John Brown, Hebrews Quote 1
From Hebrews by John Brown
The revelation made by Jesus Christ consists of doctrines and precepts. In order to take heed to one of the doctrines of Christ,--for example, the doctrine of the atonement,--the first thing is to endeavor to obtain distinct ideas of this doctrine, as stated by Christ—to apprehend clearly the meaning of the declarations in the Christian revelation on this subject. We cannot properly give heed to anything, till we have distinctly ascertained what it is. This is the radical part of the duty of consideration; and if we go wrong here, we are giving heed, not to the things we have heard of Christ, but, it may be, to the things we have heard of men only, or to the unauthorized suggestions of our own mind. Distinct apprehensions of the meaning of Christian truth, are plainly, then, of primary importance.
Having ascertained the meaning of a doctrine, we should “take heed” to its evidence, satisfying ourselves as to the divine origin of the statement which contains it. This is obviously necessary, as its claims on our faith depend on this, and as it is only as believed that the doctrine will be effectual for the purposes it is intended to serve.
Having ascertained the meaning and evidence of a doctrine, we ought to “give heed” to its importance—view it in its various relations to the perfections of the divine character, the principles of the divine government, the constitution and circumstances, the duties and interests, of mankind.
And then as to the duties enjoined in the Christian revelation—to “give heed” to them, is first to attend to the terms in which the injunction is given, that we may clearly understand what is required of us, and then to attend to the motives which urge us to comply with the requisition, especially those which rise out of the character of God, and our relation to Him, as in Christ reconciling the world to Himself. Such is the duty recommended by the Apostle, and such the manner in which we ought to discharge it.
But we ought not only to give heed to the things which we have heard of the Lord, but we ought to “give the more earnest heed.” The qualifying words “more earnest,” convey one of two ideas closely connected,--that Jesus Christ has a stronger claim on our attention than any angel or divine messenger; or, that the consideration of the essential and official glories of Jesus Christ, which are altogether unrivalled, should lead us to give a greater degree of attention to the statements He makes, than we would have been disposed to yield in other circumstances. The general idea is, that the personal and mediatorial excellences of Christ suggest strong additional motives to a diligent study of the revelation He has made. ‘We ought; it is reasonable and right, seeing He is so much better than the angels, that we give the closest attention our minds are capable of to a revelation coming from so high a source, and through so dignified a medium.’
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