1.ev. xxvi. 15. Deut. xxxi. 20. ch. xvii. 2. Hosea vi. 7. Josh. vii. 11. 2 Kings xviii. 12. 1 Kings xix. 14. Jer. xxii. 9. Mal. ii. 10. And the law thus published by angels, became a stedfast covenant between God and the people, by their mutual stipulation thereon, Exod. xx. 19. Josh. xxiv. 22. 24. Being thus firm and ratified, obedience unto it became necessary and reasonable; for hence,

Thirdly, The event of disobedience unto this word is expressed: "Every transgression, and every stubborn disobedience, received a meet retribution." Sundry things must be a little inquired into for the right understanding of these words. As, first, The difference between agaßaris, and agaxon And the first is properly any transgression, which the Hebrews call VWD: the latter includes a refusal so to attend as to obey; contumacy, stubbornness, rebellion, 7. And so the latter word may be exegetical of the former. Such transgressions the apostle speaks of, as were accompanied with contumacy and stubbornness; or they may both intend the same things under divers respects. Secondly, How may this be extended to every sin and transgression, seeing it is certain that some sins under the law were not punished, but expiated by atonements? Answ. 1. Every sin was contrary, hey, to the doctrine of the law, to its commands and precepts. 2. Punishment was assigned to every sin, though not executed on every sinner. And so the word denotes not the actual infliction of punishment, but the constitution of it in the sanction of the law. 3. Sacrifices for atonement manifested punishments to have been due, though the sinner was relieved against them. But, 4. The sins especially intended by the apostle were such, as were directly against the law, as it was a covenant between God and the people, for which there was no provision made of any atonement or compensation but the covenant being broken by them, the sinners were to die without mercy, and to be exterminated by the handl of God or man. And therefore the sins against the gospel, which are opposed unto those, are not any transgressions that professors may be guilty of, but final apostasy or unbelief, which render the doctrine of it altogether unprofitable unto men. Thirdly, dixos mioduwodocia, is a recompence just and equal, proportionable unto the crime according to the judgment of God. That which answers dizaiμati т Oss,' that judgment of God,' which is, that "they which commit sin are worthy of death," Rom. i. 32. And there were two things in the sentence of the law against transgressors. 1. The temporal punishment of cutting off from the land of the living, which respected that dispensation of the law which the Israelites were subjected to. And the several sorts of punishment that were among the Jews under the law, have been declared in our Prolegomena; to dis

cover the nature whereof, let the reader consult the twenty-first Exercitation. And, 2. Eternal punishment, which was figured thereby, due unto all transgressors of the law, as it is a rule of obedience unto God from all mankind, Jews and Gentiles. Now it is the first of these, which the apostle directly and primarily intendeth; because he is comparing the law in the dispensation of it on Horeb unto the Jews, with all its sanctions, unto the present dispensation of the gospel; and from the penalties wherewith the breach of it, as such, among that people, was then attended, argues unto the sorer punishment that must needs ensue upon the neglect of the dispensation of the gospel, as he expounds himself, ch. x. 28, 29. For otherwise the penalty assigned unto the transgression of the moral law as a rule, is the very same in the nature and kind of it, with that which belongs to despisers of the gospel, even death eternal. 4. Chrysostom observes some impropriety in the use of the word μiaTodoria, because it rather denotes a reward for a good work,' than a punishment for an evil one. But the word is indifferent, SX TWY μe, and notes only a recompence suitable unto that whereunto it is applied. So is articia, used by our apostle, αντιμισθία, Rom. i. 27. excellently expressed by Solomon, Prov. i. 31. "Sinners shall eat of the fruit of their own ways, and be filled with their own devices." Such rewards we have recorded, Num. xv. 30. 1 Sam. vi. 6. 1 Kings xiii. 4. and ch. xx. 36. 2 Kings ii. 23, 24. 2 Chron. xxx. 20.

