may come to him. Hence is that cry of hypocritical sinners; Isa. xxxiii, 14, "Who among us," &c.

4. Believers have an access to God, as the judge of all, with all their causes and complaints. As such he will hear them, plead their cause and judge for them. However they may be here oppressed, in or out of the courts of men, the Judge of all will at all times receive their appeals, and do them right. This liberty no man can deprive them of; it is purchased for them by Christ; and make their oppressions unsafe to the greatest of the sons of men. Wherefore,

5. However dangerous and dreadful the outward state of the church may be at any time in the world, it may secure itself of final success; because therein God is judge alone, to whom they have free access.

6. The prospect of an eternal reward from God, as the righteous judge, is the greatest support of faith in all present distresses.

7. A prospect by faith into the state of the departed souls of believers, is both a comfort against the fears of death, and a support under all troubles and distresses of this present life.

§17. 1. This is the blessedness and safety of the catholic church, that it is taken into such a covenant, and hath an interest in such a mediator of it, as are able to save it to the utmost.

2. The true notion of faith for life and salvation is a coming unto Jesus as the mediator of the New Tesment, for thereby we have an egress and deliverance from the covenant of works, and the curse wherewith it is accompanied.

3. It is the wisdom of faith to make use of that mediator continually, in all wherein we have to do with God. To be negligent herein, is to reflect on the wis-. dom and grace of God, in appointing him to be the

mediator of the covenant, and on his love and to discharge that office.

power

4. The glory, the safety, the pre-eminence of the state of believers under the gospel consists in this; that they come therein to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant. This is the centre of all spiritual privileges, the rise of all spiritual joys, and the full satisfaction of the souls of all that believe.

VERSE 25.

See that ye refuse not him that speaketh, for if they escaped not. who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven.

$1. Introduction.

$2. (1) Exposition. Him that speaketh. S. He that spake on earth, who? 4. How the people refused him that then spoke, and did not escape. $5. Him that speaketh from heaven. §6. To turn away from him, what. $7. (11.) Observations.

§1. HAVING given a summary account of the two states of the law and gospel, with the incomparable excellence of the latter above the former, the apostle draws from hence a charge and exhortation addressed both to them who had actually professed the gospel, and them to whom it had been preached, but who had not received and professed it. In brief, he intended all sorts in their several states and capacities, to whom the gospel had been preached.

§2. (I.) "See that ye refuse not," (Tov haλevla). him that speaketh. There is a general rule in the words, that we are diligently to attend to, and not to refuse, any that speak to us in the name and authority of Christ; but yet the person of Christ himself is immediately intended.

And this command hath respect to the double solemn charge given of God to the church; the first on the closing of the law, the other as the beginning and

foundation of the gospel. The first charge was given to prepare the church for their duty in its proper season, Deut. xviii, 18, 19. The other charge was given immediately from heaven, as the foundation of the gospel, Matt. xvii, 5. This is the foundation of all gospel faith and obedience, and the formal reason of the condemnation of all unbelievers. God hath given command to all men to hear, that is, believe and obey his Son Jesus Christ. By virtue thereof he hath given command to others, to preach the gospel to all individuals. They who believe them, believe in Christ; and they who believe in Christ through him, believe in God, 1 Pet. i, 21; so that their faith is ultimately resolved into the authority of God himself. And so they who refuse them, who hear not them, do thereby refuse Christ himself; and by so doing reject the authority of God, who hath given this command to hear him, and hath taken on himself to require it when it is neglected; which is the condemnation of all unbelievers.

Again; the apostle gives an enforcement of this duty taken from the consideration of the person with whom they had to do, and a comparison between the event of the neglect of this duty in them, and a neglect of the same kind of duty in those to whom the law was given. But, §3. Who is (TS ETI TYS VUS Xpalicovia) he that spake on earth? The word (xpalie) in scripture is applied to God alone, and he who spake on the earth, his voice then shook the earth; which was not the voice of Moses. Some therefore say, that an angel is intended, who delivered all those oracles on mount Sinai in the name of God. But it deserves notice, that in giving the law he lays the whole weight of its authority on the person of the speaker, saying, "I am the

Lord thy God." If all this may be ascribed to an angel, then there is one who is an angel by office, and God by nature; or we are bound to take a created angel to be our God. Wherefore, he that then spoke on earth, who gave these divine oracles, was none other but the Son of God himself; or the divine nature acting itself in a peculiar manner in the person of the Son; and to him all things agree. What is purely divine was proper to his person, and what was of condescension belonged to him in a way of office, as he was the angel of the covenant, in whom was the name of God. It again deserves notice, that the opposition expressed is not between the persons speaking, but between earth and heaven, as the next verse sufficiently shews. And that verse declares positively, that it was one and the same person. whose voice then shook the earth, and who under the gospel shaketh the heaven also. But let us inquire,

§4. How the people (apaileσEVO) refused him, who spake on earth? The word here used is the same with that which ver. 19, we render by entreated to hear no more, that is, deprecated the hearing of the voice of God. It discovered the want of that faith and filial boldness, which were necessary to enable them to abide with God. With respect hereto the apostle might justly date their departure from God, and refusal of obedience, which immediately ensued on this discovery, so that they liked not the presence and voice of God. But the people's actual refusat of obedience began in their making the golden calf, while Moses was in the mount, Exod. xxxii, from which they did not escape; for, besides that three thousand of them on that occasion were slain by the sword and God made it a record concerning that sin; "In the day wherein I will visit, I will visit their 49

VOL. IV.

sin upon them; and the "Lord plagued the people," Exod. xxxii, 34, 35; after this ensued sundry other rebellions of the people, in all which they refused him who spake on earth.

$5. "Much more shall not we escape if we turn away from (Tov ax' egavwv) him that is, or speaketh, from heaven." This is fully declared by himself; John iii, 12, 13, "If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe if I tell you of heavenly things." "And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of Man who is in heaven." Add hereto, ver. 31, "He that cometh from heaven is above all; he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth: he that cometh from heaven is above all." See John vi, 33-38. These places treat of the same matter as that intended in the text; namely, the reve lation of heavenly things, or the mysteries of the will of God by Jesus Christ in each place it is affirmed, that to make this revelation he came from heaven; so that emphatically "he was from heaven;" but withal, whilst he did so, he was still in heaven, "the Son of Man who is in heaven." He was so from heaven in his descent to declare the will of God, as that he was in his divine person still in heaven. Wherefore he is from heaven as for other reasons so eminently on account of his opening heaven, and all the treasures of it, bringing life and immortality to light by the pel, in comparison whereof the things of the law are goscalled earthly things.

§6. We must next inquire, what it is to turn away from him who thus speaketh from heaven? And sundry things are included in this expression:

1. That in the declaration of the gospel by Jesus Christ from heaven, there is a call, an invitation of