Notes on the Old and New Testaments

See Notes on Rom. xiv. 19. ThecCnnexion here requires us to understand this mainly of persecutors. The apostle is referring to the trials which those whom he addressed were ex periencing. Those trials seem to have arisen mainly from persecution, and he exhorts them to manifest a spirit of kindness towards all — even though they were engaged in perse cuting them. This is the temper of the gospel. We are to make war with sin, but not with men; with bad passions and corrupt desires, but not with our fellow-worms. ^[ And holi ness. Instead of yielding to contend ing passions and to a spirit of war; instead of seeking revenge on your persecutors and foes, make it rather your aim to be holy. Let that be the object of your pursuit; the great pur pose of your life. Men might in such cases counsel them to seek revenge; the spirit of religion would counsel them to strive to be holy. In such times they Avere in great danger of giving indulgence to evil passions, and hence the special propriety of the exhortation to endeavour to be holy. *[ Without which no man shall see the Lord. That is, shall see him in peace; or shall so see him as to dwell with him. All Avill see him in the day of judgment, but to ' see ' one is often used in the sense of being Avith one; j learning any man fail1 of the grace of God; lest any c root of bitter ness springing- up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;

benevolence to a family to exclude profligates and seducers, and as it is benevolence to a community to con fine thieves and robbers in prison. This great principle in the divine ad ministration will always be adhered: to; and hence they who are expect ing to be saved without holiness or religion, are destined to certain dis appointment. Heaven and earth will pass away, but God will not admit one unrepenting and unpardoned sin ner to heaven. It was the importance and the certainty of this principle which made the apostle insist on it here with so much earnestness. Amidst all their trials; when ex posed to persecution; and when every thing might tempt them to the indul gence of feelings which were the opposite of holiness, they were to make it their great object to be like God. For this they were to seek, to strive, to labour, to pray. This with us in all our trials should also be the great aim of life. How deeply affect ing then is the inquiry whether we have that holiness which is indispen sable to salvation! Let us not deceive ourselves. We may have many things else — many things which are in them selves desirable, but without this one thing we shall never see the Lord in ace. We may have wealth, genius, dwelling with one; enoyn See Notes on Matt. v. 8. The prin ciple here stated is one which is never departed from. Rev. xxi. 27; Isa. xxxv. 8; liii. 1; Ix. 21; Joel iii. 17; Matt. xiii. 41; I. Cor. vi. 9, 10. No one' has ever been admitted to heaven in his sins; nor is it desirable that any one ever should be. Desirable as it is that lost men should be happy, yet it is benevolence which excludes the profane, the impious, and the un believing from heaven — just as it i.» beauty, accomplishments, one. I houses, lands, books, friends -but Without religion they will be all in vain. Never can we see God in peace without a holy heart; never can we be admitted into heaven without that religion which will identify us with the angels around the throne!

15. Looking diligently. This phrase implies close attention. It is implied that there are reasons why wo should take special care. Those reasons are found in the propensities of our hearts *" cv'l; in the temptations of the-

Esau, who b for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.

world; in the allurements to apostacy presented by the great adversary of our souls. *[ Lest any man fail As every man is in danger, it is his per sonal duty to see to it that his salva tion be secure. ^[ Fail of the grace of God. Marg. fall from. The Greek is, * lest any one be wanting or lac/t ing^ — uorepeor. There is no intimation in the words used here that they al ready had grace and might fall away — whatever might be true about that — but that there was danger that they might l)e found at last to be deficient in that religion which was necessary to save them. Whether this was to be by losing the religion which they now had, or by the fact that they ne ver had any — however near they may have come to it— the apostle does not here intimate, and tin's passage should not be used in the discussion of the question about falling from grace. It is a proper exhortation to be addressed to any man in the church or out of it, to inquire dili gently whether there is not reason to apprehcn;1 that Avhen he comes to ap pear before- Go.l he will be found to be wholly destitute of religion. ^[ Lest any root of bitterness springing np. Any bitter root. There is doubt less an allusion here to Deut. xxix. 18. "Lest there should be among you man, or Avoman, or family, or tribe, whose heart turneth away this day from the Lord our God, to go and serve the gods of these nations; lest there' should be among you a root that beareth gall and wormwood." The allusion there is to those who were idolaters, and who instead of bearing the fruits of righteousness, and promoting the piety and happi ness of the nation would bear the fruits of idolatry, and spread abroad irreligion and sin. The allusion, in both cases, is to a bitter plant spring ing up among those that were culti vated for ornament or use, or to a tree bearing bitter and poisonous fruit, among those that produced good fruit. The reference of the apostle is to some person who should produce a similar effect in the church — to one who should inculcate false doctrines; or who should apostatise; or who should lead an unholy life, and thus be the means of corrupting and destroying others. They were to be at especial pains that no such person should start up from among themselves, <5r be tolerated by them. ^[ Trouble you. By his doctrines and example. ^[ And thereby many be defiled. Led away from the faith and corrupted. One wicked man, and es pecially one hypocrite in the church, may be the means of destroying many others.

10. JLe-'it there be any fornicator. The sin here referred to is one of those which would spread corruption in the church, and against which they ought to be especially on their guard. Allusion is made to Esau as an example, who, himself a corrupt and profane man, for a trifle threw away the highest honour which as a son lie could have. Many have re garded the word here used as refer ring to idolatry, or defection from the true religion to a false one— as the word is often used in the Old Testa ment — but it is more natural to un • derstand it literally. The crime litre mentioned was one which abounded everywhere in ancient times, as it does now, and it was important to guard the church against it. See Notes en Acts xv. 20; I. Cor. vi. 18. •jf Or pi ofane person. The word pro fane here refers to one who by word or conduct treats religion with con tempt, or has no reverence for that which is sacred. This may be shown I by words; by the manner; by a sneer; by neglect of religion; or! by openly renouncing the privileges j which might be connected with our

17 For ye know how that af terward, when a he would have inhei-ited the blessing, he was

rejected; for he found no place l of repentance, though lie sought it carefully with tears.

salvation. The allusion here is to one who should openly cast off all the hopes of religion for indulgence ia temporary pleasure, as Esau gave up Iiis birthright for a trifling gratifica tion. In a similar manner the young, for temporary gratification, neglect or despise all the privileges and hopes resulting from their being born in the bosom of the church; from being j baptised and consecrated to God; and from being trained up in the lap of piety. ^[ As Esau. It is clearly im plied here that Esau sustained the character of a fornicator and a pro fane person. The former appellation is probably given to him to denote his licentiousness shown by his mar rying many wives, and particularly foreigners, or the daughters of Ca naan. See Gen. xxxvi. 2; comp. Gen. xxvi. 04, 3.3. The Jewish wri ters abundantly declare that that was his character. See Wetsteln, in loc. In proof that the latter appellation — that of a profane person — belonged to him, see Gen. xxv. 29—34. It is true that it is rather by inference, than by direct assertion, that it is known that he sustained this charac ter. The birth-right, in his circum stances, was a high honour. The promise respecting the inheritance of the land of Canaan, the coming of the Messiah, and the preservation of the true religion, had been given to Abra ham and Isaac, and was to be trans mitted by them. As the eldest son, all the honour connected with this, and which is now associated with the name Jacob, would have properly ap pertained to Esau. But lie under valued it. He lived a licentious life. He followed his corrupt propensities, and gave the reins to indulgence. In a time of temporary distress, also, he showed how little he really valued all this by bartering it away for a single meal of victuals. Ratlur than bear | the evils of hunger for a short period, and evidently in a manner implying a great undervaluing of the honour which he held as the first-born SOT in a pious line, he agreed to surreu tier all the privileges connected with his birth. It was this which made the appellation appropriate to him, and this will make the appellation appropriate in any similar instance. ^[ Who for one morsel of meat. The word meat here is used, as it is com monly in the Scriptures, in its primi tive sense in English to denote favd. Gen. xxv. 34. The phrase here, ' mor sel of meat,' would be better rendered by ' a single meal.' ^[ Sold /its birth right. The birth-right seems to have implied the first place or rank in the family; the privilege of offering sa crifice and conducting worship in the absence or death of the father; a double share of the inheritance, and in this instance the honour of being in the line of the patriarchs, and transmitting the promises made to Abraham and Isaac. What Esau parted with, we can easily understand by reflecting on the honours which have clustered around the name ot Jacob.

