words of the Psalme wherein God calls this rest his rest For the Rest proper to God himselfe wherewith he himselfe rested is by a far better title called the Rest of God then that whereof God was only the donor such as was the Rest of the Israelites in the land of Canaan Not that this rest proper to God is numerically the very same with that future rest which God hath promised us but because generically it is a Rest of the same kinde For as Gods Rest was a perpetuall Rest in resting from his workes for ever so shall our Rest bee perpetuall in resting for ever from all our labours and troubles wherein we shall have an eternall festivall 4. For he spake in a certaine place of the seventh day Here hee shews the reason why he understands that rest of God to be his Rest from his workes which hee had finished from the beginning of the world namely because the Scripture or the Holy Ghost speaking in the Scripture speaketh in that manner of the seventh day as Gen. 2 2. and Exod 20.11 And God did rest the seventh day from all his works In these words wee have shewed us the Rest of God neither in the whole Scripture to which only we must look here is mentioned or named any other rest of God whereof the people should come to bee partakers 5. And in this place againe If they shall enter into my rest q d. Wherefore seeing here againe in these words of the Psalme there is mention made of Gods rest whereof Gods people shall partake therefore with good reason in a genuine and mysticall sense doe we understand it of that only rest of God specified in the Scripture But that this rest also belongs unto the people the very festivall and rest of the Sabbath commanded to Gods people is a clear argument wherein there is not only a commemoration of Gods rest past but also a Representation of the Rest of Gods people to come Whereof we shall speake further at the ninth verse following 6. Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein After he had shewed that by the words of the Psalme in a mysticall sense we must understand the proper rest of God or that wherein God himselfe rested now he proceeds on to shew that that rest of God mentioned in the words of the Psalme doth appertaine unto us and that a passage therto is opened unto us And first he layes certain grounds for this doctrine and then removes the obstacles that may seem against it The first ground is That some must enter into the rest 2. That they to whom it was first proposed and promised entered not into it For from these two grounds it will follow That some other after that time must enter it But because it might be objected That though those Israelites who came our of Egypt entered not that rest yet their children entred it by the conduct of Josuah their Captaine And therefore it cannot bee concluded that Christians are they that shall enter it This Objection or rather Exception hee dissolves by shewing that in those words of the Psalme whereof he yet treats for some severall ages after the Israelites were possessed of the land of Canaan there is another time appointed wherein an entrance into Gods Rest was to be opened whence it followes that by the conduct of Joshuah Gods people have not yet attained the true rest Whereupon the Author at length concludes That as yet there remaines a Sabbatisme or rest for the people of God This being done he repeats the exhortation begun at the beginning of this Chapter and so returnes to the point from whence he had digressed This is the summe of all that is said unto the end of the 11 verse Now let us consider the severall words in order That some must enter therein Seeing it is the will and good pleasure of God that a passage should be open to that rest and that some should enter into it for this the Author supposeth as a thing well knowne and no way doubtfull For that those first people that fell in the wildernesse were by their owne fault excluded from it this nothing derogates from Gods promise whereby he assured this rest by oath upon the posterity of Abraham to be fulfilled in other persons better and more worthy then those first that failed of it But under the cover of carnall promises and an earthly rest there lay hidden spirituall promises of an heavenly rest pertaining to the spirituall seed of Abraham And the entrance of the Israelites into that earthly rest obtained by the conduct of Josuah what is it else but a type and shadow of Christians future entrance into a heavenly rest by the conduct of Jesus Christ And they to whom it was first preached entred not in because of unbeliefe First preached in the originall they that had the first good message for the entring of it This is the other point that he confirmes and by occasion whereof the Holy Ghost leaves us the following admonition To day if ye will heare his voice harden not your hearts For because those first of our fathers to whom God had sent the message by Moses for the entring of that rest deserved by their diffidence and disobedience to be excluded from it therefore the Holy Ghost hath in these words appointed to their posterity another day or time wherein they may and must ente into Gods rest and withall exhorts them to it lest following the like disobedience to their forefathers they incur a like issue of their impiety 7. Againe he limiteth a certaine day This is very good cause why another day should be limited for enterance into Gods rest if some must enter it at all and they who were first invited entered it not For if either none were to enter it or some had already entered it then there were no necessity why another day or time should be limited or appointed for entering it But in these words of the Psalm that the holy Ghost in a mysticall sence shewes there is such a day limited which pertains to the times of the Messias these following arguments declare 1. Because by these words the people are admonished to shunne the example of their forefathers that came out of Egypt that they may not be like them in their sin But their forefathers sin was chiefly this that they would not rest in Gods promises for their enterance into his rest Therefore if wee must truly be either like or unlike to them wee also must have Gods promise for our entrance into Gods rest and therefore this day here is limited unto us for our entrance into it 2. Because in this Psalme is proposed to the people the judgement or punishment of God whereinto their fathers fell that they being terrified thereby and fearing the like would not imitake their fathers But that punishment was a rejection from entrance into Gods rest which penaltie no man can incurre but he that hath
Hebrewes in Nownes compounded to adde 1 to the first Nowne for sweet sounding and ornament as Adonisedec Adonibesec Abimelech Achimelech Haminadab Abisag c. and the same is done also in Melchisedec From these words it manifestly appeares that this Epistle was not written in Hebrew but in Greek for either these must be the words of a Greeke interpreter or of the Hebrew Author of a Greeke interpreter they cannot be seeing they are a part of the Text it selfe and of the reasoning therein The words of an Hebrew Authour how can they bee For what could bee more vaine then first to interpret the name Melchisedec and Salem to the Hebrewes seeing none of the Hebrewes could be ignorant of the sense of these names and then to interpret Melchisedec Melechsedec and Melechsalem Melechsalem For so these names must needs be interpreted if this Epistle were written in Hebrew unlesse an Hebrew Author writing Hebrew names to the Hebrewes should interpret them by another language then the Hebrew It is therefore apparent that the Writer of this Epistle was a Greeke who interprets the Hebrew name Melchisedec and Salem and from these very appellations doth tacitly draw an argument to shew that Melchisedec is a most elegant type of Christ who is a King of all others the most righteous and most peaceable Whence Esay 9.6 he is called the Prince of peace because he especially hateth and abhorreth warres neither cares he to be famous for warres as the Kings of this world do but onely for peace and withall is most happy in himselfe and the author of true happinesse to his people For as it is well knowne the word peace among the Hebrewes signifies also all happinesse 3. Without father without mother He hath shewed that Melchisedeck was a Priest of the most High God now hee further declares what manner of Priest he was and in that respect how far he was unlike to the Leviticall Priests and contrarily how like unto Christ In the Leviticall Priest especially in the high Priest the chiefest regard of all was to know of what father what mother and of what family hee came But in the Priest Melchisedeck it is apparent there was no regard at all had of this seeing the Scripture which testifies of him that he was a Priest hath declared neither his father nor mother nor family Melchisedeck therefore is said to be without father and mother not that hee had no father or mother but because neither his father nor mother are declared or mentioned in the annalls of the Scripture For even among prophane Writers they whose pedigree and parentage was unknowne were said to be of no family and to have neither father nor mother Theodoret speakes very well upon these words of the Author The holy Scripture saith he relates the Genealogie of Abraham and many others as well who went before him as followed after she mentions his father grandfather and great grandfather and all his direct ancestors she addes also that when he was so many years old he begat a son when so many that he dyed But she shewes not the father nor parentage of Melchisedeck nor how long he lived nor when he dyed Besides in ordaining the Leviticall Priesthood it must be knowne of what family he was for of necessity he must be of the family of Aaron as Aaron himselfe was of the tribe of Levi unto which tribe Jacob the Patriarch had Prophetically designed the Priesthood as he had the Kingdome to the tribe of Judah Regard also was had of his mother for she must be an Israelite one of the twelve tribes otherwise the sonne borne of her being a stranger though married to the high Priest was illegitimate for the Priesthood and also the high Priest must necessarily be borne of a woman that was married to his father when she was a virgin or was the widow of some other Priest and one that was not of a plebeian and vulgar family whereof see Lev. 21.13 Without descent or pedigree Whose genealogy or pedigree is not declared in Scripture For a pedigree is a declaration of a mans parentage or descent He is not without descent or parentage that hath no parentage at all but because his parentage is not mentioned or extant and therefore not knowne And by this word it may appeare in what sense the Author said that Melchisedek was without father and without mother namely because as there is no mention in Scripture of his pedigree and ancestors no neither of his parents whereof the former is consequent to the latter For hee whose parents are unknowne how should his pedigree and descent be knowne Having neither beginning of dayes nor end of life Dayes may here be taken not for the time of his life but for the time of his Priesthood when that began or ended for so the Scripture mentions the dayes of Herod and of John Baptist And in this sense Melchisedeck is said to have neither beginning of dayes nor end of life because the Scripture declares not at what time his Priesthood began nor when it ended to make it hereby appeare that in his Priesthood there was no respect had either of his predecessor or successor For therefore in every Priest the beginning and ending of his Priesthood is noted that it might thence appeare what predecessor and what successor each Priest had And further the end of life is fitly opposed to the beginning of his Priesthood because the Priesthood expired not but with his life But if by Dayes we understand the time of his life then we must acknowledge that the beginning of his life is mentioned only for opposition and amplifications sake For it was enough for the Author to shew that Melchisedeck had no knowne successor in his Priesthood that in this respect he might be a type of Christ which he expresseth by saying he had no end of life But being willing to say yet more for illustrations sake he affirmes that as he had no end of life so he had no beginning of it and therefore no marvell if the end of his life were not mentioned when the beginning of it was concealed But made like unto the Son of God abideth a Priest continually But compared or likened unto Christ abides a Priest perpetually and without any successor He doth in these words further yet illustrate the point from the contrary Melchisedec hath no end of life but remaines a Priest perpetually or for ever And when hee would signifie where the Scripture testifies this he saith made like unto the Sonne of God q.d. There the Scripture testifies it where she compares and likens him to Christ For the Scripture no where expresly saith of Melchisedec alone by himselfe that he abides a Priest for ever but only in comparing him with Christ in the very words spoken of Christ Thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec In which words the Scripture doth withall insinuate tacitly and by force of the comparison that
neither now is nor hereafter shall be vacant or unoccupied in this action neither is this subjection attributed to God otherwise then as God doth it by Christ or gives power and strength unto Christ whereby he may and doth effect it therefore in the word expecting wee must acknowlegde a trope and the signification of it must be admitted onely thus far as it argues that Christ by the gift and benefit of God doth reigne subdue his enemies to him so that in this respect not Christ but God is said to subdue his enemies and Christ expecteth onely till it be done Besides in regard of the time wherein at last all the enemies of Christ shall be subdued unto him Christ may be said thus farre to depend upon his Father as it is in his Fathers owne power to order the times and seasons of things or Christ himselfe doth testifie 14 For by one offering He brings another reason why Christ offered onely but once because by one offering he perfected or finished all things As on the contrary the legall high Priests offered often because they could never perfect all things by all their oblations Hee perfected for ever them that are sanctified Perfected is throughly and wholy expiated see Chap. 7. ver 11. For ever is in respect of all future times and ages to come not as it was under the Law only for the time past and that time but for the space of one yeare They that are sanctified are they that are expiated purged or cleansed from sin in their conscience and the word must not bee restrained to the present time only but extended and dilated to all differences of time to those that ever have been sanctified or now are or ever shall be For Christ may be said to perfect or expiate men for ever in a double sense First as every man that is expiated is not expiated for some certain time but for ever and secondly as his offering is of efficacy and force to expiate all men of all times and ages to the end of the world so that it shall never need bee iterated either for the same men or for any others 15. Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witnesse to us After that he had proved by severall reasons that the offering of Christ must bee made only once now he further proves the same by a testimony of the Scripture wherein the Holy Ghost witnesseth the same thing For this truth is so evident and so materiall that it hath not only the reasons formerly alleadged to confirme it but hath also a testimony of Scripture wherein the Holy Ghost doth testifie it The Holy Ghost is said to witnesse a thing when the Scripture saith it because as Peter teacheth us that holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost 2 Pet. 1.21 After that he had said before After the Holy Ghost had said before which saying follows in the next verse 16. This is the Covenant that I will make with them after those dayes saith the Lord I will put my Lawes into their hearts and in their minds will I write thm Of these words of the Holy Ghost we have treated before Chap. 8.10 17. And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more Between the former verse and this something must be understood that is silenced namely then he said as the Author himself speaks at the ninth verse before For at the fifthteenth verse upon which this dependeth the Author had written for after that he said before namely the Holy Ghost therefore here must be understood then he said namely the Holy Ghost againe said the words of this Text And their sinnes and iniquities c. 18. Now where remission of these is there is no more offering for sinne From these words of the Holy Ghost wherein the remission of sinnes and iniquities is promised to Gods people now the Author inferres that the offering of Christ must bee but one only Namely because the Holy Ghost doth testifie that God under the New Testament and so by Christ and his offering will remit unto his people all sinnes and iniquities even the most grievous for ever Now where there is such a remission of sinnes proceeding from Gods Will and Covenant and that universally in respect of time for ever and also universally in respect of persons to all men there can be given no other sacrifice for sinnes and therefore one sacrifice only for sinnes is sufficient But that no further sacrifice is allowed for sins where such a remission of them is granted by Covenant it appears from hence because otherwise remission should be granted and ordained also by Covenant to them that persist in their sinnes which were a thing very unfit and unworthy of Gods grace For if men repent and change their minde and wayes into better courses partly they abstaine from sinne with all care and partly by virtue of the new Covenant and so by the one single offering of Christ they have ready prepared for them a remission of all those sinnes which either went before their true repentance or to follow it that they neither lose it nor make it void Anciently under the Law when remission was granted only of ignorances and infirmities it was no marvell if upon the stay or returne of the same sinnes for which offering had been made the offerings were often iterated and instead of them another offering were introduced far better and perfecter which is that of Christ but now seeing the most grievous sinnes are expiated by the offering of Christ under the New Testament what place can be yet left for any other offering For either a man engaged by so great a benefit doth afterward lead an holy life or not If he live holily there needs no other offering for to expiate his sin seeing hee commits it not if he live not holily there must be none 19. Having therefore brethren boldnesse Here the Author doth in a manner summe up those things which hitherto he had spoken of the Priesthood and sacrifice of Christ and from thence infertes his following admonition By boldnesse here hee understands an assured hope and confidence flowing from the faculty and liberty granted us of entring into heaven the most holy Sanctuary So that by the word boldnesse is signified unto us both our faculty or liberty of entring into heaven and also our confidence or assurance of minde issuing from our knowledge of our faculty or liberty to enter which liberty is opposed to that restraint under the Law whereby it was lawfull for no man to enter into the holy place under paine of death except the high Priest once a yeare And for feare that any one should attempt it all were forbidden it To enter into the holiest Heaven is that Sanctuary whereinto on Gods part we have liberty that we may enter and on our owne part we have confidence that we shall enter And of all Sanctuaries the heavenly is absolutely the holiest
the Old Testament pertinent to his purpose or because he thought them not to be mentioned by reason of that sinne whereby they made themselves and their posterity subject unto death especially seeing in those Canonicall bookes we no where reade that God ever pardoned our first Parents for their sinne although the Author of the booke of Wisdome in the beginning of the tenth chapter affirmes That Wisdome preserved the first formed father of the world that was created alone and brought him out of his fall that is she freed him from the guilt and punishment of his sinne Therefore he begins with Abel their son placing him in the first place as the first person among those whose piety towards God and Gods love toward them is celebrated in Scripture and then shews what Abel obtained by his faith Of him therefore he saith That he offered a more excellent sacrifice then Cain Some render it a more bountifull sacrifice others a more valuable thinking the Author intended to note that Cain as an ungratefull and a distrustfull person offered onely a few fruits but Abel to testifie his affection and faith offered things of more value namely the firstlings and fattest of his sheepe But the more simple and certaine meaning is that Abels sacrifice was not more bountifull or more valuable of it selfe then the others but more acceptable unto God who accepted and esteemed it better and more excellent by reason of the righteousnesse and godlinesse of the person that offered it for upon that ground it is that God esteemes and values all offerings made unto him Now there was no other cause of that godlinesse and consequently of Gods acceptation of Abels sacrifice but onely Abels saith whereby he stood perswaded that God was and was a Rewarder of those that seeke him and sue to him for his favour by godlinesse and righteousnesse And there was no other cause of his faith but that he had in him the substance of things hoped for for his hope of Gods favour and of Gods reward did breed this faith of God in him Furthermore he whose offering God hath in esteeme his person must needs be in more esteeme with God for from this roote growes the true happinesse of every man But that Cain offered the fruits of the earth and Abel the firstlings of his cattell the reason was because Cain was an husbandman and Abel an heards-man So both of them offered their sacrifice to God out of that substance wherein each abounded And that the word sacrifice which properly signifies an offering from the Herd which is slaine should be tacitly referred to Cains offering which was onely of fruits this must be attributed to the runne of the comparison the fitting whereof doth many times make way to some abusions or improprieties By which he obtained witnesse that he was righteous The words by which are better referred to Abels faith then to his sacrifice for the following words and by it he being dead yet speaketh are in like manner referred to his faith for they expresse a peculiar fruit of it But where did Abel obtaine this testimony of his righteousnesse even in that passage of Scripture where God had respect to him and to his sacrifice but not to that which Cain offered as we reade it Gen. 4.4,5 or as the Author declares himselfe in the words following God testifying of his gifts For therein God testified of his gifts or offerings that they were acceptable unto him in that he had respect unto them And very probable it is that God shewed his testimony and acceptance thereof by some fire sent from heaven which consumed the sacrifice and offering of Abel And when God doth accept of a mans gifts and offerings being graciously pleased to receive them he doth thereby testifie and witnesse that man to be a righteous person seeing no gifts or offerings are acceptable to God but such as come from a righteous man for the sacrifice of fooles or sinners is an abomination to him And when God in his discourse with Cain rendred him a reason why he had no respect to his offering he shewed cleerely enough that both Cain did not well and that Abel did well which is to be just See Gen. 4.7 And by it be being dead yet speaketh Another fruit of Abels faith which was the cause that God would be an avenger of his innocent bloud to persecute and banish from his presence his brother that had murdered him Abels bloud is said to speake or cry unto God by way of metaphor because God thereby is vehemently incited and moved to take vengeance for the murder of a person that was righteous and acceptable to God as if his bloud had cried and sued to God for justice to be done upon the murtherer So in the Revelation the souls of them that were slaine for the word of God are said to cry with a loud voice How long O Lord holy and true dost thou not judge and avenge our bloud on them that dwell on the earth Revel 6.10 5. By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death and was not found because God had translated him In the second place hee brings the Example of Enoch and sheweth what he obtained by his faith Into what place Enoch was translated the Scripture expresseth not but from what the Authour addes that he should not see death it appeares hee was translated into such a place wherein men see not death i. Are exempt and free from dying which seemes to be no other or at least no other knowne to us then that heavenly habitacle of Immortalitie wherein God and Christ and the holy Angels dwell But because the Scripture expresly saith not that Enoch obtained this favour by his faith therefore the Authour proves it by adding For before his translation he had this testimony that he pleased God The reason may runne thus Enoch was translated because he pleased God which the thing it selfe shewes and the Scripture testifies that before his translation he pleased God But without faith it is impossible to please God therefore Enoch was translated by his faith The consequence of this argument shal be defended afterward Or rather the reason may thus be gathered Enoch was translated because he pleased God and because he pleased God therefore hee had Gods testimoniall of it And againe because hee pleased God therefore hee had in himselfe some substance of things hoped for and some evidence of things not seene and because hee had in him this substance and evidence of things hoped for and not seene therefore hee had faith and because he had faith therefore by his faith hee was translated For in affirmative arguments that which is first in nature is last in course of reason He had this testimony namely either from the holy Scripture or from the holy Ghost by whom the Scripture was indited But the giving or the taking of this testimony must not be joyned with the preceding words before his translation
