his Preservation as an Effect of his Parents Faith 2. In his Works which were Effects of his own Faith His Preservation is expressed thus Ver. 23. By Faith Moses when he was born was hid three Months of his Parents because they saw he was a proper Child and they not afraid of the King's Commandment IN which words we have 1. The Work of his Parents 2. The Intimation of their Faith whereby they did this Work 1. The Work of his Parents was that they hid him three Months For 1. Moses was hid 2. He was hid three Months 3. He was hid so long by his Parents The hiding of Moses was a concealing of his Birth for to prevent his Ruine and it was of great difficulty and no less danger and of strange Consequence for this hiding was a means of his Preservation and his Preservation the Ruine of Aegypt and the Deliverance of Israel Yet unto this concealment we must add the exposing of him in that manner as that Pharaoh's Daughter did adopt him take care of him and brought him up like a Prince so that he was skilful in all the Learning of the Aegyptians We may read the History at large Exod. 2. where we may observe divers special Passages of God's Providence The time was three Months a thing hard to be done because as some relate and it 's very likely the King of Aegypt had Searchers amongst the Hebrews to find out their Male-Children as soon as they were born For no sooner were they born but they were to be destroyed as designed to destruction before their Entrance into the World Thus long he was hid and no longer could they conceal him so the Text saith Exod. 2. This is said to be the Work of his Parents It 's ascribed only to the Mother in the History yet no doubt with the consent and advice of the Father 2. This was done by Faith the Faith of his Parents intimated in two things 1. In that they saw him to be a proper Child 2. In that they feared not the Wrath of the King 1. They saw him to be a proper Child 1. He was a proper Child 2. They saw it 3 Because they saw it therefore hid him three Months 1. He was a proper Child that is fair comely beautiful and that not in an ordinary but an eminent measure God perhaps had imprinted some extraordinary Characters upon him 2. This his beauty and comliness they saw and as it did appear unto them so they took special notice of it and began to conceive that God had designed him for some extraordinary Work 3. Because he was such and they saw it therefore they resolved to hide and conceal him so long as they could and when they could no longer do it they expose him in the wisest way they could unto divine Providence It 's true that natural Affection might incline them much and his divine beauty might move them more to use all means to prevent his Ruine Yet this could not be all there was some divine Revelation and Instinct which was the Ground of their Resolution and their Confidence and some tell us that it was so Out of Confidence and Trust in God's Mercy they might earnestly pray and upon their Prayer God might further manifest his Will concerning that Child and so more fully settle their minds 2. That they had some Faith it further appears by their boldness that they feard not the Commandment of the King This King was one of the Pharaâ—hs and Lord of Aegypt who out of State-Policy fearing the multiplication and strength of Israel being Strangers sent out a cruel Edict and Command to murther all their Males so soon as born And it 's very likely he appointed certain Persons as the Mid-wives with some others for the Execution with a strict Charge upon pain of death if they should not execute his Command and either spare them or conceal them This Command made it so full of danger and hazard to his Parents to hide and conceal him so long Yet this Command or Edict they did not fear so as to bewray him No doubt their fear was great yet their Faith was greater and overcame their fear and this undaunted and resolved boldness was an Evidence of their Faith Therefore is it said that by Faith they hid him three Months and so he was preserved if it was by Faith formerly described then there must be some divine Testimony and Promise which was both the Ground of their Faith and also of their Hope § 23. Thus far his Preservation by the Faith of his Parents Now follow the Works and rare Effects of his own Faith for Ver. 24. By Faith Moses when he was come to years refused to be called the Son of Pharaoh 's Daughter Ver. 25. Chusing rather to suffer Affliction with the Children of God than to enjoy the pleasures of Sin for a season Ver. 26. Esteeming the Reproach of Christ greater Riches than the Treasures of Aegypt for he had respect unto the Recompence of Reward THE Apostle doth instance in four several Effects of Moses Faith The first whereof is the principal upon which he doth most of all enlarge and in the same we may observe 1. His Obedience to the principal Command 2. His Faith an effectual Principle of his Obedience Of his Obedience we find two parts 1. His Self-Denial or his Refusal 2. His bearing of the Cross or his Choice 1 His Self-Denial was this That when he come to years he refused to be called the Son of Pharaoh 's Daughter Where I must explain 1. Who Pharaoh's Daughter was 2. What it was to be called her Son 3. What the Refusal of this was 4. When he did refuse it 1. Pharaoh's Daughter was a Lady and great Princess for she was the Daughter of a great King Whether she was the only Daughter or if the onely Daughter the onely Child and Heir Apparant to that rich and potent Kingdom we know not yet howsoever her place was a place of great Honour Power Wealth and Delights and such as that she might advance Moses very high not only because he was her Son by Adoption but also because he was so goodly a Person of such excellent parts and of so great deserts for he was skilful in all the Learning of the Aegyptians and mighty in words and deeds eminently qualified and above the ordinary ranck not only of ordinary men but of Princes 2. He was called the Son of this great Princess To be called as I have formerly observed is sometimes for to be therefore in this sense to be called her Son was to be her Son so that this Name was not a meer Title but a Reality Yet to be called may signify something more for it 's implyed here as it is expressed in the History that he was not her natural but her adopted Son he was not of her Flesh and Blood but of her Will and Choice For Adoption is a Choice of one that is
