Herein did such persons do him despite. For notwithstanding the public testimony he gave in, with, and by the preaching of the gospel, they rejected it as a fable, in despising his person and authority.

All these great and terrible aggravations are inseparable from this sin of apostasy from the gospel, above those of any sin against the law of Moses whatever. They were none of them in the vilest sin prohibited by the law under capital punishment.

Secondly. Hence, therefore, the apostle, 2. Proposeth it unto the judgment of the Hebrews, ποσῳ χείρονος τιμωρίας, ' of how much sorer punishment,' they suppose a sinner guilty of this sin shall be judged worthy, above what was inflicted on the wilful transgressors of the law? And there is included herein, 1. That such a sinner shall be punished. Apostates may flatter themselves with impunity, but in due time punishment will overtake them. How shall they escape who neglect so great salvation? Much less shall they do so by whom it is thus despised in all the causes of it. 2. That this shall be a sore, a great, and an evil punishment, which is included in the note of comparison, far greater punishment, such as men shall be able neither to abide nor to avoid. 3. Comparatively, it shall be a sorer punishment than that which was appointed for wilful transgressions of the law, which was death without mercy. 4. That the degree of its exceeding that punishment is inexpressible: 'Of how much sorer?' None can declare it, as the Holy Ghost expresseth himself, when he would intimate unto our minds that which we cannot absolutely conceive and apprehend, 1 Pet. iv. 17, 18. But whereas that punishment was death without mercy, wherein could this exceed it? I answer, because that was a temporal death only. For though such sinners under the law might, and did many of them, perish eternally, yet they did not so by virtue of the constitution of the law of Moses, which reached only unto temporal punishments; but this punishment is eternal, that is constantly proposed in the first place unto all impenitent unbelievers and despisers of the gospel; see 2 Thess. i. 6—8; Mark xvi. 16, &c. Yet so as not to exclude any other temporal judgments, in spirituals or naturals, that may precede it. Such was that whereunto the temporal destruction, that was ready to come on these despisers, did belong.

Thirdly. The way whereby they are made obnoxious unto it is, that they are counted worthy of it, ažiwonoɛrai, they shall receive neither more nor less, but their due. The judge in this case is God himself, as the apostle declares in the next verse. He alone knows, he alone can justly determine, what such apostates are worthy of. But in general that this shall unspeakably exceed that annexed unto the transgression of the law, is left unto themselves to judge, doKELTE, 'suppose ye.' Ye know and take it for granted, that the punishments under the law to be inflicted on its transgressors by the constitution and sanction of it, were all of them righteous, for God was the Judge of this in them all. Consider now what aggravations this sin is accompanied withal above all sins whatever against the law, and be yourselves judges of what will follow hereon. What do you think in your own hearts will be the judgment of God concerning these sinners? This argument the apostle doth frequently insist upon, as ch. ii. 2—4, xii. 25, and it had a peculiar

cogency towards the Hebrews, who had lived under the terror of those legal punishments all their days.

Obs. IX. The inevitable certainty of the eternal punishment of gospel despisers, depends on the essential holiness and righteousness of God, as the ruler and judge of all. It is nothing but what he, in his just judgment, which is according to truth, accounteth them worthy of, Rom. i. 32.

Obs. X. It is a righteous thing with God thus to deal with men. Wherefore all hopes of mercy, or of the least relaxation of punishment unto apostates unto all eternity, are vain and false: they shall have judgment without mercy.

Öbs. XI. God hath allotted different degrees of punishment unto the different degrees and aggravations of sin.-The wages indeed of every sin is death, but there is unto such persons as these a savour of death unto death, and there shall be different degrees of eternal punishment. Obs. XII. The apostasy from the gospel here described, being the absolute height of all sin and impiety that the nature of man is capable of, renders them unto eternity obnoxious unto all punishment that the same nature is capable of.-The greatest sin must have the greatest judgment.

Obs. XIII. It is our duty diligently to inquire into the nature of sin, lest we be overtaken in the great offence.-Such persons as they in the text, it may be, little thought what it was that they should principally be charged withal, namely, for their apostasy; and how dreadful was it when it came upon them in an evident conviction!

Obs. XIV. Sinning against the testimony given by the Holy Ghost unto the truth and power of the gospel, whereof men have had experience, is the most dangerous symptom of a perishing condition.

Obs. XV. Threatenings of future eternal judgments unto gospel despisers, belong unto the preaching and declaration of the gospel.

