THREE SERMONS ON HEB.
1. 1, 2.
SERMON I.
"God, who at sundry times, and in divers manners, spake in
time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto
us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made
the worlds." - HEB. I. 1, 2.
I will not spend much time to shew who is the author of
this Epistle, which indeed among divines is doubtful; our translation hath
prefixed Paul's name to it, being most probable that it is his. And though the
author of it be not certainly known, yet it is not to be excluded from the
canon, for there are other books of Scripture that the authors of them are not
known, or at least not prefixed by themselves; as the Epistles of John, his
name is not mentioned in them; prefixed it is by the church, from one age to
another, known by the style that it is his. The reason why I chose to speak out
of this epistle is, because it doth mention and speak of Christ and of his
offices, but especially of his priesthood, more than any other book of
Scripture I know. I will not profess an exact handling of all things therein
contained, but raise here and there some observations and meditations.
The
scope of the apostle may appear, if we consider to whom he wrote he wrote to
the Hebrews, which were Jews. He did not write to the Hebrews not yet
converted, as may appear by all the passages in the whole Epistle. But he spake
to those that had been already enlightened and knew Christ, that had
entertained the doctrine of the gospel. And this we may observe, that no book
of the Scripture was written to any other but professors, believers, not to
unbelievers. Now the Jews did stick most to the law, ceremonies, and legal
sacrifices, all which were but types of Christ, and they were ignorant of the
true excellency, nature, worth, and prerogative of Christ revealed to them, and
especially of his priesthood and sacrifice which he offered up above all the
rest. The apostle's scope is to set up the gospel above the law, to raise up
their hearts to a high esteem of Christ, to shew that Christ was the end of the
ceremonial law; so that all types should now cease. And because he wrote to the
Jews in that regard, whatsoever he doth speak he doth prove out of the Old
Testament through the whole book, and it is qnoted upon all occasions; because
the Old Testament had authority with the Jews, and he doth make everywhere now
and then a short use of the doctrinal points he doth deliver. He doth spend
this chapter to prove that the Lord Jesus Christ was God as well as man, and he
doth make this short use of it, chap. ii., ver. 1, Therefore we ought to
give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard.'
The first chapter
doth prove that the Lord Jesus Christ is more than a man; though he speaks
something of him in this first chapter, which belongs to him only as God, yet
all the rest that he speaks of him as mediator doth argue him to be more than a
man. The second chapter proves him to be man, so that as you have the scope of
the two first chapters, so of the whole epistle.
In the first verse he
breaks in upon the argument of the whole epistle, being to advance the gospel,
and Christ and the doctrine of the gospel, before the doctrine of the law, and
that by reason of Christ revealed in it, and Christ revealing it.
He makes
a comparison between the times of the law and the time of the gospel, and he
prefers the time of the gospel before the time of the law; God spake unto
the fathers by the prophets, but unto us by his Son.' Now look, how much the
Son of God doth exceed the prophets, so much the doctrine of the gospel the
doctrine of the law ; and look, how much the sun, which is the fountain of
light, doth exceed the stars, and the light of the sun the light of the stars,
so much doth the light that Christ hath brought us in the gospel exceed the
light of the law.
Secondly, he spake to the fathers but by degrees,
by parcels;' they had a little light now, and anon a little more light,
but they had not all at once. But in the time of the gospel all is poured out
to you at once.
Thirdly, under the time of the law the Lord did speak by
several ways and manners, but now ye have but one way, and that a plain way.
Before, in the Old Testament, he revealed himself obscurely, he was fain to
mould his speech into many forms. As men, when they have notions that are
something obscure, are fain to use several expressions to make them plain, so
the law being dark and obscure, God was fain to deliver it several manner of
ways, as in a riddle, by Urim and Thummim, by the prophets, &e. ; but
now he speaks,' plainly and clearly, by his Son;' therefore he is called
the brightness of his glory,' the image, the character, and lively expression
of God.
Obs. 1. The same God that spake in the Old Testament speaks
in the New ; he that spake to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, he speaks to you now;
that God that spake by the prophets, speaks now by his Son ; therefore
certainly the faith of the fathers is not contradictory to the faith of us.
