Review of the Paraphrase of the New Testament, Hebrews
On the EPISTLE to the HEBREWES:
ON the Title, Note a.foreign. Concerning the Author, whether S. Paul, or S. Luke, Adde, That *In Epiſt. p. 879.which Theophylact conceives in this matter, is not improbable viz. that S. Paul wrote it in Hebrew, as being to the Hebrewes, but that S. Luke, or as ſome ſay, Clement tranſlated it into Greek, and conſequently that there is not ſo much force in the Argument taken from the difference of the ſtyle, to conclude againſt its being written originally by S. Paul, as there is in the ſublimity of the ſenſe and matter, to conclude that none but S. Paul was the author of it.
Chap. I. ver. 3.
[Sat down on the right hand of the majeſty on high.]
Aſcended to the right hand of his fa…her in heaven, there to ſit, as having finiſhed that part of his prieſtly office, which conſiſted in ſacrificing, to which they that were ſeparated were appointed to ſtand before the Lord, Deut. 10.8. and there to reign as a King, &c.
Chap. II. Note a. Of the notion of foreign for falling away, Adde, And accordingly Theophylact hath foreign, let us not fall away, let us not periſh, to note, ſaith he, foreign, the eaſineſs of the full, and heavyneſs of the ruine.
foreign.Note c. Of foreign] Add, The word is interpreted by Cicero cont. Piſon. by retinere ad ſalutem, i. e. manu, aut laciniâ, prehendere ac retinere eum, qui ſe it perditum, to hold one back, by that means to ſave him, to catch by the hand or garment, and hold him that is about to deſtroy himſelf. And this Chriſt did, &c.
Chap. IV. ver. 2.
[a *Or, who are not by faith united to them that have heard.Not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.]
Or, we muſt to our hearing Gods word, add both obedience, and Communion with all Orthodox Chriſtians, or elſe the word will benefit us nothing.
foreign.Note a. If foreign] be the right reading, then queſtionleſs that being joyned with foreign, the Engliſh rendring is proper [being not not mix faith— but it is certain that S. Chryſoſtome read it foreign in the accuſative caſe plural, ſo as to be joyned with foreign them, who are ſaid not to have been profited. This is clear by that paſſage in him [foreign, for by not being mixt they were not profited] which ſuppoſes the not mixing, and not profiting to belong to the ſame perſons. And ſo Theophylact expreſſely reads it, foreign and upon that reading proceeds all his interpretation. If therefore this be the right reading, as not improbably it is, then the rendring is evidently this; But the word that was heard did not profit thoſe who were not by faith joyned or united to them which heard. Thus Theophylact interprets, foreign, not mix'd, i. e. not united or agreeing by faith with them that heard, (i. e. ſaith he▪ that beleeved, foreign, for theſe are ſaid to be hearers indeed) but breaking off from them. To this S. Chryſoſtome accords in theſe words, foreign— This is that which he ſaith, They heard, ſaith he, as we hear, but they received no profit; do not you therefore think that by the hearing the word preach'd ye ſhall be profited, ſeeing they alſo heard, but were profited nothing, becauſe they beleeved not. What there followes in S. Chryſoſtome of thoſe that were with Caleb and Joſhuah, that foreign, ſeeing they were not joyned with the unbeleevers, i. e. agreed not with them, they eſcaped the puniſhment, which went out againſt them,] Theophylact profeſſeth not to underſtand; This, ſaith he, Chryſoſtome ſaith according to his great and deep wiſdome, foreign, but he hath not given me, unworthy man, to underſtand how he ſaid it. Where yet I ſuppoſe the riddle not ſo inextricable, viz. that that paſſage of S. Chryſoſtome was rather delivered ex abundanti, over and above what was neceſſary to the interpreting of the words, than deſigned to ſet down who were the foreign. That he had ſet down clearly before, viz. that the diſobedient, or