NOTES

ON

THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS

It is agreed by the general tenor of antiquity that this epistle was

written by St. Paul, whose other epistles were sent to the gentile

converts; this only to the Hebrews. But this improper inscription

was added by some later hand. It was sent to the Jewish Hellenist

Christians, dispersed through various countries. St. Paul's method

and style are easily observed therein. He places, as usual, the

proposition and division before the treatise, # Heb 2:17; he subjoins

the exhortatory to the doctrinal part, quotes the same scriptures,

# Heb 1:6; 2:8; 10:30,38,6; and uses the same expressions as elsewhere.

But why does he not prefix his name, which, it is plain from # Heb 13:19

was dear to them to whom he wrote? Because he prefixes no inscription,

in which, if at all, the name would have been mentioned. The ardour of

his spirit carries aim directly upon his subject, (just like St. John in

his First Epistle,) and throws back his usual salutation and thanksgiving

to the conclusion.

This epistle of St. Paul, and both those of St. Peter, (one may add,

that of St. James and of St. Jude also,) were written both to the same

persons, dispersed through Pontus, Galatia, and other countries, and

nearly at the same time. St. Paul suffered at Rome, three years before

the destruction of Jerusalem. Therefore this epistle likewise, was

written while the temple was standing. St. Peter wrote a little before

his martyrdom, and refers to the epistles of St. Paul; this in particular.

The scope of it is, to confirm their faith in Christ; and this he does

by demonstrating his glory. All the parts of it are full of the most

earnest and pointed admonitions and exhortations; and they go on in one

tenor, the particle therefore everywhere connecting the doctrine and

the use.

The sum is, The glory of Christ appears,

I. From comparing with him the prophets and angels,........ C. i. 1-14

Therefore we ought to give heed to him,................ C. ii. 1-4

II. From his passion and consummation.

Here we may observe,

1. The proposition and sum,..................................... 5-9

2. The treatise itself. We have a perfect author of

salvation, who suffered for our sake, that he might be,

(1.) a merciful, and, (2.) a faithful, (3.) high priest,.. 10-13

These three are particularly explained, his passion

and consummation being continually interwoven,

1. He has the virtues of an high priest

a. He is faithful,.................................... C. iii. 1-

Therefore be ye not unfaithful...................... C. iv. 13

b. He is merciful,........................................... 15-

Therefore come to him with confidence................. C. v. 3

2. He is called of God an high priest. Here,

a. The sum is proposed,..................................... 4-10

With a summary exhortation....................... 11-C. vi. 20

b. The point is copiously,

1. Explained. We have a great high priest,

1. Such as is described in the hundred and tenth Psalm

After the order of Melchisedec,.............. C. vii. 1-19

Established by an oath,............................. 20-22

For ever,........................................... 23-28

2. Therefore peculiarly excellent-

Heavenly,.................................... C. viii. 1-6

Of the new covenant,................................. 7-13

By whom we have an entrance into the

sanctuary C. ix. 1

C. x. 18

2. Applied. Therefore,

1. Believe, hope, love................................ 19-25

These three are farther inculcated,

a. Faith, with patience,............................ 26-39

Which, after the example of the ancients,..... C. xi. 1

C. xii. 1

And of Christ himself,............................. 2,3

Is to be exercised,............................... 4-11

Cheerfully, peaceably, holily,................... 12-17

b. Hope,............................................ 18-20

c. Love,...................................... C.xiii. 1-6

2. In order to grow in these graces, make use of

The remembrance of your former,..................... 7-16

The vigilance of your present, pastors,............ 17-19

To this period, and to the whole epistle, answers

The prayer, the doxology, and the mild

conclusion,........................................ 20-25

There are many comparisons in this epistle, which may be nearly reduced

to two heads : 1. The prophets, the angels, Moses, Joshua, Aaron, are

great; but Jesus Christ is infinitely greater 2. The ancient believers

enjoyed high privileges; but Christian believers enjoy far higher. To

illustrate this, examples both of happiness and misery are everywhere

interspersed: so that in this epistle there is a kind of recapitulation

of the whole Old Testament. In this also Judaism is abrogated, and

Christianity carried to its height.

Verse 1. God, who at sundry times-The creation was

revealed in the time of Adam; the last judgment, in the time

of Enoch: and so at various times, and in various degrees,

more explicit knowledge was given. In divers manners-In

visions, in dreams, and by revelations of various kinds. Both

these are opposed to the one entire and perfect revelation

which he has made to us by Jesus Christ. The very number

of the prophets showed that they prophesied only "in part."

Of old-There were no prophets for a large tract of time before

Christ came, that the great Prophet might be the more

earnestly expected. Spake-A part is put for the whole;

implying every kind of divine communication. By the

prophets-The mention of whom is a virtual declaration that

the apostle received the whole Old Testament, and was not

about to advance any doctrine in contradiction to it. Hath in

these last times-Intimating that no other revelation is to be

expected. Spoken-All things, and in the most perfect manner.

By his Son-Alone. The Son spake by the apostles. The majesty

of the Son of God is proposed,

1. Absolutely, by the very name of Son, verse 1, and by three

glorious predicates,-"whom he hath appointed," "by whom he made,"

who "sat down;" whereby he is described from the beginning to the

consummation of all things, # Heb 1:2,3

2. Comparatively to angels, # Heb 1:4. The proof of this proposition

immediately follows: the name of Son being proved, # Heb 1:5; his

being "heir of all things," # Heb 1:6-9; his making the worlds,

# Heb 1:10-12 his sitting at God's right hand, # Heb 1:13, &c.

2. Whom he hath appointed heir of all things-After the name of

Son, his inheritance is mentioned. God appointed him the heir

long before he made the worlds, # Eph 3:11; Prov 8:22, &c.

The Son is the firstborn, born before all things: the heir is

a term relating to the creation which followed, # Heb 1:6.

By whom he also made the worlds-Therefore the Son was before

all worlds. His glory reaches from everlasting to everlasting,

though God spake by him to us only "in these last days."

Verse 3. Who sat down-The third of these glorious

predicates, with which three other particulars are interwoven,

which are mentioned likewise, and in the same order,

# Col 1:15,17,20.

Who, being-The glory which he received in his exaltation at the

right hand of the Father no angel was capable of; but the Son alone,

who likewise enjoyed it long before. The brightness of his glory

-Glory is the nature of God revealed in its brightness.

The express image-Or stamp. Whatever the Father is, is

exhibited in the Son, as a seal in the stamp on wax.

Of his person-Or substance. The word denotes the unchangeable

perpetuity of divine life and power. And sustaining all things

-Visible and invisible, in being. By the word of his power-That

is, by his powerful word. When he had by himself-Without any

Mosaic rites or ceremonies. Purged our sins-In order to which

it was necessary he should for a time divest himself of his glory.

In this chapter St. Paul describes his glory chiefly as he

is the Son of God; afterwards, # Heb 2:6, &c., the glory of

the man Christ Jesus. He speaks, indeed, briefly of the former

before his humiliation, but copiously after his exaltation; as

from hence the glory he had from eternity began to be evidently

seen. Both his purging our sins, and sitting on the right hand

of God, are largely treated of in the seven following chapters.

Sat down-The priests stood while they ministered: sitting,

therefore, denotes the consummation of his sacrifice. This

word, sat down, contains the scope, the theme, and the sum,

of the epistle.

Verse 4. This verse has two clauses, the latter of which is

treated of, # Heb 1:5; the former, # Heb 1:13.

Such transpositions are also found in the other epistles of St.

Paul, but in none so frequently as in this. The Jewish doctors

were peculiarly fond of this figure, and used it much in all

their writings. The apostle therefore, becoming all things

to all men, here follows the same method. All the inspired

writers were readier in all the figures of speech than the most

experienced orators.

Being-By his exaltation, after he had been lower than them,

# Heb 2:9.

So much higher than the angels-It was extremely proper to

observe this, because the Jews gloried in their law, as it was

delivered by the ministration of angels. How much more may we

glory in the gospel, which was given, not by the ministry of

angels, but of the very Son of God! As he hath by inheritance

a more excellent name-Because he is the Son of God, he inherits

that name, in right whereof he inherits all things His inheriting

that name is more ancient than all worlds; his inheriting all

things, as ancient as all things. Than they-This denotes an

immense pre-eminence. The angels do not inherit all things,

but are themselves a portion of the Son's inheritance, whom they

worship as their Lord.

Verse 5. Thou art my Son-God of God, Light of Light. This day

have I begotten thee-I have begotten thee from eternity, which,

by its unalter able permanency of duration, is one continued,

unsuccessive day. I will be to him a Father, and he shall be

to me a Son-I will own myself to be his Father, and him to be my

Son, by eminent tokens of my peculiar love The former clause relates

to his natural Sonship, by an eternal, inconceivable generation; the

other, to his Father's acknowledgment and treatment of him as his

incarnate Son. Indeed this promise related immediately to Solomon,

but in a far higher sense to the Messiah.

# Psa 2:7; 2Sam 7:14

Verse 6. And again-That is, in another scripture. He-God.

Saith, when he bringeth in his first-begotten-This appellation

includes that of Son, together with the rights of primogeniture,

which the first-begotten Son of God enjoys, in a manner not

communicable to any creature. Into the world-Namely, at his

incarnation. He saith, Let all the angels of God worship him

-So much higher was he, when in his lowest estate, than the highest

angel.

# Psa 97:7.

7. Who maketh his angels-This implies, they are only creatures,

whereas the Son is eternal, # Heb 1:8; and the Creator himself,

# Heb 1:10.

Spirits and a flame of fire-Which intimates not only their

office, but also their nature; which is excellent indeed, the

metaphor being taken from the most swift, subtle, and

efficacious things on earth; but nevertheless infinitely below

the majesty of the Son.

