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
that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one Here he shewes the great alliance betweene Christ and Christians and what good cause there is why not onely Christ but also the faithfull are stiled by the name of the sonnes of God seeing Christ and they have the same parentage and come as it were from one stocke And he seems to deliver it as a generall rule that the sanctifier and sanctified are all of one i. draw their originall from one person as procreated from one and the same Father To sanctifie is to expiate or purge away sinne and to be sanctified is to have their sinnes expiated or purged away for as sinne doth pollute and prophane us so Expiation doth sanctifie and hallow us And in this sence the word sanctified is often taken in Scripture especially by this Author Now Christ is he that doth sanctifie for hee doth expiate or purge away our sinnes and the faithfull are they that are sanctified for by Christ their sinnes are expiated or purged away And therefore Christ and the faithfull are all of one linage and parentage for hee and they draw their originall from one person even from God who is the common Father to them both and consequently Christ and the faithfull make up betweene themselves but as it were one nation or one people under God and consequently againe he and they are brethren one to another An example hereof was under the Law among the Hebrews to whom this Author writes and to whom therefore this rule of union and fraternitie by meanes of sanctification was the better known For among them the high Priest was he that did sanctifie the people by expiating and purging away their sinnes making atonement to God for them and the people were they who were sanctified by being expiated and purged from their sinnes And both Priest and people were of the same nation sprung from Jacob who was one common Father to them whereupon they used to call one another brethren In like manner the case stands between Christ who is the high Priest to sanctifie and the faithfull who are Gods people to be sanctified as we have already declared it For which cause hee is not ashamed to call them brethren Indeed this cause is very pregnant to make this consequent to follow upon it For seeing that Christ and the faithfull are all of one God as of one common Father therefore they are the brethren of Christ and Christ is not ashamed to call them so for all children proceeding from one common Father are brethren and should not be ashamed to call one another so Indeed the condition of the faithfull is in this life so contemptible and shamefull that Christ might think it a shame to him to have such brethren In which sence this Author saith afterward chap. 11. 16. That God was not ashamed to be called the God of Abraham Isaac and Iacob For how vile are those Patriarks compared to God the Soveraigne Lord of all things especially then being rotted to dust for so many ages before So all Christians how vile and wretched are they how poore contemned and despised insomuch that Christ now so great a King of so great Majestie and glory might justly disdaine to call such creatures his brethren but Christ is not ashamed either to acknowledge them his brethren or to call them by the name of brethren 12. Saying I will declare thy Name unto my brethren in the midst of the Church will I sing praise unto thee By three Testimonies out of Scripture hee proves that Christ is not ashamed to call the faithfull brethren The first Testimony is taken from Psal 22.22 The literall sence is David was King over the people of Israel yet hee calls them his brethren and when God had saved him from death he professeth to praise God in their company in the midst of the Congregation or assemby The mysticall sence is Christ is a King over the faithfull yet hee calls the faithfull his brethren and when God had raised and saved him from death he appeared to his disciples where they were congregated and in the middest of their assembly he really declared the power of God in raising him from the dead and with out all doubt did celebrate the Name of God with words of praise and thanksgiving For hence it is we read John 20.17 That Christ after his Resurrection willed Mary to goe unto his brethren and say of him I ascend unto my Father and your Father and to my God and your God In which words he gives the reason why he calls them his brethren namely because he and they had one common God and Father 13 And againe I will put my trust in him The second Testimony to prove the former point is taken as I conceive out of Psal 91.2 because that Psalme is so frequently applyed to Christ though this testimony be extant in severall other places The literall sence David makes God his God and confidence to put his trust in him and persevering will put his trust in him The literall sence Christ in like manner made God his God and confidence to trust in him and persevered to trust in him For before his Resurrection when he hanged on the Crosse he said My God my God Why hast thou forsaken me Which words argue no despaire but a confident and persevering trust in God that though God did seeme to forsake him yet he should be his God and hee would trust in him Yea the Priests and Scribes mocked at his confidence and trust in God Matth. 27.43 And after his Resurrection he calls God his God in the place precited Joh. 20.17 But now the Quere will be what this makes to the purpose of proving the faithfull to be the brethren of Christ The answer is It proves it directly though not immediatly For seeing Christ and the faithfull have God for their God and for their confidence to put their trust in him therefore he and the faithfull are of one i. are confidents and dependents upon one and the same God and Father and by means of that they must needs be brethren as was before concluded upon verse 11. So this testimony proves their unitie in God and their unity in God proves their fraternity betweene themselves For when the first truth is the reason of the second it is also the reason of all other truths whereof the second is the reason And again Behold I and the children which God hath given me The third Testimony to prove the former point taken from Esai 8.18 The literall sence God had given the Prophet children and he and they were brethren in this that they were to be for signes and wonders and were so appointed to be from God The mysticall sence Christ is the Sonne of God and the faithfull are the children of God Gods post-nati after Christ and therefore are the brethren of Christ And God hath given them unto Christ by bringing them to beleeve in Christ and
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
and the more remote from me the lesse is he touched with any care of us To this he answers by saying that he is not such a high Priest Which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities Our infirmities here signifie our sufferings and troubles both of minde and body wherewith we are afflicted for the profession of our Religion These are called our infirmities because our naturall infirmity gives way unto them or else from the effect because they make both our minde and body infirm For our minde doth languish with griefe as with a disease And the Author useth this word the rather because the legall high Priest was to have a feeling of the infirmities of Gods people although those infirmities were humane lapses errors Now to have a feeling of our infirmities is to be touched with an affection and sense of them i. with mercy which is a sense of another mans misery That cannot be touched doth not simply here signifie the faculty of compassion for any Angell may have the faculty of compassion but to have both the power and readinesse and will to compassionate as wee explicated the same word chap. 2. at the last verse And it is as much as if hee had said we have not an hard hearted high Priest who is not easily moved with the evills and troubles of another as commonly such are who themselves never had experience of evills and troubles But was in all things tempted like as we are Hee illustrates what kinde of high Priest we have by the contrary or rather by the cause of a contrary effect Because he was tempted in all things therefore he can and will be moved with all our infirmities By temptations are many times signified