'That there might be to them a more excellent resurrection.' Vul. Ut meliorem invenirent resurrectionem. Rhem. That they might find a better resurrection.' Invenio is ofttimes used for to attain,' or 'obtain. Others, Ut consequerentur, nanciscerentur, That they might obtain.'

VER. 35.-Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection.

6

The apostle passeth to the second sort of them in whom faith exerteth its power and efficacy in their sufferings. These he saith were others;' persons of another sort, that were called to other duties than those before mentioned. And this distinction is farther signified by the particle de, but,' others there were.

Three things he mentions of them in this first instance: 1. What they suffered. 2. How they acted faith in their sufferings. 3. On what grounds they did it.

First. For the first, he affirms that they were 'tortured.' The word here used, ετυμπανισθησαν, hath been by critics and others so coursed through all sorts of authors, that there needs no farther search after it. The substance of their discoveries is, that ruuanavov, tympanum, whence the word is framed, doth signify either an engine whereon those who were tortured were stretched out, as a skin is stretched on the head of a drum, or the instruments which were used in the striking and beating them who were fastened to that engine, like those who have their bones broken on a wheel. So some render the word by fustibus multati, contusi, cæsi. But whereas the word is frequently used to take away the lives of men by any kind of torture or tormenting pain, the precise notation of it from its original is not here much to be regarded. We have therefore rendered it, and that properly in general, were tortured,' that is, to death.

There is no doubt but the apostle hath respect herein to the story that is recorded in the sixth and seventh chapters of the second book of the Maccabees. For the words are a summary of the things and sayings there ascribed to Eleazer, who was beaten to death when he had been persuaded and allured to accept deliverance by transgressing the law. And the like respect may be had to the mother and her seven sons, whose story and torments are there also recorded.

And this is the height of what the old murderer could rise and attain to. He began with a sudden death by violence and blood. But when he had got advantages, he was not contented therewith. He would have the servants of the living God to die by all sorts of tortures. This was his hell, a hell of his making. But he could never put the displeasure of God into it, nor make it of any continuance. Divine wrath, and perpetuity under it, are his own portion. But that which is most marvellous herein is, that he should get amongst men such as should execute his infernal rage and malice. There was never any greater instance of the degeneracy of human nature to the image and likeness of the devil than this, that so many of them have been found, and that in high places of power, emperors, kings, judges, and priests,

who were not satisfied to take away the lives of the true worshippers of God by the sword, or by other ways in which they slew the worst of malefactors; but invented all kinds of hellish tortures whereby to destroy them. For although the crafts of Satan were open and evident herein, who designed by these ways to get time and advantage for his temptations to draw them off from the profession of the faith, which he could not have had in a speedy execution; yet it is astonishing that the nature of man should be capable of so much villany and inhumanity. But this also God hath seen good to permit, in that patience whereby he endures with much long-suffering the vessels of wrath that are fitted for destruction.' And he doth it for many blessed ends of his own glory, and the eternal salvation of his church, not here to be insisted on.

"They were tortured.' This is the utmost that the devil and the world can reach to, all the hell he hath to threaten his enemies withal. But when he hath done his utmost, it falls only on the body, it cannot reach the soul; it is but of a short continuance, and gives assurance of an entrance into a blessed eternity. It can shut out no divine consolation from the minds of them that suffer; a little precious faith will carry believers victoriously through the worst of all.

The work of faith with respect to these tortures, which are the utmost trials of it, may be reduced to these heads. 1. A steady view of that promised eternal glory which they are on an entrance into, 2 Cor. iv. 17, 18. 2. A due comparing of present sufferings with the eternal miseries of the damned in hell, Matt. x. 28. 3. A firm persuasion that these things shall make no separation between God and them, Rom. viii. 35-39. 4. A derivation of present help, strength, and consolation from God, by mixing itself with his promises. 5. By a due consideration of the presence of Christ with us, and his concernment in our sufferings. And sundry other ways there are of the like nature, whereby faith acts itself, and is victorious under tortures; that none of us may tremble at the thoughts of Smithfield flames.

