§. 160. Of blaming some and not all, where some only are guilty.
For some when they had heard did provoke; howbeit not all that came 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Egypt by Moses.
HEre the Apostle begins to shew what kinde of persons sinned, and were pun•…•…∣ed. These are indefinitely hinted in this verse, and more clearly exemplif•…•… in the verses following.
He maketh mention of the persons to give a more full evidence of the nece•…•… of Christian watchfulness against hardness of heart: even because they whose 〈◊〉〈◊〉 were hardned, provoked God to their own ruine.
This causall particle a 1.1 FOR, demonstrateth so much: For it imports a 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of that which goeth before: as if he had more plainly said, Do not ye who 〈◊〉〈◊〉 hear Christs word harden your hearts, because they who of old were hard•…•… provoked God.
This Pronoun b 1.2 some, is a word of limitation: For it exempteth some, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 such as were not guilty: Therefore the Apostle, by way of explanation to make 〈◊〉〈◊〉 •…•…inde the more clear, addeth this phrase, Howbeit not all.
The Apostle would not lay the blame on all, where he knew that not all, but •…•…∣ly some were guilty.
This is in this exemplification the more observable, because almost all at 〈◊〉〈◊〉 time or other provoked God. For of all the six hundred thousand men that came 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of Egypt, (Exod. 12. 37.) there were but two that provoked not God to cut 〈◊〉〈◊〉 off in the wildernesse, Num. 14. 29, 30.
Indeed besides those two men, Ioshua and Caleb, many that were under 〈◊〉〈◊〉 year old when they came out of Egypt, were not destroyed in the wildernesse; 〈◊〉〈◊〉 a great Army went out of the wildernesse into Canaan: Therefore the Apo•…•… might well say, Some, not all: So as none are to be blamed but those that are 〈◊〉〈◊〉* 1.3 All are not to be involved in the blame that lieth upon some. Such a limita•…•… doth the Apostle use, where he reckoneth up particular crimes of the Israelit•…•… the wilderness, thus, Some of them were Idolaters, some of them committed 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉, some of them tempted Christ, some of them murmured, 1 Cor. 10. 7, 8, 9, 10.
To condemn all where some only are guilty, is to condemn the just: which is 〈◊〉〈◊〉 much before God, as to justifie the wicked, Prov. 17. 15.
This is too common a fault among many, who use to condemn all professo•…•… 〈◊〉〈◊〉 hypocrisie, because some are hypocrites: and all Ministers of pride, and all •…•…∣gistrates of inj•…•…stice, and all Lawyers of unconscionableness in maintaining 〈◊〉〈◊〉 •…•…ts, and all Physitians of unmercifulnesse, and all Citizens of covetousness, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 all tradesmen of deceitfulness, and all women of lightness, and all servants of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 faithfulness. See more hereof in the Saints Sacrifice on Psa. 116. v. 11. §. 74.
Generall censures are for the most part unjust censures: yet too too commo•…•…
This moderation of the Apostle in charging some only, affords a good less•…•… to Ministers, Magistrates, Parents, Masters and others, not to censure or conde•…•…