afflictions because a man is tempted by afflictions for they make a triall of the strength and patience that is in him See Jam. 1.2,3 In all points He was afflicted with all kindes of evils for hee had the triall of calumnies reproaches and bonds of divers anguishes in soule and tortures of the body yea of a fearfull and shamefull death Like as we are There is no difference between his sufferings and ours for both are all alike as he said before that he must be made like his brethren in all things Yet without sinne Christ was altogether innocent and no way deserved the evills hee suffered This he said partly to answer their calumny who gave it out that he deserved the punishment of the crosse partly to admonish other Christians to follow innocence and to take heed they suffered not as malefactors but rather strive to bee like Christ who suffered for no fault of his owne neither should they refuse to undergoe divers calamities for the name of Christ though they be innocent nor make it a marvell if such measure fall upon them that happened unto Christ their Lord and leader and should thinke that Christ will much the sooner succour them when they fall into persecutions torments and death innocently for the more innocence they bring with them to their sufferings the more ready he is to helpe them It is a vulgar error to thinke that in this place Christ is said to be like us simply in all things sinne onely excepted For neither the words of the Author nor the truth of the thing will beare this sense For Christ was much unlike to all us in many other points besides sinne as in divine power and wisdome and the admirable manner of his birth For because we should not thinke that hee speaks here of likenesse in nature only therefore sinne is mentioned which can no way be referred to nature 16. Let us therefore come boldly From the saying before he infers another exhortation which notwithstanding is subservient to that hee made at the 14. verse and is to second it Seeing wee enjoy such a high Priest that hath himselfe had triall of all sorts of evill let us implore his helpe boldly In the originall it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with boldnesse or rather with free liberty of speech for here he treats of praying and it signifies not only a confident hope of the minde to obtaine our desires but an audacity or undauntednes flowing from an inward confidence whereby we are imboldned to have our accesse to his throne to speake and pray unto him For a liberty of speech then appeares in us when neither the authority majesty or severity of another nor the feare of offence can deter us from speaking which doth excellently suit with this place For seeing there is a great Majesty of that throne where we must become supplicants it might easily fall out that a man being afraid thereof and also conscious of his owne unworthinesse might not dare to approach that throne and supplicate to him that sits upon it Wherefore the Author endeavours to encourage our mindes and raise us to a freedome of speech when he shews us that with so great a Majesty there is joyned clemencie favour and mercy toward distressed Christians Vnto the throne of grace He names not him to whose throne we must come or that sits upon the throne but because he commands us to come to this throne therefore in that we have such a high Priest who can have a feeling of our infirmities and thereupon is ready to pity and helpe us and we must come for this end that wee may finde mercy and help from all these it appeares that it is the throne of our high Priest as it is said Psal 45.6 Thy throne O God is for ever and ever But he names a throne that he may represent unto us his exceeding great Majesty and power that our freedome of speech there should not lessen our reverence and that wee should fully conceive him not onely mercifull to be willing to help us but also powerfull to be able And againe lest the high throne and Majesty of Christ should appale our mindes he calls it the throne of grace that we may conceive though our high Priest sit in a throne vested with great Majesty yet he is full of love and mercy towards us That so the throne and Majesty of Christ might raise in our mindes due reverence and his grace and favour towards us might cherish our confidence and freedome of speech to him They who say This is the throne of God himself oppose not us seeing Christ sits in the throne of God unlesse happily they say it therefore that they may exclude Christ from this throne against so many cleare testimonies of Scripture and the force of this passage also thereby to wrest from us this argument for the invocation of Christ This we easily grant that here we may understand God no lesse then Christ and it is very likely that this Author did rather call it the throne of grace in generall then either of God or Christ in particular that hee might leave us an equall right and liberty to approch either to God in the Name of our high Priest or
dulnesse were not very capable of them and that he would not now spend any labour in delivering the principles of Christian Religion Thus of the former sence now for the latter The Author had reproved the Hebrewes for being so slow and dull in their study of Christianity that when for the length of their time spent therein they should become teachers of others themselves had need to be taught againe the first principles of it and like babes must yet be nourished with milke and not with strong meate Therefore he admonisheth them that casting off this drowsinesse of spirit they would leave at last those principles and launch themselves into a deeper knowledge of those divine mysteries Therefore that which before he had objected unto them that they had need to be taught againe the principles of Christianity must not be so understood as if they had now wholly forgotten or lost them for this to speake generally of them all could hardly be but because by their negligence they did not well remember them but had need to have them renewed and re-inforced upon them For it plainly appeares from passages which are read of them both in this chapter and other parts of this Epistle that they began to doubt of the Christian faith and truth Now they that are such have need that Christian principles should be anew inculcated and confirmed unto them Neither is it his meaning that they should altogether leave and neglect the principles and so goe on to perfection for this neither could nor must be done but they should not stick and dwell wholly upon the principles without proceeding any further for they that proceed further doe passe by the places whereat they are already arrived So a man may say to a boy leave your Accedence and your Grammer and passe on to other Authors The principles of the doctrine of Christ They are the fundamentall verities which being first learned do help us to proceed in Christian Religion Let us go on unto perfection The principles rightly understood and applyed will by degrees carry us on from one verity to another till we come at the deepest mysteries of Christianity and into a full body where being once arrived we are at perfection even at a fulnesse and ripenesse in the knowledge of Christ Not laying againe the foundation The foundation is the first principles of Christianity which are as it were a foundation of that edifice of doctrines wherein the perfect knowledge of God and Christ consisteth Now to lay this foundation is either to teach these principles if we follow the former sense or to learne them if we follow the latter And to lay this foundation againe is to initiate these principles anew from the beginning and for a man to become the Disciple of Christ a second time after once he had deserted the verities of them whereof supposing the latter sense he would have the Hebrewes to beware for they were neere approaching to this mischiefe and lest they should fall into it the Author excites them very seriously For they had not as yet altogether deserted the Christian faith as appeares partly from this whole Epistle and partly from a passage at the ninth verse of this chapter where he saith that he is perswaded better things of them then of those he meanes who after the knowledge of the truth have relapsed and revolted from it and lastly in that he continues to exhort them to constancy in Christianity Of repentance from