be like them in their sin But their forefathers sin was chiefly this that they would not rest in Gods promises for their enterance into his rest Therefore if wee must truly be either like or unlike to them wee also must have Gods promise for our entrance into Gods rest and therefore this day here is limited unto us for our entrance into it 2. Because in this Psalme is proposed to the people the judgement or punishment of God whereinto their fathers fell that they being terrified thereby and fearing the like would not imitake their fathers But that punishment was a rejection from entrance into Gods rest which penaltie no man can incurre but he that hath
had first a power to enter it and was thereto invited Seeing therefore that in these words of the holy Ghost the people are admonished to avoid that punishment it is consonant to reason that a day or time of entrance should be limited to them that we at this day might do what anciently our fathers would not But that this Psalme pertaineth also to the times of the Messias this is an argument That it clearly appears there is a respect therein to some solemn and seltivall time wherein the people were accustomed to assemble in the temple of God and employ themselves about his worship for this is plaine from the words of the people cohorting one another to praise God and from the word to day which the holy Ghost useth All which seeme not to note out some common day but some notable day deputed for the worship and service of God especially for the hearing of his word or voice such as were the festivall and solemne dayes But what day is more solemne what time more festivall what greater celebrity and concourse of people then that which in the times of the Messias was to be and was of all expected From these considerations therefore it may well be collected That by those words of the holy Ghost in a mysticall sence the people are warned to open a ready eare to the voyce of God who in his due time will call and invite them to his true and heavenly rest by the Messias which their forefathers would not doe when they heard Gods voyce promising them the earthly rest by Moses In the literall sence this Psalme pertained to the Israelites who lived before the times of Christ wherein they were admonished that upon the day when they were to heare the Law of God they should be obedient unto him lest following the disobedience of their forefathers they should be debarred from Gods rest or otherwise punished and plagued of God But who sees not that this sence wherein the sinne and punishment are made of one kinde doth better square with it then that wherein both of them are made of a diverse kinde Aster the Author had shewed that God had limited another day for entrance into his rest lest any man should take this day to be that day wherein God granted the children of those fathers a power to enter into the land of Canaan by the conduct of Joshua therefore the Author inserts these words Saying in David To day after so long a time He saith the holy Ghost limiteth this day in David i. speaking it by David After so long a time namely wherein God had debarred those fathers from enterance by reason of their unbelief and admitted their children to it To day if ye will heare his voice harden not your hearts Whence it appeares that here is not appointed a day for enterance into the land of Canaan neither is thae enterance here aymed at For David lived many ages after the enterance of the Israelites into the land of Canaan yea in the time of his reigne the Israelites did most entirely possesse it and flourish in it Seeing therefore the day of entering into Gods rest cannot be understood of the earthly rest which the people obtained by Joshua therefore there must needs be another rest besides that earthly rest which yet remaines to the people of God and a rest of far greater perfection 8. For if Iesus had given them rest then would he not afterward have spoken of another day Joshua is called Jesus by the 70. Interpreters and by other Greeke writers for both those names signifie the same thing namely Saviour and they differ onely in dialect Had given them rest Joshua did give them possession in the land of Cannan and thereby rest yet not that perfect rest that was yet remaining for Gods people He would not afterward have spoken of another day If Joshua had given them a perfect rest beyond which there was none further to be expected then certainly the holy Ghost after the people once entered and seated there would not have spoken of another day wherein the people must enter into his rest 9. There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God From the former passages he concludes that there remaines for the people of God another rest after the rest obtained in Canaan for the happy state of Gods people doth not stay at that earthly rest This rest hee calls not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as by the word he used hitherto but hee calls it a Sabbatisme thereby to make us understand that he had respect to the seventh dayes rest wherein God himself rested and commanded the Israelites to rest in memory of it and was therefore distinguished by the name of Sabbath which signifies rest also and also further to the teach us what kinde of rest remaineth to the people of God namely a Sabbaticall rest i. a rest like to that wherewith God himselfe rested whereof the festivall Sabbath of the seventh day is a most slender shadow for therein the Israelites rested from their cares and labours after and during their earthly rest given them by Joshua 10. For he that is entered into his rest By these words hee proves that there remaines to us a Sabbatisme i. such a rest as is denominated from the seventh dayes rest in Commemoration and Representation whereof the perpetuall observation of the weekly rest was commanded But this rest consisteth in a cessation from all works as God also ceased from his workes This he proves from this reason because we must enter into Gods rest as appeares by the words of the Psalme But to enter into Gods rest what is it else but to rest after the same manner that God rested and kept the Sabbath He also hath rested from his own works as God did from his Hath rested is an Hebraisme for doth rest for the Hebrews many times put the tense praeter for the future When Joshua had given the Israelites an earthly rest in the land of Canaan they thereby had quiet possession and rested from their enemies and they had a Sabbath also to rest from their labours but their Sabbath was not continuall and daily but weekly onely upon the seventh day of it for the first six dayes of the week they rested not but followed their labours so their Sabbatisme was not a totall and finall rest from labours but their labours were to returne upon them after one dayes rest in a weeke But the Sabbatisme that is after the image of Gods rest is a totall and finall rest from all labours never to be wearied with labour or work any more but is an eternall festivall that shall never expire For these words may be construed with the word remaineth in the former verse thus Therefore I affirm that there yet remaineth a rest to the people of God because the Israelites did not so rest from their workes as never to be exercised with more labours afterward But he that hath entered
