Exposition the Reader will find them handled somewhat at large in the respective places wherein they do occur in the Epistle it self 3. Concerning the subject matter of these Chapters I desire the Reader to take notice 1. That the whole substance of the Doctrinal part of the Epistle is contained in them so as that there is nothing of difficulty in the whole case managed by the Apostle but is largely treated of in these Chapters 2. That they do contain a full declaration of that Mystery which from the beginning of the World was hid in God who created all things by Jesus Christ to the intent that even unto the Principalities and Powers in Heavenly places might be known by the Church the manifold Wisdom of God In particular 1. The Wisdom and Grace of God in the Constitution and making of the Covenant at Sinai in the Institutions of all the Worship and Divine services thereunto belonging in the Holy Fabricks offerings and sacrifices of the Priests and Church of Israel are declared and manifested therein For all these things in themselves were carnal and so used by the generality of the People in a way unworthy of the Wisdom and Holiness of God But the Apostle declares and makes it evident in these Chapters that in the design and intention of God they had all of them an End and Use far more glorious than what appeared in their outward Administration As also what intimations God made unto the Church of this end of them and his intention in them 2. There is therefore in these Chapters an absolute infallible Interpretation of the whole Law without which it would be a Sealed Book and of no use unto us But as the intention and mind of God in those legal Institutions is here declared there is nothing in the whole Scripture that tends more to the illumination of our Minds and the strengthning of our Faith than doth the Law of these Institutions as is manifested on all occasions in our Exposition By vertue hereof there is not the meanest Christian Believer but doth or may understand more of the Books of Exodus and Leviticus see more of the Wisdom Holiness and Grace of God in them and know more of the nature and use of these legal Institutions not only than all the present Jews and their Teachers but than was ever distinctly known in the Church of Israel of Old 3. The wisdom righteousness and faithfulness of God in the Removal of the Old Covenant with all the services thereunto belonging are herein abundantly vindicated This is the stone of stumbling unto this day to all the Jews This they quarrel and contend with God and Man about seeming to be resolved that if they may not enjoy their old Institutions they will part with and leave even God himself Neither indeed is it God but a shadow of their old carnal Ordinances which at present they cleave unto worship and adore Wherefore the Apostle by all sorts of Arguments doth in these Chapters manifest that before them under them by them in them God by various ways taught the Church that they were not to be continued that they were never appointed for their own sakes that they only fore-signifyed the introduction of a better and more perfect Church State than what they could attain unto or be of use in as also that their very Nature was such as rendred them obnoxious unto a removal in the appointed season Yea he demonstrates that without their Abolition God could never have accomplished the design of his Love and Grace towards the Church which he had declared in his promises from the Foundation of the World And this absolutely determined the controversie between the two Churches that of the Old and that of the New Testament with their Different worship and services which was then a matter of fierce contention in the whole World Wherefore 4. The work of the Apostle in these Chapters is to shew the Harmony between the Law and the Gospel their different Ends and Uses to take off all seeming Repugnancy and Contradiction between them to declare the same Grace Truth and Faithfulness of God in them both notwithstanding their inconsistent institutions of Divine Worship Nay he makes it evident not only that there is an Harmony between them but also an utter impossibility that either of them should be true or proceed from God without the other 5. Herein a glorious account is given of the Representation that was made of the Person and Incarnation of Christ with the whole Office of his Mediation according as it was granted unto the Church in its infant-state Some have called it the infant-state of Christ as unto his Incarnation and affirmed that the Ceremonies of the Law were as his swadling Bands But things are quite otherwise The glorious state of Christ and his Office is represented unto the Church in its infant-State when it had no apprehension of spiritual things but such as Children have of the objects of Reason In particular how the Antient Church was instructed in the Nature and blessed Efficacy of his Sacrifice the Foundation of its Salvation is made gloriously to appear 6. Directions are given herein unto all unto whom the Gospel is preached or by whom it is professed how to behave themselves as unto what God requireth of them expressed in clear Instructions and pathetical Exhortations accompanied with glorious Promises on the one hand and severe Threatnings on the other Scarcely in the whole book of God such an exact description of the Nature and Work of Faith the Motives unto it and Advantages of it of the deceitful actings of Unbelief with the ways of its prevalency in the Minds and over the Souls of men of the End of true Believers on one hand and of Hypocrites and Apostates on the other as is in this discourse of the Apostle Such a graphical Description and account of these things is given us in the sixth Chapter and the later part of the Tenth as cannot but greatly affect the minds of all who are spiritually enlightned to behold things of this nature A blessed glass is represented unto us wherein we may see the true image and portraiture of Believers and Unbelievers their different Ways Actings and Ends. In the whole there is made a most holy Revelation and Representation of the Wisdom of God of the Glory of Christ of the mystery of Grace in the Recovery of fallen man and the Salvation of the Church with the future Judgement so as that they have a greater Lustre Light and Glory in them unto such as have the Eyes of their understandings opened to behold spiritual things than is in the Sun shining in its Strength and Beauty unto the Eyes of Flesh unto which it is sweet and pleasant to behold the Light These are the Holy Sayings of God the Glorious Discoveries of himself and his Grace the Glass wherein we may behold the Glory of Christ until we are transformed into the same image from
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
Condition of Repentance never was there nor can there be so great an Encouragement unto all sorts of Sin and Wickedness There is much to that purpose in the Doctrines of Purgatory Pennances and Satisfactions whereby men are taught that they may come off from their Sins at a cheaper rate than Eternal Ruine without that Repentance which is necessary But this is nothing in comparison to the mischief which the Gospel would produce if it did not require Repentance from dead works For besides those innumerable Advantages that otherwise it hath to evidence it self to be from God whereas these other pretences are such as wise and considering men may easily look through their daubing and see their ground of falshood the Gospel doth certainly propose its Pardon freely without money and without price and so on this supposition would lay the Reins absolutely free on the Neck of Sin and Wickedness whereas those other Fancies are burdened and charged with such inconveniencies as may lay some Curb upon them in easie and carnal minds Wherefore I say on such a false and cursed supposition it would be the Interest of wise and sober men to oppose and reject the Gospel as the most effectual means of overflowing the world with Sin and Ungodliness But it doth not more fully condemn Idolatry or that the Devil is to be worshipped than it doth any such Notion or Apprehension It cannot be denied but that some men may and it is justly to be feared that some men do abuse the Doctrine of the Gospel to countenance themselves in a vain expectation of Mercy and Pardon whilst they willingly live in a course of Sin But as this in their management is the principal means of their Ruine so in the Righteous Judgement