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
of Christs dying and his dying for mens salvation was the grace of God the free love and favour of God did bestow this transcendent benefit upon men that Christ should taste death for them For the Author had no sooner made open mention of Christs death but presently he addes the great and weighty causes of it both finall and efficient lest any man should sleight it and think it not a matter of such moment that therefore the Lord of the faithfull should be lesse then the Angels for that end 10. For it became him for whom are all things and by whom are all things These words are a circumlocution or a designation of God from his two great attributes of being the last end and the first cause of all things and are introduced as a ground whereby to answer this tacit objection Had it not beene farre more convenient and decent That Christ the Lord and King over Gods people though he were not an Angell but a man by nature mortall should not taste of death and other sufferings but alwaies remaine in his happinesse and glory as it became the worth of so great a King To this the Author answers That it wonderfully became God to proceed this way and not to doe otherwise then he did because this way did especially suite to his end and was a most convenient meanes to attaine the end by God intended For God himselfe is the last end of all things for whom all things are and he is also the first efficient of all things from and by whom all things are and therefore it became God who begins all things by himselfe and finisheth them for himselfe to apply such meanes as are most conducent to his end for it becomes the wisest agent to worke most wisely The particle by whom notes not God as an instrumentall or meane cause as if some higher agent did worke by him but supposeth him the principall and prime agent which is alwayes so when it is used of God as an efficient or agent of some thing For that particle referred to God carries with it this force in sence that the thing mentioned was not onely primely invented and decreed by God but by him also brought to issue by effectuall meanes proceeding from himselfe and not borrowed elsewhere This working of God as being sole Author and sole meanes is distinguished by Paul by these two phrases Of him and through him are all things Rom. 11.36 But by this Author both are comprised in this one by whom are all things And the universall particle all things must be restrained to his proper respective subject formerly mentioned namely all things concerning the salvation of the faithfull In bringing many sons unto glory Here is expressed the intention or end whereat God aymed which was to bring many sons unto glory The faithfull are the sons of God in a double spirituall respect 1. Of their spirituall birth because they are regenerate begotten and borne of God by the action of his holy Spirit upon them 2. Of their spirituall right because they are adopted or instituted to be the universall heires of all his estate by having the same right with Christ whereby they become and are called his brethren For in a rurall sence he that hath a right to anothers estate becomes his son And the estate whereto God brings them is glory whereby is meant all that future happinesse and heavenly inheritance which eminently for the honour of it is called glory and which was mystically understood Psal 8.5 and wherewith a little before Christ is said to be crowned And the sons brought to glory are many not as many is a parcell opposed to all but as it is a multitude opposed to few for God hath ordained to bring to glory not a few sons but a great many even many multitudes God is not as man who can have but a few sons and cannot bring each of them to all his estate but God hath many multitudes of sons and yet will bring each of them to glory even to all his whole estate And therefore no marvaile if for so many sons sake God would not spare their Captaine whom he might have spared partly though not wholly had their number beene but few To make the Captaine of their salvation perfect through sufferings Here is expressed the meane whereby God wrought his end in bringing a multitude of sons to glory namely by giving them a Captaine and perfecting him through sufferings For seeing God hath so many sons or rather so many multitudes therefore they being so great an army required a Captaine Now Christ is the Captaine or in moderne language the Generall over the army of the faithfull in two respects 1. By leading them in their journey going before them in all their troubles and afflictions 2. By governing them as their head and Lord to command over them for in an Army the Generall doth both lead and governe it And he is the Captaine of salvation to the faithfull because he leads and governes them in their journey to salvation that is to the eternall glory wherewith himselfe is crowned as before which to them is salvation because thereby they are safe not only from destruction but from all affliction and all other evils And because Christ is their captain by whom God brings them to salvation by whom God saves them from death therefore Christ is called and is their Saviour And Christ their captaine passed thorow sufferings whereby is meant death especially a violent death comprising also all the miseries and evils that do precede and accompany it through all which sufferings Christ passed which therefore are called and are his passion And by these sufferings Christ was made perfect His mortality was finished and ended and he being translated to immortality was crowned with eternall glory and honour as before which was his ultimate consummation and finall perfection wherein nothing was wanting to him that might accrue to his supreme happinesse Now seeing therefore that this journey to salvation leads for the most part through divers calamities and afflictions through death and a violent death did it not become the wisedome of God that the leader or captaine in this journey should passe through divers sufferings and death yea a violent death before he could penetrate and arrive at the mark of eternall salvation that by his example hee might teach us that this so rough and craggie way which seemes to precipate men into eternall destruction should lead to the highest tower of eternall salvation by finishing our mortality and perfecting us into immortalitie And did it not become the wisdome of God that he into whose hand God had put the salvation of all his sons and whom he would ordaine for their high Priest should in all things be made like unto his brethren and taste of the same cup of sufferings with them that being himselfe acquainted with sufferings he might learne to succour them in theirs 11 For both he
