it comes to pass in a necessary Axiom which is opposed to impossible 3. This is more evident when we consider that both this Change and this necessity follows after and upon another Change For though God in his absolute power could have continued this Law and prevented this Change yet if he once change the Priest-hood the Law must be changed And so the force of the Consequence comes in to be considered which presupposeth some strict Connexion of both and a dependance of the Law upon the Priest-hood For if God did determine that the Priest-hood and Law should stand and fall together then it must necessarily follow that whilst the Priest-hood did stand the Law must stand and when the Priest-hood shall fall and be abolished then the Law of necessity must be abrogated And that this was the determination of God was made evident by the event and the execution of his Decree Again if the Priest-hood be once taken away the Law was useless because there was no Priest appointed by God remaining to officiate according to that Law as we see it is at this day And this might be the Reason why God did not only by the Death and Sacrifice of the great High-Priest after he was once exhibited on Earth and his Ministration in Heaven abolish that Levitical Priest-hood but also destroyed the Temple and the City where he had put his Name and to which he had confined that Priest-hood and never yet suffered either of them to be rebuilt And from these Reasons the force of their Consequence is strong and evident § 20. He proves further that the Priest-hood was changed because the great Priest after the Order of Melchizedec was not called after the Order of Aaron because he was not of the Tribe of Levi but of another Tribe and by Name of the Tribe of Judah Thus the Text informs us Ver. 13. For he of whom these things are spoken pertaineth to another Tribe of which no man gave attendance at the Altar Ver. 14. For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Judah of which Tribe Moses spake nothing concerning the Priest-hood THE words of the Psalmist do prove that the Levitical Priest-hood must be changed and these prove that it was already changed And the Reason whereby he proves the Change of the Priest is the Change of the Tribe which presupposeth that the Levitical Priest was confined to one certain Tribe and that was the Tribe of Levi and to one certain Family the Family of Aaron From whence it follows that if the Tribe was once changed and God institute a Priest of another Tribe the Priest-hood must be changed And this great Priest which is after the Order of Melchizedec must not be was not called after the Order of Aaron neither was he of that Family In the words he informs us 1. Who the Person was that must be the Priest intended in the Psalm 2. What his Descent is and that two wayes 1. Negatively 2. Positively and affirmatively 1. The person of whom these things are spoken was Jesus Christ. The thing spoken of him are 1. That he was a Prophet above Angels all the Prophets and above Moses himself 2. That he was a Priest for ever after the Order of Melchisedec And though a Prophet might be of any Tribe yet a Priest must be of the Tribe of Levi. Of this great Priest he saith 1. He was of another Tribe 2. Of a Tribe of which no Man gave attendance at the Altar He was of another Tribe This implies the Negative He was not of the Tribe of Levi 1. This is general and so is that which follows For 2. He was of a Tribe where of no man served at the Altar To serve at the Altar and offer Sacrifice was the proper work of a Priest and if any of that Tribe had ever been a Priest and according to God's Institution then though Christ had been of that Tribe yet the Priest-hood had not been changed But God's constitution was otherwise for it excluded all the Tribes but one that one of Levi and so that not any person of any other Tribe could lawfully serve at the Altar This makes the Negative more clear and full and peremptory By this we understand that Christ was of another Tribe that he was not of the Tribe of Levi yet all this will not inform us of what Tribe in particular he was Therefore to give full satisfaction the Authour adds Ver. 14. For it 's evident that our Lord sprang out of Judah of which Tribe Moses spake nothing concerning the Priest-hood THe Apostle presupposing that which cannot be denied that the Tribe of Judah is not the Tribe of Levi and that Christ being of the Tribe of Judah was made a Priest after the Order of Melchisedec seems by these things to prove that the Priest-hood is changed and that more particularly and distinctly then he had done in the former verse For it might have been argued and replyed that if he was of another Tribe then of Judah or Ephram or Benjamin or some of the rest If he was of another Tribe name it or else nothing is done And this was convenient to be done to name the Tribe in particular out of which Christ sprang and it was that of Judah In the words we have three propositions 1. That Christ sprang out of the Tribe of Judah 2. This is evident 3. That of Judah Moses spake nothing concerning the Priest-hood The first proposition is made clear out of the Histories of the Evangelists delivering the Genealogy of Christ from Abraham and David by way of descending Matth. 1. and of Christ's descent from David by way of ascending Luke 3. It 's further evident by the Calling of Joseph his Father-in-Law and his Mother to be enroled with the Tribe of Judah in Bethlehem the City of David Luke 2. And his Name was found long after his Ascension in these Rolles kept in the Arches at Rome He saith our Lord to signify that Christ was that Lord to whom the Lord Jehovah said Sit thou at my right hand c. The second proposition This was evident This might be evident then to them not only by these Histories but by the publick Records of the Roman Cense and Enrolment and the Registers both publick and private of their pedigrees For the Jews were very careful to Register their Discents for their distinction of their Families and their Tribes and God's providence did order it so to be not only by these Genealogies to manifest who had title to the Priest-hood but principally to preserve the Tribe and Families of Judah distinct till Christ was exhibited that so it might be evident that Christ was of that Tribe and of the House of David By this God did manifest his Promise concerning Christ to Descend of David to be fulfilled in that it was evident that Christ was the Son of David and so often called by that Name The third proposition That of that Tribe
Othâ—â— imagine it was the whole World which with the parts thereof both the Tabernacle and Temple did represent wherein the Heaven of Heavens is the Sanctum Sanctorâ—n the Holiest of all and the Sanctuary through which the High-Priest passed into the Holiest place the Aethercal part of the World where the Sun and Moon and Stars represented by the Lights in the Golden Candlestick do ever shine Others determine it to 〈◊〉 the Heaven of Heavens whereof they make some different parts as one to be the place of Angels and Saints and another far more glorious which was the place of God's most blessed and special presence That Christ entred the Heaven of Heavens and that 〈◊〉 he ever ministers and makes Intercession there is express Scripture what difference and degrees of places be there we do not certainly know But let the Tabernacle â—e his Body or the Church Militant or the World or the Heaven of Heavens the second doubt is Whither these words concerning this Tabernacle are to be referred If to the former words which say that Christ being rome an High-Priest of good things to come then it 's nothing but this That Christ is the Minister and High-Priest of a far more glorious Sanctuary But some refer them to the word entred and make the sense to be that as the High-Priest under the Law passeth through the first Sanctuary to enter into the second which is the Holiest of all so Christ passed through the Militant into the Church Triumphant And it 's very true that Christ hath his Sanctuary and Temple here on Earth and that 's his Church wherein God dwels in a special manner and he passed through and from this into the Church Triumphant of Saints and Angels where God is more gloriously present and powerful nay he entred through the Aetherdal part of the World into the highest Heavens and through the Heaven of Angels and Saints unto the highest and most glorious place and Throne of God But the former sense that Christ is come an High-Priest and Minister of a far more glorious and excellent Sanctuary seems to be more genuine and confirmed by Chap. 8. 2. § 11. The third Proposition is concerning Christ's Service and Sacrifice offered in this Temple For Christ not by the Blood of Goats and Calves but by his own Blood iâ—â—red in once into the holy place Where 1. We have the Holy place 2. Christ's Entrance into it 3. His Entrance once 4. His Entrance once by Blood not of Goats and Calvs but by his own Blood 1. The Holy place is the Heaven of Heavens signified by the Holiest of all in the Tabernacle and in the Temple for that was the place into which the High-Priest with Blood entred in once every Year so that there is no difficulty in this particular And that Christ entred into Heaven is clear enough For Christ is not entred into the holy places made with hands which are the Figures of the true but into Heaven it self there to appear before God for us Ver. 24. of this Chapter 2. Christ entred into this Holy place But there is a Question made of the time when he entred That he entred forty dayes after the Resurrection it 's clear and express For he was taken up into Heaven Acts 1. 11. He was carried up into Heaven Luke 24. 71. And He that descended is the same also that ascended far above all Heavens to fulfil all things Ephes. 4. 