dead workes He being to explicate this foundation of Christianity and layes severall parts of it whereof the first is repentance But because in this place as we have said he treates of laying the foundation not in regard of Christian life but of Christian doctrine as it appeares by the words following of resurrection of the dead and eternall life which may be repeated againe in respect of the doctrine or learning of them Therefore here to lay the foundation of repentance is either to teach or learne the doctrine of repentance and in like manner the doctrine of faith in God of the resurrection of the dead and of eternall judgement All which doctrines are the principles of Christian discipline and as it were the foundation of all other Christian verities Dead workes are deadly workes such as bring and continue death upon the agent And repentance from these deadly workes which is a principle of Christianity includes not onely a sorrow of minde that thou hast committed deadly workes but also and much rather the effect of that sorrow which is a course of minde and life far diverse from the former For repentance is sometimes distinguished from that sorrow as the effect from the cause See 2 Cor. 7.9,10 And of faith towards God What that is the Author shews afterward chap. 11. 2. Of the doctrine of baptismes and the laying on of hands These words may be taken two wayes either as they signifie some part of the foundation distinct from the parts both preceding and following namely from the doctrine of repentance and faith of the resurrection and eternall judgement or else as added by way of apposition for amplification sake q.d. which doctrines of repentance and faith belong to those that are baptized and that receive Imposition of hands If we follow the former sense and take them for parts of the foundation to signifie the doctrine of Baptismes and of Imposition of hands then first it may be demanded what that doctrine is The Answer is that doctrine consisteth chiefly in shewing what baptismes and imposition of hands signifie and to what ends they are used And these doctrines are therefore accounted among the principles of Christianity because they were used from the beginning of the Church to initiate men into Christ and therefore it was needfull that the Disciples of Christ should at first be instructed in them and be taught their end and scope Secondly it may be demanded why he mentions baptismes in the plurall number as if he intended many although the Syriake translation render it baptisme in the singular number seeing Christians received but one baptisme of water for repentance Resp This was therefore done either because he spake in respect of them that were baptised who because they were many made also many baptismes or else because he respected both the baptisme of John who was the forerunner of Christ and the baptisme of the Apostles the followers of Christ especially that wherewith the Apostles baptised after the Resurrection and Ascension of Christ For the Baptisme of John was the baptisme of Repentance for the remission of sinnes which was used as a signe and a pledge of future repentance for the forgivenesse of sinnes because by washing it resembled repentance and remission of sinnes For both these are a washing from the filth of sin repentance is a washing from the acts of it and remission from the guilt and paine of it Repentance was signified as the baptisme of those that were baptised of their owne
such a piece of land but to reject and leave it That which the husbandman doth to an evil ground the same doth God to men that resemble evil ground for God will bestow no more labour and care upon them but will reprobate reject and leave them And is nigh unto cursing The husbandman can hardly forbear from cursing such an evil piece of ground for it cannot be farre from a curse So such men as are like evil ground are not far from the curse of God but are like the barren fig-tree which Christ cursed when he found no fruit upon it Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever Matth. 21.19 If this curse fall upon fruitlesse men then there remaines no hope of repentance and amendment But the Author would rather say that such ground is nigh unto cursing then already cursed For though fruitlesse men deserve Gods present curse yet God doth not presently lay his curse upon them but for a long time delayes their punishment and expects fruits of repentance as in the parable of the barren fig-tree the Lord of it stayed three yeares without any fruit of it and yet forbare it a fourth yeare at the request of his vine-dresser Luke 13. Whose end is to be burned When a piece of ground failes of his croppes and brings forth thornes and briars or light straw without corne the manner of husband men is to kindle fires upon it and burne it So men barren of good workes shall at length have a fire kindled vpon them and be burnt with everlasting torments Of which fire the Author speakes afterward chap. 10.27 Now that barren land by burning is not impaired but amended this in this simily is not regared For it is sufficient to the Authors intent that both are burned and land is burned for the barrennesse of it as it were to punish the fruitlesnesse But herein is the difference that the burning betters the barren land but it finally destroyes fruitlesse men and makes them most miserable For in every similitude as we say there is also some dissimilitude 9. But beloved In these words he seemes to meet with a tacite objection and withall returnes to what he had before intimated that if need were they should not altogether despaire of his laying a foundation againe The Hebrewes might thinke or gather from his words of falling away c. that he had no hope at all of their salvation Therefore he shews that he doth not account them for reprobates and accursed persons who are for no other purpose then to be punished with eternall fire neither doth he beleeve them in so miserable and deplorable â—n estate but that he hath a better opinion of them and therefore wrote not the former words as if he esteemed them such but onely to cast some feare into their minds and diligently to warne them of taking heed that they became not such Beloved This place was very seasonable for that terme lest they should imagine themselves in his hatred but thereby might perceive that he carried a Christian love toward them and love makes us alwayes imagine the best of them we love and when we let fall a sharp word it is not done with intent to hurt but to reforme them We are perswaded better things of you Better things then to thinke you reprobates and rejected of God so that God should for the present curse them and for the future ordaine them to be burnt with fire unquenchable And things that accompany salvation Here he opposeth salvation to malediction or cursing q.d. I am perswaded that ye are yet in that state that ye may be saved if ye have a will to it Though we thus speake q.d. My former speech of those which fall away and are like barren and fruitlesse ground in a miserable and unhappy state doth nothing let but that I am perswaded you are in a better estate which is not therefore as if that which he had affirmed were lesse certaine and true So that in these words he would tacitly mollifie what he seemed before to have said a little too severely But that either those Hebrewes were not fully fallen into the state of such as fall away because they yet ministred to the Saints were endued with excellent vertues and had not yet cast off the Christian Religion but did cleave unto it Or else that God as appeares by his following reason had great cause to release unto them that severity and therefore seeing he is not unrighteous but full of all equity and kindnesse it might well be hoped that he would release it For although these Hebrewes had not yet plainly revolted from Christ yet they were fallen into such negligence that in a manner they had need to be taught againe the first principles of the Christian Religion Whence it appeares what cold and dull Disciples of Christ they were for which offence if God would deale severely with them they were worthy to be reprobated and finally rejected But because it is Gods manner to deale mercifully and kindly with men and to moderate his penall Laws with equity and mercy therefore the Author hoped better things of them 10. For