duced in the similitude, and the things signified, is plain and evident, both in itself and from the whole discourse of the apo

stle.

2. There is a common subject of the whole similitude, branched out into distinct parts, with very different events ascribed unto them. We must, therefore, consider both what is that common subject, as also, wherein the distinct parts whereinto it is branched, do agree on the one hand, and differ on the other. 1. The common subject is the earth, of the nature whereof, both branches are equally participant. Originally and naturally, they differ not, they are both the earth. 2. On this common subject, in both branches of it, the rain equally falls; not upon one more, and the other less, not upon one sooner, and the other later. 3. It is equally dressed, tilled or manured, by or for the use of some. One part doth not lie neglected, whilst the other is cared for.

In these things there is an agreement, and all is equal in both branches of the common subject. But hereon a partition is made, or a distribution of this common subject into two parts or sorts, with a double difference between them; and that 1. On their own part, 2. Of God's dealing with them. For, 1. The one part brings forth herbs which are described by their usefulness, they are "meet for them by whom they are dressed." The other bare thorns and briers, things not only of no use or advantage, but moreover, noxious and hurtful. 2. They differ in the consequent, on the part of God, for the first sort receiveth blessing from God, the other, in opposition unto this blessing from God, (whence we may also learn what is contained therein) is first rejected, then cursed, then burned.

Before I proceed to the particular explication of the words, inquiry must be made into the especial design of the apostle in them, with respect unto these Hebrews. For here is not only a threatening of what might come to pass, but a particular prediction of what would come to pass, and a declaration of what was already in part accomplished. For, by the earth, he understands in an especial manner, the church and nation of the Jews. This was God's vineyard, Isa. v. 7, 8. Hereunto he sent all his ministers," and last of all, his Son," Matt. xxi. 35-37. Jer. ii. 21. And to them he calls, "O earth, earth, earth, hear the word of the Lord," Jer. xxii. 29. Upon this earth, the rain often fell, in the ministerial dispensation of the word unto that church and people. With respect hereunto, Christ says unto them, axi5 "How often would I have gathered thy children," Matt. xxiii. 37. as here the rain is said to fall onλanis, often' upon it.

This was the earth, wherein were the plants of God's especial planting. And these were all now distributed into two

parts. 1. Those, who believing and obeying the gospel, brought forth the fruits of repentance, faith and new obedience. These, being effectually wrought upon by the power of God in the new creation, our apostle compares to the earth in the old creation, when it was first made by God and blessed of him. Then, in the first place, it brought forth N, that is, Boravny, as the LXX. render the word, herb,' meet for him that made and blessed it, Gen. i. 11. And these were still to be continued the vineyard of God, a field which he cared for. This was that gospel church gathered from among the Hebrews, which brought forth fruit to the glory of God, and was blessed of him. This was the "remnant among them, according to the election of grace," which obtained mercy when the rest were blinded, Rom. xi. 5. 7.

For, 2. The remainder of this people, the residue of this earth, it was made up of two sorts, which are both of them here cast under the same lot and condition. There were obstinate unbelievers on the one hand, who pertinaciously rejected Christ and the gospel, with hypocritical apostates on the other, who, having for a season embraced its profession, fell off again unto their Judaism. All these, the apostle compares unto the earth, when the covenant of God with the creation, was broken by the sin of man, and it was put under the curse. Hereof it is said, 7777 pp, Gen. iii. 18. anavdas nat Tebedus avatiλil, as the LXX. renders it, the very words here used by the apostle, "it beareth thorns and briers." Such was this church and people, now they had broken and rejected the covenant of God by their unbelief, earth that brought forth thorns and briers. "The best of them was as a brier, and the most upright of them, as a thorn hedge;" then was the day of their prophets nigh, the day of their visitation foretold by the prophets their watchmen, Micah vii. 4. So God threatened, that when he rejected his vineyard, it should bring forth "briers and thorns," Isa. v. 6.

And of these unbelieving and apostate Hebrews of this barren earth, the apostle affirmeth three things.

1. That it was adoxiμos, rejected,' or not approved, that is of God. Hereof they boasted, and herein they continued yet to pride themselves, that God owned them, that they were his people, and preferred them above all others. But although God was pleased yet to exercise patience towards them, yet he had pronounced concerning them in general, that they were not his people, that he owned them not. Thorns and briers were come upon their altars, so that both their persons and worship were rejected of God.

2. It was nigh unto cursing. And this curse which it was now very nigh unto, had in it, 1. Barrenness; and 2. An un

alterable and irrevocable destination unto destruction. 1. It had in it, barrenness. For this church of the Jews, made up now of infidels and apostates, was represented by the fig-tree cursed by our Saviour, Matt. xxi. 19." He said unto it, Let no fruit grow on thee, henceforward for ever, and presently the fig-tree withered away." After this time, the gospel having been sufficiently tendered unto them, and rejected by them, there was no more of saving faith, repentance or obedience, nothing that was acceptable unto God, in holiness or worship, ever found amongst them to this day. Many Jews were after this converted, but the church of the Jews never bare any more fruits unto God And 2. They were devoted unto destruction. The close of the Old Testament, and therein of the immediate solemn revelation of God unto that church, was, that if they received not the Lord Christ, after the coming and ministry of Elijah, that is, of John the baptist, that God would come and "smite the whole earth with a curse," Mal. iv. 6. He would make it a thing anathematized, or sacredly devoted unto destruction, n.

