VER. 1.] EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 261
ance unto the gospel, but shows the reasons which they had to attend unto the one and the other, as the following verses clearly manifest. This, then, may be that which the apostle intimates in this word, namely, that they had more abundant cause and a more excellent reason for their attending unto the doctrine of the gospel than they had unto that of the law, on this account, that he by whom the gospel was immediately preached unto us was the Son of God himself. But the other application of the word is more com- monly received, wherein it intends the duty enjoined.
In reference unto the duty exhorted unto, there is expressed the object of it, “the things heard.” Thus the apostle chooseth to express the doctrine of the gospel, with re- spect unto the way and manner whereby it was communicated unto them, namely, by preaching; for “ faith cometh by hearing, and hear- ing is of the word preached,” Rom. x. 14, 15, 17. And herein doth he magnify the great ordinance of preaching, as everywhere else he maketh it the great means of begetting faith in men. The Lord Christ himself first preached the gospel, Acts i. 1, and verse 3 of this chapter. Concerning him it was said from heaven, “ Hear him,” Matt. xvii. 5, as he who revealed the Father from his own bosom, John i. 18. From him the gospel came to be the word heard. When he had finished the course of his personal ministry, he com- mitted the same work unto others, sending them as the Father sent him. They also preached the gospel, and called it “the word ;” that is, that which they preached. See 2 Cor.i.18. So in the Old Testament ‘it is called YOY, Isa. lili. 1, “auditus,” “a hearing,” or that which was heard, being preached. So that the apostle insists on and com- mends unto them not only the things themselves wherein they had been instructed, but also the way whereby they were communicated unto them, namely, by the great ordinance of preaching, as he fur- ther declares, verse 3. This as the means of their believing, as the ground of their profession, they were diligently to remember, con- sider, and attend unto.
The duty itself directed unto, and the manner of its perform- ance, are expressed in the word zpostyes, to “attend,” or “sive heed.” What kind of attendance is denoted by this word wasin part before declared. An attendance it is with reve-
rence, assent, and readiness to obey. So Acts xvi. 14, “ God opened the heart of Lydia, rpostaew rots Aaroumévors, —‘* to attend unto the things that were spoken ;” not to give them the hearing only; there was no need of the opening of her heart for the mere attention of her ear; but she attended with readiness, humility, and resolution to obey the word. The effect of which attention is expressed by the apostle, Rom. vi. 17. To attend, then, unto the word preached, is to consider the author of it, the matter of it, the weight and
Tois axnovcbsion
Tort yey.
262 AN EXPOSITION OF THE [CHAP. 11.
concernment of it, the ends of it, with faith, subjection of spirit, and constancy, as.we shall with our apostle more at large afterwards explain. :
The duty exhorted unto being laid down, a motive or enforcement unto it is subjoined, taken from the danger that would ensue from the neglect thereof. And this is either from the sin or punishment that would attend it, according unto the various inter- pretations of the word rapapfudimev, “ flow out,” or “ fall,” before mentioned. If it signify to “fall” or “perish,” then the punish- ment of the neglect of this duty is intimated. We shall perish as water that is poured on the earth. Thereunto is the frail life of man compared, 2 Sam. xiv. 14, This sense of the word is embraced by few expositors, yet hath it great countenance given unto it by the ensuing discourse, verses 2, 3, and for that reason it is not un- worthy our consideration. For the design of the apostle in those verses is to prove that they shall deservedly and assuredly perish who should neglect the gospel. And the following particles, «7 ydp, “and if,” in verse 2, may seem to relate unto what was before spoken, and so to yield a reason why the unbelievers should so perish as he had intimated; which, unless it be expressed in this word, the apostle had not before at all spoken unto. And in this sense the caution here given is, that we should attend unto the word of the gospel, lest by our neglect thereof we bring upon ourselves inevitable ruin, and perish as water that is spilt on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again.
But the truth is, that the word qoré prefixed will not _ be well reconciled unto this sense and interpretation, unless we should suppose it to be redundant and insignificative, and so w% more rapappuduev, “lest at any time we should flow out,” should be the same with uj rapagsvajuev absolutely, “that we fall not.” But there is no just reason to render that word so useless, Allow it, therefore, to be significative, and it may have a double sense,—1. To denote an uncertain time, “ quando,” “ aliquando,” “at any time;” 2. A conditional event, “forte,” “ne forte,’ “ lest it should happen.” In neither of these senses will it allow the words to be expounded of the punishment that shall befall unbelievers, which is most certain both as to the time and the event. Neither doth the apostle in the next verses threaten them that neglect the gospel, that at some time or other they may perish, but lets them know that their destruction is certain, and that from the Lord.