public games, who stripped themselves naked, and put forth all their strength for mastery. To be exercised by chastisements, is to have all our spiritual strength put forth, all our faith and patience tried to the utmost. Learn hence, that a christian can never find any benefit in chastisements, unless he be exercised by them, that is, unless his graces be stirred up by them to an holy and constant exercise, for hereby alone do they yield the peaceable fruit of righteousness.

12 Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees: 13 And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.

As if our apostle had said, "Seeing so glorious fruits spring from sanctified aftlictions, be not dejected in mind, nor suffer fear to seize upon you, which weakens the hands, and enfeebles the knees, and causes them to sinite one against another; but be resolute for God, make straight paths in the way of christianity, not stepping once out of it to avoid persecution, lest they who are already lame and feeble, the weak and wavering christians, be disheartened, and moved by your example to turn out of the way, but let them rather by your constancy be confirmed in their christian course." Learn hence, 1. That in the running of our spiritual race, we must put forth our utmost strength and activity; but where the course is long and difficulties great, we are apt to grow weary and despond, our hands hang down, and our knees grow feeble. Learn, 2. That faintness and weariness in duty, dejection and despondency as to success, are great evils, and of fatal consequence unto others as well as ourselves, which therefore we must with all intention of mind watch against; Lift up the hands that hang down, and the feeble knees. Learn, 3. That negligent and careless walking in time of prosperity, and pusillanimity and weakness in time of trial, is a great mean of turning aside those that are lame and weak out of the paths of visible holiness: Lest that which is lame be turned out of the way. Learn, 4. That the sight and due consideration of a christian's courage and constancy, will tend very much to the healing of the weak and lame christians .whilst they are in the way, whose recovery, when quite turned out, will be very difficult, if not impossible.-Let it rather be healed.

2U3

14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.

Our apostle having now finished his exhortation unto patient perseverance in the profession of the gospel under all sufferings and afflictions, he now proceeds to a prescription of practical duties incumbent upon christians at all times in the daily course of their conversation, two of which are con

tained in this verse, namely, to follow peace and holiness: the former contains our duty observe, That both duties are enjoined to man, the latter our duty to God. Here in one and the same precept, and also with one and the same penalty: Without which, that is, without following of both which, without pursuing and endeavouring after both, no man shall see the Lord. Indeed, if a person follows holiness, though he cannot obtain peace, he may see God, provided he pursues peace, and the fault is none of his that he doth not find it; but if he does not pursue peace, though he pretends never so much to holiness, he cannot be happy, for a christian must be of a peaceable, as well as of a pious, conversation; peace and holiness, peaceableness and purity, are here joined together, and he neither can be happy in this or the next world, that puts them asunder. Observe farther, The manner how peace and holiness must be followed, namely, with intense endeavours: the original word imports a vehement pursuit, a metaphor taken from huntsmen, who follow the chase, and pursue their game, though it flies before them; if peace be had, though it be upon hard terms, we must endeavour to secure it, for it can never be bought too dear, if it be not purchased by sin and baseness. A frame and disposition of seeking peace with all, is eminently suited unto the doctrine and grace of the gospel. A froward spirit, ready for strife and contention, easily provoked, and retaining long a sense of injuries, is directly contrary to the spirit and temper of the gospel. Observe likewise, How that holiness towards God must be accompanied with peaceableness towards man. It is evangelical holiness which is here required; which must be an inward holiness, an universal holiness, a sincere and real holiness, an humble and self-denying holiness, a growing and progressive holiness, a constant and persevering holiness, and such a holiness towards God as is always accompanied with righteousness towards men. Observe, lastly, The absolute necessity of

defiled;

Our apostle having declared what our duty is with respect to ourselves, in the foregoing verses, here acquaints us, how much it is our duty to take care of and watch over others, to do what in us lies that none may fall short of the grace of God, that is, fall from the grace of God and the profession of christianity; so that it is very plain, that apostasy is the sin here pointed at, their falling back from christianity to judaism, for fear of persecution; this is deservedly called a root of bitterness springing up, according to Deut. xxix. 18. A root that beareth gall and wormwood. Learn hence, 1. That looking diligently unto the good of others, and to prevent their falling into sin, especially into the sin of apostasy, is a duty we are obliged to by the light of nature, and the royal law of love. Learn, 2. That the root of apostasy from God, and the profession of christianity, may abide invisibly in and among eminent professors of religion. It is here called a root, because at the beginning it is hidden in the hearts of men, and cannot be discovered until it springs up; and it is called a root of bitterness, because of its noxious and poisonous qualities, its bitter effects and fruits. Learn, 3. That there is no man professing the gospel who comes short of the grace of God, but it is by reason of himself and his own sin: unbelief, negligence, and sloth, are the true causes why such persons do fail of the grace of God Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God.