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
sake and therefore cannot but bee affected with like sense of trouble at the troubles and pains of the innocent that suffer for his sake and therefore when they pray and cry unto him hee will be ready in obedience to God to give them audience to heare and helpe them Though he were a Son He illustrates the matter ex adversis So great a conjunction of Christ with God such a fatherly love of God toward him as being his only Sonne might seeme to be against this way of exercising him upon the stage of afflictions yet it was not against it God might have taught his Sonne the lessons of obedience in some other schoole then that of afflictions yet it pleased God to choose this way and not spare him from the common condition of his brethren Hence it is manifest how greatly God loved mankinde who would handle his owne Son so hardly to this end that having triall of suffering in his owne person miseris succurrere discat he might thereby learne to succour those in misery Hence it appeares also that Gods fatherly love to the faithfull is no way impaired when he exerciseth their faith and patience to make trials of them in sufferings For whom he loveth he chasteneth and scourgeth every Son whom he receiveth chap. 12.6 9. And being made perfect In the last place he comes to the first property of an high Priest and applies it also to Christ namely that Christ procures the salvation of men and negotiates with God to be propitious to them and forgive them the punishments of their sinnes Which property in respect of Christ he expresseth in these words that he is become the Author of eternall salvation Made perfect This state of Christ in being made perfect or consummate is opposed to his state in the dayes of his flesh For then when Christ was infirme and himselfe wanted anothers help he could not perfectly and finally help others in all things But after that he was consummated or perfected i. after he had attained to immortality or a nature incorruptible and was invested with supreme power in heaven and earth so that nothing further was wanting to him or after hee was throughly consecrated of God and fully installed into his Priesthood as some think the word perfected to mean then he became the author of eternall salvation For then he was a most perfect cause of salvation In the dayes of his flesh he was indeed the cause of eternall salvation for then he was the great Legate or Apostle of God to preach it but being perfected he becomes the most perfect cause of it for now hee is our high Priest and heavenly King to give that which before he preached He is therefore the most perfect cause of eternall salvation because he gives it in a most perfect manner for he wants nothing neither for faculty or power nor for desire and will to perfect our eternall salvation For by his power he takes from us all punishment of our sins he gives us everlasting life he receives our spirits into his hands he speedily succours us in our afflictions lest our faith should fail and we thereby fall into punishments due to our sinnes The Author made choice of generall words to describe the power and efficacie of Christs Priesthood in the procuring of our salvation that he might expresse it with tearms more proper to it For Christ is not the cause of salvation in the very same manner with the legall high Priest who gave not salvation or pardon to the people himselfe of himselfe as Christ doth but only procured God to give it by propitiating him with offerings And there is a great difference betweene Christ and the legall high Priest in the salvation procured for hee procured only a temporary and transitory salvation but Christ gives an eternall salvation Furthermore this place affoords us an example of a rule in Scripture that some things are said to be simply done when they are more perfectly done We have an instance hereof in that passage of John 2.11 where the Disciples of Christ who did already believe in Christ are notwithstanding said to believe in Christ upon sight of the miracle of water turned into wine because then they believed in him much more stedfastly and perfectly then they did before or because then their faith received a great increase So Christ himselfe John 15.8 saith to his Disciples that if they did beare much fruit so they should bee his Disciples because by this meanes they should become his Disciples in a more perfect manner This we therefore notifie lest to any it should seeme strange that the Scripture notes divers times wherein Christ became the Sonne of God namely because he became so in a more perfect manner and higher degree although from the beginning of his conception he was truly the Son of God though not so perfectly as afterwards Vnto all them that obey him Here the persons are specified to whom Christ is the author of salvation namely to the obedient and to them universally to all that obey him For Christ is an high Priest properly to such and is ordained of God to expiate their sinnes Whence it appeares that all who will have their sins expiated by Christ and obtaine eternall salvation by him must obey him Christ indeed is the cause of salvation even to them who as yet obey him not in that he first makes them obedient and consequently saves them but to such he is but the remote cause but he is the immediate cause of it to them that actually obey him for therein his Priestly office is actually exercised Not unlike to this is that saying of Peter Act. 5.31 Him hath God exalted with his right hand to bee a Prince and a Saviour what else is this then to be the author or cause of salvation and by what means Christ doth worke and cause salvation Peter expresseth in the words following to give repentance to Israel and forgivenesse of sinnes This latter way of saving as being the perfecter is contained in this place 10. Called of God an high Priest Christ becomes the author or cause of eternall salvation by this meanes in being ordained an high Priest of God for when God calls him an high Priest thereby hee makes him so After the order of Melchisedeck Christ is such a high Priest unto us that withall he is also our heavenly Lord and King having supreme power to pardon all our sinnes and to free us from the punishment of them But of this point we shall speake more largely chap 7. 11. Of whom we have many things to say Hee passeth to another point wherein he reproves the slownesse and dulnesse of them to whom he writes to this end that he may excite and prepare them to receive those mysteries which he had in his minde to open concerning the Priesthood of Christ Of whom i. of Christ our high Priest either in reference to his Priesthood absolutely or respectively as it is