10. But there seems to be another entrance before this and that was immediately upon his Death For when he had given up the Ghost immediately the Vail of the Temple was rent in the midst from the top to the bottom and his Soul separated from his Body and commended into his Fathers hands entred into Paradise That he entred at that time into Heaven with his Soul separated from his Body the Text doth seem to affirm And what should the renting of the Catapetasm and the Inner-Vail immediately upon his Death signify but that the great High-Priest was ready to enter Heaven Again it may be said more properly that he entred Heaven with or by his Blood when his Soul was separated from his Body than when his Body was risen and made immortal and both Soul and Body joyntly ascended For it was the custom of the High-Priest according to God's Institution upon the slaying of the Sacrifice and taking of the Blood to enter the holy Place and the Type and Anti-type should agree especially in this particular Further the expiatory Offering was not compleate till the Blood was presented before the Throne of God in the inner Sacrary and it was suitable to the Type that the great High-Priest should after he was slain on Earth present himself as slain in Heaven before the Supream Judge as having suffered Death and satisfied Justice for the sin of man But all this I leave to the judgment of Learned men who shall seriously search the Book of God and impartially examine whether God doth not speak this in Scripture And howsoever it 's certain that whether he entred thus then yet he so entred at one time or other that he obtained eternal Redemption 3. He entred once This informs us that though the High-Priest entred once every year and so might enter above a thousand times yet Christ entred thus but once For as we shall read both in the latter end of this and also in the beginning of the next Chapter once to enter or one entrance in this manner was sufficient because one Death one Offering was able to do that which all the Offerings of all the High-Priests under the Law could not do neither was any more Offering needful seeing this had done all that was requisite for satisfaction and merit 4. This entrance was by or with Blood and this is set down negatively and affirmatively Negatively this was not blood of Goats and Calves and that with which the Legal High-Priests did enter within the Vail For as we may read Levit. 16. upon the day of expiation a Bullock and a Goat must be slain and with the Blood of these he must enter the holy Place The reason of this is because the blood of Beasts could not satisfy divine justice expiate the sin of man and purge his conscience and immortal Soul and so make the eternal penalty removable Therefore it must be a far more excellent blood the blood of the Son of God his own blood which was pare unspotted and most precious The reason 1. Why it must be by blood is because as without blood under the Law there was no Legal Remission or Expiation so it was the Will of God that without blood there should be no eternal Remission For though God was merciful and sate in the Throne of Grace and Mercy yet his Justice did require that satisfaction should be made and seeing sin was committed and punishment was deserved and due by his Law violated therefore sin must be punished before it could be pardonable
respect of the prohibition and commination of the Law is guilt and rendring of the Sinner obnoxiâ—us unto vindicative Justice of the Law-giver and Judge This guilt can no waye he taken away but either by suffering or pardon or both as here it 's put away by Christ's suffering and God's pardon for Christ suffers for Sin God pardons it so Christ's sake and in consideration of his suffering and offering The effect of Sin is to render the party sinning obnoxious and liable to punishment and God's vindicative Justice and by this virtue of the commination of the Law God to make way for pardon by a transâ—endent extraordinary power makes Christ man's Surety and Christ voluntarily submits himself out of love to his Brethren to God's will so far as to suffer Death for man's Sin and offers himself as being â—lain to the Supream Judge Upon his submission he becomes one person with sinful man as a Surety with the principal and so is liable to that punishment which sinful man should have suffered as a Surety becomes liable to pay the debt of the principal From all this it 's evident that Sin is an efficient moral cause of Christ's suffering and Christ's suffering is a punishment in proper sense though both these be denied without any reason by the Socinian By this Legal substitution of Christ and the offering of himself Sin is made remissible and the way is made open to pardon and upon the penitency and faith of the Sinner actual pardon follows That Sin is pardonable and pardoned is the end and effect of Christ's Suffering To put away Sin is first to make Sin pardonable and the consequents of Sin removable For this is the work and immediate effect of Christ's Sacrifice of himself and the same not often but once offered in the end of the World In all this we may observe the difference between Christ and the Levitical High-Priest Christ suffers and offers himself and enters Heaven with his own Blood but the Levitical High-Priest offers often and enters with the blood of Bulls and Goats The virtue of the High-Priest's offering was but for a little time but the virtue of Christ's extends to all time In these respects Christ's Sacrifice is far more excellent and more purifying § 25. This discourse of Christ's once offering and once suffering is continued and enlarged for the Apostle informs us that the reason why Christ suffered but once in the end of the World was the Decree of God which had determined of Christ as he had done of other men and this decree was regulated by Divine Wisdom which alwayes dictates that which shall be best and fittest This Decree is two-fold 1. Concerning other men 2. Concerning Christ. And because there is some agreement between the lot of Christ and other Men in respect of Death and that which followeth Death therefore the singularity of Christ's Death is set forth comparatively And of the comparison we have 1. The Proposition Verse 27. And as it was appointed unto Men once to dye but after that the Judgment IN which words we have 1. Something 's ordained 2. The ordination The things ordained are two 1. That men once dy 2. Come to Judgment The words absolutely considered may be reduced to two Propositions 1. That it 's appointed unto men once to dye 2. But after Death follows Judgment The first tells us 1. That men dye and this we certainly know 2. That they dye but once 3. That this is appointed yet though men must dye and it 's so certain and so evident and easily known yet men little consider it but their hearts are strangely taken up with the things of this life and they admire the vanities of this World and promise unto themselves long life and certain enjoyment of these earthly things They do not remember that they are mortal and that there is no assurance that they shall live one hour before Death arrest them and seise upon their estates and all earthly comforts in that day their thoughts perish and their pride and glory are laid in the dust Oh inconsiderate Wretches are ye able to conquer Death turn Mortality into Eternity and Earth into Heaven Be wise and never forget that you must dye 2. Men dye but once there is no return into this World again neither any recovery of what man once dead hath lost As no man can keep alive his Soul so no man can raise his Body and re-unite the Soul unto it This is a work proper to God who made us and far above the power of any Creature When it 's said That men must dye it 's to be understood of the generality of mankind that all must dye because all are obnoxious to Death and Mortal even Enoch and Elias and all those who shall be found alive when Christ shall come to Judge the World And though the two Prophets did not and they who remain till Christ's coming shall not dye as others do yet the former suffered and the latter shall suffer a change equivalent to Death though in both there seems to be some exception from the general rule So to dye but once is the general rule and the ordinary fate yet Lazarus and others may dye twice because God reserved an arbitrary power to himself to raise some unto a mortal life so that they became obnoxious to a double Death and he did exercise this power to manifest his Glory in some particular persons Yet this was an extraordinary case and this reservation did not take away the general and ordinary rule according to which the Apostle is to be understood 3. This is appointed for so the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is understood and translated and it 's capable of that signification by a Trope The party who appointed decreed and ordained both that all men shall dye and dye once and but once is not expressed but it 's easily understood For the Supream Lord of Life and Death who hath an Universal Power over all Men is God and none else and therefore this must be a Decree of God as Supream Lord and a Sentence of him as Judge and the same irrevocable yet dispensable in some particular and extraordinary Cases as should seem good unto him Death is a punishment and therefore men being obnoxious unto it must be guilty of some Crime and condemned thereunto for some Offence against some Law threatening Death And that was the positive Law which God gave to Adam saying But of the Tree of Knowledg of Good and Evil thou shalt not eat of it for in the Day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely dye Gen. 2. 17. This Law was transgressed and the Sentence followed in these words Dust thou art and to dust thou shalt return Gen. 3. 19. Whereas the Socinian saith That Death is natural and not from any Decree of God his Opinion is not reconcileable with that of the Apostle As by one man Sin entred into the World and by Sin Death