# Psa 104:4.

8. O God-God, in the singular number, is never in scripture

used absolutely of any but the supreme God. Thy reign, of

which the sceptre is the ensign, is full of justice and equity.

# Psa 45:6,7.

Verse 9. Thou hast loved righteousness and hated iniquity

-Thou art infinitely pure and holy. Therefore God-Who, as

thou art Mediator, is thy God. Hath anointed thee with the oil

of gladness-With the Holy Ghost, the fountain of joy.

Above thy fellows-Above all the children of men.

10. Thou-The same to whom the discourse is addressed in the

preceding verse.

# Psa 102:25,26

Verse 12. As a mantle-With all ease. They shall be

changed-Into new heavens and a new earth. But thou art

eternally the same.

13. # Psa 110:1.

Verse 14. Are they not all-Though of various orders.

Ministering spirits, sent forth-Ministering before God, sent

forth to men. To attend on them-In numerous offices of

protection, care, and kindness. Who-Having patiently

continued in welldoing, shall inherit everlasting salvation.

CHAP. II. In this and the two following chapters the apostle sub-

joins an exhortation, answering each head of the preceding chapter.

Verse 1. Lest we should let them slip-As water out of a leaky

vessel. So the Greek word properly signifies.

Verse 2. In giving the law, God spoke by angels; but in

proclaiming the gospel, by his Son. Steadfast-Firm and

valid. Every transgression -Commission of sin. Every

disobedience-Omission of duty.

Verse 3. So great a salvation-A deliverance from so great

wickedness and misery, into so great holiness and happiness.

This was first spoken of (before he came it was not known)

by Him who is the Lord-of angels as well as men.

And was confirmed to us-Of this age, even every article of it.

By them that had heard him-And had been themselves also both

eye-witnesses and ministers of the word.

Verse 4. By signs and wonders-While he lived. And various

miracles and distributions of the Holy Ghost-Miraculous gifts,

distributed after his exaltation. According to his will-Not

theirs who received them.

Verse 5. This verse contains a proof of the third; the greater

the salvation is, and the more glorious the Lord whom we despise,

the greater will be our punishment. God hath not subjected the

world to come-That is, the dispensation of the Messiah; which

being to succeed the Mosaic was usually styled by the Jews, the

world to come, although it is still in great measure to come

Whereof we now speak-Of which I am now speaking. In this last

great dispensation the Son alone presides.

Verse 6. What is man-To the vast expanse of heaven, to

the moon and the stars which thou hast ordained! This psalm

seems to have been composed by David, in a clear, moonshiny,

and starlight night, while he was contemplating the wonderful

fabric of heaven; because in his magnificent description of its

luminaries, he takes no notice of the sun, the most glorious of

them all. The words here cited concerning dominion were

doubtless in some sense applicable to Adam; although in their

complete and highest sense, they belong to none but the second

Adam. Or the son of man, that thou visitest him-The sense

rises: we are mindful of him that is absent; but to visit,

denotes the care of a present God.

# Psa 8:4.

Verse 7. Thou hast made him-Adam. A little lower than the

angels-The Hebrew is, a little lower than (that is, next to)

God. Such was man as he came out of the hands of his Creator:

it seems, the highest of all created beings. But these words are also

in a farther sense, as the apostle here shows, applicable to the Son

of God. It should be remembered that the apostles constantly cited

the Septuagint translation, very frequently without any variation.

It was not their business, in writing to the Jews, who at that time

had it in high esteem, to amend or alter this, which would of

consequence have occasioned disputes without end.

Verse 8. Now this putting all things under him, implies that

there is nothing that is not put under him. But it is plain,

this is not done now, with regard to man in general.

Verse 9. It is done only with regard to Jesus, God-Man, who

is now crowned with glory and honour-As a reward for his

having suffered death. He was made a little lower than the

angels-Who cannot either suffer or die. That by the grace

of God, he might taste death-An expression denoting both the

reality of his death, and the shortness of its continuance.

For every man-That ever was or will be born into the world.

Verse 10. In this verse the apostle expresses, in his own

words, what he expressed before in those of the Psalmist. It

became him-It was suitable to all his attributes, both to his

justice, goodness, and wisdom. For whom-As their ultimate

end. And by whom-As their first cause. Are all things, in

bringing many adopted sons to glory-To this very thing, that

they are sons, and are treated as such To perfect the

captain-Prince, leader, and author of their salvation, by his

atoning sufferings for them. To perfect or consummate

implies the bringing him to a full and glorious end of all his

troubles, # Heb 5:9. This consummation by sufferings intimates,

1. the glory of Christ, to whom, being consummated, all things are

made subject. 2. The preceding sufferings. Of these he treats

expressly, # Heb 2:11-18; having before spoken of his glory, both

to give an edge to his exhortation, and to remove the scandal of

sufferings and death. A fuller consideration of both these points

he interweaves with the following discourse on his priesthood.

But what is here said of our Lord's being made perfect through

sufferings, has no relation to our being saved or sanctified by

sufferings. Even he himself was perfect, as God and as man,

before ever be suffered. By his sufferings, in his life and

death, he was made a perfect or complete sin-offering. But

unless we were to be made the same sacrifice, and to atone for

sin, what is said of him in this respect is as much out of our

sphere as his ascension into heaven. It is his atonement, and

his Spirit carrying on "the work of faith with power" in our

hearts, that alone can sanctify us. Various afflictions indeed

may be made subservient to this; and so far as they are blessed to

the weaning us from sin, and causing our affections to be set on

things above, so far they do indirectly help on our sanctification.

Verse 11. For-They are nearly related to each other.

He that sanctifieth-Christ,

# Heb 13:12.

And all they that are sanctified-That are brought to God;

that draw near or come to him, which are synonymous terms.

Are all of one-Partakers of one nature, from one parent, Adam.

Verse 12. I will declare thy name to my brethren-Christ

declares the name of God, gracious and merciful, plenteous

in goodness and truth, to all who believe, that they also may

praise him. In the midst of the church will I sing praise unto

thee-As the precentor of the choir. This he did literally, in

the midst of his apostles, on the night before his passion. And as

it means, in a more general sense, setting forth the praise of God,

he has done it in the church by his word and his Spirit; he still

does, and will do it throughout all generations.

# Psa 22:22.

Verse 13. And again-As one that has communion with his

brethren in sufferings, as well as in nature, he says, I will

put my trust in him-To carry me through them all. And again

-With a like acknowledgment of his near relation to them, as younger

brethren, who were yet but in their childhood, he presents all

believers to God, saying, Behold I and the children whom thou hast

given me.

# Isa 8:17,18

Verse 14. Since then these children partake of flesh and blood

-Of human nature with all its infirmities. He also in like manner

took part of the same; that through his own death he might

destroy the tyranny of him that had, by God's permission,

the power of death with regard to the ungodly. Death is the devil's

servant and serjeant, delivering to him those whom he seizes in sin.

That is, the devil-The power was manifest to all; but who exerted it,

they saw not.

Verse 15. And deliver them, as many as through fear of death

were all their lifetime, till then, subject to bondage

-Every man who fears death is subject to bondage; is in a

slavish, uncomfortable state. And every man fears death,

more or less, who knows not Christ: death is unwelcome to

him, if he knows what death is. But he delivers all true

believers from this bondage.

Verse 16. For verily he taketh not hold of angels-He does not

take their nature upon him. But he taketh hold of the seed of

Abraham-He takes human nature upon him. St. Paul says the seed

of Abraham, rather than the seed of Adam, because to Abraham was

the promise made.

Verse 17. Wherefore it behoved him-It was highly fit and

proper, yea, necessary, in order to his design of redeeming

them. To be made in all things-That essentially pertain to

human nature, and in all sufferings and temptations. Like his

brethren-This is a recapitulation of all that goes before: the

sum of all that follows is added immediately. That he might be a

merciful and faithful High Priest-Merciful toward sinners;

faithful toward God. A priest or high priest is one who has a

right of approaching God, and of bringing others to him.

Faithful is treated of,

# Heb 3:2, &c., with its use;

merciful,

# Heb 4:14, &c., with the use also;

High Priest,

# Heb 5:4, &c., # Heb 7:1, &c.

The use is added from Heb 10:19.

In things pertaining to God, to expiate the sins of the people

-Offering up their sacrifices and prayers to God; deriving God's

grace, peace, and blessings upon them.

Verse 18. For in that he hath suffered being tempted himself

he is able to succour them that are tempted-That is, he has

given a manifest, demonstrative proof that he is able so to do.

Verse 1. The heavenly calling-God calls from heaven, and to

heaven, by the gospel. Consider the Apostle-The messenger

of God, who pleads the cause of God with us. And High

Priest-Who pleads our cause with God. Both are contained

in the one word Mediator. He compares Christ, as an

Apostle, with Moses; as a Priest, with Aaron. Both these

offices, which Moses and Aaron severally bore, he bears

together, and far more eminently. Of our profession-The

religion we profess.

2. His house-The church of Israel, then the peculiar

family of God.

# Num 12:7.

Verse 3. He that hath builded it hath more glory than the

house-Than the family itself, or any member of it.

Verse 4. Now Christ, he that built not only this house, but

all things, is God-And so infinitely greater than Moses or any

creature.

Verse 5. And Moses verily-Another proof of the pre-eminence

of Christ above Moses. Was faithful in all his house, as a

servant, for a testimony of the things which were afterwards to

be spoken-That is, which was a full confirmation of the things

which he afterward spake concerning Christ.

