Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus; Ver. 1. _Holy brethren_] HOLY, because partakers of a calling that is heavenly. 1. Rations fontis,Philippians 3:14,15. Philippians 3:2. _Ratione finis, _ to the fruitio... [ Continue Reading ]
Who was faithful to him that appointed him, as also Moses _was faithful_ in all his house. Ver. 2. _As also Moses was faithful_] And yet how unworthily handled by the author of the Marrow of Modern Divinity, that sly Antinomian, in various passages of his book, as might easily be instanced. How muc... [ Continue Reading ]
For this _man_ was counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as he who hath builded the house hath more honour than the house. Ver. 3. _Worthy of more glory than Moses_] In whom these Hebrews trusted,John 5:45. And the Jews at this day hold that the law of nature shall bring to heaven those... [ Continue Reading ]
For every house is builded by some _man_; but he that built all things _is_ God. Ver. 4. _He that built all things_] Moses and all. _ Is God_] That is, Christ, whom he had proved to be God by many arguments, Hebrews 1:1,14. Messiah therefore is to be preferred before Moses.... [ Continue Reading ]
And Moses verily _was_ faithful in all his house, as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after; Ver. 5. _As a servant_] _Famulus ingenuus, _ a servant of the better sort, a man of worship, as the word seemet.h to import (θεραπων, ex verbo θεραπευειν); though it be hon... [ Continue Reading ]
But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end. Ver. 6. _Whose house are we_] And he is bound (by his own promise) to repair. He also is our dwelling house, Psalms 90:1 ., and by the civil law, _De domo sun... [ Continue Reading ]
Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice, Ver. 7. _Wherefore as the Holy Ghost_] It is well observed by Calvin, that the words after "wherefore," toHebrews 3:12, should be enclosed with a parenthesis, and then the sense is clear. If Jerome and Egranus had observed so muc... [ Continue Reading ]
Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness: Ver. 8. _Harden not your hearts_] Some hearts are so hard that neither ministry, nor misery, nor miracle, nor mercy can possibly mollify them. Such a heart is in some respects worse than hell. And if God brok... [ Continue Reading ]
When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years. Ver. 9. _Tempted me_] God must be trusted, but not tempted, as he is, when men, 1. Question and awake his power; 2. Limit the Holy One of Israel, and presume to prescribe to him, set him a time, &c.; 3. Nelgect the use of means,... [ Continue Reading ]
Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in _their_ heart; and they have not known my ways. Ver. 10. _I was grieved_] The Hebrew text hath it, I was nauseated, and ready to rid my stomach at them, to spew them out of my mouth. _ They do alway err_] They must needs... [ Continue Reading ]
So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.) Ver. 11. _They shall not enter_] This the apostle propounds to unbelievers of his time, that they may beware. _Alterius perditio tua sit cautio._ Seest thou another suffer shipwreck? look well to thy tackling.... [ Continue Reading ]
Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. Ver. 12. _In departing from_] απιστια _parit_ αποστασιαν. Infidelity is the mother of apostasy; as in Cranmer: but worse in John Dudley, Duke of Northumberland, in Queen Mary's days, who be... [ Continue Reading ]
But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. Ver. 13. _But exhort one another_] A special preservative from apostasy. See my Common Place of Admonition, and my treatise onMalachi 3:17 . _ Lest any of you be hardened_] Contin... [ Continue Reading ]
For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end; Ver. 14: _For we are made partakers_] Christ's consorts, co-heirs with him, Romans 8:17. This we are in present, if we persevere to the end. _ The beginning of our confidence_] Gr. υποστασεως, of... [ Continue Reading ]
While it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation. Ver. 15. _While it is said_] sc. To you now, as it was said to them of old, Hebrews 3:7. We must see our own names written on every precept, promise, example, &c.,Hosea 12:4. There God spake with us.... [ Continue Reading ]
For some, when they had heard, did provoke: howbeit not all that came out of Egypt by Moses. Ver. 16. _Howbeit not all_] Yet all fell in the wilderness save Joshua and Caleb. Good men are oft wrapped up in a common calamity. The righteous perisheth, Isaiah 57:1, so the world thinketh; "But whether... [ Continue Reading ]
But with whom was he grieved forty years? _was it_ not with them that had sinned, whose carcases fell in the wilderness? Ver. 17. _Whose carcases fell_] Gr. κωλα. Whose members, joints, limbs. _Cadavera a cadendo._ Oh that we could make that use of their disaster, that Waldus the French merchant (f... [ Continue Reading ]
And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not? Ver. 18. _To them that believe not_] Or, that will not be persuaded, uncounsellable persons, that acquiesce not in wholesome advice.... [ Continue Reading ]
So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief. Ver. 19. _Because of unbelief_] A bloody sin, John 3:19. No sin will gripe so in hell as this. The devil will keep a holy day there, in respect of unbelievers.... [ Continue Reading ]