Chapter 13
Exhortations to hospitality to Strangers, 1,2.
Kindness to those in bonds, 3. Concerning
marriage, 4. Against covetousness, 5,6. How they
should imitate their teachers, 7,8. To avoid strange
doctrines, 9. Of the Jewish sin-offerings, 10,11.
Jesus suffered without the gate, and we should openly
confess him and bear his reproach, 12,13. Here
we have no permanent residence; and while we live should
devote ourselves to God, and live to do good, 14-16.
We should obey them that have the rule over us, 17.
The apostle exhorts them to pray for him, that he might
be restored to them the sooner, 18,19. Commends
them to God in a very solemn prayer, 20,21. Entreats
them to bear the word of exhortation, mentions Timothy,
and concludes with the apostolical benediction, 22-25.
Notes on Chapter 13
Verse 1. Let brotherly love
continue.
Be all of one heart and one soul.
Feel for, comfort, and support each other; and remember that
he who professes to love God should love his brother also.
They had this brotherly love among them; they should take care
to retain it. As God is remarkable for his φιλανθρωπια,
philanthropy, or love to man, so should they be for
φιλαδελφια, or love to each other. See the note on
"Tit 3:4".
Verse 2. To entertain
strangers
In those early times, when there
were scarcely any public inns or houses of entertainment, it
was an office of charity and mercy to receive, lodge, and
entertain travellers; and this is what the apostle
particularly recommends.
Entertained angels
Abraham and Lot are the persons particularly referred to.
Their history, the angels whom they entertained, not knowing
them to be such, and the good they derived from exercising
their hospitality on these occasions, are well known; and have
been particularly referred to in the notes on Genesis
18:3;; 19:2.
Verse 3. Remember them that are in
bonds
He appears to refer to those
Christian's who were suffering imprisonment for the testimony
of Jesus.
As bound with them
Feel for them as you would wish others to feel for you
were you in their circumstances, knowing that, being in the
body, you are liable to the same evils, and may be called to
suffer in the same way for the same cause.
Verse 4. Marriage is
honourable in all
Let this state be
highly esteemed as one of God's own instituting, and as highly
calculated to produce the best interests of mankind. This may
have been said against the opinions of the Essenes,
called Therapeutae, who held marriage in little repute,
and totally abstained from it themselves as a state of
comparative imperfection. At the same time it shows the
absurdity of the popish tenet, that marriage in the clergy is
both dishonourable and sinful; which is, in fact, in
opposition to the apostle, who says marriage is honourable in
ALL; and to the institution of God, which evidently designed
that every male and female should be united in this holy bond;
and to nature, which in every part of the habitable world has
produced men and women in due proportion to each other.
The bed undefiled
Every man cleaving to his own wife, and every wife
cleaving to her own husband, because God will judge,
i.e. punish, all fornicators and adulterers.
Instead of δε but, γαρ, for, is the reading
of AD*, one other, with the Vulgate, Coptic, and one of
the Itala; it more forcibly expresses the reason
of the prohibition: Let the bed be undefiled,
FOR whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.
Verse 5. Let your
conversation
That is, the whole tenor of
your conduct, τροπος, the manner of your life, or
rather the disposition of your hearts in reference to
all your secular transactions; for in this sense the original
is used by the best Greek writers.
Be without
covetousness
Desire nothing more than what
God has given you; and especially covet nothing which the
Divine Providence has given to another man, for this is the
very spirit of robbery.
Content with such things as ye
have
αρκουμενοιτοιςπαρουσιν. Being
satisfied with present things. In one of the sentences of
Phocylides we have a sentiment in nearly the same words
as that of the apostle:
αρκεισθαιπαρεουσικαιαλλοτριωναπεχεσθαι. Be content
with present things, and abstain from others. The covetous
man is ever running out into futurity with insatiable desires
after secular good; and, if this disposition be not checked,
it increases as the subject of it increases in years.
Covetousness is the vice of old age.
I will never leave thee, nor
forsake thee.
These words were, in sum,
spoken to Joshua, Joshua
1:5: "As I was with Moses, will I be with thee; I will
not fail thee, nor forsake thee." They were spoken also by
David to Solomon, 1 Chronicles
28:20: "David said to Solomon his son, Be strong and of
good courage, and do it: fear not, nor be dismayed; for the
Lord God, even my God, will be with thee; he will not fail
thee, nor forsake thee." The apostle, in referring to the
same promises, feels authorized to strengthen the expressions,
as the Christian dispensation affords more consolation and
confidence in matters of this kind than the old covenant did.