that have once beene Christians and have ceased to be so Vnto repentance So as they performe the acts of repentance by changing their minde into a better frame and by condemning their former resolution to resume that Religion again which once they have wickedly rejected and then to compose their life according to the rules of it Seeing they crucifie to themselves the Sonne of God afresh In these words hee shewes the matter wherein this falling away consists or rather the foul wickednesse cleaving to it and therefore what good cause there is why God wil not have such persons renewed to repentance To crucifie the Son of God is a damnable wickednesse how much more is it so to crucifie him afresh after he is now become glorious immortall and Lord of all things To themselves They doe not crucifie him afresh really and properly for that cannot be but to themselves In respect of themselves they doe it for their falling away from the Christian Religion is all one as if they crucified Christ for by their falling away they judge and condemne him againe to have been a seducer a teacher of false doctrines and so to have been deservedly crucified And put him to an open shame They cast a publike ignominy and reproach upon him as is done to those who undergo a publike and infamous punishment This very wickednesse the Author expresseth in other words signifying the same thing chap. 10.29 where he saith They tread under foot the Sonne and account the bloud of the Covenant an unholy thing 7. For the earth He illustrates and withall confirmes his former assertion by an argument partly of similitude and partly of contrariety For while he shews what is done to good men that are fruitfull of good workes he shews withall what befalls men forgetfull of Gods benefits conferred upon them and ungratefull to him This simily hee proposeth in a concise and contracted forme of speech confounding and mingling the members of it as is frequently done both in Sacred and prophane Writers For hereupon he seems to say of the earth that because it is fruitfull therefore it receives blessing from God which cannot be said properly but only by way of compatison For God doth not blesse the earth with fruits as a reward of her fruitfulnesse for the blessing of God upon the earth is the inriching her with fruits as appears by the words of Isaac to Jacob Gen. 27.27 See the smell of my sonne is as the smell of a field which the Lord hath blessed But because a fruitfull soile is tilled the more diligently hence it is that it more plentifully abounds in fruits And as we have noted the Author spake in this manner because in the reddition this simily it is properly true For when a man becomes like a fruitfull soile and abounds in the fruits of good workes then he receives ablessing from God in reward of his godlinesse Which drinketh in the raine that often commeth upon it The raine that often moisteneth the earth is like the gifts of God showred downe upon men whereof he treated ver 4.5 which are therefore fitly resembled to the raine often falling on the earth because they are manifold and plenteous sufficient to moisten the soul of man and make it spiritually fertill to produce divers fruits of good workes The raine may also resemble the frequent and daily preaching of Gods word which when it is preached is like a showre streaming downe from heaven to water and fructifie the soule of man But the former resemblance is more full and more fit to the point And bringeth forth hearbs meet for them for whom it is dressed The various fruits of vertue and workes acceptable to God done according to his Laws doe resemble those hearbs which the earth brings forth meet for them that dresse it or rather meet for them at whose charge and for whose sake it is dressed namely for the Lord of the soile to whom the fruits and revenues of it doe belong and accrue who in the reddition of the simily is God Hence the Apostle saith We are Gods labourers ye are Gods tillage yee are Gods building 1 Cor. 3.9 Is dressed The earth besides the falling of raine upon it must have a diligent tilling or dressing For the raine alone is not sufficient to make the earth fruitfull in hearbs meet for the Owner of it unlesse it be also dressed by plowing or digging weeding and dunging Hence the vine-dresser pleaded for the barren fig-tree Lord let it alone this yeere also till I shall dig about it and dung it Luke 13.8 So also God doth not onely water our soules with his gifts as with frequent and seasonable showres but also affords us a diligent and various dressing by the labour of his Ministers to instruct exhort reprove and comfort us Receaveth blessing from God Why the Authour speakes thus of the earth and what that blessing is in reference to the earth we have shewed already in the enterance of this verse But in reference to men fruitfull in good workes this blessing of God signifies both a multiplying of his spirituall gifts in this life for to him that hath shall bee given saith Christ and every branch that beareth fruit God prunes it that it may bring forth more fruit John 15.2 and also chiefly the gift of eternall happinesse in the life to come For then God blesseth a man when he makes things to goe well with him but better things can never go with us then when he makes us eternally blessed and happy 8 But that which beareth thornes and briars That earth which is watered with frequent rain and diligently dressed doth not withstanding beare thornes and briars Whence it appeares that here the Author hath reference to men who have received the knowledge of divine truth as the assertion it selfe requires for proofe whereof he alledgeth these words and to such men who for no small time have been endowed with divers gifts and diligently dressed of God These thornes and briars are all sorts of evill workes which have no use but for evil for hence the Apostle calls them unfruitfull workes Ephes 5.11 Among which Apostasie or defection from Christ leads the first ranke And from this simily it is manifest that the judgement or punishment which expects apostates doth also wait for them who have affinity with apostates whom we mentioned before who after knowledge of the truth and after so many gifts and benefits bestowed by God upon them are yet indulgent to their sinnes and without all endeavour of a better life conformable to Gods lawes Is rejected In the originall is reprobated For no man is willing to labour in vain and to weary himselfe with fruitlesse workes When a piece of land hath been dressed and dunged with all labour and care and yet in stead of fruits bringeth forth nothing but thorns and briars and other weeds that yeeld no profit to the husbandman the manner is for men to meddle no more with