unbeleeving Jewes, were they, which being ſaid, he farther addes on the other ſide, that Caleb and Joſhuah, and thoſe that were with them aſſociated not with the unbeleevers, &c. which certainly was true alſo, for as the unbeleevers joyned not with them, ſo neither they with the unbeleevers. Having thus expatiated, he retires again, and obſerves ſomewhat from the Critical notation of the word, he ſaith not (ſaith he) foreign they conſented not, but foreign, they mix'd not, joyned not with them, in which words he ſpeaks not of Caleb and I…ſhuah, as in the laſt period he had done, but of thoſe of whom S. Paul ſpake, i. e. of unbeleevers, and ſo I doubt not but that which followes [foreign] is corrupt, and ſhould be read, foreign, i. e. they ſeditiouſly differed or departed from them, who (as he addes) were all of one, and the ſame mind; which he obſerves, on purpoſe to make the parallel more complete betwixt thoſe provoking Iſraelites then, and the Gnoſtick heretickes, referred to in that Epiſtle, who brake union, divided ſchiſmatically, and ſeditiouſly from their Biſhops, as thoſe from their leaders Caleb and Ioſhuah. That this was his meaning, appears by his concluſion, foreign, In this word he ſeems to me to intimate a ſedition, which I ſuppoſe a competent evidence that foreign was the right reading. The corrupting of which word was it (as appears) which made S. Chryſoſtomes meaning ſo unintelligible to Theophylact, it being indeed by this means wholly miſtaken by him. Meanwhile it is not eaſie to divine, what cauſed the Author of the Annotations on that place of S. Chryſoſtome to expreſs his wonder, whence that Father took that phraſe foreign] adding that it was neither in S. Paul, nor in the place of Numbers, where foreign] the participle was viſible before him, in that place, Heb. 4.12.
Ibid. Note a.foreign. Of the ſeverity of Chriſts denuntiations againſt the Gnoſtickes, Adde, Sharper ſaith Theophylact, then warre or ſword was to the rebellious Iſraelites.
Chap. VII. ver. 3.
[Without deſcent.]
Of whoſe pedigree there is no mention in Geneſis, as being indeed of another race, not of that, which is recorded in Scripture, ſee v. 6.
Chap. VIII. Note a.foreign. Of the according of the Greek foreign] with Jer. 31.32. Adde, But Mr. Pocock hath given me ſome reaſon to depart from theſe conjectures, and adhering to the ordinary reading, to take notice of another notion of the word foreign, where it is in conſtruction with foreign, in moſt other places, the word is uſed either with an accuſative caſe after it, or with the prepoſition foreign, and then conſtantly it ſignifies dominari, but in this place of Iſaiah, and Jer. 3.1. it is uſed in a peculiar different manner with foreign, and then 'tis Kimchi's obſervation, as his ſonne tells us, that whereſoever foreign is uſed with foreign, it is taken in an ill ſenſe, and accordingly he interprets it in Jeremie foreign, I have lothed you, and ſo Rabbi Tanchumi; It ſignifies, ſaith he, to ſcorne or reject, in the ſame ſenſe, as the word foreign is uſed, which is but a light change from foreign to foreign. And thus in the Arabick which is but a Dialect of the Hebrew, the word foreign ſignifies not onelyonly dominari, and maritum eſſe, but perturbari, ſeparari, faſtidire, nauſeare, and in that ſenſe is uſed in conjunction with foreign, as here it is, and with alla. So Ebn Jannahius whom David Kimchi commonly followes, and cites by the name of R. Jonah. And ſo this is a fair account of this place. The like alſo hath he given of that other, laſt mentioned, Heb. 13.15. making foreign fruit to be there taken in the notion of foreign,foreign. which the Septuagint uſe for an holocauſt, which being ordinarily of Bullocks, the Hebrew foreign calves may well be rendred by it. Of this ſee Note on Heb. 13. d.
Chap. IX. ver. 4.
[Which had the Golden cenſer.]
Having a golden cenſer belonging to it, not alwayes kept in it, &c.