Secondly. The way whereby those who were tortured did evidence their faith, was, that they ου προσδεξάμενοι την απολυτρωσιν, 6 accepted not deliverance.' That is, freedom from their tortures, which was offered them in case they would forego their profession. This is expressly affirmed of Eleazer and the seven brethren. Yea, they were not only offered to be freed from tortures and death, but to have great rewards and promotions, which they generously refused. And it was not thus with them only, but it hath been so always with all that have been tortured for religion. For the principal design of the devil in bringing them into tortures, is not to slay their bodies thereby, although he aims at that in the next place, in case his first design fail, which is to destroy their souls. And therefore we find in all ages, especially in the primitive times of Christianity, that when the cruel persecutors brought any unto tortures, after they began with them, they still gave them a space and respite, wherein they dealt with them by fair means and entreaties, as well as threatening further torments, to renounce their profession. And with some they prevailed; but those who were steadfast in the faith, refused to accept of deliverance on such terms.

The story of Blandina, a virgin and a servant, in the excellent epistle of the churches of Vienna and Lyons, about their persecution, is worth the perusal of all good Christians.

Now that which these persons intended, suffered these tortures for, and from which they would not accept of deliverance, was only because they would not eat swine's flesh. And unto Eleazer it was offered, that he should bring flesh of his own providing unto the place where he was to eat, and only make an appearance that he had eaten swine's flesh, which he refused, 2 Maccab. vi. It may be this would by some be esteemed a small matter, and such as for the refusal whereof, wise men ought not to have undergone martyrdom by tortures. But the things which are commanded or forbidden of God, are not to be esteemed by the matter of them, or what they are in themselves, but by the authority of him that commands or forbids them. And this is the same in the least as well as in the greatest things in religion. The authority of God may be despised in small things as well as in great. And therefore, God doth ordinarily choose out arbitrary institutions to be the trial and touchstone of the faith of the church. So the martyrs here in England died on the account of the sacrament of the Lord's Supper. And if we begin at any time to suppose, that to save our lives we may comply with some lesser things, such as bowing in the house of Rimmon, that God hath forbidden; both faith and profession are lost. We know not what command, what ordinance, what institution, what prohibition, God will single out to be the means and subject of our trial as unto sufferings. If we are not equally ready to suffer for every one, we shall suffer for none at all. See James ii. 10.

Thirdly. The ground of their steadfastness in their profession, and under their tortures, was, ἵνα κρειττονος αναστάσεως τυχωσιν, ‘that they might obtain a better resurrection.' So one of the brethren, in the 2nd Book of Maccabees, ch. vii. 9, affirmed expressly, that he endured those torments, and death itself, in that he believed that God would raise him up at the last day. This, as the Syriac hath it, they were 'intent upon.' And this the apostle calls a better resurrection,' not only in opposition unto the deliverance which they refused, a resurrection that was better than that deliverance, but because he intends that better resurrection which is to life, seeing all shall rise again, but some 'to life, and some to everlasting torments. Now, this faith of the resurrection of the dead, is the top-stone of the whole structure, system, and building in religion; that which states eternal rewards and punishments, and gives life unto our obedience and suffering. For without it, as the apostle testifies, we are of all men the most miserable.' This, therefore is that which their minds were fixed on under all their tortures, and wherewith they supported themselves; namely, that after all this they should have a blessed resurrection. See Philip. iii. 10, 11.

Slichtingius on this place acknowledgeth, that believers under the Old Testament had hopes of a blessed resurrection, but not by virtue of any promise of God, only they gathered it up out of some considerations of his goodness, and of his being a rewarder of them that seek him: a vain, foolish opinion, striking at the very foundation of all religion,

laying the ground of faith in the conjectures of men, and not on the veracity and faithfulness of God. But,

Obs. III. Sufferings will stir us up unto the exercise of faith on the most difficult objects of it, and bring in the comforts of them into our souls. Faith of the resurrection hath been always most eminent in prisons, and under tortures.

VER. 36.-IN the next place, we have the example of them who suf fered also, but not by tortures, nor unto death, yet in such ways as were a great trial of their faith.

VER. 36.—Έτεροι δε εμπαίγμων και μαστιγων πειραν ελαβον, ετι δε δεσμων και φυλακης.

The Syriac makes here two distinct sorts, repeating, &, alii; others, after pav eλabov; as in the next verse it repeats the same word four times, which is not once in the original. Πειραν έλαβον renders by by, they exposed themselves to mocking and stripes.'

VER. 36.-Others had trial of (had experience of, or were tried by cruel mockings and scourgings, yea moreover of bonds and impri

sonment.

