In the first place the apostle expresseth, as by way of supposition, 1, The natural condition of the children,—that is, the children whom God designed to bring unto glory, those who were given unto Christ; they were in common “partakers of flesh and blood.” Ishall not stay to remove the conceit of some, who yet are not afew among the Romanists, who refer these words unto the participation of the flesh and blood of Christ in the sacrament; whereunto also, as we have observed, the Ethiopic version gives countenance: for not only is there not any thing in the expression that inclines unto such an imagination, but also it enervates the whole design of the apostle’s discourse and argument, as from the former consideration of it doth appear. ‘Flesh and blood” are, by a usual synecdoche, put for the whole human nature; not as though by “blood” the soul were in- tended, because the life is said to be in it, as not acting without it; but this expression is used, because it is not human nature as ab- solutely considered, but as mortal, passible, subject unto infirmities and death itself, that is intended. And it isno more than if he had said, ‘The children were men subject unto death;’ for he gives his reason herein why the Lord Christ was made a man subject unto death. That he and the children should be of one nature he had showed before. Forasmuch, then, as this was the condition of the children, that they were all partakers of human nature, liable to sufferings, sorrow, and death, he was so also. And this is thus ~ expressed to set forth the love and condescension of Jesus Christ, as will afterward appear.
2. The second thing in these words is the moral condition of the children. And there are sundry things, partly intimated, partly expressed, in the description that is here given us of it; as—(1.) Their estate absolutely considered,—they were subject to death: (2.) The consequences of that estate,—[1.] It wrought fear in them; [2.] That fear brought them into bondage: (8.) The continuance of that condition,—it was for the whole course of their lives,
(1.) It is implied that they were subject, obnoxious unto, guilty of death, and that as it was penal, due to sin, as contained in the curse of the law; which what it comprehendeth and how far it is extended is usually declared. On this supposition lies the whole weight of the mediation of Christ. The children to be brought
VER. 14, 15.] EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS, 439
unto glory were obnoxious wnto death, and the curse and wrath of God therein, which he came to deliver them from.
(2.) [1.] The first effect and consequent of this obnoxiousness unto death concurring unto their state and condition is, that they were filled with fear of it: “ For fear of death.” Fear is a pertur- bation of mind, arising from the apprehension of a future imminent evil; and the greater this evil is, the greater will the perturbation of the mind be, provided the apprehension of it be answerable. The fear of death, then, here intended, is that trouble of mind which men have in the expectation of death to be inflicted on them, as a pun- ishment due unto their sins. And this apprehension is common to all men, arising from a general presumption that death is penal, and that it is the “judgment of God that they which commit sin are worthy of death,” as Rom. i. 32, 11.15. But it is cleared and con- firmed by the law, whose known sentence is, “ The soul that sinneth it shall die.” And this troublesome expectation of the event of this apprehension is the fear of death here intended. And accord- ing unto the means that men have to come unto the knowledge of the righteousness of God are, or ought to be, their apprehensions of the evil that isin death. But even those who had lost all clear knowledge of the consequences of death natural, or the dissolution of their present mortal condition, yet, on a confused apprehension of its being penal, always esteemed it goCepéiv po€epjrurov,—the most dreadful of all things that are so unto human nature. And in some this is heightened and increased, until it come to be go€epd exdoya nploews, nai wupds CHAroc, eodiew méADrovTOS rods Lrevayrious, aS Our apostle speaks, chap. x. 27,—“ a fearful expectation of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.” And this is the first thing that is in this description of the estate and condition of the children to be brought unto glory. Being obnoxious unto the sentence of death, ‘they could not but live in fear of the execution of it. [2.] They are by this means brought into bondage. The troublesome expectation of death as penal brings them into bondage, into the nature whereof we must a little inquire. Sundry things concur to make any state a state of bondage; as, Ist. That it be in- voluntary. No man is in bondage by his will; that which a man chooseth is not bondage unto him. A man that would have his ear bored, though he were always a servant, was never in bondage; for he enjoyed the condition that pleased him. Properly all bondage is involuntary. 2dly. Bondage ingenerates strong desires after, and puts men on all manner of attempts for liberty. Yokes gall, and make them on whom they are desire ease. So long as men are sensible of bondage, which is against nature (for that which is not so is not bondage), they will desire and labour for liberty. When some in the Roman senate asked an ambassador of the Privernates, after they