and Jesus had not yet come, according to His promise. The scoffers were asking, with sarcastic scorn, "Where is the promise of His coming?" and "hope deferred" was sickening the hearts of those who were "looking for Him." The "perilous times" spoken of by our Lord had arrived. Multitudes of pretenders to Messiahship had made their appearance, and had “deceived many." Many of the followers of Jesus were offended— many apostatized, and hated and betrayed their brethren. "Iniquity abounded, and the love of many," who did not cast off the Christian name, "waxed cold."

In these circumstances, it was peculiarly necessary that the disciples of Christ should be fortified against the temptations to apostasy, and urged to perseverance in the faith and profession of the Gospel. This is the grand object of this Epistle, and every part of it is plainly intended and calculated to gain this object. The whole of the doctrinal part of the Epistle is occupied in showing the pre-eminent excellence of Christianity, by displaying the matchless glory of Christ; and the greater portion of the practical part of the Epistle is employed in stating and enforcing the exhortation to remain "stedfast and unmoveable" in their attachment to their Lord, in their belief of the doctrines, the observance of the ordinances, and the practice of the duties of their "most holy faith."

In the preceding context the Apostle has most impressively urged on their minds the peculiar advantages to which their new faith had raised them as to favourable and delightful intercourse with God, and the fearful consequences of apostasy, as irresistible arguments to "hold fast their profession ;" and in the passage which lies before us for interpretation, in order to gain the same end, he calls on them to recollect their past experience in reference to Christianity,—to reflect on all they had suffered for it, and on all which it had done for them under their sufferings, -and to pause and ponder before, by apostasy, they rendered useless all the labours and sorrows they had endured, and blasted all the fair hopes which they had once so fondly cherished, and which had enabled them to bear, not only patiently, but joyfully, all the trials to which they had been exposed. Vers. 32-34. "But call to remembrance the former days, in which, after ye were illuminated, ye endured a great fight of afflictions; partly, whilst ye were made a gazing-stock both by

reproaches and afflictions; and partly, whilst ye became companions of them that were so used. For ye had compassion of me in my bonds, and took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance."

The period to which the Apostle wishes to recall their minds is that which immediately followed their illumination, or, in other words, their obtaining the knowledge of the truth. That state of ignorance and error in which they were previously, is figuratively represented as a state of darkness; and when, by the statement of Christian truth and its evidence, they were delivered from ignorance and error, they are said to have been enlightened.

On their being enlightened, they had to " endure a great fight of afflictions." It is not improbable that the Apostle refers to the severe and general persecution which followed the death of Stephen, and with which, as he had taken a very active part in it himself, he was intimately acquainted; and to that which took place not long afterwards by Herod, when "he slew James, the brother of John, with the sword." The variety and severity of the trials to which at that period Jewish believers were exposed, are very strikingly expressed in the phrase, "great fight of afflictions." It is not improbable that, in using the word endure, the Apostle meant to convey the idea, not only that they had been exposed to these varied and severe trials, but that they had worthily sustained them—they had endured the fight. They had persevered till the conflict was finished, and they had come off conquerors. That is plainly the meaning of the word when the Apostle James says, "Behold, we count them happy who endure."

In these afflictions they had been involved both personally and by their sympathy with their suffering brethren. They "endured a great fight of afflictions, partly, when they were made a gazing-stock,”—made public spectacles, as malefactors, who in the theatres were often made, in the presence of the assembled people, to fight with each other, or with wild beasts. This was literally the case with some of the Christians, though I do not know that any of the Hebrew Christians were thus treated. The idea is set up as objects of the malignant and scornful notice of the public.' This they were by the "reproaches"

re

which were cast on them. These reproaches were of two kinds : false charges were brought against them, and their faith and hope were ridiculed-their character and conduct as Christians held up to scorn. By "afflictions," as distinguished from “ proaches," we are to understand sufferings in person, such as torture of various kinds. And as many of the Hebrew Christians had been "made gazing-stocks" by personally undergoing their trials, so also had they become so by avowing themselves "the companions of those who were so used." Genuine Christians feel towards one another as brethren; and when they see their Christian brethren suffering for the cause of Christ, they naturally, though not directly, attach themselves to, take part with, their suffering brethren, and thus come in for a share of the public scorn which is poured on them.

The Apostle particularly notices one instance in which they "became companions of those who were thus used:" "For ye had compassion of me in my bonds." Supposing these words to be the genuine reading, they seem to refer to the kind attention shown to Paul by some of the Hebrew Christians when in bonds at Jerusalem and Cesarea.1 But, according to the best critics, the true reading is—" for ye had compassion on those who were bound," or "on the prisoners." Those among the Hebrew Christians who were not themselves imprisoned, became companions with them by sympathizing with them, owning them as their brethren, and doing everything which lay in their power to alleviate their sufferings.