Verse 6. But Christ was faithful as a Son; whose house we are,

while we hold fast, and shall be unto the end, if we hold fast our

confidence in God, and glorying in his promises; our faith and hope.

7. Wherefore-Seeing he is faithful, be not ye unfaithful.

# Psa 95:7, &c.

8. As in the provocation-When Israel provoked me by their strife

and murmurings. In the day of temptation-When at the same time

they tempted me, by distrusting my power and goodness.

# Exod 17:7.

9. Where your fathers-That hard-hearted and stiff-necked

generation. So little cause had their descendants to glory in

them. Tempted me-Whether I could and would help them.

Proved me-Put my patience to the proof, even while they saw my

glorious works both of judgment and mercy, and that for forty years.

Verse 10. Wherefore-To speak after the manner of men. I

was grieved-Displeased, offended with that generation, and

said, They always err in their hearts-They are led astray by

their stubborn will and vile affections. And-For this reason,

because wickedness has blinded their understanding. They have

not known my ways-By which I would have led them like a flock.

Into my rest-In the promised land.

Verse 12. Take heed, lest there be in any of you-As there

was in them. An evil heart of unbelief-Unbelief is the parent

of all evil, and the very essence of unbelief lies in departing

from God, as the living God-The fountain of all our life,

holiness, happiness.

Verse 13. But, to prevent it, exhort one another, while it is

called To-day-This to-day will not last for ever. The day of

life will end soon, and perhaps the day of grace yet sooner.

Verse 14. For we are made partakers of Christ-And we shall

still partake of him and all his benefits, if we hold fast our

faith unto the end. If-But not else; and a supposition made by

the Holy Ghost is equal to the, strongest assertion. Both the

sentiment and the manner of expression are the same as # Heb 3:6.

Verse 16. Were they not all that came out of Egypt-An awful

consideration! The whole elect people of God (a very few

excepted) provoked God presently after their great

deliverance, continued to grieve his Spirit for forty years,

and perished in their sin!

Verse 19. So we see they could not enter in-Though

afterward they desired it.

2. But the word which they heard did not profit them-So far from

it, that it increased their damnation. It is then only when

it is mixed with faith, that it exerts its saving power.

Verse 3. For we only that have believed enter into the rest

-The proposition is, There remains a rest for us. This is proved,

# Heb 4:3-11, thus: That psalm mentions a rest:

yet it does not mean,

1. God's rest from creating; for this was long before the

time of Moses. Therefore in his time another rest was

expected, of which they who then heard fell short Nor is it,

2. The rest which Israel obtained through Joshua;

for the Psalmist wrote after him. Therefore it is,

3. The eternal rest in heaven.

As he said-Clearly showing that there is a farther rest than

that which followed the finishing of the creation.

Though the works were finished-Before: whence it is plain,

God did not speak of resting from them.

4. For, long after he had rested from his works, he speaks again.

# Gen 2:2.

5. In this psalm, of a rest yet to come.

Verse 7. After so long a time-It was above four hundred

years from the time of Moses and Joshua to David. As it was

said before-St. Paul here refers to the text he had just cited.

8. The rest-All the rest which God had promised.

Verse 9. Therefore-Since he still speaks of another day,

there must remain a farther, even an eternal, rest for

the people of God.

Verse 10. For they do not yet so rest. Therefore a fuller rest

remains for them.

11. Lest any one should fall-Into perdition.

Verse 12. For the word of God-Preached,

# Heb 4:2, and armed with threatenings, # Heb 4:3.

Is living and powerful-Attended with the power of the living God,

and conveying either life or death to the hearers. Sharper than

any two-edged sword-Penetrating the heart more than this does

the body. Piercing-Quite through, and laying open. The soul and

spirit, joints and marrow-The inmost recesses of the mind, which

the apostle beautifully and strongly expresses by this heap of

figurative words. And is a discerner-Not only of the thoughts,

but also of the intentions.

Verse 13. In his sight-It is God whose word is thus "powerful:"

it is God in whose sight every creature is manifest; and of

this his word, working on the conscience, gives the fullest

conviction. But all things are naked and opened-Plainly

alluding to the sacrifices under the law which were first flayed,

and then (as the Greek word literally means) cleft asunder through

the neck and backbone; so that everything both without and within

was exposed to open view.

Verse 14. Having therefore a great high priest-Great indeed,

being the eternal Son of God, that is passed through the heavens

-As the Jewish high priest passed through the veil into the holy of

holies, carrying with him the blood of the sacrifices, on the yearly

day of atonement; so our great high priest went once for all through

the visible heavens, with the virtue of his own blood, into the

immediate presence God.

Verse 15. He sympathizes with us even in our innocent

infirmities, wants, weaknesses, miseries, dangers. Yet without

sin-And, therefore, is indisputably able to preserve us from it

in all our temptations.

16. Let us therefore come boldly-Without any doubt or fear.

Unto the throne of God, our reconciled Father, even his throne

of grace-Grace erected it, and reigns there, and dispenses all

blessings in a way of mere, unmerited favour.

Verse 1. For every high priest being taken from among men-Is,

till he is taken, of the same rank with them. And is appointed

-That is, is wont to be appointed. In things pertaining to God

-To bring God near to men, and men to God. That he may offer both

gifts-Out of things inanimate, and animal sacrifices.

Verse 2. Who can have compassion-In proportion to the offence:

so the Greek word signifies. On the ignorant-Them that are in

error. And the wandering-Them that are in sin. Seeing

himself also is compassed with infirmity-Even with sinful

infirmity; and so needs the compassion which he shows to others.

Verse 4. The apostle begins here to treat of the priesthood of

Christ. The sum of what he observes concerning it is,

Whatever is excellent in the Levitical priesthood is in Christ,

and in a more eminent manner; and whatever is wanting in

those priests is in him. And no one taketh this honour-The

priesthood. To himself, but he that is called of God, as was

Aaron-And his posterity, who were all of them called at one

and the same time. But it is observable, Aaron did not

preach at all; preaching being no part of the priestly office.

Verse 5. So also Christ glorified not himself to be an high

priest-That is, did not take this honour to himself, but

received it from him who said, Thou art my Son, this day have

I begotten thee-Not, indeed, at the same time; for his

generation was from eternity.

# Psa 2:7.

6. # Psa 110:4.

Verse 7. The sum of the things treated of in the seventh and

following chapters is contained, # Heb 5:7-10; and in this sum

is admirably comprised the process of his passion, with its

inmost causes, in the very terms used by the evangelists.

Who in the days of his flesh-Those two days, in particular,

wherein his sufferings were at the height. Having offered up

prayers and supplications-Thrice. With strong crying and

tears-In the garden. To him that was able to save him from

death-Which yet he endured, in obedience to the will of his

Father. And being heard in that which he particularly feared

-When the cup was offered him first, there was set before him that

horrible image of a painful, shameful, accursed death, which moved

him to pray conditionally against it: for, if he had desired it,

his heavenly Father would have sent him more than twelve legions of

angels to have delivered him. But what he most exceedingly feared

was the weight of infinite justice; the being "bruised" and "put to

grief" by the hand of God himself. Compared with this, everything

else was a mere nothing; and yet, so greatly did he ever thirst to

be obedient to the righteous will of his Father, and to "lay down"

even "his life for the sheep," that he vehemently longed to be

baptized with this baptism, # Lu 12:50. Indeed, his human nature

needed the support of Omnipotence; and for this he sent up strong

crying and tears: but, throughout his whole life, he showed that

it was not the sufferings he was to undergo, but the dishonour that

sin had done to so holy a God, that grieved his spotless soul. The

consideration of its being the will of God tempered his fear, and

afterwards swallowed it up; and he was heard not so that the cup

should pass away, but so that he drank it without any fear.

Verse 8. Though he were a Son-This is interposed. lest any

should be offended at all these instances of human weakness.

In the garden, how frequently did he call God his Father!

# Mt 26:39, &c. And hence it most evidently appears that his

being the Son of God did not arise merely from his resurrection.

Yet learned he-The word learned, premised to the word

suffered, elegantly shows how willingly he learned. He

learned obedience, when be began to suffer; when he applied

himself to drink that cup: obedience in suffering and dying.

Verse 9. And being perfected-By sufferings,

# Heb 2:10; brought through all to glory.

He became the author-The procuring and efficient cause.

Of eternal salvation to all that obey him-By doing and

suffering his whole will.

Verse 10. Called-The Greek word here properly signifies

surnamed. His name is, "the Son of God." The Holy Ghost

seems to have concealed who Melchisedec was, on purpose

that he might be the more eminent type of Christ. This only

we know,-that he was a priest, and king of Salem, or Jerusalem.

Verse 11. Concerning whom-The apostle here begins an

important digression, wherein he reproves, admonishes, and

exhorts the Hebrews. We-Preachers of the gospel. Have

many things to say, and hard to be explained-Though not so

much from the subject-matter, as from your slothfulness in

considering, and dulness in apprehending, the things of God.

Verse 12. Ye have need that one teach you again which are

the first principles of religion. Accordingly these are

enumerated in the first verse of the ensuing chapter.

And have need of milk-The first and plainest doctrines.

Verse 13. Every one that useth milk-That neither desires, nor

can digest, anything else: otherwise strong men use milk; but

not milk chiefly, and much less that only. Is unexperienced

in the word of righteousness-The sublimer truths of the gospel.

Such are all who desire and can digest nothing but the doctrine

of justification and imputed righteousness.

Verse 14. But strong meat-These sublimer truths relating to

"perfection," # Heb 6:1.

