drink it and receive it into our bodies yet if we neither eat the one when it 's set before us nor drink the other when put into our hands we may perish for hunger and thirst So it is spiritually with our Souls in respect of the Word preached and heard only our with outward ears and not received and receiued in our hearts by a true and lively Faith So that the cause why the Word of God being so great a Blessing and so excellent a means of Salvation doth us no good is from our selves or in our selves who either refuse it at the first or reject it after we have professed it and promised to live according to it And this refusal and rejection as they are hainous sins not onely against God's just Laws but his merciful tender of eternal life so they will prove in the end the cause of our eternal misery which shall be greater and more intolerable than those to whom the Word of God was never preached 4. Therefore it concerns us all to fear this Sin of Apostacy as we fear loss of heavenly Rest God's eternal displeasure Hell Death and eternal Punishments The Apostle by this word fear implies there is danger of falling away and if we consider there is danger and the same very great For if we look upon our weakness and the remainders of corruption the deceipt and hypocrisy of our own hearts the imperfection of our Understanding in heavenly things the inconstancy of our Wills our little experience in the wayes of God and the violence and power of temptation from the Devil and the World we may easily see that it 's a wonder if not a matter of amazement that we stand one day one hour yet when we look up towards Heaven remember our Saviour Christ reigning and victorious the power of the blessed Spirit the helps God hath given us the Promises of assistance there is great cause of hope yet this hope doth not exclude but require our diligent Care continual Watching and instant Prayers without which we cannot by which we may hope to stand Oh how should we carefully and constantly attend unto God's Word lay it up in our hearts make it the Rule of our whole life so as to obey his Commands rely upon his Promises and fear his threats and every day call to mind the Profession we have made and the Promises whereby we have engaged our selves unto our God And seeing so few do fear it 's no wonder so many fall and come short of this blessed Rest. Most men presume upon the Promise and neglect the Duty The Israellres had a Promise yet did not enter because they did not believe § 3. There follows another distinct Reason from the former and that is the great benefit that follows upon the performance of the Duty Ver. 3. For we who have believed do enter into Rest as he said As I have sworn in my Wrath c. THere is some difficulty to know the coherence of these words with the former as also of those that follow with these and amongst themselves Some say they come in upon the words immediately antecedent and give a reason why the Word not mixed with Faith did not profit nor bring the hearers into God's Rest For onely we that believe do enter that is There is no entrance but by Faith but by Faith there is Others think they propose a reason why we should fear Apostacy and be careful to persevere and that from the happy consequent and the glorious reward which follows upon perseverance in belief and that is entrance and admittance into God's Rest yet they may referr to those words of the former Chapter For some when they had heard did provoke howbeit not all that came out of Aegypt by Moses For Caleb and Joshua heard and believed and persevered for it 's said of Caleb and it 's the Testimony of God That he had another Spirit with him and followed the Lord fully Numb 14. 24. This he applyes to himself and the Hebrews to this purpose That though some did not enter because of Unbelief yet some did believe and did not provoke and so entred so likewise shall we believing do As the former might cause fear so this latter might cause hope and prove a strong motive why we should fear to fall and be very careful to persevere So that if we will sum up that which went before it 's this in brief To day if we will hear God's voice we must not harden our hearts 1. Because if we do harden them we shall be shut out of God's Rest as our rebellious and Apostate Fathers were 2. If we do not harden our hearts but believe we shall enter into God's Rest as Caleb and Joshua did It follows As he said I have sworn in my wrath if they shall enter into my Rest c. These words serve to inform us of three things 1. That the Word not believed could not profit because by Unbelief they provoked God to wrath and in his Wrath he sware they should not enter into his Rest so likewise we should fear to be guilty of Unbelief because if we prove such God in his Wrath by the like Oath will exclude us 2. That as God by this Oath did exclude none but Unbelievers and brought the Believers into Canaan so he will exclude none out of the Rest promised in the Gospel but Unbelievers and will without all fail bring us believing into our spirituall Canaan 3. That as the Oath so the Exhortation used by the Prophet David implied that as there was a Rest in the dayes of Joshua so there is another Rest besides that of the promised Land Therefore because it might be doubted what Rest either David meant or the Gospel doth promise the Apostle proceeds to prove that there is yet a Rest prepared for God's People under the Gospel and determines what Rest that is This is done by distinction for he informs us of a three-fold Rest 1. Of the Sabbath 2. Of the Land of Canaan 3. Of the eternal Rest in Heaven That it was the intention of the Apostle to manifest that there was a Rest for the People of God under the Gospel and yet that Rest was neither the first of the Sabbath nor the second of the Land of Canaan is evident by that which follows especially Ver 19 10. That it was expedient if not necessary for him to do thus is as clear because he had alledged the words of the Psalm To day if ye will hear his Voice and also said in Ver. 1. That a Promise was left us of entring into his Rest. The first is the Rest of the Sabbath in these words Although the Works were finished from the Foundation of the World And Ver. 4. For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day in this wise And God did rest the seventh day from all his Works THE particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is turned here although yet it may signify and
Will and great Command of God which can never be found in the Moral Law That Christ should suffer and offer himself to expiate the Sin of Man This Law is said to be in his heart and he delighted to do it For if he had not done it willingly it never had been accepted or effectual These words are left out in the Apostles allegation not only because he would have them understood but also because the Text of the Psalmist without them was sufficient for his purpose Though it 's very true that in the New Testament several times a few words of the Text cited out of the Old are expressed and the Reader referred to the Book where they are written at large 2. He came to do his Will that is to dye for the Sin of Man and to do this Will and offer himself a Sacrifice for the Expiation of our Sins was the end of his coming For as that was the great Command of his Father so it was the great Work he had to do Not long before his Death he said Now my Soul is troubled and what shall I say Father save me from this hour but for this cause came I unto this hour Joh. 12. 27. And in his Agony he prayes That the bitter Cup of his Passion if it were possible might passe from him yet concludes Thy will not mine be done Where it 's implyed That it was his Father's Will he should suffer and offer himself and he was resolved to do it and to deny his own Will and submit unto his heavenly Father And again The Cup which my Father hath giveâ— me shall I not drink it Joh. 18. 11. He could have prayed to his Father and have obtained twelve Legions of Angels a Power sufficient to have rescued him from all his Enemies yet would not do it For saith he How then shall the Scriptures be fulfilled that thus it must be Matth. 26. 54. Where we must observe 1. That the Father had by the Prophets of Old signified That it was his Will that Christ should suffer 2. That he câ—me into the World to fulfil this Will and to present himself before his Father when the time came and said Lo I come 3. This was written in the Volume of God's Book This Book is the Book of the Old Testament and it 's called a Volume because it was not bound up as now Books are but rouled up into a Scroul or Volume as the Hebrew word doth signify and as some say The Jews do fold up the Book they read in their Synagogues Therefore is it said That when the Book of the Prophet Esay was delivered to Christ he unfolded it and when he had read a part of it he folded it up again as the word in the Original signifieth Luke 4. 17 20. The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is turned by Aquila 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by Symmachus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by Hierom Pagnine Pratensis Tremelius and Junius Volumen by the Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and by the Vulgar Caput and so in this place Tremelius and Beza translate it Schindler thinks the Septuagint took Megittah for Gilgoleth which signifies the Scul or the Head But this is not likely We need not much trouble our selves about the Word For as Genebrard observes the meaning is That it was written of him in the whole body of the Scriptures and the sum of them for the sum of Moses and the Prophets is Christ. And it 's certain That Christ was the principal Subject of all their Writings which Christ read and perfectly knew his Fathers Will revealed in them that men might believe in him and expect Salvation from him This Will so perfectly known to Christ was in his heart which he delighted to do and was resolved upon it Thus must we deny our own natural Desires to suffer loss of life and cruel pains to do the Will of God if we will be Christ's Disciples and receive benefit by him § 8. Thus far the words of the Psalmist the Apostle's Application followeth which will be the more perspicuous if we consider the Subject of his discourse and the scope whereat he aims His Subject is the sanctification and perfection of such aâ— Worship God by Sacrifices and Offerings and his scope is this to prove that the Legal Sacrifices and Offerings could not expiate Sin and perfect the Worshippers because that effect was reserved for an higher Cause and for a more excellent Sacrifice Thus much premised the Apostle having recited the words of the Psalm observes three things in them 1. The rejection of the Legal Offerings and that in these two words Thou wouldst not and thou hadst no pleasure therein 2. The acceptation of the Sacrifice of Christ the Offering whereof was the doing God's Will 3. The reason why he rejected and took away the former was that he might establish the latter And seeing these were the words of God spoken by the Prophet David and that in time of the Law and that they plainly signify the Will of God in the matter of Sacrifices therefore the argument was strong and evincing and did clearly prove that the Legal Offerings could not take away sin but Christ's could § 9. That Christ's Offering could do this he affirms saying Ver. 10. By which Will we are sanctified by the Offering of the Body of Jesus Christ once for all HEre the Apostle returns again unto the Sacrifice of Christ and proves it far more excellent then those of the Law and that especially in two things 1. In that it could sanctify which they could not 2. It did sanctify being but one and once offered whereas they were many and often offered This excellency virtue and efficacy is set forth two wayes 1. Absolutely ver 10. 