immediatly to our high Priest himself For whether wee goe to God in the name of Christ or to Christ himselfe we shall either way finde the Throne of grace That we may obtain mercy and find grace The finall cause of our approach to this throne is here exprest to be two-fold whereof one is a meane to the other the former to the latter The former is to obtain mercy and finde grace the other is opportune help in time of need To obtaine mercy is nothing else then to get that another have compassion on thee which is easily got from a mercifull person such as this our high Priest To finde grace is to be gracious with another and to be favoured with a peculiar affection of love In this sence the Angell tells Mary that she had found grace with God Luke 1.30 And it is an easie matter to finde grace and favour with him who is most gracious and favourable To help in time of need In the originall it is for opportune help The last finall cause of our approaching this Throne and finding grace there is for opportune help That Christ may help us in our conflicts of godlinesse and patience that we sink not under our temptations and afflictions especially that at our last gaspe he may receive our spirits into his hands preserve them for us and restore them at his comming whereof see the following chapter v. 7. The Contents of this fourth Chapter are 1. An Exhortation Let us not forsake Gods promise of entering into his rest Reason 1. Because this promise is made to us as well as to the Israelites 2. Because they who doe beleeve have already a right to enter 2. Doctrine Gods Rest is his Cessation from workes after the Creation Reason 1. Because Gods rest hath reference to the seventh day wherein God rested from his workes as Scripture testifieth 2. Because God sware the Israelites should not enter into his rest which could not be the rest in Canaan 3. Doctrine There yet remaines a Sabbatisme or Rest from labours for the people of God Reason 1. Because some must enter his rest and they did not to whom it was first promised 2. Because God limits another day of enterance a long time after the former saying in David To day if ye will heare his voice 3. Because Joshua gave not the true heavenly rest which is Gods rest and therefore that still remaines to be given 4. Exhortation We must labour to enter Gods rest verse 11. Reason 1. Because if wee take example of their unbeliefe in the wildernesse we shall be made examples of their destruction 2. Because Gods penall Decree is very active and powerfull to take heavy vengeance upon unbeleevers verse 12. 3. Because Christ our high Priest is passed into that heavenly rest before us v. 14. 4. Because we have free accesse by prayer to his Throne which is a Throne of Grace and Mercy to help us thither vers ult CHAPTER V. 1. FOr every high Priest is taken from among men Here he expresseth some generall requisites of a high Priest which afterward hee applyes to Christ in a reverse order The first requisite of a high Priest is this that he is a Man singled out from among other men and that for this following reason because he is ordained for men i. for the benefit and good of men This first property of a high Priest he toucheth only by the way and by occasion of the following property and withall seems to reflect upon some former passages wherein he had proved that Christ must be a man and not some angel And therefore when afterward hee applies the following properties of a high Priest unto Christ hee makes no mention of this as having sufficiently discussed it already in the second chapter Is ordained for men The dignity and office of high Priesthood is created and constituted for the commodity and benefit of men In things pertaining to God Divine and holy things pertaining to God are the matter or object of his function or office that he may procure and administer all things belonging to the worship of God and to make him propitious to them that worship him That he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins These particularly are the things whereby God is worshipped and propitiated Gifts are free-will offerings such as the people were accustomed to offer of their owne accord for the Law did not command the act of these offerings but when they were freely offered then the Law prescribed the matter and manner of their offering Of this sort were those sacrifices which were called Peace-offerings whereof wee may reade in the three first chapters of Leviticus These were offered either to procure the favour of God and as it were to obliege him with a present or to testifie their mindfull and thankfull hearts for some benefit received Yet sometime the word Gifts are taken more largely for all sorts of sacrifices and then it includes the sin-offerings For Christ under the name of gifts seemes to comprise all things that were laid upon the Altar and offered unto God Mat. 23.18 Sacrifices for sins were living creatures which by prescript of the Law were offered to God to take away the guilt of sinne whereof we may reade Levit. 