17. For ye know how (hat. afterward-, &c. When he came to his father, and earnestly besought him to reverse the sentence which he had pronounc ed. See Gen. xxvii. 34 — 40. The ' blessing' here referred to Avas nofc that of the birth-right, which he knew he could not regain, but that pro nounced by the father Isaac on him whom he regarded as his first-born son. This Jacob obtained by fraud, when Isaac really meant to bestow it on Esau. Isaac appears to have been ignorant wholly of the bargain which Jacob and Esau had made in regard to the birth-right, and Jacob and his mother contrived in this way to have that confirmed which Jacob had ob-

18 For ye are not come unto the a mount that might be touch-

tained of Esau by contract. The sanction of the father, it seems, was necessary, before it could be made sure, and Rebecca and Jacob under stood that the dying blessing of the aged patriarch would establish it all. It was obtained by dishonesty on the part of Jacob; but so far as Esau was concerned, it was an act of righteous retribution for the little regard he had shown for the honour of his birth. ^f For he found no place of repent ance, Marg. * Way to change his mind' That is, no place for repent ance in the mind of Isaac, or no way to change his mind. It does not mean that Esau earnestly sought to repent I and could not, but that when once the blessing had passed the lips of his father,he found it impossible to change it. Isaac firmly declared that he had pronounced the blessing, and though it had been obtained by fraud, yet as it was of the nature of a divine pre diction it could not now be changed. He had not indeed intended that it should be thus. He had pronounced a blessing on another which had been designed for him. But still the benedic tion had been given. The prophetic words had been pronounced. By di vine direction the truth had been spo ken, and how could it be changed? It was impossible now to reverse the divine purposes in the case, and hence the ' blessing' must stand as it had been spoken. Isaac did, however, all that could be done. He gave a bene diction to his son Esau, though of far inferior value to that which he had pronounced on the fraudulent Jacob. Gen. xxvir, 39^40. t Though lie sought it carejuuy with tears. Gen. xxvii. 34. He sought to change the purpose of his father, but could not do it. The meaning and bearing of this passage, as used by the apostle, may be easily understood. (1.) The decision of God on the human cha racter and destiny will soon be pro nounced. That decision will be ac cording to truth, and cannot be chang ed. (2.) If we should despise our privileges as Esau did his birth-right, and renounce our religion, it would be impossible to recover what we had lost. There would be no possibility of changing the divine decision in the case, for it would be determined for ever. This passage, therefore, should not be alleged to show that a sinner cannot repent, or that lie cannot find ' place for repentance,' or assistance to enable him to repent, or that tears and sorrow for sin would be of no avail, for it teaches none of these things; but it should be used to keep us from disregarding our privileges, from turning away from the true re ligion, from slighting the favours of the gospel, and from neglecting reli gion till death comes; because when God has once pronounced a sentence excluding us from his favour, no tears, or pleading, or effort of our own can change him. The sentence which he pronounces on the scoffer, the impen itent, the hypocrite, and the apostate, is one that will abide for ever with out change. This passage, therefore, is in accordance with the doctrine more than once stated before in this epistle, that if a Christian should really apostatise it would be impos sible that he should be saved. See Notes on ch. vi. 1 — 6.

18. For ye are not c(fn.e. To en force the considerations already urged, the apostle introduces this sublime comparison between the old and new dispensations. Vs. 18 — 24. The ob ject, in accordance with the principal scope of the epistle is, to guard them against apostacy. To do this, he shows that under the new dispensation there was much more to bind them to fidelity, and to make apostacy dan gerous, than there was under the old. The main point of the comparison is, that under tie Jewish dispensation.

19 And the sound of a trum-

entreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more:

every thing was adapted to awe the mind, and to restrain by the exhibi tion of grandeur and of power; but that under the Christian dispensation, while there was as much that was sublime, there was much more that was adapted to win and hold the af fections. There were revelations of higher truths. There were more af fecting motives to lead to obedience. There was that of which the former was but the type and emblem. There was the clear revelation of the glo ries of heaven, and of the blessed so ciety there, all adapted to prompt to the earnest desire that they might be our own. The considerations pre sented in this passage constitute the climax of the argument so beautifully pursued through this epistle, showing that the Christian system was far superior in every respect to the Jew ish. In presenting this closing argu ment, the apostle first refers to some of the circumstances attending the former dispensation which were de signed to keep the people of God from apostacy, and then the considerations of superior weight existing under the Christian economy. <[ The mount that might be touched. Mount Sinai. The meaning here is, that that mountain was palpable, material, touchable — in contradistinction from the Mount Zion to which the church had now come, which is above the reach of the external senses. Ver. 22. The apos tle does not mean that it was permit ted to the Israelites to touch Mount Sinai — for this was strictly forbidden, Ex. xix. 12; but he evidently alludes to that prohibition, and means to say that a command forbidding them to ' touch'' the mountain, implied that it was a material or palpable object. The sense of the passage is, that everv circumstance that occurred

20 (For they could not en dure that which was commanded. Andb if so much as a beast touch the mountain, it shall he stoned, or thrust through with a dart.

there was fitted to fill the soul with terror. Every thing accompanying the giving of the law, the setting of bounds around the mountain which they might not pass, and the darknessand tempest on the mountain itself, was adopted to overawe the soul. The phrase ' the touchable mountain' — if such a phrase is proper — would ex press the meaning of the apostle here. The ' Mount Zion' to which the church now has come, is of a different cha racter. It is not thus visible and pal pable. It is not enveloped in smoke and flame, and the thunders of the Almighty do not roll and re-echa among its lofty peaks as at Horeb; yet it presents stronger motives to perseverance in the service of God. ^[ And that burned withjire." Ex. xix. 18. Comp. Deut. iv. 11; xxxiii. 2. ^[ Nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest. See Ex. xix. 16.

19. And the voice of a trumpet' Ex. xix. 19. The sound of the trum pet amidst the tempest was fitted to increase the terror of the scene. •[[ And the voice of words. Spoken by God. Ex. xix. 19. It is easy to con ceive what must have been "the awe produced by a voice uttered from themidst of the tempest so distinct as to be heard by the hundreds of thou sands of Israel, when the speaker was invisible. *j Which voice they that heard, &c. Ex. xx. 18, 19. It was so fearful and overpowering that the people earnestly prayed that if they must be addressed, it might bo by the familiar voice- of Moses and not by the awful voice of the Deity.

20. For they could not endure that which was commanded. They could not sustain the awe produced by thsfact that God uttered his commands himself. The meaning is not that the commands themselves were iatol-

21 And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, I exceed ingly fear and quake:)

22 But ye are come unto Mount Sion, and unto the city a

•arable, but that the manner in which they were communicated inspired a terror which they could not bear. They feared that they should die. Ex. xx. 19. ^[ And if so much as a beast touch the mountain it shall be stoned. Ex.xix. 13. The prohibition was, that neither beast nor man should touch it on pain of death. The punishment was to be either by ston ing, or being " shot through." ^f Or thrust through with a dart. Ex. xix. 13. " Or shot through." This phrase, however, though it is found in the common editions of the New Testa ment, is wanting in all the more valu able manuscripts; in all the ancient versions; and it occurs in none of the Greek ecclesiastical writers, with one exception. It is omitted now by al most all editors of the New Testa ment. It is beyond all doubt an ad dition of later times, taken from the Septuagint of Ex. xix. 13. Its omis sion does not injure the sense.

21. And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, &c. This is not re corded in the account of the giving of the law in Exodus, and it has been made a question on what authority the apostle made this declaration re specting Moses. InDeut. ix. 19, Mo ses indeed says, of himself, after he had come down from the mountain, And had broken the two tables of stone that were in his hand, that he was greatly afraid of the anger of the Lord on account of the sin of the people. " I was afraid of the anger and hot displeasure wherewith the Lord Avas wroth against you to de stroy you;" and it has been supposed by many that this is the passage to which the apostle here alludes. But it is very evident that was spoken on a different occasion from the one which is referred to in the passage before us. That was after the law was pro mulgated, and Moses had descended trcm the mount; and it was not said in view of the terrors of the scene when the law was given, but of the apprehension of the wrath of God against the people for their sin in making the golden calf. I know not how to explain this, except by the supposition that the apostle here re fers to some tradition that the scene produced this effect on his mind. In itself it is not improbable that Moses thus trembled with alarm (comp. Ex. xix. 1 6), nor that the re membrance of it should have been handed down among the numerous traditions which the Jews transmit ted from age to age. There must have been many things that occurred in their journey through the wilder ness which are not recorded in the Books of Moses. Many of them would be preserved naturally in the memory of the people, and transmit ted to their posterity; and though those truths might become inter mingled with much that was fabulous, yet it is not irrational to suppose that an inspired writer may have adduced pertinent and true examples from these traditions of what actually oc curred. It was one method of pre serving the truth, thus to select such instances of what actually took place from the mass of traditions which were destined to perish, as would be useful in future times. The circum stance here mentioned was greatly fitted to increase the impression of the sublimity and fearfulness of the scene. Moses was accustomed to commune with God. He had met him at the ' bush,' and had been ad dressed by him face to face, and yet so awful were the scenes at Horeb that even he could not bear it with composure. What may we then sup pose to have been the alarm of the body of the people, when the mind of the great leader himself was thus overpowered!

Sion. You who are Christians; all who are under the HCAV dispensation. The design is to contrast the Chris tian dispensation with the Jewish, and to show that its excellences and advantages were far superior to the religion of their fathers. It had more to win the affections; more to elevate the soul; more to inspire with hope. It had less that was terrific and alarm ing; it appealed less to the fears and more to the hopes of mankind; but still apostacy from this religion could not be less terrible in its consequences than apostacy from the religion of Moses. In the passage before us, the apostle evidently contrasts Sinai Avith Mount Zion, find means to say that there was more about the latter that was adapted to win the heart and to preserve allegiance than there was about the former. Mount Zion lite rally denoted the Southern hill in Je rusalem, on which a part of the city was built. That part of the city was made by David and his successors the residence of the court, and soon the name Zion was given familiarly to the whole city. Jerusalem was the centre of religion in the land; the place where the temple stood, and where the worship of God was cele brated, and where God dwelt by a visible symbol, and it became the type and emblem of the holy abode where lie dwells in heaven. It cannot be literally meant here that they had come to the Mount Zion in Jerusalem, for that was as true of the whole Jew ish people as of those whom the apos tle addressed, but it must mean that they had come to the Mount Zion of which the holy city was an emblem; to the glorious mount Avhich is reveal ed as the dwelling-place of God, of •ungels, of saints. That is, they had ' come' to this by the revelations and hopes of the gospel. They were not I indeed literally in heaven, nor was j that glorious city literally on* earth, but the dispensation to which they | tad been brought was that which!

