at the same time declares a desire of a suitable supply of that want, which is included in the sense of it. And the want which they so declared, consisting in this, that in this world they were strangers and pilgrims, the only supply whereof is a country of their own for them to inhabit and enjoy, with all its rights and privileges, they declared plainly therein, that they sought a country. For it is only when men obtain that which is wanting to them, as they are strangers and pilgrims, that they will cease so to be. Most men do meet with, and are sensible of sundry wants, yet they are such as may be supplied in the place where they are in this world; and their great desire, with their utmost endeavour, is that they may be here supplied. Such persons, be they never so poor, or indigent, or harbourless, are not pilgrims on the earth: this is their home, although they are but ordinarily provided for. Much less are they so, who have an affluence of all things unto their satisfaction, though they sometimes meet with a pinch or loss. They only are so, who live always in a sense of such wants as this world cannot supply. VER. 15. Whereas these patriarchs did thus express their desire of a country, and diligently sought after it, it may be because having lost their own country, their relations and enjoyments, meeting with the difficulties of a wandering course of life, they had a desire to return home again, where they might have quiet habitations. This objection, which, if of force, would overthrow his present design, the apostle obviates and removes in this verse. VER. 15. Και ει μεν εκείνης εμνημονευον αφ' ἧς εξήλθον, είχον αν καιρον ανακαμψαι. VER. 15.—And truly if they had been mindful of that from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. There is in the words, 1. A supposition that these pilgrims had originally a country of their own whereunto they did belong. 2. An assertion, First. That they left this country of their own accord. Secondly. That in the profession they made of their being strangers and pilgrims, they had no respect to the country they left, nor desire to return to it; which, 3. Is proved by the possibility and facility of such a return. 1. Originally they had a country of their own, εκείνης αφ' ἧς εξηλθον. This was Ur of the Chaldees,' Gen. xi. 32, called also 'Mesopotamia,' Acts vii. 2; Gen. xxiv. 10; 'the country on the other side of the flood,' Josh. xxiv. 2. Wherefore respect may be had either to Ur of the Chaldees, which Abraham first left with his father, or Haran on the other side of Euphrates, where he first dwelt. 2. From this country Enov, 'they went out.' They left it, they departed from it on the command of God. That is, Abraham and Sarah did so; and Isaac with Jacob continuing to follow them in obedience to the same call, are said to do so also. And they went forth of it, not for want, or to increase their riches; for Abraham had possessions and goods therein; nor were they driven out by external force or VOL. IV. FF persecution, as the Jews fancy, but in an obediental compliance with the call of God, and this secured them from all desires of a return. 3. In their profession of being strangers and pilgrims, they had not respect to this country. Ει εμνημονευον. Ει εμνημονευον. Si meminissent, si memores fuissent; si recordarentur, si mentionem fecissent. Syr. Si quærentes essent. We render it well, if they had been mindful,' that is, remembered it with a mind and desire after it. It is natural to all men to remember, to mind, and desire their own country. Nothing is more celebrated amongst all sorts of ancient writers, nor more illustrated by examples, than the love of men to their country, and their fervent desire after the enjoyment of it. Especially it was made evident in many when they came to die: Et dulces moriens reminiscitur Argos. This love to, this desire after their native soil, was mortified in these holy persons by faith, acting in obedience to the call of God, so as that no remembrance of their first enjoyments, no impressions from their native air, no bonds of consanguinity among the people, no difficulties they met withal in their wanderings, could kindle in them any peculiar love to, or desire after this country. They minded it not. Obs. I. It is in the nature of faith to mortify, not only corrupt and sinful lusts, but our natural affections, and their most vehement inclinations, though in themselves innocent, if they are any way uncompliant with duties of obedience to the commands of God. Yea, herein lies the principal trial of the sincerity and power of faith. Our lives, parents, wives, children, houses, possessions, our country, are the principal, proper, lawful objects of our natural affections. But when they, or any of them, stand in the way of God's commands, if they are hinderances to the doing or suffering any thing according to his will, faith doth not only mortify, weaken, and take off that love, but gives us a comparative hatred of them; Matt. x. 37; Luke xiv. 26; John xii. 25. 