4. and elsewhere The words for sins may be so taken as to be construed onely with the sacrifices immediately fore-mentioned Yet there is no incongruity if we referre them also to the remoter word of gifts For although sins might be expiated and their guilt taken away without such gifts for otherwise they had not beene truly gifts but debts Yet there can be nothing said to the contrary but that besides the sacrifices ordained of God for the expiation of sins there might be offered for sins also voluntary gifts and free-will offerings For hence we reade that expiation of sinne was attributed to the Holocaust which was reckoned among the peace offerings Levit. 1.4 And hereto David had respect when speaking of the expiation of his sin he said he would have given Holocausts or whole burnt offerings if they had beene any thing availeable to expiates such sins Psal 51.16 This therefore is the chiefe property of a high Priest to negotiate the cause of men with God especially of such men as had sinned and to provide that God might be propitiated and pacified not left angry and offended And this is the second property required in an high Priest 2. Who can have compassion on the ignorant This is the third requisite A compassionate man as some Interpreters note is he that carrieth himselfe humanely moderately and gently Therefore he hath compassion on the ignorant who beares himselfe gently towards them not despising nor disdaining them for their falls but doth friendly and courteously raise them not unmindfull of his owne frailty The Ignorant are they who sin through ignorance and ignorance as it is vulgarly distinguished is either of the Law or of the fact and this latter is
had first a power to enter it and was thereto invited Seeing therefore that in these words of the holy Ghost the people are admonished to avoid that punishment it is consonant to reason that a day or time of entrance should be limited to them that we at this day might do what anciently our fathers would not But that this Psalme pertaineth also to the times of the Messias this is an argument That it clearly appears there is a respect therein to some solemn and seltivall time wherein the people were accustomed to assemble in the temple of God and employ themselves about his worship for this is plaine from the words of the people cohorting one another to praise God and from the word to day which the holy Ghost useth All which seeme not to note out some common day but some notable day deputed for the worship and service of God especially for the hearing of his word or voice such as were the festivall and solemne dayes But what day is more solemne what time more festivall what greater celebrity and concourse of people then that which in the times of the Messias was to be and was of all expected From these considerations therefore it may well be collected That by those words of the holy Ghost in a mysticall sence the people are warned to open a ready eare to the voyce of God who in his due time will call and invite them to his true and heavenly rest by the Messias which their forefathers would not doe when they heard Gods voyce promising them the earthly rest by Moses In the literall sence this Psalme pertained to the Israelites who lived before the times of Christ wherein they were admonished that upon the day when they were to heare the Law of God they should be obedient unto him lest following the disobedience of their forefathers they should be debarred from Gods rest or otherwise punished and plagued of God But who sees not that this sence wherein the sinne and punishment are made of one kinde doth better square with it then that wherein both of them are made of a diverse kinde Aster the Author had shewed that God had limited another day for entrance into his rest lest any man should take this day to be that day wherein God granted the children of those fathers a power to enter into the land of Canaan by the conduct of Joshua therefore the Author inserts these words Saying in David To day after so long a time He saith the holy Ghost limiteth this day in David i. speaking it by David After so long a time namely wherein God had debarred those fathers from enterance by reason of their unbelief and admitted their children to it To day if ye will heare his voice harden not your hearts Whence it appeares that here is not appointed a day for enterance into the land of Canaan neither is thae enterance here aymed at For David lived many ages after the enterance of the Israelites into the land of Canaan yea in the time of his reigne the Israelites did most entirely possesse it and flourish in it Seeing therefore the day of entering into Gods rest cannot be understood of the earthly rest which the people obtained by Joshua therefore there must needs be another rest besides that earthly rest which yet remaines to the people of God and a rest of far greater perfection 8. For if Iesus had given them rest then would he not afterward have spoken of another day Joshua is called Jesus by the 70. Interpreters and by other Greeke writers for both those names signifie the same thing namely Saviour and they differ onely in dialect Had given them rest Joshua did give them possession in the land of Cannan and thereby rest yet not that perfect rest that was yet remaining for Gods people He would not afterward have spoken of another day If Joshua had given them a perfect rest beyond which there was none further to be expected then certainly the holy Ghost after the people once entered and seated there would not have spoken of another day wherein the people must enter into his rest 9. There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God