King of Righteousness and after that also King of Salem which is King of Peace MElech and so Melchi in Hebrew signifies King Prince or Governour and such is being one person is eminent in Power above the rest Zedeck is Righteousness in that Language This name agrees with Adonizedeck of Adon or Adoni Lord and Zedeck Righteousness as before This Name did truly agree unto this Person and he did answer to his Name He was a just King and did Order and Govern his People in Righteousness by just Judgment and according to just Laws and sought their weal and common good Such all Civil Governours should be for justice is essential to good Government and God never gave any power to any person but bound him to Righteousness nay further governing Power is no Power without wisdom and justice it may be potâ—ntia but not potestas Some Princes are more righteous then other yet this man was eminently righteous because he proved a Prince of Peace For the Fruit of Righteousness is Peace and the more wise and just the Government of any State shall be the greater the Peace and Happiness of the People But Righteousness must go before and after that Peace will follow and Kings must first be Kings of Zedeck before they can be Kings of Salem If the Kings of Sodom had been such they had not been invaded subdued and spoiled by a forraign Enemy The words seem to imply that Zedeck and Salem were two places from whence he had his Name and Title first from the one then from the other or that because he was so just first he was called the King of Righteousness and after that because by his just Government the People enjoyed so great Peace He was called King of Salem § 9. The fourth and last particular is the perpetuity of his Priest-hood For thus it 's written Ver. 3. Without Father without Mother without Descent having neither beginning of Dayes nor end of Life but made like unto the Son of God abideth continually a Priest FOR the better understanding of these words we must consider 1. That if Melchisedec was a man living in Abraham's Dayes he had both Father and Mother and Descent and beginning of Dayes and end too except he as Enoch was translated not to see Death otherwise these words properly understood and strictly taken might justly give occasion to think he was an Angel in humane shape which was the opinion of some 2. Therefore for the most part the words are understood Tropically to this purpose That as he is described Gen. 14. the first and only place of the Old Testament that speaks more largely of him Moses the Historian makes no mention of his Father or Mother or Descent or Birth or Death And he was directed thus to do by the Spirit of purpose either because he being ignorant of all these the Spirit did not reveal them unto him or if he did and he knew them yet he was ordered and moved by the Spirit to conceal them that according to that Description he might appear a more lively and perfect Type of Christ. 3. The words have special reference unto his Priest-hood and gives us a real difference between him and the Levitical Priest and makes him far more like unto the Son of God our everlasting Priest For the Levitical High-Priests had their Priest-hood by Descent and Birth and upon their Death their Successors For as born of a Father of the Tribe of Levi and the House of Aaron after he was once consecrated and as born of a Mother who was a woman married to one of that House so they derived the Priest-hood from the first Investiture after the first Institution And whosoever could not manifest his Genealogy and Descent from that Family could not minister and officiate as a Priest As they had beginning of Dayes and by their Birth and Descent derived their Priest-hood from their Predecessors so they were Mortal and had end of Dayes and so transmitted their Priest-hood to their Successors Thus did not Melchisedec who though he might have Father and Mother and Descent and so beginning and end of Dayes as a man yet as a Priest he had no Predecessor from whom by Birth he might receive his Sacerdotal Power nor Successor who derived his Priest-hood from him So Christ the Son of God derived his Priest-hood from no mortal Predecessor but immediately from his heavenly Father neither will he transmit it to any Successor but when all Enemies shall be subdued and he shall deliver up his Commission by vertue of which he doth now officiate and intercede in Heaven He shall resign the same together with his Kingdom to God who gave him both And thus perhaps Melchisedec this great Priest and lively Type of Christ did And if there be any Priest-hood according to the Law of Nature which is of perpetual continunuance then he seems to be an extraordinary Priest according to the Law For there is the Law of Nature the Law of Moses the Law of Grace and every one of these may have their ordinary Priests and their extraordinary supream Pontiffs immediately instituted of God and the extraordinary supream Pontiff according to the Law of Nature must be above Aaron who was a High-Priest according to that Law which was but for a time and to be abolished and so more fit to typifie Christ the Mediatour and Priest of the New Covenant which shall stand for ever And these things I referr and in them submit my Judgment to the wise and judicious who may take occasion to seek further whether Melchisedec's Sacerdotal Title did not continue to him in Heaven till Christ's Ascension and then was delivered up to Christ and so it continued in him for ever and in this respect he abideth a Priest continually The first three verses seem to be one Proposition and all the whole description till the last words the subject or antecedent and abiding continually the predicate yet so that there are many simple Propositions in the antecedent And it 's observable that Righteousness Peace and Blessing of Melchisedec are perpetual § 10. After the explication of this Description we must consider wherein Melchisedec and Christ agree for there must be an agreement between the Type and the Antitype They agree in Offices Acts and Continuance 1. Melchisedec was a Priest and a King so was Christ Melchisedec was a King first of Righteousness and after of Peace so is Christ for he is the most righteous and just Administratour of his universal and perpetual Spiritual Kingdom and by Righteousness procures an everlasting Peace for our eternal Righteousness is from Him and the Fruit of this Righteousnesse is the perpetuall Peace of all his Loyall and Obedient Subjects 2. Melchisedec as a Priest received Tythes of Abraham and blessed him so Christ doth bless all such as believe in him and makes them eternally happy and all our spiritual Blessings and our eternal Bliss we expect to receive by him and
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 study ye And as one well observe Studium est vehemens applicatio axim ad aliquid agendum Study is a vehement application of the mind to do something Yet that which is matter of lamentation and a sad presage of the eternal ruine of many Souls is the great neglect of this Duty for few go seriously about it The vigonr and strength both of our Souls and Bodies is imployed and wholly spent in seeking the vanities of the World § 5. The Reasons whereupon the performance of this Duty is urged are three 1. From the sad and woful Consequent 2. From the severity of the all-seeing Judge 3. From the help and assistance of our High-Priest The reason from the sad Consequent is expressed thus Lest any fall after the same example of Unbelief THis implies 1. There is danger and an evil to be feared 2. The evil is falling 3. All and every one is in this danger lest any fall 4. Lest any should sleight the danger he instanceth in the Israelites who fell by Unbelief To fall may be a Sins or a Punishment If a Sin it 's Apostacy which is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifie in this as in many other places Rebellion and Apostacy If a Punishment it 's exclusion out of God's Rest with all the miseries that accompany it so it seems here to be taken By this as by many other places we easily understand how we must conceive of Examples and what use we must make of them If they be examples of Punishments we must account them as executions of God's Laws and especially of his Comminations The use that we must make of them is to avoid those Sins for which they were inflicted and to be the more careful in this particular because by them we may easily know that God's Laws are not only words and his Threats only wind It 's not with God as it 's often with Men who will threaten more then they will or can do Thence the Saying Threatned men live long But here it 's otherwise God's Word is his Deed and his Punishments threatned against Apostates are unavoidable They are not made unadvisedly and out of rash passion but according to the eternal Rules of Wisdom and Justice And let every one know that that God that spareth neither Men nor Angels nor his own chosen and beloved People will not spare Us. Therefore as we desire to escape this fearful Punishment let us labour to enter into that Rest which God hath promised § 6. The second Reason is from the severity of the Judge For Ver. 12. The Word is quick and powerful and sharper then a two-edged Sword c. TO understand this Text we need not doubt whether by Word is meant the Scripture and Doctrine of the Gospel or Christ Jesus which is the Word of God made Flesh or the penal decrees of the Gospel For by Word of God is meant the Law of God with his judicial Sentence For God is here brought in as a most perfect Law-giver and a most severe and exact Judge 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Word is often taken for a Law as the ten Laws or Commandments are in the Hebrew called Ten-words Exod. 20. 1. And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dabar both in Chaldee Syriack and Arabick doth sometimes signify to Order and Govern and because Government is by Laws and Judgment therefore Word signifies both This is more evident from Chap. 2. 2. Where you read If the Word spoken by Angels was stedfast and every Transgression and Disobedience received a just recompence of Reward Where by Word is meant the Law without all doubt as you heard before wherein there were not only Precepts but Comminations according to which Judgment did proceed and was executed By Word therefore is meant the Law and Doctrine of God by Christ wherein we have not only precepts and prohibitions but promises and threats and according to these God will judge every Man to whom the Gospel shall be preached This is a defect in humane Laws that they cannot reach many Offendors and leave the conscience exempt from humane Tribunals and this is an imperfection in many Judges that they cannot attain the perfect and clear knowledg of many Causes brought before them or if they know them will not impartially punish them The Apostle removes these defects and imperfections from this Law-giver and Judge this Law and this Judgment For the Word or Law of God is quick and powerful The latter word explains the fornâ—er for those things that are living are said to be active in opposition to such things which are dead which have lost their power and to be lively and very active are many times the same and this signifies the efficacy and active power of this Law This active vigour and efficacy is illustrated by a Similitude For the Law is compared to a two-edged Sword which being used by a powerful and skilful hand doth manifest how sharp and cutting it is for it pierceth quickly into the inward parts and divideth between Soul and Spirit and the Bones and Marrow which are most nearly united and more hidden and secret in living Bodies So that in the Similitude we have two acts of a Sword or any such cutting Instrument The first is dividing things most nearly united The second discovering things most secret There cannot be any more perfect division or discovery in any dissection or anatomy then is here expressed The reddition of this Comparison seems to be made in these words And is a discerner of the thoughts and the intents of the heart For this cannot agree to a Sword or any cutting Instrument and therefore the meaning must be that as a Sword doth divide things so closely united and discover things so secretly hidden in Bodies so doth this Law in the Soul especially when it 's applyed by the Judge unto the case of sinful Man to be determined by him The most hidden things in Man as a subject of God's Judgment are the intents and thoughts of the heart and they seem to be closely and inseparably conjoyned both with the heart which is the most intimate thing in Man for cor intimum honunis and also one with another We need not curiously explain the words thoughts and intents of the heart or distinguish between them The heart is the Soul of Man endued with a faculty of understanding and willing such things as are the proper objects of it The Soul is in continual motion and action framing and moulding things with in it self Thoughts and intents are the secret acts both speculative and practical of the understanding and rational appetite The words turned thoughts and intentions may signify apprehensions conceptions judgments noetical or dianoetical consultations about mens intents concerning the ends decrees and all other acts of the Soul and may here be so understood And many of these acts and operations are most secret and concealed and in respect of them God saith The heart of man
