Exposition of the Epistle to the Hebrews

Verberibus casum te Dave in pristinum dedam usque ad necem; Ea lege atque omine, ut, si inde te exemerim, ego pro te molam;

‘orind in thy stead.’ And Juvenal to the same purpose of the Decii.

Plebeiz Deciorum anime, plebeia fuerunt Nomina, pro totis Legionibus hi tamen et pro Omnibus auxiliis atque omni plebe Latina, Sufficiunt Diis infernis.

They were accepted in sacrifice ‘ for, or instead of all the rest. So did they express their doing or suffering, who cast themselves into danger in the stead of others, that they might go free, as those who sacrificed themselves like Menceceus for the safety of their country, as Papinius expresses his design,

Armorumsguperi, tuque o qui funere tanto"

Indulges mihi Phzbe mori, date gaudia Thebis

Que pepigi, et toto que sanguine prodigus emi.

In the common constant use of these words then, ‘to die for another,’ signifies, ‘to die in his room and stead.’ And this the Jews understood in the use of their sacrifices, where the life of the beast was accepted in the stead of the life of the sinner. Thus Christ tasted of death, ὑπερ παντὸς: he was by the grace and wisdom of God subslituted as a mediator, surety, αντιίψυχος, ‘in their stead,’ to undergo the death which they should have undergone, that they might go free, as we shall see in the following verses.

4, This dying of Christ is said to be, ὕπερ παντος. The word is either of the masculine or-neuter gender: and in the latter, it seems to have been taken by them, who for χάριτι Ocov, read χωρις Θεου, as some Syriac copies do still, and Ambrose, ad Gradianum, with some other of the ancients, intimating that Christ died for every thing, God only excepted; alluding, it may be, unto Eph. i. 10, of which place we have spoken before. For we may not suppose it a corruption of the Nestorians, when some read so before their days; nor will the words so read give any countenance to their error, none affirming that Christ died any otherwise than in his human nature, though he who is God died therein. But this conjecture is groundless and inconsistent with the signification of the preposition ὑπερ, insisted on; which will not allow that he be said to die for any, but those in whose stead he died, and which therefore in themselves were obnoxious to death, as he de- - clares, ver. 14,15. Παντὸς then is put for παντων, by an enallage of number, the singular for the plural, for ‘all men;’ that is, all those many sons, which God by his death intended to bring unto glory, ver. 10, those sanctified by him, whom he calls his brethren, ver. 11, 12, and children given him by God, ver. 13, whom by death he delivers from the fear of death, ver. 15, even all the seed of Abraham, ver. 16.

And thus we hope our whole interpretation of these verses receives light from, as well as brings some light unto the text; and that we need no argument to confirm it, but its own suitableness throughout to the context and design of the apostle. That, wherein divers worthy expositors are otherwise minded, and differ from us, is the application of the words of the Psalm immediately unto the person of Christ, which they say are referred unto him only by way of allusion. Now, though our exposition sufficiently confirm and strengthen itself by its own evidence, yet because divers learned men, whose judgment 1s much to be regarded, have given another sense of the words than that embraced by us, I shall, by some further considerations, confirm that part of our exposition, which is by them called into question; pre- mising unto them, for the further clearing of the place, what we grant in reference unto the sense by them contended for. ©

1. I grant that the Psalmist’s design in general, is to set forth the goodness, kindness, love, and care of God, unto mankind; so that in those words, “ What is man—and the Son of man!’ though he principally respect the instance of the person of the Messiah, yet he doth it not exclusively to the nature of man in others, but hath a special regard unto mankind in general, in contradistinction unto other outwardly more glorious works of the hands of God. But it is the special instance of the person of the Messiah, wherein alone he undertakes to make good his assertion of mankind’s preeminence.

2. I also grant, that he hath respect unto the dignity and honour collated on the first man at his creation, not directly and intentionally as his chief scope, but by way of allusion, as it did*prefigure and obscurely represent that great glory and honour, which mankind was to be advanced unto in the person of the Messiah. That primarily and directly he, and he alone, according to our exposition, is intended in the Psalm. For,

1. That the whole Psalm is prophetical ofthe Messiah, the passages out of it reported in the New Testament, and applied unto him, do make evident and unquestionable; see Matt. xxi. 16; 1 Cor. xv. 27, with this place; so that he must needs be the man, and Son of man therein treated of, and who alone did make to cease the enemy and self-avenger, ver. 2, as the apostle declares, ver. 14, 15, of this chapter.

2. The general scope of the Psalm will admit of no other interpretation. The Psalmist, on his contemplation of the great glory of God, in framing the heavens, and all the host of them, especially those which then appeared unto him, falls into an admiration of his wisdom, goodness, and love, in that which was far greater and more excellent, as that wherein his glory was more exalted, which he rejoiceth and triumpheth in, as that wherein his own, and the interest of all others did lie. Now this could not be either the state of man, as fallen by sin, which is far enough from a matter of exultation and joy, nor yet ‘the state of Adam in innocency, in no privilege whereof, without a restitution by Christ, have we share or interest.

3. There are not any words in the testimony, that can properly be applied unto any other man, or be verified in him; not in Adam at his first creation, not in mankind in general, but only in the instance of the person of Christ. For how was Adam diminished, and made less than angels, and therein depressed from another state and condition than that he had, or was due to him? or how can this be said of mankind in general, or of believers in a special sense? And how could this be spoken of them for a little while, seeing the nature of man in itself considered, is for ever beneath the angelical. Again, if the apostle’s interpretation be allowed, that expression, ‘ he hath put all things under his feet,” is universal, and extends to all the works of God’s hands, and among them the world to come; and these were never put in subjection to Adam, nor any other man, the man Christ Jesus excepted. And this also the apostle plainly avers, ver. 8, so that scope of the place, context of the words, and importance of the expression, do all direct us unto the Messiah, and to him alone.

4, The uncertainty and mutual contradictions, yea, self-contradictions, of the most who apply the words of the Psalmist directly unto any other but Christ, may serve further to fix us unto this interpretation, which is liable to none of those inconveniences which they cast themselves upon. Some would have a double literal sense in the words; the one principal, relating unto Adam, or man in general; the other less principal, or subordinate, respecting Christ, which is upon the matter to affirm, that the words have no sense at all. For those words which have not one certain determinate sense, as those have not, which have two, have indeed no true proper sense at all; for their sense is their determinate. signification of any thing. Some would have the literal sense to respect mankind in general, and what is affirmed in them to be mystically applied unto Christ. How far this is from truth, we have already declared, by showing that the words cannot so in any measure be verified or made good. By man, some understand Adam in his integrity; but how he can be called the son of man, 1 know not. Besides, how was his honour, not to be thought of or mentioned, without the remembrance of his sin and shameful fall, such a cause of rejoicing and exaltation unto the Psalmist?—Some, man in his corrupted condition; which, how far he is from the things here mentioned, need not be declared. Can we suppose the apostle would prove the subjection of the world to come unto Christ, by a testimony principally respecting them who have no interest in it.— Some, believers as restored in Christ, which is true consequentially, and in respect of participation, Rev. il. 26, 27, but not antecedently unto the investiture of the honour that they are made partakers of in the person of Christ. Besides, which is the great absurdity of this interpretation, they all affirm, that the same words are used to express and confirm things directly contrary and adverse unto one another. For those words in the Psalmist, “Thou hast made him little less than the angels,” they would have to signify the exaltation of man in his creation, being made nigh unto, and little less than angels; and in the application of them by the apostle to Christ, they acknowledge, that they denote depression, minoration, humiliation, or exinanition. How the same words, in the same place, can express contrary things, prove the exaltation of one, and the depression of another, is very hard, if not impossible to be understood. Besides, they are compelled to interpret the same phrase in divers senses, as well as the same sentence in contrary; for those words in the Psalmist, Bpaxv τι, as applied unto man, they make to denote quantity or quality, as unto Christ, time or duration; which that in the same place, they cannot do both, is needless to prove. But, as we said, our exposition is wholly free from these entanglements, answering the words of the Psalmist, and suited to the words and context of the apostle throughout.

Slichtingius, or Crellius, in his comment on these words, would fain lay hold ef an objection against the deity of Christ, p. 112, ‘ Hine

videmus,’ saith he, ‘cum D. Author adeo solicite laboret, et Scripturee dictis pugnet, eum qui angelis fuerit ratione nature minor, nempe

Christum, debuisse suprema gloria et honore coronari, angelosque dignitate longe superare; nec ipsi Authori nec cuipiam Christianorum ad quos scribit, divine: preter humanam in Christo nature in mentem venisse, nam si hance in Christo agnovissent, nullo negotio etiam Christum angelis longe prestare, naturamque humanam ei minime obstare vidissent: quid queso tanto molimine, tantoque argumentorum apparatu ad rem omnibus apertissimam persuadendam opus fuisset? Quid argumentis aliunde conquisitis laborat author, cum uno ictu, unica nature istius divine mentione rem totam conficere potuisset” The whole ground of this fallacy, lies in a supposition that the

apostle treateth of the person of Christ absolutely, and in himself considered, which is evidently false. He speaks of him in respect of the office he underwent, as the Mediator of the new covenant; in which respect he was both made less than the angels, not only on the account of his nature, but of the condition wherein he discharged his duty, and also made, or exalted above them, by grant from his Father; whereas, in his divine nature, he was absolutely and infinitely so, from the instant of the creation. And whereas those to whom he wrote, did hear that he was in the discharge of his office, for a little while made much lower than the angels, it was not in vain for him to prove by arguments and testimonies, that in the execution of the same office, he was also exalted above them, that part of his work being finished for which he was made lower than they for a season. And most needful it was for him so to do in respect of the Hebrews, who, boasting in the ministry of angels in the giving of the law, were to be convinced of the excellency of the Author of the gospel, as such, in the discharge of his work, above them. And the express mention of his divine nature, was in this place altogether needless and improper. Nor would it have proved the thing that he intended; for how easy had it been for the Jews to have replied, that notwithstanding that, they saw in how low an outward condition he ministered upon the earth, and therefore that would not prove his exaltation above angels in the discharge of his office, seeing notwithstanding that he was evidently made lower than they in that office. It would also have been improper for him in this place to have made any mention thereof, seeing the proof of the excellency of his person, absolutely considered, was nothing unto the business he had now in hand. And it was likewise every way needless, he having so abundantly proved and vindicated his divine nature in the chapter foregoing. Now, to take an argument against a thing from the apostle’s silence of it in one place, where the mention of it was improper, useless, and needless, he having fully expressed the same matter elsewhere, yea, but newly before, is an evidence of a bad, or barren cause. Of the like importance is that which he afterwards adds, p. 15, ‘ Quemadmodum autem Jesus homo verus, et naturali conditione ceteris hominibus similis esse debuit; neque enim eorum servator est, qui natura et dii sunt et homines, sed hominum tantum.’ For we shall demonstrate, that it was needful he should have a divine nature, who was to suffer and to save them, who had only ahuman. And if this man had acknowledged that end and effect of his suffering, without which we know it would have been of no advantage unto them for whom he suffered, he also would believe the same.