Heb. xiii., Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, to-day, and the same for
ever ; the same Christ from the begiuning of the world, the same God that
spake ; therefore all the promises that are in the Old Testament, ye may apply
them all now. Why? Because it is the same God which spake to them, and speaks
now to us; that God that heard the prayers of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the
Old Testament, and granted their petitions, with whom they were so familiar; we
may have fellowship with the same God. That promise that was made to Joshua in
particular, I will not leave thee nor forsake thee,' chap. i. the
apostle, Heb. xi., doth apply to all believers; and it is founded upon this,
that the same God which spake in the Old Testament, speaks in the New. Look
over all the Old Testament, and look what a God you find him there, the same
God you shall find him in the New. Look what punishments he brought on them of
the old world, the same he will now. And look how he dealt with his servants,
as he was angry with Moses for a small sin, so in the same manner he will deal
with you, if you walk in the same ways. And as he pardoned men under the Old
Testament, so also will he under the New. And as we have the same God, so we
have the same faith, 2 Cor. iv. 13, We have the spirit of faith,'
&e.;
Obs. 2. Onr great God doth not speak immediately unto men,
but immediately by others. Before, he spake to men by his prophets, but now by
his Son, who took our nature upon him, that he might be a fit speaker. As we
cannot see God and live, so we cannot hear God and live. The Lord, when he
delivered his law, began first to speak himself, and the people hear his own
voice, Deut. xviii. 15, 16, Exod. xx., but the people could not hear God's
voice, for they said to Moses, Speak thou with us and we will hear but
let not God speak with us, lest we die.' They being sinners, as we are, they
were not able to hear God from heaven, for his voice speaks thunder, and
striketh dead. Upon this request that the people made to Moses, see what God
says, Deut. xviii. 17, They have well spoken that which they have
spoken. Therefore what will he do? I will raise them up a prophet from amongst
their brethren,' &c. See his mercy; upon their request he takes an
advantage of promising the Messias, being one of the clearest promises that
they had till now. It is true, he would send many prophets before, as
forerunners of Christ, but in the end he would send Christ, which should be a
prophet like unto Moses, to speak unto them, &c. God doth take advantages
to make promises, when the poor people did shiver and quake, because God spake
to them. What doth he promise? He promises Christ. Thus the Lord takes a small
occasion to make the greatest promise of Christ.
Use 1. Therefore,
seeing the Lord, when he doth speak, doth speak by others, and tbere is a great
deal of reason for it, because it is your own request, let not God fare the
worse in delivering his word; do not contemn it because men are fain to deliver
it to you, for it is your own request. If he should speak himself, he would
strike you dead at every word; therefore do not take advantage because God doth
not back it with thunder, but receive the word as the word of God; for God
himself would speak to you, if you were able to bear him ; but because you are
not, therefore he speaks by others.
Use 2. It should teach
ministers not to abuse God's voice ; they should take heed that they speak
nothing but what God hath revealed. Though false prophets speak what is
contrary to God's will, and God hear for a while and doth not manifest his
wrath (for be can for a while dispense with himself), yet the time will come
when God's wrath shall wax hot against them. They are not to abuse the people
in venting their own thoughts instead of God's. For see what God says of such,
Dent. xviii. 20, That prophet that shall presume to speak a word in my
name which I have not commanded him to speak, even that prophet shall die.
Obs. 3. God spake in his prophets; we translate it by them, but the
onginal is in them. A king, though he be never so far off, and is not by to
back it, yet he may be said to speak by, though not in the ambassador; but when
the Lord speaks by his faithful ministers, he doth not only sit in heaven, and
speaks by them, but be speaks in them, assisting them; he is in their hearts,
and upon their tongue, God goes along with the word into the hearts of the
hearers.
Use. Lest ministers therefore labour to get the Holy Ghost
into their own hearts, that he may not only speak by them (for so he doth by
wicked men), but in them, that that Spirit which takes possession of them as
saints may speak in them as ministers, that so the word which they deliver may
be the adminisration' of the Spirit to the hearts of those that hear them.
Obs. 4. We come to the manner how God spake to them of old, he spake, by
parcels, by piecemeal, by many parts, for so the word signifies. The Lord at
first brought in but one promise, and that obscure; he let drop but one word to
Adam in paradise of the promised seed, He gave only an intimation, a hint that
there should a Messias come. Then he went on further, and when he came to
Abraham he renewed that promise, and added a little more, Heb. vi. 18, he added
an oath; and he shewed to Abraham, not only that he should be a man, but that
he should come of his seed, and that in him all the nations of the earth
should be blessed;' thus he enlarged the former promise. Bn all this while
there was no sacrament; here was a promise and. au oath, but no sacrament; then
he goes on and gives Abraham circumcision, which answers to our baptism;
afterwards he adds the passover, which answers to the supper of the Lord; and
then he reveals to Moses divers types of the ceremonial law. Then he reveals
more clearly te David the resurrection and ascension of Christ; then to Isaiah,
that he should be born of a virgin, chap. liii., that he should be circumcised,
that he should bear our sorrows, and be a man of sorrows,' and pour
out his soul even unto death.' Unto Zechariah he revealed his poverty, and unto
Malachi his forerunner. Thus by piecemeals he reveals, not all at once. The old
world began with a little knowledge; they had the worship of God and the
sacrifices, and they knew the day of judgment, as Enoch the seventh from Adam
prophesied of it. They knew some fundamental truths, the grounds of faith, but
they knew Christ by piecemeal. They knew something of themselves, because Adam
fell but the other day; but they knew little of Christ, that was revealed unto
them by piecemeal.
