others will one way or other be brought down beneath them all 3. Let such be greatly Fruitful or this appearance of much Grace will issue in much darkness Secondly God dealeth thus with Men as to Spiritual Gifts Among those who are called the Spirit divideth unto every one even as he will Unto one he giveth five Talents unto another two and to a third but one And this diversity depending meerly on Gods Soveraignty is visible in all Churches And as this tends in it self unto their Beauty and Edification so there may be an abuse of it unto their disadvantage For besides those disorders which the Apostle declares to have ensued particularly in the Church of Corinth upon the undue Use and Exercise of Spiritual Gifts there are sundry Evils which may befall particular Persons by reason of them if their Original and End be not duly attended unto For 1. Those who have received these Spiritual Gifts in any Eminent manner may be apt to be lifted up with good Conceits of themselves and even to despise their Brethren who come behind them therein This Evil was openly prevalent in the Church of Corinth 2. Among those who have received them in some Equality or would be thought so to have done Emulations and perhaps Strifes thereon are apt to ensue One cannot well bear that the Gift of another should find more Acceptance or be better Esteemed than his own And another may be apt to extend himself beyond his due line and measure because of them And 3. Those who have received them in the lowest degree may be apt to despond and refuse to Trade with what they have because their Stock is Inferiour unto their Neighbours But what is all this to us May not God do what he will with his own If God will have some of the Sons of Abraham to pay Tithes and some to receive them is there any Ground of Complaint Unto him that hath the most Eminent Gifts God hath given of his own and not of ours he hath taken nothing from us to endue him withal but supplyed him out of his own stores Whoever therefore is unduly Exalted with them or Envies because of them he despiseth the Prerogative of God and contends with him that is Mighty 3. God distinguisheth Persons with Respect unto Office He makes and so accounts whom he will Faithful and puts them into Ministry This of Old Korah repined against And there are not a few who free themselves from Envy at the Ministry by endeavouring to bring it down into contempt But the Office is Honourable and so are they by whom it is discharged in a due manner and it is the Prerogative of God to call whom he pleaseth thereunto And there is no greater Usurpation thereon than the Constitution of Ministers by the Laws Rules and Authority of Men. For any to set up such in Office as he hath not Gifted for it nor called unto it is to sit in the Temple of God and to shew themselves to be God We may also hence observe That No Priviledge can exempt Persons from Subjection unto any of Gods Institutions Though they were of the Loyns of Abraham Yet VER 6 7 8 9 10. IN the five following Verses the Apostle pursues and Concludes that part of his Argument from the Consideration of Melchisedec which concerned the Greatness and Glory of him who was Represented by him and his Preeminence above the Levitical Priests For if Melchisedec who was but a Type of him was in his own Person in so many Instances more Excellent than they how much more must he be esteemed to be above them who was Represented by him For he whom another is appointed to represent must be more Glorious than he by whom he is represented This part of his Argument the Apostle concludes in these Verses and thence proceeds unto another great Inference and Deduction from what he had taught concerning this Melchisedec And this was that which strook unto the heart of that Controversie which he had in hand namely that the Levitical Priesthood must necessarily cease upon the Introduction of that better Priesthood which was fore-signified by that of Melchisedec And these things whatsoever sence we now have of them were those on which the Salvation or Damnation of these Hebrews did absolutely depend For unless they were prevailed on to forgoe that Priesthood which was now abolished and to betake themselves alone unto that more Excellent which was then Introduced they must unavoidably perish as accordingly on this very account it fell out with the Generality of that People their Posterity persisting in the same Unbelief unto this day And that which God made the Crisis of the Life and Death of that Church and People ought to be diligently weighed and considered by us It may be some find not themselves much concerned in this Laborious acurate Dispute of the Apostle wherein so much occurrs about Pedigrees Priests and Tithes which they think belongs not unto them But let them remember that in that great Day of taking down the whole Fabrick of Mosaical Worship and the Abolition of the Covenant of Sinai the Life and Death of that Ancient Church the Posterity of Abraham the Friend of God to whom unto this Season an inclosure was made of all Spiritual Priviledges Rom. 9. 4. depended upon their receiving or rejecting of the Truth here contended for And God in like manner doth often-times single out especial Truths for the Trial of the Faith and Obedience of the Church in especial Seasons And when he doth so there is ever after an especial Veneration due unto them But to return Upon the Supposition that the Levitical Priests did receive Tithes as well as Melchisedec wherein they were equal and that they received Tithes of their Brethren the Posterity of Abraham which was their especial Prerogative and Dignity he yet proveth by four Arguments that the Greatness he had assigned unto Melchisedec and his Preeminence above them was no more than was due unto him And the first of these is taken from the Consideration of his Person of whom he received Tithes ver 6. The Second from the Action of Benediction which accompanied his receiving of Tithes ver 7. The Third from the Condition and state of his own Person compared with all those who received Tithes according to the Law ver 8. And the Fourth from that which determines the whole Question namely that Levi himself and so consequently all the whole Race of Priests that sprang from his Loyns did thus pay Tithes unto him VER 6 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Aethiopick Translation omits those words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He takes up the Name Abraham in the fore-going Verse who came forth out of the Loyns of Abraham and adds unto them what follows in this who received the Promise possibly deceived by a maimed transcript of the Original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Syr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He who is not written in their Genealogies
is an epression of a distinct principle by it self then cannot the word by any means be restrained unto the Baptism by Water only For although this be an important head of Christian Doctrine namely the declaration use and end of our Sacramental Initiation into Christ and the Profession of the Gospel yet no reason can be given why that should be called Baptisms seeing it hath respect only to the thing it self and not to the persons who are made partakers of it Admit therefore of this sense that it is the Doctrine concerning Baptisms which is intended and then the whole of what is taught or the substnace of it concerning the Sanctification and Purification of the Souls of men in their Insition into and Union with Christ outwardly epressed in the Sign of Baptism and wrought inwardly by the Spirit and Grace of God through the efficacy of the Doctrine of the Gospel in opposition to all the legal and carnal washings among the Jews is intended hereby So the Lord Christ loved the Church and gave himself for it that he might sanctifie and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word Ephes. 5. 26. And indeed the Doctrine hereof is among the Rudiments of Christian Religion But I yet adhere to the former Eposition and that also because unto Baptisms Imposition of hands whose nature we must netly enquire into is added Some suppose that by this Imposition of hands that Rite in the Church which was afterward called Confirmation is intended For whereas there were two sorts of persons that were baptized namely those that were adult at their first hearing of the Gospel and the infant Children of Believers who were admitted to be members of the Church the first sort were instructed in the principles mentioned before they were admitted unto Baptism by the profession whereof they laid the foundation of their own personal Right thereunto But the other being received as a part and branches of a Family whereupon the blessing of Abraham was come and to whom the Promise of the Covenant was extended being thereon baptized in their Infancy were to be instructed in them as they grew up unto years of understanding Afterwards when they were established in the knowledge of these necessary truths and had resolved on personal Obedience unto the Gospel they were offered unto the fellowship of the Faithful And hereon giving the same account of their Faith and Repentance which others had done before they were baptized they were admitted into the Communion of the Church the Elders thereof laying their hands on them in token of their Acceptation and praying for their Confirmation in the Faith Hence the same Doctrines became previously necessary unto both these Rites before Baptism to them that were adult and towards them who were baptized in Infancy before the Imposition of hands And I do acknowledge that this was the state of things in the Apostolical Churches and that it ought to be so in all others Persons baptized in their Infancy ought to be instructed in the fundamental principles of Religion and make profession of their own Faith and Repentance before they are admitted into the Society of the Church But that in those first days of the first Churches persons were ordinarily after Baptism admitted into their Societies by Imposition of hands is no where intimated in the Scripture And the whole business of Confirmation is of a much later date so that it cannot be here intended For it must have respect unto and express somewhat that was then in common use Now there is mention in the Scripture of a fourfold Imposition of hands used by the Lord Christ and his Apostles The first was peculiar unto his own person in the way of Authoritative Benediction Thus when he owned little Children to belong to his Covenant and Kingdom He laid his hands on them and blessed them Mark 10. 16. But this was peculiar to himself who had all blessings in his Power and hereof this is the only instance Secondly This Rite was used in the healing of Diseases They laid their hands on sick weak and impotent people healing them in a miraculous manner Luke 4. 40. Mark 16. 18. Acts 28. 8. This was the sign of the Communication of healing virtue from the Lord Christ by their Ministry Thirdly Imposition of hands was used in the setting apart of persons to the office and work of the Ministry 1 Tim. 4. 14. Chap. 5. 22. Acts 6. 6. the Rite herein was derived from the Old Testament Numb 8. 11. the whole Congregation laid hands on the Levites in their Consecration And it was of old of common use among the Jews in the dedication of their Rulers Rabbi's or Teachers being called by them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fourthly It was used by the Apostles in the collation of the supernatural spiritual Gifts of the Holy Ghost unto them who were baptized Acts. 8. 17. Acts 19. 6. In no other Duties of Religion was this Rite made use of as to any mention that is made thereof in the New Testament or Records concerning the practice of the Primitive Churches The first of these as we observed was only a personal action of our Lord Jesus Christ and that in one single instance so not here intended The second was extraordinary also and that wherein the generality of Christians was not concerned nor can any reason be given why the mention of a thing extraordinary occasional and temporary should be here inserted The third was a Rite of standing use in the Church and that wherein Church Order is much concerned But as to the use of it one sort of persons only was concerned therein And no just reason can be given why the Apostle from the Doctrine of the first intrants of Christian Religion should proceed to the Ordination of Ministers omitting all other Rites of the Church especially that of the Supper of the Lord wherein so great a part of the Worship of the Church consisted Besides there is no ground to give a probability that the Apostle should insert the observation of this Rite or the Doctrine concerning it in the same order and under the same necessity with those great fundamentals of Faith Repentance the Resurrection and Eternal Judgement Wherefore the Imposition of hands in the last sense mentioned is that which most probably is intended by our Apostle For 1 adhering to our first interpretation as the most solid and firm the Imposition of hands intended is a description of the persons that were to be instructed in the other fundamental principles but is no principle its self And this is not appliable unto any other of the uses of this Rite For 2 This laying on of hands did commonly if not constantly in those days accompany or immediately follow Baptism Acts 8. 14 15 16 17. Acts 19. 6. And a thing this was of singular present use wherein the Glory of the Gospel and its propagation were highly concerned This was the state of things in the world When
of a carnal Commandement but after the Power of an Endless Life 4. The Confirmation of the whole with the Testimony of David For he Testifieth thou art a Priest for ever after the Order of Melchisedec The manner of the Introduction of this Argument is Emphatical 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And it is yet far more Evident The Conjunctive Particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 connects this consideration unto that forgoing as of the same nature and tendency The thing spoken of is said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of what he said before he affirmed that it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ver 14. namely that our Lord sprang of Judah Evident Manifest Demonstrable but this he adds is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which composition of the word intends the signification arguing yet a more open and convincing Evidence Hence he adds that it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 magis patet abundantius manifestum comparatively with what was said before of an abundant Efficacy for Conviction that whose light nothing can stand against But we must observe that the Apostle doth not compare the things themselves absolutely with one another and so determine that one is of a more evident Truth than the other but he compares them only with respect unto the Evidence in arguing unto his End There is more immediate force in this Consideration to prove the Cessation of the Levitical Priesthood that another Priest was to rise after the Similitude of Melchisedec than was meerly in this that our Lord sprang of the Tribe of Judah but of this afterwards And therefore he adds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet that is above all that hath been collected from the Consideration of Melchisedec there is yet this uncontroulable Evidence unto our purpose remaining The Apostle we see lays great weight on this Argument and withal proceeds gradually and distinctly from one thing to another in the whole Discourse It may be we see not why he should insist so much upon and so narrowly Scan all particulars in this matter For being freed by the Gospel from the power of Temptations about it and being of the Gentiles who were never concerned in it we cannot be sensible of the just importance of what is under Confirmation The Truth is He hath the greatest Argument in hand that was ever controverted in the Church of God and upon the Determination whereof the Salvation or Ruine of the Church did depend The Worship he treated of was immediately instituted by God himself and had now continued near 1500 years in the Church All this while it had been the certain Rule of Gods Acceptance of the People or his Anger towards them For whilst they complyed with it his Blessing was continually upon them and the neglect of it was still punished with Severity And the last Caution that God had given them by the Ministry of the last Prophet he sent unto them was that they should abide in the Observance of the Law of Moses lest he came and smote the whole Earth with a Curse Mal. 4. last Besides these and sundry other things that were real and pleadable in the behalf of the Mosaical Worship the Hebrews esteemed it always their great and Singular Priviledge above all other Nations which they would rather dye than part withal And the Design of the Apostle in this place is to prove that now utterly unexpectedly unto the Church after so long a season their whole worship was to be removed to be used no more but that another System of Ordinances and Institutions absolutely new and inconsistent with it was to be introduced And upon the Compliance of the Hebrews with this Doctrine or the Rejection of it depended their Eternal Salvation or Destruction It was therefore very necessary that the Apostle should proceed Warily Distinctly and Gradually omitting no Argument that was of Force and Pleadable in this Cause nor to remark on them in an especial manner which contained an especial Evidence and demonstrative force in them as he doth in this Instance For this Introduction of it and it is yet far more or abundantly more Evident is as an hand put in the Margin of a writing calling for a peculiar Attendance unto and consideration of the matter directed unto And we may see 1. That Present Truths are earnestly to be Pleaded and Contended for So the Apostle Peter would have Believers established 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the present Truth All Truth is Eternal and in it self equally subsistent and present unto all Ages But it is especially so either from the great use of it in some seasons or the great Opposition that is made unto it So this Doctrine about the Abolition of the Mosaical Ceremonies and Institutions with the Introduction of a new Priesthood and new Ordinances of Worship was then the Present Truth in the knowledge and confirmation whereof the Church was eternally concerned And so may other Truths be at other seasons And any of them may be so rendred by the Opposition that at any time is made unto them For God is pleased to exercise and try the Faith of the Church by Heresies which are Feirce Pertinacious and Subtle Oppositions made to the Truth Now none of them which aim at any consistency in and with themselves or are of any real danger unto the Church did ever reject all Gospel-Truths but some general Principles they will allow or they would leave themselves no Foundation to stand upon in their Opposition unto others Those therefore singly opposed by them at any time as the Deity or Satisfaction of Christ Justification by Faith and the like being so opposed become the present Truth of the Age in the instance of Adherence whereunto God will try the Faith of his People and requires that they be earnestly pleaded for And this is that which the Apostle Jude intends ver 3. where he exhorts us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to contend strive wrestle with all earnestness and the utmost of our Endeavours for the Faith once delivered unto the Saints namely because of the Opposition that was then made unto it And a Truth may come under this Qualification by Persecution as well as Heretical Opposition Satan is always awake and attentive unto his Advantages and therefore though he hate all Truth yet doth he not at all times equally attempt upon every thing that is so But he waiteth to see an inclination in men from their Lusts or Prejudices or Interests in this World against any especial Truth or way of Divine Worship which God hath appointed When he finds things so ready prepared he falls to his work and stirrs up Persecution against it This makes that Truth to be the present Truth to be contended for as that wherein God will try the Faith and Obedience and Patience of the Church And the Reasons why we ought with all Care Diligence and Perseverance to attend unto the Preservation and Profession of such Truths are obvious unto
dispensation and administration of the same Covenant And the reason of the difficulty lieth herein We must grant one of these three things 1 That either the Covenant of Grace was in force under the Old Testament or 2 That the Church was saved without it or any benefit by Jesus Christ who is the Mediator of it alone or 3 That they all perished everlastingly And neither of the two latter can be admitted Some indeed in these latter days have revived the old Pelagian imagination that before the Law men were saved by the conduct of natural light and reason and under the Law by the directive Doctrines Precepts and Sacrifices thereof without any respect unto the Lord Christ or his Mediation in another Covenant But I shall not here contend with them as having elsewhere sufficiently refuted these imaginations Wherefore I shall take it here for granted that no man was ever saved but by vertue of the New Covenant and the Mediation of Christ therein Suppose then that this New Covenant of Grace was extant and effectual under the Old Testament so as the Church was saved by vertue thereof and the Mediation of Christ therein how could it be that there should at the same time be another Covenant between God and them of a different nature from this accompanied with other Promises and other Effects On this consideration it is said that the two Covenants mentioned the New and the Old were not indeed two distinct Covenants as unto their essence and substance but only different administrations of the same Covenant called two Covenants from some different outward Solemnities and Duties of worship attending of them To clear this it must be observed 1. That by the Old Covenant the original Covenant of Works made with Adam and all Mankind in him is not intended For this is undoubtedly a Covenant different in the essence and substance of it from the New 2. By the New Covenant not the New Covenant absolutely and originally as given in the first Promise is intended but in its compleat Gospel-administration when it was actually established by the death of Christ as administred in and by the Ordinances of the New Testament This with the Covenant of Sinai were as most say but different administrations of the same Covenant But on the other hand there is such express mention made not only in this but in sundry other places of the Scripture also of two distinct Covenants or Testaments and such different Natures Properties and Effects ascribed unto them as seem to constitute two distinct Covenants This therefore we must inquire into and shall first declare what is agreed unto by those who are sober in this matter though they differ in their judgments about this question Whether two distinct Covenants or only a twofold administration of the same Covenant be intended And indeed there is so much agreed on as that what remains seems rather to be a difference about the expression of the same Truth than any real contradiction about the things themselves For 1. It is agreed that the way of Reconciliation with God of justification and salvation was always one and the same and that from the giving of the first Promise none was ever justified or saved but by the New Covenant and Jesus Christ the Mediator thereof The foolish imagination before-mentioned that men were saved before the giving of the Law by following the guidance of the light of nature and after giving of the Law by obedience unto the directions thereof is rejected by all that are sober as destructive of the Old Testament and the New 2. That the Writings of the Old Testament namely the Law Psalms and Prophets do contain and declare the Doctrine of Justification and Salvation by Christ this the Church of old believed and walked with God in the Faith thereof This is undeniably proved in that the Doctrine mentioned is frequently confirmed in the New Testament by Testimonies taken out of the Old 3. That by the Covenant of Sinai as properly so called separated from its figurative relation unto the Covenant of Grace none was ever eternally saved 4. That the use of all the Institutions whereby the Old Covenant was administred was to represent and direct unto Jesus Christ and his Mediation These things being granted the only way of life and salvation by Jesus Christ under the Old Testament and the New is secured which is the substance of the Truth wherein we are now concerned On these grounds we may proceed with our enquiry The judgment of most Reformed Divines is that the Church under the Old Testament had the same Promise of Christ the same Interest in him by Faith Remission of Sins Reconciliation with God Justification and Salvation by the same way and means that Believers have them all under the New And whereas the essence and the substance of the Covenant consists in these things they are not to be said to be under another Covenant but only a different administration of it But this was so different from that which is established in the Gospel after the coming of Christ that it hath the appearance and name of another Covenant And the differences between these two Administrations may be reduced unto the ensuing Heads 1. It consisted in the way and manner of the declaration of the mystery of the Love and Will of God in Christ of the work of Reconciliation and Redemption with our justification by Faith For herein the Gospel wherein Life and Immortality are brought unto light doth in plainness clearness and evidence much excel the administration and declaration of the same Truths under the Law And the greatness of the priviledge of the Church herein is not easily expressed For hereby with open face we behold the glory of God in a glass and are changed into the same image 2 Cor. 3. 18. The man whose eyes the Lord Christ opened Mark 8. 23 24. represents these two states When he first touched him his eyes were opened and he saw but he saw nothing clearly whence when he looked he said I see men as trees walking ver 24. But upon his second touch he saw every man clearly ver 25. They had their sight under the Old Testament and the Object was proposed unto them but at a great distance with such an interposition of Mists Clouds and Shadows as that they saw men like trees walking nothing clearly and perfectly But now under the Gospel the Object which is Christ being brought near unto us and all Clouds and Shadows being departed we do or may see all things clearly When a Traveller in his way on Downs or Hills is encompassed with a thick Mist and Fog though he be in his way yet he is uncertain and nothing is presented unto him in its proper shape and distance things near seem to be afar off and things afar off to be near and every thing hath though not a false yet an uncertain appearance Let the Sun break forth and scatter the Mists and