not made of things that did appear 2. They were made or framed by the Word of God 3. This is understood by Faith Or rather thus 1. The Worlds were framed so that things seen were not made of things that did appear 2. They were thus framed and made by the Word of God 3. That they were thus made we understand by Faith Where we have two Propositions concerning the Object one concerning the Act. In the first Proposition we have 1. The Worlds and Things seen 2. The World 's framed and things seen made 3. Things seen not made of things that did appear 1. By Worlds must be understood Heaven and Earth and all things therein the Hosts of them the reason of the name Worlds you may read Chap. 1. 2. Things seen may be visible part of the World which is conspicuous and may be seen by bodily Eyes as the frame of Heaven and Earth with the Lights of Heaven and Creatures upon Earth and also the Waters and the Seas and all things therein in which respect they are contra-distinct to invisible Creatures For all things were made by Christ and these were either visible or invisible other wayes things seen may be things existent and in perfect being 2. These were framed and made that is they received their being and existence for the act and work of Creation gave existence to things that had no actual being before Yet the Word framed is extended by some to signify not only the work or act of Creation but also the union order and perfection of the whole and all the parts but howsoever it may connote these yet the intended force of it is to be Created so as that creation and Making are the same 3. The things seen were of things that did not appear By things not appearing some understand the Samplar and Idea of things in the Mind and Counsel of God but this can harldy be the sense But others say That things not appearing are things not pre-existent or in being And this may be taken two wayes 1. To signify that the first Creation did presuppose no matter stuff or atoms or any such thing because all things were purely and meerly Nothing had no being nor principle nor rudiment nor part of being at all And this doth differense the powerful and wonderful active strength and productive force of God from the power and active force of all other Agents in respect of which that 's true Ex nihilo nihil fit 2. To signify that the things now seen were made of that Earth that seminary and imperfect Rudiment which Gen. 1. 2. as the Septuagint translate it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 invisible and darkness was upon the face of it For out of it God created the Elements and mixt Creatures which when Light was made and they finished did appear and most of them were visible This last sense is good and so is the former and both may agree because that Earth and imperfect Chaos concreated with the Heaven of Heavens was first nothing then invisible and not appearing before the things made out of it could be seen Where note that not to be made of things appearing and to be made of things not appearing are the same 2. The second Proposition is That these were made by the Word of God The Word of God is either the Word which was God and begotten of the Father from everlasting and so it cannot be taken here or the Word of God expressing something out of himself And this is also two-fold 1. That Word whereby he effecteth something 2. That which signifieth his mind and is not effective and productive further then to make his mind known But here his effective and productive Word is meant For God said Let there be Light this is his Word and there was Light this is the production of his powerful Word This Word is called the Will and Command of God not that it was so but because it did signify that it was his Will that at such a time such or such a thing should be made or created and did as it were command himself and his almighty power to effect it For he spake unto himself as almighty and his Word was his Deed and as his Wisdom Word and Power are not separated in himself so neither were they separated in this Work So that the World was made without any difficulty toil tumult tools or other adjuvant ministerial Causes The mighty glorious Work was done instantly and with ease by him to whom nothing is impossible The third Proposition is That by Faith we understand that the World was thus created Where three things 1. The thing understood 2. The understanding of it 3. The understanding of it by Faith 1. The thing understood is not this that the World was made for that may be known by Reason For it 's clear enough that it 's an Effect and must necessarily have an efficient Cause which must produce and effect it And they which hold it was ab eterno from Eternity some of them do confess this only they affirm that it was meant necessarily by the Supream Agent and the Production of it was like the Production of Light from the Sun which was no sooner in Being but Light did necessarily flow and issue from it so that there could be no Priority of time between the Sun and Light but the Being of both was simultaneous But that this World should be made at such a time and at first of no pre-existent matter and in the space of six dayes and in that order one part after another and by the Word of God as the sole efficient and so many years ago is far above Reason 2. Yet this is understood and it 's our reason and intellective faculty which doth apprehend and understand it For without it we can know nothing by it we know all things that are known unto us even the deep things and Counsels of God revealed Neither is Reason meerly passive but really active in this Work for it moves acts knows this Creation of the World as certainly as it doth things cognoscible by the senses or those whereof we have intuitive or demonstrative Knowledg 3. Yet we know it by Faith which is a divine and supernatural Light and elevates Reason above it's natural Sphere Faith sometimes by a Trope is taken for the Rule of Faith which is the Word and Revelation of God The proper Act of this word is to represent and this Representation may be made either outwardly or inwardly in the Soul so as to inform it and that either immediately which is Inspiration or mediately which is a more imperfect Disciplination When the Soul is once informed it receives the Impression knows the thing represented and assents unto it and this assenting Knowledg is a vital Act. The thing here represented is such as Reason by it's natural Active Power cannot reach therefore this divine Representation is necessary as a supernatural Light which by the
boldness to come before the Throne of Grace made accessible by his Blood This was a Law or Covenant rather of Justice than of Mercy of Fear than of Hope of Servitude and Bondage rather than of Liberty It was made to discover Sin to make it exceeding sinful to be a School-master to Christ. 2. This was the terrible manner of Promulgation the Effect whereof was fear and terror and the same very great and exceeding and that 1. In the People as we heard before who could not endure either the Voice or the strict Commands and Comminations They endured it a little but could endure no longer for fear of present death 2. And that which was more in Moses for so terrible was the sight that Moses feared did quake did fear and quake exceedingly and he said so and expressed his great fear And how terrible must that sight be which did strike such a terrour into a man so holy of such a constant Spirit so familiarly acquainted with God and who alone at that time should comfort and encourage the People That Moses said thus we do not read yet that which is affirmed by a man inspired as inspired must needs be true 3. They were not come to this Mount to receive so terrible a Law but they were freed from all these Terrours and from the Curses threatned and had received the Spirit of Adoption and therefore there was no reason why they should fall off to Judaism and return to that dreadful Mount and consuming Fire any more § 20. Thus far of the terrour of the Law the condition of such as were under it and the freedom of these Hebrews from it Now follows the condition of them as freed from the Law and living under the Gospel Before their Conversion they were in Minority Servitude and continual Fear but since they are in a more happy condition as being translated into the Kingdom of God's dear Son wherein they enjoyed incomparable Priviledges spiritual Liberty and many sweet Comforts To understand all this the Apostle saith Ver. 22. But ye are come unto Mount Zion the City of the living God the heavenly Jerusalem and an innumerable Company of Angels IN these words and those which follow unto the five and twentieth Verse we may observe 1. A Description of a spiritual and eternal Kingdom 2. The Enjoyment of or rather the Admission into the same In the Description some observe 1. The Place 2. The Persons of this Kingdom The Place is Zion the City of the Living God the new Jerusalem The Persons are Subjects Soveraign The Subjects are Angels Men. Living Departed The Soveraign is God the King and Judg. Christ the Priest and Mediator There was a certain Place and certain Persons and they were come unto this Place these Persons Here we have a Zion a City a Jerusalem this Zion is a Mount this City is the City of the living God this Jerusalem is the heavenly Jerusalem Zion the Mount the City of the Living God the heavenly Jerusalem here are the same and they may signify the Place or the Persons or the Association of Persons in such a Place and they may signify grammatically and properly or Rhetorically and Tropically Grammatically Zion opposed to Sinai is a Mount in Jerusalem where was first a Fort of the Jebusites then the Royal Palace of King David who adorned it with other Buildings and thence it was called The City of David On the North of this Mount some say the Temple was built and because that was the Palace and Throne of God therefore according to some Writers it was styled The City of the great King and because God did choose that place for his special presence it had the Name of The City of the Living God Shindler observs that the whole City was called Jerusalem in the Dual Number because it had two parts the one was the City of David on Mount Zion the other the City of Vision on Moriah which afterwards was inclosed But not to stand upon these things Zion and Jerusalem are taken for one City which God in former times did honour above all Cities in the World Therefore sung the Psalmist Why leap ye ye high Hills This is the Hill which God desireth to dwell in yea the Lord will dwell in it for ever Psal. 68. 16. For by God's special Residence in this place it was advanced above all other Cities of the Earth though never so magnificent But this was her greatest Glory That Christ the Son of God was presented there preached there and there did glorious Works there the Holy Ghost came down from Heaven upon the Apostles there the Gospel began first to be preached and thence it came out into all the World According to the Prophecy of old it came to pass for so the Evangelical Prophet wrote And in the last dayes it shall come to pass that the Mountain of the Lord's House shall be established in the top of the Mountains and exalted above the Hills and all Nations shall flow unto it And a little after for out of Zion shall go forth the Law and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem Isa. 2. 2 3. Where by Law and the Word of God understand the Doctrine of the Gospel This is the Grammatical sense Rhetorically Zion and the City of Jerusalem often signify the Church Militant and Triumphant by reason of God's spiritual and supernatural presence and habitation in the same If we consider this Church locally the place of our Pilgrimage is the Earth the place of our Rest and perpetual Abode is Heaven from whence we receive our spiritual Being where we must converse and whither we tend in these respects Heaven may be said to be the place whither upon our first Conversion we come The Persons which make up this Body and the spiritual Inhabitants are more intended by this Zion and this City yet they cannot make up this Politick Body Society and Common-weal but as associated under their Soveraign God-Redeemer And to distinguish this Zion and City of Jerusalem from that which was on Earth situate and lying in the Land of Canaan in the Tribe of Judah and Benjamin this is said to be The heavenly Jerusalem which is above and the Mother of us all which one day shall come down from Heaven as a Bride prepared for her Husband and God who dwells in her by Grace shall then dwell in her by Glory and bless her fully and for ever To come to this City and Kingdom is to be admitted and incorporated into the same upon our sincere Faith in Christ. In this City we find many Persons amongst whom the most eminent are the Angels those holy immortal and blessed Spirits of Heaven who ever see the face of God and environ his glorious Throne These are not few but many for they are an innumerable Company or Multitude for the Chariots of God are twenty thousand even thousands or many thousands of Angels Psal. 68. 17. The number of the Angels