The words are peculiarly emphatic: ουμησεανω,
ουδουμησεεγκαταλιπω. There are no less than five
negatives in this short sentence, and these connected with
two verbs and one pronoun twice repeated. To give a literal
translation is scarcely possible; it would run in this way:
"No, I will not leave thee; no, neither will I not utterly
forsake thee." Those who understand the genius of the Greek
language, and look at the manner in which these negatives are
placed in the sentence, will perceive at once how much the
meaning is strengthened by them, and to what an emphatic and
energetic affirmative they amount.
This promise is made to those who are patiently bearing
affliction or persecution for Christ's sake; and may be
applied to any faithful soul in affliction, temptation, or
adversity of any kind. Trust in the Lord with thy whole heart,
and never lean to thy own understanding; for he hath said,
"No, I will never leave thee; not I: I will never, never cast
thee off."
Verse 6. So that we may boldly
say
We, in such circumstances, while
cleaving to the Lord, may confidently apply to ourselves what
God spake to Joshua and to Solomon; and what he spake to
David, "The Lord is my helper, I will not fear what man can
do." God is omnipotent, man's power is limited; howsoever
strong he may be, he can do nothing against the Almighty.
Verse 7. Remember them which have
the rule over you
This clause should be
translated, Remember your guides, τωνηγουμενων, who
have spoken unto you the doctrine of God. Theodoret's note
on this verse is very judicious: "He intends the saints who
were dead, Stephen the first martyr, James the brother of
John, and James called the Just. And there were many others
who were taken off by the Jewish rage. 'Consider these, (said
he,) and, observing their example, imitate their faith.'" This
remembrance of the dead saints, with admiration of their
virtues, and a desire to imitate them, is, says Dr. Macknight,
the only worship which is due to them from the living.
Considering the end of their
conversation
ωναναθεωρουντες
τηνεκβασιντηςαναστροφης. "The issue of whose course of life
most carefully consider." They lived to get good and do good;
they were faithful to their God and his cause; they suffered
persecution; and for the testimony of Jesus died a violent
death. God never left them; no, he never forsook them; so that
they were happy in their afflictions, and glorious in their
death. Carefully consider this; act as they did; keep the
faith, and God will keep you.
Verse 8. Jesus Christ the same
yesterday
In all past times there was no
way to the holiest but through the blood of Jesus, either
actually shed, or significantly typified. To-day-he is
the lamb newly slain, and continues to appear in the presence
of God for us. For ever-to the conclusion of time, he
will be the way, the truth, and the life, none coming to the
Father but through him; and throughout eternity,
ειςτουςαιωνας, it will appear that all glorified human spirits
owe their salvation to his infinite merit. This Jesus was thus
witnessed of by your guides, who are already departed to
glory. Remember HIM; remember them; and take heed to
yourselves.
Verse 9. Be not carried
about
μηπεριφερεσθε. Be not whirled
about. But ABCD, and almost every other MS. of
importance, with the Syriac, Coptic, Arabic, Vulgate,
and several of the Greek fathers, have μηπαραφερεσθε, be
not carried away, which is undoubtedly the true reading,
and signifies here, do not apostatize; permit
not yourselves to be carried off from Christ and his doctrine.
Divers and strange
doctrines.
διδαχαιςποικιλαις.
Variegated doctrines; those that blended the law
and the Gospel, and brought in the Levitical sacrifices and
institutions in order to perfect the Christian system.
Remember the old covenant is abolished; the new alone
is in force.
Strange doctrines, διδαχαιςξεναις, foreign
doctrines; such as have no apostolical authority to
recommend them.
That the heart be established with
grace
It is well to have the heart, the
mind, and conscience, fully satisfied with the truth and
efficacy of the Gospel; for so the word χαρις should be
understood here, which is put in opposition to βρωμασιν,
meats, signifying here the Levitical institutions, and
especially its sacrifices, these being emphatically
termed meats, because the offerers were permitted to
feast upon them after the blood had been poured out
before the Lord. See Leviticus
7:15; ; Deuteronomy
12:6,7.
Which have not profited
them
Because they neither took away guilt,
cleansed the heart, nor gave power over sin.
Verse 10. We have an
altar
The altar is here put for the
sacrifice on the altar; the Christian altar is the Christian
sacrifice, which is Christ Jesus, with all the benefits of his
passion and death. To these privileges they had no right who
continued to offer the Levitical sacrifices, and to trust in
them for remission of sins.
Verse 11. For the bodies of those
beasts
Though in making covenants, and in
some victims offered according to the law, the flesh of the
sacrifice was eaten by the offerers; yet the flesh of the
sin-offering might no man eat: when the blood was
sprinkled before the holy place to make an atonement for their
souls, the skins, flesh, entrails, there entirely consumed by
fire; and this entire consumption, according to the opinion of
some, was intended to show that sin was not pardoned by such
offerings. For, as eating the other sacrifices
intimated they were made partakers of the benefits
procured by those sacrifices, so, not being permitted to eat
of the sin-offering proved that they had no benefit from it,
and that they must look to the Christ, whose sacrifice is
pointed out, that they might receive that real pardon of sin
which the shedding of his blood could alone procure. While,
therefore, they continued offering those sacrifices, and
refused to acknowledge the Christ, they had no right to any of
the blessings procured by him, and it is evident they could
have no benefit from their own.
