568 AN EXPOSITION OF THE [CHAP. III.
and aim before them? If they have, what can it be-but how they may give up their account with joy?—joy, if not in the safety of all their flocks, through the sinful neglect and miscarriages of any of them, yet in their own faithfulness, and the testimony of their consciences thereunto.
Fourthly, As servants they shall have their reward, every one his penny, that which he hath laboured for; for although they are but servants, yet they serve a good, just, great, and gracious Lord, who will not forget their labour, but give unto them a crown at his appearance, 1 Pet. v. 4
See hence the boldness of the “Man of sin” and his accomplices, whose description we have exactly, Matt. xxiv. 48, 49,—an “evil ser- vant, who says in his heart that his Lord delayeth his coming, and so smites his fellow-servants, and eats and drinks with the drunken.” He pretends, indeed, to be aSERVANT OF SERVANTS, but under that speci- ous title and show of voluntary humilitytakes upon him to be an abso- lute lord over the house of God. There are but two sorts of domi- nion ;—first, that which is internal and spiritual, over the faith, souls, and consciences of men; and then that which is external, over their bodies and estates: and both of these doth he, this SERVANT OF SERVANTS, usurp in the house of God; and thereby sits in it, making ostentation of himself to be God. And two ways there are whereby supreme dominion in and about things sacred may be exercised ;— one by making laws, ordinances, and institutions, religious or divine; the other by corporeal punishments and corrections of them who observe them not: and both these doth he exercise. What the Lord Christ commandeth to be observed in his church, he observeth not, nor suffereth those to do so who would; and what he hath not appointed or commanded, in instances innumerable he enjoineth to be observed. A wicked and evil servant, whose Lord in due time will call him to an account! Is this to be a servant, or a tyrant?
Others also would do well to ponder the account they are to make. And well is it with them, happy is their condition, whose greatest joy in this world, on solid grounds, is that they are in this work accountable servants.
IV. The great end of all Mosaical institutions was to represent or prefigure and give testimony unto the grace of the gospel by Jesus Christ.
To this end was Moses faithful in the house of God, namely, to give testimony unto those things which were afterwards to be spoken. The demonstration of this principle is the main scope of this epistle so far as it is doctrinal, and the consideration of it will occur unto us in so many instances as that we shall not need here to insist on the general assertion.
e VER. 3-6.] EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS, 569
V. It is an eminent privilege to be the house of Christ, or a part of that house: “ Whose house are we.”
This the apostle minds the Hebrews of, that a sense of their pri- vilege therein and advantage thereby might prevail with them unto the duties which he presseth them unto. And it is thus an advan- tage,—
First, Because this house is God’s building: 1 Cor. iii. 9, “ Ye are God’s building ;”—a, house that he built, and that in an admirable manner. The tabernacle of old was thus far of God’s building that it was built by his appointment, and that according to the pattern that he gave of it unto Moses. But this building is far more glori- ous: Heb. ix. 11, “A great and perfect tabernacle, not made with hands; that is to say, not of this building.”
Again; it is so of God’s building that none is employed in a way of authority for the carrying of it on but the Lord Christ alone, the Son and Lord over his own house. And he takes it upon himself: Matt. xvi. 18, “I will build my church.” But it may be objected, ‘ That it is thus also with the whole world. It is the building of God, and was built by the Son, the eternal Word, by whom all things were made, and “without whom was not any thing made that was made,” John i, 2,3. Yea, it was built to be ©ed ofxnrjpiov,—a habitation for the divine glory, in the providential manifestations of it’ T an- swer, All this is true. It is so, and is therefore excellent, and won- derfully sets out the glory of God, as hath been declared in the fore- going chapter. But- yet this house whereof we speak on many accounts excelleth the whole fabric of heaven and earth; for,—
First, It is not barely a house, but it isa sacred house, a temple,— not an ordinary, but a holy, a dedicated dwelling-place. “Ye are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner-stone; in whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord,” Eph. ii. 20, 21. This is God’s mansion, when all other things of the world are let out to farm unto the sons of men. They are cottages for flesh and blood to dwell in; this is God’s place of constant and spe- cial residence.