Thus the Lord doth use to reveal himself; he hath done
thus with the church in general. Although he did reveal all, for the matter
contained in the New Testament, that shall be revealed to the end of the world,
yet in regard of the light whereby this is discerned, God hath gone on by
piecemeal. Consider the recovery of the light of the gospel from under popery,
how it was by piecemeal. Men at first knew but a little, their hearts were only
set against images and popery, they knew but a few pieces of the truth; but
Wickliffe and John Huss went further. In Luther's time they knew justification
by faith, and then popery fell down about Luther's ears, and he said, if they
would grant that he would go on further; but when God had unreaved all the
tiles, that popery was ready to be pulled down, then Calvin comes in, and more
was revealed.
Thus God doth go on to reveal himself; and as he dealt with
the people of the Jews in regard of the matter, and as with us for the manner
(for the Jews had the matter revealed to them by piecemeal, but we had the
matter given at once), so with particular Christians, he doth discover to them
first themselves, and then they think that at their first conversion they see a
great deal in their hearts; yet he goes on further to reveal more corruption
unto them, and then he reveals Christ and his electing love to them, he leads
them like scholars through several forms; and though at first in the centre,
they know all that is necessary to salvation, yet things are beaten out
afterwards unto a circumference. They know enough of Christ at first to save
them, and of themselves enough to humble them; yet God suffers the wheel to go
over them again and again. In reading the Scripture, observe it; read a chapter
to-day, and when a man getteth his heart into a spiritual frame he will see
many truths; let him read it the next day, and he will see something more,
&c.: the reason is because God reveals himself by piecemeal.
Reason. Because indeed men are incapable of all at once, John xvi.
12. Our Saviour, though he came to reveal all fulness, yet how incapable were
the apostles to apprehend it. He was fain to deliver over some of them to the
Comforter. Paul, when he came to preach to the Corinthians, 1 Cor. iii. 2, he
had many truths which he could not reveal unto them, for so long as they were
carnal they were not capable of all truths, but as the flesh is emptying out of
a man, so knowledge grows; so Isa. xxviii. 13, he was fain to speak by
piecemeal, line upon line, and precept upon precept;' as ye teach young
children a little now and a little then, for they cannot endure to be held long
to their books; so is God fain to do with his. And as in teaching young
scholars, what do tutors? They do read over first a compendium, some short
grounds of logic, and then another book which is a systema, and then
direct them to such commentaries that do enlarge truths. So God doth teach
first by catechisms, which contain short fundamental truths, and then he goes
over many truths in a larger manner in their hearts. A painter draws at the
first but a few lines with a black coal; he will draw the shape of a man's
face, but afterwards he goeth over it with colours and oil; so God doth with
his church, and with private men, even as a master doth with his apprentice, he
will not teach him all his knowledge at first, but he reserves something, that
happily he will not teach him before he be to go out of his trade, he teacheth
him by degrees; so God hath bound himself by covenant to teach you to know him;
but something ye shall not know till you are to go from under his tuition. And
this he doth, first, to humble his people; he will have them know but in part.
Though young converts have but a little knowledge, how proud are they! Much
more if they had all at once.
And likewise, secondly, to show the
treasures in himself. In Christ are treasures that will hold digging to the end
of the world; men would be weary if they had the same light still, therefore
God goes on to discover, though the same truth, yet with new and diverse
lights. Thus God reveals himself by piecemeals.
Use 1. Let us
labour to grow in knowledge; God reveals himself by piecemeal, do not therefore
stick in the first principles of religion; it is the apostle's exhortation to
the Hebrews, chap. vi. There is a great deal of ignorance, therefore labour to
go on to perfection, and grow in Christ; he reveals himself by piecemeal, not
as if he had already obtained; therefore there is more knowledge to be had; the
greatest part of that you know is the least part of what you know not.
