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530 AN EXPOSITION OF THE [CHAP. V.
it do not bite and tear, it will bark and rage. And Satan will see enough to make such his especial mark, as to all the opposition and actings of enmity which he puts forth against any in this world. Yea, and God himself ofttimes delighteth to give a trial unto eminent graces, where he endows any with them. For he gives them not for the peculiar advantage of them on whom they are bestowed only, but that he himself may have a revenue of glory from their ex- ercise.
Obs. IV. Sufferings undergone according to the will of God are highly instructive.
Even Christ himself learned by the things which he suffered; and much more may we do so, who have so much more to learn, God designs our sufferings to this end, and to this end he blesseth them. And this hath frequently been the issue of God’s dealing with men; those who have suffered most, who have been most afflicted, most chastised, have been the most humble, most holy, fruitful, and wise among them; and he that learneth such things, profiteth well under his instruction.
Obs. V. In all these things, both as to suffering, and learning or profiting thereby, we have a great example in our Lord Jesus Christ.
As such is he proposed unto us in all his course of obedience, especially in his sufferings, 1 Pet. ii, 21; for he would leave nothing undone which was any way needful, that his great work of sanctify- ing and saving his church to the utmost might be perfect.
Obs. VI. The love of God towards any, the relation of any unto God, hinders not but that they may undergo great sufferings and trials,
The Lord Christ did so, “although he were a Son,” And this instance irrefragably confirms our position, For the love of God to Jesus Christ was singular and supereminent; he doth not love any with a love so much as of the same kind, The relation also of Christ unto God was singular; none ever standing in the same relation unto him, he being his only-begotten Son, And yet his sufferings and trials were singular also. No sorrows, no pains, no distresses of soul and body, no sufferings like his, And in the whole course of the Scripture we may observe, that the nearer any have been unto God, the greater have been their trials. For,—1. There is not in such trials and exercises any thing that is absolutely evil, but they are all such as may be rendered good, useful, yea, honourable and glorious, to the sufferers, from God’s conduct in them and the end of them, 2, The love of God, and the gracious emanations of it, can and do abundantly compensate the temporary evils which any do undergo according to his will. 8. The glory of God, which is the end designed unto, and which shall infallibly ensue upon all the sufferings of the people of God,—and that so much the greater as any
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VER. 9.] EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 531
of them, on any account, are nearer than others unto him,—is such a good unto them which suffer, as that their sufferings neither are, nor are esteemed by them to be evil.
VERSE 9,
The words and design of this verse have so great a coincidence with those of chap. ii. 10, that we shall the less need to insist upon them. Something only must be spoken to clear the context. The apostle having declared the sufferings of Christ as our high priest, in his offering of himself, with the necessity thereof, proceeded to declare both what was effected thereby, and what was the especial design of God therein. And this in general was, that the Lord Christ, considering our lost condition, might be every way fitted to be a “perfect cause of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him.” There are, therefore, two things in the words, both which God aimed at and accomplished in the sufferings of Christ:—1. On his own part, that he might be “made perfect;” not absolutely, but with respect unto the administration of his office in the behalf of sinners. 2. With respect unto believers, that he might be unto them an * author of eternal salvation.” Unto both these ends the sufferings of Christ were necessary, and designed of God.
Ver. 9.—Kaul rereimbels eyévero rote taaxobovew air axiow airiog Cwrnpias wiaviou,
Tersiwbelc, “ perfectus,” “ consummatus,” “ consecratus;” “ perfect,” “ con- summated,” “fully consecrated.” Syriac, 2278 8227, “and so being made per feet;” “perfectus redditus,” as Erasmus. ‘Rolsen) e factus est,” fuit ;’ “he became.” Tois draxovovew ait. Vulg., “sibi obtemperantibus.” So Arias, Eras., Syr. And Beza, “qui ipsi auscultans,” keeping to the word; which in all the three languages, Hebrew, Greek, and Latin, signifies originally “to hear- ken,” “to hear, t to attend unto, with a design to learn and obey.” Aézsoc. Syr., wnby “causa;” so most. Beza, “auctor;” whom we follow, “the author.” Buraplag aiaviov, “salutis eterna.” Syr., “pbydt Nm, “ of life,” or lives which are eternal.” One learned grammarian hath translated aiztos, by “causa efficiens et exhibens,” Ethiop., “the rewarder with life eternal, and the redeemer of the world.”
TeArciwbe‘c, “being perfected,” “consummated,” “fully conse- crated;” for the word is sacred, and expresseth sacred consecration. As to the sense of it in this place, with respect unto the verses foregoing, it answers directly unto its use, chap. ii. 10, dic rabnudrov rereous, “to perfect by sufferings;” only that it is used actively, with respect unto God the Father, “It became him to make perfect the Captain of our salvation.” Here it is used passively, with respect unto the effect of that act of God on the person of Christ, who by his suffering was “ perfected.” The signifi- cation of this word, and the constant use of it in this epistle, the