example of Aarons calling As was Aaron Aaron did not of his owne accord intrude himselfe into the office of high Priesthood but being thereto enjoyned and commanded by God he accepted of it by way of obedience to him that enjoyned it For God first did choose Aaron and after him his eldest son and by proper Laws determined the rights of succession in this office which were alwayes observed while the state was administred by the Laws of God Hitherto he hath specified severall properties of the high Priest all which may be reduced to three heads The first is that he offer for sinnes and negotiate the cause of men with God to which this may be referred that he must be a man 2. That he must be mercifull and propense toward sinners whereto this belongs that he himselfe be compassed with infirmity and thereupon offer for his owne sinnes as well as for the peoples 3. That he must be called to this office of God himselfe Now in an order retrograde or reverse beginning with the last he demonstrates that all these agree with Christ Whence it followes that Christ hath a truly Priestly dignity which he received from God and is touched with singular compassion toward the afflicted and will afford his owne people not onely opportune helpe but eternall happinesse 5. So also Christ glorified not himselfe to be made an high Priest Hee begins now with the last property of the high Priest and shewes that it agrees with Christ because Christ did not arrogate to himselfe the honour of this office This he doth to no other end then thereby to shew that the Priesthood of Christ was true and lawfull and that Christ had not been a true Priest if he had assumed this office of himselfe and not been called of God to receive it If I saith Christ glorifie my selfe my glory is nothing it is my Father that glorifies mee By the like reason willing to assert the truth of his doctrine hee denies that he spake of himselfe but refers his doctrine to his Father and professeth that he received it from his Father thereby intimating that his doctrine had not been true had hee spoken it of himselfe That which the Author saith here of Christ is so much the more remarkable because the Priesthood which Christ sustaineth is of that nature that no man can possibly take it upon him no man can possibly have but he upon whom God collates it But some man under the Law might arrogate the legall Priesthood and some did arrogate it when their state was corrupt But this high Priesthood of Christ to minister eternally in the Sanctuary of heaven to have absolute power and authority to take away from us all punishments of our sinnes to succour and helpe us in our miseries to deliver us from death and translate us to eternall life for these are the functions of his high Priesthood no mortall man can challenge this Priesthood or usurpe it or execute the functions of it unlesse God himselfe qualifie and raise him to such high faculties Therefore also the Author speaking of Christ and his high Priesthood used the word glorified that Christ glorified not himselfe because the Priesthood of Christ is a most glorious office containing most glorious functions all tending to eternall glory Hence it is manifest that Christ is not supreme God for if he were so from whom else could he receive this glory but from himselfe But this the Author plainly denyes shewing that otherwise hee could not bee a true and lawfull high Priest and therefore he was not the supreme God And we will passe by this point also that the supreme God can no way bee a Priest But he that said unto him Thou art my Sonne to day have I begotten thee The Author saith not barely that Christ was made a high Priest by God but presently produceth Gods edicts wherein he ordained Christ to be a high Priest from whence it manifestly appears that Christ did not arrogate the Priesthood to himselfe but was ordained into it by God himselfe The first of these edicts is taken out of Psalme 2. The other Psal 110. That these words were spoken of God himselfe no man can bee ignorant but in these very words Christ is ordained high Priest whence it manifestly follows that hee tooke not this dignity from himselfe but received it of God Concerning the former of these testimonies we have spoken sufficiently chap. 1.5 We shall here note only three things 1. That the God who or dained Christ to be high Priest was the Father of Christ For the Father only hath power to call Christ by the name of his Sonne as in these words he did Whence it appeares that Christ in this place how great soever he be yea as he is the Sonne of God is opposed to God and it and of him it is denyed that he tooke the Priesthood to himselfe 2. That the Priestly office of Christ is not really distinguished from his Kingly because these words of the Psalme Thou art my Sonne to day have I begotten thee which as we saw in the first chap. treat of Christs Kingly dignity in regard whereof he is chiefly the Sonne of God are by the Author in this place applyed to his Priesthood Wee may further adde here That Christ performed not his Priestly office at least not perfectly at the time when hee suffered the death of the Crosse neither was his death a perfect oblation expiatory for these words of the Psalme are cleerly interpreted by St. Paul of his resurrection and glory Act. 13. and here above chap. 1. But Christ in his death was most deeply humbled and debased Whereas in these words of the Psalme he is declared the Sonne of God and withall became far more excellent then the Angels as appeares before chap. 1.4,5 But in respect of his death most especially he was much lesse then the Angels As Christ suffered death hee exercised not his Kingly office but only did that whereby he might attaine it but when hee administers his Priestly office he withall executes the parts of his Kingly function Wherefore hee did not execute it actually in his death but was thereby prepared to execute it 3. In those words of the Psalme Thou art my Sonne to day have I begotten thee there is no intimation of any generation or begetting of Christ from the essence of his Father before all worlds but of such a generation whereby Christ was ordained a high Priest of God and therefore of such a one as was done in time for Christ was not made our high Priest from all eternity but from a certaine time namely upon his Resurrection 6. As he saith also in another place The other testimony of Scripture shewing the decree of God taken Psal 110. Hee saith i. God saith Thou art a Priest for ever In this testimony there is expresse treating of Christs Priesthood Whence it appeares that it was also treated of in the former testimony seeing both
Hebrewes in Nownes compounded to adde 1 to the first Nowne for sweet sounding and ornament as Adonisedec Adonibesec Abimelech Achimelech Haminadab Abisag c. and the same is done also in Melchisedec From these words it manifestly appeares that this Epistle was not written in Hebrew but in Greek for either these must be the words of a Greeke interpreter or of the Hebrew Author of a Greeke interpreter they cannot be seeing they are a part of the Text it selfe and of the reasoning therein The words of an Hebrew Authour how can they bee For what could bee more vaine then first to interpret the name Melchisedec and Salem to the Hebrewes seeing none of the Hebrewes could be ignorant of the sense of these names and then to interpret Melchisedec Melechsedec and Melechsalem Melechsalem For so these names must needs be interpreted if this Epistle were written in Hebrew unlesse an Hebrew Author writing Hebrew names to the Hebrewes should interpret them by another language then the Hebrew It is therefore apparent that the Writer of this Epistle was a Greeke who interprets the Hebrew name Melchisedec and Salem and from these very appellations doth tacitly draw an argument to shew that Melchisedec is a most elegant type of Christ who is a King of all others the most righteous and most peaceable Whence Esay 9.6 he is called the Prince of peace because he especially hateth and abhorreth warres neither cares he to be famous for warres as the Kings of this world do but onely for peace and withall is most happy in himselfe and the author of true happinesse to his people For as it is well knowne the word peace among the Hebrewes signifies also all happinesse 3. Without father without mother He hath shewed that Melchisedeck was a Priest of the most High God now hee further declares what manner of Priest he was and in that respect how far he was unlike to the Leviticall Priests and contrarily how like unto Christ In the Leviticall Priest especially in the high Priest the chiefest regard of all was to know of what father what mother and of what family hee came But in the Priest Melchisedeck it is apparent there was no regard at all had of this seeing the Scripture which testifies of him that he was a Priest hath declared neither his father nor mother nor family Melchisedeck therefore is said to be without father and mother not that hee had no father or mother but because neither his father nor mother are declared or mentioned in the annalls of the Scripture For even among prophane Writers they whose pedigree and parentage was unknowne were said to be of no family and to have neither father nor mother Theodoret speakes very well upon these words of the Author The holy Scripture saith he relates the Genealogie of Abraham and many others as well who went before him as followed after she mentions his father grandfather and great grandfather and all his direct