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
can want his care for feeding ruling and defending and lastly seeing he so feeds his sheep that he recovers them from the jaws of death and hell and settles them in possession of the Kingdome of Heaven Through the bloud of the everlasting Covenant These words must not be referred to the words brought again but must be construed with the word shepheard And a shepheard by or through bloud is such a shepheard as had shed his bloud for so we read 1 John 5.6 That Christ came by water and bloud not by water only but by water and bloud that is he was not only pure and clear from all spot or stain of sinne which purity is signified by the word water but also that he suffered a bloudy death by shedding of his bloud The Author had intimated before that this great Shepheard was dead in saying that God brought him againe from the dead but now he further shewes not onely the manner of his death that it was violent cruell and bloudy but also the cause of his death to what end he dyed which end tendeth to our infinite benefit namely to confirme and seale the everlasting covenant For the bloud of the Covenant is that bloud which is shed to dedicate establish and confirme the Covenant that it may never be revokeable But the Author understands the new Covenant which was confirmed by the bloud of Christ Whence wee may easily collect how certaine and sure we may be of the promises contained in that Covenant if we performe the conditions of it which are most just and equall When he calls this Covenant everlasting he tacitly opposeth it to the old covenant by Moses which was not to continue to the end of the world therfore was not properly everlasting And by the eternity of this Covenant that it is everlasting is withall intimated the perfection of it for if it were not perfect it could not be everlasting as the former old covenant was not everlasting because it was not perfect but weake and unprofitable and therefore it was disanulled and abolished as the Author said before chap. 7.18 For there is verily a disanulling of the commandement going before for the weakenesse and unprofitablenesse thereof And what is said of one commandement or precept may well be referred to the whole covenant Besides the eternity of this covenant is mentioned of purpose to advance our comfort and strengthen our hope for whereas it is called everlasting that shews that it shall not onely produce his full effect but also shall last to the end of the world Our Lord Iesus In these words the Author points out the person whom we must understand to be that great Shepheard namely no other then our Lord Jesus that is our Lord who is Jesus so that our Lord holds the place of the subject and the name Jesus is added to declare who is meant by our Lord. By which appellation the Author teacheth us what a great Shepheard Jesus is seeing he is our Lord constituted so by God his Father who brought him againe from the dead That onely Lord by whom are all things and we by him whom wee must worship with God the Father Yet in all this pathetick and stately description of our Lord Jesus the Author signifies nothing more unto us then what was formerly contained in his appellation of high Priest so frequently attributed unto him in this Epistle From all which what great hope and comfort wee may gather to our soules need not here bee repeated 21. Make you perfect in every good worke Now he expresseth the wish it selfe which is wholly concerning their owne duty For to attaine eternall happinesse nothing else is required on our part but to performe our duty according as it is enjoyned us To make them perfect in every good worke is so to enable them that no good worke office or Christian vertue be wanting in them and that they be wanting in no good worke to performe it perfunctorily unwillingly or disaffectedly especially in point of temptation and matter of persecution wherein because it is for the triall of their faith Patience must have her perfect worke as S. James requires it Jam. 1.4 To doe his will The particle to here doth not signifie the finall cause because to be perfect in every good worke and to doe the will of God are really the same thing and therefore these can neither be the end nor the meanes one of another But this particle is here explicative to the former words and is all one with so as for he that is perfect in every good worke or Christian vertue he truly and properly doth the will of God Working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight He expresseth the way or meanes whereby God is to make them perfect in every good worke namely by working in them that which is well-pleasing in his sight That which pleaseth God is every good worke And God worketh a good worke in us when he exciteth and moveth us to it and preventeth us with his grace while we thinke not of it when hee ministreth unto us sufficient strength and helpe thereto suggesteth occasions unto us and lastly when he cherisheth and perfecteth it in us And not that he worketh in us without our worke that is while we are unwitting unwilling or idle but while we are willing endeavouring and acting For otherwise there were neither need nor reason that the Author should exhort us with so many monitions incitements and precepts unto godlinesse whereto he with good reason also added his wish to teach us that we must joyne Gods helpe with our endeavours and our endeavours with his helpe Through Iesus Christ It is doubtfull whether these words must hee joyned with the word working or with the words well-pleasing to shew us what is well-pleasing in the sight of God namely that which is done through Iesus Christ and by him commanded to be done So Peter 1 Epist 2.5 when he had said that wee must offer spirituall sacrifices acceptable unto God added also by Jesus Christ shewing us thereby what those sacrifices are namely no other then what are commanded in the Religion of Jesus Christ For those words in Peter seeme rather to bee referred to acceptable then to offered although the latter may be admitted To whom be glory for ever and ever The pronoune to whom is placed so indifferently by the Author that it may be referred both unto God in the former verse and to Jesus Christ mentioned immediately before And the Author seemes to have ordered it so of purpose and to reserve the mention of Christ for the last place that with this one doxology he might celebrate and magnifie both persons both God and Christ For he that is a true Christian cannot be ignorant that glory for ever and ever must be ascribed no lesse unto Christ then unto God himselfe Whereof reade what is written Revel 5.12,13 Whence also Peter concludes his 2. Epistle with the like
