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iv. 1. See 2 Tim. i. 8; Philem. 9. This kind of punishment for the profession of the gospel began early in the world, and it hath continued throughout all ages, being most frequent in the days wherein we live. But the word of God, as the apostle speaks, is not bound, 2 Tim. ii. 9. The devil was never able, by this means, to obscure the light, or stop the progress of the gospel, nor ever shall be so. He and his agents do but labour in vain. Men may, but the word of God cannot be bound. Those therefore that were in bonds, were all that were in prison for the profession of the gospel. And observe,

Obs. I. If we be called unto this kind of suffering, let us not think strange of it: it is no new thing in the world.

Obs. II. Bonds and imprisonment for the truth, were consecrated to God, and made honourable by the bonds and imprisonment of Christ himself, and commended unto the church in all ages, by the bonds and imprisonment of the apostles, and primitive witnesses of the truth.

Obs. III. It is better, more safe, and honourable, to be in bonds with, and for Christ, than to be at liberty with a brutish, raging, persecuting world.

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Secondly. The duty enjoined with respect unto those that are bound, is, that we remember them,' or 'be mindful of them,' μμvnokεode. It seems those that are at liberty are apt to forget Christ's prisoners, that they had need to be enjoined to be mindful of them; and for the most part they are so; and we are said to remember them, as we are desired to remember the poor; that is, so to think of them, as to relieve them according to our ability. It is better expressed by being mindful of them, which carries a respect unto the whole duty required of us, and all the parts or acts of it. And they are many : I shall name the principal of them.

1. The first is, care about their persons and concerns, opposed to that regardlessness which is apt to possess the minds of those that are at ease, and, as they suppose, free from danger. This the apostle commends in the Philippians, ch. iv. 10.

2. Compassion; included in the manner of the duty following, 'As if you were bound with them.' This he commends in these Hebrews with respect unto himself, ch. x. 34, Ye had compassion of me in my bonds;' see the exposition. And this he enjoins on them with respect unto others in the same condition. It is a great relief unto innocent sufferers, that there are those who really pity them, and have compassion on them, although they have no actual help thereby. And the want of it is expressed as a great aggravation of the sufferings of our Saviour himself, Ps. lxix. 20, 'I looked for some to take pity, and there was none; and for comforters, but I found none.'

3. Prayer; as it was in the case of Peter when he was in bonds, Acts xii. 12. And indeed this is the principal way wherein we ought to be mindful of them that are in bonds; that which testifies our faith, sincerity, and interest, in the same common cause with them, as gives life and efficacy unto every other thing that we do in their behalf.

4. Assisting of them, as unto what may be wanting unto their relief, unto the utmost of our ability and opportunity. Those who are prisoners for the gospel, do not usually suffer only in their restraint,

Wants and straits, with respect unto their relations and families, do usually accompany them. To be mindful of them as we ought to be, is to supply their wants according to our ability.

5. Visiting of them, is in an especial manner required hereunto, which the Lord Christ calls the visiting of himself in prison, Matt. xxv. 36, 43. And in the primitive times, there were some designed to visit those who were in prison, which they did frequently, unto the danger, sometimes unto the loss of their lives.

These, and the like duties in particular, are contained in the present injunction. And it is a signal evidence of grace in the church, and of all professors in their particular capacities, when they are thus mindful of those that are in bonds on the account of the gospel, as it is an argument of a hypocritical state when men, being satisfied with their own liberties and enjoyments, are careless of the bonds of others; see I Cor. xii. 25, 26. And,

Obs. IV. Whilst God is pleased to give grace and courage unto some to suffer for the gospel unto bonds, and to others to perform this duty towards them, the church will be no loser by suffering.

Obs. V. When some are tried as unto their constancy in bonds, others are tried as unto their sincerity in the discharge of the duties required of them. And,

Obs. VI. Usually more fail in neglect of their duty towards sufferers, and so fall from their profession, than do so fail under, and on the account of their sufferings.