ancestors she addes also that when he was so many years old he begat a son when so many that he dyed But she shewes not the father nor parentage of Melchisedeck nor how long he lived nor when he dyed Besides in ordaining the Leviticall Priesthood it must be knowne of what family he was for of necessity he must be of the family of Aaron as Aaron himselfe was of the tribe of Levi unto which tribe Jacob the Patriarch had Prophetically designed the Priesthood as he had the Kingdome to the tribe of Judah Regard also was had of his mother for she must be an Israelite one of the twelve tribes otherwise the sonne borne of her being a stranger though married to the high Priest was illegitimate for the Priesthood and also the high Priest must necessarily be borne of a woman that was married to his father when she was a virgin or was the widow of some other Priest and one that was not of a plebeian and vulgar family whereof see Lev. 21.13 Without descent or pedigree Whose genealogy or pedigree is not declared in Scripture For a pedigree is a declaration of a mans parentage or descent He is not without descent or parentage that hath no parentage at all but because his parentage is not mentioned or extant and therefore not knowne And by this word it may appeare in what sense the Author said that Melchisedek was without father and without mother namely because as there is no mention in Scripture of his pedigree and ancestors no neither of his parents whereof the former is consequent to the latter For hee whose parents are unknowne how should his pedigree and descent be knowne Having neither beginning of dayes nor end of life Dayes may here be taken not for the time of his life but for the time of his Priesthood when that began or ended for so the Scripture mentions the dayes of Herod and of John Baptist And in this sense Melchisedeck is said to have neither beginning of dayes nor end of life because the Scripture declares not at what time his Priesthood began nor when it ended to make it hereby appeare that in his Priesthood there was no respect had either of his predecessor or successor For therefore in every Priest the beginning and ending of his Priesthood is noted that it might thence appeare what predecessor and what successor each Priest had And further the end of life is fitly opposed to the beginning of his Priesthood because the Priesthood expired not but with his life But if by Dayes we understand the time of his life then we must acknowledge that the beginning of his life is mentioned only for opposition and amplifications sake For it was enough for the Author to shew that Melchisedeck had no knowne successor in his Priesthood that in this respect he might be a type of Christ which he expresseth by saying he had no end of life But being willing to say yet more for illustrations sake he affirmes that as he had no end of life so he had no beginning of it and therefore no marvell if the end of his life were not mentioned when the beginning of it was concealed But made like unto the Son of God abideth a Priest continually But compared or likened unto Christ abides a Priest perpetually and without any successor He doth in these words further yet illustrate the point from the contrary Melchisedec hath no end of life but remaines a Priest perpetually or for ever And when hee would signifie where the Scripture testifies this he saith made like unto the Sonne of God q.d. There the Scripture testifies it where she compares and likens him to Christ For the Scripture no where expresly saith of Melchisedec alone by himselfe that he abides a Priest for ever but only in comparing him with Christ in the very words spoken of Christ Thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec In which words the Scripture doth withall insinuate tacitly and by force of the comparison that
me of sin or if ye cannot do that but that my innocency acquits me from all crime why do yee reject me as an Impostor and a counterfeit and do not rather acknowledge my doctrine for truth Lastly the Bloud of Christ i. his cruell and infamous death which he suffered with such constancy that hee might assert his doctrine and especially that hee might testifie himselfe to bee Christ and the Sonne of God what possible suspicion can this leave of the least fraud or falshood For if Christ had beene conscious to himselfe of any fraud or falshood would hee have cast himselfe upon so infamous and fearfull a death and endure it with such patiency and constancy of minde If he had an intent to get himselfe a name by lyes and deceits would he have cast himselfe so freely uponextreame reproach and disgrace and get fame by no other meanes but by an infamous death for being condemned to the Crosse what could he else hope for if hee were an Impostor But if Christ were no way conscious to himselfe of any fraud or falshood but suffered death to assert his doctrine who sees not but he must needs be void of all offence For if his doctrine were false it must needs be fained of himselfe For he publiquely professed that he had seene the Father had received commands from him and was sent from him into the world that he was the Son of God and the King of Gods people which God had promised long before Now if these things were false how could Christ be ignorant of their falshood but if he knew them to be false whence could he have such a contempt of death for the asserting of them whence could he have such an invincible constancy and courage of minde Seeing therefore we have Jesus a surety of the new Covenant attested with so many documents of the truth shall we doubt to joyne our faith unto him to rest upon the hope of those heavenly blessings which he hath promised in this Covenant to cast off the yoke of sin and to give our name up to God and his righteousnesse Some man may marvaile why the Author treating of Christs Priesthood both before and after should suddenly call him the surety of the new Covenant and not the Priest of it Why did hee not say by so much was Iesus made a Priest of a better Testament For the whole context of the Chapter seemes to require this It is very credible that in the word surety the Priesthood of Christ is also understood For it is the part of a surety not onely to promise something in the name of another and to interpose his faith for another but also if the cause require to performe the thing he promised in anothers name and among men there is cause if the principall performe it not for whom the surety interposed but here it proceeds upon a contrary cause for the former cannot here take place namely because he for whom Christ interposed as a surety doth performe his promises to us by Christ himselfe in which action the Priesthood of Christ doth chiefly consist For Christ as he is a Priest doth now in heaven nothing more intentively then to performe Gods promises unto us i. he takes away all punishment of our sins he endowes us with Gods gifts and graces and at last translates us into heaven 23. And they truly were many Priests because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death Here he brings a new difference betweene Christ a Priest after the order of Melchisedec and the Priests after Aarons order and withall proves him far more excellent then they And this difference is that they were many but Christ was but one himself onely The reason of both is taken from the 16. and 17. verses because they were mortall and one being dead another must succeed but Christ is immortall and lives for ever 24. But this man because he continueth ever hath an unchangeable Priesthood The Priesthood of Christ is said unchangeable because it is not transitory to change the person and passe from one to another for seeing he lives for ever and hath no successor therefore the Priesthood doth alwayes remaine in his person For because his person is unchangeable and continueth for ever therefore also his Priesthood is unchangeable and continueth for ever in his person 25. Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost From the former verse he drawes this as a consectary wherein appeares a great difference betweene Christ and the legall priests and his great preheminence above them Namely that Christ is able to save for ever and at all times which none of them could doe To the uttermost in the originall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the uttermost of time at all times and for ever for uttermost must be referred to the perfection or fulnesse of time and not of his saving For although the salvation it selfe which Christ our Priest brings unto us be in all points perfect and complete yet this in this place is not deduced from the former verse but the other onely So that to the uttermost is all one with continually and perpetually as appeares by the latter words of this verse wherein the Author shews the reason of this as we shall shew there Able to save This salvation in reference to Christ is in it self as we said most perfect and absolute For Christ saveth us as he takes away all the guilt and punishment of all our sinnes as he succours us in our infirmities from sinking under them and consequently from falling into punishment for our sinnes thereupon as he receives our soules into his hands which he restores us in due time invested with eternall glory and happinesse Whereof wee treated chap. 2. and 4. and 5. That come unto God by him Christ doth not save all men actually but them that come unto God by him To come unto God is to worship God and serve him with all our heart by offering sacrifices unto him as the Author speakes afterward chap. 13.15 Let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God And to come to God by Christ is to worship God in confidence of Christ trusting upon him and in obedience of Christ following his Commandements and to worship him in worshipping of Christ by adoring praising and praying to Christ For he that doth this doth not so much worship and serve Christ as God himselfe by Christ Seeing hee ever liveth to make intercession for them In these words hee expresly addes the reason of the Consectary at the beginning of the verse Christ is able to save to the uttermost continually and perpetually because hee liveth to the uttermost continually and perpetually for he liveth ever Christ is said to make intercession by way of resemblance to the legall Priest who by entring and offering in the most holy place did make intercession So also Christ by his entrance into the heavenly tabernacle by his owne blood and by his
narrowly and therein also the same things are expressed sometime more amply and sometime more briefly Whereof we must take notice for the better understanding and reconciling of severall places So the word Faith is sometime taken so narrowly that salvation and justification is ascribed to it alone and sometime again more largely to comprise other vertues in it sometime more sometime fewer according as the sense of the word is extended or restrained I will put my lawes into their minde and write them in their hearts Here he begins to describe the new Covenant q.d. In the old Covenant I wrote some of my Lawes in tables of stone and Moses wrote other some in a booke and they were put in the Arke to be kept there But my new Covenant shall not be according to that way but by it I will write my Laws in their hearts and put them in their mindes to be kept there They shall not be arbitrary and positive Lawes flowing from my sole will and pleasure whereof their hearts can conceive no reason and whereof their memories may easily faile such as were most Lawes in my former Covenant but they shall be only naturall Lawes grounded only upon naturall honesty and upon the dictates of right reason that their mindes may easily conceive them and their memories retaine them And their owne consciences shall acknowledge them to be convenient just right and good And besides they shall not have a bare understanding of my Lawes to know them but an hearty affection to doe them Now because Gods Covenant is described in these words therefore hence it appeares that this writing of Gods Laws in mens minds and hearts dependes and proceeds from the nature of the Covenant And therefore these words must bee taken within their force and efficacie and not necessarily extended to the very effect of the writing which is alway left in the free power of man For this is intimated unto us by the following words of God at the 12. verse wherein God opens unto us the cause manner or meanes of this which containeth wonderfull grace and mercy of God offered to his people for by this means he saith it would come to passe that they would serve him and keep his Laws with so great fervency But this way Gods Laws are written upon none but willing hearts The sense therefore is I will make such a Covenant that shall have sufficient force and power to containe my people in their duties For to have Gods Laws written in our mindes and hearts is nothing else but to be so knowing so mindfull and so affected with them that we never decline from them but alwayes observe them with all our endeavour And I will be to them a God This follows from the former as the former clause opposite to this and I regarded them not followed from the people 's not continuing in his Covenant which in like manner is opposed to the writing of Gods Laws in mens hearts For God to be a God unto us is to be our sovereigne Protector to defend us from all evill and to be our sovereigne Benefactor to accumulate us with all his blessings And they shall be to me a people Either this is really the same with the former and an amplification of it consisting of a mutuall relation such as we had before in these words I will be to him a father and he shall be to me a son chap. 1.5 Or else it is as much as if the Author had said And they shall deale by me as my people ought to doe both of us shall performe our parts respectively I by protecting and benefiting them they by worshipping and serving me 11. And they shall not teach every man his neighbour and every man his brother saying Know the Lord They shall not need to admonish and exhort one another first to know my lawes and decrees and after upon knowledge thereof to observe them but all of them shall bee carried with such alacrity of minde to know and obey mee that none shall need any remembrancer to put him in minde of it Neighbour and brother are taken here for the same for in the Law these three names are coincident neighbour brother and friend See Lev. 19.18 For all shall know me from the least to the greatest Here againe God speaks of the efficacie of this Covenant and not of the effect it selfe for it shall be able to produce an universall knowledge of God though in some single persons it produce it not actually All of al sorts from the least age to the greatest yong old from the least state to the greatest poor and rich and from the least degree to the greatest low and high 12. For I will be mercifull to their unrighteousnesse and their sinnes and their iniquities will I remember no more Here God opens unto us the cause of his ardent affection towards us and withall unfolds the nature of this Covenant namely that therein he will be mercifull to all the sinnes of his people to their unrighteousnesses their transgressions and iniquities and will never remember them more This so great a benefit must needs oblige all mens mindes and in a manner constraine them to consecrate themselves wholly unto God and constantly to persist in the daily observation of his Lawes Which effect seeing every remission of sinne cannot produce therefore we must here understand such a one as hath the power to doe it namely a plenary and perfect remission whereby such as are truly and seriously penitent and afterward live holily are released from the guilt or bond of all their former sinnes not only in respect of temporall punishment and death but also of eternall death and withall eternall life is ordained for them For this remission of sinnes adding the condition of repentance hath this vertue and power in it to withdraw men from sinne and for the future to devote themselves to God The words unrighteousnesse sins and iniquities doe in like manner teach us that this remission is plenary and perfect extended to all manner of sinnes even the most heynous Hence we see that this plenary remission of sinnes is a promise proper to the new Covenant For in these words is evidently proved what he said before concerning the new Covenant that it was established upon better promises then the old This is the mysticall sense of those words of the Prophet the literall sense was that God would deliver the people of the Jewes from the captivity of Babylon and would so blot out their former wickednesse and foule sinnes that hee would acquit them from all further temporall punishments for them for which so great benefit the people must needs bee marveilously bound to God and induced to serve him constantly for ever after But this sense is far too slender to answer fully and solidly unto words of so high a nature For at that time to speake properly God neither made any new Covenant different from the former neither was