16 Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birth

right. 17 For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.

Our apostle proceeds in these verses to warn them against such sins as would occasion their apostasy in falling from the grace of God, and they are fornication and profaneness: Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person. Where note, How the apostle puts fornication and profaneness together, because they usually go together; fornicators, such especially as are habitually so, do always grow profane, and profane persons do set light by fornication, and they are sins very seldom forsaken; few fornicators and profane persons do ever come to repentance. By fornication understand all conjunction with women out of wedlock, be it with single or married persons. By profane persons, understand such as mock religion, who lightly regard its promises and threatenings, who despise or neglect its worship, who speak irreverently of its concerns. Note, 2. The instance which the apostle gives of a profane person, in the person of Esau; Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau. The scripture makes no mention of his fornication, but the way whereby be manifested his profaneness is declared, namely, that for one morsel of meat he sold his birth-right. Which birth-right had many privileges belonging to it, as namely, a double portion of the paternal inheritance, a right of rule and government over the family, power and dominion, dignity and superiority, belonging to him, but especially the honour of priesthood, all which did belong to the first-born. Add to these the blessing which run from Abraham in the patriarchal line, and was communicated from father to son, containing an inclosure of all church privileges, and preservation of the promised seed. Now Esau, by selling his birth-right, did virtually renounce his right unto this blessing, wherein the promised seed and the church state were contained, and doing all this upon a slight consideration, for a mess of pottage, or morsel of meat, and in a regardless manner, utterly unconcerned at what he had done. the scripture says, Thus Esau despised This was his profaneness; and accordingly his birth-right. Learn from hence, How much it concerns all persons not to glory

in their outward privileges: Esau here was the first-born of Isaac, circumcised according to the law of God, and partaker in all the worship of God, yet he proved an outcast from the covenant and promises thereof. Profane Esau! The 17th verse acquaints us with the fruitlessness of Esau's sorrow for parting with his birth-right, and the unprofitableness of his endeavours in order to the recovery of it, when he would have inherited the blessing afterwards. This afterwards, say some, was not less than forty years, for he sold his birth-right when he was young, and when he designed the recovery of the blessing, Isaac was old: thus long did he live in sin, without any sense of it, or repentance for it; but falling into distress, it fills him with perplexity, and he seeks the recovery of the blessing. And herein he was a type of all unbelievers, and obstinate refusers of the grace of Christ. Learn from his example, That there is a time coming when the profanest sinners upon earth will be found upon their knees at God's door, seeking, and that earnestly, with strong cries and tears, for the obtaining of that blessing which they now sinfully undervalue, and scornfully despise. Afterwards Esau would have inherited the blessing, and sought it carefully with tears. It follows, he was rejected; that is, by his father Isaac ; and found no place with him for repentance. Isaac would not change his mind, nor recall the blessing, which as a prophet of God he had conferred on Jacob. Learn hence then, That such sinners as now neglect the seeking of the blessing in God's time, have great reason to fear that they shall not find it in their own time, though they seek it with tears salter than those of Esau. Profane contemners of the grace of God ought to fear being excluded from the mercy of God; and as Isaac did not, God will not repent or alter his righteous sentence upon them. This sad event had the profaneness of Esau, and the like will they meet with who despise the grace of God.

