and trusted to, the apostle now compares that state of theirs with that of believers under the gospel, giving the pre-eminence to the latter, with the reason of it. In the exposition of these words, Schlictingius proceeds on these principles; that the promise intended ver. 39, is the promise of eternal life; that under the Old Testament, believers had no such promise, whatever hopes or conjectures they might have of it; that both they and we at death, cease to be in soul and body until the resurrection, none entering before into eternal life. But, if so, if when any one dies, he is nothing or as nothing; if it is but one moment between' death and the resurrection, as he contends, the state of the one is in nothing better than the other, although they should die thousands of years one before another. But as all these things are openly false, and contrary to the chief principles of the Christian religion, so they are utterly remote from the mind of the apostle, as we shall see in the exposition of the words. Those of the church of Rome do hereby fancy a limbus, a subterraneous receptacle of souls, wherein, they say, the spirits of believers under the Old Testament were detained until after the resurrection of Christ, so that "they without us were not made perfect." But the apostle treats not here at all about the dif ference between one sort of men and another after death; but of that which was between them who lived under the Old Testament church state, whilst they lived, and those that live under and enjoy the privileges of the New, as is evident in the very reading of the epistle. §6. "God having (poßλε↓μεv8) provided; the word properly signifies foreseeing; but God's prævision is his provision, as being always accompanied with his preordination; his foresight with his decree. For known unto him are all his works from the foundation of the world, Acts xv, 18. Now this provision of God is the (oixovoμa Tav xaιpwv) dispensation of the times, Ephes. i, 10; the ordering of the state, times, and seasons of the church, and the revelation of himself to it. "Something better;" that is, more excellent, a state above theirs, or all that is granted them. I suppose it ought to be out of question with all Christians, that it is the actual exhibition of the Son of God in the flesh, the coming of the promised seed, with his accomplishment of the work of redemption, and all the privileges of the church, in light, grace, liberty, spiritual worship, with boldness of access to God that ensued thereon, which is intended. For, were not these the things which they "re ceived not" under the Old Testament? Were not these the things which were "promised" from the beginning; which were expected, longed for, and desired by all believers of old, who yet saw them only afar off though through faith they were saved by virtue of them? And are not these the things whereby the church state of the gospel was perfected; the things alone wherein our state is better than theirs? For, as to outward appearances of things, they had more glory, costly ceremonies and splendor in their worship, than is appointed in the Christian church; and their worldly prosperity was for a long season very great, much exceeding any thing that the Christian church did then enjoy. To deny, therefore, these to be the better things that God provided for us, is to overthrow the faith of the Old Testament and the New. §7. That they without us were not made perfect." Without us, is as much as without the things which are actually exhibited to us, the things provided for us, and our participation of them. They and we, though distributed by divine provision into distinct states, yet, with respect to the first promise, and the renovation of it to Abraham, are but one church, built on the same foundation, and enlivened by the same spirit of grace. Wherefore, until we came into the church state, they could not be made perfect, seeing the church state itself was not so. All the advantages of grace and mercy which they received and enjoyed, were by virtue of those better things, which are actually exhibited to us; these they applied by faith, and enjoyed nothing by virtue of any thing committed to themselves. Wherefore, That which the apostle affirms, is, that they never attained that perfect consummate spiritual state which God had designed and prepared for his church in the fulness of times, and which they foresaw should be granted to others and not to themselves, 1 Pet. i, 11— 13. See chap. vii. I cannot but marvel that so many have stumbled, as most have done, in the exposition of these words, and involved themselves in difficulties of their own devising; for they are a plain epitome of the whole doctrinal part of the epistle; so as that no intelligent judicious person can avoid the sense which they tender, unless they divert their minds from the whole scope and design of the apostle. $8. And here we observe: 1. It is our duty also, not only to believe that we may be justified before God, but so to evidence our faith by the fruits of it, as that we may obtain a good report, or be justified before men. 2. The disposal of the states and times of the church, as to the communication of light, grace, and privileges, depends merely on the sovereign pleasure and will of God, and not on any merit or preparation in man. The coming of Christ was as little deserved by the men of that age, as by those of any age from the foundation of the world. 3. Though God gives more light and grace to the church in one season than another, yet in every season he gives what is sufficient to guide believers in their faith and obedience to eternal life. 6. It is the duty of believers, in every state of the church, to improve the spiritual provision that God hath made for them; always remembering, that to whom much is given, much is required. $9. And to close this chapter we may observe: 1. God measures out to all his people their portion in service, sufferings, privileges, and rewards, according to his own good pleasure. And therefore the apostle shuts up this discourse of the faith, obedience, sufferings, and successes of the saints under the Old Testament, with a declaration that God had yet provided more excellent things for his church, than any they were made partakers of. All he doth in this way, is of mere grace and bounty, and therefore he may distribute these things as he pleaseth. 2. It is Christ alone who was to give, and could give perfection or consummation to the church; he was in all things to have the pre-eminence. 3. All the outward glorious worship of the Old Testament had no perfection in it; and so no glory compared to that which is brought in by the gospel, 2 Cor. iii, 10. 4. All perfection, all consummation is in Christ alone; for in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily; and we are complete in him who is the head of all principality and power. CHAPTER XII. VERSE 1. Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a`. cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us. 2. (I) Their expothem, what. §4. The $6--8. The sin that $1. The design of the chapter, and the several parts of it. sition. Witnesses, what here intended. $3. A clowl of weight to be laid aside, what. $5. How to be laid aside. easily besets us, what $9. How it may be laid aside. $10. The duty itself of running the Christian race. 11. Which is set before us §12. It requires strength and speed. $13. Patience, §14, 15, (II.) Observations. $1. THIS chapter contains an application of the doctrine declared and confirmed in the foregoing chapter. Doctrine and use was the apostle's method. There are three general parts of the chapter: 1. A pressing of the exhortation in hand from new additional motives, ver. 1-11. 2. A direction to special duties, necessary to a due compliance with the general exhortation, ver. 12—17. 3. A new cogent argument to the same purpose, taken from a comparison between the two states of the law and gospel to the end of the chapter, His whole discourse is exceedingly pregnant with arguments to the purpose in hand. For it both declares what hath been the lot of true believers in all ages from the beginning, which none ought now to be surprised with; what was the way of their deportment so as to please God; and what was the success or victory which they obtained in the end. Concerning the passage in hand we may observe, that the whole of it is figurative, consisting in sundry metaphors drawn from the comparison of our patient abiding in the profession of the gospel, and our contending for a prize. The exposition of the VOL. IV, 36 |