and now again in these last dayes then by Moses and the Prophets now by Christ his Son 2. That when he gave the Law and made the former Covenant he spake on Earth upon Mount Sinai but when he spake by Christ he spake from Heaven for he came from Heaven returned to Heaven again and from Heaven sent down the Holy Ghost upon the Apostles and by that Spirit in them revealed the Gospel 3. That some Sins are more hainous than others and the more hainous the Sin is the more heavy the Punishment will be 4. That to refuse God speaking on Earth was a grievous Sin and deserved a grievous Punishment and so to refuse him speaking from Heaven is a great Sin and renders the Refuser liable to fearful Punishment 5. That the latter is a more grievous Sin than the former and deservs a greater Punishment These things presupposed the Reason is clear and we must in any wise take heed of rejecting or renouncing the Gospel because if they who transgressed the Law given on Earth were severely punished then they if guilty of a far greater Sin as all such are who refuse the Gospel revealed from Heaven then they must suffer a far greater Penalty and no wayes could they escape it This differs something from the Argument used Chap. 2. 2 3 c. for that compares the Law delivered by Angels with the Gospel spoken and confirmed by Christ and the excellency of Christ above the Angels is the ground of his Argument But here God's speaking on Earth by Angels is compared with God's speaking from Heaven by Christ and here the Excellency of Heaven from whence the Gospel was revealed above the Earth where the Law was given is made the Foundation of the Reason And God by giving the Law on Earth and the Gospel from Heaven did intimate that there was some Excellency in the Gospel which was not in the Law in the new Covenant which was not in the old otherwise God could have revealed them both on Earth or both from Heaven Let us apply this unto our selvs and consider 1. Who speaks unto us 2. What he speaks 3. From whence he speaks 1. It 's not Man but God not Moses but Christ The Law indeed was by Moses but Grace and Truth by Jesus Christ. The Majesty and Power of him who speaks is such as Angels are bound to attend and obey with all humble Submission and shall we Worms nay Dust and Ashes refuse to hear this glorious Lord 2. The Matter that he speaks and we hear is the best the most sweet the most comfortable and the most excellent never better things seen or heard or understood by the Heart of Man The Gospel is a Doctrine of profoundest Wisdom of greatest Love and Mercy and of highest Concernment and most conducing to our everlasting good And shall we reject it Shall we sin against so great a Majesty so great a Mercy Sins against the Mercies of God so freely tendred to us in Jesus Christ are the most hainous of all others Let us tremble to think of these Sins and those Punishments which they must suffer that are guilty of them 3. He speaks from Heaven for the Gospel is a Mystery hid from the beginning of the World and was brought unto us from the Bosom of the Father by his only begotten Son and by the Holy Ghost it 's the clearest manifestation of God's deepest Counsels concerring Man's eternal Estate and of his greatest Love to sinful Wretches the brightest Light that ever shined from Heaven yet we hear it and most men regard it not but reject it to their everlasting Woe § 24. The Apostle draws to a Conclusion and urgeth Perseverance by another Argument in the words following Ver. 26. Whose Voice then shook the Earth but now he hath promised saying Yet once more I shake not the Earth only but Heaven also Ver. 27. And this Word Yet once more signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken as of things that are made that those things which cannot be shaken may remain GOD shook the Earth when he gave the Law and from this shaking the Authour takes occasion from the words of Haggai to prove the Immutability of the Gospel and the Administration of Christ's Kingdom In the Text the Proposition concerning this Immutability is 1. Cleared 2. Applyed in the two last Verses of the Chapter In the first he doth 1. Affirm the shaking of the Earth in giving of the Law 2. Alledgeth God's Promise of another shaking not only of Earth but Heaven 3. From that Promise he infers the Immutability of the Evangelical Administration The Propositions of the first part of the Text are two 1. That God then shook the Earth 2. That he that then shook the Earth promised to shake once more not only the Earth but Heaven also 1. God then shook the Earth The Adverb then points at the time of giving the Law on Mount Sinai for in the former Verse it 's said that he spake on Earth in the Hearing of all Israel That then he shook the Earth is the express words of the History Mount Sinai was all on a Sâ—â—ak and the whole Mount quaked greatly Exod. 19. 18. With this agrees that of the Psalmist When thou O God wentest before thy People when thou didst march through the Wilderness The Earth shook the Heavens also dropped at the presence of God even Sinai it self was moved at the presence of God the God of Israel Psal. 68. 7 8. The principal things then signified by this shaking the Mount and the Earth were two 1. The Alteration of the former Administration of the Church and 2. The Constitution of that Order which continued untill the times of the Gospel For 1. Then God made a great Alteration in the Kingdom of Aegypt divided the Red Sea and shook the hearts of men in several Nations 2. He reduced the People of Israel into a Polity both Civil and Ecclesiastical made a Covenant with them gave them Laws Moral Ceremonial Judicial ordained a Priest-hood instituted a Form of Worship to continue till the coming of the Messias Thus then he shook the Earth 2. He promised once more to shake not only the Earth but Heaven Where the Subject is Shaking and presupposeth one Shaking past and informs us of another and the same far greater The former was only of the Earth the latter of Heaven too This Shaking is the thing promised the Promise was made first the Performance followeth several hundred years afterwards The Promise we find in Haggai the Prophet the words are these For thus saith the Lord of Hosts Yet once it is a little while and I will shake the Heavens and the Earth and the Sea and the dry Land And I will shake all Nations and the Desire of all Nations shall come and I will fill this House with Glory saith the Lord Hag. 2. 6 7. Where we may observe 1. That the Occasion of these words was this the
drink it and receive it into our bodies yet if we neither eat the one when it 's set before us nor drink the other when put into our hands we may perish for hunger and thirst So it is spiritually with our Souls in respect of the Word preached and heard only our with outward ears and not received and receiued in our hearts by a true and lively Faith So that the cause why the Word of God being so great a Blessing and so excellent a means of Salvation doth us no good is from our selves or in our selves who either refuse it at the first or reject it after we have professed it and promised to live according to it And this refusal and rejection as they are hainous sins not onely against God's just Laws but his merciful tender of eternal life so they will prove in the end the cause of our eternal misery which shall be greater and more intolerable than those to whom the Word of God was never preached 4. Therefore it concerns us all to fear this Sin of Apostacy as we fear loss of heavenly Rest God's eternal displeasure Hell Death and eternal Punishments The Apostle by this word fear implies there is danger of falling away and if we consider there is danger and the same very great For if we look upon our weakness and the remainders of corruption the deceipt and hypocrisy of our own hearts the imperfection of our Understanding in heavenly things the inconstancy of our Wills our little experience in the wayes of God and the violence and power of temptation from the Devil and the World we may easily see that it 's a wonder if not a matter of amazement that we stand one day one hour yet when we look up towards Heaven remember our Saviour Christ reigning and victorious the power of the blessed Spirit the helps God hath given us the Promises of assistance there is great cause of hope yet this hope doth not exclude but require our diligent Care continual Watching and instant Prayers without which we cannot by which we may hope to stand Oh how should we carefully and constantly attend unto God's Word lay it up in our hearts make it the Rule of our whole life so as to obey his Commands rely upon his Promises and fear his threats and every day call to mind the Profession we have made and the Promises whereby we have engaged our selves unto our God And seeing so few do fear it 's no wonder so many fall and come short of this blessed Rest. Most men presume upon the Promise and neglect the Duty The Israellres had a Promise yet did not enter because they did not believe § 3. There follows another distinct Reason from the former and that is the great benefit that follows upon the performance of the Duty Ver. 3. For we who have believed do enter into Rest as he said As I have sworn in my Wrath c. THere is some difficulty to know the coherence of these words with the former as also of those that follow with these and amongst themselves Some say they come in upon the words immediately antecedent and give a reason why the Word not mixed with Faith did not profit nor bring the hearers into God's Rest For onely we that believe do enter that is There is no entrance but by Faith but by Faith there is Others think they propose a reason why we should fear Apostacy and be careful to persevere and that from the happy consequent and the glorious reward which follows upon perseverance in belief and that is entrance and admittance into God's Rest yet they may referr to those words of the former Chapter For some when they had heard did provoke howbeit not all that came out of Aegypt by Moses For Caleb and Joshua heard and believed and persevered for it 's said of Caleb and it 's the Testimony of God That he had another Spirit with him and followed the Lord fully Numb 14. 