398 AN EXPOSITION OF THE [CHAP. II.
in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake,” Phil. i. 29, 1 Pet. iv. 14-16.
(3.) He hath thereby made them useful and profitable. Troubles and afflictions in-themselves and their own nature have no good in them, nor do they tend unto-any good end; they grow out of the first sentence against sin, and are in their own nature penal, tending unto death, and nothing else; nor are they, in those who have no interest in Christ, any thing but effects of the wrath of God. But the Lord Christ, by his consecrating of them to be the way of our following him, hath quite altered their nature and tendency; he hath made them good, useful, and profitable. I shall not here show the usefulness of afflictions and sufferings, the whole Scripture abun- dantly testifieth unto it, and the experience of believers in all ages and seasons confirms it. I only show whence itis that they become so; and that is, because the Lord Christ hath consecrated, dedicated, and sanctified them unto that end. He hath thereby cut them off from their‘ old stock of wrath and the curse, and planted them on that of love and good-will. He hath taken them off from the cove- nant of works, and translated them into that of grace. He hath turned their course from death towards life and immortality. Mix-— ing his grace, love, and wisdom with these bitter waters, he hath made them sweet and wholesome. And if we would have benefit by them, we must always have regard unto this consecration of them.
(4.) He hath made them safe. They are in their own nature a wilderness, wherein men may endlessly wander and quickly lose themselves. But he hath made them a way, a safe way, that wayfaring men, though fools, may not err therein. Never did a believer perish by afflictions or persecutions ;—never was good gold or silver consumed or lost in the furnace. Hypocrites, indeed, and false professors, the fearful, and unbelievers, are discovered by them, and discarded from their hopes: but they that are disciples indeed are never safer than in this way; and that because it is consecrated for them. Sometimes, it may be, through their unbelief, and want of heeding the captain of their salvation, they are wounded and cast down by them for a season; but they are still in the way, they are never turned quite out of the way. And this, through the grace of Christ, doth turn also unto their advantage. Nay, it is not only ab- solutely a safe way, but comparatively more safe than the way of prosperity.. And this the Scripture, with the experience of all saints, bears plentiful witness unto. And many other blessed ends are wrought by the consecration of this way for the disciples of Christ, not now to be insisted on.
5. There remains yet to be considered, in the words of the apostle, the reason why the captain of our salvation was to be consecrated
VER. 10.] EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS, 399
by sufferings ; and this he declares in the beginning of the verse,—it “became God” so to deal with him; which he amplifies by that de- scription of him, “ For whom are all things, and by whom are all things.” Having such a design as he had, to “bring many sons unto glory,” and being he for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, it became him so to deal with the captain of their salvation. What is the +d péqov here intended, and what is the importance of the word, was declared before. This becomingness, whatever it be, ariseth from hence, that God is he for whom are all things, and by whom are all things. It became him not only who 7s so, but as he ws so, and because he is so. There is no reason for the addition of that consideration of God in this matter, but that the cause is in it contained and expressed why it became him to do that which is here ascribed unto him. We are, then, to inquire what it is that is principally regarded in God in this attribution, and thence we shall learn how it became him to bring the Lord Christ into suffer- ing. Now, the description of God in these words is plainly of him as the first cause and last end of all things. Neither is it absolutely his power in making all of nothing, and his sovereign, eternal will, requiring that all things tend unto his glory, that are intended in the words; but that he is the governor, ruler, and judge, of all things made by him and for him, with respect unto that order and law of their creation which they were to observe. This rule and govern- ment of all things, taking care that as they are of God so they should be for him, is that which the apostle respects. This, then, is that which he asserts, namely, that it became God, as the governor, ruler, and judge of all, to consecrate Christ by sufferings: which must be further explained.
Man being made an intellectual creature, had a rule of moral obedience given unto him. This was he to observe to the glory of his Creator and Lawgiver, and as the condition of his coming unto him and enjoyment of him. This is here supposed by the apostle; and he discourseth how man, having broken the law of his creation, and therein come short of the glory of God, might by his grace be again made partaker of it. With respect unto this state of things, God can be no otherwise considered but as the supreme governor and judge of them. Now, that property of God which he exerteth principally as the ruler and governor of all, is his justice, “ justitia regiminis,” the righteousness of government. Hereof there are two branches; for itis either remunerative or vindictive. And this righteousness of God, as the supreme ruler and judge of all, is that upon the account whereof it was mect for him, or became him, to bring the sons to glory by the sufferings of the captain of their sal- vation. It was hence just and equal, and therefore indispensably ne-. cessary that so he should do. Supposing that man was created in the