18 For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest, 19 And the sound of a trumpet and the voice of words; which voice they that heard entreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more; 20 (For they could

not endure that which was commanded, And if so much as a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned, or thrust through with a dart. 21 And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake :)

Our apostle's design being to bring over the Hebrews fully from judaism to christianity, he enters here upon a description of both states, showing the excellency of the one above the other. He describes first the legal state of the church under the Old Testament, and the manner of their forefathers' entering into covenant with God at mount Sinai; and then he sets forth the evangelical state, whereunto they were called, and into which they were entered. In the verses now before us he sets forth the dread and terror of the Mosaic dispensation; and the way and manner how their forefathers under the Old Testament entered into the church-state; telling them, that they came to a mount that might be touched, that is, to mount Sinai in the desert of Arabia, a barren and fruitless place, full of bushes and brambles, but without water and food; intimating that such as are under the law, in a state of sin, bring forth no acceptable fruit unto God; and as there was no water in the desert, but that which the people lived upon was brought out of the rock, and that rock was Christ, it intimates that from Christ alone were all their and our refreshments. The law affords none, but thunders from its fiery mouth wrath and a curse. Farther, This mount is said to be what might be touched; that is, a sensible, carnal thing, exposed to feeling; intimating, how low and inferior the giving of the law was in comparison of the promulgation of the gospel, which was from heaven. The law was given from a mount that might be touched by man or beast, though if either touched it they must die; to intimate the bondage and fear the people were then in, who might not so much as touch the mountain where were the signs of God's presence. But the gospel was promulged from heaven, and the Son of God sent down on purpose from thence to plant and propagate it here in the world. The second thing which the apostle tells them they were come unto, was to fire that burned. This fire that burned on the mount was a token of God's presence, and a distinct mean of filling the people with dread and fear. This fire represented the

purity and holiness of God's nature, his jealousy and severity against sin. Thus the law represents to us the holiness and severity of God, with his anger and displeasure against sin and sinners, but there leaves us consumed, without relief by Jesus Christ. Unto fire the apostle adds blackness, and darkness, and tempest; which blackness and darkness might be caused by thick clouds and smoke that covered the mount. This darkness was a type of that utter darkness of hell, which the transgressors of that law deserved; and the tempest and terrible storms were emblems and signs of God's fiery indignation and fearful vengeance on the wicked violaters of his holy law, and might also point out and signify the effects of the law then delivered, namely, to bring the soul into darkness, that it can see no light either for its direction or consolation; and it raises a tempest in the mind, of disquieting, perplexing thoughts, without relieving or encouraging a sinner to look out after any relief, till Christ in his gospel says, Behold me, behold me. It follows, Ye are come to the sound of a trumpet: this was not a real trumpet, but the sound of a trumpet formed in the air by the ministry of angels, waxing louder and louder, to signify the nearer approach of God; also as this trumpet did summon the people to appear before the Lord as a legislative trumpet, in like manner there shall be a judicial trumpet, to summon the world to appear before Christ at the great day. After the sound of the trumpet followed the voice of words; that is, the voice of God in a terrible manner promulging the law out of the midst of the fire, in a language understood by that people. As the sound of the trumpet, so the voice of God was loud, majestic, terrible, and like thunder. Quest. But why was there such vast solemnity used at the

giving of the law? Ans. To signify the majesty and authority of him who was the supreme Lawgiver, even the Lord of heaven and earth; and that the greater the outward solemnity was, the greater the inward impression might be upon the minds of the people; and to signify, that if the promulgation of the law was so awful, the transgression of it would be fatal, and the transgressors' punishment very dreadful. Observe lastly, The event of this sight and hearing on the part of the people: Fear made them desire that they might hear this voice no more. And God's design in all was to cause them to long for, and look

after, that great prophet Christ Jesus, by whom God would speak unto them more comfortably, and by whom they might have access to the throne of grace more freely. They entreated that the word should not be spoken unto them any more, because it heightened their fear and dread to the utmost. Learn from hence, That the sight and voice of God will be very dreadful to us; and there will be no appearance for us before him with confi dence and peace, unless we have an answer in readiness with us to all the words of the law, even all that the law requires of us; and such as trust to their own works and merits to answer for them, or to any thing whatsoever, besides the blood and sacrifice, the mediation and satisfaction, of Jesus Christ, the surety of the new covenant, will find themselves eternally deceived. The next evidence the apostle gives of the dreadful promulgation of the law, and consequently of the miserable state of them that are under its power, appears in this, that the people could not endure that which was commanded; that is, the severity of that command, that if a beast touched the mountain it should be stoned, or thrust through with a dart. All this was to show the absolute inaccessibleness of God, in and by the law, and at what distance we ought to keep ourselves, from every thing that falls under the curse of the law. It is added last of all, that Moses himself did exccedingly fear and quake. From whence observe, How all persons concerned were brought to an utter loss and distress at the promulgation and giving of the law, from whence no relief is to be obtained, but by him alone who is the end of the law for righteousness unto all them that believe.