Divine Nature But I shall leave the Reader to chuse whether sense he judgeth suitable unto the scope of the place either of them being so unto the Analogy of Faith The Socinians understanding that both these Interpretations are equally destructive to their Opinions the one concerning the Person of Christ the other about the Nature of the Holy Ghost have invented a sense of these words never before heard of among Christians For they say that by the Eternal Spirit a certain Divine Power is intended whereby the Lord Christ was freed from Mortality and made Eternal that is no more obnoxious unto death By virtue of this Power they say he offered himself unto God when he entred into Heaven than which nothing can be spoken more fond or impious or contrary unto the design of the Apostle For 1 Such a Power as they pretend is no where called the Spirit much less the Eternal Spirit and to feign significations of words without any countenance from their use elsewhere is to wrest them at our pleasure 2 The Apostle is so far from requiring a Divine Power rendering him immortal antecedently unto the offering of himself as that he declares that he offered himself by the Eternal Spirit in his death when he shed his blood whereby our consciences are purged from dead works 3 This Divine Power rendering Christ immortal is not peculiar unto him but shall be communicated unto all that are raised unto glory at the last day And there is no colour of an opposition herein unto what was done by the High Priests of old 4 It proceeds on their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in this matter which is that the Lord Christ offered not himself unto God before he was made immortal which is utterly to exclude his death and blood from any concernment therein which is as contrary unto the truth and scope of the place as darkness is to light 5 Wherever there is mention made elsewhere in the Scripture of the Holy Spirit or the Eternal Spirit or the Spirit absolutely with reference unto any actings of the Person of Christ or on it either the Holy Spirit or his own Divine Nature is intended See Isa. 61. 1 2. Rom. 1. 3. 1 Pet. 3. 18. Wherefore Grotius forsakes this Notion and otherwise explains the words Spiritus Christi qui non tantum fuit vivus ut in vita terrena sed in aeternum corpus sibi adjunctum vivificans If there be any sense in these words it is the rational Soul of Christ that is intended And it is most true that the Lord Christ offered himself in and by the actings of it For there are no other in the Humane Nature as to any duties of obedience unto God But that this here should be called the Eternal Spirit is a vain conjecture For the spirits of all men are equally eternal and do not only live here below but quicken their Bodies after the Resurrection for ever This therefore cannot be the ground of the especial efficacy of the blood of Christ. This is the second thing wherein the Apostle opposeth the Offering of Christ unto the offerings of the Priests under the Law 1 They offered Bulls and Goats He offered Himself 2 They offered by a material Altar and Fire He by the Eternal Spirit That Christ should thus offer Himself unto God and that by the Eternal Spirit is the center of the mystery of the Gospel An attempt to corrupt to pervert this glorious Truth are designs against the Glory of God and Faith of the Church The depth of this mystery we cannot dive into the height we cannot comprehend We cannot search out the greatness of it of the wisdom the love the grace that is in it And those who chuse rather to reject it than to live by Faith in an humble admiration of it do it at the peril of their souls Unto the Reason of some men it may be Folly unto Faith it is full of Glory In the consideration of the Divine Actings of the Eternal Spirit of Christ in the offering of himself of the holy exercise of all grace in the humane nature that was offered of the nature dignity and efficacy of this Sacrifice Faith finds life food and refreshment Herein doth it contemplate the wisdom the righteousness the holiness and grace of God herein doth it view the wonderful condescension and love of Christ and from the whole is strengthned and encouraged Thirdly It is added that he thus offered himself without spot This Adjunct is descriptive not of the Priest but of the Sacrifice it is not a qualification of his Person but of the Offering Schlictingius would have it that this word denotes not what Christ was in himself but what he was freed from For now in Heaven where he offered himself he is freed from all infirmities and from any spot of mortality which the High Priest was not when he entered into the Holy Place such irrational fancies do false Opinions force men to take up withal But 1 There was no spot in the mortality of Christ that he should be said to be freed from it when he was made immortal A spot signifies not so much a desect as a fault And there was no fault in Christ from which he was freed 2 The Allusion and respect herein unto the legal institutions is evident and manifest The Lamb that was to be slain and offered was antecedently thereunto to be without blemish it was to be neither lame nor blind nor have any other defect With express respect hereunto the Apostle Peter affirms that we were redeemed with the precious blood of Christ as of a Lamb without blemish and without spot 1 Pet. 1. 18. And Christ is not only called the Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world John 1. 29. that is by his being slain and offered but is represented in the worship of the Church as a Lamb slain Rev. 5. 6. It is therefore to offer violence unto the Scripture and common understanding to seek for this qualification any where but in the humane nature of Christ antecedently unto his death and blood-shedding Wherefore this expression without spot respects in the first place the purity of his Nature and the holiness of his Life For although this principally belonged unto the necessary qualifications of his Person yet were they required unto him as he was to be the Sacrifice He was the Holy One of God holy barmless undefiled separate from sinners he did no sin neither was guile found in his mouth he was without spot This is the moral sense and signification of the word But there is a legal sense of it also It is that which is meet and fit to be a Sacrifice For it respects all that was signified by the legal institution concerning the integrity and perfection of the Creatures Lambs or Kids that were to be sacrificed Hence were all those Laws fulfilled and accomplished There was nothing in him nothing wanting unto him that
used by the Psalmist do signifie that the Declaration of the Will of God made in this matter was written in a Roll. The Roll which contains all the Revelations of his Mind And the word used by the Apostle is not remote from this signification as may be seen in sundry Classick Authors 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 volumen because a Roll is made round after the Fashion of the Head of a Man As the Book it self was one Roll so the Head of it the beginning of it amongst the first things written in it is this recorded concerning the coming of Christ to do the Will of God This includeth both senses of the word in the Head in the Beginning of the Roll namely of that part of the Scripture which was written when David Penned this Psalm Now this can be no other but the first promise which was recorded Gen. 3. 15. Then it was first declared then it was first written and Enrolled that the Lord Christ the Son of God should be made of the Seed of the Woman and in our Nature come to do the Will of God and to deliver the Church from that woful estate whereinto it was brought by the Craft of Satan In this promise and the writing of it in the Head of the Volume lies the verification of the Psalmists assertion in the Volume of the Book it is written Howbeit the following Declarations of the Will of God herein are not excluded nor ought so to be Hence are we herein directed unto the whole Volume of the Law For indeed it is nothing but a prediction of the coming of Christ and a presignification of what he had to do That Book which God had given to the Church as the only guide of its Faith The Bible That is the Book all other Books being of no consideration in comparison of it That Book wherein all Divine Precepts and Promises are Enrolled or Recorded In this Book in the Volume of it this is its principal subject especially in the Head of the Roll or the Beginning of it namely in the first promise it is so written of me God commanded this great Truth of the coming of Christ to be so Enrolled for the Encouragement of the Faith of them that should believe And we may observe that 1. Gods Records in the Roll of his Book are the Foundation and Warranty of the Faith of the Church in the Head and Members 2. The Lord Christ in all that he did and suffered had continual respect unto what was written of him See Matt. 26. 24. 3. In the Record of these words 1. God was Glorified in his Truth and Faithfulness 2. Christ was secured in his work and the undertaking of it 3. A Testimony was given unto his Person and Office 4. Direction is given unto the Church in all wherein they have to do with God what they should attend unto namely what is written 5. The things which concern Christ the Meditor are the Head of what is contained in the same Records VERSE VIII IX X. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 THe Use and Signification of most of the words of these Verses have already in our passage been spoken unto Above when he says c. There are two things in these three Verses 1. The Application of the Testimony taken out of the Psalmist unto the present Argument of the Apostle ver 8 9. 2. An inference from the whole unto the proof of the only cause and means of the Sanctification of the Church the Argument he was now engaged in 1. As to the first of these or the Application of the Testimony of the Psalmist and his Reassuming it we may consider 1. What he designed to prove thereby and this was that by the Introduction and establishment of the Sacrifice of Christ in the Church there was an end put to all Legal Sacrifices And he adds thereunto that the ground and reason of this great alteration of things in the Church by the Will of God was the utter insufficiency of these Legal Sacrifices in themselves for the Expiation of Sin and Sanctification of the Church In ver 9. He gives us this sum of his design He takes away the first that he may establish the second 2. The Apostle doth not here directly argue from the matter or substance of the Testimony it self but from the Order of the words and the regard they have in their Order unto one another For there is in them a two fold Proposition one concerning the Rejection of Legal Sacrifices and the other an Introduction and tender of Christ and his Mediation And he Declares from the Order of the Words in the Psalmist that these things are inseparable namely the taking away of Legal Sacrifices and the establishment of that of Christ. 3. This Order in the words of the Apostle is declared in that distribution of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 above and then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 above that is in the first place these his words or sayings recorded in the first place 4. There is in the words themselves these three things 1. There is a Distribution made of the Legal Sacrifices into their general heads with respect unto the Will of God concerning them all Sacrifices and Offering and whole Burnt Offerings and Sacrifice for Sin And in that Distribution he adds another property of them namely they were required according to the Law 1. He had respect not only unto the removal of the Sacrifices but also of the Law it self whereby they were retained so he enters on his present disputation with the Imperfection of the Law it self ver 4. 2. Allowing these Sacrifices and Offerings all that they could pretend unto namely that they were established by the Law yet notwithstanding this God rejects them as unto the Expiation of Sin and the Salvation of the Church For he excludes the consideration of all other things which were not appointed by the Law as those which God abhorr'd in themselves and so could have no place in this matter And we may Observe that 1. Whereas the Apostle doth plainly distinguish and distribute all Sacrifices and Offerings into those on the one side which were offered by the Law and that one Offering of the Body of Christ on the other side the pretended Sacrifice of the Mass is utterly rejected from any place in the Worship of God 2. God as the Soveraign Law-giver had always Power and Authority to make what Alteration he pleased in the Orders and Institutions of his Worship 3. That Soveraign Authority is that alone which our Faith and Obedience respects in all Ordinances of Worship After this was stated and delivered when the Mind of God was expresly declared as unto his rejection of Legal Sacrifices and Offerings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then he said After that in Order thereon upon the grounds before mentioned he said Sacrifice c. In the former words he declared the Mind of God and in the latter his
and the Renovation of his Faith our Saviour calls his Conversion Luke 22. 23. A new Conversion of him who was before really converted There is nothing more dangerous unto our Spiritual state than to pass by particular Instances of Sin with the general Duties of Repentance 2 The Sin or Sins of the Family or Church whereunto we are related calls unto us to give a Solemnity unto this Duty 2 Cor. 7. 11. The Church having failed in the business of the incestuous offender when they were convinced by the Apostle of their sinful miscarriage therein most solemnly renew their Repentance towards God 3 Afflictions and sore Trials call for this Duty as we may see in the issue of all things between God and Job Chap. 42. 6. And lastly We may observe that this Repentance is a Grace of the Spirit of Christ a Gospel Grace and therefore whatever unpleasantness there may be in its Exercise unto the Flesh it is sweet refreshing satisfactory and secretly pleasant unto the inner man Let us not be deterred from abiding and abounding in this Duty It is not a morose tetrical severe self-maceration but an humble gracious mournful walking with God wherein the Soul finds rest sweetness joy and peace being rendred thereby compliant with the Will of God benigne useful kind compassionate towards men as might be declared The necessity of a profession of this Repentance from dead works in order unto an Admission into the Society of the Church that an evidence be given of the Power and Efficacy of the Doctrine of Christ in the Souls of men that his Disciples may be visibly separated by their own profession from the world that lies in Evil and be fitted for Communion among themselves in love hath been elsewhere spoken unto The second instance of the Doctrinal Foundation supposed to be laid among the Hebrews is of Faith towards God And this principle with that foregoing are coupled together by the conjunctive particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Repentance and of Faith Neither ought they to be nor can they be severed Where the one is there is the other and where either is not there is neither whatever be pretended He repenteth not who hath not Faith towards God and he hath no Faith towards God who repenteth not And in this expression where Repentance is first placed and Faith in God afterwards only the distinction that is between them but neither an order of Nature in the things themselves nor a necessary order in the teaching of them is intended For in order of Nature Faith towards God must precede Repentance from dead works No man can use any Argument to prevail with others unto Repentance but it must be taken from the Word of the Law or the Gospel the Precepts Promises and Threatnings of them If there be no Faith towards God with respect unto these things whence should Repentance from dead works arise or how can the necessity of it be demonstrated Besides that the order of nature among the things themselves is not here intended is evident from hence in that the very last principles mentioned concerning the Resurrection from the dead and Eternal Judgement are the principal Motives and Arguments unto the very first of them or the necessity of Repentance as our Apostle declares fully Acts 1. 30 31. But there is some kind of order between these things with respect unto profession intended For no man can or ought to be esteemed to make a due profession of Faith towards God who doth not first declare his Repentance from dead works Nor can any other have the comfort of Faith in God but such as have in themselves some evidence of the sincerity of their Repentance Wherefore omitting any farther consideration of the order of these things we must enquire what is here intended by Faith in God Now this cannot be Faith in the most general notion of it because it is reckoned as a principle of the Doctrine of Christ. But Faith in God absolutely taken is a Duty of the Law of Nature Upon an acknowledgment of the Being of God it is thereby required that we believe in him as the first Eternal Truth that we submit unto him and trust in him as the Soveraign Lord the Judge and Rewarder of all And a defect herein was the beginning of Adam's transgression Wherefore Faith in this sense cannot be called a principle of the Doctrine of Christ which wholly consists in supernatural Revelations Nor can it be so termed with respect unto the Jews in particular For in their Judaisme they were sufficiently taught Faith in God and needed not to have been instructed therein as a part of the Doctrine of Christ. And there is a distinction put by our Saviour himself between that Faith in God which they had and the peculiar Faith in himself which he required Joh. 14. 1. Ye believe in God believe also in me Besides where these two Repentance and Faith are elsewhere joyned together as they are frequently it is an especial sort of Faith in God that is intended See Luke 24. 46 47. Acts 19. 4. Chap. 20. 21. It is therefore Faith in God as accomplishing the promise unto Abraham in sending Jesus Christ and granting pardon or remission of Sins by him that is intended The whole is expressed by Repent and believe the Gospel Mark 1. 15. That is the tidings of the Accomplishment of the Promise made to the Fathers for the deliverance of us from all our Sins by Jesus Christ. This is that which was pressed on the Hebrews by Peter in his first Sermon unto them Acts 2. 30 39. Chap. 3. 25 26. Hence these two principles are expressed by Repentance towards God and Faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ Acts 20. 21. As Repentance is here described by the terminus a quo it is Repentance from dead works so there it is described by its terminus ad quem it is Repentance towards God in our turning unto him For those who live in their Lusts and Sins do it not only against the command of God but also they place them as to their affections and expectation of satisfaction in the stead of God And this Faith in God is there called by way of Explication Faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ that is as he in whose giving and sending the Truth of God was fulfilled and by whom we believe in God 1 Pet. 1. 21. This therefore is the Faith in God here intended namely that whereby we believe the Accomplishment of his promise in sending his Son Jesus Christ to dye for us and to save us from our Sins And this the Lord Christ testified unto in his own personal Ministry Hence our Apostle says that he was the Minister of the Circumcision for the truth of God to confirm the promises made unto the Fathers Rom. 15. 8. And this he testified unto them Joh. 8. 24. I said therefore unto you that you shall dye in your sins for if you believe not that
