First. We have an injunction of a necessary duty, proposed in a way of caution or prohibition of the contrary evil: 'See that ye refuse not him that speaketh.'

1. The caution is given in the word BλETETE. It is originally a word of sense, 'to see with our eyes:' and so it is constantly used in the New Testament, unless it be in the imperative mood, and therein it always signifies to beware, to take heed, to be very careful about what is given in charge, Matt. xxiv. 4; Mark xiii. 5, 33; 1 Cor. viii. 9, xvi. 10; Gal. v. 15; Eph. v. 15; Philip. iii. 2; Col. ii. 8. And both the weight of the duty, and the danger of its neglect, are included in it. And the apostle gives them this caution, to shake off all sloth and negligence, from the greatness of their concernment in what was enjoined them.

2. The matter given in charge, is, un tapainonade, not to refuse.' or turn away from, or despise him that speaketh. Of the word and its signification, we have spoken before on ver. 17. But in this prohibition of an evil, it is the injunction of a duty that is intended, and that is the hearing of him that speaketh; and that, such a hearing as the Scripture intends universally, where it speaks of our duty to God; namely, so to hear as to believe, and yield obedience to what is heard. This is the constant use of that expression in the Scripture; wherefore the caution, 'not to refuse,' is a charge so to hear him that speaks, as to believe and obey. Whatever is less than this is a refusal, a despising of him. It is not enough to give him the hearing, as we say, unless also we obey him. Hence the word is preached unto many, but it doth not profit them, because it is not mixed with faith.

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3. We must thus not refuse, rov daλouvra, him that speaketh;' that is, say some, for Tov daλnoavra, him that hath spoken;' for the speaking of Christ himself was now past. But Christ yet continued to speak in an extraordinary manner by some of the apostles, and by his Spirit, in the signs, wonders, and mighty works, which yet accompanied the dispensation of the gospel. There is a general rule in the words; namely, that we are diligently to attend unto, and not to refuse any that speak unto us in the name and authority of Christ. And so it may be applied unto all the faithful preachers of the gospel, however they may be despised in this world. But it is here the person of Christ himself that is immediately intended.

And this command hath respect unto the double solemn charge given of God unto the church; the first on the closing of the law, and the other as the beginning and foundation of the gospel. The first given to prepare the church for their duty in its proper season, is recorded, Deut. xviii. 18, 19, 'I will raise them up a prophet from among their brethren like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak unto them all that I command him. And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him;' which words are applied to the Lord Christ, Acts iii. 22, vii. 37. This the apostle now reminds them of: Take heed that you hear him; for if not, God will require it of you in your utter destruction. The other charge to this purpose was given immediately from heaven, as the foundation of the gospel, Matt. xvii. 5, 'Behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son in

whom I am well pleased, hear ye him;' which voice the apostle Peter tells us came from the excellent glory of the person of the Father, 2 Pet. i. 17, 18.

This is the foundation of all gospel faith and obedience, and the formal reason of the condemnation of all unbelievers. God hath given command unto all men to hear, that is, believe and obey his Son Jesus Christ. By virtue thereof, he hath given command unto others to preach the gospel unto all individuals. They who believe them, believe in Christ; and they who believe in Christ through him, believe in God, 1 Pet. i. 21 so that their faith is ultimately resolved into the authority of God himself. And so they who refuse them, who hear them not, do thereby refuse Christ himself; and by so doing, reject the authority of God, who hath given this command to hear him, and hath taken on himself to require it when it is neglected; which is the condemnation of all unbelievers. This method, with respect unto faith and unbelief, is declared and established by our Saviour, Luke x. 16, 'He that heareth you, heareth me; and he that despiseth you, despiseth me; and he that despiseth me, despiseth him that sent me.' Hence,

Obs. I. Unbelief under the preaching of the gospel is the great, and in some respect the only damning sin, as being accompanied, yea, consisting in the last and utmost contempt of the authority of God.

Secondly. The apostle gives an enforcement of this duty. And this is taken from the consideration of the person with whom they had to do herein; and a comparison between the event of the neglect of this duty in them, and a neglect of the same kind of duty in them unto whom the law was given. The inference from the comparison is expressed in the conjunctive particles, & yap, for if.' Consider with yourselves, how it was with them on their disobedience; for if they escaped not,' &c. For the opening of this verse, we must inquire, 1. Who it is that spake on earth. 1. How the people did refuse him. 3. How they did not escape thereon. 4. Who it is that is, or speaks from heaven. 5. How he may be turned away from. 6. How they who do so turn from him shall not escape.