thereupon naturally of her owne accord inclines to the removing and abolishing of it as are all things artificiall that are made by art from which the Author seems here to draw a tacit resemblance So the form and beauty of this whole world was by the power of God induced into that Chaos which is described by Moses in the beginning of Genesis seeing therefore that heaven and earth were made by inducing a forraine forme into a grosse matter that was before rude void and darke beside and above her naturall capacity therefore their forme shall bee shaken off and removed and consequently they shall bee abolished That those things which cannot be shaken may remaine That things immutable only may remaine alone by themselves Now they are not onely things immutable which cannot be shaken but also mutable which shall be shaken But after that all things mutable which are to be shaken shall be shaken and removed then shall remaine onely things immutable which are not to be shaken nor shall be shaken By these words is noted of things mutable not the proper end for which they had being but the event or end of their being whereby their being shall cease And the Author added this to shew that when heaven and earth shall be removed or abolished yet there shall be remaining a most ample and spacious mansion for the righteous as S. Peter also testifieth and calleth it a new heaven and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousnesse 2 Pet. 3.13 But by these words the Author makes way to a new argument whereby he excites and exhorts the Hebrewes to faith and constancy in the Christian Religion by subjoyning 28. Wherefore we receiving a kingdome which cannot be moved or shaken The kingdome here is both the place it selfe and also the blessed state or happinesse of them that inhabit it And this kingdome cannot be moved or shaken not in respect of Gods power for God who is Almighty hath might and power sufficient to move and shake even that new heaven and new earth as Peter calls it but because God hath no will ever to shake yea it is his will it should never be shaken and because of it owne nature it is no way propense or inclinable to be shaken but is finally immutable and what is so of that it may well be said that it cannot be shaken in which sence the Angels are immortall and so shall wee be one day We receiving i. accepting and embracing it with our soule and bearing a firme faith to the promises of it which are contained in the Christian Religion and so apprehending it as it were with our hand upon Gods offer of it unto us Let us have grace Have is here put for retaine or hold unlesse by grace here some man would understand a thankfull minde which sence notwithstanding doth not so well fit the place especially seeing in the holy Scriptures to have grace doth not signifie to have a thankfull minde but rather to give thanks See 1 Tim. 1.12 and 2 Tim. 1.3 which sence doth not so well agree with the words following Whereby wee may serve God Grace Grace therefore in this place as also elsewhere doth rather signifie either the doctrine of Christ full of Gods grace as when John saith that grace came by Iesus Christ John 1.17 where he opposeth grace to the Law and S. Peter writes that he testifies that this is the true grace of God wherein ye stand 1 Pet. 5.12 where he meanes that the doctrine which they had received touching the grace of God was true Or it signifies the favour of God whereto God admitted us under the new Covenant promising us eternall life and his heavenly kingdome which divine favour is termed by Paul the grace of God that bringeth salvation to all men T it 2.11 which in the following Chapter ver 4. he calls the kindenesse and love of God So that to have grace is to retaine the doctrine of the Gospel which containes the grace and favour of God toward us Whereby wee may serve God acceptably That is according to his prescript if by grace we understand the doctrine of Christ or by his instinct if wee will have it signifie the favour of God May serve In the Originall it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may worship which word sometime in holy Scripture is taken largely and generally for all that honour which by holy offices we performe publiquely unto God whether by way of worship with holy reverences or by way of service with prayers praises or thanksgivings and such like yea sometime this word is further amplified and extended to all works of piety because under the new Covenant all pious works are accounted spirituall sacrifices But how the word worship is sometime taken more strictly and so opposed to service and what are the differences betweene them two we have formerly explicated chap. 9. ver 1. and see chap. 9.14 Acceptably Our worship and service of God and our workes of piety must not be done loosely after any manner but in such a manner onely as is acceptable and pleasing to God because all service must be pleasing to the person to whom it is done for otherwise it is disservice Therefore our worship and service of God must not now be legall by carnall sacrifices which while the Law was of force were not very pleasing unto him as hath beene shewed but spirituall and evangelicall by holy reverences prayers praises and thanksgivings neither must it be perfunctory lame or may med but entire serious and ardent With reverence and godly feare He shews the manner and way how to make our worship and service acceptable and pleasing unto God namely if we worship and serve him with modesty and reverence In the Greeke it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which properly signifie with modesty and reverence Modesty or bashfulnesse is an affection whereby we feare to displease a man and thereby to diminish his good esteeme of us and it extends it selfe to the least circumstances that seeme to containe any appearance of indecency even to those things which deserve neither punishment nor blame For modesty requires us to avoid all indecencies or if they cannot be avoyded but either are or have beene done to cover them that they may not appeare to others least thereby wee lessen our esteeme with them to whom they appeare But be case modesty though it be a very tender affection yet for the most part doth not incite and move us so vehemently therefore to modesty the Author adjoynes reverence which is a more potent affection for reverence is an intense or graduated feare when feare is in some degree augmented beyond his ordinary state as Charity is an intense love more then ordinary And this reverence doth properly respect a person that is superiour unto us and either hath power to benefit us or at least a right to punish us For feare as it respects a person is properly that affection whereby we beware of
I Have perused this Comment or Exposition upon the Epistle to the Hebrewes and finding it to be learned and judicious plaine and very profitable I allow it to be Printed and published IOHN DOVVNAME THE EXPIATION OF A SINNER IN A COMMENTARY Vpon the Epistle to the HEBREVVES LONDON Printed by THO. HARPER and are to be sold by CHARLES GREENE at his Shop in Ivie Lane 1646. TO THE CHRISTIAN READER THe History of Christ for his life doctrine and miracles for his death resurrection and ascension is copiously described by the foure Evangelists But the Mystery of Christ for the reasons causes and effects of his sufferings and actions especially since his ascension into heaven and session on the Throne of God is exactly revealed in the Epistle to the Hebrewes which seems in manner of an Appendex unto the Evangelists For that Epistle is frequently interserted with severall deep mysteries containing as it were the history of Christ in heaven How there in the behalf of the faithfull he executes the sacred office of his everlasting Priesthood whereby he is able to save them for ever who come unto God by him because he ever liveth to make intercession for them How he commiserates and succours them in all their afflictions and trialls for having himselfe been afflicted and tried he thereby learned the compassion of a mercifull high Priest How he expiates and propitiates them from all their former sinnes and from all their after-lapses whereinto they fall through ignorance or infirmity for by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified How he justifies and here difies them to that eternall blessednesse whereof he is the heire and the donor to admit them as co-heires with him for he is become the author of eternall salvation unto all them that obey him How hee consecrates and dedicates their persons and all their sacrifices or holy services of prayers praises and thanksgivings which through him become acceptable to his Father for he is a Minister of the heavenly Sanctuary and of the true Tabernacle which God hath pitched and not men And therein is further accurately discoursed what admirable benefits and prerogatives are from Christ redundant to the faithfull for whom he hath obtained a Ministery so much more excellent by how much he is the Mediator of a better covenant established upon better promises What necessary duties of holinesse the faithfull on their part over and besides their faith to believe are bound to performe for the application and efficacie of those benefits to render them effectuall to their salvation which without holinesse can never be attained for as without faith it is impossible to please God so without holinesse no man shall see God What vertue and power those benefits have upon the conscience to withdraw her from dead workes and to engage her in all endeavours of holines to serve the living God by way of thankfulnesse to God for his grace in Christ for otherwise the soul is ingratefull and ungracious What solid comforts and assurances under all the distresses of this life arise unto the soule from her endeavours of holinesse without which no soule is capable of solid and assured comfort for a sensuall and sinfull soul may be sometime flattered and deceived but effectually comforted and assured she can never be untill in some measure she bee purged from her sinfulnes and qualified by deeds or desires of holinesse In the prosecution of these and the like points the divine Author of that Epistle proceeds after a grave and solid manner yet soaring sometime into expressions and reasonings so sublime that he seems to penetrate the highest heavens and there to behold our Saviours actions For the points he prosecutes are high mysteries of things so distant and remote from sense that as himself acknowledgeth c. 5. v. 11. many of them are hard to be uttered and therfore certainly hard to be understood Yet for the easier apprehension of them he alwaies CHAPTER I. GOD The supreme and universall father stiled in the old Covenant the God of Israel but in the new the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ At sundry times in the severall ages of the world as in the time of the servitude in Egypt in the time of the Judges of the Kings and of the Captivity and a while afterward till about the finishing of the second Temple And in divers maners At one time after one maner at another after another as to Moses God spake in a singular and familiar maner otherwise then to any other Prophet for he spake with Moses mouth to mouth Num. 12.6 And he knew Moses face to face Deut. 34.10 But to other Prophets God spake after another maner eyther by Angels as his delegates or by a voice sounding in their eares or by a vision before their eyes while they were awake or by a dream while they were asleep Spake Declared his will and pleasure for precepts promises or judgements whether by voice vision or dreame In times past Anciently during the time of the Tabernable and the first Temple for after the finishing of the second Temple God spake very rarely any way Vnto the Fathers Not to the Patriarchs but to the people of Israel and Judah who lived in the time of the Prophets and were ancestors to those Hebrewes to whom this Epistle is written By the Prophets As by Moses and Samuel by Elias and Elisha and by the rest of the Prophets whose workes are extant in the sacred Canon of Scripture 2. In these last dayes The time of the Gospel is called the last dayes partly as opposed to the words before in times past partly because the time of the Law and the Prophets was before it but chiefly because the Church under the Gospel shall not receive from God any more Innovation or alteration for the time of the Gospel shall last till time shall be no more till eternity and therefore is commonly called in Scripture the last dayes See Act. 2.17 By his son Jesus Christ who here is opposed to the Prophets by whom God spake in time past Not that the Prophets were no way the sons of God but because in comparison of Christ they were not so accounted For Christ by whom God spake the Gospel was more eminently the son of God then any of the Prophets 4 wayes 1. By his conception because he was conceived of a Virgin by the power of the Holy Ghost 2. By his function because he was sanctified by God and sent into the world to publish and confirme the new Covenant for which function he must needs resemble God as a son the father in divine wisdome holinesse and power This reason Christ gives why he called himself the son of God John 10.36 3. By his Institution because God appointed him his universall heire as an only son is to his father 4. By his Resurrection because thereby he was immortalised or enfranchised from death and mortality and consequently deified as the son of
granted and for a ground that Christ is the supreme God because all this testimony out of that Psalm is manifâ—stly spoken of the suprem God but that Christ should be that God is not intimated by any word in all that Psalm And therefore if the Author had taken this for graunted that Christ is the supreme God certainly the Author had discoursed very impertinently and ambiguously to furnish himselfe with such store of arguments and so many Testimonies of Scriptures and those much more obscure then the point to be proved thereby to evince that Christ was better then the angels the Creatour better then the creature This had been to bring proofs no way necessary for a point no way doubtfull seeing all might have been dispatched in one word We must therefore further observe that this Testimony out of Psalme 102. containes three clauses The first concerning the Creation of the world 2. Concerning the destruction of the world 3. Concerning the Duration of God for these three things are the subjects of three verities contained in that Testimonie and all three are spoken supremely and primarily of God the Father But the first can no way be referred to Christ because as is before noted it could not make for the Authors purpose The last referres both to God and Christ for the Duration of Christ is perpetuall and everlasting yet this clause makes nothing for the Authors purpose to prove Christ better then the Angels because for Duration the angels are equall to him seeing they also are immortall and incorruptible perpetuall and everlasting The second clause referres to God supremely and primarily and to Christ subordinately or secondarily for God by Christ will destroy the world God hath given to Christ a transcendent power to destroy and abolish heaven and earth And this makes fully to the Authors purpose and proves Christ clerely better then the angels who have not this power granted to them Now to the words of this Testimony in particular Thou Lord in the beginning God when first he began the world even in the first beginning of â—is visible workes Hast laid the foundation of the earth He alludes to buildings which are raised upon a foundation for the earth is as it were the foundation and ground-work of the world And hee mentions the earth in the first place because in the raising of all buildings men begin from the foundation Now the earth is termed the foundation because it seemes immoveable and fixed as all foundations ought to be And the heavens are the works of thine hands The heavens are all those vast bodies which doe circumvest the earth and one another And they are called heavens plurally because they are built and raised to the height of three regions or stories each above the other The first and lowest heaven is vulgarly called the aire wherein flie the fowles of heaven and therein are the supernall waters that are said to be above in the heavens as clouds raine haile and snow The second or middle heaven is vulgarly called the firmament wherein are all the fires that give light and heat to all the world as the Sunne Moone and Starres The third and highest heaven is called by St. Paul Paradise wherein God and Christ and the angels doe manifest themselves All these are the workes of Gods word and were wrought at his command For God said Let them be and they were so Gen. 1.6 God commanded and they were created Psal 148.5 Yet the Psalmist terms them the works of Gods hands alluding to the speech of the vulgar whose hands and not their words are the instruments of their works which therefore are called the works of their hands Hitherto of the first clause of this Testimony concerning the Creation of the world referred to God onely who only was the Author of it 11. They shall perish Now followes the second Clause of this Testimony concerning the destruction of the world referred to God supremely and primarily but to Christ subordinately and secondarily because the power to destroy the world is given to Christ and therefore principally serves to the Authors purpose to prove him better then the angels They shall perish The heavens and the earth shall perish or be utterly destroyed and abolished as this Author phraseth it afterward in this Epistle chap. 12.27 they shall be removed as things that are concussible and corruptible And as St. Peter saith more expresly 2. Epistle 3.10 The heavens shall passe away with a great noise and the elements shall melt with fervent heat the earth also shall be burnt up Now things that passe away and are no where must needs have no being and a thing burnt up must needs perish Here we have a clear testimony that this present world shall be destroyed and abolished For if as some have imagined it shall only be endued with perfecter qualities and be changed into a better state so to remaine under that state how is it said to perish Certainly things changed into a better state to be permanent under that state cannot be said to perish Shall the Saints be said to perish when they are changed from mortall and corruptible creatures to become immortall and incorruptible and be made partakers of a nature and state far more pure and perfect then they had before certainly no. Or if the world shall have a perpetuall permansion or abiding for ever how is it opposed to Gods and Christs permansion or abiding for ever which is the scope of this reasoning as appeares in the words immediatly following But thou remainest and thy yeers shall not fail And they shall wax old as doth a garment The heavens are compared to a garment because as hath been said before they doe circumvest envelop and enwrap the whole earth round about as a garment envolves the body and therefore the attribute of a garment which is to veterate and wax old is by a Metaphor fitly applyed to the heavens Not that the heavens doe insensibly wax old and wear out with length of time as garments usually doe but because at last they shall wholly be abolished therefore they are said to wax old as a garment because a garment waxen old and worn out is at last wholly abolished and cast away For veteration or waxing old is a motion or passage toward destruction and abolition Seeing that which decayeth and waxeth old drawes neere to vanishing away as this Author expresseth it afterward in this Epistle cap. 8. v. 13. But how shall the heavens wax old if they shall be renewed into a better state Is a garment said then to wax old when it is new drest by making it somwhat better and neater 12 And as a vesture shalt thou fold them up When a garment is waxen so old that we have no minde to weare it any longer then wee usually fold it up and lay it aside for properly a garment is a loose vest which we use to weare outwardly over the rest of our clothing and therefore
Hee hath not put in subjection the world to come The world future or to come is that place wherein now dwelleth God and Christ and all the holy Angels but hereafter in time to come all the godly shall dwell there And it is called future or to come in respect of the godly to whom it is yet future or to come whereas the place in respect of it selfe of God Christ and the Angels is already present and really extant The right or title of dominion and inheritance God hath neither given nor decreed to give unto the angels The angels now inhabite in that future world but yet as the house and kingdome of another and not as their owne for God should do them no injury if he should please to translate them from that seat and command them to settle elswhere because they are not Lords of that world but servants there And that hither wee may apply the words of Christ John 8.35 The servant abideth not in the house for ever i. hath no right to abide for ever though de facto of grace he may abide for ever but the son abideth ever i. hath a right to abide for ever Whereof we speak These words as wee noted in the former chapter vers 2. are added respectively to his former words wherein he mentioned the worlds simply without adding the word future or to come that he might here give us to understand that there also he meant the world to come for that was the world whereof hee spake both there and here 6 Eut one in a certaine place testified saying It was not for want of knowledge or memory that this Author here quotes this text of Scripture indefinitely without citing the place for seeing he knew to recite the words so exactly and the words themselves were so vulgarly knowne how could he be ignorant of the place But because this Scripture and the place of it was so vulgarly known especially to the Hebrewes to whom he writes therefore he neither noted the place nor named the Author of them And it was his manner so to doe though he cite many texts of Scripture Indeed afterward chapter 4.7 hee quotes David as Author of a saying formerly cited by him but his intent there is to manifest the order of time and not the name of the Author What is man that thou art mindfull of him The words are Psal 8.4 To be mindfull of a man is to be carefull for him and make provision for his good The literall sence is God made provision for the man Adam the head and father of all mankinde and gave him the right of dominion over this visible earthly and present world and over all the creatures therein contained Gen. 1.28 The mysticall sence is God made provision for the man Christ the head and father of all the faithful gave him the right of dominion over the invisible heavenly and future world and over all the creatures therein contained 1. Cor. 15.27 Ephes 1.21,22 and Phil. 2.9,10 For by man here is understood in both sences the first Head and Parent of mankinde naturall and spirituall namely Adam the first man and Christ the second Adam For in both these persons that which is expressed in the words is fulfilled fully though diversely Or the Sonne of man that thou visuest him To visit is frequently to regard and often to looke unto and argues the mindfulnesse or carefulnesse formerly mentioned for the person of whom we are mindfull and carefull him wee frequently visit goe to see and looke unto him The literall sence is That mankinde for his naturall birth is the son or posterity of the man Adam God gave Adam the dominion over this earthly world yet not personally for himselfe onely but for him and his sons or posterity after him For though he were sole Lord over his sons during their minority while they were under age and under his power yet afterward as they grew up in the world unto maturity or fulnesse of age then the like right should be communicated and imparted unto them that they also might be Lords over this earthly world For God gave the earth also to the children of men Psal 115.16 The mysticall sence The faithfull for their spirituall birth are the sons of Christ God hath given to Christ the dominion over the heavenly world yet not personally for himselfe onely but for him and the faithfull who are his sons and posterity after him For though now Christ the sole Lord over the faithfull during their minority or nonage in this world while they are under the power and tuition of Christ yet when they come to spirituall maturity which is their immortality then the like dominion shall be communicated and imparted unto them and they also shall be Lords and possessors of that heavenly world to come For then they shall no longer be under Christ but besides him to reigne with him 2 Tim. 2.12 7. Thou madest him a little lower then the Angels The literall sence is God made man lower or inferiour then the Angels a little in degree for his nature because he made man by nature mortall but the Angels by nature are immortall and a little in time for man continues in this lownesse of his mortall nature for a little time respectively to the time of his immortality though absolutely it be a long time even from the Creation to the Resurrection The mysticall sence is God also made Christ lower then the Angels a little in degree for his mortall nature but a very little in time onely during his mortall life which was but as a moment Thou crownedst him with glory and honour The literall sense The dominion that God gave man over this present world was a great glory and honour to him even a Crowne or high degree of glory For all dominion is honourable and the highest is coronable The mysticall sence The dominion that God gave Christ over the world to come was much more glorious and honourable because a heavenly dominion over Angels is more glorious then an earthly dominion over beasts And didst set him over the works of thy hands These words do but expresse wherein mans dominion consisted that was such a glory and honour to him namely in bearing rule over the earthly creatures which were the works not of his owne hands but of Gods So the Dominion of Christ consisteth in ruling over the Angelick and heavenly creatures who are the works of Gods hands also 8. Thou hast put all things in subjection under him These words are but correlative to the former for if man were set in dominion over all things then all things were put in subjection under him But the particle all must be restrained from its absolute universality concerning all things whatsoever to be limited onely to all earthly creatures as all sheep and oxen and the beasts of the field the Fowles of the ayre and the Fish of the sea c. as they are immediatly reckoned
of their life is free from the fear of it for though every minute they doe not actually fear it yet every minute they are subject to fear and may justly fear it From this slavish fear of death Christ hath delivered men by his death while by his death he not onely passed to an immortall life but also obtained power to represse and destroy the power of Satan Hence Christ saith to John Fear not I am the first and the last I am he that liveth and was dead and behold I am alive for evermore and have the keys of hell and of death Revel 1.17.18 For what man now will fear death to be his eternall undoing when he sees a deliverance from death with a most glorious issue if he imitate Christ when he sees that the forces of his enemy who before oppressed him and enthralled to eternall death are no longer to be feared but are broken and destroyed by him who himself under-went a bloody death And hence it further appeares that with the death of Christ here wee must joyne his Resurrection for that wee might no longer fear death Christ must needs not only suffer death but must againe be raised from death For if Christ be not raised our faith is vaine we are yet in our sins and the dead in Christ are perished 1. Cor. 15.17,18 16 For no where he taketh hold of Angels Here he confirmes the doctrine delivered at the ninth verse That Christ was not made in the nature of an Angel but was made a little lower then the Angels for the suffering of death Why so The reason is here laid downe because Christ was not ordained to succour and help the Angels who by nature are immortall and die not and therefore need not be succoured or holpen from death For no where There is no testimonie or authority extant in Scripture whereon to ground this for it is no where said that he takes hold of Angels to help them Taketh hold The word in the originall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies properly to take a man with thy hand either to lead him some whither or to uphold him thereby to help him See Mark 8.23 and Luke 9.47 and Luke 14.4 Hence figuratively it is translated to signifie succouring or helping For when we would help one from falling or sinking under some burden or would raise him being fallen then wee put our hand to him and take hold of him Hence it is said of Wisdome that she exalteth her children 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and layeth hold of them that seeketh her i. shee helpeth or aideth them that seeke her And there is the same sence of the counterverbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because when we would help a man up with his burden we take hold of it over against him And this sence of the word is explicated afterward by the Author at the last verse of this Chapter for what he calls here taking hold of there he expresseth by the word succouring That Christ suffering himselfe being tempted is able to succour them that are tempted for in both these verses he treates of the same thing and the reason of the consequence proposed in this verse is explicated in that Thus for the sence of the word now for the sence of it It is not of the preter-tense as if referred to a time past particularly to that time when as it is at the ninth verse before Christ was made a little lower then the Angels for at that time being the time of his birth he did neither help Angels nor men but it is of the present tense he taketh not hold in reference to the time of his death upon which the Author groundeth all this argument For by his death he destroyes the devill and delivers men from the feare of death What is the reason of that Because by his death he taketh not hold of Angels to help and succour them or deliver them from the feare of death who being immortall by nature cannot feare it Neither can here be any enallage of the present tense for the preter but rather of the present for the future Christ was made lower then the Angels Why so Because by his death he was not to take hold of the Angels to help and succour them from the feare of it Now both this sense and this sense of the word was well perceived by our last Translators of the Bible into English for they have noted it in the margent of this verse though in the Text they correspond with some other Translations Hence it plainly appeares how these words are mistaken by some Translators and Interpreters who from hence would shew that Christ tooke not on him the nature of Angels which assertion though it be in it selfe most true yet it cannot be the meaning of this place For 1. It is against the sence of the words whereof there are but two and it goes against the sence of them both For to apprehend or take hold of a thing cannot signifie to assume or take on us the nature of it And the word Angels in the plurall number cannot imply an assumption of their nature for then it must have beene Angel in the singular 2. It is against the context or reasoning of the Author who could not nor ought not to take that for an argument or a reason which by argument and reason he was to prove for no one and the same truth can be an argument or a reason to it selfe why it selfe should be true At the seventh verse before this truth is laid downe That Christ tooke not on him the nature of Angels but was made lower whereof how can a reason be given by this that he tooke not on him the nature of Angels seeing these two sayings are identicall whereof neither can be the cause or reason of the other But if we understand these words of not helping or succouring the Angels then all things cohere most elegantly and rationally thus Christ tooke not the nature of Angels but was made lower then them because by his death he was not to help or succour the Angels from feare of death but to succour a creature lower then they who is all his lise in bondage of death and subject to the feare of death But hee tooke hold of the seed of Abraham That Christ should helpe the Angels is no where said in Scripture but it is said in some one or severall places of Scripture that hee was ordained to take hold of the seed of Abraham to helpe and succour it For to take hold in this clause of the verse carries the very same sence that it did in the former where it was denyed of the Angels The word seed especially among the Hebrews is for the most part a Noune collective and signifies a multitude of persons and therefore the Author fitly useth the word seed importing a multitude that he might oppose it to the Angels in the plurall number And the seed of Abraham are the children
