imise when proposed. If men fail in the beginning, probably they will quite give over in their progress. Yerig is, posterior sum, to be behind' in time, in place, in progress. Vulg. Lat. deesse, to be wanting;' which renders not the word, nor gives any direct sense. Syr. WND, qui cesset, qui frustretur, qui defi ceret, so is it variously rendered; any one that should cease; fail, be frustrated, give over; whereunto it adds, 41, ab ingressu; from entering in;' that is, into the rest contained in the promise, making that, and not the promise itself, to be intended; and so the dehortation to be taken from the punishment of unbelief, and not the nature of the sin itself. also signifies frustrari, noñ assequi; to be disappointed,' and not to attain the thing aimed at. So Thucydid. lib. 3. exeidh tás MeTudnyns DoTegnxes; after that he missed of Mityléne;' or was disτυλήνης ὑστερηκει appointed in his design of putting in there. And in Isocrates, ὑστέρειν των καιρών, και πραγμάτων, is to be disappointed, or to fail of occasions, for the management of affairs. The word also signifies to want, or to be wanting. Τῷ ὑστερουντι περισσότερων δεξ Tiny 1 Cor xii. 24. "giving honour to that which wanteth," is wanting. YoTignartos vou, John ii. 3. "when wine failed," was wanting, when they lacked wine. So also to be inferior; ὑστερηκέναι των ὑπερ λίαν αποστολών, 2 Cor. xi. 5. « to come behind the chiefest apostles;" that is, be inferior unto them in any thing.

Generally, expositors think here is an allusion unto them who run in a race. Those who are not speedy therein, who stir not up themselves, and put out their utmost ability and diligence, do fail, come behind, and so fall short of the prize. So irrig, is ύστερειν, ultimus esse, deficere in cursu, a tergo remanere; to be cast, to faint or fail in the race, to be cast behind the backs of others. And this is a thing which our apostle more than once alludes to; and explains, 1 Cor. ix. 24, 25.

But the allusion is taken from the people in the wilderness, and their passing into the land of Canaan. Most of them were heavy through unbelief, lagged in their progress, and were, as it were, left behind in the wilderness, where they perished and came short of entering into the promised land. These words therefore, lest any of you should come short of it,' are as if he had said; lest it fall out with you in reference unto the promise left unto you, as it did with the people in the wilderness, with respect unto the promise as proposed and preached unto them. For by reason of their unbelief they fell short, and enjoyed not the promise, nor did enter into the land promised unto them, or the rest of God. And take you heed lest by the same means you fall short of the promise, now preached unto you, and of entering into the rest of God in the gospel. The word therefore directly respects the promise, fall short of the promise ;

consequentially the things promised, or the rest of God in the gospel. The scope and intention of this latter part of the verse, may be summed up in the ensuing observations.

Obs. VII. Many to whom the promise of the gospel is proposed and preached, do, or may, through their own sins, come short of the enjoyment of the things promised. The caution here given unto the Hebrews, with the foundation of it in the example of those who did so miscarry, not only warrants, but makes necessary this observation from the words. And I wish it were a matter of difficulty to confirm the truth of what is here observed. But what is affirmed, is but expressive of the state and condition of most of those in the world, to whom the gospel is preached. They come short of all benefit or advantage by it. It ever was so, and it may be, for the most part, ever will be so in this world. That sentence of our Saviour contains the lot and state of men under the dispensation of the gospel. "Many are called, but few are chosen." It is true, "faith cometh by hearing," but bare hearing will denominate no man a believer; more is required thereunto. Men indeed would probably much esteem the gospel, if it would save them, merely at the cost and pains of others in preaching it. But God hath otherwise disposed of things: their own faith and obedience are also indispensably required hereunto. Without these, the promise considered in itself will not profit them: and as it is proposed unto them it will condemn then.. What the ways and means are, whereby men are kept off from enjoying the promise, and entering by faith into the rest of God, hath been declared on chap. iii. 12. Again,

Obs. VIII. Not only backsliding through unbelief, but all appearances of tergiversation in profession, and occasions of them in times of difficulty and trials, ought to be carefully avoided by professors: " lest any of you should seem."-Not only a profession, but the beauty and glory of it, is required of us.