the Old Testament pertinent to his purpose or because he thought them not to be mentioned by reason of that sinne whereby they made themselves and their posterity subject unto death especially seeing in those Canonicall bookes we no where reade that God ever pardoned our first Parents for their sinne although the Author of the booke of Wisdome in the beginning of the tenth chapter affirmes That Wisdome preserved the first formed father of the world that was created alone and brought him out of his fall that is she freed him from the guilt and punishment of his sinne Therefore he begins with Abel their son placing him in the first place as the first person among those whose piety towards God and Gods love toward them is celebrated in Scripture and then shews what Abel obtained by his faith Of him therefore he saith That he offered a more excellent sacrifice then Cain Some render it a more bountifull sacrifice others a more valuable thinking the Author intended to note that Cain as an ungratefull and a distrustfull person offered onely a few fruits but Abel to testifie his affection and faith offered things of more value namely the firstlings and fattest of his sheepe But the more simple and certaine meaning is that Abels sacrifice was not more bountifull or more valuable of it selfe then the others but more acceptable unto God who accepted and esteemed it better and more excellent by reason of the righteousnesse and godlinesse of the person that offered it for upon that ground it is that God esteemes and values all offerings made unto him Now there was no other cause of that godlinesse and consequently of Gods acceptation of Abels sacrifice but onely Abels saith whereby he stood perswaded that God was and was a Rewarder of those that seeke him and sue to him for his favour by godlinesse and righteousnesse And there was no other cause of his faith but that he had in him the substance of things hoped for for his hope of Gods favour and of Gods reward did breed this faith of God in him Furthermore he whose offering God hath in esteeme his person must needs be in more esteeme with God for from this roote growes the true happinesse of every man But that Cain offered the fruits of the earth and Abel the firstlings of his cattell the reason was because Cain was an husbandman and Abel an heards-man So both of them offered their sacrifice to God out of that substance wherein each abounded And that the word sacrifice which properly signifies an offering from the Herd which is slaine should be tacitly referred to Cains offering which was onely of fruits this must be attributed to the runne of the comparison the fitting whereof doth many times make way to some abusions or improprieties By which he obtained witnesse that he was righteous The words by which are better referred to Abels faith then to his sacrifice for the following words and by it he being dead yet speaketh are in like manner referred to his faith for they expresse a peculiar fruit of it But where did Abel obtaine this testimony of his righteousnesse even in that passage of Scripture where God had respect to him and to his sacrifice but not to that which Cain offered as we reade it Gen. 4.4,5 or as the Author declares himselfe in the words following God testifying of his gifts For therein God testified of his gifts or offerings that they were acceptable unto him in that he had respect unto them And very probable it is that God shewed his testimony and acceptance thereof by some fire sent from heaven which consumed the sacrifice and offering of Abel And when God doth accept of a mans gifts and offerings being graciously pleased to receive them he doth thereby testifie and witnesse that man to be a righteous person seeing no gifts or offerings are acceptable to God but such as come from a righteous man for the sacrifice of fooles or sinners is an abomination to him And when God in his discourse with Cain rendred him a reason why he had no respect to his offering he shewed cleerely enough that both Cain did not well and that Abel did well which is to be just See Gen. 4.7 And by it be being dead yet speaketh Another fruit of Abels faith which was the cause that God would be an avenger of his innocent bloud to persecute and banish from his presence his brother that had murdered him Abels bloud is said to speake or cry unto God by way of metaphor because God thereby is vehemently incited and moved to take vengeance for the murder of a person that was righteous and acceptable to God as if his bloud had cried and sued to God for justice to be done upon the murtherer So in the Revelation the souls of them that were slaine for the word of God are said to cry with a loud voice How long O Lord holy and true dost thou not judge and avenge our bloud on them that dwell on the earth Revel 6.10 5. By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death and was not found because God had translated him In the second place hee brings the Example of Enoch and sheweth what he obtained by his faith Into what place Enoch was translated the Scripture expresseth not but from what the Authour addes that he should not see death it appeares hee was translated into such a place wherein men see not death i. Are exempt and free from dying which seemes to be no other or at least no other knowne to us then that heavenly habitacle of Immortalitie wherein God and Christ and the holy Angels dwell But because the Scripture expresly saith not that Enoch obtained this favour by his faith therefore the Authour proves it by adding For before his translation he had this testimony that he pleased God The reason may runne thus Enoch was translated because he pleased God which the thing it selfe shewes and the Scripture testifies that before his translation he pleased God But without faith it is impossible to please God therefore Enoch was translated by his faith The consequence of this argument shal be defended afterward Or rather the reason may thus be gathered Enoch was translated because he pleased God and because he pleased God therefore hee had Gods testimoniall of it And againe because hee pleased God therefore hee had in himselfe some substance of things hoped for and some evidence of things not seene and because hee had in him this substance and evidence of things hoped for and not seene therefore hee had faith and because he had faith therefore by his faith hee was translated For in affirmative arguments that which is first in nature is last in course of reason He had this testimony namely either from the holy Scripture or from the holy Ghost by whom the Scripture was indited But the giving or the taking of this testimony must not be joyned with the preceding words before his translation
any more for they are equall unto the angels and are the children of God being the children of the resurrection Luke 20.35,36 What is all this else but to be an heire and a citizen of that heavenly countrey and city We see then that a heavenly countrey and city is prepared and ordained for Abraham Isaac and Jacob and therefore why should wee doubt but that the very same is reserved also for all us that are the worshippers and servitors of God which right of ours wee need not stand to evict from divers evidences and dark consequences seeing hereof wee have not only most open and clear promises which to those Patriarchs were never declared but also we know for certain that Christ our head doth now enjoy the possession of that countrey and city This only remaines for us that following the example of those Patriarks and much rather of Christ our Captaine wee should finally carry our selves obedient unto God and extending our hopes beyond our death should doe our utmost endeavour that our life should first fail us before we fail of our faith and allegiance toward God 17. By faith Abraham when he was tryed offered up Isaac The Author here mentions an example of Abrahams faith which of all other was most illustrious namely his offering up of Isaac the circumstances whereof the Authour doth but lightly touch as a thing sufficiently known and at large described in the sacred