or posterity of Abraham whether they be carnall by birth onely or spirituall by faith onely or both by birth and faith And he rather said the seed of Abraham in two respects 1. Because we often reade in Scripture that Christ is promised to no other men properly but to the posterity of Abraham or at least to his seed chiefly and in the first place 2. Because this word would be most pleasing to the Hebrews to whom he writes who were themselves the seed or posterity of Abraham But by this ambiguous appellation which might signifie the seed of Abraham whether carnall or spirituall he so ingratiates the Hebrews that withall he might tacitely invite them to continue Christians because Christians onely of what Nation soever they be are the spirituall seed of Abraham Gal. 3.29 For Christ was destinate to take hold of to help succour and save onely that spirituall seed as being their onely mercifull and faithfull high Priest And by the words here we must understand rather the spirituall seed of Abraham then the carnall but they that are his seed both wayes both carnally and spiritually as these Hebrewes were may challenge Christ in a manner by a double right to be their ayder and helper The summe of all is As in the former clause of this verse the Author proved the negative That Christ was not made an Angel because he was not to take hold of them to help and succour them So in this clause he proves the affirmative why he was made lower then the Angels why he tooke part of flesh and bloud Because by his death he was to take hold of the seed of Abraham to help and succour the faithfull in delivering them from the feare and bondage of death So the words shew not what Christ was by his birth but what he did by his death Hence now it plainly appeares how incongruously these words are wrested to Christs taking on him humane nature For this sence is contrary to the context and altogether crosse to right reasoning for by it the same truth is made a reason whereby to conclude it selfe At the fourteenth verse before this is laid downe for a truth That Christ tooke part of our flesh and bloud i. he did partake of humane nature of which truth how can a reason be given by this that hee tooke on him our humane nature seeing these two truths are identicall though not in words yet altogether in sence But if we understand these words of helping and succouring the faithfull then there runs a veine of evident reasoning Christ was made lower then the Angels and tooke part of flesh and bloud to what end that he might suffer death Why so To destroy the Devils power of death Why that Because he was to deliver men from the feare and bondage of death Why did he that Because he was to take hold of men to helpe and succour them who are the seed of Abraham 17. Wherefore in all things Hitherto he hath shewed that Christ must be a mortall man to suffer death now from the last cause of his helping or succouring men he teacheth that he must not onely be mortall but subject to divers afflictions and not onely subject but actually to suffer them and that not some few but even all wherewith the rest of the faithfull are afflicted It behooved him to be made like unto his brethren How and why the faithfull are the brethren of Christ hath before beene shewed and proved Yet in this place againe the word brethren carries a powerfull force of reasoning It behooveth a brother to helpe and succour his brother and Christ therefore takes hold of the faithfull to help and succour them because they are his brethren especially the seed of Abraham who are his brethren both by God and man And it behooveth also a brother to be like a brother and the more alike they are the more lovely they are to all and the more loving one to another And therefore it behooved Christ to be made like unto his brethren not onely in some one thing as in their nature to be made a little lower then the Angels as his brethren were or to take part of flesh and bloud as they did but also to be like them in all things even in their whole condition to be subject to afflictions and temptations as they are and actually to suffer all sorts of them as they doe yet he was not like them in sin for that is excepted Heb. 4.15 and a universall saying must alwayes abate when a particular exception is expresly made against it That he might be a mercifull and faithfull high Priest Christ must be made like unto his brethren in nature that he might be their high Priest for the Priest and the people must be of one Nation he that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified must be all of one and he was made like them in condition for suffering afflictions and therefore he must bee unto them a mercifull and faithfull high Priest 1. He must be mercifull to be touched with a sence of his brethrens miseries and sorrowes and to thinke them so his owne or so neere him that he may be moved readily to succour or help them as himselfe For mercy is a sorrow for anothers misery moving us to succour him 2. He must be faithfull to administer and performe all things with all care and diligence in their behalfe that concernes their sanctifying or succouring to expiate their sins and help them from misery And this faithfulnesse takes some roote and growth from mercifulnesse for mercy doth beget and nourish faithfulnesse Now that Christ might be truly mercifull and faithfull to his brethren in all things therefore he must bee made like them in all things even in all their afflictions and sorrowes In things pertaining to God The office of the high Priest in generall was this to administer in things pertaining to God as to offer gifts and sacrifices for sin as the Author explicates it afterward chap. 5.1 And it was peculiar and proper to the high Priest to expiate or make atonement for the sins of the whole people together and not of single persons by themselves for that was common to other Priests This popular Expiation was performed by Christ our high Priest when after the shedding of his bloud on earth he entred into heaven as into the Sanctuary or holiest of all there to appeare in the presence of God to make Intercession for us that is that resting in heaven with God he might administer and performe all things that concernes our deliverance from the punishments of our sins To make reconciliation for the sins of the people The end of the office of the high Priest was to make reconciliation for the sins of the people i. To propitiate or expiate their sinnes The word in the originall signifies to cover hence the cover of the Arke was called the propitiatory because it covered the Tables of the Law that lay in
then his owne or at least not as his owne but as anothers For here is a relation to those words of God formerly cited That Moses was faithfull in all Gods house Whose house are we Hee now expresseth what we must understand by this house of God or Christ namely all they are this house that professe the Religion of Christ of which number these Hebrews were a part and thereby he opens a passage to his following exhortation The faithfull are the house of God whether by house wee understand a family or a building For they are the family of God and Christ who serve God and Christ and are under his care They are also his building or spirituall Temple because God and Christ doe inhabit them by their holy Spirit and they are a Tabernacle for divine worship whereof are extant many testimonies of Scripture Hence appears the great dignity of Christians who therefore are to endeavour that they never fall from it but that it continue stable and perpetuall If wee hold fast the confidence For confidence the originall word properly signifies liberty of speech whereby a man speakes undauntedly though otherwise there bee cause of feare Hence the word is figuratively drawne to signifie courage of minde and also confidence thence refulting In this place it may be taken both properly and figuratively not only for a confidence or assurance of minde but for a liberty in professing Religion so that a Christian what feare soever assault him must openly and publickly professe himselfe the follower of Christ and not be deterred from it by any meanes And in the same sense it seemes the word is taken afterward cap. 10.35 for there the Author treats not only of inward faith but of outward profession of the Christian Religion Hence it appeares that to make us become the house of God it is required that we have confidence and to make us continue so wee must hold our confidence fast and firme unto the end And therefore we are the house of God being of the present tense must be understood as ampliated also to the future For that we should become the house of God for the present it is not required wee should hold fast our confidence to the end but that only for the present we should have confidence But that we might thence forward continue and remaine the house of God perpetually we must also continue and remain in our confidence perpetually by holding it fast to the end And the rejoycing of the hope Hope is put here materially for the thing hoped for which is eternal life for that is the final matter of our hope Rejoycing is either a high degree of joy exalted or an outward expression of our inward joy caused by our hope of eternal life for such great hopes must needs breed in us not only joy but rejoycing For rejoycing is a patent sign of hope latent in us and it is also an effect of that hope for if our confidence and hope of eternall life be reall and true in us it will work this effect in us to rejoyce of it by having it alwayes in our mouth and thereby professing our selves happy and blessed Whence it is no marvell the Author requires this rejoycing in Christians seeing Paul affirmes of them also That they rejoyce in hope of the glory of God Rom. 5.2 And this rejoycing of our confidence and hope doth necessarily draw with it and in a manner compriseth our rejoycing of Christian Religion whereon our hope both depends and relyes For wee must needs perceive that the Authors aime is we should hold fast the Christian Religion and not only professe it freely and boldly but also rejoyce in it because it brings us a sure hope of eternall happinesse Firme unto the end Unto the last gaspe of our life for this is the nature of a firme hope for then our confidence is firme and stable if it last and hold out to the last gaspe of our life Unlesse we shall say that a firme hope is opposed to a hope infirme that is wavering and weake which comes all to one because an infirme or weak hope is not likely to last and hold out to the end Hence it appeares that it is possible for a Christian endued to true faith to fall from that faith For otherwise why should the Author annex this condition of persevering in faith by holding it fast and firme if they who are once the house of God and have faith can no way faile and fall from it Why in the following admonition doth he exhort them to constancy Why doth hee will them to take heed of departing from the living God 7. Wherefore as the holy Ghost saith Here he begins an Exhortation against obstinacie that they should not shew themselves incredulous and hard hearted against the voice of God by Christ in the Gospel Wherefore this word intimates that his Exhortation is drawn from his former discourse And it may be drawne either from his last words wherein he shewed us to be the house of God and for our continuing so we must persevere constantly in the faith and hope of eternall salvation For from hence the admonition may well be inferred that seeing the matter is of such moment therefore wee should shew our selves tractable and obsequious to the voice of God and so persist constantly in the faith Or it may be drawne from the words before that concerning the great dignity of Christ above Moses for if all obedience were due to the voice of God delivered by Moses how much more reverence and regard must be given to the voice of God published by Christ who was much greater then Moses As the holy Ghost saith q. d. That I may use unto you the words of the holy Ghost and say unto you now as hee sayth in the Psalmes Hee attributes the words of David to the holy Ghost because David uttered them by the instinct of the holy Ghost To day if yee will heare his voice These words whereof the Author here makes use to apply them to his present purpose are extant Psal 95.7 The literall sence is Upon the solemn festivall day the people were accustomed to enter the temple of God there to celebrate Divine worship and to heare the reading of the Law which was the word or voice of God Hereupon David composed this Psalme for the festivall day wherein he excites the people that when they went into the house of God to worship him and heare his word they should also obey it and not harden their hearts against it For the particle if is put for when when or seeing yee will heare his voice The mysticall sence The voyce of Christ whereby the Gospel is revealed and delivered to men is the voyce of God And the time of the Gospel is the festivall day of Grace wherein God offers salvation and invites us to it by the preaching of the Gospel which time will not last alwayes in respect of particular persons but
will continue to them but as a day during their owne dayes and to some it dureth not during their own dayes For sometimes God is in a manner driven by the contumacy or disobedience of men either to take from them the preaching of his word or to harden their stubborn hearts that were fore-hardned by their own malice lest as himself saith Seeing they should see and hearing they should hear they should be converted and healed or lastly hee wholly turnes the day of Grace and Salvation into a day of his wrath and punishment All which things by the just judgement of God hapned at last to the nation of the Jewes Wherefore by these words of the Psalmist they are admonished that they would speedily shew themselves tractable to God and assoon as they shall heare his voice by Christ they yeeld obedience thereto without procrastinating or delaying the matter from day to day 8. Harden not your hearts Your hearts that is your mindes the member is oftentimes put for the faculty of it Then a man hardens his heart when he resisteth the voice of God and suffers not himselfe to be perswaded by it when he doth the act of opposing and besides hath a will to continue it As hard things suffer not themselves easily to be handled or moulded and yeeld not to him that would figure or fashion them into another shape This is done when a man hath a will not to beleeve or obey the word of God whether formerly hee beleeved or obeyed it or did not As in the provocation He notes that notable contention of the Israelites with Moses at Rephidim for want of water which ennobled the place where it was made with the names of Meriba and Massa i. Provocation and tentation whereof see Exod. 17. That Contention is here called Provocation because in contention there is commonly provocation for he that contends with another doth anger and provoke him The Israelites as much as lay in them did in the first place provoke Moses and then by him even God also For this provocation must primely and properly be referred to Moses and not to God as contrarily the temptation must primely be referred to God and not to Moses For so Moses himselfe expressed it to the people in saying Why chide you with me wherefore do ye tempt the Lord Exod. 17.2 And thereupon the place was called Chiding and Tempting But while the Israelites chide quarrell with Moses who did nothing but by Gods command they are by that meanes reckoned to have chidden and striven with God For when a second time in like manner they murmured at Cades for want of water those waters also are called the waters of Meriba that is of contention or strife because the children of Israel strove with the Lord. Numb 20.13 When notwithstanding they strove not with the Lord himselfe but with Moses and Aaron as appeares in the same chapter verse 3 4 5. So they strive with Moses and therefore with God himselfe while they demand water of him with disdaine and anger ver 2. while reproachfully and most unworthily they upbraid him that hee had brought them out of Egypt to kill them their children and cattell with thirst in the wildernesse ver 3. While therefore the Israelites in this manner contend and chide with Moses the servant of God did they not bewray the hardnesse of their hearts when by so many miraculous works of God and by so many marveilous benefits bestowed upon them they could not be induced to confide in God nor perswaded that he would provide them of water The particle as notes the similitude or likenesse of the case and the sence is Doe not you harden your hearts against God to diffide and distrust him and his voice by Christ as the Israelites did in the Provocation at Meriba when they did chide and strive with God in chiding and striving with Moses The like speech we have Job 29.2 O that I were as in months past i. that my case were like to what it was some months since In the day of temptation in the wildernesse These words are referred both to the Induration and Provocation mentioned before and are the two circumstances of them for in the day of Temptation shews the time of the Provocation that it was then upon the very same day that they tempted him they provoked and tempted him both on a day And in the wildernesse shews the place of it for it was at Rephidim a dry plaine neere Horeb or Mount Sinai where Moses fought with Amaleck To the end that notorious provocation and tentation might be the more remarkable by the place and thereby be distinguished from others that fell out in other places afterward The matter of the Tentation wherein it consisted was this that they said of God Is the Lord among us or not as the text expresseth Exod 17.7 In which words they doubt of the Divine presence i. they were diffident of God which distrustfulnesse of God and doubtfulnesse of his goodnesse or power is called a tentation of God For every tentation ariseth from some distrust or at least from some doubting He therefore tempteth God that having many arguments of Gods goodnesse toward him and his power yet is not sure of his goodnesse or power but doubts of either and requires more arguments or tokens thereof It is a vulgar errour in men to thinke that God is then tempted when a man trusteth too much upon God that is when he casteth himselfe into danger rashly and unnecessarily in confidence of Gods assistance This errour seemes to spring from the answer of Christ to Satan who required him to cast himselfe downe headlong from the pinacle of the Temple but Christ answered Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God As if to tempt God were to cast himselfe into danger rashly upon too much trust of Gods help But Satan in saying to Christ If thou be the Son of God cast thy selfe downe c. did not intend to draw him to too great a trust in God but rather to distrust and doubt whether he were truly the Son of God by seeking a further experiment or signe thereof in casting himselfe downe in as much as it was written of the Son of God that Gods Angels had charge over him to beare him up in their hands c. To whom Christ rightly answers It is written againe Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God q.d. Seeing it is already abundantly evident to me that I am the Son of God and most deare to God I will make no further triall thereof and so tempt God which deed he hath forbidden Wherefore this precept of Scripture alledged by Christ pertaines nothing at all to any excesse of trust but must be referred to distrust and doubting as all other places are concerning the tentation of God especially seeing in the very text when Christ quoteth this Scripture of not tempting God it is added as ye tempted him in Massa Deut. 6.16
But we have already shewed that the Israelites in Massa tempted God not with excesse of trust but with defect of it The like words in the like sence are used by Peter Acts 15 10. Now therefore why tempt ye God to put a yoake upon the neck of the Disciples c. q.d. Hath not God already given us experiments and arguments enough and sufficient that we should not impose upon the Disciples the yoke of legall Ceremonies seeing he hath given the holy Ghost to them as well as to us seeing he hath made no difference betweene us and them purifying their hearts by faith why therefore as if the thing were not already apparent enough do ye require more arguments and tokens of it and so tempt God 9. When your fathers tempted me Me here is referred to God whom the Israelites tempted for here according to an usuall forme in Scripture the person is changed and God himselfe is brought in speaking of himselfe whereas in the words before David spake of God in the third person but now brings in God speaking in the first person of himselfe In the Originall it is not when but where for here the circumstantiall particle is not temporall for the time when they tempted but locall for the place where they tempted and that place hath reference to the wildernesse immediately before mentioned For in the wildernesse they tempted God not onely at that time but afterwards also at divers other times and in other particular places of that wildernesse For at Cadeshbarnea whence the twelve spies were sent to search the land of Canaan and upon their returne the people bad stone Caleb and Joshuah because they discented from the other ten who had brought up an evill report upon the Land then the Lord complaines that they had provoked him long and often that they had long distrusted him notwithstanding all the signes he had shewed amongst them Numb 14.11 And againe at ver 22. he complaines that they had tempted him now ten times i. very many times Proved me He expresseth the same thing in another word For as to tempt a man argues distrust and doubt of him so also to prove him And saw my workes The particle and is by an Hebraisme put for although q.d. If they had not seene my wondrous works it had beene lesse wonder that they tempted me but now although they see them yet they doubt of my power and goodnesse toward them what a strange diffidence and distrust is this What works God wrought both in Egypt and in the Wildernesse to certifie the people of his promise and to gaine faith for their passage into Canaan are largely described in the books of Exodus and Numbers Forty yeares This space of forty yeares as the history it selfe and the Hebrew text and this Author also signifies at ver 17. must be referred forwards to Gods indignation whereby he was grieved with them for the space of forty yeares Yet it is true also that this space may be referred backward as the Septuagint have pointed it to the peoples tempting of God and seeing his works for the space of forty yeares for so long the people tempted him and so long saw his works For even at the expiration of those yeares when Miriam was dead in Cadesh they againe murmured against Moses and Aaron for want of water as their fathers had done before at Meriba and Massa and that place also was branded by the name of Meriba or waters of strife where the diffidence or distrust in God was greater then any formerly for it was extended even to Moses and Aaron who were also infected with the sin of it Numb 20. And this seemes to be cause of the Greek pointing and reading which this Author followed having fallen upon it that he might not seeme to make any alteration in it though afterward at the 17. verse he plainly shews that he was not ignorant of the true reading as it was pointed in the Hebrew But here is meant that other tentation mentioned Numb 14. upon which God sware the people should not enter into his rest as appeares by the verses here following Hence appeares their errour who from hence conclude that the holy Ghost is that God who was tempted of the Jews therefore because here God himselfe speakes and saith he was tempted of their fathers and the Author affirmes that the holy Ghost spake these things These men marke not that from the first words of this place and so from the former of the whole Psalme wherein David himselfe speakes in very deed in his owne person and professeth himselfe one of Gods people to worship and serve God it will by the same reason follow that the holy Ghost is also David For the former words wherein David is brought in speaking are no lesse attributed to the holy Ghost When the sayings of holy Writers are attributed to the holy Ghost we are not thereby to understand that the holy Ghost is that person who indeed speaks or to whom those things really agree which he attributes to himselfe that speakes or is brought in speaking but onely that those sayings were uttered by the vertue and motion of the holy Ghost and not onely by the will and pleasure of men whosoever the person be that speaketh as Peter teacheth 2 Pet. 1.21 For otherwise there must be one onely person alwaies brought in speaking namely the holy Ghost to whom alone all sayings must be attributed which he attributes to himselfe that speaketh then which nothing can be further from the truth For the Prophets for the most part use to speake in their owne persons sometime they bring in God speaking whose Spirit the Holy Ghost is sometime they bring in other persons Besides from this that the words of God are attributed to the Holy Ghost we cannot rightly conclude that therefore the Holy Ghost is God himselfe Are they not rightly attributed to him therefore because God speaks by him as we read that the words of Christ are attributed to the Spirit Rev. 2.7 although the Spirit be not Christ So Paul Rom. 11.4 attributes the words of God to the oracle and this Author cap. 12.5 attributes the words of God to the Exhortation not that either the oracle or the exhortation is God but because God is supposed to speake by the oracle and the exhortation 10. Wherefore I was grieved with that generation That is a Generation according to Scripture which comprehends the men that live within the period of one and the same age And that generation wherewith God was grieved were those persons of Israel whom hee brought out of Egypt who saw his mighty workes and received the Law at Mount Sinai This generation provoked and tempted God and therefore God was grieved with it God is not passively grieved as man but then he is said to be grieved when he doth such actions as persons grieved use to doe especially being thereto provoked by the sinnes of men And said they doe
into Gods rest whereinto as we have already seen the people of God must enter he hath so rested from workes as God rested from his For as God in making the world dispatched all his works in the space of six dayes never to make any more workes so hee that hath entered into Gods rest or the like rest with God he also hath dispatched and finished all his workes his labours paines cares and troubles and whatsoever is wearisome to man in this life and he enjoyes an eternal rest and quiet joyned with eternall happinesse 11. Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest Having shewed that there remaines a rest for the people of God and that in the best and highest degree he now repeates his admonition at the beginning of the chapter exhorting them to strive with all labour that they may enter that rest The originall word for labour signifies also haste to worke with haste and dispatch For we must make haste in this our spirituall journey which leads and determines in an eternall rest that is we must be diligent and quick in tracing the path of faith â—nd holinesse not lazy and slow Because wee must alwaies have an ardent and earnest affection after so great a blessing and therefore must use all diligence to hasten our selves onward and toward it as they do that are in a journey toward their own countrey or toward a place most desirable and acceptable to them Into that rest Not into any earthly rest but into that heavenly rest proper to God himselfe and by his infinite grace communicable to his people and is yet remaining to them Lest any man fall We must therefore diligently labour after that rest lest we fall into the like destruction with those fathers who perished and were destroyed in the wildernesse for fall here is put for perish lest any perish as they did After the same example of unbeliefe If we fall after their example into the same sin we shall also fall after their example into the same judgement and perish as they did We have seene their unbeliefe and we know what a world of miseries it brought upon them Let both these be examples unto us and let us therefore endeavour to shunne the rock that is shewed us The Originall word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies both unbeliefe and disobedience and this latter more usually for those two sins are so neere allyed in nature that one word will serve to signifie them both for unbeliefe and disobedience are either wholly the same or mutually consequent one to another 12. For the word of God is quick By this word of God here many think Christ is meant but that cannot be 1. Because Christ is called the Word of God onely by John as is observed by diverse 2. Because this word here is said to be powerfull and sharper then any two edged sword both which qualities agree rather to things then to persons Others by the word of God here understand the Scripture which cannot be neither because then there could be no genuine connexion nor congruity of reasoning in these words from the former For how should this be coherent Let us labour to enter into that rest lest following the example of our fathers unbeliefe we should follow them also in their destruction because the Scripture is quick and powerfull By the word of God therefore is meant the Decree of his Judgement or the Menace of God whereby he threatens and ordaines unbeleeving and disobedient persons to destruction and punishment Of which kinde is that very Oath of God whereby he sware to exclude those fathers and all such like as they from entring into his rest For by this sence there is an elegant coherence betweene this verse and the former Therefore let us labour to enter into Gods rest and let us take heed of falling into the disobedience of those fathers because the word of God and his oath whereby he debarres disobedient men from his rest and devotes them to destruction is quick and powerfull This exposition is easily confirmed from diverse other passages of Scripture wherein the Decrees of God whereby he wils and commands something to be done are called by like termes of his word and have the like attribute of being lively or quick and the like resemblance to a sharpe and two edged sword and diverse the like effects See Psal 105.18,19 and Psal 107.20 and Psal 147.15 and Isaiah 40.8 and Isaiah 55.11 which last place Peter applyes to the word of the Gospel because therein also is contained the decree of God for the saving and condemning of men 1 Pet. 1.23,25 See also Isaiah 66.2,5 and Jerem. 23.29 and Joel 2.11 Now this word or Decree of God is called quick or lively because it dies not neither is exolete or frustrated with any tract of time or age And it is called effectuall or powerfull because it is not onely firme and stable in regard God never revokes it or willingly changeth it or suffers it to fall as Princes often suffer their words or decrees to fall either by oblivion negligence or inconstancy but also because it is of full power and force to execute and effect all the will of God therein contained Hence it is compared to raine and snow For as the raine commeth downe and the snow from heaven and returneth not thither but watereth the earth and maketh it bring forth and bud that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth it shall not returne unto me void but it shall accomplish that which I please and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it Isaiah 55.10,11 And sharper then any two edged sword It strikes and wounds more fearefully and deadly then any sword how sharpe soever And in other places of Scripture the Decree of Christ against ungodly and disobedient persons is compared to a two edged sword going out of his mouth or at least is signified by such a sword For God and Christ doe destroy all their enemies by their word going out of their mouth i. by their powerfull and effectuall command Piercing even to the dividing asunder of the soule and spirit and of the joynts and marrow The sharpenesse of this sword hath first this effect that it pierceth deeply and the effect of that piercing is to divide and cut asunder soule and spirit joynts and marrow By which words it appeares that Gods Decree and command is farre more sharpe and piercing then any sword because it doth not onely pierce and cut the body of man but also his soule and spirit yea it pierceth the body in such manner that it cuts not onely the skin and flesh but also all the joynts and bands of the member yea the very bones themselves and consequently the marrow contained in the bones So that this sword pierceth into the most secret and inmost parts of man even the soule spirit and