Ibid.
[Wherein was the Golden aa pot.]
And in this Ark the pot of Manna, and Aarons rod, and the tables, &c.
foreign.Note aa. It is a matter of ſome difficulty to determine, whether it were the Ark, in which the Pot of Manna and the Rod are here ſaid to be kept, or more generally the Holy of holyes, wherein, as in a common place, both they and the ark were. For 1. The phraſe foreign, in which, may equally referre to foreign, the tabernacle called the holy of holyes, and to foreign the ark: and 2. It is poſitively affirmed, 1 King. 8.9. that there was nothing in the ark but the tables of ſtone. But then on the other ſide it is apparent, that the tables of the Law were in the ark, and therefore the mention of thoſe being immediately ſubjoyned to the mention of the pot, and the rod, and connected diſtinctly with a foreign [the pot and the rod and the tables] in all reaſon they muſt be thought affirmed to be in the Ark, where it is certain the tables were; and 2. It is as manifeſt that the foreign, over it] v. 5. denotes the ark, on the covering of which, and not of the holy of holyes, the Cherubim were. To this difficulty that which Theophylact hath affirmed is moſt ſatisfactory, that though at that time which is referred to 1 King. 8.9. i. e. in Solomons time, there was nothing in the ark but the tables, yet in after times, the pot, and the rod were put there, viz. in Jeremies time, when the Ark was to be hid by him; and all this, ſaith he, S. Paul may be ſuppoſed by tradition to have had from Gamaleel his Maſter, a Phariſee; and accordingly, ſaith he, foreign, The Hebrewes or Jewes of his time, which were of the Phariſees ſect, affirmed it to be ſo.
Chap. X. ver. 2.
[*Sure they would have ceaſed, &c. Others read the foreign n…t but by way of interrogation, ſo Theophylact. Would they not have ceaſed.]
They would not need to be offered again, &c. as if the cure were wrought, the medicine need not be any more applyed.
Ibid. ver. 5.
[A body haſt thou prepared me.]
Thou haſt decreed my body to be the perfect and complete ſacrifice, which was to ſupply the defects of all the reſt.
foreign.Ibid. Note c. After the mention of another reading of the words in Habakuk, 2.4. not foreign, nor foreign, but foreign, and foreign, Adde, But others that have conſidered that place in Habakuk, conceive the ordinary Hebrew reading may be well retained, the word foreign being of the ſame ſignification with foreign Jonah 4.8. foreign & defecit, and ſo Iſa. 51.20. foreign thy ſonnes have fainted. Thus Rabbi Tanchumi renders it by withdrawing himſelf, being far removed, and that is all one with our notion of foreign. And the Arabick word which is anſwerable to it, ſignifies negligere, aliò animum avertere, to neglect, to turn away his mind, and ſo that is agreeable alſo. Thus foreign, which in the latter part of the verſe ordinarily ſignifies right, is frequently rendred foreign pleaſed, and ſo is all one with foreign, and then foreign his ſoul may be retained alſo, meaning God's ſoul, from whom he averts, which therefore the Septuagint thought fit to expreſs by foreign, my i. e. God's ſoul, in like manner as they have done, Pſal. 5.9. where the Hebrew hath, his ſtrength, and then read foreign, my ſtrength. See Mr. Pocok Miſcell. p. 45.
Chap. XI. ver. 7.
[By which he condemned the world.]
Thus as a prophet he foretold, & brought upon the whole world of ſinfull men an univerſal deſtruction.
Ibid. ver. 20.
[By faith cc Iſaac bleſſed Jacob and Eſau concerning things to come.]