The Apostle, having noticed the sufferings to which they had been exposed in their reputation and persons, and by sympathy with their suffering brethren, now calls to their mind the sufferings they had sustained in their property, and the manner in which they had borne them. They were "spoiled of their goods," they were unjustly deprived of their property; and when they were so, instead of repining, or thinking of retaining their property by giving up their religion, they "took the spoiling of their goods joyfully." They were as it were glad that they had this means of showing their attachment to Christ

1 Comp. Phil. i. 13, 16; Col. iv. 18.

2 Besides the external evidence for douíos, there is internal evidence also. Συμπαθεῖν δεσμοῖς is a strange and unprecedented expression: μνη μονεύειν τῶν δεσμῶν is quite another thing.

and His cause they counted themselves honoured in being called on to make such a sacrifice.

This mode of feeling did not arise from stoical apathy, or from enthusiastic feeling: it arose from their persuasion that the religion which called on them to sacrifice their worldly property secured them in a far more valuable property. In some of the most ancient MSS. the words, "in heaven," are wanting. On the supposition that they do not form a part of the original text, the meaning is "Ye took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing that in yourselves you had a better and enduring substance;" i.e., 'You cheerfully parted with your external property, because you knew that your most valuable and permanent property was within you. They could not take from you the love of God--the comforts of the Holy Ghost-the hope of eternal life. If they could have taken these from you-and these you would cast from you if you renounce Christianitythey would have made you poor indeed; but whatever else they might take from you, if they left you these, you knew that you were rich, rich for ever.'

2

If the words," in heaven," be considered as belonging to the text, then the meaning is somewhat different. 'Ye took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing in yourselves'-i.e., being fully persuaded—' that whatever the world may think, this is the truth, that in heaven there is laid up for you1 true and abiding substance." Worldly wealth scarcely deserves the name of substance: it is, like all things worldly, unsubstantial; and it is, like all things worldly, fading and shortlived. But celestial wealth is real substance, and permanent as real. "Moth and rust do not" there "corrupt: thieves do not" there "break through, nor steal." The man who is fully persuaded that he has in heaven this substance will not grieve very much at the loss of worldly substance in any circumstances; but when the giving up of the latter is required in order to the obtaining of the former, he will show that he counts it but as the dust in the balance, and will "joyfully take the spoiling of his goods."

1 avtois, which is the true reading, expresses peculiar property—' that as your own you have,' etc.

2 The natural order of the words seems to be-κρείττονα ὕπαρξιν καὶ μένουσαν ἐν οὐρανοῖς ; but μένουσαν, as expressing the chief idea, is placed behind. Their worldly substance had been found anything but μévovca.

Such, then, are the things which the Apostle wishes the Hebrew Christians to "call to remembrance."

It is easy to see how the calling of these things to remembrance was calculated to serve his purpose-to guard them from apostasy, and establish them in the faith and profession of the Gospel. It is as if he had said, 'Why shrink from suffering for Christianity now? Were you not exposed to suffering from the beginning? When you first became Christians, did you not willingly undergo sufferings on account of it? And is not Christianity as worthy of being suffered for as ever? Is not Jesus the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever? Did not the faith and hope of Christianity formerly support you under your sufferings, and make you feel that they were but the light afflictions of a moment? and are they not as able to support you now as they were then? Has the substance in heaven become less real, or less enduring? and have you not as good evidence now as you had then that to the persevering Christian such treasure is laid up? Are you willing to lose all the benefit of the sacrifices you have made, and the sufferings you have sustained? and they will all go for nothing if you endure not to the end.' These are considerations all naturally suggested by the words of the Apostle, and all well calculated to induce them to "hold fast the profession of their faith without wavering."

Accordingly, he adds, ver. 35, "Cast not therefore away your confidence, which has great recompense of reward." The "confidence" of the Christian Hebrews is just a general name for the open, consistent, fearless adherence to Christianity amid all the difficulties they had been exposed to. This they were to hold fast, and not to cast away. If they shrunk from the contest, and became cowards, this was to cast it away. Instead of casting it away, they were to hold it fast-to continue "stedfast and unmoveable," in nothing moved by their adversaries; for it "has great recompense of reward;"-i.e., a steady, uniform, persevering adherence to Christ will be abundantly rewarded. The sufferings, however great, "were not worthy to be compared with the glory which was to be revealed." Faithful is He who hath said, "Blessed are ye when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for My sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad; for great is your

reward in heaven."