veil, it is an anchor that is cast upon the rock, the Rock of ages; it does not think to fasten in the sands, but enters within the veil, and fixes there upon Christ; he is the object, he is the anchor-hold of the believer's hope."*

Chap. x. 23. They had the same kind of faith with the apostle, and had made the same profession of it. Verse 26. They had received the knowledge of the truth. Verse 29. They were sanctified by the blood of the covenant. Verse 32. They had been illuminated, and had endured a great fight of affliction: or as Mr. Henry saith, "They had suffered, in former days after they were illuminated; that is, as soon as GOD had breathed life into their souls, and caused divine light to spring up in their minds, and taken them into favour and covenant."t

Verse 34. They had taken joyfully the spoiling of their goods, KNOW

*Hen. on the place.

+Ibid.

ING IN THEMSELVES THAT THEY HAD IN HEAVEN A BETTER AND AN ENDURING SUBSTANCE.

Verse 35. THEY HAD A CONFI

DENCE WHICH HAD A GREAT RECOM

PENSE OF REWARD: which according to Mr. Henry, "carries a present reward in it, in holy peace, and joy, and much of God's presence and power resting upon them; and it shall have a great recompense of reward hereafter."*

Verse 39. At the very time the apostle wrote to them, They believed

TO THE SAVING OF THEIR SOULS.

Chap. xii. 22-24. They were come to Mount Zion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to the innumerable company of angels; to the general assembly of the church of the first-born which are written in heaven, to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, and to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant,

*Hen. on the place.

and to the blood of sprinkling, which speaketh better things than the blood of Abel. The eight particulars mentioned in this passage are a compendium of the privileges of the christian church; and when the apostle said that these Hebrews were come unto these, his meaning was, that they truly and spiritually enjoyed them. Accordingly Mr. Henry saith, "In coming to Mount Zion, believers come into heavenly places, and into a heavenly society. 1. Into heavenly places; the city of the living God"" There his people may find him ruling, guiding, sanctifying and comforting them; there he speaks to them by the gospel ministry; there they speak to him by prayer, and he hears them; there he trains them up for heaven, and gives them the earnest of their inheritance.”—“ 2. To a heavenly Society. 1. To an innumerable company of angels, who are of the same family with the saints." "2. To the general assembly, and church of the first-born that are writ

ten in heaven, that is, to the universal church, however dispersed. By faith we come to them; have communion with them in the same head, by the same spirit, and in the same blessed hope, and walk in the same way of holiness."*

Add to all that hath been said, as a farther proof that these Hebrews were genuine Christians, that the apostle hath numbered them with himself, as members of the same family, and as partakers of the same christian privileges, not less than FIFTY times, as may be seen in the following places. Chap. i. 2. chap. ii. 1, 2, 3, 8, 9. chap. iii. 1, 6, 14, 15, 16. chap. iv. 1, 2, 3, 11, 14, 15, 16. chap v. 11. chap. vi. 1, 3, 18, 19, 20. chap. vii. 26. chap. viii 1. chap. ix. 12, 24. chap. x. 10, 15, 20, 22, 24, 25, 26, 30, 39. chap. xi. 3, 40. chap. xii. 1, 2, 9, 10, 25, 28, 29. chap. xiii. 10, 13, 14, 15.

It is therefore certain, upon the whole, that these Hebrews, who are *See Henry on the place.

supposed to be in danger of neglecting this salvation, were true believ ers, were real christians, and genu. ine children of GOD.

I now proceed in the next place to shew, what the apostle meant by their neglecting this great salvation.

And, first, it certainly does not mean, that they had neglected to embrace it. This is evident from what hath already been said, concerning their being true believers, and real children of God: for it is certain that if they had neglected to embrace or receive this salvation, they could not be true, genuine christians, they could not be the real children of God: seeing it was only by embracing, or receiving this salvation that they partook of this privilege, and were brought into this number.

And that they did not neglect to embrace this salvation, is particularly evident, 1. From those places which assert that they had formerly souGHT and OBTAINED it: as chap. vi. 18. where it is said that they had fled for

D