of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law: death has its wounding power from sin, and sin has its condemning power from the law. 2. Christ has assured believers that they shall not be losers, but gainers, yea, great gainers, by death; considering the private evils freed from, and the positive good they shall rest in. 16 For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham. It may be rendered from the original thus: He catched not hold on angels, but on man he catched hold. A metaphor taken from a person that catches hold of another who is falling down some deep and dangerous precipice, to his inevitable destruction: such a good and kind office did the Son of God for us, when he suffered angels to fall headlong from that state of happiness in which they were created, into that abyss and gulph of misery into which they had plunged themselves by their voluntary transgression: the like unto which man also had done, had he not been seasonably catched by the Son of God in the arms of preventing grace and mercy. Learn, That it was not the angelical, but the human nature; it was the nature of fallen man, and not of lapsed angels, which the Son of God did vouchsafe to assume, and to take into a personal union with his Godhead. Quest. Why would not Christ take upon him the nature of angels? 1. Probably, because they were the first transgressors, and God might judge it decent that the first breach of the divine law should be punished with death, to secure obedience for the future: Or, 2. Because the angels sinned without a tempter, they had no superior rank of creatures already fallen, as man had, to seduce and draw them from their obedience to their Creator's will; Or, 3. Because the angels sinned against more clear and convictive light and knowledge: there was nothing of weakness, deceit, or ignorance, to lessen the malignity of their sin; they did not sin by mispersuasion, but of purposed malice. But, after all, the reason why Christ took not hold on angels, but on man, the seed of Abraham, must be ultimately resolved into the sovereignty of God's will, who will be merciful to whom he will be merciful. Lord! why mercy, thy milder attribute, should be exercised towards man, and justice, thy severer attribute, be executed upon angels; why vessels of clay be chosen, and vessels of gold rejected, must be resolved into that love which passeth knowledge; and we shall never fully understand the riches of this discriminating grace, until thy dear Son shall appear at the great day, as their judge and our justifier. Then shall we feel the comfort of these words, That Christ took not upon him the nature of angels, but the seed of Abraham. 17 Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high-priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people : 18 For in that he himself hath suffered, being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted. In these two verses our apostle illustrates what he had taught before, and confirms his foregoing proposition concerning Christ's participating of flesh and blood, and acquaints us here with one special end of it, namely, to be such an High-priest as our exigencies and necessities did require: for we being persons obnoxious to temptations and sufferings of all sorts, the wisdom of God, and the nature of the thing, required it, that Christ, our great High-priest, should in a special manner be able to relieve and help us : in order to this, Observe, 1. How our apostle reports and re-asserts, that Christ was in all things, or every manner of way, made like unto his brethren; that is, he assumed the human nature, with all its essential properties, subjected to temptations and sufferings, but not to sin, for that would have been so far from conducing to the end aimed at, that it would have been utterly destructive of it. Had he been himself a sinner, he could never have satisfied the justice of God for our sins. Observe, 2. The general end of Christ's conformity to his brethren; namely, That he might be a merciful and faithful high-priest. That he might be our priest, it was necessary that he should partake of our nature; for every high-priest for men must be taken from among men; this is not work for an angel, nor for God himself as such: and that he might be our merciful and faithful high-priest, he was subject to sufferings and temptations. With great condolency and tender sympathy doth he exercise acts of mercy and compassion towards the human nature; and thus was he merciful, and with great condescension and care doth he take notice of all the concernments of his brethren under wants and sorrows, under all their temptations and suffer ings and thus is he our faithful as well as merciful High-priest. Learn hence, That such was the unspeakable love of Christ towards his brethren, that he would refuse no condition of life, neither sufferings nor temptations, to fit him for the discharge of his office, which he had undertaken for them. Christ suffered, and was tempted, that he might succour them that are tempted he suffered under all his temptations, but sinned in none; he suffered being tempted, but sinned not being tempted. Observe, 3. The special design and end of Christ's being our great High-priest: namely, To make reconciliation for the sins of the people. From whence learn, That the principal work of our Lord Jesus Christ, as our great High-priest, and from which all other actings of his in that office do flow, was to make reconciliation or atonement for sin; his intercession in heaven is founded on earth. The Socini ans therefore, who deny the satisfaction of Christ, and his dying, as a propitiation or propitiatory sacrifice for sin, take from us our hopes and