Page images
PDF
EPUB

18

SECT.

ii.

Heb.

Yet it became him to be made perfect through sufferings:

10 For it became

Such hath been the conduct of God in this great affair of our redemption. And the beau- him, for whom are all things, and by ty and harmony of it will be apparent, in pro- whom are all things, oportion to the degree in which it is examined. in bringing many For though the Jews dream of a temporal sons unto glory, to Messiah, as a scheme conducive to the Divine make the Captain of their salvation perglory, it well became him for whom [are] all fect through sufferthings, and by whom [are] all things, the glori- ings. ous Being who is the first cause and the last end of all, in pursuit of the great and important design he had formed, of conducting many whom he is pleased to adopt as his sons, to the possession of that inheritance of glory he has intended for them, to make and constitute Jesus his first begotten and best beloved Son, the Leader and Prince of their salvation; and to make him perfect or completely fit for the full execution of his office, by a long train of vari ous and extreme sufferings, whereby he was, as it were, solemnly consecrated to it.

11

Now in consequence of this appointment, Je- 11 For both he sus, the great Sanctifier, who engages and con- that sanctifieth, and secrates men to the service of God, and they fied, are all of one: they who are sanctiwho are sanctified, that is, consecrated and in- for which cause he troduced to God with such acceptance [are] all is not ashamed to of one family; all the descendants of Adam, call them brethren. and in a sense, the seed of Abraham: for

the midst of the

which cause he is not ashamed to call them whom he thus redeems and presents to Divine fa12 vour, his brethren; Saying, (Psal. xxii. 22, 26,) 12 Saying, I will in the person of David, when representing the declare thy name unMessiah in his sufferings and exaltation, I will to my brethren, in declare thy name to my brethren; in the midst of church will I sing the assembly of thy people, the great assembly, praise unto thee. which by way of eminence shall be called the church, will I praise thee for thy gracious 13 interposition in my favour. And again, speak- 13 And again, I ing as a mortal man, exposed to such exercises will put my trust in of faith in trials and difficulties as others were, Behold, I and the him. And again, he says in a psalm which represents his triumph children which God over his enemies, I will trust in him as other hath given me. good men have in all ages done; and again, elsewhere in the person of Isaiah, (Isa. viii. 18,) Behold I and the children which my God hath given me, are for signs and for wonders.

8 It became him.] This seems to signi- worthy of himself, it was expedient he fy, not only that the course he took was should take this method. well worthy of God, but that in order to act

For which cause he was a partaker of flesh and blood.

ii.

19

Heb.

14 Forasmuch then Seeing then those whom he represents in one sECT. as the children are place and another as the children of the same partakers of flesh and blood, he also family with himself, are partakers of human himselflikewise took flesh and blood, he himself in like manner par- ii. 14 part of the same; ticipated of them, and assumed all their sinless that through death infirmities, that thereby becoming capable of he might destroy him that had the those sufferings to which without such a union power of death, that with flesh he could not have been obnoxious, is, the devil:

he might by his own voluntary and meritorious death, abolish and depose him, who by Divine permission had the empire of death, and led it in his train, when it made its first invasion on mankind, that is, the devil, the great artificer of mischief and destruction; at the beginning the murderer of the human race, who still seems to triumph in the spread of mortality which is his work, and who may often by God's right15 And deliver eous permission be the executioner of it. But 15 them who through Christ the great Prince of mercy and life, graall their life time ciously interposed, that he might deliver those subject to bondage. his miserable captives,who through fear of death

fear of death were

16 For verily he took not on him the nature of angels, but he took on him the

seed of Abraham.

were, or justly might have been, all their life-
time obnoxious to bondage; having nothing to
expect in consequence of it, if they rightly un-
derstood their state, but future misery: where-
as now, changing their Lord, they have happily
changed their condition, and are, as many as
have believed in him, the heirs of eternal life.

