men, joined with his high place and dignity, procured him all the popu-
lar veneration which he could desire. And he was of that age (for he
continued in this state from his infancy full forty years) wherein these
things give the greatest gust and relish of themselves to the minds of
men. For him now, voluntarily and of his own accord, to relinquish
them all, and to betake himself to dangers, poverty, banishment, with-
out any prospect of relief, and that merely, as we shall see immediately,
on the account of the promise of Christ, must be acknowledged to be
comprehensive of all the acts, parts, and duties of evangelical self-
denial.

For, as that which gives life, form and power to self-denial, doth not
consist in the respect which it hath to the outward things which any
one may be called therein to forego ; but in the mortification of the de-
sires and affections of the mind, which would put a valuation on these
things, when they stand in competition with things heavenly and spi-
ritual ; so this was in Moses in a most eminent degree. He left not
his outward enjoyments till he had crucified his heart to them, esteem-
ing them but loss and dung in comparison of Christ, and what was in
him to be enjoyed.

But in the days wherein we live, we have more who resemble Esau
than Moses, more who for morsels of bread, for outward secular ad-
vantages, will sell their birthright, or part with religion and profession
of the truth conveyed to them by their parents, than who will abandon
self with all that belongs thereunto, with a resignation of themselves to
the will of God for their whole satisfaction and reward, rather than
part with one tittle of truth.

But the next verse is an exposition of this refusal of Moses, de-
claring the nature of it, and what was contained therein.



VER. 25.] EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 481

Ver. 25. — Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of
God, than to enjoy the pleasures oj sin for a season.

The latter clause of this verse, v\ irpoaKaipov ej£«v ajxagriag mroXav-
o-tv, is rendered by the Vulgar, Quam temporalis peccati habere jucun-
ditatem, which our Rhemists translate, than to have the pleasure of
temporal sin,' by a double mistake; for instead of irpoaicaipov they
read Trooanaipov, joining it with upaoriag, contrary to all ancient copies,
and the exposition of the Greek scholiasts. And cnroXavaig, which is
'fruition' or 'enjoyment,' they render by jucunditas, or 'pleasure.'
Nor is the sense of the words so translated, proper to this place, as
we shall see. Syr. ' Than for a short time to delight in sin.'

' EXopevog. Syr. nb tQ.V\, ' And he chose to' or ' for himself,' he de-
termined in himself and for himself.

There are two things to be considered in these words. First. That
there were at this time two things proposed to Moses. 1. The people
of God in their afflicted state. 2. The enjoyment of the pleasures of
sin for a season. Secondly. The determination he made as to his own
interest and concernment, ' he chose rather,' &c.

First. Two things were proposed to Moses.

First. To join the people of God in their afflicted state. Here sun-
dry things may be considered.

1. Who were this r^ Xaq tou Qeov, ' people of God,' that is, in con-
tradistinction and opposition to all other people and nations whatever.
These were the Hebrews, the posterity of Jacob then in Egypt ; that
is, 'the brethren of Moses,' Exod. ii. 10, 11.

2. How did these Hebrews come to be thus the people of God in a
peculiar manner, in opposition to all other people whatever. Now this
was by virtue of that especial covenant which God made with Abraham
and his seed throughout all generations, the token whereof they bear
in their flesh. Therein God became their God, and they became his
people; which relation cannot be any otherwise raised between God and
any of the children of men, but by virtue of a covenant. And,

Obs. I. Let hence no man be offended at the low, mean, persecuted
condition of the church at any time. — All God's people, and the only
people he had then in the world, were only a company of brickmakers,
under hard and cruel taskmasters. And whoever would belong to the
people of God, was to cast in his lot among them, as it was with
Moses ; wherefore,

Obs. II. The sovereign wisdom of God, in disposing the outward
state and condition of his people in this world, is to be submitted to.
— He only knows what is good for them, and for the concerns of his
glory in them. ^

Obs. III. It is certain twre is somewhat contained in this title and
privilege of being the people of God, that is infinitely above all out-
ward things that may be enjoyed in this world, and which doth inex-
pressibly outbalance all the evils that are in it. For otherwise men
might be losers by the nearest relation to God; and he should not be
himself an all-satisfactory reward.

