the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy tiling, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace f?"]
2. Because a contempt of the Gospel is, in fact, a rejection of the only means whereby sin can be forgiven —
[Whither shall a man flee, who rejects the Saviour ? " What other sacrifice for sin" will he ever find, or what other " way to the Father?" Well does the Apostle say, " If we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sin, but a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries5." Eli's reproof to his sons puts this matter in the clearest light : " If one man sin against another, the judge shall judge him : but if a man sin against the Lord, in despising his sacrifices, who shall entreat for him11?"]
Application —
1. Be thankful, then, that ye live under the Gospel —
[To you " all manner of sin and blasphemy may be for- given." How presumptuous soever your past iniquities may have been, they may all be " blotted out as a morning cloud," and " cast into the very depths of the sea." This could not be so confidently spoken under the Law of Moses : but to you I declare it with confidence, that " the blood of Jesus Christ wall cleanse from all sin1;" and that " all who will believe in him shall be justified from all things, from which they could not be justified by the Law of MosesV]
2. Be earnest in prayer with God, that, whatever means he may find it expedient to use, he would keep you from presumptuous sin —
[This was David's course : " Keep thy servant from pre- sumptuous sins : let them not have dominion over me : so shall I be upright, and innocent from the great offence1." Be as- sured you need to use this prayer, and will need it to your dying hour. David's attainments were great : yet he felt the need of crying continually, " Hold thou me up, that my foot- steps slip not." So do ye continually : and you may then hope that God will " keep you from falling, and present you fault- less before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy m."]
f Heb. x. 28, 29. s Heb. x. 26, 27. h 1 Sam. ii. 25.
» 1 Johni. 7. k Actsxiii. 39. 1 Ps. xix. 13.
m Jude, ver. 24, 25.