can reach to. and rest. But when they have so done, there they sit down It is a shame to consider how little they stir up their minds and understandings, to conceive aright, and apprehend the things wherein they are instructed. So do they continue to hear from day to day, and from year to year, but are not carried on one step towards perfection. If both heart and head be not set at work, and the utmost endeavours of our minds improved, in searching, weighing, pondering, learning, treasuring up the truths that we are taught by any means of divine appointment, we shall never make the progress intended. 3. There is required hereunto, that our wills and affections be sincerely inclined to, and fixed on the things themselves that we are taught. These are the principal wings or sails of our souls, whereby we are or may be carried on in our voyage. Without this, all that we do will amount to nothing, or that which is no better. To love the truth, the things proposed to us in the doctrine of it, to delight in them, to find a goodness, desirableness, excellency, and suitableness to the condition of our souls in them, and therefore to adhere and cleave to them, is that which will make us prosper in our progress. He that knows but a little and loves much, will quickly know and love more. And he that hath much knowledge but little love, will find that he labours in the fire, for the increase of the one or other. When in the diligent use of means, our wills and affections do adhere and cleave with delight to the things wherein we are instructed, then are we in our right course; then if the holy gales of the Spirit of God do breathe on us, are we in a blessed tendency towards perfection, 2 Thess. ii. 10. 4. The diligent practice of what we know, is no less necessary to the duty pressed on us. This is the next and immediate end of all teaching and all learning. This is that which renders our knowledge our happiness. "If you know these things, happy are ye are ye if you do them." Doing what we know, is the great key to give us an entrance into knowing what we do not. If we do the will of Christ, we shall know of his word, John vii. 17. 5. All these are to be managed with a certain design, and prospect toward this end of growing in grace and knowledge, and that until we arrive at the measure of our perfection appointed to us in Jesus Christ. In these ways, and by these means, we may attain the effect directly expressed, of being carried on in the increase of spiritual light and knowledge, and not without them. VER. 1, 2.-IN the remainder of the first verse, and the next that follows, the apostle declares in particular instances, what were the things and doctrines, which in general he had called be fore, the beginning of the doctrine of Christ,' the farther hand. ling of which, he thought meet at present to omit. VER. 1, 2.—Μη παλιν θεμέλιον καταβαλλόμενοι μετανοίας απο νεκρών έργων, και πιστεως επί Θεον, βαπλισμων διδαχης, επιθέσεως τε χέσω φων, αναστάσεως τε νεκρων, και κρίματος αιώνια. The Syriac translation proposeth these words in the way of an interrogation, Will you again lay another foundation?' And the Ethiopic, omitting the first clause, in the way of a precept, Attend therefore again to the foundation, that you dispute not concerning repentance from dead works, in the faith of God.' But neither the text nor scope of the apostle will bear either of these interpretatious. Ma wadi, Syr. Jn 18an numquid rursum, or whether again;' all others, non rursum, non iterum. Arab. nec amplius, ⚫ not again, not any more.' usiov xæτααλλμvos. Syr. &ndan 18, will you lay another foundation ?' that term of another,' is both needless because of again' that went before, and corrupts the sense, as though a foundation different from what was formerly laid, were intended. Besides that is made an expostulation with the Hebrews, which is indeed expressive of the apostle's intention, fundamentum jacientes, laying the foundation.' Μετανοίας απο νεκρών εργων, Syr. ' unto repentance from dead works,' and so in all the following instances. There is no difference among translators about the rest of the words. Only the Ethiopic reads baptism,' in the singular number, as the Syriac doth, and placeth 'doctrine,' distinctly by way of apposition. Baptism, doctrine, and the imposition of hands.' 'Avaotaoswg to Exęwv, the Syriac renders by the resurrection that קימתא דמן בית מיתא,an Hebraism is from the house of the dead,' that is the grave, the common dwelling-place of the dead, as also xguatos alie, by DT NIT, the judgment which is for ever,' the sentence whereof is eternally irrevocable, and whose execution endures always. VER. 1, 2.-Not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith towards God, of baptisms, doctrine, and the laying on of hands, of the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. There are two things in these words added concerning the doctrine of the principles of Christ, or the first doctrines of Christianity. 1. Their general nature with respect to the whole truth of the gospel, metaphorically expressed: they are the foundation. 2. Their nature in particular is declared in sundry instances, not that all of them are mentioned, but these instances are chosen out to shew of what kind they were. In the first, two things are proposed. 1. The expression of the thing itself intended, which is the foundation. 2. The apostle's design with respect to it," not laying it again." Μη παλιν θεμέλιον καταβαλλομένοι. Θεμελιος is, as was said, in this matter metaphorical, including an allusion to an architect, and his building. First he lays the foundation; and he is a most foolish builder who either doth not so, or who rests therein, or who is always setting it up and pulling it down, without making a progress. Indeed that foundation which is all the building, which hath not an edifice erected on it, is no foundation; for that which is materially so, becomes so formally only with respect to the building on it. And those who receive the doctrines of Christ, here called the foundation, if they build not on them, they will prove none to them, whatever they are in themselves. There are two properties of a foundation. 1. That it is that which is first laid in every building. This the natural order of every building requires. 2. It is that which bears the whole weight of the superstructure, the whole and all the parts of it being laid on it, and firmly united to it. With respect to the one or other of these properties, or both, are the doctrines intended called the foundation. But in the latter sense they cannot be so. It is Christ himself, and he only, who is the foundation, so as to bear the weight, and to support the whole building of the church of God, Isa. xxviii. 16. Mat. xvi. 18. 1 Cor. iii. 10, 11. Eph. ii. 20-22. 