A Short Explanation of Hebrews, Chapter 3
The Summe of Chap. III.
THerefore, weygh well what a one CHRIST is and preferre none before him, Vers. 1. For, hee is as faythfull in his Message, for changing of the typicall Priesthood, as Moses was in his m…ssage, when hee delivered it, Vers. 2. And so much more honourable than Moses, as the Builder is over the Stones builded, Vers. 3.4. And Moses was faythfull, as a servant, in the Church, Vers. 5. But Christ, as Sonne, and Lord, over the Church, to dispose of the service thereof, at his pleasure, Vers. 6. Therefore, beware of Olde Israels hard heart, lest you be debarred of GOD'S Rest, Vers. 7.8.9.10.11. Beware of lyke vnbeliefe: for it is the ground of Apostacie, Vers. 12. And doe your best, to preserue others from it also, Vers. 13. For, Perseverance in Fayth, is necessarie to Salvation, Vers. 14. For, David's wordes doe proue, That there were some, albeit not all hearers of GOD'S Word of olde, that did provoke him. Vers. 15.16. And, who were these, but such as hee punished? Vers. 17. And, whome punished hee, but Vnbelievers? Vers. 18. So Misbeliefe debarred them out of GOD'S Rest of olde, and will also doe the lyke yet, if men continue in it, Vers. 19.
The Doctrine of Chap. III.
Vers. 1. Wherefore, holie Brethren, part-takers of the Heavenlie Calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our Profession, CHRIST IESUS.
1. AFter hee hath taught them somewhat more of CHRIST, hee exhorteth them, of new, to consider of him.] THEN, 1. As wee get farther light of Christ, wee are bound to farther vse-making of our light. 2. As farther is revealed vntounto vsus of Christ; so must wee set our mynde on worke, to ponder, and weygh, what is revealed: that the matter may sinke deeper in our mynde, and in our heart. 3. Except wee shall consider, seriouslie, what is spoken of Christ, wee can make no profitable vse of the Doctrine: For, such high Mysteries are not soone taken vp; and, the heart is not soone wrought vponupon, so as to receaue impression of his Excellencie, except after due consideration.
2. Hee calleth Christ Iesus, The high Priest, and the Apostle, of our Profession.] The high Priesthoode, was the highest Calling in the Iewish Church: The Apostleship, the highest Calling in the Christian Church. CHRIST is heere styled by both.
THEN, CHRIST hath inclosed in his Office, the Perfection and Dignities of the highest Callinges, both in the Iewish, and Christian Church. Those Dignities which were divyded in men, or conjoyned in Him; in men, by way of ministeriall employment, vnderunder Him; in Christ, by originall Authoritie, aboue all.
3. Hee calleth the Christian Religion, Our Profession, or Confession, THEN, It is the nature of Christian Religion, not to bee smoothered; but, to bee openlie brought foorth, confessed, and avowed, in word and deede; to the Glorie of Chri, who is the Author thereof.
4. Hee styleth these Hebrewes to whom hee wryteth, Holie Brethren, Part-takers of the Heavenlie Calling. THEN, 1. Christians doe not possesse their Prerogatiues without a warrandable Title. They hauehave a Calling thereto. 2. The Calling is Heavenlie, because GOD, by his Word and Spirite, calleth men to the communion of his Grace and Glorie, by forsaking of themselues, and thinges earthlie; and following Christ, in an holie conversation: all is Heavenlie heere. 3. Christians are part-takers alyke of this Vocation: that is, hauehave alyke Warrand, and Obligation, to follow him that calleth them: albeit all doe not alyke followe the Calling. 4. They are Brethren amongst themselues, for their Adoption: albeit some weaker, some stronger. 5. And holie is this Brotherhood: that is, Spirituall; and so, Superiour to Civill, or Naturall, or earthlie Bandes, whatsoever.
Vers. 2. Who was faythfull to Him that appoynted Him: as also Moses was faythfull in all His House.
1. BEcause the Iewes did too highlie esteeme of Moses, in appoynting of the Legall Service; and not so highlie of Christ as became, in abrogating thereof; the apostle compareth Moses and Christ; giving to Moses, his due place of a Servant; and to Christ, the place due to the Master.
THEN, 1. It is no new thing, that people enclyne so to esteeme of good mens authoritie, as to forget to giuegive Christ his owne rowme. 2. The way to helpe this, Is, so to esteeme of GOD'S Servantes, Fathers, or Councils, moe, or fewer, as the esteemation that men hauehave of them, derogate nothing from the estoemation due to Christ.