2. Comparatively ver 11 12 13 14. In these words where we have the virtue of this Sacrifice asserted absolutely we have two things 1. An Effect our Sanctification 2. The Cause the Will of God through the once offering of the Body of Christ. Where 1. We must not understand by Sanctification only a communication of inherent Righteousness in renuing the Image of God in us but also Justification and a freedom from all Sin and all the consequents thereof so that we shall never Sin or be guilty of Sin any more This is a rare and noble Effect and such as upon the same we shall be fully and for ever blessed 2. The Cause of this is God's Will through Christ's Body once offered And here by Will is meant the Will and Command of God signifyed to Christ that he should offer his Body once with his promise to accept it Yet this Will may be considered 1. As a Law or Command given and signified to Christ. 2. As performed by Christ in which latter sense it is here taken principally For it 's not this Will or Command but this Will done that doth sanctify If God had given this Command and Christ had never
to allude to the institution and education of Children who are sometimes more severely corrected not only by Words but by the Rod. The cause of Rebuke and Chastisement is some fault or offence the end is correction and reformation in respect of the former they are Punishments in respect of the latter Corrections in themselves they are Afflictions and sometimes they are Tryals God's Children have their failings ignorances negligences and sometimes are guilty of more hainous Sins In respect of these God as a Judge doth punish as a wise Master tryes them as a loving Father corrects them and by these doth prevent Sin for time to come stirs up to heavenly Duties makes them more penitent for Sin past more careful of themselves and prepares them for their possession of their eternal Inheritance Though they may truly be said to be Punishments because grievous for the time yet they are more properly Chastisements and Corrections because the principal thing intended is their future good As they come from their Persecutors they are Wrongs as from God they are Effects not only of his Justice but chiesly of his Mercy 2. To despise is to think them fortuitous and to bear them with a stupid or sensless mind and not consider and understand they come from God that the end is repentance and amendment that the cause is sin or if we understand these things not to repent and reform but continue and harden our hearts in sin For this is not to regard God's chastising hand so as to make right use of our Sufferings To faint under these is to be weaty of our Profession and to incline to Apostacy because our Sufferings for it are so grievous and of so long continuance And in this negative Dehortation is implied an affirmative Exhortation and the Duty exhorted unto is to make the right use of our Afflictions by reformation of our selves and a patient and constant Suffering unto the end For God's desâ—â—n in these is to prevent Apostacy that we may not be condemned with the World § 7. The Motive and Reason inclining us to performance followeth Ver. 6. For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth and scourgeth overy Son whom he receiveth AS for the translation of these words there is some difference between the Hebrew Copies which we now have and the Septuagint which the Apostle followeth For the Hebrew readeth That God correcteth even as a Father the Son in whom he delighteth but the Sâ—ptuagint otherwise That he chastenth and scourgeth every Son whom he receiveth Some think that the Hebrew Copy which the Seventy translated differed from that which we now have Yet notwithstanding the sense of both for the matter and substance is the same For to chastise a Son whom he loveth and in whom he receiveth is to correct and scourge as a Father the Son in whom he delighteth The words must be considered 1. In themselves absolutely 2. As a reason of that which went before 1. In themselves the matter and subject of them is the castigation and correction of Children And here correction and chastigation of every Child whom God receiveth is the Effect and his love is the Cause and from this Cause and love of God is inferred the Effect the Chastisement of every Child The Propositions are two 1. God loveth and receiveth some as Children 2. He chastiseth every one whom he so loveth and receiveth 1. This Love here intended is a Love wherewith God loves us as Children which is the greatest and most tender love of all others and presupposeth another love antecedent whereby he Regenerates Adopts and makes us his Children this latter is a Love of benevolence and good will issuing from his own Goodness and that most freely The Object of it is Man as sinful ungodly an Enemy in whom there is nothing amiable and sit to move God to love us The former is a Love of complacency after he hath made us amiable and a sit Object of Love This Reception may either be an admission of us into the number of Sons which is adoption or his acceptation of us and delight in us once adoped and this seems here to be intended This paternal love and acceptation is the cause 2. The Effect is Chastisement For to correct chasten and scourge a Son here are the same And here it 's to be noted 1. That the Subject of this Castigation is Every Son 2. That it 's an Effect of Fatherly Love 1. It 's proper to a Son for though he may punish and afflict others yet he doth not chastise them And as it 's proper unto Sons so it agrees to every Son not any one of them is excepted for as all are castigable so all are castigated in one kind or another in a greater or lesser measure 2. That this Castigation is from Love because it tends conduceth and is in some sort necessary to our spiritual and eternal good God knows both our condition and disposition that both are such that they require Chastisement and Correction without which we are in danger of many Sins and of Apostacy to be prevented Yet the principal Cause of prevention is the sanctifying Spirit which alwayes makes use of the Word and many times of the Rod of Correction which will not be laid aside wholly whilst God's Children are in the Flesh But in Heaven where there is no danger there is no Use of it any more because them we shall be sanctified fully and for ever This is the meaning of the words considered absolutely but if we refer them to what went before we shall find them to contain a Motive and a Reason to perswade us to perform the Duty exhorted unto And the force of it is very great for if our Sufferings be from God as a Father and out of Love to us as his Children tending to our good and no Child of his is exempted from them then we should not despise them not faint under them but God himself saith they are such This Reason is more distinctly and particularly unfolded and urged in the words following § 8. Thus you have heard 1. How these words are brought in 2. What the Matter of them is Now 3. Follows the Apostle's Discourse upon them Ver. 7. If you endure Chastening God dealeth with you as with Sons for what Son is there whom the Father chasteneth not Ver. 8. But if ye be without Chastisement whereof all are Partakers then are ye Bastards and not Sons THis Discourse is grounded upon these words of the former Text He chastiseth every Son and informs us that God by his Chastisements doth evidence his Fatherly Affection towards us and that he accounts us his Children and not Bastards The Reasons which he finds in the former words of Scripture are reducible to three The first is taken from his Fatherly Affection manifested in Chastisements The second from God as a Father different from all earthly Fathers even in chastening us The third is taken from the Issue and
prescribed in his Word Of this Sin there are many kinds and degrees For some cover superfluity and abundance and will not be content with Necessaries that they may maintain their pride and pleasure for both are costly In these Covetousnes is a grievous Sin yet not predominant but subservient to their love of other things which they more affect Others highly esteem and admire Wealth as some excellent thing as though it could make them happy These not considering the baseness uncertainty and emptiness of this worldly trash do insatiably thirst after it as the chiefest good man is capable of or can attain and these are flat Idolaters and Mammon is their God and him they serve with as great devotion as Saints do the true and living God Others fearing want for time to come and judging their estates poor and insufficient do distract themselves with fruitless cares and thoughts for the things of this Life These being weak in Faith do not consider that their heavenly Father knows they have need of these things and will certainly provide Bread for his Children and that if they first seek his Kingdom and the Righte câ—sness thereof these things shall be added unto them they must needs be guilty of this Sin And this is the Covetousness that seems to be here intended as the words following do imply Some of God's own Children in this particular can hardly be excused For whosoever loves and desires these earthly Necessaries more then God allows and dare not trust in their heavenly Father for daily Bread are certainly covetous though not in so high degree as others Therefore we must remember both the advice which Christ gives us when he saith unto us Take â—â— thought saying What shall we ent or what shall we drink or