2Tim.2.22 [ Here begins the ſecond Head of Counſel in this Chapter. That ſeeing the Goſpel-Cirurch-Officer, the great Reconciler of Sinners to, and Santifier of them for God, was fully revealed to them ; 1t did now concern them to promote Peace with Men, and perfett Holineſs towards God : This 1s purſued to the end of the Chapter. aiwers imports ſuch a fierce, unwearted, unſatisfied Purſuit, as Perjecutors make-after the innocent Servants of Chriſt, .till they have their Purpo- fes on them ; arid ſo ſets out the real, earneſt, violent, unwearied, con'tant Purſuit and Labour after Peace, 1. e. Concord, Unanimity, and comfortable Confociation in all things, good and lawful to all ſorts of Perfons, in Thouzht, Word, and Deed, as far as it 1s poMſinle for us, Pſal. 34. 14. 1 Cor. 10. 32. and 13. 4, 5, 7. and 1 Pet. 3.10, 11. 7m 'AMz;puy 1s all that Habit and Frame of Heart, which becameth Souls to have towards God, enjoying all Purity trom ſpiritual Uncleanneſs, and a conformity to the Holineſs peculiar to God, Fpheſ. 4. 24. The Reſult and Quinteſcence of all the Graces of the Spirit is Holineſs, 1 Pet. I. 15, 16. 1 John 3. 2, 3. labouring
| Or, even.
HEBREWS
to the Perte&ion of this, within our kind, Pſal. 110. 3. 2 Cor. 7.1. n A Soul deſtitute of Holineſs, is in no capacity, either of Faith, or Sight to ſee the Lord; they can have no Union to, Communion with, or Fruition of God in Chriſt, neither in Grace or Glory, im- plying and affuring them with Holineſs they may ſee and enjoy him, Matth. 5. 8. 1Cor.6 9, 10. and 12, 13. Gal. 5. 21. I Fohn 3. 2,3. { Or, fall 15 Looking o diligently, leſt any p man || fail of from. the grace of God, lett any q root of bitterneſs ſpring- ins up, troubl: yo, and thereby 7 many be defiled :
» To further their Purſuit of Peace and Holineſs, he Metaphor1- cally propoſeth a Caution againſt what might ſtop them in it, which he properly ſpecifieth and exemplifieth in Eſau, from ver. 15, to 18, 'Emzor&Tes notes a very ftrief and ſevere inſpefing themſelves :
its Primitive. -z&, fignificth ſuch a looking to a thing, as thoſe, |
who in ſhooting, aim at the Mark; and the Prepoſition adds inten- tion to the Aion, fiznifying, a myſt earneſt Care in Chriſtians over themſclves, in them over others, and in Miniſters over them all. Pp Leſt any Perſon among them ſhould fail of-Grace offered 1n the Goſpel to it, and never have it, Tit. 2. 11, 12. or apoſtatize from the Profeſſion of it, by Seduion and Perſecution, Chap. 4. 1. and 10. 38, 2 Cor. 6.1. compare Gal, 1.6. and 3. 3- 9g A Metaphor | borrowed from Plants, to which Roots are proper, and which was | uſed by Moſes before, Deut. 29. 18. A Root bearing a poiſonful Herb ; intending oy it ſuch Perſons, whoſe Nature, Words, and Works, are ſo bitter unto God, as Gall and Wormwood are to Men, ſuch as apoſtatized trom God to Idols. The Apoſtle intending hereby the hindring the ſpringing up, and growing of Errors, Kerefies, or Immoralitics, as Protaneneſs, Filthineſs, gc. which are apt to in- fe& Churches, and as they ſpread, to moleſt, trouble, and diſturb them, and to keep them from purſuing Holineſs, Chap. 3. 8. Hoſea 12. 14. Galat. 1. 7. James 3. 14. r Leſt by but one ſuch poiſon- ous Root, a-whole Church of Chriſtians may be infe&ed and poiſon- cd, their Sin being as apt to ſpread and diffuſe 1t ſelf, as Leaven, 1 Cor, 5. 6. to taint the whole Lump, Gal. 5. 9g. and how early, even in the Apoſtles time, for want of obeying tis caution, were the Primitive Churches corrupted, both in Dodrine and Morals, by loole, filthy Hereticks among them.
16 * Leſt s there be any fornicator, or 7 profang * perſon as Efiu y, who for one morſel of mear fold his birrh-righr.
s This properly interprets the Roof of Bitterneſs, before, by two ſpecial Fruits of it, Uncleanne(s, Tpr1&> is not to be taken ſo ſtrift- ly, as only to note Fynicati2n, Uncleanneſs committed by unmarried Perſons,but all ſorts ot Pollution and Filthineſs, as it 15 uſed in the ge- neral Decree, A&s 15.29.fuch Defilements as had crept in among them already, to which many were propenſe and inclined, whence warn- ed of, and charzed againſt it by Zames, Peter, and Fude, in their Epiſtles. # B{*»>. 9» imports one who had a bitt*r frame of Spirit againſt the firſt Table, one of an impure Mind to Godward, oppoſite to Godlinef., who neglects and ſpurns at Holy things, rolling 1t ſelf in its own Pleaſures, Riches, Honours, with a deſpiſing of God, his Grace, and Glory, 1 Tim. 1. 9. and 4. 7. and 20. 2 Tim. 2. 16. u Eſau the beſt Example to theſe Hebrews, he being Facob's Bro ther, who was moſt notori-ufly profane, who irreligiouflv ander-
rr nr run en rn I Ie nr rn er
vained and deſp//ed the Bleiſtng of the Birth-right, to which was
Vol. IE
Chap. XII
entuiied by God the doubie Portion, the Fri-{thood and Pominior over tne Fanuly, the Bletfings of the Covenant, and the being 4 Type of Chriſt ; hebaſely and impioutly gave it away to his younger Brother, !liyhting it, and treely and iully making it over to him, al tor one eating, the baſe gratifying of his ſenſual Appetite but once, Gen.25.32,34- Like to whom were thoſe, Phil. 3.18. 2 Pet.2.10,to 2:4, Jude ver 4, to 20. In theſe is his filthy, profane Spirit iinproved.
17 For @ ye know how that afterwards whe ls would have inherited the bleffing, . he was rejected tor he x found no || place of repertance, though h ſoughr it carefully with rears.