acquiescing in the will of God, not satisfied with the condition of temporal sufferings on the account of the eternal reward. When men are under the power of this evil frame of heart, they will draw back, subduct themselves out of that state and condition wherein they are exposed to these inconveniences. "If any man" who makes a profession of faith in Christ and the gospel, "withdraw" himself from that profession, and communion with them who persist faithful in it, "my heart shall not," &c. This is the evil which the great design of the whole epistle is to obviate and pre

vent.

$5. The sentence denounced against this sin is, "my soul shall have no pleasure in him." The soul of God is God himself; but he so speaks of himself, to affect us with a due apprehension of his concern in what he so speaks, as we are affected with what our souls and minds, and all our affections, are engaged in. So God promises to the church that he will rejoice over them with his whole heart, and with his whole soul. He hath no delight in such a person, he is not pleased with him, he shall not live before him. There is a meiosis in the words he will abhor him, despise him, and in the end utterly destroy him. All apostates have some pretence for what they do, wherewith they justify themselves, until their iniquity be found out to be hateful. Wherefore to deprive them of this pretence, the apostle declares, "that the soul of God takes no pleasure in them," in which all positive evils are included. For when God doth not delight in any person, the consequence is that he will utterly destroy them. See Jerem. xv, 1,

§6. "But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition;" we are not (vxogloλnc is awλegy) of withdrawing, that is, of them who withdraw or draw back unto perdition. No small numbers there were

who, even then, were falling into apostasy. This whole band of rovers, though in profession harnessed like the children of Ephraim, turned their backs in the day of battle: the event of this defection was destruction. Gradual decays and declensions there may be among true believers, from which they may be recov ered; but those here intended are such as fall into eternal ruin, as appears from the antithesis, wherein it is opposed to the "saving of the soul."

"But of them who believe to the saving of the soul." What is asserted of these believing Hebrews is, that they belonged to another state which had another event. But we are (Tiolews) of faith, of that which is effectual (EIS TEPITOσ uxys) to the saving of the soul. Both here, and in the former clause, not only the event but the actual influence of apostasy on the one hand to destruction, and of faith on the other to the saving of the soul, is intended; as the preposition, (EIG) intimates.

§7. (II.) From the words and exposition let us ob.

serve:

1. The delay of the accomplishment of promises is a great exercise of faith and patience; hence are all the exhortations not to faint in our minds.

2. It is essential to the profitable exercise of faith, when we look for Christ's appearance, that it be acted on the promise of his coming.

8. There is a promise of the coming of Christ suited to the state and condition of the church in all ages.

4. The appearing delay of the accomplishment of any of these promises requires an exercise of the faith and patience of the saints.

5. Every such coming of Christ hath its appointed season, beyond which it shall not tarry.

6. This divine disposal of things renders necessary. the continual exercise of faith, prayer, and patience about the coming of Christ.

7. Although we may not know the special dispensations of time that are passing over us, yet all believers may know the state, in general, of that church in which they are, and what coming of Christ they are to expect.

8. Faith is satisfied with the promise of a good, or a deliverance to the church; although a man be persuaded that personally he shall not enjoy it; the faith of this kind is for the church, and not for men's individual persons.

9. Under despondencies as to any peculiar appearances or comings of Christ, it is the duty of believers to fix and exercise their faith on his illustrious appearance at the last day.

10. Every particular coming of Christ in a way suited to the present deliverance of the church, is an infallible pledge of hisc oming at the last day to judg

ment.

11. Every promised coming of Christ is certain, and shall not be delayed beyond its appointed season, when no difficulties shall be able to stand before it..

§8. 1. There are special qualifications of grace required to steadfastness in profession in times of persecution and long continued trials.

2. Many things are required to secure the success of our profession in times of difficulties and trials; as that our persons are righteous or justified by grace;— that we be furnished with those graces that are appointed to that end; and that faith be kept to a diligent

exercise

3. The continuance of the spiritual life, and eternal

salvation of true believers, are secured from all oppositions whatever.

§9. 1. No persons whatever ought to be on any consideration secure against those sins to which present circumstances give an efficacy.

2. It is an effect of spiritual wisdom to discern what is the dangerous and prevailing temptation of any season, and vigorously to set ourselves in opposition to it.

3. It is much to be feared, that in great trials some will draw back from that profession of the gospel wherein they are engaged.

4. This defection is commonly durable, continued by various pretences; this is included in the original word (utocleiλelai) gradually and covertly to subduct himself.

$10. 1. It is our duty to look diligently that we are of that holy frame of mind, that due exercise of faith, as the soul of God may take pleasure in us.

2. Though there appear as yet no outward tokens of the anger and displeasure of God against our ways; yet if we are in that state wherein God hath no pleasure in us, we are entering into certain ruin.

3. Backsliders from the gospel are in a peculiar manner the abhorrency of the soul of God,

4. When the soul of God is not delighted in any, nothing can preserve them from utter destruction.

5. The scripture every where testifieth, that in the visible church there is a certain number of false hypocrites, whose end and lot it is to be destroyed.

6. It is our most urged duty to evidence to our own consciences, and give evidence to others, that we are not of this number.

7. Nothing can free apostates from eternal ruin,

CHAPTER XI.

VERSE 1.

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

$1. The apostle's great argument recapitulated. His present design. $2. His definition of faith. $3, 4. (I.) The substance of things hoped for. $5. (II.) The evidence of things not seen. §6, (III.) Observations. $7. Great objec tions are apt to lie against invisible things when externally revealed. §8,9. Remaining observations,

§1. THE general nature of this epistle, as hortatory, hath been repeatedly noticed; and the apostle-having evidently declared from the scripture itself that the state of the gospel church in its high priest, sacrifice, covenant, worship, privileges, and efficacy, is incomparably to be preferred above that of the Old Testament; yea, that all the excellency and glory of that state, and all that belonged to it, consisted only in the representation that was made thereby of the greater glory of Christ and the gospel, without which they were of no use, and therefore pernicious to be persisted in; having fixed their minds in the truth, and armed them against the temptations which they were continually exposed to, the opposition which befell them, and the persecutions they were like to undergo from the obstinate members of the Jewish church;having hinted, at the close of the last chapter, that the only way and means on their part, whereby they may be kept constant to their profession, notwithstanding all the evils that might befall them, is by faith alone;being thus delivered from temptations by the doctrine of truth, and from the opposition made to them by faith in exercise; the apostle, I say, proceeds to shew what this faith is, and produces abundant evidence to