are after the order of Aaron For Melchisedec was both a King and a Priest the Levites were onely Priests he had no Priestly pedigree these must have so he had neither predecessor nor successor these succeed one another he is an eternall Priest these dye lastly he is greater and worthier then Abraham himselfe and therefore much more so then the Leviticall Priests After the order of Melchisedec The order of Melchisedec is a little otherwise taken then the order of Aaron for by that is signified a likenesse onely with the Priest Melchisedec as the Author speakes afterward ver 15. but in this is contained not onely a likenesse with Aaron but also a naturall succession into his place and Priesthood 12. For the Priesthood being changed there is made of necessity a change also of the Law He brings a reason which notwithstanding was before tacitely shewed in the parenthesis which we explicated why a Priest must be ordained according to Aaron and no other rise according to the order of Melchisedec if by the Aaronicall Priesthood mens sins could have beene expiated perfectly The reason is because the Priesthood could not be abrogated or changed unlesse the Law whereby it was established were abrogated and changed also Wherefore either to preserve the authority of the Law it selfe if not for the dignity of the Leviticall Priesthood a Priest must have beene ordained after the order of Aaron if perfection came by that Priesthood But because this was not done therefore it is manifest that perfection could not be given by that Priesthood and consequently for the imperfection of it there was good cause it should expire He saith the Priesthood was changed not onely for that it was translated to another Tribe diverse from that of Levi wherein a Priest was ordained after the order of Melchisedec but also in that the Priesthood it selfe was altered and changed into another kinde different from the former Although to the end the Author might use this word in this latter sense for altered therefore from the former sense of changing the Tribe he might take occasion consequently to use it of the Law thereby to signifie the abrogation of the Law For hence afterward at the eighteenth verse when he speakes of the Law alone instead of the word changed he puts disanulling or abrogating And the abrogation of the Law though in this place it properly be referred to that part of the Law whereby the Aaronicall Priesthood was established yet we must know that upon the abrogation of that Sacerdotall Law all the force and authority of the Law of Moses was disanulled also especially concerning externall rites and ceremonies For together with the Priesthood not some one Law fell alone but many Lawes and divers rites fell with it neither is there any cause to thinke but that upon the expiring of so many Lawes all the rest of the same kinde and nature died also And besides upon the abrogation of one Commandement of Moses Law is not that bond of the Law dissolved which layes a curse upon him that continues not in all things that are written in the booke of the Law but upon the dissolution of this bond the whole frame of the Law must needs fall asunder For from that bond it appeares that it was the minde of the Law-maker that all the precepts or commandements of that Law should either stand together or by the fall of one the authority of the whole Law should faile 13. For he of whom these things are spoken Here the Author proves that the Priesthood being changed or another Priest after the order of Melchisedec being ordained the Law thereupon must needs bee changed or abrogated The reason is because the person designed by these words Thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec descended not from Levi but from another Tribe out of which no person descending might lawfully approach to the Altar to offer sacrifice as a Priest But the Law which ordained the Priesthood of Aaron did expresly provide that no man not of the Tribe of Levi and no man of that Tribe not of the family of Aaron should exercise the Priesthood Whence it is manifest that a Priest after the order of Melchisedec could not be ordained unlesse the Law were violated Pertaining to another Tribe of which no man gave attendance at the Altar Attendance at the Altar is the performance of the Ceremonies by officiating at the Sacrifices and ordering those things that appertained to the Altar to such other services And attendance here must not be taken for the act of doing it but for the right to do it for it is wel knowne that some Kings did dare de facto to approach unto the Altar burn Incense there but by usurpation and without any right to do it 14. For it is evident our Lord sprang out of Iudah of which Tribe Moses spake nothing concerning Priesthood Here he confirmes his former reason that Christ our Lord of whom these words were spoken that he was a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec pertained to a Tribe of which no man gave attendance at the Altar or performed the office of Priesthood The reason is because it is evident that he sprang out of Judah of which Tribe Moses spake nothing concerning the Priesthood and therefore by the Law had no right to the Priesthood for this followes upon the former And the Author takes it for granted that he of whom the words of the Psalme are spoken is our Lord Christ the annointed of God That Christ sprang out of the Tribe of Judah he saith it is evident i. generally knowne to all men for no man was ignorant that Christ came from the line of David And he had good reason to take this for granted because these words of the Psalme Thou art a Priest for ever are spoken of him whom David in the beginning of that Psalme calleth his Lord speaking of him in the spirit but he that is the Lord of David must needs be our Lord also who seeing he is mentioned of the Lord Jehovah or the most high and onely God as a distinct person to whom the words were spoken from him that spake them Sit thou at my right hand and Thou art a Priest for ever certainely he can be no other then Christ our Lord the anointed of God For that this was acknowledged of the Masters and Doctors among the Jewes it is manifest from hence that Christ disputing with the Pharisees supposeth it as a thing no way doubtfull but confessed of all when he demanded of them How David could call Christ his Lord seeing as they had answered him he was his son For unlesse they had all acknowledged it the answer had beene easie to say that Christ was neither that Lord nor so called of David The Author also supposeth it for granted that our Lord Christ sprang from the Tribe of Judah because he wrote to them who were already perswaded 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