I am be you shall dye in your sins and that because they rejected the promise of God made unto the Fathers concerning him which was the only foundation of Salvation And this was the first thing that ordinarily our Apostle preached in his dispensation of the Gospel 1 Cor. 15. 3. For I delivered unto you first of all how that Christ dyed for our sins according to the Scriptures He taught the thing it self and the relation it had unto the promise of God recorded in the Scripture That this is the Faith in God here intended I prove by these Reasons 1 Because this indeed was that Faith in particular which in the first preaching of the Gospel unto these Hebrews they were taught and instructed in And therefore with respect unto it our Apostle says that he would not lay again the foundation The first calling of the Church among them was by the Sermons of Peter and the rest of the Apostles Acts 2. 3 4 5. Now consult those Sermons and you shall find the principal thing insisted on in them was the accomplishment of the promises made to Abraham and David which they exhorted them to believe This therefore was that Faith in God which was first taught them and which our Apostle hath respect unto 2 Because it was the want of this Faith which proved the ruine of that Church As in the Wilderness the unbelief which they perished for respected the Faithfulness of God in the accomplishment of his promise with respect to the Land Canaan so the Unbelief which the body of the people now perished for dying in their Sins and for them respected the accomplishment of the great Promise of sending Jesus Christ which things the Apostle compares at large Chap. 3. This then was that which he here minds the Hebrews of as the principal foundation of that profession of the Gospel which they had taken on them And we may observe that Faith in God as to the accomplishing of the great Promise in sending his Son Jesus Christ to save us from our Sins is the great fundamental Principle of our Interest in and Profession of the Gospel Faith in God under this formal consideration not only that he hath sent and given Jesus Christ his Son but that he did it in the Accomplishment of his Promise is required of us For whereas he hath chosen to glorifie all the Properties of his Nature in the Person and Mediation of Christ he doth not only declare his Grace in giving him but also his Truth in sending him according unto his word And this was that which holy persons of old did glorifie God in an especial manner upon the account of Luke 1. 54 55. ver 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75. And there is nothing in the Gospel that God himself our Lord Jesus Christ and the Holy Apostles do more insist upon than this that God had fulfilled his Promise in sending his Son into the world On this one thing depends all Religion the Truth of the Bible and all our Salvation If it be not evident that God hath accomplished his Promise the whole Bible may pass for a Fable for it is all built on this supposition that God gave and hath accomplished it the first being the foundation of the Old Testament and the latter of the New And there are sundry things that signalize our Faith in God with respect hereunto As 1. This promise of sending Jesus Christ was the first express ingagement that God ever made of his Faithfulness and Veracity unto any Creatures He is Essentially faithful and true but he had not ingaged himself to act according unto those properties in his dealing with us in a way of Love and Grace calling for Trust and Confidence in us before he gave the promise concerning Christ Gen. 3. 15. This therefore was the spring and measure of all other subsequent promises They are all of them but new assurances thereof and according as it fares with that so it must do with all the rest God gave out this Promise as that whereon he would depend the Honour and Glory of his Fidelity in all other Promises that he should make As we find him true or failing herein so he expects our Faith and Trust in all his other Promises should be Hence this was the first and immediate object of Faith in man after the Fall The first thing proposed unto him was to believe in God with respect unto his faithfulness in the future accomplishment of this Promise and Faith concerning its actual accomplishment is the first thing required of us Besides this Promise hung longest on the File before its Accomplishment There was not less than four thousand years between its giving and its performance And many things happened during that season whereby both its self and Faith on God thereon were greatly signalized For 1 More and greater Objections against the Truth of it more Temptations against it were raised and managed than against all other Promises whatever This long suspension of its fulfilling gave such Advantages to Sathan in his opposition unto it that he prevailed against every expectation but that of Faith tried and more precious than Gold And the Saints themselves had a great exercise in the disappointments which many of them fell into as to the time of its accomplishment It is not unlikely that most of them looked for it in their own days great therefore was the Trials of all sorts about it 2 It was All that the true Church of God had to live upon during that long season the sole foundation of its Faith Obedience and Consolation It is true in progress of time God added other Promises Precepts and Institutions for the direction and instruction of the Church but they were all built on this one Promise and all resolved into it This gave life and signification unto them therewith were they to stand and fall 3 This was that the world broke off from God upon and by rejecting it fell into all confusion and misery The Promise being given unto Adam was indefinitely given to mankind And it was suited unto the Reparation of their lost condition yea their investiture into a better state And this increased the wrath and malice of Sathan He saw that if they applied themselves to the Faith hereof his former success against them was utterly frustrated Wherefore he again attempts them to turn them off from the relief provided against the misery he had cast them into And as to the generality of mankind he prevailed in his attempt By a Relinquishment of this Promise not believing of it not retaining it in their minds they fell into a second Apostasie from God And what disorder darkness confusion yea what an Hell of horror and misery they cast themselves into is known And this consideration greatly signalizes Faith in God with respect to this Promise 4 The whole Church of the Jews rejecting the Accomplishment of this Promise utterly perished thereon This was the Sin
which that Church died for and that indeed which is the foundation of the ruine of all Unbelievers who perish under the Dispensation of the Gospel It will be said it may be that this Promise being now actually accomplished and that taken for granted we have not the like concern in it as they had who lived before the said Accomplishment But there is a mistake herein No man believes aright that the Son of God is come in the Flesh but he who believes that he came in the Accomplishment of the Promise of God unto the Glory of his Truth and Faithfulness And it is from hence that we know aright both the occasion original cause and end of his coming which whoso considereth not his pretended Faith is in vain 2. This is the greatest Promise that God ever gave to the Children of men and therefore Faith in him with respect hereunto is both necessary unto us and greatly tends unto his Glory Indeed all the concernments of Gods glory in the Church and our Eternal welfare are wrapped up herein But I must not enlarge hereon Only we must add that the consideration of the Accomplishment of this Promise is a great incouragement and supportment unto Faith with respect unto all other Promises of God Never was any kept so long in Abeyance the state of the Church and design of God requiring it None ever had such opposition made to its Accomplishment Never was any more likely to be defeated by the Unbelief of men all Faith in it being at length renounced by Jews and Gentiles which if any thing or had it been suspended on any condition might have disappointed its event And shall we think that God will leave any other of his Promises unaccomplished That he will not in due time ingage his omnipotent Power and infinite Wisdom in the discharge of his Truth and Faithfulness Hath he sent his Son after four thousand years expectation and will he not in due time destroy Antichrist call again the Jews set up the Kingdom of Christ gloriously in the world and finally save the Souls of all that sincerely believe This great instance of Divine Fidelity leaves no room for the Objections of Unbelief as unto any other Promises under the same assurance Thirdly The third principle according to the order and sense of the words laid down before is the Resurrection of the dead And this was a fundamental principle of the Judaical Church indeed of all Religions properly so called in the world The twelve Articles of the Creed of the present Jews is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the days of the Messiah that is the time will come when God will send the Messiah and restore all things by him This under the Old Testament respected that Faith in God which we before discoursed concerning But the present Jews notwithstanding this profession have no interest herein For not to believe the Accomplishment of a Promise when it is fulfilled as also sufficiently revealed and testified unto to be fulfilled is to reject all Faith in God concerning that Promise But this they still retain an appearance and profession of And their thirteenth Article is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Revivisication or Resurrection from the dead And the Faith hereof being explained and confirmed in the Gospel as also sealed by the great Seal of the Resurrection of Christ it was ever esteemed as a chief Principle of Christianity and that whose admittance is indispensably necessary unto all Religion whatever And I shall first briefly shew how it is a fundamental Principle of all Religion and then evidence its especial relation unto that taught by Jesus Christ or declare how it is a fundamental Principle of the Gospel And as to the first it is evident that without its Acknowledgment all Religion whatever would be abolished For if it be once supposed or granted that men were made only for a frail mortal life in this world that they have no other continuance assigned to their Being but what is common to them with the Beasts that perish there would be no more Religion amongst them than there is among the Beasts themselves For as they would never be able to solve the difficulties of present temporary Dispensations of Providence which will not be reduced unto any such known visible rule of Righteousness abstracting from the compleatment of them hereafter as of themselves to give a firm apprehension of a Divine Holy Righteous Power in the government of the Universe so take away all consideration of future Rewards and Punishments which are equally asserted in this and the ensuing Principle and the Lusts of men would quickly obliterate all those notions of a Deity as also of good and evil in their practice which should preserve them from Atheism and Bestiality Neither do we ever see any man giving himself up to the unbelief of these things but that immediately he casts off all considerations of any publick or private good but what is centred in himself and the satisfaction of his Lusts. But it will be asked whether the belief of the Immortality of the Soul be not sufficient to secure Religion without the addition of this Article of the Resurrection This indeed some among the ancient Heathens had faint apprehensions of without any guess at the Resurrection of the body And some of them also who were most steady in that perswasion had some thoughts also of such a Restauration of all things as wherein the bodies of men should have their share But as their thoughts of these things were fluctuating and uncertain so was all their Religion also and so it must be on this Principle For there can be no Reconciliation of the Doctrine of future Rewards and Punishments to be righteously administred unto a supposition of the separate everlasting subsistence of the Soul only That is Eternal Judgment cannot be on satisfactory grounds believed without an antecedent acknowledgment of the Resurrection of the dead For what Justice is it that the whole of blessedness or misery should fall on the Soul only where the body hath had a great share in the procurement of the one or the other or that whereas both concur unto the doing of Good or Evil the Soul only should be rewarded or punished especially considering what influence the body hath into all that is Evil how the satisfaction of the flesh is the great inducement unto Sin on the one hand and what it often undergoeth and suffereth for that which is good Shall we think that God gave Bodies to the holy Martyrs only to endure unexpressible Tortures and Miseries to death for the sake of Christ and then to perish for ever And this manifesteth the great degeneracy the Jewish Church was now fallen into For a great number of them were Apostatized into the Atheisme of denying the Resurrection of the dead And so confident were they in their Infidelity as that they would needs argue and dispute with our Saviour about it by whom they were
upon the preaching of the Gospel any were converted unto Christ and upon their profession of Faith and Repentance were baptized the Apostles present or if near unto them they came on that purpose laid their hands on them whereon they received the Holy Ghost in a supernatural Communication of Evangelical Gifts And this next to the preaching of the word was the great means which the Lord Christ made use of in the propagation of the Gospel By the Word he wrought internally on the Minds and Consciences of men and by these miraculous gifts he turned the thoughts of men to the consideration of what was preached by what in an extraordinary manner was objected to their external senses And this was not confined unto a few Ministers of the word and the like but as it appears from sundry places of Scripture was common almost unto all Believers that were baptized Gal. 3. 2. 1 Cor. 14. 3 In the Verse following mention is made of those who were made partakers of the Holy Ghost that is of his miraculous gifts and operations which were communicated by this Imposition of hands which therefore refers unto the same After these times this Rite was made use of in other occasions of the Church in imitation no doubt of this extraordinary action of the Apostles but there is no mention of it in the Scripture nor was in use in those days and therefore cannot be here intended And this is the most genuine interpretation of this place These mentioned were the principles of the Doctrine of Christ wherein among others of the same importance they were to be well instructed who were to be baptized and thereon to have hands laid on them whereby the extraordinary Gifts of the Holy Ghost were communicated unto them But we shall allow a room also for that other Exposition of the words which is more generally received and in the exclusion whereof because it complies with the Analogie of Faith I dare not be peremptory And this is that the Doctrine of laying on of hands maketh one distinct principle of Christianity by its self But then the thing signified is principally intended namely the Communication of the Holy Ghost unto Believers in his Gifts and Graces ordinary and extraordinary whereof this Rite was the external Sign And as this was peculiar to the Gospel so it contained the principal verification of it And this it did sundry ways 1 Because the Promises of the Lord Christ for the sending of him were eminently and visibly accomplished It is known that when he was leaving the world he filled his Disciples with an expectation of his sending the Holy Ghost unto them And he did not only propose this Promise as their great supportment during his absence but also suspended on its accomplishment all the Duty which he required from them in the Office he had called them unto Therefore he commanded them to abide quietly at Hierusalem without any publick engagement into their work until they had received the Promise of the Spirit Acts 1. 4 8. And when this was done it gave a full and glorious testimony not only unto his truth in what he had told them in this world but also unto his present exaltation and acceptation with God as Peter declares Acts 2. 33. 2 His Gifts themselves were such many of them as consisted in miraculous operations whereby God himself gave immediate testimony to the truth of the Gospel Heb. 2. 3 4. God himself bearing witness to the preachers of it with signs and wonders and with miracles and gifts of the Holy Ghost This made the Doctrine concerning them of unconceivable importance unto Believers of those days as that whereby their Faith and Profession was eminently justified in the face of the world 3 This Dispensation of the Holy Ghost was peculiar to the times of the Gospel and was in its self a sufficient proof of the cessation of all Legal Ordinances For it was the principal Prophecy and Promise under the Old Testament that in the days of the Messiah the Holy Ghost should be so poured out as I have at large elsewhere declared And it was to be a consequent of his Glorification Job 7. 38 39. Hence by the argument of their receiving the Spirit our Apostle proves to the Galatians their freedom from the Law Gal. 3. 2. Wherefore 4 The Doctrine concerning this Dispensation of the Spirit was peculiar to the Gospel and so might be esteemed an especial principle of its Doctrine For although the Church of the Jews believed the Holy Ghost as one Person in the Trinity after their obscure manner of apprehension yet they were Strangers unto this Dispensation of him in his Gifts though promised under the Old Testament because not to be accomplished but under the New Yea John the Baptist who in light into the Mystery of the Gospel outwent all the Prophets that were before him yet had not the Knowledge hereof communicated unto him For those who were only baptized with his Baptism and initiated thereby into the Doctrine of Repentance for the forgiveness of Sins had not so much as heard whether there were an Holy Ghost that is as unto this dispensation of him Acts 19. 2 3. Hereupon our Apostle instructing them in the Doctrine of the Gospel he made use of this Rite of the Imposition of hands whereon the Holy Ghost came on them and they spake with Tongues and prophesied ver 6. This therefore being so great and important a concern of the Gospel and this being the Rite appointed to represent it by the Doctrine concerning it namely the Promise of Christ to send the Holy Ghost with the nature use and end of the Gifts which he wrought in Believers is expressed and reckoned among the first principles of Christian Religion But the Reader is at liberty to follow whether of these interpretations he pleaseth And from the whole of what hath been discoursed we may take the ensuing observations 1. Persons to be admitted into the Church and unto a participation of all the holy Ordinances thereof had need be well instructed in the important Principles of the Gospel We have here the Rule of the Apostle and Example of the Primitive Churches for the ground of this Doctrine And it is necessary that such persons should be so instructed on their own part as also on the part of the Church it self On their own part because without it the Ordinances themselves will be of little use unto them For what benefit can any receive from that whose nature and properties he is unacquainted withall And neither the nature nor use of the Ordinances of the Church can be understood without a previous comprehension of the fundamental principles of the Gospel as might be easily demonstrated And it is so on the part of the Church For the neglect hereof was the chiefest occasion of the degeneracy of most Churches in the world By this means were the Societies of them filled with ignorant and consequently profane persons
of Charity and Gospel-Discipline in their severities yet as it should seem and is very probable knew not how to answer the Objection from this place of our Apostle Therefore did they rather choose for a season to suspend their assent unto the Authority of the whole Epistle than to prejudice the Church by its Admission And well was it that some learned men afterward by their sober Interpretations of the words plainly evince that no countenance was given in them unto the errors of the Novatians for without this it is much to be feared that would have preferred their Interest in their present controversie before the Authority of it which would in the issue have proved ruinous to the Truth it self For the Epistle being designed of God unto the common Edification of the Church would have at length prevailed whatever sense men through their prejudices and ignorance should put upon any passages of it But this controversie is long since buried the generality of the Churches in the world being sufficiently remote from that which was truly the mistake of the Novatians yea the most of them do bear peaceably in their Communion without the least exercise of Gospel-discipline towards them such persons as concerning whom the dispute was of old whether they should ever in this world be admitted into the Communion of the Church although upon their open and professed Repentance We shall not therefore at present need to labour in this controversie But the sense of these words hath been the subject of great contests on other occasions also For some do suppose and contend that they are real and true Believers who are decyphered by the Apostle and that their Character is given us in and by sundry inseparable Adjuncts and properties of such persons Hence they conclude that such Believers may totally and finally fall from Grace and perish Eternally Yea it is evident that this Hypothesis of the final Apostasie of true Believers is that which influenceth their Minds and Judgements to suppose that such are here intended Wherefore others who will not admit that according to the tenor of the Covenant of Grace in Christ Jesus true Believers can perish Everlastingly do say that either they are not here intended or if they are the words are only comminatory wherein although the consequence in them in a way of arguing be true namely that on the supposition laid down the inference is certain yet the supposition is not asserted in order unto a certain consequent whence it should follow that true Believers might so really fall away and absolutely perish And these things have been the matter of many contests among learned men Again There have been sundry mistakes in the practical Application of the intention of these words unto the Consciences of men mostly made by themselves who are concerned For whereas by reason of sin they have been surprized with terrors and troubles of Conscience they have withall in their darkness and distress supposed themselves to be fallen into the condition here described by our Apostle and consequently to be irrecoverably lost And these Apprehensions usually befall men on two occasions For some having been overtaken with some great actual sin against the Second Table after they have made a Profession of the Gospel and having their Consciences harrassed with a sense of their Guilt as it will fall out where men are not greatly hardned through the deceitfulness of sin they judge that they are fallen under the sentence denounced in this Scripture against such sinners as they suppose themselves to be whereby their state is irrecoverable Others do make the same Judgement of themselves because they have fallen from that constant compliance with their Convictions which formerly led them unto a strict performance of Duties and this in some course of long continuance Now whereas it is certain that the Apostle in this discourse gives no countenance unto the severity of the Novatians whereby they excluded Offenders everlastingly from the Peace and Communion of the Church nor to the final Apostasie of true Believers which he testifieth against in this very Chapter in compliance with innumerable other Testimonies of Scripture to the same purpose nor doth he teach any thing whereby the Conscience of any sinner who desires to return to God and to find acceptance with him should be discouraged or disheartened we must attend unto the Exposition of the words in the first place so as not to break in upon the boundaries of other Truths nor transgress against the Analogie of Faith And we shall find that this whole discourse compared with other Scriptures and freed from the prejudices that men have brought unto it is both remote from administring any just occasion to the mistakes before-mentioned and is a needful wholesome commination duely to be considered by all Professors of the Gospel In the words we consider 1 The connexion of them unto those foregoing intimating the occasion of the Introduction of this whole discourse 2 The subject described in them or the Persons spoken of under sundry qualifications which may be enquired into joyntly and severally 3 What is supposed concerning them 4 What is affirmed of them on that supposition 1. The connexion of the word sis included in the causal connexion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For. It respects the Introduction of Reason for what had been before discoursed as also of the limitation which the Apostle added expresly unto his purpose of making a progress in their farther Instruction if God permit And he doth not herein express his judgement that they to whom he wrote were such as he describes for he afterwards declares that he hoped better things concerning them only it was necessary to give them this caution that they might take due care not to be such And whereas he had manifested that they were slow as to the making of a progress in knowledge and a suitable practice he lets them here know the danger that there was in continuing in that slothful condition For not to proceed in the ways of the Gospel and Obedience thereunto is an untoward entrance into a total relinquishment of the one and the other That therefore they might be acquainted with the danger hereof and be stirred up to avoid that danger he gives them an account of those who after a Profession of the Gospel beginning at a non-proficiency under it do end in Apostasie from it And we may see That the severest Comminations are not only useful in the Preaching of the Gospel but exceeding necessary towards persons that are observed to be slothful in their Profession 2. The description of the Persons that are the subject spoken of is given in five Instances of the Evangelical Priviledges whereof they were made partakers notwithstanding all which and against their obliging efficacy to the contrary it is supposed that they may wholly desert the Gospel it self And some things we may observe concerning this description of them in general As 1 The Apostle