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
may sway him so to grant something that if he grant it not wee may well say he deals unequally and hardly In this latter way God may seem to be said unrighteous if he should be so unmindfull of vertues both past and present if he should presently reject men though otherwise worthy of reprobation if God should deale with them according to his Law and no way expect their repentance but wholly exclude them from all addresse to his clemency mercy especially if it appear not that there are some prevalent causes which restraine God from shewing mercy as in case he be to shew herein some example of his judgment For God must not presently be said unrighteous if he deal somewhat severely with one or two but then when he usually doth it or doth it with whole Churches Wherefore the Author brings not here any demonstrative or convictive reason or such as that God might not lawfully do otherwise without the aspersion of unrighteousnes or iniquity properly so term'd but only a reason very probable drawn for the most part from the clemencie and mercy of God which is voluntary in him To forget your work and labor of love To speak properly forgetfulnes is not incident unto God but figuratively he is then said to forget when he hath no regard of a thing or doth that which men forgetfull doe Their work as it seems was the conflict they had in suffering afflictions from their first entrance into the faith of Christ as the Author speaks of them afterward chap. 10 32. Unto which work or conflict he subjoyns the labour of love for in the place last cited after that conflict which they endured the Author mentions their offices of charity which they exercised toward the Saints And it is not likely that in this place where especially their good works were to be mentioned the Author would passe over their noblest act which consisted in suffering for Christs cause For Paul hath joyned these two together the work of faith and labor of love 1 Th. 1 3. where by the work of faith he seems to understand their many sufferings for the truths sake For such a work grows immediatly from faith as labour and bounty toward the Saints springs only from love and is therefore called the labor of love And that patience which proceeds from hope is called the patience of hope because it argues constancie in suffering afflictions under hope of reward and is there added to the work of faith and labour of love Their labour of love was another act of theirs no lesse acceptable to God and no lesse remarkable in it selfe Labour of love is that labour which proceeds from love or that labour whereto love puts us and love makes any labour light and easie for nothing is more powerfull nothing more imperious then love And this labour is seen in helping him whom we love with all our strength power endeavor Which ye have shewed toward his name Their love toward God made them so deare to God that it would not suffer him to reject them and wholly exclude them from salvation And this love was shewed toward the name of God because they shewed it to no other end but with respect to Gods name How this was thus effected hee presently declares In that ye have ministred to the Saints and doe minister We shew love when we minister and we shew love toward the name of God when we minister to the Saints meerly therefore because they are Saints and consecrate unto God For he that ministreth to the Saints and shews love to the Saints therefore because they are Saints and beare the name of God he shews love toward the name of God as he that ministreth to a Disciple of Christ because he is his Disciple he ministreth to Christ himselfe As much as ye have done it saith Christ unto one of the least of these my brethren yee have done it unto me Mat. 25.40 This Ministery consisted herein that in the afflictions of the Saints the Hebrews were wanting to them in no good office but helped them in all things to their power as he expresseth it afterward chap. 10.33 that they became their companions in their afflictions And this is done when we esteem the affliction of an other to be in a manner our owne when we have a singular care of him and performe those offices unto him that wee would have performed to our selves if we were in his case And doe minister This vertue of ministering to the Saints was not yet quite ceased in them albeit it may be somewhat abated 11. And we desire Here he passeth to the other part of the chapter wherein he exhorts them to a diligent and constant course of godlinesse and admonisheth them never to faint in their faith and hope And he seemes here to take away a tacit objection that might settle in their mindes From his last former words they might be too much advanced in hope to believe that now all must needs goe well with them seeing God without being unrighteous could not forget the things they had done and suffered and did yet doe and suffer for Gods cause Lest they should fall to imagine this the Author shews them what he would have them yet doe and what he yet findes wanting in them if they meant to retaine and assured hope of salvation Hee proceeds very prudently with them when a little before hee seemed to have terrified them too much and to debarre them from all hope of salvation he againe erected them and shewed that he did not so conceive this but that he was perswaded better things of them And now againe lest they should be too confident of themselves and bee pussed up in minde and flatter themselves with an infallible hope of salvation he shews them their wants that being thus reduced to a temper that they might neither despair of salvation nor presume of it That every one of you do shew the same diligence He calls not only upon the whole Church in generall but upon each person singly to continue the same diligence and endeavor that they had done from their first reception of the Gospel To the full assurance of hope To be assured of a thing is to have a knowledge of it that it is thus or thus And a full assurance is a full and certain knowledge or as we vulgarly speak it is a certainty And a full assurance of hope is a certainty of those things that are the object or matter of our hope And the hope here ment is the Christian hope whose object is eternal salvation wherof our Christian hope is an expectation And this hope is advanced augmented by our constancy in faith and good works wherby it is daily more and more assured and the assurance of it daily made more full They had a hope of salvation grounded upon the promises of God and quickned by the worke they had done and yet did for Gods cause but a
