(1.) Because the difficulties in, and oppositions that lie against, the other part of our profession, with the excellency of the duties of it in such a season, are apt to surprise men into an approbation of themselves in a neglect of those important duties, as was before observed. It is a sad thing to see men suffer for gospel truths with worldly, carnal hearts and corrupt conversations. If we give our bodies to be burned, and have not charity, or are defective in grace, it will not profit us; we shall be but “as sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal,” 1 Cor. xiii. 1-3. (2.) God hath no regard to
230 AN EXPOSITION OF THE [CHAP. Iv.
the observance of ordinances, where duties of holiness, righteous- ness, and love are neglected, Isa. i. 13-17. And in this state, what- ever use we may be of in the world or unto others, all will be lost as to ourselves, Matt. vil. 21-23. (3.) We can have no expecta- tion of strength or assistance from God, in cleaving to the truth and purity of worship against oppositions, if we fail in our diligent at- tendance unto universal holiness. Here hath been the original of most men’s apostasy. They have thought they could abide in the profession of the truths whereof they have been convinced; but growing cold and negligent in personal obedience, they have found their locks cut, and they have become weak and unstable as water. God, for their sins, justly withholding the assistances of his Spirit, they have become a prey to every temptation. (4.) What is it that we intend and aim at in our profession and our constancy in it? is it not that therein and thereby we may give glory unto God, and honour to the Lord Jesus Christ and his gospel? If this be not our aim, all our religion is in vain. If it be so, we may easily see that without personal universal holiness we do on many accounts dis- honour God, Christ, and the gospel by our profession, be it what it will. Here, therefore, let us fix our principal diligence, that there be no appearance of any failure, lest we should seem to come short of the promise.
Secondly, The other part of our profession consists in our adher- ence unto a due observation of all gospel institutions and com- mands, according to the charge of our Lord Jesus Christ, Matt. xxvili 20. The necessity hereof depends on the importance of it, the danger of its omission unto our own souls, the dependence of the visible kingdom of Christ in this world upon it; which things may not here be insisted on,
Obs. IX. They who mix not the promises of the gospel with faith shall utterly come short of entering into the rest of God. And this the apostle further demonstrates in the next verse which follows :—
Ver. 2.—“ For unto us was the gospel preached, even as unto them [we were evangelized, even as they]: but the word of hearing [the word which they heard] did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard,”
The signification of the original words, as rendered by translators, hath been already considered,
In this verse the apostle confirms the reasonableness of the ex- hortation drawn from the instance before insisted on. And this he doth on two grounds or principles:—First, The parity of condition that was between them of old, represented in the example, as to privilege and duty, and those to whom now he wrote, in the first words of the verse, “ For we were evangelized, even as they.” Se- condly, The event of that privilege and call to duty which befell
VER. 1, 2.] EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 231
them of old, which he would dehort the present Hebrews from, “The word which they heard profited them not, because,” ete.
His first ground must in the first place be opened and im- proved.
Kai yép, “etenim.” The conjunction of these particles mani- fests a relation unto what went before, and the introduc- tion of a new reason for its confirmation. And xa) in this place is not so much a copulative (as usually it is), as an illative particle. So itis used Mark x. 26, Kal rig divaras cudjver; “ And who can be saved?” which we render rightly, “ Who then can be saved?” for an inference is intended from the former words, ex- pressed by way of interrogation. And the same particle is some- times causal; not respecting a conjunction with what went before, nor an inference from it, but is introductory of an ensuing reason. See Luke i. 42, and John vi. 54, Here, as having yap, “for” or * because,” joined unto it, it signifies the induction of a reason for the confirmation of what was spoken before.
"Eomey einyyemsoutvor, EdayyeriCouou is of a various construction in the New Testament. It is mostly used in an active sense, and when spoken with respect unto persons it hath a dative case, signifying “ them,” annexed unto it. Luke iv. 18, EdayyeniZeodas rrwyoi¢,—“ To preach the gospel to the poor;” Rom. i. 15, Tots éy ‘Pawn ehayyertouodas,— To preach the gos- pel to them at Rome;” so frequently. Sometimes it hath the sub- ject of it joined unto it in the accusative case: Acts v. 42, They ceased not teaching from house to house, xa) ebayyerrZiwevor "Inoody by Xpiorév, “and preaching Jesus to be the Christ.” So also chap, viii. 4; Eph. ii. 17. And sometimes the object is expressed by the same case. EiyyyeAiZero riv adv, “He evangelized the people,” “preached unto them:” so Luke iii, 18. And commonly it is used neutrally or absolutely, “to preach the gospel,” without the addition either of subject or object. Sometimesit is used passively; and that either absolutely, as 1 Pet. iv. 6, or with the nominative case of those that are the object of it, Matt. xi. 5, Mrwyol ebayyer/Zovret,— “The poor are evangelized,” or “have the gospel preached untothem.,” And in this sense and construction is it here used. For the nomi- native case, 7<7c, is included in the verb substantive, ouév, “ We are evangelized,” “we have the gospel preached unto us.” And in what way or sense soever the word is used, it doth nowhere denote the receiving of the gospel in the power of it by them who are evan- gelized; that is, it includes not the faith of the hearers, but only expresseth the act of preaching, and the outward enjoyment of it. The gospel, and therein the promise of entering into the rest of God, is preached unto us.