16 Left there be any fornicator, or pro† fane perfon, as Efau,

*

16. For fear any Chriftian, for A.D. 63. the Gratification of any finful Lufts, or fecuring his Worldly Advantages, fhould prove as thoughtlefs and profane tas Efau was, when, to fatisfy his present Hunger, he refigned up his Birth-right, to which fuch excellent Privileges were annexed.

who for one morfel of meat fold his birth-right.

17. Let them learn, by his Example, that Bleffings, once loft, may not be recoverable by the utmoft Importunity and Concern. And as his Tears could avail nothing toward retrieving the Birth-right he had fooled away; fo it will be an exceeding hard, if not impoffible thing, for || Chap. vi. wilful Apoftates from Chriftianity to 4, 5, 6. to true Religion and Happiness.

18, 19, 20 & 21. And this Danger will appear the greater, by confidering, they forfake a Religion fo much

more

* Ver. 16. Any Fornicator: ns wor. That there be no Whoremonger, of any Kind, amongst you.

+ Ver. 16. Prophane Perfon as Efau; for refigning the chief Priesthood, which was the Office and Privilege of the Eldeft of the Family, fay moft Interpreters. Or elfe, for flighting the folemn Prayers and Benedictions of his Father, with which the Birth-right of the Elder Son was conferred upon, and confirmed to him, as Mr. Le Clerk thinks. But the true and immediate Notion of this Profaneness of Efau appears best from the Words of the History, Gen, xxv. 32. He did eat and drink, and rose up, and went his way, i. e. careiefs and unconcerned; thus Efau deSpifed his Birth-right defpifed; the Hebrew Word fignifies profanely contemned. And the Privilege of the Birth-right feems very plainly to have been the Rule or Headship of the Family, according to thofe Words of Gen. xxvii. 28, 29. Be Lord over thy Brethren, &c.

Ver. 18. Unto the Mount that might be touched, i. e. an Earthly, Corporal and Senfible one, denoting the External and Carnal Nature of the Ceremonial Law, from thence delivered. Yet I make a Query, whether the True Reading should not be

μὴ

20 (For they could not endure that which was commanded : And if fo much as a beaft touch the mountain, it shall be stoned, or thrust through with a dart.

21 And fo terrible was the fight, that Mofes faid, I exceedingly fear and quake.)

rus Inλa@wμiva et, The Mountain that might not be Touched. This being perfectly True, as to the Time of the Delivery of the Las, and a Circumftance exactly agreeable to the rest, as mention'd by the Apoftle, in this Paflage. But finding no Copies to warrant this Reading, I leave it only as a Conjecture.

Whofe Names are written in Heaven. See Phil. iv. 3. the Note there.

+ Ver. 23. The Spirits of juft Men made perfect; that is, Who have perfected and finished their Course, having escaped all the Dangers and Temptations of the prefent World.

ling, that fpeaketh
better things
that of Abel.

than

fered with the most perfect Faith; A.D.63.
and a Bloodfhed directly opposite in
its Effects to his; procuring us per-

fect Mercy and Forgiveness; while Abel's called for nothing
but Vengeance.

25 See that ye refufe not him that fpeaketh: For if they eicaped not who refufed him that spake

on earth, much more

shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from

heaven :

26 Whofe voice then fhook the earth :

but now he hath promifed, faying, Yet once more I shake not

the earth only, but

also heaven.

25. Take heed then that you
fall not off from the Religion of
the Son of God. For if Apoftates
from the Law delivered only from
Mount || Sinai, and by Mofes, who | Tiv
was but a Man, were fo feverely
punished with Death; How more
terrible will be their Punishment,
who renounce a Religion that was
immediately revealed by the Son of
God, from Heaven?

26. For, as great a Difpenfation as the Jewish Law may feem to be, by the Solemnity wherewith it was at firft delivered; yet it is not comparable, either for its Greatness or Duration, to that of Chrift. At the giving of that Law indeed, the Earth was faid to tremble, Pfal. lxviii. 8. And the moft remarkable Dealings of God toward the Jewish People are expreffed in Scripture, by His fhaking the Earth. But when the Prophets describe the great Changes and Revolutions that should forerun, and the mighty Power that fhould accompany, the laft and perfect Difpenfation of Chrift

*Than that of Abel: wapa rov 'ACλ, than Abel. It not being agreed on by Interpreters, whether these Words relate to the Sacrifice offered by Abel, or his Blood fpilt by Cain; I have expreffed both Senfes.

