First. He respects in this verse the season of the accomplishment of what he now proposeth unto them. And there are three things therein.

1st. An acknowledgment that is not immediately to be looked for. For it is a thing yet to be waited for;' yet there remains some time for its accomplishment; and this is that which renders their confidence and patience in sufferings so necessary, as he had before observed.

Obs. I. The delay of the accomplishment of promises is a great exercise of faith and patience. Whence are all the exhortations not to faint in our minds, nor to be weary.

2dly. There is a limitation of the time for the accomplishment of what seems so to be delayed, it is μupov, 'a little space.' Though it seems to tarry, wait for it, it will come, and that ere long, or after a short space of time.

3dly. A farther declaration of the nature of this season in these words, órov oσov, quantum quantum, or quantillum quantillum; the reduplication of the word may yield a double sense. 1. A limitation of the

time, a very little, a short space, not to be feared or reckoned on. 2. On the other side a supposition of some duration; how long soever it be, yet it is but a little while. According unto either sense the design of the apostle is the same, which is to satisfy the Hebrews that there shall be no such delay in what they looked after and expected, as should be a just cause of despondencies or weariness in them. As if he had said, 'My brethren, faint not, be not weary nor discouraged, keep up confidence and patience, you know what you wait for and expect, which will be an abundant recompence unto you for all your sufferings; and whatever appearances there may be of its tarrying or delay, whatever it may seem to you, yet if you have but a prospect into eternity, be it what it will, it is but a very little while, and so is to be esteemed by you.'

Secondly. That which is proposed unto them under this limitation is this, that he who shall come will come, and will not tarry.' What the prophet spake of the vision he saw, the apostle applies unto the person of Christ, for the reasons before mentioned: 6 pxouεvos, 'he that shall come,' is a periphrasis of Christ, frequently used and applied unto him. Once it is used to express his eternity, Rev. i. 8, but generally it hath respect unto the promise of him. The foundation of the church was laid in the promise that he should come, and he came in his Spirit unto them from the foundation of the world, 1 Pet. i. 11, iii. 18-20; yet this was he that should come, as is expressed John i. this was his coming in the flesh. After his incarnation and ministry, he was now with respect unto them, he that was come. Yea, to deny him to be come in answer unto that promise, is antichristian, 1 John iv. 3. Yet after this, he was to come again, on a double account: in the power of his Spirit, and in the exercise of his royal authority, for the setting up and settling his church in the world; whereof there are two parts:

First. The assistance of his Spirit, with his miraculous operations unto the ministers of the gospel, which were the powers of the world to come, John xvi. 7, 8. This was an illustrious advent of Christ, not in his own person, but in that of his vicar and substitute, whom he pro

mised to send in his stead. Hereby he was acquitted from all that dishonour, contempt, and reproach, that was cast on him in the world.

Secondly. He was to come for the punishment and destruction of his stubborn and inveterate adversaries. And these also were of three sorts. 1. Those that were so directly unto his own person, and by consequence unto his gospel. 2. Such as were directly enemies to his gospel, and by consequence to his person. 3. Such as were declared enemies to them both. Of the first sort were the Jews who slew him, who murdered him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and thereon continued their hatred against the gospel, and all that made profession thereof. He was to come to destroy those murderers, and to burn their city, which fell out long after the writing of this Epistle, and is properly intended in this place. See Matt. xxiv. 3, 27, 30; 2 Pet. iii. 4; Jude 14; Rev. i. 7; Mark xiv. 62; James v. 7, 8. For hereon ensued the deliverance of the church from the rage and persecution of the Jews, with the illustrious propagation of the gospel throughout the world. The Pagan Roman Empire was the second sort of his adversaries who were immediate enemies unto his gospel, and consequently to his person. These after the destruction of the former sort, raged with all blood and cruelty against the church for sundry ages. These therefore he promised he would come and destroy; and the faith of the church concerning this his coming was, that he that should come, would come, and would not tarry. The description of this coming of Christ is given us, Rev. vi. 7-10. 3. After this arose a third sort of enemies, who in words owning his person and gospel, opposed all his offices, and persecuted all that would yield obedience unto him in the exercise of them, and were thereby consequentially enemies both to his person and gospel. This was the apostate Christian church of Rome, or the New Testament Babylon. And in respect of these enemies of his, Christ is still he that is to come, and as such is believed in, and his coming prayed for by all the saints. For he is to destroy the man of sin, the head of that apostasy, by the brightness of his coming. For as the opposition made unto him did not arise suddenly, and at once, as those fore-mentioned did, especially that of the Jews, whose destruction was therefore speedy and at once, but in a long tract of time grew up gradually unto its height; so he will destroy it in like manner. therefore, although he hath set his hand unto that work, and begun the execution of his judgments on the antichristian state in some degree, yet as to the utter destruction of it by those plagues which shall befal it in one day, he is still, toxoμevoç, he that is looked for, he that is to come.'