Obs. IV. The church in all its distresses, is ten thousand times

VOL. IV. 11



482 AN EXPOSITION OF THE [ciT. XI*

more honourable, than any other society of men in the world ; they
are the people of God. — And we may observe, that their being so, and
withal professing and avowing themselves so to be, is that which pro-
vokes the world against them, and which is the cause of all their perse-
cutions. The world cannot endure to hear a company of poor despised
persons, perhaps little better, at least in their sight, than these Egyp-
tian brickmakers, to take to themselves, and own this glorious title of
' the people of God.' Other things they pretend against them, as the
Egyptians did against the Israelites, namely, that whereas they are a
people who have a peculiar interest of their own, there is danger of
sedition from them against the state, Exod. i. 9, 10. This is the usual
pretence : the true cause of their rage is, their profession that they are
the people of God, and have a right to all the privileges accompanying
that title.

3. This people of God is proposed to Moses as under affliction, so
as that if he will join himself to them, it must be with a participation
of the outward evils that they were subject to. 'EvyKauovx^^^ai. The
word is used only in this place. It signifies ' to be vexed and pressed
with things evil and grievous.' And our expression of being afflicted,
or suffering affliction, according to the common understanding of that
expression, scarce reacheth to the emphasis of the original word. To
be pressed, vexed, distressed with things evil, burdensome, destructive
to nature. What were the afflictions and sufferings of the people of
God at that time, is known. It is not only related in the Scripture,
with their sighs, sorrows, and cries under them, but they are frequently
mentioned afterwards, as the highest distresses that human nature could
be exposed to.

But it may be inquired, how a participation in these sufferings was
proposed unto Moses, seeing it was not required of him, nor was he
called unto it, to work in the same kilns and furnaces with his bre-
thren. I say it is not at all here intimated that he was so. But only
considering their woeful condition, he cast in his lot among them, to
take that portion which fell to his share. He made no bargain or con-
tract for himself, but choosing their condition, referred himself, for his
part and share, unto the guidance of divine providence. And this fell
out in the danger of his life, his flight out of Egypt, his long poor con-
dition in Midian, with all the evils that befel him afterwards.

Secondly. That which was proposed unto him in opposition here-
unto, was, as we render the words, Trpoaumpov tx HV ^M- a P Tla ^ a 7roAau-
aiv, ' to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season,' to have the temporary
enjoyment of sin. A-rroXavcng is, ' fruition,' or enjoyment, and is
usually applied to signify such a fruition as hath gust and relish in it,
yielding delight and pleasure unto them that have it ; as all enjoyment
in some measure doth, nor is any man saidTo enjoy that which he doth
not take some satisfaction in. Hence we have rendered it ' pleasures,'
in the plural number. For the best that sin, or any thing that is en-
joyed with sin, can pretend unto, is but present transitory pleasure.

To clear the meaning of the words, we must observe, 1. That no man
makes sin, as sin, under its formal notion, to be the object of his de-
sires, nor can be said to have or possess the fruition of it. 2. That



VER. 24 26.] EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 183

the things here intended, are those which accompanied his being the
son of Pharaoh's daughter, called the treasures of Egypt in the next
verse. 3. That these things might absolutely and in themselves be en-
joyed and used without sin, and so they were by him, until the ap-
pointed time came, wherein he was called from them. 4. They would
therefore have become sin unto him, not in themselves, but in their en-
joyment, and that for two reasons. 1st. Because they would have
hindered him from the performance of a duty necessary unto the glory
of God, and his own salvation, as we shall see immediately. 2nd. Be-
cause he could not so enjoy them without a conjunction with the Egyp-
tians, it may be, in their idolatries, but to be sure in the persecution
and oppression of the people of God.

Wherefore, to have or hold the fruition of sin in this place, is to con-
tinue the enjoyment of all outward advantages by the means of the
greatest sin imaginable, namely, the neglect of the only great duty in-
cumbent on us in this world, or the profession of faith in God and the
true religion on the one hand, and persecuting the church of God on
the other.

