tione perseverandi. That is, We have got the right to partake of Christ's glory; but that right given us is suspended upon the condition of persevering. Calvin says, "Laudat, quod bene cæperint. Sed ne prætextu gratia quam consequuti sunt, carnis indulgeant securitati, dicit opus esse perseverantiâ. Nam plerique delibato tantum cvangelio, quasi ad summum pervenerint, de profectu non cogitant. Ita fit, ut non modo in medio studio, adeoque propè ipsos carceres desideant, sed alio vertunt cursum suum. Speciosa quidem est ista objectio, quid ultrà volumus, postquam adepti sumus Christum? Ve rum si fide possidetur, in eâ perstandum est, ut nobis perpetua maneat possesio. Ergo hac lege se nobis fruendum dedit Christus, ut eâdem quâ in ejus partici pationem admissi sumus fide, tantum bonum conservemus usque ad mortem:" That is, He [St. Paul] commends them that they had begun well. But lest under a pretence of that grace,

*Grotius in loc.

which THEY HAD OBTAINED, they should indulge a carnal security, he tells them they had need of perseverance. For many having only tasted lightly of the gospel, do not so much as think of any proficiency, as if they were come to the highest already. Thus it cometh to pass, that they do not only sit down in the midst of the race, yea sometimes at the very entrance of the race; but TURN THEIR COURSE QUITE ANOTHER WAY. This indeed is a very specious objection, When we have gotten Christ what should we desire more? But if Christ, be possessed by faith, we must persist in faith, that our possession in this kind may be perpetual. Therefore Christ hath given himself to be enjoyed by us upon these terms, or by this law, that as we are admitted by faith

to a PARTICIPATION OF HIM, so we should BY THE SAME FAITH PERSEVERE, and keep so great a good until death.* Dr. Heylin saith, "We are

*Calvin in loc.

Mr.

made partakers of Christ upon condition that we retain, inviolably to the end, that hope in him which we had at the beginning."* Mr. Sam. Clarke's comment is, "Take heed of apostasy, and be careful to persevere; because all your interest in Christ depends hereupon." Flavel expounds the words thus: “If we have followed him through many sufferings and troubles, and shall turn away from him at last, we lose all that we have wrought and suffered in religion, and shall never reach home to God at last: the crown of life be longs only to them who are faithful to the death." Now, from this passage, and from what has been said on it by these great and learned divines, (both Arminians and Calvinists) I conclude, that apostasy is the evil which the apostle has here been labouring to prevent; and therefore, that it is this

*Heylin on the place. Clarke on the place. Flavel's Works, Vol. I. p. 320. Second Edit.

which he intended by, neglecting so great salvation.

6. A sixth proof of the point in hand we have, chap. iv. verse 11. "Let us labour, therefore, to enter into that rest, lest any man FALL after the same example of unbelief."From hence we learn, 1. That the evil which the apostle supposed the Hebrews to be in danger of, was, FALLING. 2. That it was, falling after the example of the Israelites of old.. Though it has been largely considered already, in what manner these fell, I shall again, briefly inquire into two things. The first is, How far they fell? and the second, by what means? As to the first, they fell TOTALLY and FINALLY from the PROMISE which GOD HAD GIVEN THEM: that is, they TOTALLY and FINALLY fell short of possessing that rest, which GOD HAD PROMISED they should possess. This is an undeniable and undoubted matter of fact. But, secondly, By what means did they thus fall? by unbelief or disobedience (for the original

F

word, azula, signifies either.) That this was the cause of their apostasy is evident from chap. iii. verse 17. where it is said that their carcases fell in the wilderness because they had sinned; and from verse 19, where it is said, that they could not enter in because of unbelief; Compare this with chap. iv. verse 6. But let it be well remembered, that it was not because they had never believed and obeyed, that they could not enter in; but because they did not continue to do it.

Now on this I would observe, that it was impossible for the converted Hebrews to fall after this example, as the apostle saith, without, first, falling TOTALLY and FINALLY, as they did. Nor, secondly, could they do it after this example, but by DISCONTINUING to believe and obey. And I would ⚫bserve once more, that when the apostle exhorted these Hebrews to lahour that they might not fall after this example, he certainly supposed that there was a possibility of their doing