happiness; from Christ his office and honour; from God, his grace and glory; they do indeed allow of a reconciliation in words, but it is of men to God, and not of God to men. They plead the expediency of our being reconciled to God by faith and obedience, but deny the necessity of God's being reconciled to us by sacrifice, satisfaction, and atonement; so resolved are these men to be as little as may be beholden to Jesus Christ, that rather than grant that he has made any reconciliation for us by his blood, they deny that there was any need of such a reconciliation at all, never considering the inflexibility of God's justice, nor the impartiality of his indignation against sin. Oh! the depths of Satan! and oh! the stupidity and blindness of those men that are taken captive by him at his pleasure! CHAP. III. Our apostle having in the foregoing chapters asserted the doctrine of our Saviour's priesthood, according to his constant method, he comes in this chapter to make application of that doctrine which he had declared and confirmed, that seeing Christ was so highly dignified and exalted, being the Apostle and High-priest of our profession, we should diligently consider him, both what he is in himself, and what he is to us; this teaches us, that all the doctrines of the gos pel, especially those concerning the person and of fices of Jesus Christ, ought to be improved by us unto practice and obedience. ing, consider the apostle and highpriest of our profession, Christ Je sus; he These words are an exhortation to the believing Hebrews, to consider and ponder in their hearts the high dignity and excellency of Christ, as the great prophet and apostle of his church; and in them, Observe, 1. The title given to the Hebrews, unto whom the exhortation is directed; styles them, 1. Holy brethren, so they were all by external profession, and many of them, no doubt, by internal sanctification. Learn hence, That all the professors of the gospel are obliged to be holy, and such as are real professors of it, are sanctified by the Holy Ghost, and made truly and really holy. 2. Partakers of the heavenly calling; that is, of that calling from heaven which makes you heirs of heaven: implying, that the only way to attain the saving knowledge of Christ in the gospel, is by means of an effectual heavenly calling. Observe, 2. The duty exhorted to, and that is, diligent consideration. Consider Christ Jesus; that is, rationally attend unto, and with great intention of mind ponder upon, the undertaking of the Son of God: for if you consider him in his person and offices, you will firmly adhere to him and his most holy and excellent religion, without entanglements unto Judaism. Learn thence, That the spiritual and deep mysteries of the gospel, especially those which concern the person and offices of our Lord Jesus Christ, do require our deep and diligent, our most attentive and serious consideration. Observe, 3. The title given to Jesus Christ, the object of this consideration: he is styled the Apostle and High-priest of our prefession; that is, the first and chief apostle sent of God to be the prime preacher of the gospel, the first legate sent from heaven, and the great High-priest that mediates between God and man. Here note, That the function of an apostle and high-priest were the greatest functions that ever God instituted in his church; none greater than an high-priest under the law, none greater than an apostle under the gospel, both of them never conjoined in one man but here. Learn hence, That the Lord Jesus Christ is all in all unto his church, the king, priest, prophet, and apostle, of it, all in one: Consider the Apostle and High-priest of our WHEREFORE, holy brethren, profession, &c. partakers of the heavenly call 2 Who was faithful to him that appointed him, as also Moses was faithful in all his house. Christ and Moses, and showed in general wherein they were alike and did agree; he Christ, and to show in sundry signal inproceeds now to evince the preference of stances his exaltation above Moses; This worthy of more glory than Moses, &c. man, meaning the Messiah, was counted As if he had said, "Christ is as much more honourable than Moses, as the maker and master of the house is more honourable than the house: he that buildeth the house hath more honour than the house; but Christ built the house, and Moses was only Christ ought to have more honour than of the house, or a part of it; therefore Moses: for all families or houses are foundchurch, is the same that made all things, ed by some man; but he that built the namely, God." Another proposition proving the same conclusion, we have in the his own house, is of more honour than a next verses thus, "He that is a son over Because the Jews had generally too high an opinion of Moses, our apostle here enters upon a comparison between Christ and Moses, thus," As Moses was faithful, so was Christ in declaring the will, the whole will, of God unto his church. Was Moses universally faithful, faithful in all his house; so did the faithfulness of Christ extend itself to all the church. Did Moses do every thing according to the institution and appointment of God; so was Christ faithful to him that appointed him, doing all that in and for the church which God had commanded him, and nothing else." Learn hence, That the worship of God in his household and family, the church, is, for the substance of it, no less perfectly and completely ordered and ordained by our Lord Jesus Christ, now under the gospel, than it was by Moses of old under the law; I servant in the house of another. But Christ say, as to the substance of it, not as to is a son over his own house; Moses was every particular circumstance. As, for