Verse 12. That he might sanctify the
people
That he might consecrate them to
God, and make an atonement for their sins, he suffered
without the gate at Jerusalem, as the sin-offering was
consumed without the camp when the tabernacle abode in
the wilderness. Perhaps all this was typical of the abolition
of the Jewish sacrifices, and the termination of the whole
Levitical system of worship. He left the city, denounced its
final destruction, and abandoned it to its fate; and suffered
without the gate to bring the Gentiles to God.
Verse 13. Let us go forth therefore
unto him
Let us leave this city and system,
devoted to destruction, and take refuge in Jesus alone,
bearing his reproach-being willing to be accounted the refuse
of all things, and the worst of men, for his sake who bore the
contradiction of sinners against himself, and was put to death
as a malefactor.
Verse 14. For here have we no
continuing city
Here is an elegant and
forcible allusion to the approaching destruction of Jerusalem.
The Jerusalem that was below was about to be burnt with
fire, and erased to the ground; the Jerusalem that was
from above was that alone which could be
considered to be μενουσαν, permanent. The words seem to
say: "Arise, and depart; for this is not your rest: it is
polluted:" About seven or eight years after this, Jerusalem
was wholly destroyed.
Verse 15. By him therefore let us
offer the sacrifice of praise
He has
now fulfilled all vision and prophecy, has offered the last
bloody sacrifice which God will ever accept; and as he is the
gift of God's love to the world, let us through him offer the
sacrifice of praise to God continually, this being the
substitute for all the Levitical sacrifices.
The Jews allowed that, in the time of the Messiah, all
sacrifices, except the sacrifice of praise, should cease. To
this maxim the apostle appears to allude; and, understood in
this way, his words are much more forcible. In Vayikra
Rabba, sect. 9, fol. 153, and Rabbi Tanchum, fol.
55: "Rabbi Phineas, Rabbi Levi, and Rabbi Jochanan, from the
authority of Rabbi Menachem of Galilee, said, In the time
of the Messiah all sacrifice shall cease, except the
sacrifice of praise." This was, in effect, quoting the
authority of one of their own maxims, that now was the
time of the Messiah; that Jesus was that Messiah; that the
Jewish sacrificial system was now abolished; and that no
sacrifice would now be accepted of God, except the sacrifice
of praise for the gift of his Son.
That is, the fruit of our
lips
This expression is probably borrowed
from Hosea
14:2, in the version of the Septuagint, καρπον χειλεων
which in the Hebrew text is parim sephatheinu, "the
heifers of our lips." This may refer primarily to the
sacrifices, heifers, calves, vowed to God; so
that the calves of their lips were the sacrifices which
they had promised. But how could the Septuagint
translate parim, calves, by καρπον,
fruit? Very easily, if they had in their copy
peri, the mem being omitted; and thus the word
would be literally fruit, and not calves. This
reading, however, is not found in any of the MSS. hitherto
collated.
Verse 16. But to do good and to
communicate
These are continual sacrifices
which God requires, and which will spring from a sense of
God's love in Christ Jesus. Praise to God for his unspeakable
gift, and acts of kindness to men for God's sake. No reliance,
even on the infinitely meritorious sacrifice of Christ, can be
acceptable in the sight of God if a man have not love and
charity towards his neighbour. Praise, prayer, and
thanksgiving to God, with works of charity and mercy to man,
are the sacrifices which every genuine follower of Christ must
offer: and they are the proofs that a man belongs to Christ;
and he who does not bear these fruits gives full evidence,
whatever his creed may be, that he is no Christian.
Verse 17. Obey them that have the
rule over you
Obey your leaders,
τοιςηγουμενοις. He is not fit to rule who is not
capable of guiding. See Clarke on Hebrews
13:7. In the former verse the apostle exhorts them to
remember those who had been their leaders, and to imitate
their faith; in this he exhorts them to obey the leaders they
now had, and to submit to their authority in all matters of
doctrine and discipline, on the ground that they watched
for their souls, and should have to give an account of
their conduct to God. If this conduct were improper, they must
give in their report before the great tribunal with
grief; but in it must be given: if holy and
pure, they would give it in with joy. It is an awful
consideration that many pastors, who had loved their flocks as
their own souls, shall be obliged to accuse them before God
for either having rejected or neglected the
great salvation.
