gospel unto them. And this he did, because there was a remnant amongst them, according to the election of grace, which were to obtain whilst the rest were hardened, as our apostle declares, Rom. xi. And this patience of God, the hardened wretches despised and scoffed at. But yet, still God went on in his way and method, because of those amongst them, whom, through that patience and long-suffering, he intended to bring to repentance, and to the acknowledgment of the truth.

Further, to clear up this whole matter, it may be inquired, what are those degrees in spiritual judgments, whereby God doth ordinarily proceed against barren professors, which are here intimated in general. And 1. In such cases, God doth usually restrain the influence of men's light upon their own consciences and affections. Their light and knowledge which they have attained, may in their notions remain with them, but they are not at all affected with what they know, or guided by it as unto their practice. There is a time, when light and knowledge not improved, do lose all their efficacy. God suffers such an interposition to be made between it and their consciences, by the acting and pride of their lusts, that it is of no use unto them. Whereas formerly, under their convictions, every thing they knew of the mind of God or the gospel, pressed on them to endeavour after some conformity unto it, now it hath no power upon them, but only floats in their fancies and memories. And this we see accomplished every day. Men, under a barren apostatizing state, do yet retain some of their light and notions of truth, which they are sensible of no power from, nor have any use of, unless it be, to enable them to be the greater scoffers and deriders of others. Now, although this comes to pass, through their own sin and lusts as the immediate cause of it, yet it is a spiritual judgment of God also upon them for their sins. For he with-holdeth all the working of his Spirit, in and by that light which alone renders it effectual. His Spirit shall not strive any more therein, and then it is easy for them to rebel against the light they have, as he speaks, Job xxiv. 18. And let men hence take heed, when they begin to find, that their light and convictions from the word, have not the same power with them, and efficacy upon them, as formerly they have had. For it is greatly to be feared, lest it be a beginning of God's displeasure upon them: see Hos. ix. 12.

2. God deprives them of all the gifts which formerly they received. Gifts are an ability for the due exercise of gospel light and knowledge, in the duties of a public concern. These they may be made partakers of, who yet prove barren and apostates. But God will not suffer them to be long retained under a course of backsliding. As men neglect the exercise of their gifts, so God deprives them of these, and makes that very ne

glect a means of executing this judgment on them. The talent that was but laid up in a napkin was taken away. And this we see exemplified both in whole churches and in particular persons. They lose, or are deprived of the gifts which they had, or which were among them, and are commonly filled with enmity unto, and scorn of, them by whom they are reclaimed. And in these two things, consists the first act of God's judg ment, in the rejection of the barren ground. Hereby he evidenceth that it is adoxos, and such as he will regard no more.

The next is, that they make approaches towards the curse, and this is done two ways. First, God having evidenced his rejection of them, he gives them up unto the temptation of the world, and the society of ungodly men, whereunto they are engaged by their pleasures or profit. "Men gather them," saith our Saviour, John xv. 6. Their lusts being let loose from under the power of their light and convictions, especially their love unto the world, they cast themselves into the society of profane and wicked men. Among them, they wax worse and worse every day, and learn in an especial manner to hate, despise and blaspheme the good ways of God, which before they had known, owned and professed. And God will so order things in his providence, as that temptations suited unto their most prevalent lusts, shall on all occasions be presented unto them, whereby they shall be further ensnared. Secondly, God casts them out of the hearts and prayers of his people. This, of all other things, they least value, yea, they most despise. But it is one of the greatest effects of God's severity towards them. So he commanded his prophets not to pray for the people when his heart would not be towards them, Jer. vii. 16. xi. 14. xiv. 11. And in like cases, though not by express command, yet by his secret providence, he takes off the hearts of his people from them whom he hath designed to ruin for their sins. And we may observe, that our apostle himself, who a long time laboured with unspeakable zeal and most fervent supplications to God for the incredulous Hebrews, as he expresseth himself, Rom. ix. 2, 3. x. 1. at length speaks of them as those whom he no more regarded, but looked on as enemies of Christ only, 1 Thess. ii. 14-16. And this sets them forward in their way towards the fatal curse. Thirdly, The curse itself ensues, which consists in three things. For, 1. God takes off their natural restraints from sin. The rebukes of a natural conscience, fear, shame and the like afflictive affections, shall have no more power on them. So he dealt with them that sinned against the light of nature, Rom. i. 26, 27. and they became like those described, Eph. iv. 18, 19. No men are so visibly under God's curse, as those who, having broken through the bonds of nature, modesty, fear and shame, do give up themelves to open sinning in the face of the sun. 2. God judicially har

dens them; which contains the life and power of the curse here intended; for hereby are men secured unto their final destruction and burning. 3. Oft-times God signifies this curse in the world, by wholly casting out such persons from any interest in the dispensation of the word. He doth either utterly take away the preaching of the gospel from them, or give them up unto the conduct of those, who under a pretence thereof, shall cause them to err with lies and delusions, which further seals them up unto their future ruin, 2 Thess. ii. 11, 12. And these are some of the ways whereby God dealeth with barren ground, with fruitless and provoking professors, even whilst they are in this world. It is true these judgments being spiritual, and they being now become wholly carnal, they are for the most part little sensible of them. God, indeed, doth sometimes cause the dread and terror of his wrath so to fall upon the consciences of some of them, as that in this world, they are made a spectacle of divine vengeance. But for the most part, being filled with their lusts and sins and pleasures, they carry it out bravingly to the end. Howbeit, few of them escape such reflections on themselves, as makes them sometimes to shrink and groan. But suppose they should be able to carry it out stoutly in this world, so that themselves should neither much feel, nor others much observe the curse of God upon them here, yet the day is hastening, wherein actual burning, and that for ever, will be their portion.

