Obs. VI. The best way to antidote the soul against sin, is to repre- sent it unto the mind in its true nature and tendency.
1 On Indwelling Sin in Believers, vol. vi. of this edition of the author’s works.
—Ep. VOL. XXL. 9
130 AN LXPOSITION OF THE [ CHAP. III.
The hiding of these was the way and means whereby sin first entered into the world. Thereby did Satan draw our first parents into their transgression. Hiding from them the nature and end of their sin, he ensnared and seduced them. In the same way and method doth he still proceed. This caused our apostle here to rend off the covering and.vain pretences which the Hebrews were ready to put upon their relinquishment of the gospel. He presents it here naked unto them, as a fatal defection and apostasy from the living God; and therein gives them also to understand its end, which was no other but the casting of themselves into his revenging hand unto eternity. So dealt Samuel with Saul in the matter of Amalek. Saul pretended that he had only brought fat cattle for sacrifice; but Samuel lets him know that there was rebellion in his disobedience, abhorred of God like the sin of witcheraft. Indeed, if not all, yet the principal efficacy of temptation consists in hiding the nature and tendency of sin, whilst the mind is exercised with it; and therefore the discovery and due consideration of them must needs be an effec- tual means to counterwork it and to obviate its prevalency. And this is the principal design of the Scripture, in all that it treats about sin, It establisheth the command against it, by showing what it is, the iniquity, folly, and perversity of it; as also what is its end, or what in the righteousness of God it will bring the sinner unto. Hence the great contest that is in the mind, when it is hurried up and down with any temptation, is, whether it shall fix itself on these right considerations of sin, or suffer itself at the present to be carried away with the vain pleas of its temptation in its attempt to palliate and cover it.
And on this contest depends the final issue of the matter. If the mind keep up itself unto the true notion of the nature and end of sin, through the strength of grace, its temptation will probably be evaded and disappointed. So it was with Joseph. Various sug- gestions he had made to him, but he keeps his mind fixed on that, “‘ How can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?” which preserved him and delivered him, Gen. xxxix. 9. But if the mind be prevailed with to admit of those representations of sin which are made unto it in its temptations, sin in the perpetration of it will en- sue. And thisis the principal part of our wisdom about sin and temp- tations, namely, that we always keep our minds possessed with that notion and sense of the nature and end of sin which God in his word represents unto us, with a complete watchfulness against that which the deceit of lust and the craft of Satan would suggest. Again,—
Obs. VII. Whoever departs from the observation of the gospel and the institutions thereof, doth in so doing depart from the living God; or, an apostate from the gospel is an absolute apostate from God.
This the apostle expressly teacheth the Hebrews in this place.
VER. 12-14.] EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 131
Men think it almost a matter of nothing to play with gospel insti- tutions at their pleasure. They can observe them or omit them as seems good unto themselves. Nay, some suppose they may utterly relinquish any regard unto them, without the least forfeiture of the favour of God. But this will appear to be otherwise; for,—
1st. In their so doing, the authority of God over their souls and consciences 1s utterly rejected, and so consequently is God himself; for where his authority is not owned, his being is despised. Now, there are various ways whereby God puts forth and manifests his authority over men. He doth it in and by his works, his law, by the consciences or inbred notions of the minds of men. Every way whereby he reveals himself, he also makes known his sovereign authority over us; for sovereign power or authority is the very first notion that a creature can have of its Creator. Now, all these ways of revealing the authority of God are recapitulated in the gospel, God haying brought all things unto a head in Christ Jesus, Eph, i. 10. “ All power in heaven and in earth,’—that is, as to the actual administration of it,—is given into his hand, Matt. xxviii. 18; and he is “ given” or “appointed to be head over all things,” Eph. i. 20-22, as we have at large declared on the third verse of the first chapter: God, therefore, doth not put forth or exercise the least of his power but in and by Christ; for “the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son,” John v. 22. Now, the Lord Christ exerciseth this power and authority principally by the gospel, which is the “ rod of his power,” Ps. cx. 2. Hereunto, then, are reduced all other ways whatever whereby the authority of God is exerted over the souls and consciences of men. And if this be rejected, the whole authority of God is utterly cast off. This, there- fore, is done by all who reject, relinquish, or despise the gospel; they forsake God himself, the living God, and that absolutely and utterly. God is not owned where his monarchy is not owned. Let men deal so with their rulers, and try how it will be interpreted. Let them pretend they acknowledge them, but reject the only way, all the ways they have, for the exercise of their authority, and it will doubtless be esteemed a revolt from them.