First. Who is, τον επι της γης χρηματίζοντα, him that spake on earth.' Most expositors say it was Moses, and that the opposition is here made between him and Christ. But all things in the text, and the circumstances in matter of fact, lie 'against this exposition. For, 1. Respect is had unto the-giving of the law, which is unquestionable; but herein Moses was not ó xonuariwv, he that spake divine oracles unto the people, but God himself. 2. The people thereon did not refuse Moses, but expressly chose him for a mediator between God and them, promising to hear him, Exod. xx; Deut. v. 3. ΧρηματιLay, though it sometimes signifies the answers that are given authoritatively by princes; yet in the Scripture it is applied unto God alone, though he may use the ministry of angels therein; see ch. xi. ver. 7, with the Exposition. 4. He who spake on the earth: his voice then shook the earth;' which was not the voice of Moses.

Some therefore say, that it is an angel that is intended, who delivered all those oracles on Mount Sinai in the name of God. This pretence I have at large elsewhere discarded, nor can it be reconciled unto the

principles of religion. For if, notwithstanding all the dreadful preparation that was made for the descent of God on Mount Sinai, and although it be expressly affirmed that he was there in the midst of the thousands of his angels, Ps. lxviii. 17, and that he came with ten thousands of his holy ones to give the fiery law, Deut. xxxiii. 2, and that in giving the law he lays the whole weight of its authority on the person of the speaker, saying, 'I am the Lord thy God;' if all this may be ascribed unto an angel, then there is one who is an angel by office, and God by nature, or we are bound to take a created angel to be our God; nor can it be pretended that God ever spake himself unto mankind, seeing this was the most likely way of his so doing under the Old Testament.

Wherefore he that then spake on earth, who gave these divine oracles, was none other but the Son of God himself, or the Divine nature acting itself in a peculiar manner in the person of the Son; and unto him all things do agree. What is purely divine was proper to his person, and what was of condescension belonged unto him in a way of office, as he was the angel of the covenant, in whom was the name of God.

But it will be said, there is an opposition between him that spake on earth, and him that is from heaven; now, whereas that was Christ the Son of God, this cannot be so. I answer, there is indeed no such opposition. For the opposition expressed is not between the persons speaking, but between earth and heaven, as the next verse sufficiently shows. And that verse declares positively, that it was one and the same person whose voice then shook the earth, and under the gospel shaketh the heaven also. It is therefore God himself, or the Son of God, who gave those oracles on Mount Sinai. And it must be inquired,

Secondly. How the people, apainoaμevol, refused them.' The word here used by the apostle is the same with that which, ver, 19, we render by entreated to hear no more;' that is, deprecated the hearing of the voice of God. And that intended thereby, was the request of the people that God would not speak immediately unto them any more, because they could not bear the terror of it. This request of theirs God expressly approveth of. They have well said all that they have spoken, Deut. v. 28, 29. Wherefore, although the apostle did plainly demonstrate hereby the terror of the giving of the law, and the dread of the people, which was all he aimed at in that place, yet it doth not appear how they escaped not on that refusal, seeing God approved of what they said and did.

I answer, 1. That although the word be the same, yet different things are intended by it. Both that of ver. 19, and this here, agree in the general nature of a refusal, and so may be expressed by the same word, but the especial nature of the acts intended is diverse, or the word being in itself of a middle signification, including neither evil nor good, may have, as it here hath, a various application. 2. In that former refusal or entreaty not to hear the voice of God any more, there was this good which was approved of God; namely, that it expressed that frame of fear and dread which he designed to bring them unto by giving of the law. But though their words were so good and so well suited unto their present condition, yet it discovered a want of that faith and bold

ness of children, which were necessary to enable them to abide with God. With respect hereunto, the apostle might justly date the beginning of their departure from God, and refusal of obedience, which immediately ensued on this discovery that they liked not the presence and voice of God.

But the people's actual refusal of obedience unto him that gave them the law, began in that which fell out not long after, namely, in their making the golden calf while Moses was in the mount, Exod. xxxii, from which they did not escape; for besides that three thousand of them on that occasion were slain by the sword, and God made it a record concerning that sin, 'In the day wherein I visit, I will visit their sin upon them; and the Lord plagued the people,' Exod. xxxii. 34, 35. After this ensued sundry other rebellions of the people, in all which they refused him who spake on earth.

Thirdly. How, our εquyov, 'did they not escape' hereon, or what did they not escape? They did not evade, they could not escape or go free, but divine wrath and vengeance overtook them. This is so fully manifested by an induction of instances, 1 Cor. x. 5—10, that it needs no farther illustration. And we may see,

Obs. II. That there is in all sins and disobedience, a rejection of the authority of God in giving of the law.