an Argument to prove something antecedent In the first consideration they yield two Propositions 1. Without Faith it 's impossible to please God 2. He that cometh unto God must believe that God is and that he is a Rewarder of them that diligently seek him 1. Without Faith it 's impossible to please God Where we might observe 1. The Effect pleasing God 2. The Cause Faith 3. The inseparable Connexion of both When one thing doth depend upon another for its being then it 's impossible for it to exist without that other upon which it doth so much depend as the Effect depends upon its Cause as receiving Being from it Therefore Causes and Effects are said to be Arguments absolutely consentany and of inseparable Connexion and impossible Separation If there be a Cause formally and actually as a Cause there must of necessity be an Effect if there be an Effect there must needs be the Cause that gave it being If there be the beams of the Sun there must necessarily be the Sun from whence they issue The World created is an Effect and cannot exist without God as creating it So here to please God is an Effect and Faith is the Cause without which we cannot possibly please God The Sum is that as it is impossible for an Effect to be without a Cause so it 's impossible without Faith to please God 2. This is made more clear from an Act of Faith Some think that the Text is dianoetical or discursive as though the Apostle should argue in this Form If he that commeth unto God must believe that God is and that he is a Rewarder of them that diligently seek him then without Faith it 's impossible to please God But the Antecedent is true Therefore the Consequent They are induced thus to think from the Conjunction For. This seems to be an arguing a definitione ad definitum For in this latter Proposition we have a more accurate definition of that Faith whereby we attain eternal Life than in the first Verse In it we may observe 1. The Object 2. The Act 3. The Subject of Faith 1. The Object complex is two-fold 1. God is 2. He is a Rewarder of them that diligently seek him So that the Object of Enoch's Faith and so of all saving Faith in general is God This most noble Object may be considered 1. As God 2. As Rewarder of Man seeking him 1. God is This is prima veritas complexa the first Categorical Positive Affirmative Proposition For as God's Being and Existence is first and before all other things and existences so that God is or doth exist must needs be the first Truth The Subject of this Proposition being God by God we must understand the most perfect and excellent Being which is known unto us in some measure by his Work but is more fully represented unto us by his Attributes and his eternal necessary acting upon himself as we read in Scripture Of these things I have written more at large in my Theo-Politica This Being and Existence of God so far as it cannot be understood by Reason but by a diviner Light of Revelation is the first Object of Faith 2. The second Object of this Faith is God as beatificans hominem rewarding Man where we must consider 1. The party rewarding 2. The party rewarded The party rewarding is God who first is and doth exist in himself before he can be a Rewarder This Act of Remuneration presupposeth the Creation of the World especially of Man as a Rational Creature capable of Laws Rewards Punishments and God's Supream Dominion and Laws and his Judgment according to the Laws given Man and Man's Observation of the same nay even the Observation of those Laws according to which sinful guilty Man is rewardable The party rewarded or to be rewarded and made happy is 1. Man 2. Sinful Man 3. Sinful Man seeking God 4. Sinful Man seeking God with that sincerity and constancy as to find him This seeking God in this manner is the Observation of his Laws 2. This being the Object the Act is to believe He that cometh unto God must believe To this Act is required an Object not only materially but formally considered a Rule and an intellective Faculty The material Object you have heard before the formal Object are these as intelligible and credible without which there can be no Act. That which makes them credible is the Rule which is the divine Revelation or the Word of God representing the Object as intelligible and credible For Reason without Revelation cannot attain any certain Knowledg and Evidence of these things Something it may conclude and determine of God from his Works something may be taught and testified by Man without Divine Revelation But that God will render eternal Rewards unto sinful Man to be redeemed by Christ upon condition of Repentance Faith and new Obedience is far above Reason not elevated above it's Sphere Therefore the Rule must be supernatural and divine Revelation and Testimony which is infallible because of Godâ— veracity and this Revelation must be in the Soul and known to be divine before it can be a Rule to Man This Faith is a vital and elicit Act of the Soul as intellective for without this intellective active Power the Soul is not capable of the divine Representation nor can be informed by it The Act therefore is a Belief of these things thus represented this Belief is an Assent unto these things revealed as true This Assent must be certain infallible practical 1. It must be certain because the things to be believed concern Man's everlasting Estate 2. It must be infallible for the same Reason 3. It must be practical because it must stir up men effectually to seek eternal Life and deliverance from eternal Death Yet the Cause of the certainty infallibility and practical force is the Word of God conveyed into the Soul and made powerful by the divine Spirit illuminating and inspiring Man in an ineffable manner for a divine Faith it a supernatural Gift of God And as it is divinely practical and effective it 's inconsistent with any predominant Lust and Corruption 3. The Subject of this Faith is one that cometh unto God even every one that cometh unto God To come to God is for Man to turn unto God and to make him the chiefest Object of his Understanding and Will so as to serve him and walk with him so as to obtain eternal Life from him If we reflect upon Enoch it is to come to God for to walk with him for before Enoch could walk with God he must come to God Therefore this coming may be Conversion which depends upon divine Vocation yet this coming as also this walking presupposeth Faith and follows upon it as an Effect upon the Cause For Faith is the Principle of this divine motion both as first begun and after continued So that the sense is that a man cannot begin to walk with God without this Faith for to
bringeth in when he brings again or a second time the first-begotten into the World thus the Vulgar à Lapide Ribera Mr. Mede The former is very probable the latter cannot be demonstrated to be intended but gives occasion of the second doubt which had been none if they had not fallen upon this Criticism For it gives occasion to doubt what coming of Christ into the World is here to be understood whether his Incarnation or Râ—surrection or last Judgment Some understand the first some the second some the last Two things perswade us to believe it of that second coming 1. Because the first proof out of Psal. 2. speaks of the bringing of Christ into the World as King I have sâ—t my King upon my holy Hill of Zion for upon his Resurrection he was made King by Decree and Patent according to those words I will declare the Decree The second place 2 Sam. 7. speaks of him as King first-born and Lord of all 2. The 97. Psalm doth not speak of his coming to Judgment but 1. Of his Exaltation above all Gods whether Men or Angels For thou Lord art high above all the Earth thou art exalted far above all Gods Ver. 9. 2. Of his Laws and the Promulgation of them These Laws are given to Jews to Heathens to Angels with threatnings of Punishment and promises of Reward There is not a word of the Summons Appearance Sentence Execution and final Retribution of eternal Rewards and Punishments But these things wherein some differ are not so material as that wherein they all agree which is The Command of God to all the Angels to worship Christ. Let all the Angels of God worship him In Psal. 97. 7. Worship him all yo Gods These seem to diâ—â—es much But here you must take notice that the Apostle useth the words of the Septuagint and that which is strange the words of the Septuagint as used in Deut. 32. 43. â—ather than those we read Psal. 97. 7. The words of the Psalm are translated by Hiâ—rom Pratâ—â—sâ—s Juâ—ius Viâ—tublus our Translators Worship him all yo Gods By Pagninâ— the Tigurine the Vulgar and the Septuagint Worship him all his Angels And it 's certain that the Greek Translators either followed an Hebrew Copy different from ours or else they understood the word Malachin Angels and expressed it in their Version For that Translation is not wording but rather a Paraphrase and many times gives the sense and sometimes where they are most blamed as forsaking the Original they are most excellent and give greatest light as the Chaldeâ— Paraphrast many times doth But not to insist upon the Translations nor upon the word Elohinâ— which is said to signify God Angels Princes excellent men Idols The words of the Apostle following the Septuagint are plain and inform us 1. That the 97. Psalm is to be understood of Christ as King and Lord Redeemet reigning in glory 2. That God by this Command and Edict subjected all his Angels to Christ. 3. That he did this upon the Resurrection and Exaltation of Christ when he raised him up from the dead and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places far above all principalities and powers and might and dominion and every name that is named not onely in this World but that which is to come Ephes. 1. 20 21. For Christ is gone inâ—o Heaven and is at the right hand of God Angels and Authorities and Powers being made subject unto him 4. That not onely some but all the Angels of God are subject to him for all the Angels must worship him and acknowledge him to be their Lord. 5. Therefore Christ hath obtained a more excellent Name a Name above every Name Phil 2. 9. And this is not onely a Name of Dignity in respect whereof the Angels must honour him but of Subjection to his Power by which he might command them as his Subjects and Servants to obey him § 15. Ver. 7. And of the Angels he saith Who maketh his Angels Spirits and his Ministers a flame of fire These words may be referred either to the Context Antecedent or Consequent If to the Antecedent they seem to be a new Argument to this purpose If Christ be a Son and Lord of all even of Angels and Angels but his Legates and Servants then Christ is more excellent than Angels If they refer to the Context following then the Apostle argues in this manner If Angels be but Servants and Christ an everlasting King then Christ is more excellent than Angels but they are but Servants and he an everlasting King therefore he is more excellent There can be no doubt of the Major The Minor or Assumption hath two parts 1. That the Angels are Servants 2. Christ an everlasting King he proves both and out of the Psalms out of which are taken all the proofs except one in this Chapter and the most material proofs whereon he principally insists thorough out the first 9. Chapters of this Epistle This first part that Angels are but Servants he confirms out of Psal. 104. 4. 1. There is little or in effect no difference in the Translation nor much in the Exposition of the words for most do understand the place of Angels as spiritual and immortal Substances though some very few interpret it of the Winds and the fire which must needs be untrue except we will make the Apostle's Argument invalid 2. Yet there is some difference about the manner of Allegation in these words And of the Angels he saith for the Original seems to say that these words were spoken of the Angels not to the Angels So Vatablus Jumus Tremelius the Tigurines Zanck Divines and out Translators turn it The Vulgar reads it ad Angelos to the Angels yet a Lapide expounds the words of the Angels and thinks that the Vulgar follows the Hebrew wherein 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is sometime taken for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ad for super to for of And they of Zanck conceive there is an Enallage of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Yet Heinsius understands it in another manner and thinks it may well be translated ad Angelos and the sense is Quod ad Angelos spectat As for the Angels he saith and this is likely to be true Yet howsoever the words of the Psalmist are not spoken to but of the Angels 2. It s added he saith in the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith without any expression who saith whether God or the Psalmist or God's Spirit by the Psalmist or it may be understood yet to the same purpose that the Scripture saith The words are the words 1. Of the Scripture 2. Of the Psalmist 3. Of the Spirit who is God But to the words themselves 1. The Subject of them is the Angels 2. The Scope is to prove that they are inferiour to Christ because Servants 3. They teach us 1. The Nature 2. The Place or Office of Angels 3. That God made