When God first brought them into his land, which was to be the seat of his ordinances and solemn worship, the first town that they came unto was Jericho. This, therefore, God anathematized, or devoted to perpetual destruction, with a curse upon him that should attempt its re-edification, Josh. vi. 17. The whole land thereby was alienated from its former possessors, and devoted unto another use, and the place itself utterly destroyed. Jerusalem, and consequently the whole church, was now to be made as Jericho; and the curse denounced was now speedily to be put in execution, wherein the land was to be alienated from their right unto it, and be devoted to desolalation.

3. The end of all this was, that this earth should be burned. An universal desolation, according to the prediction of our Saviour, by fire and sword, representing the eternal vengeance to which they were liable, and which was to come upon them. This was now approaching; namely, the end of their church and state, in the destruction of the city, temple and nation.

This was the especial design of the apostle with respect unto these Hebrews; and he adds this scheme or delineation of the present and approaching condition of that apostatized church, to give terror unto the commination that he gave unto unprofitable professors. But whereas all things unto the very last, happened unto them in types, and the condition of the churches of the gospel, is represented in their sin and punishment; and whereas the things reflected on, are such as it is the common and constant concern of all professors heedfully to consi

der, I shall open the words in the whole latitude of their signification, as they are peculiarly instructive unto us.

1. The subject of the proposition in the similitude, is the earth, i TM; and that which is represented thereby, is the hearts and minds of all those to whom the gospel is preached. So it is explained in that parable of our Saviour, wherein he expressed the word of the gospel as preached, by seed, and compares the hearers of it unto several sorts of ground whereinto that seed is cast. And the allusion is wonderfully apposite and instructive,

For, 1. Seed is the principle of all things living; of all things that, having any kind of natural life, are capable of natural increase, growth and fruit. And whatever they arrive unto, it is but the actuating of the vital seed from whence they do proceed. So is the word of the gospel unto all spiritual life, 1 Pet. i. 23. And believers, because of their growth, increase and fruit, from this vital principle or seed of the word, are called vines, plants of God's planting, and the like.

2. The earth is the only fit and proper subject for seed to be put into, and alone is capable of the culture or husbandry that is to be used about it. God hath made no other matter or subject to receive the seeds of things that may bring forth fruit; no man casts seed into the air or water. It was of the earth alone that God said, "Let it bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit-tree yielding fruit after its kind, whose seed is in itself upon the earth," Gen. i. 11, 12. The earth alone hath a passive power to be made fruitful, it hath that matter in it, which being cultivated, disposed, excited, sowed, planted, blessed, may bring forth fruit. So it is with the souls of men with respect unto the seed of the Word. Their minds, and they alone, are a subject capable of receiving of it, and improving it. They are the only meet object of divine care and culture. The faculties of our souls, our minds, wills and affections are meet to entertain the gospel, and to bring forth the fruits of it, whereof nothing is found in any other creatures on the earth. Hence we are is yewgyior, 1 Cor. iii. 9. "God's husbandry," the ground or field that he tilleth. As Christ mystical, comprising all professors, is the vine, and his Father is the husbandman," John xv. 1. by whom it is dressed and pruned.

3. The earth, by and of itself, in the state wherein it is, brings forth nothing that is good or useful. Upon its first creation, it was inlaid and impregnated by the blessing of God with all seeds of useful herbs and fruits. But after the entrance of sin, its womb was cursed with barrenness as to its first usefulness, and brings forth nothing of itself but thorns, briers, and noxious weeds, at least those in such abundance as to choke

and corrupt all the remainders of useful seeds and plants in it. It is, like the field of the slothful, grown over with thorns, and nettles cover the face thereof. Especially, it is condemned to utter barrenness, if the rain fall not on it; whereof afterwards. And such are the hearts and minds of men by nature. They are dark, barren, unprofitable, and, without divine culture, will bring forth no fruits of righteousness that are acceptable unto God. All that of themselves they can bring forth, are noxious weeds. Among the weeds of unmanured earth, some are painted with alluring colours, but they are but weeds still; and among the fruits of unsanctified minds, some may carry a more specious appearance than others; but they are all, spiritually considered, sins and vices still. So then the common subject of the similitude is plain and instructive. And we may in our passage observe, that,

Obs. I. The minds of all men by nature are universally and equally barren, with respect to fruits of righteousness and holiness, meet for and acceptable unto God.-They are all as the earth under the curse. There is a natural difference among men as unto their intellectual abilities. Some are of a far more piercing and sagacious understanding, and of a sounder judg ment than others. Some have a natural temper and inclination disposing them unto gentleness, sobriety and modesty; when others, from their constitution, are morose, passionate and perverse. And hereon some make a good progress in morality, and usefulness in the world, whilst others lie immersed in all vicious abominations. There are therefore, on these and the like accounts, great differences among men, wherein some are incomparably to be preferred above others. But as to the fruits of spiritual holiness and righteousness, all men by nature are equal and alike. For our nature, as unto a principle of living unto God, is equally corrupted in all. There are no more sparks or relics of grace in one than another. All spiritual differences between men, are from the power and grace of Godin the dispensation of the word. But we must proceed.

of this earth it is said, ή πιεσα τον επ' αυτον πολλακις ερχομένον ὑἱToy, that it drinks in the rain that comes often upon it.' Something is wanting, something must be done to this barren earth, to make it fruitful. And this is done by rain. And that is described by, 1. Its communication or application unto the earth-it falls upon it. 2. An especial adjunct thereof in its frequency-it falls often on it. 3. By that reception which the earth is naturally fitted and suited to give unto it-it drinketh it in.

1. The thing itself is rain. This is that whereby alone the earth, otherwise dry and barren, is impregnated and made fruitful. For a communication of moisture is absolutely requisite