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THE /
PRACTICAL EXPOSITOR:
OR, AN •'
EXPOSITION
OF THE
NEW TESTAMENT,
IN THE FORM OF A
PARAPHRASE;
WITH OCCASIONAL NOTES IN THEIR PROPER PLACES FOR FURTHER EXPLICATION, ^
AND
SERIOUS RECOLLECTIONS AT THE CLOSE OF EVERT CHAPTER,
TO WHICH IS ADDED,
AN ALPHABETICAL TABLE OF THE PRINCIPAL THINGS CONTAINED IN THE PARAPHRASE, ESPECIALLY IN THE NOTES.
For the Ufe of the FAMILY and CLOSET.
By JOHN GUYSE,.,i).D.
THE FIFTH EDITION. VOL. V.
CONTAINING
PAUL's EPISTLES to the PHILIPPIANS, COLOSSIANS,
THESSALONIANS, TIMOTHY, TITUS,
PHILEMON, and the HEBPvEWS.
EDINBURGH:
PRINTED BY ROSS co? SONS,
For Robert Ross, Bookfeller, Lawn-market, Edinburgh , and
James Gillies, Bookfeller, High-ftreet, Glafgow.
m,dcc,xcvii.
THE GE NERAL
PREFACE
TO THE
FIFTH and SIXTH VOLUMES.
CONTAINING
PAUL'S EPISTLES to the PHILIPPIANS, COLOSSIANS, THESSALO- NIANS, TIMOTHY, TITUS, PHILEMON, and the HEBREWS. The General EPISTLES of JAMES, PETER, JOHN, and JUDE ; and the REVELATION of St JOHN the DIVINE.
IT is with wonder, bleffing, and praife, that I hum- bly adore the God of providence and grace for his prefervation and affiftances, unto the finifhing of my defign on the New Teftament ; efpecially when I re- flect, that feveral much more eminent fervants of the blefled Jefus, and lefs advanced in years, have been cut off in the midft of their labours of this kind. And I gratefully acknowledge the obligations my Chriftian friends and brethren have heaped upon me, by their candid acceptance of the former volumes, and repeated delires to fee the Work completed in two more ; and by their generous encouragement to them, when they were advertifed, as going to the prefs, though no pro- pofals were publifhed for a fubfcription.
There needs, I think, no further prefatory addi- tion, than to refer my readers to what has been pre- fixed to the other volumes ; and importunately to fo- licit their earner!: prayers, that the God of all grace, through the atoning blood of the dear Redeemer, would abundantly pardon the many imperfections,
which,
iv The General PREFACE.
which, I am fenfible. attend thefe poor performances ; and that he would follow the wmole with a fpecial blefiing, for rendering it fubfervient to the glorious caufe of evangelical truth, and holinefs, and Chriftian charity; for leading fome ignorant, irreligious, and erroneous fouls into the only true way of falvation ac- cording to the gofpel ; and for helping them and o- thers onward therein to eternal life, that God in all things may be glorified through Jefus# Chrift.
These, I humbly truft, have been, and are my governing aims in this, and all my other minifierial fervices ; and if thefe, through divine influence, may in any meafure be attained, I therein do, and will re- joice, and afcribe the entire glory of all to the God of my life, mercies, and hopes : This will give me the nobleft fatisfaction, and maintain the peace of my own mind, whatever cenfures fceptical, profane, or fevere critics may pafs upon the prefent attempt ; or upon its Author, who counts it his honour to be a fin- cere lover of the doctrines of grace, and of pure and undefiled religion, and immortal fouls, though a very unworthy fervant of Jefus Chrift,
JOHN GU.YS'E.
London, 1 Sept. 29, 1752. J
CONTENTS of the EPISTLE to the PHILIPPIANS.
chap. I.
THE apoftle Paul infcribes this ?pif- tle to .the church and its officers at Phi/ippi, in the falutation of whom Timothy joins with him, i, 2 Offers up thankfgivings and prayers to God for J hem, on account of the good work of grace, which he was Iatisned would be perfected, as in the judg- ment of charity, and fervor of his love, he hoped this concerning them all, 3, — 7 He expreffes his affec- tion to them, and pours out an ex- cellent prayer for them, S, — 12. for- tifies them againft dejection at his fufferings, which turned to good ac- count, in exciting others to preach Chrift, 13,-20. Tells them thaT he ftood prepared for glorifying Chrift by lite, or death, 21, — 26. And ex- horts them to all holy converfation, zeal and conftancy in the profeffion of the gofpel, notwithstanding all the op- pofition of their adverfaries, 27, — 30.
9< 3> CHAP. II.
The apoftle exhorts the Philippians to a harmonious, kind, and humble fpi- rit and behaviour, by various moving arguments, and particularly by the example of Chrift. 1, — 11. To di- ligence in the affairs of their falva- tion, in consideration of God's work- ing in them, 12, 13. To be exem- plary and instructive to the world, and a comfort to himfelf, 14, — is.
And he allures them of his def:re, hope, and purpole of making them a vifit ; and, in the mean yhile, of fending to them Ti/uothy ami Epa- phroditils, both of whuh he recom- mends to their kind and honourable regards, to, — 30 p 14.
CHAP. Ill .The apoftle cautions the Philippians a- ga.\r\ftjudaiz,i?/g falle teachers, whom he delcnhes, as he alto does true Chrittians in oppofiuon to them, 1, — 3. Recites his own former privileges, and renounces all thefe foi Chrift. 4, — S. Expreffes his earneft defire to be found »i him, and his pretfing on toward perfection. 9, — 14. And recommends his own example to the imitation of other believers, in oppofkion to the behaviour of carnal profeffors, 15, — zt. p. 26". CHAP. IV. The apoftle molt affectionately exhorts the Pbifippicms to Itand fall in the Lord, 1. Gives directions to foaie particular perfons among them, and to them all in general, 2, — 9. Ex- preffes his great fatisfaction in the iupply they had lent him, and his own contentment in every condition of life, adding a doxology to God the Father, to, — xo. Salutes them, and •fends the falutations of others; and doles all with his ulual benediction, 41,-23. p. y,
THE
CONTENTS of the EPISTLE to the COLOSSIANS.
CHAP. I.
THE apoftle Paul falutes the Colof- f.a/is, t, 2. Bleffes God tor their faith, love, and hope, which Epa- phras had reported to him, 3, — S. Prays for their fmitfulr.efs in fpiri- tual knowledge, 9, — 15. Gives a magnificent view of Chrift, and of his grace to them, to engage iheir adherence to him. 14, — 23- And .et-, out his own character, as the apoftle of the Gentiles, 24, — 29. p. 46.
C H A P. II. The apoftle expreffes his love to, and
joy in believers, whom he had never feen, and encourages their continuing to walk in Chrift, 1,-7. Cautions them againft the errors of heathen philofophy, againft the vanity of Je<wz ■ijjj traditions, and againft an obft r- vance of Mcfaic rites, vvhi-h had been completely fui'illed in Clr ft what they rould hop^ 6 elte- where, b — 17. A of angels ^ ' r *'■'
nomtcing -. 1
rainft legai ottiinrnces ;.nc' hu- man iQliituUQns, that are of no ad- b v*j
The CONTENTS.
vantage for fpiritual purpoies, 20, —
23- P- 5s-
CHAP. Ill
The apoftle exhorts the ColoJJians to be heavenly-minded, as thoi'e thar are rifen with Chrift, i, — 4. To mortify all corrupt affections, as thofe that are renewed after the image of God, 5, — 11. to cultivate mutual love, for- bearance and forgivenels, with other evangelical graces, 12, — 17. and to practife the relative duties of wives and hufbands. children, parents, and fervants, 18, — 25. p. 70.
CHAP. IV.
The apoftle exhorts mailers to do their duty towards fervants, 1. Recom- mends to perfons of all ranks the ge- neral duties of perfeverance in piayer, and Chriftian prudence in behaviour and fpeech. 2, — 6. Refers them to Tychicus and Onejimus, for an ac- count of the ftate of his affairs, 7, — 9. Sends falutations from feveral by name, together with his own ; and, adding a charge to Arcbippus, con- cludes with his ufual benediction, to, —18. p. 80.
THE
CONTENTS of the FIRST EPISTLE to the THESSALONIANS.
C^AP. I.
THE apoftle falutes the church at Theffalonica, and bleffes God for them, in reflection on their faith, love, and patience, as evident tokens of their election, which was mani- fefted in the efficacious manner with which the gofpelcame to them, t, — 5. And defcribes its powerful, exemplary, and famous effects upon their hearts and lives, 6, — 10. P- 89.
CHAP II. The apoftle, to encourage their progrefs in faith and holinefs, reminds them of the manner of his preaching and behaviour among them, 1, — 12, A:id of their receiving the got pel, as the word of God, which effectually work- ed in them, 13,-16. And affures them of his joy on their account, and. his defire of coming to them again, 17,-20. P- 94-
CHAP III. The apoftle gives ftill further proof of his great affection to them, in his ha- ving fent Timothy to eftablilb and comfort them, 1.— v In his rejoi- cing at the good tidings cf fh-ir faith and love, 6,-9. And in his praying
for an opportunity of returning to them, and for their perfeverance and increafe in grace, till the fecond com- ing of Chrift, 10, — 13, p. 101. CHAP, rw The apoftle exhorts the Theffalonians to chaftity and holinefs in their lives, 1, — 8. To brotherly love, a peace- able behaviour, and diligence in their fecular callings, 9, — 1 2. And to mo- derate their grief for the death of godly relations and friends, incon- fideration of the glorious refurrection of their bodies at Chrift's fecond com- ' ing ; from which time forwards, all the faints, that may then be dead, or living upon the earth, fhall be ever with the Lord, 13, — 18. p. 106. CHAP. V. The apoftle exhorts the Theffalonians to be always ready for the coming of Chrift to judgment, which will be with fuddenneis and furprife, like a thief in the night, 1, — n. Directs them to feveral particular duties in their relative and perfonal capacities, 12, — 22. And concludes his epiftle with prayer, falutations, and a benediction, 23, — 28. p. 115.
THE
CONTENTS of the SECOND EPISTLE to the 1HESSAL0NUNS.
THE Ti
CHAP. I. for the growing ftate of thejr love
HE apoftle falutes the church at and patience. 3, 4- A'nd encourages
■hejalonica, 1, 2. Bleffes God them to perfevere therein under all
* \ ' their
The CONTENTS.
their fufferings for thrift, in confider- ation of his coming at the great day of account, to execute righteous judg- ment upon his and their enemies, and to be glorified in their own complete falvation, which the apoftle hoped and prayed for on their behalf, 5, — 12. p. 124. CHAP. II. The apoftle cautions the Thejfalonians againft an erroneous notion, as though the time of Chrift's coming to the final judgment were juft at hand, 1, 2. Affures them that there would firft be a general apoftacy from the faith, and a revealing of the anti- chriltian man of fin, whom he de- scribes .by his rife, reign, and ruin, and lhews the juft deduction that would come upon his infatuated Sub-
jects, that had pleafure in unrightc- oufnefs, 3, — 12. But bleffes God for the fecurity of the Thejfalonians from apoftacy, by virtue of their eternal election, and effectual calling, and thereupon repeats bis exhortation to ftedfaftnefs, and prays for them, 13, — 17 p. 128.
CHAP. III. The apoft'e defires prayer for himfelf and his fellow-labourers ; expreffes his confidence in the Thejfalonians, and prays for them, f, — 5- Charges them to withdraw from difofderly wakers, and particularly from thofe that were lazy, and bufy- bodies con- trary to his example and command, 6. — 15. And concludes with a pray- er for them, and with a Salutation and benediction, 16, — 18. p, 137.
THE
CONTENTS of the FIRST EPISTLE to TIMGTHT.
C K A P. I.
THE apoftie aflerts his office as of divine authority ; falutes Timothy, and reminds him of the charge he had given him at Ephefus, 1, — 4. Of his end therein, and of the defign of the Mofaic law, 5, — ir. Of his own converfion and call to the apoftle- fhip, 12, — 17. And of Timothy's o- bligation to maintain faitn and a good eont'eienoe, which riytneneus and Phi- letus had put away from them, 18, — 20. p. 146".
CHAP. II.
The apoftle orders prayers to be made,
. every where, tor all forts of perfons, heathens and their magiitrates, as well" as others, fince the grace of the gofpel makes no difference of ranks or nations, 1, — 8. And lhews how wo- men oughr to behave in civil and re- ligious i«:e,~y.~ 15. p 155- CHAP. III.
The apoftle defcribes what ought to be the qualifications and behaviour of gofpel bifhops, 1, — 7. .And of dea- cons and their wives, 8, — 13 And gives Timothy a reafon of his writing fo particularly to him about thele, and other church-affairs, for directing his own conduct, as an evangeiift, 14. — 16. p. 161.
C II A P. IV.
The apoftle trftorms Timothy, by the Spirit of" prophecy, of departures from
the faith, in various" inftances, that began already to appear, and would iffue in the grand anoftacy'of after- times, 1, — 5 And, with reference thereunto, gives h;m Several direc- tions, with luitamV motives to enforce them, ior a ;hie difcharge of the du- ties of his office 6, — x6. p. 16S. CHAP V.
The apoftle giw. orders how to behave towards elder, arm younger men and women, 1, 2 And coward poor wi- dows, 3, — 8. Defcribes the charac- ters of inch widows, as ?re, or are not, proper to he maintained by the chun-h, and taken into its Service, 9, — 16. Shews the refpeet to at is to be paid to thole, that are elders by office, 17, — ro. But charges 77- mothy to take due care is rebuking offenders of all ranks and Stations, in ordaining mmifters. and in ufing inch modern te retrefhments. as were ne- ceiTary for Vis own weak Stale of health, 20,-/5 ?• -75*
C H'A P. VI,
The apoftle lays down the duty of Chrif- tians toward believing, as well as o- ther mailers, which Timothy ought to infill upon, v'ith a Severe reproof to Jud&mers that taugnt otherwise, x, — - Shews the advantage of god- lincfs with contentment, and the dag- ger of co/fcetoas puVuit* after rij 0, — 10. b 2
Directs Timothy to a con- trary
The CONTENTS.
trary couiie, ir, 12. Gives him a fo- iemri charge to behave faithfully in a perfev ;ring attention to his orders, and in admonilhing the rich not to truft in their riches, but in the living God,
and to improve his bounties to the beft purpofes; and repeats his charge with fome enlargement, doling all with a fhort, but comprehenfrve benediction, 13,-21. p. 1S5.
CONTENTS of the SECOND EPISTLE to TIMOTHT.
CHAP. I.
~p.irJL after ts his apoftolic character, ■*■ falutes Timothy, and exnreftes his great ?-i>cr.ion to him, in remem- brance of his fympathizing tears and ^nfeigned faith, 1, — 5. Exhorts him to a diligent improvement of his fpi- rifvn.i gins without fear or (hame, on ~:e">unt of fufFerings for Chrift, who lias brought life and immortality to light by the gofpel; and to hold fall t hleiTed doctrine, which was com- mitted to him, 6. — 14. And tells him of many that had bafely deferted him ; but f peaks with honour and af- rV-rion of Onefiphorur, for his kind- ne:s to him, 1 ;, — iS. P- I95-
CHAP II The apoitle directs Timothy to the grace, that is in Curift, for all fpiritual llrength, 1. Exhorts him to tike M that there be a fucceftion of faith- ful mit-iifters, and to penevere in his 'Wii work, with conftancy and dili- gence, like a foidier, a combatant, and a h::lb;indman. encouraging him - hereunto by his own example, and nfTiirr-nces of a hapov ifTue of his faith- fulness, i, — 13. Advifes him to guard ngp.init ftrhring about unprofitable and pernicious word,, and to ftudy to ap- prove himfelf to God, warning him to limn vain babniings and dangerous errors, that eat like a canker, as in the • Hymenens and Phile-
tut, ana comforts him with the thought, that r.everthelefs the foun- dation of God ftands fare, 14. — 19. Is him that leveral torts of pro- fcrs are to be expected in the
church, as various forts of vevTcis are ufed in a great houfe, 20, 21. And charges him to flee youthful lufts, and to manage the whole of his con- verfation. miniftry, and zeal againft error, with a becoming meeknefs of fpirit. as moft likely to be iucceisful, 22, — 26. p. 203,
CHAP. III.
The apoftle foretels the rife of dange- rous enemies to the truth and holinefs of the gofpel, r, — 9. Propofes his own example for Timothy^ imitation, in oppofition to them, 10, — 13. And exhorts him to pertift in the doctrines he had learned from him, and from the holy fcriptures, which are of di- vine infpiration, and every way fuftl- cient for the noblcft purpofes, 14, — 17. p. 213. CHAP. IV.
The apoftle moft folemnly charges 27- mothy to be diligent in his minifterial work, though many will not endure
found doctrine, l,-
Enforces the
charge rrom a confideration of his own approaching martyrdom, which would have a glorious iiVue, 6, — S. De fires him to come fpeedily to him, and bring Mark and certain mentioned things along with him. 9. — 13. Cau- tions him againft Alexander the cop- per-fmith, and complains of fuch as had deferted him ; but prays for them, and expreftes his faith as to his own prefervation to the heavenly kingdom, 14. — tS. And Concludes with falu- tations and his ufual benediction, 19, — 22. p. 22©.
CONTENTS of Ithe EPISTLE to TITUS.
C U A P. I. the work for which he had left him
HE'apofth- jifferw his .character, fa- avCret]*, 1, — 5. Draws our the qua- . ales Titus s and reminds him of locations of ?. taithtul paftor, •... — 9.
And
The CONTENTS.
And defences the evil temper and practices of judai*ing telle teachers, that ought to be confuted, 10, — 16 p. 231. CHAP. II. The apoftle directs Titus to inculcate fuch duties upon younger and older Chritiians. as are becoming found doc trine, and to be exemplary in them himlelf, i, — 8. To enjoin believing fervants to be obedient to their mat- ters fot the honour of the doclnne of Chriit, which they profefs, 9, 10. And to enforce all this from a con- iideration or the holy defign of the gofpel, from the prolpecl: it gives of heavenly glory, and from the end of Chnft's death, which equally concern believers or ali ranks and itations, and are to be urged upon them with all becoming authority, 11, — 15. p. 237.
C A A P. III. The apoftle goes on to give orders about, obedience to civil magiftrates, Arid a becoming behaviour towards all men, 1, 2. Enforce* them from a contidcr- ation of what believers themfelves were before converfion. <nd are made to be, through Jefus Chriit, by rege- nerating and juftifying grace, 3, — 7. Puts Titus upon urging thefe things*, to the end that good works may be practiced by believer--, and upon avoiding vain and ulelefs difpute*, S, 9. Inlifts on his rejecting a heretic, after due admonition, 10. n. pc- firea that tie would come, and bring '^eiias and Apo/los with him, to Ni- copolis ; recommends good works for neceliaiy purpofes, 12, — 14 And concludes, as uiual, with falutations, and a benediction, 15. p. 243.
THE
CONTENTS of the EPISTLE to PHILEMON,
AFTER a very tr^ving and endear, ing ialutatron. r, — 3. and moft af- fectionate expreffions of joy and praife, on account of Philemo?i's Heady faith in the Lord Jefus, and love to all the faints, and particularly to the poor among them, 4. — 7. The apoftle, with a moft obliging addrefs, opens the companionate defign of his letter, and throvs together a variety of fur- prifing, weii-tdjufted, and moving to- pics, to recommend Onefimits to Pbi-
lemori's kind regards, and engage him to accept of the return of his penitent fugitive, who would now make him a rich amends tor all the mildemea- nors he had formerly been guilty of; and for whom the apoftle ptomifes to make up an> Jots that Philemon had fuftained by him, 8, — 22. And then concludes, according to his enftpm, with falutations, and a benediction, 23,-25. p. 251.
THE
CONTENTS of the EPISTLE to the HEBREWS.
CHAP I.
THE apoftle, to (hew the excellency or the gofpel of Chrift above the law, and to encourage an adherence to it, introduces his great defign with an ac- count of the different manner and fea- fons in which, and of the perfons by whom, the revelations of tbem reipec- tively were made ; and defcribes the tr>.nicendent dignity of the Son or God in his d.vine perfoo, and in his creat- ing and mediatorial work, whereby he excels all that went before him, 1, ac-3. And in his fuperiority to ali the
holy angels, which is proved by a comparifon between him and them in various particulars, in which he has a glorious pre-eminence above them. 4, — 14. p. 202.
CHAP. II. The apoftle infers from wh?t he had faid about the dignity pf Cbrift's perlun and office, the duty of ftedfaftly adhei mi; to him and his gofpel, 1, — 4 re- all limes his argument about Cbrift's pre emi- nence above the angels and flieu s that his fiiftVi -iugs are no objeclion ag.iirfc it, 5,-9. Opens the ground and reafon
pf
The CONTENTS;
•f his Offerings, and the fitnets of that difpeuSation, which laid out his way through them to his mediatorial glory, IO, — 13. And leads us to the incar- nation of Chrift, in oppofition to h;s af- fuming the nature of angels, as nexef- fary to the ditch arge of his prieftly of- fice, 14, — 18. p. 272. CHAP. IIL i •■iftle flicws the Superior worth and dignity of Chrift, m his perfon and prophetic office, particularly above Mo/is, i, — 6. And repreSents to the Hebrews^ from the example ot their unbelieving anceftors, the fin and dan- ger of inndelity and apoftacy, and the neceifity of faith in Chrift, and of a fledfaft adherence to him, in order to their entering into the heavenly reft, 7,-19- P- iS4. C K A P. IV.
The apoftie inculcates an humble cauti- ous tear upon the Hebrews, left any of them thould come lhort of the pro- mised reft through unbelief, 1, 2. Shews the much greater excellence of the neaventy reft, which is propoted in the gofpel. than that or the earthly Canaan, which was let before the If- raelitcs under the law. 3, — io. And concludes with the molt awakerung snd encouraging arguments and mo- tives to faith and hope in our approach- es to God, 11, — 16. p. 203. CHAP. V.
The apoftie Sets forth the office and duty of a high prieft, 1, — 4. Shews how abundantly this is anfwered in Chrift's fuper-eminent call to. and difcharge
of that office,
And reproves
the Chriftian Hebrews for their floth. fuioefs and little progrefs in the know- ledge of the truths of the gofpel that were prefigured by the iaw, n, — 14. p. 306. CHAP. VI. The apoftie intimates his defign of giving the Hebreius higher inftructions, and excites them to greater proficiency than they had yet made in the doctrine of Chrift 1 — 3. To enforce this upon them, he defcribes the dreadful nature and conlequence of apoftacy in the mod moving ftrains, 4, — 3. Sweetly inlinuatcs his great Satisfaction, as to the better part of them, notwithftand- ing what he had been faying about a- po Slates. 9. 10.' And encourages them erfeverarice in faith and holinefs, .1 the experience of other fincere believers, and from the promife ;;nd oatn of God to Abraham, and to all beir&of Salvation, it, — 26. p 313.
chap. vn.
The apoftie returns from his digrefiion to the companion he had propofed to make between the priefthood oi Mel- chifedec and of Chrift, in which he gives an account of Meichifedec, 1, —
3. Snews the excellency ot his above the Levitical priefthood. 4, — 10. Ap- plies all this to Chi lit, to let forth the Superior dignity and perfecuon of his priefthood, even to the Superseding and disannulling of that which was af- ter the order of Aaron under the law, 11, — 24. And draws an inference from this, to the encouragement of the faith and hope. of the church, 25, — 28. p. 326.
CHAP. VIII.
The. apoftie, havmg finimed his argu- ment, drawn from the ^ompariion of the priefthood of Meichifedec with that oi I Aaron, lhews that his main de- fign therein was to demonftrate the excellency of Chrift's priefthood above that of Aaron, which he adds ftill fur- ther light to, by comparing him with, and preferring him to, the high pnefts under the law, with refpect to the place where he officiates, the Sacrifice he offers, and the covenant of which he is the mediator, 1, — 6. And he goes uy way of digreffion, into a re- presentation or the great excellence of this covenant above the former, which is now abolished, 7, — 13. p. 341.
CHAP. IX.
The apoftie, returning to his main argu- ment, gives an account of the Jenvifo tabernacle and its utenfils, 1, — 5. Shews their uSe and meaning, as to their figurative Services and Sacrifices, 6, — to. Explains their accomplish- ment in Chnit, ii, — 22. And infers the neceffity, fuperior dignity and effi- cacy of his priefthood and faenfice, in an application of what he had Said a- bout thoSe that belonged to .the taber- nacle under the law, 23, — 2S.
P-351- CHAP. X.
The apoftie Shuts up his main argument relating to the insufficiency ot all le- gal Sacrifices for taking away fin, 1, —
4. And to the neceffity and efficacy of the facrifice of Chrift for that pur- poSe, according to the tenor of the new covenant, which contains the Substan- tial blcflings that the law was only the Shadow of, 5. — 18. And having fi- nifhed the doctrinal, he enters on the pradical part of the epiltle, bv way of inference from the preceding dif- courSe, from which he (fraws an <iigu-
ment
The CONTENTS.
ment for holy boldnefs in the believer's accefstoGod through Jefus Chrift, 19, — 22. And for ftedfaftnefs in the faith, ana" excitations to mutual love and du- ty, and to frequent aflemblin^s toge- ther for religious worfhip, 23, — 25. And then he warns them oi the dan- ger of apoftacy, 26, — 31. Reminds them of their former illumination, and fufTerings with patience and fpiritual joy, 32, — 34. And encourages them to maintain their holy profefflon to the end of their days. 35, — 39. p. 370. CHAP. XI. The apoftle defcribes the excellent na- ture and efficacy of faith, i, — 3. Ex- emplifies it in feveral inftances and ef- fects, with an intimation of its necef- fity, from the fall of man to Noah's •days, 4> — 6. From Noah to Mofes, 7, — 23. And from Mofes to the end of the Old Teftament-difpenfation, 24, — ^9. And concludes with a declara- tion of the ftill better ftate of believers under the gofpel-difpentation, ver. 40.
P- 387. CHAP. XII.
The apoftle, from the preceding account of the faith of Old Teftament-believers under all their difficulties, exhorts the Hebrews to conftancy and perfever- ance in faith and patience, under all their trials and afflictions; and, ftill further to encourage them thereunto, fets before them the more eminent ex-
ample of Chnft, and the gracious de- fign of God in all the fufFeringf they endured, i, — 13. Recommends to them peace and holinefs, and cautions them aj;ainft acting a profane part, like Efau, in del'pifing fpiritual blefs- ings, 14, — 17. And enforces his ar- gument by a confideration of the much greater excellency of the New, than the Old Teftament-difpenfation, 18, —29. p. 417.
CHAP. XIII. The apoftle exhorts to the various duties of brotherly love, holpitality., Chrifti- an fympathy, marriage-chattity, con- tentednefs with fuch worldly circum- ftances as Providence allots to us, and paying due refpect to the inftructions, example, and memory of faithful paf- tors, r, — S. Cautions againft being carried away with Jenvijh doctrines and ceremonies, which are fulfilled in Chrift, the gofpel High-Prieft, altar, and Sacrifice, 9, — 14. Adds further exhortations to duties, that relate to God, to our neighbour, and them that are fet over us in the Lord, 15, — 17. Defires the prayers of the Hebrews, and prays for them, 18, — 21. Re- commends what he had wrote in this apiftle to their ferious confideration ; gives them hopes of his own and Ti- mothy's coming to fee them ; and, con- cludes with his ufual falutations and benediction, 22, — 25. p. 441.
A PRAC
A P R ACTICAL
EXPOSITION
OF T H E *
APOSTLE PAUL'S EPISTLE
TO TH E
P H I L I P P I A N S,
IN THE FORM OF A
PARAPHRASE.
The PREFACE to the EPISTLE to the PHILIPPIANS.
pHILIPPI was a confiderable city of Macedonia, and the firft ci- ty of that province, vvith regard to its fituation in the way fiom Thrace to Macedonia. (See the note on Acls xvi. u, 12.) It was called Philippi from Philip of Macedon, the father of Alexander the Great, who enlarged and fortified it, and gave it that name. And it was famous for the battles that were afterward fought in its neighbouring fields, between Augujlus and Mark Anthony on one iide, and Brutus and CaJJius on the other, in which the former were victorious.
The apoftle Paul was called by a virion to preach the gofpel at this city j and God fucceeded his labours there to the converiion of Lydia and the jailor j {Acls xvi.) and in procefs of time, many o- thers, both Jews and Gentiles, were brought over to the faith of Chrift, infomuch that a famous church was erected, and completely furnifhed -with proper officers, relating to its fpiritual and temporal concerns. {Chap. i. i.)
The apoftle vifited them afterwards again, {Acls xx. i, — 6.) who had a mighty affe&ion for him, and he for them ; and, in their a- bundant love to him, they diilinguiihed themfelves, above all other churches, by fending feafonable and liberal fupplies for his mainte- nance, when he was at TbcJJ'alonica ; and now again, while he was a prifonei at Rome; from whence, about the year of our Lord, fay fome 60, fay others 63, he fent this Epiftle to them by the hand of Epajbhroditus, by whom he had received their generous contribu- tions, together with an account of their tender concern at the trou- bles that had befallen him, and of their continuing ftedfaftly in the docbine of the gofpel, notwithstanding the attempts of fome judai- %crs among them, to divide and feduce them ; and the chief defign of his epiiile vwts to fortify them flill further againft thefe feducers,
Vol. V. B and
2 The Preface to the Etiflle to the Philippians,
and encourage them to abide in the faith of Chrift,, notwithftanding all opposition.
Accordingly he begins his Epiftle with hearty thankfgivings to God for the eminent grace beftowed upon them, and for their af- fectionate regards to himfelf ; expreffes his ardent love to them, and great fatisfaction in them j and allures them, that his bonds were over-ruled for the furtherance of the gofpel ; that he was calm and comfortable under them, and was confident, that in a little time he fhould be releafed from them, as it proved in the event *, and fo en- courages them to be eafy as to him, and to bear up with Chriftian fortitude under the fufferings which they themfelves endured for the fake of Chrift and the gofpel, chap* i. He exhorts them to love and union, pubiic-fpiritednefs. and lowlinefs of mind, which he recom- mends to them, by the matchleft and furprifing example of Chrift's humbling himfelf; and hopes to fend Timothy^ and to come after- wards himfelf to help them ftill further in their fpiritual affairs, chap. ii. Encourages their holy joy in Chriit ; cautions them a- gainft the attempts of judaizers^ with whom he compares himfelf, and fhews the happy change that was made upon him by divine grace, and the principles and views, with which he acted in oppofi- tion to theirs ; and which he propofes to the imitation of the Phi- lippians, chap. iii. And clofes the Epiftle with expreflions of great tendernefs toward them, and toward fome particular perfons among them, with exhortations to feveral religious and moral duties, with repeated grateful acknowledgments of their favours to him, and with a doxology, falutations, and hi*afual benediction, chap. iv.
CHAP.
Chap. i. Philippians paraphrafed.
CHAP. I.
The apoftle Paul injcrihes this Epiflle to the church and its officers at Philippi, in the faluratwn of whom Timothy joins with himy ver. i, 2. Offers up thankfgivings and prayers to God Jor them, on account of the good work of grace which he wa: fatifed would be perfeBed, as in the judgment oj charity , and fervour oj his love, he hoped this concerning them all. 3, — 7. He exprej/es his affetlion to them, and pours out an excellent prayer for them, 8, — 12. Fortifies them againft dejeclion at his fufferings, which turned to good account, in exciting others to preach Chrift, 13, — 20. Tells them that he food prepared for glorifying Chrift by life, or death, 21, — 26. And exhorts them to alt holy convcrjation, zeal, and conjlancy in the prof effion of the gofpel, notwithjlanding all the oppofition of their adverfaries, 27, — 30.
Text. Paraphrase.
"DAUL and Ti- TT^dXJL, and Timothy, who concurs with him in af-
fcrvanT^TVfus X feaion> and approbation of what he writes, (fee
Chrift, to all the tne note on l ^or- *? *•) as being joint-icrvants
faints in Chrift Jc- of Jefus Chrift, to minilter his gofpel, and promote
fus, which are at his kingdom and glory ; we cordially unite in this
Philippi, with the addrefg tQ the church of Chnft which ordi rf-
bifhops and dea- , 1 r • r u i- -,->, ■ ■
cons: ly meets, as the ieat 01 all ordinances at rhiiippi,
2 Grace be un and confifts of vifibly, and we truft of really, fandi-
to you, and peace fied perfons, {ver. 7.) through vital union with, and
from God our Fa- mfluence from Jefus Chrift, the head of the body : ther, and from the A , J t _ , • , . . rJ
Lord Jefus Chrift. And as 7e are a completely organized church, fur- nifhed with proper officers ; with palters to irifpeft, prefide, and watch over your fouls, and your fpiritual concerns, and to feed you with knowledge and un- derftanding * ; and with deacons to take care of your temporal affairs, and efpecially of your poor, ( dels vi. 1, — 6.) according to the order of the gofpel, we include thefe, together with the private members, in what follows, as may be applicable to them refpec- tively ; and particularly do fo in our moft folemn wifhes, that the divine favour, with all its diftin- guifhing effefts, and every kind of profperity, efpe- cially in what relates to your fouls, may abound to- ward you from God, our covenant- God and Father, as the fpring and fountain of all grace, and from the
anointed NOTE.
* BiJJjops or overfeers (tiricrxoxots ) is orders of officers in the apoftolicalchurch- of the lame import with, and promifcu- es, though in Tome of them, occafions fo oufly ufed for elders or paflors of parti- requiring, as in this church at Philippi, cular churches, as appears from Atls xx. there were more than one paftor in a 17, aS. Tit. i. 5, — 9. and t Pet. v 1, 2. : church. (See the fermon at the ordina* And bifjops or elders, and deacons, as tion of Mr. Thomas Gibbons, Odl. 27. far as appears from fcripture and primi- 1743.) tive antiquity, were the only different
3 I thank my God upon every remembrance of you,
4 (Always in e- very prayer of mine for you all, making requt-ft with joy)
5 For your fel- lowship in the gol- pel, from the firft iay until now :
The Epijlle to the Chap. i.
anointed Lord and Saviour, as the purchafer and dif- tributer of all its bleffings to you, as well as to us.
3 My foul is filled with thankfgiving and praife to God, whofe I am, and whom I ferve, and who put me into the miniflry, and made me inftrumental to your converiion. I cannot but blefs his holy name, from the bottom of my heart, as often as I think of you, and of what God has done for, and by you.
4, 5 I find myfelf fweetly conltrained to make mention of you all, in every flated and folemn addrefs to God, through the great Mediator, prefenting my eameit and fervent fupplications at the throne of grace, for every one of you, with abundance ofplea- fure, together with the moll chearful thankfgivings, (ve; . 3.) for your admiffion, through faith, unto all the rich and glorious privileges, promifes, hopes, and enjoyments of the golpel-ltate ; and for your com- munion with God, the Father, Son, and Spirit, and one with another ; as alfo for your readily communi- cating to the fupport of the gofpel, and particularly to me in all my fufFerings for its fake ; and for your continuing, with fUdfaflnefs and perfeverance, in all thtfe excellent things, from the day of your conver- fion, to this very time, notwithstanding all the oppo- fition of your enemies, and the perfecutions ye have endured, [ver. 28, 29, 30.) And my joy, on this account, greatly abounds ;
6 Being certainly affined, from the teflirr.ony of God in his word, from the immortal nature of the feed of grace, from the unchangeablenefs of his love and his covenant, and from the merit of the dear Re- deemer, and the indwelling of his Spirit, that God, who, in the riches of his free favour, has begun to work the beft of all works in you *, even the work of faith, and of heart- changing grace, whereby ye are
brought T E.
of it, which God had wrought in them ; And, as fuch a comprehensive interpre- tation gives us the beft idea of the apof- tle's joy and praife on their behalf; fo it makes his fentiments more ufeful and applicable to the church in all ages, than to confine it to the particular cir- cumltaiKe of liberality in the Philip- pians towards him. 1 he extremely li- mited fenfe that fome expofitors affecT: to give of this, and many other paflages of the New TefUment, apparently nar- rows the rule of faith and practice, and the comfort of the fcriptures in their re- ference to us, as if they were not of fuch ftanding and extenfive ufe, as I am per- fore take it to fignify the good work of fuaded the Spirit of God defigned them faith, or of grace in the whole compafs to be.
6 Being confi- dent of this very- thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you, will perform it until the day of Jefus Chrilt :
N O * A good work is referred by fome to their liberality to the apoltle ; but that ■was a good work done by them, rather than begun by the operation of God in them; and it feems too mercenary and ielfifh, for one of the apoftle's generous and difinterefted fpirit, to exprefs fuch wonderful joy and thankfulnefs merely, or chiefly on that account ; and, in the foregoing verfe, he had fpoke of their fellQivfbip in the gofpel, as the matter of this joy and praife, with reference to which, he fpeaks of his being confident, that he, who had begun this £ood work, would perform or finifh it, (t^Tf**™) until the day of Jefus Chrilt. I there-
Chap. i.
7 Even as it is meet for me to think this of you all, becaufe I have you in my heart, in as much as both in my bonds, and in the defence and confirmation of the gofpel, ye all are partakers of my grace.
8 For God is my record, how great- ly I long after you all, in the bowels ef Jefus Chrift.
9 And this I
pray, that your
love may abound
yet mere and more
in
Phtlippians paraphrajed. 5
brought into the fellowship of the gofpel, (ver. 5.) will, undoubtedly, in his faithfulnefs carry on, main- tain, and increafe it, by his almighty power, all the days of your lives, till he (hall perfect or finifh it, at the great day of Chrift's coming to be glorified in his faint J, and admired in all them that believe. (2 Thef. i. 10.) lam fully fatisficd of this important point, with regard to every one that hath received the grace of God in truth.
7 And, as ye have already made fuch a credible and honourable profeffion of Chrift, and fo ftedfailly abode in it, and given fuch evident proofs of your fmcerity therein hitherto, I am bound in the judg- ment of charity, and it is highly reafonable, and be- coming me, to fuppofe, that this good work is really begun in the whole church : And, I am the rather inclined to entertain this charitable hope concerning you all ; becaufe, as love thinks no evil, but hopes all things, ( 1 Cor. xiii. 5, 7.) ye are exceeding dear to me, and lie much upon my heart, in my addrefles to God on your behalf ; forafmuch as ye manifeftly appear to be partakers of the fame faving grace with myfelf, and have discovered it in your patiently en- during tribulations, as I myfelf do, and in your Chriflian fympathy with me, and concurrent ailift- ances, both in the imprifonment I now fuffer for the caufe of Chrift, and in all my labours for the defence of the gofpel, againft the cavils of its adverfaries, and for the confirmation of it, by word and deed, to the confutation of them, and eftabliihment of the faintsr
8 For I can appeal to God, who knows my heart, that I am exceedingly defirous of the fpiritual and eternal welfare of every one of you ; and that I even long, if it be his will, to fee you all again, that I may be inftrumental, in his hand, of ftill further help- ing forward his good work in you : And he is wit- ness that my ardent defire for, and after you, is not merely from human gratitude, on account of your be- nevolence to me, or from any carnal or worldly con- fidcrations whatsoever ; but that it is chiefly of a fpi- ritual nature, for the fake of Chrift ; becaufe I look upon you as his tr?ei3>bers, dear to him ; and am moved with the inmoft bowels of melting affection to- ward you, under a fenfe, and in imitation of his ten- dereft love and pity, wherein he laid down his life, that ye might be faved.
9 And, in the fervor of my affeclion for you, I earntftly beg of God, that your love to him, and his Sen, to me and his people, word and ways, which dwells in you, and alrea 'y works, and has eminently fhown itfelf in you, as it ought in every church- mem- ber,
6 The EpiJIJe to the Chap. i.
in knowledge, and ber, may ftill more abound and increafe with, and un- in all judgment ; ^er tne government of, growing knowledge and ex- perience, as being led into the do&riae of Chrift, and fettled, after the beft manner, in your judgment and fpiritual fenfe, (e» ttxtyj ui<r%mi) as to the whole of its fyftem ; ic That ye may 10 That ye may carefully examine, try, and ar?ex«UeLTthat pr°Ve' ^ ™ ?<Mt'^&4f) and thereupon difcern and 17 may bTfiocere, aPProve the things that differ in themfelves, by way and without of- of preference to all others; and that differ in my fence till the day preaching from what is delivered by falfe teachers, of Chrift ; an(j} Up0n trial, prove themfelves to be truly valuable
and important ; that fo ye may be found to be genu- ine Chriftians, pure in heart and life, free from all hypocrify and deceit in your holy profeflion, and un- corrupted in your principles and defigns, temper and behaviour, when judged of in the light of the word of God, and tried by that infallible ftandard of truth and holinefs * ; and may have a confeience void of offence toward God and man, and be prfrerved from every thing, that might wound your own fpirits, or be an occafion of Humbling, or falling, to yourfelves or others ; and that not only at certain times, now and then, but with conftancy and perfeverance all your lives long, as thofe that expect an awful day of account, and till Chrift fhall come to judge the world, that ye may be approved of him, as fincere and emi- nent believers then ; ti Being filled ii Being all along, and found at that day to be, with the fruits trees of rightenufnefs, the planting of the Lord, that
which'^reT^Te' he ^ be Slor(fied i (Ifa- M' 3') even fuch as» like fosCbriflhmto the trees richly laden, greatly abound in the moft preci- glory and praife of ous fruits of holinefs and obedience of every kind, in God. their feafon, {PfaL i. 3.) which are right and e-
quitable in themfelves, and due from you, according to the juft and holy requirements of the moral law, that unchangeable rule of all righteoufnefs ; and which are produced by virtue derived from Chrift, {John xv. 5.) and are acceptable to God, and turn to his honour and glory, " in and through this great Media- tor, (1 Pet. ii. 5. and iv. 11.) which is the fupreme end to be aimed at in them all. 12 Eut I would 12 But, that ye may not be terrified or difcoura- ye fhould under- ged at my fufferings for the fake of Chrift, I would Hand, brethren, fa*n kave yQU know anj confider, my dearly beloved
brethren, NOTE. * Sincere (fiXix^*-^) is a metaphor, to be pure and incorrupt: And without taken either from things that are clari- offence, (awfot-xoToi") is a metaphor, ta- fied by the heat, or examined and judg- ken from perfons that go on their way ed of by the light of the fun-beams ; inoffenfively, and without obftruction or and fo are found, upon the ftridleft trial, ftumbling.
Chap. i. J?mLi?PiAm parapbraftd. 7
that the things brethren, that the bonds and afflictions which have which happened befallen me at Rome, according to divine appoint- unto me. have fall. ment have been perm{tted and over-ruled, by the en out ratner unto .r . , , . , r /"• i „„ ♦ ^»-,r *^ -.11
the furtherance of Wlfe and holy providence of God, contrary to all the gofpel : outward appearances, and natural expectations, rather
to the confirmation and propagation, than to the dif- advantage and hindrance of the golpel.
13 So that my 13 Iofomuch that the hardlhips and imprifon- bonds in Chi ill are ments> which I am enabled to bear with a becoming palace ftandain 'all patience and fortitude of mind, through the gracious •tfier places ; prefence of Chrift with me, are well known among
all Nero's courtiers, and all the citizens and other people in and round about Rome, to be, not for any crime that I have been guilty of, but merely for the fake of Chrift, which is matter of^lory, rather than mame, and hath proved the happy occaiion of many people's inquiring after him, and believing in htm ; among which are feme of Ccvjar's hoiilhold, (Phi/. iv. 22.)
14 And many of 14 And> through the influence of divine grace, the brethren in the many brethren in the faith of Cririlt^and in the work Lord waxing conn- 0f the miniftry, being fully fatisfied of the juftice and dent by my bonds, exceliepce 0f my caufe an'd 0f the power of the Lord are much more __ , • , , -n 1 r jj r ,. j bold to" i peak the Jefus, which has vifibly fupported and comforted me word without fear, under al> my troubles, and given fuccefs to his word,
have thereupon taken courage, and been more abun- dantly animated, and emboldened to preach the. gofpel with a greater freedom and liberty of fpirit, than they ever were before, without being terrified by the fear of any fufferings that might come upon them for it.
15 Some indeed 15 There are fome indeed of the judaixinjr Chrit- preach Chrift even tians, that preach up Jefus as the true Meffiah, and of envy and ftrife ; feveral important doctrines of falvation by him, even
-ood-will! aif° from a fPmt of envy at m^ rePulation and fuccefs> m
* " carrying the gofpel to the Gentiles, as well as Jews,
and 'infilling on justification through faith in Chrift
alone, without the works of the law * ; and they do
this N O T E. * It is generally, and with great pro- fed, {Gal. i. 3,' 9.) would fcarce have bability fuppofed, that they, who preach- called it preaching Chrift, as' he does in ed Chrift of envy and ftrife, were Jew- this and fome following vevies ; much ijh converts that let themfelves againft lefs would have rejoiced in it, as he fays the apoftle Paul, and, on all occafions, he did and would. i>er iS. I therefore did what they could to hinder his Cue- rather apprehend that they hypocritically cefs, run him down, and promote his preached the true gofpel of Chrift, far- troubles of every kind : But I cannot ther than they honeltly could upon their think that, on this occafion, they preach- own principles, concealing their fenti- ed a quite different gofpel from the apof- ments about fome of its articles, that tie's, according to their own corrupt y«- they might draw off the affeclions of the dai%ing notions: For he, who fo con- apoitle's friends from him to themfelves, ftantly and zealoully declaimed againft and might low ftrife and divifions a- this, as another gofpel, for which, he mong them, and the-eby e^afperate the that brought it was to be deemed accur- government againft him and his adhe- Vol. V. C rents-
S The Epifile to the Chap. i.
this with a fpirit of contention and oppofition to me, that they may fink my credit and authority, and ad- vance their own in the church ; but there are others, that preach the pure doctrines of Chrift, in their full extent, with all freedom and delight, even from an hearty affection to him and his gofpel, to immortal fouls, and to me his apoftle. 1 6 The one preach 16 The firft of this fort of preachers, that fet forth Chrift of comer,- Chrift jjj th(.;r mm;ftrations by way 0f envy and tion, not fincerelv, n r , • . » i *'■ *'■ jr V
fuppofing to add ltnte>. do 2t> not (*V%) from a fmcere deiire of pro- affli&ion to my pagating the truth as it is in Jefus, and of glorifying bonfts : him ; nor from a hearty concern to embrace him
themfelves, and recommend him to others ; but ra- ther from a vain imagination that they fhall thereby fupplant, diilrefs, and grieve me, and fo increafe the weight of my prefent afflictions ; and that they fhall be a means of promoting the continuance of my bonds, and, perhaps, of making them iffue in my martyrdom, through the umbrage that the govern- ment may take at thefe contentious ways of preaching the word, and at the divifions which they may fo- ment, by that means, among the profeffors of Chrift. 17 But the o- 17 But the other fort of preachers, that are acled jheroflove W-- by a true rp;rIt of jove t0 Chr;ft and fouls, ■ and to
fo? the defence of his,cau^ and me in preaching him, do it as, not mere- the gofpel. ly imagining *, but as being well fatisjied, on the
fureft grounds, that I am appointed, and fet in the church, by a divine commiffion, for maintaining, vin- dicating, and defending the true gofpel of Chrift ; and that I now lie in bonds in order to my making an apology for it, whenever I fhall be brought upon my trial. >-.t then? 18 But, if contrary views induce thefe two parties notwt.iftandms e- tQ tajce occaflon to preach Chrift, what is this to me \ verv way, whether „ ,, T / . , « ,.
in prerence or in *ha" * return envy tor envy, or be vexed on this ac- truth, Chrift is count, as fome of them fuppofe I would : No, though preached ; and I I pity them that are influenced to it, by unworthy mo- therein do rejoice, tives, and heartily deteft their infincerity ; yet, which yea, am wi re- wa^ roever tjie thing itfelf be done, whether with J ' difhrnulation,
NOTES.
rents. This is what he calls preaching faithful minifters, as knowing, (f«5Wff)
Chrift infuzcerely and in pretence, in or being aflured on the ftrongeft evi-
oppofition to others, who preached him dence, that he w*s fet for the defence of
in love, and in truth or uprightnefs. the gofpel; which may take in, both
JBut fome think that they fully preached his being appointed to it in the difcharge
the true gofpel, though with infincerity of his office, and his lyi?ig in bonds, in
and bafe views. order to his making a public apology
* The apoftle fpeaks of his enemies, (<xiro\cyiyv) for it, in aniwer to his ac-
<ver. 16. as only (e/ousvoi) fvf>pofi7ig, (in cufers :' For the word (xs/^a/) here ren-
which they were deceived) that they deredfet, as it alfo is in Luke ii. 3, 4. fig-
fiiould add affliction to his bonds; but, in nines likewife to be laid, and is fo tranf-
•jppoiitkm thereunto, he here fpeaks of lated, Mat. iii. 10. and Luke xsiii. 53.
Chap. i.
19 For I know that this ihall turn to my falvation through your pray- er, and the fupply of the Spirit of Je- fus Chrift.
xp According to my earned: expecl- ation, and my hope, that in nothing I fhall be a-fhamed, but that with all boidnefs, as always, Jo
Ph il ippi an,s paraphrafed. 9
difiimulation, under a mam pretext of zeal for Clin ft. and the gofpel, and the welfare of fouls ; or with lin- cerity and uprightnefs, to promote his intereft and glory, and their good, the fact \z, that Chrift is made known by thefe means at Rome, and round about it : And, as this is in itfelf matter of great joy, I hearti- ly do ; yea, and, by the grace of God, will rejoice in it, whatsoever any of them may think to the con- trary ; and how much foever they may defign there- by to ltrike at my character, or even at my liberty and life itfelf.
19 For I am perfuaded in an humble dependence upon the promifes of God, yea, am fully allured, by the revelation of the Spirit, that even the word de- signs of my adversaries, in their preaching the gof- pel to diiirefs me, fhall be. over- ruled by the good providence of God, contrary to their hopes, for my enlargement and deliverance from my bonds, that i may be at liberty to preach the goipel without re- ftraint ; (yer. 25. *) and that all their malicious at- tempts againft me fliall be iantiined to my own foul's benefit, as well as the good of others, and made fub- fervient, initead of being obstructive, to my eternal falvation ; as, by means of them, I fhall be helped forward to it, and fitted for it with the hnghter glo- ry, (2 Cor. iv. 17.) through the prayers which ye are daily putting up, and I delire may it ill be conti- nued for me ; and through the rich communications of the Spirit of Jefus Chrift, whereby, in anfwer to your prayers, I am enabled to make a good improve- ment of all thefe difpenfations, to his glory, the ad- vantage of others, and the comfort of my own loul.
20 This I am thoroughly fatisfied will be the hap- py event according to what I firmly expect, and ve- hemently delire ; namely, that whatsoever my adver- faries may delign, or do againft me ; yet I mail ne- ver be fuffered, in any circumilance of things, to be afliamed of Chriil and his gofpel, nor of my hope in
C 2 him ;
N O
* Spiritual and eternal, as well as temporal falvation, are taken into the paraphrafe ; becaufe the fupply of the Spirit of Chrijl, through which the a- poftle was fatisfied the defign of his ene- mies would turn to his falvation, feems, moft plainly, to refer to this fort of falva- tion, which he knew he, by that means, fhould be partaker of, though his ene- mies would have prevented it, by forcing him, if poffible, through their evil prac- tices againft him, to give up and re- jieunce the gofpel: For the [upply of
T E.
the Spirit relates, not fo much to tem- poral, as to vfpiritual and eternal falva- tion, over and above all temporal deli- verances, which were to be expected ra- ther, as the effect of the operations of Providence for him, than from a fupply of the Spirit of Chrijl to him ; and in his enlargement upon this fubje<£r, in fome following verfes, he fpeaks of his gain in death, and of the rich advan- tage of his being nvith Chrijl, as the object of his eainelt dejire and bopSy ver. zi, 23.
io The Epijlle to the Chap. i.
fa now alio Chrift him ; but (hall be enabled to go on in his work with
i^m/'bod agwhe^ a11 liberty °f fPi'rIt and undaunted courage ; (™^<n«) ther it i/by life fnd that as I always, through grace, have hitherto or by death. ' in this way glorified the name of my great Lord and Mailer, ever fince he converted me and called me to the apoftlefhip ; fo both now, and from this time forward, Chrift fhall be glorified, and the power of his grace toward me (hall be eminently exalted, in this my frail mortal body, whether it be by a patient continuance under fufferings, and a further publica- tion and defence of the gofpel, and by a holy life and conversation during my abode in it ; or by my Suffer- ing martyrdom, and bravely owning and honouring him in the moil cruel and violent death that can be inflicted upon me for his fake. 21; For to me to 2I For Chrift is my gain in living and dying,_as nve is CJ.mit, and he {$ ^ and ^ {„ me and as hi [ntcvti\ and
4.0 uie is gain. , J . . .. . _ , .* . .
glory are the delightful end I purlue in both, that
I may bring honour to his name, and gain over fouls to him by preaching the gofpel while I live, and by fealing my teftimony to him with my blood, when I come to die * ; which will alfo be to my own un- ipeakable gain in the complete falvation which I hope for through him. (vet\ 19.) zz But if I live 22 But if it (hould pleafe God to lengthen out my n the rlefh this is days in mortalilefh, to preach, and fuffer for the gof- the huit or my ia- f . * r • c r 1 1 • ' r , • r 1 r •
hour: yet what I Pci> "ie great *rmt °* mY laborious and painful iervi- lhail choole I wot ces> even all tnat I think worth living for, is to pro- not : mote the honour and intereft of Chrift, which in the
end will alfo turn to my own account ; and therefore, were it to be left to my determination, I am at a lofs to know whether, upon the whole, I fhould choofe life or death. 23 For I hid m a 2~ jror j am n-reatly ftraitned and preiTed, in my ftrait betwixt two, *\i *«. 1* / iL. A,r
having a defire to °/xn thoughts> between two things, that engage my oepart, and to be KMOU* concern ; having, on one hand, an earneil de- MMthChrilt; which fire to be loofed from the incumbrance, weaknefs, M far better: and imperfe&ions, natural and moral, of this cor-
ruptible frail body, and to be releafed by a departure of my immortal foul from it, that I may be with Chrift, in his immediate prefence, to behold his glo- ry, which I (hall do, as foon as ever my foul is abfent
from NOTE. * I have confidered thefe word* (s^o* nour of Chrift, at death ; becaufe in the To£wvXfircs xou to a-7ro^rx\iuv x.(gSoc) ac next verie, which maybe confidered as cording to the different renderings that an explication and enlargement of his have been given of them, either as they thought in this, he intimates, that were ttand in our tranflation, or as fignifying, he to live in the flefli, his honouring Clfrift is my gain in living and dying; Chrift would be the fruit of his labour; or, to me living and dying Chrift, is but were he to die, this would ftill be %din: But thry feem to include gain to tar better for himielf; and therefore he fhe apoftie himfelf, a:> weli as to the ho- was in a ftrait what to choofe.
Chap. i. Ymhi??iA.m paraphrafed. it
from the body * ; (2 Cor. v. 6.) and which, far ex- ceeding all thought or exprtfiion, is incomparably better lor myfelf, than any condition in the prefent life can poflibly be.
24 Ncverthelefs, 24 But (h) there is another thing that, on the to abide in the flefli contrary, my heart is fo much let upon, a& to make is more needful for me delirous, if it fo pleaie God, of continuing long- time longer in this prelent mortal body, to txercife the miniltry which I have received of the Lord Je- fus ; and that is, becaufe, as I verily believe, {yet. 25.) this is moft for your fpirituai benefit, consider- ing the enemies, temptations, and dangers that fur- round you, and the help ye need againlt them ; and therefore I am willing to live for public krvice, even in this troublefome world, how much foever it may be my own perional lofs, to be kept all that while out of heaven.
25 And having 25 And being in great hopes that this noble end this conhdence, 1 0f my \\v{L}g m the body would be anfwered, by the know that I (hall bl ff Qf God on my labours, I am periuaded in abide and continue to . , , . . J ,• , ^ •• .1 . „„ with you all, 101* mY own mind> °y intimations ol the spirit, that my your furtherance life lhall ifcill be pYeferved for a while, notwithstanding and joy of faith; the threatning afpect of my prefent fuffering circum-
ilances ; and that I (hall have an opportunity of fee- ing and mimftring to, and of continuing and conver- fing for Tome time with you, as well as with other churches cf the faints, for promoting .your fpirituai edification in light and grace, comfort and holinefs ; and particularly for the further helping of your faith, through the attending power of the Holy Ghoil, that ye may be filled with ail joy and peace in believing ; (Rom. xv. 13.) z6 That your 26 That fo your delightful glorying (xxvy.vpx) in rejoicing . may be Jefus Chriit, the only Saviour, may be much greater, inere abundant in on account Qf my being refiored to you, than ever it Telus Chnft tor me, . ... J ? , , , - ij u
by my coming to has been hitherto, or than probably it ever would be, you again. were I never to be fet at liberty, and come to you a-
gain ; and may be abundantly increaling yet more and more, through the confirmation which your laith will receive by my wonderful deliverance from imprifon- ♦ ment, and by means of the benefit, which ye may
have, through my miniflrations, when I return to you.
27 In NOTE. * If the foul were to fleep, or be in a fervice of Chrift, or of dying, to enjoy ftate of infenfibility at death, till the ge- the happinefs of being with him in his neral refurveclion of the body, the apof- glory ; nor could he have imagined, in tie could have hoped for no more advan- this view of things, rhat it would have tage by dying foon, than if he were to been exceedingly far better (vo\xu jj.x\- have lived many years longer ; and con- xo» ngua-aov") for himlelt to die out of fequently could have been in no ftrait hand, than to live longer on earth. (See between a defire of living here for the the note on a Cer. v. 1.)
12 The Epiflle to the Chap. I.
*7 Only let your 27 In the mean while, there is one thing that I convention be as would earneftly reCommend to you, and infill upon, it becometh the „• J . . . 1 r r • 1 *
.°x>fpel of Chrift : as nece"ary to evidence the truth or your faith, and that whether I to promote the peace of your own fouls, and my com- come and lee you, fort in you; which is, that (jraAflgt/wSe) your traffic or eife be abfenr, an(] behaviour in the world, and one towards another, affairs that ye ^e aniwerable to your holy citizenlhip, and iuch as is itand'fafl in one worthy your Chriftian-ftate and character, and fuit- fpirit, with one able to the directions, and ornamental to the princi- Kimd, ftrivmg to- p}eS) privileges, and obligations, and to your holv SrSfcirfilef. ' Fofeffion of the gofpel, which has Chrift for its glo- rious author and chief fubjecl ; fo that whether, when I may have opportunity of coming to fee you again ; or whether, while by Providence I am detained from you, I may hear from yourfelves, or others, a com- fortable account of the true ftate of things among you, as to your fpiritual concerns ; and particularly that, notwithstanding all the fubtle and furious at- tempts of your adverfaries, ye perfevere and abide firm and unihaken, under the influence of the Holy Ghoft, in one and the fame evangelical fpirit of liber- ty, truth, and love ; and unite, as with one heart and foul, and concur in vigorous efforts, like wreft- lers, againft all oppolition, (o-vvyJ$A%yli$) according to your refpedtive ftations and abilities, for preferving, propagating, and* defending the pure, uncorrupted, and important doctrines of faith, as delivered in the gofpel, which ye have received of me ; and for pro- moting the grace of faith in one another, that it may- be in lively exercife, and ftedfaftly profeifed, to the glory of Chrift, and the good of your own and others fouls. sS And in no- 28 And I mould rejoice greatly to hear, that, how thing terrified by artful, or cruel and outrageous foever the enemies your adverfaries; b who fet themfelves againit your faith, and
which is to them .' r . r . r° / , , ,
an evident token tne prosperity and lalvation of your louls, ye behave
of perdition, but with Chriftian fortitude, and are by no means af- to you of falva- frighted, or difcouraged at their oppofition to you tion, and that of anci ^ g0fpCI, which carries indeed a fad prefage to them, as a plain mark of their being in the way to, and in the nearcft danger of eternal deftruetion ; and it is a righteous thing with God to render tribulation to them, * while they look upon you, as a people obftinately bent upon your own ruin : But unto you,
that NOTE. * Which is an evident token of per- at this fenfe, though I take the other dition, is fuppofed by fome to mean, to be lefs ftrained, and full as well, or that the Jetuijlj oppolers accounted the better fuited to the apoftle's delign, in believing Gentiles to be obfiinate and fortifying the Philippians againft beinj incorrigible, and abandoned c-f God to terrified by their adverfaries. everlafting perdition. I have glanced
Chap. i. Vm-LWViAm parapbrafed. 13.
that are perfecuted for the fake of Chrift, and bear it with faith and patience, it is in reality an evident token of eternal lalvation, and that not of yourfelves, but of God, as his free gift, who calls you to , the trial, and is able, faithful, and willing to (land by you in it, and carry you through it, and crown you with everlafting life at the end of it. (See Mai. v. 10, 11, 12.) -9 For unto you 29 For it is a diftinguifhing honour, which God b K hTof' Chriit6 grac*ou% Puts uPoa vou> on account of the merit of not only to believe thrift j and, though fiefh and fenfe judge ctherwife, on him, but alfo it really is, and ought to be efteemed matter of grcut to futfer for his joy, (James i. 2.) that ye mould not only be enabled ^ke ; to truft in him, and continue fo to do, to the favino-
of your fouls ; but that ye mould alfo be helped, pa- tiently to endure perfections for him, from a princi- ple of faith, and love to him, and for his glory here, that ye may be gloriiied with him, in a more iliuftri- ous manner hereafter. (See Rom. viii. 17.) 30 Having the 30 And ftill further to reconcile you to, and keep fame conflict which you from famtjno- under thofe fufferings for Chrift, ye law in me. and i • 1 1 uri • vV« 11 1.
now hear to be in which do> or m^ be , >r°U ln thls worl(l' ?e would me. do well to confider, that they are only the fame fort
of combat, (ayuva.) which ye have formerly feen me violently exercifed with, and yet enabled, through grace, to fuftain with holy fortitude and patience, for the fame glorious caufe, among yourfelves at Phi/if>pi ; (A&s xvi. 19, — 24.) and which ye now hear I am forely conflicting* with, under my prefent bonds and imprifonment at Rome.
RECOLLECTIONS.
How well are thofe churches furnifhed with all needful officers, that have faith- ful paftors and deacons, to take care of their fpintual and temporal concerns ! And with what cordial and devout affeclion fhould we wilh and pray, that all the blefs- ings of grace and peace from God the Father, and the Lord Jefus Chrift, may be multiplied to them and their officers ! They are charitably fuppofed to be faints in Chrift ; and it is matter of grr.^ thankfulnefs to God, that they are admitted to, and continue in the fellowship of the gofpel, and bear the evident traces of that good work of grace, which we may be confident its great Author will carry on, till it be perfected at the coming of Jefus Chrift. And O how defirable is it, that fincerity, light, and love, and an inoffenfive deportment, and high approba- tion of fpiritual things, together with the fruits of righteoufnefs, which are, by Je- fus Chrift, to the praile and glory of God, fhould unitedly increafe and abound in us ! The preaching of Chrift is his appointed means of promoting thefe important ends, as well as of the converlion of finners ; and he will own it as his ordinance, though fome may be influenced by unworthy, hypocritical, envious, and contenti- ous views, to engage in that facred ofHce. But how amiable is it, when it is dif- charged with fidelity, and with fincere affecftion to Chrift, to his fervants, people, and caufe! However, if Chrift be really preached according to the truth of the gofpel, whether from good or bad motives, we ought to rejoice in the thing itfelf ; and it difcovers a mod excellent fpirit when we are enabled fo to do, even while we apprehend it is defigned to leflen our own perfonal credit, comfort, and ufeful- nefs : But, whatever others may intend, Gcd will over-rule the fufferings of his faithful fervants, for the defence and furtherance of the gofpel ■ for encouraging
fome
14 The Epi/lle to the Chap. ii.
fome to appear openly in the caufe of Chrift ; and for emboldening their own faith and hope, and helping forward their own falvation, through the prayers of his people, and trie fupply of his Spirit. And what a happy ttrait is it for them not to know whether they ihall ehoofe life, through their earneft concern to glorify Chri it in their tervices and fufferings, for the edification of the church; or (hall choote death, throigh their vehement defire to go immediately to Chrift, which thev affuredly know is beft of all for themfelves ! What an honour is it to fuffer with a ri^ht fpirit fo the fake of Chrift ! And how fhould believers efteem this, as Well as faith itfelf to be rather a jift of grace, on account of his merit, than to be thought of with terror ! Only it behoves them to rake care, that, by the grace of God. their converfarion be holy, as becomes the go'pel of Chrift ; and that they ftund faft with one mind and heart, ftriving together, with fervent zeal, for the faith once delivered to the faints, whatfoever the confequence may be, as to this world. And O how near do they, and their fpiritual affairs, lie to the hearts of their good minifters 1 They are continually mindful of them in their prayers; they heartily blefs God for them, as partakers of grace with themfelves; they rejoice in their profperity ; and their tendereft affecliionate defire (as they can appeal to God) is toward them., that they may enjoy their company and communion, and may be helpful to them for their fupport under troubles, and for their furtherance and joy of faith.
CHAP. II.
The apoflle exhorts the Philippians to a harmonious, hind, and hum- ble fpirit and behaviour, by various moving arguments, and parti- cularly by the example of Chri/}, i, — n. To diligence in the af- fairs of their falvation, in confederation of God's working in them, 12, i$. "To be exemplar ly and inflruBive to the world, and a comfort to himfelf, 14, — 18. And he afj'urcs them of his defire, hope, and purpofe of malting them a vijit ; and, in the mean while, offending to them Timothy and Epaphroditus, both of which he recommends to their hind and honourable regards, 19, — 30.
Text. Paraphrase.
TF there be there- A S I have exprefied my willingnefs to abide in the fore any confo- ±\ fle^ for your furtherance and jov of faith, ^rcomforf' of («** '• 25.) I would therefore earneftly prefs up. love, if any fel- on you the important things before recommended, lowfhip of the {chap. i. 27.) by fey^ral moving confiderations, as Spirit, if any f0u0W) jf there be any authority in my exhortation, bowels and mer- (^^^ as delivered to you in the name of Chriil ; or any argument to be drawn from the ex- cellency of that confolation which ye have in him, and derive from him ; or if ye would comfort me un- der my prefent tribulations for Chrilt : If any obliga- tion arifes from a joyous fenfe ot his love, and of the love of God in him to you ; or from the pleafure of your own love to him, and of your mutual Chriftian love one to another ; or if ye would have in your- felves, and give me the comfort of my love to you, and of yours to me : If there be any inducement from a confideration of that holy communion, that ye have, together with myfelf, in the fpecial influen- ces,
Chap. ii. PhilIppians pataphrafed. 15
ces, gifts, graces, and communications of the Holy Spirit, which alfo gives you a fellowfbip with the Father, and with his Son Jefus Chriji ; ( i John i. 3.) or from a confideration of your fpiritual fellow- ihip one with another, as members of the fame body, of which Chrift is the head : If there be any force in a reflection on the moll tender and affe&ionate difpo- fitions which are in the heart of God, and have dis- covered themfelves, through Chrift, with the kindeft compaffion toward you, or which he has wrought, by his Spirit, in you towards one another, and me, his prifoner in bonds. If, I fay, there be any reali- ty, worth, pleafure, obligation, or endearment in thefe things, as there certainly is ; and if, as I truft, ye yourfelves have experienced them in your own fouls ;
2 Fulfil ye my 2 Let thefe excite and engage you to fill up the
.j°y> !ha.7e Lbe meafure of that fatisfadion and joy which ye have al- like- minded, ha- . . , . J Jt ■ - .
ving the fame love, readY begun *? give me; the joy I mean is, that ye being of one ac- be entirely united with me, and with one anotiitrr, in cord, of one mind, mind and heart, and that particularly in the follow- ing things ; that ye, as Chriftians, be knit together in lincere love and aftection to Chrift, and me his fer- vant, as I am to you, and in brotherly love one to a- nother ; that ye unanimouily agree to join with me, in purfning one and the fame defign, for promoting the intereft of Chrift, the purity of the gofpel, and your mutual edification ; and that ye be all of the fame judgment, and of* the fame relifh, with myfelr, as to the great doctrines of the Chrillian faith, in op- pofition to z\\ju claiming errors.
3 Let nothing he 3 Take h<-ed that nothing be faid or done among dons through ft rife, voll> from a litigious or oftentatious temper, which' or vain-glory, but dejights in oppolition to others, and applauie to it- m lowlmelsotmind _ ._ °, . rr ,. . j • \ ,,,.„u let each efteem o- felf 5 but lct ™&1 thing be managed m your church- ther better than affemblies, and in all your converfation and behaviour, themfelves. with fuch an humble frame of fpirit, as fhall difpofe
all and everv one of you to entertain a modeft and mean opinion of their own attainments!, and, to be
ready NOTES. * Be like-minded (to avh ^qoixIi') and being of one accord, and of one mind ; be of one mind, (to t.v tgeWvlts ) exprefs and, it teems to me, that by the lait ot juft the fame idea, if we take them fe- thefe, he intended an agreement in fen- parately, and apart by themfelves : But, time?its, as to the doctrines of the goipel ; as it cannot be thought that the apoftle becaufe he is here enforcing what he had was guilty of fuch a needlefs tautology, faid, chap.'i. 27. about their /landing fq/i as taking them in the fame fenfe and la- in one fpirit, in one mind, /hiving toge* titude imports, I apprehend the eafieft ther for the faith of the gofpel. This way of freeing him from it, is to confi- preferves a proper dift.inc~r.ion in che fenle der like-minded as a general term, and of all thefe words.
the three following e.xpreffions as ex- f Though Chriftians of eminent gifts
planatory of the particulars he included and graces may, and cannot but accounc
in it, namely, as having the fame love, their attainments to be Inferior to o-
Vol. V, D rie™
be in you, which u-::s alio in Chrift Tefus :
1 6 The Epijlle to the Chap. ii.
ready to condefcend to perfons of the lowcft degree ;
as alfo to think and fpeak better of others, that walk
becoming their profeffion, than of themfelves, as ob-
ferving, and being duly affefted with a fenfe of their
own failings, and calling a mantle of love upon the
defeats of other Chriftians, whofe hearts, for aught
they know, may be better, and more approved of
God, than their own.
4 Look not every 4 In order to your attaining this excellent difpo-
prun on his own fition, let every one of you take heed of a narrow
imgs, u every r \^^ fpjrj|- 0f magnifying his own endowments, or
man alio on the r . / ' n \ » • i_ r j
tilings of others. °* aiming at (yy/i e-Koiruh) his own honour, eaie, and
fecular interefts, as though this were the chief mark and fcope of his endeavours and conduct ; but let e— very one, as afted by a generous public fpirit, think himfelf bound in duty, not, like a bufy body, to meddle with other people's matters, but, in his own proper fphere, to confult and purfue thofe things that make for their edification and peace, comfort and advantage, both in temporal and fpiritual affairs.
5 Let this mind 5 For, (yx%) in oppofition to flrife, vain-glory, and felf-feeking, the fame fpirit of meeknefs, humility, and love ought to prevail in you, which was fo eminent- ly confpicuous, and fo perfectly exemplified in our Lord Jefus Chrift himfelf.
6 Who being in 6 Who, being pofTeffed of the divine nature *, the form of God, and cf aj] fa effential perfeaions, as the Son of God, bery\o 'h™ equal and as.the brigbtnefs °f &e Father's glory, and ex- with God ■ Prefs image of his per/on : (Heb. i. 3.) and fo real- ly, and in the drifted fenfe, God, in the true and proper form of deity, did not count it an ufurpation, injury, or wrong, or any aft of rapine in him, to claim an equality of nature with God the Father ; he
and NOTES.
thers of the lowed clafs, as the apoftle form of a fervant in the next verfe ;
fpeaks of his own gifts and labours; yet, and, as the form of a fervanr, which
like him, they ought to he humble in Chrift is there laid to have taken upon
afcribing nothing to themfelves, but him, is meant of his being really a Jen*
all to the grace of God, (1 Cor. xv. 9, vant in his a (Turned human nature, with
10. and i Cor xii. 11.) And, with re- reference to which, it is added, that he
("peer, to true religion, charity fhould was. made in the likenefs of man, the
teach them to hope, that there may be plain meaning of which is, that he was
ipmething more excellent, and lefs of- really man ; fo the form of God, which
ltriifivf to God in the hearts of other be- he was originally in, muft, in all reafon,
lie vers, than they rind in their own, who, mean, that he wa«, in his prior nature,
on one account or r.ncther, are apt to as truly and properly God. as he was
think their own wurfe than others ; be- in his human nature man and a fe rvant ;
caufe, the more triey know themfelves, and therefore it might well be ("aid, that
the more they fee the treachery and viie- he thought it not robbery to be equal
re's of their own, than it is pofhble for with God, as I think this pafTage is jufl-
them to '"ee of the hearts of others, whofe ly rendered. (See this fenfe of it vindi-
oonverfation is fuch as becomes the gof- cated in my fcrraons on Jefus Chrifl God-
pcl of Chrift. man, p. z 1. * The form of God is oppofed to the
Chap. ii. P hiltppians paraphrafed. 17
and the Father being ejfentially One, though per- J'onally dijiincl. (John x. 30.) 7 But made him- 7 Nevertheless (ocXXx) he was pleafed, by a won- felf of no rqmu- derful ad of cendefceniion, fo far to difrobe, and, as tion and took up. k himfelf, of the bright appearances of
on him the form ..... *. ' 7 p ir
of a fervant and "1S aivme majeity and glory, as not to make a pom- was made in the pous ihevv of them ; but, in great meafure, to qon- likeneis of men : ceal them from the obfervation of men, while, in themfelves, they continued to be really and efTentialfy the fame as ever, and all the fulnefs of the Godhead dwelt juhjt am ialiy in him : (Col. ii. 9.) And he v: - luntarily afiumed human nature into perfonal union with himfelf, in fo low and mean a condition, as therein to become his Father's fervant, living and acting, bleeding and dying, according to hia com- mandment, (John x. 18.) and as even to aft the pait of a fervant towards his difciples, (Luke xii. 37.) and go through the molt painful, humbling, and diffi fervices for their redemption and falvation ; and he was fo truly and properly man, as to be made like un- to his brethren, of human nature, in all things, Jin only excepted. (Hcb. ii. 17. and iv. 15.) S And being 8 And when he was found in the common form found in faflii'en and condition of man, a? though he had been nothing as a man, he hum- n h~ fubmitted himfelf to the loweft degree of
bled himielr, and .- . j r it « i ^ • * r c .->
became obedient iervice and iuffenngs ; and went into a courle ot the unto death, even mod humble obedience, as to his parents and magi- *he death of the Urates, in all lawful things, fo to his heavenly Fa- clofs" ther, as his fervant, to anfwer all the demands of
his holy law, both in fulfilling its precepts, and fuf- fering its curfe ; and this obedience he paid even un- to death, and all along, till he came to die, yea, and in his dying, (John x. 18.) not an ordinary death, but the ignominious, painful, and accurfed death of the crofs, to ihow that he Hood in the place of tranf- greffors, who were under the curfe* of the law, and that he came to redeem them from it, by bearing it for them. (Gal. in. 13.) 9 Wherefore God 9 And, having fulfilled his work of redemption in alio hath highly this humble, obediential, and flittering manner, God exalted him, and his Facher, as a reward of all this, according to its given him a name , r _^ » ,. / Tr rv* ^
which is above e- deferts> and n\8 covenant-agreement,^ (I/a. hn. 9, — very name : H-) has glorioufly exalted him, not by advancing
him to a ftate of greater effential happinels, perfec- tion, or glory, than he had before, as God, which admits of no addition ; but by -railing him, as man, from the dead, receiving him up to glory, and fet- ting him at his own right hand, and giving him uni- versal dominion, as mediator ; and fo he iiiuflrioufly manifelted this divine perfon to be as great and glo- vas in himfelf: And, to recom- D 2 ooca^
1 8 The Epijile to the Chap. ii.
mend him by the moft endearing motives to our ac- knowledgment of him as fuch, he has granted him, in his office capacity, as his incarnate Son, a new title of authority and honour, incomparably fuperior to any other name, dignity, or authority whatfoever, among angels or men ; yea, too great for any mere creature to wear, or be worthy of, even the name of the Saviour, and the conllituted Lord of all. (ver. 10, ii.) And he has done this, i© That at the 10 To the end that, (ivx) in token of the religious name or Jefus eve- honours which are due to the exalted Saviour, every ry knee fhould bow, nui 11 11 •
of things in hea- one 1}lould DOVV the knee, not at barely pronouncing ven, and things in the word Jefus, nor merely in a literal fenfe, in which earth, and things the angels in heaven, that are to bow before him, under the earth ; fcave rlo knees . ^ut jn paying fuch folemn homage, adoration, and worfhip to this glorious and divine perfon, whofe name is Jefus ; and in being fo entire- ly fubjeft to him, (fee the note on Rom. xiv. n.) as is fignitied by bowing the knee, as well as by other expreffions of it ; and is to be paid to him by all ranks of intelligent creatures, whether they be faints or angels in heaven, or fuch men as arc living upon earth, or as are dead and buried under the earth, when they mail rife again, and appear at his tribu- nal ; then they, and all the wicked on earth, and all the devils in hell, fhall either willingly, or by con- llraint, bow to him, as the great Judge of all. ii And that e- n And he is thus[highly exalted, that the tongue
conf f^tT ^"-t °f eVCry °ne' °f a11 natl°nS and languages> moulcl e1'- Chrift 7r Lord to t^ier criearIuhV own, and celebrate the praifes of his the £lory of God univerfal dominion ; or be forced to acknowledge, the Father. whether they would or not, that he, the anointed Sa-
viour, is in his office-capacity, and exalted ftate, the great Head, Lord, and Ruler over all, and the uni- versal Judge at the laft day, to the glory of God the Father, whofe honour it is to have always had fuch a Divine Son, as is worthy of fo high a commiffion ; (John v. 23. and 1 John ii. 23) and who, in infi- nite wildom, hath appointed his incarnate perfon to all this dignity, for the glory of his own name. (John xvii. 1, 2.) 12 Wherefore, 12 Since therefore the duties of humility, love,
W akv'a^s obeyC and kindncfs> (ver- 2»~4') are recommended in fo ed not a^n'rrv l,vety and afTe&ing a manner, by the matchlefs ex- urefence only, but ample oi our Lord himfelf ; let this animate you, my now much more in dear brethren, to a noble imitation of him therein ; my abfeoce; uoik an(j fIncej from the time of your converfion, ye have, virion witfa11 feat a^ a*ong> fliown an obediential fubmiffion to his com- anfi tumbling. mand*i, and to his authority in me, not only out of regard to my prefence, while I was perfonally among ycu to obferve, affill, admonifh, and encourage you ;
but
Chap. ii. Phtltppians paraphrafed. 19
but now, more efpecially to prove the fincerity of your love, while ye are iurrounclcd with feducers, and are not under my immediate inipection and inilruc- tion, through my abfence from you ; I, in reflection upon this, entreat you, with the greater confidence in your obedience, to be vigoroufly active, under di- vine influence, in promoting the falvation of one an- other, (fee the note on Epb. iv. 52.) and to go for- ward, and abound in a diligent exercife and practice of the forementioned, and all other graces and duties that are neceffary, in the nature of things, and hy ' the appointment of God, for' the final accomplish- ment of that falvation, which is already your own, by the gift of the Father, the purchafe of the Son, and the, application and earneil of the Spirit : And I befeech you to labour in this manner ahcut your own falvation, every one perfonally for himfelf, not with a fervile, diftruftful, and delponding fear, but with a holy, filial, and awful reverence of the Divine Majeity, and a cautious fear of finning agair.it, and thereby offending and dishonouring him ; (Pj(':- -• 11. and 1 Pet. i. 17.) and with humble dread of do- ing any thing to provoke his frowns and dilplealure, the hidings of his face* the withdravvings cf his afiift- ance, and the chaftifements of his rod, in oppofition to felf- confidence and carnal fecurity, with regard to an affair of fuch infinite importance. 13 For it is God 1 3 For, to encourage your utmofl diligence here- which worketh in in, on one hand, and to guard you againlf pride and you, both to will carnai iecUntv, on the other, remember that the gra-
good pleature cIouS and hol>' God> wh° haS h^UU hl'S g°°d W°rk
in your fouls, (i^yu) continues to carry it on ; with
internal virtue and powerful energy, till it be perfect- ed, [chop. i. 6.) as it is he, that excites, inclines, and determines your will, in a way conliilent with the trueft liberty of a rational creature, and enables you to perform the things that relate to your falva- tion ; and does this, not for any defert in yourfelves to move him to it, but merely of his own free and fovereign grace, which he exerts with the greateit pleafure and delight, {Mot. xi. 26. and Micah vii. 18.) * and by which he works in you both to choofe,
and NOTE. * The word his, not being in the influence ofhis Spirit and grace, accord* Greek, fome fuppofe that good pleafure ing to the apoftle's u'e of this word, relates, not to the manner with which chap. i. 15. And this may be a very Cod works in us, but with which belie- good fenfe of the phrafe, while we con- 'vers do, as well as will, under his work- fider God as working all this in us, and ings ; and fo may fignify that the effett exciting and influencing us to it by his of his working in us is our willing, and Spirit. But, I rather think, that good doing with freedom and delight, as fer- pleafure refers to the way and manner ving the Lord with good-ivill, under the of God's working in ust than to the way
and
ao The Epijlle to the Chap. ii.
and do every thing that is good, in the ufe of proper means, with freedom and chearfulnefs. 14 Do all things 14 ln dependence therefore upon, and compliance S^°Uand^difcS- W1'th his grac,ous operations in you, take fpecial heed, tings: tnat» according to what has been fuggefted, (ver.
3.) ye, in the whole of your conduct, avoid all dif- content at the profperrty of others, or at the difpo- fals of Providence toward yourfelves ; and all animo- sities and wrangling difputations one againft another ; and difputings againft the things which God enjoins upon you, or which ye may be called to fuffer for Chrift's fake.
be' bllmeleft TJd , /5 ^ Y° "^ be " ****• and aPPear t0 1°™- liarmlefs the fons *e*ves an" others to be, unreprovable and inoffenfive ot God, without re- m >'0lir temper and converfation, and fincere in your bofce, in the midft dealings with both God and man, as becomes the «t a ciooked ami children of your heavenly Father, to diftinguifh you among * whom^ye ^rom t^le cm^ren °f the devil ; that there may be no fhine as lights in ju^ occafion of complaint or accufation againft you, the worid ; for any irregularity in your walk, nor any room for
the moft captious adverfary to revile and cenfure you, while ye live in the midil of a generation of Jews and Gentiles, that are exceedingly corrupt and de- praved in their minds and manners, like perfons bent ' and warped from the ftrait rule of righteoufnefs, per- verfe in heart, and turned alide from the right ways of the Lord ; among whom ye, as Chriftians, and a church of Chrift, are fet up, ought to be, and in great meafure are, as mining lights, and illuftrious examples, for the direction, conviction, and imita- tion of the men of thfs world, that they, feeing your good work\, may glorify your Father, which is in heaven: (Mat. v. 16.) 16 Holding forth 16 Ye herein holding fall (i-ti^ii) with perfe- the word ot hte ; verance . an(j holding up to all around you, with e- ioke in the day of vidence and recommendation, Chrift himfelf, who is Chrift, that I have our life; (fee Col. iii. 4. and I John i. I.) and the not run in vain, glorious do&rine of eternal life, in all its purity and neither laboured in excellence,' as it reveals and (hews the way of obtain- ing it through him, and is the power of God to the falvation of every one that believes: {Rom. i. 16.) This I am greatly concerned for, that, according to my hope, I may rejoice and glory in your ftedfaitnefs
and NOTE. V
and manner of eur willing and acting but is frequently ufed with reference towards him, in things that relate to to God, and his way and manner of acl- cur falvation : For our doing with good ing about it, and is commonly rendered pleafure, is much the fame with our his good pUafure, or good will, or that •willing to do is ; and this word (tvSotua) which feems good to him, as in Mat. xi. as tar as I find, is never ufed to exprefs 25, 26. Luke ii. 14. and xii. 32. Eph. i> •ur actings about our own falvation ; 5, p. and 2 Thejf. i. 11.
Chap. ii. YmLiPViAits parapbrafed. 21
and ufefulnefs here, and in your complete falvation hereafter, when we {hall appear together in the pre- fence of Chrift., at his coming to judge the world in the great -day of account ; (i Theffi ii. 19, 20.) as finding then, that all my drivings, pains, and labours for, and with you, in the courfe of my miniftry, have not been fruitlefs and inefFe&ual ; but, by the grace of God, have anfwered their defired end, to his glo- ry and your everlatting happinefs. 17 Yea, and if I 17 Yea, and fuch is my love to you, that I not be offered upon the oniy hope, and rejoice in the hope of this happy fruit facrificeandferyice f laDOurs among you ; but if («AA u kui <tw
of your faith, I ioy i { . r . -b.J ' « v., r r» j
and rejoice with V*0 in Purfuit of them> tne Providence of God you all. mould fo order it, that I, his prifoner, muft not on-
ly undergo great fufferings, but even lay down my life to feal my teftimony with my blood, and to be poured out, like the oil and wine on the meat and drink-offerings, (Exod. xxix. 4. and Lev. ii. I.) to complete the facrinces under the law, in miniftring before the Lord : (xwlagy/a) If this fhould befal me, for the further confirmation of your faith as be- lieving Gentiles, who are offered up as an acceptable facrifice to God, being fan&ified by the Holy Ghoft, (Rom. xv. 16.) I am fo far from being troubled at it, that now, in the forcfight of it, I do, and then mail rejoice in it ; and (ffwy%*t%a) I congratulate you all, upon finifhing my work and days in a man- ner fo honourable to Chrift, and fo richly to your ad- vantage. iS For the fame 18 And, in return, I beg of you, that on the caufealfodoyejoy, fame account, in cafe ye mould hear of my martyr- and rejoice with ^om, ye would rejoice and congratulate me, (rvyxfiu- £6ts fi6i) on the honour of my dying in fuch a way, as (hall bear the mod noble teftimony to the Lord Je- fus, and to his gofpel, and mall be to the farther en- couragement and eftablifhment of your faith in him. ioButltruftin 19 But, notwithstanding all that I have faid a- the Lord Jefus, to bout my willingnefs to die for thefe great purpofes, I fend Timotheus am apprehenfive that the time for it is not yet come ;
^°at iyahontn,,y°be and l humblT h°Pe and trul1 b th" P™vIdtntial ™rc of good comfort, and gracious kindnefs of the Lord Jefus, who is high- when I knew your \y exalted, and has a name above every name, {yer. ft<ae- 9.) and has the government of the church and the
world upon his moulders, [J fa. ix. 6.) that my cir- cumftances will foon be in fuch a fituation, as to ad- mit of my fparing the beloved Timothy, and lending him, according to my pvefent purpofe, to fee how matters go with you, and help ycu in your fpiritual concerns, that I may have the greateft fatisfaction and pleafure, according to my hopes, when I fhali hear from him, that the work of the Lord profpers among
you,
22 The EptJUe to the Chap. ii.
you, and that the judaix-insr teachers have not been
able, by all there fubtilties and terrors, to pervert or
fhake you.
20 For I have no 20 The reafon of my defigning to fend him is,
man like-minded, becaufe I have no Chriftian-brother with me (kto^/v
SSfa^rBS »■*>*« ;f,en' Ln e.xcellenc7 of tcm*« Th him>
or that is like-arrectea toward you ; and that, with regard to doctrine, miniftrations and behaviour, walks ih the fame fpirit, and in the fame fteps with myfelf, as he does ; who fincerely, and with the mod genuine affection, (yncrws) like that which a parent naturally has for his children, will lay your concerns to heart, and carefully ftudy to promote your eftablifhment, edification, and incrcafe with all the increafes of God. -1 For ?. U feck 21 For the generality of the other brethren *, that their own, not the remain with me, are too felfifh and pufillanimous, and things which are rather folicitous about their own temporal eafe, ho- "eus r * nour, and fafety, than willing to expofe themfelves to
fuch fatigues, dangers, and reproaches, as I met with at Philippi, (Acts xvi. 19, — 24.) and as they might pofiibly be called to fuffer more, in promoting the intereft, caufe, and glory of our great Lord and Sa- 1 viour, and the welfare of his church there, than in
fome other places. 22 But ye know 22 But ye have had good trial and proof, (^ox^v) the proof of him, and an experimental knowledge of Timothy's emi- that as a fon with nent qualifications, faithfulnefs, courage, and zeal : the father he hath Ye have feen how, when we were together among ferved with me in . .._ .. f . . f , e>
thegoffiel. y°"» (^^xvi. 1,-13.) he engaged, in the face
of all hazard and oppolition, with me, as a fellow-la- bourer, in preaching and propagating the gofpel ; and I aflirre you he always, like me, has been feek- ing, not his own profit, but the profit of many, that they might be faved ; (1 Cor. x. 33.) he has been willing to go wherever I mould fend him, and to lay himfelf out in the fervice of Chrift, according to my directions, with all the affection and chearfulnefs, re- fpecVand duty of a fon to his father; he being in- deed my own fon in the faith, (1 Tim. i. 2.) and of the fame foirit with me.
NOTE.
* All here cannot mean abfolntely ces, and the greateft part of them, that
and univerfally every one of the Chrif- remained with the apoftle, were, com-
tian-minifters and^brethren, as if none pared with Timothy, more influenced
of them had any concern for the inte- by worldly conveniences and advanta-
reft and glory of Chrift : For the apoftle ges. than by a zealous concern to pro-
fpe-ks honourably of Epaphroditus, ver. mote the intereft of Chrift, particularly
2C. and tells us, chap- i. 14 that many at Philippi, where it might coft them
of the brethren, waxing confident by his more abundant trouble, than at fome
bonds, <wer$ much more bold to /peak other places, in which they might hope
the word without fear : But, perhaps, to be ufefuh the bejl of them were gone to other pla-
fo my.'elf fhallcome fliortlv
Chap. ii. Philippians paraphrafed. 23
%l Him there- 23 I have therefore fixed upon this excellent and fore I hope to fend approved young man, and hope I mall be able to presently io loon fen(j hfm tQ ;n a j^fe t; wjtnout further
as I than (ee how , . B i. _ ,, , ' •* . . . r> - ,
it will go with me. delaY» after I (haU have taken my trial at Ltejnr s bar, (^f!9j xxviii. 19.) which I daily expect to be called to ; and then the fad will prove whether I am to be di (charged or not. 24 But I tnnt io 24 But though the trial is not yet over, I have the Lord, t-hatlal- an humble confidence in the Lord Jefus, whofe I am, and whom I ferve, and for whofe fake I am now in bonds ; that by his over-ruling providence, and gracious appearance for me, I fliali be acquitted from the malicious accufations of mine enemies, and fet at liberty ; and that thereupon I myieif may likewife have an opportunity, ere long, of paying you a vitit, according to my earneit defire of feeing you, and re- joicing with you. 25 Yetlfuppofed 25 Neverthelefs, as I cannot come immediately itnereflary to ("end myfelf, and Timothy cannot yet be fpared, I in the to you Epaphro- mean whl,£ thoup.ht it proper, and needful for your ditas, my hrother ..r . t f 3 c • ■ c *.
and companion in edification and comfort, and tor giving you a prefent
labour, and fellow- pledge of my affectionate concern for you, to fend foldier, but your back, with this letter, the beloved Kpaphroditus^ meffenger, and he wllo ;s my <>ear brother in the faith, and in the mi- nifterial office, and my fellow-labourer in the work ol the Lord ; yea, and my aflbciate, that endures hard- fhips, and expofes himfelf to dangers with me, as a „ good foldier of Jefus Chrift, the Captain of falvation, in our fpiritual warfare, under him, againft fin and Satan, and againil feducers, and all the powers of this world, that fet themfelyes tn oppofition to him and his caufe ; and (h) he is your faithlul minifter, and kind meflenger to me, who has fully anfwered the trull which ye repofed in him, and has fupplied me with fuch corporal refreshments, by. your gene- rous benefactions, and given me fuch other afiillances, as were neceffary and convenient for me *. 26 For he long- 26 I chofe efpecially to fend him, becaufe he was ed after you all, exceeding defirous or vifiting you all again ; and, and was full of lifc , fympathizing friend, was extremely af-
heavinels, beeaule ... , . /. J r . ,° , r , . c , .
that ye had heard meted in his own mind, even to the linking or his that he had been fpirits, not fo much on account of his own late fick- nck. r.efs here, as of your having heard of it, which he,
judging of your affection to him, by the experience he has had of it, and by his own to you, eonclmkcl
would NOTE. * It is fuppofed, with great probabi- was <"ent as a taeflefiger from that lity, that Epaphroditns was paftor of the church to the apoftle in his bonds ; and church at Pkilippi : However, it is evi-'he is fuppofed by many to be the fame dent from the character thr ?poft!e here that is called Epapbras. Col. i. 7. ani gives him, that he was a minifter, and iv. 12. ar.d Philemon, ver, 3. Vol. V. E
that miniftereth to my wants,
low
24 The Epjjtle to the Chap. ii.
would be an occafion of much grief and fore diftrefs to you. 27 For indeed he 27 For, as ye heard, he really was feized with a T3S hflCk !"gh f£v! diftemper m lls own nature mortal, and has been fo had mercy on him; dangtrou% IU» as to be brought to death's door: and not on him on- But God, whofe prerogative it is to kill and fave a- iv. but on me alio, live, has in his good providence wonderfully appear- left I (hould have e(j for jjjg recovery, in anfwer to prayer, even beyond iorrow upon ior- o .- 1 • 1 _ / /
1 our expectation ; which was a great mercy, not on-
ly to himfelf*, in his relief and reftoration to health and eafe, and capacities of fervice ; but was alfo an inftance of God's tender compafiion, as to you and many others, fo particularly to myfelf, left, by lofing fo dear and important a friend and brother, I mould have been over-loaded with this addition of forrow, to that of his ficknefs, and to all the other troubles, I labour under in my confinement. 2S I fent him 28 I therefore the more ftudioufly and diligently therefore the more (^^g^) difpatched him with all fpeed to you, when" ve fee him tnough with much felf-denial in parting with him, again, ye may re- that when ye receive him in a good ftate of health a- joice, and that I gain, ye may rejoice at the fight, and I may have may be the lets tne fatisfa&ion of contributing to your comfort there- in, and of hearing of his arrival fafe and found to you, who fpared him fo long to minifter to me ; and fo may be the lefs troubled at my own lofs of his com- pany and afiiitance, and at my other afflictions. 29 Receive him 29 See therefore that, according to my defire and therefore in the hope, and your own warm profefiions of love to him, Lord with all glad- wnjje ^ was abfent) anc] jn danger of death, ye cor- dially embrace him, as a fervant of Chrift, and for his fake, who has returned him alive and well to you :* Receive him, I fay, with all fpiritual joy, as well as with humane, civil, and friendly affection : And let all fuch faithful labourers in the gofpd, as he is, be efteemed very highly, and treated with great honour among you, for their work's fake ; (1 Thc/f. v. 13.)
And NOTE. * As life anu health are in themfelves ing him in the miraculous way ; while mercies, and ficknefs and death are the he, doubt lefs, as well as others, prayed fruit of fin; it is, in that view, a mer- for his recovery. The reafon of this cy, even to a good man, to be reftored might be, becaufe he could not perform to health for the fervice of God. and the fuch miracles at all times, and whenever good of others, after a threatning ill- he pleafed ; there being no virtue in him- n'efs; though in the view of the confe- felt _ for it, as there was in our Lord, quertces of death, in a happy exchange which was a glory and power peculiar to of this frail and mortal life for a bletYed him; (Luke vi. 19. and viii. 46.) and immortality, it is better for himfelf to becaufe miraculous figns were for them die, than to live in this troublefome and that believe not, to confirm the gofpel (nihil world. (See chap. i. 15.) And to them, as the apoftle faid of tongues : though the apoftle was fo much affect- (t Cor. xiv. 22.) But there feems not to ed with Epaphroditus's ficknefs ; yet he have been any fuch occafion for working feems to have made no attempt for heal- this miracle.
m reputation
Chap. ii. Fhilipviaks parapbraftd. 2$
And ye ought in a fpecial manner to (hew the high- eft regard to Epaphroditus ; 30 Becaufe for 30 Becaufe it was by means of the great fatigues the work of Chrift he underwent for Chriit's fake, in love to him, and
^r"!2,1! "3° zeal tor his interelt and glory, that he contraaed the death, not regard- ... - , . , 1 , • r ■> • c 1 1
ing his life to fup- ""^is, which brought him lo near the point 01 death ; ply your lack of he having been execfiive in his labours, even to the fervice toward me. neglecting a due care of his health ; as not regarding his own life, but willingly hazarding it, by go: my meiTages, and preaching the goi'pel to fuch, ab I could not come at in my confinement ; and by often attending upon, and miniflring to me, and lo mak- ing up tiic want of your perfonal aiTiftances, Which, had ye been here, yc readily would have afforded me ; but which, at this diftance, ye were incapable of.
RECOLLECTIONS. How fweet and endearing are arguments taken from divine confolations, and in- ward glowings of love and companion, to brotherly kindnefs and condefcenfion, humility and meeknefs, and a fiocere regard to each other's edification and com- fort ! And how engaging to all this is the matchlefs example of Chrift ! Though he was really God, po Helled of the divine nature and perfection, equally with the Father, and i'o had a rightful claim to all the honours of Deity ; yet, in his infinite love and pity to his people, he Hooped fo low as to affume human nature into per- fonal union with himfelf; and, in this nature, inftead of mining forth hi all the luftres of Godhead, he ordinarily concealed them, and, as it were, difrobed him- felf of them ; and, appearing in the mean ftate of a fervant, fubmitted to the low- eft and fevereft courfe of obedience to his Father's will and law, till he rmiflied it in the painful and fhameful death of the crofs. And O how meritorious and plea- ling to God the Father was this ! He, as the juft reward of it, has exalted him iu human nature, and office-authority, to the higheft dignity and honour in heaven, that this divine Saviour might be treated as the object of all adoration and ho- mage, and the whole world of angels and men might be brought into an entire fubjection to him, as Lord of all, to the glory of God the Father. With what humble caution, felf-diffidence, reverence of God, and holy diligence, fhould be- lievers attend to the things that relate to thejr own falvatiOn ! And what rich en- couragement have they to it, fince God, of his own good pleafure, is ever prefcr.t with them, to excite, affift, and animate their holy inclinations and performances I And how highly does it concern them to behave meekly and inofier.iively, as be- comes the children of God, with fhining evidence, and a recommending profeffion of the gofpel of falvation, in the midft of a corrupt and degenerate age '. And O what a pleafure is it to the faithful fervants of Chrift, to lee this happy fruit of their labours ! For the producing of this, they could willingly fubmit, not only te imprifonment, but even to death itfelf, and rejoice in the noble teftimony they fhould thereby bear to him : And when they are under confinement for his fake, how delirous are they to hear that the church profpers ; and to fend fuch to mi- nifter to them, as may be mod acceptable and u;eful among them ! Though there be too many that feek their own things, rather than the things of jc-ius Chrift, which is for a lamentation ; yet, blefled be God, there are fome who, like Timothy 2nd Epaphroditzds, as well as Paid, are heartily and affectionately difpofed to lay themfelves out dilinrereftedly in the caufe of the dear Redeemer, and have longing defires to be helpful to the faith and joy of his people : All Inch are to be received with gladnefs, and to be highly efteemed and honoured for their ■ work's fake. But. O how affecling is it when fuch eminent inftruments are confi- ned in bonds, or are fick nigh unto death ! What a lympathizing fpirit is there, in fuch circumftances, between them and all that truly fear the Lord ! How willing are they to affile one another ' And what master ofjejoicing is it, when God fets his prisoners free, and has mercy c^ his firk fervants, and en their mourning and praying tricrds, in rclto; : health, and to capacities and opportunities of
further fervice !
E 2 CHAP,
26
The Epijlle to the
Chap, iii,
CHAP.
III.
"Ihe apojlle cautions the Philippians againfl judaizing falfe teachers, tvhorn he dtycnbe.r, as he al/o does true Lhrijliatu in oppqfitiun to them, i, — 3. Recti e\ his own former privilege., and renounces all tbefefor Ckriji, 4, — 8. Exprejfes his carnejl dejire to be found in him, and his prejjing on toward perfeElion* 9, — 14. And re- commends h'u own example to the imitation of other believers, in ntion to the behaviour of carnal prof ejfors, 1 j, — 11.
Test- Paraphrase.
JpiNALLY.my A FTER all * my dear brethren, I would excite
ioKeTn'1 the' Lord! >'°U t0 * trul>' ¥&*& i0f* not merelY in . anY
To write the lame external helps, means, and privileges ; but entirely
things to you, to in our Lord Jefus Chrift, under a lenfe of his love
me indeed i> not and care, and of the bleflings ye have, and hope for
fcneypus, bur for ;n h; that be pervertcd and fo robbed
rou a is late. f 11- 1 •/•• 1 ii
01 your holy joy, by judaizing teachers ; 1 have
therefore thought proper to write the very fame tilings, to caution you againft them, that I delivered by word of mouth, while I was prefent with you, and have ordered Kpaphroditus to remind you of; {chap. ii. 25.) and this I do without any reluctance, as if it were irklome and tedious to me to repeat old things, but with the greateit pleafure, to (hew that I am {till of the fame mind, and that my concern is as great for your edification, and for the purity of the gofpel among you, as ever : And it is needful, for your preiervation and eilablifhment in the faith, to have thefe things repeatedly inculcated upon you, and committed to writing, that ye may be put in re- membrance of them, (2 Pet. i. 12.) and the more deeply impreffed with them ; and may have opportu- nity, on all occalions, of reviewing them, to feoure you from all the uncertainties, and miftakes of oral tradition about them, of 2 Take heed then of thofe zealots, and have a ftrict and watchful eye upon them, who really are as ] worthlefs, vile, and contemptible, as the Jews have cifion. thought the Gentiles to be, while they ufed to deno-
minate them dogs, (Mat. xv. 26, 27.) and as the ancient falfe prophets were, that are lpoken of as
dumb NOTE. * Finally h not here, as often in o- what follows; and yet rejoicing hi the thcr places, a noce of concluding the Lord, may look both backwards and for- eprftle ; for the apoftle was got to but wards, backward to what he had laid about the middle of it, and was now en- about troubles and joys ; and forward Bering upon his man; defign in it : But it to what he was going to add againit ju- naay be of like import wntb fartkermqre, daizing teachers, and for recommending fvJiich .j ufed by vay of tran£tio9 10 Chriit and glorying in him.
2 Beware bjeware
evil- workers.
be.
Chap. iii. V hiliv?i A.m paruphrafed. 27
dumb dogs that could not bark ; (Ifa. lvi. 10.) but they are fometimes, as evidently malicious and injuri- ous tierce and biting ; and at others, as fly and fawning to fcrve a turn, as the worit of that iort ot animals can be; and are juitly excluded from the bletfmgs of the heavenly kingdom. (Rev. xxn. 15.) Ye cannot be too watchful againlt them ; and there- fore I repeat the charge, Stand upon your guard a- gainft thefe evil dotr^, and deceitful workers, (2 Cor. xt. 13.) who labour1 to dcilroy the truth of the goi- pel, and the purity of the church of Chriil. Still further to Itrengthen my caution, and engage your attention to it, I fay again, the third time, Beware, with the utmoit circumipcction, of that pernicious fet of men, who glory in their circumciiion, which, as it is now no longer an ordinance of God, is no better than merely cutting off the fore/kin oi the fleth * ; and who rend and tear the church to pn_ccb ; and inflead of having the covenant of grace conhrmed to them by that rite, as formerly, they, by depend- ing upon it, cut themfelves oft trom Chriit, and all the benefits of the goipel covenant, and cannot be deem'd real Chriftians, whatever their pretences be. (See GaL v. 2, — 4.) 3 For we are 3 For, in oppoiition to thefe vain boailers, who the cireuu^ifion, may ^e more properly called the concifion, than the which worihip God circumcij; who are finccrc believers in Chrift,
111 the fpirit, and , , J M ■ ,, ■, r A L ii j
rejoice in Chriit whether Jews or Gentiles, are after the belt and Jei'us, and have no moil effedtual manner, circumcifed in heart, (Deut. confidence in the xxx. 6. aml ftom% {{m 28, 29.) as being renewed in $tlh : the J'piHt of our minds ; (Ephef. iv. 23.) and fo are
partakers of that circumefon of Chrifi, which is lig- nified by our baptifm ; {Col. ii. 11, 12.) and are really in covenant with God : We accordingly wor- ihip God, not by ceremonial rites and carnal ordinan- ces, nor with merely external expreffions and modes of religious adoration ; but with our whole louls, in the exercife of ipiritual graces, tinder the light and influence of the Holy Spirit, according to gofpel-in- ftitution, and to our bleffed Lord's own direction : (John iv. 23, 24.) And we glory with abundant joy ; yea, even triumph in Chrift, and in our own intereit in him, as the Lord our righieoujnejs andjlrength,
(lfa. NOTE. * The concifion fignifies the cutting Chriltians, whether they had been cir- fiff, in allufion to circumcifion, which cumcifed in the flelh, or not; calling the judaixers gloried in ; but which them the circumafion, (ver 3.) mean- the apoftle, to lhew his contempt of ing in a Ipiritual fenie the circumcifed; what they fo much boafted of, calls the the abftract bung here, as elfewhere, concifion ; and he fpeaks of the circum- put for the concrete, according to the cifion, or of what had been fignitied by note on Rdu. ii. 26. it, as the privilege and honour of real
-8 The Epiflle to the Chap. iii.
(Ifa. xlv. 24, 25.) and as our only Mediator and ground of acceptance and hope : And we renounce all dependence upon, and expectation of favour with God on account of circumcition, or any other Jewijh ordinances, that pertain to the flefh ; or of any thing what lot ver, that we have done, or can do, in per- forming the righteoufnefs of the law, (ver. 6.) by natural principles, which, for their corruption and Aveaknefs, may very fitly be Hylcd Jle/h. (John iii. 6. Rom. ii. 5. and viii. 5, — 9. See the notes on thofe paffages in the Roma in.) 4. Though I 4 Though as to myielf, were there any depend- aught alfo. have ence to be had upon, or any advantage to be found coniicWe in the jn ord;nances and privileges, that pertain to the flefh, Rem. It any other . . . , r . &. ' . r, , . .'
7-nin thinketh th.it or in any tnmg tnat the jnaa7zet - have done m their he nath whereof carnal unregencrate ilate, I might boaft of thefe things he might truft in as much as they. If any of them imagines that he the ncih, I more: ^as ground or matter of confidence toward God, on account of fl.flily privileges and performances, I could claim as much on this foot as any one of them all ; and more than the generality of them *, and efpeci- ally than any profelyte can do. 5 Cireumcifed 5 As to external privilege.!, I was duly circumci- hth d?y, cf fe(} tne e,Vhth day, according to God's appointment : the ttock of Iirael, /,. ■■ \\ -& r 1 * r
e/ the tribe of Ben- \Gen* XVU' I2') l am not a Profelyte trom among i'amin, an Hehrew the Gentiles, but a true native ljraelite of that tribe, of the Hebrews; as which defcended from 'Jacob by his beloved Benja- touching the law, mi,h tne fon 0f his deareft wife Rachel; a royal a Fharnee ; tribej from which the firft king of Ifrael was taken ;
and a tribe that never revolted to the idolatrous wor- fhip of Jeroboam's calves at Dan and Bethel, as all the reft, except that of Judah, did : I am a Jew of pure extract, both by father and mother's fide, and not an Helienifl ; but of that fort of Jews that ufed the Hebrew language in iynagogue-worfhip : And I was, by education and profefiion, a Pharifee, the ilridteft of ail the Jewijh fec~ls, in their obfervation of the law of God, and the traditions of the elders. (sfcls xxi. 6. and xxvi. 5. and Gal. i.- 13.) 6' Concerning 6 And as to my regard to thefe privileges, and zeal, perfecting doing what I thought my duty in correfponder.ee to the church; touch- h I came behind none of thofe that pride them-
hit the ri"liteoul- . .
hich is in fc^ves in them ; my zeal for them was fo flaming,
the law, blamelefs. that I was vehemently enraged, and went into molt
furious methods of cruelty and violence againft the
church of Chrift, (^'lc7j xxii. 3, 4. and xxvi. 11.)
becauie
NOTE.
* IVTr Pierce thought the apoftle had jt/daifm ; and that he was only a pro-
his eye upon fome particular perfon a- /c/yte, and not a native Jczv ; and (o
mong the Pbilippians, that endeavour- the apoflle had more to boaft of than
pd Lo draw them off from Chri/l to he.
Chap. iii.
7 But what things were sain to me, thole I counted lofs for Chrift.
8 Yea doubtlefs, and I count all things but lofs, for the excellency of the knowledge of Chrift Jefus my Lord • for whom I have fuffered the lofs of all things, and do count them but dung that I may win Chrift,
■-/ And be found
in him, not having
mine own righte-
ouiheis.
Philippians paraphrafed. 29
becaufe their principles and profcfiion lay in direcl op- pofition to mine : And at the fame time, I was fo fin- cere and careful an obferver both of the ceremonial and moral law of M^cs, that neither mine own cou- fcience did, nor any other perfon could charge me ■with any flagrant, or remarkable t ran fgref lion of cither parts of that law ; having lived in all good tonfeience before God, according to my light, all the days of my judaifm, (Acts xxiii. 1.) and having verily thought that I did God good fervice in perfecuting his New Teltament- church. ( d£ls xxvi. 9.)
7 But how much foever 1 once thought, and any carnal Jew would have flattered himfelf, that thefe things were of the greattft advantage to me in my fpiritual concerns, as fufficient to fecure the favour of God and heaven ; yet when he called me by his grace, I faw that they were all mifguided, empty, and defi- cient; and that my dependence upon the belt of them was unprofitable and injurious to me ; and fo I aban- doned them all, in point of truft and confidence, for Chrift, and (qyqtuei) I efteemed them as nothing, and worfe than nothing to be relied upon, in competition with him.
8 Yea, and (aXXoz (.'.ivavyi kva r,y*p%,i) fo far am I, even now, after many years knowledge and ex- perience of the gofpel-way of falvation by Jefus Chrift alone, from altering my mind as to this matter, that I really ftill reckon, not only thofe things, but even all that I have done, in a way of religious and mo- ral obedience iince my converiion, which is much more than is found in any carnal Jew ; I count all this, as well as every worldly enjoyment, to be lofs, in comparifon with the fuperabundantly more excel- lent, fiducial, and experimental knowledge of Chrift, as the only Saviour, whom I humbly claim and truft in as my Lord, according to the gofpel-difeovery of him ; for whofe fake, and in exchange for whom, I have deemed all things, though not abfolutely, yet in a comparative view, and in point of confluence in them, as no better than lofs ; and have cait them all away, as goods are thrown over-board, when they endanger finking the (hip ; and I do ftill reckon I
to be net only fo, but even, if relied in for falvation, like fuch worthlefs and contemptible things, as dun1;, dregs, or dog's meat, (o-^joxXoc) to the end that, (m^) by an utter renunciation of them in point of juf- tification, I may at length gain a complete enjoyment of Chrift, and of all his laving benefits.
9 And this I do, that wb< n the Uriel and public fcrutiny, trial, and final decif.r of my Hate Ihali (
on, I may be found in Chrift with fafety, as in a ci- ty
The Epiftk to the
Chap ilf.
oiifhefs, which is of ty of refuge ; and may be found to be vitally united the law, but that with h; as a mern(,cr 0f his myflical body, and which is through i i i • i • . i i , r
the faith of ChrUt comPr^»ended in him, as my covenant-head ; and To
the righteou'inet? "^y ftand before God in judgment, not as appearing v liirh is of God by at his bar in my own perfonal righteoufnefs, to be i •'■'■' dealt with according to its defert, which at beft is
very imperfectly anfwerable to the requirements of God's holy law ; but as clothed with, and judged ac- cording to the merit of that righteoufnefs, which confiits not in faith itfelf, but is unto, and upon all true believers through faith in Chrift ; (Rom. iii. 22.) even that righteoufnefs, which he wrought out, by hia obedience and fuffcrings unto death, to the full fatisfaction of law and juftice in my room and Head ; the righteoufnefs, which is of God's own appointing and accepting for juftification, and of his imputing, to difcharge from condemnation, and intitle to eter- nal life, in a way of believing *.
10 And NOTE. * This context, I think, gives us a only, as we have it before, (<t;er. 7.) beautiful gradation of the apoftie's re- but all things, without exception or nouncing all truft and confidence in anv referve of any thing done by him, after, righteoufnefs but that of Chrift : He be- as well as before converllon : For ver. 9. gins, ver. 5, 6, 7. with renouncing his fhows that what he intended was, all Jewijlj privileges, and his Pharifaical righteoufnefs of his own for juftification righteoufnefs, which confifted in his ob- according to the requirements of the fervance of the moral, as well as cere- law ; and he declares, that he perfifted monial precepts of the law- For fome, ftill in renouncing even this, as infnfR- at leaft, of the Pharifees expected to be cient to juftify him 5 and fo he fets afide juftified, no.t merely by a ceremonial, all imaginable righteoufnefs of our own, but alio by a moral righteoufnefs, join- in oppofition to that of faith ; and even ed with it, in conformity to the law, as faith itfelf. which is as much a work of appears from our Lord's parable of the righteoufnefs, and as much our own, in- Pharifee and publican, Luke xviii. 11, herent in us, and acted by us, as any o- 1 z. ; and fuch a Pharifee the famous ther grace, or inftance of evangelical Gamaliel feems to have beeti, if we " may judge of his moral character from the probity and piefy toward God that breathed in his admirable fpeech, Acts v. 34, — 39. And Paul, the Pharifee, who was brought up under him, was as confcientions an obferver of moral obedience as any other of that feci: could be fuppofed to be ; fince he declares
that, even in that ftate, according to found in him, feems to relate, not mere- his then fenfe of things, he had lived ly to his having an intereft in Chrift, in all good confcience before God. (Acts and being united to him, but to look xxiii t.) And then he advances, ver. forward to what he ihould be at death S, 0. to a difc?rding of all truft. not and judgment ; for he had already, and only in this but alfo in his own perfonal knew that he had. a fun* intereft in riehteoufnefs, after he became a Chrif- Chrift. and fo, in that fenfe, was already tian : For having laid, with a reference in him ; and vet he fpeaks of his prefent bark to the things before mentioned, defire and purfuit, that he mi?ht, upon nuhat things were gain to me, thofe trial, be found a partaker of this corn- I counted lofs for Chrift, ver 7. he preheniive bletfing, which evidently re- adds, ver. S." tea doubt lefs. and I do lates to fome time to come, as exprefled count lofs for Cbrijl, not thofe things in the following verfes.
obedience : He difclaims regarding this,, as his juftifyin^; righteoufnefs, while he accurately diftinguifhes faith from this righteoufnefs, which he does not fay is faith itfelf. but is the righteoufnefs which is of God through faith, and by faith, as God imputes it, and faith receives it. (See the note on Rom. iii. 20.) And his winning 01 gaining Chrift. and being
Chap. iii. Philippians paraphrafed. 31
10 That I may 10 And my earnett defire is, not on\) to be found know him, and the {n ^ 1 1 ri it at the latt d-iy, but that in the mean while,
power or hlsrelu! ancJ in orfJer thereunto, I may have an experimental ration, and the . . . J. . l f , •
fellowship of his growing -acquaintance with him in the glory ot his
fuft'erings, beint: perfon and offices, and in the tfficacy of his refurrec-
made conformable tion, as the head of the body, for confirming my joy-
unto his death; fuj nopes Qf eterna] l{fe> pu tnat fpqt> an(J [n virtue of
it ; ( i Per. i. 3.) and for animating me unto the raoft vigorous and active obedience, whereby I may it ill further live to God, in conformity to my rifen Sa- viour ; and may be daily led into holy communion with him, in his crucifixion, tor crucifying the old man, the body offin% ihci' it may be utterly dejhoy- ed ; (Rom. vi. 6.) as alfo for patiently enduring all fufferings, even unto death, for his fake, in confor- mity to him, who died, and rofe again.
11 If by any 11 This is my conltant aim and purfuit, that by weans I might at- thefe, and all other means of God's appointment, I ta.n unto the re- ^ ^ ^^ # m^ arr;ve) j;kc tailors to their port, at £ ^ . that complete ftate of all poffible bleffednefs and glo- ry, which the children of God (hall enjoy at the re- furrection of the juft, when their mortal bodies (hall be raifed, in a re union with their fouls, to immortal life.
12 Not as though 12 I own that I have not already f received the I had already at- prJze> which I am running for, nor (*$/) rtteuapeu) tained, either were. ^ fa f fa ^.^ thefc. courfe already perfect; 7 ' .
but I follow after, made pertect in holineis, as 1 lain would be, and as
if that I may ap- I mull be, before I am honoured with the crowr of
prehend that for right e.-uf tiefs ; (2 Tim. iv. 8.) But fiuutZ) I pur-
whirh alfo I ara f ra ftretchin^ forth wJth the utmoft eager-
apprehended Of 7 ; » © 0
Chrift Jems. ne*s» tnat» in God's way and time, 1 may reach per-
fection, and lay hold on eternal life; for the attain- ing of which (*a}«ftg?9i>*) I was laid held on by the power and grace of Chi ill, who met me in the way
to NOTES. * If By any means (a war) here, alludes to perfons arriving in a harbour, and if that I may, (u *.-.) ver. 11. and is ufed n that feme Acts xviii. 19, cannot be fairly underftood to fignify, 24 and xxvii. 12. and xxvui 13. But that the apoftle was in any doubt a- here it alludes to a victor's receiving the bout his own final and complete l'alva- prize; and fo this, and feveral orher tion; fince he fo often fpeaks of his firm terms in the following verfts, are ago- expectation of it : And therefore the ni/iical, taken from the Grecian games, particle (u) if in thefe places, is not then in ufe ; one of which was running to be confidered as a particle of doubt- races for a prize that was to be won; ing, but may be rendered that, as it is and it is in this view that we are to pn- twice together. Ads xxvi 23.; and fo, fider prej/tng'tqward the mark / in the prefent cafe, it only intimates prize ; (ver. 14) not as though the the neceffity of ufing the means, in order prize were to he gained for rh« nfc to attaining the end. (See Zanchy and ning, ('ee the notes on Rom vi 23. and Pierce on this verfe.) ix 16) as in the Grecian games ; but
f Already attained (s\«Cov) is a dif- only ar the end of it, r>s running s the ferent word from might attain, (*a7xvT><- neceflary means, according to Cod's an- su) in the preceding verfe. There it pointmeqt, of obtaining it.
V©l. V. V
32 The Epi/lle to the Chap. iii.
to Damafcusy plucked me as a brand out of the fire, and took pofTtfiion of me for himfelf, that I might be eternally laved. T3 Brethren, I I3> 14 Whatfoever others, among your judaizing count not rnvfelt boatters, mav pretend to, I again, my brethren, el • but** ?L> one ^ree^Y acknowledge, that I do not reckon myfelf to thing I do, forget- have already reached to, or obtained a ftate of per- ting thofe th.n;:s left holinefs, any more than of perfect happinefs ; which are behind, but mine eye is fixed upon it, as the one point in and reachiup torth • j • n • r v vi
unto tb6fe things View; a.nd in a.H ™y runmn£ for ]t> 1,ke racers m whkh are Before, your neighbouring games, I do not look back to the 14 I ptefs toward law and my judaizing performances of it, nor to the the mark, for the advances 1 have already made in gofpel-holinefs : nor prize oi the high do j regard them, as if thefe attainments were fuffi- caiong or God in . , r • \ n 1 -r»
Chriit Jeius. cient, ana 1 might itop there: But, as it were,
forgetting them, and ilretching forth (eTTExIem^svos) with all my might, to come up to the further duties and exercifes of grace that lie before me, I purfue my courfe toward Chrift and heaven, according to my main fcope, (xofla, g-kottov) fixing mine eye upon it, as archers do upon their mark, that I may reach to a ltate of perfect holinefs, in order to my recei- ving the prize of eternal glory ; to the obtaining of which, God has called me, and every true believer, by Chrill Jefus, (2 Theft ii. 14. and 1 Pet. v. 10.) with an high and heavenly calling, that comes from heaven, leads to it, and mail iffue in it* ; the glory of which is to be obtained only in and through him, with whom our, life is hid in God, that when he who is our life Jha/l appear, we a/fn may appear with him in glory. (Col. iii. 3, 4.) 15 Let us there- 15 As many of us therefore as are, though not in fore, m many as z\\ refpeas perfeft + ; yet fo far advanced in Chrifti- be perfect, be thus . • * , . *. vc. j r r i_ 11 j
minded : and if in amty> that> in a q«a»fied fenfe, we may be called any tlnnc ye be perfect, as all the effential parts of the new creature ©therwife minded, are formed in us, to a much greater degree than hi God fhall reveal e- Veak believers : Let us attend to this main point of ven this unto ycu. count;ng a]i th;ngs but ^ for Chrift) that we may
be found in him, and be thoroughly conformed to him: (vcr. 7, — 11.) And if there be any of you that are right, as to this important doctrine, and yet have different fentiments from me, and from thofe that are like-minded with me, as to the continuance
of
NOtES.
* As in Cbri/t Jeftts may relate either expreffion ; becaufe he had jnft before
to the high culling of Cod, or to the fa id of himfelf, that he was not already
prize, the paraphrafe is formed to take per fed ; and yet he here puts himfelf in
in both fenfe*. amony, thoi'e that he ltyles per feci: ; and
f U is plain that by as many as be it is not to be fuppofed th?t any other
perfedl, the apoftle could not mean, Chriftians were more perfect than him-
that were fo in the ftridteft fenfe of the felt. (See the note on 1 Cor. ii. 6.)
Chap. iii. Philippians paraphrafed. 33
of the Mofaic law, and of "fewiflj privileges, God will clear up even this to you, and that ere long, when the temple and Jew>/h (late lhdl be demolished.
16 Neverthelefs, 16 However, leaving that matter to God, to dif- whereto we have cover it to fuel), in his own way and time ; as far as already stained, wg fcverall h hithcrto reached in knowledge, let-us walk by the ' . , , fame rule let us grace> or hohnels, let us keep dole to one and the mind the lame fame rule, and praevtife according to it, as it is plain- thing, ly revealed in the (acred canon, [tutwrt) which, a-
mong other things, allures us, tint in Chrift neither circumcifion avaiieth any thing, nor urtcir- cumcijton ; but faith which works by Jove, or a new creature ; (Gal. v. 6. and vi. 15, 16.) and let us be unanimous in our adherence to this rule.
17 Ererhren, be 17 ' I would fain have you, my beloved brethren, followers together concur one wjtn another, in following my example in them6 which walk Principle and pra&ice,_ as to the fori-mentioned things, io, as ye have us m which I follow Chrift ; and let it be your great care for an enfample. to oblerve thole believers, as patterns worthy of imi- tation, who walk according to the truth of the gof- pel *, after the fame manner, as ye have it exempli- fied in my fell and other minhters or Chriftians, that are led into the fpiiituality and light of the New Tef- tament-difpenlation.
iS (For many 18 This I would recommend with the greateft ear- walk, of whom I neftnefs to you, to prevent your being; milled and per- have told you oft- . . ^ • _i • • \ v r? „.i r
en, and now tell verted b)' JudaiZ3ng teachers : For there are many of you even weeping, them, of whom I frequently warned you when I was that tlcy ar? the with you ; and, finding that they ftiil continue obfti- enemiesof the crois nate, and are fo bufy among you, I now again tell you, with a grief of heart, which forces tears from mine eyes, hvconfideration cf the dilhonour brought to Chrift and the gofpel, and of your.danger of being perverted by them, as well as of their own deplorable condition, that, whatsoever their pretences be, they are in reality, both doelrinally f and practically, the worft of ail enemies to the fundamental article of ial- vation alone by a 'crucified Chrift, through his atoning death, and are utterly averfe to taking up their crois and following him j all which will turn to their own confufion.
F 2 19 Who
NOTES. * The apoftle, according to his wont- of the whole law of Mofes, necefury to ed wifdom and modefty, mention"? the it ; and they were practical enemies to example of others, as well as his own, to his cro's, as they pleaded for Mofaic 'rires, prevent all appearance of orientation, as to avoid reproach and persecution from though he would only propoie himfelf to the Jews, and to indulge their fenfitive their imitation. appetites, inftcad of crucifying the fled?,
f They were doctrinal enemies to the with the affections ar.cl lulls, in conform- crols of Chrift, as they (id not depend up- ity to, and by viitue derived from, trve on his death atone tor falvatioo, but crucifixion of Chrift. made circumcifion, and the oblervation
34 The Epiftle to the Chap. iii.
10 Whnfe end is 19 Who, in the winding up of things at laft, will dearnclion, ^ hore fin(J it to iflut in their eternal perdition, as they are god is their hHJy( deceitful workers, ivbo/e end frail be according to in 'heir fbaine 'heir ivorks ; (2 Lor. xi. 13.) JNor can it be expected lind earthly to be otherwife with fuch fort of nun, who make the wings) gratification of carnal views and pleafures their prin-
cipal aim, and fo let up the pampering of their own appetites as their chief good, inltead of, and in op- position to God and his glory ; who alfo are fo fond of deceiving, and making a gain of their c< nverts to promote their fccular 'nterefts, as even to boalt of it, which, inltead of being to their honour, is rtally matter of the greateft (name to them ; and who at- tend to, rel (h, and purfue nothing, under all thtirte- ligious 'profefliojij but mean, empty, uncertain, unfa- y'sfying, and defiling enjoyments, that are of an earth- ly nature, and relate only to this lower world. 10 For our con- 20 t is not thefe worthlefs and pernicious leaders vertation is id hea- ^^ ye are to f0|low . but ye ought to imitate us,
from whence t r r "• •* j i_ u
airo we look for w*\° are of a contrary fl)irit> temper, and behavi-,
vionr, the our> fnitable to our more excellent ftate and charac-
Lord Jefus Chrift : ter : For as we are citizens of the eeleltial 'Jerufalem,
our hearts and affedli- ns, rifing above the things of
earth and fenfe, afc nd up to heaven, and (to vroht-
Isvpct) our traffic lies in the daily cone fpmdt nee we
carry on there with Chnft himfelf, (Co/, iii. 1) from
■whence we alfo look, long, and hope for the great
and only Saviour, to defcend at the lalt day, even
our Lord Jefus Chrift, who hath promifed to come
again, and receive us to himfelf that where he />,
there we may be alfo. (John xiv. 3.)
i\ Who fhall 21 Who will then transform thefe vile and mortal
our vile bodies of our?, which carry the marks of our humiiia-
'* Jj "J v tion in their vveaknefs, wearinefs, and infirmity, and
unto i.is glorious in their being clogs and hindrances to the fpiritral
bo<iv. according to and holy exercifes of the foul, hnce, and by means
the working where- 0f the fall, and which will be meaner and more con-
b) hi is able even tcrnptl|Jie f^ill in the rottennefs and corruption of the
t all things ,-iii 1 1 • 1
unto himfelf. grave; he will then make a glorious change upon
them, that they may rife in a beautiful and mining
refemblance of his own moft glorious body •, (fee
1 Cor, xv. 47, 48, 49.) according to the wonderful
energy and operation of his almighty power, which
can b« no lefs than d'vine, (yl&s xxvi. 8. Row. iv. 17.
and Ephtef, i. 19, 20.) by which our bleflcd Lord is
able to overcome all difficulties, as he certainly will, la
bringing every thing, that oppofes him, into an entire
n to himfelf, as well as in deftroying the laft
my, which is death. (1 Cor. xv. 26.)
JtECO h-
Chap. iv. Phtltpptans paraphrafed. 35
RECOLLECTIONS.
What need have Chriftians to be often warned of feducer* ! Faithful minifters fhould never be weary of cautioning thetn, or of putting them upon the moll dili- gent watch againft thefe that carp and cavil at the puritv of the gQipel, and .ire themfelves fuch workers of iniquity, as to be both do<5trinaily and pr.ictii ally ;;ne. vous enemirs to the merit, virtue aid honour ot a crucified; Jefus Tney trult in fomethim. of their own, inftead ot him and his righteoumefs ; and yet they aro feniiial 'aid carnal, and even glory in the moll Ibameful enormities, and Jo cut themfelves off" from all the bleffings of the covenant of i^race, and entail everlaft- ing deft ruction upon themfelves. But O how happy is it to be circumciiei> in heart, to be spiritual and evangelical worfhijJjpers ot God, to rejoice md glory in the Lord Jefus Chrift, and to place no confidence rn external privileges anil zeal for rhem; no, nor in our own moral or religious righteoufnefs. ! None of tbefe are to be fet in competition with Chrift, or relied upon for acceptance with God to eternal life They are all to be laid a fide as nothing ; yea, as lots and dung, not as in themfelves, but as fet up in oppofition to the favinj knowledge of Chrift, and being found at death and judgment in union w'tb him, and inferelted in that righteoulheis of his, which is made over for juftirican'on through faith in him« And yet how carefully fhould we guard againft neglecting lancti.'- ation and hoii- nel's. which are as neceffary to our enjoying God. as jullihcation itfelf '. And how defirous ou_ht we to be ot having fuch a knowledge of Chnlt, as fliall be a means of deriving virtue from his death and refurrection, to make us conformable to him in both, by dying unto fin and living unto God ! The molt eminent believers up- on earth are far from being nerfect herein; and therefore, without taking up with prefent attainments, fhould be continually pn fling onwards alter a perfection in all knowledge, grace, and holine's. till they (ball reach it, at the end of their race, in a better world, according to what Chrut ilefigned them tor, when he laid hold of them by his Spirit. Though fome Chriftians are more advanced in light anci experience than others ; yet they all ought to be of the fame mind, with re- flect to thefe important points; and, as far as they have attained, fhould walk to- gether in brotherly love, and according to the rule of God's word : And if there be any thin? of lefs confequence, in which their fentimerits differ, they fhould bear with one another, and leave it to God to convince thole thr.t are miftaken, as to fuch things, after all proper methods have been unfuccefsfully tried, in the Ipirit of ineeknefs, to fet them right. How ambitious lbould we be of caref.lly obler- vins,, and copying after thofe, who. like the apoftle, let us the moft laudable ex- ample ; whofe hearts, affections, and converfation are much in heaven, like citi- zens of that holy and delightful ftate, where Jefus our Saviour lives in all his glo- ry ; and from whence believers look, with longing defire and hope, for his return to take them up thither ! And O what an amazingly happy change will he then make upon thefe frail, contemptible, and mortal bodies i He will then foim them into the likenefs of his own moft glorious body, by an act ot divine Omnipotence, Which :urmounts all difficulties and by which he hioiteif is, and will prove to be able to vanquilh death, and all his and our enemies.
CHAP. TV.
The afioftle mofl affcclionately exhort* the Philippians to fland fafl in the Lord, ver. i. Gives dire&ion* to fome part icu tat perfons a- mon% them, and to them all in general, 2, — 9. Expreffe* his great fati.faclton in the lupply they had fen t him, and hi.\ own con- tentment in every condition of life, adding a doxology to God e Father, 10, — 20. Salutes them, and fends the falu ations of others ; and clofes all with his ufual benedifiion, 1 \ , — 23.
Text. Paraphrase.
THprefnre' wy A S> therefore, ye have hitherto continued in the brethren^arly £\ ^ ^ fellowihip q£ ^ gofpcl> ana ^ g, „ d
proof
36 The Epijile to the Chap. iv.
beloved and longed proof of your holy obedience ; {chap. i. 5. and ii. 12.) for, my joy and ancj as \ nave exhorted you to follow my example in ,Cn°the ' Lor!^ ^m a Perfcvering dependence on Chrilt, and preffing to- dearly beloved. ward perfection, till we get to heaven, from whence
we look for ihe Saviour, (cha/>. iii. 8, — 21.) I ear- neiciy entreat yuu, my brethren in the faith, to a- bide ftedfaft, and uulhaken in your fiducial adherence to, and holy proleilion of the Lord Jefus, and in his itrengtb, as your Head and Saviour, whatever diffi- culties and dangers ye may be cxpofed to for it ; and I do this wich the greatdt affection to, and hope concerning you, who, in connderation of your com- mendable behaviour h-therto, are lo greatly endeared to me, that 1 moil heartily love you, and long for Jour lurcher eftabhmment and proficiency, as alio for an opportunity of teeing you again, (cbaf). i. 8.) as the dear feals of my miniftry, whom I think of as my joy and crown of rejoicing now, and as to be yet more abundantly io, in the prejetice of our Lord^\je- fus Chriji at bis coming. (1 TheiT. ii. 19.) In the thoughts of which, 1 want words lufficient to exprefs the ardors and overflowings of my heart to you *, my moll affectionately beloved friends and brethren in the Lord. - I beTeech Emo- 2 I in a particular manner recommend it to Eu- dias, and 1 beief-ch odias, and do the iame to §yntych< f , that they, lay- Syntyche, rh.it tr.ey • aj'1(ie ajj differences, unanimoufly apree one with be<o. the lame mind » . _-, ., .11 u • 1 j r
in the Lord. another, and with tne wnole church in love and af-
fection, and in the doctrines of Chriit ; in their ad- herence to them ; and in a becoming profeilion of them. 3 And I entreat 3 And I earncflly befeech you, my fincere and thee alio, true faithful companion, who chearfully draw in the fame yoke-feUow help , ^ ^ , ,f j promoting the intereit of
thole women which '.:_., . ; ' . . r, & ^ , , r
laboured Chrilt |, that you would do your utmoit to help for- ward NOTES. * What a pile of words does the apof- f Who it was that the apoftle calls tie here heap up to exprefs the fervors true yokefellow, though well known of his love to thefe Philippians, and in- to the church at Philtppi, is varioufly gratiate himfelf, after his ufual rain- conjectured, with great uncertainty, at ner, with them; as though they, and this diitance of time. Some iuppofe that they only, had ingrofied his affections, it was the huiband, or brother of one t Euodias and Syntyche are moit com- of the women beiore-mentioned ; others, monly thought to have been two wo- that it was fume noted companion, or men of note, that had been conlidera'dy fellow- labourer of the apoftle's; and o- eminent in the church, but were now thers, that it really was his wife, they at variance one with the other, and had fuppofing him to be a married man. been tampered with by the Jewijb zea- (See Mr. Pierceh note ) And it ieems lots, to pervert them ; and therefore the to me, that the help which the apoitle apoltle entreated them To be reconciled defired this perfon to give Euodias and one to the other, and to continue lied- Syntyche, related to a mil'underltandinj fait in the faith, and united with the that was between them, church.
Chap. iv. Phtltppians paraphrafed. 37
laboured with me ward this good defign, in the moil prudent, tender, in the gofpel, with an(j affectionate manner, by advifiug and exhorting Clement alto, and j^ twQ efn;nent women htartilv to unite in the tuith other my .. . , * .... . .
fellow - labourers common caule a?am, who were very diligent and al- whofe names are Mint to me, though rot in public miniftrations, yet in tha book of liie. {n fubferving my work of preaching the gofpel, by private inftru&ions and prayers, by their exemplary behaviour, and their fyrapathiaing and undergoing great labour and fufFerings with mc, and taking care of me in all my wants and trials, while I was enga- ged in that work at Phi/ippi ; and who were alike Ser- viceable to the excellent Clement *, and feveral others of my brethren in the miniitry, that have embarked in the fame glprious caufe, and taken great pains to- gether with me, in fpreading the gofpel ; and of whom I am verily perfuaded, from what appears of the grace of God in them, that they are favourites of heaven ; as certainly and particularly chofen of God to eternal life, from the foundation of the world, as if their names had been legiilered, or inrolled in a book, among the appointed heirs of falvation. [Rev. xvii. 8.) 4 Rejoice in the 4 As to the whole body of true believers among Lord alway: and y0Ui it is your duty and privilege, confidering all the again I ay, e- jjiefljngS ye have in hand and in hope, to rejoice and triumph, not after a carnal, but fpiritual manner, in the Lord Jefus your Head and Saviour, as I have already told you, (cbafi. in. 1.) and now repeat it, that ye may do fo on all occafious, and in all circum- ftances, whatever fufFerings or tribulations yre may be expofed to on his account. I fay unto you now a- gain, that, even in the midft of them all, it is your great duty and privilege to rejoice in the Lord, and in your fullerings for his fake, [chap. i. 28, 29. and 1 Pet. iv. 13, 14.) which, being patiently endured, are an honour to him and yourfelves, and will finally turn to your own bell account. 5 Let your mo- r Maintain and difcover a meek, patient, and gen- deration be known j f f • k / ^ x towards aU men and unto all men. The . / , r , r 1 r 1 Loid is at hand. particularly toward youv very periecutors themlelves -r and a weanednefs of affection from the things of this life, as knowing that the Lord Jefus is near at hand to obferve your behaviour, and take your part ; and will foon appear to the coofiifk 1. of yoilr Jewi/b ad- verfaries, at the deftruftioD vi ferufc emi and will come, ere long, as the Judge oi world, to put an end to the prefent ftate o! things, a^d a'! your
afflictions
»
NOTE.
* Who this Clement was, whethei Clemgnt Romanus, or l'omc other, is very un- <ertain, r.nd of no importance for us to know.
38 "The Epiflk to the Chap. iv.
afflictions, and to do juftice to your righteous caufe, and '-en/fer tribulation to them that trouble you. (2 ThefJT. i. 6.)
6 Be careful for 6 Whatever difficult!*?, wants, or dangers may be- nothing : but in e- fa] yOU> relating to this prefent world, take heed very thing by pray- ^^ ^Q not perp]ex yourfelves with anxious, cut- erand lupplication, . J nc ,r r, ' „. , c with thankfgiving, tin?> diltriiltrul, and detracting cares about any ot let your requefts be them, (p/d-v {/,sc>i/x.vxTt) how ye (lull be able, either made known unto to bear up under them, or to avoid them, or get Goc1, through them : But as a remedy againlt this, (g»
kuvti) in every time and circnmllance of things, be thev ever fo afflictive, let your addrefles be prefented to God, who loves to hear you telling him the defires of your hearts, (though he perfectly knows them all before hand,) that ye may own your entire depend- ence upon him, and pay the religious homage due to him ; and that he may glorify his own name, as a God hearing prayer. Let this be done with all forts of humble petitions and pleas, and with believing, earned importunity and perfeverence, in deprecating evils that ye are attended with, or in danger of, and in imploring the b'effings ye need ; as ilfo with chear- ful gratitude, and high afcriptions of glory to him, under a fenfe of your own unworthinefs, and of the riches and freenefs of his goodnefs and grace, for all the mercies that ye enjoy and hope for, in your very worft condition, which might be worfe ttill, relating to this world and that which is to come.
7 And the peace 7 And, in anfwer to your humble importunity, and tf God, which pats beiievi„g requefts, the moft excellent peace, which eth all understand- .' n. c ., \*
in :.<hall keep your God gives and approves of; peace with him, as your heart- and minds reconciled God and Father through his beloved 8 n, through Chnit Je- together with a fweet fenfe of it in your own fouls ; *us# peace of conference through the atoning blood of Je-
fus ; peace with one another ; and the peace of a iTandHfied heart, and of a quiet calmnefs of fpirit with re-jard to all other perfons and things; even that peace which exceeds all adequate conceptions of be- lievers themfelves, much more of thofe that have not experienced it. This molt excellent peace, whatso- ever ye may fuffer in the body, will defend and guard your hearts, as in a itrong garrifon, (-pgxgure*) r^nd fortify your minds with a holy compofurt ; and fo preferve your whole fouls from (inning, or fainting un- der your troubles, and from apoltatizing by means of them ; againlt which ye will be fecured through the knowledge of Chrilt, and your union with him, as your Head and Saviour, and through his merit and fufferings for you.
8 Finally, bre- 8 To clofe with a recommendation of fome gene- thren, whatfoever rai duties to you, my brethren beloved in the Lord,
thulSs whatfoever
Chap. iv. Philtppians paraph r a fed. 39
things are true, whatfoever things arc true and fincere in words and
whatfoever things a&jons, profeffiona and engage incuts, and a.e agree*
are honeft, what- ab]e ^ the WQrd of tmt| and the n lfon of t|
ioever things are c r „ . .r ' . T1T. ,. . . ■
iuft whatfoever free from all hypocniy and deceit : Whatfoever-things
things are pure, are venerable, decent, and becoming, in drefs, ian-
whitfoever things guage, and deportment, according to your refpe£tfve
arc lovely, what- Marions and relations, as men and Chriftians : fl
foever thiiips are .- . . . n . . r-.ii
of" good reoort; ir h>ever things are juit and due to God and man, in
there be any vir- all your dealings with him and them : Whatfoever
tue, and if the re be things belong to chaltity and purity of mind, free
erthefoifthinhjnk fr°m ^ defilement of ^^ he*"> fp?ech» andbeha-
* ' viour : Whatfoever things are of an amiable nature,
and render the fubjects and practifcrs of them lovely in the eyes of God and man : Whatfoever things are deemed reputable, efpecially by the fober, wife, and religious part of mankind, among whom a . is rather to be cho'en than great richer. (Prov. xxii. 1.) If there be any thing, as undoubtedly t;e<-e is, in all th;s, or in whatfoever may be fuppofed to be added to it of a moral nature, in the whole compafs of natural and revealed religion, that is truly virtu- ous, brave, and laudable ; let thefe things dwell habi- tually upon your mmd* ; -<ud often reflect upon them, and iludy their nature, obligation, md import -nice, in order to your putting them into practice upon Chrif- tian principles, by divine affiltance, to the glory of God, and the credit of you; holy profeffion of Chrill's name, and to your own and others good.
9 Thofe ^things 9 Thefe and fuch like excellent things, relating to which ve have both a holy life and converfation, in all the duties of mo-
veadrnedan(id hZ'd *&**• aS wel1 aS °f P*^ which ?e haVe accTared and' teen in me the knowledge of, (if/uStn) as the difciples of je- do : and the God fus, and have profeffed to affedt and content to, and of peace fhall be approve, as right and ht for regulating your own with you. conduct ; and which ye have been taught by my pub-
lic miniilr.y, and private in<ln;cxions, and have f en exemplified in my own walk and b haviour, when I was with you. Attend icriouHy unto thefe I -, and reduce them into practice : And in this w y, God, who is at peace with you through the blood of Jcfus, and is the author of all inward peace; and delights in the profperiry of his fefvarits, and in their orderly deportment, as becomes the gofpcl, will take pleafure to dwell among you, to man felt himielf to you, as your God, and to own and blefs you, as a people near and dear to him,
10 But I rejoi- io But, to give further vent to the grateful fenfe ced in the Lord I have of your kind and Chriltian regards to me, I greatly, that now cannot teH how to forDear repeating the great fatis- at tiie lalt your r ■; . . r ~ , a \- 1 i care of me hath fa&i0n and PY of mY i)ul> 'n refledmg on the love
flou- and grace of our L'-rd Jelus, who inclined your Vol. V. G hearth
4o
flourifhed again ; wherein ye were alfo careful, but ye Jacked opportuni- ty-
The EpiJHe to the
Chap. iv.
II Not that I fpeak in reipect ot want : for I have learned in what- foever .tate I am, therewith to be content.
12 I know both J?eiu to be abafed, and I know ko-.v to abound : every where, and in all things I am in- ftru&ed, both to be full and to be hungry, both to a- hound and to buf- fer need.
I ran do all
things thro' Chrift
which
hearts to aft a friendly and affectionate part toward me for his fake now again, after your former genero- fity, (ver. 15, 16.) and after your feeming neglect of me iince that time ; inafmuch as your concern for fupplytng my wants, in my imprifonment and diffi- culties, has now, at length, vifibly revived, and disco- vered itfelf with vigour, (ut&ct?&t%) like a good tree, that feemed barren in the winter, but fprouts again in the fpring, and brings forth fruit in its feafon : For I find ye were all along folicitoufly thoughtful about fending to my relief, only your circumftances did not admit of your doing it fo foon as ye deiired ; and ye had no opportunity of conveying your libe- rality to me.
1 1 I do not mention thefe things, as though I were reduced to infupportable wants, or were uneafy under thofe that attended me ; or as though I rejoi- ced only, becaufe they are now fupplied by your boun- ty ; no, thefe things are of little account with me : For, through the vicifiitude of my affairs, and a fanc- tified ufe of them by divine grace, I have been taught and enabled to learn and practife the great leffon of Chriftian contentment in every date and condition of this life, into which Providence brings me ; as being fully fatisfied, that my heavenly Father orders what is beft for me, and that he will never /eave, nor for-
fake me ; (Heb. xiii. 5.) and as having, upon this principle, a fufficiency in myfelf (»vrx^rtg) of all joy and peace in believing, which fupplies the want of temporal good things.
12 In this manner I am brought to learn the hap- py and holy (kill of poffefling my own foul in peace and patience, when I am thrown into the moft con- temptible and humbling circumftances, that I.may not be dejected and difcompofed by them ; and I un- derftand the way of behaving without elation of mind, or being ovcr-pleafed and lifted up, when Providence fmiles upon me : Wherever I am, and into what fi- tuation of things foever I be call, I am well initiated in the facred knowledge {jMfun^uu) of conducting with an equal and becoming temper of fpirit : When I am refreflied and rilled with provifions for bodily fuftenance ; and when I am hungry for want of them ; yea, when I have the greateil affluence of the good things of this life ; and when I am in the greateit de- gree deftrtute of them, I am taught to exercife the graces, and perform die duties, that belong to thefe different and contrary lots and conditions, as to ex- ternal matters.
13 Not that I am fo vain- glorious, as to think that I can do thefe great things of myfelf, or even
merely
Chap. iv.
which ftrengthen- eth me.
Philippians paraphrafed.
4*
14 Notvvith- ftanding, ye have well clone that ye did comaiunicate with my affliction.
merely by the ftrength of the grace that I have al- ready received ; but I find, by daily experience, that I am enabled to perform, not only thefe, but every other duty that I am called to, as a Chriftian and an apoille, through the continual concurring aids and afiiitances of Chrift, by virtue of my union with him, in whofe grace I am ftrong, (2 Tim. ii. 1.) and who is ever with me to animate, excite, and itrengthen me for them.
14 However, this does not at all le {Ten your kind- nefs to me, and concern for me ; Dor detract from the feafonablenefs of your bounty : Ye have acted a truly Chriftian part, which is very acceptable to me, and to God himfelf through Jefus Chriit ; (ver. 18.) becaufe of the love which ye have teftified to the Lord, and to me, his prifoner and fervant, in that ye
15 Now, ye Phi- lippians, know al- io, that in the be- ginning of the gof- pel, when I depart- ed from Macedo- nia, no church com- municated with me, as concerning giving and recei- ving, but ye only.
1 6 For even in
ThefTaionica ye fent once and a- gain unto my ne- ceffity.
fympathized with me
my
bonds and tribulation;
and fent a liberal and fuitable fupply for my relief un- der them.
15 And, (§g) to (hew the grateful fenfe I have, my dear P/i//'/>/>/tf«-brethren, of all your kindnefs to me, I mention it to your honour, and take pleafure in reminding you of it, that not now of late only, but alio when 1 was firll in your parts, and preach- ed the gofpel to you ; and particularly when I was about to take my leave of you *, and to go from your Meicedoman-^i'ovincz into other countries, to labour there in the work of the Lord, no other church betides yours contributed to my fupport, that as I freely gave, and they received fpiritual things, fo they might give, and I receive of their temporal things ; which certainly ought to have been done by other churches ; (1 Tim. v. 17, 18.) though, that I might not feem mercenary, I never afked it of them. But great was your liberality.
16 For even while I was miniftring at Tbejfa/oni- ca, where I met with the mod violent and outra- geous oppofition from the unbelieving Jews, (Acls xvii. 5, &c.) and was not fupplied with neceffaries by the Chrillians of that rich city, but was obliged to labour with my own hands, ( 1 Thejf. ii. 9. and 2d Epijl. iii. 8.) ye, from time to time, fent gene- rous contributions for my comfortable fubfiltencc, in the preffing circumftances that then attended me.
G 2 17 I
T E.
great commendation, that they, and they only mould do it, while he was in fuch an opulent city, and, through the neglect of the Chriftians there, was forced to work with his own hands for a lively hood.
N O * This fhould be rendered, according to the latitude of the tenfe, (o7t sI-ha^o*) nvhen I ivas about to go from Macedo- nia : For Thejfalonica was the chief city of Macedonia ; and the apoille here mentions their fending to his relief, while he was there, and fpeaks of it to their
42 The Epiftle to the Chap. iv.
17 Not becaufe 17 I do not mention thefe things as a fetch to Ideljrea ,-iti. bat gCt {{[\\ :r!ore 0f vou, as if I wouki dciire you now I defire irutt tha' :/ 1 , • ,- . .- . , • 1 f ' , .
mav abound to your t0 d° an? l™n8 further ot t,US Klnd for me 5 no> DUt account. mY great aim in making this grateful acknowledg-
ment is, that it might be a means of encouraging you to go on with your Chriitian generality and be- nevolence, in all other cafes, tor promoting the caufe. of Chriit, as tht genuine fruit of your faith, and love to him and to his people, every where, as there may be occaiion ; fruit, that will turn, as to his honour in this world, fo to your own rich advantage- in the great day of account, for the world to come. (See Mattb. xxv. 35, — 40. and Heb. vi. 10 18.) iS But I have jg £ut> as to myfelf jn particular, 1 have all that
a , an a 0 j . j nted for corporal fuiter.ar.ee: and what ye have
am full, having re- 1 < » ;
fceived of Lpaphro- llow ient !8 abundantly iumcient to iupply my wants:
the things I have as much as I wifh for ; and my foul is as full
nvhich were lent cf j0y ail(j praife, as my body is refrefhed with your
from you, an odour benevolence . havil,g received, as I hereby thaukful-
ot a Hveet (meJl, . * & n- r tv
a facrifice accept- *Y acknowledge, a repeated teitimony or your attec-
able, well-pleafing tion, and a fubftantial proof of it in the collections
to God. which ye fent me by the hands ef your faithful and
beloved meffenger KpaphrotHtut^ which, to allude to
the offerings under the law, (Lev. ii. 1, 2. and iii.
16.) are an odour of a fweet fmelling favour, a fpi-
ritual facrifice of acknowledgment to God, which he
accepts, and is highly plcaied with, thrdtagh Jefus
Chriit. (Heb. xiii. 16. and 1 Pet. ii. 5.)
19 But my God JO, And though, in my poor circumitances, I am fluil 1 iupply all not ab]e t0 ,^3]^ you any temporal recompence ; yet your need, accord- ,. >■ j j V 1 i_ 11 • r 3 iny to his riches mY covenant-God and rather, who hath inclined
in glory, by Chnlt your hearts to fhew all this kindnefs to me, will not Jefus. fuffer you to be lofers by what ye do for him, or for
any of his faints and fervants for his fake ; but will make you rich returns, not only with inch tempoial good things as he fees to be needful and belt foi you ; but efpecially with all fpiritual and eternal blefTings, that are fuited to your various wants ; and he will do this in a glorious manner, with an abundant liberali- ty, i ike himfelf, in proportion to his own infinite trtafures of grace and glory, which he has provided in Chriit, and gives with him, not for any wortbi- nefs in yourielves, but on account 'of his mediation, and by virtue of your union and communion with him, as your Head and Saviour.
20 Now unto 2Q Now unto this all-fuffioient and glorious God, God and our Fa- who jg t};e God of nat and of pr()Vidence and ther be >;loiy tor . . . r .* 1 ,- • • 1 j ever and ever. A- g^ce, and the giver of all temporal, ipintual, and ■men. eternal bleffings, and is our Father in Chrift Jefus, let
U* jointly aicribe all poffible honour, thankfgn bltifing, and praife, from henceforth to all eternity, us
Chap. iv. Philtppians paraphrafed. 43
is moll due, bwth on account of what he is in him- felf, and has bttn, is, and fof ever will be to us; in teliimony of our hearty concurrence herein, may we all add, Amen.
21 Salute every 2 i Let my moll cordial and Chrillian love be ac- faint in Chrift Je ceptable to ah, that are proftffionally, and 1 truft fus. The brethren ,, n d and lanCllticc, as members of Chiitt, which are with me . ;. . . r , * .•, » greet you. in union Wltn "im> *or wtlole lake, 1 heartily wifh
that all prosperity foi both worlds may attend them. All my brethren m the mnuitry *, that are wiih me at Romey aelire to be ailb molt kindly remembered to you.
22 All the faints 22 Yea, all the preteffiug believers in thefe parts, falute you, chiefly wno m chanty are looked upon as fan&iried by the
Cxiar'V'houllioid0' ^°^ Ghol*> iei,d t,ie i-'kt- affurances or their love ■ and Ciiriftian reipects to you : And more especially the converts that have been made from among the do- melhcs ol JSiero, the emperdr, and continue their. ci- vil ltations in his family, are fo far from being afham- ed to own yen, that they defire me to acquaint you with their affectionate efleem of you, and fervent prayer* for your pitlent and eternal welfare.
23 The grace of 23 To conclude, as I began, (chap. i. 2.) my cur Lord Jefus great deiire and prayer tor all and every "one of you Chrift ^ with you - thattne free favour 0f our Lord Jefus Chrift, ad. Amen. , , , •* , , '
yours and mine, may be ever toward you, and be
manifelled in all its peculiar, abundant, and diltin- guifhiiig fruits and effects to each of you fmgly, and to all of you jointly, as a church, both in this world and for ever in the next, jdmen. So 1 heartily wifh it may be, and humbly truft it will be.
RECOLLECTIONS.
With what affectionate love and joy do the minilters of Chrift think of the faints, as brethren, whofe names are inrolled in the book of life, and who (hew benevolent regards to themfelves, as occafions require ! How grateful are rhey in their acknowledgments of the kindnefs of their Chriftian friends, not trom a felrifti temper, but from a defire that they may bring forth fpiritual fruit? of faith and love, which fliall turn to their own bed account '. And how earneltly concerned are thev for the eftablifhment of Chriftians in the faith and fellowlhip of the gof- pel ; for their continual comfort in the profefhon of it ; and for their union in heart, defign, and labour, to help forward the work of the Lord ! And O how- patient towards enemies, and how weaned trom this world, lhould they be, in view and hope, that the Lord Jefus will foon put an end to all their troubles, and fet every thing to rights in the day of judgment ! They neither need, nor ought to be anxioufly loli-itous about any oT the affairs of this lite ; but fhould commit all their concerns, by faith, in prayer to God, with thankfgivings for his many mercies to them; and. in this way, the moft excellent peace which God himielf will give them through Jefus Chrift, and which inexpreflibiy furpaffes all others, and all adequate conceptions, will compote, fortify, and guard their hearts againft all tri- bulations NOTE.
* I have confidered thefe brethren as the faints, whofe falutations are fent in m<ant, nut of private Chriftians, but of the next verfe ; (and fee the note on Ijetu, to ddtinguifli them from all Col. iv. 12.)
44 The Epijile to the Chap. iv.
bulations and fears. But O how concerned mould they be to cultivate and abound in every thing tr it i^ decent and becoming, juft and equitable, pure and holy, amiable and excellent in itfeif; yea, and in whatfoever is juftly deemed a repu- tation to the Chriftian character among all forts of men ! If we are enable d to practife thefe things, as they have been exemplified in the great apoftle, we may depend upon it, that God will oeii^ht to dwell with us, and manifeft himfelf to us, as our reconciled God and Father And O what a high attainment in Chrif- tianity is it, when we riuve learned how to behave as becomes us, in prosperity and adverfity, in fulneis and in want , and to be thoroughly contented in every try- ing circumftance of life '. And yet, great as this attainment is, every true believer may come up to it, thfough Chrift's ftrengthenings, as well as the apoftle himfelf: And when they are brought to this, they, though grateful to their benefactors like him, think they have enough, and abound in all that is good for them, and are full of l'weet contentment in their own fouls ; and they are fatisfied that their God will fupply all their real wants, for time and eternity, according to his riches in ulory by Chrift Jefus. And O how abundant muft that fupply be, which is an- fwerable to his infinite inexhauftible riches, in giving l'ke a God ! How cordial- ly fhould Chriftian-falutations pals between the faints in Chrift Jefus, in their convening together, and writing to one another ! How affectionately fhould they wifli and pray, that the grace of the Lord Jefus Chrift may be with all of this character ! And how chearfully unite in afcribing glory to God, their heavenly Fa- ther, tor ever and ever ! Amen. So let it be ; and fo it will be with all that fin- cerely love him.
A PR AC-
A PRACTICAL
EXPOSITION
OF THE
APOSTLE PAUL'S EPISTLE
TO TH E
COLOSSIANS,
IN THE FORM OF A
PARAPHRASE.
The PREFACE to the EPISTLE to the COLOSSIANS.
SJOLOSSE was a great and populous city of Phrygia ; and this Epiitle is generally thought to have been wrote by the apoftle Paul ro the church there, durino- his firft imprifonment at Rome, a- bout the fame time with thofe that were fent to the Ephefians and Philippians. Hence many of the fentiment.s ai.d expreflions, in all thefe epiftles, are much of the fame ftrain, the occafions being much alike ; and the apoftle's mind and heart being then full of thofe thoughts which he took oleafure in communicating to the churches \ and fo they caft a light one upon the others : Only there feeras to be this difference between the churches a\ Ephefus and Philippi, and this at Colo//e, that the apoftle had been perfonally among them, and not among the Coloflians ; for, in this Epiitle, he mentions only his having heard of their faith in Chrijl Jefus ; and of the love which they had to all the faints ; (chap i. 4.) and fpeaks of the great con- fliR he had for them, and for thofe ai Laodicea, and as many a< had not feen his face in the fie fh; (chap it. I.) which, by the moil na- tural construction of the fentence, includes thofe of Colo/fe, as per- fons that had never feen him ; and he takes notice of Epaphras, as a dear fello%v-ferva»t, who wa< for them a faithful minijter of Chrifl, from whom they had learned the doctrine of the grace of God in truths (chao. i. 6, 7.) and who was one of them/elves. (Chap. iv. 12.) From hence fome concl de, .that Epaphras was the firft that planted the gofpel, and gathered the church at Colojfe : B'U it is uncertain, whether it were he or any other minilter. How- ever, as they were. I think, meftlv a Gentile church, and the apof- tle was made a minifter, in a ipecial manner, to the Gentiles, ac- cording to the difpenfatiom of God, which was given to him, {chap. i. 25, — 27.) his principal view was :o ellablilh thefe Colqffldm in the faith of the gofpel, againil the attempts oijudai%ing teachers to
bring
46 The EpiJUe to the Chap. i.
bring them into a fubjecfion to the law of Mobs, as neceffary for falvation
He accordingly begins the Eji'tle with his ufual falutation, and thankfgiving to God for what he had heard of their faith, love, and hope, and prays for their practical proficiency in the knowledge of Chrift, of whom, and of whole orace to them, he ^ives the moft ex a 'ted ideas, to engage their adherence to him. according to the gofpel ; (cha'y. 1.) then proceeds to difcover his treat concern for their further eftahlifhmcnt in Chritf, and for their being guarded a- gainft thofe errors of philofophy and judaifm that interfered with their relation to, and benefit by him. {Chap, ii.) And on fuppofi- tion that, according to their profeiTion, they were really rifen with Chrift, he exhorts them to heavenly mindednefs, mortification of fin, Chriftian love, humility, and feveral relative duties, together with praver and circumfpeclion ; and fends an account of the ftate of his own affairs at Rome by Tychicus and Onefimus, with falutations from feveral, of whom he gives high encomiums •, and concludes with an order for this Epiftle to be read by them, and by the church of Laodicea, and for giving a charge to Archippus to take heed to his miniltry j and with his ordinary benediction. {Chap, iii. iv.)
CHAP.
The abofllc Paul falutes the Coloflians, ver i. 2. B/e/fes God for their faith, love, and hope, which Epaphras had reported to him, 3, — 8. Prays for their fruhfulnei '<■ >'n fpiritual knowledge, Q, — 13. Gives a magnificent view of ChriJ}, and of his %race to them, to engage their adherence to him, 1 4,^ — 23. And Jets out his own character, as the apojlle of the Gentiles, 24, — 29.
Text. Paraphrase.
T)AUL an apof- T) A U L, who is an apottle of Jefus Chrift to bear a ch {\ ) 1 "11 fipec'a^ witnefs to him, as having feen him fince of "ood^ and TL ^1S refurre&ion from the dead, and afcenlion to hca- motheus our bro- ven ; ( 1 C r. xv. 8. fee the note there,) and who has ther, not taken this office upon himfelf of his own head,
nor was put into it by the authority of men ; but was immediately called by Chrift himfelf to fulfil it among the Gentiles, (ver. 25, — 27.) not according to his own deferts, but according to the free pur- pofe, commandment, and pleafure of God the Fa- ther, * fends greeting ; and the beloved Timothy, a
faithful NOTE. * The apoflle aflerts Vps .being put in- ftrengthen Timothy's among the Co tof- to office, by th« will of God the Father, fians ; and he here, with great modeity the more effectually to obviate the oh- ard prudence, calls him his brother, ra- jedlions of the falfe apoftles againft it ; ther than bis fon, that he might the bet- and he joins Timothy with himfelf. not ter raife their regards to him, (Vid.Zw*- to add to his own authority, but to chy in loc. and the note on 1 Cor. i. x.)
Chap. i. Colossians paraphrafed. 47
faithful brother in the miniftry, concurs in all that is hereafter written.
2 To the taints 2 We heartily join in Chriftian falutations to all and faithful bie- the profefling faints, whom we, in the judgment of thren in Chrift, charjty, account to be holy perfons, and whom we lode' Gncelun- confider as fincere brethren in union with Chrift, and ( to you, and peace faithful believers in him ; we particularly mean all of from God our Fa- thefe excellent characters that refute at the great city ther, and the Lord Qf Cohjfe in the province of Pbrygia, and that ordi- Jeius Chrift. ^.^ arrembie for reHgious worfhip there. Our
hearth defire and prayer for you is, that the diviac favour, and all manner of profpcrity, as its fruits and effrdts, may abound toward you from God, our com- mon Father, the original fountain of all blcffings ; and from our Lord and Saviour Jefus Chrift, who has purchafed all good things, that they might be freely given to you, in full confidence with the rights of divine juftice ; and who, in concurrence with the Father, authoritatively and effectually confers them upon you.
3 We give thanks 3 We mod affectionately unite- in thankfgiving to God and the Fa- ancJ praife to God on your behalf, whom we addrefs, ther of our Lord fQr ^ encouragement of our faith, as the Father of {nlUS always F for our Lord Jefus Chrift, the great and only Mediator ; y0u, and fo, as our reconciled God and Father through
him : And we,, on all occaiions, prefent our fupplica- tions, together with our thankfgivings, to him for you in eve*y prayer. (Phi/, i. 4.)
4 Since we heard 4 This we have done ever fmce we received an ac-_ of your faith in count of your cordially accepting of, and trailing in Chrift Jefus, and cfrrift aionc for ^M falvation ; and were informed of ye i^Talf the the genuine fruits of your faith, as manifefted in the faints; brotherly affe&ion which ye have difcovered various
ways towards all the profeffors of his name, that bear
his holy image, and fo prove themfeives to be fancli-
fied by his- Spirit.
5 For the hope 5 Our prayers and praifes are thus engaged for
which is laid up. yOU *f as your own faith and love alio are to Ci nit
for you in heaven, and all the fa;ntSj [n COn{ideration of the perfect biefs-
befor'elTheword ^dnefs which ye juftly hope for through him, and is
of the truth of the laid up and hid with him in God, (chap. hi. 3.) as
gofpel ; a rich treafure ufes to be by a father for his children,
and is referved and fecured in heaven for you ; which
heavenly happinefs ye heard of before now, when the
gofpel of your fa/vat Son, (Eptief. i 13.) that true
and faithful word of God, was firft preached unto you.
6 Which NOTE. * For the hope which U laid up for Chrift, and love to nil the faints ; and you in heaven may denote, either 'the therefore both lienl'es are taken into the reafon of the apoftle's pr?yer and thankf- paraphrafe. giving for them, or of their faith in
Vol. V. H
43 The Epijllc to the Chap. i.
6 Which is come 6 Which gofpel, in the publication of it, has, by unto you. as it is the good providence of God, been carried to you, in all the world; w{thout your feeking after it, as it has been to the and bringeth forth n ■, } u h~ fi j, D
fruit, as it doth al- Gentiles, as well as Jews, all over the Roman em- io in you, fince the pii e, according to Chrift's commiffion ; (Mark xvi. day ye heard of 15.) and, by the attending power of the Spirit, is an }t\ friL\- effectual means of making converts among them, and truth ■ ' of their bringing forth the bed of fruit, even faith,
love, and obedience in them ; as it likewife evidently doth in you, ever lince ye were favoured with oppor- tunities of hearing it, and were experimentally ac- quainted w^ith a real work of divine grace in your own fouls, and were led into the knowledge of the doctrine of the grace of God, and embraced it with a fincere faith, as the truth is in Jefus. 7 As ye alio learn- 7 According to what ye alfo (x.x$*>s kui) were in- ert of Epaphras our ftruaed in, particularly by your worthy minifter, E- vant who is" tor Paphras<> whom we own and efteem, as a dear brother you a faithful mi- anc^ faithful labourer in the gofpel-caufe and kingdom nifter of Chrift ; of Chrift, for his glory and the good of immortal fouls ; and who is in a fpecial manner a faithful fer- vant of the Lord Jefus, that feeks not yours, but you ; and lays himfelf out, with confeientious care and diligence, for your fpiritual benefit. (See the note on Phil. ii. 25.) 8 Who alfo de- 8 And who, to teftify his great affection to you, cUred unto us your has taken an opportunity of acquainting u& with your love in the Spirit. hearty ^ tQ q^ tQ ^ and tQ aU the faintSj
which the Koly Spirit has wrought in you, and
drawn forth in a fpiritual manner, and on fpiritual
accounts, by means of the gofpel.
0 For this caufe g \n reflection therefore on the pleafmg report,
we alfo; fince the that Eunphras has given of your faith and love, we
day we heard it. , ' r r , & . , ' , • 11
donotccafetopray nave ever nnrc DCen excited to bear you continually
for you, and to de- upon our hearts, in every folemn prayer; and, in a
fire that ye might fpecial manner, to beg of God for you, that ye may
ie fiiie 1 with the ^c y(:t more an(] more enlarged in, till your whole
knowledge ot his , ' .-,, , .. 1 1 1 j ex.- • j 1
will in all wifdom hearts are tilled with, the knowledge 01 his mmd and
and fpiritual un will, relating to the way of falvation by Jefus Chrift, derftanding; and to your own comfort and duty, as interefted
therein ; that ye may abound exceedingly in a judi- cious, experimental, and practical acquaintance with his manifold wifdom, which conducts his will ; and in all fpiritual difcerning of fpiritual things, as to their truth, excellence, and importance, and as to the good and holy ufe which ye ought to make of them. ;might i0 That in the whole of your walk before God,
worthy o the acconJjngr to his ordinances and commandments, and
j.ord unto all plea . , ° r . . , ,
being fruit- in a;l T Hir converlation in the world, ye may coi.ti-
ful nually behave as becomes the go/pel of Chrij}, (Phil.
1. -,./
Chap. i. Colossiahs parapbrafed. 49
ful in every good i. 27.) and adt up to the dignity of your relation to, work, and increa- an(} profeflion of him, and to the rich benefits ye
lT i ofGodkn°W" have' and h°pt' for from him ; and CVCry Way agre- ^e ° able to his holy nature and will, and acceptable in
all things to him, by bringing forth every fruit of righteoufnefs, like plants of the Lord's right-hand planting, that lie maybe glorified, (Ifa. lxi. 3.) and by being [till more and more progrefiive in a trans- forming acquaintance and communion with Gcd, as your heavenly Father and Friend.
11 Strengthened II We alio pray that ye may be abundantly with all might, ac- ftrengthened with all needful aids and afiillances of cording to his glo- his Spirit, for performing every duty and fervice, and
rious I30vvtr' l,m° for fultaining every trial and conflia, according to all patience and . , ° , 1 , ,. „ " «c
long.fuftering.with the working of his mighty power ; which he exerts, V-ytulnefs ; like a God, in a glorious manner toward you, tnat
ye may be enabled to exercife all patience, in a fweet compofure of fpirit, and pofleffion of your own fouls in peace, at all times, and under all -afflictions, with- out any murmuring at the hand of God, or under the higher! provocations from men ; and may be helped to hold on your way, and hold out to the end, with a noble conitancy and fortitude of foul, in fubmitting unto the will of God, and bearing injuries ; and in doing ail this with holy joy and triumph, in conii- deration of the great things that God has done for you, of his being continually with you, to fupport, ilrengthen, and comfort you, and of the glory that is fet before you.
12 Giving thanks 12 This calls for praife, inftead of complaints, un- unto the Father, ^er ari your tribulations ; and as ve ought to abound which hath made delightful tribute to the God of all your mer- us meet to be par- , 0 .,,... n r i-*t 1 r takers of the mhe- cies ; fo we heartily join in the molt grateful tfiankl- ritance or the faints givings for you, as well as for ourfelves, to the Fa- in light : ther of our Lord Jefus Chriit, and our Father in him,
who hath prepared and formed us for the heavenly ftate and world, (2 Cor. v. 5.) by v/orking in us fe- verally all fpiritual, holy, and heavenly propeniions and defires after, and fitnefs for the glorious inherit- ance which he has gracioufly appointed and provi- ded for us,, and has promifed, and will give to us, as the inheritance of fons ; an inheritance, which is all light, glory, and joy ; and which, to allude to the fovereign manner of his difpofing of the land of Canaan to Ifmt/, he will give poffeffion of, as it were by lot, to all thofe, and thole only, that are fanaified by his Spirit here, and (hall be all over co- vered with the light of knowledge, holinefs, and hap- pinefs, in his immediate prefence hereafter, where they (hall fee fob: in his light. (Pfal. xxxvi. 9.)
Hz ' 1} Who
50
TV EpiJIJe to the
Chap. i.
i j Who hath dc-
. us from fhe
power ol dai knefs,
arul hath rranftated
us inro the king- dom of his dear Son :
T4 In whom we
ncfs of fins.
13 Who has plucked us that believe, whether feu m or Gentiles^ as brands out of the fire ; and re- scued us with a mighty hand, (i^vo-cito) like Lot out of Sodom, from the tyranny and dominion of fin, which is darkrefs itfelf, (1 John i* 6.) and of Satan, {sifts xxvi. 18.) who is the prince of darknefs, and had taken us captive at his will ; and this gracious God lias wrought a happy change in our temper and ftate, by making us a willing people in the day of his power, (Pfal. ex. 3.) and bringing us into the king- dom of grace, which is erected by, and is under the influence and government of, his eminently beloved Son, Tten the Son of his moft peculiar and higheft love, (r» via ta<; ctyx7rY,$ xvra) in order to his advan- cing us to the kingdom of glory through him.
14 In whom wre have the bed of all deliverances, uglrTis^lood! b? thePrice of redemption, which he paid in flied-
even the forgive- °^ing n,s precious blood, and giving his life a' ranfom for us, even a complete difcharge from the guilt of iin, and the curfe of the law, which includes, and brings after it, a deliverance from the power of fin and Satan, and from the wrath to come, that fin had de- ferved ; as alfo an inheritance of all fpiritual and e- ternal blefiings, that fin had forfeited : And we may be well affined of the efficacy of Chrift's atoning blood for this purpofe, according to the riches of the Father's grace, (Ephef. i. 7. fee the notes there) from the dignity of his perfon, and the excellency of his office.
15 As to the dignity of bis perfon, which adds an infinite value to his facrifice, he, in his divine nature, is the exadt likenefs of the perfon of God the Father, as one in efience and perfections with him ; and he accordingly, in his incarnation, and office-qualifica- tions and- performances, is the reprefentative image of his Father, who being a pure Spirit, is abfolutely invifible in his own nature ; fo that no man hathfeen or can fee him : (John i. 18.) And this divine perfon exifted from all eternity, as having been in a pecu- liar inconceivable manner begotten * of the Father,
before
NOTE.
e words, (»fi7c'/cxcf srac-w,- v.ti- added in the next words, Tor by him
ctac) rendered the firfi, born of every were all things created; and ver, 17.
creature, fignify alfo born, or begotten it is faid, not that he was made, hut
before all creation: Or (as Ifdore an that he is before all things. (Vid. Ijid.
ancient Creek writer obferved) if the lib. 3. epift. 31.) In the firft way of
■ at ol the word (tqutoIov.os ) be pla- underftanding this pafTage, according to
I on the laft fyllable but one, inifead our tranflation, it relates to Chrift's of-
the lafl but two, it fignifies vox pa f- fice, as head of the church: In the fe-
ly, the Jirjl begotten, but aclively cond, it relates to what is ufually call-
thefirfl begetter, or foi 11 things ed the eternal generation of the Son:
and io pioof of Chrift's bring fo, it is In the third, it relates to his being the
efficient
15 Who is the
• ot the invi- fiblc God, the firft- born of every crea- ture :
Chap. i. Colossi ans pardphrafed. 51
before any creature was brought into being ; and is, 'infeparably with him, the former of all things ; and consequently the original Lord and Heir of all, ac- cording to the ancient rights of the hill born.