is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked who can know it Jer. 17. 9. Of this heart and these motions it 's said That the Word of God is the discerner For this Law must needs discern them otherwise it could not discover the pravity and rectitude of them as it must do if it will be a perfect Rule of Judgment The word discerner may signify a perfect judicial knowledg To understand this the better you must observe 1. That when it 's said the Word or the Law is a discerner it 's meant that God in his Word discovers and distinguisheth these 2. That in Judgment he will as clearly discern all moral acts and operations of the Soul as agreeable or disagreeable to this Law and will judge the party accordingly 3. That he by execution will make this Word effectual to the eternal confusion of disobedient and rebellious Wretches And lest any should think that something might be concealed from the Judge it 's added Ver. 13. Neither is there any Creature that is not manifest in his sighâ— but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with wâ— on we have to do THis place informs Us of the perfect knowledg of God as He is Judge without which his Judgment cannot be just and perfect It presupposeth that perfection and attribute of God's understanding whereby he fully and clearly knoweth himself and all things else In this place it 's an exercise of that perfection restrained to things created and especially to matters of Judgment as all Persons and Causes of Men to whom the Gospel is made known as to be judged by him Where we may observe 1. The object all and every thing For it 's said not any thing and all things 2. The manifestation and clear representation of all in general and every thing in particular For there is not any Creature that is not manifest and all things are naked and open We need not here stand upon the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 turned here opened For in it there is a Metonymy and a Metaphor whether the Metaphor be taken from a body laid upon the back or flead and excoriated or divided through the back-bone it all comes to one for it signifies some thing made manifest 3. They are thus manifest in his sight naked and opened to him Which implies two things 1. That they are manifest naked opened that is very clearly most evidently and fully discovered to him 2. That if they be so clearly and fully manifest in his sight and to his eyes he must needs know them fully and clearly The sum of this is that God knows all things fully and clearly and therefore cannot be ignorant of any Man or any thing in any Man who must have to do with him that is be judged by him This is the matter of this Text considered in it self and is the same with that of the Prophet I the Lord search the Heart and try the Reins even to give every Man according to his â—ays and the fruit of his doings Jer. 17. 10. The force of it as a reason is this That seeing we must be judged according to a just Law by a most exact impartial and all-knowing Judge it concerns us much to labour and use all means to persevere For if we neglect this work or perform it sleightly or secretly in our deceitful hearts turn away and depart from God he will one day summon 〈◊〉 to Judgment we must appear before his Tribunal he will fully and clearly discover the persidiousness of our hearts shut us out of his eternal Rest and cast us into everlasting Flames and though now we will not believe it yet then we shall find it to our woe what a fearful thing it is to â—isobey the Laws of this most Just All-knowing and Almighty God Men now do little regard the Word of God and his Commands Promises Threatnings fear not to transgress his decrees seldom seriously think of that Day when all their baseness and treachery shall be discovered to their everlasting shame confusion and destruction This will be the end of such as do not consider with whom they have to do § 7. The third Reason is from the Priest-hood of Christ For Chap. 3. ver 1. we are exhorted to consider the Apostle and the High-Priest of our Profession He hath formerly pressed the duty of perseverance upon the consideration of his Apostleship and prophetical excellency and here urgeth it again upon the consideration of his Priest-hood This is the first connexion of these words with ver 1. of the third Chapter Again he seemed in the two former Reasons taken from the sad consequent of Apostacy and the severity of the Judge to set before them the Arduum or difficulty of the performance and in these words the possibile that though it be difficult yet it may be done by means of our great High-Priest The former arguments tended to work fear this to cause hope the former well considered might make them careful and diligent this last might encourage and give them comfort This is the second Coherence with the Text immediately antecedent But the words must be considered in themselves before we can understand the force of the Reason contained in them For this end we must take notice that the subject matter of them is the Priest-hood of Christ or Christ our great High-Priest Jesus the Son of God And concerning this High-Priest He 1. Affirmeth some things 2. From the things affirmed inferrs the main Conclusion He affirms of him 1. That he is entred into Heaven 2. Is very merciful to us and compassionate 3. Will prove very helpful The conclusion inferred is To hold fast our Profession Seeing Christ as Priest is the subject of the Text and this last part of the Chapter let 's hear what he writes Ver. 14. Seeing then that we have a great High-Priest that is passed into the Heavens Jesus the Son of God Where we may observe 1. The eminency of the person 2. The excellency of his Office 3. His Relation to us THe person is Jesus of Nazareth the Son of the Virgin Mary conceived at Nazareth born at Bethlehem and Crucified at Jerusalem This Jesus is Son of God not only because of his supernatural Conception and Birth but his eternal Generation For that Word which was from everlasting and by which the World was made was made Flesh and did assume that humane Nature conceived by the Holy Ghost and born of the Virgin Mary and possesseth the same inseparably and eternally This is the eminency of the Person who is Superiour to all Men and Angels The excellency of his Office is that he was a Priest and not only so but an High-Priest as Aaron was above other Priests and President in all matters of Divine Worship and might perform some sacerdotal Acts which none but he might do Many High-Priests were of that Dignity that they were equal with Kings But he was not only High-Priest but
which they can neither be renewed or mortified and proceed in the wayes of Righteousness and Holiness unto the attaining of eternal life 5. Resurrection is the fifth part of this Doctrine and seems to signisy in this place immortality and eternal Glory as a Reward This presupposeth the exercise of all heavenly Virtues and the continuance of their Faith and Obedience Under this Head may be brought Justification Reconciliation Adoption with the continuance of the sanctifying and regenerating Spirit and also the joys and comforts of God's Saints in this Life and their security and bliss upon their departure out of this Life untill the Resurrection 6. The sixth Doctrine is that of eternal Judgment Both Resurrection and this Judgment presuppose men's Obedience or Disobedience to the Laws of God and by Judgment may be understood either Judgment in general which follows the Resurrection and determines finally the eternal Punishments and Rewards or by a Synecdoche for the eternal Punishments which that Judgment shall award to certain persons This latter seems to be the intended sense because the word is usually taken for Condemnation and Punishment and so much the rather because we never find Judgment taken properly said to be everlasting This presupposeth impenitence and unbelief both Negative and Positive and to this Head are reducible all the spiritual Penalties inflicted upon Man in this Life as fore-runners of this eternal Vengeance It was necessary in the first place to lay the foundation in teaching these Truths of Repentance Faith the sealing of the Covenant the sanctification of the Spirit and the retribution of eternal Rewards and Punishments according to men's observation or violation of the Covenant of Grace This Doctrine they had formerly learned and professed and it was the sum and substance of the antient Creeds And if they any wayes were fallen from this it was in vain to lay the foundation anew and initiate them again Therefore he was resolved to proceed and do that which he had proposed if God would permit and assist him for all resolutions of Men are in God's Power For he alone can so assist them as to make them effectual or hinder them so as to frustrate their designs This implies the Authour's dependance upon God for the carrying on and finishing his intended Discourse concerning the Priest-hood of Christ. § 4. Thus far the Apostle's Resolution the Reasons follow The first is because to lay the foundation anew would be in vain It would prove so because such as fall from these principles render themselves uncapable of any benefit to be received by Christ's Death and Passion neither can they be renewed again unto Repentance The argument in form is this The Apostle presupposing that no man ought and no wise man will do that which he knows to be in vain and to no purpose he proves that to lay the foundation again is in vain thus To attempt that which is impossible is in vain But to attempt by laying the foundation again to renew unto Repentance such as fall away is to attempt that which is impossible therefore it 's in vain To understand the force of this Reason let us reduce the Apostles words into these Propositions 1. They which have been enlightned and have tasted of the heavenly Gift and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost and have tasted of the good Word of God and of the Powers of the World to come may fall away 2. If they fall away it is impossible for them to be renewed again unto Repentance 3. The reason why it is impossible is because they Crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh and put him to open shame These may be reduced to one Syllogism thus It 's impossible that they which Crucify the Son of God afresh and put him to open shame should be again renewed to Repentance But such as fall away from Christianity once received do Crucify the Son of God afresh and put him to open shame Therefore it 's impossible again to renew them to Repentance The sum of all is this he would not lay again the foundation of Christianity because it was in vain It was in vain because