narrowly and therein also the same things are expressed sometime more amply and sometime more briefly Whereof we must take notice for the better understanding and reconciling of severall places So the word Faith is sometime taken so narrowly that salvation and justification is ascribed to it alone and sometime again more largely to comprise other vertues in it sometime more sometime fewer according as the sense of the word is extended or restrained I will put my lawes into their minde and write them in their hearts Here he begins to describe the new Covenant q.d. In the old Covenant I wrote some of my Lawes in tables of stone and Moses wrote other some in a booke and they were put in the Arke to be kept there But my new Covenant shall not be according to that way but by it I will write my Laws in their hearts and put them in their mindes to be kept there They shall not be arbitrary and positive Lawes flowing from my sole will and pleasure whereof their hearts can conceive no reason and whereof their memories may easily faile such as were most Lawes in my former Covenant but they shall be only naturall Lawes grounded only upon naturall honesty and upon the dictates of right reason that their mindes may easily conceive them and their memories retaine them And their owne consciences shall acknowledge them to be convenient just right and good And besides they shall not have a bare understanding of my Lawes to know them but an hearty affection to doe them Now because Gods Covenant is described in these words therefore hence it appeares that this writing of Gods Laws in mens minds and hearts dependes and proceeds from the nature of the Covenant And therefore these words must bee taken within their force and efficacie and not necessarily extended to the very effect of the writing which is alway left in the free power of man For this is intimated unto us by the following words of God at the 12. verse wherein God opens unto us the cause manner or meanes of this which containeth wonderfull grace and mercy of God offered to his people for by this means he saith it would come to passe that they would serve him and keep his Laws with so great fervency But this way Gods Laws are written upon none but willing hearts The sense therefore is I will make such a Covenant that shall have sufficient force and power to containe my people in their duties For to have Gods Laws written in our mindes and hearts is nothing else but to be so knowing so mindfull and so affected with them that we never decline from them but alwayes observe them with all our endeavour And I will be to them a God This follows from the former as the former clause opposite to this and I regarded them not followed from the people 's not continuing in his Covenant which in like manner is opposed to the writing of Gods Laws in mens hearts For God to be a God unto us is to be our sovereigne Protector to defend us from all evill and to be our sovereigne Benefactor to accumulate us with all his blessings And they shall be to me a people Either this is really the same with the former and an amplification of it consisting of a mutuall relation such as we had before in these words I will be to him a father and he shall be to me a son chap. 1.5 Or else it is as much as if the Author had said And they shall deale by me as my people ought to doe both of us shall performe our parts respectively I by protecting and benefiting them they by worshipping and serving me 11. And they shall not teach every man his neighbour and every man his brother saying Know the Lord They shall not need to admonish and exhort one another first to know my lawes and decrees and after upon knowledge thereof to observe them but all of them shall bee carried with such alacrity of minde to know and obey mee that none shall need any remembrancer to put him in minde of it Neighbour and brother are taken here for the same for in the Law these three names are coincident neighbour brother and friend See Lev. 19.18 For all shall know me from the least to the greatest Here againe God speaks of the efficacie of this Covenant and not of the effect it selfe for it shall be able to produce an universall knowledge of God though in some single persons it produce it not actually All of al sorts from the least age to the greatest yong old from the least state to the greatest poor and rich and from the least degree to the greatest low and high 12. For I will be mercifull to their unrighteousnesse and their sinnes and their iniquities will I remember no more Here God opens unto us the cause of his ardent affection towards us and withall unfolds the nature of this Covenant namely that therein he will be mercifull to all the sinnes of his people to their unrighteousnesses their transgressions and iniquities and will never remember them more This so great a benefit must needs oblige all mens mindes and in a manner constraine them to consecrate themselves wholly unto God and constantly to persist in the daily observation of his Lawes Which effect seeing every remission of sinne cannot produce therefore we must here understand such a one as hath the power to doe it namely a plenary and perfect remission whereby such as are truly and seriously penitent and afterward live holily are released from the guilt or bond of all their former sinnes not only in respect of temporall punishment and death but also of eternall death and withall eternall life is ordained for them For this remission of sinnes adding the condition of repentance hath this vertue and power in it to withdraw men from sinne and for the future to devote themselves to God The words unrighteousnesse sins and iniquities doe in like manner teach us that this remission is plenary and perfect extended to all manner of sinnes even the most heynous Hence we see that this plenary remission of sinnes is a promise proper to the new Covenant For in these words is evidently proved what he said before concerning the new Covenant that it was established upon better promises then the old This is the mysticall sense of those words of the Prophet the literall sense was that God would deliver the people of the Jewes from the captivity of Babylon and would so blot out their former wickednesse and foule sinnes that hee would acquit them from all further temporall punishments for them for which so great benefit the people must needs bee marveilously bound to God and induced to serve him constantly for ever after But this sense is far too slender to answer fully and solidly unto words of so high a nature For at that time to speake properly God neither made any new Covenant different from the former neither was