And 2 There is not any thing ascribed to these persons that is peculiar to them as such or discriminative of them as taken either from their especial Relation unto God in Christ or any such Property of their own as is not communicable unto others For instance they are not said to be called according to Gods purpose to be born again not of the Will of Man nor of the Will of Flesh but of God not to be justified or sanctified or united unto Christ or to be the Sons of God by Adoption nor have they any other characteristical note of true Believers ascribed to them 3 They are in the following Verses compared to the Ground on which the rain often falls and beareth nothing but Thorns and Briars But this is not so with true Believers For Faith it self is an Herb peculiar to the inclosed Garden of Christ and meet for him by whom we are dressed 4 The Apostle afterwards discoursing of true Believers doth in many particulars distinguish them from such as may be Apostates which is supposed of the Persons here intended as was before declared For 1 He ascribeth unto them in general better things and such as accompany Salvation ver 9. 2 He ascribes a work and labour of Love as it is true Faith alone which worketh by Love ver 10. whereof he speaks not one word concerning these 3 He asserts their Preservation 1 On the account of the Righteousness and Faithfulness of God ver 11. 2 Of the Immutability of his counsel concerning them ver 17 18. In all these and sundry other Instances doth he put a difference between these Apostates and true Believers And whereas the Apostle intends to declare the Aggravation of their sin in falling away by the principal Priviledges whereof they were made partakers here is not one word in name or thing of those which he expresly assigns to be the chief priviledges of true Believers Rom. 8. 27 28 29 30. 2. Our next enquiry is more particularly whom he doth intend And 1 They were such who not long before were converted from Judaisme unto Christianity upon the evidence of the Truth of its Doctrine and the miraculous Operations wherewith its Dispensation was accompanied 2 He intends not the common sort of them but such as had obtained especial Priviledges among them For they had received extraordinary Gifts of the Holy Ghost as speaking with Tongues or working Miracles And 3 They had found in themselves and other convincing evidences that the Kingdom of God and the Messiah which they called the world to come was come unto them and had satisfaction in the Glories of it 4 Such Persons as these as they have a work of Light on their minds so according to the efficacy of their Convictions may have such a change wrought upon their Affections and in their Conversation as that they may be of great esteem among Professors and such these here intended might be Now it must needs be some horrible frame of spirit some malitious enmity against the Truth and Holiness of Christ and the Gospel some violent Love of sin and the world that could turn off such Persons as these from the Faith and blot out all that Light and Conviction of Truth which they had received But the least Grace is a better security for Heaven than the greatest Gifts and Priviledges whatever These are the Persons concerning whom our Apostle discourseth and of whom it is supposed by him that they may fall away 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The especial nature of the sin here intended is afterwards declared in two Instances or aggravating circumstances This word expresseth the respect it had to the state and condition of the sinners themselves they fall away do that whereby they do so I think we have well expressed the word if they shall fall away Our old Translations render it only if they shall fall which expressed not the sense of the word and was liable to a sense not at all intended For he doth not say if they shall fall into sin this or that or any sin whatever that can be named suppose the greatest sin imaginable namely the denial of Christ in the time of Danger or Persecution This was that sin as we intimated before about which so many contests were raised of old and so many Canons were multiplied about the ordering of them who had contracted the Guilt thereof But one example well considered had been a better guide for them than all their own Arbitrary Rules and Imaginations When Peter fell into this sin and yet was renewed again to Repentance and that speedily Wherefore we may lay down this in the first place as to the sense of the words There is no particular sin that any man may fall into occasionally through the Power of Temptation that can cast the sinner under this Commination so that it should be impossible to renew him to Repentance It must therefore secondly be a course of sin or sinning that is intended But there are various degrees herein also yea there are divers kinds of such courses in sin A man may so fall into a way of sin as still to retain in his mind such a Principle of Light and Conviction that may be suitable to his Recovery To exclude such from all hopes of Repentance is expresly contrary to Ezek. 18. 21. Isa. 55. 7. yea and the whole sense of the Scripture Wherefore men after some Conviction and Reformation of Life may fall into corrupt and wicked courses and make a long abode or continuance in them Examples hereof we have every day amongst us although it may be none to parallel that of Manasseh consider the nature of his Education under his Father Hezekiah the greatness of his sins the length of his continuance in them with his following Recovery and he is a great Instance in this case Whilst there is in such persons any seed of Light or Conviction of Truth which is capable of an Excitation or Revival so as to put forth its Power and Efficacy in their Souls they cannot be looked on to be in the condition intended though their case be dangerous 3. Our Apostle makes a distinction between 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 11. 11. between stumbling and falling and would not allow that the unbelieving Jews of those days were come so far as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to fall absolutely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I say then have they stumbled that they should fall God forbid that is absolutely and irrecoverably So therefore doth that word signifie in this place And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 encreaseth the signification either as to perverseness in the manner of the fall or as to violence in the fall its self From what hath been discoursed it will appear what falling away it is that the Apostle here intendeth And 1 It is not a falling into this or that actual sin be it of what nature it will which may be and
of the Gospel Herein doth he steer a direct and equal course between the Extreams in Admonition For he neither useth so much lenity as to enervate his Reproof and Warning nor so much severity as to discourage or provoke those who are warned by him In a word he layeth weight upon things and spareth persons the contrary whereunto is the bane of all Spiritual Admonition Secondly He maketh use of this Discourse for a Transition unto the second part of his Design And this was to propose unto them who were true Believers such encouragements and grounds of Consolation as might confirm and establish them in their Faith and Obedience which are the subjects of the remaining part of this Chapter Wherefore as to make way for the severe Threatnings which he hath used it was necessary for him to describe the persons unto whom they did in an especial manner belong so it was no less requisite that he should describe those also unto whom the ensuing Promises and Consolations do pertain which he doth in these Verses VERSE 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Persuasi sumus confidimus Bez. persuasimus nobis we are perswaded 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Syr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 My Brethren Vul. Dilectissimi Rhem. We confidently trust of you my best beloved 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Meliora Syr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ea quae sunt bona pulchra The things that are good or comely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Syr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and such as draw near to Life that is Eternal Vul. lat Et viciniora Saluti Rhem. and nearer to Salvation others generally Et cum salute conjuncta Ours and such as accompany Salvation very properly VERSE 9. But we are perswaded of you Beloved better things and such as accompany Salvation although we thus speak The especial design of the Apostle in this and the following Verses is to declare his good-will towards the Hebrews his Judgement of their state and condition the Reasons and Grounds of that Judgement with the proper use and End of the Commination before laid down that neither that might be neglected nor themselves discouraged This Verse contains 1 An Expression of his Love and good-will towards them 2 His Judgement of them 3 The Reasons of his present declaration of both these with respect unto what he had spoken before unto them namely that although he had spoke it unto them he did not speak it of them 1. His Love and good-will he testifies in his Compellation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Beloved It is an Expression of most entire Affection and is never used in the Gospel but to express the Love of God the Father unto his Son Jesus Christ Matth. 3. 17. chap. 12. 18. chap. 17. 5. Mark 1. 11. chap. 9. 7. chap. 12. 16. Luke 3. 22. chap. 9. 35. chap. 20. 13. By the Apostles in their Epistles it is frequently applied unto Believers especially by Paul in all those written by him we might therefore pass it over as that word which it was usual with him to express his sincere Affections by towards all Saints But there seems to be a twofold reason of its especial Introduction in this place both of them respected in the Wisdom of our Apostle 1 Perhaps these Hebrews were ready enough to entertain Jealousies concerning him that he had not that Affection for them which he had for others For he had now spent a long time with and among the Gentiles for their Conversion and Edification Among them he had planted very many Churches and that in one Point contrary to the Judgement of most of these Hebrews namely in a Liberty from the Law and the Ceremonies of Moses In this long converse and work they might suspect that he had lost his natural Love to his Country-men as is usual in such cases and as he was much accused to have done To root this evil surmise out of their minds as he useth frequently other affectionate Compellations in this Epistle so he here calls them his Beloved than which he had used no Expression of greater Endearment towards any of his Gentile Converts And notwithstanding all the Provocations and Injuries he had received from them he gave on all occasions the highest Demonstration of the most intense Affection towards them never opposing them nor reflecting on them with any severity but only then and wherein they opposed the Gospel and the Liberty thereof This Affection was such for them as his Country-men and Kinsmen in the Flesh as that he could willingly have died that they might be saved Rom. 9. 2 3. And for this he prayed continually chap. 10. 1. And the Addition of Love that was made in him upon their Conversion cannot be expressed 2 He hath respect unto his preceding severe Expressions as is plain from the close of this Verse though we thus speak As if he had said Notwithstanding this severe Admonition which I have upon the consideration of all Circumstances been forced to use yet my Heart stands no otherwise affected towards you but as towards my Country-men Brethren and Saints of God And thus It is the Duty of the Dispensers of the Gospel to satisfie their Hearers in and of their Love in Jesus Christ to their Souls and Persons 2. The Apostle expresseth his Judgement concerning these Hebrews We are perswaded better things of you and such as accompany Salvation wherein we have 1 The Act of his mind in this matter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we are perswaded Chrysostome insists much on the force of this word The Apostle as he observes doth not say we think or we hope but he was fully perswaded He lets them know that he was fully satisfied in this matter And he useth not this word any where in his Epistles as he useth it often but he intends a full and prevalent perswasion Now this a man may have in spiritual things on three grounds 1 By especial Revelation so he was certain of the truth of the Gospel that was revealed unto him which he discourseth of Gal. 1. 7 8. 2 By the Evidence of Faith when any thing is believed on grounds infallible namely the Revelation of the mind of God in the Scripture or the Promises of the Gospel So he useth this word Rom. 8. 34. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for I am perswaded that neither Death nor Life c. This he believed and had an infallible certainty thereof because God hath so promised So also 2 Tim. 1. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I know whom I have believed and am perswaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed to him He useth the same Expression in matter of Faith Rom. 14. 14. 3 There is a certain perswasion of mind that is founded on moral Arguments such as may bring a man to a full satisfaction in his mind but yet so as it is possible he may be deceived Of this Nature is that perswasion that Trust or Confidence
in the world than to abuse Gospel Truths When the Doctrine of free Justification by Faith through the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ was first fully revealed and declared his great Design then was to perswade men that there was no need of Obedience and so they could attain any manner of perswasion of the Truth of the Gospel or make profession thereof they might live in sin as they pleased and neglect all good Works and Duties of Obedience And although this be now condemned by all yet indeed is it no more but what upon the matter most do practise according unto For they suppose that by being of this or that Religion Papists or Protestants or the like they shall be saved whatever their ways and works are So Papists for Instance are indeed the greatest Solifidians in the world For to own the Faith of the Church is enough with them to secure the Salvation of any This Abomination having been early started was seasonably suppressed by the writing of James and John For the former directly and plainly lays open the Vanity of this pretence declaring that that Faith which they professed and boasted of was not the Faith whereby any should be justified before God nor of the same kind with it For this Faith is living operative and fruitful and evidenceth it self unto all by its Works and Fruits Whereas that Faith whereof vain men living in their sins did boast was so far from being a Grace of the Spirit of God that it was no other but what was in the Devils themselves and which they could not rid themselves of if they would The latter without expressing the occasion of it spends his Epistle in declaring the necessity of Love and Obedience or keeping the Commandments of Christ. Wherefore the enemy of our Salvation being defeated in this Attempt he betook himself unto the other extream contending that the works of Faith had the same place in our Justification with Faith it self And why should they not are not Faith and they equally Acts of Obedience in us are not Faith and they equally required by the Gospel why may they not be supposed to have an equal influence into our Justification at least in the same kind though Faith on some considerations may have the pre-eminence I say these things are speciously pleaded but in short the Design is not to advance works into an Equality with Faith but to advance them into the room of Christ and his Righteousness For when we say we are justified by Faith only we do not say that Faith is our Righteousness but as it apprehends the Righteousness of Christ as he is the End of the Law for Righteousness unto them that do believe And this is the use that God hath designed Faith unto and which in its own nature it is suited for But bring in the works of Obedience into the same place and they are of no use but to be imputed unto us for Righteousness and so to possess the place of Christ and his Righteousness in our Justification unto their Exclusion But all this trouble might have been spared if men had not been too ready and prone to receive Impressions from the crafty actings of Sathan against the purity and simplicity of the Gospel For nothing is more evidently expressed and taught therein than are these two things 1 That we are justified freely by Faith through the Redemption that is in the Blood of Christ and so the Imputation of his Righteousness unto us 2 That the Faith which hath this effect which is of this use is living operative fruitful and will evidence it self by works in Obedience unto the Commands of God And this is that which here we contend for namely that a living Faith will be a working Faith And he is a vain man that deceives himself with any thing else in the room thereof And yet this is the course of multitudes But yet men do not deceive themselves herein notionally but practically I never yet met with any man in my life who professed it as his Judgement that so he believed aright he might live as he pleased follow his Lusts and neglect all good Works or holy Duties of Obedience For this implies a contradiction So to believe is so far from believing aright as that it contains in it a total Rejection of the Gospel But practically we see that the generality of men content themselves with that knowledge they have of Religion and that Faith which they suppose they have in Christ without once endeavouring after amendment of life or fruitfulness in good works Now this is not from any conclusions they draw from any Doctrines which they profess to believe but from the power of Darkness and the deceitfulness of Sin that ruleth in them And it is no otherwise among them who are taught to believe that they are justified by their works For there is not a race of greater and more flagitious sinners than for the most part are the men of that Perswasion Only for their Relief their Leaders have provided them with a Commutation of some other things instead of their good works which shall do the deed for them as Penances Pardons Purgatory Confessions Pilgrimages and the like But be mens Perswasion what it will right or wrong where sin is predominant they will be wicked and whatever be the Object of their Faith if it be not living in the subject it cannot work nor be fruitful We ought to look on Obedience as our work which will admit neither of sloth nor negligence Here lies the occasion of the ruine of the Souls of men who profels the Gospel The Duties of Profession are a thing of course unto them and that which lies without the compass of their principal work and business in the world This makes their Profession serve to no other end but to make them secure in a perishing condition Now that our Obedience may indeed be our work it is required 1 That the carrying of it on the attendance unto it and furtherance of it in order unto the Glory of God be our principal design in the world That is a mans 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his proper work which is so God severely threateneth those which walk with him at peradventures Levit. 26. 21. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if you shall walk with me fortuito at hap hazard that is without making it your principal design and using your utmost diligence and care to proceed in it in a right manner 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ver 24. then will even I my self walk with you at all adventures though I continue with you as one walking with you in my outward Ordinances and Institutions yet will I have no regard unto you as to do you any good yea I will sorely punish you notwithstanding the Appearance of our walking together as it follows in the place Yet is this the course of many who please themselves in their condition They walk with God in outward