16 For by him 16 For by him, as the efficient caufe, together were all things Wlth tfoe Father and Spirit, all things, that are not created that are God brought forth out of nothing into being, jn heaven, and 7 b , b ^> that are in earth, (lee the notes on John I. 3.) even all creatures, that vifible and inviii- are in the heaven of heavens, and in the ilarry heaven ble, whether they and the air, and that inhabit or belong to the earth ^thrones, or do- d{ all ifbj and in/jfibie th;ngg whatfoevtr ; minions, or pnnci- ,,,,..„ , ,....,, 9 , . , palities, or powers; aU the higheit ranks and individuals ot angels in hea- all things were ven, and of men upon earth, whether for dignity and created by him, authority in thole refpedtive worlds *, they be llyled and tor him. thrones, in allufion to the royal feats of princes ; or
dominions, that have rule and government committed to them under any form whatfoever ; or principali- ties, that are in high and noble ftations ; or powers, that are great in any kind of authority and influence : Yea, and all inferior as well as higher orders of crea- tures, down to the fmalleil atom, werd brought into being by his creating power, as their original caufe : And all of them, from the higheit to the lowed, were created for him, as their ultimate end ; that he, to- gether with the Father and Spirit, might one way or other be glorified in, and by them, as they are the works of his hand, and mall be made fubfervient to the defigns of his mtdiatorial kingdom.
17 And he is be- 17 And this carries an undeniable demonftration, fore all things, and that he had a prior exigence to all creatures whatfo-
confdT aU thinSS ever: And aS we are faid t0 liue> move> a>;dh™e our being in God ; (Acts xvii. 28.) fo all things do a-
like fubfil'l, Hand, or continue in him, (sv uvro) who is omniprefent, all-powerful, and active, in his provi- dential influence over them ; as they are continually preferved in being, and in their regular frame and or- der, and are animated and upheld, by the fame word of his power, (Heb. i. 3.) which at firft called them into exiftence,. and which he now txtrts, as Head o- ver all things to the church. {EpheJ. i. 22.) iS And he is the 18 And as to the excellency of his office in human head of the body, nature, which he aiTumed into perfonal union with w'^ himfelf, this fame great and glorious perfon is not on-
h
NOTES.
efficient caufe, or the Creator of all defign them : But as they are alfo ufed
things; and in all thefe views he is con- to fignify the higheft ranks of men. it
fidered in the following verfes. (till further widens the argument, and,
* Thrones, dominions, principalities, I think, there can be no impropriety in
and powers, are terms often ufed to fig- it, if we alio include them. (See Dr.
nify the higbeft orders of angels ; and, Hammond's note here.) perhaps, may here moft immediately
s ".-..
52 The Epijlle to the Chap. i.
is the beginning \ the poljtjcai head of diredion, authority, and go- the lirft-born from J r r1 l • • .1 i i r »
the deid- that in Vt;rn-ent> in <:ke manner as a king is the head of the all things he might ttate ; but he is a' lb the head of vital influence, by havt the pre-emi- his word ai-d fpirit, to the church, (which is as inti- mately united to him as the natural body is to its head) tf* communicate all fpiritu il life, nouriihmtnt, growth, and ictivity to all, and every member of it, the whole of which fpiritual body is the relative fill- fitfs of htm that fillet h all in all, (Eph. i. 22, 23.) he accordingly is the head and original, as of the fpi- ritual life of their1 foul?, fo of the refurrec/tion of their bodies to eternal life ; being himfelf the firll that a- rofe from the dead to immortal life, and that by his own power, as the pledge and pattern, quickening caufe and firftrfruits of the refurrection of all thofe that fleep in him : ( 1 Cor. xv. 20. ; fee the notes there.) And he is thus the Lord of the dead and the living, {Horn. xiv. 9.) that he in all things might be preferred, exalted, and dignified of God, and efteem- cd by the church, in his mediatorial capacity (as he really is in himfelf) above all angels, and above all the faints, whom he condefcends to call his brethren. [Rom. viii. 29.) T9 For it pita- 19 For, in the economy of falvation, it has feem- fed the' Father, tc\ ffOC(j jn Qoc] tne Father's fight, and he of his own infinitely wife, gracious, and holy pleafure, and in honour to his Son, and in love to his people, has or- dained, that, correspondent to the excellency of Chrift's divine pcrfon, and the greatnefs of his medi- atorial work *, an ali-fulnefs of gifts and graces, me- rit and righteoufnefs, light and power, mould dwell permanently in him, with the utmoli perfection, not for himfelf only, but likewife to be communicated to every member of his fpiritual body, that of his ful- nejs ihey all may receive grace for grace, ( John i. 16.) and that he may f 'II all things, and be all in all. (Ephef. i. 23. and iv. 10.) 20 And (ha- 2o And God the Father, (having, through the
. S ua(le l?^ redemption purchafed by the blood of Chrift,' (ver. through the blood , r../. n . . , ' . . c . n c , V,
0f 14.) which he fried in his painful, ihametul, and ac-
curfed
NOTE.
* This all fulnefs, which dwells in told it p leafed the Father fjjould dwell
Chrift, feems evidently to fignity, not in him, and is placed arnidit that part of
the original fulnefs of his deity, but his the apoftie's description of him which re-
mediatorial difpenfatory fulnefs, which lates moft immediately to his qffice-cha-
he received of his Father in his human racier ; and the expreffions ufed, chap.'n.
nature and office- -rapacity ; for his origi- 9. to fignify the inhabitation of the deity
nal fulnefs is effentially neeeffarv to him, in the man Jefus, is much ftronger, and
and inieparable from hito, as God, and without any hint of will arid plea I are, as
does not depend upon the mere good-will theemfe of it, where ir is laid, In him
and pleafure of the Father ; but the ful- dwelleth all the fulnefs of the Godhead
nefs, here mentioned, is what we are bodily. (See the note there.)
that in him ihould til fulnefs dwell.
vin
Chap. i.
ofhiscrofs)byhim to reconcile all things unto him- l'elf. by him, I Juv, whether they be things in earth, or things in hea- ven.
Colossians paraphrafed. 53
curfed death of the crofs, removed the enmity, and made up the breach, which fin had caufed between him and his church) it hath pleaftd him, by this their Head and Mediator, to bring them all into a ftate of friendihip and favour with himfelf* : It has been, I fay, the good plcafure of his will to recon- cile them to himfelf, by the peace-making facrihee of
Chritt,
N O
* God's reconciling all things to him- felf, nvhether in earth, or in heaven, does not, I apprehend, include the holy angels, who. having never finned, can- not be faid to be reconciled to God ; but relates only to all the faints, whether on earth, or in heaven, who needed to be reconciled after the breach that fin had made between God and them. — When the fcripturefpeaksof reconciliation by Chrift, or by his crop, blood, or death, it is com- mon iy expreffed by God's reconciling us to himfelf, and not by bis bein* reconciled to us ; the reafon of which feems to be, becaufe God is the offended party, and we are the offenders, who, as fuch, have need to be reconciled to him : and the price of reconciliation, by the blood of Chrift, is paid to him, and not to us. Grotius obferves, that in heathen au- thors, men's being reconciled to their gods, is always understood to fignify ap- pealing the anger of their gods. Con- demned rebels may be faid to be recon- ciled to their fovereign, when he. on one confideration or another, pardons them ; though, perhaps, they ftill remain re- bels in their hearts againft him: And when our Lord ordered the offending to go and be reconciled to his offended brother, (Matth. v. 23, 24.) the plain meaning is, that he fhould go, and try to appeale his anger, obtain his forgive - nefs, and regain his favour and friend- fhip, by humbling himfelf to him, afk- «ig his pardon, or fatisfying him for any injury that he might have done him. In like manner, God's reconciling us to himfelf by the crofs of Chrift, does not fignify, as the Socinians contend, our being reconciled, by converfion, to a re- ligious turn in our hearts to God : But it is a reconciliation that refults from God's graciously providing and accenting an atonement for us, that he might not inflict the puniflimcnt upon us whirh we deferved, and the law condemned us to; but might be at peace with us, and re- ceive us into favour, on Chrift's account : For this reconciliation, by the crofs of Chrift, is in a way of atonement or fatis- faction to divine juftice for fin ; and,
T E.
with refpeet hereunto, we are faid to be reconciled to God by the death of his Son, -juhile tue ivere enemies, which is of much the fame import with Chri/l's dying for the ungodly, and -while nve ivere yet /inner s : (Rom v. 6. 8, 10.) And our being reconciled to God, by ap- proving and accepting of his method of reconciliation by Jefus Chrift, and, on that encouragement, turning to him, is diftinguifhed from his reconciling us to himfef, and nor imputing our trefpqffer to us, on account of Chri/l's having been made fin for us. that ive might be made the righteoufnefs of God in him (2 Cor. v. 18, — 21.) This is called Chrift's mak- ing reconciliation for iniquity, and mak- ing reconciliation for the fins of the peo- ple, (Dan. ix. 24 and Heb. ii. 17.) and anlwers to the ceremonial and typical reconciliation which was made by the blood of the facrifices under the law, to make atonement and reconciliation for Ifrael; (2 Cor xxix. 24. and Exek xlv. 15, 17.) and which was frequently fty- led, making atonement for fin, and an a- tonement for their fouls. Now as all the legal facrifices of atonement, and the truly expiatory facrifice of Chrift, were offered, not to the offenders, but to God, to reconcile him to them ; what can re- conciliation by the death, blood, or crofs of Chrift. mean, but that the law and jultice of God were thereby fatisfied, and all obftruclions, on his part, to p^ace and friendihip toward finners are remo- ved, that he might not purfue his righte- ous demands upon them, according to the holy refentments of his nature and will, and the thrcatn^ngs of his law, for their fins ; but might mercifully forgive them, and take them Into a ftate of fa- vour with himlelf, u;-cn their receiving the atonement, or (~x«t?'aAJsa?'»y) recon- ciliation. (Rom. v 1 1 ) by faith, after the ofience that fin h?.d given him, and the breach it had made upon-the origi- nal friendihip between him and them? (Vid. Grot, de Satisf. cap. vii. and Dr. Owen's arjfwer to Middle's Catechlfm, bV. chap, xxix.)
5| The Fpiftk to the Chap. i.
Chnft, that the righteous demands of his broken law ard offended juftice might not he executed upon them ; but that he might honourably a& toward them in a way of kindnefs and friendfhip, according to the riches of his love and grace ; whether they be believers among Jews or Gentiles on earth, or glo- rified faint0., that in the virtue of his blood already are, or ever (hall be in heaven, zt And you, that 2 1, 2 2 And in confequence of this, ye, who here- vrere lometime a- toforej ;n t}lc <jays of your unregeneracy, were e- inies in 'your mind ftra"ged from the life of G>d, and, through the per- by wicked works, verfe reasonings of your own corrupt minds, were full yet now hath he of enmitv to' him, and difcovered yourfelves to be, reconciled. an(j ac^ual]y became more and more fo, by an habitual
of hds flefh th-ou<rh cour^"e OI" wicked practices, in contradiction to him, death, to prefent and to hic holy law ; (Rom. viii. 7.) he has now, up- you holy and un- on your believing in Chrift, brought into a ftate of blamable, and un- reconciliation, peace, and friendfhip with himfelf, by removable m his ^ h{jm^ My q{ Chr{^ wWch confifted of flefll
and blood, like the bodies of other men, even through the merit and efficacy of his atoning death, who his own felf horc your.jftm in h?'r own body on the tree, (1 Pet. ii. 24.) that he might prefent you to him- felf, or make you ftand before him, as pure and holy members of his church, without fpot or blemifh, (E/>b. v. 27.) and that nothing may be found to bring you under condemnation, or reproof in his fight, as the great Judge of all, or in the fight of God, at the laft day. 23 If ye conti- 23 This, I am well fatisfied, will be the happy e- nue in the faith vcnt> as to vou *5 fince ye have given evident proof r,';rt',V"l ■ »t of y°W being fmcere believer,, by your ftedfaftly moved away from perfevering in the faith of Chrift, as perfons that arc the hope of the built on him, as your foundation, and are firmly efta- gofpel, which ^e blifhed in your dependence alone on him; and fo have heard, and a; ^ nd ;nft all the artful and vio_
which was preach- 7 & *>
ed to every crea- 'ent attempts of your enemies to make and carry you tuw which is un- off from Chrift, the obj'-cr. of your hope, and from der heayen; where- your hope in him, as fet before you in the gofpel,
ariSta"" made Which yP haVe heart1, attendtd t0' and received» and which, according to the true intent of our Lord's
commifiion,
NOTE.
* If ye continue mi?ht be, more a- (vuv) in the next verfe. and becaufe the greeable to the apoftle'' defie;n, render- apoftle fpeaks of hhjoying' and beholding ed fince ye continue; for the particle their ftedfattnefs in the faith of Chrift. (uye) often Ctgmiiesfince, as in z Cor (Chap ii. 5.) And fo no aigument can v. iii. (fee the note there) and ye conti- be drawn from hence againft the perfe- mie (iTri/utvtli) is not in the future, but verance of the faints; or for making prefent tenfe, intimating what they did their continuing in the faith the canfe of at prefent, or hitherto; and, (as fyr. their bein? piefented unreprovable at Pierce obferves in his note here) this the great day, fenfe is necejfary, becaufe of the now
Chap.
24 Who now re- joice in my fuffer- ings for you, and fill up tint which is behind of the n iTn -lions of Chrift in my flefii. for his bodies fake, which is the church :
25 Whereof I am made a minif- ter according to the difpenfation of God, which is gi- ven to me for yon, to fulfil the word of God ;
N O * Till up («v7a»«TXn^6») fays Le Clerk, and Mr. Pierce after him, in a beautiful criticifm on the place, figtrifiesj?// up by turns, to intimate, that the apoftle now fuffered in his turn, as he had formerly made others fuffer for Chrift in theirs : And I am apt to think, that, in calling thefe the afflictions of Chrift, he might recollect Chrift's faying to him. in the career of his perfections, Saul, Saul. Why perfemteft thou me? (Acts ix. A.) Or, according to the above given feme of the word translated fill up, he mi^ht mean that, as Chrift had fu tiered for his redemption, he now in his turn fuffered fur Chrift's glory, and in conformity to
Vol. V.
Colossi ans paraphrafed. 55
commiflion, (Mark xvi. 15.) hns been preached pro- mifeuoufly to Gentiles as well as Jewr, under what quarter of the heavens foever they dwell ; (fee the note on ver. 28.) and I, Pa///, am highly favoured with his fpecial commiflion to communicate this gof- pcl particularly to the Gentiles. ( Acts xxvi. 16, 17,
24 And feeing ye continue in the faith grounded and fettled, (ver. 23.) I now, inftead of repining at the fevere perfections and prefent imprisonments, that have befallen me for your fakes, on account of my preaching the gofpel to Gentile finners, (Ei>h. iii. 1.) do, on the contrary, even rejoice in them, and count them my honour, (rf&s v. 41.) as they alfo are your glory ; ( Et)b. iii. 13.) and inftead of perfecuting others, as formerly *, I, in my turn, now chearfully undergo all manner of tribulations, which flill remain for filling up the meafure of my fufferings for Chrift's glory, as he rilled up the meafure of his fufferings for my redemption ; and which I am fur- ther to endure in my natural body, after his exam- ple, and in his caufe, who counts them his own, and has appointed them to me for the benefit of his myf- tical body, by which I mean his church, that they may be confirmed in the faith of the gofpel, and en- couraged to bear, with undaunted bravery, whatever' fufferings they may be called to undergo for it, by feeing how I am enabled to behave with holy forti- tude, patience, and joy, under mine.
25 Of which church (*$) I am, by his immediate authority, conllituted a minifter in my apoftolic of- fice, according to the infinitely gracious and holy (oixovtpiav). order of God's fettling in his family, for difpenling the gofpel, which is committed to me, as a facred truft, with a ipecial regard to you as Gentiles, (Eph. iii. 1, 2. and 1 Tim. i. 11, 12.) for
your T E.
him. as fufferings for Chrift are manifeft- ly to be undeifcood in 2 Cor. i. 5. and r. Pet. iv. 13 : But I do not find on the ftrii3eft fearch, that Chrift's own fi ings arc any where called as here, his affliction* (&\i*j,eov r» X^.ra) while this word is commonly ufed, through the New leitament, to express the fufferings of the apofties and other Chriftians for Chrift's fake; nor can anv of their fuffer- ings be fuppoied to be added 10 bis, or to concur with his. for the latisfaftion of divine juftice, without, overthrowing the perfection of his atofting facirifrce, who, by one offering, hcrfecied for ever them that are Janet fied. (Heb. x. 14.)
56
The EpiJHe to the
Chap. i.
%6 Even the myftery which hath been hid from ?ges, and from generations. but now is made manifeft to his faints :
27 To whom /God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this myftery a- mong the Gen- tiles ; which is Chrift in you, hope of glory :
the
28 Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching . every man in all wif- dom; that we may pre lent eveiy man perfect, in Chrift Jems :
your converfion, edification, and falvation, to fulfil his prophetic word about his calling the Gentiles ; (Ifa. . xi. 10. and xlii. 1. Zech. ii. 11. and Mai. i. 11.)
26 Which is indeed a rrtfftery, both as it contains the unfearchable riches of Chrift, (Eph. iii. 8. *) and as it has been fo far concealed, especially in its brighteft glories, from ages and generations under the law, that the Gentiles knew nothing of it, and the Jews, did not fully underftand the notices that were given of it under former difpenfations ; but which is now as clearly revealed as the nature of things admits of, (roi$ ecytotg cevra) to his holy apof- tles and prophets by the Spirit, (E/>h. iii. 5.) and, through them, to all true believers, who, by profef- fion, obligation, and regenerating grace, are his faints. 2 7 To whom God, of his own good pleafure, ac- cording to his eternal purpofe, and ancient predic- tions, would now, under the New Teftament-difpen- fation, make a plain difcovery of the exceeding rich- es of the glory of this incomprehenfibly excellent gof- pel, even among the Gentiles, which is all fummed up in Chrift, who, as preached among you, and as dwelling in your hearts by his Spirit and by faith, is become the author and ground of all your hopes of eternal life, as well as is the purchafer of all its glo- ry.
28 This is the blefTed Saviour, whom we, aa mef- fengers of the beft tidings that ever were brought to the fons of men, declare, and make the grand fub- ject of our miniftry, in his glorious perfon and offices, in the whole compafs of his mediation, and in the be- lieving, affectionate, and obediential regards, that are due to him, and to God the Fattier through him ; admonifhing all forts of perfons to reflect upon their finful and obnoxious ftate by nature, and to take heed of rejecting him f ; and inftructing them, without
diftinction NOTES. as in feveral other being called a myftery feems, not only to carry the idea ot its having lain under great obl'curity before ; (which I appre- hend is to be confidered with reference to the doctrines of the gofpel itfelf, as well as to its being preached to the Gct'tiles) but alio of the unfathomable depths of wifdom and grace that are con- tained in the gofpel, as now-revealed in the plaineft manner that it ever will be in this world, or that our faculties in this fcmperfeeT: ftate are capable of taking in.
* Myftery here places, relates to the calling of the Gen- tiles, which was before, at leaft compa- ratively (peaking, a myftery, but is now moft clearly revealed : And yet as there were many plain and exprefs prophecies of this under the Old Teftament, a vaft collection of which is made, and com- pared with correfpondent New Tefta- ment texts, by the learned Huet, in his Bemonftratio Evangelica, Vid. Prop. 9. c;;p. 15S. p, 589. — 597. It cannot be faid not to have been revealed before, though, through miftaken prejudices, it was not generally underftood. in its true fenfe and meaning: And therefore its
(See the note on 1 Cor. ii. 7)
f Every 7/ian, as mentioned three times over, in this veife, and every crea- ture which is wider heaven, ver. 23.
cannot
Chap. i. Colossians paraphrafed. 57
diftin&ion of nations, wherefoever we come, accord- ing to the wifdom that God hath given us ; and lead- ing them into the knowledge of the manifold wifdom of God, as difplayed in the gofpel-revelation, to make them wife to falvation ; that we may be the means and inftruments of prefenting them all to God, as true and uncorrupted believers, that are efpouled to Chrift, (2 Cor. xi. 2.) and well acquainted with the whole fcheme of the gofpel, and that have, not only a per- fection of parts, which belong to the new creature, buc an eminent growth of them ; and are already perfect in their Head Chriit, (lee the note on i Cor. ii. 6.) and fhall be perfected in all knowledge and grace, holinefs and happinefs, through him, in the heavenly ftate. 29 Whereunto 29 To the accomplifhment of this, 1 alio labour I alio labour, w{tn pa{ns and diligence in praver and preaching, lay- ftnving according • {]£ h utmoft'by all means, amidft
to his working, p J . / / ...
which worketh in all dimculties, and in the face or ail oppoiition, like me mightily. the vehement contenders in the Grecian games, («y*«*
nZppms) according to the energy of his Ipirit and grace, which works with mighty power in me, to enable me for it, and with me, to crown my labours with glorious fuccefs. (See the note on 1 Cor. xv, 10.)
RECOLLECTIONS.
What a divine authority does the apoftolic character give to Paul's epiftles I And with what affection ihould we, after his example, wifli all aboundings of grace and peace from God the Father, and our Lord jenis Chrift, to ail the faints and faithful in Chrift Jefus ! And how fhould we blefs God on their behalf, and recommend them in our prayers to him, on account of what we fee or hear of their faith a«d love, and of their well grounded hope of that eternal life which is refer- ved in heaven for them, according to the truth of the gofpel I What a mercy is it, that this gofpel is now preached, by divine commiffion, to Gentiles, as well as Jews, in all its unfearchably glorious riches, which was a myftery concealed in great meafure from former ages ; but is now, as, far as the nature of things ad- mits, clearly manifefted to the faints 1 But how much greater is the mercy ftill, to know this gofpel of the grace of God in truth ; to experience its efficacy, in de- livering us from the power of Satan, and tranilating us into the kingdom of God's beft beloved Son ; and to have Chrift dwelling in our hearts, as our hope of glory 1 This encourages further prayers for all incr-eafe in light, and grace, and ftrength- enings, by the glorious operations of divine^power, unto all patience, long-fuffer- ing, and joy, under all the trials of this life; and unto all becoming, fruitful, and hoiy walking with God, who in this way will make us meet for the inheritance of the faints in light. How great and glorious is the perfon of Chrift ! He is the ef- fential and reprefentative image of God the Father, who in his own nature is invi- fible ; he had an eternal exiitence before all worlds, and is the Creator and Up- holder, the firft caufe and laft end of all things, from the higheft to the loweft of them, in heaven and earth ; he alfo, as Mediator, is the head of his myftical bo-
1 * dy,
NOTE. cannot be fuppofed to" mean all the indi- ment) Jews and Gentiles, to whom he viduals of mankind ; but evidently figni- preached Chrift and the gofpel, that he fies (according to the drift of the apof- might prefent them perfect in him, with- tie's argument, and the frequent ufe of out diftinclion of nations, 01 preference thefe univerfal terms in the New Tefta- of one fort of them to another.
5S The Epijile to the Chap. ii.
dy the church; has all office and difpenfatory rulnefs conflantly refiding in him ; and i the rirft and chief that rofe from the dead to immortal life, and every way iuper- erainent to all faints and angels. And how important are the benefits that his church receive from him ! They that were fometimes enemies, through the iniqui- ty of their hearts and lives, are now reconciled to God by his atoning death, and ruive remiffion of fins through his redeeming blood ; and they are kept ftedfalt in the faith and hope of the gofpel, till at length i hey (hall be prefented faultlefs, and without rebuke, in the fight of God. And what an honour is it to be made •wife and faithful preachers of Cnrift, and instruments of prefenting multitudes per- fecl in him ! Who would not willingly lay themfelves out to the utmoft, according to the powerful workings of his grace in, and with them, to fubferve this bleffed defign ; and rather rejoice than repine at any fufferings, to what degree foever they may be called to undergo them in the caufe of Chrift, for his fake, and for the con- verfion, edification, and eternal falvation of many foals !
CHAP. II.
The apoftle expreffes his love to, and joy in believers, whom he had never feen, and encourage* their continuing to walk in Chrift, I, — 7. Cautions them again]} the errors of heathen-philofophy, againft the vanity of Jewifh traditions, and again/} an objervance of Mofaic rites, which had been completely fulfilled in Chrift, be- yond what they could hope to find elfewhere, 8, — 17. Againft worjhipping of angels, as that were, in cffetl, renouncing their Head, Chrift, 18, 19. And againft legal ordinances and hu- man inftitutions, that are of no advantage for fpiritual pur pofes, 20,-23.
ddthat yrr; {s wjt]j particular reference to you, that I fpeak \& *I of my earned endeavour to prefent every man per-
Text. Paraphrase.
JTOR I would that ye knew
have for you~~ and fe6t in Chrift Jefus. (Chap. i. 28, 29.) For I would for them at Lao- fain make you fenfible of my great folicitude, concern, dicea, and for as and fervent prayers for you, (chap. i. 9.) the be-
E£S! !lever.sat Col°^. alld for thofe of y°ur ™ghb°ur. fleHu • ing city of Laodicea ; and even for all that have recei-
ved the faith of Chrift, wherever they refide, though they, like you, have never had the opportunity of feeing me in the body, nor confequently of attending on my miniftry, and being wrought upon by it. 2 That their 2 I wreftle with God in prayer for all fuch, that hearts might be t^ejr jiearts may be abundantly filled with divine con- kmc ^together61 m Nation, as believers that are clofely and firmly ce- love, and unto all mented together in the bonds of the molt cordial at- riches of the full fec~tion to Chrift and one another ; and are thorough- afiurance of under- iy United jn endeavours for attaining a diftinft, clear, knowledsmenc *of an<^ cornplcte acquaintance with the excellent fcheme the myftery of of the gofpel, in all its riches of fpiritnal and eternal God, and or the bitiTnigs, unto the entire fatisfaclion of their own Father, and of fobUs ; and unto the moft honourable, fteady, and public profeAori of thefe deep things of God, which, though now revealed for the falvation of the Gentiles,
as
Chap. ii. Colossians paraphrafed. 59
as well as Jews, continue to be un f ear ch able riches, (Eph. iii. 8.) that were from all eternity designed, ana prepared in the gracious eouniels of God the Fa- ther's will, [Eph. i. 11.) and are purchaled, reveal- ed, and diipenk-d by our Lord Jeius Chriit, as the great Mediator between God and them.
3 In whom are ^ jn whom *, as the Head of the church, are hires*1 of ViSom conLa'nec^» *or l'neir u*e ana" benefit, beyond their and knowledge. comprehenlion, and with a concealment from carnal
minds, all the rich and inexhauifible treafures of per- fect wifdom and knowledge, tor managing all the af- fairs of his kingdom of providence and grace, and feaionabiy fupplying all our wants ; and for revealing the whole will of God about our falvation ; as alio for enlightening our minds, and directing us in our way and walk through all the darknefs and dangers of this life, and conducting us fate to heavenly glory.
4 And this I fay, 4 And I thus fpeak of all the treafures of wifdom. kit any man mould and knowledge, that are laid up in Chrilt, from the beguile you with , c i «.l * u eniicuio- words. deeP conccrn °* mJ heart for you, that ye may be
eftablilhed in him ; left, as the ferpent beguiled Eve through his fubtiUy >• (2 Cor. xi. 3.) fo, through the plaufible infinuations of juclaizing teachers, who by falie reaionings, flattering words, and fair Jpeeches, he in wait to deceive, (1 Cor. xvi. 18. and Eph. iv. 14.) any one mould delude you into iniharing no- tions, that are contrary to, or derogatory from Chrilt and his glory, and would turn you off from him, and from the pure doctrine of falvation alone through him : My knowledge of your affairs, and affection to you, engage this iolicitous care of my foul about you.
5 For though I 5 For though I be corporally diitant from you, be abient in the and never faw' you ; yet my heart is with you, in de- fleih, yet am I H htful reflcaions on what I have heard of your with you in the o . . , . , , . x , T 1 1 fpu-it, joying and ™™, love> and hoPe 5 {chap. 1. 4, 5.) and I clearly. beholding your or. perceive, by fuggeitions of the Spirit, how things der, and the ited- are with you, (fee the note on 1 Cor. v. 3.) as to faftneis 01 your yOUr rjc^ attainments, on one hand, and trials of va- rious kinds, on the other ; and I am filled with facred joy from what I know of your circumflances, as if I were perfonally preient with you, particularly with reipect to the good diicipline that is kept up among
you, NOTE. * In whom (jv a) may be rendered nefs of the Godhead dwelling in him, in in which, and refer to the myftery, as whom the church is complete. (See al- well as to Chri/l ; and fo fignihes that fo Dr. Whitby* note here.) And hid in all the treafures of wifdom and know- him intimates, (fays Bifhop Da-venant ledge, relating to falvation, are wrapped on the place) that thefe treafures of wif- up, and contained in this myftery : But dom and knowledge are fo hid, as not I rather take it to be meant of Chrift, to be difcerned by carnal men, but only who is the neareft antecedent, and is fpo- by thole to whom God hath given fpiri*. ken of ver. p, 10. as having ail the Jul- tual eyes to lee them.
60 The Epijlle to the Chap. ii.
you, as a church of Chrift, and the orderly behavi- our of its Several members ; and with refpedt to the firm, folid, and Heady adherence of your faith to the perfon, mediation, and doctrines of Chrift, notwith- standing all the artifices that are ufed to corrupt your minds, and draw you off from him. 6 As ye have 6 As thei^efore ye have .received Chrift by faith in therefore received his fon and offi ag prophet to teacn you,
<-hrilt feius the * . ,. , ' r , . ir
Lord, jo walk ye as your Pneit lo make atonement and intercede for in him : you, and as your king to rule and govern you, even
as your complete Lor-d and Saviour ; fo I entreat and exhort you Hill to cleave with purpofe of heart to him, and to walk in a daily exercife of faith in him, and in a conitant obfervation of all his ordinances and commandments ; yea, in all holy converfation and godlinefs, as becomes your proiefiion of him, and re- lation to him, by virtue of your union with him, and by derivation of grace from him ;
7 Rooted and 7 As fincere believers, who, like a tree planted in built up in him, a good foil, are rooted in Chrift, fattening on him,
the faith m ye t0 keeP ^oxx flxed and immoveable by any wind of have been taught, doctrine, and drawing nourifhment from him for abounding therein your fpiritual growth in him ; (Epb. iv. 14, 15.) with thaukigiving. and who, like a houfe erected on a folid foundation, are built upon Chrift, and clofely united to him, as the only foundation of your faith and hope, iecurity and falvation, (1 Cor. iii. 11.) that ye may grow un- to an holy temple in the Lord, in whom ye are built together for an habitation of God, through the Spi- rit; (Eph. ii. 21, 22.) and that ye may be confirm- ed both in the doctrine and grace of faith in him, ac- cording to what ye have heard, and received by the miniilry of Epaphras, our dear fellow-fervant ; [chap. i. 7.) and may abound exceedingly in daily increa- ses of light and faith, and every other grace, with enlarged thankfulnefs and praife to the author and fi- nifher of all that concerns you.
8 Beware left a- 8 Take heed left any feducer make a prey of you,
t?rouahDhilolbyhU and dl"aW y°U °ff fr°m Chri11 and hIS pUrC g°fpd 5 an™v?indeceir%f- and rob 7°u of its privileges and bleffings, through ter the tradition of tne fubtilties and corruptions of the falle phiiofophy men, after the ru- of the heathens, which Jewijh dodlors have adopted riimfnts^ of the into their religion ; and through their fallacious pre- fer Chrift3 "^ * " tences> which are all empty, delufive, and vain, as they puff up the mind with a conceit of things, that have nothing in them ; and millead it to follow the uncertain traditions, that were the inventions of men in former ages, and have been handed down from one generation to another to this very day ; and alio to oblervt fuch ceremonial rites of the Mojaic law, as were the principles, or firft: elements (so^aa) of
the
Chap. ii. Colossians par aphrafecl. 61
the church in its infant-ftate, and were in themfelves
of a carnal nature, as fuited to imprefs little children
by worldly appearances: (fee the paraprafe on Gal.
iv. 3.) And none of thofe things are according to the
mind and will of Chrift, as revealed in the gofpel ;
nor do any of them, as now urged and obferved, lead
the foul to him alone for falvation, who has an all-
fufficiency for it in himfelf.
9 For in him g For the divine nature *, with all the perfections
Jwelleth all the 0f deity in their utmoil fulnefs, refide, and for ever fulnels of the God- ,., Jc ,a /. „ . , . . r .
head bodily. abide, lubitantially in his incarnate pcrlon, as in the
temple of his body, inhabited by the in-dwelling God- head, in a perfonal, and infinitely more glorious manner, than it ever dwelt in the Jewijh tabernacle, or temple of old. 16 And ye are 10 And ye, who have received him by faith, complete in him (ver 6#) and fo are united to him as members of
of all principality hIs myftical body» have a11 falvation in him as your and power: head ; ye have all defects made up, and all fecurities
and bleflings completed, though not already in your own perfons, yet in himy who is made unto you of God) wifdom, ana l right eoufnefs, and fanclifcation9 and redemption ; (i Cor. i. 30.) and who, fuitable to the dignity of his divine perfon, as all the fulnefs of 1 he Godhead dwells bodily in him, (ver. 9.') is ex- alted'in his office-capacity to be fovereign Lord and Ruler of all ranks and degrees of mankind ; yea, of all, even the higheft orders of apoftate angels, who are under his controul, as vanquilhed enemies ; (ver. 15.) and of all the holy angels, that excel in ftrength,
and NOTE.
* The Godhead, the fulnefs of the evidently fignifies only his gracious pre-
Godhead, and all the fulnefs of the God- fence with them, in a way of fpecial fa-
head, are as ftrong expreflions as can vour and relation, manifeftation, and o-
weil be imagined, to denote that the di- peration ; and their being filled with
yine nature, with not fome only, but all all the fulnefs of God, (*«» to tw^a/m
its effential perfections, the very fame as tov Qzc-j) rnoft naturally means, rilled
are in the Father himfelf, dwell fub- with all the gifts and graces that God
flantially in Chrift's human body, as is the author and giver of : Eut all the
the word (ro/xxhuu^ may fignify, ei- fulnefs cf the Godhead (*«v to xwgufiac,
ther bodily, to intimate the perfonal t»s S-eot«7o{) is a quite 'different phrale
\inion of the divine nature with the hu- of inconceivably fuperior fignification :
man body, as well as foul of our Lord, For Godhead is the one only divine na-
when he, the eternal Word, was made ture itfelf, by which God is what re
flefh, and dwelt among us; (John i. 1, is; and as all ads of divine goodnefs,
14. fee the note there) or really and wifdom, and power, and the like, are
fub flantially, in oppofition to figura- cor.ftantly afcribed to God, and never,
tively and emblematically, in types and as far as I can recelleet, to the Godhead,
fhadows, in which fenfe the apolife there leems to be a great impropriety of
fays the body is of Chriji, ver. 17. And language in calling their effects the ful-
this is infinitely more than any thing nefs of thp Godhead: But the fulnefs,
that is faid of God's dwelling in his or perfection 0 Deity, is a natural
people, (z Ccr vi. 16.) and of their idea of all that is comprehended in God-
be'mg filed with all the fulnefs of God. head ; and all this is faid to dwell m
(Eph. iii. ip.) His dwelling in them Chrift.
62 The E-piJlle to the Chap. ii.
and are entirely under his dominion, who fends them forth to minifter to the heirs of falvation. [Heb. i.
>4-) it In whom al- 1 1 In him alfo ye are fo complete, as to have no ejrcurr.ri- mcfi 0f the ordinance of circumcifion, which the ffd with the cir- yrzc/yij zta;0ts would impofe upon you ; for ye have wiSSnt'lianlJs, in a better circumcifion of the heart, according to God's ptotting oiT the' ho. promife to his people, and their feed, {Dettt. xxx. rlvoftlir fitisdf the C.) even a fpiritual circumcifion, [Phi/, iii. 3.) flefh. by the cir- wh;ch ;s not efTeaed, like that in the flefh, by the
cumcifionof Chrift: , ri , ,j » . 1 a,
work of human nands, but by the renewing opera- tion of the Spirit ; and confifis, not in cutting off the forcfkin of the flefh, but in what was fignified by it, even a feparation of the whole body of fin, which, like the natural body, is made up of many members or parts, that fpring from the corruption of nature, and are influenced, and exert themfelves, by means of the flefhly body, that ye may be delivered from its guilt, power, and defilement, and at length from the very in-being of it, by virtue of that fpiritual circum- cifion, which Chrift is. the author of*. X2 Buried with 12 And, inftead of circumcifion in the flefh, ye him in baptifm, have, by his inftitution, the ordinance of baptifm, wherein- alfo ye which is of like fignifkation, and anfwers the fame
are rifen with him . . . re jit- it 1 - 1
through the faith ends, as it is a fign of, and obligation to all the ho- of the operation of linefs, that is, or ought to be found in you, as God's Cn<i, who hath rai- covenant people, by your being conformable to Chrift's death, in utterly dying to fin, and giving full evidence of it with continuance, as he died that it might be crucified, and was manifefted to be entirely dead, by his being buried, and continuing fome time in the grave f . Your privileges and obligations are
likewife N O T £ S. * The circumcifion of Chrift cannot leees were pretended to, there were a mean his own circumcifion in the flefli, defect as to external ordinances, for the eighth day ; for that, as much as any want of circumcifion to fignify and feal otheV, was made by the hands of men ; them: For the apoftle herein fhews, but this is faid, in oppofition tothat that Chrift has not only provided that fort of circumcifion, to be made with- his people fhould be partakers of the out hands, and refers to that fpiritual thing fignified by it, but has alfo fub- cireumcifion, of which Chrift is the au- ftituted another external ordinance, of Thor. and of which, as circumcifion for- like nfe, fignincation, and defign, to be merly was, the baptifm of Chrift's infti- continued under the gofpel-ftate, more tuvion now is the fi<rn ; it fignifving fuitable to its fimplicity and fpiritual not the putting diuay the filth of the nature. But if the infants of believing flejh, hut the anjwer of a good con- narents were not to be baptized under \fcicnce toward God; (1 Pet. iii. 21.) the gofptelidifperifatioiK a ftrong objec- and fo, the fignification being *he fame, tion would ftill have remained againit baptifm comes in the room of circum- their bring complete in Chrift, as to ex- cifion, according to what is intimated ternal privileges; fince the children of in the next verfe, as the Lord's fupper the Jfraelites, under the Mofaic difpen- does of the pafibver. And this effectual- fation, were to be circumcifed, as well lv fctfwered the objection of Jewi/Jj as themfelves.
zealots, as if, whatever internal privi- f Buried with bim, feems to relate
rather
fed bim from the dead.
Chap, ii,
Colossi ans parabhrafecl.
63
13 And you, be- ing dead in your fins, and the uncir- cumcifion of your flefh, hath he quickened toge- ther with him. ha vin^ forgiven you all trefpaffes.
the
14 Blotting out
likewlfe fignified in this ordinance, as to your being quickened and raifed to a life of holinefs, in confor- mity to the rifen Saviour, through that faith which, is wrought with almighty energy in your hearts, by the fame exceeding greatnefs of God's power, ( Eph. i. 19, 20.) which he exerted in raifing Chrift from the dead ; arid will put forth, by virtue of his refur- re&ion, in raifing you up to eternal life. [Rum. viii. 11. and 1 Pet. i. 3.)
13 And ye, who in your unregenerate ftate were dead in law, under a jult fentence of condemnation, on account of your trefpaffes ; and were dead toward God, and every thing that is fpiritually good, in the difpofition of your hearts, under the power of cor- rupt nature, which was figniticd, during the Moaic difpenfation, by your being uncircumcifed m the flefh, he has now raifed to a new life of grace and holinefs, in order to a heavenly life of glory and blefs- ednefs, together with Chrill, as your Head, by quick- ening virtue derived from him, and in conformity to his refurre&ion from the dead ; God having, on his account, freely forgiven you all and every one of your iniquities, whether they be original or actual, greater or leffer fins, that none of them might be im- puted to you, or bind the curfe of the law upon you, or be brought into judgment again It you, though ye never have been literally circumcifed ; and therefore that ordinance cannot be neceffary to your pardon and acceptance with God to eternal life.
14 Yea, as a debt is evidently remitted, or difehar-
1 jj- ged, by crofiing and obliterating the book, or bond *,
NOTE S.
rather to CbrifVs burial, than to our baptifm. And buried with him in bap- tifm. (lands in oppofition to being dead in fins t ver. 13. ; and is of the fame im- port with being crucified with him and dead with him, as appears by compa- ring Rom. vi. 4, 6, 8. where thefe terms are ufed as fignifying the fame thing. (See aHo the note on Rom. vi 4 )
* Here is a manifeft allufion to va- rious ways of cancelling a debt, and va- cating a bond, in a beautiful gradation from blotting it out, to taking it quite away, and utterly deftroying it, that there might be no room for fear of its ever appearing, or being any more in force againft us : And the laft of thefe, which is expreffed by nailing it to the crofs of Chrift, may allude both to his crucifixion, which difarmed the law of its condemning power, and death of its fling ; and (^as Grotiut obi'erves) to an
Vol. V.
ancient cuftom of (Hiking an ant-quated writing through with a nail, to deface it. and render it for ever invalid. The hand- writing of ordinances, that was againft ur, which was contrary to us, &.'•. and was thus effectually difannul- leci. I take to include the whole law of Mofes, as a covenant, though with a primary refpec! to the ceremonial law : But the moral, as well as ceremonial law. might be called the hand writing of ordinances, that tuas agaivjl us. as ir was written by the appointment of God, and practical !y fubferibed to by If/ael ; (Deut. v. 27.) and both toge- ther contained an acknowledgment of their guilt, depravity, and obnoxiouf- nefs to wrath, and of their need of a better facrifice and purification, than the ceremonial law could afford, which in- cluded an obligation to obferve the mo- ral law, that was written by the finder
K •*
64 The Epiftle to the Chap. ii.
of ordinances that or any writing that flood againft the debtor ; fo, with was againft us, regard to all of us who believe, whether we be Jews ^fus^anTtook ^Genti/e^ he has blotted out our tranfgreffions, as it out of the way, lt were by the red lines of Chrift's blood, and there- nailing it to his by difannulled the law-obligation to punlfhment for crofs. them, which teftified againft us all as tranfgrefibrs, as
well as feparated the Gentiles from the church and privileges of the Jews, and was the caufe of enmity between them : He has alfo removed it out of the way, that it may never be found, and produced, or brought into difpute againft us : And that it might be utterly nullified, as a bond that flood out againft us, he has, as it were, rent and torn it to pieces, by' nailing it to the crofs, on which our Lord was fatt- ened by the nails that pierced him through his hands and feet, when he died our facrifice, and redeemed us from the curfe of the law, being made a curfe for us. (Gal. iii. 13.) 15 And having l^ And having vanquished, and difarmed all the tLland l'owersahe Powers of darknefs, the devil their chief, and all the ** made ran^s ant^ orders of apoftate fpirits with him *, He,
as NOTES, of God; and, upon failure of obedience, late merely to the contrariety of the fubjected them to its curfe, and fo was ceremonial law to the Gentiles, though a minijlration of death and coudemna- that be included in it, as it was a mid- tion ; (2 Cor. iii. 7, 9.) and in that die wall of partition between them and view, the Jews were moft immediately the Jeans, (Vid. Zanch. in loc and concerned in it : And yet the dottrine Witf de Defect. V. T. ad. calc. Oecon. contained in it affected the Gentiles Foed. p. SiS, Sip.') (whole confidences convicted them of * Mr. Pierce, in a large note on this fin) as well as the Jews. It therefore text, has endeavoured to eftablifli a new feems to have been with fpecial defign, notion, as though by the principalities that the apoftle alters the per/on, in this and powers, here fpoken of, were meant, verle, from you to us, to intimate that not the evil but good angels. There is the benefit, brought in by Chrift, rela, great ingenuity in the conjecture, and. ted in common to believers of both forts, much labour employed in criticifm to and that it is not to be confined to Gen- maintain it. But, upon the moft care- tiles, as fome underftand it, who con- ful examination, it does not appear, to fider the ceremonial law onlv, as faid to me to be fufficiently fnpporied: For, ad- be contrary to them, by excluding them mitring that he fpoiled principalities and from the privileges and blellings of the powers is not predicated of Chrift., but of Jews. But had this been the apoftle's God the Father, it is moft naturally to precife and reftriclive intention, it is be underftood of what the Father did by very ftrange that, while he was fpeak- Chrift, in his triumphant death; and ing of Gentiles, in the fecond per/on all yet, as Chrift's crofs, mentioned in the along jnft before, and returned to fpeak clofe of the foregoing verfe, is the imme- of them in the lame manner at ver. 6. diate antecedent to this, it feems plain and fo on to the end of the epiftle, he and eafy enough to refer the fpoiling of fliould vary the perfon here, and that principalities and powers to him, as without any apparent reafon for it, what he himfelf has done, by his fuffer- when it would have been molt evident- ings and death, in obtaining the conqueft ly proper and accurate to have conti- over them. And as to its connection nued it, without any alteration. — For with the context, which this learned this reafon, therefore, among others re- writer thinks cannot be made out, but lating to what equally concerned them upon his interpretation, what can be both, I cannot readily go into the inter- more agreeable to the .apoftle's defign to pretation. that makes this paflage re. prove, that believers are complete in
Chrift,
Chap, ii.- Colossians paraphrafed. 6$
made a fhew of as the feed of the woman, that was to bruife the fer- them openly, tri, pent's head, {Gen. iii. 15.) and God the Father, by umphing over them him> expofed them to open contempt and (hame, in the view of all the holy angels, as fpoils of war, tri- umphing like a glorious conqueror over them, in vir- tue of his crofs, (ver. 14.) as his fufferings upon it were a complete fatisfadtion to divine juftice for fin, and as he through death dejiroyed him that had the power of death> that is the devil, (Heb. ii. 14.) and did this by his own flrength, without the aid or af- filtance of any creature whatfoever. (Ifo. lxiii. 3.) 16 Let no man 16 Since therefore the believing Gentiles, as well therefore judge as y are compiete in Chritt, (ver. 10.) and the
you in meat, or in 1 j ." . f . V. , v ' , ,
drink "and- writing ot ordinances, that was contrary to both,
K 2 is
N O T E i>. Chrijl, (ver. 10.) than to fhow that they and Michael the prince, any real proof are not only partakers of the fpiritual of diltinct dominions being afiigned to circumcifion, which is fignined by the different angels over different countries ; New Teftament-ordinance of baptifm, for though Michael, which fome fuppole and arc quickned with Chrift, and for- to be Chrift himlelf, and others a chief given all trefpaffes, and acquitted from minifter of the heavenly hoft under him, law-obligations that flood in force a- appeared for i/rwf / againft their enemies; gainft them ; but that all the powers of yet the princes or Perjia and Greece may darknefs are alio entirely vanquiflied for molt naturally be underltood of earthly them by his crofs ? And what the apof- princes, that were fet over thefe king- tie had faid, ver. 10. about Chrift's be- doms, according to the common inter- ing the head of all principality and pretation : And if angels were fuppofed power, is a fufficient reafon againlt ivcr- to be intended by thefe princes, one can Jhipping of angels, ver. iS, 19. This hardly think they were good angels, gentleman, in further lupport of his own fince one of them contended againit the interpretation, fuppofes that, before our other, and none but Michael the prince Saviour's time, the good angels had pro- held with the angel that (pake to Da - vinces and dominions allotted them, one niel. As to fome further criticifms of prefiding over one country, and another this author's, to maintain his point, he over another country, which he appre- fuppofes that there is no neceffity of ta- hends is intimated by the mention that king the words, he made ajhevu of them is made of the princes of Perjia and openly, in an iltfcnfe ; and we may with Greece, and Michael the prince, Dan. as good reafon fuppofe, that there is x. 13, 20, 21.; but that, at our Lord's re- no neceffity of taking triumphing over furrection, this power was taken from them, to fignify (as he renders it) cau- them, and they, being all diverted of jing them to triumph ; for though it be their dominion, were placed in fubjec- fo tranflated in z Cor. ii. 14. yet the tion to him. Eut though it is undoubt- word itfelf, which is ufed only in thefe edly true, that Chrift is in our nature two places of the New Teftament, molt railed far above all principalities and properly and frequently figuifies to trU povuers, and that angels, authorities, umph ; and fo is to be conftrued one way, and povuers are made j'ubjeel to him; or the other, according as the fubjecl- (Eph- i. 20, 2r. and 1 Pet. ii. 21.) yet matter leads to it, ar.d not, without ne- 1 know of no intimation in fcripture, ceffity. in the lefs ulual fenfe. And in that he has reduced their powers, or ta- that parallel text, Epb. iv. S. where the ken away any thing from them, which apoltle fpeaks of Chnlt's leading captivi- they ever had before ; nor does it feem ty captive, the allufion is to the triumph very agreeable to the grace that fhines of conquerors over their enemies; and in forth in hisheadfhip to angels, as well as Pjal Ixviii. 17, iS. the place there refer- men, to fuppole that he came to deprive, red to, the holy angels are reprelented or divert: them of any dignity, or domi- as his attendants, and not as th**van- nion, that they before were poffeited of: quijhed captives, in his triumph, nt a- Nor is what is faid in Dan x. 13, 20, 21. fceniion. See al.b the notes on Ephef about the princes of Perjia and Ciccce, iv. 8.
66
The Epiflle to the
Chap. iL
dank, or in refpecT: {s now cancelled, (See the note on vet4. 14.) Let no of an holy .lav or y .- Zcak)t pretcnd . / T0) or tf a.
or the new-moon, ^ _, . r, , , In 1
or of the fabbath- nv °* them mould be lo rain and pteiumptuous, let days: none of you be troubled at their vain pretences, to
cenfure and condemn you, as though ye were exclu- ded from falvation, becaufe ye do not obierve their le- gal rites : As, to inftance in fome particulars, which, together with circumcifion, they lay great iireis up- on, None ought to judge and condemn you, for not abflaining from Jewi/h meats, or drinks, as for- bidden in their law ; or on account of your neglect- ing to keep their religious annual fellivals, iuch as the paiTover, pentecoft, and the feaft of tabernacles ; or their monthly feafts at the firft appearance of the new moon ; * or even their feventh day weekly lab- baths, N O T E. * Sabbaths feem to be here meant of there is great reafon to believe, that the the feventh day fabbath, because diftin- fabbath of the Israelites was altered guifhed from the anniverfary and month- with their year, at their coming forth ly feftivals of the Jtivsj and becaufe from Egypt; and a fhort attention to this is the common import of the word this point may not be here improper: fabbath in the New Teftament, and is The cafe then feems to be this : At the
always lb in the Old, when mentioned in conjunction with, or in contradiftindlion to new-moons and fea/isf (See Dr. Whit- by's note on the place.) But then the caution againft a religious regard to it is
finifhing of the creation, God fanct'fied the feventh day ; this feventh day, be- ing the firft day of Adam's life, was con- fecrated by wav of firft-fruits to God ; and therefore Adam may realbnably be
to be conlidered oniy with reference to fuppofed to have began his computation
the obligations that lay on the Jews, to of the days of the week with the jirfl
obierve that particular day, during the whole day of his own existence; thus
Mofaic difpenfation, and its attending the fabbath became the firft day of the
ritual obiervances, which did not belong week : But when mankind fell from the
to the morality of the fabbath, nor are obligatory upon Christians any more than the J event b day itfelf, under the gofpel- itate : But the devoting of a feventh fart of time in a holy manner to the Lord, belongs un> hangeably to the mo- ral nature and obligation of the fourth commandment, which is transferred in
worfhip of the true God, they tirft fub- ftituted the worfhip of the Sun in his place, and preferving the fame weekly- day of worlhip, but devoting it to the Sun, the fabbath was called Sunday ; for that Sunday was the firft day or the week, and is fo ftill in the eaft, is pro- ved by Mr. Selden, (Juf. Nat. and Gent.
noies on John xx. 26. and Acls xx 7.) To this it may not be amiis to acid the ious note of Mr. Kennirott in his dilu: tation on the oblations of Cain ami Abel, p. 184 1S5. where he lays, I tie i.ihbath. or weekly day of holi-
the New Teftament, from the feventh lib. 3. c. 22.) Thus the fabbath of the to the fir /I day of the week. (See the patriarchs continued to be the Sunday
of the idolaters, till the coming up of
the Ifraelites out of Egypt ; and then,
as God altered the beginning of their
year, lo he alfo changed the day of their
worlhip from Sunday to Saturday; the
tirll reafon of which might be, that as
nets, might weJI be cuiled a fign to Sunday was the day of worfhip among
■ - ; rot the Jewi/h fabbath was a the idolaters,' the Ifraelites would be
is bfinj founded on a double rea- more likely to join with them it they
ie fecond of which (the Egyptian relted on the lame day, than if they
ranee) evidently diftinguiftied , that were to work on that day, and fcrve
people from- all others, apd was therefore theii God upon another. But a fecond
lign conftantly to remind them of reafon certainly was in order to perpe-
iculai Care of heaven, and what tuate the memory of their deliverance
*"K yimon 1 5 they were on that day from Egyptian /lattery ; for
e J01 10 lignal a deliverance. But Mofes, when he applies the fourth com-
mandmert
Ghap. ii.
Olossians paraphrafed.
67
17 Which are a
baths, which God inftituted to be peculiarly obier- ved by them under the Mojaic dilpenfation.
II Wiiich tort of ordinances, io far forth as they
come ; but the bo dy is of Chnit
fliadow of th ngs to were merely ceremonial and Jewt/h, were only types, figures, or adumbrations of the 'good things of the gulpel ; (Het*. x. 1.) but in oppuiition to theie iha- dows, tlie reality, truth, or iubrtance of the things themltlvcs, are brought in by Chriil, and to be iought and found only in linn. '1 he lav. came Oy Mors, but grace ana truth came by J ejus Cbrijl. (John i.
18 And fmce he, in whom ye are complete, is the head of all principality and power, {ver. 10. and fee the note on ver, 15.) Let no one [fatbits vpxg xxletfi^x- /SeJlto) whether Jewt/f: zealot or Gentile phiioiophcr, take upon him * unjuitly to deprive you of that glo- rious prize of the eternal inheritance, which is adjudg- ed in the golpel to every true believer ; or lead you out of the way to it, by drawing you into a willing compliance With the falie and affected humility of men's own deviling, and not of God's commanding ; and, under that difguiic, into paying religious worffiip to angels, or interior demons, as mediators and intercef- fois, on pretence of its being too bold and prtiump- tuous to approach tht Divine Majcify, without their interpolation between him and you. The pretender to thefe notions arrogantly attempts to pry into fuch things as God has never revealed, and as are quite above his reach, and he has no knowledge of ; and would determine .about them under the power of his own vain and carnal mind, that is blown up and fwell- ed with felt conceit, and the pride of human realon-. ings about God and angeh, and the way of a tinner's
accefs NOTES.
iS Let no man Jbegmle you or' yum reu u-d, io a volun tary humility, ami worshipping of an- gels, intruding in- to thole things which he hath not feen, vainly purt up by his fleflily mind;
mandment to the particular cafes of his own people, Deut. v. 15. does not en- force it, as in Exod. xx it. by the con- fideration of GocVs re/ting on that day, which was the fabbath of the patri-
Gentiles, as called, after Chrift's time, into the fame univerfal church vvith the patriarchs ; and another from Jnjlpi Martyr, (Apolog. prim. Edit. Thirlby, p. 9S ) which I hud in the Paris edition
archs ; but binds it upon them by fay- ot Jujiw Martyr's id apology, p. 99.
ing Remember that thou ivq/l a Jcr- The purport ot which is, that all Chrif-
•vant in Egypt, atid that the Lord thy tians generally afi'embled for religious
God brought thee out'thence through a worfhip on the Sunday; becaufe it is
mighty hand, and by a Jiretched-out the firft day after that, in which God
aim; therefore the Lord thy God hath had finifhed the creation of the wond ;
commanded thee to keep this Sabbath day Allowing then the preceding ob- servations, we immediately lee how the fabbath naturally reverted to Sunday, after the abolition of judai/m, without any exptefs command tor the altera- tion " to which he adds a quotation from Bp. Cumberland, (Orig Gent Antiq. p. 400.) which fpeaks of the
and on the fame day of the week, je- fus Chrift, our Saviour, roie from the dead. (See alio Dr. Owen on the Sab- bath.)
* Here is a plain allufion to the Bra- beutce, or officers, that judged, and ibmetimes falfely judged the prize to wreltlers, racers, bV. in the Grecian games.
68 The Epi/lle to the Chap. ii.
accefs to him, and with a fond defire of being thought wifer than other men. to And not ig And fuch an one runs into thefe corrupt no- from^id^fuhe tIons to the hiSh dimonour of Jcfus Chrift, rejeding, body, by joints and inftead of laying hold by faith on him, or adhering bands, having nou- to, and truiting alone in him, as the only and all-fuf- rifliment miniftred, ficient Mediator and Advocate, to recommend us and and knit together, our pravers to divine acceptance ; and joining mere increaleth with the v ] . ~ • •, , • i • i_ l j r i
increafe of^God creatures in omce with him, who is the head 01 rule and dominion over both the holy and the fallen an- gels, [ver. 10.) as well as over all the other works _ of his hand ; and is the reprefentative and vital, as well as governing head of the church ; from whom all the members of his myftical body, deriving fpiri- tual nourilhment, are united to him and to one ano- ther, by his Spirit, and by faith and love, and by means of religious ordinances, which anfwer to the joints, ligaments, and nerves, that unite the members of the natural body one to another, and to their head ; and fo increafe in light and grace, comfort, holinefs, ■% and itrength, and in every excellent and abounding
improvement of a Spiritual nature, which God is the author of, and which is well-pleafing in his fight, through Jeius Chrift, and to his praife and glory.
20 Wherefore if 20 If therefore, according to the meaning and en- ye be dead with gagement of your baptifm, (vet. 12.) ye be fpiritu- Chrnl from the fu- n 1 j ■./ ™ -a j • V u •/ ri- a „fk diments of the a "? °-ea" Wltn Chriit ; and li by virtue ot his death, ■world; why, as wno nailed the hand writing of ordinances to his though living in crofs, (ver. 14.) ye be as effectually difcharged, as the world, are ye though ye were corporally dead, from all obligations fubjeel to ordinan- tQ pay apy regard tQ Jgwjjb inftitutions, which may
be called the rudiments, or elements of the world, (Ga/. iv. 3. fee the paraphrafe there) Why then, as though ye were perfons of a worldly temper, and living under fuch a carnal difpenfation, are ye ftill burdened with legal ordinances, by thofe that would dogmatically impofe them upon you ? Qoy pcvrifycrSi)
21 (Touch not, 21 Such, for inltance, as relate to the difference taiie not, handle 0f n^ats, and conlift in Itrid prohibitions to this ef- fect, * vi<z. Never venture to eat ; no, nor tafte ; nor fo much as in the lead touch any of thofe meats that are ceremonially unclean.
22 Which all are 22 All which meats are neverthelefs appointed of to perifb with the God f } f f dgr A gufpel Rate ; and uling) alter the ' _ n . . . P f ■ «.« '%
com. are confumed and call into the draught, in uhng them,
and NOTE.
* Several critics have ohferved, that handling is lefs than tailing ; and the touch r/ct (/*» z^n) fometimes ligniries next veil'e fhews that they entirely re- tat not; and Jo the gradation of thel'c Itffce to waits that perijfj with the ufwg. Jeivifli prohibitronS is very cleat ami (See Bifliop Davenant and Mr. Pierce Strong, as tailing is lefs than eating, and -on the place.)
Chap. ii. Colossians paraphrap'd. 69
commandments 8c and fo cannot defile the foul. {Mat. xi. 15, 17.) doctrines of men? And if, ye being now dead with Chrift to the for- merly divine ordinances about thefe things, (ver. 20.) they ought not to be enjoined, or oblVrvtd, on the foot of human authority, how much lefs ought your confeiences to be impofed upon in things that neither have, nor ever had any foundation in the word of God ; but, like the worfhipp :ng of angels, tec. (ver. 18.) are merely human inventions, enforced up- on you by the arbitrary will and dictates of men ? 23 Which things 23 Thefe their commandments and doctrines are have indeed a mew indeed added to thofe of the abolifhed Mo 'ate law, of wifdom in will- j 1 r • r l tj
worlhip and humi- unde\ ™e ipecious appearances of human wifdom, in lity, and neglecting contriving means of paying redundant honour to God, of the body, not in by fuperftitious worlhip and fervices, as freevvill-of- any honour to the ferings of our own, beyond all that he had prefcri- atis ying o t e ^^ or reqU{recj . ancj jn exprefiions of extraordinary humility ; (ver. 18.) as alfo in mortifications of the body by uninftituted ads of felf-denial, and not {hew- ing any efteem of thofe things that might gratify and refrefh animal nature : Whereas, in reality, all this pretended fliew of wifdom, humility, and mortifica- tions, has nothing worthy in itfelf, or truly honour- able to God ; but is only fuited to cultivate and pleafe the falfe tafte of men of corrupt minds.
RECOLLECTIONS. How affectionate are Chrift's fervants to his people, whether they be perfonally acquainted with them, or not ! And how folicitous for their union, comfort, and in- creafe in the knowledge of God, and of his Son Jefus Chrift ! How delighted in re- flections on their faith and order ! And how concerned that, as they have received Chrift in all his offices, they may walk in him, with ftedfaftnefs of faith, love, and obedience, and with gratitude and praife, according to what they have learned and received from him ! And O how glorious is cur Lord in his divine nature, as poffeffed of all the fulnefs of the Godhead, and in his human nature and office-ca- pacity, as enriched with all the -.reafuies of wifdom and knowledge for executing the high and important truft committed to him '. Believers cannot but be complete in him. whofe divine and mediatorial-characters are fo great andexcellent, who is the Head of dominion over all the holy and fallen angels, and the Head of reprefenta- tion, government, and influence to the church; all the members of which are clolelv united to him and one another, and derive all fupplies of grace and fpiritual nourifhment from him, in fuch ways of union and ommunication, as are anfwera- ble to thofe, of the natural body. They are quickened by his Spirit from their for- mer death in fin ; are forgiven all trefpaffes, and made conformable to his death and refurrection, according to the meaning and obligation of their baptiim, which comes in the room of circumcifion, and is to 1 e applied to the fame fort of fubjects ; and they are delivered from all obligations of the ceremonial and moral law too, as a covenant of works, and from its curfe, which, for failure of obedience to its pre- empts, flood againft them. But, bleffed be God, the whole frame of legal ordinan- ces, that one way or other teftified againft them, is now demolilhed by the crofs of Chrift, who is the fubftance of its fhadows, as they are fulfilled in him ; and has taken away its curfe, as bore by him ; and who, by means of his own death, has entirely fubdued, difarmed, and publicly triumphed over all the devils in hell, as his captives in chains. What therefore have heli^vers to do any more with Jew- ijb aboliflied meats and drinks, or their folemn feafts and feventh-day fabbath. or their ceremonial rites of any kind ? How much lefs ought they to fall in with human inventions and injunctions, relating to the worfliip of God \ How careful
fliould
1° The Epiflle to the Chap. iii.
ihould they be, never to pay religious homage ro him by the mediation of faints or angels, to the d-fparagement and rejection or Chritf. as their only Head and Ad- vocate, or in any way that he ha^ not prefcribed in his .vord ! They ate dead with him to all thei'e things ; and whatever pretences there may be of wifdom, humili- ty, and mortification of the body, in them, Let none deceive us oy enticing words, nor condemn us for neglecting them ; nor lead us out of the wav to eternal life' by drawing us into an obfervation of rhe.n. They are all will-worfhip, of men's own deviling, to .oothe 'he pride and carnal temper of thole that would be wife above what is written, and pry into things that they know nothing of. they are works of fuperomgation and fuperftition, that bring no honour to God, whatfo- ever is pretended by men. May we therefore keep raft hold by faith on Ct.nft, and ftedfatUy adl^e to him. as our Head, and abide by his inftitutons, and never fubmit our consciences to the ordinances, doctrines, and commandments of men \
CHAP. III.
The apofile exhorts the Coloflians to be heavenly minded, a< thofe tha£ are nfen with Chrif}, ,,__4. to mortify all corrupt a felons, as thofe that are renewed after the ima?e of God, 5, — 1 1. to culti- vate mutual love, forbearance, and for^ivenefs, wirh other evan- gelical graces, i 2, — 17. and to praRife the relative duties of wives and hufbands, children, parents, andfervants, 1$; — 25.
Text. Paraphrase.
JF ' ve then be ri- JE as j trufl. according to your profeflion, ye be
fen with Chnft, 1 • j j -r r ** j *u ■' r fc . *u vc c
feek »hofe thin s indeed nicn from the death or nn to the life or
which are above, right eoufnefs, through the faith of the operation of where Chrift fit- God, {chap. ii. 12 ) together with, in conformity to, teth on the right an(j by the quickening virtue of a rifen Saviour, (hew that ye are fo, by the elevated temper, and outgo- ings of your hearts, as afpiring upwards in your me- ditations and views, inquiries and earneft purfuits, by prayer, and all other ordinances of divine appoint- ment, after realizing, clear, and enlarged experiences and affurances of the durable, fubftantial, and fatisfy- ing things, that relate to a future world of all de- lights, that lies far above all vifible heavens, ( Euhef. iv. 10.) where Jcfus, your afcended Head in human nature is ;'and becaufe he is there exalted in all his majefty and authority, dignity and glory, bleffednefs, reft, and fafety, as thefe are metaphorically fignified by his fitting at the right hand of God the Father, (fee the note on /#?< vii. 55.) to fecure your heft and eternal interefts, by mak:iig continual interctfiion, and preparing a place for you, that where he is9 there ye may be alfo, to behold his glory. (John xiv. 3. and xvii. 24.) 2 Set your affec- 2 Let a]i vonr affe&ions of defire and hope, love tion on things a- d d ,. h £ fUpremtly fixed, like fpiritually mind- bove, not on things , °, ' X. . 7 . , \.n \ r * ..
on the earth. e" men» (R°m' vm- 5) with renin and lavour, (<p£«-
vsm) upon thofe excellent things, that belong to, and are tranfa&ed in that upper ftate, which far fur-
pafs
Chap. iii. Colossians pafaphrafed. 71
pafs all our thoughts ; and not upon the empty, un- certain, perifhing, and defiling pleafures and enjoy- ments of this world ; nor upon the ceremonial rudi- ments of it, which are as much below the worth and dignity of thefe fublime felicities, as the earth is in- ferior to heaven : And it fa highly fit that ye, as Chriitians, mould feek after, and fet your afFe&ions on heavenly things. 3 For Te a|,e 3 For ye are, by profeffion and obligation, and all life 'is Wd w*irh trUe. b^,cvers among you are, by communion with Chrift in God. Chriil in his death, really dead in your hearts and af- fections, as to the Mofa>c law, and crdCificd, with him, to fin and the world, ( Rvm. vi. 2, 6. and Gal. vi. 14.) fo as not to feek. your portion, and place your happinefs in earthly things : And all the enter- tainments and enjoyments of your fpiritual life are maintained, and carried on, in ieeret tranfa&ions be- tween God and your own fouls here, till they (hall be perfected in an eternal life of all bkflednefs and glory hereafter, by virtue of your my lb' al union with Chrift your Head, who himfelf is effentiaily united with God the Father, as he is in the Son, and the Son in the Father, {John xiv. 11. and xvii. 21.; fee the notes there.) The things of this heavenly life are out of fight, they being hid, as much as Chriit himfelf. now is, from an eye of ienfe, and from the conceptions of a carnal mind ; and after all that be- lievers tncmfelves experience of them, they haow not what 'bey fiajlbe; ( 1 John iii. 2.) and they are the molt excellent things* that are fecurely treafured :p with Chrift, in the fecret purpofes, and in the iriftne? diate prefeaee of God the Father, as a fafe and pre- cious referve for you, ready to be revealed in the loft times. ( 1 Pet. i. 4, 5.)
4 When Chrift, 4 When Chrift, who lives in us, [Gal. u. 20.) who is our life, and is the purchafer, author, fuftainer, and finiflier,
fhall aPePea!fothaen- End the (c°^ ™d end °f °Ur fPlVft«al life> ma31 3P' peiiV with hSft^ Pear> as tlle Jllc%e of tn€ whole world, in his o m glory. gl°r7» anc^ m tnc §}°rJ °f nis Father, and of all the
holy angels ; {I*uke ix. 26.) then ye alio, who are quickened by his Spirit, (hall be glorified with him, and fhine forth, in foul and body, with a glory re- fembling that in which he himfelf will be manifefted as your Head and Saviour. {Phil. iii. 21.)
5 Mortify there- s Tn profpea therefore of this bleffed day, and m whlcrLr^," rtifledion on the fFrituality, purity, and fublime hap- the earth ; fomi- Pmefs ye fhall then enjoy, as thofe that are nfen with cation, unclean- Chrift, and dead to fin, and the pleafures. of this world, lie's, inordinate af- labour, through the Spirit^ to mortify the deeds of feaion^evil^con- fbe ^ (Rom# ^j ^ j tW yc may dajjy fubdue
' them more and more, [vik^xti) till ye have entirely Vol. V. L flain
72
Toe Epijlk to the
Chap. iii.
cupifenre, and co- vetoufnefs, which is idolatry:
6 For which things fake, the wrath of cometh on children of bedience.
God
the
difo-
7 In the which ye alio walked fometime, when ye lived in them
S But now ye alfo put off all thefe ; an- ger, wtath, imlicc. blafphemy, filthy communication out •A your mouth.
(lain all the remainders of your carnal inclinations to iniquitous and earthly things ; which may be confi- dent as fo many members of the old man, the body of fin, that execute its defigns about earthly things, and are influenced, and exert themfelves, by the mem- bers of the natural body, (fee the note on Rom. vi. 13.) while ye continue in this imperfect ftate upon earth. To inftance in fome particulars, that are a fhame to the Chritlian character, exert your holy principles, under divine influence, to gain an abfolute conqueft over all forts of unlawful embraces, whether in the fingle or married life ; (fee the note on 1 Cor. v. 1.) all impurity in thought, word, or deed; all propenfions to any fin, and particularly that of un- chaftity ; all the firft motions to it in heart ; and all exceflive defire after the enjoyments of this world, which is fpiritual idolatry, as it fets the creature in the place of, or at lead in a competition with God himfelf, ar.d draws the heart, and its truft and confi- dence, off from him to them.
6 All thefe, and every thing of a like finful na- ture, are to be abandoned and abhorred, as defiling and provoking evils, on account of, and for the pu- nifhment of which, the juftice of God breaks forth in executions of his terrible indignation, fometimes in this world, and certainly in the next, on the refrac- tory fons (x7ru$uocs) of infidelity, and difobedience to his commands.
7 In which finful courfes ye yourfelves formerly went on, with indulgence and choice, in the days of your unbelief and unregeneracy ; when, while dead toward God, ye lived in the love and practice of them, committing all iniquity with greedinefs.
8 But now ye, as Chriftians renewed by grace, ought to have no further fellowfhip with thefe deeds of darknefs ; the time paft of your life Jhould fuffice to have wrought the will of the Gentile*: (1 Pet. iv. 3.) And together with thefe flefhly corruptions, ye ought to difcard and utterly renounce all the follow- ing (ins, that molt immediately deprave the foul ; fuch as caufelefs and intemperate anger ; and furious pafiion, which is the height of anger ; and a mali- cious revengeful fpirit, which is worfl of all : Ye ought alfo to avoid all manner of language that dif- covers a bad difpofition of heart ; fuch as fpeaking reproachfully of God and facred things, and fpeaking evil of others, ( Eph. iv. 31.) to blail their name, re- putation, and ufefulneffl, or to be any way injurious to them ; and ye mould abflain from all immodefl expreflions, which tend to defile your own, or others
minds.
Chap. iii. Cqlossians pat -aphrafed. 73
minds, that nothing of this kind may ever proceed out of your lips.
9 Lie not one 9 Take heed alfo of ever fpeaking any thing con- to another, feeing trarv to truth, with a defign of deceiving one ano- that ye have put th whkh wouM be tQ imitate and a& under the off the olu man . . r . r . r ,. , ' , ... x , with his deeds- influence or the father or lies, {John viu. 44.) and
is inconiittent with your holy character, privileges, and obligations ; lince, according to your profefiion, ye, as 1 truft, have lincerely and abiolutely caft otT, and renounced the body of fin, with all its pernicious and defiling practices, which may be considered as the old man, thai is as ancient as your beings, and works with fubtilty in you ; but which is now in a decay- ing itate, and will loon expire, like a man of decre- pid old age, that is daily declining in his ftrength, and flattening to the grave : (fee the paraphrafe on Rom. vi. 6. and Ef>h. iv. 22.) It is a thameful, felf- contradidtious thing for you, who, as members of Chriit, have crucified the flejh iviih its affections and Ivfis, (Gal. v. 24.) to give way to any of thefe abo- minations.
10 And have put 10 And it is much more fo, as by a work of heart- on the new man, changing p-race ye have affumed, and as it were clo- whioh is renewed ,11.-1 • 1 ^u i 1 r.* v J u r in knowledge af- "iec* yourielves with, the holy qualities, and bcauti- ter the image of ful ornaments of the new creature ; which is a reilo- him that created ration to the divine likenefs, and con lifts of fpiritual nim : light and knowledge, in the renewing of your minds,
as well as of righteoufnels and true holinefs, in the renewing of your hearts and lives, {Eph. iv. 23, 24.) according to the pure and fpotlefs image of God, or of Chrift, who at firit created man after his own like- nefs, which was defaced by the fall ; but in which he anew creates him, by fupernatural grace, as God's workman/hip in Chri/I Jefus* (Eph. ii. 10.) and in conformity to him. (Rom. viii. 29.) 11 Where there n In which new creation, and the benefits of it, is neither Greek tnere [s no partial refpe£t to perfons, on account of nor Tew, cirtum- , . ., , r .1 .. ..
cii'on nor uncir- anY external privileges, or the want ol them ; not to cumcifion, baiba- the Gentile?, the molt polite of which are the Greeks; rian, Scythian, nor to the Jews ; no, nor to the molt learned among bo;id nor free : them . not to thtm that have been circumcifed in the but Chrift is all, fl ^ and , j j nof t(j lhem whom th dif.
and in all. . ' , • , • • -r j 1
dam tor their being uncircumciled ; nor to the more
rude and barbarous nations among the Gent He 1 ,- no,
not to the molt favage of them all, like thofe that
dwell in the uncultivated region of Scythia * ; nor
L 2 to
NOTE. * Scythia was a vaft country, that ftricts ; .and the Scythians were an ex- lay with great extent both in Afia and ceedinjT brutuli, favage lort of people, a Europe, "and was divided irto feveral lai ;e ..ccount of whom, and ol Scythia, garts in the Afiutic and European di- may be feen under this word, in Collier1*
cre^.r
74 The Epjftle to the Chap. iii.
to matters or fervants, free men or flaves : But as to perfons of all thefe external characters, without re- garding or difregarding them, for the fake of any inch diitincitions, Chriit is their all who believe in him : He is all in the whole of their falvation ; and they are complete in b m: (chap. h. 10.) He is all in all their hopes and confidences, citeem and comforts ; in all their privileges and enjoyments ; and in all their acceptance with God, preiervation and iecurity for e- ternal life ; and he is ail in the effectual workings of his Spirit in them all : So that nothing is to be re- garded by any of them, in point of faving advantage, but Chriil ; and nothing will ltand them in Head, but an mterelt in him, who of God is made unto ihem wi/dom, rigbteoujfnefsy janti if cation, and i edemptton, that ntjjlcjh might glory in his prej e nee, but he that giorieih, might glory in the Lo> d. (i Cor. i. 29, 30,
11 Put or. there- 12 In an entire dependence therefore on Chriit, as
f<r- *5 u'e, H"2 thoie whom God hmh chofen in him before the four,. of God, holy and , • r 1 ,, , n 11 > 1 r
beloved, bowels ot c'alwn °f the ™or/d, that ye Jhould be holy, and mercies, kmdnefs. without blame before him in love ,• (Eph. i. 4.) whom bumMenei's of he hath accordingly formed unto hohnefs, and regards mind, meeknefs, as the objects of his fpecial love ; let it be your great nB£» concern and endeavour, that, inftead of the works ot the
fkfh, which ye are to put off, (ver. 8.) ye may aiTume the practice of, and, as it were, clothe yourlelves with the tendered companion toward the milerable and dif- treffed, in imitation of your heavenly Father, who is eminently merciful, (Luke vi. 36.) with a generous, friendly and benevolent temper and behaviour tow aids one another, and towards all men ; (Gal. vi. 10.) with modeil thoughts of yourlelves, and condefeen- fion to perfons ot low degree ; with gentlenefs, mild- neis, and candour, towards all ye have to do with, lib learning of our great Lord, who was meek and low- ly it: ht-a> ; (Mat. xi. 29.) and with perievering pa- tience under repeated and long-continued provoca- tions, in conlideration of God's long-iuffering toward you. 13 Forbearinp 13 Let all this be attended with a bearing and one a!'"1 ' ' ! forbearing fpirit, one towards another, (Eph.iv.2.)
jor ivine ore aim- j • r ■ • j • 1 11 r
k, -f under various infirmities ; and with a mutually for-
ther. it any man . . .' .J
hare a quarrel a- KIV-' ^ temper in cale 01 oitences : bo that it there
gainlt be any one, that thinks himielt to be injured by, or
to
N O T E.
threat biftoriral dictionary: And as the tions among the Gentiles, as well as of
Greeks were the mo ft learned and |joiite, the gem ra] 1 of them from the
and the Scythians rl^ molt bai arous or fern r, and the dilierent ranks of people
the Gentiles, the parapbraie has t.kui among both.
in a view ol the different ranks ot ail n.u
Chap. iii. Colossi a ns parnphrafed. 75
gainft any : even to have matter of complaint again ft, one or another as Chrift forgave 0f hk brethren ; as ye hope and pro ft Is, that L you, io alfo do ye. {n thc grealuds 0f n;s iOVCj and at the expense of hia own blood, hath freely and tully pardoned all your treipaifeb, which are infinitely greater than any that can be committed againft you ; Even io, in imitation of, and influenced by the riches of his grace, and in obedience unto his awful injunctions, ( Mat. vi. 12, 14, 15.) be ye ready to forgive one another thofe com- paratively in all offences that any may have given you.
14 And above 14 And let it be )our principal care to put on bro- all theie things, therly Chriltian love, like an upper- garment •, to put on chanty, { d and ad(, & beautt;;US lullrc to a;i U f which is the bond r ' , . , ....
of perfectncis. graces ; even that love, winch, 111 its principle, ten-
dency, and deli'gn, is the fulfilling of the law, [hot?:. xiii. 10.) and is thc nobicft bond of union and peace, (F.ph. iv. 3.) to keep every other giace in its regu- lar exercife, and to kuit all the members of Omit to- gether in the molt perfect harmony, till the whole mvitical body fhall grow up in ail things to its per- fect nature in him. [Eph. iv. 11, — 15.)
15 And let the 15 And for the better cultivating this brotherly- peace of God rule iOVC) lte to ;tj tnat a fenfe Gf vour bang in a itate lLyvvlHcheX' ye °f 'n^dihip with God, through Jeius Chrift, which are called in one 1S a peace tbat pajjeih all under/Landings (Phil. iv. body; and be ye 7.) engage you to the love and praclict of that ex- thankiul. cellent peace and concord among youiiclvcs, which
God is the author and approver of, and enjoins -j- :
Let this peace, in both theie views, enthrone itfelf,
and have the governing fway in your hearts ; (nq »yj
into which happy itate of peace with God, and one
another, ye are called by thc grace of the gofpel, as
all of you together, whether Jews or Gentries, are
one body oj Chnjt. and members in particular :
(1. Cor. xii. 27.) And, in reflection on this, let all
the powers of your iouis unite 111 gratitude and praiic
to the God of fuch a wonderful mercy.
i(> Let the word 16 In order to your being dlabl lined in an abid-
ef Chnit dwell in {ng jenfe of this peace with God, and in this ham o-
you richly in all w;th f Chiiftian-brethren, and indeed in every
wilaom : teaching ' , / . 111 11 , ,- ,. 3
and grace before-mentioned ; let the whole word of G,d,
winch
NOTES.
* And above all things (<r/ Tnxa it rr,v- as well as there, of the peace that heiie-
7o<?) 1 1 1 i. y as well be rendered overall vers have with God: but as peace one
thrje, meaning the virtues or graces be- tvith another teems molt agreeable to
foie mentioned ; and both fenfes are at- the general icope of this context, 1 trunk
tended to in the paraphrafe. it ought not to be excluded ; and as a
j- As the peace of God is faid to pafs fenfe of peace with God is the belt 'oun-
all under/landing, in Phil- iv. 7. which dation of, and has the molt powerful io-
was wrote about the lame time with this fluence to promote peace amonr fnlow-
eputie, and is the only place betides, Chnftians, I fee no inaproprie y in fup-
where this phrafe, the peace of God is poling, tnat the apoftle might coinpre-
uied, we are led to underltand it here, hend them both.
j6 The Epiftle to the Chap. iii.
and admonimine which Chrifl is the author of, as it was indited by his
one another in Spirit; (i Pet. i. u.? and partieularU let the goipel, pla ms. and hymns, J h]. } he j nl h auth b ^ h main
and ipintuil fongs, . . . ' *
finging with -race lubject, [Kjm. i. 3.) have a permanent and predo- 1 hearts to minant refidence, not in your heads only, but in the Lord. your hearts, with all the riches of fpiritual knowledge
and underltanding, that are to be derived from it, for making a wife and proper ufe of its various parts on all occafions, to the glory of God, your direction in the Way of duty, and edification unto complete falva- tion ; and for living abundantly under the power of it : And be ye mutually helpful in inftrufting and ex- citing one another to Mefs and praife the Lord, as by all other means in public or private ; fo particularly in the ordinance of firtging with the voice together, (Ifa. Iii. 8.) and thereby celebrating the honours of his name in facred pcefy ; fome compofitions of which may be fly led pf-ilm^ others hymns, and other fp in fi a I Jong: ; which God has provided for the ufe of his church in his word, and in occafional productions of infpired prophets, under an immediate afflatus of the Spirit: (fee the note on Eph. v. 19.) And which ever of thefe ye may join in, it ought to be, not only with a graceful hafmonicfas voice, but with fpirituai affections, and an exercife of fuitable graces in your hearts towards our Lord Jefus Chiift, and God in him, which is the beft of all melody ; the fweeteft to your own fouls, and moil acceptable to him.
17 And what- ,y And in all cafes, as well as thefe, whatfoever
«vei ye o in enprapre m whether in difcourie or behaviour, in word or deed, do ■> ° 6 » \
all in the name of public or private, relating to the civil or religious the Lord Jefus, gi- life, let it be with a confeientious regard to the au- wing thanks to God thority and command of the Lord Jeius Chrifl, with and the Father by an humble dependence on him for all diredion, affift- rum. . r , . , , .
ance and acceptance, and with an eye to his, toge- ther with his Father's glory ; and let it be attended with thankfgivings always for all things, (Eph. v. 20.) to God, even his Father and your Father in him, as the great Mediator, on whofe account all bleflings come to you ; and therefore through whom all thank-offerings for what ye have received, as well as all prayers for what ye need, are to be prefented to God, that they may be well-pleafmg in his fight : (Heh. xiii. 15, 16. and 1 Pet. ii. 5.) Thefe are du- ties that belong to you all in common ; but. there are others, that are peculiar to your different civil flations.
18 Wives, fub- t.8 As Chriftian religion does not diffolve, but rmt your!, Ives un- ftrengtiltn8 moral obligations to relative duties,
1 own huf- ,-,,i r • ii -i.
as it is ;it which the law of nature requires, whether it be to-
Lord. ward believers or unbelievers, or toward Jewijh or
Gentile
Chap. iii. Colossiahs parapbrafal. 77
Gentile converts, that may have different fentiments as to fome religious principles and practices ; fo be- lieving women among you, that are in a married (late, ought to behave in a meek and fubmiffive manner to- ward their own lawful hufbapds, as far as they can do it with a fafe confeience, and as is confident with their fuperior relation to the Lord Jcfus, and becom- ing their Chriitian character. (Sec the note on Eph. v. 21.) 19 Hufbands, 19 On the other hand, thofe of you that bear the and° be°not bitter rc^ation °^ hufbands, ought to treat your wives with againft thera. a^ tendernefs, kindnefs, and affection ; to delight ia
their company, and do all that in you lies for their temporal and fpiritml eafe, comfort, and happinefs ; and not to exercife a fevere and arbitrary lordfhip o- ver them, or break out into furious and paffionatc ex- prcifions againit them, or ufe them ill by words or blows, or go about to by any hardhYps upon them, that would be grievous- to them. 20 Children, o- 20 Let thofe of you, who are fons or daughters,
^ey u°iu- pare"ts remember that your natural obligations remain in full in all things : for r J 1 1 r 1 1
this is well.plea- toree t0 your parents, whether fathers or mothers, fing unto the Lord. Jews or Gentiles, Chrillians or heathens; and ye ought accordingly to make confeience of paying all filial duty to them, in obedience to their juil and rea- fonable commands in every thing that is lawful for parents to enjoin, and for children to do * : For this is agreeable to the will of Chrift, and acceptable to God through him. 11 Fathers, pro- 2I On the other fide, it ought to be the confeien- 3£ T*%"m tio- and tender care of thofe of you that are parents, they be difcoura- whether lathers or mothers, (fee the note on Eph. ged. vi. 4.) that ye ftudy the tempers of your children,
and endeavour to eitabliih your authority over them, and allure them to their duty, by prudent, kind, and gentle methods, and never four their minds by furi- ous or opprobrious language, or by unreafonable im- pofitions, nor unmerciful corrections, to irritate their angry pafiions : Take heed of all fuch harlh treat- ment, (<n» (*y) u&vpacri) that their fpirits may not be
broke, N O T E, * In all things muft be underftood pel, to obey their parents, or mailers, in here, with regard to children, and <ver. cafe they fliould command them to ob- 32. with regard to fervants. under a li- ferve the rites and ceremonies or trie mitation to all lawful things: For it Mofaic law: And therefore as wives are could not be the duty of Chnftian chil- to fubrnit tnemfelves 'o their hufbands, dren, or fervants, to obey their heathen only fo far as is jit in the Lord, ver. is! parents, or mafters, were they to com- fo fervants are to obey their mailers ae- ro and them to renounce their frith in cording to the flefh ver. it. <nly in Chrift, and profeffion of his name, and things thai relate to the body and civil to worlhip idols, or commit any o'h;- concerns, 01 that their own confciences iniquity; nor could it be the duty of thoie approve of in religion, that were led into the liberty of the gof-
7 8 The Ef)f/fk to the Chap. iii.
broke, and they difheartened, and filled with preju- dice both againtt yourfelves and againtt the gofpel, which ye profefs, but are far from recommending by fuch an ill temper and behaviour toward them. 22 Servants, o- 22 As to thofe of you that are fervnnts, or even •vo'V matters ' * nond -fl-V'-'S* whether to Chriftians or heathens, that cording to the are your lawful matters in things pertaining to the bo- flefn; not with eyj- dy and temporal affairs, ve ought to be very diligent fervice, as men- an(\ faithful in executing the trufts, and doing the peaers ut m DUfjne{- t^cy COmmit to you, and in making their in- fmzlenels of heart, a J c *.. » . 6 ,
iearino God : terelt your own, and fulfilling all their commands as
far as they do not interfere with vour duty toward your higher Matter in heaven, relating to the con- cerns of religion, and of your own fouls; (fee the note on ver. 20.) and ye ought chearfully to attend to their fervice, not merely while ye are under their eye, as perfons that feek only to approve yourfelves to men, and gain their favour ; but in the fincerity of your hearts at all times, as in the fight and pre- fence of the all-feeing God, and as perfons that act from a principle of confcience towards him, and are moft of all concerned to be approved of him in all your ways, and to do nothing that is offenfive to him, whether any one elfe be prefent to obferve you or not.
23 And whatfo- 23 And whatever fervice ye are cahVd to engage hMrtiie »' to°the *"' '* ol,Snt t0 ne> not merely by conftraint, much Lord,' and* not uZ lefs Wltn gaging or reludance ; but with a willing to men ; and ready mind, from a fenfe of duty toward the
Lord Jefus, in obedience to his commands, and for his honour and glorv, as ye are profrfTors of his name ; and not from a felfifh mercenary fpirit, that aims at only pleafing men.
24 Knowing, 24 To excite and encourage you to all chearful- ^"fclll11* ^ nefs an^ fidelity herein, ye ought to be firmly per- the reward of the funded, and ferioufly to consider, that whatfoever ill inheritance: for ye treatment and unrighteous returns ye may meet with, fcrve the Lord inttead of a fuitable reward from your matters on Chr|rt' earth, ye (hall receive a gracious reward of the hea- venly inheritance from the Lord, the great Judge of all, at the laft day ; and fo ye (though fervants) mail be dealt with as fons and heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Chritt : For in doing your duty to earthly matters, ye really pay honour and fervice to the Lord Jefus himfelf, who is the bcft of all maf- ters, whofe providence has plac< d you in that Mate of fervitude, and whofe word requires a becoming be- haviour anfwerable to it, that ve may adorn fbe doc- trine of God your Saviour in all things. (Tit. ii. 10.)
■S Bl,t he thrit 25 But he th*t is guilty of any injuttice, whether doethwrong^all as & ^^ ^ 1K,gleail)g j^ mallcr>s bufmefs, or
purloining
Chap. iii. Colossi ans pnraphraftd. 79
receive for the purloining his goods ; 'or, as a mailer, in rendering wrong which he evJ1 for ^ or withholding what is due to his fer- hath done: and n1,, . . a , 9 . , r
there is no refpecl vant' maI1 rcceive a J111* and impartial recompence of •fperfoos. reward for all his iniquitous doings : ( Heb. ii. 2.) For
in the judgment of the great day, our blefled Lord will not be biaffed by any external circumlhnces nor make any difference between mailers and fervants, bond or free, in favour of one, or in prejudice to the other, on account of the different relations they bear one to another in this world ; but he will pais a righ- teous fentence upon all, according to the evidence that (halt arife for or againfl them, from their moral and religious characters, whatsoever their civil {latum has been upon earth. (See the note on Efib. vi. 8.)
RECOLLECTIONS.
With what elevation of foul fhould they, that are rifen with Chrift, follow their afcended Saviour from earth to his exalted ftate in heaven, where he lives for them, and is the fourre and fecurity of fpiritual life to them, and will at length give them an illuflriou* appearance with himfelf. in all poffihie glory '. He has'al- ready made a happy change upon them, who were once difobedient, and lived and walked in fuch a finful courfe, as expofed them to divine wiath ; but, by the effi- cacy of regenerating grace, they have now difcarded the whole body of fin. with. all its meiribers; and have affumed a new form in knowledge and righteoufnefs ac- cording to the holy image ot God, in which he at firft created man. O bleffed difpenfation of gofpel grace, in which believing Jews and Gentiles, and people of all ranks in outward privileges and worldlv circiimftances, are one body, and e- qually partakers of all fpiritual bleffings in'Chrift, who is all in the whole of their ialvation that are the chofen and beloved of God ! How powerful and engaging are their obligations to mortify every finful propenfion of body and mind ; to lay afide all wrathful difpofitiom of heart, and all blafphemous, unfeemly, falfe, and deceitful expreffions of the lips; to be clothed with the tendered cempaffion and humility, patience and forbearance one towards another; and to be of a forgiving ipirit to thofe that have offended them, in imitation of. and as influenced by, the infinitely greater forgivenefs that «".hrift has extended to themfelves ! And O with what beauty, harmony, and union, would Chriftians (Line, were they to cultivate mutual love, and itudy the things that make for peace, under a governing fenfe ot God's being reconciled to them ; and were their hearts enlarged in gratitude and praite, and enriched with all fpiritual wifdom, and every grace, tor their own and others edification, in finging the honours of Chrift's name, and in adorning their holy profeflion, by doing every thing, in word and deed, with a dependence on him, and in obedience to his authority over them ! This is the bed way of lhewing forth their thankfulnels to God the Father, through Jefus Chrift, for all the benc.ts he has beftowed upon them. And as ever they would acquit them- felves with honour to their holy profeffion, they fhould make comcien.-e of fulfil- ling the natural and civil duties of their various relations in the prrfrnt life. Wives fhould behave with due fubjeclion to their hufbmds in all things that are fit and proper for them, as members of Chriit : And hufbar.ds mould be atMionately ten- der toward their wives, and labour againft every thing that mieht make them un- comfortable. Children ought readily to obey their parent^ in all their lawful com- mands, as ever they would fulfil their duty toward them according to the wiM of God : And parents fhould take heed of difcouraging their children by any ."ev.-re treatment of them. Servants, confHcring themfelves a* continually under God's eye. fhould always attend to their milter's bufn.efs, with as much chearfulnefs and fidelity in their abfen~e. as in their presence; and mould do every thing from a principle of religion, as bein<r defirous of pleating Go 1. rather than men ; anct ■* being affured. that, in doing the duty of their ftaiions, they ferve the Lord Chrift, and that he will gracioufiy honour them with the reward of an eternal inheritance.
Vol. V. M And
8o The Epijlle to the Chap. iv.
And O what an awful check would it be upon all iniquity, were we to confider, B righteous fudge o aK who has no refpec^l to any one's outward condition in th;s world, will in .it certainly render vengeance to them that prachile unrigh- teous dealings with others !
CHAP. IV.
The ahoflle exhorts mqfters to do their duty to:vard fcrvants, r. Re- commends to perfons of all ranks the general duties of per fever ance in prayer, and Chrifian prudence in behaviour and fpeech, 2, — 6. Refers them to Tychicus and Onefimus, for an account of the fate of his affairs, 7, — 9. Sends falutations ft om fever al by name, to- gether with hit own ; and, adding a charge to Archippus, con- cludes with his ufual benediclion, 10, — 18.
Tett. Paraphrase.
jyjASTERS, give \ S Chriftian fcrvants ought to be obedient to their
xmxoyourkr- f\ maftcrs ;n an lawFul things, (chap. iii. 24. *) fo
vants tnat wmcli , r r . n , . , •■-. .v > n ^ ' -
and equal, thole °* You that ttancl in the relation or matters, ought
knowing that ye not to think yourfelves lawlefs, or at liberty to treat
alto have a Matter any of your fcrvants in an arbitrary tyrannical way ;
m heaven. Ilf)j noJ. even fucjj as may |^e (]aves ar)(] heathens ; but
ye mould deal juftly and equitably with them, in tak- ing good care of them, not with-holding their wages, or any proper provifions, according to their wants, and your contracts with them ; {Jam. v. 4.) nor ought ye to lay any more burdens, or harder fervices upon them, than they are well' able to bear ; nor to be fevtre in your threatnfngs and punifhments, be- yond their deferts ; nor backward to give fuitable en- couragements to fidelity in your fervice ; as ferioufly . confidering that ye yourfelves, as well as they, are under the command of, and accountable to your great Lord and M?fler in heaven, who continually obferves you, and is infinitely more above you, than any of you can be above the meanefl of them ; and will deal with you in the great day according to your dealings with them. [Chap. iii. 25.) 2 Continue in 2 To proceed to the 3uttes that are incumbent, prayer not oniv on mafttus, but upon you all ; Whatfoever
ILnklgivinl^1 ' bc )'our rcIatior's in lifet> >'e ollght to bt conftant,
NOTES. * As rhff verfe concludes the exhort- in connection wifh the preceding verfe, ations to relative^ uties, it might have which fpejks of maftcrs giving to their been much better ioined to the third, fervanfs that which isjuft a?id equal, it than made the beginning of the fourth intimates that one part of the duty of chapter. And then the laft verfe of the Chriftian matters is to pray daily with, i.\ird chapter would the more ealily be and for their fervants; and to be concern- red as referring to ma/iers, as well ed for, and do what in them lies to take as fcrvants. care of their fouls, as well as bodies, and
f If continue in prayer be conudered to bring them into a compliance with a
hoi/
Chap. iv. Colossians paraphraftd. 81
at fet feafons, In daily prayer to the God of all grace, in the name of Chrill, and by the affiftance of his Spirit, for peifonal and relative, public and private, temporal and fpiritual bletfings, whether in the clo- fet, family, or religious aflemhlies, as there may be opportunity ; and to watch for all fpecial calls of Pro- vidence, and needful ainitances from above, that ye may be continually ready to engage in this duty, and perievere in it, though ye may not immediately fee the anlwers of your prayers : Ye mould alfo watch againft ail hindrances, that would interfere With duty, and againit all deadnefs in your own fjjfrits, that there may be no indifference, trifling, or wan- derings in periorrning it : And always take care that, with applications for the mercies ye need, grateful pruiies and chearful thankfgivings to God be joined for what he has favoured you with, relating to this world, and that which is to come. (Phi/, iv. 6.)
3 Withal, pray- 3 And in all your addreffes to the throne of grace, ing alio for us, I earneiily btieecji you to be in a fpecial manner tbat God would mmdful of me anu Timothy, (chap. i. i.) and other open unto us a |3ret}irea tjlat labour with "us in the word and doc door oi utterance, ,^ , ., , • . to fpeak the myf- tr;ne ; praying tnat God would give us opportunity, tery of Chrift, for and enable us, with liberty of ipirit and expreffion, which I am alio in anj with faith and boldnefs, to lay open the deep bonds : things of God, and preach the unjearchable ricks.?
of Qbriji among the Gentiles, {Efihef. iii. 8.) for the doing of which I am, even now, a prifoner in bonds.
4 That I may 4 I beg your prayers particularly for mc, in my pre- make it manifeft, fent confined and afflicted circumllances, that, is far as I ought to fpeak. ag providence mall favour me with opportunities for
it, I may be eminently affifted in fetting forth the Redeemer's gloryj and the whole counfel of God, in fuch a free, exteniive, plain, and open manner, and with fuch a frame of fpirit as becomes me, and as the duty of my office and the importance of the iubject call for.
5 Walk in wir. 5 As to your own behaviour in the world, fee dom toward them that the whole of your converfation be managed with that are without, all circumjpe&ion, and Chriitian prudence, towards
the unbelievers, and all that are without the pale of the iible church, that ye may not be defiled by them ; but may be ufeful and exemplary to them, and win upon them, and never- give them any occajton to think, or fpeak evil of the doctrines and ways of the Lord : And, in this manner, labour to improve eve- M 2 ry
NOTE. holy refolution, like that of Jofiua, (chap, elude mailers, and all other profrffing- xxiv. 15.) As for me, and my boaje, <we Ghriftians, whatever their civil nations luillferve the Lord. However, this and be in the world, the following exhortations, certainly in-
time.
vi
|
(, |
Let be |
your a^ ay |
|
■ |
grace, with |
fea- falt, |
82 The Epifl'le to the Chap. iv.
ry opportunity of filling up the duties of your re- flective, ilations ; of doing good to your very enemies, and of preventing fuch offences, as might provoke them to raife perfecutions againlt you, and thereby fliorten your days, or cut you off from further fervi- ces to Chrill and his caufe. (See Epbef. v. 15, 16.) 6 With the like important views, take heed that your difeourfe, on all occasions, be as becomes perfons whofe hearts art fealoncd with grace, and whofe lan- know guagc tends to recommend the grace of God, and e oi:£ht to promote a gracious fpirit in others ; and fo is prefer- every man. Ved fiom corruption, (as meat is kept wholefome, and free from putrefaction, by the fait that cures and fea- fons it, and makes it favoury) that ye may know how to give a good account of the reafon of the hope that is in you, with modefty, meeknefs, and wifdom ; (1 Pet. iii. 15.) and how to anfwer fcrupulous doubts, and ferious inquiries on one hand, and per- verie cavillings and captious objections, on the other, with rtfptCt to joints of Christian faith, duty, and experience, to every one that would propofe any pro- per queftion to you about them. Ul my ftate y As to what concerns my f elf, and the lituation fhall lychicus de- Qf affair?, both with refpeft to outward circum-
c laie unto you, n , • , ,- 1 r n i i
■■■:■■"/ it a beloved "anccs> and inward lupports and relreihments, which
, and a I know ye would be glad to hear of, I have ordered
Faithful minifler, Tycbiciis? who brings this epiftle, to relate them to
intie l1 'Vcrva lC you at ^r^e> by word of moutn J and ye ma>r dePend
upon the account he will give you of them ; he be- ing a dearly beloved brother in the faith and fellow- ship of the gofpel, and a conscientious, faithful mine- iter of Chrift, and diligent fellow-labourer with me in the work of the Lord. 8 Whom I have $ And, being as defirous to know how matters
*h„ i .—J ° ^ ' r" ftand with vou, as ye can be to hear how it fares with the Unie pui r j • • , r • 1 j r 1 1
that he might me» i have lent him witn a ipecial oeiigu, that he know your eftate, may get a thorough infight into the itate of your re- nd comfort your ligicus concerns, in order to his reporting it to me ; and that he may aominiller relief and comfort to you, under all your trials, both by good counfel, and by acquainting you with the remarkable appearances of God's Handing by me, and with the fuccefs ot my preaching the gofpel, even in my bonds, y With Oncfi- y For winch purpofe, I have alfo joined with him ;,,t^1uai!d Oneftmus, who, whatfoerer he formerly were, is now, through the wonderful power of divine gra^e, r'he-y become a iii-crre and dearly beloved brotherin Chrift * ;
and N () T E. * Onefttnus was that rnnaoate th?t to Rome, was converted by the apoftle had eloped from h;> matter Philemon, laid there. (See for a 1 at count of him and purloined his ^oods ; but, (haying iu the epiftle to Philemon, with the pa- raph rafe
beloved brother, who is one oi you.
Chap. iv. Colossians paraphrafed. 83
They (hall make and who, being one of your own city, and now a real
known unto you convert, may be the more welcome, and acceptable to
all things which you# yhefe two faithful brethren will give you a
juil and particular account ol every thing that paries
here at Komi., and in this neighbourhood, relating to
my fufferings, and fupports, and behaviour] under
them, and to what God is it ill doing by, and for
me.
10 Atiftarchus 10 Ariflarc bus tbe> Ma€tdonian% who^was expofed
my fcUow-prifon- to great danger for my fake, (Acts xix. 29.) and is
er laluteth you, ROW a p, ;foncr v^ith me at Rome, defires to be af-
and Marcus, filter's r ->• . 1 1 1 . 1 n-' /r *i
i n Banaba* iectionately remembered to you all, (lee the note on
(touching whom Rom. xvi. 3.) as doth John Ma' k, nephew to Bar- ye received com- nabas, my oid friend and colleague in apoftolic la- mandments; if he ^OUTS . ^jffa xjji# 2> ^ ^ faCt!) And if this his near come unto you, re- ki fman ^ouid come to Colqtfe,* I delire that ye ceive him : ) ... • «1
would receive him in the mofc friendly manner, and
treat him with all Chrillian refpect and kindnefs, ac- cording to the recommendations ye have already had, and are now given ol him, as worthy of it. ti And Jefns, 11 Another of my fellow-labourers alfo, who goes which is called by tvvo names, one of which in Greek isje/ujt which ofU"the circ^mc;! anfwers to that of J°Jhua iu Hebrew^ and the other fion* eThefeUonry in Latin is 7»fius> fignifying Jvjf. This upright are my fellow, man joins with the other two in Chriftian falutations. workers unto the All thefe, though Jewijh converts, bear the fince- kingdora ol God, reft. refpt& to you, without the lead prejudice againlt which have been > J r i • v> / ? v
a comfort unto anY oi you> on acccunt °* vour being Genme-txht- mej vers ; f and they are the only minifters of that deno-
mination, that are with me, and have joined their la- bours with mine, during my confinement, in helping forward the work of the Lord, by preaching the fame gofpel with myfelf, unto the propagation and enlarge- ment of the kingdom of grace, which God has fet up, under the gofpel diipeniation, in this world, in order to its being perfected in all its felicities and glo- ries, in the world to come. Thcfe have been of great ufe and comfort to me by this means, as well as by their agreeable company, and various afiiftances and reliefs under all my lufterings for Chrift.
12 To NOTES. raphrafe and notes upon it.) He was of fpirit. This Mark is fuppofed to have the rity ot Colqjfe, and fome think he, been the writer of the gofpel that bears by this time, was a member of that his name.
church ; and others, that he was em- f The apoftle Peter i« not mentioned ployed in the work of the miniltry. with thole of the circumciflun, that sent
* Mark had before this time regained their falutations, and are laid to be the an interest in the apoftle's affection and only fellow-workers of the Jenvi/h fort, confidence notwithitanding the great and a comfort to the apoftle Paul, 'lis difpleafure he formerly had againlt him, therefore certain that either Peter was for leaving him and Barnabas at Pam- not then at Rome or that he acted very philia; (Acts xv. 38, 39.) which (hews unworthy of his character. the excellence of the apoltle's forgiving
84 Tbe Epijlle to the Chap. iv.
12 Epapferas, 12 To thefe I mull add fome others of the Gen-
whoisone of you, t;/e fort to whom are vc d as particuiariy
a lervant of Chml, r> t , J , y ,, . r , 7
faluteih >ou. al- &paf>hra.., who is not only a Ueniile convert, but
ways labouring one of your own city, much devoted to your iervice,
icrvently for you and a faithful min liter of Jeius Chnlt, (fee the note
^ m^fland '«* °R ^ ™" 25*^ ^"^ hiS ^"^ relPeAs to You 5 feel and com rfete anc^ ^lews *low much he has you upon his heart, by in ali the will pf his conitantly remembring you at the throne ol grace, God. and bboarifig with great earneftneis and fervour, as
it were to an agony, («y*w£<yaw$) in his wreltlings with God in prayer for you, thai ye may continue lledraii: in the faith, as complete Chriltians, that are fully iuftructed in the doctrines and duties of the gof- pel, and eminent in your conformity to them, like perfect men in Chriit ; being {<az7c>.Y,£U(Ait<n) filled with his light and grace, according to the utmoft ex- tent ot that revelation which God has made of his mind and will, and in fuch a manner as may be eve- ry way acceptable to him.
13 For I bear 1^ jr01 j mufc neetis hear witnefs to this excellent hTlmh^a' real labcr;'ous brother, from what I have obierved of him, zeal for you, and an(* hearcl from his own mouth, that he is zealouily them that are in felicitous for your prefent and eternal happmels ; and Laodicea, and has a like warm and tender concern for the proiperi- wh? m H,Cra" ty of 7our two neighbouring churches*, one of
which is feated at Laodicea, and the other at tliera- po/i.yy a large and populous city of Pbrygia.
14 Luke the be- 14 The Evangelift Luke, who was brought up for
ind'Dcnl^^r't H Phyrician> buL 1S now a dear brother in the Lord, you< to' devoting himfelf entirely to his fervice, for healing
the fpirituaj diftempers of periihing fouls ; and De- mas, another miniftring fervant, join in fending their Chriitian refpects. (See the note on 2 Tim. iv. 10.)
15 Salute the j^ Let my own hearty love be prefented to thole brethren which are brethren in Ch.rift that b] to the church at LaQm lu i>aochcea, and . o
Mymphas, and the "icca ; and in a very particular manner, to the well- church which is in known Nymphas \ and his Chriilian family, which his houfe. for its regularity, purity, religious worfhip and order, under his conduct, is like a New Teftament church.
16 And when x6 And it is my exprefs order that, after this e- this euittle is read iftk ^ have been diitinai read through, accord- ainongit you, caule . , r . ,. J ° , that u be read al- inS to mY aefign, m a public manner among you, the 10 in the church ot church at Colajfe, ye take care that, either it, or an
the exact copy of it, be fent to, aiul alfo read in the
church
NOTES.
* It is probable that Epaphras had what is here faid of him; but he feems
been remarkably inftrumental in form- to have been a noted man of eminent
ing, or building up thefe churches; and piety, and ftridt religion in the orders of
theiefore had a peculiar affection to, and his Chriftian family. (See the note on
/oncern for tht , . Ro?n. xvi. 5.) f We know no more of Nymphas than
Chap. iv. Colossians paraphrafed. 85
the Laodiceans ; church that ufually meets for the worfhip of God at
and that ye like- LO0d.;cea * \ and that a certain Laodicean letter be
piftle from Laodi-' hkewife communicated to, and publicly read among
cea. you.
17 And fay to 17 All that I have further to add for your dircc- Archippus Take tjQn ^ t|jatj as yC are futTOunded wjt.h fubtile adver- niftry 'which thou far,'c?» who feck to pervert you ; {chap.\k 8.) ye hafl received in would, in a prudent, fnendiy, and rttpecirul manner, the Lord, that admonifh sbchippus, * minitlring ftrvant among -you, thou fulfil it. (fee the note on Phi/etji. ver. 2.) and remind him of
the great need there is of his utmolt vigilance, fay- ing, We entreat you, dear Sir, always to bear upon your heart the excellent nature, defign, and import- ance of, and to lay yourlelf out, in the name and ftrength of Chrift, with all wifdom, diligence, and faithfulnefs, in difcharging that facred office which you have been honoured with, by the favour and au- thority of the Lord Jefus, and for his glory, that you may explain, confirm, vindicate, and enforce the great doctrines of divine revelation, and exemplify them in your own fpirit and conduct ; may reprove fin, and confute error ; may carefully fill up the du- ties of your trull in their whole extent, and perfevere therein all your days, to the comfort of your own and other fouls ; and may do all that in you lies for tlie furtherance of the gofpel, in the converfion of finners, and edification of the faints.
18 The faluta- jg T/o conclude after my ufual manner in all my tion by the hand .ftl tQ the churches /fee the note on Rom. xvL of me Paul- Re- r . T r . . . . n .), » . member my bonds. 22«) * hibjoin my belt wilhes to you ail, 111 my own Grace be with you. hand- writing : And to give this, together with all Amen. that has been faid in the above letter, the greater
weight with you, as alfo to engage your moft earheft prayers for me, remember it comes from an apoille, who is now fuffering with chearfulnefs and patience in bends, for preaching the gofpel to you Gentiles ; ("Eph. iii. 1.) and who affectionately prays, that the free favour of God, the Father, Son, and Spirit, (2 Cor. xiii. 14. ) and all its precious fruits, mani- feftations, and effects, in a work of grace here, and in glory hereafter, may abound toward you. In telit- mony of my fincertty in this benediction, and of my hope that it will be fully anfwered, I fay, Atnen.
R E C O L- N O T E. * Various have been the conjectures and in neighbouring churches, which, about this epiftle. which is loft, unlets it perhaps might give occafion to, and cift were that, which fome very improbably fome lighi upon this epiftle to the Colof- have fuppofed, the apoftle wrote from Jians ; and thcrerore might be proper to Laodicea to the Ephejions : It rather be re^d in the church at Colojfe, which, feems not to have been any epift'e wrote doubtlefs, knew what epiftle is here re- by him, but wrote to him from Laodi- ferred to. cea, relating to the ftate of affairs there,
86 The Epiftle, &c. Chap. iv.
RECOLLECTIONS.
With what equity, mildnefs, and mercy, would mafters treat their fervants, were they deeply impreffed with the thought that they themfelves have a greater Mafter in heaven, to whom they mult give an account of all their behaviour to- xvard thole that are under them ! And O what need is there of daily prayers, with thankfgivings, in the family and clofet, for ourfelves and others; and particularly for Chrift's min'ftrin- fervants, that they may be wile and faithful, courageous and fucrefsful, in unfolding the myfterif s of the gofpel. without reftraint from their adverfaries ! And what need have Chriftians of wifdom from above, to be- have prudently towards unbelievers, that they, by word and deed, may recom- mend religion to them, and make a proper apology on all occafions for it ! With wh?.t pleaf'ire fhould minifters own, and fpeak well of their faithful fellow-labour- ers, and fellow-fulferers, of every denomination ' With what earned wreftlings, (as all our prayers ought to be) at the throne of grace, fhould they plead for fuch churches, efpecially, as they are molt immediately concerned with, that they may be confirmed in the whole will of God ! What a tender fympathizing fpirit fhould thev have, and fliew toward them ' How cordially fhould they falute all the faints, and particularly thofe who are eminent for godlinefs, and under whofe con- duel their families are lively emblems of a church of Chrift ! And how chearfully fhould they recommend it to them, to maintain and exprefs the like affectionate wishes one for another ! The holy fcriptures are written for their ufe ; they have a common intereft and concern in them, and ou^ht carefully to read them, and to be folicitous, that they, who minifter in facred things, may be faithful in the dif- charge of the truft that Chrift has committed to them . and when any of them are in bonds for the gofpel's fake, How ought churches to lay it to heart, that they may be enabled to make fuitable improvements of fuch a providence for their own efrablifhment in the truth, to which tho:e noble eonfeffors bear their teftimony with faith and patience ! For thefe, anH all other valuable purpofes, may grace, the fountain o^all good, be with them that love the Lord Jefus Chrift in fincerity and truth \ Amen.
A PR AC-
A PRACTICAL
EXPOSITION
OF THE
FIRST EPISTLE of the APOSTLE PAUL
TO THE
THESSALONIANS,
IN THE FORM OF A
PARAPHRASE.
The PREFACE to the FIRST EPISTLE to the THESSALONIANS.
q"HESJ$ALOXICs/, which figpifiies the viaory of Thefa/ia, be- ing rebuilt by the famous Philip of Mccedon, was lb called in memory of the conquer! he obtained over the The/fa I ions, and was the metropolis of Macedonia. The church gathered there confided of converts, partly from among the Jews and profeiytes of the gate, as appears from ^cls xvii. 4. ; and partly from among the idolatrous Gentiles, as appears from chap, i. g'. of this epiitie. They were ex- ceeding dear to the apoltle Paul, as eminent feals of his miniftry, which had been lately bleffed to their conversion •, and he was ten- derly and folicitoufly concerned for them ; becaufe, foon afterwards, he was violently driven away from them, all of a ftrdden, through the fitrious aflaults of the unbelieving jews, Acts xvii. I, — 13. which prevented his minillring at The/Jalunica, fo long as he could have wilhed, for their further eftabliihment in the faith.
He was very defirous to have returned to them, and attempted it once and again ; but Satan by his wicked instruments hindered him, as he tells us, chap, ii. 18. ; and, fearing left that bufy adverfary might have unfettJed them, he lent ^Timothy to them ; and, upon his return with comfortable tidings of their Hate, wrote this Epiille to encourage their continuing to itand faft in the faith, and not to be Humbled at the tribulations that befel him for the gofpel's fake, as in other places, fo while he was among them.
This is the Jirjl of all the epittles that he wrote, which, as is fup- pofed, was about the year ot our Lord 52 ; and it is generally a- greed, that he lent it, not from Athens, as the pofHcript fays, but from Corinth, about a year after he had been at TbeJJfalqnica.
He begins it with a falutation and affectionate thankfgiving to God for his diflinguiibing grace, as it was evidently maniielled in its
Vol. V. . N remarkable
88 Prfface to th Epiftle to the Thessalonians.
remarkable effe^s upon them. chap. i. And to induce them to per- u-veve in the faith, which they had received, he reminds them of his own unblamable behaviour, together with his labours and fuffer- in'gs and the fuccefs of his miniitry among them ; and expreflfes his carneft defire of vifitin^ them again, out of his great love to them, •wh^m he looked upon as his hope, and joy, and crown of rejoicing, cbati ii. Hut as he could not go himfelf, he, in his tender care for them, {end* T-m> by to fee how matters ftood with them, and to comfort them under their tribulations, and eitablifh them in the Faith ; and when Timothy returned and gave a good account of them, it revived his foul, and he heartily prayed, that, if it were the will of God, he might have an opportunity of making them another vi- f it •, but, whether this might be fo ordered by Providence, or not, that the Lord would eftablifh them in faith, love, and holinefs, ckap. iii. And. left he mould not be able to fee them again, he refers them to the direftions he had given while he was with them, to guard them agamll all iniquity, and particularly againll every kind of uncleannefs j commends them for their brotherly love, and entreats them to abound therein yet more and more, and to acquit themfelves with diligence and honour in the duties of their feveral itations : And, to comfort them under the lofs of their deceafed Chriltian friends, he fets before them the blifsful flate to which they (hall be raifed, when all the faints, both living and dead, (hall meet together to be with Chrlft at his coming to judge the world, chap. iv. And as the particular time of Chrift's coming to judg- ment is unknown, and will be, on a fudden, at unawares, though certain in its feafon, he exhorts them to conftant watchfulnefs, and preparation for it ; and then adds fome admonitions relating to their decent behaviour toward thofe. that were fet over them in the Lord, and towards all they had to do with ; fuggefling alfo feveral other important duties, in which they were all concerned ; and concludes with an excellent prayer for them, and earned defire of theirs for himfelf, and with falutations, and a charge that this Epiftle be read in their church, with whom he leave* his benedic- tion, chap. v.
CHAP.
Chap. i. The Epiflle, &c. S.9
CHAP. I.
The apoflle faiutes the church at ThefFalonica, and blcjfes God for them, in reflection on their faith, love, and patience, as evident tokens of /heir eletlion, which wax manifefled in the e/ficacious manner ivith which the go/pel came to them, i, — 5. And dej tribes iti powerful, exemplary, and Jamous ejjeils upon their hearts and lives, 6, — 10.
Text. Paraphrase.
"PAUL, and Sil- TyA U L * together with Sila s and Timothy, his X vunus, and ^ ffi{l w m the work of the Lord at fhe/fa- limotheus, unto f- . r , /r 1 *n _■
the etiurch of lomca, lend greeting, (iee the notes on Acts xv. 22.
the Thelialonians, and I Cor. i. I.) to the church of Chrilt, which has
which is tn God lately been planted by means of our miniitry, ( ?:/.r
iMfi? t%£ x™- ''-4- '4-) »»<! ord.narily affcmbles, for reli-
Chnft : grace be glous worihip and difcipline, at that renowned metro-
unto you, and polis of Macedonia, and coniitts of believers in God
peace from God the Father, as the only true God, in dillinction from
our Father, and the idolatrous Gentiles, who worihip them which by the Lord Jeius . tr* \ 1 o \ j r u r
Chrilt. nature are no gods ; (Gal. iv. b.) and or believers m
the Lord Jefus Chrilt, as the only true Mefiiah, (fee the notes on John xiv. 1. and xvii. 3.) in diitin&ion from the unbelieving Jews, who deny him ; and fo we regard you as perfons that are in union, and have fellowjhip with the Father, and with his Son Je/us ChriJL (1 John. i. 3.) May all the riches of divine love and favour, which is the fountain of every biefs- ir.g ; and, as the fruit of this, may all manner of pro- fperity, incluhve of every defirable fort of peace witii God, and others, and in your own fouls, be multi- plied abundantly to all and every one of you, accord- ing to the icheme of falvation, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jefus Chrilt, as the only Media- tor and Peace- maker, who has purchafed all bMlings for us by his blood ; and freely communicates them to us by his Spirit, in an inieparable concurrence with the Father. (See the note on Rom, i. 7.) 2 We give thanks 2 We daily offer up our chtarful and folemn thanks fo God always tor tQ God Qn behalf of ^ whole cnUrch, and mention you all, making . 11-1 u
mention you in our ^attd and occaiional prayers with grati-
N 2 tude
NOTE * As thefe Thejfaloniant were the oppofition to him : And, perhaps, as this feals of Paul's apoftlefhip, and there was the tirtt epiftle that he wrote, his were none among them, that pretended great modetty might reftrain turn tram to difpute his authority, or vie with him aliening his apoitolic chaiacfler, till hf in it ; there was no occafion for his af- found a neceffiry .'or it; becaule he hum- ferting it here, as he does in his inferip- bly thought himlVlf to be the leajl cj the tion of the epiftles to churches in which apoflles, a/id not meet to be called an a- there were falfe apoltles, that would de- pojtle. (1 Cor. xv. 9.) predate him, and f«t themfelves up in
9o
The Firjl Epiftle to the
Chap. i.
mention ot you m eur prayers ;
3 Remembering, without ceafn-Ji, your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jefus Chrift, ua the fight of God, and our Father :
tiowirigAfere-
thren beloved, your election ot God.
tude and praife, and with fervent fupplications for his perfecting all that concerns you ;
3 Being excited hereunto by a conftant habitual fenfe, and frequent recollection, of the unfeigned faith, which God has wrought in you, and which (hews itfelf to be, not a dead, but living faith, by its genuine operation unto all evangelical obedience : We have alfo a joyful remembrance of your ardent love to Chrill, and to all that belong to him, which ge- neroufly exerted itfelf in the great pains ye took to fuc- cour and fecure us, when we were in the utmoft dan- ger at Theffa/ jnico ; (Acts xvii. 5, — 10.) as alio in performing every office of kindnefs one to another, and to all the faints and fervants of Chrift, for his fake : And we reflect with pleafure on the fruits of this faith and love, as they have produced in you a lively hope of eternal lite, through our Lord and Sa- viour Jefus Chrift, and thai with patient continuance in well doing under all your tribulations ; and with a quiet waiting for God's time of crowning your hopes with enjoyments (fee Heb. x. 36. j We can Solemn- ly appeal to the all-feeing God, for the fincerity of our profefiions of thankfulnefs, and conftant remem- brance of you in our prayers * ; and are firmly per- fuaded that your faith, love, and hope, are exercifed with all uprightnefs of heart, as in the £ght and pre- tence of God, even your and our Father, who has made us his children, by adopting and regenerating grace.
4 From thefe peculiar and evident fruits of God's diftinguifhing favour to yon, our dear brethren belo- ved ot the Lord, and of us for his fake-}-, we, argu- ing
NOTE S.
* /;/ the fight of God, or before God, (fyttT^j-3-fv toxj Q:™) may refer, either to the apoftle's blcfjing God for, and af- fectionately remembering the Thejfaloni- ans ; or to their work of faith aud la- bour of love, and patience of hope, ac- cording to the different turns given to this claufe in the paraphrafe.
f According the different ways of point- ing this fentence in the Greek, (a<TfA<po.
r} arvu.' voi vxo ©fou t»v ty.\oyry u«w)
of God may be joined either to beloved, or to your election, which proceeded from the free love of God : And the apoftle's knowing the election of thefe ThcJJa/o- nians feetns to have been, not by an im- mediate revelation, but only in the ordi- nary way of charitably judging about the election of any peri'on whntfoever : For, in the connection of this with the preceding and following verfes, he ma.
nifeltly proves the caufe horn its effect, by which it may be known, and without which it is ordinarily impoflible for any one to know it, with reference either to himfelf or others; fince, who are God'? elect, is an entire fecret in his own breaft, til! it appears by its diftinguifhing effects. (See 2 Pet. i. 10) But had our apoftle meant, as fome would have it, that he knew God's purpofe of recei- ving idolatrous Gentiles into the eofpel- church, by immediate revelation, he had tin's knowledge "before the Theffalonians were converted, or effectually called; and therefore had no need of arguing from the effect to the caufe to ascertain it. And as we muft conclude from Acts xvii. 4. that this church ronfifted. not on- ly of idolatrous Gentiles but alfo of jews and profelytes of the gate, that were converted there, the election here fpoken
Chap. i. Thess ALomANs parapbmj ./. 91
ing from the effect to the caufe, juftly conclude, and ye yourlelves may be well iatisnvd, in the fame way, that ye were freely chofen of God from all eternity to fahation, through fanciif cation of the Spirit, and be- lief of the truth. (2 Epift- ii. 13.) 5 For our gofpel e For the gofpel, which was preached by me, came not unto you and b &ytfJ and %m0:hv, (ver. I.) my fellow la- in word only, but , y ■ •.!«. 1 u alio in power, and bourns among you, did not only reach your ears in
in the Holy Gnoll, the outward publication of it, as it did the ears of and in much alVu- many others without any laving effect ; but was alfo ranee ; as ye know attended with a divine energy, which brought if. ° a. home to your hearts, by the fpecial operation of the mong you for your Holy Spirit*, as well as was attefted by the mira- fake. cles he wrought in confirmation of its divine authori-
ty ; and fo it begat an unOiaktin fatisfaction in your own fouls, as to its truth and importance ; and good hope, through grace, (2 Epifl. ii. 16.) as to your own perfonal intereits in its bleffings, by means of what ye experienced of the great and excellent fruits of our miniftry among you; in which (as ye well know) we laboured with great plainnefs of fpeech, meeknefs, and patience, and evident tokens of God'g owning us, at*l giving us glorious fuccefs ; notwith- standing all the violence and persecution that we en- dured on your account, in our love to you, aod con- cern for your falvation. 6 And ye be- 6 And fuch were the happy effects of the gofpel's came followers of commnr ;n this powerful manner to your fouls, that us, and oi the Lord, P \ . , r . .' . ,
having received immed<ately hereupon ye became imitators, (mu.a- the word in much ?"«<) in faith, obedience, and patience, of 11s, who affliction, with joy preached it, and with whom ye contorted; (Acts of the Holy Ghoit ; xvj,\ ^t fee the note there) and ye were therein fol- lowers of our great Lord and Mailer himfelf, who is our only perfect example, and in whofe Heps we, and
yc
N O T E S.
fpoken of may well be fuppofed, not to more than being chofen to a belief of the
be jtational, but to inrlnde perfons of all gofpel.
thofe former characters ; and to which * The gofpeVs coming in power cnid. ever of them the gofpel became effectu- in the Rely Ghq/l was more, than its al, it was according to the election of coming with the atteftation of miracles, grace, or the eternal purpofe of 'hint who as appears by its laving effects : For the nvorketh all thing* after the co'/nfel of Theflaloniaht there upon became follow- his oivn will (Rom. >:i 5 and Eph. i- ert of the apoflles and of the Lord, and 4.) Atid that the election here intend- were eminent examples of faith and ho- ed w^s not barely to out-ward privileges, linefs; and the idolatrous Gentiles among but To fiving benefits, appears from the them turned from idol* to. ferve the li- whole current of the context, which wig and trite God. with hope in Chrift fpeaks of its peculiar, .diftingui filing, and for deliverance from the wrath to come, fanctifying fruits, by means of the gof- which carried an undeniable proof of an pel; ('ee the note on -ver. 5 ) and from effectual and laving change upon their the apoftle's like thankfgiving to God. hearts and lives, by the power of the for his having-, from the beginning, chofen Holy Gholt, with which the gofpel came them to falvation through fandification to them, a^ is represented in the follow- nfthe Spirit^ {x Epift. ii. 13.) which is ing verfes to the end of the chapter.
*)z t Tbe Epi/lk to the Chap. i.
ye after ug, trode, (i Cor. xi. I.) ye having firmly believed the word of his grace, even in the rnidll of the fevered troubles, that both we and yourfelves were expofed to for its fake; ( /#?•■ xvii. 5, — 9.) and having received it with fuch inward confolation of the Holy Spirit, as made you a rich amends for them, fweetly fupported you under them, and ena- bled you to bear them with Chriftian fortitude and patience. 7 So that ye * g0 tv,at ye yourfelves became eminent, encoura- were < examples to • 1 »" z v c c ■ 1
ail that bcheve in %**& and exemPlai7 patterns (tvttoi) of faith, patience, Macedonia and A- anc* holinefs to all the believers round about you, in chaia. the two large Grecian provinces of Macedonia and
Achaia, whether they were converted before you, as at Phi/ippi in Macedonia ; or after you, as at Athens and C.rinth in Achaia. (See the note on ver. S.J S For from you g p^ thfi f , ^^h .g ]y the word of
Jounded out tue 1x , T r 1 • 1 «• i 1 •<-.
word of the Loid the -L«ord Jeius, as he is the author and the mam iub- not only in Mace- je& of it, having had fuch glorious fuccefs among donia and Achaia, you *, was publifhed from thenceforward, with great but alio w every repUtation and advantage, and, as it were, with a ]»ace your faith to,,, f • ■>/•/*■ \ r j
Cod-ward 13 ipread loud echo of its praifes, [tfriperxt) far and near ; in- abroad, fo that we fomuch that the fame of your faith, as going out to, rred not to i'peak and terminating upon God in Chrift, and manifefted any thing. DV {ts remarkably holy and exemplary fruits in your
lives, [tliXr.XvSsv) has gone forth, and is commonly talked of, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but with It ill wider extent in various other places ; fo that we ourfelves have no occaiion to fay any thing about it, as we otherwife mould. 9 For they them- g por wherever we travel, wre meet with people feltes fhew of us that are fo fuU of ; as antJc;pate us hy beginning what manner or 7 r , • r 1 •
entering in we had themielves to ipeak, with wonder and joy, ot the unto you, and how happy effects of our miniftry among you ; as, particu- ye turned to Cod larly, they are ready to tell us what a chearful rccep- from idols, to ferve ^Qn e at QUr gf ft comjn„ among you,
the living and true . , .b . J i n m-ry j • a J
Cod ° though it was in the molt afflicted circumltances ;
(ver. 6.) and how, by means of our preaching, ye were fo effectually wrought upon, as that thofe of you, who were heathens before, at once voluntarily and publicly, renounced your former idolatry, and turned away with indignation and abhorrence from
all NOTE. * The church of Thejfalonica, I ap- Thejfalonica, as appears from the i6"th prehend, was not the vwt her -church of and 17th chapters of the Atts. But the Macedonia and Achaia, where the Jir/i gofpel went from Thcjfalovica with the converts were made, and from whence more evident and recommending demon- the gofpel was/r/Z propagated in thofe ftrations of its excellence and power, provinces, as that at Jeri/faletn was of on account of its eminently wonderful the Jews, and that at Antioch was of effects upon them, as appeared in their the Gentiles: For converts were made exemplary behaviour. at Pbilippi in Macedonia before thoTe of
Chap. L Thessalpnians f.arnphrajed. 93
all your fictitious deities to him, who is by nature God ; believing in him, and yielding yourfelves up entirely to him, to own, reverence, worfhip and a- dore, ferve and glorify him, who has all perfection of life, blefft duels and immortality, originally and efTentially in, and of himlelf, and is the fountain of all forts of lite, whether natural, fpiritual, or eter- nal, to others ; and h> the only true God in diftinc- tion from all mere creatures whatsoever, though not to the exclufioh of the great Mediator, who is God, equally and together vviih the Father, in his original nature, in whom ye are alfo brought to believe, (ice the notes on John xiv. i. and xvii. 3.) 10 And to wait 10 And to wait with faith, preparation and pa- (or his Son from tjence) defire and joyful hope, under all prefent fuf- JET £? rhe f?!<F>>' t^ glorious appearing of the eterr.al Son dead, even Jefus of the Father from heaven*, who wilt come to be which delivered us glorified in his faints > and admired in all them that from the wrath to believe our te/iimony concerning him; (2 The/, i. comc- IO.) even jelus, the divine Saviour, who, by his o-
bedience and fuiferings unto death purchased redemp- tion for us, and by his almighty power (^vwsv©-) does, and finally will deliver us from the dreadful wrath of an incenfed God, that is coming apace, (eg- %cptivns) and will be ever inccflantly coming, like a perpetual torrent of flaming vengeance, upon all the unbelieving and ungodly, to their everlalling detrac- tion. (2 Thef. i. 8, 9.)
RECOLLECTIONS.
What a uiitinguhhmg mercy is it, when the gofpel comes to any of our fouls, not in word only, but with the fpecial imprefiive power of the Holy Ghoft ! this is an evident proof of our eternal election, which can be known only by its fruits; fuch as faith, love, and patience under fufferings for Chrift's fake ; a thorough con- verfion in heart and life from every idol to the living and true God ; a holy imita- tion ot Chiift and of his fervants, as far as they follow hira ; and a hopeful expect- ation of his glorious coming to rid us of all our troubles. And how defirable is it to have thefe tokens of God's love, snd of the efficacy of his grace in an eminent degree ! Such receive his word with lull afi'urance of its divine truth, excellence, and importance, and with joy in the Holy Gholi, no'withftandmg all the tribula- tions that may befal them for its fake ; they ar* a credit to the go) pel, and noble examples to other believers ; and are fpoken of with admiration and joy to all that hear of them, and love the truth as it is in Jefus. With what pleafure do his mi- niftring fervants own one another, and reflect on every remarkable fuccefs of their labours, and on a teftimony in the confeiences of their hearers, that the power of
the NOTE
* As the firft coming of Chrift was ( Titus ii. 13.) They firmly believe that the object of the faith, defire and hope he will certainly come again, though of the Old Te/iament- church, who wait- they know not when; and therefore con- ed for the conflation c/Ilrael, and look- tinue waiting for it with fuch , exercife* edfor redemption in JerufaLem : {Luke of grace, and performances of duty, as ii. i;, 3S.) fo his fecond coming i* of the may beft encourage their hope, that New, who are looking for the hlejfed when he who is their life pall appear, hope, and glorious appearing of the they pall alfo appear with him in glory, great Cod and our Saviour Jefus Chrifl : (Col. iii. 4.)
The Tirji Epijlle to the
Chap, ii,
94
the Spirit is with them ! They affectionately falute the dear converts ; they a- bound in tbaokfulneft rbr them. and continually recommend them in their prayers to the jrace and bi< fling of God tiie Father, and o? our Lord Jefus Chrift, in every remembrance of them \r.d O how animiting.to every true believer is the thought of the ete.-n.il Son of God, as the rifen Jefus, who, having faved them from their fins, delivered theui from the wrath to come.
CHAP.
II.
He aprftle,. to encourage their progrefs in faith and holinefs, re- minds them of the manner of his preaching and behaviour among i/jcrn, i,-r— t 2. And of their receiving the gofpel, as the word of God , 'which effectually worked in them, 13, — 16. And affures them of his joy on their account, and his dejire of coming to them again, 17,-22.
Text.
JTOR 3'o^rfelve?, brethren, know our entrance in unto yen, that it was not in vain :
Paraphrase. "IX7'ELL may I fpeak of you, as I have, [chap. i.) with the utmoit afte&ion, hope and confi- dence : For I can appeal to your own confeience?, dear brethren, that ye yourfelves experimentally know the glorious power and effect of my coming, with Silas and 'Timothy, (chap. i. 1.) to preach the gof- pel to you ; that it was not (kuv)) about vain and unprofitable things, nor with a mere empty found of words; nor was it without good fruit, which we were affured it would not be, as from God's promifc in general, (Ifa.lv. 11.) fo efpecially from the ex- traordinary manner in which he called us to preach it in Macedonia, (Acts xvi. 9, 10.) of which yours is the chief city ; and therefore no ill treatment, that we before had met with in that province, could dif- courage our hopes of better fuccefs among you *.
2 But even, after we had lately endured the great- eft cruelties for the gofpel's fake, before we could
1 But even after that we bad fuf-
were flnmVfuTl' reacn *° far as vou> an<^ na^ been treated with the entreated, a< \e at Philippi, we were bold in our God to fpeak unto you tb< 01 God with much contention.
utmoft indignity, as ye well know we were at Phi- l?ppi, another famous city of Macedonia ; (Acts xvi. 23, 24.) we were neverlhelefs animated with holy re- folution, with liberty of fpirit and of fpeech, and with undaunted courage, (iTzu.^er.rix.c-etp.&u.) in humble de- pendence on our gracious God For protection and fuc- cefs, openly to publiih the everlalling gofpcl to you ;
which, T E.
parts of Macedonia. This preferves a good connexion, which is not orher\\ ife eafilv to be difrerned ; and therefore fome fuppofe (without lufficient grounds, as appears to me) that the apoftle there and his not being intimidated r>y the fe- enters upon a new head of difcourfe. vere ufage he had met with in other
N O * But: even ra\xa x«i) that intiodu- res the next verfe, requires fome inch thought, as the parapbrafe has added, at the clofe of this, relating to the apoitle's hope of fuccefs among the TbeJJaloniams,
Chap. ii. Thessalonians paraphrafed. 95
which, not we, but God himfelf, is the author of, and we preach in his name with mighty zeal and fervour of fpirit, as it were to a great agony, (-aoX'Ko) fcyent) in ftriving for your converlion, and againtl the furi- ous oppofition which the unbelieving Jewi there al- fo made againft us. ( ff&t xvii. 5, &c.) 3 For our ex- 3 For our addrefs to you, whether in a way of bortation wot nor exhortation to duty, or of confolation (tt-«§«*Au<™s) of deceit, nor of un(Jer fufferings for Chriit's fake, was not by preach-
"uile -nnerS' "0r m inS any errontous dodtrines, like the falfe teachers, 2 ' to feduce you, but the pure uncorrupted gofpel ; nor
was it by teaching any principles thtt lead to licenti- oufnefs, but to all holinels in heart and life ; nor was it by hypocritical pretences of piety and zeal, and love to you, for carrying on finiiter views to worldly advantage, but in the fincerity of our hearts for the glory of God, and the good of your fouls : So that there was no falfehood or impurity in the matter, nor in- fincerity or felfifhnefs in the manner of our preaching. 1 But as we 4 But as we were approved of God {%*&oau{ut*(z&~ were allowed of Set) to be authorifed and furnifhed for, and counted God to be put in faithful to be intruded with a difpenfaiion of the gof- truft with the gof- j , ^ k • l2 and rit j v as fteward3 pel. even io we r » V ' . .0 \ c
foenk. not as plea- of the myftenes of God; ( I Cor. iv. 1.) even io, ac~ fins- men, but GoH, cording to the defign of this honourable and impor- which trieth our tant truft, we publiih it wherever we come, without hearts, any alteration, but exa6t.lv as we received it from him ;
not in fuch a manner, as might be fuited to the cor- rupt tafte, notions, or fancies of men, to tickle their ears, gain their applaufe, and gratify their humours, lulls, and pafllons, by prophefying fmooth things to them, or by concealing any neceffary doctrine; ( A&s xx. 21, 27.) but with all purity and fincerity, as may be beft approved in the light of the great and holy God, (Gal. i. 10.) who, we are feniible, fearches and knows our hearts. (Rev. ii. 23.) 5 For neither at 5 For we never, in dealing with any fort of peo- any times ufed we pje> made ufe of fawning fpeeches to ingratiate our- datrer.ng words, as feives w;th them, or flatter them with complimert,, ve know, nor a , .,' _ r . . . r c r •
cloak of covetouf- or w"« vain hopes or lalvation in a courle or lm, mi- nefs; God is wit- penitence, and unbelief, or upon the foot of their own nefs: ftrength and righteoufnefs, as ye yourfelves can teiti-
fy from all that ye have feen, or heard of our conduct, and manner of preaching : nor did we ever put on a cloak, or falfe pretence of religion, to cover, and fet a glofs upon fecret defigns of making an advantage of you, like thofe falfe teachers, who, through covet- 4 oi/fnefs, with feigned words, make a merchand:fe of
their hearers ; (2 Pet. ii. 3.) no, we can iolemr.iy appeal to the heart-fcarching God for the truth oi this. Vol. V. O 6 Nor
$6 The Firfl Epiftle to the Chap. ii.
6 Nor of men 6 Nor were we ever ambitious of vain-glory, or of
taught we glory, feeking the honour that comes from man only, after
neither of you, nor the example of thofe that tread in the fteps of the
yet of others, when r ., j -nu -r / <v / j •• \
we might have fcnbes and Pnanfee*;: (John v. 44. and xn. 43.) burdenfome, We never contrived, intended, or endeavoured to be as the apoftbs of admired, careffed, and applauded, while we were ei- clinft* ther among you, or any other people that we have
miniftred to * ; no, nor did we afTume a high tone of authority, nor feek after the honour of a mainte- nance at your expence, left fome mould have thought it a burdenfome tax upon them, though we might have intifted upon it, as the apoftles of Chrift, and fervants fent forth by him, who faid, The labourer is worthy of hi< hire. (Luke x. 7. fee alfo 2 Cor. chap. ix. and the notes there.)
7 But we were 7 But, on the contrary, we behaved with all hu- gentle among you, mility of mind, modefty, meeknefs, and gentlenefs a- even as a nurfe and ^ fuch felf.denial as mj-ht beft cherifhethher chil- n b J , , r S- . . , f]ren.; ihow our parental care and concern ior your lpiritual
benefit ; even as a tenderly affectionate nurfing mo- ther fuckles her beloved infants, nourimes them in her bofom, bears with their weaknefs and froward- nefs, and does all fhe can for their eafe, help, and comfort.
8 So, being af- 8 We in like manner, being affectionately defirous fe&ionately defi- of your edification and falvation, took great pleafure, rous or you, we not on]y *n communicating unto you the gofpel or have inipar"ed un° the grace of God, and distributing fuitable ' portions to you, not the of it in due feafon to you, as to new-born babes, gofpel of Cod on- irho dejire the fine ere milk of the wordy that ye ly, but^ alfo^ our might grow thereby ; (1 Pet. ii. 2.) but alfo in draw- ing cut our own fouls with companion towards you, (I/a. lviii. 10.) in abundant labours, even to the ex- haufting of our ilrength and fpirits, and chearfully hazarding our lives, which we were ready to lay down for your fakes ; becaufe ye were exceeding dear to us, who have your lpiritual and eternal concerns en- tirely at heart.
0 for ye remem- 9 In proof of this, I need only remind you, my
ber, brethren, our beloved brethren, who cannot have forgot how I,
labour and travel : an^ companions, laid ourfelves out in the moft
for la! - r . .J ,' . r , r , -,
arKl ri. fatiguing and painhu let-vices, while we were among
ould not be you : For ye very well know, that we not only fpent
chargeable unto our ftrength in minillerial labours ; but, when we
any were
NOTE.
* As maintenance is a part of the ho- feek of the Tbe/falonians, or other church- wow/- that is to be paid to minittring fer- es : For his adding, with reference hcre- vants, (fee the note on 1 Tim. v. 17, unto, nvheii ive might have teen burden* iS) it feem* to me, though the word fome, plainly leads our thoughts to his here ufed be diflerent, to be included al- having waved the right of maintenance, fo in the glory, which the apoftle did not which he might have claimed.
own fouls, becaufe ye were dear unto us.
Chap. ii. Thessalonians paraphrafed. 97
any of you, we were not employed in them, we worked early and preached unto you }ate at our fecnlar callings to get our own livelihood, the gotpe 0 0 . be-ng unwjjj,ng to tajce contributions from any of you tor a maintenance, that we might not feem bur- denlonie ; but might preach the golpel of the grace ot God at tree coit, and thereby cut off all occaiions from our adverianes, who would fain reproach us, as though we wanted to make a gain of you. (See the note on I Cor. ix. i.)
10 Ye are wit- 10 We can appeal to your own confeiences to wit- relies, and God a/- nefs for as ^ RS h fe „ of obfer- fo, how hohly, and , ; , ,...,', , jurtly.andunblarn- vm& our deportment ; and, which is ftiU greater, and ably we behaved more abundantly to our fatisfaction, we can folemnly ourl'clves among appeal to the all-feeing and heart- fearching God, you that believe : wj10 knows our principles, motives, and ends, as well
as our external acts, that we exercifed ourlelves in a confeientious difcharge of all the duties of religion toward God, and of righteoufnefs toward men ; and in fuch a fober, humble, benevolent, and inoffenfive manner, in the whole of our converiation, as might belt recommend the good ways of the Lord among you, that were brought to the faith of Chriit by means of our miniflry.
1 1 As you know, 11,12 We not only were careful to fet you a good a^rcomfort^and f"XamPlc' *?7 our own regular behaviour among you ; charged every one DUt> as )*c hkewiie well know, we counfelled, enlreat- ot you, (as a rather ed, and excited every one of you, by all proper argu- dotb his children) nients, to pracxife the like Chriitian-duties that are
ix rhat >e incumbent upon you ; and did all that in us lay to would walk wor- , , r -.
thy of God, who encourage you thereunto, and to comfort you unaer
hath called you all your tribulations ; and we with the greateft ear- umo his kingdom neitn. is teltiried to you, (ux^rv^usvot) in the name of and glory. the ^^ jt(u^ bota pUbiiciy and privately, (Jcis
xx. 20.) with all the authority and affection of a fa- ther to his children, that, ye ought to live in fuch a becoming manner as is fuitable to the holy nature and will of God, and to his high and fpecial favour to- ward you, whom, as appears in its fruits, he effedtu- ally caikd by the gofpel, to partake of all the blefs- ings and honours of his kingdom of grace in this world, and of his kingdom ot glory in the world to come. 13 For this caufe 1 3 And, in reflection on what God has done by u« ink we God among you, we are exceeding thankful to h:.m, blefs-
becaufe' Xn y e "^ and Prailin§ his holy name h om* dallY **&&*
received the woro to nim J becauie, when we were fent to preach the
of God which ye goipei at Thcl/'alonica, ye not only gave us the hear-
yere- 1Ug, which others of that city refuted, (,'lcls xvii.
the* word of°menJ 5'^ but' Upon hearin* our naeflage, your hearts,
but (as it is in "^e Lydia\, (Act;, xvi. 14.) were opened to attend
truth; the word ot to it, and embrace it with reverence, faith, love, and
God, O 2 obediences
98
The Firft Epijlk to the
Chap, ii,
God, which effec- tually worketh al- <b in you that be- lieve.
14 Tor ye, bre- thren, became fol- lower;; ot the churches ot God, which in Judea are in Chrilt Je- fus : for ye alio have luffered like things ot your own countrymen, even as they have ot the Jews:
15 Who both killed the Lord Jefus, and their own prophets, and have perfo uted us; and they jileale not God, and are contrary to all men :
obedience ; and fo ye believed and affe&ionately en- tertained it, not as a human fcheme, or upon the foot of human authority ; but as a revelation from God, (winch it really is) and upon the foot of his authority, as a doctrine, which, not we, but God himfelf, in his infinite wifdom and grace, is the con- triver and author of, and commifiioned us to preach; and which, through his fpecial blefling, works fo powerfully and efficaciously with internal energy, as to produce a happy and holy change in your fenti- rr.ents, principles and views, hearts and lives, who by faith received it, and who have thereby the bed, the moft fatisfying and advantageous demonftration to your own conlciences, that the gofpel itfelf, toge- ther with its wonderful influence upon you, is, and could not but be, entirely of God.
14 The powerful and bltfled effects of this gofpel upon you, my dear brethren in Chrift, are evident, as has been hinted, [cbn/>. i. 6.) in your fo readily receiving it, though attended with fo much outward aflhction : For, from the time of your embracing it with faith and love, ye became imitators, not only of us, the fervants of our Lord, but alio of the church- es, that are gathered in his name, according to his appointment, for religious worfhip in Judea ; and that particularly in their courage and patience under the tribulations which they endure for his fake : For, at the mitigation of furious zealots at T/je//a/on/ca, (Acls xvii. 5, 6.) ye yourfelves alfo have been in- tuited and abufed ; and, with heroic Chriftian firm- nefs of mind, have calmly fubmitted to the fame fort of perfecutions from people of your own country, as thofe churches, for the fame caufe, have chearfully undergone the cruel ufage they met with from the Jev>' in their parts.
15 Who, in the madnefs of their rage, embrued their wicked hands (sJcls ii. 23.) in the blood of the Lord of glory, the Saviour of his people from their fins ; and therein fhewed themfelves to be in fpirit and temper, as well as by defcent, the children of thofe that dealt in the like unnatural and rebellious manner with the ancient prophets, which God had raifed up among them : (Manh. xxiii. 31, 37.) And they Lave carried on this violent penecution with the utmoit feverity againft us, the apoilles and fervants of Chrift, and proiefTois of his name, and particular- ly agamfl myfelf at Tbeffb/onica, and many other
S. And though they pretend to be God's pe- culiar favourites, and that in killing us, as they did and Jamer, (Acls vii. 59, 60. and xii. 2.) doing him good icrvice, i^Jabn xvi. 2.) they
are
Chap. ii. Thessalonians paraphrafed. 99
are really lo far from being accepted of him, or ap- proving thcmlelves to him, that they act din.6r.ly contrary to his merciful and holy nature and will, v lav\ and gotptl ; and are the v orlt of enemies, not
only to Uo, but to the common happinefs of all n an- kiiid, anu particularly ot ihe Gemt/ei, whom they treat with the utmuit indignation, contempt, and fcorn ;
16 Forbidding 16 Doing what in them lies to hinder us, (kajJi tw- os to (peak to the Tm ^^ Lfe mmiticrg til Cnnlt, from preaching the ^gnhi be laved [to Eo1Pc1 to <he j*"*/^ as being envious at their eon- fill up their fins al- verlion, in order to their eternal lalvation ; they ltill way ■ for the wrath ptriiiliug, by divine peimiflion, in their obftinate is come upon them prejudices and oppolition to the Meffiah and his fer- to the uttermoft. yant8j vvherever they come> to h[\ up tht meahne of
their own and their fathers iniquities, (Matib. xxiii. 32.) till God will bear with them no longer, as will loon appear by the awful event : For righteous ven- geance has begun to feize *, and is about to come upon them in the moll dreadful executions, (u$ rtXos) to ccn pkte their ruin, and put an end to their chinch and ftate, without redrels, till the lulneis of the Gentiles be come in. (ho?;/, xi. 25.)
17 But we, bre- 17 But we, dear brethren, v\eie, forely againit thren, being taken our wj|V forced away from you all on a iudden, for from you tor a Ihort n *_ r r t_ • il -n / u 1 1 ^.n . r time, in prcfence, a mort leaion» which will loon be over, like that ot not in heart, en- an hour, (^0? kui^cv #£«§) by realon ot their outrage, deavoured the more who hunted after our blood; (ya^/.r xvii. 5, 10.) lo abundantly to lee t}iat we could no longer continue with iatcty in per- preat defire *** *on aniori§ vou > which went as near our hearts as it
could to the heart of the tendercil dying parents, whether nuifmg mothers, or affectionate fathers, {i>er. 7, 11.} to be tern away from their ■weak, help- lefs, and expoied orphans, (uTro^uncrjmrii) that would dearl) mils them : But our hearts are Hill as much as ever v.ith you; and confidering how we were inatched away from you unawares, and what need ye have of our further counlel, admonitions, cau- tions, and encouragements, to animate and fortify )ou agamlt the dangers that iurround you, we have been the more exceedingly diligent, 2nd have tried ah pof- iible means, with tht me ft affectionate deiire, and earned iolicitude of foul, to get an opportunity of coming to you again, and converting with you lace to face.
18 For NOTE. * The verb, (f?5a<rf) being the firtt cauie, though the deftruclion of that aoriji, is of indeterminate fignification. people, and ot their city and temple, and may, I think, be h; re more proper- were drawing on apace, it was not lolly ly rendered ,s about to come, than is accompmhed, till about twenty yea;?- come, upon them to the uttermoft ; be- afterwards.
'loo The Firji Epiftle to the Chap. ii.
we'wuS*1?™* l8 * F°r WC fain would havc returned to you, come unto you anc* attemPte^ it timQ after time, even I PWefpeci- (even I Paul) once a% \ but Satan, that great adverfary to Chrift and and again- but Su- his gofpel, to us his miniftring fervants, and to your ian hindered us. fouls, cut out work for us in other places, as parti- cularly at Berea and Athens, (Ac~ts xvif. 13, — -'34.) by lowing the feeds of difcord and herefy, and fpirit- ing up a violent oppofition to the truth, which ren- dered it neceffary for us to make a (land againil him and his inftruments, for the vindication of the gof- pel, and eftablifhment of the faints in thefe parts ; and fo he laid fuch ohftacles in our way, to entangle and incumber us, as has hitherto prevented our de- fign of coming to you : But ye may be well allured we are ft ill as mindful of you, and as fincerely and affectionately defirous, as ever, to return to you, if the Lord permit.
19 For what is IO, por vvnat jg t^e c^jef matter of our hope with
O^row^'of rejol- rcfPe<a t0 the haPPY fruit of our miniftry, to animate
cing? «/^note\en us t0 Jt • or what is our chief joy in it r or what the
ye in tue pretence crown of our glorying, as the reward of our labours
of our Lord Jeius at the end of it ? Are not ye in an eminent manner,
Chrift at his com- my dearly beloved, whom, among other converts,
"S * we expect to fee at the right hand of Chrift, and to
prefent as a chafte virgin, to him, (2 Cor. xi. 2.) at
his fecond coming, when he who is our life Jhall
afipemr^ *ti/na ye, together with us, Jljall appear with
him in glory ?■ (Col. iii. 4. f)
20 For ye are 2o For in reflection on what ye already are, through ear glory and joy. grace> and ;n profpea of wha, ye fhall then further
be, by means of our miniftrations to you, ye certainly are at prefent the glory of our miniftry, and the joy of our hearts ; and we doubt not but we mail find you fo to a it ill more exalted degree, at the day "of Chrift; when they that he wife jhall Jhine, as the hrightnefs of the firmament, and they that turn ma- ny to righteoufnefs, as the /Jars for ever end ever. (Daniel xii. 3.)
RECOLLECTIONS.
What a joy of heart is it to the fervants of the Lord Jefus, to be able to appeal to their hearers, and to God himfelf, that they have been courageous, upright, laborious, humble, tender, felf-denying, unblamable, and diiinterelttd. free trom covetoufnefs and vain-glory, in their miniftrations and behaviour, even in the midft of perfections and reproaches for the fake of Chrift, as perfons entrulted with the
go 1 pel, NOTES. * The Alexandrian and Clarcmont f In the like affectionate flow of lan- copies, inllcad of (<f.c) nvlaefore, read guage the apoftle wrote to the lJhiiip- I for 1 and this feems to agree heft pianr, chap. iv. 1. to endear himfelf to with i, • • in profefling the them, as though they, to whom he was
fin< erity 01 his great defire to come and writing, were the only matter of his joy. fee them. (See the note there.)
Chap. iii. Thessalonians paraphrafed. 101
gofpel, and feeking, in difpenfing it, not to pleafe men, but God ; whom they confider as the fearcher of their heart?! With what grateful reflections do they blefs his holy and gracious name, when he crowns their labours with fuccefs ! And how happy is it for the attendants on their miniftry to know, by their own experi- ence, that it has not been unprofitable to them ; but that they have been enabled to receive it with reverence, faith, and love, merely upon the foot of its divine authority, and have felt its powerful operation in their own fouls, to animate them unto all patience in fuffering for Chrift. after the example of the mod celebrated churches, and unto all holy converfation and godlinefs, fuitable to their privileges and obligations, as true believers, whom God has effectually called by tltp to inherit all the blefllngs and honours of his kin^don of jrace here, and of slyry hereafter ! Alas ! how dcfperately malignant againft Chrift, and his fervants and difciples, is a fpirit of penecution ! It is a direct; iraitat'on ot the ^reat adverfary the devil, and promotes his intereft and defigns, under his wicked influence : it fills up the meafure of their iniquities, who perfift in the practice of it ; and ripens them for deftruction, till wrath comes upon them to the uttermoft. But with what parental tendernefs do faithful paftor« lymuathize with their flocks in their tribula- tions ! How gladly would they vifit. affift, encourage, and comfort them under their trials, as opportunity offers ! And with what flowing affection do they think of the dear feals of their miniftry, as their glory and joy, and as thofe whom they truft the Lord Jefus Chrift will publicly own, as the crown of their rejoicing, when he fhall come to judge the world at the laft day.
CHAP. III.
The apoflle gives Jill further proof of his great affection to them, in his having fent Timothy to eflabli/h and comfort them, i, — 5. In his rejoicing at the good tidings of their faith and love, 6, — 9. And in his praying for an opportunity of returning to them, and for their perfeverance and increafe in grace, till the fecond coming ofChrij}, 10,-13.
Text. Paraphrase.
\\rHerefore,when qQ great was the folicitude of my mind about you,
we cou. yj ag y0Un~ converts in the perilous circumilances in
longer forbear, we . { ^ c v .
thoup-ht it good to which 1 was iorced, all or a iudden, to leave you, that be left at Athens when, upon my arriving at Athens, (Afts xvii. 15.) alone : and meeting with various difappointments of my
fcheme for returning- to you, I grew more uneafy in my concern for you, than I well knew how any lon- ger to bear, or conceal from you ; (a4j5«st< <?iyovn<;) * I rather chofe to be left there alone, to ftrnggle with the many difficulties I had to encounter, in difputes with the Jews, and with the Epicurean and Stoic philofophers, {Acls xvii. 17, 18.) than to remain un- certain NOTE. * Though Silvanus or Silas and TV- falonica; (fee the note on Acls xviii. 5.) tnothy were with the apoltle Paul at and though he'ftill fpnaks ;n the plural Corinth when he wrote this ep^ftle from number, he had iiven notice, chap. ii. thence, chap. i. 1. yet Silas feems not iS that what he was fay in?, in a way to have been with him wh'le he was of con tern for them, and defire ot feeing at Athens; and fo he was alone after he them, related in a peculiar manner to had fent Timothy from thence to The/- himfelf.
I3J The Firji Epifih to the Chap. iii.
certain about the ftate of your affairs, or neglect any- thing that might contribute to your help. z And fent Ti- 2 ^nd therefore, though T much needed the com- .-. our bro- , „.„ f iff it--; i
tber and minifter Pany and al»itance or the dear Timothy, who was I our then-, and "ight have been very ufeful to me, and is rer in indeed mv a ff«. ft ion ate brother, and a faithful miniilring Chrift, ferrant after God's own heart, commiflioned by his and to comfort^ authorIty> an<? rIchly endowed with gifts and graces, concerning your to promote his caufe and kingdom in the world, and £tith ; is a laborious copartner with me in the work of
preaching that hleffed gofpel of falvation, which has Chrift for its author and principal fubjerrt ; yet, for your Jakes, I chearfully parted with that excellent young evangelift, and difpatched him to you, that he might know how matters go with you ; (ver. 5.) and tint, fupplving my place, he might labour to ftrengthen and confirm your faith in Chrift, and in the great doctrines of the gofpel, and ('rx^u,KxXi<rxi) might exhort ypu to hold them fart, and help to re- vive a fweet fenfe in your fouls of the glorious advan- tages and delights that will refult from your faith, e- ven in this world, and much more in the world to come.
3 That no man 3 That fo none of you might be dimeartened, or fliould be moved ftaggered, at the perfections, which both yourfelves by thele afflictions: ', .1 • -a r oi *a u j j c u- rJ ,11 and we, the mimlters or Can It, have endured tor his for yourielvesknovv ' '
that we are an- *a^e : And ye ought not to be diieouraged or lhaken pointed, thereunto, in mind on this account ; for as the worft, as well as the bell, that is to be expected from your faithful ad- herence to Chrift, has been fet before you, ye cannot but know, that God, in his eternal, infinitely wife, and holy counfels, has appointed us, the fervants and difeiples of Jefus, to fufferings for his fake, as well as to be partakers of his glory. (1 Pet. ii. 12, 13.)
4 For verily when 4 For even when I and my fellow-labourers were we were with you, prefent wJth you*, we warned you before-hand to that we foouldfuf- PrePare for tne worft, that as all that will live god- fer tribulation : el (f in thrift Jefus frail fujfer perfecution, and muj} ven as it came to through mt/ch tribulation enter into the kingdom of pais, and ye know. God ; (2 Tim. iii. 12. Ads iv. 14, 22.) fo we fhould
certainly have our (hare in the common lot ; and ac- cordingly, as ye may well remember, it foon afterward proved in the event ; ye yourfelves having experi- enced it, and been eye-witnt'flVs of the ftorm that fell upon us at Thcjfalonica. (Ads xvi. 5, <h'c.)
5 When NOTE. * By this time both Silas and Tirtio- Tbcflalonira, when they were there with thy were come to the anoftle ;it Con/ith, him. and fo may be underftood to in- as appears from Acts xviii. r. 5. compa- elude them with himrelf in what- he red with the inlVription of this epifHe ; fpeak< in the plural number in this, and, and he here refers to what had paft at moftly at kaft, in forae following verfes.
Chap. iii. Thessalonians parapbrafed.
5 For this caufe, when I could no longer forbear, I Knt to know your faith, left by tome means the tempter have tempted you, and our labour be in vain.
6 But now when Timotheus came from you unto us, and brought us good tidings of your faith and cha- rity, and that ye have good remem- brance of us al- ways, defiring greatly to fee us, us we alio to fee you •
7 Therefore, bre- thren, we were comforted over you in all our affliction and diftrel's by your faith :
8 For now we live, if ve (land fdft in the Lord.
Vol. V.
103
5 When therefore, as was faid before, (ver. I, 2.) I could no longer bear the anxiety of my mind con- cerning you, on account of the d'ffijult and trying cir- cumltances in which I was forced to leave you, I lent the beloved and faithful Timothy to fee how it fares with your faith ; having a god/y jealoufy over you, (2 Cor. xi. 2.) left by the violence of perfecutions, and fubtle intrigues of falfe teachers, and by inward fuggeftions, or any other means, that malicious, art- ful, and bufy adverfary, the devil, might have thrown temptations in your way, to turn you back from. Chrift and the gofpel ; and fo all the hopeful pains, we had taken for your conversion, mould have pro- ved to be ineffectual, and the promiling appearances mould have come to nothing, at lead as to fome of you, directly contrary to our llrong perfuafion in the judgment of chanty, founded upon vifible effects, (cha/>. i. 4, 5. fee the note there) that ye really were the beloved and chofen of God to eternal falvation.
6 But now my former good hopes concerning you are abundantly confirmed. When our dear brother Timothy lately returned from you to us at Corinth, (Ads xviii. 5. fee the note there) he gave us the molt agreeable and fatisfaclory account, that, not- withstanding all your trials and dangers, ye continue ftedfaft in the faith of the gofpel, and, as a proof of its fincerity, in your love to Chrift, and- to his ordinan- ces and ways, to one another, and to all his faithful fcrvants ; and particularly that ye retain an affection- ate remembrance of us in your daily prayers, and a lively fenfe of the excellent doctrines we preached, and are often fpeaking of our perfons and miniftry with eftcem and honour ; and that, in reflection on the benefit ye received by our former labours among vou, ye are earneftly deiirous of feeing us again, as X have affurcd you, {chap. ii. 17.) we alfo are to fee and be further affiftant to you.
7 Having therefore, beloved brethren, received thefe good tilings of your fteady perfeverance in the faith of Chrift; and of its genuine fruits, our rejoi- cing on your account entirely removed all the painful anxiety about you, that before diftreffed our minds ; (ver. 5.) and was a reviving cordial to us under all the troubles that we have been expofed to here for the gofpel's fake, (A&s xviii. 1, — 18.)
8 For whatsoever were our difficulties here, and our dejections and folieitude concerning yon before, which were like death to us, we are now alive and comfortable in our own fouls, and go on chearfully in our work ; lince (-xv) ye continue ftedfaft in your adherence to the Lord fclus, and hold fa jl the t>ro~
P feffion
104 The Firft Epijlle to the Chap. iii.
feffion of your faith without wavering; (Heb. x. 25.) we having no greater joy than to find that ye9 our fpiritual children, walk in the truth. (3 John ver. 3, 4.)
9 For what 9 For confidering the happy ftatc of your affairs, thanks can we ren- How can we ever be thankful enough, in frefh re- der to God again turns of gratitude and praife to our God for Wg tor you, tor all the . n ° . r , _ . . '
ioy wherewith we grac^ bellowed upon you, and lor giving us hearts to joy tor your lakes rejoice fo exceedingly in it : This we fincerely do, as before our God ; in his fight and prefence, who knows that we are greatly affected in every reflection upon it, and when- ever we appear before him in our folemn devotions.
10 Night and io So near do ye lie to our hearts, that in our fta-
day praying ex- ted* addreffes to God every evening and morning, (fee ceedmgly that we the nQtc Qn 2 y^ {> a and ^ ^ Qther feafons of mi^ht fee your tare, .... J ' . .
and might perfect approaching him, our prayers are carried out to an that which is lack- extraordinary degree of importunity and fervour, (v- ing in your faith? ^ iK7rt£tGvs) that, if it be his bleffed will, we might have an opportunity of making you a vifit once a- gain ; and of being farther inftrumental, in his hand, for giving you a complete view of the doftrines of faith, which we could not do while we were with you, by reafon of our being driven away from you before we were aware ; {Atls xvii. 10.) and for efta- blifliing, fettling, and further building you up in your moft holy faith, and helping you againil all the de- fects, which, as to its extent, clearnefs, and lively exercife, ftill attend that, and every other grace ; as there will be fomething of this kind of defect, in both thefe confederations of it, not only in young, though growing converts, but even in the moft advanced Chriftians upon earth.
11 Now God 11 Now, in order to your help herein, we ftill himfelf and our continue to be importunate in our prayers, that God Father and our hJmf Jf whofe kingdom rules over all, and who is Lord Jefiis Chrift, ' e . ■-, , j-r-.i 1 *u .. direct our way un- Yom anc* our covenant Ood and rather; and that to you. our Lord and Saviour Jefus Chrift, who, in his office- capacity, is head over all things to the chwch, (Ephef. i. 22.) would pleafe to order, by an over- ruling providence, that our way may be made plain, and our courfe may be foon directed, as it were in a ftraight line to you, (Kxnv^vvui) free from all the difficulties and avocations, that have hitherto ob- ftru&ed it.
12 And the Lord I2 And as we know that all the fuccefs of our rnrkc- you to in- ben. JehVns and endeavours deDend entirely on the ere :fe anil abound .. . . ^^ , , , , .- * , ti . in love one towards dlvlne bkffing, our heart's defire and prayer is, that, another, and to- whether we be permitted to come to you, or not, wards all men, e- the Lord jefus, who is a head of influence, as well ven as we do to- as 0f government, would enable you by his Spirit wards you : ^ ^^ aj^ mQre {Q gV0Wf and increafe to an over- flowing
Chap. iii. Thessalonians paraphrafed. 105
flowing in your affectionate Chriftian love *, and in its abounding fruits and effects, by all manner of means, one towards another, as members of the fame church, and of the body of Chrift, and as children of the fame heavenly Father ; and towards all the faints in general, of what denomination foever they be ; and even in all good will towards all men, of e- very character, with as much fincerity and abound- ings therein, as our affection does toward you. 13 To the end 1 3 To the end that, in this way and manner, he he may ftablifli may ftrengthen, fettle, and confirm your whole louls your hearts un- m everv grace, and in the doctrine of the gofpel ; blameable in holi- j7fer li 1 r • j I
nefs before God e- and may Pre*erve vou blamelels in every good word ven our Father,' at an<i work, and in all holy converfation, to fuch a the coming of our degree, as is at prefent well pleaiing in the eyes of Lord Jelus Chnft fa^ infinitely pure and all- feeing God, even our re- with all his faints. conciled God and Father, and as mail continue un- til, and iffue in your being prefented holy, and un- blameable, and unreproveable in his fight, (Col. i. 22.) at the fecond- appearance of our Lord and Sa- viour Jefus Chrift, who will come to judge the world, with a bright retinue of all his glorified faints and holy angels, at the laft day. (Chap. iv. 16, 17. 2 The/, i. 7, 10. and Jude, ver. 14.)
RECOLLECTIONS. What an amiable example to gofpel-minifters has the great apoftle fet in his warm affection to, and folicitous concern for the church ! They, like him, ought to demonftrate their love to, and ufe all means for the eftablilhment and comfort of the fouls that are under their watch and care; and for taking off difcourage- ments that might arife from the harcilhips for the fake of the gofpel, which God, in his wife and holy counfels and providence, has allotted to them, and given them reafon to expect: And, ah! what a touching and painful grief of heart is it to tender and faithful paftors to be afraid, iett, through the fubtilty and violence of Satan and his emiffaries, profeffors, of whom they have hoped well, fhould'mifcar- ry, and all the labour that had been ipent upon them lhould come to nothing \ But O 1 the joy that fprings up in their fouls, and adds a relifh to life ltfelr, when they find that their dearly beloved charge continue ltedfaft in the faith, and that their faith works by love to Chriit and one another, and to his miniftring fervants, efpecially to fuch of them as have been inftruments of their converfion ; and that it fpreads with a benevolent temper towards all mankind, as fuch ! How does their knowledge of this engage their thankfulnefs to God, and animate them to go on with cheaifulnefs and joy in all their fervices and fullering* ; and to contribute, what in them lies, for the further eftablilhment of their flocks in faith and loye. and for perfecting all which concerns them, that 'they may be unbbmeable in holfnefs in the fight of God, until, and in the day of Chrift ! For this they have a longing defire to fee them, and be further helpful to them ; for this they labour, whe- ther preient or ablent, looking up to God to direct their .way ; and for this they continually pray to the God ot all grace, as their God and irather in Chrift, and to
P 2 the
NOTE. * The apoftle's praying that the Lord did already live in the practice of it; and would make them to increafe and abound he tberr exprefiiy obterves, to their com- in love one towards another^ and h:s be- mendation. that they did it towards all feeching them to increafe mere and more the brethren, which were in all Mace- therein, chap. iv. 10. iuppole that they donia.
io6
The F'rji Epijlle to the
Chap. iv«
the Lord Jefus, as their great and only Head and Mediator, who will certainly ap. pear a fecond time to the (aWation ot -ill the faints. And may it be our chief con- cern, and happy lot, to be found among them whom he will gather together to bs glorified with him at the lall day '.
CHAP.
IV.
The apoflle exhorts the ThefFalonians to chafity and holinefr in their lives, i, — 8. To brotherly love, a peaceable behaviour, and dili- gence in their Jecular callings, 9, — 12. slnd to moderate their grief for the death of godly relations and fiends, in confideration of the glorious refun eclion of their bodies at Chrifrs fecond com- ing ; jrom which time forwards all the faints, that may then be dead, or living upon the earth, fhall be ever with the Lord,
Text.
TTUrthermorethen we befeech you, brethren, and ex- hort you by the Lord [efus. that as ye have received or uc how ye ought to walk, and ro pleafe God, lb ye would abound
more and more.
z Tor ye know -.;•'. at command- poems we gave yuu by the Loid Jems.
3 For this is the Till of God, eien your ianclification, that ye fl.-ould ah- itain irom fornica- tion :
Paraphrase. TN order to your being eit.iblifhed in holinefs at the ■*■ coming of our Lord Jefus Chrift with all the faints, (chap. iii. 13.) it remains then, (to Ao<ttov av) my dearly beloved brethren, that we with all tendernefs and affection entreat you, and with all au- thority in the name, for the fake, and in the Head of our Lord and Saviour, injoin and excite you, that, as ye have had directions and commands from us, under the infpiration of his Spirit, relating to the manner in which ye ought to order the whole courje of your religious and moral converfation, in all well- pleafingnefs to God, through Chrift ; and that, as yc have, generally fpeaking, attended to our exhorta- tions, and put them into practice hitherto ; fo ye would labour, by divine grace, to improve and excel therein every day yet more and more.
2 For ye well know, and cannot but remember, what holy precepts we delivered to you, when we were with you, as the rule of your behaviour in all things ; and with what folemn and evangelical argu- ments we enforctd, and bound them upon your con- ferences, by the immediate authority of the exalted Lord and Saviour of his body, the church.
3 For, as ye have often heard from us, who have preached moral duties, as well as, and upon the foun- dation of evangelical doctrines, this is the ordaining, approving, and preceptive will of God, yea, is what he intended in bellowing his grace upon you, name- ly, that, encouraged by the promifes of his covenant,
ye clean fc your 'elves from all flthintjs vfflefh and
fpiril , perfeBing holinefs in bis fear 1 (2 Cor. vii.
1.) And particularly, that ye carefully avoid, and
keep at the remoteft diftance from fiovple fornication,
and
Chap. iv. Thessalonians paraphrafed. 107
and all manner of uncleannefs, (fee the note on I Cor. v. 1.) in thought, word, and deed, and from every thing that tends towards, or might he an en- ticement to that fin, which the Gent lit -converts efpc- cially among you may have been moll guilty or, in the days of their unregeneracy, and may be it ill too much in danger of being drawn into, through the temptations that f unround them from their old ac- quaintance.
4 That every 4 ln oppofition thereunto, it is plainly the will of
knovfhow tT of God» that aU and eVtTy °ne °f y°U' "'hcthc\Jewl/h
feft \» ^cffeWri or Oenti/e-bdicvtrSy mould know by the gofpel, and
fandification and our minittry of it, his indifpenfable obligation to, and
honour; in what manner, and by what motives, means, and
afliltances from above, he may occupy and make
ufe of his body *, which is the receptacle ot the
foul, with temperance, chaility, and purity, and
with honour to God, to human nature, to the Chrif-
tian character, and to the relation which the bodies
of the faints bear to the Holy Ghoft, as his temple.
(See 1 Cor. vi. 18, 19, 20.)
5 Not in the luft 5 The Chriftian therefore is by no means to in- of concupifcei.ee, dulge, or give wav to any gratification of defiling even as the Gen- J? ' ° . ' , . ;,. & . . , -f tiles which know paiiions, appetites, and inclinations, that work with not God: fenfual defire after unlawful embraces of any kind;
fuch as are practifed by the idolatrous heathens, that are ftrangers to the knowledge of the only living and true God, and are notoriously infamous for the vileit abominations. [Rom. i. 24, — 28.)