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Thirdly. We are thus to be mindful of them that are bound, &c ovvdedeμevoi, as bound with them.' To be mindful of them, as bound with them, is an act of union with them. And this is threefold between suffering believers, and those that are at liberty. 1. Mystical, an union of conjunction in the same mystical body. Being both sorts members of the same body, when one suffers, the others do so also, as the apostle disputes, 1 Cor. xii. 25, 26. And this some think is intended peculiarly by the next clause, of being in the body.' But this union alone will not answer the expression; for men may be in the same body, and yet be negligent of their duty. 2. An union of sympathy or compassion; an union by spiritual affection from a spiritual cognation. Hereby our minds are really affected with grief, sorrow, and trouble at their sufferings, as if they were our own; as if we felt their chains, were restrained in their durance. 3. An union of interest in the same cause. Those who are free, are equally engaged in the same cause, in all the good and evil of it, with them that are in bonds. These things give us the measure of our suffering with others, the frame of our minds, and the principle of our acting toward them. Wherefore,

To suffer with them that are bound, as if we were ourselves in bonds with them, requires, 1. An union in the same mystical body, as fellowmembers of it with them. 2. The acting of the same common principle of spiritual life in them and us. 3. A compassion really affecting our minds with that kind of trouble and sorrow which are the effect of suffering. 4. A joint interest with them in the same common cause for which they suffer. 5. A discharge of the duties towards them before mentioned. And where it is not thus with us, it argues a great decay

in the power of religion. And there are none who are more severely reflected on, than those who are at ease while the church is in affliction, Ps. cxxiii. 4; Zech. i. 15.

Having given an especial instance of the exercise of brotherly love towards sufferers for the gospel, namely, the prisoners of Christ, towards whom especial duties are required, that we may not suppose our love and duty with respect unto suffering to be confined unto them alone, he adds unto them, under the charge of our mindfulness, all that undergo evil, or trouble of any sort for the profession of the gospel; and of them which suffer adversity,' &c.

And there is, in the remaining words of this verse, 1. A designation of the persons in general whom we ought to be mindful of; and, 2. A motive unto the duty required of us.

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First. The persons designed are those that suffer adversity: those that are vexed, pressed, troubled with things evil, grievous, and hard to be borne. For the word includes both the things themselves undergone; they are evil and grievous;' and the frame of men's minds in the undergoing of them; they are 'pressed, vexed, and troubled with them.' The word is of a large signification, as large as we interpret it, 'that suffer adversity,' extending itself unto all that is adverse or grievous unto us, as sickness, pain, losses, want, and poverty, as well as other things. But it is here to be restrained unto those evils which men undergo for the profession of the gospel. And unto all sorts of them it is to be extended; such are reproaches, contempt, scorn, turning out of secular employments, spoiling of goods, stigmatizing, taking away of children, banishment, every thing which we may undergo in and for our profession. Of all who are pressed or distressed with any of these, we are enjoined to be mindful, and that as unto all the ends and purposes before mentioned, according to our ability and opportunity. And by the distinction here used by the apostle between those that are in bonds and those who suffer other adversities, yet both laid under the same charge as unto our remembrance, we are taught, that,

Obs. VII. Although there are peculiar duties required of us towards those who suffer for the gospel in an eminent manner, as unto bonds; yet are we not thereon discharged from the same kind of duties towards those who suffer in lesser degrees, and other things. We are apt to think ourselves released from any consideration of sufferings seemingly of an inferior nature, if it may be we have had regard unto some prisoners, or the like; and,

Obs. VIII. Not only those who are in bonds for the gospel, or suffer to a high degree in their persons, are under the especial care of Christ, but those also who suffer in any other kind whatever, though the world may take little notice of them; and therefore are they all of them commended unto our especial remembrance.

Obs. IX. Professors of the gospel are exempted from no sorts of adversity, from nothing that is evil and grievous unto the outward man in this world; and therefore ought we not to think strange when we fall

into them.

Secondly. The motive added unto the diligent discharge of the duty enjoined, is, ὡς και that we ourselves are

