assured covenant between God and the people. That peace which is firm and well grounded, is called (εion Beßaia) "a firm unalterable peace." The law's becoming firm, sure, or stedfast, consists therefore in its being ratified to be the covenant between God and that people, Deut. v, 2, "The Lord our God made a covenant with us in Horeb." And therefore in the greater transgressions of the law, the people were said to forsake, to break, to profane, to transgress the covenant of God; Levit. xxvi, 15.

§3. "And every transgression, and stubborn disobedience received a meet retribution." The one Greek word (apaßoç) is properly "any transgression;" the other (apanon) includes a refusal of obedient attend

ance.

But 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? We should remember, that every sin was contrary to the doctrine and precepts of the law; and therefore punishment was assigned to every sin, though not executed on every sinner. And so the word (Eλaße) received, denotes not the actual infliction of punishment, but the constitution of it in the sanction of the law. Besides, the sacrifices for atonement manifested punishment to have been due, though the sinner was relieved against them. But the sins, especially intended by the apostle, were in fact such, as were directly against the law as it was the covenant between God and the people: for which there was no provision made of any atonement or compensation; but the covenant being broken the sinners were to die without mercy; and thus to be utterly exterminated by the hand of God, or that of man by his appointment. And therefore the sins against the gospel, which are opposed to those, are not all transgressions, or any

whatever, that professors may be guilty of, but final apostasy, or unbelief, which render the doctrine of it, to those who are of that description, altogether unprofitable, a "just recompence of reward" (ɛvdinos μioboxodoσia) is a recompence just and equal, proportionable to their crime, according to the judgment of God, which is, "that they who commit sin are worthy of death," Rom. i, 32; and particularly refers to the temporal punishment of cutting off from the land of the living, according to the dispensation of the law which the Israelites were subject to. Next follows a description of the gospel. And,

§4. In this part of the words there occurs, The subject matter spoken of; "so great salvation." A farther description of it; from its principal author, "it began to be spoken of by the Lord." From the manner of its propagation; "it was confirmed unto us by them that heard it." From its confirmation by the testimony of God "by signs, wonders, mighty works, and various gifts of the Holy Ghost." After all a neglect is supposed; "if we neglect;" and finally, the punishment thereof is intimated; "how shall we escape?" All which are to be severally explained. The subject matter treated of is expressed in these words, "so great salvation." And that it is the gospel which is intended in that expression, is evident from the preceding 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 or "spoken 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

verse.

doctrine, the discovery, the instrumental efficient cause of salvation; Rom. i, 16; 1 Cor. i, 20, 21.

$5. The apostle farther describes the gospel from its principal author or revealer; "which at first began to be spoken by the Lord." Here the word (apuny) denotes beginning, (principium temporis) "the beginning of time." That is, it began in its open, clear, and actual revelation to be spoken by the Lord himself, and was carried to perfection by those who were appointed and enabled by him for that noble purpose, Job i, 17, 18. Thus was it declared by him in his own person, as the law was given by angels.

§6. He farther describes the gospel from the way and means of its conveyance to 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: inasmuch 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. 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. "Those that heard him," is a periphrasis of "the apostles," from that great privilege of their hearing immediately all those things that our Lord taught in his own person. For neither did the church of the Jews hear the law as it was pronounced or heard by angels, but had it confirmed to them by ways and means of God's appointment. And he doth not say merely, that the word was taught, or preached by them; but (εBEBUIWOn) it was confirmed, made firm and stedfast, being delivered to us infallibly by the ministry of the apostles. There was a Divine (ßeßawos) firmness, certainty, and infallibility in the apostolical declaration of the gos

pel; like that which was in the writings of the prophets, which Peter, comparing with miracles, calls (BEBRIOTεpov λoyov) a more firm, stedfast, and sure word. And this infallible certainty of their word was from their Divine inspiration.

§7. Our inspired teacher farther describes the gospel by the Divine attestations given it, which also adds greatly to the force of his argument and exhortation. The word (GUVETμaplupevios, agreeing with 78 O2) is of a double composition, denoting a "concurring testimony of God," a testimony given unto, or together with that of the apostles. These miraculous tokens are various. The first are (opera) signs; that is, miraculous works, wrought to signify the presence of God by his power with them that wrought them, in confirmation of the doctrine which they taught. The second are (Tɛpała) prodigies, wonders, works beyond the nature, above the energy of natural causes, wrought to fill men with wonder and admiration, stirring them up to a diligent attention to the doctrine they accompanied. Thirdly, (Suvapers) mighty works, wherein evidently a mighty power, the power of God, is exerted in their operation. And fourthly, (TVEUματος αγιο μερισμοι) gifts of the Holy Ghost.

And this was of special consideration in dealing with the Hebrews. For the delivery of the law, and the ministry of Moses, having been accompanied with many signs and prodigies they made great inquiry after signs for the confirmation of the gospel, 1 Cor. i, 22; which though our Lord neither in his person, nor by his apostles, would grant them in their time and manner, to satisfy their wicked and carnal curiosity, yet in his own way and season he exhibited them abundantly for their conviction, or to leave them utterly inexcusable; John x, 38.

§8. The gospel being of this nature, thus taught, thus delivered, thus confirmed, there is a neglect of it supposed, (ver. 3, aueheravies) "If we neglect," if we regard not, if we take not due care about it. The word intimates an omission of all those duties which are necessary for our profitable retaining the word preached, and that to such a degree as utterly to reject it; for it answers to those transgressions of, and stubborn disobedience to the law, which disannulled it as a covenant, and were punished with excision. "If we neglect," that is, if we continue not in a diligent observance of all those duties which are indispensably necessary to a holy, useful, profitable profession of the gospel.

$9. There is an awful punishment intimated upon this sinful neglect of the gospel; "How shall we escape," fly from or avoid a just retribution, “a meet recompense of reward? As the breach of the law had a punishment, suitable to the demerit of the crime, inflicted on the quality; so there is to a neglect of the gospel even a punishment justly deserved by so great a crime, so much greater and more dreadful than that attending the law, by how much the gospel, on account of its nature, effects, author, and confirmation, was more excellent than the law. A "sorer punishment," as our apostle elsewhere calls it, chap. x; as much exceeding the other as eternal destruction under the curse and wrath of God, exceeds all temporal punishments whatever. The manner of ascertaining the punishment intimated, is by an interrogation; "How shall we escape?" Wherein three things are intended. (1.) A denial of any ways or means for escape or deliverance. There is none that can deliver us, no way whereby we may escape: See Peter iv, 17, 18. And (2.) the certainty of the punishment itself, it will as to the