6 That no man 6 We furthermore befecch and exhort you, in the
!:d rie" name of Chriit, that none of you ever dare, by any fraud his brother m «• ,.n r ' c , , r „
any mailer: be- means> to a& a dilhoneft part or what nature loever,
caufe that the Lord much lefs to tranfgrefs in this matter, lb as, through
is the avenger ot vicious inclinations, to break in upon the matrimonial
all ruch, as we al- bon<jf by going into fuch a criminal conversion with
"aSj3ESd the wIfe of any one thrit may be called a brother .+ in
a religious fenfe, or even as a member of civil feciety, and partaker of human nature, as would be an injury to him, and a violation of her chaility : For whore mongers and adulterers God will judge, (Heb. xiii. 4.) fo as to execute dreadful vengeance, in a way of
juft NOTES. * His vejfel may be fuppofed to figni- bis brother relates not, chiefly , at lecft, fy his wife, who is called the iveaker to what we call moral bonejly, but to "JeJ[el; (1 Pet. hi. 7.) but it feems moie violating the right and property that a agreeable to the manner of the apoftle's man has in his wife by invading his arguing here againft fimple fornication, peculiar claim to her: This makes it to underrtand it of his own body, which all of a piece with the foregoing and tol- ls fpoken of as a vejel, 1 Sam. xxi. 5. lowing context ; and, perhaps, here may and 2 Cor. ii. 6. be lorae reference to the unnatural fin
t It is, I think, juftly obferved by between man and man, which was prac- fome, that going beyond and defrauding tiled among the Gentiles, Rom. i. 26, 27.
io3 The Firft Epijlle to the Chap, ivj
juft retribution, upon all perfons that allow themfelvcs in fuch wicked practices, as we likewife formerly in our minitt rations to, and converfes with you, have fe- rioufly forewarned you of it, and bore witnefs againft this fin, as abominable in his light. 7 For God hath 7 For the infinitely holy God, in calling us by his not called ui unto gofpcI and his tQ the kncnvledp-e and feUow(hip
uncleannels, but °r 1 r PI "rt t 1 / r r j r ■
unto holinefs. ot Jetus ^nnlt our -Lord, was lo far from deiigning
to allow us to live in any iniquity, which is the de- filement of our nature, or in any fort of uncleannefs ; that, on the contrary, he has thereby laid us under the higheit obligations* and enforced them by addi- tional motives, to be challe and holy, in all manner of conversation, and without blame, before him in love. S He therefore 8 Whofoever therefore he be, that rejc&s thefe
pifeth. de- admonitions and commands, or treats them with ne- ipileth not man, , ^ , , 9 . n. .
but God, who hath &let| and contempt, does not therein put a flight up- vt n unto us on the authority of men, as not to be regarded ; but his holy Spirit. in reality defpiies, and reje&s the authority of the
great God himfelf, as delivering them by us, his in- fpired ftrrvants ; even of that God, who hath alfo gi- ven to us his Holy Spirit, to fpeak in and by us; and fo has given a divine fan&ion to what we fay from him ; * yea, who hath given his enlightning and lar.Ctifying Spirit to all of us, who are true believers, to dirtcit and engage a ready compliance with every duty that he enjoins upon us.
9 But as touch- 9 But as to the great duty of love, which ftands in ing brotheily love d;fca oppofition to the fore-mentioned vices, and ye need not tnat I ;. , . r • 1 1 write unto you: wn,c'1 ye m a ipecial manner owe to one another, as for ye yourfelves brethren in the faith, hope, holinefs, and bleflings of are taught of God the gofpel, I need not inculcate this upon you, as J£e °re an0" though ye were backward to it : For ye yourfelves,
as Christians, have fuch a lively fenfe of your obliga- tion to it, and fuch ftrong difpofitions for it, by the teachings of God's word and Spirit, as to know, from fvvect experience, what this cordial affection to- ward fellow-Chriitians means, as I have already fup- pofed in my prayers, that ye may increafe and a- bound in it. (See the note on chap. iii. 12.)
10 And indeed IO And I am well fatisfied that, by the grace of
lu *u ' 1 s God, ye are inclined rmd enabled to pra&ife this a-
ail the brethren, . , . J . r.
which are in all miable and important duty, as eminently appears in
Macedonia, but your exemplary temper and behaviour, not only to-
we befeech you, ward the members of your own church, but even to
brethren, that ye all r Chriilian brethren in the faith and fellowfhip
increafe ' V
N O T E.
* Who bath given to us hit Holy unto uncleannefs, but vnto holinefs;
Spirit, may refer either to the apoJUev, (ver. 7.) accordingly fome ancient copies
by whom God delivered thefe precepts, read unto you. •r to believers, whom he has called not
Chap. iv. Thessalonians paraphrafed. 109
increafe more and of the gofpel, all around you, in the various church- more* es that are planted throughout the province of Ma-
cedonia ; fo that nothing remains for me to do on this head, but only to excite and encourage you, my dear brethren, to perfevere and excel yet more and more in your fervour therein, and in every faitable demon- stration of it, as there may be It ill further occafions for its exercife, and that with itill wider extent, in all other places, and particularly toward your Jewi/b brethren, the poor faints at Jenifalem. (2 Cor. viii. I, — 4. See the notes there.)
11 And that ye 1 1 And to this I would add my earned entreaties, ftudy to be quiet, that all wouM ftudl'ouflv endeavour to (how a ho- and tn do your own , y , ... , J , „ bufmefs, and to v ambition, and .eager concern {Qttortpeto&iu) to work with your behave with a meek and peaceable temper, and not own hands, (as we officioufly and needlefsly intrude into other people's commanded you,) affa;rs> and create disturbances, either in private fa- milies, or the neighbourhood, or in the church or itate; and that ye would attend to the duties of your own refpe&ivc ftations, and perfonal concerns, and labour diligently in the bufmefs of your fecular call- ing *, that, as occafions require, your own!hands may be induitrioufly employed in providing for yourfelves and families, and for fuch good things of this life as may enable you to give to them that need your af- fiftance, ( Eph. iv. 2 3.) according to the orders, which we, the apoftles and minillers of Chrift, gave you to that purpofe, when we were with you; which we alfo recommended by our own example. (See 2 The/, iii. 7, 10.)
12 That ye may I2 My great deiign in prefiing diligence in your walk honettly to- honeft cajllngs [s that e ma adorn fhe doBrine Qf ward them that ^ , o ■ • 11 1 • trr%> •• a . are without, and ^°d our baviour tn alt things, (litusn. 10.) and
that ye may have may live (ivo-^/^ovaq) in fuch an upright, faithful, lack of nothing. decent, and becoming manner, towards all men, as mall take off prejudices from the minds of thofe that are out of the pale of the church, and even of ene- mies to Chriftianity, who would gladly catch at any opportunity of reproaching it, as if it made its con- verts an idle and worthlefs fort of people, rather a burden and fcandal, than a benefit and honour to the
community; NOTE. * To work ivith their oav/i hand! deteitable vice, as it is a difhonourable was necefftry tor thofe among them waiie or" our time and talent;, renders whole circumstances called tor it. anil us u'elefs in the world, expofes "o ma- had a particular refpedT: to the lower ny temptations, and defeats everv va- ranks of people, whom that tradihgei- livable end of living: and the flothful is ty were to be employed in manufac- called a wicked and unprofitable fer- tures; but it may be can led into a ge- -cant, that jhaH be ca/l into utter dar%- ceral rule for diligence in difcharzing nefs, -vherejfjall be nveephig a?id gna/b- the duties of every ftation, in fuch a way ing of teeth. (Matth. xxv. 26, 3c.) as is luitabie to it: fince idlenefs is a
i io The Fir/t Epjftie to the Chap. iv.
community ; and that, inftead of being beholden to
the- charity of others, ye may have a fufficiency of
all needful things to fupply your own wants.
*3 But r would r^ B„t to fortify and comfort you, my dear bre-
e you to he th ^ thfi {nvld{om and fevere cenfures of
t, brethren, « .*- b , . .11 • -r j ^ •/
concerning them jewi/o zealots, as though no uncircumciied Gentile
, can be admitted to the kingdom of heaven * ; and to
that >e toriow not, caution you againft fueh exceffive lamentations over
even as others the ^e^ ag afe ^^ amon„ the heathens, and as
which have no ^ . , > . ...... , . , ., , , ~ . v T
b0pei (.rod has forbidden to his children, [Dent. iv. 1.) I
am much concerned that yc mould know, and be well fatisfied about, the happinefs of thofe of your pi- ous relations and acquaintance in another world, who died in the faith of Chrift, and whofe bodies are gone to reft in the grave, as perfons fallen afleep to awake again, (fee the note on 1 Cor. xi. 30.) that ye may not grieve and mourn over the lofs'of them, as your heathen neighbours do over their departed friends, concerning whom they have no hope of their ever rifing again to eternal life: But there is no room for your entertaining fuch a melancholy thought, with refpedi. to deceafed believers in Chrift :
14 For if we be- 14 For if we are really and firmly perfuaded, up- iieve rtjatjfcfirt di- on cjear ev;dence) as all true Chriftians are, that the esen fo them^alfo onty Saviour of them that believe in him, whether which deep In Je- they be Jews or Gentiles, actually died to expiate fus'will God bring their lins, and r^ a$ain for their jujrif cation, and
im- as the jirjl-fruits of them that Jleep in him; (Rom.
iv. 25. and I Cor. xv. 20.) we mult needs alfo be fully fatisfied upon this ground, that God, (£<# tk hrv) through the power of the death, and the vir- tue of the refurre&ion of Jefus, will quicken them, that fleep in union with him, (ver. 16.) to an im- mortal and glorious life ; and will gather them toge- ther with him, as members with their head, at his fecond coming, when he who is their life [hall ap- pear, and they Jhall appear with him in glory. (Col. iii. 4.)
15 for this we j^. For, to lead you into fomething (till further, vro you by tj)at ag t are entjrc]y unacquainted with; we, Mil ot the . . . ;. . J . , * n I ■
that we ",s i»»pired lervants, declare unto you, not of our
ate alive, own head, but by the infallible word of the Lord Je- fus, which he has communicated to us by immediate tlie revelation,
NOTE. * In thofe days there were Jezt>i/b whom thev looked upon a1? loft for ever, /.. .-lots that pretended to exclude all and efpecially with refpect to the body. Hire happinefs that were not of the rei'umcTlion of which none of them their own nation, or incorporated with had any notion of; and as the apoftle them by being circumciled ; and the i- might have his eye upon both thefe ca- dolatrous heathens went into excefllve fes, to guard againft them, they are re- Lou lings and mournings over their dead, feircd to in the paraphrafe.
Chap. iv. Thessalonians paraphrafed. nr
the coming of the revelation, with authority to publilh it to others *, Lord, (hall not pre- tnat> conlidering the whole church, as one collective are aileeo ' body, *n tne prefent, and all fucceeding generations, to
the end of the world; whoever they be of us that are to be reckoned to this body, as member? of it, and fhill be living and left in the church militant here up- on earth, until the time of ChrilVs coming again in all his glory, we (hall not anticipate, much lefs pre- vent, the refurre&ion of the bodies of thofe fainta that will then be deeping in their graves. \6 For the Lord 1 6 For, at that important day, the Lord Jefug himfeli (hall de- himfelf will, in his human nature, as vilibly defcend fcend from heaven from heaven, in a cloud of glory, like the ancient with a lhout, with 01 i • r i • r cl- i r j 1
the voice of the bhecbmai as,, alter his relurrection, he aicended up
archangel, and to heaven with a retinue of angels furrounding him ; with the trump ( A8s i. 9, 11. fee the paraphrafe there) and he will *f ?0dpi ^t^m this with an awful luminous, {& Kitewftcvri) which
rife firft - m * ^ ma^ De uttered with great folemnity, as with a loud voice of the chief of all the angels, the reft attending him, (Mat. xxv. 31.) and with the exceeding loud- er voice of the great God our Saviour, Chrift him- felf, as though given forth with the found of a trum- pet, like that which was heard on Mount Sinai at the publication of the lawf, and like what was of- ten ufed for gathering folemn affemblies together ; (Exod. xix. 16. Jer. iv. 5. and Joel ii. 15.) and
then NOTES. * To fuppofe that the apoftle thought, as well as prefent time. In this manner and fut'gefted, as if any of the then pre- the apoltle fpeaks on this very fubjecT, lent age would live upon earth, till the faying, Behold, I Jheiv you a my/levy, time of Chrift's fecond coming to judg- we fball not all Jleep ; but we Jhatt ment, is to overthrow all dependence all be changed ; the dead /l>all be faifed upon his authority and infpirarion, when incorruptible, and wefjall be changed ; he tells us that what he here faid was (1 Cor. xv. 51, 52. fee the note there.) by the word of the Lord ; and it is evi- And in common language among our- dent that as he often fpake or his own lelvec, when we fpeak of a nation, or death, fo he expected a rei'urreclion to any company of which we are a p;rt, eternal lire, together with the believers ve often fay we fhall be very happy, or of that generation, 2 Cor. i v. 14. and v. miferable, whenever fuch and fuch events 1, — 4. and Phil. iii. io, ir.: And in come to pafs, whether we may ever live his id epiftle to the TheJJalonians. chap, to fee them or not.
ii. 1, — 3. he fets himfelf to confute the f As the trump of God feems moft notion of thofe that fuggefted, through immediately to allude to the voice of a miflake of his meaning in what he the trumpet exceeding loud, wiien tht here had faid, as if the fecond coming of Lord or Jehovah (which I take, with Chrift were then at hand ; and he re- feveral learned divines, to mem the Son minds them of what he had told them of God') delivered the law at mount Si- to the contrary, when he was with nai ; (lee the note on Arts vii 3S ) (o them, which was before he wrote ei- the trump of God, which is not to be un- ther of his epiltles to them. But as be-, derftood in a literal fenfe, may ppflibly lievers of all ages and nations make up fignify the voice ofChri/l. which he fays but one collective body, church, or all that are in their graves /hall hear, houfhoM of faith, all that belong to and /7jall com- forth, they that have that body may, with propriety enough, done good to the refurreclron of life, and ipeak of themfelves, as parts of it in the they that have done evil to the refurrec* firil perfon plural, relating to the future, tioii of damnation. (John v. 28. 29) Vol. V. CL
H2 The Firft Epijlk to the Chap. iv.
then the bodies of thofe that died in a ftate of federal
and vital union with Chriit, fhall be quickned to a
glorious immortality, not only before the wicked (hall
be railed, but even before the faints, that may then
be alive on earth, (hall be brought together with him.
[ver. 14.)
17 Then we 17 Then, after the refurrection of departed be-
which are alive, Severs to eternal life, thofe of us that are of this ho-
and remain, (hall 1 cornmunity, and belong to Chrift's myilical body,
be caught up to- '. . }? . . ° / . /»
gcther with them or his true church, and may be found living, and
in the clouds, to dwelling with that part of it, which fhall continue up-
meet the Lord in on earth till that day, mall undergo a refining change,
fhall te eve? be (' C°r' XV* 31') and be raIfed UP b? his almIghtY with the Lord. power to afcend, as one body with our fellow-mem- bers, that fhall awake from thtlrfeep in the duji of the earth, to everlajiing life; (Dan. xii. 2.) and we with them (hall be carried up by a divine rapture in the clouds of glory, in which he will then appear, that all of us together may have a happy meeting with our dear Lord in the regions of the air, never to part again * : And being then owned and acquitted by him, and adjudged, as the blefled of his Father, to inherit the kingdom prepared for us from the foun- dation of the world, (Mat. xxv. 34.) we mail thence- forward be, in foul and body to all eternity, with the Lord Jefus himfelf, to abide in his immediate prefence, where he isy to behold his glory. (John xvii. 24.) 1 3 Wherefore, Tg Let thefe confiderations therefore, taken from
th^'witT thefe the WOrd °f the L°rd' comfort y°ur hearts> with re" words. fpe& to the happy condition of your departed Chrif-
tian-friends, and with refpect to the joyful meeting which ye fhall have with them in the prefence of Chriil at In's coming ; and let thefe things be the dai- ly fubjecl: of your difcourfe one with another, for your mutual comfort, and the excitation of each other (na- £xxccXtiTB aXtoXxs) to a compofed, refigned, and chear- ful frame of fpirit, under all your prefent trials, and particularly under the lofs of fuch as fleep in Jefus, how near and dear foever they were to you ; and un- der every profpeft of your own approaching diffolu- tion.
RECOLLECTIONS.
How concerned fhould Chriftians be to increafe and abound every day yet more and more, in all holinefs of heart and life, according to the will of God, and as
may NOTE.
* It is very probable that Chrift's feat merable multitude of the righteous and of judgment will be in the air ; firwe he the wicked, from the beginning to the is (0 often fpoken of as appearing in the end of the world, to appear before his clouds, and in the clouds of heaven, and throne; and the wicked cannot be fup- no place of this e-uth can fcarce be pofed to be fummoned before it in hea- thought capacious enough for the innu- ven.
Chap. v. Thessalonians parapbrafed. 113
may be moft pleafing in his fight '. And how watchful ought they to be againft, and abhorrent of all fenfuality, and impurity of every kind, as knowing that God hath called them, not to uncleannefs, but unto holinefs, and will execute righ- teous vengeance upon all the workers of iniquity ! Whoever neglecls, or defpifes the commandments which his fervants deliver by the authority or the Lord Jefus, according to his infpired word, throws contempt, not upon man only, but upon God himielf. How amiable is that brotherly love, which true believers are taught of God by his word and Spirit to cherifli, and exercife one towards another, together with fuch a peaceable and quiet temper, as difpofes and influences them, not to intrude into affairs that do not belong to them, but to be diligent in attend- ing to the duties of their own Itations. that they may get an honourable liveli- hood, and fupport the credit of religion among its enemies, and prevent occafions of their reproaching it, as though it encouraged idlenefs '. — As our Chriihan friends, and we ourfelves, muft die, either in the ordinary courle of nature, or by a violent death, how comfortable is it, and relieving to our forrows, when any of them are taken from us, to be well fatisried that they deep in Jefus, and fhall rife again to eternal life ; and that we fhall meet them again, when God will bring them and us to be glorified with him ! O reviving thought ! that as foon as the dead in Chrift fhall be railed' from their graves, the reft of the faints, that fhall be living upon earth at his fecond glorious coming, fhall, by the wonderful operation of divine power, pais under a refining change of their mortal bodies into an im- mortal frame ; fhall be caught up, together with rifen faints, to meet their Lord in the illuftrious cloud, where he will appear in the air ; and from thenceforth, all together, as one body, fliall, in their whole perfons, dwell with him, in his imme- diate blifsful prefence lor ever I
CHAP. V.
The apoftle exhorts the Thefialonians to be always ready for the com- ing of Chrift to judgment, which will be with fuddennefs and fur- prife, like a thief in the night, i, — u. Direils them to jeveral particular duties in their relative and perfonal capacities, 12, — 22. And concludes his epijlle with prayer, falutations, and a benedic- tion, 23, — 28*
Text. Paraphrase.
gUTof the times "DUT, as to the precife time that God has fet, and
brethren116 ^hav'' ^ ^^ °f ^ °PPortUnities (**<C«0 that he de-
x\o need ^hat^I %ns to ta^e» *°r Ch^'s appearing to execute the fWilt unto you. judgment of the great day, which will be the confum- mation of your happinefs, [chop. iv. 13, — 18.) ye, my dear brethren in the faith of the goipel, have no occalion, nor would it be to any good purpofe, for me to gratify a vain curiohty, by attempting to write to you about a point, that is entirely referved, as an abfolute lecret, in the counfels of the divine mind ; nor would it be of any advantage to you, were I ca- pable of acquainting you with it. z For yourfelves 2 For, Ilom what our bleflkd Lord himfelf and his know perfectly, apoilles have taught, ye yourfelves have been already that the day ot lccl (ux^mg) into an accurate knowledge of all that the Lord fo com- •„ neceflary and ufeful, relating to his foal appear- ed! as a thief in , J ' ., ,fc 11 The r.izhr. ance, treat ye may be conlLantiy on your watch, and
in a proper readinefs for it : Ye mult needs be well Q^2 fatisficd
H4 The Firjl Epiflle to the Chap, vl
fatisfied in your own minds, that the glorious mani- festation of Chritt, at his coming to judge the whole world, is unalterably fixed in the purpofe of God, and foretold in his word, and (hall certainly be brought to pafs, according thereunto, in its proper feafon ; but that the particular day, or appointed time for it, is as uncertain, with refpeft to our know- ledge of it, and will come as unexpectedly, on a lud- den, to all of us, and with as much terror and fur- prile to the wicked and ungodly, that are unprepa- red for it *, as a thief's breaking into a houfe at mid- night can be to the matter of it, while he and all his family are afleep, and have no apprehenlions of it, or concern about it, to keep them on their watch, and guard againft it. (Mat. xxiv. 42, 43. and Rev. iii.
3-)
3 For when they 3 For when fecure finners fhall flatter themfelves, fliall fay, Peace and when, according to their own fond defires, falfe and tatety; then teachers Hiall prophefy unto them fmooih things, and hidden cleltrucnon 7 ■ r • -n it ■
comoth upon them, deceits , J aymg reace, peace, when there is no peace ; as travail upon a (Ifa. xxx. io. and Jer. vi. 14.) at that very time woman with child; utter deftrudion of foul and body fliall rufh in upon and ^they fhall not them at unawares ; and that as certainly and fuddenly as the exquifite travailing pains of a woman with child come upon her, when, though fhe continually carries the caufe of them in her own body, fhe leaft of all expeevts them, as being engaged in other affairs, in bufinefs or diverfions, or in eating, drinking, or ileep- ing : And as fhe fooner or later mull inevitably under- go the agonizing pains of labour \ ; fo, whenever this terrible day of the Lord fhall come, none of thofe that are thoughtlels about, and unprepared for it, fliall by any means be able to fly from, (a fxr> ix.<pvy&>- o-i) or avoid the inlupportable miferies that their own unbelief, and other iins, will bring upon them. ( 2 'The/. i. (;.) There fliall then be no place, where fhe wor- kers of iniquity may hide /hem/elves from the fierce- nefs of his righteous indignation. (J"b xxxiv. 22.)
4 But ye, bic- ^ gut as for you, my dear Chriftian brethren, ye
thrcn» may
NOTES.
* In this and the following veiies, two Jer vi. 24. and xiii. 21. and xxii. 23.
elegant and very appofite companions and 1 43. : It is therefore with great
Tie joined together (fays Mr. Blackball propriety that the apoftle represents the
in his Sacred daffies, Vol. I. pag. :o<>) exquifite torments of the wicked at the
the mere forcibly and fully to reprefent great day by thofe pains, with regard to
the fuddermefsof our Saviour's coming to the extreme anguijh, as well as the un-
nt; and the verbs are in the pre- expected fucldcnnefs of them : And it
fent time, to make the defcription more may carry a further intimation that, as
affecting and aw fi a woman's hour of forrow is the fruit of
f 1 in travail, her being with child; fo the caufe of the
whi, h are feme of the ilia, pt-ft agonies of finner's miferies lies in himlelf, whofe
nature, are frequently fpoken of as em- own iniquities pri-i'ire them. ; of ereat d;itreis, ;. . ;■'::. 6.
Chap. v. Thessalonians paraphrafcd. 115
thren, are not in may think of this day with joy, and not with grief or
darknefs, that that d,itrcfiing fears ; as yc arc not, like others, umier
day lhould ever- h er of f j,itual darkm fs, to make you lLtp
take you as a . r . ,. v i <- j i 1 .♦■ + .»
thief# fecure in fin, faithleil and unconccrmcl about tac
coming of CI in it, and unready to meet him in that awful day, which, though it may come as much un- expected and unawares to you, as to them, with re- gard to the particular time of it ; yet it mall not be with a furprife upon you to your ruin, as it will be upon them, in like manner as a thief breaks in, not only unexpectedly, but with dreadful havock, upon them that fleep carekfly, without any thought about it, or being in a fit pollure to prevent the miichie- vous coniequences of it.
5 Ye are all the 5 On the contrary, ye, who are made wife unto children of light, falvaticn, (as it is meet for me to think of you all ac- of dthehedaChildun cording t0 y°ur holy profeffion) arc equally called are ' not *oi the °f God out of darknefs into his marvellous light : night, nor of dark. (1 Pet. ii. 9.) Ye are enlightened with fpiritnal \\if- ««&> dom and understanding in the knowledge of Chiift,
and of God's way of falvaticn by him, that ye may know what is the hope of hn calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the jaints, (Ephef. i. 17, 18.) and that ye may be watchful and wakeful, and walk honourably in the light of gofpel-truth and holinefs with your eyes open, and as becomes perfons that are expofed to public view in the midft of broad day-light ; (Rom. xiii. 13.) and fo may efcape the danger of thofe, that, under the power of fin, error, and unbelief, walk in fuch ways of dat h- tie's, as not to know whether they are going : (John xii. 35.) We, who are thus made light in the Lord, are neither covered with the fhadows of judaifm nor with the darknefs of heathenifm, nor with the natural darknefs and blindneis of our own minds, /is others • Hill are, and we ourf elves once were. (Eph. v. 8.)
6 Therefore let 6 Being therefore brought into this happy ftate, us not fleep as do let us take heed that we never give way to a flothful, others; but let us carelefs and mdoltnt frame of fpirit, as others do, watch and be fo- . ' ... . , . , . r . T ,, ber< who are it ill in their iins, and to whom our .Lord s
coming to judgment will be a dreadful furprife to their everlalting confufion: But let it be our gieat concern, that, fuitable to our character, as enlighten- ed by the gofpel and Spirit of Chrift, we maintain a wakeful temper of mind, to watch over our own hearts and ways, and watch againfl fin and tempta- tions, and for the coming of our Lord; and that we be modeft in our thoughts of ourfelve?, and mode- rate in our cares and pleafurcs, relating to the prefent world, as thofe that are expeft'ng his glorious ap- pearance, and are ready and prepared for it.
7 For
n6
7 For they that fleep, flcep in the night ; and tbev that be drunken, are drunken in the night.
The Firfi Eptfk to the
Chap.
8 But let us who are of the day be lbber, put- ting on the breaft-plate of
faith and love, and for an helmet the hope of lalva- tion.
9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain falvation by our Lord Jefus Chrift.
7 For as they, who give themfelves up to fleep, choofe the night for it, that their reft may not be difturbed by the noife and bufinefs of the day ; and they who drink to an excefs, and intoxication of the brain, ordinarily do it under the covert of the dark- nefs of the night, that they may not be expofed to fhame in the day-time ; fo they that indulge to carnal fe- curity, and furfeit themfelves with the cares and plea- fures of this world, to ftupify and drown all thoughts of a judgment to come, till it overtakes them, be- fore they are aware ; (Luke xxi. 34.) thefe are under the power of, and do not care to be difturbed in, the moft dangerous fecurity, that proceeds from, and is agreeable to, the darknefs of ignorance, error, and fin, that covers them.
8 But let us, who are furrounded with the light of gofpel-truth and grace, which mines in our hearts, be vigilant, (xn<p»fMv) and moderate in our affections to, and purfuit of the things of this world, like thofe that look for the coming of our Lord : And as we are in a ftate of warfare, let us, like foldiers and cen- tinels, that are armed with breaft-plates and helmets, to fecure the principal feats of the natural life, put on, and daily make uie of our Chriftian armour, efpeci- ally fuch parts of it as are neceffary for defending our fpiritual vitals againft all mortal wounds from fin, Sa- tan, and this evil world ; that an exercife of faith in Chrift, and in God through him, according to his promifes, and of love to him and one another, by which faith works, may be like a breaft-plate to de- fend the heart ; and that a well-grounded, folid, and fatisfying hope of eternal life, through Jefus Chrift, may be like a helmet to cover and fecure the head in every day of battle, till we come off more than con- querors through him that hath loved us. And we have the greateft encouragement to this hope, and to be diligent in the difcharge of all the forementioned duties.
9 For it appears by what God, in the riches of his grace, has already done for and in us, who are the children of light, (ver. 5.) that he has not ordained us to deftruftion, as he righteoufly has thofe veftels of wrath, who fit themfelves for it by their own ini- quities ; (fee the note on Row. ix. 23.) but that, having of his own free and fovereign grace chofen us in Chrijl before the foundation oj the world, that we Jhould be holy, and without blame before him in love,
(Eph. i. 4.) he has determined to deliver us, as vef- fels of mercy, from deftrved mifery, and to bring us to the enjoyment of a glorious ftate of immortal blifs,
through
Chap. v.
10 Who died for us ; that, whe- ther we wake or fleep, we fhould live together with him.
Thessalonians paraphrafed.
117
1 r Wherefore comfort yourfelves together, and edify one another, even as alfo ye do.
12 And we be- feech you, bre- thren, to know them which la- bour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and adraonifh you :
fteem them very
highly in love for
their
through the merits and mediation of our Lord and Saviour Jefus Chrift.
10 Who died in our room and ftead, to take a- way fin by the facrifice of himfelf, that, by the me- rit and efficacy of his death, we who believe in him, whether we be among thofe that (hall be alive upon earth, or fleeping in Jefus at his appearing to judg- ment, may be caught up together in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air ; and fo may live in union and communion, and together with him, in all the digni- ty and delights of the heavenly ftate for ever. ( Chap. iv. 13, 17.)
1 1 Therefore in reflection upon, and afiured hope of this blefied day, think and talk over tbefe things, as I faid before, (chap. iv. 18.) to the comfort of your own and one another's fouls ; and in this way help forward your mutual edification *, as one body, for the benefit of the whole, that ye may %row up together as a holy temple in the Lord, (Ephef. ii. 21.) with a view to this one thing, namely, your living together with him, which will be the confum- mation of all your happinefs, even as ye have already begun to do.
12 And as they, who minifter in facred things, are the ordinary means and inftruments that Chrift has appointed, and blefTes for edification in light and grace, comfort and holinefs, unto complete falvation, we, dear brethren, earneftly entreat you to converfe freely with, own and honour, and fhew your libe- rality, love, anjd refpect to his faithful fervants, and their holy miniftrations, who refide, and take pains in his work, among you, for the good of your fouls ; and efpecially thofe, who, by Chrift's comrnifiion, are placed in authority under him to prefide and rule over you, not in temporal, but fpiritual concerns ; and that, not according to laws of their own making, but according to his word, for promoting his kingdom and glory, according to the gifts and graces he has furnifhed them with ; and who in the difcharge of their office, as occafions require, warn you againft all fin, error, and danger, and reprove what is amifs a- mong you, and exhort, counfel, and encourage you to perfevere in the ways of truth, fobriety, and god- linefs, till ye fhall receive the end of your faith, even the falvation of your fouls. (1 Pet. i. 9.)
1 3 And we thus recommend them, and their fervi- ces, to your honourable efteem and affectionate regards, not merely for what is due to them as Chriftians, but
NOTE.
* As the woids fus rot ev«) one another fignify alfo into one, and admit of various conftructions, they are attended to in the paraphrafe.
1 1 8 The Frfl Etifllc to the Chap. v.
their work's fake. (y*-g? gj/Tr^c-cx) in a fuperabundant manner, on ac- count of the dignity and importance of the work they ^ are employed in for the glory of God and your fpi-
ritual advantage : And as ever ye would not difho- nour Chrift, nor grieve them, nor his Spirit in them, nor prevt nt your own profiting by their labours, ftu- dy the things that make for harmony, peace, and friendfnip with one another, and with them that are fet over you in the Lord, that the God of love and peace may be wi/h you. (Ephef. iv. 3. and 2 Cor. xiii. 11.) 14 Now we ex- lj^ Now, dearlv beloved brethren, to draw towards thren warn them a c^ole °^ tms epiftle, we earncftly befeech both mi- that ' are unrulv. niters and people among you, in their refpedtive pla- comfort • the ces, to admonifh thofe of their faults, that do not feeble - nvnoVrl , keep their rank, (cctscztxs) or are anv way diforder- fcpport the weak, j • the{r walk wkh the churcl or ;n the'ir Families, be patient toward } . . . . . . . ' r 1 r 1 •
aU ment and converlation in the world : Warn them or their
fin and danger, of the difhonour they bring upon their holy profeffion, and. of the pernicious influence of their example ; and endeavour, in a fpivit of meeknefs and love, to reclaim them : Do all that in you lies to encourage and comfort fellow-Chriftians, that are of a timorous and dejected fpirit, ready to give way to melancholy and defpairing thoughts, and to faint under their fears and afflictions : Deal tenderly with, and endeavour to ftrengthen the weak in faith and un ■■erftanding, and to uphold them from {tumbling and falling, who are in danger of it, rather through infirmity, than any evil difpofition of mind : And ex- ercife all long-fuffering and forbearance, as far as the nature of things permits, and as may be moft likely to anfwer valuable ends, toward perfons of all thefe characters, yea, and towards all men, whether friends or enemies, Chriftians or not. r% See that 15 How ill foever others treat you, keep a guard none render evil UDOn your own angry and refenting paflions ; and
mane-Vil but ° ever kt n0nC °f ?ou dare t0 feek Private revenge> to be
follow that which even with, and retaliate mifchief upon the head of a-
is aood, both a- ny one that fhall injure you ; but, on the contrary,
mon£ yourfelves, overcome evil ivi'h good; (Rom. xii. 17, 19, 20,
and to all men. fI>j and be always ftudying, and purfuing whatfo-
cver is kind, ufeful, and beneficial, both one towards
another, as fellow-Chriftians, and even towards all
mankind, as fellow-creatures, doin% good to all, as
ye have opportunity, and ejjhecial/y to the houjhold of
faith. (Gal. vi. 10.)
16 Rejoice c- 1 6 As to per/on al duties, that are to be added to
vcrwore. the foregoing which are relative, labour after a chear-
ful frame of fpirit, for the credit of religion and your
own comfort, that ye. may rejoice ip the Lord, in
what
Chap. v. Thessalonians paraphrafed. 119
what he is in himfelf, and in what he has done, is do- ing, and will do for yon ; and rejoice in hope of his glory at all times, in the day of adverfity, as well as of profperity. 17 Pray with* 17 Under a humble fenfe of your entire depend- out ceafin^. ence upon God, as creatures, and as Chriftians, of the imperfections of your fpiritual ftate, and the af- flictions of various kinds that ye are attended^ with, or liable to, and of your need of further mercies, of a fpiritual and temporal nature, fee that ye abound in daily prayer, every morning and evening, (fee the note on 2 Tim. i. 3.) and be inftant in it at all other times, as there may "be fpecial toccafiops and oppor- tunities for it ; and ever maintain a praying frame of fpirit for folemn addrefles to God, and great frequen- cy of holy ejaculations, to mingle with all other du- ties of the civil and religious life, and to guard you a- gainft temptations to fin, and dangers of every kind. 1 Sin everything r8 In refle&ion upon your being unworthy of the give thanks: for icaft. 0f a]j God's mercies, and upon the riches of this is the mil of h-g free dnefs and undfcferved grace, in loading God in Chnlt |e- . ,b , /> 1 1 1 11 „W ius concerning you. you with benefits that over- bajaoce all your afflic- tions, labour to keep up a thankful frame or heart, and to go into lively exercifes of it, in every condi- tion of life: (feeP/*/. xxxiv. 1. and P£z/. iv. 6.) For this is a grateful tribute, which God in a fpecial man- ner requires of you for his own honour, and takes pleafure in, through Jefus ChritT, and has laid you under the higheft obligations to, on account of Ins love to you, and of what he has done for you by the great Re 10 Quench not 19 As thefe excellent and important duties cannot the Spirit. te diiciiarged, in a right manner, without divine in- fluence, take heed of negle&ing, ilifling and extin- guiihjag the gifts, graces, and operations of the Holy Spirit, that are compared to fire ; {Mo.!, iii. 1 1.) but be watchful and diligent to fall in with, cheriuH and improve his gracious illuminations, o. tions, and afliftances, as well as his extraordinary m- clufive of his ordinary gifts *, to excite you ta ,
. enable
N O T E.
* I can by no means confine quench- ture prophecies, or to preaching, as it
e Sprit here, and prophejying in fometimes fignifies whether bv infjptra-
the next verfe, to the extraordinary gifts ti< n or not (Tee the note on Rom. xn.
of the Spirit, as fomc do ; but find my- 6.) For all the other divert ons, in tois
felfconftrained, bv what uoesbefore and context, relate to the ordinary graces
follows alter, to "think that quenching and duties or the Cfariftian life, that go
$e Spirit includes, or rather chiefly re- into the common practice of religion
lates to his ordinary enlightning, quick- ard not to any extraordinary gifts; and
ning, fanrtifying, and comforting ojera- it leems very unnatural, and unlike the
tions; and that prophefying, or prophe. ckve and perti, ient way of ourapoftle's
cies. f>^**™'«0 relates either to icrip- writing, to fuppofc that things ol to dir-
Vol. V. R ferent
no The Firjl Epijlle to the Chap. v.
enale you for every good work, and to warm your hearts with facred fervour in performing it. T)i-2°} ?efplfe not 20 As the word and Spirit go together, according 1 p]t yings' to God's promife, (Ifa. lix. 21.) and all the opera-
tions of the Spirit are by means of, or according to his word, do not treat the prophecies of the Old or New Teftament with contempt, as if there were no- thing in them for your inltruction and edification ; nor ought ye to neglect, or think lightly of the ap- pointed and authorifed miniftrations of God's word to explain and enforce it, whether by an extraordi- nary gift or not. 11 Prove all 2 1 As falfc teachers are gone abroad in the world,
twgS'' l101? faft (l John iv- I-) do not take any thing ye hear upon that which is ^ A • ' ■ • , I. . P. \ , r
<r00ti# truit, or receive it with an implicit faith ; but exa-
mine, try, and prove the truth or falfhood of all the doctrines and practices that are preached, (ver. 20.) by the ftandard of the word, {Ifa. viii. 20.) in a hum- ble dependence on the light and influence of the Holy Spirit, (ver. 19.) to enable you to form a right judgment concerning them : And when, upon trial, ye find what is really good and honourable, (kx- Aov) in point of truth or duty, indulge no longer a fceptical temper about it; but maintain and abide by it, in the iledfallnefs of your faith, and practice of your lives, rejecting every thing that is contrary to it. 22 Abftain from 22 In this manner, keep at the fartheft diftance all appearance of pofiible from all error and fin of every kind, under what fpecious appearances foever they be prefented to you ; and even from every thing that you fuf- pect to be falfe or finful, or tending to draw your- felves or others into any fin or error. «3 And the very 23 And may that God himfelf, who is reconciled God of peace fane- to b the bjood of Chr;ft and js the aut}10r gj_
tiiy you wholly : J , J c ., , b.
and I pray Cud your ver, and approver of peace one with another, and in whole ipirit and your own confeiences, and of all manner of profperity ; foul, and body, be may he thoroughly purge your whole perfons from prelerved ^ blame- a|] iniqVlity, and make you eminently partakers of his holinefs * ! And I earneftly beg of him, that all the
powers N O T E S. ferent a nature mould be chieflv, much tional, and animal or fenlitive foul, dif- more only intended, when introduced in tinct from one another^ and of a body, the midtt of a feries of exhortations to diftinct from both, which feems to be a- the exercife of ordinary graces and duties, greeable to the account of the creation that belong to all Christians of every of man in Gen. ii. 7. where it is laid, age, as fuch. that God formed man, his body, of the
* Tour -whole [pint, foul and body, dull °f tbe carth ■ and breathed into man has a manifrir reference to the received the breath of life, or lives, (ED^Tf) doctrine of the Pythagorean, Platonic, and, by means of this union, man be- and Stoic philofophers, who conlidered came a living foul, partaker of a fenfi- man as confuting of three parts: of a ia- tive, as well as of a rational life ; And
as
lefs, unto the com ing
Chap. v. Thessalonians paraphrajed. 121
ingof our Lord Je- powers and faculties of your rational and immortal fus Chnft. fouls ; and the whole frame of your animal fpirits,
fenlitive appetites, and natural tempers ; and all the members of your bodies may be cured of every finful irregularity and diforder, in their propenfions and o- perations, and may be continually kept unreprovable, (xpip7rTu$) as to any predominant vice, until, and may be found entirely free from all defects, at the fe- cond appearing of our Lord Jefus Chrift, when he iv ill prefent you to himjelf a glorious church, not ha- VU,S Jpot-> or wrinkle, or any fuch thing. (Eph. v.
24 Faithful is 24 My prayer for this, on your behalf, is with he that calleth faith and afTured hope, that he, who hath cffe'aually you, who alio will „„n j 1 i- / • , • , , , J
d0 jtm catted you , by his grace, to his kingdom and glory,
(chap. ii. 12.) will alto, in faithfulnefs to his pro- mifes, carry on and perfect all that concerns you, in the way and by the means of his own appointment. (See PA//, i. 6.) 25 Brethren, pray 25 As we, Chrift V miniftrfng fervants, thus af- for us* fedionately pray for you, we earneftly beg that ye,
our Chriilian-brethren, would, in return, be mindful of us in all your prayers, (which we greatly efteem and need) that God would be with us in our work to affift, own and fucceed us, and to perform all things for us, in us, and by us, that we may be faithful in the difcharge of our difficult and important truft, and may receive the crown of glory from the chief Shep- herd at his appearing. (1 Pet. v. 4.)
26 Greet all the 26 Let our moil affectionate and religious refpects brethren with . an be prefented to all our Chrillian brethren ; and fee
t0y IS that ye give uiual teftimonies of cordial love one to
another, by mutual falutations, in the moft fincere, pious, chafte, and friendly manner. (See the note on Rom. xvi. 16.)
27 I charge you 27 The contents of this epifile, as well as all the t^eTifUebe read infPired writings> are of fo great importance, and of unto all the holy ^llch &eneral ufe and concernment, to the whole brethren. church, that I folemnly enjoin thofe of you, into
whole hands it may come ; yea, I adjure you, as by
a religious oath, in the name, and by the authority
of the Lord Jefus*, that it be not concealed from
any of its members, but be diftinctly and plainly read
to all, and every one of them, who ought to live and
R 2 walk
NOTES.
as the natural temper very much de- evident confutation of the doctrine and
pends upon the different texture and mo- practice of popery, in forbidding the
tion of the animal fpirits, 1 have inclu- common people to read the fcriptures ;
ded that under the fenfitwe foul. and it equally condemns th< ir having the
* The apoftle's folemn charge that fcriptures only in p.n unknown tongue,
his epijlle Jhould he read to all the holy which, in elk a, is much the fame, as
brethren, or members of the church, is an not having them at all.
122 The Tirft Epijlle, &c. Chap. v.
walk in love, as dear brethren, and as a peculiar peo- ple zealous of good works, whom Chrift has purified to himfelf, as I charitably believe of them, according to their holy proreffion. aS The grace of 28 To conclude with a parting prayer for you, our Lord fefus May the free favour of our anointed Lord and Savi- • our, and all its bleffed fruits and effects, abound to- wards every one of you, for your prefent edification and growth in light and grace, love and peace, com- fort and holinefs, till all (hall be completed in eternal falvation. So I fincerely defire it may be, and fo I trull it will be, in teftimouy of which, I heartily fay, Amen.
RECOLLECTIONS.
How much more does it concern us to be always ready for Chrift's coming to Judgment, than to indulge rurious inquiries whin it (hall be ! It will be a terrible furprife to ibine, that vainly promife themfelves peace and fafety, when certain and fudden destruction wiil come upon them, ere they are aware. But wlvit a joyful day will it be to true believers ! They are not involved in fpiritual darknefc, like Others ; but are the children of light, whom God hath not appointed to wrath, but to obtain eternal falvation through a Redeemer : And as he has called them by his grace, and is at peace with them through the blood of Chrift, he will fanc- tify them throughout, and faithfully perfect all that concerns them, till the day of Chrift, that they may live together with him who died for them. But as this is to be brought about in the ufe of oroper means, How careful ihould they be to fhake off lloth I They Ihould watch and be fober, and live in the daily exercife of faith, ]ove, and hope ; and cultivate an holy peace among themfelves, to mutual edifi- cation and comfort; fliould deal tenderly and faithfully one with another; and prav for. and pay all due regard to, thofe that labour among them in the word and doctrine, and are let over rhem in the Lord, to counfel, caution, and encou- rage :bem in their w;iy to heaven : They fliould take heed of defpifing, or neglect- ing their holy miniftrations, and of ftifling the light and impreffions of the Spirit that attend them. And, having tried and proved all points of religion by the word of God, they fhould hold faft the truth, as it is in fefus, and be ever followers of that which is good among themfelves, and towards all men ; fliould abftain from an^ry and revengeful paflions, and from all appearance of evil ; and ever maintain a joy- ful, pratefful, and thankful frame of fpirit, and give all becoming teftimonies of cordial love and friendship one towards another. What a privilege is it to have the Iree ufe of the icripture, for learning thefe and every Chriftian doctrine and duty, that we may be taught to proiit by them ! May the grace of our Lord Jefus Chiifl be with us all I Amen.
A PR AC"
A PRACTICAL
EXPOSITION
OF THE
SECOND EPISTLE of the APOSTLE PAUL
TO THE
THESSALONIANS,
IN THE FORM OF A
PARAPHRASE.
The PREFACE to the SECOND EPISTLE to the THESSALONIANS.
THIS fecond Epiflle to the 7bejahnians is generally, and mod probably, thought to have been wrote, in lefs than two years after the former, by the apofrle Paul from Corinth, where he lull continued-, and, as feems Upm chap, i $■ and ii. 2. and in. ir. had received fome further account of the ilate of their affairs ; and thereupon wrote this Emiile to commend, encourage, and comfort them under their fufferings for the goipel 5 and to rectify their mif- conliruciion of what he had faid in his former Epiille about the coming of Chrift, as if he meant that his fecond glorious appearing to judgment were juft at hand ; as alfo to correct the diforders'of fome among them, that were too much inclined to an idle life, and might, poflibly, grow more and more negligent of fecular affairs, from their miftaken notion/ as though the end of all things w(ere at hand, and might be tempted to reject the whole gofpel, as a forgery, when they mould live to fee themfelves disappointed of the exped- ation which they had built upon one of its fuppofed prophecies ol fo important an event.
The apoiile begins with his ufual infcription and falutation j and, to encourage their patience under tribulations for Chrift, expreffes his thankfulnefs to God for their growth in grace, which would be crowned with eternal glory, when Chrift lhall appear to their joy, and the deftruction of his and their enemies, chap. i. He then, ex- horts them to iredfaftnefs of faith in Child ; and undeceives them with reipect to their mifiaken apprehenfions of his fpeedily coming to judgment, which he tells them would not be, 'till after the days of antichriftian apoftacy ; from which he bleffes God that they mould, and pray^ that they might, be prefcrved, to their comfort and eftablifliment, chap. ii. And he concludes with deliring their pray- ers.
124 The Second Epiftle to the Chap. i.
ers, and with expreflions of his confidence that, anfwerable to his prayers for them, they mould be eftajsliihed, and would yield obe- dience to the apoltolic commands in all things ; adding exhortations to withdraw themfelves from fuch members of the church as did not a& up to the dignity of their Chriitian character, after the example which he had fet them, and that particularly with refpeft to induf- try in their feveral ftations j charging the church to be faithful prudent, and tender in admonishing diforderly walkers ; and doling all with his good withes and affectionate benedidion, with which he uiually concluded his Epi tiles, chap. iii.
Jes
'/hid
CHAP. I. Theapoftlefalutes the church at ThefTalonica, ver. i, 2. Bleffi Cod for the growing Jgt^ of their love and patience, a, 4. Ana encourages them to perfevere therein under all their fu ferine* for Chnf, in con/ulcrati.n of his coming at the great day of account, to execute righteous judgment upon his and their enemies, and to be g. or fed in their own complete fahatwn, which the apojlle hoped and prayed for on their behalf, 5,-12.
± EXT. Paraphrasf
P^,^t!: p^UL>. wJth »* M Timothy, who afllfted
motheus, unto the ■*■ ™m m planting the gofpel among you, the
church of the Thef- church at Thejjalonica, (Ada xvii. 4, 14.) which is
SiTOl .? *f 1 COnilituted of bell'eve™ Jn God, as the only living and
"he 38f* t£i llUt God> in diltindion from all the idols of the hea-
Chrift : then, and as our covenant God and Father ; and of
2 Grace unto believers in the Lord Jefus Chrift, as the only true
vou, and peace Meffiah, in diftinaion from all pretenders to that cha-
ther; and tS'liS 2?e.r'. W.ho? the unbell'evi'ng J«W vainly expeft.
jefus Chriit. We join m fending a fecond epiftle, and in the moft
affectionate Chriftian falutations, as we did in the for- mer, (fee the note on 1 Cor i. 1.) cordially wifhing and praying, that the divine favour, with all its fpe- cial manifeftations, fruits, and eifects, and every kind of profperity that can be included in the term peaces relating to God, yourfelves, and others, may abound towards all, and every one of you, by the free gift of God our heavenly Father, as the original fountain of it, and of our Lord Jefus Chrift, as the only me- diator, by and through whoop it is communicated, and rendered cffe&ual for your prefent and eternal happinefs. 3 We are bound 3 We, reftc&ing on what wc have further heard of
r\ou* brt the £racc of God toward you> fccl °urfclvC8 to be fvveetly conftrained unto continual thankful acknow- ledgements of it for his glory ; and to blefs his holy taith name on your behalf, dear brethren, as it becomes
us,
Chap. i. ThEssalonians paraphrufed. 125
faith groweth ex- us, and we are bound in duty to do; becaufe your ceedingly and the faith, which his Spirit wrought in you, by means of chanty of every • -a / r> -n ■ 1 •• \ • • »
one of you all to- OUr mmiftlT> ( l *f»A >• 5- and 11. I.) is earned on, wards each other anc* exceedingly improved, by his Continued aid and aboundeth; influence, in its light, ftrength, and lively exercife ;
and your brotherly love, as the fruit of this remark- ably growing faith, is proportionally increafing in its fervor, and all fuitable expreflions and demonilrations of it, in every one of you towards each other.
4 So that we our- 4 So eminent and exemplary are thefe traces in
(elves glory in you and your behaviour under the ereatef trials of
in the churches ot *, . rJ . . r L & .
God, for your pa- them 1S io becoming the goipel, that we think of tience and faith in and mention you with high etteem, honour, and de- all your perfecu- light, in all the churches of the living God, where? tions and tnbula- ever we comej for y0Ur firmnefs of mind, calm fub- ^'°"es. " million, and holy refolution, as well as ftrong and
lively faith, which produces them, in bearing up with a truly Chriftian Spirit, and ftedfaft adherence to Chrift and the gofpel, under all the fevere perfecu- tions and afflictions of every kind, that ftill attend you for his fake, as they did when ye firft received the word with joy in the Holy Ghoft. (1 The//", i. 6, 7.)
5 Which is a ^ This carries a plain demonitration itvhvypet) of ZltLT^X- God'. having judged right, in permitting yon to be mentof God that exercifed with thefe troubles, which turn fo much to ye may be counted his glory, and your own fpiritual benefit ; and it is an worthy of the king- evident proof that there is a juft and impartial judg- dom of God, for ment t CQm whkh W;U fa aH tW tQ ' , winch ve alio iuf- .
f€t . that ye may be deemed fit and meet fubjects to inhe-
rit that heavenly kingdom, which God hath prepa- red for you from the foundation of the world : ( Mat. xxv. 34.) And it is on account of your profeffed ex- pectation of this, through Jefus Ohrift, according to the gofpel, that your enemies are fo fevere upon you ; and by the hope of this ye are animated to buf- fer all hard/hips with chearfulnefs and patience, with- out fainting under them, (lee the notes on 2 Cor. iv. 1 7.) as, believing that the lfiftfe of all will be to your unfpeakable joy, and their infupportable mifery ;
6 Seeing it is ft for as mUCh ?.i it is fuitable to the re&itude of a nghi. ,n,s thing God>g nature and w;,, j^ and ^ernmeut v>-ho Vfc HI
God fco if- . . . ... . . r r 1 1 r • i
compenfe tribula- Ju"ge tne world m nghteouineis, and whole judgment 1 them that is according to truth, to inflict the fevcreft punifn-
trouble you ; ment in due time upon them that now cruelly perfe-
cutc you ; and fo to retaliate jufl indignation and wrai/.y, tribulation end anguijh upon them, that now unjullly vex and diftrefs vou : (Ivom. ii. 2, 5, 13,
7 And to vou - g And it is a ritrhtccus trims with God, on Chair s account, and m of ins covenant
tl,e with him and his members, to give you («j>g™>) a re-
leafe
who are troubled reft witk us, when
n6 27a- Second Epiftle to the Chap. i.
the Lord Jems fliall leafe and difmiflion, in due time, from all your pre- be revealed trom fent tribulations, and an entrance into a ftate of per-
heahCn an-els hS fea "e{l and PeaCe» together> and in cornPanY Nvith
"tlrfflamfng^fire, us> his miniftririg fervants, and your fellow-fufferers
taking vengeance for his fake ; (i Thef.ux. iv.) which he afluredly
on them that know will d0) when the Lord Jefus, who has redeemed us
not God, and that i h{s precious blood, mail be openly manifefted, and
tlT^^X "«r <r< mal1 fee *»',*,*' **"*"* fronjP\ea;
Chrift. ven, from whence we look for the baviour, {Fhit.
iii. 20.) with a grand retinue of all his holy angels, who excel in ftrength, and were created by, and for him, and (hall attend to do his will, as his -minifters in that day; {Ma*, xiii. 49, $Q. and xxiv. 31.) and he fliall be revealed in the moil auguft and tremen- dous manner, as coming with flames of fire all around him, to burn up the earth, and the wicked that are therein; (2 Pet. iii. 10.) and to execute wrath on all thofe that continue in their fins, ftrangers to the true knowledge of God, and rebellious againil the light of nature, like the Gentile* that did not glori- fy him as God; and on all thofe that are difobedient to the gracious calls of our Lord and Saviour Jefus Chrift in his gofpel, like the unbelieving Jews, and all that rejecit him. 9 Who fliall be 9 Both thefe forts of finners fhallbe 'feverely pu- punithed with e- nifhed, not by an annihilation of their being, but by verlafting deftruc- an €ternal lofs 0f all happinefs ; by a total banifhment fence TtheLoS', from his blilsful prefence, and from all the glorious and from the glory effe&s of his faving power, which will tie manifefted pf his power; hi the faints; (wr. 10.) and by fuffering the great-
eft miferies in foul and body from his own immediate hand, who is every where prefent in being and ope- ration, and from terribly glorious imprefiions of his Almighty power upon them, .hen he fliall IO This is what he will certainly do, to the utter come tobegloritied confufion and ruin of his and your enemies, at the ve- ErfS tin ry tin.e when he will appear to your joy, and will them that believe come to be glorified m a faithful performance ol ail (hecaufe our tefti- his promifes unto the complete falvation of his pecu- mony a \[.AY pe0ple> who are fanctiried by faith in him, and
was believed) in to }^ ^jg^ by them m t]K,jr exalted praifes for it ; and fliall come to be adored by all true believers with transports of joyful aitonifhment, and with humble and thankful wonder at his grace, and at the- great and glorious things he has done for and in them, which will refleft a glory upon him ; and this will be with envious amazement of their enemies to fee them, whom they fo much defpifed and opprtfled before, fo highly favoured and honoured by their great Lord, in the day of judgment ; becaufe they will then be found among thofe that cordially embraced the tefti-
mony,
Chap. i. Thessalonians paraphrnfed. 117
mony, that we his fervants gave to his perfon and of- fices, and to his final appearance, in our preaching the gofpel, which will Be eminently confirmed, as the truth of God, to their richeft advantage in that day. 1 r Wherefore al- n And according to our hope of your efcaping fo we pra> always a]] tne terrors, and (hating in all the bleffedneffi and for you, that our , f t, ;m tant da , we afc continually re-
God would count 5 7 i . J » , r .
yen. worthy of this commending you in our Rated, earneit, and ahoction- calling, and fulfil ate prayers to the God of all grace, whom we hum- an the good plea fciy clajm as our covenant- God, that he would carry fure of his good- an(J feft h's gooci worfe ;n your fouls, to make
nets, and the work * r nr . . . . f t
of faith with pow- you meet and fit perfons, in his gracious account, to er ; inherit all the bleffings of his kingdom of glory, (ver.
5.) to which he hath called you by the gofpel ; and that he would fill up (irXagirfni) what yet remains to be fulfilled of all the free and fovereign purpofes of his kindnefs, love, and grace toward you, and his e- minently good work of faith in you, unto all patient, confirmed, and lively exercifes, and ftill further ih- creafe^ of it, and of its fruits of righteoufnefs, till it be iinifhed by the powerful operation of his Spirit in you. 12 That the \z That fo the perfon, authority, and doctrine of name of our Lord our Lord and Saviour Jefus Chrift may be highly ex- Jefus Chrift may j d . efteem, and in their happy and glorious
be glonned in you, J ' , scrV • r - * *, ,A
and ye in him. ac- effeas upon you, and may be glorified in heart and cordmg to the life by you ; and that ye may arrive at the moil glo- grace of oar God, rjous ftate Gf peffelS joy and praiie, by virtue of your and the Lord Jefus unjon ^-^ ^^ accor(j:ng to the free favour of Our gracious God, who hath appointed you to it, and of the Lord Jefus Chrift, who hath purchafed it for you, promifed it to you, and will bellow it upon you.
RECOLLECTIONS.
How folemn and auguft will Chrift's appearance to judgment be at the laft day I How tremendous to finners '. And how transporting to believers '. He will then be vifibly feen, as coming from heaven with awful majefty. and furrounding hods of angels ; a flame of fire will go before him to devour his enemies . and he will exe- cute the righteous judgment of God in taking dreadful vengeance on thofe that ftifle the light of nature, and rebel agamlt the clearer light of the gofpel of Chrift, and on all the perlecutors of his church and people : ih'cy (hall be baniflied his bliisful prefence, and puniihed with immediate imprefllons of his Almighty power upon them to their everlafi'mg deftruclion. But with what a different afpedt, and to what better purpofes will he. at the fame time, ms'nifeft himfelf to fmcere be- lievers, whole hearts are purified by faith ! He will come to be glorified and ad- mired in them ; and they lhall be glorified in and with him, as members in with him. Happy fouls ! who are brought cord ally to bel;eve the divine tt ny that is given in the gofpel concerning him. and tiiat thall be confirmed, with a glorious accompJiwment of it to themfelves. in the great dav. What thai due- to God en their behalf! How juflly may his fervants glory in thefe ob: his love, and in its powerful effects upon them ' \nd w:tn what patience, and hope, may they themfelves endure all tribulations that befal them, in v. w and profpect. of this bleded day, when the righteous God will, according- to his promise, and the merit of his Son, make them rich amends fdr all their fufferings
Vol. V. S lor
128 The Second Epifik to the Chap. ii.
for him ! May grace and peace be multiplied to them from God our Father, and the Lord Jefus Chrift ! May all the good oleafure of God's goodnefs, and the work qf faith, be fulfilled in them with power, by perfecting all that concerns them, in order to their glorifying the name of drift in this world, and their being glorified with him in the World to come, according to the fieencfs and riches of the Father and Son's grace, .as revealed in the gofpel.
CHAP. II.
The aboflte cautions the Theffalonians again/} an erroneous notion, as though the time of ChrijT 's coming to the final judgment were jufl at hand, I, 2. A [Jure s them that there would fir ft be a general apofiacy from the faith , and a revealing of the antichrijlian man of Jm, whom he describes by his rife, reign, and ruin, and fliews the juj} deflruciion that would come upon his infatuated fubjecls, that had plcafure in unfighteoufnefs, 3, — 12. But bleffes God for the Security of the Theflaloriians from apofiacy, by virtue of their eter- nal eleclion, and effectual calling, and thereupon repeats his ex- hortation to ftedfaflnef, and pr ays for them, 13, — 17.
Text. Paraphrase.
]SJOW we befeech TJAVING now, my dear Chriftian brethren, to en-
*. ?i°U' If iren^- courage and comfort you under all your prefent
by the coming or .... o . . ; . , * r .
our Lord Jefus tribulations, remindea you or the glorious coming
Chrift, and by our of Chrilt, which wih be to your unfpeakable joy, and gathering together the everlafting deftruction of all his and vour enemies, unto him, ^chap% j 6r- -IO.) I, with whom Sifo/mut and Ti-
mothy pin, (chap. i. I.) proceed to another princi- pal defign of this epiftle, which is to rectify a mif- take, that fome have been led into, as though Chrift were now fuddenly coming to judgment. We there- fore earneftly entreat, and folemnly adjure you, by your belief, expectation, and defire of the awful com- ing of our Lord and Saviour Jefus Chrift to the fi- nal judgment of all mankind, at the laft day ; and by your hopes of being then gathered together with us, and with all his faints, in the general affembiy and church of the firft-born, to meet the Lord in the air, and to be ever with him in his blifsful prefence, (1 Theft, iy, 17.)** we befeech you to think ferioufly about an affair of fuel 1 vail importance ;
2 That
N O T E.
f That this coming cf Chrift relates thlopic verfion, and TheophilacVs, manu-
iiis coming to the definition of fcript renders it concerning, the para.
ilem, but to t e final judgment, is phrafe gives a hint of that fenfe; though,
very evident; hei aufe this is thr fei fe in with the generality of commentators, I
which the apcflic all along fpeak* of his prefer the other, which puts (i/tic) con-
coming in this and his former epiftle: cerning for (fo«) by, and feems to let
(fee Rrfl Kpi/l. ii. 19. and iii. 1 ;. and the meaning of this pafiage in the eafieft
iv. 13, — 17. and v. 2, 23. and fecor.d JS- light, and to be moft agreeable to the
pi/t. i. 6, — to.) And as the prepolition apbftle's frequent manner of adjuration
(ktcs) with a genitive cafe, often fig- in important cafes, which he alio had u-
( tin£ or about ; and the £- led in his tirft cpiltle, chap. v. 27.
Chap. ii. Thessalonians paraphrafed. 129
2 That ye be 2 That yc may not eafily, and fo foon after the not foon fliaken in inftructions we have given you relating to it, be mif- bled, neither Ty lcd !'nt0 a"y notlOMS» contrary thereunto, that would fpirit, nor by «onl, difconcert, or llagger your minds, or throw them in- nor by letter, as to perplexity and confuiion, by means of any falfe from us, as that fuggettions, that art fprcad among you, either by
Unhand! Chn(t mCre Prctcndt'rs to a hnnt of prophecy, or by igno- rant, or deiigning mifconilructions of what we have delivered by word of mouth, or by writing in our former epiitle, {chap. iv. 15, — 18.) or by appeal:; to fpurious writings, or traditions, that are forged and fathered upon us, as though, in one or other of thefe ways we had aiKrmed, or at leail given intima- tions, from which it might be gathered as our opini- on, that the day of our blefled Lord's glorious ap- pearing to the final judgment were jail now inttantly coming on ; whereas no fuch thing was ever laid, or defigned to be fuggcited by us ; and your belief of it would be of dangerous confequenoe, fince upon your being difappointed of your expectation, as ye certain- ly would, with refpect to the time of his coming, ye might be tempted to diibelieve his ever coming at all ; and to conclude again it the truth of the whole gof- pel itfelf, of which this is fo eilential an article.
3 Let no man 3 Take heed that no man impofe upon you, or fe- decen-e you by any duce you into this pernicious notion, bv thefe or a- means : tor that ^1 v , r • . * . dayJbaUnoteotne, ny ?thcr Pretcnccs whatsoever ; there being no trutn. except there come m lt : For we now allure you by divine revelation, a falling away fuft, that the awful day of judgment is at a remoter dif- fuse reve TT U ^"^ ^ ^ UOt C°m€' ^ ^teV ^^ ^ ht * F€" fonofpeTdkion:16 ™?rkable and .general apoltacy from the faith, wor-
lhip, and hohnels of the golpel, and an antkhriilian- power, conliiting of a fucceflion of impious men, mail be made manifeit, which for fubtilty and ftrengtb, in countenancing and propagating the vileft corrup- tion of doctrines and manners, may be fitly iiyled, by way of eminence, that man oj Jin * who will fet S 2 up
NOTE. * That man of Jin, the Jon ofperdi- with refpeift. to that which with- holds tion, though mentioned in the fingular and he ivho now lets, and will let, till it number, fignities not merely any one be taken atuo%, ver. 6, 7. which, (as particular perfon ; but a fucceflion of many of the ancient fathers underftood men, in like manner as the fucceflion of it, and the event afterwards proved) the kings and high prie/h of Ifrael were pointed at the heathen Roman empire, fpoken of, as though they had been but or Emperors at the head or" it, in a'uic- one perfon, in defrribing their charac- ceffion of them, though the apoftie hints ters, and the law concerning them, this with great caution, oniy in a covert Bevt xvii. 14—20. Lev. xxi 10. — 15. way, to avoid grring offence to the Ecr- Numb. xxxv. »5, 2S. and Heb. ix. 7. and peror, and provoking his wrath againft this is interpreted to mean any high the Chriftians, as a fedttious lortofpeo- prieft in his clay; and the whole order pie; that fomented notions tending to of them together is meant by the high the dean: ■ Roman empire.
prie/t. The fame alio may be obi erven
130 The Second Epjftle to the Chap. ii.
» up himfelf, and be difcovered in the plaineft charac-
ters, by being at the head of all abominable wicked- nefs, (fee the note on \>e> . 4.) under the Chriflian name ; who alfo may be called the fon of perdition^ as he will caufe the detlruclion of the fouls and bo- dies of multitudes, and as he himfelf will be deftroy- ed, or %'j in'o perdition and be caft into the lake of fire and brimflone. (Rev. xvii. 11. and xix. 20.) a Who oppofeth 4 This man of fin is emphatically the great anti- and exalreth him- cbrt/l9 who, cor.fidering him as arrived at the height s called* Gd °^ ^'s temPora^ and ecclefiaftical dignity, is an oppofer
..orfljipped; °^ Chrilt, in the perfection and glory of all his offices, ij that he as God and a cruel perfecutor of his members ; he alfo, accord- Intern m the tern- Jng to Daniel's prophecy, (chap. xi. 36.) magni- pie of God, ihevv- fie3 himfdf aboy and afr'imes fovcrcign authority o- lng htmfell that he . .,. , ' ' . & c i .
l$ q0(j ver kings and emperors, wno, on account 01 their
office, are ftyled god.v, (Pfal. lxxxii. 1, 6.) and in the title of the Roman emperors, are called auguft, (rt&et&ea) as if they were to be wovlhipped ; and he exalts himfelf above the gods of the heathen, by claim- ing a greater and more extenfive power in heaven, earth, and hell, than ever was afcribed to any one of them ; yea, above the true God himfelf, who is the only object of religious adoration, by difpenfing with his laws, and ordering, in dircdl contradiction to his command, (Mat. iv. 10. fee the note there) that religious worfhip mould be paid to creatures and images, which is due to God alone ; and by requiring a more abfolute obedience to his own authority, than to the commands of God himfelf: So that, as the true God formerly refided in the temple at ferufa- lerriy this grand antichrifi feats himfelf, as on his throne, in the church, which is fpoken of as the tem- ple of God: (1 Cor. iii. 16, 17. and 2 Cor. vi. 16.) And by exercifing fupreme authority over it, giving laws to, and receiving divine titles and homage from it, in its apoftate Hate, he makes a vain fhew, as if he really .were God *,
5 Have NOTE. * All thefe characters o? the man of and they, though not profeffedly, yet (in are plainly applicable to, and exem- really oppofe Chrift in all his offices ; in plined in popery, incluiive of the hierar- his prophetic office, by teaching for doc- chyof Rr-jne, with the Pope at the head trines the commandments of men; in of it, in TacceflJve generations; and fnl- his prieflly office, by the doctrine of me- ly a ree to none that has appeared in the rit. the facrifice of the ma'fs, and jorning
■w oi-
id bt-fiiirs them ; tor they are mon- faints and angels, as intercefiors with
iters of wickednefs, thlt are guilty of. Chrift; and in his kingly office, by dif-
and patronize cruel perfecutions, perri- penfin^ with his law.., and letting up
breaches of faith, and idolatrous the Pope, as the fupreme head of the
worfhip of faints, angels, and images'; church. And fome of their Popes have
and that encourage all mannei o( iniqui- treated kings and emperoi • with infolent
ty, by pretended paid ins and indul lu- contempt, as their yaffals, to be depofed,
ces, and liceii ss of debauchery; or enthroned, zi their pleafure; have
excommunicated
Chap. ii.
5 Remember ye not, that when I was yet with you, .1 told you thele things ?
6 And now ye know what with- hoideth, that he might be revealed in his time.
7 For the myf- tery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth, will let, unt.il he be taken out ol" the way.
Thessalonians paraphrased. 1 31
5 Have ye been fo carelcfs as to have forgotten former notices of thcfe things ? this feems to be the cafe with fome of you. But cannot ye now recoiled!:, ye certainly might, that I Paul myfelf*, when per- sonally preaching to, and converfing with you at The[fulonicc, gave you fufheient intimations, that the day of Chriit'b coming t< judgment is not ju(l at hand ; hut that, in the courlc or divine difpenfaiions, there mull be iii it a general defection from the faith, and the rife ol the.antiebriilian man of fin ?
6 And if ye duly reflect upon what I have told you by word of mouth, and have now added in this Epiltlc, ye may eaiily gather what it is that at prefent reitrains and hinders the complete revelation of the man of tin, as the head of the great apoitacy : It may well t e luppofed in the very nature of things, though dangerous to fpeak it out, (fee the note on ver. 3.) that it is the heathen Roman empire under one politi- cal head, according to the form in which it now fub- fiils. This muft be taken away to make room for the inn odudcion of the head of the apoifacy, that he may be maniietled in the height of his power and authori- ty, pomp and grandeur, in his proper ieafon, accord- ing to the appointed time oi God tor it.
7 For the great defection, which may jutlly be called ht tnyjiery oj iniquity^ or ot that wicked one9 (vet. 8.) on account of the fecrecy and iubtilty of its fpreading, and the unfearchable depth of fin and er- ror that is wrapt tip in it, and will hereafter more plainly and openly (hew itfelf, ^nd begins already to diffufe its malignant influence in pride and worldly- mindednefs, wiJl-woilhip, and wovihipping of angels, and in corrupting the pure docuine of juftification,
as NOTES, them, and abfolved of Rome ; and the defcription here gi- ven ol her, ftands in good agreement with the representation that is made of the Rowijh antichriftian power in the Revelation, under the figures of Myfte- ry, Babylon, the great whore that jits on many waters, the heajl and the Jul fe prophet.
* The apoftle here refers to what he had fa id to the Thejjalonians in his per- gonal mini dry and tonvertation, in which it is re<U*onabJy luppofed, that he had de- liveied more things, relating to thefe points, to which he here appeals, than are to be found, or were proper to be wrote, in his firft epifrle to them : Ac- cordingly he fpeaks, i<er. 15. of the tra- ditions they had received by word, as well as by his epiltie. (See the note there.)
excommunicated
their <V.bjects from allegiance to them ; others have trod on the necks of empe- rors, kicked off their crowns with their feet, and let them on with their feet a- gain, and obliged them to hold the Pope's ilirri.p, when he alighted from, or mounted his horfe. Thefe haughty eccleliaftical tyrants have fet themielves in the place ot God, by afluming autho- rity over the fouls and confeiences of men, and admitting 01 blafphemotis a- doration, under the titles of a God on earth, and the Lord God the Pupe ; and they have exalted themielves even a- bove God hirrrelf, by rot only repealing his laws, but making the whole autho- rity of his word to depend on the audio- rity of the church. I heie, and fuch -ike things, are notorious in the church
i $2 The Second Evijlle to the Chap. ii.
as though it were to be by the works of the law ; and this would quickly appear in all its power and wide extent, were it not that the imperial Pagan go- vernment, which hitherto prevents it, will continue fo to do, till this obftacle be removed. S And then (hall g And then, through the growing ambition and that wicked be re. juxury 0f eccltfiaftics, under the piotection and in- vealed, whom the , , ' f OL .A. , . f ,
Lord fhaliconfume "ulgtnce or Lhnihan emperors, ana by means of the with Hie f[>irit ot divifion of the Empire itfelf, inco ten kingdoms, which his month, and will give their power to the beaft, {Rev. xvii. 1 2, 13. fhall deftroy with ree the note there) that wicked one will mount the bis cotefne- ° tnrone» like a lawlefs perfon, (xvopog) who will dif- penfe with, and exalt his authority above, all laws human and divine, and be fubject to no law himfelf : But be it known, for the comfort of the true church, that in the divinely appointed time, he, with all his hierarchy, authority, and grandeur, mail certainly fink and fall ; whom the Lord Jefus Chrill will be- gin to blaft by the preaching of the gofpel in its pu- rity and power, and by fpiriting up a fet of brave re- formers to oppofe, and proteil againfl his fupremacy, and all his corruptions in doctrine and worfhip ; and he will afterward more eminently flay him, and all his adherents, as with a fword, by the judicial fentence that will proceed from his mouth, and be executed by his command, and by his word and Spirit, when he (hall fet up his glorious kingdom of truth, righte- oulnefs, joy, and p«.ace in the earth ; and finally, by his coming to judge the world, and take vengeance on all his enemies in their utter deitruction at the laft day : In thefe various ways it may be faid, in the language of ancient prophecy, that he Jhalljmite the ear th with the rod of hu mouth ; and with the breath of his lips he [hall flay the earth* (I fa. xi. 4.) 9 Even him g The manner of this wicked one's introducing whofe coming is anJ fUpportfng his tyranny and errors, which fhall at 0/ Satan" w?th 'afl ^en^tn ^e deilroyed, will be in imitation of the fa- power, and figns, ther of lies, who was a murderer from the begin- and lying won- tiing, and abode not in the truth, (John viii. 44.) ^crs» and under his influence, according to the energy of
his operatior, who works effectually in the children of difobedicrce : (Ephcf. ii. 2.) And this wicked one will exert himfelf, for upholding and promoting his abominable empire, with all his might, under a pre- ttnee of power from God for it ; and with fliam pre- tences to miracles, and to wonderful works of a fu- pcrnatural kind, like what our Lord himfelf perform- ed; (fee the note en ABs ii. 22.) but which, in this pretender, are all a cheat to impole upon, and deceive the nations cf the earth.
to And
Chap. ii. THESSAiiONiANs paraphrafed. 133
10 And with all 10 And, at the mitigation of the diabolical fpirit, X"fs t the »poftacy will be carried on, under it, papal head,
them that penfli ; Wlth 3l1 ,ubtle and tricking arts, managed by the becaufe they recei- molt unrighteous methods, to delude thofe that com- ved not the love ply with them, to their own Utter perdition ; becaufe they m5tbe*fc! throu&h the carnality and corruption of their own ve(j. & " hearts, and the malignant influence of Satan, which
they readily yielded tlu-mfelvcs up to, they d;d not cordially receive Chritl in the whole of his character, who is the Truth ; {John xiv. 6.) nor would embrace the truth and purity of the gofpel concerning him, with approbation, that they might obtain falvation according to, and by means of that revelation, which fhows the only way to eternal life through him. it And for this „ Ancj therefore, as they did not like to retain fend them ftroni Uie knowle<%e (>f the truth,' God, in his righteous delufion, that they judgment, for the punifhraent of their iniquity in its ftiould believe a own kind, will deliver them up to the dreadful effi- cacy of error, (m^/uxv nXmw) as the chofen way of their own wicked inclinations, and to a judicial hardnefs of heart, and the power of the god of this world, who blinds their minds, (fee the note on Rom. ix. 1 8.) that they might give their free aflent and confent to delufive forgeries, fuperftitions and idolatry, fabulous legends, and monftrous doctrines and practi- ces, that have no truth in them ; but are all a heap of faiihood and lying vanities ;
mi' htTbf damned " '^ ^^ bc JuftlJ ,cft to the Power of ^is
wto beJieveTnot fo°liftl ?md Perverfe difpofition of their own evil hearts, the truth, but had t^i according to their deferts, all of them (x^iBmn) plealure in unrigh- might be judged and condemned, and righteoufly teoufnefs. punifhed with the moft awful deftrudion, who disbe-
lieved and rejeded Chriil, and the truth of die gof- pel ; but, on the contrary, were exceeding fond of, and took delight in all wicked defigns, words and deeds, frauds and perfecutions, as what are moft a- greeable to their own corrupt tdte.
bourdBUtoVVe a,e I3 But aS t0 yOU' °llr dear ChrI{Han brethren, thanks Jfor*/™ wh°m we think of.witn P]cafure, as thofe whom the Cod for you, hre- Lord himfelf peculiarly loves, and will preferve from thrcn, beloved or' this dreadful apoftacy, We have this to fay for your the Lord, becaufe comfort, that in every remembrance of yon (Phil ^„mfsfrtota I" 30 we cannot but look upon ourfdves as Bound ,,10n) m duty and afte&ion. to Llch God heartily or. your through ir.nelirica- behalf; becaufe we are well faiisfied by what we faw Hon ... the Spirit, of the powerful efficacy of the gofptl noon you, when W <* <he ye firft received it, (i Tbef. i. 2 —5. ^e the note, there) and by what we have l'nce heard of its happy and holy fruits, as they continue ftill farther to ap- pear in you, (chap. i. g, 4.) that God, of his own mere grace, has from the beginning of the world,
yea,
134 27^ Second Epiftle to the Chap. iL
yea, from aH eternity *, made a Ipecial choice of you' to complete falvation by Jefus Chrift, ( i The/f. v. 9.)' as the final happinefs which he defigned to bring you to, through the renovation of your whole fouls in knowledge, righteoufnefs, and true holinefs, after the image of God, which is wrought in you by the Ho- lv Spirit, without which no man /hell fee the Lord ; (Heb. xii. 14.) and through a fiducial truft in Chrift, and faithful adherence to him, according to the truth of the gofpel-revelation of him, as God's appointed way and means of bringing you fafe to glory ; the end and means being inseparably connected in his decree, and in the execution of it.
14 Whereunto l^ To which falvation, as to be brought about m he called you by ^ he hag nQW ag the ^ Qc ^^ 1
our gofpel, to the _ • ' ... , , D 9..
obtaining of the effeaually called you, {ven 13. and Rom. vin. 50.
glory oi our Lord fee the note there) by our preaching the gofpel, not
Jefus Chrift. a gofpel which we are the authors of, but a difpen-
fation of which is committed to us, and which is faiths fully miniftred by us, in oppoiition to all other pre- tended gofpels, (1 Cor. ix. 17. and Gal. i. 8.) that ye might be thereby brought, through the attending operation of the Spirit, unto a title and claim to, and, at length, the full enjoyment of that immortal ftate of blifs and glory, which our Lord Jefus Chrift has purchafed, prepared, and taken pofTefTion of, as your Head and Forerunner, for you, and hath promifed, and at the laft day will adjudge and bring you to, that ye may behold his glory, and be made like nim, and completely happy with him, in foul and body for ever.
15 Therefore, 15 In confederation therefore of what God has brethren, ftandfeft, t]iug gracioufly deligned and done for you, dear bre- ?n oc t e ra- ^ an(j Qf t^e promifed afiiftances which from ditions wnicn ye v r 1 11 o.jj j
have thence ye may farther well expect and depend upon,
We NOTE.
* "By from the beginning fome would having chofen its in Cbri/l before the
underftand from the beginning of the foundation of the world, that we might
gofpel's being preached to. and received be holy and without blame before him in
by them ; bmVas, in the next verfe, the love : (Eph: i. 4.) All this fliows, that
apoftle. fpcak&bf their being called by the his calling the Thefalouianr, by the
gofpel as a diftincl thing, in confequence gofpel, is to be diitinguifhed from his
of God's having chofen them from the having chofen them ; and that his having
beginning, according to what he had chofen them from the beginning » to-be
faid, 1 Epift. i. 4. 5. of knotting their e- underftood of his having done it from e-
letlion of God ; becaufe the gofpel fame temity, in purfuance of which he culled
to them, not in word only, but in power, them with an holy calling, not according
bV. (fee the note there) and as the to their work*, but according to his own
phrafe from the, beginning («»' «f*«c) pvrpojt and grace, which was given
fignifies the beginning: ot time, I John them in Chrift Jefus before the world
iii. 8. and from the beginning is of the began, (a Tim. i. 9. 10) Vide Witf
fame import with from ever la ding, i'rov. Oeoon. Feed. lib. iii. cap. 4. feci. 21.
viii. 23. and our apoftle fpeaks ol (JotTs br.
Chap. ii. TmssMomAXs paraphrajed. 135
have been taught We earneftly befeech you to ftand faft in the faith, rr^e'iftle^^' comfort and hoPe> doctrine, helmets, ar.d profeffion of the gofpel ; and fledfaftly to maintain the im tant points of truth and duty *, which ye have been inftru&ed in by us, the fervants of Chrift, (chap. i. 1. and 1 Tbeffl i. i.) whether by word of mouth, while we were with you ; or by this, and our former epiftle, which contain an important part of the faith, that is delivered to the faint:, (Jude, ver. 3.) as the only ftandard of doctrines, worfhip, and obedience. 16 Now our Lord 16 Now, upon the great encouragement we have to Jefus Chrift him- ho wdl conccrn{ng you aj tj,e chofen and U d c lelf. and God. even r> 1 / \ ttt ,„
our Father, which Jrrod» ( ver' *3» H-) We earneftly pray, with com- hath loved us, and fortable affurance of being heard, that our Lord Je- harh given us ever- fus Chrift himfelf, as the divine Saviour, who has re- Ind ng ood01^ deemed Us hy his blood> and PUiotefed eternal glory shrough°°^race,°pe ^°r VS' anC* Wl^ be our judge at tne kft day to con- fer it upon us f ; and that God the Father, even our covenant-God and Father in him, who, we craft, has loved both you and us with an everlasting love, and has by manifcftatioiis of it revived our fouls with his confoiations, which are everlafting in their foun- dation, matter, tendencies, and iiual ifiues, though not always or alike fenfibly enjoyed, while we are in this prefent itate of imperfection ; and who hath given us freely, by his grace, the bell of all hope, e- ven a good hope of eternal life, which is folid, fcrip- tural, and well-grounded, and (hall never make us a- Jhtwied, becaufe the love of God ii (bed abroad in our hearts by the Holy GhyV, vjhich is given to us ; (Rom. v. 5.)
17 We,
NOTES.
* This holding the traditions relates tend to their traditions, when they rfyi
only to l'uch doctrines as the apoftle and produce testimonies to them
his fellow-labourers had delivered to tic, and well-known to us, as thele weie
them, pertaining to the only rule of to the Tbej/alonipas ; or can prove them
faith, worfhip, and obedience, by their by the word of God. (See the nots on
perfonal preaching and convert t ion. or 1 Cor. xi. 2 )
by the writing of this, and the former e- \ O/ir Lord Jefus Chriil is here on- piftle ; and therefore it cannot give the fidered as the object of religions worrfup, leaft countenance to the oral traditions and the author of the blefiings th of the Papifts, which they pretend have implicitly at leaft. prayed for from h.m, been handed down through many hun- in the tame manner equally, and dreds of years; but are really Huffed ther with the 'Father, which fuppofes lys with fuch ridiculous and incredible ftp- proper divinity, accordm- to 'th<j ries, as neither agree with the l'cripture bliihed and unchangeable la of wof- nor with common lenfe : And as, by all fiiip, as recited by himfelf, Mat "thefe traditions, th^y cannot point out 10. and his being mentioned in this man- lb much as one of the particulars that per, even before the Father, takes olf all were delivered to the Theffalonians by pretences of his inferiority, ■ ; word of mouth from the apoftle, any far- ty or worlhip, on account of the Father** ther than they are recorded in the New being at other times mentioned before Teftament, or may be gathered from him. thence, it is time enou?h for us to at-
VoL. V. T
136 The Second Epiftle to the Chap. ii.
17 Comfort your 17 We, I fay, earneftly, and with bumble confi-
lie.arr-. "n.A fta" dence, beg, that thefe adorable perfons in the God- bhfh yon in eve- , , , , • » x ,.
ry food word and head would> Wlth concurring agency, according to work. the refpective parts which they have voluntarily un-
dertaken in the economy of falvation, fill your fouls, yet more and more, with all joy and peace in be- lieving, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghofi, (Rom. xv. 13.) and may be comforted under all troubles, fears, and dangers ; and that they would flrengthen and fortify you im- moveably, unto all perfeverance in every doctrine of the gofpel, which brings good tidings of great joy ; as alfo in every fort of found fpeech, which cannot be condemned ; and in every good work of righte- oufnefs, with regard to God, yourfelves, and one a- nother.
RECOLLECTIONS.
How exceeding dangerous is it to be milled into miftaken expectations of divine appearances, like that of Chris's immediately coming to judgment, left, through difappointment therein, we (hould be tempted to disbelieve the whole gofpel, which we thought encouraged them ! It is no wonder that the promifes of Chrift's fecond appearing are not yet fulfilled, fince we are allured by the fpirit of prophe- cy, that the general apoftacy, under the man of fin, or papal power, which af- fumes the prerogatives of God\ was firft to rife and reign, till it fhall be deftroyed by the Spirit or Chrift's mouth, and the brightnefs of his coming ; and fince this power could not be fet up till the government of the Roman Cefars fhould be dif- folved. But, alas ! how dreadful muft their condemnation and deftruction be, whom God, in his righteous judgment, gives up to fuch a fpirit or" delufion, as fond- ly to believe, and voluntarily comply with, all the idolatry, fuperftition, tyranny, and corruptions of popery, which are propagated by fatanical forgeries, and vain pretences to miraculous powers and figns, that, in reality, are no other than lying wonders '. God righteoufly fuffers the admirers of thefe to be deceived by them ; becaufe they did not like to embrace the truth of the gofpel concerning Chrift, as the only mediator, that they might be faved. But O how happy is the ftate of thole that are fecured from thefe damning errors, by God's haying, in his free love, chofen them from eternity to falvation, through fanctification of the Spirit, and belief of the truth, which ftand infeparably connected in the pnrpofe of God, and in the execution of it, as the way and means of bringing about this glorious end ! In order hereunto he effectually calls them, unto the obtaining of the immortal life, which Chrift hath biought to light by the gofpel, and will advance them to, at the laft day. With what encouraging hope, and confidence of a bleffed iffue. upon thefe ground*, may believers receive, and ftedfaftly adhere to, what is delivered by infpired writers ; and be earned in prayer, that their Lord and Saviour, and their God and Father in him. would give them fuch confolation as is of an ever- lafting nature, and fuch good hope, through grace, as fhall never difappoint them; but fhall be to their abundant joy. and eftablifhment in every good doctrine, way, and work, till they arrive at heavenly glory \
CHAP.
Chap. iii. Thessalonians paraphrafed.
137
CHAP.
III.
ex- U
The apofile defires prayer for himfeif and his fellow-labourers ; prejjes his confidence in the ThefTalonians, and pre \u for them_ — <;. Charges them to withdraw from diforderly walker r, and particularly from thofe that were lazy, and buiy-bodics, contrary to his example and command, 6, — 15. And concludes with a pray- er for them, and with a Jalutation and benediction, 16, — 18.
Text. JTINALLY, bre- thren, pray for U5, that the word of the Lord may have free courfe, and be glorified even as it is with
1 And that we may be delivered from unreafonable and wicked men : for all men have ■ot faith.
3 But the Lord is faithful, who fhall ftablifb you,
ar.d keep you from
evil.
Paraphrase. MOW, my dear brethren in Chnit, to draw to- •^ wards a clofe of this epiftle, Let me earnedly entrcat your fervent prayers for me, and my fellow- labourers, fuch as Silvan us and 'Timothy, who join with me in writing to you, {chap, h 3.) that we may- be directed, aflilted, and owned in our great and dif- ficult work, for which we are iufufficient of ourfelves ; and that the gofpcl of falvation, of which the Lord Jefus Chriil is the author and principal iubjecl., may run with lpeed and fuccefs, (t^s>j») and be fpread and propagated in its purity and power all around, far and wide, and not hindred in its progrtfs ; but may bear down all oppoiition before it, and be recei- ved with honour and eiieem, as of divine authority, and a glorious fcheme of falvatiofr ; and may produce glo- rious effects in the converiion, edification, and holy converfation of multitudes, wherever it is preached, even as it has among you. (See 1 Tbejf* i. 5, 6.)
2 And we in a fpecial manner beg your prayers, that we may be kept, or refcued out of the hands of unbelieving Jewijh zealots, and delivered from penis among falje brethren, (2 Cor. xi. 26.) who are (*;- tottcjv) infolently perverfe and abfurd in their rea- fonings and prejudices againft us, and are maliciouf- ly wicked in their principles and practices, endeavour- ing to ftop our mouths, and throw us into prifons, and would perfecute us unto death : Many of thefe we meet with wherever we go, as we did at Theffa- Ionic a : (Acts xvii. 5. and 1 ThefT. ii. 15, 16, 18.) For it is undeniably evident from hence, that, even among profeifors of religion and Chriflianity itfclf, all of them do not cordially embrace Chriil, accord- ing to the truth of the goipel, by that iaith, which works by love, and purifies the heart.
3 But though fa lie and hypocritical pretenders, who receive not the love of die truth that they may be Javed, (chap. ii. 10.) be left of God to then ielvcs, and turn violent enemies to us and you ioi the <boi- pel's lake ; yet ye ought not to be diicour ged upon this account : For as yc have received the word oj
T 2 God,
138 The Second Epiftle to the Chap. iii.
God, not as the word .of man, but (as it is in truth) the word of God, which effctlualiy works alfo in you thai believe; ( 1 Theft", ii. 13.) fo ye may affuredly depend upon his faithfulnefs, in making good his co- venant-promife of perfevenng grace, {Je>\ xxxii. 40.) that he will confirm, fettle, and itrengthen you in the doctrine and grace of faith, and in your holy pro- feflion of it, and practice of godlinefs according to it ; and will fo far preferve and fecure you from the pow- er of tribulation, fin, and Satan, and all his wicked initrument f, as that none of them mail prevail to your final defi.ru£tion. have 4 And as your prefervation is to be in a way of tiie holy obedience : fo we have an entire truft and ioy- that ye both' do *u* conhdence in the .Lord Jelus concerning you, as and will do the believers in him, and vitally united to him, that, which we through his grace, ye not only hitherto have been, ul y°u- and ftill are, but mail perfeveringly continue to be, obedient in all things to thofe commandments which we have delivered, and may further deliver to you, in his name, and by his authority, (ver. 6.) id the Lord 5 And, according to this our hope in Chrift, con- ■ our hearts cerning you, we earneilly pray that the Lord the into the Jove ot g •;,. * jd , hk y - ^ d influcnce fet t
God, and jnto the .r. ,1 , • , &- r 1 t
wan in"- ror rights all the irregular motions or your hearts, and
carry them more and more in a ftraight courfe, as by a direct line, {kxtzvSwc/a) into a clear and experi- mental acquaintance with the love of God to you, and into the livelieit exercifes of your love to him, under a fenfe of his having firit loved you ; ( 1 John iv. 19.) as alfo into affecting and endearing reflec- tions upon, and imitation of, the wonderful patience w'th which Chrift endured all his fufferings for your lake ; and into a patient continuance in well-doing, (Rom. ii. 7.) under all your troubles and dangers for his fake, and a patient expectation of his fecond coming, (1 Thef. i. 10.) which will ere long put an end to all your trials, and make you a rich and ever- lading amends for them, com- 6 Now, dear brethren in the Lord, having exprefs-
ed our o-ood opinion and hopes concerning you, as thren, in the name ,- • • 1 111 1 j 1 lL r 1 r c
of our Lord [ejus a iprntual and holy body, and the lincere deiire ot
: it, our fouls for you all, We take this opportunity to
add,
N O T E.
* The Lord here applied to feems to patient -uniting for Cbrifi, or patience
be belt underftood of the Lord the Spirit of Cbrifi: (u^o/u.ovn* rov Xf<rou) And the
[KvQtcv Muiietles ) as i Cor. iii iS. may things, here prayed tor, are reprefented
[y be rendered: For the Father in fcripture, as the fpecial and immrdi-
fTid Son are fpoken o". as perfons diftin<5l ate work of the Holy Ghoft. (See Rom.
■ is Lord, who din-ors the heart in- v. 5. and Gal. v. 15, 22.)
the Father, and the
Chap. iii. Thessalonians paraphrafed. 139
Chrift, that ye add, that, as we hear fome of your number continue withdraw your. co be idle, and bufy -bodies, jwr, \ 1.) notwithiland- felves trom every • ^ [^ injunctions wc had given to the con- brother mat walk- s , -r/ ,, J. \ r ■ a a- eth dilbrderlv, and traiy'J (» WW+W: \h 12') io we> .in reflection not after the' tradi- hereupon, think it high time to enjoin you, as a tion which be re- church, by the authority, and for the glory of Chrift, ceivee 01 us. our common JLord and Saviour, from whom we have received our eommirnon and initructions, that ye re- move from your holy communion, and avoid all un- neteflary iamiliarity and conveiialion with every bro- ther, or member of your religious fociety, ot what rank or itation foever, that lives irregularly, going into, and perfifting in fuch a courft of lazinefs, and intermeddling with other people's affairs, as is very injurious to public and family-peace, and dishonour- able to the Chrittian character ; and no way agreeable to the admonitions which we have delivered, whether by word of mouth, or in our former epiftle ; [chap. ii. 15. fee the note there) and exemplified in our own behaviour, when we were prefent with you.
7 For YQurfelves 7 For by theie means, ye yourielves very well know how ye ought know the manner in which ye ought to imitate us, to follow us: for and wajk anfwerable to our directions, as ye chearfullv we behaved not r... r . n . . . . J ^ } oun'elvesdiforderly did at your converfion : (i 1 he//, 1.6.) For we can among you : appeal, not only to the Lord himielf, but even to
your own confciences, as our witnejjes, how holily^ ju///y, and unbiameabl\\ we all along behaved our- Jelves among you ; (i ThefT. ii. io. ) and how care- ful we were, not to live at a flothful diforderly rate, contrary to the rule of the word, which we laid be- fore you, when we were at The// a tunica.
8 Neither did 8 No, nor did we partake of any one's food, or we eat any man's tahie witn him, at free-coft, without paying for it ; but* wrou-hT'with ^ut earne^ our Dread before we eat it, by diligent and labour ana1 travail wearilome labour with our own hands, taking abun- night and day, dance of pains, and undergoing great fatigues early that we mi^ht not and latCj by day and night ; iometimes in preaching be chargeable to th gofpei as we had opportunity for it, and at o- anyotveu: , & F * , . r • , i
thers, in working, as occalions required, at handi- craft trades in feveral places, {/1B\ xviii. 3. and xx. 34.) and particularly among you, (1 The/, ii. 9. fee the note on 1 Cor. ix. 1.) that we might provide for ourfelves, and not be a burden to any of you, as fome of a covetous temper, or narrow circumllances, might have thought us, had we been maintained at their ex- pence. P Not. becaufe 9 I remind you of this, not as though we had not we have not pow. ajull right by virtue of our office, according to the er, but to make reafon of things, and the authority of Chrill, ttTin- ourielves an en- r/1 ,° , , J - ,
fample unto you upon, and even demand a convenient and comrort-
to foliow us. ' able maintenance, in return for our miniiterial labours,
as
14° The Second Epiftle to the Chap. iil.
as I have aflerted and proved at large to others, (i Cor. ix. 4, — 14.) and now mention to you ; but we, of our own accord, freely waved ail claims of this nature, and worked with our own hands for a liveli- hood, to take off prejudices againit us, as though we were mercenary creatures, and to propagate the gof- pel the more fucc^fsfully ; and particularly to fet you a good example, and (tvttov ^a^iv vptv) give you a pat- tern of indultry in your feveral callings, that ye might be excited, and even conftrained to imitate us there- in, as well as to follow our precepts relating to it. 10 For even io For, having obferved appearances of a lazy •when we were temper in fome, even when we were among you, we wth you this we ftHal commanded you all in general, that if any one commanded you £ - , „,, .ny. , , ° . . . , . /.
that if any would ot Jour necdy Chnftian brotherhood, who is able to not work, neither work for his living, would not take due pains to pro- ftiould he eat. vide for hirnfelf and his family, if he has one, his in-
dolence and floth mould not be indulged by affording him a maintenance out of the charity of the church, which ought to be applied to the relief and comfort of fuch of their poor, as through ficknefs or age, or decay of nature, or any other means, are incapable of doing any thing for their own fupply. And ye need not wonder, that we, now again, fo ftrenuoufly Urge this point upon you. 11 For we he«r 11 For we have been credibly informed, after all that there are fome that has been faid and wrote about it, that there are which walk among fomc ^e members of the church, who walk irregu- working not at ^ar'Y> m direct contradiction, not only to our expreis all, but are bufy- injunctions, and the general rule of Chriftianity, which
bod
les.
the moral law itfelf, (Exod. x'x. 11.) and to the or- der of all political and religious focieties, and of the creation, and the prefent condition of man, who was formed for activity and bufmefs in his original ltate, and was doomed to eat his bread in the fweat of his brows, after the fall: [Gen. ii. 15. and iii. 19.) Thefe, going out of their rank, (xrocKTag) like loofe foldiers, do not care to be employed in their proper callings, or in any ufeful fervices at all ; but, as is common with fuch fort of people, they wafte their time in gadding abroad, and fauntering about, and curioufly prying, and officioufly thruiting themfelves into, and making their idle remarks upon other people's mat- ters, which they have no call to meddle with ; but which they bufy themfelves about, to the great dif- turbance of particular perfons, families and neighbours, and the creating of jcalouiies, mifunderl^andingp, and quarrels between friends, and fetting them at vari- ance by their tattling and tale-bearing humour, which
mekes
Chap. iii. Thessalonians paraphrafed. 141
makes them perfect incendiaries, and the nuifance and peit of all company, wherever they come.
12 Now them 12 Now, whofoever they be, that are of this that are fuch we flothful and pernicious difpolition and behaviour, we command, and ex • r ^ 11 •it- 1 . * hort by our Lord aSain iolemnly charge them by divine authority ; and Jeius Chrift, that earneftly entreat them by the endearing love of Chrift, with quietneis they our great Lord and Mafter, and for his fake, as ever work and eat their they W0UU avoid his difpleafure, and honour their
profeffion of his name, that, according to our former exhortation, (1 The/, iv. 11. fee the note there) they would ftudy to be quiet, and do their own bufi- nefs, with a meek and peaceable frame of fpirit, and fet themfelves diligently to work with their own hands, in their refpective ilations ; and fo, by the blcfling of God on their honed labour, may provide fuch food for themfelves and theirs, as they have duly earned, and bought with their own money, that they may be beholden to no one's charity for their fubfiftence ; and that, inllead of being burdeafomc to others, they may have to give to him that need'-. (Eph. iv. 28.)
13 But ye, bre- 13 But as for thofe of you, dear brethren, who, to thren, benot wea- the honour of your Chriflian charader, have minded ry in we - oing. ^Qur Qwn bufmefs, an(j not Qfljcjoufly meddled with
other people's affairs, we befeech you to perfift un- weariedly, and without reluctance, in a diligent dif- charge of the civil, as well as religious duties of your refpective ftations ; and particularly in doing good, with all chearfulnefs and liberality, to the induftri- ous, and yet necefiltous poor among you; [Gal. vi. 9, 10.) though ye ought to with- hold your charity from fuch, as are able, but not willing, to work for their own livelihood, (ver. 10.)
14 And if any T4 And if there ftill be any flothful perfon of your man obey not our community, who pays no regard to, nor is reformed word by this epit- ^y ^ commandments and exhortations, that we have tie, note that man, ,-,. ,. ~. .n, , , ' _ .
and have no com- delivered by Chnit's authority, as before, fo in this
pany with him, epiftle, relating to fuch, {->c>\ 6, 10, 12.) It is your that he may be a- duty, as a church, to fet a brand of infamy upon him, lamed, by caftmg him out, as an unworthy member ; and
not to countenance him afterwards, by an imimacy of friendfhip, or unneceffary familiarity in conversation with him, (ivoc evT%<x.7rr,) to the end that, by your and cool carriage toward him, ke may turn inwards, and blufh and be afhamed, in reflection on his fin ; and, through divine grace, may be brought to repent of it, and to loath and abhor himfelf for it, with full purpofe 01 heart to depart from it.
15 Yet count 1 5 Eut, in order to your attaining this great and him not as an e- gGOd end of excommunication, Take heed of treat- »emy, b„t ad mo- ;ng him before Land with aufterfcy and roughnefs, as
if ye aimed at his ruin in temporal or ipiritual con- cerns,
142 The Second Epijlle to the Chap. iii.
nifh him as a bro- cerns, and not merely at the defruftion of the fe/h9 ther- that his foul may he iaved in the day of the Lord Je-
fin: (fee the note on 1 Cor. v. 5.) Nor ought ye immediately to look upon him, as an implacable and utterly incorrigible enemy to God and godlinefs, and to Chrift and the gofpel ; but mould deal tenderly, as well as faithfully and plainly with him as a brother, in fetting the evil of his ways before him, and paffing the awful cenfure, if neceffary, upon him, and in gi- ving him feafonable admonitions, as opportunities of- fer, confidering the relation that he either bears or has bore to you, in hopes that, by the blefiing of God on fUch attempts, he may be reclaimed, and re- ftored to his former place in the church. 16 Now the Lord 1 6 Now may the Lord Jefus himfelf, our only of peace himfelf peace-maker with God, and the author, purchafer, give you peace and ^iver Qf ^\\ manner of peace and happinefs, make mTans!' The Lord you P™fperuus in all grace and holinefs, and fill you be with you all. with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may have peace in your own fouls, and one with another, and may be a harmonious and flourifhing church, at all times, and by all manner of means, that are fuited, by divine appointment, to promote it I And that the means, ufed for this purpofe, may be effectual, we earneftly beg that this bleffed Lord, who commands and loves peace, and delights in the profperity of his fervants, would afford all and every one of you his fpecial prcfence, in a way of providence and grace, to prated and guide, aflift, comfort, and perfect all that concerns yon, in whatfoever relates to you fe- verally, and altogether as a church. 17 The faluta- VJ To conclude with the falutation, which IPau/ tion of Paul with write with my own hand, as a fure mark to diftin- mine own hand. gUjm mv Epitlles from fuch as may be forged under which is the token name , w prctenQe(i to come from me, may
^evervepum-: fo ^.^ ^ ^^ ^ ^^ (^ ^ 2>) when_
ever any of my letters are wrote by an amaniienfs,
as di&ated by me, I always at the clofe add, in my
own hand-writing, the following words, or to that
effect, (fee the note on Rom. xvi. 22.)
iS The grace ,1 8 Miy the free love and favour of our Lord and
of onr Lord fefus Saviour Jefus Chrift, inclufive of all its fpecial mani-
be with you fgftaiionsj fruits, and effe&s, continually abound to
all. Amen. aW and every one of you , In teujmony 0f the iinceri-
ty of my defire and pleafing hopes hereof, I hearti- ly fay, Amen.
RECOLLECTIONS.
How earneftlv ought we to pny for the fuccefs of the glorious gofpel, and for the prefervation amf liberty of Chriit's fervants, that their preaching it may not be obftructed by the violence 0 unbelieving, perverfe and wicked men ! And what a pleafure is it when they, to whom the care of churches is committed, have
Chap. iii. Thessalonians paraphrafed. 143
a fatisfaction in their own minds, that the Lord will eftablifh them in the faith, hope, and holinefs of the gofpel, and will engage their hearts to do his command- ments, as delivered to them in his name ! But, alas ! How grievous is it to find, that any church-members are diforderly walkers, lazy in their own proper affairs, and mifchievous buly-bodies in other people's matters, to the fcandal of the Chrif- tian name ! The churches, to which [jerfons of theie character^ belong, ought, in caf« they cannot be reclaimed, to withdraw from them, and pal's fuch a cenlure as may be a mark of difgrace upon them, and then fhun all bnneceflary familiari- ties of converting with them, to make them afliamed of the evil of their doings, that are directly contrary to the precepts and example of the holy apoitles ; and yet they mould be treated, as far as the nature of things will bear, in a brotherly way, to bring them to repentance. How unteafonable is it that idle and diforder- ly walkers (hould live upon the charity of others ! But how chearfully and gene- roufly mould the induftrious and helplefs poor be relieved, according to rheir wants! May all the churches of Chritt have peace among themfelyes, and pro- fperity of every kind, from the Lord Jelus, and falute one another with the fir.ee- reft Chriftian affection May their hearts be directed into the love of God, and a patient waiting, under their various tribulations, for Chrift's fecor.d coming to put an end to them '. And mav his grace be ever with them all 1 Amen.
Vol- V. U A PR AC
A PRACTICAL
EXPOSITION
OF THE
FIRST EPISTLE of the APOSTLE PAUL
T O
TIMOTHY,
IN THE FORM OF A
PARAPHRASE.
The PREFACE to the FIRST EPISTLE to TIMOTHY.
tJ^IMOTHTwas an excellent youth, whofe father was a Greek, and his mother a pious Jewefs, (Acts xvi. i, 3.) who had taken a religious and exemplary care to educate him in the knowledge of the Old Tellament fcriptures, from his childhood up ; (2 Tim. i. 5. and iii 15.) and. Providence catting him under the miniftry of the apof- tle Paul, this young man, through the attending power of the Ho- ly Ghoft, was converted to the faith of Chriit, as feems to be inti- mated chap i. 2. ; (fee the note there) and was fo enriched with the gifts and graces of the Spirit, that the apoftle had a great affection for him, and foon turned his thoughts toward him for an alTiftant in the work of the minillry : And that the Jews, to whom the apoftle firit preached, might not have the leaft exception againft this his af. fociate, as the fon of a Gentile by the father's fide, he ordered him to be circumcifed, which he had not been in the days of his infancy, but now confented to be ; and then took him for his companion un- der the character of an evangelift, an office next to that of the apof- tlefhip, in planting and watering the churches.
Though Paul had, doubtfefs, taken much pains with this youno- evangelilt in private converfation, to fit him for a due difcharge of his office, hints of which may be gathered from chap. i. 3. and 2 EpiJ}. i. 13. and iii. ic, — 14. j yet to fix things more upon his mind, and give him an opportunity of having recourfe to tlu m afterwards, and of communicating them to otheis, as there mi^ht be occafion, either at Ephefus, where it is mod generally fuppofed Timothy then was, or wherever he might go to fulfil his itinerant work ; as alio to leave divine directions, in writing, for the ufe of the church and its mini- llers, in all fucceeding ages, he fent him this excellent paftoral let- ter, which contains a great variety of important fentiments for their regulation j and is fuppofed by fome to have been written about the year of our Lord $$, and by others 58 : And about nine or
ten
Preface to the Firfl Epijlle to Timothy. 145
ten years afterwards, as fome think, he followed it with the Second Epi/i/e, which (till more immediately and chiefly related to Timothy himfelf, and to his own perfonal miniftry and conduct.
The time when, the place from which, and the perfon by whom, this Epiitle was fent, are indeed varioufly conjectured by learned en- quirers into antiquity, while they all agree in its divine authority, and its being written by the apoftle Paul.
This facred writer, after his ufual declaration of his apoftolic cha- racter, and affe6tionate falutation of Timothy, lays before him his duty of guarding againft thole judaizing teachers at Ephefus, or elfe- where, that taught any thing contrary to the found doctrine, which he himfelf had delivered, according to the trufl that Chrift had com- mitted to him. {Chap, i.) And as they adhered to fynagogue-" or- ftiip, and fet themfelves in oppofition to the ie^ality of the power of Gentile princes, and treated it with contempt, as though they had no right of dominion over them, he enjoins the offering up of pray- ers in all places, without dittin&ion, for kings, and all that were in civil authority, and for fubjeds of all charaders, whether they were Jews or Heathens; and then goes on to direct the behaviour of wo- men, among whom, it feems, there were great indecencies, or ex- travagancies of drefs, and an affuming management in religious affem- blies. yChap. ii.) Then he proceeds to a defcription of the proper qualifications of ordinary bidiops or pallors, and of deacons and their wives, with intimations of the courie Timothy ought to take, as to his own deportment in the church, with regard to fuch perlons, and the whole of his own office, confidering the vail importance of that doctrine which he was to preach : {chap, iii.) From thence he takes occafion, to add fore-wTarnings of feducers, that would arife and pervert many, and would iiTue in a grand apoftacy ; ordering him to give fuch notices of them as might fortify the church of Chrift againft them, and to exercife himfelf in fuch exemplary godlinefs, and attend fo entirely to his minifterial work, and to the improve- ment of his gifts in preaching the true doctrine of Chrift, in fuch a ierious, judicious, diligent, grave, and faithful manner, as might raife his youth above contempt, and, through divine grace, might be rendered effectual to the final falvation of his own and his hearers fouls. {Chap, iv.) Thereupon he directs his conduct towards all perfons whether men or women, of every age and ftation in the church ; and folemnly charges him, as in the prefence of Chrift, to acquit himfelf with the utmoft prudence, caution, and impartiality toward them, in confidence with a due care of his own infirm ftate of health, and fuitable to the circumftances of the people he might have to do with. {Chap, v.) And he clofes with advice, relating to the duties of fervants, and the perverfe tendency of any contrary doctrine of corrupt and worldly minded men, who being {hangers to the power of godlinefs, and not contented with a moderate (hare of the conveniences of this life, run themielves into fin and ruin, through their covetous defires : And in opposition to thefe, he char- ges Timothy to act up to the dignity ot his Lcred truft tnd character, as in the fight and prefence of God, and as he womd aal^ver h in the great day of Chrift j and remonitrates againft an abufe <
U 2 riches
146 The Fir/} Epiflle to Chap. i.
riches of this world, and againft the falfe principles of philofophy, that arc fubverfivc of the faith of the gofpel ; concluding all with a benediction, like himfelf, faying, Grace be with thee. Amen. (Chap, vi.)
CHAP. I.
The apoftle afferts his office as of divine authority ; falutes Timothy ; and remind.) him of the charge he had given him at Ephefas, ij — 4« Of his end therein , and of the dejign of the Mofaic law, 5, — II. Of his own conversion , and call to the apofle/hip, 12, — 17. and of Timothy *j obligation to maintain faith and a good confcience, which Hymeneus and Philetus had put away from them, 18, — 20.
Text. Paraphrase.
T)AUL an apof- T^AUL, who is an apoftle of Jefus the true Mef- Chrift.by the coin! *T fiah' (?"T' i7riTeiY«v) according to the authorita- mandment of God tiwe and gracious appointment of God the Father, our Saviour, and who is the original contriver and orderer of the whole the Lord Jefus fcheme of falvation ; and of Jefus Chrift, who is the
muiftho 7-hiCb " ^reat L°rd and Redeemer> the author, object, and
ground of all our hope toward God, in oppofition to
any dependence on the works of the law for juilifica-
tion ; and is the only Mediator, in and through
whom, as revealed in us by his Spirit, according to
the gofpel- difco very of him, we have good hope of
eternal glory. [Col. i. 27.)
1 Unto Timothy, 2 He, who thus afferts his apoftolic office, to bind
my own ion in the what he is going to write upon the confciences of all
faith: grace, rner that ^ conc d • jt J p^/ fend th{s ep;ftle
cy, and peace trom ' r
our Father, lo you, my dear I imothy, who are already iully con- and Jefus Chrift vinced of my divine authority, and whom I regard our Lord. \vith all the tendernefs and affe&ion of a father to his
own genuine fon, as I was the inftrument of bring- ing you to, and e ft abli filing you in, the faith of Chrift * ; and as you are a young man, and a fpiri- tua) child of my own likenefs, and have faithfully ferved with me, as a fon with a father, in the gof- pel, NOTE. * As the apoftle called Ti/notbyhkoivn commonly fpeaks of thofe under this ten- genuine fon m the faith; (yvnvtu) and der appellation, to whom he had been fo, frequently ft \ ltd him his fon Trnofhy, as of Titus and Onejimus, Tit. i. 4. and (ver. [S. 2 Tim. i. 2. and 1 Cor iv. 7 ) it Phi/em. ver. 10. ; and fpeaks of himfelf probahle that lie h;>d been the in- as a fpiritual father, and of thofe as his liniment of his converfion to the faith of children whom he had begotten by the Chrift, as the Meffiah fpoken of in the gofpel, 1 Cor. iv. 14, 15. 2 Cor. xii. 14. Did reftament-pfophecy, though we Gal iv. 19. and 1 Thejf. ii. 11. But I have no particular account of it in the do not find that he ever ufed this appel- lhort hiftory of the beginning of the a- lation with regard to any that were not poftle's acquaintance with him: For he converted by his miniftry.
Chap. i. Timothy baraphrafed. 147
pel, (Phi/, ii. 20, 22.) May the divine favour, in all its freenefs and fulnefs, and the divine compafiion, in all the variety of its merciful and tender exerciies, which you, as a minifter, more than private Chrii- tians, will need, in a fpecial manner, to fupport, re- lieve, encourage, and comfort you under all the temp- tations, labours, difficulties, and dangers of your ila- tion ; and to pity and pardon all your failings ! (See the note on Rom. i. 7.) And may all the biefimgs of peace, with God and in your own foul, and between you and thole among whom you may be call, toge- ther with all manner of proipcrity, abound richly to- ward you from God our Father, as the eternal foun- tain of all good, and from Chrill Jefus our Lord, as the purchafer, and more immediate author and con- veyer of it through the merit of his own blood.
3 Aslbeiousht 3 As I deiired and exhorted you (~aeix.ute<?u) to thee to abide ftill continue fome time after me at Ephefus, when 1 took at Epheius, when { f h f it and paffed jnto Mace- I went into Mace ' <J *T . , ■ donia, that thou aoma ,' (Acts xx. i, — 4.) 1 would now remind you mighteft charge of my delign therein, and give you further inftru&ion ibme that they about it, which is, that you might, in the name, and teach no other by tne authorlty 0f Chrift communicated to you by
me his apoftle, folemnly enjoin fome well-known ju- daizing Chriftians there, and in thofe parts, that they never dare to broach any doctrine different from, much lefs contrary to, and corrupting of, the fimpli- city of that which I have faithfully preached, under di- vine infpiration among them, and wherever I have gone.
4 Neither give 4 And you are to charge them, that they never heed to fables, and regard, or propagate any fabulous Jewijh traditions, endlefs genealo- that aYt roundltfs and deftru&ive of the purity of gies, whicn rninii- , ° . 1 r • 1 \ c ter queftions, ra- tne golpel ; por attend to the frivolous pretences ot ther than godly e this and that particular perfon t«o his pedigree, in difying, which is in an uninterrupted line from Abraham, or others of fcith; jo do. ^ patriarchs *, which lead to ufelefs, intricate, and
endlefs controverfies f, and have no good tenden- cy to fpiritual edification after a godly fort, iuch as is approved of God, and has him for its author ; nor are at all uieful for eitablifhing the doctrines of faith in Chriit, or bringing any to believe in him, or build- ing them up on their moll holy faith, who have belie- ved through grace.
5 Now NOTES. * Thefe genealogies, as Dr. Lightfoot line of furceffion, through the hands of obferves, were not any of the genealo- many doctors. (Vol. I. p- 30S.) gies in fcripture; but their long intricate f Rather than is obterved by critics pedigrees, that they ftood upon to prove to be often ufed, not in a comparative themfeives Jeivst Levites, priejls, and but negative fenfe, as in Luke xvm. 14. the like : And to this we may add the John iii. 19. and xii. 43. and 2 Tim. Hi. genealogy and pedigree of their tradi- 4. tions, which they derived, by a long
148 The Firft Epijlle to Chap. i.
5 Now the end 5 Now the end, which is aimed at *, and you of the command- ought to purfue, in the charge I ordered you to in- rtnofa';ureS: f-.ceuponjudaizmgCl.n.hans, (ver 3.) i„ oppo- and of a good con- "tion to their fabulous, fruitlels, and perplexing dif- ference a;,d cf "faith putes, (ver. 4.) is to promote a fpirit of love toward unfeigned : QQd and Chnlt, and one another, as fpringing from
a fanclified heart, and a faithful, pure, and quiet con- fcience, that is purged from dead works by the blood of Chriil ; as alio from a principle of lincere laith, without the iealt hypocrify. (ocvv7rox.^ira )
6 From which 6 From all which fome, as appears by their lan- fome having fwer- and behaviour under a proteiTion of Chriltiani- ved have turned a- ° °. rr j 1 11/ \ 1 fide unto vain Jang- ty,. having nuffed the grand mark, {*?*&**?&) and Iir.g; . ' wandered irom the mam fcope, to which all doctrines
and practices ought to be directed, have turned into a very different and directly contrary courle, in vain- ly talking of things that are altogether unprofitable, and icrve only to itir up animoiities, itrife, and aoubt- ful difputations, like their idle iables and endlels ge- nealogies ; {yer. 4.)
7 Defiring to be 7 They affetting to fet up for doctors and inter- teachers of the preters of the jevcijh law, by their corrupt and un- law ; underftand- certajn tramtions, and to impofe it upon the Gen- mg neither what , ... r . r . .? ,. theyfay, nor where- nies i while, at the lame time, they, in reality, nei- of they affirm. ther apprehend the true fcope and defign of that law
itleii, nor the things which they confidently affert in their falfc gloffes upon it.
8 But we know 8 But thofe of us, who are enlightned in the that the law is knowledge of the goipel, and in the principal tenden- ft°°awfully ^3n " C cy anc* deiign °* tne wnole Jewi/h difpenfation, are
throughly convinced of its being a wife and holy in- ftitution, as it was appointed ol God for anfwering good purpoies, if a regular and proper ufe be made of it, according to his intention, for bringing us to Chritt: (Ga/. iii. 24.) Even the ceremonial law is of great ufe, if we confider it as having a typical refer- ence to him, and the gofpel-llate, in which it is ful- filled by him, and not as to be continued with a per- petual obligation for obferving its ritual ordinances, as judaizers vainly imagine and contend for : And as to the moral law, it is in itfelf of an excellent nature, as holy, juft, and good ; and it is itill of admirable ufe to convince us of fin, and of our need of a Savi- our, NOTE. * The end of the commandment is belhught thee to abide at Epbefus, (<va fuppofed by fome to mean the end oi the tjctgayyuwc) that thou might eft charge la-jj. and by others of the gofpel ; but it fome, that they teach no other doclrine, rather feems to me to be molt immedi- and here, anfwerable to the word there ateiy meant of the charge or command' ul'td, it is {to tixo( ttz -a^^ayytxutt') merit, which the apuitle had directed the end of the commandment or charge Timothy, (ver. 3.) to give to them who is charity, &c. •aught other doctrine. Thus he fays, I
Chap. i. Timothy paraphraftcL 149
our, and is as good and perfect, and of as immutable obligation to be obeyed now, as ever, if it be duly considered and made ufe of, as a rule of life, and ftandard of all righteoufnefs to be complied with, not for j unification to life, as thofe falfe teachers would perluade us, but upon evangelical principles of faith and love, in a contentious difcharge of every? duty that is owing to God, our neighbour, and ourfelves, that he may be glorified thereby. //
9 Knowing this, 9 And we are at the fame time fully fatisutif, that that the law is not the mora/ law, as ftill continuing in force, jm made made for a righte- tne law of Chrift's kingdom under the goJel-ftate, ous man, but ior . 1-1 i 1 • B
the lawlefs and dif- 1S not deligned to condemn, ru>r does lts^mnatory
obedient, for the fentence lie againft (a xurui) a true believwin Chrift,
ungodly and for who is juftified through faith in him, and who, from
doners, for unholy a principle of faith, has an impartial refped to all its
and protane, for r «_*■«•• 1 m • r o- j
murderers of fa- commands * ; but it is made with its ianction, and
thers, and murder- ftands in force for the condemnation of impenitent ers of mothers, for and unbelieving tranfgreffors, and of thole that will man-flayers, not ^ fubje6t to the authority of God in it ; fuch as
are impious wretches, that have not the fear of God in their hearts, and wilfully turn afide from his holy commandments, and that worfhip falfe gods, like the idolatrous Gentiles ; and fuch as are deftitute of all true holinefs, and are contemners of God and religi- on ; and fuch as do not ftick at the horrible fin of panicide, or of murdering their parents, whether fa- thers or mothers ; and would malicioully deftroy the life of any man whatfoever ;
10 For whore- 10 It is alfo in force for the condemnation of fuch mongers, for them as are guilty of fornication or adultery, (zjopvok;) or that defile them- Qr a unlawful familiarity between perfons of a dif- felves with man- r J r , r , ■*, fi "tu 4.u kind for men- Cerent fex 3 and fuch as are cnargeabie with the un-
flcalers, for liars, natural and deteftable fin of fodomy ; fuch as ven-
for perjured per- fare to fteal men, that they may either ufe, or fell fons, and if there tjiem for flaves . fuch as addi& themfelves to lies in
e common NOTE.
* 'The law is not made for a righte- bidden in the law of the ten command-
ous man evidently relates to its not be- ments, and may be reduced to one or o-
ing made to condemn him; becaufe it ther of its precepts. (See Dr. Wbitby**
really is made for fuch an one, as well as note.) And as the 9th and rorh verfes
others, to be the rule of his obedience, mod obviouily fpeak of the fume law,
and to reltrain him for tranfgreffing it : though in the 9th verl'e it is put zuitb the
But fince there is no man, that lives and article in the Greek, and in the icth
fins not, the righteous man, whom it is without it, here Mr. Locked criticifm
not made to condemn, is to be under- on the word law, (»a-'c) as having a
ftood of one that is righteous in the eye different meaning, when ui'eri with and
of the law through the righteoufnefs of without the aiticie, teems to fail, as it
Chrift received by faith: And that the does in feveral ether places: Nor is it
moral law is here intended, appears from always attended to by that learned gen-
the nature of the crimes ipecified, as iub- tleman himfeif, according to what we
jecting perfons to condemnation by it, have ebferved in the note on Rom. iii.
which are maniieftly fuch as were for. 10.
150 The Fuji Epiftle to Chap. i.
be any other thing common converfation ; fuch as perjure themfelves in that is contrary to COUrts of judicature ; and fuch as go into any other found doctrine, r . r • 1 j r • u j i-r .u •
lort of wickedneis, in heart and lire, that is contrary
to the pure and wholefome do&rine of divine revela- tion, befides thefe that have been fpecified : All fuch perfons are condemned by the righteous law of God, which feverely forbids every kind of iniquity, ir According to IT Their crimes are equally contrary to, and con- ofCthe0bierTed§God, demned by> the h^Y nature, defign, and obligation which was com- °f tne g°fpel> which illuftrioufly difplays the glori- mitted to my truu. ous perfections, counfels, and operations of the ever blefled God, who has an infinite fatisfa&ion and de- light in and of himfclf, immutably without beginning, alteration, or end, and is the fountain of all happi- nefs to others, by means of, and according to the tenor of this moft excellent gofpel, which is a doc- trine according to gcd/ine/s, (chap. vi. 3.) and is glorious in its whole fcheme of falvation by Jefus Chrift, and in its happy and holy effects on them that believe; [Rom. i. 16.) and which I have been intruded with, by divine revelation and commiflion, as a precious and facred depofitum to be faithfully preferved, and difpenfed wherever I come.
12 And I thank 12 And while I think of the high honour of this Chrift Jefus our important truft, I cannot but, from the very bottom Lord who hath f f j bkfs h name of jefus Cm.jft our j enabled me, for . ; ' J . ' ' that he counted Saviour, .Lord, and Jvmg, and give vent to the me faithful, put- grateful growing fentiments of my heart, in all afcrip- ting me into the tions of praife to him, who has qualified, authorifed, aumftry; an(j ftrengthened me (iv^vvcc^rxvn) for this eminent
fervice ; infomuch that, having formed me for him- felf, he was pleafed to make account of me, as a faith- ful fervant ; and fo called me to, and veiled me in the apoftolic office, to miniiter the gofpel of his grace.
13 Who was be- 13 Even me, the unlikelieft and unworthieft of all fore a blafphcmer, 0thers, considering that, till his grace reached and
an .a. P a 0l; turned ray heart, I was a furious blafphemer of his and injurious: but / \, , r
I obtained mercy, divine perlon and lacred doctrine ; and an outrageous becaufe I did it ig- persecutor of his members, even unto imprifonment norantly, m unbe- an(j death ; and a moil injurious reviler, (ye^s) of his name, people, and intereft. {Affs ix. 1, 2. and Luke xxiii. 34,) But, notwithstanding all thefe com- plicated, incenfing provocations, I, O fweetly-ama- zing thought! found forgiving mercy, there being juil room left for it, according to the extenlive declarations of pardoning grace, and Chriil's prayer for ignorant offenders; [Mat. xii. 31. and Luke xxiii. 34.) * be- caufe NOTE. * It is not to be fuppofed that the apoftle, by faying becaufe I did it igno- rantly and in unbelief, meant that his ignorance and unbelief were deferring,
Chap, i., Timothy paraphrafed.- 151
caufe I did all this, not under a conviclion of his be- ing the true fyjeffiah, and with defperate malicious en- mity to him, as inch, in defiance of that conviction : No, on the other hand, / verily thought with felf, that I ought to do many things contrary to the 'name ofjefus; (A&s xxvi. 9.) and fo all was the effect of blind, though very unreafonableand crimi- nal prejudices againft him, and of ralh, mad, and mif- guided zeal, under the power of unbelief. 14 Andthe grace 1 4 And the free favour of our gracious and com- of our Lord was paffionate Lord was fo amazingly great to fuch an exceeding abun- obftinate felf'deluding wretch as I was, that (whp. Sft^Sh" — ) * %erabonnded toward me, far beyond in Chrift Jelus. what is uiaal, or could be expected, or can be rr.uy
eftimated, or conceived of, in working effec\nal Eaith ' in my heart, who was before fo perverfe and refolute an unbeliever ; and in producing a cordial affectionate love in my foul to himielf, and delight in him, as the anointed Saviour, and in his people and caufe, though I was before. fo violent and injurious an enemy to, and perfecutor of him a no* them. 15 This rr a 15 What adds greatly to the pleafure of my re- faithful faying, and fle&ions on this exceeding abundant grace toward my- worthy 01 all ac- fejf is, that here is a wide door opened for the v STefus clme worit of linnets ; in love to whole fouls, I now as into the world to paffionately long for their happmefs, as I before op- fave finhers; of pofed it: I can now affure them from my own good whom I am chief. experience, as well as from the whole tenor of the gol'pel- revelation, that its grand iummary article may be firmly depended upon, as divinely true and faith- ful, and is every way worthy to fre univerfally, be- lievingly, and affe&iooately embraced by all, whether greater or ieffcr iinners that hear it, as it confifts in this joyful, nearly concerning, and bell of all declarations, viz. That the great end and fcfij Chritt's afuiming human nature in his incarnation coming into this lower world, under the chara&i a Saviour, to fulfil the law, fuffer and d room and ft cad of iinners, was, that he might d them from fin and wrath thrc :h in him,
NOTE.
or were a proper caufe of his obtaining exceeding abundant towards him, Mho mercy: For it would be ftrange indeed considered himteit as the chief of Jinnei s : to imagine, that there were any merit But Ins ignorance and uobelief did not in an ignorance, which was owing to a Ihut him out' of the fphere of mercy, as wilful rejection of the cteareft means it left him a capable fubjccl of it, ac . of knowledge; and in unbelief, which is ing to the grace of the gofpel; whereas, itfeif a heinous fin, with an entail of had his blafphemy and perfecutiODS been damnation upon it, under the light of malicioudy priClifed, contrary to his the gofpel; accordingly the apoitlc m knowledge and belief of Chrift's being the next words fpeaks with high admi- the true Meffiah, they woulfl have a- ration of the grace of the Lord Jefus, as mounted to the unpavdouable Un.
Vol. V. X
152 The Firjt Epiftle to Chap. I
ther they be idolatrous Gentiles, or blind, prejudifed, and perfecting Jews, like what I myfelf was ; and might bring them to that falvation, which is in him, with eternal glory : A greater proof, and more en! coumging inftance of which, can fcarce be imagined, than has appeared in me, who have been indeed the moft notorious, firft-rate finner, exceeding all others in my malignant blafphemy of Chrift, and perfection of his members. ifi Howbelt, for ] (6 But (ccXXcc) ftill further to encourage all forts
fdTercVttTh; ?f finnCTB t0 beHeve in Ch^ ^r the remilon of fms,
mefirftjefusChrift h™ %r™1 °.r manY f°ever they have been, I mult
might (hew forth add> that this aftonifhing inftance of free, fovereign,
all lpng-fuffering, and abounding grace toward me, was deGVned, not
Zjjsza ze^ n the ^lvar rlmvwn foul: But Infi-
hereafter believe on J\te V ifdom ordered it hkewife with a view to the him tolifeeverlaft- Nation of others, to whom I am appointed to preach inS- th<;fe glad tidings, that in me firft of aU *, and as the
chief of hnners, the gracious and companionate Savi- our might exercife all forbearance and patience, while I was, for a long while, amidft the light of the gof- pel, going on in the high road of rebellion againft him ; and that he might fet me forth, as the moft re- markable fample of what rich grace they may warrant- ably hope to find in him, who, after all their oppo- sition to him, (hall be brought, under an affe&ing humbling fenfe of their guilt and danger, (as I was) to put their truft alone in him for the pardon of fin, acceptance with God, and fafe condud to eternal life.
*?£T& Ie^CNh°^+in:eflef°n T°Vhe ST of°"L<^ mortal JelusCh»Kt. *° whom I have made my religious
. „ f NOTES. gratefuI
* Here teems to be a direct reference with a doxoloey to him ; and if as fome
vear ^^VheaP°^;^o^imfelf, fuppofe, the % eternal fignifies I Z
ver.iS.ofWbomInmeb,eft(at*ea1oS king of ages, (/Wr, T«, *,*»«,>
•Mu «**) and here he fays inmejir/t, or meaning the patriarchal, Mofaic Zl
+ Afcbrf^'f^10 \ , t evangelical ages, with what great pro-
1,1 «fi^Wr'n^rf' X !ppre" Pnety mav Chrift be confidered, as that
Suw™ »' y rrb,ec?fffkenof' and ki<^ "ho often appeared as the great
all ajong mentioned ,n the five preceding Jehovah, that ordered and governed
Jfrnnlin ff**™ "mes this loffy ^ two former, as well a? chiefly
f,mP r ,fi? ^T* Im^iately to arts, as kin, of the church, in the laft
nfti.r, aS G\\; TA aS the a" of thefe difpenfations? Nor is it any
;,1 rJ tC v 'J' r"'} , eq»a,ly j°>'n- Jl,ft objection to this doxology's being of-
edGod the Father, and our Lord Jefus fered to Chrift, that the like, as fome
noftolir c £I$f I *?'*? and *" ^^ is Prefcn*° to God the Father,
poftohc comm.fhon, and had equally chap. vi. r5, t6. ; (fee the note there)
wifhed grace mercy, a„d peace to Trmo- fince the divine titles, and eftential cha-
S rl S°d0ur Fa*ber< and our Lord racrers of Godhead are frequently afcri-
jelus Chrift, (y 2.) and as he (**,-. bed to the Father and the Son, to (how
^WTr^m0ltrelij,i0l,Sthan^ thatthev, in nature and divine proper-
givings to Chrift for putting him into the ties, are one God, in diftinclion from all
J t n'1 eeB,S1?ft aartural to un" other pretended deities, though in other
what ChTl *A Ci ing 'j"5 aC,C0Unt °f places th*J «« perfonaUy dfftinguilhed
what Chrift had therein done for him, from each other; Nor is it any greater
objection
Chap. i. Timothy paraphrafed. 153
mortal, invifible, grateful acknowledgments for having put me into the the only wife God, miniftry, (ver. 12.) I folemnly afcribe all honour he honour and glo- and 1 tQ h; as the foverej,rn Lord and Gover- ry, for ever and e- °f V , ■. . , • r 1 a-
ver. Amen. nor °* t"e wno'e creation, who is from everlaiting to
everlafting the incorruptible God ; invifible, as to his divine nature ; the only being, inclufive of the Fa- ther and Spirit, that is pofleffed of infinitely perfect wifdom, originally and eflentially in himfelf, and is the giver of all wifdom to others, and makes them wife unto falvation that believe in him : May he be magnified and adored in the loftieft Itrains, from henceforth through all fucceeding time, and to an endlefs eternity ! Amen. So let it be, fo it ought to be, and fo it will be among thofe that know and love him.
18 This charge I 1 8 The charge, by which I have ordered you, my cornmit unto thee, dear fon 'Timothy, to remonftrate with all authority ion Timothy, ac- agajnft thofe that would teach any other doctrine, prophedes^which than V**** received, * (ver. 3, 4, 5.) and which went before on I commit, as a facred truil to you, irom whom there thee, that thou by are juftly great expectations of eminent fervice, ac- them mighteft war cording to the intimations which the Holy Ghoft had a goo war are, given £y fome New Teftament-prophets, before you
entered on your office, as a perfon marked out for it, and to be remarkably endowed with fuperior extra- ordinary gifts, and miraculous powers, for fulfilling it ; which I now remind you of, that, in reflection upon thefe things, you may be the more excited to act the part of a faithful, diligent, and courageous foldier of Jefus Chrift, in fighting his battles, under him, againft fin, Satan, and the world, and in {land- ing up valiantly for the truth againft all oppofition.
19 Holding faith 1 9 In which, as ever you would acquit yourfelf and a good confci- with honour and advantage, and as becomes your cha- ence ; which fome ra&er an(J function, it concerns you to be ftedfaft in
concefnin^ Xth \ he faIth of the g°.fPel> to hold {t faft> and to .hold have made fhip- it forth in your miniftry ; and to keep a confcience wreck: void of offence toward God and man, (Acts xxiv.
16.) that you may be upright and faithful in preach- ing it, and living anfwerable to it, which fome pro- X 2 feflbrs
NOTES. abjection (as I humbly apprehend) a- than the Son is, were we to underftand gainft applying that part of this defcrip- it as an afcription of glory to God the tion of God to our Lord Jefus Chrift, in Father: But admitting that this was di- which he is faid to be invifible ; fince reeled to Chrift, it is as lofty an afcrip- this relates, not to his human nature and tion of glory and honour to him as is any office-appearances under the 'Old and where made to the Father himfelf. New Teftament-difpenfations ; but to * Several expofitors have thought his divine nature, confidered under the that this verfe is to be connected with formal notion of him, as God. Howe- ver. 5. ; and that all the 6thers, which ver, in this view of him, the Father is come between, are to be confidered as a no more excluded from this doxology pare?itkefis.
154 The Firjl Epi/lle to Chap. i.
fefibrs of Chrift's name, having rejected * and paid no regard to, have thereupon (as is always to be ex- pected in fuch cafes) renounced the doctrine of faith iiielr, which they before profelfed, to their own dan- ger, Iofs, and damage, like one that fuffers to the greater! extremity by a fhipwreck. 20 Of whom is 20 Of this fort of apoftates there are two remark- Kvmenrus and A- ^}y jnfamoils ringleaders, whom I think myfelf ob-
ider; whom i r , . -A *.c ; 111 r<\_ -a-
, . J )n ligca to point out, that you and all Lhrntians may
to Satan, that tbey beware of them, and bear a public teftimony again fl'
may learn not ro them ; they are Hymeneus and Alexander,, -J- who
eme- were fo notorious for fbbverting the faith and holinefs
of the gofpel, and for broaching their horrible errors,
and pracTtifing abominable immoralities, that I was
under a neceffity of exercifing the apoiloiic rod, which
Chrift has given me, by delivering them up to the
power'of Satan to inflict pimifhments upon them in
body, or foul, or both, that, by means of fo fevere a
difcipline, they might be brought to a conviction o'f
evil of their hearts and lives ; and, by feeling the
dreadful confequence of their crimes, might be afraid
of perfiib'ng in their blafphemous defamations of the
name, doctrines, and ways of the Lord. (See the notes
on 1 Cor. iv. 21. and 2 Cor. x. 6.)
RECOLLECTIONS.
How folemn and important, honourable and delightful, is the truft that God our Father and the Lord Jefus Chrift have committed to gofpel-minifters ! How thankful fhould they be for it; and defirous of abundance of grace and mercy from thefe divine peribns, to help, pity, and profper them, that they may be fupported under their numerous trials from without and from within, and enabled to be faith- ful in their Lord's work, according to the qualifications he has given them, and all reasonable expectations from them ! They may indeed meet with many viru- lent and fubtile adverfaries; fome furious perfecutors, like Paul before his convcr- fion ; others apoftates, like Hymeneus and Alexander ; and others, that would in- troduce fabulous traditions, ftrange doctrines, doubtful difputations, and vain jang- », to the overthrowing of the faith of many nominal profeffors, inftead of pro- moting (piritual ( dification : But as all fuch are to be fhunned and rejected, while real convex ts are to be affectionately loved, as genuine children in the faith, with
what NOTES. * Some having put away (a*»(r*/«iK?«) Seeing yen put it from you, (aT<i>;>£j<r3-c) !> and a good confeience, can by no lo, we turn to the Gentile r.
that they ever had them f Hymeneus wa'\ in all likelihood,
before, as fome contend : For the word the fame that is f[x':cn of, 2 Tim. ii. 17.
•rly fignifies to rejeel, or 18. ?.s a pernicious man, who denied the
repel, as in Afii vii. z-j. wb<*re it is'faid, doctrine of the refurredion, and over-
that he that did his neighbour wrong tbrenv tic faith of fome : And Alexan-
thfu/i Mofes away (ajrewxtro) faying, de r feeras to have been the. copperfmith.
Who made thee a ruler and judge over mentioned, 2 Tim. iv. 14, 15. as having
vs ? And at other times it is ufed to done the apo/ile much evil, and greatly
:fy only a r. ,;•,..,._ odhit words ; and was probably
- for their acceptance ; as tl vde'r whom the jews Rifted
n the Israelites \ hey Mo- up to declaim againft Paul, and fix an
im from them ; (aruc-rry- odium upon him, in the uproar at Ej>he-
A.c"ls vii. *o and when the aportie, fits. (See the paraphraie and notes on
pfpel, laid to the Jews, Acts xix. 33.)
Ti mothy paraphrafed.
155
Chap. 11.
tvhat courage may the fcrvants of Chnft hand to their charge, in which they are called to war a good warfare ! And with what pleaiure may they recommend the Serious golpel of the blefied God, in hope that the like grace may be extended to other finuers tor wotkiog faith and love in them, by means of their preaching it, as has been fhewn to themtelves 1 lor they well know, and can allure all about them" on the credit of a divine teftimony, that Jelus Chnft came into the world *o fove the chief ot finnew." O wondrous iupeiai>oumling graft e ! It turns the hearts and pardons the fins of blafphemers, periecutors, .md injurious perlons, and frees them from the condemnation ot the law, wi u h does not ftand in atainft thofe that arc made righteous through faith 10 Cn.il, but onl) ftinate, impenitent, and unbelieving finners, th t perfitt m "Wf^] :';'" l*™' ralities of various kinds, which are forbidden by the goon ana holy law ot God, and are equally contrary to the found doctrine or ihe gOluel. But how Oiouid fin- ners tremble at the thought of continuing to oppole and igecl the golpel, and ma- kin? a wrong ufe of the law ! And how foltcitous lliould preachers and hearers be, that they may live under the power of evangelical love, as proceeding trom tined heart ; and that unfeigned faith and a good conf j be always
prelerved together, left, by violating conlVience, they fbon m Faith ' Ana with what gratitude and praiie ihould ail, that are e: penmenjally ac-
>d with Chrift, according to the golpel revelation <
ot nim, unite their adora-
ttonsof him"t<Sr.he* with tne°bather and" Spirit, as he in his divine nature is, in- them the King eternal, immortal, mvifible, the only wile God .
Separably trom
To whom be honour and glory lor ever and ever.
Amen.
C K A P. II.
The apofile orders prayers to be made eQery where for all forts of perform, heathens and their magift 'rates, at Well as others, fince the grace of the gofpel makes no differ cr.ee cf ranks or nations, 1, — 8. And /hews how women ought It ■_ civil and reli-
gious life, 9,-15.
Tzs r. I Exhort there. , firft of ali, fupplica- tions, prayers, in- - ving of than
2 For kin;:5, and
are in
authority ; that we
may had a quiet
and peaceable li-te in all godlin
.
Paraphrase.
AS the prejudices ol the jadaizing Chrjftians arc fo ttrong againft the Genalcs, and fome among them reject the authority of heathen magiftrates, I therefore, fuitable to my character, as the apollje of the Gentiles, do in the firft place exhort, that in e- very Chriftian affembly, and in family and ; worfhip, all nvnner of adarefles, in a way of dep 'C- cation of evils, and of petitions and pleas for all > , ful mercies, and in a way of thankfgiving and praiie for mercies received, be offered up to God, through Chrift, for men of all forts, whether they be Jews or Gentile?, and of all ranks and degrees, whether in higher or lower flat ions.
2 That they be made for civil magiftrates, though heathens ; fuch as bear the title of emperors of kings, or as are in high places of dignity ard authority un- der them, or uuder any form of government whatfoe- I ver, that their perfons and adminiftrations may be blefferj, and they may rule in the fear of God, as If rael were to pray for heathen kings, and the peace
of
156 The Firjl Epljlle to Chap. ii.
of the cities, where they were carried captive : ( Ezra vi. 10. and Jer. xxix. 7.) And I, as an apoltle of a ftill more benevolent and exteniively gracious difpen- fation, now exhort, that prayers be likewife offered for all forts of fubje&s, that we, who are fuch, may, under the protection of the civil government, and ac- cording to God's defign in appointing it for the good of the community, live, and pafs our time, and tranfacl our affairs, {hxyupiv) with fafety and peace, fecure from all outrages and violence, public or private, to ourfelves and families, or to our civil and religious rights and privileges ; and with a tranquil- lity, that may be fubfervient to, and exemplified in, all acts of piety toward God, and of mora} honefly, virtue, and honourable converfation toward men of every character.
3 For this is 3 For thus to pray, and thus to live, is in itfelf good and accept- ftt anci right, and every way becoming: Chriftians ; able in the light , r . • 1/1 .. \.i_ j j r 1
of God our Savi- a ' as *ucn> 1S agreeable to the good and holy na- our ; ture and will of God, and well-pleafing in his fight
through Chrift, who has made himfelf known under the endearing chara&er of God your Saviour and mine, together with all that believe, of what rank or nation fcever ; there being now no difference, as to this, in his account.
4 Who will have 4 Who, according to the good pleafure of his will, all men to be fa- (Ephef. i. 5, 9.) for the more illuftrious difplay of vco, H.nd to come ■■ c * c i~ * * 111 • i unto the know- tne *reenels, lovereignty, variety, and abundant rich- ledge of the truth, es of his grace under the golpel-difpenfation, intends
erfeftually to fave all forts of men, whether kings or fubje&s, high or low, greater or leffer miners, Jews or Gentiles % ; and, in order hereunto, determines
that NOTE. * All men here, and all in verfe 6, There is a Jin unto death, I do not fay cannot, without the greateft inattention that ye pall pray for it, that is, for to the whole fcope of the context, be thofe who evidently appear to have been made to lignify all and every individual guilty of the unpardonable fin ; much of mankind, and fo conftrued into a lefs are thanks to be offered for fuch, and proof of unvuerfal redemption andfalva- all the wicked of the earth. But the all tion: For as thefe and inch like univer- men, whom God will have to befaved, fal terms are often ufed in a reftrained are thofe only, whom he will have to be and distributive fenfe ; (fee the note on brought to the knowledge of the truth, -2 Cor. v. 17.) fo all along in the pre- which cannot be faid of all mankind, ceding verfes, which fpeak of praying univerfally without exception ; fince a for all 7ncn, for kings, &cc and which great part of the world neither are, nor thefe verfes refer to, as arguments to in- ever were enlightened with the know- force it againft the prejudices of the ledge of the gofpel itfelf. But a great Jews, who defpifed the Gentiles, and number of both Jews and Gentiles of their rulers, it is plain, that by all men various nations, and fome of all ranks and is meant all forts of men, whether Jews orders of people, have been not only fa- or Gentiles, kin^s or ftbjetls. To fup- voured with the gofpel, but alfo faving- pofe it to fignify every individual of ly taught to know the truth, as it is in mankind, can fcarce be reconciled with Jefus: And of this all it is faid, Chrift the apoltle Jobfi's faying, (1 Johns. 16.) gave himfelf a ranfomfor them, ver. 6.
Chap. ii. Timothy paraphrafe d. 157
that the gofpel mall be publifhed to every creature, (Mark xvi. 15. fee the note there) that finners of every nation may be brought to a faving acquaint- ance with its important truths, relating to the way of pardon and eternal life, through Jefus Chrift., in whom alone there is falvation for them. (ABs iv. 12.)
5 For there is 5 For though he was formerly, in a peculiar and •ne God, and one reftrained fenfe, the God of the Jews, there is now, ^dTJn^he accordi"S tof «£* P'ophecte, (Zed. xiy. 9.) man Chrift Jefus : one ancJ tne *ame God to them, and to the Gentiles
alfo, feeing it is one God which Jlmll jnflify the cir- cumcifion by faith, and the uncirCumcifion through faith : (Rom. iii. 29, 30.) And though the Gentiles have fet up many mediators to pacify, and intercede with their fuperior gods ; and though Mofes and the high priefts under the law were a fort of mediators between God and the people of Ifrael, and them on- ly * ; yet there is now one and the fame, and only one Mediator of reconciliation and interceflion be- tween God, and men of all nations, who were at va- riance with him by reafon of fin ; even the great and glorious, yea, divine man, Jefus Chrift, who affumed human nature into perfonal union with himfelf, as the Son of God ; and fo was truly man, as well as God, and thereby completely fitted for, and accordingly performed the office of an interpofing Saviour between both the offended and offending parties, God and man ; the nature and intereft of both being united in him : It is therefore highly proper, that prayers and praifes mould be offered up to God for all forts of men through him, in whom all nations fhall he hlefs- ed.
6 Who gave 6 Who being Lord of his own life, (John x. 18.) himfelf a ranfom ancl having an infinite dignity in his perfon as God-
l man,
NOTES.
as the procuring canfe of their being ken of as mediator between God and brought to the knowledge of the truth, men, is no more an argument a^ainft his and eternally faved by that means, ac- being alfo God, in the difcharge of that cording to the will of God : And to fup- office, than its being at other times laid, pofe that God really wilted the illumi- that the Lord of glory was crucified, and nation and falvation, which he never ef~ Godpurchafed the church with his own fecled, and the means of which he never blood, (1 Cor. ii. 8. and Acls ii. 2S.) is granted, is to defeat the counfel of his an argument againft his being man, in will, who works all things according to his fufferirigs and bloodfhed ; and as he *"r,(Eph.i. 11.) in ways that are fdit able is exprefsly called the one Mediator, to the different make of his cre?tu-es in this mull exclude all others, fuch as the moral, aswell as in the natural vorld, faints and angels, which the Papifts fet without any^ force upon the hee and fa- up, and idblatroufly worfhip as their me- tional faculties of mankind; :md be ha'H diators, in like manner as the Gentilts faid, with refpeel to th? government of had formerly fet up many mediators, to their affairs, My counfel Jh all Jtand and pacify and intercede with their lupeiior / will do all my pleafure. (Ifa. xlvi. gods, (jee Mr. Jqfepb Mede's works, 10 ) ( pag. 772, bV.)
* Chrift's being flyled man, when fpo-
1 5 8 The Firjt Epl/tk to Chap. ii.
for all, to be tef- man, freely offered up himfelf, foul and body, an a- tiried in due time, toning facrifice to God, and laid down his life, as a price of redemption, («,vtiXvt*o-j) or as a ranfom paid to divine jullice, by his fuffering in the room and ftead of many, ( Matth. xx. 28.) to deliver them from "the bondage of fin, Satan, the law, and death, (fee the note on ver. 4.) even vaft multitudes, which no man can number, of all nations, ranks, and degrees, whom he redeemed from among men ; [ Rev. v. 9. and vii. 9.) a teftimony to which was given by the for- mer prophets in their days, (1 Pet. i. 10, 11.) and ; more clearly given, as it now is, under the New Teilament-difpenfation, by preaching the gofpel in its proper feafon, firft to the Jems, and af- terwards to the Gentiles. (Rom. i. 16 ) 7 Whereunto I 7 Unto the publifhing of which gofpel, I am ap- am ordained a pointed, and authorifed of God, to be, as it were,
preacher and an a herald, (xjipvI) and an apoftle, with an extenfive com- apoftle, (I !ij°ak .„, v< * 7, . . r . . A . 0. .
the truth in Chrift m,mon to proclaim it, without reitriction to the and lie rut) a Jews; (whatfoever thofe of the circumcifion may teacher of the think, I folemnly declare, and appeal to Chrift, as a Gentiles in faith believer in him, and as in his omnifcient prefence, who is.wiwefs to what I fay, that I herein fpeak, with the ftricleit veracity, without the leaft prevarication) I am in a fpecial manner ordained of God to be a preach- er, particularly to the Gentiles, of the faith and truth, or true faith of the gofpel, that his will, for faving purpofesj may be made known to them by me, .with all faithfulnefs and iincerity. $ I will there- S I therefore, according to this divine commiffion fore that men pray toward the Gentiles, infift upon it, as in the name every where lift- of t Lor(] and Mafter tnat Chritiians, and
jn? up ho;y hands, •' , , ti ti 1 .\ . r> i
without wrath and particularly men, that are the peoples mouth to God, doubt. pray for all the fore-mentioned forts of perfons, not
with a con ft • ment to the temple, and Jewi/Jj fyna- gogues, but in every place, as there may be oppor- tunity and convenience for it ; one being no more ho- ly now, than another: {John iv. 21, — 24.) And this ought to be done with fervour, purity, and elevation of heart to God, in token of which holy men have ii fed to lift up their hands in their facred devotions, without a wrathful temper, like that which difco- ver8 itfelf in the malice and indignation of the Jews inft the Gentiles ; and without doubting whether God will hear the prayer of faith, or whether he will be gracious in faving Gentiles, as well as Jews, that believe in Chriil ; and without reafoning and difpu- ting againft it. (oictXoyie-px) y In like man- 9 1 aJf0 al,*ke infift Up0n it, that women appear,
"^ado^th^n*" as at a11 times' fo efPecially at «UgiouB afTemblies, felves ncat anc^ decent in a garb fuitable to the modefty of
their
Chap.
Timothy paraphrafcd.
159
facednefs and 10- briety ; not with broidered hair, or gold, or pearls, or coftly array ;
(which women
felves in modeft ap- of their fex, (^sto* cc3v; xui o-utppoa-vvr,;) with an air 01 pare], with fhame- reverence of God and of facred things, and in a pru- dent, fober manner ; not adorning themfclves * with curioufly curled and plaited hair, after the manner of lewd women, or with gay and fhowy deckings of gold and precious ltones, or any rich and gaudy ap- parel, (1 Pet. iii. 3.) which, when they arc fond or them, and exceffive in them beyond their circumftan- ce°, difcover pride and vanity of heart, and a greater folicitude of appearing before men than before God.
10 But (as is molt decent and honourable for reli- gious women, that make a profeifion of piety, and of a
gcdh- fUpreme regard to the things of another world) their
s°° chief concern mould be to put on the mining ornaments
of fuch graces, practices and performances, as are good
in themfelves, conformable to the holy law of God,
and of great price in his fight, and ufeful to others.
1 1 According to the becoming modefty, with which women ought to behave in church- affemblies, let them lillen to public ministrations with metknefs and filence, and in due fubjection to the fuperior characters of their hufbands, and the minifters, of whom they are to learn the things of God.
12 But I by no means permit f, that the woman mould take upon her publicly to preach in the church ;
'or. xi. 3. and xiv. 34.) nor do man, but to be in I allow that, under any pretence whatfoever, me af- filence. *,. fume an authority to herlelf that betokens a (Superi-
ority to the man : But I infift upon it, that, in all religious afTemblies, (lie, fuitable to the order of her
fex, NOTES.
* The adorni?igs condemned here, relates to thofe that were fome way ex- and 1 Pet. iii. 4. are fuch as were over- ceflive, fantaftical, lux uious. or inde- curious, and extravagant, rich and coft- cent ; or elle to an affectation of out- ly, above the rank, ftation and ability of ward drefs, rather than the brighter or- thoie that wore them, and as tended to namentsof virtue, modefty, and chaflity, puff" up the pride, levity and vanity of piety, holinefs and good works, (chap v. their own hearts, and to entice others to 10.) as thole forms of expreffion are i'ome- wantonnefs, by thofe ways of decking times to be underftood. not in an ablo- themielves ; and they feem to be fuch a- lutely negative, but comparative fenfe. dornings, as were chiefly, if not entirely, (See Exod. xvi. 8. Joel ii. 13. and Luke ufed as the attire of harlots. (See Dr. xiv. 12, 13.)
Whitby's note here, and on 1 Pet. iii. f The teaching here forbid to the wo- 4.) But that fome adorning are lawful man relates t« public preaching; but on proper occafions, according to peoples does not exclude her from engaging in different itations, is evident from their private family-inftruclion of children, or having been worn by Rebecca and Qhieen others, either by heifelr or with her hi:-. E/iber, Gen. xxiv. 22, 30. and E/tb. v. band, as Timothy' 's mother and grand- i. and from the allutions that are made mother moft probably taught him the to them, with approbation, in letting knowledge of the holy fcriptures. 2 Tim. forth the beauty and glory of the church, iii. 15. ; and as Prifcilla joined with A- Pfal. xiv. 9,13. I/a. lxi. 10. and Eztck. quila in privately expounding the way of xvi. 10, — 14, 16. The caution therefore God to Apollox, Acts xviii. »6. againft.thel'e forts of adornings, either
Vol. V. Y
10 But becometh profeffing nefs) with works.
11 Let the wo men learn in fi lence, with all fub ieclion.
12 But I fuffer not a woman to teach, nor to ufurp . authority over the (^e the notes on I £<
160 The Firjl Epj/ik to Chap. ii.
fex, behave with a meek and filent fubje&ion to him ; and the reafon of this is founded in the original law of nature, and in the ttate of things immediately af- ter the fall.
13 For Adam 13 For Adam, the common father of all mankind, was firft formed, was brought into being by the great Creator before
his wife Eve, who was made out of one of his ribs, (Gen. ii. 21.) which intimates, that the man was not created for the woman, but the woman for the man, (1 Cor. xi. 9.) and that, by confequence, (he ought to be in proper fubjeclion to him.
14 And Adam 14 And as to the ruin that is brought upon man- was not deceived, kind by the fall, it was not Adam that was deceived, but tne woman be- , _, . r , , ^■ n e ing deceived was and drawn into «n> DV the immediate itratagem 01 in the tranfgref- tn^ ferpent ; but Eve, his wife, being impofed upon fion. by that fubtle adverfary, was the firft of them that
went into the tranfgreffion of the law of God, which forbade their eating of the tree of knowledge of good and evil upon pain of death ; and fhe was the means of her hufband's doing the fame, {Gen. iii. i,-*—6, 12, 13.) without his own being feduced by the fer- pent himfelf, and (which indeed aggravated his fin) without any deception, but knowingly, as induced to it by his fond affe&ion to his wife. 15 Notwith- ^ However, the female fex * (hall be fo far re- funding fhe fhall jj d . ft h rjghteous fentence upon the firft be faved in child- & ... & . f
bearing, if they woman, [Gen. 111. 16.) that. they ihall be carried continue in faith through the forrows of child-bearing, fometimes with and charity, and fafety, and always with freedom from them as a curfe ; holinefs with fo- and fhall certainly be faved with an everlafting falva- tion, in cafe they prove themfelves to be real Chrif- tians, by continuing in the exercife of faith and trull in God through Chrift, the promifed feed ; and, as the fruit of their faith, in love to God and his people ; and in all conjugal chaftity and holinefs of heart and life, together with a due moderation of their paflions and appetites, and a fober behaviour, as becomes wo- men profefllng godlinefs, which has the promife of the life that now is, and of that which is to come. (Chap. iv. 8.)
RECOLLECTIONS.
How abundantly more extenfive is the grace of God under the gofpel-difpenfa- tion, than it was in the Jenvi/b ages ! He intends the falvation of all forts of per-
foas, NOTE.
* She fljall be fnved, cannot relate noun of multitude, including the whole perfonally to Eve, who was dead long fex; accordingly, by an analogy of num. before, whereas this is a promife for ber, frequent in fuch cafes, it is exprefs- time to come : And therefore I take it ed, in the latter part of this verfe, by to relate to women 7/1 general, that were their continuing in faith, £?Y. (See Dr. involved with her in the fentence pro- Whitby's note.) noiinced, Gen. iii. 16.; and fo Jhe is a
Chap. iii. Timothy par aphrafed. 161
fons, whether they be Jews or Gentiles, high or low, greater or lefTer finners ; and accordingly will bring in multitudes of them to the laving knowledge of Chrift, who is the only Mediator between the offended God and offending men, and ireely gave himfelf up to death, as a price of redemption to fatisfy divine juttice for all of every character that fliall believe in him, and to deliver tnem from fin, and from the wrath to come. What a bletfed and encouraging ground of hope, and of pray- er, is here, for kings and fubjects, that by means of a gofpel-miniftry, which Chrift has appointed to teftify his atoning death, they may be brought to know and be- liere in him, though at prefent they be ftrangers and enemies to him ! And how pleafing to God is it, that ChrilUan fubjects, on all occafions, and whenever they are engaged in divine worlhip, without regard to any diftinction of places, be im- portunate in prayer, and hearty in thankfgivings for their political governors, as they are ordained of God for the good of the community, that, under their pro- tection and favour, they may live in quiet poffeffion of their religious and civil rights, and have full liberty for the difcharge of all moral and Chriftian duties \ Women, as well as men, are to join in public worfhip, and to behave with de- cency, like peribns profelfing godhnefs : They ought not to be fond of decking themfelves with fplendid attire, nor fet their hearts upon fine and fumptuous drefs, but upon the richer, and blighter ornaments of virtue and grace, and aboundings in every good work t And remembering the rank in which God has placed their fex by the law of creation, and after the fall, in which the woman was firft in the tranfgreffion, they fhould take heed of every thing that looks like an affectation of fupenority to the man, and be filent learners with due fubjection, and not preach- ers in the church : And as ever they would be comforted under the difmal effects of the fall, and be carried fafe through the forrows and dangers of child-bearing, and get at latt to heaven, it behoves them to live in an exercife of faith and love, chaftity, hoiinefs, and fobriety : For, blelled be God ! here is a gracious proraife of rich mercy to fuch.
CHAP. III.
The apojlle defer ibes what ought to be the qualifications and behaviour cfgojpel-bi/bops, i, — 7. And of deacons and their wives, 8, — 13. And gives Timothy a rcafon of his writing fo particularly to him about thefe, and other church -affairs , for dircBing his own conduSl as an evangel if , 14, — 16.
Text. Paraphrase.
'J'HIS is a true rT^O proceed to fome other direction?, that may be
a pfa>ting,,« ""'^ needful for y°u> mY fon Timothy, to be ac-
defire the office of . , • , • , J , ,-r 1 c
a bifhop, he defi- quainted with, m order to a due diicharge or your reth a good work, truft, as an evangelift ; it is certainly true, and may well be faid, that if any Chriftian, properly qualified, is inclined, with a view to the glory of God and the good of fouls, to enter upon the office of a pallor, or overfeer of God's flock, to perform the part of a bifhop in the overfight of it, (fee the notes on ABx xx. 28. and 1 Pet. v. 2.) he aims at a very impor- tant, honourable, and ufeful, though laborious poll and fervice : But that you and fuch may know, and the church may judge, and not be Impofed upon, it is proper to draw out fome account of what fort cf qua- lifications are needful for a faithful and acceptable dii- charge of the duticsof fuch a high and laborious itation. Y 2 2 A
1 62 The Firji Epiftle to Chap. iii.
2 A bifhop then 2 A bifhop, or paftor, then, ought to be an inof- mufr be blaraeleft, fenfive man, of an unexceptionable moral character, the hufband of one • rd j f yjr [fjal ^ minij be , b/ v^ite, vigilant, io- , . ' n . f f. .... , \. r i * her, of good be- e" > \2 *~or* VK 3') an°» " ne "e not a hngle man *, liaviour, given to he ought by no means to have any more than one hofpitahty, apt to wife at a time ; no, nor on any account, except in
cafe of adultery, to divorce his wife, and marry ano- ther, whilft (he is living : (Mat. xxxi. 32.) He ought alfo to be very circumfpecl and diligent in his work, watchful againft Satan and all his inftruments, and watchful over his own fpirit,' words, and a&ions, and for the fouls of thofe that are committed to hi? charge ; and to be very moderate in his appetites, paffions, and pleafures ; to be affable, courteous, pru- dent, and engaging in the general courfe of his con- verfation towards all men ; and to be of a generous foul, ready, according to his ability, to relieve the neccffrties of the poor -h, and entertain godly Grangers, minirters, or others, that are well recommended to him ; and he mould be well furnifhed with a good flock of Chriftian knowledge and experience, and ca- pable of expreffing his fentiments with freedom, clear- uefs, and propriety, for the inftru&ion of others, and for fupporting and defending the truths of the gofpel on all fuitable occalions ; as alfo to be ready to improve all proper opportunities for it.
3 Not given to 3 He ought by no means to be a wine-bibber, v.inc, no linker, (Mat. xi. 19.) or a lover of ftrong drink to any ex- ?>ot greedy o - ce)fg nor tQ ^e a man Qf a qUarre]forne anf] furj0us thy lucre; but pa- ,.. 1 r rr n
ticnt r.ot a braw- temper, like one whole palhons are too itrong, upon ler, not covetous. provocation, to keep his tongue from grievous fcur- rility, or his hands from violence ; nor ought he to be eagerly fond of the riches of this world, which are defiling gains, efpecially to one of his character, when procured by any bafe unworthy means : But he mould be one of a meek, calm, peaceable, and forbearing fpirit, (2 77//;. ii. 24.) not abufive, noi- fy, and clamorous in his way of talking and difputing ; nor fo in love with the things of this world, as to
prefer NOTES. * The hufband of one wife, neither fore minifters, of all others, ought to means that a bifhop -or pallor is obliged ftand clear of either of thofe fins. to marry, nor that he ought never to \ A lover of hofpitality properly fig- marry a fecond wife, the prohibition of nifies a friend to itrangers ; (piA^svof ) which would be contrary to natural and as inns for public entertainment rights', and the defign of the law of mar- were not very ufual in thofe days, it was riage itfelf; neither of which was ever "a becoming part of the character of bilh- intended to be fet afide by the gofpel-dif- ops to be open-hearted to poor Chi ittians, penlation : But it is defined to guard a- that were ftrangers. efpecially to fuch as gainft polygamy, and againlt divorces on were driven into their neighbourhoods frivolous occafions, both which were fre- by perfecutions, and to minifters that quent among the Jews, but condemned went about from place to place to preach by our Lord, Mattb. xix. 3, o. ; and there- the gofpel.
Chap. iii.
4 One that ru- Jeth well bis own houle having his children in fub- jeclion with all gravity ;
5 (For if a man know not how to rule his own houle, how (hall he take care of the church of God ?)
Ti mo thy paraphrafed.
163
6 Not a novice, left, being lifted up with pride, he fall into the con- demnation of the devil.
7 Moreover, he mult have a gcod report of them which are with- out ; left he fall in- to reproach, ard the lnare of the devil.
S Like wife mufl
the deacons be
grave, not double
tonjued, not given
to
prefer the fleece to the flock, and to feek theirs, ra- ther than them. (2 Cor. xii. 14.)
4 Furthermore, if lie have a family and children, he ought to keep up good difcipline and decorum in his houle, and maintain a prudent authority over his children, as well as fervants, to oblige them, like jibrihani, (Gen. xviii. 19.) to fubmit to regular orders, both with regard to religion and manners, as may be molt honourable and comely for him and them.
5 For if a man have the charge of a family, whofe affairs are more eafy to be managed, and of lefs con- fequence, and does not know how to govern it well, as becomes the malter of his own houfe ; how can it reafonably be expected, that he mould have prudence, care, and refolution enough, to prefide in the ma- nagement of the higher anymore difficult affairs of the church of the living God, (ver. 15.) in which all things are to be done decently and in order, exactly according to his Lord's appointment ? ( 1 Cor. xiv. 40. lee the note there.)
6 He ought not to be a raw upftart, nor, ordina- rily, one that is but newly converted to the faith or Chriil, and planted in his church ; (vtotpvreg) left being puffed up with a high conceit of his, girts and fmaltenng knowledge, (which has more heat than light) or with popular applaufe, or with the honour of being fo loon advanced to fuch an eminent ilation in the church, he, through the inftigation of Satan, fall into fhe fame condemnation, and by means of the iame pride, as the devil himfelf did, when, not con- tented with his ftation among the glorious angels, he lejt his firji habitation, and is thereupon rejerved in ever/ajtzng chains of darknejs to the judgment of the great day. (Jude, ver. 6.)
7 Once more, He ought to be a man of clear re- putation, not only with Chriltians themfelves, but alio among unbelievers, whether Jews or Heathens, that are out of the pale of the church, and watch for the halting of golpei profeiTors, and efpecially of golpel-minilters ; left he give too great occafion for reproaeh upon himfelf, and upon the name, doctrine, and ways of the Lord ; and lo the devil catch an ad- vantage againft him, to the injury of his own foul, and of his ufefulneis ; and to the clifcredit of religion, the triumph of its adveriaries, and the grief and Hum- bling of young converts.
8 And as to another fort of church-officers, that are fet apart, as deacons, who are appointed to take care of the poor, and manage the church- ftock for ferving tables, {Atls vi. 2. fee the note there.)
They
164 The Firji Epijlle to Chap. iii.
to much wine, not They likewife, as to their moral character, ought to greedy of filthy lu- be (c-i/^cvag) men of a grave, decent, and venerable cre' behaviour, and of good report; ( Afis vi. 3.) not
given to diflimulation, fpeaking one thing and mean- ing another, or carrying two faces, and talking at one time contrary to what they fay at another, as may bell ferve a turn ; nor ought they to indulge them- felves in drinking too freely of any llrong liquors, which would not only be a reproach upon their cha- racters, but render them very unfit for the duties of their office ; nor ought they to be of an avaricious temper, that would flacken their hands to the poor, and be a temptation to act the part of unfaithful ftc wards, in privately appropriating fome of the church's flock to their own ufe.
9 Holding the g As to their religious character, they ought to
myfteryofthefV.i-h be fouw. in the faith, fledfailly adhering to, and per- in a pure conic;- r . . . • 1 1 o • r 1 r
rn„e# ievenng in, tne pure unmixed doctrines or the gof-
pel, which are indeed a myilery to the carnal unbe- lieving world, and exceed the comprehenfion of en- lightened minds themfelves ; the deacons ought to hold thefe fall in their belief and profcflion, with all the fincerity of a heart, that is purified by faith, and pureed from an evil confcience by the blood of Chriil.
10 And let thefe 10 And in order to their being chofen to this of- alfo firft be proved ; fice> tney, as weft aG pallors, ought to be firfl tried, then let them ufe provecJ an(j approved of, as to their moral and reli- the office ot a dea- r. ' o ■, 1 1 • r 1 11 11 con bdn'3 ioand g'ous character ; and then, being found unblameable
biarneiefs/ with regard to any notorious crime, or any remark-
able defect in the forementioned qualifications, they mould be introduced into the office, and intruded with the whole bufinefs of a deacon in all its parts.
11 Even fo mvjl 1 1 In like manner, (if they are in a married flate) their wives be their wives, for the credit of religion, fuitable to the grave nut nander- ^ j d - y h th ftand tQ thefe church f- ers, fober, faithful re 1 n j j in all things. ncers, ought to be perlons or a grave, cnalte, and de- cent behaviour, free from all lightnefs of temper, words* drefs, and deportment ; they ought not to be defamers of others by falfe accufations, (m $tx- £gA*s) which is the very fpirit of the devil himfelf ; much lefs mould they be tale-bearers of injurious things, efpecially to the poor, left the deacons, their hufbandsj be thereby prejudiced againfl them : But they mould be (wQccXixg) watchful over their tongues and paifions, temperate in eating and drinking, and careful in family-economy within their own iphere, from whence the hufl;and may take hints for prudent and frugal management in (applying the wants of the poor ; and they ought to be, not only faithful to the marriage-bed, but juit and true to all the trulls
committed
Chap. iii. Timothy paraphrafed. 165
committed to them, with faithfulnefs to God, to their hufbands, and others, never daring to purloin, or embezzle any of the church's treafure.
12 Let the dea- 12 The deacons alfo, as well as parlors, {ver, 2. cons be the huf- fee tne note there) ought to avoid the fin of poly-
T 2- °th°ne "hU ' £amy anc* un^awful divorces, keeping to one wife, as dren and their own long as (he lives ; and whether they have children, or houfes well. other members of their families, they, as perfons placed
in a public ftation of a religious nature, ought to fet a good example to others, by maintaining a due de- corum in the order of their houfes.
13 For they that 1 3 They ought carefully to attend to thefe things : have ufed the ot- jror fuch as have acquitted themfelves with fidelity, fice of a deacon ^j rQr an^ iength 0f t;me? {n discharging the dea- themfelves a good c°n's office, well deferve, and will certainly obtain, degree, and great high degrees of honour and refpect in the church * ; boldnefs in the and, in that way, may warrantably hope to acquire rv.thfl- Yh-°h 1S in and increafe in gifts and graces fuitable to their fta-
** ' tions ; and they will be emboldened, from the telti-
mony of their own confciences to their fidelity, and from the jwft reputation they have gained in the church and the world, to be open, free, and cou- rageous in their profeffion of the pure and unmixed do&rine of Chnlt, and of their faith in him, where- by they have derived grace from him, to enable them to be faithful in fulfilling their trull for his glory.
14 Thefe things 14 I write thefe things, in brief, for your direc- write I unto thee, tion, and to be communicated, as there may be oc- hoping to come caf h h . h f . h
unto thee lhort- ' ' ,r » r
ly . an opportunity, ere long, ot coming to you at h-
phefus, or elfewhere, to give you dill farther induc- tions.
15 But if I tar- 15 But if God in his providence mould order my ry long, that thou being detained longer from you, than may be expected, mayeft know how j fend th;s lett r to ftew how you ought to conduft
thou ' J t>
yourielr
N O T E.
* The good degree which they pur- tures, that this good degree, (/3«3-jttof-')
chafe, or procure to themfelves, feems which fignifies ajiep, or a feat a little
rather to relate to the honour they fhould exalted in an afiembly, to hear or fpeak,
rife to in the efteem of the church, than alludes to the cuftom of fitting in the
to their advancement to the paftoral of- Jewijb fynagogues, which had fome
fice : For that office is a dijlincl order feats raifed above others for perfons to
from the deacon's, and not a different fit in, according to their dignity : and fo
degree of the fame order ; and the work, it may metaphorically fignify fome place
of a. dear on, being chiefly to attend the of eminence in a church-auembly, which
temporal affairs of the church in ferving is due to fuch as have ufed the office of a
tables, has very little tendency to a pre- deacon well, where, with boldnefs and
paration for the office of the miniftry, confidence, they may afilft in the ma-
which is of a fpiritual nature, as it prin- nagemer.t of the ahVrs of the church, as
cipally lies in perfons continually giving this belongs to a profeffion of the faith
them/elves to prayer, and to the mini- which is in Chrift jefus. (See the Doc-
flry of the word. (Acts vi. 2, 3, 4.) Ac- tor's true nature of a gofpel-church, pag.
cordingly the learned Dr. Owen conjee- 1S0', 1S7.)
166 SRfe Frji Epijlle to Chap. iii.
behave0"^ ttf ,,° yourfeIf in what relates t0 the houfe> whIch God has
thVYuufe y Go!" buttt for himfelf^and is the Cole proprietor of; not
which is the church an no"fe made with hands, like that which he caufed
or the living God, to be built to his own name at Jerufalem, (i Kings
the pillar and vjfi. 19.) much lefs like the temples that heathens
ground of the have ^^ tQ ^^ ]{M^ .]d()h . but an houfe of
a Tpiritual nature, confi fling of credible profefTors of Ch rift's name, who, as lively nones built together, (1 Pet. ii. 5.) make up the church of the only li- ving and true God, which he animates by his fpirit, and in which he dwells after a more excellent manner than he ever did in the temple of Solomon itfelf, though he filled that with a glory : ( 1 Kings viii. 10.) The ftrength, ornament, and fafety of this church is altogether fpiritual, of a different, and in- comparably nobler kind, than any pillar and bafis of a material temple can be *. It is the found truth of the gofpel, of which Chrifl is the fum and fub- ftance, and which you and all faithful pallors are to preach and maintain in all holy miniftrations. 16 And without l(i And it muft be confeffedly owned, (opoXoyxpi- controverly great j h h tfue do6lrine of the f j which
is the myftery of . ' .. ... r , , & K '
godlinefs: God is according to godlmels, [chap, vi. 3.) is a great,
was , manifeft in glorious, and incomprehenfible myilery ; (fee the note the flefh, juftified on 1 Cor. ii. 7.) fome of the principal articles of
of a^ e^if'^reach11 which are thef>' namely' That the eternal Son of
ed umo S'therGen" G.oJ» who Js ftrJ<% and properly God, together
tiles, believed on with the Father and Spirit, even God over all blejfed
in the world, re- for ever, (John i. 14. and Rom. ix. 5.) was mani-
ceived up into glo- fefted, for the moft important purpofes of redemption
}* and falvation, in his incarnate ftate ; and fo was Im-
nwnuel, God with us : (Mat. i. 21, 23.) And, having
fatisfied divine juftice by his obedience, fufferings,
and death, he was publicly acquitted and accepted
of God, as the righteous head of the church, and
was NOTE. * The pillar and ground of truth is Jefus Chrift hitnfelf being the chief cor- referred by fome to the church, and by ner /lone, Eph. ii 10. ; and the doctrine others to Timothy and gofpel-miniflers. of Peter's confeffion, or Chrift, whom he Eut the truth of the gofpel is more pro- confefTed, is called the rock, on which he perly the pillar and ground cf the church, would build his rhurch. (Matth. xvi. iS. than the church is of the truth ; and the fee the note there.) It therefore feems to church cannot pofllbly be the pillar of me that, in oppofition to the pillars and truth any otherwife, than as it holds foundation of a material temple, which forth and maintains the truth, which it- is here alluded to. the truth ofthegof- felf is built upon; and though the apof- pel, or Chrifl as exhibited in the gofpel, ties are called pillars. Gal. ii. 9. ; yet is meant by the pillar and ground of yet they cannot be faid to be fo in their truth on which the church fiWds, as its own pcrfons, but only as in their mini- foundation and fupport: Accordingly flrations they fupported the gofpel-doc- this truth, is fpoken of under the appel- trine concerning Chrift, as the founda- lation of the tnyjlery of godlinefs ; and tion of the church, 1 Cor. iii. 10, 11. feveral articles of it are fpecified in the which, on that account, is called the following verfe. foundation of the apoflles and prophet st
Chap. iii. Timothy parnphrafed. 167
was cleared of all the vile reproaches of his enemies, in his refurre&ion, by a concurrence of the Holy- Spirit, with his own power, as a divine perfon; (fee the note on Rom. i. 4.) and fo he was raifed again for our juftification from all the offences for which he was delivered to death : (Rom. iv. 25.) He was af- ter that feen of angels, and honourably witnefTed un- to, in his afcenfion, (A&<. i. 10.) vail multitudes of which furrounded him, as his adoring fervants and courtiers, in his triumphal entrance into heaven : {Pfa/. lxviii. 17.) And, in confequence of all this, he was preached, as the atoning, rifen, and exalted Sa- viour, to the Genti/es, as well as Jews ; and was be- lieved on by abundantly more Gentile: than Jews * ; and fo was received in a glorious manner by them, who flocked in crowds to him, under the glorious dif- penfation of the Spirit, which he filed down abun- dantly from on high ; and they were wrought upon to embrace him with alacrity and joy, and to make an open and honourable profefiion of him in all the glory of his perfon, mediation, and exaltation.
