And how can we escape in neglecting Him? 113 Heb. fuse not him that ye reject not him that speaketh to you, with these SECT. speaketh. For if they circumstances of endearment as well as solem- xx. escaped not who refused him that spake nity for if they escaped not capital punishon earth, much more ment, who rejected him that, by Divine inspira- xii. 25 shall not we escape if tion, gave forth oracles on earth," how much we turn away from him that speaketh more [shall] we [not be able to escape] if we turn from heaven. away from him [that speaketh to us] from his throne in the heavens? If all indignities done to Moses, a mortal man, when speaking by Divine authority, were so severely avenged; how much more those offered to the Lord Jesus, who condescended to come down from heaven, and lay aside the glories in which he there dwelt, to undertake the office of our Lawgiver, and our Mediator? 26 Whose voice And indeed the Lord Jesus Christ, by 26 then shook the earth: whom God has now spoken to us, is the Perbut now he hath promised, saying, Yet son that presided in that great solemnity of once more I shake giving the law, to which we have been refernot the earth only, ring. It was he, whose voice then shook the but also heaven. earth, and whose spirit inspired the prophets; but now he hath promised, saying by one of them, (Hag. ii. 6,) Behold, yet once more I make so thorough a reformation, that I may be said to shake not the earth only, but also the heaven.° For it is in such language that he hath chosen to represent the change of the 27 And this word, Mosaic economy for that of the gospel. And 27 Yet once more, sig- it is evident, that this [expression] yet once more, or for the last time, not only signifies the God, since it is said, that his voice shook the earth, verse 26. Him that gave forth oracles on earth.] This is generally expounded of Moses. Mr. Peirce refers it to God; since it is • Shake not the earth only, but also the said, his voice there shook the earth, which heaven.] This shaking must refer to the he saith, must be the voice of God. And alterations made in the constitution of religthe argument of the apostle, according to ion, and be considered not as introduchim, is taken from the different manne. tory to, but consequent upon, the coming of speaking; his speaking on earth be- of the Messiah. Many think this refers ing accompanied with earthly signs, &c. to the new heavens and earth, or the state whereas his speaking from heaven means of glory to be at length introduced. speaking by Christ, coming down from Grotius explains it of the extraordinary beaven, and declaring heavenly things, phænomena in the heavens, and on the (John iii 12, 31, 32; 1 Pet. i. 12,) more earth, at the birth, death, and resurrection glorious than the law (2 Cor. iii 6 of Christ, and mission of the Spirit, as in IL) But it may be objected, that God part an accomplishment of this prophesy. spoke to them from heaven, when he gave But there would be great room to debate, the law at mount Sinai, and that the how far these were more extraordinary, words, whose voice, may refer to the latter than the commotions on giving the clause, Him that speaketh from heaven. Mosaic law. I therefore chose to adYet even on this supposition, he that here to the other, as the most probable speaketh from heaven, must, I think, be interpretation. 114 Heb. cannot be shaken may remain. 28 Wherefore we By whom we receive a kingdom which can never be moved. SECT. removal and change of the things there said to nifieth the removing XX. be shaken, that is, of the ordinances of Moses, of those things that are shaken, as of as of things which were made and constituted things that are made, xii. 27 only for a time; but also strongly intimates, that those things that he would introduce thereby a dispensation which to be changed no more, that the things, not be shaken any more, might be set up, and remain fixed on a perpetual basis; even that eternal kingdom of righteousness and peace, which God hath established by Christ Jesus his Son. 28 As therefore we have received such an unshaken kingdom, which shall never be removed to receiving a kingdom, which cannot make way different establishment, and be moved, let us for any which gives us the assurance of a reign in have grace, whereeternal glory, let us see to it, that we have grace by we may serve God acceptably, with whereby we may serve God, from whom we rereverence and godly ceive it, in an acceptable manner. As that grace fear: is so freely offered to us, let us not be so wanting to ourselves as to fall short of it. And while we feel our hearts inspired with all that gratitude and confidence, which suits the genius of so merciful a dispensation, let them be attempered with a becoming mixture of reverence and pious fear; that we may not, by an unworthy abuse of the gospel, deprive ourselves of its invaluable blessings, and sin be 29 yond all possibility of farther remedy. For 29 For our God is though our God manifests himself in the beams of such mild majesty, he [is] still possessed of Of the things shaken; oarevoμevær.] thority of not a single manuscript, are not The original word is very elegant and expressive; it being, as the learned Bos observes, (Exercitat. Philolog. p. 259,) a metaphor taken from ships at anchor, which though they are secured from being driven away, yet are in a fluctuating condition, and tossed up and down, within a certain compass, by the force of the wind and waves. 