learne the Trueth that they neede not to change agayne That is Must studie to know the Trueth soundlie and solidlie 2. And having learned it must not say and vnsay one day avowe it and another day quyte it For so GOD getteth not His due Glorie Beholders are not edified the man's Testimonie wanteth weyght with the Adversarie But hee must bee invincible in the Trueth who will neyther alter nor change or diminish anie thing of it for fead or favour 3. Hee giveth this for a ground of Constancie For Hee is faythfull who hath promised That is The Promises which IESVS hath made to such as constantlie belieue in Him shall bee surelie informed that no constant Professour of His Trueth shall bee ashamed THEN 1. Where wee haue a Promise of anie thing made vnto vs in Scripture wee may bee confident to obtayne it and bolde to avowe our hope thereof agaynst such as would teach vs the doctrine of Doubting wherevnto we are of our selues prone and enclyned and agaynst such as shake the assurance of the Sayncts perseverance 2. The ground of our Confidence is not in our selues but in the faythfulnesse of IESVS CHRIST who hath promised such Graces to His Children 3. Our bolde avowing of our Hope is not a bragging of our owne strength but a magnifying of CHRIST'S Faythfulnesse Vers. 24. And let vs consider one another to provoke vnto loue and to good works HEE strengtheneth his former Exhortation by giving of Directions to farther their Obedience therevnto And first for mutuall vp-stirring one of another WHEREOF WEE LEARNE 1. That mutuall Edification of Christians amongst themselues and sharpening one of another is a speciall helpe to Constancie in true Religion and a Preservatiue agaynst Apostasie 2. Prudence is requyred heerevnto that mutuallie wee obserue one another's Disposition Giftes Experience Vertues and Faultes that wee may the better fitte our selues to doe good each one of vs to another and to receaue good each one of another in our Christian conversing together 3. A Godlie stryving one with another who shall bee first in loue and well-doing is better than the ordinarie stryfe who shall exceede others in Vanitie and superfluitie of Apparrell and Fare Vers. 25. Not forsaking the assembling of our selues together as the manner of some is but exhorting one another and so much the more as yee see the Day approaching ANother Meane to this same ende is the frequenting of Christian Assemblies and Meetinges which may farther this purpose of mutuall edification AND THEREFORE 1. Church Assemblies must bee well keeped by such as doe mynde to prooue constant in the true Religion 2. Christian Meetinges also of private Christians for mutuall conference and exhorting one of another is not to bee neglected nor forsaken but to bee vsed for keeping vnitie in the Church and not to foster Schisme or hinder the publicke Assemblies 2. Hee taxeth the fault of some amongst them who in Schisme or purpose of Apostasie with-drewe themselues from all Church Assemblies and Christian Meetinges and fell backe agayne or were in the way of falling backe to the denyall of CHRIST openlie THEN 1. Separation from the true Church and Christian Societie of the Faythfull is a remarkeable evill 2. The Schisme or Apostasie of others should not weaken vs in following anie good Meane of Edification but rather stirre vs vp vnto more diligence lest by negligence wee fall piece and piece backe after their example 3. Hee maketh the approaching of the Day to wit of GOD'S Iudgement a speciall motiue to vse the Meanes diligentlie and make vs constant in the Fayth THEN 1. The Day of GOD'S Iudgement should still bee looked vnto as a thing neare-hand even at the doores because it is but a verie LITTLE and our Day shall come yea and but a LITTLE time till our LORD shall come to Iudgement 2. The consideration of the Daye of Iudgement is a fitte Meane to sharpen vs vnto all good Dueties which may make our reckoning to bee farthered at that Day and to make vs boldlie mayntayne the Trueth agaynst all feare of men Vers. 26. For if wee sinne wilfullie after that wee haue receaved the knowledge of the Trueth there remayneth no more sacrifice for sinnes ANother Motiue to constancie in the trueth of Religion taken from the fearfull case of wilfull Apostates who sinning the Sinne agaynst the holie Ghost are secluded for ever from Mercie I say the Sinne agaynst the holie Ghost because wee shall finde the Sinne heere descrybed not to bee anie particular sinne agaynst the Lawe but agaynst the GOSPELL Not a sinne agaynst some poynct of Trueth but agaynst CHRIST'S whole Doctrine Not of infirmitie but wilfulnesse Not of rashnesse but of deliberation wittinglie and willinglie Not of ignorance but after Illumination and Profession Such as Iewes turned Christians revolting from Christianitie backe agayne to their former hostilitie agaynst CHRIST did commit It is true manie who commit lesser sinnes get never grace to repent and manie who make defection in some poynct of their profession may bee secluded from Mercie there-after but this sinne heere descrybed is a wilfull rejecting of CHRIST and the Benefite of His