An act of faith alſo it was in Iſaac, that in bleſſing his two ſonnes Jacob and Eſau he foretold from God, what ſhould befall the poſterity of each of them, firſt aſſuring himſelf that the promiſe made to Abraham ſhould be fulfilled in Jacob, Gen. 28.4, 5. and ſo that what he had done, though through error, miſtaking Jacob for Eſau, would yet certainly be performed to him by God, Gen. 27.33.37. And for Eſau, he foretold alſo of his poſterity, that at length they ſhould be freed from their ſubjection to the Jewes, v. 39. which was a kind of bleſſing of him alſo, although it were not performed to him perſonally, but to his poſterity many years after; And the like faith will it be now in the Chriſtians, that ſhall aſſure themſelves, that God will now bleſs and preſerve the faithfull conſtant beleevers, give them deliverance from their preſſures, although they be not yet preſent, but future.
Note cc. Some difficulty here is,foreign where it is ſaid of Iſaac, that by faith concerning things to come he bleſſed Jacob and Eſau] to what part of the ſtory in Geneſis it ſhall belong. In ch. 27. he bleſſeth Jacob, v. 28, 29. God give thee of the dew of heaven— Let people ſerve thee, and nations bow down to thee, be Lord over thy brethren, and let thy mothers ſons bow down to thee— But it will 1. Be hard to affirme, that he here bleſt Jacob by faith, when it is evident he knew not that it was Jacob, whom he thus bleſt; and 2. Iſaac thinking verily that it was Eſau, whom he thus bleſt, it could not be an act of faith in him, or reconcileable with that, which God had revealed to Rebecca, c. 25.23. (that the elder ſhould ſerve the younger) thus to pronounce or foretel of Eſau, that he ſhould be Lord over his brethren. For theſe two reaſons it will not be fit to referre this of the Apoſtle to that part of the ſtory, wherein blind Iſaac, contrary to his intention, thus bleſſed Iacob. The next paſſage in the ſtory will, I ſuppoſe, be much more commodious for the turn, when upon Eſau's coming with his veniſon, Iſaac finds himſelf to have been abuſed, and trembling very exceedingly, tells him that Iacob had brought him veniſon already, and he had eaten and bleſt him, yea and he ſhall be bleſſed, v. 33. and again, v. 37. that he had made Jacob his Lord, and given him all his brethren for his ſervants. Where Iſaac diſcerning what he had done, though by miſtake, remembers the Oracle that God had delivered before their birth, and conſidering how punctually the bleſſing thus given to Jacob by him did agree to that, he doth now by faith reſolve, that ſo it ſhould certainly be, that what his affection had deſigned to Eſau, was by God promiſed to Jacob, and conſequent…y ſhould irreverſibly belong to him, and thereupon he confirmes it anew to Jacob, Yea and he ſhall be bleſſed, and I have made him thy Lord. And ſo this was the bleſſing wherewith, by Faith Iſaac bleſſed Jacob. Then for his bleſſing of Eſau, that viſibly followes, v. 39. Thy dwelling ſhall be the fatneſs of the earth— (and in the body of it again inſerted a farther confirmation of Jacobs bleſſing, by telling Eſau, thou ſhalt ſerve thy brother, v. 40.) and it ſhall come to paſs that when thou ſhalt have the dominion, thou ſhalt break his yoke from off thy neck. Where it muſt farther be ſuppoſed that Iſaac, beyond that prediction before their birth, that the elder ſhould ſerve the younger, had received from God another Oracle concerning his two ſonnes, that as the poſterity of Jacob. the Jewes ſhould have the praeeminence and dominion for ſome time over the Edumaeans, the poſterity of Eſau, ſo in proceſs of time, the Jewes ſhould be brought down, and ſo the Edumaeans be quitted of that yoke, and accordingly Iſaac foretelling this, is here as truely ſaid to have by faith bleſt Eſau. And this perhaps was it, upon which, Iſaac before had pronounced that bleſſing upon him, which he took to be Eſau; Be Lord over thy brethren — which though in reſpect of the times next inſuing it were true of Jacob (and accordingly was in Gods providence thus directed to him) yet in reſpect of the latter times, when the Jewes ſhould be brought low, was to be truely appliable to Eſau, and ſo might by faith be deſigned by Iſaac to him.