the recovery of such as fall away and renounce Christ was impossible In the first Proposition I will consider 1. What it is to fall away 2. Who they are that may fall away 1. To fall away is here to be Apostates and forsake Christianity once received it 's not to fall into any kind of Sin but such as are contra integrum faedus contrary to the essence and substance of Christianity such are impenitency and unbelief after Repentance and Faith In this respect David's Murther and Adultery though very grievous Sins and against the Covenant yet they were not a violation of it essentially and formally considered This is falling away or Apostacy in this place 2. The subject of this Apostacy and parties which may fall away are such as have received Christianity and have been convinced of the Truth thereof For he that never was a Christian cannot be said to fall away from Christianity he must be a Christian before he can be an Apostate But to enter more particularly upon the Description of the Subject of Apostacy and persons that may fall away 2. They are described from sive things or adjuncts 1. They are enlightned 2. Have tasted of the heavenly Gift 3. Are partakers of the Holy Ghost 4. Have tasted of the good Word of God 5. Have tasted of the Powers of the World to come 2. The difference of several Writers in the Exposition of these five particulars is great For with some 1. To be enlightned is Repentance 2. To taste of the heavenly Gift is Faith in God 3. To be partakers of the Holy Ghost is to receive the Gifts of the Spirit 4. To taste of the good Word of God answers to Imposition of hands 5. To taste of the Powers of the World to come is to have some apprehensions of the Resurrection and eternal Judgment with affections suitable Others understand 1. By enlightning Baptism 2. By tasting of the heavenly Gift spiritual Peace and Joy 3. By the Holy Ghost Gifts of that blessed Spirit 4. By tasting the good Word of God The sinding how sweet and comfortable the Doctrine and especially the Promises of the Gospel be 5. By tasting of the Powers of the World to come The experience of the efficacy and moving Power of the Doctrine of everlasting Life and Death believed Others not differing much think that 1. Enlightning is the knowledg of saving-Truth 2. Tasting of the heavenly Gift is the receiving of Christ by Faith 3. Participation of the Holy Ghost is receiving of the Gifts of the Spirit 4. Tasting of the good Word of God and the Powers of the World to come is some experimental effects of the Gospel and Spirit 3. Yet upon examination the first three may be one And that is the illumination of the heart and mind by the heavenly Gift of
alwayes upon the Bench and in the end will pass final â—â—â—tence upon all Men and Angels This seems to be understood of that final Doom in which eternal Punishments and Rewards shall be determined This could be no ground of his perswasion except he knew it and he knew this Judgment in generall as he knew the Gospel that is infallibly and by divine Revelation But that they should be eternally rewarded in particular he understood so far as he was certain of their Works So that the ground of his perswasion was this that he knew God was not unrighteous to forget their vertues and good works § 11. In this part and passage of Scripture divers things are remarkable 1. Real Love to God's persecuted Saints is a great evidence of sincere Christianity Therefore saith the divine Apostle By this we know that we are passed from Death to Life because we love the Brethren 1 Joh. 3. 14. 2. Where there is sincere Christianity it will manifest it self by good Works for as a good tree manifests its Goodness by its fruits so doth Faith and inward sincere Christianity 3. To whomsoever this Christianity is thus manifested in any persons they ought to love them and be well perswaded of their happy condition and state of Salvation 4. They that are thus perswaded ought to signify their Love and good Opinion of them as occasion shall require For by this they may prevent suspicions quiet their minds encourage and comfort them 5. There are certain divine Vertues and good Works which have an inseparable connexion with Salvation and eternal Life and which God will not forget 6. This inseparable Connexion is not necessary as from the Vertues and the Works as though they did merit Salvation or necessitate God to reward them 7. It is from God's Righteousness and Promise with respect had to Christ's merit and the qualification of the parties 8. As there are some Persons hardned and delivered up unto a reprobate mind and some sins committed in this life and sometimes long before death which are irremissible so there are certain Vertues and good Works found in Christians that in this life whereupon they are put in a state of Confirmation 9. This state of Confirmation infallibly prevents though not all sins yet final and total Apostacy 10. This state of Confirmation doth depend upon God's Righteousness and faithfulness not upon the Excellency of the Vertues and good Works 11. If such as be endued with these Vertues have done these Works should fall away totally and finally then they should never be rewarded 12. If they should never be rewarded but forgotten God should be unrighteous and unfaithful which to imagine is a bominable 13. Therefore God hath made some Promise whereby he hath bound himself certainly to support such as attain to this Qualification that so they may be eternally rewarded God may be said to be righteous three wayes 1. In respect of strict Justice 2. Of bounty and free beneficence 3. Of Promise First He may be said to be strictly just when he rewardeth Man according to his perfect Obedience yet no Obedience though never so perfect can bind him to reward Man or Angel 2. He is just by way of bounty when he rewards Man capable of Reward and worthy though not in respect of his perfect Righteousness in himself yet because he is some wayes righteous in respect of others who are unrighteous Thus Righteousness is often taken in Scripture therefore it 's written that it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble his persecuted Saints and to his Saints troubled Rest with the Apostles 2 Thes. 1. 6 7. And Righteousness for this reason somtimes signifies Metonymically the great Reward of eternal life as Seek ye the Kingdom of God and his Righteousnesse first of all Mat. 6. 33. So Psal. 24. 5. Isa. 51. 5. The third Righteousness is in the performance of his Promise for though his Promise be free yet if it be once made Justice doth require it and God is not free but bound to perform it and if he should not perform he should be unjust which he cannot be This is the Righteousness here meant If any reply against this Doctrine and alledge the words of God saying that when the righteous turneth away from his Righteousness his Righteousness shall not be mentioned unto him he shall dy Ezrk. 18. 24. The Answer is 1. That the place speaketh of Legal Righteousness and Legal Repentance and Legal Life and Death according to the Covenant maâ—â— with their fathers in the Wilderness 2. Yet there is a Righteousness and a certaindegree thereof and that under the Gospel from which Christians may fall finally and totally To understand both these we must observe 1. That no good Works can expiate Sins either antecedent or consequent to them for there is no expiating Power in them at all neither doth any Laws that require constant Obedience allow that latter vertuous Acts should satisfy for former Crimes nor former good Deeds though excellent take away the guilt of future Offences 2. There was a Legal Righteousness required in the Covenant made between God and Israel before Mount Sinai and it consisted in the Obedience of the Moral Judicial Ceremonial Laws of Moses which did prevent God's temporall Judgments and was a means whereby they obtained and enjoyed God's Protection Safety Peace Plenty and many a Blessing in the good Land of Canaan This is evident out of Levit. 26. and many places of Deuteronomy and in particular out of the 28th Chapter and so out of many Passages which we read in the Books of the Prophets As there is a Legal Obedience so there is a Legal Repentance upon which followed deliverance from temporal Judgments of Sword Famine Captivity and the Curses threatned in the Law So we find Levit. 26 40 41 42 c. and Deut. 30. 1,2,3 c. But that Righteousness whereby they obtained eternal Peace and that Repentance whereby they were freed from eternal Punishments did depend upon that Promise of the blessed Seed made to Abraham That there was such a Righteousness in them under the Law from which they might fall and though they did not fall yet by it they could not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven appears by that young Man who came to Christ to know what he should do to inherit eternal Life Matth. 19. 16 17 18 c. and by Paul who touching the Righteousness of the Law was blameless Phil. 3. 6. There is also a Righteousness and Repentance according to the Law and Light of Nature according to which men are blessed or delivered temporally But the Righteousness and the state thereof which is here intended is far higher It presupposeth both Moral and Legal Righteousness and Repentance for the Substance of it yet is more 3. Of this Righteousness under the Gospel is found in many such a degree as they may fall from it and that totally and finally
Israelites from the first-born of other Families to the Tribe of Levi For we read that the were set apart for the Service of the Tabernacle Numb 1. 50. And this done by Command of God to Moses Ver. 48. This was the Reason why they were not numbred non had a several distinct part of the Land as the rest of the Tribes In this the Lord did punish shew Mercy and gave Honour He punished that Tribe in scattering them throughout all the Tribes according to the words of Jacob who denounced this Judgment against them for their dissimulation and cruelty exercised upon the Shechemites Gen. 49. 7. He shewed Mercy to the rest of the Tribes in that they were dispersed in every part amongst them to teach them the Laws of God He honoured these Levites in that he consecrated them to his Service and setled the Priest-hood in that Tribe And this seems to be a Reward for their Service in assisting Moses when he punished their idolatrous Brethren Therefore said Moses Consecrate your selves to day unto the Lord c. Exod. 32. 29. So wonderful is the Wisdom of God that by one Act he can both punish and reward the same parties and shew Mercy unto others Of this their separation and taking them for the first-born we may read Numb 3. 12. Yet though all the Sons of Levi did minister in holy things all were not Priests for of the Sons of Levi onely the Family of Aaron received the Office of Priest-hood and were Priests the rest of that Tribe were assistant and subservient to the Priests These had their Office not by Usurpation or the voluntary consent and suffrage of Man but by the ordination and determination of God without whose Power intervening so great an alteration in the Translation of the Sacerdotol Power could not have been valid or just In the Christian Church the Office of Ministers answers to this which could neither be necessary or effectual except Christ had instituted it And onely such as enter upon this Function according to his Institution are legal Ministers 2. The parties tythed were their Brethren though descended of Abraham The Priest-hood with their inferiour Ministry must be maintained and it seemed good to the Divine Wisdom to appoint the Tythes for that end as the sitrest and most convenient maintenance of all other and if duly paid according to his order the least subject to inconveniences And seeing they did serve and minister for the good and benefit of their Brethren sequestring themselves from other employments Justice and Epuity did require that they should maintain them and give them their Tythes The same Rule in general holds good in the times of the Gospel For saith the Apostle if we have sown unto yoâ— spiritual things is it a great matter if we shall reap your carnal things 1 Cor. 9. 