Christ hath by Inheritance it 's Hereditary and he is invested with it and actually possessed of it to enjoy it for ever Yet the word in the Greek signifies sometimes only to acquire possesse enjoy and so doth Iarash in Hebrew The Connexion is clear for whosoever hath greater dignity and power then another and that justly must needs be more excellent For excellency is a proper necessary consequence of Power § 13. For to which of the Angels said he at any time Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee And again I will be to him a Father and he shall be to me a Son By these words he proves that Christ hath or doth inherit a more excellent Name which is the minor 1. This is a proof by an inartificial argument or testimony which depends upon the authority of the Person testifying 2. The party testifying is God therefore the authority is Divine and without exception especially to the Hebrews who acknowledged the Old Testament to be from God and infallible 3. He produceth two places out of the Old Testament 4. He alledgeth both especially the first by way of interogation affirmative which is a more vehement Negation For to which of the Angels said he that is to none and he challengeth the Hebrews or any other to prove that God said so to any Angel The first Testimony we find Psal. 2. 7. which must first be examined The words are used by the Apostle to prove the Resurrection of Christ Act. 13. 33. and his Priestâ—â—ood Chap. 5. 5 1. By the first place Psal. 2. we understand that upon the Resurrection after the time of his Humiliation was past he was made a King and by the second Hebr. 5. 5. he was made and created a Priest 2. That both are to be understood of Christ and of Christ raised up from death 3. That upon this Resurrection Christ was constituted King and Priest universal and supream in Heaven and Earth Therefore he said after his Reâ—â—rrection and before his Ascension All Power is given unto me in Heaven and iâ— Earth Matth. 28. 18. Therefore this day is not Eternity nor are the words to be understood of his eternal Generation as some of the Ancients expounded them but it 's the day of Resurrection when he laid aside the Form of a Servant and that Work which in that Form he must accomplish was finished This place truly understood doth plainly inform us that as none of the Angels did so humble themselves as he did to do so great and glorious a Service as he performed so none of them were rewarded with the honour and power of an universal Kingdom and Priest-hood as he was He had a better Name a higher place and a greater power for the Regal power he gave him was such that the very Angels were subject unto him as to their Lord and Soveraign The second place alledged we find 2 Sam. 7. 14 16. and the words of that former History contracted a Câ—ron 22. 10. in this manner The Lord speaking of a Son who should succeed him faith He shall build an House for my Name and he shall be my Son and I will be his Father and I will establish the Throne of his Kingdom over Israel for ever To understand this passage of Scripture you must consider 1. That the words are to be understood of Solomon for David intending to build a House and Temple to God was certified by Nathaâ— from the Lord that he should not build Him an House but Solomon his Son who should sit in his Throne after him should undertake and finish that Work 2 That Solomon was but a Type of Christ and that in three things 1. In building God's House 2. In being a King And 3. In the perpetuation of his Kingdom 3. You must know that when any words are spoken of a Type as a Type they are to be understood of the Anti-type and that principally to agree more exactly to the Aâ—â—â—-type For here to build God a spiritual House and to succeed David as an everlasting King did agree fully to Christ not to Solomon 4. The words understood both of the Type and the Anti-type make but one literal sense For that I call the literal sense which is intended by the Spirit And this is the excellency of the Scripture that by the same word it signifies not onely one but several things and thaâ— as the words signify things immediately at first hand so these things signify other things-things past or present or things to come For such was the wonderful Wisdom of God that he ordered things of old so that they plainly shadowed out things to come and so did teach Mysteries not onely by words but things and many things by one word 5. Christ and his Apostles do sometimes so quote the words of the Old Testament that they onely Point at the place and refer the hearer to it where he may read more than he hears and the whole when a part onely is spoken 6. This place joyned with the former doth plainly tell us that to be a Son is to be a King universal over the Church for ever and this is the more excellent Name and hereditary Power given to Christ never given to the Angels David himself by these words understood that God therein promised the Messâ—as and his eternal Saviour who was afterwards called the Son of David and his Throne and Kingdom the Throne and Kingdom of David By Son in both places is meant 1. Not a Servant 2. Not any kind of Son but the first-born 3. Not the first-born of any but of a King 4. Not the first-born of any King but of God as universal and Supream King for his Son this Son must be Heir and Lord of all § 14 Ver. 6. And again when he bringeth in the first-begotten c. These words are taken out of Psal. 97. and are found in the Septuagint Deut. 32. 43. They are brought to prove the excellent Name of Christ above the Angels affirmed in the Minor of the Apostle's Argument Expositors differ in the manner of bringing in these words upon the former but agree in the matter The difference is two-fold 1. About the Adverbs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. The bringing of Christ into the World whether it was his Incarnation as some affirm or his coming to Judgment as others For the Adverbe 〈◊〉 turned again some make it onely a word of Connexion of these words with the former as an Addition of a third Proof of the Minor out of a third place His first was from Psal. 2. The second from 2 Sam. 7. which is added to the former in this manner And again The third is this from Psal. 97. So that the word here signifies onely an Addition of a third Proof to the two former Thus Beza Trimellius Vatablus the Tigurines Zurick Erasmus Sasbout and our English Translators understand it Others think this too harsh a Transposition and joyn it with the Verbe