VER. 9-12.-EXPOSITORS generally agree in giving these verses as an instance of the great wisdom and prudence used by the apostle in his dealing with these Hebrews. Chrysostom in especial insists upon it, making observations unto that purpose on all the considerable passages in the context. What is really of that nature will occur unto us, and shall be observed in our progress. His design in general is two-fold. First, To mollify the severity of the preceding commination and prediction contained therein, that it might not have an effect on their minds beyond his intention. He knew that, all circumstances considered, it was necessary for him to make use of it. But withal, he was careful that none of them who were sincere, should be terrified or discouraged. For if men are disanimated in the way wherein they are engaged, by those on whose guidance they depend, and to whose judgment they are to submit, it makes them despond and give over thoughts of a cheerful progress. Wherefore, in all cases our apostle was exceedingly careful, not in any thing to make heavy or sorrowful, the hearts of his disciples, unless it were in case of extreme necessitv. Hence is his apology or excuse, as it were, to the Corinthians for having put them to sorrow by some severe reproofs

in his former letter to them, 2 Cor. ii. 1, 2. "But I determined this with myself, that I would not come again unto you in heaviness. For if I make you sorry, who is he then that maketh me glad, but the same which is made sorry by me." He lets them know, that whatever sorrow he had put them to, it was so unto himself, no less than unto them, seeing they were the chief causes of his joy and gladness. And thus dealeth he in this place with the Hebrews. Lest they should be amazed with the terror of the preceding commination, and the prediction therein contained, of the inevitable and dreadful ruin of slothful apostates and hypocrites, he lets them know that he did no way therein determine or pass a judgment on them, their state and condition. But having far other thoughts and hopes concerning them, and the end of their profession, he yet judged it necessary to excite them unto that diligence which some among them had neglected to use, by declaring the miserable end of those who always abide unfruitful under, or do apostatize from, the profession of the gospel. Herein doth he steer a direct and equal course between the extremes in admonition. For he neither useth so much lenity as to enervate his reproof and warning, nor so much severity as to discourage or provoke those who are warned by him. In a word, he layeth weight on things, and spareth persons, the contrary whereunto is the bane of all spiritual admonition. Secondly, He maketh use of this discourse for a transition unto the second part of his design. And this was to propose unto them who were true believers, such encouragements and grounds of consolation, as might confirm and establish them in their faith and obedience, which are the subjects of the remaining part of this chapter, Wherefore, as to make way for the severe threatenings which he hath used, it was necessary for him to describe the persons unto whom they did in an especial manner belong, so it was no less requisite that he should describe those also unto whom the ensuing promises and consolations do pertain, which he doth in these verses.

VER. 9. Πεπεισμεθα δε περιύμων αγαπητοί, τα κρείττονα και εχόμενα σωτηρίας, ει και έτω λαλεμεν.

Пita, persuasi sumus, confidimus; Bez. persuasimus nobis, we are persuaded.' Ayan, Syr. 8, my brethren,' Vul. dilectissimi. Rhem. we confidently trust of you my best beloved.' Ta nguτlova, meliora, Syr. 17ow¬ phx, ca ea que sunt bona, pulchra, the things that are good or comely; xxxv owinglas, Syr. n jaip), and such as draw near to life," that is, eternal. Vulg. et viciniora saluti; Rhem. ' and nearer to salvation:' others generally, et cum salute conjuncta: ours, and such as accompany salvation;' very properly,

VER. 9.-But we are persuaded of you, beloved, better things, and such as accompany salvation, although we thus speak.

The especial design of the apostle, in this and the following verses, is to declare his good will towards the Hebrews, his judgment of their state and condition, the reasons and grounds of that judgment, with the proper use and end of the commination before laid down, that neither that might be neglected, nor themselves discouraged. This verse contains, 1. An expression of his love and good will towards them. 2. His judgment of them. 3. The reasons of his present declaration of both these, with respect unto what he had spoken before unto them, namely, that although he had spoken it unto them, he did not speak it of them.

1. His love and good-will he testifies in his compellation, ayaжт, 'beloved.' It is an expression of most entire affection, and is never used in the gospel but to express the love of God the Father unto his Son Jesus Christ, Matt. iii. 17. xii. 18. xvii. 5. Mark i. 11. ix. 7. xii. 6. Luke iii. 22. ix. 35. xx. 13. By the apostles in their Epistles, it is frequently applied unto believers, especially by Paul, in all those written by him. We might therefore pass it over, as that word by which it was usual with him to express his sincere affections towards all saints. But there seems to be a twofold reason of its especial introduction in this place, both of them respected in the wisdom of our apostle. 1. Perhaps these Hebrews were ready enough to entertain jealousies concerning him, that he had not that affection for them which he had for others. For he had now spent a long time with and among the Gentiles, for their conversion and edification. Among them he had planted very many churches, and that in one point contrary to the judgment of most of these Hebrews, namely, in a liberty from the law and the ceremonies of Moses. In this long converse and work, they might suspect that he had lost his natural love to his countrymen, as is usual in such cases, and as he was much accused to have done. To root this evil surmise out of their minds, as he useth frequently other affectionate compellations in this Epistle, so he here calls them his beloved, than which he had used no expression of greater endearment towards any of his Gentile converts. And notwithstanding all the provocations and injuries he had received from them, he gave on all occasions the highest demonstration of the most intense affection towards them; never opposing them, nor reflecting on them with any severity, but only then and wherein they opposed the gospel, and the liberty thereof. This affection was such for them as his countrymen and kinsmen in the flesh, as that he could willingly have died that they might be saved, Rom. ix.