places intimated. Wherefore, although we have a firm persuasion that he is our God in covenant, yet it is his will that we should have holy apprehensions of his greatness and terror towards sinners; see 2 Cor. v. 10, 11.

Two things are represented unto us in this expression, TUO KATαvalioкov, a consuming fire.' 1. The nature of God as declared in the first commandment. And, 2. His jealousy with respect unto his worship, as it is expressed in the second.

1. The holiness and purity of his nature, with his severity and vindictive justice, is represented hereby. And these, as all his other essential properties, are proposed unto us in the first commandment. From them it is that he will consume impenitent sinners, such as have no interest in the atonement, even as fire consumes that which is cast into it.

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2. His jealousy with reference unto his worship is here also represented, as declared in the second commandment. So it is added in that place of Moses, The Lord thy God is a consuming fire, a jealous God. This title God first gave himself with respect unto his instituted worship, Exod. xx. 5. And this affection, or property of jealousy, is figuratively ascribed unto God, by an anthropopathy. In man, it is a vehement affection and inclination, arising from a fear or apprehension that any other should have an interest in, or possess that which they judge ought to be peculiar unto themselves. And it hath place principally in the state of marriage, or that which is in order thereunto. It is therefore supposed, that the covenant between God and the church, hath the nature of a marriage covenant, wherein he calleth himself the husband thereof, and saith that he is married unto it, Isa. liv. 5; Jer. iii. 14. In this state it is religious worship, both as unto the outward form of it in divine institution, and its inward form of faith and grace which God requires, as wholly his own. With reference therefore unto defects and miscarriages therein, he assumeth that affection unto him, and calleth himself a jealous God. And because this is a vehement burning affection, God is said on the account of it to be a consuming fire. And we may observe,

Obs. XII. That however God takes us near unto himself in covenant, whereby he is our God, yet he requires that we always retain due apprehensions of the holiness of his nature, the severity of his justice against sinners, and his ardent jealousy concerning his worship.

Obs. XIII. The consideration of these things, and the dread of being by guilt obnoxious unto their terrible consuming effects, ought to influence our minds unto reverence and godly fear in all acts and parts of divine worship.

Obs. XIV. We may learn how great our care and diligence about the serving God ought to be. These are pressed on us by the Holy Ghost, from the consideration of the greatness of our privileges on the one hand, namely, our receiving the kingdom, with the dreadful destruction from God on the other, in case of our neglect herein.

Obs. XV. The holiness and jealousy of God, which are a cause of insupportable terror unto convinced sinners, driving them from him,

have towards believers only a gracious influence unto that fear and reverence, which causes them to cleave more firmly unto him.

Μονῳ τῳ Θεῳ δοξα.

CHAPTER XIII.

THE close of the Epistle is contained in this chapter. In it the apostle gives us new instances of that divine wisdom wherewith he was acted in writing of the whole, which the apostle Peter refers to, 2 Pet. iii. 15. And as it will communicate an inexpressible sense of itself unto every intelligent reader, who meditates on it with that faith and reverence which is required in the perusal of these holy writings, so we may give, at our entrance into the exposition of the chapter, some few instances in general wherein it doth eminently appear.

First. Having solidly laid the foundations of faith and obedience, in the declarations of the mystery of the person and offices of Christ, he descends unto his exhortation with respect unto evangelical and moral duties, which he proposes unto the church in one distinct view throughout this chapter. And herein, 1. He prescribes by his own example, as he also doth in most of his other Epistles, the true order and method of preaching the gospel; that is, first to declare the mysteries of it, with the grace of God therein, and then to improve it unto practical duties of obedience. And they will be mistaken, who in this work propose unto themselves any other method; and those most of all, who think one part of it enough without the other. For as the declaration of spiritual truths, without showing how they are the vital quickening form of obedience, and without the application of them thereunto, tends only unto that knowledge which puffeth up but doth not edify; so the pressing of moral duties, without a due declaration of the grace of God in Christ Jesus, which alone enables us unto them and renders them acceptable unto God, with their necessary dependence thereon, is but to deceive the souls of men, and lead them out of the way and off from the gospel. 2. Issuing all his discourses in this exhortation unto spiritual or evangelical obedience, he declares, that the science or knowledge of divine mysteries is partly practical, as unto its next and immediate end in the minds and souls of men. It is so far from truth, that by the liberty of the gospel we are freed from an obligation unto spiritual and moral duties, that the use of all the truths revealed in it, is to direct us unto their right performance, and also to lay more and new obligations on us to attend with all diligence unto them. 3. In this place, insisting at large on the doctrine of the gospel, he doth but name the heads of the duties which he exhorts unto; for these were for the most part known and confessed amongst the Hebrews, whereas the other was greatly exposed and contradicted. And herein also he hath set an example unto the preachers of the gospel, as unto the times and circumstances of their work. For therein ought they to labour