31. 4. They must remember their former constancy in great Afflictions when they suffered in their own persons and also with others ver 32 33 34. 5. If they persevere the Reward will be great the enjoyment will be very certain and shall not long be delayed ver 35 36 37 38. CHAP. XI VVHerein Perseverance is urged upon other Reasons and Motives as 1. From the excellency of Faith in it self For 1. It can secure us of glorious Rewards to come 2. Assure us of things far above sense and reason ver 1. 2. From the Effects and also the Consequents thereof For 1. The Effects thereof are so excellent that by them the Saints of antient time became famous and obtained an excellent Testimony from God himself which is upon Record in sacred Scripture ver 2. 2. By it we know the World was made of things that did not appear ver 3. 3. From the particular examples of the Elders endued with this heavenly Virtue who obtained so good Report And in this Argument from Example we must observe 1. That it is only proposed in this Chapter and applied in the next 2. That the rare Effects of this Faith in them were that they 1. Obtained great Mercies 2. Suffered great Afflictions 3. Did rare Exploits 3. That they being many are Marshalled in order and reduced to three Companies 1. Such as lived near the Creation and before the Flood 2. Such as lived after the Flood before the Law 3. Such as lived under the Law till near the time of the Incamation 4. Some are mentioned by Name and the effects of their Faith specified and expressed some are not named at all 5. The Apostle insists most largely in Abraham and Moses as rare and eminent Patterns 6. All these lived before the exhibition of Christ and this is their great commendation that in the times of imperfection their Faith was so excellent and had so rare effects CHAP. XII VVHerein 1. The Motive from Examples proposed in the former Chapter is applied and these Hebrews exhorted to imitation ver 1. 2. The unparallel'd Example of Christ is proposed as a mighty Motive seeing for the Joy that was set before him he with great patience endured more then ever any did and that from wicked men ver 2 3. 3. Though they had suffered much yet they had not resisted to Blood and loss of their lives ver 4. 4. They must consider that all their Afflictions which they Suffer come from God as a Father loving them and looking upon them not as Bastards but as Sons and chastising them in Wisdom to make them more holy and more happy ver 5 6 7 8 9 10 11. And the Means of perseverance which they must use are 1. To encourage themselves and renew their strength 2. To live in peace and holiness 3. By Discipline to cast out from amongst them Apostates and scandalous Persons as Fornicators and profane Persons as Esau And the Motives to use these means are 2. Lest they be turned out of the way 3. Lest the Blessing be irrecoverably lost ver 12 13 14 15 16 17. 5. The sad estate of fear and bondage under the Law and the blessed and glorious estate under the Gospel in the Kingdom of Christ should perswade them much To be constant and never to think of returning back to Judaism again ver 18 19 20 21 22 23 24. 6. If they which refused to hearken to the Law given on Earth were severely punished How much more must they suffer who disobeyed him speaking from Heaven ver 25 7. They must persevere in their Profession and serve God accordingly because the former dispensation under the Law is altered and taken away and the dispensation of the Gospel shall never be shaken That this Dispensation continues for ever he proves out of Haggai by whom God said Once more I will shake not only Earth as I did when I gave the Law but Heaven too And after this there never shall be any more shaking or alteration in his Spiritual Kingdom ver 26 27 28. And lest they should not live according to their Profession he lets them know that God is a consuming Fire ver 29. CHAP. XIII VVHerein the Apostle 1. Exhorts 2. Concludes 1. He exhorts to brotherly-Love Hospitality and other Duties and urgeth the performance by several Reasons and Motives from ver 1. to the 18th 2. He concludes with Request Intercession Intreaty Information Salutation Benediction These things give light unto the Whole and the more particular Explication you may expect in the Comment AN EXPOSITION OF THE EPISTLE TO THE Hebrews CHAP. 1. § 1. OF the Divine authority the Authour the Language and Translation of this Epistle others have spoken at large the Matter is the principal thing To do something cast in my mite after other learned men have done their part and to unfold the mysteries thereof is my design And before I enter upon particulars I think it expedient to acquaint the Reader with the scope and method of the Apostle The end and scope is easily known if we read the whole together and seriously consider the Contexture For upon this done it will appear and that very clearly that the whole and all the parts tend to the confirmation of the blebrews in that Christian Faith which they had professed and for which many of them had suffered For the divine Authour knew full well there was danger of Apostacy or at least of doubting in all because of the relapse of some He was not ignorant what the Devil by subtil perswasions or cruel persecutions might do For though some were strong yet many were weak and losse of Goods Imprisonment Banishment and hazzard of Life were shrewd temptations And though it was God who must assist strengthen support and establish them yet he might make him an Instrument in that work so far as to furnish them with Weapons and Armour and perswade them to make use of them Yet we must not think that the inward motive which stirred him up to write was meetly his natural affection to his Brethren and desire of their good or that he used only such means to confirm them in the Truth as natural reason and humane prudence did dictate We must have far higher conceits of this Letter which for matter is divine and far above the dictates of reason For he was inspired moved and infallibly directed by the Holy Ghost The principal Subject of the whole is Christ's prophetical and sacerdotal Office wherein he did excell not only the former Prophets and Priests but Angels too The attentive and intelligent Reader will easily find this and from thence observe his method For he single out his prophetical Office wherein he proves him far more excellent then Prophets Angels and Moses himself and all this in the first four Chapters In the fifth he begins his discourse of his Priest-hood as far above that of Aarons yea above Melchlsedeâ—ks and in this he Tpends the fifth