2. In speciall, hee maketh all the poyncts of Moses commendations, duelie deserved poyncts of Christ's commendation. 1. Did Moses office reach it selfe to all the house of God, vnderunder the Law, and all the service of it? So did Christ's Office reach to all the Church of God, and all the service of it, vnderunder the Gospell. 2. Was Moses appoyncted, to giuegive out what hee delivered? So was Christ appoyncted to institute what hee did institute, and abrogate what hee did abrogate. 3. Was Moses faythfull to Him who appoyncted him, in all the matters of God's house; keeping backe nothing that hee was directed to reveale? So is Christ faythfull to the Father, who did appoynct him in lyke manner.
THEN, lyke as if anie man should hauehave added or paired, chopped or changed, the Ordinances of GOD'S House, vnderunder the Law, it had beene an imputation, eyther vntounto GOD, of not sufficient directing his Church; or vntounto Moses, and the Prophets, of vnfaythful discharge of their duetie in the Church of the Olde Testament. So is it alyke imputation to GOD and CHRIST, if anie shall adde or paire, choppe or change, the Ordinance of GODS Church vnderunder the New Testament.
Vers. 3. For, this Man was counted worthie of more Glorie than Moses; in as much as Hee who hath builded the House, hath more Honour than the House.
1. HAving equalled Christ vntounto Moses, hee now preferreth Christ to Moses.
THEN, CHRIST is not rightlie esteemed of, except hee bee preferred as farre aboue all his servantes, as the Father hath counted him worthie of more Glorie than his servants.
2. Hee preferreth Christ aboue Moses, as the Builder is aboue the house. THEN, As no stone in the house, nor all the house togther, is comparable in honour with the Builder of the house: So the honour and authoritie of no particular member of the Church, nor of the whole Catholicke Church together, is comparable to the honour and authoritie of Christ. Yea, as farre as the Builder is aboue the house in honour, as farre is Christ's authoritie aboue the Churches authoritie, which is his house.
Vers. 4. For, everie house is builded by some man: but Hee that built all things, is GOD.
HEe prooveth Christ to bee the Builder of the Church, because some builder it must hauehave, as everie house hath. But onlie GOD, that buildeth all thinges, is able for this worke: Therefore, Christ, who buildeth all thinges, is the Builder of it.
THEN, 1. Whatsoever employment a man get of GOD, in edifying of the Church, yet▪ in proper speach, hee is a parte of the Building, builded by another. 2. The honour of building the Church, belongeth to GOD alone properlie. 3. The building of the Church, is a worke requyring Omnipotencie in the Builder: For, to make a Saynct of a Sinner, is as hard, as to make a Man of the dust of the earth, or of nothing.
Vers. 5. And Moses, verilie, was faythfull in all His House, as a Servant, for a testimonie of those thinges which were to bee spoken after.
MOses was faythfull, as a Servant.] Now, a Servant's parte, is to doe and say by direction; and not of his owne authoritie. THEN, Hee is the faythfullest Servant, that doeth least in his owne authoritie, and most attendeth vntounto the direction of GOD, beareth testimonie to what GOD hath commanded, and teacheth not for Doctrine, the preceptes of men.
Vers. 6. But CHRIST, as a Sonne over His owne House, whose House are wee, if wee holde fast the Confidence, and the rejoycing of the Hope, firme, vntounto the ende.
MOses was faythfull, as a Servant; but Christ, as a Sonne, over his owne house.]
THEN, 1. As much difference betwixt Christ's authoritie in the Church, and mens, how excellent soever; as betwixt the authoritie of the Master and the Servantes. 2. CHRIST'S authoritie is natiue over His Church, by vertue of His Sonneship: by His Eternall Generation of the Father Hee hath this Prerogatiue. 3. The Church is CHRIST'S owne House; and Hee may dispose of it, and of the Service thereof, as pleaseth Him. Men, who are but servantes, must change none of the Ordinances of GOD'S Worship in it. But CHRIST may change the Ordinances of His owne Worship: and, therefore, alter the ordinances of Levi, and appoynct a more simple forme of externall worship, in place thereof.
2. Hee expoundeth this House, to bee the Companie of true Believers. THEN, 1. The Church of GOD, vnderunder the Law, and vnderunder the Gospell, are one Church, one House of GOD in substance; and all the Faythfull, then and now, lyuelie Stones of this House. 2. The Church hauehave GOD dwelling, and conversing▪ and familiarlie manifesting Himselfe amongst them.
