2, 3. And for this he prayed continually, ch. x. 1. And the addition of love that was made in him upon their conversion cannot be expressed. 2. He hath respect unto his preceding severe expressions, as is plain from the close of this verse, "though we thus speak." As if he had said, Notwithstanding this severe admonition, which I have, upon the consideration of all circumstances, been forced to use, yet my heart stands no otherwise affected towards you, but as towards my countrymen, brethren, and saints of God.' And thus, Obs. I. It is the duty of the dispensers of the gospel, to satisfy their hearers in and of their love in Jesus Christ to their souls and persons. 2. The apostle expresseth his judgment concerning these Hebrews, "We are persuaded better things of you, and such as accompany salvation;" wherein we have, 1. The act of his mind in this matter: Пuila, we are persuaded." Chrysostom insists much on the force of this word. The apostle, as he observes, doth not say we think or we hope, but he was fully persuaded. He lets them know that he was fully satisfied in this matter. And he useth not this word any where in his Epistles, as he useth it often, but he intends a full and prevalent persuasion. Now this a man may have in spiritual things on three grounds. 1. By especial revelation; so he was certain of the truth of the gospel that was revealed unto him, which he discourseth of, Gal. i. 7, 8. 2. By the evidence of faith, when any thing is believed on grounds infallible, namely, the revelation of the mind of God in the Scripture, or the promises of the gospel. So he useth this word, Rom. viii. 34. Tiniquida yag, "for I am persuaded that neither death nor life," &c. This he believed, and had an infallible certainty thereof, because God hath so promised. So also, 2 Tim. i. 12. olda yag ᾧ πεπιστευκα, και πεπεισμαι ότι δυνατος εστι την παραθηκαν με φυλάξαι, “ know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed to him." He useth the same expression in matter of faith, Rom. xiv. 14. 3. There is a certain persuasion of mind, that is founded on moral arguments, such as may bring a man to a full satisfaction in his mind, but yet so, as it is possible he may be deceived. Of this nature is that persuasion, that trust or confidence which we have of the good condition of other men. So our apostle speaks of Timothy and his faith, 2 Tim. i. 5. the "faith that dwelt in thy mother Eunice, πεπεισμαι δε ότι και εν σοι, and I am persuaded in thee also." He was not persuaded of any sincere faith in Timothy by especial revelation, nor was it the object of his faith from any express word of Scripture, but he was satisfied in it upon such unquestionable grounds and motives, as left no room for doubt about it. Some urge to the same purpose, Phil. i. 6. xixidas AUTO T8TO, "being confident of this very thing, persuaded of it, that he who hath begun a good work in you, will perform it to the day of Christ." But this persuasion being built on a supposition that a good work was begun in them, was an act of faith infallible, built on the promises of God, and the unchangeableness of his covenant. His persuasion here concerning the Hebrews was of this latter kind, even that which he had satisfactory reasons and grounds for, which prevailed against all contrary objections. In like manner, he speaks of the Romans, ch. xv. 14. πεπεισμαι δε αδελφοι με, και αυτός εγώ, ότι και αυτοί μεστοί εστε αγαθωσύνης, σε And I myself am persuaded of you, my brethren, that ye are full of goodness." The grounds of this persuasion, with respect unto the Hebrews, he expresseth in the next verse, where we shall consider them. Obs. II. It is our duty to come unto the best satisfaction we may, in the spiritual condition of them with whom we are to have spiritual communion.-There is not any thing of our mutual duties, that the gospel more presseth, or more supposeth. And it is necessary both unto ministers and private Christians. For the former, they are concerned in the advice of the wise man, Prov. xxvii. 23. “Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flock." They are not only to provide good pasture, and feeding for them, but they must know their state and condition, that what they provide for them may be suitable and seasonable. And unto this end there were at first some in the church, who had the immediate inspection of the state and walking of the members of it, and were thereby enabled, as Moses said to his father-in-law, Numb. x. 31. to be instead of eyes unto the teachers, to look into the condition of all sorts of persons. Nor can they, without it, discharge any one duty of their office in a due manner. For ministers to walk towards their people at peradventure, and to fight uncertainly as men beating the air, without an acquaintance with their state, and especial consideration of their condition, and what therein is suited unto their edification, as is the manner of many, will leave them at a great uncertainty how to give up their account; see Heb. xiii. 17. Unless a man have some good satisfaction, concerning the spiritual condition of those that are committed unto his charge, he can never approve himself among them, "a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth," to give unto all their proportion. And the work of the ministry, is not by any means more evacuated and rendered ineffectual, than when men have not a certain design to deal with their hearers, according to what they are persuaded that their spiritual state doth require. How shall they instruct, how shall they warn, how shall they comfort any, but on a supposition of an acquaintance with the state and condition wherein they are 3 A general preaching at random, without a special scope direct ed by the persuasion mentioned, turns the whole work for the most part, both in preachers and hearers, into an useless formality. In brief, this persuasion principally regulates the whole work of the ministry. He that is a physician unto the bodies of men, must acquaint himself with the especial state and condition of his patients, as also of their distempers, wherein his skill and judgment is especially to be exercised. Without that, let him be furnished with the greatest store of good medicines, if he gives them out promiscuously unto all comers, all that he doth will be of little use. It may be his medicines being safe, they will do no harm; and it is probable they will do as little good. Nor will it be otherwise with the physicians of souls in the like case. Four things are required to make the dispensation of the word proper and profitable-a good spring, a safe rule, a distinct design, and enlivening affections. 1. The first is, the dispenser's own light and experience. He is to see in his work with his own eyes, and not those of other men. And when he is by his own light as a scribe unto the kingdom of God, it is out of the good treasure of his own heart that he is to bring forth good things, new and old. 2. His safe rule is the infalli ble word of truth. This must be the touchstone of his light and experience. And it is suited unto his whole work, unto all the duties of it, 2 Tim. iii. 16, 17. In nothing but what is regulated hereby are any to be attended unto, Isa. viii. 20. 