And these considerations doth the apostle divide into several parts, interposing, in great wisdom, between the handling of them, those exhortations which pressed towards his especial end, before mentioned. And this course he proceeds in for several reasons; for,First, He minds them and us in general, that in handling of the doctrines of the gospel concerning the person and offices of Jesus Christ, we should not satisfy ourselves in a bare notional speculation of them, but endeavour to get our hearts excited by them unto faith, love, obedience, and steadfastness in our profession. This doth he immediately apply them unto. Instances unto this purpose doth he give us in this chapter, upon his foregoing declaration of the excellencies of Christ and the glory of his kingdom, that so his hearers might not be barren and unfruitful in the knowledge of him. Secondly, As to the Hebrews in particular, he had, as it were, so overwhelmed them with that flood of divine testimonies which he had poured out in the beginning of his epistle, and that heavenly, glorious declaration which he had made of the person of the Messiah, that he thought it needful to give them time to consider what was the tendency of that sublime discourse, and what was their especial concernment therein.

Thirdly, The apostle interposeth his exhortation in this place, as to be an application of what was before delivered, so to lead them. on thereby unto the consideration of arguments of another nature (though of the same use and tendency), taken from the sacerdotal or priestly office of Christ, and the works or effects thereof. And herein doth a great part of the apostolical wisdom, in the various intertexture of doctrines and exhortations, in this epistle consist, that as every exhortation flows naturally from the doctrine that doth precede it, so always the principal matter of it leads directly unto some other doctrinal argument, which he intends nextly to insist upon. And this we shall see evidenced in the transition that he makes from the exhortation laid down in the beginning of this chapter, unto the sacerdotal office of Christ, verses 6-9.

The first verses, then, of this chapter are purely parenetical or hortatory, with a mixture of some considerations serving to make the exhortation weighty and cogent.

VERSE 1.

The first verse contains the exhortation itself intended by the apostle, those following the especial enforcements of it.

Ver. 1.— Διὰ τοῦτο δεῖ περισσοτέρως ἡμᾶς προσέχειν τοῖς ἀκουσθεῖσι, μή ποτε παραῤῥυωμεν.

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Περισσοτέρως, "abundantius," V. L., Arias, "more abundantly;" "eò amplius," Beza, so much the more;", Syr., "magis," "the rather;" "ut nagis," "ut abundantius," as the rather," as more abundantly;" The word denotes some

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summa attentione," Arab., "with all attention."

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what more than ordinary in the act it relates unto, or the persons to whom it is applied. And diligence being especially required in attention unto any thing, or in those that attend, which extends itself unto the whole deportment of the mind in that work (if that be respected herein, which we shall consider), it may be not unmeetly rendered "more diligently," directly; "more abundantly."

Προσέχειν, "observare,” V. L., "to observe,”-improperly; "adhibere," Ar. M.: a word of an imperfect sense, unless supplied with our minds, or understandings, or diligence,-" adhibere animum," "adhibere diligentiam;" but immediately affecting the object, as "adhibere auditis," it gives no perfect sense. "Attendere," Beza, "to attend unto," "to give heed;" 17, "simus cauti, attenti," Syr., "that we be wary," or "heedful." IIporex is usually in other authors, when it refers to persons, "ausculto," or "obtempero," to hearken, attend, and give heed to any one with an observant or obedient mind. And sometimes it signifies to hope, or place trust or confidence in him that is attended unto. It is also used for to assent, to agree, or subscribe unto what is spoken by another. In the New Testament it is principally used in two senses:-1. To beware, or look to ourselves, as to things or persons that might hurt us; and then it is attended with dó or ixí, as Matt. vii. 15, x. 17, xvi. 6, 11, 12; Luke xii. 1;—or so to beware as to look diligently unto our own concernments absolutely, Luke xvii. 3, xxi. 34; Matt. vi. 1; Acts xx. 28. 2. To attend with diligence and submission of mind unto the words of another, or unto any business that we are employed in, Acts viii. 6, xvi. 14; 1 Tim. i. 4, iv. 1, 13; Titus i. 14. So it is said of the Samaritans, that they much heeded Simon Magus: II porsixov avtÿ návres, Acts viii. 10. And it is the same word whereby the reverential obedience of that people unto the preaching of Philip is expressed, verse 6. An attendance, then, with a mind ready for obedience is that which the word imports.

Tois àxovodeior, “auditis," "to the things heard;", Syr., in eo quod audivimus," "in that which we have heard," to the things heard, that is by us, who are required to attend unto them.