example, the manner of celebrating the pass- therefore more honour is due to Christ only a servant in the house of another; over in every minute circumstance of it is set down by Moses, how it must be killed, and than is payable to Moses." Learn hence, 1. That the church is God's house, a how eaten; but Christ has not set down building of God, a sacred building, his so for the sacrament: a general command special temple, the place of his constant and we have to do this in remembrance of him; fixed residence. Learn, 2. That the buildbut neither the time when, nor place where, ing of the church is so great and glorious a nor gesture in which, is particularly and work, as that it could not be effected by expressly mentioned. The gospel, which teaches us a more spiritual way of serving God: such is the wisdom of its contrivance, any but him who was truly and really God, is not so particular in the circumstan- that none but God could build it, and such tials of worship as the law was; and yet omnipotent power was required in the buildChrist was faithful to him that appointing of it, that we may admire its excellency, ed him, as Moses was faithful in all his house. 3 For this man was counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as he who hath builded the house hath more honour than the house. 4 For every house is builded by some man, but he that built all things is God. 5 And Moses verily was faithful in all his house, as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after; 6 But Christ as a Son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end. Our apostle having, in the preceding verses, entered upon a comparison between but cannot comprehend it. Learn, 3. That Christ, the builder of this church, the house of God, is worthy of all glory and honour, upon the account of that his building: he had indeed an essential glory from all eternity, the same with that of God the Fa ther, which was clouded for a season by his taking upon himself the form of a ser vant but there is a farther honour and glory, which he received in his exaltation as head of the church, and as Lord and heir of the whole creation, which renders him the object of religious adoration. Learn, 4. That although every one that is employed as an instrument in building the house of God, and is faithful in his work and trust, the honour of all such instruments put togeis with Moses worthy of great honour; yet ther, is inferior and subordinate to the glory and honour of Jesus Christ, the chief builder of the church. -Whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end. The apostle having thus confirmed his argument, returns (according to his usual manner) to make application of it unto the Hebrews, and improves it for enforcement of his exhortation unto constancy and perseverance. Whose house are we: that is, believers who worship him according to the gospel are so, upon this condition, that we hold fast our confidence; that is, the confident profession of our christian faith, and the joy and glorying in our hopes of the promised blessedness, unto the end. Learn hence, That as it is an eminent privilege to be of the house of Christ, or a part of that house, so the greatness of the privilege requires an answerable duty because we are the house of God, it becomes us to hold fast our confidence unto the end. Learn, 2. That as at all times, so especially in a time of trial and persecution, constancy in our christian profession is, and will be, a good evidence, both to ourselves and others, that we are living stones in the house of God: His house are we, if we hold fast our confidence unto the end. : 7 Wherefore, (as the Holy Ghost saith, To-day, if ye will hear his voice, 8 Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness; 9 When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years. 10 Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in their heart and they have not known my ways. 11 So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.) The apostle having proved our Lord Jesus Christ to be the great prophet and teacher of his church, doth in these words draw an inference from the foregoing conclusion, namely, That secing Christ is the chief apostle and prophet of his church, seeing he was a teacher sent of God to instruct the world in the practice of their reasonable duty, that therefore it is our obliged duty to hearken to Christ's voice, and now to comply with his call, and that presently: Wherefore, as the Holy Ghost saith, To-day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts. Observe here, 1. The person spoken of, and that is Christ; His voice, that is, the voice of Christ our great apostle, speaking in his gospel. Observe, 2. A duty required of us in reference to his person, and that is, to hear and obey Christ's voice. Observe, 3. The circumstance of time, and the special season, when this duty of hearing Christ's voice is to be performed, and that is presently; To-day if ye will hear his voice. Observe, 4. A cautionary direction given to all those that sit under the dispensation of the gospel, and hear Christ's voice speaking to them therein, namely, To take heed that they harden not their hearts. Learn hence, 1. That the voice which speaks unto us in and by the gospel, is Christ's voice. Learn, 2. That it is the great duty of all those that sit under the preaching of the gospel, to hear and obey Christ's voice. Learn, 3. That it is not only their duty to hear Christ's voice, and answer his call in the gospel, but to do it now, to do it presently, and without delay: To-day if ye will hear his voice. Learn, 4. That it is the duty, and ought to be the special care, of all those that sit under the dispensation of the gospel, and that hear Christ's voice speaking to them therein, to take heed that they harden not their hearts. Observe, lastly, From our apostle's drawing an instance out of the Old Testament, namely, that of the Jews in the wilderness, to instruct the Hebrews to make use of their present season for hearing the voice of Christ under the New Testament: We learn, That Old-Testament examples are New-Testament instructions. The exam ples of our forefathers are of use and concernment to us, and ought to be objects of our deepest consideration: Your fathers tempted me, and I was grieved with that generation. 