Ibid. Note a. Of the uſe of foreign for courage in Polybius. Adde,foreign. So oft in *l. 16.Diodorus Siculus, foreign, a dreame raiſed him to this confidence, giving him a viſion of great advancement and glory, and foreign, he incited them to keep the conſtancy or courage of Philomelus. So in *De bell. …ud. l. 2. c. 12.Ioſephus foreign their immutable courage or conſtancy. Thus Cicero defineth faith, Fides eſt dictorum conventorúmque conſtantia & veritas; It is a conſtancy and truth of all that hath been ſaid and agreed. And ſo the Hebrew and Chaldee word for faith foreign, and foreign, and ſo alſo the Arabick foreign ſignifies firmneſs, conſtancy, ſtability. And ſo here it is oppoſed to the foreign falling off, or cowardly behaviour, mentioned in the concluſion of the former Chapter.
foreign.Ibid. Note g. Of the foreign, Adde, Such as are mentioned, 1 Sam. 31.4. and are defined by Sopho…les in Antigona; foreign, to kill and inſult on the dead, and uſe him contumeliouſly.
foreignChap. XII. Note a. To the notion of foreign for bare or naked, Adde, So in Georgius Alexandrinus in the *p. 205. l. 9·life of Chryſoſtome, a poor, helpleſs diſtreſſed woman, is called foreign.
foreignIbid. Of foreign in the notion of a ſinne ſet out with goodly circumſtances to recommend it, Adde, Agreeable hereunto it is, that S. Chryſoſtome uſeth foreign, applied to ſin, to denote temptations. Tom. 3. p. 555. l. 20. foreign, whereas he explaines all diabolical ſin by foreign ſins, ſo he evidently interprets foreign by foreign tentations. And of theſe foreign in this notion he there underſtands the phraſe foreign foreign, for ſo he addes in that place, l. 21. foreign, for ſin is provided with temptations being incompaſſed (where we ſee the paſſive uſe of the word) on all ſides, before, and behind, and ſo ſhoots at us, or ſtrikes us. So T. 4. p. 698. l. 30. foreign, temptation of Satan; So Heſychius Presb. Centur. 2.85. foreign, but if by any temptation we become more remiſs. Thus Diogenes Laertius in the life of Zeno, that it is the part of a wiſe man foreign, to eat mans fleſh in caſe of extremity, or when he is by ſuch forcing motives invited to it.
Ibid. ver. 24.
[That ſpeaketh better things then kk that of Abel.]
Or, that hath much more efficacy in it to obtain Gods acceptance then had the blood of Abels ſacrifice, which was the firſt type of the blood of Chriſt of which we read, and of which it is ſaid, that God had reſpect to it.
Note kk.foreign The meaning of this paſſage foreign] or as Theophylact and others reads foreign] is not eaſily reſolved on. If it be foreign, it may then agree with Abel as the accuſative caſe, and then it muſt be rendred [than Abel] meaning, than Abel ſpake, or elſe referring the [foreign] to [foreign] going before and reading foreign] in the genitive caſe, it will then be rendred [than that (ſprinkling) of Abel] noting the ſprinkling of blood which in that ſacrificing of his firſtlings, Gen. 4.4. he is ſuppoſeable to have uſed. If it be [foreign] then as it is certain it muſt refer to foreign blood] precedent, and ſo denote the blood of Abel, ſo it is uncertain, what blood is meant, whether the blood of Abel, ſhed by Cain, or the blood of Abels firſtlings in his ſacrifice. So that all theſe four poſſible notions of the words are in effect but two, the firſt and the third referring to that of Abel and his own blood ſhed by Cain; And the ſecond and fourth to the blood of the cattel in his ſacrifice. And which of theſe is now to be preferred, is the onelyonly difficulty; That the firſt ſhould be it, the authority of the Greeks Commentators, and others would incline, and the manner of the Scripture