least) on the will of man than on the grace of God, in God's co-working with man, and whilst they are discoursing upon that head, do derogate from that grace so much-that yet they should, when they treat of the point of justification, then magnify these works by this, that they are the effects of the grace of God, and not our own, so to prefer them to the dignity of justifying of us, detracting from the grace of God in both; whilst we that ascribe so much to the grace of God in the working of grace in us, further than they, even to his working the will and the deed, should yet contend that these works of grace are excluded notwithstanding from all, or any ingrediency into our justification, because they yet may be truly termed our works, and our righteousness, comparatively unto a more divine glorious righteousness, which is another's, which is styled here, the righteousness of God,' as wholly his, abstracted from any thing that is of his work that is in us, and in full opposition to this other of ours. Rom. iv. 2, For if Abraham was justified by works, he hath whereof to glory, but not before God.' And the instance from his example is such as is invincible; for he speaks not of Abraham's works afore his conversion, when in Chaldea, and an idolater, and so to exclude boasting therein, but when in medio pietatis cursu, when he was in the midst, and in a high course and progress of holiness, many years after his conversion; and to that time that speech of his being justified (which follows) doth evidently refer, ver. 3, But what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness.' For if any one in reasoning will fetch a maxim or rule out of an instance, that instance or example must extend and be proportioned to that rule; and that rule or maxim also must suit and agree with what the instance alleged most properly concerns and is extended unto. Now, the apostle's maxim afore had been, Rom. iii., that God is so, or in such a manner, a justifier, ver. 26, as to exclude boasting by works; ver. 27, 28, Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay; but by the law of faith. Therefore we conclude, that a man is justified by faith, without the deeds of the law.' And for the proof of what works that maxim reacheth or is extended unto, he brings Abraham his being justified by faith without works, even then when he had done and wrought so many holy works after conversion. Thus in this succeeding chap. iv. at the beginning. Therefore necessarily must this maxim extend to those and such works of Abraham as were after conversion in a special manner; and from that instance of Abraham, it must be intended as a general rule to all believers, and to exclude all men's works, though never so holy, as well as his. Yea, if we examine it, that is the very ground and reason why those works are also excluded, as well as those afore; and it will prove to be even this in my text, that they are our own, though wrought by the grace of God. Than which nothing is more pointblank against their assertion and evasion. The ground or reason whereupon his and all the saints' works after conversion are excluded from any influence into justifying us, is, that boasting be excluded.

And if it be further demanded, wherein should the danger of boasting lie, if we were justified by such good and holy works after conversion? This is reduced to no other but the very same in my text, that a man might say, they were his subjectivè, and that they are acts of his will, and a righteousness of a man's own, although efficiently wrought by God.

The other instance for this is Eph. ii. 8-10, For by grace ye are saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created

in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.' Where observe,

1. That therefore works are excluded, and faith only admitted, upon this account, to exclude boasting; consonant unto Rom. iii. 27 and 28, Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay; but by the law of faith. Therefore we conclude, that a man is justified by faith, without the works of the law.'

2. That yet, these that are excluded are such good works, and holy principles of grace, together with their works, as are wrought in Christ, and by the grace of God (which is full to the point now in hand), for, ver. 10, he says, 'For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.' Here, both the principles are said to be of God: we are a new workmanship, created in Christ to good works;' and also the works themselves are said to be from God, in those words, which God hath prepared that we should walk in them.' He hath prepared them, and prepared us, in that he formed and fashioned us anew, and hath ordained those works also, but still not to give us the right of salvation by them. But for that he hath ordained faith (that wholly ascribes all to his grace and to Christ) to do that; so as it is all one with him to say (as here he doth), ye are saved by grace, and saved by faith; but holiness and works, and the new creature, he hath ordained only to be the way to the possession of that salvation, which grace through faith doth interest us into. So there it is said, 'that we should walk in them.' And these good works and holy principles are also but a part of that salvation given us.

3. And chiefly, observe how he gives this as the very reason why their works are excluded; because, although wrought every way by this grace, yet because (as is manifested) we are the subject of them,' we are his workmanship,' and 'that we should walk in them.' This we spoils all as to justification and salvation; for there would arise such a boasting as God could not bear, if we were saved by them, that is, so as to obtain right of salvation thereby.