Jonas and by the fact of the Queen of the South who came from far to hear the wisdome of Solomon the contumacie and obstinacie of the Jewes is convinced who despised Christ that was present among them and by many degrees greater and wiser then either Jonas or Solomon Whence it came to passe that they were most justly punished of God In like manner Noah by his Faith and by his Arke which was an evidence of his faith convicted the obstinacie of that world and brought it to passe that with very good justice God punished it And as by his faith and the effect of it which was the Arke he procured condemnation to the world so to himselfe he procured righteousnesse for so it followes And became heire of the righteousnes which is by faith Righteousnesse is not here taken in a morall sense for that righteousnesse which flows from good workes but in a jurall sense for that right whereby a man hath a title to have hold and enjoy some benefit or blessing from God or for a right of liberty whereby a man stands exempted and freed from those burthens and punishments whereto others are liable for so it is taken in divers passages of Scripture especially in Pauls Epistles and so it must be taken here as plainly appeares from two grounds First from the opposition of it to the word condemned in the former clause For as to be condemned is to be adjudged to bee deprived of some benefit and to lose that right which a man had before whether it be losse of life limb or goods so on the contrary to be justified is to have some benefit adjudged unto him or be invested in a right to that whereto before he had no right nor title And as the condemnation of the world consisted in the judgement of God sentencing the people of it to lose their lives by drowning in the floud so the righteousnesse or right of Noah consisted in the grant of God whereby God gave Noah a right that he and his house should bee saved from that floud by means of the Arke and Noah accepting of this grant by his faith to beleeve it and rest upon it had thereby a right of salvation to himselfe and his House 2. From the consequence of it to the word heire for men are not heires of morall righteousnesse because such righteousnesse is not a thing transient to be conveyed from one person to another and consequently is no way inheritable but men are heires of jurall rights to those persons that have the propertie or power to dispose convey and grant such rights unto others God granted Noah a right and title for him and his family to be saved from the flood by meanes of the Arke and because Noah accepted of this grant by his faith and testified his acceptance of it by his fact in preparing the Ark therefore he was heire to this right and did inherit or possesse it for heire is a jurall word and signifies one that hath a right whether in posse onely or in esse But from this right of being saved all the rest of the world was disinherited i. They were condemned to bee drowned And it is called a righteousnesse or right by faith because the right hee had thus to bee saved proceeded from Gods speciall grant of Gods meere grace and proper motion without any desert of it or suit for it on the part of Noah For it is opposed to a right by workes or to that right which is due by desert of works or service The Author therfore would intimate unto us that Noah had no right by any works of his to deserve this benefit of saving to him and his house but all the right he had came by his faith on his part but from the grace and favour of Gods grant on Gods part which Noah accepting by his faith was thereby setled upon him And it is opposed to a right by petition or suit which hath the first motion from the partie that petitioneth or sueth for it and thereupon is granted though then also it be granted of meere grace and favour in him that conferres it And thereby the Authour would further intimate unto us that Noah on his part made no petition or suit to God for this benefit for him and his family to be saved and therefore the first motion to have this right proceeded not from Noah but God of his meere and proper motion without any suit made to him proposed this benefit unto Noah and promised him the grant of it freely and primely from himselfe as appears in the sacred story where the thing is at large related Gen. 6.13 where wee read that first God told Noah of the sin of the world and then foretold him of the drowning of it next taught him to frame the Arke and lastly Covenanted with him to save him and his family in it Thus wee see the faith of Noah and the effects of it but what were the causes of it to effect and breed this faith in him We shall finde by inspection into the words of this verse that Noah had in him the two principles of faith whereof wee spake in the first verse For he had an evidence or sight of a thing unseene for God had revealed and forewarned him of the flood which thing to him was yet unseen And he had in him a subsistence of a thing hoped for for God had Covenanted with him and promised him to save him and his family in the Ark which salvation he hoped for So his fore-sight of the flood to come and his hope of being saved from it by the Arke were the causes to produce in him that faith whereby he was moved to feare the flood and to prepare the Arke 8. By faith Abraham when he was called to goe out into a place which hee should after receive for an inheritance obeyed and hee went out not knowing whither he went The fourth example is of Abraham the Father of the faithfull upon whom the Authour doth much inlarge himselfe relating many evidences and proofes of his faith To Abraham he subjoynes Isaac and Jacob in those particulars that were common to them And of Abrahams faith he mentions divers effects and benefits as his invincible courage and constancie that wee might labour to imitate him and expresse the neerest resemblance of it wee can as it becomes them who professe themselves the children of Abraham The first effect of his faith was his obedience for when God called and commanded him to goe out of his countrey unto a place which God would shew him Abraham obeyed without any scruple or delay and went out not knowing whither hee went And the causes or reasons of this faith were as in the former persons First an evidence or sight of a thing unseene for God told him of a place or countrey which was yet unseen of him And secondly a subsistence of a thing hoped for for God had promised him that hee should