God is not unrighteous Here he shews the reason why he is perswaded better things of them then that God should reprobate and reject them And the reason is because God will not forget their worke and labour of love And this he confirmes by this because God is not unjust whence it would follow that God should be unjust if he should forget them Some man may here demand how this can stand with what God hath testified of himselfe Ezeck 33.13 If the righteous commit iniquity all his righteousnesse shall not be remembred but for his iniquity that he hath committed he shall dye for it We answer that God in a diverse respect is said to forget a mans former vertues and in a diverse not to forget them He forgets them in respect that he justifies or frees from punishment no man by reason of his former vertues if he recede from them in which case Ezekiels words are to be understood And God doth not forget them in regard he spares a man the longer for his former vertues and doth not instantly reprobate or reject him but expects and assisteth him for repentance especially if he be adorned with some eminent vertues such as charity and bounty toward the godly as these Hebâ—ewes were by the acknowledgement of the Author But should God be unrighteous or unjust if he had no consideration of this Wee answer Righteousnesse as also unrighteousnesse may be taken two wayes For righteousnesse may bee taken either for that equity which consisteth in giving every man his proper right and contrarily unrighteousnesse may signifie that iniquity which infringeth another mans right Or righteousnesse may denote such an equity as inclines rather to be neficence and kindnesse and consisteth in giving those things whereto a man hath properly no right yet there may be some causes which
a great dignity and prerogative in the Levites in that all the rest of the tribes though descendants with them from the same Abraham yet were bound to pay them tithes And so the dignity of Melchisedec far exceeded theirs Who receive the office of the Priesthood He saith not that the sons of Levi receive the office of Priesthood but they of them who receive it For all the Levites had not right to the Priesthood but only some of them namely the posterity of Aaron as ye may see at large Num. 3. Num. 18. The rest of the Levites were joyned to the Priests to minister unto them in the holy things to keep the Temple and the holy vessels to beâ—r the Aâ—k when need required which notwithstanding they might neither touch nor look upon till it were wrapped up to slay the ordinary sacrifices brought by single persons and to performe such other services Have a commandement to take tithes of the people This right and priviledge was granted them from God to claim tithes of the people For to speak properly the commandement to take tithes was not laid upon the Priests but the people were bound by Gods commandement to give tithes and thereupon the Priests had a right to require and exact them According to the Law The manner how tithes should be paid the matter from what things the persons to whom and the times when are all determined by Gods Law For first the people must give tithes to the Levites Numb 18 21. Then the Levites must give tithes of their tithes to the Priests Numb 18.28 And herein the dignity of the Priests appeares farre the greatest because not onely the rest of the Tribes but also the Levites themselves who were of the same Tribe gave tithes unto the Priests That is their brethren though they came out of the loynes of Abraham Certainly a great dignity Which would not have beene so great if some other men had beene bound to pay them tithes but that their owne brethren who came as well as they from the loynes of the same Abraham should be bound to it by the Law of God this was a great argument of the dignity and eminency that rested in the Priests 6. But hee whose descent is not counted from them received tithes of Abraham He shews how much in this respect Melchisedec is greater then the Leviticall Priests whom first he described in such words as most elegantly agree to Christ his antitype that he might tacitely shew that it nothing hindered Christ from the dignity of his high Priesthood that he came not from the Tribe of Levi. For it is as much as if he had said The Leviticall Priests have this right and dignity that they take tithes of their brethren though they descend from the same Abraham But how much greater is it that he who as he comes not from the same stock so neither doth he count his kindred from them tooke tithes of Abraham himselfe For it is much more and more worthy to have Abraham himselfe tributary to him then those who come from the loynes of Abraham Wherefore the Leviticall Priests have no cause to boast as if to their line alone this right and priviledge were granted of taking tithes from the people seeing he who neither belongs to their line nor accounts himselfe of it did as the Author speakes decimate Abraham himselfe And blessed him that had the promises We have said before that the Author preferres Melchisedec before the Leviticall Priests for three reasons whereof the first is bipartite whose former part the Author hath hitherto produced and referring the latter part to the end of the proofe he comes here to the second full reason taken from the act of Melchisedec in blessing Abraham Yet that the great dignity of Melchisedec might the more evidently appeare in this act of blessing he doth not name Abraham but describes him under this notion him that had the promises q.d. Melchisedec blessed him whom God was to blesse and had bound himselfe by promise to blesse him and make him a blessing For God had already said unto him I will make of thee a great Nation and I will blesse thee and make thy name great and thou shalt be a blessing And I will blesse them that blesse thee and curse him that curseth thee and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed Gen. 12.2,3 To blesse this man that had such promises of blessing and those so great that there were none greater knowne upon earth and to blesse him also not by way of charity or good will by praying for all happinesse upon him but in a singular way according to his office as he was the Minister and Priest of God to whose prayer and wish God would in a manner obliege himselfe which certainly is an evidence of high preeminence and dignity And from thence he meanes to conclude that Melchisedec was greater then Abraham 7. And without all contradiction the lesse is blessed of the greater He had before expressed the Assumption that Melchisedec blessed Abraham and now hee addes the Proposition leaving every man to frame the conclusion that Melchisedec is greater then Abraham And if hee be so much greater then Abraham much more is he greater then the Leviticall priests Without all controversie These words shew that his assertion is so evident and manifest that no man can well deny it and that with good cause For every kinde of apprecation or blessing is not here to be understood for even the least and meanest person may blesse and pray for the best and greatest and many times doth so but as we have often noted a singular and sacerdotall blessing For he that gives another a blessing as the Priest and especiall Minister of God to whom God hath committed the right and office of it in such manner that God will second the blessing of the Priest with his and in a manner be obliged to performe it certainly that person that thus gives the blessing is greater and worthier then he that receives it He is greater and worthier if not in estate and civill power as if hee blesse a King when hee himselfe is none which notwithstanding had not place in Melchisedec yet certainely in regard of sacred function For hee is nearer in degree to God then the other as a mean person between God that blesseth and the partie blessed to whom he gives a kinde of right to obtaine from God the things hee prayeth for Therefore wee read Numb 6.27 That God after he had commanded that Aaron and his sonnes should blesse the people of Israel and had prescribed also the forme of the blessing doth professe that he will second the blessing and confirme it upon the people They shall faith God put my Name upon the children of Israel and I will blesse them Hence the sonne of Syrach when hee supplicated God for the people and endeavoured to move him by his prayers he forgets not this blessing of