Пapapper. This word is nowhere else used in the New Testament. In other authors it is as much as "præterfluo," "to run by." So Xenoph. Cyropæd., lib. iv., Πιεῖν ἀπὸ τοῦ παραῤῥέοντος ποταμοῦ,—“ to drink of the river running by." "Pereffluamus," V. L., "ne forte pereffluamus," "lest perhaps we should run out." MÝTOTE, "ne forte," "lest perhaps," improperly; it respects times and seasons,-"lest at any time;", "ne forte cadamus,” “decidamus,” "lest we fall," "fall down," that is, "perish." So is the word also interpreted by Chrysostom, Μήποτε παραῤῥνῶμεν, τουτέστι μὴ ἀπολώμεθα, μὴ ἐκπέσωμεν,— “ that we perish not," "that we fall not." And he confirms this sense from that saying in the Proverbs, chap. iii. 21, Tis un apaijus, "My Son, fall not." So he interprets the word. In the original it is, 2, "Let them not depart," the word respecting not the person spoken unto, but the things spoken of. Nor do the LXX. in any other place render " by zapaśśśw, but by ixλɛízw, as in the next chapter, verse 21, and words of the like signification, "to decline," "draw back," "give over," by negligence or weariness. Other ancient translations read, “ne decidamus ab honestate," "that we fall not from honesty," and, "et nequaquam rejicias," "and by no means to reject." What sense of the word is most proper to the place we shall afterwards consider.'

'VARIOUS READINGS.-Tischendorf reads apapuμev, on the authority of ABDJ; which, says Ebrard, is nothing more than an Alexandrine orthography. EXPOSITION.-Пapap. Stuart remarks, that two senses have been attached to the word:-1. To fall, stumble, or perish. Chrysostom, Theophylact, Theodoret, and others, render the clause, "So that we may not stumble," or "fall." And, 2. To suffer to flow from the mind; in proof of which he quotes from Clem. Alex. Pædagog., iii. p. 246, and he shows that Prov. iii. 21 really bears the same

Ver. 1.-Therefore [for this cause] the more abundantly ought we to attend [or, give heed] to the things heard [by us], lest at any time we should flow out [or, pass away].

Διὰ τοῦτο.

Aià TOUTO, "for this cause;" as much as dió, "therefore," "wherefore." There is in the words an illation from the precedent discourse, and the whole verse is a hortatory conclusion from thence. From the proposition that he hath made of the glory and excellency of the Author of the gospel he draws this inference, "Therefore ought we,"-for the reasons and causes insisted on. And thus the word Tapappuwμev, "flow out," expresseth their losing by any ways or means the doctrine of the gospel wherein they had been instructed, and the benefits thereof. Seeing the gospel hath such a blessed Author, we ought to take care that we forfeit not our interest in it. But if we take παραῤῥυῶμεν in the sense chosen by Chrysostom, to express the fall and perishing of them that attend not as they ought unto the word (which interpretation is favoured by the Syriac translation), then the word, "therefore," "for this cause," respects the commination or threatening included therein. As if the apostle had said, 'Therefore ought you to attend; that is, 'Look to it that you do attend, lest you fall and perish.' I rather embrace the former sense, both because the interpretation of the word used by Chrysostom is strained, as also because the apostle doth evidently in these words enter upon an exhortation unto obedience, upon his former discourse about the person of Christ; nor without an especial regard thereunto had he laid any foundation for such a threatening unto disobedience as is pretended to be in the words; of which yet further afterwards. Asi nuãs, "Ought we,"-the persons unto whom he Δεῖ ἡμᾶς. makes the application of his doctrine, and directs his exhortation. Some think that Paul joins himself here with all the Hebrews upon the account of cognation and country, as being himself also a Hebrew, Phil. iii. 5, and therefore affectionately respecting them, Rom. ix. 3; but the expression is to be regulated by the words that follow, 'All we, who have heard the gospel preached, and made profession thereof.' And the apostle joins himself with them, not that there was any danger on his part lest he should not constantly obey the word, or [as if he] were of them whose wavering and instability gave occasion to this caution; but,

meaning, "Do not pass by, but keep my counsel." The translation, therefore, which he proposes for this verse is, "Lest we should slight them." IIapap. "Allow them to flow past us;' i. e., 'allow them to pass by our ears without being listened to.' Erasmus Schmid. Bos, in like manner. Any place which a river flows past is said παραῤῥνεῖσθαι. Metaphorically, any thing is said in general παραῤῥνεῖσθαι which is passed by and omitted through carelessness.”—Wolfius.—ED.