We say not any thing of the sense of the Jews on this place of the Psalmist. They seem wholly to have lost the design of the Holy Ghost in it, and therefore, in their accustomed manner, to embrace fables and trifles. The Talmudists ascribe those words, “ What is man!” unto some of the angels, expressing their envy and indignation at his honour upon his first creation. The later doctors, as Kimehi, and Aben Ezra, make application of it unto man in general, wherein they are followed by too many Christians, unto whom the apostle had been a better guide. But we may here also see what is farther tendered unto us for our instruction: As,

I. The respect, care, love, and grace of God unto mankind, expressed in the person and mediation of Jesus Christ, is a matter of singular and eternal admiration.-We have before shown, from the words of the Psalmist, that such in general is the condescension of God, to have any regard of man, considering the infinite excellency of the property of his nature, as manifested in his great and glorious works. That now proposed, followeth from the apostle’s application of the Psalmist’s words, unto the person of Christ; and consequently the regard of God unto us in his mediation. And this is such, as that the apostle tells us, that at the last day it shall be his great glory, that he will be admired in all them that do believe, 2 Thess. i. 10. When the work of his grace shall be fully perfected in and towards them, then the glory of his grace appeareth, and is magnified for ever. This is that which the admiration of the Psalmist tends to, and rests in. That God should so regard the nature of man, as to take it into union with himself in the person of his Son; and in that nature humbled and exalted, to work out the salvation of all them that believe on him. There are other ways wherein the respect of God towards man doth appear, even in the effects of his holy wise providence over him, “ He causeth his sun to shine, and his rain to fall upon him,” Matt. v. 4. He “leaves not himself without witness towards us, in that he doth good, and gives us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness,” Acts xiv. 17. And these ways of his providence are singularly admirable. But this way of his grace towards us in the person of his Son, assuming our nature into union with himself, is that wherein the exceeding and unspeakablesriches of his glory and wisdom are made manifest. So the apostle expresseth it, Eph. i. 17—23. He hath that to declare unto them, which, because of its greatness, glory, and beauty, they are no way able of themselves to receive or comprehend. And therefore he prays for them, that they may have the Spirit of wisdom and revelation to give them the knowledge of Christ; or that God by his Spirit would make them wise to apprehend, and give them a gracious discovery of what he proposeth to them; as also that hereby they may enjoy the blessed effect of an enlightened understanding, without which they will not discern the excellency of this matter. And what is it, that they must thus be helped, assisted, prepared for to understand, in any measure?

cerned? Why, saith he, marvel not at the necessity of this preparation; that which I propose unto you, is the glory of God; that wherein he will principally be glorified, here and unto eternity; and it is the riches of that glory, the treasures of it. God hath in other things set forth and manifested his glory, but yet as it were by parts and parcels: one thing hath declared his power, another his goodness and wisdom; and that in part, with reference to that particular about which they have been exercised. But in this, he hath drawn forth, displayed, manifested all the riches and treasures of his glory, so that his excellencies are capable of no greater exaltation. And there is also in this work, the unspeakable greatness of his power engaged, that no property of his nature may seem to be uninterested in this matter. Now, whereunto doth all this tend? Why, it is all to give a blessed and eternal inheritance to believers, unto the hope and expectation whereof they are called by the gospel. And by what way or means is all this wrought and brought about? even by the working of God in Jesus Christ in his humiliation, when he died; and his exaltation, in his resurrection, putting all things under his feet, crowning him with glory and honour, which the apostle shows by a citation of this place of the Psalmist; for all this is out of God’s regard unto man, it is for the church, which is the body of Christ, and his fulness. So full of glory, such an object of eternal admiration, is this work of the love and grace of God, which, as Peter tells us, the very angels themselves desire to look into, 1 Pet. 1. 12, And this further appears,

First. Because all God’s regard of man in this way, is a fruit of mere sovereign grace and condescension. And all grace is admirable, especially the grace of God; and that so great grace, as the Scripture expresseth it. There was no consideration of any thing without God himself, that moved him hereunto. He had glorified himself, as the Psalmist shows, in other works of his hands; and he could have rested in that glory. Man deserved no such thing of him, being worthless and sinful. It was all of grace, both in the head and members. The human nature of Christ neither did, nor could merit the hypostatical union. It did not, because, being made partaker of it from the instant of his conception, all antecedent operations that might procure it, were prevented; and a thing cannot be merited by any, after it is freely granted antecedently to any deserts. Nor could it do so; hypostatical union could be no reward of obedience, being that which exceeds all the order of things, and rules of remunerative justice. The assumption, then, of our nature into personal union with the Son of God, was an act of mere, free, sovereign, inconceivable grace. And this is the foundation of all the following fruits of God’s regard unto us; and that being of grace, so must they be also. Whatever God doth for us, in and by Jesus Christ, as made man for us, which is all that he so doth, it must, I say, be all of grace, because his being made man was so. Had there been any merit, any desert on our part, any preparation for, or disposition unto the effects of this regard; had our nature, that portion of it which was sanctified and separated to be united unto the Son of God, any way procured, or prepared itself for its union and assumption, things had fallen under some rules of justice and equality, whereby they might be apprehended and measured; but all being of grace, they leave place unto nothing but eternal admiration and thankfulness.

Secondly. Had not God been thus mindful of man, and visited him in the person of his Son incarnate, every one partaker of that nature must have utterly perished in their lost condition. And this also renders the grace of it an object of admiration. We are not only to consider what God takes us unto by this visitation, but also what he delivers us from. Now this is a great part of that vile and base condition, which the Psalmist wonders that God should have regard to; namely, that we had sinned and come short of his glory, and thereby exposed ourselves unto eternal misery. In that condition we must have perished for ever, had not God freed us by this visitation. It had been great grace to have taken an innocent, a sinless man, intoglory; great grace to liave freed a sinner from misery, though he should never be brought to the enjoyment of the least positive good. But to free a sinner from the utmost and most inconceivable misery, in eternal ruin, and to bring him unto the highest happiness, in eternal glory, and all this in a way of mere grace—this is to be admired.

Thirdly. Because it appeareth that God is more glorified in the humiliation and exaltation of the Lord Christ, and the salvation of mankind thereby, than in any of, or all the works of the first creation. How glorious those works are, and how mightily they set forth the glory of God, we have before declared. But as the Psalmist intimates, God rested not in them. He had yet a farther design, to manifest his glory in a more eminent and singular manner, and this he did, by minding and visiting of man in Christ Jesus. None almost is so stupid, but on the first view of the heavens, the sun, moon, and stars, he will confess that their fabric, beauty, and order is wonderful, and that the glory of their Framer and Builder is for ever to be admired in them; but all this comes short of that glory which ariseth unto God from this condescension and grace. And therefore, it may be, the day will come, and that speedily, wherein these heavens, and this whole old creation, shall be utterly dissolved and brought to nothing. For why should they abide as a monument of his power unto them, who enjoying the blessed vision of him, shall see and know it far more evidently and eminently in himself? However, they shall undoubtedly in a short time cease as to their use, wherein at present they are principally subservient unto the manifestation of the glory of God. But the effects of this regard of God to man, shall abide unto eternity, and the glory of God therein. This is the foundation of heaven, as it is a state and condition; as it denotes the glorious presence of God among his saints and holy ones. Without this, there would be no such heaven; all that is there, and all the glory of it, depends thereon. Take away this foundation, and all that beauty and glory disappears. Nothing indeed would be taken from God, who ever was, and ever will be, eternally blessed in his own self-sufficiency. But the whole theatre which he hath erected for the manifestation of his glory unto eternity, depends on this his holy condescension and grace, which assuredly render them meet for ever to be admired and adored.

This, then, let us exercise ourselves unto. Faith having infinite, eternal, incomprehensible things proposed unto it, acts itself greatly in this admiration. We are every-where taught, that we now know but imperfectly, in part, and that we see darkly as in ἃ glass; not that the revelation of these things in the word is dark and obscure, for they are fully and clearly proposed, but that such is the nature of the things themselves, that we are not in this life able to comprehend them; and therefore, faith doth principally exercise itself in a holy admiration of them. And indeed no love or grace will suit our condition, but that which is incomprehensible. We find ourselves by experience to stand in need of more grace, goodness, love, and merey, than we can look into, search to the bottom of, or fully understand. But when that which is infinite and incomprensible is proposed unto us, there all fears are overwhelmed, and faith finds rest with assurance. And if our admiration of these things be an act, an effect, a fruit of faith, it will be of singular use to endear our hearts unto God, and to excite them unto thankful obedience. For who would not love and delight in the eternal fountain of this inconceivable grace? And what shall we render unto him, who hath done more for us than we are any way able to think or conceive?