Yea (which I most of all observe, this is the contrary unto what our bold asserters do argue), whereas they say, that because they are of grace, therefore they may justify without prejudice to grace ;

4. The apostle carries that very thing as the reason to the contrary, and to exclude all inherent holiness after conversion, ver 10, as well as afore, even for this reason, because they are the effects of a new creation, and so given upon a supernatural account of mere grace, and anew bestowed by grace, after the great forfeiture of the first creation-holiness, and due to man's nature then, if God meant to have created man at all. Which holiness so bestowed, and upon that account, did then justify man, and was so appointed to do, as the phrase Rom. iv. 4, spoken of the covenant of works, is; which yet I would rather translate dueness than debt. But that privilege works had by the law of creation was utterly forfeited by sin, and God laid his hand upon the forfeiture and took it, and took justification into his own hands, as that it should never be so more. But if he justified a second time, it should be every way by grace, so and in such a manner as not at all by works of what kind soever. Which account is given in the instance of Abraham, in that Rom. iv., and more fully Rom xi. 5, and is therefore called God's righteousness; super-creation, supernatural righteousness, so that this maxim ariseth invincibly out of this place, Eph. ii., that the borrowed and restored grace of holiness, since the fall,

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shall never justify; but these works upon conversion are such; read ver. 10, For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.'

God was infinitely tender of his glory, in point of justification, above all other of the parts and pieces of the application of salvation unto us, and so to preserve the glory of it to himself, and as that it should be his righteousness alone, and his Son Christ's; for in other respects, and to other ends, he admits works to have some share, notwithstanding they be ours. Thus when we shall come to possess heaven, and that degree and measure of glory allotted us, it will be said, that God rewards us secundum opera, according to works, though not propter, or for works. So far good works are admitted; and yet the saints are therein kept from boasting, because the fundamental original right, and great charter unto salvation, is past afore, and given upon another account; and in point of justification, and our right to heaven, God is so tender and jealous, as he utterly and altogether excludes works, for giving a right thereunto in the least. It is the apostle's words, Rom. iii. 27. He will have nothing to do with them when it comes to that action of his; he hath not, nor will ever have, any regard to them therein, nor should he; and therefore the apostle had no eye to them here. But it is God's righteousness, wholly God's, and no way, or in no respect ours, but merely receiving it; which is here set as the opposite to Paul's 'my righteousness,' in the text.

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CHAPTER XXII.

That God appointed Christ to be the great shepherd, to take care of the elect souls given to him.-The mighty care and diligence which Christ exercises in discharge of this office.

Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.-HEB. XIII. 20, 21.

The reason of the pertinent coherence of one thing with another in a parcel of Scripture is often at first view not obvious; as here, why Christ as shepherd,' and then his resurrection,' are expressed under these phrases of being brought again from the dead,' and that by the blood of the everlasting covenant;' how these should suit at first view is strange. And yet there is a great harmony in the jointing every one of these one with another. Therefore, for the opening the words, I shall do three* things. 1. Shew their aspect or reference to what went afore.

2. Shew why he brings in this title of shepherd in this epistle.

3. Shew their correspondency among themselves, and pertinency of each

to each; together with each particular.

4. Shew their reference to the prophecies of the Old Testament.

1. As to their reference to what went afore, we may consider them,

(1.) In their immediate reference to what went just afore.

(2.) Remotely, to some principal matters in this epistle.

* Qu.these ?'-ED.

(1.) As they refer to ver. 17, 18.

1. Where he had made mention of himself a pastor over pastors and churches, an apostle, and other their ordinary pastors, and from thence suitably upon this next occasion of mentioning Christ, he speaks of him as 'the great shepherd,' over apostles and all, and as one that could do that for them which no apostle could do, viz., to perfect them in every good work.' None of them were sufficient for one good thought of themselves, 2 Cor. iv., much less for any good work, or for every good work, especially to perfect others whom they were set over in the Lord, which Christ their shepherd could through their ministry; and therefore addresseth his prayer for this to God through him.

[2.] Himself (who was a great instrument through Christ of good unto their souls) was now absent and far off from them. The last foregoing words were that they would pray he might be restored to them the sooner; and here he chooseth forth such expressions about Christ, &c., as might prompt them with fit matter, or the most effectual arguments for that request, and a help unto their faith in that particular: though this is done obliquely, the matter here more directly serving unto that other petition that follows. But this argument lies in this, that that God who had brought back the great shepherd by his blood, &c., that the same God (who only could) would restore him to them out of all dangers, &c., through the same blood.