11. Yet profane Worldâ—ings who make no account of spiritual Blessings will say It is a great thing an heavy charge and we desire to be freed from it yet carnal things are nothing to spiritual These Brethren were descended of Abraham as well as the Levites and Priests and both as Brethren and as descended of Abraham were equal Yet they must acknowledge themselves and that by paying of Tythes unto the Priests to be inferiour to them who vvere nearer God and did represent him in the highest Acts and Service 3. But by what Warrant and according to what Rule did these Priest receive Tythes of their Brethren They had a Warrant and a Rule and both from God For 1. He gave a Command they should be paid and a Rule how they should be given The Command did presuppose the Power and signified the Will of God so that the People were bound to give them and the Priests had Power to demand them as due For the Effect of this Command was to make them due to be given by the People and unto them and to none other After this Command they could not be a meer Benevolence God did often signify in the Books of Moses that Tythes were his and he had given them to the Sons of Levi and the Priests That they are the Lord's and holy unto him we find Levit. 27. 30 31 c. and they are commanded to bring them to the Priest Deut. 14. 22. And that he gave them the Children of Levi for their service is evident Num. 18. 21. and they were their Inheritance And whosoever deteineth them robs God and is cursed with a Curse Mal. 3 8 9. Work and Hire Service and Tythes the Preaching of the Gospel and Maintenance go together before the Law under the Law and in the time of the Gospel Commands and Laws do not onely define the Persons that must obey and the thing to be done but many times if not alwayes the manner of performance So it was in Decimation for the Law determined not onely the Persons that must give them but of what they must be given and at what time they must be paid and into what place they must be brought and where they must be laid up So that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies the Command and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Rule and both are parts of the Law of Tything Some think these words are brought in by the Apostle to prove the Superiority of the Priests above their Brethren because their Brethren gave and they received Tythes and it 's true as Tything them they were above them Others conceive that in them he answers the Objection That Tything and Decimation would not prove the Greatness of Melchizedec above the Levitical Priests for these as well as he did decimate And they understand the Apostle to return this Answer That though they received Tythes yet it was but from their Brethren who being the posterity of Abraham were far inferiour unto Abraham whom Melchizedec tythed yet this answer is not given by him in these words except in part For the principal part followeth § 14. For we read in the next words Ver. 6. But he whose Descent is not counted from them received Tythes of Abraham c. In which words we may observe two Propositions The 1. Negative That Melchizedec's Pedegree was not reckoned from them 2. Affirmative Yet he received Tythes of Abraham The first informs us that he was not descended from Levi neither was his Priesthood of their Order or derived from them If he had descended from their Tribe and his Priest-hood from the House of Aaron then they would have said that he received Tythes because he was of their Order and would further alledge that if one as great as Abraham should be found amongst their Brethren they had Power by vertue of their Priesthood to decimate him But all this he prevents by denying his Descent from them The second tells us plainly that he tythed Abraham who was far above Levi and the Levitical Priests and much more above their Brethren Yet this is not all he not onely tythed Abraham but He blessed him
takes away the Consequent to take away the Antecedent If we resolve this Text into simple absolute Propositions They are these 1. There is no Perfection by the Levitical Priest-hood and the Law 2. There is further need of another Priest 3. This other Priest is after the Order of Melchisedec 4. He is not called after the Order of Aaron The first Proposition presupposeth perfection to be the end of Priest-hood and the Laws of God Where we must understand what is meant by perfection in this place perfection is expiation justification sanctification consecration as may appear Hebr. 10. 1 2 4 10 14. For to perfect sinful man is to free him from Sin and the consequents thereof so as to make him righteous holy and capable of eternal happiness in a near Communion with God And here we may take notice of the errour of Crellius who takes expiation for remission and sanctification without any satisfaction Whereas it 's evident that both in the Scriptures and especially in this Epistle it signifies to pacify and propitiate by Blood and something offered to God without which there is no justification and sanctification And this is evident from Chap. 10. 10. where it 's said We are sanctified through the Offering of the Body of Jesus Christ. And ver 14. For by one Offering he hath perfected or rather consecrated the Sanctified for ever In both which places it's evident that there must be 1. An Offering or Sacrifice to propitiate God offended 2. That Sanctification and Consecration are by this Propitiation and no ways without it This perfection is the end of Priest-hood and Law For Priest-hood was ordained and with the Priest-hood Laws were made to avert the Wrath of God to procure his favour and to be means conducing to sinful man's Salvation and eternal Happiness and that Priest-hood and that Law which cannot do these things nor reach this end is insufficient and can save no sinful man nor give him hope of Life This perfection is denied to the Levitical Priest-hood and the Law for the Levitical Priest could offer no Sacrifice that could expiate Sin or propitiate God offended or purge the Conscience from dead works Neither could the Law do any such thing as is plainly asserted ver 19. and Chap. 10. 1 2 3 4. And here we must enquire 1. What is here meant by the Law 2. What is meant by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 under which 3. Why this clause is added and inserted 1. Some will have this Law to be the Law of the Constitution of the Levitical Priest-hood others will have it to be the rule of their administration others will have it to be the Law of Worship Service and Obedience of the People with the Promises and Comminations and the simple word Law in this place included in the compound Verb may signifie all these Thus understood it 's opposed to the Promise made to Abraham and to the Gospel and the Jews sought Righteousness and Life by this Law and the Ministery of the Levitical Priest-hood and were confident of Salvation This was their great errour 2. By 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which our Translatours turn under it that is under the Levitical Priest-hood some understand with it and about the same time the people received or were subjected to the Law Junius translates it and Vatablus expounds it differently from the rest in this manner For it that is for Sanctification the people received the Priest-hood or the Law of Priest-hood and so referr the Relative It not to Priest-hood but to perfection or sanctification and with them the Preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies in this place not under but for Crellius seems to agree with them in part but not fully for he referrs the Relative as others do to the word Priest-hood and so will have it rendred That the people received the Law of or touching or concerning the Priest-hood that is the Law of Priest-hood yet according to the use of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Septuagint the place may be rendred thus For under or by the Priest-hood the People were directed or ordered For with them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to guide order direct yet because the Apostle puts a plain difference between the Priest-hood and the Law and makes the one depend upon the other and joyns them inseparably and this in the very next Verse therefore the first sense is the best that with the Priest-hood and about the time of the Institution the People received the Law But thirdly Why is this Clause added and inserted It was inserted to inform us in general 1. That there is no Priest-hood especially instituted by God without a Law and Covenant 2. That this Priest-hood was not without a Law and that Law and Covenant was the same which God made with their Fathers in the Wilderness 3. That as the Law is such is the Priest-hood for as they cannot be separated but depend one upon another so the one cannot exceed or excell one another Every Covenant of God hath a Mediator and as the Covenant is better and established upon better Promises so the Mediator or Priest is more excellent For the end of the Priest is by his Ministration to avert the Wrath of God to make Reconciliation for the People and procure the Blessings promised in the Law and Covenant and no other therefore the Levitical Priest-hood could not so officiate or minister as to procure any Blessings but such as the Law or God in the Law did promise nor turn away any Judgments but such as it did threaten And this seems to be the special Reason why these words were added to signify that as there was no perfection by the Priest-hood so neither could there be by the Law and that because there could be no Expiation and Sanctification spiritual and eternal by the Law therefore there could be none by the Priest-hood The sum of all this is That there is no Expiation Remission and eternal Happiness by the Levitical Priest-hood and the Law And whereas the Hebrews or others might demand Why then did God institute that Priest-hood and give that Law if there be no perfection by either of them severally or both joyntly Doth God any thing in vain The Answer is That both the Priest-hood and the Law were indeed from God and he can do nothing in vain neither did he ordain the Levitical Priest-hood and the Law in vain For they were sufficient for that end he intended them But that was not spiritual and eternal Sanctification or the Confirmation of the eternal Covenant but a legal Consecration and Confirmation of that Covenant which was to continue onely for a time And as the Law had but the shadow of far better things to come so the Priest-hood was but a Type of a far better Priest-hood to which this was subordinate For as the Law was but a School-Master to Christ so it may be said of the Priest-hood that it did but lead
imprinted there more perfectly Yet the word turned Laws signifies in the Hebrew Doctrines And these are the Doctrines of the Gospel concerning Christ's Person Nature Offices and the Work of Redemption the Doctrines of Repentance Faith Justification Resurrection and eternal Life and these either presuppose or include the Moral Law For they must be such Truths as are necessary and effectual to Man's Salvation without the Knowledge and practice whereof sinful Man cannot attain eternal Life Further they are Doctrines concerning Christ as already exhibited glorified reigning and officiating in Heaven 2. The Book or Tables wherein they must be written are the mind and heart of Man By Mind some conceive is meant the Understanding and by Heart the Will and rational Appetite But by both words are meant the immortal Soul endued with a Power to understand and will or nill that which is understood The word in the Hebrew turned by the Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Mind and intellective Faculty signifieth the inward parts because as the heart and reins are the inmost parts of the Body so the mind thoughts and rational Appetite are intima Anime the inmost parts if we may so speak of the Soul They are as it were the Center of that immortal Substance where all the active vigour and powers of the Soul are united There is the Spring and Original of all rational and moral Operations of all thoughts affections and inward Motions There is the directive Counsel and imperial commanding Power There is the prime Mover of all humane Actions as such This is the Subject fit to receive not only natural but supernatural Truths and Doctrines and all Laws There divine Characters may be imprinted and made legible to the Soul it self This is the most noble and excellent Book that any can write in This is an Allusion to the Tables of Stone wherein the Law was written for the Law was not written in the heart but in stone upon Phylacteries Frontlets Posts and Walls of their Houses And now the Scriptures and divine Revelations are written in Books