Use 2. It may teach ministers to raise the age that they live in, in
knowledge, though of the same truths, in a clearer manner, Mat. xiii. 52. It is
said he that is a right scribe, that is fit to do service in the church of God,
is like a householder, which bringeth forth things new and old; there is no
than but God discovereth to him more, or the same by a further light, than to
another.
Use 3. It may humble young Christians, that think, when
they are first converted, that they have all knowledge, and therefore take upon
them to censure men that have been long in Christ; and out of their own
experience they will frame opinions, comparing but a few notes together. Alas,
ye know but a piece of what you shall know! When you have been in Christ ten or
twenty years, then speak; then those opinions which you have now will fall off,
and experience will shew them to be false. They think themselves as Paul, that
nothing can be added unto them; but what says Paul, 1 Cor. xiii. 11? When
I was a child,' &c. He takes a comparison from a child, as being a man, but
raised up to his spiritual estate, and thou also wilt then put away
childish things.'
Use 4. If God in former ages did reveal himself
but by piecemeal, and if that piecemeal knowledge, which they had by inch and
inch, did make them holy; for how holy was Enoch and Abraham that had but one
promise; then how much more holy should we be, that have had so full a
discovery! If one promise wrought so much on their hearts, how much more should
so many promises on ours!
Use 5. Here we see that God doth work on
men by degrees. It is Solomon's comparison, that righteousness shineth as the
dawning of the day, till it come to perfect day. Conversion out of the state of
nature into the state of grace is called coming out of darkness into
light.' Now light comes into the world by degrees. A man that sitteth up in the
night, when the first break of day is he cannot discern; but half, or a quarter
of an hour after he begins to see light. Thus it is with many poor souls; they
have light break in upon them; they can tell that they were in darkness, but
the instant when this light brake in they know not, because God reveals himself
by degrees.
I am now to shew how God reveals himself. He did cast himself
and his revelations into several moulds and shapes, into several ways of
expressing himself, that so he might reveal himself to the people. As Ulysses
was able to cast himself into several moulds in his several dealings with men,
so likewise God hath revealed himself after several ways.
Thus he did under
the Old Testament. In Hos. xii. 10 it is said, that he multiplied
visions,' because he was various in it; he used divers likenesses and
expressions of himself while he spake by the prophets. We have it more plain in
Num. xii. 6, If there be a prophet among you, I the Lord will make myself
known to him in a vision, and will speak to him in a dream.' Thus you see that
there are several ways that God did speak to men by, by visions and dreams, and
in dark speeches; but when he came to Moses, who was a type of Christ (for he
is said to be a type in this particular, when it is said, I will raise up
a prophet like unto thee'), it is said, that he spake to him mouth to
mouth, as a man speaks to his friend,' Num. xii. 8, he speaks to him in an
apparent manner; but by all the prophets he did speak in dark speeches, in
riddles. So in the vision of the great eagle, Ezek. xvii. 2, it is called a
riddle. He spake sometimes by visions and sometime by dreams; yet the visions
were more clear things than speaking by dreams; therefore it is said, The
young men shall see visions, and the old men shall dream dreams;' the
young men had more acute parts, and therefore they had more clear revelation.
Thus God reveal himself to Joseph in dreams, and therefore he is called the
dreamer, of his brethren; yet it is called the word of God,' Pa. cv. 19.
So a hint in prayer, when it comes in with evidence, it is the word of God, as
that was to Joseph. He did reveal himself by dreams, to shew, first, that he
can do that which no other teacher in the world can; for no teacher else can
teach their scholar when they are asleep, but so the Lord did, and so he can
still do. Secondly, he did it, to shew that, in revealing his message, reason
should be asleep, and that should be subject to the revelation of God. He
revealed himself likewise by visions, and in thst regard the prophets are
called Seers; and he revealed himself likewise by Urim and Thummim; only those
revelations were not for matter of doctrine, but of practice, when they were to
deal in such and such a business. He revealed himself likewise by types; all
the ceremonial law was but types of things to come. All these several ways did
the Lord reveal himself to men in former times, The reasons of it are these.