of God it will be the greatest Aggravation of their Condemnation And whereas some have charged the Preachers of Gospel Grace as those who thereby give Countenance unto this presumption it is an Accusation that hath more of the hatred of Grace in it than of the Love of Holiness For none do nor can press the Relinquishment of Sin and Repentance of it upon such assured grounds and with such cogent arguments as those by whom the Grace of Jesus Christ in the Gospel is fully opened and declared From what hath been discoursed we may enquire after our own Interest in this great and necessary Duty to assist us wherein I shall yet add some farther Directions As 1. Repentance is twofold 1 Initial 2 Continued in our whole course and our Enquiry is to be after our Interest in both of them The former is that whose general Nature we have before described which is the door of entrance into a Gospel state or a Condition of Acceptance with God in and through Christ. And concerning it we may observe sundry things 1. That as to the Properties of it it is 1 Solemn a Duty that in all its circumstances is to be fixed and stated It is not to be mixed only with other Duties but we are to set our selves on purpose and engage our selves singularly unto it I will not say this is so essential unto it that he can in no sense be said sincerely to have repented who hath not separately and distinctly been exercised herein for some season yet I will say that the Repentance of such a one will scarce be ever well cleared up unto his own Soul When the Spirit of Grace is poured out on men they shall mourn apart Zach. 12. 12 13 14. That is they shall peculiarly and solemnly separate themselves to the right discharge of this Duty between God and their Souls And those who have hitherto neglected it or failed herein may be advised solemnly to address themselves unto it whatever hopes they may have that they have been carried through it already There is no loss of Time Grace nor Comfort in the solemn Renovation of initial Repentance 2 Universal as to the object of it It respects all Sin and every Sin every crooked path and every step therein It absolutely excludes all reserves for any Sin To profess Repentance and yet with an express reserve for any Sin approacheth very near the great Sin of Lying to the Holy Ghost It is like Ananias his keeping back part of the Price when the whole was devoted And these Soul-destroying Reserves which absolutely overthrow the whole Nature of Repentance do commonly arise from one of these pretences or occasions 1 That the Sin reserved is small and of no great importance It is a little one But true Repentance respects the Nature of Sin which is in every Sin equally the least as well as the greatest The least reserve for Vanity Pride Conformity to the world inordinate Desires or Affections utterly overthrow the Truth of Repentance and all the benefits of it 2 That it is so useful as that at least at present it cannot be parted withall So Naaman would reserve his bowing before the King in the House of Rimmon because his Honours and Preferments depended thereon So is it with many in their course of Life or Trading in the world some advantages by crooked ways seem as useful to them as their right hand which they cannot as yet cut off and casâ— from them This therefore they have a secret reserve for though it may not be express yet real and effectual But he who in this case will not part with a right Eye or a right hand must be content to go with them both into Hell fire 3 Secresie That which is hidden from every Eye may be left behind Some sweet morsel of this kind may yet be rolled under the Tongue But this is an Evidence of the grossest Hypocrisie and the highest Contempt of God who seeth in secret 4 Uncertainty of some things whether they are Sins or no. It may be some think such neglects of Duty such compliances with the World are not Sins and whereas themselves have not so full a Gonviction of their being sinful as they have of other Sins which are notorious and against the Light of Nature only they have just reason to fear they are Evil this they will break through and indulge themselves in them But this also impeacheth the Truth of Repentance Where it is sincere it engageth the Soul against all Appearance of Evil. And one that is truly humbled hath no more certain Rule in his walking than not to do what he hath just cause to doubt whether it be lawful or no. True Repentance therefore is universal and inconsistent with all these reserves Secondly Unto the same End that we may be acquainted with our own Interest in this initiating Repentance We must consider the Season when it is wrought And this is 1 Upon the first Communication of Gospel Light unto us by the Holy Ghost Christ sends him to convince us of Sin and Righteousness and Judgement Joh. 16. 8. And if upon the first participation of Light and Conviction by the Holy Ghost this Repentance is not wrought
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
the Church before the Flood so it is probable that it was much opposed and derided by that corrupt violent and wicked generation which afterwards perished in their Sins Hence Enochs Prophecy and Preaching among them was to confirm the Faith of the Church therein Jude 14 15. And probably the hard speeches which are specified as those which God would severely revenge were their contemptuous mockings and despisings of Gods coming to Judgement as Peter plainly intimates 2 Pet. 3. 3 4 5. This seems to be the great controversie which the Church before the Flood had with that ungodly generation namely whether there were a future Judgement or no in the contempt whereof the world fell into all profligacy of abominable wickednesses And as God gave testimony to the truth in the Prophecy of Enoch so he visibly determined the whole matter on the side of the Church in the Flood which was an open pledge of Eternal Judgement And hence those words the Lord cometh became the Appeal of the Church in all Ages 1 Cor. 16. 22. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 respects not the duration of this Judgement but it s â—â—d and effect For it shall not be of a perpetual duration and continuance which to fancy is both absurd in nature and inconsistent with the proper end of it which is to deliver men over into their everlasting Lot and Portion And it is both curious needless and unwarrantable to enquire of what continuance it shall be seeing God hath given no Revelation thereof Neither is the mind of man capable of making any tolerable conjecture concerning the process of the infinite wisdom of Christ in this matter Neither do we know as to time or continuance what will be necessary therein to the conviction and confusion of impenitent sinners or as to the demonstration of his own Righteousness and Glory It may be esteemed an easie but will be found our safest wisdom to silence even our thoughts and enquiries in all things of this nature where we cannot trace the express foot-steps of Divine Revelation And this Judgement is called Eternal 1 In opposition to the temporal Judgements which are or have been passed on men in this world which will be all then called over again and revised Especially it is so with respect unto a threefold Judgement First That which passed upon the Lord Christ himself when he was condemned as a Malefactor and Blasphemer He never suffered that sentence to take place quietly in the world but from the first he sent his Spirit to argue reason and plead his cause in the world Joh. 16. 9 10 11. This he ever did and ever will maintain by his Church Yet is there no absolute determination of the case But when this day shall come then shall he condemn every tongue that was against him in Judgement and all his Adversaries shall be confounded 2ly All those condemnatory sentences whether unto death or other punishments which almost in all Ages have been given against his Disciples or true Believers With the thoughts and prospect hereof did they always relieve themselves under false Judgements and cruel Executions For they have had Trials of cruel mockings and scourgings yea moreover of bond and imprisonment they have been stoued and sawn in sunder tempted and slain with the Sword have wandred about in Sheep-skins and Goat-skins being destitate afflicted tormented not accepting deliverance upon the worlds terms that they might obtain a better Resurrection as Heb. 11. 