Obs. 1. Jesus Christ bears and bore the same offices whereinafter he places his officers under him in the church, thereby sanctifying of all offices and officers, which is a great comfort to church officers, and to the people of God and churches. He hath the title of Aránovog, minister and deacon of the circumcision, Rom. xv. 8, and Mat. 20, 28, and Mark x. 45, Luke xxii. 27; bishop or elder, 1 Pet. ii. 25; a shepherd or pastor, 1 Pet. v. 1, 4, 5; an apostle, Heb. iii. 1; only with this difference, he the great shepherd, he the chief bishop, &c.

Obs. 2. The blood and resurrection of Christ, as of the great shepherd, do in their virtue bring ministers, that have a good conscience, and their people, together again. God restores them when driven away and scattered; fetcheth them out of prison, from silence, &c., yea, out of deaths and dangers, and brings them and their people together through the efficacy of these, 2 Cor. iv. 11, 14. There is not a church-meeting we have, but it is in the virtue of Christ's blood and resurrection.

(2.) The words are a prayer in the conclusion of this epistle, and the materials of it do refer to some principal matters treated of in this epistle, whereof the sum is gathered up into a prayer as the conclusion.

[1.] In this epistle the apostle affects to set forth Christ under several titles which the Old Testament had given him, and which had been taken for granted to be intended of the Messiah by the Jews themselves he wrote to. As,

1. A captain of salvation, chap. ii. As the angel that appeared to Joshua styles himself, Josh. v. 14, 15.

2. The apostle, chap. iii., or him whom God would send as the prophet like to Moses, chap. iii. 1, 2, and so on.

3. The great high priest, chap. iv., and so throughout this epistle.

4. And accordingly here at last in this prayer he attributes to him another title of shepherd, as famons in the prophecies as any, which includes all of his offices, as I shall shew.

5. Under whom these Jews were become as sheep, one shepherd and

one sheepfold; and all, both Jews and Gentiles, who are under him, called unto peace and unity by the God of peace.

6. He had treated also of that new covenant, chap. vii. 8, 9, &c., whereof Christ was the founder.

7. Of that blood of his, which had confirmed that covenant, chap. ix. throughout.

8. Of the virtue of that one offering, potent and effectual to perfect for ever them that his blood sanctifies, Heb. x., even to a non-remembrance of sins for ever, and procuring God to be at peace for ever, I will remember them no more.'

9. Of God's raising him up to sit down at God's right hand, having 'purged away our sins;' so chap. i. and chap. viii.

10. He had treated of the everlastingness of this salvation and covenant and redemption.

11. And as all along, and especially towards the conclusion of the epistle, having exhorted to many good works and duties, thereupon he shuts up all with this prayer, the sum of all these, containing a motive and persuasive in them with God, a most efficacious one to move him to grant power to enable them to do all those things which he had exhorted unto, and such as had themselves withal in them the most operative virtue perfectly to work the same in us, namely, his blood and resurrection. And that God' (prays he) through these make you perfect in every good work, to do his will, working in you that which is well-pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever; Amen.'

Observe a great ground for ministers to gather up in their after-prayers the strength of what hath been said in the sermon, which the ancients styled a collect, as in the Common Prayer appears to this day in making a brief collect of what had been just afore read out of the Scriptures, and forming them up into a short prayer.

Why is it the apostle should insert this title of 'shepherd' and 'great shepherd' in this epistle?

Ans. The pertinency of his doing so in writing to the Hebrews doth many ways appear. The Jews expected the Messiah to be as a shepherd to them, as David their king and Moses had been, who were types of him. Moses and Aaron, Ps. Ixxvii. 20, led the people as sheep.' David, Ps. lxxviii. 22. And under the name of David as a shepherd God had promised the Messiah to them, Ezek. xxxiv. 23, And I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them; even my servant David, he shall feed them, and he shall be their shepherd.' And Christ himself, when he came, had represented himself to them under that notion, John x., throughout that chapter.

Now those prophecies giving him that title, it was meet the apostle should somewhere in this epistle refer unto this, being as great, and the prophecy thereof as eminent, as of any other he in this epistle citeth; and it is his apparent design throughout the epistle to refer unto and quote out of the Old Testament what was most eminent in Christ, either about his titles or offices; only he chose to do this of his being a shepherd here last in a breviary by way of prayer.

That he hath such an eye and scope in this is evident by comparing the passages here, and those prophecies together.

I shall but single forth that one place, Ezek. xxxiv., and compare it with what is spoken here.

1. There, God promiseth to make a covenant of peace with his people