This enjoyment of sin is said to be -irpoaKaipog, ' temporary,' for
a season ; subject "unto a thousand interruptions in this life, and un-
avoidably ending with it. Thus were things truly represented and pro-
posed to the thoughts of Moses. They were so by himself. He hid
not his eyes from the worst on the one hand ; nor did he suffer himself
to be imposed on by the flattering appearances of the other. He omit-
ted no circumstances that might influence a right judgment in his
choice. He considered the worst of the people of God, which is their
affliction, and the best of the world, which is but the evanid pleasure of
sin ; and prefers the worst of the one, above the best of the other.

Secondly. The work of his faith is expressed in the act of his mind,
with respect unto these different objects. He chose the one rather than
the other, fiaWov kXofitvog. They were proposed unto the elective
power or faculty of his soul ; that whereby upon the due consideration
and pondering of things and their reasons, it is able to embrace that
which is truly good unto it, or best for it, and refuse whatever stands in
competition with it. His choice hereby, on mature deliberation, may
be expressed in the conclusions which he made in his own mind on this
occasion. As,

1. That those two opposite states were divinely proposed unto his
consideration as those wherein his concernment did lie, and unto one of
which he must associate himself. He found that he could not be happy
alone, nor perform his duty, nor enjoy things that were good and desir-
able. And these two sorts are always in the world, and are made con-
spicuous in a time of persecution. Some think they may pass their
time here without a relation unto, or a conjunction with either of these
societies. They will neither join themselves, as they suppose, to the
persecuted church, nor to the persecuting world : but they deceive
themselves ; for if they choose not the one, they do belong unto the other.

2. That these states, and an interest in them, were irreconcileable,
so as that he could not enjoy the good things of them both, but adher-
ing unto the one, he must renounce the other. If he cleave to the

i i 2



484 AN EXPOSITION OF THE [cH. XI.

treasures of Egppt, he must renounce the people of God ; and if he
join himself unto the people of God, he must renounce all his interest
in Eo-ypt. This he saw necessary from that profession which God
required of him, and from the nature of the promise which that profes-
sion did respect.

3. He passed a right judgment concerning the true nature and end
of these things, which were to be enjoyed in his continuing as the son
of Pharaoh's daughter. Notwithstanding all their glittering appear-
ance, they were in themselves ' temporary,' fading, perishing, and unto
him would be sinful, pernicious, and destructive.

4. Hereon he was determined in his mind, and actually made his
choice of the state and condition which he would embrace. ' He chose
rather to suffer affliction,' &c. The reason of which judgment and
choice is more fully expressed in the next verse. And we may ob-
serve,

Obs. V. That in a time of great temptations, especially from furious
persecutors, a sedate consideration of the true nature of all things
wherein we are concerned, and their circumstances on every hand, is
necessary to enable us unto a right choice of our lot, and a due per-
formance of our duty. The things we are to lose, in houses, lands,
possessions, liberty, and life itself, make an appearance of a desirable-
ness not to be overcome. And the distresses, on the other hand, of a
persecuted estate, appear very terrible. If the mind leave itself unto
the conduct of its affections in this matter, it will never make a right
choice and determination. Faith enables the soul to divest the things
on either side of their flattering or frightening appearances, and to
make a right judgment of them in their proper nature and ends.

Obs. VI. No profession will endure the trial in a time of persecution,
but such as proceeds from a determinate choice of adhering unto Christ
and the gospel, with a refusal and rejection of whatever stands in com-
petition with them, on a due consideration of the respective natures and
ends of the things proposed unto us on the one hand and the other ; —
that is, the loss of all temporal good things, and the undergoing of all
that is temporally evil. Those who engage unto a profession on such
light convictions of truth, or other inferior grounds, as it were at per-
adventure, will scarce endure when it comes unto a trial like that which
Moses underwent.

Obs. VII. He chose to be afflicted with the people of God, and so
must every one do, who will be of them unto his advantage. Our Lord
Jesus Christ warns us that some will entertain the gospel, but when
persecution ariseth for the word, immediately they fall away. They
would have him, but not with his cross ; and his gospel, but not with
its burden. And of the same Samaritan sect, there are multitudes in
every age. They would be accounted of the people of God, but they
will have nothing to do with their afflictions. They have ways of com-
pliance to keep their own peace and wealth, it may be their places and
profits, without being concerned in the afflictions of the people of God.
But those who will not have their afflictions, shall never have their privi-
leges ; and so it is all one whether they profess themselves to belong
unto them or not.



