Demas a "leaking vessel," 2 Tim. iv, 10; and this choked one fourth part of the seed in the parable, Matt. xiii. Many might have been rich in grace, had they not made it their end and business to be rich in this world, Tim. vi, 9. Again, the love of sin. A secret lust cherished in the heart will make it (plenum rimarum,) "full of chinks," so that it will never retain the showers of the word; and it will assuredly open those chinks again as fast as convictions may stop them. Moreover, false doctrines, false worship, and superstitious fancies will do the same. I place these things together, as those which work in the same kind upon the curiosity, vanity, and darkness of the human mind. These break the vessel, and at once pour out all the benefits received.

§8. Obs. 3. The gospel heard is not lost without great sin; as well as the inevitable ruin of the souls of men. And lost it certainly is, when it is not "mixed with faith," when we receive it not into "good and honest hearts," and when the end of it is not accomplished in us. But this, undoubtedly, befalls us not without our sin, and woful neglect of duty. The word, of its own nature, is apt to abide, to incorporate itself with us, and to take root; but we cast it out, and pour it forth from us. Surely, then. they have a woful account to make, on whose souls (Oh shuddering thought!) the enormous guilt thereof shall be found at the last day.

$9. Obs. 4. It is in the nature of the gospel to water dry and barren hearts, and to make them fruitful unto God. Where this word comes, it makes "the parched ground a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water," Isa. xxxv, 7. These are "the waters of the sanctuary, that heal the barren places of the earth, and make them fruitful," Ezek. xlvii, 7; the "river that makes glad the

city of God," Psal. xlvi, 7; that “river of living water that comes forth from the throne of God," Rev. xxii, 1; and the places and persons which are not healed or benefited by those waters, are left to barrenness and burning for evermore, Ezek. xlvii, 11; and Heb. vi, 8. With the dew hereof doth God water his church every moment, Isa. xxvii, 3; and then doth it "grow as a lily, and cast forth its roots as Lebanon," Hos. xiv, 5—7. Abundant fruitfulness to God follows a gracious receiving of this dew from him; and blessed are they who have it distilling on them every morning, who are watered as the garden of God, or as a land for which he careth.

$10. Obs. 5. The consideration that the gospel is revealed by the Son of God himself, is a powerful motive to that diligent attention which is here inculcated. This is the apostle's inference, which he pursues through the greatest part of the ensuing chapter. And the Divine requisition, that "we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard," is most reasonable upon many accounts.

(1.) Because of the authority wherewith Christ spake the word. Others spake and delivered their message as servants, he as the Lord over his own house, chap. iii, 6. The Father himself proclaimed from heaven, that if any one would have any thing to do with God, they were "to hear him,” Matt. xvii, 10; 2 Pet. i, 17. The whole authority of God was with him; for him did God the Father seal, or upon him did he put the stamp of all his authority. It cannot then be neglected, without the contempt of all the incontestable authority of God; which cannot be but a sore and tremendous aggravation of the sins of unbelievers and apostates at the last day.

(2.) Because of the love that is in it. There is in it the love of the Father in sending the Son; and there is also in it the love of the Son himself, condescending to teach and instruct the sons of men, who, by their own fault, were cast into error and darkness. What greater love (except his dying for us) could the eternal Son of God manifest unto us, than that he should undertake in his own person, to become our instructor: See 1 John v, 20. He that shall consider the brutish ignorance and stupidity of the generality of mankind in the things of God; the miserable, fluctuating, and endless uncertainties of the more inquiring part of them; and withal the importance of their being brought into the knowledge of the truth, cannot but in some measure, see the greatness of the love of Christ in revealing to us the whole counsel of God. Hence his words are said to be "gracious,” Luke iv, 22; and grace is said to be poured into his lips, Psal. xlv, 2; and this is no small motive to our earnest attention to the gospel.

(3.) The fulness of his revelation is also of the greatest importance. He came not to declare merely a part, but the whole will of God; all that we should know, all that we should do, and all that we should believe. In him are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowl edge, Col ii, 3. He opened all the dark sentences of the will of God, hidden from the foundation of the world. There is in his doctrine all wisdom, all knowledge, as all light is in the sun, and all water in the sea. Now if every word of God be excellent, if every part of it, delivered by his servants of old, was to be attended to upon penalty of extermination out of the number of his people; how much more miserable will our condition be, and how much more deplorable is our blindness and obstinacy, if we have not a heart to attend to this full revelation of himself and his will!

(4.) Because it is final. "Last of all, he sent his Son." No new, no farther revelation of God, is to be expected in this world but what is made by Jesus Christ. To this only we must attend, or (dreadful, yet equitable alternative!) we are lost for ever! I short, the true and only way of honoring Christ, as the Son of God, is by diligent attention and cheerful obedience to his gospel. The apostle having evidenced his glory as the Son of God, draws this as the most important inference from it. Thus also he himself; "If ye love me, keep my commandments." Where there is no obedience to the word, there is no faith in, nor love to Jesus Christ.

VERSES 2---4.

For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward; how shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him; God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will.

$1. Connexion and scope of the words. $2---9. (I.) Their exposition. $10. (II.) Observations. 1. Threatenings are evangelical, and of singular use. $11. This farther proved. 12, 13. 2. All punishments are effects of vindictive justice. $14. S. The concernments of the law and gospel are to be weighed by believ ers. $15. 4. Divine revelation is stedfast. $16-22. 5 The gospel being a great salvation, whosoever neglecteth it shall therefore unavoidably perish.

§1. In these verses the apostle prosecutes his exhort

ation laid down in that foregoing, with the addition of many peculiar enforcements. If a disregard to the law was attended with a sure and sore revenge, how much more must the neglect of the gospel be so. The words consist of two general parts; a description of the law; and, a description of the gospel.

§2. "For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast." The law is called, by a periphrasis, "the word spoken, or pronounced, by angels." The Greek word

(Aoyos) is very variously used in the New Testament, and is here taken for a system of doctrines; and by the addition of the term (λλ) spoken, as published, preached, or declared. Thus the gospel from the principal subject matter of it, is called ( λoyos 78 σтαuρ8) 1 Cor. i, 18; the word, the doctrine, the preaching concerning the cross, or Christ crucified. So here (20yos) the "word," is the doctrine of the law; that is, the law itself spoken and promulgated (Siu ayyɛhwv) by angels; that is, by the ministry of angels. Having newly insisted on a comparison between Christ and the angels, his argument is greatly corroborated when it is considered, that the law was, "the word spoken by angels," but the gospel was delivered by the Son, who is so far exalted above them. It is no where af firmed, that the law was "given by angels;" but that the people "received it by the deputation of angels;" and that it was "ordained" by angels, and here "spoken" by them. From hence it is evident, that not the original authoritative giving of the law, but the ministerial ordering of things in its promulgation, is that which is ascribed to angels. They raised the fire and smoke, they shook and rent the rock; they framed the sound of the trumpet; they effected the articulate voices which conveyed the words of the law to the ears of the people; and therein proclaimed and published the law, whereby it became "the word spoken by angels."

And that in these words lies the spring of the apostle's argument, is manifest from the interrogatory particles (a yap) for if; for if the law that was published to our fathers by angels, was so vindicated against the disobedient; how much more shall the neglect of the gospel be revenged.

He affirms concerning the word thus published, that it was (Beßaros) firm or stedfast; that is, it became am