Taig dobeveiors quay, “our infirmities” ’ Acéeveia, “ imbecillitas,” “ debilitas,” “infirmitas,” is used, both in the Scripture and all Greek authors, for any debility, weakness, or in- firmity, of body or mind. Frequently bodily diseases are expressed by it, as by the adjective dobevjc, and the verb dotevéw, “to be sick,” “to be diseased,” with respect unto the weakness or infirmity that is introduced thereby, Matt. x. 8, xxv. 43; Luke iv. 40; John yv. 8, 5. And sometimes it expresseth the weakness of the mind or spirit, not able, or scarcely able, to bear the difficulties and troubles that it is pressed withal, 1 Cor. ii. 3; weakness of judgment, Rom, xiy. 2; spiritual weakness, as to life, grace, and power, Rom. v. 6, viii 26. So that this word is used to express every kind of imbe- cility or weakness that doth or may befall our natures with respect unto any difficulties, troubles, or perplexities that we have to con- flict withal. And whereas it is here mentioned generally, without a restriction* to any special kind of infirmities, it may justly be ex- tended to all weaknesses of all sorts that we are, or upon any pres- sures may be, sensible of; but whereas, in the following words, the reason of the ability of Christ, our high priest, to be affected with a sense of our infirmities, is placed in his being tempted, it is mani- fest that the weaknesses here chiefly intended are such as respect afflictions and temptations, with persecution for the gospel. Our infirmities and weaknesses under these things, to wrestle with them
Tais dobs- . yeiais Hea.
422 AN EXPOSITION OF THE [CHAP. Iv.
or remove them, and consequently our trouble, sorrow, suffering, and danger, by them and from them, our high priest is intimately affected withal. He takes himself to be concerned in our troubles, as we are members of his mystical body, one with him; he is inclined from his own heart and affections to give in unto us help and relief, as our condition doth require; and he is inwardly moved during our suffer- ings and trials with a sense and fellow-feeling of them.
Obs. The church of God hath a standing, perpetual advantage, in the union of our nature to the person of the Son of God, as he is our high priest.
We all acknowledge that so it is with us, upon the account of the sacrifice that he was to offer for us. He had thereby somewhat of his own to offer. Thence it was that “God redeemed his church with his own blood,” Acts xx. 28; and that “he laid down his life for us,” 1 John ii. 16. But we are apt to think that this work be- ing well over, we have now no more concernment in that nature nor advantage by it, but that what yet remains to be done for us may be as well discharged by him who is only God, and absolutely so in every respect. For since he “ dieth no more,” what profit is there in his flesh? It is true, the flesh of Christ, carnally and sensually con- sidered, “ profiteth nothing,” as he told the Capernaites of old, John vi. And they will find his words true, who, in their own imagina- tion, turn bread into his flesh every day. Yea, and our apostle tells us, “ though he had known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth he knew him so no more,” 2 Cor. v. 16; that is, though he had known Christ in the days of his flesh here in the world, whilst as a mortal man he conversed with mortal men, yet all the privilege thereof and advantage thereby, which some in those days boasted of, were past, and of use no longer; he was now to be known after another man- ner, and under another consideration,—as exalted at the right hand of God. Yet doth not all this in the least impeach our assertion of the greatness of our concernment in the continuation of his human nature in the union of his person. If, when he had finished his sacrifice, and the atonement which he made for sin, by the offering up of himself, he had then left off his human nature, which he had for that end taken on him, notwithstanding that offering we could not have been delivered nor saved. For besides that he himself had not been sufficiently manifested to be the Son of God forus to have believed on him, seeing he was “declared to be the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead,” Rom. i. 4; so our apostle declares that without his resurrection from the dead we could neither be delivered from our sins nor have been ever raised again unto glory, 1 Cor. xv. 12-21.
It is therefore confessed that many and great are the advantages of the resurrection of the body of Christ, and therein of his human
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VER. 15.] EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 428
nature; for this was the way and means of his entrance into glory: He “revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living,” Rom. xiv.9. And this was the testimony that he was acquitted and discharged from the penalty of the law, and the whole debt he had undertaken to make satisfaction of unto God for sinners, Acts ii. 24, Rom. viii. 33, 34; without which we could have said of him only as the disciples did when they knew not of his resurrection, “ We trusted that it had been he who should have redeemed Israel,” Luke xxiv. 21. And hereby had he an illustrious and uncontrollable testi- mony given to his being the Son of God, Rom. i. 4; as also, he laid the foundation and gave an infallible pledge of the future blessed resurrection, which all that believe in him shall by him obtain. But this being also past and over, what further concernment hath the church in the continuation of the union of his natures? I might mention many, and those of the greatest importance. For there yet remained some parts of his mediatory work to be discharged, which could not be accomplished without this nature; for he had not yet appeared in the holy place with his own blood, whereby he had made atonement, that the whole sacrifice might be completed. And the exaltation of our nature in glory was needful for the supportment and consolation of the church. But I shall mention that alone which is here proposed by our apostle, namely, his ability from thence to be affected with a sense of our infirmities and sufferings. This, as I have showed, is appropriate unto him on the account of his human nature. And on this account we may consider his com- passion four ways:— .