Obs. XVI. The equity and righteousness of the most severe judgments of God, in eternal punishments against gospel despisers, is so evident, that it may be referred to the judgment of men not obstinate in their blindness.

Obs. XVII. It is our duty to justify and bear witness unto God in the righteousness of his judgment against gospel despisers.

VER. 30, 31.—Οιδαμεν γαρ τον ειποντα· Εμοι εκδικησις, εγω ανταποδωσω, λέγει Κύριος Και παλιν, Κυριος κρινει τον λαον αὑτου Φοβερον το εμπεσειν εις χειρας Θεού ζώντος.

VER. 30, 31.—For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, the Lord shall judge his people. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

There is in these verses the confirmation of all that was spoken before, by the consideration of what God is in himself, with whom alone we have to do in this matter, and what he assumeth unto himself in this and the like cases. As if the apostle had said, in the severe sentence

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which we have denounced against apostates, we have spoken nothing but what is suitable unto the holiness of God: and what, indeed, in such cases, he hath declared that he will do. The conjunction yap, denotes the introduction of a reason of what was spoken before; but this is not all which he had discoursed on this subject; but more particularly, the reference he had made unto their own judgments, of what sore punishment was due unto apostates. Thus it will be with them, thus you must needs determine concerning them in your own minds, for we know him with whom we have to do in these things: Wherefore, the apostle confirms the truth of his discourse, or rather illustrates the evidence of it, by a double consideration. 1. Of the person of him who is and is to be the sole judge in this case, who is God alone :-' for we know him.' And 2. What God hath assumed unto himself, and affirmed concerning himself in the like cases, which he expresseth in a double testimony of Scripture. 3. And then lastly, there is the way whereby our minds are influenced from this person and what he hath said, which is, that 'we know him,' oidaμev yap.

First. The first consideration, confirming the evidence and certainty of the truth asserted, is the person of him who is the only judge in this case. I confess, the pronoun herein is not expressed in the original, but as it is included in the participle and article prefixed, Tоv εTOVTA, 'he that saith,' who expresseth himself in the words ensuing. But it is evident that the apostle directeth unto a special consideration of God himself, both in the manner of the expression and in the addition of those words, Aɛyɛ Kupios, to the testimony which he writes immediately. If you will be convinced of a righteousness, and certainty of this dreadful destruction of apostates, consider in the first place the author of this judgment, the only judge in the case; we know him that hath

said.'

Obs. I. There can be no right judgment made of the nature and demerit of sin, without a due consideration of the nature and holiness of God, against whom it is committed. Fools make a mock of sin, they have no sense of its guilt nor dread of its punishment. Others have slight thoughts of it, measuring it only either by outward effects, or by presumptions which they have been accustomed unto. Some have general notions of its guilt, as it is prohibited by the divine law, but never search into the nature of that law with respect unto its author. Such false measures of sin ruin the souls of men.

Obs. II. Nothing, therefore, will state our thoughts aright concerning the guilt and demerit of sin, but a deep consideration of the infinite greatness, holiness, righteousness, and power of God, against whom it is committed.

And hereunto this also is to be added, that God acts not in the effect of any of these properties of his nature, but on a preceding contempt of his goodness, bounty, grace, and mercy; as it is impossible that sin should come into the world but by the contempt of these things. Antecedently unto all possibility of sinning, God communicates the effects of his goodness and bounty unto the creation; and in those sins which are against the gospel, he doth so also of his grace and mercy. This is that which will give us a due measure of the guilt and demerit of sin.

Look upon it as a contempt of infinite goodness, bounty, grace, and mercy, and to rise up against infinite greatness, holiness, righteousness, and power, and we shall have a view of it as it is in itself.

Obs. III. Under apprehensions of great severities of divine judgments, the consideration of God, the author of them, will both relieve our faith, and quiet our hearts. Instances of divine judgments are given in the eternal rejection of multitudes of angels, on their guilt in one sin; in the woeful sin of Adam, and the ruin of his posterity, even of those who had not sinned after the similitude of his transgression; in the destruction of the old world by an universal flood; in the fire and brimstone that God rained from heaven upon Sodom and Gomorrah; in the final rejection of the Jews; in the dreadful overthrow of the city and temple by fire; and in the eternity of the torments of impenitent sinners. In all these things, and others that seem to have any thing of the same kind with them, we shall need nothing to give the most full satisfaction unto our souls, if we know Him who hath said, ' Vengeance is mine: I will repay it.'