so as that they are legible by the Eye they may be spoken and so uttered by Man as to be perceived by the Ear and from these be conveyed to the common sense and fancy and by degree be transmitted to the Soul which by them receives some imperfect representations not informations This immortal Soul is the Book or Table wherein these Laws and divine Doctrines must be written 3. The Scribe or Pen-man is God for it 's said I will give or put I will write He that said so was the Lord And it must be He because the Work is so curious and excellent that it 's far above the Sphere of created activity He alone can immediately work upon the immortal Soul to inform it move it alter it and mould it anew so as neither Man or Angel can do They may by the outward senses and the fancy come near the Soul but immediately prepare it and make lively Impressions and write clear Characters of divine Truth upon it they cannot They may move it and affect or disaffect it yet to take away the stony heart and make an heart of Flesh is far above their Power Therefore God doth alwayes ascribe this great Work unto himself 4. The Act and Work of this Pen-man is to write and write these Laws and write them in the heart How he doth it we know not That he doth it is clear enough His preparations illuminations impulsions inspirations are strange and wonderful of great and mighty force For in this Work he doth not onely represent divine Objects in a clearer light and propose high Motives to incline and turn the heart but also gives a divine perceptive and appetitive Power whereby the Soul more easily and clearly apprehends and more effectually affects heavenly things The Effect of this Writing is a divine Knowledge of God's Laws and a ready and willing heart to obey them and conform unto them a Power to know and do the Word of God This is that Work of the Spirit which is called Vocation Renovation Regeneration Conversion actively taken without which Man cannot repent believe obey and turn to God It 's said to be a quickning of Man dead in sin a putting God's fear in Man's heart a putting God's Spirit within Man to cause him to obey his Laws a calling out of Darkness into Light a writing upon the fleshy Tables of Man's heart By this writing Man is said to have a new Heart and Spirit not that God creates in Man a new Soul or new Faculties but because he gives new Power new Light new Life new Qualifications so that Man is made partaker of a divine Nature and moulded anew with so much alteration that he is another Man though not for Substance yet for Qualities and Operations All this tends to an imperfect explication of this Promise wherein this new Covenant differs from and is more excellent than the former For that had no Promise of God's writing his Laws and Doctrines in Man's heart or of giving any sanctifying or renewing Power to enable them to observe and keep his Judgments Yet lest we mistake this excellent and most comfortable part of Scripture many things are to be observed 1. Concerning the Laws 2. Concerning the heart 3. Concerning God's writing in the heart 1. The Laws the Laws of God are written in the heart not the inventions fancies of men nor natural nor mathematical nor moral Philosophy much less the Errors and Blasphemies of Seducers and false Prophets It 's true that humane Learning and Languages are excellent means to find out the sense of the Scriptures and are great Blessings ordained of God for that end and being used with Prayer and sanctified may do much Yet we must know that these Doctrines are not only those of the Moral Law but these high Mysteries concerning Christ the Redemption Repentance Faith Justification Resurrection and the eternal Punishments and Rewards in the World to come as they are revealed in the Gospel For the matter and subject of them is God's Kingdom and the Government of God-Redeemer ordering Man to his final and eternal estate as I have manifested in another Treatise 2. The heart of Man is by Nature a very untoward and indisposed Subject and not capable of these heavenly Doctrines It 's blind and perverse and there is an Antipathy between it and these Laws It hath some little parcels of the Law of Nature written in it but not any thing of these heavenly and evangelical Truths it neither knows them nor can relish them And when they are represented unto it yet it hath no intellective Power to understand them nor any Will or Desire to seek them or inclination to obey the Laws of God which direct unto everlasting life It 's not only ignorant but filthily blotted and blurred with Errours both in matters of Religion and humane Conversation And this is the condition not only of Heathens
done and yet they remain Christians This is not strictly Apostacy In this number were many of those who antiently were called Lapsi and upon repenance were re-admitted to Christian Communion Therefore the Apostacy here 1. Is not barely to Sin for who lives and sins not Nor 2. To Sin willingly for so every one that Sins especially such as act against their knowledg may be said to do But 3. It 's to sin willingly after the reception of the knowledg of the Truth so as to renounce the Truth whereof they were fully convinced and to reject Christianity which they had received and professed That this was the sin here meant will fully appear hereafter § 26. This is the Sin The Punishment follows and it is unavoidable The reason hereof is first because it 's unpardonable This is signified by these words There remains no more Sacrifices for Sins This implies 1. That the punishment of Sins unpardonable is inavoidable and this is a clear and certain truth if we consider the Rules of God's Judgment and his Practice For whom he never pardons those he alwayes punisheth 2. That no sin is pardonable without a Sacrifice he meaneth the Sacrifice of Christ one immediate effect whereof once was to make Sin pardonable The reason why God required 1. Sacrifice 2. This Sacrifice was 1. To manifest his hatred of Sin and his Justice 2. To let men know that no Sacrifice was so fit for this purpose as that of Christ. These things implyed he affirms there remains no more Sacrifice for Sins In this he denies not this Sacrifice of Christ or the virtue of it to remain for both remain But his meaning is that neither this Sacrifice nor any other can make the Sins of these Apostates pardonable For Sin is pardonable by this Offering upon condition of Repentance and Faith and then actually to be pardoned when we actually do repent and believe sincerely But here we must take notice that the sins of many persons are pardonable and may be pardoned because though for the present they do not yet for the future they may in due time repent but the Sins of these Apostates upon their Apostacy become unpardonable so as that they neither shall not can be pardoned The reason of this is an eternal decree of divine Justice whereby he hath determined that the Sacrifice of Christ shall never benefit any such as fall away after they have received the knowledg of the Truth and if this Sacrifice shall never be accepted for them not any other ever shall have any force to expiate their Sin § 27. Therefore to such there can be no hope of mercy Ver. 27. But a fearful looking for of Judgment and fiery Indignation which shall devour the Adversaries IN the former words it 's implyed That the Apostate is liable to an unavoidable punishment of loss because he hath deprived himself of all hope of pardon or benefit to be received by the Sacrifice of Christ and here that he is obnoxious to a positive eternal penalty as unavoidable as the former In the words we may easily observe 1. The penalty to be inflicted 2. The parties who must suffer it 3. The certain expectation of it 1. The penalty may seem to be described 1. From the Cause the severe Justice of God 2. The Effect which is devouring or consuming The severe Justice of God is signified 1. More properly by the word Judgment 2. Improperly or Metaphorically by fiery Indignation 1. The word Judgment may inform us that this Justice is not legislative but judicial and as judicial not remunerative but vindictive which presupposeth Crime and Guilt in the party to be Judged The Judge is God the party to be judged the Apostare and the word Judgment may signify strictly the Sentence more largely or the Sentence and the Execution or the Punishment to be inferred This Judgment is the decree of Condemnation which determines the penalty and to signify how dreadful it is it 's said 2. Metaphorically to be fiery Indignation The words may be translated the hear or boiling or burning of fire that is fiery hear The Phrase is taken out of the Old Testament as Ezek 38. 19. Zeph. 1. 18 3 8. In which places the Septuagint use both these words of the Text For 1. The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies 1. Wrath. 2. Indignation which is an high degree of Wrath and sometimes Jealously which is an implacable anger and the word fire is added to denote the force and vehemency of it And both words together signify Wrath very intensive and of an high degree yet God is not subject to passion as Man is but by these terms the Spirit informs us of God's high displeasure against and his great hatred and detestation of Apostacy and the severity of his Justice whereby he is resolved most fearfully to punish that Sin which is not barely a disobedience of some particular Law but a plain revolt So that God's severe Justice is the Cause the Effect is this that it will devour or consume which is no partial but a total destruction not that God will take away the beeing but the well-beeing of the Offender and will not only totally bereave him of all Comfort but torment him with extremity of Pain 2. The parties that most suffer are Adversaries Adversaries are Apostates who are not meerly disobedient Subjects but Revolters They violate the fundamentall Law of subjection and raze the foundation of Obedience for subjection unto God-Redeemer by Christ is the first and highest Duty God requires of sinful Man and it 's the ground of all Obedience and this Sin of Apostacy is opposed to this Subjection Yet it differs from that Rebellion which upon God's Call refuseth to submit and acknowledg Christ our Soveraign For this presupposeth that men have received Christ promised their Allegiance and by their Baptism have engaged themselves to God the Father Son and Holy Ghost and yet contrary to this engagment renounce the Supremacy of this universal Lord and so of engaged Subjects become Enemies for such all Rebells and Revolters are and shall be so judged by God Many besides these shall be condemned and fearfully punished but these are the Adversaries intended in this place 3. There remains a certain fearful looking for of this Judgment c. The meaning is they cannot look for any other final retribution This implies 1. That though they never fear it not think of it yet they are obnoxious to it 2. That this will certainly be their Doom and as they are obnoxious by Law and the certain and eternal rules of Judgment for neither Sentence nor Execution will fail they shall certainly suffer that which they have deserved 3. If they ever seriously reflect upon themselves and remember what they have done as Conscience will now and then lash them and mind them of their Crime they must needs expect it and their fear will be very great For as