35 36 37. In all these things they possessed their Souls in patience following the example of their Master committing themselves unto him that judgeth righteously 1 Pet. 2. 23. 3ly The false sentences which under their provocations professors have passed on one another see 1 Cor. 4. 3 4 5. 2 Because it is Judicium inevitabile an unavoidable sentence which all men must stand or fall by For it is appointed unto all men once to dye and after that is the Judgement This Judgement is no more avoidable unto any than death it self from which the experience of some thousands of years leaves unto men no hope of escape 3 Because in it and by it an unchangeable determination of all mens estate and condition is made for Eternity The Judgement which disposeth of men unalterably into their Eternal estate whether of Blessedness or of Misery Two things must be yet farther spoken unto to clear this great principle of our Faith First the general nature of this Eternal Judgement and then the Evidences we have of its truth and certainty 1. The general concerns of this Eternal Judgement are all of them plainly expressed in the Scripture which declare the nature of it 1 As to its time there is a determined and unalterable day fixed for it God hath appointed a day wherein he will judge the world in Righteousness Acts 17. 31. And this time is commonly called the day of Judgement Matth. 10. 15. Chap. 11. 22 24. Chap. 12. 32. Mark 6. 11. 2 Pet. 2. 9. 1 Joh. 4. 17. And this day being fixed in the foreknowledge and determinate counsel of God can no more be either hastened or deferred than God himself can be changed Until this appointed time comes whatever falls out he will satisfie his Wisdom and Glory in his ordinary government of the world enterwoven with some occasional extraordinary Judgements and therein he calls all his own people to be satisfied For this precise time the knowledge of it is among the principal secrets of his Soveraignty which he hath for reasons suited to his infinite Wisdom laid up in his own Eternal bosom Hence is that of our Saviour Of that day and hour knoweth no man no not the Angels that are in Heaven neither the Son that is in and by the humane nature but the Father Mark 13. 32. which is the highest expression of an unrevealable divine secret God hath not only not revealed it but he hath decreed not to reveal it All enquiries about it are not only sinfully curious but foolish and impious Then it is certain when all things foretold in the Scripture are accomplished when the Obedience of all the Elect is compleated and the measure allotted unto the wickedness of the world in the patience of God is filled up then and not before the End shall be In the mean time when we see a man old weak diseased nature being decayed and infirmities abounding we may judge that his death is not far off though we know not when he will die so seeing the world come to that state and condition so weakened and decayed as unto its principal end that it is scarce any longer able to bear the weight of its own wickedness nor supply the sinful Lusts of its inhabitants seeing all sorts of Sins new and old heard and unheard of perpetrated every where in the light of the Sun and countenanced with Atheistical security as also considering that the Gospel seems to have finished its work where it is preached with all sorts of
revealed from Heaven against the ungodliness of men Rom. 1. 18. and an intimation is given of what he will farther do hereafter For as he leaves not himself without witness in respect of his goodness and patience in that he doth good and giveth rain from Heaven and fruitful seasons filling mens hearts with food and gladness Acts 14. 17. so he gives testimony to his Righteousness and Holiness in the Judgements that he executes Psal. 9. 16. For whereas goodness and mercy are the works wherein God is as it were delighted he gives Testimony unto them together with his patience and long-suffering in the ordinary course of his Dispensations But Judgement in severity he calls his strange work that which he proceeds not unto but on great provocations Isa. 28. 21. he satisfieth his holy Wisdom with some extraordinary necessary instances of it And thus he hath himself singled out some particular instances which he gave on purpose that they might be as pledges of the future Judgement and hath given us a rule in them how we are to judge of all his extraordinary acts of the same kind Such was the Flood whereby the world was destroyed in the days of Noah which Peter affirms expresly was a Type to shadow out the severity of God in the last final Judgement 2 Pet. 2. 5. Chap. 3. 5 6 7. Of the like nature was his turning the Cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into Ashes condemning them with an overthrow making them an example unto those that after should live ungodly 2 Pet. 2. 6. He made them a terrifying example that others should hear and fear and do no more so presumptuously But now whereas God hath not in the space of four thousand years brought any such Judgement on any other places or persons if this Example had respect only unto this world it must needs have lost all its force and efficacy upon the minds of Sinners Wherefore it did nearly respect the Judgement to come God giving therein an instance what obstinate and profligate Sinners are to look for at that great day Wherefore Jude says expresly they are set forth for an Example suffering the vengeance of Eternal Fire ver 7. And this is the Language of all Gods extraordinary Judgements either on persons or places in the world Let mens Sins be what they will God can endure in his long-suffering the Sins of one as well as another among the Vessels of wrath that are fitted for destruction and so he doth ordinarily or for the most part But yet he will sometimes reach out his hand from Heaven in an extraordinary instance of Vengeance on purpose that men may know that things shall not for ever be passed over in such a promiscuous manner but that he hath appointed another day wherein he will judge the world in Righteousness And for this reason such signal Judgements as are Evidences of the future Eternal Judgement of God are in the Scripture expressed in words that seem to declare that Judgement it self rather than the Types of it Isa. 34. 4. Rev. 6. 13 14. Dan. 7. 9 10. Math. 24. 29 30. But 4. God hath not absolutely intrusted the evidence and preservation of this important truth which is the Foundation of all Religion unto the remainders of innate light in the Minds and Consciences of men which may be variously obscured until it be almost utterly extinguished nor yet unto the exercise of Reason on the consideration of the present Administration of Providence in this world which is oft-times corrupted depraved and rendred useless nor yet unto the influence which extraordinary Judgements may have upon the minds of men which some fortifie themselves against by their obstinacy in Sin and Security but he hath abundantly testified unto it by express Revelation from the beginning of the world now recorded in his word by which all men must be tried whether they will or no. It may not be doubted but that Adam was acquainted with this truth immediately from God himself He was so indeed in the Commination given against Sin at first especially as it was explained in the Curse after he had actually sinned And this was that which was taught him in the threatning and which his Eyes were open to see clearly after his fall where he immediately became afraid of God as his Judge Gen. 3. 10. Nor can it be doubted but that he communicated the knowledge of it unto his posterity But whereas they quickly in that profligacy in all wickedness which they gave themselves unto had together with all other sacred Truths lost the remembrance of it or at least practically despised and scoffed at the instruction which they had received therein God knowing the necessity of it either to restrain them in their flagitious courses or to give them a warning that might leave them without excuse makes a new express Revelation of it unto Enoch and by him to mankind Jude 14 15. For Enoch the seventh from Adam prophesied of these saying Behold the Lord cometh with ten thousand of his Saints to execute Judgement upon all and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodlily committed and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him And this is the second New Revelation that is recorded before the Flood There were two Revelations that were the foundation of the Church the one concerning future Judgement in the Threatning the other concerning the Recovery and Restauration of mankind in the Promise Both seem to have been equally neglected by that cursed generation But God solemnly revived them both the first by Enoch the latter by Noah who was the Preacher of Righteousness 1 Pet. 2. 