Belong to them of full age, who by habit-Habit here signifies

strength of spiritual understanding, arising from maturity of

spiritual age. By, or in consequence of, this habit they

exercise themselves in these things with ease, readiness,

cheerfulness, and profit.

Verse 1. Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of

Christ-That is, saying no more of them for the present. Let

us go on to perfection; not laying again the foundation of

repentance from dead works-From open sins, the very first

thing to be insisted on. And faith in God-The very next

point. So St. Paul in his very first sermon at Lystra,

# Acts 14:15, "Turn from those vanities unto the living God."

And when they believed, they were to be baptized with the

baptism, not of the Jews, or of John, but of Christ. The

next thing was, to lay hands upon them, that they might

receive the Holy Ghost: after which they were more fully

instructed, touching the resurrection, and the general

judgment; called eternal, because the sentence then

pronounced is irreversible, and the effects of it remain for

ever.

Verse 3. And this we will do-We will go on to perfection;

and so much the more diligently, because,

Verse 4. It is impossible for those who were once

enlightened-With the light of the glorious love of God in

Christ. And have tasted the heavenly gift-Remission of

sins, sweeter than honey and the honeycomb. And been

made partakers of the Holy Ghost-Of the witness and the

fruit of he Spirit.

Verse 5. And have tasted the good word of God-Have had

a relish for, and a delight in it. And the powers of the world

to come-Which every one tastes, who has an hope full of

immortality. Every child that is naturally born, first sees the

light, then receives and tastes proper nourishment, and

partakes of the things of this world. In like manner, the

apostle, comparing spiritual with natural things, speaks of

one born of the Spirit, as seeing the light, tasting the

sweetness, and partaking of the things "of the world to

come."

Verse 6. And have fallen away-Here is not a supposition,

but a plain relation of fact. The apostle here describes

the case of those who have cast away both the power and the

form of godliness; who have lost both their faith, hope, and

love, # Heb 6:10, &c., and that wilfully, # Heb 10:26.

Of these wilful total apostates he declares, it is impossible to

renew them again to repentance. (though they were renewed once,)

either to the foundation, or anything built thereon. Seeing they

crucify the Son of God afresh-They use him with the utmost

indignity. And put him to an open shame-Causing his glorious

name to be blasphemed.

Verse 8. That which beareth thorns and briers-Only or

chiefly. Is rejected-No more labour is bestowed upon it.

Whose end is to be burned-As Jerusalem was shortly after.

Verse 9. But, beloved-in this one place he calls them so.

he never uses this appellation, but in exhorting. We are

persuaded of you things that accompany salvation-We are

persuaded you are now saved from your sins; and that ye

have that faith, love, and holiness, which lead to final

salvation. Though we thus speak-To warn you, lest you

should fall from your present steadfastness.

Verse 10. For-Ye give plain proof of your faith and love,

which the righteous God will surely reward.

Verse 11. But we desire you may show the same diligence

unto the end-And therefore we thus speak. To the full

assurance of hope-Which you cannot expect, if you abate

your diligence. The full assurance of faith relates to

present pardon; the full assurance of hope, to future glory.

The former is the highest degree of divine evidence that

God is reconciled to me in the Son of his love; the latter

is the same degree of divine evidence (wrought in the soul

by the same immediate inspiration of the Holy Ghost) of

persevering grace, and of eternal glory. So much, and no

more, as faith every moment "beholds with open face," so

much does hope see to all eternity But this assurance of

faith and hope is not an opinion, not a bare construction

of scripture, but is given immediately by the power of the

Holy Ghost; and what none can have for another, but for

himself only.

12. Inherited the promises-The promised rest; paradise.

Verse 13. For-Ye have abundant encouragement, seeing no

stronger promise could be made than that great promise

which God made to Abraham, and in him to us.

14. # Gen 22:17.

Verse 15. After he had waited-Thirty years. He obtained

the promise-Isaac, the pledge of all the promises.

Verse 16. Men generally swear by him who is infinitely

greater than themselves, and an oath for confirmation, to

confirm what is promised or asserted, usually puts an end

to all contradiction. This shows that an oath taken in

a religious manner is lawful even under the gospel:

otherwise the apostle would never have mentioned it with

so much honour, as a proper means to confirm the truth

17. God interposed by an oath-Amazing condescension!

He who is greatest of all acts as if he were a middle person; as

if while he swears, he were less than himself, by whom he swears!

Thou that hearest the promise, dost thou not yet believe?

Verse 18. That by two unchangeable things-His promise

and his oath, in either, much more in both of which, it

was impossible for God to lie, we might have strong

consolation-Swallowing up all doubt and fear. Who have

fled-After having been tossed by many storms. To lay

hold on the hope set before us-On Christ, the object of

our hope, and the glory we hope for through him.

19. Which hope in Christ we have as an anchor of the soul

-Entering into heaven itself, and fixed there. Within the

veil-Thus he slides back to the priesthood of Christ.

20. A forerunner uses to be less in dignity than those that

are to follow him. But it is not so here; for Christ who is

gone before us is infinitely superior to us. What an honour

is it to believers, to have so glorious a forerunner, now

appearing in the presence of God for them.

Verse 1. The sum of this chapter is, Christ, as appears from

his type, Melchisedec, who was greater than Abraham himself,

from whom Levi descended, has a priesthood altogether excellent,

new, firm, perpetual.

# Gen 14:18, &c.

Verse 2. Being first-According to the meaning of his own

name. King of righteousness, then-According to the name

of his city. King of peace-So in him, as in Christ,

righteousness and peace were joined. And so they are in

all that believe in him.

Verse 3. Without father, without mother, without pedigree

-Recorded, without any account of his descent from any

ancestors of the priestly order. Having neither beginning of

days, nor end of life-Mentioned by Moses. But being-In

all these respects. Made like the Son of God-Who is really

without father, as to his human nature; without mother, as

to his divine; and in this also, without pedigree-Neither

descended from any ancestors of the priestly order.

Remaineth a priest continually-Nothing is recorded of the

death or successor of Melchisedec. But Christ alone does

really remain without death, and without successor.

4. The greatness of Melchisedec is described in all the preceding

and following particulars. But the most manifest proof of it was,

that Abraham gave him tithes as to a priest of God and a superior;

though he was himself a patriarch, greater than a king, and a

progenitor of many kings.

Verse 5. The sons of Levi take tithes of their brethren

-Sprung from Abraham as well as themselves. The Levites

therefore are greater than they; but the priests are greater

than the Levites, the patriarch Abraham than the priests,

and Melchisedec than him.

Verse 6. He who is not from them-The Levites

Blessed-Another proof of his superiority. Even him

that had the promises-That was so highly favoured of God.

When St. Paul speaks of Christ, he says, "the promise;"

promises refer to other blessings also.

7. The less is blessed-Authoritatively, of the greater.

Verse 8. And here-In the Levitical priesthood. But there-In

the case of Melchisedec. He of whom it is testified that he

liveth-Who is not spoken of as one that died for another to

succeed him; but is represented only as living, no mention

being made either of his birth or death.

9. And even Levi, who received tithes-Not in person, but in his

successors, as it were, paid tithes-In the person of Abraham.

Verse 11. The apostle now demonstrates that the Levitical

priesthood must yield to the priesthood of Christ, because

Melchisedec, after whose order he is a priest,

1. Is opposed to Aaron, # Heb 7:11-14.

2. Hath no end of life, # Heb 7:15-19,

but "remaineth a priest continually."

If now perfection were by the Levitical priesthood-If this

perfectly answered all God's designs and man's wants

For under it the people received the law-Whence some might

infer, that perfection was by that priesthood. What farther

need was there, that another priest-Of a new order, should be

set up? From this single consideration it is plain, that both

the priesthood and the law, which were inseparably connected,

were now to give way to a better priesthood and more excellent

dispensation.

12. For-One of these cannot be changed without the other.

Verse 13. But the priesthood is manifestly changed from

one order to another, and from one tribe to another. For

he of whom these things are spoken-Namely, Jesus.

Pertaineth to another tribe-That of Judah. Of which no man

was suffered by the law to attend on, or minister at, the

altar.

Verse 14. For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of

Judah-Whatever difficulties have arisen since, during so

long a tract of time, it was then clear beyond dispute.

Verse 15. And it is still far more evident, that-Both the

priesthood and the law are changed, because the priest

now raised up is not only of another tribe, but of a quite

different order.

Verse 16. Who is made-A priest. Not after the law of a

carnal commandment-Not according to the Mosaic law, which

consisted chiefly of commandments that were carnal, compared

to the spirituality of the gospel. But after the power of an

endless life-Which he has in himself, as the eternal Son of God.

Verse 18. For there is implied in this new and everlasting

priesthood, and in the new dispensation connected therewith,

a disannulling of the preceding commandment-An abrogation of

the Mosaic law. For the weakness and unprofitableness thereof

-For its insufficiency either to justify or to sanctify.

Verse 19. For the law-Taken by itself, separate from the

gospel. Made nothing perfect-Could not perfect its

votaries, either in faith or love, in happiness or holiness.

But the bringing in of a better hope-Of the gospel

dispensation, which gives us a better ground of

confidence, does. By which we draw nigh to God-Yea, so

nigh as to be one spirit with him. And this is true

perfection.

Verse 20. And-The greater solemnity wherewith he was

made priest, farther proves the superior excellency of his

priesthood.

Verse 21. The Lord sware and will not repent-Hence also

it appears, that his is an unchangeable priesthood.

Verse 22. Of so much better a covenant-Unchangeable,

eternal. Was Jesus made a surety-Or mediator. The word

covenant frequently occurs in the remaining part of this

epistle. The original word means either a covenant or a

last will and testament. St. Paul takes it sometimes in the

former, sometimes in the latter, sense; sometimes he

includes both.