αυτοί οντες εν σώματι,

also in the body.' There is a threefold probable interpretation of these words. The first is, that by the body, the mystical body of Christ, or the church, is intended. Whereas we are members of the same mystical body with them that suffer, it is just, equal, and necessary that we should be mindful of them in their sufferings. This is the exposition of Calvin; and it seems to have great countenance given unto it by the discourse of the apostle to this purpose, 1 Cor. xii. 13, 14, 26, Whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it.' There is, therefore, a truth in this exposition, though I conceive it be not directly intended in this place. Another is that of Beza, both in his translation and annotations; for in his translation he adds to the text for its exposition, afflicti, as if you yourselves were afflicted in the body.' And he expounds it, as if we suffered the same calamity.' And he gives this reason of his interpretation, namely, that whereas in the former clause we are enjoined to be mindful of them that are in bonds, as if we were bound with them; so in this to be mindful of them that suffer adversity, as if we suffered in our own bodies with them.' But neither do I think this reason cogent. For it is indeed those who are bound that suffer in the body in an especial manner; and in this latter exposition, those are intended who suffer in any other way. Wherefore, the common interpretation of the words is most suited unto the scope of the place. The apostle reminds those who are yet at liberty, and free from troubles or afflictions, such as others are pressed and perplexed withal, of what is their own state and condition; namely, that as yet they are in the body, that is, in the state of natural life which is exposed to the same calamities which others of their brethren do undergo. Whence is it that Satan and the world have this advantage against them, as to load, oppress, and vex them with all manner of evils, as they do? It is from hence alone, that they are yet in that state of being in this life natural, which is subject and obnoxious unto all these sufferings. Were they once freed from the body, the life which they lead in it in this world, none of these things could reach unto them or touch them. Whereas, therefore, you are yet in the same state of natural life with them, equally exposed unto all the sufferings which they undergo, be they of what kind they will, and have no assurance that you shall be always exempted from them, this ought to be a motive unto you to be mindful of them in their present sufferings. And this is the sense of the place. And we may observe from hence,

Obs. X. That we have no security of freedom from any sort of suffering for the gospel, whilst we are in this body, or during the continuance of our natural lives. Ante obitum nemo. Heaven is the only state of everlasting rest. Whilst we have our bodily eyes, all tears will not be wiped from them.

Obs. XI. We are not only exposed unto afflictions during this life, but we ought to live in the continual expectation of them, so long as there are any in the world who do actually suffer for the gospel. Not to expect our share in trouble and persecution, is a sinful security, proceeding from very corrupt principles of mind, as may be easily disco

vered on due examination.

Obs. XII. The knowledge that we ourselves are continually obnoxious

unto sufferings, no less than they who do actually suffer, ought to incline our minds unto a diligent consideration of them in their sufferings, so as to discharge all duties of love and helpfulness towards them.

Obs. XIII. Unless it do so, we can have no evidence of our present interest in the same mystical body with them, nor just expectation of any compassion or relief from others, when we ourselves are called unto sufferings. When we are called to suffer, it will be a very severe selfreflection if we must charge ourselves with want of due compassion and fellow-feeling with those who were in that condition before us.

These are some instances of the acts and duties of that brotherly love which is required among Christians; that love which is so much talked of, so much pretended unto by some who would have it consist in a compliance with all sorts of men, good and bad, in some outward religious rites, unto the ruin of religion, which indeed is already almost lost in the world.

VER. 4.—Τιμιος ὁ γαμος εν πασι, και ἡ κοιτη αμιαντος πόρνους δε και μοιχους κρινει ὁ Θεός.

'O yauos, conjugium, connubium, 'marriage, wedlock, the state of it.' Ev Tao. Syr. 55, In omnibus. Bez. Inter quosvis, inter omnes, so is εv commonly used for inter.

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Korn, Thorus, cubile. Syr. 1, et cubile eorum, and their bed. For so it reads this sentence, Marriage is honourable in all, and their bed, 77, is pure, undefiled;' which, as I judge, well determines the reading and sense of the words.

Пoovovç. Vul. Fornicatores. Bez. Scortatores; which we render 'whoremongers,' not amiss. The difference between them and μoxovs we shall see.

μοιχους

Κρίνει. Syr. 7, judicat; judicaturus est, judicabit, damnabit. Bez. Arab. Marriage is every way honourable, and the bed thereof is pure.'

VER. 4.-Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled; but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.

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There is a double difficulty in the translations of the words of the first propositions, arising from a double defect in the original. The first is of the verb substantive or the copula of the proposition, which some supply by tort, 'is;' others by EσTw, let it be,' or be accounted. The other is from the defect of the noun substantive, which waσt, 'all,' refers unto. Some supply 'men;' 'in all sorts of men,' others things,' or ' every manner of way.' For the first, the most of late incline to make it preceptive, and not judicative: let it be,' 'let it be so esteemed.' We follow Beza, and render it indicatively, it is;' 'marriage is honour able.'

The sole reason used by any for the former interpretation, is, that the duties mentioned both before and after, are expressed preceptively by way of command in words imperative; and there is no reason why this should be inserted in another form. The Vulgar supplies not the de

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