is satisfied, his wrath appeased, the condemning guilt of sin expiated, and the majesty of God fully reconciled to all believers. 2. It speaks better things to God for us, namely, to be at peace with us, to rest in his love towards us, to furnish us with all grace here, and to fit us for glory hereafter. O blessed Jesus! thy blood never cried as Abel's did, for vengeance on them by whom it was shed, but pleaded for pardon, and obtained pardon on the behalf of many. Happy they! who by faith are made partakers of this typical blood of sprinkling, which speaks better things than the blood of Abel." 25 See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven : Our apostle having, in the foregoing verses, given a summary account of the two states of the law and the gospel, with the incomparable excellence of the latter above the former, he gives them an exhortation and cautionary direction to take heed that they did not turn a deaf ear to so excellent a person as Christ was, preaching to them by his doctrine: See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. Here note in general, That to refuse any who speak unto us in the name and authority of Christ, is to refuse Christ himself. This may be applied to all the faithful preachers of the gospel, however they may be despised in and by the world. But it is here the person of Christ that is particularly intended. To refuse him here, is either to reject his doctrine, and not receive it, or having received it, to renounce it; so that this refusal includes both unbelief and apostasy, either of which are fatal and dangerous to the sons of men. Observe next, The reason drawn from the heinousness of the sin, and the grievousness of the punishment: If they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth; that is, Moses, who delivered this message here below; much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven; that is, Jesus Christ his Son, sent down from heaven, personally to deliver his holy doctrine; and now speaking to us from heaven by his Holy Spirit, in his ministers and apostles. Note here, 1. That Christ did in former times speak unto 2. his church by Moses and the prophets That in these latter times he vouchsafed to speak unto his church personally himself. 3. That after he personally disappeared and left the world, he vouchsafed still to speak unto his church by his Spirit in the ministry of the word. 4. That though to refuse Christ, when speaking here on earth, was a grievous sin, and deserved a fearful punishment; yet to refuse him now, speaking from heaven, is a more grievous sin, and deserves a greater punishment, considering who speaks, what he speaks, and from whence he speaks: the gospel was a mystery brought to us from the bosom of the Father, the clearest revelation of God's will, and the fullest manifestation of his love, and yet few regard it, most reject it, to their un utterable and inevitable condemnation. 26 Whose voice then shook the earth but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven. 27 And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. As if the apostle had said, "The voice of God, at the promulging of the law on mount Sinai, shook the earth; but he promised after this to shake all nations, and that Christ, the expected Messias, the desire of all nations, should come, which is now fulfilled." Quest. But what means our apostle, by God's shaking not the earth only, but also heaven? Ans. He means thereby all the Mosaical worship, all the Judaical state; these were shaken at the coming of Christ, in order to the introduc tion of the immoveable gospel state, which was perpetually to remain. Learn hence, That the coming of the Messias was to be the last dispensation of God for the salvation of mankind, and consequently was to be perpetual and unchangeable. The apostle argues from the words, once more, that the former dispensation should be removed, to make way for that which should perpetually remain. Several things are here asserted by our apostle, 1. That there were some things which were intended by God to be shaken, namely, the Levitical priesthood, and all the Jewish sacrifices and services; these things were to be shaken, moved, yea, altogether removed out of the way. 2. That there were things that could not be shaken, or removed, but remain; these were the gospel state, the christian religion, which shall continue until time shall be no more. 3. That the former things were removed, that the latter might be introduced and established; the law and the gospel were inconsistent, the legal and evan gelical administration could not stand in force together, therefore there was a necessity for the nulling of the one, in order to the establishing the other. 4. That the removal of the law, to bring in the more perfect administration of the gospel, doth prove the stability and immutability of the gospel, that it stands fast for ever: there shall be no more shaking, no farther alteration in matters of religion to the end of the world. For thus it follows, 28 Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably, with reverence and godly fear: 29 For our God is a consuming fire. Observe here, 1. That the apostle calls the dispensation of the gospel, A kingdom that cannot be shaken, in opposition to the law, which was an imperfect and alterable dispensation; the gospel revelation is full and final, there is no need of any farther revelation after this, nor of any change of that religion which was brought from heaven by the Son of God, in regard of the perfection of it, and its admirable fitness to reform the world, and to recover