wherewith shall we be clothed and also the gracious promises wherewith he seeks to strengthen out hearts against these cares and thoughts of the World We can see and censure this Sin in others but not in our selves for it steals insensibly into the hearts of men and at the first doth not appear to be what it is Therefore some have taken very good pains in discovering of it by certain proper Marks and Characters But to speak of these and of the Causes and Effects of this Sin in general in this place is not so pertinent and therefore I refer the Reader to other Texts of Scriptures and to other Authours who have treated more at large upon it The exhortation follows in these words But be content with such things as ye have This discretive particle but implie that Coveâ—ousness and contentment are Contrary and inconsistent in one and the same heart This presupposeth 1. They had something for the present 2. Perswadeth to contentment with that they had What they had for the present is not here expressed yet some had more some had less and some very little yet he that had the least had Food and Raiment and did live and so live that he had time to serve his God seek his Kingdom and the Salvation of his Soul Such as had less might be perplexed with fear and doubt of want for time to come and out of a desire to prevent it resolve upon a course to supply their wants and to distract themselves Lest any should do thus or be thus perplexed he exhorts every one even him that had the least to be contented with what he had This contentment is opposed to murnuring against God to distrusting and distracting cares to covetous desires to all disquiet of mind about these earthly things It 's a quiet temper of the mind relying upon God's merciful providence and gracious promises for support and necessaries This Faith and Reliance is grounded upon certain principles of Divine Truth As 1. That we brought nothing into this World neither must we carry any thing out 2. That this Life was given us to seek a better 3. That these earthly necessaries are given us to preserve this Life 4. That all besides Food and Raiment which maintain this life are not necessary 5. That God careth for his People as knowing that we have need of these things 6. That if we be godly and first seek his Kingdom he hath bound himself to give us these things For godliness hath the promises of this Life and that which is to come Upon these and the like the heart quieteth it self in God is content with little mind the greatest business of Salvation and for these earthly necessaries casteth all care â—on God For he knows he is but a Pilgrim and Stranger here seeking after a better Conntry and cares not much for earthly Treasure if he can lay up Treasure in Heaven and knows for certain That godliness with contentment is great gain 2. After the Duty follows the Reason or Motive where we must consider 1. What God doth promise 2. What Man may expect For we have 1. God's Engagement unto Man 2. Man's Confidence and Security upon this Engagement The promise we find in several places of the Old Testament as 1. Deut. 31. 6. 2. Ibid. v. 8. 3. Joshua 1. 5 11. 4. 1 Chron. 28. 20. But these very words with the five Negative Particles yet in the third person are found no where but in the first Deut. 31. 9. The words according to the Septuagint and the Apostle turned verbatins word by word run thus I will not not leave I will not not not forsake thee As they are the words of God related by Moses the Verbs are of the third person as spoken by God himself to Joshua they are of the first In Hebrew in all the places the Verbs are the same For the better understanding of them we must observe 1. That the words are a Promise 2. That they are a Promise of God 3. The matter Promised is God's special presence and providence according to their Condition and Necessity 4. To assure us of both He 1. Useth the Negatives not leave not forsake which implies the affirmative without the least failing and this manner of expression is more full and peremptory and in a Promise more strongly obliging 2. He was not content to say I will not leave thee but adds further I will not forsake thee 3. He prefixeth two Negatives before the first Verb and three before the second 4. Though in the Hebrew the Negatives be simple yet the Septuagint and much more the Apostle knew that the fives Negatives were included in the Verbs 5. The sum of the Promise is That God would in no wise not in the least measure neglect or desert his People or withdraw his Wisdom his Mercy his Power or any wayes in the least degree remit them but he would most certainly and effectually be with them provide for them and help them in all things so far as their necessity required 6. Though this Promise doth extend to God's presence and providence in all things wherein they were requisite and necessary yet here it seems to be more
2. That whereas he became man in latter times he must needs be of some Nation and People with reference to the Head and first Father of that Nation and for Nation he was according to his humane Nature a Jew the first Father of which Nation was Abraham The reason hereof is this because God had made a special promise to Abraham That in his Seed all Nations should be blessed By which word Seed is meant Christ and Christ as descended from him according to the Flesh He is also called the Son of David because God promised That he should be born of his Family in Bethlehem the native place of David This sense 1. Is most agreeable to the Context antecedent where it 's said That Christ must be lower then the Angels must taste of Death must be consecrated by Suffering must be one with the sanctisied must be partaker of Flesh and Blood and deliver sinful man from the Devil But if he had assumed the nature of Angels none of these could be affirmed of him 2. The former two senses cannot be good because then he should have only apprenended and succoured the Seed of Abraham according to the Letter of this Text. Therefore seeing he took upon him the Seed of Abraham as he did the Seed of David therefore to take on him or assume the Seed of Abraham is to be of the Seed of Abraham as he was of David 2 Tim. 2 8. and to be made of the Seed of Abraham as he was made of the Seed of David according to the Flesh Rom. 1. 3. And it is the same with that of the Divine Evangelist The Word was made Flesh Joh. 1. 14. Crellius here trifles egregiously for he excepts against this sense 1. Because to apprehend or take hold of a thing is not to assume the nature of it 2. The word Angels which is plural should have been singular But 1. Who will grant him that which neither others do nor he can prove that the word must be turned apprehended in this place whereas it hath other senses both in the Septuagint and in the New Testament and is turned oftner and by more Translatours assume as was shewed before 2. If Christ had assumed the individual substance of an Angel he had assumed the Nature of Angels He did but assume one individual Flesh and Blood yet he is said to take part with the Children which were many He again objects that if it be said that he took the nature not of Angels but Men then these words cannot contain and render a reason That Christ was made lower then the Angels because it is the same But 1. How will he prove that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is causal if it should be denied 2. Who told him that it referrs only to those words of the 7th verse as a reason of them whereas it 's plain if the conjunction be causal it referrs to that which went immediately before 3. To be lower then the Angels and assume the nature of Man are not precisely the same For now he is Man and yet above the Angels These words thus explained and cleared inform us 1. Of some special love of God shewed unto Man and to Angels and of some benefit issuing from that love and given unto Man and denied to the Angels He so loved Man that he gave his only begotton Son to be the propitiation for his sin and not for the Angels Christ and the eternal Word must be Man and dy for him but he must not be an Angel to dy for Apostate Angels or redeem them The cause of this was the free will of God who might have neglected both the one as well as the other for both were sinful and deserved Death Yet there might be a reason why he passed by the Angels and not Man even because Angels were not tempred yet sinned but Man was deceived and so was a subject more capable of mercy though he deserved no mercy Yet if Man will be obstinate in his sin and refuse to acknowledg this love and receive Christ God will turn his love into hatred and send him a cursed wretch into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels and he shall lose eternally the benefit of Christ's Redemption which is remission and eternal life 2. They let us know the condescension and deep humiliation of the Son of God who vouchsafed not only to be Man but took upon him the form of a Servant and was obedient unto Death the Death of the Crosse. And this Incarnation is a deep mystery and this humiliation a matter of greatest wonder 3. They acquaint us with the excellent dignity and high advancement of the humane Nature in that it was assumed and inseparably united unto that eternal Word which is God The Angels in many things are above us and more excellent then we are yet in this we are above the Angels and nearer unto God and our nature in Christ is Lord of Angels 4. We learn from them that the Seed of Abraham and the People of the Jews have a priority and priviledg above all People For Christ took upon him their Flesh and Blood and they were his Brethren of whom according to the Flesh Christ came who is over all God blessed for ever Amen Rom. 9. 5. This is the reason why he said when he lived on Earth That he was sent to the lost Sheep of Israel and why he chose out of them the Apostles preached the Gospel unto them first for the tender of eternal life was first made to them and why he began and finished the work of Redemption amongst them 5. From them we understand something of the nature of the Incarnation For herein we have 1. One person the eternal Word and the Son of God 2. Two Natures Divine and Humane 3. The union of these two by assumption for the Word assumed the nature of Man and this Nature was thereby united to the Word in the unity of person 4. The distinction of these two Natures for the Word is God and not Man this humane Nature remains Man and is not God and the difference is very great and perpetual And thus God-Man is Christ our blessed Saviour and Redeemer and happy are they who know him and believe in him Ver. 17 18. Wherefore in all things it behâ—â—ved him to be made like unto his Brethren c. § 19. In these words we have another reason why Christ must be lower then the Angels Man and like his Brethren One end was that he might suffer and dy and this he could not do except he be partaker of Flesh and Blood and therefore he took upon him the Nature of Men and not of Angels The end why he must dy was 1. That he might destroy the Devil who had the power of Death and so deliver them that were in continual danger 2. That he might be a merciful and faithful High-Priest and so make reconciliation for the sins of his People and be