Reason 1. Because he would shew forth, as the apostle in another
case, Eph. iii. 10, his manifold wisdom.' It is the property and ability
of a wise man to be able to represent himself several ways, and God hath always
delighted so to do when he would reveal himself. He went two ways to work
revealing himself: First, in the work of creation, Rom. i. 20, it is said, that
the invisible things of God are seen clearly, being understood by the things
that are made,' &c.; yet this light is but a dark light. And therefore,
secondly, he revealed himself in the law, wherein the image of his holiness,
justice, and wisdom appeared. And theae two things are the angels' catechisms
(as I may so call them), which they and the old world have studied a long time;
and in the end there came out another edition of himself, and all that is in
him, and that is the gospel; and the text saith that he hath done this, to shew
forth his manifold wisdom. Thus God hath more ways than one to represent
himself to the people.
Reason 2. Secondly, because there are
varieties of apprehensions; one man will be more taken by one way of revealing,
and another by another. Thus the wise men were led to Christ by a star, God
working on them according to their apprehensions. So the apostles, being
fishermen, when they had caught a great draught of fish, Christ spake to them
in their own language, and said Follow me, and I will make you fishers of
men.' Now there are several gifts in the church, which are but so many several
ways of God's revealing himself; and as in ministers there are several gifts,
so in the hearers there are several apprehensions; some love a rousing
ministry, others a more rational. As men's apprehensions are, so do they favour
and relish men's gifts; and because men have several apprehensions, therefore
hath he appointed several gifts. Thus God doth in converting men; he converts
one man by affliction, another man he converts by his word, another man by the
good example that he sees in another: 1 Pet. iii. 1, That they may,
without the word, be won by the chaste conversation,' &e. So that the Lord
hath several ways to bring his work about, revealing himself. So God lets man
fall into manifold temptations, temptations of several sorts. God's dealings
are exceeding various; some men he humbles with afflictions, others he
overcomes with mercies; sometimes he deals in one way, and sometimes in
another, so that if God hath given Christ to thee, thou mayest not stand to
think at what door thou enterest in, what wind blew thee into heaven, for God
hath many ways to bring thee in.
Use. It should teach ministers thus
much, to mould truths into several forms and shapes, because they have several
apprehensions to speak to. God himself used variety of similitudes by his
prophets, to this end, that he might speak to the people's apprehenhension.
Thus we are to do, for God did it. Christ used many parables to the same
purpose, expressing faith to us under several expressions, as sometimes
coming to Christ,' by eating of his flesh, and drinking of his
blood;' sometimes by trusting on him,' and believing in him;' and
why? Because in believers there are several apprehensions. Receiving
Christ,' is the notion that expresseth the work of faith in one man; in
another, coming to Christ,' is the notion that expresseth his faith; in
another, eating Christ' savours with his apprehension. Thus Christ hash
moulded it into several ways to suit several believers. Again, it is said
he spake by the prophets to the fathers.' Those under the Old Testament
are called fathers, because they were first in Christ,' as Eph. i. 12. It
is an honour now to be an old convert, and therefore he puts it in, who
first trusted in Christ'; therefore they are renowned, and their memory is
everlasting. The saints under the New Testament, since the apostles' time, many
or most of them, their memory is quite gone; but because these were they that
first believed, we have a record of all the old worthies to the end of the
world; and they are called fathers. And therefore it is an honour to be first
in Christ, that so we may be patterns and examples to others; and it is a great
motive to turn and to come into Christ soon, for it is said, They
obtained a good report through their faith,' Heb. xi.; for to begin to believe
first, when there were few examples and encouragements before them, is a great
honour to faith, and it gives faith a good report. Thus Adam believed, having
but one promise; and Abraham, being called out of a heathenish country, and
having but few promises, he being the first example of all that believed, he is
called the father of the faithful;' God honoured him for it. But these,
though they are called fathers, yet in comparison of the times of the gospel,
are called but children; it is the apostle's expression, Gal. iv. 3. The
privileges of men under the gospel are exceeding far above theirs; though they
were fathers, yet those things are revealed unto us which were not unto them.
It is said in 1 Pet. . 11, 12, that they ministered unto us;' so
likewise, though those that did live many of them more near the primitive times
than we that live in these times, though we honour their memories and call them
fathers, yet we may truly say that there is more of the glory of the gospel
revealed to us, in the days of Reformation, than was to them. Though they were
fathers, and saw afar, yet we being set upon their backs, see further, though
children.
And he mentions the fathers, because the Jews did so stick to the
religion of their fathers; because Moses's law was given to their fathers, and
was their religion. The apostle therefore, to take away this, because they
stuck to religion simply because it was the religion of their fathers, say.
that God spake to them by the prophets, but to us by his Son.' Thus may
be revealed unto the children which was not unto the fathers; so we that live
in these days have greater and clearer light than our fatheit had, that lived
under popery.
THE END
From vol. 5 of works.
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