Verse 18. Pray for us
Even the success of apostles depended, in a certain way,
on the prayers of the Church. Few Christian congregations
feel, as they ought, that it is their bounden duty to pray for
the success of the Gospel, both among themselves and in the
world. The Church is weak, dark, poor, and imperfect, because
it prays little.
We trust we have a good
conscience
We are persuaded that we have a
conscience that not only acquits us of all fraud and sinister
design, but assures us that in simplicity and godly sincerity
we have laboured to promote the welfare of you and of all
mankind.
To live honestly.
ενπασικαλωςθελοντεςαναστρεφεσθαι. Willing in all things
to conduct ourselves well-to behave with decency and
propriety.
Verse 19. The rather to do
this
That is, pray for us, that, being
enabled to complete the work which God has given us
here to do, we may be the sooner enabled to visit
you. It is evident, from this, that the people to whom
this epistle was written knew well who was the author of it;
nor does there appear, in any place, any design in the writer
to conceal his name, and how the epistle came to lack a name
it is impossible to say. I have sometimes thought that a part
of the beginning might have been lost, as it not only begins
without a name, but begins very abruptly.
Verse 20. Now the God of
peace
We have often seen that peace
among the Hebrews signifies prosperity of every kind.
The God of peace is the same as the God of all
blessedness, who has at his disposal all temporal and eternal
good; who loves mankind, and has provided them a complete
salvation.
Brought again from the dead our
Lord
As our Lord's sacrificial death is
considered as an atonement offered to the Divine justice,
God's acceptance of it as an atonement is signified by his
raising the human nature of Christ from the dead; and hence
this raising of Christ is, with the utmost propriety,
attributed to God the Father, as this proves his
acceptance of the sacrificial offering.
That great Shepherd of the
sheep
This is a title of our blessed Lord,
given to him by the prophets; Isaiah
40:11; He shall feed his flock like a shepherd; He
shall gather the lambs with his arms, and carry them in
his bosom, and shall gently lead those which are with
young: and Ezekiel
34:23; I will set up one shepherd over them, and he
shall feed them; even my servant David, (i.e. the
beloved, viz. Jesus,) and he shall feed them, and be
their shepherd: and Zechariah
13:7; Awake, O sword, against my shepherd-smite the
shepherd, and the flock shall be scattered. In all
these places the term shepherd is allowed to belong to
our blessed Lord; and he appropriates it to himself, John
10:11, by calling himself the good Shepherd, who, lays
down his life for the sheep.
Through the blood of the
everlasting covenant
Some understand this
in the following way, that "God brought back our Lord from the
dead on account of his having shed his blood to procure the
everlasting covenant." Others, that the Lord Jesus became the
great Shepherd and Saviour of the sheep by shedding his blood
to procure and ratify the everlasting covenant." The sense,
however, will appear much plainer if we connect this with the
following verse: "Now the God of peace, who brought again from
the dead, our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep,
make you, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,
perfect in every good work to do his will." The Christian
system is termed the everlasting covenant, to
distinguish it from the temporary covenant made
with the Israelites at Mount Sinai; and to show that it is the
last dispensation of grace to the world, and shall
endure to the end of time.
Verse 21. Make you
perfect
καταρτισιαυμας. Put you completely
in joint. See Clarke on 2 Corinthians
13:9. where the meaning of the original word is largely
considered. From the following terms we see what the apostle
meant by the perfection for which he prays. They were
to do the will of God in every good work, from God working in
them that which is well pleasing in his sight. 1. This
necessarily implies a complete change in the whole soul, that
God may be well pleased with whatsoever he sees in it; and
this supposes its being cleansed from all sin, for God's
sight cannot be pleased with any thing that is
unholy. 2. This complete inward purity is to produce an
outward conformity to God's will, so they were to be made
perfect in every good work. 3. The perfection
within and the perfection without were to be
produced by the blood of the everlasting covenant; for
although God is love, yet it is not consistent with his
justice or holiness to communicate any good to mankind but
through his Son, and through him as having died for the
offences of the human race.
To whom be glory for
ever.
As God does all in, by, and
through Christ Jesus, to him be the honour of his own
work ascribed through time and eternity. Amen.
Verse 22. Suffer the word of
exhortation
Bear the word or doctrine of
this exhortation. This seems to be an epithet of this whole
epistle: and as the apostle had in it shown the insufficiency
of the Levitical system to atone for sin and save the soul;
and had proved that it was the design of God that it should be
abolished; and had proved also that it was now abolished by
the coming of Christ, whom he had shown to be a greater priest
than Aaron, higher than all the angels, the only Son of God as
to his human nature, and the Creator, Governor, and Judge of
all; and that their city was shortly to be destroyed; he might
suppose that they would feel prejudiced against him, and thus
lose the benefit of his kind intentions toward them; therefore
he entreats them to bear the exhortation which,
notwithstanding the great extent of the subject, he had
included in a short compass.