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
even of the most heynous in them who having tasted the force of that sacrifice do afterward live holily I say all kind of penalties not only of temporall death but of eternall which by force of the law all incurred that had truly and morally sinned For temporall life opposed to temporal death proceeded from the observation of the Law otherwise then eternall life did opposed to eternall death For to attain or preserve temporall life it sufficed to keep the Law taken in an open and literall sease as they call it and to expiate certain offences by certain rites and sacrifices But the latter could no man attaine by force of the Law unlesse a man had kept the precepts of it taken in a mysticall sense i. most fully and perfectly as the Gospell proposeth them For seeing eternall life was not contained in the promises of the Law but in a mysticall sense it was great equity that he who would attaine it by the benefit of the Law should likewise keep the precepts of the Law in a mysticall sense Neither only so but it must be kept exactly and without any sinne so that there should need no sacrifices or expiations For no sacrifices were of such force as to take away the guilt of eternall death and so estate a man in a right to eternall life neither did the Law open any other way to arrive at a plenary justification joyned with the reward of eternall life then by the merit of workes To serve the living God Here is the effect of this Expiation wrought in us by the bloud and offering of Christ For when our conscience doth clearly acknowledge that in respect of God it is freed from all guilt of all sinne even the most grievous and nothing can hinder us but our selves from enjoying the reall effect of our being acquitted from all sinne it comes to passe here by that we must needs have strong motives to carry us on to the worship and service of God and to receive the faith of Christ to the end wee may effectually enjoy so great a blessing and having once enjoyed it never lose it but afterward abstaine from all sinne with all our possible endeavour knowing well that so great a blessing is attained and preserved with true piety Hence it appeares that this purging of our conscience gotten by the bloud of Christ must be so understood in this place that for the reall effect of it it depends upon our duty on our part i. then it begins to have it effect in us when our faith and obedience begins toward God and Christ and is continued by the continuance of our faith and obedience and by constancie and perseverance in faith and godlinesse to the end is at length consummated and doth rest in a full and immutable right to eternall life the effect whereof will most certainly follow in due time For unlesse this effect and complement of our expiation depend reciprocally upon our duty and our duty and will to serve God flowed immediatly from it what one man among a thousand would serve God upon the expiation of his finnes if he knew that without this he could be expiated effectually and released from the guilt of all his sinnes and enjoy a full right to eternall life because therefore this offering of Christ doth withdraw us from sinne and makes us afterward serve the living God hence it comes to passe that Christ doth expiate us by one only offering or that our expiation flowing from the offering and sacrifice of Christ is eternall and lasteth forever For what need the offering be iterated if men once expiated sinne no more For although sometime by error or infirmity the true worshippers of God may offend yet because the offering of Christ doth not so properly intend to expiate such light offences as sinnes that are more heynous as appears by the proper nature of the new Covenant as it stands distinguished from the old therefore the oblation of Christ must not be iterated for our light infirmities and lapses Therefore for the removing of the guilt of such light offences the perpetuall residence of Christ our high Priest in his heavenly Sanctuary and his intercession to his Father for us is abundantly sufficient so that for them he need not shed his bloud againe and after the shedding of it enter into his Sanctuary The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth not alwayes signifie all kind of obedience and service done unto God but chiefly that divine service done to God publikly most properly as hath before been shewed those holy reverences which we perform in the worship of God Yet the Author useth it here by a Metonymie for all divine service that is joyned with the worship of God for worship and service are mutuall adjuncts connexed each to other For so great a benefit of God as the expiation of all our sins should easily move us to perform divine services unto God by praises and thanksgivings and wholly to devote out selves to worship to good a God for then we take courage to approach unto God to worship and serve him and to hope that the honour we do him will not be unacceptable unto him when we feel our conscience clean quiet as purged from all sin Or else the word here is taken by way of Metaphor whereby all good works pleasing unto God and done for his sake are accounted for sacrifices and offerings acceptable to God and that wholy endeavours them may fitly be said to serve God God is here called the living God according to the ordinary phrase of Scripture which notwithstanding in this place wants not an emphasis Not only because hereby the true God is distinguished from all the feigned gods of the Gentiles which because they were nothing but woodden or stony Idols and therefore woodden and stony gods were called vaine and livelesse gods and are opposed to the living God But also to shew the cause why we should worship and serve God and withall the happinesse of those that devote themselves unto him For seeing hee is the living God hee is also the true God who can reward his worshippers and servitors with great benefits and recompence them with fearfull judgments who neglect him To this end Paul writing to the Thessalonians saith Yee are turned from Idols to God to serve the living and true God 1 Thess 1.9 And the word there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which properly signifies to serve And God is eminently called the living God not only because he truly lives but also because he is the fountaine of life to all other things which do live In which sense sometimes hee alone is said to live or to have life and immortality in himself 15. And for this cause Here the Author confirmes his former assertion by a new argument in that Christ is the Mediatour of the new Testament or that Christ made the New Testament and sealed it with his bloud For this is the nature of
of it onely Therefore those grievous sinnes whereof men stood guiltie and for which they were subject to eternall death must first be expiated before they can enter and receive the eternall inheritance For those sinnes did hinder men from entring it which being purged away now nothing hinders but they may take possession of it But who shall do this shall all promiscuously no certainly but they which are called i. They to whom this eternal inheritance is offered by the Gospel of Christ and who accept this great grace of God by a lively faith For both of these use to be included in the word called But he simply saith they which are called might receive this eternall inheritance because all which are called may receive it if they will and be not wanting to themselves for in God and Christ there is no let 16. For where a Testament is there must also of necessitie be the death of the Testator Here he gives the cause why he said that by meanes of death this effect of remission of sinnes and receiving the eternall inheritance doth follow because saith he where a Testament is there of necessity the death of the Testator must intervene which reason hee confirmes by a Super-reason in the verse following But here some man may object that the Author doth but sophisticate with words and not draw a reall argument from the thing it selfe Seeing Christ was not the Author of any testament properly but onely the Mediatour of the Covenant although the Greeke writers use the word Testament to signifie a Covenant But the ambiguity of the word must not confound the natures and