NOTE.
* Various have been the laboured in- the Chriftian religion ? And in favour of terpretations of the feveral claufes in this this interpretation it may be obferved verfe, and attempts to range them all in that ?/£*.»£$-» does frequently fignify was a confiftent order of time, which I think received, without denoting any thing of ought to be attended to ; but none, that afcendin> or defcendin^. See A&r xx. I have been able to conlult, have given 13, 14. and xxiii. 31 Eph. vi 13. 2 Tim. me fatisfaction in making both the fenfe iv. 1 1." To which I would add, that (j* and order agree : The greateft difficulty Jc!;*) in ({lory, lignifies and is rendered lies in giving fuch an account oijuftifi- glorious, 1 Cor iii. 7, S, n. and riches in ed in the Spirit, feen of angels, and re- glory (?v S'-fy) fignifies glorious riches, ceived up to glory, as may be adjufted Fhil. iv. 19 It is alfo well known that to a regular fucceflion of the oth:r inter- the prepontion (;y) in, very often figni- vening events here recited. All thefe ties, and is rendered with, as in Matth. patTages therefore are paraphrafed in iii. it. Mark i. 23. Luke iv. 32 1 Cor. fuch a manner, as I apprehend to be ii. 4. Eph vi. 2. and sqany oiher places ; juft, and fully to comport with the due fo that in glory might more juitiy be order in which they (land. I fuppofe the rendered with glory, than into <glpry : chief objection, by many at leaft, will And juft. fed in the Spirit, fec-ms plainly be made againft the eonftruclion here gi- to relate to the lignal teitimony. which ven of received up into glory, which my the Holy Spirit gave to our bleffed Lord, thoughts had turned to before I Taw thofe in railing him from the dead, as a juft or of Dr. Benfon's friend upon it, lome part righteous perfon, whor having fulfilled of which furprifingly fell in with, and the righteoufnefs of the law, and fatisfi- helped to confirm my own. His words, ed divine juftice, as the fubftitute of his as quoted by the Dr. in his note on this people, ought no longer to be detained place, fo far as they are to my purpofe, under the power of death : For, other- are thefe, " If this be the true fenfe of a- wife, toe rejurrecliun o/'Chrilt is left out vt\*<p§*> tv Sot,* (i. e.) was glorioujly re- of this great myjtery 6/godKnefs, though ceived, the order of the feveral articles it is one of the molt remarkable and im- may be very juft ; for, upon our Lord's portant branches of it; and this is here being preached unto the CentiUs, he placed between his bein? manifefted in was believed on in the world, and met thefiejh, nvAfeen of angels, when they with a glorious reception : For what attended him, as a grand retinue, in his multitudes in the apoftolic age embraced afcenfion to glory. Vol. V. Z
1 68 The Fuji Epijlle to Chap. iv.
RECOLLECTIONS.
What a high efteem fhould we have of the churches which God has erected in our world '. Churches, which he, as the living Go^, animates by his Spirit, and dwells in. as in his own houfe. What fuitahle officers has he appointed to attend their fpiritual and temporal concerns ! And what admirable directions has he gi- ven about them, that none unqualified may be chofen to fuch important ftations, and none may mifbehave in them ! How good and honourable, and yet laborious a woik is it, to have a paftoral overfight of fouls, and their fpiritual concerns ! But how many are the excellent qualifications neceffary for it \ Perfons called to this office ought to be fkilful in the word of righteoufnefs, fit to teach others^ and not raw upftarts, left they be puffed up with pride, which was the fin and ruin of the devil : They are to be men of blamelefs morals, of prudence, faithfulnefs and gra- v'ly> generofity and affability, in every relation of life ; keeping the families and children under their care in good order, and governing their own paffions and ap- petites, tongues and hands, with moderation and decency, left they fall into re- proach, and Satan and his emifTaries take an advantage againft them. And in how many things fhould deacons, together with their wives copy after them ! Of- ficers of this fort, who have the care of the temporal concerns of the church, fhould hold the myftery of faith in a good confeience, and be very exact in their morals : And the more diligent, faithful, prudent, and companionate they are in dischar- ging the duties of their truft, the higher honour and efteem they will rife to in the church, and the more courageous will they grow in the profeffion of their faith in Chrift. Happy fouls, that are enabled to act up to all thefe characters and duties, in their refpective ftations '. But how careful fliould they be that the church may not fink for want of having the truth of the gofpel for its foundation and fupport ! O the unfathomable depth, importance, and glory of the great myftery of godli- nefs, as it fhines forth in God manifefted in the flefh to make atonement for fin ; railed from the dead for the juftirication of his perlbn and caufe, and of believers in him ; beheld, witnefled to, and adored by the holy angels in his afcenfion to heaven ; preached with wide extent to the Ge/iti ie-world ; and believed on by mul- titudes of them, who received him in a glorious manner, fuitable to his own exalt- ation, as God- man mediator on his throne !
CHAP. IV.
The apojlle informs Timothy, by the fpirit of prophecy, of departures from the faith in various inftances, that began already to appear, and would ijfue in the grand apoflacy of aft er- times ', I, — 5. And, with reference thereunto, gives him feveral directions, with fuit- able motives to enforce them, for a due difcharge of the duties of his office, 6, — 16.
Text. Paraphrase.
Now the sPirit XTOW to caution you and all others, whether mi-
,-iPea!let.h- fu" ^ infers, or Chriltians of every charaaer, againft prelsly, that in the . ' . . ; . 11
latter times imiie certain grols errors, which, in oppoiition to the glo- flidll depart from rious my/iery of godlinef, (chap. iii. 16.) will be a the faith, giving nivfery'of iniauity ; (2 ThefT. ii. 7.) and which be- heed to reducing • ajread to work and wjH hereafter have a much lpints, and doc- & . / ' - , , . .
trines of devils : wider, and more terrible lpreaci ; It is proper to ac- quaint you, that the Spirit of God fortels in the in- i'pired writings *, and moil expreisly and clearly by
immediate NOTE. * The Spirit fays cxfrefsly. Mr. Jofeph Medet in his apoftacy of the latter
times,
Chap. iv.
Timothy paraphrafed.
169
2 Speaking lies in hypocrify, ha- ving
times, {chap. xvi.
immediate revelation to me, that in a future time of this laft age, or difpenfation of God toward the church *, there will arife many falfe profefiors of Chriltianity, that will apoltatize (aTror^ovlxi) from the pure doctrines of faith, as contained in the gof- pel ; and will attend to perfons of an intriguing tem- per, under the influence of infernal fpirits f ; and fo will be milled into the idolatrous principles and prac- tices of worfliipping angels and departed faints, in iuch a manner, as very nearly rcftmbles the religious honours, which are paid by heathens to their demons, whom they worfhip, as mediators between their fuperi- or gods and themfelves.
2 The methods that thefe feducers will take to draw many into their own pernicious errors, will be, Z 2 by
NOTES.
p. 821. bv. of his works) fuppofes this to refer to what is written Dan. xi. 36. ; others take it to re- fer to our Lord's predictions of many falfe prophets, that ftould arife. a?id de- ceive many: (Matth. xxiv. 11.) But as the apoftle had fo clearly and esprefsly wrote upon this point in his fecond epif- tle to the Thejjalcnians, (chap, ii.) be- fore he fent this epiftle to Timothy, why may we not underftand him to mean that the Spirit had in an immediate manner revealed it to him, and there, as well as here, fpoke of it by him ?
* In the latter times (sv vrtgo-.s v.xigo- i? ) fignifies in the laft difpenfation of God under the Meffiah's reign ; fo that any period, within the compafs of this laft age, may properly be laid to be in the latter times : And though there were fome beginnings of apoftacy in the apof- tle's days, that tended to the grand one, as may be gathered from 2 Thef. ii. 7. ; yet what he had principally in view was, I think, to come to pafs in fome ages af- ter that time, as may appear from what he adds 2 Theff. ii. 7, — 11. It was ne- verthelefs proper for Timothy to know, and give notice of this apoftacy to the Chriftians of his day, that they might be the better guarded againft every thing of that afpect ; becaufe corruptions of this tendency began already to work in juddizers, who were for keeping up the diltinction of meats, and a fhow ot hu- mility ; were for worfliipping of angels, and embracing other mors, that were broached by falfe apoftles, and deceitful workers; an account of which is gi"en at large in Dr. Whithy%i note on this text. But we cannot juftly infer from thence, as the Doctor would, that the a-
poftle had not a further eye upon a ftill more flagrant and general apoftacy; fince, notwithftanding all the doctor's la- boured, and feemingly forced attempts to the contrary, the apoftle plainly points to this in thoie paflages of the fecond e- piftle to the Theffalonians above referred to, and fince he wrote for the ufe of the church in all fucceeding generations.
f The lpirit, principles, and practices of the antichriftian church of Rome fo exactly match with the defcription gi- ven, in this and the two next verfes, of thefe feducers, and their corruptions, that any one may eafily read their cha- racter in it : For they have moft notori- oufly apoftatized from the primitive faith of the gofpel: Their doctrine of worfliipping angels and departed faints, and making ufe of them as mediators, is apparently the doctrine of demons, in the neareft affinity to that, which was found among the heathens ; their me- thods of propagating their religion, by fpurious legends, forged miracles, and fabulous (lories, under hypocritical pre- tences of zeal for God, while intereit is their principal aim ; their aftoniihing hardnefs, and infenfibility of any moral evil, in the moft vile, criminal, and mur- derous merhods for extirpating, what they call herefy, and ferving the church; their forbidding priefts, monks, and nuns to marry ; and enjoining abltinence from fiefh in Lent, and on Wednefdays and Fridays, all the year round, fo evident- ly anlwer the apoftle's diftinguifhing characters of their apoftacy, that there need no plainer mark) to warrant an ap- plication of them to that antichrifii un- church. (See alio the notes on 2 Thcff. ii. 3, 4. and z Tim- iii. 1.)
1 70
ving their confci- efice feared with a hot iron ;
The Fir/I Epijlle to
Chap. iv.
3 Forbidding to marry, and com- manding to abfLr.in from meats * hich God hath created to be received with thnnkl giving of them which be- lieve and know the truth.
4 tor every crea- ture of God ii good, and nothing to be refuted, if it be re- ceived with thankl-
5 For it is fanc- tiried by the word of God and prayer.
6 If thou put the biethren in ieotyembrasce
thefe things, thou fhalt be a minifter or Chrift, nouriflied
up in the words of faith, and of
good doclrine.
whereunto .thou ;trd.
by utterng abundance of falfhoods to delude them, and eitablilh their own authority, under hypocritical pre- tences of zeal for religion ; and they will not flick at any iniquitous meafures to carry on and effect their own corrupt deiigns ; their confidences being as in- feniible of good and evil, and of the dreadful confe- quences of their guilt, as flefh, that is feared with a hot iron, becomes callous and incapable of feeling.
3 Some of the errors which they will vent and pro- pagate are, prohibiting marriage to fome forts of per- fons, and fo difannulling the order of the God of na- ture, and expoiing them to all temptations of unchaf- tity ; as alfo obliging people to abilain from fome kinds of food, which God created for the fuftenance of man, and now, under the goipel-difpenfation, (which has taken away all former legal diftin&ions of clean and unclean meats) allows all forts of whole- fome flefh to be eaten, with moderation and fobriety, at all times, as occafions require, with thankfulnefs to him, for providing them, and for allowing all Chriflians to eat of them with a covenant-right, who believe the truth as it is in Jefus, and underftand and make a confeientious prudent ufe of the golpel-doc- trine of Chriflian liberty, as to that point.
4 For every creature that God has made, is in it- felf good, as it came out of his hand for the purpo- fes for which' he created it ; and nothing that is pro- per for food is to be fcrupled or forbidden, provided it be received with religious gratitude and acknow- ledgments of God as the author and giver of it.
5 For it is fanctitied to our lawful ufe by the gof- pel of the ever-bleffed God, which has taken away all ceremonial uncleannefs from it ; as alfo by his com- manding a blefiing upon it ; {Mat, iv. 4.) and by prayer, according to the laudable cuftom at meals, to implore his blefiing upon it for the refremment of ani- mal nature, that it may be fitted for his fervice ; and after the refrefhment to blefs the Lord for it. [Deut. viii. 10. and fee the note on Mat, xiv. 19.)
6 If you, my dear fon, in the faith, (hall carefully from time to time remind, and warn, the Chriftian brethren of all the things before-mentioned, and par- ticularly of this grand apollacy, fome tendencies to which already appear, (fee the two lall notes on ver. 1.) that they may be the more upon their watch, and guard again ft every, the lead approach to it, you will acquit yourftlf with honour, as a ufeful, wife, and faithful fervent of Jefus Chrift, that has his glory at heart, and will order your miniitrations fuitable to the circumuances of the times, and the prefent dan-
. F errors and corruptions creeping into the church ;
and
Chap. iv. Timothy paraphrajed. 171
and will therein approve yourfelf to have been well taught, re fit (lied,, and Ihengthened in your own foul, as having thoroughly digeited the pure doctrines of faith in Churl, and ot every other evangelical truth that is connected with it ; the knowledge and expe- rience of which you have fought after, and happily attained. ( tt#§>;xoA«&5x*$. See the note on Luke i. 3) 7 But refufe pro- 7 But as to the fabulous traditions of the jews, fane and old wives and their endleis genealogies, which I have already fables and exercife cautjoncd againit, as tending to corrupt the fimplici- thyfelf rather un- f h ■ ( j rather than tQ dl edifying,
to eodlinets. / . © *\ » . . o ' p
(chap. 1. 4.) and which are indeed as ioolilh ^.s tne
idle ttories that old women delight to tell children, pay no manner of regard to thefe ; reject and have nothing to do with them ; but, like athletics in the Grecian games, (yvpuvctfy o-iuvroy) exert yourfelf with the utmoit labour, diligence, and vigour, in promo- ting the doctrines and duties of true piety to God through Jeius Chrift, and in exemplifying the beau- ties of practical godlinefs in your own liie and con- verfation. S For bodily ex- 8 For (yvf&vxs-tu) the greatett pains that can be crcile profiteth lit- taken m mcre external acts of religion, in which the I'^rofiubf1 u°„t b"^ °nly is <»g^d' » «»le worth, ne.ther plealing all things, having to God, nor of any good account to a man s own ioul. promife of the life (Mat. xv. 8, 9.) But evangelical, vital, and practi- that now is, and of caj godlinefs, in heart, and life, is every way advan- that which is to tagCOUSj witn regard to all things that concern us ; there being exprefs promifes, even under the gofpel- ftate, (chap. ii. 15. Mat. vi. 2$, — 33. Rom. viii. 28. and Phil. iv. 19.) of the bleffing of God as an- nexed to it, in what relates to the neceffaries, con- veniences, and a fandfified ufe of all circumilances of this preicnt life ; and It ill more excellent and abun- dant promifes, relating to the glory and blefTednefs of the better world to come : Yea, this is emphatical- ly the promife, that he has promifed us, even eternal life. (1 John ii. 25.)
9 This is a faith- 9 This promife, with all the reft, may be fully ful faying, and depended upon, as a certain truth, which God in worthy of all ac- faithfulnefs will make good ; and it is worthy the ceptation. higheft regard, eiteem, and entertainment, as a rich
encouragement to ferve the Lord, and cleave to him, amidft all difficulties, oppofitions, and dangers ; how many foever apoftatize from him.
10 For there- 10 For it is in confederation of this important fore we both la- trutri) and of the affined hopes of its accompfifhment £££££££ toourfelves, that we the apoftles and fervants of truft in the living Chnit, undergo great fatigues in our holy miniltra- Cod, who is the tions to advance his glory, ip.tereft, and kingdom,
Saviour and
172 The Firft Epiflle to Chap. iv\
Saviour of all men, and gain fouls to him; aid that we patiently and
Y"ai!yr °' th°fe cneai'flllly Dear tne m°ft contemptuous fcorn, and infamous revilings, from our adverfaries, for his fake ; becaufe we firmly rely on the power,- truth, and faith- fulnefs of the Almighty arid ever-living God, who has life in himfclf, and is the fountain of both natural and fpiritual life, and of every blefiing that is needful for the fupport and comfort of either of them, as he is the great Preferver of all mankind, and the author and giver of all their temporal falvations and deliver- ances, and, in a providential way, is good to all ; (Pf, cxlv. 9.) and he is fo, by the particular care of his providence, and in a fpecial way or covenant- love and faithfulnefs to true believers, with refpedt to all the promifed good things that pertain to the prefent life ; as well as is moil eminently fo, with refpeA to an e- verlalling falvation, in that which is to come. (vcr. 8.)
11 Thcfe things n Thefe things are of fuch vaft confequence to te°aTand ai'd the enc°ui'agement of faith and holinefs, that 1 would
have you inculcate them, by divine authority, upon the confeiences of your hearers ; and illullrate and ex- plain them at large, in the courfe of your miniftry, that they may fee the excellence and advantage of true religion and godlinefs.
12 Let no man 12 Let it be your fluey and endeavour, by divine defpife thy youth, grace, to acquit yourfelf herein with fuch diligence, but be thou an ex- 6 •' j • j j j £j 1^ ample of the be- gravitT> good judgment, prudence, and fidelity to lievers, in word, your truft, and with fuch evidence of your own hear- in conversation, in tily believing, efteeming, and living under the power charity, in ipint, 0f what you preach to others, that none may have in ait , m pun- occaflon to flight, and contemn you and your admo- nitions, your office, or your management of it, on account of your youth : But, the more effectually to prevent this, let it be your great concern, that you yourfelf may be an amiable and mining example to all other believers, in the excellency of your dodtrine and edifying difcourfe ; in the regularity of your religious and moral behaviour ; in the fincerity and ardour of your love to God and Chrift and immortal fouls, to truth and holinefs, and to all fellow- miniflers and Chriftians ; in your fpiritual-mindednefs, fervent zeal for the glory of God, and aboundings in all the fruits of the Spirit ; in the Heady and lively exercife and profefiion of your faith, and maintaining the doclrines of it ; and in all (uynix) challity and purity cf heart and life.
13 Till I come, T3 You may have flill further directions from me give attendance to , d f th h accordi„g to my hope, readme, to exhort- . J , ... » T » iL •* cc • ^ ation, to dodtrine. KchaP- »»• M-) L may have an opportunity ot feeing
you. In the mean while, attend to your charge, as
Chap. iv.
14 Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by pro- phecy, with the laying on of the hands of the pref- bytery.
15 Meditate up- on thefe things ; give thyfelf whol- ly to them ; that thy profiting may appear to all.
16 Take heed unto thyfelf, and unto thy doctrine ; continue in :hf-m : for in doing this, thou fhalt both fave thyfelf, and them that hear thee.
Timothy paraphrafed. 173
ye ought to do all the days of your life ; and that you may in the bell manner fulfil it, addict yourfelf to, and fpend much of your time in reading, as well as praying over, the holy fcriptures of the Old Tef- tament, and this epiltle, together with all other in- fpired writings of the New Teltameat, that arc extant, for the improvement of your own foul in knowledge and fpiritual gifts, grace and comfort, and further fitting you for public fervice : And as in this way you mould lay in, fo I would have you lay out your ftock of Chriftian knowledge and experi- ence, by exhorting and comforting others, and fpreading found doctrine among them, for their con- verfion, edification, and eftablifhment.
14 And as God has richly furnifhed you with ex- traordinary gifts for this fervice, Take heed that you do not neglect to ftir them up, and to exercife and improve them to the beft advantage, which were a- bundantly conferred upon you for preaching the gof- pel, and fulfilling the whole of your miniftry, accord- • ing to the remarkable prophecies that have been de- livered by fome infpired men of late concerning you ; (chap. i. 18.) and which were communicated to you, particularly at your ordination ; as a fignal of which, I and other elders, who joined with me in that folem- nity, laid our hands upon you. (2 Tim. i. 6.)
15 Let the things that I have been mentioning, as the fubjeft of your miniftry and rule of conduct, and what I have now been faying about reading the fcriptures, and the extraordinary gifts of the Spirit, which you are favoured with, be frequently and feri- oufly reflected upon, to affect your own heart with them, and to excite your diligence in improving them; and meditate clofely and ferioufly upon the holy fcrip- tures, as well as read them : Let your attention to thefe things, and your miniftrations of them, and prayer for a blefling upon them, be the entire bufi- nefs of your life, without entangling yourfelf with the affairs of this world; (2 Tim. ii. 4.) And (iv tvtok; ig-Si) let your whole foul be in them, as in your proper fphere and delightful element, that your proficiency in wifdom, gifts, and grace, and in expe- rience of God's being with you, may evidently ap- pear, in all things, to all about you.
16 In the firft place, Be very careful in what con- cerns yourfelf, as a minifter and Chriftian. See to it, th it you and your fervices be accepted of God in Chrift ; that your heart be right with him, as to its principles, frame and temper, motives and ends ; that your gifts be duly cultivated ; and that the whole of your behaviour toward God, yourfelf, and
others,
1 74 The Firjl Epiflle to Chap. iv.
others, be well pleafing in his fight : And then take heed what doctrine you preach, and how you preach it, that it be found and clear, according to the word of God, important and feafonable, evangelical and practical ; and that it be well explained, confirm- ed, defended, and improved various ways, as occa- fions require, and your fubject leads you : And per- iiit ftedfaftly in the practice of all this, as your pro- per and ftated work to the end of your days : For in fo doing, and by means thereof, you, under the in- fluence of the bleffed Spirit, will be inftrumental to the final falvation of your own foul, and the fouls of many that attend your miniftry, and hear with the o- bedience of faith.
RECOLLECTIONS.
It is melancholy to think of the woful apoftacies from the faith of the gofpel, that have been in all ages : but it needs not feem ftrange to us, fince they were foretold by the fpirit of prophecy : And how plainly has it pointed out the fedu- cing hypocritical arts of falfehood and deceit, that are ufed, without (hame er con- fcience, by the apoftate church of Rome, together with their worshipping of dei- fied faints, forbidding marriages, and enjoning abftinence from meats, which God created, and allows under the gofpel-difpenfation to be moderately ufed, with thankfgiving for them, and prayer for his Meffing upon them ! With what con- tempt fhould we reject the errors that are built upon uncertain traditions, as we would idle ftories that are told to pleafe children ! And inftead of refting in for- mal bodily fervices, that turn to no good account, how concerned fhould we be to live in the practice of vital religion, which has a gracious entail of bleffings upon it, by the promife of God ! He, as a bountiful benefactor, affords temporal prefer- vations, deliverances, and mercies to mankind in general; and by the particular care of his providence, as a covenant-God, he gives them all in a way of fpecial love, and completes them in eternal falvation, to every true believer : What im- portant truths are thefe, and how worthy of the moft hearty entertainment ! With what care fhould minifters inculcate them on thofe that are under their charge, for their caution on the one hand, and encouragement on the other ; humbly trufting in the ever-living God, for their own fupport and comfort, amidft all the reproach- es, difficulties and labours they undergo for Cbrift's lake ! And while, together with this, they are txemplary in faith, love, and all holinefs, they will approve themfelves as good minifters of Jefus Chrift, and good proficients in the doctrine and grace of faith : But, in order hereunto, how much diligence ought they to ufe in ftudying, reading, and improving the gifts God has beftowed upon them ; and in giving themfelves entirely to thefe exercifes. and to preaching and prayer! And what need have they to take heed firft to their own ftate, temper, and conver- fation ; and then to their doctrine, with perfeverance therein, as the means of God's appointing and bleffing, for the final falvation of their own fouls, and the fouls of their hearers 1
CHAP.
Chap. v. Timothy paraphafcd. 175
CHAP. V.
The apq/Ile gives orders how to behave towards eider, and younger
men and women, I, 2. And toward poor widow , 3, — 8. De- fcribes the characters of ft/eh widoivs, as are. or arc not, proper
to be maintained by the church, and taken into its Jcrvice, 9, — 16.
Shewr the refpeel that is to be paid to thfe that are elders by office.
17, — 19. But charges Timothy to take due care in rebuking of- fenders of all ranks and Jlation\, in ordaining minifcrs, and in u- fing fuch moderate rcfrejhihents, as -were neceffary for his own
weak fate of healthy 20, — 25.
Text. Paraphrase.
man , ave
J^EBUKE not an A g yOU) my fon Timothy, are a young m
elder but en- f\ /fAtf>>. iv. 12.) who outfit, as fuch, to beh treat him as a . \ ' ' , P.J -
father- and the with the utmoit prudence and decency, to icreen yen
younger men as from contempt on account of your youth ; and as the "en ; hoary head is a crown of glory, if it be found in a
way of right eoufnefs, (Prov. xvi. 31.) I would ad- vife you to take care that, whatever tinful infirmities - attend any ancient Chriftian *, you do not affume an air of haughty, magifterial and fevere authority in re- proving one of fuch venerable years ; (and the feinie may be obferved much more, with reipetl to one that bears the office of an elder in the church) Bat treat him with honour and rdpect in your converfes with him; (Lev. xix. 32.) and deliver your exhortations to him, rather in a way of earneft entreaty to depart from all iniquity, with a due deference to his age and Handing, fuch as you would fhow, in like cafes, to your own father himfelf after the flefh : And let young men, that are more on a level, as to years, with yourfelf, and need reproof, be dealt with more free, and yet meek, affable, and affectionate man- ner, as you would treat your own brethren in nature, as well as in grace. i The elder wo- 2 In like manner behave toward godly women ad- men as mothers, Vanced in years, with fuch a fort of reverence, even tke younger as fif- wh<,n wouH ^^ fflfa fo ^^ ^ ;s £fe
ters, < t
from
N O T E.
* An elder here feems moft direclly them. Bat the rebuke here intended
to mean, not one that is fo by office, #as feems to relate to the lejfer
it does, ver. 17.; but old or elderly m*en : that older and younger ChriftianS
For it is in this place oopoied, not to able to, rather than to infamous an I / -
private members of the church, but to torious crimes : For, whatfoever a per-
young men. as elderly women alio are ion's age or ftation be, Timothy Was &>-
to the younger in the next verfe : And lemnly charged publicly to rebuke i'u h
yet as, in the reafon of things, they that finrers, <ver. 20.; and yet, even in tips
aie elders by office arc to be treated in cat'?, u prudent decency was doubtle is to
as refpedlful a manner, at lean:, as is be exercifed in reproving them, fui table
here directed, v;e may very well include to their years and Jlatwus in the C
Vol. V. • A a
176
Chap.
ters, with all purl-
3 Honour wi- dows that are wi- dows indeed.
4 But if anv wi- dow have children or nephews, let them learn firft to fheW piety at home, and to re- quite their pa- rents : for that is goad and accept- able before God.
5 Now (he that
is a widow indeed.
and defolate, truft-
eth
The Firjl Epiftle to
from children to their own mothers : And manage your admonitions of young women that profefs Chrif- tianity, as you would in giving them to your own fifters ; and be fure let it be with fuch modefty and chaftity in your looks, fpeech, and behaviour, as (hall give no occafion of reproach to your own, or her cha- racter.
3 As to believing women that are poor widows, and, as fuch, are apt to think themfelves the more neglected and impofed upon, pay all becoming re- fpe£t to them, and take care that they be honourably provided for by the church *, if they are indeed de- folate, according to the ftrongeft fenfe of that term, as not only bereaved of their hufbands, but alfo defti- tutc of any near of kin that are able and willing to fupport them.
4 But if any religious widows have children or grand- children, (zxyovx) that are capable of afiifting them, and fupplying their neceflities ; Let fuch of their defcendents be taught (as they ought to learn) their duty toward their parents, according to our Lord's inftrucvtions, (Mark vii. io, — 12.) and to- ward God therein, who has commanded them to ho- nour their mothers as well as their fathers, ( Ex. xx. 12.) in confcientioufly doing all they can to {hew a reverence of them, and provide for fuch of them as need their help ; and fo make them the moft grateful returns for all their trouble, tendernefs, care and pains, love and folicitude, kindnefs and expence, in bringing them up, and conducting them through all the exercifing follies and dangers of their childhood and youth, till they fettled them in the world: For fuch a behaviour toward them is in itfelf juft and e- quitable, worthy and honourable; (xxhov) and is highly pleafmg in the fight of God, who has fixed the relation, and the duties of it, between parents and children.
5 Now a widow indeed, that is a proper object of the church's charity, is one who, being in indigent circumftances, deftitute of relations to relieve her,
trufts
T E.
the fupport of their poor parents, in cafe they had devoted to God what was ne- ceffary for their relief, taxes it as a breach of the commandment to honour their father and mother, Matth. xv. 4. 5, 6. and Mark vii 10, — 13. ; and the apoftle calls the generous benevolence of the peonle at Malta, their honouring him and his companions with many bo- ?iours. Acts xxriii. !••
N O
* It appears from ver. 4. and 8. that the honour here meant relates to the al- lowance, which was to be made to thefe widows of things needful and convenient for their fubfiftence : and the word is ufed in the fame fenfe, <ver, 17 as is e- vident from what follows in that and the next verfe : (fee the note there) Accordingly our Lord, fpenking of the corrupt traditions of the Jews, which difcharged children, from contributing to
Chap. v. Timothy paraphrafecL 177
cth in God, and trufts in the Lord to take care of her for time, as well CUca"on!and rT ™ et.ernity> aild t0 fuppty her with needful things; Lro^^imddayr and is one.who' with an habitually religious difpofi- tion, continues morning and evening, and frequently on all occafions, to offer up her humble addreffes to God in earned petitions and pleas, according to her faith in his providence, for whatfoever he fees to be belt for her.
6 But me that 6 But the widow that gives hcrfelf up to a jovial, hveth in plcafure, loofe and voiupluous way 0f living under die power 35 dead while lhe r „„ , . ,f . .*■ , &/ . , r r \ • , liveth. carnal inclinations, is in a ipintual fenfe dead ;
dead to God, and dead in trefpaffes and 'fins , (Eph. ii. i.) while In a natural fenfe (he is alive, and lives in wanton pleafure ; and fo ought neither to be main- tained, nor owned by the church, as any member of their holy body.
7 And thefe J And thefe things are of fo great confequence to
charge t™ h™ ^ m0ral a"d rengious life» and to the reputation, may^ne* blame- keauty and ol"der of churches and families, that you left. ought to declare and foiemnly enforce them in your
public mmiftry and private converiation, to the end that thefe forts of people may be fo regular in conduct, as not to deferve rtbuke (net, xviTrtXyrfo; «<rit) for fcandalous crimes, and the church may not be blame- able for conniving at them, and mifapplying their charitv.
££L*J& A .*£•*■*« be a7 Profcffor «£<*** name own, and fpecially . 1S io ve.ry unnatural, as not to do what in him for 'thofe of his "es> according to his circumftances, to fupply the own houfe, he wants of his own near relations, efpecially of his own fa*th adndnied rf5 aged Parent?> together with his wife and children, than' an" infidel & wh° are the PrmcIPal and deareft parts of his family ; he has practically renounced the doctrines of Chrilti- anity ; and, whatever his pretences be, he really is worfe, than one that believes nothing of them, as he not only violates the law of nature and humanity, in inftances that many heathens themfelves would be a- mamed of; but adts directly contrary to divine reve- lation itfelf, which enjoins all relative and focial duties. ^ o Let not a wi- 9 If there be any poor widow, whofe offspring ei-
vz££rjz fther rnot* ofr,wiu t rd;T hir* the church ou*ht
thVeeicore years to take care of "er : But lf tneY nav« their thoughts
eld, having been upon her, to choofe her for an affiitant to the dea-
the cons *, in vifiting and miniftring to the poor and fick,
A a 2 . efpecially
NOTE.
* The apoftle's in fitting on a widow's church, but of thofe that were alfo to
ht\ng three -Jcore years old before /he be be employed as deaconejfes in it: For
taken into the number, leads us to con- younger widows m ^hr be 10 poor and
fider him as fpeaking here, not merely inrirm, as to be proper objects or the
of taking them into the number of thofe church's charity, though not nt for the
that were to be maintained by the office of a deaconefs, which, in the ear-
i;8
the wife
roan,
of one
to Well report- ed of tor good work? ; it fhe have br.v.ghr up chil- dren, if fiie hive lodged flrangers, have warn- ed the faints teet, if fhe have relie- ved the agbc'icd, if fhe have dili- gently follovrcd e- very good work.
i r But the
»r widows -.' hen they have
v wanton a- Chrift, they
tviU marry
1 2 Having c. a ni- dation, ULcauie they have caft off their nril faith.
The Firji Epiftle to Chap. v.
efpecially of the female fex, me ought to be, at leaft, fixty years old, and free from the icandal of having ever been married to more than one hufband at a time, or having caufelefly put away her hufband, and been married to another, (bee Mark x. 12. and the note on chop. iii. 2.)
10 She ought aifo, in order to her being taken in- to this iervice, to be a perfon of good character, for having faithfully and prudently diicharged the relative duties of the married life ; as for initance, Ii (lie has behaved well in religioufiy educating children, or in hoipitably receiving, and treating iuch godly flran- gers, whether miniiters or others, as Providence has ciift in her way ; if me has been ready to do the meaneft offices, for the refreihment of fuch holy per- form, even to the warning of their feet, as is cuitoma- ry in thefe hot countries, after travelling in landals ; It fhe has miniftred, with companion and tendernefs, by couniel, or otherwife, to Chrtitians in any iort of affliction ; In a word ; if, in the general courie of her life, fhe has laboured, with care and diligence, to per- form every good office toward God and others, as op- portunity offered, fhe then may well be admitted, not only to partake of the charity of the church, but to do the part of a deaconefs in it.
1 1 but, if younger widows would defire to be ad- mitted to fuch a ilation, it would be moll prudent not to encourage, but to reject fuch a motion : For when once (K^rcc^rtuxa-coiri) they have begun (as there • may be danger of of it) to grow voluptuous and laf- civious, contrary to their profeffion of Chrift, and to coniult their own eafe and pleafure, inilead of his honour and fervice, they will be tempted to marry at any rate, though it be into a heathen family, that they may get rid of their irkfome reilraints and la- bours, in attending the religious poor.
12 And they will expofe themfelves to fhame and condemnation in the eyes of the world, to the cen- fure of the church, and to the righteous judgments of God here, (fee the note on 1 Cor. xi. 29.) as
well
N O ly ages of Chriftfouity, might be very convenient, tor preventing icandal a- heathen neighbours, and relations h converted women, whether young or c'cl, as on account ot poverty, or fitknefs, and other oci aiions, the offi- cers of the church were obliged to be veiy converiart with ; as well as lor peitorm- ing the family lervucs of women in at- rvg mwrfters that ufually tiavellcd >:ach the gefpei; or \ver£ dri-
T E.
ven trom place to place by perfecution ; but, thefe reafons now ceafing, there is not the like occafion for deaconetles in the prefent age : And as I do not rind any lnltitution of them, or prefcription of their duty, as there was of deacons, Acts vi. 1, 2, Sec. it appears to me to be_ matter of mere prurience in the chuich to commit fuch offices to women, or not, as circumftances require.
Chap, v,
Timothy paraphrnfed.
179
13 And withal they learn to be pdle, wandering a- bout from Houfe to houfe ; and not on- ly idle, bur tatlcrs alio, aud bury- bodies, fpeakmg things which they ought not.
14 I will there- fore that the younger women marry, bear chil- dren, gnide the houfe, give none occafion to the ad- verfary to fpeak re- proachfully.
15 For fome are already tinned a- fide alter Satan.
well as fo eternal damnation hereafter ; becaufe they . rejected their torniei prdfemon of faith in Chriit, or renounced the doctrine which they at iirll noiionaily believecl concerning him ; and deiertcd the truit com- mitted to them.
13 And, together with this, fuch young widows, as are more addicted to pleafure than buiincis, foon contract a habit of ldlencls, and tiifTj away their ti
in gadding about from one houie to another, lor a- mulement and divtdion ; nor do tlicy only glow lazy creatures, but alio impertinent, fluting, looie, and toolifh talkers, and uhicious pryers, ana liitiifVicrs in- to other peoples afhnrs^jvhicii do not belong to them, that they may cairy liunes about, whether right or wrong, and make their own remaiks upon then*, to pleale iome, and expole otr.ers ; which ought by no means to be done, but is very miichievous to the re- putation and peace ot their neighbours and acquain- tance.
14 Inflead therefore of younger widows being ad- mitted to any place of lei vice in the church *, | would rather adviie, that they be left in fuch a fitua- tion, as admits of their marrrying in the Lord, if they be fo aiipofed, and have a good offer, that pro- miles fair lor a comfortable maintenance ; and that, having entered into that relation, they breed, nou- rifh, and rcligioufly educate fuch children as it may pleale God to give them ; and, being miltreffes of families, may conduct their hou mold-affairs with faithfuinefs, prudence, and good houie wifery, and be- have with fuch diligence, lobricty, and modefty, in all the duties of their relation, as to give no advan- tage to any enemies of Chriit., that feck, and would gladly take it, to fpeak evil of them, and of him and religion on their account.
15 I fpeak fo particularly about this ; becaufe there are inilances of iome young widows already, who have turned off from their profeflion of Chriit., and followed the devices of Satan in fuch fmful prac- tices
N O * The younger ivomc?i feem to me to lefer to young ivido'ws, who are all a- long the fubjec"t 01 the three preceding verfes; and fo it carnes an intimation of the lawfulnels ot thefe, as well as other young women's marrying, if there be no other circumftance to forbid it: But it is not to be imagined, that when the a. poftle fays, 1 yjill that they many, and bear children, he meant to oblige thein to marry, any more than to bear chil-
T E.
dren, whether they were inclined to the qne, and had a proper opportunity for it; or vvhe'her God fliould blefs them with the other, or not : His advice to virgins, 1 Cor. vii. 34. &c is directly contrary to any fuch injunction ; but what he here would fuggeft is\ that they ought to be at liberty, and that it would be more proper for them to marry, &c. than to be a burden to the church, or put intc the office of a deaconcls.
1 80 Tbe Fir/l Epijlle to Chap. v.
tices as have juft now been mentioned, (vcr. 11, 12,
"3-) • ;
16 If any man 16 But, to return to the cafe or poor aged widows, or woman that bt- jf any Chriflian man or woman have ancient needy
ie\eti ia\e wi- motners or grandmothers, (ver. 4.) whofe hufbands dows, let them re- & . » V . 7/ . r
iieve them, and let are dead, iucn offspring of theirs, wnether ions or
not the chinch be daughters, ought to fupply their frants, in the beft
charged ; that it manner that their own circumftances admit of ; and
may relieve them £ ^ can reij'eve triem at their own expence, the "hat ::re widows . J . . r r . . , , 11
indeed, maintaining or iuch widows ought not to be thrown
upon the church, which mould be excufed from it, that they may have the more to fpare for the help and comfort of thofe that are indeed defoiate widows, as having none of their own family to provide for them.
17 Let the el- 17 And now I am fpeaking about the ufe of the ders that rule well, church's flock, I would recommend the paying a
e counted won y ^ ^ regard to fuch eiders as by office are employed
01 doubl? honour, . ° . . J ,
efpecially they who m tne ipintual iervices ot the church, that they, who
labour in the word are prudent and faithful in prefiding over them, («
and doctrine. y„uXc*>$ ■a^oi^uniq) may Hand high in their civil refpect
and eiteem, and may have liberal allowances, fufficient
to make their worldly circumftances eafy, reputable,
and comfortable * ; efpecially thofe of them that are
eminent NOTE. * As honour includes maintenance, none but preaching elders: Nor do I re- (fee the note on verfe 3.) double honour colled that orders are ever given, in feems to fignify great civil refpecJ, and any other part of fcripture, for the main- liberal maintenance, the lalt of which is tenance of either deacons, or thefe fup- referred to in the next verfe, and the firft pofed ruling and non-preaching elders; or in the verfe that follows it. This honour that an obligation can be inferred from the apoftle orders to be paid to the <?/- any paffage of the New Teftament, that ders that rule well, efpecially they who churches fliould be furniflied with fuch labour in the word anddoclrine , by which fort of officers; though perhaps prudence, i'ome think, that ruling elders are dif- in fome circumftances of affairs, may tinguifhed from paftors or preaching el- make them expedient. I therefore in- ders, as different officers in the church, cline. to think, with fome others, that But it is, at leuft, very doubtful, whether the apoftle intends only preaching elders, fuch a conclufion can be drawn from this when he directs double honour to be text : For not only the elders, that la- paid to the elders that rule well, efpc- loured in the word and doctrine, but daily thofe who labour in the word and the elders alio, that ruled well, were to doctrine ; and that the diftinction lies, be deemed worthy of the honour of main- not in the order of officers, but in the tenance, as appears from the next verfe. degree of their diligence, faithfulnefs, Now I can hardly believe that thefe el- and eminence, in laborioujly fulfilling ders, (who are fuppoied to be engaged their minifterial work to the edification only in the rule and government of the of the church ; and fo the emphafis is to church) any more than its deacons, were be laid on the word Labour in the word to be maintained at the church's coft in and doctrine, which has an efpecially their lay-capacity, which left them at annexed to it. Accordingly the learned full liberty to purfue the bufinefs of their Mr. Jofeph Mede obferves, that to la- fecular callings, for their own and fami- boar (xoxuv) fignifies, not (imply to la- lies fubfiftence. And the reafon, which bour, but to labour with much travel the apoftle fubjoins in the following and toil, which he fuppofes refers to the verfe, why elders ought to be maintain- evangeli/lt or prophets, that travelled ed by the church, certainly relates to up and down to preach the gofpel ; be-
caufe
iS For the fcrip- ture faith, Thou flialt not muzzle the ox that tread- eth out the corn : and, The labourer is worthy of his reward.
19 Againfl an elder receive not an accufation, but before two or three witneffes.
Chap. v. Timothy paraphrafid. 181
eminent and remarkably laborious in ftudying and preaching the gofpel, and in fpreading, maintaining, and defending its pure unmixed doctrines : Let thefe be honourably maintained with double liberality, be- yond fuch allowances as are to be granted to poor widows, (ver. 3.) according to their fuperior, and more important llations and work in the church, for the fervice of whofe fouls they fpend their time and pains.
18 For as this is equitable in itfelf ; fo the fcrip- ture points it out as your duty, where it fays, to in- timate the reward that is due to the fervants of the Lord for their molt important labours, (fee the note on 1 Cor. ix. 10.) Thou /halt not mn%<zle the mouth of the oxy that treadcth out the corn : And our blefs- ed Lord himfelf fays, with refpect to his miniftring fervants, (Alat. x. 10.) The workman is worthy of his meat, as his reafonable reward.
19 Another part of the honour, (ver. 17.) which is to be mown to thefe elders, is, that, considering their high port in the church, and the great confe- quence of fupporting their character, in order to their ufefulnefs, No accufation of any crime be admitted or believed, and brought into the church againfl: any- one of them ; unlefs it be firll fubftantiaily proved by, at leaft, two or three credible witneffes, which are required even in ordinary cafes ; (Deut. xix. 15. Mat. xviii. 1 6. ) and it ought to be depofed in the prefence of the like number of its members, to judge of the credibility of what is alledged againft him, before the church takes any cognifance of it.
20 But if, upon undeniable proof, elders themfelves be found guilty of enormous crimes, inconfillent with their facred character ; In that cafe, there is to be no fuch refpecx of perfons, as to connive at their faults ; but you, as an evangelift, ought to reprove them, as well as any other member, for their fin, with all becoming authority, in the prefence of the whole church, that not only they may reject them, in cafe of obftinancy and impenitence ; but that c- thers alfo, as well as thefe perfons themfelves, may be afraid of doing any iniquity for time to come.
21 As thefe are things of vaft moment for prefer- ving the purity and profperity of the church, and re- late
T E.
elders that rule, or govern their flocks well, be counted worthy of double ho- nour and that chiefly becaufe. or in re- fpecl of their labour in the word and 7tf) which i« often wont doc°ri- e. (See book i. dilcourfe 19. Vol. to note the reafon of a thing thus, Let I. pag. 02. of his works.)
20 Them that tin rebuke before all, that others alfo may fear.
21 T charge thee
before God and the
Lord
N O caufe their pains were more than theirs that were fixed elders of certain church- es: He alfo skives us another expofition, grounded on the ufe of the participle in the Greet, d
* 8 1 The $ ! rfi Kpiflle to Chap. v.
Lord Jefus Chrift, late to the muft difficult, grievous, and irkfome part
gels/tlmlhou o£ of y°ur work 5 and as Your youth maY make you the iervc theie things* more backward to engage in it, I folemnly bind it without preferring upon your confeience, as in the prefence of the all- one before another, feeing and heart-fearching God, and of our Lord Je-
norIi!t!S hy fus Chrift, the great Head of the church, who knows partiality, ,, , . , br . . . . . . n
all things, and it-arches the heart and reins, ( Rev. n.
23.) and will judge the quick and the dead, at his appearing and kingdom ; (2 n'm. iv. 1.) and as in the prefence of the bleffed angels ; who, continually furrounding us, are witneffes of what I fay, and whom, in diftinftion from the fallen angels, God has chofen to be his favourite fervants, and to be ever- laft'ngly confirmed in their holy and happy ftate * : Yea, I charge you, as you hope to appear with com- fort before all thefe, at the great day, when our Lord mall come in his own, and in his Fathers glo- ry, with oil the holy angels, that you carefully take heed to, maintain, and put in practice, the rules I have given you, without preferring one to another, through favour, or affection, or prejudging before the caufe is heard and proved ; and without the leaft partiality, through prejudice for, or againft any man whatfoever, on account of his itation in the church, or of any private confideration to bias your mind. ix Lay hands 22 And as elders or pallors themfelves may be lia- huldenly on no D]e £0 mifcarriages, If you would rejoice to have as man neither be |fttfc occafion as pofliWe for the difagreeable work partaker ot other * * v. , r , \-rii 1
men's fins: keep ot rebuking them, (ver. 20.) It behoves you to be thyfelf pure. very cautious and careful in your inquiries after, and
well fatisfied about, the characters of fuch as propofe to be introduced into that facred office, and not haf- tily, inconfiderately, and rafhly lay your hands on. any man to ordain himf, with a conveyance of fuch extraordinary gifts, as ufed to attend that fignal of
them : NOTES. * In whatever fenfe we understand f Though conveying the gifts of the this charge, as ^iven before the eletl an Spirit was ordinarily by the apoftles lay- gels, it relates to them, not as judges, ing on their hands; yet confidering what but as witnefles, and is confidered in the an extraordinary evangelift Timothy was, paraphrafe both as given before them, according to fpecial foregoing prophecies accordingto the fuppofition of their being concerning him, which the apoftle takes prefent in religious afiemblies, who are particular notice of. and feems to lay a miniftring fpirits to the heirs of falva- great ftrefs upon, once and again, chap. tion, 1 Cor. xi. 10. Eph. iii. 10. and Hcb. i. 12. and iv. 14 it need not be thought i. 14. ; and as given to be anfwered before improbable, but that fome more remark- them at the judgment of the great day ; ably eminent powers were confened up- when, for the greater folemnity of it, on him, than upon other evangelifts : Chrift will come with all the holy an- And why might not this of communica- gels, as his glorious attendants, Matth- ting the gifts of the Spirit at ordination^ xvi. 27. and xxv. 31. Mark viii. 38. and by laying on of his hands, be one of Luke ix. %6. thein?
Chap. v. Timothy paraphrafed. 183
them : Take heed of acting precipitatelvano1 unadvifed- ly herein, left you make yourfelf acceflary to, and fo be partaker of, the guilt of unfound and ungodly mi- nifters : Stand clearvof the blame of countenancing fuch, and of all the fad confequences of their unfait.h- fnmefs, error?, and in \ (behaviour, that you in this, as well as in every other refpeft, may be pure fi om the Wood >f nil men. (A&9 xk. 26.) 33 Drink no 23 Here, by the way, let me, in the fulnefs of longer water, but my heart's concern for you, give you one piece of teh-
uie .. little wine der arK} fairly advice, relating td your own health, for thy lomacns , . , J . > . , J° .J r , c c c \
fake, and thine of- wmcn 0lS;,t t0 be confuted for the lake ot tileful- ttn infirmities. nefs, Tnough you are inclined, and undoubtedly o-
bhged by your office, to be an example of all tem- perance and fobriety ; yet, as your constitution is in- firm a*nd ficklv, your labours great, and your life ve- ry important to the church of Chritl, Do not con- fine yourfelf any longer, as, through too great ibfte* mioufnefs, you have done in time pall, to drink only water ; but at proper feafons take a little wine in moderation, as may be needful to help your weak ilomach, and decay of appetite and digeftion. through the many indifpofitions and diforders of body that you are often attended with, by means of hard ftu- dy, and fatiguing labour ; and that threaten foon to put an end to your valuable life and fervices, for want of animal fpirits and proper fuftenance. 24 Some men's 24 But to return : As to the cautions I have gi- fins are open be. ven> ^^ 22j you are t0 proceed after a different beforeto fuel"? manner in different cafes, according to the evidence ment; and "fome and reafon of things. For fome men's erroneous and men they follow fmful principles and practices are fo notorious and o- after- pen to every one's view, that they a^e thoroughly-
known before there be any oceafion for a Uriel: in- quiry to be made into them ; and fo, eafily lea i the way to a juft judgment of what is fit to be done in refufing to introduce them to office in the church ; And there are others, who ufe fo much art, iecrecy, and hypocrify, to conceal their fentiments and widk- ednefs, that it often breaks out after a judgment of chanty ha? been paft upon them, in order to their being ordained : But whether it does fo, or not, you have acquitted your own confeience, whatfoever be the confequence as to them *.
25 There NOTE. * The judgment here intended feems day: But I rather think that the judg- not to be the final day of account, when ment here meant is (as the context, ver. God will bring every work into judg- %%. directs) to be undertood of the jndg- ment, with every ferret thing, whether ment, that is to be pall, in juft ^nd cha- it be good or evil: (Ecclef. xii. 14.) For ritable conftruclions, upon perlbns cha~ there are no fins to be difcovered after, racTers, with ? view to their ad miffion but all will be made manifest in, that to the facred office of the miniftry. Vol. V. B b
1 84 The Firjl Epiftle to Chap. v.
25 Likewife alfo 25 There are alfo fome perfons whofe religious the good wo. ks of fentjments, gifts, graces, and moral temper and bc- Jome are man'feft , . r 1 11 j it* 11
beforehand • and nav,our> are io remarkably good, and obvious to all they that are o- about them, as to fpeak for themfelves, before there tberwife cannot be is any need to fcrutinize their characters ; and they d* may be juftly deemed fit to be admitted to the facred
miniftry ; in fuch cafes your way is plain : But more caution is to be ufed as to others, who, though gra- cious upright fouls, are fo bafhful and reclufe in their temper, that it is difficult to form a fatisfying judg- ment about their qualifications ; and yet, upon pru- dent, tender, and clofe converfes with them, that good thing which is wrought in them, and the reli- gion which is more covertly prarftifed by them, may be fufficientiy difcovered to give you a favourable o- pinion of them, and to direct your proceedings to- wards them in the forementioned cafe : Or if, after all, you remain doubtful about them, it is beft to wait ; and if they really be corrupt in principle or practice, it cannot eafily be concealed for any length of time.'"
RECOLLECTIONS.
With what veneration mould the aged, whether men or women ; and with what affability and puritv fhould younger people, be cautioned againft every fin- ful infirmity ! The dependents of poor widows ought to treat them with refpedt, and provide as honounbly for them, as they can. How unnatural, and how con- trary to all the principles of Chriftianity, and worfr than heathenifli is it, for gof- pel-profefibrs to neglect their deftitute parents, and their own families ! But if the offspring of poor widows are not able to maintain them, the church, to which they belong, ought to take them under their care : And if any church needs good ma- trons to attend their fick and poor, they may appoint fuch widows of advanced years to that fervice, as have obtained a good report, and mown a humble and companionate regard to the faints and fervants of Chrift ; but young widows ought not to be put into that office, left, giving themfelves up to pleafure, they become idle, tattling buiy bodies, which are the peft of fcriety; and at length renounce their profeffion of faith, and, following the devices of Satan, throw off religious reftraints, to their own condemnation ; they are indeed in the worft fenfe dead, while they live: But as to poor young widows of better character, inftead of their being burdenfome to the church, it*may be advifable for them to marry believing hufbands, that are ca- pable of maintaining them ; and to bear and bring up fuch children in the fear of the Lord, as he may give them ; as alfo to manage their houihold-bufinefs with good houfewifery —How folemn is the charge to all paftors, as well as evangelifts, in the prefen<e of God and Chrift, and the holy angels, that they faithfully declare thefe things, and fulfil every part of their office ! And though reproofs and cen- fures are the moft difficult and grievous duties of their ftation, yet they are to dif- charge them with fidelity, and without partiality, whether it be towards church- officers, or toward private members. But with what care and caution fhould thev ptoceed in ordinations, left they themfelves (hare with the ord.iined in their guilt ! And O what prudence, tendernefs, and courage do they need for conduct- ing, according to the appearances of fome people's fins on one hand, and good deeds on the other, which lhow themfelves before, drafter they pafs judgment up- on them ! How arduous, upon the whole, is the minifterial work! And how ought thf-y, that are eminently laborious, in preaching and fnpporting the pure gofpel of Chri£, to be honoured with great refpect. and liberal maintenance, according to the direction? of both the Old and New Teftaments ! And though they ought to be temperate in all things, they need not confine themfelves to drinking water; but
may
Chap. vi. Timothy par aphrafed. 185
may lawfully ufe wine with moderation for ftomach's fake, when their labours and bodily infirmities call for it, and it becomes needful for the preservation of their health, and fervice in the church.
CHAP. VI.
The apojlle lays down the duty of Chr.fi ions toward believing, as welt as other maflcrs, which Timothy ought to in/if upon, with a
fevere reproof to judaizers that taught otherwife, i, — 5. Shews the advantage of godlinefs with contentment and the danger of covetous purfuits after riches, 6, — 10, DireBs Timothy to a contrary courfe4 11, 12. 1 Gives him afolemn charge to behave
faithfully in a perfevering attention to his orders, and in admoni/Jj- ing the rich not to trufl in their riches, but in the living God, and to improve his bounties to the befl purpofes ; and repeats his charge with fome enlargement, clofing all with a Jhori, but compreken-
five benediclion, 13, — 21.
Text. Paraphrase.
J^ET as many fer- A S there are fome judaizer s that would make it vants as are un- J-\. unlawful for bond-flaves, upon their becoming their own mate Chriftians, to obey their mailers after the flefti *, worthy of all ho- Let all converted fervants, even though they be un- nour ; that the der that yoke of fervitude, think themfelves in con- name of God, and fcjcnce bound to pay all civil refped and obedience, blafphemed ^ *^at *S ^ue to t^eir own rafters, whofe property they are ; and to ferve them faithfully, even though they be heathens ; by doing otherwife, they would pre- judife the minds of their mailers againft, and bring a fcandal upon the name of the bleffed God, whom they profefs to own and honour as their God, and upon his glorious and holy gofpel, as if he had there- in difcharged them from the juft obligations that they were under before, to perform the natural and civil duties of their ftations ; whereas his true defign in it is, to make them better fervants than ever, even to froward mailers, (j Peter ii. 18.) 1 And they that 2 And thofe Chriilian- fervants that are fo happy have believing ag to jlave believing and faithful mailers, ought to matters, let them . . ., ° , , » &
not prize the privilege, and not contemn them, or make
B b 2 too
N O T £.
* As the Jewijb Robbies, thought it found them; (fee the note on Eph. v.
unlawful for an ljroelite to be fold tor a 11.) and would have been a itrong pre-
fervant to heathens, (lee Dr. Ligbtfoofs judice in" the mi"ds or heathens againft
Heb. Talmud. Exercit 1 Cor. vii. 23.) embracing the gofpel, the apoftle rakes
it is highly probable from ver. 3- of this occafion to lay down the duty of Chiif-
chapter, that fome judaizers infilted on tian flaves, and therein of all other be-
the lame for Chriitian- converts : But as lieving fervants, to pay due honour and
this would have been to break in upon obedience to their matters, whatlbevcv
the civil rights, properties, and potief- their religious character be. fions, which Chriftianity leaves, as it
i86
tint defpife fflfw, e they are brethren ; bat ra- ther do them ier vice, became they are tatthtul and beloved, partakers ot the benetit. Theft things teach ir.d exhort.
The Firji Epijlle to
Chap. vi(
3 H any man
teach otherwise, and confent not to wboleiome words, even the words ot our Lord Jefus Chriit, and to the doctrine which is according to godli- jjcfs :
4 He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting a^out queftions and ftrires of' words, whereof cometh envy, ftrife, railings, evil fur- rnifin -,
5 P.-rverfe dil"- putings of men of corrupt minds, and dettitute ot the truth, fbppo6ng th.it pain* is gou-
• i ft- • from fu( >i withdraw tbyi'eir.
too free with them, or think that they muft be funk, in their civil capacities, down to a level with them- felvcs ; and lo withdraw their fervice from them, be- caufe they are brethren in Chrift, and, as fuch, are upon a level with themfelves in religious privileges, honours, and enjoyments, and in God's account : But let them, on the contrary, be tb^e more chearful, arTvctionate, and diligent, in doing the bufinefs, and conlulting the inteieil of fuch mailers, for this rea- fon ; becaufe they are faithful believers, beloved of God, r.nd of their fcllow-Chriftians, and are parta- kers ot inc lpiritual blelhngs of the gofpel with them- felves, as well as have a right to the benefit of their good and faithful fervices. (svE^yse-**?) Thefe are things fo important to the credit of religion, and the prefervation of natural rights, that I would have you publifh and explain thtm, and excite to the practice them, on of all proper occalions.
3 If any one pretends to teach notions contrary to this, or to whatioever elfe I have been infilling on, (lee chap. i. 3, 10.) and does not embrace and fubmit to the iound, uncomipted, and falutary doc- trine of our Lord and Saviour Jefus Chriit, concern- ing his perfon and offices, as it hath been delivered in his own mimltvy, or by his infpired iervants, who, as fuch, preach his word ; ( Acts xix. 20.) If any one do not give his aflent and confent to the gofpel-doc- trine, which contains and enjoins, and is formed, de- figned, and bleffed for promoting practical religion, in all devotion toward God, and in all relative duties toward men, on the foot of his authority, and with a good confeience towards him ;
4, 5 Such a man, be his pretences, profeflion, or flation in the church what they will, is a haughty, felf-cor.ceited creature, (nrv^roa) puffed up with the vanity of his own mind, while he knows nothing a- right ot the truth of the gofpel, or of what he ought to know, relating to God, and his Own duty ; but, like a brain fick perfon, is foolifhly and madly fond (voa-m ) of dealing in impertinent, ufelefs, and entang- ling quellions, (chap. i. 4.) and going into eager dilputes and vain janglings about words, rather than things, in whish he himfelf neither underflands what he lays, nor whereof he affirms ; (chap. i. 6, 7.) and which are fit for nothing but to kindle and inflame envious and invidious thoughts and paffions ; angry debates ; blafphemous imputations (Qxcct^ikx?) and reviling fpceches ; fmful, injurious and groundlefs jealoufies ; prepoilcroufly curious, vain and froward bickerings, (iru^ctdiciT^iZcti) that are praftifed and de- lighted in only by men, whofe minds have taken a
perverfe
Chap. vi. Timothy paraphrafed. 187
perverfe turn under the power of the reigning corrup- tions of their own hearts, and who are utter ill-an- gers to Chtilt, and to the truth of the gafpel, and the true nature of vital religion ; vainly imagining, that what they get molt by, tor fecuring and advan- cing their fecular intereit, is the bcit fcheme of religi- on ; and therefore the)., are &W making a trade of it, and modeling Chnltianity itlcll to their own talk, in a way that may be molt futyervieut to their carnal views. Have nothing to do with luch perverfe men ; reject their principles, practices, ana converlation ; ana withdraw as tar from them as they have with- drawn from truth and hoiinefs.
6 But gotllinefs 6 Bar, whatever men of fuch corrupt and worldly with contentment fp^s think of the matter, true religion in heart and 1S greJl gdin* life, which keeps up a iolemn veneration ot God, and
an exercife oi all iuitable graces in wcrflilpping and ferving him, through Jeius Chtilt, by the afliitance of his Spirit, according to the goipel ; this evangeli- cal gudhnefs, together with an entire fatisfatiioH, that gives a fufficiency bo the mind itielf, (fevr«*KCMff) with rtgard to fuch things as we have, ar.a to all difpolals of Providence relating to the prefent life, is the belt and trueft, thr moit con; tollable, advantage- ous, and abiding gain for this world and the next, incomparably preferable to ad affluence of creature- enjoyments, which at belt are empty, precarious, and penihing.
7 For we brought 7 For as we came naked into this world, bringing nothing into this none Q£ jtg 0o(j triiricrS alon^ with us, and hold what
world, ana it U , r°. 1 v r 1 1 r
certain we can car- we have of them by the free _ bounty and fovereign
ry nothing out. difpcfals of God, who may give or take them as he
pleafes ; fo it is unqueft ionably pertain, that we muft
go out of it naked, as leaving them all behind us, and
carrying none of them away with us, when .we come
to die ; (Job i. 21.) and it is as certain, that riches
profit not. in the day of wrath. (Prov. xi. 4.)
S And having 3 And* if, while we are paffing through this world,
food and raiment h d i(knce oi Qod fupplies us with neceffa-
let us be therewith j? . * ,. ._ . 111 , 1 , •
content. T f°°°- to iuitain us, and clothes and habitations
(cnciTixG-purx) to cover us, we ought not to be greedily,
and ambitioufly afpiring after more ; but iliould be
thankful for luch mercies as we are favoured with, and
fo well pleafed with them as to think we have enough.
o But they that g But they whofe hearts are fct upon riches, and
will be rich, fall rcfolve -f poffible, to get them at any rate, as
into temptation, . .' . r 1 • T • r 11 ^l c 1
and a fnare, and though they were their cnief good, plunge themielves
into many fooliih into the mod dangerous temptations to unlawful ways
and Kurttul lufts. of obtaining, and of ufing them ; and into a dreadful
which drown men rnare lo thc;r own fo^ wftch Satan and their car-
pnerdietion.ai0n ^ n*1 hearU l*Y for tliem ' aml int0 the deep defilement
of
i*8
The Firft Epiflle to
Chap, vi.
10 For the love -of money is the root of all evil : which while fome coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themfelves through with ma- ny lor rows.
ii But thou, O man of Goa, flee
thele things ; and follow after righ- teouinefs, godii- nefs, faith, Jove, patience, meek- nefs.
12 Fight the
good fight of faith,
lay
of many foolifhly inconfiderate, mad, and pernicious appetites and paffions, which they ought to be alham- ed and afraid of; and which, like a great gulf, fwal- low up fuch worldly minded men in both temporal and eternal deftrudtion.
10 For an inordinate value and affection for wealth is a pregnant iource of aii linful, injurious, and refe- rable principles and practices *, which is fadly exem- plified in fome who, through unlatiable deiires after the things of this world, have run altray from the truth of the gofpel, and their profeffion of it ; and, inftead of finding the pleafure and advantage they pro- pofed to themfelves thereby, they bring diilrefs and ruin upon themfelves in loul and body, with as pain- ful agony, in alter reflections upon it, as if they had pierced themfelves through with many fharp and poi- fonous darts.
1 1 But as for you, O Timothy, who are a man highly favoured ot God in the gifts and graces of his Spirit, fet apart and devoted, by your own confent, to his fervite in the work, of the minillry, Flee to the remottft diftance with utter abhorrence, and with all your might, from theie corrupt principles, dilpofi- tions, and practices, and every thing oi this evil na- ture and mifchievous tendency, as inconlntent with the dignity of your office, and your own happinefs and ufefulnefs ; and, in oppofition thereto, purfue vi- goroufly, in the ftrength of divine grace, the richer! attainments of the knowledge, experience, and exer- cife of righteoufnefs, in all your behaviour toward men ; of ftrict and evangelical piety, in all your act- ings toward God ; of faith in our Lord Jefus Chnft, and in God through him, and of realizing views of the heavenly glory ; of love to Chrift, to the truth, and to his people for his fake \ and, under the power of thefe, poffefs your own foul' in patience, amidil all wants and troubles of this world, and fufferings for the gofpel fake, and in an humble, gentle temper to- wards all men, ( Titus iii. 2.) in meehnefs injiruct- tng thoje that oppofe themfelves , (2 Tim. ii. 24, 25.) as far as is confiftent with being valiant for the truth, which mull not be given up through cowardice, or on any terms whatfoever.
12 In this manner then, c ontend earneftly for the faith, which was once delivered to the faints ; (Jude,
ver. 3.) NOTE. * Gold begets in brethren hate, Gold in families debate ; Gold does friendfhip (epaiate, Gold does civil wars create.
Cowley's Works, 8vo. Vol. I. page 54.
Chap vi.
Timothv paraphrajed.
189
lay hold on eter- ver. 3.) Stretch yourfelf out with holy vehemence nal life, whereunto and eagernefs, (xyvnM as a ?ood ,'o/dier of Je^s thou art alio call r,L n 1 t»« •• ( • ,.• • , ~ , . „
ed, and haft pro- CAr,A (2 Tim' .»• 3-) m thls good fight againft fefied a good pro- the flefh, the devil and the world, for a good Matter, feffian before ma- and in a good caufe, which will have a good ifTuej, ny witnefies. as engaged in with an exercife of faith to derive
ftrength from him for it, to fupport and animate you in it, to carry you through it, and bring you off with victory : Prefs therefore towards the mark for the prize, till, in a way of believing, and of all fidelity, you actually get poffefiion of eternal life ; unto the the obtaining of which you are called by divine grace, and which is fet before you in the gofpel for your en- couragement under all the hardfhips of your prefent warfare ; (fee the note on Phi/, iii. 12.) in your en- trance on which, at your ordination, you made a no- ble confeflion of your faith in the prefence of many witnefTes, who attended that folemnity ; and you have ever fince bore an honourable teilimony to it, by preaching and converfation, and by all the fufferinga you have patiently endured for it, in the view of nu- merous fpectators. (1 Cor. iv. 9.) 13^1 give thee l^ ]stOW) wjth an eye to ^ greateft of all wit-
of God, who quick- neffes» of whom {t moft hiShIy concerns us to be ap<
eneth 'all things, proved, I folemnly charge you in the name, and as it
and before Chrift were before the face of the All-feeing and Almighty
Jefus, who before QQ^y wh0 is the Author of every kind of life ; who
neffecTa load con- ra^es dead fouIs to *Frl'tual nfe> and revives them af- feffion • * terwards under all their decays, is the life of all our
miniftrations, and will raife the dead bodies of all his faithful fervants and faints to immortal life and glory : I alfo charge you, as in the fight and prefence of Je- fus, the great Mefiiah, as you will anfwer it to him in the day of judgment, who, when he was arraigned, as an impoftor, at the bar of Pontius Pi/ate, the Ro- man governor, bore a free and open teflimony to the truth of his own character, [Mat. xxvii. 11. and John xviii. 37.) though he knew it would coil him his life ; and fo hath fet you a noble example of cou- rage and ftedfaftnefs in continuing to maintain the truth of the gofpel concerning him, even unto death : 14 'Tis in the prefence of tliefe divine perfons, that I give you this folemn charge to hold faft the minif- terial truft committed to you by their command, and kable, until the to follow the inftructions I have given you by their authority, for executing it with all integrity, care, and diligence, and in all refpects free from blame, Jlndymg to /hew yourfelf approved unto God, a wot k~ man that needs not to be afhamed . riqhtiy dividing the word of truth ; (2 Tim. ii. 15.) and perfevering therein to the end of life, in full expectation and hope
of
thou
14 That keep this com- mandment with- out fpot, unrebu-
appeanng of our Lord Jei'us Chrift.
iox> The Virfl Epijlle to Chap. vi.
of the glorious appearing of our Lord Jefus Chrift,
till he fhall come to jur/ge the quick and the dead at
the laft day. (2 Tim. iv. 1.)
T5 Wh^h in his IC Which appearance for this great purpofe, he
timethe Jh^Aew, will demonftrate, in its proper and appointed feafon, who is the belTed * , • r • ,, V, j j 11 \
and only Poten ^ ho, in oppoiition to all other gods, and all created
tare, th- Kin/ 01 beings, is bleffed for ever in the enjoyment of him-
k and Lord or feIf, and is the only fupreme and omnipotent Ruler
*ortis '* over all kings and lords, and infinitely more excellent
and glorious than any of them ; they, and all that
they are and have, being entirely dependent on his
will and pleafure, and under his controul, by whom
kin?r reign, and princes decree jujlice. (Prov. viii.
16 Who only 16 Who only has an unbeginning and never-end- hath immortality, jng i{fe 0f perfe& blelTednefs and glory, originally, dwelling in 1 e necefrarj]y unchangeably, and independently in him-
llght which no r ,_ ('. .. . &r ,J1 -n n • cm j- • 1
man can approach fe" J and dwells m iuch an illuitnous Shechina in the unto, whom no heaven of heavens, as no mortal man can have accefs to; man hath feen. nor Vvhom no man, in this Hate of imperfection and frail- can fee : to whom has eyer f Qr can fee Jn his full Waze of lo_ be honour and J ' . .. , J. .... *> power everlafting. >7» and live ; (Ex. xxxin. 20.) nor can any corpo- Ameru ral eye ever behold him in his divine nature, in which he is a purely fpiritual being : To whom be afcribed all honour, might, and dominion, with chearful and profound adoration, as is moft due, for ever and ever. Amen.
17 Charge them jy In this view of things, and in reflection on the that are rich in Important; truft tnus folemnly committed to you, Give they be not hieh faithful admonitions, in the name of Chrift, to thofe minded, nor truft that abound in the riches of this world, to watch and in uncertain rich- pray, and take the utmofl care, that they be not ca, but in the h- ijfte£j Up w;tn prije> felf-fufficiency, and contempt liveth uV rkhly °^ otners» on tnat account ; nor fet their hearts up- all things to en- on, or place their confidence in, their earthly pofTef- joy : fions, which are all precarious and fleeting, and, when
leaft expe&ed, may make themfelves wings and flee away: (Prov. xxiii. 5.) But teach them to put their entire truft in the only living and true God,
who NOTE. * Some underftand this as meant of unlefs here, given to the Father. How- God the Father, and others of our Lord ever, it remains doubtful by the connec- Jcfus Chri/i, becaufe he is the next an- tion, whether this and the three follow- tecedent ; accordingly they refer in his in? verfes are to be referred to God the times to the feafon of his glorious appear. Father, or to our Lord Jefus Chrift; but, ing, when he will moft illuftriouflv de- which ever way it be confidered, the monftrate himfelf to be, what he wit- doxo!sgy,vcr. 16 to one of thefe perfons, netted concerning himfelf before Pontius is not to the exclufion of the other; lince Pilate : A.nd it is certain that King of the like is offered to the Father, Phil. kings, and Lord of lords, is a title given iv. 2.->. to the Son, Rev. i. 5. 6. and con- to Chri/i, Rev. xvii. 14. and xix. 16.; junelly and equally to both, Rev. V. 1 3. but I do not find that it is any where, (See the note on chap. i. 17.)
1 8 That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to diftribute, willing to communicate ;
Chap. vi. Timothy paraphrafed. 191
who daily loads us with hie benefits, and who, in the riches of his mercy and goodnefs, gives us every thing for necefiity, and many things for delight, yea, all things that we enjoy for prefent fupport and com- fort, pertaining to life and godlinefs, through the knowledge of him that has called us to glory and vir- tue. (2 Pet. i. 3.)
18 Charge them alfo, as they will anfwer it at the great day of account, that, inftcad of abufing their riches, and mif-fpending them lavifhly upon them- felves, they do all the good they can with them ; that they abound in better riches to their own and others advantage, even in every good work, which their af- fluence obliges them to, and makes them capable of; that they be chearfully difpofed of their own accord, on all proper occafions, to give liberally for promo- ting every good caufe, and to be generous in commu- nicating to the neceflities of the poor, efpecially of the hou [hold of faith. (Gal. vi. 10.)
19 And let them know that they will heap up the beft and raoft fubftantial of all treafures, to their own ufe and benefit, by their humble truft in God through Chrift, the fincerity of which is proved by it 3 fruit - fulnefs unto all good works; (ver. 17, 18.) and which, in cppofition to uncertain riches, refts on a fure foundation of hope and happinefs for the world to come, that, when they enter into it, they may actually lay hold on, and take poffefiion of eternal life, as the gift of God, through Jefus Chrift our Lord, [Rom. vi. 23. fee the note there) and as the crown of life, which they fhall receive at the end of their courfe, like the runners in the Grecian games, who, upon finifhing their race, lay hold on the gar- land that is placed at the goal. (See the note on Phi/, iii. 12.)
20 O my dear Twwthy, Think ferioufly of thefe things ; and, in cpnfideration of their vail importance, Take fpecial care to preferve the doctrines and ordi- nances of the gofpel pure and uncorrupted, and to exercife all your fpiritual gifts in fulfilling your min> ftry, according to thefe directions ; all which are committed to you by the Lord Jefus Chrift, as a fn- cred truft to be faithfully managed for him, and gi- ven an account of to him : And, that you may dc this to the beft advantage, keep yourfelf clear of, and ut- terly reject the impious, trifling, empty, and noify talk of the judaizing teachers, and their oppofitions to the true doctrine of Chrift, by their corrupt notions of the law, which I have been cautioning you againft ; but which they falfely call knowledge, though they
Vol. V. C c neither
19 Laying up in ftore for them- felves a good foun- dation againft the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.
20 O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy truft, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and op- pofitions of fcience falfely lb called :
192 The Firjl Epijlle to Chap. vi.
neither know what they fay, nor whereof they affirm. {Chap. i. 4,— 7.) 21 Which fome 2 1 And fo pernicious, as well as empty and vain, profeffing, have *s their pretended knowledge, that fome among them, th^ faith0nCGrace wno nave ^een m^gnty fond* of it, and prided them- be with thee. A- felves in it, have by that means run off from the faith men. of the gofpel into grofs errors. That you may be
kept fteady in the only true faith, and be abundant- ly afiifted and fucceeded in maintaining and promo- ting it, to the glory of God, and the falvation of your own and many others fouls, May the divine love and favour ever attend and profper you in your way and work, and thoroughly feafon your heart with eve- ry grace of the Spirit, Amen. So let it be, and fo I truft it will be.
RECOLLECTIONS.
What an honour and encouragement is it to believing fervants, even of the low- eft rank, that they are brethren in Chrift, partakers of all fpiritual bleflings, e- qually with Chriftians of the higheft civil ftations ! But what a reproach is it to the name of their God, and to his gofpel, for them to be fo conceited on this ac- count, as to think themfelves above paying the duty they owe to their earthly matters, -even though they be infidels; or to be lefs, and not rather more, refpecl:- ful and diligent in the fervice of religious matters, becaufe they are brethren in the fellowfhip of the gofpel ! Thefe things are to be taught and learned ; and whofo- ever, under falfe pretences to knowledge, fuggeft fentiments contrary to thefe, or to any other doctrine of Chrift, which is a doctrine according to gtdlinefs, they are to be rejected, as perfons, that are proud and ignorant, peiverfe and deftitute of the truth, fond of vain opinions and difputations about words, which tend to ftrife and envy, railing and unwarrantable fufpicions, and that make a trade of re- ligion to ferve their fecular interelts : But true godlinefs, with a fatisfied mind as to worldly circumftances, though we have only neceffary food and raiment, is the beft of all gain ; and therefore is to be cultivated in earned purfuits after righteouf- nefs, goodnefs, faith, love, patience, and meeknefs. And, alas ! What is this poor empty world, that we fhould fet our hearts upon it ! We brought none of its en- joyments into it, and whatfoever we have of them here, we muft certainly, ere long, leave them all behind us : And they that will feek to be rich, right or wrong, throw themfelves into many dangerous temptations, and foolifh enfnaring lufts and paffions, that will one time or other recoil upon them, and pierce them through with many agonizing forrows ; will make them err from the faith of the gofpel ; and plunge them into deep and endlefs ruin : For the love of money is the root of thefe, and numberlefs other finful and deftrudlive evils. How needful then is it, to warn the rich of this world to be humble amidft all their affluence ; and not place their confidence in uncertain wealth, but in God, through Chrift, who is a free and bountiful giver, of all things relating to this life and that which is to come ! And how ready fhould they be to prove the fincc-rity of the profeffion of their faith, and truft in the Lord, by its genuine fruits in every good and charita- ble work ; which will be laying in a good ftock of folid happinefs for the world to come, that, at the end of their Chriitian-courfe, they may receive the crown of life ! O how conscientious and laborious fhould the fervants of Chrift be, in dif- cbarging every part of the minifterial truft that is committed to them; in main- taining the good profeffion they have made various ways before many witneffes ; and in fighting the good right of faith, till they lay hold on eternal life, at the glo- rious appearing of our Lord Jefus Chrift ! And how mindful fhould they always be of the folemn bonds that are laid upon them, to adhere with fidelity to divine di- rections, as in the prefence of God the Father, and of Jefus Chrift ! He courage- ously owned himlelf to be the true Meffiah, before Pontius Pilate, and, at his fe- cond coming, will be glorioufly manifefted to be fo, by the only living and life- giving God ; who is the i'uprerue almighty Governor, above all other kings and
lords ;
Chap. vi. Timothy paraphrafed. 193
lords • who only has immortality eflentially in himfetf, dwells in glory inacceffi- ble to frail mortals, and is invifible in his own being : To whom be alcnbed everlafting honour, dominion, and power, Amen. May all that love him unite in prayer for his miniftring fervants, that his free favour, in all its roarniefta- tions and effedls, may perpetually enable th,em to be diligent and laithtul in his
work '. Amen.
Cc2 APRAC-
A PRACTICAL
EXPOSITION
OF THE
SEGOND EPISTLE of the APOSTLE PAUL
T O
TIMOTHY,
IN THE FORM OF A
PARAPHRASE.
The PREFACE to the SECOND EPISTLE to TIMOTHY,
THIS Epiflle is generally, and moft probably, fuppofed from chap. iv. 6. and feveral other paffages, to be the laft that the apoftle wrote under his fecond confinement at Rome, a little before his martyrdom there. It contains fome further directions to Timo- thy, with a fomewhat more immediate reference, than the former, (which is thought to have been wrote about nine years before) to his own perfonal conduct, in the difcharge of his office, as an evan- gelift.
The apoftle introduces it with the fame falutation, and like affec- tionate expreflions to him, and concern for him, as before -, and with the like alfertions of his character, as an apoftle of Jefus Chrift, for Timothys encouragement, and for countenancing him againft all the cavils of the judaizers, that would oppofe him in fulfilling his truft, according to this and his former inilructions : And to animate him the more in his work, and fortify him againft the fear and fhame of fufferings on account of his faithfulnefs therein, he fets before him the eternal falvation, and the difcoveries of immortal life, that Chrift has brought in by the gofpel, together with his own chearfulnefs and undaunted courage, under his extreme fufferings for its fake } to which he adds grateful reflections on the behaviour of One/tphorus, who had owned him, and had been a comfort to him, while others deferted him, chap i. He therefore exhorts Timothy to keep up a conftant and entire dependence on the grace of Chrift j and, in its ftrength, to acquit himlelf with fidelity, in the difcharge of his of- fice ; in bravely enduring all hard (hips and diftreiTes for Chrift, af- ter the apoftle's own example j in reprefenting the importance, as well as the truth of the things he was to preach to others ; as alfo in living in the doctrines he preached, and fupporting them, with a be- coming fpirit, againft the ungodly principles and practices of thofe yvoiild/ttbvert them, chap. ii. 'He then forewarns him of a par- ticular
Chap. i. The Second Epijlle, &c. 105
ticular fort of corrupt profeflfors and preachers, whom he defcribes, and, in opposition to whom, he reminds Timothy of his own doctrine, manner of life, and behaviour under various perfections-, and en- forces a ftedfaft adherence to divine revelation, v hatever it might coll him, chap. iii. He like wife gives him a folemn charge to fulfil his miniitry, with the utmoft care and diligence, in conlideration of the apoftacies that would appear among many profefling Chviitians, and of his having no further afiiitance from himielf, who was going to feal his teftimony with his biood, which he thought of with joy and triumph, as the crown of all his labours and fufterings : And con- cludes with expreflions of earneft dehre to fee Timothy, as foon as polTible *, v:ith an account of the different chcumiiances and beha- viour of feveral perfons whom he names } and with ialutations, and his ufual beneai&ion, chap. iv.
CHAP. I.
Paul ajferts his apoflolic charaBer, falutes Timothy, and exprejes his great affeBion to him in remembrance of his fympathizing tears and unfeigned faith, I, — 5. Exhorts him to a diligent improve- ment of his fpiritual gifts, without jear or fhame on account of fufferings for Chrijl, who has brought life and immortality to light by the go/pel; and to hold fafl that blejjed doBrine which was com- mitted to him, 6, — 14. And tells him of many that had bafely de- fer ted him, but f peaks with honour and affeBion of Onefiphorus, for his kindnefs to him, 15, — 18.
Text. Paraphrase.
PAUL an apof- X) A U L, who is called and qualified to be an a- tle of Jefu« A^ ftl f jefus ChrJft by the free and fove. Chnft, by the will ■*. * J -fr c r> A ♦U*. Tr-,fV,^
of God, according reign appointment and commiilion ol God the rather, to the 'promife of to bear witnefs to the once crucified, but now rifen life, which is in and exalted Saviour, and to preach him among Jews, Chrift Jefus ; an(j efpecially Gentiles, according to the promife of
eternal life, which was given in Chrifl before the world began, (Tit. i. 2.) and in due time was made to Abraham and his fpiritual feed, as to be fulfilled in him, in whom all nations were to be bleffed ; (Gen. xxii. 18.) which life is repofited in him, pur- chafed and difpenfed by him, and obtained through faith in him. (1 John v. 11, 12.) 4 To Timothy 2 Even I Paul fend greeting to you, my dearly be- my dearly beloved loved fon Timothy. (See the note on I Tim. i. 2.)
{and greacemfrom Ma7 the frCe fay°Ur a"d tCnder comPaffion> with a11 God thTVatheT, tne^r n*ppy manifeftations, fruits, and efie&s, (fee the and Chrift Jefus note on Rom. i. 7.) and all manner of profperity for our Lord. foul and body, time and eternity, abound toward you
from God the Father, as the firft mover in our falva- tion, and from Jefus Chrift, your Lord and mine, as
concurring
196 Tbc Second Epiftle to Chap. i.
concurring with him therein, and as the purchafer and giver of all blefiings, in the execution of his me- diatorial office.
3 * t\™k God, 3 J heartily render thanks and praife to God, whom Zyfaehthers^hh r rdig,'oufly worfhip and adore after the manner of pure confidence, m>' progenitors, even the only true God, whom A- diat without cea- braham, Ifaac, and Jacob, and all my pious anceftors fmg I have remem- ferved ; and this I now do with a heart purified by
ranee o t ce in faith and a confeience purged from dead works by Z jyr m£ ht the blood of Chrift. ( ABs xv. 9. and Heb. ix. ,4.) I blefs his holy name, that, though in the days of my judaifm, I was dreadfully mifguided by corrupt pafiions and prejudices, I now in love to him, and to you his faithful fervant, am continually mindful and make mention of you, as in all folemn addrefTes to the throne of grace *, fo particularly in my morn- ing and evening prayers, which I conftantly offer up every day, as the Jews were wont to do at the time of their morning and evening facrifice, and as is an incumbent duty for all Chriftians to practife day by day, as their reafonable fervice.
4 Greatly defi- 4 And fo ardent is my affection to you, that (if ring to ^ thee jt be the wJ11 0f God) I am exceedingly defirous of being mindful of ; • 1 r P i_ 1 • 1 • thy tears, that I leeing you> once more, before my death, which 1$ maybe filled with now at hand, (chap. iv. 6.) that I may have the joy; plealure of your company, and an opportunity of
leaving with you fome farther instructions, as occa- fions may require, and as the dying charge of a ten- der parent to his moft beloved fon. And there are two things, among others, that fo greatly endear you to me, and would fill me with the more abundant joy in feeing you again ; one is the touching reflection I make upon the affectionate, filial, and moving flood, of tears f , which you poured out at our lafl parting,
on NOTES. * Prayers night and day feems moft life, relating to fpiritual and temporal immediately to relate to the morning things. (See Dr. Whitby's note on and evening prayers which ufed to be 1 Theff. v. 17.)
offered up by the Jews at the time of f Thefe tears were manifeftly thofe their morning and evening facrifice, which Timothy filed at the apoftle's laft. Exod- xxix. 38, 39. compared with Luke parting with him ; and it is thought by i- IO. : And thefe are undoubtedly pro- many, that he refers to that melting per feafons of ftated folemn addreffes to leave which the Ephefian elders took God with thanklgivings for the mercies of the apoftle, Afts xx. 37, 3S. among of the night, or of the day part, and whom Timothy is fuppofed to have been with humble fupplications, and commit- prefent, and wept moft abundantly: ments of ourfelves and all our own and But as it is uncertain whether he were others concerns to the Lord, for the in that company, or not ; and as that mercies of the day, or of the night, that feems to have been about nine or ten is coming on. And yet they are not to years before the writing of this epiftle, be reftrained to thefe ftated feafons ; the apoftle had probably feen him fince but are likewife to be prefented to God that time ; and therefore the parting, on all fuitable occafions, and efpecially here referred to, was in all likelihood on in important circumitances and turns of fome latter occafion ; though the hiftory
if
Chap. i.
Timothy paraphrafed.
197
to
on acount of the danger I was like to be expofed to, and which made a deep impreffion on my foul then, and, at times, ever fince.
5 When I call 5 The other thing that thus engages my heart to remembrance yoU) jgj the lively fenfe I retain of that fincere faith
Ihat^is^in thee wmcn You nave rnanifefted on all occafions to be in which dwelt firft you, without the leaft appearance of hypocrify, or in thy grandmo- difguife ; [avwroK^iTit) even that fame fort of faith, ther Lois, and thy whjch wa8 not only profeffed by, but difcovered it- mother Eunice; felf t0 be feated as an aaive and abiding principle, and I am perlua- ... r 1 r • j l r •
ded that in thee in the heart, firit ot your pious grandmother Lois, as alio. alfo in your no lefs truly religious mother Eunice*
who believed in the promifed Meffiah, and afterwards embraced him upon the gofpel- revelation of him ; and I am fully fatisfied, from what I have feen and known of you, that the like undifTembled faith is planted al- fo in your own heart ; and fo God's covenant with believers and their feed is remarkably fulfilled in your mother and you.
6 Wherefore I 6 Therefore in my great affe&ion to you, and in put thee in re- confideration of the extraordinary favour, which God membrance, that ^as fl.^ further mown in moft eminently fitting you <r'ftU f God" which ^or minifterial fervice, I now write to you again, to fs in thee 'by the remind you of my former exhortation, that you may putting on of my not be remifs in cherilhing and improving the fpiri-
tual gifts, which he has freely bellowed upon you, and which ftill remain in you ; but, like one that would blow up live-coals, when covered with allies, into a flame, may, (ecva$,a7rv£uv) by diligent medita- tion, reading and prayer, ftir up and kindle thofe gifts into a facred fervor and activity, which God has remarkably honoured you with, by means of the im- pofition of my own and others hands, as the fignal of his conveying them to you, at your ordination. (See the paraphrafe on 1 Tim. iv. 14.)
7 You ought by no means to be difcouraged in the exercife of thofe gifts, on account of the oppofition fpirit of fear; but of adverfaries : For the temper and difpofition,
of power, and ot ,<,,-,,, ,.,..., r r,. , ,
hand;
7 For God hath not given us the
love, and of a found which God by his fpirit has formed in us, whom he
mind. hath called and fitted for holy miniftrations, is not a
fpirit of cowardice and dread of our enemies, whether men or devils ; but is a fpirit of holy fortitude and undaunted courage to encounter all difficulties and dangers ; and of fervent love to Chriii and his caufe, and to immortal fouls ; and of fobriety and good judgment, (a-eo(p^ovt<r^a) in a due government of our paffions, and in ftedfailly adhering to, and patiently fuffering for, the true gofpel of Chrifl.
8 Let NOTE.
of the Acts, which is fuppofed to have ended fix or feven years before this epif-
tle was wrote, gives us no account of it.
198 The Second Epijile to Chap. i.
S Be not thou 8 Let therefore fuch confiderations as thefe carry
therefore afhamed y0U above all fhame, difcouragement, or faint- hcarted-
ourhLord n0o7of nefs> in bearing a noble and open teftimony to our
me his prifoner : bleffed Lord and Saviour, and to his gofpel, in which
but be thou par- he gives teftimony unto himfelf, as he is its principal
taker ot the affiie- fubjedt, and which he owns with the power of his
TcTXl\f The SP.irit I and lct the fame thoughts fortify you againft
power of God; being afhamed to own, vindicate, arid vifit me in my
bonds, as his apoille and prifoner : But let them, on
the contrary, animate you to fympathize with me in
my perfecutions, and to be ready to endure the fame
yourfelf with all chearfulnefs for the gofpePs fake, in
humble dependence upon the mighty afiiftance which
God by his Spirit will give you, to ftrengthen and
enable you to fuffcr patiently, on account of your firm
attachment to it. And well may we chearfully fub-
mit to all tribulations, dangers, and reproaches, for
the honour and glory of God ;
9 Who hath fa- 9 Who has provided a Saviour for us, and given ved us and called us to him to take care that we might not be cut off 2'S\yVi *"t acy in our fins, and has appointed us to obtain falvation cording to our h} our Lord Jefus Chrift ^ (1 ThefT. v. 9.) who has works, but accord- already purchafed it for us ; and in confequence of all ing to his own pur- tniSj God has effeftually called us, by the gofpel, to pole and grace, holjnefs h in order t our bej fiu d f and which was given . , ; ^ „. r ro, -re
us in Chrift fefus brought to the pollellion or perfect happinets tor ever before the world hereafter: (2 The/f. \\. 13, 14.) All which he has fcegan, done, not as influenced to it by any forefight of our
good works, as though we fhould ever deferve it ; but entirely of his free favour, according to his own fovereign intention and refolution, and the mere un- merited kindnefs of his own gracious heart, which was fet upon us, and had a fpecial regard to us, in Chrift our head, from all eternity, before the foun- dation of the world, (Ephcf. i. 4.) and which began to dawn in the firft promife, (Gen. iii. 17.) before the Jewijh ages *.
10 But is now IO But which gracious purpofe, that lay from all made manitell by eternjty as a fecret in his own bofom, and was after- our Saviour fefus wai"ds in great meafure concealed under the types and
Chnft, fhadows of the Old Teflament, is now evidently dif-
covered, NOTE. * I have taken in the notion which from the beginning of the world, or from Mr. Locke and others have given of the the beginning of time, Luke i. 70. and words before the world began, as figni- Ads iii. 21, Why fhould not the like fy'ng before the fecular ages of the Jews, phrafe (-gt^o xgovuv aiuvtuv^) fignify alfo ("STf XS0VUV amviay') But as the purpofe of before the beginning of the world, or of God was certainly from eternity, and the all time or ages, and be in fenfe the word («<o>») often fignifies the worldx fame with before the foundation of the and is ufed plurally, as for ages, fo for world, as that is often ufed to fignify the worlds, (Heb. i. 2.) and as the from all eternity $ phrafe («*' kwos ) evidently fignifies
Chap. i.
Chrift, who hath abolifhed death, and hath btought life and immor- tality to light through the gof- pel :
Timothy paraphrased.
199
11 Whereunto am appoirited
preacher, apoftle, teacher Gentiles.
I a
and an and a of the
1 a For the which caufe I alio futier thefe things : ne- verthelefs I am not afhamed : for I know whom I have believed, and I am perfuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him againft that day.
covered, with illuftrious brightnefs, by the coming of our Lord and Saviour Jefus Chrift, v/hofe appearance in fkih and in the execution ot his mediatorial oifice, has, like that of the rifiog fun, (fyrtQecmetf) featter- ed Jewi/h and Heathen darknefs ; who in virtue of his dying for our fins in our nature and in our ftead, and of his rifmg, as a conqueror, from the graven has taken away the ftiiig of death, broke its power, and turned it into a blefling, inftead ot a curfe, to them that believe in him, and delivered them from eternal death ; (1 Cor. xv. 55, 56, 57.) and who has made a plain revelation of a bleffed life, and immortal glory of foul and body in the heavenly world, by means of lift ^ifpej^. which^hows us the certainty, together with the fublime, excellent, and fpiritual nature of that Hate, and our way of arriving at it through him.
1 1 This is a bleffed and glorious gofpel indeed, for the difpenfation of which 1, like a herald fent to pro- claim peace by Jefus Chrift, am appointed and confti- tuted an authentic publifher, (*»gy|) and an apoftle, to bear witnefs to a crucified and rifen Saviour, by immediate commiffion from him, and that with a par- ticular relation to the Gentiles y (A6ls ix. 15.) as a preacher to them, that they may hear and believe the glad tidings of eternal life to the faving of their fouls.
12 And it is for my faithfulnefs and zeal in dif- charging this office, and that particularly to them, that I now actually fuffer all the dlfgrice and feveri- ties of my prefent imprifonment, and am daily ex- pecting martyrdom itfelf: But, in confideration of the glorious excellency of this caufe, I am fo far from being afhamed of Chrift and his gofpel, or of my fufferings for them, that I glory in them, and have the molt joyful expectation of a happy iiTue of all in a bttter world : For I well know, in the. light of God's word and Spirit, and upon long trial and ex- perience, what a gracious, all-lufficient, faithful and divine Saviour he is, whom I have received and rditd upon by faith ; and I am fully fatisfied, on the fujrt it grounds, that he has all power and authority in his office-capacity, which includes his will, to fecure my foul, with all its eternal concerns, that I have enl
ed him with, as my moft important depofitum^ to take care of* againft the day of the final judgment, w h
may T E.
foever there be in either of thefe fenti- ments, they do nor feem fully to with the apoille's defign in this place, nor with the form of expreffion here u- fed : For he propofes this, as an encou- ragement to Tjmotbff not to be
D d med
N O * That which I have committed to
him againfi that day, is undeiftood by fome to mean the go/pel- doctrine, and by others the church of C'rrijt. which was committed to the apoltle's truft. But, how great and important a truth Vol. V.
200 The Second Epiftk to Chap. i.
may be emphatically called that day^ as it is the con- cluding day at the end of time, and the day, in which every one will be more concerned than in any o- ther day wbatfoever, as his condition, for happinefs, or mifery, will then be folemnly, publicly, and unal- terably decided for eternity. 13 Hold raft the 1 3 Whatever trials therefore you meet with, as may form of found be expected in the caufe of Chrift ; fee to it, that, words, which thou encouraged by my example 0f faith, patience, and haft heard of me • r tr • 1 • n. if n.i
in faith and love hope in iuttenngs, you keep in memory, ltedtaltly
which is in Chrift adhere to, and refolutely maintain (vTrcrvxtTiv vyieciv Jems, ovtwv Xoym) the pattern, or platform of the uncor-
rupted, wholefome, nourifhing and healing docvtrine of the gofpel, that^s contained in Ynofe words of truth and fobernefs, which you have been taught by me, in converfation, preaching and writing, with refpecrt to faith in Chrift, and love to him, and to all fellow- Chriftians for his fake * ; and which you received, with a firm perfuafion of their truth and reality, as faithful fayingSy and embraced with cordial affection, as worthy of all acceptation ; which you are alfo to preach with fidelity and love, as wrought and excited in you toward Jefus, the anointed head and Saviour of the church, and by fupernatural influence from him.
14 As
NOTES.
med of the teflimony of our Lord, not of of faith as the apoftle Peter fpeaks of,
hit prifotter, but to fubmit cheartully to (1 Epi/t. iv. 19.) Let them lhatfuffer
fufferings for Chrift and the gofpel's fake, according to the will of God commit (»«-
<ver. S.: And a confideration of the blefs- gctTtQic-Qaa-a^ the keeping of their fouls
ed advantage, that he ihould have from to him in well- doing, as to a faithful
Chrift at the great day, was much more Creator. This commitment of the foul
proper to inforce this, than a confidera- to Chrift againfl that day, evidently
tion that Chrift would take care of his means againft the day of judgment,
own church and caufe. whether Timothy when the life and immortality, which
laboured in it, or fuffered for it, or not : the apoftle had been fpeaking of, <ver.
And the apoftle calls it his onvn depo- 10. fliall be enjoyed in all perfection
jitum, (t»j> Taf aS-«x.»» fiov) which he and glory, which will be at the day of
committed to Chrift, that he might re- Chrift's lecond appearing, Col. iii. 4. and
ceive it again with fafety ; but the gof- Heb. ix. 2S. This is the day that the a-
pel and the church of Chrifl are not the poftle had in view, and refers to again
property of, nor are to be given back a- and again, in this epiftle, under appre-
gain to, any minifter or apoftle as his henfions of the near approach of death,
o'uin. The noun, (-rag'tfQ-Mx.w) here u- asm njer- 18. and chap. ii. 10, IX, \%.
fed. occuis ro where elfe in the New and iv. r, S, iS. This is fometimes call-
Teftament ; but the verb (jaf«r^vi) ed, by way of emphafis, the day of
is i'everal times ufed for committing per- Chrijl, (Phil. i. 6, to.) the day, (1 Cor.
fans to God. as in Acts xiv. 23. and xx. iii. 13.) and that day here, and in feve-
3;.; ami the apoftle's act of faith here, ral other places, and the great dayt
amidft troubles and dangers, and near (Jiulr, vet: 6.) and the day of judgment
profpeifls of death and eternity, was like very often.
that which our Lord himfelf exercifed * Faith and love may relate either to towards his Father, in his expiring mo- the dodrines received, or to the mariner ments, faying, (Luke xxiii. 46) Fa of Timothy's receiving and preaching ther, into thine hand 1 commend (rag-a- them. &n<rop.«i) myfpirit; and was fuch an act
Chap. i. Timothy paraphrafed. 201
14 That good 1 4 As to that momentous truft and treafure, in- thin? which was clufive of your fpirltual gifts, and of the doctrine of
th™mkeed b "the the &°rPe1' and )'our office as a minifter to preach it, llofy Ghoit which wn,cri 1S excellent in itfelf, and good for the ufe of iwelleth in us. edifying your own and others fouls, to the glory of
God and their lalvation, and was committed by the Lord Jefus Chrill to you at your folemn ordination ; fee that you be faithful in maintaining it againft all the efforts of your enemies, and in preferving it pure and uncorrupted, with religious care and diligence, by the afliitance of the Holy Spirit, who permau nt- ly reiides with peculiar relation and influence, and by his gifts and graces, in you and me, as he ever docs, according to the meafure of the gift of Chrift, (Eph. iv. 7.) in aff true believers and faithful mini- fters, (John xiv. 16, 17.) to enable us to fulfil the duties of our ilations, in the face of all oppofition and danger.
15 This thou 15 You ought to be the rather excited to all faith- knoweit, that all fulntfs and diligence in thefe things, as you cannot
Afia be 'turned a bUt kn°W' that the generalilT of the 4ft*™ profcf-
wav from me • of" ^ors °^ thrift's name * have fhamefully deferted me
whom are Phy'gel- m my prefent fufferings for his fake, as being afraid,
lus and Hermo- or afhamed to own and (land by me in them : Of this
&enes* fort Phygellus and Hermogenes are notorious inftan- ces.
16 The Lord 16 However, in this time of fo great defection, I give mercy unto have not been left utterly deftitute of friends, for the houfe of One- whom j heartily blefs God, and implore his bieffing ; fiphorus; for he . , , ] ,, , r l. ,fo oft refrefhed me as Particularly my earneit defire and prayer is, that and was not afha- the Lord, who with (be merciful will fiew bimfelf med of my chain, merciful, (Pfal. xviii. 25.) would multiply mercies
of every kind, temporal, fpiritual, and eternal, upon the family of Onefiphorus, f in return for the mercy he hath mown to me : For, notwithstanding the co- wardice of pretended friends, and the fury of open enemies, he, with a truly Chriftian courage and com- panion, has often relieved and comforted me in my diitrefs, (un^vfy) by feafonable vifits and fupplies of D d 2 things
N O T E S. * They which are in Afia are fuppo- which reafon his family, without men- fed by fome to mean, i'uch as lived in A- tioning him, is fpoken of here, and fa- Jia, and by others, fuch as were natives luted, chap. iv. 17.: But I can fee no of Afia, but at this time were at Rome ; force in what Grotius and Efiius offer for the iaft of which feems moft probable to their fuppofition that he was dead : All me, but the paraphrase has left it unde- that the .apoftle fays about him lias a termined. § contrary afpedt. ; and therefore Eftius's
f It feems from ier iS. compared conclufion from hence, that prayers are with chap. iv. 19. that Onefiphorm was to be offered for departed faints, is built an inhabitant of Ephefin, as the place of upon a mere conjecture, without any his ufual abode, where his family dwelt, folid foundation. (See Hammond's note but from which he was now abient, be- on the place.) ing very probably Hill at Rome, for
2p2 The Second Epiftle to Chap. i.
things convenient for mc, which have been like a o oliog breeze to refrefh me in the heat of my tribu- lations ; and fo great was his affection to me, and to the glorious caufe for which I fuffer, that he was not afhamed to own me, or it, under all the ignominy and reproach that attend my chain, by which I am held, as a prifoner of the Lord, in order torny being put to death. ij But when he I 7 But when he came to Rome, he was fo far from Rome, he being fhy of appearing to have any concern with me,
r ve- that he took great pains to inquire where, and in
rentljr, and wha(. ;r or Jn what wafd j was ^ afld
found me. r ., ... , . . r , , r -
did not reit till he had iound me out, and got acceis
to me.
is The Lord 1 8 O may the Lord Jefus, for whofe fake this
grant unto him his fervant has been fo exceeding companionate, kind,
that l,e may nn 1 aRt] ufefuj to me under my fufferings, may he, and
in that" day- and ^oc* tne Father, in the riches of his grace through
in how many things him, return it manifold into his own bofom, not on-
h« mm i ly in this world, but efpecially in the world to come,
me at Ephefus, that he himfelf may find mercy of the great Lord and
.weft very j^, Qf a!1> to be owned of him bcfore his Father
and the Holy angels, when the limes of refrejhing /ha// come from his prejence ; (A&s iii. 1 9.) and to be publicly adjudged to eternal life, according to the grcatnefs of his mercy, {Jude, ver. 21.) at the great day of account, (fee the note on ver. 12.) that final, moll important and decifive of all days, for a fucceeding eternity ! Gratitude demands my beft wifh- es for fuch a fall friend, who (till approves himfelf to be fo to the laft, in the very word of times : And you very well know, and I cannot forget, in how many inftances of great kindnefs he formerly aflilled and refrefhed me, by various means, under all my troubles, when I was at Ephefus.
RECOLLECTIONS. Shall an infpired apoftle commit the true dortrine of Chrift to minifters, by im- mediate com million from God ? And fhall they not keep it pure and uncorrupt, and be ready to fuffer for it, in dependence on his power, as exerted by the Holy Spirit ? Or (hall they preach it, and the people not regard it ? What a contempt is this of <hvine authority, and of the glorious gofpel, at once ! But O happy fouls, that ferve God with a pure heart, and rereive the gofpel with unfeigned faith and love, after the example of religious anceftors; and lay themfelves out to propagate it, in like manner to other* ! It' contains the promife of everlafting life through Jefus Chrift ; opens the eternal purpofe of God about the falvation of his people ; srtis ot their effectual calling; allures the believer that the fting and power of death ate vanquifhed for him ; and lets the immortal life of foul and body, and the way of obtaining it, in the cleared light. Who would not be contented to un- 1 he fevereft perfecutions, without fear, or fhame, for the fake of the rich advantages that are to be hoped for from it ' TNIay we have the tinned confidence in Chrift, as the all fufficient Saviour, to fecure fhe great concerns of our fouls, commit by Faith to his inft the great day of account ' — How dear
I 0 another, as partakers of the fame faith, and em- barked
Chap. ii. Timothy paraphrafed. 203
barked in the fame noble caufe ! How gieatly do they all need ; and hew heartily do they with, and daily pray tor grace, mercy, and peace to be multiplied to one another, from God the Father and oar Lord Jelus Chrilt ! flow affectionately are they delirous or each o her's company, especially in t.m> s or great tribulation ! How tenderly do they fympathize one with anotner in their afflictions ! How con- cerned are they that a due impiovement bt- niaue 01 the guts ut the Spun, winch are graciouil) beftowed upon their brethren in the owuitry, who au endowed, ac- cording to the fpint of the goipel, not with a timorous. coWardl) temper, but with holy fortitude and love, tobnety, wifdom mil found judgment, tor fulfilling iheir trutt, in the midlt or all difficulties, opposition aiid danger ! And while many de- fert the cauft ofChrift, and his fuffenng lcrvants, likt Ptiygellus and Hermogenes, blefied be God, there are others, who, like Onejipbct us are not alhumtd to own them in the worit of times ; but are willing to leek opportunities of lhcwing all poftible regard to them. May the Lord >e gracious to luch and their tamiliesj and grant them mercy to eternal lite in the day ot judgment.
CHAP. II.
The apnjlle directs Timothy to the grace that is in ChriJ} for allfpi- tualfirength, i. Exhorts him to take care that there be a juccef
■ Jion of faithful minij/ers, and to perfevere in his own w^rk, with conflancy and diligence, like afoidier, a combatant, and a hujband- man, encouraging him hereunto by his own example, and ajfuran- ces of a happy i/J'ue of his faithful nefs, 2, — 13. yJdvtJes him to guard againji Jirvoing about unprofitable and pernicious words, and toftudy to approve himjelj to God, wai rung him to jhun vain bab- blings and dangerous errors, ihat tat like a canker, as in the infan- ces c/Hymeneus aud Philetus, and comforts him with the thought, that neverthelefs the foundation oj God Jiands fure, 14, — 19. Tells him that J ever al forts of projeffors are to be expetied in the church, as various forts of ve/Jels are ujed in a great houfe, 20, 21. slnd charges him to fee youthful lufis, and to manage the whole of his converfation, mini/try, and %eal againji error, with a becoming meek nefs offpirit, as mojl likely to be juccejfui, 22, — 26.
Text. Paraphrase.
THOU thci.efore, CONSIDERING therefore the things that have
my ion, be \^J bcen mentioiicd <c}1(]/). j# 15,-18.) and the
ftrong in the grace , r , . v -' . -?\ /
that is in Chrift danger ot taking a wrong part in them, let me en-
Jefus. treat you, my dear Ion in the faith, fellowship, and
miniftry of the gofpel, not to be hilf-conndent, or
trull in the grace you have already received, which,
left to itfelf, would loon fail ; but to have a conftant
recourfe, and go out of yotnfelf to the fountain of
all grace, that you may befrong in the Lord and in
the power oj hn might; (Ephef. vi. 10.) may keep
up an entire dependence on the inexhaustible fund of
grace that is treafured up in Chrift, your head, and
in the free favour of God, as reading, manifelling,
and exhibiting itfelf in him ; and may continually
receive of his fulnefs grace for gt ace. ( [ohn i. 16.)
2 And the things 2 And, fetting "out in this ftrcn^th for the dif-
charge
2C4 The Second Epiftle to Chap. ii.
that thou haft charge of every duty, and for propagating the true
heard ot me a- doctrines of the gofpcl, which I received by immedi-
monp; many wit- . • .. j • .. j .. ■ ■
nefle$ the fame ate revtlatlon> and communicated to you, and in a
commit thou to public folemn manner committed to your truft, at
faithful men, who your ordination, in the prefence of many witnefles,
fliall be able to * according to the numerous teftimomes that are gi-
teach others alio. yen tQ them by thg jftw and ^ prophet8j ^Ronu fa
21.) take heed that you tranfmit them pure and un- corrupted, juft as you received them from me, to iuch other miniiters, as approve themfelves to be faith- ful believers, that have the glory of Chrift, the truth of the gofpel, and the good of fouls at heart, and are well iurnifhed with knowledge and utterance, gifts and graces, to difpofe and qualify them for ex- plaining, proving, defending, and applying the whole counfel of God to their hearers.
3 Thou therefore 3 As this is the nobleft of all fervices, fpare no
aDtorodh5<blS of PaInS' nor be afraid of anY difficultIes> or dangers, Jefus Chrift. you maY De expofed to in it ; but confider that as
you are in a ftate of warfare, attended with many fufferings and hardfhips, in the way to victory and triumph ; fo you ought to acquit yourfelf with holy refolution, vigour, and courage, like a good foldier that fights as a volunteer in the caufe, and under the banner of Jefus Chrift, the Captain of falvation, who is able to fupport you under, and carry you through, all your toils and troubles, and crown them with e- verlafting honours.
4 No man that 4 According to the obligations of this character, warreth entang- you fhould glve yourfelf wholly to the work of the £?*£?* tf£ rillrV (>«*••* »5-) F- y«u know that, by the life, that he may Rwnan laws, no man that hits, as a foldier, into the pleafe him who imperial army, is allowed to fpend his time, and involve hath chofen him himfelf, in the common bufineis of trade, hufbandry,
or other fecular employments ; but is to devote him- felf entirely to the duty of his military ftation, that he may diligently fulfil the orders of his general, and be approved of him who has taken him upon the muiter-rolls : In like manner you, as a minifter of Chrift, ought not to follow civil callings to entangle your thoughts, and fwallow up your time ; but to apply them to fpiritual exercifes in the fervice of Chrift, your fovereign Lord and King, that you may acquit yourfelf agreeable to his will, who has appoint- ed, called, and authoriied you to fight the good fight
of NOTE. * Jtr/ovgwar: vAtneffet^ {iia. -roxyu-j here; yet, as this is an exceeding rare
ft«|>TU£air) properly fignihes by many wit- con (true! ion, I have taken in both this,
nefles ; and though it may fometinus be and the other rtloft common fenle of the
uoderftood to mean amovg, as in / Cor. prepof.tiu?:.
i. 8. and Cat. iii. 10. ar.ci is [0 rendered
Chap. ii. Timothy paraphrajed. 205
of faith, till you lay hold on eternal life. ( I Tim. vi. 12.) *
5 And if a man 5 And as minifters are called to various forts of alio ftrive for mat- confli&s, ( J&s xx. 22, 23, 24. and Phi/. Hi. 12, tenes, yet is he not \ »r . ,1 \-a i*i_ 1 crowned except he *3» J4-) ,f anY man enter the llfts> llke a combat- ftrive lawfully. ant m tne Grecian games, he is never reckoned a
victor, nor crowned as fuch, unlef& he keep to the ftated rules of thofe exercifes, which require great pains in running, wreftling, and the like ; fo you, who have entered into Chriit's fervice, are to exert yourfelf with labour and diligence, for overcoming all oppofers, in his way and work, according to the pre- scriptions of his word, as ever you expect that, when the chief Shepherd foal I appear, you fhall receive a crown of glory j that fadeth not away. (1 Pet. v.
6 The hufband- 6 As minifters are alfo compared to labourers in man that laboureth the Lord's harveft, or vineyard, (Luke x. 2. and xx
refof^hetraks?3" $> ^ J°U k'10W that the hufbandman ^uft cake much pains in plowing and fovving, or in digging and planting, and mud do this with patience for fome length of time, before he can have a good crop, that he may gather the fruits of the earth ; fo you are to be laborious in preaching the gofpel for the glory of Chrift, and the good of fouls, and to wait with pa- tience before-hand for the coming of the Lord, that you may rejoice in the day of ChriJ}, that you have not run in vain9 nor laboured in vain. (James v. 7. and Phil. ii. 16.)
7 Confider what 7 Pray confider ferioufly what I deliver to you I fay; and the under thefe figures, that you may look upon your- Lord give thee un- f^ and behave, as a foldier, a combatant, and a huf- derltanding in all 1 , • ., 1 rlL T , , , things. bandman, in the work ol the Lord ; and may reckon
upon hardfhips and labour in attending the fervices which belong to perfons of all thofe characters ; and at the fame time may maintain a comfortable hope of a blefTed and gracious reward at the end of them all : For in this way of reflecting on thefe things, the Lord, as I truft and heartily wifh, -f will further en- lighten NOTES. * In this and the next verfe, there is mont, and other good copies. (Vid. Mil. a plain allufion to the Roman law of in loc.) the Lord, will g he thee under- arms, and to that of the Grecian games,- Jlanding: (iW^<) But if we reu n the according to the fir jl of which, 'he fol- common reading, yet, as Dr. Whitby dier was not to engage in civil occupa- obferves, (<.ruw) give is often ufed for tions ; (Vid. Grot, in loc.) and accord- (fod) will give ; and as the particle ing to the lajl, the combatant was to ()-«£>) here rendered and, very rarely if keeo ftrictly to the rules of the game, ever, bears that fenfe : but is a cafual without which he could not be crowned particle, and fignines for. I have confi- with a garland, as a conqueror. (See the dered it in that view, 'an<1 yet glanced at notes on 1 Cor. ix. 24, — 27.) the other, fince it aoes rot appear to be
f The Lord give thee '/nder/landing, expletive in this place, as it fometimes is (<?«») is in the Alexandrian, Clare- in others.
206
The Second E fit file to
Chap, ii,
S Remember that Jefus Chrift, of the feed of David, was railed from the dead, according to my gofpei :
9 Wherein I
fuffer trouble as an evil-doer, even unto bonds ; but the word of God is not bound.
10 Therefore I endure all things for the eiecl's fakes, that they may alfo obtain the falvation which is in Chrift Jefus, with eternal glo- ry-
lighten your mind in all wifdom and fpiritual under- Handing, (Co/, i. 9.) to make a right judgment and application of them, and fo imprefs upon your own heart a d'.ep and abiding fenfe of your duty in this, and all things elfe that concerns you, as a Chriftian, or a minirter of Jefus Chrift.
8 The grand article which I would have you con- ftantly bear in mind, for your own fnpport and en- couragement under your trials and fufferings, and re- mind others of in your preaching, for their conver- sion and eftablifhment in the faith and hope of the gofpei, is, that Jefus the anointed Saviour, who ac- cording to the flefh proceeded from the loins of the famous patriarch David, having fuffered unto death, as a facrifice for fin, was raifed again from the dead for our j unification, (Rom. iv. 25.) according to the glad tidings of falvation, that I have preached and confirmed in my miniftry, which indeed is not my gofpei, as though I were the author of it, but a dif- penfation of which is committed unto me. ( 1 Cor. ix.
9 This is a great and fundamental truth, for the preaching of which to the Gentiles, as well as Jews, I undergo the fevered perfecutions, even to confine- ment, in which I am held in bonds, as though I were a malefactor ; not fit to live, and fo am prevented publicly preaching it, as I ufed to do, and, were it the will of God, would ftill gladly perfift in : But, blefTed be his name, his word is not confined, or (hut up in a corner, or hindered from being proclaimed and made effe&ual in many places, by other? of his fervants, for bringing in multitudes of fouls to Chrift ; and it is further confirmed by the teftimony I give to the power of divine grace in my patient and joyful fufferings for it.
10 The thought of what ha? been already, and will ftill further be done by the power of God, as attend- ing the miniftrations of the gofpei, is fuch a comfort to me, that I chearfully fubmit to all the diftreffes that are, or can be laid upon me, in love and zeal for the fpiritual welfare of thofe whom God hath from the beginning chofen to fa/vat ion, through fan&tfica- t ion of the Spirit, and belief of the truth, (2 Theff. ii. 13.) that they, encouraged by my example, may alfo be induced to believe, cordially embrace, and boldly profefs the truth and excellence of the gofpei, notwithftanding the violence of the times ; and may, in this way of God's appointment, arrive at an actu- al pofiVfiion of that falvation, which confifts, not on- ly in an entire freedom from all evil ; but likewife in the complete enjoyment of an eternal inheritance of
all
Chap. ii. Timothy par aphrafed. 207
all poflible honour and delight, that is purchafed by,
and reierved in Chrill for them who are called by the
gofpe/, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Je-
fus Clyif}. (2 Theff. ii. 14.)
ii It is a faith- n This doctrine of Chrift's death and refurrec"li-
fnl faying, For if on> an(j 0f the future glory of the eletf., who are, or
we be dead with ft u be b ht to believe in hJm Js certajnly true ;
htm, we lhall alio , - , ° r -...-_.. r
live with him : ana> 'or tne comf°rt ot his luttenng lervants, may
be fully depended upon : For if, in conformity to the
crucified Je/'us, and by virtue derived from him, as the
head with whom we are vitally united, we be dead
to lin and to this world, and willing to lofe our mor*
tal lives for his lake ; we alfo, in conformity to him,
and by the power of his relurrection, lhall certainly
be quickned and raifed to a glorious immortality,
to live in the heavenly world with him. (See John
xii. 25, 26. Rom. viii. 17. and 1 Pet. iv. 13.)
12 If we fuffer, 12 If we patiently endure reproach and all manner we (hall alfo reign 0f tribulation for Chritl's fake, like what he himfelf with him: if we und ent for 0 vve fhall alfo be exalted to the deny him, he alio ... r - . . , . . , . 7 • will deny us: dignity of litting with mm on his throne, as k:n%s
and priejls to God and hi> Father : (Rev. i. 6. and iii. 21.) If, on the contrary, any of us, who profefs to be his difciples and fervants, are fo terrified with fear of fuffering the lofs of worldly honour, eafe, and en- joyments, or of liberty, or life itfelf, as to deny the truth of the gofpel, and call off our proftftion of him, or to be aihamed to own him and his caufe, and ei- ther do&rinally or praclically deny him, he will alio be afhamed of us, and deny that he ever knew or ap- proved of us, when he Jhall come in his own glory, and in his Father's, and of the holy angels. (Luke ix. 26. and xii. 8, 9.).
13 If we believe 13 Whether we believe this comfortable truth on not, yet he abideth onc hand, or this awful denunciation on the other, or faithful; he can- t yet he who has peremptorily aflured us of both not deny himfelf. . . \ 3 . . . ,r , r { c . ,r ,
m his word, and is the Amen, the laithlul and true
Witntfs, will certainly perform his gracious promifes to them that believe in, and own him ; and will exe- cute his juft threatnings upon apoftates : It is not confiftent with the perfections, veracity, and immu- tability of his nature and will, to ac~t contrary to his fettled declarations of mercy and judgment, with re- gard to his final proceedings in the great day of ac- count ; for this would be as impofiiblc for him to do, as to deny that he is God, and the impartial Judge of all. 14 Of thefe 14 Remind thofe that you minifter to, and intro- tlungs put them duce into the miniftry, of thefe important things in remembrance, on wnich their falvation depends, and which it be- chargfeg jiQves tjiem tQ regar(j akove arj things elfe ; and V«l. V, E e charge
208
charging them be- fore the Lord, that they ftrive not a- bout words to no profit, but to the Subverting of the hearers.
15 Study to fhew thyfelf approved unto God. a work- man that needeth not to be afhamed, rightly dividing the v/ord of truth.
The Second Epiftle to
Chap. ii.
16 But fluin pro. finr and vain bab- blings ; for they will increafe un- to more ungcdli- nefs.
17 And their word will eat as doth a canker : of whom i meneus and Phi- letus ;
m 18 Who con- cerning the truth have erred, fay- ing, That the re- "in is paft already ; r.nd over- throw
charge them in the name, by the authority, and as in the prefence of the Lord Jefus, as ever they will anfwer it to him at his coming to judgment, that they do not, inftead of attending to thefe fubftantial and interefting things, go into warm, or trifling difpu- tations about empty words, like Jewijh fables, and genealogies, (1 Tim. i. 4.) which are of no manner of advantage to religion and godlinefs ; but tend to puzzle and pervert the minds of hearers, and turn them off from the truth of the gofpel.
15 Let it be your great ftudy and endeavour, by help from heaven, to prefent, or yield yourfelf an ap- proved fervant to God, that you may be like a good workman, who has no occafion to be afhamed on ac- count of neglect, unfkilfulnefs, unfaithfulnefs, or any other remarkable defect; and that, as the^W/Zipriefts were very careful and exact in cutting up, and fepara- ting the feveral parts of the Sacrifices, that were, or were not to be offered ; fo you may ufe the utmoft care and good judgment, in feparating between truth and error, important and trifling things ; and in gi- ving to every one a portion of God's word in due fea- fon, with a proper application of its various parts to the circumftances of your hearers; and (o^oTo^vru) in cutting out before them the right way of truth, holinefs, and happinefs, by preaching and example, ac- cording to the gofpel of Chrift.
1 6 But be fure to avoid, oppofe, and turn away from all irreverent, defiling, and noify, but daring and empty difcourfe, that degrades the nature and per- fections of God, and the purity of the gofpel, which too many go into : For fuch ways of talking will tend unto, and fuch talkers themfelves will by that means go, ftill further and further, into errors and practices, that are contrary to true religion, and are like to iffue in the height of all impiety.
17 And their doctrine will be infectious to others, as well as injurious to their own fouls : For, if it be let alone, it will fpread in the church, and eat out the vitals of religion ; even as a gangrene, when it is got into any part of the flefh, eats it away, by degrees, to the delt ruction of the whole body, and of life it- felf. Among fuch pernicious aud ungodly talkers, there are two notorious ones, Hy meneus, ( 1 Tim. i. 20.) and Philaus by name;
18 Who have given themfelves up to fuch pro- fane and vain babbling, (ver. 16.) as has at length carried them off from the truth of divine revelation, and into the moft deftructive errors, relating to the true doctrine of the refurrection of the dead ; they affirming that, whatsoever Chrift, or any of the fa-
cred
Chap. ii. Timothy paraphrafed. 209
throw the faith of cred writers have faid about a proper refurre&ion, it forae* is to be taken in fome myftical or figurative fenfe,
that is over-pall already in this world*, and not in a literal fenfc, as though there were to be a real re- funedion of the body in the world to come: And by their bold and fubtle aflertions, and arguings on this point, they have fo far prevailed, as to turn Come off from that, and every other found dodrine, which they before profefled to believe. 19 Neverthelefs, 1 9 But notwithihnding all this, the fundamental the foundation or dodrine of the refusion of the dead is certainly £°1/ this S' the truth of God, he having fet his feal to it by tef- The Lord know' tifymg his approbation of the apoftles, as his faithful eth them that are fervants, whom he infpired and commifiioned to preach. ver o^tr1^ e' *'* And notwithilandmg fuch melancholy inilances meTh °the iiamVof °f aPoi*ates> which often occafion fears to arife in the Chrift depart horn hearts of fome lincere believers, left their faith fhould iniquity. * be alfo overthrown, and they fhould fall after the ex-
ample of others, that feemed to be much greater pro- ficients in Chrillianity than themfelves ; yet the ground of fecurity to God's ele&, (ver. 10.) and of an allured hope, that their faith, who are built upon Chrilt as a foundation, and have a principle of gra:e, as a ground-work of falvation, fhall be anfwered, and that all the promifes of the gofpel abide firm and ftea- dy, f lies in the eternal and unchangeable purpofe of God ; it having this motti, engraven, as it were on a feal, to confirm the decree, and to fignify the fafe- ty, lecrecy, and appropriation of the objects of his love ; Whatfoever becomes of others, that make fair pretences to religion, the Lord in a dillinguifhing manner affe&ionately knows, and everlailingly owns them, whom he hath chofen for himfelf, and claims as his peculiar property, (fee the note on Rom. viii. 30.) that he may keep them by his power through faith unto falvation: (1 Pet. i. 2, 5.) And to mew how unfeparably holinefs and eternal happinefs are connected in the decree, and in the execution of it, as alfo to prevent prefumptuous confidences in elecl:- E e 2 ing
NOTES.
* All conjectures about the fenfe in f Many are the interpretations that which Hymeneus and Philetus held that have been given of this foundation of the refurreclion is pajl already, are fo God which /lands fare ; fome making it exceeding uncertain, without any fufri- to mean a work of grace, or principle of cient foundation to fuppott them, that 1 holinefs in the heart ; others, faith ; 0- cannot pretend to lay particularly what thers, Chrift; others, the promifes of the it was; only it teems evident in the na- gofpel; others, the doclrine of the re- ture of things, that they retted on fome fui rettion ; and others, the doctrine of figurative, political, or ipiritual and my- election ; and they are all included in the ftical meaning, which they put upon the parapbrafe, while it principally points to words, to fupplant and evade the notion the laft of them, •f a proper refurrection of the body.
£io The Second Epijtk to Chap. ii.
Jng love, without any experience of its proper fruits and effe&s, which are the only proofs and fatisfying evidences of it to ourfelves, the feal bears this further inscription, Let every one who makes a profeffion of Chriil's name, and of trufting in him for falvation, think himfelf indifpenfibly bound, and accordingly make it his great care and concern, to depart in heart and life, and keep at the fartheft diflance, from every kind, degree, and inftance of fin. so Hut in a great 20 But in the vifible church there are profefTors houTe there are not and minifters of higher and lower rank ; and fome of only veffels of gold, thcm are excellent honourable, and approved of God, and of iilver. bur 1 r 1 11 l • i_* # \ j
alio of wood, and as thofe wnom he knowS t0 be hl8 '> \Ver' l9') and of earth ; and fome others are mean and contemptible, a difhonour to, and to honour, and fome disapproved of him, like thofe that err from the truth ; re difhcnour. (vcr. 18.) even as in the great houfe of a prince or
nobleman, there are not only magnificent veifels, fuch as are made of gold or filver for various and ex- cellent offices ; but there are alfo other veffels, form- ed out of meaner materials, fuch as wood or clay, for inferior purpofes ; and fome of them are of fo great worth and fervice, as to be in high eileem, and refleft an honour upon their Lord and Mailer ; and others arc fo defpicable and infignificant, as to be of little or no account, and unworthy to be deemed a part of the furniture of fuch a great perfonage's houfe. ci If a mr.n 2 1 If therefore any one, who claims a (hare in the therefore purge bleifinp-s, privileges, and fervices of the great Lord hin>. tit from thel'.'. i .1 1 1 1 i- r ic ^ c a
or the church, keep himielt clear or the corrupt
onour, fane- teachers, errors, and ungodly practices, but now fpc-
and meet for cified ; (ver. 16, 17, 18.) he (hall be efleemed and
the matter's ufe, found to be, whether miniiler or private Chriftian, an
■ 'ZtoT° «cellent vtffel of mer<T> {Rofn- ix- 24") defigned and formed for the nobleft purpofes ; purified and confecrated to the fervice of God, by the Holy Ghoft ; and commodioufly fitted, apt and ready for acceptable employments in his Lord and Mailer's houfe; and thoroughly furniihed [chap. iii. 17.) for the performance of every work and duty, that is good in itlelf, or by divine inllitution ; good as to the mat- te r, manner, and end of it, according to the good rule of the word, to the glory of God, and the good of his own and others fouls. 22 Flee alfo 22 And as ever you, my fon Timothy, would ap-
youth/ul • prove yourfelf to God and your own confciencc, m
the diichargc of your trull, labour diligently, by his grace, to fly with the utmoit fpeed and abhorrence from all irregular inclinations, paflions, and appe-
I-ord out of a pure titers ; fuch as ambition, pride, felf conceit, unadvi- fed rafnnefs, and fenfuality of various kinds, which young men are prone to : Give no way to thefe ; but
-let
23 But foolifli and unlearned
questions avoid, knowing that they do gender (trites.
24 And the fer- vant of the Loid niuft not ftrive ; but he gentle un- to all men, apt to teach, patient,
Chap. ii. Timothy paraphmfed. 211
let it be your fpecial care to purfue in your preaching and practice as an example to others, ( 1 Tim* iv. j 2.) the great things, that relate- to righteoufuefs, in its full extent ; to fidelity and faith in Chrift, and in God through him ; to a charitable and peaceable temper and behaviour towards all thole, of what de- nomination foever, that invoke, worfhip, and adurc the Lord Jefus, and God the Father through him, in the fincerity of their hearts, as purified by faith, and purged from an evil confeience by the blood of Chriit.
23 But, as I have already advTed you, (wr. 16.) Lay afide all inquiries and d< bates about impertinent fruitlefs points of controverfy, that have nothing of true and folid wifdom in them ; Do not intermeddle with thefe, as being allured that they tend only to beget quarrelfome and angry contention-, to the dis- turbance of the peace of the church, and hindrance of the fucctfs of the gofpel.
24 But it is no way becoming any fervant of the Lord Jefus, were he only a private Chriftian, much lets if he be a minifter of the goipel of peace, to en- gage in any diiputes with a qarrelfome and litigious fpirit ; fmce the wrath of wan works not the right c vvftiefsofGod: (James i. 20.) But, on the contrary, he ought to be kind and courteous in his behaviour toward perfons of all characters ; mould go into the moft inoffenfive and leaft provoking m?nner of con- \Teying the truth to them in love, and with clear fcrip- tural evidence ; and he mould keep his temper with all patience and long-fuffering, in bearing not only the infirmities of the weak, but even the pnjudices and untra&ablenefs of thoft, that do not immediately embrace the doctrines of the gofpel ;
25 Endeavouring to win upon them that fet them- inftrudting thole felves againft the truth, by lenity, calmnels, and fweet- that oppofe them- ners 0f temper, as well as by ilrength of argument;
and fo gently inftilling knowledge, as a father would into the tender minds of his children; in hope that, pofiibly, in due feafon, God may convince them of their error, and bring them to a fenfe of the evil and danger of perfifting in it, and at length to relinquish it, and embrace, own, and boldly profefs the truth as it is in Jefus ;
26 And that in this way, and by fhtfe means, (uvccvr,^^) they may awake out of the enfnaring errors by which they were lulled afltep, and intoxi- cated like drunken men, and in which the devil had caught and held them, who, like captives of war, taken alive, (ilcoy^ivoi) are in his hands to be enfla- ved, domineered over, and ruined by him, according
t»
2c In meeknefs
felves : if God peradventure will give them repent- ance to the ac- knowledging of the truth :
26 And that they may recover them felves out of the Inare of the de- vil, who are taken captive by him at his will.
a 1 2 Tbe Second Epijile to Chap. ii.
to his malicious will and pleafure, who walks about, as a roaring lien, feeking whom he may devour. (i Pet. v. 8.)
RECOLLECTIONS.
What need have we of a continual recourfe to, and fupply from, the fountain of all grace, which is in Chrift for the performance of every duty ! And how great is our encouragement to depend upon him, and to own and honour him ! For, ac- cording to the gofpel-account of himv he is railed from the dead ; and, whatever becomes of apoftates, the ground of fecurity to God's elect ftands firm in his eter- nal purpofe, whofe ditfinguifhing love knows and owns them, and has laid upon them the molt powerful cud endearing obligations to depart from all iniquity. They that bravely fuffer, even unto death, for Chrilt in this world, (hall live and reign with him for ever in the next ; but they, that are afhamed of him and his gofpel, (hall be rejected by him : Whatfoever we think of it now. he will pro- ceed, in the judgment of the great day, according to his promifes and threatnings, and can as toon ceafe to be, as falfify his word. Thefe things are worthy to be re- membered and inculcated upoh other", juft as we have received them from the great apoftle ; and they ought to be committed as a facred truft, to able and faith- ful minifters, among many witneffes, that they may preach them to the people. And O with what alacrity mould they endure all hardships in fulfilling their office, as good lbldiers of Jems Chrift, and as wreftlers and labourers in his fervice ; and not embarrafs themfelves with fecular affairs ! They ought not to be difcouraged at tribulations and bonds, or death itfelf, if they be called to fuffer them in the caufe of Chrift, and for the fake of the elect, that they may he eternally faved to- gether with themfelves. How ambitious mould they be of behaving to the appro- bation of their great Lord and Mafter, as veffels of honour, fanetified and fitted for his ufe, and for every good work, and as judicious and faithful preacher?, that need not be afhamed, for want of fkill or fidelity in making juft and proper diuri- butions of the word of truth ! And how carefully fliould they avoid, and fet them- felves againft, all errors, efpecially fuch as lead to fruit lefs contentions and ungod- linefs, and are fubverflve of fundamental articles of faith ; and, unlefs put a ftop to, will fpread with as milchievous influence as a gangrene, like that of Hytneneus and Philetus about the relurredlion ! The beft way of confuting dangerous errors, and recommending gofpel-truths, is to abftain from all vices of body and mind, and particularly from thofe that young men arc moft apt to indulge ; and to live in the practice of righteoulnefs, faith, love, and peace, with all upright Chrif- tians ; to be courteous towards all men ; and to overcome oppolers by a fweetnefs of temper, patience, and forbearance, joined with clear and fcriptural realonings, to inform and perinade them ; in hope that God, by thefe means, may convince them of their fin and folly, and bring them over to believe and profefs the good doctrines they before had oppofed ; and fo, by his grace, may awake out of their dead fleep, and efcape out of the devil's fnare, as thofe that are delivered from his will and power, and aie turned to God. The Lord help us to reflect fe- rioufly on thefe, and all his faithful fayings ; and give us wifdom and grace to make a right improvement of them to his glory, and our own and others good I
CHAP.
Chap. iii. Timothy paraphrafcd. 11
CHAP. III.
"the apojlle for et els the rife of dangerous enemies to the truth and ho~ iinefs of the gofpel, I, — 9. Propofes hi? own example for Timo- thy V imitation, in oppojition to them, 10, — 13. And exhorts him to perjijl in the doBrines he had learned from him, and from the holy fcriptures, which are of divine infpiratioff, and every way fufficient for the nobiejl purpofes, 14, — 17.
Text. Paraphrase.
THIS know alfo, T WOULD further remind you, as I did in my that in the laft I r .,-,, , , x /. , - /
days perilous times forn,er. ePlllle> {chah **• *0 that under tfte gofPel- fliall come. difpenfation, which is the laft and beft that ever will
be fet up in this world, days of exceeding great difficulty and danger (x«As7tm) will trouble the church, not only on account of pevfecutions ; but chiefly by reafon of fad corruptions in doctrines and manners, as they already begin to appear, and will gra- dually work till they iflue in a much greater apofcacy ftill, toward the latter part of this laft difpenfation *. 2 For men fliall 2 For, to give you iome figns of the days I mean, be lovers of their by which they may be known, A fet of wicked car- ownfclves, covet- nally.millded men will arife under the Chriftian name, ous,boafters, proud, -, ■' i..:. c n r .,, n r . . . . '
blafphemers, ditb- tnat W1" be ot a notoriouily ielhih ipint, aiming bedient to parents, merely at their own fecular intereft, honour, and eafe, unthankful, unho- without any regard to the good of others ; infatiable *y» in their third and purfuits after the riches of this
world ; vain-glorious boafters of their own endow- ments and advantages ; lofty and arrogant in their temper and behaviour ; defamers of Chrift's offices and people, doctrines and ways ; undutiful to their fathers and mothers, rejecting their authority ; bafe- ly ungrateful to them, and other benefactors, and a- bove all, to God for the good things they receive from him, by their means ; unfanctified, impious, and profane ;
3 Deftitute
* NOTE.
* The corruptions fpecified in the fol- good men and things ; in their treachery
lowing verfes are very iemarkably ex- and deceit, and traitorous actings a- emplified in the Romijh church ; in their" gainft lovereign pr;nces ; in their info-
felrifh fecular views, pride and blafphe- lent and haughty behaviour, and indul-
mies ; in their children's being unnatu- ging unto luxury and unlawful oleaiures,
rally put into monafteries and nunneries, and infinuating them'elves into, corrupt-
fometimes without, and at others with ing and fi'liing out the 'ec.rets of fami-
the confent of their parents ; in unthank; lies by auricular confeflaong ; in their per-
fulnefs to God, and to the princes that verting the faith, and pretending to mi-
raifed the popes to their dignity and au- ra-i'-s ; and al! this under fpecious forms
thority ; in their breaking faith with, of pietv, and external (hows of devotion,
and falfe accufations of them, that th<-y indeed of true love *o God and godlinefs,
call heretics; in their cruel perfecu bV. (See alfo the notes on 1 Tim. iv. I.
tions, and contemptuous treatment of and % TkeJT. ii. 3, 4.)
214 The Second Epijile to Chap. iii.
3 Without na- g Deflitute of all that tendernefs and natural af- tural afte&ion, fc(cjjun fa5-0«yo<) which is due to mankind in eene- truce - breakers, , 1 /• .• 1 1 j r
falfe accufers in- ra'> t0 near relatl0ns more particularly, and from pa- continent, tierce, rents to children moll of all, which is found even a- defpifers ot' tnoie mong the brutes themfelves toward their young ; per- fhat are good, fidious violators of the molt folemn engagements, pro- mifes and contracts ; falfe accufers (SizZoXot) of other men, likt devils "ncarnate, that dtlight in unjuit ca- lumnies ; intemperate, (o«&gesT«s) under the power of ungovernable appetites, lulls, and paffions ; furious and cruel in their tempers and treatment of others ; without any true love (cc$iXayx6ot) to the righteous, that are more excellent than themielve?, or to things that are good.
4 Traitors, bea- ^ Betrayers of civil ar.d facred trufts, and deliver-
y, ig .mince , . ^ their neareft a- kin to miferies and death,
lovers ot pleafures *> r . ■ "»
more than lovers for Chritrs names lake; {Mat. x. 2 J, 22.) head-
of God; ftrong, rafh, daring and precipitant (-cr^07nTitg) in
their words and behaviour ; putfed up with the pride
and vanity of their own minds ; entirely addicted to,
and fond of fenfual pleafures, more than, and inftead
of being well arretted towards God, and the things
that are plealrig in his fight.
5 Having a form j What further aggravates their monftrous wicked-
dL*m 'The*' ovver ncfs 1S' that they d°k* a"d di%uife il with a fair moW thereof*- from fuch of fan&ity under a profeffion of Chriftian religion, and turn away. of a reverence of God, and with external forms of pie-
ty and devotion ; but at the fame time are ut,ter ftran- gers and enemies to, and practical renouncers of the life and power of true godlinefs to govern their hearts and lives. Now I would advife you to have nothing to do with fuch falfe pretenders to the Chriftian name ; but to reject them with abhorrence, and keep at the remoteft diftance from them, and from all fellow- ship and communion with them : Beware of them, as of wolves in fheep's clothing. ( Mat. vii. 15,) v
6 For of this £ jror tnjs fort 0f people are very fly in their infi- fort are they which nuat{ons . They, with a mow of innocence and extra- creep into houies, 1 v r / *r ■•• \ r .1 • j
and lead captive, ordinary hohnefs, (Mat. xxin. 14.) fecretly wind
filly women Laden themfelves, like fiic'.ke% into fuch families as they can
with fins, led a- get an intereft in, or hopes of any advantage by, that
way with divers tney may jntrU(je into their fecrets, and exercife an
abfolute tyranny over their eltates and confeiences ;
and they furprilingly wheedle and enfnare the hearts
and affections of weak and ignorant people, who,
like thoughtlefs giddy women, under the power of
finful paflions, arc eafily impofed upon, and milled
by every plaufible pretence, that foothes and flatters
their own corrupt inclinations.
7 Ever learning, . And rQ tnry are always running after every new
teacher, and htarkning to, and imbibing every new
doctrine j
and never able to come
Chap. iii. Timothy paraphrnfjd. 215
come to the know- doctrine'; and are fo difconcerted, Unfettled, aifd con- ledge of the truth. fOUnded by this means, as never to be able to attain to a clear, judicious, and faving knowledge of the true gofpel of Chriit. S Now as Jan- 8 Now as in former days Janncs and Jambres *, nes and Jambres two famous magicians of Egy/>t, pretended to vie with ^,tdo00t(hc(cM°a!io M°fes In working miracles, ' and let themfelves ■ refill the^ truth: gainll him, who came with a divine commiffion \- men of corrupt liver the Ifrae/itcs out of the houfe of bondage ; fo minds, reprobate tnefe faife teac}ierS fet up themfelves, and their errors, £°"£ern:nS the with pretences to miracles, in oppolition to the plain truth of the gofpel, and written word of God, and to the faithful fervants of Chi ill, whom he has fent to preach deliverance to captives : And thefe decei- vers, like thofe magicians, are men of depraved and vitiated minds, void of judgment, and utterly dis- proved, (u'SoKucoi) and difowned of God, (fee the note 2 Cor. xiii. 5.) as to every thing that rcla' the pure do&rines of faith, according to the gofpel- revelation of them. 9 But they {hall 9 But it is a fweet fupport and comfort in the moft proceed no fur- penlous times, (irr. 1.) to be allured, as we may
!hur ri !? \ theU and ought to be, that thefe men, though permitted tollv fhad be ma- & . j j • 1 1
nifeft unto ail men, to proceed very far m their pretended miracles and as theirs alfo was. * delutions, are under a divine reftraint, and mail cer- tainly in God's time be put a flop to, and make no further progrefs ; but mail be entirely confuted and overthrown to their own confuiion : For (xvoix) the folly and madnefs of their hnful opinions, and me- thods of management, mail at length be discovered with the plainett evidence to the whole world ; even as the Egyptian magicians, after they had made a fair ihow of performing ieveral miracles, were at length defeated, and expofed to open fhame, and grievoufly tormented, in the conteil, which Mo es, the fervant of the Lord, had with them. (£.v:;/. vii. 12. and viii. 18, 19. and ix. 1 r.) t^ But thou haft 10 But, to guard you againft all fuch feducers and fu;!y known my their corrupt principles and practices of every km.', I doctrine, manner wou]d remind you of, and recommend to your imi- feitb'^n-S-r- tnt,:°n» xvliat y,u nav€ feen ar.d experienced of a ing, ' charity, pa- trary drain in my behaviour. You who have fo much tience, attended, and been fo intimately acquainted will
have
NOTE.
* The name«= of Jannes and Jambres Dr. Hantmtxd in 1 Is notes on this pi »re,
are not mentioned in any part ot the Old and in the works of the Learned m .
Teftament; but are found, with a little John Gregory: (Parrl Chap. 15 ) Aid
variation of Impelling, in Ieveral ancient to the apott'e, as may be fuppofed, 1 kes
Jezvi/b writers, and are lpoken -of as the thefe inftances from Jewi/b writing,
princes ox chief* : of the magicians; ac- and argues from tbeir own authors, tbat
counts of which are collected at lar^e by were currently received by that p
Vol. V. F f
2i6 "The Second Epiflle to Chap. hi.
have fought after, and cannot but have attained to a thorough knowledge of the excellent dodlrine accord- ing to godlinefs, that I have always taught ; the courfe of my felf-denying, holy, and religious con- verfation, agreeable to it ; the fincerity and ftcadi- nefs of my aims and purfuits for promoting the glory of God and the good of fouls ; my fidelity in preach- in,;- the pure gofpel of Chriil under the power of that faith, which I myfelf have in him, aud endeavour to propagate to others ; the forbearance and lenity I have all along mown toward the weak, the ignorant, and unteachable ; the love I have (hewn to God and Chriil, and the fouls and bodies of men, whether friends or enemies, and efpecially to all that love the Lord Jcfus in fincerity and truth ; and the patience that I have exercifed toward my moil violent oppo- fers, and under their moll furious outrage againft me. ii Perferut o- s 1 T You have likevvife fully known what fevere per- sffiiaions ^huh-fccut;o and extreme fufferings, to the utmoft ha- came unto i . r ,.r x , , . i « % r
Antioch at Ico zar0- °» mY m*€> * have undergone, with holy forti- tnam, at Lyftra; tude* and compofure, in various places for the gofpel's perfections fake, as particularly at Antioch in Pifidia, (A&s outetfUrthfeni Si xiIi* l+ +5' 5°-) at ionium, and *i Lyflra, two the Lord delivered Clt,es of Lvcaonta, m the Letter //Jia, (Ads xiv. 2, me. 5> 6, 19*) but, as you alto well know, the Lord
Jcfus, whom I ferve, and for whofe caufe I fuffer, itood by me, fupported and preferved me, and deli- vered me out of all thofe tribulations, in the Iaft of which, namely at Lvftra> he in a miraculous manner reftored my life, after I .was fuppofed to have been dead. ( d3 xiv. 20. ) In reflection therefore on thofe wonderful appearances of the Lord for me in all my troubles, you need not be afraid of fufferings for Chrift ; but ought to be encouraged to truft in him for all feafonable afMances and confolations, if you are called to endure the like, i ; Y^a, nnd all 12 And indeed fuch is the wickednefs and violence that will live pod- 0f the prefent and approaching days, and fuch the ge-
J ]\\.1' ' neral corruption of human nature in all agesj that
ilialliufler perou- r . ,6 ">
loever are delirous and determined, and according- ly make it their practice, to live after a truly religious • manner, in a holy profeflion of Chrill's name, by virtue derived from him, after his example, and according to
the
NOTE. * As Timothy was an inhabitant of not be ignorant of thofe notorious facts in , where Paul met with him, Acls his own town ; and the apoftle here ap- >\i t. it is very probable tnat he was an peals to him about his troubles, riot only eye-witnefs of the people's (toning the a- at Lyftra, but alfo at Antioch and Ironi- pottle there, till they thought he had urn, as to one that had fully known them been ilead, and of his wundei fully revi- upon the Uirtft teftirnony, if not by ocu- ving afterwards ; or, at leait, he could lar demonllratioa.
Chap. iii. Timothy paraphraftd. 217
the rules of his word, they will be e?:pofed to differ- ing* tor his fake; and fuch is the appointment of God for making the members of Chritt conformable to their head, who went through fufferings to glory, that all pei Ions of this chara6ter mull expect to meet with, ought to prepare for, and will certainly n or lefs, in one form or other, undergo permeations from the hands or tongues of the feed of the old ferpent, that is ever full of enmity againft the church. 1 3 But evil men I 3 But men of wicked minds, under a form ot god- and' lcducers (hall Hnefs, and fedticing impoftors, are fo tar from fub- wax worfe and miiUr)rr to iufferings for righteoufnefs fake, that they
™d\^c^;2 wiu ftick at n°thin^ to avoid th£m» °r to brii,g thcm
^ea. upon others that do not fall in vviLi their measures :
They will be continually going further and further into violence and wickednefs, and all that is bad in principle and practice, doing what in them lies to draw others into erroneous and finful paths ; and be- ing themielves wanderers from the truth, and the greateit deceivers cf their own fouls, as will moft fully appear in the general apoftacy of the lall days under anti-Chriilian powers. 14 But continue 1 4 But as for you, my dear fon Timothy, what- thou in the things ever others do, See that you abide perieveringly, which thou haft fte(jfaftly, and immoveably in the belief, profeffion, and b?Jn affured ^'of preaching of the pure, uncorrupted and important knowing of whom doctrines of the gofpel, which you have embraced, thou haft learned and been fully convinced of, upon the ftrongeft and them; moft fatisfying evidence, as knowing by all the figns
of apoiliefhip, which have appeared in me, that I, of whom you have learned them, (chap. i. 13. and ii. 2.) am no lefs than an immediately commiflioned fervant of Jefus Chrift, who have taught them by his exprefs command, and by fpecial revelation from him; and confequently, that you have learned them, by means of my miniflry, from Chrift hirnfelf, who is the Jmen, the faithful and true IViinefs, and cannot poflibly deceive you. 15 And that * 15 You alfo know, and are very well affured, that from a child thou they are entirely conlbnant to the divine oracles of haft known the t}ie Old Tcftament, which may well be called, by h°h^h 'Ve^Yble way °f eniinence and diftin&ion from all human wri- te make ^hee wife tings> the Ho/v Scriptures, as they were indited hj unto falvation, the Holy Spirit, and delivered by h.oly men about through faith holy things ; (2 Peter i. 2 1 .) and as they contain all
which is in Chrift ^ prjncjpic8 0f holinefs, with all directions, ■
tions, and motives to it, and are adapted, and bleffed of God, to make nun holy here, in order to a ttate of complete holinefs and hapoinefs hereafter. In the knowledge of thofe facrcd Oracles, you have been e- ducated from your very childhood up, by the dilfc- F f 2 gent
tion in righteouf-
nefs
2 1 8 The Second EpiflU to Chap. iii.
gent care of your pious mother and grandmother, {chop. i. 5.) who, as excellent examples to all Chrif- tian parent*, brought you betimes to read and trea- luie them up in your memory, and to confider the meaning of them * ; which, together with the gof- pel-revelation, as contained in the New Teftament- writinga now extant, are fuch a comprehenlive fyftem of divine things, as is every way fufficient, in the na- ture of means, and will be effectual, through the at- tending light and influence of the bleffed Spirit, to make you emphatically wife ; wife toward God and for your own foul ; wife unto an underftanding of the way, and taking the courfe, which the wifdom and grace of God have appointed in his word, for obtain- ing eternal life, not by the works of the law, but throirgh that faith, which has Jefus Chrill for its ob- ject, and is led to traft irr him alone for all falvation. 16 Ail fcripture 16 All the facred writings, both of the Old and is given by mfpi- New Teltament, are of divine original, as God, by n profitable for kpnit, directed and mlpired the hory penmen to
\ for re- deliver them exactly according to truth; and they , proof, for congee- are all of great and excellent ufe and advantage, fome ti;;n> . iuv . 2^™°" >n one way, and others in another; either for reveal- ing important doctrines concerning God and ourfelves, our duty to him and one another, our Hate by nature and by grace, and the whole fchemc of falvation through a Redeemer; or for reproving and convin- cing of lin and error, and of Tinners aad backfliders from the truth and holinefs of the gofpel ; or for rec- tifying and reforming what is amifs ; or for direction in a way of- faith and obedience, unto the obtaining
bf
N 0 T E.
* The holy fcriptnres, which Timothy through faith in the actually exhibited knew from a child, in all likelihood Saviour, mult all the infpired writings, through the care and pains of his good taken trio-ether under t!ie gofpel (tare, be mother and srrandmorher, ran ft relate to lb; mod of the New Teltament. writings the Old ■lcjlamcnt-firiptures ; becaufe having been extant before this epiftle was none of the New Teltament- writings fent to Timothy. Though therefore gof- 'vere then extant : And yet thefe were pel light undoubtedly far exceeds all that fufficient to make him wife to falvation, ever went before it; and though it can- through faith in the Median that was to not be (aid, that every part of fcripture cum'-, 'till he was revealed; and when is abfolutely neccjjary to be known in or- fht! New Teltament was added to the der to falvation; yet they are all prorita- Old. which Timothy by this time was ac- ble in their places, as infallible and in- quamferl with, they were futficient to fpired writings for excellent and impor- m ike him wile to falvation through faith tant i.urpoles: <ver- 16. (See my Stand- m |efus Chrill, as the true MefhVn, who ing Ufe of the Scriptures.} And now the hail actually appeared, and fulfilled all whole canon of fcripture is completed, »he parts oChts office on earth, that per- under divine inlpirarion of the New, as Uined to him a< inch: And if, during well as of the Old Teltament, there can the ltatc of the Old ieftimenr-church, be no need of the addition of any doc- their kiiptnres were fufficient to make trims, or precepts, to direct our faith, them wife to falvation, through faith or practice, that are not contained in *n tne . • . tth moie, thtm.
Chap. iii. Timothy paraphrafed. 219
of righteoufnefs bc-th for juftification and falsifica- tion, that we may be accounted righteous in Chiiil, and derive all renewing and purifying grace and ailiit- awce from him, for the performing of every duty, and making us holy in heart and life. 17 That the man 17 And thefe fcriptures, taken altogether as exhi-
ot" God may be per- bitin<rOld Teltament-tvpes and figures, propheeKS tedr.throughlvfur- , ° -r , M VP ,1 ,. r 1 / 1
•<, » * J , and promiies, and JNew 1 eilament light and accom- mined unto ail goo. 1 r » . to , _
WOrks. phihments, and the plamctt diicovenes or Lhnit in
his perfon and offices, and a» preicribing duties of e- very kind, are a perfect rule of faith and practice ; and contain all that can be neceiTary, not only to make a complete Chriitian, who, according to divine appointment, devotes himfelf, as iuch, to the fervice of God; but alio a complete miniiter of Chriic, whom God has let apart for himfelf to declare his mind and will to others ; and lo they are fuited, in the nature of meafis, throughly to initruct, lit, and furniih one, as well as the other, for a due underflanding and per- iormance of every good work, that he is called to, re- lating to God, himfelf, and others.
RECOLLECTIONS.
We need not wonder if our lot be caft in perilous times, either through the vio- lence of perfections, or through corruptions in dodtrine and manners; fince the word of God has foretold them. And, alas! How many felfifh, worldly-minded, vain-glorious, proud, ungrateful, and impious profeflbrs are there in our day, elpe- tially in the apoftate church of Rome '■ How many have thrown off natural affec- tion, and all obligations to filial and parental duty; and have given themfelves up to falihood, treachery, flander, raflinefs, infolence, and every furious and inor- dinate paffion, and fenfual pleafure, in preference to God himielf ! And how grie- vous is it, that any fliould indulge to all this under the rnafk of an external pro- ieifion of godiinefs, while they are averle to its power in their hearts and lives ; and that men of fuch corrupt minds fliould artfully inlinuate themfelves into, and captivate weak and ignorant people, who are governed ami mifled by finful appe- tites, and are perpetually following new teachers and new things, and are lb dif- concerted thereby* as never to attain to a right knowledge of the truth of the gof- pel ! The feducers of fuch are wicked men, and difapproved of God. as utterly ileftitute of true faith, whatever their pretences be ; and therefore it behoves all mihifters and Chriftians to have nothing to do with them in matters of religion. Blefled be God, that all their oppolition to the gofpel is under his controul ; and that, though they may be permitted to run great lengths, they at laft, like the Egypt idn-m&giciatis, lhall be confuted, put a Hop to, and expofed to open flume. But O what an engaging plan, of a contrary ilium, have wc in the great apoftle's docrrine, manner of life, lteady views to tlie honour of Chrift and the good of fouls; and in his faith and raithtulnefs, lenity, love, and patience 1 Though he (of- fered the greateit persecutions ; yet the Loid was with him in them, and amazing- ly delivered him out of them. What an encouragement is this to believers, and faithful feivants of Chrift, under any tribulation, which they may expect and meet with tor his fake ! While others therefore wax worfe and worfe, under the power of fin and error, how concerned fliould we be to continue itedraft in the faith, pro- feflion, and piactice of thole things, that we have learned liom the apoftle's, and other facred writings of the Old and New 1'eltament ! They are all infpired of God : Parents fliould early teach them to their children ; and they are fufheient to make us wile to falvation, through faith in Chrift Jefus, and to anfuer all the pur- polts of truth and holinefs, of refutation of error, and reformation of manners, and of inftruc'tion in the way of righttou.'iiti's, to the giory of God, and the falvation of but own fouls ; and they are iuch a perfect rule of all that is to be believed and
dcr.e,
220 The Second Epifile to Chap. iv.
done, that minifters and people may find the whole eompafs of their duty in them, ,ind be throughly fitted, by their means, for performing it, through divine light and grace, in every inftance here, till all be completed in a better world.
CHAP. IV.
The apoflle mqft folcmnly charges Timothy to he diligent in his minif terial work, though many w ill not endure found doctrine, I, — 5. Enjorces the charge from a confideration of his own approaching martyrdom, which would have a glorious i/fue, 6, — 8. Defires him to come fpecdily to him, and bring Mark and certain mention- ed things along wi.'h him, 9, — 13. Cautions him againfl Alexan- der the copper fmith, and complains of fuch as had defer ted him ; hut prays for them, and exprefjes his faith, as to his own prefer- nation to the heavenly kingdom, 14, — 18. and concludes with fa- lutations and his ufual benediction, 19, — 22.
Text. PARAPHRASE.
J CHARGE thee OINCE you are and will be furrounded with many
~ , !l0nj ^ adveiTaries, and are fo richly furnifhed for main- God, ana the Lord . ' . I . Tefus Chn'it, who taming the truth agamit them ; and hnce all ienpture, ihall judge the which you are fo well aquainted with, is of divine o- ruick and the dead riginal, and of fuch exteniive ufe and advantage, as
• has been but now obierved, (chap. iii. 13,-17.)
and hi T . * \ . r_. ->' ' '
1 iolemnly lay the following injunction upon your
conference, with regard to your faithfully difcharg- ing the work of an Evangelift, as in the fight and prefence of the all-feeing God, and the heart-fearch- ing Saviour, [Rev. ii. 23.) and as you will anfwer it at the bar of the Lord Chrift, and before him, when he {hall come to judge all mankind, even all that mall be alive, or dead and raifed again, at his glori- ous appearance, in the great day of account, and at his finifhing the whole deiign of his mediatorial king- dom ; and, being revealed in all the glory of his hea- venly kingdom, in which he, as God, together with the Father and Spirit, will reign, as in his effential kingdom, and in which he, as the Head and King of the church, will reign with a vifible pre-eminence, and they fhall reign in and with him, in all pofiible dignity, grandeur, and delight for ever and ever. (Sec the note on I Co/, xv. 24.) ,
z Preach the 2 What I this awfully charge upon you, as with word; be inftant a religious oath, is this, Proclaim aloud, (xr^vfyv) n' out ot and with all authority and boldnefs, like one of rebuke exhort ^nnlt's heralds, the inipirea word or Lrod, as it is . profitable for doctrine * ; preach it with earneftnefs
and N O T E. * Here feems to me to be a reference to the feveral ufes of the word, ot frrip-
tate}
trine.
Chap. iv. TfcktoTHY parapbra 221
with all long-fuf- and diligence on the Lord's days, and on other days, faring and doc- ;n times of peace and of perfection, in public and private, on ltated and proper occafional opportuni- ties, when it is more or ltfs likely to do good, a ; one that fows his feed in the morning, and in the e- vening, not knowing which (hall profpcr : (Ecc/ef. xi. 6.) Apply the word, as there may be occafion, for reproof, to convince gainfnycrs of their errors ; for reprehending finners and backfliders, to reclaim and reform them; and for compiling, exhorting, and encouraging believers, to go on in the way of righ- • teoufnefs : Infift on thefc various parts and ufes of the word, with all meeknds, patience, conltancy, and perfeverance ; and in a free, open, and faithful de- claration of the whole counfel of God, without add- ing to it, or taking from it, or altering and corrupt- ing it, whatever difficulties, trials, and oppofition you may meet with on that account.
3 For the time 3 For as already there begins to be ; fo in a little will come when wm-]C) and yet more in procefs of time, there will be they will not en- perflous ^ays, wh.en men of corrupt minds, as I dure lound doc- f , r * t 1 •••<-> \ mi trine; but after have before warned you, {chop. 111. 1, — 6,13.) will
their own lulls fhal I be fo nettled at the wholefome, pure, unmixed doc- they heap to them. trfne 0f tne gofpel, that they will not bear to hear ielves teachers, ha. ^ b b • enra„ed aga;nft it through their own vintf itchin? ears ; :','■,„ rr j • j- -n r 1
pride, lulls, pamons, and prejudices, will leek out,
and multiply to themfelves iuch falfe teachers, as fhall tickle their ears with new notions, and unferip- tural difcourfes, that pleafe their fancies, and are a- greeable to their own vitiated talle.
4 And they mall 4 And through the love of novelty, that will gra- tum away their tify their curiofity and corrupt inclinations, they will ears from the truth, d f ^ tQ lhe truths of the f* 1. and wJU and fhall he turn- . ,.n r , c „ 1 m • ed unto fables. eagerly lillen after, and tondlv embrace, every, vain,
empty, trifling, and fenfelefs flory, like Jewijh fa- bles and traditions, (1 Tim. i. 4.) to divert and a- mufe themfelves, and keep their own confeiences ea-
5 But watch thou 5 But as for you, my dear fon Timothy, be upon in all things, en- n. p.uarj agraintt all fuch fort of people and their dure afflictions, do J b j . 1 r 11 „ -S c c „: the vo-k ot an e- errors > and watch for aa opportunities or confuting vangelift, make full them, and eftablifhing the truth in oppofition to proof of thy minif. them: Watch againft all temptations; watch over try- your own fpirit and conduct at all times, and in all
circumftances ; and watch for the fouls of thofe that are committed to your care : (Heb. xiii. 17.) Sub- mit with meeknefs to, and fuftain with fortitude and
patience,
NOTE. ture, which had been fpecifed, chap. in. 16. and therefore feveral pafTages in this verfe are paraphrafed in correfpondence to that.
:.22 "The Sheath. * to Chap, i v.
patience, whatever tribulations your advcrfaries may bring upon you : Notwithftanding all their attempts to difhearten and filence you, go on in the name and ftrength of tbe Lord with your work, as an Evange- lift ; and thoroughly perform all the parts of your mi- n'flry with fidelity, care, and diligence, to the con- ♦ virion of gainfayers, and approving yourfelf to the confciences of true believers. I give this as my final charge, that you may attend to it after I am dead and gone, and can no longer advife you, or help for- ward the work of the Lord with you.
6 For I am now £ For, to allude to the Jcwi/h libations, or pour- ready to be ofer- ; Qm of the wJpe n their facr;nces, (fee the eo, and the rime , r m •/ •• \ ^ • a a • • c of my departure is paraphrafe on Phil. n. 17.) 1 am juit on the point of at hand. pouring out my blood as a martyr for Chrift, and
(y}s, trtm&optea) am already willing to be offered up as a facrifice, not of atonement, which Chrift has perfectly made by the one offering of himfelf ; but of acknowledgment, to the glory of God, and the confirmation of the gofpel which I am going to feal with my blood * ; and I am fully afTured, that the time of my diffolution, (a.va.Xvnag') when my foul will depart from the body, and from earth to heaven, to be ever with the Lord, and when my body Hiall be diflolved into its original duft, is fo near and cer- tain, that it may be confidered as if it were aclually come to pafs.
7 I have fought 7 In this fituation I can look backwards and for- a ?ood fight, I have ward wjt^ ^ ^re?teft pleafure : In a review of what I have 'bent the t^ie £race °f God has done for me, and by me, I taith. have the comfortable witnefs of his Spirit, and of my
own confeience, that I have been enabled, in a good degree, to war the beft of warfares, in the beft caufe, even in the caufe of Chrift againft all his, my own, and the church's fpiritual enemies ; and to behave like a good combatant againft them, and like a good fol- dier of Jefus Chrift, with courage, fidelity, and fuc- cefs in fighting his battles, under his banner, as the Captain of falvation : f I have held on my way through all the trials, labours, and difficulties that I have been called to, as a minifter and a Chriftian ;
have NOTES. * The apoftlc fpeaks with confidence paffage are ayomftical, in allufion to the of 'his departure as at hand, and might be combats and race in the Grecian games: fullv uti«ried, either by immediate reve- But as the life ofminifters and Chrifti- lation, or by what he had obferved of ans is often compared to a warfare, and iVWs temper and behaviour in his firft the apoftle had directed Timothy to en- apology. t-er. 16. or had heard fince, dure hardneft as a good foldier of Jefus that he would be condemned to death, Chrift, chap. ii. 3. I have confidered the when he fhould be called forth to take firft claufc of this verfe in that allufiow 1 his fecond trial. alfo.
f The terms ufed in this and the nest
Chap. ir. Timothy par aphrafed. 223
have run with patience the race that was fet before me ; and have now in a manner completed my courfe of life and obedience, fufferings and fervices; and am got. juft to the goal : And from the beginning to the end of this combat and race, I have maintained the purity of the doctrines of what may be emphatically- called the faith, (fee Jude, ver. 3.) have lived by faith upon them, and been faithful in profefTing, pub- liming, and defending them, and living anfwerable to them, for the glory of God, and the good of my own and other fouls, (yer. 8.) 8 Henceforth 8 And the rich experience I have had of the grace
Sca'c ow^ofn/r °f G°d' "^ ^ beCn "^ me' t0 aflift' animate» Wnersrn°wnich Md fucceed my labours, all along, to the very clofe the Lord the righ- of life, (i Cor. xv. 10.) raifes my joyful hope and teous judge fhall confidence, in looking forward, that what now re- give me at that mains is to receive the prize of the high calling of STonfcbuT.nS Gr°d' $"*«■ lf) which is laid up in Chrift, and all them alfo that r«erved in heaven tor me ; even a glorious crown of love his appearing, life that fadeih not away, (James i. 12. and 1 Peter i. 4. and v. 4.) and is infinitely fuperior, in worth and dignity, to all the withering garlands and crowns of earthly conquerors ; and may be called a crown of righteoufnefs, as it is given, on account of the Redeem- er's merit, only to righteous perfons, and confifts in the perfection of all righteoufnefs and true holinefs, which I fhall be made partaker of by the free gift of the Lord Jefus Chrift, the impartial Judge of all, who proceeds upon principles of righteoufnefs, in fi- delity to his promifes, and in making his rewards of grace, as well as of juftice, according to the rule of his word, by fentencing impenitent finners to ever- lafting punifhment for their iniquities, and true belie- vers to everlafting life for his own righteoufnefs fake, at the great day of his coming to judge the quick, and the dead : [ver. 1.) And he will give this glori- ous crown, not merely to me, as if no others were to be crowned befides me ; but be aiTured, for the en- couragement of your own foul, and of all his faithful followers and fervants, that he will certainly do the fame to every one, that realizes by faith, and with pleafure, and fuitable preparation, waits, looks, longs, and hopes for his fecond illuftrious appearing, when he will come to be glorifcd in h?\ faints, and admi- red in all them that believe. (2 TlieiT. i. 10.) 9 Do thy dili- 9 In the mean while, left it be foon too late, make gence to come all pofiible halle in coming; to me, who greatlv want ihortly unto me. • . e c \ • a e\ • 1 ' i it
' to impart iome further mitructions to you, and IhouM
be much comforted to fee you, as being now in a manner alone. Vol. V. G g ip For
tia
224 The Second Epijlle to Chap. iv.
10 For Demas 10 For Demas, who has been a Fellow-labourer,
hath foriaken me, an(j mJght have been of fervice to me in my prefent
having: loved this dJfficult cjrcumftances, has fhamefully deferted me ;
prefent world, and ... r . , ' ... ' . . n *
is departed unto he being atratd to run any nik in owning and itand-
Theflalonica ; Cre- ing by me, through too great a love of the eafe, ho-
fcens to Galatia, nour, fafety, and accommodations of this prefent infna-
untoDalma- r{ng worW . and he of hfe QWn headj undef the pQwer
of temptation, has retired to Theffalonica, the metro- polis of Macedonia, where he hopes to get out of the danger he would be expofed to here * ; Crefcens is gone, with my approbation, on important affairs, to Galatia, as Titit r alfo is to Dalmatia. it Only Luke is IT £«£*, the beloved phyfician, (Col iv. 14.) is M%- me'd b ^ t^ie on^r ^ow^anourer tnat remains, and choofes to him with thee : for be w^^ me> anc^ afliftant to me : And as I mould be be is profitable to glad to have the company of fome other faithful bre- meforthc miniftry. thren, I defire that when you come, according to my expectation and hope, you would bring Mark along with you ; (fee the note on Col. iv. 10.) for he may be of great fervice to me, in going on meffages, and fubferving my minifterial work, the little time I may have to live. i2 And Tychi- 12 I greatly need his, as well as your afiiftance \ ; cos have I fent to for j tiave lately difpatched Tychicur, on urgent oc- cafions, to my friends at Et>befus ; and I dearly mifs his company, who is a beloved brother, and a faith- ful minifter in the Lord, (Eph. vi. 21.) and whom I have often fent on errands to various perfons and churches, when I could not be with them myfelf. (yjfls xx. 4, 5. Col. iv. 7. and Tit. iii. 12.)
13 The
NOTES.
* The apoftle calls hemas his fellow- Letter Afia, and the other to Dalmatia, labourer, (Philem ver. 24.) and fpeaks a country in the louthern part of Illyr'i- of his joining in a falutation with Luke cum; (fee the note on Rom. xv. 1.) to the be loved phylician : (Col. iv. 14.) He which places he probably had fent them therefore appears to hive been a minifter on fome meffages, or other bufinefs of of fome efteem formerly with the apoftle, eonfiderable confequence. 'Who Crefcens but a m3n oi fo timorous and worldly a was is quite uncertain, we having no o- fpirit, a> to forlake him in his difficult cir- ther account of him: But as he is here rumflances. under anapprehenficsnofdan- mentioned juft in the fame manner with ger tohimfclf, asthe difciplesdid our Lord Titus, it is probable he was a minifter, in the time of his extremity : However, and Rood well in the apoftle's efteem. -ne cannot certainly conclude concerning f The particle (^) here rendeied a?id, him, any more than concerning them, that is fometimes cafual, and tranflated for, he turned utter apoitote. though he, as as in Luke xa. 48. Ails vii. 25. I Thef. weli as they, a<-tcfi a moft unbecoming, ii. 16. and 1 Tim. iii. 5.; and thus T unworthy, and .-riminal part, under the think it may be taken in this place, as power of temptation, and of too ftrong an aftiorning a further reafon of Paul's de- attachment to this life and its concerns; firing Ma*&\ as well as Timothy to come B lordingty the apoftle fets a black mark to him; or, perhaps, he fent Tychicus upon him, indiftiaftion :':om Crefcens znd to Ephefus to fupply Timothy's place,
', of whom he only fays, they were when he fhould come to Home. ^one, one to Galatia, a province of the
Chap. iv.
13 The cloke that I left at Troas with Carpus, when thou coraett, bring itiitb thee, and the books, but efpeci- ally the parch- ments.
14 Alexander the copper-imith did me much evil : the Lord reward him according to his works.
15 Of whom be thou ware alio; tor he hath great- ly withitoou our words.
* I have taken the word (jukwv) in the fenfe of our tranflators, to mean a cloke, which might be, either the palli- um, that belonged to the apoitie, as a Roman citizen; or an upper garment, which he ufually wore at inclement fea- fons, and would need in a cold prifon, as the winter was coming on : Others take this word to fignify a roll, and others a hag, book-cafe, box, or chejl, or lome re- politory in which Paul's books and parchments were kept. And as the an- cients had two ibrts of books, one in the form of leaves and pages ot parchment, or of paper made of the Egyptian Papy- rus ; and the other of like materials, rolled up when laid alide, and unrolled when opened for ufe. The books here mentioned feem to have been the firjl, and parchments the feconi ot thefe ibrts of books, which, becaufe rolled up, were called volumes. What was con- tained in them is both a curious and fruitlefs inquiry, that neither needs, nor can be fatished : Eut as the apoitie laid fo particular an empbafis on the parch- tnents, feme have conjectured, that they might be the volume of the Old feita- ment; others, the copy of his freedom as a R*man% which might have been of ufe
Timoth y paraphrafed. 225.
13 The cloke which I left, when I was laft at Troas y with our friend Carpus, might be of good ufe to mc here * ; therefore I beg you would take care to bring it with you, when you come to me, as alio the leveral books which I left there ; but, above all, iail not to bring ihe important parchments, that are alto in his cuilody.
14 Alexander the infamous copperfmith, has been my bitter enemy ; a molt malicious imlrument, who has iaiiely. acculed, and been very injurious to me. (See the notes on Acts xix. 33. and 1 Tim. i. 20.) 1 leave him, as an utter and irreclaimable apollate, to the righteous judgment of God f, who will call him to a ievere account, and recompenie tribulation to him, according to the juit deiert of his evil deeds, when the Lord jefus mail be revealed from heaven to take vengeance on all his enemies and impenitent un- believers. (2 TbcJJ. i. 6, — 9.)
15 I would therefore warn you to have a watch- ful eye, as I have had, upon that man. Avoid him as an excommunicated pet ion ; (1 Tim. i. 20.) and take heed ielt he lerve you and others of the iervants and people ot God, as baiely as he has me : . For he has virulently let himfelf againft, and iiifly oppofed the gofpel ot ialvation, which I and you preach to
Gg 2 all
N O T £ o.
to him in his trial ; others, the originals of the epiftles, that he had fent to, or received from feveral churches, which he would leave in 'Timothy's cuftody. The apoitie therefore ordered him to bring thefe things, that then lay in the hands of Carpus at Troas. As this is the only place, where Carpus is mentioned, we know little of his character; but he leeras to have been the apoitle's hoft at Troas, and a faithful brother, in whom he placed fo much confidence, as to leave things, for which he had lb great a value, under his care.
f The apoitie probably knew by im- mediate revelation, that Alexander wta a malicious, obttinate, and incorrigi- ble enemy to Chriftianity, whom God had given up to hardnefs of heart ; and therefore if he imprecated a due reward of his iniquity upon him, that is no rule for us to do the like on perl'ons. ot whom we cannot have the fame afluranee : But fome good,copies read the Lord (xxofurS) will reward him according to his works ; (Vid. Mill, in loc.) and fo it is to be confidered, not as an imprecation, much lefs as what the apoftie defired ; but a prediction of what would certairly b.?- iai him.