I have written a letter unto you
in few words.
Perhaps it would be better to
translate διαβραχεωνεπεστειλαυμιν, I have written to
you briefly, as επιστελλειν often signifies simply to
write, and this appears to be its meaning here.
Verse 23. Know ye that our
brother Timothy
The word ημων,
our, which is supplied by our translators, is
very probably genuine, as it is found in ACD*, ten others, the
Syriac, Erpen's Arabic, the Coptic, Armenian,
Slavonic, and Vulgate.
Is set at liberty
απολελυμενον. Is sent away; for there is no
evidence that Timothy had been imprisoned. It is probable that
the apostle refers here to his being sent into Macedonia, Philippians
2:19-24, in order that he might bring the apostle an
account of the affairs of the Church in that country. In none
of St. Paul's epistles, written during his confinement in
Rome, does he give any intimation of Timothy's
imprisonment, although it appears from Philippians
1:1; ; Colossians
1:1; ; Philemon
1:1; that he was with Paul during the greatest part of the
time.
With whom, if he come shortly, I
will see you.
Therefore Paul himself, or
the writer of this epistle, was now at liberty, as he had the
disposal of his person and time in his own power. Some suppose
that Timothy did actually visit Paul about this time, and that
both together visited the Churches in Judea.
Verse 24. Salute all them that have
the rule over you
Salute all your
leaders or guides, τουςηγουμενουςυμων. See Clarke on Hebrews
13:7. and "Heb 13:17".
And all the saints.
All the Christians; for this is the general meaning
of the term in most parts of St. Paul's writings. But a
Christian was then a saint, i.e. by profession a
holy person; and most of the primitive Christians were
actually such. But in process of time the term was applied to
all that bore the Christian name; as elect, holy people,
sanctified, the nation of the Jews, when both their piety
and morality were at a very low ebb.
They of Italy salute
you.
Therefore it is most likely that the
writer of this epistle was then in some part of Italy, from
which he had not as yet removed after his being released from
prison. By they of Italy probably the apostle means the
Jew's there who had embraced the Christian faith. These
salutations show what a brotherly feeling existed in every
part of the Christian Church; even those who had not seen each
other yet loved one another, and felt deeply interested for
each other's welfare.
Verse 25. Grace be with you
all.
May the Divine favour ever rest upon
you and among you; and may you receive, from that source of
all good, whatsoever is calculated to make you wise, holy,
useful, and happy! And may you be enabled to persevere
in the truth to the end of your lives! Amen. May it be
so! May God seal the prayer by giving the blessings!
THE subscriptions to this epistle are, as in other cases,
various and contradictory.
The VERSIONS are as follow:-
The Epistle to the Hebrews was written from Roman Italy,
and sent by the hand of Timothy.-SYRIAC.
VULGATE nothing, in the present printed copies.
It was written from Italy by Timothy: with the assistance
of God, disposing every thing right, the fourteen epistles of
the blessed Paul are completed, according to the copy from
which they have been transcribed. May the Lord extend his
benedictions to us. Amen.-ARABIC.
The Epistle to the Hebrews is completed. The
end.-AETHIOPIC.
Written in Italy, and sent by Timothy.-COPTIC.
The MANUSCRIPTS, and ancient editions taken from MSS., are
not more to be relied on.
To the Hebrews, written from Rome.-CODEX ALEXANDRINUS.
The epistles of Saint Paul the apostle are
finished.-COLOPHON, at the end of this epistle; in one of the
first printed Bibles; and in an ancient MS. of the Vulgate in
my own collection.
The end of the Epistle to the Hebrews.-GREEK TEXT of the
COMPLUTENSIAN EDITION.
The Epistle of the blessed Paul to the Hebrews is
finished.-LATIN TEXT of ditto.
To the Hebrews.-The Epistle of Paul the apostle to the
Hebrews.-The Epistle to the Hebrews, written from Italy.-From
Athens.-From Italy by Timothy.-Written in the Hebrew tongue,
Written to the Hebrews from Italy by Timothy.-COMMON GREEK
TEXT.
That it was neither written from Athens, nor in the
Hebrew tongue, is more than probable; and that it was not sent
by Timothy, is evident from Hebrews
13:23. For the author, time, place, and people to whom
sent, see the INTRODUCTION.
I. On the term "conscience," as frequently occurring in
this epistle, I beg leave to make a few observations.
Conscience is defined by some to be "that judgment
which the rational soul passes on all her actions;" and is
said to be a faculty of the soul itself, and consequently
natural to it. Others state that it is a ray of Divine light.