Scriptures Offered Abraham offered him not really and actually but which is all one with God purposely with an unchangeable and constant purpose of minde with as much endeavour as lay in his power and proceeding so farre in the action as had not God recalled him the effect undoubtedly had followed Thus he offered him and not onely slew him for the slaughter should have preceded and then the offering must have followed by fire for a burnt-offering for so God had commanded When hee was tryed For of his own election or accord it would never have come into his heart to have sacificed unto God who doth most abhorre crueltie with the bloud of man muchlesse of his owne son unlesse he had beene commanded of God to it And he was commanded to do it not that he should actually perform it but that by his willingnesse to performe it and by obeying Gods Command as farre as in him lay hee should give an assured triall of his faith And he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten sonne What a strange fact was this of a strange faith where not only the father offered up his son but his only begotten son and what father was it even he who had received the promises who from the same mouth of God had received the promises of a seed a posterity to be propagated by Isaac and had confidently beleeved it he now received a command to slay Isaac before there was any issue from him Therefore truly here also Abraham may be said to have beleeved in hope against hope that we use the Apostles words speaking of another point of his faith who as a little after we shall shew doubted not to reconcile together two things clashing and crossing one another namely the life and death of the same person because it was God who had spake concerning both We may further adde here other circumstances expressed in the history as that three dayes journey with his sonne to a place assigned him by God with that thoughts and cares shall wee think the soule of the poor father was agitated journying toward the resolved slaughter of his deare and only sonne whom he drew on along with him ignorant of his destined calamity to become a sacrifice and a burnt-offering what spirits were in him may we imagine when upon his assent up that fatall Mount he laid the wood upon his sonne wherewith a fire should be kindled to burne him after his father had slaine him what thought he when his sonne perceiving no sacrifice besides himselfe and marvelling at the matter did gently demand of his father where was the Lambe for the burnt-offering what thought he when seasing upon his sonne with his owne hands expecting no such dealing from so dear a father he bound him and laid him on the Altar upon the wood when he drew his knife and standing over him eyed his throat and stretched forth his heavy hand that shook and trembled with fatherly love which of us all reading and considering all these findes not his soule melting in him yet the invincible faith of Abraham conquered all these And Isaac is called the only begotten sonne of Abraham or as it is in the Hebrew his only sonne not that hee only was his sonne for Ismael also was his sonne but because he was his only sonne by Sarah the true wife of Abraham and because hee was his only beloved sonne that was borne to his parents in their extreme old age by the singular gift and wondrous power of God and because he was to be the only heire of his fathers estate and of Gods promises and because the seed of Abraham was to bee called in him only for the children of Isaac only were to be accounted the true posterity of Abraham And he that received the promises The pronoune he whether we thinke it relative to Isaac or to Abraham which is better yet the sense is the same doth notifie unto us a notable circumstance of this fact that makes the faith of Abraham to appear yet much greater Certainly that faith is very great which is seen and tryed in hard cases as was the offering of an only sonne But how much greater is that faith which staggereth not at such an action as naturally would utterly overthrow it Yet such was this fact of Abraham Abraham had received promises from God whereof one was that a numerous posterity should be borne of him the other that the land of Canaan wherein he was a sojourner and a stranger should be given in possession to his posterity These promises Abraham had from God and he beleeved both of them with all his heart as it is signified by the word received and beleeving these promises he shewed himselfe obedient to all Gods commands that he might not faile of his hope from so great blessings Now what command doth God lay upon him God commands him to take Isaac his sonne in whose posterity all those promises were to be fulfilled and from whom as yet he had no grandchild yet him he must offer up that is he must slay and burne him for a sacrifice If Abraham must doe this and looke into the nature of the action could he possibly have any hope of those promises 18. Of whom it was said that in Isaac shall thy seed be called This is therefore added lest any man should thinke that Abraham might imagine though Isaac were extinct yet the promises might have their issue in Ismael For Abraham could not imagine this because God had said unto him in Isaac
Lord the Author understands the afflictions which the Hebrewes suffered for Christs sake because many times God is wont to use such afflictions not onely to make triall of men but to make men good and to amend them by a fatherly correction And wee must conceive that this had then befallen those Hebrewes Nor faint when thou art rebuked of him Another abuse of Gods chastening quite contrary to the former and that is to faint and sinke downe under it For some when they are chastned of God are of a stubborne and impatient spirit others are soft natured or have no spirit at all whence it comes to passe that being overcome with afflictions they faint and forsaking their trust and hope in God turne aside from the pathes of righteousnesse 6. For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth The reason expressed in the exhortation it selfe why we should be obedient unto it is because chastening is an effect and an argument of Gods love toward us And what proceeds from Gods love must not be despised or rejected but be held in high esteem neither must it deject our minds from faith and hope in God but rather raise and encourage us to receive it But we must note that chastisement that is that correction or punishment which God inflicts upon us for our amendment is a token and effect of Gods love and not every punishment which oftentimes is laid on men for their destruction for this is the effect of Gods wrath and indignation against which David supplicates in the sixth Psalme Besides this reason must be taken with a limitation for God doth not chastise every one whom he loves if we take chastising not simply for affliction but for a punishment but then onely when they deserve chastising as for the most part they doe But it appears by the scope and intent of the Author that these words must be taken as if it had been said Whom the Lord loveth he at last chastiseth or sometime chastiseth Which sentence is more fully expressed in the Hebrew text if wee looke upon the following words as wee shall see presently For otherwise we could not hence gather that chastising is alwayes an effect and token of Gods love For saving the truth of the words in the text a man may imagine that whom God loveth hee chastiseth but not conversly that whom he chastiseth he loveth so that it may be doubted whether chastising proceed from Gods love or hatred Neither are these sayings repugnant Whom the Lord loveth he chastiseth and whom he loveth not he chastiseth seeing God may chastise both these unlesse as we said we understand the particle at last in the latter part of the former saying which in such sayings falles out very frequently And scourgeth every son whom he receiveth This is but a repetition of the same saying In the Hebrew it is even as a father the son in whom he delighteth which is nothing else but the converse of the former saying as if Solomon had said whom God loveth he chastiseth and whom he chastiseth he loveth So that chastising is a most certain and undoubted effect and token of Gods love Whom he receiveth i. whom God adopteth acknowledgeth and accounteth for his Sonne For God doth not acknowledge all for sonnes who call themselves the Sonnes