1 Pet. ii. 4, 5. He is so personally, the life and being of the church consisting in its spiritual union to his person, I Cor. xii. 12. and doctrinally, in that all truth is resolved into what is taught concerning him, 1 Cor. iii. 10—13. Wherefore it is in allusion to a foundation with respect to its first property, namely, that it is first laid in the building, that these doctrines are called the foundation. So the Jews term the general principles of their profession, the foundations of the law,' or the principal doctrines taught therein. The first doctrines which are necessary to be received and professed at men's first entrance into Christianity. And the apostle intends the same things by the threefold expression which he maketh use of. 1. στοιχεία της αρχης λογίων το Θε8, chap. v. 12. "The first principles of the oracles of God." 2. • THE αexus TH XTH oyes, chap. vi. 1. and, 3. 9usios, the beginning of the doctrine of Christ,' and the foundation.' Concerning these things, he says, μη παλιν καταβαλλομένοι, “ not laying it again. His saying that he would not lay it again, doth not infer that he himself had laid it before amongst them, but only, that it was so laid before by some or other. For it was not by him that they received their first instruction, nor doth he mention any such thing in the whole Epistle. Whereas he frequently pleads it to those churches which were planted by himself, 1 Cor. iii. 5, 6. 10. iv. 15. And it is known from the story that his ministry was not used in their first conversion. But he knew that they had faithful instructors, who would not leave them unacquainted with these necessary things, and that they would not have been initiated by baptism, nor admitted into the church, without a profession of them. Besides they were such, as in general they owned in their former churchstate. He might therefore well say, that he would not lay this foundation again. These things, saith he, you have already been instructed in by others, and therefore (as also on other considerations) I will not go over them again. Wherefore, let the hearers of the gospel carefully look to it, that they learn those things whereof they have had sufficient instruction; for if any evil ensue from their ignorance of them, they must themselves answer for it. Such ignorance is their sin, as well as their disadvantage. Preachers may take it for granted, that what they have sedulously and sufficiently instructed their hearers in, they have also received and learned, because it is through their sinful negligence, if they have not so done. And they are not bound always to wait on some in their negligences to the disadvantage of others. Secondly, The apostle declares in particular, what those doctrinal principles were, which he had in general so described, which were taught to them who were first initiated into Christianity, and which he will not now again insist on. "Repentance from dead works," &c. We must first consider the order of these words, and then their sense, or the things themselves intended. Some here reckon up six principles, some make them seven, some but four, and by some they are reduced to three. The two first are plain and distinct. dead works, and faith towards God." Repentance from The next that follow 1. Βαπλισμων διδα are disputed as to their coherence and sense. XAS STIDETING TE xgv: some read these words with a note of distinction between them, Baiμv, didans, both the genitive cases being regulated by ov, the foundation of baptisms, and of doctrine, which are put together by apposition, not depending one on another. Aidan, is the preaching of the word.' And this was one of the first things wherein believers were to be instructed, namely, that they were to abide, s τn didan, Acts ii. 42. in a constant attendance to the doctrine of the gospel, when preached to them. And as I shall not assert this exposition, so I dare not positively reject it, as not seeing any reason cogent to that purpose. But another sense is more probable. Take the words in conjunction, so as that one of them should depend on, and be regulated by the other, and then 1. We 6 may consider them in their order as they lie in the original. Βαπτισμων διδαχής επιθέσεως τε χειρων, supposing the first to be regulated by us, and both the latter by it. The baptisms of doctrine and imposition of hands.' There were two things peculiar to the gospel, the doctrine of it, and the extraordinary gifts of the Holy Ghost. Doctrine is compared to and called baptism, Deut. xxxii. 2. Hence the people were said to be baptized to Moses, when they were initiated into his doctrines, 1 Cor. x. 1, 2. The baptism of John was his doctrine, Acts xix. 3. And the baptism of Christ was the doctrine of Christ, wherewith he was to sprinkle many nations, Isa. lii. 15. This is the first baptism of the gospel, even its doctrine. The other was the communication of the gifts of the Holy Ghost, Acts i. 5. That this, and this alone, is intended by the laying on of hands, I shall prove fully afterwards. And then the sense would be the foundation of gospel baptisms,' namely, preaching and the gifts of the Holy Ghost. And I know but one argument against this sense, namely, that it is new and singular. To avoid this, secondly, The order of the words must be inverted in their exposition. Not the baptisms of doctrine, but the doctrine of baptisms, must be intended. But then two things must be observed, 1. That Barrioμar, baptisms,' is not immediately régulated by Fusion, the foundation,' and so baptisms are not asserted absolutely to be a foundation, as is repentance from dead works, but only the doctrine about it is so. 2. It cannot be readily conceived why didaxn, doctrine,' should be prefixed to baptisms alone, and not to repentance and faith, the doctrines whereof also are intended. For it is not the grace of repentance and faith, but the doctrine concerning them, which the apostle hath respect to. There is therefore some peculiar reason, why doctrine should be thus peculiarly prefixed to baptisms and the laying on of hands, and not to the other things mentioned. For that imposition of hands is placed in the same order with baptisms, the conjunctive particle doth manifest, bis Ti gw; the following instances are plain, only some would reduce them to one principle, namely, the resurrection of all to judgment. 6 6 There is therefore in these words, nothing peculiar nor difficult, but only what concerns baptisms, and the imposition of hands, the doctrine whereof is specified. Now I cannot discover any just reason hereof, unless it be, that by baptisms, and the imposition of hands, the apostle intendeth none of those rudiments of Christian religion wherein men were to be first instructed, but those rites, whereof they were made partakers, who were so instructed. As if the apostle had said, These principles of the doctrine of Christ, namely, repentance, faith, the resurrection and judgment, are those doctrines wherein they are to be instructed, who are to be baptized, and to have hands laid on them. According |