accustomed to do evill The man accustomed to evill cannot ordinarily recover from his evill custome but if he do the case is extraordinary by an extraordinary influence of Gods grace upon him Who were once enlightned He begins to describe those men that have beene converted unto Christ In which description he declares what graces such men have received from God Whence it is no mervaile if upon their neglect and contempt of so great graces God do afterward reprobate and reject them Men converted are enlightned with the light of the Gospel wherewith as the Apostle speakes Christ hath brought life and immortality to light 2 Tim. 1.10 whereby he hath expeld all errors all darknesse and blindnesse of minde And have tasted of the heavenly gift The article the added to gift doth designe and specifie some extraordinary and notable gift Yet he meanes not the gift of the holy Ghost because he mentions that particularly by it selfe presently after And therefore he rather meanes that which ariseth and followeth in the minde after it is enlightned with the Gospell such as is the tranquility and peace of minde which growes from the knowledge of a plenary pardon of all our sins and the pleasing joy which issues from the hope of eternall life For these are truly heavenly gifts which men converted unto Christ have tasted by feeling the pleasantnesse and sweetnesse of them in their soules And were made partakers of the holy Ghost Men converted unto Christ are made partakers of that divine power and efficacy whereby their minds are yet more cleerely and certainly enlightned whereby those heavenly gifts are enlarged and increased unto them for the greater beauty ornament and comfort of their soules whereby they are sealed unto the day of redemption whereby they receive an earnest a pledge and an assurance of their heavenly inheritance and whereby they perceive the certaine truth of their Christian faith which procures such great benefits from God unto them 5. And have tasted the good word of God The good word of God although it may signifie the whole doctrine of the Gospel which is very faire and good every way consonant to reason and honesty yet by use of Scripture it seemes to signifie particularly that part of Gods word which containes Gods promises because when God makes us a promise he therein gives us his word And as Gods other revealed verities are his true word so his promises are his good word because they alwayes entitle us to some good which is conveyed in his promise So Gods promise to the Jews for the release of their Captivity is called his good word and his performance of that promise is called the performance of his good word because both the promise and especially the performance of it brought a great good to the people of God Thus saith the Lord that after seventy yeares be accomplished at Babylon I will visit you and performe my good word toward you in causing you to returne to this place Jer. 29.10 This promise or good word was given unto them before as ye may reade Jer. 25.12 And so Gods promise of Christ in raising a Branch of righteousnesse unto David was his good word and the performance of it is called a performance of that good thing which he promised See Jer. 33.14,15 And the powers of the world to come These powers seeme to be those eminent qualities of that world and life to come such as are everlasting pleasure glory beauty dignity strength and force a totall freedome from all evill and a totall fulnesse of all good Of these powers or qualities men converted unto Christ have tasted because they are not onely enlightned with the knowledge of them and delighted with the hope of them but also affected with an unspeakeable sense of them 6. If they fall away Wee have noted before that the Authour treats not here of a simple falling into sin but of a falling away which is Apostacy whereof he before also made mention chap. 3.13 This may be proved from 2. grounds 1. Because God doth not use to reprobate men converted unto Christ and put in that state which the Authour formerly described if after their conversion adhering still to the Christian religion if they fall simply into whatsoever sin For the Apostle saith If any man sinne any man that hath given himselfe to Christ we have an advocate with the Father Jesu Christ the righâ—eous 1 John 2.1 From these words it is plaine that men converted unto Christ shall obtaine pardon of God even of those sinnes which they have committed after their conversion in case they forsake them and wholly cast off the yoke of sinne and follow Christian vertues For if they were not pardoned for such lapses then Christ were not their advocare 2. The Author speaks here of such as crucifie the Son of God againe and put him to an open shame as appears in this verse But this can agree to none but Apostates as we shall see in the explication of those words Yet there are some sinnes which by way of analogie may be reduced to Apostacie as those that are committed presumptuously with a high hand after knowledge of the truth i. casting away all feare and reverence of God For hee that yet retaines and embraceth the doctrine of Christ in his minde cannot let himselfe so loose unto sinne Or if a man after the knowledge of the truth and reception of the Christian faith have no serious thoughts of repentance and amendment of life but indulge himselfe to sinne as freely and as loosely as he did before Or having cast off the yoke of sin doe againe deliver up himselfe to the servitude and bondage of sinne The miserable and dolefull condition of such men is described by Peter 2 Pet. 2. For such men seem little to regard the holinesse of Christian Religion which they had embraced and therefore come not much short of them who altogether reject it But he that in hope of retaining the reward promised by Christ doth alwayes carry a minde to forsake sinne and seriously endeavours it though for some time he cast not away the custome of some vice or make himselfe guilty of some heynous sinne through infirmity is not therefore so wholly reprobated and accursed that it should prove impossible for him to be recovered from such sinnes and after recovery to be justified and saved To renew them againe unto repentance To renew is a verb of active signification and notes the act of another upon one so fallen away From whence it appeares in his former words verse 1. where he said not laying againe the foundation c. and at the 3. verse and this will we doe doth really speake either of himselfe alone or at least as including himselfe as the renewer of such For in these words hee shewes the cause of those q.d. Take heed that we be not forced to renew you againe to repentance because it is impossible to renew againe to repentance those
full assurance of hope they had not for they had not yet fulfilled the measure of Christian duties whereof how much was wanting so much they wanted of full assurance because so much their hope was the lesse Vnto the end These words may be referred to their diligence that they should continue that to the end Or they may be referred to their assurance of hope that it might last to the end For a man may gaine a full assurance of eternall life and yet lose it again 12. That yee be not slothfull Slothfulnesse is then when a man becomes more remisse in the wayes and workes of godlinesse Wherefore his desire is that they would constantly hold on to the end the same course of godlinesse which they held at the beginning For a remissenes and slownesse ariseth from the remissenes and faintnesse of our faith And this is the same fault in them which he reproved before in the 4. chap. ver 1. and chap. 5.11 But followers of them who through faith and patience To their slothfulnesse he opposeth faith and patience because faith and patience are as a remedy to cure their slothfulnesse in the course of godlinesse Faith is a trusting to Gods promises and patience in this place signifies perseverance and constancie in faith or a constant and lasting expectation of his promises although they seem to be deferred This patience requires not only that no delay of time should weaken our faith but also that no evills or adversities should discourage it for if by faith we meane to attaine Gods promises we must looke for many sufferings to intervene in the mean while For in this sense the Apostle useth the word patience Jam. 5.7,8 who those men be of whom they should be followers in faith and patience he shews in the following verse namely that they are the Patriarkes whereof he names Abraham as the principall Inherit the promises This is the fruit of our faith and patience to inherit the promises of our faith And this he adds the more to excite them to a constancy in faith and patience to the end because thereby they shall reap the excellent fruit thereof by inheriting the promises He faith inherit in the present tense because the present tense is commonly put indefinitly for any time that the mindes of the readers might be drawne as it were to a thing present 13. For when God made promise to Abraham In these words hee gives not a reason why they should be followers of such as inherit the promises but he onely gives a reason why he makes mention of such For some man might demand whether there were any such to be followed and who they were In these words therefore for an example thereof hee produceth Abraham the father of the faithfull who was most patient and constant in his faith and reaped the greatest fruit of his faith And first he shewes that Abraham had the promise of God upon which his faith relyed then at the 15. verse hee mentions the constancy of his faith and also the fruit of it Upon the mention of Gods promise made to Abraham hee mentions also the oath of God whereby God would confirme his promise to him This he therefore doth because the same promise belongs to us also in a mysticall better fence as a little after we shall shew therefore we should apply the greater stronger faith unto it and therein be followers of Abraham and other Patriarks that followed him And we must note the manner of speech which the Author here useth he saith not that God promised Abraham before he sware but when he made promise or in promising he sware that the truth may appeare of what we noted before that indefinite Participles joyned with a Verbe of the preter tense must not alwayes be understood of the time past but often of the present So afterward chap. 9.12 Christ is said to have entered into the holy place by his owne blood having obtained eternal redemption for us Not that Christ obtained that redemption before he entered but that hee obtained it at his entrance whereof we shal speak further there But by the way the Author shews the cause why God did sweare by himself when he saith Because he could sweare by no greater hee sware by himselfe Therefore he sware not by another because then he by whom he was to swear must be greater then himselfe as such a one that must be invocated as an avenger of his violating of his oath and whom by this meanes the swearer must revere and adore But God hath none whom he should feare as an avenger none whom he should adore as a Deity to him and consequently hath none greater then himself where fore if God will sweare upon any occasion as the occasion is exprest verse 16. he must needs sweare by himselfe And when the Author saith of God that he did sweare he respects the words whereby God made promise to Abraham saying By my selfe have I sworn Gen. 22.16 But the solemne form whereby God useth to swear is As I live q. d. Let me not be accounted for the living God for all other formes are referred and reduced to this As when hee is said to sweare by his soule by his life by his holinesse by his arme that is his strength and power and by his right hand that is his faith 14 Saying He rehearseth the summe of Gods promise made to Abraham Surely In the originall it is a men or e men which is an Adverb of sweating commonly put after a Verbe whereby wee doe assevere that a thing is true or shall be done For as an oath is a Confirmation of some thing asserted or promised so every Confirmation is an assurance to him who receives it and therefore the word Surely is properly an Adverb of swearing Yet in many passages of Scripture the word Surely is but an Adverb of Asseveration which is a lesse and lower Confirmation then an oath Blessing I will blesse thee and multiplying I will multiply thee This promise in some places of Scripture is indeed delivered in other words but these make up the generall sum of it And the gemination or doubling of the words according to the idiome of the Hebrewes doth intend and magnifie the thing I will greatly blesse and greatly multiply This promise is described Gen. 22.16 But wee are to note that this promise pertaines not onely to Abraham but also to his seed Or if wee respect the literall or carnall sence of this promise Abraham is promised to be greatly blessed in his seed for the blessing consisted in this as God himselfe declares that God would multiply Abrahams seed as the starres of heaven or as the sand upon the sea-shore that his seed should possesse the gates of their enemies and all nations should be blessed in him i. He should have a posterity most numerous and most happy All which particulars pertain to Abraham no otherwise then by his seed But if wee
name signified so as it also signified King of righteousnesse But if this had beene onely an appellation of him the Author would not have said king of Salem but Melechsalem as he said not King of Sedec but Melchisedec For who in relating of a mans name will deliver it partly in a strange language and partly in the proper language Wherefore when Melchisedec is in Scripture called king of Salem it is apparent that the name of King doth note his royall office and dignity and Salem notes the place wherein he did reigne And many beeleeve that this City Salem was the same with Jerusalem which at the first was called onely Salem and afterward by the adjection of the word Jeru Jerusalem as a man would say the sight of peace Priest of the most high God For so the Scripture calls him Gen. 14.18 And though the word Cohen signifie also a Prince as the Sons of David are said to have beene Cohenim 2 Sam. 8.18 which our Translation there renders chiefe rulers yet being attributed to Melchisedec it notes him a Priest 1. Because of that addition here made of the most high God for this addition takes away all ambiguity of the word and declares him to be a Priest of God and not a Prince of God 2. Because this is brought as a reason why he blessed Abraham in an especiall manner as shall be shewed afterward 3. Because Abraham payed him tithes which were usually paid to Priests Whence it appeares that the same word Cohen which is given to Christ as he is compared with Melchisedec Psal 110.4 doth not simply signifie a Prince onely as the Jews contend but properly a Priest For it is manifest that those words of the Psalme have respect to the place in Genesis where Melchisedec is called Cohen And it is no strange thing that anciently Melchisedec was both a King and a Priest for anciently Kings were wont to performe Sacred rites which custome grew from hence that in every family the principall person or ruler of it did officate in holy functions Whence it came to passe that they who afterward became Princes or Rulers of a whole Citie became also the publike Priests of that Citie and executed the sacred Ceremonies for the safety of the people For it made most for the honour of God that the most honourable person should minister unto him Who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the Kings The Author mentions not this meeting as if in that there were any Mysterie but because he would shew how Melchisedec blessed Abraham and reciprocally how Abraham gave tithes to Melchisedec In which two points as he shews afterward the chiefe dignitie of Melchisedec appeared And hee mentions this meeting onely to designe the occasion the time and circumstances of the action whereof the History is particularly related Gen. 14. And blessed him Him i. Abraham for so saith the Scripture He blessed him and said Blessed be Abraham of the most high God possessour of heaven and earth Gen. 14.19 that is Let the most high God blesse Abraham and heap his gifts upon him in great abundance And lest any man should think that this was but an ordinary blessing such as commonly is among friends when they mutually pray and wish all happinesse one to another therefore he prefixed these words before it that Melchisedec was a Priest of the most high God thereby to make us know that this was a singular blessing as proceeding from a person that was a peculiar Minister of God Whence it appears that when Melchisedec is said to be a Priest of the most high God thereby is not shewed the reason why he brought forth bread and wine as they would have it who say that Melchisedec offered bread and wine to God and was therefore called a Priest but in those words is shewed the reason why he blessed Abraham and why as it presently follows Abraham gave him tithes But the error of these men who thereby would strengthen their owne opinions may manifestly be convinced from hence that the Author who most diligently prosecutes the likenesse betweene the Priesthood of Melchisedec and Christ makes not any the least mention of offering bread and wine wherein notwithstanding they thinke the greatest likenesse betweene Christ and Melchisedec doth consist and certainly must consist if both offered bread and wine Either therefore the Author omitted that which was the maine point in so accurate a comparison of Christ with Melchisedec or else that Melchisedec or Christ or both of them offered bread and wine to God is but those mens dream Melchisedec brought forth bread and wine that hee might refresh Abraham and his company that were weary after their victory and journey but hee offered none to God for this is refuted by the very word of bringing forth which is never used of offerings and besides the place and time when this is said to have been done refutes it also For wee use not to meet men upon the way there to celebrate divine services or performe holy Ceremonies Also Christ is never read to have offered bread and wine to God but onely to have instituted a holy Ceremonie wherein bread is broken and eaten and wine is drunke out of a cup yet not to perform any offering but to celebrate the memory of Christ whose body was broken for us and his blood shed for us As for the expiatory offering of Christ for our sinnes that was not performed on earth but in heaven Hebrewes 8.4 Neither doth it consist in offering of bread and wine but in Christs offering of himselfe as this Authour testifies in sundry places neither was it to bee iterated often but once onely to bee performed as the Authour clearely delivers it afterwards in this Chapter verse 27. and Chap. 10 14. For that single oblation perfects all the Saints 2. To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all The fifth particular that the Author observes in Melchisedec was that Abraham gave him the tenth part as is related in his history whence a little after the Author collects how far Melchisedec exceeded the Leviticall Priests The gift that Abraham gave him was a part of the spoiles for so it is expressed at the 4. v. following and the portion hee gave was a tenth part of them and there were none of the spoils excepted and reserved for he gave him a tenth part of all By these words hee partly explicates some things related in Scripture of Melchisedec and partly observes other things whereby to make it appeare how great a person Melchisedec was and how properly he was a type of Christ First being by interpretation king of righteousnesse First he ponders the name of Melchisedec and teacheth that there was an omen in his name For the Hebrew name Melchisedec being interpreted or translated into another language doth signifie a king of righteousnesso There are some who tell us that this name signifies my righteous king but it is very usuall with the
Aaron saying O Lord heare the prayer of thy servants according to the blessing of Aaron over thy people Ecclus. 36.17 8. And here men that die receive tithes Now followeth the third reason whereby he proves that Melchisedec is greater then the Leviticall Priests namely Because the Leviticall Priests receive tithes yet one of them dies after another and they succeed one another in the Priest-hood but Melchisedec hath a testimony of Scripture for him that he liveth Here i. here under the law and among us But there he of whom it is witnessed that he liveth There where wee read that Abraham gave him tithes he then received them whom the Scripture witnesseth that he lives But wee must note that the Author opposeth not Melchisedec to mortall men but to dying men onely neither doth he say that he is immortall but only that he liveth For life is not opposed to mortality but properly to death And there the Scripture saith That Melchisedec doth live where shee affirmes him to bee a Priest for ever And shee affirmes it in her comparison of him with Christ when she saith Thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec Psal 110.4 as we explicated it before in this Chapter vers 3. Where we shewed that Melchisedec was called a Priest for ever because he exercised his Priest-hood a long time even for the full terme of his naturall life and that he lived so long a Priest as there was any knowledge of the true God among the men of his time and any place for the Priest-hood so that Melchisedec in his Priest-hood resembled for his continuance all the Leviticall Priests who succeeded one after another which eternity of his was but umbratilous and figurative as we said of Christs eternitie And therefore the life of Melchisedec was nothing but a shadow of that life which is in Christ And if we respect the scope of the Authour it makes not to the matter that Melchisedec did at last yeeld to the law of nature and die for he speaks not of Melchisedec for himselfe but for Christ who truely lives for ever It sufficeth in Melchisedec that the eternall life of Christ was in some manner shadowed and signified in the Scripture And this is the reason why the Authour opposed Melchisedec to dying men and said he liveth for ever For when wee speake of the type as of the antitype we many times so speak of it as of the anti-type it selfe although the words must be applyed figuratively to the type and properly to the antitype 9. And as I may so say Levi also who receiveth tithes payed tithes or was decimated in Abraham Here at last comes in the other of the first reason which we said was bipartite and wherewith the Author now confirmes the dignity of Melchisedec namely that when Melchisedec tooke tithes of Abraham he tithed also Levi and all the Priests sprung from his loynes who were themselves to receive tithes To shew the great dignity of Melchisedec it was not enough for the Author to say that he tithed Abraham himselfe but Levi also who tooke tithes was by him tithed in Abraham For it is as much as if hee had taken tithes of Levi when he tooke them of him in whose loynes Levi was yet latent Therefore in a figurative way of speech the Author saith that Levi was tithed through Abraham For because he could not say properly that Levi gave tithes to Melchisedec through Abraham therefore lest his words should seem harsh he mollifies them thus as I may so say whereby hee plainely declares that what hee spake here of Levi must not bee taken literally and properly but in a certaine sence and forme of speech Levi also who receiveth tithes not in his owne person but in his posteritie so that it is not strange that hee is said to have given tithes in his father who is also said to have taken them in his children But now let us see how the Author proves this 10. For hee was yet in the loynes of his father when Melchisedec met him Here he proves that Levi gave tithes to Melchisedec through Abraham thus If at that time Levi had been a person severed from Abraham and had enjoyed his estate apart to himselfe this fact of Abraham in giving tithes to Melchisedec had nothing concerned him But because Levi was then so united and joyned with Abraham that he yet lay couched in Abrahams loyns therefore he also is justly accounted to have given tithes to Melchisedec in or through Abraham Which sentence notwithstanding must not be transferred to all the actions of a father but only to those which properly consist either in the increase or decrease of his estate which useth to descend to his children by right of inheritance and the payment of tithes is such an action for it so much decreaseth the fathers estate For they are paid out of the fathers goods which thus farre are already the childrens in that the right of inheritance thereto belongs to them especially if it be certaine that the father hath or may have children to succeed him in his estate as Abraham had to whom God had for certaine promised a posterity For as the heire after his fathers death doth in a manner represent the person of his father by his succeeding to him and possessing his estate so likewise the father before his children be severed from him and have a right to dispose of his goods as their own doth in a manner also represent the person of his heire and of all the rest of his children and what he then ordereth or doth in his goods the same in a manner his heires are accounted to doe I say in a manner because properly this cannot be said neither doth the Author himselfe say properly that it was done but acknowledgeth an impropriety in his words as we noted before Hence may easily be understood that which together with the Author we affirme that such acts of the parents must be extended only to those of their successors or posterity to whom the inheritance or some notable portion of their goods shall descend either for certainty as here to Abrahams posterity or at least in all probability For otherwise that force of inheritance whereof we speake will expire and what any man orders concerning his estate cannot be attributed to his children and posterity 11. If therefore perfection After that by comparing Melchisedec with the Leviticall Priests hee had shewed that Melchisedec was a Priest and a Priest much differing from the Leviticall as a person farre greater and worthier then they Now he proceeds to the third part of the Chapter And in regard that after those Leviticall Priests there must be another Priest ordained according to the order of Melchisedec and not according to the order of Aaron therefore he thence argues and proves the imperfection of the Leviticall Priesthood and also of the Law it selfe upon which that Priesthood was ordained and upon the