ſtyle in many places (uſing words, and phraſes, which muſt be ſuppoſed to ſignifie much more than their natural importance affords, ſee Note on Mat. 12. e.) may help to perſwade it. For thus it may then be explicated very commodiouſly. That whereas the blood of Abel the firſt that ever ſuffered, called for nothing but vengeance on the murtherer, the blood of Chriſt, quite contrarywiſe, called for mercy on his very crucifiers, and on all the world of men beſides, and ſo ſpake as good things, as Abels did ill, cryed as loud for pardon, as his is ſaid to do for vengeance. But if we conſider the deſign of the whole context, which is the comparing the ſtate and oeconomie under the Law, and before Chriſt, with that now after, or ſince his coming, and the preferring the latter infinitely beyond the former, we ſhall then have great reaſon to incline us, to accept the ſecond ſenſe, that the ſprinkling of the blood of Chriſt, that ſacrifice of his upon the Croſs, had infinitely more efficacy in it (and that divolved to us) to obtain Gods acceptance, than that ſacrifice of Abels, the firſt great type of that ſhedding the blood of Chriſt, this lamb of God, is affirmed in the Scripture to have had. That this Sacrifice of beaſts, offered by Abel ſhould here be mentioned with Chriſts ſacrifice of his own body on the Croſs, the reaſon is evident, becauſe all the ſacrifices of beaſts, not onelyonly under the Law, but before it, among the Patriarchs, before, and after the deluge, were all types of Chriſts one perfect ſacrifice. And Abels being the firſt of theſe, recorded in Scripture, and atteſted to have had much of Gods acceptation, particularly more than Cains (See Heb. 11.4.) is therefore the fitteſt to be inſiſted on in this place: And that Chriſts blood is ſaid to ſpeak better things then that, and ſo than any other blood in ſacrifice, is agreeable to Heb. 9.13, 14. For if the blood of Bulls— how much more the blood of Chriſt, and v. 22, 23. And almoſt all things are purged by blood— It was neceſſary therefore that the heavenly things themſelves ſhould be purged by better ſacrifices than theſe. And accordingly in the antient Liturgies, and in the Canon of the Maſs now in uſe, when the bread and wine is conſecrated into the Sacrament of the body and blood of Chriſt, the prayer makes mention of Abels ſacrifice, and Melchizedeks offering, chooſing out thoſe two, as the moſt antient, and eminent types (under the Old Teſtament) of this ſacrifice of the blood of Chriſt, commemorated in that Sacrament. This (and much more, which if it were needfull, might be added to this purpoſe) will make it reaſonable to have annext this latter ſenſe to the former, more ordinary, if not to prefer it before it.
Chap. XIII. ver. 4.
[Marriage aa is honourable in all.]
foreignNote aa. The main difficulty here is, what verb is here to be underſtood, and taken in, for the clearing the conſtruction; It may poſſibly be [foreign, is] and then the onelyonly remaining difficulty will be,foreign. what ſhall be meant by foreign] whether it be moſt fitly rendred [in all] whether denoting all things, i. e. all reſpects or all men, that being of ſeveral ages, or of ſeveral qualities, are yet capable of marriage; or whether, as Theophylact addes, in all times, of perſecutions, or of releaſe from perſecutions ▪ Or whether, according to the promiſcuous uſe of prepoſitions in theſe writers, and particularly of foreign] oft taken notice of in other places, it be to be rendred, among all, that is, among all men, noting the general eſtimation, & opinion of all men of all nations, whether Heathens Jewes, or Chriſtians, among all whom (ſave the Gnoſtick