From the former passages he concludes that there remaines for the people of God another rest after the rest obtained in Canaan for the happy state of Gods people doth not stay at that earthly rest This rest hee calls not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as by the word he used hitherto but hee calls it a Sabbatisme thereby to make us understand that he had respect to the seventh dayes rest wherein God himself rested and commanded the Israelites to rest in memory of it and was therefore distinguished by the name of Sabbath which signifies rest also and also further to the teach us what kinde of rest remaineth to the people of God namely a Sabbaticall rest i. a rest like to that wherewith God himselfe rested whereof the festivall Sabbath of the seventh day is a most slender shadow for therein the Israelites rested from their cares and labours after and during their earthly rest given them by Joshua 10. For he that is entered into his rest By these words hee proves that there remaines to us a Sabbatisme i. such a rest as is denominated from the seventh dayes rest in Commemoration and Representation whereof the perpetuall observation of the weekly rest was commanded But this rest consisteth in a cessation from all works as God also ceased from his workes This he proves from this reason because we must enter into Gods rest as appeares by the words of the Psalme But to enter into Gods rest what is it else but to rest after the same manner that God rested and kept the Sabbath He also hath rested from his own works as God did from his Hath rested is an Hebraisme for doth rest for the Hebrews many times put the tense praeter for the future When Joshua had given the Israelites an earthly rest in the land of Canaan they thereby had quiet possession and rested from their enemies and they had a Sabbath also to rest from their labours but their Sabbath was not continuall and daily but weekly onely upon the seventh day of it for the first six dayes of the week they rested not but followed their labours so their Sabbatisme was not a totall and finall rest from labours but their labours were to returne upon them after one dayes rest in a weeke But the Sabbatisme that is after the image of Gods rest is a totall and finall rest from all labours never to be wearied with labour or work any more but is an eternall festivall that shall never expire For these words may be construed with the word remaineth in the former verse thus Therefore I affirm that there yet remaineth a rest to the people of God because the Israelites did not so rest from their workes as never to be exercised with more labours afterward But he that hath entered
faith of it unto us And the Scriptures make faith unto us of the Creation not only for the act of it that such a worke was done but for the manner how it was done as Moses describes it even by the word and sole command of God and for the matter whereof it was made in that the things seene were made of things not seene That the worlds were framed Worlds for world the number plurall for the singular by a Grecisme where originally it is ages putting the adjuncts of the world for the subject By the word of God by the only fiat or command of God God used no other instrument for the framing of the world besides his bare word For God only said the word Let there be light and there was light Gen. 1.3 And by the word of the Lord even by the breath of his mouth were the heavens made and all the host of them Psal 33.6 And as the heavens so also the earth was framed and setled by his word For he spake and it was done he commanded and it stood fast Psal 33.9 So that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear The particle not seems to be transposed for it should affect the word appeare because the minde and sense of this clause is not negative but affirmative thus So that things which are seen were made of things which doe not appeare though for the matter it come all to one because a terme finite denyed of any subject is all one with the same terme infinited and affirmed yet this latter expression leaves in our mindes a cleare apprehension of the matter The Author seems as his manner is to follow and reflect upon the Greek Translation of the Old Testament wherein at the beginning of Genesis it is said that the Earth was invisible for that which we from the Hebrew translate that the Earth was without forme and void And the Author made choice rather to say things not appearing then things invisible when he would shew us the prime materialls whereof the world was made For that is properly invisible which naturally cannot be perceived by the sight and that is rightly tearmed not appearing which though it be naturally visible yet really it appears not especially then when it lyes hidden and covered with thicke darknesse Although in this place the word not-appearing seems to have yet a more ample sense and to comprise that want of forme and force noted by the Hebrew words for which the Greek Translation reads invisible Wherefore by things not appearing is meant that chaos or elements of the world which at the beginning were confused because partly that chaos wanted forme shape and outward beauty in regard the severall parts of it were not yet digested and disposed into that elegant order figure and proportion which afterward was