the Holy Ghost given to that end 2. The two latter also may be the same and that is the affection and disposition of the heart answerable to the illumination and an effect thereof The first is a divine and supernatural knowledg of saving-Truth The second is some sanctification and consolation of the will and heart of Man 4. The qualification and condition of these persons were not meerly natural and moral but supernatural For they could not be acquired by any exercise of the natural and moral power of the Soul without a Divine active Power given them whereby they might act upon supernatural objects according to a supernatural Rule And as their operations were supernatural because they had a supernatural Efficient a supernatural Object a supernatural Rule and did tend to a supernatural End so the Consequents were supernatural and divine 5. To fall from the supernatural disposition and estate was a very grievous Sin and a great contempt of God's mercy Christ's merit and the Power of the Holy Ghost For 1. These things tended directly to their eternal Salvation 2. They issued from the mercy of God the merit of Christ and the Power of the Holy Spirit 3. That Grace which they had received and which was in them was real true serious and divine and if they had gone forward they might have attained to an estate of confirmation 4. It was a Crime so much the more hainous because they had received the Truth of the Gospel professed it and engaged by their Baptism in the Covenant and were fully convinced not only by Powers or Miracles without but by the Gifts of the Spirit and divine effects within 6. Yet here is no mention of any firm inherency or deep radication of divine Virtues in their Souls but rather the contrary is implyed For it 's said They did but taste of the heavenly Gift and taste of the good Word of God and taste of the Powers of the World to come To taste is indeed a real participation yet but of a little and in low degree But there can be no state of confirmation till Grace by a firm and deep radication proceed to an universal dominion of Sin and Corruption Yet this radication is not a sufficient cause in or by itself of confirmation which depends upon the Will of God who hath bound himself by promise to preserve Man attaining to a certain degree by his power through Faith unto Salvation which shall be revealed in the last Day For though this estate of one that only tasteth be good and comfortable and hopeful yet it may leave some lust or corruption unmortified which though it doth not appear for the time to the party thus far renewed yet in the day of Tryal it will break out and discover the hidden malignancy of the heart nor fully regenerate For they that have escaped the pollution of the World through the knowledg of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ may again be entangled therein and overcome 2 Pet. 2. 20. 7. Yet this falling away from this measure of Grace and hopeful Condition is not to be attributed to divine desertion For God will not with-draw or with-hold any necessary support till Man by his negligence or pride and presumption give him cause For he loves any degree of Grace and is very tender over the weak and will not break the bruised Reed nor quench the smoaking Flax he will gather the Lambs with his Arm and carry them in his Bosom and shall gently lead those that are with young § 5. Hitherto you have heard what it is to fall away and who they are that may fall away and that they all are Christians yet so that some may make a further progress in Christianity they are not all of one measure The 2. Proposition which for the order of matter might be the third is That it 's impossible for Apostates to be renewed To be renewed in this place is to be initiated and made Christians of no Christians For initiation is the entrance and admission into Christianity as the Apostle intends it To understand this better you must know that Apostacy doth un-Christian a man makes void his Baptism and takes away all Christian Priviledges by razising the very foundation As Apostacy presupposeth the Apostate a Christian first so this renewing presupposeth Christianity formerly received to be lost and forfeited For an Apostate is like a Rebel or a perfidious Revolter who loseth sussabdih and ceaseth to be a Subject contrary to his Allegiance Whereas the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 again is inserted it 's rather to be joyned with the antecedent Verb fall away and signifies that as he was no Christian at the first and afterwards became a Christian so by Apostacy he is made to be no Christian again he returns unto his former estate of non-Christianity And the former estate was a kind of negation this latter a privation of Christianity This renovation if it could be made must be by repentance and way of return For the first initiation is by profession of Faith confession of Sin and promise of Reformation this therefore much more yet this Renovation is affirmed to be impossible That proposition or axâ—om which is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 impossible is opposed to that which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 necessary and alwayes true for it is alwayes false and can never be true the dis unction and separation of the terms iâ— perpetual Therefore to say That an Apostate may be renewed by Repentance is eternally false because the thing represented by the subject and predicated are eternally separated yet this impossibility is not to be considered in respect of God's absolute and almighty power for he can renew an Apostate by Repentance but it 's in respect of his Will which hath decreed it to be impossible His Power can do it but his Will hath limited his power so that though he could do it yet he will never do it never suffer it to be done This is that which the School-men mean when they distinguish of God's Power and say It 's absoluta aâ—t ordinata Whereas some call this a Proposition modal there is no Proposition but is such and essentially includes the manner how the terms argue one another and here impossible is the predicate and to be renewed by Repentance is the Subject It was much controverted amongst some of the Antients whether such as fell away in time of persecution might be admitted to penance and reconciled to the Church some denyed some affirmed And as their opinion so their practise was some were more rigid some more remisse some moderate The reason of the difference was because they did not agree in the definition of an Apostate and so could not unanimously judge of the parties offending and their offences whereof some were so hainous that though they did not reach Apostacy yet many thought it not safe to admit them to communion because the example might be of bad
two-fold Immediate and Remote Immediate is the manifestation of the immutability of his Counsel the Remote strong consolation The former is subordinate to the latter and as it is an end in respect of the Oath so it 's a means in respect of the consolation The first end therefore is to shew the immutability of his Counsel unto the Heirs of Promise For thus it 's written Ver. 17. Wherein God willing more abundantly to shew unto the Heirs of Promise the immutability of his Counsel confirmed it by an Oath VVHere we may observe 1. The immutability of God's Counsel 2. The more abundant manifestation thereof 3. The Oath of God interposed to that end If we reduce the Text to Proposions they are these 1. That God's Counsel is immutable 2. God was willing to manifest this to the Heirs of Promise 3. For that end He interposed an Oath Proposition 1. God's Counsel is immutable By God's Counsel is meant his Decree which is an act of the Will as Counsel is of the Understanding yet it 's called Counsel because no Decree of God is made without the Counsel Wisdom and direction of the Understanding For God being an intelligent Agent and of most perfect Knowledg and profoundest Wisdom can will or determine nothing but according to the best and most exact Understanding 2. The Decrees of God are many and extend to all things done or to be done but here the Decree or Counsel of God is special and limited to a special object the intellectual and immortal Creatures as Men and Angels and here to Men and amongst Men to the Heirs of Promise 3. The Heirs of Promise are the object of it in respect of their spiritual and immortal estate and the matter of it was the giving of eternal life For he decreed to give them eternal Bliss and Glory This Decree once made was immutable and could not be altered or revoked either by God himself or any thing out of God For 1. There can be no cause of revocation either for want of Wisdom or Justice for he is absolutely both wise and lust 2. Neitheir from the inconstancy of his Will for the strength of Israel will not lye or repent for he is not as Man that he should repent 1 Sam. 15. 29. 3. Neither need he alter nor can his Will be frustrated for want of Power for he is Almighty And if there be no ground or cause of alteration from within much less from without though all Men and Angels and all Creatures should combine together as they have no strength to frustrate so they have no power to Null his Decrees for he is the Supream and Universal Lord. Therefore it is said The Counsel of the Lord standeth for ever the thoughts of his heart to all Generations Psal. 33. 