he that shall consult the Sacred history and shall diligently both reade and relect it shall finde nothing either written or any way intimated concerning that matter But this divine Author relating examples from the holy Scriptures upon their authority and infallibility seemes not to say or affirme any particular concerning those holy Elders but what is grounded upon the holy Scriptures Yet that Abraham Isaac and Jacob had a hope not onely of some life and happinesse after death but also of a City which hath foundations that is of heaven it selfe and that heavenly happinesse which shall never determine or have end and upon that hope did undergoe all the travels and troubles of a continuall pilgrimage to leade alwayes an uncertaine and flitting life this the holy Scriptures have no where discovered Yea rather what hopes Abraham sometime had in this respect it may hence appeare in that while he was yet destitute of children when God spake to him and said Feare not Abraham I am thy shield and thy exceeding great reward Abraham answered Lord God what wilt thou give me seeing I go childlesse and the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus and behold one borne in my house is mine heire Gen. 15.1,2 Doth it not hence appeare that the summe of all Abrahams desires came to this that hee might leave behinde him a sonne and heire of his owne body seeing he abounded already in all other goods and riches For if at that time he had with any firme hope conceived of heaven it selfe and the everlasting happinesse thereof when God promised him an exceeding great reward would he have answered Lord God what wilt thou give me For in these words he signified that God had already abundantly rewarded him and given him goods in a full measure and to promise him more was to no purpose seeing he had no childe of his owne to whom hee might leave his estate Whence it appeares that Abraham extended not that exceeding great reward which God promised him beyond the goods and happinesse of this life Wherefore it is more likely that in these words of Abrahams expectance the Author intended not to give a reason why Abraham indured with such constancie the toyles of a continuall pilgrimage and of a life alwayes unsetled but rather of the event as we said why God gave Abraham no possession in that land to inherit as his owne proper right granted him no City to dwell in nor seat where to settle himselfe but would have him dwell in tents with his sonne and grand-childe Namely because as afterward at the sixteenth verse the Author saith God had prepared for him a City infinitly greater and better then all the land of promise with all the Cities in it And the promises of God made to Abraham and his seed doe in the mysticall sense containe this spirituall happinesse and heavenly inheritance And in the same sense the seed of Abraham doth signifie the seed of all the faithfull who follow the faith of Abraham For both these senses are taught us by the Apostle Rom. 4.11,12,13 and Gal. 3.7 and Gal. 4 22. Therefore Abraham expected or looked for a City which hath foundations rather by reason of the event and purpose of God then from any intent and purpose of his owne whereby he might seem to fore know it For in this sense we many times attribute expectation to a thing so this Author Chap. 10. ver 27. saith that to them who sinne willingly there remaines a certaine fearfull expectation or looking for of judgement whereas if we referre this to their intent and purpose of minde sinners most times expect and looke for nothing lesse then the punishment of their sinnes Abraham then is therefore said to looke for this City because this City was by Gods decree reserved and appointed for him and because his faith was so constant in God neither broken nor shaken with any travels or troubles and his whole course of life was such as theirs is who relying upon Gods promise do really expect this heavenly City as a reward of their labours Whereof the first is spoken by way of Metonymie putting the effect for the cause and this latter is said by way of Metaphor This City the Author opposeth to Tabernacles and Tents and the matter is not great to live a while in a Tent that afterward we may live for ever in a City And it is a City that hath foundations By which attribute Heaven is opposed not only to Tabernacles or Tents which have no foundations but to all Cities which though they have foundations yet in comparison of Heaven they have none because they have none such And hereby is signified unto us the firmnesse and strength of our heavenly City which no force no tract of time no change of things can possibly shake or move which shall not be ruined by the ruine of that heaven and earth which to us is visible whereof see the Author afterward Chap. 12. ver 26 27 28. Whose builder and maker is God Certainly that City must needs be most stable ample most beautifull and plentifull of all happinesse which had such a builder and such a maker as God to found and raise it He opposeth God to men who are the founders and builders of all earthly Cities And therefore this City must needs be so divine and heavenly so firme and strong that no hand of man can prevaile against it Cities built by men by men may be destroyed and many times are so but the City whereof God is the builder and maker is secure and safe from all hazard 11. By faith also Sara her selfe received strength to receive seed and was delivered of a child when she was past age It may here be doubted whether the Author doth speak here of the faith of Sarah or of Abraham as he first began and afterward goes on The former of these seems to be gathered first from the words of the Author when hee saith Sarah her selfe For it seems as much as if he had said Not only Abraham but also Sarah her selfe by faith received strength So that he joynes Sarah with Abraham in respect of her faith Secondly because the words She judged him faithfull which follow in the next clause of this verse seem to be referred to the next antecedent which is Sarah But the latter opinion seems perswasible First because the Author first began and afterward proceeds to speake of the faith of Abraham Secondly because the sacred History mentions not the faith of Sarah when Isaac was promised but rather the Scripture seems to mention something contrary to her faith for shee laughed within her selfe saying After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure my Lord being old also and the Angell questioned Abraham upon it to know the cause of it saying Wherefore did Sarah laugh Is any thing too hard for the Lord Gen. 18.12,13 Whence also Paul discoursing upon the same point mentions only the strength of Abrahams
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