12 Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. The apostle having propounded the example of the Israelites in the foregoing verses, to the consideration of the Hebrews, here he advises them to take care that they do not imitate the old Israelites in their unbelief, which will endanger our revolt from God now, as it did theirs then: Take heed lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief. Where note, The nature of sin in general, and of unbelief in particular, declared: it is a departure from God, from the living God; the root of all apostasy is cursed infidelity; unbelief sets all the corrupt lusts and affections of the heart at liberty, to act according to their own perverse nature and inclination; for it makes the soul negligent, careless, and slothful in opposing sin. Note farther, That there is need of great care and heedfulness, of circumspection and watchfulness, lest at any time, or by any means, there should be found in us an evil heart of unbelief, to occasion our backsliding from Christ, and the profession of our faith in him: Take heed lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, &c. 13 But exhort one another daily, while it is called To-day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. That is, Hereby we shall declare ourselves to be made partakers of Christ and his saving benefits, if we persevere in the faith of the gospel, of which we have begun to make a profession; intimating, That such christians as do renounce the profession of christianity, either through fear or flattery, were never made partakers of Christ, nor savingly united to him: no better evidence of our interest in Christ, than what perseverance gives. 15 While it is said, To-day, if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation. 16 For some, when they had heard, did provoke: howbeit not all that came out of Egypt by Moses. The intention of our apostle, in these and the following verses, is to confirm his preceding exhortation, to hearken unto the voice of Christ, speaking in and by the gospel; and this he does by propounding the example of the Israelites, who came forth out of Egypt under the conduc. of Moses, and heard the voice of God in the wilderness they all came out of Egypt under the conduct of Moses, and heard the voice of God in the wilderness; howbeit all did not provoke, but only some. Note here, 1. How the apostle again repeateth over the words of the Psalmist, which he had mentioned be fore, v. 7, 8. To-day, if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts. From whence we may learn, that the repetition, yea, frequent repetition, of matters of mo These words afford us a special remedy against the fore-mentioned evil of apostasy, and that is, mutual exhortation to constancy of religion: Exhort one another, ministers the people, and the people their ministers, and themselves mutually. Learn hence, That sedulous and mutual exhortation is a special means to preserve christians from the sin and danger of apostasy from Christ and his holy religion: Exhort one another daily. Observe next, How this duty is amplified by the properties of it, it must be frequent: Exhort one another daily; and seasonably, whilst it is called To-day. We have but an uncertain season for the due performancement, is very useful and necessary: we can of most certain duties; how long it will be called To-day we know not: the day of life is uncertain, and so is the day of the gospel; a summer's day for clearness, a winter's day for shortness; our working day is a wasting day. Observe, lastly, the great peril and danger which attend the neglecters, and neglecting of this duty, Lest any of you le hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. Learn hence, That sin is very full of deceit, or exceedingly deceitful. 2. That the deceit which is in sin, and inseparable from it, tends exceedingly to the hardening of the sinner. There are three eminent evils in sin: pollution, by which it defiles; base. ness, by which it dishonours; deceitfulness, by which it deludes us with a false expectation of what it is never able to perform. 14 For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end; VOL. II. never hear that too often, which we can never learn too well. Note farther, The privilege which the Israelites of old enjoyed in the wilderness, and which we now enjoy under the gospel; both theirs and ours is this, To hear the voice of God. This is a very great privilege, but privileges are as men use them; in themselves they are very valuable, but unto us they are no more than as they are prized and improved by us. Many, yea, most of them to whom Christ himself preached, finally perished; they got nothing by hearing his doctrine, through their unbelief, but an aggravation of their sins, and hastening of their ruin. Christ himself, in his whole ministry, was a stone of stumbling and a rock of offence to both the houses of Israel. Let not his ministers then be discouraged at the smallshall be a sweet savour unto God, as well in ness of their own success, knowing that they then that perish, as in them that are saved. 2 Q |