5. in whom the Spirit of Christ preached unto them who are now in prison 1 Pet. 3. 19 20. And this Old Prophecy was revived by the Holy Ghost partly that we might know that God from the beginning of the world gave publick testimony unto and warning of his future Eternal Judgement and partly to acquaiâ—t us that in the latter days men would break out into an excess and outrage in sin and wickedness like that of those before the Flood wherein it would be necessary that day should be restrained or terrified or warned by preaching unto them this truth of the Judgement to come After this the testimonies given unto it in the Scriptures both of the Old and New Testaments do so abound and are so obvious to all that it is no way needful particularly to produce them This principle being thus cleared and confirmed it may not be amiss to shew what practical improvement it doth require And it is manifest that there is no Duty in Religion that is not or ought not to be influenced by the consideration of it I shall only name some of them whereunto it is in an especial manner applied by the Holy Ghost himself First Ministers of the Gospel ought to dwell greatly on the consideration of it as
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
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
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
to be the Foundation of all their hopes and expectations so also that it had not been before perfectly fulfilled In that Promise both the great blessing of Christ himself and the whole work of his Mediation were included Wherefore on this account doth he insist so largely on this Promise and the confirmation of it and issueth his discourse in the Introduction of Christ according unto it 2 He further designs to manifest that the Promise as to the substance of it belongs no less unto all Believers than it did to Abraham and that all the benefits contained therein are by the Oath of God secured unto them all There is in the words observing as near as we can their order in the Text in the distribution 1 The Person unto whom the Promises were made and who is proposed for the example of the Hebrews which is Abraham 2 The Promise made unto him which is that of Christ himself and the benefits of his Mediation 3 The confirmation of that Promise by Oath of God God sware 4 The especial nature of that Oath God sware by himself 5 The reason hereof because he had none greater by whom he might swear 6 The end of the whole on the part of Abraham He obtained the Promise by patient waiting or enduring 7 The Assurance of the Promise on the part of God as confirmed by his Oath by a general maxime of things among men grounded on the Light of Nature and received in their universal practice For verily men swear by the greater c. 1. The Person to whom the Promise was made is Abraham He was originally called Abram 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pater excelsus an high or exalted Father God changed his Name upon the most signal Renovation of the Covenant with him into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Abraham Gen. 17. 5. The reason and added signification whereof is given in the next words for a Father of many Nations have I made thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a multitude and God now declaring that Abraham should not only be the Father of all the Nations that should proceed naturally from his Loyns but of all the Nations of the world that should afterwards embrace and imitate his Faith interserts the first letter of Hamon a multitude into his name that it might be unto him a perpetual memorial of the Grace and Favour of God as also a continual confirmation of his Faith in the Promises the Truth and Power of God being always suggested unto him by the name that he had given him Now Abraham was the most meet on many accounts to be proposed as an Example unto this people For 1 Naturally he was the Head of their Families their first peculiar famous progenitor in whose Person that distinction from the rest of the world began which they continued in throughout all their Generations and all men are wont to pay a great Reverence and Respect to such persons 2 It was he who as it were got them their Inheritance which was first conveyed unto him and they came in upon his Right 3 Because the Promise now accomplished was first signally given unto him and therein the Gospel declared in the Faith whereof they are now exhorted to persevere 5 The Promise was not given him meerly on his own account or for his own sake but he was singled out as a pattern and example for all Believers And hence he became the Father of the Faithful and Heir of the World 2. That which is affirmed concerning this Person is that God made Promise unto him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of the Nature of Divine Promises I have treated on Chap. 4. 1 2. In general they are express Declarations of the Grace Goodness Pleasure and Purpose of God towards men for their good and advantage That here intended was that for the substance of it God made unto Abraham Gen. 12. 2 3. I will bless thee and make thy name great and thou shalt be a blessing and I will bless them that bless thee and curse them that curse thee and in thee shall all the Families of the Earth be blessed And this same Promise was confirmed unto him by the way of a Covenant Chap. 15. 3 4 5. And more solemnly chap. 17. 1 2 3 4 5 6. For chap. 15. it is only promised that he should have a natural Seed of his own and that a Stranger should not be his Heir But here his name is changed into Abraham he is made Heir of the world and many Nations are given in to be his spiritual Posterity But because together with the Promise our Apostle designs to give an account and commendation both of the Faith and Obedience of Abraham he calls not out that grant of this Promise which was preventing renewing and calling antecedent unto all his Faith and Obedience and communicative of all the Grace whereby he was enabled thereunto as expressed chap. 12. but he takes it from that place where it was renewed and established unto him after he had given the last and greatest evidence of his Faith Love and Obedience chap. 22. 16 17 18. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By my self have I sworn saith the Lord for because thou hast done this thing and hast not with-held thy Son thine only Son 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That in blessing I will bless thee and in multiplying I will multiply thy Seed Thus God gave out unto him the fulness of the Promise by degrees First he mentions only his own person without any Declaration how the Promise should be fulfilled in his Seed Chap. 12. 2 3. Then he expresly adds the mention of his Seed in the way whereby the Promise should be accomplished but no more Chap. 15. 5. And at length he lets him know the extent of his Seed unto Believers of all Nations chap. 17. 5. To all which a farther confirmation by the Oath of God and the Extent of the Promise is added Chap. 22. 15 16 17 18. So are we to embrace and improve as he did the first dawnings of Divine Love and Grace It is not full Assurance that we are first to look after but wait for the confirmation of our Faith in compliance with what we have received If we either value not or improve not in thankful Obedience the first Intimations of Grace we shall make no progress towards greater enjoyments And in the Apostles expression of this Promise we may consider 1. The manner of the expression 2. The nature and concernments of the Promise it self In the manner of the expression there are the Affirmative particles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 certe truly They answer only directly unto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Hebrew but the Apostle includes a respect unto what was said before 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In my self have I sworn And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is sometimes used for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is truly in way of an Asseveration Job 34. 31. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we
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.