conducted them directly up to the city of the living God, and to the holy mount where he dwelt above. The view was not confined to an earthlymountain enveloped in smoke and flame, but opened at once on the holy place where God abides. By the phrase ' ye arc come,' the apostle means that this was the characteristic of the new dispensation that it con ducted them there, and that they were already in fact inhabitants of that glorious city. They were citizens of the heavenly Jerusalem (comp. Note Phil. iii. 20), and were entitled to its privileges. ^[ And unto (he city of the living God. The city where the liv ing God dwells — the heavenly Jeru salem. Comp. Notes on eh. xi. 10. God dwelt bv a visible symbol in the temple at Jerusalem— and to that his people came under the old dispensa tion. In a more literal and glorious sense his abode is in heaven, and to that his people have now corne. ^[ The heavenly Jerusalem. Heaven is not unfrequently represented as a mag nificent city where God and angels dwell; and the Christian revelation discloses this to Christians as certain ly their final home. They should re gard themselves already as dwellers in that city, and live and act as if they saw its splendour and partook of its joy. In regard to this repre sentation of heaven as a city where God dwells, the following places may be consulted. Heb. xi. 10. 14—16; xii. 28; xiii. 14; Gal. iv. 26; Rev. iii. 12; xxi. 2. 10—27. It is true that Christians have not yet t>cen that city by the bodily eye, but they look to it with the eye of faith. It is revealed to them; they are permitted by anti cipation to contemplate its -glories, and to feel that it is to be their eter nal home. They are permitted to live and act as if they saw the glori ous God whose dwelling is there, and were already surrounded by the an gels and the redeemed. The apostle does not represent them as if they

23 To the general assembly and church of the first-born, a which are l written biii heaven,

were expecting that it would be visi bly set up on the earth, but as being now actually dwellers in that city, and bound to live and act as if they were amidst its splendours. ^[ And to an innumerable company of angels. The Greek here is, * to myriads' [or ten thousands] of angels in an assem bly or joyful convocation.' The phrase ' tens of thousands' is often used to denote a great and indefinite number. The word rendered 'gene ral assembly,' (ver. 22) — Travrjyvpis — refers properly to ' an assembly or convocation of the whole people in order to celebrate any public festival or solemnity, as the public games or sacrifices.' Hob. Lex. It occurs no where else in the New Testament, and refers here to the angels viewed as assembled around the throne of God and celebrating his praises. It should be regarded as connected with the word angels, referring to their convocation in heaven, and not to the church of the first-born. This con struction is demanded by the Greek. Our common translation renders it as if it were to be united with the church — 'to the general assembly and church of the first-born-/ but the Gre^k will not admit of this construction. The interpretation which unites it with the angels is adopted now by almost all critics, and in almost all the edi- 1 tions of the New Testament. On the convocation of angels, see Notes on Job i. 6. The writer intends doubt less to contrast that joyful assem blage of the angels in heaven with those who appeared in the giving of | the la.v on Mount Sinai. God is al- i ways represented as surrounded by hosts of angels in heaven. See Deut. xxxiii. 2; I. Kings, xxii. 19; Dan. vii. 10; Ps. Ixviii. 17; comp. Notes Heb. xii. 1; see also Kev. v. 2; Matt. xxvi. 53; Luke ii. 13. The meaning is, that under the Christian dispensation and to God the Judge c of all and to the spirits of just mend made perfect,

Christians in their feelings and wor ship become united to this vast host of holy angelic beings. It is, of course, not meant that they are visi ble, but they are seen by the eye of faith. The argument here is, that as, in virtue of the Christian revelation, A\re become associated with those pure and happy spirits, we should not apos tatise from such a religion, for we should regard it as honourable and glorious to be identified with them.

23. To the general assembly. See Notes on ver 22. ^f And church of the first-born. That is, you arc united with the church of the first-born. They who were first-born among the Hebrews enjoyed peculiar privileges, and especially pre-eminence of rank. See Notes on Coll. i. 15. The refer ence here is, evidently, to those saints who had been distinguished for their piety, and who may be supposed to be exalted to peculiar honours in hea ven — such as the patriarchs, prophets, martyrs. The meaning is. that by becoming Christians, we have become in fact identified with that happy and honoured church, and that this is a powerful motive to induce us to per severe. It is a consideration which should make us adhere to our religion amidst all temptations and persecu tions, that we are identified with the most eminently holy men who have lived, and that we are to share their honours and their joys. The Chris tian is united in feeling, in honour, and in destiny, with the excellent of all the earth and of all times. He should feel it, therefore, an honour tobe a Christian; he should yield to no temptation which would induce him to part from so goodly a ielknvship. ^[ Which are written in heaven. Marg. enrolled. The word here was em ployed by the Greeks to denote that one was enrolled as a citizen, or enti tled to the privileges of citizenship.

24 And to Jesus the media- j speaketh better tor a of the new covenant, l and | that of Abel. to the blood b of sprinkling1, that

Here it means, that the names of the persons referred to were registered or enrolled among the inhabitants of the heavenly world. See Notes, Luke x. 20. ^ And to God tfie judge of all God, who will pronounce the final sentence on all mankind. The object of the reference here to God as judge does not appear to be to contrast the condition of Christians with that of the Jews, as is the case in some of the circumstances alluded to, but to bring impressively before their minds the fact that they sustained a pecu liarly near relation to him from whom all were to receive their final allot ment. As the destiny of all depended on him, they should be careful not to provoke his wrath. The design of the apostle seems to be to give a rapid glance of what there was in heaven, as disclosed by the eye of faith to the Christian, which should operate as a motive to induce him to persevere in his Christian course. The thought that seems to have struck his mind in regard to God was, that he would do right to all. They had, therefore, every thing to fear if they revolted from him; they had every thing to hope if they bore their trials with pa tience, and persevered to the end. *§ And to the spirits of just men made perfect. Not only to the more emi nent saints — the ' church of the first born ' — but to all who were made per fect in heaven. They were not only united with the imperfect Christians on earth, but with those who have become completely delivered from sin, and admitted to the world of glory. This is a consideration which ought to influence the minds of all believers. They are even now united with all the redeemed in heaven. They should so live as not to be separated from them in the final day. Most Chris tians have among the redeemed al ready not a few of their most tenderly! beloved friends. A father may be ]

there; a mother, a sister, a smiling babe. It should be a powerful motive with us to live as to be prepared to be reunited Avith them in heaven.

24. And to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant. This Avas the crowning excellence of the new dis pensation in contradistinction from the old. They had been made ac quainted with the true Messiah; they were united to him by faith; they had been sprinkled Avith his blood. See Notes on ch. Arii. 22, and ch. Ariii. G. The highest consideration Avhich can be urged to induce any one to perse vere in a life of piety is the fact that the Son of God has come into the Avorld and died to save sinners. Comp. Notes on vs. 2 — 4 of this chapter. ^f And to the blood of sprinkling. The blood Avhich Jesus shed, and Avhich is sprinkled upon us to ratify the coArenant. See Notes on ch. ix. 18 — 23. ^[ That speahetli better things than that of Abel. Gr. 'Than Abel;' the words ' that of being supplied by the trans lators. In the original there is no re ference to the blood of Abel shed by Cain, as our translators seem to haAre supposed, but the allusion is to the faith of Abel, or to the testimony which he bore to a great and vital truth of religion. The meaning here is, that the blood of Jesus speaks bet ter things than Abel did; that is, that the blood of Jesus is the reality of which the offering of Abel Avas a type. Abel proclaimed by the sacrificewhich he made the great truth that salva tion could be only by a bloody offer ing — but he did this only in a typical and obscure manner; Jesus proclaim ed it in a more distinct and better manner by the reality. The object here is to compare the ^Redeemer Avith Abel, not in the sense that the blood shed in either case calls for vengeance, but that sahration by blood is more clearly revealed in the Christian plan than in the ancient history; and

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:

hence illustrating, in accordance with the design of this epistle, the superior excellency of the Christian scheme over all which had preceded it. There were other points of resembance betv/ecn Abel and the Redeemer, but on them the apostle does not insist. Abel was a martyr, and so was Christ; Abel ^-as cruelly murdered, and so was Christ; there was aggravated guilt in the murder of Abel by his brother, and so there was in that of Jesus by his brethren— his own countrymen; the blood of Abel called for vcnge.mce, and was folloAved by a fearfi 1 penalty on Cain, and so was the death of the Eedeemer on his mur derers — for they said, " his blood be on us and on our children," and are yet suffering under the fearful maledic tion then invoked; — but the point of contrast here is, that the blood of Je sus makes a more full, distinct, and clear proclamation of the truth that salvation is by blood than the offering made b\ Abel did. The apostle al ludes here to what he had said in ch. xi. 4. See Notes on that verse. Such is the contrast between the former and the latter dispensations; and such the motives to perseverance presented by both. In the former, the Jewish, all was imperfect, terrible, and alarm ing. In the latter, every thing was comparatively mild, winning, allur ing, animating. Terror was not the principal element, but- heaven was opened to the eye of faith, and the Christian was permitted to survey the Mount Zion; the New Jerusalem; the angels; the redeemed; the blessed God; the glorious Mediator, and to feel tli at that blessed abode was to be his home. To that happy world he was tending; and with all these pure and glorious beings he was identified. Having stated and urged this argu ment, the apostle in the remainder of the chapter warns those whom he addressed in a most solemn manner against a renunciation of their Chris tian faith.

25. See that ye refuse not. That you do not reject or disregard. *jf Him t'tat speaketh. That is, in the gospel. Do not turn away from him who has addressed you in the new dispensa tion, and called you to obey and serve him. The meaning is, that God had addressed them in the gospel as really as he ha^ ^one the Hebrews on Mount Sinai, and! that there was as much to be dreaded in disregarding his voice now as there Avas then. He does not speak, indeed, amidst lightnings, and thunders, and clouds, but he speaks by every message of mercy; by every invitation; by every tender appeal. He spake by his Son (ch. i. 1); he speaks by the Holy Spirit, and by all his calls and warnings in the gospel. ^[ For if they escaped not. If they who heard God under the old dispen sation, who refused to obey him, were cut off. Notes ch. x. 28. f Who re fused him that spake on earth. That is, Moses. The contrast here is be tween. Moses and the Son of God — the head of the Jewish and the head of the Christian dispensation. Moses was a mere man, and spake as such, though in the name of God. The Son of God was from above, and spake as an inhabitant of heaven. ^[ Much more, &c. See Notes on ch. ii. 2, 3; ix. 28.