24. This he applyes to himself and the Hebrews to this purpose That though some did not enter because of Unbelief yet some did believe and did not provoke and so entred so likewise shall we believing do As the former might cause fear so this latter might cause hope and prove a strong motive why we should fear to fall and be very careful to persevere So that if we will sum up that which went before it 's this in brief To day if we will hear God's voice we must not harden our hearts 1. Because if we do harden them we shall be shut out of God's Rest as our rebellious and Apostate Fathers were 2. If we do not harden our hearts but believe we shall enter into God's Rest as Caleb and Joshua did It follows As he said I have sworn in my wrath if they shall enter into my Rest c. These words serve to inform us of three things 1. That the Word not believed could not profit because by Unbelief they provoked God to wrath and in his Wrath he sware they should not enter into his Rest so likewise we should fear to be guilty of Unbelief because if we prove such God in his Wrath by the like Oath will exclude us 2. That as God by this Oath did exclude none but Unbelievers and brought the Believers into Canaan so he will exclude none out of the Rest promised in the Gospel but Unbelievers and will without all fail bring us believing into our spirituall Canaan 3. That as the Oath so the Exhortation used by the Prophet David implied that as there was a Rest in the dayes of Joshua so there is another Rest besides that of the promised Land Therefore because it might be doubted what Rest either David meant or the Gospel doth promise the Apostle proceeds to prove that there is yet a Rest prepared for God's People under the Gospel and determines what Rest that is This is done by distinction for he informs us of a three-fold Rest 1. Of the Sabbath 2. Of the Land of Canaan 3. Of the eternal Rest in Heaven That it was the intention of the Apostle to manifest that there was a Rest for the People of God under the Gospel and yet that Rest was neither the first of the Sabbath nor the second of the Land of Canaan is evident by that which follows especially Ver 19 10. That it was expedient if not necessary for him to do thus is as clear because he had alledged the words of the Psalm To day if ye will hear his Voice and also said in Ver. 1. That a Promise was left us of entring into his Rest. The first is the Rest of the Sabbath in these words Although the Works were finished from the Foundation of the World And Ver. 4. For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day in this wise And God did rest the seventh day from all his Works THE particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is turned here although yet it may signify and
be translated otherwise as it is by the Syriack Vatablus and the Vulgar This passage hath reference to that word especially my Rest for there is a Rest of God promised in the Gospel yet truly this is not God's Rest from his work of Creation upon the seventh day That was a Rest 1. Of God 2. That Rest wherewith he rested himself 3. It was his Rest from the works of Creation 4. It was that Rest which he rested the first seventh day of the World after he had finished the Works of Heaven and Earth For this purpose the Apostle alledgeth the words of Moses Gen. 2. 1 2 3. This Rest indeed might signify the perpetual Rest of Men and Angels when they have finished their work of Obedience and God might institute the Sabbath for this end Yet though this was a Rest of God yet it was not the Rest implyed in the Psalm not that which is promised in the Gospel That it was not he makes plain Ver. 5. And in this place again If ye shall enter into my Rest. THat is there is a second Rest long after promised to Israel and it is that which he gave them in the Land of Canaan this the Psalmist intends in these words As I sware in my wrath if they shall enter into my Rest yet this is not that which is promised in the Gospel This he makes evident by the words following Ver. 6. Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein and they to whom it was first preached entred not in because of Unbelief Ver. 7. Again he limiteth a certain day saying in David To day after so long a time as it is said To day if ye will hear his Voice harden not your hearts Ver. 8. For if Jesus had given them Rest then would he not afterward have spoken of another Rest. THis part of the Chapter is more easily understood if we reduce it to Propositions which are these 1. That though there was a Rest of the Land of Canaan whereinto some must enter and did enter yet a certain day is limited and appointed by David of entring into another Rest. 2. This day was appointed long after the entrance of Israel into the Land of Canaan 3. The words whereby another day of another Rest is appointed and promised are these To day if you will hear his voice harden not your hearts 4. If Jesus or Joshua had brought Israel into that Rest which David speaks of there had been no need of speaking of and promising another Rest so long after The Apostle infers from all this that there is a Rest yet remaining for the People of God though it be neither the Rest of God from the Works of Creation nor the Rest in the Land of Canaan For the Scriptures mention but three Rests or Sabbatisms the first of Creation the second of Canaan the third of Heaven and this last is that which is meant by the Psalmist and promised in the Gospel And he further adds that this Rest had some affinity with that of Canaan and with that of God's Sabbath For Ver. 10. He that is entred into his Rest hath ceased from his own Works as God did from his VVHich words may be understood two wayes 1. Of the Title and Right to enter into this Rest or 2. Of the actual enjoyment and full possession In the former respect it 's certain that no Man can have so much as a Title or any hope of this eternal Rest till he cease from and forsake his own Works of Sin by true Repentance In the latter respect which is more probably intended no Man can actually enjoy the Rest of Heaven untill by perseverance he hath finished all his Work of Evangelical Obedience as God did not keep his Sabbath till he had fully finished all his works of Creation This is a Doctrine full of sweet and heavenly Comfort That Christ hath purchased an eternal glorious Sabbath God hath promised it in the Gospel and we who by the Sanctification of the Spirit persevere in our Christian Profession and Practice shall certainly enjoy it fully and for ever All men desire Rest yet it 's not to be found on Earth but in Heaven not in the Creature but in God Happy they which know the Excellency and Glory of this Rest and with all diligence and constancy use the means to attain it by following the Doctrine of the great Prophet Jesus Christ unto the end § 4. Here comes in the Exhortation to the great Duty in Ver. 11. Let us labour therefore to enter into that Rest lest any man fall after the same Example of Unbelief THese words may be considered 1. In their Coherence 2. In themselves 1. The Coherence is implyed in the Particle and Illative Conjunction therefore which informeth us that this Exhortation is a Conclusion inferred upon some antecedent Premisses and that Proposition of the Apostle We which have believed do enter into Rest Ver. 3. Which 1. Implies that there is a Rest for us under the Gospel 2. Affirms that they who believe do enter The former he manifests at large that there is a Rest besides that of Creation and that of the Land of Canaan remaining for the People of God The latter is plain out of the Psalm and he takes it for granted that such as hear and believe shall enter and onely such have admission Hence he inferrs That if there be an eternal glorious Rest prepared and promised to be enjoyed by Believers then it 's our Duty to labour to enter This is the Connexion The Exhortation considered in it self with the rest of the Chapter to the end doth 1. Propose the Duty 2. Urge the performance upon effectual Reasons The Duty is to labour to enter into that Rest where we have A Rest. Entring into it Labouring to enter What the Rest is you have heard before The entrance is to acquire and attain the actual possession and full enjoyment and that it may be considered 1. As a Duty of man and then it is the use of all means ordained of God for the attainment 2. As a gift and gracious Work of God admitting and receiving us unto the enjoyment yet because man should not mistake by thinking it an easie matter to enter at his will and pleasure he here implies that it 's a work of labour of difficulty of striving it 's an entring in at the strait Gate and we must labour use all our power and put our strength to the utmost For this is the greatest business which we have to do in this Life and our will must be most firmly resolved and bent upon it our understanding intended and as it were set upon the rack in all the operations thereof and our executive power exercised to the utmost degree For out wit will and power and all the faculties of the Soul and Body must be taken up continually in this work as the most necessary and excellent of all others The word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