things therefore may be considered in the Wisdom of God giving Immutability to his Counsel concerning the Salvation of the Elect by Jesus Christ. 1 Thereby he saw at once not only whatever was needful for the Accomplishing of it but that which would infallibly effect it He chose not probable and likely means for it and such as might do it unless some great obstruction did arise such as whose efficacy might be suspended on any conditions and emergencies but such as should infallibly and inevitably reach the End intended In the first Covenant wherein God had not immutably decreed to preserve mankind absolutely in their Primitive Estate he made use of such means for their preservation as might effect it in case they were not wanting unto themselves or that Obedience which they were enabled to perform This man neglecting the means appointed of God as to their success depending thereon by Gods own Appointment that End which in their own Nature they tended unto was not attained and that because God had not immutably determined it But now whereas God engaged himself in an unchangeable-Purpose in his infinite Wisdom he fixeth on those means for its Accomplishment as shall not depend on any thing whereby their efficacy might be frustrated Such was his sending of his Son to be Incarnate and the Dispensation of Grace of the New Covenant which is in its Nature infallibly effectual unto the End whereunto it is designed 2 God in his infinite Wisdom foresaw all the Interveniencies on our part that might obstruct the certain Accomplishment of the Promise The Promise was first given indefinitely unto all mankind in our first Parents But soon after the wickedness of the whole world with their absolute contempt of the Grace of the Promise was such as that any Creature would conceive that it would be of none effect being so visibly so universally rejected and despised But a perfect View hereof lying under the Wisdom of God he provided against it for the Immutability of his Purpose and Infallibility of his Promise by singling out first one then another and at last the whole Posterity of Abraham towards whom the Promise should be accomplished But yet after a long season there came the last and uttermost trial of the whole matter For the generality of the Seed of Abraham rejected the Promise also whereby it appeared really to have been frustrated and to be of none effect as our Apostle declares in his Answer to that Objection Rom. 9. 6. But instead of changing his Purpose God then more fully discovered wherein the Immutability of his Counsel did consist and whereon it did depend as Gal. 3. 8. And this was that all along and under all those Apostasies he ever had and ever will have in the world an Elect people chosen by him before the foundation of the world in and towards whom his Purpose was Immutable and his Promise Infallible No Interveniency can possibly shake or alter what hath been settled by infinite Wisdom There is not a particular Believer but is made so sensible of his own unworthiness that at one time or another he cannot but be almost brought to a loss how it should be that such a one as he should ever inherit the Promise But God foresaw all that hath befallen us or will do so and hath in his infinite Wisdom provided against all Interveniencies that his Purpose might not be changed nor his Promise frustrated Infinite Goodness as acting it self in Christ was not satisfied in providing and preparing good things for Believers but it would also shew and declare it unto them for their present Consolation God was willing to shew to the Heirs of Promise and the end was that they might have strong Consolation As it is with a good wise Father and an Obedient Son The Father is possessed of a large and profitable Estate And as the son hath a present allowance suitable to his Condition so being Obedient he hath a just expectation that in due time he shall enjoy the whole Inheritance this being usual amongst men and that which the Law of Nature directs unto For Parents are to lay up for their Children and not Children for their Parents But the whole being yet absolutely in the Fathers power it is possible he may otherwise dispose of it and it may not come to the right Heir But now if his Father seeth his Son on some occasion to want Encouragement or he be to put him on any difficult Service where he may meet with Storms and Dangers he will shew unto him his Deeds of Settlement wherein he had irrevocably confirmed unto him the whole Inheritance So God deals with Believers with his Children in this case He is Rich in Grace Mercy and Glory and all his Children are Heirs of it Coheirs with Christ and Heirs of God Rom. 8. 17. that is of the whole Inheritance that God hath provided for his Children This they have an expectation of by the Promise according to the Law of the New Covenant But although their state be thus secured by their being Heirs of the Promise yet God knowing that they have a difficult work and warfare to go through withall and what it is to serve him in Temptations for their Encouragement and Consolation he produceth and sheweth them his irrevocable Deed of Settlement namely his Promise confirmed by his Oath whereby the whole Inheritance is infallibly secured unto them He was free and willing to shew it unto the Heirs of Promise At first God gave out a meer Precept as the Declaration of his Will and a Promise couched in a Threatening This was that which Divine Goodness acting in a way of Nature did require and whereof man had no cause to complain For as the mind of God was sufficiently declared therein so man in himself had no grounds of discouragements from a compliance therewith And God might so deal with us all giving out the whole Revelation of his Will in a systeme of Precepts as some seem to suppose that he hath done But things are now changed on two Accounts For 1 It was herein the peculiar Design of God to glorifie his Goodness Love Grace and Mercy by Jesus Christ and he will do it in an abundant manner He had before glorified his Eternal Power and infinite Wisdom in the Creation of the World and all things therein contained Psal. 19. 1 2 3. Rom. 1. 21. And he had glorified his Holiness and Righteousness in giving of the Law accompanied with Eternal Rewards and Punishments But Grace and Truth in the provision of it and the Accomplishment of the Promise came by Jesus Christ Joh. 1. 18. And therefore that the Lord Christ in all this may have the preheminence he will do it in an abundant and unconceiveable manner above the former Declarations of his Glory in any other of his Attributes Hence in the Scripture the Communication of Grace is expressed in words that may intimate its exceeding and passing all understanding
is pleased to give this Variety unto his Divine Testimony which he did ex Abundanti not only beyond what he was any way obliged unto but whatever we could desire or expect For 2 this makes the Evidence absolute and uncontroulable that as they are two things which are produced to make it good so they are both of them equally Immutable such as neither in their own Nature nor in their Execution were any way exposed or liable unto Alteration For the Promise it self was absolute and the thing promised depended on no Condition in us on nothing without God himself For there was in the Promise it self all the Springs of all that is good and of Deliverance from all that is Evil so that on every side it brings along with it the Condition of its own Accomplishment But whereas God in the Covenant of Works did give no Promise unto Mankind but what was Conditional and suspended on such things on our part as might or might not be whence it came to pass that we sinned and came short of it God in the giving out of this Promise which is the foundation of the Covenant of Grace to assure us that it is utterly of another nature and such as on no occurrence is liable unto change confirms it with his Oath Moreover the Apostle confirmeth this Testimony yet further from the Nature of him by whom it was given 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In or by which it was impossible that God should lye or deceive 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not absolutely to lye but by any means to deceive him who hath cause to trust what we say or do