26. Whose; oice then shook the earth. When he spake at Mount Sinai. The meaning is, that the mountain and the region around quaked. Ex. xix. 18. The 'voice 'here referred to is that of God speaking from the holy mount. ^[ J3ut now hath lie promised, saying. The words here quoted are taken from Haggai ii. G, where they refer to the changes which would take place under the Messiah. The mean ing is, that there would be great re- volutions in -his coming, as if th universe were shaken to its centre The apostle evidently applies ^thi passage as it is done in Haggai* t< the first advent of the Redeemer. ^ I shake not the earth only. This is no quoted literally from the Hebrew, bu the sense is retained. In Haggai i is, " Yet once, it is a little while, anc I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land and I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come." The apostle lays emphasis on the fact that not only the earti was to be shaken but also heaven. The shaking of the earth here evidently refers to the commotions among the nations that would prepare the way for the com ing of the Messiah. J But also hea ven. This may refer either (1.) to the extraordinary phenomena in the hea vens at the birth, the death, and the ascension of Christ; or (2.) to the re volutions in morals and religion which would be caused by the intro duction of the gospel, as if every thing where to be changed — expressed by 'a slinking of the heavens and the earth;' or (3.) it may be more literally taken as denoting that there Avas a re markable agitation in the heavens— in the bosom of its inhabitants— arising from a fact so wonderful as that the Son of God should descend to earth, suffer, and die. I see no reason to doubt that the latter idea may have been included here; and the meaning of the whole then is, that while the giving of the law at Mount Sinai, fearful and solemn as it was, was an event that merely shook the earth in the vicinity of the holy Mount, the in troduction of the gospel agitated the universe. Great changes upon the earth were to precede it; one revolution was to succeed another preparatory to | it, and the whole universe would be | moved at an event so extraordinary. The meaning is, that the introduction

more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven.

27 And this word, Yet once

of the gospel was a much more solemn and momentous thing than the giving of the law— and that therefore it was much more fearful and dangerous to apostatise from it.

27. And this word, Yet once more. That is, this reference to a great agi tation or commotion in some future time. This is designed as an expla nation of the prophecy in Haggai, and the idea is, that there would be such agitations that every thing which was not fixed on a permanent and im movable basis would be thrown down as in an earthquake. Every thing which \vas temporary in human in stitutions; every thing which was wrong in customs and morals; and every thing in the ancient system of religion which was merely of a pre paratory and typical character would be removed. What was of permanent value would be retained, and a king dom would be established which no thing could move. The effect of the gospel would be to overturn every thing which Avas of a temporary character in the previous system, and every thing in morals which was not 'ounded on a solid basis, and to set up n the place of it principles which no revolution and no time would change. The coming of the Saviour, and the nfluence of his religion on mankind, md this efiect in such respects as the bllowing. (1.) All that was of a ound and permanent nature m the Jewish economy was retained; all hat was typical and temporary was emovecl. The whole mass of sacriices and ceremonies that were de igned to prefigure the Messiah of ourse then ceased; all that was of permanent value in the law of God, and in the principles of religion, was incorporated in the new system and perpetuated. (2.) The same is true in regard to morals. There was much truth on the earth before the time of the Saviour, but it was intermingled the removing of those things that are 1 sha ken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain.

with much that was false. The effect of his coming has been to distinguish what is true and what is false; to give permanency to the one, and to cause the other to vanish. (3.) The same is true of religion. There are some views of religion which men have by nature which are correct; there are many which are false. The Christian religion gives permanence and stability to the one, and causes the other to disappear. And in gene ral, it may be remarked, that the effect of Christianity is to give sta bility to all that is founded on truth, and to drive error from the world. Christ came that he might destroy all the systems of error— that is, all that could be shaken on earth, and to con firm all that is true. The result of all will be that he will preside over a permanent kingdom, and that his people will inherit " a kingdom which cannot be moved." Ver. 28. *f The removing of those tilings that are sha ken. Marg. more correctly " may be." The meaning is, that those principles of religion and morals which were not founded on truth, would be re moved by his coming. ^[ As of things that are made. Much perplexity has been felt by expositors in regard to this phrase, but the meaning seems to be plain. The apostle is contrast ing the things which are fixed and stable with those which are temporary in their nature, or which are settled on no firm foundation. The former lie speaks of as if they were uncreated and eternal principles of truth and righteousness. The latter he speaks of as if they were created, and there fore liable, like all things which are ' made,' to decay, to change, to disso lution, ^f That those things which can not be shaken may remain. The eter nal principles of truth, and law, and righteousness. These would enter

28 Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us " have grace, whereby we may serve God

into the IICAV kingdom which was to be set up, and of course ihnt king dom would be permanent. These are not changed or modified by time, i circumstances, human opinions, or j laws. They remain the same from age to age, in every land, and in all worlds. They have been permanent in all the fluctuations of opinion; in all the varied forms of government on earth; in all the revolutions of states and empires. To bring out these is the result of the events of di vine Providence, and the object of the coming of the Redeemer; and on the^e principles that great kingdom is to be reared which is to endure for ever and ever.

28 Wherefore ice receiving a king dom which cannot be moved. " We who are Christians. We pertain to a king dom that is permanent and unchang ing. The meaning is, that the king dom of the Redeemer is never to pass I away. It is not, like the Jewish dis pensation, to give place to another, nor is there any power that can de stroy it. See Notes on Matt. xvi. 18. It has now endured for eighteen hundred years amidst all the revolu tions on earth, and in spite of all the attempts which have been made to destroy it; and it is now as vigorous and stable as it ever was. The past has shown that there is no power of earth or hell that can destroy it; and that in the midst of all revolutions this kingdom still survives. Its great principles and laws will endure on earth to the end of time, and will be made permanent in heaven. This is the only kingdom in which we can be certain that there will be no revolution; the only empire which is destined never to fall. ^[ Let us have grace whereby we may serve God. Marg. ' let us hold fast.' The Greek is, literally, let ui have grace; the meaning is, ' let us hold fust the grace or favour which we have received in being admitted to the privileges of that kingdom.' The object of the apostle is, to keep them in the reverent fear and service of God. The argument which he pre sents is, that this kingdom is perma nent. There is no danger of its being overthrown. It is to continue on earth to the end of time; it is to be established in heaven for ever. If it were temporarj', changeable, liable to be overthrown at any moment, there would be much less encouragement to perseverance. But in a kingdom like this there is every encourage ment, for there is the assurance (1.) that all our interests there are safe; (2.) that all our exertions will be crowned with ultimate success; (3.) that the efforts which we make to do good will have a permanent influence on mankind, and will bless future ages; and (4.) that the reward is certain. A man subject to a government about whose continuance there would be the utmost uncertainty, would have little encouragement to labour with a view to any permanent interest. In a government Avhere nothing is set tled: where all policy is changing, and where there are constantly va cillating plans, there is no induce ment to enter on any enterprise de manding time and risk. But where the policy is settled; where the prin ciples and the laws are firm; where there is evidence of permanency, there is the highest encouragement. The highest possible encouragement of this kind is in the permanent and established kingdom of God. All other governments may be revolu tionised; this never will be — all others may have a changeful policy; this has none: — all others will be overthrown; this never will. ^[ With reverence and godly fear. With true veneration fir God, and with pious do voted HPSS

29 For a our God is a con suming fire.

29. For our God is a consuming fire. This a further reason why we should serve God with profound reverence and unwavering fidelity. The quotation is made from Peut. iv, 24. " For the Lord thy God is a con~ suming fire, even a jealous God." The object of the apostle here seems to be, to show that there was the same reason for fearing the displeasure of God under the new dispensation which there was under the old. It was the same God who was served. Therehad been no change in his attributes, or in the principles of his government. He was no more the friend of sin now than he was then; and the same per fections of his nature which would then lead him to punish transgression would also lead him to do it now. His anger was really as terrible, and as much to be dreaded as it was at? Mount Sinai; and the destruction which he would inflict on his foes would be as terrible now as it wa» then. The fearfulness with which? he would come forth to destroy the wicked might be compared to a fir* that consumed all before it. See Notes, Mark ix. 44 — 46. The image here is a most fearful one, and is in accordance with all the representa tions of God in the Bible, and with all that we see in the divine dealings with wicked men, that punishment as inflicted by him is awful and over whelming. So it was on the old world; on the cities of the plain; on the hosts of Sennacherib; and on Je rusalem — and so it has been in the calamities of pestilence, war, flood> and famine with which God has visit ed guilty men. By all these tender and solemn considerations, therefore, the apostle urges the friends of God to perseverance and fidelity in his ser vice. His goodness and mercy; the gift of a Saviour to redeem us; the revelation of a glorious world; the assurance that all may soon be united in fellowship with the angels and tho

T ET brotherly a love continue. Jj 2 Be not forgetful to enter tain strangers: for thereby some b redeemed; the certainty that the king dom of the Saviour is established on a permanent basis, and the apprehen sion of the dreadful wrath of God against the guilty, all should lead us to persevere in the duties of our Chris tian calling, and to avoid those things which would jeopard the eternal in terests of our souls.