in the exercise of Love Hereby are they all brought into the nearest Relation to one another which is the most effectual motive and powerful attractive unto Love For as the Lord Christ saith of every one that doth the will of God the same is my Brother and Sister and Mother Matth. 12. 18. he is dearly beloved by him as standing in the nearest Relation unto him so are all Believers by virtue of their common Interest in Christ their Head as Brothers Sisters and Mothers to each other as Members of the same Body which is yet nearer whence the most intense Affection must arise And they have thereby the same new spiritual nature in them all In Love natural he that doth most love and prize himself commonly doth least love and prize others And the reason is because he loves not himself for any thing which is common unto him with others but his self-love is the ordering and centring of all things unto his own satisfaction But with this Spiritual Love he that Loves himself most that is doth most prize and value the Image of God in himself doth most Love others in whom it is And we may know whether we cherish and improve Grace in our own Hearts by that Love which we have unto them in whom it doth manifest it self 1 Joh. 5. 1. 5. This Love in the first place acts it self by valuation esteem and delight So the Psalmist affirms that all his delight was in the Saints and in the excellent in the Earth Psal. 16. 3. The Apostle carries this unto the height in that Instance wherein we ought to lay down our lives for the Brethren 1 Joh. 3. 16. For whereas Life is comprehensive of all that is dear or useful unto us in this world what we ought if called thereunto to part with our lives for we value and esteem above them all It is true the cases wherein this is actually required in us do not frequently occur And they are such alone wherein the Glory and Interest of Christ are in an especial manner concerned But such a Love as will always dispose and when we are called enable us unto this Duty is required to be in us if we are Disciples of Christ. So are we to prize and value them as at least to be ready to share with them in all their conditions For 6. This Love acts it self by all means in all ways and Duties whereby the Eternal Spiritual and Temporal good of others may be promoted And it would require a long discourse to go over but the principal Heads of those Ways and Duties which are required unto this End Something will be spoken afterwards to that purpose At present I have aimed only at such a Description of this Love as may distinguish it from that cold formal pretence of it in some outward Duties which the most satisfie themselves withall This is that Love which the Gospel so earnestly commendeth unto and so indispensibly requireth in all the Disciples of Christ. This with its exercise and effects its Labour and Fruits is the Glory Life and Honour of our Profession without which no other Duties are accepted with God And the reason is manifest from what hath been spoken why the Apostle giveth this as a ground of his good Perswasion concerning these Hebrews as that they had an especial Interest in those Better things from which Salvation is inseparable For if this Love in general be so a Grace of the Gospel if it so spring and arise from the Love of God in Christ as that there neither ever was nor can be the least of it in the world which is not an Emanation from that Love and if in its especial nature it so particularly relates unto the Spirit of Christ and our Union with him it must needs be among the principal Evidences of a good spiritual condition And the same will yet farther appear if we consider the grounds whereon it is inforced in the Gospel which are principally these that follow 1. As the Head of all other considerations the Lord Christ expresseth it as that which was to be the great Evidence unto the world of the Truth and Power of the Gospel as also of his own being sent of God Joh. 17. 21. That they all may be one as thou Father art in me and I in thee that they also may be one in us that the world may believe that thou hast sent me It is true there is another especial principle of the Union of Believers as they are one in God and Christ. This is that one Spirit whereby they are all united unto him as their mystical Head But this alone is not here intended as being that which the world can no way discern nor consequently be convinced by He intends therefore their Unity among themselves the Life and Spirit and Bond whereof is this Love as hath been declared There is no other kind of Unity which may be among Christians that carrieth the least conviction with it of the Divine Mission Truth and Power of Christ. For they may be all carnal from carnal Principles and for carnal Ends wherein the world can see nothing extraordinary as having many such Unities of its own Herein therefore doth the Testimony consist which we give to the world that Jesus Christ was sent of God And if we fail herein we do what we can to harden the world in its impenitency and unbelief To see Believers live in Love according to the nature and acting the Duties of it before mentioned was in ancient times a great means of the Conviction of the world concerning the Truth and Power of the Gospel and will be so again when God shall afresh pour down abundantly that Spirit of Light and Love which we pray for And in some measure it doth so at present For whosoever shall consider the true Church of Christ aright will find the Evidences of a Divine Power in this matter For it doth and ever did consist of all sorts of persons in all Nations and Languages whatever High and low rich and poor Jews Greeks Barbarians Scythians men of all Interests Humours Oppositions dividing Circumstances at distances as far as the East from the West do constitute this Body this Society Yet is there among all these known to each other or unknown an ineffable Love ready to work and exercise it self on all occasions in all the ways before insisted on And this can be from no other Principle but the Spirit and Divine Power of God giving Testimony thereby unto the Lord Christ whose Disciples they are 2. Our Right unto our Priviledge in and Evidence of our being the Disciples of Christ depends on our mutual Love Joh. 14. 34 35. A new Commandment I give unto you that you love one another as I have loved you that ye also love one another By this shall all men know that you are my Disciples if you have love one to another This especial Commandment of Christ concerning mutual love
works in all of them Wherefore if we see a man slothful negligent careless in the Duties of Religion we may be sure that one carnal Affection or other is powerful in him 3. As to the general effects of this spiritual Sloth they may be reduced unto these three Heads 1 A neglect of known Duties in matter or manner Known Duties of Professors are either publick or private And I call them known because they are both acknowledged by all so to be and themselves are under the Conviction of their so being But where this sloth is predominant clear Duties will be debated What more clear Duty than that we should open our hearts unto Christ when he knocketh or diligently receive those Intimations of his Love and his Mind which he tendereth in his Ordinances Yet this will a Soul dispute about and debate on when it is under the power of sloth Cant. 5. 2 3. And it doth so actually when it doth not take diligent heed unto the Dispensation of the word Wherefore omission of Duties in their seasons and opportunities whether publick or private whether of Piety or Charity of Faith or Love or the performance of them without life and delight meerly to comply with custom or satisfie Convictions is an evidence of a Soul growing up under a sinful sloth unto a ruining security 2 Regardlesness of Temptations and Dangers by them is another general effect hereof These beset us on every hand especially they do so with reference unto all Duties of Obedience In watchfulness against them a conflict with them and prevalency over them doth our warfare principally consist And without a due regard unto them we can neither preserve the Life nor bring forth the fruits of Faith Herein spiritual sloth will make us careless When men begin to walk as if they had no Enemies as if in their course of life their converse their callings and occasions there were no Snares nor Temptations Spiritual sloth hath possessed their minds 3 Weariness and heartless despondencies in a time of Troubles and Difficulties is another effect hereof And unto these Heads may all its particular pernicious effects and consequences be reduced And this brief Description of Spiritual sloth in its Nature Causes and Effects is a sufficient Eviction of our Assertion so that I need no farther confirmation Secondly In the positive Directions given and the Encouragement adjoyned there is an Example proposed and a Duty enjoyned with respect thereunto The Persons whose Example is prescribed are mentioned here only indefinitely be followers of them which in the ensuing Verse he brings down to the Instance of Abraham For dealing with them who greatly gloried in having Abraham for their Father no example more pertinent and cogent could be proposed unto them to let them know that Abraham himself obtained not the Promises any other way than what he now proposeth unto them And as our Saviour had told them that if they would be the Children of Abraham they must do the works of Abraham otherwise their boast of his being their Father would stand them in no stead so our Apostle shews them the like necessity of his Faith and Patience in particular Besides he was in the next Chapter of necessity to prefer Melchisedec as a Type of Christ before him and above him Andtherefore as he had in an alike case before dealt with Moses he would take the advantage hereof giving him his due commendation that he might not seem to derogate any thing from him And this he doth in that Instance wherein he becameto have his greatest honour or to become the Father of the faithful The Persons therefore included in the particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are the Patriarchs of the Old Testament It is true it is so expressed as that those who were at present real sincere sound Believers might be intended or those who had fallen asleep in the Faith of the Gospel But as he deals on all occasions with these Hebrews with Instances and Examples out of the Old Testament as we have seen and considered it at large in the third Chapter so his immediate expressing of Abraham as the principal of those which he intended confines his Design unto those under that Dispensation Plainly he designs them whom unto the same purpose he enumerates afterwards in particular with the Instances of their Faith chap. 11. Nor is there any difficulty in the variety of his expressions concerning them Of those in the Eleventh Chapter he says that all died in Faith and obtained a good report on the account thereof but received not the Promises ver 13 39. Of those in this place that through Faith and Patience they inherited the Promises But it is one thing to receive the Promises and another to inherit the Promises By receiving the Promises chap. 11. the Apostle respects the actual Accomplishment of the great Promise concerning the exhibition of Christ in the Flesh. This they neither did nor could receive who died before his Incarnation But the inheriting of the Promises here intended is a real participation of the Grace and Mercy proposed in them with Eternal Glory This they all received being saved by Faith even as we Acts 15. 10 11. Heb. 4. 2. Concerning these Persons he proposeth to them the way that they took and the end that they attained The way they took was by Faith and Patience or long-suffering Some think that here is an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that a constant enduring Faith is only intended But their Faith and the constant exercise of it against oppositions is rather proposed unto them under the name of Faith For that by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a distinct Grace or Duty is intended is manifest from ver 15. where Abrahams carriage upon his believing and receiving the Blessing is expressed by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 after he had patiently endured What was that Faith or of what kind which is here ascribed unto the Patriarchs is evident from the Context For it was that Faith which had the especial Promise of God in Christ for its Object Not a general not a common Faith but that which respected the Promise given from the foundation of the world and expresly renewed unto Abraham Some amongst us wholly deny this kind of Faith and beyond the belief of the truth or veracity of God in general will not allow an especial Faith with respect unto the Covenant and the Promise of Grace in Christ Jesus whereas indeed there is no other Faith true useful saving and properly so called in the world It is true this especial Faith in the Promise supposeth Faith in general with respect unto the truth and veracity of God nor can be without it But this may be and is in many where the other is not yea where it is despised This therefore was the Faith which was here recommended and proposed unto us The especial Object of it was the Messiah or Christ himself as a Saviour from sin with
this especial limitation as to come afterwards The formal reason of it was the Truth of God in his Promises with his unchangeableness and infinite power to give them an Accomplishment And the means of ingenerating this Faith in them was the Promise it self By this Faith were they justified and saved Gen. 15. 6. But it may be enquired how this Faith could be proposed unto us for an Example seeing it respected the future Exhibition of Christ and we are to respect him as long since come in the Flesh. But this circumstance changeth nothing in the nature of the things themselves For although as to the actual Exhibition of the Messiah they looked on it as future yet as to the Benefits of his Mediation they were made present and effectual unto them by the Promise And the Faith required of us doth in like manner respect the Lord Christ and the Benefits of his Mediation and by his actual Exhibition in the Flesh is not changed in its nature from what theirs was though it be exceedingly advantaged as to its Light The next thing ascribed unto them is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Patience say we that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but these Graces are expresly distinguished 2 Tim. 3. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Faith Long-suffering Patience so plainly Col. 1. 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unto all patience and long-suffering And in very many places it is recommended as a special Grace and Duty 2 Cor. 6. 6. Gal. 5. 22. Ephes. 4. 2. Col. 3. 12. And it is often also ascribed unto God Rom. 2. 4. chap. 9. 22. to Christ 1 Tim. 1. 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is properly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 longanimis or as James speaks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 chap. 1. 19. slow to anger opposed unto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hasty soon angry bitter in Spirit It is a gracious sedate frame of Soul a tranquillity of mind on holy spiritual grounds of Faith not subject to take provocations not to be wearied with opposition Wherefore although the Apostle saith in like manner in another place that we have need of Patience that after we have done the will of God we may receive the Promise chap. 10. 36. yet the longanimity here intended is distinct from it For as Patience is a gracious submissive quietness of mind in undergoing present troubles and miseries so this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or longanimity forbearance tolerance or long-suffering is a sedate gracious disposition of mind to encounter a series of Difficulties and Provocations without being exasperated by them so as to desert or cease from the course wherein we are ingaged So where it is ascribed unto God it signifies that goodness of his Nature and purpose of his Will that notwithstanding their manifold provocations and as it were daily new surprisals yet he will bear with sinners and not divert from his course of goodness and mercy towards them And with us it hath a twofold object For 1 In the course of our Faith and Profession we shall meet with many Difficulties and Oppositions with many Scandals and Offences These men are apt to take distast at to dislike and so to be provoked as to leave the way wherein they meet with them Upon various surprising occasions they fret themselves to do evil Psal. 37. 8. So David was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 very short spirited when upon the breach that God Righteously made on Uzza it is said that the thing which God had done displeased David But this is that Grace whereby the Soul of a Believer is kept from taking offence or admitting sinful provocations from cross Accidents Oppositions Injuries Scandals Disappointments So is the Duty of it prescribed unto us in particular with respect unto one another Ephes. 4. 2. Besides 2 There are sundry things in the Promises of God whereof Believers earnestly desire if it were possible a present Accomplishment or a greater degree of evidence in their Accomplishment or a greater speed towards it Such are the full subduing of their Corruptions success against or freedom from Temptations deliverance of ehe Church from Troubles and the like Now when these things are delayed when the Heart is ready to be made sick by the deferring of its hopes the Soul is apt to despond to give over its expectations and if it do so it will quickly also forsake its Duties The Grace which keeps us up in a quiet waiting upon God for the fulfilling of all that concerns us in his own time and season that preserves us from fainting and sinful despondencies is this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this long-suffering or forbearance These were the ways whereby they came to inherit the Promises The Heathen of old fancied that their Hero's or Patriarchs by great and as they were called Heroick Actions by Valour Courage the Slaughter and Conquest of their Enemies usually attended with Pride Cruelty and Oppression made their way into Heaven The way of Gods Hero's of the Patriarchs of his Church and People unto their Rest and Glory unto the enjoyment of the Divine Promises was by Faith Patience Long-suffering Humility enduring Persecution self-denial and the spiritual Virtues generally reckoned in the world unto pusillanimity and so despised So contrary are the Judgements and Ways of God and men even about what is good and praise-worthy Observe as we pass on That Faith and patient long-suffering are the only way whereby Professors of the Gospel may attain Rest with God in the Accomplishment of the Promises It is a sad consideration which way and by what means some men think to come to Heaven or carry themselves as if they did so They are but few who think so much as a naked Profession of these things to be necessary thereunto But living avowedly in all sorts of sins they yet suppose they shall inherit the Promises of God But this was not the way of the holy men of old whose example is proposed to us Some think Faith at least to be necessary hereunto But by Faith they understand little more than that they profess the true Religion about which there are so many contests in the world This was not the Faith of Abraham that is this alone was not so Wherein it consisted and how it was acted we shall have occasion afterwards to declare But what do men think of the long-suffering before described Their Relief against it is to trust in such a Faith as stands in no need of it For that common Faith which most men content themselves withall seldom or never puts them upon the exercise of patient long-suffering It is against the actings of a lively Faith that those Oppositions arise which the exercise of that other Grace is needful to conflict withall And I shall give some few instances of it wherein the necessity of it will be made to appear For if I should handle it at large all the Difficulties that lye in the way of our Profession would fall under consideration Of
the performance of them had assurance given them in his success that they also should inherit the Promise So the Apostle applies his discourse ver 17 18. Where the Promise of God is absolutely ingaged it will break through all Difficulties and Oppositions unto a perfect Accomplishment No Promise of God shall ever fail or be of none effect We may fail or come short of the Promise by our Unbelief but the Promises themselves shall never fail There have been great seasons of Trial in many Ages wherein the Faith of Believers hath been exercised to the utmost about the accomplishment of the Promises but the Faithfulness of God in them all hath hitherto been ever Victorious and it will be so for ever And this Trial hath arose partly from Difficulties and Oppositions with all Improbabilities of their Accomplishment on rational accounts or with respect unto visible means partly from a misunderstanding of the nature of the Promises or of the season of their Accomplishment Thus in the first great Promise given unto our Parents after the Fall how soon was their Faith exercised about it When they had but two Sons the one of them slew the other and the survivor was rejected and cursed of God From whom should now the promised Seed be expected to proceed and spring Is it not probable that they were oft-times ready to say where is the Promise of his coming And yet indeed this which seemed to overthrow and disannul the Promise was only a means of its farther confirmation For the death of Abel upon his offering his acceptable Sacrifice was a Type of Christ and his suffering in his mystical Body 1 Joh. 3. 12. When the wickedness of the world was come unto that height and fulness that God would not spare but destroyed all the Inhabitants of it excepting eight persons the very destruction of the whole Race of mankind seemed to threaten an Annihilation of the Promise But this also proved unto its confirmation For after the Flood God established it unto Noah accompanied it with a Covenant and gave a visible Pledge of his Faithfulness therein to abide for ever Gen. 9. 11 12. For although that Covenant in the first place respected temporal things yet as it was annexed unto the first Promise it represented and assured the spiritual things thereof Isa. 54. 8 9 10. This great Promise was after limited unto the person of Abraham namely that from him should spring the blessed Seed Yet after it was given unto him many and many a year passed over him before he saw the least hope of its Accomplishment Yea he lived to see all natural ways and means of fulfilling it utterly to fail Sarahs Womb being dead and his Body also so that he was past and beyond all hope of having it fulfilled in the ordinary course of nature And the Faith which he had in hope was against hope Rom. 4. 18 19. Hence he complained that after all his long and wearisome Pilgrimage he went Childless Gen. 15. 2. and fell into no small mistakes in the matter of Hagar and Ishmael Yet after all the Promise made its way unto its own Accomplishment And by the signal victory it had herein against all oppositions assured it self unto the Faith of all succeeding Generations as is here expressed by the Apostle Afterwards when the Promise was confined unto Isaac by that word in Isaac shall thy Seed be called and Abraham now drawing apace towards the Grave he is commanded to slay this Isaac and offer him in Sacrifice unto God This indeed was the greatest appearance under the Old Testament of the absolute disannulling and frustration of the Promise And Abraham had no relief for his Faith under this Trial but only the Omnipotency of God which could produce effects that he could no way apprehend as raising of him up again from the dead or the like But this also proved in the issue so great a confirmation of the Promise as that it never received any thing of the like nature before nor after until its actual accomplishment For hereon was it confirmed by the Oath of God whereof we shall treat immediately the Sacrifice of Christ illustriously represented and an Instance given of the infallible victorious success of Faith whilst against all difficulties it adheres unto the Truth of the Promise What was the condition with the Faith of the best of men when the Lord Christ was in the Grave At how great a loss they were and how their Faith was shaken to the utmost the two Disciples expressed unto the Lord Christ himself as they went to Emmaus Luke 24. 21. We trusted that it had been he who should have redeemed Israel and for what they had heard then reported of his Resurrection they said they were astonished at it but could not arrive at any positive actings of Faith about it And this befell them when they were speaking to Christ himself in whom the Promise had received its full Accomplishment After this also when the Gospel began to be preached in the world it appeared that it was rejected by the generality of the Jews and that they also thereon were rejected from being the people of God This made a great hesitation in many about the Promise made unto Abraham concerning his Seed and Posterity as though it were of none effect For now when the full Accomplishment was declared and innumerable persons came in unto a participation of it those unto whom it was peculiarly made neither would be nor were sharers of it This great Objection against the Truth of the Promise our Apostle lays down Rom. 9. 6. not as though the Word of God had taken none effect in answer whereunto he spends the three ensuing Chapters And he doth it by letting of us know that the Objection was grounded on a mistake of the Persons unto whom the Promise did belong which were not the whole carnal Seed of Abraham but only the Elect of them and all Nations whatever And there are yet Promises of God on Record in the Scripture not yet fulfilled that will and do exercise the Faith of the strongest and most experienced Believers concerning whose Accomplishment our Lord Jesus Christ says When the Son of Man cometh shall he find Faith in the Earth The Faith hope and expectation of most will be at an end before they are fulfilled and that because of the insuperable difficulties that seem to lye in the way of their Accomplishment Such are those which concern the destruction of Antichrist the calling of the Jews the spreading of the Gospel unto all Nations and the flourishing of the Church in Peace and Purity These things as to all outward appearance seem as remote from Accomplishment as they were the first day the Promise was given and the difficulties against it increase continually And yet notwithstanding the Promise shall break through all difficulties at the end it shall speak and not lye The Lord will hasten it in its time Isa. 20. 22.