The highest Security among men consists in a Promise confirmed with an Oath and this is and must be unto them an End of Strife for higher they cannot go But yet it is possible there may be a lye and deceit in their Testimony and he who trusts unto them may be deceived as it often falls out in the world For although the things themselves are good and such as would secure the Interest of Truth only yet men that use them are changeable yea liars But it is God who makes use of them in our Case and therefore is it Impossible that he should lye God having made this double engagement of his Truth and Faithfulness it is utterly impossible that he should deceive any one thereby But why doth the Apostle put an Emphasis upon this that by these things it was impossible that God should lye or deceive For it is necessary unto God from his own Being that it should in all things be impossible for him to lye He cannot lye He cannot deceive He cannot deny himself or his Word these things are repugnant unto his Being I Answer That the Apostle speaks not of the Nature of the things themselves but of their manifestation with respect unto us Nothing was added to the Promise of God to render it more certain firm and stable but an Addition was made unto it to give our minds greater security Gods Immutability in promising and impossibility in deceiving are both equally from his Nature but the distinct proposition of them is needful unto our Encouragement and Establishment Fallen sinful man stands in need of the utmost Encouragement that Divine Condescension can extend unto to prevail with him to receive and lay hold of the Promise of Grace and Mercy by Jesus Christ. There is nothing that we are so prone unto as to distrust the Promises of God Nothing that we are with more difficulty won over unto than to mix them with Faith To evidence this we may consider 1. That the first entrance of Sin into the world was by a disbelief of the Truth of God yea that very sin formally consisted in an Apprehension that God in his Promises and Threatenings had a mind to deceive us Gen. 3. 4 5 6. And as sin thus laid its foundation by the Craft of Sathan so it endeavours to carry on its building It continually suggests to the Hearts and Minds of men that they shall certainly be deceived in trusting to Gods Promises For 1 Secret thoughts there are in the Hearts of men which are deceitful above all things and desperately wicked that neither the Promises nor Threatenings of God are true in the terms and sense wherein they are proposed unto them They neither think that it shall be so bad with any as he threateneth nor so well as he promiseth Did men believe the Threatenings of God as to the fearful and Eternal Ruine of Sinners it were not possible they should live in Sin as they do without any Endeavour of Amendments so to fly from the Wrath to come Nor do they think in their Hearts that it shall be with them that believe according as God hath promised They say in their Hearts The Lord will not do good neither will he do evil Zeph. 1. 12. namely as he hath either promised or threatened 2 Men think that there are still some reserves and latent Conditions in the Promises and Threatenings of God and that God knows it shall be otherwise than they seem to pretend By this Imagination Sathan deceived our first Parents as to the Truth of God in his Threatening He perswaded them that there was a reserve therein that was directly contrary unto what the words of it declared and that by transgressing of his Commands they should not dye but be Wise and like himself And still men suppose that the Promises propose a fair ground indeed but that if they should go to build upon it there is a Mine under it which would be sprung at one time or another unto their Ruine They cannot apprehend that it shall be with them according unto and as the Promise doth declare If they should attempt to believe yet one latent condition or other would defeat them of obtaining it whereas indeed the whole and entire Condition of enjoying the Promise is Faith alone 3 Whatever may be the Truth of the Promise yet they cannot conceive that God intends them therein whereas yet there is no Declaration or Intention of God whereby our Duty is to be regulated and whereon we shall be judged but what is contained and expressed in the proposal of the Promise it self On these and the like grounds the great contest in the world between God and Man is whether God be True or a Liar in his Promise It is not thus directly stated in the minds of Men for they have many other pretences why they do not believe but this is that which it is resolved into For he that receives not the Testimony of God maketh him a Liar So was it with the People in the Wilderness whose Carkasses fell therein because of their Unbelief The Reasons they pretended and pleaded why they would not attempt to enter the Land of Canaan were that the People were strong and the Cities walled and Giants among them Numb 13. 28 32 33. But the true reason was their Unbelief of
and that on purpose that we should know no more of him nor any of his Concerns but what is expressely written all Ages have been fruitlesly exercised yea pestered with such curious Enquiries about him as rise up in direct opposition unto the scope of the Holy Ghost in the Account given concerning him These things therefore are certain and belong unto Faith in this Matter First That he was a meer Man and no more but so for 1. Every High Priest was to be taken from among Men Chap. 5. 1. So that the Son of God himself could not have been a Priest had he not assumed our Nature 2. That if he were more than a man there were no Mystery in it that he is introduced in the Scripture without Father without Mother without Pedigree for none but Men have so 3. Without this Conception of him there is no force in the Apostles Argument against the Jews Secondly That he came not to his Office by the Right of Primogeniture which includes a Genealogy or any other Successive way but was raised up and immediately called of God thereunto For in that respect Christ is said to be a Priest after his Order Thirdly That he had no Successor on the Earth nor could have for there was no Law to constitute an Order of Succession and he was a Priest onely after an extraordinary Call These things belong unto Faith in this Matter and no more Two things every way consistent with the scope and purpose of the Apostle yea Eminently subservient thereunto I shall take leave to add the one as my Judgment the other as a probable Conjecture onely And the first is that although he Lived and Dwelt in Canaan then and afterwards principally possessed by the Posterity of the Son of Cham so called yet he was none of the Seven Nations or People therein that were in the Curse of Noah devoted unto Bondage and Destruction For whereas they were therein by a Spirit of Prophecy Anathematized and cast out of the Church as also devoted unto Destruction God would not raise up among them that is of their Accursed Seed the most glorious Ministry that ever was in the World with respect unto Typical Signification which was all that could be in the World until the Son of God came in his own Person This I take to be true and do somewhat wonder that no Expositors did ever take any Notice of it seeing it is necessary to be granted from the Analogy of Sacred Truth My Conjecture is that he was a Person of the Posterity of Japhet who was principally to be regarded as the Father of the Gentiles that were to be called Noah had Prophesied that God should enlarge the Heart of Japhet or perswade him so as that he should return to dwell in the Tents of Shem Gen. 9. 