Tt is, then, our sinful losing of the word and the benefits there- of which the apostle intendeth. And in the next verses he doth not proceed to prove what he had asserted in this verse, but goes on to other arguments to the same purpose, taken from the unques- tionable event of our neglect of the word, and losing the benefits
Tlapappuapety.
Tloré.
VER. 1.] EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 263
thereof. The especial reason, therefore, why the apostle thus ex- presseth our losing of the doctrine of the gospel by want of diligent attendance unto it, is to be inquired after. Generally the expres- sion is looked on as an allusion unto leaking vessels, which suffer the water that is poured into them one way to run out many: as he speaks in the “ Comedian” who denied that he could keep secret some things if they were communicated unto him: “ Plenus rima- rum sum, hue atque illuc effluo ;”’—“TI am full of chinks, and flow out on every side.” And the word relates unto the persons, not to the things, because it contains a crime. It is our duty to retain the word which we have heard ; and therefore it is not said that the word flows out, but that we as it were pour it out. And this crime is denoted by the addition of rupé to pue?v: for as the simple verb denotes the passing away of any thing as water, whether it deserve to be retained or no, so the compound doth the losing of that perversely which we ought to have retained.
But we may yet inquire a little further into the reason and na- ture of the allegory. The word or doctrine of the Scripture is compared to showers and rain: Deut. xxxii. 2, “ My doctrine shall drop as the rain, my speech shall distil as the dew, as the small rain upon the tender herb, and as the showers upon the grass.’ Hence the same word, 59, signifies “a teacher” and “rain :” so that translators do often doubt of its special sense, as Ps. lxxxiv. 7, Mo Hy i372,“ The rain filleth the pools,” as in our translation ; others, as cine and Arias Montanus, render them, “ peters tionibus operietur docens,’—“ The teacher shall be covered with blessings ;” both the words being ambiguous. So also Isa. xxx. 20, 1°, which we usigtt “thy teachers,” is by others rendered “4 iliy showers,” or “rain.” So these words, Joel, 11, 23, 532 jn" ney? Mans, which our translators render in the text, “ He hath given you the former rain moderately,” in the margin they render, “a, teacher of righteousness.” And the like ambiguity is in other places. And there is an elegant metaphor in the word ; for as the drops of rain falling on the earth do water it and make it fruitful, whilst it takes no notice of it, so doth the doctrine of the word in- sensibly make fruitful unto God the souls of men upon whom it
doth descend. And in respect unto the word of the gospel it is that the Lord Christ is said to come down as the showers on the mown grass, Ps. xxii. So the apostle calls the preaching of the gospel unto men the watering of them, 1 Cor. iil. 6, 7; and he com- pares them unto whom it is preached unto the earth that drinketh in the rain, Heb. vi. 7. In pursuit of this metaphor it is that men are said to pour out the word preached unto them, when by their negligence they lose all the benefits thereof. So when our Saviour had compared the same word unto seed, he sets out men’s falling
264 AN EXPOSITION OF THE [CHAP, II,
from it by all the ways and means whereby seed cast into the earth may be lost or become unprofitable, Matt. xiii, And as he shows that there are various ways and means whereby the seed that is sown may be lost and perish, so there are many times and seasons, ways and means, wherein and whereby we may lose and pour out the water or rain of the word which we have received. And these the apostle regards in that expression, “lest at any time.”
We are now entered on the practical part of the epistle, and that which is of great importance unto all professors at all times, especially unto such as are, by the good providence of God, called into the condition wherein the Hebrews were when Paul thus treated with them; that is, a condition of temptation, affliction, and persecution. And we shall therefore the more distinctly con- sider the useful truths that are exhibited unto us in these words, which are these that follow:—
I. Diligent attendance unto the word of the gospel is indispen- sably necessary unto perseverance in the profession of it. Such a profession I mean as is acceptable unto God, or will be useful unto our own souls. The profession of most of the world is a mere not-renunciation of the gospel in words, whilst in their hearts and lives they deny the power of it every day. A say- ing profession is that which expresseth the efficacy of the word unto salvation, Rom. x. 10. This will never be the effect of a life- less attendance unto the word. And therefore we shall first con- sider what is required unto the giving heed to the gospel, here commended unto us. And there are in it (amongst others) the things that follow :—