We the sinful children of Adam, though the 16 heirs of death, are thus delivered by him; but not the infernal powers, who were the first authors of their seduction; for truly he took not hold of the angels, to save them from plunging into the abyss of misery; but he took hold of the seed of Abraham, and hath made a gracious provision for the salvation of all who shall by true faith approve themselves the genuine chil17 Wherefore in dren of that holy patriarch. From whence, and 17 all things it behoved in consequence of which design, it behoved

Depose him.] The original word - ing to heaven, is, I think, sinking the inJag, properly signifies to deprive of all terpretation a great deal too low. power, Rom. vi. 6. When applied to the The empire of death] Some have inlaw, it signifies abolition. To suppose ferred from hence, that the devil is the with Archbishop Tillotson, that it chiefly executioner of the sentence of death both means, that Christ might give mankind on good and bad men. But I think the the hope of immortality, when they actual- sense in the paraphrase less obnoxious ant! ly saw one risen from the dead, and ascend. precarious.

[blocks in formation]

20 Reflections on the character of Christ as our High Priest, &c.

Heb.

SECT. him to be made in all things like unto those him to be made like ii. whom he condescends to call [his] brethren, that unto his brethren; that he might be a so he might be a merciful and faithful High merciful and faithful ii. 17 Priest, in things [relating] to God, that he High Priest,in things might in the most effectual manner make atone- pertaining to God, to make reconciliation ment for the sins of the people; which he could for the sins of the not have done if he had not assumed our na- people : 18 ture. But now, in consequence of that, 18 For in that he he has not only provided himself with some- himself hath sufferthing to offer, but has by the experience of ed, being tempted, our infirmities, contracted that peculiar kind he is able to of compassion, which nothing else can teach; tempted. and in that he hath himself suffered, being tempted and tried with such a variety of assaults and sorrows, he can, in the most ready and endearing, as well as effectual manner, help those that are tempted, and are making their way through those scenes of difficulty, which he passed through with such fortitude and honour.

verse

IMPROVEMENT.

suc

cour them that are

ETERNAL praise to our compassionate High Priest, who put 18 on our infirmities that he might know how to pity and relieve them! Eternal praise to him, by whom are all things, and for whom are all things, that he has concerted the merciful scheme 10 of bringing many sons unto glory, in a manner so well worthy of his Divine perfections, and so full of instruction and comfort to us; appointing his own Son the Captain of our salvation, and making him perfect through sufferings! Let us daily reflect upon 11 it with pleasure and gratitude, that he is not ashamed to call us his 16 brethren, though so highly exalted above the angels of God; and that he took not hold of the superior nature of angels, which was sunk into apostasy, guilt, and ruin, but took hold on the seed of Abraham. How venerable, as well as amiable, is that condescension with which he made himself a little lower than the angels, that by the grace of God which was to owe its highest honours to his cross, he might taste death for every man ! effected his merciful purpose: by death he hath deposed and abolished the tyrannical prince of death, that is, the devil, and delivered from the fears of death, those who, had they known and considered their real circumstances, might have been continually in bondage to it.

He hath

Faithful High Priest.] Mr. Fleming dence; but the former implies the latter. thinks signifies the same as a 10- Fleming's Chrystology, Vol. II. p. 266. isos, one worthy of our trust and confi

21

verse

They ought to regard the High Priest of their profession; We see our great enemy deposed; we see life and immortality sECT. brought to light by his gospel: let us see it with gratitude and ii. pleasure. And let us learn from all, if we would not charge ourselves with the most inexcusable guilt, and the basest ingratitude, if we would not plunge ourselves into the lowest gulf of perdition, not to neglect so great a salvation. Let the doom, which the law of Moses passed upon the presumptuous trans- 3 gressor, deter us; and let the grace of the gospel allure and in- 2 vite us to attend to the salvation spoken by the Lord, and to take 1 the most earnest heed to it, lest we let slip that golden opportunity, which, if neglected, will never return.

SECT. III.

The apostle farther takes occasion to manifest Christ, as superior to Moses, the great legislator of the Jews; and begins to caution them from the sentence passed on the rebels against the authority of Moses, of the danger of despising the gospel promises. Heb. III. 1-13.

HEBREWS III. 1.

WHEREFORE,

I

HEBREWS III. 1.

SECT.

Heb.