27. Unto Shem he had before granted the present Blessing of the Covenant in those words Blessed be the Lord God of Shem ver 26. and thereby the bringing forth of the Promised Seed was confined unto his Posterity Hereon among them was the Church of God to be continued and upon the matter confined until the Shilo came unto whom the gathering of the Gentiles was to be in the enlargement of Japhet and his Return to dwell in the Tents of Shem. And whereas the Land of Canaan was designed of God for the seat of the Church in his Posterity he suffered it to be possessed first by the Seed of Cursed Canaan that in their dispossessing and destruction he might give a Representation and Security of the Victory and final Success of the Lord Christ and his Church over all their Adversaries Before this came to pass God as I suppose brought this Melchisedec and some others of the Posterity of Japhet into the Land of Canaan even before Abraham himself in pursuit of the Promise made unto Shem had possession of it and placed him there in a Condition of Office Superiour unto Abraham himself And this might be done for two ends 1. That a claim might be put in on the behalf of Japhet unto an Interest in the Tents of Shem in the Type of the Priviledge for a while confined unto his Family This Right and Rule of Melchisedec in those places which were to be the Seat of the Church enjoying the Promise made to Shem took as it were Livery and Seisin for the Gentile Posterity of Japhet which was in due time to be brought into the full possession of all the Rights and Priviledges of it 2. That he might manifest that the state of Gentile Converts in the Promise and Spiritual Priviledges of the Church should be far more Excellent and better than was the state and Privileges of the Posterity of Shem whilst in their separate condition God having provided some better things for us that they without us should not be made perfect But these things are submitted to the judgment of every Candid Reader I shall onely add what is certain and indubitable namely that we have herein a signal Instance of the Sovereignty and Wisdome of God All the World was at that time generally fallen into Idolatry and false Worship The Progenitors of Abraham though a principal Branch of the Posterity of Shem as it is like in the line of Primogeniture dwelt beyond the River and Served other gods Josh. 24. 2. Probably Abraham himself was not free from the Guilt of that Apostacy before his Call Canaan was Inhabited by the Amorit 〈…〉 with the rest of the devoted Nations on the one hand and the Sodomites on the other In the midst of these sinners above others was this man raised up the great Type of Christ with all the Illustrious Qualifications to be afterwards declared And we may learn 1. That God can raise the greatest Light in the midst of the greatest Darkness as Mat. 4. 16. 2. He can raise up Instruments for his Service and unto his Glory when where and how he pleaseth 3. This Signal Praefiguration of Christ in the Nations of the World at the same time when Abraham received the Promises for himself and his Posterity gave a Pledge and Assurance of the certain future Call of the Gentiles unto an Interest in him and Participation of him 2. This is the Person spoken of and the first thing in the Description of him is his Office that he was a King So he is Reported in the first mention of him Gen. 14. 18. Melchisedec King of Salem Now whereas this doth not belong unto that wherein he was principally to be a Type of Christ nor is the Lord Christ any where said to be a King after the Order of Melchisedec nor doth the Apostle make any Use of the consideration of this Office in him We may enquire wherefore God placed him in that state and condition And there seem to have been two Ends thereof 1. To make his Typical Ministry the more eminent and conspicuous For placing him in the condition of Regal Power and
he took from the Enemies as a Token and Pledge in particular that the Victory and Success which he had against the Kings was from God This receiving of Tithes by Melchisedec was a Sacerdotal Act. For 1. The Tenth thus given was firstly given unto God and he who received them received them as Gods Officer in his Name Where there was none in Office so to receive them they were immediately to be Offered unto God in Sacrifice accordunto their Capacity So Jacob vowed the Tenth unto God Gen. 28. 22. which he was himself to Offer there being no other Priest to receive it at his hand and no doubt but he did it accordingly when God minded him to pay his Vow at Bethel Gen. 35. 1 2 3 4 5 6. And 2. The things that were fit of this sort were actually to be Offered in Sacrifice unto God This Saul knew when he made that his pretence of sparing and bringing away the fat Cattel of the Amalekites 1 Sam. 15. 15. And I no way doubt but that these Tenths that Abraham gave at least such of them as were meet for that Service although it be not expressed were Offered in Sacrifice unto God by Melchisedec For whereas he was a King he stood in no need of any Contribution from Abraham nor was it Honourable to receive any thing in way of Compensation for his Munificence in bringing forth Bread and Wine which was to Sell his Kindness and spoil his Bounty nor would Abraham have deprived the King of Sodom and others of any of their Goods to give them unto another Wherefore he received them as a Priest to Offer what was meet in Sacrifice to God whereon no doubt according to the Customs of those times there was a Feast wherein they eat Bread together and were mutually Refreshed 3. This Matter was afterwards precisely determined in the Law wherein all Tithes were appropriated unto the Priest I Observe these things only to shew that the Apostle had just Ground to infer from hence the Sacerdotal Power of Melchisedec and his Preheminence in that Office above Abraham For every thing in the Scripture is Significant and hath its especial Design the whole being inlay'd with Truth by Infinite Wisdom whether we apprehend it or no. Without this Light given by the Holy Spirit himself how should we have conceived that this giving the Tenth of the Spoils to Melchisedec was designed to prove his Greatness and Dignity above Abraham and all the Levitical Priests on that Account as the Great Type and Representative of Jesus Christ. And indeed all the Mysteries of Sacred Truth which are contained in the Old Testament are seen clearly only in the Light of the New and the Doctrine of the Gospel is the only Rule and Measure of the Interpretation of the writings of the Old Testament Wherefore although the writings of both are equally the Word of God yet the Revelation made immediately by Jesus Christ is that which ought to be our Guide in the whole And they do but deceive themselves and others who in the Interpretation of Mystical Passages and Prophecies of the Old Testament do neglect the Accomplishment of them and Light given unto them in the New taking up with Jewish Traditions or vain Conjectures of their own such as the late writings of some highly pretending unto Learning are stuffed withal And we may see from hence 1. How necessary it is for us according to the Command of our Saviour to Search the Scriptures John 5. 39. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to make a Scrupulous Enquiry a diligent Investigation to find out things hidden or parcels of Gold Oar. So are we directed to Seek for Wisdom as Silver and to search for her as for hid Treasures Prov. 2. 4. There are Precious Useful Significant Truths in the Scripture so disposed of so laid up as that if we accomplish not a diligent search we shall never set eye on them The common course of Reading the Scripture nor the common help of Expositors who for the most part go in the same track and scarce venture one step beyond those that are gone before them will not suffice if we intend a Discovery of these hid Treasures This diligent search was attended unto by the Prophets themselves under the Old Testament with respect unto their own Prophecies which they received by Inspiration 1 Pet. 1. 