Sacrifice after Illumination and Profession of the Fayth of CHRIST THEN 1. As Apostasie from the true Religion lyeth nearest vnto this Sinne so they who desire to bee fred of this Sinne must bee the more carefull to bee constant in the profession of everie poynct of the Trueth of the Gospell 2. If a man reject the Benefite of that ONCE OFFERED SACRIFICE of CHRIST there is no other Sacrifice for Sinne after that nor anie other meane to helpe him But if a man seeke vnto IESVS CHRIST and will not quyte Him what-so-ever hee may thinke of the haynousnesse of his owne sinnes the Sacrifice which IESVS offered for sinnes remayneth where-by hee may bee saved Vers. 27. But a certayne fearfull looking for of judgement and fierie indignation which shall devoure the Adversaries HAving secluded the Apostate from Mercie hee goeth on in these wordes to showe his miserable estate WHERE-OF WEE GATHER 1. That the wilfull Apostate from the Fayth of CHRIST is also a wilfull Adversarie to CHRIST of the highest sorte Part-taker of Satan's sinne and Satan's profession 2. That everie Apostate of this sorte is destitute of GOD'S Peace selfe-condemned desperate of Salvation hopelesse of Reliefe without all purpose of Repentance or vsing meanes of helpe stricken with the fore-sight of the Wrath comming vpon him and made to expect it although hee should dissemble it never so much 3. The Apostate's feare shall come vpon him judgement aunswerable to his sinne the indignation and wrath of GOD yea fierie â—ndignation the most terrible that can bee thought vpon which hee shall not escape but it shall devoure him swallowe him vp and feede vpon his bodie and soule even for ever 2. In that hee maketh this the judgement of CHRIST'S Adversaries WEE LEARNE That the soule which loveth CHRIST and can not quyte Him can not
A Short EXPLANATION Of the EPISTLE of PAVL TO THE HEBREWES By DAVID DICKSON Preacher of Gods Word AT IRWIN ABERDENE Imprinted by Edw. Raban Anno 1635. TO THE READER CHRISTIAN READER BEfore the tyme that something of myne did passe the PRESSE without my knowledge or allowance I did not mynde to come abroad in this Learned Age wherein manie more able Men than I am doe keepe silence my Furniture beeing fitter for my present Charge than for more publicke Edification in my judgement and my Employmentes so frequent as my spare tyme is little for farther extent of what the LORD hath bestowed vpon mee But since that tyme my just Feares from apparent grounds that numbers of my SERMONS vvhich were rudelie and popularlie delivered as thryse or foure tymes Preaching a-weeke might yeelde and taken from my Mouth as it was possible to over-take the current of running speach the judicious Wryter making what hee had over-taken to coheare the best hee could and Copies going from him to manie with numbers of Faultes and misstakinges of the Transcribers I beeing vnable to revise for straytnesse of tyme anie thing which was written by them first or last My just Feares I saye that these should come to thy Handes rude and faultie as they are made mee willing rather when GOD should graunt mee leasure heere-after to draw vp in short the poyncts of Doctrine delivered by mee in these SERMONS that thou mightest haue a twentie or thirtie of them or moe possible in the boundes and pryce of one at large With this passage of GOD'S providence another hath concurred to drawe foorth this piece vnto thy view in the meane tyme which is this When I considered howe largelie GOD hath provyded HELPS for vnderstanding of holie SCRIPTVRE by large Commentaries and sweete Sermons especiallie from His Church in ENGLAND where-by increase of Knowledge is given to the Learned and such whose meanes to buy and leasure from their calling to reade and victorie over their owne laysinesse for taking paynes doeth concurre with their capacitie for making vse of this the LORD'S Liberalitie I haue often requested the Father of Lightes To helpe such as eyther could not or else would not profite themselues by that vvhich is alreadie graunted in His Bountie by some short and playne manner of wryting vvhere-by the weaker judgementes might bee supported and all Excuse taken away from the wittie Sluggard and such whose worldlie Employmentes and great Effayres haue seemed sufficient Reasons to excuse their negligence and the small and naughtie matters of their owne Salvation and the Kingdome of HEAVEN and Evidences thereof in SCRIPTVRE And to this purpose I haue beene verie instant vvith the Godlie-Learned of myne acquayntance to take this matter in hand and to divyde amongst them the hard parts of SCRIPTVRE at least that this worke might bee done by the handes of manie vvhich could not bee done by one I found their approbation of my desire and inclinable willingnesse to put hand to worke also But some of them for the weyght of their ordinarie Charge some of them for age and infirmitie of bodie some of them for their handes full of the LORD'S worke in another sorte could not adventure to bee straytlie ingaged in the worke Where thorow I was forced eyther to forsake my Desires which daylie were kindeled within mee more