II. Observe also, that such was the inconceivable love of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, unto the souls of men, that he was free and willing to condescend unto any condition for their good and salvation. That was the end of all this dispensation, And the Lord Christ was not humbled and made less than the angels without his own will and consent. His will and good liking concurred unto this work. Hence, when the eternal counsel of this whole matter is mentioned, it 15 said of him as the Wisdom of the Father, that he “ rejoiced in the habitable parts of the earth, and his delights were with the sons of men,” Prov. viii. 31. He delighted in the counsel of redeemmg and saving them, by his own humiliation and suffering. And the Scripture makes it evident upon these two considerations:

First. In that it shows, that what he was to do, and what he was to undergo in this work was proposed unto him, and that he willingly accepted of the terms and conditions of it, Ps. xl.6. God says unto him, that sacrifice and offering would not do this great work, burntoffering and sin offering would not effect it; that is, no kind of offerings or sacrifices instituted by the law were available to take away sin, and to save sinners, as our apostle expounds that place at large, Heb. x. 1—9, confirming his exposition with sundry arguments taken from their nature and effects. What then doth God require of him, that this great design of the salvation of sinners may be accomplished 7 —even that he himself should make ‘his own soul an offering for sin, pour out his soul unto death, and thereby bear the sin of many,” Isa. hii. 10, 12; that, “seeing the law was weak through the flesh,” that is, by reason of our sins in the flesh, that he himself should take upon him the “likeness of sinful flesh, and become an offering for sin in the flesh,’ Rom. viii. 3; that he should be ‘‘made of a woman, made under the law,’ if he would “redeem them that were under the law,’ Gal. iv. 4,5; that he “should make himself of no reputation,” but “take upon him the form of a servant, and be made in the likeness of man, and being found in fashion as a man, to humble himself, and to become obedient unto death, the death of the cross,’ Phil. ii. 7, 8. These things were proposed unto him, which he was to undergo, if he would deliver and save mankind. And how did he entertain this proposal? how did he like these conditions? “I was not,” saith he, “rebellious, I turned not away back,” Isa.1.5. He declined them not, he refused none of the terms that were proposed unto him, but underwent them in a way of obedience, and that with willingness, alacrity, and delight, Ps. xl. 6, 7,8. “Thou,” saith he, “hast opened my ears,” or “prepared a body for me,” wherein I may yield this obedience; (that the apostle declares to be the sense of the expression, Heb. x. 5.) This obedience could not be yielded without a body, wherein it was performed; and whereas to hear, or to have the ear opened, is in the Scripture to be prepared unto obedience, the Psalmist in that one expression, “‘ Mine ear hast thou opened,” compriseth both these, even that Christ had a body prepared, by a synecdoche, of a part for the whole; and also in that body he was ready to yield obedience unto God in this great work which could not be’accomplished by sacrifices and burnt-offerings. And this readiness and willingness of Christ unto this work is set out under three heads in the ensuing words. 1. His tender of himself unto this work; then said he, “Lo, I come, in the volume of thy book it is written of me.” This thou hast promised, this is recorded in the head, beginning of thy book, namely, in that great promise, Gen. ii. 15. “That the seed of the woman should bruise the head of the serpent;” and now thou hast given me, and prepared me in the fulness of time, a body for that purpose, “ Lo, 1 come,” willing and ready to undertake it. 2. In the frame of his mind in this engagement; he entered into it with great delight, «I delight to do thy will, O my God.” He did not delight in the thoughts of it only of old, as before, and then grew heavy and sorrowful when it was to be undertaken, but he went into it with cheerfulness and delight, although he knew what sorrow and grief it would cost him before it was brought unto perfection. 3. From the principle whence this obedience and delight did spring, which was an universal conformity of his soul, mind, and will, unto the law, will, and mind of God: “Thy law is in my heart, in the midst of my bowels;” every thing in me is compliant with thy will and law, there is in me an universal conformity thereunto.. Being thus prepared, thus principled, he considered the glory that was set before him, the glory that would redound unto God, by his becoming a captain of salvation, and that would ensue unto himself: “He endured the cross and despised the shame,” Heb. xii. 2. He armed himself with those considerations, against the hardships and sufferings that he was to meet withal; as the apostle adviseth us to arm ourselves with the like mind when we are to suffer, 1 Pet. iv. 1. By all which it appears, that the good-will and love of Jesus Christ was in this matter of being “humbled and made less than angels,” as the apostle says expressly, “that he humbled himself and made himself of no reputation,” Phil. ii. 7, 8, as well as it is here said, that “ God humbled him,” or made him less than angels.

and condescension of Christ himself. For although it abounds in setting forth the love of the Father in the designing and contriving this work, and sending his Son into the world, yet it directs us unto the Lord Christ himself, as the next immediate cause of his engaging into it, and performance of it. So saith the apostle, Gal. 11. 20, “I live by the faith of the Son of God,” that is, by faith in him “who loved me, and gave himself for me.” It was the love of Christ that moved him to give himself for us, which is excellently expressed in that doxology, Rev. i. 5,6. “Τὸ him that loved us, and washed us in his own blood from our sins, and hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father, unto him be glory and dominion for ever and ever, Amen.” All this was the fruit of his love, and therefore unto him is all praise and honour to be given and ascribed. And so great was this love of Christ, that he declined nothing that was proposed unto him. This the apostle calls his grace, 2 Cor. vill. 9.“ Ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.” He condescended unto a poor and low condition, and*to suffer therein for our eood, that we might be made partakers of the riches of the grace of God. And this was the love of the person of Christ, because it was in, and wrought equally in him, both before and after his assumption of our nature..

Now the Holy Ghost makes an especial application of this truth unto us, as unto one part of our obedience, Phil. 11. 5. “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus;” and what that mind was, he declares in the ensuing verses, laying out his infinite condescension in taking our nature upon him, and submitting to all misery, reproach, and death itself for cur sakes. If this mind were in Christ, should not we endeavour after a readiness and willingness to submit ourselves unto any condition for his glory. ‘ Forasmuch,” saith Peter, ‘as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind,” 1 Pet. iv. 1. Many difficulties will lie in our way, many reasonings will rise up against it, if we consult with flesh and blood; but, saith he, ‘‘ Arm yourselves with the same mind that was in Christ,” get your souls strengthened and fenced by grace against all oppositions, that you may follow him, and imitate him. Some that profess his name will suffer nothing for him; if they may enjoy him or his ways in peace and quietness, well and good; but if persecution arise for the gospel, immediately they fallaway. These have neither lot nor portion in this matter. Others, the most, the best, have a secret loathness and unwillingness to condescend unto a condition of trouble and distress for the gospel. Well, if we are unwilling hereunto, what doth the Lord Christ lose by it? Will it be any real abatement of his honour or glory? Will he lose his crown or kingdom thereby? So far as suffering in this world is needful for any of his blessed ends and purposes, he will not want them who shall be ready ‘even to die for his ‘name sake. But what if he had been unwilling to be humbled and to suffer for us? Ifthe same mind had been in Christ, as was in us, what had been our state and condition unto eternity? In this grace, love, and willingness of Christ, lies the foundation of all our happiness, of all our deliveranee from misery and ruin; and shall we reckon ourselves to have an interest therein, and yet find ourselves altogether unready to a conformity unto him? Besides, the Lord Christ was really rich when he made himself poor for our sakes; he was “in the form of God,” when he took upon him the “form of a servant,” and became for us of no reputation, nothing of this was due to him, or belonged unto him, but merely on our account. But we are in ourselves really poor, and obnoxious unto infinitely more miseries for our own sins, than what he calls us unto for his name. Are we unwilling to suffer a little light transitory trouble in this world for him, without whose sufferings for us, we must have suffered misery, and that eternal, whether we would or not? And I speak not so much about suffering itself, as about the mind and frame of spirit wherewith we undergo it. Some will suffer when they cannot avoid it, but so unwillingly, so uncheerfully, as makes it evident that they aim at nothing, and act from no principle, but merely that they dare not go against their convictions. But the mind that was in Christ will lead us unto it, out of love unto him, with freedom and enlargedness of heart, which is reuired of us.

III. The blessed issue of the abasement of Jesus Christ in his exaltation unto honour and glory, is an assured pledge of the final glory and blessedness of all that believe in him, whatever dangers and difficulties they may be exercised withal in the way. His humiliation and exaltation, as we have seen, proceeded out of God’s condescension and love to mankind. His electing love, the eternal gracious purpose of his will to recover lost sinners, and to bring them to the enjoyment of himself, was the ground of this dispensation. And therefore what he hath done in Christ, is a certain pledge of what he will do in and for them also. He is not crowned with honour and glory merely for himself, but that he may be a captain of salvation, and bring others unto a participation of his glory.

IV. Jesus Christ as the mediator of the new covenant, hath absotute and supreme authority given unto him over all the works of God in heaven and earth. This we have so fully manifested and insisted on, upon the foregoing chapter, that we shall not here farther pursue it, but only mind by the way, that blessed is the state and condition, great is the spiritual and eternal security of the church, seeing all things are under the very feet of its Head and Saviour.

V. The Lord Jesus Christ is the only Lord of the gospel state of the church, called under the Old Testament the world to come, and therefore he only hath power to dispose of all things in it, relating unto that worship of God which it is to perform and celebrate. — It is not put in subjection unto any other, angels or men. This privilege was reserved for Christ, this honour is bestowed on the church. He is the only Head, King, and Lawgiver of it, and nothing is it to be taught to observe or do, but what he hath commanded. But this will fall more directly under our consideration in the beginning of the next chapter.:

VI. The Lord Jesus Christ in his death did undergo the penal sentence of the law, in the room and stead of them for whom he died.

-and sinners. For them did Christ die, and therein tasted of the bitterness of that death which they were to have undergcne, or else the fruit of it could not have redounded unto them; for what was it towards their discharge, if that which they had deserved was not suffered, but somewhat else wherein the least part of their concernment did lie. But this being done, certain deliverance and salvation will be the lot and portion of them, of all them for whom he died, and that upon the rules of justice and righteousness on the part of Christ, though on theirs, of mere mercy and grace.

Ver. 10.—The apostle, in the verses foregoing, made mention of that, which of all other things the Jews generally were most offended at, and which was of the greatest importance to be believed, namely, the sufferings of the Messiah, wherein a great part of the discharge of his sacerdotal office, whereunto he here makes a transition, did consist. This his own disciples were slow in the belief of, Matt. xvi. 22, chap. xvil. 22, 23; Luke xxiv. 25, 26, and the Jews generally stumbled at. They thought it strange that the Messiah, the Son of God, the Saviour of his people, and Captain of their salvation, concerning whom so great and glorious things were promised and foretold, should be brought into a low despised condition, and therein to suffer and die. Hence they cried to him on the cross, “If thou be the Christ, come down and save thyself;” intimating that by his suffering he was assuredly proved not to be so, for why any one should suffer that could deliver himself, they saw no reason.