alwayes upon the Bench and in the end will pass final â—â—â—tence upon all Men and Angels This seems to be understood of that final Doom in which eternal Punishments and Rewards shall be determined This could be no ground of his perswasion except he knew it and he knew this Judgment in generall as he knew the Gospel that is infallibly and by divine Revelation But that they should be eternally rewarded in particular he understood so far as he was certain of their Works So that the ground of his perswasion was this that he knew God was not unrighteous to forget their vertues and good works § 11. In this part and passage of Scripture divers things are remarkable 1. Real Love to God's persecuted Saints is a great evidence of sincere Christianity Therefore saith the divine Apostle By this we know that we are passed from Death to Life because we love the Brethren 1 Joh. 3. 14. 2. Where there is sincere Christianity it will manifest it self by good Works for as a good tree manifests its Goodness by its fruits so doth Faith and inward sincere Christianity 3. To whomsoever this Christianity is thus manifested in any persons they ought to love them and be well perswaded of their happy condition and state of Salvation 4. They that are thus perswaded ought to signify their Love and good Opinion of them as occasion shall require For by this they may prevent suspicions quiet their minds encourage and comfort them 5. There are certain divine Vertues and good Works which have an inseparable connexion with Salvation and eternal Life and which God will not forget 6. This inseparable Connexion is not necessary as from the Vertues and the Works as though they did merit Salvation or necessitate God to reward them 7. It is from God's Righteousness and Promise with respect had to Christ's merit and the qualification of the parties 8. As there are some Persons hardned and delivered up unto a reprobate mind and some sins committed in this life and sometimes long before death which are irremissible so there are certain Vertues and good Works found in Christians that in this life whereupon they are put in a state of Confirmation 9. This state of Confirmation infallibly prevents though not all sins yet final and total Apostacy 10. This state of Confirmation doth depend upon God's Righteousness and faithfulness not upon the Excellency of the Vertues and good Works 11. If such as be endued with these Vertues have done these Works should fall away totally and finally then they should never be rewarded 12. If they should never be rewarded but forgotten God should be unrighteous and unfaithful which to imagine is a bominable 13. Therefore God hath made some Promise whereby he hath bound himself certainly to support such as attain to this Qualification that so they may be eternally rewarded God may be said to be righteous three wayes 1. In respect of strict Justice 2. Of bounty and free beneficence 3. Of Promise First He may be said to be strictly just when he rewardeth Man according to his perfect Obedience yet no Obedience though never so perfect can bind him to reward Man or Angel 2. He is just by way of bounty when he rewards Man capable of Reward and worthy though not in respect of his perfect Righteousness in himself yet because he is some wayes righteous in respect of others who are unrighteous Thus Righteousness is often taken in Scripture therefore it 's written that it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble his persecuted Saints and to his Saints troubled Rest with the Apostles 2 Thes. 1. 6 7. And Righteousness for this reason somtimes signifies Metonymically the great Reward of eternal life as Seek ye the Kingdom of God and his Righteousnesse first of all Mat. 6. 33. So Psal. 24. 5. Isa. 51. 5. The third Righteousness is in the performance of his Promise for though his Promise be free yet if it be once made Justice doth require it and God is not free but bound to perform it and if he should not perform he should be unjust which he cannot be This is the Righteousness here meant If any reply against this Doctrine and alledge the words of God saying that when the righteous turneth away from his Righteousness his Righteousness shall not be mentioned unto him he shall dy Ezrk. 18. 24. The Answer is 1. That the place speaketh of Legal Righteousness and Legal Repentance and Legal Life and Death according to the Covenant maâ—â— with their fathers in the Wilderness 2. Yet there is a Righteousness and a certaindegree thereof and that under the Gospel from which Christians may fall finally and totally To understand both these we must observe 1. That no good Works can expiate Sins either antecedent or consequent to them for there is no expiating Power in them at all neither doth any Laws that require constant Obedience allow that latter vertuous Acts should satisfy for former Crimes nor former good Deeds though excellent take away the guilt of future Offences 2. There was a Legal Righteousness required in the Covenant made between God and Israel before Mount Sinai and it consisted in the Obedience of the Moral Judicial Ceremonial Laws of Moses which did prevent God's temporall Judgments and was a means whereby they obtained and enjoyed God's Protection Safety Peace Plenty and many a Blessing in the good Land of Canaan This is evident out of Levit. 26. and many places of Deuteronomy and in particular out of the 28th Chapter and so out of many Passages which we read in the Books of the Prophets As there is a Legal Obedience so there is a Legal Repentance upon which followed deliverance from temporal Judgments of Sword Famine Captivity and the Curses threatned in the Law So we find Levit. 26 40 41 42 c. and Deut. 30. 1,2,3 c. But that Righteousness whereby they obtained eternal Peace and that Repentance whereby they were freed from eternal Punishments did depend upon that Promise of the blessed Seed made to Abraham That there was such a Righteousness in them under the Law from which they might fall and though they did not fall yet by it they could not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven appears by that young Man who came to Christ to know what he should do to inherit eternal Life Matth. 19. 16 17 18 c. and by Paul who touching the Righteousness of the Law was blameless Phil. 3. 6. There is also a Righteousness and Repentance according to the Law and Light of Nature according to which men are blessed or delivered temporally But the Righteousness and the state thereof which is here intended is far higher It presupposeth both Moral and Legal Righteousness and Repentance for the Substance of it yet is more 3. Of this Righteousness under the Gospel is found in many such a degree as they may fall from it and that totally and finally