and more or else come foorth with some-thing of this kynde as might bee and seeke amongst my Readers some to take this Matter to heart and to doe there-in as the LORD should enable them by themselues or by others I haue made choyse of this EPISTLE which is a piece of hard Meate in the esteemation both of the APOSTLE the Wryter there-of CHAP. 5. and 6. and of PETER giving his judgement of it 2. PET. 1.15.16 That if I should attayne anie parte of myne intent in anie measure in so hard a place I might encowrage others to take in hand a more easie parte of SCRIPTVRE with more hope of successe The Summe of each Chapter or the Contents doe stand in steade of Analysis and in some places of a Paraphrase The Text doeth followe Verse by Verse The exposition of the Verse serveth for groundes of Doctrines which Doctrines following vpon the groundes are joyned moste parte with the Note of Collection THEN Pluralitie of Doctrines from the ground or from the Text where the consequence is easie to bee perceaved is distinguished by Figures according to their numbers Tearmes of Arte I haue eschewed because I would bee playne to all I haue spared all enlargement of the Doctrines which I could spare leaving them as graynes of Seede to get their growth in thy mynde by Meditation which is necessarie for such as loue to make vse of this sort of wryting because I would be short The speciall handeling of such Passages as the Apostle citeth out of the Olde Testament I haue left to their owne proper place Quotations for confirmation of my Doctrines drawne from the ground I haue spared also Because I judged If the Doctrine was pertinentlie collected from the ground the Text in hand was sufficient confirmation And if it bee not pertinentlie collected I am content that thou passe by it and take onelie what is pertinent A quotation could prooue the Doctrine true but not prooue it pertinent and so not serue my purpose Manie moe and more pertinent Consequences the Learned will finde which I haue not observed but not for the Learned or such as are able and willing to make vse of larger Wrytinges doe I intende this present Therefore doe not looke howe much thou doest misse which might haue beene sayde but what in the first frame of this moulde could bee done in such brevitie Which moulde I trust the Learned shall helpe if it please the LORD to stirre them vp to take this matter in hand I haue preassed singlie to poynct out Trueth without Partialitie not wresting the Text to reach a Blowe to anie man And what thou shalt make of this present Piece I am not carefull if I can obtayne there-by that more able Men may bee set on worke to doe what I intend but cannot doe If the precious Iewell of the SCRIPTVRE may bee more esteemed of and made vse of which is more necessarie for our Soules than the Sunne in the Firmament is for our bodies and the greatest gift next after our LORD IESVS downe-sending amongst vs that ever the Worlde saw If I may by this piece I say bee an Instrument to stirre vp anie to the loue of searching the SCRIPTVRES I haue not lost my Paynes what-so-ever shall become of this little Booke Where-vnto I haue sollisted for no Patronage vnder Heaven but thy Christian Good-will to my Ayme to haue our LORD the more honoured in the sounde Knowledge and right vse of His SCRIPTVRE I am confident that thou wilt easilie judge with mee That the prowde and prophane Despysers of GOD are worthie to perish amongst His Enemies But consider
and judge againe If prophane Despysers of holie SCRIPTVRE vvho disdayne to reade or obey what GOD commaundeth therein bee not to bee ranked in the same Roll. For GOD draweth so â—igh vnto vs in His Word speaking vnto vs as a king vnto his Subjects or a Master vnto his Servauntes that the obedience or disobedience which wee giue to His Speaches resolveth directlie and immediatelie vpon GOD HIMSELFE For vvhat is it else to heare and belieue and obey GOD but To heare and belieue and obey His Speaches And vvhat is it Nor to take notice of GOD to despyse and disobey GOD but Not to take notice of His Speaches not to reade His Wrytings and not to care for anie thing that Hee commaundeth promiseth or threatneth Therefore hath the LORD written the Great thinges of His Lawe vnto vs even to bee a Touch-Stone not onelie to trye all mens Doctrine there-by but also to trye all mens disposition towardes Himselfe and howe they stand affected to His Honour whether as Foes or as Friendes For What readier way is there to get evidence of a man destitute of the Knowledge Fayth Loue Feare and the rest of the partes of the Image of GOD than to finde him destitute of the Knowledge and Loue of the SCRIPTVRE What surer Signe of a man who for the present is enemie to GOD and to the enlargement of His Gracious Kingdome than to find him traducing the perfect Law of the LORD and marring to his power the free course of the Scriptures light which is the Scepter of CHRIST'S Kingdome Agayne What surer Signe of a Chyld of Promise begotten of GOD than to see him with DAVID PSAL. 119. making more of the Scriptures nor of a kingdome and powring out all his Affections