properties of the things so that what is true of one thing which the ambiguous word signifies should forthwith bee transfered to the other signified by the same word We answer That the speech is here of such a thing as is common to both the significations of the word the proper and improper or rather the generall and the speciall i. that is Covenant and Testament for we said before that every Testament is a Covenant an especiall and best kind of Covenant For Covenant is a generall name whereby those things are called that are more properly named leagues and testaments both which are Covenants And indeed almost throughout the old testament the originall word which our English translation renders Covenant doth properly signifie a League and were better so rendered for because God is a publike person and so is mankinde also therefore all Gods Covenants with man are properly Leagues Hence the Latine translations both vulgar and others constantly render them Faedera So for a testament if we consider the nature of it accuratly then any solemne act of any person testified by his death is properly a testament and he who testifies anothers act though he be no Author but onely the assertor of it is properly the testator of it For hence the Civilians have borrowed their termes of Testament and Testator which commonly concurre in the same person yet not necessarily but accidentally for whatsoever witnesse will testifie upon his death the verity and certainty of another mans last Will and Testament such a witnesse is truely a testator to that Testament And he that mediats to certifie a mans Testament and mediats so farre as to testifie it with his death hee is both the mediator and the testator of that Testament so that a mediator and a testator in respect of the same Testament are not functions incompatible but consentaneous that may easily concurre in the same person Yea hee that in this sence is the testator of a Testament is necessarily thereupon the mediator of it So that Gods two solemne Covenants or rather his Leagues the old and the new are truely and properly called Testaments because they are both testified by bloud and death to certifie confirme and establish them for the old Testament was testified by the bloud and death of calves and goates which was therefore called the bloud of the Testament as it is declared in the verses following But because the new Testament was testified certified confirmed and established by the death and bloud of Christ therefore Christ though hee were not the Author of it yet is most truely and properly the testator of it And because Christ did mediate for this Testament to certifie and publish it to the world that the old and former testament was abrogated and revoaked and that this new one was the last Will and Testament of his Father therefore also be was most truely and properly the Mediatour of it And hee was so constant and earnest a Mediator to certifie the truth of this new Testament that thereupon hee became the testator of it also to testifie and confirme it with his death and blood Nay because Christ was the Testator of it therefore hee must necessarily also be the Mediator of it for no man will testifie that truth or that cause with his bloud for which he no way mediats seeing he â—hat no way mediats for a thing will 〈◊〉 testifie it with his blood Wherefore in the words of these 16. and 17 verses though the Author for a while supposeth and takes it for graunted that not onely death but the death of the Testator which here is Christ must needs intervene to confirme the new Testament yet a little after at the 23. verse and so forward hee clearly demonstrats it For there he teacheth that the matter must not nor could not be effected by the bloud of beasts because he was both the Mediator and the high Priest of the Covenant or League who when he was to appeare before God in his heavenly Sanctuary and there to performe his offering certainly he was not to slay some beast to bring the bloud of it into that Sanctuary but must shed his own bloud to make himselfe his owne offering in heauen thereby to confirme and establish the new League or Covenant which as he might do so he must doe it for the great dignity and sublimity of the particulars therein contained So that in this respect the new Covenant comes neerer to the nature of a Testament then of a League which was the proper nature of the old Covenant For what effect could there be in the bloud of a beast to confirme and make faith unto us of heavenly promises Such a Confirmation had very ill beseemed this divine and heavenly Covenant especially seeing it might be confirmed by other bloud more sutable to it and by bloud that notwithstanding was to be shed for another cause which cause hath already been shewed at the 14. verse Whence wee may perceive that in these words in this 16. verse as they are also extended to Covenants or Leagues and to the Authors and Mediators of them somthing must be understood to make the truth of them fully to appeare which yet is not expressed because it makes nothing to the point in hand For these words of the Author here must be taken as it he had
as if this testimonie were made of him before he was translated but must be only referred to the matter of the testimony which is this that before his translation he pleased God and after his translation the Scripture testified that hee pleased God before it And Enochs pleasing of God may be understood two wayes either that hee pleased God in endeavour by studying and labouring to please him or that hee pleased him in effect by an actuall service of God which latter is consequent to the former And the testimony of this is given in Scripture where it is said that Enoch walked with God Gen. 5.22.24 For hee that walketh with God certainely he endeavours to please God and either in effect doth actually please God or at least God is pleased with his endeavour So likewise of Noah it is said That he was a just man and perfect in his generations and that he walked with God Gen. 6.9 For this walking with God which in the following verse the Authour expresseth by comming to God and by seeking of God doth signifie a conversation of man with God whereby in a manner hee doth alwayes reverence God as being alwayes in his presence and as I may say never departing out of his sight but having ever his minde and thoughts fixed upon him and is so addicted to Gods Lawes and Commands that in all his actions through the whole course of his life hee hath God for his leader and companion whom he follows and accompanies Hee that is such a man must needs endeavour to please God and cannot chuse but actually please him For the Greeke translation which as hath beene often noted the Authour followes doth render the Hebrew words of Enochs walking with God by Greeke words which properly signifie his pleasing of God 6. But without faith it is impossible to please God Now we come to the defence of that argument which formerly we mentioned for here the Authour expresly confirmes and proves it by the following words For he that commeth to God must beleeve that hee is and that hee is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him Hee proves I say what before he had affirmed by this explication of faith or rather by two specifications of it whereof the first is to beleeve the existence of God that God is and the second to beleeve the righteousnesse or equitie of God that hee is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him For is it not wholly necessary that he who commeth to God i. He who doth worship and serve him he who perpetually addicts himselfe to observe his Lawes and Commands hee who heartily endeavoureth to please him and actually doth please him should beleeve both these points and be strongly perswaded of them For if he beleeve not the existence of God that God is how should hee worship and serve him if he beleeve his existence and yet doubt of his goodnesse and righteousnesse whether hee will be a Benefactor to his worshippers and servitors how shall they subject themselves to his worship and service Now to beleeve that God is is to beleeve that there is really existent such a person in being who hath the supreme power or command over all things who depends on no other person but all other persons and things depend on him For by the single appellation of God this is