of God 7. If ye endure chastning God dealeth with you as with sons From the former divine exhortation the Author frames in a manner a new argument to excite them unto patience in suffering of afflictions because then God dealeth with them as with sonnes Ye have this commodity by your patience that God offers himselfe unto you as unto children and he on his part performes the office of a Father so thereby ye have God for your Father And God delighteth in him whom he chastiseth as a father in his sonne For what sonne is he whom the father chastiseth not It is the office of the father to chastise the sonne that deserveth it and he alwayes doth it unlesse many and great injuries have overcome his patience and there be something that hee fears more then he blames 8. But if ye be without chastisement To be without chastisement in this verse is opposed to endure chastening in the former verse whence it appears that the word endure in the former verse doth not signifie the vertue of patience which is a duty belonging to the godly but only the suffering or sense of paine which concernes their state and condition Hee shews on the other part illustrating the thing from the contrary what an inconvenience it is for a man to be without chastisement and to receive no trouble nor evill from God And the inconvenience is this that such goe not for sonnes but are reputed of God as bastards and children of adultery and changelings which of all inconveniences is to man the greatest We must therefore needs chuse one of these two either to be acknowledged for the sons of God and so undergoe chastisement or if we will not be chastised we must bee accounted bastards Whereof all are partakers To be the Son of God and to be chastised at least as often as need requires are conditions so connexed and coupled between themselves that all the Sons of God must needs undergoe this Law all must needs feele their Fathers hand and be partakers of chastisement All must needs be partakers hereof yet not universally but generally because there are few sons or rather but one only who deserved not chastisement neither had any need of it And yet even he was exercised with hard conditions not that hee was partaker of chastisement properly that is of punishment for what place could punishment have in him that was most innocent but that by his stripes and wounds we might be perfectly healed Hence the chastisement of our peace or that brought us true peace and happines is said to have been upon him Esay 53.5 in which place the word chastisement must by way of synecdoche be taken for affliction Then are ye bastards and not sonnes Ye are not truly borne of God not such whom God acknowledgeth for his sonnes and children but yee are bastards and changelings For they are bastards who goe for the sonnes of such a man yet indeed were not begotten of him and such are not alwayes acknowledged of their carnall fathers but our spirituall Father cannot be deceived for he knowes all that are not borne of him and acknowledgeth them for none of his and thereupon vouchsafeth not to bestow any fatherly care and chastisement for the framing of their manners and behaviour 9. Further more we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us He shews by another argument which is yet of affinity with the former that we must endure Gods chastisements and so endure them that thereby we become corrected and amended for such as do this they only receive chastisement as they ought The fathers of our flesh are our carnall fathers that begat us according to the flesh
should passe the bounds set them by God and touch the Mount especially when it was also to be feared that for the sinne and rashnesse of some one or a few many might suffer that might seeme in some manner involved For the like had elsewhere fallen out in such offences committed against the Majesty of God especially if the command were laid upon all that no one might dare to attempt as here it was Therefore it is credible that the Israelites greatly in feare of this command of not touching the Mount nor passing their bounds and of not touching them that did transgresse herein but killing them afarre off with stones or darts did entreate that they might not be drawne out of their tents to heare the Law proclaimed and thereby put in danger of transgressing that command and offending God for while they kept within their campe they were safer from sinning and if any rash person should go forth and dare to passe the bounds that God had set he should do it at his owne perill onely and not endanger the people by it who were innocent of it But being out of their campe and drawne so neere the Mount it might easily fall out that some beast or man either pressed forward by the multitude as it often happens or carried on with his owne rash and curious desire to see God would hardly containe himselfe within the bounds limited and having once passed them no man might follow him to draw him back but they must kill him afarre off with stones and darts And commonly in other mens dangers especially theirs who stand allyed unto us we forget our owne and therefore it might easily fall out that the father willing to save his son and the son his father one friend another and one neighbour another many might involve themselves in the common danger What marvaile therefore is it if the Israelites could not endure that which was commanded for not touching the Mount nor passing their bounds and therefore entreated that God would speake to them no more in regard of the great danger wherein they stood to heare him To him whom this way satisfies not we may say that the words they could not endure that which was commanded need not be referred to the words following but may be read in a parenthesis to declare what was spoken next before But the following words and if so much as a beast touch c. being put by themselves serve to amplifie the great terrour of that spectacle as also doth the whole verse following If we follow this way then the Author seemes to have uttered these words in a double sence One is historicall according to the ordinary construction of the words themselves the other is typicall which is as it were a figure or shadow of the things historied The historicall sence is that the Israelites could not endure that voice of God whereby hee gave his Laws and commands But this sence though it agree with the history yet it hardly complies with the words The other sence shews not what was really done of the Israelites but what was represented or shadowed out by what was done The people entreated that the word might be spoken to them no more Why so Because saith the Author they could not endure that which was commaunded for the burden of the Commandments was too heavie for their shoulders They doe not indeed say this neither do they feele it but by their fact and refusall they intimate and shadow it For as that voyce wherewith the commandments were published being grievous and terrible was a signe of the gravitie and weightinesse of the commandements of the Law so the people 's not enduring that God should speake to them and command them was a secret token that the people could not beare the burden of the commands of the Law For the sacred Scriptures of the new Testament when they speake of a thing which hapned under the Law doe commonly so speake of it as if the thing were then done which then was onely typically signified Whereof we have an evident example in Paul when hee saith that Moses put a vaile over his face that the children of Israel could not stedfastly looke to the end of that which is abolished 2. Cor. 3.13 when yet if we look into the History that was done for another cause namely because the Israelites could not endure the lustre of Moses his face for the brightnes of it But because that vailing of Moses his face was a type and shadow of the thing which Paul mentions therefore the thing it selfe is said to be done In a like manner of speech the names of the antitypes are sometime attributed to the types So before chap. 11. ver 26. wee see that the reproach of the Israelites in Egypt was called the reproach of Christ And that wee may goe no farther even in this chapter a little after at the 25. verse this very refusall of the people wherein they entreated that God would speake no more unto them is taken for that which in like manner was signified by another type namely for contumacy and disobedience