And

2. Christ is ó εoxouevos, with respect unto his coming at the last day unto judgment. This is known and confessed, and the business of his coming therein is the prayer of the whole church, Rev. xxii. 20. And it is an article of faith, whose nature we have described on ch. vi. 5.

ερχόμενος.

It may be now inquired, with respect unto whether of these comings, it is said here he shall come, that he is ó It is generally referred by interpreters unto his last advent at the day of judgment. I doubt not but that also is included, but I dare not exclude the other

comings mentioned, as things which were principally suited unto the relief of the church under its distress. For unto every state of the church there is a coming of Christ suited and accommodated unto their condition, whereby their faith is kept in continual exercise of desires after it. This was the life of faith under the Old Testament as to his coming in the flesh, until it was accomplished. This faith, after the resurrection, they lived on, though but for a short season, until he came in the power of his Spirit, and his miraculous operations, so to convince the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment. Nor do I understand how the just can live by faith, without a continual expectation of the coming of Christ in a way suited to the sufferings and deliverance of his church in that season. For instance, the state was such now with those Hebrews, that if an end were not put unto it, or the days were not shortened, no flesh among them could have been saved, as our Saviour speaks, Matt. xxiv. 22. In this state the church looked for such a coming of Christ, as should work out their deliverance, and he came accordingly, as we have shown. Afterwards, the earth was filled with the blood of saints and martyrs, by the power of the Roman Empire. In this state those that were slain, and those that were alive, appointed unto death, cried, 'How long, Lord, holy and just, dost thou not avenge our blood on them that live on the earth?' They exercised faith also in this word, that it was but a little while, and he that shall come, will come; which he did accordingly. And the case is the same with those that suffer under the antichristian apostasy; they live, pray, and believe, in the expectation of the appearance of the brightness of that coming of Christ, wherewith the man of sin shall be consumed, and although it seem to tarry, they wait for it. This is the faith and patience of the saints.

Wherefore, the end for which this coming of Christ is proposed unto the church, being the support and encouragement of their souls unto faith and patience, a respect must be had unto such a coming as is suited to their relief in their present state and condition. And this unto these Hebrews was then εT Kpov ôσov óσov, in a literal sense. So it is to be accommodated unto all other states of the church. And therein the consideration of the coming of Christ at the last day, unto the final and eternal judgment, ought not to be omitted. This is that anchor and great reserve of believers in all their distresses and sufferings, when all appearance of deliverance in the world absolutely ceaseth, to betake themselves unto this, that there is a day approaching, wherein God will judge the world in righteousness, by the man whom he hath ordained. That the Lord Christ shall assuredly come unto that judgment, is that which they principally resolve their satisfaction into; see 2 Thess. i. 6-10.

Obs. II. It is essential unto faith to be acted on the promised coming of Christ, to all that look for his appearance.

Obs. III. There is a promise of the coming of Christ suited unto the state and condition of the church in all ages.

Obs. IV. The apparent delay of the accomplishment of any of these promises, requires an exercise of the faith and patience of the saints.

Obs. V. Every such coming of Christ hath its appointed season beyond which it shall not tarry.

Obs. VI. This divine disposition of things gives a necessity unto the continual exercise of faith, prayer, and patience, about the coming of Christ.

Obs. VII. Although we may not know the especial dispensations and moments of time that are passing over us, yet all believers may know the state in general of the church under which they are, and what coming of Christ they are to look for and expect. So is it with us who live under the antichristian state, which Christ in his appointed time will come and destroy.

Obs. VIII. Faith in any church satisfies the souls of men with what is the good and deliverance of that state; although a man do know or is persuaded that personally he shall not see it himself, nor enjoy it.—The faith of this kind is for the church, and not for men's individual persons.