vpon it as vpon the nearest Meane where-by GOD'S Spirit may be conveyed into his soule for perfecting of Holinesse and the readiest Chariot to carrie vp his spirite to dwell in GOD for perfecting of his happinesse Wee shall find also answerable to GOD'S Purpose of trying men by His Scripture His Wisdome giving a due meeting vnto men as they doe make vse of His Scripture Doe they not reade it or doe they reade and not consider it Doe they not weygh what is imported by it in sense and meaning It fareth with them as with those to whom CHRIST sayd MATTH 22.29 You erre not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God Doe they not loue it Behold their Plague 2. THESS 2.10.11.12 Because they receaved not the loue of the Trueth that they might be saved for this verie cause sayeth the Text God shall send them strong delusion that they should belieue a Lie that they might be damned Doe they not steadfastlie belieue what they learne in Scripture In God's judgement with the foolish and vnstable they are suffered to wrest the Scriptures to their own destruction were they never so great wits 2. PET. 3.16 Doe they not studie to giue obedience vnto the knowne Trueth of it He dealeth with them as with Israell PSAL. 81.11 My people would not hearken vnto My Voyce and Israell would none of Mee Hee counteth Himselfe rejected because His Word was rejected But what followeth Vers. 12. So I gaue them vp vnto their owne heartes lust and they walked in their owne counsels But to such as will bee Christ's Disciples indeede Students seeking to grow in Knowledge Beliefe and obedience of His Word seeking to loue Him and keepe His Sayings Hee promiseth IOHN 14.26 to sende vnto them The Spirit of Trueth the Comforter the holie Ghost to teach them all things That is To perfect their knowledge more and more by His Spirit to fill their hearts with joye and comfort according to His Trueth and to make them holie more and more And why are all these styles given Even to show that such as will haue Christ's Spirit to worke anie of these must seeke Him to worke all of these joyntlie or not to haue Him for working anie of them at all Neyther Comfort without Trueth nor Comfort without Holinesse The same is it which Wisdome cryeth PROV 8.34.35.36 Blessed is the man that heareth Me watching daylie at My Gates wayting at the Posts of My Doores For who so findeth Mee findeth Lyfe and shall obtayne favour of the Lord. But hee that sinneth agaynst Me wrongeth his owne Soule all that hate Mee loue Death Therefore howe thou doest hate Death and loue thyne owne Soule howe thou standest affected towardes GOD and the fellowship of the COMFORTER the holie SPIRIT the SPIRIT of TRVETH and towardes the enlargement of the Kingdome of CHRIST let thy affection TOWARDS the SCRIPTVRES more aboundant dvvelling in thy selfe and FOR the SCRIPTVRES more free course amongst others beare witnesse Fare-well THE EPISTLE OF PAVL TO THE HEBREWES WHen Peter wrote his second Epistle to the scattered Hebrewes there was extant an Epistle of Paul to those same scattered Hebrews also received in the Church for a part of Canonicall Scripture distinguished from Pauls â—ther Epistles 2. Pet. 3.15.16 Therefore amongst other reasons this may bee one to make vs thinke this Epistle must be it For it is without reason to thinke that the Churches should bee negligent in keeping such a Iewell commended vnto them by the authoritie of two chiefe Apostles or lose Pauls Epistle and keepe Peters which maketh mention of it The summe of the Epistle BEcause the Hebrews were hardlie drawne from the observation of Leviticall Ordinances vnto the simplicitie of the Gospell and in danger of making Apostacie from the Christian Fayth by Persecution the Apostle Paul seueth before their eyes the Glorie of Iesus Christ in His person farre aboue men and Angels by whose Ministerie the Law was given not onelie as God Chap. 1. but also as man Chap. 2. and in His Office aboue Moses Chap. 3. Threatning them therefore if they should misbelieue Christs Doctrine Chap. 3.4 and aboue the Leviticall high Priest Chap. 5. Threatning them agayne if they should make Apostacie from Him Chap. 6. yea aboue all the glorie of the Leviticall Ordinances as Hee in whom all those thinges had their accomplishment and period of expyring Chap. 7.8.9.10 Threatning them agayne if they should not persevere in the Fayth of Christ vnto which perseverance through whatsoever difficulties hee encowrageth them by the example of the Faythfull before them Chap. 10.11 and by other grounds of Christian comfort Chap. 12. That so in the fruitfull obedience of the Gospell they might follow vpon Christ seeking for that Citie that is to come and not for their earthlie Hierusalem anie more Chapter 13. The summe of Chap. I. IF you shall make comparison O Hebrewes the Ministerie of the Gospell shall bee found more glorious than the Ministerie of the Law For the manner of Gods dispensing His Will before Christ came was by part and part and subject to His owne addition not after one setled manner but subject to alteration and by the Ministerie of men the Prophets Vers. 1. But