imperfection of that Priesthood and Law he proves the abrogation of both If perfection were by the Leviticall Priesthood By perfection here he understands nothing else but a true and perfect expiation of sinne whereby the guilt not of some sinnes only but of all even of the most grievous offences and crimes is taken away whereby all punishments of sinne not only temporall concerning this life but the eternall punishment of death it selfe is remitted and forgiven whereby a right to eternall life is granted unto men and lastly whereby not only all guilt of all sinnes but all sinnes themselves are taken away from men For in these things consisteth the true perfection of men before God If therefore this perfection could have been brought to men by the Leviticall Priesthood certainly there had been no need nor use of a new Priesthood after the order of Melchisedec for every Priesthood is ordained for the expiation of sinnes But if a perfect expiation of sinnes could have been effected by the Priesthood after the order of Aaron what need a new Priest bee super induced after the order of Melchisedec to performe those actions which might have been done by the former Wherefore seeing God would ordaine a new Priest and also now hath ordained him hence it appears that by the Leviticall Priesthood no man could obtaine perfection or perfect expiation and certainly no man did obtaine it For by that Priesthood some sinnes only were expiated namely as we shewed before ignorances and infirmities but great offences as crimes and villanies were punished with death Neither had that expiation any force to take away eternall death but only to release some temporall punishments proper to this life Neither in those sacrifices was there any power to withdraw men from sinne it selfe all which particulars the Author prosecutes in the passages following Yet the Author useth not the word perfection in one sense only for there are divers perfections of a thing and therefore we must still gather from the matter handled what perfection hee meanes Here because hee speaks of perfection flowing from the Priesthood therefore no other can be understood but that which is seen in a perfect expiation of sinne namely that a man bee wholly spotlesse and blamelesse subject neither to paine nor losse by any sentence of condemnation in the sight of God In which sense he useth the same word chap. 10. 14. For under it the people received the Law For what purpose the Author inserted these words into his former argument we shall see afterward and for the present shall speake of their explication Under it i. under the Priesthood as if the people had received the Law under the Priesthood and so most Interpreters affirme But this sense is contrary to the words in the originall which are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and doe not signifie under it but upon it and contrary to the truth of the thing for the Law was not given under the Priesthood as if the Priesthood had been extant before the Law given but rather contrarily a great and principall part of the Law was already given before the Priesthood was ordained so that it might be more truly said the Priesthood was given under or after the Law then the Law under or after the Priesthood And lastly this sense is contrary to the mind of the Author and makes nothing to the purpose For what makes it to the purpose in hand that the Law was given in the time of the Priesthood For would it thence follow either that perfection must be by that Priesthood or if perfection were by it that there were no need of another Priesthood or lastly if the Priesthood were abrogated that then the Law were abrogate Wherefore as the Greeke words sound it is said in this place that the people received the Law not under the Priesthood but upon the Priesthood And to receive the Law upon the Priesthood is nothing else but of the Priesthood concerning or touching it Which sense some Interpreters doe acknowledge as Junius and Tremellius and Piscator For the Greeke particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 answers the Hebrew Hal which often notes the object or matter of a thing Now therefore these words may seem to cohere with the minde of the Author three wayes 1. If we say that in them he shews the cause why he named the Leviticall priesthood and no other q.d. therefore I name the Leviticall priesthood because the people received the Law of it 2. That in them he shews cause why it might seem that perfection came by that Priesthood namely because the people received the Law of it 3. That those words containe a confirmation or peculiar reason why if perfection came not by the Leviticall priesthood there must not be another Priest ordained diverse from the Leviticall For though this would bee sufficient of it self to exclude another Priest yet it follows so much the more if not only perfection be by the Leviticall Priesthood but also that Priesthood was established by the Law and of this reason wee most approve Therefore it is as much as if the Author had said If perfection be by the Leviticall Priesthood especially seeing concerning it Laws were given to the people what need is there for the ordination of another Priest for many times in Scripture a reason of a sentence is inserted before the sentence bee fully uttered in all the parts of it Whereof among other places we have an example 1 Pet. 4.1.2 in these words For he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin which must be read as in a parenthesis For they containe the cause why Christians must suffer in the flesh with Christ i. crucifie the flesh because he that hath suffered in the flesh i. whose body is put to death he hath ceased from sinne And the reason is generall agreeing to all the dead Therefore the words which follow from the beginning of the second verse That he no longer should live c must not be joyned with the words next preceding Ceased from sinne but they being included in a parenthesis as a generall reason they must be referred to the former words arm your selves as to their finall cause The mind of the Author in this place will be more plain if we transfer these words to the end of the verse thus Therefore if perfection be by the Leviticall Priesthood what further need was there that another Priest should rise after the order of Melchisedec and not be called after the order of Aaron especially seeing of that Priesthood the Law was given to the people For thence it presently followes that together with this Priesthood the Law must be abrogated when a Priest ordained according to the order of Melchisedec which should not be abrogated unlesse there were some default in it That another Priest should rise From his former grounds he inferres that a Priest after the order of Melchisedec must be another and a different Priest from those Priests that
the right hand of the throne of Majesty and that in heaven The throne of the Majesty is the Majesticke and stately Throne whereon he sits who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords who only is Almighty who only hath immortality and dwells in a light unapproachable 2. A minister of the Sanctuary and of the true Tabernacle The Epethite or Attribute true must be added both to Sanctuary and Tabernacle that Christ is a Minister of the true Sanctuary and of the true Tabernacle which is Gods heavenly habitation This is called the true Sanctuary and Tabernacle not in reference to false and fained Sanctuaries but in respect of umbratilous and terrene Sanctuaries which did but represent and signifie the true perfect solid and heavenly Sanctuary wherein God himselfe doth really and truely dwell and whereto the name of the true and right Sanctuary doth perfectly agree Of this true and heavenly Sanctuary Christ is the Minister as anciently the legall high Priest was the minster of the terrene Sanctuary For these words serve somewhat to declare the residence of Christ at the right hand of Gods throne Now to bee a Minister of the Sanctuary is nothing else but to Minister unto God in the Sanctuary to officiate and be busied about the Sanctuary to procure and order the things that pertaine to the worship of God in the Sanctuary And Christ recideing in heaven doth Minister there by executing Gods decrees by ordering heavenly things and whatsoever pertaines to Gods heavenly worship and service prescribed and commanded in the new Covenant The word Leiturgist or Minister doth not always signifie a simple officer waiter or hand-servant but many times such a one who with speciall authority and power doth execute some charge as the legall high Priests in the Tabernacle had the chief authority and presidency over all things pertaining to divine worship Which the Lord pitched and not man Either these words containe the cause why that heavenly Sanctuarie is called the true Tabernacle because it was erected not of man as that was under the Law but God himselfe who is our Soveraigne Lord. For that Sanctuary must needs bee the true and right one which the hand of man did not frame for God but which God raised for himself by his owne hand Or else these words are added to amplifie and illustrate the point to make it the more evidently appeare how much this heavenly Sanctuary differs from the earthly and exceeds it So also Paul to the earthen and fraile tabernacle of our mortall body opposeth that heavenly building of our glorious body made of God and not by the hand of men Ye have the same opposition afterward in this Author between the earthly Sanctuary and the heavenly chap. 9. verse 11.24 in like manner betweene cities made by the hand of men and that heavenly city prepared for the godly whose Architect and Builder is God himselfe Chapter 11.10 3. For every high Priests is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices He proves that Christ our high Priest is a Minister of the Sanctuary because he is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices for this function is naturall to the office of a Priest and he that offers gifts and sacrifices must needs be the Minister of a Sanctuary Wherefore it is of necessitie this man have somwhat also to offer The sence of these words is not so to be taken as to leave a scruple in us as if Christ had only somwhat that he might offer and yet wee might doubt whether hee would offer or must offer or doth indeed offer but that according to the nature of his office hee doth actually offer For in this sence wee often say I have somthing to give or to say unto you i. I will or must give or say somthing unto you From these words of the Author it is most manifest that Christ doth now offer in heaven for as the Author will shew afterward he offers himselfe to God For hee proves as we have said that Christ doth minister in the heavenly Sanctuary as appeares by the precedent and subsequent passages And this hee proves from hence because every Priest and therefore Christ is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices and therefore if he will performe his office hee must indeed offer which if hee doe then it followes that hee is a minister of the Sanctuary 4. For if be were on earth hee should not be a Priest Here hee confirmes the other part of the second verse that Christ is a Minister not of the umbratilous and terrene Sanctuary but of the true and heavenly because if he were on earth he should not be a Priest at all Hence it appears that Christ is a Minister of the heavenly Sanctuary and doth offer unto God there Whence it necessarily follows that Christ while he was upon earth did not finish his perfect expiatory offering whereof the Author treats in this Epistle For could hee performe and finish it being out of his proper Sanctuary which is heaven Seeing that there are Priests that offer gifts according to the Law Hee gives here a reason why Christ should not be a Priest if he ministed on earth because there are already other Priests ordained of God to Minister on earth and to offer gifts of whose number Christ is none nor can be as was shewed in the former Chapter These terrene Priests are said to offer according to the Law because the Law hath granted them only this right and priviledge that no other person beside themselves without breach of the Law should usurpe the office of offering upon earth or ministring in the earthly Sanctuary 5. Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things In these words either the Author gives a reason why Christ if hee were on earth could not be a Priest namely because those Priests who offer here on earth serve but for a shadow of heavenly things but Christ our high Priest must not serve for such a shadow Or els he illustrates from the contrary that Christ is a Minister of the true Tabernacle but the legall Priests did only serve as paternes and shadows of the heavenly Sanctuary By heavenly things he means the Sanctuary and holy functions wherein Christ doth minister in heaven As Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the Tabernacle For see saith he that thou make all things according to the paterne shewed to thee in the mount He proves from a testimony of Scripture that the ancient legall high Priests served but as a paterne and shadow of the true and heavenly Sanctuary And he cites the words wherein Moses is commanded to make that ancient Tabernacle and all things pertaining to it according to the model or paterne shewed him in the Mount Exod. 25.40 Therefore the Tabernacle shewed him in the Mount was the type or modell and the Tabernacle made by Moses was but a sample or copy of that model Now that modell shewed by God in the Mount
was it any way convenient that therefore the old Covenant should be abrogated and a new one made For a declaration of an old Covenant is not a new Covenant diverse from the old neither doth such a declaration abrogate the old but rather illustrate and establish it And a new Covenant doth require not a declaration of the old but new conditions and new promises made of Gods Name Neither had Christ beene the Mediatour of the new Covenant but onely an Interpreter and explainer of it But if they say the latter that they were not so cleer we willingly grant that of eternall life but not of a full remission of all sinnes given to such as amended their wayes for this was no way contained in the old Covenant either openly or covertly but was altogether repugnant to that Covenant And as we have already said such a covert promise must not be truly accounted for the promise of a Covenant but onely such a promise as every man may understand and be assured of it from the Covenant if he performe the conditions Was established In the Originall it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. was enacted or ordained as a Law because every Covenant is a Law upon the parties betweene whom it is made and the new Covenant is most justly so because it containes diverse precepts which every man is bound to observe if he meane to obtaine the promises therein made to him 7. For if that first Covenant had beene faultlesse then could no place have beene sought for the second Here he proves what he formerly affirmed that the new Covenant was established upon better promises because the old Covenant was faulty not that it was absolutely evill but onely respectively because it had some imperfections and defects which might be bettered Whence it plainly appeares that so good promises cannot be therein contained for if it did containe them it could not be justly blamed nor truly said to be faulty For how can that Covenant be justly blamed which both containes the best promises and also prescribes the best conditions whereby those promises may be attained But that it was indeed blameable and was not faultlesse he proves from hence because there was place sought for a second God promised to make a second and a new Covenant with his people But why should God abrogate the old Covenant and make a new if the old were without all fault and contained both promises and conditions equall in goodnesse to the new For old Covenants use not to be abolished but for their defects and faults as above he said of the Law that it was disanulled for the weakenesse and unprofitablenesse thereof chap. 7.18 8. For finding fault with them he saith Hee proves by the words of the Prophet why the old Covenant was faulty and therefore place sought for the second because God found fault with it With them must not be referred to the persons of the Jews in this place though otherwise God did finde fault enough with them but to the promises of the old Covenant for God findes fault with them for the Author seems to reflect upon the last words of the sixt verse before where hee saith that the new Covenant was established upon better promises now because the promises of the old were not so good therefore God finds fault with them Behold the dayes come saith the Lord He relates the words of the Prophet Jer. 31.31 wherein God promiseth to make a new Covenant with his people different from the former Covenant which God mentions in such a manner that he apparently reprehends and blames it as afterward shall be declared When I will make a new Covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Iudah The house of Israel is the posterity of Jacob and the house of Judah the posterity of Judah one of Jacobs sons He distinguisheth these two people not that the posterity of Judah was not also the posterity of Israel or Jacob but because at that time the posterity of Jacob was divided into two Kingdomes in one whereof were ten Tribes who therefore were called by the common name of the Israelites in the other Kingdome were onely two Tribes Judah and Benjamin which two were denominate from Judah onely because he was the more illustrious Tribe wherein the race of the Kings descended as the other Tribes were sometime called Ephraim because among them that was the Tribe Royall 9. Not according to the Covenant that I made with their Fathers He proves here that the second Covenant should be a new Covenant because it should not be like the former or not according to it but different from it In the day when I tooke them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt Day is put for time an especiall word for a generall in the time that I brought them out of Egypt This plainely designes the Covenant made by Moses at Mount Sinai Because they continued not in my Covenant Here he opens the cause why God would make a new Covenant with his people different and unlike the former Because that old Covenant was not of force to containe the people in their duty For hence it came to passe that the people continued not in it but transgressed it For he layes downe this consequent to make us understand the antecedent of it which is the faultinesse and weaknesse of that Covenant For if there had been no fault nor flaw in the Covenant but only in the people the Covenant it self must not have been abolished for the fault of the people only And therefore it appeares that not only the people but also the Covenant it selfe was in fault why it was not observed And I regarded them not saith the Lord. This is necessarily consequent from the former For hee that continues not in Gods Covenant he is neglected of God i. deserted and forsaken and not only deserted but punished for God layes those judgements upon him that are specified in the Covenant in case it bee not observed Hence it is manifest that that former Covenant was infirme and unprofitable seeing it could not effect that the people who were parties to it might worship God duly and constantly and obey his Lawes that reciprocally they might be loved of God and graced with his blessings 10. For this is the Covenant that I will make with the house of Israel saith the Lord He brings a reason why he said that this new Covenant is not according to the former but unlike and different from it Because it was to be such a one as must have sufficient power to continue the people in their duty And this he signifies unto us by the words following The house of Israel is taken here a little more largely then before not now opposed to Judah but including it and signifying the whole people of God For it is usuall in the holy Scripture for the same words to be taken sometime more largely and amply sometime more strictly and
or censer whereon he was first to burne incense must needs bee without the oracle or else he could not first come at it And the arke of the Covenant overlaid round about with gold The Arke was a strong chest or coffer the matter forme and measures whereof see Exod. 25.10 This was called the Arke of the Covenant for the use of it which was to inclose the tables wherein the first Covenant was written Wherein was the golden pot that had Manna Wherein must be referred to the Arke as appears by the beginning of the next verse for in this verse the Author would shew what was in the Arke and in the next what was over it This pot of Manna was gathered before the building of the Tabernacle and commanded to be laid up before the Testimony there to be kept when the Tabernacle should be built See Ex. 16.33.34 And Aarons rod that budded Concerning Aarons rod how it budded and upon what occasion and for what purpose it did so See Num. 17. And the tables of the Covenant There were severall parcels of the old Covenant for there were the tables of the Covenant which the Lord wrote with his owne finger in stone containing the Decalog and there was the booke of the Covenant which Moses wrote and read in the audience of the people and sprinkled it with bloud when the Covenant was confirmed with a solemne sacrifice See Exod. 24.4 and afterward in this Chapter vers 19. Now wee finde none but the tables of the Covenant to bee laid up in the Arke yet not those tables that were first written for they were broken upon the indignation which Moses had at the worshipping of the golden Calfe but the tables written afterward were there reserved But how could the pot of Manna and Aarons rod bee in the Arke when wee read expresly that nothing was in the Arke save the two tables of stone 1 King 8.9 and 2 Chron. 5.10 The Answer is Either wee must say that in successe of time the pot of Manna and Aarons rod came to bee put into the Arke which before were not so Or wee must say that the particle In here must be a little extended in sense to include those things that were adjacent to the Arke being neare or about it So John is said to baptise in Bethabara because he baptised neare or about it John 1.28 So Joshua is said to be in Jericho when he was by or neare it Josh 5.13 And in this sense the Author first expresseth those things which were by or neare the Arke as the pot of Manna and Aarons tod then the things in the Arke as the tables of the Covenant And lastly in the following verse the things over the Arke as the Cherubims And this might happily bee the cause why under the particle in hee would first comprise the things by the. Arke before those in it that he might make use of this gradation 5. And over it the Cherubims of glory shadowing the Mercy-seate The Cherubims were two Images of solid gold fashioned like winged men whose wings did over shadow the Mercy-seate being one at the one end of it and the other at the other having their faces looking one towards another Of them see Exod. 25.17 And they were called the Cherubims of glory by an Hebraisme for glorious Cherubims because of their lustre and brightnesse which in Scripture is often called glory The Mercy-seate had two uses one to bee a Cover for the Arke to shut up the Tables of the Covenant the other to represent the seat or throne of God where God would speake with Moses to give answers for the people and to shew himselfe mercifull And the originall word in the Hebrew carries a twofold sence to answer and fit this two-fold use for Capporeth derived from the verbe Caphor which signifies to cover a vessell and to cover sinne which last is the proper act of mercy Therefore though the Hebrew word might have beene simply and fully enough rendred the Cover yet the Septuagint following the other signification of the word have translated Hilasterion i. a Propitiatory or Mercy-seate which distinguisheth this cover from all others as a peculiar use and property of it And it is very consonant to reason that by the ambiguity of the word the Spirit of God would signifie so much Of which we cannot now speake particularly Though each of these particulars concerning the first Covenant might require particular explication and serve highly for advancing the dignity of Christs Priesthood and of the new Covenant yet the time will not now permit it because our purpose calls us on to other matters 6. Now when these things were thus ordained Having briefly described the Tabernacle and the severall furniture of it now he comes to describe the way of divine service therein which according to the two partitions or roomes of the Tabernacle was twofold whereof he toucheth the first in this verse and handleth the other in those following The Priests went alwayes into the first Tabernacle accomplishing the service of God The ordinary Priests went onely into the first Tabernacle for none but the high Priest went into the second And into the first they went alwayes that is every day daily for herein they are opposed to the high Priest who went into the second Tabernacle once every yeare The daily services of God accomplished by the Priests in the first Tabernacle were to burne Incense on the golden Censer and to light up or mend the Lamps of the Candlestick c. 7. But into the second went the high Priest alone once every yeare The high Priest went in alone and therefore he onely yet he went not in daily but yearely once every yeare at the solemne fast of Expiation whereof see Levit. 16. Not without bloud which he offered Not without bloud is with bloud and with bloud onely for the high Priest offered in the second Tabernacle nothing else but bloud For he must enter thither with the bloud of a Bullock and of a Goate and offer it by sprinkling it with his finger upon and before the Mercy-seate seven times Whence it appeares that this offering of the high Priest did not consist in the slaughter of those beasts whose bloud he offered and therefore neither did the offering of Christ answerable thereto whereof the Author treates consist in the death of Christ but by his entrance into heaven after his death Indeed the death of Christ is called an offering and sacrifice yet it is so called for the resemblance of it with the free-will and peace-offerings and therefore especially because it was most gratefull and acceptable to God in which respect also other notable works of piety may be and are called in Scripture offerings and sactifices unto God For himselfe and for the errours of the people Here is a little trajection of the words for the right sence is thus for the errours of himselfe and of the people For in this sacrifice the Priest
in use among men and to be of force before it was ratified by the bloudshed of beasts For this bloud gave beginning to that testament in respect of the force of it The Author useth the very same word afterward Chap. 10.20 where our English Translation renders it consecrated By a new and living way which he hath consecrated unto us whereof in it due place 19. For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people That the first Testament was not dedicated without bloud hee now proves by a narration of the carriage of the action shewing the dedication or confirmation of that Testament both for the manner and matter wherby it was confirmed and his narration hereof is for the most part taken out of Scripture Exod. 24. Moses did both speake and read all the precepts to the people For first he spake them by word of mouth as the Lord had delivered them to him and upon his rehearsing or speaking of them the people gave their unanimous approbation and consented to doe them Exod. 24.3 Then he wrote them in a book and read them in the audience of the people and the people againe the second time gave their approbation ibid. ver 7. The word spoken includes both these actions of reciting and reading for all reading is speaking also because he that reads speaks out of a booke The precepts by Moses confirmed were all those Lawes of the Old Testament that did binde universally both persons and times which all persons were bound to observe perpetually for such were properly the precepts of Gods league with the people although happily they were not all assigned to the preceding Chapters in Exod. but are related in other places and in the following books of Moses For those preceps which after the confirmation of the league or testament are described in the following Chapters of Exodus are not properly Lawes but certaine Ordinances of God for the present concerning the framing and ordering of the Tabernacle the furniture of it and other things whereby the worship of God was then to bee performed And yet there besome who think that the passages recited Exod. 24. concerning the confirmation of the Covenant are spoken only by way of historicall anticipation And this opinion is not without some shew of probability According to the Law This is a limitation of the universall word every precept to shew that he spake not of all precepts in generall but of every precept in the Law delivered to Moses and written by Moses in the booke and read by Moses to the people Hee tooke the bloud of calves and of goats It is not expressed in the story of Moses that he tooke or shed the bloud of goats for that action Yet it is very credible that there were goats among the burnt-offerings and peace-offerings then slaine unto God For that Moses nameth only calves it might therefore be because they are the more worthy creatures Unlesse wee should rather say that first the whole people was sprinkled and expiated by Moses which the Author chiefly respected and might know it some other way for the bloud of goats was usually shed to expiate the sinnes of the whole people With water and scarlet wooll and hysop Neither doe wee read this in the fore-cited place of Moses but the Author who undoubtedly was very skilfull in the Jewish customes doth perhaps therefore mention water because hee knew that water was mingled with the bloud which was sprinkled as was usuall in other purifyings for bloud unlesse it bee mingled with water doth quickly congeale and being congealed is unfit for sprinkling But of hysop and scarlet wooll tyed to a cedar sticke was made a sprinkler whereof as of water mixt with bloud see Exod. 12.22 and Levit. 4.4,5,6 And sprinkled both the booke and all the people Of the booke being sprinkled we likewise read not in Moses Yet this divine Author knew the certainty of this no lesse then of the rest But all the people is said to be sprinkled because they among the people who stood nearest were sprinkled and in that respect represented the person of the whole people so that thereby all the people were accounted sprinkled 20. Saying this is the bloud of the Testament In the Hebrew for this is Behold but the sense is the same Now the bloud of calves and goats is called the bloud of the Testament because by means of it the Old Testament was confirmed and established Which God hath enjoyned unto you In the Hebrew it is which God hath made with you God had not yet made it preteritively but did then make it presentively and therefore the preter tense is there figuratively put for the present But because God himselfe in his owne person did not confirme that Covenant with the people but Moses did it at the command and in the name of God therefore the Author expressing the verity of the thing for the word made puts the word enjoyned as if Moses had said This is the bloud of the Testament which God hath enjoyned me to make with you Yet this injunction or command did not rest upon the person of Moses only but was extended unto the people also for as the confirmation of the testament was enjoyned to Moses that he should speed it is Gods name So the observation of it was enjoyned unto the people that they should keep it because the Testament for the matter contained Laws and Precepts which God enjoyned to the people as if Moses had further said This is the bloud of the Testament which God enjoyned unto me to confirme and hath enjoyned unto you to observe 21. Moreover he sprinkled with the bloud both the Tabernacle and all the vessels of the Ministery Hee shews that not only the Old Testament it selfe was confirmed with bloud but also that under the Old Testament divers consecrations and expiation were made by bloud especially of sinnes as hee mentions it ver 22. This hee doth that from hence he might gather that under the New Testament also the shedding of bloud must fitly intervene to consecrate and expiate the conscience and a bloud so much more pretious as he is more pretious by whom the conscience is expiated And the Author doth so joyne the consecration of the Tabernacle and the vessels of it made with bloud with the confirmation of the Testament it selfe that he specifies no difference of time between them And if the Tabernacle and ministeriall vessels were consecrated at the time wherin the Testament was confirmed then without all doubt the history of confirming the Testament Exod. 24. is delivered by way of anticipation seeing that after that Confirmation mentioned there precepts are delivered in the following chapters for the making of the Tabernacle and ministeriall vessels and for ordering of the publike worship and service of God as also the making and consecration of them is particularly described But from the words of the Author it cannot bee gathered that both these were done