We have often observed that it was now a time of great difficulty and of many trials unto these Hebrews. Such seasons are of great concern to the glory of God, the honour of the gospel, the edification of the church, and the welfare of the souls of men. For in them all the things of God, and the interests of men in them, have a public and as it were a visible transac tion in the world. Now therefore the apostle would not have the least appearance of tergiversation, or drawing back in them that make profession of the truth. So he gives us caution elsewhere with the same respect, Eph. v. 16. "Walking circumspectly, redeem the time, because the days are evil." The reason of both the duties enjoined, is taken from the consideration of the evil of the days, filled with temptations, persecutions, and dangers. Then in all things professors are to walk angas, exact

ly, circumspectly, accurately. And there are two heads of circumspect walking in profession during such a season. The first is, to adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things, Tit. ii. 10. Κοσμούντες την διδασκαλίαν, rendering beautiful, lovely, comely, the doctrine of truth which we profess: xooμs is so to adorn any thing, as a bride decketh or adorneth herself with ornaments to appear lovely and desireable; an allusion which the Scripture elsewhere maketh use of, Isa. Ixi. 10. and by which Solomon sets out the spiritual glory and beauty of the church, in his mystical song. This is a season wherein by all accurate circumspection in their walking and profession, believers ought to render what they believe and profess glorious and amiable in the eyes of all. And this for two ends; 1. That those who are of the contrary part, those that trouble and persecute them, may have under avho to say of them, Tit. ii. S. Nihil improbum aut stultum; no wicked, no foolish matter to lay to their charge. And though the conviction that falls upon ungodly men have no effect on them, but a secret shame that they should pursue them with wrath and hatred, against whom they have no evil or foolish matter to say, but are forced openly to fall upon them in things only concerning the law of their God, as Dan. vi. 5. yet God makes use of it to check and restrain that wrath, which if it brake forth would not turn to his praise, I Pet. iii. 16. 2. That others who by their trials may be led to a more diligent consideration of them than at other times, may by the ornaments put upon the truth be brought over to a liking, approbation and profession of it. In such a season, believers are set upon a theatre, and made a spectacle to all the world, 1 Cor. iv. 9-13. All eyes are upon them to see how they will acquit themselves. And this is one reason whence times of trouble and persecution, have usually been the seasons of the church's growth and increase. All men are awakened to serious thoughts of the contest which they see in the world. And if thereon they find the ways of the gospel rendered glorious and amiable by the conversation and walking of them that do profess it, it greatly disposeth their minds to the acceptance of it. At such a season therefore above all others, there ought to be no appearances of tergiversation or decays. 3. The next head of circumspect walking in such a condition, that no semblance of coming short may be given, is, a diligent endeavour to avoid all "appearance of evil," 1 Thess. v. 22. Every thing that may give occasion unto any to judge that we are fainting in our profession. Things that it may be are lawful or indifferent at another time; things that we can produce probable and pleadable reasons for; yet if through the circumstances that we are attended with, they may be looked on by persons of integrity, though either weak or prejudiced,

to have an eye or shew of evil in them, are carefully to be avoided.