they are absolutely immutable no more subject unto change than is the Divine Nature it self The Declarations which God makes concerning their Execution or Accomplishments are of two sorts 1 There are some of them wherein there is necessarily included a respect unto some antecedent moral Rule which puts an express condition into the Declarations although it be not expressed and is always in like cases to be understood Thus God Commands the Prophet to declare that yet forty days and Niniveh should perish Jonah 3. 4. Here seems to be an absolute Declaration of the Purpose of God without any condition annexed a positive prediction of what he would do and should come to pass Either God must change his Purpose or Niniveh must be overthrown But whereas this destruction was foretold for fin and impenitency therein there was an antecedent moral Rule in the case which gives it as compleat a condition as if it had been expressed in words And that is that Repentance from sin will free from the punishment of sin so that the prediction had this limitation by an antecedent Rule unless they Repent And God declares that this Rule puts a condition into all his Threatenings Jerem. 18. 7 8. And this was the course of Gods dealing with the House of Eli 1 Sam. 2. 30. God doth neither suspend his Purpose on what men will do nor take up conditional resolutions with respect thereunto He doth not purpose one thing and then change his Resolutions upon contingent emergencies for he is of one mind and who can turn him Job 23. 13. nor doth he determine that if men do so on the one hand that he will do so and if otherwise that he will do otherwise For instance there was no such Decree or Purpose of God that if Niniveh did Repent it should not be destroyed and if it did not Repent it should perish For he could not so purpose unless he did not foresee what Niniveh would do which to affirm is to deny his very Being and Godhead But in order to accomplish his Purpose that Niniveh should not perish at that time he threatens it with Destruction in a way of prediction which turned the minds of the Inhabitants to attend unto that antecedent moral Rule which put a condition into the prediction whereby they were saved 2 In the Declaration of some of Gods Counsels and Purposes as to the Execution and Accomplishment there is no respect unto any such antecedent moral Rule as should give them either Limitation or Condition God takes the whole in such cases absolutely on himself both as to the ordering and disposing of all things and means unto the end intended Such was the Counsel of God concerning the sending of his Son to be of the Seed of Abraham and the blessing that should ensue thereon No alteration could possibly on any account be made herein neither by the sin nor unbelief of them concerned nor by any thing that might befall them in this world Such was the Counsel of God and such the Immutability of it here intended as it was absolutely unchangeable in it self so as to mans concerns and interest in it it was attended with no condition or reserve 3. This Immutability God was willing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to shew manifest declare make known It is not his Counsel absolutely but the Immutability of his Counsel that God designed to evidence His Counsel he made known in his Promise All the gracious actings of God towards us are the executing of his holy Immutable Purposes Ephes. 1. 11. And all the Promises of God are the Declarations of those Purposes And they also in themselves are Immutable for they depend on the Essential Truth of God Tit. 1. 2. In hope of Eternal Life which God that cannot lye promised before the world began Gods Essential Veracity is engaged in his Promises And they are so expresly the Declaration of his Purposes that when God had only purposed to give us Eternal Life in Christ he is said to have promised it namely before the world began And this declareth the Nature of Unbelief He that believeth not God hath made him a Liar 1 Jo. 5. 10. because his Essential Truth is engaged in his Promise And to make God a Liar is to deny his Being which every Unbeliever doth as he is able But whereas God intended not only the confirmation of the Faith of the Heirs of Promise but also their Consolation under all their Difficulties and Temptations he would give a peculiar evidence of the Immutability of that Counsel which they embraced by Faith as tendered in the Promise For what was done did not satisfie the fulness of Grace and Love which he would declare in this matter no though it were done so abundantly But 4. He would do it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 more abundantly that is beyond what was absolutely necessary in this case The Promise of God who is the God of Truth is sufficient to give us Security Nor could it be by us discovered how the Goodness of God himself should require a further procedure Yet because something further might be useful for the reasons and ends before declared he would add a further Confirmation unto his Word And herein as the Divine Goodness and Condescension are evidently manifested so it likewise appears what weight God lays upon the assuring of our Faith and Confidence For in this Case he swears by himself who hath taught us not so to use his Name but in things of great consequence and moment This is the sense of the word if it respect the Assurance given which is more abundant than it could be in or by a single Promise But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may refer unto God himself who gives this Assurance and then it is as much as ex abundanti when God who is Truth it self might justly have required Faith of us on his single Promise yet ex abundanti from a superabounding love and care he would confirm it by his Oath Either sense suits the Apostles design 3. It is declared who they were to whom God intended to give this Evidence of the Immutability of his Counsel and that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the Heirs of Promise that is Believers all Believers both under the Old and New Testament It may be indeed that those of the Hebrews were in the first place intended For unto them did the Promise belong in the first place as they were the natural Seed of Abraham and unto them was it first to be declared and proposed upon its Accomplishment Acts 2. 29. Acts 3. 25. Acts 13. 46. But it is not they alone who are intended All the Children of the Faith of Abraham are Heirs also Gal. 4. 27 28. It is therefore with respect unto all Believers absolutely that God confirmed his Promise with his Oath though the natural Seed of Abraham was respected in the first place until they cut off themselves by their Unbelief See Luke 1.
Sacred Administrations the same proportionably is their Interest Power and Duty to act towards them in the Name of God in the Blessing of them And therefore Ministers may Authoritatively bless their Congregations It is true they can do it onely Declaratively but withall they do it Authoritatively because they do it by Virtue of the Authority committed unto them for that purpose Wherefore the Ministerial Blessing is somewhat more than Euctical or a meer Prayer Neither is it meerly Doctrinal and Declaratory but that which is built on a particular especial warranty proceeding from the Nature of the Ministerial Office But whereas it hath respect in all things unto other Ministerial Administrations it is not to be used but with reference unto them and that by them by whom at that season they are Administred Secondly There was an especial Institution of a Sacerdotal Benediction under the Old Testament Recorded Numb 6. 22 23 24 25 26 27. And the Lord spake unto Moses saying speak unto Aaron and his Sons saying On this wise shall ye Bless the Children of Israel saying The Lord Bless thee and keep thee the Lord make his Face to shine upon thee and be Gracious unto thee the Lord lift up the light of his Countenance upon thee and give thee Peace and they shall put my Name on the Children of Israel and I will Bless them Their putting the Name of God upon the People was their praying for and pronouncing Blessings on them in his Name by virtue of this Institution For it is an Institution whereby the Name of God is put on any thing or Person Hereon God would effectually bless them This especial Institution I acknowledge was after the Days of Melchisedec and the cessation of his Office as to actual Administration But it is apparent and may be proved that many if not the most of those Sacred Institutions which were given in one Systeme unto Moses were singly and gradually given out by Inspiration and Prophecy unto the Church before the giving of the Law onely at Sinai their Number was increased and the Severity of their Sanction heightned Thus this Sacerdotal Benediction was but a Transcript from and expressive of that Power and Form of Blessing which Melchisedec as a Priest enjoyed and used before And from what hath been spoken we may gather the Nature of this Blessing of Melchisedec wherewith he Blessed Abraham For 1. It had the Nature of a Blessing in general whereby any one Man may bless another in that it was Euctical and Eucharistical It included both Prayer for him and Thanksgiving on his Account unto God And 2. It was Authoritative and Sacerdotal He was the Priest of the High God and he blessed Abraham that is by virtue of his Office For so the Nature of the Office requireth and so God had in particular appointed that the Priests should bless in his Name 3. It was Prophetical proceeding from an immediate Inspiration whereby he declares the confirmation of the great Blessing Promised unto Abraham Blessed be Abraham And we may see 1. That he who hath received the greatest Mercies and Priviledges in this World may yet need their Ministerial confirmation Abraham had before received the Blessing from the Mouth of God himself And yet it was no doubt a great confirmation of his Faith to be now blessed again in the Name of God by Melchisedec And indeed such is the estate of all the Faithful the Children of Abraham in this World that what through the weakness of their Faith what through the greatness of their Temptations and Trials they stand in need of all Ministerial Renovations of the Pledges of Gods good will towards them We are apt to think that if God should speak once unto us as he did to Abraham and assure us of the Blessing we should never need farther confirmation whilst we live But the Truth is he doth so speak unto all that believe in the Word and yet we find how much we want the Ministerial Renovation of it unto us Bless God for the Ministry for the Word and Sacraments Ordinarily our Faith would not be kept up without them 2. In the Blessing of Abraham by Melchisedec all Believers are Virtually Blessed by Jesus Christ. Melchisedec was a Type of Christ and represented him in what he was and did as our Apostle declares And Abraham in all these things bare the Person of or Represented all his Posterity according to the Faith Therefore doth our Apostle in the foregoing Chapter Entitle all Believers unto the Promises made unto him and the Inheritance of them There is therefore more than a bare story in this matter A blessing is in it conveyed unto all Believers in the way of an Ordinance for ever 3. It is Gods Institution that makes all our Administrations Effectual So did Sacerdotal Benedictions become Authoritative and Efficacious Innumerable ways and means of blessing things and persons have been found out in the Papacy They will bless Bells Steeples and Churches Church-yards Utensils Fonts Candles Salt and Children by Confirmation There is in Truth in them all a want of that wisdom Gravity and Reverence which ought to accompany Men in all Religious Services but that which renders them all Useless and casts them out of the Verge of Religion is that they want a Divine Institution The Second Sacerdotal Act or Exercise of Priestly Power ascribed unto Melchisedec is that he received Tithes of all To whom Abraham also gave the Tenth of all As Abraham gave them in a way of Duty so he received them in a way of Office So the Apostle expresseth it ver 6. He received Tithes of Abraham or Tithed him And the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of all is limited unto the Spoyls which he took of the Enemies ver 4. To whom Abraham gave the Tenth of the Spoyls This in the Original History is so expressed as to leave it doubtful both to whom the Tenths were given and of what they were Gen. 14. 20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And he gave him the Tenth of all The words immediately preceding are the words of Melchisedec and the Story concerneth him so that if the Relative included in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he gave do answer unto the next Antecedent Melchisedec gave the Tenth of all unto Abraham Nor doth it appear what the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or all was that is intended whether his own whole Estate or all the Tithable things which he had then with him But all this Ambiguity is removed by our Apostle according to the mind of the Holy Ghost and withal declared how great a Mystery depended on the right understanding of those words It was Abraham that gave the Tenth of all to Melchisedec whereby he acknowledged him to be the Priest of the High God and the Type of the Son of God as Incarnate every way Superiour unto him who but newly received the Promises And that the Tenth which he gave was only of the Spoyls that
and Ministerial Administration of the Sacraments as the only outward Causes and Means thereof Herein do Ministers Bless the People in the Name and Authority of God 3. They do it by the particular Ministerial applications of the Word unto the Souls and Consciences of Men. This Authority hath Christ given unto them saith he VVhose soever sins ye remit they are remitted unto them and whose soever sins ye retain they are retained John 20. 23. I know what Use hath been made of these words that is how they have been abused to give Countenance unto the necessity of private Confession of all Sins unto the Priests and of their Power of Absolution or Remission thereon But yet the real intention of the words and the Truth that is in them must not be waved or over-looked It is not therefore the meer Preaching of the VVord and therein a Doctrinal Declaration of whose Sins are remitted and whose Sins are retained according to the Gospel which Men are respectively interested in by their Faith or Unbelief that is here intended the Commission giving Power whereunto is of a more general Nature But an especial Application of the word unto the Consciences of Men with respect unto their Sins is included therein And this is done two ways 1. VVith respect unto the Judgment of the Church 2. VVith respect unto the Judgment of God The first is that binding or loosing which the Lord Christ hath given Power for unto the Ministers and Guides of the Church as to the Communion thereof Mat. 18. 18. For by the Ministerial Application of the Word unto the Sins and Consciences of Men are they to be continued in or excluded from the Communion of the Church which is called the binding or loosing of them The other respects God himself and the sense which the Conscience of a Sinner hath of the guilt of Sin before him In this case the Ministers of the Gospel are Authorized in the Name of Christ to remit their Sins that is so to apply the Promises of Mercy and Grace unto their Souls and Consciences as that being received by Faith they may have Peace with God So are they Authorized to remit or retain Sins according to the tenor and terms of the Gospel Not that the Remission of Sins absolutely doth depend on an Act of Office but the Release of the Conscience of a Sinner from the sense of guilt doth sometimes much depend upon it rightly performed that is by due Application of the Promises of the Gospel unto such as Believe and Repent 4. How they Bless the Church by Prayer and Example may be understood from what hath been spoken concerning those things with respect unto Parents The Authority that is in them depends on Gods especial Institution which exempts them from and exalts them above the common Order of mutual Charitative Benedictions 5. They Bless the People Declaratively as a Pledge whereof it hath been always of Use in the Church that at the Close of the Solemn Duties of its Assemblies wherein the Name of God is put upon it to Bless the People by express mention of the Blessing of God which they pray for upon them But yet because the same thing is done in the Administration of all other Ordinances and this Benediction is only Euctical or by the way of Prayer I shall not plead for the Necessity of it And we may yet infer two things from hence 1. That those who are thus appointed to Bless others in the Name of God and thereby exalted into a Preeminence above those that are Blessed by his appointment ought to be accordingly regarded by all that are so Blessed by them It is well if Christians do rightly consider what their Duty is unto them who are appointed as a means to communicate all Spiritual Blessings unto them And 2. Let those who are so appointed take heed lest by their miscarriage they prove not a Curse unto them whom they ought to Bless For if they are negligent in the Performance of their Duties in the things mentioned much more if therewithal they put the Name of any false god upon them they are no otherwise VER 8. The Eighth Verse carrieth on the same Argument by a particular Application unto the Matter in hand of the things which he had in general observed before in Melchisedec For whereas the Apostle had before declared that he was without Father without Mother without Beginning of Days or End of Life he now shews how all this conduced unto his purpose 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Syr. by an usual Idiotisme of that Language the Sons of Man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 qui moriuntur who dye Vul. Lat. Homines morientes dying men of which difference we must speak afterwards 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 generally de quo testatum est quod vivat Vul. Lat. Ibi autem contestatur quia vivit which the Rhemists render but there he hath witness that he Liveth both obscurely Arius Testatione dictus quia vivit to no Advantage 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is properly is de quo testatur as Erasmus Beza Castalia Smidle render it The Arabick concurs with the Vulgar The Syriack by way of Paraphrase He of whom the Scripture witnesseth that he Liveth And here men verily that dye receive Tithes but there he of whom it is witnessed that he Liveth There is in the words a Comparison and Opposition between the Levitical Priests and Melchisedec in this matter of receiving Tithes which in general was common to them both And we may consider in them 1. The Circumstances of the Comparison 2. The general Agreement of both sorts which is the ground of the Comparison 3. The parts of the Antithesis or Opposition or dissimilitude between them The Circumstances of the Comparison are two 1. The manner of its Introduction in the earnestness of the Assertion in the Particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is as much as quidem or equidem truly verily which is omitted in our Translation though elsewhere the same Particle is so rendred This moreover is the state of the Case in this matter And the Insertion of it is proper unto an Affirmation upon a Concession as this here is Secondly The Determination of the Time or Place or Manner of the Opposition in those Adverbs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here and there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 usually refers unto place And some think that the Apostle hath respect unto Hierusalem the Seat of the Levitical Priesthood and the Land of Canaan which alone was Tithable according to the Law For the Jews do Judge and that rightly that the Law of Legal Tithing extended not it self beyond the Bounds of the Land of Canaan a sufficient Evidence that it was Positive and Ceremonial In Opposition hereunto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there must signifie some other places or any place where the Priesthood of Melchisedec hath its signification that is in Christian
Tenderness Love and Zeal towards those unto whom he doth Administer especially considering how greatly their Eternal welfare depends on his Ability Diligence and Faithfulness in the Discharge of his Duty And this proves on sundry accounts greatly to the Advantage of the poor Tempted Disciples of Christ. For it makes a Representation unto them of his own Compassion and Love as the great Shepherd of the Sheep Isa. 40. 11. and causeth a needful Supply of Spiritual Provisions to be always in readiness for them and that to be Administred unto them with Experience of its Efficacy and Success 3. That the Power of Gospel-Grace and Truth may be exemplified unto the Eyes of them unto whom they are dispensed in the Persons of them by whom it is Administred according unto Gods Appointment It is known unto all who know ought in this matter what Temptations and Objections will arise in the minds of poor Sinners against their obtaining any Interest in the Grace and Mercy that is dispensed in the Gospel Some they judge may be made Partakers of them but for them and such as they are there seems to be no Relief provided But is it no Encouragement unto them to see that by Gods appointment the Tenders of his Grace and Mercy are made unto their Souls by Men Subject unto alike Passions with themselves and who if they had not freely obtained Grace would have been as vile and unworthy as themselves For as the Lord called the Apostle Paul to the Ministry who had been a Blasphemer a Persecutor and Injurious that he might in him shew forth all Long-suffering for a Pattern unto them who should hereafter believe on him to Everlasting Life that is for the Encouragement even of such high Criminal Offenders to Believe 1 Tim. 1. 13 14 15 16. So in more Ordinary Cases the Mercy and Grace which the Ministers of the Gospel did equally stand in need of with those unto whom they dispense it and have received it is for a Pattern Example and Encouragement of them to Believe after their Example 4. In particular God maketh Use of Persons that dye in this matter that their Testimony unto the Truth of Gospel-Grace and Mercy may be Compleat and unquestionable Death is the great Touch-stone and Trial of all things of this Nature as to their Efficacy and Sincerity Many things will yield Relief in Life and various Refreshments which upon the approach of Death vanish into nothing So it is with all the Comforts of this VVorld and with all things that have not an Eternal Truth and Substance in them Had not those therefore who dispense Sacred things been designed themselves to come unto this Touch-stone of their own Faith Profession and Preaching those who must dye and know always that they must do so would have been unsatisfied what might have been the Condition with them had they been brought unto it and so have ground to fear in themselves what will become of that Faith wherein they have been Instructed in the warfare of Death when it shall approach To obviate this Fear and Objection God hath Ordained that all those who Administer the Gospel shall all of them bring their own Faith unto that Last Trial that so giving a Testimony unto the Sincerity and Efficacy of the things which they have Preached in that they Commit the Eternal Salvation of their Souls unto them and higher Testimony none can give they may be Encouragements unto others to follow their Examples to imitate their Faith and pursue their Course unto the End And for this cause also doth God oft-times call them forth unto peculiar Trials Exercises Afflictions and Death it self in Martyrdom that they may be an Example and Encouragement unto the whole Church I cannot but Observe for a Close of this Discourse that as the unavoidable Infirmities of the Ministers of the Gospel managed and passed through in a course of Faith Holiness and Sincere Obedience are on many Accounts of singular Use and Advantage unto the Edification and Consolation of the Church so the Evil Examples of any of them in Life and Death with the want of those Graces which should be excited unto Exercise by their Infirmities is pernicious thereunto 〈…〉 2 The Life of the Church depends on the Everlasting Life of Jesus Christ. It is said of Melchisedec as he was a Type of him It is witnessed that he Liveth Christ doth so and that for ever and hereon under the Failings Infirmities and Death of all other Administrators depends the Preservation Life Continuance and Salvation of the Church But this must be spoken peculiarly on ver 27. whither it is remitted VER 9 10. It may be Objected unto the whole precedent Argument of the Apostle That although Abraham himself paid Tithes unto Melchisedec yet it followeth not that Melchisedec was Superiour unto the Levitical Priests concerning whom alone the Question was between him and the Jews For although Abraham might be a Priest in some sence also by virtue of common Right as were all the Patriarchs yet was he not so by virtue of any especial Office Instituted of God to abide in the Church But when God afterwards by peculiar Law and Ordinance Erected an Order and Office of Priesthood in the Family of Levi it might be Superiour unto or Exalted above that of Melchisedec although Abraham paid Tithes unto him This Objection therefore the Apostle obviates in these verses and therewithal giving his former Argument a farther Improvement he makes a Transition according unto his usual Custom as it hath been often Observed that it is his Method to do unto his especial Design in proving the Excellency of the Priesthood of Christ above that of the Law which is the main scope of this whole Discourse VER 9 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ut verbum dicere as to speak a word Vul. Lat. Ut ita dictum sit be it so said Syr. As any one may say Arab. And it is said that this Discourse or Reason may be some way ended Ut ita loquar as I may so speak In the rest of the words there is neither Difficulty nor Difference among Translators There are three things Observable in these words 1. The manner of the Introduction of the Apostle's new Assertion 2. The Assertion it self which hath the force of a new Argument unto his Purpose ver 9. And 3. The Proof of his Assertion in ver 10. The manner of the Introduction of his Assertion is in these words as I may so say This Qualification of the Assertion makes an abatement of it one way or other Now this is not as to the Truth of the Proposition but as to the Propriety of the Expression The words are as if that which is expressed was actually so namely that Levi himself paid Tithes whereas it was so only virtually The thing it self intended was with respect unto the Apostles purpose as if it had been so indeed though Levi not being