name of hope seems to comprehend all the heads of our Christian profession 1. Pet. 3.15 Without wavering We must hold this hope so fast that wee neither decline from it our selves nor suffer our selves to be beaten from it by any engins of temptation or affliction For he is faithfull that promised Hee inserts the cause why we should hold fast the profession of our hope without wavering namely because this hope is grounded both upon a promise and a promise of him that is faithfull to performe it namely of God himselfe God is therefore termed faithfull because he keeps his faith i. He alwayes performes whatsoever hee hath undertaken for his part and never disappoints his people of his help and favour Therefore we are never to doubt of Gods faith so we keepe our owne and performe our parts with all care and diligence 24. And let us consider one another This may be understood that we should looke unto both one anothers state and condition of life and also one anothers behaviour and action And for what end wee should doe this hee presently shewes in adding To provoke unto love To provoke is to intend or increase the force of a thing and love is then provoked when it is quickened and increased And it gathers increase from our mutuall consideration and inspection either in our selves or others In our selves it is increased when wee are either stirred up by the notable examples of other men or moved by their state and condition to embrace them with more ardent affection and good will if their estate be prosperous that wee doe not onely envie them but use our endeavour to defend and advance their happinesse to our power but if they are in distresse that we succour and benefit them in what we are able In others love is increased when we look into their lives and manners for this end that where they grow negligent in their duties or suffer their love to decay there by our admonitions and exhortations we excite to good workes and to repaire the decayes of their love Therefore this provoking to love may be taken either passively when the increase of love is made upon our selves or actively when we increase it upon others And to good workes Then we are provoked to good workes when we follow them with an ardent affection or as Paul would have us when wee are zealous of good workes Hee adjoynes good workes to love to teach us that our love should not be barren but fruitfull of workes although workes may be taken more largely and extended to all workes of holinesse as well concerning God as our selves 25. Not forsaking the assembling of our selves together Namely for this especiall end to retaine and preserve the communion of Saints and the unity of the Spirit Which is then done when Christians meet together to performe the worship of God to heare his word to powre forth unanimous prayers unto him to exercise that censure of manners which Christ and his Apostles have prescribed to celebrate the memory of Christs death by sacred breaking of bread according to his own institution to make a common supply for the poore and distressed as occasion requires and with all their forces and advices to promote the affaires of the Church As the manner of some is It is apparent that in those times there were some who though they had not forsaken the Christian religion yet had forsaken the assemblies of the faithfull that they might the better lie hid and thereby more easily avoide dangers and persecutions And it is apparent also hence that they sinne grievously who withdraw themselves from the company of the faithfull and from the assemblies of the Saints But exhorting one another To the neglect of assembling hee opposeth this mutuall exhorting or admonishing Whence it is manifest that Christian assemblies were ordained among other ends for this also to exhort and admonish one another which may be done most opportunely when men are assembled into some one place And so much the more as yee see the day approaching The words so much the more must also be communicated to the day of approaching as well as referred to the exhorting By how much the more ye see the day approaching by so much the more let us exhort one another By the day as the article the doth intimate must be understood some certaine day and that well knowne i. the day of judgement and punishment for the disobedient Which judgement seeing it is twofold we must needs understand a twofold day or time of it For we may take it both for the time of Gods taking vengeance upon the Jewes in the finall destruction of Jerusalem and also for the last day of the whole world at the finall destruction of the world The approach of that former day they might easily perceive both from the signes foretold by Christ and also from the predictions of those Prophets who lived in those times in the Church of God The approach of this latter day every man sees though not in respect of the whole world and of the present age yet every man sees it in respect of himselfe For as death is alwayes approaching unto every one of us and the terme of every mans life draws nearer so also thereby every mans last day doth approach and draw nearer not only because after death there shall bee no change in respect of our salvation and damnation but also because that whole time intercurrent between the last moment of our life and the last judgement is none in respect of the dead For when we are dead and thereby void of all sense of time the last moment of our life departing and the first moment of our life returning for returne it shall at the last judgement will seem one and the same to us at our rising againe to life They who lye in a deep sleep are not sensible of the time that passeth though the time be very long and death is a deeper sleep then any sleep of those that sleep alive And this is the cause why the holy Scriptures doe sometime speake so as if we should wholy live till the comming of Christ or were presently after our death translated to the Lord and so to the joyes of heaven For they have no regard of the time intercurrent between the last end of our life and the comming of Christ and the future happinesse of the godly see 2 Cor. 5.8 and Ephes 4.30 and Phil. 1.6,26 and 1 Tim. 6 14. and Jam. 5.7,8 and some others 26. For if we sinne wilfully Hee brings a cause or a motive why they should diligently exhort one another because otherwise it might easily fall out that after knowledge of the truth received they might sin wilfully in which case how miserable and unhappy their condition would be he presently declares To sin in this place may be taken in two senses either largely or strictly Largely as it is extended to divers sins which are committed against the