mankind out of their lost estate and lapsed condition, and to bring them to eternal happiness; and this by the purity of its doctrine and the power of its arguments, to work upon the minds of men by the clear discovery of the mighty rewards and punishments of another world: we have received now a kingdom that cannot be shaken. Observe, 2. The inference which pose from heaven to declare to the world. CHAP. XIII. Our apostle being now come to the conclusion of this most excellent epistle, closes it with an exhortation to several evangelical and moral duties, thereby pointing out to the ministers of the gospel, the right order and best method of preaching, namely, first to unfold the mysteries of the gospel, with the grace of God therein, and then to improve it to practical holiness in the duties of obedience.In the pressing of these duties here, because there was not room for all, he mentions only some, which were most necessary for the Hebrews to attend unto with diligence, in their present circumstances: and herein also ought our apostle to be our pattern in the work of the ministry. Circumstances may make it necessary oftentimes that some duties be more diligently pressed on our people than others, which of themselves are of no less importance than they.-And finally, the divine wisdom and pious care of the apostle is to be observed and followed by us, in that solemn and fervent prayer which he put up to God for a blessing upon his exhortations. Thus did our Lord before him, having preached a most excellent sermon to his disciples, St. John, chap. xiv. xv. xvi. He concludes it with a suitable prayer, chap. xvii. Doubtless herein, according to our ability, we ought to follow our blessed Lord's and his holy apostle's instructive examples. the apostle draws from the perfection and LET brotherly love continue. perpetuity of this revelation which God has last of all made to the world by his Son, Let us have grace to serve God acceptably that is, let us live as becometh those to whom God hath made so clear and perfcct a revelation of his mind and will; we have all the advantages of divine revelation which the world ever had, and the last and most perfect that the world ever shall have; we have not only Moses, but Jesus; not only the moral law, but the glorious gospel, which the Son of God came down on pur Love being the fountain and foundation of all moral duties, our apostle begins with it, and places it at the head of all the rest, as comprehending our whole duty towards our neighbour. Note here, The duty commanded is love: the special duty recommended is brotherly love, or that brotherly affection which every true christian chiefly bears to all his fellow-members in Christ for grace's sake; and the manner of the injunction or command is, that this brotherly af fection do continue and constantly abide, not in the presence and appearance of it only, but in the truth and reality of it, for there are innumerable occasions which will be ready to impair and weaken it, if it be not well grounded; alas! unsuitableness of natural tempers, differences in judgment, and matters of opinion, inconsistent worldly interest, readiness to provocation, or to be provoked, pride on the one hand, or envy on the other, will sadly occasion the temporary decay, yea, at last the total loss, of this noble grace, if it be not well grounded and deeply rooted. Learn hence, That brotherly love is very apt to impair and decay, if we endeavour not continually its preservation and revival. Lord, how marvellous is it, that so many amongst us can persuade themselves that they are christians, and yet be not only strangers, but enemies to this grace and duty of love! How is the power and glory of christianity weakened through want of it! And verily, until this holy love be again revived amongst us, the interest of christianity will run very low, yea, the concerns of religion will more and more run to ruin. 2 Be not forgetful to entertain strangers for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. The second duty here resorted to is hospitality, especially towards strangers, which consisted in receiving them into their houses, and furnishing them with all needful accommodations. In those eastern countries inns were not so ready as with us, and christians were generally poor, not able to bear their own charges in their travelling from place to place. Strangers, even amongst heathens, were accounted sacred, and under the peculiar protection of God; and a punishment was appointed for those that were inhospitable towards them. Hospitality is a prescribed duty, but this part of it, to wit, the entertaining of strangers, which was so great a virtue in ancient times, is now driven out of the world by the wickedness of some and the covetousness of others; few strangers are worthy to receive entertainment, and as few have hearts to give it. Observe farther, The manner of prescribing this duty, be not forgetful to entertain strangers: no doubt a positive command is included in the prohibition, forget not; that is, remember to do it, be always in readiness for the discharge of this duty our hearts ought to be always in a gracious disposition towards such duties as are attended with difficulty or charge; the liberal mind deviseth liberal things. Observe, lastly, The reason enforcing the duty,-hereby some have entertained angels unawares; so did Abraham and Lot entertain three angels, in the appearance of men, not knowing who or what they were. By receiving strangers, out of faith in Christ and love to God, we may receive precious saints, and (which is more) some blessed angel sent to keep them, and (which is most of all) Jesus Christ himself, who at present represents, and will hereafter acknowledge and reward such kindnesses shown to his members as done to himself, Matt. xxv. 3 Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body. Hospitality towards strangers was expressed in the fore-going verse; here, compassion towards sufferers, such as are captives, prisoners in bonds, either upon a religious or civil account. Here note, 1. That a bitter bondage; captibodily bondage vity is a most grievous calamity. 