Obs. III. No sinner can escape divine vengeance if he be tried and judged according to the law; see Ps. cxxx. 2, 3.

Fourthly. Who is it, or how is he to be considered, whom we are now to hear, not to turn away from? Пoλλy μadλov nues, much more shall not we,' if we turn away from him that is, or speaketh from heaven. There are two words defective, and only implied in the original. The first we supply by 'escape:' 'How shall we escape?' and herein all agree; the repetition of the sense of that word before used is necessary unto the comparison, and hath in it the enforcement of the exhortation, which is taken from the penalty of disobedience. The second is in the last clause, Tov an' ovoavwv, him from heaven.' This some supply τον απ' ουρανων, by laλovvra, speaketh,' as we do; some by ovra, 'is,' 'who is from heaven.' And the defect of the verb substantive is so frequent, that it is naturally to be supplied when the sense will bear it, as it will do in this place, as we shall see immediately.

We may observe farther, that the apostle useth another word to express the refusal of hearing him who is from heaven, namely, ажоσтρεpouevo, than he did with respect unto them who refused him who spake on the earth, 'turning away.' 'How much more we turning away!' that is, if we do so; and it is more extensive than the other word, including that infidelity and disobedience which is purely negative, without any positive refusal or rejection of the word.

These things being premised, it is evident who it is that is here intended, and in what sense he is spoken of. And this is fully declared by himself, John iii. 12, 13, If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe if I tell you of heavenly things? And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man, which is in heaven.' Add hereunto, ver. 31, 'He that cometh from above, is above all; he that is of the earth, is

earthly, and speaketh of the earth; he that cometh from heaven is above all;' see ch. vi. 33, 38. These places treat of the same matter with that intended in the text; namely, the revelation of heavenly things, or the mysteries of the will of God by Jesus Christ. In each place it is affirmed, that to make this revelation he came from heaven, so that he was from heaven; but withal, whilst he did so he was still in heaven, 'the Son of man who is in heaven.' He was so from heaven, in his descent to declare the will of God, as that he was in his divine person still in heaven. Wherefore, as unto the promulgation of the gospel, he is said to be from heaven on many accounts. 1. Of his full comprehension of all heavenly mysteries: for he came from the bosom of the Father, and thence declared him, with the mystery that was hid in him from the foundation of the world, John i. 18; Matt. xi. 27. 2. Of his infinite condescension in his incarnation and susception of the office of mediation, to declare the will of God, which in the Scripture is called most frequently his coming down from heaven; thereby he was the Lord from heaven. 3. Of his sovereign heavenly authority in the discharge of his office. God was with him and in him; the fulness of the Godhead dwelt in him bodily; and he had all power in heaven and earth committed unto him. 4. Of his glorious ascension into heaven when he had accomplished his work in this world, represented by his ascent from Mount Sinai, as the apostle declares, Eph. iv. 8-10. 5. Of his sending the Holy Ghost from heaven to confirm his doctrine, 1 Pet. i. 12. 6. Of his opening heaven, and all the treasures of it, bringing life and immortality to light by the gospel, in comparison whereof the things of the law are called earthly things. Thus was the Lord Christ the Son of God from heaven, in the declaration of the gospel; and,

Fifthly. We must inquire in the next place, what it is to turn away from him. And sundry things are included in this expression.

1. That in the declaration of the gospel by Jesus Christ from heaven, there is a call, an invitation of sinners, to draw nigh, to come unto him, to be made partakers of the good things contained therein. This way of the proposal of the gospel was foretold by the prophets, as Isa. Iv. 1-3. So it was constantly insisted on by him, Matt. xi. 28; John vii. 37, 38, Come unto me,' was the life and grace of the gospel. And what could be more, seeing they were the words of him who was from heaven, fully possessed of all the bosom counsels of the Father. And herein it differed sufficiently from the law in the giving of it. For that was so far from being proposed with an encouraging invitation to come to God thereby, as that it was only a terrible denunciation of duties and penalties, which they that heard could not endure, and removed as far as they could from it. With respect unto this invitation, unbelievers are said to turn away from him, which is the posture and action of them that refuse an invitation.

2. There is in it a dislike of the terms of the gospel proposed unto them. The terms of the gospel are of two sorts. 1. Such as are proposed unto us. 2. Such as thereon are required of us. Those proposed unto us, include the whole mystery of the salvation of sinners by Jesus Christ, unto the praise and glory of God. Those of the latter