which those christians had been sealed; and by which they might be known, both to themselves and others, to be the people of God. See Eph. i. 13, 14. In the preceding and following verses the apostle cautions the Ephesians to avoid every thing by which God might be offended, and provoked to withhold his gracious influences, or to withdraw from them the gifts that had been bestowed upon them. "Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil-speaking, be put away from you, with all malice."

2.) Eph. v. 18, 19, " And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to yourselves in psalms, and hymns, and spiritual songs, singing, and making melody in your heart to the Lord." That is, ' be careful not to be drunk with wine, in which men are 'too liable to exceed. But, when you are disposed to be 'cheerful, gratify and entertain yourselves and others, with a free exercise of the spiritual gifts wherewith God has blessed you.' Comp. Col. iv. 16.

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3.) 1 Thess. v. 19-22, “Quench not the Spirit. Despise not prophesyings. Prove all things. Hold fast that which is good. Abstain from all appearance of evil."

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Quench not, nor damp the spiritual gifts, with which you have been favoured, either by a neglect of any of them, or by an irregular exercise of them, or by the indulgence of any sin. And especially, do not despise, but cherish, and highly esteem the gift of prophesying, or speaking by in'spiration for the instruction and edification of the church. · And be sure that you take heed to, and examine what is 'proposed to you in your public assemblies. Embrace whatever is right and good, and reject every thing that is 'evil.'

The comment of Grotius upon these words, "Quench not the Spirit," is to this purpose. By "the Spirit" are meant the gifts of healing, and of tongues, which are fitly com-. pared to fire. And therefore may be said to be "stirred up," as in 2 Tim. i. 6. and on the other hand to be extinguished. They are stirred up by prayer, giving of thanks, and a continued regular practice of piety. And are ex

2 To Tveνpa un oßEVVUTE.] Spiritus hic sunt dona sanationum et linguarum, quæ sicut in ignis formâ data erant, ita igni recte comparantur, ac proinde dicuntur, et suscitari, 2 Tim. i. 6, et contra, extingui. Suscitantur precibus, gratiarum actione, ac perpetuo studio pietatis: extinguuntur per contraria. Nam in Novo Testamento, maxime post constitutas ecclesias, Deus illa dona non vult dare aut servare, nisi credentibus, et pie viventibus. Vide Marc. xvi. 17. Grot. in loc.

tinguished by the contrary. For God, under the evangelical dispensation, does not vouchsafe, or at least continue those gifts to any but such as believe, and live piously. See Mark xvi. 17.

And Wolfius says, that by " the Spirit," undoubtedly, are meant gifts of the Spirit, who is sometimes compared to fire, as 2 Tim. i. 6.

The apostle having delivered that direction, "Quench not the Spirit," relating to spiritual gifts in general, adds a particular caution, "Despise not prophesyings," because, though it was the most useful and valuable gift of all, some, as it seems, were apt to prefer "speaking with tongues," as a more showy gift. This may be collected from what he writes, 2 Cor. xiv. And see particularly ver.

39.

"Abstain from all appearance of evil." Many understand this to be a direction, relating to practice in life, agreeably to our version; that christians should not only abstain from what is really, and manifestly evil, but also from every thing that has but the appearance of being evil. And so Grotius understood this clause.b But to me it seems, that this last clause is to be understood in connection with the former part, "prove all things:" and that it is intended to direct the right exercise of the judgment. Christians should examine all things proposed to them, embracing what is right, and rejecting every thing that is wrong. So this exhortation was understood by Pelagius. And Grotius himself interprets the former expressions," prove all things, and hold fast that which is good," in the like manner.d

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4.) 1 Tim. iv. 14, " Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery."

5.) 2 Tim. i. 6, " Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands."

a Quod ad rem spectat, тo πvɛνμа omnia sunt dona Spiritûs Sancti qui cum igne solet comparari, quo sensu Paulus, 2 Tim. i. 6, avalwπvρeiv то xapioμa Oɛ8 jubet. Wolf. Curæ in 1 Th. v. 19.

b Απο παντος είδες πονηρε απεχετε.] Christiani non a rebus malis tantum, sed ab iis, quæ speciem habent mali, abstinere debent. Exemplum vide, 1 Cor. viii. 10. Grot. in 1 Thess. v. 21.