23. They were many priests-One after another.

24. He continueth for ever-In life and in his priesthood.

That passeth not away-To any successor.

Verse 25. Wherefore he is able to save to the uttermost

-From all the guilt, power, root, and consequence of sin.

Them who come-By faith. To God through him-As their

priest. Seeing he ever liveth to make intercession-That

is, he ever lives and intercedes. He died once; he intercedes

perpetually.

Verse 26. For such an high priest suited us-Unholy,

mischievous, defiled sinners: a blessed paradox!

Holy-With respect to God. Harmless-With respect to men.

Undefiled-With any sin in himself. Separated from

sinners-As well as free from sin. And so he was when he

left the world. And made-Even in his human nature.

Higher than the heavens-And all their inhabitants.

Verse 27. Who needeth not to offer up sacrifices daily

-That is, on every yearly day of expiation; for he offered

once for all: not for his own sins, for he then offered

up himself "without spot to God."

Verse 28. The law maketh men high priests that have infirmity

-That are both weak, mortal, and sinful. But the oath which

was since the law-Namely, in the time of David. Maketh the

son, who is consecrated for ever-Who being now free, both from

sin and death, from natural and moral infirmity, remaineth a

priest for ever.

Verse 1. We have such an high priest-Having finished his

description of the type in Melchisedec, the apostle begins

to treat directly of the excellency of Christ's priesthood,

beyond the Levitical. Who is set down-Having finished his

oblation. At the right hand of the Majesty-Of God.

2. A minister-Who represents his own sacrifice, as the high

priest did the blood of those sacrifices once a year.

Of the sanctuary-Heaven, typified by the holy of holies.

And of the true tabernacle-Perhaps his human nature, of

which the old tabernacle was a type. Which the Lord hath

fixed-Forever. Not man-As Moses fixed the tabernacle.

Verse 4. But if he were on earth-If his priesthood

terminated here. He could not be a priest-At all,

consistently with the Jewish institutions. There being

other priests-To whom alone this office is allotted.

Verse 5. Who serve-The temple, which was not yet destroyed.

After the pattern and shadow of heavenly things-Of spiritual,

evangelical worship, and of everlasting glory. The pattern

-Somewhat like the strokes pencilled out upon a piece of

fine linen, which exhibit the figures of leaves and flowers,

but have not yet received their splendid colours and curious

shades. And shadow-Or shadowy representation, which gives

you some dim and imperfect idea of the body, but not the fine

features, not the distinguishing air; none of those living

graces which adorn the real person. Yet both the pattern

and shadow lead our minds to something nobler than themselves:

the pattern, to that holiness and glory which complete it; the

shadow, to that which occasions it.

# Ex 25:40.

Verse 6. And now he hath obtained a more excellent

ministry-His priesthood as much excels theirs, as the

promises of the gospel (whereof he is a surety) excels

those of the law. These better promises are specified,

# Heb 8:10,11: those in the law were mostly temporal promises.

7. For if the first had been faultless-If that dispensation

had answered all God's designs and man's wants, if it had not

been weak and unprofitable unable to make anything perfect,

no place would have been for a second.

Verse 8. But there is; for finding fault with them-Who were

under the old covenant he saith, I make a new covenant with

the house of Israel-With all the Israel of God, in all ages

and nations. It is new in many respects, though not as to

the substance of it:

1. Being ratified by the death of Christ.

2. Freed from those burdensome rites and ceremonies.

3. Containing a more full and clear account of spiritual religion.

4. Attended with larger influences of the Spirit

5. Extended to all men. And,

6. Never to be abolished.

# Jer 31:31, &c.

9. When I took them by the hand-With the care and tenderness

of a parent. And just while this was fresh in their memory,

they obeyed; but presently after they shook off the yoke.

They continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not-So

that covenant was soon broken in pieces.

Verse 10. This is the covenant I will make after those days

-After the Mosaic dispensation is abolished. I will put my

laws in their minds-I will open their eyes, and enlighten

their understanding, to see the true, full, spiritual meaning

thereof. And write them on their hearts-So that they shall

inwardly experience whatever I have commanded. And I will be

to them a God-Their all-sufficient portion, and exceeding

great reward. And they shall be to me a people-My treasure,

my beloved, loving, and obedient children.

Verse 11. And they who are under this covenant (though in

other respects they will have need to teach each other to

their lives' end, yet) shall not need to teach every one

his brother, saying, Know the Lord; for they shall all know

me-All real Christians. From the least to the greatest-In

this order the saving knowledge of God ever did and ever

will proceed; not first to the greatest, and then to the least.

But "the Lord shall save the tents," the poorest, "of Judah

first, that the glory of the house of David," the royal seed,

"and the glory of the inhabitants of Jerusalem," the nobles

and the rich citizens, "do not magnify themselves," # Zec 12:7.

Verse 12. For I will justify them, which is the root of all

true knowledge of God. This, therefore, is God's method.

First, a sinner is pardoned: then he knows God, as

gracious and merciful then God's laws are written on his

heart: he is God's, and God is his.

Verse 13. In saying, A new covenant, he hath antiquated

the first-Hath shown that it is disannulled, and out of

date. Now that which is antiquated is ready to vanish away

-As it did quickly after, when the temple was destroyed.

1. The first covenant had ordinances of outward worship, and

a worldly-a visible, material sanctuary, or tabernacle.

Of this sanctuary he treats,

# Heb 9:2-5.

Of those ordinances,

# Heb 9:6-10.

Verse 2. The first-The outward tabernacle. In which was

the candlestick, and the table-The shewbread, shown

continually before God and all the people, consisting of

twelve loaves, according to the number of the tribes, was

placed on this table in two rows, six upon one another in

each row. This candlestick and bread seem to have typified

the light and life which are more largely dispensed under

the gospel by Him who is the Light of the world, and the

Bread of life.

Verse 3. The second veil divided the holy place from the

most holy, as the first veil did the holy place from the

courts.

Verse 4. Having the golden censer-Used by the high priest

only, on the great day of atonement. And the ark, or chest,

of the covenant-So called from the tables of the covenant

contained therein. Wherein was the manna-The monument of

God's care over Israel. And Aaron's rod-The monument of

the regular priesthood. And the tables of the covenant-The

two tables of stone, on which the ten commandments were

written by the finger of God the most venerable monument

of all.

5. And over it were the cherubim of glory-Over which the

glory of God used to appear. Some suppose each of these had

four faces, and so represented the Three-One God, with the

manhood assumed by the Second Person. With out-spread wings

shadowing the mercy-seat-Which was a lid or plate of gold,

covering the ark.

Verse 6. Always-Every day. Accomplishing their

services-Lighting the lamps, changing the shewbread,

burning incense, and sprinkling the blood of the sin

offerings.

7. Errors-That is, sins of ignorance, to which only those

atonements extended.

Verse 8. The Holy Ghost evidently showing-By this token.

That the way into the holiest-Into heaven. Was not made

manifest-Not so clearly revealed. While the first

tabernacle, and its service, were still subsisting-And

remaining in force.

Verse 9. Which-Tabernacle, with all its furniture and

services. Is a figure-Or type, of good things to come

Which cannot perfect the worshipper-Neither the priest nor

him who brought the offering. As to his conscience-So that

he should be no longer conscious of the guilt or power of

sin. Observe, the temple was as yet standing.

Verse 10. They could not so perfect him, with all their train

of precepts relating to meats and drinks, and carnal, gross,

external ordinances; and were therefore imposed only till

the time of reformation-Till Christ came.

11. An high priest of good things to come-Described,

# Heb 9:15.

Entered through a greater, that is, a more noble, and perfect

tabernacle-Namely, his own body. Not of this creation-Not

framed by man, as that tabernacle was.

12. The holy place-Heaven. For us-All that believe.

13. If the ashes of an heifer-Consumed by fire as a sin-offering,

being sprinkled on them who were legally unclean. Purified the

flesh-Removed that legal uncleanness, and re-admitted them to the

temple and the congregation.

# Nu 19:17,18,19.

Verse 14. How much more shall the blood of Christ.-The

merit of all his sufferings. Who through the eternal Spirit

-The work of redemption being the work of the whole Trinity.

Neither is the Second Person alone concerned even in the

amazing condescension that was needful to complete it.

The Father delivers up the kingdom to the Son; and the Holy

Ghost becomes the gift of the Messiah, being, as it were,

sent according to his good pleasure. Offered himself

-Infinitely more precious than any created victim, and

that without spot to God. Purge our conscience-Our

inmost soul. From dead works-From all the inward and

outward works of the devil, which spring from spiritual

death in the soul, and lead to death everlasting. To serve

the living God-In the life of faith, in perfect love and

spotless holiness.

Verse 15. And for this end he is the Mediator of a new

covenant, that they who are called-To the engagements

and benefits thereof. Might receive the eternal inheritance

promised to Abraham: not by means of legal sacrifices, but

of his meritorious death. For the redemption of the

transgressions that were under the first covenant-That is,

for the redemption of transgressors from the guilt and

punishment of those sins which were committed in the time

of the old covenant. The article of his death properly

divides the old covenant from the new.

Verse 16. I say by means of death; for where such a covenant

is, there must be the death of him by whom it is confirmed

-Seeing it is by his death that the benefits of it are purchased.

It seems beneath the dignity of the apostle to play upon the

ambiguity of the Greek word, as the common translation supposes

him to do.

17. After he is dead-Neither this, nor after men are dead is a

literal translation of the words. It is a very perplexed passage.

18. Whence neither was the first-The Jewish covenant,

originally transacted without the blood of an appointed

sacrifice.