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This the apostle lays down, as a thing well known unto the Hebrews; namely, that the law which was delivered unto them by angels, received such a sanction from God, after it was established, as the covenant between him and the people, that the transgression of it, so as to disannul the terms and conditions of it, had by divine constitution the punishment of death temporal, or excision appointed unto it. And this in the next words he proceeds to improve unto his purpose by the way of an argument, a minori ad majus; "How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation," &c.

There is an antithesis expressed in one branch, as we observed before, between the law and the gospel; namely, that the law was the word spoken by angels, the gospel being revealed by the Lord himself. But there are also other differences intimated between them, though expressed only on the part of the gospel; as that it is in its nature or effects, great sulvation; that is, not absolutely only, but comparatively unto the benefit exhibited to their forefathers by the law, as given on Mount Horeb. The confirmation also of the gospel, by the testimony of God, is tacitly opposed to the confirmation of the law by the like witness; and from all these considerations doth the apostle

enforce his argument, proving the punishment that shall befal gospel neglecters.

In the words, as was in part before observed, there occurs: 1st, The subject-matter spoken of-so great salvation. 2dly, A further description of it: 1. From its principal Author-it began to be spoken by the Lord. 2. From the manner of its propagation-it was confirmed unto us by them that heard it. 3. From its confirmation by the tesimony of God: which, 4. Is exemplified by a distribution into (1.) Signs, (2.) Wonders, (3.) Mighty works, and (4.) Various gifts of the Holy Ghost: whereof there is, 3dly, A neglect supposed-if we neglect: and, 4thly, Punishment thereof intimated; wherein, 1. The punishment itself; and, 2. The manner of its expression-how shall we escape? are to be considered; all which are to be severally explained.

1. The subject-matter treated of, is expressed in those words --so great salvation. And it is the gospel which is intended in that expression, as is evident from the preceding verse. For that which is there called "the word which we have heard," is here called "great salvation." As also from the following words, where it is said to be declared by the Lord; and farther propagated by them that heard him. And the gospel is called salvation, by a metonymy of the effect for the cause. For it is the grace of God bringing salvation," Titus ii. 11. the "word that is able to save us." The doctrine, the discovery, the instrumentally efficient cause of salvation, Rom. i. 16. 1 Cor. i. 20, 21. And this salvation the apostle calls great, upon many accounts, which we shall afterwards unfold. And calling it "so great salvation," he refers them unto the doctrine of it wherein they had been instructed, and whereby the excellency of the salvation which it brings is declared.

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Now, though the apostle might have expressed the gospel by "the word which was declared unto us by the Lord," as he had done the law, by the word spoken by angels, yet to strengthen his argument, or motive unto obedience which he insists upon, he chose to give a brief description of it, from its principal effect it is great salvation. The law, by reason of sin, proved the ministry of death and condemnation, 2 Cor. iii. 9. yet being fully published only by angels, obedience was indispensably required unto it. And shall not the gospel, the ministry of life and great salvation, be attended unto?

2. He farther describes the gospel from its principal Author, or Revealer-it began to be spoken by the Lord, ex λ«ßurn A. The words may have a twofold sense; for ex may denote either principium temporis, the beginning of time; or principium operis, the beginning of the work. In the first way, it asserts that the Lord himself was the first preacher of VOL. III.

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the gospel; before he sent or employed his apostles and disciples in the same work. In the latter, that he only began the work, leaving the perfecting and finishing of it unto those who were chosen and enabled by him unto that end. And this latter sense is also true; for he finished not the whole declaration of the gospel in his own person, teaching vica voce, but committed the work unto his apostles, Matt. x. 27. But their teaching from him being expressed in the next words, I take the words in the first sense, referring unto what he had delivered, ch. i. 1. of God's speaking in these last days in the person of the Son. Now the gospel hath had a threefold beginning of its declaration. First, In prediction, by promises and types, and so it began to be declared from the foundation of the world, Luke i. 70, 71. Secondly, In an immediate preparation; and so it began to be declared in and by the ministry of John the Baptist, Mark i. 1, 2. Thirdly, In its open, clear, actual, full revelation; so this work was begun by the Lord himself, and carried on to perfection by those who were appointed and enabled by him thereto, John i. 17, 18. Thus was it by him declared in his own person, as the law was by angels.