HAVE just pointed out to you the Son of holy brethren, God, under the endearing character of a iii. partakers of the heavenly calling, consid- compassionate and faithful High Priest. And er the Apostle and therefore suffer me to address you my dear High Priest of our and holy brethren, whom he hath brought near profession, Christ to God, and graciously made partakers of the

Jesus ;

heavenly calling, by which he animates his
people to aspire to the noblest views and pur-
suits; and let me entreat you frequently to di-
rect your eyes and hearts to him: attentively
regard this gracious Saviour, who hath conde-
scended to become the apostle of God to us,
that he might bring us the messages of his will,
and who is also constituted the High Priest of
our profession, by whom our guilt is expiated,
and our happiness secured even Christ Jesus,

b

iii. 1

Apostle and High Priest.] Both are properly mentioned, as the author was to show, that as an apostle, Christ was supe. rior to Moses; and as an High Priest, to Aaron. He is called an Apostle as sent from God with full commission for the important affair he came to transact. That apostle signifies messenger, see many places in the New Testament, cited Vol. I. sect. 162, note.

Holy brethren, partakers of the heav- the gospel to pursue immortality and glory. enly calling.] Mr. Peirce thinks, when they are called holy brethren by the apostle, it is in allusion to what was said of their being sanctified, chap. ii. 11, that when he speaks of their calling, he means their being called his brethren; and that when he stiles them partakers of this calling, it is to intimate that they do not ingross it. But all these interpretations seem to me more refined than solid. The calling generally signifies the call that is given us by

22

Who was counted worthy of more honour than Moses.

SECT. So well known to us under this great and hon

iii.

Heb.

[ocr errors]

ourable character. Let that illustrious Person 2 Who was faith-
be daily familiar to your minds, even he who ful to him that ap-
was faithful to him that appointed him to his of- pointed him, as also
Moses was faithful
fice, as Moses [was] also faithful for all his in all his house.
house; according to that testimony with which
God himself was pleased to honour him.
(Numb. xii. 7.) But I design not by applying
these words, to insinuate, that there is room

Moses, inasmuch as

house.

3 for a complete comparison between them. On 3 For this man
the contrary, it is very apparent, that as for was counted worthy
him of whom I now speak, he was esteemed of more glory than
worthy of far more honour than Moses, in pro- he who hath builded
portion to the degree in which the builder of a the house, hath more
housed hath more honour than the house itself. honour than the
For Christ laid the plan of the Mosaic dispen-
sation, and Moses who was himself his crea-
ture, evidently acted as his delegate in the rev-
elation which he made to the people of Israel;
so that whatever excellencies that dispensation
can boast, they reflect an honour ultimately on
the Divine Person from whom he received it.
4 For every house has some builder, by whom its
4 For every house
several parts were modelled, raised and dis- is builded by some
posed, and every thing well adjusted in it dis- man; but he that
built all things is
plays the skill of its Architect and Disposer; God.
now he who built and adjusted all things [is]
God, whose works of creation and providence
are worthy their great Author, and proclaim.
that power, wisdom, and goodness, which set

More honour than Moses] As it was their attachment to the Mosaic law, and the writings of the Old Testament, that hindered so many Jews from embracing Christianity, it is with the utmost propriety of address that the apostle here undertakes to shew that Christ was superior to Moses; and by a necessary consequence, to the rest of the prophets and sacred authors, whom they acknowledged to be inferior to this great Prophet.

dBuilder of a house] Both Mr. Pyle and Dr. Whitby would render xalaσxtual not to build, but to order or govern, as the word house signifies not a building, but a family.

Hath some builder.] So I think the words xalaskela UTO TIVO may be rendered, the word man not being in the original, nor here being properly inserted.

Dr. Calamy has argued from hence the supreme Deity of Christ, in consequence of his being the Creator of all things. (Calamy on Trin. p. 44.) But Mr. Peirce pleads, that if it had been the intent of the apostle here to assert, that Christ was the Creator of all things, it would have been sufficient to have stopped here, and that what follows would sink the argument lower; therefore he would translate it as the vulgar Latin does, The builder of the house, that is, the head and founder of the family, has the greatest honour of any person in the house; and by consequence they must have the next honour who are most nearly related to him. So Christ who is his Son must have greater honour than Moses, who was no more than a servant.

« ՆախորդըՇարունակել »