number For temptation is a thing generall and common to all who suffer persecutions for righteousnesse sake And withall temptation doth imply the constancie of them who are tempted But if we must needs read it they were tempted then we must understand it of some particular kinde and forme of temptation wherewith persons in distresse might easily bee overcome and drawne from their constancie as for example when a man is follicited to some fained act or to some ambiguous words by promising him safety and some good rewards besides to condescend to this that though he will not truly recede from his former way yet that he seem to recede from it For after this manner we read Eleazer was temped Now for a man to overcome such a temptation by lending no care nor minde unto it but rather dye a cruell death then to staine the reputation of his confession and constancie with the least shew of dissembling is a great and a brave conquest They wandred about in sheeps skins and goats skins For they had no means to procure other garment or covering for their body and therefore he presently addes being destitute afflicted tormented This is the reason why they wandred about and why in sheeps skins and goats skins because they were destitute of all worldly provision and in all places where they came were afflicted and tormented and therefore they wandred from place to place in that despicable and poore manner All which miseries happened unto them in the times of the Maccabes under the persecution of the cruell Antiochus 38. Of whom the world was not worthy they wandred in deserts and in mountaines and in dens and caves of the earth The Author interposeth the former words of this verse to shew the indignity of the usage and foulnesse of the injury which the wicked inflicted upon the true servitors of God As if he had said these good men were constrained to wander like wilde beasts and to hide themselves like wilde beasts in desarts and mountaines in holes and caves of the earth but among men in Townes and Cities they could have no abode though for their piety and faith toward God they were of such worth and respect that the inhabitants of the whole world were unworthy of them Of this carriage Christians especially ought to take notice when they see worthy persons to be vexed banished afflicted and slaughtered of the unworthy good men of evill and the innocent of the wicked For as the Author would intimate unto us it may be that the world herein did in a manner punish her selfe in that shee persecuted and banished such holy persons and drave them away from her of whose conversation and company she was altogether unworthy 39. And these all having obtained a good report through faith received not the promise The word all seems in the intention of the Author to be chiefly referred to those persons last mentioned who for the love of Gods Law suffered such great calamities For the former persons mentioned before them obtained some promises of God as rewards of their faith but these latter that were persecuted and slain for the testimony of Gods Law had none And yet all their faith who were mentioned in the former place was not such a faith as to be of it self a saving faith or such an one which could procure them eternall life which the Author here understands by the name of the promise unlesse something else were added particularly that faith which concerns only wars or had some certaine thing proposed for the matter of it as the recovery of their health or the raising of their dead children to life and which was perpetuall in them working in them that had it true righteousnesse and piety for there is no cogent reason constraining us to affirme that it was such a faith See what the Author hath affirmed ver 33 34 35. A good report part through faith They obtained the praise and commendation of their faith in the Scriptures See ver 2. through faith Partly because their faith was the cause why they performed such worthy acts as deserved great praise and commendation Partly because such a notable faith in God was of it selfe the cause and matter of that good report and commendation Received not the promise The article the doth shew that some excellent promise is here designed out namely that which is peculiar and proper unto Christians which hath none greater and more excellent then it selfe the promise I meane of that truly blessed and eternall life which though it were not openly promised to them but only to us yet it shall be given to them as well as to us But the word promise is taken here materially for the thing promised 40. God having provided some better thing for us Hee addes here the cause why they have not yet received the promise For the Hebrews might thinke that God in this respect had not dealt so well with them that they had not yet received the reward of their faith workes and sufferings The Author therefore meets with such surmifes and shews it was done for this reason because God had provided some better thing for us A question But here it may be demanded wherein our condition is the better in that they might not receive that promise nor bee perfected without us For if they had received eternall happinesse before would the summe of our happinesse have been any thing the lesse Or is our happinesse any thing the greater because they are made to stay for it The Answer to this may be twofold and according to the twofold Answer there will arise a twofold sense of these words Answer 1. The first Answer is That God would herein provide for our dignity and make our happinesse the more illustrious For although if we regard the thing it self nothing would either be taken from our happines if they had obtained eternall life without us or before us or will now accrue unto it that they have it not without us but together with us yet respectively and comparatively we should have been far inferiour unto them if they without staying for us had been long since invested in heavenly joyes But now seeing they are constrained to stay for us and may not enjoy that promise before us hence appears that the dignity of Christians is very great and that their happinesse is made much more conspicuous seeing there are none who can seeme to obscure it by preventing it with a fuller or more early happinesse And certainly very convenient it was that God should so provide for it that they who had obeyed him only according to the ordinances of Moses should not prevent in happinesse those who compose their lives and manners according to the perfect Law and discipline of Christ and that they who never had any open promise of eternall life should enjoy that life before them who had an open and cleare Covenant for it But rather seeing by Gods goodnesse they were to