they apprehend the peril so will their fear be and they cannot apprehend the Judgment but as very grievous near at hand pressing hard upon them and unavoidable and so it will terrify and torment them before the time of Execution The sum of this Text is that as there is no hope of mercy and pardon so there remains a fearful expectation of grievous punishment and the same unavoidable § 28. And lest the Apostate should slatter himself and promise impunity to his Soul the Apostle proceeds to prove it unavoidable and very grievous according to the hainousness of the Sin and this he doth in these words Ver. 28. He that despised Moses Law died without mercy under two or three Witnesses Ver. 29. Of how much sorer punishment suppose ye shall he be thought worthy who hath trâ—dden under foot the Son of God and hath counted the Blood of the Covenant wherewith he was sanctified an unholy thing and hath done despite to the Spirit of Grace THese words are a Comparison and it 's two-fold 1. In quality 2. In quantity The first is presupposed and implyed The second intended and expresly delivered The first in quality informs that as he that transgressed Moses Law was punished without mercy so shall he be that Sins wilfully under the Gospel after he hath received the knowledg of the Truth In the second in quantity we may observe 1. The Proposition ver 28. 2. The Reddition ver 29. In the handling of these we must consider 1. The parts absolutely 2. The whole under the notion of a Comparison 3. The force of the Comparison as it is a reason In the Proposition we may take notice of 1. The party to be punished 2. The manner of judicial proceeding 3. The punishment it self 1. The party to be punished is one that transgressed Moses Law that is the Law of God given to Israel by Moses where we have the Person and the Crime or Cause The Person is one under the Law of Moses while it was in force before the time of the Gospel The Crime is a transgression of that Law and this transgression was not any disobedience but such as for which there was no Expiation appointed no Remission in that Law promised it was such a Crime as God determined to be capital and to be punished with a Capital punishment and loss of Life The word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the Septuagint intrepret by the word used in the Text and both signify to revolt and that Revolt from the Law was answerable to Apostacy from the Gospel This was a breach of that fundamental Law Thou shalt have no other Gods but me This was a revolt from the true God their God whom they had acknowledged to be their God unto Idols Yet there might be other Crimes which might so grate upon the Foundation as to amount to this hainous sin of Revolt 2. The manner of proceeding against such a Transgressour was by information and delation of such a Transgressour before a competent Judge who must proceed Secunduns allegata probata and could not justly sentense the party but upon evidence Sometimes the fact might be notorious or confessed and sometimes maintained by the party offending yet the ordinary way was by Witnesses and in case of a man's life he required two witnesses at least in which respect singular is testis nullus testis The end of witnesses was Evidence that so the merit or demerit of the Cause might appear to the Judge and so the Cause be in an immediate capacity for Sentence 3. The demerit of the cause once made evident Judgment passed upon the party and he was sentenced to Death without any mercy and this Judgment must be executed So that if the Judge did make the Law of Moses his rule he could not acquit or absolve the party nor impose any other punishment nor help the Offender by commutation nor abate the least of this penalty for he by his transgression had made himself uncapable of mercy In this Proposition two things are especially to be noted 1. The Crime which was hainous 3. The Punishment which was Death without mercy § 29. The Reddition follows in the next words where we must observe as before 1. The Sin 2. The Penalty 1. The Sin is described or rather aggravated from three particulars It 's 1. A creading of the Son of God under foot 2. A counting the Blood of the Covenant whereby the Transgressor was sanctified an unholy thing 3. A doing of despite unto the Spirit of Grace The Sin is Apostacy and no man can Apostate from Christianity once received but he shall be guilty of the Contempt 1. Of the Son of God 2. Of the Blood of the Covenant 3. Of the Spirit of Grace The first aggravation therefore is from the contempt of the Son of God For 1. The Apostate treads under foot the Son of God the expression is metaphorical and presupposeth that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and affirmeth that he though the Son of God is trodden under foot To tread a thing under foot is 1. To undervalue it if it be of any worth 2. To vilify it 3. To vilify it very much 4. To expresse this contempt by casting it upon the Ground and trampling upon it which is the greatest debasement and is sometimes an expression of utter detestation Thus Jezabel was thrown down upon the Earth and trampled upon by Jehu's Horses To vilify and debase things that are base is no fault and to despise unworthy men is tolerable but the Apostate undervalues vilifieth and in an high degree the Son of God and the greater his dignity the greater the indignity He is not meer man though man yet as man the best of men for he is the Son of God and that not any kind of Son but the only begotten and beloved Son of God the brightness of his Fathers Glory and the express Image of his person and so the Son of God that he is God Though he did descend so low for a little time as to be made man and humbled himself so far as to take upon him the form of a Servant and in that form to be obedient unto Death the Death of the Cross yet in this low estate he was the Son of God But after his humiliation even as man he is advanced to the right hand of God and is made Lord of Men and Angels an everlasting King an everlasting Priest Yet this Son of God the Apostate Christian so far vilifies as that he denies him to be God to be the Son of God to be a just Man nay judgeth him to be an Impostor a false Prophet a Malefactor and justly and worthily Crucified and if he had been living on Earth and in the Apostate's power he would have dealt with him as they did Thus neither the Person and Deity of Christ nor his Natures nor the personal Union of them nor
he received Christianity and had felt the sanctifying and comforting power and divine effects of this Spirit in his own soul. For God by his Spirit had entred into him and done much towards his Salvation This is therefore a Sin against God the Father who loved us and sent Christ to redeem us against God the Son who had shed his precious Blood for the Expiation of our sins against God the Holy Ghost who had begun the Work of Sanctification and Consolation in us The penalty of this Sin is signified absolutely to be this that he is counted worthy of sore Punishment Sore Punishment is grievous heavy bitter Punishment To be worthy of it is to deserve it by some hainous Sin and not only so but to be liable to it for one may be worthy of Punishment yet not liable to it when he is under no Law yet whosoever is under the Obligation of a Law and yet transgresseth it he is not only worthy to suffer and deserving of Punishment but liable and bound to suffer For the nature of Law is to bind either to Obedience or Punishment But where there is no Law there is no Wrath that is no Punishment due yet one may be liable to Punishment which he hath deserved and yet no Man takes notice to censure or judg him But the Apostate from Christianity shall be accounted worthy and that not only by Man but by God who will not only take notice of the Sin but sentence him to the Punishment the sore Punishment deserved that is he will judg him without Mercy § 29. Thus far the parts have been considered and explicated absolutely the next thing to be done is to examine the whole under the Notion of a Comparison in quantity and it 's signified by these words Of how much sorer Punishment The things principally compared are the Punishments 1. To be inflicted upon such as transgress Moses Law 2. Upon Apostates under the Gospel Both are sore and great but the latter far more grievous than the former For a just Judg will judg according to the Law and a just Law will determine and proportion the Punishment according to the Offence To transgress Moses Law was a grievous Offence to sin willfully against the Gospel after we have received the knowledg thereof is far more hainous The Punishment of the former was death without Mercy the Punishment of the latter far more grievous This presupposeth the Gospel to be far above the Law as being a Covenant of Grace and greatest Mercy for in and by it God comes far nearer unto Man The Son of God is the Mediator one far more excellent than any Levitical High-Priest The Blood of this Son of God expiating Man's Sin which is far more precious than the Blood of Buls Goats doth confirm it The Spirit of God which the Law did not minister is the Spirit of Grace enlightning inspiring sanctifying Man and enabling him to keep the Conditions and comforming him To revolt from and rebell against God loving sinful Man against the Son of God redeeming him against the Spirit-sanctifying him is like the Sin of Devils and one of the highest Man can commit and far more hainous than the Violation of the Covenant made with Israel For by this a man wilfully refuseth to be saved and puts himself in a most desperate Condition after God had brought him out of the Spiritual Aegypt and the Kingdom of Darkness and brought him to the Borders of the heavenly Canaan Now as the Sin is more hainous far more hainous so the Punishment must be grievous far more grievous God hath no Mercy for such a Wretch for the Sin agrees directly with that Blasphemy against the Holy Ghost which shall never be forgiven It remains we consider the whole as a Reason that so we may understand the force of it The Scope of the Apostle is to perswade and exhort to perseverance the Reason is because that if they persevere not but fall away there remains no more Sacrifice for Sin but a fearful looking for of Judgment c. that is the Punishment that they must suffer is grievous and unavoidable That it is both grievous and unavoidable he proves 1. By a Comparison from the Transgressors of the Law For if Apostates under the Law were grievously and certainly punished then much more should the Apostates under the Gospel who have received the Knowledg of the Truth be so punished for as their Sin is more grievous and provoking so their Punishment must be answerable This is the force of the Reason This Argument hath some Affinity with that of Chap. 2 Ver. 1 2 3 4 c. yet that refers more to the Prophetical this more to the Sacerdotal Office of Christ. § 30. Yet though the Apostate may be worthy of Punishment yet it may be be questioned and demanded 1. Who the Judge is And 2. Whether he will proceed to Judgment and execute it But both these the Apostle puts out of doubt in the words following Ver. 30. For we know him that he hath said Vengeance belongeth unto me I will recompence saith the Lord And again The Lord shall judg his People IN which words he doth inform us 1. Who the Judg is 2. That he will certainly punish And here he cites a place out of the Old Testament which affirmeth both that God is Judg and also will execute Judgment This is more than if he had barely affirmed these things for he produceth God as Witness and so by Scripture confirms them The place is Deut. 32. 35 36. and he seems to divide it into two for Ver. 35. he saith Vengeance and Recompence belong to me Ver. 36. For the Lord will judg his People In the Text we have these Propositions 1. Vengeance belongeth to the Lord. 2. He will recompence 3. He will judg his People 4. The Lord himself saith so 5. They knew it was the Lord who said so 1. Vengeance belongeth to the Lord. Where by the way observe that the Apostle doth not follow as usually he doth the Septuagint according to our Copies but the Hebrew Text which is this Vengeance is mine and Retribution The Septuagint translates thus In the day of Vengeance I will recompence They seem to follow the Samaritan Hebrew Text in the former and the Targum in the â—â—tter part of the Clause yet neither the Vulgar nor the Syriack nor the Chaldee Paraphrast nor the Arabick follow them in their Translation of the first words In this Proposition we have 1. Vengeance 2. The party to whom it belongs By Vengeance is meant vindicative Justice punishing Offenders the acts whereof are Condemnation and Execution and it 's proper to a Judg as a Judg as it is Power of punishing as here it may be taken either for the Power or the Act and Exercise of the Power The party to whom it belongs is the Lord as he is the supream and universal Judg for he that is the supream Law-giver must needs be