4. That they had not respect to this country in the profession they made, the apostle proves from hence, that they might have returned to it, if they had any mind thereunto. Wherefore should they thus complain, when they might have gone home when they would? Eixov av, they might have had,' or as some copies read, only axov, 'they had,' which better expresseth the mind of the apostle. For not only they 'might have had,' but really they had,' (as we shall see,) sundry opportunities of returning. Kaupov, tempus, Vul. Lat. opportunitatem, a season,' a fit and meet time so to do. For, 1. From the call of Abraham to the death of Jacob there were two hundred years; so as they had time enough for a return if they had a mind to it. 2. There was no external difficulty thereunto by force or opposition. 3. The way was not so far, but that Abraham sent his servant thither out of Canaan, and Jacob went the same journey with his staff. But they gave sundry evidences also that they would not on any opportunity return thither; for the text in the best reading grants that such opportunities they had. So when Abraham sent his servant to take a wife for Isaac from thence, on his servant's inquiry whether if the woman would not come with him he should engage his son to return thither, when so great an opportunity was offered, replied, Beware that thou bring not my son thither,' namely, to the land from whence I came, Gen. xxiv. 5, 6. And afterwards, when Jacob going thither, on the like occasion, was increased there greatly with a numerous family, wives, children, goods, riches, and cattle in abundance; yet there he would not stay, but through innumerable hazards returned again into Canaan, Gen. xxxi. It is therefore most evident, that no opportunity could draw them to think of avaкaμfaι, 'a return' into their own country; and therefore it could not be that, with respect whereunto they professed themselves to be strangers and pilgrims; that was not the country which they did seek and desire. Obs. II. And it appears hence, that when the hearts and minds of believers are fixed on things spiritual and heavenly, as theirs were, it will take them off from inordinate cleaving to things otherwise greatly desirable. VER. 16.-THE apostle hereon draws another inference, wherein he expresseth the true real object of their faith and desires, with the great advantage and dignity which they obtained thereon. VER. 16.—Νυνι δε κρειττονος ορεγονται, τουτεστιν, επουρανίου διο ουκ επαισχύνεται αυτούς ὁ Θεός, Θεος επικαλείσθαι αυτών· ἡτοιμασε γαρ αυτοις πολιν. 77, but now it is Nuvi de. Atqui nune autem. Syr. known,' or 'certain,' it appears by the event. KOUTTоvoç, meliorem, the Syr. adds, , than that,' better than the country which they came from. Bez. Potiorem, the same with the Syr. Opeуovτal. Appetunt, expetunt, desiderant, earnestly desire,' 'in the present tense, speaking historically of what was then done. ETαLOXVVETAL. Vul. Lat. Confunditur. Rhem. 'is not confounded' to be called their God, very improperly. Non pudet, non erubescit, Syr. 5, abstained, refrained not.' Erikaliodai. Vul. Lat. Vocari, cognominari, to have this title of "their God,' to be added to his name. VER. 16.-But now they (earnestly) desire a better (country) that is an heavenly. Wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he hath prepared for them a city. Here at length the apostle declares, what was the acting of their faith in that confession which they made, that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.' For, 1. It was not a mere complaint of their present state and condition; nor, 2. Did it include a desire after any other earthly country; not that in particular from whence they came, where were all their dear concernments and relations. Wherefore, 3. It must be another country, of another sort and kind, that they desired and fixed their faith on, which is here declared. There are three things in the words. 1. What their faith was exercised in, under the profession which they made, namely, that they did desire a better country, that is, an heavenly.' 2. What was the consequent thereof, 'God is not ashamed to be called their God.' 3. The ground and evidence hereof, for he hath prepared for them a city.' First. In the first, the apostle declares that in the midst of the world, and against the world, which contemns things future and invisible in comparison of those which are of present enjoyment and use, they lived in the hope, desire, and expectation of a future, invisible, heavenly country. And in this profession, testimony is borne unto the truth and excellency of divine promises. Yea, Obs. I. To avow openly in the world, by our ways, walking, and living, with a constant public profession, that our portion and inheritance is not in it, but in things invisible, in heaven above, is an illustrious act and fruit of faith. But then it is incumbent on us, that we do not in any thing contradict this testimony. If we love the world like others, use and abuse it like others, we destroy our own profession, and declare our faith to be in vain. In the first part of the words, we may consider, 1. The manner of their introduction :-- but now.' 2. The way of the acting of their faith:-it was by desire.' 