commonly signified both here and elsewhere And he that beleeveth such a Dietie must thereupon withall necessarily beleeve that it is both eternall and singular for if it were not eternall and singular it could not be supreme To seeke God or enquire after God is nothing else but to sue for his grace and favour as we are admonished by the Prophet Esay chap 55.6 Seeke yee the Lord while he may be found call ye upon him while he is neere let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him returne unto the Lord and hee will have mercy upon him Here hee shewes us the way how to seeke God Namely by calling upon him and the way to that at least to do it effectually is to forsake our unrighteousnes and sinfulnes and turn to the Lord observing his laws and commands Hence it appeares what is the nature of that faith which commends us to God for the Author teacheth it unto us in this Chapter and how farre such faith differs from their faith who place faith in the apprehension and application of the merits of Christ It further appeares that faith in Christ is not contained in all faith in God in respect of all times for in this description and illustration of that faith which the Author shews to have been in these ancient elders there is no mention of faith in Christ Yet from the nature of faith in God it is easie to collect wherein the faith in Christ consisteth namely that we beleeve that Christ is and that he is a rewarder of them that seek him or rather to expresse it in the words of this Author It is to beleeve that Christ is become the author of eternall salvation to all them that obey him chap. 5.9 For from this faith ariseth a true confidence in Christ which naturally draws with it innocencie and holinesse of life and by these we come to please God and Christ and then being justified by his grace wee attaine the inheritance of eternall life And this also may be noted as it will further appear by many of the following examples That Faith if we take it properly and strictly doth differ from obedience from comming to God and seeking him because faith must necessarily bee in a man before he can actually come to God and seek him yet indeed the word faith is oftentimes so ampliated and enlarged as to comprehend in it all the effects and fruits of it even all the workes of godlinesse and righteousnesse And in this argumentation of the Author for we are also to take notice of it there is not more in the conclusion then was in the premises For from the premises as the Author explicates them it seems nothing else would follow but that Enoch was not translated without faith and not that hee was translated by or through or for his faith which is more and is also concluded by the Author But seeing without faith we cannot please God for faith is the true cause of our pleasing him and seeing Enoch was therefore translated because he did please God hence most rationally it must be concluded that Enochs faith was the cause of his translation and consequently he was translated by for through or because and by reason of his faith For whatsoever is the cause of any effect is also the cause of all things that follow that effect Now from this argumentation of the Author concluding Enochs faith to be the cause of his translation it manifestly appeares That good workes and an ardent endeavour of them whereby Enoch became to please God are not only the cause of eternall
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
great calamity under which the people of God then suffered in Egypt Therefore the Author willing further to illustrate and more amply to describe this notable fact 〈◊〉 Moses doth adde in the verse following 25. Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God then to enjoy the pleasures of sinne for a season The riches and dignity which Moses did possesse with sin that is with the deniall of Gods people and so of God himselfe for otherwise enjoy them he could not he thought to be but a temporary use of sinne and he therefore thought so either because he saw how transitory and fading these things are or else because he thought that God who is the avenger of sinne would not suffer him long to enjoy those riches and dignities together with such a wickednesse and that some vengeance of God would suddainely strip him of all his riches and power and câ—st some sad punishment upon him for so foule a sin 26. Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches then the treasures of Egypt The Author proceeds yet further to illustrate and amplifie this fact of Moses But seeing by the reproach of Christ is signified that calamity whereinto Moses cast himselfe and which he esteemed greater riches then the treasures of Egypt there must needs be some trope in those words For properly the Reproach of Christ is that which Christ himselfe suffereth But by way of Metaphor it may signifie a Reproach like unto that which was sometime suffered by Christ or his people who are sometime tearmed by the name of Christ or the Reproach which he suffers who bears the type of Christ or his people Such was the Reproach of the Israelites in Egypt that is their extreme affliction and oppression joyned with much shame and disgrace Now Moses would rather become a partner of this calamity by professing himselfe an Israelite then to possesse the treasures of Egypt For whereas some imagine that Moses is said in this place to have suffered for Christs sake this is a fond conceit As if Pharaoh had ever thought of Christ or had therefore persecuted Moses because hee professed himselfe a Christian and not rather an Israelite Yet wee are to take notice that this metaphor here either in both the words joyned together namely the reproach of Christ or in the single word of Christ so as Christ in this place may be taken for the type or image of Christ And Christ whose type and image is here signified will bee either Christ himselfe or the people of Christ who as we have said are sometime noted and included in the name of Christ as 1 Cor. 12.12 So also is Christ and Gal. 3.16 and to thy seed which is Christ In which places it is most certaine that by the name of Christ is signified the people of Christ joyntly with Christ their head But that people of Israel were a type of both these both of Christ himselfe and of all Christian people For hence it is that in a mysticall sense that is referred to Christ which in a literall sense was spoken of the Israelites Out of Egypt have I called my Son Hos 11.1 and Mat. 2 15. Therefore this people of Israel in bearing this type both of Christ Christians might very fitly by this Author be called Christ But as we said there may be a Metaphor in both the words conjoyned the Reproach of Christ and so the reproach of the Israelites in Egypt may be called the reproach of Christ because in like manner it beares a type and image of the reproach both of Christ and of Christians by reason of Christ For so the Author was pleased to speak that he might speak with reference to the afflictions of Christians who must properly and truly beare the reproach of Christ for the hope of an exceeding reward from God which phrase the Author useth afterward Chap. 13.13 For comparisons and allusions as we have often noted are subject to many abusions or improprieties For hee had respect unto the recompence of the reward Here he shews the cause and ground from whence the faith of Moses grew was one or both the principles of faith mentioned in the first verse he had an evidence or sight of something unseen he saw the unseen recompence of reward which God would bestow on him for his esteem of the Reproach of Christ and he had a subsistence of a thing hoped for in that he hoped for the recompence of reward which sight and hope composed and framed his faith and are both signified in the word respect whereby he both saw and hoped for the recompence of reward And his faith built upon these two grounds made him doe and suffer hard things for Gods sake from whom he expected his reward for such is the generall nature of faith to encourage and support us under hard and heavy attempts 27. By faith he forsooke Egipt not fearing the wrath of the King He mentions here another effect of the faith of Moses And this may bee understood first of that flight of Moses out of Egypt after he had professed himselfe an Israelite not only in words but by the slaughter of an