11. This immutability is truly affirmed of all his Decrees but especially it is true of this particular determination concerning the eternal Salvation and Beatification of the Heirs of Promise This counsel is part of the Election and Predeâ—â—â—nation of his People and is to be referred to that Head And it 's noted that no Decree but this was confirmed by an Oath Proposition 2. God was willing more abundantly to shew this to the Heirs of Promise God only knows his own Thoughts and Counsels and neither Man or Angel is or can be privy to them except they be revealed None can reveal them but Himself and this he hath done freely and of his own accord and in great mercy hath let man know his gracious thoughts and purposes to make him for ever blessed In this manifestation we may consider 1. What the thing manifested is 2. To whom the manifestation is made 3. His willingness to manifest this to them more abundantly 1. The thing manifested as before is the immutability of his Counsel For he manifests not only his Counsel and Decree of everlasting Salvation but the immutability of it Man must know what his Counsel is and that it is unchangeable and irrevocable and the manifestation of both was necessary to the end he intended For if Man had not known his Counsel he could have had no immediate ground of comfort if he had known his Counsel and not the immutability of it his comfort could not have been strong certain stable 2. This manifestation was made unto the Heirs of Promise They are Heirs of Promise who have right unto the eternal inheritance promised these are sincere Believers and the Sons of God who are joynt-Heirs with Christ and by Faith derive their Title from him by virtue of God's Promise which in him is Yea and Amen By this we understand that the Promise was not made to Abraham alone but to all his Seed according to the Spirit for he was the Father of Believers who by Faith are Christ's And if Christ's then are they Abraham's Seed and Heirs according to the Promise Gal. 3. 29. These and these alone are they whom God intended to secure and make certain of their Salvation and for their security was the manifestation made but as for others as they have no right to the Promise so they can have no benefit by this manifestation 3. God was willing more abundantly to shew this to them It must be shewed and so it was by his Word it must be shewed abundantly and that was done by the Promise it must be shewed more abundantly and this could not be but by his Oath What more could be done what more could the Heirs of Promise desire But what moved him to do this nothing but his own will his goodness his dear affection and abundant love to the Heirs of Promise As for himself he knew his Counsel well enough and that it was unchangeable yet he had regard unto their infirmity and certainly intended to give them certain and strong comfort And for this he did not expect their Prayers but prevented them out his free and exceeding mercy which was the only Fountain from which this gracious manifestation did issue Proposition 3. To this end God interposed himself by an Oath or confirmed it by ab Oath This interposing or confirming by an Oath was the means and the immediate end of it was the more abundant manifestation of the immutability of his Counsel The word used in the Original signifies as a term of Law to interpose as a third person to give security So the Heirs of Promise are one party to whom the Promise is made God as promising is the other and God swearing is a third person who intervenes and interposeth himself as different from himself as promising So he becomes Interventor sidejussor for himself as promising to Believers to whom the Promise was made and as a Surety is engaged deeply for himself promising to see his Promise made good to man to whom he is bound And for this end He sware as Surety to confirm the Covenant that the Heirs of Promise might know the immutability of his Decree The words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 turned wherein by some are interpreted because and then the sense is that because an Oath is the end of all strife therefore God to remove all doubts and fears and establish and assure the Heirs of Promise was willing to swear and by that Oath to manifest more fully the immutability of his Counsel and that which was the end and issue of Men's Oath was the end and issue of this Oath of God If Men will believe Men swearing how much more should we believe and rest satisfied in the Oath of God From all this it 's clear that the Promise of God is as certain on God's part as possibly can be § 20. This is the immediate end of God's Oath yet it is but a means in respect of a further end which God intended For thus it followeth Ver. 18. That by two immutable things in which it was impossible for God to lye we might have a strong consolation who have fled for refuge to the hope that is set before us IN which words we have 1. A strong Consolation 2. The parties to whom it doth belong 3. The means whereby it is obtained 1. Strong Consolation is the ultimate end both of the Promises of God and his Oath The mind of Man is discomforted vexed weakened from Doubts Fears Sorrows and whatsoever removes or abates these doth quiet refresh revive and strengthen the heart and so comfort it This comfort it may be weak it may be strong the comfort here is strong and prevailing comfort and such as will overcome all doubts fears and sorrows caused by Temptations Persecutions Tryals from without or from within This is opposed to all worldly and seeming joys and comforts which appear and vanish in a moment and cannot firmly stay and revive the heart for every blast of temptation scatters them It must be the hope or enjoyment of some solid lasting and substantial good that can be the cause of solid and lasting comfort Some by comfort understand Faith or Hope the cause of comfort 2. Though there be a firm and strong comfort yet it belongs not to every one but it 's intended for Believers the Heirs of Promise who sly for refuge to take hold upon the Hope set before them where we may observe 1. Hope 2. Hope set before us 3. The taking hold of this Hope 4. A flying for refuge to take hold on this Hope 1. Hope in this place is the thing hoped for considered as a formal object of the divine virtue of Hope and it is that blessed and glorious estate which is reserved in Heaven to be enjoyed there 2. This Hope is set before us as a prize and represented in the Promise as ours which we must seek and aym at as being called to the enjoyment thereof It 's set in our view that we might eye it much and often look upon it and press earnestly towards it 3. We must take hold upon it and that is done two wayes 1. By gaining a title and right unto it for so we take hold on it by Law 2. By getting some possession and that either in part as when we receive the first Fruits of the Spirit or in whole which is reserved for Heaven Both these are done by Faith and Hope and the more we exercise our Faith and Hope with other heavenly virtues the stronger hold we take For hereby we make more evident to us our right and obtain a greater measure of the first-Fruits 4. We fly for refuge to take hold of this Hope for it 's our Sanctuary and safety far better then a City of refuge and it 's a far greater security to take hold on this Hope then to take hold upon the Horns of the Altar For many have held fast hold upon the Altar and have either been pulled away or slain in the very place as Joab was Blessed is the man that maketh the Lord his trust and respecteth not the Proud nor such as turn aside to lies Psal. 40. 4. For all things and persons though never so great so strong so excellent are lies and if we trust in them they will fail us God never will For who or what can separate us from his love in Christ Eternal life is unchangeable and God who hath promised it and confirmed his Promise by Oath is unchangeable too Those who in all dangers storms and tempests retreat unto him find strong consolation For what need terrify or trouble them or shake their hearts when God hath assured them of eternal life 3. This security and strong comfort is grounded upon two immutable things wherein it 's impossible for God to lye These two things are the Promise and the Oath of God and as it is impossible for God to cease to be God so it is impossible for God to violate his Promise or his Oath These are sure things Heaven and Earth may pass away but these cannot fail nor frustrate our hopes § 21. The Apostle in the next words gives a reason why they did and we should fly to take hold upon the Hope set before us and it is this because Ver. 19. It was to them an ancre of the Soul both sure and stedfast and which entereth into that within the Vail VVHere we have a two-fold Reason 1. Because it 's like unto a sure and stedfast Ancre 2. It entereth into that within the Vail 1. It 's like an Ancre for what an Ancre is to a Ship the same is Hope unto the Soul that is a stay and means of safety in the midst of all the Waves and Storms of Temptation in this floating troublesome World For that which stays strengthens quiets the Soul of man is the hope of everlasting Glory grounded upon God's Promise and Oath For eternal life as theirs is the Ancre for though it be excellent in it self yet it 's nothing unto them if they have not a right unto it and a well-grounded hope of it 2. It enters into that within the Vail In the Tabernacle or Temple within the second Vail was the Holy of Holies which was a type of Heaven in allusion to this it signified that the object of our hope is something excellent and above the World something heavenly glorious and eternal Therefore it 's said That the Inheritance of God's Sons is reserved in Heaven for us 1 Pet. 1. 4. And that the great object of our hope is laid up in Heaven Col. 1. 5. Where we shall fully enjoy our God and all things in him And surely nothing under Heaven can stay and firmly fix the floating heart of man neither can this Ancre fasten firmly but in Heaven This Hope may be said to be stronger and our hearts more assured because Ver. 20. The fore-runner is entred into Heaven THis fore-runner is entred Heaven to take possession for himself and also in our behalf and make the way passible this is more then ever Abraham did or could do Therefore we have a rare example far above that of