Verse 19. He took the blood of calves-Or heifers. And of

goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop-All these

circumstances are not particularly mentioned in that chapter

of Exodus, but are supposed to be already known from other

passages of Moses. And the book itself-Which contained

all he had said. And sprinkled all the people-Who were near

him. The blood was mixed with water to prevent its growing too

stiff for sprinkling; perhaps also to typify that blood and water,

# John 19:34.

# Ex 24:7,8

20. Saying, This is the blood of the covenant which God hath

enjoined me to deliver unto you-By this it is established.

# Ex 24:8.

21. And in like manner he ordered the tabernacle-When it was

made, and all its vessels, to be sprinkled with blood once a year.

Verse 22. And almost all things-For some were purified by

water or fire. Are according to the law purified with

blood-Offered or sprinkled. And according to the law,

there is no forgiveness of sins without shedding of blood

-All this pointed to the blood of Christ effectually cleansing

from all sin, and intimated, there can be no purification from

it by any other means.

23. Therefore-That is, it plainly appears from what has been

said. It was necessary-According to the appointment of God.

That the tabernacle and all its utensils, which were patterns,

shadowy representations, of things in heaven, should be purified

by these-Sacrifices and sprinklings. But the heavenly things

themselves-Our heaven-born spirits: what more this may mean we

know not yet. By better sacrifices than these-That is, by a

better sacrifice, which is here opposed to all the legal

sacrifices, and is expressed plurally, because it includes the

signification of them all, and is of so much more eminent virtue.

Verse 24. For Christ did not enter into the holy place made

with hands-He never went into the holy of holies at Jerusalem,

the figure of the true tabernacle in heaven, # Heb 8:2.

But into heaven itself, to appear in the presence of God for us

-As our glorious high priest and powerful intercessor.

Verse 26. For then he must often have suffered from the

foundation of the world-This supposes,

1. That by suffering once he atoned for all the sins which

had been committed from the foundation of the world.

2. That he could not have atoned for them without suffering.

At the consummation of the ages-The sacrifice of Christ

divides the whole age or duration of the world into two parts,

and extends its virtue backward and forward, from this middle

point wherein they meet to abolish both the guilt and

power of sin.

Verse 27. After this, the judgment-Of the great day.

At the moment of death every man's final state is determined.

But there is not a word in scripture of a particular judgment

immediately after death.

Verse 28. Christ having once died to bear the sins-The

punishment due to them. Of many-Even as many as are born

into the world. Will appear the second time-When he comes

to judgment. Without sin-Not as he did before, bearing on

himself the sins of many, but to bestow everlasting salvation.

Verse 1. From all that has been said it appears, that the law,

the Mosaic dispensation, being a bare, unsubstantial shadow of

good things to come, of the gospel blessings, and not the

substantial, solid image of them, can never with the same kind

of sacrifices, though continually repeated, make the comers

thereunto perfect, either as to justification or sanctification.

How is it possible, that any who consider this should suppose

the attainments of David, or any who were under that dispensation,

to be the proper measure of gospel holiness; and that Christian

experience is to rise no higher than Jewish?

Verse 2. They who had been once perfectly purged, would have

been no longer conscious either of the guilt or power of

their sins.

Verse 3. There is a public commemoration of the sins

both of the last and of all the preceding years; a clear proof

that the guilt thereof is not perfectly purged away.

Verse 4. It is impossible the blood of goats should take

away sins-Either the guilt or the power of them.

Verse 5. When he cometh into the world-In the fortieth

psalm the Messiah's coming into the world is represented.

It is said, into the world, not into the tabernacle,

# Heb 9:1; because all the world is interested in his

sacrifice. A body hast thou prepared for me-That I may

offer up myself.

# Psa 40:6,&c.

Verse 7. In the volume of the book-In this very psalm it

is written of me. Accordingly I come to do thy will-By

the sacrifice of myself.

8. Above when he said, Sacrifice thou hast not chosen-That is,

when the Psalmist pronounced those words in his name.

Verse 9. Then said he-in that very instant he subjoined.

Lo, I come to do Thy will-To offer a more acceptable

sacrifice; and by this very act he taketh away the legal,

that he may establish the evangelical, dispensation.

Verse 10. By which will-Of God, done and suffered by Christ.

We are sanctified-Cleansed from guilt, and consecrated to God.

11. Every priest standeth-As a servant in an humble posture.

12. But he-The virtue of whose one sacrifice remains

for ever. Sat down-As a son, in majesty and honour.

13. # Psa 110:1.

14. He hath perfected them for ever-That is, has done all that

was needful in order to their full reconciliation with God.

Verse 15. In this and the three following verses, the apostle

winds up his argument concerning the excellency and perfection

of the priesthood and sacrifice of Christ. He had proved this

before by a quotation from Jeremiah; which he here repeats,

describing the new covenant as now completely ratified, and all

the blessings of it secured to us by the one offering of Christ,

which renders all other expiatory sacrifices, and any repetition

of his own, utterly needless.

16. # Jer 31:33, &c

Verse 19. Having finished the doctrinal part of his epistle,

the apostle now proceeds to exhortation deduced from

what has been treated of # Heb 5:4, which he begins

by a brief recapitulation. Having therefore liberty to

enter,-

20. By a living way-The way of faith, whereby we live indeed.

Which he hath consecrated-Prepared, dedicated, and established

for us. Through the veil, that is, his flesh-As by rending

the veil in the temple, the holy of holies became visible and

accessible; so by wounding the body of Christ, the God of heaven

was manifested, and the way to heaven opened.

Verse 22. Let us draw near-To God. With a true

heart-In godly sincerity. Having our hearts sprinkled

from an evil conscience-So as to condemn us no longer

And our bodies washed with pure water-All our

conversation spotless and holy, which is far more

acceptable to God than all the legal sprinklings and

washings.

23. The profession of our hope-The hope which we professed

at our baptism.

Verse 25. Not forsaking the assembling ourselves-In

public or private worship. As the manner of some is

-Either through fear of persecution, or from a vain

imagination that they were above external ordinances.

But exhorting one another-To faith, love, and good works.

And so much the more, as ye see the day approaching

-The great day is ever in your eye.

26. For when we-Any of us Christians. Sin wilfully-By total

apostasy from God, termed "drawing back," # Heb 10:38.

After having received the experimental knowledge of the gospel

truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins-None but that

which we obstinately reject.

Verse 28. He that, in capital cases, despised

(presumptuously transgressed) the law of Moses died

without mercy-Without any delay or mitigation of his

punishment.

Verse 29. Of how much sorer punishment is he worthy, who

-By wilful, total apostasy. It does not appear that this

passage refers to any other sin. Hath, as it were,

trodden underfoot the Son of God-A lawgiver far more

honourable than Moses. And counted the blood wherewith

the better covenant was established, an unholy, a

common, worthless thing. By which he hath been sanctified

-Therefore Christ died for him also, and he was at least

justified once. And done despite to the Spirit of grace

-By rejecting all his motions.

30. The Lord will judge his people-Yea, far more rigorously

than the heathens, if they rebel against him.

# Deut 32:35, &c.

31. To fall into the hands-Of his avenging justice.

32. Enlightened-With the knowledge of God and of his truth.

34. For ye sympathized with all your suffering brethren, and

with me in particular; and received joyfully the loss of your

own goods.

35. Cast not away therefore this your confidence-Your faith

and hope; which none can deprive you of but yourselves.

36. The promise-Perfect love; eternal life.

37. He that cometh-To reward every man according to his works.

Verse 38. Now the just-The justified person.

Shall live-In God's favour, a spiritual and holy life.

By faith-As long as he retains that gift of God.

But if he draw back-If he make shipwreck of his faith

My soul hath no pleasure in him-That is, I abhor him;

I cast him off.

# Hab 2:3, &c.

Verse 39. We are not of them who draw back to perdition

-Like him mentioned # Heb 10:38.

But of them that believe-To the end, so as to attain eternal life.

Verse 1. The definition of faith given in this verse, and

exemplified in the various instances following,

undoubtedly includes justifying faith, but not directly as

justifying. For faith justifies only as it refers to, and

depends on, Christ. But here is no mention of him as the

object of faith; and in several of the instances that follow,

no notice is taken of him or his salvation, but only of

temporal blessings obtained by faith. And yet they may

all be considered as evidences of the power of justifying

faith in Christ, and of its extensive exercise in a course of

steady obedience amidst difficulties and dangers of

every kind. Now faith is the subsistence of things hoped

for, the evidence or conviction of things not seen

-Things hoped for are not so extensive as things not seen.

The former are only things future and joyful to us ; the

latter are either future, past, or present, and those

either good or evil, whether to us or others. The

subsistence of things hoped for-Giving a kind of present

subsistence to the good things which God has promised:

the divine supernatural evidence exhibited to, the

conviction hereby produced in, a believer of things not

seen, whether past, future, or spiritual; particularly of

God and the things of God.

2. By it the elders-Our forefathers. This chapter is a kind of

summary of the Old Testament, in which the apostle comprises

the designs, labours, sojournings, expectations, temptations,

martyrdoms of the ancients. The former of them had a long

exercise of their patience; the latter suffered shorter but

sharper trials. Obtained a good testimony-A most

comprehensive word. God gave a testimony, not only of them

but to them: and they received his testimony as if it had been

the things themselves of which he testified, # Heb 11:4,5,39.

Hence they also gave testimony to others, and others testified

of them.

Verse 3. By faith we understand that the worlds-Heaven

and earth and all things in them, visible and invisible.