and illiterate People but also of all natural men though of excellent parts and highly improved and exquisite humane Learning both Arts and Languages Besides Ignorance and Error corrupt Lusts inordinate Affections violent Passions indispose it very much and make it most averse from that which is just and good and strongly bent upon that which is evil As it hath no true Notions of the greatest good so it hath no mind to use the means which conduce to the attaining thereof This defacement of so noble a Substance is the Work of the Devil and Sin 3. Concerning God's writing his Laws in the heart of Man you must know 1. That they are not written there by Nature as you heard before If they were what need God write that which is already written 2. He writes nothing in this heart but his Laws and his saving Truths Therefore that which is not written without in the Scripture he doth not promise to write within the Heart and whosoever shall fancy any Doctrine received in his heart to be written by the hand of Heaven and yet cannot find it in the Gospel is deceived and deluded 3. Before these divine Doctrines can be written in the heart all Errors Lusts false Opinions must be rased and rooted out of the Soul and it must be made like blank paper This is the reason why we are commanded to prepare our selves for the hearing and reading of God's Word to be like good ground to put away all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness all Malice all Guile and Hypocrisies and Envies and evil-speaking and like new-born Babes desire the sincere Milk of the Word of God 4. God doth not write his Laws in our heats by Enthusiasm Rapture and Inspiration as he wrote his Word in the hearts of the Prophets and Apostles but he makes use of the Word and the Ministers of the Gospel and the Instructions of Man as also of the outward senses as of the Eye and Ear and also of the inward and of Reason and of all the powers he hath given Man to do any thing in this Work And whosoever will not use these means and exercise this Power by Reading Hearing Meditation Conference Prayer let him never expect or think that God will write these things in his heart The neglect of these helps is the Cause why Enthusiasts who pretend the Spirit and persons of high attainments as they boast as though they were above Ordinances have so little solid and saving Knowledg of God's Word fall into so many absurd abominable Errors 5. The Effect of this writing of God is not only Knowledge but also a Love of the Truth Light and Integrity Power and Dominion over Sin and the powerful Sanctifications and Consolations of the Spirit And whosoever doth not find these in his heart let him not think that God hath written his Laws in his heart For he writes with Power and leavs a permanent Tincture of holiness and a constant habitual inclination to that which is good just and right 6. God doth not write these Laws perfectly and fully in Man's heart whilst he is in the Flesh for he proceeds in this Work by degrees Therefore seeing God hath ordained means and commanded them to be used no Man must neglect them whilst this mortal life continues for these Truths are not written in any of our hearts further than we use these means which were given not only for the first inscription of these Laws but for the encrease and perfection of our divine Knowledge This was the way which Christ and his Apostles took for the Conversion Edification and Confirmation of their Disciples If this were not so what need was there of so many Epistles and in particular of this to be written to so many Converts and regenerate Saints 7. Though God doth both begin and encrease our Knowledg and Sanctification by these means yet this Work of his is immediate upon the Soul and far more excellent than these means can reach § 11. The end of this Promise made and the issue of it performed is to acknowledg and receive God as our God in Christ and to submit unto him with a real hearty and total Submission as to our onely Lord and Redeemer that so he may protect and bless us and we may serve and obey him And this we cannot do except God first write his Laws in our hearts therefore this must needs be the first Promise upon which the rest do depend and that whereby he in great Mercy binds himself to give us his preventing Grace and the continuance of it For such is our Case that except he prevent us by granting and vouchsasing unto us both the means of Conversion and the Power of his Spirit to make them effectual upon our immortal Souls we can never take him to be our God so as to become his People and loyal Subjects And upon this done he will be our God and take us for his People and so he promiseth here in this Ver. 10. And I will be to them a God and they shall be to me a People THis is the second Promise of this new Covenant Where we must understand what it is for God to be a God unto any People and for any Persons to be his People This latter is easily known if we know the former 1. Therefore it is not for God to be God absolutely in himself most perfect glorious infinitely and eternally blessed for so he was from everlasting Yet except he be thus God in himself he cannot be a God to any Creature Neither 2. Is it to be a God by Creation Preservation and Ordination for so he is to all Creatures and to every one of them whilst they have their Being Nor 3. Is it to be a God in an higher degree to men as immortal and rational Creatures for so he is to all men Nor 4. Is it meerly to be a God in a peculiar manner to some certain People by choosing and singling them from amongst other men so as to enter into some special Covenant with them and to take a special care of them and to bless them with some special blessings and deliverances for so he was a God to the Jews But 5. It is to be a God unto any Persons or People by a new Covenant of eternal Mercy and Salvation by Jesus Christ exhibited and glorisied And to be his People is to be his Subjects of his special Kingdom so as to receive from him as their Lord-Redeemer spiritual and eternal Protection and Blessings This is the meaning of this Expression in this place In a word it 's a Promise of admission into his Kingdom of Grace and Glory To know this more distinctly we must take notice that to be God in this manner is so to exercise his Wisdom Power and Mercy in Christ as to protect and deliver us from all evill and give us all Blessings necessarily required to make us eternally and fully happy Thus much is
