\\INTRODUCTION TO HEBREWS 13\\

The apostle having finished the doctrinal part of this epistle,
closes it with practical exhortations to these Hebrews, puts up
prayers for them, and sends salutations to them. The exhortations are
to brotherly love, and the continuance of it, \\#Heb 13:1\\ to
hospitality, by which some have entertained angels unawares,
\\#Heb 13:2\\, to sympathy with those that are in bonds, and in,
afflictions, \\#Heb 12:3\\ to purity and chastity in the honourable
state of marriage, urged by the judgment of God on unclean persons,
\\#Heb 13:4\\ to avoid covetousness, and to be content with present
things, enforced by the promises of God, which give boldness and
strength to faith, \\#Heb 13:5,6\\, to remember their spiritual
guides and governors, the preachers of the Gospel to them; to follow
their faith, and consider the end of their conversation, which is
Christ Jesus, the same yesterday, today, and for ever, \\#Heb 13:7,8\\.
And then he cautions them from being carried about with the
doctrines of men, which are divers and strange; which he urges from
the profitable effect of the Gospel to establish the heart, and from
the unprofitableness of meats to legal worshippers, and from the
Christians having an altar, which is Christ, which those who are
seeking life by the service of the law have nothing to do with,
\\#Heb 13:9,10\\. And this he illustrates in the type of burnt
offerings, which were burnt without the camp, and there was nothing
left for the priests to eat of, \\#Heb 13:11\\. In like manner
Christ, the antitype, suffered without the gates of Jerusalem, for
the sanctification of his people, by his blood; and who only, and not
those who seek for righteousness by the law, have an interest in,
\\#Heb 13:12\\. However, it becomes the saints to quit everything,
and all dependence on themselves, and fellowship with others, and go
forth to Jesus, believing in him, whatsoever reproach they suffer on
his account; for here is nothing permanent and durable in this world;
but there is a state of happiness to come, which will last for ever,
\\#Heb 13:13,14\\. And since Christ has offered himself for his
people, they ought to offer up the sacrifices of praise to God by
him, and to do acts of beneficence and goodness, which are sacrifices
well pleasing to God through him, \\#Heb 13:15,16\\. And to these
exhortations apostle adds others; as to obey their spiritual rulers
and governors, and submit unto them; since they watch for their
souls, and must give an account, which to do with joy, and not with
grief, is best and profitable, \\#Heb 13:17\\ and to pray for the
apostle, and other ministers, since they had a good conscience, and
were willing to live honestly; and the rather, that he might be
restored to them the sooner, \\#Heb 13:18,19\\ and to engage them to
this their duty, he sets them an example, by putting up prayers for
them, \\#Heb 13:20,21\\ and desires them to take in good part the
letter he had wrote unto them, \\#Heb 13:22\\ and acquaints them that
Timothy was set at liberty, with whom he hoped to see them in a short
time, \\#Heb 13:23\\ and then closes the epistle with his own, and
the salutations of others, and with his usual benediction,
\\#Heb 13:24,25\\.