Where made-Formed, fashioned, and finished. By the

word-The sole command of God, without any instrument

or preceding matter. And as creation is the foundation

and specimen of the whole divine economy, so faith in the

creation is the foundation and specimen of all faith. So

that things which are seen-As the sun, earth, stars.

Were made of things which do not appear-Out of the

dark, unapparent chaos, # Gen 1:2. And this very chaos

was created by the divine power; for before it was thus

created it had no existence in nature.

Verse 4. By faith-In the future Redeemer. Abel offered

a more excellent sacrifice-The firstlings of his flock,

implying both a confession of what his own sins deserved,

and a desire of sharing in the great atonement. Than Cain

-Whose offering testified no such faith, but a bare

acknowledgment of God the Creator. By which faith he

obtained both righteousness and a testimony of it:

God testifying-Visibly that his gifts were accepted;

probably by sending fire from heaven to consume his

sacrifice, a token that justice seized on the sacrifice

instead of the sinner who offered it. And by it-By this

faith. Being dead, he yet speaketh-That a sinner is

accepted only through faith in the great sacrifice.

5. Enoch was not any longer found among men, though perhaps

they sought for him as they did for Elijah, # 2Kin 2:17.

He had this testimony-From God in his own conscience.

6. But without faith-Even some divine faith in God, it is

impossible to please him. For he that cometh to God-in prayer,

or another act of worship, must believe that he is.

Verse 7. Noah being warned of things not seen as yet

-Of the future deluge. Moved with fear, prepared an

ark, by which open testimony he condemned the world

-Who neither believed nor feared.

8. # Gen 12:1,4,5

Verse 9. By faith he sojourned in the land of promise

-The promise was made before, # Gen 12:7.

Dwelling in tents-As a sojourner With Isaac and Jacob-Who by

the same manner of living showed the same faith Jacob was born

fifteen years before the death of Abraham. The joint heirs of

the same promise- Having all the same interest therein. Isaac did

not receive this inheritance from Abraham, nor Jacob from Isaac,

but all of them from God.

# Gen 17:8

Verse 10. He looked for a city which hath foundations

-Whereas a tent has none. Whose builder and former is God

-Of which God is the sole contriver, former, and finisher.

11. Sarah also herself-Though at first she laughed at the

promise, # Gen 18:12.

# Gen 21:2.

12. As it were dead-Till his strength was supernaturally

restored, which continued for many years after.

Verse 13. All these-

-Mentioned # Heb 11:7-11.

Died in faith-In death faith acts most vigorously. Not having

received the promises-The promised blessings. Embraced-As one

does a dear friend when he meets him.

14. They who speak thus show plainly that they seek their own

country-That they keep in view, and long for, their native home.

15. If they had been mindful of-Their earthly country,

Ur of the Chaldeans, they might have easily returned.

Verse 16. But they desire a better country, that is, an

heavenly-This is a full convincing proof that the patriarchs

had a revelation and a promise of eternal glory in heaven.

Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God:

seeing he hath prepared for them a city-Worthy of God to give.

Verse 17. By faith Abraham-When God made that glorious trial

of him. Offered up Isaac-The will being accepted as if he

had actually done it. Yea, he that had received the promises

-Particularly that grand promise, "In Isaac shall thy seed be

called." Offered up-This very son; the only one he had by Sarah.

# Gen 22:1,&c.

18. In Isaac shall thy seed be called-From him shall the

blessed seed spring.

# Gen 21:12.

Verse 19. Accounting that God was able even to raise

him from the dead-Though there had not been any

instance of this in the world. From whence also-To

speak in a figurative way. He did receive him-

Afterwards, snatched from the jaws of death.

Verse 20. Blessed-

# Gen 27:27,39; prophetically foretold the particular

blessings they should partake of. Jacob and Esau-Preferring

the elder before the younger.

Verse 21. Jacob when dying-That is, when near death.

Bowing down on the top of his staff-As he sat on the

side of his bed.

# Gen 48:16; Gen 47:31

22. Concerning his bones-To be carried into the land of promise.

23. They saw-Doubtless with a divine presage of things to come.

24. Refused to be called-Any longer.

Verse 26. The reproach of Christ-That which he bore for

believing in the Messiah to come, and acting accordingly.

For he looked off-From all those perishing treasures,

and beyond all those temporal hardships Unto the

recompence of reward-Not to an inheritance in Canaan;

he had no warrant from God to look for this, nor did he

ever attain it; but what his believing ancestors looked

for,-a future state of happiness in heaven.

Verse 27. By faith he left Egypt-Taking all the Israelites

with him. Not then fearing the wrath of the king-As he

did many years before, # Ex 2:14.

# Ex 14:15, &c.

Verse 28. The pouring out of the blood-Of the paschal

lamb, which was sprinkled on the door-posts, lest the

destroying angel should touch the Israelites.

# Ex 12:12-18.

Verse 29. They-Moses, Aaron, and the Israelites.

Passed the Red Sea-It washed the borders of Edom,

which signifies red. Thus far the examples are cited

from Genesis and Exodus; those that follow are from

the former and the latter Prophets.

30. By the faith of Joshua.

31. Rahab-Though formerly one not of the fairest character.

Verse 32. After Samuel, the prophets are properly

mentioned. David also was a prophet; but he was a king

too. The prophets-Elijah, Elisha, &c., including likewise

the believers who lived with them.

Verses 33, 34. David, in particular, subdued kingdoms.

Samuel (not excluding the rest) wrought righteousness.

The prophets, in general, obtained promises, both for

themselves, and to deliver to others. Prophets also

stopped the mouths of lions, as Daniel; and quenched

the violence of fire, as Shadrach, Meshach, and

Abednego. To these examples, whence the nature of faith

clearly appears, those more ancient ones are subjoined,

(by a transposition, and in an inverted order,) which receive

light from these. Jephthah escaped the edge of the sword;

Samson out of weakness was made strong; Barak became

valiant in fight; Gideon put to flight armies of the aliens.

Faith animates to the most heroic enterprises, both civil and

military. Faith overcomes all impediments effects the greatest

things; attains to the very best; and inverts, by its miraculous

power the very course of nature.

# 2Sa 8:1,&c.; 1Sa 8:9,&c.; 1Sa 13:3,&c.;

# Da 6:22; Da 3:27; Jud 12:3; Jud 15:19,&c.;

# Jud 16:28,&c.; Jud 4:14,&c.; Jud 7:21.

34. See note ... "Heb 11:33"

35. Women-Naturally weak. Received their dead-Children.

Others were tortured-From those who acted great things the

apostle rises higher, to those who showed the power of faith by

suffering. Not accepting deliverance-On sinful terms.

That they might obtain a better resurrection-An higher reward,

seeing the greater their sufferings the greater would be their

glory.

# 1Kin 17:22; 2Kin 4:35

36. And others-The apostle seems here to pass on to recent

examples.

Verse 37. They were sawn asunder-As, according to the

tradition of the Jews, Isaiah was by Manasseh. Were

tempted-Torments and death are mentioned alternately.

Every way; by threatenings, reproaches, tortures, the

variety of which cannot be expressed; and again by

promises and allurements.

Verse 38. Of whom the world was not worthy-It did not deserve

so great a blessing. They wandered-Being driven out from men.

39. And all these-Though they obtained a good testimony,

# Heb 11:2, yet did not receive the great promise, the

heavenly inheritance.

40. God having provided some better thing for us-Namely,

everlasting glory. That they might not be perfected without

us-That is, that we might all be perfected together in heaven.

V. 1. Wherefore, being encompassed with a cloud-A great multitude,

tending upward with a holy swiftness. Of witnesses-Of the power of

faith. Let us lay aside every weight-As all who run a race take care

to do. Let us throw off whatever weighs us down, or damps the vigour of

our Soul. And the sin which easily besetteth us-As doth the sin of

our constitution, the sin of our education, the sin of our profession.

V. 2. Looking-From all other things. To Jesus-As the wounded

Israelites to the brazen serpent. Our crucified Lord was prefigured by

the lifting up of this; our guilt, by the stings of the fiery serpents;

and our faith, by their looking up to the miraculous remedy. The author

and finisher of our faith-Who begins it in us, carries it on, and

perfects it. Who for the joy that was set before him-Patiently and

willingly endured the cross, with all the pains annexed thereto.

And is set down-Where there is fulness of joy.

V. 3. Consider-Draw the comparison and think. The Lord bore all this;

and shall his servants bear nothing? Him that endured such contradiction

from sinners-Such enmity and opposition of every kind Lest ye be weary

-Dull and languid, and so actually faint in your course.

V. 4. Unto blood-Unto wounds and death.

V. 5. And yet ye seem already to have forgotten the

exhortation-Wherein God speaketh to you with the utmost tenderness.

Despise not thou the chastening of the Lord-Do not slight or make

little of it; do not impute any affliction to chance or second causes

but see and revere the hand of God in it. Neither faint when thou art

rebuked of him-But endure it patiently and fruitfully.

# Pro 3:11, &c.

V. 6. For-All springs from love; therefore neither despise nor faint.

V. 7. Whom his father chasteneth not-When he offends.

V. 8. Of which all sons are partakers-More or less.

V. 9. And we reverenced them-We neither despised nor fainted under

their correction. Shall we not much rather-Submit with reverence and

meekness To the Father of spirits-That we may live with him for

ever. Perhaps these expressions, fathers of our flesh, and Father of

spirits, intimate that our earthly fathers are only the parents of

our bodies, our souls not being originally derived from them, but all

created by the immediate power of God; perhaps, at the beginning of

the world.

V. 10. For they verily for a few days-How few are even all our day on

earth! Chastened us as they thought good-Though frequently they erred

therein, by too much either of indulgence or severity. But he always,

unquestionably, for our profit, that we may be partakers of his holiness

-That is, of himself and his glorious image.