The closing chapter of this epistle is made up almost entirely of exhor tations to the performance of various practical duties. The exhortations relate to the following points: bro therly love, ver. 1; hospitality, ver. 2; sympathy with those in bonds, ver. 3; fidelity in the marriage relation, ver. 4; contentment, vs. 5, 6; sub mission to those in authority, vs. 7, 8; stability in the doctrines of reli gion, vs. 9 — 15; benevolence, ver. 16; obedience to those entrusted with of fice, ver. 17; and special prayer for Nim who wrote this epistle, vs. 18, 19. i'he epistle then closes with a beau tiful and impressive benediction, vs. 20, 21; with an entreaty that they would receive with favour what had been written, ver. 22; with the grate ful announcement that Timothy, in whom they doubtless felt a great in terest, was set at liberty, ver. 23; and with a salutation to all the saints, vs. 24, 25.

1. Let brotherly love continue. Im plying chat it now existed among them. The apostle had no occasion to reprove them for the want of it, as te had in regard to some to whom he wrote, but he aims merely to impress on them the importance of this vir tue, and to caution them against the danger of allowing it ever to be in terrupted. See Notes on John xiii. 34.

3 Remember them that are

strangers. On the duty of hospital ity, see a full explanation in the Notes on Rom. xii. 13. ^[ For thereby some have entertained angels unawares. Without knowing that they were an gels. As Abraham (Gen. xviii. 2, seq.), and Lot did. Gen. xix. The motive here urged for doing it is, that by entertaining the stranger we may perhaps be honoured with the pres ence of those whose society will be to us an honour and a blessing. It is not well for us to miss the oppor tunity of the presence, the conversa tion, and the prayers of the good. The influence of such guests in a fam ily is worth more than it costs to en tertain them. If there is danger that we may sometimes receive those of an opposite character, yet it is not wise on account of such possible dan ger, to lose the opportunit}^ of enter taining those whose presence would be a blessing. Many a parent owes the conversion of a child to the influ ence of a pious stranger in his fami ly; and the hope that this may occur, or that our own souls may be blessed, should make us ready, at all proper times, to welcome the feet of the stranger to our doors. Many a man, if he had been accosted as Abraham was at the door of his tent by stran gers, would have turned them rudely away; many a one in the situation of Lot woiild have sent the unknown guests rudely from his door; but who can estimate what would have been the results of t.:ch a course on the destiny of those good men and their families? For a great number of in stances in which the heathen were j supposed to have entertained the gods, j though unknown to them, see Wetstein in loc.

3. Remember tJtcm that are in bonds All who are bound; whether prison ers of Avar; captives in dungeons; those detained in custody for trial;

in bonds, a as bound with them; j tv, as being yourselves also in and them which suffer adversi- { the body.

those who are imprisoned for righte ousness' sake; or those held in slave ry. The Avord used here will include all instances where bonds, shackles, chains were ever used. Perhaps there is an immediate allusion to their fel low-Christians who were suffering imprisonment on account of their religion, of whom there were doubtless many at that time, but the principle will apply to every case of those who are imprisoned or oppressed. The word remember implies more than that we are merely to think of them. Comp. Ex. xx. 8; Eccl. xii. 1. It means that we are to remember them with appropriate sympathy; or as we should wish others to remember us if we were in their circumstances. That is, we are (1.) to feel deep compassion for them; (2.) we are to remember them in our prayers; (3.) we are to remember them as far as practicable, with aid for their relief. Christianity teaches us to sjmipathise with all the oppressed, the suffering, and the sad; and there are more of this class than we commonly suppose, and they have stronger claims on our sympathy than we commonly realise. In this land there are not far from ten thousand confined in prison — the father sepa rated from his children; the husband from his wife; the brother from his sister; and all cut off from the living world. Their fare is coarse, and their couches hard, and the ties which bound them to the living world are rudely snapped asunder. Many of them are in solitary dungeons; all of them are sad and melancholy men. True? they are there for crime; but they are men — they arc our brothers. They have still the feelings of our common hu manity, and many of them feel their separation from wife and children and home as keenly as AVC Avould. That God who has mercifully made our lot different from theirs has commanded us to sympathise with them — and we should sympathise all the more when we remember that but for his res train - ing grace AVC should have been in the same condition. There are in this I land of 'liberty' also nearly three! millions Avho are held in the hard j bondage of slavery. There is the j father, the mother, the child, the bro ther, the sister. They are held as property; liable to be sold; having no right to the avails of their own labour; exposed to the danger of having the tenderest ties sundered at the Avill of their master; shut out from the privilege of reading the Avord of God; fed on coarse fare; living in wretched hovels; and often subjected to the painful inflictions of the lash at the caprice of a passionate driA^er. Wives and daughters are made the victims of degrading sensuality Avithout the poAver of resistance or re dress; the security of home is unknoAra; and they arc dependent on the Avill of another man whether they shall or shall not Avorship their Crea tor. We should remember them, and sympathise with them as if they were our fathers, mothers, sisters, bro thers, or sons and daughters. Though of different colour, yet the same blood flows in their ATeins as in ours (Acts xvii. 26); they are bone of our bone, and flesh of our flesh. By nature they have the same right to 'life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness' which we and our children have, and to de prive them of that right is as unjust as it Avould be to deprive us and ours of it. They have a claim on our sym pathy, for they are our brethren. They need it, for they are poor and helpless. They should have it, for the same God who has kept ns from 'that hard lot has commanded us to remember them. That kind remembrance of them should be shoAvn in every prac ticable way. By prayer; by plans j contemplating their freedom; by ef- ' forts to send them the gospel; by I diffusing abroad the principles of libi erty and of the rights of man; by using

4 Marriage a is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: butb whoremongers and adulte rers God will judge.

5 Let your conversation be •\vithout covetousness; and be content c with such things as ye

our influence to arouse the public mind in their behalf, we should en deavour to relieve those who are in bonds, and to hasten the time when 'the oppressed shall go free.' On this subject see Notes on Isa. ch. Iviii. 6. *f As bound with them. There is great force and beauty in this expression. Religion teaches us to..Jentify ourselves with all who are oppressed, and to feel what they suf fer as if we endured it ourselves. In fidelity and atheism are cold and dis tant. They stand aloof from the op pressed and the sad. But Christianity unites all hearts in one; binds us to all the race, and reveals to us in the case of each one oppressed and in sured a brother. «[ And them which sirjfer adversity. The word here used refers properly to those who are mal treated, or who are injured by others. It does not properly refer to those who merely experience calamity. ^[ As being yourselves also in the body. As being yourselves exposed to persecu tion and suffering, and liable to be injured. That is, to do them as you would wish them to do to you if you were the sufferer. When we see an oppressed nnd injured man, we should remember that it is possible that we may be in the same circumstances, and that then we shall need and de sire the sympathy of others.

4. Marriage is.honourable in all. The object here is to state that honour is to be shown to the marriage rela tion. It is not to be undervalued by the pretence of the superior purity of a state of celibacy, as if marriage were improper for any class of men or any condition of life; and it should not be dishonoured by any violation of the marriage contract. The course of things lias shown that there was abun dant reason for the apostle to assert with emphasis that ' marriage was an honourable condition of life.' There has been a constant effort made tc show that celibacy was a more holy state; that there was something in marriage that rendered it dishonour able for those who were in the min istry, and for those of either sex who would be eminently pure. This sen timent has been the cause of more abomination in the world than any other single opinion claiming to have a religious sanction. It is one of the supports on which the Papal system rests, and has been one of the princi pal upholders of all the corruptions in monasteries and nunneries. The apostle asserts, without any restricr tion or qualification, that marriage is honourable in all; and this proves that it is lawful for the ministers of religion to marry, and that the whole doctrine of the superior purity of a state of celibacy is false. See this subject examined in the Notes on I. Cor. vii. ^[ And the bed undefiled. Fidelity to the marriage vow. ^f But whoremongers and adulterers God will judge. All licentiousness of life, and all violations of the marriage co venant, will be severely punished by God. See notes on I. Cor. vi. 9. The sins here referred to prevailed every where, and hence there was the more propriety for the frequent and solemn injunctions to avoid them which we find in the Scriptures.

5. Let your conversation. Your conduct — for so the word conversation is used in the Scriptiires. Notes, Phil. i. 27. *([ Be without covetousness. Notes on Eph. v. 3; Col. iii. 5. ^f And be content with such things as ye. have. See Notes on Phil. iv. 11, 12; Matt, vi. 25 — 31. The particular reason here given for contentment is, that God has promised never to leave his people. Compare with this the beau tiful argument of the Saviour in Matt.

have: for he hath said, a I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

6 So that we may boldly say,b

The Lord ZA my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.

7 Remember them which 1 have the rule over you, who

vi. 25, seq. «[ For he hath said. That is, God has said. *§ I will never leave thee nor forsake thee. See Deut. xxxi. 6; Josh. i. 5; I. Chron. xxviii. 20. Substantially the same expression is found in each of those places, and all of them contain the principle on which the apostle here relies, that God will not forsake his people.

6. So that we may boldly say. With out any hesitation or doubt. In all times of perplexity and threatening want; in all times when we scarcely know whence the supplies for our ne cessities are to come, we may put our trust in God, and be assured that he will not leave us to suffer. In the facts which occur under the providen tial dealings, there is a ground for confidence on this subject which is not always exercised even by good men. It remains yet to be sliOAvn that they who exercise simple trust in God for the supply of their wants are ever forsaken. Comp. Ps. xxxvii. 25. ^ The Lord is my helper. Sub stantially this sentiment is found in Ps. xxvii. 1, and Ps. cxviii. G. The apostle does not adduce it as a quota tion, but as language which a true Christian may employ. The senti ment is beautiful, and full of consola tion. What can we fear if we have the assurance that the Lord is on our side, and that he will help us? Man can do no more to us than he permits, and of course no more than Avill be for our own good; and under what ever trials we may be placed, we need be under no painful apprehensions, for God will be our protector and our friend.