salvation but in some respect a cause of it more immediate and nearer then faith For for what cause was Enoch translated Was it not because he pleased God But how came he to effect this I suppose by his righteousnesse or as the Scripture expresseth it by his walking with God But what was the cause that made him to walke with God and really endeavour with all his heart to please him Certainly his faith caused this and further yet What was the cause of his faith Certainly one or both those principles whereof we treated in the first verse of this Chapter Enoch had some evidence or sight of something unseen and he had some substance of something hoped And what were they Certainly the same two points whereof the Author spake in the fifth verse for he had a sight of God who is unseen that he is and secondly he had a subsistance of hope that God is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him This is the chaine and these the severall linkes whereof Enochs translation depends For his evidence or sight was the cause of his hope his hope the cause of his faith his faith of his walking with God his walking with God of his pleasing God and his pleasing God was the cause of his translation Now if we goe backe by way of Resolution through the severall linkes of this chaine we shall easily perceive that without the first linke none of the rest can subsist and so consequently no one that followeth can be without the former and therefore the Author with good reason faith that without faith it is impossible to please God and by the like reason it will as necessarily follow that without good workes or walking with God it is impossible to please him also as also without an evidence or without a sight of God who is unseen it is impossible to have faith True it is that faith is the cause of our pleasing God and also of that eternall salvation which we have from God for what can be more pleasing to the supreme Lord of all things then to see a man of whom God was never seen to relye strongly and without any doubt of minde upon his fidelity bounty goodnesse righteousnesse power and wisdome But faith hath yet another vertue no lesse then the former whereby it procures our salvation as it were at a great distance namely in working in us good workes or walking with God and causing us to come to God and seeke him by suing to him for his favour and grace in all our desires and all our deeds 7. By faith Noah being warned of God The third example is the faith of Noah in that he beleeved the oracle of God warning him of things whereof in the course of nature there was not the least appearance Of this mans faith he teacheth us both what good is wrought in him and what good it brought unto him The word faith here must not be referred to the words immediately following as if he had been warned of God of things not yet seen by his faith but including those words with a comma his faith appeals and coheres to the words moved with feare and to the words following he prepared an Arke c. This oracle or warning of God given him is extant Gen. 6.13 unto the end of the Chapter Of things not seen as yet That is of the future floud that was to come upon the world which then as yet was not only not seene but there appeared no likelihood or possibility of it but what was drawne from Gods warning Moved with fear prepared an Arke These were the effects of Noahs faith first in that hee feared or was moved with feare that God would bring upon the world the punishment he had threatned then from the faith of the punishment and the feare of it he was further induced to frame the Arke as God appointed him that by means thereof he might escape the punishment by drowning the world and so save himselfe and his family from destruction and therefore the Author addes To the saving of his house When the floud came Noah and his family to the number of eight persons entered into the Arke whereby they were saved and all the rest of the world was drowned all men and beasts that were not in the Ark perished by the floud see Gen. 7. This faith of Noah is a good example to us for our imitation that we may learn to apply our selves to a firme faith and beliefe of Gods oracles and predictions whether they be promises concerning the future blessednesse of the godly or whether they bee menaces concerning the future punishment of the wicked and the miserable destruction of the whole world And further that we timely provide our selves of an Arke that is of meanes whereby we may escape the judgements of God and bee saved for ever Now the Arke whereby we may escape from the finall destruction of the whole world and enter into the Tabernacle of immortality is the Answer of a good conscience toward God as Peter teacheth us 1 Epist 3.21 By which he condemned the world It is somewhat doubtfull whether the relative which should be referred whether to Noahs faith or to the Arke for the sense seemes most inclining to the former but the words runne rather for the latter partly because the word Arke stands neerer it and partly because of the words following which say And became heire of the righteousnesse which is by faith Now if the word by which be referred to faith the sense will be this That Noah by his faith became heir of the righteousnesse which is by faith but this seems not proper For can any man thinke that Noah by his faith could have obtained any other righteousnesse then that which comes by faith Neither doth the matter it selfe any way crosse this sense For although Noah condemned the world by his faith yet he also condemned it by the Arke in as much as the Arke was a manifest proofe of his faith For unlesse hee had beleeved the comming of the floud hee would never have prepared the Arke to have lost his labour therein and make himselfe ridiculous to all the world But he is said to condemne the world because by his faith in beleeving the floud and by his fact in making the Arke he convinced the world of obstinacie and thereby tooke away all excuse of sin from them who would give no credence to God by a metaphor taken from accusers who are said to condemne a guilty person in that they convict him of his crime and by that means are the cause that hee is condemned for properly to condemne is the act of the Judge In this sense also Christ saith That the men of Nineveh shall rise in judgement with this generation and condemne it And the Queene of the South shall rise up in the judgement and condemne it Matth. 12.41,42 For by the fact of the Ninevites who reponted at the preaching of