Commandment going before for the weaknesse and unprofitableness thereof Ver. 19. For the Law made nothing perfect but the bringing in of a better Hope whereby we draw nigh to God BY these words we understand that the Reason why the Law was changed is the same why the Priest-hood was changed and it was from the Imperfection of both Both were imperfect for neither severally nor joyntly could they perfect any man And here the Order of the things is not Order of the words for the Order of the matter is this 1. The Law is weak and unprofitable 2. It was so because it was defective and not effective of perfection it could perfect nothing 3. For this Reason it was disanulled 4. It was disanulled by and for the bringing in of a better Hope whereby we draw nigh to God In Ver. 18. we have 1. The disanulling of the Law 2. The Reason which was the weakness and unprofitableness thereof For explication 1 You must know that by Law is meant the Law of Moses and the Covenant made with the Fathers 2. This Law is said to go before that is to be a former Law or Covenant and this it 's said to be in respect of the Gospel which followed after For consider it absolutely many Laws and Promises were made before it and in particular the Promise made to Abraham was before it 430 years 3. By disanulling of this Law is signified the abrogation of it The Essence of a Law is the binding force of it whereby it obligeth the party subject to the power of the Law-giver to Obedience or Punishment to abrogate a Law is to take away this binding force so as the Subject is freed from the Observation of it and so from all penalty upon the Non-Observation His not doing of it or his doing contrary unto it is no Disobedience nor can make him liable to penalty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word here used if it be applyed to and affirmed of the party subject and under a Law it signifies a prevarication and transgression of the Law because the party offending as offending carryes himself as though there were no Law and on his part makes it void It 's opposed privatively to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is the making of a Law and giving force unto it This disanulling of it was an Act of God who by revealing the Gospel took away the binding force of the Law and made it void and so took away the very being of it as a Law 4. The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 many times is used expletively for ornament sometimes it 's used to signify verily as here it 's translated and signifie not onely the truth but the certainty of the Proposition to which it doth belong and so it may do here The Reason of this abrogation and nulling of the Commandment is 1. The weakness 2. The Unprofitableness Weakness is the want of internal strength and efficient power Unprofitableness is the want of some good which by its efficient acting a Cause may bring unto another thing capable of that Good which by reason of it's impotency deficiency it cannot effect This weakness in the Law was not a want of Physical but Moral and Supernatural power whereby it might bring some Supernatural and Moral good unto that People which did observe it Yet this is not so to be understood as though it had not the power of a Law for it had that both in the Precepts to bind and direct and in the Promises to profit upon the Observation of it For it was sufficiently both binding and profiting in respect of that end to which God intended it But he never intended it for supernatural Expiation and Sanctification but he annexed it unto the Promise and subordinated it to the Gospel for to direct them to Christ and the Gospel to come Therefore the Jews before Faith that is the Gospel of Christ exhibited and glorified were kept under the Law shut up or confined unto the Faith which afterwards should be revealed Gal. 3. 23. And they who then observed it found it effectual in the enjoyment of the Blessings it did promise and they who transgressed it in suffering the penalties it did threaten And this was the great errour of the Jews both before but especially after the Gospel was revealed to expect supernatural Expiation and Sanctification from it as though they had no need either of Christ or the Gospel § 23. In Ver. 19. we have 1. The deficiency of the Law 2. The efficiency of the Gospel The deficiency of the Law is that it made nothing perfect The efficiency or efficacy of the Gospel that by it we draw nigh to God That the Law made nothing perfect proves that it was weak and unprofitable 1. By nothing understand no Person 2. By perfect to justify and sanctify upon Expiation So that the Argument of the Apostle in Form is this That which perfects nothing is weak and unprofitable But the Law perfects nothing Therefore it 's weak and unprofitable This proves from the non-production of the effect the insufficiency of the Causal power in the Law And this is so to be understood that the Law did neither actually perfect neither had any power to perfect any person But that which it could not effect the bringing in of a better hope whereby we draw nigh to God could fully accomplish The profit which the erring Jew expected from the Law was perfection and he believed there was strength and power in the Law to produce this effect Yet God did never teach him so but reserved this excellent power unto the bringing in of a better Hope where by better Hope is meant the Gospel and by bringiag in the Promulgation of it after the Law and upon the Law The Gospel is called a better Hope because by the Promises made therein to them who observe it we have firm and certain hope of perfection and sanctification and so of eternal life and this hope is so much the more certain because of the blessed Spirit of God which accompanying it doth enable us to obey the Precepts and seals the Promises for it writes it in our hearts So that what the Law could not the Gospel can effect Some will have this better Hope to be the Priest-hood of Christ but that cannot well be For 1. That is opposed to the Priest-hood of the Law not to the Law it self which is opposed properly here unto the Gospel and the Gospel to it 2. The Gospel presupposeth the Priest-hood of Christ and the Expiation made by the Priesthood and it is a means of Application and Communication of the benefits of that Expiation The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 turned bringing in seems to be taken from Law-givers who bring in one Law after and upon another either to confirm or intetpret or repeal and abrogate the former at least in part The Gospel is a Law of God Redeemet in and by Christ brought in and after the Law
Form of Holiness and merit death and Punishment or because men are dead and sensless of them and so continue in them Yet the Apostle seems to allude in this to the Pollutions by the dead whereof we read Num. 19. 18. For he that touched a Bone or one slain or one dead or a Grave was legally unclean and polluted In every sin we commit our Soul doth come too near unto or morally and spiritually doth touch something that is base vile and far below it self and so debaseth and defileth it self and makes it self not only guilty but unholy and unfit for having any Communion with God 3. To purge this Conscience is to free this Soul thus conscious of sin from the Guilt and the Impurity and other sad Consequents of Sin so that thereupon the Sinner is neither liable to Punishment or debarred from Communion with God This purging is not only Justification but that which is called Sanctification and inherent Holiness without which no Man shall see God the want whereof if we consider it as following upon a former demerit is the greatest Punishment of all other For if we could imagine a Man pardoned and freed from the Guilt of former sin and left inherently polluted and unsanctified he must needs remain in a sad condition But we cannot truly thus imagine if want of the sanctifying Spirit be a Punishment for former Sin If we be once thus purged there is no more Conscience of Sin once pardoned no fear of God's wrath nor of the eternal penalty for we being once purged have peace with God quiet of Conscience and hope of Glory 4. To serve the true and living God following upon the purging of the Conscience is a special priviledg To understand this more distinctly we must know that under the Law whosoever was polluted by the presence or touch of the dead could not enter into the Congregation with the rest of God's sanctified People for to worship or have any Communion with God If he should dare and presume to enter before he was purged or purified he defiled the Tabernacle and Sanctuary of God and that Soul must be cut off Numb 19. 13 20. That which answers unto this Priviledg is the liberty of free access with boldness and confidence unto the Throne of Grace to offer up our Prayers Thanks-giving and other Services unto God propitiated and reconciled so as to be accepted and receive Mercies and Blessings from him For being justified and sanctified we do not fear God as a severe Judg we do not stand at a distance or fly from him but come near unto him as Children to a loving Father This same Service of the true and living God who is Light most pure and holy doth presuppose us justified sanctified reconciled adopted There are degrees as of this cleansing so of this serving God for we are not cleansed fully from all Sin in this Life but we shall be in the Life to come and then we shall have full Communion with our God and serve him far more perfectly in the glorious Temple and Sacrary of Heaven This is the purging of the Conscience in it self Now we must consider it as an Effect predicated of the Blood of Christ the Cause for it being so noble and excellent an Effect must have some rare and noble Cause The Cause therefore must be Blood yet no Blood but this Blood of Christ with which he entred into the Holy place of Heaven after it was shed will serve the turn or reach this Effect yet this is not an immediate but a mediate Effect of this Blood thus shed and presented to God For one immediate effect antecedent to this is expiation and satisfaction of God's Justice whereby Sin became pardonable And if Christ had not obtained and found eternal Expiation by this blood he could never by it have purged the Conscience Yet this blood hath this power first and then doth exercise it when he finds a Subject rightly disposed which is a Conscience sensible of sin and appealing to the Throne of Grace where it pledges this blood of Christ. So that this purging actually considered presupposeth the blood of Christ shed offered accepted as a sufficient propitiation and the Sinner to be purged penitent and believing This seems to be signified by that Ceremony of purification described and prescribed Numb 19. For he that was once polluted and unclean must be willing desirous and careful to be cleansed with the ashes mixt with water sprinkled upon him The blood of some Sacrifice did expiate the ashes with water sprinkled did cleanse So the blood of Christ shed and offered doth expiate sin so far as to make it remissible and the sprinkling of that by the Spirit upon the penitent and believing doth purge The third Proposition in this verse is that much more doth the blood of Christ purge the conscience that is 1. It purgeth the conscience 2. It purgeth it effectually and fully But joyn this with the former and then we have the substance of the whole in one proposition which you heard before and the Apostle in the words argues to this purpose If the blood of Bulls and Goates c. had power of sanctifying the Flesh then much more the blood of Christ doth purge the Conscience But the blood of Bulls and Goates c. did sanctify the Flesh. Therefore much more the blood of Christ c. doth purge the Conscience c. This place implies that the expiations by Blood and purifications of the Law could neither satisfy God's Justice nor purge the Conscience from spiritual filth and guilt of sin yet the blood of Christ could do both And here we must seriously consider the excellency of the blood of Christ the wonderful purging efficacy thereof and the unspeakable mercy of God in providing this remedy and setting open this fountain to wash and cleanse away our sin O blessed blood O happy man O come to this Fountain wash and bathe thy self here every day Here the wrath of God is quenched the tormenting conscience quieted the filthy Soul washed and prepared for the communion with her God But we are ignorant of the virtue of this blood sensless of our sins careless of our purification and so presume to enter into God's presence and defile his Tabernacle and bring his wrath upon us But before I leave this Text something further must be said concerning the efficacy of the blood of Buls and Goates and the ashes of an Heifer also of the efficacy of the blood of Christ. For it must be enquired whether the efficacy of both depend meerly upon divine Institution oâ— upon the nature of the Causes 1. That neither is Physical will be granted 2. That the purifying efficacy of the blood of Goates and Bulls and the ashes of an Heifer sprinkling the unclean did depend meerly upon the will and positive Institution of God will not be denyed For neither the blood nor ashes nor sprinkling had any moral spiritual intrinsecal virtue
