Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

escape. It is good enough to affright men with these things, but God intends not so to deal with them. Whatever the threatening be, many things may intervene to prevent their execution. What God promiseth indeed, shall come to pass, we may expect it and look for it. But as for these threatenings they depend on so many conditions, and may so easily at any time be evaded, as that there is no great fear of their execution. But what is the ground of this feigned difference between the promises and threatenings of God, as to their stability, certainty, and accomplishment? Where is the difference between the two clauses in that text; "he that believeth shall be saved," and "he that believeth not shall be damned?" Is not the holiness of God and his faithfulness as much concerned in the comminatory as in the promissory part of his word? Would not a failure in the one be as prejudicial to his glory as a failure in the other? The principles from which his threatenings proceed, are no less essential properties of his nature, than those which are springs of his promises. And his declaration of them is no less accompanied with the engagement of his veracity and faithfulness, than that of the other. And the end aimed at in them is no less necessary to the demonstration of his glory, than that which he designeth in his promises. And we see, in this particular instance, that they are also confirmed with the oath of God, even as his promises are. And let none think that this was an extraordinary case, and concerned only the men of that generation; this oath of God is part of his law, it abides for ever; and all that fall into the like sin with them, attended with the like circumstances, do fall under the same oath of God; he swears concerning them, that they shall not enter into his rest. And we little know how many are even in this world in this predicament,

the oath of God lying against them for their eternal punishment. Let men take heed of this great selfdeceiving; and let them not be mockers in this matter lest their bonds be made strong; for,

$50. Obs. 32. When men have provoked God by their impenitency to decree their irrevocable punishment, they will find severity in the execution. They shall not enter, no not so much as enter into his rest. Behold, saith our apostle, the severity of God; towards them that fell severity, Rom. xi, 22. Men will find that there is severity in the execution, who despised the threatening; and that it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. When sinners shall see the whole creation on fire about them, hell opening under them, and the glorious dreadful Judge over them, they will begin to have a due apprehension of his terror. But then cries, repentings, and wailings will be of no use. This is the time and place for such considerations, not when the sentence is executed, nor when it is irrevocably confirmed.

$51. Obs. 33. It is the presence of God alone that renders any place or condition good or desirable. They shall not, saith God, enter into "my rest." This makes heaven to be heaven, and the church to be a desirable place; every thing answers the manner and measure of the presence of God. of God. And with this Moses expressly preferred the wilderness before Canaan. "If thy presence go not with us, lead us not up hence.'

"

[ocr errors][merged small]

Take heed brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.

§1, 2. (L.) The words explained. §3. Unbelief is either negative, or privative. $4. The unbelief intended consists in either, 1. Refusing to believe, or, $5.2. Rejecting the faith. $6. Which operates in a dislike of gospel purity, and $7. Of gospel mysteries. 8. The special evil is, a departure from the living God. /§9—14. (IL) Observations,

§1. In the three following verses there are three things in general proposed:

First, An exhortation to avoid an evil, even that which it is the apostle's principal design to dissuade them from, ver. 12,

Secondly, A proposal of one useful means whereby they may be assisted in its avoidance, ver. 18.

Thirdly, An enforcement of the exhortation to the use of that means, from sundry considerations, ver. 14.

$2. (I.) "Take heed lest there be in any of you." The original term (BAET) is properly (video) to see and behold, as an act of sense; then (caveo) to take heed, or beware, as an act of the mind; and when used as an act of sense, it commonly refers to expectation, either of some good to be received, or of some inconvenience to be watched against. And because men look out, or look about them, to beware of dangers, the word is used for "to take heed," or "beware." In this sense it is often used in the New Testament, yea, so far as I have observed, it is peculiar to the sacred writers; and especially it is frequently used by our apostle, as 1 Cor. i, 26; chap. x, 10; Phil. iii, 2; Eph. v, 18; Col. ii, 8; and sometimes it is used transitively instead of to consider, 1 Cor. i, 26, "Consider your calling;" chap. x, 18, "Consider Israel according to the flesh." Sometimes it is has a reciprocal pronoun joined with it; (Bλetele eavl86) 2 John, viii, "Consider

[blocks in formation]

or look well to yourselves." Sometimes it is used ab. solutely, as here, and signifies to beware of somewhat. Care, heedfulness, circumspection with respect to danger and opposition, and those imminent or near, is that which the word imports: "Lest there be in any of you." The first word (μrole) is somewhat more emphatical than the "lest," whereby alone we render it. Some translations say (ne forte,) lest perchance, with respect to a dubious event. Others, (ne quando) lest at any time. Lest "there be (EV TIVI Up.wv) in any of you; the apostle speaks to them collectively to take care that none be found amongst them with such an heart as he cautions them against. And this consequentially falls on every individual; for when all are spoken to, each one is concerned. The same kind of expression is used to the same purpose, chap. xii, 15, 6. Watching, overseeing mutually with diligence, lest any among you fail of the grace of God, lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled; lest there be any fornicator or profane person as Esau,

§3. The principle of the evil is "an evil heart of unbelief;" (Tns ariolas) of unbelief, here denotes the principal efficient cause, rendering the heart so evil, as that it should depart from the living God. There is something peculiar in this expression, "an heart of unbelief;" this, under the power of it, principled by it in its actings. Unbelief is usually distinguished into negative and privative. Negative unbelief is wherever any believe not, or have not faith, although they never had the means of believing; and such cannot be said to have in them an "evil heart of unbelief." Privative unbelief is where men believe not, although they enjoy the means of faith or believing; and herein consists the highest acting of the depraved nature of man, being

on many accounts the greatest provocation of God that a creature can make himself guilty of. For it is, as might be manifested, an opposition to God in all the properties of his nature, and in the whole revelation of his will. Hence the gospel, which is a declaration of of grace, mercy, and pardon, though it condemn all sin, yet denounceth the final condemnation of persons only against this sin. "He that believeth shall be saved, and he that believeth not shall be damned," Mark xvi, 16.

§4. Now this privative unbelief (which the apostle intends) is twofold, and consists, first, in refusing to believe when it is required; secondly, in rejecting the faith after it hath been received. We shall consider both:

1. When the object of faith, or that which is to be believed, is according to the mind of God, and in the ways of his appointment, proposed to men; when sufficient evidence is given to the truth and goodness of what is so proposed, and the authority is made known on which faith is required, yet they refuse to believe. Now as this hath its root in the natural darkness, blind- · ness, and depravedness of the minds of men, so it is not educed and acted without new sinful prejudices, and stubbornness of the will, refusing to consider the evidences given to the truth proposed, or the goodness and excellency of the things themselves; nor is it acted without signal effects of hardness of heart, love of sin and pleasure, keeping men off from the obedience required. The root of this unbelief is in the original depravation of our natures with that spiritual impotency, and enmity to God, wherein it consists. Besides this general cause of unbelief, when it comes to particular instances, and the gospel is proposed to this or that man for his assent and submission, there is always some

« AnteriorContinuar »