given it by the Creation and therefore the Scripture saith it was without forme and partly because it wanted vertue and force to produce those creatures and adorne it selfe that afterward God by the Creation gave it power to produce but to any such purpose it was wholly feeble and barren and therefore the Scripture saith it was void and partly againe because it wanted light to manifest and make it visible to the sight that it might be seene for though in it selfe it were visible and appearable yet actually it appeared not and therefore the Scripture saith that darkenesse was upon the face of it Wherefore when God entered upon the worke of the world the first perfect creature that he made was the light and that being finished he framed all the other parts of the world in a most beautifull order And this chaos is in the Scripture called the Deepe because it was vast both for quantity and quality for it wanted the three beautifull qualities of forme force and light which afterward were induced into it Yet sometimes the Scriptures expresse it by names Synecdochicall which signifie onely a part of it calling it sometime the heaven sometime the earth and sometime the waters because it was a Deepe or chaos composed and confused of all these together or at least of those materials whereof all these were afterward produced and created as in the same tub of milke there lye confused together those three materials from which are afterward produced the distinct white meates of butter cheese and whey Hereby the Author plainely declares and it sufficiently also appeares from the history of the Creation described by Moses that God when he began the Creation or frame of the world as it is delivered in the beginning of Genesis did not produce it meerely from nothing but from that Chaos or Deepe which positively was confused of the three materials whereof afterward was made the three elements of heaven earth and water and privitively wanted the three qualities of forme force and light And this opinion was anciently received among the people of God as it appeares by the Author of the booke of Wisdome chap. 11.17 where speaking to God he saith For thy almighty hand that made the world of matter without forme for so it is in the Greek and the vulgar Latin hath it of matter unseene But of the creation of this matter there is no mention made in the Scriptures for to the holy Ghost it seemed good to conceale it By things which are seene are here meant all those creatures which we see in this world as this beautifull order and posture of all things whereby those things which before were confused and blended together are now digested into their severall ranks and places for the use and benefit of man and beast and all the rest of the Creatures both animate and inanimate both in heaven earth and waters were produced by the word or command of God For in these words of the Author is signified not onely that change whereby things not appearing became appearing by vertue of that light which God made and made to shine upon them which change God made first of all by his creation of light but also that change whereby the things which now appeare were made of things not-appearing as from the informed matter of the Chaos or Deepe which wanting forme force and light was so rude so weake and so darke that from it selfe of it selfe nothing would ever have beene produced but by the accesse of Gods almighty power 4. By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice then Cain Now he begins to reckon up speciall and particular examples of persons endued with faith and withall he declares both what they performed by vertue of their faith and also what blessings they obtained from God by it that by so many illustrious examples he might winne the Hebrewes to an imitation of those persons First of all he mentions Abel as a person neerely approaching to the beginning of the world He mentions not our first Parents either because concerning them there is nothing read memorable in the Canonicall books of
Because thereby we make our selves adversaries to God and so liable to his judgement and indignation 27. 3. Because thereby we tread under foot the Sonne of God we count the bloud of the Covenant an unholy thing and doe despite to the Spirit of grace 2. 4. Because if he that despised Moses Law dyed without mercy much more shall he be punished that despiseth the new Covenant 28. 29. 5. Because the Lord reserves vengeance for such and to fall into his hand is a fearfull thing 30. 31. 8. Comfort The Hebrews needed not feare falling away and sinning wilfully Motive 1. Because after they were illuminated they endured a great conflict of afflictions ver 32. 