10 11. God gave out those deep and Sacred Truths by them which they comprehended not but made Diligent Enquiry into the mind of the Holy Ghost in the words which themselves had spoken What belongs unto this diligent search shall be elsewhere declared 2. That the clear Revelations of the New Testament ought to be our Principal Rule in the Interpretation of difficult Passages in the Old What our Apostles in these cases had by immediate Inspiration and Direction that we must look for from what is Recorded in their Writings which is sufficient for us and will not fail us There is great Enquiry usually made on this place whether Tithes be due by the Light of Nature or at least by such a Moral positive Command of God as should be perpetually Obligatory unto all Worshippers unto the end of the World This many contend for and the principal Reasons which they plead from the Scripture are these 1. That Tithes were paid before the Law as well as under the Law and what was so observed in the Worship of God Namely that being in Usage before the Law and confirmed by the Law is Originally of the Law of Nature and could have no other Fountain 2. Our Lord Jesus Christ himself speaking of Tithing Mint and Cummin approveth of it affirming that those things ought not to be omitted though the most Inferiour Instance that could be given of the Duty 3. He seems in like manner to have respect thereunto when he commands to give unto Caesar the things that are Caesars and unto God the things that are Gods which were the Tithes the Law concerning them being thereby confirmed which proves it not to be Ceremonial And this some Men judge to be a certain Argument of that which is Moral and unalterable namely the appointed Usage of it before the Law under the Law and under the Gospel after the Expiration of the Law of Ceremonies or the Law of Commandments contained in Ordinances And it seems so to be if there be the same Reason of the Law or Command in all these Seasons for otherwise it is not so For instance it is supposed that the eating of Blood was forbidden before the Law and assuredly it was so under the Law and is so in the New Testament Acts 15. which yet proves it not to be Morally Evil and perpetually forbidden For it is not so upon the same Grounds and Reasons For in that place of Gen. 9. 4. But Flesh with the Life thereof that is the Blood thereof shall ye not eat Blood is not absolutely forbidden but in some cases and with respect unto a certain
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
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
regarded them not But there is not in this Testimony nor in the whole Context or Prophesie whence it is taken nor in any other place of Scripture any word of complaint against the Covenant itself though its imperfection as unto the general end of perfecting the Church State be here intimated 3 There is an especial Remedy expressed in the Testimony against the evil which God complains of or finds fault with in the People This was that they continued not in his Covenant This is expresly provided against in the Promise of this New Covenant ver 10. Wherefore 4 God gives this Promise of a New Covenant together with a complaint against the People that it might be known to be an effect of free and soveraign grace There was nothing in the People to procure it or to qualifie them for it unless it were that they had wickedly broken the former And we may hence observe 1. God hath oft-times just cause to complain of his People when yet he will not utterly cast them off It is meer mercy and grace that the Church at all seasons lives upon but in some seasons when it falls under great provocations they are signalized 2. It is the Duty of the Church to take deep notice of Gods complaints of them This indeed is not in the Text but ought not to be passed by on this occasion of the mention of Gods complaining or finding fault with them And God doth not thus find fault only when he speaks immediately by new Revelations as our Lord Jesus Christ found fault with and rebuked his Churches in the Revelation made unto the Apostle John but he doth it continually by the Rule of the Word And it is the especial Duty of all Churches and of all Believers to search diligently into what God finds fault withall in his Word and to be deeply affected therewith so far as they find themselves guilty Want hereof is that which hath laid most Churches in the world under a fatal security Hence they say or think or carry themselves as though they were rich and increased in Goods and had need of nothing when indeed they are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked To consider what God blames and to affect our Souls with a sense of guilt is that trembling at his word which he so approves of And every Church that intends to walk with God unto his glory ought to be diligent in this duty And to guide them herein they ought carefully to consider 1 The times and seasons that are passing over them God brings his Church under variety of seasons and in them all requires especial duties from them as those wherein he will be glorified in each of them If they miss it herein it is that which God greatly blames and complains of Faithfulness with God in their generation that is in the especial duties of the times and seasons wherein they live is that which Noah and David and other holy men are commended for Thus there are seasons of the great abounding of wickedness in the world seasons of great Apostasie from Truth and Holiness seasons of Judgment and of Mercy of Persecution and Tranquility In all those and the like God requireth especial duties of the Church whereon his glory in them doth much depend If they fail here if they are not faithful as unto their especial duty God in his Word finds fault with them and lays them under blame And as much wisdom is required hereunto so I do not judge that any Church can discharge its duty in any competent measure without a due consideration of it For in a due observation of the times and seasons and an application of our selves unto the duties of them consists that Testimony which we are to give unto God and the Gospel in our Generation That Church which considers not its especial duty in the days wherein we live is fast asleep and it may be doubted whether when it is awaked it will find oil in its vessel or no. 2 The Temptations which are prevalent and which unavoidably we are exposed unto Every age and time hath its especial temptations And it is the Will of God that the Church should be exercised with them and by them and it were easie to manifest that the darkness and ignorance of men in not discerning the especial temptations of the Age wherein they have lived or neglecting of them have been always the great causes and means of the Apostasie of the Church Hereby hath Superstition prevailed in one Age and Profaneness in another as false and noxious opinions in a third Now there is nothing that God requires more strictly of us than that we should be wakeful against present prevalent temptations and chargeth us with guilt where we are not so And those which are not awake with respect unto these Temptations which are at this day prevalent in the world are far enough from walking before God unto all well-pleasing And sundry other things of the like nature might be mentioned unto the same purpose Ob. 3. God often surprizeth the Church with Promises of Grace and Mercy In this place where God complaineth of the People findeth fault with them charging them for not continuing in his Covenant and declares that as unto any thing in themselves he regarded them not it might be easily expected that he would proceed unto their utter casting off and rejection But instead hereof God surpriseth them as it were with the most eminent Promise of Grace and Mercy that ever was made or could be made unto them So he doth in like manner Isa. 7. 13 14. Chap. 54. 17 18 19. And this he will do 1 That he may glorifie the riches and freedom of his Grace This is his principal end in all his dispensations towards his Church And how can they be made more conspicuous than in the exercise of them then when a People are so far from all appearance of any desert of them as that God declares his judgment that they deserve his utmost displeasure 2 That none who have the least remainder of sincerity and desires to fear the Name of God may utterly faint and despond at any time under the greatest confluence of discouragements God can come in and will oft-times in a way of soveraign grace for the relief of the most dejected sinners But we must proceed with our Exposition 2. The second thing contained in this Verse is the Testimony itself insisted on And there is in the Testimony 1. The Author of the Promise declared in it He saith as afterwards Saith the Lord. 2. The Note of its Introduction signalizing the thing intended Behold 3. The time of the accomplishment of what is here foretold and here promised The days come wherein 4. The thing promised is a Covenant concerning which is expressed 1 He that makes it I I will make 2 Those with whom it is made The House of Israel and the House of Judah 3 The manner of its making