Now there are two parts of our profession that we are to heed, lest we should seem to fail when times of difficulties do attend us. The first is personal holiness, righteousness, and upright universal obedience. The other is the due observance of all the commands, ordinances, and institutions of Christ in the gospel. The apostle Peter joins them together, with respect unto our accurate attendance unto them in such seasons, 2 Pet. in. 11. Seeing that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought we to be, ο ἁγίαις αναστροφαις, και ευσέβειαις, σε in holy conversations;" that is, in every instance of our converse or walking before God in this world. Herein we meet with many changes, many temptations, many occasions, duties and trials, in all which a thread of holiness ought to run through in our spirits and actings. Hence it is expressed by holy conversations, which' we have rendered by supplying all into the text. Ka vas,

and godlinesses." The word principally respects the godliness that is in religious worship, which constitutes the second part of our profession. And although the worship of God in Christ be one in general, and no other worship are Christians to touch upon, yet because there are many duties tó bé attended unto in that worship, many ordinances to be observed, and our diligent care is required about each particular instance, he expresseth it in the plural number, "godlinesses" or worships; or, as we, "all godliness." About both these parts of profession is our utmost endeavour required, that we seem not to fail in them. Men may do so, and yet retain so much integrity in their hearts, as may at last give them an entrance as it were through fire into the rest of God; but yet manifold evils do ensue upon the appearance of their failings to the gospel, to the church of God, and to their own souls. To assist us therefore in our duty in this matter, we may carry along with us the ensuing directions.

1. Have an equal respect always to both the parts of profession mentioned, lest failing in one of them, we be found at length to fail in the whole. And the danger is great in a neglect hereof. For example; it is so, lest, whilst we are sedulous about the due and strict observance of the duties of instituted worship, a neglect or decay should grow upon us, as to holiness, moral righteousness, and obedience. For,

1. Whilst the mind is deeply engaged and exercised about those duties, either out of a peculiar bent of spirit towards them, or from the opposition that is made unto them, the whole man is of. tentimes so taken up therewith, as that it is regardless of personal holiness and righteousness. Besides the innumerable instances we have hereof in the Scripture, wherein God chargeth men with their wickedness, and rejects them for it, whilst they pre

tended highly to a strict observance of oblations and sacrifices, we have seen it manifoldly exemplified in the days wherein we live. Whilst men have contended about ordinances and institutions, forms and ways of religion, they have grown careless and regardless as unto personal holy conversation, to their ruin. They have seemed like keepers of a vineyard, but their own vineyard they have not kept. How many have we seen withering away into a dry sapless frame, under a hot contending disputing spirit about ways and differences of worship! whilst they have been intent on one part of profession, the other of more importance hath been neglected.

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2. Corrupt nature is apt to compensate in the conscience the neglect of one duty with diligence in another. If men engage in a present duty, a duty as they judge exceedingly acceptable with God, and attended with difficulty in the world, they are apt enough to think that they may give themselves a dispensation in some other things; that they need not attend to universal holiness and obedience with that strictness, circumspection, and accuracy, as seems to be required. Yea, this is the ruin of most hypocrites and false professors in the world."

Let it therefore be always our care, especially in difficult seasons, in the first place to secure the first part of profession, by a diligent attendance unto all manner of holiness, in our persons, families, and in our whole conversation in this world. Let faith, love, humility, patience, purity, charity, self-denial, weanedness from the world, readiness to do good to all, forgiving of one another and our enemies, be made bright in us, and shine in such a season, if we would not seem to come short. And this,

1. Because the difficulties in, and oppositions to the other part of our profession, with the excellency of the duties of it in such a season, are apt to surprise men into an approbation of themselves in a neglect of those more important duties, as was before observed. It is a sad thing to see men suffer for gospel-truths, with worldly carnal hearts and corrupt conversations. If we give "our bodies to be burned, and have not charity," or are defective in grace, it will not profit us," we shall be but as sounding brass or tinkling cymbals," 1 Cor. xiii. 3. 2. God hath no regard to the observance of ordinances, where duties of holiness, righteousness and love are neglected, Isa. i. 13-18. And in this state, whatever use we may be of in the world, or unto, others, all will be lost as to ourselves, Mat. vii. 21-23. 3. We can have no expectation of strength or assistance from God, in cleaving to the truth and purity of worship against oppositions, if we fail in our diligent attendance unto universal holiness. Here hath been the original of most mens apostasy. They have thought they could abide in the profession of the truths whereof they have been convinced. But growing cold and negligent in