38 AN EXPOSITION OF THE [CHAP. I.
the revelation of the will of God unto us, requires all readiness, willingness, and cheerfulness, in the receipt of it and submission unto it. Besides these also,—
3. There is care eminently seen in it. The great care of the church is in and on the Father. He is the husbandman that takes care of the vine and vineyard, John xv. 1, 2. And hence our Saviour, who had a delegated care of his people, commends them to the Father, John xvii, as to whom the care of them did princi- pally and originally belong. Care is proper to a father as such; to God as a father. Care is inseparable from paternal love. And this also is to be considered in the revelation of the will of God.
What directions from these considerations may, be taken for the use both of them that dispense the word, and of those whose duty it is to attend unto the dispensation of it, shall only be marked in our passage.
For the dispensers of the word, let them,—1. Take heed of pur- suing that work negligently which hath its spring in the authority, love, and care of God. See 1 Tim. iv. 138-16. 2. Know to whom to look for swpportment, help, ability, and encouragement in their work, Eph. vi. 19, 20. And, 3. Not be discowraged, whatever opposition they meet with in the discharge of their duty, consider- ing whose work they have in hand, 2 Cor. iv. 15,16. 4. Know how they ought to dispense the word, so as to answer the spring from whence it comes,—namely, with authority, and love to and care for the souls of men. And, 5. Consider to whom they are to give an account of the work they are called to the discharge of, and intrusted with, Heb. xiii. 17.
And for them to whom the word is preached, let them consider,— 1. With what reverence and godly fear they ought to attend unto the dispensation of it, seeing it is a proper effect and issue of the — authority of God, Heb. xi. 28. And, 2. How they will “escape if they neglect so great salvation,” declared unto them from the love and care of God, Heb. ii. 3. And, 3. With what holiness and spiri- tual subjection of soul unto God, they ought to be conversant in and with all the ordinances of worship that are appointed by him, Heb. xii. 28, 29.
Other observations I shall more briefly pass over. “@God spake in them.”
II. The authority of God speaking in and by the penmen of the Scriptures is the sole bottom and foundation of our assenting to them, and what is contained in them, with faith divine and supernatural.
He spake in them; he then continues to speak by them; and therefore is their word to be received, 2 Pet. i. 20, 21. But this is elsewhere handled at large. ;
VER. 1, 2.] EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 39
III. God’s gradual revelation of himself, his mind and will, unto the church, was a fruit of infinite wisdom and care towards his elect.
“ These are parts of his ways,” says Job; “ but how litile a por- tion is heard of him?” Job xxvi. 14, Though all his ways and dis- peusations are ordered in infinite wisdom, yet we can but stand at the shore of the ocean, and admire its glory and greatness. Little it is that we can comprehend. Yet what may be for our instruction, what may further our faith and obedience, is not hidden from us. And these things lie evident unto us in this gradual discovery of himself and his will:—
1. That he overfilled not their vessels. He gave them out light as they were able to bear. Though we know not perfectly what their condition was, yet this we know, that as no generation needed more light than they had, for the discharge of the duty that God required of them, so more light would have unfitted them for “somewhat or other that was their duty in their respective gene- rations.
2. He kept them in a continwal dependence upon himself, and _ waiting for their rule and direction from him; which, as it tended to his glory, so it was exceedingly suited to their safety, in keeping them in a humble, waiting frame.
3. He so gave out the light and knowledge of himself as that the great work whieh he had to accomplish, that lay in the stores of his infinitely wise will, as the end and issue of all revelations,— namely, the bringing forth of Christ into the world, in the way wherein he was to come, and for the ends which he was to bring about,— might not be obviated. He gave light enough to believers to enable them to receive him, and not so much as to hinder obdurate sin- ners from crucifying him.
4, He did this work so that the pre-eminence fully and ultimately to reveal him might be reserved for Him in whom all things were to be gathered unto a head. All privileges were to be kept for and unto him; which was principally done by this gradual revela- tion of the mind of God.
5. And there was tender care conjoined with this infinite wisdom. None of his eleet in any age were left without that light and in- struction which were needful for them in their seasons and genera- tions; and this so given out unto them as that they might have fresh consolation and supportment, as their occasions did. require. Whilst the church of old was under this dispensation, they were still hearkening when they should hear new tidings from heaven for their teaching and refreshment; and if any difficulty did at any time befall them, they were sure not to want relief in this kind. And this was necessary before the final hand was set to the work. And