(4.) “ He shall live.” Life in both the principal senses of it is here intended. [1.} He shall not die in and from his profession; he shall not perish as trees plucked up by the roots, twice dead; he shall maintain a spiritual life, the life of — God, as the psalmist speaks, “(I shall not die, but live, and declare the loving-kindness of the Lorp.” [2.] He shall live, or attain the promise of eternal life; so is the word expounded in the close of the - next verse, “ Believe unto the saving of the soul.”
Obs. XIII. Many things are required to secure the success of our profession in times of difficulties and trials: as, (1.) That our persons -be righteous, or justified by grace; (2.) That we be furnished with those graces that are appointed unto that end; (3.) That faith be kept unto a diligent exercise.
*O dixasos.
. "Ex rioriws.
Zhoerat.
VER. 37-39. ] EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 589
Obs. XIV. The continuance of the spiritual life and eternal salva- tion of true believers is secured from all oppositions whatever. As’ it is confessed there is in these words a prescription of the way and means whereby they may be so, so there is a faithful promise of: God that so they shall be.
2. In the latter part of the verse ere is a description of others, on a supposition of a contrary state, frame, and event. In the for- mer, the person is righteous; the way of his acting in the present case is by faith; and the event is life, “he shall live.” On the other: hand, there is a supposition made of a person not so qualified, not so acting, not so living, not having the same success, but contrary in all _ these things. Wherefore they do greatly deceive themselves and others who suppose it the same person who is thus spoken of, and countenance themselves by the defect of the pronotin ri, which is naturally and necessarily supplied in our translation. For this read- ing and sense of the words, “ The just shall live by faith, and if any ° draw back,” etc., is contrary to the order of the words both in the | prophet and the apostle, and the express declaration of the mind of the apostle in the next verse. For as the words lie in the prophet, this of the just living by faith is a direct exception unto and removal of them whose souls are lifted up so as to depart from God.. ‘ But,’ saith he, ‘the just, it shall not be so with him;’ that is, “the just shall live by his faith;” which is a direct opposition unto the other sort of persons. And although the order of the words be changed by the apostle, yet the opposition between the two sorts of persons is evidently continued. Wherefore in the next verse the apostle makes an express distinction of those unto whom he spake, or concerning whom he speaks in the two states, the one irooroAjs, the other siorews. Of the latter he had spoken in the first words, and of the former in those that are now to be spoken unto. I shall therefore retain the supplement in our translation, “ if any man,” or “any one draw back,”—if there be in any an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God.
There is an appearance of a great change in the words of the pro- phet, wing MyWAND may nai, For “his a ” which in the prophet is referred unto the person offending, is in the apostle referred unto God who is offended. or indeed the word i¥53 may be so referred in the original, if we suppose a change of speech, and that the pro- phet having spoken before in the name of God, doth here speak of God, and the respect he had unto proud unbelievers. But the word Mt is scarce reconcilable unto this interpretation. Wherefore it is enough that the apostle gives us the plain general sense and mean- ing of the words, with an exposition of them, as he hath done, since he seldom keeps unto the proper words of the testimonies he quotes, but always gives the mind of the Holy Ghost in them.
590 AN EXPOSITION OF THE [CHAP. X.
There are two things in the words: (1.) A crime supposed with reference unto the case under consideration, which is perseverance under trials. and temptations; (2.) A sentence pronounced upon that crime.
(1.) The first is expressed by toore/Anras. The word in the prophet denotes the cause of the sin intended ; herein, its nature ; and effect. The original of all defection from the gos-
pel is in the sinful elation of heart, not submitting unto, not acqui- escing in the will of God, not satisfied with the condition of temporal sufferings on the account of the eternal reward. When men are under the power of this evil frame of heart, they will “ draw back,” subduct themselves out of that state and condition wherein they are exposed to these inconveniencies. ’Ed&y iroore/Anros,—“ If any man” who hath made or doth make profession of faith in Christ and of the gospel, upon the invasion and long continuance of trials, temptations, and sufferings for them, do, through want of submission unto and acquiescence in the will of God, “ withdraw” himself from that pro- fession, and from communion therein with them who persist faithful in it, “my heart shall not,” etc.’ This is the evil which the great de- sign of the whole epistle is to obviate and prevent, which the apostle applies himself unto with all manner of arguments, motives, exhorta- tions, and threatenings, to make effectual. For this was that sin which, by reason of their sufferings and persecutions, professors were exposed unto, and which was absolutely ruinous unto the souls of them that fell under the power of it.