Milton calls it "God's umpire;" and Dr. Young calls it a "god
in man." To me it seems to be no other than a faculty
capable of receiving light and conviction from the
Spirit of God; and answers the end in spiritual matters to
the soul, that the eye does to the body in the process of
vision. The eye is not light in itself, nor is
it capable of discerning any object, but by the
instrumentality of solar or artificial light; but it has
organs properly adapted to the reception of the rays of light,
and the various images of the objects which they exhibit. When
these are present to an eye the organs of which are
perfect, then there is a discernment of those objects
which are within the sphere of vision; but when the light is
absent, there is no perception of the shape,
dimensions, size, or colour of any object, howsoever entire or
perfect the optic nerve and the different humours may be.
In the same manner (comparing spiritual things with
natural) the Spirit of God enlightens that eye of the soul
which we call conscience; it penetrates it with its
effulgence; and (speaking as human language will permit on the
subject) it has powers properly adapted to the reception of
the Spirit's emanations, which, when received, exhibit a real
view of the situation, state, soul, as it stands in reference
to God and eternity. Thus the Scripture says, "The Spirit
itself bears witness with our spirit,"
the soul a conviction, proportioned to the degree of light
communicated, of condemnation or acquittance,
according to the end of its coming.
The late Mr. J. Wesley's definition of conscience, taken in
a Christian sense, is nearly the same with the above:
"It is," says he, "that faculty of the soul which, by
the assistance of the grace of God, sees at one
and the same time, 1. Our own tempers and lives; the real
nature and quality of our thoughts, words and actions. 2. The
rule whereby we are to be directed. And 3. The
agreement or disagreement therewith. To express
this a little more largely: Conscience implies, first,
the faculty a man has of knowing himself; of
discerning, both in general and in particular, his temper,
words, thoughts, and actions: but this is not possible for him
to do, without the assistance of the Spirit of God;
otherwise self-love, and indeed every other irregular passion,
would disguise and wholly conceal him from himself. It
implies, secondly, a knowledge of the rule
whereby he is to be directed in every particular, which is no
other than the written word of God. Conscience implies,
thirdly, a knowledge that all his thoughts, and words,
and actions are conformable to that rule. In all these
offices of conscience, the unction of the holy One is
indispensably needful. Without this, neither could we clearly
discern our lives and tempers, nor could we judge of the rule
whereby we are to walk, nor of our conformity or disconformity
to it. A good conscience is a Divine consciousness of
walking in all things according to the written word of God. It
seems, indeed, that there can be no conscience that has not
a regard to God. I doubt whether the words right
and wrong, according to the Christian system, do not
imply, in the very idea of them, agreement and
disagreement to the will and word of God. And if so, there is
no such thing as conscience in a Christian, if we
leave God out of the question." Sermon on
Conscience, page 332.
Some of the Greek fathers seem to consider it as an
especial gift of God; a principle implanted immediately by
himself. So Chrysostom, on Psa 7., speaking of
conscience, says: φυσικονγαρ
εστικαιπαρατουθεουημινπαρατηναρχηνεντεθεν. It is a
natural thing, but is planted in us by our God from our
birth, In his homily on Isaiah
6:2, he explains himself more particularly:
θειονγαρεστικαιπαραθεουταιςημετεραιςενιδρυμενον φυχαις. It
is a Divine principle, and is by God himself implanted
in our souls. It is allowed on all hands that it is a
recorder and judge of human actions, which cannot be
corrupted, or be induced to bear a false testimony. Every
sense of the body, and every faculty of the mind, may be
weakened, obstructed, or impaired, but conscience; all other
powers may be deceived or imposed on, but conscience. "No
man," says Chrysostom, "can flee from the judgment of
his own conscience, which cannot be shunned. It cannot be
corrupted; it cannot be terrified; it cannot be flattered or
bribed; nor can its testimony be obscured by any lapse of
time." Epist. ad Olymp. This strongly argues its Divine
nature; and, while the Spirit of God strives with man,
conscience has its full influence, and is ever alert in the
performance of its office. Cicero, in his oration for
Milo, describes the power of conscience well in a few words:
Magna est vis conscientiae in utramque partem, ut
neque timeant qui nihil commiserint, et poenam semper
ante oculos versari putent qui peccarint. "Great is the
power of conscience in both cases; they fear nothing who know
they have committed no evil; on the contrary, they who have
sinned live in continual dread of punishment." One of our
poets has said, "'Tis conscience that makes cowards of us
all." And had we been sure that Shakespeare was a scholar, we
might have supposed that he had borrowed the thought from
Menander.
οσυνιστορωναυτωτικανηθρασυτατος,
ησυνεσιςαυτονδειλοτατονειναιποιει.
If a man be conscious of any crime, although he were the
most undaunted of mankind, His conscience makes him the most
timid of mortals. Apud Stobaeum, Serm. xxiv., p. 192.
