§3. "But a certain fearful looking for of judgment," when a man under the law had contracted the guilt of any sin, as was indispensably capital in its punishment, for the legal expiation of which no sacrifice was appointed or allowed; as murder, adultery, blasphemy, &c. he had nothing remaining but a fearful expectation of the execution of the legal entrance against him; and it is evident that in this context the apostle argues from the less to the greater; if it was so, that this was the case of him who so sinned against the law of Moses, how much more must it be so with them who sin against the gospel; whose sin is incomparably greater and the punishment more severe?

There are two things in these words;—the punishment due to the sins of apostates, "judgment," fiery indignation, which devours the adversary; and the certain approach of this judgment, "there remains a fearful expectation;" (oßepa de TIG exdoxn) a kind of fearful expectation; nor is this spoken by way of diminution, but to intimate something that is inexpressible, such as no heart can conceive or tongue express; 1. Pet. iv, 17, 18. "What shall be the end of them who obey not the gospel? Where shall the sinners and ungodly appear?" (Endoxn) expectation, is that frame of mind, with respect to any thing future, good or bad, wherein we are concerned; and is here said to be (Poßepa) fearful, tremendous, that which men can neither conflict with, nor avoid; it fills the mind with dread and horror, depriving it of all comfort and relief; if they did set themselves to consider the event of their apostasy, nothing else could befal their minds. I am persuaded it is probable, that God very seldom lets them pass without tormenting fear, and a dread of approaching judgment, in this world, which is a broad entrance into hell; (pic) judgment,

a just and righteous sentence denouncing punishment proportionate to their sins and crimes, and punishment itself which ensues thereon, as immediately described; and although respect be had herein principally to the judgment of the great day; yet it is not exclusive of any judgments that are preparatory to it, and pledges of it; as that which was then impending over the apostate Hebrew church.

$4. The punishment and destruction of those sinners is (rupos λos) a fiery indignation; which words do not relate to (endoxn) expectation, as (pics) judg ment doth; it is not the expectation of fiery indignation, but they refer immediately to (aroketela) there remaineth; as there remains an expectation of judgment, so there remains a fiery indignation; and so afterwards (μλhovlos) which shall, refers to (upos) fire, and not to (os) indignation; this indignation, or fervor of fire, hath respect to three things;-The holiness of God's nature, from whence originally this judgment proceeds; the righteous act of the will of God; sometimes called his wrath and anger from the effects of it; and the dreadful severity of the judgment in itself, its nature and effects, as in the next words: I doubt not but respect is had to the final judgment, and the eternal destruction of apostates; but yet also it evidently includeth that sore and fiery judgment which God was bringing upon the obstinate and apostate Jews, in the total destruction of them and their church state by fire and sword; which, (as the event proves) might well be called a fiery indignation, or fervor of fire; see Matt. xxiv, 29-31; 2 Pet. iii, 10-12, "fire that shall devour, or eat up adversaries;" the expression is taken from Isaiah xxvi, 11, for "the fire of thine enemies," is that wherewith they shall be burned.

the

$5. (Meλλovios) "it shall devour," it is (in procinctu) in readiness to come; though future, it is ready to make its entrance, and whatever appearances there are of its turning aside, and men's avoiding it, it will come in its proper season; Heb. ii, 3, the foundation of it is the irreversible decree of God, accompanied with righteousness and the measure which infinite wisdom gave to his patience. This was the unavoidable season that was approaching, when the adversaries had filled up the measure of their sin, and God's. providence had saved the elect. (T85 UTEVAVTI85) the adversaries; he doth not say those that believe not, and obey not the gospel, as elsewhere when he treats absolutely of the day of judgment, 2 Thes. i, 8, 9; but intends those who, from a contrary principle, set themselves against the Lord Jesus Christ and the gospel; and which is a peculiar description of the unbeieving Jews at that time; they did not only refuse the gospel through unbelief, but were acted by a principle of opposition to it, not only as to themselves, but as to others, 1 Thes. ii, 15, 16, "who both killed the Lord Jesus and their own prophets, and have persecuted us, and they please not God, and are contrary unto all men, forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles, that they might be saved, to fill up their sins alway, for the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost;" see also Acts xiii, 45; xxii, 22, 23.

What is the effect of this fiery indignation against those adversaries? It shall (EE) eat them up; fire eats, and as it were, devours, swallows up all combustible matter to which it is applied; it shall "devour" them as to all happiness, all blessedness, all hopes, comforts, and reliefs, but not their being; on their being this fire shall eternally prey, and shall never utterly consume it. And if we apply it to their temporal

destruction, the similitude holds throughout, for it utterly consumed and devoured them.

§6. (II.) Let us now proceed to observe,

1. If a voluntary relinquishment of the profession and duties of the gospel be the highest sin, and be attended with the height of wrath and punishment, we ought earnestly to watch against every thing that inclineth or disposeth us thereunto.

2. Every declension from the profession of the gospel hath a proportion of the guilt of this great sin, according to the proportion it bears to the sin itself; of which there may be various degrees.

3. There are sins and seasons wherein God absolutely refuses to hear any more from men in order to their salvation.

4. The loss of an interest in the sacrifice of Christ, on whatever account it fall out, is absolutely ruinous to the souls of men.

§7. 1. There is an inseparable connexion between apostasy and eternal ruin.

2. God oftentimes visits the minds of cursed apostates with dreadful expectations of approaching wrath.

3. When men have hardened themselves in sin, no fear of punishment will stir them up to seek after relief.

4. A dreadful expectation of future wrath, without hope of relief, is an open entrance into hell itself.

5. The expectation of future judgment in guilty persons will be at one time or another dreadful and tremendous,

$8. 1. There is a determinate time for the accomplishment of all divine threatenings, and the inflictions of the severest judgments, which no man can avoid or abide. "He hath appointed a day wherein he will judge the world." So at present there is a sort of men, whose damnation sleepeth not, concerning whom

he hath sworn that time shall be no more, which is the present state of the antichristian world.

2. The certain determination of divine vengeance on the enemies of the gospel is a motive to holiness, a support under sufferings, in them that believe. Lift up your heads, know your salvation is near at hand; what manner of persons ought we to be? See 2 Thess. i, 7-10.

3. The highest aggravation of the greatest sins is, when men out of a contrary principle of superstition and error, set themselves maliciously to oppose the doctrine and truth of the gospel, with respect to themselves and others.

4. There is a time when God will make demonstrations of his wrath and displeasure against all such adversaries of the gospel, as shall be pledges of his eternal indignation.

5. The dread and terror of God's final judgment against the enemies of the gospel is in itself inconceivable, and only shadowed out by things of the greatest dread and terror in the world.

VERSES 28, 29.

He that despised Moses's law died without mercy, under two or three witnesses: of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace.

$1 (I.) Exposition. The design of the passage. §2. Punishment by the law. §3. Greater punishment of sins against the gospel, 64. Being against the person of Christ. §5. His priestly office. $6. And his spirit. $7. The conse quent severity of the punishment. $8, 9. (II.) Observations.

§1. (I.) To convince the Hebrews not only of the certainty and severity of the judgment declared, but also of the equity and righteousness of it, he proposeth unto them the consideration of God's constitution of