:iG The Second Epiftle to Chap. iv.
all forts of finners, Gentiles as well as Jews, through faith in Chrift Jefus. x6 At my firft 16 When I was brought upon my firft. trial, and wTfwer no man t\iQn made my apology, Uir^oytu) in defence of ££«»&££! drift', and my own canfe before the Emperor none 2 pray God that it of my Cnriftian acquaintance, that were capable ot may not be laid to being any way ferviceable to me, had courage e- their charge. nough to own and countenance me, or to appear as
witneffes on my behalf; but they all, through infir- mity, cowardice, or fear of fufFering, forfook me, as the difciples of our Lord did him, when he was ap- prehended in order to his being tried, condemned, and crucified. (Matt 6. xxvi. 56.) I heartily wifh, and earneilly pray, that, as he gracioufly forgave them, and brought them to repentance, he would forgive and recover thefe my brethren, and not im- pute this iniquity to them, or deal with them ac- cording to its deferts. (See the note on ver. 10.) 17 Notwith- 17 However, while they through weaknefs and ftandnig, the Lord fear were permitted to defert me, the Lord Jefus
llut T,ith "? "' "^ himfelf, my almighty faft Friend, who is infinitely
itrengtnened me; . ' ' to», 1 , » r
that by me the better than they all, owned and appeared tor me, as
preaching might his fervant, and ftrengthened me with might by his
he fully known, Spirit in the inner man, to carry me above the fear
teLutf toitt of fuffermgs and death: And he was mouth and wi.f"
hear • and I was dom to me> to ena^e me to fpea^ boldly for him in delivered out of the the face of his and my moft powerful adverfaries, tooiith of the lion, that, by my apology at Cefar\ bar, the tenor of my preaching the gofpel might be thoroughly laid open to the whole court ; and it might be thereby evident to all around me, that it has no ill tendency for dif- turbing the civil government ; and that my having preached it with fo great fuccefs was not by human aid, but by the power of God, as divinely afiilling me, and giving the increafe ; (1 Cor. iii. 6, 7.) and par- ticularly, that all the Gentiles^ then prefent, might have an opportunity of hearing the glad tidings of lalvation by Jefus Chrift, as fent unto them : And I was, at that time, as wonderfully preferved from im- minent danger, as if I had been matched out of the mouth of a lion ; (fee Pfai. xxii. 21.) and was deli- vered from the rage and cruelty of Nero and his a- gents, who, lrke a roaring lion, under the influence of their father the devil, fought to devour and de- ftroy me. (Jchn viii. 44. and 1 Pet. v. 8.) 18 Ami the 18 And I am abundantly encouraged by his word, Lord (hall deliver ancj the great experience I nave had of his love and
Vil worir. antf wSl care t^lus ^ar» co tru^ xvli^ au ent,rc confidence in
preferved* unto his power, faithfulnefs, and grace, that he will keep
his heavenly king- me from doing any thing unworthy the Chriflian, or
dem; to whom h the miniller, to iavc my life, or to get rid of the hot-
glu'7 te'ft
Chap. iv. Timothy paraphrafed. 227
glory for ever and teft pcrfecucioHS and terrors of mine enemies * ; and ,ever. Amen. that, whatever betails me in my bonds, and in the if-
fues of them, as to this world, he will do what is beft for me, and will effectually iecure me rrom apoftacy, and from doing any iniquitous thing to his dilhonour, and will enable me to pufevere with faith and pa- tience, and continue faithful to the death, till he (hall receive me to live with him in the immortal dignity, grandeur, and delights of his heavenly kingdom : To whom I chearfully afcribe all poffible honour and glo- ry for what he is in himielf, and has been, and will be to me ; To him it jullly belongs, and ought to be paid henceforth and for ever more, Amen. So let it be ; and fo I am confident it will be. 19 Salute Pi if- 19 To draw towards a conciufion, I, as an aged fa, and Aquila, dying friend and apoitle, fend all religious falutations andthehouiholdof to the eminently g(K}ly and benevolent Prijctl/a and Oneliphorus. A -, , i i *~n «n» i
Aquila, who are an honour to the Chnftian charac- ter, in the conjugal relation of wife and hufband. (See the notes on Acls xviii. 26. and Rom. xvi. 5.) I alio fend the fame to the pious family of Onejipho- rus, who I know is abl'ent from home ; and there- fore does not fend in like manner to him. (See the note on chap. i. 16.) cioErafi us abode 20 Nor do I to Era/Ius, the chamberlain of the at Corinth: but city, (fee the note on Rom. xvi. 33.) who I alfo
kft°PlaT^iIeIum kn™ 'S n0t in 7OUr. PartS> but tarned at Corinth •* ficfc. Nor is Trophimus with you, whom I left fick at Me-
htus in Crete, when I came from thence ; and though I was heartily concerned for him, I had no fuggef- tion, or power communicated to me, to work a mira- cle in healing him. (See the note on Philip, ii. 27.) Such is my affection to all thefe abfent perfons, that, were they near you, 1 mould dtlire you to falute them alfo in my name. 2i Do thy dili- 21 As no time is to be loll, and travelling will be gence to come be- incommodious at inclement ieafons, 1 earneitly en-
b0uTusWlntgreeteth trCat y°U t0 &* yOUf Utm°ft t0 &et t0 ™e before thc thee, and Puriens, winter comes on. Our Chriitian friend and brother and Linus, and kubuius lends his affe&ionate rcfpe&s to you, as al- Claudia, and all fo do Pudens and Linui and Claudia, and indeed all the brethren. our brethren in Chrift, that are in thefe parts, and
know of my writing to you.
22 My
NOTE.
* The apoftle cannot be fuppofed here was confident that the Lord would deli- to mean, that the Lord would deliver him irom doing any finful, unbecoming him from fufferings unto death, becaufe thing, contrary to faith and a good con- he had laid, with an aflurance of his dy- fcience, to preferve his life, or efcape ing a martyr, that the time of bis de- fufferings tor Chrift. parture was at band; (ver. 6.) B»t he
228 'The Second Epi/lle, &c. Chap. iv.
22 The Lord Je- 22 My own hearth defire for you is, that our fus Chrift be with Lord ami Saviour Jeius Chritt may be ever with thy lpint. Gr; • •- • • ■ , , n. -i <*
be with >ou. )°";'r 4':nt» to guide, iupport, ltrengthen, comfort, Amen. an^ landtify you. Ana my benediction to all the
faints, together with you, is, May his iree love or fa- vour, and a Iweet fenie of it in ail its precious fruits ana effects, continually abound towards all and every one of you. (vum) In teftimony of my delire and hope of this, I fay, Amen.
RECOLLECTIONS.
What need have minifttrs and others to be excited to their duty, in ferious re- flections on that awful day, when Chriit will come in all the majefty and glory of his kingdom to judge the whole world, quick and dead, who muft then give an ac- count of themfelves, and of all that they have done in the body to him ! Great are the difficulties of fulfilling the minifterial charge, in which Chrift's fervants are called to watch, and endure hardships; to preach the pure word of God in the whole compafs of it, on all proper occafion, for the great purpofes of inftruction, re- buke, comfort, and exhortation, with all long-iuffering and patience, under the neglect of friends, ar.d opposition of enemies. But, blefied be God, the encourage- ments of thole, that defire to be faithful, are exceeding great. Though all men fliould forfake them, the Lord Jefus himfelf will ftand by them ; will affift and own them in their work; will appear for them in their tribulations; will keep them from c hoofing fin, rather than fufferings ; will ordinarily give them delightful re- flections, at the clofe of life, on the grace that has enabled them to fight the good fight of faith; and will preferve them to his heavenly kingdom, and crown them, as conquerors, at the end of their race and warfare, by an act of righteoufnefs on. his own account, and of faithfulnefs to his word, as well as of mercy to them, at the great day. But, alas! How many are there, who fit under the miniflry of the gofpel, that cannot bear, but are fwayed by the pride, corruption, and vanity of their own minds, to renounce the truth and holinefs of found doctrine, and to fol- low every novelty and new preacher, that pleafe the faucy, inftead of profiting their fouls ' How many others are there, that one would hope to be good people, who, like Demat and other profeflbrs, are too much in love with life and the con- cerns of it, and lb weak in taith, and fo much under the power of temptation, as to be afraid and afliamed to appear openly for Chrift, and for his moft eminent fer- vants, in times of danger '. the good Lord pardon all fuch, and recover them to a. better and more courageous Spirit ! But as to thofe apparently malicious, obftinate, and incorrigible enemies to Chrift, and to ourlelves for his fake, there is little or no room to hope, but that he wity reward them according to the due defert of their wicked works : In the mean while we ought to be upon our guard againft them, left we be injured l>y them in our religious principles, manners, and views. But O happy fouls ! that finceiely and affectionately love Chrift, and rejoice in the thought" of his one day appearing, like himielf, in all his glory, and that teftify their love to him in doing all they can to promote his caufe. They, as well as his mimftring lervants, fliall receive the crowr of life in the day of Judgment. With what cordial affection then fliould they greet one another, as Chriitian-biethren I And how earneftly wifh and pray, that tne Lord may be with their Spirits ; and that his grace, v\hich is iufficient for them, may be manifelted to and in them, end perform all things for them I la like returns of brotherly love, Let every one •ay, Amen.
A PR AC-
A P R ACTICAL
EXPOSITION
OF THE
EPISTLE of the APOSTLE PAUL
T O
TITUS,
IN THE FORM OF A
PARAPHRASE.
The PREFACE to the EPISTLE to TITUS.
THIS Epiftle to Titus is raoft generally thought to have been wrote after the firjl, and before thzfecond to Timothy; though they (being wrote to the fame perfon) are put together in the col- lection of the facred canon. They were formed for the direclion of Timothy, and this of Titus, as Evar.gehfts, that were aftiftant to the apoftle, and watered the churches which he had planted ; and there- fore the tenor and ftyle (as was to be expected) are much alike in this and thole, efpecially the fir f of them, which call a good deal of light upon one another ; and are worthy the ferious attention of all the minifters of the gofpel, and New Te (lament churches of eve- ry age, for whofe ufe they were ultimately deigned, as far as there might be any thing common, or fimilar, in their refnec~tive chcum- flances.
Titus was an early Gentile convert, {GaL ii. 3.) probably under the apoille Paul\ miniflry, who, in language like that to Timothy, c^Ms him his own fon in the common faith: (chap. i. 4.) And having for a confiderable time tried, and found him to be diligent and faith- ful in the improvement of the fuiritunl gifts that were communicated to him, in all likelihood by the imposition of the apollles own hand% he at length advanced him from the ftate of a private CBriftian, or ordinary minifter, to the high rank of an Evangelilt :, and left the care of the churches to him at Cre.'e, that ha*i been planted in ral of its towns, or cities, by the apoftle himfelf.
The particular time of the converfion of the Cretians, and of the apo file's leaving Titus with them, which is referred to, chap, i. 5. and in what particular year of our Lord, as alio from whence, and by what mefjenger, this epiftle was fent, is variously difputed by the learned, with great uncertainty ; and, as far as I fee, to little profit : .But it appears from chap. i. 5. and iii. 12. to be pad cHfpute, that it was wrote by the apoftle Paul to Titus, while he was at liberty, and
Titus
23° The Preface to the Epijlle to Titus.
Titus was doing the woik of an evangelifl at Crete,, which is all that is neceflary for eftablifhiny- our belief of its divine authority.
Crete, which is now called Candia, from the name of it? principal citv, and is under the dominion of the Turks, is one of the fineft iflands for fize, air, and foil, in the Mediterranean ; but its ancient natives were infamous to a proverb for lying ; and were much ad- dicted to fcvenil other vices, according to the account that Epimcni- des, one of their own celebrated poets, gave of them, which the a- poftle recites, and calls a true one, chap, i. 12. And as there were very active judaizing Chriftians among the converts of this ifland, it is not much to be wondered at, that a people of fo bad a conflitutional temper, and fo lately brought to the faith of Chrift, were in danger of being enfnared by their artful infinuations : And as too many of them had been perverted by their means, and adverfaries to the pure gofpel were ftiil very bufy among them, the apoftle fent this Epiftle to furnifh Titus with fome farther directions how to behave in that critical fituation, than he had given while he was with him, and be- fore any thing of that kind had appeared among them.
After the introduction, in which he attefts his own apoftolic au- thority, to give a divine fanction to what he wrote, rather for ob- viating objections to Titus's acting according to it, than for his own fatisfaction, who could have no doubt about it ; he reminds him, that the chief defign of his leaving him at Crete was to carry on the begun work of God, and ordain faithful and able parlors of the churches there, whofe qualifications he defcribes much in the fame manner as in 1 Tim. iii. 2, — 7. and whofe afliftance would be need- ful to confute the judaizing deceivers, that were labouring to cor- rupt the faith and holinefs of the gofpel, chap. \. Then, in oppofi- tion to thofe (ticklers for ceremonial rites, he advifes Titus to preach with fuch authority in the name of Chrift, as mould raife him above contempt ; and to recommend, by his own example, fuch a religi- ous and moral behaviour of younger and older believers of both fex- es, as, fuitable to their refpedtive ages, might be becoming found doctrine, and perfons profeffing godlinefs : And, in oppolition to thofe, that would cancel the obligation of Chriftian fervants to their unbelieving mailers, he bids him exhort them to behave with good- humour and faithfulnefs, in fulfilling the duties of their relation to them, for the credit of the gofpel, which teaches all holinefs in eve- ry ftation of life, and encourages the practice of it by the joyful hopes of perfect happinefs at Chrift's glorious appearing; and (hews that the very end of his redemption was to purify to himfelf a pecu- liar people zealous of good works, chap ii. And, in oppontion to thofe that were for paying no regard to heathen magiftrates, he re- comme- ds it to Titus, to remind all forts of profefiing Chriftians of their obligations to be obedient to their civil governors ; to be rea- dy to every good work ; to be inoffenfive and courteous toward people of all ranks and characters ; and enforces this from consider- ations of what they themfelves were in their natural ftate, and of the happy change that was made upon them, by the regenerating grace of the Koly Spirit, and their juftification to eternal life. Thefe Ti- tus was to infill upon, as the moll powerful and evangelical motives
t©
Chap. L Titus paraphrafed. 231
to believers to act up to character, in practicing every thing that is good in itfelf, and ufeful to others ; and was to avoid the empty, vain-jangling difputes of judaizers, and to reject felf-condemned heretics, after a fiift and fecond admonition. Having now finimed the main body of his Epiftle, he adds an order for Titus to come to him at Nicopolis, where he propofed to'fpend the winter •, and to provide all proper accommodations for Zenas and Apollos, whom he was to take in his way to him : And concludes with a general ex- hortation to all the profeflbrs of Chrift's name, to attend to the du- ties of their places \ with falutations to Titus, and to their Chriflian friends, and with his apoflolic benediction to them all. Chap. iii.
CHAP.
The apojlle afferts his character, falutes Titus, and reminds him of the work, for which he had left him at Crete, I, — s. Draws out the qualifications of a faithful pajlor, 6, — 9. And defcribes the evil temper and praSiices ofjudaizingfalfe teachers, that ought. to be confuted, 10, — 16.
Text. Paraphrase.
T)AUL a fervant J^AUL the infpired writer of this Epiftle, is, and ftl ° f a"r f"s J- counts it his honour, as a Chriftian and a mi- Chrift, according nifter, to be the' devoted fervant of the ever-bit ffed to the faith of God's God, under the ftricteft and moil inviolable bonds to ele<3, and the ac- n{m . and> though utterly unworthy in himfelf, he is knowledging of ftm mQre j- hj di Jfied whh the title and commif. the truth, which is _ ,.-&■./,.?.,
after godlinefs • "on> qualifications, and powers or an extraordinary meffenger, fent and inftructed immediately by Jefus Chrift, to bear witnefs to him, and preach his gofpel of falvation, in all its extent, to Jews and Gentiles, according to the doctrine of faith, which is embraced by, and is the means of working effectual faith in God's own people, whom he originally made fo, by his fpecial, diftinguiihing, and eternal choice ; (Epbef. 1.4.) and according to their knowledge, approbation, and confeffion of its infallible truth, which is fuittd, defigned, and made effectual unto them, for promot- ing the principles and practice of real godlinefs in heart and life, as confuting of a iincere and devout performance of all religious duties, with a holy reve- rence, fear, and adoration of, trull in, and unrclerved obedience to God, through Jelus Chriit. 2 In hope of e- 2 This truth is believed and profefied, with a corre- temal life, which fp0n(Jent practice of godlinefs, by them, in the exer-
God, that cannot .f f jj , , f ^ incorruptjble and ^denied
he, promiled be- . . {. * . ,.c . *\ ~ ,.
fore the world be- inheritance ot eternal lite, to which Grod, according <jan ■ to his abundant mercy has begotten them ; ( 1 Pet. i.
3, 4.) and which he, who cannot pofiibly be falie Vol. V. H h or
232 The Epijile to Chap. i.
or deceiving, but may as foon ceafe to be God, as ceafe to be true and faithful, has promifed to Chrift their Head for them, and to them, as federally com- prehended in him, before the earlieft date of time, e- ven from all eternity, before any difpenfations of grace commenced ; and has given a fpecimen of, in the firft promife after the fall, [Gen. iii. 15.) before any of the Jewijh ages began. (See the note on 2 Tim. i. 9.)
3 But hath in 3 But which in the fulnefs of time, according to due tirr'es niani- \^[s eternal purpofe, he has now clearly made known through preaching, b7 the publication of his gofpel, which is revealed, which is commit- an^ committed, as a truft, in a fpecial manner to me, ted unto me, ac- his fervant and apoftle, [ver. 1.) to difpenfe it to cording to the tne Gentiles, as well as Jews, according to the ex- comm moment of fs appointment and command of our Lord Jefus Cod our Saviour ; ? ., r*, J
Limit, [Acts xxn. 17, — 21. and xxvi. 15, — 18.)
who is indeed God our Saviour, as by his incarna- tion he became Emanuel, God with us, and gave himfelf for us, that he might redeem us from all ini- quity. [Chap. ii. 13, 14. fee the note there.)
4 To Titus mine 4 I, vvho am thus divinely infpired, and commif- own fon after the fl0ncd fend thjs e ;ftle t0 beloved Titus, common faith. , , tr imji.i_- grace mercy and who are as dear to me as anY c""" can be to his own peace' from' ' God father, and are indeed in a fpiritual fenfe my genuine the Father, and fon, as 1 was the inftrument of begetting you to ^jhe Lord Jefus Chrift, and bringing you both to the doftrine and
Chrift our Saviour. r r -.i • , • 1 • 1 • *, «
grace or laith in him, which is common to Jews and
Gentiles, and to you and me ; I heartily wi(h and pray, that the divine favour, tender compaffion, and all manner of blefiings for time and eternity, as in- cluded in the comprehenfive term peace, may abound toward you from God the Father, as the fountain of all good, and from our Lord Jefus Chrift, as the re- vealer, purchafer, and giver of it, who, in the exe- cution of his office, is emphatically our Saviour. 5 For this caufe 5 Now, to remind you of the end for which I left I thee in Crete tQjd j j f t q when j j ft came f
that thou fliouldeft , ; . ; '. . ,
fet in order the t"ence> you know it was, that you might carry on things that are the good work begun there, and fet to rights fuch wanting, and or- tilings as are defective, or remain unfinifhed, with re- dtinddewinev^ gard to doar;ne, worfliip, difcipline, and manners, appointed thee. * m t^le cnurcnes which are planted in that ifland ; and particularly that, in order hereunto, you, as an Evan- gelift and my deputy, might preiide in folemnly fet- ting apart, and conftituting bifhops or paftors, [ver. 7. fee the notes on y#7.r xx. 28. and 1 Pet. v. 2.) that ihould be chofen by common fufFrage to refide ftatediy among, and take the overfight of the feveral churches in every town, or city, where they are feated ; and to feed them with knowledge and un-
derftanding,
Chap. i.
6 If any be blamelefs, the hut- band of one wife, having faithful children, not ac- cufed of riot, or unruly.
Titus paraphrafed.
233
7 For a bifhop rnuft be blamelefs, as the fteward of God ; not felf-will- ed, not foon an- grv, not given to wine, no ftriker, not given to filthy lucre :
8 But. a lover of hofpitality, a lover of good men, fo- ber, juft, holy, temperate ;
derftanding, (Jer. iii. 15.) according to the order9 I gave, and in the manner I prefcribed to you, be- fore I took my leave of you.
6 As to the qualifications of a perfon that is fit and worthy to be inverted with that office, He ought to be one of an unfpotted reputation in his moral cha- racter, among his Chriftian acquaintance, and all a- round him ; ( 1 Tim. iii. 27.) one that is clear from the fin of polygamy, as never being married to more than one wife at a time ; and of caufelefs divorces, according to the corrupt cuftom of the Jewr : (fee the note 1 Tim. iii. 2.) And, if he have children, fee that he be one who brings them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, and manages them with fuch prudence and authority, as, by the bleffing of God, may be the means of winning them over to the faith of Chrift, and to a faithful profeffion of his name, and difcharge of all the duties of their civil and religious relations ; and who never fuffers any of his children to behave at fuch a rate, as fhall fix upon them a brand of luxurious and difiblute, or of refrac- tory, ungovernable, and difobedient youths, (aewsra- rxK.ru) in their temper and manners, to the difgrace, not only of themfelves, but of their fathers, and the gofpel.
7 For the nature of a paftor's or Chriftian bifhop's office, the honour of religion, and the good of o- thers, as well as of his own foul, require, that he be under no reproach or fcandal in his life and converfa- tion, or on account of any neglect or unfaithfulnefs in the difcharge of his truft, as a fteward of the myf- teries of God, to difpenfe them impartially and with- out referve, that every one of Chrift's family, under his minifterial infpe&ion, may have his portion in due feafon ; and he ought not to be of a head-ftrong, conceited, obllinate, inflexible temper ; nor one of a hafty fpirit ; that takes fire at every little provoca- tion, and prefently falls into a paffion ; nor one that loves, and is addicted to immoderate drinking of ilrong liquors ; nor contentious and violent in his be- haviour, ready to fall foul upon them that difpleafe him ; nor one of a niggardly, fordid, covetous fpirit, that is for getting all he can, and for keeping all he gets of the defiling pelf of this world ; and, like a mercenary hireling, values the fleece more than the flock, and would take no pains in his work, were it not for a profpeel: of fecular gain to himfelf.
8 But he ought to be a man of a liberal foul, that devifes liberal things, and, according ^to his ability, takes pleafure, on all proper occafions, in acts of be- nevolence to religious itrangers, as well as neighbours
H h 2 and
234 The Epijtle to Chap. i.
and acquaintance, efpecially to minifters and Chrif- tians, that either go about to preach the gofpel, or are driven from houfe and home, by the violence of perfections. He ought to be a lover and encourager of good things, and to have a cordial affection to all fin- cere, honeft, good, and pious men without exception ; and to be himfelf modeit and humble, grave and pru- dent, in his carriage ; upright and faithful in all that he fays and does ; exemplarily holy in all manner of converfation and godlinefs ; chafle and moderate in his defires, appetites, and purfuits of the pleafures of this life. 9 Holding faft 9 He likewife ought to be one that is well efta- ihe faithful word, blifhed in the great truths of the gofpel, that holds as he hath been them faft Jn h{s ■ ^^ and feffion 0f them, and taught, that he . . , _ ... . ._ r . . , ...
may be able, by holds them forth in his miniltry, and is lteady in main- round do&rine, taining them, as the true and faithful fayings of God, both to exhort and which are to be believed and adhered to, juft accord-
t0ainfa°nJrlnCe !nS t0 what he has been taught, and has learned from
infpired writers, of the faith which was once deli- vered to the faints, (Jude, ver. 3.) that he may be capable of explaining, fupporting, and defending the the pure, uncorrupted, wholefome doctrine of Chrift ; and, by a due and proper application of it, (tt^«- kocXuv) to adminifter comfort to believers, and excite them to their duty ; and to confute the errors of ail oppofers, filence their cavils, and rebuke their per- verfenefs. to For there 10 For, as in feveral other places, (o, I under- are many unruly ftand amon the profeflbrs at Crete, there are abun- and vain talkers , r ° , r ^. .n. . . ,
and deceivers e- dance of pretenders to Chnltianity, that are [awno- fpecially they of tccktoi) refractory and diforderly, not fubmitting to the circnmcifion : any divine rule, in doctrine or manners ; and they are moil pernicious, proud, felf- conceited difputers, with vain jangling about empty things, to no good pur- pofe ; and crafty, fly feducers of the minds of the iimple ; I in a fpecial manner have my eye upon the Jewifh party among them, that make a profeflion of Chrift, and yet contend for circumcilion, and other rites of the law of Mojes, as necefTary to falvation. 1 1 Whofe mouths 1 1 For oppofmg fuch as thefe, It is highly necef- muft be topped, farv that pallors or Chriftian bifhops be able minifters who nibvert uhole of th Ngw Tcftament and U fflbl fair mea b hou es, teaching _ . r r i- 1 i 1
which they scriptural proofs, lolid arguments, and good example,
ought nor, for til- ought to be ufed for confuting and lilencing thofe thy lucre's fake. vain boafters, and deceitful workers, who are fo inde- fatigable, fubtle, and fpecious in their pretences, as to infinuate themfclves into Chriftian families, (2 Tim. iii. 6. ) and carry them off, as it were by wholefale, from the pure doctrines of the gofpel to Mofes ; urg- ing things unreafonably upon them, that are utterly
falfe,
Chap. i. Titus paraphrafed. 235
falfe, and abfolutely inconfiftent with the true way of falvation by Chriil alone ; which they do tor the lake of heaping to thcmlelves the fordid, defiling troafures of this world, by methods that arc fuited to impofe upon fuch an infamous fort of people as the Creiums9 * and that are agreeable to their own character, as fuch.
12 One of them- I2 For one of their own countrymen, a celebrated felves. even a pro- Greek poet, which fprung from among themi'elves, phet of their own, an(J thoroughly knew their national temper, even faul, the Cretians Epimenides by name, whom they efteem as a prophet, are ahvay liars, e- r. , } , '• ... « f>
▼;1 hearts flow bel- and who, as a />w, is cuttomaiily called a prophet ;
lies. He fays, in a defenption of the natives of Crete, that
they are naturally a fet of fcandalous people, ever ad- dicted to falfhood and lying ; fly and favage in their temper, like wild beafts ; peifect gluttons in indulging their ravenous appetites, and, as is common for perlons of fuch a luxurious turn, exceeding lazy, and backward to every uftful employment, and fo expoied to all lorts of temptations.
13 This witnefs 13, 14 And truly this is a juft teftimony again!! is true; wherefore them, as has been proved in numberlefs inllances, and rebuke them fharp- tOQ pjajniy appears by the perfidious, mifchievous, be found in the anc* fenfual management of the judaizing Chrillians, faith • and of thofe that fall in with them at this very day :
14 Not giving It behoves you therefore to deal plainly and fmartly need to Jewiih fa- ^^ a peopie 0f fuch a v;ie an(j brutilh temper, with
man'dments of wnom mildnefs will not do ; but who mull be cut to men, that turn the quick, in laying before them their fin and danger, from the truth. with due feverity, that neither the deceivers, nor the deceived, may dare any longer to perfift in their evil principles and practices ; but may be recovered to a right mind, and fettled in the true and uncorrupttd doctrines of faith ; and may be fo entirely brought over to them, as never more to liften after, attend to, or believe and be carried away with, the fallacious ftories that the Jews tell of their traditions, and with the imperious injunctions of men, that are prejudifed againft, and gone off from the truth of the gofpel, and infill on an obfervation of ceremonial rites, fuch as relate, among others, to meats and drinks, and per- fons and things, that were clean or unclean, accord- ing to the diltinctions of the Levitical law ; but are no longer obligatory under the New Teitament-dif- penfation.
15 Unto NOTE. * If, as is very probable, thefe decei- people thev had to do with, were fit ma- vers themfelves were Cretians, the apoftle terials, prepared ready to their hands, with good reafon feetns to fuf^eft, that for them to work upon, as appears from they acl like themfelvts in all their felf the following account of them, feeking and delufive arts, and that the
236 The Epiftle to Chap. i.
15 Unto the 15 Unto real Chriftians, whofe hearts are purified pure all things are by faith, and confciences purged by the blood of
the'm thaT'are'T- Chrift> a11 thinSS that God hath not forbidden un- filed, and unbelie- der tne gofpel-ftate may be lawfully efteemed clean, ving, is nothing and may be touched and eat, without the leaft mo- pure ; but even ral defilement ; and they have a fan&ified ufe of them : their mmd and But unto thofe, that are unregenerated, and under the conicience is defi- r r , c , ,. r • 1 r rt r ■, lt$¥ power 01 lin, and or unbeher with reipect to goipel-
truths, and that adhere to Mofaical inflitutions, initead
of cleaving to Chrift alone ; Unto fuch, whatever their
pretences be to Chriftianity, nothing, no, not things
that are moil lawful and good in themfelves, can be
clean and pure ; nor can they ufe them without fin
and defilement ; the reafon of which is, becaufe even
their underftandings and confciences themfelves, thofe
leading and directive powers of the foul, are fadly mif-
guided and corrupted.
16 They profVfs 16 They indeed make high profefiions, and boaft
that they know Qf t]le;r knowledge of the true God, and of the re-
the de" • h't b ve*at'on °f his mind and will, as though they herein
ing abominable, excelled all others : (R'./n. ii. 17, — 20.) But their
and difobedient, practices are a direct contradiction to, and confutation
and unto every 0f a]l fucri pretences; They, in effect, denv by their
pood work repro- j^ w}mt they affirm {n wordgj br.ing> {h ^^
molt deteftable enemies to God and godlinefs ; and, giving no credit to the gofpel revelation, they are difobedient to his authority in it, and utterly injudi- cious, and unapt for the performance of any good work ; and fo are highly difapproved of God, and re- probate filver flail men call ihem ; becaufe the Lord ha'h rejetled them. (Jer. vi. 30. fee the note on 2 Cor. xiii. 5.)
RECOLLECTIONS. With what readinefs of mind, and fenfe of duty, fhould minifters and private Chriftians, in their refpective places, pay a confcientious regard to the infpired di- rections of the great apoftle of the Gentiles, whole authority is divine, and whofe benevolent wiflies were for grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father, and our Lord Jefus Chrift ! How much foever others may defpife, or corrupt the gofpel, God's elect will embrace and own it, as calculated, and rendered effectual in them, for promoting the practice of godlinefs : And when they experience its holy effects upon themfelves, what a fupport is it to their hope of everlafting life, which the unchangeably faithful and true God promiied to Chrift for. them, and to them in him, before all worlds ; and has now made known with the cleared evidence, in the gofpel-revelation, and by the miniftry of it \ With what cautious care, and attention to due qualifications, fhould they proceed, who are engaged in fet- ting perfons apart to the paftoral office in the churches of Chrift, according to a- poftolical appointment ! And how concerned fhould fuch paftors themfelves be, that their moral characters be clear ; that, if they are married, it be but to one wife at a time; and that the children, which God may give them, be orderly, and trained up in the faith of Chrift, and not chargeable with riot?, or refractory difobedience ; that they themfelves be neither humourfomely obftinate, nor paf- fionate, nor litigious, nor tipplers, nor covetous ; but generous and hofpitable ; lo- vers of till good men, and of every good thing ; grave and prudent, juft and righ- teous toward men, holy and religious toward God, chafte and temperate in all
things ■
Chap. ii. "Titus paraphrafed. 237
things ; and that they hold faft the true doctrine of Chrift in their faith, profeffion, and preaching, juft as they received it from him and his a ponies ; and be fuch maf- ters of it, as to be able to maintain and defend it againit all oppofition, and to ap- ply it for duty and comfort, like good ftewards of the houliold of faith ! With what diligence fhould they endeavour, not by force, but by fcripture and reafon, to filence obftinate, felf-conceited vain boafters and deceivers, that turn away from the truth, and pervert multitudes by their fa lie notions, to enrich themfelves with fordid and defiling gains ! And with what juft feverity (when milder methods fail) fhould they reprove fuch profeifors, as, like the Cretians, are perfidious, brutifh, luxurious, and idle, that they may be brought to reject all fabulous traditions, and impofitions of men upon confcience, and may be found in the faith ! Ah ! How wretched is the cafe of formalifts in religion, who are neither cleanfed from their fins, nor have true faith in Chrift ; whole evil practices contradict their verbal profeffions, and proud boafts of fuperior knowledge of God, and of his mind and will ! They, at the fame time, are odious in his fight, as their minds and confci- ences are defiled, and, as they neither believe nor obey the gofpel-revelation, and are utterly void of judgment, and of holy difpofitions for any good work. But what a mercy is it to be pure and upright in heart, through the cleanfing virtue of the blood and fpirit of Jeius ! To peribns of the former character every thing is de- filing ; but to thole of the latter, all lawful things are fanctiried for their ufe, and may be improved to the glory of God, and the good of their own fouls.
CHAP. II.
The apojlle direBs Titus to inculcate fuch duties upon younger and older Chriflians, as are becoming found doBrine, and to be exem- plary in them himf elf , 1, — 8. To enjoin believing fervants to be obedient to their wafers, for the honour of the doBrine of Chrift, which they profefs, 9, 10. And to enforce all this from a conji- deration of the holy deftgn of the go/pel, from the profpeB it gives of heavenly glory, and from the end of Chri/i^s death, which equal- ly concern believers of all ranks and flat ions, and are to be urged upon them with all becoming authority, II, — 15.
Text. Parafhrase.
J^UT fpeak thou "TyTANY are the deluding and deluded people of
which become l.™™?} millds,aild 5*»*# that Ground Y™>
found doctrine : which have been fpoken ot ; (chap. 1. io, — 16.) But,
in oppofition to them, let it be your fpecial care to
preach and infill upon P* -h doctrines and duties as
are agreeable to, and p q honour upon the folid,
pure, wholefome, and he/.I^g gof'pel of Chrift, which
is a doctrine according to godiinefs, (chap. i. 1. and
1 Tim. vi. 3.) and la)s the higher! obligations to ho-
linefs and obedience upon all its profeifors, of what
age, fex, or ftation foever they be.
z That the a?ed 2 Put the more elderly Chriitian brethren in mind,
men be fober, that, fuitable to their age and profeffion, they ought
grave, temperate, tQ be ( * very watchful, circumfpeft, and fe-
iound in iaith, in , • T • ' j • in • 1
charity in pa- date m ttleir temper and carnage ; to behave with a
tience: venerable gravity (cripm) and due decorum in their
drefs, mein, and air, ai d in ail that they fay and
do ; to be prudent (croO^mctz) in their conduct, and
temperate
238 The Epijtle to Chap. 11.
temperate in eating and drinking ; uncorrupt, as to the doctrines of faith, and fincere in believing them, and living anfwerable to them ; abounding in love to God, in cordial affect:on to all the faints for his fake, and in Chriftian benevolence to people of all nations, ranks, and characters, as fellow-creatures ; and to be patient under tribulations and offences, and in fubdu- ing their own peevifh paflions, and bearing with the infirmities of others *.
3 The aged wo- 3 Inculcate alfo upon religious elderly women,
7hT> ^T'b'h111^ that they °Ught t0 be exeraPlat7 (» x*r«fjp«) in
ou? as 'becometh ^re^s» anc* a^ regular deportment, as becomes fuch
holinefs, not falfe holy profeffors ; and to take great heed that they be
accusers, not given not, like the devil himfelf, (hxZoteg) falfe accufers,
to much wine, fUnderers, or backbiters of others, to the injury of
thbs s"S ° s their reputation ; nor inclined, much lefs given up,
to any excefs of drinking wine, or other intoxicating
liquors, under pretence of recruiting the ftrength and
fpirits of a decaying nature; and that, inftead of a-
mufing young people with old wives fables, ( 1 Tim.
iv. 7.) they mould entertain them with profitable dif-
courfe, and recommend, by counfel and example, e-
very thing, that is good and laudable, as to fpeech,
apparel, and behaviour :
4 That they 4, 5 Particularly, that they mould inftruct, and may teach the endeav0ur to influence, younger women to be wife, young women to , . r '« i y e r ^ 1 r be fober, to love and cautlous °* every thing that lavours ot lewdneis their hufbands, to or lightnefs ; and, if they be married, to carry them- love their children, felves in an affectionate and endearing manner toward chaftT° k d,f°reet' tJieir hufbands, being in heart for them, and for no home,' good obe- otner man ; and, according to the dictates of nature dient to their own and religion, to be concerned for the happinefs of huftunds, that the fuch children as God may gracioufly give them, and
aoTbl M °° d bC t0 ^0W their ^OVe t0 t}iem' "0t Wlth a foollftl fondnefs> to the neglect of needful reproof, or corrections for
their faults, as there may be occafion, which, in ef- fect, would be hating, inftead of loving them, (Prov. iii. 24. and xxiii. 13, 14.) but with a prudent, fo- lid, Chriftian -like tendernefs and kindnefs, to encou- rage them in every thing that is good, and to do all that in them lies for their temporal, fpiritual, and e- ternal welfare : As alfo to manage every thing with difcretion ; to be modeft and virtuous with all purity of manners ; to be careful and induftrious houfewives, not gadding about like idle bufy-bodies, (1 Tim. v.
J3-) NOTE.
* Some have thought that aged men are mentioned by way diftindtion from and women, in this and the next verfe, them, <ver. 4. 5, 6. the context deter- are meant of church-officers, fuch as el- mines the reference to elderly per/cms, as ^ers and deaconefies : But as young men fuperiors; and elders in office had been and women and not private Cbriftians, described in the preceding chapter.
Chap. ii. Titus paraphrafed. 239
13.) but keeping as much as may be at home, and .minding the affairs of their families ; to he meek and good tempered toward their fervants, and all they have to do with ; and to pay due refpeft and obedi- ence, in all lawful things, to their huibands, that they may never give the lead occafion for any to {peak reproachfully of the word or ways of God, as though thefe encouraged any diforderly practice.
6 Young men 5 jn jj]ce manner, advife and excite young men, hkewile exhort to c ir pl n- ■ l ri 1 a be fober-minded. P™feliing Chnftianity, to be confiderate, chalte,
meek, and fober ; and to maintain a due government of their temper and paffions, which are apt to be too warm and impetuous, ram, proud, wilful, and fro- lickfomc, at their blooming age.
7 In all things 7, 8 And if you would have thefe things believed mewing thyfelf a an(j praftjfed by others, Be efpecially careful to draw works" i^dodnne tnem out to t^ie n^e» an0^ recommend them in your /hewing uncor- own behaviour, by being yourfelf an exa£t. pattern of ruptneis, gravity, every thing that is good and excellent in itfelf, and fincerity, beneficial to men : And, in all your preaching, de-
8 Sound fpeech jj noth{n„- but the pure, unmixed dodrine of thrift, that cannot be con- . & *\ ». ' demned • that he Wltn dilinterelted lingle aims at the glory 01 God and that is of the con- the good of fouls ; with becoming ferioufnefs and ve- trary part, may be nerable gravity ; and with all fimplicity and godly fin- athamed having cer{t and jn fuch fcriptural, eafy, and fignincant no evil thing to lay , ; ' . r . , t ' ; . , . fa , . of you. language, as is luited to convey your ideas in a plain,
determinate meaning, according to the truth of the gofpel ; and as mall neither miflead your hearers, -nor be juftly objc £ted to, either for its ambiguity, obicu- rity, or fallhood ; that fo your molt critical, carping, and cavilling enemies may even biufn and be confound- ed, as finding that there is no room for the reproach- es, and invidious charges of error in doctrine, or mif- demeanor in practice, which they were endeavouring to faften upon you, and your followers.
9 Exhort fer- 9 And whereas there are fome judaizers, "who vants to be obedi- Would perfuade fuch converted flaves, as are the pro- ent unto their own rr 1 1 n u . v • . i 1 r matters and to PertT °* heathen mailers, that it is not lawful for
pleafe them well in them to continue in their fervice, You ought to guard
all things; not an- againft fuch an encroachment on civil rights; and
f veering again. prefs Up0n au believing fervants, whether flaves or o-
thers, the duty of continuing, as much as ever, and
upon better principles than ever before, to be 1
ent in all lawful things to their aarthly matters, Hot
on/y to the good and gentle, but alio to thefrov.
{1 Pet. ii. 18.) and to endeavour to behave in fuch
a courteous, obliging, and diligent maimer, as mail
win their favour, and give them a great deal of plea-
fure in feeing all their juft and reafonable commands
executed : And exhort fervants to be fo well fatisfied
with their ftation, and the duties of it, as chearfalry
Vol. V. I i to
240
io Not purloin- ing, but flie wing all good fidelity ; that they may a- dorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in ail things.
The Epiflle to
Chap. ii.
11 For the prace of God that bring- eth falvation, h*th appeared to ail
men :
1 a Teaching u«,
that denyi:.
godli;. and
lly lufcs, we
. irve foberiy,
righteodfly, and
godly in this pre-
orld ;
to attend to them, without murmuring, or difputing againit them, or returning rude and faucy anfwers, when they are ordered to do any thing they do not like, or are reproved for their faults.
10 And charge them to be ftrictly juft and honefl ; (fee Eph. vi. 5, 6. and Col. iii. 22, 23.) never dar- ing to wade, embezzle, or fecret to their own ufe, any of their mailer's goods, money, or provifions, be- yond his allowance of what is fit and needful for them; but always to be approving themfelves, as good and faithful fervants, that punctually obey his orders, and do the beft they can for his honour and advantage, like perfons that make his intereft their own ; (<v#) to the end that they may be a credit to the gofpel, and to their holy profefiion of it, and may thereby ilrike conviction upon the confeiences'sf their infidel mat- ters ,themfelves, as well as others, of the excellency, purity, and power of the do&rine of the bleiTed God, even our Saviour Jefus Chrift, (ver. 13. fee the note there) with regard to all civil and moral, as well a* religious duties, in every relation of life.
1 1 For the gofpel of the grace of God, particularly under the New Teftament-difpenfation of it, ■■( Ephefi iii. 2.) which is the effect of his free favour, and re- veals it to us ; and is the means of working grace in our hearts, as it brings glad tidings of deliverance from fin and wrath, and of eternal happinefs through Jefus Chrift, and fhows the way of obtaining this great falvation by faith in him, has now fhone forth in all its light and glory, (ssrspavu) like the rifing fun, upon all nations, to whom he ordered it to be preached, ( Mat. xxviii. 19. and Mark xvi. 15.) and upon all forts of the finful fons and daughters of men, whether Jews or heathens, young or old, mailers or fervants. (ver. 2, — 9.)
12 And its great and holy tendency and defign, together with its effectual working in thofe of us who believe, is to teach and oblige us, whatever our civil
16ns be, that, renouncing, abhorring and utterly forfaking all infidelity , idolatry, and impiety of every .', contrary to the fujl table of the moral law; all irregular inclinations and defires, contrary 'e fecond tabic, which confift in the I '/ft of the , the luj) of the eye, and the pride of life, ( I John ii. 16.) and which worldly minded men indulge and gratify, and place their happinefs in ; that, abandon- and deteiting all thefe, we mould be wifely care- ful to lead a life of purity and ianctity, in a due go- vernment of our paflions and appetites; in a juft, ho- neit, equitable and benevolent behaviour -toward men, doing by them as we would be done by > (Luke vL
3T-)
Chap. ii. Titus paraphrafed. 241
31.) and in all ads of public and private worfhip and devotion toward God, according to his word, in the exercife of every grace, and celebration of all his ordinances, and observation of ail his commandments, as long as we continue in this prefent world oi fin, temptation, and fnares.
13 Looking for 1 3 And it teaches, encourages, and animates us that bletl'ed hope, to do all this, by the moft constraining motives, at
anCLr!ne<r of "tS PCrfonS wh° look with an CYQ °f taith> and Wait with E?e«rilGGd and earne^ expectation and longing dciire, and yet with our Saviour Jefus fubmiffive patience, tor the perfect, all-comprehend- Chrift : ing, and everlaiting felicity of the heavenly ftate, in
the immediate prefence of Chrift, which is the great object of our joyful hope ; and for the illuftrious ap- pearing of the great and mighty God, {Ifa. ix. 6.) * even our dear Lord, Redeemer, and Saviour Jefus Chrift, who, at his lecond coming without fin to falvation, ( fieb. ix. 28.) will appear on his throne of judgment, like himieif, in all the majefly, beauty, grandeur, and brightnefs of his divine and mediatori- % al glory, and in the glory of his Father, and of all his holy furrounding angels; (Mat.h. xvi. 27. and xxv. 31. and Mark viii. 38.) and will come to be glorified in his faint '.1, and admired in all them that believe. (2 Thef. i. 10.)
14 Who gave 1 4 And what may we not look and hope for from hirrrfelf for us, that him, who loved us, at fo high, matchlefs, and afto- he migtit redeem ni{h;ng a rate as freely to devote and give up his own us from all lniqm. ^ r ir r 1 j 1 j .l ji r \ j ty, and purify un. great fe"> loul and Dodv> to the moit Panful and to'himtelf a pecu. ignominious death of the crofs ? This he willingly liar people, zealous fuffcred for our fakes, and in our room and ftead, of good works. £jj pet% -. 18.) that he might effectually redeem us
by his blood from the power and tyranny, as well as
from the guilt and punifhment, of all our fins, and
at length from the in- being of them ; and might fan£ti-
I i 2 fy,
N d T E.
* It feems to me, that ovrr Lord Je- ways, exegetical of the firft, to intimate
jus Chrift, is meant by God our Saviour, that they both belong to the fame fub-
ver. 10. he being, moft ftrictly fpeak- jecl ; (tee the note on Eph. i. 1.) and
ing, the Saviour, and moft frequently "in all the New Teftament the Father is
ftyled in the New Teftament our Savi- never laid to appear : But we often
cur, and very often God ; and may be read of the appearing of our Lord Jefus
conlidered, as there diftinguifhed from Chrift to judgment, which is repreient-
God the Father, whole gol'pel of grace ed, as what will be exceeding giori-
is faid to have appeared to all men in ous ; and he is fpoken of, by way of em-
the next verfe : However, I am well phafis, as our hope, and the hope of glo-
fatisfied. that he is meant here by the ry. (Col. i. 27. and 2 Tim. i. 1.) And
great God, and, or as I think it might though Chrift will come in his Father's
be better rendered, even our Saviour-, as well as his own glory ; yet it is not
Jefus Chriji ; becaufe the article in the the p erf on of the Father, but of the Son,
Greek is prefixed to the great God, and that will t<ien come, and make his ap-
not repeated before our Saviour Jefus pearance, Col. iii. 4. and 1 Pet. v. 4.
Chrift, in which pofition of the article (See my diicourfe on Jefus Chi tft
the lait title is uiually, though not al- man, pag. 5s, 59.)
242 The Epiftle to Chap. ii.
fy, clean fe, and feparate us to himfelf for facred ufe, and for his glory, as his fpeclal, precious, and peculiar property, by his Father's gift, his own purchafe, and our own free and full content in the day of his power, that we might be zealoufly affected towards him and his caufe, and fervent in ipirit to ferve him in the per- formance of every work, which in its own nature, or by hi? appointment, and in his account, is good and honourable, as being done upon gdod principles to good ends, and in a right manner, according to the good rule laid down in his word. t 5 Thefe things 15 Thefe are things of fo vait importance, and are jfieak and exhort, rQ vehemently oppofed, or corrupted by the enemies and rebuke with c ™ -n / 1 • r 1 t_ i . v
all authority. Let °* ^hriit and his goipel, that you ought to be very
no man defpite earneft in preaching and inculcating them, and in t'iee- fharply reproving the men and their errors and vices,
that fet themfelves again ft them ; and you fhould do this with all the authority that Chrill has given you in the execution of your office. All this ought to be managed with fuch prudence, faithfulnefs, and gravi- ty, as mall raife you, and your office, above the con- tempt of your mod fcornful and haughty enemies.
RECOLLECTIONS.
Kow carefully fhould minifters adhere to, preach, and apply the pure doctrine of the gofpel, and the duties that are anfwerable to it, for exhortation, confola- tion, and leproof, as there may be occafion ; and do this with fuch gravity, fince- rity, faithfulnefs, and authority in the name of Chrift, and with fuch plain fcriptu- ral language, and exemplary behaviour in their own lives, as fhall raife them a- bove contempt, and make their enemies afhamed of their endeavours to reproach them ! The duties, as well as doctrines of Chriftianity, are to be taught and ur- ged, not only in a general way, but with particular application, as occafions re- quire, to believers of all circumftances and conditions ; to aged men and women, that they may be grave, ferious, temperate in all things, found in the faith, in- ftructive and exemplary in every s^race, as becomes perfons of their {landing in years, and in their holy profeffion ; to younger people of both fexes, that they may be prudent, chafte, and temperate, and may be wife and affectionate in dischar- ging the duties of their relpective relations ; and to fervants of all ranks, that they may (tudy to pleafe their earthly matters of every character; and may be obedi- ent to their juft commands, faithful, induftrious, and ftrictly honeft, in managing all their affairs, and not pert and arrogant in giving word for word : Such beha- viour reflects an honour upon their Chriftian profeffion, and the gofpel of the giace of God. And O what a bieffed gofpel is this ! It teaches, and obliges the profef- forsofit, to abandon all irreligiotl and profanenefs, and all inordinate inclinations to the ; I honours of this world; and to live in the practice of all ibbri-
ety, honetty, and piety ; and it encourages them to look and hope for the heavenly happiuefs; which fhall be brought to every true believer at the bleffed and glori- ous appearing of Jefus Chrift, who is the great God and their Saviour; and who gave himfelf to death for them, that he might redeem them from the guilt and do- minion, and at length from the remainder of all fin, and might lauetiiy them tor himfelf, as a peculiar people, zealoufly devoted to God, and cheajfully abounding in all good works to his praife and glory.
CHAP.
Chap. iii. Titus paraphrafed. 243
CHAP. III.
The apojile goes on to give orders about obedience to civil ma^ifrates, and a becoming behaviour towards all men, i, 2. Infoices them from a conjideration oj what believers ihemfe/ves were before con- vet fion> and are made to be, through Je/us Chrif, by regenera- ting and juftijying grace, 3, — 7. Puts Titus upon urging ihefe things 9 to the end that good works may be pra&ifed by believers, and upon avoiding vain and ufeiefs d'/piiter, 8, 9. Injifls on his rejecling a heretic, after due admonition, 10, II, Dejires that he. would come, and bring Zenas and Apollos with him to Nico- polis, recommends good works for nece//'ary purpojh, 1 2, — 14. And concludes , as ufual, with falutations, and a benediction, 15.
Text. Paraphrase.
pUT them in A S judaizing zealots endeavour to difluade Chrif-
mind to be fub- A tians from ovvninQr the authority of heathen go-
ject to pnncipali- . & , . J . n &
ties and powers, to vernors, you ought to guard them againit an error,
obey magiftrates, fo contrary to the delign of the gofpel, and deftruc-
to be ready to eve- tive to the political liar e, and to the civil power of
ry good work, rulers over it . Let therefore an the profeffors of
Chrift's name be admonifhed of their duty, to be peaceably fubmiffive to fupreme and fubordinate go- vernors ; ( 1 Pet. ii. 13, 14.) and to pay a confeienti- ous obedience to all the juft laws of civil magiftrates, who, whether they be Chriftians or not, are ordain- ed of God for the good of the community ; [Horn. xiii. 1, — 4. fee the notes there) and to be chearfully willing to do every lawful thing that they require ; as alio to perform every duty, that is owing to per- fons of all degrees and ftations, yea, good works of every kind, relating to God, ouritlves, and others. 7 To fpeak evil 2 Caution them likewTife againfl reviling any one, of no man, to be of whatever rank, nation, or religion he be ; againit no brawlers, but falfely charging any crime upon him ; or expofing gentle, fhew.ng all hj chara& wJth an ffl def b divulging even
nieeknefs unto all , . . , . ' . ., & r 1 •
men> the bad things he may be guilty of ; or ever doing it
at all, unlefs fome valuable end is to be anfwered by it : Warn them againfl: a litigious, quarreliome tem- per and behaviour, to the difturbance of civil or re- ligious communities : Teach them, on the contrary, to be of an equitable, candid, yielding fpirit ; and to manifeft an humble, mild, and good temper in all their words and actions, towards all forts of men, e- ven enemies, and ungodly people themfelves. 3 For we our- 3 And we furely ought to be ready to go into felves alio were fUGh an humble and candid difpofition toward thofe
^iobedTe'nt ^de- that 3re n° WOrfe than we °nce Were> a"d» if ** l° 'ccived ourfelves, mould ftill have been : For while we were
in
244 7fe Epjftle to Chap, iil
ceived, ferving di- {n a ftate of nature, under the power of the corrup-
for^UftHv"ngPlete tions that reignei^iyi us, even we ourfelves were then
mahce and envy, deilitute of all lpfritual knowledge and wifdom relat-
hateful,V?#<* hating ing to our duty and happinefs ; were diiobedient to
one another. God, and to his holy, juft, and good laws; were
wandering ( yXxvuuivot) from him, and from the way
of life and peace, being fedu^ed by the treachery of
our own hearts, by falle teachers, and the temptations
of Satan, and of this evil world ; were perfect flaves
to various finfUl inclinations and fenfual pleafures ;
yea, were fpending bur time in a malicious way of
wifhing and doing ill to thole that did not pleafe us,
and in envious thoughts at the honour and advantages
of thofe that were above us : And fo, upon the
whole, we were moll deteitable creatures, odious in
ourfelves, and to God and all good men * ; and full of
bitter enmity one againft another, according to our
different paffions and intereits, and moll flagrantly fo,
as we were either Jews or Gent He r, who reciprocally
had an implacable averfion to each other, as fuch.
4 But after that 4 But a holy and happy change was made upon the kmdnefs and who W£re j thof hideous circumftances, when love of God our ; r , ... r -. . , " . ; Saviour toward thc tranlcendent benignity ot God, who contrived, man appeared, ordained, and brought about, our falvation by Jefus
Chrilt, and his aftoniming philanthropy, (tptXuv&oo)- ma) or fpecial loving kindnefs to finners of mankind, in diftin&ion from the fallen angels, (nntpccvi) broke out, and fhone forth with illuitrious and reviving beams, upon us, in the preaching of the gofpel, and in the rifing of the Sun of right eoufncfs himfelf upon our fouls, with healing in hir wings. (Mai. iv. 2.)
5 Not by works 5 As we had fo deeply plunged ourfelves into all of righteoufnefs, that is vile and hateful, It neither was, nor could
which vve have be, in confideration of any good or holy works which*. done, but accord- 7 , , f , J © . ' *•
ing to his mercy we had performed, that God was induced to mow us he feved us, by the fo high favour, there having been nothing of that wafliing of rege- kind, but every thing of a contrary ilrain found in nc' us ; but it was merely of his own free, felf-moving,
and NOTE. * Hating one another (/uicrpvihc kxm- And, upon the clofeft attention, I can- X01/5) feems directty to point to the na- not find one character in the whole de- tional enmity that was between the fcription, that may not be applied in Jews and Gentiles; and as there was common to them ; much lefs can I think, as much on the Jenvs part againft the with fome, that the apoftle fliould all Gentiles, as on the Gentiles againft the along mean only himfelf, in an argu- Jt'ivs, and rather more, it carries a ment to enforce upon all believers the ftrong intimation, that the apoftle does duties he had before been recommend- not, in this and the following verfes, hlg to them ; and that, without giving ipeak merely of the wretched vile ftate the leaft hint of fuch a defign in the va- of the Gentiles by nature, and their re- nation of his ftyle, or in the tenor of his covery by grace ; but of nfankind jn ge- difcourfe, cr in any part of the prece- r.eral, inclufive of the Jew's, and of ding or following verfes. bimfeif and Titus, as well as others :
Chap. iii. Titus paraphrafed. 2 45
neration, and re- undeferved and forfeited, yea, abufed and provoked newing of the holy mercy, and according to its own companionate pro- Ghoft ; penfions, that he brought us out of that deplorable
condition into a (late of falvatt'on, through the clean- ing virtue of regenerating, grace, which was fignih\d by our baptifm "with water, (fee the note on Ef>h. v. 26.) and was effected by that renovation in the fpirit of our minds, which was wrought in us by the fpeci- al operation of the Holy Spirit.
6 Which he 6 Which Holy Spirit, in his gifts and graces, flied on us abun- God the Father poured out from on high upon us dantly, through wit|1 t^e greateft riches and abundance, according to Jefus Chrift our his infinite mercy, («r. 5.) and his promife relating
to gofpel- times, (Ifa. xliv. 3. fee the notes on ABs ii. 38, 41 ) through the mediation, merit, and exalt- ation of Jefus Chrift, who is our immediate Saviour, as he purchafed all falvation for us, and beftows it upon us ;
7 That being 7 That being brought into a ftate of pardon and juftified by his acceptance with God to eternal life, through faith grace, we fhould {n hJm> under the Spirit's influence, and fo difchar- co'rdTng to the hc^ g^ from guilt and condemnation by the free grace of of eternal life. God, on account of the perfect nghteoulneis ot Je- fus Chrift the Saviour, we might be brought as children into his family ; (John i. 12.) and, being children, might be heirs of God, arid joint-heirs with Chrift, and be glorified together with htm, (Rom. viii. 17.) according to the folid ground of hope, which God has given us in Chrift, and in the promifes, and the grace of hope, which he has wrought in us upon that ground, of inheriting eter- nal life through a Redeemer.
8 This is a faith- 8 All that I have been faying is a true and faith- ful faying, and ful word, (Aoye?) which may, and ought to be, thefe things I will firmly believed ; and I wourd have you frequently af-
conftantlOU ^hTt ktt and Jnflft llP°" thtk imP0rtant thinSS in *he they2 which have courfe of your miniftry, relating to the wretched believed in God, ftate of man by nature, and the rich mercy of God might be careful through Jefus Chrift our Saviour, for regeneration, wor^'thefetWn0! juft,ficati9n> and eternal life, («*) to the end that are* good f and pro* tnofe> who have believed in God through Chrift, ac- Mtable unto men. cording to the gofpel-revelation, might be induced, and excited thereby, to ufe the utmoft care and di- ligence to abound, excel, and lead the way to others, (y.aXuv i^yuv zr^mfeteB-xt) in all luch works, as are ho- nourable to God, and Chrift, and to the Chriftian character. Thefe doctrines, and the good works to which they manifeftly tend, are every way excellent in their own nature ; and though God cannot be profited by them, they are exceeding ufeful and be- neficial to mankind.
9 But
246 The •Epiftle to Chap. iii.
9 But avoid fool- 9 But keep yourfelf clear off, and endeavour to ifh queftions, and difcountenance thofe fenfelefs, idle, doating quefti- gpnealogies, and that • daizing teachers are fo fond of; and thofe contentions, and '. J „ - ° . r , . - . drivings about the intricate endlefs genealogies, for making out their law: for they are own lineage from this and the other particular tribe unprofitable and ar,d family, (fee the firft note on 1 Tim. i. 4 ) which vaiil- are of no manner of advantage, after the Mefiiah has
come, and put an end to^their church-ftate and polity; as alfo their litigious controverfies, and warm con- tendings about the fenfe and obligation of the cere- monial law, which they would introduce into the gofpel difpenfation : For all thefe difputes are entire- ly ufelefs, as anfvvering no good purpofe : Nay, they are (parccix) foolifh and prejudicial, as turning to a very bad account, for fowing difcord, corrupt- ing the gofpel of Chrift, and hindering the practice of real godlinefs.
10 A man that 10 If any profeffor of Chriftianity, or member of is an heritic, after a church, entertain and boldly affert fuch errors, as Idmonhi^fre^ overthrow the foundation doftrines of the gofpel;
' ' and efpecially if he evidently appear to do it with a
heretical heart, to gratify his own pride, and make himfelf the head of a contrary fed, or out of preju- dice againft the truths themfelves, becaufe they lie in direct oppofition to his own lulls ; let him be fo- lemnly admonifhed and warned, a firft and fecond time, of his fin and danger ; and if, after this, he mall ftill obftinately perfift in his deftructive errors ; reject: him and all communion with him ; avoid his company ; caution others againft him ; and have nothing to do with fuch an incorrigible herefiarch, or fectary of his ftamp. 1 1 Knowing j j jror y0U may De weU fatisfied, that fuch a man that he that is jg utterl turned off frQm ChHft the foundation, and luch is fubverted, r ./ r . , t , r . a , .
and finneth, being *rorn a^ goodnefs ; and that he fins againit his own condemned of him- foul, if not againft his own confcience, and lins againft felt', the divine authority, light and truth of the gofpel-re-
velation : His own avowing, and perfifting in thefe pernicious errors, is fufficient, without any further proof, to convict him of them; and fo out of his own mouth he is judged, as being felf-condemned : And he hereby practically paffes judgment againft, and condemns himfelf, as not fit to ftand in any relation to, or have any fellowfhip with, the true church of Chrift *.
12 I have NOTE. * The piraphrafe hints the common But it chiefly goes upon what I take notion of a heretic, as one that appears to be the true notion of /elf condemned, to be fo wicked and perverfe, as to act (auroxa7ax?<Toj ) as fignifying one whofe againft his own confcience in broaching own confejjion is enough to convict and maintaining fundamental error: him, without any further proof. In this
manner
Chap.
in.
Titus paraphrafed.
247
be diligent to come unto me to Nicopo- lis : for I have de- termined there to winter.
12 When I (hall 12 I have given you thefe brief inflru&ions, how fend Artemas unto to condua in your prefent critical fituation ; and hone thee, or Tychicus, . ,, J ^r. P . ,. , » ,Ar
to have an opportunity or adding what may be of
further ufe to you, in perfonal converfation, as foon as I can well fpare, and (hall fend either Ar'cmas or Tychicus, a beloved brother, and faithful m in the Lord, (Eph. vi. 21.) to fupply your place, and take care of the churches at Crete: As foon as either of them arrive, I beg that you would make all convenient fpeed in coming to me at Nicopoli$J*a where you will probably meet with me : For I pur- pofe, God willing, to go thither in a little time, and take up my winter-quarters there.
13 And
NOTES.
manner we may underftand a per fan to province of Greece, on the weft towards co?idemned of Italy. (See Wells's Geography of the
be felf-condemned, or himfelf, when evidence of the charge againft. him rifes from his own confef- Jion, without any need of further wit- neffes. Thus Job laid, {chap. ix. zo.) If I jujlify my f elf, my own mouth Jhall condemn me ; if I fay I am perfect, it JIj all alfo prove me perverfe ; that is, my own words would condemn me, as a vain proud boafter : And Eliphas faid of jfob, (chap. xv. 5, 6.) '1 by mouth ut- ters thine iniquity, and thou cboofe/l the tongue of the crafty ; thine own mouth condemns thee, and not I ; yea, thine own lips teftify againft thee. When the flothful fervant hid his Lord's talent in a napkin, and went about to excufe it by a difhonoura,ble and unjuft charge againft his Lord himself. He faid unto him, Out of thine own mouth I •will judge thee, thou wicked fer sunt ; (Luke xix. 22.) and when our Lord owned himfelf to be the Cbri/i, the Son of the Blejfed, the high prieji rent his clothes, and faid, What need we any fu> ther witnejjes ? Te have heard the blafphemy, what think ye ? And they all condemned him to be guilty of death. (Mark xiv. 62, 63, 64.) It appears hum all thefe inftances, that by a perforfs own confcffion, whether of real or fup- pofed crimes, he is looked upon as felf- condemned. And in the account that men jhall give oj every idle word in the dav of judgment, Chrift fays, By thy words thou /halt be jujlified, and by thy words thou [halt be condemned. (Mat. xii. 36, 37-)
* This Nicopolis is mod probably
New Teftament, part 2. p. 69 ) But, wherever it was, it is plain that this e- piftle was not written from thence, as the poftfeript further makes it; for, had the apoftle been then at Nicopolis, it would have been moft proper for him to have faid, I have determined to winter here, and not there, (ekh) This alio (hows that he was then at liberty ; and gives ground to think, that this epiftle was wrote between his rirft and fecond imprilbnment at Rome: And his defiring Titus to come to him at Nicopolis. and propofing to fend Artemas, or Tyckicus to fupply his place at Crete, carries a ftroivg intimation, that Titus was not. as fome would have it, and the pofticript avers, the firit bifhop of the church of the Cretians ; but that he was an evan- gelift, who, according to the nature of that office, had no fixed refidence ; but travelled about, as occafions required, from place to place, to affift the apoftles in their work, and come to them, on their meffages, wherever they might fend them. We have no certain account of tip is Artemas, uor of Zenas the law- yer, mentioned in the next verfe. beyond what is here faid of them; but Titus, no doubt, well kne^w them, at leaft by name, to be perfons of worthy charac- ter; and Zenas being joined with J- pollos. (ver 15.) who was a Jew,, is thought by fome to have been an inter- preter of the Jewijh law; but G ton us fuppofes, that he might be a Roman lawyer, as not doubting but that many fuch became minifters of Cbrift; becsufe
judged, by Bifhop Pearfon, and others, they faw that all juft and righteous pre-
to be, not, as the pofticript of this epif- cepts were eminently contained in his re.-
tle fays, in Macedonia, but a town of ligion.
that name upon the fca-coalt of Epirvs, a „
Vol. V. K k
243 The Epi/fle to Chap, in.
13 Bring Zenas ig And when you fet out for that place, take care the lawyer, and A- to kr;np. Zenas the lawyer, and the zealous, labori- pollos, on their °, , /in 1 \ a. ••• \ journey diligently, ous> an.d eloquent Apollos, (Afts xvm. 24, 25.) a- that nothing be long with you ; and to provide every thing that may wanting unto be needful to bear their expences, and accommodate them- them in their journey, that nothing proper and con- venient for them in the way may be deficient, or lack- ing to them.
14 And let ours 14 And leave it as a charge with all our Chriftian aito leam to main ftfencls an(J brethren at Cre'e, and wherever you meet
for" nIceflaryTfes8, Tlt^ them' that the^ be P1"011^1 and willing to excel that they be not *n ^ac^ g°°d works of benevolence and hofpitality, unfruitful, by entertaining religious ftrangers, and efpecially fuch
gofpel preachers, as I have been but now recommend- ing to you, (ver. 12, 13.) and indeed in every good work, that is laudable and ufeful, for the neceflary pur- pofes of glorifying God, and doing good to all men, and erfieci ally to them ofthehouffjoldoffaith, (Gal. vi. 10.) that they may neither be unprofitable to them, nor barren or unfruitful themfelves, in the knoiikled^e of our Lord and Saviour Jefus Chrijl. (2 Pet. i. 8.)
15 All that are 15 All the Chriftian brethren, who are at prefent with me falute herCj jQ{n wjtn me {n fending their afFeclionate falu- that love'us in the tat'ons in tne Lord, particularly to yourfelf : And faith. Grace be as I nave wrote this letter for the ufe and benefit of with you all the churches in Crete, as well as for your own direc- Amiln- tion in the difcharge of your office toward them, I
delire that the like kind falutations may be prefented to all thofe of them, that fincerely love us, with a Chriftian love, for the fake of that faifh, which we embrace and preach, profefs and propogate, which they themfelves alfo have received, and which works by love. May the free favour of God the Father, and of Jefus Chrift, and the Holy Ghoft, together with all its manifeftations, and blefled fruits, abound towards all and every one of you: (fee 2 Cor. xiii. 14.) This I heartily wifh and pray may be, and hum- bly hope and trull will be your happy cafe, in token of which I fincerely and affectionately add, Amen.
RECOLLECTIONS.
How friendly is the Chriftian religion to civil government, and to an univerfal benevolence toward perfons of every rank and character '. And what l\veet and powerful arguments does it afford to every work of piety toward God, of felf-go- verriment, and of r< ndernefs to the characters, together with meeknefs and gen- tlenefs toward the perfons of ail mankind, whether friends or foes ! May we often think how wretchedly vile we were, in our natural date, to make us humble in our own eyes, and lavourable in our difpofnions towards others that are in like deplorable circumlhnces (till ! We ourfelves were foolifh, dilbbedient, wanderers from God and goodne's. (laves to fenfual pallion* and appetites, malicious, envious, odious, and bitter enemies to the happinefs of one or other of our fellow creatures. But O the riches and freenefs of divine mercy and grace, which, notwithftanding.
all
Chap. iii. Titus paraphrafed. 249
all this unworthinefs and finfulnefs, has made a blefled change in our temper and condition, by means of the gofpel, when it came to us in the light and energy of the Spirit ! We are hereby brought into a ftate of grace, regenerated, juftiried, and made heirs of eternal life, and have the raoft folid grounds for a comfortable and allured hope of a complete, enjoyment of it And O with what affecting demon- ftration does it appear, that this could never be for the fake of any good thing done by, or found in, fuch abominable Tinners as we were; but is all entirely owing to the mere mercy and grace of God, through Jefus CLrift our Saviour, and is made ef- fectual to us by the fpecial operation of his Spirit ! that the glory of it all may be afcribed to the Sacred Three, according to their joint agency, and concernment in bringing about our falvation 1 And how mould thefe true and important fayings of God, be often inculcated, and impreffed upon the minds and hearts of believers, for exciting and engaging their diligent care to excel in all works of piety, rig!.' ouC- nefs, and charity, that are good and lovely in themfelves, and ufeful to mankind I How mould they lhun all trifling, contentious, ?nd unprofitable difputes about re- ligion ! And with what ierioufnefs fhould obit in ate heretics be warned of their dangerous errors, by orderly admonitions ! But, in cafe of contumacy, with what deteftation fhould they be rejected, as perfons that would overthrow the founda- tion of the Chriftian faith, and that evidently labour at this, atxl perfift in it, as their own felf-condemnir.g profefllon fufficiently teftifies, whether it be againft the dictates of their own conferences or not ! But how fincerely affectionate fhould found believers be one to another, as partakers of the fame common faith ; and how ready to affift each other in all their wants, and to give, and receive mutual Salutations in the Lord \ May the love and grace of God the Farher, Son, and Spirit, be with all thofe that love our Lord Jefus Chrilt in lincerity and truth ' Amen.
Kk i h PR AC-
A PRACTICAL
EXPOSITION
OF THE
EPISTLE of the APOSTLE PAUL
T O
PHILEMON,
IN THE FORM OF A
PARAPHRASE.
The PREFACE to the EPISTLE to PHILEMON.
""T^HIS Eplfile to Philemon, though very fhort, and wrote (as A fome think about the year 60, or, as others fay, 63) on a private occafion, is very nervous, entertaining, and instructive. It is the moft perfect pattern of familiar letter-writing, every way wor- Thy of the great apoitle, and of our efteem and imitation : It gives us a moil remarkable inilance of the free and fovereign grace of GoJ to as abandoned a wretch as can well be imagined ', and of Pro- vidence's over-ruling, even his wickednefs to fubferve the deiign of grace towards him : And it contains the livelieit fentiments of flow- ing tendernefs, generofity, and humanity, and the finelt art of per- fuafive rhetoric and genteel addrefs, together with the native beau- ty of Chriitian companion, condefcenfion, charity, and love. The characters, under which the apoitle fpeaks of himfelf, and of Phile- mon and Onejimus, with the reprefentations he makes of their re- fpcc*tive circumiiances, and the judicious flruclurc of the whole e- piftle, with every thought, and indeed every word, from firfi to Iaft, in its proper place, are calculated with almoll inimitable dex- . and yet with a natural, unaffected, eafy turn, and godly fin- cerity, to anfwer its main point in view.
Philemon, to whom this letter was wrote, appears in the light of
rrineht Chriitian, though, perhaps, naturally of a ftiff temper,
: to refent offences : He, probably, was a perfon of con-
iiderable worldly fubllance, and converted by the apuflle's inftru-
iity, ver. 1, — 4, and 7> — IQ- ', and he feems to have been a
for Onefimus is faid to be one of them. Col. iv. 9. ; and
Archippufy who is laluted here, [ver. 2.) is direcled to take heed
to his miniftry there, Col. iv. 17.
QneJtmuSi on whofe behalf the apoPle wrote, was Philemon's . and had turned a thief and runagate, who, in his. rambles,
came
The Epijlle, &c. 251
came to Rome, at the time of the apoftle Paul's firft confinement there, as appears from the hope he expreffes of his coming to Coloffe, ver. 22. anfwerable to like expreffions of it in that fituation, Phil. i. 25. and ii. 24. ; whereas, in his fecond imprifonment, he had no doubt but that the time of his departure was then at hand, 2 Tim. iv. 6. ; but, in his firii imprilbnment, he was allowed to preach to company that came to him in his own hired houfe, where he dwelt as a prifoner at large, ASIA xxviii. 30, 31. (See the note there.) And Onefimus, being brought by the providence of God under thefe miniitrations, the Holy Spit it let the word home upon his heart to make it effectual for his converfion, which laid the foundation of a molt cordial love between the apottle and him •, in fo much that Paul would have been glad to have him for his attendant, and Onefimus would willingly have waited upon him, in his confinement, ver. 13. But as the Chriftian religion makes no alteration in civil rights, and the apoftle had learnt that Onefimus was Philemon1* property by the laws of the country, he would not detain him ; but fending him back to his mailer, to whom he was willing to go, wrote this letter to dif- pofe Philemon to forgive former injuries, and to receive him into his family and favour again.
After a very moving and endearing falutation, 1, — 3, and mofil af~ feBionatc expreffions of joy and praife, on account of Philemon'x feady faith in the Lord Jefus, and love to all the faints, and par- ticularly to the poor among them, 4, — 7, The apofile, with a mojl obliging addrefs, opens the companionate defign of his letter, and throws together a variety offurpnfing, welt adjuficd, and moving topics, to recommend Onefimus to PhilemonV kind regards, and en- gage him to accept of the return of his penitent fugitive, %uho would now make him a rich amends for all the mif demeanors, he had formerly been guilty of ',- and for whom the apojlle promifes to make up any I of s that Philemon had fufained by him, 6, — 22.; and then concludes, according to his cufiom, with jalutations, and a be- nediElion, 23^ — 25.
Text. Paraphrase.
PAUL a prifon- TJAUL, * who is now Suffering as a prifoner at er of Jefus £* Rom^ Qn account 0f his faithful teftimony to Je- thy our broiher", fus Chrift, in preaching the gcfpel of falvation alone unto Philemon our through faith in him ; and the excellent Timothy, deaily whos.
NOTE. * Since the apoftle intended to pro- ate generous foul, and fo to carry his ceed, not on the foot of authority, hut point, than if he had begun with Paul of friendjhip and love, in his addrefs to the apq/tle of Jefus Chrijl (which Phi- Philemon, (ver, S, 9.) his prefacing the lemon well knew him to be) as he ufu- epiftle with Paul, the prifoner of the ally did other epiftles, where any con- Lord, was more fuitable, decent, and cerned in them either denied or dilputed melting, a* well as condescending, and his authority. (See the note on Gal. i. i.\ more likely to work upon a compaffion-
~52
dearly beloved^ and fellow, labourer,
■2 And to our beloved Apphia, end Arcbippus our fellow- fo Idler, and to the church in thv houfe :
3 Grace to yon, snd peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jei"us
Chrift.
4 I thank my God, making men- tion or thee always in my prayers.
5 Hearing of thy love and faith, which thou haft toward the Lord j'eius, and toward all faints ;
The Epijlle to
who, as a Chriftian and minifter, is a brother in the houihold of faith, and in the work of the Lord, hear- tily join (lee the note I Car. i. i.) in fending this epiftle to Philemon, our dearly beloved brother in Chrift, (ver. 7.) and fellow- fervant for promoting his caufe and intereft, according to the advantageous ftation in which God has placed him * ; as alfo to the amiable silpphia, whom we love in the truth ; ( 2 John ver. 1.) and to the Colojjian minifter, /irchippus, who, having lifted under the banner of the Captain of falvation, wars a good warfare, as a fellow- foldier with us, for the advancement of his kingdom and glory ; and to the whole of your religious family, dear Philemon, which for the beauty of its difcipline and order, focial worfhip, harmony and holy conver- fation, is a lively image of a regular church of Chrift.
3 We moft affectionately unite in our earned wifh- es and prayers, that the riches of divine grace, in their utmoft extent, manifeftations, fruits and effects, and all manner of profperity for this world and a bet- ter, may be multiplied to all, and every one of you, (vluv)- by the free gift of God our heavenly Father, as the original fountain ; and by the mediation, merit, and communication of the Lord Jefus Chrift, as the grand appointed medium of conveyance, and the pro- curer and difpenfer of all, in the adminiftration of his office, as mediator.
4, 5 As to yourfelf in particular, my companion- ate good friend, Philemon, I am full of thankfgi- ving and praife, on your behaif, to my covenant-God and Father, bearing you on my heart, and mention- ing you before him with great delight in my daily addrelTes at the throne of grace, on account of what I have had the pleafure of hearing, upon good intel- ligence, of the continued ftedfaftnefs, lively exercifc
and
N O
* As to the perfons fainted in thefe two verfes, Philemon's being called a fellow-labourer may probably intimate, that he was engaged in the work of the miniitry, but does not certainly prove it; becaufe any that were affiltant to the apoftles, though but in private fta- tions, for helping forward the work of the Lord, were fometimes fpoken of un- der that character, as Aquila and Prif cilia were; (Rom. xvi. 3. fee the para- phrafe there) and they that holpitably received the fervants of Chrift. are call- ed felloiv- la homers (a-im^o,) to the truth, 3 John, ver. S. — Ap[>hia is fuppo- fed by fome of the ancients to have been Philemon's wife'; the epithet beloved
T E.
(xyaxnh*) is feminine, but the Alexan- drian, Claremojit, and other copies add. fifter. (Vid. Mill, in loc.)— Archippus was a minifter of the church at Colojfe ; (fee the paraphrafe on Col. iv. 17.) and Dr. Lightfoot inclined to think that he was Philemon's fon. or at leaft a fo- journer in his houfe. (Vol. J. p. 327 of his works.) — The church in Philemon\ houfe feems to take in the whole of his Chriftian family. (See the note on Rom^ xvi. 5.) And fo the apoftle faluted all that were dear to him, and dwelt with him, and (poke honourably and afle^t-ion- atelyofthem to ingratiate himfelf with them, and engage their in^reft with Philemon in favour of Qnejimus.
Philemon paraphr'ofed. 253
and increafe, and honourable profefiion of your faith, which you hold faft in a firm dependence on the per- fon and offices, righteoufnefs, grace, and government of Jefus * Chrift, who is the Lord of all, and of your growing and exemplary love to all the holy profeffors of his name, becaufe they vifibly bear his image, be- long to him, and are beloved of him.
6 That the com- 6 And, in reflection on this, my earneft requeft to munication of thy God for • that (baring in the common iaith may become r • u V/rni nr, effectual by the ac taitn may be e"edtual to engage you unto all further knowledging of e- »&s of generofity ; and that your readinefs to corn- very good thing municate, as the fruit of your faith, may be an ef- which is in you in fe&ual means of inducing all that hear of it, and Cnnft Jefus. efpecially that receive the benefit, to make the moft
grateful acknowledgments of all thofe kind and ho- ly difpofitions that are wrought and operate in you and your benevolent family (iv vfitv u$ X^ov Utxv) toward Jefus Chrift, and his poor members and fer- vants, for his fake, by virtue derived from him, and to his honour and glory, and the furtherance of his gofpel.
7 For we have 7 For 'tis an exceeding great joy and confoiation ^reat joy and con- to me in my bonds, as it alfo is to Timothy, (ver. I.) loiation in thy to think of the generous exprefiions of your fincere bowels ofTeTafnts l^e ; becaufe I am informed, that the hungry appe- are refreflied by ^tes an^ empty ftomachs of the poor, whether pri- thee, brother. vate Chriftians or holy minifters, are abundantly re- lieved and fatisfied, to the comforting of their hearts, by your charitable donations, my dear brother.
S Wherefore, 8 Encouraged therefore by yo~ur pious and com- though I might be pafiionate temper, though, were I to infift on my much bold ,n apoftolic authority, which I have received from Cnnft, to enjoin X, .a , i »• > • , . r
thee that which is <-hnlt> and on your obligations to me his iervanr, convenient, (ver, 19.) I might, with the high tone of a father,
take the freedom of commanding you to do what is proper, fit and right in the cafe I am going to recom- mend to you. 9 Yet for love's 9 Yet I rather choofe to wave that f , and, putting fake I rather be- myfelf upon a level with you, as your brother in ■ Chrift,
NOTES. * Faith manifeflly refers to the Lord " pofition, which will not be endured in jefus, and love to all the faints, accord- " E/iglifj ; but fuch ccr.ilruction is avow- ing to the natural order in which thefe " able in Greek, and ufed by the nobleft exprefiions are fet, Col. i. 4. ; and there- " authors. "
fore here, as well as in feveral other pla- f In what a har.dfome manner does ces, there mutt be allowed a tranfpofition the apollle juft hint, and immediately of words ; and fo the regular pofition of drcp, the cunfideranon of his authority them in this lentence is thus, Hearing of to command, and proceed, in the moft thy faith, which thou baft toward the tender and moving ilrain. upon the foot Lord Jefus, and love towards all the oilo-ve and friendship, to befeech P'.ile- faints. " Our tranfl Uors." fays Mr. man to hearken to him, as to hit friend^ Rldckwall in his facred dailies, Vol. I. Ms aged friend, and prifoner in the p3£. S7. " improperly retained the tranf. Lord, to work upon the veneration,
companion,
254 The Epijlleto
feech thee, being Chrift, (ver. 7. ) to entreat it of you, as fuch, by fuch a one as Paul a\\ the iovc> that the Lord himfelf, and I bear to
alfo^^rifoner^of you» and that ?0U .bear to.mm and nis Poor» and Tefiw Chnit. particularly to me his fuffering fervant ; and I can-
not doubt, but that your fenfe of the love of Chrift: to you, and your love to him and his members, and your compaffionate and tenderly fympathizing re- gards to me, will move you to do what in you lies to comfort me, when you confider that I am not on- ly Paul, your fail friend and brother, but your aged friend of ripe judgment, and grown old in the fer- vice of our common Lord ; and am now, under the infirmities and decays of advanced years, fuffering all the hardships of a prifon, through the malice of my enemies, for the fake of Jtfus Chrift and his gofpel, which I preach, and you have received. 10 I befeech 10 What I, in all love, would particularly requeft thee for my fon 0f yOU) an(j js ^t prefent occalion of my writing;, re- Onenmus, whom I ■> . 4 n. • 1 • j r *. il ^
have begotten in *ates t0 your mevving kmclneis to one, who, by a won- tuy bonds: derful change wrought upon him, is become as dear
to me, as though in a literal fenfe he were a fon that had proceeded from my own bowels: (ver. 12.) To fpr.ak plainly, if it may be without offence, I mean Onejimns, your poor (lave, to whom, what- foever he was before, 1 am become a fpiritual father, as having been inftrumental, through the grace of Chrift, in regenerating him by means of the word, which I have been permitted to preach in my confine- ment. ii Which in IX In this manner have I begotten him to Chrift, time pad was to wjj0 as j perceive by his own penitent confefiion,
thee unprofitable, •iiirri_. r 1 1 1 r
bat now profitable Wlt" brokenneis or heart, was formerly a worthlels to thee and to me: and injurious fervant to you ; but now, having paffed through the new birth, is become, according to the nullification of his name, a very vfeful one, and will approve himfelf to be diligent and faithful, to the ad- vantage of any that may employ him, as I have found him to be to myfelf fince his converfion. He would certainly make a very good fervant now to you, were you to take him again into your houfe and fa- vour ; NOTE. rompafilon, and kind regards of one, fentment (hould rife too high at the ve- whofe generous foul he had iuft befoie ry hearing it, with what fine addrefs warmed with the mod pleafing fenfa- does he only juft to uch upon his former tions that arife from doing good, by faults, and inftantiy pafs on to the hap- reciting, with joy and praife, the great py change that was made upon him, to love and liberality he had fliewn to all carry Philemon's thoughts off from what the faints ! ver. 4, — 7. And with what had been bad, to what now was good in endearment, in the next verfe, does he him ; and fo difpo<e him to attend to the call Onefimus his fon, before he fo much apoftle's requeft, and to all the motives as mentions his name ; and as foon as he he was going to advance to enforce it, ia had mentioned it, left Philemon's re- Onrfirnus's favour !
Philemon paraphrofed. 255
vour ; and I fhould reckon myfelf very happy in his fervice, were he to remain with me. ia Whom I have 12 Upon the proof I have had of him, and know- Tent again : thou ;ng j^ wjllingnefs to return and fubmit himfelf, and him6 that is^mine ma^e ^ humble acknowledgments of his former ewn bowels. crimes, and do his duty for time to come, I have
fent him back again to you, with this recommenda- tory letter ; I therefore earneftly befeech you, (ver. 10.) to receive him into your favour and family, for my fake, as well as for your own advantage, with the fame readinefs and affection, as you would any child of mine, tenderly beloved by me, as the fruit of my own body, and fo a part of myfelf, who fhall rejoice, or be grieved at heart, according to your good, or fevere treatment of him. 13 Whom I 13 For my own part, I would have gladly kept would have retain- him w{th mej to perform all the good offices toward cd with me that which j fatisfied were you here, you would
in thy ftead he , ' .... , _ ' r .' 1 • 1 •
might have minif- be willing to do for me yourlelf ; or which, in your tred unto me in ab fence, you would wifh any fervant of yours mould the bonds of the &Q {n your ftead, while I am loaded and confined with So(PeI* the chains, that, for preaching the gofpel, are laid
upon me, as a prifoner of Jefus Chrift. (ver. 9.)
14 But without 14 But how much foever I mould have chofen, thy mind would I an(j been pleafed with this, I confider him as your thynb0enefi!;(houW property, who have a legal right to him, and to all not be as it were his beft fervice ; and therefore would not take one of neceflity, but ftep this way, without your approbation and free con- willingly, fent, that the benefit I fhould receive from your fer- vant,; and confequently.from yourfelf, might not be extorted from you, as what you could not decently refufe ; but that it might be left entirely to your own choice, to do in it, juft as you think beft ; and that whatever favour you may {hew him and meg- it might not proceed from any force upon your inclination ; but merely from your own good-will and pleafure.
15 For perhaps j^ For, poffibly, the defign of Providence, in per- he therefore de- mJttiri£ his leaving you, and your lofing his fervice parted for a feafon, r 1? , • ° J. tie 1 /
that thou fhouldeft for a llttle time> as lt: were but. for an hour> W* <"" receive him for e- e,xv) was, not only that he might be brought under ver; thofe means of grace, which God intended to make
effectual for his converfion, who, under all the excel- lent opportunities he had in your eminently religious family, grew worfe and worfe ; but alfo that he might be made a fo much better fervant, and be fo ingrati- ated thereby to you, as might give you the greater pleafure and advantage in receiving him again, to con- tinue with you all the days of his life, * like thole
fervants
NOTE. * For evert here, in allnfion. as fome fuppofe. to Exod, xxi. 6. : could be- at Vol. V. 1 1 ! ;' . mcft
256
The Epiflk to
16 Not now as a feivant, but above a fervant, a bro- ther beloved, '"pe
unto thee, both in the flefh and in the Lord ?
17 If thou count mc therefore a partner, receive him as mvfelf.
fcrvants under the law, who faid, I love my moJ}erf and will not $0 out free; (Ex. xxi. 5.) and even to dwell with you in heaven to all eternity.
16 You may entertain him now, not merely as a common fervant or flave ; but as one that is worthy of ftill higher refpeft, even as a brother in the Lord,
cially to me', but greatly beloved of him, and of all his Oriftian ac- how moch more quaintance ; and efpecially of me, who have been the inftrument of this happy and holy change upon him, and have had the belt opportunities of obferving his honourable behaviour in confequence of it : But how much more (till ought he now to be affectionate- ly efteemed and valued by you, as your property, re- lating to the concerns of the body, and as henceforth your molt loving and dutiful fervant ; yea, as your brother in the faith and fellowfhip of the gofpel, and equal marer, as fuch, with you, in all the privileges and bleffings of Chrift's family and kingdom here, and for ever hereafter?
17 If therefore, upon the whole, you have any value and refpecl for me, and count me your friend, brother, fellow-labourer, and joint heir of grace and glory, and one, that has been bleffed of God to the good of your own foul ; and would make me a par- taker of that generous goodnefs, which you have been fo ready to fhow to others, (ver. 7.) I befeech you not to deny my requeft ; but receive him with the fame chearfulnefs and kindnefs, as you would my own perfon, who fo tenderly interefl myfelf in his cafe, and fhall reckon your favour to him, as fhewn to myfelf.
18 If (as there is great reafon to fear) you have fuftained lofs or damage, by his purloinings or em- bezzlements, be it to a greater or leffer degree ; or if he is any way in debt to you, let not that hinder your free reception of him. Though he be not able to make any reftitution, place all that to my ac- count * ; fo as, in a way of legal eitimation, to im- pute it to me, and make me anfwerable for it.
19 I Paul, your faithful friend, engage to you,
as I now do, under my own hand-writing, that (God mine ' ; 6' .„. x
willing J
NOTE S.
mod only to the end of the fervant's life ; * Put that on mine account. (ru7o t-
nor can it be carried any further, if we /tot tw-yu) or impute it to me, expreffes,
-. with Others, that the apoftle and fMvcs n^ a jult notion of proper impu-
referred to beatben-Je+vants, that were tatio/i. in a way of legal account; and
bought by the l/'rac/itet to be their this, with a fimilar verb of like fignifica-
bond-men and Kgnd-rbaids for ever. Lev. lion (Koyi&iLu) is rendered impute, with
., 46.: But the argument is. ftill regard to Jin and rigbtewfnefs, Rom. iv.
mure touching, on fuppofition that the 6, S. it. and v 13. Here then is a plain
bad a further eye to their eternal- inftance of the imputation of that to ano-
iv dWeiliag together in heaven. thcr, which was not his own before.
iS If he hath wronged thec, or oweth thee ought, put that on mine account.
19 I Paul have written it
iwine own hand, I will repay it : al- beit I do not fay to thee how thou owed unto me e- ven thine ownfelf befides.
20 Yea, bro- ther, let me have joy of thee in the Lord; refreih my bowels in the Lord.
21 Having con- fidence in thy obe- dience, I wrote unto thee, know- ing that thou wilt alfo do more than I fay.
ii But withal prepare me alfo a lodging: for I truft that thiough your prayers I fhall be given unto you.
23 There falute thee Epaphras my fellow-pni'oner in Chrift Jefus ;
Philemon paraph rafed. 257
willing) I will certainly clear off this fcore, and make you full fatisfa&ion to the utmoil farthing : This I will chcarfully do, notwithstanding my Uraitened cir- cumflances, and your affluence ; though I might in- fill upon it, but (Kail not, that, in balancing accounts, you owe me a great deal more than he can have wronged you of; even, in a way of inflrumentality, the ialvation of your own foul, as I was the means of bringing you to the knowledge of Chriit, and faith in him for eternal life.
20 Yea, I earaeltly befeech you, as a brother in facred relation to ffite, as well as to Onejtmus, to receive him cordially for my fake, as well as his own, not to fay for yours alio, and moil of all for the Lord Jefus's fake, that I may rejoice in refaction upon the efficacy of his grace to enoage your love and forgivenefs to this poor llave, as one that you and I eileem, under the consideration of him as united to Chriit by faith ; let my heart be comforted now, in my bonds, with the great pleaiure I fhall feel in your dealing kindly with him, whom I am fo touchingly concerned for, on the Lord ChriiVs account, in whole name 1 beg this favour of you.
21 The great confidence I have had in your will- ingnefs to hearken to me, and yield obedience to out- Lord's commands, with refpeci: to forgiving injuries, •tnd receiving a difciple in the name of a difciple, [Mat. x. 42. and Luke vi. 37.) encouraged me to write to you on behalf of this poor returning fugi- tive ; and I have a pleaimg fatisfaclion in my ov^n mind, that you will be ready to fhow him, even more favour than I have requeited for him ; and fo I leave that matter for the prefent.
22 But I would further add my defire, that you would provide fome proper place for me to lodge at, when I come to Co/oJ/e, and may have an opportunity of making a perfonal acknowledgment of your kind- nefs to Onefimus9 and me therein, and of paying what he owes you : For I trull in the Lord, that by means of, and in anfwer to your and other Chnitians prayers, (P&i/i i. 19.) I mall, for this time, be fet at liberty from my bonds, as one gracioufly given ot God to you for your further fpiritual profit, and fhall have the pleaiure of making you a viiit to our mutual fa- tisiaction.
23 Epaphras, one of your minifters, a dear fellow- fervant, who is fervent in prayer, and has a great zeal for the church at Colojfe, (Col. i. 7. and iv. 12, 13.) and is now my fellow- fuffercr in prifon for the caule ot Chrift, fends his moil affe&ionate refpects to ycu, (See the note on Phil. ii. 25.)
L 1 2 24 And
258 The Epiftle to
at Marcus, A- 24 And fo does John Marie, for whom I haTC riftarchus, 'Demas, the greateft friendfhip, notwithftanding fome former labourers^ ^ °W" difpleafure 1 conceived at his having gone from me ; (Afls xv. 37, 38.) as alfo Arijlarchus the Mace- donian, who was expofed to the utmoft danger, for my fake, at Et>hefus ; (A6ts xix. 29 ) and Demas * and Luke the beloved phyfician, (Co/, iv. 14.) who are my fellow-labourers in the work of the Lord. 25 The grace of 25 May the free love and favour of our Lord Je- our Lord Jefus fus Chrift, with all its fuitable and abounding mani- Chnft be with feftations fruits and effeas be with the foul 0f cvery your fpmt. Amen. r . . r „ , , r <->/
one or you, to guide, comrort, ftrengthen, and iancti-
fy you, yet more and more, and to fupply all your wants, till ye arrive at his heavenly kingdom. In tef- timony of my ar-dent defire and hope of this all-com- prehenfive blefiing for you, I fay, Amen.
RECOLLECTIONS.
What a wonderful change does fovereign grace make upon tinners, as profligate, bafe, and abandoned as Onejimus had been, who of a perfidious thief, unprofitable lazy Have and vagrant, and runagate from his matter, became a fober, diligent^ ufeful, and faithful fervant ! O how eatily can God over-rule even the wickednefs of thofe for good, to whom he has a defign of mowing mercy '. With what tender affection do the inftruments of their converfion think and fpeak of them, as though they were the children of their own bowels \ How becoming is it for thofe, that are their matters after the fleOi, and have been injured by them, to forgive and love fuch penitents, as more than bare fervants, even as brethren in the Lord I How happy may they think themfelves in the future better fervices, that are to be charitably expected from them ! And how worthy of imitation is the great apof- tle's wifdcm, eondefcenfion, and engaging way of arguing, to recommend return- ing penitents to the favour and companion of thofe that had been juftly offended at them for paft abules ! They are to be entreated for love's fake, with an addrefs to their benevolent temper, and confidence in their friendfhip ; and with the moft mollifying, inftead of aggravating reprefentations of the crimes that have been committed, rather than to be over awed with authority, or deprived of their ci- vil property, without their own free confent : They are to be reminded of the happy turn that is given to the formerly iniquitous dilpofition of him that is recom- mended to their favour ; of the advantage that will accrue to themfelves by com- plying with a requeft on his behalf; and of the kindnefs, that will be therein fiiown, not to fay the obligation they are under, to the interceding friend, who will efteem it as done to himfelf, will readily undertake to repay any damages that have been differed by purloinings, or otherwife, and will rejoice in the Lord, on account of his difpohng them to manifeft a forgiving fpirit for his fake. With what face could any that harden themfelves againft luch melting importunity, ever think of Teeing the friend that uies it with fo much earneft concern for its fuccefs ; efpe- cially if he be one, to whom they, in fome lenfc, owe their own happinefs for this world, or a better ? And O how amiable is the perfon whoie faith in the Lord Je- fus, and love to all the faints are difplayed, in forgiving the offences of brethren, and Hounti fully refreihin^ the bowels of the poor, and in contributing, all that in him lies, to the comfort of the aged, perfecuted, afflicted fervants of the Lord ; and whole religious family appears with all the beauty and order of a church of Chrilt ! Such exemplary and uleful profefTors of the gofpel ought to be remember- ed, with thaokfulnefs to God in prayer; and there cannot but be an exceeding
pleafure
NOTE.
* This is that Dcrnas, who afterwards, tying loved this prefent nuorld, % Tim. '.r\ the apoftle's fecund impnfonment at iv. 10. (See the note there.), fotae, forfook him in his troubles, ha-
Philemon paraphrafed. 259
pleafure in fainting them after a g;odly fort, and having a holy partnerfhip and communion with them Who would not wifti, that every blefling of grace and peace may be multiplied to them, from rhe Father ot mercies, through the medi- ation of his Son ! May the #race of our Lord Jefas Chrift be with their fpirits; and all that love him fay, Amen.
A PRAC
A PRACTICAL
EXPOSITION
OF THE
EPISTLE TO THE
HEBREWS,
IN THE FORM OF A
PARAPHRASE.
The PREFACE to the EPISTLE to the HEBREWS.
THIS Epiftle to the Hebrews is moft generally fuppofed, and that with the greateft probability, to have been written by the apoftle Paul before the deftruction of Jerufalemt while he was a prifoner at Rome about the year of our Lord Jixty-three ; though on account of Jewijh prejudices againlt him, as the apoitle of the Gentiles, and a ftrenuous afferter of juftification alone through faith in Chrift without the deeds of the law, it may be looked upon as a point of great prudence in him, that he concealed his name, and that initead of laying the weight of his doctrine, as he ufu-.lly did in other epiftles, upon his apoftolic authority, he began this, and all along carried on his defign in it, upon the foot of the authority of the Old Tefamentfcriptures ■, which thefe Hebrews univerfally owned to be of divine infpiration : And, as the pojlfcript avers, it feems to have been fent by Timothy. (See chap. xiii. 22, 23.)
The moft confiderable evidences of the apoitle PauPs being the author of it are, his fublime fentiments, and clofe, nervous, and pa- thetic way of reafoning, and applying things that relate to the per- fon and offices of Chrift, and to the nature, ufe, and defign, toge- ther with the abolifhment, of the Mofaic institutions, wherein this wriier (hews the moft exact and extenfive acquaintance with the laws of the Jewijli church, which the apoftle Paul had been moft accurately led into by Gamaliel's inftrudtions, under whom he pro- fited in the Jews religion above many of his equals; (Gal. i. 14.) and in this epihle he fpeaks of his bonds, and of Timothy as his compa- nion, and clofes it with lalutations from the Chriftians of Italy, and with his ufual benediction, Grace be with you all, wThich he men- tions as the token in all his epiftles, 2 Thejf. iii. 17, 18. Andjome fuppole the apoftle Peter refers to this very epiftle, when, writing to the Hebrews, he takes notice of what his beloved brother Paul
had
Preface to the Epiftle to the Hebrews. 261
had wrote to them, 2 Pet. iii. 15, 16. (See the note there.) Upon the whole, this epiltle was owned to be the apoftle Paulas by the generality of the primitive writers and councils of the firft four cen- turies j and for many ages was univerfally received, as fuch, by the churches, as has been obferved by various learned men. (See Dr. Owen's third exercitation,. and Dr. Whitby's and Mr. Peirce'a pre- face to this epiltle.) I (hall therefore make no fcruple, in the courfe of the expofition, to fpeak of the apoftle Paul at- its author.
However, it feems that the perfons to whom it was molt immedi- ately fent, knew who was the author of it, iince he fays to them, chap. xiii. 18, 19. Pray for us : for we truft we have a good con- fcience in ail things, willing to live honefly : But I hefeech you the rather to do thisy that we may be reflored to you the fooner. And the divine authority of this epiltle (which has been readily allowed by fome, that have not afcribed it to the apoftie Paul) has no de- pendence on our certainly knowing the name of the writer, any more than the authority of feveral books of the Old Teftament does upon our knowing who were the penman of them.
The Jews, to whom this epiltle was fent, feem to have been the whole body of them that had made a profeflion of Chrift ; but it was probably fent directly and immediately to thofe of Judea and Jeru- salem, to be communicated from them to their brethren that were difperfed through various countries : And as many of them were too much attached to the Mofaic law, and others wrere in great danger of apoftatizing from Chrift and the gofpel, through the fubtilty of falfe teachers, and through the violent perfecutions that their infi- del-brethren ftirred up againft them ; fo the apoftle accommodates the different parts of his epiftle to their refpeftive circumstances, and even to the converfion of fuch unbelievers among them, as preferred the legal to the gofpel difpenfation. Accordingly his principal de- fign is to fet forth the excellency of the gofpel above the law, in fuch a wTay as might direct: and eftablim the faith of true believers in it, without any mixture of the Mofaic obfervances, and encourage them to adhere faithfully and perfeveringly to it under all the difficulties and trials that attended their profefiion of it ; as might alfo recom- mend it to the acceptance of Jewijh unbelievers •, and might awa- ken and convince fuch of their danger, as fhuuld reject, or apofta- tize from it.
In purfuit of this great and complicated defign, he fets out with a lofty account of the dignity of Chrift 's perfo n, who is the divine au- thor and fubjerrt of the gofpel, and fuperior to all the prophets, and even to the moft exalted angels, by whofe miniftration ihe law- was delivered at mount Sinai, together with the diftinguiftiing regard which he had fhewn to the human, more than to the angelic nature, chap. i. ii. Hereupon he particulary reprefents Chrift to be fuperior in office, as a prophet, to Mofes ; and, a^ a prief, to Abraham the father of the faithful, and to Aaron the high -prieit of Ijrael, toge- ther with the efficacy and eternity of his priefthood, which was af- ter the order of Melchi%edech, who was a king, as well as a priejl, chap, iii, — vii. Having thus eftablifhed the tranfeendent dignity of Qh:iW*sjterJbn and (ffices, and that particularly in opposition to the
defects
262 The Epiflle to the Chap. i.
defe&s of the Levitical priejlhood, he goes on to the excellency of his offering , beyond thofe that were made under the law ; and of the new covenant, which is eftablifhed upon better promifes than that of mount Sinai, chap. viii. From thence he proceeds to (hew the great benefit of go/pel- ordinances, above thofe of the Mofaic infli- tution; and of the facrifice of Chrift, by which thefe and the New Teftament church are purified beyond what could be obtained by thofe facrifices, by which the firft tabernacle, and its various ap- pendages of worfhip were dedicated to God, as prefigurative of thefe, chap. IX. He then goes on to the perfection of Chrift's facrifice to make atonement for fin, of which all the facrifices under the law were only (hadows and figures, utterly inefficient to take away fin, chap. x. Hereupon he gives a noble view of the excellency and power of faith in the patriarch's and holy men of old, to animate the believing Hebrews to perfeverance in the faith of the gofpel, chap. xi. And, adding to this cloud of witneffes the example of a fuffering Saviour, and the consideration of the much greater excel- lence and duration of the Chrijlian. than the legal-difpenfation, He exhorts profefling believers to perjijl in the faith and holinefs of the gofpel, and to take heed of apojlacy, notwithstanding all the cruel perfections and formidable dangers they were expofed to for their holy profefiion ; and concludes with further exhortations to vari- ous duties, with deliring their prayers, and offering up his own for them, and with falutations and his ufual benediction, chap. xii. xiii. — But in feveral parts of the epiflle he gives himfelf a great liberty of enlarging upon preceding topics, and often intermingles folemn cautions, fweet encouragements, and earned exhortations, to pa- tience, conftancy. and perfeverance, fuitable to the different cha- racters of thofe Jews, into whofe hands this Epiflle might be fuppo- fed to come.
CHAP.
The apojlle, to fiew the excellency of the gofpel of Chrift above the law, and to encourage an adherence to it, introduces his great de-
Jign with an account of the different manner and feafons in which, and of the pcrfons by whom, the revelations of them refpeclively •were made ; and defcribes the tranfcendent dignity of the Son of God in his divine per fori, and in his creating and mediatorial work, whereby he excels all that went before him, i, — 3. And in his
fttperiority to all the holy angels, which is proved by a comparifon between him and them in various particulars, in which he has a glorious pre-eminence above them, 4, — 14.
Text. Paraphrase.
GOD who at -m /|-y great defign in writing this Epiftle to the
lundry times, \\l\ ~fe -n • JL • V ../... « .
and in divers man: JLV1 Jewijb brethren, is to give them a juft view
ners, fpake in time of the great difference there is between the Mofaic
paft law and the gofpel of Jefus Chrift, and of the vail pre- ference
Chap. i. Hebrews paraphraftd, • 263
part unto the fa. ference of this difpenfation to that ; and thereby to thers by the pro- engage them to embrace and adhere to the fatter, as Phets> what is intended to perfect and fuperfede the former ;
In order hereunto, let us firft of all conlider that, though they were both of divine original; yet God the Father, who anciently declared his mind and will to our pious anceftors, did it not fully, nor all at once, but ( -sroXvfu^g ) by degrees, with increaimg light, in feveral parcels, one time after another, before the days of Mofes ; and then by him, and all along afterwards by other infpired prophets under the Jew//I> difpenfa- tion, until the ipirit of prophecy ceafed in the church of Ifrael ; and who in divers ways communicated his word to them, as in dreams, vilions, dark figures, and immediate impulfes, and the like, in fuch a gra- dual manner, as left room for an expectation of mil further difeoveries of his mind and will in the MeiTiah's days, who, as the Samaritans, and the Jews them- felves believed, would give the fulleft and cleared revelation that ever mould be made in this world to the coniummation of all things. (See John iv. 25.) ■2 Hath in thefe 2 God, I fay, at the cloft of the Jeivi/h ftate, and iaftdaysfpokenun- under the laft difpenfation of his grace, which was fre- t0hUS hY h'V0"' quentty ^retold as the latter days and the lafl times •, pointed heir of all *ias novv completely made known the wrhole fyilem or things, by whom fcheme of his counfels in the gofpel to us, their de- aifo he made the fcendents, by a much more glorious meffenger, even by worlds; his eternal, only-begotten and incarnate Son, [John i.
18.) who, as he, being by nature God, has an origin- al and efTcntial right to inherit all things ; fo by fpecial conilitution, agreeable to the perfonal union of the di- vine and human natures in him, God the Father ordain- ed, and fettled him in his incarnate {late and office- character, as God-man Mediator, to.be M\%firJi^horny higher than the kings of the earth, (Pf. lxxxix. 27.) the Lord, proprietor and pofTeflbr, ruler and diipoicr of all perfons and things, and head over all things to the church ; (Ephef. i. 22.) infomuch that we can- not inherit any blefllng, but under him : And of this he cannot but be infinitely worthy, as the Creator of all, by whom, not as an inftrument or under agent, but as a divine perfon, who, exerting his own power in- a proper order, together with the "Father, made the upper and lower worlds, and all thii gs whatso- ever, from the higheftto the lovveft ranks of creatures that are in them ; • Sp that without him wa r nut any thing made that was made. (See the nutes on ver. 10. and John i. 3. and Col. i. 16.) 3 Who being the 3 All his Father mines in him, who is originally, brightnefs of his as a divine perfon, the illuiirious iplendor of the glorv> glorv, and molt exact character of the perfon of hh Vol. V. M m Father,
264 The Epijlle to the Chap. L
glory, and the ex- Father, as a fon of the fame nature, and effential pro-
prel; imaSe ot **js perties with him * ; and who manifeftatively, as the
per on, an up 10 - gQn q£ q^ incarnate, exhibits fuch an accurate, fub- m^ all things hy the . 7 . ' .
word of his power, nantjal, and viiible repveientation or the rather in
when he had by his infinite wifdom, power and grace, holinefs and
himfelf purged our every other perfection, that, he, who has feen the
fins, fat down on Son, has feen the Father alfo : (John xiv. 9.) And the right hand ot ' f ■ . ■' VJ > /
the Majefty on as tnis glorious bon ot God created ; lo he iupports, high ; maintains, and governs all ranks, orders, and indivi-
duals of his works, by his own almighty efficacious operation, which he exerts with as much eafe as by fpeaking a word, by which he commands, and they Hand fait ; (Pf. xxxiii. 9.) and fo hy him all things confift, [Col. i. 17.) even by his providential influ- ence, in whom, as well as in God the Father, we live, and move, ana7 have our being : (Acts xvii. 28.) -j- And this Son^of God being thus fuperlatively ex- cellent in himfelf, and divinely qualified for, and wor- thy of the higheil honour ; when through, the digni- ty of his perfon he, as our great High Prieft, prefer- able to all that went before him of the order of Aa- ron %, had alone, in his own perfon, made an actual
and
NOTES.
* As no one fimilitude taken from the brightnefs of the Father's glory, wa$
creatures is fufficient to illuftrate, both fufficient to guard againft an imagina-
the effential union, and perfonal diftinc- <tion of a difference in nature between
tion, of the Father and Son ; fo, as I them, when immediately afterwards he
humbly conceive, the Son's being the calls him the expre/s image or characler
brightness of the glory (uTravycKr/xa th? of the Father's perfon. (See alfo Dr.
Sofy;) of the Father, relates to his effen- Owen on the place.)
tint and infeparable union with the Fa- f By the word of his power, feems
ther, as all the fulnefs of the Godhead to mean by the word of his own power,
dwells fubftantially in him. (See the by whom all things eonji/l. But whe-
note on Col. ii. 9.) A.nd this maybe ther we refer it to his own or his Fathers
calied the brightnefs of the Father's glo- power it is in effect all one, fince the di-
■/y, in allufion to the refulgent brightnefs vine power of the Father and Son is
of a Luminous body, and particularly the really the fame in both : And if we re-
fuu, which is indeed nothing different fer it to the Father's power, this fliews
from the vat are of" the fun itfelf; and that the Father's making the worlds by
his being the exprefs image or character the Son, ver 2. no more denotes an in-
(.XXZ **'"?) of his perfon or fubfiflence ferior inftrumentality of the Son in cre-
(v*eraff«fi>?) relates to his perfonal dif- ating them, than the Son's upholding all
Unction from the Father, in which the things by the word of his Father's pow-
Son is perfectly like him, and makes a com- er denotes an inferior inftrumentality of
plete reprefentation of him, in allufion the Father's powei in upholding them;
to the exact and undefective likenefs of but that the far e divine power is exert-
a die and its coin, or of a leal and its im- ed by each of them in both thofe opera-
preffion upon wax, which exactly an- tions.
fwers line to line. Thefe reprefentations } As the apoftle had fhewn in the cannot indeed fully exprefs things as they two preceding verfes, that Chriil is more lire in the Divine Being; but they are excellent than all the prophets that went the heft that our narrow minds are capa- before him ; fo he here fuggefts his tran- to ferve the feveral purposes for fcendent excellency above all the Lei' i- which they are ufed: And tlie apoftle's tical priefls, which is the. grand argu- having nrft fpoke in inch ftrong and ment of this epiftle, while the prophetic Magnificent terms of the Son's being and kingly offices are here and there
touched
Chap.
Hebrews paraphrafed.
265
4 Being made fo much better than
the angels, as i e hath by inherit-
obtained a excellent
than they.
ance more name
and complete atonement for our fins, to purge us from their guilt, and take them away, not by any oblation of other expiatory facrifices, which were in- fuiHcient for it, but by the facrifice of hlmfelf (Heb. ix. 26.) He then, in confequence of this, and in the virtue of his own blood, by office- right, in correfpon- dence to his original dignity, afcended in our nature into the holy place, even heavenitfelf, [chop. ix. 12.) to take poffeffion, as a prieft upon his throne, (Zcch. vi. 13.) of the higheft dignity and glory, which may be reprefented in figurative terms, after the manner of men, by his fitting with quietnefs and fafety, pre- eminence and grandeur, at the right hand of God the Father, whofe majeity and greatnefs are difplayed with the utmoit magnificence and luftre in the upper world. (See the note on ABs vii. $$.)
4 This glorious Perfon, by whom God has fpoken to us in thefe lad days, infinitely furpafjes, not only all the ancient prophets and priefts, but alio the high- eft angels themlelves ; he being in his divine nature
and ciiice- capacity, which is founder
fuperior to them, as he really and originally
upon
alike fo
much more excellent than all the angels in his own divine perfon f , and is fo by the appointment and con- M m 2 ftitutlon
NOTES.
monftrate his pre-eminence above them; because the Jew s infilled on, and boafted. of the excellency of their law, as it was delivered by the miniftration of angels according to what is faid about it, chap. ii. 2. compared with Deut. xx\- Pfal- Ixviii. 17. Acts vii. 53 "and Gal. iii. 19.: And though, as I apprehend, Chrijl was the Jehovah that delivered the law by the ditpofition of angels, which gave a divine authority to it ; yet the gofpel appears to be ftiil more glori- ous, and the neglect of it is fpoken of as to be ftill more dreaded, chap. ii. 2, 3. ; because Cod fpoke it to us, not by the mini (try of angels as he did the law, but immediately in and by the minilhy of his own incarnate Son : For the ftrel's of the argument lies, not in any difference as to the divine authority of the original author of one and the other, which is the I whether it were God the Father, or G : i the Sou, that delivered the law at mount Sinai by the miniftration of angels; but it lies in the vaftly fi/perior excellency of the Son as the itnmei perfon by whom the gol ;en to
us.
f The word (yvjouevs:) here tranflat- ed made, very often "fignines, and is ren- dered is ; and fq it exptefles what Chrift
really
touched in the procefs of it ; and fo he fpeaks of Chr'^s purging oar /ins, which is to be underftood in a faenricial fenfe, as in Lev. xvi. 30. with refpect to his taking away the guilt of fin by his expi- ating blood, whereby the confeience is purged from dead works toferve the li~ vi?/'y God, in oppolition to the blood of hulls and of goats that was iniufricient for this purpofe, and only fanclified to the purifying oftheflejh. Chap. ix. 13, 14. * The apoftle having begun with con- fidering the perfon of Chrijl, both in his divine and o^V^-characlers, to (hew his preference to the ancient prophets and prie/is, ver. 1, — 3. He keeps up the view of both thofe characters, in com- paring Chrift with the angels, to fliew how far he alfo excels them. According- ly fome of the following quotations, to prove his fuperiority to the angels, relate immediately to h\% divine nature, and o- thers to his mediatorial of ice, which is founded upon it, and could not be dii- charged, and rendered effectual without it ; and altogether, in one or the other, and unitedly in both thofe confiderationsof him, are an uncontrollable and illuftrious evidence of the fuperlative dignity of the perfon of Chrift above the moft exalted angels. And it was highly proper to de-
^66 The Epiflle to the - Chap. i.
ftitutipn of the Father, as God-man Mediator; and is manifested to be as much above them in his ftate of exaltation, as is aniwerable to that more glorious, emphatical, and fignificant title, which he is honour- ed with by the Father himfelf, (ver. 5.) and which he has received by right of inheritance, as the natu- ral and appointed heir of all things; (fee the para- phrafe on ver. 2.) a title far more excellent, than any name that belongs, or ever was given with fuch peculiarity and eminence, to any, even of the higheft angels. The fpecial name or title which I mean, and which is expreffive of the dignity of his perfon, and appropriated to him, is that of the Son of God. 5 For unto 5 For, to confider this matter firft with refpe6t to which oj the an- fa divine nature, to which of the angelic fpirits, e- ge!s faid ne at a- ft, ,. , ,{ , , ,. . & rn iL
ny time, Thou art v<:n of the hl8heil order and digoity amongit tnem, my Son, this day <^id God ever fpeak with an emphalis and peculiarity, have [ begotten as he did to our Lord Jefus Chrift ; when, referring the*? and again, to tjle formal reafon of his Sonfhip, he faid to him, a Father and he ("^ "' 7*) Thou art my efTential Son, whom I have ihall be to me a begotten from eternity ; which, for unalterable per- son ? manency of duration, may be called one continued unfucccfiive day *. And again, with refpect to his office- capacity, correfpondent to his original Sonfhip,
Of
>T O T E S.
really is, and may refpecl: his being on- thence to both thefe confiderations of him
ginally in himfelf more excellent than jointly, ver. 6, — 9.; and it winds up with
the angels; at other times it fignifies a ftrong proof of his being indeed the
manifejted to be, as it might be rendered great, eternal, and unchangeable God,
in Matth. v. 45. and fohn xv. S. ; and fo that made the earth and the heavens, and
(..nun's being more excellent than the will remain the fame after they lhall
angels, may relate to the evidence and all periib. ver. 1®, — 12. (See the note
Tration with which God manifeits there.) Mr. Peirce in his note upon the
or declares him to be fo : And at other laft quotation in this verle has, I think,
times it fignifies made or ordained, as in abundantly proved by feveral arguments,
ii. 27. ; and fo Chrift's being made that it is taken from the prophecy in
more excellent than the angels, may re- 2 Sam. vii. 14. and 1 Chron. xvii. 13.
fer to the office- exaltation of his incar- where the words are exactly the fame.
nate perfori, alter ne had, in his ftate of The oniy difficulty that feems to lie a-
humuiation been made lower than the gainft this interpretation, is what follows
2 Sam. vii. 14. where it is added. If he
* In the former part of this verfe God commit iniquity, I will ch a II en him with
therfpeaksof what be 'had already the , od of men, and with the jlripes of
done in his Son; but, in tins the cbildicn of men, which is by no means
laftciai rhat he would be applicable to Chrift himfelf. .But that
to him. Accordingly I take the former learned writer fufficiently anfwers this,
to relate to h - n tttral lonjbip by fhowing that, according to the mean-
generarjon, Sequent ufe 01 the relative
whicb \ Birec- term, (~lt£/tt) even where the demonftra-
tion; 80 Hnd tive pronoun before it is omitted, it
tber's acknowledge ought to be renderedwAo/o^er, mean- ing whofoever of the Mefjiah\ children
■ A«d".fo *? "- commit iniquity. I will chaften him,
■ ;>' °! ,;,s ,V. ; and thus this very prophecy is com-
: '"i;l" i«e:,t«l upon in Pjul. lxxxix. 30,-3 3.
Chap. i. Hebrews paraphrafed. 267
Of which of the angels has God the Father faid, as he did of Chrift in another prophecy of him, (2 Sam. vii. 14. and 1 Chroti. xvii. 13.] I will own myklf to be his Father, and him to be my Son, by an ex- traordinary conception and birth in human nature, and will treat him accordingly, with eminent tokens of my peculiar love, protection, and care of him, whom 1 will exait to his kingdom ? (See 1 Chrun. xvii. 14. and Luke i. 32, 33.)
6 And again, 5 ^nd again, to (how that he is in reality a divine when he bnngeth n * ■ F ■ ■. 1 11 1 »'•<"■ n
in the firft.be* ot- saviour, innnitdy more excellent than the hightit an- ten into the world, g^s> we have another tt iliinony to him in if. xcvii. he faith, And let 7.*; where, with relet ence to Guci's introducing
Godworfh^h' °f thlS L°rd 3nd hdr °f ',U U,t0 °Ur UOrld at hlS mira" up im' culous birth of a virgin, in order to his going through
the work of mediation upon earth, and his confequent
exaltation to the throne oi his glory m heaven, and
his coming to judge the world at the laft day, God
the Father commanded even all his holy angels them-
felves to oiler religious adoration to him, as to his
own incarnate Son, and to pay all divine honours to
him, as fuch ; which fuppoies him to be God their
Creator ; and them to be the work of his hands, o-
therwife they would never have been ordered to pay
fuch homage to him, as is the unalienable right of
Deity. (See Mat. iv. 10.)
7 And of the 7 And ft ill further to ihow how much the angels W?,f ibi,'1; "re be"eath ,him' God, leaking concerning them,
angels lays> "e makes thole nobieit ot all his creatures,
even NOTE. * And again, feems not to relate to to his erecting a kingdom of grace in it, God's bringing Chrift into the world a- ana being advanced to the throne ot- his gain at his relurrecYion, as fome fuppofe : glory, as head over all things to the For the word (<»*«/*£ vkv) here rendered church ; and to God's bringing him into the world, when put ablolutely without the wurld includes his incarnation, and any other addition, conftantly relates to all that followed upon it in his life, this habitable earth or world, as Dr. death, refurreclion, exaltation, and ef- Onven obferves ; or to fome part of it, fuiion of his Spirit, for the letting up of fuch as the land of Judea, or the Roman his throne and kingdom in this lower empire : But the refurrecftion of Chrift world, and exercifing dominion over all, was rather in order to his leaving this till he lhall come to judgment. Accord- nvorld, and going to the Father, (John ingiy Pfal. xcvii. 7. irom whence thefe xvi. 2b.) than to his being brought agcii?i words are quoted, begins <ver 1. with into this world, from which his body calling upon the earth, and the multi- was never removed, and in which he ne- tude oj ijles to rejoice on account of his ver afterwards appeared, except to his reigning, who is here called the jirjt be- own dilciples. Again, therefore, by a gotten, and in Pfal lxxxix. 27 the jirjl- ulual rejection or tranfpofing of the born, higher than the kings of the earth, Gteek fentence, may rather be joined to though none were fo begotten or born af- he fays, as our verlion has put it ; and 10 terward's, to intimate his pre-eminence, it bears the fame fenfe, and is taken in and that there was none belore him, in the fame way, as in the foregoing verfe, allufion to the dignity ol the firft-born to lead us on to another teftimony con- under the law, who was fo called, whe- cerning Chrilt, relating to the time when ther any were born alter him or not. he was brought into our world, in order
268
angels fpirits, his mimtters flame of tire.
8 But unto the Son he faith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever : a fcrptre oi tccufnefs is the (ceptre of thy kingdom.
The Epiftle to the
Chap.
p Thou haft lo- ved righteouihefs, and hated iniqui- ty : therefore God, tveti thy God, hath arointed thee with the oil of gladnefs above thy fellows.
and even thofe fpiritual and intellectual beings * the angels a themfelves, his fervants to execute his will and com- mandments with ftrength, fpeed, and activity like the winds ; and makes thofe, his miniflring fpirits, fervent, powerful, and penetrating in their agency, like the very lightning, or any flame of fire.
8 But in much loftier {trains of language, God in the fcripture fays to his only begotten and eternal Son, (Pfa/. xlv. 6, 7.) As, O thou truly divine perfon f , thy natural and eflcntial dominion, which is emblematically reprefented by a prince's fitting on his throne, is everlaftingly and unchangeably the fame, without beginning or end J ; So thy mediatorial throne of government mail remain, 'till all its ends be thoroughly accomplifhed ; and the honour of it, to- gether with the complete happinefs of thy fubjects, fhall abide for ever and ever, even after the manner of adminiftring thy kingdom on earth fhall ceafe, and thou (halt have delivered it up to the Father, that ac- cording to the original ftate of things God, inclu- sive of all the divine perfons, may be all in all that farther pertains to it. (See the note on 1 Cor. xv. 24, — 28.) The rule which thou beareft in thy king- dom is full of equity, truth, and holinefs, that run through all thy laws and government : Thou art in- titled to this government upon principles of righteouf- nefs ; and thy reign, of which a fceptre is the royal enfign, is in all rectitude, and with fanctifying influ- ence over righteous fubjects.
9 Yea, fuch is thy regal dignity, and thy worthi- nels of it, that not only thy laws and adminiftrations, but thy heart and nature are infinitely pure and holy : Thou halt the greateit delight in holinefs, and haft thyfelf fulfilled all righteoufnefs ; and thou art of purer eyes than to behold iniquity without the utmoit detcftation of it, and haft taken away its guilt from
thy NOTES.
terrible thunders, lightnings, and tem- ped at Mount Sinai, which are fpoken of in Exod. xix. 16. and Heb. xii. iS.
f 0 God (0 ©foe) in the lingular num- ber is never ufed absolutely, or without a reftriction to fome peculiar conlidera- tion of it, as it is here, of any but the only true God.
X Though I take Chrift's mediatorial throne to be molt immediately intended in this pafiage ; yet as this is founded upon, and qorrefponds to his original do- minion as God, and he had been fpoken of in his divine and mediatorial charac- ters in the preceding verfes, I thought proper to keep that in view, which in the ftricteft fenfe is for ever and ever.
* It is plain that Pfal. civ. 4. from whence this quotation is made, fpeaks, as it is here rendered of and not to the angels; and though the word in the Greek (t^oc) molt commonly fignifiesfo; yet it is lometimes ufed for of or concern- ing, as it might be rendered in Mark xii. 12. and Rom. x. 21. And as fpirits (*»fu,tt«7at) fignify alfo <a inis, it feems molt natural to fuppofe, that the angels in the firft claufe, are compared to the winds, as they are in the next to a fame of fre ; and fince the apolile dengned to ihow the preference of Chrift to the angels in their miniftration of the law, chap. ii. 2, 3. perhaps here may be fome reference to their agency in forming the
Chap. i. Hebrews paraphrafed. 269
thy fubje&s by thy atoning blood, that thou mighteft fubdue its power in them by thy Spirit and grace^ On account of all this, God, who prepared thee a body, and is thy covenant- God, and has entered in- to engagements with thee as God-man Mediator, and fo in thy office-capacity is thy God, he has inaugu- rated and actually inverted thee with all fulnefs of au- thority, in exalting thee with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour ; (Ails v. 31.) and has enrich- ed thee with an unmeafurable fulnefs of the Spirit, that thou mighteft give gifts to men, and fhed them forth abundantly; (Eph. iv. 8. and ABs ii. 33.) which, in allufion to the ancient modes of confecra- ting prophets, priefts, and kings, may be expreffed by his anointing thee with fuch an unftion as is infi- nitely delightful to thee, and produces the mod joy- ful effects upon thy fubje&s, even an unction far more excellent and abundant, than ever was or will be given to any other, whether prophet, prieft, or king, or faint, or angel, which in their meafure have been, are, or (hall be refpectively partakers (/^iro^ot) of of- fices, bleflings, and joys with thee, and under thee. 10 And Thou, 10 And to fhow that Chrift is above all titular Lord, in the be- gods, and had an original right to univerfal dominion, ginning j^ lai^f antecedent to what is now given him, in his complex the earth- "and the perfon and ofhee-chara&er, by fpecial difpenfation*, heavens are the It is further faid of the Son, {Pfal. cii. 25, 26, 27.) works of thine Thou, Jehovah, in the beginning, before any crea- hands : tures
NOTE.
* The word and is the apoftle's own, der agent, when it was faid ver. 2. that
for connecting this with the foregoing nil things •were made by him ; and fo it is
teftimony, it not being in Pfal. cii. 25. much to the apoftle's purpofe to prove
from whence this paffage is quoted; and the Son's original right of dominion, as
the form of addreis is juft the fame all Lord of all, becaufe he made the worlds,
along through both thefe recited tefti- ver. 3. ; as alfo to fhew that he is every
monies, without the leaft intimation or way in nature, as well as office, far
appearance of a different perfon's being more excellent than the angels and all
introduced in the application of them, creatures whatsoever ; and that the cre-
Thy throne; 0 God, is for ever and ation of the world was to be afcrijed to
ever, &c. And Thou, Lord, in the be- him, who is the author of the gofpel ;
ginning hajl laid the foundation of the and not at all to the angels, by whole
earth, &c. Were we to fuppofe, with miniltration the law was given, as though
fome, that this laft teftimony refers not they were employed in creating work,
to God the Son, but to the Father, I own according to the fond imagination of
that, after all I have met with to fup- fome of the Jews : And that Pfal. cii.
port this opinion, I cannot fee to what from whence this citation is made, relates
purpofe this paffage is mentioned at all, to the Meffiah, appears from feveral ver-
or how it any way fuits the defign of the les in it, as particularly from ver. 13,
argument in hand : But as it is an un- 15, 16, iS, 22,; and therefore this grand
queftionably juft defcription of the only defcription^of God, as eternal and un-
true God in creating work, it is very changeable, and as the creator of all, may
properly brought in here as applicable to well be fuppofed to belong to the perfon
Chrifl, to prevent all cavils, as though ofChrijl, as the apoftle has here applied
he were to be confidered ojily as an un- it.
270 The Epijlle to the Chap. 1.
tures exifted, which of old were not in being, didft fet faft the earth, as on its bafis, that it might not be removed out of its place : And all the beauties, glo- ries, and furniture of the whole fabric of the heavens, with all their pompous holls of fun, moon, and liars, are the curious workmanfhip of thy infinite wifdom and almighty power. n They fhall n Both the earth and the heavens, and all the perith ; but thou pai-[S 0f this vifible creation, firm and durable as fome the™ all fiiall wax °^ tnem now appear to be, are of a corruptible nature, eld as doth a' gar-" an^ in tneir feafoh fhall certainly pafs away, and be went; totally diflblved, as to their prefent ufe and form:
(Mat. v. 18. and 2 Pet. iii. 7, 10, — 13.) But thou, O immortal Son of God! always hadft, Hill haft, and wilt have an abiding and unchangeable exiftence. Be- fore the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadft formed the earth and the world > even from e- verlaftinq to everlaftin^ thou art God, as is faid of the great Jehovah of Ifrael : (Pfal. xc. 2.) And as we daily fee that all the creatures of this lower world grow old and gradually decay ; fo the earth and the heavens, with all the vifible things contained in them, fhall wear out, and, at length, become unfit to anfwer their prefent defign, like an old rotten garment.
12 And as a 12 And as a garment is eafily put off, folded up vefhtre (haft thou an(j 1^ af1(]e at a man's pleafure, when it is no fur- fold them up and h ferviceabl andhe has either done vvithk or they fhall be chan- » f _ ' ged: but thou art dehgns to turn it to a new ule; So 1 hou, the .reator the fame, and thy of all, wilt, by thine omnipotence, at the end of time, year* ihall not fail. as eafily roll the heavens together as afcroll, and move
every mountain and i/Jand [out of their places: (If. xxxiv. 4. and Rev. vi. 14.) And by thy almighty power thou wilt make fuch a wonderful alteration in them, that, inftead of being annihilated and utterly de- ftroyed, they fhall be changed into new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwells righteoujhefs, (2 Pet. iii. 13.) when thou wilt unfold them again for the ftill greater glory of thy name. But thou thyfelf art eternally and invariably the fame in thy being and per- fections, without beginning of days or end of life : And in thy love and care of thy people, and the effi- cacy of thy mediation, Thou art the fame ye/fcrday, to-day, and for ever. (Heb. vii. 3. and xiii. 8.)
13 But to which 13 But which of the angels can once be compared of the I with this glorious Saviour in his infinite dignity, as he at any time, tjmt appcars from wnat has been obferved about his haud°" ntTn make divine nature and office-exaltation ? Which of them, thine' enemies thy even of the higheft of thefe excellent fpirits, has God footltool? the Father thought worthy of fo tranfeendent an ho- nour, as ever to fay to any one of them, as he did to his incarnate Son, (Pf. ex. 2.) Sit thou enthroned in
majefty,
Chap. i. Hebrews paraphrafed. 271
majefty, power and glory, at my right hand, and con- tinue thou to reign on thy mediatorial throne, till fin, Satan, death, and all thine and thy churches enemies be actually and abfolutely fubdued, and till thou triumph over them, like vanquiihed rebels under thy feet, ac- cording to my appointment ? 14 Are they not 14 On the contrary, Are not all thefe fpiritual rits ,Tnt flbPto bdnSS PlaCedin an ^finitely lower rank, (Pf. eSi.2i.-j minifter for them cven t^ie mo^ eminent of them, as but meflengers and who fliall be heirs fervants of Chrill, whomhe commiflions and employs of falvation ? merely in a miniilerial way, as formerly in delivering
the law at mount Sinai, fo continually fiill in offices of protection, care, and kindnefs, and in many im- portant fervices in life and death, for the benefit of thofe that, by inheritance through grace, are appoint- ed to, and ({tsXXovTxg kXy.^ovo^hv) fliall actually inhe- rit eternal life under him, and in his right, who is their head, and the prime heir of all things? (ver. 2.)
RECOLLECTIONS.
With what fa tisf action may we depend upon the divine authority of both tht Old and New Teftament ! God, who formerly fpake to the fathers by the pro- phets, now (peaks to us by his Son ; he began and gradually carried on various re- velations at different times, in diftincl parcels, and by leveral ways and means, which we have an account of in the Old Teftament, till he completed them in the' New. How thankful fhould we be that our lot is caft under the gofpel-dii'penfa- tion ! This is the cleareft, the fulleft, the beft, and laft difcovery of the mind and will of God, that is to be expected in our world. And how glorious is the re- presentation it gives us of Chrift in his divine natuie and mediatorial office ! He is e/J'entially the fame God with the Father, and yet perfonally dittirivil from him, as the brightncfs of his glory, and the exprefs image of his peribn, and is his eternal only begotten Son ; he is the Creator of heaven and earth, and all things contain- ed therein, and upholds them by the word oi his power : And in his office-capaci- ty he is the appointed heir of all things, in and by whom we inherit the bit fling;; of grace and glory. It is he, and he only, that has taken away our fins by the fa- crifice of himfelf, and is now exalted on his throne, with the hightit dignity and honour, at the Father's right hand ; his throne is for ever and ever ! He is infinite- ly pure and fpotlefs in himfelf, and righteous in all the adminiltrations of his king- dom ; he is fully inverted with ail authority above whatever was or fhall be con- ferred on any prophet, prieft or king, faint or angel; and at the laft day, ,b?, who is the unchangeable God, will put an end to the piefent frame of this world and change it into another, that will be inexpreffibly more excellent and glorious. How fafe and happy then are the faints under his care ! And what an honour has he put upon them, in afluming their nature, and exalting it in union with his own divine perfon in heaven, and in ordering all the holy angels to minifter to them !. O, witli what folemnity and joy fhould they join with thefe celeftial fpirits in pay- ing all religious adorations to him ! And how dead (hould their hearts be to thijf perifhing world and all its concerns, which wax old, and fhall be laid alide like a ufelefs worn-out garment ! But, after all the changes of the prefent lcene oi thing":, they themfeives mall inherit eternal falvation with him.
Vol. V. N n CHAP.
272 7 he Epi/Ile to tor Chap. ii.
C II A P. II.
7he affile infers from what be* bad/aid about the dignity ofChrifs per [on and office, the duty offedfaflly adhering to him and his gof- pel, 1, — 4. Re-ajfumes his argument about ChrijVs pre-eminence above the angels^ and flews that his fvfferin^s are no objection a- gainjl it, c, — q. Opens the ground and reafon of his f/jferings, and the jitnefs of that difp»nfation, which laid out his way through them to his mediatorial glory, ic, — 13. And leads us to the in- carnation of Chrijl. in ophrfuion to his qffitming the nature of an- gels, as neceffary to the dif charge of his prieflly office, 14, — 18.
IEXT. PaR\PHRASE. *
TH.retore vve qjNCE thcrefore Cbrift is fuch an excellent and ought to give 17,.. r r r r ■ n v
the more earner* divine perlon, lo tar iupenor to all preceding pro-
heed to the thiegs phets, and even to the angels themfelves, as has now which we have Deen proved; (cbaf>. i.) * It, for this reafon, (£<» heard, left at any Ti,TA highly concerns us, in point, of duty and inte- time we lhould let „' rt /. , rC It *. r j «*•
them flip. re"> eveu a'' anc* eyery one ot us, that live under this
more eminently glorious difpenfation, than that de- livered by Mofes and by the miniftration of angels, to attend the more diligently, affectionately and ftedfaftly unto ; and, with humble reverential faith and love, to efteem, embrace, meditate, and reflect upon, and ferioufly endeavour to make a fuitable ufe and im- provement of, thegreatandinterettingdoftrines, which under the gofpd-itate we have heard, as delivered to us in the miniftry of the word ; and to retain them carefully in our hearts and memories, and perfevere in our holy profeffion of them ; left, in fome feafon and circumflances of life, through the corruption heedlefc- nefs, treachery, and prejudices of our hearts, the temptations of Satan, and the fnares of this evil world, or through any other means, we mould be carried a- way from the truth, or be forgetful hearers of the word, and fuffer it to flip out of our minds, like wa- ter that runs out of a leaking veiTel f ; or lhould fuf- ier it to pafs by us, as a dream, without making any good ufe of it ; and fo lofe the benefit of the gofpel, and perifh under all its gracious adminiftrations.
2 For
N O T E.
* In this and the three following the margin renders it, (o-afa^ui'/utO
verfes the apoltle manifeltly makes a run ouf , \% a beautiful allufion to leaking
practical application of the foregoing fe/Je/s, with which our treacherous
difcoiirfe, by way ot inference from it, hearts and memories may well be com-
<ts appears bv ti.e particle therefore, pared ; or, perhaps, it may allude to
with whirh he introduces it; and fuch waters that flow by us, but are made no
digrcjjions are very frequent in feveral ufe of; and in either of thefe views it
other parts of this epiftle, as we lhall fee may import defects in ourfelves, through
m their courfe. which we get no faving advantage by
f Left zveJ}jo:ild let them flip, or, as the gofpel.
Ghap. ii. Hebrews paraphrafaL 273
2 For if the 2 For if Mofes* law, which was given at mount word fpoken by Sinai by the miniilration of angels, as Chrift's mef- angcls was fted- fengeVs and fervants to pufeiilh it, (Ach ■ vii. 38, 53.
faft and every f } v { th \ was (o£*«6?) firm and va-
rranlereflion and f r / V' . '/ .
ciifobedience ie- hd, as eltabhlhcd by divine authority, with an awful reived a jiift re- f auction to enforce it ; and if every contemptuous vi- compence of re- Olation of any precept ot that law, by a iin of omif- nard; lion or commiilicn ; and every a& of wilful difobe-
dience to the authority of God in it, were feverely punifhed upon the tranfgreffor, who died without mer- cy, as the righteous retribution of his evil deeds.
3 How fttall we 3 How then is it poiuble that any of us, who have efcape if we ne- heard the gofpel, mould efcape the dreadful wrath of gledl lo great ial- Q0($ j How can we in our consciences expect to avoid th^firVr "be^ln to COI^m»ation, or imagine that his juliice will txcufe be fpoken by the or fpare us, or forbear executing the heayieft ven- Lotd; tind was coru geance upon us, and that without mercy or remedy, imned unto us by ior au our iniquities ; and efpecially for our rtfufals them that heard ^ abui'es of h{s ^^ ?ud q[ the only way Qf par.
don and eternal life through Jeius Chrift ; if, through unbelief or carelefnefs, we deipife and reject, or dilre- gard and do not embrace the word of falvation, (Acts xiii. 26. and Ephef. i. 13.) or the gofpel, which brings falvation to loll tinners, ( Tit. ii. 11.) as it dilplays its reality, nature, and excellency, (hews us the way, and is the means of obtaining it, and is the power of God unto fa ha (ion to every one that be- lieves? (Rom. i. 16.) A falvation, not of a tempo- ral and worldly, but of a fpiritual, heavenly, and eter- nal nature ; a falvation which is the contrivance of inch amazing counfels of wifdom and grace, and is procured by fo great a pi ice, and confiits of deliver- ance from io great fin and mifery, and of advance- ment to fo great holinefs, happinefs, and glory ; and a falvation fo complete and wonderfully cemprehen- iive of all bleflings, anfwerable to our utmoft wants and delires, as lurpalies all comprehenfion, thought, or exprefhon ; The firtl clear publication of which, without the vail of types and fhadows*, was begun to be made personally and immediately by the Lord Jefus Chrift himfelf in the days of his miniftry upon N.n 2 earth,
N O T £. * It is with steal propriety that the ken ot" as a&ually fnbfifting, nor be well apoftle fays, -which at the Jir/t began to received, till he event to the lather, and be fpoken by the Lord : For though died down his Spirit bom on high: Ac- Chrilt opened the gotpel-difpenfanon in cordingly he bud to bis dife.pies, his pergonal miniftry, he did not preach xvi it, 13. I have yet many things to the whole of it; becau'fe feveral things fay unto you, but ye cannot bear them pertaining to it were to be accompliflied noiv ; bowbeit, when the Spirit of by hi^ death, re furred ion, and aicenfw.i truth is domet he will guide you tntd to heaven, and were not proper to be all truth. fully revealed j nor could they be fpo-
74 The Epiftle to the Chap. ii.
earth, who is the Son of God, and the Lord of an- gel? ; and was further carried on, and certified to us of the Jewifb nation, by many honeii, undeiigning, faithful witnefTes, and that under divine infpiration, fuch as the evangelifts, apoilles, and others, who them- felves heard him deliver thefe bleffed tidings of fo great falvation, which he came to procure, and bellow upon them that fhould believe in him.
4 God alio bear- 4 To allure us of the infallible certainty of their
£?. «hem witneis. witnefs, God himfclf alfo gave the molt unqueftion-
both with figns . , ,, . . . . & . , 1 ^ 1 r
and wonder? and able teiurrony to their integrity, and to the truth ot
jwrith fUvtrrs n-,in- what they faid, in an extraordinary manner, by abun-
. . .nd sifts of dance of miraculous operations and effects, which he
tae Holy Cboj}, wr0Unrht by them ; operations which may be called according to his /• % ' » ',. , c , . . J , , .
0,vn u,;.j p J*gns •■% as they were hgnals of his owning and being
with them, and were feals of the doftrine they preach- ed ; and may be called zvonderj, as they were uncom- mon and amazing appearances of God's almighty pow- er and goodneis ; and may truly be called various kinds of miracles, as they were wrought by a divine agency, beyond, and even contrary to the ordinary cuurfe of nature ; fuch as healing the lick, calling out devils, and raifmg the dead, merely by fpeaking a word : And God Hill further bore witnefs to thefc his faithful fervants, and confirmed their teftimony, in a rich variety of fupernatnral gifts of the Holy Ghoft, fuch as the gifts of prophecy, wifdom, know- ledge, and utterance ; and the gift of tongues, and the interpretation of tongues ; yea, and the gift of conveying thefe excellent endowments to other belie- vers, as has frequently been done by the laying on of the apollle's hands : All which miraculous atten- tions from God are not only equal to, but far more excellent than thofe, that he (hewed in confirmation of the law of Mofes ; (Deut. vi. 22.) and are diilri- buted in all their different kinds and degrees to one and another of thefe witnefTes, and to every one that has any of them, according to the good plea- lure and fovereign operation of God by his Spirit, who, with the fame divine fovercignty, divides them to every man J ever a I iy, as he ivitf. ( 1 Cor. xii. 11.)
5 For unto the 5 But to return to the comparifon between Chriifc angels hath he not and the h j { Th; glorJous perfon X fay is put in fubieelion f r . J. .9 ' . & ,1 • 1 ■ the world to come lar illPerlor ,n his office-character, as well as in hwi- whereof we fpeak.' fe(fy to any of thtm : For how much loever they
were NOTE. * SignSftvtntders, and miracles, feem of what we more generally call mira- to be much of the fame import ; but cles, even while wc diftinguifh them may be exprefled under thofe feveral from what are commonly called the terms for realbr.s fuggefled in the pa- gifts of the Spirit. raphrafe, which gives us a different view
Chap. ii. Hebrews paraphrafed. 275
were employed in giving the law, (yer. 2.) or are made uie of as mimitring fpirits to the heirs of falva- tion, [chap. i. 14.) God has not given them any authority or dominion over the New Teitament- church, and the things belonging to it ; which, be- ing to iucceed the Mojaic diipeniation, were common- ly ityled by the Jcvu>, the world to come. God has no where ipoke of bringing the gofpel-church into any fubjection T.o the angels, as it tney were .to be lords and rulers over it, or as it its doctrines, ordinan- ces and inilitutious, privileges and bidiings, were to be derived from them, or they were to pubhfh and diipenfe its affairs ; which are the things that I am fpcaking of, and (hall further infill upon m thib Epiltle, as more excellent than any that ever went be tore them. 6 But one in a 6 But all theie things are owing to, and lmmedi- certain place tel- ately depend upon the incarnate Son ot God himlelf, t£ed, faying What of whom an ;nlpired writtr OI the Qid Tei'tament is man, that thou r , * . . n . ... .
art mindful of fPeaks in a certam paragraph (P/. vm. 4, 5, 6.) him ? 01 the fon where, contemplating the magnificent works oi Gud, of man- that thou he broke out into this rapturous and admiring ex- vi.iteit him ? clamation, laying, How mean a;;d inconllderable a
creature is man in himieif, and compared with the vail expanfe of the htavens, the moon ana ilars which thou hail ordained *, that thou thouldit eonuckend
to NOTE. * The eighth pfahn. from whence think, be better rendered, as they are this and the two following verfes are in tne margin, and A&s v. ^4. a tittle quoted, leems to have been compoled while, or Jor a little jpace, it fhouid by David in a clear, moon Alining and rather have been uiu, if applied to liar-light night, when he was contem- Adam, that he w as a little while plating the wonderful fabric of the hea- ero-ancd with glory and honour, dian vens ; becaufe in his magnificent de- that he was a little while made lower icription of its luminaries, he takes no than the angeis ; fince his glory and notice of the fun, the moft glorious of honour was only lor a lmaii fpace of them all : And it appears to me that time before his fall, and his being made the words here cited had a principal lower than the angels was cntinued and ultimate reference to the Mefjiah, all along after it. But as Chrift was who is really a man, and is ipoken of as made not a little only, but much lower, man, and characterized as the Son of than the angels for a jew years, *b to man, in the Pfalms and other parts his ftate and condition in tne days of of the Old Teltarnent, (Pfal. lxxx. 17. his humiliation upon eaith; (o he is Dan. vii. 15. Zech. vi. 12. and xiii- 7.) now crowned with glory and honour as well as is called the man Chrift J ejus, to continue in his exalted ltate tor ever: in the New Teftament, 1 Tim. 11. 5. And how applicable (oever fome of the and often Ipoke of him'elf, as the Son of quoted paiiages, relating to dominion, man : For if the following words in might be to Adam and his poirerity in Pjal. viii. were directly and continedly general; yet in their complete and meant of the firft Aaam, or of his po- higheft fenie, they could beloig to none ftenty in general, the order of them but the fecond Adam, as the univerfal would molt naturally have heen, he Lord ana Governor of all his creatures, was crowned with glory and honour, and the triumphant Conqueror ot all his and made a little lower than the an- enemies; nor would the npoitle's quo- gels, fince his honour was before his fall tation ot them have been at all to his and abatement ; and as the words (£f«- purpole, uniefs he had understood them XV ri) a little lower, ver. 7. might, I to have betn ipoken of Chrift.
276 The Epijlle to the Chap. ii.
to fliew fuch favour to him, as to dignify his nature in the incarnation of thy Son I Or what is the nature of man, conlidered merely as fuch, in the Mefiiahhim- felf, whofe diftinguifhing character is the Son of man, that thou mould it, for the fake of mankind, raife him in human nature to the office of mediation, and enrich him with thy gifts and graces, and affift and own him in his work, and exalt him to his throne and kingdom, and give him Power over allflefh, that he might give eternal life to as many as thou hafl given him ; (John xvii. 2.) and fo by him fhouldft vilit the human race with fuch tender mercy, as to redeem thy people, and raife him up, as an horn of fahation for them in the houfe cf thy fervant David. (Luh i. 68, 69.)
7 Thou madeft 7 Thou, in purfuit of this gracious and glorious him a little lower defign, didll place this Son of man, for a fmall feafon than the an eels ; • n r \ t •»*'".'• r i • r, -r ■ * thou crownedft m a e deeP humiliation, iubject to miienes in him with glory ^oul a»d body, and to death itfelf, whereby, under and honour, and thy forfakings, his condition was abundantly inferior didft fet him ovei to that of the holy angels, who always behold thy the works of thy r t /A/r „*» ••• \ ' j j- feands; J Jacc in heaven, (Mat. xvm. 10.) and never die:
(Luke xx. 36.) And when he had gone through a ihort courfe of humiliation, obedience, and fuffenngs, even unto the moft ignominious and painful death up- on earth, Thou in confequence of it, and in recom- peuce for it, didft raife him from the dead, and ad- vance him like a king to his throne, and folemnly in- augurate and inveft him, like a prince at his corona- tion, in all mediatorial dignity and authority, honour and glory, at thine own right-hand in the higheft heavens ; [Phil. ii. 8. 9.) and didft conftitute him the abiolute and univerfal Lord and Sovereign of all the creatures which thou haft made, (Ephef. i. 21. and 1 Pet. in. 22.) that he might govern and order, over- rule and reltrain them, and make them fubferve the great defigns of his kingdom, as the head over all things to the church. (Ephef. i. 22.)
8 Thou haft put 8 Thou haft fubjeded all thy works, from the high- all things in fub- eft h j ft f th h{s dominiob, that they
jection under his ,...'.. « i_ n. • 1 •
feet. For in that mav ®e entirely at his diipolal ; and halt given him he put all in fub- an abfolwte power over all his and his church's enemies, jedhon under him, fln, Satan, and death, that he may conquer, fubdue and he left nothing tri h Qver them like flaves and captives unc]er his
that is not put r r ... / r .. , . r r ,
under him. But *eet » ma)' diiarm them or all their force ; may trample now we fee not upon them with indignation and contempt, like the yet all things put dirt under his feet ; and may execute his righteous under him: wrath „pon them*.— This teflimony of the PfalnvJ}
fhews NOTE. * Here ends the apoftle's quotation from the Pfalms, and what follows is his »wu arguing upon it.
Chap. ii. Hebrews paraphrafed. 277
fhews that he had a higher view, than to that original dominion, which was given to man over the creatures of this lower world: For (as is there faid abfolute- ly and univerfa//y) when God put all things whatso- ever, without exception or limitation, under him, it is evident, that there is no work of his hands, no crea- ture in heaven or earth, nor any afFair relating to them, nor confequently to the gofpel church, that is not brought into fubjection to him. But ws plainly fee, by obfervation and experience, that in fo long a time, as from the creation of the world to this very day, neither mankind in general, nor any one of them in particular, has an abfolute and univerfal dominion over all things ; and therefore thefe words, Thou hajl put all things in fubjecfion under him, cannot be applied in their full extent to Adam, or any of his natural defcendents * : And, notwithftanding that full grant of authority and dominion, which is made to our Lord Jefus himfelf, It mull indeed be allowed, that we as yet do not fee that, in fact, all things are actually fo reduced under him, as to have put an end to all the oppofition of his and his people's enemies ; the time for this being not yet come. 9 But we fee 9 But (which cannot be faid of any other man) we Jefus, v\ho was certainly know from the teftimonies of infpired wri-
rrlenna^rlenl°X ters, whom God bore, witnefs to, by divers miracles
er than the angels, ' ' , 7 '
for the luflfering and gifts of the Holy Ghoit, [ver. 4. J and by the
of death, crowned great and wonderful effects of their doctrine upon the
with glory and ho- hearts and lives of innumerable converts from among
tZ'ira^'of 'cod Jewf and Gentiles, thro' the attending power of the
fliould tafte death Spirit, which is fhed down abundantly from the ex-
for every man. alted Saviour ; and we fee by faith that the Lord
Jefus, who for a little while, (fee the note on ver. 6.)
during the few years of his incarnation upon earth,
was placed in a condition far inferior to the holy angels,
that he might undergo the mod terrible and abafing
fufferings, even unto death ; we are well aflured, I
fay, that now in his human nature, as the reward of
his fufferings and death, he is actually exalted to his
heavenly throne, and is there incircled with the high-
efl honours, and pofTcffed of all the majefly and glory,
dignity, N O T E S. * Dr. Owen and others underftand be confidered as an objection againft his this him to relate to man in general, in abfolute and unlimited dominion, which diftin&ion from Jefus, who is mention- is anfwered in the next verfe, as feems ed, as they apprehend, in oppofition to to be intimated by the word ye t, (outo;) this him at the beginning of the next IV e fee not yet all things put under ver;e; and fo the apoftle denies that all him, which implies that the time is things are put under him : But Beza, coming when they fhall be fo. Now, Pijcator, Mr. Pierce and others under- though I incline moft to this lajl fenfe, ftand this him as relating to Chrift ; I would not be peremptory in it; and and lb the Iaft claufe of this verfe may therefore have included both.
came him, for whom are all things, and
278 The Epijile to the Chap. ii.
dignity, authority, and power of his mediatorial king- dom, in which he mult reign till all his enemies be ef- fectually fubdued under his feet, (i Cor. xv. 25.) And as by the gracious appointment of God, in his infinite love and good-will to men, Chrift tailed the bitter cup of death*, by actually dying in the room and flead of every one of the many fons (ver. 10.) that belong to him, whether they be Jews or Gentiles ; and by experimentally knowing the forrows of that tremendous death, which their fins deferved ; fo he, having done this, is exalted to all the honours of his throne, that he might be in full capacity to purfue and accomplifh the great end of his death, in bring- ing them all fafe to glory. 10 For -it be- IO For how offenfive foever the do&rme of a fuf- fering Mefiiah be to the carnal Jews, who looked for £" a temporal, and not a fpiritual falvation by him ; It whom' are all was every way right and fit, decent, decorous, and things, in bring- agreeable to the juflice and holinefs, wifdom and good- ie lor3" to'make ***** a"d indecd t0 a11 the Perfeftfons of God> who rhe§ ° captain"* oi is the ultimate end, for whom, and the firft caufe, their falvation per- by whom, all things whatsoever were created, and feet through fuf- the whole fcheme of falvation was formed : It was, I ferihgs. fay, infinitely becoming the great God himfelf, for
the vindication of the rights and honour of his holy nature, law, and government, in his way of bringing an innumerable multitude (Rev. vii. 9.) of adopted and regenerated fons to all the bleffednefs and glory of the heavenly {late, to prepare his only begotten Son for this work, as the prince, leader, and author of eternal falvation f, the whole accomplishment of
which NOTES. * Taffing death, is an Hebraifm for ferves. that every man, for whom Chrift dying: But the death of Chrift was not tailed death, cannot be here meant of after he was crowned with glory and all mankind ; but that the nature of the honour, much lets was he crowned, that argument and the fcope of the context he might tafte death, as the order of manifeflly carry it under a limitation to thefe words may feem to intimate; for all thole who were before called the the fcripture every where fpeaks of his heirs of falvation chap, i 14. and are death as preceding his exaltation. And all along, after thf verfe before us, rail- therefore it is molt confonant to the ed. the many fons who were to be truth, and to the apoftle's de&gn. to un- hi ought -to glory the fanci'fed, Chri/Ts derftand, with Mr. Peirce, that here is brethren, and the church ; and we may fuch an ellipfis or fyllepjit, ;»s is to be add. the children which lod had given met with both in profane and facred him, ver. ro. — 14 It alfo might he de- writers, and is a fiVure of fpeech that figncd to fliow that this favour was not fupplies the fenie. though not exactly intended to be confined to the Je-vs, but according to the (truclure of the words; to be extended likewife to the Gentiles. and fo it may (land thus. Jefus -.va( f The Captain of falvation («f^«yo$- crowned with glory and honour, that, t»< rumpttc ) property fignifies the Lead- by the grace of God having tafled death, er. and is rendered the Prince, and the
he might fave every man. But that Author (Acts iii 15- and v. 31. and
learned writer (notwithstanding his no- Heb xii. 2 ) which are the only places
tion of univerial redemption) further ob- belides in the New Xeftament, where
1 J this
Chap. ii. Hebrews paraphrafid. 279
which is lodged in his hands, and to perfect the confer cration of him to his office, as a prieft upon his throne, by means of his atoning fufferings and delth on their behalf, and in their Head, that as Jin has reigned unto death, fo grace might reign through ri^hteoufnefs to eternal life, by Jefus Chrift our Lord. ( Rom. v. 21.) 11 For both he 11 For both the Redeemer, who has taken away thf h fand!;ifieth* fin by the Sacrifice of himfelf, that its guilt may be fanctified "o/° "il eKP^ate^ and its defilement removed, * and the rc- of one, for which deemed, whofe fins are purged away by his blood and caufe he is not fpirit, and who are thereby devoted to God, and afbamed to call qualified for acceptably worshipping and fcrving him, them .brethren, ^t ^\\ of one blood, (Ads xvii. 26.) partakers of one and the fame human nature from one common parent ; Chrift having afTumed their nature into per- fonal union with himfelf, and that in the fame ftate and condition of weaknefs, affli&ion, and mortality with themfelves, fin only excepted, (vcr. 17. and chap. iv. 15.) that he might have fomething to offer, and they might have the benefit of it f ; and they are all of one heavenly Father, under a wife, holy, and gracious conftitution, whereby they are legally one and included in one covenant. And therefore, great and glorious as Chrift is, and mean and contempti- ble as they are, he does not difdain, but condefcends to take them into the near and endearing relation of brethren to himfelf, who is the fir ft born among ma- ny brethren, (Rom. viii. 29.) and to own them with
pie af Lire NOTES. this term is ufed ; and in all thefe places was fignified by external purifications with it is applied to Chrift. : And this Captain water and blood, (according to the more of falvation being made perfeel, accord- common acceptation of thofe words in ing to different acceptations of the word, other epiftles) as it was purcbafed by the (rfXfiiacra*) which is fometimes render- blood of Chrift, and is effected in confe- ed to perfeel, (chap. vii. 19 and ix. 9.) quence thereof by the fanctification or" and at others to confecrate, (chap. vii. the Spirit
2S.) may relate to his being both com- f Of one (t|fVof) is both the mafci. pletely fitted for, and confecrated to that line and neuter gender, and may accord- part of his office which he was to carry ingly mean of one per fan, or of one thing, on in heaven, and for the fulfilling of and that very confidently with each o- which he was crowned with the glory ther, and with the apoftle's argument; and honour mentioned in the preceding though their being all of one nature verfe. feems to be mod directly intended — A
* Sanclifieth zndfanttified (0 ayta^uv learned expofitor has conjectured, that xxt 01 ayia(of4ivoi~) are, I think, conftant- all of one means that Cbiift and the fanc- ly ufed through this epiftle in thefacrifri- tified are all ot one father Abraham, as al fenfe, with a reference to legal puri- he and all believers have the lame fr.it L fkations iorfeparation, or dedication to with Abraham. But though this may be God, and being fitted for his fervice ; or a good reafon for Chrift's calling them for cleanfing from the guilt of fin: But brethren, I (lo not fee how it (hows that when they relate to the fanctification of it became God in bringing many fons to believers, in virtue of the blood of Chrift, glory, to make the Captain of their fal- as they do here, and in chap. x. 10. 14. vation perfect through fufferings, which they may well be fuppofed to include al- is the very thing that the former part c fo an internal work of holinefs, which this verle is brought to prove.
Vol. V. O 0
280 The Epijlle to the Chap. ii.
pleafure under that relation, as he did after his refur- re&ion,. [John xx. 17.) and will publicly do in the day of judgment. {Mat. xxv. 40.) And this corre- fponds to the representation which was made in the prophetic writings of his calling them brethren, n Saying, I 12 Saying to his Father, (Pf. xxii. 22.) I will will declare thy make known the glory of thy perfe&ions and coun- name unto my cjjSj wayS ancJ works, to the honour of thy great mTdft'oTthediurch name> w'tn reference to the fcheme of falvation, by will I ling praii'e opening it firft in my perfonal miniflry, and after- unto thee. wards carrying it on in plainer and more extenfive
difcoveries, 'till it be perfected, in the miniftry of my fervants, and by the illumination of my Spirit, that it may be fully manifefted to thy children, to whom I Hand nearly related by famenefs of nature ancl cove- nant-conftitution, as my brethren. I will joyfully celebrate * and publifh the wondrous praifes of thy love, to thy glory among them whom thou haft cho- fen, called, and fandiified to be a peculiar church and people unto thee. 13 And again, I 1 3 And again, in another prophetic reprefentation will put my truft 0f Chrift, he is brought in as faying in the language i'ain^Eehold41 L oi David> h{s type, (Pf. xviii. 2.) like one that has and ' the children communion with his brethren in human affections, which God hath fufferings, and graces, as well as in nature, I will given me. place all my truft and confidence in the Lord, who
is my rock, and my fortrefs, and my deliverer, my God, my Jlrength ; (as it follows in that pfalni) My dependence (hall be entirely upon him to maintain my caufe, to fupport me under, and carry me through all my trials and difficulties, to make me triumph o- ver them, and to reward me for them in my own per- fonal exaltation, and in effectually bringing the ma- ny fons to glory, (ver. 10.) And with a like ac- knowledgment of his relation to them as brethren, he fays in another place, (Ifa. viii. 18.) Behold, here am I, ready to do and fuffer all that thou calleft me to for the redemption of the children, whom thou in eternal councils of wifdom, love, and grace, haft gi- ven me, as my property and charge, that I might deliver them from all evil, and fanclify them for thy ftrvice, and for an enjoyment of thee ; and that I might own, and take care of them, as my dear bre- thren,
NOTE.
* lifmging pi aifes is to be taken ft- take it in a laxer fenfe, for fetting forth terally, our Lord did this with his difci- the praifes of God's name, this Chrift has pies, the only gofpel- church that he had done, ftill does, and will continue to do, then upon earth, a little before his death, through all generations in the church, by when they fung an hymn at the clofe of his word and Spirit, in its various mini- the infdtution and celebration of the eu- ftrations and ordinances of divine wor- charift. (Maitlu xxvi. 3c.) But if we fhip.
Chap. ii. Hebrews paraphrafed. 28 r
thren, amidft all the fcorn and reproach of men upon earth, and conduct them fafe to heaven : And be- hold, I prefent them together with myfelf to thee, for thine acceptance, and for their everlalting happi- nefs. 14 Forafmuch *4 Since then [ith xv) the children, which God then as the chil- had given to his Son to be faved by him, were of the
dr/fl nrC PlrSkeriS numan race, and (motwmxs) had communion with of flefh and blood, ., n. r i • i • i ' -n-
he alfo himfelf rc ° man"-md in human nature, as confuting not
likewife took part only of an immortal foul, but likewife of a mortal bo- ot" the fame ; that dy of fiefh and blood, which was capable of dying ;
rnT°htgdeftrothhim ^ ^ wh° had *" etemal Pre-exillence as God> that had the°power conde^cendc<i voluntarily to affume true human nature of death, that is, w*tn au *s effcntial properties, and natural, though the devil; fmlefs, infirmities, into perfonal union with himfelf,
really and exactly according to their own likenefs ; {Ku%xM<?ioi$ fAino-fti) and fo was allied as a near kiniman to them, that the right of redemption might lie in him, and that he, in the fame nature which finned, might make a proper fatisfaction to the law and juilice of God for it ; to the end that (<»*) by means of his meritorious death, which he fuffered in their room and Head, to take away their fins and the curfe of the law, and to purchafe a refurrection to eternal life, he might vanquifh and (kutx^/wa) entirely overthrow, or make void the power of that great deftroying adverfary, the devil, who, as a mur- derer from the beginning, was the means of bringing fin and death upon them by the firft tranfgrefT: m ; and, as an executioner of divine juflice, had an empire over death to inflict it in a penal way upon obflinate and incorrigible finners, whenever God might permit him ; and to be afterwards their everlafting tormen- tor in the fecond death. 15 And deliver 15 And when Satan thought to have triumphed them who through over Chrift himfelf, by bringing him jnto the territo-
,!.ar(?f.dertfh 7re tories df death, This Captain of falvation utterly de- all their hfe-time f , , . \ ^ . . , \ . fubiecl: to bon- reated lum, as it were on his own ground ; and by «Jage. that very means, which feemed of all others the moil unlikely, and by which he himfelf feemed to be over- come, he difarmed that grand adverfary of all his pow- er, that in the virtue of his own death he might ran- fom alhhis children from the lfing and terrors of death, and from its dominion over them ; and might, in the effectual application of his blood, actually free them from the guilt and power of fin, and give them a com- plete victory and triumph over death itfelf ; ( 1 1 or. xv. 26, 55, 56, 57.) even them, who through their formidable thoughts of death, or of its dreadful con- fcquences, or of both, were all their lives ldng before liable to be fadly inflaved in their own minds, and a- . O o 2 fraid
232 Tbe Epiftle to the Chap. ii.
fraid to die, whether they were Jews under the ter- rors of the legal difpenfation, or Heathen t that had no hope of a better world beyond the grave. \6 For verily 16 For to accomplifh thefe important ends, it is ^t00^nQt0"him moil certainly true, that our bleffed Lord did not wets' 'bu'/he rook ^ ^old on the nature of angels, to take that into on him the feed of perfonal union with himfelf, as though he had in- Abraham. tended to recover any from among them that fell from
their original rectitude and happinefs * ; but, pafling by the angelic nature, he gracioufly condefcended to lay hold on, and unite to himfelf, the far more infe- rior nature of man, and to give it a peculiar fubfift- ence in his own divine perfon, as he derived it from the patriarch Abraham, to whom God promifed, that, in his feed all the nations of the earth fhould be bleffed. (Gen. xxii. 18. and xxvi. 4.) 17 Wherefore in 17 We may therefore infer from all this, that, in all things it beho- order to Chrill's duly anfwering the great defign of
yeiaehiiike'0unto hIs office« as their Redeemer and Saviour, it was his brethren • that highly fit and needful, and in the reafon of things e- be might be a mer- very way proper, that he fhould partake of their na- riful iiid faithful ture in all things that effentially belong to it, and high pneit, in {h^id come under their trials and fufferingb, and in- to God, tb'makeT* deed mould be in every thing, as far as poffible, in conciliation for the the like condition with thofe brethren of his whom fiiu of the people : he was to bring fafe to glory ; (yer. 10, 11.) that fo by his own experience of fufferings, which he under- went for their fakes, in their nature and in their Head, he might be the better qualified, and the more feelingly engaged, to aft the part of a compafiionate, tender hearted high prieft, and might be the more touching!)' itirred up to acquit himfelf with all fideli- ty, in the difcharge of his great undertaking for
them, NOTE. * Verily he took not on him the na- the fupplement, He did not take to him ture of angels, is underltood by fome to the nature of angels ; but took to him fignify, according to the rendering in the the nature of the feed of Abraham ; margin, he did not take hold of the an where human nature is exprelTed by the gelt, to hejp or refcue them; but he feed of Abraham ; becaufe our Lord de- took hold of the feed of Abraham, to help rived it from Abraham according to or reicue them but tl'ough I would Old Teftament-prophecies concerning not wholly exclude that fenfe, in conncc- him ; and becaufe he therein had a pe- tion with the other, which lies in the culiar refpeel to the fpiritual feed of A- text of our wtrfion; yet Chrift's affura. brabam; And this might with propriety ing human nature in his incarnation, enough be called Chri/fs taking to him, and not the nature of angels, feems to or taking hold of 'Ert\a/x€uvt1ai) not be melt immediately intended, anfwer- the nature of angels, but the human na- able to tbe whole Icope of the context : ture in the line of Abraham ; beca> e in And thefe words may be rendered, with- his incarnation he aliumed human nature out the, fupplement of nature, which is into perfonal union with himfelf, and fo added to the Creek in our tranflation, he laid hold of it in the moft intimate and dtd net take to him of the angels, that endearing manner poffible, in ofder to is, not any one of them; but he took to his relcuing and faving it. him of the feed of Abraham ; or, with
Chap. ii. Hebrews paraphrafed. 283
them, with relation to what he was to do with God on their behalf, in a way of fatisfaction to his jullice, for healing the breach which fin had made between him and them, and procuring peace and reconcilia- tion with God for thtm ; whom he reprefented and a&ed for, as taken from among men, and as therein typified by the high priejt under the law. (See chap.
iS For m that 18 And as the typical high prieft could have com- f(r nimle** , paffion on the ignorant, and on them that were out
tended, he iTa? °f the wty'fir that he himfelf a/ fo wa< compaffed ble to' fuccour about with infirmities, (chap. v. 2.) This is moil them that are remarkably and eminently true of Chrift : For, in as tempted. much as, and in the very thing, (ev u) in which he
himfelf underwent the feverefl tribulations, when he was in a ftate of trial" and fufFerings from Satan and the world, from the defertions of his Father and his own difciples, and from the reproaches and perfec- tions of his enemies, and his various troubles in foul and body ; He, having triumphed over all thefe forts of temptations in his own perfon, is both capable, inclined, and willing to fupport, comfort, and re- lieve all his brethren, that are exercifed with any like afflictions and trials ; as well remembring what he fuffered by them, and well knowing how to make thofe dear objects of his fympathy and compaflion, as victorious over them, as he himfelf was.
RECOLLECTIONS.
How much more excellent and important is the gofpel of Chrift, than the law of Mofes ! This was indeed fpoken by the miniftration of angels, and was divine- ly eftabliihed ; but that began to be fpoken immediately in perfon by the incarnate Son of God himfelf, who is, both by nature and office, infinitely fupenor to the angels in heaven ; and this blefled gofpel is confirmed to us by many faithful witneifes, who heard it from his own mouth, and were impowered ftill farther to publifh it, with infallible certainty, in all its extent and glory; God himfelf at the fame time bearing witnefs to the truth of their teftimony by various wonders, miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghoft, according to the good pleafure of his will And O what a great falvation, comprehenfive of all Ipiritual and eternal bleffings, and furpafs- ing all thought, does the gofpel bring to them that by faith receive it ! With what care and diligence then fhouid we attend to it, that we may embrace and retain it, and not let it flip out of our thoughts and hearts without any practical and faving improvement of it ! If it were juft in God to punifli the defpiiers of Mofes's law, and they fuffered accordingly, How much heavier vengeance will he ceitainlv take on the negleclers of his Son's gofpel? But how aftonifhingly condefcendmg is divine grace to mankind ! Chrift, palling by the angels, alfumed our inferior nature, as derived from Abraham, into perfonal union with himfelf: And we may well cry out with admiration and joy, O what is man, that thou fhouldll vifit him in this kind manner by the Son of man ! How low was our Lord brought lor a little while ! He was made lower than the angels in his ftate of humiliation, when, as the fruit of mere grace to the children whom God hath given him. he tafted the bit* tereft cup of death for their redemption. And how eminently is he now exalted in his mediatorial character in confequence of his fuft'erings, and as the righteous re- wards of them I The New Teftament- church, and all its affairs, yea, all God's works of nature and providence are alrea'dy put under bis dominion ; and though ail his enemies are not yet actually fubdued, they muft at length fall before him.
How
284 The Epi/lle to the Chap. iii.
How highly is God glorified in his appointed way of falvation through a crucified and exalted Redeemer ! This is a way becoming himfelf, who is the firft caufe and laft end of all things: All the perfections of his nature, together with his law and government, fhine forth with harmonious and illuftrious honour, in bring- ing a vaft multitude of his fons to glory, through the Captain of therr falvation, who was perfected for the remainder of his office by fufferings, and was one with them in fuch an intimacy of nature and relation, as is a proper foundation of his undertakings and performances on their behalf, and of his owning and regard- ing them as his brethren. He died, that he might reconcile them to God, and fanclify them for accefs to him, anrjholy communion with him ; that he might deftroy the power of the devil, who brought fin and death into the world, and tri- umphed in the regions of mortality; and that he might take away jhe fting of death, and deliver his brethren from its penal confequences, who all their lives long before had been brought into bondage by its terrors. And O what a merci- ful and faithful high prieft is Chrilt '. How 'effectually has he procured his people's reconciliation to God by his blood ! And how compaffionately does he fympathize with them under all their temporal and fpiritual trials, in remembrance of the bit- tcrnefs of his own fullering the like for them ; that he might feafonably help and relieve them in their moft afflictive circumftances, till he carries them fafe through all to eternal glory !
CHAP. III.
The apcfile /hews the fuperior worth and dignity of Chrijly in his per- fun and prophetic cjfice, particularly above Mofes, 1, — 6. Andre- prefents to the Hebrews, from the example of their unbelieving an- cejlors, the fin and danger of infidelity and apofiacy, and the necef- fity of faith in Chri/l, and of a ficdfajl adherence to him, in order to their entering into the heavenly rcjl, 7, — 19.
Text. Paraphrase.
^Herefore, holy O INCE the great Author of the gofpel is fo far more
takers^fthe hea~ excellent than all the former prophets, and even
venly calling con- tn"n tne ange^s themfclves, (as has been obferved,
filler the Apoftle chap. i. ii. ) Therefore, my dear brethren, who are
and high prieft fGj not only by nation as Jews, but, in the judg-
ChriftUrrePfr0t^0n' ment of cnaritT> by grace as Chriftians, and are bre- Jeus» thren to our Lord himfelf, and to one another;
and who, by your profeflion and obligations, are an holy people, Separated to him, and devoted to his fervice, as being fanctified by his blood and fpirit ; (chap. ii. 11.) who alfo are admitted to a partnerfhip with the whole body of true believers in all the privi- leges and bleffings of the gofpel, to which ye are called by fpecial grace, and which are of an heavenly nature, and relate to the heavenly ftate, as tending to it, and certainly ifluing in it, according to your high calling of God in Chnfi J ejus; (Phil. iii. 14.) Let me befeech you to go along with me in farther at- tentively coniidering, and ferioufly reflecting upon, the fuper- eminent dignity of the glorious Son of God, of whofe perfon and office I have been fpeak- jng, who is emphatically the Jen t of God, as the Fa- ther's
Chap. iii. Hebrews paraphrafed. 285
ther's divine meffengcr, by whom he has f poke n to us in the fe la ft days ; (chap. i. 2.) who is alfo our great high prieft to purge our fins, and make reconciliation for them , as has been declared, chap. i. 3. and ii. 17. and as we profefs to believe and own concerning him ; and fo is the author, life, and glory of our heavenly calling, and of our holy profefiion of his name, and of all our regards and hopes toward God, through him, even our Lord Jefus Chrift, the only true and anointed Saviour ;
2 Who was faith- 2 Who executed his prophetic office * with all fi- ful to him that ap- delity to God his Father, as he, according to eternal fo Mofes Zsfltil couuncils' a.nd ancIent Prophecies, ordained and call- Jul in all his houfe. ed him to *» conftituted him in it, and fent him to
fulfil it : He made known his Father's name, and the whole of his mind and will, relating to the faith, worfhip, obedience, and falvation of the church in every particular, and exactly according to his appoint- ■ment ; as it alfo muft be owned, to the honour of Mofes, the moft famous of all the ancient prophets, (Numb. xii. 7.) that he, who was therein a type of Chrift, faithfully difcharged the office committed to him, in communicating the laws and ordinances which belonged to that difpenfation, according to all that God commanded him, (Exod. xl. 16.) relating to the church of Ifrael, which then was God's houf- hold or family, (Numb. xii. 7.) as his church is, and may well be called ; (1 Tim. iii. 15.) becaufe he has prepared and fet it apart for himfelf, has a peculiar property in it, prefides over it, and dwells with a fpecial and gracious prefence of light and influence in it.