2. That we are very prone to forget others' captivity, when we ourselves are in prosperity. 3. That such as are in bonds for Christ's sake especially, and his holy gospel, ought particularly to be remembered by us, they are and ought to be the peculiar objects of our compassion; although, considering the cause in which they suffer, it is better and more honourable to be in bonds for Christ, than to be at liberty with a raging, persecuting world; for bonds and imprisonments for the truth were consecrated to God, and made honourable by the bonds and imprisonment of Christ himself, and commended to the church in all ages, by the bonds and imprisonments of the apostles, and the primitive witnesses to christianity. Note farther, How we are to be mindful of them, and in what manner; by visiting them, administering to them, sympathizing with them, praying for them, and all this as bound with them, which implies an act of union, as members of the same mystical body, and suffering in and for the same common cause: Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; it follows, and those that suffer adversity, as being in the body. This implies that there are many kinds of afflic tions besides bonds; that we are prone to forget those who suffer lighter and lesser afflictions: if they be not in bonds, we are ready to forget them, though they suffer much adversity: but the command is more general, to remember all that are in any kind of adversity, whether they suffer in body, name, or estate, by sickness, pain, losses, reproaches, or any kind of calamity; the professors of religion are exempted from no sorts of adversity, and under every kind of it we must remember them, and sympathize with them, because we ourselves are in the body with them; that is, say some, we are members of the same mystical body with them, and therefore when one member suffers, all the members are to suffer with it. Yourselves are in the body; that is, say others, in the same state of natural life, subject and obnoxious to the same sufferings, and within the reach of the same adversities. Learn hence, That a sense of our own being continually obnoxious unto sufferings during this life, ought to incline our minds to a diligent consideration of others in their sufferings, so as to discharge all duties of love and helpfulness towards them; as an evidence of our interest in the same mystical body with them, and as a ground of just expectation of the like relief and compassion from them: Remember them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body. 4 Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled :-- Our apostle having in the former verses directed christians to their duty one towards another, in this and the following verses he directs them to perform their duty towards themselves; and because the two radical comprehensive lusts of corrupted nature are uncleanness and covetousness, he therefore cominends unto their care and practice those two great duties of chastity and contentation, the former in this, the latter in the next verse. Now here observe, That to prevent the former sin, the ravings of unbridled lust, our apostle prescribes the remedy which God appoints, marriage, that is, the conjunction of two individual persons that have freedom in choice or consent, and have power over themselves, not being within the degrees of affinity or consanguinity prohibited, betwixt whom there results such an indissoluble union, that thereby they become one flesh; such marriage he affirms to be honourable, and to be so esteemed in regard of its author, God himself, Gen. ii. 12. in re gard of the place, paradise; in regard of the time, in man's innocency; in regard of the end and usefulness of it, the continuation of the race of mankind; thus it is honourable, and ought to be had in honour. The apos tle adds, that it is thus honourable in all: that is, amongst all orders, ranks, and dethe grees of men, that are called thereunto; remedy is equally provided by God for all; and therefore for the church of Rome to deny it to their clergy, is to usurp authority over the consciences of men, and to judge themselves too pure for an institution of their Maker, which our first parents in innocency did not think themselves too pure for. Learn hence, 1. That divine institution is sufficient to render any state or condition of life honourable, and consequently the state of marriage. 