were yet time enough for Christ to iterate his offerings and by a just proportion equall the number of the legall offerings although hee began not to suffer and offer himselfe from the foundation of the world For because hee suffered and offered himselfe in the end of the world hence it appeares that there is not time enough yet to come to serve for the multitude of his sufferings and offerings But the time wherein Christ came is therefore called the end of the world because it is the last age of the world and as it were the old age of it and because the other comming of Christ which is joyned with the consummation and end of the world is alwayes supposed to be at hand which could in no wise be if the offering of Christ were to be iterated answerably to the just number and proportion of the old Legall offerings But the holy Ghost would have us perpetually wait for the expectation of Christs comming For that his comming and together with it the end of the world is yet deferred and that so many ages have passed since his first comming into the world seating upon his heavenly throne this in a manner is accidentall by reason of the long suffering of God who is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance 2 Pet. 3.9 To put away sin by the sacrifice of himselfe He shews the finall cause of the comming and appearance of Christ which is for the putting away of sin which is done when all the force and power of sin is destroyed Which destruction of sin is effected two wayes the one is when sin hath no power to condemne men the other when it hath no power to subdue men by enthralling them under the yoke of it That both these effects might be produced Christ hath appeared both that he might deliver men from the punishment of sinne and also from the dominion of it even freeing them from sin it selfe Now the meanes whereby Christ hath put away sinne in destroying the power of it is by the sacrifice of himselfe For this act may be joyned as well with the word suffered as with appeared as other Interpreters also have observed How the sacrifice of Christ purgeth away our sins For Christ by the sacrifice of himselfe hath cashired and put away sinne by taking from it all it power to condemne and to reigne which though we have declared before yet are we willing to repeat it againe because the matter is of such moment that if it may be we might drive and fasten it throughly into mens mindes For as concerning the guilt and punishments of sinnes can there bee any sinnes so that we doe our duty which a sacrifice so acceptable to God offered in the Sanctuary of heaven and by so great an high Priest cannot expiate Can there be any danger that he will deale negligently in our cause who offered up himselfe as a sacrifice for our sinnes and who having himselfe suffered all those miseries and pressures that can possibly befall us hath assumed a minde so prone to pity us Hath not yet the wished effect been answerable to so holy a sacrifice and to so carefull a provision of our high Priest Is not the power of our salvation in the power of our high Priest and in his hand to release whom he will of sinne and to bestow eternall life and whatsoever good thing besides upon whom he will Doth he not negotiate the matter with his most deare Father who himselfe burnes with a desire of our salvation who himselfe hath made a sacred Covenant for the remission of our sinnes who himselfe ordained the holy Sacrifice for our sinnes who himselfe would have it offered unto him and caused it to be offered who himselfe ordained our high Priest with an oath and committed unto him the whole care of our salvation Now concerning the dominion of sinne for the excussion of the yoke of it can it possibly be that when we perceive so great and so certaine causes and proofes of our eternall salvation and of plenary remission of our sinnes that we should not with all our souls embrace the faith of Christ and devote our selves wholly to him when by this means through the grace and mercy of our God wee are effectually purged and justified from the guilt of all our sins shall we not contend with our whole force to abandon sin for ever after wholy addict our selves to holines shall we not labour to the utmost to preserve this great grace of God entire and whole to our last gaspe that at length we may enjoy the full fruit of it in our deliverance from death and inheritance of eternall life And shall it not mightily incourage us to shake off the yoke of sin in that our heavenly high Priest will perpetually support us with his Spirit supply us with power enough to live holily if we will live so and will strive to do it This therefore is the manner after which Christ by the Sacrifice of himself hath put away sin that neither it might hurt us nor reign in us The Sacrifice of Christ is Christ himself sacrificed being first slain then raised to immortall life that he might enter his heavenly Tabernacle and therein offer himself and appear for us for ever The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here rendred a Sacrifice though it come from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies to slay yet it useth not to be taken in Scripture abstractedly for the slaughter but concretly for the creature slaughtered or rather for that part of it which is offered to God But if any man keeping the same sense will joyn these words by the sacrifice of himself with the verb appeared then the particle by must be taken for with and in that sense as we have noted before that John saith Christ came by water and bloud i. with water and bloud not that at his first comming into the world hee shed his bloud but because he therefore came that he might shed his bloud though not forthwith So Christ may be said to appeare with the sacrifice of himselfe not that as soon as he appeared he was made a sacrifice but that he so appeared that in his due time he might be made a sacrifice But we best approve of that sense which joynes these words by the sacrifice of himselfe with the words immediatly preceding to put away sinne For the finall end of the appearance or comming of Christ was to put away sin and the meanes whereby he abolished it was by the sacrifice of himselfe Seeing therefore Christ came in the end of the world that he might abolish sinne by the sacrifice of himselfe therefore hence it appears that he must not often iterate his sacrifice after the manner of the legall high Priest for otherwise he must have begunne this action more early and not have deferred it to the last age of the world 27. And as it
is appointed unto men once to dye He brings a new argument to confirm and illustrate the single or only sacrifice of Christ drawne from a similitude or comparison of the death of Christ with the common law and condition of men who dye but once and not often The Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is well rendred by some learned men befalleth as one death befalleth all men For it seems not that the Author intended that this word by it selfe should signifie some divine decree although he thereby excludes it not for this word may have such a latitude of sense as to signifie both that which is appointed unto men by the law of nature and that which by Gods decree is destinated to some particular man In the first particle of these words which speake of death he seems to respect rather what is done by the force and course of nature then what follows by force of Gods decree For that death must bee here understood that is common to all men even to the godly and is temporall because it is that death after which judgement follows which kinde of death is due unto us rather by our naturall condition then destinated to us by force of any divine decree And besides we must understand that the Author speaks not here so much of the necessity of death that men are simply appointed to dye for that gives no helpe to his argument as of the singularity of death in that men dye but once and not twice or more often to the end he might from thence conclude that Christ also must dye but once onely and therefore must offer himselfe but once onely But the singularity of mens death that they dye but once proceeds meerly from nature and depends not from any peculiar decree of God but for a man to dye a second time or more often cannot be but from a peculiar decree of God And therefore by these words nothing else is signified then that one onely death is allotted unto men or that they dye but once only But after this the judgement This indeed depends from Gods decree therefore the word appointed as we said must be taken in his latitude and generally to signifie only a thing whose event is certaine whether it flow from nature it selfe as once to dye or whether it follow upon Gods decree as the future judgement But that judgement doth not so much consist in pronouncing the sentence upon all men both quicke and dead as in executing the sentence already adjudged For this is no humane judgement but a divine for the dispatch whereof there needs no witnesses no prooffes no accusers or advocates no tedious disquisition of the truth For to Christ who is the supreme Judge all things are already evident and he hath already determined who is to be condemned and who to be justified before he doth actually condemne or justifie any one i. either destroyes or saves any one As therefore one death befalles men and after that will come the judgement wherein all shall appeare againe to be judged i. either to be rewarded or punished according to every mans deeds 2 Cor. 5.19 So also Christ once only suffered death that he might once only performe his offering but he shall appeare againe in judgement and shall shew himself to be seen of them that expect him to salvation 28. So Christ was once offered His offering answers to his death not that his offering consisteth in his death for that is untrue as wee have shewed before but because the offering of a creature that hath life cannot bee performed without death And therefore Christ was offered but once because he must dye but once and but one single offering could follow one single death To beare the sinnes of many The end whereto his offering was a meane was to beare the sinnes of many The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to beare though it properly signifie to lift or carry something from a lower place to an higher or at least from one place to another yet in this place it simply signifies to take away For things lifted up are first taken away from the place where they were before and things taken or carried away from a man must first be raised and lifted up But in that sinnes are said to be taken away is a metaphor But that the word to beare here doth simply signifie to take away or put away as we have said wee can make it plaine by divers examples extant in the Septuagint see Jof 24.32 and 2 Sam. 21.13 and Ezra 1.11 and Psal 102.24 where the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath this sense But in this place this sense is necessary seeing this is the end for which Christ was once offered but the offering of Christ as we have shewed was performed in heaven Whence it follows that this word no way signifies that Christ tooke upon himself the punishment of our sinnes because that cannot be done in heaven seeing heaven is no place for punishment Besides it is most reasonable that these words should have the same sense with the former that Christ appeared to put away sinne seeing these are correspondent one to another and the end of Christs offering is shewed in both But he faith to beare the sinnes of many Not simply of all partly because this benefit for the effect and issue of it pertaines not by Gods purpose promiscuously to all but onely to those that beleeve in Christ and obey him partly because all will not beleeve in Christ and obey him whence it comes to passe that all are not in effect eased from the burden of sinne which notwithstanding in respect of Gods purpose is but in event because all to whom soever God offers his grace and calls both may and ought to beleeve and obey The same also we say for the taking away of sinnes whose end is that men should be no longer addicted to their sinnes for if we respect the event or effect it selfe Christ by his offering hath put away the sins of many onely not of all and thereby hath effected that many and not all doe live holily For in respect of the force and efficacy of Christs offering Christ is to be supposed to have taken away the sinnes themselves and the punishment of sinnes from all men He shall appeare the second time without sinne The second time is in Judgement and the words without sinne may be taken two wayes First as they may signifie without an offering or sacrifice for sin which according to a common use of Scripture is called sinne in which sence this appearance without sin may fitly be opposed to his former appearance with sinne that is with an offering for sin ver 26. And by reason of this opposition it will not seeme amisse to joyne the words by the sacrifice of himselfe with the word appeared unlesse we had rather make this latter part of the verse opposite to the former part that so the going of Christ
sacrifices had done this then they must have finally determined and ceased But seeing they could not do this therefore they ceased not but were offered iterated year by year continually Because that the worshippers once purged should have no more conscience of sins Here he gives a reason of the former affirmation why the same sacrifices should have ceased to be offered namely because the worshippers once purged and expiated perfectly should have no more conscience of sins To have conscience of sinnes signifies two things whereof the one is consequent to the other as to know himselfe guilty of sinne and to acknowledge himselfe guilty of punishment The maine doctrine which the Author teacheth is this That those sacrifices had not force to effect that men should know themselves not guilty of sinne which is then done when they abstain from sinne and then that men should not acknowledge themselves guilty of punishment which is then done when they are not afraid of it Therefore they were iterated yeare by yeare continually for a long succession of many ages that year by year they might heale the sore of the conscience which broke out againe yeare by yeare For where health is fully recovered and setled the medicine is not iterated but if there be relapses and the disease have recourses the use of the medicin must be often applied either therefore that Sacrifice being once offered must expiate the future sins of all the future years and ages to come although it withdrew not men from the acts of sinne or if this be absurd then seeing it could not withdraw men from the acts of sinne there was good reason it should be iterated yearly to heale the conscience yearly wounded with sinnes But it had been very absurd that the sins of so many men and ages should be purged by the bloud of one goat 3. But in those sacrifices is a remembrance againe made of sinnes every yeare Here he teacheth the contrary to the last consequence namely that after those Sacrifices the consciences of the people were againe guilty of sinnes And this he proves thus because at those Sacrifices yeare by yeare the high Priest did yeare by yeare rememorate and confesse the sinnes of the people For he must lay both his hands upon the head of the Scape-goat and confesse over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel and all their transgressions in all their sins c. Levit. 16.21 For to this place the Author here hath reference In those sacrifices i. then at that solemne Fast-day when those Sacrifices were offered the sinnes of the people were also remembred and confessed For though the yeare before they were all laid upon the head of the Scape-goat and banished into the wildernesse together with the goat yet the next yeare and successively yeare by yeare another goat must be banished because the people had more sins to be banished 4. For it is impossible that the bloud of bulls and of goats should take a way sinnes Here hee gives a reason of his principall assertion That those Sacrifices could never perfect the commers thereto by an argument taken from the very nature of those Sacrifices because they were but the bloud of bulls and goats which hath no possiblity to take away sinnes i. it cannot effect that men should afterward abstaine from sinne and so have no further conscience of sinnes and consequently feare no punishment of them For what force can the bloud of beasts have to produce this effect But the bloud of Christ hath this efficaâ—ie and force and all men may easily acknowledge it if they will of which point we have formerly treated in severall places Yet the Author saith not that the bloud of those beasts had no force at all in no measure and for no time to take away the guilt of those sinnes for which by the Law of God it was to be offered seeing this is evidently false for if it expiated not sinne at all in no measure to what purpose was it offered year by year Why doth the Author himselfe affirme that the worshippers for whom it was offered were once purged by it Certainly then they did purge some sinnes for some time namely sins of error for a year Therefore the minde of the Author is as we have explicated it before that the bloud of bulls and goats hath not any force and impossible it is it should have any to withdraw men from their sins and to effect that afterward they should not sinne and so to free them from feare and guilt of all future punishment 5. Wherefore when he commeth into the world From the imperfection and infirmity which he hath shewed to be in the Legall sacrifices the Author gathers or rather affirmes that therefore God hath rejected them and in their roome hath elected the onely offering of Christ This he proves by a testimony taken Psal 40.6 Where David and under the person of David Christ himselfe is brought in speaking hereof But in this place there is a great question what should be understood by this comming of Christ into the world Yet the thing it selfe shewes that they are much mistaken who interpret this comming of the nativity or birth of Christ For it is apparent that we must understand these words to be spoken of Christ then when he prepared and addressed himselfe for his sacrifice and to performe his offering in stead of the Legall sacrifices Loe I come saith he to doe thy will O God This comming therefore of Christ into the world must be so understood as to be joyned with the execution of Gods will But this cannot be said of Christs nativity for Christ presently upon his birth did not performe this will of God which the Author designes seeing then he could not doe any will of God at all For when hee was new borne and yet an Infant how could he doe the will of God or could he then say these words For it is apparent that the Author speakes here of Christ as man which we therefore intimate that no man may thinke here to flye to the destinction of his natures Besides this phrase of comming into the world doth no where signifie his nativity For they who for this sence of the phrase bring the place John 1.9 do not observe that the Greeke words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if wee respect the Grammaticall sence may as well bee referred to the preceding Noune 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies light as to the Noune 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is man but if we respect the phrase of Scripture then comming into the world must much rather be referred to the word light So that the participle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 must not be rendred in Latin venientem in reference to man as the vulgar Latine edition hath it but veniens as referred to the light And so the sence made to be thus That Christ who is the true light rising upon the earth like the Sun and comming into
man would give up himselfe to perpetuall servitude Exod. 21.6 A servant who at the end of seven years service would not be free was by his master brought to the door or door-post of the house whereto his Master fastned him by boring his eare through with an awl that this action might be a testimony that the party must perpetually remaine a servant to that house and family And this Ceremony was performed by the eare that the servant might remember to be alway ready to heare and obey for by the eare we heare and hearing in the Hebrew signifies obeying for as the Master hath power to speake and command so the maine dutie of a servant is to heare and obey David therefore signifies by these words that because he had received from God those extraordinary benefits which before he had reckoned up therefore he would not offer unto God the sacrifices of beasts wherewith God was not much delighted but would dedicate himself for ever to the worship and service of God for this doth excellently well agree with the following words of the Psalme seeing in them there is nothing else said but to this effect This text and this sence may fitly be applyed to Christ comming into that future world seeing also the Lord Jesus is as it were fastned of God for ever to that heavenly Sanctuarie whereof as the Authour hath shewed before he is the Minister there to execute the will of God and to procure both the service of God and our salvation Here a man may well wonder and demand why the Septuagint in their Greek Translation should have it a body hast thou prepared me so differing from the Hebrew text both in words and sense For whatsoever other men think it seemes no way reconcileable with the Hebrew reading which is now extant and which we have now interpreted for why is the word bodie put for eares and prepared for opened especially when in the Hebrew words there is so clear so neat and elegant an allusion to that custome among the Iewes whereby a servant was bound to a perpetuall servitude We must therefore herein say one of these two things that either there was anciently some other reading in the Hebrew then what is now extant especially if there be some neernesse of words which in Hebrew signifie eares and bodie Or that the Greeke translation of the Septuagint is altered in this place as in many other The former of these two wayes wee rather approve especially because though it be not necessary yet it is very probable that the Author in mentioning the offering of the bodie of Christ a little after here which hee no where else doth might have a respect to these words For it is scarce credible he would have done so if his words had wholy receded from the truth in the Hebrew But although wee would willingly leave it to them who are more skilfull in the Hebrew tongue to conjecture what the Hebrew reading might bee that was so neere this which is now extant and induced the Septuagint to render it thus in their Greeke translation yet wee must not so cast this labour upon others but that wee also endeavour somewhat in the matter and submit our conjecture to the judgement of others Concerning therefore the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 prepared wee need not much trouble our selves seeing the Hebrew word Carah may also signifie to cut or carve and by a Metaphor to fashion shape or fit the whole into his parts and members by a similitude taken from Statuaries Carvers or Gravers who by cutting carving graving and punching or as I may say by digging doe prepare fashion and shape Statues or others pourtraits which in Greeke is rightly termed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now if to this Verbe there be adjoyned a Noune which may note a bodie then the sence will be very proper Wherefore now wee must thinke of the Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a body for which in the Hebrew wee now read oznaim eares And to this the word geviah often mentioned in Scripture and signifying a body is of neere affinitie For from the word oznaim take the first letter Aleph which might easily slip away and the letters remaining are very like those which make geviah signifying a body as they will easily acknowledge who will please to write both these words in Hebrew characters But let the more learned in the language consider further of the matter For there is no repugnancy that both their readings might be consonant to the mind of the holy Ghost both anciently received And if the Hebrew text had this reading which wee have signified or some other like it then with much elegancy these words may be taken of that incorruptible body of Christ which he received of God The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth not signifie to adapt by joyning and fitting one thing to another as they would have it who say that these words doe signifie the adaption and joyning of Christs body to his divine nature in his mothers wombe but the word properly signifies to fashion or shape a thing by giving it all it due members and joynts proportioning them so fitly one with another that thereby the thing is perfected and finished Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not 6. In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sinne thou hast had no pleasure These words with the other of like nature in the former verse conduce mainly and properly to that purpose here of the Author for which he cited this testimony out of the 40. Psalm The literall sense David would shew himselfe most really thankfull unto God for an extraordinary benefit and deliverance which the Lord hath conferred on him in bringing him out of an horrible pit and setting his feet upon a rocke Yet he would testifie his thankfulnesse and memory of so great a benefit not with sacrifices and offerings of beasts but with obsequies and services of his person The mysticall sence is Christ brought in speaking the like words hath no intent thereby to testifie thankfulnesse unto God but only to shew that he would offer unto God another kinde of sacrifice which should be most acceptable and agreeable unto God seeing God had no pleasure in the legall sacrifices And yet there is also another difference for in the literall sense David saith not that God was absolutely displeased with those legall sacrifices and would offer unto God no sacrifices at all of any beast for such a saying during those times had been false and evil but he speaks comparatively as if he had said Thou art not O God much delighted and pleased with the sacrifices and offerings of beasts but there are other things that delight and please thee more for thou wouldest rather have obedience then sacrifice Therefore I will rather offer my selfe unto thee and be a servant for ever to thy will For to like purpose Samuel spake to Saul Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings
faith of it unto us And the Scriptures make faith unto us of the Creation not only for the act of it that such a worke was done but for the manner how it was done as Moses describes it even by the word and sole command of God and for the matter whereof it was made in that the things seene were made of things not seene That the worlds were framed Worlds for world the number plurall for the singular by a Grecisme where originally it is ages putting the adjuncts of the world for the subject By the word of God by the only fiat or command of God God used no other instrument for the framing of the world besides his bare word For God only said the word Let there be light and there was light Gen. 1.3 And by the word of the Lord even by the breath of his mouth were the heavens made and all the host of them Psal 33.6 And as the heavens so also the earth was framed and setled by his word For he spake and it was done he commanded and it stood fast Psal 33.9 So that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear The particle not seems to be transposed for it should affect the word appeare because the minde and sense of this clause is not negative but affirmative thus So that things which are seen were made of things which doe not appeare though for the matter it come all to one because a terme finite denyed of any subject is all one with the same terme infinited and affirmed yet this latter expression leaves in our mindes a cleare apprehension of the matter The Author seems as his manner is to follow and reflect upon the Greek Translation of the Old Testament wherein at the beginning of Genesis it is said that the Earth was invisible for that which we from the Hebrew translate that the Earth was without forme and void And the Author made choice rather to say things not appearing then things invisible when he would shew us the prime materialls whereof the world was made For that is properly invisible which naturally cannot be perceived by the sight and that is rightly tearmed not appearing which though it be naturally visible yet really it appears not especially then when it lyes hidden and covered with thicke darknesse Although in this place the word not-appearing seems to have yet a more ample sense and to comprise that want of forme and force noted by the Hebrew words for which the Greek Translation reads invisible Wherefore by things not appearing is meant that chaos or elements of the world which at the beginning were confused because partly that chaos wanted forme shape and outward beauty in regard the severall parts of it were not yet digested and disposed into that elegant order figure and proportion which afterward was given it by the Creation and therefore the Scripture saith it was without forme and partly because it wanted vertue and force to produce those creatures and adorne it selfe that afterward God by the Creation gave it power to produce but to any such purpose it was wholly feeble and barren and therefore the Scripture saith it was void and partly againe because it wanted light to manifest and make it visible to the sight that it might be seene for though in it selfe it were visible and appearable yet actually it appeared not and therefore the Scripture saith that darkenesse was upon the face of it Wherefore when God entered upon the worke of the world the first perfect creature that he made was the light and that being finished he framed all the other parts of the world in a most beautifull order And this chaos is in the Scripture called the Deepe because it was vast both for quantity and quality for it wanted the three beautifull qualities of forme force and light which afterward were induced into it Yet sometimes the Scriptures expresse it by names Synecdochicall which signifie onely a part of it calling it sometime the heaven sometime the earth and sometime the waters because it was a Deepe or chaos composed and confused of all these together or at least of those materials whereof all these were afterward produced and created as in the same tub of milke there lye confused together those three materials from which are afterward produced the distinct white meates of butter cheese and whey Hereby the Author plainely declares and it sufficiently also appeares from the history of the Creation described by Moses that God when he began the Creation or frame of the world as it is delivered in the beginning of Genesis did not produce it meerely from nothing but from that Chaos or Deepe which positively was confused of the three materials whereof afterward was made the three elements of heaven earth and water and privitively wanted the three qualities of forme force and light And this opinion was anciently received among the people of God as it appeares by the Author of the booke of Wisdome chap. 11.17 where speaking to God he saith For thy almighty hand that made the world of matter without forme for so it is in the Greek and the vulgar Latin hath it of matter unseene But of the creation of this matter there is no mention made in the Scriptures for to the holy Ghost it seemed good to conceale it By things which are seene are here meant all those creatures which we see in this world as this beautifull order and posture of all things whereby those things which before were confused and blended together are now digested into their severall ranks and places for the use and benefit of man and beast and all the rest of the Creatures both animate and inanimate both in heaven earth and waters were produced by the word or command of God For in these words of the Author is signified not onely that change whereby things not appearing became appearing by vertue of that light which God made and made to shine upon them which change God made first of all by his creation of light but also that change whereby the things which now appeare were made of things not-appearing as from the informed matter of the Chaos or Deepe which wanting forme force and light was so rude so weake and so darke that from it selfe of it selfe nothing would ever have beene produced but by the accesse of Gods almighty power 4. By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice then Cain Now he begins to reckon up speciall and particular examples of persons endued with faith and withall he declares both what they performed by vertue of their faith and also what blessings they obtained from God by it that by so many illustrious examples he might winne the Hebrewes to an imitation of those persons First of all he mentions Abel as a person neerely approaching to the beginning of the world He mentions not our first Parents either because concerning them there is nothing read memorable in the Canonicall books of
Jonas and by the fact of the Queen of the South who came from far to hear the wisdome of Solomon the contumacie and obstinacie of the Jewes is convinced who despised Christ that was present among them and by many degrees greater and wiser then either Jonas or Solomon Whence it came to passe that they were most justly punished of God In like manner Noah by his Faith and by his Arke which was an evidence of his faith convicted the obstinacie of that world and brought it to passe that with very good justice God punished it And as by his faith and the effect of it which was the Arke he procured condemnation to the world so to himselfe he procured righteousnesse for so it followes And became heire of the righteousnes which is by faith Righteousnesse is not here taken in a morall sense for that righteousnesse which flows from good workes but in a jurall sense for that right whereby a man hath a title to have hold and enjoy some benefit or blessing from God or for a right of liberty whereby a man stands exempted and freed from those burthens and punishments whereto others are liable for so it is taken in divers passages of Scripture especially in Pauls Epistles and so it must be taken here as plainly appeares from two grounds First from the opposition of it to the word condemned in the former clause For as to be condemned is to be adjudged to bee deprived of some benefit and to lose that right which a man had before whether it be losse of life limb or goods so on the contrary to be justified is to have some benefit adjudged unto him or be invested in a right to that whereto before he had no right nor title And as the condemnation of the world consisted in the judgement of God sentencing the people of it to lose their lives by drowning in the floud so the righteousnesse or right of Noah consisted in the grant of God whereby God gave Noah a right that he and his house should bee saved from that floud by means of the Arke and Noah accepting of this grant by his faith to beleeve it and rest upon it had thereby a right of salvation to himselfe and his House 2. From the consequence of it to the word heire for men are not heires of morall righteousnesse because such righteousnesse is not a thing transient to be conveyed from one person to another and consequently is no way inheritable but men are heires of jurall rights to those persons that have the propertie or power to dispose convey and grant such rights unto others God granted Noah a right and title for him and his family to be saved from the flood by meanes of the Arke and because Noah accepted of this grant by his faith and testified his acceptance of it by his fact in preparing the Ark therefore he was heire to this right and did inherit or possesse it for heire is a jurall word and signifies one that hath a right whether in posse onely or in esse But from this right of being saved all the rest of the world was disinherited i. They were condemned to bee drowned And it is called a righteousnesse or right by faith because the right hee had thus to bee saved proceeded from Gods speciall grant of Gods meere grace and proper motion without any desert of it or suit for it on the part of Noah For it is opposed to a right by workes or to that right which is due by desert of works or service The Author therfore would intimate unto us that Noah had no right by any works of his to deserve this benefit of saving to him and his house but all the right he had came by his faith on his part but from the grace and favour of Gods grant on Gods part which Noah accepting by his faith was thereby setled upon him And it is opposed to a right by petition or suit which hath the first motion from the partie that petitioneth or sueth for it and thereupon is granted though then also it be granted of meere grace and favour in him that conferres it And thereby the Authour would further intimate unto us that Noah on his part made no petition or suit to God for this benefit for him and his family to be saved and therefore the first motion to have this right proceeded not from Noah but God of his meere and proper motion without any suit made to him proposed this benefit unto Noah and promised him the grant of it freely and primely from himselfe as appears in the sacred story where the thing is at large related Gen. 6.13 where wee read that first God told Noah of the sin of the world and then foretold him of the drowning of it next taught him to frame the Arke and lastly Covenanted with him to save him and his family in it Thus wee see the faith of Noah and the effects of it but what were the causes of it to effect and breed this faith in him We shall finde by inspection into the words of this verse that Noah had in him the two principles of faith whereof wee spake in the first verse For he had an evidence or sight of a thing unseene for God had revealed and forewarned him of the flood which thing to him was yet unseen And he had in him a subsistence of a thing hoped for for God had Covenanted with him and promised him to save him and his family in the Ark which salvation he hoped for So his fore-sight of the flood to come and his hope of being saved from it by the Arke were the causes to produce in him that faith whereby he was moved to feare the flood and to prepare the Arke 8. By faith Abraham when he was called to goe out into a place which hee should after receive for an inheritance obeyed and hee went out not knowing whither he went The fourth example is of Abraham the Father of the faithfull upon whom the Authour doth much inlarge himselfe relating many evidences and proofes of his faith To Abraham he subjoynes Isaac and Jacob in those particulars that were common to them And of Abrahams faith he mentions divers effects and benefits as his invincible courage and constancie that wee might labour to imitate him and expresse the neerest resemblance of it wee can as it becomes them who professe themselves the children of Abraham The first effect of his faith was his obedience for when God called and commanded him to goe out of his countrey unto a place which God would shew him Abraham obeyed without any scruple or delay and went out not knowing whither hee went And the causes or reasons of this faith were as in the former persons First an evidence or sight of a thing unseene for God told him of a place or countrey which was yet unseen of him And secondly a subsistence of a thing hoped for for God had promised him that hee should
themselves in the former chapter he denied that they had already received the promise of God and were made perfect but that their state and condition is such that perfection and eternall happinesse is now remaining to them in a way immutable so that the certainty of attaining it is such as if they did already really enjoy it In this very sense Saint Paul useth the same word of himselfe when hee saith Not as though I had already attained either were already perfect Phil. 3.12 that is not that I am now in that state as if I could no way faile of that blessed resurrection for of this it was that he spake in the former verse for otherwise that he had not yet really attained eternall life no man could be ignorant and it were a fond thing to affirme it The Author therefore shews that those just ones though they had not attained eternall salvation in perfection in regard now nothing of them was extant but their spirits yet without all doubt should certainely enjoy it by the immutable decree of God Hence it appeares what it is for God to be Judge of all and what happinesse is therein contained if a man come both to the Judge and to the spirits of the just and be admitted into their society For thereby he is certain though his life here-faile him yet he shall not faile of the reward of eternall life 24. And to Iesus the Mediatour of the new Testament The Israelites heretofore came to Moses the Mediatour of the old Testament but Christians come to Jesus the Mediatour of the New But how much Jesus is better then Moses and the new Covenant better then the old we have shewed before chap. 3.8 and chap. 8.6 The word Mediatour is in a manner proper to the holy Scripture and peradventure no where used among profane Authors as others have noted Yet it is found out of the Sciptures in Philo who being a Jew used a forme of language that had some affinity with the sacred writers And what this word signifies being used of Christ we are easily taught by the example of Moses to whom that name was first attributed For although of it owne nature it may signifie any one who intervenes as a meane betweene two parties yet the example of Moses and the name of Covenant added that thereby is signified no other but an herald or hee who intervenes as a mean between God and men to make a Covenant for the joyning of them in a mutuall and firme peace and friendship For the effecting whereof it is not forthwith necessary to appease and mitigate the minde either of one or both parties when it may be either both parties as it was in the making of the old Covenant or one of them as it was under the new namely God doth freely incline to peace and friendship yea doth alone seeke offer and procure it And to the blood of sprinkling An Hebraisme for the blood which is sprinkled or wherewith aspersion is made Hee alludes to that blood of the old Covenant wherewith Moses after hee had rehearsed all the precepts of the Law sprinkled both the booke of the Law and the whole people whereof he said This is the bloud of the Testament which God hath enjoyned unto you as we had it before chap. 9. vers 19 20. We Christians are in like manner sprinkled with bloud and that with the most precious blood of Christ himselfe And wee are sprinkled with the bloud of Christ when in our hearts wee conceave and embrace the force of that bloudy death which he suffered to confirme the new Covenant in such manner that thereby wee have an infallible assurance made us of the promises comprehended in the Covenant whence it comes to passe that wee are made parties to the Covenant and obtaine a right of attaining to all the blessings promised therein That speaketh better things then that of Abel He commends this bloud wherewith Christians are sprinkled by mentioning the force and effect of it that they may joy the more for their aspersion with it and may moreover more carefully endeavour that they wash not the droppes of that bloud from their soules that is that they never fall away from the new Covenant nor cease to feel the force of the bloud of Christ and so deprive themselves of that great blessing which they gained by the shedding of it namely a right to eternall happinesse To the blood of Christ hee ascribes speech in a figurative sense as likewise to the bloud of Abel Both their blouds speake or as the Scripture saith of the bloud of Abel both cry unto God but Abels bloud cryes for vengeance upon his fratricide but Christs bloud cryes for remission and pardon even upon paricides for they may justly be called paricides who murdered Christ And unto these no lesse then unto all other sinners the bloud of Christ begs pardon from God of all their sinnes if they will repent and be converted from them And he begs it as hee engageth God to grant forgivenesse of sinnes to all penitent persons whatsoever their sinnes have been And he engageth God as hee was employed of God to confirme and establish the new Covenant which is so remarkable for that promise 25. See that yee refuse not him that speaketh To his former passages hee now subjoynes an Exhortation and fortifies it with new reasons And herein he seemes to allude to that fact of the Israelites whereof we spake before when they were stricken with such terrour of Gods Majesty that they entreated that God would speak no more unto them which fact of theirs was a kinde of presage or token that afterward they would not carry an ear and mind obedient to the voice of God He therefore admonisheth Christians that now after they have given their ear and mind to the voyce of God in the Gospel they would not againe turne their ear and mind from it which is done both by Apostacy and by disobedience See i. take diligent heed for they who take diligent heed cast about their eyes every way that they may escape the danger imminent For if they escaped not By an argument of comparison hee shewes that if they doe otherwise they shall not escape a grievous punishment for they the Israelites escaped not namely the punishment and avenging hand of God whereof wee treated chapters the 3. and 4. where wee saw that the Israelites for their unbeliefe and disobedience were debarred from entrance into that land of Promise wherein they should have rested after their grievous servitude in Egypt and perished in the wildernesse by divers destructions Who refused him that spake on earth much more shall not we escape if we turne away from him that speaketh from heaven He opposeth him who spake on earth to him who spake from heaven Now there can be no doubt but by him who spake from heaven hee understands God himselfe for presently after he addes verse 26. Whose voice then shooke the
earth but now hee hath promised saying yet once more I shake not the earth onely but also heaven For here it is manifest that the whole verse is meant of God But who shall wee say is understood by him who spake on earth By him may be understood both God himselfe and that single Angel who bare the name and person of God in Mount Sinai If by him wee understand God himselfe then here will be no opposition betweene divers persons but onely betweene divers places from whence God delivered the Law and from whence the Gospel Namely that the Law was published on earth from Mount Sinai but the Gospel was published by God from heaven You will say that God then no lesse published the Law from heaven then afterward he did the Gospell seeing God himselfe descends not from heaven but as he sent Christ from heaven to preach the Gospel so he sent an Angell from heaven in his name to deliver the Law To this I answer There is a great difference between the mission or sending of Christ from God and of that Angel For Christ being sent from God carried himselfe alwayes as a person diverse from God which the thing it selfe declares for he was the sonne of man and called himself Gods messenger sent from God did manifestly professe and testifie that his doctrine was not his owne but his who sent him that he spake nothing of himselfe but what he had received and heard from the Father But that Angell so descended from heaven that hee bare the person and name of God and therefore he alwayes speaks as if he had been God himselfe And this was the cause why Christ had not such Majesty and visible glory about him as had that Angel For Christ had but that Majesty and glory which became Gods legate or messenger and he a man and a mortall man But that Angell had that Majesty and glory which was sutable to God himselfe if God himselfe had descended from Heaven It may therefore be well said that God himselfe descended in that Angell and must be considered as if he himselfe had spoken upon earth Contrarily because God sent Christ to preach the Gospell as his Apostle or messenger and sent him from heaven as a person distinct from him not as of old he sent Moses from the earth that is but from Mount Sinai therefore now with good reason he is said to deliver his oracles and to publish his pleasure to us from heaven But it is a far greater matter to deliver oracles from heaven it selfe then from earth or from some earthly mountaine seeing heaven is far higher and worthier then any mountaine Therefore although the manner which God used in publishing and revealing his Gospel was not if we respect the outward shew and splendour of it so illustrious as that wherewith he published the Law yet indeed it was far more divine and perfect and in all respects most beseeming the perfect discipline of Evangelicall truth For what else did it signifie that God descended on earth to publish the Law but that the precepts of the Law were earthly and not heavenly For they that speake from a low place seem to speake but low matter and they earthly that speake from the earth as we read in the Gospell of John chap. 3.31 But contrarily that God remaining in heaven and not descending himselfe on earth either in his own person or in the person of another hath spoken to us by Christ sent from heaven as his Interpreter and messenger what else can this signifie but that he hath spoken heavenly things and that Christ is far greater then Moses For as it is written in the fore-cited place of John He that commeth from above is above all and he that commeth from heaven is above all In this sense therefore that Angell representing God must stand for God and Christ must not be compared with that Angell who represented the person and name of God but with Moses and the difference between Christ and Moses must stand in this that God spake to Moses on earth but to Christ in heaven and that God sent Moses from the mount to the Israelites but Christ from heaven to Christians If this be displeasing to any man which yet we beleeve to be most agreeable both to the truth and to the Scripture and to the Text we may say which is our other answer to the question proposed and another sense of the words that by him who spake on earth must be understood that Angell who in Gods name published the Law on Mount Sinai and by him who spake from Heaven must be understood the most high God himselfe For he that by himselfe delivers Laws on earth doth thereby shew that he is not the most high God For the Majesty of the most high God permits not that the King of Kings and Lord of Lords should depart from his inaccessible light and from his heavenly throne to descend downe upon earth But hee that offers himselfe as God to be heard from heaven he by far greater reason must be reckoned for God himselfe But you will say when did God himselfe publish the Gospell from heaven I answer This was done then when by his voice uttered from heaven he testified that Christ was his beloved Sonne and therefore his Ambassadour and withall commanded us to heare him For shall not God himselfe be thought to speak to us from heaven when we heare that doctrine which God himselfe authorised by his voice uttered from heaven For although by the wise determination of God the promiscuous multitude heard not this voice with their ears yet it was heard and published by them whose testimony is irrefragable But in the publishing of the Law was no such thing Whence it is manifest that even in this sense the Authors argument wants no force For it is a greater crime to turne away from God who spake from heaven then from an Angell who spake on earth though he sustained the name of God Hee turnes away from God and as it were turnes his backe upon him who refuseth either to beleeve or obey the voice of God 26. Whose voice then shooke the earth From these words it seems to be gathered that the Author by him who spake on earth understands God himselfe For here he mainifestly attributeth to God himself the shaking of the earth i. of Mount Sinai which happened at the publishing of the Law from thence But nothing hinders why this action may not be ascribed both to God and to the Angell who in publishing the Law sustained the person of God as likewise that speaking or uttering the oracles a little before mentioned For the Angell properly and immediatly did both shake the earth or mountaine and also spake and God did it mediatly by that very Angell But in these words there is a tacit answer to an objection and withall a strong reason why Christians must obey the voice of God published by Christ For some man
might say that the Law was published with great terrour insomuch that the earth was shaken with the voice of God whence we may easily gather what a fearfull punishment remaines to the forsakers of the Law To this terrour of the Law he Author opposeth a far greater terror and shews that under the Gospell matters will be far more terrible for not only the earth but heaven it selfe shall be shaken From whence any man may easily perceive that there shall be no place of escape from Gods punishments for them who have been disobedient against the voice of the Gospell For whither shall they flye if the heavens themselves which doe encompasse the earth round about shall be shaken yea shall fall and perish as we are taught in the following verse Whose voice The thunder called the voice of God By the voice of God wee may understand those thunders by whose cracks the Mount quaked and trembled for in severall places of Scripture the thunder is called the voice of God See Job 37.4,5 and Psal 18.13 and Psal 29. per tot Shooke the earth Some part of the earth as Mount Sinai and the plaine adjoyning Whence it appears that under the times of the Gospel there will be another manner of earthquake when not only some one mountaine or some small territory but the whole universall earth shall be shaken and broken to the lowest foundations of it But now he hath promised saying The word now doth not expresse the time of the promise but the time of performance of the thing promised namely the time wherein God will shake both heaven and earth So that now must be referred to the times of the Gospell as the shaking of Mount Sinai was to the times of the Law Therefore the minde of the Author is to say Now under the times of the Gospel God will shake not only the earth but the heaven also as he promised by the Prophet saying Yet once more I shake not the earth only but also heaven This Prophesie is extant Hag. 2.6 But the Author would speake briefly and speedily expresse the thing in the words of God himselfe as in many passages St. Paul also doth In the Hebrew it is yet once it is a little while i. there yet remaines but a very small time for the fulfilling of that which God there promiseth for the moving of heaven and earth But in the Greek translation of the Septuagint whom hitherto our Author hath followed in the testimonies he hath cited out of Scripture we read it yet once It may be the Septuagint did not read the Hebrew word mead a little while but only achath once But we need not marvell why here the Author would rather follow the Greek translation seeing it suiteth better with the mysticall sense of the Prophets words For in the literall sense these words containe a Prophesie that it should come to passe that God would move heaven and earth by raising up divers countries and nations who should come to the Temple at Jerusalem and bring with them the desire of all Nations that is that which is desireable and precious among all Nations namely silver and gold to adorne the Temple of God as it is explicated in the words following But because these words of moving heaven and earth are more magnificent then only to contain so narrow a sense therefore we must needs conceive that they carry some other more proper sense namely that God shall really shake heaven and earth to which sense the Greeke translation as we said better agrees For it cannot be but in a qualified manner that the time should be called a little while which is extended from this Prophesie to the end of the world If any demand how it can be said that God will yet once more shake heaven and earth seeing hee never shooke heaven before Wee answer It is said because the earth is there mentioned which God did shake before namely at the publishing of the Law Not the earth only but also heaven The Hebrew text hath it simply the heaven and the earth but the Author would rather speake thus that he might more fitly and evidently oppose that shaking which shall come to passe in the times of the Gospel to that shaking which fell out at the publishing of the Law that now under the Gospell not the earth only as then it was but also the heaven it selfe shall be shaken 27. And this word yet once more signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken From the words yet once more the Author gathers what manner of shaking shall come upon heaven and earth and saith that those words doe signifie or declare the removing of the things that are shaken By removing is signified the abolition or destruction of heaven and earth for those things that are wholly abolished and destroyed are extremely removed not only from their former place but from all place See chap. 7. ver 12. That are shaken is put for that shall be shaken the present tense for the future a forme of speech usuall among the Hebrews especially the Prophets But how doe the words yet once more signifie that heaven and earth shall bee so shaken that by their shaking they shall be removed or abolished They signifie it by this reason that if heaven and earth should remaine after this shaking it scarce seems possible but that they must be once shaken againe yea it must necessarily be so if as it appears from other words of the Prophets heaven and earth must one day be abolished for then at the least when they are abolished they must be shaken and so they shall be shaken not yet once more but twice It is therefore manifest that these words yet once more do signifie such a shaking of heaven and earth as shall be accompanied with their removing or abolishing And hence also it is plaine that this Epistle was written in Greek seeing this collection of the Author is grounded only upon the Greek translation for in the Hebrew text it cannot take place unlesse as we said the word Mead a little while be expunged which at this day is read in all copies and seems necessary to the literall sense As of things that are made He inserts the cause which argues and shews the removing or abolishing of heaven and earth that in due time it shall certainly come to passe namely because they are things made But the words things made in this place must needs bee taken somewhat strictly For even that heaven which shall not be shaken was made and our future glorious and heavenly bodies shall be made Therefore things made do in this place signifie those things that were made of some grosse and corporeall matter as are all things of this creation as the Author speaks before chap. 9.11 or else which were made of such matter which receives a forraine forme besides and beyond her naturall inclination for matter receiving such a forme suffers a kinde of violence and
