swearing by himself, he takes it on his life, his being, his holiness, and his truth, to make it good.

$5. "That by two immutable things, (paypaтwv) acts, and deeds, such as we make and deliver when we convey any thing from one to another. The word (paypa) denotes an instrument of assurance. But what need was there of two such things? Is it because one of these was weak, alterable, and such as may be justly excepted against, that the other is added to strengthen and confirm it? No, saith the apostle, both of them are equally immutable. Wherefore we must still carry along with us the infinite and inconceivable condescension of God in this matter, who, to obviate our temptations and relieve us under our weaknesses, is pleased to give this variety to his divine testimony, which he did ex abundanti; not only beyond what he was any way obliged to, but beyond whatever we could desire. (Εν οις αδυνατον ψεύσασθαι Θεον) In or by which it was impossible that God should lie or deceive. The word (Veurasta) is not absolutely to lie, but by any means to deceive him who hath cause to trust what we say or do. The highest security among men consists in a promise confirmed with an oath; and this must be to them an end of strife, for higher they cannot go. But yet it is possible there may be a lie or deceit in their testimony, and he who trusts to them may be deceived, as it often happens; for although the things themselves are good, and such as would secure the interest of truth only, yet men that use them are changeable, yea liars. But it is God that makes use of them in our case, and therefore it is impossible that he should lie. The apostle speaks not of the nature of the things themselves, but of their manifestation with respect to us. God's immutability in promising, and impossibility in deceiving, are both equally from his nature; but the distinct

proposal of them is needful to our encouragement and establishment, as immediately added.

§6. "That we might have a strong consolation. (Iva EXPLE) "That we might have:" herein he builds on this principle, that whatever God promised and sware to Abraham, he did the same to all believers; so that every promise of the covenant belongeth equally to him and them. (Пapanλnow) a consolation, that ariseth from the assurance of faith, and of our interest thereby in the promise of God: this is that which relieves our souls against all fears, doubts, and troubles,—and this consolation is (oxupav) strong, powerful, prevalent; "strong," so as to be prevalent against opposition; it is not the abounding of consolation in us, but the prevalency of the causes of it against opposition, that is intended.

(Οι καταφυγοντες,

§7. "Who have fled for refuge." qui cursum corripiunt) that fly for refuge; it is the judgment of many that here is an allusion to him who had slain a man unawares under the law, whose safety and life depended on his speedy flight to one of the cities of refuge, Numb. xxxv, 11, 12; and hereunto our translators had undoubtedly respect, whereon they rendered the word "flying for refuge." And indeed the word itself signifies such an action as is there ascribed to the manslayer; for the word (naтaQuyε, properly cursum corripere) hath respect to an apprehension of danger, or a real surprisal, whereon a man takes his flight for deliverance, and likewise speed and diligence in an endeavor to attain a proposed end, as the means for his deliverance, and whereby he hopes to find safety. And hereby doth the Holy Ghost express in a lively manner the state and condition of all the heirs of promise in this matter.

But what is this "hope set before us?" Hope, by a metonymy of the effect for the cause, may express the

promise itself, which is the cause and means of ingenerating hope in us; which I take to be the proper meaning of the place: and this hope is said to be "set before us," or proposed to us, viz. in the declaration of the promise, or the dispensation of the gospel. And it is more natural to allow of this metonymical expression in the word hope, than to admit of so rough a catachresis in the other part of the words, wherein the grace of hope within us should be said to be "set before us." "To lay hold," (xpaтnoα, that is, is to upaτnou, fortiter apprehendere, constanter retinere.) The signification of this word, frequently used by our apostle, I have on sundry occasions before declared; it is (injecta in manu, totis viribus retinere) "to hold fast what we lay hold on, with all our might and power." There seems in the whole metaphor to be an allusion to those who run in a race; for whereas they have a prize set before them, they first stir up themselves with all their strength to speed towards the mark, which, when they have attained it, they both lay hold fast on, and bear it away as their own.

§8. "Which (hope) we have." Having made mention of our hope with respect to the promise of God,he adds an account of the use of that hope in the course of our obedience. And he leaves herein the metonymical signification of the word, returning to that which is proper, namely, the grace of hope in us; but yet, as it includes its object, or the promise laid hold of by faith: This hope, then, is a firm trust in God for the enjoyment of the good things contained in his promises at the appointed season, raising in the soul an earnest desire after them, and an expectation of them. And for want of the knowledge of the nature of this grace many live without any benefit of its exercise. It springs from faith, and consists in trust in God, or it is the pfiuciary act of faith on God in the promises, as it re

spects the good things of it, as yet absent, future, unenjoyed.

$9. "As an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast." The souls of believers, it seems, have need of an anchor; the nature and use of which is to hold fast the ship, and to keep it steady in storms and tempests, when the art and skill of the mariners are overcome by the fierceness of the wind and sea, that they cannot steer the ship in its right course, nor preserve it from rocks or shelves. When ships are in their harbor, that they may not be tossed up and down at uncertainty, which our apostle alludes to, Eph. iv, 13, 14, an anchor is cast to keep the vessel steady to its posture. There are therefore two things supposed in this allusion:

1. That the souls of believers are sometimes exposed to storms and spiritual dangers; these storms are dangerous, because of their violence and their destructive tendency.

2. That the ordinary occasions of this life, and our duties towards God and men therein, are like the tradings of ships in their harbor; for therein a good and sure anchor is necessary; and without that which spiritually answers thereto, we shall fluctuate up and down in all we do, and be in continual hazard of ruin.

"Sure and steadfast." It is as to its nature, (ao@a A) "sure," will not fail, it may be safely trusted to; the substance of it is firm, the proportion of it is suited to the burden of the ship; and it is no fair promising, and yet deceitful engine. It is also, as to its use (BEBaia) steadfast and firm, which no violence of winds and storms can either break or move from its hold. Such is genuine hope to the soul; it is sure, not a deceiving imagination; "It maketh not ashamed," Rom. v, 5, by any failure or disappointment. Groundless

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presumptions are the deceitful engines whereby the souls of multitudes are ruined every day; of no more use than if the mariners should cast out a log, or a burden of straw, to stay their vessel in a storm. But hope built on faith is infallible: it is firm, invincible against all oppositions, not indeed from itself, but from the ground which it fixeth upon-Christ in the promise.

$10. "And which entereth into that within the veil.". Herein there is a dissimilitude in the things compared; for an anchor is cast downwards, and fixeth itself on the earth at the bottom of the sea; but hope ascendeth upwards, and fixeth itself in heaven, or in that which is there. But it should be here remarked, that to the natural allusion just mentioned, the apostle adds also one that is typical, which renders the whole context figurative. The "veil," therefore, here alluded to, was that which parted the most holy place from the sanctuary or body of the temple. Now that which was denoted hereby with respect to Christ and his priesthood, were these aspectable heavens through which he passed in his ascension into the glorious presence of God. As an anchor stays not in the ways of the sea, as it cannot fix itself in the waters, but pierceth through them until it come to solid earth; no more can the hope of a believer fix itself on any thing under these heavens, but it pierceth through all until it come within the veil. And what is it that is within this veil? Not an ark and a mercy seat; not tables of stones and cherubims, the work of men's hands; but the things signified by them; God himself on a throne of grace, and the Lord Christ as the High Priest of the church standing at his right hand. The Father as the author; the Lord Jesus Christ as the purchaser; the covenant as the conveyer of all grace;