3. His distinct design lies in the due consideration of the spiritual state and condition of them unto whom the word is to be dispensed. And herein consists the greatest part of the ministerial skill. This is that which secretly differenceth the constant ministerial dispensation of the word, from the occasional exercise of the gifts of any. And this doth God make use of, to convey unexpected relief or repose unto the souls of men wherewith they are surprised and affected. If we have not this scope continually before us, we may run apace, but never know whether we are in or out of the way. 4. The enlivening affections that ought to accompany the dispensation of the word, are zeal for the glory of God, and compassion for the souls of men. But these things must not here be insisted on. And for private Christians among themselves, their mutual duties are referred unto love, and the fruits of it. That special love which ought to be among the disciples of Christ, as such, takes up, in the description, injunctions and directions of it, a great part of the writings of the New Testament. Nothing doth the Lord Christ himself, nor his apostles, so urge upon them, as this of mutual love. Upon the right discharge of this duty, he frequently declares that his honour in them and by them in this world doth principally depend. And whatever we have besides this, our apostle declares that it is nothing, or of no use in the church of God, 1 Cor. xiii. And the greatest evidence of the degeneracy of Christianity in the world, consists in the open loss of this love amongst those who make profession thereof. 1. Now, this love is founded in our persuasion concerning the spiritual state and condition of each other. I mean, that especial mutual love is so, which ought to be among the disciples of Christ as such. For although we are on other grounds obliged unto a love towards all mankind, whether friends or enemies, yet that peculiar love which the gospel so chargeth on the disciples of Christ is an effect of, and built upon their common and mutual interest in Christ. They are to love one another as members of the same mystical body, and united to the same spiritual Head. Whatever love there may be on other accounts among any of them, which doth not arise from this spring and fountain, it is not that gospel love which ought to be among believers. And how can this be in us, unless we have a good persuasion concerning our mutual interest and in-being in Christ? God forbid that any should press that peculiar intense love, that ought to be among the members of the body of Christ, to take off, or derogate from that general love and usefulness, which not only the law of our creation, but the gospel also requireth of us, in an especial manner towards all men. Yea, he who professeth love unto the saints, that peculiar love which is required towards them, and doth not exercise love in general towards all men, much more if he make the pretence. of brotherly love, the ground of alienating his affection from the residue of mankind, can have no assurance that the love he so professeth is sincere, incorrupt, genuine, and without dissimulation. But this special love is the special duty of us all, if we believe the gospel, and without which foundation well laid, we can rightly discharge no other mutual duty whatever. Now this, as is evident, we cannot have, unless we have a persuasion of the only ground of this love, which is our mutual relation unto Jesus Christ. And to act this love aright as to its object, as grounded on this persuasion, take heed of "evil surmises;" these are the bane of evangelical love, though some seem to make them their duties. Those concerning whom we hear that they make profession of faith and obedience towards our Lord Jesus Christ, and know not that they any way contradict their profession by wicked works, we are obliged to bear the same love towards, as if we knew them sincere; for charity hopeth all things, namely, that are good, if we have no certain evidence. to the contrary. And thus in general, we may have this persuasion concerning all that in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours. We have no obli gation indeed hereunto, towards such as visibly and evidently walk unworthy of that high calling whereby we are called. For concerning such our apostle assures us, that whatever they profess, they are "enemies of the cross of Christ, whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is their shame, who mind earthly things," Phil. iii. 18, 19. It is a dishonour, a reproach to Christ and the gospel, that we should persuade ourselves that they are his disciples, and members of his mystical body, whom we see to walk after the manner of the world, and to have their conversation in the lusts of the flesh. These we are still to love as those who once had, and are yet capable of the renovation of, the image of God upon them. But they proclaim themselves destitute of all those qualifications which are the formal object and reason of this peculiar love. 2. The Lord Christ hath, by his institution, secured us as to a certain rule of this persuasion and love, by the disposal of his disciples into church societies, upon such grounds as are a sufficient warrant for it. Thus our apostle, in all his Epistles unto the churches, salutes, esteems, judgeth them all to be saints and called in Christ Jesus. For although some of them might not be so really, and in the sight of God, yet his persuasion, and his love being directed according to the rule, were acceptable unto Christ. And whereas our Lord Jesus hath commanded that all his disciples should join themselves unto, and walk in such societies, were there not great confusion brought into the world in and about gospel institutions, we should not be at a loss about this persuasion and love; for we should be obliged to them towards all that are called Christians, until they had openly declared themselves to be enemies of the cross of Christ. But we are yet suffering under the confusion of a fatal apostasy, which God in his good time will deliver his churches from. 3. As we cannot direct our love aright without this persuasion, no more can we exercise any of the duties or fruits of it in a due manner. The fruits of mutual love among Christians are either in things spiritual which concern edification, or in things temporal which concern outward relief. Of the first sort, are admonition, exhortation, instructions and consolations, mutually administered. Now, how can any man order or make use of these in a right manner, unless he have some directive persuasion of the spiritual condition of them to whom he doth administer? It is true he may sometimes be therein mistaken, yet it is far better so to be, than never to consider what is meet and requisite with respect thereunto. And as for the fruits of the same love in outward things, although they ought to be brought forth in the temporal supplies of all according to our |