heaven and earth And againe the Lord shall judge his people Againe is in the same place which was cited before And in the word Lord lies the Emphasis and force of the argument For if the Lord himself who is the most high God shall judge his people who sees not but that the judgement must needs be most heavy and fearfull To judge here signifies to condemne and punish In Deuteronomie as we said is signified by these words that the Lord would avenge his people upon their enemies from the oppressions and wrongs done to his people But the Author following the more frequent use and sense of those words in other passages of the Scriptures hath applyed them to the punishment of Gods people falling from their faith and obedience For it is no lesse true that the Lord will punish his owne people if they bee refractory and rebellious against him then that he would judge and avenge their cause and vindicate them from injuries if they were wrongfully oppressed And the words his people doe also argue the fearfulnesse of the judgement For it is great reason that the people of God if they shall presume to be rebellious and obstinate against God should suffer a heavier punishment then other men And they are here called the people of God who are disobedient and obstinate because they have received the knowledge of God and of his truth and in that respect stand obliged to God in a peculiar manner Besides the appellations or names of things do often remaine when the true ground or cause of the name is altered and gone 31. It is a fearfull thing to fall into the hands of the living God This is as it were the major Proposition of the Authors Argument whereby he would make it appeare that the punishment of the persons forementioned will be very grievous and fearfull For he reasoneth thus To fall into the hands of the living God is a fearfull thing but these men fall into the hands of the living God seeing as we have heard already God himselfe will doe judgement and execution upon them And therefore their punishment must needs be fearfull But hee puts the conclusion in the first place then the assumption and now he addes the major proposition which is of a knowne verity For what man is he that will not acknowledge how fearfull a thing it is to fall into the hands of the living God because the living God can punish far more fearfully then mortall men can doe Why God is called living wee have shewed before Chap. 9.14 But we must note that the Author speaks here of that punishment whereby God puts men to everlasting destruction and doth it in his wrath and not of that chastisement which God sometime inflicts for the good of his people For it is farre better to be chastised and corrected from God himselfe and from his owne hand then to be left to the pleasure of wicked men as David testifies 2 Sam. 24.14 32. But call to remembrance the former dayes Hee brings here a new argument whereby he perswades the Hebrewes to constancie and perseverance in the Christian Religion and he drawes it from their former constancie and vertue which they shewed at the beginning when first they received the Christian Faith In which after ye were illuminated Christ is severall times called the light and the true light because he brought into the world by the publishing of the Gospel that knowledge of God which doth truly illuminate and enlighten us not only in respect of that naturall ignorance that growes up with men concerning God but in respect of that revealed knowledge which under the first Covenant was but darke and shady for the Gospell doth reveale unto us those mysteries which did before lye hid for since the vaile of the old Sanctuary was rent we now have liberty to looke into the heavenly Sanctuary where by faith wee see and know many mysteries especially touching the expiation of our sinnes and salvation of our soules Of which truth when we receive the knowledge we are said to be illuminated And this illumination is the first act of our entrance into Covenant with God for thereby it is that we are made acquainted with the sacred contents of the Covenant So that Illuminated here is all one with receiving the knowledge of the truth before ver 26. Yee endured a great fight of afflictions To endure afflictions for Christ and not decline them but patiently and stoutly to goe through the triall of them is a great conflict or fight 33. Partly while ye were made a gazing stocke both by reproaches and afflections Reproaches and afflictions are put for all sorts of persecutions whereof these two are the chiefe kindes for reproaches are those persecutions whereby a mans reputation credit or good name is vexed and afflictions are those whereby men suffer in their bodies and goods as by sines imprisonments and punishments And reproaches and afflictions are the means whereby Gods people are made a gazing stocke or a spectacle for men to looke at Yet it is not necessary wee should take this word properly as if the Hebrews had been condemned by publicke decree of the Magistrate and in the sight of all men brought upon a Scaffold there to suffer punishment or to be branded with reproaches which notwithstanding did many times befall the Christians But it may be taken metaphorically for those reproaches and afflictions in generall which were publickly known to all or were in a manner in all mens mouths as for example when a Christian was openly reviled or beaten or dragged through the streets or had his house by publicke authority and open force plundered and rifled And partly when ye became companions of them that were so used This is done when we take care and make provision for them who are reproached and afflicted when wee harbour them helpe and cherish them make their case our owne and professe our selves their brethren and companions Men are used to reproaches and afflictions when they many times and often suffer them and by reason of them are agitated vexed and tossed too and fro from place to place for so much is here signified by the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 34. For ye had compassion of me in my bonds and tooke joyfully the spoyling of your goods Here he declares both those particulars which in the verse going before he had expressed and attributed to them saving that he puts the latter in the first place and the former in the latter For the compassion they had belong to their accompanying of those who were reproached and afflicted because true compassion as in this place is meant signifies not a bare griefe of minde proceeding from anothers misery but therewithall includes the effects and deeds of a minde truly compassionate And the spoiling of their goods is referred to the reproches and afflictions which they suffered Knowing in your selves that ye have in heaven a better and an enduring