we finde them this coupled and joyned in several passages of the holy Scriptures as the two grand vices of the world that are most pernicious and yet most common See Ephes 5.3,5 and Colos 3.5 and 1. Thes 4.5,6 and divers other places of the Prophets Wherefore of all other vices these two unto Christians ought to be most odious as being so joyntly and fully cryed out against in the Scriptures The word for Conversation in the Greeke is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which either signifies a custome and manner although it bee not usually put in the singular number for a manner but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the plurall for manners yet more frequently the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies the manners or customary actions of a man Or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies the meanes and way of getting our livelihood Both these senses come to one and both agree to the point proposed For both our manners and our meanes of getting our livelihood must bee free from all covetousnesse and love of money Now covetousnesse is an inordinate desire and endeavour of worldly goods or as Saint Paul describes it 1. Tim. 6.9,10 It is a desire to be rich for what at the ninth verse hee tearmed a desire to be rich hee afterward at the tenth verse cals the love of money or covetousnesse and withall he sets this brand upon it that it is the nursery or root of all evil And be content with such things as you have To covetousnesse hee opposeth contentednesse as the contrary dutie and remedy against it So doth also S. Paul 1. Tim. 6.8 Where he limits our contentednesse only to food and raiment saying Having food and raiment let us be therewith content He is content with the things he hath for the present who doth so rest satisfied with that estate he hath though it be meane and small that hee is neither querulous to complaine for the present nor sollicitous to care and doubt for the future though he foresee not provision of food and raiment for the time to come because he trusteth wholly upon God and in cases doubtfull constantly hopes for help and aide from him To a minde thus composed it is not repugnant if thou art poore to desire and seeke more so thou desire and seeke it moderatly and whether thou get more or not art alwayes of an equall and indifferent minde and canst say with Tobias speaking to his sonne Fear not my sonne though we are made poore for thou hast much wealth if thou fear God and depart from all sinne and doe that which is pleasing in his sight Tobit 4.21 But wealthy thou wilt never be if thou distrustest God and with an anxious and restlesse carefulnesse givest thy selfe wholly to gaine wealth if thou neglect the worship of God the serious and diligent care of thy salvation beneficence to the poor and needy according to thy estate if thou trace the by pathes of thriving by unjust dealing without regard to the offices and duties of pietie and equitie And these are the bounds wherewith S. Paul defines contentednes in having food and raiment as was before noted A godly man doth neither refuse more nor overmuch desire it See Phil. 4.11,12 Therefore this vertue may well agree with labour industry and parcimony by which meanes if God give his blessing wee may raise our selves from povertie using withall a due meane and convenient measure For he hath said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee Here hee gives the reason why we should be content with what we have without complaint or anxity for the time to come and hee drawes his reason from the promise of God unto us because God hath said hee will never leave us nor forsake us A reason very effectuall and of great moment to perswade us for why should wee be anxious and carefull when wee have so great a person as God for our Patron and Protectour who the more to secure us hath engaged himselfe by his promise to provide for us for he hath said it There is a great Emphasis in the pronoune He like to that of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hee who is the most high God the Authour and Guardian of all things and the Patron and Saviour of man Whence it appears how firme and certaine his succour is to them that are in adversitie I will never leave thee nor forsake thee In the second member of this clause there is in the Greeke a most strong negation of Gods desertion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Here is a triple negation that thereby we might so much the more secure our selves that the time shall never come wherein God will forsake us The words are the saying of God to Joshua the captaine of the Israelites Joshua 1.5 Which saying every Christian as being joyned to God in a nearer bond then ever Joshua was may well apply unto himselfe especially seeing the assistance and succour promised in these words to Joshua was onely in reference to the safety and benefit of the people of Israel to whom he was leader 6. So that we may boldly say He expresseth the effect or fruit which Gods promise of never failing to helpe and succour us doth or ought to produce in us which effect is wholly opposite to anxiety and carefulnesse for the future And it is two-fold The first is a full and certaine confidence and perswasion of Gods helpe the other consequent hereto is the confession of the mouth and as it were a glorying That God will alwayes be ready to helpe us which he presently expresseth in the words of the Psalmist Psal 118.6 The Lord is my helper and I will not feare what man shall doe unto me The words here cited by the Author doe plainely declare that God will be an helper and succour unto us not onely in time of want but also in time of danger for many times we feare dangers more then poverty or want and we gather wealth not onely to defend us against poverty but to guard us against men and dangers And therefore both out health and our wealth is in God who will so protect us that neither poverty nor dangers shall oppresse us unlesse sometime it be his good pleasure to exercise and make triall of our faith by hunger thirst nakednesse and want of all things by dangers prisons torments and a fearefull death But then in such a case no riches will advantage us but may much hinder us for they may easily so worke upon us that for love of them we will not willingly and readily follow Christ when hee would leade us through craggy and rough wayes For poverty makes Christians nimble and light but riches are a burden What man shall doe He opposeth man unto God that by this opposition it may appeare what a strong guard God is unto us against men and what little reason wee have to feare men when we have God for our protector For how great and mighty is the Lord and
be as things now stood For it seems hee was already free from prison and set at liberly as may bee gathered from the 23. verse following 20. Now the God of peace Here begins the close of this Epistle which first containes a devotion concluded with a doxologie then certaine monitions or rather requests which againe he ends with another devotion and withall ends the whole Epistle In his devotion he first names and describes the person of whom all those things are to be performed which he prayeth and wisheth to them Then are expressed the wishes themselves He saith therefore But the God of peace The particle but containes a tacit opposition as if he had said I have hitherto proposed unto you divers monitions and precepts but the God of peace enable you to keep them But he describes the Author and donor of the blessings he wisheth unto them first in calling him the God of peace And the descriptions of God that aâ—…â—sed in wishes are commonly fitted to the wishes themselves In this place because the Author wisheth to the Hebrewes that which might render them truly happy namely that in all respects they might please God therefore by the word peace seems to be meant rather happinesse according to the ordinary phrase among the Hebrewes then concord or what else the word peace doth elsewhere signifie and in this sense this title is more frequently attributed unto God but in the other seldome And God is called the God of peace that is of happinesse not only because God alone can make men happy but because hee will and also doth make them so by supplying them abundantly with all those meanes and helpes whereby true happinesse may be attained by men And therefore in this place hee describes God in this manner thereby to teach us that from him proceeds all happinesse and from him must bee sought and may be easily obtained all things belonging to the attaining of it because he is ready and free to grant happinesse to all that seeke it by due means That brought againe from the dead our Lord Iesus that great shepheard of the sheep through the bloud of the everlasting Covenant He adjoynes another description of God from whence it appears how certainly God will make those men happy and blessed that believe and obey him And hee mentions that mighty and admirable worke of God which to all the godly brings a most assured hope of eternall happinesse and blessednesse and so he manifestly proves him to be the God of peace or happinesse And this worke was That he brought againe from the dead our Lord Jesus that great Shepheard of the sheep and that through the bloud of the everlasting Covenant wherein hee describes withall our Lord Jesus himselfe that hence it may appeare what an infinit blessing God bestowed upon men by this bringing againe of our Lord Jesus from the dead If God had delivered but some ordinary man from the dead and estated him in eternall life yet even for that he must needs bee accounted the author of happinesse But now that he hath raised from the dead not an ordinary person but the Shepheard of the sheep not an ordinary shepheard but that great Shepheard nor constituted by an ordinary way but through the bloud of the everlasting Covenant he is much more to be accounted the author and donor of happinesse Which that this Author might declare the more amply and fully therefore it is that he proceeds by words that are very passionate and stately That brought againe from the dead That raised from death to life The word reducing or bringing againe is very accommodate to signifie that God was the Shepheard of Christ our Shepheard whose office it is to lead forth his sheep and bring them againe and that God brought Christ againe from the hideous den of death and so together with him all his sheep For the reduction of our Shepheard from the grave is also our reduction and resurrection from it It was in our Shepheard first that God shewed an essay of his great power and goodnesse and that experiment on Christ was an engagement unto us to assure us also of our resurrection But who this God of peace is that brought againe our Lord Jesus Christ from the dead both the thing it self and the holy Scriptures clearly shew namely that it is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ In the description of our Lord Jesus almost every word of the Author is emphaticall For first hee calls him the Shepheard of the sheep which must not be understood as restrained to that time only wherein Christ lived upon earth but enlarged and much rather to the time following since he sat on the Throne of God for since that time he became most perfectly properly the Shepheard of the sheep Now Christ is the Shepheard of the sheep not only because he ministers to them the wholesome food of Gods word and Spirit but because he every way lookes unto them for he assembles and collects them he governes and defends them and finally procures their eternall salvation For it is the part of a Shepheard not only to feed the sheep but to defend and governe them and looke to them in all things as need shall require Whence Peter when he called our Saviour the Shepheard addeth to it the word Bishop which signifies a Guardian especially as the Hebrewes use to understand it 1 Pet. 2.25 For when wee have a great care of any thing we often visit inspect and see it from whence ariseth the word Bishop which properly signifies a visitor or overseer Hee that desires to know the properties of a good shepheard let him read in the tenth Chapter of John the parable of the good Shepheard which there Christ applies unto himselfe The article that prefixed here before the Shepheard teacheth us that he is no ordinary or vulgar shepheard but an eminent and excellent person whose description and promise also is extant Ezek. 24. But the addition of the word great unto this Shepheard declares his excellency more manifestly when the Author saith that great Shepheard For by this appellation he specifies what manner of shepheard he understands namely a Shepheard so exceeding great that in comparison of him all other shepheards are very little In which sense also St. Peter calls him the chiefe Shepheard or Prince of shepheards 1 Pet. 5.4 And certainly Christ must needs be a great Shepheard indeed seeing hee is equall to God in wisdome power and dominion seated in heaven at the right hand of God upon the throne of God and feeds his sheepe wholly in the same manner that God doth seeing he appoints all other shepheards of his sheep and hath them subject unto him seeing he gathers his sheep out of all Nations into one sheep-fold of his Church seeing though he hath an innumerable multitude of sheep yet he knows them all and so provides for all that no one can stray from him no one can perish no one
doxologie openly directed unto Christ And John Revel 1.5,6 speaking of Jesus Christ and magnifying him doth so place the mention of God the Father that the pronoune to him with which he begins his doxology may be in like manner referred to God the Father and to our Lord Jesus Christ whom he intended to blesse Hence it manifestly appeares that divine worship and service is due to our Lord Jesus Christ together with God the Father Amen An Hebrew word as is well knowne which signifies truly or certainely and alwayes carries the force of approbation and that either in assertions or in devotions of wishes prayers and praises to the honour of God or lastly in promises uttered of things very acceptable and desireable In assertions it commonly precedeth and is set before but in the other two it followeth and closeth the sentence For the former we meet with many examples in the sayings of our Saviour recited by Matthew Marke and John but Luke relating the same or the like sayings of our Saviour for the word Amen either single or double useth the Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which exactly answers the Hebrew or Syriacke For the second there are almost so many examples in the holy Scriptures as there are devotions and praises of Gods name in the end of Epistles For the last there is an example in the end of the Revelation vers 20. where withall the word Amen is interpreted or explicated by addition of the affirmative particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 although some Copies for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is a thing that might be easily altered 22. And I beseech you brethren He yet further addes some speciall points as it were out of the body of the Epistle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though in the Greeke it properly signifie I exhort yet in this place it is better translated I beseech as most translations render it in severall languages because the thing which he entreateth of them is as it immediatly followes to Suffer the word of Exhortation The word of Exhortation is a speech whereby a man exhorts or is exhorted by a genetive case arguing the difference And in Exhortation especially this which the Authour here understands is also included reprehension or reproofe For he seemes here to designe such speech as is somwhat unwelcome and unpleasing to them to whom it is directed as commonly reproofes use to be although exhortations also are many times unpleasing though they seem free from any reproofe For Exhortations to those who do not yet their dutie are secret reprehensions and reproofes Therefore the Authour beseecheth and entreateth them to suffer this word or speech that is to take it in good part not to disdaine or be grieved at it that they are exhorted or admonished by him For I have written a letter unto you in few words Here hee addes the reason why hee desires them to suffer the word of Exhortation from him The particle for doth not in this place signifie simply for but rather for also implying a copulative causality so that here is not brought the sole cause but the sociall and this omitting other causes whereof they of themselves might easily take notice As for example that this word of Exhortation was wholesome for them that it proceded from a true and hearty affection toward them that it was spoken modestly on his part without any bitternesse or reproach unto them and such like as if hee had said Ye ought therefore the rather to suffer my Exhortation because I was not onely diligent to apply all things that might serve to lenifie my Exhortation and reproofe as becommeth him that admonisheth but also that I might not give you the least offence I have written unto you as briefly as I could and would not dwell long upon an argument so unpleasing to you But if wee suppose that by this word of Exhortation is not meant that part only of this Epistle which consisteth in Exhortation and reproose but even the whole Epistle wherein are not only Exhortations and reprehensions but also excellent consolations or comforts which in like manner are signified by the word Exhortation and by the vulgar Latine is here translated the word of Comfort Then to suffer this word will be nothing else but to accept it with a ready minde so that in reading and hearing of it they would not thinke it so prolix and tedious as to bee weary of it To which purpose the reason here is very fit that the Author saith he hath written in few words For to comprise things of speciall moment and worth in few words as it is a point of great Art so is it a great grace to the writing But the Authour calls this Epistle briefe and written in few words because considering the Majestie of the argument and the varietie of the matter it is very briefe and delivered but in few words For we may easily perceive that the Author therein is not indulgent to any repetitions or prolixe amplification after a Rhetoricall straine but with a singular brevitie runnes over onely the chiefe points leaving many more things to be collected by them then he expresseth and in many things writes very concisely 23. Know yee that our brother Timotheus is set at libertie Another speciall point added by the Author is an advertisement concerning Timothy because he was in good repute among the Hebrews and went for an Hebrew for though his father were a Greeke yet his mother was an Hebrew and Paul circumcised him in favour of the Hebrewes to ingratiate his person among them as we read Acts 16.1,2,3 And therefore the Author supposeth that any good newes concerning Timothie would be acceptable to them to whom his person was so acceptable And the Authour gives Timothy the attribute of brother thereby to signifie not only their common religion that they both professed Christ but also their common affection that each of them was dearly beloved of other Is set at libertie The particular thing that he advertiseth concerning Timothie and whereof hee desires them to take notice or knowledge is That Timothy is set at libertie which advertisement he conceived would be very welcom to them Whence we may easily collect that Timothy was once in bonds and in prison for the profession of the Gospel And it is very probable that hee was so for Paul was then in bonds when hee wrote his Epistle to the Colossians as appeares Colos 4.3 where requesting the prayers of the Colossians for himself and his fellow-prisoners he saith withall praying also for us that God would open unto us a doore of utterance to speake the mystery of Christ for which I am also in bonds And Paul in his Preface of subscription to that Epistle adjoynes Timothie with him as an approver of his Epistle Coloss 1.1 So that it is probable Timothie was his fellow-prisoner And if any man say that Paul names not Timothie among his fellow-prisoners when hee
Because thereby we make our selves adversaries to God and so liable to his judgement and indignation 27. 3. Because thereby we tread under foot the Sonne of God we count the bloud of the Covenant an unholy thing and doe despite to the Spirit of grace 2. 4. Because if he that despised Moses Law dyed without mercy much more shall he be punished that despiseth the new Covenant 28. 29. 5. Because the Lord reserves vengeance for such and to fall into his hand is a fearfull thing 30. 31. 8. Comfort The Hebrews needed not feare falling away and sinning wilfully Motive 1. Because after they were illuminated they endured a great conflict of afflictions ver 32. 2. Because they did accompany and confort themselves with such as suffered for the Gospel 3. Because they had compassion on this Author in his bonds 4. Because they had taken the spoyling of their goods joyfully 5. Because there was a great recompence of reward remaining to them 9. Duty We must not cast away our confidence in Christ ver 35. Motive 1. Because it hath great recompence of reward ibid. 2. Because we have need of patience that after we have done the will of God we might receive the promise 3. Because Christ will not tarry long before he come 4. Because the Just shall live by faith to the saving of the soule 5. Because drawing back tends to perdition CHAPTER XI 1. NOw faith is the substance of things hoped The Author having in the former Chapter spoken of faith doth thence take occasion to make a digression in this Chapter for a further explication of the nature of faith whereof hee collecteth and produceth many examples in divers holy persons that the Hebrews incited by their examples might addresse themselves for imitation of them and finally relying on Gods promises might not decline any conflict either of piety or patience These words are not a definition of Faith whereby faith is defined as those words afterward Chap. 12.29 where God is said to be a consuming fire are not the definition of God For faith is a thing indefinite and cannot be defined or if it were definable yet these words that it is the substance of things hoped are far too narrow to lay out the true boundaries of Faith Neither are these words an attribute of faith for they are not consequent to follow upon it but quite contrary Faith is an attribute or consequent to them For they are a notion an element or an argument of faith whereby faith may be notified or made knowne and whereby it may be demonstrated or proved to be in such or such a subject or in such a person For though the vulgar affirmation be according to the Author that Faith is the substance of things hoped yet the true naturall and rationall affirmation runnes thus Now the substance of things hoped is faith For the scope of the Author is to produce many persons whom he would declare and demonstrate to have been faithfull and for that purpose he layes out two notions or principles of faith whereby he would inferre and conclude the affection of faith to bee in such or such a subject the first whereof is this That every substance of things hoped is faith as if he had said where things hoped are subsistent there is faith where things to come are present there is faith Now things hoped and things to come are not actually subsistent and present but when the soule apprehends things hoped and to come as certainly as if they were already subsistent and present then that soule beleeves and is endued with faith And this principle or argument of faith is taken from a partiall object of faith which is of some good to come because hope ariseth only from such an object The evidence of things not seen This is the other principle or notion or argument of faith whereto faith is alwayes consequent For where there is an evidence of things inevident or a sight of things unseen there is faith And for evidence some Translations render it argument because where there is an argument perswading a man for things not seen there is faith And this principle of faith is taken from the totall object of faith which is alwayes of things not seen or absent whether it be for distance of place or of time either past or to come And therefore this principle must needs be more large then the former and more serviceable to inferre the affection of faith to be demonstrable of more persons as the proper subjects of it 2. For by it the elders obtained a good report The two former principles or notions that argue and inferre faith had also a further end which is to shew the excellency of faith which here he confirmes by the effect which faith wrought unto the Elders their forefathers For to them their faith brought this benefit that by it they obtained a good report The originall is by it they had a testimony which is well translated a good report for so the word doth frequently signifie though it stand single and alone without any other attribute joyned to it see Act. 6.3 and Act. 10.22 and Act. 16.2 and Act. 22.12 This testimony or good report the Elders obtained from the Scripture or of God by the relation of Scripture which hath left it upon holy record how graciously God dealt with those elders by reason of their faith how greatly he favoured them for it and commended their piety issuing from it The elders i. Their progenitours and ancestours whom the Scripture mentions to have lived from the beginning of the world downe to that age wherein this Author lived 3. By faith we understand Hee begins here to shew the efficacie and vertue of faith by certaine examples or instances which hee demonstrates from the latter principle or argument of faith in that every evidence or sight of things unseen is faith For all men that ever had or ever shall have faith in God doe thereby understand that God framed the world by his word and because we understand this by an evidence or sight of things unseen therefore we understand it by faith We understand i. We perceive and know for certaine and the argument or mean whereby we know this is our faith and the argument or mean whereby our faith attaines this knowledge is our evidence or sight of things unseen for by the things which are now seen wee have a sight of those things which we never saw because they were done long before our times Though it may be evinced by strong arguments that the world was created yet neither those arguments and the framing of them are obvious to all men neither are they such but that a perverse spirit will oppose against them because we saw not the work of the Creation but by the Scriptures we have an evidence or sight of that Creation which to us was unseen and therefore we beleeve it for our evidence or sight of it in the Scriptures makes