A continuation of the exposition of the Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Hebrews viz, on the sixth, seventh, eight, ninth, and tenth chapters : wherein together with the explication of the text and context, the priesthood of Christ ... are declared, explained and confirmed : as also, the pleas of the Jews for the continuance and perpetuity of their legal worship, with the doctrine of the principal writers of the Socinians about these things, are examined and disproved / by J. Owen ...

VERSE 35, 36.

Cast not away therefore your Confidence, which hath great recompence of re∣ward.

For ye have need of patience, that after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the Promise.

IN these two verses there is an Inference from his former argument, and a Con∣firmation of it from the necessity of what is required thereunto. The first in ver. 35. wherein the Apostle gives us the peculiar design, use, and force of the preceding Exhortation unto the consideration of what they had suffered in and for the profession of the Gospel. And there is in the words, (1.) A note of inference from the foregoing discourse, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, wherefore. (2.) A grace and duty which in this Inference he exhorts them to retain, and that is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. (3.) The manner of their retaining it, cast not away. (4.) The Reason of the Exhortation not to cast it away, because it hath great recompence of reward.

1. The inference is plain: seeing you have suffered so many things in your Per∣sons and Goods, seeing God by the power of his grace hath carried you through * 1.1 with satisfaction and joy, do not now despond and faint upon the approach of the same difficulties, or those of a like nature. The especial force of the infe∣rence the words themselves do declare.

2. That which he exhorts them thus unto by this argument is the preserva∣tion and continuance of their confidence. This 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 whatever it be, was * 1.2 that which engaged them in and carryed them through their sufferings, which alone was praise-worthy in them. For meerly to suffer is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, and may

be good or evil, as it's causes and occasions, and circumstances are. Now this was absolutely neither their Faith nor Profession. But as we have had occasion to mention several times, it is a fruit and effect of faith, whereby the minds of Believers are made prompt, ready, free, unto all duties of profession, against all difficulties and discouragements. It is a boldness of mind with freedom from bondage and fear in the duties of Religion towards God and man, from a prevailing perswasion of our acceptance with God therein. In this frame of Spirit, by this fruit and effect of faith these Hebrews were carried chearfully through all their sufferings for the Gospel. And indeed without it, it is impos∣sible that we should undergo any great sufferings unto the glory of God, or our own advantage. For if we are made diffident of our cause by unbelief; if the helps and succours tendered in the Gospel and promises thereof be betrayed by fear; if the shame of outward sufferings and scorns do enfeeble the mind; if we have not an evidence of better things to lay in the Ballance against pre∣sent evils, it is impossible to endure any great fight of afflictions in a due manner. Unto all these evil habits of the mind is this confidence opposed. This was that Grace, that exercise of Faith, which was once admir'd in Peter and John, Acts 4. 13. And there can be no better account given of it, then what is evident in the behaviour of those two Apostles in that season. Being in bonds, under the power of their enraged enemies for preaching the Gospel, yet with∣out fear, tergiversation, or hesitation, without all questioning what will be the issue, and how they would deal with them whom they charged to have murdered the Lord Jesus; with all boldness and plainness of speech, they gave an account of their Faith, and testified unto the Truth. Wherefore these things that I have mentioned are plainly included in this confidence, as to invincible constancy of mind, and boldness in the profession of the Gospel, in the face of all difficulties, through a trust in God, and a valuation of the Eternal reward, which are the Foundation of it.

This frame of Spirit they ought to labour to confirm in themselves, who are or may be called unto sufferings for the Gospel. If they are unprepared, they will be shaken and cast down from their stability.