7. Remember them which have the rule over you. Marg. ' are the guides.' The word here used means properly leaders, guides, directors. It is often applied to military commanders. Here it means teachers — appointed to lead or guide them to eternal life. It does not refer to them so much as rulers or governors, as teachers, or guides. In ver. 17, however, it is used in the former sense. The duty here enjoined is that of remembering them; that is, remembering their counsel; their in structions; their example. ^[ Who have spoken to you the word of God. Preach ers; either apostles or others. Re spect is to be shown to the ministerial office by whomsoever it is borne. ^f Whose faith follow. That is, imi tate. See Notes on ch. vi. 12. ^[ Con sidering the end of their conversation. Of their conduct; of their manner of life. The word here rendered ithe end' — eKJSao-is — occurs only here and in I. Cor. x. 13, where it is rendered 'a way of escape.' It properly means, a going out, an egress, and is hence spoken of as a going out from life, or of an exit from the world — death. This is probably the meaning here. It does not mean, as our translation would seem to imply, that Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever, was the aim or end for which they lived — for the Greek will not bear that construction; but it means that they were attentively to contemplate the end or the issue of the conduct of those holy teachers — the close or going out of all that they did; to wit, in a peaceful death. Their faith sustained them. They were en abled to persevere in a Christian course, and did not faint or fail. There is allusion, doubtless, to those who had been their religious instructors, and who had died in the faith of the gospel, either by persecution, or by an ordinary death, and the apostle points to them as examples of that to which he would exhort those whom he addressed— of perseverance in the have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith a follow, considering1 the end of their conversation:

faith until death. Thus explained, this verse does not refer to the duty of Christians towards living teachers, but toward those who are dead. Their duty towards living teachers is en forced in ver. 17. The sentiment here is, that the proper remembrance of those now deceased who were once our spiritual instructors and guides, should be allowed to have an import ant influence in inducing us to lead a holy life. We should remember them with affection and gratitude; we should recal the truths which they taught, and the exhortations which they addressed to us; we should che rish with kind affection the memory of all that they did for our welfare, and we should not forget the effect of the truths which they taught in sustaining their own souls when they died.

8. Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, &c. As this stands in our common translation it conveys an idea which is not in the original. It would seem to mean that Jesus Christ the un changeable Saviour, was the end or aim of the conduct of those referred to, or that they lived to imitate and glorify him. But this is by no means the meaning in the original. There it stands as an absolute proposition, that ' Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever;' that is, that he is unchangeable. The evident de sign of this independent proposition here is, to encourage them to perse vere by showing that their Saviour was always the same; that he who had sustained his people in former times was the same still, and would be the same for ever. The argument here, therefore, for perseverance is founded on the immutability of the Redeemer. If he were fickle, vacil lating, changing in his character and plans; if to-day he aids his people and to-morrow will forsake them; if at one time he loves the virtuous and at another equally loves the vicious; if he formed a plan yesterday which he has abandoned to-day; or if he is ever to be a different being from what he is now, there would be no encou ragement to effort. "Who would know what to depend on? Who would know what to expect to-morrow? For who could have any certainty that he could ever please a capricious or a vacillating being? Who could know how to shape his conduct if the prin ciples of the divine administration were not always the same? At the same time, also, that this passage fur nishes the strongest argument for fidelity and perseverance it is an irre fragable proof of the divinity of the Saviour. It asserts immutability — sameness in the past, the present, and to all eternity — but of whom can this be affirmed but God! It would noc be possible to conceive of a decla ration which would more strongly assert immutability than this.

9. Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. That is, they should have settled and fixed points of belief, and not yield to every new opinion which was started. The apos tle does not exhort them to adhere to an opinion merely because they had before held it, or because it was an o'd opinion, nor does he forbid their following the leadings of truth though they might be required to abandon what they had before held; but he cautions them against that vacillating spirit, and that easy credulity, which would lead them to yield to any no velty, and to embrace an opinion be cause it was new or strange. Probably the principal reference here is to the Judaising teachers, and to their va rious doctrines about their ceremonial observances and traditions. But the exhortation is applicable to Christians

divers and strange doctrines: for it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meat?, which

10 We have an altar, whereof have not j they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle.

at all times. A religious opinion, once embraced on what was regarded a good evidence, or in which we have been trained, should not be abandoned for slight eaxises. Truth indeed should always be followed, but it should be only after careful inquiry, ^ For it is a good tiling that the heart be estab lished with (jrace. This is the proper foundation of adherence to the truth. The heart should be established with the love of God, with pure religion, and then we shall love the truth, and love it in the right manner. If it is the head merely which is convinced, the consequence is bigotry, pride, narrowmindedness. If the belief of the truth lias its seat in the heart, it will be ac companied with charity, kindness, good- AV ill to all men. In such a be lief of the truth it is a good thing to have the heart established. It Avill produce (1.) firmness and stability of character; (2.) charity and kindness to others; (3.) consolation and support in trials and temptations. When a man is thrown into trial and tempta tions, he ought to have some settled principles on which he can rely; some fixed points of belief that will sustain his soul, ^f Not ivith meats. The meaning is, that it is better to have the heart established with grace, or with the principles of pure religion, than Avith the most accurate know ledge of the rules of distinguishing the clean from the unclean among the various articles of food. Many such rules were found in the law of Moses, and many more had been added by the refinements of Jewish rulers and by tradition. To distinguish and re member all these, required no small amount of knoAvledge, and the Jewish teachers, doubtless, prided themselves much on it. Paul says that it would be much better to have the principles of grace in the heart than all this knoAvledge; to have the mind settled on the great truths of religion than to be able to make the most accurate and learned distinct ions in this matter. The same remark may be made about a great many other points besides the Jewish distinctions respecting meats. The principle is, that it is better to have the heart established in the grace of God, than to have the most accurate knowledge of the distinctions which are made on useless or unimportant subjects of religion. This observation Avould extend to many of the shibbo leths of party; to many of the meta physical distinctions in a hair-split ting theology; to many of the points of controversy which divide the Chris* tian world. ^[ Which have not profited, &c. Which have been of no real benefit to their souls. See Notes on I. Cor. viii. 8.

10. We have an altar. WeAvhoaro Christians. The Jews had an altar on which their sacrifices Avere offered Avhich Avas regarded as sacred, and of the benefit of which no others might partake- The design of the apostle is to show that the same thing substantially, so far as privilege and sanctifying influence were concerned, was enjoyed by Christians. The ' al tar' to whiclr he here refers is evi dently the cross on which the great sacrifice was made. *[ Whereof they have no right to eat which serve the, tabernacle. Apart of the meat offered in sacrifice among the Jews became the property of the priests and Levites, and they had, by the law, a right to this as a part of their support. See Lev. vi. 25, 2G; Num. xv'iii. 9, 10. But the apostle says that there is a higher and more valuable sacrifice of which they haAre no right to partake Avhile they remain in the service of the * tabernacle' or temple; that is, Avhile they remain Jews. The parti-

11 For the bodies of those beasts, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned with out 8 the camp.

cipation in the great Christian sacri fice appertained only to those who were the friends of the Redeemer, and however much they might value them selves on the privilege of partaking cf the sacrifices offered under the JeAvish laAv, that of partaking of the great sacrifice made by the Son of "God was much greater. f[ Which serve the tabernacle. Notes ch. ix. 2, 3. The Jewish priests and Levites.

11. For the bodies of those bea-sts, &c. The word here rendered 'for' — yap — Avould be here more properly rendered ' moreover.' — Stuart. The apostle is not urging a reason for Avhat lie had said in the previous verse, but is suggesting a new consideration to excite those whom he addressed to fidelity and perseverance. In the pre vious verse the consideration A^as, that Christians are permitted to par take of the benefits of a higher and.Jnore perfect sacrifice than the Jews, were, and therefore should not relapse into that religion. In this verse the consideration is, that the bodies of the beasts that Avere burnt Avere taken without the camp, and that in like manner the Lord Jesus suffered with out the gate of Jerusalem, and that we should be Avilling to go out with him to that sacrifice, whatever re proach or shame it might be attended with. *j[ Whose blood is brought into the sanctuary, &c. See notes on ch. ix. 7. 12. *f Are burned without the tamp. Lev. iv. 12. 21; xvi. 27. The camp' here refers to the tjme when the Israelites were in the Avilderness, And lived in encampments. The same custom A^as observed after the temple was built by conveying the body of the animal slain for a sin-offering on the great day of atonement beyond the walls of Jerusalem to be consumed there. ' ~VVhateArer,' says Grotius, ' was cpt lawful to be done in the camp, |

12 Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without b the ffate.

12. Wherefore, Jesus also, that Ite might sanctify the people with his own blood. That there might be a con formity between his death for sin and the sacrifices which typified it. It is implied here that it was voluntary on the part of Jesus that he suffered out of the city; that is, it was so ordered by Providence that it should be so. This was secured by.his being put to death as the result of a judicial trial, and not by popular tumult. See Notes on Isa. liii. 8. If he had been killed in a tumult, it is possible that it might have been done as in other cases (comp. the case of Zacharias son of Barachias, Matt, xxiii. 35), even at the altar. As he was subjected, how ever, to a judicial process, his death was effected with more deliberation, and in the usual form. Hence he was conducted out of the city, because no criminal was executed within the Avails of Jerusalem. ^[ Without the gate. Without the gate of Jerusalem. John xix. 17, 18. The place where he was put to death was called Gol gotha, the place of a scull, and hence the Latin word which we commonly use in speaking of it, Cah-ary. Luke xxiii. 33; comp. Notes on Matt xxvii. 33. Calvary, as it is now shown, is within the Avails of Jerusalem, but there is no reason to believe that this is the place where the Lord Jesus Avas crucified, for that Avas out side of the Avails of the city. The precise direction from the city is not designated by the sacred writers, nor are there any historical records, or traditional marks by which it can now be known where the exact place Avas. All that AVC knoAV on the subject from the New Testament is, that the name Avas Golgotha; that the place of the crucifixion and sepulchre were near

13 Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing a his reproach:

14 For here b have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come.

-each other; that they were without the gate and nigh to the city, and that they were in a frequented spot. John xix. 20. " This would favour the con clusion that the place was probably upon a great road leading from one of the gates, and such a spot would only be found upon the western or northern sides of the city, on the roads leading towards Joppa or Damascus." See the question about the place of the crucifixion examined at length in Robinson's Bibli. Research., vol ii. pp. 69—80, and Bibliotheca Sacra, No. 1.