Besides, they had inveterate prejudices about the salvation promised by the Messiah, and the way whereby it was to be wrought, arising from their love and over-valuation of temporal or carnal things, with their contempt of things spiritual and eternal. They expected a deliverance outward, glorious, and kingly, in this world, and that to be wrought with arms, power, and a mighty hand. And what should they expect from a Messiah who suffered and died? Wherefore the apostle, having asserted the sufferings of Christ, saw it necessary to proceed unto a full confirmation of it, with a declaration of the reasons, causes, and ends of it; partly to avert that false persuasion which prevailed amongst them, about the nature of the salvation to be wrought by Christ; partly to show, that nothing would thence ensue derogatory to what he had before delivered about his preeminence above’ angels; but principally to instruct them in the sacerdotal office of the Messiah, the redemption which he wrought, and the means whereby he accomplished it, which was the great business that he had designed to treat with them about. For the salvation itself, he declares that it was not to be of the same kind with that which they had of old, when they were brought out of Egypt, and settled in the land of Canaan, under the conduct of Joshua; but spiritual and heavenly, in a deliverance from sin, Satan, death, and hell, with a manuduction into life and blessedness eternal. He informs themi that the way whereby this was to be wrought, was by the sufferings and death of the Messiah, and that in no other way it could be accomplished; on which account they were indispensably necessary. And the first reason hereof he expresseth in this tenth verse.

Translations differ but little about these words. Επρεπε yao αὐτῳ, most, Decebat enim eum, ‘for it became him.’ Beza, Decebat enim ut iste, ‘for it was meet that he,’ to make the following words flow regularly. Av’ ὃν ta παντα, propter quem omnia; Syr. 557 37, cui omnia, ‘for whom are all: things.’ Beza, Propter quem sunt hec omnia, expressing the article as restrictive to the things spoken of, ‘for whom are all these things.’ One Syriac copy adds. sna, ‘in his hand,’ which somewhat corrupts the sense. Ka: δ᾽ οὗ τα παντα, et per quem omnia. Beza, hec omnia, as before, without cause; for the article is frequently prefixed unto πάντα, where all things absolutely are intended; as Eph. i. 11, “ By whom are all things.” Πολλους vioue εἰς δοξαν ayayovra. Vulg. Qui multos filios ad gloriam adduxerat; ‘ Who had brought many sons unto glory.” Arias. Multos filios ad gloriam adducentem. Beza. Adducendo, ‘bringing many sons unto glory.’ Syr. Adduxerat in gloriam suam; ‘had brought man sons into his glory.’ Tov apynyov. Vulg. Auctorem, ‘the Author.’ Beza. Principem. Syr. xw~, ‘ the Head or Prince of their salvation.’ Ava παθηματων τελειωσαι; per passionem consummare, ‘ to consummate or complete by suffering.’ Beza, per perpessiones, ‘by sufferings.’ Syr. perficere, perfectum reddere, ‘ to perfect, to make perfect.’

Ka 8¢ ov τα παντα, ‘and by whom are all things.” Aca, with a genitive, denotes the efficient cause. Some, from this expression, would have the Son to be the person here spoken of, because concerning him it is frequently said, that all things are δ αὐτου, John i. 3; 1 Cor. viii. 6; Heb. i. 3; but it is used also with reference unto the Father, Rom. xi. 36; Gal. 1. 1. Slichtingius here gives it fora rule, that when δια relates unto the Father, it denotes the principal efficient cause; when unto the Son, the instrumental. But it is a rule of his own coining, a groundless efflux of his tpwrov ψευδος» that the Son is not God, on which kind of presumptions men may found what rules they please. The principal efficiency, or supreme production of all things by God, is intended in this expression.

Ayayovra, ‘bringing,’ a word of common use and known signification, but in this place attended with a double difficulty, from a double enallage in the use of it. First, in the case; for whereas it seems to relate unto αὐτῳ; ‘it became him in bringing,’ it should then regularly be ayayov7t, not ayayovra. Hence some, by supposing a συγχύσις in the words, refer it unto apynyov, ‘the Author;’ as if the apostle had said, Tov αρχηγον THE σωτηριας αὑτῶν πολλοὺς viove αγαγοντα; ‘ to make perfect the Captain of their salvation, who brought many sons unto glory.’ But this transposition of the words, neither the context, nor the addition of avtwy, ‘their,’ unto σωτηριας; ‘ their salvation,’ relating unto the sons before mentioned, will by any means allow. Wherefore an enallage of the case is necessarily to be allowed; ayayovra for ἀγαγοντι, unless we suppose a repetition of epee, which frequently admits of the aecusative case; but the principal author is unquestionably intended. Again, ayayovra is a participle of the second Aoristus, which usually denotes the time past; and thence is it © translated by many, adduxit, adduxerat, and filiis adductis; ‘ after he had brought many sons to glory.’ And this some refer to the saints who died under the Old Testament, unto whom the Lord Christ was no less a Captain of salvation than to us. And so the apostle shows, that after they were saved on his account, it was meet that he should answer for them according to his undertaking. But neither doth this restraining of the word answer the apostle’s intention. For it is evident, that he principally minded them, unto whom the Lord Jesus became eminently a Captain of salvation, after he was perfected by sufferings, though not exclusively unto them that went before. A-yayovra then is put for ayovra, unless we shall suppose that the act of God here intended was on purpose thus expressed to comprehend all the sons, both those that lived before, and those that lived after the sufferings of Christ; ‘bringing, leading, bearing.’ It concerns the whole execution of the design of God, for the salvation and glorification of believers. Πολλοὺς viove, ‘ many sons,’ Jews and Gentiles, all that were by faith to become his sons, ‘ unto glory.’

TeAswoat; this word is variously used, and variously rendered: ‘ to consummate, to perfect, to make perfect, to consecrate, dedicate, sanctify.’ Some would have it in this place to be the same with aye εἰς δοξαν, ‘to bring unto glory.’ But what is the precise signification of the word, we shall clear in the exposition ensuing, when we declare what act of God itis that is here intended.

Before we proceed to the exposition of the several parts of this text, we must consider the order of the words, to prevent some mistakes that divers learned commentators have fallen into about them. Some suppose a hyperbaton in them; and that those expressions, ‘ For whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, do intend the Son, the Captain of salvation. he word aurw, © him—it became him,’ they confess to relate unto Θεου, ‘God,’ in the verse foregoing, and to relate unto the Father: in which order, this would be the sense of the words, ‘It became him, that is God, ‘to make perfect through sufferings the Captain of their salvation, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, who bringeth many sons unto glory.’ But there is no just reason why we should arbitrarily thus transpose the words; and that separation of, ‘ from whom are all things, and for whom are all things,’ from, ‘it became him,’ takes away one main foundation of the apostle’s reasoning, as we shall see. And the reason alleged for this ordering of the words is infirm, namely, that it is Christ who brings the many sons unto glory, not the Father; for it is also assigned unto him, as we shall see upon many accounts.

Some refer the whole words unto Christ to this purpose, ‘ it became him,’ that is the Son incarnate, ‘ for whom,’ &c., ‘ bringing many sons unto glory, to be consummated or made perfect by sufferings.’ So ‘Tena, and those whom he followeth. But this exposition of the words is directly contrary to the scope of the apostle, declared in the verse foregoing, and that following. It leaves also αὐτῳ, ‘him,’ nothing to relate unto; nor allows the casual yap, ‘ for, to give an account of any act of God before mentioned; and besides, the whole of it is built on the corruption or mistake of one word in the Vulgar translation, consummari for consummare, and that but in some copies, as is acknowledged by the most learned Romanists, who here adhere unto the original. For taking that word actively, and the object of the act expressed in it, being the Captain of salvation, some agent distinct from him must needs be signified, which is God the Father.

Some suppose an ελλειψις in the words, and therefore in the reading of those, ‘ in bringing many sons unto glory,’ they supply ‘ by afflictions or.sufferings;’ having brought many sons to glory by afflictions it became him to make the Captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. So Capellus. But this imaginary defect arose merely from a mistake, that the ro πρέπον, or condecency here mentioned, hath arespect unto the things done; that seeing the sons had suffered, it was meet and convenient that their Captain should suffer in an eminent manner. But the truth is, it respects only the doer of them, it was on his part requisite so to do the things mentioned.

Ver. 10.—For it became him for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the Captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.

There is in the words, i. The causal connection unto the verse foregoing, ‘for’ 2. A design of God intimated as the foundation of the discourse, which was to bring many sons unto glory. 3. The means he fixed on for the accomplishment of that design, namely, the appointing unto them a Captain of their salvation. 4. The especial way of his dedicating him unto that office—he made him perfect by sufferimgs. 5, The reason of this his proceeding and dealing with him— it became him so todo. 6. An amplification of that reason, in a description of his condition—him for whom are all things, and by whom are all things.

First. A reason is rendered in the words, of what he had asserted in the foregoing verse, namely, that Jesus the Messiah was to suffer death, and by the grace of God to taste of death for all. Why he should do thus, on what account, what ground, necessity, and reason there was for it, is here declared: it was so to be, “ For it became him,” &c.