Tantum, ut probetis, si legi non sunt contraria, quæ dicuntur: si quid tale fuerit, refutate. Pelag. in 1 Thess. v. 21, 22. Ap. Hieron. Opp. T. V. p. 1082.

4 Παντα δοκιμαζοντες, το καλον κατεχετε. Hoc pertinet ad διακρισεις πνευμάτων. 1 Cor. xii. xiv. Sic 1 Joh. iv. 1. Δοκιμάζετε τα πνευματα-Ergo Tavra, omnia, hic restringendum ex antecedente ad ea quæ dicuntur ab eis, qui se prophetas dictitant. Grot. ad ver. 20.

I take no notice of any other texts of this kind. But it is well known, that the twelfth and fourteenth chapters of the first epistle to the Corinthians contain many directions for regulating the exercise of spiritual gifts, with which that church abounded. It is sufficient for me to refer to them. There are likewise in other epistles of the New Testament divers exhortations to christians in regard to the gifts, with which they were favoured: as Rom. xii. 3-8. 1 Pet. iv. 10, 11.

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21. 1 Thess. i. 5, " For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance”. ver. 6," And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost."

The explication of this text shall be taken from Dr. Benson's paraphrase on the epistle. In as much as the gospel, 'preached by us, did not come unto you in word only; but ' was accompanied also with a miraculous power, and with our imparting unto you the Holy Spirit, and with full and ' abundant conviction to your minds.'

And we can bear witness to your amiable behaviour, For you became imitators of us, and of the Lord Jesus Christ in that you steadily adhered to the truth, amidst 'great difficulties and discouragements, after you had re'ceived the gospel, in much affliction, with the joy, which ariseth from your having the Holy Spirit.' The same learned writer, in his note upon the fifth verse, says: By power I understand the power of working miracles, ex'erted by the apostle, or his assistants. And by the Holy Ghost, or Holy Spirit, I understand the gift of the Spirit, as imparted to the Thessalonians.'

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22. Heb. ix. 14, "How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works, to serve the living God?"

Dr. Whitby, in his Annotations upon Heb. v. 5. says, that Christ was by his death consecrated to his priesthood, and dates the commencement of our Lord's priesthood at his resurrection. This sentiment has been much improved by the late Mr. Thomas Moore in his discourse concerning the priesthood of Christ. I may refer to one place particularly, where he says, The time, when Jesus was called to, and invested with, the order of priesthood, was at his re'surrection from the dead.' Which he argues from Heb. v. 10, compared with Acts xiii. 33. See him, p. 11–13. That may be the key to this text. However, there are

some other interpreters, who have well explained it, as we shall see presently, though they have not so distinctly settled the date of Christ's priesthood.

"How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience

?"

When our Lord offered himself to God, or presented himself before God, he was risen from the dead, and had obtained everlasting life," to die no more," as St. Paul says, Rom. vi. 9, 10. And in Ps. cx. 4, the only place in the Old Testament, where Christ's priesthood is spoken of, it is said: "The Lord has sworn, and will not repent: thou art a Priest for ever, after the order of Melchisedec." This the writer of the Epistle to the Hebrews often observes, and insists much upon. As Heb. vii. 21, where the text of that Psalm is quoted, see also ver. 11. And at ver. 24, 25, "But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost, that come unto God by him seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them." And ver. 15, 16, of the same chapter: "For that after the similitude of Melchisedec there ariseth another priest, who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life." And ch. v. 9, " And being made perfect, he became the Author of eternal salvation to them that obey him." And ver. 12, of this ch. ix. just before the text, which we are now considering, he speaks of Christ's "having obtained eternal redemption for us." And ver. 15,-" that they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance." And in 1 Cor. xv. 45, "The last Adam," meaning the Lord Jesus, is said to be "a quickening Spirit."