dear Affection to them who are enriched with them So that sinful Men may hope for this City yet upon condition that they will be Pilgrims and Strangers in this World and desire above all other things this better and heavenly Country For to clear this Doctrine more fully we must observe That the World morally and spiritually considered is divided into two Societies the one is of the Devil the other of God This distinction the learned Father took notice of when he wrote his excellent Treatise De Civitate Dei For all men either seek their Rest and Happiness on Earth or an eternal Peace in Heaven and by Nature till God transplant us we are not only in but of this earthly Society and in the Kingdom of Darkness and under the Power and Dominion of Satan and whilest we are in this Kingdom of Satan we are Strangers to the Common-wealth and City of God But when God out of his unspeakable Mercy hath called us made us meet to be partakers of the Inheritance of the Saints in Light and delivered us from the Power of Darkness and hath translated us into the Kingdom of his dear Son Colos. 1. 12. 13. Then we are no more Strangers and Forreigners but Fellow-Citizens with the Saints and of the Houshold of God Ephes. 2. 19. Being once naturalized and made Burgesses of Heaven we have our Conversation in Heaven and carry our selves as Children of a Celestial extraction and the Progeny of the eternal King This Doctrine doth not only inform us of our Duty but ministreth unspeakable Comfort if we do perform it For if our Goods and earthly Estates be sequestred plundred oâ— any wayes taken from us we have a better Estate in Heaven If we be disgraced and reproached in this World yet we shall be Kings and Priests and for ever honoured in Heaven If we be banished and persecuted from place to place so that we can find no Rest and Safety but are wearied out with Removals yet we have a place of Rest and Safety and eternal Abode in Heaven and of this no man can dispossess and diffeisin us If our Sufferings be grievous many and continue long yet we have a City where is no Suffering Pain Persecution Poverty Sorrow where God will wipe away all Tears In this City are eternal Riches Pleasures Honours Peace Safety and full Joy there is nothing wanting which the heart of Man can desire This is that City which as it is the expectation so it 's the universal Comfort of the Sons of God And though the time of our Pilgrimage seem long and tedious yet it will shortly expire and then begins our everlasting Rest for God hath prepared a City for us § 17. The Apostle proceeds in proposing Abraham unto us as a Pattern of Imitation and instanceth in a fourth Work or Effect of his Faith for thus we read Ver. 17. By Faith Abraham when he was tryed offered up Isaac and he that had received the Promises offered his only begotten Son Ver. 18. Of whom it was said That in Isaac shall thy Seed be called Ver. 19. Accounting that God was able to raise him up even from the dead from whence also he received him in a Figure IN these words we may observe 1. Abraham's Obedience 2. His Faith whereby he performed this Obedience In this Obedience we have A Description of the Party obeying Act of Obedience 1. The Party obedient who was Abraham is described in reference to this Act of Obedience 1. As tempted 2. As having received the Promises 3. As one to whom it was said That in Isaac shall thy Seed be called 1. He was tempted or tried The party tempting or trying him was God not that God tempts any Man to Sin but that he would try and manifest unto Abraham himself his Faith and Love to God that so he might be a rare Example in both to all future Generations who should be informed of it The means whereby he tryed him was by giving him this singular and extraordinary Command of sacrificing his Son Isaac This Command we read of in the Books of Moses and this it is Take now thy Son thine only Son Isaac whom thou lovest and go thou to the Land of Moriah and offer him there upon one of the Mountains which I will tell thee of Gen. 22. 2. The End of this Command was to try whether Abraham loved God or his Son Isaac more The Effect of it was an Obligation of Abraâ—â— to perform this Service and to offer his Son Neither in this was God's preceptive Will contrary to his decretive Will for the decretive Will binds God absolutely to do that which he hath decreed and is indispensable but the preceptive Will bound only Abraham to do this yet so that God reserved a Power to dispense with him and to hinder the Performance And this was fulfilled instantly upon the signifying of his Will unto Abraham who instantly upon the Knowledg thereof was bound whether he did or did it not There was no decretive Will of God or Intention that Isaac should be slain and offered This Command was just and no wayes contrary to that other Command of God Thou shalt not kill for though it 's true that it is unjust and contrary to that Law for any Man to take away the life of a party innocent not guilty of any Capital Crime which is the thing there forbidden yet it is just and God may justly command Man to take away the Life of such an innocent Person And the reason hereof is not only this that that Law did not bind God but only Man but because he is the Supream Lord and hath absolute Power of Life and Death which no Creature hath or can have Again he could restore Life taken away which Abraham could not do nay it was above all created Power So that the Reason whereby God in this Command is freed from all Injustice is taken à Potestate Potentia Dei for his Power was absolute and supream and his strength was Almighty 2. Abraham had received the Promises of the Land of Canaan of a numerous Posterity sufficient to inhabit it of Christ in whom all Nations should be blessed 3. He was fully assured by God that in Isaac who was the Son of Promise all these Promises should be fulfilled For God had excluded Ismael and that peremptorily and had several times expresly signified that in Isaac and his Posterity and in none else these Promises should be accomplished Neither need we here trouble our selves about the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for it may be turned to whom that is to Abraham or of whom that is of Isaac it was said c. This was the Description of the Party obeying The Act of Obedience was this that he offered up Isaac he offered up his only begotten Son that Son of whom it was said In Isaac shall thy Seed be called The Sacrifice commanded as commanded was bloody and required the Death and