Conscience is sometimes said to be good, bad, tender,
seared, good, if it acquit or approve; bad,
if it condemn or disapprove; tender, if it be alarmed
at the least approach of evil, and severe in scrutinizing the
actions of the mind or body; and seared, if it feel
little alarm, sin. But these epithets can scarcely belong to
it if the common definition of it be admitted; for how can it
be said there is a "tender light," a "dark or hardened light,"
a "bad god," But on the other definition these terms are
easily understood, and are exceedingly proper; e. g. "a
good conscience" is one to which the Spirit of
God has brought intelligence of the pardon of all the sins of
the soul, and its reconciliation to God through the blood of
Christ; and this good conscience retained, implies
God's continued approbation of such a person's conduct;
see Acts
23:1; ; 1 Timothy
1:5,19; and here, ; Hebrews
13:18. "A bad or evil conscience"' supposes a
charge of guilt brought against the soul by the Holy Spirit,
for the breach of the Divine laws; and which he makes known to
it by conscience, as a medium of conveying his own
light to the mind; see Hebrews
10:22; ; 1 Timothy
4:2; Titus
1:3. "A tender conscience" implies one fully
irradiated by the light of the Holy Ghost, which enables the
soul to view the good as good, and the evil as
evil, in every important respect; which leads it to
abominate the latter, and cleave to the former; and, if at any
time it act in the smallest measure opposite to these views,
it is severe in its reprehensions, and bitter in its regret.
"A darkened or hardened conscience" means one
that has little or none of this Divine light; consequently,
the soul feels little or no self-reprehension for acts of
transgression, but runs on in sin, and is not aware of the
destruction that awaits it, heedless of counsel, and
regardless of reproof. This state of the soul St. Paul calls
by the name of a "seared conscience," or one cauterized by
repeated applications of sin, and resistings of the Holy
Ghost; so that, being grieved and quenched, he has withdrawn
his light and influence from it.
The word conscience itself ascertains the above explication
with its deductions, being compounded of con, together,
or with, and scio, to know, because it
knows or convinces by or together with
the Spirit of God. The Greek word συνειδησις, which is the
only word used for conscience through the whole New
Testament, has the very same meaning, being compounded of συν,
together or with, and ειδω, to know. This
is the same as συνειδος, which is the word generally used
among ecclesiastical writers.
From the above view of the subject I think we are warranted
in drawing the following inferences:-
1. All men have what is called conscience; and conscience
plainly supposes the light or Spirit of God. 2. The Spirit of
God is given to enlighten, convince, strengthen, and bring men
back to God. 3. Therefore all men may be saved who attend to
and coincide with the light and convictions communicated; for
the God of the Christians does not give men his Spirit to
enlighten, to leave them without excuse; but that it may
direct, strengthen, and lead them to himself, that they may be
finally saved. 4. That this spirit comes from the grace
of God is demonstrable from hence: it is a " good and perfect
gift," and St. James says all such come from the Father of
lights. Again, it cannot be merited, for as it implies the
influence of the Holy Spirit, it must be of an infinite value;
yet it is GIVEN; that then which is not merited
and yet is given must be of grace; not
ineffectual grace, there is no such principle in the
Godhead.
Thus it appears all men are partakers of the grace of God,
for all acknowledge that conscience is common to all;
and this is but a recipient faculty, and necessarily implies
the spirit of grace given by Jesus Christ, not that the world
might be thereby condemned, but that it might be saved.
Nevertheless, multitudes, who are partakers of this heavenly
gift, sin against it, lose it, and perish everlastingly, not
through the deficiency of the gift, but through the abuse of
it. I conclude that conscience is not a power of the soul,
acting by or of itself; but a recipient
faculty, in which that true light that lighteth
every man that cometh into the world has its
especial operation.
II. In this chapter the apostle inculcates the duty of
hospitality, particularly in respect to entertaining
strangers; i.e. persons of whom we know nothing, but
that they are now in a state of distress, and require the
necessaries of life. Some, says the apostle, have entertained
angels without knowing them; and some, we may say, have
entertained great men, kings, and emperors, without knowing
them. By exercising this virtue many have gained; few
have ever lost.
God, in many parts of his own word, is represented as the
stranger's friend; and there is scarcely a duty in life which
he inculcates in stronger terms than that of hospitality to
strangers. The heathen highly applauded this virtue; and among
them the person of a stranger was sacred, and supposed to be
under the particular protection of Jove, Homer gives the
sentiment in all its beauty when he puts the following words
into the mouth of Eumaeus, when he addressed Ulysses, who
appeared a forlorn stranger, and, being kindly received by
him, implored in his behalf a Divine blessing:-
ζευςτοιδοιηξεινεκαιαθανατοιθεοιαλλοι
οττιμαλιστεθελειςοτιμεπροφρωνυπεδεξο.