against God For when the Authour at the said 25. verse saith that they escaped not punishment who refused him that spake on earth it is manifest that hee hath relation to that refusall which he mentioneth in this place But the refusall which caused the Israelites to incurre Gods displeasure and bee punished and which we also must by all meanes avoide as by the Author we are admonished at the 25. verse was not their refusall to heare God speak unto them without an interpreter for that was wholly pleasing unto God as we read Deut. 5.28,29,30 but the thing that under that refusall was covertly shadowed and tacitely presaged namely that in future time it would come to passe that they would indeed refuse to heare that is to obey the voyce of God In like manner therefore in this place the Israelites are said to refuse that God should give them more precepts or speake further unto them because they could not endure more yea not them which they had heard already not that this was their mind and sense but that this was the sense of their fact as afterward the event shewed Shall be stoned or thrust thorow with a dart This latter clause is not extant either in the old Latine translation nor in the Syriak yet it manifestly agrees with the History Exod. 19.13 This was therefore commanded because as we said it was not lawfull to recall or reduce either man or beast that had transgressed the bounds set but it must be dispatched or slain a farre off with stones or darts If so much as a beast As if he had said much lesse might any man touch the Mount who is the proper subject of sinne and offence 21. And so terrible was the sight that Moses said I exceedingly feare and quake The Author amplifies the terrours of that sight as if hee had said the
in that being it had amongst them it must never cease to be nor faile to be lesse for hee tacitly attributes this vertue unto them and supposing it amongst them already requires the continuance of it For he had spoken before of their worke and labour of love that they had ministred unto the Saints and did minister And therefore he seems not simply to exhort them to the duty of love as if it were not yet amongst them but to the continuance of it as supposing it amongst them already 2. Be not forgetfull to entertaine strangers The second good office is that of hospitality Hospitality is but love and charity carryed upon another object when our love is not restrained to our acquaintance only whom wee know but enlarged towards strangers in generall whom we know not whether they be our brethren or not And it consisteth in receiving strangers into our houses and entertaining them will all good offices of humanity and courtesie especially according to our abilities and their necessities And as hospitality must be exercised toward all strangers so especially and in the first place toward Christians who are our brethren and chiefly to those of them that are exiles and become strangers for the cause of Christ and his Religion And to this hospitality may be referred our humanity toward the poor by inviting them to our houses and cheering them in a kinde and comfortable manner And of hospitality we must not be forgetfull i. We must not neglect it For those things that we forget we also neglect or as we have said before wee take no care for them the contrary whereof we shall see in the verse following For thereby some have entertained Angels unawares He commends hospitality and moves us to the exercise of it in regard that thereby some have entertained Angels unawares He hath reference to the history of Abraham and Lot whereof both were wondrous hospitable and carefull to receive and entertaine strangers into their houses and both unawares happened upon Angels sent from God carrying themselves in the shape of men which they received into their houses So that by the hospitality of some namely of Abraham and Lot it came to passe that they received and entertained Angels not knowing them to bee Angels then when they received them For if they had evidently knowne them to bee Angels it had been no marvell that they invited them into their houses or tents for this they might well have done though otherwise they had not been hospitable For who is so inhospitable but if he thinke he may procure Angels to accept of his entertainment will delay to invite them when he findes them at his doore though indeed this were no hospitality at all for he that invites Angels must needs know that Angels can be in no necessity to stand in need of entertainment which hospitality alway supposeth in the stranger that she receiveth The three men seen of Abraham From these words of the Author it is manifest how vainly they are mistaken who thinke that the three men who were seen and invited of Abraham Gen. 18.2 were the persons of the holy Trinity and because hee saw three and worshipped but one calling him My Lord therefore they gather that Abraham believed that those three persons were one God These men perceive not upon what a fallacious conjecture they relye in matters of so high moment For this divine Author doth openly declare and testifie that they were Angels and not three persons of the Deity which if they had been he might surely have commended hospitality with a far higher encomium of praise and have said that by reason of that vertue not Angels but the persons of the Deity received entertainment And we desire leave to demand of these men what they thinke whether Abraham when hee saw those three persons and worshipped one of them inviting him into his tent did then certainly know that he entertained the persons of the sacred Trinity or not know it If they affirme the first that hee did know it then we further demand of them why Abraham used them as men why he dressed meat and caused it to be set before them and exhibited other offices of courtesie to them which are usually done unto men was he so ignorant of things that he knew not that God wanted no such entertainment And why doth this Author say that he entertained men unawares For what can this signifie else but that he believed them to be men Did hee who did not so much as imagine them to be Angels believe them to be persons of the Deity But if for the second point these men confesse as the truth is and as this Author clearly teacheth that Abraham supposed that he saw and invited no other persons but men with what reason doe they gather that because he saw three and worshipped one therefore he believed that they were one God distinct in three persons Did he therefore believe it because he did not so much as imagine it But you will say why then did he worship one seeing he saw three without all doubt he therefore did it because one of them carried himselfe so as seeming greater worthier then the rest and was eminent amongst them And surely one of them only is called Jehovah and is cleerly distinguished from both the other In the 18. Chapter of Genesis compare the 17. verse and so forth and the last verse with the first verse of the Chapter following where the two other Angels went to Lot in Sodome For this may be a sufficient argument that from this one point of worshipping one the unity of a common essence among them cannot bee collected seeing Lot worshipped also the other two bowing himselfe with his face toward the ground and called them joyntly My Lords Gen. 19.1,2 But if that one at Abrahams tent carried himselfe for a divine person why is he alone both worshipped of Abraham and called Jehovah in the Scripture Were not the other persons worthy of the same honour and of the same name But if that one went for the divine and commune essence where shall be the third Person of the Deity Did therefore Abraham worship the divine Essence and neglect the divine Persons or did one carry himselfe for the Essence and for a Person also And why not the rest also if the divine Essence were equally commune to them all Eusebius in his first booke contends that this one Person was the Sonne of God because that after Abraham knew him he is called Lord and God For hee will not have him to be the most high God because to him it is not incident to undergoe such a change as to assume a strange shape and converse with men under it Neither may we think to insert this by the way that those fathers who lived before and about the times of the Nicene Councel and the whole Church in generall held this opinion of God to believe that the Sonne is that