Obs. I. The grace and glory of the new covenant are much set off and manifested by the comparing of it with the old.—This is done here by God, on purpose for the illustration of it. And it is greatly made use of in this epistle; partly to prevail with us to accept of the terms thereof, and to abide faithful therein; and partly to declare how great is their sin, and how sore will be the destruction of them by whom it is neglected or despised. As these things are insisted on in other places, so are they the subject of the apostle’s discourse, chap. xii. from verse 15 unto the end.
Obs. II. All God’s works are equally good and holy in themselves ; but as unto the use and advantage of the church, he is pleased to make some of them means of communicating more grace than others. —Even this covenant, which the new was not to be like unto, was in itself good and holy; which those with whom it was made had no reason to complain of. Howbeit God had ordained that by another covenant he would communicate the fulness of his grace and love unto the church. And if every thing that God doth be improved in its season, and for its proper ends, we shall have benefit and advan- tage by it, though he hath yet other ways of doing us more good, whose seasons he hath reserved unto himself. But this is an act of mere sovereign goodness and grace, that whereas any have neglected or abused mercies and kindnesses that they have received, instead of casting them off on that account, God takes this other course, of giving them such mercies as shall not be so abused. This he did by the introduction of the new covenant in the room of the old; and this he doth every day. So Isa. lvii. 16-18. We live in days wherein men variously endeavour to obscure the grace of God, and to render it inglorious in the eyes of men; but he will for ever be “ admired in them that believe.”
VER. 9. | EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 123
Obs. III. Though God makes an alteration in any of his works, ordinances of worship, or institutions, yet he never changeth his intention, or the purpose of his will—In all outward changes there is with him “no variableness nor shadow of turning.” “Known unto him are all his works from the foundation of the world;’ and whatever change there seems to be in them, it is all effected in pursuance of the unchangeable purpose of his will concerning them all, It argued not the least change or shadow of turning in God, that he appointed the old covenant for a season, and for some cer- tain ends, and then took it away, by making of another that should excel it both in grace and efficacy.
Secondly, It is declared with whom this formier covenant was made; raurpdow abrév,—“with their fathers” Some i Latin copies read, “cum patribus vestris,’”—“ with your , ,./7¢7 fathers ;” but having spoken before of “the house of Israel and of the house of Judah” in the third person, he con- tinueth to speak still in the same. So likewise is it in the prophet, Dnias,—“ their fathers.”
1. “Their fathers,” their progenitors, were those that this people always boasted of. For the most part, I confess, they rose higher in their claim from them than those here principally intended,
“namely, unto Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and the twelve patriarchs. But in general their fathers it was whereof they made their boast; and they desired no more but only what might descend unto them in the right of these fathers. And unto these God here sends them, and that for two ends:—
(1.) To let them know that he had more grace and mercy to communicate unto the church than ever those fathers of theirs were made partakers of. So would he take them off from boasting of them, or trusting in them.
(2.) To give warning by them to take heed how they behaved themselves under the tender of this new and greater mercy. For the fathers here intended were those that God made the covenant withal at Sinai; but it is known, and the apostle hath declared at large in the third chapter of this epistle, how they brake and re- jected this covenant of God, through their unbelief and disobedience, so perishing in the wilderness. These were those fathers of the people with whom the first covenant was made; and so they perished in their unbelief. A great warning this was unto those that should live when God would enter into the new covenant with his church, lest they should perish after the same example. But yet was it not effectual towards them; for the greatest part of them rejected this new covenant, as their fathers did the old, and perished in the indignation of God.
Obs. IV. The disposal of mercies and privileges, as unto times,
124 AN EXPOSITION OF THE [CHAP. VIII.
persons, seasons, is wholly in the hand and power of God.—Some he granted unto the fathers, some to their posterity, and not the same to both. Our wisdom it is to improve what we enjoy, not to repine at what God hath done for others, or will do for them that shall come after us. Our present mercies are sufficient for us, if we know how to use them. He that wanteth not a believing heart shall want nothing else.