hereticks, then newly ſprung up) marriage had been lookt upon with honor. This might eaſily be ſhewed out of the Jewiſh writers, and cuſtomes. Marriage and procreation was the means of taking away their reproach, and ſo a note of peculiar honor among them. So likewiſe among the Heathens the Lacedemonians Law appointed a mulct firſt for the foreign unmarried, then another for the foreign thoſe that married late, as the third, and the ſevereſt foreign for marrying ill. See Ariſto's Commentaries in *p. 412.Stobaeus: And *Ibid.Muſonius in his book, whether marriage be any hinderance to Philoſophers, hath diſcourſed it at large, foreign, that marriage is a great and deſirable thing, as being the beginning of the conſtitution of families, cities, kingdomes, the onelyonly lawful means of continuing the world, and that therefore the Gods have taken ſpecial care of it, Juno, Cupid, and Venus, and conſequently that it is unreaſonable to affirme foreign, that there is any ſort of men, philoſopher, or other, for whom this is not convenient. See Hierocles alſo, as he there is ſet down in *p. 414.Stobaeus, out of his tract on this ſubject. And plenty of the like obſervation we have among the antient Romans, who have injoyed great priviledges by this of marriage, and propagation, the jus trium liberorum, the priviledge, which they had that had gotten three children in lawful marriage, is famouſly ſpoken of among them. And accordingly to theſe premiſſes, this ſenſe will be very perfect truth, Marriage is honorable among all men, Jewes, Heathens, and Chriſtians alſo, among whom Chriſt hath left it in the ſame dignity, in which he found it, having inſtituted nothing to the prejudice of lawful marriage, but as Theophylact addes, looking upon it with honor, as that which foreign, preſerves men and women in ſobriety and continence, or abſtinence from all unlawful pleaſures. All which being granted, and ſuppoſed to be moſt true, yet it ſeems moſt probable from the context, that not [foreign is] but [foreign let be] in the imperative, is the verb, which is here underſtood. Let marriage be honourable among all, and let the bed, the marriage bed, be undefiled, or ſimply, the bed, whether in, or out of marriage, ſo as to contain the monial, as well as conjugal chaſtity, proportionable to the fornication, as well as adutltery, after mentioned, in the interdict. That it is thus, by way not of affirmation, but exhortation, or precept, may appear by the verſes before, which from the beginning of the chapter are all exhortatorie, and in the imperative, but eſpecially, v. 5. where the ſtyle is exactly the ſame, as here, foreign diſpoſition or converſation without covetouſneſs, and yet the ſenſe muſt neceſſarily be thus made up (and ſo our Engliſh hath rendred it) Let your converſation be without covetouſneſs] and ſo again foreign he content with the things that are preſent] To this agrees what Georgius Alexandrinus ſaith in the life of Chryſoſtome, p. 188. l. 15. that he alwayes bid them foreign, to keep marriage honourable— which being taken from this place evidently, is by him ſet by way of exhortation. And to this rendring therefore I do adhere, as an admonition ſeaſonably given, contrary to the *See Note on 1 Tim. 4. b.Gnoſtikes infuſions among them.
Ibid. ver. 15.
[The d fruit of our lips.]
Not the fruit of our herds to be burnt upon his altar, but the offering of our charity, almes and mercy, our Chriſtian ſacrifice, v. 16. joyned with our thanksgiving to God (and never omitted by the primitive Chriſtians in their Euchariſt) anſwerable to the free-will-offerings or vowes, Hoſ. 14.3. in acknowledgement of his power and goodneſs.