substance He expresseth the cause why they tooke the spoiling of their goods joyfully namely because they had learned from the Religion of Christ and thereby knew for certaine that a farre better estate and more lasting possessions yea everlasting were reserved for them in heaven for which these earthly and transitory goods are very gainefully exchanged especially when they are made away for Christs sake And the place where this excellent and everlasting estate is reserved is in Heaven which doth further argue the excellency and eternity of it for though Christians are sometimes spoiled of their goods which they have upon earth yet of those they have in heaven they neither shall nor can ever be spoiled For that in heaven can be no spoile neither by moth rust nor thiefe Christ teacheth us Mat. 6.20 Lay up for your selves treasures in heaven where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt and where theeves doe not breake through nor steale And this everlasting estate though it be in heaven yet the faithfull even while they are upon earth have it already though not for the possession of it for flesh and bloud cannot possesse it but for the expectation of it by faith and hope as sonnes and heires unto it for now they have the same right that the heire under age hath to his inheritance whereby they know beleeve and hope with full assurance that they shall possesse it 35. Cast not away therefore your confidence From the words precedent he inferres an exhortation that seeing they have gotten such a good report for their courage and constancy therefore they should not now be overcome with miseries and distresses and so turne from the right course of godlinesse whereinto they were now entered By confidence here he meanes either an undaunted courage of constancy of minde in professing the Christian Religion or else a full trust in God whereby we so rely upon him and are so certaine of our heavenly inheritance that we refuse the suffering of no evill Which hath great recompence of reward He brings a motive whereby to perswade his former exhortation that they should not castaway their confidence namely because their confidence should have a great recompence of reward and therefore it must not be idle and vaine least it should lose the reward for to idlenesse and vanity no reward can in equity be due but their confidence must be effectuall and painefull in the exercises of holinesse and good works that thereby they hold and keepe their title to the reward For though faith and not good workes do create as the title whereby wee have the reward yet good workes doe preserve or maintaine that title which was created by faith and by good works we hold our right to the reward and without them wee shall certainly lose the reward And besides these words have reference to the former verse wherein he shewed what this recompence of reward is namely an excellent and enduring substance in heaven 36. For ye have need of patience Here is another motive to perswade the former exhortation why they should not cast away their confidence but be patient under reproaches and afflictions even to the spoyling of their goods namely because they have need of patience Which may be taken in a double sence either with a check as if they wanted patience or without a check for to have need of a thing doth sometime imply a simple necessity of that thing whereby to attaine somewhat whether we have that thing or have it not sometime it implies a necessity joyned with the want of that thing That after ye have done the will of God ye might receiue the promise Hee expresseth the use and end of patience that he might shew to what purpose they have need of it And the use of patience is two fold the one more neere the other more remote which in respect of us is the last The neerer or former use of our patience is To do the will of God seeing patience it selfe is not the least part of Gods will and without it the other parts of godlinesse and consequently the rest of Gods will cannot throughly be performed The other use and last end of patience which followes from the former and without which this cannot subsist is to receive the promise or rather the matter promised which is the inheritance of the ever-enduring substance For they onely do at last receive the promise of God who first performe the will of God Wherefore without patience and constancy in suffering evils it is impossible as to performe the will of God so to receive the ever-enduring substance which is the promise of God 37. For yet a little while Another motive to stirre them up to patience in suffering urged by way of preventing an objection Some man might say It is an hard case for a man to lye under afflictions so long a time and to expect the promise whereof you speake after many ages To this the Author answers that the time allotted for our patience is not long but short for after a little while we shall receive the recompence or reward of our patience promised unto us and seeing this promise though it be delayed yet the delay is but for a little while therefore the delay of it should discourage no man or dishearten him under afflictions And he that shall come will come and will not tarry The time remaining for the comming of Christ is but a little while but very certaine for very certaine it is because he shall and will come and but a little while because he will not tarry The reward promised cannot be farre off and therefore wee must not be wearied with the expectation and stay of it for there is but a little while yet remaining for the comming of Christ and at his comming is the comming of the promised reward for he will bring the reward with him and they shall receive it who have done the will of God That the time to the comming of Christ is but a little while is gathered from hence because that the time of each mans life is but a little while at the end of each mans life is the comming of Christ to him as we have shewed before verse 25. Hence Paul saith That the burden of our afflictions is but light and the time but for a moment compared with the eternitie of that glory which shall follow upon it 2. Cor. 4.17 And Peter to abate the force of our temptations and afflictions saith That wee are now for a season in heavines through manifold temptations 1. Pet. 1.6 And hee saith againe That after wee have suffered a while the God of all grace will exalt us by Christ into his eternall glory 1. Pet. 5.10 Yet when the Author saith yet a little while he tacitely grants that there shall be some space of time intervening as appeareth by the words of the Prophet to whom herein hee hath reference For the Prophet saith If it tarry wait for it