this very Law of Exception doth sufficiently prove the Liberty of all others For the words of it are Every Daughter that possesseth an Inheritance in any Tribe of the Children of Israel shall be Wife unto one of the Family of the Tribe of her Father that the Children of Israel may enjoy every one the Inheritance of their Father Numb 36. 8. Both the express limitation of the Law unto those who possessed Inheritances and the Reason of it for the preservation of the Lots of each Tribe entire as ver 3 4. manifest that all other were at liberty to Marry any Israelite be he of what Tribe soever And thus both the Genealogies of Matthew and Luke one by a Legal the other by a Natural line were both of them from the Tribe of Judah and Family of David So It pleaseth God to give sufficient Evidence unto the accomplishment of his Promise 2. For the manner of the proceeding of the Lord Christ from that Tribe the Apostle expresseth it by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He sprang 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is usually taken in an active sence to cause to rise Mat. 5. 45. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he causeth his Sun to rise And sometimes it is used Neutrally for to rise and so as some think it peculiarly denotes the rising of the Sun in distinction from the other Planets Hence is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the East from the rising of the Sun So the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ is called the rising of the Sun of Righteousness with healing in his wings Mal. 4. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luke 1. 78. The day-spring from on high Thus did the Lord Christ arise in the light and glory of the Sun a light to lighten the Gentiles and the Glory of his People Israel But the word is used also to express other springings as of Water from a Fountain or a Branch from the Stock And so it is said of our Lord Jesus that he should grow up as a tender Plant and as a Root out of a dry Ground Isa. 53. 2. A Rod out of the Stem and a Branch out of the Roots of Jesse Chap. 11. 1. Hence he is frequently called the Branch and the Branch of the Lord Isa. 4. 2. Jer. 23. 5. Chap. 33. 15. Zech. 3. 8. Chap 6. 12. But the first which is the most proper sense of the words is to be regarded he arose eminently and illustriously from the Tribe of Judah Having laid down this Matter of Fact as that which was evident and on all hands confessed he observes upon it that of that Tribe Moses spake nothing concerning the Priesthood 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with reference unto which Tribe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 de qua Tribu Being to prove that the Priesthood did no way belong to the Tribe of Judah So that the Introduction of a Priest of that Tribe must necessarily exclude those of the House of Aaron from that Office he appeals unto the Law-giver or rather the Law it self For by Moses not the Person of Moses absolutely is intended as though these things depended on his Authority but it is his Ministry in giving of the Law or his Person only as Ministerially employed in the Declaration of it that our Apostle respects And it is the Law of Worship that is under consideration Moses did record the Blessing of Judah as given him by Jacob wherein the Promise was made unto him that the Shilo should come from him Gen. 49. 10. And this same Shilo was also to be a Priest But this was a Promise before the Law and not to be accomplished until the expiration of the Law and belonged not unto any Institution of the Law given by Moses Wherefore Moses as the Law-giver when the Office of the Priesthood was Instituted in the Church and confirmed by especial Law or Ordinance spake nothing of it with respect unto the Tribe of Judah For as in the Law the first Institution of it was directly confined unto the Tribe of Levi and House of Aaron so there is not in all the Law of Moses the least intimation that on any Occasion in any future Generations it should be translated unto that Tribe Nor was it possible without the alteration and abolition of the whole Law that any one of that Tribe should once be put into the Office of the Priesthood The whole worship of God was to cease rather than that any one of the Tribe of Judah should Officiate in the Office of the Priesthood And this silence of Moses in this matter the Apostle takes to be a sufficient Argument to prove that the legal Priesthood did not belong nor could be transferred unto the Tribe of Judah And the Grounds hereof are resolved into this general Maxime that whatever is not revealed and appointed in the Worship of God by God himself is to be considered as nothing yea as that which is to be rejected And such he conceived to be the Evidence of this Maxime that he chose rather to Argue from the silence of Moses in general than from the particular Prohibition that none who was not of the Posterity of Aaron should approach unto the Priestly Office So God himself condemneth some Instances of false VVorship on this Ground that he never appointed them that they never came into his Heart and thence aggravates the sin of the People rather than from the particular Prohibition of them Jer. 7. 31. VVherefore Divine Revelation gives Bounds positively and negatively unto the Worship of God VER 15 16 17. THat the Aaronical Priesthood was to be Changed and consequently the whole Law of Ordinances that depended thereon and that the Time wherein this Change was to be made was now come is that which is designed unto Confirmation in all this Discourse And it is that Truth whereinto our Faith of the Acceptance of Evangelical Worship is resolved For without the removal of the Old there is no place for the New This therefore the Apostle now fully confirmes by a Recapitulation of the force and sum of his preceding Arguments 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And it is yet far more evident for that after the Similitude of Melchisedec there ariseth another Priest who is made not after the Law of a carnal Commandement but after the power of an Endless Life For he Testifieth thou art a Priest for ever after the Order of Melchisedec There are four things to be considered in these words 1. The manner of the Introduction of this new Argument declaring its especial force with the weight that the Apostle lays upon it And it is yet far more Evident 2. The Medium or Argument it self which he insists upon which is that from what he had already proved there was another Priest to arise after the Similitude of Melchisedec 3. The Illustration of this Argument in an Explication of the wayes and means whereby this Priest arose declared both negatively and positively Who is made not after the Law
wherein he was our Surety So that although we neither did nor could appoint him so to be yet he took from us that wherein and whereby he was so which was as much as if we had designed him unto his work as to the true Reason of his being our Surety Wherefore notwithstanding those antecedent Transactions that were between the Father and him in this matter it was the voluntary engagement of himself to be our Surety and his taking our Nature upon him for that End which was the formal Reason of his being instituted in that Office 2. We may consider the Arguments whence it is evident that he neither was nor could be a Surety unto us for God but was so for us unto God For 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Surety is one that undertaketh for another wherein he is defective really or in Reputation Whatever that undertaking be whether in Words of Promise or in depositing of real security in the hands of an Arbitrator or by any other Personal engagement of Life and Body it respects the defect of the Person for whom any one becomes a Surety Such an one is sponsor or fidejussor in all good Authors and common use of speech And if any one be of absolute credit himself and of a Reputation every way unquestionable there is no need of a Surety unless in case of Mortality The words of a Surety in the behalf of another whose Ability or Reputation is dubious are ad me recipio faciet aut faciam And when 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is taken Adjectively as sometimes it is it signifies him who is satisdationibus obnoxius liable to payments for others that are non-solvent 2. God can therefore have no Surety properly because there can be no Imagination of any defect on his part There may be indeed a Question whether any Word or Promise be a Word or Promise of God To assure us hereof it is not the work of a Surety but only any one or any means that may give evidence that so it is But upon a supposition that what is proposed is his Word or Promise there can be no Imagination or Fear of any defect on his part so as that there should be any need of a Surety for the performance of it He doth indeed make use of Witnesses to confirm his Word that is to testifie that such Promises he hath made and so he will do So the Lord Christ was his Witnesse Isa. 43. 10. Ye are my witnesses saith the Lord and my Servant whom I have chosen But they were not all his Sureties So he affirms that he came into the VVorld to bear witnesse unto the Truth John 18 37. that is the Truth of the Promises of God for he was the Minister of the Circumcision for the Truth of the Promises of God unto the Fathers Rom. 15. 8. But a Surety for God properly so called he was not nor could be The distance and difference is wide enough between a witnesse and a Surety for a Surety must be of more Ability or more Credit and Reputation than he for whom he is a Surety or there is no need of his Suretiship This none can be for God no not the Lord Christ himself who in his whole work was the Servant of the Father And the Apostle doth not use this word in a general improper sense for any one that by any means gives Assurance of any other thing for so he had asserted nothing peculiar unto Christ. For in such a sense all the Prophets and Apostles were Sureties for God and many of them confirmed the Truth of his VVord and Promises with the laying down of their Lives But such a Surety he intends as undertaketh to do that for others which they cannot do for themselves or at least are not reputed to be able to do what is required of them 3. The Apostle had before at large declared who and what was Gods Surety in this matter of the Covenant and how impossible it was that he should have any other And this was himself alone interposing himself by his Oath For in this cause because he had none greater to swear by he sware by himself Chap. 6. 13 14. VVherefore if God would give any other Surety besides himself it must be one greater then He. This being every way impossible he swears by himself only Many ways he may and doth use for the declaring and testifying of his Truth unto us that we may know and believe it to be his word and so the Lord Christ in his Ministry was the principal Witnesse of the Truth of God But other Surety than himself he can have none And therefore 4. VVhen he would have us in this matter not only come unto the full Assurance of Faith concerning his Promises but also to have strong Consolation he resolves it wholly into the immutability of his counsel as declared by his Promise and Oath Chap. 6. 18 19. So that neither is God capable of having any Surety properly so called neither do we stand in need of any on his part for the confirmation of our Faith in the highest degree 5. VVe on all Accounts stand in need of a Surety for us or on our behalf Neither without the Interposition of such a Surety could any Covenant between God and us be firm and stable or an Everlasting Covenant ordered in all things and sure In the first Covenant made with Adam there was no Surety but God and Man were the immediate Covenanters And although we were then in a state and condition able to perform and answer all the Terms of the Covenant yet was it broken and disanulled If this came to pass by the failure of the Promise of God it was necessary that on the making of a new Covenant he should have a surety to undertake for him that the Covenant might be stable and Everlasting But this is false and blasphemous to imagine It was man alone who failed and brake that Covenant VVherefore it was necessary that upon the making of the New Covenant and that with a design and purpose that it should never be disanulled as the former was that we should have a Surety and undertaker for us For if that first Covenant was not firm and stable because there was no Surety to undertake for us notwithstanding all that Ability which we had to answer the Terms of it how much less can any other be so now our natures are become depraved and sinful wherefore we alone are capable of a Surety properly so called for us we alone stood in need of him and without him the Covenant could not be firm and inviolable on our parts The Surety therefore of this Covenant is so with God for us 6. It is the Priesthood of Christ that the Apostle treats of in this place and that alone VVherefore he is a Surety as he is a Priest and in the Discharge of that office and is therefore so with God on our
evert the force of his Argument For if the same sacrifice which the Lord Christ offered be often offered and had need so to be the whole Argument to prove the excellency of his Priesthood in that he offered himself but once above them who often offered the same sacrifices falls to the ground And hence also the Foundation of this fiction is rased For it is that the Lord Christ offered himself at the supper the night before he was hetraied as the Trent Council affirms Sess. 22. Cap. 1. For if he did so he offered himself more than once twice at least which being a matter of Fact is to give the Apostle the lye What he offered is expressed in the last place and therein the Reason is contained why he offered but once and needed not to do so daily as those Priests did And this is taken from the excellency of his offering he offered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 himself And this gives the highest preference of the Priesthood of Christ above that of Levi. For 1. Those Priests had nothing of their own to offer but must be furnished with offerings from among the other Creatures 2. Though they had the best from them the blood and fat yet it was but the blood of Calves and Sheep and Goats And what can this do for the real Expiating of the sins of our souls See Micah 6. 6 7 8. Wherefore when at any time the People were brought under any serious conviction of sin they could not but apprehend that none of these sacrifices however multiplyed could deliver them from their Guilt But the Lord Christ had something of his own to offer that which was originally and absolutely his own not borrowed or taken from any thing among the Creatures And this was himself a sacrifice able to make Attonement for all the sins of Mankind And from the words thus expounded we may observe 1. That no sinful man was meet to offer the great Expiatory sacrifice for the Church much less is any sinful man fit to offer Christ himself As the first part of this Assertion declares the insufficiency of the Priests of the Church of the Jews so doth the latter the vain pretence of the Priests of the Church of Rome The former the Apostle proves and confirms expresly For no other high Priest but such a one as was in himself perfectly sinless did become us or our state and condition He that was otherwise could neither have any thing of his own to offer and must in the first place offer for himself and this he must be doing day by day And the latter on many accounts is a vile presumptuous Imagination For a poor sinful worm of the Earth to interpose himself between God and Christ and offer the one in sacrifice unto the other what an issue is it of Pride and Folly 2. The Excellency of Christs Person and Priesthood freed him in his offering from many things that the Levitical Priesthood was obliged unto And the due Apprehension hereof is a great guide unto us in the consideration of those Types For many things we shall meet withal which we cannot see how they had a particular Accomplishment in Christ nor find out what they did prefigure But all of them were such that their own infirm state and condition did require Such was their outward Call and Consecration which they had by the Law in the sacrifice of beasts with certain washings and unctions their sacrificing often and for themselves their Succession one to another their Purifications or legal Pollutions These and sundry things of like nature were made necessary unto them from their own sins and infirmities and so had no particular Accomplishment in Christ. However in general all the Ordinances and Institutions about them all taught the Church thus much that nothing of that was to be found in the true high Priest wherein they were defective 3. No Sacrifice could bring us unto God and save the Church to the utmost but that wherein the Son of God himself was both Priest and Offering Such an High Priest became us who offered himself once for all And we may consider 1. That this was one of the greatest effects of infinite divine Wisdom and Grace His Incarnation wherein he had a body prepared for him for this purpose his call to his Office by the Oath of the Father and Unction of the Spirit his sanctifying himself to be a sacrifice and his offering up himself through the eternal Spirit unto God are all full of Mysterious Wisdom and Grace All these wonders of wisdom and love were necessary unto this great End of bringing us unto God 2. Every part of this Transaction all that belongs unto this sacrifice is filled up with Perfection that no more could be required on the part of God nor is any thing wanting to give countenance unto our unbelief The Person of the Priest and the Offering it self are both the same both the Son of God One view of the Glory of this Mystery how satisfactory is it unto the souls of Believers 3. A distinct consideration of the Person of the Priest and of his sacrifice will evidence this Truth unto the Faith of Believers What could not this Priest prevail for in his Interposition on our behalf Must he not needs be absolutely prevalent in all he ayms at Were our cause intrusted in any other hand what security could we have that it should not miscarry And what could not this offering make Attonement for What sin or whose sins could it not expiate Behold the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the World 4. It was burdensom and heavy work to attain relief against sin and settled Peace of Conscience under the old Priesthood attended with so many weaknesses and infirmities Herein lyes the greatest part of that Yoke which the Apostle Peter affirms that neither they nor their Fathers were able to bear Act. 15. 10. Which the Lord Christ gives us deliverance from Math. 11. 27 28 29 30. VER XXVIII For the Law maketh men High Priests which have Infirmity but the Word of the Oath which was since the Law maketh the Son who is consecrated for evermore The Apostle in this verse summeth up the whole of his precedent Discourse so as to evidence the true and proper Foundation which all along he hath built and proceeded on 1. One Principle there was agreed upon between him and the Hebrews who adhered unto Mosaical Institutions and this was that an High Priest over the Church there must be and without such an one there is no approach unto God So it was under the Law and if the same order be not continued the Church must needs fall under a great disadvantage To lose the High Priest out of our Religion is to lose the Sun out of the firmament of the Church This was a common Principle agreed on between them whereon the Apostle doth proceed 2. He Grants unto them that the High Priests who officiated
