For, 1. Our apostle treats of those whom he supposeth and judgeth to be in a present good spiritual condition. For with respect thereunto he ascribeth unto them things that accompany salvation, and prescribeth no other duty unto them for the actual enjoyment of it, but only those of faith and love and ministration unto the saints, which at present he commendeth in them. What they did formerly, that he affirms them to continue in the performance of. You have ministered, and you do minister. 2. The apostle expressly distinguisheth them concerning whom he now speaks, from those who were now fallen off from the profession of the gospel, or that state of justification which the Romanists suppose. 3. He doth not direct these persons to seek after a recovery out of the condition wherein they were, but encourageth them unto a continuance therein, and to shew the same diligence unto that purpose, as formerly, to the end, ver. 12. Nothing therefore is more fond than to suppose that any thing is here taught concerning the mortification of good works as to their merit by deadly sin, and their recovery thereof by penance, a fiction which these men dream of to no purpose.

2dly, Neither is countenance given unto the other imagination in general, concerning the merit of works in these words. For, 1. The design of the apostle is only to let them know that their labour in the work of the Lord, that their obedience unto the gospel, should not be lost or be in vain. And hereof he gives them assurance from the nature of God with whom they had to do, with respect unto that covenant whereinto he takes them that do believe. They had been sedulous in the discharge of the great duty of ministering unto the saints, in particular upon the account of the name of Jesus Christ that was upon them. These duties had been attended with trouble, danger and charge. And it was needful to confirm them in a persuasion that they should not be lost. This they might be two ways. 1. If themselves should fall away and not persist in their course unto the end. 2. If God should overlook, or forget as it were all that they had done. Against both these apprehensions the apostle secures them. From the first, in that the works mentioned having been truly gracious works, proceeding from faith and love, they evidence their persons to be in that state of grace, wherein they should be effectually preserved unto the end, by virtue of God's faithfulness in covenant, which he further pursues towards the end of the chapter. Nor, secondly, had they the least reason to doubt of their future reward. For who was it that called them to these duties, and on what account? Is it not God, and that according unto the tenour of the covenant of grace? and hath he not therein promised to accept their persons and their duties by Jesus Christ? If now he should not do so, would he not be unrighteous, must he not deny himself, and not remember his promise? Wherefore the righteousness of

God here intended, is his faithfulness in the promises of the covenant. And he is not said to be righteous in rewarding or not rewarding, but in not forgetting. He is not unrighteous to forget. Now to forget any thing doth not reflect immediately on distributive justice, but upon fidelity in making good of some engagement. But not to engage into disputations in this place, let men acknowledge that the new covenant is a covenant of grace; that the constitution of a reward unto the obedience required therein is of grace; that this obedience is not accepted on its own account, but on account of the mediation of Christ; that all men's good works will not make a compensation for one sin; that we are to place our trust and confidence in Christ alone for life and salvation, because he is "the end of the law for righteousness unto them that do believe;" and let them please themselves for a while, in the fancy of the merit of their works, at least of the high and necessary place which they hold in their justification before God; after all their wrangling disputes, it will be Christ and grace alone that they will betake themselves unto, or their case will be deplorable. These things I have premised that we may have no cause to divert unto them, in the ensuing exposition of the words.

The apostle in this verse gives an account of the grounds of his persuasion concerning these Hebrews, expressed in the verse foregoing. And these he declares unto them, partly for encouragement, and partly that they might be satisfied in his sincerity, and that he did not give them fair words to entice or allure them by. And the reasons he gives to this purpose may be reduced unto two heads.

1. The observation which he had made concerning their faith and love, with the fruits of them.

2. The faithfulness of God in covenant, whereon the final preservation of all true believers doth depend.

These are the grounds of that persuasion concerning their state and condition, which he expresseth in the foregoing words. Hence that persuasion of his was of a mixed nature, and had something in it of a divine faith, and somewhat only of a moral certainty. As he drew his conclusion from, or built his persuasion on God's faithfulness or righteousness, so there was in it an infallible assurance of faith that could not deceive him. For what we believe concerning God as he hath revealed himself, is infallible. But as his persuasion had respect unto the faith, love and obedience which he had observed in them, so it was only a moral assurance, and such as in its own nature might fail. For God only is nagdioworns; and we who judge by the outward evidences of invisible things may be deceived. The proposition from God's faithfulness is of infallible truth; the application of it unto these Hebrews of moral evidence only.

Such a persuasion we may have in this case, which is prevalent against all objections, a certain rule for the performance of all duties on our parts towards others; and such had the apostle concerning these Hebrews.

That which in the first place he confirms his persuasion with is, το έργον, 'their work.' "God is not unrighteous, biot«s

8 gys iμw, to forget your work." It is not any singular work, but a course in working which he intends. And what that work is, is declared in that parallel place of the same apostle, 1 Thess. i. 3. Μνημονεύοντες ὑμων το έργο της πιστεως, και το κοπο της aya; the same expressions with those in this place, which may be reckoned unto the multitude of other instances of coincidences of expressions in this and the other epistles of the same writer, all peculiar unto himself, arguing him to be the author of this also. "Remembering your work of faith and labour of love." The work here intended is the work of faith; the whole work of obedience to God, whereof faith is the principle, and that which moves us thereunto. Hence it is called the obedience of faith, Rom. i. 5.