3. Hee addeth to a Condition, If wee holde fast the Confidence, and the rejoycing of the hope, firme, vntounto the ende. That is, If wee continue steadfast in the Fayth, inwardlie gryping the promised Glorie, by hope; and outwardlie avowing, by confession, Christ's Trueth: whereby hee neyther importeth the possibilitie of finall Apostacie of the Saynctes; nor yet myndeth hee to weaken the Confidence of Believers, more nor hee doubteth of his owne perseverance, or myndeth to weaken his owne fayth: for hee joyneth himselfe with them, saying, If wee holde fast. But wryting to the number of the Visible Church, of whom some not beeing sound, might fall away, and by their example, make some weake ones, though sound, stumble, for a tyme, to the dishonour of the Gospell; hee putteth a difference betwixt true Believers, who doe indeede persever, and tyme-servers, who doe not persever; to whom bee doeth not grant, for the present, the Priviledge of beeing GOD'S House.
This conditionall speach, then, IMPORTETH, 1. That some Professoures in the Visible Church, may make Defection, and not persever to the ende. 2. That such as shall make finall Defection heereafter, are not a parte of GOD'S House, for the present, howsoever they bee esteemed. 3. That true Believers must take warning, from the possibilitie of some Professoures Apostacie; to looke the better to themselues, and to take a better grip of CHRIST, who is able to keepe them. 4. That true Believers both may, and should, holde fast their Confidence, vntounto the ende: yea, and must ayme to doe so, if they would persever. 5. That true Believers hauehave ground and Warrand, in the Promises of the Gospell, both to hope for Salvation, and to rejoyce, and glorie, in that Hope, as if it were present Possession. 6. That the more a man aymeth at this solide Confidence, and gloriation of Hope, the more evidence hee giveth, that hee is of the true House of GOD.
Vers. 7. Wherefore, as the holie Ghost sayeth, To day, if yee will heare His Voyce.
1. IN the wordes of the Psal. xcv. vers. 9. he exhorteth them, to beware of hardening their heart in vnbeliefe. The wordes of the PSALME are called heere, The Saying of the holie Ghost; and, of the GOD of Israell, 2. SAM. 23.2.3.
THEN, 1. The authoritie of the Scripture, is not of man, but of the holie Ghost. 2. The Scriptures are no dumbe letter, but the voyce of the holie Ghost, who by them speaketh. 3. The holie Ghost, is God, the Inspirer of the Prophets, that wrote the Scripture. 4. The holie Ghost, is a distinct person of the Godhead, from the Father, and the Sonne; exercing the proper actions of a person; inspiring the Prophets, dyting the Scriptures, and speaking to the Church.
2. In the wordes of the Exhortation, To day, if yee will heare His Voyce, harden not your heartes; OBSERVE, 1. That whyle men hauehave the offer of Salvation, and the Word preached vntounto them, it is their day. 2. That by the outward hearing, GOD requyreth the heart to be brought downe, and mollified. 3. That Hee requyreth present yeelding, To day, whyle Hee calleth, without delay: because wee can not bee sure howe long GOD will spare, or continue His offer, beyond this present. 4. Hee that studieth not, to yeeld his heart, to belieue, and obey, GOD'S Word, sounding in his eares, hardeneth his heart. For, what is it else, not to harden their heart, but heartilie to belieue, and giuegive obedience?
Vers. 8. Harden not your heartes, as in the Provocation, in the day of temptation, in the Wildernesse.
Vers. 9. When your fathers tempted me, prooved mee, and saw my Workes, fourtie yeares.
HEe prooveth the danger of this sinne, in the example of their fathers: As in the day of provocation, when your fathers tempted mee, EXOD. xvij.7. Whence WE LEARNE,
1. That the ill of Sinne is not seene, till the consequences thereof bee seene, what provocation it giveth to GOD, and what wrath it draweth downe on the sinner. 2. It is safest, to take a view of our danger, by anie sinne, in the person of others, who hauehave fallen in the lyke, and hauehave beene punished. 3. The sinnes that our Predecessoures hauehave beene given vntounto, we should, most carefullie, watch agaynst. 4. That GOD'S Bountie, Patience, and Meanes of Grace, the longer they bee abused, aggreageth sinne the more.