3 For this man 3 Confider, I fay, what a fuperlatively excellent was counted wor- one Chrift is: For this glorious perfon, (*T0?) who
than°^ t:Z {S *"£. bul ■?<" ™rely, man' W3S iDfinitely m°- h-
much as he who nourable m himfelf, and is to be efteemed as every hath builded the waY worthy of much greater glory than Mofes, In houfe, hath more his relation to the church ; notwithstanding- all the honour than the honour which that eminent man of God juftly obtain- ed for his fidelity in his high employment, as a mini- fter of the law, Chrift really is as much more excel- lent in his perfon and office, and as much to be pre- ferred to him, as the lord and mafter of his houfe or family, who is the former and owner of it, and has prepared, eredted, and governs it, is, in all reafon, to be counted worthy of higher honour and glory than
the
NOTE.
, ifu £% ap , ' comParinS Chrift afterwards proceeds to difcourfe particu-
^,T- *ttends ™°? irnmediately, larly, and at large, on his prie/ibood,
Zip ' f toh"Pr°Phet"^ \*tbe chap. iv. 14. aud in fcvtral following
apoft,e of our profeffion; (t*r. 1.) and chapters. S
i%6 The Epiftle to the Chap. iii.
the family itfelf, or any member of it, (and Mofes was no more) which derives from him, owes its be- ing and all its advantages to him, and is his peculiar property for his own pleafure, ufe, and fervice.
4 For every 4 For as in the literal, fo in the civil, political, houie is builded and religious fenfe of the vvord every houfe is re_ by tome man ; , ° -. , , ,, . , \ * r but he that built Pafec\> erected, and fitted up (vxo too?) by fome all things is God. principal founder and proprietor of it : But he that
is the great builder of the church, as his own houfe,* that has provided all its materials, and ordered all its affairs for his own glory, both under the Jewifh and gofpel difpenfation, is, and cannot but be, God him- felf ; it is his prerogative, and none but he could be their author ; and fo Chrift, who is the great mafter- builder of the church, bears the fuper-eminent digni- ty of God in his relation to it.
5 And Mofes c And to carry on this fimilitude, and apply it to venly was taith- the cafe *n han(j, it is indeed true, as has been obfer- asafervant for" a ved> (ver- 2') t^iat Mo/er acted a very faithful and teftimony of thofe upright part, in delivering the divine laws and ordi- things which were nances, about every thing that related to the church tobefpokenafter; 0f God under the Old Teftament difpenfjfljon : On- ly it mull be remembered, that what he did therein, was not as the Lord and Proprietor^ but merely in the quality of a mir.ijlring fervant in God's houfe ; he being fo, and nothing more, to give a prefigura- tive reprefentation to the Ifraelites of-thofe great and excellent things of the gofpel, which were afterwards to be more clearly revealed at large under the New Teftament,- and were witnefled to by his law; [Rom. iii. 21.) even fuch things as have been, and are to be Hill more particularly explained in this epiftle.
6 But Chrift, as 6 But Chrift is fo infinitely fuperior to Mofer, that,
a Son over his own though he gracioufly condefcended to take upon him
houfe: whofe houfe , P P r •'.... \ „.
are we if we hold t"e *orm °* a servant in his human nature and oihce-
faft the confidence, capacity ; yet in what he has done relating to his
and the rejoicing houfe or family, he acted, not merely the part of a
untohtheh°eml ^ fervant> but alfo of the lord and mafter> 1Ike the foQ and heir of his own houfe, which is peculiarly his, as
well NOTE.
* He that built, (0 xa7a<rxft;ao-ac) fig- and Heb. ix. 2. 6. for making the taber-
nifies he that prepared, fitrtiijhed, and nacle, and ordering things relating to it;
Jet in order, as well as he that built; and it is ufed for Noab'i preparing an ark,
and is never ufed to exprefs God's work Heb. xi. 7. and 1 Pet. iii. 20. which are
of creating ; nor would it at all fuit the all the places befides where it occurs, as
apoftle's argument to underftand him, as far as I find in the New Teftament: And
fpeaking of the creation of all things, therefore when the apoftle fays, He that
univerfally. But This word is often ufed built all things is God, it is moft natu-
to fijrnify God's preparing fuch things as ral to confider it with reference only to
relate to the church and his worfhip ; all thofe things, that were the fubjecT: of
Thus in Matth. xi. 10. Mark i. 2. Luke the foregoing difcourfe, relating to the
i. 17. and vii? 27. it is ufed for preparing church under the figure of a houfe. ^See
or making ready the way of the J*ord ; Dr. Owen on the place.)
Chap, ill
Hebrews parapbrafed.
287
7 Wherefore, as the Holy Ghoft faith, Today if ye will hear his voice.
8 Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of tempta- tion in the wilder- net's :
9 When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and law my works forty years.
Vol. V.
well as the Father's, as he has purehafed the church with his own blood ; has gathered it together, and formed all its members ; has reduced it to its proper order, and fettled all its ordinances and privileges by his own authority ; and as he influences and go- verns it by his word and Spirit I The houfe or fa- mily of Chrill, which I mean, and am fpeaking of as ere&ed under the gofpel-ftate, is no other than that of which we ourfelves vifibly, and really are, and (hall prove to be living members, vitally united to him ; in cafe we be not prevailed upon by the perfe- ctions, temptations, and dangers that furround us, to apoftatize from Chrift to Mofes; but carefully and ftrenuoufly retain, and perfevere in a bold and open profeffion of his name, on whom our hope is built \ and, notwithstanding all the tribulations that be- fal us, continue, oa a principle of faith, to maintain our rejoicing in hope of the glory of God, with fted- faftnefs to the end of our lives. [Chap. x. 23.)
7 To apply all this therefore for the caution of nominal prof ejjbrs againft apoftacy, and for the quick- ening of real believers to hold on, and hold out to the end, in their holy profeffion of Chrift and his gofpel ; let me remind you of what the Holy Ghoft in the infpired writings of David, (PfaLxcv. 7, &c.) fays to the Jews of his day, who are fet forth as ex- amples to us, ( 1 Cor. x. 6, 1 1.) It is to this effect ; Now,' immediately, and without delay, while the pre- fent day of God's mercy and patience lads, and the mefTengers of his grace are fent to you, if^ye would attend to, regard and embrace what he faiiby them, for your own fpiritual and eternal advantage ;
8 Take heed that you do not wilfully fliut your eyes againft his light, or flop your ears again!! his voice, and refift his Spirit ; and fo harden your hearts againft his fear, and againft all the methods of his wifdom and love for your prefent and future happi- nefs, as the former generation of my profeffing peo- ple did, by their provoking unbelief, ft fifes, and mur- murings againft the Lord and his fervant Mofes, as particularly at Ma/fab and Meribah, ,(Exod. xvii. 2, — 7.) in the day of their tempting me by diftruft- ing my power and goodnefs, after all my wonderful appearances for them ; and ra the day of my trying them by various dealings with them, while they were fojnurning in the defart of slrabia ;
9 When on that, and feveral other occafions, your anceftors, according to the flefh, and in vifihle cove- nant-relation to me, callfid in queftion my providenti- al and gracious prefence with them, and care or them, faying in the language of unbelief, Is the Lord
P p among jl
■2S8 The Epiflle to the Chap. iii.
among;/} in , or not ?■ (Ex. xvii. 7.) And when, at another time, they demanded appearances of my fa- vour on their behalf, beyond what they dittruftfully imagined I either would, or could give them ; fay- ing, [Pf. lxxviii. 19, 20.) Can God furni/h a table in jfce xvildernefs ? Can he provide fiejh for his peo- ple ? They often put my faithfulnefs, power, and kindnefs to the trial, with an unworthy fufpicious temper of mind, as though I would not. be mindful of my promife, or were not able to perform it for their relief ; no, nor to revenge the quarrel of my covenant upon refractory tranfgreftors of it, though they had all along experimental proofs with the higheit evi- dence to the contrary : And they went en in this manner to provoke me times and ways without num- ber, even while they faw my marvellous works, both of judgment and mercy, forty years together, from the time of my bringing them with an out-flretched arm from Egypt, till the end of their journeyings through that barren wildernefs, where they lived un- der my immediate protection and fupplies, in their way to the land of Canaan. iq Wherefore I io Therefore, to fpeak after the manner of men, was grieved With who are troubled at difagreeable events, and particu- tha,r |cnfJ3t'°r' kify at things that refiecl a difhonour upon them- alway err in their ^ves> anc* ^arry the marks of the bafefl ingratitude, beart ; and they I was all that while forely difpleafed, offended, and have net known at length wearied out, with the repeated and aggra- nty ways. vated incredulity and mifbehaviour of the people of
ithat age, even to the defpifing of my mod merciful care and kiudnefs, and renewing on the honour of my name ; and thereupon I faid, in juft refentment a- gainft them, They continually, on all occafions, go on in the perverfe counfels and difpofitions of their own hearts, running aflray from me ; and they have not attended to, and entertained due apprehenlicns of the ways of my providence, whether of judgment or mercy toward them, which they have feen in the courfe of my difpenfations ; (vcr. 9.) nor did they approve of, and practically obferve the ways of my precept, even the ways of truth, holinefs, and peace, which I fit before them, and enjoined upon them, that they might walk therein. 1 r So I fware in 1 1 Upon tbe w hole, my patience was fo worn out :nv wratn, Ihrv by their incredulity and difobedience, that, in my • n .er.tE.- into rightcoua indignation, I fware by myfelf, (Numb. xiv. 2IJ, — 30.) and fo declared with all the folemni- ty or an path, which fnews my word to be irreverii- bie, that,"5 for their high aud numberlefs provocations obftinately pei lilted in, as finely as I live, the car- calfes of that evil generation fliall fall in the wilder- nefs ;
Chap. iii. Hebrews paraphrafed. 289
nefs ; and none of them from twenty years old and upwards, except Caleb and Jo/bua, men of a better fpint, (hall enter into the land of Canaan, which I had promifed to Abraham and his feed, as a hind of quictnefs, peace, and plenty ; a land in which the ark of the covenant mould be fixed, as my reding place among them, (P/a/. exxxii. 5, 8.) and which was to be a type of my dwelling in my church, to give them a fpiritual reft do earth, and afterwards in heaven, where they (hall reif. from ail their labours, fins, and forrows, and enjoy the molt complete and everlaiiing happinefs in my immediate prelcnce. 1 2 Take heed, 1 2 Being therefore warned by thefe awful exam- brethren, left there pies, * which are left for our admonition 5 and being
be in any of you excited by a confederation of the dignity of Chriii;» an evil heart or ufi- r j re j c a 1
belief in departing- Perlon aud oiftce, and ot the near concern we have from ' the living Wlt'n mm> aud the rich advantages we may hope for God. from him, (ver. 6.) carefully fee to it, (/3;\-;v=rr)
look about you, look upwards and inwards, my dear brethren in the proftihon, and, as I trull, in the Caving benefits of the gofpel: Be watchful with holy jealoufy ever ycurfelves, and with humble depen- dence on divine grace, left |at any time, («e ~on) through the corruption of your own hearts,, and the temptations of Satan and of this prefeut world, un- belief, efpeciaily ar, proceeding from an habitually finful temper of foul, wickedly prevail in any of yflu, which is in itfelf a mod provojdng evil, as it is a dif- trull of God, and gives him the lie, and fo reflects the highell difhonour upon his authority, veracity, power, and grace, altd is the root and beginning ol, works and leads to, and, unlefs fubdued, will cer- tainly ifiue (as it did in your rebellious anceftors) in all backllidings, and apoitacies from the only living and true God, who, inclufive of the Son, [ver. 4, 6.) as one God with the Father, has neceffarily and eflentially life in himfeif, and is the author of fpiri- tual and eternal life to believers; and lives for ever to fulfil his promifes to them, and his threatnings to thofe that wilfully depart from him. 13 But exhort 1 3 But as a means of preventing this dreadful e- ©ne another daily Yil, be ye not only watchful over your own hearts, to while it is caUed,/guard ^nii £« fcfl v,orkings of unbelief and apof-
P p Z tacy
N O T E.
* Here the apoftle porfues hit exbor- Sands in connection with the ivbetefore
ration, which he was entering upon, ver, in ver- 7. but is now brought in with
7.; and, to prepare the way for the bet- the greater advantage in his arguing
ter enforcement of it, mentioned the cafe from GocT's difpenfations toward that i:n-
of the difobedient lfraelites in the inter- believing people, to hi< proceedings wirh
mediate verfes, which are to be confider- the prcfeflbrs of Chrift under the gofpei-
ed as a parentbelis; and fo this verfe flate.
190 The Epiftle to the Chap. iii.
To-day ; left any tacy in yourfelves ; but fhew a mutual tender con- of you be hard- cern for one another, by continually exciting and en-
deceit fuLfs of fin! *»**&*£ ^ other M' *"™ *W*>) d*l bY 6*J and every day, as opportunities and occalions 01-
fer, to itedfaftiiefs in the faith, and to a holy ciroum- fpec~t care and caution, in dependence on divine grace, againit carnality of mind, fupinenefs and ne- gligence j and againft the temptations of Satan, the allurements and terrors of this world, and every thing that has a tendency to cany you off from Chrift and the gofpel : Attend to this as your prefent duty, while the day of life is continued, and the day of gofpel-grace lafts, which will foon come to a period at death, and will do fo, particularly to the Jews, at the approaching detlrudion of Jerufalem; let thefe Chriltian-offices of brotherly love and faithful- nefs be difcharged to each other out of hand ; left any one of your number, that profeffes the fame faith, and is partaker of the fame external privileges of the gofpel with yourfelves, mould be lulled afleep and ftupified, and fo led afide and feduced from Chrift, through the guileful arts of indwelling fin, and the treachery with which it works in his heart, to magnify the terror of fufferings for Chrift, and the plcafure of worldly eafe, afHuence, and fafety ; and to put a favourable conftruftion and a fine glofs upon fuch evil ways of heart and life, as are deftruc- tive to his own foul.
14 For we are 14 It is of the utmoft confequence, for preferving piarie |)H.taker8 of us from this deceitfulnefs of fin and hardnefs of heart, Chrift, if we hold f • h . h wb f f the beginning or . _, r
our confidence (led- De : *or ll evidently appears, that {uiro^oi yiyovu- taPi unto the end 5 ^sv) we really have been brought into a happy part- ncrlhip with Chrift *, in his righteoufnefs, Spirit, grace, and benefits, as perfons vitally united to him, and intercfled in all that he is and has, if we hold fall (r»jy et^w tv, v7vo<?u.<7io)z xxTx%a{ziv) our fpiri- tual fubfiftence in him, and ftedfaftly maintain our holy confidence in our profefiiun'of him, which com- menced upon our firft believing; and perfevere there- in, again ft all oppofition and danger, to the end of our lives.
15 While it is 15 Take heed therefore to yourfelves, and do all ' ' ', lu -W ,r. y° that in you lies to fortify every one his brother a-
'harden Sainft temptations to apoitacy ; and lay hold on the
prefent
P T E.
* As the npoillc here ipeaks, not of a the end, feem to be brought in, as a
fvturc benefit, or of a promife for tin) e proof and evidence, and not as a condi~
to come, but of what was already aclu- tion of being made, or rather of having
ally enjoyed, the words, ifave holdfaA lecn wade, partakers of Chrift. (See
the beginning of our confidence Jledfqjl t» Dr. Owen on the place.)
Chap. iii. Hebrews paraphrafed. 291
harden not your prefent time for it, (§» t«j teyvrSxt) in that, or for hearts, as in the as much as, for preventing floth, negligence, and provocation. deIay> it jg faid by God \nmic\(f 'm the pjace but
now quoted* (ver. 7, 8.) Today, while life and opportunity are continued, (it being abfolutely un- certain whether a morrow will be afforded you or not) if ye would believe and obey what he fays un- to you for your own good, take heed of contracting an infenfibihty and hardnefs of heart, that refills all kindly imprefhons, as your fathers did when they provoked the anger of the Lord againft uiemfelves, by their unbelief and rebellion in the wiidemefs. 16 For fome, 16 For fome of them, f (to exprefs it in the ten- when they had dereft manner poflible) when they had heard the voice heard, diil pro- f- fa L d . h promulgation 0f the law at mount voke : howbeit not p. . . j , • £ o* 1. i_ 1
all that came out M/iai, £ and heard the mttructions he gave them by
of Egypt by Mo- the miniitry of Mofes, with regard to typical ordi- les« nances 01 wodhip, and the promifed land of Canaan,
which was a figure of heaven itfelf; they, inftead of being fuitably affected and influenced by it, were guilty of the higheft: provocations in the manner be- fore mentioned {ver. 9.) However, all of them, that were brought out of Egyptian bondage, did not go into thofe evil ways that were fo extremely offenfive to God : For Caleb and Jojhua were men of a better fpirit, and entered into the holy land : And fo, bleffed be God, it is only fome, and not ail the Jews, that have rejected the gofpel of falvation in thefe days, after they had heard it in the miniftra- tions of Chrift, and of his fervants. [Chap. ii. 3.) t7 But with 17 But who were they of that former generation whom was he grie- of the Ifraelites, with whom God was fo highly of- ved forty years ? fen(Jed for forty years together, as to exclude theoi them ^r0m tne land> which he had promiied to Abraham
and NOTES. * The apoftle here re-affumes the ing with an audible voice by the mini- confideration of the cafe of the unbelie- ftry of angels, in the delivery of the ten ving Ifraelites, to enforce his argument, commandments at mount Sinai; yet I •f Nothing can be more like the fpirit think what he faid to lfrael by his fer- ©f the apoftle Paul, th.an the almoft ini- vant Mofes, relating 10 the institutions mitable prudence, with which he pre- of the ceremonial law, which was their vents offence to the jfenvs, and all ap- gofpel, and to the promife of Canaan pearance ofharfhnefs, in reprefenting fo which was an eminent type of heaven it- awful a cafe of their fathers : He fpeaks felf, is to be included ; becaufe the a- of only fome, though it were in a man- poftle afterwards fpeaks of the gofpeVs ner the ivbole body of the Ifraelites, that being preached to vs as well as to them ; provoked ; and throws in this further mi- (chap. iv. 2.) and the Jews thenaielves, ligation, houcbeit not all, though there as their writers tell us, accounted the were only t<wo exceptions, as to thofe land of Canaan to be a figure of the hea- that were twenty years old and upwards, venly relt. (See Ainfworth on Gen. when they came out of Egypt. (See xii. 5.) and our apoftle leems plainly to Niimb. xiv. 29, 30.) confider it under this notion, chap. xi. 9,
X Though, perhaps, here may be a 10,14, 15, if. naoft immediate reference to God's fpeak-
£92
them that had fin- ned, whole carca- fes fell in the wil- dernefs ?
The Epiftle to the
Chap. iii,
18 And to whom f'vare he that they fhould not enter in- to his reft, hut to ibem that believed not ?
to So we fee that they could riot enter in be- cause of unbelief.
and to his feed ? It certainly was not with all of them promifcuoufly without diftinction. Was it not with them who had rebelled and murmured againft him in the mod notorious manner, and that repeatedly- through unbelief? Yes, certainly it was with them, and them only, who, as a juil punifhrnent of their iniquities, were deflroyed, and whofe dead bodies lay flain by the righteous judgment of God, like re- ferable and deteftable objects, in the howling defart, through which they were pairing, before any of them reached the happy country to which they were bound. 18 And who were they among that people, a- gainft whom God was fo greatly incenied, as to Iwear in his juft and awful anger, that they mould not be admitted to enjoy the privileges, peace, and blcflings of that reft, which was to be pofTefTed in Canaan, according to his appointment? It was not againft the faithful among them ; no, but only againit thofe of them, who, notwithstanding all their profef- fions and obligations, and all the wonderful appear- ances of God among them, rejected him by unbelief; as is plain from what he laid, not only concerning them, but to them. [Numb. xiv. 28, 29.)
19 Upon the whole then, we plainly fee, and mould obierve and confider it to humble and caution us, and to engage our conftant dependence on divine grace for keeping us clofe to Chrilt, that they could not be ad- mitted to fet one foot on the holy land, in order to their enjoying its blefiings, how defirous foever they were of it ; becaufe of their unbelief, which was the root and fpring of all their other provocations, and forfeited all right and claim to the promife of enter- ing into that reft, and fo excluded them from it.
RECOLLECTIONS.
With what incomparable dignity does our Lord Jefus Chrift tranfeend Mofes, in his perfon and office '. Mofes was merely a man, and a fervant ; and the beft that ran be faid of him is, that he was a part of God's houfe, and faithful in his minif- try : But Chrift is more than a mere man or fervant ; he is the God that formed his church, and orders all its affairs.; and is the Lord, proprietor, and ruler of it ; and in all his administrations is faithful to his Father that appointed him to his of- fice, as a divine Mediator and Saviour. How worthy is he of our higheft regard ! All, that profeu to be partakers of the heavenly calling, fliould think frequently and honourably of him, as the great apoftle and high pneft of their profeflion, and hold faft the beginning of their confidence, and their rejoicing therein, to the end, as ever they would prove themfelves to be true members of his family, in which he dwells, and will be glorified here, and for ever hereafter. How watchful fliould we be againft the hrft workings of unbelief, and much more againft the prevalence of it ! This is a mother-fin, that leads the way to all others : It proceeds from the corruption of the heart, and is in iti'elf exceeding finful : It is no lefs than a de- parture trom the living God and Saviour, in whom is all our help, hope, and hap- pinefs. And, ah, how dreadful are the eftecls of apoftacy 1 It is the higheft provocation to God, and hardening of the heart againft him. It is a fhamefully diftrulttul tempting him ; a grief to his good Spirit ; and a contemptuous inobfer-
yance
Chap. iv. Hebrews paraphrafed. 293
vance of all his difpenfations of mercy and judgment ; and brings the heavieft ven- geance upon apoftites thernlelves. How lhould the examples of others unbelief and rebellion againft God, and ot their punifhment, be a folemn warning to u«, that we may not tread in their fteps ; but may be excited to an obediential faith without delay, while the door ot mercy is open in the gofprl ! It is our greateft interelt and duty to attend, and yield ourielves up, to what the Holy Ghoft fays in his word, and in fecret fu^geftions to our fouls ; and not harden our hearts againft it, left God mould, ere we are are aware, fwear in his wrath, that we fhall never enter into the reft which he has provided for his people. But how great is the de- ceitfulnefs of fin to ftupify tie confeience ! And what need have believers them- felves to be daily cautioned, and to caution one another againft it \ No outward privileges or profeflions of religion will fecure us from divine wrath, if our hearts are not right with God : But, blefled be his name, there are fome of a more ex- cellent fpirit, like Caleb and Jojhua, that fhall enter into eternal reft. They are already partakers of Chrift, and of the benefits of his purchafe, and fhall for ever enjoy him in the glorious ftate of heavenly reft. But a perfeverance in faith, and in a holy proteflion of it, is the belt proof and evidence of its fincerity, and that this is our happy cafe. In vain do others pretend to it ; but they that abide in Chrift, as all true believers do, are kept by the power of God, through faith, to complete falvation.
CHAP. IV.
The apnjlle inculcates an humble cautious fear upon the Hebrews, lejl any of them /hnuld come fhort of the promifed reft through unbe- lief < 1, 2. Shows the much greater excellence of the heavenly reft, which is propofed in the gofpel, than that of the earthly Canaan, which was Jet before the Israelites under the law, 3, — 10. And con- cludes with the mofi awahening and encouraging arguments and motives to faith aud hope in our approaches to Qod, 11,— J 6.
Text. Paraphrase.
LET us therefore QINCE God dealt fo feverely, in his righteous judg-
mireebeingftlertPr^- ment' Wlth ^1S ancient People for their difobe-
of entering into his dience and unbelief, as has been cbferved ; (chap. in.
reft, any of you 7, — 1 9.) and fmcc his difpenfations toward them
fliould feem to were deiigned as an admonition to us, we may juflly
eome fhort of it. exp(.a tQ be deah w{th {n ];kc manner? {f we be guil-
ty of the like fins, efpecially conlidering the richer advantages we now enjoy, above what they had then : It therefore mould be matter of deep concern with 'its, to maintain an awful reverence of the greatnefs, Lulinefs, and juftice of God, and a religious dread of provoking him, not with a diilruftful, difmaying, and dilheartning, but with a watchful and cautious iear, to put us upon a diligent ufe of all means, in an hum- ble dependence on his grace, for cur own and each others prefervation from apoflacy, and from the ter- rible confequences of it, that as God under the gof- pel-ftate has left on record, and propofed for our en- couragement, a gracious promife of admittance to a it ate of peace and holy communion with him, through Chrift, in truly evangelical worfhip and obedience in
this
294 Tbe Epi/iU to the Chap. iv.
this world, and of a glorious reft and peace in the world to come ; and as this, of all others, may be emphatically ftyled God's re/?, not only as he k the author of it, but chiefly as he complacentially refts in Chrift the purchafer of it, and is well pleafed with his people in him, and with the accomplishment of all the defigns of his grace through him, and as it is the laft and moft perfect reft, that he will ever give them, and he himfelf is the fum of its felicity and glory ; fo the utmoft care and caution ought to be ufed, left any of you, through floth and unbelief, in fome fea- fon of temptation, mould reject and forfake the pro- mife, and fo neglecl the great falvation of the gofpel, {chap. ii. 3.) and fall fhort of an enjoyment of it; or fhould even fo much as appear, to yourfelves or o- thers, to flag in your Chriftian courfe, and to be fo diitanced in it, as not to reach its fpecial blefiings here, and the glorious inheritance of eternal life here- after, as the Israelites fell fhort of the promifed land, through their infidelity and difobedience.
2 For unto us 2 For the gofpel of falvation by Jefus Chrift has was the gofpel n0w been preached to us, who fit under the miniftra- preached as well t;Qn of jt as {t formerly was for fubftance, though as unto them : but TV . J \ -n /
the word preached more obfeurely, to our anceftors : But (0 Xcy*s tk did not profit them, ax-<w) the good word, which was communicated to not being mixed them in the ordinance of hearing, as God's appointed Umheird/11 them means of ^getting faith, did not become effedual, and turn to any real advantage, as to many of thofe that heard it in the miniftry of Mofes and other in- fpired writers, that teftified of Chrift; (John v. 39, 46.) becaufe they did not receive, appropriate, and apply it by faith to themfelves ; and lo it was not u- nited, and as it were incorporated with their hearts, as food is with the body, when it is eaten, and turn- ed into fuitable nourifhment by a proper digeftion of it : No more will the gofpel of the grace of God, which is now more plainly preached to, and heard by us in the miniftry of Chrift's fervants, be really and eventually profitable to us ; unlefs we receive and digeft it by faith, as our fpiritual food, and it become an ingrafted zvord, which is able to fave our fouls, (James i. 21.)
3 For we which 3 For as entering into any reft, which God has pro- have believed, do p0fed to his people, is only in a way of believing * ;
enter fo
NOTE.
* The great defign of the apoftle in chap. iii. 7, — 19. from Pfal. xcv. II. to this and the following verfes down to enforce his exhortation to the Hebrews, the iQth, is to prove that there is a pro- left they fliouid fall fhort of it, did not mife of reft peculiar to the gofpel-ftate, affeel them; becaufe God's reft fpoken and to obviate an objeclion, as though of there, or in any other part of the Old what he had alledged and inlifted on, Teftament, related only to the reft of
the
Chap. iv. Hebrews paraphrafid, 295
enter into reft, as fo thofe of us, who, by a true and lively faith, have he faid, As I have rece|ved and trufted in Chriit, and in the promife of fworn in my wrath, i vr r j i_ r 1 t ^ If they fliall enter eternal I,fc> as propofed to us in the goipel, do there- into my reft : al- by already enter into a ftate of fpiritual reft and peace, though the works in communion with God through him, according to were finiftied from the light and grace of the New Teftament-dirpenfar
the woUrM.atl°n ^ tion ; and we» even now' enter b? faJth and hoPe In gofpel-worfhip, into the heavenly reft within the vail,
as a pledge and aflurance to us of our perfonally en- tering hereafter into the full pofftflion of it, whither Jefus the forerunner is entered for us: (chap. vi. 20.) And that fuch an excellent ftate of reft was de- figned of God for New Teftament-believers, far ex- ceeding that of the land of Canaan ; as alfo that none but true believers {hall enter into it, is evident, if we compare the feveral pafTages where the fcripture fpeaks of God^s re/?, which he has gradually introduced in different ages of the world ; as for inftance, He laid of the unbelieving refractory Jews in the wildernefs, (PfaL xcv. 11.) I, in my jut! and hot difpleafure, have pronounced irreveriibly, with all the folemnity of an oath, that, as furely as I live, I myfelf will ceafe to be God, if any of them (hall have . admifiiort into my reft. This, byjuft conftruftion, according to the rule of contraries, plainly implies a promife, that fmcere and faithful believers among them mould enter into it ; [ver. 6.) and fuppofes that the reft propofed to them was yet to be expected, although there was a former reft of Gcd, which was then fub- fifting, and commenced immediately upon his having, at the beginning of the world, perfected the work of creation in fix days ; and fo there was a reft of God near three thoufand years before that of the land of Canaan.
4 For,
NOTE.
the land of Canaan and the reft of the commenced upon the finifhing of the feventh-day fabbath, (ver. 4.) which work of creation, ver. 3, 4. ; another, were now no longer matter of promife, which was afterward propofed to Ijrael tbey having been already actually enjoy' in the wildernefs, as to be enjoyed in €d. The apoftle therefore fhews in the land of Canaan, ver. 5. ; and a third, thefe verfes, that it may be collected, which, after both thofe refts, was to be even from what is faid in that pfalm enjoyed in the gofpel- ftate and heavenly itfelf, that there is, in reality, a pro- world, ler. 6, — 11.: And by compa- mife of another reft of God, befide ring what the fcripture fays of all thefe thofe; and fo fupports and ftrengthens refts. it appears that th ere is ft ill a bet- his argument for taking heed, left they ter reft that remains for true believers, fhould fall fhort of this moft excellent than either of the two firft before- men- reft. It is, I own, no eafy matter to let t'oned ; and that is an eternal reft in the lieveral fteps of his reafoning on this heaven, inclufive of the fpiritual and head in a clear and obvious light, but holy reft which they have in drift by it will be a great help to our under- faith here, as the beginning and e<:rneii, ftanding it, if we confider that he fpeaks and as iffuing in the uofiTeliion, of glory of three forts of God's reft ; one. which hereafter.
Vol. V. Qj*
2g6
The Epijlle to the
Chap, iv
4 For he fpake in a certain place of the feventh day on this wife, And God did reft the leventh day from all his vvorki.
5 And in this place again, If they flull enter into my reft.
6 Seeing there- fore it remaineth that fome tnuft en- ter therein, ai.d they to whom it was firit preached, entered
4 For, with refpeft to that former fort of reft, he had fpoke of the feventh day of the week, in a cer- tain well-known palTage of the Old Teftament, after this manner, as it is recorded, [Gen. ii. 2, 3.) the whole of which (as ye who are fo converfant with the fcriptures may eafily recollect) ftands thus, On the
feventh day God ended his work, which he had made : And he rejled on the feventh day from all his work which he had made, and God hleffed the fe- venth day, and fantlified it ; becaufe that in it he had re/led from all his work, which God created and made, that is, not as though he were weary, and needed reft for refrefhment after labour, as men do : But as reft fuppofes, and refers to fome preceding work ; fo God, having completed his work of crea- tion, ceafed from doing any thing further of that kind, and expreffed his great plcafure and fatisfa&ion in what he had done ; with regard to which it is faid, that on the feventh day he re/led, and zvas refrefhed : (Exod. xxxi. 17.) And, in token of this, heap- pointed that day to be obferved and enjoyed by man after fix days labour, as a fabbath of fpiritual and holy, as well as of bodily reft, when he hleffed the fabbath day, and hallowed it. ("Exod. xx. 11.) That therefore could not be the reft intended, when God fwore that the obftinate and rebellious Ifraelites fhould not enter into it.
5 And again, in the fame place, (Pfal. xcv. 11.) he fpeaks of another reft befides, and after this, fay- ing, Let me not live, if they enter into my reft ; which, as it refers to the Jews in the wildernefs, to whom it was Jirft fpoken, is indeed to be underftood of their entering into the land of Canaan at the end of their toilfome journeyings through that vaft defart, in refemblance of God's having ceafed from thofe extraordinary and wonderful operations of provi- dence, whereby he fupported and defended them, and drove out the former inhabitants of that country, and made way for his people to go into it and take poiTefiion of it : But as it refers to the people in Da- vid's own day, to whom thefe words were fpoken and applied, as recited in the Pfalmj, after they had been in actual pofleffion of the land of Canaan about four hundred and fifty years; (Afl\ xiii. 20.) it muft have a farther meaning, than barely that reft, which they then enjoyed theie.
6 Since therefore, as is ftrongly implied in the threatning againft them that believed not, (ct7ro\u7n- Txi) there is ftill left a promife of reft in the word of God, (ver. 1.) which true believers fhould certainly be partakers of, according to his defign and appoint- ment,
Chap. iv. Hebrews paraphrafed. 297
entered not in be- merit, as, in fact, the next generation of Ifraci'ites caufe of unbelief: m the wildernefs were of the promifed land; and iince (oi tt^ot^ov ivccyyihtc-SivTis) the generality of thofe Jews to whom the good tidings of entering in- to that typical reft was firll published in the wilder- nefs, fell fhort of it by means, and on account of their provoking unbelief, though others were after- wards brought to poffefs it. 7 Again he li- 7 £or this reafon, * I fay, God, after all this, a- miteth a certain gajn («,£«) prefcribes and fixes by David, in the day, faying ,n Da- forementioned pra/„, a certarq day or feafon then vid, I o-day, after . , ./. , ' r . J r ,
fo long a time ; as to come, in which thofe of that age were to leek an it is laid, To-day entrance into his reft, after they had been for fo ma- it ye will hear his nv years actually fettled in the land oi Canaan, ac- voice harden not corc|{ng t0 what is there faid, even then, by way of caution to them, \f ye would hearken to the voice of God, relating to the time of this farther promifed reft, which ye ought to do now immediately without delay, left ye never have an opportunity afterwards for it. Take heed that ye do not defpife, and fo harden your hearts againft, his awful admonitions and gracious promifes, with regard to this reft, as your fathers did in the wildernefs, with regard to their reft in Canaan. This plainly mows, that what is there faid related, not to the reft, which was al- ready enjoyed, but to one which was to be enjoyed after they were in full poflefiion of the promifed land. S For if Jefus 8 For \iJofhua, whofe name is called by the Greeks had given them Jefus, which fignifies a Saviour, and who was a type reft, then would of jefug Chrift as the great Captain of falvation, that haveTpoken^oT^a- conducts believers to their fpiritual and eternal reft ; nother day. If, I fay, Jojhua the fon of Nun, had given the Is-
raelites poiTefiion of the ultimate reft intended in the Pfalms, by his having brought them into, and fettled them, fo long before, in the land oi Canaan ; (jofn. xxii.4.) then, (uiTd tccvtk) after thefe things had been actually accomplished fo many hundred years before, God would not ftill have fpoke by David of another day or feafon, in which the people that then dwelt in poflefiion of the promifed land, were to feek after a further reft, which was typined by that, and could be Qjj 2 no
N O T n.
* I take this verfe to be brought in, may be better read, he again limitetb,
as an argument to prove wliat had been than again he limiteth, as Though one
faid, ver. 6. about a ptomife being left argument was contained in <oer- 6. and
of a reft yet to come. <ver. 1. rather another was added in this, to prove the
than as another argument, diftincl from fame thing ; whereas, if it were <o, they
that, to prove the fame point ; and fo would probably have been connected by
the therefore, ver. 6. refers to the cai'e the copula and again, as is ufual in inch
of God's' faying what is alledged in this cafes, and as we had it in ver. 5- (**i
verfe, the hrft words of which I think craMf)
298 The Epiftle to the Chap. iv.
no other, than what was to be introduced by Jefus, the Meffiah himfelf.
9 There remain- g Upon the whole then, fince neither the reft of the to"1 the^to ^^/^"th^J-fiMatb, nor of the land of Canaan were, qoc^> or could be intended by that laft mentioned day, which
was fpoken of after both thofe former refts were actu- ally enjoyed, it is evident, that there ilill remains un- der the gofpel-ftate, a more complete and glorious reft, which was typified by, aid is vaftiy preferable to thofe refts, and is to be inherited by the true peo- ple of God, inclufive of a fpiritual reft by faith in Chrift, and of the [abbatifm or day of holy and joyful reft, as a New TeJIament-fabbath, in commemoration of his refurre&ion from the dead ; but principally and ultimately confifting of that heavenly reft, which thefe are foretafles and pledges of, and which, in virtue of what Chvift has done and faffered, believers fhall be admitted to, and continue with him in the full enjoy- ment of for ever.
10 For he that • 10 For our Lord, having gone through the great is entered utto his work of redemption in his obedience, fufferings, and ceafed* from "is ^eatn*> rofe again and took poffefiion of heavenly glory; o vr. works, as God ar>d fo refted from all the labours, fufferings, and trials, did from his. which before he underwent, in finifhing the work that
his Father gave him to do, and in procuring a blefled reft for his people, a pledge of which is given in the New Teftament-fabbath : And every true believer that has entered by faith into the fpiritual reft of the gofpel-ftate, and of a holy fabbatifm here upon earth, has done with all the works of iniquity ; fo as to be no longer a lover, prattifer, or willing fervant of fin,
as
NOTE.
* It is pretty remarkable, that, in week, was appointed immediately upon, the Greek, the apoftle, <ver. 9. chan- and in commemoration of, Chrift's reft- ges the rer n. and ui'es another word ing from the work of tedemption, when aWito?) which li^niries a fab- he rofe from the dead, and entered into /. to exprefs the reft that remains his refl, as having ceafed from his own for the people of God, different from former work, as God did from his. tnat, (y.uly.Tx-jir^) which he had all The reader may fee thefe interpretations along ufed before, and returns^o again, argued for at large in Dr. Owen on .. to exprefs the reft of God and thefe verfes, and in his exercitations on his people, the reafon of this altera- the fabbath ; and argued againft by Mr. tion, fays the learned Dr. Owen, and Pen ce on this place. However, as, af- leveral other noted divines, is to in- ter all, there feem to be confiderable elude the day of fabbatical reft, which difficulties attending each of thefe in- • d under the gofpel- terpretations, and I cannot be pofitive fate, correspondent to what had been whether a Chri/tian fabbath be intend- ed, ~r/\ 4. about the feventh-day ed ; or whether he that has entered in- nfomuch that as that day of to his reft, refers to Chrift, or to belie- \\ reft was appointed immedi- vers, I have thought proper to take in in commemoration of, all thefe fenf'es, which may he done » from the work of crea- without one's excluding the other ; and 10 the New Teftament day of fo leave every reader to choofe that fabbatical reft, or the tint day of the which he judges to be beft.
Chap. iv. Hebrews paraphrafed. 299
as formerly he was ; and he has ceafed from truftlng or refting, as he ufed to do, in any of his own works of righteouinefs, though not ceafed from the praBice of them ; who having rimmed his courfe of obedience, trial, and conflict, in this life, and entered into a com- plete and glorious reft in the celetiial llate, he has not only ceafed, and that entirely, from all the fins, but likewife from all the toils, pcriecutions, and forrowa of every kind, that attended him in this evil world : (Rev. xiv. 13.) And both Chrill himfelf, and every' true believer in him, according to their refpective conditions, have in this manner refted from their la- bours, in refemblance of what God did at the begin- ning of the world, who, when he had finifhed the work of creation, ceafed from working after that fort any mort. 1 1 Let us labour 1 1 As therefore the fwecteft reft comes after labour, therefore to enter and is greatly recommended and enhanced by it ; and into that reft, left as ye have near£l what an excellent reft, fuperior to aii the fame ex^m ? otners> 1S propofed to believers in the promifes of the of unbelief. gofpel ; let it*, anfwerable to the exhortation given,
(vcr. 1.) be our diligent care and lludy, and our ear- neft endeavour in the ufe of all appointed means, and in humble dependence on divine grace, to overcome all difficulties, and break through all oppofitions and difcouragements, from within and from without, that we may have accefs into all the privileges and bleilings of the golpel-ftate here, which will be an unfpeakable refrefhment to our own fouls, and give them the molt compofed and delightful reft in I 'hnft, fuitable to our circumftances here ; and that we may have a fafe and triumphant arrival to the heavenly glory hereafter, where we (hall reft from all our labours, fins, ai.d for- rows, and enter into peace, and into the joy of our Lord, and be pofTcfTed of all pofiible blffTednefs with him for ever ; let us, I fay, be deeply concerned at heart about this reft, each one for himfelf, and ltir up one another, to look out after it ; left as the carnal [Jraehtet, notwithstanding their vifible relation to God, and their having a promife of Canaan fet before them, were fo difheartened by real or imagined ter- rors, wants, and dangers, through the powerful workings of unbelief, as not to arrive at that promt- fed reft ; fo any amc-ngft us that hear the gofpel, and are proftflbrs of faith in Chriit, fhould, through floth-
fulnefs,
N O * The apoftle here returns to his ex- hortation, ver. 1. to take heed, left any of them fhould fall fhort ol the promifed reft through unbelief; and does this nov
T E.
of the proof he had given in the inter- mediate veifes of the certain and fupe- rior excellence of that reft, which be- loigs to the gofpel, above what was en-
with greater advantage, in confideration joyed in the land of Canaan,
300 Tfje Epijik to the Chap. iv.
fulnefs, fear, and unbelief, never attain to that fpiri- tual reft, which is begun in grace here to be perfected in glory hereafter ; but mould fail of entering into it, in like manner, and for the fame caufe, as they fell mort of the earthly Canaan, Let their fin and punifhment be an inftru&ion and a cautionary exam- ple to us ; leit we, being left to ourfelves, plunge into both as they did. 12 For the word 12 There is the greateft reafon to maintain a god- of God is quick, ]y jeaIoufy over ourfelves and over one another, left foarpM-^than any tms mould he the awful cafe of any of us, that make two-edged fword, a profeffion of Chrift's name ; and there is good en- piercing even to couragement for an exercife of the utmoft care and the dividing afun- caution herein : For our Lord Jefus Chrift, who (as jfer of loul and ,, k j b R charaAer of thg Word of
ipinr, and of the J , • , r - /n j / n • r rr / vt
joints and marrow; ^od, is the Itvmg Une9 and the rrince of life, (Kev.
and is a ditcerner i. 1 8. and Ads iii. 15.) who has life in himfelf, and of the thoughts is the author of it to others ; (John v. 25, — 29.) *
heart!ntCntS ** and the Written WOrd' eVen the *0lv fixture, which is the word of revelation, has a quickening virtue in it, as animated by his Spirit, {John vi. 63.) to raife dead fouls to fpiritual life, and to make living fouls lively : And Chrift, the eternal Word, exerts a divine energy by means of the written word, as he makes it
mightily NOTE. * By the word of God fome here un- preaching, and hearing of it ; and the derftand Chri/l, the perfona I word of connection with the preceding context God, who was ufuallv ftyled the Word ; feems to give countenance to this appli- and the Word of God in the writings of cation of thefe paflages : For Chrift may the Jews, to whom this epiftle was be here confidered as the author of, fent, and is often fo called in the New and as working by the word, to en- Teftament, as particularly in John i. 1. force the exhortation to take heed of 14. and Rev. xix. 13. ; and he may pro- rejecting it by unbelief. However, it bably be meant by the word of God's is difficult to determine with certainty grace in Ads xx. 32. (See the note which of thefe is mod precifely intend- there.) But others underftand the ed ; the arguments for one and the other word of God here to fignify the Holy may be feen in various learned and cri- Scripture, which is frequently men- tical commentators, fuch as Dr. Owen, tioned under that title, as in Luke v. 1. who takes it to be meant of Chrijl ; and and xi. zS. and Acls viii. 14. and xi. t. Dr. Whitby and Mr. Peirce, who under- and xiii. 7, 44, 46. All the properties ftand it of the written word. But as afcribed to the word of God, in this and all that is here afcribed to the word of the next verfe, evidently belong to.'our God, relates to what Chrift does by Lord Jefus Chrijl ; and fome ot them means of the written word, and to what feem to be fo petfonal, as molt iitly to the written word cannot do, but as be applied to him, who, I think, is made efficacious for it by him, it a- fairly to be underftood as defcribed, ver. mounts to much one and the fame thing J v where it is laid, in connection with in the apoftle's argument, whether we this verfe, neither is there any creature, here confider Chrift, or the Scripture, to that is not mar.'fcjl in his fight ; hut all be furnified by the word of God; and things are naked and opened to the eyes therefore both fenles are taken into the of him with whom we have to do : And paraphrafe, which may be done with the yet the properties ol" the word of God, in utmoft conhftency, while we confider the verfe before us, may, in fome fenle, one as the efficient caufe, and the other l»e applied to the written, word, as at- as the inflrurnent of the operations, which tended with his energy in the reading, are afcribed to it.
Chap. iv. Hebrews paraphrafed. 301
mightily imprefiive on the mind and conference, to convince of fin, and fubdue its power, and captivate every high thought to the obedience of Chriit ; (2 Cor. x. 4.) as alfo to ftrike terror into hypocriti- cal fouls, and to comfort the hearts of fincere belie- vers : And his agency by his word, which is the /word of the Spirit, and like a fharp two edged /word that proceeds out of his m'/uth, (Ephef. vi. 17. and Rev. i. 16.) is more cutting and penetrating into the inmoft recedes of the heart, than the (harped fword can be, when thrud into the body ; its mighty ftrength, in the hand of Chrift, makes its way to the inmoft parts of a man, reaching unto (ditxvap.ivos) the animal or fenfitive, and the intellectual foul; (fee the note on 1 Thejf. v. 23.) and even dividing between them, fo as either to reduce them to a holy order in fan&ifying both, and keeping them in their diftincl: and proper places, with a due fubordination of the af- fections and paflions to the understanding in true be- lievers ; or to procure death and ruin in executing judgments upon falfe profeflbrs, by the power of Chrill according to his word : And the eternal Son of God, by his word, and his Spirit accompanying it, inftantly pierces, in a way of mercy, or of judgment, the mod hidden parts, as the joints and marrow of the human body, that lie out of view, are reached by a fharp fword, that ftrikes home, and gives the deeped wound : The eternal word alfo, by his omniprefence, fearches, knows, and judges of the regular, or finful thoughts and principles, motives, purpofes, and ends, that work in every one's heart, (Rev. ii. 23.) as well as the outward a£ts of his life ; and his written word in the miniftrations of it, as rendered powerful by him, difcovers a man's whole foul to himfelf ; and tells him all that is in his heart, either to humble or * comfort him, or to condemn or acquit him, according to the real date and condition in which he dands be- fore God, as a hypocrite, or true believer. 13 Neither is 13 Nor is it poflible for any of us to efcape there any creature Chriil's mod critical notice, or to be out of the fe&U his ™gbti reach of his Powerful Operations, one way or o- hut all thirds are tner» upon our minds and confeiences by his word ; naked, and opened * there being no creature, of what rank or kind fo- unto ever>
NOTE.
* In his Jigbt, undoubtedly relates, meant more directly of Chrift, than of not to the written word, but either to God the Father, though not exclufive of God or Cbrijl ; for his fight is a perfo?ial him : For it was not God himfelf 'but the character, as appears from the expreffion the word of God, that was the fubjecl all Jtfeif, and from what follows in imme- along fpoken of in the preceding verle, diate connection with it ; and it feems as working in fuch a lively, powerful, to me, that we are to underftand it as and piercing manner ; and here, in con- firmation
302 * The Epijtle to the Chap. iv.
unto the eyes of ever, that lies concealed from his all-comprehenfive him with whom vj who knQWi aU thl /john xxi> v d
we have to do. , r , , . ,s , \J , '..'. .
ivho fearcoe.f the reins and the heart , and will give
unto every one according to hi> works: (Rev. ii. 23.) None of them are in the leaft concealed from him ; but, whatever we may think of it, or whatever at- tempts we may make to hide ourfelves from him, all perfons and things, even the moft fecret thoughts and defirts, hopes and fears, tempers and difpofitions of all our hearts, lie open to his accurate infpe&ion, like things that are quite naked and expofed to his eyes, which, for their piercing light and luftre, are as a flame of fire : (Rev. i. 14. ) * And as the beafts for facrifice were flayed, and cut, and laid open, that the prieft might narrowly examine, and fee whether there were any faults or imperfections in the carcafe or its intrails, that would render it unfit to be offered ; fo all things in, and about us, are moft evidently expofed, and clearly manifefted, to his cri- tical all-feeing eye, with whom we have the neareft and moft important concerns, and have more to do, than with all this world ; to whom alfo we mull one day give an exa6t account of all things done in the body, whether they be good or bad ; (2 Cor. v. 10.) and who is the principal fubjerft of our difcourfe in this eprftle. Thefe are awful and affecting thoughts, to engage our utmoil circumfpeclion and care, left any of us fall fhort of the heavenly reft through unbelief. 14 Seeing then T^ gut) t0 return to what has been faid about the that we have^a priejhood of Chriftj whom we have caUed the High
Prieji
NOTES,
formation of it, and in clofe and natural ces; fo the paffages before us (r^oj ov »-
connexion with it, he, who is ther.e fit* 0 xoyoc) might be tranflated,ro <u>£o/«
called the Word of God, is reprefented as nve mu ft, give an account, as the great
Omnifcient Ana judge of all, and there- Judge of all; or, concerning tuhom
fore undoubtedly capable of exerting all wcfpeak ; (r?os pro jte^i ;) compare the
thofe operations, either in a way of Greek in chap. i. if. and v. 11. all which
judgment or of mercy ; and the laft entirely agrees to our Lord Chrift, and
claufe of this verle feems to direct oui points us to him.
thoughts to him, as it is he with whom * Several critics have obferved, that
we have moft immediately to do, for be- the words (yv/Xvx ««i Ti^qx^nxiTfjuvx)
ing cift or acquitted in judgment ; fince here rendered naked and opened, allude
the Father jud^eth no man iintrediatfly to the facrifkes under the law, whole
ai:d pcrfonally, but hath committed all carcafes were flayed, and hung up na«
judgment to the Son : Or, as the word ked, to be feen without their (kin, and
(\oyos) here rendered have to do. figni- were afterwards laid on their backs, cut
ties alfo an aciovnt. as it is tranf] ited in open, and cleaved afunder through the
many places, particularly Mattb xii. neck and back-bone; and fo every thing,
36. andxviii. 23. Lnkcwx 2. Rom.x'w. within and without, was expofed to 0-
12. Phil. iv. 17. Heb. xiii 17. and 1 Pet. pen view, to be examined with the
iv. 5. ; and as at other times it fignifies greateft exactnefs, for difcoverin? whe-
fpeech or difcourfe, and is fo rendered ther there were any blemifh or defect in
John viii. 43. Acls xx 7. and 1 Cor ii. it, or not. I, 4. and in alraoft munberlefs other pla-
Chap. iv. Hebrews paraphraftd. 303
great high prieft, Prie/l of our profeffton, (chap. iii. I. fee the note that is patTed into there) We have fuch a fupcrlativc High Prieft as, the heavens, Jefus fc . made at0„cment for fin by his own blood, is the Son ot God, let 9 , \ ■ -\ c r* A>*
us hold fait our gone int0 a more glorious and eminent place ot L*od > profeffion. fpecial refidence, than any high prieft of old was ad-
mitted to in the execution of his office : He is afcend- ed and gone through the aerial *, far above all vifi- ble heavens, (Eph. iv. 10.) even to the heaven of heavens, now to appear in the prefence of God for us; (chap. ix. 24.) and fo he is the great antitype of the priefts under the law, who paffed through the fecond vail of the tabernacle and temple, with the blood of facrinces, into the holy of holies. The great and glorious High Prieft I mean, is.no lefs a perfon than that Jefus, who in his divine nature is by way of peculiarity and eminence the Son of God : We having then fuch a matchlefs High Prieft, fo incomprehenfibly great, divine, and excellent, fo throughly qualified for, and exalted in his office, the moft difficult and fundamental part of which he has already performed on earth, and the remainder of which he is now executing in heaven ; Let us be here- by encouraged, in the exercife of faith, love, and ho- ly obedience, to maintain a free and open confeffion of him, and profeflcd fubje&ion to him, as our only Lord and Saviour, with ftedfaftnefs, diligence, and perfeverance therein, unto the end. And we may depend on feafonable aids and affiftances from him to enable us hereunto. 15 For we have 15 For this great High Prieft is as willing as he is not an high priett a[,/e t0 companionate and relieve us under all our trials which cannot be d d;fficuIt;es> Though he is gone to heaven, he is touched with the . ' , r ,b . . & , „l
feeling of our in- not unmindful of us, who are his members upon earth, firmities; but was nor has he laid down his office ; but we have him ftill in all points tempt- officiating for us : Nor have we a high prieft that is ed hke as we are, .[nfenflb]e Qf our wants and weakneffes, miferies and yet wituout lin. . .ri ,, , ji.au..
dangers, as if he could not be tenderly, though not
grievoufiy, impreffed with them ; or could not be ex- cited by truly human affections, as far as is confident with, and fuitable to his prefent ftate of exaltation, to pity and fuccour us in the moil effectual manner under them, and in due time to deliver us from them: But as, while he was here in the fleih, he himfclf fuf-
fercd NOTE. * Faffed, into the heavens (<Tif \-kvZoU large, Lev. xvi. ; and which was typical rouf ovgxtovs) properly figniries paffed of our great High lJrielt's more glorious through the heavens, and manifeltly entrance, once lor all, through the vifible alludes to the high prieft's entering heavens, with the virtue of his ovn blood through the fecond vail into the holy of into the moft holy place, even into the im- holies, with the blood of the facrinces, mediate prefence of God in the heaven qf on the great day of atonement once a- heavens, as is evidently repreiented fa this year, an account of which we have at epiftle, and particularly chap.i*,jt — 1*«
Vol. V. R s
;t>4 *the Epijlle to the Chap. Iv.
fered by hunger and thirft, wearinefs and pain, and other natural infirmities of mankind, and by all man- ner of temptations and perlecutions, and inward and outward afflictions and trials, juft of the fame kind, and in the fame manner, as we ourfelves now are li- able to them ; fo he experimentally knows what we undergo in our griefs and forrows ; and, remembring his own bufferings, fympathizes with us under ours, as we are members of his body, of his flefh, and of hi< bones : (Eph. v. 30.) And yet (which is more than can be faid of any of us, or any former high pried) he bore and went through his own troubles without ever having mifbehaved, or committed the lead fin, though he was tempted to it ; and fo he is not only the fitter to be a complete example to us in all that we endure, and to fortify us againfl all finful thoughts, words or ways under, and by means of our temptations ; but is alfo the fitter to take away the iniquity that we may fall into by them, fince he, ha- ving gone through them in fuch a perfectly holy man- ner, needed not, as the hi&h priefis under the law, , to offer up facrifice, firfi for his own fins, and then for the peoples ; but all the virtue of his facrifice was entirely and aione for our fins, which he expiated, once for all, when he offered up himfelf. {Chap. vii. 27.) 16 Let us there- . 16 Let us therefore, in confederation of his moft fore come boldly excellent priefthood, which, in confequence of what unto the throne of } ] j d . f atonement on eanh he Jg
2 ;i rice, thav we may . • , • • ' rr- r . . '
obtain mercy, and carrying on in his liitercellion tor us in heaven, be en- find grace to help couraged to draw near to God* (-tz£onf>%&){zs$x} by m time of need. fa5tn in prayer, and in every other ordinance of gof- pel-worfhip, as he is feated not on a throne of juftice to execute deferved vengeance upon us ; but on a throne of free and condefcending grace, to commune with us, and to blefs us ; which was typified by the mercy-feat under the law, where God dwelt between the cherubim in vilible appearances of glory, {Pfai. Ixxx. 1.) and gave forth his orders to the children of //rae/. (Ex. xxv. 22.) While therefore we think of him, as a fovereign on a throne f, that we may
approach NOTES. * Tlje throve of grace fignifies, not prefenceofGodfor 71s; (chap. ix. 24.) the throne of Chri/i, as fome would fup- and he is confidcred in our context, not pofe ; but the throne of God the Father : as the objett on the throne, but as the "For Chrift is here all along lpoken of as medium of our coming to the throne, as our great High Prieft, who appears be- through him nve have accefs by one Spi- lorcGod the Father on our behalf, to aft fit to the Father, Eph. ii. 18. (See Dr. for us toward him, and to encourage our Oiven and Mr. Peirce on the place.) coming to the throne of orace. Accord- f God's cxercifing merry and grace in ingly it is <aid, (that Chrift' ii entered in- Chrift may be confidered as his being to heaven itfelf, now to appear in the feated on a throne, beeaufe he therein
appears
Chap. iv. Hebrews paraph rafed. 305
approach him with awful reverence and godly fear, in confederation of the infinite diftance there is between him and us, Let us, at the fame time, realize him as on a throne r,J grace y to embolden a chearful freedom of accefs to him by faith, with holy liberty, and hum- ble confidence in him, as our reconciled God and Fa- ther, that we may receive (<vai xdZifpiv) all the mercy, for which that throne is prepared, and from which it is difpenfed in the forglyenefs of fins, and in compai- ilonate relief under all our ill aits and miferies ; and may find favour in God's fight through his Son, to- gether with all the gracious affiftances and fupplics, in anfwer to our fceking them, that we need to fuc- cour, fupport, and comfort us, and to perform all things for us, in the moil feafonable manner, and at the moil feafonable times, in all our wants, diilveffes, and difficulties of every kind, and particularly rh c- very extraordinary trouble, temptation, and danger, that now attend, or ever may befal us all our lives long, till we get to heaven.
RECOLLECTIONS. How ancient is the goipei of falyation by Jefus Chrift ! It has been all along the fame, for fubftance, under various difpenlations and different degrees of light, from the fall of Adam to New Teftament-times : The promife of evangelical and eter- nal reft, is now let before us with the cleared evidence in the preaching of the gof- pel ; but our hearing it will be of no laving advantage to us, unlefs it be mixed with faith. How fhould we therefore dread the thought of taking up with any thing fhort of an effectual faith, to receive and digeft what we hear, left God fhould fwear in his wrath againft us, as he did againft the unbelieving Ifraelites, that we (hall never enter into his reft \ But true believers do, and (hall enter into a better reft, than that of the land of Canaan ; a fpiritual reft in this world, and an everlafting reft in heaven, which is a delightful and holy fabbatifm founded on Chrift's refting from his mediatorial labouis and iuiferings on earth, when he had finifhed the work of redemption, as the feventh-d.iy-fabbath was founded upon God's having ceafed from his creating work, when he had tinifiied it. — How effi- cacious is the written word of God in the hand of Chrift, the living and life-giving Word ! He fets it home with power and penetration upon the heart, and gives the. foul a plain view of itfelf, either for its reformation and comfort, or its condemna- tion and confufion. How awful, adoring, and endearing fhould our thoughts of Chrift be ' All things are continually and exactly open to his all-feeing eye : As he is God the Word, he narrowly inipedls and obferves the moft fecret difpofitioivs and defigns of our hearts; and we have the moft important of all concerns to tranfact with him, and muft give an account of all that we think, fay, or do, to him, as our Judge at the great day. O folemn coniiderations '. But how fweetly are they tempered by believing views of him as the Son of God, our great atoning and interceding High Prieft and almighty Saviour ! He has been exercifed in our nature and world with the very fame fort of temptations, inward and outward, as we ourfelves are ; and he, it ill remembering what he fuffered by them without fin, compaflionates us under ours, though, alas ! attended with fin I and is gone
R r 2 into
NO T E. appears with majefty, royalty, and glory ; founded on the mediation ofChrijl, as he and on a throne of grace, becauie grace is fet forth to be a propitiation, through creeled it, and reigns there, and diipen- faith in his blood, Rom. iii. 25. and fea all bleffings from thence, in a way of appears there as a righteous advocate mere unmerited favour, to the praife of for us, in the virtue of his propitiation. its own glory j and it is a thrope of grace (t John ii. 1, 2.)
306
The Epiftle to the
Chap. v.
into the heaven of heavens, now to apnear in the pretence of God for us. What . i en. .-tuiraeement is this to hold fall our faith in him, and ftedfaftly abide by
iv prcfefiion of his name ; and to come with humble boldnefs and holy freedom of fpirit to God, through him. as on a throne of grace, at all times, and
[lj in '.he U-prft of trials, fears, and danger*, for all the feafonable mer~ cy and grace we ftand in need or, to forgive our fins, and relieve us under all our troublrt.
CHAP.
V.
fits forth the office and duty of a high priefi, I, — 4.
ws haw abundantly this is anfwered in ChriJVs fuper-eminent tail to , and difchdrge of that office, 5, — 10. And reproves the Ch^ijhan Hebrews for their flahfulnefs and little progrefi in the
vledge of the truths of the gofpel that were prefigured by the law, 11, — 14.
Text. "pOR every high priell, taken from among men, is ordained tor men in things pertain- ing to God, that he may offer both gifts and facrirkes for fins :
2 Who can have compaflion on the ignorant, and on the en that are out of t'ue way ; for that he himielf al-
Paraphrase. *\T7"E may comfortably hope for all feafonable mer- ^ * cy and help in our applications to a throne of grace, while we think, of Jefus the Son of God, as appearing there in the character of our great and fym- pathizing High Prieft to introduce us to it ; and we may be fure of his companion towards us in the exe- cution of his office on our behalf: For even under the legal difpenfation, which was typical of fhe gofpel- itate, every high prieft was fingled out, fancvh'fied, and fet apart to his office, from among the children of IjraeL (Ex. xxviii. 1.) as one partaker of the fame human nature with them, that he might be a proper high prioft for men, as he was appointed and conltituted to reprefent and tranfa& for men, and might in their name and ftead, and for their benefit, prefent all kind of legal offerings to God for appea- ling him on account of their fins, whether they were free-will offerings, or fuch as were ftatedly fixed and determined by the law, or whether they were offer- ings of animate or inanimate things by way of facri- fice: And fo he typified Chrift our great High Prieft, who took not on him the nature of angels, but the feed of /l'>raham, and was in ail things made like unto his brethren, that, by a more excellent and tru- ly atoning facrifice of himfelf, he might make recon- ciliation for the fins of his people; [chap. ii. 16, 17.) and that thtir perfons and prayers might be accepted of God, as prefented by, and through him.
2 Every legal high prieft is, or ought to be one, who can ( pir^ioTrxSuv) reafonably bear with, and ten- derly pity and condefcend to, the frailties and weak- of the people for whom he officiates, that he may o;T.r facrifices for their fins of ignorance, and
may
Chap. v.
fo iscompafTed with infirmity :
Hebrews paraphrafed.
3°7
3 And by rea- ibn hereof he ou;ht, as for the people, lb alio for himfelf, to offer for fins.
4 And no man xaketh this honour unto himfelf, but he that is called of God, as tuns Aaron :
5 So alfo Chrift glorified not him- felf, to be made an high prieft ; but he that faid unto him, Thou art my Son,
may fympathize with, and not be incenfed againft them, on account of their errors of various kinds, whereby they have ftrayed from the way of God's commandments into the ways of fin, and from the way of fafety or relief into the way of mifery and danger ; and fo are out of the way of truth and holi- nefs, comfort, and happinefs : He is qualified for ex- erciiing all companion toward them ; becaufe even he himfelf, (ma kca uvro?) as a man and a finher, is alfo attended with the like moral, as well as natural infirmities that they labour under. And the forbear- ance and compaflion of jefus, our great High Prieft, towards ignorant fouls and finners that are gone a- ilray, like loft (beep, is incomparably more excellent and effectual j becaufe he himfelf has been furround- ed with all natural human weaknefles, temptations, and afflictions, though without fin. (Chap, iv. 15.) 3 And by reafon of the (infill, as well as natural in- firmities, that always befet or encompafied the legal high prieft, it was incumbent upon him, in the dif- chavge of his function, to offer up propitiatory fa- crifices, not only for the fins of the people whom he reprefented, but likewife for his own perfonal fins ; {Lev. iv. 3. and ix. 7.' and xvi. 6.) he as much as they needing an atonement, while they were all, in common, finners againft God : But herein our bleffed Lord has infinitely the preference to any former high prieft, fince he, being finlef?, had no occafion to offer any facrifice for himfelf, but only for his people, that the whole virtue of it might be placed to their account, and that he might the more feelingly pity them under all their troubles on account of their iins, as remembering what he funded in making an expi- ation for them.
4 And it was further neceiTary, according to the law, that no man whatfoever fhould of his own head intrude into, or affume to himfelf the high honour and dignity of the priefthood, for attempting which Uzxiah, tho' a king, was feverely rebuked and pun- ifhed : (2 Chron. xxvi. 16.) But he only was to be advanced to that facred office, whom God called and authorized, by fpecial order and immediate appoint- ment, to be invefted with, and to execute it, as he did Aaron and his fons at the firll fetting up of the Levitical priefthood. (Ex. xxviii. 1. and 1 Chron. xxiii. 15.)
5 So, in like manner, our Lord Jefus, the anointed Saviour, did not in his incarnate ftate raife himfelf up, by any private a<St of his own, to the honour of the gofpel high priefthood, any more than Aaron did to that which he was advanced to ; but he was eter- nally
308 TheEpiJlle to the Chap. v.
Son, today have I nally appointed, and in due time folemnly called to, begotten thee. qualified for, and actually invefted with this glorious
office, which was an honour conferred upon him, as man, (fee the note qRver. 8.) by the immediate de- foliation of God the Father hirnfelf, who, as is tefti- fied, (P/. ii. 7.) faid to him, ibou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee; by which he intimated * both the dignity of his perfon as his eternal Son, and the excellency and authority of his prieftly office, as both mould be demonftrated and owned of God the Father by his refurrection from the dead, in confe- quence of his having fully fatisfied divine juitice by that one offering of hirnfelf in his death, whereby he perfe&ed for ever them that are JciiB.jied. (Chap.
6 As he faith 6 And we have a flill more exprefs teftimony to alfo in another Chrifl's priefthood, in Pf. ex. 4. where God theFa- p/ace, Thou art [} faid tQ ^g g Thou art and lhak be an ^
a pneft ror ever , __T , ,* . « r , , r , . r
after the order of nal High Pi :eit, not alter the order ot Aaroi., whole Melchifedec. prielthood fan in a continual line of fucceffion, from
age to age, in his family ; but after the fuperior or- der of the renowned Melchi/edec, (ieethe notes on ver. 10.) who had no predtceffor or fucceflbr in his office, which was confined to hirnfelf alone ; and fo was the more eminent and lively type of the priefl- hood of Chrift, as that was to abide in his own per- fon alone and for ever, without any one's preceding, or following hifn, or fharing with him in the dignity and work of his priefthood ; but was to manage all the high affairs and concerns of it wholly and alone by hirnfelf. 7 Who in the 7 Who while he was here upon earth, clothed with days of his flefti, fleih and blood, and all the linlefs frailties and infir- when he had of- m(t{cs 0f human nature, and liable to all forts of ca- and lu^pJiSns^ lamities ; and who, in the fufFerings he endured un- with ftrong crying' der a fenfe of divine wrath, which he was to bear for and our
NOTE. * To fnppofe, with forne, that the heaven: For offering facrifice was a paffage here quoted from Pfal. ii. 7. principal part of the prieft's office; and Thou art my Son, to-day have I bogotten Chrift's death is frequently fpoken of thee, refers, not to the divine nature, but throughout this epiftle as a facrifice, merely to the prieftly office of Chrift, which neceffarily fuppofes him to be a feems utterly inconfiftent with ver. 8. Priest before he offered it ; fince all where it is faid, Though he were a Son. the typical priefts were actually inveft- yet learned he obedience by the things ed in their office, before they could of- which he fuffered. And though Chrift's fer any facrifice under the law; and priefthood, as well as Sonfhip, was fo- this we are told our Lord did, when lemnly declared by his re furredlion from through the eternal Spirit he offered the dead, I can by no means think, with himfe if without fpot to God ; and once others, that he was not an High Prieft, in the end of the world appeared to put or did not perform any part of his prieft- away Jin by the facrifice of hirnfelf and ly office upon earth ; or that it commen- fo was offered to bear the fms of many, eed after his refurreclion and afceDlion to (Chap. ix. 14, 26, 28.)
Chap. v.
and tears, unto him that was able to lave him from death, and was heard, in that he feared j
Hebrews paraphrafcd.
8 Though he were a Son, yet leaned he obedi- ence," by the things which he fuffered :
* This paffage, as appears ilands in a beautiful opposition to <ver. 5. There, confidering Chrift as man, his prieftly office is fpoken of as an honour conferred upon him ; but here, confider-
3°9
our fins in the difcharge of his prieftly office, was fore amazed, and exceeding forrowftti, even unto death, prayed that, if it were poffible, the hour might pafs from him, when, together with the offering of himfelfc, he prefented his earneft addreffes in the moft fervent, humble, and pathetic manner, yea, even with a loud cry, and weeping petitions and entreaties unto God his Father, who (if he pleafed) could have de- livered him from the terrors of the death which lay before him. (See Mark xiv 33, — 36. and xv. 34.) And he was heard, fo as to be accepted in his prayer ; and was anfwered, tho' not by a prevention of his fufferings and death themfelves ; (which he knew would be fo extremely agonizing that human nature, as fuch, could not but be forely afraid of them) yet as to the main intention of his importunate prayer, in the feafonable afiiftances that were afforded him ; in the compofure of his human paffions ; in his refur- re&ion, and vidory over death ; and in his obtain- ing all the defired ends of his fufferings, for the glo- ry of God, and the redemption of the church : And he was thus heard, becaufe of his holy reverence (ivAciZusis) of his heavenly Father.
8 Though he was the eternal Son of God, the fame in nature and perfections with the Father, and infinitely^ dear to him*, who called him to be an High Prieft; yet having affumed human nature, that he might therein execute his prieftly office, as his Father's Servant, fuch was his zeal for glorifying him, and his love to the church, that he fubmitt&J, with an exercife of faith, patience, felf-denial, refig- nation, and all humility and readinefs of mind and heart, pra&ically to learn what it is to be obedient, and how good it is to be fo, to his Father's will and command, even unto the death of the crofs ; (John x. 18. and Phi/, ii. 7, 8.) yea, he condefcended to learn, by fevere experience, what terrible difficulties and diftreffes, and yet what rich advantages, attended his obedience all his life long, and ei'pecially when he
lich he g atonement for fin : He aifo hereby experimentally learned the trials and diffi- culties of the obedience, which his people are caiied to, that he might the better fympathize with, and iuccour them. (Chop. iv. 15.)
9 And, T E.
in? him as the Son of God, it is rather fpoken of as a condefcenfion in him to engage in it, and go through the Ser- vices and fufferings he was called to thereby.
came to die, by his enduring all tbofe things, wh was called to fuffer in making atonement for fin
N O to me,
3 to The Epijlid to the Chap. v.
9 And being g And, having completed his obedience and fuf- raadc perfect, He fer{ngS unto death, and being thereupon fully confe- of eternal ulvation crated to the whole ot his pnelthood ror making m- uniu all them that terccfllon, in virtue of his facrifice, {chap. ii. 10. fee obey him ; the notes there, and on John xvii. 17.) he became
the procuring and efficient caufe (outio$) of falvation, as he purchafed it by his blood, in the virtue of which he fecures it by his advocacy, and actually gives it by his Spirit and grace : And the falvation which he is the author of, is not fuch a temporal de- liverance from evil, as Ifrael had out of Egypt, or as the people of the Jews had from temporal pun fo- ments by their legal offerings, or as many believers fhall have from the common deftru&ion that is com- ing upon Jerufalem; but a falvation of an infinite- ly more excellent and durable nature, even a fpiri- tual, complete, and everlafling falvation, inclufive of a deliverance from all evil, and of all the bleflings of grace and glory, to all and every one of them, and of them only, that diligently hearken, and yield them- felves up to him, as the Captain of their falvation, {chap. ii. 10.) for all holinefs, as well as happinefs. by the obedience of faith. [Rom. xvi. 26.) 10 Called of God IO Even to him who i« named of God in an ex- an high prieft after traordJ manner, * as he ftyled him an High
the order ot Mel- t» . n • 1 r^. 1. J 1 r c 1
chifedec. Prieft, not arter the common way and courle or Aa-
ron and his fons, according to the law, in which there was a fuccefiion of priefts of the fame order ; but according to the more eminent manner, in which, f Met chifedec was called the prieft of the mofl high God ; there being the greateft refemblance between
the
NOTES.
* Here the apoftle refers to what he next verfe, that he had many things t* }iad faid, ver. 6. about Chrift's being a fay of him, and hard to be uttered, and prieft for ever after the order of Mel goes largely into the confederation of chifedec; but expreffes his being called him, chap- vii. ; yet he no where tells of God by a very different word in us who he was, which we may reafon- the Greek, ('cr^ojayo^v^ui ) from that ably fuppofe he would have done, had which is alfo rendered called (xax«w£- God revealed it to him ; and if he did »o<) of God, at <was Aaron: (ver. 4.) not know this, it is too curious and vain There it relates to his being invejled for us to pretend to determine it : And with his office ; but here it relates, to therefore I rather choo'.e to leave the the denomination which God gave him matter, as defigned to be concealed from as fo inverted, namely, that of an high us, than to offer conjectures about it, as prieft after the order of Melchift dec fome have done, who, among other + Who this Melchifcdec was muft gullies, incline to think that it was the needs be very uncertain, fince the Holy Son of God himfelf, while to others it Ghoft himfelf feems to have concealed appears very improbable that he fliould it on purpofe, that he might be a more be a type of himfelf, who is fpoken of as eminent type of Chrift, as he was fome another Priefl after the order of Mel- unknown kin^ and prieft of Salem or chifedec, and after the fimilitude of Jerufalem, who appeared in a fuperior Melchiiedec, (chap vii. n, 15.) which • character to Abraham, Gen. xiv. iS, — naturally fuppofes them to be different ao. And though our apoftle fays in the pcrfons.
Chap. v. Hebrews paraphrajhd. 31 1
the priefthood of that extraordinary man and of our
Lord Jefus, as may be (hewn hereafter. (Chap, vii.)
n Of whom we 1 1 Concerning which Melchifcdcc *,• as he was a
J?2*"a,£dS tyP*°f £hri'1 m his^/v/and efpecially in his be uttered; feeing PrteJtly ottlce, we, Lhnlt s miniitring fervants, have ye are dull of hear- many important things to deliver; things which are inff» difficult to be explained, fo as to convey familiar and
exact ideas of them to your minds, and are hard to be underflood by you, (<$v&vffrp<* 2 Pet. iii. 16.) not merely from the fublimity of the fuhject, or from my manner of reprefenting it, but chiefly from your own indifpofition to receive it ; becaufe many of you, at lean, who have been too apt to (tick to the letter of the law, and are too flothful (voaSeoi) to inquire care- fully into the gofpel revelation, are very backward to attend to, and receive what I have to offer about it. 12 For when for 12 For when, confidering your long Handing in the t.me ye ought Chrlft>s fchool and the clcarnefs of the ^0fpel.reve. to be teachers, ye , . , . ' , r . n ... * . K , ,
have need that one latlon» and tn^ advantages tor lnttruttion which have teach you again often been afforded you, {ehcfp. ii. 1, — 3. and vi. 7.) which be the tirft ye ought to have made fuch proficiency in the know- principles of the ledge of Chrift, as to be yourfelves capable of, and oracles of God ; >_ °« , r I . % ■ % r >•
and are become to h.ave engaged> ic'mc ,n privately, and fome in fuch as have need publicly inilructing others about the great doc- of milk, and not of trines of the gofpel ; ye, on the other hand, have ftrong raeat. made fuch little progrefs in knowledge, that, in (lead
of being teachers of others, ye ft and in need of one to inilru£t you over again into the nature of the ve- ry flrft rudiments, grounds, and principles of the Chriftian faith, that were fhadowed out in the facred writings of the Old Tejtame/)', and are more clearly revealed in the New, both of which, being delivered under divine infpiration, are to be efteemed (what they are in truth) the infallible dictates or fayings of God himfelf : And fo exceedingly dull of hearing are fome of you, as to have rather declined, than . grown in the knowledge of fpiritual things ; info- much that ye appear to be fo weak and low in your relifh and conceptions of them, as to need to be led into thefe plainelf and moil familiar articles of Chrif- tianity, which (to borrow an allulion to corporal things) may be compared to millc, that is of eafy di-
geltion ; N O T K. * The apoftle defers his defigned dif- proficiency in the knowledge of fuch v-ourfe about Melcbifedec a« a type of things as they might real on ably have Chrift to chap- vii. that he might take been expedtcd to have attained to in a an occafion from this hint to deal clofe- greater degree than they had, confi- ly with the Hebrews in a needful and dering the length of their (landing in important digreflion in- the remaining Chriftianity, and the light which was venes of this chapter, and to the end of caft by the gofpel on "evJih ordinan- the Jixth, about their ftupidity and in- ces. attention, and confequentlv iheir fmall
Vol. V. S f
312 The Efii/ik to the Chap, v.,
geftion ; inilead of being taught the higher truths of the gofpcl, in the accomplishment of ancient types of the perfon and offices of Chrift, which may be com- pared lo fuch ftrong meat as is of harder digeftion.
13 For everyone 13 For every one, whofe fpiritual conftitution and that ufethmilk, is attainments are fo weak and child-like, that he has i.nfkuiul in the • r 1 • j j* a *.u* _ word of righteouf- ,1Q aPPetlte for> nor can take in and digelt, any thing ne'fs: ;or he is a but the very firft principles of the doctrine of Chrift, babe. (chap. vi. 1.) which are like milk for babes; what- ever general notions he may have, he is like an un- experienced perfon, (atcrs^o;) and is inexpert at un- demanding, receiving, and improving the great truths of the golpei, in which the right eoufnefs of God is revealed from faith to faith , (Rom. i. 17.) and Chrif} is faid to be the end of the law for right eouf- nefs to every one that believes ; (Rom. x. 4.) and in which we are taught to live in the practice of righteoufnefs : ( Tit. ii. 11, 12.) For he that can on- ly entertain, and profit by the eafieft and moll fami- liar principles of Chriftian religion, appears to be no better than a babe in his knowledge and improvement of the gofpel.
14 But ftrong 14 But the fublimer do&rines, which may be com- meat belongeth to pare(} to ferong meat, are moll fit and proper for, and tnem that are of f '. 1 . .L ° -n . r »u r iT r v.
,. .. „,. ,- iuited to tne nounihment or, thole believers, who.
lull age, even thole .' » . »
who by reafon of hke men grown up to maturity, are tar advanced in u'.c have their fen- the knowledge of the doctrines of Chrift; (fee the fes exercifed todif- note on x Cor.u.6.) and fo, compared with babes, ceni iboth good and may be ftylcd perfca ; (riXum) even fuch as by means of an experimental acquaintance with thefe di- vine things, according to the gofpel-difcovery of them, and by long cuftom and habits of converling with them, which they have attained, under divine influ- ence, by reading, hearing, meditation, and prayer, have their fpiritual fenfts underftandingly and feeling- ly employed and improved, to difcern and diftinguifh between what is goud or bad, true or falfe, pernici- ous or beneficial, detracting from, or perfective of, the gofpel febeme ; and know how to refufe the one, LJ.d embrace the other.
RECOLLECTIONS. Behold the incomparable excellence and affecting endearments of Chrifl's prieft- hood 1 He, being as truly man, as God, has a more tender and effectual com pa f- fion on the ignorant and them thit are cut of the way, than any o; the ancient priefts could have, who wi re beret with the fame finful, as well as natural infir- mitiel, with them; and therefore were obliged to offer iVrifices for themfelves, ;.s weH as for the people : But as our finlt fs High Prieft faffered in the days of his humiliation, to the s*reateft extremity, for the fins of his people, he cannot but i*hiZc with them. With what fervency did he, in the molt religious and fubmiffive manner, apply to his heavenly father for feafonable relief a^ainft thole troubles that could not but be very terrible to human nature ; and how fully was he aui'wered, with refpecS to the grand defign of his prayer ! As he was per- fectly
Chap. vi. Hebrews paraphrafed. 3 1 3
fectly fitted by bis iufferings for compleating his prieftly office, he is become the. author of eternal falvation to all that yield themlelves up by faith and holy obedi- ence to him. -How great is the honour that was put upon him, as man ; and his own condefcenfon, as God, in bearing this important office ! He did not thruft. himfelt into it ; but it was conferred upon him by the exprefs and immediate call of God his Father, as the Leiitical prietthood was upon Aaron ; and it is mani- feft what a divine and glorious High Prieft he is, in that his Father faid to him. Thou art my Son, to-day have J begotten thee, and thou art a Pr /eft for ever af- ter the order of Melchifedec. Fhough he was the eternal Son of God, yet, ado- rable condefcenfion ! how freely did he accept the call to office- work, and experi- mentally learn obedience by his fufr'erings unto death '. But, alas, how often are profeifing believers themlelves too little apprehenfive of the glories of Chrift, as fhadowed out by Melchifedec in various initances, and of the doctrine of righte- oufnefs through him ! They are apt to be lb flothful and inattentive to them, that they cannot take in juft fentiments of them ; but when for their (landing and ad- vantages in the church, they might reasonably be expected to have fuch a flock of fcriptural knowledge, as to be able to inftrudi others, they themfelves need to be taught over again the very fnft principles of Chriftianity. But, blefled be God, there are provifiuns of all forts in his word for every date and condition of his peo- ple ; there is milk for babes, and ftrong meat for thofe that are arrived at a State of manhood in Chrift, and are more fkilful in the word of nghteoufnefs, as by means of frequent ule, and great experience, they are coniirmed in habits of knowledge and grace, and have their Spiritual fenles exercifed to difcern the difference between what is good and bad, and to relifli the one and refufe the other. How fhould this consideration excite us to the greateft diligence, that we may not always be like children in understanding, but may live upon fuch fublime truths of the go I pel as are fuited to the nouriihment oi ftrong men in Chrift 1
CHAP. VI.
The apoftle intimates his dejign of giving the Hebrews higher injlruc* tions, and excites them to greater proficiency, than they had yet made in the doclrine of Chnjl, I, — 3. To enforce this upon them, he defcribes the dreadful nature and confequence of apoflacv in the mofi moving Jt rains, 4, — 8. Sweetly infinuates his gi eat fatisj "ac- tion, as to the better part of them, notwithftanding what he had been faying ab'Ait apojlatcs, 9, 10. And encourages them to per- fever ance in faith and holineJs,from the experience of other fir, cere believers, and from the promife and oath of God to Abraham, and to all the heirs of falvation, 11, — 20.
Text. Paraphrase.
'Therefore, lea- OINCE it is unworthy the character of Chriilians to
ci let "of the doc" be aIwayS chIldren> inftead of men in underitand-
trme'of0 Chrift, 'let in&> ^chol)' v' n>— H-) ** "» therefore difmifs, for
us go on unto per- the prefent, what relates to the firil principles of
fection ; not lay- Chrittianity, without infilling particularly upon then.,
ing again the foun- wnjcn., how important foever they be, are like milk
ancT fromredenad £* babes ;(^*/>. v. 12, 13.) and let us proceed to
works, and/of faith dilcourle of, and to embrace with holy care and dili-
to wards God, gence, thofe great myiteries of the gofpel, that may
bring us to more advanced degrees of fpiritual under-
ftanding, inch as are like jlmng meat, fit, for thofe
that are rf full age, (chap. v. 14.) and, compara-
S \ 2 lively
I *4 Tl>? Epiftle to the Chap. vi.
tively fpcaking, may be called a perfection in the knowledge of the fublimer points of faith, relating to the perfon and offices, and particularly to the pncjlhood 'of Chrift, '//// we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God > unto a perfeel man, and unto the mcafure of the ft a- ture of the fttlnefs of ChriJ}. (Ephef. iv. 13.) I therefore decline infilling on jirf principles, that we who preach, and ye who hear, may not always be laying the foundation, and ftop there, without build- ing upon it : The principles I mean are fuch as thefc * : One is the doctrine of evangelical repent- ance, which confifts in a thorough fenfe of the evil of fin, as committed againft God ; in de'ep humilia- tion and grief of foul for it, and utter deteftatidn of it ; and, under apprehenficns of the mercy of God through Chrift, in turning to him from all iniquities, which may be called dead works, as they are pradii-
fed NOTE. * It is extremely difficult, and expo- indraft me. But, in my humble opi- fitors are much at a loft, to determine nipn, we may avoid many difficulties, the fenfe of this and the following arti- and fteer a much clearer courfe between ties, to the end of the fecond verfe, the two former, if we conGder the which are here called the principles of dofirine of baptifms, and laying on of the do&rine of Chrift, and the founda- hands, as a parenthefis, referring to tion of repentance. Sec. Some under- yewi/b wafhings, and laying hands on ft and them to mean the fir (I -principles the heads of their facrifices. the doc- 0/ Chriftianity ; and others, the princi- trines of which rites were, Repentance pies of Judaifm, as contained in the from dead works, and faith toward doclrine of the Old Teftament, and par- God ; and if we confider repentance [y of the ceremonial law, which from dead works, faith toward God, cave a fhadowy reprtfentation of Chrift, the refurreclion of the dead, and eter- and laid a foundation for the fuller dif- nal judgment, as the firft rudiments of covcriesth.it were to be made of him Chri/Hanity ; and fo thp Jewi/h waflj- uruier tW> j-;ofpei-<ji*pentation. But, af- ings, and laying on of hands, are to be Trr the cloteO: inquiry, I have been able confidered, not as diftinet principle* from to make, they that go into the la/t of the reft; but as lignificative, under the thefe ways of interpreting all thefe paf- Mofaic law. of the repentance zxk\ faith - appear to me, either to put too juft before mentioned. Accordingly, it a force upon fome of them; or is to be obferved, that though the doc- elfe to make fome too co-incident with trines of repentance and faith are in- other* of them ; and they that choofe tended, yet the word doctrine is not the fir/i way of interpreting them feem prefixed to them in the Greek, but only exceedingly puzz'ed how to ac- to baptifms, and laying on of hands, count for the do&rine of baptifms, and which leads us to think, that they were ing on of hands, as belonging to the doctrines taught by thofe ceremo- u principles of Chriftianity. And . nies ; and then the principles themfelves . that I < annot meet with fatis- will not be fix, as they are commonly n from any author, in either of reckoned, but only four, which are ve- wjfyj of interpretation; becaufe ry properly fpecitied as plain and fun- each fide is a >>: rcntly pre'.Ved with damental principles of Chriftian reli- : !" infuperable difficulties, gion. Tins, if I am not much mif- ways of accounting taken, gj-ves us a more eafy and con- ulars here mentioned, fiftent view of thefe verfes, than any may be feen in Poo/'s SyuGpfa, thing that has occured to me, either in I rfrrr, ana" reading or meditating upon them, her !#rwilder th.in
Chap. vi. Hebrews paraph rafed. 3T5
fed by thofe that are dead in trefpafles and fins, and as they deferve, tend to, and entail, not only tempo- ral death, but alfo the deitrud'on of the fouls of thofe that are under their guilt and power, and will certain- ly ilfue in it, (which is the fecond death) unlefs re- pented of and gracioufly pardoned. And another of thefe principles is the doctrine of faith, towards our Lord Jeius Chrift, and toward God through him, {Acts xx. 21.) which is infeparably connected with true repentance, and confills in a firm belief of God's being and perfections, and in an humble truft in him, according to gofpel-difcoveries of divine grace for the remiifion of fins, through Jefus Chrift, as an accom- plishment of ancient promifes, types, and predictions of him. 2 Of the doc- 2 (Thefe two principles of Chriftianity were fig- trine of bapti;m% rafted by various wajhin^s under the ceremonial law, and of laying on of >h |x# lQ x y^ held forth the dodrine of hands, and of re- v ' . ', c t , . -
ftrrretftion of the purification, and were prehgurative or the cleaniing dead, and ofeter- virtue of the blood and Spirit of Chrift; and were nal judgment. further fignified by the laying of the hands of the
reprefentatives of the people on the heads of the fa- crifices, and particularly in the great day of atone- ment, [Lev. xvi. 21, 22, 29, 30.) which was attend- ed with penitent confefiions of fin, and directed the faith of Ifrael to the truly proper and effectually a- toning facrifice of Jefus our High Prieft:) And be- sides thefe, there are two other Rrft principles, that are motives to this faith and repentance, namely, the fundamental doftrine of the rejurre&ion of the bo- dies both of the righteous and the wicked, one to e- ,verlaj}ir.g life, and the other to . flame and everlafiing contempt, (Daniel xii. 2.) which is fully confirmed, and further cleared up by the gofpel revelation, in which our Lord himfelf has plainly told us, All that are in their graves flail hear his voice, and come forth ; they that have done good, unto the refurreBion of life ; and they that have done evil, untn the refur- reBion of damnation : (John v. 28, 29.) And this leads us to the great article of the awful and final judgment, that (hall enfue upon the relurrection of all mankind, who mull appear before the judgment- feat of Chrijl, (Rom. xiv. 10, 1 1. and 2 Cor. v. 10.) and that will determine their ftate of happinefs cr mifery for all eternity,* as the wicked jh alt go away
into NOTE. * Though the judgment itfelf will be fefts, as Chrift is faid to have obtained difpatched in a certain limit of time, it eten. at redemption for us, though the may be called eternal judgment, with price of it was paid at once, nube~n be re 1 peel: to its being irreverhbly decifive appeared to put away /in by tbc facri- without appeal, and to its eternal ef- jice of himj'elf. (Chap. ix. iz, 26.)
mit.
316 The Epijlle to the Chap. vL
into cuerlafling puni foment, and the righteous into lift eternal* (Mat. xxv. 34, — 46.)
3 And this will g And as ye have bet., fufficiently taught thefe do. if God per- imf-,ottant do&rines, and ought never to forget them,
but ferioufly reflect upon them all your days, and will do fo, unlefs it be your own fault through ilupi- dity and floth, [chap. v. 11.) I fhall pafs them by, and pursue my defign of leading you hereafter, [chap. vii.) to the ftill fublimer parts of the gofpel, relating to Chrift and his prietthood, to prevent your apofta- tizing from him, if God fhall favour me with the continuance of life, [James iv. 15.) and of gracious afiiftances, and fhall give me opportunity of tranfmit- ting this epillle before it be too late : And mould it be too late for any of you, dreadful would your cafe be indeed.
4 For it if im- 4 For the flate of thofe profefibrs of Chriftianity, poffible for tbofe t]iat turn utter apoftates *, is really defpeTate, pad all
hope
NO T E.
* Various are the fentiments of ex- ground, which bring r forth herbs, ver.
pofitors on the defcriptive chara&ers of 7, 8. ; and true believers are diftinguifh-
the perfons intended in this and the next ed from them, as peribns of whom the
verfe ; and it is not very eafy to keep apoftle teas perfuaded better things,
the ideas diftincT: that are defigned to even things that accompany falvation,
be conveyed, particularly, by their ha- and whom he defcribes by their work
ving tafted the heavenly gift, been made and labour of love, which God, in his
partakers of the Holy Ghofl, and the righteouinefs. or faithfulnefs to his co-
poiuers of the world to come. But as I venant, would not forget, ver. 9, 10. ;
take them all co relate to the extraordi. and he lpeaks of the immutability of
nary difpenfation, and miraculous gifts his counfel, with regard to rheir fal-
of the Holy Ghoft in the apoltle's days, vation, ver. 17, 18, 19. So that there
I have endeavoured ro give fuch an ac- can be no argument drawn from hence
count of them as I apprehend to be molt for falling from grace ; there being no
probable, and leaft interfering one with appearance of a?iy one fpecial grace in
another. And that none of them figni- thefe perfons: Nor is there any ground
fy any fpecial and faving operation of for the diftrefs that many gracious fouls
the Spirit, is very evident to me; be- have been thrown into, fjom a mifun-
caufe here is no mention made of faith, derltanding of thefe paffages, as if, on
love, or any other grace; nor of holi- account of their backflidings and leffer
nefs or obedience ; nor of any of the falls into one or another fin, it were
blejjings of falvation ; and the apoftle impoffible for them to be renewed to
feems carefully to keep to the word repentance : For the apoftle here fpeaks
tajling, to exprefs what experience they of only utter apojlates, that never had
had of the gofpel, and of the dilpenfa- the truth of grace in their own fouls,
tion, gifts, and powers of the Holy and fell away fiom the profeffion of
Ghoft, to intimate that they had fo Chriftianity after they had entered upon
much knowledge and tafte of thole it, and had received the greateft advan-
things as was fufficient to enable them tages in the nature of means that could
to make a fair trial of them, though be imagined, or ever fliould be afforded,
they did not fo far reli.'li and approve of even by miraculous operations of the
them, upon the trial, as cordially to re- Spirit, to engage them to continue fted-
ceive, and feed by faith upon them, and fait in it ; and fo they feem to have ap-
digeft them to their fpintual nourilh- proached very near to, if not been aclu-
ment ; but were, after all, like b;:rrcn aliy guilty of the Jin againfl the Holy
ground, on which the rain often comes, Ghojt. (See the notes on Mat. xii. ;,i.
and yet bears nothing but briars and and 1 John v. iS.) thorns, in diftiniit'on from that good
Chap. vi. Hebrews paraphrafed. 317
-who were once hope of their ever being reclaimed by any means what*
^tlZtoit, f-7 w,oha bccn f0 ( ,„uminated in their
heavenly gift, and minds » by the preaching of the gofpel, and the were made parta- common, or, at molt, miraculous operations of the kers of the Holy Spirit, as do&rinally to receive the know/edge of the oft» truth ; (chap. x. 26.) and that have made fome ex-
periment, and had fome relifli of the difpenfation of grace, fet up by the gofpel, under the conduct and infpiration of the Holy Spirit, who is by way of e- minence the gift ofGjd, and that with a particular regard to his miraculous operations, (Ads viii. 20.) and is fent down from heaven by the exalted Head and Saviour; (Atls \\. 33. and 1 Pet. i. 12.) and have been made partakers of the miraculous gifts of the Holy Gholt, fuch as prophecy, difcei ning offpi- rits, feveral kinds of tongues, and [interpretation of tongues ; ( 1 Cor. xii. 1 o. )
5 And have taft- 5 And have feen fuch divine credentials of the ed the good word word of God as carrie(] convfaion t0 thdr cnnfcIen. or 000, ana the c - 1 , , r > ■,
powers of the world ces ci lts truth and gc<Jdnefs, and gave them fome to come; tafte of its excellency, which {truck their affections
with fuch a fort of pleafure, as our Lord defcribes in ihejtony ground hearers, that received the good feed of the word with joy for a while, but had no root in them- J elves ; (Mat. xiii. 20, 2 1.) or as thofe felt that at- tended on John the Bapti/i's miniitry, who for afeafon rejoiced in his tight? (John v. $5.) and have tailed the wonderful powers that were exerted in producing other miracles, over and above, and as diflinguifhed from, the forementioned gifts of the Holy Ghoft, (fee the note on 1 Cor. xii. 10.) fuch as healing the lick, and raifing the dead, that were wrought in con- firmation of the gofpel, which, as the lait difpenfa- tion that was to fucceed thofe that were before the law, and under the law, has been ufually called by the Jews, and has been already fpoken of in this e- piftle, as the world to come. (Chap. ii. 5.)
6 If they (hall 6 If fuch as thefe fbdl fin wilfully, {chap. x. 26.) Jjfi/IK. Tl!f; fo as to apoftaitize from Chriil to Mofes, and from
the profeffion of the gofpel tojudafm, they refolute- feeing ty rejed the only remedy for their recovery j and are
fo
NOTE. * Some fuppofe that as the word, fuch fignification of it in all the New (<f>a1tv$<<rtii() here rendered enligbtned, Te/lament, where it conflantiy relates was often ufed by the ancients with re- to the light or knowledge whereby the lation to baptifm, the apoftle means mind is enlightened ; ai.d pafticulary in them that had been baptifed. but it that paiallel place, where the apoftle does not appear that this word wns ever fpeak» of thefe Hebrews having been ufed in that myfiical fenfe, until the fe- illuminated, as a term of the fame im- eond or third century by Ju/tin Martyr, port with their having received the (dial. II.) and Clemens Alexandrinus, knowledge of the truth. (Chap. x. (lib. i. cap. 6.) nor do we find any 26, 3:.)
new them again unto repentance ;
3 r8 The Epiftle to the Chap, vi.
feeing they crucify fo u'ghteoufly given up of God to a defperate and
to themfelves the voluntarily contracted blindnefs and hardnefs of their Son of God afrcjh, h that tfc . nQ YQQm jeft for an c_
and put him to an . rxtn «•»••• i , r
oien fliame. tation of the leait pofiibihty, by any means whatlo-
ever, of their being fo effectually renewed and chan- ged in the temper of their minds and hearts, as to re- cover them to a juft fenfe of their crimes, and fincere repentance to the faving of their fouls ; becaufe they, in effect, approve of the wickednefs of the Jews in crucifying the eternal Son of God, and (hew that they themfelves would put him to the ignominious and painful death of the crofs over again, as an im- poitor, had they opportunity for it ; they alfo perfe- cute him again in his members ; and they expofe his character to the vileft reproach, by renouncing him and their profefiion of him, as though he really had been as infamous a perfon as his crucifiers pretended, and were not fit to be trufted in, adhered to, or ac- knowledged as a divine perfon, or as the true Mef- fiah ; and as though, after trial, they had found that there is neither truth nor goodnefs in him, or in his gofpel ; and fo they moft perverfely (hut themfelves out from all the benefit of his crucifixion, and caufe his glorious name to be blafphemed in the world. 7 For the earth 7 jror> to fhow the difference between true belie- which drinketh in yers aud thofe that are only partakers of the illumi- the ram that com- . . . ' / c , c . . ,
cth oft upon it. nations and miraculous operations ot the bpint, by a and bringeth forth fimilitude taken from a fruitful and barren foil, true herbs meet for believers are like good ground, (Mat. xiii. 23.) which -hCd Y dWh0m •' receives Sood feed» and *s foaked WIth> and drinks wth^ffin/from in the rain tliat often defcends uPon lt In feafonable God : fhowers, as the word, ordinances, and influences of
the Spirit do upon the hearts of believers, to make them fruitful : And as, in confequence hereof, this fort o£ earth, being thus kindly impregnated, (t<*t«- <rot) brings forth grafs and corn, flowers, and all ufeful herbs, that are pleating and profitable to thofe, by and for whom it is tilled and cultivated, it is evident- ly bleffed of God, as the author of all its increafe, and he will (till further command the blefiing upon it, even-as he did upon the whole earth in its original ftate ; (Gen. i. 1 r, 29.) fo true believer?, being re- newed by grace, bring forth fruits of : ighteoufnefs, that are by Jefus Chriit acceptable to God, and for his praife and glory, {Phil. i. 11.) and are manifeftly under his fpecial bleffing, who gives their increafe ; (1 Cor. iii. 7.) and he will further own and blefs them, that they may bring forth more fruits of faith, love, holinefs, and obedience, yea, all the iruitsofthe Spirit, in their hearts and lives ; and will preferve them to his heavenly kingdom j and fo command the blefs-
ing
Chap, vi. Hebrews paraphrafecL 319
ing upon them, even life for evermore. (Pfal. exxxiii. 3.)
S But that which g But, on the contrary, thofe profefTors of Chriil, beareth thorns and that ^.^ onjy 0f the foremention,d illuminations, briers is rejected, r , ' , , . . , , r
and is nioh unto external means and advantages, without the truth or
curling; whole end grace in their hearts, naturally produce nothing but is to be burned. unbelief, impenitence, and hardnefs of heart, and every kind of unfruitful work of darknefs ; and fo are like the ground, which God curfed after, and on account of the fall of man; [Get/, m. 17, 18.) and which, notwithstanding all the rain that falls upon it, brings forth, inftead of pleafant and ufeful fruit, nothing but briers and thorns, which are offenfive, unprofitable, and injurious to the owner, and therefore, upon trial, is (xdoxiuos) difapproved of by him that manures it, even as thofe grievous revolters were by the Lord, who fpoke of them as reprobate fiver, becaufe he had rejeBed them : (Jer. vi. 19, 30.) And all fuch barren apoftate profefTors are in the neareft danger of falling under an execution of the curfe of God upon them ; and their final ifTue is to be burned up, like briers and thorns, (If. xxvii. 4.) and like chaff, when feparated from the wheat, with unquenchable fire, (Mat. iii. 12.) to their eternal deitru&ion, as this earth itfelf (hall be at the laft day. ( 2 Pet. iii. 10.) 9 But, beloved, 9 ^ut as to tne better part of you, my dear bre- we are perfuaded thren, whom I look upon and love, as beloved of better things of God, and as fincere believers, I am very confident, that. ^ccompTny !hat ?e are favoured with much more excellent blefs- ialvation, though mgs than ^e apollates before mentioned ever have we thus ipeak. been partakers of ; and that your end mail be better than theirs, (ver. 7, 8.) as ye are enriched with the bleffings of fpecial grace, in the renovation of your nature, the forgivenefs of fins, juftification and adop- tion, with other diftinguifhing benefits, that contain in them, Hand connected with, and mail certainly iflue in the eternal falvation of your ibuls ; (t^ofUM <raT>i£ioig) though for your caution, and for the ter- ror of falfe profefTors, I have fpoke fo freely of the danger of apoftatizing from the profeffion of Chrilt, after an enjoyment of fuch high privileges as have been conferred upon them, according to what has been faid about them. (ver. 4, 5.) 1 For Cod is 10 This my firm perfuafion concerning you is built' not unrighteous, to upon the moft foHd grcunds . It refts „ th ft bi-
forget your work »•* f , °r / \ , ,
and labour of love, ™7 of the covenant of grace, (ver. i7, *8.) and the which evident tokens of your faving intereit in it : For a:? God is truth itfelf, we may depend upon it, that Vol. V. Tt nei
320 The Epiftle to the Chap. vi.
which ye have neither is nor ever will be * unfaithful to his own *- lhewed toward bis verlaflin% covenant, which is ordered in all thin%sy S?J2ta5 S P**"*' (^ Sam. x.iii. J.) or that, in violation of
the faints, and do his promifes of gracious rewards, any more than in un- minifter. rightcoufnefs to the merit of his Son, He will be un-
mindful of your work of faith, and labour of love> (i Theff. i. 3.) or of that effectual and operative faith, which he has wrought in you, and which hath produced a fmcere and laborious love, as the principle of all holy obedience, according to what ye have a- bundautly manifefled in your religious regard to his great and blefTed name ; in your reverential fubje&ion to his authority and commands ; and in your ferious concern for his honour and glory, in that, as in many other in (lances, fo particularly in thefe days of peril and reproach, ye have chearfully and diligently attend- ed to the various duties of companion, tendernefs and aflldance, counfel and liberality, to his poor, def- pifed, and afflicted faints for his fake ; and ftill perfift in all the offices of love and kindnefs to them, on ac- count of their peculiar relation, and holy conformity to him, as they bear his name and image. 11 And we de- XI Uut, (h) knowing that end and means are fire that every one conneaed 'm h;s gracious fettlement, I cannot but of you do lnew , ° f -, , , .
the fame diligence, earneftly defire, beg of God, and entreat you to la- to the full affu bour in his ftrength, that, not only fome, but all ranee of hope unto and every one of you may manifeftly abound, and the eml : perfevere in the fame diligent care, ltudy, and endea-
vour, as many of you have already mown, in bring- ing forth the genuine fruits of faith and love ; and that ye may do this conftantly, with growing im- provement, till by thefe means, and the blefiing of God upon them, ye, like a fhip that is carried to its port with full fails, {nM^opw} fhall arrive at the fulltft fatisftcYion, as to your own hope of intereft in Chrift, and in the promifes of eternal life, that it is well grounded, and fhall never be difappointed ; and till ye fhall have this abundant affurance of faith and hope, not only now and then, but with continuance through all your days and Chriflian courfe upon earth, at the clofe of which ye (hall receive the end of your faith, even the fahoAion of your fou/s~ (1 Pet. i. 9.)
12 In N O T E. * Vt!rislte"v!s'(y$tr'!r') fotnetinv-s (i<r- erl here, with reference to the faith \ful- nifies . ^nd i nf d in oppofi- nefs o/Gpd'm fulfilling Eis new-covenant
tion tr faithful (r.i-;c) Luke xvi. 10. and promifes : And ypt he may he Paid to he 7inright(0i/;'riefs ftarnls opnofed to tri/th, therein jvjl to the merit of his Son too, Rom. ii. 8. ; and thisisthe fenfe in whh hi as the promifed bleffings are the purchafr it ieems to be moft immediately intend- of his blood, Rom. iii. 25, 26.
Chap. vi. Hebrews paraphraficL 32r
12 That ye be 12 In order hereunto, my heart's defire and pray- not flothful, but er is, that ye may not indulge to eafe and floth, by
whoThTough S bein^ Cardcls' indo!eiU> or negligent in the ufe of the and patierce mhe- mc;aus ot gr<^e> or in ialfiihng the duties of your ho- rit the promifes. ty proiefiion ; but may be imitators, {pi^rui) and io tread in the ileps of thofe believers in tliis and the former ages that have gone before you*; and may make the belt oi your way alter them ; ye having as much encouragement hereunto, as they thcmlelves had, who through faith in the promifes, and through a patient expectation of their accomplifhment in due fealon, and who poffeffing their own fouls with pa- tience in the mean while, under their various tri.J^, are now got beyond the reach of all troubles and dan- ger, and are in poficlhon of the heavenly inheritance, which God had promifed them, and which ye in the fame way mall, through grace, be likevvife made par- takers of. r; For when God x3 And, for the further encouragement of your made pronufe to hope, and pcrfeverance in faith and patience to the
he couTd fwear ™d' }"C °-U&ht. t0 conflder hovv pundually faithful
by no greater, he anci *rue ^od 1S in performing his promifes, and how fware by hirafelf, gracioufly he has condefcendtd to give us the ut- moit affurance of it : For to inftance in the great leading promife, on the fulfilling of which all the reft of the promifed bleffings of the new covenant depend, When God was pleated to give Abraham, the fa- ther of the faithful, the vaftly important promife of an innumerable offspring, from which' the Mefliah himfelf mould defcend, in whom ail nations of the Tt 2 earth
NOTE. • By them, who through faith and apoftle had any view to the believing patience inherit the promifes, is general- Gentiles, there is no need to confide . ly underftood to be meant the Patri- as^asr/^frwr of the. believing Ttdriarc bs: arebs of old, that inherit eternal life : And inheriting the promifes, fignifies But as it is faid of them, chap. xi. 13. actually pojfejfing the things promifed ; theje all d<ed m faith, not having re- for though faith was neceiTary to the *&*"* the pronufs, others have thought Gentiles inheriting the promifed bleffings that the Gentiles, who had already be- of the. golpel-itate, as the bieffin * ot ' A- heyed, and were partakers of the pro- braham came upon them through ,'efus miles, are here intended. (See Mr. Chrift, and they received the promife of Fence on the place.) However, I the Spirit through faith ; {Gal. hi. 14.) think that paffage may be eafily un- yet Cbifian patience mult be fuppofed deritocd m a light, very coniiftent with rather to follow after their pofleffion of a .uppofition, that the Patriarchs are theie, than to go before it : Accordin*- here referred to: For though they did ly, both faith and patience are ufually not actually receive the accomplilhment ipoken of in fcripture, as preceding, and ot the promnes of the Mejiah, and the as the means of perfons arriving at, the bielhngs of tne gofpel-ftate upon earth, heavenly inheritance, as in chap. x. \6 which are there referred to, they did re- 37, 38. and xii. 1, *. and z Tbejl hi...' ceive the promifes of the eternal ivhe- Jchnes i. 3, 4, n. and v. 7, S. and r Pet ritarite in heaven, which feem to be v. y. and in our context, ver. 1 s. his here moft immediately intended, as the Taid, that, after Abiaham had patiently upfhoto; ail the promifes of the cove- endured, be gained the proJfl * nant of Srace : And therefore, if the
The Epiftle to the
Chap. vi.
14 Saying, Sure- ly, blefljng I will bUw thee. and multiplying I will multiply thee.
he had patiently endured, he ob- tained the pro- mile.
; or paen ve-
-ily fwear by tlie greater : and an For confirma- tion
earth fhou:d be blejfed, (Gen. xxii. 16, 17.) he con- d it by an oath, (ver. 17.) to give him the ftrpngeft evidence that it fhould certainly take effect ; and becauie there was no God above him, or no be- ing fuperiot to himfelf, to whom he could appeal for the truth of what he faid, as we do to him in our fo- lemn oaths, as to one infinitely greater than ourfelves, he appealed to his own being and perfections, and as it were pawned them for the truth and performance of his promiie, infomuch that he would as foon ceafe to be, as break it.
14 Saying, I will abundantly and certainly blefs thee, as with a rich variety of the good things of this life, fo especially with an innumerable pofterity, like the flars ol heaven, and the fand on the fea-fhore for multitude ; and one of thy defcendents mall be the Mefiiah himfelf, in whom not only thy natural off- fpring among the Jews, but Gentile t alio in every nation of the world, even all thy fpiritual children of both forts, that walk in the Heps of thy faith, (hall be bleffed with all fpiritual and heavenly bleflings. (Gen. xxii. 16, — 18.)
15 And accordingly, after Abrahatn had waited with patience and hope, under the many trials of his faith that he was exercifed with, God fulfilled this eminent promife in blefling him, not only with great profperity in worldly affairs, but more efpecially in giving him a fon, and multiplying his children while he lived ; and fo he enjoyed the promifed bleffing in them, as a pledge and earned of all the reft that were to be brought in by his moft glorious defcendent, the Mtfiiah himfelf, vcbofe day he faw with an eye of faith, and was glad ; (John viii. 56*) and when he came to die, he himfelf, through faith in the great promifed feed, obtained the inheritance of eternal life, (Luke xvi. 23.) which is the final ififue and confum- mation of all the promifes, and which mail be like- wife enjoyed by all his fpiritual feed, through the righteoulnefs of faith, [Rom. iv. 13, 16. and Ga/. iii. 18, 22.) after they, like him, mall have run with patience the race which is fet before them, looking to Jefus, Sec. (Chap. xii. 1, 2.) In this condefcend- ing manner, God was pleafed to give the fulleit affur- ance pofliblc of his veracity, according to the moft valid and approved method, that men ufe to take to fatisfy their fellow-creatures of the truth of what they affirm and promife.
16 For it is cuilomary with men, on important oc- casions, to bind their demolitions and promifes with an oath ; and they indeed (p») as is fie in the nature of things, and is ordered by a divine command,
t (Dent.
Chap
VI.
tion is to them an end of all firife.
17 Wherein God, willing more abun- dantly to fhew unto the heirs of prom he the im- mutability of his counfel, confirmed it by aa oath :
iS That by two
immutable things,
in which it zuas
ifripofiible for God
to
Hebrews paraphrafed.
(Deal, vi. 13.) fwear by the fupreme God, who is infinitely greater than themfelves, to give the utmoil folemnity and fanction to their oath * : And iuch fort of fvveanng, to confirm the truth of what they fay, is commonly and juftly reckoned by men the ftrongeft, and n oft dccilive evidence, that can be gi- ven vi the truth of their declarations, to the fatisiying of all doubts, determining all debates, and frlencing all contradiction, to the tellimony given, or to the tei- tifier.
1 7 In this ftrongell way therefore, that men can take to put an end to ail doubts and controverfies, the great God has Hooped to accommodate himfelf to the weaknefs of men, as being gracioufly inclined and rclolved to give them the utmoll fatistaction, w*th ltill more abundant evidence, than was ablolutely ne- ceffary, or is commonly thought to be given barely by a promife, that he might demonftrate to his people, whom lie has made the heirs of all the promifes, and of the bleflings included in that to Abraham ; and might fatisfy them, that his promife is as fure to them as it was to him, and that his free and eternal puipofe and infinitely wife counfel of peace, which he has revealed and afcertained in the promife, is un- changeably the fame, and never fhall be repealed, de- feated, or falfified : For this reafon, I fay, he conde- scended fo far, as to fwear to it by himieif, and fo he has as it were fealed his promife by a folemn oath, interpofing that (tpxriTtvo-iv o^y.a) for its perform- ance, to put an end to all the unbelieving objections, doubts, and fears, which he foreiaw his own children, under a fenic of their unworthinefs, and of the dif- ficulty and unlikelihood of its accomplifhment, would be apt to raife about it.
18 That fo by two unchangeable things, his pro- mife and his oath, in either, and much more in both, of which, it is abfolutely impcfiible that the unalter- ably true and faithful God, with whom is no variable-
nefs,
would never have laid thefe injunctions upon them, were fwearing, on proper occasions unlawful, or inexpedient : And both before the law of Mofes, and un- der it, we often read ot the molt re- ligious perfons fwearing themfelves, and requiring an oath from others, for the more ftrongly afcertaining the truth of what they laid. See among other pla- ces, Gen. xxi. 23, 24. and xxiv. 3. and xlvii. 31. JoJJj. ii 12, 17, 20. Judg. xv. 12. and 1 Sam. xx. 17. and xxiv. 21, 22, (See alfo the note on Mat. v, 34.)
N O * This fhows that zfolemn oath, and particularly of a promijjory nature, like oaths of 'fidelity and allegiance, are law- ful, when taken in a religious manner, under the gofpel-ftate ; otherwife the apoftle would never have fpoke of an oath with fo much honour, as a proper means of confirmation, to put an end to all ftrife ; and God himfelf, under the law, had enjoined that folemn oaths fhould be taken by his people for fuch like purpofes in feveral cafes, as in Exod. xxii. 11. Nutnb. xxx. 2. Dei/t. vi. 13. But we may be fure that he
324 The Epifile to the Chap. vi.
to lie, we mi^ht tie/i; neither fhadow of turnings (Jam. i. 17.) and have a ftrong con- who can as foon ceafe t() be Qod as ceafe tQ be ,
ioJ,.uon, who have • L . , ,. r n , , m 1 r ■> rf
fled Jor refuge to we m,£nt nave tne nrmeft ground polhble for the moit Id upon the abundant, prevailing, and folid comfort, and might hope let before us : poflcl's it with unfhaken confidence, and the fweeteit delight in our own fouls, to overcome all our dcjubts and fears, and lupport us under all our trials and af- flictions ; even we, who, like the manflayer under the law, that fltw to the city of refuge for his life, {Numb. xxxv. 11, 12.) have been enabled to fly, un- der a lenfe of guilt and danger, with the utmoft ea- gernefs and fpeed, concern and vigour, for deliver- ance from purfuing wrath and jutlice, and for fafety in Chrift, the promifed feed ; to apprehend and fix by faith on him, and on the grace and faithfulnefs of God through him, according to the promifes, which are all confirmed, and (hall be fulfilled even to eternal life, by him ; who, together with all that is in him*, is propofed to our faith and hope in the declarations and promifes of the golpel, that we may have recourfe to him for our fupport and comfort under all tribula- tions here, and for our everlafling happinefs hereafter. 19 Which hope 1 9 Which object of hope, as laid hold on, or hoped we have as ; an a*. antj tnifted in by faith, that goes out of ourfelves to bo* fare anVlfed' lt> has a mighty efficacy, both to fecure our fouls fall, and which en- f,orn defrru&ion, and to hold them fail and Heady a- tereth into that midfl all the dangers and troubles of this prefent life, within the vail, as a ftrong anchor, call out of a fliip, does the vefiel that is tolled about by the winds and waves of a tein- peihious fea : And as Chrift himfelf, the object of this hope, is pafTed through the region of the air, in- to the place of God's peculiar refidence and glory ; (as the high prieft under the law paffed through the fecend vail into the holy of holies, chpp. ix. 3, 7.) fo our hope in Chriit culls anchor, not downwards, as other anchors are call down to the bottom ol the
fea j NOTE. * Hope in this, ard, perhaps, in the is hoped in, as it often docs in other next verfe, cannot well mean the grace places, particularly in Acts xxviii. 20. ef hope that is in us ; for it is faid to l>e and 1 Tim. i. 1. ; and this object of it a hope fet before vs, and a hope which moi' directly means Chrift, who is the nvejiy to, and lay hold upon, in allufion hope which is faid to have entered into to the manjlayer's Jiying to the city of that within the vail; and yet the pro- refuge and laying hold o\ the hope pro- mifes, and God through him, according vided for his fecurity rhere ; and it is to the promifes, which are all lea and called an anchor of the foul, fare and Amen in hiru, 2 Cor. i. 20. and which Jledfafl, in allufion to the anchor of a had been fpoken of in the foregoing fliip, which does not hold it itedfait, as context, may be confidered as included it is in the (hip itlelf, but as caft out of together with Chriit, as the object of it, and fattening on fure ground at a our hope : But. we cannot be faid to diftance from it. Hope therefore there lay hold of, and caft anchor pn him, includes, and in this verfe directly fig- without an exerctlje. of the grace of hope flifes, the object cf hope, or that which in him.
Chap. vi. Hebrews paraphrnfed. 325
fea; but upwards, as it enters through the vifible hea- vens after him, into that glorious world which lies be- yond them, and is hid by them as by a vail, from our corporal fight ; and there it fallens upon him, and the Father through him, as exhibited in the promi- fes. 20 Whither the 20 Into which blefled and glorious fiate our exalt- fore-runner is for us C(j Head and Saviour is entered, not indeed like the entered ^,«;e- ^a.0ft/ca/ h{gh priefts of old, with refpeft to their lus, madf an high . ° r ... . r. .
prieft for ever after going alone, through the vail, into the holy place, the oider of Mel- without any other being allowed to go thither after chifedec. th_em ; (chap. ix. 7.) but as the pledge and earner! of
our following him, that are true believers in him, who is gone thither in a double public capacity for our fafety and happinefs, and to a£t there for us ; One is that of afore rutin cr *, who, as fuch, declares what he has done and fuffcred on earth, to make way for our arrival after him, and notifies in heaven, that we in due time and order are coming to be there with him ; he alfo prepares, fecures, and takes poffef- fion of glorious maniions there for us, (John xiv. 2. and Ephef. ii. 6.) and makes all things ready for our entrance into the holieft of all after him by faith now, (chat>. x. 19, — 22.) and for our perfondl entrance in due time, that vjc may be for ever with him, where he 2V, to behold his glory. (John xvii. 24.) And the other public character, in which he is entered, is that of a" high prieft, which Jefu9 our Saviour is, who, as has beer; obferved, (chap. v. 6.) is conftituted in that office, not indeed after the order of daron, which was temporary and fucceffive, from one age to ano- ther ; but after the much higher order of Melchife- dcCy as an interceding, as well as atoning high prieft, that has no fucceflor, but abides in his perfon and of- fice for ever. (See the note on chap, v. 10.) This brings us to the refemMance there is between Chrift and Me/chijedec, which was propofed (chap. v. 10, II. and vi. 1, — 3.) to be confidered particularly and at large ; and ftiall be now explained in the following comparifon between them. (Chap, vii.)
RECOLLECTIONS.
How incumbent is it on gofpel profeftbrs to be progreffive in all fpiritual under- ftanding ! Though the firft principles of religion muft be retained and adhered to, fuch as the doctrines of repentance am\ faith, (which were fignified by legal wash- ings NOTE.
* A fore runner is wont to be iefs in run-ier ould do for thofe that were to dignity than thoie that are to follow come af'ter h-m ; and it is a high ho- him ; but Chrift is infinitely fuperior to nour puf upon all the faints, that they us, and does more for us by way of ca- have fuch a glorious fore-runner, as Je- iuality, and authoritative management; sus. to appear in the prefence of God for in bis own right, than any other fore- them.
326 The Epiflle to the Chap. vii.
ings and impofiticns of hands) and the doctrines of the rcfurrettion and a judg- ment to come ; yet we ought not to Hop here, but to advance forwards, in itill fublirner po;nt« of the golpel, for further edification in faith, comfort, and holinefs unto complete ialvation- How great is the danger of mere profe/fors, that are partakers only of fuch gifts of the Spirit, whether ordinary or extraordinary, as are common to nominal and real Chriirians ! They may have thefe, and yet may have no more than fuch a tafte of the eood things of the golpel, as their carnal hearts foon difrelifh and reject ; and lb may apoftatize from their profeflion of Chriit, and, like barren ground that brings forth nothing but briers and thorns, may be difap- proved of God, and in the neaieft danger of falling under executions of his wrath and curfe, as fuel fit for everlafting burnings : And this will certainly he the dreadful end of utter apojlates, who, as much as in them lies, crucify the Son of Cod again ; and put him to open fharae ; and fo defperate is their cafe, that they cannot poffibly be recovered to true repentance ! But O how fate and happy are thofe that are partakers of fpecial grace. They are favoured with better things, even things that (land connected with, and (hall certainly iffue in eternal lalva- tion vor the faithful God will be ever mindful of his covenant-engagements, and of rheir faith, and labour of love, which they manifeft toward himfelf, in affec- tionately miniftring to the faints, for his fake, in obedience to his command, and for the glory 01 his name ; they are like good ground, that brings forth excellent fruit, acceptable to God through Jefus Chrift ; and are under a divine blefling for improvement unto eternal life. And O what a fure and blelled ground of hope have they in the promife and oath of God, that his unalterable counfel of wifdom and love concerning them fhall be accomplifhed ' As folemn oaths are juftly deem- ed the ftro igeft teftimony for confirming depofitions among men ; fo the mod high God has condefcended to fwear folemnly by himfelf, to fatisfy the heirs of falva- tion about the veracity of his promife, according to his eternal counfel, which is unchangeably and irreverfibly confirmed to them, in like manner as it was to A- brahatn. They ought therefore to depend firmly upon it for their abundant con- folation ; and this fhould engage their utmoft care and diligence, in the ufe of all the means of grace, and in an exercife of faith and love, with perfeverance therein, that they may att?,:n a full affurance of hope, and that to the end of their days, as followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promifes. And O how fate and folid is the hope, that has Chrift, and a promifing God in him, for its ob- ject, and flies for refuge to him ! This is an anchor of the <oul both fure and fted- faft, and enters into heaven itfelf, after our exalted Head and Saviour, who is gone thither, as an incomparably glorious Fore-iunner, and as our great High Prieft, af- ter the order of Melchifedec, who ever lives to make interceffion for us.
CHAP. VII.
The apofile returns from his digreffton to the comparifon he had pro- pofed to make between the priejlhood of Melchifedec and of Chrift, in which he gives an account of Melchifedec, 1, — 3. Shews the excellency of his above the Levitical priejlhood, 4, — 10. Applies all this to Chrift, to fet forth the fuperior dignity and perfeBion of hif priejlhood, even to the fuperceding and difannulling of that, which was after the order of Aaron under the law, 1 1, — 24. And draws an inference from this, to the encouragement of the faith and hope if the church, 25, — 28.
Text. PARAPHRASE.
JTORthu MekW- HPO proceed then to fhow the excellency of Chriil's
S lem tC )k"ft' °o\' prieilhood, It bears the moll eminent correfpon-
ihVmoft high God, dence to that of Melchijedec, which vaftly exceeded
vvho that of Aaron : For this famous Mechifedec, after
whofe
Chap. vii. Hebrews paraphmfed. 327
who met Abraham whofe order Chrift is an High Prieft, as has been
returning from rhe mentioned once and again, (chap. v. 10. fee the note
{laughter of the th and yJ> ,Q>) and of whom {)Ur Lord k the
kings, and bleffed . . . , . , . , , . JL, a-
him . great antitype, both in his kingly and pneitly omce .
This Melchifedec, was a certain renowned king of Jcru/alem, anciently called Salem ; (Pfal. lxxvi. 2.) and that he might be the fitter type of Chritt, he was alfo an eminent prieft ; peculiarly appointed and con- ftituted, as fuch, by the only living and true God to miniiter before him, who is far exalted above all gods: (P/al. xcvii. 9.) And he was fo great a man in his perfon and office, that when the patriarch Abraham returned from his conqueli and (laughter of the four kings of the nations round about him, Melchifedec met and entertained him with bread and wine ; and, in the execution of his prieftly office, authoritatively pronounced a blefling upon him; (Gen. xiv. 18, — 20.) and fo he was a high prieil, prior and fuperipr to Aaron, not of one nation only, as Aaron was; but of all nations of the earth, before Ifta'ei were fe- parated, as a peculiar people to the Lord ; and he therein was the more exact and complete type of Chrift, who is the High Prieit of Gentiles, as well as Jewi. ( 1 John ii. 1,2.) 2 To whom alfo 2 To this Melchifedec alfo, Abraham, in acknqw- Abraham gave a ledgment of his fuperior character of prielihcod, paid tenth part of all ; tkh which were the tenth t ofaU the ip0;1; t;iar hrft bein? by in- . . , . . . ,,,r . , V, in-
terpretation king he ha<* taken m the war. [Gen. xiv. 20.)— As to his of righteoufnefs, titles, in which he was a remarkable type of Chrift, and after that al- He was, according to the fignification of his name, which" V^n-^f Ki"g °f right eoufnefs, being a jutt and holy man iu 0 himfelf, and in the adminiftration of his government ; and then (inuree, h nut) he was alfo, by a denoi tion taken from Salem, the place where he was . ftyled, according to the meaning of that word, King of peace, which was the effect of his righteous go- vernment ; and fo he was a proper and lively * Chrift, who is anointed of God to his kindly, a as prieftly office ; is iinlefs, holyj and rid his own perfon ; [ver. 26.) loves righteo ^ hates iniquity ; and the iceptre of whofe kingdom ts a right fceptre; (Pf. xiv. 6, 7.) who is alfo the Lord our righteonfnef, by whole obedience many are made righteous: (Jer. xxiii. 6. and Rom. v. 19.) - as the fruit of this, he is the Prince of peace, ( I 6.) he having made peace with God, and us to him by the blood of his crofs, (Eph. ii. i.j., — 16.) and thereupon preached peace ; and he is the author of all the bleffings of fpiritual peace, and pros- perity, and of an affectionate and holy harmony a- mong his fubjects between themfelvea, in the admtni- Vol. V. U u ftration
peace
328 The Epiflle to the Chap. vii.
ftration of his kingdom, as well as of peace of con- fcience and joy in the Holy Ghofl in their own fouls. 3 Without fa- 3 As to Melcbfedec's original, It is purpofely ther! without X co»c^ledinthefcripture-hiftoryofhim, which gives fcent, having nei- no account of his father or mother ; nor do we find thcr beginning of any genealogy of his prieilhood, as we do of Aaron days nor en \ of and his family, or of the Levitical priefts, whofe fa- umo lutn of the™^ »> and whofe mother, in their feveral dod, abiderh a gyrations, was to be mlfraelite : (Lev. viii. 2. and pricft continually. xx,« 14* ) He did not, like them, defcend from Aa- ron ^ or derive his pedigree from any family of prieil- hood whatfoever, there having been none of that of- fice among any predecefibrs in his houfe ; nor indeed is there the lead account of any anceftors that he had; nor have we any record either of his birth or death, or of the beginning or end of his prieilhood ; but he is mentioned without any notice taken of either of thefe, as though he had never began to be in any date of time, and had never expired and come to an end of his life, or prieilhood : But * he is reprefented in this peculiar manner, with regard to all thefe particu- lars, that he might be a more eminent figure, and bear the highell refemblance pofiible of the eternal Son of God, who in his human nature had no earth- ly father ; nor was, any more than Melchifedec, of the tribe of Levi ; and in his divine nature had no mother, nor any human parentage at all ; but was from everiafting to everlafting God ; and his defigna- tion to office, by covenant conftitution, was before all worlds : And as he is the fame yeflerday, to-day ', and for ever; (chap. xiii. 8.) fo he continues ever- laflingly, fingly, and alone, without any predeceffor or fucceflbr, as well as without any partner in his pricllly office, in which he ever lites to make int er- ection for them 1 hat come unto God by him. (ver. 25.) 4 Now coufider 4 Now, in order to your having the more exalted nnn S? unto th?U.Sht8 ,of ^excellency and dignity of Chrifl's whom even the Pri«thood, and being convinced of the danger of ad- patriarch Abra- nenng to that of the Levitical tribe, I defire that ye ham give the tenth would carefully obferve, and attentively reflect upon o* the ipods. the foregoing account of Mclchifedec, that ye may
fee how uncommonly great a man he was, in his of- fice and favour with 'God, in which he prefigured Chrift, according to the magnificent defcription that has but now been given of him, to whom Abraham himfelf, that noble progenitor, not only of one, but
of
NOTE.
• ' toi apriefl continually, feems but very common e llipfis of the article
to refer, not to Meicbifedec, but to the (0$ ) wbo abides a prieft continually, or
neareft antecedent, the Son of God; and unto perpetuity. (See Mr. Velrce on
to may be rendered, by adding a fmall, the place.)
Chap. vii. Hebrews paraphrafed. 329
of all the tribes of Ifrael ; even he, great as he was, and in whom ye yourfelves glory above all others, {John viii. 39, 53.) ma.de a religious offering, as to bisjijperiurj under the character of the pneit of the molt high God, even an offering of the tenth part of all the ipoils that he had made of the riches of thofe kings, and of their armies, which he had vanquished in war. (ver. i.j He therefore mult be great.', by the ordination of God, than Abraham himfelf *, and much more mult Cnnit be io, whofe type only Mel- chifedec was. 5 And verily 5 And truly, to fhow how the dignity of the they that are 01 prieithood appears in the bulinefs of tithing, the dc- the ions^ of Levi, i'cendcnt8 of Aaron among the ions of Levi, who office of.rtw prieft- were *Wift«l w^h the cilice of prieithood under the hood, have acom- ^aw» nad a particular warrant to claim and receive mandment to take tithes, which the JLord had appropriated to himfelf, tithes of the peo- (ieVm xxvij. SOt ^l) from all the people of Ifrael, the law, thagt b according to the icltlement that was made of thofe of their' brethren) dues m tiie *aw °f Mojes, as to the matter and man- though they come ner of them ; [Numb, xviii. 21, 26.) and thefe they out of the loins of received from the reft of the tribes, even oftheirbre- Abiaham: thren according to the flefli, though they, as well as
themielves, were defcendents from the loins of Abra- ham, and, as iuch, had originally an equal right to all the privileges that pertained to them, as his off- fpring ; and io the very law of tithes mows that iu- perior honour belongs to him who receives them, a- bove him that pays them. 6 But he whofe 6 But Melchifedec, whofe genealogy is unwritten defcent is not and unknown, cannot be reckoned a defcendent from counted from them the ievltlcal pHefts, he having exiited loner before received tithes of fl, , /,* . , . ° rni • i-
Abraham and any ° tnat tnbe were m being, i his extraordinary
ble^ed him that nian was fo much greater than they, that he had the bad the promifes. honour of receiving tithes of their eminent patriarch Abraham himfelf, as has been obierved ; (ver. 2, 4.) and, more ttian this, he, as a pneft, authoritatively pronounced a bleiling, in the name of the mojl high God, upon that father of the faithful, with whom God made the covenant of promifes, and confirmed it with an oath, [chap. vi. 13, — 16.) as it related to him and his poltcnty, who claim and hold all their privile- ges and bleifings under him, as their repreientative therein.
U u 2 7 And
NOTE. * Barely giving does not make the argument for Melchifedec's bein«^ sreat- receiver greater than the giver ; for our er than Abraham riles from Abr a barn's Lord faid, It is more blejfed to give than giving or delivering the tenth to Metchi- to receive, (Acls xx. 35.) which inn. fedec under the character of the priefi of mates thai, in the way ol charity, the the mo ft high God, in acknowledgment fiver is the greateft; and therefore the of him as luch.
33° The Epijlle to the Chap. vii.
7 And without 7 And from this confideration itfelf it appears,
all rootrariiohon, tnat tnm; js no manner of caufe to difpute or doubt,
the lefs is blefied -ti u ■ i i r c
of the better. either upon the common principles ot reaion, or ot
revelation, but that Mclchifedec was a more excellent perion in his office than Abraham; becaufe an au- thoritative benediction, as from God and in his name, is not delivered by a leffer to a greater, but by a greater to a leffer perion in the office, by virtue of which he bleffes him. Chritt the antitype therefore mull needs be a much greater high prieit ltill, as he, in the right of his own purchafe, effectually bleffts his people with all fpiritual bleflings. S Ana here men 8 And there is tlifs further proof of Me/chifedec'ls that die receive fuperiority to all the fons of Levi, (ver. 5.) that . ; but there h . £ -; f . he conftitution Qf the law Qf
he rererseth tnem. , r 1 . , . ' ' , . . ... . _ - e
jt ;s Wlt_ Mo/es, they which received tithes are, like the relt or
netted that he li- the whole human race, mortal men, whofe birth and ver'-- death in their feveral generations we are well acquaint-
ed with by the facred writings : But, in the other cale of Me/chifedcc, he received tithes, who is not fpoken of in the fcripture under the character of a mortal man, or of one that died for any other to iucceed him in his office ; but is reprefented only as /ruing, as if he had no beginning of days or end of lite, as to his perfon or prieithood ; (ver. 3.) and fo the record itands of him as if he lived for ever ; the deiign of which was, that he might be the more emi- nent type of Chriit, who in his divine nature really has from everlafting to cverlaiting an immortal life, and who, though in his human nature he once died, is now alive, and never died out of his office, but lives in his pri eft hood for ever after the order of Me/chife- dec. (Chap. v. 6.) 9 And, as I tazy 9 And to add one thought more, to fum up the • , I., vi al- argument relating to the fuperiority of Me/chifedec (o who receiveth to all the Z«7/.W pridts, I may lay that in a cer-
ived tithes t ■ r r , • n ,i o- _\ i 1 .. M r
in Abraham. tam ^en^> as by juit construction, the whole tribe ot
Levi ulfo, who by the law received tithes, did them--
felves virtually pay tithes to him, in and through
Abraham, as their" common father, reprefentative,
and covenant-head.
:• he wps 10 For Levi and all his dependents were compre-
of bended in their natural and covenant- father Abra-
' whc" ham; they having been included in him, not only as
an effect in its caufe, and offspring in their parents,
but alio as a people are in their reprefentatives *,
which NOT E. * It fcems to me that ] r:i'<. or, as it to their being in Abraham's loins, not >s to be underftood, that his and his fon's merely as their natural, but as their
■at father, who had received the be confidered with relation promifes tor them, as well as for himfeif ;
otherwife
Chap. vii. Hebrews paraphrafed. 331
which Abraham was to all Ifraet in the covenant of promiiea, made with him for hiinldt and them, before Melchijedec met him, and received uthes from him, and biefled him ; [Gen. rtir. i, — 3 ) and fo he was undoubtedly greater in his orfke than any Levite whatsoever. 1 1 If therefore 1 1 ^0 apply all this therefore to the main argu- perfeclion were ment in hand, relating to our Lord Jelus (Jlirilt, the
b); rue .Levit;t;*il g^at High PrieJ over the houje rf God, (chap. x. pnekhood, (tor b k .,- A. J J..n J r 1 1
under it the peo- 21') " llltre were an accomplilhment of the good pie received the things themfelves, that were fignified by the ordinan- law) what further ces of the Levincal prieittiooci ; or if perfection need waj theit wtre rcaliy and effraually to be obtained, in point of that another piteu . * . < + .. r , • . n. ,'./ .
fhould nie after atonement to latisty divine juftice, and cleanie the the order of Mel- confeience from guilt, [chap. ix. 9.) and to give us chifeder, and not acceptance with God to eternal hie, together with be called afteT the an humble confidence in him, and holy liberty and bolanefs of accefs to him, and hope of future glo- ry ; and if the perfect ftate of the church, as to its inftitutions, of fpintual worfhip, were to be acqui- red by the offerings, iacrifices, and Cervices, that be- longed to the pneithood, which the fons of Levi were concerned in according to the law; (for it was together with, and in relation to that priefthood, that the church of Ijrael received the ceremonial law *, by the minittry of Mojes, and were obliged to obierve it, which afcertained all the privileges and bleiiings that were to accrue to them from it :) if, I fay, perfection, with regard to theie things, were at- tainable by the Levitica! priefthood itielf, or by the whole iyftem of the law which 't belonged to, Whatne- cefhty, or further occalion could there be, that another
fort NOTES.
otherwife I am at a lofs to fee for what they come to derive fpiritual life from purpofe Abraham's having the promifes him, by virtue of their vital union is mentioned in this argument, ver 6. through faith, to him. which may be naturally fuppofed to be * This, as iome may th.nk, feems to referred to here : And tnis may help to intimate that the Ltvitical priefthood illuftrate the doctrines of the imputation was (et up before the givino- of the law, of Adam's fin and Chrift's righteoufnefs whereas the law was given at Mount Si- As all mankind were in Adam, as their nai before the inftitution ol that prieft- natural father and federal head, when hood. But though the moral lau was he finned, fo they virtually finned in delivered, Exod. xx. before the inftitu- him : And as all Chrift's fpiritual feed tion of the Levitical piiellhood ; yet If- were in him as their public reprefenta- rael's acceptable performance of the o- tivt and federal head, when he died for bedience it required under that difpenfa- their fins, and rofe again for their jufti- tion, depended upon that priefthood; fication, fo they* virtually died and role and the ceremonial law, which contain- in him. ^Sre Eph. li. 6.) According- ed all the lervices, facrifkes. and ordi- ly, as Adam's fin actually takes place nances of worfhip, pertaining to that upon all his offspring, when they come priefthood, was given after the inftitu- to derive their natural being from him; tion of the priefthood itielf. (Lev. i. 1, fo Crnilt's rightf ouinels actually takes — S.) place upon all his fpiritual feed, when
33 2 The Epiflh to the Chap. vii.
fort of prieft, of a different and higher rank and order, fliould be fet up and exalted to the dignity of that office, as it has been fhown {chap. v. 5, 6.) Chriil was to be after the order of Melchifedec ? And why fhould he not be denominated, as he is not in any place of fcripture, a prieil according to the common courfe of the Levitical priefthood, which was to be after the order of Aaron < There certainly could be no need of this new and higher fort of priefthood ; but it mull be entirely ufelefs, upon a fuppuiition that all the ends of a priefthood, and of the law to which it belonged, could be perfectly aniwered by that priefthood itielf. It is therefore plain from this fingle confideration, that both that prieithood and the law, which were infeparably interwoven, were to be aboliilied, as they now are, to make way for a better priefthood, and evangelical difpenfation, in the per- ion of Chrift. t 2 For trie prieft- 12 tor the order of the priefthood being altered, hood beir:. chan- f0 as to be transferred from triat, which was appoint- ed' SSSS I ed by> and Aood conneaed with the law ot M°fe*> to
change alfo of an°ther of a different and more excellent kind, there the law. mult of neceffity, in confequence of this, be a like al-
teration made, as to the law itfelf ; fo as to abolifli thai, (the whole adminiftration of which was confin- ed to the Aaronicai priefthood) and to introduce another evangelical conltitution that pertains to, and derives its efficacy from, this more excellent priefthood of a fuperior order. 13' For he of 1 3 And that Chrift is not a prieft of Aaron's order, whom thefe things like thofe under the law, is evident ; for he, who was VI jP°ke"' P<cr" pointed to in all the things, that have hitherto been tribe of which no *a'd aDOUt Melchifedec and his priefthood, was not of man 'gave attend- the tribe of Levi, to which the legal priefthood was ance at the altar, confined ; but he fprang from another tribe of Ifrae/, which had no (hare in, but was, together with all the other tribes, excluded from that priefthood ; none of them, befides that of Levi, having had any right to officiate in the prieftly character, by offering the fa- crifices that were prefented on the brazen altar, or performing any fei vices relating to that *, or to the altar of incenfe.
14 For
NOTE.
* When king Uz<ziah, who was of of Aaron: And God was fo highly of-'
the tribe of Judah, went into the tern- fended at the king's attempt to break in
pie, to burn ineetife on the altar oj in- upon his institution, that Uvxdab was
eenfe, it is laid, that be tranfgrejjed a- immediately (truck with a leprojy in bis
the Lord bis God, and Azariah, t£? forehead; and he nvas a leper unto the
iefi, andfourfcorepriejtsoftbe day of his death, (2 Chrop. xxvi. 16, —
Lord ivitbflood him, faying. It pertains 21.) God hereby tefbried in the fevereft
not vnto thee, Uzziah, to burn incenfe manner againft luch, as under that dil-
to the Lord, but to the priejis, the fons penfation lhould venture to exeicife any
part
Chap. vii. Hebrews paraphrafed. 333
14 For ?f uevi- 14 For it is plain beyond all controverfy, as had dent that our Lord been manifefted beforehand ( Trgo^Aov ) in an ancient fprang out of Ju- h of the Meffiab, (Gen. xlix. 10.) and was dah ; of whirh r V J J/ • v A
tribe Mofes ipake acknowledged by the chier pnelts and lcnbes them- nothing concern- felves, ( Mat. ii. 4, — 6. ) that the Chrifl was to arifc ing priefthood. from the tribe of Judah ; and it is certain from our Lord's genenloiry, (Luke iii. 23, — 38.) that he arofe from that tribe, and particularly from the royal fami- ly of David : But, concerning which tribe, Mofes in the book of the law never once mentioned, or intima- ted, that any one of them mould exercife the prieitly function under that difpenfation ; and his filence a- bout it is a fufficient proof, (as filence in all cafes of inftitution is) that none of the tribe of Judah ever had any authority to aflame that office to themfelvee.
15 And it is j^ And it is yet more abundantly plain, even to yet far more evi- a demonftration, * that the prieithood, and conle- ter^the'fimilrtude quently the law that depended upon it, is fo changed of Melchifedec as to be abolilhed, according to what has been faid ; there arifeth ano- {ver. 12.) becaufe, anfwerable to former predictions, ♦her prieft, another prieft is now raifed up, by the ordination of
God, after the HkeneH, which is much the fame with after the order, of Melchifedec, in a refemblance of his prieflhood, which has been fhown to be of a dif- ferent and more excellent nature, than that of Aaron ; (ver. 1,— 11.) i ,.
16 Who is made, x5 Even a High Prieft, who is conftituted in his not after the law offi nQt accord;nff to the law Q{ Mofes, which fet- or a carnal com- ,,, T . . , . m j j mj c mandment but af- "e" t"e Levitical prieithood, and coniiited ot pre- fer the power of cepts that may be called carnal commandments, as an endlefs life. they required the Sacrifices of beafts, and confifled of
fuch rites as fantlified only to the purifying of the JlefJj ; (chap. ix. 13.) and as the priefts themfelves were confecrated to their office "by carnal ceremonies, and were no more than weak, frail, and dying men, according to the order of a flefhly generation, and fo needed a fucceffion of them to perform its functions from age to age ; and as all this was enjoined by a fyftem of laws contained in carnal ordinances, which were itnpofcd on the Ifraelites until the tin e of refor- mation, (chap. ix. 10.) that was to be made under
the NOTES. part of the prieftly funclion ; and exem- change of the priefthood and of the laio. plarily puniflied one of the tribe of Ju- The proof given of this in ver. 1 ;, 14. dab, though a king, for it, the more re- was taken from ChriftN btir. not of the markahly to exclude that tribe from any liil e of _ b; and the
pretentions to it; and this is the tribe yet far more evident proot of th.it point trom which the apoftle obferves, in the here, a i in the ones, is
next verfe, our Lord i'prung. taken from the entir t nature
* I take tins and the two next verfe-* ot the legal prieilhooJ, and the to be brought in as a fecond proof of hood cf Chriit. what was aliened, •ver. a. about the.
334 Vb'c Epiftte to the Chap. vii.
the more fpiritual and holy difperifation of the gofpel, relating to the worftiip, privileges, and bleflings of the chirch : But, in oppofition to the nature of that priHlhood, Chrift was made a High Prieft by a more excellent and ever-abiding conftitution, in which he wis confecrated to that oflLe, according to the abi- lity which he has to execute it, by virtue of that im- mortal life, which he has in himfelf, a? the eternal Son of God, and by virtue of his re-afTumed human life in heaven, according to which he lives for ever to dif- charge his glorious prieilhood in his own perfon, and to o;ive eternal life to all thofe, for whom he acts as a prieft, without any partner with him, or fucceffor to hi™, therein : And fo his priefthood mull be incom- parably more excellent, perfect, efficacious, and dur- able, than any that preceded it under the law *. 17 For he tefti- 17 For, as has been obferved again and again, fieth. Thou art a (^^ v. 6, to. fee the note there, and vi. 20.) God teT the°r order * f t^le ^at^er declared, in" a way of divine teftimony to Melchifedec. h'm Dv the mouth of David, even while the Levitical
priefthood was in its full glory, Thou art a prieft for eve after the orJer f Metchtfifrfec, (Pfal. ex. 4.) that is, thou art peculiarly and eminently a prieft, %, not after the fimilitude of daron's lower, but of
Melchifedec** higher priefthood ; (ver. 15.) not for any limited difpenfation that (hall give way to a bet- ter, nor in a fucceffion of one prieft after another ; but immutably in thine own perfon, till all the ends of thy a&ing in that character (hall be perfected ; and thenceforth to all eternity, in the honours that belong to thee for having completely executed that office, and in its glorious effects to the eternal falvation of the whole church. iS For there is ve- ^5 por jn th;s new and everlafting priefthood of
&*d'£5S2 «# after the order of M,/rf:/^, there is in ment going before, reality, an abrogation of the whole lyitem ot the Mo- tor the weaknefs fare law, and of all its inftitutions, which depended and unprovable- Up0n the Levitical priefthood, and preceded the in- nefs thereof. trodudion of the gofpel- ftate, which is built upon
the priefthood of Chrift. This, I fay, is now cer- tainly abolifhed and fet afide, by reafon of its ineffi- ciency, unavailablenefs, and impoffibility to purge the
confeience NOTE. * Though Chrift died in his human tion by his dying; ; and as in his divine nature, that was becaufe he was a facri- nature it was impoffible that he fhould fee, as well as a prieft ; and his offering die : fo, according to its powerful life, he up himfelf as a facrifice was an act of his continued immortal in his facerdotal of- priefthood ; and fo he officiated as a prieft fice ; and he re-afftimed his human life, 111 his very flying; and confequently did that he might fulfil the remainder of his not die out of his office for others to fuc- priefthood in ever living to make inter- ceed him, as the Levitical priefts did, ceffion for them, that come unto God by pace his priefthood differed no intcrrup- him, ver. 25.
Chap. vii.
19 For the law made nothing per- fect, but the bring- ing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw uigh unto God.
20 And in as
much as not with- out an oath be was made priejl ;
ir (For thofe priefts were made without an oath ; but this with an oath, by him that faid unto him, The Lord fware, and ■will noc repent, Thou art a prieft for ever1 after the order of Mekhife- dec:)
Vol, V.
Hebrew s paraphrafed. 335
confidence from guilt, and juftify a finner to eternal life : As the moral law could not do this, in that it was weak through the file fh ; (Rom. viii. 3. fee the note there) fo neither could the ceremonial law, in that it was only a type or Jhadow of good things to come, and not the very image, much lefs the fub- ftance of them ; and could nor by any of its fiacrifi- ces take away Jin. (Chap. x. 1, — 4.)
19 For the Mofaic law was of itfelf incapable of perfecting its worfhippers in any thing that pertains to the confcience, and to reconciliation with God : It was only defigned to prefigure and prepare the way for, and point to, what mould be effectual for thefe purpofes, as it was our fchoolmajler to bring us unto Chrijl, that we might he jujlfied by faith in him ; \Gal. iii. 24.) but the introduction of the gofpel- itate, and of Chrift, this better High Prieft, and of his truly expiatory facrifice, who, in the difcharge of his prieftly office, is the object of our hope, gives us a better ground of confidence, and a furer hope to- ward God, than the law ever could ; and has perfect- ed all that was deficient in the law itfelf, and prefi- gured by it : Under thefe confiderations, we have boldnefs and- accefs with confidence by the faith of Chrijl, (Ephef. iii. 12.) and fo, as a holy priejl hood, may offer up fpiritual Jacrfices, acceptable to God by Jefus Chrijl ,• (1 Pet. ii. 5.) yea, we have a bet- ter, nearer, and more advantageous approach to God through Chrift by faith, in gofpel-worfhip, than even the slaronical priefts themfelves had with their fa- crifices and offerings, when they went into the holy of holies ; and we are not debarred this liberty, as the people then were, who were kept at a diftance ; but, through Jefus Chrijl, every true believer has accefs by one Spirit to the Father. (Ephef. ii. 18.)
20 And we may well be atfured of this, for as much as he was conftituted in his office, not a., the priefts of old w7ere in a common way, but by a folemn oath of God himfelf, to fignify the excellency, im- mutability, and perpetuity of his priefthood, as what fhould never fail.
2 1 For all the former priefts under the law were conftituted in their office, without the folemnity of ratification by an oath ; nothing of that kind being ever hinted in their confecration to it, which left thtir office in a repealable ftate, whenever God fhould pleafe : But this great and glorious High Prieft, e- ven Jefus, whom we are fpeaking of, (ver. 22.) was conftituted in his office with all the irrevocable iclem- nity of an oath by God his Father, who faid unto him in the place fo often referred to already, {Pfiaf ex. a ■ )
X x The
■J J
The Epiflle to the
Chap.
vn.
v.'a> Jefus mad ■ a aent.
The Lord hath fworn by himfelf, and will never retracl: or reverie it, Thou art, in thine own perfon, with- out any fucde-Hbr, an everlafting and unchangeable h Prieft, after the fimilitude of Melchifedec, even unto the confumnjation of all things. (See the note on chat-., v. ie. )
22 In proportion then to the fnperior excellence of th's to the slaronical pricllh'ood, as to the nature of the office and the manner of eftablimment in it, Jefus, the once crucified, but now exalted Saviour, was conftituted by God the Father's own appoint- ment and inveftiture, an undertaker, promifer and fponfor *> in a way of furetyihip to him for us, to ra- tify T E.
N O
* A fnretv or jp on for (iyyvee^) is one that draws n;--h, undertakes or protnifes, and is bound tor another, either to do or pav that for him #m*ch he cannot, or will not do or pay for himfelf.: It IS one who
is pro*efTedV all s**>ng about the priefl- hood of Chrift, his being nfnrcty relates to the execution of his pricftly office, which, like that of the priefts under the law, wa-s for the people to God, and not
engages tor another, that the obligations for God to the peonle : And though the
h he is under lhall be one way or other anfwered. Such a fumy is Chrift, God to his people, as fame would have it; for Cod needs nofuretv for him to lecure the performance of his prornifes to uc; nor do we need any one from him,
mereiv
lv for the confirmation ot
faith
in them, fince his own unchangeable ve- locity, a- manifested in his word and are an absolute fecurity, and the { evidence of it, and of his perform- hem^ as had been declared, chap, vi
! » i r). And in the nature of things, a
furety ought to be a perfon of mme cre- dit and ability than he is for whom he engages, >>r ar leal* ought to be one that is provided to fee ire ag'aimVfome defect vr failure of fidelity, or capacity !v ratty be found in him for he is a furety ; neither of which i faid of God Without blafphemy.
that hotn can he And if Chrift were only in a lax Jen fe a rorety, in a wi • ri for God ; this is by
r,o rm- ( '•' furetyftiip ; nor i- ii
any thing different in its n afire and kind from •• MS e
. they h .'..vine infpiiation
to him
- God :
it ol
cove-
, .,,- r want
iur »mg it ;
■ a furety, the new co1
covenant of grace, confidered as a tefta- ment, was confirmed by the death of Chrift, {chah. ix. i ;, — 17. fee the note there) and all its hieflin^s were purcha- fed by ir ; and though the covenant was made, with a reference to his death, as the procuring caufe of all its benefits, in the virtue o'" which they fliould be brought home and applied to us, through faith in him ; yet his death did not pro- cure the covenant itfelf, which was made lonc^ before, with a proviso of the death of Chrift, as the grand condition of its taking effect : But the covenant itfelf is merely the effect of the infinite wifdom and grace of God in the eternal counfels of his will ; and its difpenfation to us is founded upon the covenant. tranfactions before all worlds between the Father and Son. about the manner and means of ac- compliihing its great defigo, as might be mod honourable to all God's nerfections in bringin | many funs to glory. Ac- cordingly Chrift as the furety of the co- venant undertook to fatisfy divine juftice for all theii franfgreflfjona, to redeem them t: 1 ni the curie of the law. and. de- I wrajh and m'fery, flavery and tain, and to purcrnfe for them all the f ■ . and jrlory, chap. ix. 15.; and lv further engaged to furorfl) them JJ thofe fupplics of his Spirt and the merit of his Wood, as rary'to renew and fanctify and bring them to faith and re- nd enable 'hem to fulfil the
ovenant, that fliould be in- whb Adam was. A- d cumbent upon them, to prevent their vi- . . in tluscontcit dating its facred bonds, and defeating
their
Chap, yil
their intereft in it, by Wilful difbbedi- ence and utter apoftacy, through the power of indwell ijig corruptions, and iurrounding temptations, by which they would certainly mhcari v, were they left to themieives.
Hebrews paraphrafid. 337
t:fy the new covenant by his death, and to take ef- fectual care that all the requirements be anfwered, that were neceflary to fecure the accompli fhment of itspromifes; which is a better coven in that
made with l/raet at mount Simi, as it has a better furety than any of tne high priei i of old could be ; and as its adminiltration is with gi fimplicity ; and with wider extent to the ( well as lJewst and is Cj (chap. viii. 6.) which all >
entury covenant -^, in one v;e\ - ;t was
X x z N O X E j.
good-Will and fileafure of the donor, as to the Wefll . ptr-
Sons that (hall have them ; and as to the time, way, terms- and means, in the beftowment effect
through trie death of Cbrilt, rather than
* Chri/rs being the furety of a better as containing the nature oi a /.
covenant, Items to luppo:e that the co- jtricl, and fotiAal covenant, which, va
venant made with If ail had a furety, our ufuaJ acceptation oi the word, is an
which may refer, not to Ivlnjts per.ioo- agreement between two or more partitS
•ally, but to the high priejt, as inch, about things, that re, or may be iu
who, in the execution of his offiee, was theit own power to perform ; wnich can
a fort of typical mediator and fuiety on never be reconciled to the fcripture-re-
behalfof the people to God, |>y means premutation of the -covenant of.gra
of a typical expiation, which he made made between God and fiafuf
on the great day of atonement. (See Dr. And, perhaps, tiii-s maybe one r<
Ovuen on the place.)
f The Greek word rendered cove- nant, ((T/a3-»x» a iinTt^ryi^i dtfpono} and the Hebrew word, which am was it, (JV~Q a Nil creavit) fignities any dif- pofition, cortjlitution, fett lement, or e- J'.ablijhment of things ; and fo is appli- cable to either of theie fenfes, wherever it is found in the Old or New Teitament ; and what fort of confitutiun oi ej: ah i iff
why this covenant is commotfy ex| c-d by a word, which, of all ether con- ftitutions, primarily fignifies a tejla- 7i:ent ; and I fee r,o inconfij^ency in iup- poling, that the fubltance of the - gracious iettlement, or dilpolition oi fj .- ritual bleifings, m^y be called bcth a covenant and a tejicanent, only wit \ this difference, that when it is called a covenant, it leads our thoughts to
merit is meant by it, in every place, is to Gi>d in Ci>rifi% as the Maker ot it ; but be gathered from the context, and thena- WDeQ lt » cai:c : f« u caf,ies
ture of the things there lpoken of, whether an ' 1»ade b>' Chr$ '
it be a conttiturion by a lavu, or mutual campaii, or ifreepromife, or a tefiumeut : It is raoftiy trantlated covenant in this e- piftle, as well as in other places, and it
And < if we coniider it as a coven, promiiVs, which God made with his people in Chritt, it was ratified I
blood, under the notion of a
may very well be fo; unlefs when there 0l' &"V*)S but (* we confidtr it
is a particular reference to the nature teftament, rift made, coirc-
and nfe of a tcjlament among men, in 'indent to God's covenant, it was ra-
whirh view it teems to be represented, tinc ' by **' death, imder the notion of,
chap. ix. 15,-/7. W1th reference to the a ^.fiator,
death of a tetUtor to put it in forte, to the heirs of falvatjiwi, and . .
But which way loever it be rendered, it declaration of his wii| .vithrelatioi
fignifies a conjiitution, fettlerncnt, or e- unt< : And therefore, though
ftabhjljment ot one kind or other, and »» under tin
"when it is u ted to exprei's the covenant madc l)> Umit, it needed no mi
of grace, which is a covenant oijee or furety ; yet coniidering it und
protnifcs, it may be confidered as com- fr»mal notioirol
taining- the nature of a tejlamentary re- nrui" with • m and t,
tenant, fends entirely upon the Cbrilt, it be .
tor.
33& The Epijlle to the Chap. vii.
finally put in force by the death of Chrift, who, as a lejiatnr. bequeathed all its bleffings to the heirs of prcmife. {Chap. ix. 15, — 17.)
23 And they truly 23 And indeed, further to mow the weaknefs and were many priefts, tlnpruntr-.blenefs of the legal difpenfation, I ver. 18.)
y were . f ,, , . , b . r, ?•/•/>» m '
nor fufl ed to con- ll 1S wel1 knowil» that though the high prieJP ? office tinue by reafon of itfelf were but one ; and though but one at a time ^eath : could execute it, yet there was a fucceflion of many
of them that officiated in it from generation to gene- ration ; becaufe they being merely mortal men, were not permitted, by reafon of death, to live in the per- petual exercife of their office; nor was it poffible that they mould, fine, they all died like other men, and then their prieftly fun&ion, as veiled in their own perfons refpectively, died with them, and they could never re-aflume it again, or continue to carry it on in another world ; which fhows that there was an im- perfection and mutability in that ftate of the church.
24 But this man, 24 But, on the contrary, to afTure us of the great - becauie he conti- er cxceuence and unchangeablenefs of the gofpel-dif- nueth ever, hath r . . . , . & r - r . >- ,fte -f
an unchangeable Peniat»on, this glorious perion Jeius Chrift, who was priefthood. typified by Melchfcdec, and was truly a man, but
was God as well as man, that he might be a fit Me- diator between God and men, and a proper Surety to God for men ; this divine man, of whom we are fpeaking, becaufe he could not die out of his office, as merely mortal men did under the law, abides e- verlaftingly in the execution of it, without any inter- ruption by death ; (fee the note on ver. 16.) and fo in hi6 own fingle perfon has an immutable and ne- ver-failing priefthood, which cannot pafs away from him to another ; but which he continues to carry on at his Father's right hand in heaven, by appearing before him, as a Iamb that had been flain, (Rev. v. 6.) and as a prieft upen his throne. (Zech. vi. 13.)
25 Wherefore he 25 It may therefore be folidly concluded from is able alio to fave tW and f. jm aU tfcat has been faJd bcfore concern. them to the utter- . ^, .n TT. . _. . n , . .
moft that come un- inS Chrift, as our great High Prieft, that he has net to God by him, only all divine ability originally in himfelf ; but, in feeing he ever li- oppofition to the weaknefs of the Aoromcal prieft- veth hood, he has likewife all (ffice-power * and authori- ty, NOTES. tor, as he is called, chap- viii. 6. or a to the ability here afcribed to him, yet Surety, as we have it in this place. (See it is his office-power, as God-man Me- the note on chap. ix. 15.) diator, that is here intended, as ap-
* Chrift's being able to fave, relates, pears from his unchangeable priefthood not to his abfolute po-wer as God, who, mentiened in the preceding verfe, from as fuch, is able to do all things, that whence his ability is inferred in this does not imply a contradiction to the veri'e, for thus the connection ftands, nature of tilings themfelvcs, or to the Becaufe he continues ever, he has an perfections ol his own nature: For unchangeable priefthood, therefore he is though this divine power is fundamental able to fave to the utter moft, &.c. And
this
Chap.
vn,
veth to make in- terccflion for them.
26 For fuch an high prieft became us, nvbo is holy, harmlefs, undefi- led, i>parate from Tinners, and m?.de higher than the heavens;
Hebrews par aphr afe d. 339
ty, which includes his willingnefs, to give complete deliverance frc«m all fin and ir.ifer) , fears and dangers, and to advance to all the glory and bleiKdneis ol the heavenly ftate, in the face of all oppofition and diffi- culty, to the utmoft extent of his office power and merit; to the utmoft of the wants, delires, hopes, and capacities for happinefs; and to the utmoft period of time, yea, even to the eternal falvation of all, that under a fenfe of their wants make their approaches to God in prayer, and other parts of gofpel-vvorfhip, through him, for all feafonable relief on his account, as the only Mediator, with faith in his name ; lince he lives for ever in heaven, not only as a divine per- fon, and as clothed with human nature ; but alfo as their great High Prieft and Advocate, (who has a prevailing intereft with God the Father) to make continual imerceffion for them, which he does in the prefentation of his perfon, and of the merit of his fa- crifice, and in a plea of right, {John xvii. 24.) that all bleffings may be given to them, according to the purchafe of his blood, which he filed for the remifnon of their fins, and obtaining eternal redemption for them.
26 For fuch an excellent, able, ever-living, and perfect High Prieft was fit and necefiary for us ; and it became the infinite wifdom and holinefs of God to provide fuch an one for us, [chap. ii. 10.) who is not himfelf a finner, as we are, and as all the high priefts under the law were ; but is unfpottcdly pure in his nature, thoughts, words, ar.d deeds ; [Luke i. 35. and Acls
11. 27. and 1 Peter ii. 22.) inoffenlive, (u.x.uKo$) innecent, and jlamelefs, no way injurious to any, and now raifed above the reach of being hurt by any ; never tainted with the leaft pollution in heart or life, nor defiled by means of other perfons or things (as the legal priefts often were) to interrupt him in the performance of his facerdotal office, yea, was free from original tin, as having been born, not in a natural, or federal way of union with Adatn> like the reft of mankind ; and he was removed to the furtheft diftance from all communion with finners in any of their evil principles, ways or works ; and * far excels all the angels in holinefs, as well as is now, in his exalted ftate, advanced to the higheft authori- ty and glory above them in the heaven of heavens, far beyond all other heavens. (Eph. iv. ic.)
27 From NOTES. this farther appears from the proof that * The heavens^ by a common meto- is given of his ability for this purppfe, in nymy. is put for its inhabitants. (See the clofe of the verfe, which is, Seeing he 1 Chron* xvi. 30, 31. Pfal. xcvi. 11. anij ever lives to wake inter cejjion for them. I/a. xlix. 13 )
340 The Epiftle to the Chap. vii.
?7 Who needeth 27 From hence it plainly appears that, being ab- rot daily as thole folutely fiolefs, he had no occation, as the high high pnefts, to ot- . ., \ , , A . a-
fer up facr'rfice Pneits bad under the law, to otter on every great ftrft tor his own day of atonement *, expiatory facrilices, firit for per- iins, and then tor fonal fms of his own, as they did for theirs, (fee Lev. the peoples; for XVM and then for the fins of his people, as they this he did once, *• 1 > ., r r Tr , , • 1 . \ r
when he offered OI" the {ms °* *■' rne' i but With regard to the Jms
up himfelf. °J bu people* he did this, and finifhed it all at once,,
by way of complete atonement for them, when, through ike eternal Spirit, he offered himfelf without /pot to God, (chap. ix. 14.) in oppofition to the fre- quent offerings of facrifices for the peoples fins under the law, and in oppofition to thofe prietts that had nothing of their own, and nothing better than beajls and birds to offer. 28 For the law 28 For the law of a carnal commandment, (ver. maketh men high j5#j ^ jts conftitution and appointment, ordered FrTrnnty • "out the ^uc^ to ^e conkcrated to the high prieft's office, as word of the oath, are merely mortal men, weak and dying creatures, which was fince and no better ; {ver. 23.) yea, as are attended with the law maketh fmful, as well as natural infirmities, like other men ;
the Son, who is 1 r j j ^ rr <- . , • r / \
confecrated for e- and f° needrd to ^er Ior their own lins J («"?> 27-) vermore. Dut tne word which God fpoke, and folemnly con-
firmed with his oath, and delivered in the facred writings, (P/al. ex. 4.) many hundreds of years af- ter the law was given by Mofei ; this word inverts the eternal Son of God himfelf with his prieftly of- fice, who is confecrated to it and perfected in it, (TiTiXuapivov) as one that never had any moral dcietft to be a blemiih upon his priei-lhood or faeritice, or to require an offering for himfelf; and who is now in his exalted Mate entirely free, even from all the na- tural infirmities of mankind, which he was attended with in this world, that he might be capable of dy- ing as a faeritice ; and fo.he is every way tit to dil- charge the remainder of his prieithood for perpetuity in his own perfon, as our great and only inttrceffor, without alteration or end, until the whole deiign of it (hall be perfectly accomplifhed, to the eternal falva- tion of the church, and of every individual member of it.
RECOLLECTIONS.
How tranfeendently excellent is the prieithood of Chrift, as it is after the order of Melcbifedec, and confirmed for ever by the oath of God himfelf! And of whit vaft importance is it, that our faith be eftablifhed herein ! The apoftle thought rt
10, NOTE.
* Daily, (xa6' t/*igz>) relates, I it is the office of the high prie/t, that is think, not to the daily offering* of the here ipoken of; and It v\ as only on the common prielts, but to the annual of- anniverfary day of atonemt r.t, from time ferings of the high prieft, at every le- to time, that they offered facrifices fer turn of the great day of atonement, for themfelves and for the people.
Chap. viii. Hebrews paraphrajed. 341
fo, or elfe he would never have taken fuch abundant pains to illuftrate and con- firm it. MekhifedeCi as an extraordinary prieft of the molt high God, bleffed A- braham, who with Levi, as naturally and federally included in his loins, paid tithes to this fuperior pneft. But how much more eminent a prieft, as well as king of righteoufnefs and peace, is the Son of God, than Mclchifedec '. He was only in type what Chrift is in reality, without beginning of days or end of life ; without any earthly father according to Lhe fleih, and without any mother according to his divine nature ; and an eternal High Prieft of luch perpetual power and complete "acceptance with his heavenly Father, according to the energy of his immortal life, as fupercedes the want of any other to make atonement either for believing Jews or Gentiles. And how different from, and incomparably more excellent is his priefthood than that, wnich was appointed by the law of a carnal commandment '. He fprung, not from the tribe of Levi, but oijudah, which never had, by divine inftitution, any fhare in the high prieft's office after the order of Aaron, who and his tons were merely mortal men, and in their turns died out of their orfice. and were fucceeded by others of their line, and they all had fins of their own to atone for, beibre they could offer a facrifice for the fins of Ifrael. But Chrift being holy, harmlefs, uodehled, and leparate from tinners, could have no occafion to offer any propitiatory facrifice on his own account; but, by offering up himfelf, he at once expiated the fins of his people : And as he never died out of his office ; fo, being made higher than the heavens, he continually and completely exercifes it alone by himfelf, without any predeceffor or fucceffor in it. This change of the prie/lbood naturally brought on an abolition of the law, to which it belonged, on account of the infufficiency of that law and priefthood to perfect the worfhip and happinels of the church ; and introduced the gofpel-ftate, which depends upon, and derives the moft fubftantial efficacy from the priefthood of Chrift. How much better grounds of hope then have we in him, and in the gofpei of the grace of God through him, than ever could have been had by the law '. And with what humble confidence, and happy fuccefs, may the believing (inner uow approach God in Chrift . He is the Surety of the new covenant to undertake with God his Father, that all re- quirements fhould be anfwered in order to a fecure arcomplifhment of its great and precious promifes ; and he. is able to fave to the uttermoft all that come un- to God by him ; fince he ever lives as a righteous advocate, to make interceffion for them. ♦
CHAP. VIII.
The apofllc, bavin? fnijhed his argument drawn from the comparifon of the priejlhood of Mclchifedec with that of Aaron, Jhews that his main de/rgn therein was to demonftrflte the excellency of ChrijP 's priejlhood above that of Aaron, which he adds fill fur- ther light to, by comparing him with, end preferring him to, the high priefs under the law, with refpeel to the place where he of- f dates, the facrifice he offers, and the covenant of which he is the Mediator, i, — 6. And he goes, by way of digrcflion, into a re~ prefenlation of the great excellence of this covenant above the for- mer, which is now abolifhed, 7, — 13.
TtxT. Paraphrase.
J\J"0\V of t'.ie' xj OW what I have chiefly in view, in all that has
thrums which 1M been f j , {nf]ilcd . the arifon be_
we have lpk>kcn » ; </•/<> a
this is the fun : ^ween -Aaron and meicaijeae^ who was a molt emi-
We nent type of Chrift *, may be fumrned up in this ; We,
of NOTE. * The word (VfaXflno*) here rendered the s either a brie/
vsary, or the thief thing.
3 -P The Epiftk to the Chap. viii.
We have ruch an of the New Teftament-church, have fuch a great and high prieft, who ^0nous High Prieft in the perfon of our Lord Tefus, is let on the right ° • °L1 , „ r, , . . J. .!
hand or toe throne as int-'omparably excels all others, and particularly all of the Majefty in the prielts of the Aaronical order; as further ap- the heavens; pears from the place, where he officiates, who hav-
ing made atonement for fin by the facrifice of him- felf, which he offered upon earth, is now exalted in his human nature, and perpetually abides in the high- eft dignity and authority for the completing of his ( office, and fecuring the application of the benefits of his purchafe, as he appears in the immediate prefence of the divine majefty, which may be figuratively ex- preffed by his being feated on the mod honourable fide (as the right hand is deemed to be) of God the Father's moft illuftrious difplay of his glory, as on his magnificent throne in the higheft heaven. (See the note on Acts vii. 55.) % A rninifter of 2 And, notwithstanding his glorious exaltation at the fanctuary, and the father's right hand, he condefcends to appear of the true taber- 1 n. • l- • m u a. ur • -a
nacle which the an" a<~* m "!S P""")' character, as a public miniiter, Lord pitched, and officiating towards, and before God for us about fa- ne* man. cred things, not in the earthly fanctuary, or "Judaic holy of holies, which he never entered into, but in the true holy of holies, the habitation of God's moft eminent glory, even heaven itfelf, which is called, with emphatical peculiarity, hisfancluatyy (Pfal. cii. 19.) and was typified by that on earth ; nor does our bleffed Lord rninifter in the fhadowy earthly taberna- cle, in which he never officiated as a prieft, but in the true fubftantial tabernacle of his human nature, of which that was a type or figure ; and (>jv) which was formed by the immediate power of God, as exerted in the miraculous operation of the Holy Ghoft upon the virgin Mary, (Luke i. 35.) * and was not e-
re&ed NOTE. * Some underftand the tabernacle, of be confidered with a diftinclion of one which Chrift is faid to be the rninifter, from the other; as the firft. alludes to as GgnUyini the univerfal church, for the moft holy place, which was a figure tvhofe benefit, it muft be allowed, he of- of heaven ; and the ferond alludes to ficiites as their :;rcat High Prieft. But the whole of that facred edifice which he doth not officiate in, or by them, as was erefted under the law. And as the means of his heavenly miniftration, God dwelt in the tabernacle with vi- which feems to be what the apoftle here fible emblems of his glory, which filled intends, in allufion to the 'Jewiflj taber- the houfe, as it afterwards did the tern.' nacle, in which, and bv means of which, pie ; (Exod. xl. 34, 35. compared with the ancient priefts performed their holy 1 Kings viii. 10, II.) lb that tabernacle tniniftrations. Others take the taber- may very properly be regarded as a type nacle to fiVnify the fame with the fane- of the body or human nature of Chrift : tuary, even heaven itfelf: But this too For the human body is called a taberna- much carries the face of a needlefs tau- cle, 2 Cor- v. 1. and z Pet. i. 14. ; and tolojy ; fince and (**<) here cannot be our Lord in his incarnation dwelt, or ta- exegetical, becaute the article (t»c) fol- bernacled {ivy.ryvai) amoneft us, (John lows it. I therefore rather apprehend i. 14) and lpoke of his own body as a that the fanZluary and tabernacle may temple, in allufion to the Jctuijb tem- ple,
Chap. viii.
Hebrews parapbrafed.
43
3 For every high prieft is ordained to offer gifts and facrilices : where- fore it is of necef- iity that this man have fomewhat alio to offer.
pie, which in its ufe fucceeaed the ta- bernacle, John'n. 19, 21. ; we are alfo. told, that in him, as in its tabernacle, dwells all the fulnefs of the Godhead bodiiy: (Col. ii. 9) And as the taber- nacle was fet up only for a time, to be pulled down on occafion, and then creel - ed again; {Numb. i. 51 and x. 21 ) fo was the body of our Lord in his death ?nd refurre<fh'on. We may alfo further obferve, that the fancluary, though ex- preffed by a. plural noun, (rv» ayiuv) fig- nifies the holie/l of all, or the holy place, as it is reudered, chap. ix. S, 12, 25 and that is the fenfe which I take to be moit directly intended here : And yet as ;t alfo i'.jnifies holy things, and as Chriit V mi- niftring in his prieftly office is about fuch things, it might not be amifs to fuggeit that thought alio.
* The true key, as I take it, of the apoftle's argument in this and the two following- vferfes, is, that in ailufion ro
rented by human aid or afli fiance, as that tabernacle was in which the legal priefts miniltrred, and which was prepared, fet up, and fattened with itak.es and cords by the hands of men. And fince both the fancluary and tabernacle, in which Chriil now car- ries on his prieilly office, are more excellent than any that preceded them, we may affu redly conclude, that the facrifice^ which he, as a High Prieil, prefents to God therein, muft needs be fo too.