wherein are said to be the Golden Pot of Manna Aaron's Rod that budded and the Tables of the Covenant 3. The Cherubims over-shadowing the Mercy-Seat and all and every one of these had their Mysteries which the Apostle forbears to speak of here He could have spoken much of every particular but he doth not because it was not necessary to the principal end which here he intended and where he saith nothing it 's fit we should be silent Yet two things in this place should be considered 1. How it may be reconciled with other Texts of Scripture which seem to differ from it 2. How and in what respect this Sanctuary may be said to excel others 1. It seems to differ from some other parts of Scripture 1. In placing the Golden Censer 2. In saying That besides the Table of the Covenant Aaron's Rod and the Pot of Manna were in the Ark. For the first Some say the Golden Censer was the Altar of Incense and it stood so near and close unto the Veil that the smoak of the Incense did enter into the Holiest of all yet this is not so probable We read Levit. 16. 12 13. of a Censer which with Coals from the Altar and Incense the High-Priest must take and enter within the Veil upon the day of Expiation and burn the Incense in the Holiest place so that the smoak may cover the Mercy-Seat and why might not this Censer be kept in that place For the second Aaron's Rod and the Pot of Manna may be said to be in the Ark when they were in the side of the Ark. In this manner the Reconciliation may be made yet so that upon further search the Truth may be more clearly discovered what others have said in this particular I pass But 2. How may this two-fold Sanctuary be said to be more excellent than others for there have been rich and glorious Temples with their inward Sacraries rarely beautified It 's true in respect of the Materials and outward Order some Temples might be as rich and glorious if not more for the matter Gold and other things with the Art of Man might be the same But the Excellency of this consisted in two things 1. In that all things were made in this two-fold Sanctuary by the Direction and Command of God 2. Besides outward decency beauty and glory every thing was Mystical and represented some heavenly and excellent thing and that according to God's Institution And in the time of this Legal Dispensation the Saints enlightned by Faith looked at far higher things They did not look for Sanctification and Happiness from an earthly Sanctuary but from their God who was present in the midst of them and from their Messias promised to Abraham in whom all Nations should be blessed Abraham sought a more excellent Countrey than Canaan for he aimed at an heavenly and eternal City which God had prepared for him § 5. This is the Description of the Sanctuary and the two principal parts thereof The Service followeth Ver. 6. Now when these things were thus ordained the Priests went alwayes into the first Tabernacle accomplishing the Service of God VVHere we must observe That all the Service of God is not here described but onely that which was accomplished within the first and second Veil neither is every particular of these here set down So that the Subject of the â— following Verses is the Service of God in the two Sanctuaries And we are informed 1. What it is 2. How imperfect it is In this sixth Verse we have the Service in the first Sanctuary described in general In the Text we have three things 1. The Ordination of the former things 2. The constant Entrance of the Priests into the first Sanctuary 3. The performance of the Service therein The performance of the Service presupposeth the Entrance the Entrance the Preparation of the former things The Propositions are three according to the things or rather Acts The first is That these things were thus ordained Where by these things are meant the two Sanctuaries with the things contained in them For these to be ordained is for the Sanctuaries to be made built and ordered To be thus ordained is to be so made placed and every thing therein set in that Order as God prescribed The second Proposition is That these things thus ordained the Priests went alwayes into the first Tabernacle Where by Tabernacle is meant the Sanctuary within the first Veil Into this the Priests did enter not only the High-Priest but the other Priests might go into this place but none but Priests had this Priviledg granted They entred alwayes that is every day and that several times They entred after the Sanctuaries were made and all things therein orderly placed and disposed for before they were made they could not enter before all things in them were prepared and orderly disposed they could not officiate and serve The third Proposition is The Priests being entred accomplish the Service of God This Service was chiefly to burn Incense and to pray This Sanctuary may signify the Misâ—tant Church on Earth which is the Society of Saints sanctified and made Priests by the Blood of Christ for none but Priests and real Saints are admitted as living Members of this Sanctuary which is next unto the Heaven of Heavens In this Prayer is continually made in the Name of Christ and Service continually performed to God and they enjoy the Light of the Gospel and partake of the Bread of Life which came down from Heaven both which were signifyed by the Golden Candlestick and the Shew-Bread These things thus understood signify unto us That Christ must first redeem us and God by his Word and Spirit convert us so make a Church before any Service acceptable can be performed to him after we are converted sanctified made Priests then we may serve and receive Mercy For we must first serve him before we can receive benefit from him and by continual Service and Prayer we obtain continually the Light of Grace and the Bread of Life till we be made perfect and admitted into the inward Sacrary of Glory § 6. After this Service accomplished in the first Sanctuary follows that which is to be performed in the second Ver. 7. But into the second went the High-Priest alone once every Year not without Blood which he offered for himself and for the Errors of the People THese words determine 1. The principal Service to be performed in this inner Sacrary 2. The Person by whom it was to be performed 3. The Time when and how often The Service is that of Expiation by Blood The Person expiating by Blood was the High-Priest alone The Time was once a Year This was the highest piece of Service that was prescribed by God or performed by Man under the Law and therefore it was to be performed by the most eminent Person and but seldom even once a Year And the Apostle singles this out from amongst the rest to prove
1 Sam. 15. 29. And these are his words I am the Lord I change not therefore the Sons of Jacob are not consumed Malach. 3. 6. So that all is sure on God's part and Man hath no cause to waver except he neglect his Duty and if he perish his destruction must be of himself O therefore let us give all diligence to make our Calling and Election sure and persevere unto the end And shall we who have so great advantage so many helps so blessed an Opportunity and the Promise of a faithful God neglect and injure our selves so much as to lose this glorious and incomparable prize Shall we come out of Aegypt and come so near the borders of the heavenly Canaan and turn back or refuse to go forward Let us detest and eternally abhor to waver let us go on whatsoever it may cost us § 22. The third Duty is to further and set forward one another in this blessed Work This is the Exhortation of the Apostle Ver. 24. Let us consider one another to provoke unto Love and good Works THE first Duty exhorted unto seems to be principally Faith in the full assurance whereof we must draw nigh to God The second Hope in the Profession whereof we must persevere The third Charity to which we must provoke one another The words have little difficulty in them and so need not much Explication In them we are exhorted 1. To consider one another 2. To provocation upon consideration 3. To provocation unto Love and good Works 1. This consideration is a Work and Duty of every Christian as he is a Member of the Church and it is universal all are bound unto it The Object is every Christian and Fellow-Member The thing to be considered is not their temporal but their spiritual Carriage and Conversation so far as it shall be manifested and made intelligible unto us The immediate End thereof to know their Life Carriage and Conversation which cannot be so well done as by a serious view and animadversion The Duty is to be performed mutually so as that every Christian may be the person considering another and the person considered by another In this Act though we may make use of our Eyes and outward senses yet we most of all must exercise the apprehensive and judicative faculty of our Understanding 2. We must consider to Provocation This word is but used twice in the New Testament and the Verb no oftner yet we find the Verb frequently taken up by the Septuagint under several Hebrew words It may be taken here either actively to provoke others or passively to be provoked our selves We provoke or stir up others when we see them ignorant forgetful negligent cold backward and that by Information minding them of their Duty perswading moving quickning them unto performance Or if we see our Brethren persecuted we stir up such as are able to pity them and by Works of Mercy to relieve them We are passively provoked our selvs by considering the good Example of others to do the like and follow them 3. The thing which we must provoke others or be provoked our selves unto is Charity for we must be provoked and provoke 1. To Love 2. To good Works which are the fruits of Love and amongst these good Works the principal are Works of Mercy whereby God's poor and persecuted Saints are relieved and comforted And that is no true real Love which is without good Works as that is no true Faith which can be separated either from the Love of Christ or from the Love of Christian Brethren From the words considered in the Context and explained in this Latitude many practical Conclusions are deducible 1. From the Context we are informed that Confession without Practice Love and good Works is defective imperfect and to little purpose Confession of the Mouth Love in the Heart and Works issuing from Love must go together and must never be separated in true and sincere Christians 2. From the word provoking taken passively we may learn this lesson to give good Example unto our Brethren and so let that heavenly Light which is in us shine forth that others may see our good Works and glorify our Father which is in Heaven For we should be the Light of the World and our Lives should be a Mirrour of all divine vertues 3. We must consides and take special notice of such as are eminent in Piety Righteousness and true Holness and follow closely their good Example they give us and tread in their paths which lead to the eternal Rest of Heaven 4. Take provoking actively and the Text informs of another Duty and that is to have care not only of our own Souls but the Souls of others and to use all means to promote their Salvation as well as our own Love teacheth us this Lession for we must Love our Neighbour as our self and the greatest Love we can shew unto him is to endeavour his spiritual and eternal good And we must remember that Love especially Christian Love is diffusive and communicative and in imitation of God doth good unto many Non solum nobis nati aâ—t â—eâ—iati sumus We are neither born nor born again for our selvs The End both of our natural and spiritual