Scripture The major That he that pleaseth God must have Faith is thus made clear and confirmed If it be impossible for any to please God who doth not believe that God is and a Rewarder of them who diligently seek him then he that pleaseth God must believe But without believing thus no man can please God Therefore he that pleaseth God must thus believe Where it 's to be noted That he infers Enoch's Faith from his pleasing God and the inseparable and necessary connexion of Faith and pleasing God For where there is an Effect there must necessarily be a Cause and no Effect can be without its proper Cause For Method's sake I will begin 1. With his Translation 2. Proceed to the demonstration of his Faith 1. This Translation was a Reward and therefore signifies the change was to the better 1. He was translated not to see Death so the Apostle understood the Text of Moses not to see Death is not to dye or suffer Death There was no separation of Soul and Body they remained united the Soul was not unclothed or divested of the Body yet it was changed and made immortal Of all the other Patriarchs before the Flood it 's said They even Methuselah dyed To this their Death this Translation is opposed for it 's not said that Enoch the great and most eminently pious Prophet dyed This was a dispensation with that general Law and Judgment past in Adam upon all mankind Dust thou art and to dust shalt thou return and it was an act of that power which God reserved to himself as above his Law In the Chaldee it 's said That God did not slay him that is he did not take away his Life this was a singular exception from the general rule of his Judgments 2. In the Hebrew it 's said He was not In the Chaldee He appeared not In the Greek He was not found These two latter expresse the meaning of the Hebrew Phrase For this followed upon his Translation that he did not appear nor was found upon Earth amongst mortal men for he ceased to be in that place with living mortal men he changed the place and company 3. Lest we should be ignorant either of the Place to which he removed or of the Person who removed him it 's said God took him so the Hebrew God took him to himself so the Arabick Because God had translated him so the Text. The place to which he was removed Physically considered is not expressed yet he after his Translation must be in some place this place was not this Earth for there he was not found It was some better place and seeing there is no place fit for man's Habitation better then the Earth but only Heaven the Habitation of Angels a glorious place of eternal peace holiness and security therefore most do positively affirm that as Elijah so he was taken into Heaven The Person translating him was God for none but he could make him immortal and invest him with Glory This signifies that he was brought nearer unto God and had more full and perfect Communion with him then he enjoyed on Earth So that this Translation was a change of place of company of condition for he was removed from Earth to Heaven from Men to God from the estate of Mortality and Misery to an estate of Immortality and Bliss This was an anticipation of the great Reward and it was like the change of all God's Saints who shall be found living when Christ shall come to Judge the World This God did to signify his great respect unto eminent Piety and to let men know his high and special reserved Power and that there is a Reward of Glory after this Life and such a Reward as shall make men fully happy in Soul and Body too and that for ever This doth further inform us that God can make the Body Immortal without any separation of it from the Soul and also that he can raise and re-unite the Body turned unto Dust and make it Immortal and eternally inseparable The second Proposition was that he obtained this Translation and glorious Reward by Faith For by Faith Enoch was translated But because it was not expressed in the Text of Moses that he was translated by Faith for there is no mention of his Faith he proves his Faith the Cause from the Effect He pleased God and his pleasing of God from the testimony of God For before he was translated he had this testimony that he pleased God And here we may observe 3. Propositions 1. That he pleased God 2. That he had this testimony 3. He had this testimony before he was translated 1. He pleased God He walked with God so the Hebrew He walked in the fear of God so the Chaldee He walked in the Obedience of God so the Arabick He pleased God so the Septuagint whom the Apostle followeth The meaning therefore is that he served God observed his Commands and was obedient unto them The word walked used by the Hebrew Chaldee Arabick Translatours signifies that this was the constant tenour of life it was a life of Righteousness and Holiness and the repetition of this walking in the Text of Moses may imply an eminent degree of Holiness in him more then in other men for his Conversation was so ordered that it was very pleasing and acceptable to God who delights in sincere and constant Obedience whereby men do resemble him as holy and righteous We must not think that he could have walked thus with God by the power of Nature the sanctifying Spirit of Grace was the principle of this Obedience 2. It was testified of him or he had this testimony That he pleased God This was a good Report and so much the more certain because God gave it by his Spirit in the Prophet Moses who hath recorded it to all Generations And this is reported of him not only once but twice Therefore there can be no doubt of it 3. This was testified of him before he was translated the sense is not that Moses testified this of him before he was translated but the thing testified was this that he had pleased God before he was translated For the Text doth testify that he was translated yet it testifies that he pleased God before this Translation This is brought to prove that by Faith he was translated § 9. It might be said that though Enoch pleased God yet it doth not appear how this pleasing of God will prove and infer his Faith neither is the Connexion of Faith and walking with God so evident Therefore to prevent all doubts in this Point he adds Ver. 6. But without Faith it is impossible to be please God for he that cometh unto God must believe that God is and that he is a Rewarder of them that diligently seek him IN these words he proves the impossibility of separation and the absolute necessity of the Connexion of Faith and pleasing God and they must be considered 1. In themselvs 2. As
of his Faith so the preparation of the Ark was an Effect of his Fear And here we have 1. A preparation of the Ark. 2. The end of this preparation 1. This Ark was a kind of Ship a Building and Vessel of great receipt and capacity sit to store upon and be carried up by the Water the materials with the form thereof are described Gen. 6. He prepared and built it so as to be finished and ready against the time of the Flood The direction for the materials and the fashion and dimensions he received from God and it was as some collect out of Moses 120 years in Building And Noah believing that God as he had said intended to drown the World made this Ark according to God's prescription as a means to preserve him This implies that he was a man of a great estate 2. Therefore the end of this preparation was to save his House By House is meant his Family as his Wife and his three Sons with their Wives These must have perished with the rest of the World if they had not been preserved in this Ark. And because God intended not to create Mankind a new he thought good to save those that they might be a seminary for the propagation of Mankind to people the Earth Yet not only they but some of all living Creatures breathing and living upon the Earth were preserved with them that they also might multiply and replenish the World and that some of them might be Sacrificed after the Waters were dryed up With these he also laid up in this great Vessel Food for his House and other Creatures lest they should perish for want For the Ark could save them only from the deluge yet this it could not do except God had stored it and had a special care of it And it 's strange that by Virtue of this Ark that Water which destroyed others saved them which were in it This is the reason why the Apostle comparing the Flood to the Water of Baptism saith The like figure whereunto even Baptism doth also now save us 1 Pet. 3. 21. As God threatned a fearful Judgment so he made a gracious promise of deliverance to Noah and revealed the means of his safety and gave him a Command to use it And it was Faith which caused him to fear the Judgment and to rely upon the Promise which he believed as certainly as he did the Commination 3. The issue and consequent of this Faith and Obedience was two-fold 1. He condemned the World 2. Became the Heir of that Righteousness which is by Faith For the third Proposition is That by this he condemned the World and became Heir of the Righteousness which is by Faith 1. By it he condemned the World By World is meant the whole body of Mankind besides his Family The persons were many thousands and millions dispersed over the face of the Earth for it 's probable the World at that time was very populous yet very corrupt and wicked and besides that impenitent and hardned though they had sufficient warning and time to repent For God had given them an 120 years by Repentance to provide for their safety and prevent their ruine This World is said to be condemned by it that is by the Ark or as some say by his Faith the truth is he condemned them by both For by Faith he made the Ark and by making the Ark out of Faith he wamed the World and exhorted them to repent To understand this we must consider that Noah was a kind of Prince and Prophet in those dayes and very famous and his Name known far and near A private man of mean and poor estate was neither fit to make the Ark a Building of so vast Charge nor to give a general warning to the World And perhaps as he was a Preacher of Righteousness so he sent many into several parts of the World to signify the great danger and to exhort them to Repentance And as by his Doctrine and Words so also visibly by building the Ark he signified to the World the Will of God requiring Repentance or resolving to drown and destroy the World And they not believing his Doctrine not his design in making the Ark as God had commanded him not repenting of their Sins were condemned For he testified his Faith by making that great Vessel and confirmed his Doctrine by his Example and Righteousness of Life and did what in him lay to perswade all others to repent and by repentance provide for safety But they not hearkening unto him aggravated their sin so high as that they made themselves liable to Condemnation unavoidable There is a three-fold Condemnation 1. By Law 2. By Witness 3. By Judgment The condemnation by Law and Witness are not properly condemnation For that is in strict and proper sense a judicial act of the Judge yet so that if a man be not condemnable by Law and proved to be so by Witness or some other way he cannot justly be condemned Jonah preached to Nineveh Forty dayes and Nineve shall be destroyed So Noah preached to the Old World An hundred and twenty years and the Word shall be destroyed Nineveh repented and by repentance prevented destruction The Old Word at the preaching of Noah repented not and so were condemned The Doctrine and Word of God did virtually and conditionally condemn them God's Sentence did absolutely condemn them because they repented not So that Noah by his Faith and the Ark was not only a Witness against them but a Judge and God by him might be said to give the Sentence Again whosoever or whatsoever actively concurrs to Judgment by a Metonymy may be said to judge in this sense both Law and Witness may be said to Condemn and not only rational but irrational Creatures may be said to be Witnesses and rise up in Judgment against Offenders 2. The latter Consequent of this Faith and preparation of the Ark is that by it that is his Faith preparing the Ark He became Heir of that Righteousness which is by Faith To understand this we must consider that the saving of Noah by the Ark from the Flood was but a Type and Shadow of eternal Salvation by Christ and God by saving him from the Flood which drowned and destroyed the impenitent World did justify Noah and declare Righteousness by Christ and his deliverance from eternal Death And because the Ark wherein he was saved was made and prepared by Faith therefore be obtained this Righteousness and became Heir of eternal Salvation by Faith For though Noah was a righteous man and testified so to be and that by God himself yet that righteousness was but the evidence of the sincerity of his Faith For without Faith that Faith whereby he prepared the Ark he could not have been saved either from temporal or eternal destruction Not so as though he had not had faith formerly before he was warned by God for that he had many years before but this was one