3. This confidence which hath been of such use unto them, the Apostle Exhorts * 1.3 them now not to cast it away; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. He doth not say, leave it not, forgo it not; but cast it not away. For where any Graces have been stirred up unto their due exercise, and have had success, they will not fail, nor be lost without some positive act of the mind in rejecting of them, and the refusal of the succours which they tender unto us. And this rejection may be only as unto it's actual exercise, not as unto it's radical in-being in the soul. For as I look on this confidence as a Grace, so it is not the root, but a branch of it: Faith is the root, and confi∣dence is a branch springing out of it. Wherefore it may, at least for a season, be cast away, while faith abides firm. Sometimes failing in Faith makes this Con∣fidence to fail, and sometimes failing in this Confidence weakens and impairs Faith. When faith on any occasion is impaired and insnared, this confidence will not abide. And so soon as we begin to fail in our confidence, it will reflect weakness on faith it self. Now unto the casting away of this Confidence these things do con∣cur. (1.) That it do as it were offer it self unto us for our assistance as in for∣mer times. This it doth in the reasonings and arguings of faith for boldness and constancy in profession, which are great and many, and will arise in the minds of them that are Spiritually enlightned. (2.) Arguments against the use of it, espe∣cially at the present season when it is called forth, are required in this case; and they are of two sorts. (1.) Such as are suggested by carnal wisdom, urging men unto this or that course whereby they may spare themselves, save their lives, and keep their Goods, by rejecting this confidence, although they continued firm in the Faith. (2.) From carnal fears, representing the greatness, difficulties and dangers that lye in the way of an open profession with boldness and confidence. (3.) A resolution to forgoe this confidence upon the urgency of these arguings. (4.) An application unto other ways and means inconsistent with the exercise of this Grace, in the discharge of this duty.

And hence it appears how great is the evil here dehorted from, and what a certain entrance it will prove into the Apostacy it self so judged as before, if

not timely prevented. And 'tis that which we ought continually to watch against. For he that was constant in this Grace, yet did once make a forseiture of it unto his unutterable sorrow, namely, the Apostle Peter. And it is not lost but upon the Corrupt reasonings which we have now mentioned that aggravate its guilt.

He that casts away his Confidence as unto his present profession, and the duties thereof, doth what lies in him cast away his interest in future salva∣tion. Men in such cases have a thousand pretences to relieve themselves. But the present Duty is as indispensibly required, as future happiness is faith∣fully promised. Wherefore the Apostle adds the Reason why they should be careful in the preservation of this confidence, which is, that it hath a great recompence of reward.

That which the Apostle as unto the matter of it calls here a recompence of * 1.4 reward, in the end of the next verse, from the formal cause of it, he calls the promise, and that promise which we receive after we have done the will of God. Wherefore the reward of recompence here intended is the glory of Hea∣ven, proposed as a crown, a reward in way of recompence unto them that over∣come in their sufferings for the Gospel. And the future glory, which as unto it's Original cause is the fruit of the good pleasure and soveraign grace of God, whose pleasure it is to give us the Kingdom; and as unto it's Procuring cause is the sole purchase of the blood of Christ, who obtained for us Eternal redemp∣tion; and on both accounts a free gift of God; for the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God through Christ is Life Eternal, so as it can be no way merited nor procured by our selves, by vertue of any proportion by the rules of Justice between what we do or suffer and what is promised; is yet constantly promi∣sed unto suffering Believers under the name of a recompence and reward. For it doth not become the Greatness and Goodness of God to call his own people unto sufferings for his Name, and unto his Glory, and therein the loss of their Lives many times, with all Enjoyments here below; and not propose unto them, nor provide for them, that which shall be infinitely better than all that they so undergo. See Heb. 6. 11. and the Exposition of that place, Rev. 2. 3. Wherefore it is added,

3. That this Confidence hath this recompence of reward, (that is) it gives a right and title unto the future reward of glory; it hath it in the promise and consti∣tution of God; whoever abides in it's Exercise shall be no loser in the issue. They are as sure in divine Promises as in our own possession. And although they are yet future, Faith gives them a present subsistence in the soul, as unto their power and efficacy.

In the times of suffering, and in the approaches of them it is the duty of Believers to look on the Glory of Heaven, under the notion of a refreshing, alsufficient Re∣ward. * 1.5

Notes

• * 1.1

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• * 1.2

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• * 1.3

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• * 1.4

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• * 1.5

  Observ.