VER. 24* — 26.] EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 485

Obs. VIII. Men fearfully delude themselves, in the choice they make
about profession in times of persecution. The choice which they have
to make is really and singly between the pleasures of sin, and these to
be enjoyed but for a little while, and present sufferings attended with
an eternal reward, as the next verse declares. But for the most part,
men have other notions of things, and suppose they may come oft' with
-some distinctions or limitations, like that of Naaman, and save them-
selves. The grounds whereon Moses proceeded are expressed in the
next verse.

Ver. 26. — Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the
treasures of Egypt. For he had respect unto the recompence of
the reward.

'Hyjjfftijuavoe, Syr. "jnnxi, 'and he thought;' Vul. aestimans, as we
'esteeming;' arbitratus, reputans. Tov ovat^icrfiov, probrum, oppro-
brium; Vul. Lat. improbrium, which the Rhemists render 'reproach.'

The words contain the ground and reason of the choice of Moses,
mentioned in the foregoing verse. And this is the judgment which he
made concerning the things which he chose, and those which he refused,
being compared one with the other. 'Hyriaafitvog, 'esteeming,' or
having esteemed, determined, and judged. And,

1. There are the things themselves expressed concerning which he
passed a judgment ; namely, the reproach of Christ on the one hand,
and the treasures of Egypt on the other.

2. The common notion under which he considered them both, and
by an especial interest wherein the one was preferred before the other;
and this was riches. He judged one to be greater riches than the other.

3. The especial reason whereby the things which he chose approved
themselves in his mind to be greater riches than the other, namely, from
the recompence of the reward which belonged unto them, and was inse-
parable from them.

First. The things which he chose he calls tov ovaSter/xov tov Xp«r-
tov, ' the reproach of Christ.' This must be the same with what he
calls being ' afflicted with the people of God,' in the verse foregoing,
only with an addition of a consideration under which it was peculiarly
eligible. What this reproach of Christ is, we must inquire.

Much endeavour hath been used by some to remove the considera-
tion of Christ, as then proposed unto the church in the promise, out of
the words. Grotius and his follower would have the reproach of
Christ to be only such kinds of reproach, sufferings, and afflictions, as
Christ himself afterwards, and Christians for Christ, did undergo. Of
the same mind is Crellius, who feigns at least a catachresis in the words,
arising out of sundry tropes and metaphors. But he thinks that chiefly
the afflictions of the people of Israel were called the reproach of Christ,
because they were a type of Christ, that is, of Christians in some sense.
So unwilling are some to admit any faith of Christ, or knowledge of
him, into the religion of the ancient patriarchs.

But, 1. 'O Xpioroc, as here, is never used for any type of Christ,
for any but Christ himself. 2. If Moses underwent reproaches as the



486 AN EXPOSITION OF THE [cil. XI.

type of Christ, and knew that he did so, then he believed in Christ,
which is the thing they would deny. 3. The immediate reason of the
persecution of the Israelites was, because they would not coalesce into
one people with the Egyptians, but would still retain and abide by their
distinct interest and hopes. Now, their perseverance herein was
grounded on their faith in the promise made unto Abraham, which was
Concerning Christ. So these things have nothing of solidity in them.
But the mind of the apostle is evident in this expression. For,

First. From the first promise concerning the exhibition of the Son
of God in the flesh, Christ was the life, soul, and the all of the church,
in all ages. From him all was derived, and in him all centred : Jesus
Christ, the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever ; a Lamb slain from
the foundation of the world. To deny this, is to destroy the whole
mystery of the wisdom of God under the Old Testament, and in parti-
cular to overthrow the whole apostolical exposition of it in this Epistle.

Secondly. Being so, he was the original cause or occasion of the
sufferings of the church in all ages. All the persecutions of the church
arose from the enmity between the two seeds, which entered upon the
promise of Christ. And the adherence of believers unto that promise,
is the only cause of that separation from the world which is the imme-
diate cause of all their persecution. Wherefore, the reproach of Christ
in the first place, signifies the reproach which, upon the account of
Christ, or their faith in him, they did undergo. For all outward ob-
servances in the church in all ages, are but the profession of that
faith.