with most diligence, where they find the greatest opposition made unto the truth, or the greatest difficulty in the admission of it. 4. He manifests in this method of his procedure, that it is to no purpose to deal with men about duties of obedience, before they are well fixed in the fundamental principles of faith. Herein he labours for the confirmation and instruction of these Hebrews, before he engages in his prescriptions of duties.

Secondly. In the enumeration of duties which he designs, because it was not possible that he should make mention of all those which are necessary in our Christian course, he fixes particularly on those which he knew were most necessary for the Hebrews to attend to with diligence in their present circumstances; as we shall see in our consideration of them. And herein also ought he to be our example in the work of our ministry. Circumstances ofttimes make it necessary that some duties be more diligently pressed on our people than others, in themselves of no less importance than they.

Thirdly. His divine wisdom doth manifest itself in the intermixture of evangelical mysteries with his exhortation unto duties; whereby he both effectually presses the duties themselves, and manifests that the most mystical parts of divine truths and institutions are instructive unto duties, if rightly understood. The consideration hereof also we shall attend to in our progress.

Fourthly. Divine wisdom manifests itself in that solemn prayer for a blessing on, and due improvement of his whole doctrine; wherein he briefly comprises the sum and substance of the most mysterious truths, concerning the person, office, and sacrifice of Christ, which he had before insisted on ; wherein, according to our ability, we ought to follow his example.

For the parts of the chapter, (the whole being hortatory,) they are these: 1. An injunction of, and exhortation unto, several duties of obedience, with especial enforcements given unto some of them, ver. 1—6. 2. Unto faith and stability therein, from the instrumental cause and especial object of it, with a warning to avoid what is contrary thereunto, ver. 7-12. 3. An exhortation occasioned by what was spoken in confirmation of the preceding exhortation, unto self-denial, and patient bearing of the cross, ver. 13, 14. 4. A renewed charge of sundry duties, with respect unto God, their church relation, one another, and himself, ver. 15-19. 5. A solemn prayer for the completion of the blessed work of the grace of God in Christ towards them all, ver. 20, 21. 6. The conclusion of the whole in sundry particulars.

In the first part, the duties exhorted unto are, 1. Brotherly love, ver. 1. 2. Hospitality, ver. 2. 3. Compassion towards those that suffer for the gospel, ver. 3. 4. Chastity, with the nature and due use of marriage. 5. Contentment, with the grounds and reasons of it, ver. 5, 6.

VER. 1.—Ἡ φιλαδελφια μενετω.

Vul. Lat. Charitas fraternitatis, 'the love of the brotherhood,' not so properly. Syr, Love of the brethren;' and unto μEverw, both add, in

vobis, 'in you.' Amor fraternus, charitas fraterna. Mɛverw, maneat ; that is, constans maneat. Why it is thus enjoined, we shall inquire.

VER. 1.-Let brotherly love continue (abide constant.)

The duty commanded is, ʼn piλadeλpia, brotherly love; and the manner of the injunction of it is, that it remain,' or 'continue.'

First. Love is the fountain and foundation of all mutual duties, moral and ecclesiastical. Wherefore it is here placed at the head of both sorts which are afterwards prescribed. And thereon the apostle immediately subjoins the two principal branches of it in duties moral, namely, hospitality and compassion, wherein he comprises all acts of mutual usefulnesss and helpfulness, instancing in such as principally stood in need of them; namely, strangers and sufferers.

All love hath its foundation in relation. Where there is relation, there is love, or there ought so to be; and where there is no relation, there can be no love, properly so called. Hence it is here mentioned, with respect unto a brotherhood. There is a threefold brotherhood or fraternity. 1. Natural. 2. Civil. 3. Religious. Natural brotherhood is either universal or more restrained.