that is The peaceable fruit of Righteousness for surely there is nothing which God doth unto his Children but therein he intends their good The Subject Matter of this Passage as of the former is the Lord 's chastening of his Children and it 's considered 1. In respect of it self for the present 2. In respect of the Fruit which follows afterward According to these two Considerations we have two Propositions 1. That Chastening for the present seeineth not to be joyous but grievous 2. That nevertheless afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of Righteousness to them that are exercised therewith 1. The Nature of all Chastening in general and of the Lord 's Chastening his Children in particular is here assumed to be grievous and evil For it 's not matter of Joy but Sorrow to the Party suffering it for as Good present is the cause of Joy so Evil is the cause of Sorrow Yet this Evil is not the evil of Sin but of Punishment yet it 's for Sin as deserving it and to take away Sin and prevent the Punishment and when Sin is taken away and the Party chastened is reformed then God's chastizing hand is taken off us and in Heaven where shall be no Sin shall be no Chastening Yet because it issues from Love and tends unto the good of the Party chastened therefore the Evil is so little that it may be a Question whether it should have the Denomination of Evil For this Reason the Apostle useth terms of Abatement as 1. It 's so only for the present 2. It seemeth to be so not that it is so absolutely or in any high degree or in it self but rather in the sense and conceit of the Sufferer 3. It 's not of Joy that is it seemeth not to be Joyous for many times God's Saints rejoyce in Tribulation and these very Hebrews suffered joyfully the spoiling of their Goods In the second Proposition we may observe 1. The Benefit and Profit of Chastisement 2. The Parties that reap this Benefit by it 3. The time of receiving this Benefit 1. This Benefit is the peaceable fruit of Righteousness where fruit of Righteousness is nothing but Righteousness which is here compared to Fruit as every Effect may be said to be a fruit of it's Cause Man is the Soil God's Chastening is the Culture or good Husbandry and this Man thus cultivated by Chastening accompanied with the Word and Spirit yields and brings forth this Fruit. But it 's much doubted what this peaceable Righteousness is Some think that Righteousness signifies heavenly Vertues or the Works of these Vertues for Justitia in sâ—fâ— virtutes coâ—tinâ—â— omnes and righteous Works are vertuous Works Others conceive that by Righteousness is meant that particular Vertue of Patience which seems to be a proper Fruit of Chastizing Tribulations and Afflictions For Tribulation worketh Patience Rom. 5. 3. and the trying of our Faith by Temptations and Afflictions worketh Patience saith another Apostle Jam. 1. 3. And Patience may be said to be peaceable because it is the quiet the peace the calm of the Soul in the midst of the Storms of Affliction But to understand the words more fully we must consider 1. That the End of God's Chastening is Correction Reformation and the reducing of the Party chastened into the right way For saith David Before I was afflicted I went astray but now I have kept thy Word Psal. 119. 67. and again It 's good for me that I have been afflicted that I might learn thy Statutes Ver. 71. Where we may observe 1. That Afflictions which are God's Chastisements are for Sin for he had gone astray 2. The End and Effect is Obedience keeping of God's Word and learning to do his Statutes To obey and do God's Laws is Righteousness 2. Upon this Reformation follows Peace for God's Anger and Chastisements the Effects thereof do cease the Conscience is quiet and the Comfort of the Party corrected is great 3. This Chastening may be used as a means of our first Conversion and so of unrighteous may make us righteous or it may be made subservient to the Reformation of one converted by making him sensible of Sin and causing him to renew his Repentance and exercise and improve his heavenly Vertues which lay dormant in him through his neglect The Sum of all this is 1. God by his Chastisements joyned with his Word and Spirit makes his Children more holy and righteous and also more happy By this that is Smiting and Affliction or Chastisement shall the Iniquity of Jacob be purged and this is all the fruit to take away Sin Isa. 27. 9. And the End of all our Chastisements which we suffer here on Earth is that when this Life is ended we may be perfectly righteous and attain eternal Peace For they exercise our Graces of Repentance and Faith whereby we obtain Remission of Sin a greater measure of Sanctification and Reconciliation with our God 2. The Parties that are Partakers of this benefit are such as are exercised therewith There is an Exercise of the Body whereby men are made stronger more active more skilful in the thing wherein they are exercised and by continued Practice are enabled to endure and hold out far more and far longer than others can do There is also an Exercise of the Soul in the School of Affliction for this is the manner of God's training of his Children and the stirring up and improving of their heavenly vertues The principal Vertue he intends to teach them is Patience which once had and brought unto some Perfection is a rare vertue This is an hard Lesson and not easily learned and without Exercise cannot be attained yet this vertue once made habitual raiseth Man to an high degree of Christianity so that nothing will be difficult unto him Therefore this was the Exhortation of the Apostle Let Patience have her perfect Work that ye may be perfect and entire wanting of nothing James 1. 4. They therefore who are exercised by Afflictions so as to be habitually patient are they who receive this benefit and reap the peaceable fruit of Righteousness 3. Yet there must be some time before an habit be acquired therefore the Apostle saith That not at first but afterward when we have been well â—vâ—rcised then it yieldeth this peaceable fruit and not before God could so sanctify us at first and in an instant so deeply implant all heavenly vertues in us that this Exercise might be needless Yet it was not his Will and Pleasure so to do he will humble us try us refine us before he admits into his Kingdom of Glory He knew this was good for us for it is good for a Man that he bear the Yoke in his Youth He sitteth alone and keepeth silence because he hath born it upon him Lament 3. 27. 28. The Sum of this Discourse is That seeing from the Text of Solomon it appears that God out of Love chasteneth all his Children so that none are exempted and
