2. If the persons spoken of be to be understood, the text doth not say they were not mixed with them that believed, were not united unto them, or conjoined with them, but not mixed r7 ziores, “to the faith.” Now, there are two difficulties not easily remov- able that do attend this sense and construction of the words:—(1.) How men can be said to be mixed with the faith of others. Cameron answers, that it may be understood to be “joined with them in the communion of the same faith.” I acknowledge this is a good and fair sense, but such as plainly makes the persons, and not their faith, to be the immediate object of this conjunction, which the words will not allow. (2.) How harsh is this construction, 2uyxexpapévoug H riores, rors dxovoao1,—two dative cases joined in apposition without the intervention of any preposition, the one denoting the act, the other the persons: “Joined to the faith to them that heard it!” But as we shall see in the other more usual and approved reading, re- ferring the word “mixed” to the principal subject of the whole pro- position, or “the word preached,” the sense will appear full and satisfactory.
Mj ovyxexpapévos, “the word not being mixed.” vyxepdwuus is sometimes taken in a natural sense for to “ mix” or “mingle” one thing with another, as water and wine; or to mix compositions in cordials or in poisons: Herodian, lib. i. cap. liv., "Ewtarotoa tig xlAima rod Qupucnou, olvw re xepdouca eduides 8/6wo1,—* Gave him poison mixed with most savoury wine.” So Plu- tarch, Sympos. lib. iv. quest. 1: "Omwou werarruind nai Poraund,..... tig rd ade) cvyxepawtvrag. This mixture, which was properly of a cup to drink, was sometimes so made to give it strength and efficacy, to ine- briate or give it any pernicious event. Hence “a cup of mixture” is expressed as an aggravation: Ps. lxxv. 8, “ For in the hand of the Lorp there is a cup, and the wine is red, 19 Nom,” full of mix- ture.” A “cup” sometimes signifies divine vengeance, as Jer. li. 7; and “wine” often. The vengeance here threatened being to arise unto the utmost severity, it is called a “cup,” and that of “ wine,” of “red wine,” and that “full of mixtures,” with all ingredients of wrath and indignation. Sometimes the mixture was made to temperate
Ma cuyxs- xpaetvos.
244 / AN EXPOSITION OF THE [CHAP. Iv.
and alleviate, as water mixed with strong inebriating wine. Hence a “cup without mixture” is an expression of great indignation, Rev. xiv. 10; nothing being added to the “ wine of fury and astonish- ment” to take off its fierceness. Amongst physicians otyxpapa is a “mixed potion.” The word therefore signifies to mix two or more things together, so.as they may inseparably incorporate, for some certain ends, acts, or operations; as.wine and water to drink; several ingredients to make a useful cordial.
This being the importance of the word, expositors illustrate the whole sense by various allusions, whence they suppose the expression to arise. Some tothe mixture of things to be eaten and drunk, that they may be made suitable and useful to the nourishment of the body; for so are the promises made by faith to the nourishment of the soul. Some to the mixture of the natural ferment of the stomach with meat and drink, causing digestion and nourishment thereby, And this latter allusion seems well to represent the nature of faith in this matter. The word of God, especially the word of promise, is the food of the souls of men: so is it often called, and thereunto frequently compared. Our apostle distributes the whole word, with respect unto them that hear it, or receive it, into “strong meat” and “milk,” Heb. v. 18, 14. The whole is food, and in the whole is suited to the various conditions of believers in this world, whether strong and increased in spiritual light and experience, or whether young and weak. And so the same word is by Peter called “ sin- cere milk;” which those who are born again ought to desire and make use of as their principal food, 1 Pet.ii.1, 2. And with respect hereunto is faith sometimes expressed by tasting, which is the sense exercised about our food; which manifests, it may be, that more of experience is included in it than some will allow: 1 Pet. ii. 3, “If so be ye have.tasted that the Lord is gracious.” And wherein do we taste of the grace of God? In his word, as the psalmist declares, Ps, cxix. 103, “How sweet are thy words unto my taste!” And in pur- suit of the same metaphor, the word is said to be sweet, “sweeter than honey and the honey-comb,” Ps. xix. 10, cxix. 103. And frequently it is expressed by eating, wherein consists the life of the sacramental notion of eating the flesh and drinking the blood of Christ, whereby the especial actings of faith on that peculiar subject of the promise, Christ crucified for us, is expressed. The sum is, spiritual truths, being savingly believed, are united with that faith which receives them,—-so incorporated with it as that they come to be realized in the soul, and to be turned into the principle of that new nature whereby we live to God. Want hereof is charged on the people to whom the gospel was declared in the wilderness. The word which they heard was not so really and savingly received by faith as to be incorporated therewith, and to become in them a living principle enabling and,