But it may be said, ‘How should the approach of this day, — wherein all things seem to be dissolved, the church to be scattered, the whole nation to be consumed with blood and fire, be a motive unto redoubled diligence in attendance unto the duties of Christian assemblies? It should now seem rather to have been a time for every one to shift for himself and his family, than to leave all at un- certainties, and unto ruin, whilst they looked after those assemblies,’
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VER. 25.] EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS, 527
Ans. [1.] Whatever desolations and destructions may be approach- ing, our best and wisest frame will be to trust unto God, in the dis- charge of our duty. All other contrivances will prove not only vain and foolish, but destructive unto our souls. The day here intended was coming on the city and nation for their neglect and contempt of the gospel; it was the revenge of their murder, unbelief, and obstinacy against Christ: wherefore if any that made profession of the gospel were now negligent and careless in the known duties of it, they could have no evidence or satisfaction in their own minds that they should not fall in the fire of that day. They who will in any degree partake of men’s sins, must in some degree or other par- take of their plagues.
[2.] It is impossible that men should go or be carried through a day of public calamity, a destructive day, comfortably and cheer- fully, without a diligent attendance unto those known duties of the gospel. For, 1st. The guilt of this neglect will seize upon them when their trial shall come; and they will wish, when it is too late, that they had kept at a distance from it. 2dly. Let men pretend © what they will, this decay in those duties argues and evidenceth a decay in all graces, which they will find weak, and unfit to carry them through their trials; which will bring them unto an unspeak- able loss in their own minds. 3dly. The Lord Christ requireth this from usin a way of testimony unto him, that we are found faithful in our adherence unto his institutions upon the approach of such a day; for hereby do we evidence both the subjection of our souls unto him, as also that we value and esteem the privilege of the gospel above all other things. 4thly. Because the duties prescribed, in a right discharge of them, are the great means for the strengthen- ing and supporting of our souls in that part of the trial which we are to undergo. For such a day as that intended hath fire in it, to try every man’s work of what sort it is, and every man’s grace both as | to its sincerity and power. Therefore all ways and means whereby our works may be tried and our graces exercised are required of us in such a season. Wherefore,—
Obs. VIII. Approaching judgments ought to influence unto espe- cial diligence in all evangelical duties.
(2.) How did this day approach? It was approaching, coming, drawing nigh, it was “in procinctu,’—gradually coming upon them: warnings of it, dispositions towards it, intimations of its coming, were given them every day. This I have before given an account of, and how the drawings nigh of this day were upon them when this epistle was written, and how in a short time it brake forth upon them in all its severity.
3. And these things were so evident, as that, in the last place, the apostle takes it for granted that they themselves did see openly and
528. AN EXPOSITION OF THE [cHAP. x.
evidently the approaching day. And it did so in these five things: (1.) In the accomplishment of the signs of tts coming foretold by our Saviour. Compare Matt. xxiv. 9, etc., with verses 32-34 of this chapter. And besides, all the other signs mentioned by our Saviour were entering on their accomplishment. (2.) In that things were at a great stand as unto the progress of the gospel among the Hebrews. At the first preaching of it “ multitudes” were converted unto Christ, and the word continued in efficacy towards them for some season afterwards; but now, as our apostle plainly declares in this epistle, the case was changed among them. “The elect obtained, the rest were hardened,” Rom. xi. 7. The number of the elect among that people was now gathered in; few additions were made unto the church,—not “daily,” nor in “ multitudes,’ as formerly. And believers knew full well that when their work was all accom- plished, God would not leave the people in their obstinacy, but that “wrath should come upon them unto the uttermost.” (8.) They saw it approaching in all the causes of it. For the body of the people, having now refused the gospel, were given up unto all wickedness, and hatred unto Christ; an account whereof is given at — large by the historian of their own nation. (4.) The time and sea- son did manifest itself unto them. For whereas the body of that people were to be “ cut off,” and “ cast off,” as the apostle expressly declares, Rom. ix—xi. this could not be done until a sufficient tender of the gospel and of grace by Christ Jesus were first made unto them. Notwithstanding all their other wickednesses, God would not surprise them with an overturning destruction. He had ~ before, as types of his dealing with them, warned the old world by Noah, and Sodom by Lot, before the one was destroyed by water | and the other by fire. He would also give them their day, and - make them a sufficient tender of mercy; which he had now done towards forty years. In this space, through the ministry of the apostles, and other faithful dispensers of the word, the gospel had been proposed unto all persons of that nation throughout the world, Rom. x. 16-20. This being now accomplished, they might evidently see that the day was approaching. (5.) In the preparations for tt. For at this time all things began to be filled with confusions, dis- orders, tumults, seditions, and slaughters, in the whole nation, being all of them entrances of that woful day, whose coming was declared in them and by them.