Egyptian doing wrong to an Israelite Exod. 2,15 In which flight especially the faith of Moses appeared because by his flight he hoped that by Gods helpe he should escape and that the wrath of so great and so potent a King who as one said truly have long hands should not hurt him having avoyded the danger by flying and being at a great distance out of the Kings reach he feared not the wrath of the King for so only wee must understand his not fearing of the Kings wrath For otherwise in the forecited place of Exod. 2.14 it is written that Moses did feare and because he feared therefore he fled But after that when he was fled then he feared not For he endured as seeing him who is invisible Here he more fully declares the faith of Moses and to shew the perfection of it doth explicate both the effect and the cause of it The effect of it was that thereby he endured that is hee voluntarily underwent a grievous banishment and constantly bore it and cared not so much to be reconciled to the King as to live in banishment despoyled of all his former dignity though hee could no where subsist safe or secure And the cause of his faith was his evidence or sight of a person unseen for he saw God who is invisible which sight built up his faith in God Yet this whole verse may bee referred to that fact of Moses when returning by Gods command from his flight and banishment into Egypt and doing there so many strange miracles that the King mastered with divers plagues and at last hardly dismissing the people he departed out of Egypt with all the Israelites as their Leader and Captaine which act he did by faith because he feared not that the King incensed with wrath as is usually done in the
like case should collect all his forces and pursuing him and the people should assault them by force of armes and utterly destroy those with war and slaughter whom before he could not keepe in bondage And this will be the more fitly done if we referre it to his purpose and preparation for his departure out of Egypt with the people For in the verse following the Author mentions the keeping of the Passeover which preceded the departure of the Israelites from Egypt And it is very probable that the Author observed the order of time He endured that is he was not discouraged at the troubles and crosses which hindred the departure of the people out of Egypt partly by the offence of so great a King and partly by the complaints of the people who were thereupon the more oppressed For to endure doth properly signifie perseverance and constancie in matters of difficulty and trouble All this he performed with such a courage of minde as if before his eyes he had seen that God who cannot be seene that is as we have said so fully confiding in God that neither doubted the assistance of God nor the successe of the action 28. Through faith he kept the Passeover and the sprinkling of bloud Another proofe of the faith of Moses in performing and keeping the Passeover For to what end and purpose did he this but because hee was most certaine by his rest upon the promise of God that by this meanes all the first-borne of Israel should be preserved from that destruction which should fall upon the first-born of Egypt The sprinkling of bloud was done by the bloud of the Lambe slaine for the Passeover which being taken in a bason and a bunch of hysop dipped in it was sprinkled upon the lintell and the two side-posts of the doors to those houses where the Passeover was eaten whereof see Exod. 12.13.33 Lest he that destroyed the first-borne should touch them The destroyer was that Angell of God who by Gods command was to destroy in one night all the first-borne of Egypt throughout their single houses For although in the 12. Chap. of Exod. it be severall times said that the Lord would passe over the land of Egypt and destroy the first-borne yet in the same Chap. ver 23. God is manifestly distinguished from that destroyer whereby it appears that God brought this destruction upon Egypt by the Ministerie and service of an Angell 29. By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry land Hitherto the Author hath produced examples of faith from single persons onely but now he would shew the effects and fruits of faith in a more popular and publique consideration as it may be seated in the Church or people of God yet not universally so as no single person should have no defect of faith but generally for the most part or major part And although of the faith here mentioned the Author speake impersonally they passed not naming who they were yet the context doth clearly shew us that the impersonall they must be referred to the persons of Moses and the Israelites because they only were the persons that passed through the red Sea So the faith here specified was seated in Moses yet not in him singly and exclusively but in Moses joyntly with the Israelites or people of God whose faith herein concurred with the faith of Moses though therein the faith of Moses was singularly eminent for he smote the waters so faithfully with his rod that upon the stroake they were divided and he was the leader and perswader of the people to their passage But the faith of the people was but generall for the most or major part for some of them did hardly or very weakly beleeve Of this publike or common faith the Author mentions two effects whereof the first is the passage of the Israelites through the red Sea as by dry land That arme of the Sea which they passed is in the Hebrew called Suph that is the Rushie sea because of the Bul-rushes therein abounding but why among other nations it is called the red sea Interpreters agree not whether it be from the rednesse of the water or the rednesse of the sand both by the shore and in the deepe or from king Erytha whose name signifies red and sometime possessed that Sea neither is the knowledge of the thing any way materiall This Sea the waters of it being divided on each hand they passed as by dry land The word land is not in the Greek but must be understood according to the Hebrew phrase usuall amongst them as it is in divers passages of the Psalmes and Mat. 23.15 The causes of this their faith was their evidence or sight of a thing unseen and their subsistence of a thing hoped for for God had promised them a passage thorow the middest of this Sea as safe as on dry ground Exod. 14.15,16 The truth of this promise being unseen they saw and hoped for and therefore they beleeved it Which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned The other effect of their faith upon the Egyptians or rather an effect of defect of faith in the Egyptians who having in them no true faith at all but presumption enough and too much rashnesse would needs imitate the fact of Gods faithfull people and in their presumption assaying to passe the red Sea as the faithfull had done before them were therein drowned And that fact which to the faithfull was a meanes of their salvation was destruction to unbeleevers who would seeme to be faithfull For the drowning of the Egyptians in that Sea was an effect of the Israelites faith because they had a sight of it unseen for God had promised the Israelites upon their passage thorow the red Sea not only salvation to themselves but destruction to the Egyptians whom they should never see more Exod. 14.13 For hereby the Israelites saw that destruction of the Egyptians which was not yet seene and therefore did beleeve the truth of it whereupon followed the effect of it 30. By faith the walles of Iericho fell downe after they were compassed about seven dayes Having amply exemplified the faith of Moses who was the first Captaine over Gods people to bring them out of Egypt now he seconds Moses with the faith of Joshua who was the second Captaine of that people to give them entrance and possession in the land of Canaan yet this is so intended of Joshua as the people also are joyned in faith with him for they also did partake both in the action and benefit of this faith The action or fact of this faith was the Compassing about of Iericho seven dayes Jericho was a fortified towne so strongly defended or shut up as the Scripture termes it that it was impregnable and the Israelites had no hope to take it by assault and because it was a frontier towne to the land of Canaan therefore unlesse they first take Jericho they can have no passage to march further into the