tion was given by the Lord himself. it is so glorious in its nature, and of such importance to the world, that no creature, or number of creatures, was capable of such a charge; therefore the Lord himself undertook the vast design. And on this account the gospel salvation is as eminently superior to the law, as the Creator and Lord of all is to a small part of his creatures.

II. Having shewn what we are to understand by so great salvation, I proceed, Secondly, to enquire what is here meant by neglecting it; And that this important question may be fully answered, I shall first shew who he persons are whom the apostle supposes to be in danger of this neglect. And I shall be the inore particular in ig this, because it is here that so

y go astray in expounding these words they mistake the persons intenced by the apostle; and then they easily mistake the meaning of what is said unto them.

The persons intended by the apos-c

B

tle are frequently supposed to be such as are unbelieving, and unconverted. That these, in some sense, neglect this salvation is certain. Nevertheless, they are not the persons intended in the text. This is evident from hence; the persons intended by the apostle must be those to whom the epistle was written, and not those to whom it was not written. Now the epistle was not written, in whole or in part, to unbelievers, either Jews or Centiles of consequence, the apostle could not intend these when he said, "How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation?" But who then did he intend? Those Hebrews who had heard and believed the gospel, and who were truly converted, and made the children of God thereby.Therefore, said he, verse 1. "WE ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip." We? who? WE CHRISTIAN BE

was

IEVERS: WE CONVERTED HEBREWS.

As if he had said, I, Paul, an apostle, who am a converted Hebrew myself, and who am the author of this epistle s and you to whom I send it, who are converted Hebrews also, ought to take the more earnest heed to the thingsthe truths of the gospel, which wEyou and I have heard, lest at any time WE, you and I, should let them slip. "For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward, How shall wE" -CHRISTIAN BELIEVERS, escape, if WE neglect so great salvation ?"""

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And that these Hebrews, were not mere professors, but rather genuine converts, and real children of GoD, is evident from what is said of them, and attributed to them all over this epistle. So chap. iii. verse 1. they are called, "Holy Brethren," and are said to be "partakers of the heavenly cal ling." And, first, they are called "brethren;" that is children of the same Father, and members of the same family with the apostle. Sec

ondly, they are called "holy brethren;" that is, they were first made holy, and then set apart for holy purposes. Thirdly, they are said to be partakers of the heavenly calling: that is, partakers of the gospel, and its spiritual benefits. So the Calvinian Assembly, in their annotation on the place, say, "Holy brethren,""Such as were made holy by Jesus Christ."-"And he calls them brethren, not by merit, in respect of their carnal generation: but because they were ALL partakers of the same holy and precious faith now with him :" and on these words, "Partakers of the heavenly calling, That is," say they, 46 EFFECTUAL CALLING*." So Mr. Henry, the great oracle of our Calvinists, expounds the words: "Observe," says he, "1. The honourable appellation used to those to whom he wrote, Holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling. 1. Brethren; not only, my brethren, but the brethren of

* See the Assembly's Annotations.

Christ, and in him brethren to all the saints."—"2. Holy brethren, holy not only in profession and title, but in principle and practice, in heart and life.”—“ 3. Partakers of the heavenly calling, partakers of the means of grace, and of the Spirit of grace that came down from heaven, and by which christians are EFFECTUALLY called out of darkness into marvellous light."'*

So the Calvinian Wilson, author of the Christian Dictionary, saith, "Holy Brethren"-" such as being sanctified by the Spirit, are received into his fellowship to be one with him." To these testimonies I will add that of Dr. Gill: "Wherefore holy brethren." "The apostle calls the Hebrews BRETHREN, not because they were of the same "natural stock, and lineage, but because they were in the same SPIRITUAL relation : THEY ALL had the same father, belonged to

*Hen. on the place. + Christ. Dict. on the place.