Sion, and unto the city of the living 22 But ye are come unto mount God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, 23 To the general assembly and church of the first-born, which are written in heaven, and to God the judge of all, and to the spirits of Just men made perfect, 24 And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.

Our apostle having given an account, in the foregoing verses, of the state of the Jewish church under the law, comes now

to declare that most excellent state whereinto believers are called in and by the gospel. The privileges here summed up partly respect the church militant, and partly the church triumphant. Observe then, The glorious privileges of the gospelstate, and what believers are said to come to, whilst militant here on earth. 1. They are said to come unto mount Sion, the city of the living God, the new Jerusalem; not to mount Sinai, which was full of terror and discomfort, but to mount Sion, full of all spiritual blessings. Where note, The gospel church is called the city of the living God. A city is a place of safety and a place of honour, a place of peace and rest. The souls of sinners can find no place of rest or safety under the law, but we have all these things by the gospel; rest in Christ, peace with God, safety in divine protection, &c. And as a king dwells in his city, so God dwells in the church of believers; "This is my rest for ever, here will I dwell says God, for I have a delight therein." O what manner of persons ought they to be, who are the denizens of the city of God! Alas! the great number who pretend highly to the church, and its privileges, are citizens of this world only, and altogether unfit for this holy society. 2. Believers are next said to come to an innumerable company of angels. To come to these, is to be of their society; they and we are one in Christ; the angels above, and believers below, make up but one corporation or family; they are our fellowcitizens, and our fellow-subjects. True, they are above us, and at a mighty distance from us, yet upon occasion very near us; and though we do not see them, nor speak unto them, nor familiarly converse with them, yet they love us, have a special care of us, and are ministering to us, as heirs of the same salvation with themselves. 3. They are come to the general assembly and church of the first-born; that is, they are of the number of God's regenerated and adopted ones, those that are born again, whose names are registered in heaven. As the first-born under the law had a right to the inheritance, to a double part of the inheritance; so they who are interested really in the gospel-church, have a right to all that God has provided, and Christ hath purchased, even to the whole inheritance of grace and glory. O glorious privilege, to be brought unto this blessed society, this general assembly of the firstborn; especially if we consider what com

pany, what society, what assembly we belong unto, without it, which is no other than that of devils, and the seed of the wicked serpent. 4. They are come to God the judge of all; that is, they have access to God by Jesus Christ, access to his favour by justification, and access into his presence by prayer and supplication, yea, access to him as a judge, without terror or consternation. Blessed privilege! believers have a comfortable access to God as the judge of all; with all their causes and complaints, he will hear them, plead their cause, and judge for them, and make their oppressions unsafe to the greatest of the sons of men. 5. Believers are said to come to the spirits of just men made perfect. Come to them, though not in the same place with them till death; yet we and they have the same God and Sovereign, the same Head and Saviour, the same expectation of a glorious resurrection. Note here, 1. There are spirits of men in a separate state and condition, capable of communion with God and the church. 2. That all the spirits of just men departed, are made perfect; their race is consummated, perfect deliverance from all sin and sorrow is com. pleted, and a full reward enjoyed; their faith is heightened into sight, and all their graces elevated into glory. 3. That yet are they spirits still, and no more but spirits; and though perfected spirits, yet there is wanting the last finishing stroke from the hand of God to render the bodies as well as the spirits of just men for ever perfect in the morning of the resurrection. 4. Believers are here said to come to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant; as if the apostle had said, "Your fathers came to a mount of fire and smoke, of darkness, terror, and death, where there was no mediator to make their peace with God, no blood to cry for mercy, and to cleanse them from sin. But you, by forsaking judaism, and coming over to christianity fully, are come into that society where Christ is mediator and priest; where the blood of Christ sprinkled upon your souls cries aloud for mercy, and cleanses from all sin. And to the blood of sprinkling, which speaketh better things than the blood of Abel. Intimating, that Christ's blood solicits God with stronger cries for mercy, than did ever Abel's for revenge. Quest. But what are those better things which the blood of Christ speaks above and beyond the blood of Abel? Ans. 1. It speaks better things from God unto us, namely, that his justice