_ Secondly. The design of God is expressed in this whole matter, and that was—to bring many sons unto glory. And herein the apostle declares the nature of the salvation which was to be wrought by the Messiah, about which the Jews were so greatly mistaken, and consequently in and about the way whereby it was to be wrought. His purpose herein was not now to carry his children into a new Canaan, to bring them into a wealthy country, an earthly kingdom, which must or might have been done by might, and power, and arms, as of old; but his design towards his sons in and by the Messiah was of another nature, it was to bring them unto glory, eternal glory, with himself in heaven; and so it is no wonder if the way whereby this is to be accomplished, be quite of another nature than that whereby their temporal deliverance was wrought, namely, by the death and sufferings of the Messiah himself. And here, in reference unto this design of God, it is supposed, 1. That some who were created for the glory of God, had by sin come short of it; so that without a new way of bringing them unto it, it was impossible that they should ever be made partakers of it. This is here supposed by the apostle, and is the foundation of all his doctrine concerning the Messiah. 2. That the way whereby God will at length bring them who are designed unto glory thereunto, is by taking of them first into a state of sonship and reconciliation with himself: they must be sons, before they are brought to glory. There is a double act of God’s predestination; the first is, his designation of some unto grace to be sons, Eph. i. 5, the other, his appointment of those sons unto glory, both to be wrought and accomplished by Christ, the Captain of their salvation. The latter, and the execution of it, namely, the bringing of those who _ by grace are made sons, unto glory, is that which the apostle here expresseth. He dealeth not-with the Hebrews in this Epistle about the conversion of the elect, the traduction of them into a state of grace and sonship, but of the government of them being made sons, and their guidance unto glory. And therefore the sufferings of Christ, which absolutely and in themselves are the cause of our sonship and reconciliation with God, are mentioned here only as the means whereby Christ entered into a condition of leading sons into glory, or of saving them who upon the account of his sufferings are made sons by grace. But yet this is not so precisely respected neither, but that the apostle withal intimates the necessity of the sufferings of Christ, as to the whole effect of it towards the elect. Now these sons, thus to be brought unto glory, are said to be many; not all absolutely, not a few, or of the Jews only, which they looked for, but all the elect of God, who are many, Rev. vii. 9. And this work of bringing many sons unto glory, is here signally assigned by the apostle unto God the Father, whose love, wisdom, and grace, believers are principally to eye in the whole work of their salvation, wrought out and accomplished by Jesus Christ. This therefore we shall a little insist upon, to declare the grounds and reasons, on the account whereof it is so ascribed unto him, or what acts are peculiarly assigned unto the Father in this work of bringing many sons unto glory, which will secure the ascription of it unto him, and therein our interpretation of the place.

1. The eternal designation of them to that glory whereunto they are to be brought, is peculiarly assigned to him. “He predestinates them to be conformed to the image of his Son,” Rom. vii. 28—30. The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ chooseth us before the foundation of the world, and predestinateth us to the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, Eph. 1. 3—5. And he hath “from the beginning chosen us unto salvation,” 2 Thess. 1. 13, 14. And this electing love of God, this eternal purpose of his “ good pleasure, which he purposed in himself,’ is the fountain and spring of all other immediate causes of our salvation. From hence faith, Acts xiii. 48; sanctification, 2 Thess. ii. 13; holiness, Eph. i. 4, preservation in grace, 2 Tim. ii. 19; the death of Christ for them, John iii. 16, and final glory itself, 2 Tim. ii. 10, do all ensue and proceed, so that on the account hereof, he may justly be said to be the “ Bringer of many sons to glory.”

2. He was the spring and fountain of that covenant (as in other operations of the Deity) that was of old between himself and his Son, about the salvation and glory of the elect, See Zech. vi. 13; Isa. xlii. P= Prov. vin. 20—30; Isa. 1.4, lu. 11; 12; Ps.yxvi.'10;. Ps, ex. 1; 6. He in his love and grace is still declared as the proposer both of the duty and of the reward of the Mediator, the Son incarnate, as the Son accepts of his terms and proposals, Heb. x.5—8. And hence the intenseness of his love, the immutability of his counsel, the holiness of his nature, his righteousness and faithfulness, his infinite wisdom, do all shine forth in the mediation and sufferings of Christ, Rom. ili. 25, 26, v. ὃ: 1 John iv. 9; Heb. vi. 17, 18; Tit. 1.2. Rather than his love should not be satisfied, and his counsel accomplished, “he spared not his own Son, but gave him unto death for us.”

3. He signally gave out the first promise, that great foundation of the covenant of grace, and afterwards declared, confirmed, and ratified by his oath, that covenant wherein all the means of bringing the elect to glory are contained, Gen. 11. 16; Jer. xxxi. 32—34; Heb. viii. 8. The person of the Father is considered as the principal author of the covenant, as the person covenanting and taking us into covenant with himself, the Son as the Messiah, being considered as the Surety and Mediator of it, Heb. vil. 22, ix. 15, and the Purchaser of the promises of it.

4. He gave and sent his Son to be a Saviour and Redeemer for them and to them; so that in his whole work, in all that he did and suffered, he obeyed the command and fulfilled the will of the Father. Him did God the Father send, and seal, and give, and set forth, as the Scripture every-where expresseth it. And our Lord Jesus Christ every-where remits us to the consideration of the love, will, and authority of his Father, in all that he did, taught, or suffered, so seeking the glory of God that sent him.

5. He draws his elect, and enables them to come to the Son, to believe in him, and so to obtain life, salvation, and glory by him. “No man,” saith our Saviour, “can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him,’ John vi. 44. No man, no not any one of the elect, can come to Christ unless the Father, in the pursuit of that love from whence it was that he sent the Son, do put forth the efficacy of his grace to enable him thereto, and accordingly he reveals him to some, when he is hidden from others, Matt. xi. 25. For the revelation of Christ to the soul is the immediate act of the Father, Matt. xvi. 17.

6. Being “reconciled to them by the blood of his Son,” he re- - conciles them to himself, by giving them pardon and forgiveness of sins in and by the promises of the gospel, without which they cannot come to glory, 2 Cor. v. 18—21. “ He is in Christ reconciling us unto himself,” by the non-imputation, or forgiveness of our sins, ““ Forgiving us all our trespasses for Christ’s sake, Eph. iv. 32. There are many things concurring to the pardon of sin, that are peculiar acts of the Father.

7. He quickens them and sanctifies them by his Spirit, to “make them meet for thejnheritance of the saints in light,” that is for the enjoyment of glory. “ He that raised up Jesus from the dead quickens us by his Spinit,” Rom. vii. 11, (Eph. ii.:1). So saving us, “by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost, which he shed on us richly by Jesus Christ,” Tit. iii. v. 6. This sanctification and renovation by the Holy Ghost, and all supplies of actual grace, enabling us to obedience, are every-where asserted as the grant and work of the Father, who “ worketh in us both to will and to do of his own good pleasure.” And so in especial is the saving illumination of our minds, to know the mystery of his grace, and discern the things that are of God, 2 Cor. iv. 6; Col. ii. 2; Eph. iii. 13—18; Matt. ἘΠ: 25.

8. As the great Father of the family he adopts them, and makes them his sons, that so he may bring them to glory. He gives them the power or privilege to become the sons of God, John i. 12, making them heirs and co-heirs with Christ, Rom. viii. 14—17, sending withal “into their hearts the Spirit of adoption, enabling them to cry Abba Father,” Gal. iv. 6. The whole right of adopting children is in. the Father, and so is the authoritative translation of them out of the world and kingdom of Satan into his own family and household, with their investiture in all the rights and privileges thereof.

9. He confirms them in faith, establisheth them in obedience, preserveth them from dangers and oppositions of all sorts, and in manifold wisdom keeps them through his power to the glory prepared for them, as 2 Cor. 1. 21, 22; Eph. ii. 20, 21; 1 Pet. 1. 5; John xvii. 11.

10. He gives them the Holy Ghost as their Comforter, with all those blessed and unspeakable benefits which attend that gift of his, Matt. vii. 11; Luke xi, 13; John xiv. 16, 17; Gal. iv. 6.

In brief, in bringing the elect to glory, all the sovereign acts of power, wisdom, love, and grace, exerted therein, are peculiarly assigned to the Father, as all ministerial acts are to the Son as Mediator. So that there is no reason why he may not be said by the way of eminency to be the aywyeve, ‘ the leader or. bringer of his sons to glory.

_ And herein lies a great direction to believers, and a great support for their faith. Peter tells us, that ‘by Christ we do believe in God that raised him from the dead, and gave him glory, that our faith and hope might be in God,” 1 Pet. 1. 21. Jesus Christ, considered as Mediator, is the next, but not the ultimate object of our faith and hope. We so believe in him, as by him to believe in God, that is fhe Father, whose love is the supreme fountain and spring of our salvation, which the apostle manifests in that double instance of his raising up Christ, and giving of him glory, thereby declaring himself the principal author of the great work of his mediation. This he directs us to, so to believe in Christ, as that discerning in and by him the grace, goodwill, and love of the Father himself towards us, we may be encouraged to fix our faith and hope on him, seeing he himself loveth us. So that Christ himself had no need to pray for the love of the Father to us, but only for the communication of the effects of it, John xvi. 26, 27. And this is the work of faith, when, as we are directed, we pray to the Father in the name of Christ, John xvi. 23, 24, And we thus place our faith in God the Father, when we conceive of him as the sovereign Leader of us to glory, by all the instances before mentioned. And then doth faith find rest in him, delight, complacency, and satisfaction, as we have elsewhere declared.

Thirdly, There is in these words intimated the principal means that God fixed on for the accomplishment of this design of his, for the bringing of many sons to glory; it was by appointing a Captain of their salvation. The Jews generally granted that the Messiah was to be the Captain of their salvation, but misunderstanding that salvation, they also mistook the whole nature of his office. The apostle doth here evidently compare him to Joshua, the captain and leader of the people into Canaan, (as he had before preferred him above the angels, by whose ministry the law was given to the people in the wilderness,) which was a type of their salvation, as he farther, declares, chap. iv. All the sons of God are put under his conduct and guidance, as the people of old were under the rule of Joshua, to bring them into the glory designed for them, and promised to them in the covenant made with Abraham. And he is called their ἄρχηγος, ‘ Prince, Ruler, and Captain, or Author of their salvation,’ on several accounts. 1. Of his authority and right to rule over them in order to their salvation. So he appeared to Joshua, as τ ΝΒ ΟΣ, Josh. v. 14, “The Captain of the Lord’s host,” intimating then, that there was another Captain and other work to do, than what Joshua had then in hand—the General of all the people of God, as Joab was to Israel, say. 2. Of his actual leading and conduct of them by his example, spirit, and grace, through all the difficulties of their warfare; so he was promised, as 22, Isa. lv. 4, Princeps, Dux, Antecessor, apynyoe, ‘a leader and commander of the people, one that goes before them for their direction and guidance, giving them an example in his own person of doing and suffering the will of God, and so entering into glory. So is he their Προδρομος, Heb. vi. 20, ‘ Antecessor, Fore-runner, or as Daniel calls him, τὴ wn, Dan. i&. 25, ‘* Messiah the Prince,” or Guide. 3. As he is to them Aurioe σωτηριας αἰωνιου, as chap. v. 9, “the Author or cause of eternal salvation,” he procured and purchased it for them So that the expression denotes both his acquisition of salvation itself, and his conduct or leading of the people of God to the enjoyment of it. And the Holy Ghost hereby also intimates, that the way whereby God will bring the sons unto glory, is full of difficulties, perplexities, and oppositions, as that of the Israelites into Canaan was also; so that they have need of a captain, leader, and guide, to carry them through it. But yet all is rendered safe and secure unto them, through the power, grace, and faithfulness of their Leader. They only perish in the wilderness, and die in their sins, who either out of love unto the flesh-pots of Egypt, the pleasures of this world, or being terrified with the hardships of the warfare which he calls them to, refuse to go up under his command.