9 As of things made and constituted only for a time.] Bos imagines that there is in the original a mistake of the transcrib. ers, and for ως πεποιημένων, as of things which were made, he would read weron Mawr, as of things shattered and worn out, namely, by being tossed and shaken, and therefore wanting to be changed and repaired. And thus he supposes there is a continuation of the metaphor, which is mentioned in the note above. But conjectural emendations, supported by the au to be admitted without evident necessity. Mr. Peirce justly remarks, that our is frequently used for appointing or constituting, as in chap. iii. 2; Mark iii. 14, and many other places; and that musvæv being a participle of the preter perfect tense, ought not to have been translated, Things which are made, as in our English version, but Things which were, or had been made, or constituted and appointed, for a time; and I have rendered and explained it accordingly. As grace is so freely offered.] This is strongly intimated in the words of the exhortation; else there could be no room for it. And this oblique intimation, in which it is, as it were, taken for granted, that we may certainly have grace, if we take proper methods for obtaining it, appears to me peculiarly affecting. Reflections on the privileges of the gospel state. a consuming fire. 115 that tremendous power, which was so awfully sECT. displayed at mount Sinai, and will break forth xx. as a consuming fire against all those that pre- Heb, sumptuously violate his laws, and despise his xii.29 gospel. (Deut. iv. 23, 24.) IMPROVEMENT. THE glories of the eternal Jehovah are indeed inconceivable, verse and immutable. Still he is possessed of all that awful majesty which he displayed on mount Sinai, and able in a moment, as a devouring fire, to consume the transgressors of his law. But 29 though he kindly reminds us of this dreadful scene, he does not limit and confine our views to it: he appears to us, not on that mountain which was involved in blackness, and darkness, in tem- 18 pest, and fire: but calls us to the milder glories of mount Sion. Yet even there might our consciousness of guilt cause us to fear. 22 How should we appear in the city of the living God, or presume to mingle ourselves with the general assembly and church of the first born? How should we hope for a place among myriads of 23 angels, and the perfected spirits of the just, in the presence of God, the Judge of all, if it were not for the refuge and support, 24 which we find in Jesus, the Mediator of the new covenant, and in the blood of sprinkling, which speaketh better things than the blood of Abel? But being thus encouraged, let us draw near with 26 humble boldness, though with reverence and godly fear; while we hear the voice that once shook the earth, speaking to us in ac- 28 cents of love, and promising a kingdom that cannot be moved. That kingdom do we in some degree receive now, and we hope for the full possession hereafter. It shall indeed be obtained, if we learn so to value it, as in the expectation of it, to serve God acceptably, in the improvement of that grace, which awaits us, to make us equal to his service: only let us see to it, that we do not, by our own criminal negligence, fail of that grace: that we do not profanely and foolishly follow the example of that wretched 15 Esau, who stands recorded with so much infamy, as having for one sorry meal sold his birthright, with all his sacred privileges. 16 How many sons of Abraham, having followed him, have found, as he did, the impossibility of retrieving so fatal a bargain; found, as he did, that there was no place for repentance, though 17 they may have sought it carefully with tears; with an anguish of heart, which none can conceive, but they who know what final and everlasting despair means! May God preserve all his churches from such roots of bitterness, as, alas! have too often 15 sprung up among them! And since there is so much danger, that many may be defiled by them, let those that have a real concern 116 XX. The apostle exhorts them to brotherly love. SECT. for their honour and safety, be looking round, with a proper soxx licitude, to guard against the first appearance of what may be se fatal to their honour, their purity, and their peace. SECT. xxi. Heb. xiii. 1 SECT. XXI. The apostle exhorts Christians to brotherly love, purity, compas- I HEBREWS XIII. 1. HEBREWS XIII, 1. ET brotherly love continue. SHALL conclude my present address to you, with some practical exhortations. And one of the most comprehensive and important I can give you, is this: Let brotherly love always continue a among you. And remember not only the common obligations of benevolence, by which all human creatures are connected with each other, but those peculiar engagements, which the Christian profession lays you under to study the good of those, who by faith in the gospel are all the children of one Father, and heirs of one glorious inheritance. 