God by an entrance into the Holy Place He hath brought them into the last and best Church-state the highest and nearest Relation unto God that the Church is capable of in this World or the Glory of his Wisdom and Grace hath Assigned unto it And this he hath done 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for ever so as that there shall never be any Alteration in that Estate whereunto he hath brought them nor any Addition of Priviledge or Advantage be ever made unto it 1. There was a Glorious Efficacy in the One Offering of Christ. 2. The end of it must be effectually accomplished towards all for whom it was Offered or else it is inferiour unto the Legal Sacrifices for they attained their proper end 3. The Sanctification and Perfection of the Church being that end designed in the Death and Sacrifice of Christ all things necessary unto that end must be included therein that it be not frustrate VERSE XV XVI XVII XVIII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 VERSE 15 16 17 18. Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us For after that he had said before This is the Covenant that I will make with them after those days saith the Lord I will put my Laws into their Hearts and in their Minds will I write them And their Sins and Iniquities will I remember no more Now where remission of these is there is no more Offering for Sin THe Foundation of the whole preceeding Discourse of the Apostle concerning the Glory of the Priest-hood of Christ and the Efficacy of his Sacrifice was laid in the Description of the New Covenant whereof he was the Mediator which was Confirmed and Ratified by his Sacrifice as the Old Covenant was by the Blood of Bulls and Goats Chap 8. 10 11 12 13. Having now abundantly proved and demonstrated what he designed concerning them both his Priest-hood and his Sacrifice he gives us a Confirmation of the whole from the Testimony of the Holy Ghost in the description of that Covenant which he had given before And because the Crisis which he had brought his Argument and Disputation unto was that the Lord Christ by reason of the dignity of his Person and Office with the everlasting Efficacy of his Sacrifice was to Offer himself but once which virtually includes all that he had before taught and declared including in it an immediate Demonstration of the insufficiency of all those Sacrifices which were often repeated and consequently their removal out of the Church he returns unto those words of the Holy Ghost for the proof of this particular also And he doth it from the Order of the words used by the Holy Ghost as he had Argued before from the Order of the words in the Psalmist ver 8 9. Wherefore there is an Ellipsis in the words which must have a supplement to render the sense perfect For unto that proposition after he had said before ver 11. with what follows ver 16. There must be added in the beginning of the 17. Verse He said after he had said or spoken of the Internal Grace of the Covenant he said this also that their Sins and Iniquities he would remember no more For from these words doth he make his Conclusive inference ver 18. which is the sum of all that he designed to prove There is in the words 1. The Introduction of the Testimony insisted on The Holy Ghost also is a witness unto us The Hebrews might Object unto him as they were ready enough to do it that all those things were but his own Conclusions and Arguings which they would not acquiesce in unless they were Confirmed by Testimonies of the Scripture And therefore I did observe in my First Discourses on this Epistle that the Apostle dealt not with these Hebrews as with the Churches of the Gentiles namely by his Apostolical Authority For which cause he prefixed not his Name and Title unto it But upon their own acknowledged Principles and Testimonies of the Old Testament so manifesting that there was nothing now proposed unto them in the Gospel but that which was foretold promised and represented in the Old Testament and was therefore the Object of the Faith of their Fore-fathers The same way doth he here proceed in and call in the Testimony of the Holy Ghost bearing witness unto the things that he had taught and delivered And there is in the words 1. The Author of this Testimony that is the Holy Ghost and it is ascribed unto him as all that is written in the Scripture is so not only because Holy Men of Old wrote as they were acted by him and so he was the Author of the whole Scripture but because also of his Presence and Authority in it and with it continually Hence whatever is spoken in the Scripture is and ought to be unto us as the immediate Word of the Holy Ghost he continues therein to speak unto us and this gives the reason of 2. The manner of his speaking in this Testimony 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he bears witness to us he doth it actually and constantly in the Scriptures by his Authority therein And he doth so unto us that is not unto us only who Preach and Teach those things not unto the Apostles and other Christian Teachers of the Gospel but unto all of us of the Church of Israel who acknowledge the Truth of the Scriptures and own them as the Rule of our Faith and Obedience So doth he often joyn himself unto them to whom he wrote and spake of by reason of the common alliance between them as Hebrews see Chap. 2. 3. and the Exposition of that place This is that which the Holy Ghost in the Scripture testifies unto us all which should put an end unto all controversies about those things Nothing else is taught you but what is testified before hand by God himself 1. It is the authority of the Holy Ghost alone speaking unto us in the Scripture whereinto all our Faith is to be resolved 2. We are to propose nothing in the Preaching and Worship of the Gospel but what is testified unto by the Holy Ghost not traditions not our own reasons and inventions 3. When an important Truth consonant unto the Scripture is declared it is useful and expedient to confirm it with some express Testimony of Scripture Lastly the manner of the Expression is Emphatical 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 even also the Holy Spirit himself For herein we are directed unto his Holy Divine person and not an External Operation of Divine Power as the Socinians dream It is that Holy Spirit himself that continueth to speak to us in the Scripture That 's the First thing in the Introduction of the Testimony 2. There are two things in this Testimony of the Holy Ghost The 1. is the matter or substance of it 2. The Order of the things contained in it or spoken by him The Introduction of the former is in the words we have spoken unto that of the
want of it is the Bane of publick Worship Where this is not there is no due reverence of God no Sanctification of his name not any benefit to be expected unto our own Souls 3. In all wherein we have to do with God we are principally to regard those internal Sins we are conscious of unto our selves but are hidden from all others The last thing required of us in order to the duty exhorted unto is that our Bodies be washed with pure water This at first view would seem to refer unto the outward Administration of the Ordinance of Baptism required of all antecedently unto their orderly Conjunction unto a Church-state in the causes of it and so it is carried by many Expositors But 1. The Apostle Peter tells us that saving Baptism doth not consist in the Washing away of the filth of the Body 1 Pet. 3. 21. therefore the expression here must be figurative and not proper 2. Although the sprinkling and washing spoken of do principally respect our habitual internal qualification by regenerating Sanctifying Grace yet they include also the actual gracious renewed preparations of our Hearts and Minds with respect unto all our solemn approaches unto God but Baptism cannot be repeated 3. Whereas the sprinkling of the Heart from an evil Conscience respects the Internal and unknown Sins of the Mind so this of washing the Body doth the Sins that are outwardly acted and perpetrated And the Body is said to be washed from them 1. Because they are outward in opposition unto those that are only inherent in the Mind 2. Because the Body is the Instrument of the perpetration of them hence are they called Deeds of the Body the Members of the Body our Earthly Members Rom. 3. 13 14 15 16. chap. 8. 13. and 12. 19. Col. 3. 3 4 5. 3. Because the Body is defiled by them some of them in an especial manner 1 Cor. 6. 2. Pure Water wherewith the Body is to be washed is that which is promised Ezek. 36. 25 26. the assistance of the sanctifying Spirit by virtue of the Sacrifice of Christ. Hereby all those sins which cleave unto our outward Conversation are removed and washt away For we are Sanctified thereby in our whole Spirits Souls and Bodies And that Scripture respects the Deeds of Sin as unto a continuation of their Commission he shall keep and preserve us We are so by the Grace of Christ and thereby we keep and preserve our selves from all outward and actual Sins that nothing may appear upon us as the Bodies of them who having wallowed in the Mire are now washed with pure Water for the Body is placed as the Instrument of the Defilement of the Soul in such Sins 1. Universal Sanctification upon our whole persons and the Mortification in an especial manner of outward Sins are required of us in our drawing nigh unto God 2. These are the Ornaments wherewith we are to prepare our Souls for it and not the Gaiety of outward apparel 3. It is a great work to draw nigh unto God so as to Worship him in Spirit and in Truth VERSE 23. Let us hold fast the profession of our Faith without wavering for he is faithful who hath promised This is the second Exhortation which the Apostle educeth by way of inference from the Principles of Truth which he had before declared and confirmed And it is the substance or end of the whole parenetical or hortatory part of the Epistle that for the obtaining whereof the whole Doctrinal part of it was written which gives Life and Efficacy unto it Wherefore he spends the whole remainder of the Epistle in the Pressing and Confirming of this Exhortation on a compliance wherewith the Eternal condition of our Souls doth depend And this he doth partly by declaring the means whereby we may be helped in the discharge of this Duty partly by denouncing the eternal ruine and sure destruction that will follow the neglect of it and partly by encouragements from their own former Experiences and the strength of our Faith and partly by evidencing unto us in a multitude of Examples how we may overcome the difficulty that would occur unto us in this way with other various Cogent reasonings as we shall see if God pleaseth in our progress In these words there is a Duty prescribed and an encouragement added unto it As unto the Duty it self we must enquire 1. What is meant by the Profession of our Faith 2. What is meant by holding it fast 3. What to hold it fast without wavering 1. Some Copies read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the profession of our hope which the Vulgar follows the profession of the hope that is in us and so it may have a respect unto the Exhortation used by the Apostle Chap. 3. 6. And it will come unto the same with our reading of it for on our Faith our Hope is built and is an eminent fruit thereof Wherefore holding fast our Hope includes in it the holding fast of our Faith as the Cause is in the Effect and the Building in the Foundation But I preferr the other Reading as that which is more suited unto the design of the Apostle and his following Discourse and which his following Confirmations of this Exhortation do directly require and which is the proper Subject of our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or profession See Chap. 3. 1. Faith is here taken in both the principal acceptations of it namely that faith whereby we believe and the Faith or Doctrine which we do believe Of both which we make the same profession of one as the inward Principle of the other as the outward Rule Of the meaning of the word it self 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or joynt profession I have treated largely Chap. 3. 1. This solemn profession of our Faith is two-fold 1. Initial 2. By the way of continuation in all the Acts and Duties required thereunto The First is a solemn giving up of our selves unto Christ in a professed subjection unto the Gospel and the Ordinances of Divine Worship therein contained This of old was done by all Men at their First accession unto God in the Assemblies of the Church The Apostle calls it the beginning of our confidence or subsistence in Christ and the Church Chap. 3. 6. And it was ordinarily in the primitive times accompanied with excellent Graces and Priviledges For 1. God usually gave them hereon great Joy and Exultation with peace in their own Minds 1 Pet. 2. 9. Hath translated us out of darkness into his marvellous light The glorious marvellous light whereunto they were newly translated out of darkness the evidence which they had of the truth and reality of the things that they believed and professed the value they had for the Grace of God in this high and Heavenly calling the greatness and excellency of the things made known unto them and believed by them are the means whereby they were filled with joy unspeakable and full of Glory And
respect is had unto this frame of Heart in this Exhortation For it is apt on many accounts to decay and be lost but when it is so we lose much of the Glory of our profession 2. They had hereon some such Communication of the Spirit in Gifts or Graces that was a Seal unto them of the promised inheritance Eph. 1. 13. And although what was extraordinary herein is ceased and not to be looked after yet if Christians in their initial dedication of themselves unto Christ and the Gospel did attend unto their duty in a due manner or were affected with their priviledges as they ought they would have experience of this Grace and advantage in ways suitable unto their own state and condition Secondly The continuation of their Profession first solemnly made avowing the Faith on all just occasions in attendance on all Duties of Worship required in the Gospel in professing their faith in the Promises of God by Christ and thereon chearfully undergoing afflictions troubles and persecutions on the account thereof is this profession of our Faith that is exhorted unto II. What is it to hold fast this profession The words we so render are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and sometimes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 singly as 1 Thes. 5. 23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are indefinitely used to this end ch 3. 6. ch 4. 14. Rev. 2. 25. ch 3. 11. So that which is here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 chap. 4. 14. And there is included in the sence of either of these words 1. A supposition of great difficulty with danger and opposition against this holding the Profession of our Faith 2. The putting forth of the utmost of our strength and endeavours in the defence of it 3. A constant perseverance in it denoted in the word keep possess it with constancy III. This is to be done without wavering that is the profession must be immovable and constant The frame of mind which this is opposed unto is expressed James 1. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one that is alwayes disputing and tost up and down with various thoughts in his mind not coming to a fixed resolution or determination He is like a Wave of the Sea which sometimes subsides and is quiet and sometimes is tossed one way or another as it receives impressions from the Wind. There were many in those days who did hesitate in the profession of the Doctrine of the Gospel sometimes they inclined unto it and embraced it sometimes they returned again unto Judaisme and sometimes they would reconcile and compound the two Covenants the two Religions the two Churches together with which sort of men our Apostle had great contention As mens minds waver in these things so their profession wavers which the Apostle here condemneth or opposeth unto that full assurance of Faith which he required in us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not to be bent one way or another by impressions made from any things or causes but to abide firm fixed stable in opposition to them And it is opposed unto 1. An halting between two opinions God or Baal Judaism or Christianity Truth or Error This is to waver Doctrinally 2. Unto a Weakness or Irresolution of mind as unto a continuance in the profession of faith against difficulties and oppositions 3. To an yielding in the way of complyance in any point of Doctrine or Worship contrary unto or inconsistent with the Faith we have professed In which sense the Apostle would not give place no not for an hour unto them that taught Circumcision 4. To final Apostacy from the truth which this wavering up and down as the Apostle intimates in his following discourse brings unto Wherefore it includes Positively 1. A firm perswasion of mind as to the truth of the Faith whereof we have made profession 2. A constant resolution to abide therein and adhere thereunto against all oppositions 3. Constancy and diligence in the performance of all the Duties which are required unto the continuation of this profession This is the summ and substance of that duty which the Apostle with all sorts of Arguments presseth on the Hebrews in this Epistle as that which was indispensibly necessary unto their Salvation 1. There is an Internal Principle of saving Faith required unto our profession of the Doctrine of the Gospel without which it will not avail 2. All that believe ought solemnly to give themselves up unto Christ and his Rule in an express profession of the faith that is in them and required of them 3. There will great difficulties arise in and opposition be made unto a sincere profession of the Faith 4. Firmness and constancy of mind with our utmost diligent endeavours are required unto an acceptable continuance in the profession of the Faith 5. Uncertainty and wavering of mind as to the Truth and Doctrine we profess or neglect of the duties wherein it doth consist or compliance with errors for fear of persecution and sufferings do overthrow our profession and render it useless 6. As we ought not on any account to decline our Profession so to abate of the degrees of fervency of spirit therein is dangerous unto our souls Upon the Proposal of this Duty the Apostle in his passage interposeth an encouragement unto it taken from the assured benefit and advantage that should be obtained thereby for saith he He is faithfull that hath promised And we may observe in the opening of these words the nature of the encouragement given us in them 1. It is God alone who Promiseth He alone is the Author of all Gospel Promises by him are they given unto us 2 Pet. 1. 4. Titus 1. 1. Hence in the sense of the Gospel this is a just Periphrasis of God He who hath Promised 2. The Promises of God are of that nature in themselves as are suited unto the encouragement of all Believers unto constancy and final perseverance in the Profession of the Faith They are so whether we respect them as they contain and exhibit present Grace Mercy and consolation or as those which propose unto us things Eternal in the future glorious reward 3. The Efficacy of the Promises unto this end depends upon the faithfulness of God who gives them With him is neither variableness nor shadow of turning The strength of Israel will not lie nor repent Gods faithfulness is the unchangeableness of his Purpose and the Counsels of his Will proceeding from the Immutability of his Nature as accompanied with almighty Power for their accomplishment as declared in the Word See chap. 6. 18. Titus 1. 2. This therefore is the sense of the Apostles Reason unto the end he aims at Consider saith he the promises of the Gospel their incomparable Greatness and Glory in their enjoyment consists our eternal Blessedness and they will all of them be in all things accomplished towards those who hold fast their profession seeing he who hath promised them is
absolutely Faithful and Unchangeable The Faithfulness of God in his Promises is the great encouragement and supportment under our continual Profession of our Faith against all oppositions VERSE XXIV 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 VERSE 24. And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and good works LOve and good works are the fruits effects and Evidences of the sincere profession of saving faith Wherefore a diligent attendance unto them is an effectual means of our constancy in our profession This therefore the Apostle in the next place Exhorts unto and thence declares the manner whereby we may be excited and enabled unto them And there is in the words 1. A profession of a Duty as a means unto another end 2. The declaration of that end namely by and upon that consideration to provoke one another to Love and good Works 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word hath been opened on chap. 3. 1. A diligent inspection into an heedfull consideration of mind intent upon it in opposition unto common careless transient thoughts about it is intended The Object of it here is not things but Persons one another And herein the Apostle supposeth 1. That those unto whom he wrote had a deep concernment in one another their present temporal and future Eternal state Without this the meer consideration of one another would only be a fruitless effect of curiosity and tend unto many evils 2. That they had also communion together about those things without which this Duty could not be rightly discharged For it was not then in the world as it is now but all Christians who were joyned in Church Societies did meet together for mutual Communion in those things wherein their Edification was concerned as is declared in the next Verse 3. That they judged themselves obliged to watch over one another as unto stedfastness in profession and fruitfulness in Love and good Works Hence they knew it their Duty to admonish to exhort to provoke to encourage one another Without this the meer consideration of one another is of no use On these suppositions this consideration respects the Gifts the Graces the Temptations the Dangers the Seasons and Opportunities for Duty the manner of the walking of one another in the Church and in the World For this consideration is the Foundation of all these mutual Duties of Warning or Admonition and Exhorting which tend to the encouragement and strengthening of one another But those Duties are now generally lost amongst us and with them is the glory of the Christian Religion departed II. The special kind of this Duty as here pressed by the Apostle is that it is used 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Unto the Provocation of Love and good works that is as we have rendred the words to provoke that is one another unto Love and good Works Provocation is commonly used in an ill sense namely for the imbittering of the spirit of another moving anger sorrow and disquietment and impatience of mind So 1 Sam. 1. 6 7. to provoke one is to imbitter his Spirit and to stir him up unto anger And when any provocation is high we render it strife or contention such as whereby the Spirits of men are imbittered one towards another Acts 15. 39. Howbeit it is used sometimes for an earnest and diligent excitation of the Minds or Spirits of men unto that which is good See Rom. 11. 14. So it is here used And there is more in it than a bare mutual Exhortation An excitation of Spirit by Exhortation Example Rebukes until it be warmed unto a duty This is the great end of the Communion that is among Christians in the mutual consideration of one another considering the circumstances conditions walkings abilities for usefulness of one another they do excite one another unto love and good works which is called the provocation of them or the stirring up of the minds of men unto them This was the way and practice of the Christians of old but is now generally lost with most of the principles of practical Obedience especially those which concern our mutual edification as if they had never been prescribed in the Gospel The Duties themselves which they are thus mutually to provoke one another unto are Love and good works And they are placed by the Apostle in their proper order For Love is the spring and fountain of all acceptable good works Of mutual love among believers which is that here intended as unto the nature and causes of it and motives unto it I have treated at large Chap. 6. The good works intended are called here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 usually they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Those which are most commendable and praise-worthy are intended such as are most usefull unto others such as whereby the Gospel is most exalted works proceeding from the shining Light of Truth whereon God is glorified 1. The mutual watch of Christians in the particular Societies whereof they are members is a duty necessary unto the preservation if the profession of the Faith 2. A due consideration of the circumstances abilities temptations and opportunities for duties in one another is required hereunto 3. Diligence or mutual Exhortation unto Gospel duties that men on all grounds of Reason and Example may be provoked unto them is required of us and is a most Excellent Duty which in an especial manner we ought to attend unto VERSE XXV 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 VERSE 25. Not forsaking the assembling of our selves together as the manner of some is but Exhorting one another and so much the more as ye see the day approaching THe Words contain an enforcement of the preceding Exhortation in a caution against what is contrary thereunto or the neglect of the general Duty which is the Principal means to further us in all the things that we are exhorted unto and without which some of them cannot at all be performed And there is in the Words 1. The neglect and evil which they are cautioned against that is Forsaking the assembling of our selves 2. This is exemplified 1. In an instance of some that were guilty of it as is the manner of some 2. By the contrary Duty but exhorting one another 3. The degree of this Duty so much the more 4. The Motive unto that degree as ye see the day approaching In the First there is the thing spoken of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 well rendred by us the assembling of our selves together for it is not the Church-State absolutely but the actual assemblies of Believers walking together in that State which the Apostle intends For as the Church it self is Originally the Seat and Subject of all Divine Worship so the actual Assemblies of it are the only way and means for the Exercise and performance of it These Assemblies were of two sorts 1. Stated on the Lords Day or first Day of the Week 1. Cor. 16. 2. Acts 20. 7. 2. Occasional as the Duties or Occasions of the Church did require 1 Cor.