Fourthly, There is expressed in the words, the especial way“whereby God fitted or designed the Lord Christ unto this office, of being a Captain of salvation unto the sons to be brought to glory. To understand this aright, we must observe that the apostle speaks not here of the redemption of the elect absolutely, but of the bringing them to glory, when they are made sons in an especial manner. And therefore he treats not absolutely of the designation, consecration, or fitting of the Lord Christ unto his office of Mediator in general, but as unto that part, and the execution of it, which especially concerns the leading of the sons unto glory, as Joshua led the Israelites into Canaan. This will give us light into what act of God towards the Lord Christ is intended in this expression, τελείωσαι αὐτὸν dia παθηματων. And sundry are here pleaded by expositors, not without some probability. As, 1. Some think, that his bringing him to glory is intended: it became him, τελείωσαι; to bring him to glory, by and through sufferings, so to perfect him. But besides that the word is no where so used, nor hath any such signification, the apostle doth not declare what God intended to bring him unto, but by what in and about him, he intended to bring many sons to glory. 2. Some would have it to denote the finishing of God’s work about him: whence in his sufferings on the cross, he said, τετέλεσται, “ It is finished, John xix. 30. This answers indeed the sense of the word veAcw, used in that place by our Saviour, but not of reAcow, the word here used by the apostle, which never signifies to end or finish, or to perfect by bringing unto anend. 3. Some think God made the Lord Christ perfect by sufferings, in that he gave him thereby a full sense and experience of the condition of his people; whence he is said to learn obedience by the things that he suffered, ch. v. 8. And this is true, God did so; but it is not formally and directly expressed by this word, which is never used unto that purpose. This is rather a consequent of the act here intended, than the act itself. Τελείωσαι then, in this place, signifies “to consecrate, dedicate, to sanctify unto an office,’ or some especial part or act of an office. This is the proper meaning of the word: τέλη, are ‘mysteries,’ and reAera, ‘ sacred acts and offices;’ τετελεσ- μενοι are those who are initiated and consecrated unto sacred offices or employments; see Exod. xxix. 33, 35, in the LXX. Hence the ancients called baptism τελειωτης, or consecration unto the sacred service of Christ; and ἁγιαζω, the word next insisted on by our apostle, is so used by Christ himself, John xvi. 19, ὑπερ avrwy εγὼ ἁγιαζω parate) myself to be a sacrifice.’ And his blood is said to be that, εν ᾧ ἡγιααϑη, Heb. x. 29, ‘wherewith he was so consecrated.’ Nor is this word used in any other sense in this whole Epistle, wherein it 15 often used, when applied to Christ; see ch. v. 9, vil. 28. And this was the use of the word among the heathen, signifying the initiation and consecration of a man into the mysteries of their religion, to be a. leader unto. others. And among some of them it was performed through the instigation of the devil by great sufferings. Οὐκ av εἰς μιθραν δυνησαιτο τις τελεσϑηναι; εἰ μὴ δια τινων βαθμων παρελθων των κολάκων, δειξῃ iavrov ὅσιον καὶ ἀπαθη; saith Gregory Nazianzen, Orat. con’. Jt. I. “No man could be consecrated unto the mysteries of Mithra (the sun) unless he proved himself holy, and as it were inviolable, by passing through many degrees of punishments and trials.’ Thus it became God to dedicate and consecrate the Lord Christ unto this part of his office «Ὁ ν his own sufferings. He consecrated Aaron to be priest of old, but\by the hands of Moses; and he was set apart to his office by the sacrifice of other things. But the Lord Christ must be consecrated by his own sufferings, and the sacrifice of himself. And thence it is, that those very sufferings, which as antecedaneous unto his being a captain of salvation, to this end that he might lead the sons unto glory, are means of his dedication or consecration, are in themselves a great part of that means whereby he procures salvation for them. By all the sufferings then of the Lord Christ in his life and death, by which sufferings he wrought out the salvation of the elect, did God consecrate and dedicate him to be a prince, a leader, and captain of salvation unto his people, as Peter declares the whole matter, Acts v. 30, 31, and ii. 36. And from these things last mentioned, of the Lord Christ being the captain of our salvation, and being dedicated unto that office by his own sufferings, it appeareth, First. That the whole work of saving the sons of God from first to last, their guidance and conduct through sins and sufferings unto glory, is committed unto the Lord Jesus; whence he is constantly to be eyed by believers in all the concernments of their faith, obedience, and consolation. ‘“ Behold,” saith the Lord, “I have given him for a witness to the people, a leader and commander to the people,” Isa. lv. 4, awitness to testify the truth, in revealing the mind and will of God; a leader going before them as a prince and captain, as the word signifies; and a commander, that gives out laws and rules for their obedience. God hath set him as a Lord over his whole house, ch. 111. 5, and committed all the management of all its concernments unto him. There is no person that belongs unto God’s design of bringing many sons to glory, but he is under his rule and inspection. Neither is there any thing that concerns any of them in their passage towards glory, whereby they may be farthered or hindered in their way, but the care is committed unto him, as the care of the whole army lies on the general, orgprince of the host. This the prophet sets out in his type Eliakim, [3 xxi. 21—24, “ He is fastened as a nail in a sure place; and all the. glory of the house, and every vessel of it, from the greatest unto the least, is hanged on him,” the weight of all, the care of allis upon him, committed unto him. When the people came out of Egypt with Moses, they were numbered unto him, and he being the administrator of the law, they died all in the wilderness; but they were delivered again by tale and number unto Joshua the type of Christ, and none of them, not one failed of entering into Canaan. And he dischargeth this trust as a faithful captain.

First. With care and watchfulness, Psal. cxxi. 4, “ Behold, he that keepeth Israel, shall neither slumber nor sleep.’’ There is no time nor season wherein the sons committed unto his care may be surprised through any neglect or regardlessness in him. His eyes are always open upon them. ‘They are never out of his heart, nor thoughts; they are ‘“‘ engraven on the palms of his hand, and their walls are continually before him;” or as he expresseth it, Isa. xxvii. 3, “I the Lord do keep my vineyard: I will water it every moment, lest any hurt it; 1 will keep it night and day.” Greater care and watchfulness cannot be expressed; night and day, and every moment in them, he is intent about this work. O how great an encouragement is this to adhere unto him, to follow him in the whole course of obedience that he calls unto.. This puts life into soldiers, and gives them security, when they know that their commander is continually careful for them.

Secondly. He dischargeth this great trust with tenderness and love: Isa. xl. 11, “ He shall feed his flock like a shepherd, he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.” These sons are of various sorts and degrees; the best and strongest of them are but sheep, poor, infirm, and helpless creatures; and amongst them, some are young and tender as lambs; some heavy and burdened with sins and afflictions, like those that are with young. In tender compassion, he condescends unto all their conditions; feeds and preserves the whole flock as a shepherd; gathers in his arm, and bears in his bosom, those that otherwise by their infirmity would be cast behind, and left unto danger. Compassion he hath for them that err, and are out of the way; seeks for them that wander, heals the diseased, feeds them when they are even a flock of slaughter. And where these two concur, care and compassion, there can be no want of any thing, Psal. xxiii. 1. Indeed, Zion is ready sometimes to complain that she is forgotten. The sons, in great distresses, aflictions, persecutions, temptations, that may befal them in their way to glory, are apt to think they are forgotten and disregarded, that they are left as it were to shift for themselves, and to wrestle with their difficulties by their own strength and wisdom, which they know to be as a thing ofnought. But this fear is vain and ungrateful. Whilst they are found in the way, following the Captain of their salvation, it is utterly impossible that this watchfulness, care, love, and tenderness, should in any thing be wanting unto them.

Thirdly. He leads them with power, authority, and majesty, Mic. v. 4, « He shall stand and rule in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God, and they shall abide.” The name of God is in him, accompanied with his power and majesty, which he puts forth in the feeding and ruling of his people, whereon their safety doth depend. They shall abide, or dwell in safety, because in this his clory and majesty, he shall be great, or be magnified, unto the ends of theearth. So also is he described in his rule, Zech. vi. 13, ““ Even he shall build the temple of the Lord, and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne, and shall be a priest upon his throne.” Having built the temple, raised a house and family to God, he shall be the ruler or captain of it, to preserve it unto glory; and this in a glorious manner, bearing the glory of God, sitting upon a throne, in the whole discharge of his office, both as a king and priest. Unto this end is he entrusted with all the power and authority which we have before described, God having given him to be head over all things to his church. There is nothing so high, so great, so mighty, that lies in the way of his sons to efory, but it must stoop to his authority, and give place to his power. The whole kingdom of Satan, the strong holds of sin, the high imaginations of unbelief, the strength and malice of the world, all sink before bim. And thence are they described so glorious and successful in their way, Mic. 11. 16, “« The breaker is come up before them, they have broken up and have passed through the gate, and are gone out by it, and their King shall pass before them, and the Lord on the head of them.’ Many obstacles» lie in their way, but they shall break through them all, because of their King and Lord that goes before them. And those difficulties which in this world they meet withal, that seem to be too hard for them, their persecutions, and sufferings, though they may put a stop unto somewhat of their outward profession, yet they shall not in the least hinder them in their progress unto glory. Their Captain goes before them with power and authority, and breaks up all the hedges and gates that lie in their way, and gives them a free and abundant entrance into the kingdom of God.;

Secondly. As fhe manner how, so the acts wherein and whereby this Antecessor and Captain of salvation leads on the sons of God, may be considered; and he doth it variously.

