As a duty it is by the apostle here considered; and therefore pressed on them who by nature were capable, and by grace enabled, for the perfonnance thereof. Pathetical exhortations, then, unto per- severance in the profession of the gospel, bottomed on prevalent scriptural arguments and holy reasonings, are the sum of this epistle. The arguments the apostle handleth unto the end proposed are of two sorts: — Y'wsi, Principal; '^econ^ly, Deductive, or emergencies from the first.
First, His ijrincipal argimients are drawn from two chief foun- tains:— 1. The author; and, % The nature and end of the gosi^el. 1. The author of the gospel is either, —
(1.) Principal and immediate, which is God the Father, who having at sundry times and in divers manners formerly spoken by the prophets, herein speak eth by his Son, chap. i. 1,
(2.) Concurrent and im,mediate, Jesus Christ, this great salvation, being begun to be spoken to us by the Lord, chap. ii. 3. This latter he chiefly considereth, as in and by whom the gospel is differenced from all other dispensations of the mind of God. Concerning him to the end intended he proposeth, — [L] His person; [2.] His em- ployment,
[L] For his person, that thence he may argue to the thing aimed at, he holdeth out, — -
\st The infinite glory of Ids Deity; being " the brightness of the Father's glory, and the express image of his person," chap. i. 3.
idly. The infinite condescension of his love, in assuming humanity; for, " because the children were partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself took part of the same," chap. ii. 14,
And from the consideration of both these, he presseth the main exhortation Avhich he hath in hand, as you may see, chap. ii. 1, 2, iii. 12, 13, &c.
[2.] The employment of Christ he desciibeth in ]iis offices, which he handleth, —
1st. Positively, and very briefly, chapters i., ii., iii. ^dly. Comparatively, insisting chiefly on his priesthood, — exalting it in sundry weighty particulars above that of Aaron, Avhich yet was the glory of the Jewish worship ; and this at large, clxapters vi., vii., viii., ix., X. And this being variously advanced and asserted, he laycth as the main foundation, upon which he placcth the weight and stress of the main end pursued, as in the whole epistle is every- where obvious.
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2, The second head of principal arguments he taketh from the gospel itself; which considering as a covenant, he holdeth out two ways.
(1.) Absolutely, in its efficacy in respect of, —
[1.] Justification. In it God is merciful to unrighteousness, and sins and iniquities he remembers no more, chap. viii. 12; — bringing in perfect remission, that there shall need no more offering for sin, chap. X. 18.
[2.] Sanctification. He puts his laws in our hearts, and writes them in our minds, chap. x. 16; — in it purging our consciences by the blood of Christ, chap. ix. 14.
[3.] Perseverance: " I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people," chap. viii. 10.
All three are also held out in sundry other places.
(2.) Respectively to the covenant of works; and in this regard assigns unto it principal qualifications, with many peculiar eminences them attending, — too many now to be named. Now, these are, —
[1.] That it is new: " In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old," chap. viii. 13.
[2.] Better. It is a iDetter covenant, and built upon " better pro- mises," chap. vii. 22, viii. 6.
[3.] Surer, the Priest thereof being ordained, " not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life," chap. viL 16.
[4.] Unalterable. So m all the places before named, and sundry others.
All which are made eminent in its peculiar mediator, Jesus Christ; which is the sum of chap. vii.
And still, in the holding out of these things, that they might not forget the end for which they were now drawn forth, and so exactly handled, he interweaves many pathetical entreaties and pressing arguments by way of application, for the confirming and establishing his countrymen in the faith of this glorious gospel; as you may see almost in every chapter.
Secondly. His arguments less principal, deduced from the former, being very many, may be referred to these three heads : —
1. The benefits by them enjoyed under the gospel.
2. The example of others, who by faith and patience obtained the promises, chap. xi.
3. From the dangerous and pernicious consequence of backsliding; of which only I shall speak. Now this he setteth out three ways.
(1.) From the nature of that sin. It is a crucifying to themselves the Son of God afresh, and putting him to open shame, chap. vi. 6 ; a treading under foot the Son of God, counting the blood of the cove-
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iiant an unholy thing, and doing despite to the Spiiit of grace, chap. X. 29.
(2.) The remediless panishment which attends that sin : " There remaineth no more sacrifice for it, but a certain fearful looking for of judgment, and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries," chap. X. 26, 27.
(3.) The 2)6rson against whom peculiarly it is committed, and that is he who is the author, subject, and mediator of the gospel, the Lord Jesus Christ; concerning whom, for the aggravation of this sin, he proposeth two things.