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The meaning of this text therefore seems to be this: That Christ being now" entered into heaven itself," ch. ix. 24, that is, the true holy of holies, by his own neverdying spirit, or by "the power of an endless life," ch. vii. 16, he offered himself to God," or presented himself be'fore God, having been innocent, and unspotted in his 'whole life on earth, and being now "made perfect, and 'higher than the heavens." Ch. v. 9, and vii. 26, 28.

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Which is very agreeable to the annotations of Grotius upon this verse.

• Oblatio autem Christi hic intelligitur illa, quæ oblationi legali in adyto factæ respondet. Ea autem est non oblatio in altari crucis facta, sed facta in

There are some others likewise, who have so pertinently criticised upon this text, that I am willing to transcribe their remarks below, for the sake of intelligent readers.f

23. Heb. x. 28, 29, "He that despised Moses' law, died without mercy, under two or three witnesses. Of how much sorer 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 sanctified, an unholy thing, and has done despite unto the spirit of grace?"

The case here supposed is that of apostasy from the christian faith. The persons intended are such as those spoken of, ch. vi. 4, " Who have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were partakers of the Holy Ghost." And one of the aggravations of their apostasy is, that "they had done despite to the spirit of grace:" or rejected, and cast reproach upon that great evidence of the truth of the christian religion, the miraculous gifts, which God had most graciously bestowed upon adyto cœlesti. Facta autem ibi est, " per Spiritum æternum," ut ante dixit, vii. 16, " per vim vitæ indissolubilis," quia spiritus ejus jam non erat vivens tantum, ut in vitâ hac terrenâ, sed in æternum corpus sibi adjunctum “ vivificans." 1 Cor. xv. 45.-Ata hic sume, ut supra, ver. 12. pro præpositione cum, quomodo et Hebræum poni solet. Intelligitur hinc dignitas oblationis, quod eam fecit is, qui jam spiritu et corpore erat immortalis. Sanguini autem purgatio ista tribuitur, quia per sanguinem, id est, mortem Christi, secutâ ejus excitatione et evectione, gignitur in nobis fides. Rom. iii. 25.-Cum dicit apopov, respicit legem victimarum, Lev. xxii. 20. In victimis legalibus nullum debebat esse corporis vitium: in Christi vitâ nihil fuit vitiosum. Et ideo spiritu illo æterno statim donatus est. Grot. Annot. in Heb. ix. 14.

f Ος δια πνεύματος αιωνις.] Qui a mortuis suscitatus, cum spirituali et immortali corpore (quod antequam in cœleste tabernaculum ingrederetur, accepit) omnis infirmitatis et patibilitatis labe, quæ mortali naturæ inhærent, purgatum semetipsum obtulit Deo, sedens ad dexteram majestatis ejus in cœlis. Brennius in loc.

Christum autem, cujus sanguinem opponit sanguini taurorum et hircorum, describit, quod "per spiritum æternum seipsum Deo immaculatum obtulerit." Christo jam e mortuis suscitato tribuit "spiritum æternum:" quia post resuscitationem anima ejus non amplius est anima vivens, sed spiritus vivificans. 1 Cor. xv. 45, diciturque habere vitam indissolubilem, supra, vii. 16, et in æternum manere, ver. 24. Vivit ergo in omnem æternitatem, ut sit æternus Pontifex. Christus nimirum sanguinem suum, tanquam victima, in cruce effudit, et cum isto sanguine, id est, virtute illius sanguinis, jam e mortuis suscitatus, et spiritus vivificus ac æternus, seipsum in cœlis obtulit Deo, id est, coram Deo pro nobis comparuit.

Dicitur autem hic "se obtulisse immaculatum," non tantum respectu vitæ suæ, quam hic in terris degit, quâtenus sine ullâ peccati labe vixit. 1 Pet. ii. 22, 2 Cor. v. 21, sed et respectu statûs illius cœlestis, quo nunc fruitur, ab omni infirmitate, cui hic in terris in statu humiliationis obnoxius fuit, adeo ut nihil in ipso, ut æternus sit Pontifex, desiderari possit. Vid. cap. vii. 26. Ph. Limborch in Ep. ad Heb. cap. ix. 14.