the mercies obtained by Faith the second to the sufferings which are to be reduced to the Catalogue of Sufferings which follow In the first we may observe 1. What the mercy received was 2. Who received it 3. By what they received it 1. The mercy received was great and such as could not have been given but by God and also by his extraordinary power For it presupposeth the parties raised to be dead which is the last and greatest of all evils in this Life and puts an end to all our earthly Hopes and Comforts which it wholly taketh away And though men may strengthen the Weak heal the Sick relieve the oppressed and deliver out of many Troubles and Dangers yet Death they cannot prevent when the fatal hour approacheth nor restore life after it 's once lost Death is an invincible Enemy and neither can Man or Angel rescue any out of Death's power yet the parties dead which were Children were raised life restored to them and Soul and Body separated were re-united yet to be separated again for the life restored was not immortal 2. The parties who received this extraordinary Mercy were both Women and Mothers as the parties dead were their Children The one was the Widow of Zarepta 1 King 17. 19. and he that raised her son was Elijah The other was the Shunamite whose son being dead was restored to life by Elisha 2 King 4. 21. There was a third person raised from the dead when he was cast into the Grave of the Prophet We do not read of any other dead persons restored to life in the Old Testament by these or any other Prophets 3. By Faith they are said to have received their dead It 's not written that they raised them but that they received them being raised The Prophets did raise them restore them and deliver them to their Mothers Yet neither could these Prophets by their own power do any such thing for it was an effect of the almighty power of God who made them his Instruments and by them upon their instant prayers did this great Work yet their prayers without Faith could not have been so effectual The Women also did much desire this mercy and did believe that God by the Prophets could restore their Children which were raised by the Faith of Prophets and received alive by the Faith of the Mothers The second Effect here mentioned is Patience in such as suffered cruel Torments in their Bodies Here begins the Catalogue of the suffering of the Saints which did evidence their Faith without which we can neither do good nor suffer evil so as God requireth This example is not found in Canonical Scripture therefore the Apostle knew it either by Tradition or some historical Writing yet so that he some wayes knew infallibly the truth of the matter Some think the Apostle understood Eliazar mentioned 2 Mach. 6. 18 19 20 c. and the Woman and her seven Sons so cruelly tortured as we read in 2 Maccab. 7. Chapter following who are related to have suffered constantly in hope of the Resurrection In the words we may observe 1. Their Suffering 2. Their non-Acceptance of Deliverance 3. Their Faith 1. Their Suffering they were Tortured The Sufferings of God's People may be truly said to be either Trials or Chastifements or Punishments or some or all of these and if we consider the Evils which both good and bad are subject unto in this Life we must distinguish between the matter and the manner For the matter of Sufferings passively considered may be the same in all but the manner as also the Causes are very different For the Sufferings of God's Saints are so qualified by Faith that in them many divine vertues are manifested and they tend though not to the meriting yet to the attaining of eternal Glory For if we suffer with Christ we shall be glorified with him Rom. 8. 17. And our leight Affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of Glory 2 Cor. 4. 17. These Persons here intended are said to be Tympanized which is to be tormented several wayes as by beating and fustigation by racking and extension by tearing and excoriation for the word it self doth not determine the manner of Torment Therefore it 's well turned by this general word Tortured that is they were put to bodily pain The Torturers were Anâ—â—ochus and his cursed Agents the Sufferers and Subjects of these Tortures were the Jews which refused to obey the Commands of that cruel Tyrant contrary to the Laws of God 2. The Non-Acceptance of Deliverance doth imply that they might upon certain Conditions have been freed from these cruel Pains and so have prevented Death and that they rather chose to suffer more and dy than accept of the Conditions If we consult the History we shall understand 1. That they were commanded to do some things contrary to the Laws of God 2. That though they were in the Power of a cursed cruel Prince and perswaded both by Promise and threatning to obey yet they refused 3. That upon the Refusal they were tortured 4. In some Intermission of the torture they were advised again to yield for their Persecutors thought the bitterness of the pain might prevail much with them 5. Yet it did not for they remained constant and were ready to suffer the worst and to dy rather than disobey their God This was the Cause of their Suffering and made it glorious For they suffered not as Malefactors for their Crimes but for Righteousness sake and did manifest that they loved God and Righteousness more than their lives 3. They did thus suffer thus refuse Deliverance to obtain a better Resurrection this was the End of both and did manifest both their Faith and Hope 1. Their Faith in that they did believe there was a Resurrection unto eternal Life and that God not only could but also would raise them up again restore an immortal glorious blessed Life for a miserable short and mortal Breath and abundantly recompence their cruel Pains suffered in Obedience to him with eternal Pleasures They were assured that God was a Rewarder of those who diligently seek him by doing Good and suffering Evil for his sake 2. Their Hope grounded upon this Faith was their constant expectation of this Resurrection according to God's Promise For he had promised it to all such as really love him and their Suffering was a great Evidence of their Title and did assure them of Possession in due time Here two things are to be noted 1. That Resurrection to Immortality is general and common to all both good and bad for all must rise again to Judgment Yet some shall rise to Condemnation and the Suffering of eternal Shame and Punishment and others unto everlasting Life and Glory This latter Resurrection is here meant which is said to be better because by it they should receive a better Life than could be enjoyed on Earth 2. That it 's better for
that is The peaceable fruit of Righteousness for surely there is nothing which God doth unto his Children but therein he intends their good The Subject Matter of this Passage as of the former is the Lord 's chastening of his Children and it 's considered 1. In respect of it self for the present 2. In respect of the Fruit which follows afterward According to these two Considerations we have two Propositions 1. That Chastening for the present seeineth not to be joyous but grievous 2. That nevertheless afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of Righteousness to them that are exercised therewith 1. The Nature of all Chastening in general and of the Lord 's Chastening his Children in particular is here assumed to be grievous and evil For it 's not matter of Joy but Sorrow to the Party suffering it for as Good present is the cause of Joy so Evil is the cause of Sorrow Yet this Evil is not the evil of Sin but of Punishment yet it 's for Sin as deserving it and to take away Sin and prevent the Punishment and when Sin is taken away and the Party chastened is reformed then God's chastizing hand is taken off us and in Heaven where shall be no Sin shall be no Chastening Yet because it issues from Love and tends unto the good of the Party chastened therefore the Evil is so little that it may be a Question whether it should have the Denomination of Evil For this Reason the Apostle useth terms of Abatement as 1. It 's so only for the present 2. It seemeth to be so not that it is so absolutely or in any high degree or in it self but rather in the sense and conceit of the Sufferer 3. It 's not of Joy that is it seemeth not to be Joyous for many times God's Saints rejoyce in Tribulation and these very Hebrews suffered joyfully the spoiling of their Goods In the second Proposition we may observe 1. The Benefit and Profit of Chastisement 2. The Parties that reap this Benefit by it 3. The time of receiving this Benefit 1. This Benefit is the peaceable fruit of Righteousness where fruit of Righteousness is nothing but Righteousness which is here compared to Fruit as every Effect may be said to be a fruit of it's Cause Man is the Soil God's Chastening is the Culture or good Husbandry and this Man thus cultivated by Chastening accompanied with the Word and Spirit yields and brings forth this Fruit. But it 's much doubted what this peaceable Righteousness is Some think that Righteousness signifies heavenly Vertues or the Works of these Vertues for Justitia in sâ—fâ— virtutes coâ—tinâ—â— omnes and righteous Works are vertuous Works Others conceive that by Righteousness is meant that particular Vertue of Patience which seems to be a proper Fruit of Chastizing Tribulations and Afflictions For Tribulation worketh Patience Rom. 5. 