Secondly. This is the second consideration, and it is confirmed by a double testimony, wherein God assumeth unto himself that which will give assurance of the punishment of apostates. And we may consider concerning these testimonies, 1st. The apostle's application of them unto his purpose. 2dly. The force that is in them unto that end.

They are both of them taken from Deut. xxxii. 35, 36. But in that place they seem absolutely to intend vengeance and judgment on the adversaries of his people, to make a way for their deliverance. But here they are applied unto the final destruction of that same people, namely, the Jews, without hopes of deliverance.

I answer,

1. That it is usual with the apostle in this Epistle, and all other writers of the New Testament, to make use of testimonies out of the Old, without respect unto the particular cases and designs which they are originally applied unto, but with regard unto the truth and equity contained in them; whereon they are equally applicable unto all cases of a like nature. Thus, saith he, God declares himself with respect unto his stubborn enemies, whence a rule is established, that he will deal so with all that are so, who are in the same circumstances with them of whom we speak.

2dly. What God speaks concerning his enemies, and the enemies of his people in covenant with him, is applicable unto that people itself, when they absolutely break and reject the covenant. So was it done by these apostates, who thereon came into the room and place of the most cursed enemies of God and his people. And therefore God will be unto them what he was unto the worst of those his adversaries.

3. That which God properly in that place assumeth this title unto himself upon, is the cruelty and rage of those adversaries in the persecution and destruction of his people; and shall he not act in like manner towards them who murdered the Lord Jesus, and persecuted all his followers? Wherefore, whatever frame of mind in God is represented in the Scripture, as unto his indignation against the worst of sinners and his adversaries, is fully applicable unto these degenerate apostates.

VOL. IV.

Y

The first testimony in the original is, wop, to me vengeance and recompence, which the apostle here renders by εμοι εκδικησις, εγω avτanоdwow, 'Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense;' and in ch. ii. 2, he expresses a similar sentiment by ενδικος μισθαποδοσία. Recompence is the actual exercise of vengeance. Akn, ɛkdiknois, ‘vengeance, is the actual execution of judgment on sinners, according to their desert, without mitigation of mercy. It is an act of judgment, and wherever mention is made of it, God is still proposed as a judge, it being a just retribution, on the consideration of the demerit of sin

as sin.

1. This vengeance God appropriateth the right of unto himself in a peculiar manner, as that which, in its full latitude, no creature hath any interest in; see Ps. xciv. 1, 2. For it respects only sin in its own formal nature, as sin against God. 1. Though men may inflict punishments on it, yet they do it principally on other accounts. Whatever is of vengeance in punishment, is merely an emanation from divine constitution. 2. No creature can have the just measures of the desert of sin, so as to give it a just and due recompence. 3. The power of the creature cannot extend to the just execution of vengeance, sins deserving eternal punishment. 4. Pure vengeance, as vengeance, is not to be intrusted with our nature, nor would any man be able to manage it, but would fall into one excess or other, unto the ruin of his own soul. Wherefore God hath reserved and included all vengeance unto himself, and all just final retribution for and unto sin. Although he hath allowed infliction of punishment on offenders, in order unto the government and peace of the world in magistrates and public persons; yet as unto vengeance, as it denotes giving satisfaction to ourselves in the punishment of others, it is forbidden unto all persons, both private and public. God, in executing vengeance, gives satisfaction unto his own infinite holiness and righteousness, which makes it holy and just. Men cannot give satisfaction unto themselves in punishment, but it is unto their evil affections, which makes it useless and unjust. Hence David blessed God, that he had kept him from avenging himself on Nabal. For there is no vengeance but what is exerted by a man's self, in his own case and cause: the judgment unto punishment is for others. Wherefore the formal reason of the appropriation of all vengeance unto God is, that God alone can judge and punish in his own case, and unto his own satisfaction. He hath made all things for himself, and the wicked for the day of evil.'

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2. In this appropriation of vengeance unto God, there is supposed and included, that indeed there is vengeance with God, which in due time he will execute, ɛyw avтañоdwow, I will repay, saith God.' He doth oftentimes exercise great patience and forbearance, even then when vengeance might justly be expected and is called for, 'How long dost thou not avenge our blood? This commonly adds unto the security of wicked men, and they learn to despise the threatenings of all the judgments of God which they have deserved, 2 Pet. iii. 3-7; Eccl. viii. 11. They are ready to conclude, that either vengeance doth not belong unto God, or that it shall be executed when and where they are not concerned. But in all these cases, God hath fixed a determinate