23. Hebr. x. 28. 29. He that defpifed Mofes' law, died without mercy, under two or three witnesses. Of how much forer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who has trodden under foot the Son of God, and has counted the blood of the covenant wherewith he was fanctified, an unholy thing, and has done defpite unto the Spirit of Grace?

The cafe here supposed is that of apostacy from the Chriftian faith. The perfons intended are fuch as thofe fpoken of ch. vi. 4. who had tafted of the heavenly

eternum feipfum Deo, immaculatum obtulerit. Christo jam e mortuit fufcitato tribuit spiritum æternum: quia poft refufcitationem anima ejus non amplius eft anima vivens, fed fpiritus vivificans. 1 Cor. xv. 45. diciturque habere vitam indiffolubilem; fupra, vii. 16. et in æternum manere. ver. 24. Vivit ergo in omnem æternitatem, ut fit æternus Pontifex. Chriftus nimirum fanguinem fuum, tanquam victima, in cruce effudit, et cum ifto fanguine, id eft, virtute illius fanguinis, jam e mortuis fufcitatus, et fpiritus vivificus ac æternus, feipfum in cœlis obtulit Deo, id est, coram Deo pro nobis comparuit.

Dicitur autem hic, fe obtuliffe immaculatum, non tantum refpectu vitæ fuæ, quam hic in terris degit, quatenus fine ulla peccati labe vixit. I Pet. ii. 22. 2 Cor. v. 21. fed et refpectu ftatus illius cœleftis, quo nunc fruitur, ab omni infirmitate, cui hic in terris in ftatu humiliationis obnoxius fuit, adeo ut nihil in ipfo, ut æternus fit Pontifex, defiderari poffit. Vid. cap. vii. 26. Ph. Limborch in Ep. ad Hebr. cap. ix. 14.

heavenly gift, and were partakers of the Holy Ghost. And one of the aggravations of their apostasy is, that they had done defpite to the Spirit of Grace: or rejected, and caft reproach upon that great evidence of the truth of the Chriftian religion, the miraculous gifts, which God had moft graciously beftowed upon themfelves and others. So [32] Grotius. And Limborch expreffeth himself to the like purpose [33].

24. 1 John v. 5 the world, but he

the Son of God? blood, even Jefus water and blood.

10. Who is he that overcometh that believeth that Jefus Chrift is This is he that came by water and Chrift, not by water only, but by And it is the Spirit that beareth witneffe,

[32] Και το πνευμα της χαρίας ενυβρισας : et Spiritui gratiæ contumeliam fecerit ] Spiritum illum, quem fummo Dei beneficio acceperat, contumelià afficiens: nullius pretii cftimans tantum donum, quo fe ipfe ait privatum. Grot. in loc.

[33] Tertium. Et fpiritum gratiæ contumeliâ affecit.] Spiritus gratiæ eft fpiritus ille, qui in initio prædicationis Evangelii datus fuit credentibus, ad confirmationem divinitatis Evangelii: nimirum dona illa extraordinaria Spiritus Sancti, quæ paffim in Actis et Epiftolis Apoftolorum in credentes effufa legimus. Qui vocatur Spiritus gratiæ, tum quia ex gratiâ divinâ credentibus datus eft: tum quia per illum obfignata fuit divinitas doctrinæ Jefu Chrifti, in quâ maxima et excellentiffima Dei gratia patefacta eft. Limb. in Ep. ad Hebr. p. 667.

witness, because the Spirit is truth.

For there are

and the water,

three that bear witness: the Spirit, and the blood. And these three agree in one. If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater : For this is the witness of God, which he has teftified of his Son. He that believeth on the Son of God, hath the witness in himself. He that believeth not God, hath made him a liar, because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son.

I have quoted this paffage according to the Alexandrian and other ancient manuscripts, and the citations in ancient writers, without regarding any modern printed copies: which, indeed, deserve not any regard.

Some have paraphrased the former part of ver. 6. in this manner. "Now that this Jefus Chrift was a real man, and died, we have the utmoft teftimony. For I myself, when he expired on the crofs, faw his fide pierced with a spear, and blood and water gushed out at the wound: which are two determining proofs, that he really died." Suppofing that there is a reference to what is related in St. John's gospel, xix. 34. 35.

But that is manifeftly a weak and arbitrary interpretation. [34] St. John is not here observing the proofs

[34] And yet is followed by the late Mr. Wetstein : Probavit fe non phantafma, fed verum hominem effe, qui ex fpiritu, fanguine, et aquâ feu humore conftraret. Joh. xix. 34. 35. J. J. Wetstein in loc. p. 172.

proofs of our Lord's real humanity, but of his being the Son of God, the Meffiah.

To me it feems, that the water, an emblem of purity, [Ezek. xxxvi. 25.] denotes the innocence of our Lord's life, which was without spot, and exemplary; and the reasonablenefs, excellence, and perfection of his doctrine, which, after the ftrictest examination, and niceft fcrutiny, cannot be charged with any error or falfehood. The blood denotes our Lord's willing and patient, though painful and ignominious death, the utmost teftimony that can be given of integrity. The spirit intends our Lord's many miraculous works, wrought by the fpirit, the finger, the power of God, or God himfelf. This teftimony is truth, that is, excceding true, so that it may be relied upon. For it is unquestionable, and cannot be gainfayed. See John v. 32... 37. x. 25. Acts ii. 22.

Here are three witnefies [35]. And they agree in one. They are harmonious, all faying the fame thing, and concurring in the fame teftimony.

The Apoftle adds, ver. 9. If we receive the witnefs of men, the witness of God is greater; referring

to

[35] Οι τρεις εισιν οι μαρτυρόνες, κ. λ. I fall here put down a fimilar expreffion of the fophift Elius Ariftides, in the fecond century. Oration. T. i. p. 146. edit. febb. al. p. 272. Τρεις γαρ εισιν οι μαξίύρησανίες παρα Χρημα Αθηναίων είναι TRV νικην, Αθηναίοι, Λακεδαιμόνιοι,

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to the appointment in the law of Mofes, that by the mouth of two or three witnesses, any matter might be eftablished. Deut xvii. 6. xix. 15. Whatsoever was attested by two or three men, was deemed true and certain. In the point before us there are three most credible witneffes, one of whom is God himself. Refufing this teftimony therefore, would be the fame as making God a liar, or charging him with giving falfe evidence, and with a defign to deceive and inpose upon his creatures. He that believeth not God, hath made Him a liar, because he believeth not the teftimony which God giveth of his Son.

This interpretation is the fame as that in Grotius [36], or not very different.

25. Rev. xxii. 17. And the spirit and the bride lay: Come. "That is, fays [37] Grotius, men, who are endowed with spiritual gifts."

Mr. Pyle's paraphrafe is this: "The whole body of truly good Chriftians, who are the true church and spouse of Chrift." And in his notes he says, "The fpirit and the bride, or, the fpiritual bride, that is,

[36] Et in epiftola 1 Joh. v. 8. Aqua eft puritas vitæ Chriftianæ, quæ fimul cum martyrio, et miraculis, teftimonium reddit veritati dogmatis. Grot. Ann. in Job. iii. 5.

[37] Id eft, viri propheticis donis clari. Vide fupra, ver. 6. Eft abftractum pro concreto: Spiritus pro habentibus fpiritum. Dicunt: Veni, &c. Grot. in loc.