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1. There is an universal fraternity of all mankind. God hath made of one blood all nations of men to dwell upon the earth,' Acts xvii. 26. Hence every one, by the law of nature, is every one's neighbour; and every one's brother, his keeper and helper. Wherefore, all strife, envy, hatred, wrong, oppression, and bloodshed among mankind, is of the evil one,' 1 John iii. 12. There is a love therefore due unto all mankind, to be exercised as opportunity and circumstances do require. We are to do good unto all men,' 1 Thess. v. 15. And where there is love wanting in any, as it is in the most, there dwells no real virtue in that mind. Again, this natural brotherhood is restrained; and that, 1. With reference unto some stock or spring, from whence a people or nation did originally proceed, being therein separated from other nations or people. So there was a brotherhood among all the Israelites who descended from the same common stock, that is, Abraham. Hence they esteemed themselves all brethren, and called themselves so; 'My brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh,' Rom. ix. 3. So they are constantly called brethren in the law, and the prescription of duties unto them: 'He is thy brother,' &c. 2. With respect unto a near stock, as the children of the same parents, which in the Scripture is constantly extended unto grandfathers also. Hence they are commonly in the Scripture called brethren and sisters, who are descendants from the same grandfather or grandmother; on which account, some are called the brethren of Jesus, Matt. xii. 46, 47. The love required in this relation is known, but it is not here intended.

2. There is a civil fraternity. Persons voluntarily coalescing into various societies, do constitute a political brotherhood; but this hath here no place.

3. This brotherhood is religious. All believers have one Father, Matt. xxiii. 8, 9, one elder Brother, Rom. viii. 29, who is not ashamed to call them brethren, Heb. ii. 11; have one spirit, and are called in

one hope of calling, Eph. iv. 4, which being a spirit of adoption, interesteth them all in the same family, Eph. iii. 14, 15, whereby they become joint heirs with Christ, Rom. viii. 29. See the Exposition of ch. iii. 1. This is the brotherhood principally intended in the duty of love here prescribed. For although there was the natural relation also among these Hebrews, yet it was originally from their coalescing into one sacred society, by virtue of their covenant with God, that they became brethren of one family, distinct from all others in the world. And this relation was not dissolved, but farther confirmed, by their interest in the gospel; whence they became 'holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling,' ch. iii. 1.

This brotherhood is the foundation of the love that is here enjoined: for every one that loves him that begat, loves him that is begotten of him,' 1 John v. 1. It is not convenient to our purpose to insist long on the declaration of the nature of this grace and duty. It hath also been spoken unto in the Exposition of ch. vi. 10, 11. Here I shall observe some few things only concerning it, and they are those wherein. it differs from the natural love, or that which hath only civil or moral motives or causes. For, 1. The foundation of it is in gratuitous adoption: Ye are all brethren, and one is your Father which is in heaven,' Matt. xxiii. 8, 9. And it is by adoption that they are all taken into, and made brethren in the same family, 1 John v. 1. 2. It is a peculiar grace of the Spirit: the fruit of the Spirit is love, and therefore it is frequently, almost constantly, joined with faith in Christ Jesus, Gal. v. 6; 1 John iii. 23. It is that which no man can have in, or of himself; it must be given us from above. 3. It is peculiar in its example, which is the love of Christ unto the church, 1 John iii. 16, which gives it a different nature from all love that ever was in the world before. 4. It is so in the commandment given for it by Christ himself, with the ends that he hath assigned unto it. He calls it his commandment in a peculiar manner, John xv. 12, and thence a new commandment, John xiii. 34; 1 John ii. 7, 8; 2 John 5; that wherein he will be owned above all others. And he designs the ends of it to be the special glory of God, and an evidence unto the world that we are his disciples, John xiii. 35. 5. It is so in its effects, both internal and external; such are pity, compassion, joy in prosperity, prayer, usefulness in all things, spiritual and temporal, as occasion doth require; patience, forbearance, delight, readiness to suffer for, and lay down our lives towards, and for each other; which are all frequently inculcated, and largely declared in the Scripture. And two things I shall only hence observe.

Obs. I. That the power and glory of Christian religion is exceedingly decayed and debased in the world. Next unto faith in Christ Jesus, and the profession thereof, the life and beauty of Christian religion consists in the mutual love of them who are partakers of the same heavenly calling, which all pretend unto. And this is that whereon the Lord Christ hath laid the weight of the manifestation of his glory in the world; namely, the love that is among his disciples, which was foretold as the peculiar glory of his rule and kingdom. But there are only a few footsteps now left of it in the visible church; some marks only that there it hath been, and dwelt of old. It is, as unto its lustre and splen