he that shall consult the Sacred history and shall diligently both reade and relect it shall finde nothing either written or any way intimated concerning that matter But this divine Author relating examples from the holy Scriptures upon their authority and infallibility seemes not to say or affirme any particular concerning those holy Elders but what is grounded upon the holy Scriptures Yet that Abraham Isaac and Jacob had a hope not onely of some life and happinesse after death but also of a City which hath foundations that is of heaven it selfe and that heavenly happinesse which shall never determine or have end and upon that hope did undergoe all the travels and troubles of a continuall pilgrimage to leade alwayes an uncertaine and flitting life this the holy Scriptures have no where discovered Yea rather what hopes Abraham sometime had in this respect it may hence appeare in that while he was yet destitute of children when God spake to him and said Feare not Abraham I am thy shield and thy exceeding great reward Abraham answered Lord God what wilt thou give me seeing I go childlesse and the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus and behold one borne in my house is mine heire Gen. 15.1,2 Doth it not hence appeare that the summe of all Abrahams desires came to this that hee might leave behinde him a sonne and heire of his owne body seeing he abounded already in all other goods and riches For if at that time he had with any firme hope conceived of heaven it selfe and the everlasting happinesse thereof when God promised him an exceeding great reward would he have answered Lord God what wilt thou give me For in these words he signified that God had already abundantly rewarded him and given him goods in a full measure and to promise him more was to no purpose seeing he had no childe of his owne to whom hee might leave his estate Whence it appeares that Abraham extended not that exceeding great reward which God promised him beyond the goods and happinesse of this life Wherefore it is more likely that in these words of Abrahams expectance the Author intended not to give a reason why Abraham indured with such constancie the toyles of a continuall pilgrimage and of a life alwayes unsetled but rather of the event as we said why God gave Abraham no possession in that land to inherit as his owne proper right granted him no City to dwell in nor seat where to settle himselfe but would have him dwell in tents with his sonne and grand-childe Namely because as afterward at the sixteenth verse the Author saith God had prepared for him a City infinitly greater and better then all the land of promise with all the Cities in it And the promises of God made to Abraham and his seed doe in the mysticall sense containe this spirituall happinesse and heavenly inheritance And in the same sense the seed of Abraham doth signifie the seed of all the faithfull who follow the faith of Abraham For both these senses are taught us by the Apostle Rom. 4.11,12,13 and Gal. 3.7 and Gal. 4 22. Therefore Abraham expected or looked for a City which hath foundations rather by reason of the event and purpose of God then from any intent and purpose of his owne whereby he might seem to fore know it For in this sense we many times attribute expectation to a thing so this Author Chap. 10. ver 27. saith that to them who sinne willingly there remaines a certaine fearfull expectation or looking for of judgement whereas if we referre this to their intent and purpose of minde sinners most times expect and looke for nothing lesse then the punishment of their sinnes Abraham then is therefore said to looke for this City because this City was by Gods decree reserved and appointed for him and because his faith was so constant in God neither broken nor shaken with any travels or troubles and his whole course of life was such as theirs is who relying upon Gods promise do really expect this heavenly City as a reward of their labours Whereof the first is spoken by way of Metonymie putting the effect for the cause and this latter is said by way of Metaphor This City the Author opposeth to Tabernacles and Tents and the matter is not great to live a while in a Tent that afterward we may live for ever in a City And it is a City that hath foundations By which attribute Heaven is opposed not only to Tabernacles or Tents which have no foundations but to all Cities which though they have foundations yet in comparison of Heaven they have none because they have none such And hereby is signified unto us the firmnesse and strength of our heavenly City which no force no tract of time no change of things can possibly shake or move which shall not be ruined by the ruine of that heaven and earth which to us is visible whereof see the Author afterward Chap. 12. ver 26 27 28. Whose builder and maker is God Certainly that City must needs be most stable ample most beautifull and plentifull of all happinesse which had such a builder and such a maker as God to found and raise it He opposeth God to men who are the founders and builders of all earthly Cities And therefore this City must needs be so divine and heavenly so firme and strong that no hand of man can prevaile against it Cities built by men by men may be destroyed and many times are so but the City whereof God is the builder and maker is secure and safe from all hazard 11. By faith also Sara her selfe received strength to receive seed and was delivered of a child when she was past age It may here be doubted whether the Author doth speak here of the faith of Sarah or of Abraham as he first began and afterward goes on The former of these seems to be gathered first from the words of the Author when hee saith Sarah her selfe For it seems as much as if he had said Not only Abraham but also Sarah her selfe by faith received strength So that he joynes Sarah with Abraham in respect of her faith Secondly because the words She judged him faithfull which follow in the next clause of this verse seem to be referred to the next antecedent which is Sarah But the latter opinion seems perswasible First because the Author first began and afterward proceeds to speake of the faith of Abraham Secondly because the sacred History mentions not the faith of Sarah when Isaac was promised but rather the Scripture seems to mention something contrary to her faith for shee laughed within her selfe saying After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure my Lord being old also and the Angell questioned Abraham upon it to know the cause of it saying Wherefore did Sarah laugh Is any thing too hard for the Lord Gen. 18.12,13 Whence also Paul discoursing upon the same point mentions only the strength of Abrahams