3 For the fptcial bufmefs of every high prieft, for which he is appointed and authorized of God, is to prefent oblations and facrifice* of atonement, which had been flain and offered, before he carried their blood into the holy place, and in order to his doing fo * ; it was therefore abfolutely neceflary, that, to anfwer that character, this great gofpel High Prieft, (t«to») of whom we are fpeaking, mould alio have a facrifice to offer, fuitable to his dignity, as God man, and to the glorious ftate and place of his prefent mi-k niftration ; and that he mould prefent it in the hea- venly fancluary before the throne of God, as the an- cient typical high prieft did the blood of the legal ia- crifices before the mercy-feat in the moft holy place.
4 For NOTES.
the virtue of it before the throne of grace, and, as it were, to fprinkle it on the throne, (which was typified by the mercy-feat) for rendering it effectual unto all the great and blefled purpdfes for which it had been lhed, and offered in a facrincial way on the crofs : For this was a neceflary part of the fervice, which belonged to the offering, in order to its fully anfwering its end, and feems to me to be here principally intended ; rather than the offering of the atoning facrifice itfelf on the brazen altar, winch was rinifhed by the high prieft before he entered with its blood into the fanifhia- ry, as Ghrift's alfo was on the crofs, when through the eternal Spirit he of- fered nim'-lf without fpot to God. b. hi- entered into heaven : A.nd then it would have been inconfiftent with nature of Chrift'S priefthood for him to have continued on eaith, as the apo - argues in the next vene : becaufe1 the
the office of the high prieft under the fancluary, in which his miniftry as a
Jaw, who was to kill and offer the facri- fices on the great day of atonement, be- fore he entered, and carried their blood, into the holy place within the vail, as was ex/nrelsly ordained, (Lev. xvi. 5, — 15.) Chrifr. offered the facrifice of him- felf in his death, before he entered into heaven with h:s own blood, to prefent Vol. V.
high prieft was to be thuihed, according to the typical meaning of toe holy of holies, is heaven itfelf. This I hum- bly conceive lets the" whole difourle on this head in a much clearer, e^fier, and more harmonious light, than 1 could evei gather from the m ed a; 1 omits that have- been given of it. Y y
344_ The Epiftle to the Chap, viii-
4 For if lie were 4 For ;T he were to have continued only upon earth, on earth, he fliould he could not have officiated, as a high p'rieft, in that
that there Cre mo^ g1lUii°us Part or" lV's office, which was to be per-
pTiefts chat offer formed in the /ancillary , lince there are high priefts
gifts according to of Aaron's order, that prefent faenfices in the Jew-
l*ie *avv : i/h holy of holies, according to God's inftitution of
that office under the law ; which admits of no prieft
of any other tribe, and confequently not of Chrift,
who was of the tribe of Judahy to be joined with
them. (See the note on chap. vii. 13.)
5 Who ferve un- e Who mi'iifter in that tabernacle, and do the fer- to the example and v;ce of Jt which was a typ;cai draught and ihadowy ihadow of he.iven- r . c , ' r , 1 * • 1 • 1
ly things as Mofcs repreientation 01 the true tabernacle*, in which our was admonifhed of bleffed Lord now officiates in heaven, as an intercef- God. when he was fory High Prieft ; intimations of which were given about to make the by God to Mofer, when he received divine orders of
aoernac e. or wjiat fa mould do in framing and finifhing that earth- lee (>ith he) that , & . ° thou make ■ all ly tabernacle: ror when he was going about that things according work, God faid to him, (Ex. xxv. 40.) Be very to the pattern careful and exact in your fuperintendency and direc- fhewed to thee in tj0M ^ ma^;ng cve--y, even the mod minute part of the tabernacle, in which I will dwell, without the leaft variation from, but juft according to that model, which was plainly drawn out to your view in the vi- fion I gave you of it in the mount ; which model, as it was of heavenly original, exactly anfwerable to the idea of it in the mind of God, was alfo a typical plat- form of the inhabitation of the Deity in the taberna- cle of Chriit's human nature, in which he minifters in the heavenly fancluary. 6 But now hath 6 And (h) now our bleffed Lord, in his exalted he obtained a more £ate> has evidently obtained, by a Angular appoint- cxeellent tnmiftry, m d u f G d hjs Father and accordinglv is by how much al.o on 1 • r 11 i_ he is the mediator now actually engaged in, a lar more excellent, ho- of a better cove- nonrablc, and beneficial office of miniilration, than all nanr, which was that ever was exercifed before him under the old co-
eftabhflied upon venantdifpenfation ; as on many other accounts, that better piomnes. . , r, , . r ., , ' , ,
have been already lnlilted on at large ; (vcr. 1, — 5.
and chap, vii.) fo in proportion to the incomparably greater excellence and advantage of the new covenant- difpenfation, (vet: 8.) f of which he is the only me- diator, NOTES. * The difficulty of this verfe is fo indeed firft led my thoughts to this great, and the various interpretations fenfc, though it be moftly different from of it, by all the commentators I have his, and from all others that I have met feen, are fo obfeure and unsatisfying, with.
that I have humblv attempted to give \ For underftanding this and all the whit fee dm to me to be the moft eafy following verfes to the end of the chap- and intelligible account of it. in COB* ter, in confirmation of what is here af- filience with Mr. Peiree's criticifms on ferted concerning Chrift, as the Media- iome of the words, which they that tor of a better covenant, which is alfo are fo minded may conlult ; and which called a new covenant, ver. S, 13, It is
neceffaiv
Chap. viii.
Hebrews paraphrafed.
345
diator, for taking away all manner of difference be- tween God and his people, and purchaling all its fpi- Y y 2 ritual
T E.
the .SYwtf/'-covcnant, (Rom. x. 5. a«d Gal. iii. 10, 12.) and irom his fpeaking of Gentile-heWzvexs being delivered from its turfe, by Chrift's being- made a curfe for them. (Gal. iii. 1 3 ) Nov the defign of God in thus including the co- venant of works, in the law given to Ifrael, might be to lay before th*in a perfect rule of righteoufnefs, and to lhew them the neceffity of a finlefs conformity to it. in order to their obtaining justifi- cation in his light by their own works ; and, confequently, to convince them of their Gn and danger, as they were tranf- greffors of this original law; of the im- poffibility of obtaining eternal life by their own obedience to it ; and of the neceflity of an atonement for fin, and of a better righteoufnefs than their own to jollify them before God; and fo it was fubfervient to the intimations that were given in thr Mofaic difpenfation of the covenant of grace. Accordingly the Si- /'(./-covenant included alfo a representa- tion of the covenant of grace, as the pro- ntfes of a Saviour made to Adam imme- diately upon the fall, and afterwards, with further enlargement, to Abraham, were not disannulled, or rendered inef- fectual, by the biofaic law ; {Gal. iii. 17) and as the various Sacrifices, wafli- ings, and purifying?, by blood and wa- ter, were appointed in the Sinai-cove- nant itfelf, to prefigure Chrift. and point the church of Ifrael to himj for cieanfing from the guilt of fin by his atoning biood, and for renewing grace by his iandify- ina Spirit: And God all along dealt with the believing Ifraelitcs according to, and faved them by this covenant, in vir- tue of the promi'.e of the feed of the wo- man, that Jlould brvife the fer^cnVs head, and of the feed of Abraham, in whom all nations fhould be /•.' which prpipifes ftilj l'.Uiited, and ran b through the Mofaic diipenfation, as a ground of faith in the grace ot God, through the promised Meffiah. for ttc-- nallife; though the carnal Jew* t-irn^ ed the whole of that difpenfation iat6 a covenant of works, and fought righte-- oufnef? for justification to life bv own obedience to it ; and fo fell (hojjl < if Chrift and novation by him, as the apof- tle tells us, Rom. ix. 31, — 33. — Nov taking the 6 /7a7/'- coven art alone, aed by itfelf, as made between God and IfraeL under the (trier notion of his being their political
N O neceffary to confider what thzt frjl cove- nant was, which this better and neiv co- venant is preferred to. It doubt lets was the covenant, which God made with If- rael at mount Sinai, as appears from ver. 9 where it is called the covenant that he made with their fathers, when he took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt. This (taking it altoge- ther) was not merely the covenant of qberkj, as containing terms of acceptance with God to eternal life : For God ne- ver did, nor could accept finful civatures to eternal life upon the foot of that bro- ken covenant ^or was it merely the covenant of grace : For Chritt was al- ways the Mediator of the covenant of grace; and its promifes were ilways, for fubitance. the fame ; and fo he could rot be faid, by way of dittincrion, to be the mediator ot an abfolutely better cove- nant; nor could it be (aid to be eltabiifh- ed on better promifes than that. I therefore apprehend that it was a tempo- rary covenant of peculiarity with the Jews, which, confideted barely as a co- venant between God and them, as he v-as their political king, and they were his national fiibjecls, related only to the temporal blejfings of this lire, and prof- penty in the land of Canaan ; and fo was delivered to that nation, as a body- politic, under the form of a covenant of works, upon the fulfilling of whi<~h they were to inherit the bleifings of that land. But confidering it as a covenant which God made with the church of Ifrael, as their God, relating to their fpintual and eternal concerns, it contained a repre- sentation both of the original covenant of works, which they as finners had broke, and could not keep ; and of the covenant of grace, which provided for their pardon and juftirication. It let forth the original covenant of works, as the fubflance of that covenant was repre- sented in the law of the ten command- ments ; and as the form of it was drawn out in declarations, that if a man did the things contained therein, hejbovld live by them. (Lev. xviii. 5.) This was not only the condition of the covenant, as it related to temporal bleifings, but was likewife a draught of the original cove- nant of works, relaf'ng to fpirltual blefs- ings, as appears from the apoftle's men- tioning this tenor of it, with a reference to the Gentiles, who never wen under
346 The Eptjlle to the Chap. viii.
ritual and eternal blefiings for them by the facrifice of liimfelf; and for ratifying it by his blood, as alfo for fecuring the accomplishment of all its promifes, and enabling them to accept of it, and yield themfelves to God according to it : This is a covenant which was formed into an authoritative eftablifhment ( vsvo^o&tv?- TXi) upon more fpiritual, advantageous and heaven- ly, extenfive and abfolute promifes, (yer. 10, II, 12.) than what were contained in the former legal adminiftration of it at mount Sinai, (ver. 9.) And that tbit is a better and more perfect covenant than tbaf, is evident. 7 For it that firft 7 For if the former Sinai covenant had been Tree covenant had been from a]i defe&s, as to its eftablifhment, light, grace, faultier then aH(1 efficac f perfeaing the Hate of the church,
fnould no place , 1, , - . , J ' , F &. r . c , . f*
have been fought xvhich indeed it never was dehgned tor, how good io- fpr the fecond. ever it was in itfelf, and how tit foever to anfwer its particular ends, which it was undoubtedly well fuited to, as God himfelf was the author of it : If, I fay, it had not been inefficient to anfwer all the ends of his grace towards his people in their church-ftate up- on earth, which is to iffue in their perfection in hea- ven, then there certainly would have been no occafion for the wifdom of God to have contrived, nor for his people to have defired, another more fpiritual and complete adminillration of the covenant of grace upon earth ; nor would there have been any room for in- troducing it under the gofpel-ftate, as it is plain there was.
8 For NOT E. political king ;~atid taking it as contain- were in that: For as the law of love is ing a plan ot the original covenant of called a neiv commandment, (John xiii. works ; the covenant of grace, under 34.) not abfolute ly a new one, (ince it the gofpel-difpenfation, was entirely a was, for fubftance, contained in the De- vevf covenant, ejiablijhed upon better calogue, and other parts of the Old Tef- fromifes, relating to the heavenly inhe- tament many ages before ; but a neiv ritance, in oppofition to both thofe con- commandment, with refpedi to the new federations of the «S7;7tf/-coverant, in explications, motives, and inforrements, -which it is fpoken of as the firfl and old See. with which our Lord delivered it: covenant: (ver. 7, 13.) But taking it (See the paraphrafe and note on John hi its greater latitude, with all its ap- xiw. 34 ) So the Sinai covenant, in the pendatjes, as in "hiding the whole of the whole coropafs of it, maybe called the S'lojdic difpenfation, with a reference to covenant of grace, clothed with the J(rue!\ fpiritual and eternal concerns : darknefs and terror of the legal difpen- V he covenant of grace, under the gofpel fition"; and, in diftinclion from it, a difpe<Vfation of it, maybe called a new clear, dif encumbered, fpiritual, and glo- mt, ejiablijhed on better promifes, rious edition and enlargement of it, un- -Tot indeed absolutely, but in certain re- der the golpei difpenfation, may be call- fpei'ts ; became the light, liberty, and ed a new and better covenant. And i:rac contained herein, are more clear- that is the view in which I have chiefly 'v, txprefdy, and abundantly promrtfrJ confldired them in this and the follow - ii this, than they ever were before in ing 1 • 1 .cs: For unlefs we fuppoie the frjl that former difpenfation of it; ?.v.d be- covehanfio have a relat;on to fpiritual cauft nf the more fpiritual ord;nances of be rieSts in this argument, it lofes its pro- vorihip, that are contained ir. th;>, than priety and force.
Chap. viii. Hebrews paraphrased. 347
8 For finding 8 For God having accufed and reproved the %ews-9
fault with them, by the prophet Jaemiah, (chap. xxxi. 31, &c.)
he faith, Behold. fOI. thejr lnriliglciIions of that covenant, which in-
the days come d d did fc ^r obtdlcn he , Oblcrvc
(laith the Lord) , . '
when I will make *ith attention, wonder, ana joy, the rla] s are coming
a. new covenant and hatlening apace, (u^et* qgjfcriT**) ia) d tac *°* with the houfe of vereign Lord of heaven and earth, even the days of
theehOulnd rU the Melilah> xvhcm )'e cxl^a ty come5 wnen ; 'i;i dah. ' l J ailuredly let up and fniiih {a-wriX-ru) a new cove- nantaiipeiiiation office and abioiutt. promileb ; and I will citabidh it irrevocably and unalterably with my people, both with, thofe that are among the ten tubes ot l/> ac{> and with thofe of the houie ot judah, in- cluding that of Benjamin, who ail in their turns have fhameiully violated my preient covenant with them : And I will make it, not with them only, that belong to either of th<;ie tribes ; but with all my fpiritual IJ- rael, who were typified by them * ; and who, under the goipel-itate, whether they be Jews, or Gentiles, fhall be called the IJrael of l>od. (Gal. vi. 16.) . Q Not accord- 9 JThis new covenant ihall not be weak and inef- ing to the cove- fectual, according to the tenor of that covenant of nant that I made peculiarity, which I entered into with IfraeH natu- iTVe Spy when ial and covtnant-anceftors, at the time when, with all I took them by the tendernefs, care, and condeicenfion of a father, the hand to lead 1, as it were, led then., like weak and heiplefs chil- them out of the (jrfcIlj ^. t^e band, to deliver them, in the greatnefs bectufe^the^con' of mY P°wt>r and W$& out ot all the oppreffions, tinued not 'in my miferies, and flavery, under wh.ch they were in lore- covenant, and I re- bondage in the land of Egypt. rl his new covenant, garded them not, j r^ fall not be of the lame ftrain and conititulion firth the Lord. wifch ^ . becaufe tnrough the treachery of their own hearts, which that covenant of peculiarity, as fuch, did not abiolutely provide again it j thty were not ltedfait in it ; but defpifed and made it void by breaking through all its lacved bonds ; and I there- upon withdrew my favour and protection from them, and did not regard them, according to the tenor of that covenant, with the love, car- , and tendonitis of a hufband f any more -, as, in ccfe of their ditobe-
dience, NOTES. * That the true IJrael of God, of to all the fpiritua: Tjraet, whether Jevu what nation foever, are to be included or Gentiles, and to none but luem. under thefe chara&ers, or descriptions of f What is here rendered, / regarded IJrael and Judab, appears; becaufe the them 71 ot, as it lies in the uanflation of perlons here intended are thofe to whom the Seventy, is rendered from the ile- God abfolutely protnifed, that he would breu, in jer. xxxi 3:. the pUce heTe actually and efficacioufly extend his re- quoted, 1 hough I was an hujhand to r.ewing and pardoning grace, i'er. 10, them. But as the lenle is much the 11, 12. which cannot be laid of the whole fame, according to the view I have gi- body of IJrael after the fiefb, much lefs ven of it ; fo Dr. Pocock has learnedly t'f every one of their ; but holds good as frown that the Rekrew word (Vl'S) fig.
r,i5es
348
id For this is the covenant that I will make with ?iie houfe of Ifrael, after thofe days, faith the Lord ; I will put my laws into thfir mind, and write them in their hearts : and I will be to them a God, and they fhail be to rce a people.
II And they fhall not teach every man his neighbour and e- very man his bro- ther, faying, Know the Lord : tor all fhall Knoiv me, from the leaft to the greateft.
nines both to govern and ts be a huf- band, and to ruglecl, defpife, and refttjk. (See hh-Mtfcel. chap, i.)
* By his ianvs we may underftand pri- marily the moral la-w, but not to the exclufion of the wider fenfe of the word,
The Epi/lle to the Chap. viii.
dience, I had given them reafon to expect that I would not, fays the Lore' Jehovah, who, being high- ly provoked by their unfaithful behaviour, jultly re- jected them.
10 This new covenant fhall b~ of a much better and furer tenor than that : For tin's is the fum and fubllance of the covenant, which I, of my own mere grace, will make with all my fpiritual Lraei, firil of the Jews, and then of the Gent/lex, under the gof- pel-ftate, after the OW Teltameiit-difpenfation fhall ceafc, fays the great Jehovah ; I will enlighten and renew their understandings, that they may behold the fpirituality, purity, and extent of the moral law, by an inward operation upon their minds ; and will give them a plain infight into the do&rir.e of ialvation by the Mefliah * : And I will not only fet thefe things with the cleareft and ftrongeft evidence before their minds ; but will furthermore make a thorough change upon their wills, affeftions, and all the practical pow- ers of their fouls, by engraving them, not (as I did the law of the ten commandr »jnts) by a miraculous impreflion on tables of ilone ; but by a fupernatural gracious operation of my Spirit, who fhall write them in theflefhiy tables of their hearty (2 Cor. iii. 3.) to guide and govern them in all their ways. And, according to this new and better covenant, I will be an all-fivfiieient God, in a way of protection, favour, and blefling, to them ; and will own them, and per- form all things for them, as their God : And they mail be inclined and enabled, by my grace, to anfwer their obligations to me, in a way of faith and love, duty and obedience, and of owning me in a becoming proftfiion of my name, as my peculiar covenant-peo- ple ; and fo I will take effectual care that this my co- venant be not liable to be made void on their part, any more than on my own, as the firft covenant was.
1 1 And the light and energy of this fupernatural illumination of their minds, and of this writing my laws in their hearts, fhall be fo clear, extenlive, and powerful in1 all important points, that, comparatively fperking, none of them fhall have like occafion, as tiiere was under the former dark difpenfation, to ex- plain them one to another, merely by the typical and fhadowy reprefentations therein made of them ; much
lefs
NOTES.
in which it is fometirnes taken, to 6goi- fy any doflri/re of divine revelation, which God requires us to receive with the obe- dience of faith. (See the note on Rom. iii. 27.)
Chap. viii. Hebrews paraphrafed. 349
lefs fhall they depend upon, and reft in external teach- ings, as many of the Jews have done, and that ac- cording to the corrupt notions of their Rabbier* : They mall have no need, after this manner, to fay, each of them to his neighbour and acquaintance, or to his kindred according to the fleih, or brother in a religious relation, Follow my inltrudtions to bring you to the knowledge of Chrift» and of God in him : For all Sion's children (hall be efficacioufly taught by my Spirit, (If. liv. 13. and John vi. 45.) that they may experimentally, believingly, affectionately, and pra&ically know me for themfelves, according to the plain rtvelation I fhall make of my perfections, coun- sels, and will, and of the way of (alvation through the Mefiiah, in the gofpti, whether they be the weakeft or the ftrongeft believers, or whatfoever difference there may be among them, as to the degrees of their knowledge of me. 1 a For I will 12 For, that there may be no obftruclion to the be merciful to free communications of my grace, and performance their unrigbteouf- Qf ~ covenant- promiies to them, (iteetq qrouxt rxtg nefs, and tneir Tins *, ' \ t *n •£ 11 j 1^1 ■ • l
and the;r inia-n'- a^'*'*'? xvrav) 1 will mercifully pardon their unngh- ties will I remem- teous deeds, through faith in Chrifl's propitiation ; ber no more. (tXarviMv, Rom. iii. 25.) and as to all their fmful
fwervings from my commandments, (etfiagruev) and - their departures from the rule of duty, and the chief end of life ; and all their diiconformities to, and tranfgrrfliuns of my law, (avepiuv) I, whole prero- gative and glory it is to forgive iniquity, and tranf- grej/ion, and fin, (Ex. xxxiv. 7.) even I will as en- tirely pardon them, as if I had quite forgot them j and will never call them to mind, lo as to proceed in judgment to condemn thefe my covenant-ones for them ; but will throughly blot them all out, and cafl them behind my back, and M MtQ the depths of the fea, (Ifa. xxxviii. 17. and xliv. 22. and Micah vii. 19.) that they, like crimes forgotten, as well as for- given, may never be brought to remembrance, as un- der the legal difpenfation the fins of Ifrael were eve- ry NOTE. * We are not to fuppofe that they ike directions that are given in this ven* Jball net teach every man, &c. f* dfcfign- epiftle, rhap. iii. 13. and x. 24. 25. to ed to exclude all public and private, mi- private Chriltians, to exhort one another nifterial, family, and l'ocial inftrucTion ; daily &c. This paffage therefore mult for this is founded on the law of nature, be taken, either in a comparative fenle, and is enforced in the New Teftameat- as fuch expreffions often are : (See Ifa. inftitution of a gofpel-miniftry to conn- xliii. i§. Jer. xxiii. iS. and Mat. ix. 13.) nue to the confuntttnatioti of all things, Or 1 Ife with reference to that manner of (Mattb. xxviii. zo. and Eph. iv. 11, 12, teaching which was ufed, and refted in 13.) and in the obligation that it has under the obfeurities of the Old Tefta- laid upon Chri/Iian parents to bring up ment-di"penfation, and the corrupt in- their children in the nurture and admo- terpretations of the Jewifh doctors; or ?iition of the Lord ; (Eph. vi. 4.) as alfo in both may be included.
350 The Epiifle to the Chap. viii.
ry year ; (chap. x. 3.) nor they be upbraided with
them any more. 13 In that he Now, to wind up this impotant article, It is c-
taith, A new co- . , J . mi- » /-« j t 1
tenant he hath *M*ent from all this, that as Lrod promiled to mate
made the tirft old. with his people what he calls (ver. 8.) a new cove~ Now that which riant, of this happy, fccure, free and abfolute tenor, (u-cayeth and wax- w{th reiatjon to fpirJtual and eternal blefTmgs, in a vanifli away better adminiitration under the gofpel-ftate, than that
which preceded it, he thereby intimates the weak- nefs and unprofitablenefs of the Mofaic difpenfation, {chap. vii. 18.) and its being to be fet alide and dif- annutled, as an antiquated thing, quite out of date : And as whatfoever is wearing out through infirmity, or is coming to a diffclution through age, like perfons and garments, or any other things, that grow old, and pari iervice, is very near unto actually expiring, or ceafing to be of any further ufe ; *o that difpenfation, with all its rites, ceremonies, and inftitutions, will ve- ry foon be totally abolifhed, and put, as it were, out ot hi;ht ; (syyv? aitymurwi ) when, according to our Lord's prediction, (Mat. xxiv. 1,2.) the temple at Jeriifa/em, on which the principal part of the Jezvi/h worfhip and ordinances depended, will be utterly de- ftroyed, the time of which is now }uft at hand.
RECOLLECTIONS.
How glorious is the Lord Jefus Chnft in his prefert miniftration, as our great High Prieft '. He continues to exercife this office, in the tabernacle of his miracu- loufly formed human bodv, at the right hand of God the Father, in the heavenly fanctuary ; and there prefents the merits of his atoning facrifice in his interceffion. How neceffary for us, as well as honourable to him, was his entering into the ho- lieft of all, to fulfil that important part of his office ! This could not have been fi- nifhed by his continuing on earth ; becaufe there were Aaronical priefls, which order he was not of, but fuperior to ; and none but thofe of that order could le- gally officiate in the earthly fanctuary ; and heaven itfelf was the only proper place for him to appear in for this purpofe. And how much more excellent is his facrifice, than all the offerings of former high priefts, as to its dignity, and the fanctuary in which it is prefented to God ! They were mere fhadows of what is done by Chrift ; but the perfection and glory of all is accgmplifhed in him, as the Mediator of the new covenant — How clofe fhould we keep to divine revelation in every thing that pertains to the fervice ot God ! As Mofes was to make all things, relating to the tabernacle, exactly according to the pattern which God had fliewn him in the mount ; lb all our wcrfhip is to be according to injtitution, without any addition, alteration, or abatement. — How much better is the eofpel-difpenfation of the covenant of grace, than that which was made w?ith* Ij'rael ;it mount Sinai ■ It lias a better Mediator, and ftaods on the foot of better promhes. Though that covenant was defective in its fee unties, and was broken by Ifrael. after God had wrought wonders of mercy in delivering them out of Egypt, and he thereuoon at length r;.it them off as a people, to whom, by that covenant, he would no longer be a hulb-nd ; vet, bleffed be his holy name, he hath made with his fpiritual if* rael oi all nations, under the gofpel-fUte, a new covenant, which is perfect in its nature, and every way fuited to fecure its gracious defign. It contains rich and tr^e, clear, expre'.s, and tbiobue promil'es of a fpiritual relation to God, as the God of his people, to be their portion, and to engage their love and duty to him ; and promifes of mercy to forgive all their iniquities, and never to remember any 1 fins againlt them ; and to lead them into a plain and faving acquaintance with himfelf in Chrift, to write his law and gofpel in their hearts, and to preferve
thera
Chap. ix. Hebrews paraphraftd, 351:
them from utter apoftacy. O the happinefs and fafety of the lead, as well as of the molt eminent ot thofe, that are in covenant with God, who has thus gracioufly un- dertaken for himfelf and them '. O blefied tenor of this purr unmixed difpenfation of the new covenant ! How unchangeable and perpetual is it ! It ihall never wax old or vanifli away, like the Sinai-i ovenant ; hut ihall abide in full force, virtue, and vigour, as the lalf. and molt perfect, adminiltraton of it in this world . and fhall remain, till it iflue in the everlafting happinefs of all the heirs of promiic in the world to come.
CHAP. IX.
The apofle, returning to his main argument , gives an account of the Jewifh tabernacle and its uten/ils, i, — :;. Shows their ufe and meanings as to their figurative fervices and facrifices9 6, — 10. Explains their accomplijhment in Chri/l, n, — 2/. ; and infers the neceffiy, fuperior dignity and efficacy of his prieflhood and lacrifce, in an application of what he had f aid about thofe jh at belonged to the tabernacle under the law, 23, — 28.
Text. Paraphrase.
'pHEN venly the r l O return then to what we have been faying about hrft covenant J. he earthJ and heavenlv tabernacfe and fandu- had alio ordman- , , ...! _ J , . , ,
ces of divine fer- arT> {chap. viu. 1, — 5.) 1 here did indeed beiong c- vice, and a world- ven to the Mo/aic difpenfation of the covenant, ( which ly fanctuary. has been called but now [chap. viii. 13.) the firjl
covenant * ) various typical ordinances of God's ap- pointment for religious worfhip ; and a facred mag- nificent tent or tabernacle, which, incluiive of the whole fabric, may be ilyled in a lax fenfe the fanctu- ary for the celebration of thoie ordinances : And which was made of earthly materials by the hands of men ; and, exciufive of its figurative meaning, was of a worldly nature, as well as that its ftation was in thio world f, in oppofition to that which is heavenly_, (whereof we (hall afterwards fpeak, ver, 6, &c.) a For there was 2 For, fuitablc to the nature and deilgn of that a tabernacle made ; carnai difpenfation, there was an earthly tabernacle $
prepared NOTES. * Many Greek copies read (*•£>«?» Dr. Owen on this fide, and Dr. Whitby erx»v») the ftr/t tabernacle; but that on the other fide of the queftion about it. feems to make a tautology in this and \ This building was of an oblong the beginning ol the next verle ; I there- fauare figure of thirty cubits, or (feck- fere choofe to keep to our, and many o- oning each cubit to be a toot and a half) ther ancient verfions, which properly e- forty-five feet in length, ui.d ten cubiu, nough fupply the word covenant, refer- or fifteen feet in breadth, and the fame ring back to the laft verfe of the nrece- in height. But it is thought by many, ding chapter, which fpeaks of the firjl that thefe cubits were two or three covenant (t^mjtwv) being made old, as inches longer than ours. (See Unlvcrfal is manifestly intended, though the word Hi/lory, Vol. 1. p. 652. foi.) covenant be not there expn-fied in the J The fanctuary, ver. 1. and the tu - Greek ; and here it is fliown what were bcrnacle in the beginnirg of this \tT\c, the ordinances pertaining to that cove- apparently mean the lame thing; thefe r.ant. The curious reader may conlult terms being often ufed promifcuoufly,
Vol. V. Z z «9<*
352 The Epijile to the Chap. ix.
the firft wherein prepared and built, according to the pattern fhewn to nvas the candle- Moles in the mount, (chap. viii. 5.) which confifted ttick, and the ta- £■ t prjnc{paj parts, as the temple alio afterwards hie, and the fhew- * * * ' ji n- i *. • 1 ,
bread- which is "1C" ln one Part was tne candlettick * with burning called the fandu- lamps of oil ; which might prefigure the fulnefs of ;iry« fpiritual light that is in Chrift, to be communicated
by his Spirit, in the adminiftration of gofpel-ordi- nances to the church, (in which God dwells, as in his fpiritual temple or tabernacle) according to the meafure of the gift of Chrift, (Ephef. iv. 7.) who walks in the midft of the feven golden candlefticks, and has feven ftars in his right hand : (Rev. i. 12, 13, 16, 20. and iv. 5.) And there was in this court of the tabernacle the table and the mew-bread f upon it ; which may point us to the communion that be- lievers have with God in Chrift, and the proviiion he has made for them in him, as the bread of life. (Jobs vi. 35, 51.) Thefe were fome of the chief furniture that was placed in, and peculiar to the fcrvices of, this Jitjt part of the tabernacle ; which was called the fanc- • tuary, or holy place, (Ex. xxvi. 33.) as it was confe- crated to the honour and worfhip of God, and fan&ifi- ed by his prefence ; and was the ordinary court, in which the priefts officiated about holy things. 3 And after the 3 And the fecund part of this facred edifice lay to- fecond vail, the ta- war(j tjje vvcft-? beyond the fecond vail, which hung fcernacle down,
* NOTES.
one for the other ; and they are both to to grow not far from thofe parts. The be underftood here, as taking in the table, we are fpeaking of, was two cu- whcle of that facred edifice, which bears bits, or three feet in length, and one cu- the name of the tabernacle, ver. S- and bit, or a foot and a half in breadth, and chap. viii. ^.; though at other times they a cubit and half, or two feet three inch- are ufed varioufly, and the /ancillary es in height, and was covered over with may Ggnify only one part of it, and the pure gold, whi :h had a fort of ogee, or tabernacle another, as in the laft claufe an edge of a riling golden border, round ofthisverfe, and i>er 3. about the top, fomething like our tea-
* The weight of this cancUcfiick was boards, and itood on four feet. (Exod. a talent of beaten gold all of a piece; xxv. 23, — 16.) — The Jhenv-bread, which out of its (haft or (hank proceeded fix was probably fo called, becaufe it (food branches, three on each fide, and a fe- continually, as it were, before the face venth in the middle; on the top of eve- of the Lord in the holy place, was made ry one ot them was a lamp, into all of of the nneit wheat into loaves or cakes, which was put pure oil of olives, with a each of which was to contain two tenth wick or piece of cotten for burning ; and deals, which made about thtee; wine they were trimmed and recruited, by the pints of flour ; twelve of which loaves, priefl in waiting, every morning and e- according to the number of the tribes of veiling. (See £.16^/. xxv. 31, — 39. and 1/ruel, were placed upon the table in xxvii. 20.) two rows, or fets in order, (JTOHJ'TD)
f This table was made of Jbittim flx one upon another, in each row . and ■■wood, which fome luppoie to have been fjefll ]oaves wfire fet there every fab- mahogany; becaufe no tree was 10 like- bath , when the prie(t took the old Iv, as this, to nfford fuch vaft boards ol ones awav 0f which, by the law, none ten cubits long, and a cubit and a halt ^ ^.^ and his fons were to eat. broad, as were cut out ot this wood for , Lcv ^ compared with Mat,
the tabernacle. (£.v xxxvi. 20, 21.) and abundance of mahogany trees are faid
xu. 4.)
Chap. ix. Hebrews paraphrafcd. 353
bernacle which is down, like' a large curtain of curious workman flu' p, called the holieft to feparate between that and the firft court; (Ex. y xxvi. 31, — 35.) and is called, by way of eminence,
the hoiy of holies, as being the moil holy place of all; becaufe there God manifelted himfelf in the molt il- lultrious emblems of glory, and the high prieil only might enter into it with the blood of the facrifices, and officiate there, and that only once a-year on the great day of atonement : Which was typical of hea- ven, and of our great High Prieu's entering into it, through the vail of his fleili, with his own blood, to make intercefiion for us. (ver. 12. and chap. x. 20.) 4 Which had 4 And the facred ntenfils, which belonged to the the golden cenfer, hofe/t nf aft, were thefe. One of them was the akar and the ark oi the 0flifflBfcnfe# that was overlaid with fine gold, from covenant overlaid ....,., . _ . ° , . *
round about with which the mgn pneit on the great atonement day, ha- gold, wherein was ving taken the golden cenfer, and fire from the altar the golden pot that Gf b urn t-o fieri ng, and then, having filled his hands had manna and with the jncenf diredly entered into the moft holy Aaron s rod that , . 7. , , I • ■ r . r . -
budded, and the place ; and, putting the mcenfe upon the fire, a cloud.
tables of the cove- afcended from it, and covered the mercy -feat ; (Lev. •Wjj xvi. 12, 13.) which might fignify the extreme fuf-
ferings and fragrant intercefiion of Chrift : And m the holy of holies itfelf was a fmall cheil of ihittim wood, covered over within and without with pure gold ; the length of which was two cubits and a half, or three feet nine inches ; and the breadth one cubit and a half, or two feet three inches ; and its height the fame: ( Ex. xxxvii. 1, 2.) And this was called the ark of the covenant, and of the teflimony* (Ex. xxv. 16. and xl. 3, 5.) as it was a fytnbol of God's cove- nant with I/rae/, and a witnefs for or again!! them, according to their obedience or difobedience to the law that was kept therein ; and may be coniidered as Z z 2 directing
N O T E. * Some have iuppofed that the golden yet as the apoftle's piincipal view in the renfer was kept in the holy of holies, juit prefent difconrfe is to compare thofe within the vail, by the turning afide of things with Chrift, that moft immedi- whLh the high prieft took it to burn in- ateiy relate to the high prie/i ; and the cenie before the Lord on the anniverfary golden altar of incenfe, which !tood juft day of atonement; and that the other before the vail, was of necelfary and im- cenfers for the common ufe of the prielts portant ufe in the high prie/t's mmiftra- were of filver : But others obferve that tion on the expiation-day. {Lev. xvi. 12, the golden cenfer (^«m'» -f »? 'w ) may 1^.) He therefore mav be uppofed to fignity the altar of incenfe which was reckon it among the things I at ber- overlaid with gold. And i am inclined tamed to tne immediate fer\ice of the to think, with them, that it is fo to be molt holy place j but does not fay, as undenlood here ; chiefly, becaufe there he doth of all the followini particulars, is otherwife no mention at all of this that it was in the holieft of all. only grand utenfil of the tabernacle : And that the holieft of all bad it (fxr,uc'x) though it itood in the court of the priefts with refpecf. to ufe, though not to fitu- for their daily ufe, as well as the candle- ation. itick and the table with ths fhew-bread ;
354 The Epiftk to the Chap. ix.
dire&ing them to Chrift, who came to fulfil the law, and it the end of the law for right eoufefs to every one that believes. (Mat. v. 17. and Rom. x. 4.) Hard by the ark * was placed the gulden f>ot> con- taining a parcel of the manna, with which God fed lfrael in the wildernefs ; and which, according to di- vine order, ( Ex. xvi. 33, 34.) was miraculoufly kept from putrefaction, as a perpetual memorial before the Lord in the fanctuary, and was typical of Chrift, the true and ever-living bread. {John vi. 48, — 51.) There was alfo Aaron\ miraculous rod, with which he and Alofe<- wrought many wonders, and which, though a dry Hick, budded, bloflbmed, and brought forth almonds all in one night, to (hew that God had chofen the houfe of Aaron to the priefthood, in pre- ference to all others ; and it was afterwards preferved, by no lefs a miracle, in its flouriihing Hate before the ark of the teftimony, for a continual memorial : {Numb. xvii. 2, — 10.) In correfpondence hereunto, Chrift came forth, not without the moll extraordina- ry miracle in his conception, as a rod out of the wi- thered^/rc of Jejfe, and a branch out of his roots, and as a root out of a dry ground ; (If. xi. 1. and liii. 2.) and God has manifested him to be our only gofpel High Prieft, whofe office (hall ever remain in a pro {parous ftate. And there were in the ark itfelf the two tables of the moral law, confiding of the ten commandments, which the Lord wrote on the two tables of itone, that were cut out by Mofes, (Deut. x. 1, 2.) and contained the covenant, to which all its other articles related, that God made with lfrael in Horeb ; (Deut. v. 1, — 12. and 27, — 33.) and thefe being put into the ark might intimate, that the moral law fhouid ever continue to be an unchangeable
rule
NOTE.
* It is exprcftly laid, 1 Kings viii. 9. and before the ark {Exod xvi. 34. and
There was nothing in the ark, fave the Numb xvii. 10.) But as here is but
two tables of (tone, which Mofes put one prepofition, and that goes immedi-
there at Horeb; ,.nd it is no imall diffi- ately before the golden pot, &cc Others
Cttlty to reconcile this with our apoftle's chink it to be a forced conftrudtion to
laying. Whe rein (if he meant in the ark) make it fignify by, with relation to the
was the golden pot, that had manna, and golden pot, and Aaron's rod, and in,
Aarbn's rod that budded, and the tables with relation to the tables of the cove-
nf the covenant. I'he moft common nant, which were certainly in the ark
way has been to fuppofe that, as the itfelf: And therefore they apprehend,
prepofition (•») rendered ///, fometimes which I flunk beft fo'ves the difficulty,
alfofignifi > /• /, ani'u c iMble to/>^/.> in the that wherein : refers not to the ark, but
Hebrew the pot of manna and Aaron's to that part o' the tabernacle (rw/i,)
rod weie put, not into, but b\ th? ark which is called juft before {<ver. 3.) the
'■■ ;>:ng to it (See Deut holic/l of all, {iv *>) ver 4 in which ta-
xxxi. 26. and i Sam. vi. b ) Accord- bernacle all thefe iltenfils were placed,
the pot of manna :»nd Aaron's rod as Mt Peirce iuppofes the golden cen-
were laid to be laid before the teftimony, fer alfo wae.
Chap. ix. Hebrews paraphrased. 355
rule of all holy obedience in the hands of Chrift ; and fhould be fulfilled by him, as a covenant, for thejuf- tification of all that believe in him. (Mar. v. 17, 18. and Rom. x. 4.) 5 And over it 5 And over or above this ark were two ftately fi- the cherubiuis of gUres called cherubim *, of a glorious winged form, S'metc^fcar.^ madc of PUre *old> wHch ^efnited holy angels ; which A-c cannot ana* one oi tnem with one, and the other with ano- now fpeak particu- ther of his win^s, that met together in the middle, J^rly. overfpread the whole top of the mercy- feat at fome
height above it ; the cherubim being placed at each end, and beaten out of the fame mafs of fine gold with the mercy-feat itftlf, which was an oblong fquare plate of folid gold, cxaftly fitted in length and breadth to the dimeniions of the ark, and laid upon it as a lid or covering to it ; and altogether made a reprelentation of a' magnificent throne, on which God appeared in the Shecbinah, (an illuftrious emblem of the divine glory) as dwelling between the cherubim, and fhining forth from thence; (PJal. lxxx. 1) and as meeting and communing with M>fes, and giving forth his holy oracles from off the mercy- feat. (Ex. xxv. 22. and Numb. vii. 89.) f Anfwerable hereun- to, God, who is attended with angelic fpirits in hea- ven, mines forth on his throne of grace, from whence he reveals his will, and communes with his people, through Jefus Chrift, who is the gofpel High Prieit, and the great propitiation for fin, (Rom. iii. 25.) as his atonement is fully commenfuratc to all the de- mands of the broken law, and was typified by the propitiatory or mercy feat, as a complete covering interpofed between God, who appears on his throne of grace, and the law as laid up in the ark ; and fo covered the tranfgrefiions of it from his avenging eye, that true believers in his Son might not be dealt with in a way of juih'ce for them, according to their deferts. But of thefe things, how fignificant foever they be, it is not fo much our buiinefs at prefent particularly to dilcourfe ; with regard to their myfti-
cal NOTES. * Of what particular form thefe che- are Chrift's attendants, and God's mini- rubitn were, is very uncertain ; but we fters to do his will; and who, in a beau- are told that they were made oi fine gold, tiful allufion to the pofture of thefe fi- and that there were two of them, whofe gures, are faid to pry and fearch, and, wings were ftretched upwards, over all like perfons itooping down, (wafay.w^«<) the mercy feat, they being placed at to look into the myfteries of redemption each end of it, with the«r faces looking by Jefus Chrift. 1 Pet i 12 one toward the other, and downward to- f See the defcription of the taberna- ward the mercy-feat, Exod. xxv 18, — cle, and of all its utenfils, more at large 10. : And they app<*nr to have been de- in Uniierf. Hi ft. Vol. I. p. 651, — 659*. f'gned to repreient the holy angels, who fol.
356 The Epiftle to the Chap, jjfc
cal meaning*, as it is to explain the ordinances of divine worfhip, relating to the tabernacle, to which we ihall proceed, as the principal point in view. 6 Now when 6 Now the whole fabric of this facred houfe, to- thele things were gether with all its uteniils, being thus thoroughly thus ordained, the j 1 r -n j / \ i-
priefts went always PrePared and finiihed, {xmmntwrpf***) according to into the firft ta- tne pattern fhewn to Mofes in the mount, [chap. nacle, acconaplifh- viii. 5.) The ordinary priefts went every day, and ing the fervice of at all times, as occafions required, into the firft part of the tabernacle, which was called the holy place, in diftindtion from the holieft of all ; {Ex. xxvi. 33.) and there they performed all the fervices that belong- ed to their office, relating to the worfhip of God ; fuch as offering facrifices', dreffing the lamps, and burning incenfe on the golden altar. 7 But into the 7 But the high prieft, and he only, who was the
h'Td r^ft"althe m°ft emInent %ure of Chrii*> vvent into the fecond once every year Part °^ t^ie tabernacle, which lay within the vail, and not without blood^ was called the holieft of all; {ver. 3.) and he him- which he offered felf went into it, not every day, as the ordinary for hiflifelf, and for priefts did into the firft part of the tabernacle ; but aeowt"01* ° C on^ on one day of eyery year f J" namely, the great day of atonement ; when even he conld not enter with acceptance, to fulfil his facred office there, without the blood of the expiatory facrifices, which he had offered by flaying them before ; and whole blood he went to prefent before the Lord, and fprinkie on the mercy-feat in the fancluary, firft for his own iniqui- ties, as he was a finner like the reft of mankind, and fo needed a facrifice for the remiffion of his own fins, and to fandlify him to the office of acting as a high prieft for the people ; and then to make atonement for all the iniquities and tranfgreffions, {Lev. xvi^ 21.) not of the whole world, but of the whole
church N O T E S. * This recital of the various utenfils of One was, when he brought into it the the tabernacle intimates that there was a blood of a bullock, as a. fin- offering; myftical meaning in them, though the and of a ram, as a burnt offering for apoftle did not intend to infift upon it, himfelf and his boufe : (Lev. xvi. 3. 6.) as not being nceffary to his immediate The other was, when he carried into it defign. the blood of a goat for a fin-offering for
f Though the high prieft entered into the people : {Lev. xvi. 11, 15.) And af- the holy of holies only on one day of the ter the bullock was killed, but before its year, which was the great day of atone- blood was fprinkled on the mercy-feat, ment, or the tenth day of the feventh the high prieft entered with burning in- montb, Lev. xvi. 29, 30. or in the month cenfe, ro prepare the way by the cloud which the Jews call Ti-zzi. and anfwers that rote from it, and covered the nier- partlv to our September, and partly to cy-feat. {Lev. xvi. 13, 14) And fome our Oclober, and was the feventh month fuppofe that he entered & fourth time in of their erclefwflical year; yet he en- the fervice of the fcqpe goat, which he tercd into it twice or thrice, at leaft, on preferred alive before the Lord, to make that da v. Two of the fe times the apof- an atonement with it. (See Dr. Owen tie here takes notice of : (yer. 12, 13.) on the place.
Chap. ix. Hebrews paraphrajed. 357
church of Ifrael, which were typical of the true If- rael of God ; whofe fins might be called their errors* as they proceeded from ignorance, through an erro- neous judgment and perverted will ; and as they thereby erred in heart and life from God's ways. (Pfal. xcv. 10.) All this plainly intimated that there is no expiation of lin, nor entering into the gra- cious prefence of God, and finding acceptance with him, but by the atoning blood of the great facrifice ofChrifl, which thofe facrifices typified; and by his interccflion in virtue of that blood. 8 The Holy 8 By this entrance of the high priell alone into Ghoft this figni- tiie h0]y 0f holies, and that only on one day of the lying, that- the • j atonine blood, while all the common
way into the ho- •> . . ,111 1 , -,,,• • -,
Jieft of all was not pnefts, and all the people were denied this privilege, yet made maniteft, the Holy Ghoft, who by divine fuggeftion directed while as the firft Mofet to make this fettlement of that fervice, and namiT0-6 ^ ** 1*ndited the Scriptures which record it, evidently l"s' fhewed, (^A^vroj) that there was no liberty of accefs
for them into that facred place, which contained the eminent tokens of. God's gracious prefence * ; and that the way of believers free accefs to the throne of grace in this world, and of their perfonal entrance into heaven itfelf, through faith in the blood of Chrift, was not fo clearly and openly revealed, as it now is under the gofpel-difpenfation, while the frame of that firft tabernacle, with the fervices pertaining to it, (which were afterwards alfo performed in the temple) continued to be eftablifhed and obferved by divine inftitution, as fuited only to the typical ftate of the church of If reel. 0 Which was a 9 Which tabernacle, with all its furniture and fer- figiire lor the time vJceSj waS) according to divine inftitution, a fort of whhh Coffer"- P^bolical (^to * to ,^) or imperfect figu- ed both gifts and rative reprefentation of good tilings then to come f, facrifices, thn (chap. x. i.) until thofe things themfelves fliould be uld not make more thoroughly explained, and perfectly fulfilled, as m t.hat dj*^ they nQw are under t^e prerent gofpel-difpenfation ;
in NOTES.
* Some think thj|t by the holiefl of boldnef to enter, by the blood of Jefits.
all is here meant the holy of holies in (Chap. x. 19 ) And as it is dirk'
the earthly tabernacle, which is called fay. which of thefe were precisely in-
the holieft of all, ver. 3. Others refer tended by the apofrle, we may with good
it to the immediate gracious prefence of confiftency take them ail in. God in Chrift, the tokens of which were \ The word then is not in the oiigi-
there eminently exhibited in the ark, nal, though our tranflators have nor di-
the cherubim of glory, and the meicy- ftinguifhed if, as lufual in fuch cafes, by
feat, which are fpoken of, i>er. 4, 5. putting it in * different chamber ; and
And others underftand it of heaven it- therefore the time prefent may by the
felf. which was typified by the holy of conftruclion refer, either to the former
holies, and is, by way of eminence, fty- time of the legal fervices in the taber-
led'the holy place, (ver. 12.) and the nacle, and afterwards in the temple ; 01
holiefl, into which believers have now to the prefent time of the gofpelfla'te,
could h
358 fhe Epiflle to the Chap. ix.
fervice perfect, a< in which former time, and in the tabernacle then e- pertaining to the reaed, various offerings were prefented to the Lord, (lome or which were without olood, and others, of a more directly propitiatory nature, were (lain facri- fices) which, though they availed for the purifying of the flcih from ceremonial defilement, (vcr. 13.) and for taking off the temporal punifhment that If- racl\ fins expofed them to, as they were members of the civil community under God, as their political king * ; yet they had not worth or virtue enough in themfelves to atone for moral evil, or to take away the guilt of fin, with refpedt to its obligation to eter- nal pn.iifhment, from any of the worlhippers [chap. x. t.) that prefented, or were concerned in thofe fa- crifices ; nor were they fuffijient to fattsfy them that the juftice of God was effectually appeafed, or to purge their confeiences from a difquieting and con- demning fenfe of guilt, and of obnoxioufnefs thereby to divine wrath in the world to come : All the ufe they had, with reference hereunto, was only to lead their faith to the great and true propitiatory facrifice of Chrift, which was typified, and pointed to, by thefe ceremonial offerings ; 10 Which flood 10 Which, to perfect the facrifice f, were attend- only m meats and e(j with only meat and drink-offerings, and various drinks, and divers forts Qf waftlIn^s 0f the faCrifices, and of the prieits warnings, and car- , , 1 • 1 1 n i_ 1 r 1
nal ordinances im- an° People, and with almott numberleis other cere- pofed on them un- monial rites, which may be called carnal ordinances, til the time of re- as they fan&ified only to the purifying of the flem, roimation. an(j were apt to ra;re grofs notions of fpiritual things
in carnal minds : And being inefficient to purify the conference, and to perfect the Hate of the church, they were never defigned to be always continued in their ufe ; but were laid, as a yoke of bondage, upon
the N O T E S. * It appears from chap. x. 1, — 6. that bring his trefpafs- offering to the Lord: legal offerings and facrifices were utter- Whereupon it was (aid, the priefl /hall ly infufflcient to take away the moral make an atonement for him before the guilt of lin, and the punifhment due for Lord, and it pja 1 1 be forgiven him, for it, as committed againft God, a( the any thing of all that he had done in tref- Lord of cor:fcie?ice and lupreme Law- paffing therein. ^(Lev. vi. z, — 7.) giver, and | ud.ee of all. But they were f Which flood is not in the original; fit and lively types of the complete and and therefore the (kill of the critics has perfect atonement, which was made for been much exeiciLd to little purpofe in that purpofe by the facrifice of Chrift ; fixing the connection of this with the becaufe they were a proper atonement preceding verfe. But as the learned for political gvilt, which was contracted know where to confult them, I (hall not by tranferefting the laws of the theocra- puzzle the common reader with them, cy, under the formal notion of the laws which would be to no profit ; but have of God's civil government, as the King given fuch a view of the connection as I of Ifrael. Accordingly, when any one take to be leaft forced, and moft eafy had defrauded another of his property, to be understood, he was to reftorc it in full value^ and
Chap. ix. Hebrews paraphrafed. 359
the people under the law, {Acts xv. 10.) only for a certain feafon, till the days of the M< ffiah, when all things fhould be reduced to their proper order and regulation, for reforming all defects in the worlhjp of God, and fetting it up in a complete ilate of fpi- rituality and holinefs, light and grace, to his glory, and the falvation of the church.
11 But Chrift n But the Median, who was all along promifed being come an and expefted, as he that mould come, {Mattb. xi.
thhfnh f?llgMKd 3.) has now adually appeared in his incarnate Hate,
things to come, by J / , * rr ... , f .
a greater and more as an high pneft, to aceomphih the iervices in the
perfea tabernacle, moft effectual manner, that were only (hadowed out
not made with by thofe ceremonial ordinances ; and fo to procure
faMdSnothaof 1Sth?s al1 the bleffings of the g°fPel iUte' which were tbe" building ; ° S future benefits, and all the bleffings of glory, which are ftill to be enjoyed in a better world to come. And this he has done, as having officiated in, and by means of, a much more noble and excellent taberna- cle than that in which the legal priefts miniftred, e- ven in, and by his own human body; (fee the note on chap. viii. 2.) which is greater, not indeed in bulk and meafure, but in worth and dignity, and is every- way better fitted for, and more perfectly anfwers the end of, his prieltly minillration, than that earthly tabernacle pofiibly could ; and which was not, like the fabric of that tabernacle, and afterwards of the temple, made by the (kill and workmanship of men. (Exod. xxxi. 2,-7. and xxxvi. 1. and 2 Cbron. ii. 5, 6, 7.) No, this more excellent tabernacle is not of human ftru&ure, as all material buildings are ; but was formed by the immediate miraculous power of the Holy Ghoit, without the operation of any man whatfoever. [Luke i. 34, 35.)
12 Neither by 12 And the facrifice which he offered on earth, and the blood ot" goats fe blood, by the merit of which he entered into the
entered in once thofe under the law : For it was not by the blood ot into the holy place, goats, bulls, or calves, fuch as were offered for atone- having obtained e- ment ^„ t^e typical high prieft according to the law, ternal redemption fc f ^ y d wag carricd {mQ thg hol of ho[ies
(Lev. xvi. 3, — 6.) but it was in virtue oi his own moil precious blood, as of a iamb without blemiflj, and without /pot, (1 Pet. i. 19.) that he entered through the vail of his own fkfli ; (chap. x. 20.) not, like the former high priefts, into an earthly fan&uary on one day of every year; but, once for a//, (chap. x. 10.) into the molt holy place, even heaven itfeir, to prefent his own perfen, together with the merit oi ' his perfect and ever-available facrifice before, and io to appear for us in, the immediate prefence of God ; (ver. 24, 25, z6.) behaving, antecedent therei Vol. V. A a a by
360 The Epiflle to the Chap. ix.
by the facrifice of himfelf, which he offered on the crofs, purchafed, and fo" effectually obtained, by the price of his own blood, not merely a year's reprieve or pardon, as was annually done in a figurative way by the typical high prieft ; but having found (iv^x^avog) a complete and ever abiding fatisfactiftn to divine jus- tice, for the forgivenefs of all trefpafles, and an ever- lailing deliverance from all the bondage we were under to fin, and Satan, and the law, which bound us over to the wrath of God ; and having thereby procured a right and title to an eternal inheritance of all blelTed- nefs and glory, which i6 included in the redemption that he acquired for us, who believe in him.
13 For if the 13 For if the typical blood of fuch mean worthlefs blood of bulls, and an;mais> as /,„//f mdgoah, which were offered in fa- trfhes^of so heifer cn^ce by divine appointment under the law, and the fprinkling the un- ames of an heifer, which was never yoked, and was dean, laqciifieth to confumed by fire as a fin-offering ; "If thefe allies, min- ihe purifying of g}e(} v%'itri running water, being fprinkled upon per- sons that were under any legal defilement by the dead, or by any other means, are fufficient, according to the inilitutions of the Mofaic law, to cleanfe thofe perfons from the external ceremonial impurities of their bodies, and to give them a re-admifiion to pub- lic worfhip in the tabernacle, and into the congrega- tion of the Lord, from which they were excluded on account of fuch defilement ; [Numb. chap, xix.)
14 How much 14 How much more may we be affured that there more (hall the js an efficacy ; yea, how much greater virtue muff blood of Chr.ft, the needs b j the antitypi-cal bJood Qf f0 glorious who through the : ; * tj- u t> • a j r bternal Spirit of- an onc as v^nrilt, God- man, our High rneit and ia- ferccl hiralelf with- crifice too, who offered, not brute-animals, but him- out fpot to God, felfj even his whole divinelv dignified human nature,
pur-e >:0l,r ,con: without the lead flaw or moral defilement in it, as an feience trom dead . .. c r .- ... r ^ ,
myrks to ferve the expiatory facrifice of a lweet-imtlling iavour to God ; living God? (EpheJ v. 2.) and who did this, through the infi-
nite dignity and fupport of his own immortal deity, which, like the altar, fanctified the gift;* and through the anointing of the holy and eternal Spirit, Which was given to him, as Man and Mediator, without mea- sure, and animated him to undergo all his fufferihgs, with the utmoft readinefs and fubmiifion to his Fa- ther's will, with an entire trull and confidence in him, with fervent zeal for his glory, and with the moil amazing love and companion to his people : How
much NOTE. * By the cTervai Spirit fome under- and his divine nature, and the Holy ft and the divine nature of Chrift ; and Spirit being, in their refpeelive ways of others the Holy Spirit, as ibme copies operation,, very nearly concerned in this read it. But it being hard to fay which offering of himfelf, the paraphrafe has of thefe may be raoft dire&ly intended ; taken in a confederation of both.
Chap. ix. Hebrews par aphrafecL 361
much more evidently and prevalently, I fay, beyond all ceremonial purifyings of the flefh, mail the noble blood, inclulivc of all the obedience and fuffertngs un- to death, of fuch a divine perfon, be efficacious-, in the application of it to your conferences- through faith therein, to cleanfe them from The guilt and defilement of all your iniquities ; which may be called dead ivcrkft as they proceed from fpiricually dead principle:;, are altogether unprofitable and abominable, like dead carcafes, and delerve and tend unto eternal death ? And how much more effe&ual mull it be, to free your conference from \dreadful apprehenfions of con- demnation and wrath on their account ; and to give it a holy confidence toward God, as your reconciled God, that ye may worfhip him with freedom and de- light, as the only living and true God, who will not accept of dead performances ; and that ye may pay all chearful obedience to him here, as thofe who are pardoned and accepted of him through the atoning death of his Son, till ye fhall perfectly ferve and en- joy him in *.he heavenly fanctuary hereafter ? 15 And for this 15 And for bringing about this great end, Jefufi eaufe he is the me- iias undertaken, and is engaged in, the office of the diator ot the new ,. .. e . , ° h 1 • 1 i
teftament that bv meo-iator or the new and better covenant, which has means of death, been fpoken of; (chap. viii. 6, 8. fee the notes there) for the redemption and which carries the nature of a lejiamenlary difpoji- ot the trantgrei- tjon *} t|iat j^y means> not 0f legal facritices, but of his under the* fir ft* iVf- mer^tori°us death for the remiflion of fin, and deliver- tament, they which ance pf tinners from the guilt and punimment of thofe are called might iniquities, which were committed under the Old, as ""ll™^ EJ«;? wel1 as New Teftameht, they who are effeatially call- ed to the faith of Chrift, whether before or after his death, might, in virtue of it, be made partakers of the great promife to Abr chair, that in his feed all nations of the earth mould be bieffed'j (Gen. xxii. 18.) which contained a promife of all the bleffings of A a a 2 grace
NOTE. * Dr. Owen obferves on this text, that the blood of facrifices ; yet as in thofe the Seventy conftantly render the He- facrifices death was computed, it was to -brew word (]")*"! \2) by the Greek word, confirm the teftamentary grant of the (fiaS-u**) which is here tranflated a inheritance of the land otfanaan; for teftament, and at other times a cove- death w?s "ece)Vai7 t0 the confirmation nam ; that there is no other word than ot a ^/lament, which then could only thnt mni'i • *u zj l i be in tvpe and representation : The tef-
that CJ1 13) m the Heorew language ^ ^ f ^ ^ ^ for ^ ^_
to cxpres a te/l«,-,ent by; and that it is bliffimentdT a typical inheritance; but
often ufed to exprefs a free promife, chrift as M,d[[[or of the New refta.
which has more ot the nature or a tejla- m ,va, tQ d[ nQt as the hi h iefts
meat than ot a proper covert, and of oif] (1id a natural death Vor them.elve,,
beft agrees to the nature of God's cove- but as tfcvfacrifke diedi that u,
aant with man. He further obferves, 4nd offered for others. - (See p 359. and tha though the 6,^-covenant, fo tar Sec alio our note on ,>>4 v". 2: )
as it was a covenant, was cpnfirrned by n '
of eternal inherit- ance
3^2 7 be Epiftle to the Chap. ix.
grace and glory, even unto the obtaining, not of a temporal poffefiion, like the land of Canaan, but of an everlafting inheritance of heavenly happinefs, which was typified by that land, and was promifed in that co- venant to all his fpiritual feed. {Gal. iii. 18, 29.)
16 For where a 16 And Jefus being not only the mediator of re- teftament is, there conciliation with God, to purchafe the bleflings of the mult alio of necef- ' f , ,. ,, , ,& , . (fry be the death of new covenant> and ratify it by his blood ; but being the teftator. alio a teftator to bequeath them, as legacies in his laft
will and teftament, {Luke xxii. 29. and John xiv. 27.) his bloodfhed, anfwerable to this character, was to be unto death : For in the very nature and reafon of things, and according to the univerfal law and cuf- tom of all nations, when any laft will or teftament is made, the death of the party, who therein difpofed ot his own goods, is neceffary, and the proof of it mult be produced, (q>zge<r&6ti) to give it effect, in or- der to its being executed. This is a plain cafe.
17 For a tefta- 17 For as a teftament is the authentic fignification rtent is of force of men's laft will, with regard to the difpofal of alter men are their property, in the tine, way, and manner, which dead : othervvife it , r r. J l ■ , , ; c , • , r
is of no ftrenpth at the7 aPPoint for it to take place arter their deceaie ;
all whiltt the tef- f° it is valid and pleadable, only after the perfons
fator hvcth. that made it are dead ; becaufe (stts*) as long as the
teftator himfelf is alive, the teftamentary diipofition is revocable at his will and pleafure, and gives no le- gal title to any one, that would pretend to claim or inherit under it : But when once he is dead, all its lawful bequefts to every legatee are irrevocably efta- blifhed, fo as not to be altered or difannulled. (Ga/. iii. 15.) It was therefore neceffary for Chriit to die, us, for many other reafons, fo particularly that the promifes of the covenant, which he alfo made his tef- tamentary gift, might be in full force to all that claim by faith under him : But he fo far excels all human teftators, that as the merit of his death reached back to Old Teftament believers, (ver. 15.) and as he ne- ver died in his whole perion ; fo he, as Man and Me- diator, now lives in heaven, to take care of the faith- ful execution of his own will, and gives the whole in- heritance of grace and glory to every heir of promiie, without lofuig his own property in it, and without di- viding the inheritance, io as that one fhould have one part, and another another part ; but that each may have the whole, as if none but himfelf were to enjoy it. i8 Whereupon, 18 This manner of ratifying the gofpelcovenant
peithet the rirft is fomewhat anfwerable to the way in which the Sinai*
a^'!"T' VV;iL!f covenant was Confecrated or folemnly feparated to fa*
nu attrU without . • , • ,1
htood. cred nie, and became valid, as it was the lnitrument
whereby the terms of that ipecial relation were fet- tled,
Chap. ix. Hebrews paraphrafed. 363
tied, which God entered into with his people Ifrael ; which covenant was not eftabliihed without the blood of the typical facrifices, that had been flam ; much lefs could the new covenant,, which has more direct- ly the nature of a teitamem, be confirmed and ren- dered authentic for taking effect, without the death and blood fhed of Chrift. (See the note on ver. 15.) 19 For when 19 And that the typical blood was ufed for this, Moles had fpoken together with other purpofes of purification and re- cvery precept to ^fljoo of £ns, appears from the various Iprinklings all trie ueople ac- • . __ %*V • . j r o j j
cording to the law, of it.: rorasMo/w was appointed ot God, and ac- he took the blood cepted by the people, to be a fpokefman, and fort of ef calves and of mediator, in all the tran factions that paffed between *5^f&rift £*»? God and them; {Exod. xx. 18, 19. and Dent. v. and kyfiop, a«4 22> — 280 fo when hc had recIted al1 tne wcrds of fprinkled bJth the the Lord contained in the moral law, which was writ- book, and all the ten on two tables of lione, and all the judgments PeoPle> (Exod. xxiv. 3.) contained in the inititutions, which
peculiarly related to them as a church and nation, and had been fpecified juft before; {chaps, xx, — xxiii.) and when the people thereupon faid, as with one voice, All the words which the Lord hath faid will we do; (Ex. xxiv. 3.) then Mofes wrote all the words of the law in a book; [ver. 4, 7.) and, in teftimony of its ratification, * he took the blood of
calves NOTE. * Several things are mentioned in this 12. and ix. 15, iS. and xvi. T5, — 19.) verfe that are not found in the account And though fprinkling the blood with given of the dedication of the covenant, water, and fear let- wool, and hyffop is Exod. xxiv. 3, — S. But, as the apoftle not recorded in the account of the dedi- wrote by divine infpSration, we may be cation of the covenant, but only the fure of the truth of what he afferts con- fprinklins; of the blood, which was put cerning them, in which be does not into bafons for that purpoie; {Exod. xxiv. conrine himfelf to what was recorded on 6, 8.) yet as when the blood was fprink- that particular occafion ; but takes in led in leffer quantities, it was eafily various things, that fuited his purpoie, done by dipping the ringer into it, {Lei. relating to the ufe of fprinkling the viii. 15. and xvi. 14.) fo when greater blood of the facrifices, where-ever they quantities were to be fprinkled, it was are to be met with in the law of Mofes ; mixed with running, or fpriog-wate r ; and gives luch an account of them as to prevent its congealing, and keep it was proper to explain them. — We only liquid : And that it might be Scattered read in Exod. xxiv. 5. of the offering of in drops, it was fprinkled with an in- burnt- offerings, and peace-offerings of ftrument compofed of fcarlet wool, to oxen; thefe oxen the apoftle calls calves, take up and retain a fufficient portion of as the word (QnS) in the Heb-eiu the blood, and a bunch of hyffop to feat- fignifying any cattle of the herd, whe- /«" if- This is called taking hyffop and ther young or old, and the Greek word, /*»"*#, (wh.ch the apoftle interprets Uo<xuv) ufed by the apoftle, might as meant ot fcarlet- wool) and dipping have been rwleied heifers ; and as we ****"« blood and running water, and are not told in the hiltory what all the fprwkhng a bo ufe inleCted with the offerings on that occafion were, there is leproty _/o/- its clean fxng: (Lev. xiv 51, no difficulty in allowing that there, were 5*-)— A"« 'hough fprinkling the book goats, as well as bullocks, fince goats js «"* expreffed in the hiftorv, but cm- are mentioned among the peace-offer- \y fprinkling the altar and the people ., ings made by fire, and the fin-offerings, (Ew>d xxiv .7, 8.) yet as the apoftie whofe blood was fprinkled. (Lev. iii. 3, tells us that Mofes *P"nMed the book>
364 The Epijlle to the Chap. ix.
calves and of goats, that had been offered for burnt- offerings and peace-offerings, and put it into bafons ; {Exod. xxiv. 5, 6.) and, having mixed the blood with fpring-water to make it fluid, he took a parcel of fcarlet wool to imbibe the liquor, and a bunch of hyf- fop to difperfe it in drops ; aud by this means he fprinkled one half of it on the book of the law, as it lay upon the altar, to confecrate it to facred ufe, as containing the covenant, in which God was one par- ty ; and fprinkled the other half upon the whole con- gregation of the people, or at leait upon their repre- sentatives, as the other party concerned in that cove- nant, and thereby purified them from all their legal uncleannefs, and ratified the covenant between God and them ; which carried a typical intimation, that the new covenant of gofpel-gracc, between God and all true believers, fhould be confirmed by the blood of Chrift's facrifice, which is, by way of eminence, tht blood of fprznklini'y (chap. xii. 24.) and the vir- tue of which, in its application, is effectual for clean f- ing from the guilt and defilement of Jin, by pardon- ing and fanclifying grace, as was- typified by that blood and water, and was afterward fignified by the blood and water which came out of Chiilt'a pierced fide. {John xix. 34, 35. See the note there.) 20 Saying, This 20 While Mojes was in this manner fprinkling the ts the blood of the blood, and fhowing it to the people, he faid to them, teftament winch ,-g^ ^ g v B bo/j /be b/ooa> Qf (he covenant God hath enjoined ). \ nSi • 11 j • t t K r • 1
unto you. \u e*j ■* nis blood is a token ot its confirmation by
divine NOTE. and the hiitory fpeaks of his having re- li, 13.) as they had alfo been before in. tited and wrote all the words of the the covenant made with Abraham, Gen. law, and then fprinkled the blood on xvii. 7, — 10. in which the females were the altar ; (ver. 3, 4, 6) there is no juft included in the males. — Dr. Owen, in a reafon to doubt, but that the book was remark on the verfe before us, fays, laid upon the altar, before the altar was " The communication of the benefits of fprinkled; and fo the book was fprink- the death of Chrift, unto fanctitication, led together with it. And whereas in is called the fprinkling of his blood, the text of Exod. xxiv. 8. Mofes is faid 1 Pet. i. 2. ; and our apoftle comprifes to have fpriukled the blood on the peo- all the effects of it, unto that end, un- fle, the apoftle tells us, by way of in- der the name of the blood of fprinkling, terpYetation, that it was 2/pon all the chap. xii. 24. And I tear (fays he) that people, either in their reprefentatives, thofe who have ufed the exprellion with which fome fuppole were the twelve fome contempt, when applied by them- pillars, according to the twelve tribes felves unto the fign of the oommunica- of Jfrael, mentioned Exod. xxiv. 4. ; or tion of the benefit of the death of Chrift the feventy elders, mentioned ver. 1. in baptifm, have not obferved that re- who were the chief heads of Ifrael ; or verence of holy things that is required of el!e upon as many of the people as were us. For this fymbol of fprinkling was near him ; and, perhaps, upon every in- that which God himlelf thole and ap- dividual of them, as theie might be op- pointed, as a meet and apt token of pommity for it in their turns, even vpon the communication of covenant-mercy, all the men, women, and children, who that is, of his grace in Chrift Jefus to were included in the covenant made our fouls." with Ifrael at Sinai, (Deut. xxxi. 11,
Chap. ix. Hebrews paraphrajed. 365
divine authority, between God and you, whereby his faithfulnefs, on one hand, for fulfilling his promi- fes; and your obedience, on the other, for performing „ its duties, are engaged, according to what I have publifhed unto you from the Lord, and ye have con- sented to, that ye may be dealt with according to its tenor. 21 Moreover, he 21 Furthermore, when the tabernacle was framed fprinkled likewife 3nd furnifhtd with its appointed veffels of fervice, *
the tabernacle ''and Mof€S alf° °rdered that h fllollld be fP"nkled wIth alf ie" veffeis* of tlle d1oo(1 of tne Sacrifices, and that this mould be the miniftry. repeatedly done on the great day of atonement every
year; and that, together with the tabernacle, all the utenlils pertaining to it, and to the miniftrations of the prieih in it, mould be thereby cleanfed from the defilements of the people, and fanctified for religious fervices ; even as the mercy-feat, and altar of incenfe, annually were by the high pried: en every return of that day, becaufe of the fins of the people, that they might be purified from the legal uncleannefs which had been contracted thereby. (Lev. xvi. 14, — 19.)
22 And NOTE. * The tabernacle was not eredled, companion between Chrift's performan- nor all its veffels formed, till fome time ces in the execution of his office in hea~ after Mofes received the law, and the <ve?i, and the fervices of the high prieft fore-mentioned iblemn tranfaclions had in the fancluary, on that day. And palled: And therefore the fprinkling of though Mofes did not fprinkle the ta- blood to fanclify the tabernacle and its bernacle and the veffels with his own utenfils could not be at that time ; but hands, on the anniverfary day of atone- muft relate to what was afterward to ment ; yet it may be fpoken of as his be done, probably at the firft fetting up doing it, becaufe it was done by the of the tabernacle ; fince Mofes, giving high prieft, according to divine appoint- an account of that, (Exod. xl. 9, 10, ment in the law delivered by him : For II.) ordered the tabernacle, and all Mofes often fignifies his law, as in Luke things therein to be hallowed with a- xxiv. 27, 44. Ads xv. 21. and 2 Cor. iii, nointing oil; after which follows the 15. And fo the apoftle, having finifhed coniccration of Aaron and his fons by his account of what was done at the de- anointing them : {iter 12, — 15.) And dication of the covenant, proceeds, in as the anointing of them for their con- this and the next verfe, to other ftand- fecration was attended with the 1'prink- ing ordinances of fprinkling the blood of ling of blood, according to the order facrifices for purification and atonement, about it in Exod. xxviii. 4. compared the more fully to fhew how they fha- with chap. xxix. 20, 29. it is reafonable dowed out the virtue of Chrift's atoning to conclude, that the anointing of the blood for taking away fin; which he tabernac le, and all its veffels, were fo infiits upon at large in the next chapter, too; and Jofephus fays, (A?itiq . lib. III. And that he in this verfe tpeafcs of cap. S. Hudf. edit.) that Mofes confe- things done at a different time from crated the tabernacle, and all its veffels, thofe, which were juft before mentioned, by anointing them with oil, and by the is fuggerted by the way of his introdu- hlood of Jlain bulls and rains. — How- cing it, faying, Moreover, likewife he ever, 1 rather think, with Dr. Owen fprinkled with blood the tabernacle, &.c. and fome others, that the apoftle here And then in the next verfe, he lavs, Al- refers to what was annually done by the moft all things are by the law. purged high prieft on the great day of atone- with blood, and without /bedding of ment- For his principal deftgn in this blood is no rcmifjiott ; thereby mtima- difcourfe, as appears from what follows ting what was the oidinary continued to the end of the chapter, was to run the pra<ffc ice all along under the law.
$66 The EpiJUe to the Chap. ix.
22 And almoft 22 And fo important was the blood of facrifices all tilings are bv to that difpenfation, that almoft every thing relating with ' hTooch ^nd to Pu,'incation> and_ indeed all things, except thofe without flieddino- tnat were to kc purified by fire and water, * and had of biood is no 're- no mora/ impurity in them, are cleanfed, according million. to t]ie inftitution of the law, by the offering and
fprinkling of typical blood : And, even by the tenor of the SVtftf/-covenant, there is no fuch thing as for- givenefs of fin to be obtained without the bloodfhed of atoning facrifices ; which evidently typified, and ftrongly pointed to the blood of Jefus Chrift for ef- fectually cleanfing us from all lin ; ( I John i. 7.) and intimate that there can be no real purgation from fin without his blood.
23 It was there- 23 It therefore plainly appears from what has been
the6 "Tatt^ms^of faId> that> b^ the aPPointment and commandment of things in the hea- God, it was neceffary that, not only the book of the vens fhould be pa- covenant, and the people ; but alfo that the taberna- rifled with thefe ; cie an(j all its utenfils, which were figurative reprefen- but the heavenly • of heaven and 0f the bleffings pertaining to thines theralelves . ,. , . , . .. ° .r , %
with better facri- lt:» according to the model or delineations, (viroduy* rices than thefe. (decree) that were fhewn to Mofes in the mount, (fee the note on chap. viii. 5.) mould be cleanfed and fet apart for facred ufe by the typical facrifices and vari- ous fprinklings but now mentioned ; infomuch that the high prieft was never to enter into the holy of ho- lies without the blood of thofe facrifices. But as the heavenly things themfelves are. incomparably more ex- cellent than thofe patterns of them ; fo it was necef- fary, according to the infinite wifdom, hoiinefs, and fovereign will and appointment of God, anfwerable to thefe figurative reprefentations, that the heavenly fan&uary itfelf, and every thing relative to it, lhould be confecrated to holy ufe for finful creatures f , by a proportionably more noble, excellent, and worthy facrifice, than all that were offered under the law, that, in virtue of this great facrifice, not only the new covenant between God and his people might be
confirmed NOTES. * Every thing that might abide the and fays, with a tacit exception of fuch fire was indeed to pafs through that for like things, that almoft all things were cleanfing, and to be purified with the by the law purged with blood. water of feparation, N mb. xxy.i. 23. ; \ Better facrifices is here put. by an and both the clothes and bodies of thofe analogy of number, for a betterfacrifi.ee, who led away the fcape-goat, and who in an antithefis to the legal facrifices ; burnt the fin- offerings, were to be wafh- becaufe this is more eminent in its virtue cd with water; and fo was the flefli of than, and includes the lignification of, thofe who had touched fuch things as all thofe facrifices: For it is only the were ceremonially unclean. (Lev. xvi. one facrifice of Chrift that is intended, as ?fiy — iS. an(j xx'ii 6.) But as there appears from the following veifes, where was no moral defilement in any of thofe the apoftle fpeaks of it, as but once of- things ; fo the apoftle, not reckoning feted, and as completely fufHcient alone, them to his purpofe, panes them, over, and of itfelf, to anfwei its end.
Chap. 1x. Hebrews paraphrafed. 367
confirmed, and they clean fed from all iniquity ; but that Jefus, their High Prieft himfelf, might alfo be fully confecrated to his office, (John xrii. 19.) and enter into heaven itfelf to prefent his blood belore the throne of God ; [yer. 12.) and might prepare that holy habitation for their ufe and enjoyment, who in due feafon were to follow him thither. (John xiv. 2, 3.) a4 For Chnft is 24 For Chrift, the anointed High Prieft of the not entered ,nto church has not entered, like the high prieft of old, the holy places . '. ., , ' «i 1 1 , , 1
made with hands, lnto *ucn earthly places, as were framed by the hands ichich are the fi- of men, and were no more than mere figures and re- gures of the true ; femblances of the heavenly fanttuary, and true ta- but into heaven bernac/c w{,ich the Lord pitched and not man, ltielr, now to ap- / , ... * , , , { r , . ,
pear in the pre- lchaP* vm« 2«) and the model ot which was given to fence of God for Mofcs on the mount ; {chap. viii. 5.) * but he is a- l,s : fcended in his human nature with the blood of his fa-
crifice into heaven itfelf, even the heaven of heavens, now in, and by means of that nature, and in that holieft of all, to fulfil the remainder of his prieftiy office, by appearing in the immediate prefence of God's glory, as our reprefentative, to prefent before him, as on a throne of grace, the merit of his blood in his ever living to make intercejjion for us, who come unto God by him. (Chap. vii. 25.) 25 Nor yet that 25 Not that we are to imagine as if, in order to hfmWt-°Uoften °^Z his entering Into this heavenly fari&uary, and prefent- the high prieft en- in£ ^is Zoning blood there, it was necefTary for him tereth into the to offer himfelf a facriiice, • as he did on the crofs in holy place every fuffering unto death, more than once, which alone other?-th bl°°d °f Was comPletely fatisfadory to divine juftice ; or that he fhould frequently repeat it, as, according to the Jewijh inftitution, the high prieft offered ficrifices, becaufe of their imperfection, every year, in 01 •: his entering into the worldly fan&uary, not with his own blood, but with the blood of other creatures, mere animals, that could never take away our fins, which rendered us unworthy and unmeet to be ad- mitted into God's immediate prefence in heaven.
26 For NOTE. * Holy places, in the plural number, and tabernacle: (ree the note on ieem to me ro fignify the entire building viii. 2.) And though ;he word (xv'irv-ry) of the tabernacle, inclufive ot the court rendered the figures, is me ft of the priefts, and of the holy of holtes, underftood to fignify that which anfvvc rs into which the high prieft paffed through the type; yet it here evidently means the vail: And Chrift"? entering, in oppo- the fame thing with the patterns men- iition thereunto, into heaven itfelf, may tioned in the preceding veife, which re- intimate that, through the offering of prefented rhe things figntfied by them, himfelf. he minifters in bis human nature, anfwerable to the perfect p hit form hat prefigured by the tabernacle, and inhea- was given of them to Mofet in the %<cn, prefigured by the Janciuary, ac- mount. (Set the paraphra^l find note cording ro what has been oblerved about on chap viii. 5. and Dr. Owen on this the diftinclion between the fandtuary verfe.)
Vol. V. Bbb
368 tfbe Epiftle to the Chap. ix.
16 (For then 26 For if there had been a necefiity of a repeti- rnuft he often have tjon of hi$ 0ffcrin~ as there was 0f thofe under thc luftered fince the , . r r 6 . . r o. , , rt
foundation of the iaw> becaule ot their imperfection ; then he mult world ;) but now have fried his blood for making atonement very often once in the end of from the time that fin entered into the world *, which the worjd, hath he was f00n after the foundation of the earth was laid ; way fin bv°the fa- ^ince» otherwife, there could have been no expiation critice of himfelf. by ms blood for the fins of thofe that lived in former ages : But fuch is the infinite virtue, perfection, and dignity of the excellent facrifice which Chrift has of- fered, and fuch is the extent of its efficacy backwards and forward, to all former as well as future genera- tions, that now, at the clofe of the Jewijh difpenfa- tion, to put an end to that, and at the introduction of the gofpel difpenfation to eftablifh this, which is the laft and bell of all that ever will be fet up in our world ; (fee the note on chap. i. 2. and Mr. Jofeph Mede's apoftacy, &c. chapters xi. and xii.) he at this time, once for all, (^(pocv^Tcci) has been mani- fefted in the flefh to expiate the guilt, and (us ct&fm- c-(v) abolifh the power of fin, with all its dreadful effects, by his meritorious fufferings unto death, when he offered a facrifice, not of bulls and goats, but of himfelf, whofe entire human nature, foul as well as body, and that dignified by the perfonally u- nited Godhead, was the offering he made for fin ; and fo was of fuch infinite value, as not to need a repetition of it, or any other propitiatory facrifice be- iides it. 27 And as it is 27 And in as much as, by the fettled law and appointed unto men righteous appointment of God, upon the entrance of once to die, but at- r r i.t_ -/r r •.. 11 1 • 1 • a
ter this the ' d * punilhment or it, all mankind, in the or-
ment . dinary courfe of things f , mufl die once, and but
once out of this mortal Hate, never to return to it more ; and, after that, mufl appear at the awful bar of a future judgment, to be dealt with according to the demerit of their deeds done in the body ; unlefs they be relieved by grace :
28 So NOTES. * As there was no need of any expia- cafe of Enoch and Elias ; fo there will tory facrifice, till fin invaded human na- be of thofe that fhall be alive on earth ttire; fo finre the foundation of thc at Chrift's fecond coming : (1 Theff.'w. world in this place mult be underftood 17.) And though in the common courfe to mean, not ablolutely from the crea- believers mull die, and all of them mult tion of the world, but from the fall of appear in judgment, as well as others ; Adam, which was quickly after it ; and yet the fling of death, and the rigour of thus this phrafe is to be uudcrflood, Luke proceeding againft them, and the C07i- xi. 50. demning Jetttence that fl.all be patted
f Though all men in general muft uuon others, will be taken oft from die, and come to judgment, according them, through the merit ot Chrift, who to thc pen^i lenience ; yet as there was will appear, as the Judge of all, to their an exemption from dying, by the fpecial falvation. favour of God on Chrift's account, in the
Chap. ix.
Hebrews paraphrafech
369
28 So Chrift was once offered to bear the fins of many ; and unto them that Jook for him (hall he appear the (e- cond time, with- out fin, unto fal- ration.
28 So Chrift, to take off the curfe of the law-fen- tence for fin, died once, and but once *, and thereby offered only one facrifice to bear the guilt and puni fo- ment of the fins of his people, who may well be call- ed many, as they are an innumerable multitude, even all that believe In him. And unto them, who with faith, hope, defire, and love, expect his coming a- gain to judgment, and patiently wait for it, looking for falvation alone by him, he will pcrfonally appear at what may be called, by way of eminence, ihcfe~ cond time, not as he did before, in a ftate -of humi- liation and fuffering for their fins ; but in all his ma- jefty and glory, as no longer bearing their iniquities, but coming to give them a complete enjoyment of all the happinefs of the heavenly world, to which he will adjudge them, foul and body, at the lad day, as the fruit and effect of what by his death he has obtained for them.
Hoi
RECOLLECTIONS,
idually has God made known his mind and will about the great things
that relate to Chrift, and falvation by him ! Tneie were obfcurely hinted in typi- cal reprefentations, by the earthly tabernacle and its various utenfil*, and fervices ; but are brought to clear light by gofpel-revelation, that we may behold in Chrift: far more tranfeendent glories than ever appeared in thofe fhadows, which, were to be fulfilled in him. May we be led to this grand antitype for all the light and grace, pardon of fin communion with God, and tpiritual foud for our fouls, that were typified by thole legal inftitutions, which could make not ling perfect, as pertaining to the confeience ! — What a confummate and glorious High Prieft is Chrift ! All of that character under the law were only figures of nun ; but he, as our gofpel High Prieft, minifters in the moft excellent tabernacle of his own hu- man nature, and in heaven itielf ; and has entered, once for all, into that moft ho- ly place, there to abide tor ever, in virtue of his own blood, by which he obtain- ed eternal redemption for us. With what fatisfaction may we depend upon the efficacy of his blood, without which there is no remiffion ! If fprinkling the blood of animals, and the allies of an heifer, availed for ceremonial purifications of the body; how much more muft the precious blood of Chrift, who offered himfelf to God, as an immaculate and divinely dignified lamb, purge our fools from the guilt, defilement, and power of fin, in its application to them ? O bleffed lime of reformation ! The gofpel covenant relating hereunto is lure and certain : Whether we confitier it as the covenant of God the Father with his people in Chrift, or as Chrift's teftamentary bequeft, all its promifes are ratified pa ft repeal ; ana all its blefiings, unto the remiilion of fin, and the inheritance of eternal life, may be claimed ; and fhall be enjoyed by them, that are effectually called in every age. But how neceffary is out Lord's inrercefiary prefentation of his facri.ice in heaven, and application of it to our fouls on earth, to render it efficacious to our own fal- vation ! — All mankind in the general courfe of things muft, by divine appoint-
B b b 2 ment,
NOTE. * ChrijVs being once offered to bear once in the end of the world, to put ti- the Jim of many, evidenJy anfwtrs to way fin by the facrifice of himfelf) is its being appointed unto men once to die ; intended all along in the foregoing ron- (ver. 27.) and (hews that the offering of text ; it being inconfiftent with his ftate his propitiatory facrifice was, ftnetly in heaven to continue under fufierin^s ; fpeaking, on the crols, and w t in hea- and the prefentation of the blood of hii ven; and fliews that this one offeiing, facrifice there, being an ever continuing (which, in oppofition to his 1 altering exhibition of the fame, cannot be pre often, ver. 26. is called bis appearing perly faid to be but once.
3J3 The Epiftle to the Chap. x.
ment, unavoidably die, and come to judgment ; but, bleffed be God, that every true believer has a happy relief againft the terror of thefe thoughts: For to them who look, and wait in a luitahle manner, for ChriO's fecond coming, he will ap- pear in all his glory to adjudge them to, and give them pofleflion of, all pofllble happinefs, in foul and body for ever, on account of the one offering he has made of himfelf for them. «
CHAP. X.
The apoflle /huts up his main argument relating to the infiifficiency of all legal facrijices for taking away fin, i, — 4. And to the ne- ceffity and efficacy of the facrifice of Chrijf for that purpofe, ac- cording to the tenor of the new covenant, which contains the fub- jiantial bleffings that the law was only thefhadow of 5, — 18. Andy having finifhed the doctrinal, he enters on the practical part of the epijlle, by -way if inference from the preceding dijeourfe, from which he draws an argument for holy bo/dnefs in the believer's accefs to God through Jefus Chrif, 19, — 2 2. And for /leaf ajlnefs in the faith, and excitations to mutual love and duty, and to fre- quent ajfemblings together for religious war /hip, 23, — 25. * And then he warns them of the danger of apoflacy, 26, — 31. R&hinds them of their former illumination, and fufferings with patience and fpiritual joy, 32, — 34. And encourages them to maintain their holy profefjion to the end of their days, 35, — 39.
Text. Paraphrase.
JTOR the law ha- JX evidently appears then from all that hath been vine a fiiadow 1 infifte(i on jn the foregoing difcourfe, that the command nofthe Mo/'aic law, with all its inftitutions of the Leviiical very image of the priefthood, and facriiices, whofe blood was carried things, can never into the holy of holies, was only a typical reprefenta- with thole facri- tjon Qf Cbrift and his facrifice offered on earth, and ottered" ear* bv °^ ms enterm£ >v^tn ms own blood into heaven, to pre- vear continually, fent the merit of it there, as the purchafe of all the make the comtrs fubftantial privileges and bleffings, which were then theteunto perfect, future, and to be introduced under the gofpel Hate : Yea, it was fo far from containing the fubftance of thofe eminently good things themielves, that it was rather like the imperfect reprefentation, which the mere fhadow of a man's body makes of him, than like his image in a looking-glafs, which gives a more diitinct view of him. (See the note on 2 Cor. iii. 18.) And therefore the law, with all thofe figurative fa- crifices, which, becaufe of their imperfection, the high priell offered repeatedly every year, on the great day of atonement, can never be effectual to difcharge them from the guilt of fin, and bring them into a ftate of reconciliation and acceptance with God, that are concerned in, and attend upon thofe ceremonial fervices, and approach the divine majelly by thofe fa- criiices ; nor can they ever make them perfect, as per- taining
had no 0001
fcience or iin
Chap. x. Hebrews paraphrnfid. 371
taining to the confcience. {Chap. ix. 9. fee the note then.-.) 2 For then would 2 For had thefe ends been perfectly obtained by f!*?y n0[h*5 Ce/" tno^e facrifices, Is it not plain that God world never becaufe that* tbe nave appointed, and that ^there would have been no vvorlhippcrs once oceafion for frequent, or indeed for any repetition of purged, Should feave them, after they were firil offered? They then would certainly have eeafed to be offered any more ; becaufe, on fuppofition that the worfhippers, to whom thofc fa- crifices related, were really and completely cieanied thereby at once from their guilt, and had obtained ac- ceptance with God to eternal life, they would have had no perplexing and diffreffing felf-condemnirigs in their confeiences, as if, for want of a further atonement, they were ft ill in an unpardoned {late, or needed fome other facrifice to purify and difcharge them from the guilt of their fins before God ; which if it were once perfectly done, would have been done for ever.
3 But in thofe 3 But this was fo far from being their cafe, that in jacrifices there is the very offering of thofe legal facrifices at returning
a remembrance a- fearons there was every year, on the great day of a- sratn made oi tins r . . f. J \ ~ °, , 1 n • r
eWy year. tonement, a iiAemii pubUc conJe//;<,;7, made by the iiigli
prieft, of all the fins of I/riiel, and they were to afflift
their fouls for them, (Lev. xvi. 21, 22, 29, 31.)
which brought their fins to a painful remembrancey
and plainly fhows that their former facrifices had not
perfectly atoned for them, as indeed in the nature of
things they could not.
4 For it is not 4 For there is fuch an infinite difproportion between poffible that the thofe little worthlefs facrifices, and the demerit of iin, bloodof bulls and and thc hi h demands of God's law and juftice to of goats iliould . 0 . > J
take away tins. make iatisraction for it, and to demonitrate his abic-
lute deteftation of it, as committed againft his infinite
majefty, crown, and dignity, that it is really impeffi-
ble for the blood of fuch mean animals, as bulls' and
goats, to have virtue enough in themfelves, or to be
deemed, according to any rules of wifdom or juftice,
a fufficient offering to make a true, proper, and tftec-
» tual atonement for iin ; they could only be deiigned
of God to prefigure that all-iufhcient facrifice of Chriit,
which alone has worth and efficacy in itfelf, to anfwer
this great end.
5 Wherefore, 5 Since therefore, there was fuch an abfolute defec"r
when he cometh 'm tnofe legal facrifices to anfwer this important pur-
faith V ^Sacrifice P°^e » Wnen our bleffed Lord fpake with a reference
and offering thou to his coming into this lower world, (Pf. xl. 6, 7, 8.)
wouldeft not, but and when he actually came into his incarnate fiate
a body haft thou for executing his prieflly office, he faid to God his
prepared me : Trather, Thou wouldit not accept of legal facrifices and
offerings of any kind, as a proper expiation for fin ->
'hey being of too little value Lo fatisfy thy law and
juftice
37*
The Epijlle to the
Chap.
X,
juftice" for it : But, that an offering equal to the of- fence might be made to thee, Thou, in thy infinite wifdom and good pleafure, and in mercy to thy church, haft, by an extraordinary operation of the Holy Ghoft, prepared a true human body *, animated with a human foul, and fo formed a proper human na- ture for me, that I thy eternal Son, might perfonally unite it to myfeif, and thereby dignify it with infinite worth to render it available for a complete atonement.
6 In burnt-offer- 6 Thou couldft not approve of, or acquiefce, or ings and facrijicef take pleafure in any of the facrifices under the law;
had no 'Suref no> nct of the moft eminent of them, fuch as burnt- offerings and facrifices for fin : Thou neither didft in- tend or defire any of thefe, nor take the leaft compla- cency and reft in them, as if they were anfwerable to the demands of thy law and juftice, or worthy of thy wifdom and holineis to accept, or were in themfelves of fufficient virtue to take away fin.
7 Then faid I, 7 When this was the Hate of the cafe, then, accord- Lo, I come (in the {Ug t0 what {s recorded concerning me at the head of ^bwnttnoVme) the ro11 of eternity f, and of fcripture prophecy, rela- te) do thy will, O tinS t0 tne Sacrifice that thou wouldft accept, I pre- God. fented myfeif to thee, as ready to do what all thofe
facrifices NOTES. * The words in the Hebrew of Pfal. him, whom they are to obey; in alia- xL 6. from whence this pafiage is quoted, fion to which Chrift fays, The Lord God are, Mine ear hajf thou bored. Various has opened mine ear, and I 'was ?iot re- have been the conjectures of the learned to reconcile the difference between thefe words and the apollle's expreflion, A bo- dy haft thou prepared me, which agrees with the tranflation that the Seventy have given of them. But what, upon the whole, appears to me to be the moft natural and eal'y way of accounting for this difference, is, that our author de- figned to give the fenfe of this claule, as he alfo does of fome following paffages, rather than to recite the words of the
hellions, See. (Ifa. 1. 5.) And, by a like fynechdoche, the ear may be put for the <whole of Chrift's human nature, foul and boJy, which he came to offer as a facrifice for fin, and is called his offer- ing himfelf (See I/a- liii. 10. Mark xiv. 34. Eph. v. 2. and Heb. ix. 14.)
f The volume of the book has been greatly criticifed upon by the learned; and as the books of the ancients were commonly rolls of parchment, from whence they were called volumes, fome Seventy; it being queftionable whether have thought that the volume of the roll that tranflation has not been altered in is a tautology without fenfe : But as the fome places from the New Teftament, word (xf?aA.<s) rendered a volume, fig- and it being unlikely that the apoftle nilies alio the head, it might be, perhaps, fhould ever quote it, efpecially to the better rendered the head of the book; Hebrews, and where it is wrong. (See and fo may refer either to the firft and Dr. Owen on the place) Accordingly principal article in the roll of eternity, or
fome think that there is an allufion to the boring of a fervant's ear through with an awl, who was to ferve his mafter for ever. (Exod. xxi. 5. 6.) But others,
book of life, which contained Chrift's en- gagement to the Father; or to the firfl promife of the feed of the woman to bruife the ferpent's head, which ftands
obferving that the Hebrew word there at the head or beginning of the firft vo-
ufed is different from that in Pfal. xl. 6. lume or book of fcripture, Gen. iii. 15. ;
underftand it of God's fitting Chrift with or may refer to the former part of the
a body, of which the ear i±, by a fynech- Old leflament, which fpeaks of facrifices
dpche, put for the whole, becaul'e it is in their typical reference to the facrifice
by the ear that men hear and liften to of Chrift.
Chap. 3k Hebrews paraphrafcd. 373
facrifices could not, faying, Behold, I chearfully come into a ftate of incarnation at thy call, to fulfil thy purpofes of grace, and my covenant engagements to thee, and all the promifes and prophecies concerning me ; and to perform the good pleafure of thy will in doing thy work, and particularly in fuffering unto death whatfoever thou, O God my Father, required for the honour of thy law and juftice, and for making a proper and complete Satisfaction for fin.
8 Above, when 8 When in the above-cited place our Lord faid, he ("aid, Sacrifice, Thou wouldft not accept of any kind of facrifice and burnt 0ffCofffrinnsd offering ; no, not of any burnt offering and offering and"1 offering™ fox f°r fin> as an effe&ual atonement ; nor hadft thou lin thou wouldeft the leaft complacency of red in that confideration of aot, neither hadft any 0f them which are offered, according to thine pleafure therein appointment in the Mofaic law ;
by the law;) 9 Then, in refleftion upon the utter inefficiency
9 Then faid he, of thofe facrifices, he faid, Behold, O God of righ- Lo, I come to do teoufnefs and falvation, here am I ; Take the fatis- thy will, O God. fa&ion> thy juftice demands from me ; I freely come
the firftrhtha7he to Put myfelf in the fmner,S ftead> t0 b? r his CUrfe> may eftablifli the and to anfwer the utmoft of thy requirements, ac- fecond. cording to what thou thyfelf has appointed, and doll
approve of and delight in, to open a way for the re- mifiion of fin. Now, by our Lord's faying this, he manifeftly (hows that the former appointment or de- claration of God's will, with regard to the firft co- venant, and all its offerings, were to be no longer in force, that he might confirm and give effect to this laft-mentioned will, with refpeA to the new-cove- nant, and the facrifice which he himfelf came to of- fer for giving it an everlafting eftabliihment. io By the which IO By which will of God, as fulfilled by Chrift, will we are^fanc- {yer. 9.) we, who believe in him, are not in a typi- tified, through the cal and ceremonJal way, as lf,ael were by the facri-
dfof JefJi Ghrift fices ™<*er the law> but really and cffedually purged once for all. from the guilt and defilement of our fins; and are de-
dicated to God, and purified as a peculiar people for his ftrvice, through the merit and virtue of the fa- crificial offering of Chrifl's human nature, (fee the note on ver. 5.) of which the body is the vifible part, anfwering to the bodies of the beafts that were flain : Which offering he made, not with any repetition of it, like thofe under the law, but only once, and that for ever ; it being in itfelf absolutely perfect, and a- vailable for making a complete atonement at once. (See the note on chap. ix. 28.) And herein lies an eminent and remarkable diffc ence between all the former priefts and their facrifices, and Jefus, our great High Prieft and his facrifice.
11 Every
374 Yhe Epiftle to the Chap. x.
1 1 And every 1 1 Every legal prieft, in token of humble reve- pneft fUndeth dai rence, as well as of readinefs to engage in the fervice J, rminiftrfng and 0f God *, Jd nets before him, frequently officiating
offering ottentimr ... . \£ , rr • . r r r •
the hmt facrifires, in nis nuniitrations, and oirering the iame lort ot ani- which can never mal facrifices according to his ftation ; none of which take away fins. repeated facrifices, whether daily or annual, can ever make a proper expiation to the fatisfa&ion of divine juftice for any, much lefs for all manner of fins. i a Bat this man 12 But fo incomparably fuperior is the dignity of
edoiie^acr^-ffor ChrJft's Perfon and facrifice, above them and theirs, fins for evrr fat t*iat tni"8 t g°fpel High Prieft, after he had once of- (iown on *he right fered himfeif, a? the one only atoning facrifice for all hand ot God ; the iins of his people, immediately, upon his finifhing
that part of his office, rofe from the dead to immor- tal honour that he might live, and exercife his of- fice, in an endlefs ftate of the higheft dignity, reft, and authority, which may be figuratively reprefented by his eternally Jittivv dozrn with majefty, glory, and acceptation, at God the Father's right hand ; (fee the note on ABs vii. 55.)
13 From hence- 1 3 From that time forward exercifing all power forth expecting till m heaven and earth, till, according to the promife his enem.es be Qf hIs Father / FlaL cx. L:) and his own :uft ex. made his footltooi. . 7.v r . > r -[
pectation on that toot, and on account or his meri- torious performances, fin, Satan, the world and death ; yea, all the adverfaries to his perfon and au- thority, people and caufe, (hall be actually and uni- verfally fubdued, like fuch vanquifhed, defpicable e- nemies, as are trampled under the feet of the con- queror, in token of their utter deftrutlion, and of his abfolute dominion and triumph over them. (See the paraphrafe on Rom. xvi. 20.)
14 For by one j^ For by that one offering, which he made of °*fec?ed for ever himfelf on the crofs> he has obtained perfeft deliver- them that are fane- ance ^rom guilt and condemnation, and a perfect fit- tirkd. nefs for the worfhip and enjoyment of God, in the
neareft relation and accefs to him, and in the moft perfect ftatc of the church, for all thofe who in a fa- crificial fenfe are dedicated to God, and purged from
their NOTES. * Every prieft [lands daily minift ring here as relating to his offering on that feem« in this place to denote the pofture day, though not to the exclufion of the of humble fefvice and reverence, with miniftrations of the ordinary priefts every which the prielts performed their mini- day ; and fo all legal facririces. whether firations; in oppofition to which Chrift daily or annual, air reprefented as utter- is reprefented, in the prefrnt execution ly infufrkient to take away fin. of his office, as fitting doivn with gran- \ As man is not in the original, and deur and authority on the right hand of prieft is the nearelt antecedent, <ver. 11. God. (ver. 12.) And as the word dai- I fhould think the pronoun (avros) might ly (xa6* n^f^av) is ufed with reference better be rendered this prieft, or this high to the high prieft's offering, up facrifices prieft, according as we underftand the once a year, (chap. vii. 27. Vee the note word prieft in the foregoing verfe to fig- there) we may very well uWerltand it nify, rather than this man*
Chap.
15 W hereof the Holy Ghoft alio is a witnefs to us : for after that he had laid before,
16 This is the covenant that I will make with them alter thofe days, faith the Lord ; I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them :
17 And their fins and iniquities ""ill I remember no more.
18 Now, where remiffion o( thefe is, there is no more offering for lio.
Hebrews paraphrnfecL ---;
their fins, through faith in him ; and that not for a time only, but for perpetuity, without any change of their privileges and church-ftate on earth, or of their consummate happinefs to all eternity in heaven. 15, 16 And the Holy Ghoft bimfelf, as a divine perfon, has given us, in the infpired writings of the Old Teftament, a fweet intimation of this important truth*, in the reprefentation he hath therein made of the new covenant, which Chrifl has now eftabiifh- ed, and all the blefiings of which he has now actually purchased by his death. For after he formerly had faid in a prediction of gofpel-times, (Jer. xxxi. 33, 34.) This is the tenor of the covenant of mere grace, that I will make with my people, when the days of the prefent difpeflfation {hall expire, fays the great Jehovah, Inftead of writing my law of the ten commandments on tables of llone, as 1 did at mount Sinai ; I, by a fpecial inward operation of my Spirit, (fee the note and paraphrafe on chap. viii. 10.) will effectually inferibe the doctrines of divine revelation in the flelhly tables of their hearts and minds: (2 Cor. in. 3.)
17 And then, to affure them that nothing mall defeat the performance of his new covenant to them, he adds, in a way of abfolute promiie, with all the grace and authority of the God, who only can for- give fins, I will fo perfectly pardon all their fwei vings from, and tranfgreilions of my law, as never to break my covenant, on account thereof, or call them to re- membrance any more, as though they were not per- fectly expiated, as I did the fins of Ifrael in the an- nual repetition of their infufficient facrifices; (tier. 3.) nor will I ever upbraid them with them, or pro- duce them in judgment againft them. (See the pa- raphrafe on chap. viii. 12.)
18 Now it is undeniable that, when there is fuch a complete and everlailing forgivenefs of all trefpafJes, according to the gracious tenor of this covenant, as recorded by the Holy Ghoft himfeif, there can be no ufe or need of any farther atoning facrifice for fin, nor of Chrift's repeating the facriiice of himfeif ; be- caufe that, which he has already offered, hath been
eiLcctual T E.
in a reference to the defeription th< ven of the covenant, as now completely ratified, and all the bleffings of it uur- chafed, and fecured to rhe church, by the one on!\ rift, which
renders all other expiatory facrifices, and any repetition of his own, entirely need- le Is.
N O * In this and the thiee following ver- fes the apoftle winds up his argument concerning the excellency and perfection of the priefthood and facrifice ofChrift; and as he had laid the foundation of his laft fet of arguments for it, chop. viii. 10, — 13. in a quotation of the account that is given of the new covenant, Jer. ™ri 33< 34- ; fo he here iffues the whole Vol. V.
c c
376 The Epjjlle to the Chap. x.
effectual to procure this important blefling of the covenant, of which he is the Mediator, (chap. ix. 15.) which he has now fully confirmed, and all the blellings of which he has purchafed, once for all, by his precious blood.
19 Having there- IO, Since therefore, my dear brethren in the Lord, fore brethren. * wh cordJall bel; in Chrlft have fuch fo_ boldnefs to enter .. , 7 , f , ;... , r '
into the holieil by lld grounds of tree liberty, and lo rich encourage- the blood of Je- ment, as may be gathered from the preceding dif- lus- courfe, for holy freedom and confidence in our ap-
proaches to God, as our reconciled God and Father, and fo of entering by faith into the holieft of all, e- ven heaven itfelf; and are admitted to it, through the meritj and application to our confeiences, of the mod ineflfrnably precious blood of Jefus, our great High Prieil and Sacrifice, who himfelf is gone thi- ther in virtue of his own blood, to prefent and plead it there for us, that we might not be kept at a dif- tance, as the people of IJrael were from the holy of holies under the law ; but might follow after him in the daily a&ings of our faith, till we mail have a per- gonal entrance into the immediate prefence of his glo-
20 By a new 20 Since, I fay, we have this liberty of accefs to a"h- HVhng hWah G°d' tllrouSh the blood of Chrift, in gofpel-worihip, cdrfecrated for ps, b^ the Wa>' °f th5 new cov5nant > a wav> wl}ich is through the vail,' now opened and declared with the greateft evidence that is to fay, his to us, and is of fuch perpetual ufe and advantage, as
to be always new, fo as never to wax old or decay ; and may well be called a living way^ a3 tjie once dead, but now living Redeemer has opened it for us, and as it is the way, in which we find quickening virtue unto fpiritual life here, and are led on to eter- nal life hereafter ; and which he, who is the way, the truth, and the life, (John xiv. 6.) has prepared, dedicated, and eftablifhed, (ivuccttvun) as facred to our ufe, that we might not be excluded from the true holy of holies ; but might follow our High Prieil in- to heaven itfelf, by means of his crucified body, which procured this open way for us, when the vail of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom, and clofed no more ; which Ggnilied, among other things, that every obilruction to our entrance into heaven itfelf is nc;/ removed, by the death and
facrifice N O f E. * The apoftle having finifhed the due- of the epiftle, taULfiraflical improvement trinal part of his epiftle, relating to the of the whole, dJJPch he here introduces iuperior excellence oi the perfon, prieft- by way of inference from the foregoing hood, and facrifice or Chrift, proceeds in difcourie, from which he here draws his this and the following verfes to the end argument for it.
liefh
Chap. x. Hebrews paraphrafed. 377
facrificc of Chrift ; (fee the paraphrafe on Matth. xxvii. 51.)
21 And having 21 And fince we now have a great and glorious an high prieft o- High Priefl, every way furpafling all that went v« the houle ot before h{m jfl hJs pcrfon> offi(^ ^ exaltation . a
pried of infinite dignity and authority, who is the head of the church-militant on earth, and triumphant in heaven ; and who, as its Lord and proprietor, pre- fides over it and all its concerns, as his own houfe, (chap, iii. 6.) in which God dwells after a more ex- cellent manner than he ever did in the Jewifi taber- nacle ;
22 Let us draw 22 Let us, upon thefe encouraging confederations, near with a tttoe be emboldened to make our humble approaches to furYnce^of faith] God' as our reconciled .God and Father, through having our hearts Jefus Chrift, and as feated on a throne of grace, that, fprinkled from an by the affiilance of his Spirit, we may draw near to evil confcicnce, and him in prayer, and in all other a&s or religious wor-
wlth'ptewl^ m{P> in the exercife cf !very ?race ' In lweet and.hc" ly communion with him, and conformity to him ;
with integrity and upri^htnefs, and a heart eftablifhed in the truth of the golpel ; and with the Kvelieft ex- ercife of faith, even to a full affurance of the perfec- tion of Chrifl/s prieithood and f'-.cririce, and of our own acceptance in coming to God through him, as perfons whofe fouls, in all their powers and faculties, are clean- fed from the ftupidity and treachery of an unfaithful, and from the difquietude and defilement of a guilty, terrifying, and condemning confeience, by an appli- cation of the blood of Jefus, in oppofiticn to the fprinklings of the blood of the legal faenfices * ; and as perfons who are truly fan edified to God and his fervice, by the renewing and purifying woTk of the Holy Spirit, (in oppoiition to the ceremonial clean- fing of the bodies of thofe, who drew nigh to God un- der the law, by their being warned with clean water) that the outward conversation, as well as the inward principles and difpofitions of the heart, may be pure. C c c 2 23 Corref-
N O T E. * As hailing out hearts fprinkled from with fome cxpofitors, that here is a re- ■mncvil confaence, evidently alludes to ce- ference to the New Teftament-o'dinance remonial rites in various fprinklings of the of baptifm 1; the mode of adminiftring it blood of the facrifices under the law ; fo may be fignified by the fhrinkling of the having our bodies wafted tuzth pure tva- confeience, JB well as by <wafbing the ho- ter, as it here (lands in connection with dy ; and the cleanting virtue ol the blood thole fprinklings, feems to allude to di- and facrifice of Chult, or of the Spirit in versiua/hings, chap. ix. 10. among which his applying the blood of Chrift to the were the prieft's warning his rlefh in foul, which is figniikd by baptifm, is water, and having the wacer of punfica- exprefTed by God's fprinkling clean wa- tion fprinkled upon h;m, before he went ter upon ust that ive may be clean. Jtz. into the prefence of the Lord. Lev. xvi. xxxvi. 25. 4. and Numb. viii. 7. — But if we fuppofe,
378 The Epijlle to the Chap. x.
23 Let us hold 23 Correfppndent hereunto, Let us maintain our fafl the profelfion f0Iemri profeffion, and open confeffion of Chrift, and ofour faith without of QUr f jth and . jR hj ^ - th mIfes 0f wavenrg ;• (tor he , r ,. . , ' . ._ \ . .
is faithful that pro- tne new covenant, which he has ratified, and the mifed .) bleffings of which he has purchafed by his blood ;
Let us perfiil fledfaftly and invariably in our adhe- rence to him, and in the belief and practice of every gofpel-do&rine and duty, without any diftruft or he- fitancy, or perturbation of mind, through fear of tribulations for his fake, or of a difappointment of our hope in him : For he, who hath promifed to put his laws into U19 people's hearts, and to write them in their minds, (ver. 16.) is unchangeable in his truth and faithfulncfs, and may be fully depended upon, for all fcafonable fupplies of promifed grace to enable us to hold on, and hold out to the end ; and for a performance of all his promifes, unto complete falvation.
24 And let us 24 And to fubferve our ftedfaftnefs and perfeverance rounder one ano- Jn tne fa[th? ancj [n om no]v proferTlon 0f it> Let it be
unlo love ^and^to our joml co>:ern ferioufly to conlider our refpective rood works: wants and infirmities, temptations and dangers, on one
hand ; and the grounds of hope and encouragement, that are in Chrift, and in the promifes, on the other, that we may ufe all proper means, by example, exhor- tations, and cautions, to ftir up one another, with fer- j > vency and faithfulnefs, to the love of God, and Chrift,
and the truths of the gofpel ; and to an affectionate union and communion one with another ; and fo may love as brethren, and excite each other to every evange- lical and moral duty, and to every thing that is truly excellent and worthy our Chriftian character. Z5 Not forfa- 25 And as ever we would be (ledfaft. in the profeffion king the afiem- of our faith, and in love and good works, Let us take bling of ourfelvH f ;al heed that we do not w cool or j„d,-fferent, together, as the r .r . r fo , r . .
manner of fome it • rem"s or Carelels, on any pretence whatloever, wjth re- but exhorting one gard to our ftated and occafional meetings together, as another: and lo we have opportunity, for the celebration of all divine mUfh lhh T"' ^ °r<Jinance8» anci> at length, defert church-affemblies, broachin? ' ^ ^ an(* ca^ ° PUDUC worihip, and the communion of faints, and the folemn profeffion of Chriil's name ; and fo put ourfelves out of the way of his promife and blefs- ing for our prefervation and growth in grace, comfort, and holineis, as is loo much the cuflom of fome that have given up their names to Chrift, but are vilibly kfliding from him ; and as is the lamentable cafe of others that have notorioufly and fhameifully apoftati- I from all their former profeffion of him : But, inftead of Icing influenced by their linful and pernicious ex- ample, or trea ous fteps, Let us ad- nifh, excite, and encourage each other, to frequent
our
Chap. x. Hebrews paraphrafed. 379
our religious affemblies on all occafions, and to go on with chearfulneis and conftancy in tne good ways of the Lord. And ye ought to be the more diligent and earned herein, that ye may be the better prepared a- gainlt the awful time that is coming on, in proportion to the plain figns, which ye may now eafily obferve, that the utter deftrutlion 01 Jentfg/em and the Jewijh nation, for their obftinate infidelity, hallens apace, and is very near at hand ; arid againil the day of death and judgment, which ye cannot but know will foon over- take you, whether ye fall in the approaching calamity or not, and which will be an inexpreflibly dreadful day to apoftates. a6 For if we fin 26 For if any of us, who make a proftflion of ChriiTs wilfully, after that name< be fo much un(kr the gr of unbclIef pre.
we have received • t- ' • , , ui i
the knowledge ot Jlldlce» Pndt"> and a worldly temper, as, not merely the truth, there re- through, inadvertency, or fome fudden hurry of fpirit, maineth no more temptation, and fear of danger ;* but deliberately, re- facrifice for fins, folutely, and willingly, with full confent, to rejed the doctrines of the gofpel, and the good ways of the Lord, and to turn back to judaifm, or to all irrcligio'n, and go on in a courfe of fin againft God, after we have been enlightened in, and convinced of the truth of the gofpel, with refpect to the way of falvation a- lone by Jefus Chrift ; the cafe of fuch apoftates is of all others the moil dreadful : For as all legal facriii- ces are of no farther life in the worfhip of God, nor ever were available to purge from the moral guilt of fin ; and as there never was any facrifice appointed under the law for prefumptuous fianers ; fo there re- mains no other, than the one only facrifice of Chrift, for the remiffion of fins ; and they that rejoft this lall and only remedy, by perfidious unbelief, can have no intereit in it; nor can there be any hope of pardon and acceptance with God on any other ground what- foever. 27 But a certain 27 But all that remains to them, as their deplorable fearful looking for portion, is nothing lefs, than a fort of terrible forebo-
° Ju £ > AX] ding in their confeiences of the righteous judgment of fiery indignation, b ; y . 6 J b
which dial! devour ^0°-> which will certavnly overtake them, an awlui the adveraries. emblem of which will foon be given in the deftruc- tion of J er uf a! em ; and they muii look for the incen- fed wrath of God to full upon them, which will burn
in NOTE. * The Jin here intended, as appears God, whenever we fall into it ; yet this from all the preceding and following text is not to be underftood of every fin context, is nuilful, refo/./te, contemptu- that has been committed under the pow- ous, and utter apojlacy trom the profef- er of temptation, againft light and con- fion of Chrift and his goipel : And there- viction, as fome tender (pirited Chrifti- fore, though we ought to be always upon ans are often apt to apply it, to their own the ftricleft guard againft every known great difcouragemeut and terror, almoft fin, and to be deeply humbled before to utter defpair.
380 The Epiftle to the Chap. x.
in the moft tremendous manner, like the hotted fire,
to confume all fuch enemies as fet themfelves againfl
the blefled and only Saviour. (See 2 Thef. i. 7, 8, 9.)
cS He that de- 28 And this, the wretched apoftates I am (peaking
fplfed Mofes' law, of> m be afl-ured will be the{r horrible end, with the
died without mer- 1 • 1 a ..• r •!.. j v *r ..l i
cv, under two or hlgh^ aggravations of guilt and mifery, if they only
if.ree witncdes : coniider how feverely God dealt with refractory tranf- greffors of, and revolters from the Mojaic law, accord- ing to the tenor of which, Whofoever contemned and prefumptuoufly tranfgrefTed the law given by Mofes, with regard to capital cafes, for which no facrifice was appointed, he was, by the order of God himfelf, [Num. xv. 30, 31. and Deut. xvii. 6. and xix. 11, — 13.) to be put to death, without the leaft pity to fpare him, or to mitigate his punifhment, whenever he was convidted by the teftimony of two or three credible witnefTes, that could prove the fa& upon him. So jea- lous was God for the authority and honour of that difptnfation. 29 Of how much 29 How much greater, and inexpreflibly more dread- forer punifhment, ful then, muft ye certainly conclude, in your own con- uippofe ye, (hall fc{cnceSj from the very nature and reafon of things, will worthy6 who°hath ^iat Punimrr,ent be, even unto eternal death, which is trodden under foot juftly due to, and fhall be inflicted upon an apoftate the Son of God. from the Lord Jefus Chrift, and a refolute finner a- and hath counted gamft all the light and grace of the gofpel, and againft the blood of the hi Conviaion of its truth, who has offered the
covenant, where- ...,,.,.. , ' r ~ ... r 1f -
with he was lane- higheit indignity to the eternal Son ct God himielr, m
tified, an unholy trampling upon his divine perfon and authority, medi-
thing, and hath ation and gofpel, with the vileft infolence and contempt,
done detpire un- as though he were an impoftor ; and who, inflead of to the Spirit ot n. & r , . f n.r . ,'
„race ? trulimg, tor pardon and juttihcation, in that precious
blood, by which the covenant of grace in its purell adminiftration was ratified, and all its blefiings procu- red*, and by which the incarnate Son of God himfelf
was NOTE. * The blood of the covenant, where- anfwerable to the fanctification or dedi- with he ivasfanclified, teems to relate to cation of Aaron and his fons to the high Chri/r, who was contecrated to hi« prieft- priefthood for the fervice of the fanclu- ly office by his own blood, rather than to ary, by the blood of the Mofaic cove- him ivho counted the blood of the cove- nant, Lev. viii. 30. ; and th* fcheme of nant an unholy thing: For the Son of this epiftle for comparing Chrift and the God is the immediate antecedent, and high prieft under the law, naturally the apoftle's defign was to aggravate the leads us to this fenfe. — But if any would fin of apoftates, from a conlideration of refer it to the peifon, that was guilty of the worth and dignity of the object they the fin here fpoken of, his being fancliji- flighted and abuied ; and as the Father ed may be confidered, as relating, not to is laid to have faitQified Chrift, or fet him a real internal falsification, but to an apart to his mediatorial office, and Chrift external vifible dedication to God in his fpake of his having fandfed or dedica- baptifm and entrance into church-com- ted and let apart himfelf to it by his raunion, by which he made a folcmn death, John x. 36. and xvii. 19.; <o he proftffion of being purged from his fins, was lanctiried to his prieftly office in hea- and fanclified or let apart to the Lord, ven, by the blood of the new covenant,
Chap. x. Hebrews paraphraftd. 381
was confecrated to his prieftly office, for the complete execution of it, has prophanely flighted, and injurioufly treated that very blood, which lie Ihed for the remiflion of fin, as though it were not fo holy as the blood of bulls and goats ; nor more facred, or of any more va- lue or efficacy, than the blood of a common man, or even than the blood of a malefactor, according to the account that the Jews made of him when they cruci- fied him ; and who, over and above all this, has fpite- fully, malicioufly, and contemptuoufly oppoftd, af- fronted and vilified the perfon, operations, and grace, of the good Spirit, that is freely given of God for gra- cious purpofes, and is the giver and applier of all grace, as though his wonderful atteflations to ChrilVs cha- racter, as the true Meffiah, by innumerable gifts and miraculous operations *, were delufions, or the effects of diabolical power. Such a malignant wretch blai- phemes the Holy Ghofl himfelf, and if they who on- ly ncgletl the gofpel-falvation, fhall not efcape the wrath of God, (chap. ii. 3.) how much lefs can fuch an apoft ate efcape the mod dreadful and eternal pun- ifhment? (Mat. xii. 31.)
30 For we know 30 For we know who it is that fpoke after the fol- himthatfaid,Ven- lowing awful manner. (Dent, xxxii. 35.) It is my in- geance belongeth conteflaye rignt an(i abfolute prerogative, to execute unto roe, I will 5 » £ & ' . recompenfe, faith righteous wrath upon tranlgreiior3 ot every Kind, ac- the Lord. And cording to their defert ; this is an effential part of my again, The Lord fupremacy and dominion over all, as the Judge of the fliall judge his peo- whole world : And, as the vindication of my honour
requires it, I will certainly, fooner or later, in my own time and way, inflict fevere puniihments on incorrigi- ble offenders, in proportion to the malignity of their crimes. This was faid by the great Jehovah himfelf, the fovereign Lord of heaven and earth, whole juftice and truth are uncontrollable, and whofe power is irre- fiftible. And a little afterwards, it is there added, (Deut. xxxii. 36.) The Lord will fearch and try his pro felling people; and will as furely condemn and de- llroy them, that perhdioufly revolt from him, as he will approve of, and fave them, that are itedfaft in his covenant.
31 It u a fearful 31 How fevere then muil his judgment, and the thing ro ull- into executions of it, be upon all the apoftates from Chrift the hands of the 11- an(i tjle g0fpel ? It is indeed dreadful to fuffer the mi- ving ° ' feries that he can lay upon them, by only flirring up
the N O T E. * The perfon here defcribed feems to note there) Only there may be this have come very near to, if not to have been difference, that the apoftate had recei- guiltyof, the unpardonable fin againft the ved the knowledge of the truth, {yet. 26.) Holy Ghoft himfelf, which our Lord, which they, whom our Lord fpoke of, ipeaks of, Matth. xii. 31,32. (See the never did.
38*
The Epijile to the
Chap. x.
32 But call to remembrance the former days,, in which, after ye were illuminated, ye endured a great right of atlliclions :
33 Partly whilft -. t- were made a gazing-ftock, both by reproaches and afflictions ; and partly whilft ye became compani- es of them that
the fury of mere creatures againft them, though the weaknefs of the inftrument abates the force of his hand in faming with it : But it is inexpreffibly tremendous, beyond all imagination, to fall as victims into the hands of his juftice, without mixture of mercy, to be puiiifhed by the immediate and almighty arm of the great and terrible God himlelf ; who, in oppofition to all idols, is the only living and true God ; and whofe exigence, power, and a&ivity, abide invariably and for ever, to execute wrath, as an incenfed, unappeaf- ed Judge, to the utmoft extremity on the defpifers of his Son and .Spirit, (yer. 29.) as well as to com- plete the everlafting happinefs of thofe that hold fall the profefiion of their faith without wavering, (ver.
32 But, to excite fincere believers among you to watch and guard againft the beginnings of apeftacy, confider how it was with you, and reflect upon the folid fatisfadfr'on and hope ye formerly experienced, in the firil days of your converlion, in which, as foon as ye were enlightened in the knowledge of the gofpel, and of the way of falvation by Jefus Chrift, [yer. 26. and fee the fecond note on chap. vi. 4.) ye were fol- lowed with fevere perfecutions from the Jeivijh zealots, and their confederates ; which ye, like foldiers under the Captain of falvation, and like combatants in the a- goniftic exercifes, were called to conflict with, in a glorious contention, on your part, for the fake of Chrift, as with enemies, that fet themfelves, as it were, in battle array againft him and you ; and which ye patiently fuftained with a noble Chriftian- courage and fortitude, through divine fupports and afliftances, without being daunted or difmayed at any of them, though they were of various kinds, and lay very hea- vy upon you : 1
33 While, on one hand, ye were malicioufly ac- cuied and injuriouily expofed to public difgrace, and made a fpe6tacle to the world, like criminals brought forth into the theatre, (J&iuT^opmi) and were igno- minioufly treated, as the flth of the world, and off-
fcouring of all things, (1 Cor. iv» 9, 13.) by cruel mockings, contempt, and (corn, arid by the fevered opprefiions from the hands of wicked men, Jews and others, for righteoufnefs fake; and while, on the other hand, ye tenderly fympathized with, and ftedfaltly ad- hered to, afiifted, and bravely owned your fellow Chrif- tians, and the apoftles and fervants of Chrift, and mourned with them in their troubles, who were abufed in the fame oppreflive and opprobrious manner, as though all had been done againft ypurfelves.
34 For
Chap. x. Hebrews paraphra fed. 383
34 For ye had 34 For as to myfelf in particular*, when I was compaffion of me fn great tribulation, even unto bonds and imppfon-
look1 VyMly "he ment for the fakc of ChrJ{l> Ye wcre not a(ha™d to
fpoiling of your own anc* ^and by me ; but in Chriltian tendernefs,
goods, knowing in love, and pity, ye fympathized with me, (fftu&rwdtt*
yourlelves that ye <t«ti) grieved at my diftrefs, prayed for me, relieved
?!£ m ^aven a my wants, and fupplied me with as comfortable ac- better and an en- J , 7. *r . _ . _ , .
during fubftance. commodations, as our relpective en cumttances admit- ted of: And ye yourfelves chearfully fubmitted to the lofs of the conveniences and neceffaries of this life, which were violently wrefted out of your hands by furious perlecutors ; and ye even rejoiced to think of the glorious caufe for which ye {offered, {AR\- v. 41 ) and of the rich advantage, that would accrue to your own fouls thereby, as being well fatisficd in your own minds, from the promifes of God and your own happy experience of his grace, that ye have a better tieafure in heaven, than any ye have loft or can lofe upon earth ; even a fubftantial treafure, which ye are entitled to, and is prepared by the free favour of God, and the purchafe of Chritt, who as your head and reprefentative has taken pofilfiion of it for you ; and which ye have the earnelis of in your own fouls, as what cannot be loft, or taken away from you, but abides with all fafety for an everlafting in- heritance at the end of ail your troubles. 35 hCa(lf "^ a" 3* Animated therefore by your faith in Chrift, ! nd Sdence^w-hkh !" the Promifes> and bv Your noty fortitude in fuffer- hath great recom- *ngs for him hitherto, take heed left, through carnal pence of reward. fear, and the workings of unbelief, on account of the continuance of thofe, or the addition of any further tribulations, ye be now diiheartened, to the relin- quifhing, or throwing off your holy boldnefs, freedom, and courage {tsx^o-iuv) in your profeflion of Chrilt's name, gofpel, and caufe, and in your joyful hopes of eternal life through him ; which holy boldnefs here- in is, at prefent, a noble fupport and fatisfac?tion un- der all your trials, and (hall have fuch a biefled and glorious reward in heaven, as, according to his graci- ous promife, (ver. 36.) is fecured to you, and will abundantly more than make you a rich and eternal a- mends for all the troubles you endure in this momen- tary life for Chrift's fake, though they be ever fo great and many, like thofe which ye have already felt, and may yet further expect to meet with. (See Rotn. viii. 18. and 2 Cor. iv. 16, 17.)
36 For NOTE. * Here feems to be a reference to vers tenderly fympathized with him, as the apoftle Paul's fufferings and bonds, appears from Acts xx. 37, 3S. and xxi. 4, which were notorious, and extremely n, 12. 13. £reat , and in which the Jenviflj belie-
Vol. V. D d cl
384
36 For ye have need of patience ; that, after ye have done the will of God, ye mipdit re- ceive the promiie.
37 For yet a lit- tle while, and he that fhall come, will come, and will not tarry.
The Epijlle to the Chap, x,
36 For, according to the wife and hcly appoint- ment of God, the declarations of his word, and the difpofals of his providence, that patience may have its perfeft work, (Jam. i. 4.) fuch is your prefent ftate of afflictions and perfecutions, that there is a ne- cefiity for you, and great need of abundance of grace to enable you to live in the continual exercife of a calm and quiet, humble and refigned fubmiffion to the fovereign will of God in them, to the end, that after ye have yielded yourfelves up, through the whole courfe of your lives, to the commanding and difpofmg will of God, in patiently and willingly com- plying with the moil difficult inftances of it, ye might receivevthe promifed blefiing of eternal life, ( 1 John ii. 25.) which fliall be gracioufly conferred upon you, in the falvation of your fouls, (ver. 39.) at the end of your fpiritual race and warfare, that will foon be finifhed, and exchanged for everlafting peace and joy.
37 For, according to an ancient prophetic vifion, (Ha boh ii. 3.) which maybe applied, as relating to the Mefliah and his falvation, in all his remarkable ap- pearances, the time is exceeding fhort, as fhort as can be well expected, (ptx.gov oc-ov oo-ov) when the Mefliah, who is coming, (0 y^Attsvo? ) will certainly come, in his righteous judgment, for the confufion of his and your enemies, and in his tender mercy for your confolatien and deliverance from all their oppreflions, in the de- finition of Jerufalem, which is juft at hand, and is a lively emblem of his laft, which may be emphati- cally called his fecond coming, (chap. ix. 28.) to the utter deilruction of all impenitent and unbelieving finners, and to your complete falvation, at the judg- ment of the great day ; which, though it be not fo near as the conflagration of Jerufa/em ; yet in God's account, with whom a thoufand years are but as one day, (2 Pet. iii. 8.) and in comparison with the end- lefs eternity that fucceeds it, will be but a very little while hence j and then he who is to come, will ac- tually come, without fail, to your unfpeakable and everlafting joy : And though ye are apt to think the time long and tedious, while ye are groaning under prefent affli&ions ; yet ye may depend upon it, that he will not delay his coming to put you into poffeflion of the promifed recompence of reward ; (ver. 35, 36.) no, not fo much as one moment beyond the appoint- ed time, which, as it is the bell time, is fixed in the purpofe of God, and is near at hand, to deliver you out of all your troubles j and as death at fai theft will certainly rid you of them ; fo it cannot be long be- fore he will receive you to himfelf.
38 And,
Chap. x. Hebrews paraphrafed. 385
3SNovvthejuft 38 And, (h) for your further encouragement, re- fliall live by faith : member what follows iu that prophecy ; ( ilabak. ii. but if any man \* The righteous man, who is iu/hfud by faith, K£?&! nAvhT'bean unified by faith (Kom. s. ..
fare in him. and Ads xv. 9.) (hall by means 01 his raith live a
fpiritual and holy life, in a Hate of acceptance with God, and communion with him, and in a humble patient waiting for, and expectation of this hap;. y e- vent all his days upon earth ; and (hall live in ail blefs- cdnefs and glory with Chriit, according to the pro- miie, (ver. 36.) for ever in heaven: But, in oppofi- tion to fuch, whoever he be that, after having made a profeflion of faith in Chriit, mail apottatize from himf, through an uniubdued pride of lpirit, and an evil heart of unbelief, which lift up themielves againit him, and renounce the profeflion of his name, on ac- count of the trials and luiferings it expofes him to, My foul, fays God. fpeakir.g after the manner of men, mall be io far from u.l^.ng any delight in him, whatsoever m's pretences be, that I will have hifn in the utmolt deteiiation, and will mew him no mercy ; inilead of my favours being towards him, my hotted indignation ihaii be incenfed againil h'iv. 39 But we are 39 But, as I have already told you, {chap. vi. 9.) not of them who that / am perjuaded belter things of you, and things draw back unto tf}at accompany falvatWn ; io we who art iincere in them that believe our profeflion of Chrift, and are in truth before God to the faving of the what we appear to be before men, are not of the num- v.'I. ber of thole hypocritical, treacherous, and falfe heart-
ed nominal Chriitians, who revolt from him, and cad off their profeflion of him, to their own everialting- deilrucvtion : But we are of the number of thole, who believe with the heart unto righ{eoufne/st and con- fefs with the mouth unto fa /nation, ( Rom. x. 10. ) and ihall dedfaitly perfevere therein to the end, as being kept by the power of God through faith unto 'a /na- tion ; (i Pet. i. 5.) and fo, according to his promifc, our faith llands fn lure connection with, and fliall cer- tainly iflue in the everlatiing happinefs of our iouls,
RECOLLECTIONS.
How defective were all legal facrifices '. They, and all attending institutions, were, at beft, only a (hadow of Chrift's propitiatory lacrifice, and the bleflines of the gofpel introduced by him. The frequent repetition of thofe facrifices was a
D d d 2 plain
NOTE S.
* The jufl pall live by faith might thofe mentioned in the former, is evident be better rendered, as Dr O-ven ob- to me ; becaufe of the oj poQtion that, ferves, (according to the ordei in which both in the prophet Habakkuk, and in the words ftand) Thejufl. by faith Jhall this and the following verfe, j? made be- live. (o iixeuat £* utincn {»-;/«.) tween them and ihoi'e that livebyfaitb,
t That the perions intended in this laft and do not draw hack to perdition ; but claufe of the verfe, are different from believe to the faving oj the foul.
3^6 The Epijlle to the Chap. x.
plain proof of their imperfection \ they could not prevent the returns of guilt upon the conic ience ; nor could they poffibly take away fin, or be pleafing to God for that purpoie. But how meritorious and effectual is the facrifice of Chrift, who freely came into an incarnate (late, according to ancient purpofes and records, to r ilfil his Father's will by offering up himfelf ! This alone is fufficient for purging all that believe in him, from every iniquity, and recommending them to God's ac- ceptance, as a people dedicated to his fervice ; and for perfecting all that concerns them : And our great Lord is now exalted, as a prieft on his throne, at the right hand of the eternal Father, where he mult reign till all his enemies be lubdued under his feet. And O what a bleffed fecurity have the people of God in him, and in the covenant of grace, whi*h the Holy Ghoft has recorded, with a view to gofpel- times, in the writings of the Old Teuament ' It is now ratified, and all its blefs- ings are purchafed for them by the death of Chrift, on whofe account God will write his law and his gofpel in their hearts, and will fo thoroughly forgive all their lins a* never more to remember any of them againft them. What rich encou- ragement then have we to draw near to God in Chrift, with humble boldnefs, and full affurance of faith ! Jefus our High Prieft has opened a new and living way to the throne of grace, through his crucified fleih, and now appears in heaven it- felf to recommend us and our prayers to divine acceptance, by the fprinkling of his blood, and the fanctitying influences of his Spirit. But how watchful ought we to be againft the beginnings of apoftacy ! If our love and zeal for every good work be in a declining ftate, and we grow cool and indifferent about attending on religious r.tiVmblies, and gofpel-ordinances, we have reafon to fear, left we tall after the example of tome other profeffors of Chrift, that have revolted from him ; and the thoughts of awful trials, and of death and judgment, as near approaching, fhould excite us to the greater care herein. Ah '. how extremely dangerous is the cafe of apoftates, who, after they have been convinced of the truth of the gofpel, vilify the Son of God; depreciate the blood of the covenant, whereby he was confecrated to the remaining part of his prieftly office ; and treat the Spirit of all grace with malignant contempt '. As there is no other facrifice for fin than that which they re- ject anddefpiie, theycan have nothing to expect, but judgment without mercy, and flaming wrath to confume them : And as their fin is more abundantly aggravated, than any tranfgreffions ot Mofes's law, for which offenders were put to death, we muft fuppofe, from the reafon of things, that they deferve a propoitionally heavier vengeance ; and we are affured from divine teftimony, that the great God will fert tiis own prerogative, in calling them to a l'evere account for all their wilful abufes of gofpel-light and grace. Alas ! how dreadful is it to fall into the hands of his provoked power and juftice, who lives for ever to inflict the foreft punifli- ment upon impenitent finners '. But whatever loffes, troubles, or reproaches true believers may fuffer for Chrift ; they ought not to caft away their humble confi- dence and joy in him, and their holy profeflion of his name ; as being fatisfied ia their own minds, that they have a more fubftantial, and abiding inheritance in heaven. This is indeed a great recompence of reward, which the faithful God will give them according to his gracious promife ; and the profpect of this, toge- ther with a remembrance of their former experience of, divine light and fupport, under their various tribulations for Chrift, and companionate regard to fellow- fuf- ferers, fhould encourage their faith and hope, and animate their patience amidft further difficulties that may befal them : For in a very little time the Lord Jefus will certainly come by death and judgment, and will not tarry one moment be- yond the fet time, for their falvation. — Upon the whole then, how wide is the dif- ference between nominal profeffors, and fincere believers \ One is in danger of drawing b%ck to perdition, and tailing under divine abhorrence; but the other is juftified by faith, and by means ot his faith lives to God here, and ihall live with for ever hereafter, as having believed to the faving of his foul.
CHAP.
Chap xi. Hebrews paraphrafecL 387
CHAP. XI.
The a/>ofle dcfcribes the excellent nature and efficacy of faith, I,— 3. Exemplifies it in fcveral mfances and cfecls, with an intimation of its neceffity, from the fall of man t* Noah'j day, 4,-6. From Noah to Mofes, 7,— 2<. And from Moles to the end of the Old Tefamem-di^enfation, 24,-39. And concludes with a declara- tion of the fill better fate of believers under the gofpel-diffenfalion, ver. 40.
Text# Paraphrase.
•NJOW faith is the "\TOW, to give you a iummary account of the ex- fubftance oflM cenent nature and effe&s of all divine faith *, in- things hoped for clufivc of that which w£ have been fpeaking of as un-
3/ETta. to falvation, {chap. x. 38, 3?0 » "ay *'* t"»
ral defcribed after the folloVing manner ; I rue faith • gives a fort of prefent fubfiftence in the mind and heart unto, and a confident expectation of, all future bleflings, which, on the foot of the promife of that God who cannot lie, are as fully afcertained and rea- lized to the believer's comfort, and have their proper influence upon him, as though they were already pre- fent in a&ual poffeflion ; and it gives us as clear and convincing a demonftration, merely on the credit of divine revelation, as to the truth of things that are in- vifible to the corporal eye, as though they were ever fo plainly exhibited to our view, like the things that daily offer to our fight. 2 For by it the 2 For by the realizing and evidencing exercife of elders obtained a fa£th, our godly anceilors of all generations, from the good report. tJme of the g^ promtfe 0f tne feed of the woman to
bruife the ferpent's head, (Gen. iii. 15.) to the end of the Jewi/h difpenfation, obtained a noble teihmo- ny from God, though evil fpoken of by wicked men; a record of which is left particularly with refpeft to fome of them in his word, that they were righteous perfons, through the righteoufnefs of iaith, and that
they NOTE. * The defcription given of faith in plify it, there is no notice taken of htm, this verfe and exemplified in the various or of his falvation, but only ot temporal following inftances, I take, with the bleflings, which were obtained by faith : learned Dr Owen and others, to be a And yet they may all be confidered as (o defcription of faith, inclulive indeed of many proofs and evidences ot the truth that which is iuftifying, but not under and efficacy of justifying faith in real be- the ft net notion of it, merely as juftify- lievers on Chrift, and of its more even- ing : For this is only, as it has a regard five exercife to the glory of God, ami to, and depends upon Chrift and his righ- their own encouragement to go on in a teoutnefs ; but here is no mention of him courfe of dependence upon him and 0- as the object of faith; and in feveral of bedience to him, araidft all the difhcul- the inftances that are produced in the ties and dangers of every kind tnat iur- following parts of this chapter to exem- round them in this finful world.
388 The Epijlle to the Chap. xi.
they pleafed God in their walk before him. (ver. 4,
3 Through faith 3 As to the evidence of things not feen, which we understand that k onfi t of the defcnption of faith, (ver. I.) the worlds were ..* , , r , .. , r r . m 1 if framed by the tnougn bv tne "ght °* nature we may jiiitly conduce word of God. 10 from the beauty and order of the creation, that there that thing* which was a rirft caute of all its wonderful fabric ; yet it is are leen were not fc>y fa{tn m divine revelation, and by this only, as reft-
whtch do appeu! ing mcre.1)r uPon the authority of God therein, that we certainly and clearly know, beyond all that could be fuggelted by natural reafon, that the upper and lower worlds, the heavens and the earth, and all things therein, were formed, fafhioned, and finilhed, (xzTtoTicrScii) by the all-powerful and effective word of God's command *, who in framing their feveral parts, and fetting them in their proper order, faid, Let it be fo, and it was fo. (Gen. i. 7, 9, 11, 15, 24, 30.) He /pake, and it ivas done ; he commanded, and it flood fajl. (Pfal. xxxiii. 6, 9.) And this he did unto the producing of all the viiible things of the creation, fuch as the fun, moon, and itars, the earth, and all the objects of our fenfes, out of a confuted chaos, which was created out of nothing, and, being covered with darknels, ivas without form, and void ; (Gen. i. 1,2.) and which chaos itfelf has now no apparent exigence ; all things being ranged into their due or- der, and made viiible by the invilible power of God. (Rom. i. 20.)
4 By faith Abel 4 As to the other part of the defcription of faith, offered unto God as the fahfiance of things hoped for* (ver. 1.) it was a mure excellent b faJth jn God>s appointrnent ^f typical facrjnces 0f lacnhce than Cam, J . rrn . . r , •
k atonement f , thai Abel, the younger, but pious ion
of NOTES.
* Though Chrift is often fpoken of as who brought only the mincha, or meat- ihe ivord (0 Acyo<r) and the ivorlds are offering of the fruits of the earth. Ac- faid to be made by him; yet the expref- cordingly AbeVs offering is called in the Con here ufed is different from that by plural number his gifts, at the clofe of which he is denominated; and this <w ord the verfe ; (fee Kennicot's difcourfe on (f»^a) fignifies a word fpoken, but is the oblations of Cain and Abel, p. 197. never ufed for the perfou of Chri/t, who S, 9.) and in another place he adds, p. is ftyled the Logos ; and (0 it is here 234. The Lord had refpeel to Abel, and meant of the word of command, as ap- alfo to his mincha, or offering, becaufe pears from the places cited in the para- accompanied with an animal facririce ; phrafe. bur unto Cain, and to his mincha, or of-
t A late learned writer obferves, and feting, he had not refpeel, becaufe he fupports it withjuft critiriun, that the "brought no animal facritice. This na- Grcek word, (srAHtoy) in the con/para- turally leads us to conclude that Abel of- tiv'e degree, bgmhes greater, or filler, or fered with faith in the great facririce of more in number, rather than in value, in atonement, and Cain without faith in it ; which lalt feufe it is not ufed in the whole audio, if it cannot be certainly gather- New T( ftament j and lo it intimates th t ed from the more general ule of the word, Abel brought mere facrifice, to wit, the it may, from the nature of the thing, 01 meat-offering, and an animal that AhcVs offering was in reality, md in facrifice, which was more than Cain did, God's account, more excelk.it than Cain's.
Chap. xi. Hebrews paraphrafdd. 389
by which he ob- of Adam, looking forward to the promifed feed, who taincd witnefs that fhould bruife the ferpent's head, {Gen. iii. 15.) pre- he was righteous, fenttd tQ God a greater and eompleater facrifice than
God tefrityinar q\ . o -f . r
his "ifts: and by nis Wlc'ked brother tain, who ottered only the nun- it he being dead, chay or meat-offering of fuch fruit of the ground as yet fpeaketh. came to hand, (Gen. iv. 3.) in acknowledgment of
God, as the Creator and Governor of the world ; but offered no atoning facrifice in acknowledgment of his own tin, and need of pardon ; while Abel, together with an offering of the bed of that fort of fruit, of- fered alfo a bloody facrifice of the firftlings of his flock, with the fat thereof, (Gen. iv. 4.) as a facrifice, which under an humble fenfe of his guilt, and of his needing an atonement, he prefented to the Lord with a believing reference to the Lamb of God, or the great propitiatory facrifice, which Abel's typified, and which the Mefliah would offer for the remiffiou of fin ; by means of which faith he obtained a tefti- mony from God in his own confeience, and by fume vifible token from heaven * ; that he was justified through the righteoufnefs of faith ; God thereby ma- nifestly declaring, that he approved and accepted of his facrificial oblations, as having a refpect firft to Abel, and then to his offering. (Gen. iv. 4.) And by means of this faith, (the record of which, as well as of its acceptance, and of Cain's enmity to him on that account, is handed down in the word of God) Abel, though dead many ages ago, inrtrucr.s us that, ever fince the fall of man, the way of a tinner's ac- ceptance with God is only through faith in the aton- ing facrifice of Chrift ; and that the blood of inno- cent perfons cries to heaven for vengeance to come down on the heads of their murderers, and efpeciaily of fuch as perfecute them to death for righteoufnefs fake, after the example of wicked Cain, who murder- ed his brother, becaufe his works were righteous, and his own were evil. (1 John iii. 12.) 5 By faith E- 5 It was by faith that Enoch, the feventh from noch was tranfla- Adam, was by an extraordinary miraculous exertion
not fee dea^Tnd °f dIvine POWCr and meTCT> *&ually caught llP in ™"s
was not found, whole perfon from earth to heaven, the habitation of
tfe God hid God's glory, to enjoy him there in a ftate cf immor-
tranflated him : for tality, for which his body underwent a refining change,
before his tranfla- j;k th ^ the bodies of thfi faj that be
tion ./ 1
liviDg
NOTE.
* There was fome token, by which inftances, (Lev. ix. 24. 1 Kings xviii. 3S.
Cain knew that Abets offering was ac- 1 Chron. xxi. 16. and 2 Ckron vii. 1.) to
cepled, and his own rejected ; and it was teftify his acceptance of the offering, and
moft probahly by God's fending fire trom that juitict feized upon the facrifice, in-
heaven to confume Abel's facrifice, as ftead of the tinner who offered it, and
he afterwards often did in various other for whom it was offered,
39° The Epiftle to the Chap. xi.
tion he had this living- upon earth, (hall pafs through, at the general teftimony, that he relurrection from the dea^ ; (i Cor. xv. 51.) he be- P ed e( ing thus highly favoured of the Lord, that, like them,
( 1 The/f. iv. 17.) he might be exempted from dying, which in the Hebrew idiom is called feeing death, or fenfibly undergoing it by fuch a diflblution of this mortal frame, as confifts in a feparation of foul and bo- dy, according to the general law which has palled up- on mankind for the firll tranfgreffion. {Rom. v. 12.) And whatever inquiries and fearches might be made after him, he was no more to be found in this world : The eyes that had fee n him, Jaw him no tnore ; (Job xx. 9.) becaufe God had taken him by a peculiar in- dulgence to himfelf, to dwell in his immediate prefence on high : For before he was favoured with this mira- culous and happy rapture of foul and body up to hea- ven, he had a divine teftimony in his own confeience, by a private fuggeftion or witnefs of the Spirit ; and had afterwards a further public teftimony given to him. in the writings of Mofes, that, before he was thus tranflated, he was accepted of God ; and had, in an eminent manner of walking clofely in commu- nion with God, and in a courfe of faith, love, and holy obedience, {Gen. v. 24.) been highly pleafing to him, through the promifed Mefliah, of whom E- noch prophefied, faying, Behold the Lord comes with ten thoufand of his faints, to execute Judgment upon all, &c. (Jude ver. 14, 15.) 6 But without 6 But without this kind of faith *, as it was im-
bleto' kJfeSfe • Poffible for Abel and Enocb> fo k is for us t0 do anY
for he that* cometh tmng m ^ucb a Spiritual and holy manner, as is well
to God mud be- plealing in the fight of God : For whofoever he be
lieve that he is, that approaches to God in prayer, and in other acts
and that he is a Qf relip-ious worfhip, in order to his finding; accept-
re warder ot them °. , , . , , . j v • l/- 1 1 it
that diligently leek ance Wlt.h h.im> he ougnt» and it is abfolutely necefla-
l,im. ry for him in the firft place, to be firmly perfuaded
in his own mind, by that faith which is the evidence
of things not feen, (ver. 1.) that, according to divine
revelation, there certainly is a God, who, though
invifible, has an eternal, neceflary, and unchangeable
exiftenee, in diftinction from, and oppofition to, all
the NOTE. * As I cannot but think that Enoch's, with the belief of his exiftence, as of the as well as Abel's faith, had a refpecl to fame nature with theirs, in its regard to the promifed Mefliah, and that therefore God through Chrift, though it be not the offering of Abel, and the holy walk exprefled, but is only to be gathered of Enoch, were teltified to, as accepta- from what was laid about the actings of ble and well pleafing to God; fo it feems their faith, in things pertaining to ac- to me that the faith here fpoken of, with ceptance with God to eternal lite. And an immediate reference to thefe inftances, the whole context forbids our taking this as that, without which it is impojfible to to be the Heathens-creed, as fome would $ leafe Cod, is to be confidered, together have it.
Chap. xi. Hebrews paraphrafcd. 391
the idols of the heathen, and all that arc not by na- ture God : (Gal. iv. 8.) And he muil further believe with that faith, which is the fnhflance of things ho- ped for, (ver. i.) that this infinitely perfe& and bleis- ed God himfelf is, according to his promife to A'ra- ham, (Gen. xv. i.) tb* exceeding great rewar~of, and a bountiful distributer of all the bleffings of pro- vidence, grace, and glory, to thofe who, under a confeioufnefs of their own wants and unworthrnefs, humbly, earneilly, and perfeveringly feek his face and favour in Chrilt with their whole hearts, according to his word, in the diligent ufe of all the means of his appointment, and in a reliance on his covenant-pro- mifes, for ail acceptance with him. 7 By faith Noah, 7 By faith as the evidence of things not feen, (ver. being warned of j \ Noa{,9 who found grace in the eyes of the Lord, God of things not d righteous in "his account, (Gen. vi. 8. and
w?rh&^ vii. I.) and who, like Enoch, walked with God in all an arktothefaving holy obedience, fully depended on the truth ot the di- of his houfe; by vine admonition, which was given him, (%*vif*xTi<r&us) the which he con- rdat; t0 eventS) 0f whkh there, was no prefent S^SS? appearance; as particularly that, for the wickedneis the righteoufnefs of the people, God would bring a univerial deluge to which is by faith, drown the old world, in which he lived ; and that, of the whole human race, only he and his wife and three fons, and their wives, who as yet had no children, fhould be preferved alive : {Gen. vi. 12, 13, 18.) And being poffeffed with a religious awe and reverence of God, (tvXc4$&) and fear of his judgments, he, accord- ing to his direction, and in obedience to his command, (Gen. vi. 14, 15, 16.) was excited to, and actually did prepare materials, and fit them for, and frame them into a large floating veffel*, lor the fafe preser- vation, as he believed it would be, of himfelf and his family, confifting only of eight fouls, (r Pet. iif. 20.) that they might not be fwallowed up in the flood : By which faith of his in the truth and power, jultice and mercy of God, as revealed to him ; and by his • building the ark, in obedience to the divine command- ment ; as alfo by his difcourfe, as a preacher ofrigb- teoufnejs, (2 Pet. ii. 5.) he both praftically and dodtn- nally condemned the unbelief and difobedience of the reft of the world, that flighted all the folemn warn- ings, which God in his great long differing had gi- 0 1 en
NOTE.
* The ark was nearly of an oblong height; and confifted of three decks, or
fquare, with a flat bottom and floped ftories, capacious enough to hold all the
loof as might be beft fuited to float living creatures, and fufficient proviOons
fteadily on the furface of the water. It for them, that were ordered to go into
was a veffel of three hundred cubits in this ark. (See UniverJ Htjt. boot. X. p.
length, fifty in breadth, and thirty in iov edit. 1.)
Vol. V. E e e
39- The Epiftle to the Chap. xi.
Ten to them by him, and by the ftrivings of his Spirit with them under his miniflry, for an hundred and twenty years together; {Gen. vi. 3.) thereby leaving them without excufe, and vindicating the juftice of God in bringing fuch a fvveeping defolation upon them, for .their obftinate and aggravated wiokednefs : • And by his faith in the promifed Meffiah, for the fpiritual and eternal blefiings, which were to be brought in by, and found alone in him, (of which the ark, for the fafety of all that were in it, was an eminent type) he, as to be an inheritor of falvation, was interetted in that righteoufnefs of Chrift, which is received by faith, and imputed for righteoufnefs unto the juiiification of all that believe in him, with- out difference. {Rom. iii. 21, — 26.) 8 By faith A- 8 It was by faith that the renowned patriarch A- braham when he Jjraha??i, oi whom the Jews boaft, and from whom was called to fo lL , • , * • ,• j 11 *.i • ■ i
out into a place tneY derive their pedigree and all their privileges, ana
■which he fliould w^° 1S ftyled the. friend of God, and the father of all after receive for them that believe, (Jam. ii. 23. and Rom. iv. 11.) an inheritance, o- when he had a call from God to go forth from Ur of wen? ' ouTd rot t}ie CbolJees, his own native com p cry, and to leave knowing whither bis idolatrous kindred and his father's houfe, and eve- he went. ry thing that was dear unto him there, {Gen. xi. 31. and xii. 1.) and to remove to another country, which God would mow him, even the land of Canaan, {Gen. xii. 5.) which he himfelf fliould receive, in right and title, by the free gift of God, {Gen. xv. 7.) and which his pofterity after him, for generations to come, mould receive in poffejfion, as an inheritance, {Gen. xii. 7. and ABs vii. c.) that was typical of a better in heaven ; It was, 1 fay, by a noble aft of mere faith, that Abraham yielded a chearful obedience to the com- mand of God, as being fully fatislied, that what God had promifed, his faithfulnefs, power, and goodnefs, would certainly perform in his own way and time ; and thereupon he readily departed from his own coun- try, friends, and relations, and fet out for fome other place, which God might direct him to ; though, at that time, lie neither knew the way to it, nor what country it fliould be ; God, for the greater trial of his faith, and for putting the higher honour upon it, ha- ving concealed this from him till after he had left Ur of the Chaldees. (See the note on A&s vii. 2.) 5 By faith he fo- 9 It was by faith, that he afterward wandered a- jouroed in the land bout, like a pilgrim and ftranger, in the land of Ca-
* ftfa^ceunV" naa"> Vvllich b>' this time God had toM him WaS tht
dweUimj in tobej- ^ant^ tnat he meant to g*ve his feed for an inheritance,
- with liaic n\ the promifc he had made to him. {Gen. xii. 7.)
and Jacob, the Here he fojourned as one expofed to difficulties and
heirs with him or ^^,.5 [>ut depending on divine protection in a fo- the um? promifc 6 > i b t ^
Chap. xi. Hebrews paraphrafe d. 393
reign conntry, the inhabitants of which were quite dif- ferent from himfelf, in temper, religion, and manners; he dwelling among them, not in any fettled habitation, but in tents, which were fattened to the ground by flakes and cords, and were moveable from place to place, as occaiions required ; and which, under divine direction, he often took down in one place and pitch- ed again in another, for the prefent accommodation of himfelf and family. And after his ion Ifaac, and his grandfon Jacob were born, they lived with hirn in hke tents, and in a like wandering ftate; even they, who, aa his offspring, were heirs, together with himfelf, ot one and the fame promife, which God made to him and his feed. And as this was a lively emblem of the itate cf all true believers, who are pilgrims and itrungers on earth ; fo the father of the faithful was well fatisfied with his condition, as an uniettled fo- journer, without any pofTcfnon in the land of his pil- grimage, beyond a burying place which he bought ot the fons of tieih. (Gen. xxiii. 3, 4, istc'* and xxv. 10. compared with A&s vii. 5.) 10 For he look- 10 For God having faid to him, Fear not, Abra- «d for a city which ham, lam thy JhieJd and thy exceeding great reward ; hath foundations, an(j having promTied in an everlailing covenant that he whole builder and ^ fa ^- Q d ^ Gcd Cjf hu feed, and that in
maker 1 s God. . . • • . . » .r „ , ,, / ■ r 1
his Jeed, meaning the Meihah, alt the nations of the
earth jhould be bleJJ'ed, (Gen. xv. 1. and xvii. 7. and xxii. 18.) his faith, retting on thofe gracious words and promifes of a God, who cannot lie, looked further than that earthly inheritance to the heavenly one, which was typified by it ; and this he, in the axercife of his faith, moll ot all defired, ultimately expected, and firmly hoped to enjoy in that better tlate, which fol- ks fecurity, privileges, grandeur and glory, regularity and order, largenefs and affluence of all fuolime riches, honours and delights, may well be emphatically called a city • and which for its ltrength, firmnefs, and dura- tion, in oppofition to tents and tabernacles, and in- deed in oppofition to all the cities of this world, that are liable to be overthrown, and will moulder away by length of time, may be faid, with the greatetl propri- ety and eminence, to be built upon folid and immovea- ble foundations ; fuch as the unchangeable purpofe and promifes of God, and the merit and mediation of the promifed Mefiiah, whofe day Abraham fa\.v> and was glad ; (John viii. 56.) the contriver, former, and fi- nifher of which city, as» its divine and only architect and directer, is no lefs than the great and bleifcd God him- felf, who, by his own infinite wifdom, power, and goodnefs, prepared it from the foundation of the world, to be the habitation of his own glory, and of E e e 2 all
394 N ¥be EpiJHe to the Chap. xi.
all his faints with him for ever; (Mat. xxv. 34.) and
fo it is a building of Godson houfe, not made with
hands, e'emal in the heaven*. (2 Cor. v. 1.)
1 1 Through faith » n It was by faith alfo that even Sarah herfelf,
rhft?"ftth (*"' *VT* **&*) the beloved wife oi Abraham, being
:u' conceive feed rccovcrea' from »er unbelief*, which fhe manifelted
and was delivered by laughing, when fhe firil heard the promife of her
of a child when having a fon, {Gen. xviii. 12, — 14.) was miraculouf-
fhe was paft age, ]y invigorated, and enabled, beyond all expectation,
ife fhe indeed 1 n j- • c i. 1 r .
■ thtul who a ordinary operations 01 natural cautes, to con-
prornifed. ceive a male child in the common way of generation ;
and fhe was in due feafon fafely delivered of a fon, to whom, as her offspring, the -covenant of promifes to Abraham was defigned to be fulfilled ; [Gen. xvii. 2 I. and xxi. 12.) and by faith fhe received this ability to conceive and bear a fon, after (he had all along been barren and dead, as to any power of this kind before, {Gen, xi. 30. and Rom. iv. 19.) and had now lived (being ninety years old, Gen. xvii. 17.) paft the ufu- ci! teeming age. This wonderful llrength for concei- ving and undergoing all the agonies of labour and tra- j vail unto the bringing forth of lfaac, was granted 'ier, not for her faith, as though that were the meri- torious caufe of it ; but by means of her faith, which was gracioufly owned and honoured, as fhe trufled in the Lord, that he, to whom nothing is too hard to do, as he told her, {Gen. xviii. 14.) and who is truth itfelf, and had made her a promife of a fon, would faithfully perform it. 1 ? Therefore 12 Therefore, in anfwer to her's, as well as Abra- tbei-e even fcam>6 faith, there dtfeended a vaft progeny, even from
his NOTE. * When Sarah firft heard the promife Sarah was afraid, as repenting of what of the Lord, the Angel of the covenant, fhe had laid ; and yet, in the fright, fur- thal jhe jbould have a fon, (lie, as well prile, flutter, and hurry of her mind, de- as Abraham, mi^ht probably take him nieel it : But it feems that, upon the to be only lb me Itranger of the human whole, and efpeeially after the further race, who came with two others that difcovery which the Lord, who fpoke to Way : It feems that (he did not fee him, her, had made of himfelt as the true Je- the door of the tent being; between him bovah, in his converfation immediately and her, when he fpake thefe words; and afterward with Abraham, flie believed as they contained a promife of what ap- the promife, as given by him, who was peared to her an impoffibility in her cir- able to make it good : And this is what cumftances, fhe fecretly laughed within our apoftk refers, to, without taking any herfelf, in a way of deriding it: But 1 otice of her preceding unbelief, which, when he Lord reproved her for fuch an together with her falfeftood, was merci- incrcuulousmanntrof laughing, by which fully pardoned for the fake of that pro- file perceived that he, who knew what paifed feed, the Median, who proceeded flie had done in lecret, was more than a from the loins of lfaac, the child (he at- man; and when he backed his reproof terwaids conceived* and brought h^rth.^ . Is any thing too hard for (See and compare the account giver or the Lord? At the time appointed -ivi/l thefe things in the Kviiith and former I return unto thee according to the time part of the x\id chapter ot Genejis.} . end Sarah Jhall have a fon; then
Chap.
XI.
Hebrews paraphrnfed.
395
merable.
of one, and him as his own {ingle perfon by her ; and that from him, when good as dead, fo he himfelf, being an hundred years old, {Gen. xvif. TLVX la 1-70 « by reafon of that great age accounted to be titude, and as the as much pail begetting any children, as though lie land which is by had been actually dead*. And the prodigious multi- the fea fhoie intra- tu(je tnat, infuccetdinggenerations, proceeded from his loins in a defcent from Ifaac, was, to fpeak in a pro- verbial way, as numerous as the liars of heaven, ac- cording to God's prcmife to him; {Gen. xv. 5.) yea, as he afterwards expreffed it in another promife, (Gen. xxii. 17.) they were like the grains of land on the fea (hore, which are paft all account.
13 All thefe laft mentioned believers, Abraham , Sarahy I/aac, and Jacob f, not only lived by faith,
which NOTES.
died, as well as lived in faith ; yet they cannot be referred to by the words all thefe. For it is exprefsly faid, ver. 15. 01 the perfons here intended, that if they had been mindful of that country, from whence they came out. they might have had opportunity to have returned; which can be applied only to Abraham and Sa- rah, who in their own perions came out
13 Thefe died in faith,
all not
* The refolution of the difficulty which arifes from what is here faid con- cerning Abraham, that he was as good as dead, and from his many years after- waids (as is generally thought) having had leveral children by Keturah another wife, Gen. xxv. r. is attempted molt com- monly, by fuppoiing that God miracu- loufly renewed the vigour of Abraham's as well as of Sarah's body, through their faith ; and that this continued to Abra- ham many years afterwards. — But Mr. Hallct, in his fupplement to Mr. Peirce's paraphrafe and notes on this epiftle, tup- poles, and has taken a great deal of pains to prove, (and I think with fair probabi
ot Ur of the Chaldees, (Gen. xi 31 ) and to Ifaac and Jacob, who as reckoned to, and included in their parents, might be faid to come out from thence, in like manner as Jofeph's two Ions, which were born in Egypt, were leckoned to the fouls of the houfe of Jacob, which came
lity) that Mofes's hiftory of Abraham's into Egypt, to make up the number of
marrying Keturah is not let in the exact, chronological order, becaufe he prudent- ly chofe to finilh the account of Sarah and her ion Ifaac, without interrupting it with the affair of Keturah, which was foreign to this point, but proper to be afterwards taken notice of. This writer likewife gives feveral other inftances in which the order of time is not obferved in the facred hiftory, as it frequently is neglected with good judgment in many other authors of note; and by comparing the leveral parts of the narration in Ge- nefis, he concludes that Abraham's chil- dren by Keturah were really born before this which he had by Sarah. Curious inquirers may confult his very large and elaborate note on this verfe ; and if his thoughts be admitted, the whole diffi- culty for reconciling thefe paffages is ef- fectually removed at once-
f nil thefe is not to be under flood as including Abel, Noah, and Enoch: ror Enoch did not Jie, but was tranilaud, that he mould not lee death, as had been C&id, ver. 5.; and though Abel and Noah
threelcore and ten. {Gen. xlvi 2 7. ) and as God fpeaks of Ifrael's coming out of Egypt* {H(lK- u 5) many ages after he brought their anceftors out of that lard; and as Abraham and Sarah, fo Ifaac and Jacob, were laid in our foregoing con- text, i<er. 9 to be heirs of the fame pro- mife, to which, together with the pro- mife of an innumerable feed like the ftars, and the fand upon the fea-fhore, <ver it, 12. the prom ifes, in the faith of which they died, moft naturally refer: And as Canaan was an eminent type of heaven, and the Mefjiah was the great and capital blefling intended in the pro- mile of the feed which ihould fpring from Abraham and Sarah; <o the faith in which they, inelufive of Ifaac and Ja- cob, lived and died, ultimately refpecled the heavenly inheritance, which \hey looked for and defined, ver. 10, 16 as al- fo the Mefliah, in whom all nations Jhould beblejfed: For we are told, Gen xv 5, 6. the place here referred to. that the Lord brought Abraham abroad, and f/id3 Look now towards heaver, and tell the
./tars,
39<>
The Epijlle to the
Chap. xi.
having received vrhich was their great fupport under all difficulties
the promifes, but ap(i trials ; but their faith (as all faith that is of a
afar"!tT "nd were n£nt ^^ does) held out to the end of their days ;
perfuaded of them, an<l they died in a lively and comfortable exercife of
and embraced it, with refpe£t to bleilings thereafter to be enjoyed
then, and con- by themfelves in a better world, as well as by their
wfreftrMgcrsmd Pofterity in this5 thtY not having been a^ual partak-
pilgriras ^ until.
the crs of the great and good things promifed, neither for themfelves, nor for their oifspring, as they not only had not received poiIeiTion of the promifed land of Canaan, nor lived to fee innumerable defcendents from them; but, (which their faith principally pitch- ed upon) as they were not yet arrived at the heaven- ly ftate of bleffednefs and glory, nor had feen the promifed Saviour actually fent into the world, which was the great blefling ultimately intended and realiz- ed by faith in the promifes : But they faw them, e- fpecially relating to the Mefliah, by an eye of faith, as things which certainly would be accomplished, not immediately, but at a great diftance of time to come ; and they underftood the meaning of them, and dif- cerned fomething of the wifdom, power, grace, and faithfulnefs of God, that (hone forth in the promifes of them : And they were fully convinced and fatisfi- ed in their own minds, that they were the true fay- ings of God, and mould infallibly be fulfilled in due fcafon : And thereupon they flducially and af- fectionately received, and joyfully embraced them, in their fpecial reference to the Mefliah, and to all hea- venly happinefs through him, as things of the moll excellent nature and of the higheft importance : And under this believing view, perfuafion, and cordial re- ception of them, they freely and boldly owned, in word and deed, and were willing to have it publicly known, as is exprefsly recorded of Abraham and Ja- cob, (Gen. xxiii. 4*. and xlvii. 9.) that they looked upon themfelves, not as at home in this world ; but as, in a fpiritual fenfe, aliens and foreigners, whofe hearts and hopes, intereft and happinefs, were not placed on any of its concerns, and as travellers, like pilgrims, palling through the earth, even as, in a li- teral fenfe, they feverally were in the land of Canaan: All which was a lively emblem of the Hate of God's people in this world; every one of them may well fay with propriety, as David did, I am a J1 ranger with
theey NOTE. Jlars, if thou canfl number them ; fo Mefliah for juftification, faying, Abra- Jhall thy feed be ; and be believed the ham believed God, and it was counted Lord, and he counted it to him for righ- unto him for righteoufnefs. (Rom. iv. teonf?icfs, which the apoftle interprets 3.) with relation to Abraham's faith in the
Chap. xi. Hebrews paraphrajed. 397
thee, and afojourner, as all my fathers were. (Pf. xxxix. 12.)
14 For they that 14 For thefe ancient faints, and all who, with fay fuch things, de- JJJ^ fcfa j„ tfce promifes, fpeak of themfelves as they6 feekVcoun! ^rangers and p%rims on the earth, do hereby both try. profeffedly and conftru&ively make it manifeft to all
about them, that, inftead of fetting their affections on this world, or rating their happinefs by it, or wifh- ing to have their portion, and to live always in it, they keep in view, defire, hope for, and earntftly feek af- ter their heavenly Father's "country, (vratT^x iTri^n- tvo-i) a large and delightful place of abode, which, as his children by fpiritual birth, is their own native home, where they mall dwell with him for ever.
15 And truly if 15 And to fhew that the country, which they fo they had been diligently fought, and were going to, was not their mindful of that former j j anotber country upon eartn It is country from . . .... , , , , • r 1 1 •
whence they came vei7 certain that, it they had been thoughtful about, out, they might hankering after, and defirous to return to Ur of the have had oppor- Cha/deer, their original country, and to their dear turned -° ^ **" frl'ends> relations, and poffeffions there, from which,
in obedience to God's command, Abraham and his wife, and Ifaac and Jacob (as included in them, and afterwards approving of what they had done) chear- fully departed to go into the promifed land of Ca- naan, they had time and liberty enough, and might eaiily have found means and conveniences for going back with faftty thither ; the way to it being fhort, and cafy ; and there being none that would have op- pofed the attempt. x6 But now 16 But now, even while they had opportunity, if they defire a bet- they chofe jt> of returnmg to the land of the ChaU tei £°*^avenly • dees, all their defire (as that of every true believer wherefore God is does) tended to, and ultimately centered in, a nobler not afhamed to be fettlement in the tranfeendently more excellent world, called their God ; tjiat ;s Qf a oifferent and fublimer nature, more fatisfy- pared^o/theoTa in£> glorious, and abiding, than that country which city. they had left, and would not return to ; or than that
in which they now were ftrangers and pilgrims ; or indeed than any other, the moft pleafant that can be imagined upon earth ; and this is no other than hea- ven itfelf*, which is an inheritance incorruptible,
and NOTE. * This carries the higheft evidence here, and ver. 14. told they did. And that the Patriarchs had a revelation and though Canaan was an eminent type of promife of a future ftate of glory in hea- heaven; yet that land itfelf could not ve~ : For otherwife they could not have be the heavenly country here intended ^ looked by faith for a city, nthofe builder for this is called a better country, in op- and maker is God, ?s it is laid 'hey did, pofition to that in which they were now fer. 10. Nor could they have had fuch pilgrims, and which they themfelves ne- r.otions of it, to engage their earneftly ver did enjoy ; and God himfelt is faid defiring and feeking after it, as we are to be the builder and maker of the city,
(ver.
398 The E&iflle to the Chap. xi.
and undefded, and that fadeth not away. ( i Pet. i. 4.) And as their hearts were fo fet upon their hea- venly inheritance, in preference to all others ; and their faith was the evidence of things not feen, as well as 'he fuhjlance of thing? h'sped for ; (ver. 1.) fo in confequence of this, though not for any merit in it, God in his infinite condclcenfion and love does not difdain, or think it any difhonour to himfelf, to be in a peculiar and diftinguifliing manner their covenant- God and Father ; as he would, if he had nothing better to bellow upon them, than the good things of this world ; and efpecially, if he left them in afflicted circumftances, fo deltitute of thofe comforts, as they were all their days : But he, on the contrary, counts it his glory to be their God, and to be claimed, and called upon by them, as fuch, and to be publicly known by this title in the world, as appears by his faying to Mofes, (Exod. iii. 6, 15.) / am the God cf Abraham, the God \of Ifaac, and the God of Ja- cob. This is my name for ever, and this is my me- morial unto all generations. And he has given the fulleft and flrongeil evidence oi his bei»g their God, and owning himfelf to be fo : For, according to his fpecial relation to them, and their faith and hope in him, he has gracioufly appointed, laid out, framed, and fitted up (vroipxri) a glorious city of habitation for their whole perfons, foul and body *, to dwell hi with himfelf, even a building of God, an houfe not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. (2 Cor. v. 1. fee the note there.) 17 By faith A- 1 7 Now, to return particularly to the faith of A- braham, when he braham, in fome remarkable after-a&ings of it un- was tned, offerfd der the moft difficult and trying circumftances : When
fL ta0V *" ■ * Abraham had in the forementioned miraculous man- tnat had received . _ .. . - ,. •
the promifes, offer- ner obtained a fon by his wife Sarah, (ver. 11, 11.) ed up his only be- and was, for the moil eminent trial and proof of the gotten y™.- fincerity and ftrength of his faith, love, and obedi-
ence, NOTES. (ver. 10/) which he prepared for them, felf, as a proof of the refurrection of the in this heavenly country ; whereas Jeru- faints to eternal life; Matth. xxii. 3?. jalem, in the land of Canaan was built (fee the note there) and fo God's prepa- by the hands of men ; and thefe patri- ring for thsm a city, includes a relurrec- archs had no notice given them, that God tion of the body to immortal glory, as would ever prepare fuch a city for their well as the happinefs of the foul in the own pofleffion ; nor could they have any full enjoyment of God to all eternity, expectation that they themfelves fhould Accordingly, fome of the ancient belie- ever enjoy it : But their faith looked to vers are fpoken of, as expecting to obtain the heavenly inheritance, which God a better refurre£lion, (ver. 35.) and has prepared for them that love him. therefore they, being the fons of God,
* God's faying to Mofes, I am the might well be faid to wait for the adop- God of Abraham, and the God of Ifaac, tion. to wit, the redemption of the body, and the God of Jacob, long after they as the apoftle fpeaks of New Teftament- were dead, is alledged by our Lord him- believers. Rom. viii. 513.
Chap. xi. Hebrews paraphrafid. 399
ence, called to offer him up as a burnt-offering to God, and to facrifice him with his own hand, even his beloved fon Ifaoc * ', (Gen. xxii. I, 2.) H-* rea- dily obeyed the divine order, fo as in good earneff to refolve, and do what in him lay, to execute it, pot- withitanding all that unbelief might have fuggcitcd againll it ; and, having prepared all things for it, he would actually have (lain him, as he was juft at the point of doing, had not a counter command, by an im- - mediate voice from heaven at that very inftant, pre- vented it. (Gen. xxii. n, 12.) And this great be- liever, who had been favoured with, and had embra- ced and firmly depended upon, the promifes of what great and good things God would do for him and his feed, and efpecially upon the grand comprehenlive promife, which was often repeated, relating to the coming of the Mc fliah himfelf through lfaac' & loins, did nevertheleis, by another acr of faith on the fupreme and indifputable authority of God, as command- ing it, freely refign and offer him up as a lacrince to the Lord, in the manner before-mentioned, even this his dearly beloved and only begotten fon by Sa- rah, and the only fon of his hopes, according to the promiles, which were to be fulfilled by means of this fon, or not at all. 1 8 Of whom it 18 Concerning which very fon, God, to comfort was laid That in Abraham at his being obliged to part with I/hmael, Iiaac lhall thy feed r - , . , • t /, &. &. T r.r n 11 u r j
be called: laid to him, (Gen. xxi. 12.) In Lfaac Jhall thy feed
be called ; thereby affuring him, that it was not by the fon of Hagar the bond- woman, nor by any other
of NOTE. * Though Abraham was prevented God, nor his natural affection, efpecially executing his defign, in offering up lfaac; to fuch a Ion. would have fuffered hiiu yet he fully intended it, fet about it, and deliberately to defign and go about it; would undoubtedly have done it, in obe- yet he was fure that God had command* dience to the divine command, had he ed it. and as God has an abfolute -and not been reftrair.ed at the critical June- uncontrollable right to order the taking ture by a voice from heaven ; and his away of any man's life by what means or proceeding fo far, as be did in the inte- inftruroents he pleafes, by the knife, or grity of his heart, was accepted in the the iword, as well as by the peftilence divine conftruction, as if he had actually and other difeafes, what Abraham did, flain him, as appears from the reaibn that and was about to do, was evcy way is given of the prohibition in the next both juftifiable and commendable, as it words; for now I know that thou fear- was a mere act of the highefr an,, eft God, feeing thou hafl not with-held felf- denying obedience to God's plain thy fen, thine only fon from me. (Gen. cpmmand. And this can never be drawn xxii. 9, — 12.) — The enemies of divine re- into a precedent, for any one, that has velation have made hideous outcries a- no fuch plain and exprefs command from gainft this command of God, and Abra- God, to takeaway the innocent life of ham's obedience to it But though it another, any more than a private perlbn would have been indeed a murderous act can be warranted to kill another in Abraham to facrifice his fon, unlefs he out the authority ot the civil magirtrate, had received a pofitive command from who has a right to order his executioner God for it ; and though, without this di- to pur criminals to death, vine warrant, neither his piety toward
Vol.V. ■ Fff
"The Epiftk to the
Chap. xi.
that God wi
lift him up,
even from the dead; from whence be received n a ::rure.
of hi* own ions ; but only by this fon of Sarah the free- woman, [Gal. iv. 30.) that the promife fhould be fulfilled, which he had made of an innumerable pofic.icy, that fhould be caiied to inherit both tem- poral ana fpivitual ballings, and particularly the great promife of the MefTiah's proceeding from his loins ac- cording to the fiem, in whom his fpiritual feed of all nations mould be bleffed, through faith in him.