2. That which is honourable by divine institution, may be rendered abomina3. That it ble by the miscarriages of men. is an horrid contempt of the authority of God, and a bold usurpation over the consciences of men, to forbid the state of marriage unto any, which God has made honourable among all. Next to the state of marriage, the apostle adds the duty of that state, the bed undefiled, in opposition to the defiled bed of whoremongers and adulterers, and the preservation of marriage duties within their due bounds. -But whoremongers and adulterers God will judge. Having exhorted to conjugal purity and chastity in the former part of the verse, he adds a very cogent reason and forcible motive to it in the latter words, because whoremongers and adulterers God will judge; that is, all persons who in a single state of life do know one another carnally, without a marriage vow or covenant between them; if both parties be single, their filthiness is called fornication; if either of them be married, adultery: neither of them shall escape the judgment of God; that is, temporal punishment in this life, and eternal damnation in the next. Learn hence, That whatever light thoughts men have of the sin of uncleanness, yet we are assured it doth in its own nature deserve eternal condemnation, and such as live and die impenitently in it, shall certainly perish for it; and if so, then all occasions of and all temptations leading to, those sins, are to be avoided, as we love our souls: for of all sinners, those who have habitually given up themselves to the lusts of the flesh, are most rarely and difficultly brought to repentance. 5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have. For he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. 6 So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me. Observe here, A dehortation, or negative precept, Let your conversation be without covetousness. By conversation we are first to understand the disposition of the mind, then the actions of the life; both ought to be freed from all inordinate love to, and endeavours after, more of this world than God is pleased to give unto us. By covetousness, we are not to understand, as if a provident and prudential care for the things of this life were forbidden, or as if all endeavours to maintain our right to what God has given us were unlawful; but by covetousness, is meant an eager and an insatiable desire after, accompanied with restless and unwearied endeavours for, the things of this life, proceeding from an undue valuation of them, and an inordinate love unto them. Learn hence, That as all sin in general, so covetousness in particular, is inconsistent with a christian conversation, according to the gospel. No sin at this day doth more stain the glory of christianity than this doth. Alas! the profligate lives of debauched persons, their blasphemies, adulteries, drunkenness, and such like, do not half the mischief to religion which this sin doth, because the persons guilty of it pretend to religion, which the other concern not themselves with. Observe, 2. A positive injunction, Be content with those things that ye have. Contentment is a gracious disposition of mind, whereby the christian rests satisfied with that portion of the good things of this life which the wisdom of God assigns him, without complaining of the little which God gives to him, or envying the much which God bestows on others. Yet know, that contentment with what we have, is not inconsistent with, nor exclusive of, an industrious diligence, and an honest moderate care to increase what we have, for our selves and families; honest industry is the command of God, and he has given us six days in seven for the exercise of it: but it is utterly exclusive of all covetous desires, of all anxious cares, of all priding ourselves in, and boasting of, what we have received, contemning and despising others, a vanity which men of weak minds only are guilty of. Observe, 3. The argument to enforce the duty: For he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. The words are a promise, a promise of God, a promise of his presence and providence to assure us of both, and that he never will leave us. He uses five negatives, I will not leave thee, I will not, I will not, I will not forsake thee. Where note, That the vehemency of the expression, by the multiplication of the negative particles, is both an effect of divine condescension, and gives the utmost security to the faith of believers, that God will be present with them and comfortably provide for them; so that the words are a strong reason to dehort from covetousness, and to exhort to contentedness; for having God present with us, to take care of, and provide for us, we have all things in him, and a promise from him, that we shall not want any thing that is good and needful for us; only we must allow God this liberty, and give him leave to judge what is needful, and when it is needful. Observe, 4. That though the foregoing promise is made to Joshua, yet the apostle applies it to all believers, and draws comfort from it: We may boldly say, the Lord is my helper. Here note, That whatsoever promise is made in particular to any one believer, if there be not some special reason which confines and ties it to his person, every believer may apply it to himself. This promise which God made particularly to Joshua for his support, under that great difficulty in conquering the land of Canaan, the apostle here applies to the case and state of particular believers: We may therefore boldly say, &c. believers have the same grounds that he had, may use the same confidence that he did, though our circumstances and his are not the same. All the promises of God's gracious presence made to the prophets and apostles of old, all believers may apply to themselves in their suffering state: We may boldly say, &c. 7 Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation : The next duty recommended to them, is respect to the spiritual guides and ecclesiastical governors, whom God by death or persecution at any time removes from them, and that is, to preserve their memory fresh amongst them as a precious treasure: Remember them that have the rule over you. Secondly, To propound their holy conversation to their daily view, in a christian |