And herein lies the stress of the apostle's reasonings, with reference unto what he had before discoursed concerning the Son and angels, and his pre-eminence above them. The great reason why the Hebrews so pertinaciously adhered unto the doctrine of the law, was the glorious publication of it. It was the word spoken by angels: they received it by the disposition of angels. If, saith the apostle, that were a sufficient cause why the law should be attended unto, and that the neglect of it should be so sorely revenged as it was, though in itself but the ministry of death and condemnation: then consider what is your duty in reference unto the gospel, which as it was in itself a word of life and great salvation, so it was spoken, declared, and delivered by the Lord himself, whom we have manifested to be so exceedingly exalted above all angels whatever.

3. He farther describes the gospel from the way and means of its conveyance unto us-it was confirmed unto us by them that heard him. And herein also he prevents an objection that might arise in the minds of the Hebrews; in as much as they, at least the greatest part of them, were not acquainted with the personal ministry of the Lord: they heard not the word spoken by him. For hereunto the apostle replies, that though they themselves heard him not, yet the same word which he preached, was not only declared, but confirmed unto them by those that heard him. And herein he doth not intend all of them who at any time heard him teaching, but those whom in an especial manner he made choice of, to employ them in that work, namely, the apostles. So that this expression, those that

heard him,' is a periphrasis to denote the apostles, who enjoyed that great privilege of hearing immediately all things that our Lord taught in his own person. For neither did the church of the Jews hear the law, as it was pronounced on Horeb by angels, but had it confirmed unto them by the ways and means of God's appointment. And he doth not say merely, that the word was taught or preached unto us by them; but ßßuwen, it was confirmed, made firm and stedfast,' being delivered infallibly unto us by the ministry of the apostles. There was a divine Bißaris, firmness, certainty and infallibility, in the apostolical declaration of the gospel, like that which was in the writings of the prophets, which Peter, comparing with miracles, calls Bißaστερον λόγον, a more firm, stedfast and sure word.' And this infallible certainty of their word was from their divine inspira

tion.

Sundry holy and learned men, from this expression, confirmed unto us,' (wherein they say the writer of this Epistle placeth himself among the number of those who heard not the word from the Lord himself, bnt only from the apostles), conclude, that Paul cannot be the penman thereof, who in sundry places denieth that he received the gospel by instruction from men, but by immediate revelation from God. Now, because this is the only pretence which hath any appearance of reason for adjudging the writing of this Epistle from him, I shall briefly shew the invalidity of it. And, 1. It is certain that this term us, comprises and casts the whole under the condition of the generality or major part, and cannot receive a particular distribution unto all individuals. For this Epistle being written before the destruction of the temple, as we have demonstrated, it is impossible to apprehend but that some were then living at Jerusalem, who attended the ministry of the Lord himself in the days of his flesh; and among them was James himself, one of the apostles, as before we have made it probable; so that nothing can hence be concluded to every individual, as though none of them might have heard the Lord himself. 2. The apostle hath evidently a respect to the foundation of the church of the Hebrews at Jerusalem, by the preaching of the apostles immediately after the pouring out of the Holy Ghost upon them, Acts ii. 3, 4, 5. in which as he was not himself concerned, so he reminds them of it, as the beginning of their faith and profession. 3. Paul himself did not hear the Lord Christ teaching personally on the earth, when he began to reveal the great salvation. 4. Nor doth he say, that those of whom he speaks were originally instructed by the hearers of Christ, but only that by them the word was confirmed unto them; and so it was unto Paul himself, Gal. ii. 1, 2. But, 5. yet it is appaU 2