13. Let us go forth therefore unto him, without the camp. As if we were going forth with him when he was led away to be crucified. He was put to death as a malefactor. He was the object of contempt and scorn. He was held up to derision, and was taunted and reviled on his way to the place of death, and even on the cross. To be identified with him there; to follow him; to sympathise with him; to be regarded as his friend, would have subjected one to similar shame and reproach. The meaning here is, that we should be willing to regard ourselves as identi fied with the Lord Jesus, and to bear the same shame and reproaches which he did. When he was led away amidst scoffing and reviling to be put to death, would we, if we had been there, been willing to be regarded as his followers, and to have gone out with him as his avowed disci ples and friends? Alas, how many are there who profess to love him when religion subjects them to no re proach, who would have shrunk from following him to Calvary! ^[ Bearing his reproach. Sympathising with him; or bearing such reproach as he did.

15 By him

offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit d of our lips thanks to his name.

14 For here have we no continuing city, &c. We do not regard this as our final home, or our fixed abode, 'and we should be willing to bear re proaches during the little time that we are to remain here. Comp. Notes, ch. xi. 10. 13, 14. If, therefore, in consequence of our professed attach ment to the Saviour, we should be driven away from our habitations, and compelled to wander, we should be willing to submit to it, for our per manent home is not here, but in hea ven. The object of the writer seems to be to comfort the Hebrew Chris tians on the supposition that they would be driven by perecution from the city of Jerusalem, and doomed to wander as exiles. He tells them that their Lord was led from that city to be put to death, and they should be willing to go forth also; that their permanent home was not Jerusalem, but heaven, and they should be wil ling in view of that blessed abode to be exiled from the city where they dwelt, and made wanderers in the earth.

15. By him, therefore. The Jews approached God by the blood of the sacrifice and by the ministry of their high priest. The exhortation of the apostle here is founded on the general course of argument in the epistle. 'In view of all the considerations presented respecting the Christian High Priest — his dignity, purity, and love; his sacrifice and his interces sion, let us persevere in offering through him praise to God.' That is, let us persevere in adherence to our religion. ^[ The sacrifice of praise. For all the mercies of redemption. The Jews, says Rosenmiiller (Alte u.

16 But to do good, and to yourselves: for they watch d for communicate, a forget not: for your souls, as they that must with such b sacrifices God is well i give account: that they may do

neue Morgenland, in Zoe.), had a spe cies of offerings which they culled peace-offerings or friendship-offerings. They were designed not to produce peace or friendship with God, but to preserve it. Burnt-offerings, sin offer ings, and trespass-offerings, were all on account of transgression, and were designed to remove transgression. But in their peace-offerings, the offerer was regarded as one who stood in the relation of a friend with God, and the oblation was a sign of thankful acknowledgment for favours received, or they were connected with vows in order that further blessings might be obtained, or they were brought voluntarily as a means to continue themselves in the friendship and favour of God. Lev. vii. 11, 12. Comp. Jenning's Jew. Ant. i. 335. ^[ That is, the fruit of our lips. The phrase 'fruit of the lips,' is a Hebra ism, moaning what the lips produce; that is, words. Comp. Prov. xviii. 20; Hos. xiv. 2. «ft Giving thanks to his name. To God; the name of one being often put for the person him self. Praise now is one of the great duties of the redeemed. It will be their employment for ever.

1C But to do good, and to commu nicate, forget not. To communicate or impart to others; that is, to share with them what we have. The Greek word means having in common with others. The meaning is, that they were to show liberality to those who were in want, and were to take spe cial pains not to forget this duty. We are prone to think constantly of our own interests, and there is great danger of forgetting the duty which we owe to the poor and the needy. On the duty here enjoined, see Notes on Gal. vi, 10. •[ For with such sacrifi-

it with joy, and not with grief for that is unprofitable for you.

ces God is well pleased. He is pleased with the sacrifices of prayer and of praise; with the offerings of a broken and a contrite heart; but he is espe cially pleased with the religion which leads us to do good to others. This was eminently the religion of his Son, the Lord Jesus; and to this all true religion prompts. The word ' sacri fices' here is not taken in a strict sense, as denoting that which is offer ed as an expiation for sin, or in the sense that we are by doing good to attempt to make atonement for our transgressions, but in the general sense of an offering made to God. God is pleased with this, (1.) because it shows in us a right state of heart; (2.) because it accords with his own nature. He does good continually, and he is pleased with all who evince the same spirit.

17. Obey them that have the rule over you. Marg. guide. See Notes on ver. 7. The reference here is to their religious teachers, and notto civil rulers. They were to show them proper respect, and to submit to their authority in the church, so far as it was administered in accordance with the precepts of the Saviour. The ob ligation to obedience does not, of course, extend to any thing which is wrong in itself, or which would be a violation of conscience. The doctrine is, that siibordination is necessary to the welfare of the church, and that there ought to be a disposition to yield all proper obedience to those who are set over us in the Lord. Comp. Notes on T. Thess. v. 12, 13. ^[ And sulmii yourselves. That is, to all which they enjoin that is lawful and right. There are in relation to a society (i.) those things Avhich God has positively com manded — which are ahvays to be

18 Pray for us: for we trust we have a good conscience,11 in all things willing to live ho nestly,

obeyed. (2.) Many things which have been agreed on by the society as needful for its welfare — and these are to be submitted to unless they violate the rights of conscience; and (3.) many things which are, in them selves, a matter of no express divine command, and of no formal enactment by the community. They are matters of convenience; things that tend to the order and harmony of the com munity, and of the propriety of these, * rulers' in the church and elsewhere should be allowed to judge, and we should submit to them patiently. Hence in the church, we are to sub mit to all the proper regulations for conducting public worship; for the promotion of religion; and for the administration of discipline, ^f For they watch for your souls. They have no selfish aim in this. They do not seek ' to lord it over God's heritage.' It is for your own good that they do this, and you should therefore submit to these arrangements. And this shows, also, the true principle on which authority should be exercised in a church. It should be in such a way as to promote the salvation of the people; and all the arrangements should be with that end. The mea sures adopted, therefore, and the obe dience enjoined, should not be arbi trary, oppressive, or severe, but should be such as will really promote salva tion. ^[ As they that must give ac count. To God. The ministers of religion must give account to God for their fidelity. For all that they teach, and for every measure which they adopt, they must soon be called into judgment. There is, therefore, the best security that under the influence of this solemn truth they will pursue only that course which will be for your good, ^f That they may do it with joy, and not with grief. Gr. /*>} d £OVT€S — not sighing, or groaning;

19 But I beseech you the rather to do this, that I may be restored to you the sooner.

as they would who had been unsuc cessful. The meaning is, that they should so obey, that when their teach ers came to give up their account they need not do it with sorrow over their perseverance and disobedience. ^f For this is unprofitable for you. That is, their giving up their account in that manner — as unsuccessful in their efforts to save you — would not be of advantage to you, but would be highly injurious. This is a strong mode of expressing the idea that it must be attended with imminent peril to their souls to have their religious teachers go and give an account against them. As they would wish, there fore, to avoid that, they should render to them all proper honour and obe dience.

18. Pray for us. This is a request which the apostle often makes in his own behalf and in behalf of his fellowlabourers in the gospel. See I. Thes. v. 25. Notes, Eph. vi. 13, 19. ^[ For we trust we have a good conscience, &c. See Notes on Acts xxiv. 16. The apostle here appeals to the up rightness of his Christian life as a reason why he might claim their sympathy. He was conscious of an aim to do good; he sought the welfare of the church; and having this aim he felt that he might appeal to the sym- fathy of all Christians in his behalf, t is only when we aim to do right, and to maintain a good conscience, that we can with propriety ask tlio prayers of others, or claim their sym pathy. And if we are ' willing'1 in all things to live honestly,' we may ex pect the sympathy, the prayers, and the affections of all good men.

19. That I may be restored to you the sooner. It is here clearly implied that the writer was deterred from visiting them by some adverse cir cumstances over which he had no control. This might be either by im-

20 Now tlie God a of peace, that b brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd c of the sheep, d through of the everlasting1

21 Make you perfect c in eve ry good work to do his will,2 working f in you that which is well-pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom

prisonment, or sickness, or the want of a convenient opportunity of reach ing them. The probability is, judg ing particularly from the statement in ver. 23, that he was then a prisoner, and that his detention was on that account. See Intro. § 4. (G.) The language here is such as Paul would use on the supposition that he was then a prisoner at Rome, and this is a slight circumstance going to show the probability that the epistle was composed by him.