19 But notwithstanding all thofe heavy damps up- on his own love to, and believing hopes about this fon of the promife, and all thofe feeming inconfiftencies •with the promife itfelf, which was the moft touching and grievous trial of his faith that can be imagined, be made no difficulty o£ revolving, and attempting to do what God had commanded him, in this mod un- accountable inftsnee ; he having reafoned and conclu- ded [Xoy;vctcy.^) in the exercife of his faith, that if he were to obe^" the divine order in Sacrificing his fon, God, to whom all things are poflible, couVl eafily raife him u]) to l:fe again ; and, in cafe the promife could not ott.crwife be fulfilled, would certainly give him back to [ana bv a timely refurrecxion, even from the dead ; from whence, to fpeak in a figurative way, (<v t^;js£ak) he accordingly did receive him to life, who had been in the very article of death, devoted to it, and given up as a dead fon without the leaf! hope to t! : And as he had before received him
from hie own and Sarah's dead bodies, as it were from the dead ; fo this was receiving him again in the fimi- litude cfa rt furreftion From the dead, and that as a type of the death and refurrection of Chrift, the only- begotten Son of God, and of the refurrection of true believers to eternal life, through him.
20 It was by faith in the promife of God to i hivniVif, (Gen. xxvi. 4.) as well as to his father A* hrahem and bis feed, and in the divine fuggerlion, which iecretly directed his mind and lips to give forth prophetic predictions to his two fous *', that he firft,
though T E.
to, God's d'c'anuiou to Rebecca, that t^c elder Jbbuld fette the younger, (Gen. xxv. z> j defigned to bjefs Ffan. as the firlt-born, bat through de eption Meffed Jacob, inftead or" him ; {Gen. xv-ii. :r, — 29 ) vet he mioht blefs him with faith in the promi;"?. which God had made to 7, that he vroulA'mmie bis feed to multiply, as the /Jars of heaven, and that in his feed fljonld all the nations of the earth be bleffed; (Gen. xxvi. 4.) and he might blefs Jacob, us firnaly believing that the immediate impulfe he was un- der to bids the Ion then before him, was
indeed
.. I;- :..irh I- ; [acpb and Efau, concern- ing things to come.
N O * Though it mufl be acknowledged, that Rebecca's artful and fallacious m-- ntfgement, fo obtain the bleffing for Ja- il 6, — 24) WJfs by no means piftifta'blr, or fit to be irhj
over-ruled it, ■'lence, for 'r • tcioOs purpofe and
fe relating "■'■ he did the
conf. .■■> vtis again't Chrift,
fpr br it the ^n-at work of ra-
tion by him, A&s ;i tgh Ifaac, either not having h or not underftood, or not duly attended
Chap. xi. Hebrews paraphrafcd. 401
though unwittingly as to the f>erfon he was then fpeak- ing to, pronounced, according to God's own i'.;\e- ,;n determination, the chief blefling up m Jacob his younger fon, which naturally belonged to the firft- born, and inclosed inch as were both temporal and ipiritual; and afterwards, he, by the fame prophetic ipint, pronounced only the bktlings of this worl on Efin ; both which benedictions related to tl which he believed would take place upon their rc- fpeclive offsprings fof generations to come, and • w^re accordingly fulfilled in jcwwrtBrtZ-ftiercies to Ja- cob, and temporal ones to Efou. 21 Ty faith Ja- 21 As Jacob, the covenant-fon of Ifaact lived, fo
'r\in*n hiei^l he died' m an exercifc of fa,'th cn the promlfes of his both/Tlfe ions of ^cd, %vho> by the angel of the covenant, had been ; and wov- ^skb him all his fife /**£» end redeemed him from ihipnrd leaning all c vd, and who he believed would bring his pofte- up<j* the top cf rjty to the land of Canaan, and fulfil his promifes to them. {Gen. xlviii. 15, 16, 21.) It was by this faith, that the venerable patriarch, when, through the infirmities of extreme old age, he was very feeble, and drew near to the grave, prayed in a folemn man- ner fur, md by a prophetic fpirit foretold, bleffings that fnould come upon his grand-children, Ephrdim and Man a /Teh, the two fens of J'-Jeph ; and deiignedly crofimg his hands, under divine direction, fo as to lay his right hand upon the head of Ephraim, the young- er brother, who was placed at his left, and his left hand on the head of Manajjeh, the elder, who was placed at his right hand, he pronounced a bleiTing up- on^eac'h of them, diilin&ly declaring, in humble con- fidence, that God would blcis them, that though both ilioukl be great, the younger mould be greater than the elder ; [Gen. xlviii. 15, — zc.) ami fo it w the event, as it afterua.'d appeared at the num- bering of the tribes, when Epoetin's was fbunr) to F f £ 2 be
N o t j;.
indeed from God, and that Cod would Jacob's blefiing was that of th? cove- certainly confer the bleffing which he nant- birthright in Abraham's I was prompted to pronounce upon him in which included not only a promhe of the a way of prayer and prophecy : Accord- land of Canaan, but alio of the rVteffiab, ingly, when fie afterwards found, that, and of th-.* spiritual bleffings which ihouid contrary to his own intention, he had be derived hum him, as that feed of A- bleffed Jacob inflead uf Ejau, his faith brabain in whom all nations mould be entirely acquiefced in it, faying, 1 have blefled. \nd therefore EJau is called a bh[Ted him, yea, and he f.-uli be bleffed. profane per/an, winch intimates, an ir- (Gen. xxvii. 33.) — This prophetic bene- religious temper in him, for lellmg this diction included fyiritaal, as weJJ as, birthright. (Hib. xii. 16. fee the note yea, more than temporal bleffings : For there.) Accordingly, the I Jacob's whole life was full of troubles, which ljuac afterward pronounced upon and neither he, nor his poftt.iity in gene- him, Geo?. Xxvii, 39, 4 ral, !iad fo much affluence of temporal ;. tl advantages as Efou and his feed had. But
4^2 The Epiflle to the Chap. xi.
be greater than ManaJJeb's; (Numb. i. 32, — 35.) and Jacob folemnly worfhipped God *, in the moft reverent pofture he could, by bowing his head, and fupporting himfelf on the top of his ftaff. m By faith Jo- 22 To take notice of only one inftance more in when he <fi- the period of time from Noah to Mofcs, It was by of\hTdee|iarting0o° faith in the Promift> madc to Abraham, (Gen. xv. the children of lfra- '3> H-) tMat l°f€ph-> one °f tne darling fons of Jo- el ; and ^ave com- cob, whoft faith held out amidft all the adverfity and idment con- profperity he had paffed through in Egypt, when he is bones. drew ne.lr his endj recoHeaed and reminded his bre- thren, for the encouragement of their faith, which 71 :hc evidence of things not feen, (ver. 1.) that though he, who had been their protector, was foon to die, and after his deceafe they would be expofed to great hardfhips and oppofition from the Egyp- tians ; yet God, in his appointed time, would furely viiit them in his faithfulnefs and kindnefs, and bring them out of the land of Egypt, and carry them unto the /and, which he [ware to Abraham, to Ifaac, and to Jacob : And as he firmly believed this ; fo, in tefti- mony of his faith concerning it, (Gen. 1. 24, 25.) he ilri&ly charged his brethren, taking an oath of thems to embalm his dead body, and preferve it in a fafe re- pofitory, while they mould continue in Egypt ; and that whenever God fhould bring them out, as he furely would, from thence, and give them pofTeflion of the promiied land, they mould then take fpecial care to carry his bones along with them, and bury them there; which order he gave in token of his hope of a refur- redtion to the eternal inheritance, of which the land of Caanan was a iignal type, as well as that they would certainly be put in|o pofieffion of that land, faitli Mo- 23 When, by the good providence of God, Mcfer, ''"■ "s that great and eminent lawgiver, was born, who was months of his pa- to ^c a ,emarkable type of Chrift, as the great ruler iey an<3 deliverer of Ijraci, and the prophet which the law be was a pro- Lord their God would raife up unto them, (Acts iii. P" 2 2.)
NOTE. * This paffage is quoted from Gen. which are exprefsly faid to be after that xlvii 31. which we rrantlate, Ifracl and Tome other things, Gen. xlvii. 31. voiced himfelf i/pon the bed's head But and xlviii, 1, &c And therefore he, as the Hebrew word (IKE) render- moil probably, was fitting either on his . according to different bed/uie, or on a couch or ,1, , a chair, or z /la£\ the apoftle under the mhrm.t.es of decrepid old age, of it i**flqf, aadibit Hands in whic> ;n *he whoIe' am^d t0 an the verfions of I he Suriac and the Seven- hu,ldrcd a"d t^ty-leven years. Gen. xlvii. ty ; and it items froro all circumftances 2^ > and that he might pay h.s adorations mottnaturaltotakeitinthisfeBfecFor, »» bo",ni Poiu,rf- he fopp^ Jul- ia ordinfc to the hiitorv. IfraeVi bowing £*£ bJ leaning^ the top of h^ walking I wa^of divine adoration, herl ftatl as not being able to do it Handing, ■ as tick, and or kneeling. before he ble fifed Jofepb's Ions, both of
Ghap. xi. Hebrews paraphrafed. 403
per child and they 22.) It was by faith that his parents, the father con- were not afraid ot curring with the mother, concealed hi? birth, and the king's corn- ^ t him m rQme privatc place, till he was a quarter mandment. cv , , .r. r r . \ ■«._
of a year old, waiting for a convenient opportunity
to difpofe of him in fuch a way, as God might direct them to, for the preicrvation of his life in thofe pe- rilous days. This they attempted by laying him in a fort of cradle, or open cheft, made of bin mines, and plaiftered with (lime or pitch to prevent the wa- ter's foaking into it ; and then lodged it in a clufter of 'flags, which grew on the brink of the river; where Pharaoh's daughter providentially coming, and feeing his beauty, and hearing his cries, was moved with compaflioH towards him, and took care of him, as though he had been her own child. (Ex. ii. i, — 10.) That which influenced his parents to caft him upon providence, in this manner, ior his prefervation was., becaufe his countenance ftruck them with admiration, and engaged their tenderer! affection to him, when they obferved that he was an extraordinary beautiful child *, and very promifing. by his furprifingly ami- able afpect, for fome great eminence in his day ; and jfo might prove the happy inftrument of Ifraei's deli- verance out of their hard bondage, which they belie- ved would certainly be brought about by fome He- brew, whom God would ralfe up for that glorious purpofe, according to his promifes ; and by means of this faith, and their fearing God rather than man, they, like the religious midwives, (Ex. i. 17.) were not afraid to run the rifk of their own lives, by en- deavouring to fave the life of this fon, and fo expo- fing themfelves to the wrath of Pharaoh for difobey- ing his barbarous edict, which he iflutd out f, com- manding the midwives and all his people to deftroy every male that fhould be born of the Hebrews. (Ex. i. 15, 16, 22.)
24 When
NOTES.
* A proper child (ao-Tacv) fignifiestftf yet as no fubtilty or power of man can exceeding beautiful or comely child, and prevail againft the counlel of the Lord, in Acts vii. id Mofes is -aid to have been whole kingdom rules over all; io he took exceeding fait . (aorEjcp ru 0£a>) which, care that the blood-thirfty defign Humid literally rendered, as we have it in the not be brought to pafs in cutting oft Mo- margin, fignifies/a/r to God; and may fes : And it is evident that afterwards, intimate that he watfair in the fight of by the over-ruling providence of God, God, or was of lome divinely beautiful this commandment of the king was 'ome form, with an uncommon luftre in his way or other relaxed, or deieated ; tor countenance. otherwife the IfraeHtef could not have
f At the time of Mojes's birth, Pha- fo prodi^ioufly increased, as they did,
raoh\ cruel edict for killing all 'he male- from the time of the birth of Mofes to
children that fhould be born to the He- the time of his being fenr to bring them
brenvs, was in full force, and was. doubt- out ot Egypt; he being then eighty years
lefs, executed, as far as poflible, with old, as we are informed, Exod. vii. 7. the utmoft watchfuinefs and feverity ;
404 The Epiftlc to the Chap. xi.
24 By faith Mo- 24 When this famous Mcfcs himfelf grew up to fes, when he was matur;ty 0f Hature a ,e Rnd underftandm?, and to come to years, re- i • • fo.ri , . £ ' .
fu'fed to be called £reat attainments m wifdom, learning, and dignity, the fon or Pha- and f° became every way truly great, (^eyos?) by the »aoh's daughter; time he was forty years u\d ; (_'/ 3j vii. 22, 23.) It was by faith in the promifes made to Abraham, 1- Jaac, and "Jacob, his covenant-ancestors, and in the invifible things of a better world, that he bravely de- fpifed and rejected the honours and advantages, even to his probably Succeeding to the Egyptian crown, that might arife from being looked upon, owned, and treated, as the adopted fon of fo great a princefs as Pharaoh's daughter : (fee the note on Acls vii. 23.) And he was defirous to be known by the defpicable name of an Hebrew, notwithstanding all the hardmips p. and difgrace, which that people were then fubjecl to, rather than to abandon their God and their religion, and to be fpoken of and regarded under the high pom- pous title of her fon : He accordingly quitted the court, and all its magnificence, and made the concerns of his afHi&ed brethren his own, as one who determi- ned to take his lot with them ; 25 Choofing ra- 25 Renouncing, with a generous difdain, all thofe tfKr to fuiter af- tempt{ngr allurements to flefh and fenfe ; becaufe, in Miction with the , r ° .r - . f . . . . . ' '
people of Gcd tne exerciie or his taith, he rather choie to undergo than to enjov the the fevereft fufferings and troubles with God's own pleai'ures of fin for peculiar people in their oppreiled and calamitous cir- a featon ; cumftances, than to gratify the flefh with an enjoy-
ment of all the grandeur, affluence, and fenfual plea- fures of a pompous, idolatrous, and luxurious court, which were all defiling, uncertain, fading, and perill- ing ; which could be but of very fhert continuance, and could not be indulged without finning againft God, and thereby expofing himfelf to everlafting wrath and ruin. z6 Efteeming 26 Such was his faith in the MeJJiah, who fhould the reproach of fpring from the feed of Abraham, and be their Sa- es tha^he'Seal flom> that> upon deliberately weighing, and putting lure/; of Egypt: lor *n balance the worli of religion againft the beft of this he had refpecl un- world, he formed this account, that the heavier!, con- to tjs recompence tempt, fcorn, and derfion, with all the perfections that naturally follow them, and were actually endured by the Ifrac/iier, or that could be inflicted upon hirri- ielf for the fake of Chriil and his faith in him, whom God would anoint to be the only fpiritual and effec- tual Redeemer of his people, and on whom all their reproaches and fufferings ultimately fell, as he, their head, accounts them to be done to himfelf: [ASh ix. 4.) All this, whatsoever others might think of it, he efteemed to be a richer gain for tluj gioty '-' God, and the good of his church and of his own foul, than
the
reward
Chap. xi. Hebrews parapbrafcd. 405
the grcateft emoluments, products, and advantages of the fruitful land, and fplendid court of Efypt could be to him, were they all in his own pofTeffion : For he by faith (ct7n£te7n) looked off from all thofc perifhing riches, on one hand, and beyond all thofe temporal hardlhips, on the other ; and found the fweetelt fupport in his hope of, and looking forward to, the immortal crown of glory, which he realized, as referved for him in heaven ; and which he well knew would amply recompence, and abundantly more than make amends for all the reproaches, wants, and fufferings he might undergo, for the fake of a good confeience, in his purfuit of it *. 27 By faith he 27 It was accordingly by faith in the command forfook Egypt, not and Jfe of God whcn he fent hJm t d{{ hJ
tearing the wrath \ riiirir- • .,.
of the king : for PeoPie out ot the land ot tne Egyptians, and to bring he endured as <ee. them to a good laid. (Exod.fii. 6, — 12.) that, a- ipg him who is in- bout forty years after f he had fled from the face of viliWe- Pharaoh, into the land of Midia*, (Exod. ii. 15.
and vii. 7. compared with Acls vii. 23, — 30.) he re- turned to Egypt; and when Pharaoh, under the heat of refentment at the many plagues which had been inflicted, faid to him, Get thou from me, and fee my face no more ; for in that day thou fecfl my face thnu jhalt die, Mofes was fo far from being ter*. 1 rifled, that he replied with an unfhaken boldnefs of faith, Thou hall fpohon meU. I wilt fee thy face a- gain no more , (Exod. x. 28, 29.) and thereupon he immediately departed from the presence of the king, and foon after took his final leave of Egypt, to lead the children of Ifrat'l out from thence, defencelefs
and NOTES.
* This rcfpecl to the recovip£nce of revelation of, and had faith and hope re-
reward could not relate to an inherit- lating to, a future ftate of happinefs in
anee in the land of Canaan, as fome heaven : And this is called the recom-
would fuggeft: Fer Mofes had no di- pence of reward, not as though it were
vino warrant to fupport his faith and merited, or earned, by any one's faith,
hope of perfonally receiving this reward; fufferings, and obedience ; but as it is a
and he was never (uffeied to enter into rich gift of God, which he in infinite
that land ; but in caiV he had, he could wifdom and grace freely bellows, fov
no" have expected greater treafures of an Chn'ft's fake, upon his fuffering fervants,
earthly nature there, than he formerly in a return ofhlefllngs upon them, that
■ faireft profpecls of in Egypt; over-balance all their fufferings for him,
and he could never think it worth his and are chiefly conferred upon them af-
> ' \\)n\e himidf to the greateft ter all their trials are ended. (See Rom,
reproaches and perfecutior.s for the fake vi. 23. and viii. 18.)
of an exchange of thefe. This lecom- \ This relates not to his firft flight
'.reward therefore, which he had from Pharaoh, when, upon hi<- having
a re', • e ct t0, is evidently the '-me with llain the V^yptian, he feared that PA/z-
. which has foundations, and the raoh having heard of it would flay him ;
v coiuitry, that are fpoken of, {Exod ii. [4, 15.) hut to his fecond de-
yer. 10. 16. as what his believing ancef- parture from Pharaoh, after he was fen-t
tors had looked for, and ciciired ; an;' fo to deliver the children of Ifrael out of
fliews that he, as well as they, had a their bondage, Exod, vii. 2.
406 The Epijlle to the Chap. xi.
and unarmed as they were ; he not being in the leaft daunted by the fevere threatnings of that haughty monarch; no, nor afterwards by his mad fury, when, like an enraged and mercilefs tyrant, he followed the Ijraehtes with a powerful army to revenge himfelf upon them in their utter deflruc~tion. Nothing of this kind moved him, or made him afraid of going forward in obedience to God's command; ( Ex. xiv. 15.) but he was bold and courageous, amidft all dif- ficulties and dangers, while a mighty purfuing hod was behind them, and the Rcd-fea before them; and in the ftrength of his faith he faid to the people, Fear ye not ; Hand hull, and fee the falvation of the Lord : ( Exod. xiv. 13.) For he endured the ter- rors of all outward appearances of unavoidable de- ftruction in that fituation, with ftedfaft courage and refolution, (iKcc^rt^na-i) as having as realizing views of God by faith, and as firm a dependence upon his goodnefs, power, and faithfulnefs, for deliverance, as though with his bodily eyes he had beheld him vi- fibly prefent, to fave them by his out ftretched arm, ivhom, in his own nature and perfections, which are all fpiritual, no man has feen, nor can fee. (1 Tim. vi. 16.) 1 28 Through faith 28 It was by faith in the promifes, that God he kept the pais- wou\& bring his people out of E?ypty and in the pro- fpTinkling'of blood*, mifed Meffiah, who Ihould fpring from them, as alfo left he that de- in the divine inftitution of a ftanding, fignificant or- ftroyed the firft- dinance, that Mofes himfelf, in obedience to God's born, fliould touch COmmand, obferved all the rites of the pafchal fupper, and obliged the people of Ifrael to do the fame, which was afterwards to be a commemorative facri- fice, through all generations, of the Lord's palling over the houfes of the children of Ifrae/, when he fmote the Egyptians ; and was prefigurative of the redeeming death of Chrift, who as the Lamb of God, without blemifhand without fpot, was our paffover fa~ crijiced for z/.r:*(i Cor. v. 7. and 1 Peter i. 18, 19.) And, by a like exercife of faith, he ordered that another * temporary ordinance, annexed to the former, fuitable to the then peculiar circumftances of
things, NOTE. * Though fprinkling the blood of the fpoken of, as a perpetual memorial and pafchal lamb be fignificant, in atypical or dina?tce throughout their generations, reference to the application of the blood Exod. xii. 14, 24, — 27. and was accoid- of Chrift, which is called the blood of ingly kept in the moft folemn manner e- fprinklint. Heb. xii. 24. and all the effi- very year ; but we neither here, or any cacy of which to our own falvation de- where eKe, read of fprinkling the blood pends upon its being applied to us; yet of the pafchal lamb, either as appointed it feems to have been but a temporary of God, or practifed by the Ifraelites af- ordinance, fuited to the then prefent oc- ter this time, cafioa : For the feafi of the pajover is
Chap. xi.
cto By faith they paffed through the Red-lea, as by dry land: which the Egyptians allying to do, were drown- ed.
Hebrews paraphrafed. 4-7
things, mould be carefully obferved according to the command of God, namely, that the blood of the paf- chal lamb mould be fprinkled upon the lintels and door-pofts of the houfes of the children of Ifrael, for their protection from the deftroying angel, to the end that («v«) when he was cutting o& all the firft-born t££gjpt9 both man and lx:;lt, and fliould fee the blood upon the houfes of the Ifraelitesy he might fpare the firft-born of both forts that belonged to them. ( Ex. xii. 7, 12, 13.)
29 To conclude the account of the wonderful ef- fects of Mofes* faith, which brings the whole affair ol Ifrael's deliverance out of Egypt to its final and hap- py period, It was principally by means of his faith, as depending upon the power of God to make good his word of promife, in a way of obedience to his command, that when he ordered him to lift up his rod and fir etch out his hand over thefea, he did fo; * and thereupon the Lord, in a miraculous manner, caufed the fea to go back by ajlrong eajl wind all that nighty and di- vided its watersy in fo much that the Ifraelitesy en- couraged by this atlonifhing appearance of God for them, followed their leader, and went after him into the midjl of the Redjea, as upon dry grout: d ; and the waters were a wall unto them on their right handy and on their lefty (Ex. xiv. 1 6, 21, 22.) 'till they all paiTed over from the Egyptian to the Arabian more, without the lofs of one foul among them, (fee the Uuiverfal H if lory y Vol. I. page 505, b'c. in the u.Qte) which the Egyptiansy Pharaoh, and his huge holt of chariots and horfe-men, attempting to do, as vainly prefuming without a divine warrant, which M had, that they might fucceed therein, as well as the IfraetiteSy were overwhelmed with the waters, and
drowned
N O * Tbey faffed through the Red-fea, Relates to the children of Ifrael, who were fpoken of in the preceding verle ; but their palling through it by faith. I am ftrongiy inclined to think relates chiefly, if not only, to MofesJ faith, ra- ther than to their own: For it is only the eminent effects of bis faith, that the apoftle fpeaks of all along before, from iter. 24. down to this verfe, none of which exceeded, if any of them equalled this ; and the generality of the tfraelites are reprefented on this very occafion, as exceflively unbelieving and murmuring, and no way commendable for their faith, whatsoever fome few amongft them, fuch as Caleb and Jq/hua, might be. (See Evod. xiv. 10, — n.) And yet upon what Mofes further told them from the Vol. V.
T E.
Lord to filence their fears, and upon, their feeing the waters miraculoutlv di- vide at his ftretching out his hand with the rod in it, <ver. 13, — 16. their faith was fo far revived as to encourage them to venture into the broad open channel of the lea after him. who probably en- tered into it firlt as their leader : but then the deli\'eiance w;.s wrought, ra- ther in anfwer.to his fail h, tii*n tl in their paffing through the Red-fea. — This was called the Red-fea, not from any rednefi ot r its waters or land, as fc»i»e imaging; but it took that name from its warning the borders of Efau's cpfinti who was called Edorn, Which fignihes red. (See Wells's Geography of the Oid Tes- tament, Vol. II. p. yOj — 95.)
G gg
40 8
The Eptjlle to the
Chap.
XI,
2,0 Bv faith the
bout feven days.
drowned by the fea's returning to its Jirength, and co- vering them, as foon as Mobs J} retched forth his hand over it again, by afecond command, which the Lord gave him fo to do ; and there remained not fo much as one of them alive ; (Ex. xiv. 23, — 28.) which was a juil retaliation for the editl, that ordered all the male children of Ifrael to be drowned. (Exod. i. 22.)
30 To add another particular, or two, of the e-
loX ° aftefthS minent fVu!ts of faIth' lt was ^ mean8 of the faith were compafled a- °f fofliua, Caleb, and others, (in the afterwards
more believing generation than the former had been) whereby they depended upon the promife, power, and veracity of God for giving them pofifeffion of the land of Canaan, that when, according to his com- mand, the priefts on the feventh day blew with the trumpets of rams horns, and the people gave a loud fhout, the walls of Jericho, a fortified city, miracu- loufly fell down flat to the ground, not by any effi- cacy in the blowing and fhouting themfelves, or by any human force whatfoever ; but merely by the im- mediate power of God, which was exerted for that purpofe, at the very inilant of this appointed fignal ; and a breach was thereby made wide enough for the army of Ifrael to go flraight forward, and enter in- to the city, and take it without obflruclion. (See fofh. vi. 1,— 20.)
3 1 It was by faith in the God of Ifrael, as the Lord of heaven and earth *, who had given the land of Canaan to his favourite people, that Rahab, though (he was a Gentile, and had been (wtgni) a whorifh woman, efcaped, together with all her fa- mily, the general (laughter which was made of the
reft
31 By faith the harlot Rahab pe- rilled not with them that believed not, when (he had received the fpies with peace.
N O
* Here it may be proper to ohferve, that the offirions lie, which Rahab the harlot told tor preferring the fr>ies: Jofilj. ii. 4, — 7. was the eft'ecl, not of Vtv faith, but of her finful dread of the kind's wrath. This lie of her*s wis bv no means iuflihable in any confiftency with the eternal law or truth, and the confi-
dence that
:ht
T E.
fons, who (land in this lift. And though, as Rahab was afterwards incorporated with the church of Ifrael, and married to, and by that means became herfelf one of the anceftorsof the Meffiah, (Mat. i. 5.) we may well fuppofe, that then, at lead, fhe repented, and believed in him for the pardon of this and all her o-
be maintained be- ther fins, and for iuftification to eternal
tween man and man ; but it was no more to our apoftle's purpofe to take any notice Of this, in a difcourfe about the
life. Yet it appears to me that her faith here ipoken of, and proved to be fincere by her care of the fpies, related not to
excellent and wonderful effects of faith, her fpirituai and eternal falvation ; (fee
than it would have beeri to mention the prevarication and fa If e hoed that were ufed for irapofing upon lfaac, to premie bis bJeffing for Jacob mftead of Efau, (fee the note on vtr. 20.) or than to have mentioned the fuifnl infirmities, that were mixed with the faith of other per-
the note on James ii- 21.) but only to the temporal iafety of herfelf and family, as (lie really believed, accordiug to the report flie had heard, that the Jehovah of Ifrael ix-as the God of heaven above, and in the earth beneath, and had given them that land. (Jofli. ii. 0, — *3-)
Chap. XL Hebrews parapbrafed. 409
reft of the inhabitants of 'Jericho, (Jofh.vi. 21, — 25.) that obftinately difregarded, and rebelled again ft, though their hearts melted and were filled with ter- ror at, the credible accounts which they, as well as Rabab, had heard of God's wonderful appearances for Ifrael, and of his having allured them, and con- firmed it by the miraculous deliverances and victories , he had already given them, that Jericho, together with the reft of the land, {hould be put into their
% pofleflion : (Jo/?j. ii. 9, — II.) And when, notwith-
ftanding all this, the Canaanites, through their dis- obedience and unbelief, fought to deflroy the two fpies, which Jojhua fent to take a furvey of the ftate of things among them, this pious woman gave evi- dent proof of the Sincerity and power of her faith, by receiving thofe meflengers into her houfe, and en- tertaining them in a kind and friendly manner, and taking care of them, that they might not fall into the hands of their enemies, wlio, by order of the king of Jericho^ made ftrict inquiry after them, that they might apprehend and kill them, or deliver them up to him. [Jojh. ii. 1, — 7.) 52 And what 32 And what further instances of the power and
fnall I fay more? triumpri3 of faith need I add after all thefe that have
fail meTtTn of been alread7 inflIled UP°n ? U would be al™°ft c,nd" Gideon, and of fcfs to recite, and enlarge upon the many others, that Barak,' and of might be named. I fliall therefore only juft mention Samfon, and of fome 0f them, which from the facred hiftory ye may Jephthae; of Da- f, ^ ft For Jt ;g more than my tjme and
vid alfo, and Sa- , L . , ,. . r , . .., , ., ', , \ .
muel, and of the tne deligned limits ot this epiicle would admit or, to prophets : go into a particular narrative of the faith of Gideon *
"mm and its wonderful effects, who believed and obeyed
the command of God to him, to throw down the al- tar of Baal ', and cat down the grove that was by it, and build another altar to the Lord his God, as alfo to engage, with only three hundred men, the vaft ar- G g g 2 my
NOTE. * The perfons mentioned in this verfe of them. It was fufficient that thefe are not recited jutt in the order of time noble effects of faith were found in one in which they lived, that being of no or other of the Old Teftament- faints; and importance to the apoftle's argument: the apoftle's promifcuoufly felting down For Barak lived before Gideon, and feveral perfons all-together byname, with Samfon before Jeptbtha, and Samuel be- in intimation of many mere; and then fore David; nor are the effects of their reciting the products of their faith in a faith laid down in the following verfes, clutter of them, with only j ift mention- with any exact reference to them in the ing them, was admirably fiiited to give fame order, in which he has here nimed us the more (ti iking ana affecting view them, as though the firft of thefe effects of the efficacy ot frith, as it appeared in were to be applied to the frith or the firft the'e various fruits of it, and was found of thefe perfons, and the next to the fe- among fo many believers ; leaving it to cond, and fo on ; nor are they all to be our own thoughts to enlarge upon them confined to thefe particular petfons, much as in the paraphrafe. lefs are they all to be afcribed to any one
4io *The Epi/lle to the Chap. xi.
my of the Midianites, confiding of an hundred thir- ty five thoufand, in confidence of God's promife of victory, which was miraculoufly obtained only by the blowing of trumpets, breaking of pitchers, and carrying lamps, and giving a Ihout, according to the divine command, faying, The i word of the Lord and of Gideon. (Judg. vi. 14, 25, — 27. and vii. 17, — 25. and viii. 10.) And the faith of Barak, who, depending on God's promife by the prophetefs Dl!>o- rah, obtained with only ten thoufand men a glorious vi&ory over the vaftly fuperior and formidable army of Jahin, the Canaanvifh king, commanded by 67- fcrah. (Judges iv. 4, 7, — 16.) And the faith of Sam/on, who, being the judge of Ifrael, believed the Lord would be with him when his fpirit came upon him, as a fpirit of might and courage, and enabled him to flay thirty Phili/ltnes, and afterward, three thou- fand of thofe enemies to the Hate and to God himfelf, at his death. [Judges xiv. 19. and xvi. 27, — 30.) And the faith o\ Jephtha, who believed that God, who had delivered Ifraei from other enemies, and whofe fpirit came upon him, as a fpirit of courage, would drive out the Ammonites before him ; and the Lord delivered them into his hands, infomuch that they were entirely fubdued. [Judges xi. 23, — 33.) And the faith of David, the man after God's own heart, and the moft excellent king of Ifrael, who in times of the greateil danger trulted in the promifes of God to bring him to the throne ; and all along after- ward, generally i peaking, to his dying day, main- tained a firm and humble dependence upon the Lord to fulfil his covenant with him. (2 Sam. xxiii. 1, — 5.) And the faith of Samue I, that eminent prophet, who believed that there mould be a performance of every thing which«had been told him from the Lord, whether in a way of judgment or mercy, and that miracles fnould be wrought in confirmation of ic, which accordingly came to pafs, (1 Sam. xii. 16,— 25.) And the faith of other holy prophets, too many to be particularly fp^cified, which is recorded in the writings of the Old TetUment, both with relation to the great things that fome of them did, and others bravely fufferea\ under tiie power of it. 3^ Who through 33 As to what great things they did, Some of fifth fub'dded king- them, by means of their faith, which animated them doms, tobught - l;.c fe f God, reduced many nations into fub- righteoufneft, on- . 0 . Tr ' , } .r .
promifes jection to IJiael, according to the promiies made to
flopped the mouths them ; fuch as J-'hua, who fubdued all the kingdoms
oi ^ons, in Canaan, and Uavid, who fubdued the Moabites,
Syrians, and Edomiics, and other nations round a-
bout. [Jojb, viii. 1, 2. and 2 Sam. viii. "If 69 II, 12,
14.)
Chap. xi. Hebrews paraphrafecl. 411
14.) Others of them, from a principle of faith, not only performed acts of moral righteoufnefs in their private capacities, but alfo ruled righteoufly in their public characters, as did Samuel, while he judged If- rae/j and could appeal to the people for the equity aria impartiality of his government ; (i Sam. vii. 15, — 17. and xii. 3.) and David, who in his public ad- miniltration difcountenanced every kind of iniquity, cut off all wicked doers, and let his eyes upon the faithful of the land, that they might dwell with him andiervehim. (Pf. ci. throughout.) Others of them, by means of their faith in the promifes, which God gave them of his remarkably appearing for them, and doing great things by them *, obtained the aclual accomplijhment of thofe promifes. Others of them, through faith in God, as the only living and true God, defeated and put a ft op to the rage of devour- ing lions, as Daniel did, when, for his fidelity to his God, he was caff into the lions den, but fuffered no harm; (Dan. vi. 22, 23.) and as David flew one lion, and Benaiah another. ( 1 Sam. xvii. 35, 36. and 2 Sam. xxiii. 20.) 34 Quenched the 34 Others of them, by means of their faith, as violence of fire, e- trailing in the Lord, and committing themfelves to thT'tord, eoutC of his fo.verdSn difpofals in the difcharge of their duty, weaknefs ' were drained and bound up the force and fury of flam- made ftrong, wax- mg fire, as effectually for their own preferyation from ed valiant in right, it, as if it had been actually quenched ; an eminent turned to flight fnlbnce of whjch we hav£ £ fa fa the armies of the t,, , , .. n , , ... , } S , .'
aliens> oaadrach, Mejhacb, and Abednego, who, for their
refolutely refuling to worfhip the golden image which Nebuchadnezzar had fet up, were call into the burn- ing fiery furnace > /even times hotter than it was wont to be made, and, after having continued for fome time in it, they came out unhurt ; infomuch that not a hair of their heads was finged. (Dan. iii. 13, — 27.) Others of them, through faith in the divine protec- tion, as attending the ule of proper means, retreated, and got away from the reach and power of the fword of cruel tyrants, who fought to dellroy them, as E- lijah did from Jezebel, when (lie fware that (he would take away his life. (1 Kim*s xix. 2, 3.) Others were recovered from ficknefs, as Hezekiah was,
(2 Kings NOTE. * The promifes here meant feem to raifed to the throne of Ifrael ; and to relate to particular pr or/ujes, which were their obtaining the accomplijhvient of the made on ipecial important occafions to promifes of this fort is no way inconfift- f'everal perions, fuch as thofe to Jojbva, ent with its being faid, ver. 39. that Gideon, and others, that they fliould they received not the protnife : For that gain remarkable and complete victories relates to the grand promife of God's over the enemies againft whom God lent raifing up the Meffiah, which was not them ; and to David, that he fliould be fulfilled in their days.
412 The Epijlle to the Chap. xi.
(2 Kings xx. i, — 7.) or being weak in themfelves, and in companion with the forces of their enemies, were neverthelefs, through faith in their God, fur- prifingly ftrengthcned to maintain their ground againft them, and even to overcome them : They grew ama- zingly courageous, bold, daring, and fuccefsful in battle; inflances of which we have in Gideon, (fee the paraphrafe on ver. 32.) and in David, who truft- ing in the name of the Lord of hofts, flew Goliah, the monftrouB champion of the Philiflincs ; (1 Sam. xvii. 45, — 51.) fo that, contrary to all human pro- bability, they, in the ftrength of their faith drove their enemies back, and forced the numerous armies of the nations of ftrange languages, and of different manners and religion, to flee before them. 35 Women re- $5 As to the weaker f ex ; Even pious women, by ceived their dead means of their faith, had their dead children miracu- ™^t°hfeaga.n. lou% reftnred to them by a refurredion to the pre- and others were r,.f . • 1 r r 1 • 1 r t
tortured not ac- icnt "*e again> as ln the caie or the widow ot Zare- cepting deliver- phath, whofe fon was recovered from death to life by ance, that they the faith of Elijah, whom fhe believed to be a pro-
Ser °Srrec! ph« ^ the Lord, (} 'Kings xvii. .3,-24) mA tion- the Shunamittfh woman, whofe fon alfo was brought
to life from the dead, by the faith of Elijl.ia, and that according to her faith. (l Kings xiv. 18, — 37.) All thefe are eminent inflances of the noble achievements of faith, in the great things that were done, and the rich advantages that were obtained by it. And its power and efficacy is no lefs confpicu- ous in what others have been enabled to hear and fuffer with holy fortitude, by means of their faith. Many believers were fo ilrengthened and animated by their faith, as to endure the greatefl tortures with exemplary patience, for the fake of a good confeience. They freely fubmitted to the fevereft torments, even ,unto death, by various methods of cruelty, (fomc of which ihall be pointed out, (ver. 37.) as foon as we have taken notice (ver. $6.) of another fort of trials that were fuflained by faith.) Thefe noble martyrs courageoufly endured the moil exquijite putn foments to the lofs of life itfelf, and bore up with heroic faith and patience under them * ; they rather choofing to
fubmit NOTE. * Tortured may refer, not to any for inflances of fome peculiar fort of tor- particular fort of punifhment, that wa* tures ; fince all the other inflances, re- indicted, different from thofe exemplifi- ferred to in this catalogue, might be col- ed, iter. 37. which, as every one knows, lected from the authentic Scriptures of murt needs have been, moft of them at the Old Teftament. (See Mr. Hallet's leaft, extremely tormenting. And I ra- fupplement to Mr. Peirce, whom 1 have ther choofe to take it in this light, than followed in many of the particulars here to have recourfe, with the generality of referred to.) interpreters, to the Apocryphal books
Chap. xi. Hebrews paraphrafed. 413
fubmit to the worft of them all, than to accept of a releafe from them upon any difhonourable terms, as having in view and hope a blefied refurrection to e- ternal life£ which is incomparably better than any de- liverance in this world from the greateft pains of death that could be inflicted upon them ; and is every way better than a refurrec"tion to a temporal life, which the fons of the two good women, but now referred to, received by means of the faith of their reipe&ive mothers, and of the two prophets.
36 And others ^6 There were others of the faithful Ifraelites, who
miking!, ""and endured feveral trials <>f their fa^ * various ways, fcourging's, yea though not unto death ; fuch as fcornful, ludicrous moreover, of bonds infults, and ignominious derifions. (i^euy^m) which and imprifonment. cannot but grate upon generous minds, like thofe that Ifaac met with from Ijhmael, and Eli/ha from the rude and faucy children, or young men of Bethel. (Gen. xxi. 9. and 2 Kings ii. 23.) And others under- went the fevere difcipline of being unmercifully beaten and abufedfor their profefiion of, and adherence to their God ; fuch as our Lord refers to, faying, Some, that were fent to the Jews, were beaten or fcourged : (Mark xii. 3, 5 *.) Yea, over and above all this, there were fome, who, for the fame glorious caufe, were en- abled, by their faith, to bear with patience the heavy chains and fetters that were put upon them, and all the hardfhips of being thrown into jails and dungeons ; fuch as Jofephy Sam/on, Micaiab, and Jeremiah. (Gen. xxxix. 20. and xl. 3. Judges xvi. 21. 1 Kings xxii. 27. and Jer. xxxvii. 1 5.)
37 They were 37 As to thofe that were tortured to death, not ac- ftoned they were ce ti deliverance, (W. 35. fee the note there) lawn aiunder, were r L tor . '% t\i 1 j r n r it 1 ' tempted, wereflain . e of th.em» trough the Uedfaftnefs and lively exer- with the fword : cife of their faith, gave themfelves up to be Honed to they wandered a- death for their religion ; fuch as Nabotb, ( 1 Kings xxi. bout in uieep-fkins, 1$^ and Zechanab, the fon of Jehoiada, (2 Chron. and yoat-lkins, be- •' \ jir r \ 1 v , . rr- ing deftitute, af- XX1V' 2°> 2K) and l^0^ referred to by our biefTed Aided, torment- Lord. (Mat. xxiii. 37.) Others of them chearfully «d : underwent the cruelty of an execution, by tlnir bodies
being fawn through the middle f, a barbarity that
was NOTES.
* Trial of fcourgings, (pariyuv) is was put to death by the order of King indeed a different word from that which Manajeb, who was a w eked and in- is rendered, Mark xii. 3, 5. beat, and human, as well as an idolatrous prince, beating; (eJeifav and ^jofnf) but they as appears from ?. Kings xxi 5, 6, i6\ are fometimes ufed promifcuoufly, one And Jerom on I fa. lvii. z. fpeaks of it as for the other. (See, and compare the a mofl certain tradition that Ifaiah was Greek in Matth. x. 17. and xxiii. 34. fawn af under with a wooden faw. Jujiin Mark xiii. 9. and A6ls xvi. 37.) Marty) alio, in his dialogue with Try-
t In this manner Jewijlj tradition pho, (p. 349. Paris edit. 1636.) taxes (according to the Babylonifb and Jeru- the Jews with having expunged a paf- falem Talmud) fays, the prophet Ifaiah fage out of the Old Teftament, relating
f
414 ¥he Epijik to the Chap. xi.
was too often ufed among the ancients. (2 Sam. xi?. 31. and 1 Chron. xx. 3.) By the near profpe&s of fuch terrible deaths, as well as by various other trials, many confefTors and martyrs were forely tempted to deny their God, and worfhip idols, which (had they complied with the offers of their enemies) might have faved them from thofe calamities : But, through the vigour and ftedfaftnefs of their faith, they rather chofe to fuffer the word that men could do to them, than to be guilty of fuch an abominable fin. Some of them, who continued faithful to their God, notwithstanding all the alluring and menacing attempts of the wicked to drive them away from him, were cut off by the fvvord of tyrants ; fuch as the holy prophets of the JLord by the fword of Jezebel, (1 Kings xix. 10.) and Uriah, the fon of Shemaiah, who was (lain by the fword of king Jehoiakim. (Jer. xxvi. 20, — 23.) And there were fome noble confefTors, who, though not put to death, were fubje&ed to the greateil hardfhips in life : They were not permitted to have any fettled abode ; but were forced to fkuik about, like vagabonds, from place to place; fome clothed with fheep-fkins, and others with goat-fkins, or rough garments with the wool or hair upon them, to keep them warm, and defend them againft the inclemency of the wind, cold, and rain ; fuch as the garments that Elijah and John the BaptiJ} wore, ( 1 Kings i. 8. and Mat. iii. 4.) and they were contented with fuch mean covering, as being deprived of all other common conveniences and com- forts of this life, as Elijah was ; ( 1 Kings xvii. 6, 7. and xix. 4, — 7.) and being preffed with many difficul- ties, and very ill-treated by various fort? of abufes, (*a- tos/wot) as Mofesy David, and multitudes of others were. • 38 (Of whom ,38 They were looked upon, and dealt with by their the world was not enemies, as though they were the pell of their day, not worthy :) they £t £Qr human fociety, or to be Suffered to live upon wandered in de- . ..' ' , . , r . \ .
farts and in moun- earth ; but, in reality, they were m themlelves, and in tains, and in dens God's account, fuch excellent perfons, that the wicked and caves of the men Gf this world did not deferve to have fo great a cartn> bleffing among them, as their holy converfation and
admonitions, warnings and prayers might have been to them : In judgment therefore to them, as well as for the trial of their own faith, they, under the permifiion, direction, and care of divine providence, wandered a- bout from one place to another for fafety, in bbfevire and folitarv parts of the wildernefs, like Elijah who
fled NOTE. to the death o/Ifaiah, whom they cut in death which the apoftle is rnoft general- Junder <w,th a wooden faru. And there- ly thought to refer to. fore this is the iniUnce of that kind of
Chap. xi. Hebrews par aphrafed. 415
fled for his life from the cruel hands of Jc-r-ehv/ ; (1 Kings xix. 3, 4.) and in uninhabited mountains, like David, who fled for his life from the pcrfecutions of Saul, while he hunted him, as one does a partridge in the mountains : (i Sam. xxiii. 14, — 26. and xxvi. 20.) And fometimes they were forced to betake themfelves to holes and caverns of the earth, the ufual receptacles of wild beads, to hide themfelves from the wilder rage of blood-thirfly men, as David did to the cave of A- du/iam, ( 1 Sam. xxii. 1.) and as an hundred prophet? of the Lord were hid in caves by Obadiab, and as E- iijah concealed himfelf in a cave to efcape the fury of the wicked Jezebel : (1 Kings xviii. 4. and xix. 9.) But their faith fupported them under, carried them through, and made them viftorious over all thefe feve- rities and hardfhips. 30 And thefe all 39 And all thefe ancient faints and fervants of God, having obtained as was fa^ m our entrance on this difcourfe concern-
*i. S°i c • [eport ins: them, (ver. 2.) have received an honourable tef- throug;h faith, re- .» r ' v . . '. . x . . . r a-
ceived not the pro- tim(>ny *rom him (^agrafgnSevrssJ in their relpective mife: generations, and in the infallible records of the facred
oracles, that are handed down to us, relating to the fignal obedience, fufferings, and achievements, which they were animated to by means of the itedfaitnefs and lively exercife of their faith, which not only rea- lized, and trulted in the promifes and providence of God, with refpecl; to their particular circum (lances ; but many of them, at lealr, relied upon the great pro- mife of the M/lTiah, which they embraced by faith, and had the benefit of, for the falvation of their own fouls ; and yet never received the actual accompliih- ment of this promife itlelf *, fo as to live to fee the exhibition of Chrill in the fleili to fulfil the work of redemption, and introduce all the glories of the gof- pel-ftate, that depended upon it, and were confequent to it. 40 God having „ 40 The reafon why God in his infinite wifddm", provided ibme bet- and fovereign pleafure, did not fulfil the promife oi ter thing for us, the Me(rlc'h {n their days was, becaufe he had a tore-
that thev without . ' / p \ \ 11 j* 1 ■ 1 1
us fhoul'd not be view to> (^^M^iva) and has accordingly provided made perfect. for us, who believe in Chriil as now actually come in
the flefh, this better thing f , than they were favour- ed NOTES. * The promife here intended, I take <uer. 17.; and this was the grand pro- to be the eminent and all-comprehenfive mife, in which all the promifes of promife of Chrift, which was made im- center, and on which the faith and hope mediately after the fall to our tirft pa- of the Old Teftamcnt-believers retted, rents, and afterward to Abraham, reiat- and which the apoiHe feems to have had ing to his feed, in whom all nations much in his eye in feveral of the fou - fliculd be bleffed. This pronufe, be- mentioned inft?nces. caufe it was frequently repeated :o ' im, f I can by no means think, as fome s called the promifes that he received, would :><-rfuade us, that the better thing Vol. V. H h h provided
4i 6 The Epijlle to the Chap. xi.
ed with in their ilate of nonage upder that preparato- ry difpenfation, to the end that, (<v^) as the law /node nothing perjeSI, but the bringing in of a better hope did} by the which we draw nigh to God ; (chap. vii. 19.) fo their ftate of religion, worfhip, and pri- s vileges, (Luke x. 24. ) might not be perfected with- out the exhibition of Chriil in the fiefh, which they defired, ai:d we now have been favoured with ; nor / without his blood, righteoufnefs, and grace, which appear in all their light and glory under the gofpel- dilpenfation, that enfued upon his coming for our re- demption and eternal falvation, as well as theirs, that, through the grace of the Lord Jefus Chrift) we might: be faved even as they. (A&s xv. 11.)
RECOLLECTIONS.
What a noble grace, and how extenfively ufeful is faith ! It as certainly believes the reality even of invifible things, merely upon a divine teftimony, as if it had ocular demonstration of them ; and as effec'Tually gives the objects of hope an ex- istence in the mind, as if they were actually prefent. And what an honourable teftimony has God given in his word to the faith of the Old Teftament-faints for the encouragement of ours, who live under a difpenfation of much clearer light and grace '. The iecord of his accepting Abel and his offering, as prefented by faith with an eye to the atoning facrifke of Chrift, points us to the only way of a tin- ner's acceptance, as righteous through faith in him, and fo he, being dead, ftill bears witnefs to this important point. What high favour does God fhew to faith- ful NOTE. provided for us, relates to our fouls be- xxxiv. 5.) appeared with Elias in the ing received into heaven, upon their mount of transfiguration, (Mattb. xvii. the bodv, which they fuppofe 3.) which was before the death and re- avers, who lived before the com- furreclion of our Lord, when, as thefe ing of.Chrift, were not admitted *o ; but gentlemen fancy, he awakened the fouls that their death was a ft-Ue of infenfibi- of all the good men that had died before lity. They accordingly interpret thole him. Chrift alfo in the days of his rnini- paffages, that fpeak of their being no re- ftry fpake of the angels having carried. membrane c of God, nor praifing him in Lazarus into Abraham's bofom, when the grave, and the like, as meant of rhe he died. {Luke xvi. 22.) And he argu- ivbole per/on, which may very natural- ed from God's calling himfelf the Cod of ly re'ate only to the body, much in like Abraham, the God o/Tfaac, and the God manner as the refurretlion from the of Jacob, that they were then living in dead, at the great day, fi,' nines only the their fouis, as well as ihould have a refur- refurrectiop of the body, and not of the redlion in their bodies to eternal life; foul And furely the Pfalmiji expected iince God is not the God of the dead, but an adoiiuion to heaven immediately stf. of the living; for they all live to himy ter his death, when he laid, (Pjhl. Ixxiii. which fnppofes a continual living exift- 24,— : 6) Tktou jlr.iit guide me luith ence of their fouls in a ftate of happinels. thy counfel. and receive me {Sue Luke xx. 37, 3S. and the note on
v. JVhom have I in heaven but Mat. xxii. 32.) And our apoftle fays, in rhce ? and there is none upon earth that the v hapter before us, vet: 16. They de- I deJU e be/ides thee. Myjiejh and my fired a better country, that is an heaven- heart fails; but God is the ftrength of ly : wherefore God is not cifbamed to be art and my pot tit . And called their God, for he hath prepared for
Solonioiz, (peaking of death, faid, Then them a city. (See the note there.) This /v'v dufi return to the earth as it therefore cannot be the better thing that $na the fpirit Jhall return to God he has prepared for us* but it muft re- \r.:e ft. (Ecclef. xii 7.) Accord- late to fomething more peculiar to the irigly Mofes, who was not tranflated as goipel-ftate. Enoch and Elias were, but died, {Dent.
Chap. xii. Hebrews paraphrafcd. 417
ful believers, while he executes righteous judgments on the ungodly world ! Un- lefs we realize him by faith as the only living and true God, and as in Cfirift the gracious rewarder of thofe that earneltly feefc him, it is impo ruble for us to pleafe him. And how juftly are they condemned and deitroyed, like ihe old world, who, notwithstanding all God's warnings and long- flittering, perfift in their iniquities '. But as to thofe who, like Enoch and Noah, walk with "God, as heirs of th teoufnefs of faith ; and, 'like Abraham, readily obey his commands, when he calls them to leave all earthly kindred and enjoyments, and refign themfelves up to his difpofal, He, in performance of his promifes, fometimes works wonders of provi- dence for them, and will furely give them an eternal inheritance in the glorious heavenly city of immoveable foundation?, which they are feeking and looking lor, and God himfeif is the builder of, and has prepared for them. They may indeed expect to meet with great trials, in the way, though not equal to that of Ab a ■ ham, when he was ordered to offer up his only begotten ion. But what fwect fup- ports does faith give under them ! And how loofe Should they fit from this work!, as pilgrims and ftrangers upon earth, that are defiring and travelling toward hea- ven as their proper home, and incomparably better country than any on earth ! While faith looks at the bleifed recompence of reward, it fortifies us againft the fear of man, and all the terrors of death ; and makes us choofe Chrift, and even a fuftering lot with his people, rather than all the riches, honours, and pleafures of this tranfitory world, in hope of a refurrection to eternal life. — With wh:\t fove- reign grace, does God give faith to feme of the moil infamous characters, like Ra- hab thejiarlot, and fave them, while others, like the reft of the people at Jericho, are left to periih for their difobedience and unbelief! How numbenefs, and in a manner, endlefs are the instances or the power of faith for exemplarily fuftering, as well as doing great things, with ftrength and courage, in the name o( the Lord ! And how different is God's account from that of ungodly finners, concerning emi- nent faints ! Though the wicked and profane think them not worthy to live, God often thinks them too great bleffings to continue long among them. And, how much greater helps have we to our faith under the New Tettamcnt-difpenfa- tion, than Old Teftament-believersliad for theirs ! Chrift, and all the bleffings of the gofpel, are now exhibited in their full light and glory, that we might enjoy the rooft perfect ftate of gofpel-worfhip, privileges, and advantages on earth, till the whole fcheme of divine wifdom and love fhall be finifhed in heaven. Then we, together with Old Tevtament-believers, fhall be perfected for ever. O may the ftrength and activity of our faith exceed their?, in proportion to our richer means and advantages ! And may we die, as well as live, in vigorous exercifes of it '.
C H A P. XII.
The apoflle, from the preceding account of the faith of Old Tefia- ment-believers, under all their difficulties, exhorts the Hebrews to conflancy and perfeverance in faith and patience, under all their trials and afflictions ; and, fill further to encourage them there- unto, fets before them the more eminent example of Chrif, and the gracious defign of God in all the fufferings they endure, i, — 13. Recommends to them peace and holinefs, and cautions them againft atling a profane part, like Efau, in defpifing fpiritual bleffings, 14, — 17. And enforces his argument by a conji deration of the much greater excellency of the New, than the Old Teflament-difpenfation, 1 8, — 29.
Text. Paraphrase,
"^/"Herefore, fee- C INCE therefore, from the foregoing indances of
ing we alio kj ^ exceHenCy and power of faith to fupport un-
are comoailcd a- , «• • ■/ n j-rr 'i^- i a
bout with fo great der> and tnu™ph over all difficulties and dangers, it
a cloud of wit- appears that we are furrounded with authentic records
nefifes, H h h 2 of
4i 8 The Epiflle to the Chap. xii.
nelTes, Jot us lay of vail multitudes of believers *, who unite in their ajide every weight teitimony to the duty and rich advantage of relying doth m ea% befet entirdY uPon the infinite wifdom, power, faithfulntis, us and let us run and goodneis of God, according to his word, how with patience the great foever their trials and afflictions were, Let us in bat isfet be imitation of, and animated by, their memorable and encouraging example, as though they were looking on, as eye-vv'tneffes of our behaviour f, be like ra- cers, who ftrip themfelves for running ; Let us, in the excrcife of faith and felf-denial, coji off the workj of darknefs, (Rom. xiii. 12.) and all inordinate afFec- tions to, and cares about the things of this world, and lay aiide all obfervances cf the ceremonial law, that entangling yoke of bondage, and every thing elie that would be a clog upon our holy profeflion, and a heavy camp upon our fpififs, and hindrance to our progrefs in our Chriftian courie and tendencies heaven-ward ; and let us endeavour with full purpofe of heart, by divine grace, to difentangle ourfelves from the power of original corruption, and of every im, wlich, either through natural conftitution under our native depravity, or through our peculiar circum- itances, company, and iituations in life, we are moll liable and expofed to, and in danger of being over- come by, and which is ever at hand (ivxi^iwoi) to cmbarrafs and hinder us in our fpiritual concerns ; and efpecially the great fin of unbelief, which is the root of all apoilacy, (chap. in. 12.) and Hands in dired oppofition to that eminent faith, which, a9 has been ihown, (chap, xi.) our famous anceftors exercifed up- on all occafions, and particularly when they were call- ed to do andjuffcr the will of God in the mod trying mftanccs: And, being thus difencumbered from every
load, NOTES.
* A clovd as Grotws, Dr. Oiuen, in, took care to have as little weight to
and others have obferved, was a nieta- carry as polfible, and to put off" all l'uch
phor often ufed by ancient writers to fig- clothes, as by their weight, length, or
nify a great multitude j and we have in- otherwife. might incommode or hinder
fiances of its being fo ufed in the facred them in their courie (See the note
Scriptures, as in Ifa. xliv. 22. and Ix. S. 1 Cor. ix. 24.) It is notorious that thefe
and E<x>ek- xxxviii. 0, 16. It may be ta- forts of public exercifes were very fre-
ken as a fttotlg figurative expreffion of quent in the Grecian and Roma?i games,
great companies ; in aliufion to the innu- which the Hebrcxvs could icaree be ig-
merable drops of water that are collect- norant of; and, in imitation of thefe,
ed together into a thick and refrefhing Herod Agrippa had, before the writing
cloud; and, perhaps, the allufior may ot this epiftle, built a theatre and am-
be to the cloud of %lory that encompafs- phitheatrc at Jerufalem, and inftituted
ed Ifraei, and whs a dining light to public games to be celebrated with great
them in the wildernefs. magnificence, in honour of Claudius Cce-
f Here, and in the remainder of this far, who advanced him to the kingdom
verie, is an evident aliufion to the cuf- of Judea. (\ide Jofeph Antiq. lib xv.
lorn of thofe days, in which, among o- cap S. feet. i. et de Bel. Jud. lib. i. cap,
r'lnr exercifes, races were wont to be 2. feci:. S. edit. Had/.) r m; ltd t!.ey that were engaged there-
Chap. xii. Hebrews paraphraf-d. 419
load, and hindrance, from temptation without, and corruption within, Let us lay ourfelves out, in the ex- ertion of our Chriitian principl-s, unto an txercife of perfevering fortitude, quietneis, and patient refigna- tion to the holy and fovereign will ot God, under our manifold fufferings ; and hold on our way, in running with fpeed, ileadinefs, and vigour, till we fiuiih our courte of faith, and of the affliction, and unrefervcd obedience, which is appointed to us of God, and marked out in his word, and in the example of the forementioncd worthies, together with the glorious iffue of it, that we may prcfs toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Chriji Jefus. (Phii. iii. 14,) 2 Looking unto 2 In running this Chriftian-courfe, as ever we Jefus the author would finifh it well, Let us, like racers that look fcr- andfinifher of our d be continually (^^j looking off from fin,
faith; who, tor the ; ' , 11 v 5 1 r i_- 1/
ioy that was let anc* *e"» anc^ t"e allurements and terrors or this world, before him, endu- and from every thing that would pull us back and dif- red the crofs, de- hearten us ; and be looking forward by faith to Je- fp.fing the fhame, r the fufferI Saviour, that we may derive grace and is let down at I ,, i_ r 1 • 11 c n 1 • n
the right hand of an(* "-rength from him, to enable us to follow his molt the throne of God. perfect pattern, who is not only a matchlefs example, but the efficient Caufe, (*££»}y0s) Leader, Conductor, and Captain of our faith, to begin it in us, and to encourage, increafe, carry on and perfect it, and at length to crown it with all its bleiTed iruits and ef- fects, in virtue of his meritorious fufferings and death ; who had an allured profpect of the great and glorious things that mould be brought about thereby, and were the rejoicing of his foul; (J-->hn xiii. 31, 32.) fuch as the fatisfadlion of divine jufti.e, and the ad- vancement of the glory of all God's perfections, and of his law and government, with united harmony, in the reconciliation and eternal falvation of the many fons that he fhould bring to glory ; as alfo of his own perfonal exaltation, when he himfelf fhould be crown- ed with glory and honour; (Heb. ii. 9, 10.) all which were propofed to him, for his encouragement and reward, in the eternal covenant between his Fa- ther and him, and in the promifes and prophecies an- fwerable to it: (Ifa. liii. ip, — 12.) In the foreview, faith, and hope of all this joy, he calmly fubmitted to, and with aftonifhing meeknefs and patience en- dured the agonies and lingering pains of his crucifix- ion ; (fee 1 Pet. ii. 23. and Luke xxiii. 34.) and, with a truly heroic gicatnefs of foul, he overlooked all the ignominy and reproach of that fcandalous fort of death, and all the taunts and jeers which attended it ; and thought of them with fovereign contempt, as not worth regarding, though he was therein txpofed
te
420 The Epiftle to the Chap. xii.
to open fhame, as if he had been the moil defpicable, as well as infamous of criminals. And now, in con- fequence, and as the jutl reward of all this, he, ift that very nature, in which he fuffered, is exalted, as a triumphant conqueror over fin, Satan, and the world, death and hell, to a ftate of perfect reft from all his former fufferings and difgrace, and to the high- eft honour, dignity, and authority ; which, to fpeak in a figurative way, may be called his fitting down at the right hand of the throne, where God the^Father illuftrioufly ihines in all his glory. (See the note on Acls vii. 55.)
3 For confider 3 To help you therefore againft difcouragements him that endured un^r all your tribulations and apprehenfions of dan- rf "fiSTiSa Ser' ye ought carefully to confider, rened upon, and himfelf, left ye be compare all circumftances, (xvxkcyitrct'rSi) relating to wearied and faint the perfon of Chrift, and his extreme fufferings, tc- in your minds. gether with the invincible patience and undillurbed
compofure of mind, with which he bore up under, palled through, and triumphed over, all the opprobri- ous oppofition, and cutting blafphemous infults, that the moft malicious and wicked men belched out to his very face, againft his holy and divine perfon and office- authority, doctrine and miracles, all the days of his public miniftry, and cfpecially towards, and at his death : Ye ought alfo to compare thefe with their glorious fruits to himfelf and to you, and with the in- finite difproportion there is between you and him, and between the worft that ever did, or can come upon you, and the inexpreflibly more fevere and com- plicated trials that met upon him. Let all thefe things be weighed and fet in oppofition one to the other, (iva, pi) to the end that ye may not fink and fail, be tired out, and lofe all patience and firmnefs of mind in your holy profeffion, fo as to think it an irk- fome talk ; much lefs to throw it up, by reafon of the troubles and aftiictions, that may befal you for his fake, who fo willingly fuftaincd all this for yours.
4 Ye have not 4 Though the violent feizure of your goods, and yet refilled unto the i0fs Gf liberty and property, which ye have chear-
bS finnVing ^ Mly reflgned for the fake of Chrift' in hoPe of a bet- ter inheritance in heaven, {chap. x. 34.) are indeed
very trying to flefh and fenle ; yet it ought to be con- fidered, that this, and all your other perfections hi- therto have been fo far reftrained by the indulgence of Providence, as not to coft you your lives, or the fhedding of your blood, as they did many of the Old Teftament-faints before mentioned, and your great Lord and Matter himfelf, in their conflicts with the adverfaries that oppofed them, and tempted them, as yours do you, to fin againft God. It would there- fore
Chap. xii. Hebrews par aphrafed. 421
fore be a dangerous, as well as fhameful cowardice for any of you to flinch, and defift from your Chrif- tian courfe, on account of the lefTer difficulties and loffes which ye meet with, [uyvvitppwoi) in contending againft fin and finful men, as antagonifts who fet them- felves, like combatants, in oppofition to you, and itrive to defeat and foil you ; as, in contefts for victo- ry, one endeavours to do againft another.
5 And ye have $ And caD ye be unmindful of *, as they certainly forgotten the ex- are wh0 famt under their trials ? Or are ye, like them, hortation, which c . r r, , , . , ' , fpeaketh unto you *° in^nfable and inadvertent, as not to remember, and as unto children, be affected with that gracious and encouraging exhort- My fon, defpile not ation, which is directed to, and (oiccXtytrxt) rcaions thou the chaften- wJth all and every one of you, who are true believers, nor faint when thou as w^ Per^ons under the endearing relation and cha- art rebuked of him. rafter of the children of God, in which he, as your hea- venly Father, fpeaks with all tendtrnefs by Solomon9 which is applicable for your direction, caution, and comfort under every tribulation? (Prov. iii. n.) My heaven-born and adopted fori, who art the object of my peculiar care and affectionate love, have a care, on one hand, of flighting or taking no notice of, or being not fuitably affected with the corrections which the Lord your God and Father fees fit, in the difpofals of his wife and holy providence, to lay upon you for your (wo6<^«$) inftruction : Far be it from you to treat them with neglect and contempt, as if no good could be anfwered by them ; or to behave like a itub- born, hardened, and incorrigible child, under his fa- ther's chaftening for his faults, to reclaim and reform him, as though you refolved to take your own courfe, and would neither bow under, nor hearken to the rod, and who has appointed it. (Micab vi. 9.) And, on the other hand, as you fhould ferioufly confider, that, whoever be the initruments of your troubles, God has a holy, fovereign, and over- ruling hand in them, and has wife and gracious defigns in appointing and per- mitting them ; fo you ought to take heed, left, through impatience, fretfulnefs, or mifconftructions of his dif- penfations, and the workings of unbelief, you fhrink and be difheartened, to the neglect of duty ; or de- fpair of relief, and refufe to be comforted under his reproofs.
6 Fur whom the 6 For what the Lord does herein, is fo far from being a token of his hatred of you, (as fainting fouls are apt to conclude againft themfelves) that, on the
f<>n u hom he re- contrary, your being exercifed with it, and patiently ceiveth. bear-
NOTE. * Te have forgotten the exhortation, rendered interrogatively, ha-ve ye for- according to a different pointing or the gotten? And both fenfes are taken int« ientence, which is arbitrary, may be the paraphrafe.
Lord 'loveth he chafteneth, and fcourgeth every
422
The Epifik to the
Chap.
XII.
7 If ye end ire chaftenir.g, Goo tiealeth with you as with ions : for what fon is he whom the father chafteneth not i
8 But if ye be without chaitire- ment. whereof all are partaker?, then are ye baftards, and not fons.
bearing it, may be juftly conftrued and improved into an argument of his great kindnefs for you, that iniqui- ty may not be your ruin, according to what immediate- ly follows in So/oman's admonition, (Prov. iii. 12.) where he fays of thofe, for whom the Lord has a fpe- cial favour, as for his own dear children, He for wife and holy reafons exercifes them, more or lefs, with various afflictions, not in a way of law-wrath, for the fatisfaction of his jullice, which is born by Chrift for them; [ver. 2.) but in a way of fatherly chaftifement for their iniquities, in order to their be- ing purged from them ; {I fa. xxvii. 9.) and he lays the rod of correction (pxriyoi) with the heavier hand, when there may be occafion for it, upon every one, whom he receives into the relation of a fon, and whom he accepts, and takes care of, as fuch, that he may prepare him for, and, at length, receive him to himfelf in a better world.
7 So that, if ye be not only vifited with, but are alfo enabled, with faith, patience, and perfeverance, humbly to fubmit to, and bear up courageoufly under fuch afflictions of any fort, as God in his providence permits, or orders, or meafures out unto you, He therein ( 7rgo?^sg£Td» ) prefents hinfelf to you, not in a hoftile manner, like an enemy, but with a benevolent difpofition and defign, like a kind parent, who has your trueit welfare at heart ; and only takes the fame courfe with you, as a prudent father ufes, and indeed ought to go into, in dealing with his own children : For where is the fon, whom an earthly father, that is good, wife, and faithful, does not correct, with due moderation, for his faults, to reclaim him from them, when he obferves that they loudly call for it ? And where is the child of God, in whom there is nothing offenfive that needs mending, and whom his heavenly Father does not feafonably chaftife, that he may not, like foolifhly fond parents, fpare the rod and fpoil the child, when, in his infinite wifdom and love, he fees that there is need of it for anfwering fome valuable purpofes of his own glory, and its fpiritual improve- ment, while it is in this imperfect ftate, and training up for heaven ?
8 But if, notwithstanding all that is amifs in you, and your remaining propenfity to evil, ye were to be indulged with uninterrupted eafe and profperity in the world, without any rubs in your way, or airy- mixture of troubles, as the corrective and initructive chaftenings of the Lord, with which all his children, even the moft eminent of them, have been, are, and will be vifited one way or other, though in different degrees ; and if ye have not been brought to fubmit
. to
Chap. xii. Hebrews paraphrafed. 423
to this wholefome and needful difcipline of his family,
ye might then juftly be looked upon, and indeed
would be dealt with in a way of divine neglect, as a
fpurious brood, and not the true genuine fons of
God, and heirs of the eternal inheritance, who are chaf-
tened of the Lord, that they might not be condemned
with the world: (i Cor. xi. 32.) For he fays of
the falfe-hearted profeffor, as he did of backfliding
Ephra/m, he is joined to idols; let him alone. (Hof.
iv. 17.)
9 Furthermore, 9 It may alfo be of ufe for you further to confi-
thershofeouhrafiefl1" ^ "*. what a better manner, with what fuperior
which° corrected autnority> and to what better purpofe, the chaften-
us, and we gave *ngf °f Your heavenly Father are managed, than thofe
them reverence : infli&ed by earthly parents, that ye may be more fub-
mnerWebe0t Tbil mIffive *° hJm> than' as m dutY bound> ye ever were jecHoti to the Fa- t0 t*le.m tll€rem-- ^l ™ a common cafe with us all, ther of fpirits, and tbat» *n the days of our minority, our fathers, from fcve ? whom we derived our frail, corrupt, and mortal bo-
dies, as they were the inftruments of begetting them, and by whofe care and expence, under divine provi- dence, we received all things for their fupport and comfort, took occafions to correct us for our mifde- meanors ; and we had, or ought to have had, fuch a fenfe of their authority over us, as to (how a reve- rential and dutiful regard to them, by bowing, and yielding to their paternal difcipline for our inftruc- tion, and correction ; and by fubmitting to the rod, confeffing our crimes, and taking heed not to offend them any more, nor to love them, or think they lo- ved us, the lefs, becaufe they corrected us : This cer- tainly became us * ; and is there not much higher reafon for us to own the fupreme and fovereign au- thority of our heavenly Father, who is the God of the fpirits • ofallflefi, (Numb. xvi. 22. and xxvii. 16.) as he is the immediate Creator, Preferver, and Gover- nor of our rational and immortal fouls, ?.nd renews them by regenerating grace ? Shall we not meekly and patiently fubmit to his fatherly chaftening for
our NOTE. * The antithefis between the fathers came a living foul (Gen. ii. 7.) And, of our fief j, and the Father of our fpi- as to the fouls of his dependents, the nts, (hows, that our earthly fathers are breath of the Almighty has given them only the inftruments of the generation of life; (Job xxxiii.4.) they art the fouls our bodies, and that our fouls are not ex that he has made ; (Ifa. Kit. 16 ) he is traduce, or by derivation from them; alfo fpoken of in the piefent tenle, as the but that they are created by the imme- God who formcth thefpiritofman nvitb- diate power of God, and infufed into the in him ; (Zech. xii. 1 ) and Solomon, body, from age to age, as the foul of fpeaking of death, fays, Thenjlall the our father Adam was in his produ&ion, dujl return to the earth as it was ; and when God formed his body of the dufl of the fpiriijhall return to Cod, who gave the ground, and breathed into his no- it. (Ecclef. xii. 7.) Jtrils the breath of life ; and man be-
Voi.. V. I i i
kers of his holi nefs.
424 The Epijlle to the Chap. xii.
•our iniquities, and be afhamed of them, grieved for them, and concerned at heart, that we may offend him no more; but may maintain an humble reverence of him, and an affectionate obediential fubjection to him, with grateful acknowledgments of his love and favour, even in his chaftenings ;. and fo may live in holy communion with him, and devotednefs to him here, and for ever with him in glory hereafter? This is infinitely more to our advantage, than any fubmif- fion to the corrections of our flefhly fathers could be. 10 For they ve- 10 For truly fome of them chaftened us, during rily for a few da>s tne ilttle while of our minority, in an arbitrary way,
thaftened m after th h humour, paffion. pride, or weaknefs, with- their own plea- ° r ' r , , . , ' ,
tore • but he for ollt ^"T aiming at our good by it ; and even the on- profit, that we wifefl of them, who frieant well, and acted according might be parta- to the beft of their fallible judgment, might miftake the proper feafons, or meafures of their reproofs and punifhments; and the benefit we reaped by them was only, at molt, for the fhort feafon of this tranfitory life : But our heavenly Father, who is a God of un- erring wifdom and judgment, and of the tenderefl compaff'on, never exercifes his authority in correct- ing us, while we are in this imperfect flate, which is a fort of nonage, but in due proportion, and when he knows it to be beft for us ; he ever defigns, and one way or other promotes, our fpiritual and eternal benefit by it, that all the fruit may be to take away fin, and make us more and more conformable to his own holy nature and will in this world, till we be wrought up to a finlefs perfection in the world to come. Shall we not therefore hu??ible our [elves un- der the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt us iti due time?- (1 Peter v. 6.) ti Nowtiochaf- 11 Now, though it muft be acknowledged, and tening for the pre- niay, perhaps, be objected againft the benefit of di- lept feemeth to be v;n^ corre&;onSj that no affliction, though but in the joyous, but gne- ft. . defirable for its own fake, or can
vous : nevertneiels, fc ,-,,', r . • Mf 11 an.
afterward it yield- be confidered as preaiant in ltielr, or agreeable to nein eth the. peaceable arid blood and carnal reafon, while we are under it ; fruit of righteouf- ]n]t js [n Jts own nature, as a chaftening, very irk- reis unto them f d r time8 very diftreffing and hard 'to be
which are exerci- ' . . ., : J r - • 1 r
fed thereby. borne, especially when we coniider it as a token ot
God's diipleafure for fin : Yet, in the judgment of faith, and in after- reflections upon it, and by an at- tending and confequent fanctified ufe of it, it produ- ces peaceful and conifortable fruits of a fpiritual and holy nature, which are evidences of our flate of pesce with God, through faith in the righteoufnefs of Chrift, (Rom. v. 1.') bring peace into our own fouls, and promote a peaceable temper towards others ; (If xxxu. ■ 17. and lames m. 18.) ;uid which make us wifer
and
Chap. xii. Hebrews paraphrajhd. 4l3
and better, more humble under a fenfe of fin, more watchful and prayerful, more circumfpecl in our walk, more weaned from this world, and more fpiritual, ho- ly, and heavenly- minded, than ever we were before. When we are trained up by them, and learn in that inftru&ive fchool, to bear them with faith and patience, with due fubmiilion to, and reverence of our heaven- ly Father, with ferious inquiries, wherefore he con- tends with us, and with an exercife of every other grace, that is fuitable to the nature and dcfign of affli&ed circumtiances, the advantage, which re kilts from them, is vailly an over-balance to the pain and forrow of undergoing them ; and, whatever we thought while they preffed forely upon us, we may, after we have been exerciied with them, and come to reflect upon them, fay with DavW, It is good for me that I have been affliEied, thai I might learn ihyjlalutes ; and thou, 0 Lord, in faithful nefs haft afiitled me* (Pf. cxix. 71, 75.) And hereafter, when we get to heaven, we mall clearly fee, and abundantly reap the rich advantage of them all. 12 Wherefore 12 Since therefore thefe are the gracious ends and lift up the hands benefits of God's chaitening you, do not give way to which hang down, dejection or difuondeiicy under them, like perfons and the feeble ? .', .J*. r ■ ■ % ( , \
knees . who, througn iamtneis in running a race *, [ver. 1.)
hang down their hands, which are tokens of weari- nefs, drooping, and fadnefs ; and the joints of whofe knees fnake and finite together through wcaknefs, fear, and difmay ; (Naht<m\\. 10.) And take heed of being dilheartened, or of<Uiheartening one another under Uie fufrerings that befal you ; but, on the con- trary, entourage yourfelves, and each other in the Lord your God, to hold on in his ways, like per- fons that lift up their hands with alacrity, joy, and triumph ; and when any are fearful and faint-hearted among you, look well to yourfelves and your fellow* Chriltians, that ye be ftrong in the Lord and in the power cf his might, as knowing that your God will A come with vengeance to your enemies, and with re- commence of good to you, and will fave you. (If. xxxv. .3, 4.) A belief of this, and a courageous be- haviour corrtfpondent to it, will be like ftrengthen- ing the weak hands, and confirming the feeble knees. lii i 13 And,
N O T £. * Here feems to be an allufion to ra- reference either to their care about chan- cers, who appear to be either faint, or fetoes, or about their brethren ; the iaft vigorous in running, according as their of which feems to be moil: immediately hands hang down, and their knees are intended in the paffage here quoted from feeble, or not: And the exhortation in Ifa. xxxv. 3. where it lies thus, Strength- this and the next verfes may be confider- en ye the weak hands, and confirm the ed as diredled to the Hebrews, with a feeble knees.
426
The Epijile to the
Chap. xii.
13 And make ftraight paths for your feet, left that which is lame be turned oat of the way, but let it ra- ther be healed.
14 Follow peace "with all men, and holineis, without Which no man fhall fee the Lord :
1 3 And, that afflictions may be fuitably improved, and not loft upon you, fee that, like levellers of the road for travellers and racers, ye, by a clofe adherence to Chrift, and by a converfation becoming the gof- pel, remove all obftacles out of your own and your brethren's way to eternal life, that both ye yourfelves, and they may walk, uprightly, and run fteadily in the paths of truth and holinefs, and may make the word of God your only rule of faith, worfhip, and obedience, that it may be a light to your feet, and a lamp to your path, (Pf. cxix. 105.) and all your ways may be directed to keep his ftatutes ; left thoit of you, who are ready to halt, and to be mifled in their Chriftian- courfe, through temptation, darknefs, and fear of iufterings, and through the cunning craftinefs of iuch as lie in wait to deceive, be perverted and turned a- fide from Chrift and the gofpel, and from the paths of righteoufnefs and peace : But let it, on the con- trary, be your great concern, that your own fouls, and the fouls of your fellow-Chriftians, may be re- lieved under all fpiritual infirmities, difcouragements, and fears ; and may be reftored to a right mind, and to ftrength and vigour in the good ways of the Lord, and kept ftedfaft in the profeflion, faith, hope, and holinefs of the gofpel.
14 In order hereunto, Let it be your conftant care, and earneft endeavour, to purfue the things which make for peace, in civil and religious fociety, as far as is confiftent with truth and holinefs. [Rom. xiv. 19.) Run eagerly after it, even when it feenv= to flee from you ; and do your utmoft by all lawful means to obtain It, that, if pofiible, ye may live peaceably with all men, (Rom. xii. 18.) whether they be Jews or Gentiles, Chriftians or heathens, friends or enemies, and fuch as perfecute you : And, together with peace, be fure to follow after holineis, in daily applications to the throne of grace for it, and in the life of all other means of helping you forwards in it : Whether ye can fucceed in your attempts for peace with men or not, ftudy to promote univerfal purity of heart and life, in conformity to the image and will of God, as in others, fo particularly in yourfelves ; which is ablolutely neceflary to falvation, and with- out a confeientious regard to which, together with peace, no man, whatever be his profeflion or preten- ces, can be fit for, or in the very nature of things ca- pable of, or according to the conftitution of the gof- pel ever be admitted to, the beatific vilion and enjoy- ment of the blefled and holy God of peace ; or to be With the holy Jelus, the Prince of peace, to behold
his
Chap. xii. Hebrews paraphrafed. 427
his glory, and to be made completely happy in his immediate bhfsful prefence, where he is feen as he is. 15 Looking di- 15 This is a matter of io great importance, that it ligently left any behoves every one of you carefully to infpec~f. vour man tail ot the • • 1 j , n* ,r , '
grace of God; left own PnnciPles> temper, and conduct *, and to have a any root of bitter- watchful eye over one another ; left any of you, or of net's l'pringing up, your brethren, be contented without, and through trouble you. and flothfulnefs, carnality and unbelief, rett, or come fliort,
defiled7- man>' be or be deftitute of an illtcreit in the Special favour of God, and of a real work of heart-changing grace, and fo be not what he appears to be ; and mould apotta- tize from the profcfiion of the gofpel. This ye ought to be deeply concerned about, for fear leit any apof- tate, or principle of apoflacy ; or any corruption in dorftrine or practice, that is offenfive to God, and per- nicious to yourfelves, and will prove bitternefs in the end, like gall and worm wood, (Deut. xxix. 18.) fnould fprout forth, and difcover itfelf, like a branch fpringing up from its root, and mould infecl and pervert any of you to his own lofs and damage, and to the grief and trouble of others ; and left, by means of its malignant influence, many among you mould be cor- rupted in their minds and manners, fince a little iea- ven leavens the whole lump, ( 1 Cor, v. 6. and Gal. v. 9. ) which would mar the beauty, purity, peace, and order of the whole chuich ; and, unlefs fuch perfons were to be call out of it, they would be like poifon- ous herbs growing in a garden, which are not only full of deftrucliive qualities themfelves, but might taint others that are planted near them : And asone fin natu- rally runs into another, and wicked men wax worfe and worfe, ye have need to be very careful to put a flop to the firfl beginnings of apoflacy.
16 Take NOTE.
* The word (fT/a-xo5w7f<-) here ren- church ought to have for one another, dered looking diligently fignifies, and in and to their mutually infpecting or 1 Pet. v. 2. is ufed for diichnrging the watching over the fpirit, temper, and office of a bifljop, or overfeer of the behaviour, of their fellow-members, as church, in watching over its principles well as over their own hearts and ways, and manners. Were we to take it in left any of them fnould, contrary to their that fenfe, the exhortation in this place holy profeflion, be deflitute, or come is to be confidered, as directed to paftors, port of the grace of God, as the word that had the rule over them, and watch- (urt^wv) fometimes fignifies, chap. iv. ir ed for their fouls. {Chap. xiii. 7, 17.) But and xi 37. and Rom. lii. 23. And at o- as this epiftle is directed to the body of thers, to lack, to be in nvant, or not to profeffing Hebrenvf, who are all along have, and come behind, as in Matth. xix. in this context, and through the whole 7.0. Mark x. 21. Luke xv. 14 and xxii. epiftle, fpoken to; and as no addrefs, as 35. John ii. 3. 1 Cor. i 7. 2 Cor. xi. 5. far as I have oblWrved, is made to the of- 9 and xii. 1 1. and Phil. iv. 12. But it ficers of the church in any part of it; I is never ufed for falling from ; and fo therefore rather apprehend, that this paf- can give no countenance to the notion of fage relates to the brotherly and chart- falling from grace. table care which the members of the
428 The Epiftle to the Chap. xii.
16 Left there be 1 6 Take heed left Uiere mould be found any one, any fornicator, or wno makes a profeflion of Chrift's name among you, profane p rfoa, as that thr h the ower Qf unbeHef, and of unfubdued ±.fau, who tor one . n , ^ .. r r . ,,.n..v.: ...
morfeJ of meat hilts, aIK1 tne allurements or vice, addicts himielr to fold hi3 birth- whoredom, whether adultery, or fimple fornication, fight. which is directly contrary to that holinefs, without
which no man fhall fee the Lord, {ver. 14.) and • which perfifted in, and not repented of, would cer- tainly exclude him from an inheritance in the king- dom of God ; (l Cor. vi. 9. *) or left any of you ihould at length fo far degenerate, as to become an impious wretch, that makes a jeft of, ridicules and defpifes the facred doctrines, duties, ordinances, and bleflings of divine revelation, and renounces them all, through fear of fuffering for them, or through an in- ordinate affection to this world, in like manner as E- fau made light of, defpifed and quitted all claim to his birthright ; infomuch that, for the fake of fatisfying his prefent hunger, he fold and refigned to his brother Jacob all the facred, as well as civil privileges, which were annexed to it; and that for fo trifling a price as a little parcel of food, which confifted of a piece of bread and a mefs of pottage* [Gen. xxv. 29, — 34.) and was
fufheient NOTE. * A fornicator may ilgnify any per- when Ifaac had given the birthright to fon that is guilty of unlawful embraces, Jacob, he faid to Efau, I have made whether in a fingle of married ftate. him thy lord, and all his brethren I have Accordingly this word is often tranllated given to him for fervants ; and with whoremongers, inclufive of adulterers, corn and wine have I fuflained him. Eph. v. 5. 1 Tim. i. 10. Rev. xxi. 8. and (Gen. xxvii. 37.) And as to fpiritual xxii. 15.; and fornication is fometimes privileges, though there are different o- ufed in a like wide extent. (See the pinions about them, and we may not be note on 1 Cor. v. 1 ) This is a fin againft able to pronounce with certainty what our neighbour, as well as againft our-' they were; yet it is reafonable to fuppofe f elves ; and to is a tranfgreffion of they^- that there were fome of this jpature ; be- cond table of the law : And profa?ie?iefs caufe the firfi-born carried a typical re- is a fin committed immediately againft presentation of Chrifi, who is called the God and religion ; and fo is a breach of firfl-born among many brethren; (R.om.
the firfl table of the law. But it is vni. 29.) and the inheritance of eternal
matter of dilpute among interpreters, life is fpoken of as the privilege oithe whether Efau was guilty of fornication firfl-born in our context, ver. 23. And or not; fome of which confider the re- unlefs fome privileges of a fpiritual na- ference here made to him, only as an in- ture pertained to the birthright, it fcems fiance of uprofane perfon : And what is not to be very obvious why Efau fhould faid of him, in the clofe of the verfe, be called a profane perfon, on account feems to favour this thought, as that on-' of his felling it ; nor how this inftance ly relates to his felling his birthright, would have come up to the apoftle's de- which contained, or had annexed to it fign in cautioning the Hebrews againft feveral valuable privileges, fome of a a contempt of the gofpel, and of its fpi- tempo'ral, and others of a fpiritual na- ritual privileges and obligations : For a ture. (See the note on chap. xi. 20 ) profane perfon (/3f/3»xo?) is one who The tempcral-priv'tleges were dominion treats facred things with irreligious con- over the younger brethren, and a double tempt, and is ranked among the 1110ft portion of the paternal inheritance, as flagitious and ungodly iinners. (iI/im. appears from Gen. xlix. 3. Deut. xxi. 17. o) and 1 Chrom v. r. 2. Accordingly,
Chap. xii. Hebrews paraphrafed. 429
fufficient for only a meal at one eating. (gg*«»s plsc?) The confequence of which was very tremendous and irretrievable. 17 For ye know 17 For ye, being converfant with the Holy Scrip- ward ^wh n^h" tUreS' accordinSto your datY a"d daily pradice, can- would have^ne! not but be familiarly acquainted with the hiftory of rited the blefling, &fath as there recorded ; and mutt needs know, that he was reje&ed : when he afterwards, under dreadful furprize, came for he found no to fee and refleft upon the folly, lofs, and mifchief
ance! thought °f the. bai?ain he had made> ™ »* affected his tempo- fought it carefully ra^ dignities, (though there were no figns of forrow with tears. for hisyfo, and of repentance toward God, or of leek-
ing his favour, and begging that he would grant him repentance unto life) he would fain have regained the birthright, and the patriarchal blefling annexed to it, which he had fo inconfiderately, and indeed wicked- ly parted with : But as he was difappvoved of God ; fo his petition to his father Ifcac was utterly reject- ed : For Efau could find no difpoiition in the heart of his father Ifaac to revoke the blefling, which he had prophetically, under divine influence, though un- wittingly to himfelf, pronounced upon Jacob; nor could he by any means prevail upon his father to change his mind, and reverie his fentence ; in (read of which he confirmed it, faying, / have btefled kirn, yea, and he pall be biejfed. (Gen. xxvii. 23.) It was now too late for Efau to procure any alteration of it, though he folicitoufly begged it, not of God, but of Ifaac, with the greateit importunity and concern, and with floods of tears crying, aloud, with a great and exceeding bitter cry, faying, B/efs me, even me alfo, 0 my father. (Gen. xxvii. 34, 38.) This ought .to be a folemn caution to you, as it will be equally impoffible for any prefeffors of Omft's name, that de- fpife the grace of the gofpel, and turn apofiates, to be ever brought to fmcere repentance, and to an in- heritance of its privileges and bleffings, which they with a wicked mind "have renounced, notwithstanding Jill the proofs they have had of the truth of Chriftian^ ty, as has been declared ; {chap. vi. 4, — 6. fee the not there) and God will never reverfe his fentence of condemnation on them, though, when they come to feel its terrible effe&s at death and judgment, (if not - before ) they will bitterly lament their deplorable con- dition, and cry out for relief. »r ye are 18 Take heed that ye do not fall fhort of the grace Z:"°J^ °f tbC ^** ■* think lightly of its bleffings, which be touched, ?nd are mcQ*»parably better than ever were enjoyed under that burned' with tne Old Tcftament, as has been fhown at large, in fire, nor unto the main argument of this cpiftle ; and have a care blackuds, that ye do not revolt from Ciiriftianity to Judaifm :
For,
43°
blacknefs, and
darknefs, and tern- peft,
The Epijlle to the
Chap. xii.
1 c; And the found of » crumpet, and the voice of words, which 'voice they that heard inrreat- ed that the word fhould not be Ipo- ken to them any more :
For, to begin with an account of the Jewifh difpen- fation, Ye, in the gofpel-ftate of worfhip, are not called and led, as your fathers were, to enter into co- venant with God, and approach his facred prefence, according to the awful and tremendous appearances of his majefty on mount Sinai in Arabia, (Gal. iv. 25 ) which, in oppofition to the fpiritual nature of the gofpel church, fignified by mount Sion, (ver. 22. fee the note there) was of an earthly, material fub- ftance, capable in itfelf of being touched, or felt af- ter a corporal manner, though all fuch touching it, by man or beaft, was forbidden, while the tokens of the divine prefence were upon it at the delivery of the law, [ver. 20.) and while it was amazingly touched, moved, and fhaken by the power of God ; (Ex. xix. 20. Pf lxviii. 8. and civ. 32.) which might be an emblem of that difpenfation, as carnal, earthly, and moveable : (ver. xxvii.) Nor are ye come to the fire that burnt (x.iKuvpwu> -xvef) on the mountain, as though it were all over in a flame, out of the midft of which God fpake unto Ifrael, (Deut. iv. If, 12. and v. 22, 23.) which may be confidered as an em- blem of the terriblenefs of that difpenfation, and of the juftice of God, who is a con \ fuming fire tojinners^ according to the ftricl: tenor of that iiery law : (ver. 29. and Deut. xxxiii. 2.) Nor are ye come to the gloomy and horrible darknefs, that covered mount Si- nai, by means of the thick cloud of fmoke which a- rofe from, and was mingled with, the flames of fire that burned upon it ; (Deut. v. 22, — 24.) which may be confidered as an emblem of the darknefs of that difpenfation, through which the carnal Ifraelites could not look unto, and true believers themfelves had but obfeure Conceptions of, the way of pardon and deliverance from deferved wrath, and of that fal- vation which was to be brought in by the promifed Mefliah : Nor are ye come to the dreadfully tempef- tuous thundering, lightening, and earthquake, that were in the mount at the giving of the law ; (Ex. xix. 16, 18. and xx. 18.) which may be confidered as an emblem of the fever it y of its curfe, and of the tenors of an awakened confeience, under a fenfe of guilt, and fear of the puniihment that is due to the tranlgreflbrs of it :
19 Nor are ye fummoned to appear before the di- vine majeity, amidft thofe terrible reprefentations of him, as your lawgiver and judge, by an exceeding loud and awful alarm, which made the Ifrae/ites trem- ble, and which, waxing louder and louder for a con- fiderable time, ftill further awakened their fears, and may be compared to the ftrong found of a trumpet,
(Ex.
Chap. xii. Hebrews paraphrafed. 431
(Ex. xix. 16, — 19.) like what will be heard at the refurre&ion of the dead to the judgment of die great day of account : * (1 Cor. xv. 52.) And then fol- - lowed the promulgation of the law in the audience of the people, by a terrible articulate voice, which dii- tindtly pronounced, in their own language, the words contained in the ten commandments; ( Ex.xx. i, — 1 7. and Deut. iv. 12.) which folemn declaration of this holy and righteous law, in all its ilri&nefs and extent, made fuch a terrifying imprefiion on the minds of them that heard it, and filled them with' fuch a fenfe of guilt and obnoxioufnefs to divine wrath, that they earneitly begged of Mqfcs to interpofe, as a mediator between God and them, and communicate his mind and will to them ; and deprecated God's fpeaking thofe awful words to them, and demanding their obedience, in fuch an immediate and terrible manner any more, left they mould die. (Ex. xx. 18, 19. Deut. v. 5, 23, 24, 25. and xviii. 16.) 20 (For they 20 For they were confeious to themfelves that, could not endure through the weaknefs and depravity of nature, they that which was were utterly incapable of coming up to the fandtity commanded, And ,n -o r c A c J * j \ -\ •*•
if i'o much as a a Itrittneis or thelc commandments and prohibitions, beaft touch the and of being juitifieti by their own imperfect obedience mountain, it (hall to them ; and they knew not how to bear up under be ftoned, or thruft the dreadful appearances of God in the manner of his dart"^1 W1 a PUD^mmg them : And fo i'evere were his ir.j unctions, as expreitly to command, that, if any one, during this foltmnity of the divine prefence, mould break through the bounds, which he had fet round about the mount, and mould touch fo much as the border of it, whether it were a man, or even a beatl of an ' kind, he mould not live, but mould furely be itoned to death, or pierced and flain with an arrow, javelin, or dart ; (Ex. xix. 12, 13.) which was an awful in- dication of the great diltance that creatures are to be kept at from God, by realon of iin ; and of Lis being
inacceiiible NOTE. * This found of a trumpet, and the delivered, is reprefented as God's o?:- voice of words, appear to have been fwering Moles .by a voice, (Ex. xix. 19) formed by the miniftry ol angels: For and it follows, (chap* xx 1.) that GcJ they are fpoken of, as to be fent with fpoke all thefe words; and, refrrrirg the great found of a trumpet at the hereunto. Mofej (aid to : end of the world, Mat. xxiv. 31. ; and Lord f pake unto you out of the n the law is laid to be given by the dif- the fire ; ye heard the voice of <u pofition of angels, and ordained by an- and thefe words the Lord /pake iintc all gels in the hand of a mediator, meaning your ajfembly in the mount — with a Mofes, and to he the word fpoken by great voice (Deut. iv. u. and v jz.) angels. (A<£is vii. 53. Gal iii 19. and Bv comparing thefe thing* together, we Htb. ii. 2.) And yet, as the trumpet, may fuppofe that the Lord made an in. - which fliall be founded at the laft day, is mediate ufe oi the miniftry oi angels, in called the trump of God, 1 ThefT. iv. a fupern tural utterance of both the 16. ; fo the voice, by which the law was found and the word;.
Vol. V. K k k
432 "The Epiftle to the Chap. xii.
inaccefiible to Tinners, according to the tenor of the law ; as alfo of the vengeance that he will execute upon the tranfgreflbrs of his commands.
21 And fo ter- 2 i Yea, fo aftoniming, (hocking, and dreadful was nble wasthe lijht, the appearance (to (pavrxgopivov) of the awful tokens, exceedingly '*" fear ^y which the immediate prefence of the divine majef- and quake) ty was evidently manifefted to be on the mount, that
even Mofes % himfelf, notwithstanding all his eminent fanttity, and his office of a mediator to declare the mind of God to the people, and his frequent conver- fes with him, was ftruck with fuch terror and con- ilernation at it, as he dwelt in mortal flefh, and had Hill the remainders of a body of fin, that he could not forbear crying out, at the full fight of it, I am all over feized with an affrightning aftonifhment and dif- may, and with horrible trembling. So cloudy and tremendous was the mount <SV//tf/-diTpenfation of the covenant, which concealed its moft delightful glories, and engendered a bondage frame of fpirit, (Ga/. iv. 24, and fee the note on chap. viii. 6.) that it may well take you off from all thought or. defire of return- ing to the Mofaic law, the amazing terrors of which ye are not now called unto.
22 But ye are 22 But, inilead of being fummoned to approach un- come unto mount to God under fuch dreadfui reprefentations, as were 010D, and unto the , r>- • 1 • i_ r 1 1 1 city of the livin? made at mount binai, which was or an earthly and
God, corporeal nature ; ye, on the contrary, are called by
the NOTE.
* Mofes's faying, I exceedingly fear by a voice, is not there recorded, it is
and quake, is not to be found in the hif- moft likely to have been then that he
tory of God's awml promulgation of the faid, I exceedingly fear and quake ; and
law at mount Sinai, nor in any other that God comforted him againft his fears
part of the Old Teitament : But it was, by the voice which anfwered bim : For
probably, a well-known and received it is added in the .next verfes, (20, 2T,
tradition among the Jews, and, perhaps, 22.) that the Lord called Mofes up ta
recorded in fome of their writings then the top of the mount, and Mofes went
extant, like the names of Jannes and up ; and the Lord faid unto Mofes, Go
Jambres, two famous magicians of Egypt, down unci charge the people, lejl they
\vhuh the apoftle fpeaksof, 2 Tim.ii\. 8.; break through unto the Lord to gaze,
and therefore he might with good pro- and many of them peri/h, Sec. Where-
pnety mention this to the Hebrews, who upon, Mofes' s fear being allayed, he af-
were well fatisfied, in one or other of tbefe terward faid to the people, Fear not, &c.
ways, about the truth or the fact ; and chap. xx. 20. — However, we may de-
it is highly probable that Mofes exprefs- pend upon the certainty of what the a-
ed thefe words to God, when, as we are poftle fays about Mofes' s fear, fince he,
told, Evod. xlx. tS, 19. Mount Sinai who wrote under divine infpiration, has
was a/together on a fmoke, becaufe the aflerted it, which he would not have
Lord defended upon it in fire ; and the done had it been a falfehood. Traditions
Jmoke thereof ' afc ended as the fmoke of 'a thus confirmed by apoftolic authority
f/vmare, and the whole mountain quak- may fafely be received by us; though
ed greatly ; and when the voice of the no regard is to be oaid to Popifh tradi-
trumpet founded long,, and waxed loud- tions, which have no fuch warrant, and
der and louder, Motes fpake, and God an- are generally ftuffed with the moff fabu-
ftiered him by a <voice< But as what lous, anti-icriptural, and incredible fto-
Mofes fpake, or what God anfwered him ries.
Chap. xii. Hebrews paraph r a 'fed, 433
God, the heavenly the gofpel to a milder, fweeter, and more encouraging Jerutalem, and to difpenation of light and grace, and of incomparably more com air^or^n6 exceIlent> and advantageous privileges and bleffings ; at\s "" anc* are brought, through the faith of Cliviit, into a
happy and holy communion with the New Teftament- church, which is of a fpiritual nature ;* and, in oppo- fition to mount Sinai, may be called mount Sion, as, like the mount which hove that name, it is ehofen and beloved of God ; the place of his delightful refidcnce and fpecial manifestation of his favour ; the feat of di- vine worfhip and ordinances in religious affemblies ; $nd the object of all his gracious promiies ; the per- fection of beauty, and the joy of the v. bole earth, as was faid of that holy place. (Pf. xlviii. 2. and 1. 2.) It may alio be ftyled the city, which is formed into a numerous, beautiful, and orderly iociety, and endued. with glorious privileges and immunities, by the char- ter, and under the protection and defence, laws and government of God himfelf, who erected it by his gofpel and Spirit upon Chriit, as its foundation, and is the proprietor of it ; and who, in oppoiiuon to all the idols of the heathen, is the only living and true God, and dwells in this hoiy city to animate it with his gra- cious presence, and Cake cikclual care of it, that all its true members, who are tree denizons, may live to him here, and with him in all his glory for ever here- after. This city of God, confidered in oppoiiuon to the earthly Jerufaie??;, is of a heavenly nature, as its conftitution and original, and the birth of all its fpiritual inhabitants are from heaven ; as it is compacled toge- ther in heavenly peace and harmony by the bones of faith and love ; and as its fpirit and temper, and ail its tendencies are towards heaven, and (hall iilue, and K k k 2 be
N O T E * What is contained in this and the which the church of Ifrael were types. next verfes, is not to be confidered as a Thus it is called Sion, and the city of defeription of the privileges and bleffings God, Ifa. ii. 3. and Pt'al. Ixvxvii. 3,5.; of the future [late of the church in hea- "and Gentile-believers ;-re called feVow- ven ; but of its prefent fate on earth un- citizens with the f ants ; (Eph." ii. 19.) der the goipel-difpenfation, which the a- and, in diftirxftion from the earthly Je- poftle oppofes to that of the Old Tefta- ri/falcm, the gofpel-'. hurcb is called Jc- ment : For therein lies the force of his rufalem, which is from above and free, argument to fhew the preference of the and the mother of us all. (Gal iv. 26.) gofpel (tare, beyond that under the law, And believers being come to it, as de- r.nd to guard the Hebrews againft apof- fcribed under tbefe titles, may rr.of- im- tatizing from Chriftianity to judaifn. mediately relate tothe communion whih But, in allufion to the characters under they are brought into with the whole which the church of Ifrael was reprefent- church on earth; thou.-h the following ed, he fpeaKs of the gofpel- church, as parts of the defeription ieem more imme- mouut Sion, the city of the living God, diately to relate, to the communion they and the heavenly Jerufalem, which are haw, even while they are here, with the all terms of much the fame import, and church in heavr-:. and with God and the are applied in Scripture to the New Mediator, who are mod perfectly .enjoy- Teftament-church of true believers, of ed there.
434 The Epiftle to the Chap. xii.
be perfected in the heavenly world. And in this ftate of
the gofpel-church, ye are admitted to a moil noble and
exalted communion in love and fervice, with ten thou-
fand times ten thoufand, and thoufands of thoufands ^
yea, number lefs myriads of bleffed and holy angels,
who furround the throne of God's glory, and always
behold his face in heaven, and do his commandments,
hearkening to the voice of his word ; (Rev. v. it.
Mat. xviii. 10. and Pf. ciii. 20.) and who are your
fellow- fervants, not to be worfhipped by you, but to
worfhip God with you; (Rev, xix. 10. and xxii. 9.)
and are all mini firing f/nrits, not ,| with terror, like
thofe appearances at mount Sinai; but with love and
kindneis, to perform the moil important offices of
friendfhip ; to be your invifible guardians in life, and
magnificent convoy to Abraham* $ bofom at death, as
they are fen t forth to minifler for them who (hall be
heirs offalvation. (Lukexvi. 22. and Heb. i. 14.)
; M'o tk gene- 23 And ye are brought into a fpiritual and holy
"ll a.u-mbiy and fellowship with the whole body of fincere believers,
church ot the nrft- Aether militant on earth, or triumphant in heaven,
l-orn. which are , n. , , .; r . . \. . . I
written in hea- ' w"° conititute the catholic church or true and vital
von a»d to God members of Chrift, and are a much more delightful
the judge of all, and glorious fociety under Chrift their head, than
:;i,d. & the 1i),n1ts were the general congregation of all the males of If- ot jiift men made , , • r , r ix i_ *.• / e* j
pgife<ft rael, at their iolemn ieaits three times a year ; ( txod.
xxxiv. 23. and Deut. xvi. 16.) or than the general affembly of their whole church at mount Sinai, when the law was delivered to them ; and who, to allude to the birthright which Efau fold, (ver. 16. fee the note there) have many privileges above the reft of man- kind, as the church of Ifrael had that were called God's fir ft- born, (Ex. iv. 22.) and were therein ty- pical of Chrift, and ol the gofpcl church as interefted in him, and as the fi r ft. fruits to God and to the Lamb ; (Rev. xiv. 4.) who alfo are heirs of God, and joint heirs with Chrif, by virtue of their union with him ; and are conformed to his image, who is the frjl -born among marry brethren, (Rom. viii. 17, 29.) and has redeemed them to God by his blood, out of every hud red, and tongue, and people, and nation, and made them unto their God, king.' and priejls; (Rev. v. 9. 10.) whole names, to allude to the regifter of the rirft born of the males of Ifrael, (Numb. iii. 40.) are, as it were, inrolled in the records of heaven, and in the Lamb's book of life, (Luke x. 20. and Rev. xiii. 8.) as thole whom God has ebofen, merely of his grace, before the foundation of the world, that they jhould be holy, and without blame before him in love. (Eph. i. 4.) And in this gofpel ftate, intfead of being kept at a diftance from the divine prefence, as when the law
was
Chap. xii. Hebrews paraphrafecL 435
was delivered in all its terrors at mount Sinai ; ye have liberty of humble boldnefs, and acceCs with con- fidence, by the faith ofChriil, (Eph. iii. 12.) to the righteous and holy God himfelf,. even under the cha- racter of the fovereign Lord and [judge of all mankind^, who, being your reconciled God and Father, wi i, at his appointed day {ox judging the world in rigbteouf- nej', by Jefus Cbrijl, (A&s xvii 31.) vindicate the righteous caufe of his faints and fullering fervants, and five ihem a crovti of r%gbl£Qu{nefb\ and of glory that jincih not away. (2 Tim. iv. 8. and 1 Pet. v. 4.) And. ye are admitted to the moil defirablc communion, in faith, love and joy, worfhip and obedience, with the feparate /pirns of believers in heaven, who were righteous before God on earth, as having been juili- fied by the blood, and fanclified by the Spirit of Chrill ; and whofe fouls departed \fr&mt and did not fleep with their bodies; but, immediately upon the diffolution of their mortal frame, were prefent with the Lord ; (2 Cor. v. 8. and Phil. i. 23.) and there they live in a fta.te of perfect freedom from all fin and forrow, temptation, trouble or danger, and of perfect holinefs and happinefs in the vifion, enjoyment, and likenefs of their God and Saviour. Ye have a part- nership with thele blelTed ipirits, as ye are children of the fame heavenly Father, united to the fame head, gathered together into one body in him, (Eph. i. 10.) and animated by the fame divine Spirit ; and as ye are intitled to, and ihall inherit the fame heavenly man- lions with them, and join in their hallelujahs for ever. 24 And to Jefus 24 And the foundation, medium, and center of oil the mediator of this glorious communion, into which ye are brought the new covenant ^y the gofpel, lies in your being called, not to Mb- and to the blood / .. • i j- i r „i y^ij t< ji v
of fpfmkhqr that Jes> as a lyPlcal mediator of the Old Teitament ; but i'peaketh ^better to Jefus y the only true and effectual Saviour, that ye things than that may come by faith to him, as fuch, and may have of Abel. an immediate free accefs, under a fenfe of all your
guilt, vilenefs, and unworthinefs, to him, who is :he only acceptable and all- Sufficient mediator between God and man, and lias irrevocably cllabllihed and con- firmed the covenant of grace, as well as purchafed all its bleffings, in this new and beft-achnin Juration of it, according to what has been fet forth at large : (ckrp. via. 6, — 13. and ix. 15, — 20.) and ye have com- munion by faith in all the virtue of his precious bloody which was J bed for many, far the remiffion 'f fins, (Mat xxvi. 28.) and is applied to your fouls, by the Holy Spirit, that ye may plead it for pardon, jufti- fication, and all falvation, and your confeiences may bt purged by it from dead works, to ierve the living God ; (Heb. ix. 14.) and which, in allufion to Mq/es'a
fprinkling
43^ The Epiftle to the Chap. xii.
fprinkling the blood of the covenant on the people, and on the book of the law, {chap. ix. 19, 20. and Ex. xxiv. 8.) and in allufion to the fprinklings of the blood of the paflbver, and of the annual facrifices on the great day of atonement, ( Ex. xii. 21, 22. and Lev. xvi. 14.) and to various other fprinklings for legal purification, may be called the fprinkling of the blood of fefus Chrift ; (1 Pet. i. 2.) which effectu- ally procures, and cries aloud in the interceflbry pleas of the Mediator, and in the consciences of believers, when applied, and refted upon by faith, not only for better things than the blood of righteous dbel, which was fhed by his wicked brother, and cried to heaven, not for mercy and forgivenefs *, but for vengeance to come down upon Cain his murderer ; and ftill freaks awful warnings to all others of his perfecuting fpirit : But the blood of Chrift fpeaks for abfolutely the belt of things, even to his crucifiers, and to all forts of fmners that believe in him ; and it fpeaks for compa- ratively better things than even the blood of the fa- crifice pleaded for, which righteous Abel offered by faith with acceptance to God, {chap. xi. 4. compa- red with Gen. iv. 4.) under that dark difpenfation ; which did not give fo evident affurances of fuch great and glorious bleffings, as are now clearly revealed in the gofpel, and actually brought in by Chrift, and enjoyed with rich advantage by every true believer ; and as neither Abel's, nor any other typical facrifices, that were afterwards appointed under the law, could pofilbly obtain. {Chap. x. 4.) 35 Sec that ye 25 Since therefore the gofpel- ftate is fo incompa- retuie not him that rably more excellent, encouraging, and inviting, than fpeaketh : for it h f h { fc { • . { ^ h and
ihey efcaped not, _ ' r ' r r T
"-ho refilled him an0- cautioully beware, as ever ye value your own ial- that ipake on vation, left, through temptation, worldly- mindednefs earthy and
N O T E. * SpcaLs better things than that of heaven for vengeance on the head of Abel or than Abel (sra^a rev A£rx) Cain, and brought a curie, inftead of a - feems, as I apprehend, to allude to the bleffing, upon him, Gen. iv. 10, 11.; and blood of the facr ifice which Abel offered, fo fpdke for the worft of evils, inftead of and was acceptable for obtaining mercy, any good to come upon hiin, and upon through faith, in the atoning facrifice of all perfecutors unto death like him. But the Meffiah (See the note on chap xi. the blood of the facrifice, which Abel of- 4.) I therefore ehoofe to confider it in fcred in faith, and was fignally accepted aliuiion to this, rather than (as moft ex- of God, fpoke for good things for him- pr-fitors understand it) to the blood of felf, though not for others, nor with fuch Abel hi tvf elf, which Cain Hied : For the efficacy, and to fo rich advantage and argument to fhow the excellency of the extent, as the blood of Chrift fpeaks for gpfpel-difpe'nfation, above that at mount under the gofpel-ftale ; and fo was a Sinai, finks exceeding low, if it be con- proper inftance to fhew that all the fa^ fidered only as fpeaking better things crifices, afterwards inftituted under the than the innocent blood cf Abel, which law, were not fo available as the facri- was unrighteoufly flictl," and cried to fice of Chrift.
Chap. xii. Hebrews parapbrafid. 437
earth, much more artd unbelief, or through hankerings after the Mofaic pall not we e. JaWj anv- 0f y0U> eJther refufe to embrace, and give {way' from* him yourfelves UP unt0 Jefus tbc Mediator of the new co- that fpeaketh from venant, whofe blood [peaks better things than that of heaven: Abel ; (ver. 24.) or left any of you, who have made
a profeltion of his name, afterward renounce him, and fo defpife and reject, inftead of hearing and obeying him, who now fpeaks to you all the gracious, endear- ing, and important things of the new covenant, by his word and the miniitry of it, and by his Spirit in mi- raculous gifts to confirm it, and in the hearts of jhofe of you that are true believers : For if the people of Ifrael did not efcape vengeance, but the carcafes of many of them fell in the wildernefs, who refufed to hear and yield obedience to Mofes, and thrufted him from thern, [Acis vii. 39.) notwithftanding all their high profeffions before of hearkening to him, ( Ex. xx. 19.) who delivered the facred oracles from God to them, {%^ccli^6VTci) and fpake after an earthly manner upon the earth ; much more impoffible is it, that we mould efcape the dreadful vengeance of eter- nal fire, if any of us who live under the gofpel, which brings glad tidings of a fpiritual and eternal faivation, mould, through unbelief, reject, defpife, and difobey him, who is the Lord from heaveh, and perlbnally came from heaven to fet up this bleffed diipenfaticn ; who alfo, being now afcended up to heaven, ftill fur- ther reveals it in all its fpirituality, light, and glory, and fpeaks heavenly things from thence in his apef- tles, by the immediate infpiration of his Spirit, and by miraculous wonders of mercy and goodnefs to con- firm thtm ; ( 1 Pet. i. 12.) and fpeaks them with hea- venly light and energy in the fouls of true believers. It muft needs be an inexcufably aggravated and de- ilru&ive fin, to reject his authority in this moll illuf- trious difpenfation of his grace. 26 Whofe voice 26 Whofe voice, at the delivery of the law on then fj.ock the mount Sinaiy was with fuch divine majefty, foveruVn earth: but now . . , , . , J . ' , *?
he hath promifed, aiuhonty, and almighty power, as to caufe that earth- laying Yet once' ly mountain to move, (hake, and tremble greatly, ( Ex. more I lhake not xix. 18. and Pfal. lxviii. 8.) and as to make a' terrible alVhY^en ^ ^ cornmotlon bY the locking prodigies which attend- ed it, and among the people all around ; an account of which we have already related, [ver. 18, — 21.*)
But NOTE. * His prowife of Jljaking not the earth little nvhile ; and fhe alteration* which o?tly, but alfo heaven, rflanifeftly relates en Jta upon Chn'iA appearing in the to the great alteration* that fhould be fir:), and not thofe which will "be made made by the firft, and no* the jecond at the d?.y of judgment, fuited the detign coming of Chrilt : For in the prophecy, of the apoftle's argument, which was to 1*%. ii. 6. he faid he would do it in a Ihew the fuperior excellency of the gof-
pel-ftate,
43 S tb€ Epiflk to the Chap. xii.
But now, under the New Teftament-difpenfation, he was to make another more remarkable and important making, according to his promife with refpec\ to a better ftate of things in the gofpel-church, (Ha?, ii. 6.) where he fays, Yet once a^ain, I will jhake, not or.'y the ecv th> as I did at the giving of the law, and fetting up that difpenfation, which was of an earthly- nature ; but in a little while, compared with the whole duration of that economy, I will alfo make down the civil and ecclefiaitical ftate of the Jews ; which was to be fulfilled in the deftru&ion of the city and temple of Jen/falem, and which, not merely in a na- tural, but efpecially in a figurative fenfe, may be called making both earth and heaven. 27 And this 27 And this manner of exprefiing it, Yet once word, Yet once morei evidently fignifies, that there mould be but one more, figmhet b ^the other emInent and thoroughly making difpenfation, removing ot thole & / 5 f , >
things that are fha- a*ter tne former ; and that the Jewi/h itate (inclufive ken, as of things of its political and religious conftitution) mould be that are made, difiblved, in which many things, eflential to the le- thal thole things j difpenfation werc madc b the hands of men which cannot be » . r . . . ' . .. , '
ihaken may te- *uck as lne tabernacle, temple, ana all its utennls, main, and were appointed of God to be continued only ////
the time of reformation, (chap. ix. 10.) to the end that (<v«) the glorious privileges and bleffings, wor- fhip and ordinances of the New Teftament-church, which are of an unalterable conftitution, and are in- troduced inft cad of the former, might abide without any change to the end of the world. i3 Wherefore, 28 Since therefore we of the gofpel-church are we receiving a madc partakers of, and actually receive by faith, the kingdom which lorious benefits 0f the New Teftament-difpenfation, cannot be moved. & . -. ~..a. , , . K , . '
let us have grace, which, under Chnit 8 rule and government, is a king- whereby we may dom of grace, now fet up in the world, and is not ferve liable
NOTE. pel-ftate, in oppofition to the Mofaic dif- ken in a metaphorical fenfe, relating to penfation. And the earth might be laid the diffolution of the church and ftate of at this time to be fhaketi, as there were the Jews : For the overthrowing of na- great commotions in the earth at the tions and kingdoms, is in prophetir lan- birth of Chrift, and by the miracles he guage represented by flaking the earth. wrought, and the earthquake that at- and the heavens, as in Hag- ii. 21, 22. If. tended his refurrection. 'The heavens xiii. 13. and ^0^/ iii- 15- And the fta- alfo were fliaken, when the extraordinary king of the earth and heavens, here in- ftar appeared to the wife men of the Eaft, tended, carries our thoughts back to the and a multitude of the heavenly holt ce- mount iS/>w/-difponfation, and the gof- lebrated the praifes of his birth; and pel- church ftate, which had been fet in when the heavens were opened, and the oppofition one to the other in the forego- Holy Ghoft del'cended upon him, and ing verfes; (iS, — 24.) and fo we are na- God the Father declared, with an audi- turally led to underftand by it the remo- ble voice from heaven, This is my belo- ving of thoft things that are /haken. as <ved Son, in 'whom lam well p leafed ; of things that are made, That the things and when the fun was darkened at his which cannot be //jaken may remain ; death, and the like. — But the exprefiions, and are called a kingdom which cannot quoted by the apoftle, may rather be U- be flakes (ver, 27, 28.)
Chap. xii. Hebrews paraphrafed. 439
ferve God accept- liable to be removed, as the Old Teftairtent-difpenfa- ablv, with reve- tjon nas been . but remains unalterably the fame, till ttrce ami godly {% ^ ^ [q ^ kingdom of glory, Lct us, aC,
cording to the nature, provifions, and encouragements of this gofpel-kingdom, which is the free effecfc of di- vine favour, and fo may be called grace) hold it f-ifl in our faith and profefiion of it * ; and let us be con- cerned to make a careful confcientious uie jpf all the means it affords us, for every fuppry, increafe, and exercife of grace, by which we may be enabled to ferve, worfhip, and glorify God in an acceptable manner, through Jefus Chrift, with an humble and holy reverence of his divine majefty, and with a reli- gious fear of him, under a fenfe of his greatnefs and glory, and of our own nothingnefs, finfulnefs, and vilenefs ; and of the danger of trifling with him in our approaches to him, and walk before him. 20 For our God 29 For the Lord, who is our covenant-God by it a confuming vifible difpenfation, as we are profefling Chriflians, firc# and is effectually fo, by fpecial grace, to thofe of us
who are true believers, is no lefs jealous for his own glory, with refpe£t to his worfhip according to infti- tution now, than he was when he gave the law at mount Sinai : (Ex. xx. 5.) And as he will ilill be fan£tiiied by them that come nigh him ; (Lev. x. 3.) fo his righteous indignation burns ?.gainft thofe that are not in Chrift, but reject him and the bleflings of his kingdom, by unbelief, and caft oft" his fear ; and he, in the ftrietnefs of his juftice, and purity of his bo- linefs, is as terribly definitive, like a Confuming fire, even to thofe who are his covenant- people by exter- nal profefiion, but are unmindful of his covenant, un- der the gofpel, as he threatened to be to the carnai Ifrae/ites, under the law. (Dent. iv. 23, 24. and ix.
RECOLLECTIONS.
How great is our encouragement to faith and patience ! We have a cloud of e- mirent examples in the Old Telfament-iaints, and the brighteft of all in our fuf- fering Lord and Saviour, to animate our running the C'-.i utu-.n race through all difficulties till it be completed. In order hereunto, Let us cait off every thing that would incumber us. and every fin that we are molt incident to, and look to Jefus. the Author and Finifher of faith, for all affiftances, victory, and triumph, that we mny be conformable to him, who, for the jov which was fet befpre hinp, endured the crofs, detpifing the fhame, and is no^v exalted to his throne. Our fufferings have not yet been unto death, as they might have been, and were in many of the ancient worthies, and in our blefied Lord himfelf; and wh.vfo.~vcr they be, if we are the children of God, they are all wifely ordered, and gractoirfly
over-ruled NOTE.
* Grace may here be taken either for the verb rendered to have, (jxt,v) l3 the free favour of God, or for the effect often put for to retain or hold faji, of it, in gracious qualities. And Dr. (x«t(^?iv.) Whitby obferves from the critias, that
Vol. V. Li 1
44° The Epiftle to the Chap, xih
over-ruled by our heavenly Father, in a way of fpecial love, for our amendment in this imperfect world. For what ion is there whom the father chaftens not for his faults ? Bat O how difficult is it to fteer right between defpifing the chaftenings of the Lord, and fainting under them ! And with how much greater reverence and fubmiffion fhould we receive the corrections of the Father of our fpiriti, than can be due from children to their fathers of the flefh ! Though fuch chaftenings are in their own nature grievous, they are nevertheless profitable, to make us par- takers of his holinefs, and to produce the peaceable fruits of righteoufnefs, for li- ving to him here, and with him hereafter. How deeply concerned therefore ought we to be, that no afflictions may ever turn us afide from the way of God's testi- monies, or make us halt in our holy profeffion ; but that we may advance forward with vigour in the ftraight paths of truth and duty, and may be exemplary, and encouraging to others, under their fears, defpondencies, and dangers ! And O what amiable companions are peace and holinefs ! Thefe mould be unitedly purfued : But if we cannot obtain peace upon good terms with men, we fhould remember that holinefs is abfolutely neceflary to the beatific vifion and enjoyment of God. And how dreadful is it to fall Short of his grace under a profeffion of the gofpel I All principles and practices, that lead to apoftacy, will, one way or other, be a root of bitternefs, and endanger infection to the church of Chrift, whenever they break out. How fhould we dread the firft beginning? of apoftacy, left, at length, it fhould run into all uncleannefs, and profane contempt of every thing that is facred, like Efau's defpifing and felling his birthright, which could never be recovered 1 How terrible is the voice of the law, as delivered at mount Sinai, and as roaring in the confciences of awakened finners ! It fpreads blacknefs and darknefs through their fouls ; burns like a tormenting fire within them ; overwhelms them like an horrible tempeft ; fummons them, as with the found of a trumpet, to appear at God's awful bar for judgment ; and makes them dread to hear of any thing more of its rigorous terrors, which they know not how to bear. Yea, the holieft of men, like Mofes himfelf, muft tremble, when they think of God's infinite purity and unyielding juftice, as confidered only according to the tremendous revelation of them in his righteous law. But how encouraging, comforting, and glorious, are the difcoveries and bleffings of gofpel-grace ! Here deliverance from the law and ail its terrors, and the richeft privileges are fet before condemned finners ; and be- lievers in JeSus have free adirnffion to all heavenly bleffings with the New Tefta- ment- church : For the living God dwells after a more Spiritual and excellent man- ner in them than ever be did in the temple on mount Sion, and in the beloved city of Jentfalem. They have delightful and beneficial communion by faith and love with innumerable myriads of holy angels ; with the Spirits of departed faints, which are made perfect in happinefs and holinefs ; and with the univerfal church of militant and triumphant believers, whofe names are written in heaven: And they have humble boldnefs of accefs to God, the Judge of the wThole world, as they come by faith to him through the Mediator of the new covenant, under the Sprinklings of his blood, which Speaks better things than the blood, even of Abe fs ficrifice. How fhould we rejoice and blefs God for the gofpel-difpenfation, which brings us to our only remedy againft the terrors of the law, and to a happy communion with God and Chrift, angels and faints ! This is a conftitution of a tpiritual and heavenly nature, and is revealed and confirmed immediately from heaven by our blefied Lord, whole voice fhook the earth in delivering the law at mount Sinai, and who made a moft excellent revolution, which may be called his Shaking heaven as well as earth, in letting afide the Mofdic diSpenSation, and introducing that of the goSpel-ftate in its fiend. How firmly is this glorious dif- penfation of light and grace eftablifhed, to continue without any change to the confummacion of all things '. It confifls of fuch a Spiritual church-ftate, with re- lpect to its worfhip and ordinances, privileges and bleffings, as cannot be Shaken ; and is a kingdom which cannot be moved. O with what fpirituality and Solemni- ty fhould we worfhip God according to this heavenly eftablifhment ! Though he is a reconciled God and Father in Chrift to all fincere believers, he is a devour- ing fire to all neglecteis and abulers of his grace, and particularly to all hypocrites and apoftates. Hew highly therefore doth it concern us to receive, and hold faft, the gofpel of the kingdom with faith and love ; and to have the truth of grace in our own (oils, whereby we may b" enabled to Serve God acceptably, through Chrift, with ail devotional reverence of his facred majefty, and filial fear of offending him !
CHAP.
Chap. xiii. Hebrews paraphrafed. 44
CHAP. XIII.
The apqftle exhorts to the various duties of brotherly love, hofpitali'yy Chriftian fympathy, marriage- chafiity, contentednejs with fuch worldly circumflances as Providence allots to us, and paying due refpetl to the infiruclions, example, and memory of 'faithful paj- torsy 1, — 8. Cautions againfl being carried away with Jewiih doBrines and ceremonies, which are fulfilled in Chrifi}, the gofpel High Priejl, altar, and facrifice, 9, — 14. Adds further exhorta- tions to dutter, that relate to God, to our neighbour, and them that are fet over us in the Lord, 15, — 17. Defires the prayers of the Hebrews, and prays for them, 18, — 21. Recommends what he had wrote in this epifile to their ferious confideraiion : Gives them hopes of his oivn and Timothy'/ coming to fee them ; and conclude si with his ufual falutalions and benediction, 22, — 25.
Text. Paraphrase.
j^ET brotherly If" ET it be your earneft care and endeavour, that love continue. Xjj as ye have begUn ; (chap. vi. 10.) fo ye may go on to maintain and cultivate an abiding and growing exercife of a brotherly and affectionate temper and behaviour, in all offices of friendfhip one towards a- nother, and towards all your fellow-Chriflians, who are members of the fame family, children of the fame heavenly Father, brethren in Chrifl your elder bro- ther, partakers of the fame grace, and heirs together of the fame glory, whether they be Jews or Gentiles, or whatfoever denomination they are cliftinguilhed by. 2 Be not forget- 2 Extend your brotherly compaffion, in a fpecial ful to entertain raannerj to fuch honeft religious ftrangers*, as are th"" tr"" feme have Perfecuted for righteoufnefs fake, and driven from their entertained angels own habitations and country ; or as voluntarily go a- unawares. bout to preach the gofpel. (Acls viii. 1. and 2 John.,
ver. 5, — 8.) Do not defpife or neglect thefe, or with- hold your charity from, and harden your hearts again ft them ; but be always ready, according to your abili- ties and opportunities, to entertain them with liberali- ty and friendship : Receive them into your hearts and houfes ; and fupply them with needful accommoda- tions and afiiftances of every kind. This will be an L 1 1 2 honour
NOTE. * Though it is indeed common hu- who were entire ftrangers to them, Acts manity to ihew kindnefs to neceffitous xxviii. 2, 7.: Yet as this exhortation ftrangers, whether they be truly re- ftands among thofe, that relate to the ligious or not, and was enjoined by the benevolent carriage of Chriftians one to- law to Ifrael, Deut. x. 19. as hofpitali- wards another, as fuch, according to ty in general alio is by the apoftle, Rom. their various ciicumftances, it is to be xii. 13. and Gal. vi. 10.; and the very confidered as one branch of brotherly heathens practifed it in the generous and love, which was to be fhewn :n enter? companionate entertainment they gave tailing ftrangers of that character. to Paul and the lhipwrecked company,
44? The Epijile to the Chap. xiii.
honour to God and Chriftian religion, a feafonable re- lict to thofe whom his providence cafts in your way ; and a noble fatisfa£tion to your own minds in reflec- tion upon it, as it has formerly been to others : For by this generous temper toward iirangers, fome of our re- ligious anceftors, fuch as Abraham and Lot, (Gen. xviii. 2, — 8. and xix. l, — 3.) had the honour of en- tertaining angels *, whom, by their appearance, they then took to be only good men. 3 Remember 3 Another branch of duty, which belongs to, and them that are in Js included in brotherly love, and which I would ear- bonds, as bound nefll rccommend to * is that as ye have had com- with them; and rrJ . ■> » ' * c
them which fatter pailion on me m my bonds; (chap. x. 34.) lo ye adverfity, as be- would bear upon your hearts, pity and pray for, ten- ing yourfelves alio derly fympathrze with, and, as far as in you lies, con- tn the body. tribute to the relief and comfort of, and, if opportu-
nity offers, make friendly vifits, and give all pofiible affittance to, thofe faithful profefTors and minifters of Chrifl that are call into prifon, and laid under bonds, for his and the gofpel's fake : Do this, like perfons embarked in the fame glorious caufe, for which they fuffer, and that companionate them as feelingly, as if ye yourfelves were actually in like diftreffed circum- stances with them. And I befeech you to be as mindful of, and tenderly affeevted towards all your fel- low Chriftians, that fuffer, if not unto imprifonment, yet, reproaches, the fpoiling of their goods, and other hardfhips 0:1 Chritl-s account, or that labour under grievous afflictions and tribulations of any kind ; con- sidering yourfelves, as members of the fame myftical body with them; (1 Cor. xii. 12, 13, 25, 26, 27.) and reflecting upon your own (late and condition, as liable and expofed to the like trials, while ye, as well as they, dwell in mortal flefh, and have no fecurity but that your own lot may foon be the fame with theirs.
4 Let NOTE. * If (as is highly probable) the apof- tained angels, one of which was the tie here refers to the entertainment that Sun of God ; for Lot did not entertain Abraham and Lot gave to the angels, him ; and if they both had done this, which appeared to then in human form; it was no more than hath been laid of one oi thole angels, who appeared to A- fever al, who entertained our bleffed braham, is all along represented in the Lord, while he was upon earth, under hiftory under the title of Jehovah, who the character of a mere man, or mef- fpoke of, and converfed with Abraham, fenger from God at mod, while they d:d Gen. xviii. 1. and xiii. 17, — it.; <nd fo not know him to be the Son of God, or wa. not a created angel, but the Son of the true Mefliah. Inftances of which God, the Angel of the covenant (See we have in the Pharifee, who invited the note on Al~l$ vii. 38.) But as he him to eat with him at his houfe ; and continued with Abraham, and only the in two of his own difuiples, who took other two angels were entertained by him for a (tranger, and con.lrained him Lot, it couid not have been laid with to eat with them, while their eyes were propriety, in the plural number, (as has ho/den that they jhould not know him. &een fuppofed would have ftreogthened (Luke vii. 36. and xxiv. 16, — xS, 20, — the argument) that fome (rm;) enter. 31.)
Chap.
xni,
4 Marriage if honourable in nil, and the bed un denied: but whore- mongers and adul- terers Cud will judge.
Hebrews paraphrafed. 443
4 Let none call a reproach upon the ordinance of mairiage *, which God hath inilituted and blcffcd, and given laws about; [Gen. ii. 23, 24. and Mar. xix. 5.) which Chriil honoured with \fxt pretence ; {John ii. I, — 1 1.) and which was appointed by the God of na- tu:e and providence, for producing a legitimate off- fpring, for the harmony of families and the good of lociety, and for a proper remedy againil all unclean- neis : And provided this relation to be entered into, with the mutual fret content of only one fuitable man and woman, and within prefenbed bounds for preventing inccituous cohabitation, (Lev. xviii. 6, — 18. ) it is fo tar from being in itfelf unworthy, or un- lawful, that it is a very honourable ilate of life, in both fexes of all ranks, degrees, and profedions ; and is fo accounted by all civilized nations : And let thofe who are in a itate of wedlock, preferve the honour of the marriage-bed inviolated, by abftaining from an a- duherous ufe of other men or women, and by a fuit- able and feafonable performance of the marriage-duty, (1 Cor. vii. 2,— -5.) which will put an honour upon it. But as to thole who are guilty in thought or deed, (Mar. v. 28.) either of fimple fornication in a fingle itate, or of adultery in a married ftate, God will often punifh them in this world ; or, at further!:, will call them to a fevere account, and condemn their fins, and the impenitent practifers of them, in the day of judgment,- and exclude them from his heavenly kingdom. (1 Cor. vi. 9, 10.)
5 Another duty, which I would recommend, as of general ufe to you all, and of high importance~to your Chriitian character, is, to beware of covetouf- nefs in all its degrees and various ways of working j (Luke xii. 15.) which are inconliltent with the fore- mentioned duties of brotherly love, hofpitality, and compaflion to them that are in adverlity ; (ver. 1, —
3-) T E.
ing of fornication and adultery. — As the verb fubjlantive is wanting in the Greek to complete this fentence, our tranfia- tors and others fupply it by is, («r<) and fo make it an affirmative proportion ; and others fupply it, by let it be, 0<*«) and fo make it a preceptive or exhorta- tive propofition, juft in the fame man- ner as the next verfe, (where is the fame omifiion in the original) is ren- dered, Let your converfatic?i be with- out rovetoujhefs. But as it is uncerr.iin, in winch of thefe ways the verb may be here b*ft fupplied, both are taken into the paraphrate.
5 Let your con- verfation be with- out covetoufnefs ; and be content with inch things as ye have : for he hath faid, I will never leave thee,
N O * There were, it feems, in thofe days, fome that condemned matrimony as an impure and unlawful
ftate, in- confiftent with the ftiict chaftity that is neceffary to the perfection ot reli- gion ; while others accounted fimple fornication to be no fin ; and the apoftle ibrefaw, by the fpirit of prophecy, that fuch like pernicious notions would be propagated in the apoftacy of afrer-ages. (See the note on 1 Tim- iv. 1.) In oppo- sition therefore to both thefe errors, he recommends a married itate, as nor only lawful, but honourable, provided its ends be purfued with fidelity, and a be- coming chaftity of mind, to the prevent-
444 The Epiftle to the Chap. xiii.
thee, nor forfake g.) let there be no immoderate defires, or purfuits after the things of this world, in your temper, traf- fic, and manner of life ; in fetting your hearts upon them, and making an idol of them, as if they were your chief good ; in being over eager to get them, efpecially by any fraudulent, unjuft, or oppreflive means ; in grudging any proper expence for the rea- sonable fupport and comfort of yourfelves and fami- lies, according to your refpe&ive ftations ; and being loth to communicate of them, as occafions require, for the glory of God, the relief of the poor and af- flicted, and the fervice of civil and religious interefts ; and in thinking it too great an hardfhip to part with them, when, for the fake of your profeflion of Chriil and his gofpel, your perfecuting enemies would de- prive you of them. All thefe are plain indications of covetoufnefs ; and if any man, in this fenfe, love the world, the love of the Father is not in him : (i John ii. 15.) But, in oppofition hereunto, it is incumbent upon you, as Chriftians, to be thorough- ly reconciled to, and well pleafed with your prefent circumftances, even the meaneil and moft affli&ed of them, without envying the eafe and affluence of o- thers ; as being fully perfuaded that the things, which God deals out to you from day to day, in the way of your duty *, arc better than your deferts, and are, upon the whole, what he knows to be moft for his own glory, and fitted and befl for you : For he, who is the Almighty, the only living and true God, whofe kingdom rules over all, and whofe faithfulnefs is un- changeable, NOTE. * As the exhortation to Chriftian was made, not to Jofjua only, but like- contentment with fuch things as we wife to Abraham, and recited for fa- have, relating to the prefent life, is by cob's encouragement ; (Gen. xxviii. 15.) no means to be underftood to counte- as alfo to Solomon, (1 Chron. xxviii. 20.) nance (loth or idlenefs in our fecular and to the church of IfraeL (x Sam. xii. callings, which is every where feverely 22. and If. xli. 10, 17.) Accordingly, reproved and condemned in fcripture ; our apoftle quotes it with an application in the promife of God, not to leave, nor to every individual believer, as God's forfake us, is to be confidered with re- faying, in the Jingular number, / will gard to any difficulties, or dangers, that never leave thee, nor forfake thee : may attend us in the difcharge of fuch And the more effectually to lilence the duties as God calls us to. And though objections of unbelief, and the more this promife was made perfonally to ftrongly to affure us, that there *fhall JoJJjua on a particular occafion, (fq/h. be no failure in the performance of this i. 5.) which the apoftle feems molt im- promife, there are five negatives, as it *nediately to refer to; yet it is equally lies in the Greek, and may be literally applicable, as a promife of God's gra- rendered in the ftyle of peremptory ve- cious covenant, to all true believers, and hemence, No, J will not leave thee; may be pleaded and relied upon, by no, no, I will not forfake thee, (ou ju.n every one of them in all trials, ^s if it a-i avu, ov£' ov /u.a a ty<u1a.\nru.') And had been perfonally made to himfelf; this evidently carries the force of a con- (fee Rom. xv 4 and 2 Cor. u ao.) and trary ftrong affirmative of his being with this very promife, for fubltance at lead, us at all times.
Chap. xiii. Hebrews paraphrafed. 445
chaogeable, like himfelf, has faid, in a way of free and abfolute promife to Jojhua, (chap. i. 5.) which Hands on record for the encouragement of all his peo- ple in their various Ilraits and difficulties, and equally belongs to every true believer, in the ufe of proper means, as if it were directed to him, by name, in all his trials/ with refpecl to temporal, as well as fpiritual concerns, Be thou aflured that I will not leave thee to thyfelf, nor in the hands of any of thine enemies, nor in any wants or dangers ; nor will I ever utterly forfake or abandon thee, at any time, or upon any account, or in any circumftauce whatfoever ; no, I will by no means do it ; but will certainly be with thee Xoflrengthcn, help, and uphold thee, with the right hand of my right eoufnefs, (If. xli. 10.) all the days of thy life, and in death itfelf. / will guide thee with my counfel, and afterward receive thee to glory. (Pf. lxxiii. 24.) 6 So that we 6 So that we believing and refting upon this corn- may boldly fay, prenenflve promife, as applicable to ourfelves, may, and helper "and I win ougnt to &Y w^tn humble confidence, and fweet com- not tear what man pofure of fpirit, each one for himfelf; and mould fliall do unto me. openly avow it, with holy boldnefs in the pro- feflion of our faith in God, as the Pfalmifl did amidft all his dangers and diftrefTes, ( Pf. ivi. 4, 11. and cxviii. 6.) Whatfoever my ilraits and difficulties, wants and troubles be, the Lord Jehovah himfelf, the everlatting God, who faints not, nor is weary, is my fupport, fuccour, and defence ; and having him on my iide to take my part, to revive my foul with grace, and over-rule all events for my good, I will not be afraid of the very word that the moft power- ful, fubtle, and inveterate of all mine enemies, who are but men of weak and mortal flefh, can do againft me ; as though he, who is my helper, were not an over-match for them. If God be for us, who can be againfl u\? (Rom. viii. 31.) And if we be follow- ers of that which is good, who is he that Jhall harm us ? ( 1 Peter iii. 13.) 7 Remember 7 As ever ye would pradlife. the duties, and have them which have vour faitn ftrengthened in the promifes but how men-
ihowrfpS iir,\ k/ ,ha; n *va d« .rt "vhe ™™*j
unt0 or thoie decealed laitiiiul miniiters *, who were your
fpiritual NOTE. * Remember them which have the them the ivord of God, and the end of ru/e over yo//,(y.™y.o*ivili tov nyiVfiii/ut, their coiwerfation, feems plainly to in- v^uv) literally tranflated is, Remember terpret it or former paftors, who weire your guides, or leaders, without reftrain- then decealed; and at the fame Mine ing it to thole that had then the paftoral Slows that their rule over them, as our care oi" them, who are fpokeu of, ver. traofation hath it, confided in uie;r go- 17.; and the remaining nart of this verfe, ing before them, as their guides or lead- which mentions their having fpoken to crs in doctrine, discipline, and exempla- ry
4-1-6 The EpUlle to the Chap, xin-
v! the word fpiritual guides, under Chrift their great Lord and ot God: whofc Mafter ; and often call to mind the do&rines, com- fidering °the Tnd man^s> aflc* promifes, which they delivered to you ac- of their convena- cording to the word of God, that only rule of faith, t-ton : worlhip, and obedience. Remember them in fuch a
manner, as to embrace, and adhere to the pure doc- trines of faith, which they preached to you, and as to imitate their own faith therein, and their faithfulnefs in profefiing and publifhing them, together with all the excellent and holy fruirs thereof, as they appear- ed in their lives. And ye ought to be excited to this, by ferioufly reflecting upon what ye have feen, or heard, and obierved of the peaceful and joyous manner with which they finifhed the courfe of their good converfation in Chrift, and obtained a noble victory over, and happy exit, or outlet (iKZxcnv) from all the troubles and dangers that here attended them ; how they then efcaped from them all, and went with triumph to glory. This may well animate you to tread in their fteps. S Jems Chrift 8 For, though fome of your minifters are gone, the fame yefter- anj 0tners are going off the ftage ; yet the Redeem- day, ,nd to day, d Rcad of h « church ^ y r{m Chrjft
and tor ever. %*■**% r r • i
the object, author, and hniiher ot your raith, is un- changeably the fame in his divine perfon *, as from everlafting to everlalling God ; and is the fame in his love to his people, in his care of them, and in his of- fices for them, and promifes to them, as their only Saviour through all generations : He ever war. the fame heretofore in the virtue and efficacy of his un- dertakings and performances to Old Teftament belie- vers, and to all that have fince died and got fafe to heaven ; and he is ftill the fame to all New Tefta- ment-believers no^v living upon the earth; and will be the fame to all fucceeding ages of them, until the consummation of all things ; and the fame to them all for ever afterwards : And therefore ye ought to be
ftedfafl NOTES ?y converfation : And indeed the rule of tian-lordihip, inftead of being entirely evangelical paftors lies, not in giving fubordmate, as it ever ought to be. to laws, broaching doctrines, or exerciiing the author^y of Chrift. any authority of their own: but in ex- * There is a ftrong emphafis in this plaining, eftablilhing, and defending the word the fame ; (o avhi) foi it is a cha- laws and doctrines of Chrift, and mail- racleriltic of the unchangeable perma- cating them on the conferees of his nency of the treat Jeh ovah of Ifrael, the people, by his fole authority, and exem- I wn, Pfal cii. i"j. ; and it had been ap- plifying them in their own faith and ho- plied 'o Chrfi in chap. i. rz ; ( ee the ly convention, according to what they note there") and confidering the connec- have received by their commiffion, and tion with the foregoing verfe, with which can prove that they have received them the apoftle brings it in here, it fet* the from him, ascor- M,ed in h<s word, unchangeiiblene is of Chrift in oppofition All pretences to church -authority beyond to th* uncertain continuance of dying this, is really an ufurpation, an anti-chrif- minifters.
Chap. xiii. Hebrews par aphrafed. 447
ftedfaft in the faith, as ye have been taught ; and to have the fame trull and dependence upon him, as your faithful guides had, the end of vvhofe couvcrfa- tion was with honour and jov. • 9 Be not carried 9 Take heed then, left, by departing from Chrift *, about with divers and from the dodrines and examples of your for-
trines^for/.lra T gUWe8' M *"" " ^ f°lloWed ^ ** ^ good thing that c"l^re"-> be tofjed 10 and jr'j, and cat ied about
the heart he efta- VJlti every wind of doclrine, by the Jlqht of men,
bliflied with grace, and cunning cruftne/i, wherebv they lie in sail to
whVhVlth mCatS' dec*™ei (Eph. W. 14.) and, particularly, left ye be
which have not a n • , •* , / , ,., „ . . „
profited them that """uatinir, and whirled about, like a (hip in a ftorm,
have been occupied or n^ clouds by the wind, and be unfettled in your therein, minds by various do&rines about feveral Jewijb rites
and ceremonies, which are diffeient from, foreign to, and inconfiftent with, the fimplicity of the gofpel of Chrift ; but which erroneous teachers infift upon, as neceffary ftill to be obferved in order to ialvation. (^cls xv. 1.) Beware of being milled by thefe falfe notions : For it is every way incomparably better f that the foul, inclufive of all its faculties, be fully perfuaded of, and iledfaftly fixed in its dependence upon, the free love and favour of God in Chrift, as revealed in the gofpel for the rermfli n of fin, peace of confeience, and acceptance with God to eternal life ;■ and that it be fortified againil all wavering a- bout the truth and importance of this doctrine, by an experience of its efficacy in a work of heart-changing grace, than vainly to imagine that thefe bleffings can be obtained by obfervances of the ceremonial law, which had a peculiar reference to, and were fanctiri- ed by the altar, and flood in meats, and drinks, and divers walkings, and carnal ordinance, impofed up- on the Jews, until the time of reformation ; but which, as they could not make htm 'hat did the fer- vice perfcB, as pertaining to the confeience ; (chap. ix. 9, 10.) fo they of themfelves neither were, nor could be, of any fpiritual and faving advantage to thofe who were moil convcrfant with them, even du- ring NOTES. * This, and the following vertVs, may fequently extended to the faerifices, and be confidered as founded upon what had the whole frame of the Mofaic inftitu- been ju ft before faid of Jefus Chn/fs be- tion, which had a particular reference to ing the fame, yefterday. and to-day, and the altar, and was fancli.fied by it. F 'hi* for ever. And the doctrines, which the give? us o proper clew 'or underftanduig apoftle more particularly warned rhe He- the meaning of thefe verles, which other- brewt againft, were luch as related to wife appear ro be very obfeure in their the Jewijb meats, that were under the connection.
law to be efteemed clean or unclean, and f The word here rendered a good to be eaten or not, according as they thing (jtaxov)'is tranflated better. were or were net to be, or had or had xviii. S, 9 and in thai fenfe I apprehend not been, offered on the altar; and con- it is moft fitlv to be taken b Vol. V. . M m m ^
448 The Epiflle to the ' Chap. xiii.
ring the legal difpenfation ; much lefs can they be fo now ; but, on the contrary, are very pernicious to thofe that have continued to keep up a religious re- gard to them ; the altar itfclf, and all the rites and ceremonies dependent upon it, being now of no fur- ther ufe, fince all that was typified thereby is fulfill- ed in Chrift. to We have an 10 We, of the New Teftament-church, have an altar whereof they incomparably better altar and facrifice of a fpiritual
eat^ whichfew naturc in ChrJ(l> who> throuSh the e^rnal Spirt*, the' tabernacle. offered him felf without [pot to God; (chap. ix. 14.) and fo was, in his own perfon, the prieft, altar, and facrifice too, whofe divine nature fupported, and gave an Infinite value to his facrifice, as the altar fan&ified the gift : (Matth. xxiii. 19.) And this furnifhts out a feaft to our faith, in receiving the bleffings of his purchafe with application to ourfelves, which they have no authority, title, or claim to be partakers of, who (till abide by, and live in the obfervation of, the external and typical fervices of the Jewi/h tabernacle, to make atonement for fin ; or who, afting the part of Levitical priefts, perform the offices of it for that purpofe. (-Ti; o-kdv?, XctT^vovTi^) They have no more right to feaft upon this facrifice of Chrift, than even the priefts themfelves had to eat any part of the fin- offerings, which were to be totally confumed. [Lev.
11 For the bo- 11 For according to the appointment of God in dies of thofe beads the law, with refpedt to thofe beafts, particularly
brought "To tile b"Us and §°atS f°r thC '"'"-Ofc™.?.. («**■ «• 4. 5. 6;) fatKauary by the tne blood of which was carried into the moil holy high pried tor fin, place by the high prieft, on the great day of atone- are burnt without rncnt ; it was ordered that the bodies of thofe facri- the camp. fices, together with their {kin and dung fhould be
burnt, and utterly confumed by fire, in fome place, which lay out of the borders of the camp of Ifraeli (Lev. xvi. 27.) And fo the priefts themfelves were not allowed to eat of thofe expiatory facrifices, that were moft eminently typical of the great propitiatory facrifice of Chrift, which he offered when he redeem- ed us from the curfe of the law, being made a curfe for us ; (Gal. iii. 13.) and with the blood of which he entered in once into the holy pTace, having obtain- ed r eternal redemption for us. (Chap. ix. 12.) This plainly (hews, that no legal fervices can make any one partaker of his facrifice, which was prefigured by thofe, from the eating of which, even under the law, both prieft and people were entirely excluded, iz Wherefore 12 Therefore, for the moft evident and exa£t ae- Jeius alfo, that he complifhment of the thing fignified by thofe eminent- might fa&fythe ]y typical tin-offerings, Jefus alfo, our .great High I)COp e Prieft,
Chap. xiii. Hebrews paraphrafcd. 449
people with his Prieft, that he might effe&ually make atonement for own blood, differ- tne Tins of his fpiritual I/rue/*, and might conlecrate ed without the t^m as a peonli^r people to God, by fhedding, not , the blood of bulls and goats, but his ^ wn mott pre- cious blood, which he carried into the heavenly fanc- tuary. This Jtfus, I -fay, fullered his painful and ignominious crucifixion, under the curfe of the law, on mount Ccfoivy, without the gates of Jeri/Jc; m ; (Luke xxiii. 33.) which correfponded to the bu of the bodies of the fin offering, as things devoted to deft ruftion, without the borders of the camp ol {!- rael, while they fojourned in the wildernefs ; which might alio intimate Chrili's leaving their temple, ci- ty, worfhip, privileges, -and church- ftate to fall into ruins, and ieaving them to pcvilh in their iniqi who would obftinately adhere to that conftitucion, and rejedjt him, according to what he denounced when he was goin^ out from thence. \Mcii. xxiii. 38, 39. and Lute xxiii. 27, — 31.) i^ Let us go 13 Let us therefore, who make a profeffion of his forth therefore an- name, and prttend to lock for falvation by him, go to him without the forth by fa;th and hopej defire and jovej to ^m, as
reproachT^1^ " thofe that place all our dependency upon him, and have all our expectation from him, and that affectionately embrace him ; leaving the jexvi/! camp, and the al- tar and temple at Jerufafem> and all the legai inlli- tutions pertaining to them, behind us, as having no expectation from them, nor any further to do with them. Let us alio do the like by this world, and ' . all the concernments of it, which anfwer to the po- litical ftate of the Jews, firft in their camp, and af- terwards in their city, that we may go out from all its allurements and enjoyments in our hearts and affec- tions, and fet them upon Chriit, who fuffered with- out the gates of Jei ufalcm. Let us chearfully and boldly own him, under all the fcandal of his crofs ; and be willing to bear the reproach of believing in a crucified Jcfus, for all falvation, how much loever it may be a Rumbling block to the Jews, arid foolifh- nefs to the Greek- ; (1 Cor. i. 25.) and let us Hand ready'to fuffer fhame, contempt, and fcorn for his fake, as thofe who, in imitation of him, have learn- ed to deny ourfelves, and take up our crois and fol- low him. [Mat. xvi. 24.) 14 For here have 14 For as the city oijerufalem itfelf f, which fuc- we M m m 2 cecded
N O 1 E S * Sanclifyi?jg the people is to be un- a fat t if rial fenfe, for purging them I'om derftood, not of internal favctif cation the guilt 0*' fin. nnrt confer by the Spirit, though that is purchaCed by to God ( bee tne note on chap u. ri.) the blood of Chrift ; but it - .o be taken f Here teems to be an alluiic;: here, as it frequently is in this epiftle, in city of jerufalem, which, though it was
•:ime.
450 The Epiflle to the Chap. xiii.
we no continuing ceeded the camp of Ifrael in the wildernefs, as the city, but we feek feat of Jeviifh worfhip, and of all political, as well as religious interefts, fhall foon be utterly deftroyed> ac- cording to the prediction of our bleffed Lord ; [Luke xix. 41, — 44.) fo we have no durable ftate of hap- pinefs, or of fettled refidence in this lower world, as if here were our reft : But as pilgrims and \ fir angers up/in earth j (chap. xi. 13.) and as perfons driven from place to place by our perfecuting enemies, we, who believe in Jefus, realize by faith, earneftly defire, look and long for, and, by all the ways and means of God's appointment, feek after a future and better city ; a ftate of everlafting reft and peace, honour, fafety, har- mony and delight, even one of a glorious and heavenly nature, a city which has foundations, whofe builder « and maker is God, who, as our God, has prepared it
for us. (Chap. xi. ic, 16.) t.t 3y him there- 1 5 In confideration therefore of Chrift's having re- fore ict us offer the deemed and confecrated us to God, by his own blood, of praife to (feethe paraphrafe and note on ver. 1 2. ) Let us afcribe God rontinna ly, v„ —/, \ ~ , , «••■•' 1
that i«, the fruit of a'* P°hible glory to God through him, as our only ivh>g High Prieft, Sacrifice, and Advocate, and as the altar to his that fan&tfies our oblations : Let us abound in daily evangelical offerings of thankfgiving and praife to God, every morning and evening ; and be ready to prefent them to him at all times, in all circumftances, and for every thing, efpeci illy for Chrift and all the bleffings of his purchafe ; offerings, not for expiation, which is made perfectly and alone by his facrifice; but fpiritual off rings of grateful acknowledgment, which we, as a holy evangelical prieiihood, arc to offer up, acceptably to God by Jefus Chrift ; ( 1 Peter ii. 5.) and which, in diftiiiction from the legal offerings of calves, bul- locks, and other beafts, are metaphorically called the calve r of our lips • (Hof. xiv. 2.) and, in allufion to the firft fruits under the law, may be ftyled the fruit of our lips, as they confift of chearful confeffions that all the good we have, or hope for, proceeds from the free favour of God, which is to be acknowledged to the glory of his adorable name, not only by every one fingly for himfelf, but with united hearts and voices, and with focia! celebrations of his praife. if) Tat to do 16 But while your hearts and lips arc full of grati- I to com- tude and praife to God, through Jefus Chrift, and on his account, for all nis mercies toward you, Take heed
of
NOTE.
a city of habitation that Ifrael fought af- together with the whole frame of its ci-
1 ■ the} urore journeying in the vil, as well as religious privileges; and
1 I which God led them to fo was a tit emblem of the fleeting, un-
by a right way, Pis!, cvji. 7.; vet that certain, and tranfitory ltate of this world,
.:>' itfitlf was now to be foon defhoyed, and of all things in it.
municate,
nut
Chap. xiii. Hebrews biraphrafed. 451
nor : for with furh of thinking that this is the only facrificc of thankful famtices God is acknowledgment thai ye are bound to offer in return ve peae . £Qr ^ ^00^ncfs< ge carcful tp culti\ate a merciful,
kind, and generous temper ; and to abound in all ad/ts of beneficence toward your fellow-creatures, that as ye have opportunity, ye may do good iinto all men, efpecially to them who are of the houfhold of jaith ; (Gal. vi. 10.) and may give them a partnerfhip, or communion with you (koiwvius) in your temporal good things, by communicating to them as their need requires : For this fort of offerings, as well as prailes, are to the glory of God, when prefented with faith and love, and in obedience and devotednefs to him, and, though not meritorious, yet are agreeable to his gra- cious nature and will, and well pleafmg to him, ( Phil. iv. 18.) who accepts both you and them in the beloved, in like manner as he had a refpeft to Abel and his of- fering, which that righteous man prefented with faith in the atoning facririce of the promifed Mefliah. (Gen. iv. 4. and Heb. xi. 4. fee the note there.) 17 Obey them 1 7 As ever ye would improve all appointed means that have the rule of grace and minifterial affidances, for difeharging the over you, andfub- fbrementioned duties; fee that ye not only remember for they* watch "for to 'm'tate tne faith, and the exemplary converfation of your fouls, as they Your deceafed pallors ; (vcr. 7.) but that ye pay a re- that muft give ac- ligious regard to the doctrines and precepts of thofc, count: that they who under our ZW Jefus, thai great Shepherd of joy! and not with the mceP> (jW 20.) are, or hereafter may be your grief: for that is Spiritual guides or leaders, (wypfttms vpm, it i. the unprofitable for note on ver. 7.) to conduct you in the way of ti ith y°u- and holinefs, not as having dominion wer your ■ faith ^
hut tf< helpers of your joy ; (2 Cor. i. 24.) A;.d let it be a point of duty with you, to yield yourielves up to Chrifl's authority, in them, as overfieer.\ which :he Ho- ly Ghojl has Jet over yon. (Atts xx. 28.) Attend upon, receive, and comply with their inft ru&ions, ex- hortations, admonitions, and reproofs, not with an im- plicit faith and obedience ; but, as far as it appears, I hat they fpeak and a£t in the name p/Ch rill according to his word: For as it is their proper office, bufinefs, ai d duty ; fo it is the care and concern of thufe o* ; who underfland, and are faithful to their in ponant trull, to watch over you in the Lord, with all diligence according to the ability which he gives them, that they may infpeel: your principles, temper, and beha- viour ; may guard and caution you a^ainft all iniqui- ty, error, and fpiritual danger ; and may lay themltlves out in the bell manner they can, to fubferve the edi- fication and eternal falvation of your immortal fouls: Aiid they engage in this mornenous work with a conlciep.ee toward God, as accountable fei vants, that
are
452
The Epijlk to the
Chap, xiii,
1 5 Pray for us : for we truft we have a good con- fcienee, in all things willing to live honeftly.
tc; But I befeech you the rather to do this, that 1 may be reitored to you the fooner.
are daily fpreading before him, in their addreffes to the throne of grace, what they obferve of the ftate of their flocks, and the fruit of their labours among them, whether it be hopeful, or difcouraging ; and are deeply fenfible that they muft give an account to their Lord and Matter in the day of judgment, how far they have been fuccefsful, as well as diligent and faith- ful in their miniftry. Thefe folemn thoughts awaken them to the greateft zeal and care in the difcharge of their duty, that they may go on in their work, and re- port the fruits of it to God, with chearfulnefs and de- light, and not with mournful hearts, while they are labouring in it ; and may give up fuch a final account of the iihies of their holy miniftrations, as (hall be mat- ter of exceeding joy and triumph to them, (i Thejf. ii. 19.) and not of fad difappointment of their hopes concerning you : For, were this to be the cafe, they tremble to think that, though they themfelves are to God a fweet favour of ChriJJ in them that are faved, and in them that perijh ; (2 Cor. ii. 15.) yet all their preaching, watchfulnefs, and care, would be loft upon you ; and, inftead of your reaping any good fruit from them, would turn to your greater condemnation and mifery for ever.
18 We who are employed in the facred office of the miniftry, being fenfible of the awfulnefs of our work, of trie many difficulties that attend it, and of our own utter infufficiency, and need of divine affiftance to carry us on in it, and to cany us through it with fide- lity, comfort, and advantage, earneilly requeft your continual importunate prayers for us, that, whatever our fuccefs be, we may be found faithful in the day of Chrill : For, notwithstanding all our fufferings, and all that our enemies may fuggeft to the contrary, we truft with humble confidence, that we are upright (though, alas ! attended with many infirmities) in our views and labours for the honour of Chrift, and the good of fouls ; (fee 2 Cor. i. 12.) and our con- fer* aces bear us witnefs, as in the fight of God, that we are heartily defirous and determined, through his ftrengthenings, to live foberly, righteoufly, and god- ly, (77/. ii. 12.) with a due decorum, (xxXvg) fuitable to our moral, religious, and minifterial characters, in all our behaviour toward God and man.
1 9 But I more efpecially beg your united prayers for my dire&ion and fupport, under all prefent trials ; for deliverance from the dangers I am expofed to ; and for the blefiing of God upon the fervices I am new engaged in, that, when he has done his work by me in thefe parts, he would remove all difficulties out of my way, and give me a proper opportunity
of
Chap. xiii. Hebrews paraphraftd. 453
of returning, and being further ufeful to you by my perfonal miniftry, and of being comforted together with you by our mutual faith, {Rom. i. 12.) which I am dffirous of, .and hope will be haftened through your prayers for it. ao Now the 20 In the mean while, as I defire your prayers for Cod of peace, that' me> {ver, l%i ,^^ f0 \ am continually mindful of
JrU!ht,?SainTfr0n! you in my fervent Amplications to the God of all
the dead our Lord ' ' fr
Tefus that great grace, whom 1 addreis on your behali, under the en-
ihepheid of the couiaging and endearing confideration of him as the
fheep, through the God of peace, who is cur reconciled God, Frther,
httin Covenant"" and ^™^ ; Snd *S the Autbor and Giver of P~ace ' of confeience, and peace one with another, and of all
manner of prefperity in the difpenfations of provi- dence and grace, till it be perfected in an everlaiting enjoyment of him ; Who, in the fcheme of redemp- tion, fuifaining the character of the fovereign Lord, Judge, aud Lawgiver, to demand and receive the fa- tisfaction due to divine juftice for our fins, not only raifed our Lord and Saviour from the dead, by an ex- ertion of his divine power ; (fee the note on Rom. viii. 11.) but, by an acl of fupreme authority, legally difcharged him in a judicial way, as our public head and reprefentative ; and fo took him from prifon, and from judgment^ and raifed him again for our juftifi- cation. (If. liii. 8. and Rom. iv. 25.) This he did in token of his entire approbation aud acceptance of what Chrift had done and fuffered in- our room and ftead, who in his perfon and office, as a divine Savi- our, is by. way of eminence, dignity, and propriety, the great and only chief Shepherd of the dear chofen flock, which the Father had given him to take ef- fectual care of, in the execution of all his offices, as a Prophet, Pried, and King, that he, like a good fhepherd, who has a fpecial love to, and interell in his fheep, might redeem them from all iniquity,
* and purify them to him/elf as a peculiar people, (Titus ii. 14.) might gather them into his fold; and might feed, guide, goverr;, and preferve them from all dangers ; defend them againft all their enemies ; and bring them fafe to glory : All which is brought a- bout by means, and in virtue of his blood*, which he fried to make their peace with God, who, on ac- count of his having done this, railed him from the
dead, NOTE.
* Through the blood of the cverlafi- to God's being the God of pence, accord- ing covenant, moft immediately refers to ing ro the current doctrine of the Scrip- God the Father's bringing our Lord ture conceding him, as reconciled by Jefus from the dead. But fome in- the blood of Chrilt ; and I do not fee elude its reference to Chrift's being rhe why we may not extend its reference t» great Shepherd of the f jeep ; and others, all the preceding parts of the verfe.
454 The Epiftle to the Chap xiii.
dead, and gave all power into his hands, that he might give eternal life to them ; he having by his pre- cious blood purchafed them for himfelf, and purcha- sed for them all the blefiings of the covenant of grace, and confirmed it irrevocably part appeal : (chap. ix. 15, — 1 7.) And fo, in oppofition to the mount-Sz- nai difpeufation of the covenant, which was of a temporary nature to wax old, and van iff? away, (chap. viii. 13.) this is, ftri&ly and properly fpeak- ing, an everlaiting covenant in its conftitution, and in its benefits, which, together with the covenant it- felf, mail abide for ever. 21 Make you 21 May this God . of peace fet to rights all the perfect m every moral diforders of each of your fouls, and of your his° will workin° wno^e community, and reduce them to all the regu- in you that which larity oi hearts united to fear his name* , that ye may is well-pleafing in be thoroughly prepared, fitted and difpofed, and al- hi- fight, through wayS ready and enabled for every kind of good work,
Jeius Pn,ft : ,t0 and for every act of that kind, relating to him, your- whana be glory for , * r • • Y 1 r • • 1
ever and ever. A- fe'ves> an" others, to perform it in a holy, ipintual, men. evangelical manner, from principles of faith and love,
according to the rule of his word, in obedience to his command, and for his glory ; and fo may chear- fully, continually, and unrefervedly fubmit to his difpofing, and obey his preceptive will in all things, according to the notices he gives of both by his pro- vidence, word, ar^d Spirit ? And as ye are inefficient for this of yourfelves, May he, of his good plecfure, work in you both to will and to do, every thing, as in his fight and prefence, that bears his own image, and is agreeable to his holy nature and will, and that he obferves and delights in, as ^he effect: of his own grace, and as acceptable to him, through the merit and mediation of Jefus Chrift ! To him, who is the great Shepherd of the fheepf, and to the God of peace through him, (ver. 20.) May all poffible a- doration, honour, and glory, on account of what each
of NOTES. * The word (x«Ta?r:o-ai") here ufed, ly joined together in the fame wind. and rendered make you per feci, fi unifies (1 Cor. i. 10.)
to fet things to rights, and'reduce them f It may be fomewhat uncertain, whe- to their proper ftate that were out or or- ther this dvxology is to be referred to the der. and to prepare them for a ufe which God of peace, who is moft directly ad- they were unfit for before. Accordingly drefled in this prayer, or to Jefus Chri/i, it' is rendered in other places, to prepare, who is the neareft antecedent, and with frame, ft, reflore, and per feci lv join to- whom it ftands in the clofeft connectiork gether, as in chap. x. 5. and xi. 5. A ho- However, as it is undoubtedly directed dy haft thov prepared me, — The worlds elfewhere, fometimes to the Father., and nvere framed by ihafivord of God And at others to our Lord Jefus Chrijl. it is the apoftle [peaks of veffels of nvrath, due to both ; and we may give it <uvh a fitted to deftruclion. Rom. ix. 22 of turn, as makes it applicable to each of restoring fuch as are overtake;? ■'?/ a thefe divine perfons. fault, (Gal. vi. 1.) and of being perfect-
Chap. xiii. Hebrews parnphrafed. 455
of thefe divine perfons are in themfelves, have been, are, and will be to us, be afcribed henceforth conti- nually, through all the ages of time, and to an endlefs eternity ! So it ought to be, and fo we and all true believers defire it may be, and are well allured it (hall be, in teftimony of which we heartily fay, Amen. i% And I be- 22 And now to draw to a clofe, my dear brethren,
♦le° ^T^k Tl~ whom I love, not only as my kindred according to
thren, tuffer the - a „ . ' . ' f ,/ ~. .,,. T 6 „
word of exhorta- the "em> but elpecially a3 tellow-Chnttians, 1 earneit-
tion : for I have ly beg of you that, laying afide all prejudices ye
written a letter would take in good part, and readily receive and com-
unto you in few pjy w;tn tjje wor(j Qf exbortation and confolation,
words.
in-
cluding all the inftru&ions and cautions which I have given you in this epiftle ; and that ye would not think it too. long or tedious : For, though it be larger than fome others of my writing, I have fummed up the doctrines contained in it, relating to the Mofaic law, and the perfon, offices, and gofpel of Chrift, in as fhort a compafs as I well could, confident with the vaft importance of the things themfelves, and your concernment in them, and with my great affection to you ; as alfo in comparifon with the much greater en- largement I could have gone into, had it feemed needful for you.
23 Know ye, 23 There is one thing further, which I with great that our brother pleafure would acquaint you with, as I know ye Timothy is fet woujd be , d fc hear f f and that |g that our at liberty; with , © _,. . % * in j r whom if he come dear brother limothy, who is well reported of among
fhortly, I will fee you, (Acts xvi. 2.) and as a fon with the Father, >'ou- has ferved with me in the gofpel, (Phil. ii. 2 2.) is
now releafed out of prifon, and gone upon important, affairs to another place * ; and if, according to my prefent hopes, he fhould ere long return to me, and I fhould have my liberty, I purpofe, by the will of God, to come along with him, and give myfelf the fatisfa&ion of feeing and converfing with you, for the furtherance of your faith and joy.
24 Salute all 24 In the mean while, I deiire that thofe of you, them that have into whofe hands this epiftle may firft come, would
and ^thTfiraft! Prefcnt "*? moft affe<aionate Chrift ian love and re-
Tbey fpe&s to all your fpiritual guides, who are fet over
you NOTE.
* Timothy it feems had been in prifon, to the apoftle, or either of them ever
probably with the apoitle Paul at Rome; went to vifit the Hebrews, though at
but was by this time releafed' from his the time of writing this epiftle h>' hr.d
bonds, and gone to fome other place, to hopes of it; and, with a due fubmitriori
which it is likely the apoftle had lent him, to the will of God, wrote his defign ac-
as he often did to one place or another, cording to thofe hopes. What is here
as occafions required. But as all our faid of 'limotny confutes the pojifcript^
times and ways are in the hands of the which was added by latter hands, and
Lord; fo we have no account that can fa- fpeaks of this epiftle, as written to the
tisfy us whether Timothy ever returned Hebrews from Italy, by Timothy.
Vol. V. N n a
456 The Epiftle to the Chap. xiii.
They of Italy fa- you in the Lord ; (nyitfAinis, fee the note on ver. 7.) lute you. and to all your fellow-Chriftians, who by their regu-
lar profefiion are credibly believed to be what, I doubt not, the generality of them are, truly holy perfons, as having been fet apart by God for himfelf, and f mcfified by his Spirit. Thofe of this character that are Italians^ and are at prefent with me, join their Chriftian falutations with mine, 25 Grace be 25 To conclude with my common benediction, with >ou all. (fee the note on Rem. xvi. 22.) which, for fubftance, I write in all my epiftles with my own hand, May the free love and favour of God, through Jefus Chrift, and all its blelTed manifestations, fruits, and effects, ever attend all and every ont of you, (vvhatfoever your nations be in the church, or in the world) for your growth in grace, and in the knowledge of Chrift, and for your direction, preservation, and comfort here, till ye arrive at his heavenly kingdom ; with de- lirc and hope of this, I fay, Amen.
RECOLLECTIONS.
What a beauty does brotherly love caft upon churches and the Chriftian charac- ter ! It tenderly fympathizes with, and is mindful of, companionate and beneficent to fuffering laints, and ftrangers among them ; as being fenfible that we ourfelves are liable to like afflictions. But how inconfiftent is covetoufnels with this bene- volent temper ! And how unbecoming the people of God to be diflatisfied with the difpofals of Providence toward themfelves ! For he is their helper, and has promifed that he will not leave, nor forfake them in any ftate whatfoever. — As Chriftian religion fets afide no law of nature, What an honourable bond is wed- lock tor all, whofe age and eircumftances incline them to it, and fit them for it ! But ail unclean lulls, in the fingle or married life, are what God detefts, and will, foont-r or later, punifti upon thofe that indulge them. But what a complete Sa- viour is Chrift ; and how ftedfaftly fliould we adhere to him ^ He always has been, is, and c-er will be unchangeably the fame in himfelf, and to his people; and is ;reat Hi^h Prieft, Altar, and Sacrifice too. The atonement he has made by his blood is fuflicient of iilelf to procure their peace and reconciliation with God, and a facied dedication of them, as a peculiar people to him ; and is effectu- ally ail that to them which was typified by the fin-offering on the great day of ex- \ as he fuffered without the gates of Jemfalem, and is gone with his o va blood into heaven itfelf, to appear in the prefence of God for them. What a de- lightful and fubftantial feait has our faith upon his facrifice, which they who fttck to yeaoifh inftitutions have no right to eat of! How ready fliould we be to go out to mm from every thing that interferes with him ; to renounce all the allurements of this world for mm ; and chearfully to own and honour him in all the ignominy of his crots : And beii .'.of the uncertain, tranfitory ftate of all things
here, Let m feci: a city of eveflaftin'g reft and fafety in the world to come. — Of uence is the miniftry of Chrift's faithful fervants ! We Ihould be imitators of their faith and holy canverfation, who have been our fpiri- tuaj guides, aSm finiflied their courfe with joy; and while perfons of this facred cter are heartily engaged in their work, tbey diligently watch for the falva- v precious funis; as knowing that rhey mult give an account of their faithful rs, which turn greatly to their own, bur moft of all to their hearers joy or rding to the good or bad eiiecls they have upon them. Their couniels, Mons, and ..; lar as agreeable to rhe mind and will of Chrift in his
it to be ferioirtiy attended to, -free from all prejudices, and with hum- to his authority in them, that we may not be mifled, and teffed to and fro, by the errors of wicked and designing men, who bring in
various
Chap. xiii. Hebrews paraphrafed. 457
various doctrines, which arc qiarr foreign to the Chriftian faith. O happy fouls, that are fecurtd againft their feducxions, and eftabliihed in the truth as it is in Je- fus, by an experience of its power, and or a work of fpecial grace ! Uut as ever xninifters and people would be mutual bleftin^s and comforts, they ought earneiHy to ; ray one for the other. And how encouraging to faith in prayer is the confi- deration of God in a Mediator ' In this view, we may realize him as our reconci- led God, and the author of all defirable peace and proiperity, temporal, fpimual, and eternal ; and may confider our Lord Jefus Chrift, as the great Shepherd of the lheep, to take care of all, whom the Father has given, as a peculiar property and charge to him ; 3nd may think of 'he new and everlafting covenant, as ratitied and confirmed by his blood, on account of which God the Father is pacified, and has railed him from the dead, as a public Head and Reprefentative, for their juiti- fication. In humble dependence upon all this, with what holy boldnefs may we afk tor every grace and favour that we Hand in need of! As particularly that God would work all our works in and for us by his Spirit, and would e-nable us to offer up, with united hearts and lips, continual facrifices of thankfgiving and praife, and to add the nteft benevolent diftributions to the neceffities of others, efpecially of the houfhold of faith ! Thefe alio are acceptable to God through Jefus Chrift, as facrifices of grateful acknowledgment that we receive our all from him. And how cordially and affectionately fhould all the faints falute ojje another, and their fpi- ritual guides, in a Chriftian manner ! May the grace of God in Chrift be with all his minifters and people I To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
THE END OF THE FIFTH VOLUME,
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