First. He goes before them in the whole way unto the end. This is a principal duty of a captain or leader, to go before his soldiers. Hence they that went unto the war, were said to go at the feet of their commanders, Judges iv. 10, “ Barak went up, and ten thousand men at his feet;” that is, followed him, and went where he went before them. And this also became the Captain of the Lord’s host, even to go before his people in their whole way, not putting them on any thing not calling them to any thing, which himself passeth not before them in. And there are three things whereunto their whole course may be referred.

1. Their obedience. 2. Their sufferings. 3. Their entrance into glory. And inall these hath the Lord Christ gone before them, and that as their Captain and Leader, inviting them to engage into them, and courageously to’ pass through them upon his example, and the success that he sets before them.

1. As unto obedience; he himself was made under the law, and learned obedience, fulfilling all righteousness. Though he was in his own person above the law, yet he submitted himself to every law of God, and righteous law of men, that he might give an example unto them who were of necessity to be subject unto them. So he tells his disciples, as to one instance of his humility, “1 have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done,’ John xi. 15. As he calls on “ all to learn of him, for he was meek and lowly of heart,” Matt. xi, 29. That is, learn to be like him in those heavenly graces. This the apostles proposed as their pattern and ours, 1 Cor. x1. 1, ‘* Be followers of me, as. 1 am of Christ.” That is, labour with me to imitate Christ. And the utmost perfection which we are bound to aim at in holiness and obedience, is nothing but conformity unto Jesus Christ, and the pattern that he hath set before us, to mark his footsteps and to foliow him. This is our putting on of Jesus Christ, and growing up into the same image and likeness with him.

2. He goes before the sons of God in sufferings, and therein is also a leader unto them by his example. Christ, said Peter, “hath suffered for us, leaving us an example that we should follow his steps,” that is, be ready and prepared unto patience in sufferings, when we are called thereunto, as he explains himself, chap. iv. 1, “ Forasmuch as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind,” that you may follow him in the same way. And this our apostle presseth much in this Epistle, chap. xi. 2, 3, ‘‘ Look unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame: for consider iim that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest you be wearied and faint in your minds.” The sons of God are sometimes ready to think it strange that they should fall into calamity and distresses, and are apt to say with Hezekiah, “‘ Remember Ὁ Lord we beseech thee how we have walked before thee in truth, and with an upright heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight,” and to weep sore; supposing that this might have freed them from oppositions and persecutions. And as it was with Gideon when the angel told him ‘the Lord was with him.” He replies, “ Whence is all this evil come upon us?” For when they find it is otherwise, and begin to apply themselves unto their condition, yet if their troubles continue, if they are not in their season removed, they are ready to be weary and faint in their minds. But, saith the apostle, “ Consider the captain of your salvation,” he hath set you another manner of example, notwithstanding all his sufferings, he fainted not. The like argument he presseth, chap. xii. 12, 13. And the Scripture in many places represents unto us the same consideration. The Jews have a saying, that a third part of the afflictions and troubles that shall be in the world, do belong unto the Messiah. But our apostle, who knew better than they, makes all the afflictions of the church to be the afflictions of Christ, Col. 1.24; who both before underwent them in his own person, and led the way to all that shall follow him. And as the obedience of Christ, which is our pattern, doth incomparably exceed whatever we can attain unto, so the sufferings of Christ, which are our example, did incomparably exceed all that we shall be called unto. Our pattern is eXcellent, inimitable in the substance and parts of it, unattainable and inexpressible in its degrees, and he is the best proficient who attends most thereunto.

lies at the door, as the ocean whereunto all these streamsdo run, and seems to swallow them up, that there they are lost for ever. No; for 3. This Captain of our salvation is gone before us in passing through death, and entering into glory. He hath shown us in his own resurrection, (that great pledge of our immortality,) that death is not the end of our course, but a passage into another more abiding condition. He promiseth, that whosoever believeth on him, they shall not be lost or perish, or consumed by death, but that he will “ raise them up at the last day,” John vi. 39,40. But how shall this be confirmed unto them?» Death looks ghastly and dreadful, as a lion that devours all that come within his reach: Why, saith Christ, behold me entering into his jaws, passing through his power, rising from under his dominion; and fear not, so shall it be with you also, This our apostle disputes at large, 1 Cor. xv. 12—2]. He is gone before us through death, and is become the first fruits of them that sleep. And had Christ passed into heaven before he died, as did Enoch and Elijah, we had wanted the greatest evidence of our future immortality. What then remains for the finishing of our course? Why, the Captain of our salvation, after he had suffered, entered into glory; and that as our leader or forerunner, Heb. vi. 20, ‘ Jesus, as our forerunner, is entered into heaven;” he is gone before us, to evidence unto us what is the end of our obedience and sufferings. In all this, he is a Captain and Leader unto the sons of God.

Secondly. He guides them and directs them in their way. This also belongs unto him as their Captain and Guide. Two things in this, aie they of themselves defective in: 1. They know not the way that leads to happiness and glory; and, 2. They want abilitysto discern it aright when it is shown unto them: and in both they are relieved and assisted by their leader; in the first by his word, in the latter by his Spirit. First. Of themselves they know not the way; as Thomas said, “ How can we know the way?” The will of God, the mystery of his love and grace, as to the way whereby he will bring sinners unto glory, is unknown to the sons of men by nature. © It was a secret hid in God, a sealed book which none in heaven or earth could open. But this Jesus Christ hath fully declared in his word, unto all the sons that are to be brought unto glory. He hath revealed the Father from his own bosom, John i. 18, and declared those heavenly things, ‘‘ which no man knew, but he that came down from heaven, and yet at the same time was in heaven,” John iii. 12, 13. In his word hath he declared the name, and revealed the whole counsel of God; and brought life and immortality to light, 2 Tim. i. 10. Whatever is any way needful, useful, helpful in their obedience, worship of God, suffering, expectation of glory, he hath taught it them all, revealed it all unto them. Other teachers they need not. Had there been any thing belonging unto their way which he had not revealed unto them, he had not been a perfect Captain of salvation unto them. And men do nothing but presumptuously derogate from his glory, who will B@adding and imposing their prescriptions in and about this way.

Again, The way being revealed in the word, he enables them by his Spirit, to see, discern, and know it, in such a hély and saving manner, as is needful to bring them unto the end of it. He gives them eyes to see, as well as provides paths for them to walkin. It had been to no purpose to have declared the way, if he had not also given them heht to see it. This blessed work of his Spirit, is every-where declared in the Scripture, Isa. xlii, 16. And by this means is he unto us, what he was unto the church in the wilderness, when he went before them in a pillar of fire, to guide them in their way, and to show them where _ they should rest. And herein lies no small part of the discharge of his office towards us, as the Captain of our salvation. Whatever acquaintance we have with the way to glory, we have it from him alone; and whatever ability we have to discern the way, he is the fountain and author of it. This God hath designed and called him unto. And ail our wisdom consists in this, that we betake ourselves unto him, to him alone, for instruction and direction in this matter, Matt. xvi. 5. Doth not he deservedly wander, yea, and perish, who in war will neglect the orders and directions of his general, and attend unto every idle tale of men pretending to show him a way that they have found out, better than that which his captain hath limited him unto?

Thirdly. He supplies them with strength by his grace, that they may be able to pass on in their way. They have much work lying before them; much to do, much to suffer, and without him they can do nothing, John xv. 5. Wherefore he watcheth over them, to succour them that are tempted, Heb. 11. 18, and to give out help unto them all in time of need, ch. iv. 16, and hence they who have no might, no sufficiency, can do all things through Christ that strengtheneth them, Phil. iv. 13. Nothing is too hard for them, nothing can prevail against them, because of the constant supplies of grace, which the Captain of their salvation communicates unto them. And this makes the ways of the gospel marvellous, both to the world and to believers themselves. Their life is hid with God in Christ, Col. iii. 3, and they have a new name that no man knoweth, Rev. 11. 17. The world seeing poor, mean, weak, contemptible creatures, willing, ready, and able to suffer, - endure, and die for the name of Christ, stand astonished, not knowin where their great strength lies, as the Philistines did at the might of Sampson, whom they saw with their eyes to be like other men. Let them in the height of their pride, and rage of their madness, pretend what they please, they cannot but be, they really are, amazed to see poor creatures, whom otherwise they exceedingly despise, constant unto the truth and profession of the gospel, avainst all their allurements and affrightments. They know not, they consider not, the constant supplies of the strength and grace which they receive from their Leader. He gives them the Spint of truth, which the world neither sees nor knows, John xiv. 17, and therefore it wonders from whence they have their ability and constancy. They cry, What! will nothing turn these poor foolish creatures out of their way? They try them one way, and then another; add one weight of affliction and oppression unto another, and think surely this will effect their design; but they find themselves deceived, and know not whence it is. The ways of obedience aré hence also marvellous unto believers themselves,

When they consider their own frailty and weakness, how ready they are to faint, how often they are surprised, and withal take a prospect of what opposition lies against them, from indwelling sin, Satan, and the world, which they are acquainted with in several instanees of their power and prevalency, they neither know how they have abode so long in their course as they have done, nor how they shall continue it unto ‘the end. But they are relieved when they come to the promise of the gospel. There they see whence their preservation doth proceed. They see this Captain of their salvation, in whom is the fulness of the Spirit, and to whom are committed all the stores of grace, giving out daily and hourly unto them as the matter doth require. As the captain in an army doth not at once give out unto his soldiers the whole provision that is needful for their way and undertaking; for if he should, the most of them would instantly waste it, and so quickly perish for want; but he keeps provision for them all in his stores, and gives out unto them according to their daily necessities; so God gave the people manna for their daily food in the wilderness; even so deals this great Leader with the sons of God. He keeps the stores of grace and spiritual strength in his own hand; and from thence imparts unto them according as they stand in need.

