Obs. “XVIL Those whom God makes a covenant withal, are his in a peculiar manner.—And the profession hereof is that which the world principally maligneth in them, and ever did so from the be- ginning.
Ver, 11. And they shall not teach every man his ret bour, and every man his brother, saying, Know ihe ord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.
The second general promise, declaring the nature of the new cove-
VER. 10-12.] EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 157
nant, is expressed in this verse. And the matter of it is set down, 1. Negatively, in opposition unto what was in use and necessary under the first covenant. 2. Positively, in what should take place in the room of it, and be enjoyed under this new covenant, and by virtue of it.
First, In the former part we may observe,—
1. The vehemency of the negation, in the redoubling of the nega- tive particle, od wi: ‘They shall by no means do so; that shall not be the way and manner with them whom God makes this covenant withal.’ And this is designed to fix our minds on the consideration of the privilege which is enjoyed under the new covenant, and the greatness of it.
2. The thing thus denied is teaching, not absolutely, but as unto a certain way and manner of it. The negation is not universal as unto teaching, but restrained unto a certain kind of it, which was in use and necessary under the old covenant. And this necessity was either from God’s institution, or from prac- tice taken up among themselves, which must be inquired into.
3. The subject-matter of this teaching, or the matter to be taught, was the knowledge of God, “ Know the Lord.” The whole knowledge of God prescribed in the law is here intended. And this may be reduced unto two heads: 1.) The knowing of him, and the taking him thereon to be God, to be God alone; which is the first command. (2.) Of his mind and will, as unto the obedience which the law required in all the institutions and precepts thereof; all the things which God revealed for their good: Deut. xxix. 29, “ Revealed things belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law.”
4, The manner of the teaching whose continuation is denied, is exemplified in a distribution into teachers and them «4,1 3, that are taught: “Every man his neighbour, and every #ancisv xa man his brother.” And herein, (1.) The universality tedses wey
. : aOEA Poy. of the duty, “ every one,” is expressed; and therefore it was reciprocal. Every one was to teach, and every one was to be taught ; wherein yet respect was to be had unto their several capa- cities. (2.) The opportunity for the discharging of the duty is also declared, from the mutual relation of the teachers and them that are taught: “ Every one his neighbour and his brother.”
Secondly, The positive part of the promise consists of two parts: — _ 1. The thing promised, which is the knowledge of God: “They shall all know me.” And this is placed in vpposition unto what is denied: “They shall not teach one another, saying, Know the Lord.” But this opposition is not as unto the act or duty of teaching, but as unto the effect, or saving knowledge itself, The principal efficient cause of our learning the
Od 4.
Addézacry,
Tyads roy Kdpioy.
Ildvres sh- Sioovci ue.
158 AN EXPOSITION OF THE [CHAP. VIII.
knowledge of God under the new covenant is included in this part of the promise. This is expressed in another prophet and promise, “They shall be all taught of God.” And the observation hereof will be of use unto us in the exposition of this text.
2. There is added the universality of the promise with respect
Agi pixpos Unto them with whom this covenant is made: “ All abréy foe we Of them, from the least unto the greatest;”—a prover- yérov aiza% ial speech, signifying the generality intended without exception: Jer. viii. 10, “ Every one, from the least even unto the greatest, is given unto covetousness.”
This text hath been looked on as attended with great difficulty and much obscurity; which expositors generally rather conceal than remove. For from the vehement denial of the use of that sort or kind of teaching which was in use under the old testament, some have apprehended and contended that all outward stated ways of instruction under the new testament are useless and forbidden. Hereon by some all the ordinances of the church, the whole mi- nistry and guidance of it, hath been rejected; which is, in sum, that there is no such thing as a professing church in the world. But yet those who are thus minded are no way able to advance their opinion, © but by a direct contradiction unto this promise in their own sense of it. For they endeavour in what they do to teach others their opinion, and that not in the way of a public ordinance, but every one his neighbour; which, if any thing, is here denied in an especial man- ner. And the truth is, that if all outward teaching be absolutely and universally forbidden, as it would quickly fill the world with darkness and brutish ignorance, so, if any one should come to the knowledge of the sense of this or any other text of Scripture, it would be absolutely unlawful for him to communicate it unto others; for to say, ‘ Know the Lord, or the mind of God in this text, either to neighbour or brother, would be forbidden. And of all kinds of teaching, that by a public ministry, in the administration of the ordinances of the church,—which alone is contended against from these words,—seems least to be intended; for it is private, neigh- bourly, brotherly instruction only, that is expressed. Wherefore, if, on a supposition of the prohibition of such outward instruction, any one shall go about to teach another that the public ordinances of the church are not to be allowed as a means of teaching under the new testament, he directly falls under the prohibition here given in his own sense, and is guilty of the violation of it. Where- fore these words must necessarily have another sense, as we shall see they have in the exposition of them, and that plain and obvious.