20. Now the God of peace. God who is the Author, or the source of peace. Notes, I. Thess. v. 23. The word peace in the New Testament is used to denote every kind of blessing or happiness. It is opposed to all that would disturb or trouble the mind, and may refer, therefore, to recon ciliation with God; to a quiet con science; to the evidence of pardoned sin; to health and prosperity, and to the hope of heaven. See Notes on John xiv. 27. ^f That brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus. Notes, Acts. ii. 32; I. Cor. xv. 15. It is only by the fact of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus that we have peace, for it is only by him that we have the pros pect of an admission into heaven, ^f That great shepherd of the sheep. Notes, John x. 1. 14. The idea here is, that it is through the tender care of that great Shepherd that true hap piness is bestowed on the people of God. ^j" Through the blood of the ever lasting covenant. The blood shed to ratify the everlasting covenant that God makes with his people. Notes, ch; ix. 14—23. This phrase, in the original, is not connected, as it is in our translation, with his being raised i from the dead, nor should it be so rendered, for what can be the sense of ' raising Christ from the dead by the blool of the covenant f In the Greek it is, ' The God of peace, who brought again from the dead the shepherd of the sheep, great by the blood of the everlasting covenant, our Lord Jesus, &c. The meaning is, that he was made or constituted the great Shepherd of the sheep — the great Lord and Ruler of his people, by that blood. That which makes him so eminently distinguished; that by which he was made superior to all others who ever ruled over the people of God, was the fact that he offered the blood by which the eternal cove nant was ratified. It is called ever lasting or eternal, because (1.) it was formed in the councils of eternity, or has been an eternal plan in the divine mind; and (2.) because it is to con tinue for ever. Through such a cove nant God can bestow permanent and solid ' peace' on his people, for it lays the foundation of the assurance of eternal happiness.

21. Make you perfect. The apos tle here does not affirm that they were then perfect, or that they would be in this life. The word here used — apTifa— means to make fully ready to put in full order; to make com plete. The meaning here is, that Paul, prayed that God would fully endow them with whatever grace was neces sary to do his will and to keep his commandments. See the word ex plained in the Notes on ch. xi. 3. It is an appropriate prayer to be offered at all times, and by all who love the church, that God would make all his people perfectly qualified to do all his

22 And I beseech you, bre- | 23 Know ye that our brother

Timothy is set at liberty; with whom, if he come shortly, I will

thren, suffer the word of exhor tation: for I have written a let ter unto you in few words.

will. ^[ Working in you. Marg. Do ing. The idea here is, that the only hope that they would do the will of God was, that he would, by his own agency, cause them to do what was well-pleasing in his sight. Comp. Notes on Phil. ii. 12. It is not from any expectation that man would do it himself, *§ Through Jesus Christ. The idea is that God does not direct ly and by his own immediate agency convert and sanctify the heart, but it is through the gospel of Christ, and all good influences upon the soul must be expected through the Saviour. ^[ To whom be glory for ever and ever. That is, to Christ; for so the connex ion evidently demands. It is not un common for the apostle Paul to intro duce doxologies in this way in the midst of a letter. See Notes. Rom. ix. 5. It was common among the Jews, as it is now in the writings and conversations of the Mahommedans, when the name of God was mentioned to accompany it with an expression of praise.

22 Suffer the word of exhortation. Referring to the arguments and coun sels in this whole epistle, which is in fact a practical exhortation to perse verance in adhering to the Christian religion amidst all the temptations which existed to apostacy. ^f For I hate written a letter unto you in few words. This does not mean that this epistle is short compared with the others that the author has written, for most of the epistles of Paul are shorter that this. But it means, that it was brief compared with the im portance and difficulty of the subjects of which lie had treated. The topics introduced would have allowed a much more extended discussion, but in handling them he had made use of as few words as possible. No one j can deny this who considers the sen- I tentious manner of this epistle. As | an illustration of this, perhaps we may remark, that it is easy to expand the thoughts of this epistle into am ple volumes of exposition, and that in fact it is difficult to give an expla nation of it without a commentary that shall greatly surpass in extent the text. None can doubt, also, that the author of this epistle could have himself greatly expanded the thoughts j and the illustrations if he had chosen. It is with reference to such considera-! tions, probably, that he says that the i epistle was brief.

23. Know ye that our brother Tim othy is set at liberty. Or, is sent away. So it is rendered by Prof. Stuart, and others. On the meaning of this, and its importance in determining who was the author of the epistle, see the Intro. § 2, (5) 4, and Prof. Stuart's Intro. § 19. This is a strong circum stance showing that Paul was the au thor of the epistle, for from the first acquaintance of Timothy with Paul he is represented as his constant com panion, and spoken of as a brother. Notes II. Cor. i. 1; Phil. i. 1; Col. i. 1; Phil. i. There is no other one of the apostles who would so natu rally have used this term respecting Timothy, and this kind mention is made of him here because he was so dear to the heart of the writer, and because he felt that they to whom he wrote would also feel an interest in his circumstances. As to the meaning of the word rendered 'set at lib erty'— oTroXfX^ei/oi/ — there has been much difference of opinion, whether it means ' set at liberty from confine ment,' or ' sent away on some mes sage to some other place.' That the latter is the meaning of the expres sion appears probable from these con siderations. (1.) The connexion seems to demand it. The writer speaks of him as if he were now away, and as if he hoped that he might soon re-

24 Salute all them that have 1 2o Grace le the rule over you, and all the | Amen.

saints. They of Italy salute j Written to the Hebrews from you. i Itaty by Timothy.

turn. ' With whom, if he come sliort- Jy, I will see you.' This is language which -would be used rather of one who had been sent on some embassy than of one who was just released from prison. At all events, he was at this time away, and tbere was some expectation that he might soon return. Bat on the supposition that the expression relates to release from imprisonment, there would be an en tire incongruity in the language. It is not, as we should then suppose,

* our brother Timothy is now released from prison, and there/ore I will come soon with him and see you;' but,

* our brother Timothy is now sent away, and if he return soon, I will come with him to you.' (2.) In Phil, ii. 19. 23, Paul, then a prisoner at Rome, speaks of the hope which lie entertained that be would be able to send Timothy to them, as soon as he should know how it would go with him. He designed to retain him un til that point was settled, as his pre sence with him would be important until then, and then to send him to give consolation to the Philippians, and to look into the condition of the church. Now the passage before us agrees well with the supposition that that event had occurred — that Paul had ascertained with sufficient clear ness that he would be released so that lie might be permitted yet to visit the Hebrew Christians; that lie had sent Timothy to Philippi and was waiting for his return; that as soon as he should return he Avould be pre pared to visit them; and that in the mean time, while Timothy was <\osent, he wrote to them this epistle. (3.) The supposition agrees well with the meaning of the word here used — aTroXvcj. It denotes properly to let loose from; to loosen; to unbind; to release, to let go free; to put away or divorce; to dismiss simply, or let go, or send away. See Matt. xiv. 15, 22. 23; xv. 32. 39; Luke ix. 12, e<< al Comp. Rob. Lex. and Stuart's In tro. §19. The meaning, then, I take to be this, that Timothy was then sent away on some important enibassage; that the apostle expected his speedy return; and that then he trusted that he would be able with him to visit those to whom this epistle was written.

24. Salute all them. See Notes on Horn. xvi. 3, seq. It was customary for the apostle Paul to close his epis tles with an affectionate salutation, ^| Tliat have the rule over you. Notes vs. 7. 17. None are mentioned by name, as is usual in the epistles of Paul. The cause of this omission is unknown. ^And all the saints. The common name given to Christians in the Scriptures. See notes on Rom. i. 7. «f They of Italy salute you. The sr.ints or Christians in Italy. Show ing that the writer of the epistle was then in Italy. He was probably in Rome. See the Intro. § 2.

The subscription at the close of the epistle, ' written the Hebrews from Italy by Timothy,' like the other subscriptions, is of no authority. See Notes at the end of I Cor. It is demonstrably erroneous here, for it is expressly said by the author of the epistle that at the time he Avrote it, Timothy was absent. Ch. xiii. 23. In regard to the time and place of writing it, see the Intro. § 4.

At the close of this exposition, it is not improper to refer the reader to the remarks on its design at the end of the Introduction § G. Having passed through the exposition, we may see more clearly the importance of the views there presented. There is no book in the New Testament more important than this, and of course none whose want would le more per ceptible in the canon of the Scriptures. Every reader of the Old Testament needs such a guide as this epistle, •written by some one who had an inti mate acquaintance from childhood with the Jewish s}-stem; who had all the advantages of the most able and faithful instruction, and Avho has un der the influence of inspiration, to make us acquainted with the true na ture of those institutions. Nothing was more important than to settle the principles in regard to the nature of the Jewish economy; to show what was typical, and how those institu tions were the means of introducing a far more perfect system — the sys tem of the Christian religion. If we have right feelings, we shall have sin cere gratitude to God that he caused the Christian religion to be prefigured by a system in itself so magnificent and grand as that of the Jewish, and higher gratitude for that sublime sys tem of religion of which the Jewish, with all its splendour, was only the shadow. There was much that was beautiful, cheering, and sublime in the Jewish system. There was much that was grand and awful in the giv ing of the law, and much that was imposing in its ceremonies. In its palmy and pure days, it was incom parably the purest and noblest system of religion then on earth. It taught the knowledge of the one true God; inculcated a pure system of morals; preserved the record of the truth on ithe earth, and held up constantly beifore man the hope of a better system still in days to come. But it was ex pensive, burdensome, precise in its prescriptions, and wearisome in its ceremonies. Acts xv. 10. It was adapted to one people— a people who occupied a small territory, and who could conveniently assemble at the central place of their worship three times in a year. It was not a system adapted to the whole world; nor was it designed for the whole world. When the Saviour came, therefore, to intro duce whom was the design of the Jew ish economy, it ceased as a matter of course. The Jewish altars were soon thrown down; the temple was razed to the ground, and the city of their solemnities was destroyed. The reli gion of the Hebrews passed away to be revived no more in its splendour and power, and it has never lived since, except as an empty form.

This epistle teaches us why it pass ed away, and why it can never be I restored. It is the true key with [which to unlock the Old Testament; 'and with these views, we may remark in conclusion, that he who would unjderstand the Bible thoroughly should make himself familiar with this epis- Itle; that the canon of Scripture would be incomplete without it; and that, | to one who wishes to understand the! Revelation which God has given, there | is no portion of the volume whose loss would be a more irreparable calamity.than that of the Epistle to the Hebrews.