Birth is to benefit others as well as our selvs we should sharpen quicken and mightily stir up others to the best things especially to Love and good Works And this is the Duty not only of Ministers in relation to their People or of Parents in relation to their Children or of Masters in relation to their Servants but it 's general and so extensive that no Christian is exempted from the performance And the neglect of this Duty hath been the Cause why there is so little Piety so much Iniquity amongst us and why most men are profane or bare Professor and so few are zealous in the best things 5. From hence we may infer the Excellency of Christian Society Civil Society tends much to the temporal good of person civilly associated but spiritual Society in Religion and Christianity is far more excellent and beneficial Yet this presupposeth the Persons associated with whom we live and must converse to be good for otherwise ill Company is most pestiferous Therefore the Apostle commanded the Corinthians to purge out the old Leaven and scandalous Persons which like a contagion infect others And this doth imply that Christian Assemblies should be kept pure and consist of Orthodox and pious Members and to live amongst such must needs be a great advantage unto poor Souls seeking Salvation § 23. There was a fourth Duty exhorted unto For Ver. 25. They mustnot not for sake the assembling of themselves together as the manner of some was but they must exhort one another and so much the more as they saw the day approaching IN which we have 1. A Duty 2. A Reason to enforce the performance The Duty is expressed 1. Negatively They must not for sake the assembling of themselves
For unnecessary private Conventicles with the neglect of the publick Assemblies are usually the Seminaries of Errours and Schisms and very prejudicial to the publick good of the Church So that the Duty exhorted unto is to frequent constantly these Assemblies and make right use of them to edify confirm and encourage one another to perseverance in the Christian Faith and to Love and good Works I might here take occasion to enlarge and reckon up all the particular Duties to be performed in these religious Meetings and shew how subservient they are every one severally and all joyntly to that end whereat the Apostle chiefly aims but I proceed to the Reason § 24. For it might be said What Reason Suasive Motive may be given why we should be so careful to perform this Duty Yes there is a great and powerful Reason and that is Because the day approacheth Where 1. We must understand the words of the Reason considered in it self 2. The force of the Reason in respect of the performance of the Duty In the words of the Reason we have 1. A Day 2. The Approach of that Day 3. The nearer Approach 1. A Day is a part and the principal part of time as opposed to the Night and in this place it signifies some special and more than ordinary time as the day of death of the destruction of Jerusalem of the End of the World The day of death every Man must look for Nothing more certain than death though nothing more uncertain than the Hour of death Every man must dy and then be brought unto his last Account and as that shall be made so shall be the condition of every Man for ever for where the Tree falleth there it lyeth and as Death leavs us Judgment finds us There was a day of Jerusalem's destruction and of the ruine of that Nation appointed and made known by Christ and his Apostles and these Hebrews could not be altogether ignorant of it There is another greater day of the final and universal Judgment and this was part of their Creed All these and every one of these are special and great dayes And one or two or all these three may here be meant Some think the day of Jerusalem's râ—ine was most of all intended by the Apostle though that cannot be evidently evinced to be pointed at so as to exclude the other two 2. This day did approach and was near for first the day of every Man's death could not be far off the day of Jerusalem's destruction was near and so near as many then living might survive not only the Peace and Happiness of that Nation but the very Being and Existence of that City and of the Temple they might see the ruine and destruction of both and for ought they knew the end of the World 3. This day drew nearer and nearer For 1. We no sooner begin to live but we begin to dy for we are born mortal and ready we are to return to that dust from whence we were taken and raised at the first and the more of our Life is past the less is yet to come and every Day Hour Minute of our Life we approach nearer unto death and death unto us 2. As for Jerusalem's destruction there were many Signs of that approaching fore-told and then known to be past It was fatal and unavoidable even then when Christ wept over it lamenting her Sin and Punishment which he certainly did fore-know and when this Letter was written to these Hebrews that day of her Calamity was far nearer 3. For the day of Judgment the particular Year Month Day was hid yet the times of the Gospel were the last times and upon us the ends of the World are come And that which is alwayes unknown may alwayes be looked for seeing it will certainly come and that suddenly And though that day in those times was far off yet it 's nearer now and though now it may be many years before the Son of God shall come from Heaven and the time to Man may seem long yet a thousand years with God is but as one day Besides that day of final Judgment if we consider that the unchangeable condition of every Man begins immediately upon his death then the great day of Judgment may in some sense be said to be as near as death to every particular Person This is the meaning of the words considered in themselvs and now the force of them as containing a Reason remains to be considered For this end we must take notice of the thing here urged and it 's 1. The performance of a Duty 2. The performance of it the rather and the more for the more the day approacheth the more we should prepare for it Not to forsake the assembling of our selvs together and to exhort one another and to be careful very careful diligent and frequent in this Work of Association and Exhortation is a Duty commanded by God and pressed upon us by the Apostle to neglect this Duty is our Sin and Disobedience to do it constantly is our performance And this is that which is intended by this Reason The force thereof is great For seeing 1. The day of our great Account God's final Sentence to be passed upon us and the Execution thereof is so near it concerns us much not only to know our Duty but to bestir our selves and to perform it constantly with all our Power Our progress towards Heaven should be like a natural Motion which is slow or not so swift at the beginning and is swifter and swifter towards the end Upon this performance depends our final and eternal estate For if we neglect fail and fall away then we are undone for ever if we perform and be prepared we are eternally happy Seeing therefore that day is a day of eternal Rewards or Punishments and approacheth so near What should not we do to provide for our everlasting safety Yet men think little of these things If we under stand the Text of the day of Jerusalem's Calamities and desolation which was near at hand and was a day of death to many thousands yea to hundreds of thousands and a lively resemblance of the final Judgment this also might effectually work upon them and move them to performance and perseverance For then they should see and clearly behold the woful End of that unbelieving Nation and most of all of all Apostates from Christianity Then their seducing Brethren and their persecuting Enemies should be destroyed the Temple burnt and demolished all their Judaism and Legal Service wherein they trusted for ever abolished and those which out of fear complyed with them or of Christians turned Jews should suffer in the highest degree Therefore there was no Reason in the World they should forsake or deny Christ and turn from him to Moses from the Gospel to the Law for the day was approaching when they should see God's Judgment executed upon the unbelieving seducing persecuting Jew and the eternal Confusion of
Sufferings shall speedily determine their Joys shall never end For when life is ended all these Conflicts and cruel Fights are ended and they are instantly at rest cease from all their Labours and are secured of their eternal full Glory 3. A thousand years with Man are but as one day with God and in this â—espect his stay till the last Saint shall be perfected and finally Victorious is not much 4. When the day appointed is once come he will not stay an hour no not a minute He will rend the Heavens and come down and do glorious things And is his coming so certain and so speedy and hath God said so why should we be impatient and complain of delay The Saints of God sometimes will cry out Oh when shall these Labours these Difficulties these Sufferings of ours have an end How long will my Saviour delay his Coming When will he come in the Clouds of Heaven with all his holy Angels Shall I never see an end of this Battel and obtain a final Victory and so triumph for ever And the Church is alwayes praying Come Lord Jesu come quickly To all this his answer is Surely I come quickly And Behold I come quickly and again Behold I come quickly and my Reward is with me to render to every one according to his Works Revel 22. 7 12 20. And if we will not be patient strive suffer and fight a little while and that for a great and glorious Reward which we shall receive certainly and without all doubt we shall render our selvs unworthy altogether of so blessed a Victory and so joyful a Triumph as God hath of his free and unspeakable mercy promised us § 39. Further to encourage them he proves the certainty of their Reward to such as persevere and his displeasure against all such as draw back out of the next words of the Prophet which he renders thus Ver. 38. Now the Just shall live by Faith but if â—â—y man draw back my Soul shall have no pleasure in him IN the handling of these words we must consider 1. How they come in upon the former 2. To what end the Apostle doth alledge them 3. What the matter therein contained is 4. For particular and more distinct Explication reduce then to Propositions 1. They come in upon the former as agreeing with them in the matter which is the great Reward Yet they have more immediate Connexion with the words immediately aâ—tecedent 1. As being taking out of the same place of the Prophets 2. As signifying that when Christ shall come he will accept and reward those that persevere and reject the rest 2. The End Scope is to encourage them from God's own words and Promise for they are the words of God to persevere and not draw back 3. The material parts are two 1. The final Acceptation of such as persevere 2. The Rejection of such as do not but draw back The Propositions are two 1. The just shall live by Faith 2. If any Man draw back my Soul shall have no pleasure in him In the first Proposition we have 1. Faith 2. Righteousness 3. Life These three are subordinate for by Faith we attain Righteousness by Righteousness Life and by what we are justified by that we live No Faith no Righteousness no Righteousness no Life these three go together In the words we have two Propositions at least implied 1. We are justified or just by Faith 2. We are glorified and live by Faith According to the former Proposition the Apostle made use of this Text in the Prophet Rom. 1. 