Hebrews Xii. 23. 473

ii. 1. Hence it is plain, that it does not follow on this account that they themselves are not in heaven, because they are written in heaven. They are, however, also written [as well as being actually in heaven], that their names may be at some future period publicly read over : Rev. xx. 12, xxi. 27. The antithesis, made perfect, is a sweet antithesis to these first-born ; for the van of the host of the blessed is led by the one, the rear is brought up (is closed) by the other. Finally, it is remarkable that these first-born in the Gradation are more nearly connected with the mention of GOD, than the angels ; comp. James i. 18. — xai xp/rJj 0g£ navruv, and to God the Judge of all) He is the GOD of ally Eph. iv. 6 : your Judge, favourable to you, opposed to His enemies. — v.al trvsv/Aaffi dixaiiuv rertXiiwfAevuv, and to the spirits of just men made perfect) In this last place, the apostle enumerates the things which more gently affect and refresh the eyes of travellers, dazzled with the splendour of the economy of God, and which are derived from the economy of Christ. The spirits, souls in the separate state, 1 Pet. iii. 19. The three young men [Ananias, Azarias, Misael], in their song, exclaim : " O ye spirits and souls of the righteous, bless ye the Lord." The just made perfect are New Testament believers, who enjoy, after their death, the full benefit of the perfection which was consummated by the death of Christ, and of the righteousness derived from it : comp. ch. xi. 40, note. The number of these was still imperfect; and for this reason also they have been sepa rated from the ten thousands, and therefore from the first-born. Why the first-born, and the spirits of just men made -perfect, are separated in the description, will be evident from the train of thought which will be presently unfolded. While Paul himself is alive, he declares that he is not perfect, Phil. iii. 12 : for the verb, rgrsXg/ea, has one reference, 2 Tim. iv. 7 ; the verb, rg^g/oD- (tai, has another. The former refers to the office, the latter to the person. TgXg/oC^a/ does not apply so long as a man has yet even one step before him, although now (at this point) he may make no more progress in his internal perfection. Christ Him self was rgXg/w0g/c, made perfect, at death : Heb. v. 9. In the 2d to Timothy, Paul congratulates himself on having finished his course. In the Epistle to the Philippians, he urges them to engage with alacrity in the race ; and with that object before