And this obedience of faith, according to the gospel, is called there, Togo, their work.' 1. Because it was their chief employment, their calling lay in it. They did not attend unto it occasionally, or when they had nothing else to do, as is the manner of some, Religion was their business, and gospel obedience their daily work. This was their whole, even to fear God and keep his commandments, as it is expressed under the Old Testament. 2. Because there is work and labour in it, or great pains to be taken about it. For hereunto our apostle in the next verse requires their diligence, ver. 11. as Peter doth all diligence, 2 Pet. i. 10. And we may observe in our way,

Obs. I. That faith, if it be a living faith, will be a working faith. It is the work of faith which the apostle here commends. This case is so stated by James that it needs no farther confirmation, chap. ii. 20. Wilt thou know, or knowest thou not, O vain man, "that faith without works is dead ?" He is a most vain man who thinks otherwise, who hopes for any benefit by that faith which doth not work by love. Satan hath no greater design in the world than to abuse gospel truths. When the doctrine of free justification by faith, through the imputation of the righteousness of Christ, was first fully revealed and declared, his great design then was to persuade men that there was no need of obedience; that if they could attain any manner of persuasion of the truth of the gospel, or make profession thereof, they might live in sin as they pleased, and neglect all good works and duties of obedience. And although this be now condemned by all, yet indeed is it no more but what upon the matter most do practise according unto. For they suppose, that by

being of this or that religion, Papists or Protestants, or the like, they shall be saved, whatever their ways and works are. So Papists, for instance, are indeed the greatest Solifidians in the world. For to own the faith of the church, is enough with them to secure the salvation of any. This abomination having been early started, was seasonably suppressed by the writings of James and John. For the former directly and plainly lays open the vanity of this pretence, declaring, that that faith which they professed and boasted of, was not the faith whereby any should be justified before God, nor of the same kind with it. For this faith is living, operative and fruitful, and evidenceth itself unto all, by its works and fruits. Whereas that faith whereof vain men living in their sins did boast, was so far from being a grace of the Spirit of God, that it was no other but what was in the devils themselves, and which they could not rid themselves of if they would. The latter, without expressing the occasion of it, spends his epistle in declaring the necessity of love and obedience, or keeping the commandments of Christ. Wherefore, the enemy of our salvation being defeated in this attempt, he betook himself unto the other extreme; contending that the works of faith had the same place in our justification, with faith itself. And why should they not? are not faith, and they, equally acts of obedience in us? are not faith, and they, equally required by the gospel? why may they not be supposed to have an equal influence into our justification? at least in the same kind, though faith on some considerations may have the pre-eminence? I say, these things are speciously pleaded; but in short, the design is not to advance works into an equality with faith, but to advance them into the room of Christ and his righteousness. For, when we say, we are justified by faith only, we do not say that faith is our righteousness, but as it apprehends the righteousness of Christ, as he is the end of the law for righteousness unto them that do believe. And this is the use that God hath designed faith unto, and which in its own nature it is suited for. But, bring in the works of obedience into the same place, and they are of no use but to be imputed unto us for righteousness, and so to possess the place of Christ and, his righteousness in our justification, unto their exclusion. But all this trouble might have been spared, if men had not been too ready and prone to receive impressions from the crafty actings of Satan, against the purity and simplicity of the gospel. For nothing is more evidently expressed and taught therein, than are these two things. 1. That we are justified freely by faith, through the redemption that is in the blood of Christ, and so the imputation of his righteousness unto us. 2. That the faith which hath this effect, which is of this use, is living, operative, fruitful, and

will evidence itself by works, in obedience unto the commands of God. And this is that which here we contend for, namely, that a living faith will be a working faith. And he is a vain man that deceives himself with any thing else in the room thereof. And yet, this is the course of multitudes. But yet, inen do not deceive themselves herein, notionally, but practically. I never yet in my life, met with any man who professed it as his judgment, that so he believed aright, he might live as he pleased, follow his lusts, and neglect all good works, or holy duties of obedience. For this implies a contradiction. So to believe, is so far from believing aright, as that it contains in it, a total rejection of the gospel. But practically we see that the generality of men content themselves with that knowledge which they have of religion, and that faith which they suppose they have in Christ, without once endeavouring after amendment of life or fruitfulness in good works. Now, this is not from any conclusions that they draw from any doctrines which they profess to believe, but from the power of darkness and the deceitfulness of sin that ruleth in them. And it is no otherwise among them who are taught to believe that they are justified by their works. For there is not a race of greater and more flagitious sinners, than, for the most part, are the men of that persuasion. Only for their relief, their leaders have provided them with a commutation of some other things, instead of their good works, which shall do the deed for them, as penances, pardons, purgatory, confessions, pilgrimages, and the like. But be men's persuasion what it will, right or wrong, where sin is predominant, they will be wicked, and whatever be the object of their faith, if it be not living in the subject, it cannot work nor be fruitful.

Obs. 11. We ought to look on obedience as our work; which will admit neither of sloth nor negligence. Here lies the occasion of the ruin of the souls of men who profess the gospel. The duties of profession are a thing of course unto them, and that which lies without the compass of their principal work and business in the world. This makes their profession serve to no other end, but to make them secure in a perishing condition. Now that our obedience may indeed be our work, it is required,

First, That the carrying of it on, the attendance unto it, and furtherance of it in order unto the glory of God, be our principal design in the world. That is a man's do so, his proper work,' which is so. God severely threateneth those which walk with him at peradventures, Lev. xxvi. 21. ON pyn, if you shall walk with me fortuito, at hap-hazard,' that is, without making it your principal design, and using your utmost diligence and care to proceed in it in a right