17. Gal. 3. 11. to prove Justification by Faith in Christ without Works For because Man is sinful and guilty his Justification is Remission of Sin which presupposing the party penitent and believing depends upon the Satisfaction Merits and Intercession of Christ and the Mercy of God expressed in the Promise As there he makes use of this Text to prove gratuitous Justification so here he takes it up again to assure them that if they continue in this justifying Faith to the End in the End they shall live and be glorified and that Faith which is first justifying shall be Faith glorifying 1. We have Faith which is a divine practical Assent unto the saving Truths of the Gospel and a reliance upon the Promises of God And here it 's taken for this Faith continued to the End even in the midst of all Persecutions and Afflictions and includes the former continued Boldness of Profession with Patience and other heavenly Vertues with which it hath an inseparable Connexion and is the foundation of all 2. Upon Faith followeth Righteousness for the just have Faith and are just and justified by Faith For by just are here meant the justified by Faith according to the Tenour of the new Covenant For Man being sinful and guilty cannot be justified by his own Innocency Purity inherent Righteousness and perfect Obedience He is condemnable by Reason of his Guilt and is freed from Condemnation by deprecating the Wrath of the Supream Judg and pleading Christ's Sacrifice and God's Promise according to his penitent Faith God in justifying is merciful because the Person justified is a Sinner yet just because Christ hath suffered God hath promised and Man guilty doth believe This Justification doth not leave a Man under the Power and Dominion of Sin but in freeing from Guilt he renews and sanctifies him by his Spirit so that he is inherently righteous So that he is justified and inherently just yet the place is to be understood of such as are finally just as they are finally believing For he that hath Faith is just he that continueth in Faith continueth just and he that is finally believing is finally just 3. As guilty Man is just by Faith so being just he shall live by Faith By Life in this place is meant a spiritual happy and eternal Life the Life of Glory which is the great Reward which will certainly follow upon final Faith For it 's Faith which by vertue of Christ's Merit and God's Promise gives a Right to Life and upon a finall Faith the Possession and full Enjoyment of this blessed Life doth certainly follow The Duty therefore which the Apostle urgeth is final Perseverance in Faith and the Motive whereby he seeks to stir them up to Performance is the certain full Possession of the great Rewards for which he alledgeth God's own Word and Promise recorded in the Prophet And if they will hearken unto God speaking by the Prophet and take his Word and Promise there is great Reason why they should persevere § 40. As the former Reason is taken from God's Promise of Life so the latter is drawn from the Punishment and Displeasure of God which if they fall away they must suffer as certainly threatned by God For if any Man draw back my Soul shall have no pleasure in him The Proposition is hypothetical or compound and connex the Nature whereof is to deduce a Consequent from an
Method of the Apostle is this 1. He compares the Law and the Gospel 2. By this Comparison manifests the excellency of the Gospel above the Law 3. From this manifested he inferrs the Duty They must not reject the Gospel and fall away 4. He urgeth the Performance of the Duty from the severe and terrible Punishment which must be suffered by such as perform it not So that from the 18th Verse to the 25th we have the Doctrine and in the 25th the Use. This Argument hath great Affinity with that we find used Chap. 2. 2 3. § 19. This being the Coherence whereby the Scope of the Apostle may be understood Let us consider the words themselvs wherein we may observe the Doctrine concerning 1. The Law 2. The Gospel 3. Their passing from the one to the other 4. The Use to be made of it In the first we have 1. The Manner of Promulgation 2. The fear it caused in Israel and Moses 3. Their freedom from it According to these three things we have three Propositions 1. The Promulgation of the Law was terrible 2. Being terrible it caused both Israel and Moses to fear exceedingly 3. These Hebrews were freed from this Law 1. For to understand the manner of Promulgation we must know the place and that in general was a Mountain in particular Sinai a Mountain in Arabia the Desert This Mountain is said to be palpabilis tactilis touchable or which may be touched that is it was visible and sensible a Mountain bodily accessible though not at that time and on Earth This is added to put a difference between this Hill and the spiritual Zion which is sometimes called Heaven from whence the Gospel was revealed therefore when Christ revealed the Gospel it 's said he spake from Heaven whereas when God gave the Law on the Mountain he is said to speak on Earth Ver. 25. This place was not terrible in it self but at this time because of the Fire wherewith it burned at that time For some Mountains where there are Vulcans as upon Vesuvius Aetna Hecla the Pike of Tenariff and many in America and other places of the Earth to burn with Fire is usual But this Burning was extraordinary at this time for the Mountain then did burn with fire Deut. 5. 23. yea it did burn with fire up to the midst of Heaven Deut. 4. 11. as though Heaven and Earth had been on a flame And this was some resemblance of that dreadful Fire which shall consume the combustible World at the latter day The flaming Fire gave Light but there was Blackness and Darkness which might be caused by thick Clouds and Smoak which covered the Mountain for â—as before it burnt with Fire unto the midst of Heaven with Darkness Clouds and thick Darkness Deut. 4. 11. For Mount Sinai was altogether on a Smoak because the Lord descended upon it in Fire and the smoak thereof ascended as the Smoak of a Furnace and the whole Mount quaked greatly Exod. 19. 18. There were also Thundrings and Lightnings and the Noise of the Trumpet and the Mountain smoaking Chap. 20. 18. This was a Type of that utter Darkness of Hell Besides there were Tempests and terrible Storms a Sign of God's fearful Indignation which shall fall upon the Wicked The Sound of the Trumpet and the Voice of words did encrease the terrour for the Voice of the Trumpet was exceeding loud Exod. 19. 16. And all the People saw the Thundrings and the Lightnings and the Sound of the Trumpet Chap. 20. 18. This Trumpet did summon the People to appear before the Lord and did prepare them for to receive the Law and to hear their doom if they should transgress it As this was a Legislative so there shall be a Judicial Trumpet to convent the whole World to appear before the Judgment-seat of Christ An Arch-Angel shall sound the Trumpet and the Noise shall be loud and miraculous When the People were prepared on the third day the Trumpet sounded and then followed the Voice of words for God condescending to the Capacity of Man gave the Law out of the midst of the Fire and spake in an audible Voice in the Language of that People that they might understand it As the Sound of the Trumpet so the Voice of God was loud majestick terrible like Thunder so that the Words or Commands of the Law were dreadful not only in respect of the Sound but the Matter This dread and terrour did appear in two things 1. In this that they that heard entreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more for they said to Moses Speak thou with us and we will hear but let not God speak with us lest we dy Exod. 20. 19. And again they said Now therefore why should we dy for this great Fire will consume us If we hear the Voice of the Lord our God any more we shall dy Deut. 5. 25. Let me not hear again the Voice of the Lord my God neither let me see this great Fire any more that I dy not Chap. 18. 16. 2. They could not endure it and this is evident from their fear of Death And if Israel could not endure this Voice of the Law-giver and the sight of the Lord how will Wicked men endure to see Christ come from Heaven in flaming Fire and to hear his Sentence Go ye cursed into everlasting Fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels the most dreadful words that ever God spake or Man did hear or shall hear The terrour was yet greater for there was a Line drawn and a Range sixed to keep both Man and Beast at a Distance from the Mount and Moses was commanded to set these bounds before-hand to the People and if either Man or Beast came within the Range they were stricken dead instantly by Lightning or Thunderbolts The Reasons why this Law was given in this manner are many as 1. To signify the Majesty of the Supream Lawgiver and that they inight know that the Laws given were not the Laws of men but of the great Lord of Heaven and Earth And the more clearly he did manifest himself the greater Authority the Law must needs have 2. Great and weighty things are done with greatest solemnity and the more the solemnity is the greater Impression is made upon mens hearts 3. Seeing the very Promulgation and giving of the Law was so dreadful how dreadful must the Transgression be this was a mighty Motive to incline them to Obedience Therefore Moses said that God was come to prove them and that his fear might be before their faces that they sin not Exod 20. 20. 4. This did let them know that little Comfort was to be expected from that Law which did so strictly command and ministred no Power to obey had no Promise of Pardon therefore they should more earnestly desire and look for that great Prophet by whom God would speak unto them more comfortably and by whom they might have free access and