2 This should certainly engage you to relieve 2 Be not forgetful and accommodate such as are in necessity, and to entertain stranespecially your Christian brethren, in their gers for thereby travels from place to place, often undertaken ed angels unawares. for the service of their great Master. Be not, therefore, forgetful of hospitality; for some have, by the practice of it, entertained angels, as common strangers, without knowing it, and some have entertain Let brotherly love continue.] Diodate when any of the children of men relieve thinks this exhortation was peculiarly them, they repay the charity with vast adsuitable to converted Fews, as the prejudices against their Gentile brethren were in many of them so strong, that they were ready to disown them with abhorrence. Entertained angels unawares.] It is possible that from the story of Abraham and Lot, who had the honour of entertain ing angels, under the form of ordinary travellers, some tradition might reach the Indian Bramins, who tell their people, that the gods sometimes descend in the form of poor indigent persons; and that vantage. See Millar's Propagation of Christianity, Vol. II. p. 217. I can lay no stress upon Mr. Peirce's reasoning against our supposing that Christ was one of those angels, that then the apostle would have urged the argument in a stronger view, by observing that they had entertained Christ himself. (See his notes on chap. i. verse 2, and Mr. Hallet on this verse.) For the apostles were under no obligation, on all occasions, to use the strongest argument that could possibly be thought of; He recommends chastity, and condemns covetousness. 117 Heb. have found the hospitalities of many former SECT. years abundantly rewarded by one such favour- xxi. able visit. And thus you know not but they who come to you under a very mean appear- xiii. 2 ance, may be as messengers from God to you, and the instruments of bestowing some extra3 Remember them ordinary favours from him. You see many of 3 that are in bonds, as your brethren suffering for conscience sake, and and them which suf. some thrown into prison; remember them therefer adversity, as be. fore especially, who are in such bonds, as if you ing yourselves also were yourselves bound with them, [and] them in the body. bound with them; that suffer any kind of ill treatment in such a case, as being yourselves also in the same body with them, and so obliged to a tender sympathy; not now to insist on your sharing the same common infirmities of human nature with them all, which should engage you to carry your compassion to strangers, and even to enemies. 4 Marriage is hon- I know that some, who pretend to more than 4 ourable in all, and ordinary chastity, say many reproachful things the bed undefiled; of a conjugal life; but I assure you they are but whoremongers and adulterers God much to blame ; for marriage [is] to be held will judge. honourable in all, and the proper use of the marriage bed is to be esteemed as undefiled; since none can imagine, that God would make an action in itself morally evil, absolutely necessary for the support of the human race in future generations. But as for whoremongers and adulterers, who either despise or pollute it, God will undoubtedly judge them, however 5 Let your conver- they may escape human punishment. sation be without covetousness: and be [Let your] conversation [be] free from every 5 content with such degree of covetousness, and [be] contented with things as ye have; such things as ye have,d without eagerly or im and as there might perhaps be some room to debate this matter, it was great prudence to build an argument upon a principle, in which all that believe the authority of scripture, must agree. to prefer the authority of the Alexandrian and Clermont copies, which instead of de, read yap, For whoremongers and adulterers God will judge. Content with such things as ye have.] Marriage is honourable] Some critics, Phocylides makes use of the very words and (especially the popish writers, to avoid of the apostle in a precept of this kind, Apthe argument which naturally arises xurda apsiv. But what the age of that from hence against forbidding marriage to writer was, I fear it is impossible to asthe clergy) would render it, Let marriage certain. There are other passages howbe honourable in all, and let the bed be unde- ever, in his excellent moral poems, which filed. But the connection of the latter clause introduced by the particle but, is sufficient to vindicate our version, unless we should be disposed, with the Vulgate, makes it probable he was acquainted with the New Testament as well as the Old, from whence he has taken so many pious and humane precepts. |