Note d.foreign. Some difficulty there is in the phraſe foreign fruit of lips] 'Tis ordinarily conjectured that the Greek tranſlation in Hoſea, ch. 14.2. whence it is taken, read foreign fruit, in ſtead of foreign calves, which the Hebrew Copyes retain, and inſtances of the like have been given Note on Heb. 8. a. But Mr. Pocock renders another account of it, viz. that foreign is here taken in the notion of foreign, the word uſed by the Septuagint for an holocauſt, which being ordinarily of young bullockes, the Hebrew foreign vituli calves, may fitly be rendred by it. The onelyonly difficulty is to reſolve what the reaſon is, that holocauſts ſhould be called foreign, and his conjecture is good, becauſe theſe being above what was preſcribed by the Law, they bare proportion to fruit or banquet after a meal, and accordingly they are called by the Rabbins foreign ſummer fruit for the Altar, or a banquet over and above the preſcribed ſacrifice; for as it is the cuſtome after a feaſt, to ſerve in fruit, ſo, ſaith Bartenorius, after they have offered the due oblations of every day, they bring the holocauſts for their free-will-offerings. See Maimon. ad Miſhnaioth, tr. Shekalum. c. 4. §. 4. But if this be not imbraced, why yet may it not be reſolved, that the 72. retaining the ſenſe, thought fit (as often they do) lightly to change the words, and ſo to ſet fruit for calves. By this means tis become far more fit for our Apoſtles turn, to ſignifie our Chriſtian ſacrifice, or free-will oblations, works of mercy, &c. which together with our praiſes of God we offer to him, proportionable to the offering to God thanksgiving, and paying vowes, Pſ. 50.14. which being promiſed by the lips and ſpoken with the mouth, Pſal. 67.14. the payment of them is really foreign here, the fruit, and calves of our lips. This fruit of the lips is here viſibly ſet down, as all one with the foreign, ſacrifice of praiſe; Thus the [foreign that is] enforceth.foreign. Now the ſacrifice of praiſe, is literally foreign, ſo called, Pſal. 49.15, and 24. Pſal. 107.22. Pſal. 116.17. and that the foreign ſalvation, ver. 13. i. e. the peace-offering, or treſpaſs-offering, Lev. 7. where for foreign the treſpaſs-offering, the Septuagint have foreign the ſacrifice of ſalvation, v. 1. foreign, the ſacrifice of praiſe, v. 2. foreign, the ſacrifice of ſalviſick praiſe, v. 3. And this the Chriſtian offers in the Euchariſt, wherein, according to the Primitive practice, every man brings his liberal oblation, the bread and wine, and fruits of the ſeaſon, in *Apol. 2. p. 97.Juſtin Martyrs time, and afterward, that which was proportionable thereto, never coming to God empty, or without remembring the Corban, ſaith *Deop. & …icem. p. 180. Dominicum celebrare te …redis, qui Corbonam non reſpicis?S. Cyprian. For this being offered to God by the Biſhop or Prieſt with thanksgiving (from whence it was called the Euchariſt) thereby to acknowledge God the author of all the good things we enjoy (primitias earum quae ſunt ejus creaturarum offerentes, ſaith *l. 4. c. 34.Irenaeus) is properly our ſacrifice of praiſe, a reall ſacrifice, viz. the foreign gifts, or oblations which there we bring, and that a ſacrifice of praiſe or thanksgiving, being farther foreign, a commemoration of Chriſts ſacrifice, ſaith Chryſoſtome; And ſo literally foreign here, the fruit, or free-will oblation of prayſing lips, or of lips giving thankes, or confeſſing in the name of the Lord, that Lord of our ſalvation, whom we there commemorate. And then to all this followes very naturally, in the next verſe, to do good, and to communicate forget not, for with ſuch ſacrifices God is well pleaſed, i. e. Over and above this ſ…lemn Euchariſtical oblation, we muſt alſo be mindfull of dayly continual works of charity upon all occaſions, and wants of our poor brethren, this of charity and mercy being our acceptable Chriſtian ſacrifice, required by God in exchange for thoſe dayly ſacrifices of the Jewes, that were conſumed with fire, went all into ſmoake, were not laid out to ſo much ſolid profit, (the relief of our poor brethren, Gods known proxyes upon earth) as theſe our Chriſtian ſacrifices are.
Ibid. ver. 16.
[But to do good and communicate forget not, for with ſuch ſacrifices God is well pleaſed.]
But be ſure not to omit any ſeaſon of charity or ſupply to any brothers wants that can at any time be offered to you. For this is of the ſame nature, and obligation with the former. All ſuch are offerings to God, very acceptable to him, (whatſoever ye do to one of theſe little ones, ye do unto him) and required now of us under the Goſpel as our only Chriſtian ſacrifice.