2. Because they did accompany and confort themselves with such as suffered for the Gospel 3. Because they had compassion on this Author in his bonds 4. Because they had taken the spoyling of their goods joyfully 5. Because there was a great recompence of reward remaining to them 9. Duty We must not cast away our confidence in Christ ver 35. Motive 1. Because it hath great recompence of reward ibid. 2. Because we have need of patience that after we have done the will of God we might receive the promise 3. Because Christ will not tarry long before he come 4. Because the Just shall live by faith to the saving of the soule 5. Because drawing back tends to perdition CHAPTER XI 1. NOw faith is the substance of things hoped The Author having in the former Chapter spoken of faith doth thence take occasion to make a digression in this Chapter for a further explication of the nature of faith whereof hee collecteth and produceth many examples in divers holy persons that the Hebrews incited by their examples might addresse themselves for imitation of them and finally relying on Gods promises might not decline any conflict either of piety or patience These words are not a definition of Faith whereby faith is defined as those words afterward Chap. 12.29 where God is said to be a consuming fire are not the definition of God For faith is a thing indefinite and cannot be defined or if it were definable yet these words that it is the substance of things hoped are far too narrow to lay out the true boundaries of Faith Neither are these words an attribute of faith for they are not consequent to follow upon it but quite contrary Faith is an attribute or consequent to them For they are a notion an element or an argument of faith whereby faith may be notified or made knowne and whereby it may be demonstrated or proved to be in such or such a subject or in such a person For though the vulgar affirmation be according to the Author that Faith is the substance of things hoped yet the true naturall and rationall affirmation runnes thus Now the substance of things hoped is faith For the scope of the Author is to produce many persons whom he would declare and demonstrate to have been faithfull and for that purpose he layes out two notions or principles of faith whereby he would inferre and conclude the affection of faith to bee in such or such a subject the first whereof is this That every substance of things hoped is faith as if he had said where things hoped are subsistent there is faith where things to come are present there is faith Now things hoped and things to come are not actually subsistent and present but when the soule apprehends things hoped and to come as certainly as if they were already subsistent and present then that soule beleeves and is endued with faith And this principle or argument of faith is taken from a partiall object of faith which is of some good to come because hope ariseth only from such an object The evidence of things not seen This is the other principle or notion or argument of faith whereto faith is alwayes consequent For where there is an evidence of things inevident or a sight of things unseen there is faith And for evidence some Translations render it argument because where there is an argument perswading a man for things not seen there is faith And this principle of faith is taken from the totall object of faith which is alwayes of things not seen or absent whether it be for distance of place or of time either past or to come And therefore this principle must needs be more large then the former and more serviceable to inferre the affection of faith to be demonstrable of more persons as the proper subjects of it 2. For by it the elders obtained a good report The two former principles or notions that argue and inferre faith had also a further end which is to shew the excellency of faith which here he confirmes by the effect which faith wrought unto the Elders their forefathers For to them their faith brought this benefit that by it they obtained a good report The originall is by it they had a testimony which is well translated a good report for so the word doth frequently signifie though it stand single and alone without any other attribute joyned to it see Act. 6.3 and Act. 10.22 and Act. 16.2 and Act. 22.12 This testimony or good report the Elders obtained from the Scripture or of God by the relation of Scripture which hath left it upon holy record how graciously God dealt with those elders by reason of their faith how greatly he favoured them for it and commended their piety issuing from it The elders i. Their progenitours and ancestours whom the Scripture mentions to have lived from the beginning of the world downe to that age wherein this Author lived 3. By faith we understand Hee begins here to shew the efficacie and vertue of faith by certaine examples or instances which hee demonstrates from the latter principle or argument of faith in that every evidence or sight of things unseen is faith For all men that ever had or ever shall have faith in God doe thereby understand that God framed the world by his word and because we understand this by an evidence or sight of things unseen therefore we understand it by faith We understand i. We perceive and know for certaine and the argument or mean whereby we know this is our faith and the argument or mean whereby our faith attaines this knowledge is our evidence or sight of things unseen for by the things which are now seen wee have a sight of those things which we never saw because they were done long before our times Though it may be evinced by strong arguments that the world was created yet neither those arguments and the framing of them are obvious to all men neither are they such but that a perverse spirit will oppose against them because we saw not the work of the Creation but by the Scriptures we have an evidence or sight of that Creation which to us was unseen and therefore we beleeve it for our evidence or sight of it in the Scriptures makes