τονδαπαμειβομενοςπροσεφηςευμαιεσυβωτα.
ξεινουμοιθεμιςεστουδεικακιωνσεθενελθοι,
ξεινονατιμησαιπροςθαπδιοςεισιναπαντες
ξεινοιτεπτωχοιτεδοσιςδαλιγητεφιλητε γιγνεταιημετερη. ODYSS.,
lib. xiv., v. 53.
My gentle host, Jove grant thee, and the gods All grant
thee, for this deed thy best desire! To whom the herd Eumaeus
thus replied; My guest, it were unjust to treat with
scorn The stranger, though a poorer should arrive Than
even thou; for all the poor that are, And all the
strangers, are the care of Jove. Little, and with good
will, is all that lies Within my scope. COWPER.
The Scriptures which more particularly recommend this duty
are the following: He doth execute the judgment of the
fatherless and widow, and loveth the stranger, in
giving him food and raiment. Love ye, therefore, the
stranger; for ye were strangers in the land of
Egypt; Deuteronomy
10:18,19. I was a stranger, and ye took me in. Come, ye
blessed of my Father, Matthew
25:35. Given to hospitality; Romans
12:13. Neglect not to entertain strangers; Hebrews
13:2.
"The entertaining of unknown strangers," says Dr. Owen,
"which was so great a virtue in ancient times, is almost
driven out of the world by the wickedness of it. The false
practices of some, with wicked designs, under the habit and
pretence of strangers, on the one hand, and pretences for
sordid covetousness on the other, have banished it from the
earth. And there are enough who are called Christians who
never once thought it to be their duty." But it is vain to
inculcate the duty where the spirit of it is not found; and we
shall never find the spirit of it in any heart where the love
of God and man does not rule.
Benevolent wishes of Be ye warmed and Be ye
clothed are frequent enough; these cost nothing, and
therefore can be readily used by the most parsimonious.
But to draw out a man's soul to the hungry, to draw out his
warmest affections, while he is drawing out, in order to
divide with the destitute, the contents of his purse, belongs
to the man of genuine feeling; and this can scarcely be
expected where the compassionate mind that was in Christ does
not rule. One bountiful meal to the poor may often be a
preventive of death; for there are times in which a man may be
brought so low for want of proper nourishment that, if he get
not a timely supply, after-help comes in vain, nature being
too far exhausted ever to recover itself, though the vital
spark may linger long. One wholesome meal in time may be the
means of enabling nature to contend successfully with after
privations; and he who has afforded this meal to the destitute
has saved a life. "But most who go about seeking relief are
idle persons and impostors, and it would be sinful to relieve
them." When you know the applicant to be such, then
refuse his suit; but if you have nothing but suspicion, which
suspicion generally arises from an uncharitable and unfeeling
heart, then beware how you indulge it. If, through such
suspicion, a man should lose his life, God will require his
blood at your hand.
Reader, permit me to relate an anecdote which I have heard
from that most eminent man of God, the reverend John
Wesley; it may put thee in mind to entertain
strangers. "At Epworth, in Lincolnshire, where (says
he) I was born, a poor woman came to a house in the
market-place and begged a morsel of bread, saying, I am
very hungry. The master of the house called her a
lazy jade, and bade her be gone. She went
forward, called at another house, and asked for a little
small-beer, saying, I am very thirsty. Here she was
refused, and told to go to the workhouse. She struggled
on to a third door and begged a little water, saying, I am
faint. The owner drove her away, saying, He would
encourage no common beggars. It was winter, and the
snow lay upon the ground. The boys, seeing a poor ragged
creature driven away from door to door, began to throw
snow-balls at her. She went to a little distance, sat down on
the ground, lifted up her eyes to heaven, reclined on the
earth, and expired!" Here was a stranger; had the first to
whom she applied relieved her with a morsel of bread, he would
have saved her life, and not been guilty of blood. As the case
stood, the woman was murdered; and those three householders
will stand arraigned at the bar of God for her death. Reader,
fear to send any person empty away. If you know him to be an
impostor, why then give him nothing. But if you only
suspect it, let not your suspicion be the rule of your
conduct; give something, however little; because that little
may be sufficient to preserve him, if in real want, from
present death. If you know him not to be a knave, to you he
may be an angel. God may have sent him to
exercise your charity, and try your faith. It can never be a
matter of regret to you that you gave an alms for God's sake,
though you should afterwards find that the person to whom you
gave it was both a hypocrite and impostor. Better to be
imposed on by ninety-nine hypocrites out of a hundred
applicants, than send one, like the poor Epworth
woman, empty away.
Finished correcting this epistle for a new edition, Dec.
30,1831-A. C.