V. 11. Now all chastening-Whether from our earthly or heavenly Father,

Is for the present grievous, yet it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of

righteousness-Holiness and happiness. To them that are exercised

thereby-That receive this exercise as from God, and improve it

according to his will.

V. 12. Wherefore lift up the hands-Whether your own or your brethren's.

That hang down-Unable to continue the combat.

And the feeble knees-Unable to continue the race.

# Isa 35:3.

Verse 13. And make straight paths both for your own

and for their feet-Remove every hinderance, every offence.

That the lame-They who are weak, scarce able to walk.

Be not turned out of the way-Of faith and holiness.

Verse 14. Follow peace with all men-This second

branch of the exhortation concerns our neighbours; the

third, God. And holiness-The not following after all

holiness, is the direct way to fall into sin of every kind.

Verse 15. Looking diligently, lest any one-If he do not lift

up the hands that hang down. Fall from the grace of God:

lest any root of bitterness-Of envy, anger, suspicion.

Springing up-Destroy the sweet peace; lest any, not

following after holiness, fall into fornication or profaneness.

In general, any corruption, either in doctrine or practice, is a

root of bitterness, and may pollute many.

Verse 16. Esau was profane for so slighting the

blessing which went along with the birth-right.

Verse 17. He was rejected-He could not obtain it. For

he found no place for repentance-There was no room for

any such repentance as would regain what he had lost.

Though he sought it-The blessing of the birth-right.

Diligently with tears-He sought too late. Let us use the

present time.

Verse 18. For-A strong reason this why they ought the

more to regard the whole exhortation drawn from the

priesthood of Christ: because both salvation and

vengeance are now nearer at hand. Ye are not come to

the mountain that could be touched-That was of an

earthy, material nature.

Verse 19. The sound of a trumpet-Formed, without

doubt, by the ministry of angels, and preparatory to

the words, that is, the Ten Commandments, which were

uttered with a loud voice, # Deu 5:22.

Verse 20. For they could not bear-The terror which seized

them, when they heard those words proclaimed, If even a

beast, &c.

# Exod 19:12, &c.

V. 21. Even Moses-Though admitted to so near an intercourse with God,

who "spake to him as a man speaketh to his friend." At other times he acted

as a mediator between God and the people. But while the ten words were

pronounced, he stood as one of the hearers, # Ex 19:25; Ex 20:19.

Verse 22. But ye-Who believe in Christ. Are come-The

apostle does not here speak of their coming to the church

militant, but of that glorious privilege of New Testament

believers, their communion with the church triumphant.

But this is far more apparent to the eyes of celestial

spirits than to ours which are yet veiled. St. Paul here

shows an excellent knowledge of the heavenly economy,

worthy of him who had been caught up into the third

heaven. To mount Sion-A spiritual mountain. To the

city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem-All these

glorious titles belong to the New Testament church.

And to an innumerable company-Including all that are

afterwards mentioned.

Verse 23. To the general assembly-The word properly

signifies a stated convention on some festival occasion.

And church-The whole body of true believers, whether

on earth or in paradise. Of the first-born-The first-born

of Israel were enrolled by Moses; but these are enrolled

in heaven, as citizens there. It is observable, that in this

beautiful gradation, these first-born are placed nearer to

God than the angels. See # Jam 1:18.

And to God the Judge of all-Propitious to you, adverse to

your enemies. And to the spirits-The separate souls.

Of just men-It seems to mean, of New Testament believers.

The number of these, being not yet large, is mentioned distinct

from the innumerable company of just men whom their Judge hath

acquitted. These are now made perfect in an higher sense than

any who are still alive. Accordingly, St. Paul, while yet on

earth, denies that he was thus made perfect,

# Php 3:12.

Verse 24. To Jesus, the mediator-Through whom they

had been perfected. And to the blood of sprinkling

-To all the virtue of his precious blood shed for you,

whereby ye are sprinkled from an evil conscience.

This blood of sprinkling was the foundation of our Lord's

mediatorial office. Here the gradation is at the highest

point. Which speaketh better things than that of Abel

-Which cried for vengeance.

Verse 25. Refuse not-By unbelief. Him that speaketh

-And whose speaking even now is a prelude to the final scene.

The same voice which spake both by the law and in the gospel,

when heard from heaven, will shake heaven and earth. For if

they escaped not-His vengeance. Much more shall not we

-Those of us who turn from him that speaketh from heaven

-That is, who came from heaven to speak to us.

Verse 26. Whose voice then shook the earth-When he

spoke from mount Sinai. But now-With regard to his

next speaking. He hath promised-It is a joyful promise to

the saints, though dreadful to the wicked. Yet once more I

will shake, not only the earth, but also the heaven-These

words may refer in a lower sense to the dissolution of the

Jewish church and state; but in their full sense they

undoubtedly look much farther, even to the end of all

things. This universal shaking began at the first coming

of Christ. It will be consummated at his second coming.

# Hag 2:6.

Verse 27. The things which are shaken-Namely, heaven

and earth. As being made-And consequently liable to

change. That the things which are not shaken may remain

-Even "the new heavens and the new earth," # Rev 21:1.

Verse 28. Therefore let us, receiving-By willing and joyful

faith. A kingdom-More glorious than the present heaven

and earth. Hold fast the grace, whereby we may serve God

-In every thought, word, and work. With reverence-Literally,

with shame. Arising from a deep consciousness of our own

unworthiness. And godly fear-A tender, jealous fear of

offending, arising from a sense of the gracious majesty of God.

Verse 29. For our God is a consuming fire-in the

strictness of his justice, and purity of his holiness.

1. Brotherly love is explained in the following verses.

Verse 2. Some-Abraham and Lot. Have entertained

angels unawares-So may an unknown guest, even now,

be of more worth than he appears, and may have angels

attending him, though unseen.

# Gen 18:2; Gen 19:1.

Verse 3. Remember-In your prayers, and by your help.

Them that are in bonds, as being bound with them-

Seeing ye are members one of another. And them that

suffer, as being yourselves in the body-And consequently

liable to the same.

Verse 4. Marriage is honourable in, or for all sorts of

men, clergy as well as laity: though the Romanists teach

otherwise. And the bed undefiled-Consistent with the highest

purity; though many spiritual writers, so called, say it is only

licensed whoredom. But whoremongers and adulterers God will

judge-Though they frequently escape the sentence of men.

Verse 5. He-God. Hath said-To all believers, in saying it

to Jacob, Joshua, and Solomon.

# Gen 28:15; Jos 1:5; 1Chr 28:20.

6. # Psa 118:6.

Verse 7. Remember them-Who are now with God, considering

the happy end of their conversation on earth.

Verse 8. Men may die; but Jesus Christ, yea, and his

gospel, is the same from everlasting to everlasting.

Verse 9. Be not carried about with various doctrines

-Which differ from that one faith in our one unchangeable Lord.

Strange-To the ears and hearts of all that abide in him.

For it is good-It is both honourable before God and pleasant

and profitable That the heart be stablished with grace

-Springing from faith in Christ. Not with meats-Jewish

ceremonies, which indeed can never stablish the heart.

Verse 10. On the former part of this verse, the fifteenth

and sixteenth depend; on the latter, the intermediate

verses. We have an altar-The cross of Christ. Whereof

they have no right to eat-To partake of the benefits which

we receive therefrom. Who serve the tabernacle-Who

adhere to the Mosaic law.

Verse 11. For-According to their own law, the sin-offerings

were wholly consumed, and no Jew ever ate thereof. But Christ

was a sin-offering. Therefore they cannot feed upon him, as we

do, who are freed from the Mosaic law.

V. 12. Wherefore Jesus also-Exactly answering those typical sin-

offerings. Suffered without the gate-Of Jerusalem, which answered to

the old camp of Israel. That he might sanctify-Reconcile and consecrate

to God. The people-Who believe in him. By his own blood-Not those

shadowy sacrifices, which are now of no farther use.

Verse 13. Let us then go forth without the camp-Out of

the Jewish dispensation. Bearing his reproach-All

manner of shame, obloquy, and contempt for his sake.

Verse 14. For we have here-On earth No continuing

city-All things here are but for a moment; and Jerusalem

itself was just then on the point of being destroyed.

Verse 15. The sacrifice-The altar is mentioned,

# Heb 13:10; now the sacrifices:

1. Praise;

2. Beneficence;

with both of which God is well pleased.

Verse 17. Obey them that have the rule over you-The

word implies also, that lead or guide you; namely, in truth

and holiness. And submit yourselves-Give up (not your

conscience or judgment, but) your own will, in all things

purely indifferent. For they watch over your souls-With

all zeal and diligence, they guard and caution you against

all danger. As they that must give account-To the great

Shepherd, for every part of their behaviour toward you.

How vigilant then ought every pastor to be! How careful

of every soul committed to his charge! That they may

do this-Watch over you. With joy and not with groans

-He is not a good shepherd, who does not either rejoice over

them, or groan for them. The groans of other creatures are

heard: how much more shall these come up in the ears of God !

Whoever answers this character of a Christian pastor may

undoubtedly demand this obedience.

Verse 20. The everlasting covenant-The Christian

covenant, which is not temporary, like the Jewish, but

designed to remain for ever. By the application of that

blood, by which this covenant was established, may he

make you, in every respect, inwardly and outwardly holy!

Verse 22. Suffer the word of exhortation-Addressed to you

in this letter, which, though longer than my usual letters,

is yet contained in few words, considering the copiousness

of the subject.

23. If he come-To me.

25.-Grace be with you all-St. Paul's usual benediction.

God apply it to our hearts!

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