Thirdly. Christ and the church were considered from the beginning
as one mystical body ; so as that what the one underwent, the other is
esteemed to undergo the same. Hence it is said, that ' in all their
afflictions he was afflicted,' Isa. lxiii. 9. And the apostle Paul calls
his own sufferings, ' that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ,'
Col. i. 24, namely, which belonged unto the full atonement of sufferings
unto that mystical body whereof Christ is the head. And in this sense
also the afflictions of the church are the afflictions of Christ.

Fourthly. Somewhat of that which is here called the reproach of
Christ, is called by the same apostle the 'marks of our Lord Jesus
Christ in his body,' Gal. vi. 17, or the stripes which he endured, with
the marks of them that remained, for the sake of Jesus Christ. And
so are all sufferings of the church the reproach of Christ, because it is
for his sake alone that they undergo them, and it is he alone whom they
lay in the balance against them all.

Secondly. All the sufferings of the people of God for the sake of
Christ are called his reproach. For all sorts of afflictions, persecutions,
and oppressions from men, on the account of the profession of the truth,
are intended. And they are so called on a double account, 1. Because
the foundation of them all is always laid in reproach. The world can
neither justify nor countenance itself in its persecutions of the church,
unless they first cover it all over with reproaches. So dealt they with
our Lord Jesus Christ himself: they attempted not to take away his
life before the rage of the people was by all manner of reproaches stir-
red up against him. So it is in all the persecutions and sufferings of



VER. 24 — 26.] EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 487

the church. They arc always represented as heretics, schismatics, or
seditious persons, opposite to all good order in church and state, before
they are exposed to violence. And this also is usually accompanied
with contempt, scorn, mocking, and false accusations. Wherefore, all
the sufferings of believers may be denominated from this rise and en-
trance of them. 2. There is nothing in sufferings that is more sharp
and terrible unto ingenuous souls than this reproach is ; nothing that
hath more of a severe trial in it. Hence the Psalmist, in the person of
Christ, complains ' that reproach had broken his heart,' Ps. lxix. 19,
20. And the apostle mentions ' cruel mockings,' ver. 36 of this chap-
ter, where we shall speak of them. 3. They are so called, because all
the persecutions of the church do arise from the enmity, hatred, scorn,
and contempt which the world hath of, and towards Christ himself, or
the mystery of the wisdom of God for the salvation of sinners in and
by him. And we may observe in our passage, that,

Obs. I. Reproach hath, in all ages, from the beginning of the world,
attended Christ, and all the sincere professors of faith in him, which in
God's esteem is upon his account. — One of his last acts in this world,
was his conflicting with ignominy and shame, which he overcame with
contempt, Ileb. xii. 2, 3. And his apostles began their ministry with
suffering shame for his name's sake, Acts v. 41. But when the mystery
of iniquity began to work, one great design in it was, for the rulers of
the church, and their adherents, to quit themselves of this reproach and
scorn from the world, which indeed they did not deserve. Wherefore,
they contrived all ways whereby they might attain wealth, honour,
grandeur, and veneration in the world ; wherein they succeeded unto
the ruin of Christian religion.

Thirdly. That which Moses compared herewithal, was rwvtv Aiyvirn^
Sriaavpwv, 'the treasures of Egypt ;' the treasures that were in Egypt.
* Treasures,' properly are riches in gold, silver, precious stones, and
other things highly valuable, that are stored, hid and laid up. But
when there is mention of the treasures of a nation, they include all
those profits and advantages of it also, whence those treasures are
gathered. In both respects, Egypt while it flourished was behind no
kingdom in the world. What was, and what might be, the interest of
Moses in these treasures, we before declared. But in this matter he
doth not so much, or at least not only consider them as unto his own
share and interest, but also absolutely what they were in themselves.
He considered what they were, what they would amount unto, what
might be done with them or attained by them, and prefers the reproach
of Christ above them all. For,

Obs. II. Let the things of this world be increased and multiplied
into the greatest measures and degrees imaginable, it alters not their
kind. — 1 hey are temporary, fading, and perishing still ; such as will