Ver. 25. Him that speaketh and Him that speaketh from Heaven- Note, I interpret this of the Son of God: The learned Mr. Peirce thinks it was God the Father. The Difference cannot be great; fince we all allow, it was the fame God who spake by the Angels and Mofes, at Mount Sinai on Earth, and by his Son from Heaven. And the Words of the Prophet Haggai exprefs no more than the Degree of the Solemnity or Change made by either of these Voices. But let the Reader judge.

τίζονται

A.D.63. Chrift the Meffiah, they reprefent it by God's shaking both Heaven and Earth, Hag. ii. 7. 8. Yet once more (fays God) and I will shake Heaven and Earth; i. e. Make a thorough Revolution, and establish a lasting Dispensation of Religion to all Mankind*.

27. Now thofe Words, Yet once more, are a plain Declaration, that the Jewish Religion was to be altered and abolished, and a more perfect and lasting one to fucceed in its

27 And this word,
Yet once more, figni-
fieth the removing of
thofe things that are
fhaken, as of things
that + are made, that
thofe things which
cannot be shaken may remain.

which cannot be mo

Room.

28 Wherefore we 28. Seeing therefore, we Chrireceiving a kingdom ftians are actually become Members of this excellent and unalterable Religion, let us keep firm and tfteddy to it; and worship God with that religious Reverence, which cannot fail to make us acceptable to him.

ved, let us have
grace, whereby we
may ferve God accep-
tably, with reverence
and godly fear.

29 For our God is
a confuming fire.

29. Remembring that, if we do otherwise, he will, one Day, confume and destroy us, in a more terrible manner than he did the rebellious Ifraelites, Deut. iv. 24. and Chap. ix. 3.

* See Matt. xxiv. 30. Mark xiii. 25. Luke xxi. 26.

Ver. 27. Of the Things that are made- we weñoinμiver, Of the things appointed; i. e. formerly appointed, but now to be changed and abolish'd. See Mr. Peirce.

Ver. 28. Let us have Grace: exawer xapir, Let us bold faft the Grace, i.e. The Gospel Religion. x being often the fame with xarix, as in 1 Cor. vii. 2. 2 Tim. i. 13. See Glaffius Philolog. Sac. Tra&t. de Verbo Can. 1.

С НА Р.

CHA P. XIII.

The CONTENTS.

The Apoftle concludes with Exhortations to feveral Chriftian Duties, fuch especially as the Jewish Chriftians wanted moft to have inculcated upon them; viz. to Charity, Hofpitality, and Beneficence to their Fellow-Chriftians in Imprisonment. To a due Efteem of the Lawfulness of Marriage, and to Abftinence from all Uncleannefs. To Contentment in their Worldly Condition. To a juft Efteem and Imitation of their Spiritual Guides. In fine, to Conftancy in the true Doctrine and Worship of Christianity, as far furpaffing the External Ceremonies of the Jewish Religion. Defires their Prayers for him. Prays for them. The Salutation, and Conclufion.

ET brotherly love I.

Lcontinue.
vantages of refolutely adhering to your Profeffion, I fhall
conclude with exhorting you to the Practice of fuch of
its Effential Duties, as you Jewish Chriftians are most apt
to be wanting in. Remembring then, in the first place,
that univerfal Love and Charity to all your Fellow-
Christians, is one of the fpecial Duties of the Gospel. No
partial Diftinction ought to be made between Jewish and
Gentile Brethren.

Aving thus fhown you the A.D.63.

H great Obligations and Ad

2 Be not forgetful to entertain strangers for thereby fome have entertained angels un

awares.

whom they at first

3 Remember them that are in bonds, as and them which fu

bound with them; fuf

fer

2. In particular, be mindful of that Part of Charity, that confifts in Hofpitality to Strangers. Remember how happy Lot and Abraham were, in entertaining Angels |, || Gen. xviii. took to be but Men.

3. Have a fpecial Regard and Compaffion to fuch Chriftians as are under Imprifonment for their Re

ligion.

and xix.