suffer all the members suffer with it: one cannot sin without injuring others. 16 Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. The selling of his birthright showed Esau to be a profane person, because in those days the priesthood belonged to the eldest born: moreover it was reasonable to believe that the promise of GOD, that CHRIST should be born of the family of Abraham, would be fulfilled in the eldest son. Of both these great offices then, the priesthood and the progenitorship of the Messiah Esau thought lightly. See the history in Gen. xxv. 29-34. 17 For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears. At first Esau cared nothing for the spiritual loss, which the profane sale of his birthright had brought upon him: "afterwards" when he found that it involved temporal loss also, then, but not until then, was he sorry; but his sorrow thus originating was but a sorrow of the world, and not true repentance; consequently when he sought to change his father's mind, when he tried to make him repent of the blessing he had given to Jacob and to take it back and bestow it on himself, GOD would not suffer it. "I have blessed him, yea, and he shall be blessed," was Isaac's persistent reply. See Gen. xxvii. 18 For We barter life for pottage: sell true bliss For wealth or power, for pleasure or renown: Then wash with fruitless tears our faded crown. This word connects this verse with verse 14: "follow peace and holiness," the Apostle seems to say, for your calling is not as was that of the Israelites of old. ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest, 19 And the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which voice they that heard, entreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more: 20 (For they could not endure that which was commanded, And if so much as a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned, or thrust through with a dart: 21 And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake :) Even Moses, the HOLY SPIRIT apparently means; even he, who had been so associated with Himself in awful works by the ALMIGHTY; even he, at Mount Sinai was terrified: yet it was not altogether with bodily fear, but even as before on the same mountain at the bush, he "hid his face, for he was afraid to look upon GOD."1 See Exod. xix. 13, 16—19. 22 But ye are come Or, more literally, "ye came," alluding to the definite time and means whereby they came into CHRIST and His Church. unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living GOD, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, 23 To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to GOD the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, 24 And to JESUS, the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel. Glory be to JESUS, Who in bitter pains, 1 Exod. iii. 6. Grace and life eternal Blest through endless ages Abel's blood for vengeance Oft as it is sprinkled On our guilty hearts, Oft as earth exulting Lift ye then your voices, Praise the precious Blood. Consider how the Church is here described, for it is of that the Spirit speaks in these verses. 1. She is visible as Mount Sion, whence, in contrast with Mount Sinai, it may also be observed, the law of the Spirit proceeded on Whit Sunday. 2. She is One, as "the city of the living GOD." 3. She is holy, as "the Heavenly Jerusalem." 4. She is Catholic as embracing the angels and the saints who have been, or who are. 5. She is the Body of CHRIST, for coming to her we come to JESUS. 6. In her is to be found "the fountain opened for sin and uncleanness," the fountain of life, the precious Blood of the Lamb. Consider now, O Christian, of what a city thou hast become a citizen, of what a family thou art one, of what a body thou art a member; of what holiness shouldst thou be! 25 See that ye refuse not Him That speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, That is, either Moses, or the angel who spake on Mount Sinai. much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from Him That speaketh from heaven: That is, our LORD JESUS. 26 Whose voice then shook the earth: 'Then," on Mount Sinai: CHRIST JESUS therefore it was Who then spoke, when "the whole mountain quaked greatly." but now He hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven. This prophecy of Haggai ii. 6, 7, did indeed meet with a fulfilment at the birth of the LORD JESUS, Who alone is the Desire of all nations; but it is manifest from this that there will yet be another fulfilment, deeper and more awful. 27 And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. "Those things that are shaken:" the expression means apparently, such portions of the old law as were done away with by the better covenant. In like manner those things which cannot be shaken," means the New Testament, which is never to be destroyed, which leads to enduring joys. 28 Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve GOD acceptably with reverence and godly fear : The kingdom which cannot be moved, is of course the kingdom of the New Testament, the Catholic Church: and when the Apostle says "let us have grace," his meaning is, let us accept and embrace the grace GOD offers "with godly fear," that is, with a loving and religious awe in, and of, His presence, His presence in His Church, and His presence within our souls. Blessed is the man that feareth the LORD, he hath great delight in His commandments: for he shall never be moved; he will not be afraid of any evil tidings, for his heart standeth fast and believeth in the LORD." 29 For our GoD is a consuming fire. Inflame my whole heart, O my GOD, with the pure fire of Thy love, that it may now be wholly transformed into Thy likeness, and so, be not consumed in the awful day. CHAPTER XIII. 1 Let brotherly love continue. "Continue:" hence we may conclude they had begun well. 2 Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. As Abraham did, Gen. xviii. 2, if indeed the mysterious threefold Being Who spake with him was not more than an Angel; and Lot, Gen. xix. 1, and doubtless many others, only "unawares." It should be observed that this charge is here given to those who had been spoiled of their goods (x. 34), and who might possibly suppose in consequence that they were freed from the duty of hospitality. 3 Remember them that are in bonds, That is, for the truth's sake. as bound with them; For ye are one body with them; remember them therefore, as ye, were ye in their circumstances, would wish them to remember you. and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body. And therefore exposed to suffer as they are suffering. 4 Marriage is honourable in all, "In all," that is, altogether, or in all respects: honourable in its origin, as being GOD's ordinance; honourable in its object, H |