Fourthly. He subdues their enemies. And this belongs to his office, as the Captain of their salvation, in an especial manner. Many enemies they have, and unless these are conquered and subdued, they can never enter into glory. Satan, the world, death, and sin, are the chief or heads of them, and all these are subdued by Christ; and that two ways. First. In his own person: for they all attempted him, and failed in their enterprise, John xiv. 30. He bruised the serpent’s head, Gen. iii. 15, and destroyed him that had the power of death, that is the devil, ver. 14, of this chapter; destroyed his power ina glorious and triumphant manner, Col. i. 15. He spoiled principalities and powers, and made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in his cross, adding the utmost complement unto his victory in a triumph. And he overcame the world, John xvi. 33, “ Be of good cheer,” saith he, “1 have overcome the world.” Both it,,and the prince of it, were put under his feet. Death also was subdued by him; he swallowed it up in victory, 1 Cor. xv. 54. He plucked out its sting, broke its power, disannulled its peremptory law, when he shook it off from him, and rose from under it, Acts ii. 24. Sin also set upon him in his temptations, but was utterly foiled; as all sin is destroyed in its very being, where it is not obeyed. And all this was for the advantage of the sons of God.

For, 1. He hath given them encouragement, in showing them that their enemies are not invincible, their power is not uncontrollable, ἢ their law not peremptory or eternal; but that, having been once conquered, they may the more easily be dealt withal.

2. They know also, that all these enemies set upon his person in their quarrel, and as he was the great Defender of the faithful, so that although they were not conquered by their persons, yet they were conquered in their cause; and they are called in to be sharers in the victory, although they were not engaged in the battle.

3. That he subdued them by God’s ordinance and appointment, as their representative; declaring in his person, who is the head, what should be accomplished in every one of his members.

And, 4. That by his personal conquest over them, he hath left them weak, maimed, disarmed, and utterly deprived of that power they had to hurt and destroy, before he engaged with them. For he hath thereby deprived them, 1. Of all their right and title to exercise their enmity against, or dominion over the sons of God. Before his dealing with them, they had all right to the utmost over mankind. Satan to rule, the world to vex, sin to enslave, death to destroy and give*up unto hell. And all this right was enrolled in the law, and hand-writing of ordinances which was against us. This was cancelled by Christ, nailed to the crdss, never to be pleaded more, Col. 11, 14. And when any have lost their right or title unto any thing, whatever their strength be, they are greatly weakened. But he hath herein, 2. Deprived them of their strength also. He took away the strength of sin as a law, and the sting of death in sin, the arms of the world in the curse, and the power of Satan‘ in his works and strong holds.

But this is not all, he not only subdues these enemies for them, but also in them and by them; for though they have neither title nor arms, yet they will try the remainder of their power against them also. “But thanks be to God,” saith the apostle, “who giveth us the victory by Jesus Christ,” 1 Cor. xv. 57. He enables us in our own persons to conquer all these enemies. ‘“‘ Nay,” saith he, “in all these things we are more than conquerors,” Rom. vill. 357. Because we have more assurance of success, more assistance in the conflict, more joy in the trial, than any other conquerors have, or we do not only conquer, but triumph also. As for Satan, he tells believers, that “they have overcome the wicked one,” 1 John 11.13, 14. And shows how it came to pass that they should be able to do so, chap. iv. 4. “ It is, because greater is he that is in them, than he that is in the world.” The good Spirit which he hath given unto them to help and assist them, is infinitely greater and more powerful than that evil spirit which rules in the children of disobedience; and by this means is. Satan bruised even under their feet. A conflict indeed we must have with them, we must wrestle with principalities and powers in heavenly places; but the success is secured through the assistance we receive from this Captain of our salvation.

The world also is subdued in them and by them, 1 John ν. 4. “ Whosoever is born of God overcometh the world, and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.” Faith will do this work, it never failed in it nor ever will. He that believeth shall overcome; the whole strength of Christ is engaged unto his assistance. Sin is the worst and most obstinate of all their enemies. This puts them hard to it in the battle, and makes them cry out for aid and help, Rom. vii. 24. But this also they receive strength against, so as to carry away the day. “I thank God,” saith the apostle, ‘through Jesus Christ our Lord,” ver 25, namely, for deliverance and victory. Sin hath a double design in its enmity against us. 1. To reign in us; 2. Yo condemn us. If it be disappointed in these designs, it is absolutely conquered, and that it is by the grace of Christ. As to its reign and dominion, it is perfectly defeated for the present, Rom. vi. 14. The means of its rule, is the authority of the law over us; that being removed, and our souls put under the conduct of grace, the reign of sin comes to an end. Nor shall it condemn us, Rom. vii. 1. And what can it then do? Where is the voice of this oppressor? It abides but a season, and that but to endure and die. Death also cantends against us, by its own sting and our fear; but the first by the grace of Christ is taken from it, and from the latter also we are delivered, and so have the victory over it. And all this is the work of this Captain of our salvation for us, and in us.

5. He doth not only conquer all their enemies, but he avenges their sufferings on them, and punisheth them for their enmity. These enemies, though they prevail not absolutely nor finally, against the sons of God, yet by their temptations, persecutions, oppressions, they put them ofttimes to unspeakable hardships, sorrow, and _ trouble. This the Captain of their salvation will not take at their hands, but will avenge on them all their ungodly endeavours from the lowest unto the greatest and highest of them. Some he will deal withal in this world, but he hath appointed a day wherein not one of them shall escape. See Rev. xx. 10, 14. Devil, and beast, and false prophet, and death, and hell, shall go all together into the lake of fire.

6. He provides a reward, a crown for them, and in the bestowing thereof, accomplisheth this his blessed office of the Captain of our salvation. He is gone before the sons into heaven, to make ready their glory, to prepare a place for them, and he “ will come and receive them unto himself, that where he is, there they may be also,” John xiv. 2, 3. When he hath given them the victory, he will take them unto himself, even unto his throne, Rev. 11. 22. And as a righteous judge, he will give “unto them a crown of righteousness and glory,” 2 Tim. iv. 8. And thus is the whole work of conducting the sons of God unto glory, from first to last, committed unto this great Captain of their salvation, and thus doth he discharge his office and trust therein, and blessed are all they who are under his leading and guidance. And all this should teach us,

First. To betake ourselves unto him, and to rely upon him in the whole course of our obedience, and all the passages thereof. ‘To this purpose is he designed by the Father, this hath he undertaken, and this doth he go through withal. No address that is made unto him in this matter will he ever refuse to attend unto; no case or condition that is proposed unto him, is too hard for him or beyond his power to reheve. He is careful, watchful, tender, faithful, powerful, and all these properties and blessed endowments will he exercise in the discharge of this office. What should hinder us from betaking ourselves unto him continually? Is our trouble so small, are our duties so ordinary, that we can wrestle with them or perform them in our own strength? Alas, we can do nothing,,not think a good thought, not endure a reproachful word. And whtatever we seem to do or endure of ourselves, it is all lost, “ for in us there dwelleth no good thing.” Or are our distresses so great, our temptations so many, our corruptions so strong, that we begin to say there is no hope? Is any thing too hard for the Captain of our salvation? Hath he not already conquered all our enemies? Is he not able to subdue all things by his power? Shall we faint whilst Jesus Christ lives and reigns? But it may be, we have looked for help and assistagce, and it hath not answered our expectation, so that now we begin to faint and despond. Sin is not subdued, the world is still triumphant, and Satan rageth as much as ever, his temptations are ready to pass over our souls. But have we sought for his help and assistance in a due manner with faith and perseverance, unto right ends of his glory, and advantage of the gospel? Have we taken a right measure of what we have received? Or do we not complain without a cause? Let us not judge according to outward appearance, but judge righteous judgment. What is it to us, if the world triumph, if Satan rage, if sin tempt and vex? we are not promised that it shall be otherwise. But are we forsaken? Are we not kept from being prevailed against? If we ask amiss, or for improper ends, or know not what we do receive, or think, because the strength of enemies appears to be great, we must fail and be ruined; let us not complain of our Captain, for all these things arise from our own unbelief. Let our application unto him be according unto his command, our expectations from him according to the promise; our experiences of what we receive be measured by the rule of the word, and we shall find, that we have all grounds of assurance that we can desire. Let us then-in every condition “look unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith,” who hath undertaken the leading of us in the whole course of our obedience from first to last, and we shall not need to faint, nor shall we ever fail.

Secondly. To look for direction and guidance from him. ‘This in an especial manner belongs unto him as the Captain of our salvation. There are two things which we find by experience that professors are apt to be at a great loss in, while they are in this world: the worship of God, and their own troubles. For the first, we see and find that woeful variance that is among all sorts of men; and for the latter, we are apt ourselves to be much bewildered in them, as unto our duty and our way. Now all this uncertainty ariseth from the want of a due attendance unto Jesus Christ as our guide. In reference unto both these, he hath peculiarly promised his presence with us. With the dispensers of the word he hath promised to be unto the end of the world, or consummation of all things, Matt. xxvii. 29. And we find “him walking in the midst of his golden candlesticks, Rev. i. In that allegorical description of the gospel church-state and worship, which we have in Ezekiel, there is a peculiar place assigned unto the prince. Now one end of his presence is, to see that all things are done according to his mind and will. And unto whom should we go but unto himself alone? His word here will prove the best directory, and his Spirit the best guide. If we neglect these, to attend unto the wisdom of men, we shall wander in uncertainties all our days. It is so also in respect of our troubles; we are ready in them fo consult with flesh and blood, to look after the examples of others, to take the advice that comes next to hand; when the Lord Christ hath promised his presence with us in them all, and that as the Captain of our salvation. And if we neglect him, his example, his direction, his teaching, it is no wonder if we pine away under our distresses.

II. We may observe, that the Lord Jesus Christ being priest, sacrifice, and altar himself, the offering whereby he was consecrated unto the perfection and complement of his office, was of necessity to be part of that work, which as our priest and mediator he was to undergo and perform. |'When other typical priests were to be consecrated, there was an offering of beasts appointed for that purpose, and an altar to offer on, and a person to consecrate them. But all this was to be done in and by Jesus Christ himself. Even the Father is said to consecrate him, but upon the account of his designing him and appointing him unto this office; but his immediate actual consecration was his own work, which he performed when he offered himself through the eternal Spirit. By his death and suffering, which he underwent in the discharge of his office, and as a priest therein offered himself unto God, he was dedicated and consecrated unto the perfection of his office. This would require our further explication in this place, but that it will again occur unto us more directly.