1. Those spoken of are said to be έrɛpoɩ, not merely addot; not only 'others,' but of another sort;' namely, such as suffered through 'faith, but not by tortures,' nor unto death.' And the exceptive particle c intimates the introduction of another kind of sufferings.

2. It is of no use to fix the particulars mentioned unto certain determinate persons, as Jeremiah or others. For seeing the apostle hath left that undetermined, so may we do also. Certain it is, that there were in those days believers, who, through faith, patiently and victoriously underwent these things.

There are four things mentioned distinctly under this head:.1. Mockings. 2. Scourgings. 3. Bonds. 4. The prison, or imprisonment. And they contain all the outward ways of the sufferings of the church, when God restrains the rage of the world, so as that it shall not rise to blood and death. So it often falls out. It is the utter destruction of the church that Satan and the world do always aim at; but ofttimes there are such bounds set unto their rage, by the division of their own counsels, by their supposed interests, by the more gentle inclinations of some Gamaliels among them, or for want of a pretext to execute the utmost of bloody cruelty, that they take up in mocking, stripes, imprisomments, spoiling of goods, and the like.

Of these things, it is said, toav sλabov,' they had trial. Experti sunt, they had experience of them, they really underwent them, and so by consequent their faith was tried with them.

And the first thing mentioned is, as we render it, tμaryor, 'cruel mockings. Euwaona is the word constantly used for the mockings that were cast on our Lord Jesus Christ himself, Matt. xx. 19, xxV]/. 29-31; Mark x. 34, xv. 31; Luke xiv. 29, xviii. 32, xxii. 63, xxiii.

passive, used in And it is joined Eμmαyuоç, no

11, 36. Neither is the verb in either voice, active or the New Testament, but only as applied to Christ. with parryow, to scourge,' as it is here, with stripes. where used but here, is ludibrium, a mocking with reproach and contumely or scorn. Hence we have rendered it cruel mockings.' They reproached them with their God, with their religion, with folly, with feigned crimes. Such mockings are recorded in all the stories of the persecution and sufferings of the church. The world is never more witty, nor doth more please itself, than when it can invent reproachful names, terms, and crimes, to cast upon suffering believers. And whereas the word is derived from raw (as that is from aç,) to play and mock childishly,' it may respect the calumnious reproaches that ofttimes in the streets are cast on suffering professors, by the rude, foolish multitude, like the children that ran after Elisha, mocking and scoffing at him. And this is reckoned among severe sufferings, there being nothing more harsh to ingenuous minds, nor any thing almost which they would not as willingly undergo. Nor is there any thing that their adversaries inflict on them with more self-pleasing and exultation of mind. Mockings are persecutors' triumphs. But these also faith will conflict withal, and conquer: it hath done so in all ages. And it is a fruit of faith which we ought to aim at, namely, to keep our spirits composed, unto a contempt of shame under the most severe and scornful mockings. Unto these sometimes, μaoriywv, stripes,' are added, a servile punishment used towards vagabonds and the vilest of men.

Of the two last ways of trial, namely, bonds and imprisonment, we have had so full an exposition in the days wherein we live, that they need no farther explication. And,

Obs. I. There may be sufferings sufficient for the trial of the faith of the church, when the world is restrained from blood and death.But how long at present it will be so, God only knows.

VER. 37.-Ελιθασθησαν, επρισθησαν, επειράσθησαν, εν φονῳ μαχαι ρας απέθανον, περιήλθον εν μηλωταις, εν αιγειοις δέρμασιν, ύστε ρουμενοι, θλιβομενοι, κακουχούμενοι.

Explonoav, dissecti, secti sunt, they were cut asunder;' serrati sunt, they were sawn asunder;' cut asunder with a saw,' which is usually referred to Isaiah, but without any ground from the Scripture ; a punishment and torment used in the east, 2 Sam. xii. 31; Amos i. 3. Ertigao Inoav. This word is omitted by the Syriac, nor doth Chrysostom take any notice of it. The Vul. Lat. retains it, and it is in all approved Greek copies. But because it contains a sense which seems not to be suited unto the place it holds in the text, critics have made bold to multiply conjectures about it. Some say it is the word beforegoing, first written a second time upon a mistake, and afterwards changed by the addition of a letter or two, to give it a distinct signification. Some say it should be επυράθησαν, and others, επυρώθησαν, 'they were burned with the fire;' and every one doth well confute the conjectures of others. We shall retain the word in its proper place and signification.