Vers. 10. Wherefore, I was grieved with that generation, and sayde, They doe alway erre in their heartes; and they hauehave not knowne My Wayes.
GOD pronounceth the Offenders, guiltie; and then, giveth Sentence of Doome vponupon them, for their guiltinesse: They erre in heart, sayeth the LORD. THEN, 1. Misbelieving and disobeying of the Word preached, is not reckoned with GOD, for simple ignorance of the mynde; but for a willfull ignorance, and erring of the heart, which is worse. For, the ignorance of the mynde simplie, is, I know not; but the errour of the heart, is, I will not know, I care not, I desire not, I louelove not to know, nor obey. And such is the ignorance of those who hauehave the Meanes of Knowledge, and Reformation, and yet remayne in their sinnes. 2. Such obstinate ignorance, and willfull disobedience, provoketh GOD to cast away the Sinner, and not to deale anie more with him.
Vers. 11. So I sware in My Wrath; They shall not enter into My Rest.
FOR their Doome, GOD debarreth them from His Rest: That is, from all the Comfortes of His Fellowship; and giveth them Torment, in stead of Rest. THEN, 1. Obstinate Disobedientes of of the Voyce of the Gospell, lye neare hand finall off-cutting. 2. If GOD giuegive over a man, to such hardnesse of heart, as still to worke contrarie to the light of GOD'S Word, Hee hath, appearantlie, denounced, and sworne, to condemne, and seclude from Heaven, such a Soule. 3. It is onelie such obstinate ones, as goe on, hardening their heart agaynst Admonitions of the Word, that GOD hath sworne to debarre. If a man bee found mourning, for his former obstinacie, the Decree is not gone foorth agaynst him.
Vers. 12. Take heede, Brethren, lest there be, in anie of you, an evill heart of vnbeliefe, in departing from the living GOD.
1. FRom the former Example, hee warneth them, to beware of an evill heart of vnbeliefe; and so to eschew Apostacie. THEN, 1. Misbeliefe is the mayne Roote of Apostacie. As Beliefe draweth vsus to an Vnion with GOD; so Misbeliefe maketh a Separation. 2. Misbeliefe is a speciall parte of the heartes wickednesse, bewraying the enimitie which naturallie wee hauehave agaynst GOD, as much as anie ill: For, Misbeliefe denyeth to GOD the Honour of Trueth, MercieMercy, and Goodnesse; and importeth Blasphemies in the contrarie. 3. Misbeliefe is an ill in the heart, making the heart yet worse and worse, where it is, and barring foorth all the Remedies which might come by Fayth, to cure the heart.
2. Hee warneth, to take heede, lest there bee such an heart in anie of them, at anie tyme.
THEN, 1. Misbeliefe is a subtill and deceitfull sinne, having colours, and pretences, a number, to hyde it; and must bee watched over, lest it deceaue; and getting strength, overcome. 2. The watch must bee constant, at all occasions, lest this ill get advantage, when wee are carelesse, and vnattentiue, at anie tyme. 3. Watch must bee keeped, as over our selues, so also over others: lest anie others misbeliefe not beeing marked, drawe vsus in the snare with them.
2. Hee descrybeth Apostasie, by Misbeliefe, and departing from the living GOD.
THEN, 1. Believing is a drawing neare to the Living GOD, and staying with Him. 2. The losse that Misbeliefe bringeth, should scarre vsus from so fearfull a sinne. 3. Departing from the true Christian Religion, is a departing from the Living GOD, whatsoever the Apostate, or his Followers, doe conceaue: for GOD is not, where Trueth is not.
Vers. 13. But exhort one another, daylie, whyle it is called, To day; lest anie of you bee hardened, through the deceitfulnesse of sinne.
1. HEe prescrybeth a Remedie, to prevent this ill: to wit, That they exhort one another, daylie, whyle it is called, To day. That is, Beside the publicke exhortation from their Preachers, that everie one of them, mutuallie, conferre, and stirre vp one another by speaches that make for decyphring the deceitfulnesse of Sinne, or preventing hardnesse of heart, or confirming one another in the trueth of Religion, and constant profession thereof. THEN, 1. Private Christians not onelie may, but should keepe Christian communion amongst themselues, and mutuallie exhort and stirre vp one another. 2. This is a necessary meane of preserving people from Defection. 3. And a duetie daylie to bee discharged, whyle it is to day: that is, as oft, and as long, as GOD giveth present occasion, and opportunitie for it; lest a scattering come.