Obs. IX. Under despondencies as to peculiar appearances or comings of Christ, it is the duty of believers to fix and exercise their faith on his illustrious appearance at the last day.

Obs. X. Every particular coming of Christ, in a way suited unto the present deliverance of the church, is an infallible pledge of his coming at the last unto judgment.

Obs. XI. Every promised coming of Christ is certain, and shall not be delayed beyond its appointed season, when no difficulties shall be able to stand before it.

VER. 38, 39.-Now the just shall live by faith but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition: but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.

The apostle proceedeth in the allegation of the testimony taken out of the prophet, and the application of it unto his present purpose. And he observeth not herein the order of the words, but keeps unto the sense and meaning of them. And two things he designeth in these two verses. 1. To declare the event of the proposal made unto them of the coming of Christ, whereby he confirmed his exhortation unto faith and patience in their suffering condition, ver. 38. 2. An application of the different events mentioned by the prophet unto these Hebrews, ver. 39. In the first there are two different events expressed of the proposal and exhortation before given and made, with the means of them the one is, that the just shall live by his faith; and the other, which is built on the supposition, if any man draw back, that is, then my soul shall have no pleasure in him.

In the First, there are to be considered, 1. The note of connexion in the adversative particle de. 2. There is the qualification of the person spoken of, he is the just.' 3. The means of his being so, or of his obtaining the event mentioned, which is by faith.' 4. What is the event itself, he shall live.'

Three times doth the apostle in his epistles make use of this prophetical testimony, Rom. i. 17: Gal. iii. 11, and in this place.

The note of inference in the exceptive particle de, we render now,'

as afterwards we render xa, 'but.' The first proper sense might as well have been retained; but' in the first place, and 'and' afterwards. But the difference is of no importance; de is here taken for in the prophet, which is ofttimes exceptive, p. And in the prophet the expression is plain, because it followeth the description of the contrary frame unto what is here asserted; 'he whose heart is lifted up:' but de in the transposition of the words used by the apostle, (for he first repeats the last clause of the words, and then the former afterwards, which was more accommodate unto his purpose,) doth not seem to have the force of an exceptive; nor hath it so indeed, in respect unto what was affirmed in the foregoing verse, but it hath so unto the difficulty supposed in the case under consideration, which are the sufferings and temptations which professors of the gospel should in common meet withal, and in the appearance of a delay as unto their deliverance out of them.' But,' saith the apostle, however, notwithstanding these things, the just shall live by faith.'

2. The person spoken of is ó dikalos, a just person,' a man really made just, or justified by faith, every one that is really and truly so. I doubt not but this is included in the word, and the state of justification is intended in it. To which purpose the words are elsewhere cited by the apostle. But yet that which is here principally intended, is that qualification of a righteous man which is opposed to pride and haste of spirit through unbelief, whereon men draw back from God in the profession of the gospel. The just man, he who is humble, meek, sincere, subdued unto the will of God, waiting for his pleasure, as all justified persons are in their several degrees, he shall live ;' for he is free from that principle of pride and unbelief which ruins the souls of men in times of trial.

Obs. XII. There are especial qualifications of grace required unto steadfastness in profession, in times of persecution and long continued trials.

3. Shall live by faith,' so we: EK TIσTEWS may be joined with Sikatos, and so express the instrumental cause, way, and means whereby a man comes to be dikalos, just; that is, dikawas, 'justified,' which is by faith. For it is by faith, both that a man is justified, and also those gracious qualifications are wrought in him which enable him to persevere in his profession. It purifieth the heart of that leaven of pride which destroyeth all who are infected with it. Or it may denote the way and means whereby a just man doth abide and persevere in his profession unto life. And this sense I embrace, because this is the entrance of the apostle into his demonstration of the mighty things which faith will do, and which have been done and suffered through faith by believers, which he declares here in general, namely, whatever difficulties and opposition a just man meets withal in the way to things eternal, faith will carry him through them with safety and

success.

4. He shall live,' Snoeral. Life, in both the principal senses of it, is here intended. 1. He shall not die in and from his profession; he shall not perish as trees plucked up from the roots, twice dead; he shall maintain a spiritual life, the life of God, as the Psalmist speaks,