faith Rom. 4.19 Thirdly because in the next verse following where the effect and fruit of this faith is described no mention is made of Sarah but only of Abraham namely in these words Therefore sprang there even of one and him as good as dead so many as the stars of the skie in multitude Whereupon we may well doubt which of these two opnions should be embraced seeing the reasons brought on either side may easily bee answered For to the first reason for the first opinion we may say That the Author therefore saith Through faith Sarah her selfe to shew us that by the faith of Abraham it came to passe that not only himselfe should have power to beget a sonne though he were then old and barren but also that Sarah her selfe should conceive who was by nature alwayes barren even in her youth and besides was then spent out with yeares and age yet she should both conceive and bring forth beyond all course of nature To the second reason we may answer That is is not necessary that the words judged him faithfull should be referred to the next antecedent but rather to that which is the principall antecedent though it be more remote as we see it done in the verse following wherein the reference is manifestly made to Abraham Neither is the answer difficult to the arguments of the latter opinion To the first it may be said That the Author as a little before he joyned Isaac and Jacob with Abraham for dwelling in tents as a thing common to them all so also here he might joyne Sarah with her husband Abraham in a matter common to them both For in mentioning afterward the speciall fact of Abraham in offering Isaac therein the Author would seem to observe the order of actions and of time For first he must handle Isaacs birth and the faith of Abraham concerning it before he come to the offering of Isaac and Abrahams faith about that To the second Although from Sarahs laughing and from the cause of it which is there expressed and from the answer of the Lord wherein hee reproved Sarah for laughing it appears That the promise made her for the bringing forth of a son within the compasse of the yeare seemed at the first hearing ridiculous to her and a thing not credible especially seeing she seemed not yet to know who the prison was that promised it for if we looke into the context of the History it is plaine that Abraham himselfe did not marke that the persons who spake with him were Angels of God till their speech touching Sarah his wife yet it follows not but that afterward when she had recollected her selfe and had observed the divine Authority of the speaker and perceived that the cause of her doubtfulnesse was strongly refuted by him she continued no longer in her â—…ancie and doubting yea the contrary is more probable both in it selfe and collectively from hence that upon her hearing of the Angels reproofe she was terrified and for feare denied shee had laughed For from whence came this terror and feare upon her but because she now had observed that she had not to deale with a man but with God whose sayings and promises to laugh at or distrust was altogether unlawfull for her though to her judgement they surpassed the whole force and course of nature We see that Abraham himselfe laughed also for the same cause when first God promised him a son by Sarah as wee may read Gen. 17.17 not that he doubted any thing of the faith or power of him that promised it for in the fore-cited place to the Romans Paul openly testifies the contrary but because the matter in it selfe considered especially heard upon the suddaine and at unawares seemed to him in a manner absurd and ridiculous and scarce credible But when he had intended his thoughts upon God that promised him and perceived his promise to be serious he became certaine of the power and saith of God and doubted not at all And the Virgin Mary when first she heard it from the Angel that she should conceive and bring forth a son she replyed How shall this be seeing I know not a man Luke 1.34 From which words it appears that at her first hearing of the Angels words there arose some scruple and doubt in her minde which when the Angel had removed by his answer she rested wholly satisfied For which cause Elizabeth afterward calls her blessed And blessed is she that beleeved Luke 1.45 To the third The following verse therefore treats of Abraham because this verse treats not of Sarah alone but Abraham is joyned with her in these words Through faith also Sarah herselfe For the particle also shews that besides Sarah hee intends some other person namely Abraham whom he named before Notwithstanding all this yet to us it seems more probable that these words of the Author should be referred to Abrahams faith as well as the rest and that his faith is herein also commended in that it produced so admirable an effect not only in himselfe being now old but also in Sarah his wife who was not only old but had been hitherto barren Although it seems the Author did so temper his words on purpose as that Sarah might be admitted into the fellowship and glory of that faith with her husband Abraham Because shee judged him faithfull who had promised Hence it appears that God is not only pleased with our obedience to his commands but also with our faith given to his promises when we by our faith judge him to be faithfull i. constant and true of his word alwayes certaine to performe the thing hee hath promised 12. Therefore sprang there even of one and him as good as dead so many as the stars of the skie in multitude and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable As if he had said The faith of Abraham was so effectuall and fruitfull that by reason thereof it came to passe that not only Sarah conceived and bare a son but also by this son who was but one and came from Abraham one man and he a barren man as good as dead there was propagated a posterity innumerable The Author in this verse hath relation to Gods promise wherein Abraham was promised a seed and a posterity answerable in number to the starres of heaven and to the sands of the sea Gen. 15.5 and Gen. 22.17 The Author expresseth the effect of Gods promise which might be seene with the eye that by experience it might appeare what faith and force there is in the promises of God 13. These all dyed in faith not having received the promises He declares the constancy of their faith in that all these departed this life under faith i. holding the faith of the promises and certainely beleeving the future performance of them though themselves obtained not the effect of the promises or the things promised For the promises were to be fulfilled not onely after their death but many