$9. Again observe;

1. This example of Esau cuts off all hopes by outward privileges. when there is an inward profaneness of heart. He had as much to plead for the blessing, and as fair a probability for attaining it, as ever any profane hypocrite can have in this world. And,

2. Profane apostates have a limited season only, wherein the recovery of the blessing is possible. For although here be no intimation of a man sseking repentence from God in a due manner and being rejected, which is contrary to the revealed nature of God, who is a rewarder of all who diligently seek him; yet here is an indication of severity, in leaving men, guilty of such provocations, in an irrecoverable condition, even in this life.

3. The severity of God in dealing with apostates is a blessed ordinance for the preservation of believers, and the edification of the whole church, Rom. xi, 22,

4. Sin may be the occasion of great sorrow, where there is no sorrow for sin; as with Esau. Men may rue that in its consequences which yet they like well enough in its causes.

5. No man knows to what event a deliberate sin may lead him. Esau little thought, when he sold his birthright, that he had utterly forfeited the eternal blessing.

6. Profaneness, the despising of spiritual privileges, is a sin that God will, at one time or other, testify his severity against; yea, this, on many accounts, is the proper object of God's severity. It shall not be spared in the eldest son, and most dearly beloved of an Isaac.

7. Steadfastness in faith, with submission to the will of God, will establish the soul in those duties which are most irksome to flesh and blood. Nothing could

prevail with Isaac to change his mind, when he knew what was the will of God.

VERSES 18, 19.

For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and temptest, and the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which voice they that heard entreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more.

§1. Some general considerations premised. $2, 3. (I.) Exposition. Not come to the mount that might be touched. 4. The fire that burned. §5. Blackness. $6. Darkness and tempest, $7 The sound of a trumpet. $8. The voice of words. $9. The request of the hearers. $10, 11. (II.) Observations.

$1.THIS discourse, from hence to the end of the chapter, is of great weight, and accompanied with sundry difficulties; which expositors do scarcely so much as notice. I shall, therefore, premise those general considerations which will direct us in its exposition, taken from the scope of the words, and nature of the argument in hand. And,

1. The whole epistle, as we have often observed, is as to the kind of writing, parenetic; intended as a persuasive to constancy and perseverance in the profession of the gospel.

2. The main argument which he insists on in general to this end, and wherein the didactical part of the epistle doth consist, is the excellency, glory, and advantage of that gospel state to which they were called.

3. Having insisted particularly and distinctly on these things, and brought his argument from them to an issue, he makes, in the discourse before us, a recapitulation of the whole; for he makes a brief scheme of the two states of the law and gospel which he had compared, balancing the one against the other, and thereby demonstrates the force of his argument and exhortation.

4. It must be observed, that the great honor and privilege of the Judaical church state, and whereon all particular advantages depended, was their coming to mount Sinai at the giving of the law. There were they taken into covenant with God, to be his peculiar people above all the world; there were they formed into a national church; and there had they all the privileges of divine worship committed to them.

5. Wherefore the apostle, allowing all this, observes, that it was done in such a way of dread and terror, as that there was no evidence in all that was done of God's being reconciled to them by those things. The whole representation of him was as an obsolute sovereign, and a severe judge. Thunders, voices,earthquakes, and fire, give no signification of grace and mercy; but rather bespeak a "glorious ministration of death," 2 Cor. iii, 7; whence the consciences of sinners were forced to subscribe to their own condemnation as just and equal. God was here represented in all outward demonstations of infinite holiness, justice, severity, and terrible majesty, on the one hand; and, on the other, men in their lowest condition of sin, misery, guilt, and death. If there be not therefore something else to interpose between God and men, somewhat to fill up the space between infinite severity and inexpressible guilt; all this glorious preparation was but a theatre set up for pronouncing judgment, and the sentence of eternal condemnation against sinners. On this consideration depends the force of the apostle's argument, and the due apprehension and consideration of it is a better exposition of verses 18-21, than the mere opening of the particular expressions will amount to; yet they also must be explained.

$2. (I.) "For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched." Ye are not come; two things are

included in this negative expression: what their fathers did, they came to the things here mentioned; and-what they were delivered from, by their call to the gospel. They were no more concerned in all that dread and terror.

The apostle in this comparison between their "coming" of old into the legal church state, and our admission into the gospel state, includes a supposition of the way and manner whereby they approached to God in the giving of the law, viz. by the sanctification of themselves, the washing of their clothes, as an outward sign thereof, with other reverential preparations, Exod. xix, 10, 11. Whence it will follow, that, the gospel church state being so much more excellent than that of old, God himself being in it in a more glorious and excellent manner; we ought to endeavor a more eminent sanctification and preparation, in all our approaches to God therein, ver. 28. We may also observe some things in general concerning the appearance of the divine Majesty, which intimates the glory and terror of it. As,

1. It was on the top of an high mountain, not on a plain. As this had a great appearance of the throne of majesty, so, it being above the people, as it were over them, it was meet to fill them with dread and fear; they looked up and saw the mountain above them full of fire and smoke; the whole mount quaking greatly, thunders and terrible voices being heard in the air, Exod. xix, 18; and xx, 18: Deut. iv, 11; they could have no other thoughts hereon, but that it was a fearful thing to come to judgment before the holy Lord God. And one view of that terror of the Lord's holiness and severity here represented, is enough to make the stoutest sinner quake and tremble.

2. To increase the reverence due to this appearance,

the people were commanded to keep their distance, and were straightly forbidden an approach beyond the bounds fixed and prescribed to them.

§3. They came (λwμεv ope) "unto the mount that might be touched;" mount Sinai in Arabia, Gal. iv, 25. He makes this observation to manifest how inferior the giving of the law was, in comparison of the promulgation of the gospel, which was from heaven; and to intimate the fear and bondage the people were then in, who might not so much as touch the mountain, on which were the signs of God's presence, though it was in itself a thing exposed to the sense of all creatures. And there is much of divine wisdom observable in the choice of this place for the giving of the law. For,

1. It was a place of absolute solitude; here the people could neither see nor hear any thing, as it were, but God and themselves: there was no appearance of any relief, no place of retreat; but there they must abide the will of God. And this teacheth us, that when God deals with men by the law, he will let them see nothing but himself, and their own consciences. He takes them out of their wonted reliefs, and prevents all reserves and retreats. For the most part, when the law is preached to sinners, they have innumerable diversions and reliefs at hand to shield themselves from its terror and efficacy. They betake themselves to the promises of sin itself, or the purposes of future amendment; or else the various occupations of life; they have other things to do than to attend to so unwelcome a voice, at least it is not yet necessary. But when God will bring them to the mount, all these pretences will vanish and disappear; not one of them shall be able to suggest the least relief to a poor.guilty sinner; his conscience shall be kept to that which he