3. and the trying of our Faith by Temptations and Afflictions worketh Patience saith another Apostle Jam. 1. 3. And Patience may be said to be peaceable because it is the quiet the peace the calm of the Soul in the midst of the Storms of Affliction But to understand the words more fully we must consider 1. That the End of God's Chastening is Correction Reformation and the reducing of the Party chastened into the right way For saith David Before I was afflicted I went astray but now I have kept thy Word Psal. 119. 67. and again It 's good for me that I have been afflicted that I might learn thy Statutes Ver. 71. Where we may observe 1. That Afflictions which are God's Chastisements are for Sin for he had gone astray 2. The End and Effect is Obedience keeping of God's Word and learning to do his Statutes To obey and do God's Laws is Righteousness 2. Upon this Reformation follows Peace for God's Anger and Chastisements the Effects thereof do cease the Conscience is quiet and the Comfort of the Party corrected is great 3. This Chastening may be used as a means of our first Conversion and so of unrighteous may make us righteous or it may be made subservient to the Reformation of one converted by making him sensible of Sin and causing him to renew his Repentance and exercise and improve his heavenly Vertues which lay dormant in him through his neglect The Sum of all this is 1. God by his Chastisements joyned with his Word and Spirit makes his Children more holy and righteous and also more happy By this that is Smiting and Affliction or Chastisement shall the Iniquity of Jacob be purged and this is all the fruit to take away Sin Isa. 27. 9. And the End of all our Chastisements which we suffer here on Earth is that when this Life is ended we may be perfectly righteous and attain eternal Peace For they exercise our Graces of Repentance and Faith whereby we obtain Remission of Sin a greater measure of Sanctification and Reconciliation with our God 2. The Parties that are Partakers of this benefit are such as are exercised therewith There is an Exercise of the Body whereby men are made stronger more active more skilful in the thing wherein they are exercised and by continued Practice are enabled to endure and hold out far more and far longer than others can do There is also an Exercise of the Soul in the School of Affliction for this is the manner of God's training of his Children and the stirring up and improving of their heavenly vertues The principal Vertue he intends to teach them is Patience which once had and brought unto some Perfection is a rare vertue This is an hard Lesson and not easily learned and without Exercise cannot be attained yet this vertue once made habitual raiseth Man to an high degree of Christianity so that nothing will be difficult unto him Therefore this was the Exhortation of the Apostle Let Patience have her perfect Work that ye may be perfect and entire wanting of nothing James 1. 4. They therefore who are exercised by Afflictions so as to be habitually patient are they who receive this benefit and reap the peaceable fruit of Righteousness 3. Yet there must be some time before an habit be acquired therefore the Apostle saith That not at first but afterward when we have been well â—vâ—rcised then it yieldeth this peaceable fruit and not before God could so sanctify us at first and in an instant so deeply implant all heavenly vertues in us that this Exercise might be needless Yet it was not his Will and Pleasure so to do he will humble us try us refine us before he admits into his Kingdom of Glory He knew this was good for us for it is good for a Man that he bear the Yoke in his Youth He sitteth alone and keepeth silence because he hath born it upon him Lament 3. 27. 28. The Sum of this Discourse is That seeing from the Text of Solomon it appears that God out of Love chasteneth all his Children so that none are exempted and
in this manner Ver. 3. Remember them that are in Bonds ' as bound with them and them which suffer Adversity as being your selvs also in the Body IN this Exhortation we have as in the former 1. The Duty exhorted unto 2. The Reason why we should perform it In the Duty there be 1. Some Persons to be remembred 2. The Remembrance of them 1. The Persons are of two sorts and the Reasons applyed severally 1. There are Persons bound and here we must consider 1. Their Condition 2. The Cause 1. Their Condition in general is miserable in particular they are restrained of their Liberty which is a precious thing The misery of them that are bound may be greater or less according to the place of Imprisonment or their Usage or Absence from such as would relieve them or some other Accidents The Place may be a Dungeon or filthy and nasty or very grievous in respect of the wicked fellow-Prisoners Their Usage may be very bad because they may be denyed Food and other necessaries their friends not suffered to come to them or relieve them or they may be scourged and abused They may be so consined as that their Friends may be ignorant both of the Place where they are and also of their Condition 2. The Cause in this place may imply that they are Christians and God's Servants thus Paul and Silas and Peter and many other Disoiples were cast in Prison and that for the Profession or Preaching of the Gospel this was to suffer for Righteousness sake and for Christ's sake and in a good Cause This Imprisonment if just was a disgrace a securing of Malefactors not only to restrain them from mischief but to reserve them for Trial and Punishment and sometimes it was a Punishment in it self and was never intended for innocent but for criminous and guilty Persons These must be remembred and their Case and Cause considered that so they might be visited comforted encouraged relieved or released eased and delivered Thus to remember is an Act not only of the Understanding but the Will and also the Executive Power so that the word is taken both Metonymically and Synechdochically 2. They and so we must remember them as being bound or in Bonds This implies the Manner how they must and also a Reason why they must remember them We must love our Neighbour as our selves and this we cannot so well do except we make our selvs ohe with them and make their condition ours so as that we may do as we would be done unto In particular when we seriously suppose our selvs bound even then when we are free and at Liberty we are made far more sensible of their misery and are the more effectually moved to Compassion therefore some observe that Misericordia est miseria aliena in corde nostro For when the Misery of others is not only in our Memory but in our hearts we are affected with it sensible of it and moved to relieve and comfort them This is the manner of Remembrance The Reason implied is That seeing they are one Person with us and our Brethren if they be bound we are bound with them because one part of us is in Bonds and as we would be sensible of our misery and would use all means to release and relieve our selves so we should endeavour to help and deliver them They are part of our selves therefore we must remember them Again we are one with them so that we are in the same Condition with them so far that we are obnoxious to Bonds as well as they and we know not how soon it may be our Case and this should perswade us much to do our Duty For we being in Bonds will stand in need of the help of others and of them if they be set at Liberty when we are bound The second Duty is to remember those that are in Adversity This implies that there are many kinds of Afflictions besides Bonds for that is one kind of misery and that of Bonds is not alwayes single but joyned often with other Vexation and Adversities Therefore not only they that are in Bonds but others in other Adversities must be remembred and so relieved and comforted and we must use all our Power and Ability which God hath given us to remove their Afflictions and make their Condition more comfortable For the Providence of our heavenly Father doth so order it that the whole Body and all the Members of the Church should not be afflicted at one time but whilest some are afflicted others are free that they may relieve and comfort their Brethren and so exercise their Grace and manifest their Vertues And the Afflictions of our Brethren will discover either our sincerity or hypocrisy The Reason why we should remember these is because we are in the Body To be in the Body and to be in the Flesh are Scripture-Phrases and signify the same thing They imply that there are some in the Body and some out of the Body the one living the other dead For while we are living on Earth the Soul which is the principal part is in the Body which is said to be the Tabernacle and Mansion of the Soul But Death separates them and divests and dispossesseth the Soul This Soul in it solf is above the Power of Man and no mortal hand can reach it not touch it immediately yet because of the Body which is so nearly united unto it men may vex and torment it and that very much and whilest it 's in the Body it 's liable to these Vexations and the Body whilest it 's enlivened by the Soul is sensible of many miseries But when these are parted by Death both are free from all sense of these Afflictions Therefore said our Saviour That when men have killed the Body after that they have no more that they can do Luke 12. 4. All this being presupposed the Apostle to perswade them to Compassion towards their afflicted Brethren puts them in mind of their present condition They were yet in the Body that is they were obnoxious to the same Adversities and cannot promise to themselvs security from them for a day or an hour therefore they must pity them as themselves and use all means to comfort help and deliver them Thus to remember our Brethren in Bonds and Adversity is the Duty of all such as profess their Faith in Christ and own the Name of Christian yet few perform what by their Profession they are bound to do Where are our Bowels of Compassion Where is our Christian Charity We should remember that as Christ pitied us so we should pity our distressed Brethren and shew Mercy unto them as we desire God in the time of our distress to have Mercy upon us But many who are Christians in Name are devoid not only of Christian Compassion and Charity but of Humanity and Civility which have bin found in very Heathens and Mahometans § 4. These were Duties which we owe unto others especially