1. To manifest that the duty which he exhorts them unto is of general concernment unto all to whom the gospel is preached, so that he lays no singular burden on them; and, 2. That he might not as yet discover unto them any jealousy of their inconstancy, or that he had entertained any severe thoughts concerning them,-apprehensions whereof are apt to render exhortations suspected, the minds of men being ready enough to disregard that which they are persuaded unto, if they suspect that undeserved blame lies at the bottom of the exhortation. The like condescension hereunto, upon the like account, we may see in Peter, 1 Epist. iv. 3.

These are the persons spoken unto. That which is spoken to them consists in an exhortation unto a duty, and an especial enforcement of it. The exhortation and duty in the first words,—“ The more abundantly to attend unto the things heard;" and the enforcement in the close of them, "Lest at any time we should flow out." In the exhortation is expressed an especial circumstance of it, the duty itself, and the manner of its performance.

The first is included in that word, " more abundantly;" which may refer either unto the causes of the attendance required, or unto the manner of its performance.

In the words as they lie in the text, Διὰ τοῦτο περισσοτέρως δεῖ ἡμας προσέχειν, the word περισσοτέρως, “ more abundantly,” is joined unto di rouro," therefore," "for this cause," and seems immediately to respect it, and so to intimate the excellent and abundant reason that we have to attend unto the gospel. But if we transpose the words, and read them as if they lay thus, Δεῖ ἡμᾶς περισσοτέρως προ

an, then the word epioooripws, "more abundantly," respects the following word porixe, "to attend unto," and so expresseth somewhat of the manner of the performance of the duty proposed. And so our translators report the sense, "We ought to give the more diligent heed," or "give heed the more diligently." The reader may embrace whether sense he judgeth most agreeable to the scope of the place. The former construction of the word, expressing the necessity of our attention to be intimated from the cogency of the reasons thereof before insisted on, is not without its probability. And this the meaning of the word agrees unto, whether we take it absolutely (for so, as Chrysostom observes, it may be taken, though of itself it be of another form) or comparatively, in which form it is. Take it absolutely, and the apostle informs them that they have abundant cause to attend unto the things spoken or heard, because of him that spake them; for concerning him alone came that voice from the excellent glory, "This is my beloved Son, hear him." So also in the other sense, the apostle is not comparing the manner of their attending unto the doctrine of the law (which certainly they ought to have done with all diligence) and their attend

ance unto the gospel, but shows the reasons which they had to attend unto the one and the other, as the following verses clearly manifest. This, then, may be that which the apostle intimates in this word, namely, that they had more abundant cause and a more excellent reason for their attending unto the doctrine of the gospel than they had unto that of the law, on this account, that he by whom the gospel was immediately preached unto us was the Son of God himself. But the other application of the word is more commonly received, wherein it intends the duty enjoined.

In reference unto the duty exhorted unto, there is expressed the object of it, "the things heard." Thus the apostle Τοῖς ἀκουσθεῖσι. chooseth to express the doctrine of the gospel, with re

spect unto the way and manner whereby it was communicated unto them, namely, by preaching; for "faith cometh by hearing, and hearing is of the word preached," Rom. x. 14, 15, 17. And herein doth he magnify the great ordinance of preaching, as everywhere else he maketh it the great means of begetting faith in men. The Lord Christ himself first preached the gospel, Acts i. 1, and verse 3 of this chapter. Concerning him it was said from heaven, " Hear him," Matt. xvii. 5, as he who revealed the Father from his own bosom, John i. 18. From him the gospel came to be the word heard. When he had finished the course of his personal ministry, he committed the same work unto others, sending them as the Father sent him. They also preached the gospel, and called it "the word;" that is, that which they preached. See 2 Cor. i. 18. So in the Old Testament it is called, Isa. liii. 1, "auditus," "a hearing," or that which was heard, being preached. So that the apostle insists on and commends unto them not only the things themselves wherein they had been instructed, but also the way whereby they were communicated unto them, namely, by the great ordinance of preaching, as he further declares, verse 3. This as the means of their believing, as the ground of their profession, they were diligently to remember, consider, and attend unto.

The duty itself directed unto, and the manner of its performance, are expressed in the word poré, to "attend," or

Προσέχειν.

give heed." What kind of attendance is denoted by this word was in part before declared. An attendance it is with reverence, assent, and readiness to obey. So Acts xvi. 14, "God opened the heart of Lydia, porée Tois λaλovμévors,"" to attend unto the things that were spoken;" not to give them the hearing only; there was no need of the opening of her heart for the mere attention of her ear; but she attended with readiness, humility, and resolution to obey the word. The effect of which attention is expressed by the apostle, Rom. vi. 17. To attend, then, unto the word preached, is to consider the author of it, the matter of it, the weight and