…. The inconvenience that way follow, if this bee neglected, is, Lest anie of you bee hardened, through the deceatfulnesse of Sinne.
THEN, 1. There is none, even the strongest of the Flocke, but they hauehave neede of this mutuall helpe of other private Christians. 2. Neyther is there anie so base, or contemptible, but the care of their standing in the Fayth, and of their safetie, belongeth to all. 3. Sinne hath manie wayes, and colours, whereby it may beguyle a man: and, therefore, wee hauehave neede of moe Eyes than our owne, and moe Observers. 4. If it bee not tymouslie discovered, it will draw on hardnesse of heart, so as a man will growe senselesse of it, confirmed in the habite of it, and loath to quyte it.
3. In the former verse, hee warneth them, to beware of Apostasie in Religion: and, in this verse, That they take course, that they bee not hardened in anie sinne in their conversation. THEN, The readie way to draw on Defection in Religion, is Defection from a Godlie Conversation. And the way to prevent Defection in Religion, is to studie to Holinesse of Conversation.
Vers. 14. For, wee are made part-takers of CHRIST, if wee holde the beginning of our Confidence steadfast, vntounto the ende.
To stirre them vp to Perseverance, hee layeth a necessitie of holding fast grippe of the Principles of Christian Religion, whereby they were perswaded to become Christians: because onelie so, fellowship with CHRIST is gotten. The Trueth whereby they were begotten to Christian Religion, hee calleth, The beginning of our Confidence: yea, and of our Spirituall Subsistance; as the word in the Originall importeth. THEN, 1. The Gospell is the beginning of our Confidence; yea, and of our Spirituall Subsistance; of our new beeing that wee hauehave, as Spirituall Men, in the State of Grace. 2. The man that renounceth the Groundes of the Gospell, and persevereth not, was never part-taker of CHRIST. 3. Christian Religion is not a thing that a man may say, and vnsay; keepe, or quyte; as Prosperitie, or Adversitie; Threatninges, or Allurementes, doe offer: But such as must in all Estates, vponupon all Hazard, bee avowed.
Vers. 15. Why lest it is sayde, To day, if yee will heare His Voyce, harden not your heartes, as in the Provocation.
Vers. 16. For, some, when they had heard, did provoke: how-be-it not all that came out of Aegypt by Moses.
NOw, the Apostle draweth Collections from the wordes of the Prophet in the PSALME, repeating the wordes of the Text, which speake of the Provocation of the Fathers, vers. 15. Wherevpon bee inferreth, That there were some, at least, hearers of the Word, which provoked GOD; albeit not all. For whose cause, David had reason to giuegive Advertisement to their Posteritie, to beware of the lyke; and the wryter of the Epistle, reason to applye the same vntounto them, vers. 16. THEN, 1. From the Apostle's handeling of the Text which hee hath in hand▪ all must LEARNE, Not lightlie to passe Scripture▪ but to consider both what is sayd expresselie in it, and what is imported by consequence. 2. Preachers practise is justified, when they consider the circumstances of a Text, and doe vrge dueties vponupon their people, or teach them doctrine from the Text.
Vers. 17. But, with whom was Hee grieved fourtie yeares? Was it not with them that had sinned, whose carcases fell in the Wildernesse?
HEE observeth another thing in his Text, vponupon the persons with whom GOD was grieved: that, first, they are marked, to hauehave sinned; and afterwards punished. Leaving to them to GATHER,
That where Sinne went before, the Anger of GOD would followe vponupon the Sinne: and, after the grieving of GOD, Iudgement light vponupon the Sinner.
Verse. 18. And, to whom sware He, that they should not enter into His Rest▪ but to them that believed not?
Vers. 19. So wee see, that they could not enter in, because of vnbeliefe.
HEE hath yet another Observation, vponupon the nature of the Sinne, whereby GOD was provoked to sweare their damnation that sinned; that it was Vnbeliefe, vers. 18. And formallie deduceth his doctrine by consequence; That Misbeliefe did stoppe the Sinners Entrie into the Rest, and made the Sinner to lye vnderunder an impossibilitie of entering, vers. 19. The vse of which Doctrine hee presseth in the next Chapter.
THEN, 1. The Apostle leaveth vsus to gather. That aboue all other Sinnes, Misbeliefe provoketh GOD to indignation moste. 2. That as long as this Sinne lyeth on, and getteth way, it is impossible for a man to enter into GOD'S Rest. This Sinne alone is able to seclude him.