for Christ's sake can have any Right to eat of this Altar and Sacrifice of Christ so as to be saved by it § 13. Therefore the Apostle draws a practical Conclusion from the former words in this manner Ver. 13. Let us go forth therefore unto him without the Camp bearing his Reproach Ver. 14. For here we have no continuing City but we seek one to come THis Text is an Exhortation and therein two things are observable 1. The Duty exhorted unto 2. The Reason whereupon it 's urged 1. The Duty is two-fold 1. We must go forth to him 2. We must bear his Reproach 1. We must come forth of the Camp or City to him 1. The Camp or City is Judaism and all erroneous Sects and also the World and men of the World we must separate from all things inconsistent with the Truth and Christ. This is not expressed but implied 2. Out of this Camp or City we must come forth and that we do when we renounce all Errours in Religion and all earthly Affections Our Opinions and Errours in Religion are so many Idols setup in our Souls and are contrary to the Truth of the Gospel and the things of the World which we so much affect and dearly love are all of us by Nature contrary to the Love of Christ We have something in our hearts which keeps us from our God till we be truly converted 3. To come forth to Christ therefore is to be rightly informed and to believe the saving Truth of Christ and upon this right Information to love him above all as far more necessary excellent and beneficial than any thing than all things else This is the same with denying ourselvs forsaking all for his sake hating Father Mother Wife Children Brethren Sisters and Life itself out of love to him and to forsake all for his sake For lay all of these with all the Kingdoms and rarest Contents of the World together on oneside and Christ on the other they are all base uncertain vain empty things Dross and Dung and nothing to Christ who is infinitely precious and incomparably more excellent than all and more beneficial to a poor guilty Sinner To come forth to him is not to change the Place but our Hearts it 's a Motion not of the Body but the Soul and if we once knew the Beauty of Christ and had tasted of his Sweetness we should be ravished with him and all the World could not keep us from him In him alone true Happiness is to be found 2. The second part of the Duty is to bear his Reproach Here is Reproach his Reproach the bearing of his Reproach In this the Author alludes unto the bearing of the Cross which was the greatest Shame and Disgrace any man could be put unto To endure Shame and Disgrace and suffer in our Reputation Credit Honour and good Name is a very grievous Evil and few can endure it and some can better suffer Death than Ignominy and Disgrace The Cross was not only a matter of Reproach but of grievous pain and torment and was the Epitome of all positive Evils and therefore by Reproach is signified all kind of afflictions and miseries which we may suffer from men or may be obnoxious unto in this Life Yet this Reproach and this Cross here meant must be his Reproach his Cross. If we suffer Punishment for our own Crime and through our own Folly then it 's not Christ's Cross Simon of Cyrene did not bear his own but Christ's Cross and followed him This is a Reproach and Cross laid upon us for his sake because we profess his Truth obey his Laws oppose Sin and his Enemies refuse to comply with the World in any Sin renounce all Errours Idolatry Superstition and wicked Customs of the World and all this out of Love to Christ. To bear this Cross is not meerly to suffer any wayes but to suffer the worst Man can do unto us with Patience with Constancy with Joy and to think our selveâ— happy and much honoured that we are counted worthy to suffer for so great a Saviour â—nd in so noble a Cause This requires a divine Faith well grounded upon the Word and Promises of God and a special Assistance of the dâ—vine Spirit for these will strengthen our hearts and make us willing to suffer any thing before we offend our God and lose our Saviour § 13. The words of the former Verse considered as a Doctrine or Proposition are a Conclusion deducible from antecedent Premisses but as containing a Duty to be performed they are inferred from the 14. Ver. where we have a Reason given us why we should come forth to Christ and it is two-fold 1. Because we have here no abiding City 2. Because we seek one to come 1. We have no abiding City By City understand two things 1. A place fit for comfortable and safe habitation 2. An Estate answerable unto this Habitation whereby we may live happily in this place For neither can an Estate without a place nor a place without an Estate make our condition good and such as we desire An abiding City is a place of eternal Rest and Safety which in it self stands firm for ever and the Inhabitants shall never remove or be dispossessed As it is such a Place so it 's an Estate not only of all necessaries but of all things delectable and desirable with plenty of them sufficient to make a man fully happy and as these things in themselvs so the Enjoyment of them is everlasting Yet here that is in this life on Earth and under Heaven there is no such City no such Place no such Estate And as it is not here so we have it not for nothing can be had or enjoyed where it is not We may have many great and glorious things on Earth for here are goodly Estates Kingdoms and vast Empires strong and beautiful Cities Towns and Habitations and some have them yet these are not abiding in themselvs nor in the Possession of the Owners Experience of all times besides the Word of God doth teach us this certain Truth Therefore we knowing that there is no such City here seek no such thing here because no such thing can be had here 2. But we seek one to come That is though there be no such thing here neither have we any such City on Earth yet there is such a City though not here yet else-where though not present yet to come and we seek it There is one a Place of everlasting Rest and firm Mansions in our Father's House and a glorious Estate of full and perfect Happiness far above the Conceit and Imagination of mortal men and the Possession both of the Place and Estate shall be everlasting as all the Inhabitants and Owners of this City shall live for ever Yet it 's to come which signifies that no such thing is here neither can it be enjoyed in this present mortal life the full and perfect Fruition is reserved for Heaven