1. Nuvi de, but now.' Nuv, 'now,' is not in this place an adverb of time, but an illative particle; and joined with de, but,' signifies an adversative inference, as ny is used in the Hebrew, Ps. ii. 10, Be wise, now, therefore.' It was not so with them, they desired not a return into their country, but they desired. 2. Their faith acted by desire, opsyovrat, earnest desire;' so opɛyoual signifies. It is twice used by our apostle in his first Epistle to Timothy, and nowhere else. In the one place it is applied to the desire of episcopacy, ch. iii. 1, and in the other, unto that of money, ch. vi. 10, which usually are vehement; in the latter place we render it by coveted; a craving desire. They had an earnest active desire, which put them on all due ways and means of attaining it. Slothful, inactive desires after things spiritual and heavenly, are of little use in or unto the souls of men. This kind of earnest desire includes, 1. A sense of want, and unsatisfiedness in things present. 2. A just apprehension of the worth and excellency of the things desired, without which none can have an earnest desire after any thing. 3. A sight of the way and means whereby it may be attained, without which all desire will quickly fade and fail. Such a desire in any, is an evidence of faith working in a due manner. 3. That which they thus desired, was KOETTOPOs, a better,' that is, a heavenly. A better, more excellent country, which is to be supplied; not that wherein they were, the land of Canaan, not that from whence they came, the land of the Chaldees; in the one, they were pilgrims, unto the other, they would not return; but another, a better. Better,' may respect degrees or kinds. A country better in degrees than either of them; better air, better soil, more fruitful, more peaceable; but there was no such on the earth, nor any such did they desire. Wherefore, it respects a country of another kind, and so the apostle expounds it; τουτεστιν επουρανίου, 'that is, an heavenly.' He had before declared, that they looked for a city that had foundations, whose framer and builder is God, ver. 10. Here he expresseth where that city is, and what it is, namely, heaven itself, or a habitation with God in the everlasting enjoyment of him. The apostle here clearly ascribeth unto the holy patriarchs, a faith of immortality and glory after this life, and that in heaven above with God himself, who prepared it for them. But great endeavours are used to disprove this faith of theirs, and overthrow it. If we may believe the papists, they were deceived in their expectation. For whereas the apostle teacheth, that when they died, they looked to go to heaven, they affirm that they came short of it, and fell into a limbus, they know not where. The Socinians grant a state of immortality and glory to be here intended; but they say that these holy men did not look for it, nor desire it, by virtue of any promise of God. But they are said to do so, because it was that which in the purpose of God would ensue, but they had no ground to believe it. There is herein not only boldness, but wantonness in dealing with the Scripture. For this exposition is not only expressly contradictory unto the words of the apostle in their only sense and meaning, but also destructive of his whole argument and design. For if he proves not that their faith wrought in the desire and expectation of heavenly things, he proves nothing at all unto his purpose. Grotius and his follower would have the country intended, to be the land of Canaan, and the city to be Jerusalem, which yet in a mystical sense, were typical of heaven; for these were promised unto their posterity than which nothing can be more remote from the mind of the Holy Ghost. For, 1. That which they looked for and earnestly desired, they did at last enjoy, or their faith was in vain, and their hope, such as made them ashamed. But they never personally possessed Canaan or Jerusalem. 2. This country is directly opposed unto that wherein they were pilgrims, which was the land of Canaan, and called a better country in opposition unto it, and so could not be the same. 3. The city which was prepared, was that whose only framer and builder was God, that is, heaven itself. 4. This country is said to be heavenly, which the land of Canaan and the city of Jerusalem, are never said to be; but are opposed unto heaven, or that which is above. Certainly men follow prejudices, and are under the influence of other corrupt opinions, so as that they advise not with their own minds, who thus express themselves concerning these holy patriarchs. Shall we think that those who were testified unto, to have lived by faith, to have walked with God, who gave themselves unto prayer and meditation continually, who denied themselves as unto all worldly accommodations, whose faith produced inimitable instances of obedience, rose no higher in their faith, hope, desires, and expectations, than these earthly things, wherein their posterity were to have no share comparable unto that of many of the worst enemies of God; the whole of it being at this day, |