Gen. vi. 5, "the figment of the cogitations of the heart,"-the thoughts which are suggested by the inclinations of the affections, with their commotions and stirrings in the heart or mind.

[2.] "Evvora, "designs" or "purposes," inwardly framed iv r vów, "in the understanding." Sometimes this word signi*Εννοιῶν. fies the moral principles of the mind, by which it is guided in its actings. Hence are the xoval Evora, or "common principles" that men are directed by in what they do. And here it denotes the principles that men are guided by in their actings, according to which they frame their actual purposes and intentions. Upon the whole matter, the design of the apostle in these words is to declare the intimate and absolute acquaintance that the Word of God hath with the inmost frames, purposes, desires, resolutions, and actings of the minds of professors; and the sure, unerring judgment which he makes of them thereby.

Ver. 13.-The 13th verse contains a confirmation of what is asserted in that foregoing. There the apostle declared how the Word of God pierceth into the hearts, minds, and souls of men, to discern and judge them. That they to whom he wrote might not doubt hereof, he confirms it by showing the ground of his assertion, which is the natural omniscience of the Word of God: 'It cannot be otherwise than as I have declared, seeing he of whom we speak, "with whom we have to do," to whom we must give an account, this "Word of God," seeth and knoweth all things, nor can any thing possibly be hid from him.' This is the natural coherence of the words, and upon a supposition of a different subject to be spoken of in this from the foregoing verse, no man can frame a tolerable transition in this contexture of words from the one unto the other. I shall therefore proceed in the explication of them, as words of the same design, and used to the same pur

pose.

Οὐκ ἔστι.

Καὶ οὐκ ἔστι κτίσις ἀφανὴς ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ. The manner of the expression is by a double negation: the one expressed, oux or," there is not;" the other included in the privative a in åpavís. And these expressions do emphatically assert the contrary to what is denied: "There is not a creature that is not manifest;" that is, every creature is eminently, illustriously manifest.

"Εστι κτίσις.

Oux CTI xríois, "there is not a creature," any thing created: Οὐκ ἔστι κτίσις, that is, every creature whatever, whether they be persons or things,-angels, men, devils, professors, persecutors, all men of all sorts; and all things concerning them,—their inward frames of mind and heart, their affections and temptations, their state and condition, their secret actings, their thoughts and

inclinations. This confirms and carries on the foregoing attributions to the Word of God.

Αφανής.

'Aparis. Daíra is "to appear," "to shine forth;" and apavic is *Αφανής. opposed to ipais, "illustrious," "perspicuous," "eminently manifest;"-so it is "hid," "obscure," not openly or evidently appearing. It is more than aparros, which is merely "one out of sight," Luke xxiv. 31. This negation includes a plain, clear, illustrious appearance, nothing shrouding, hiding, interposing itself to obscure it.

Ενώπιον αὐτοῦ.

'Evútion avrou, "before him," "in conspectu ejus," "in his sight." Every creature is continually under his view. Aurou must refer to Aóyos roũ ☺soũ, "the Word of God," in the beginning of verse 12; and cannot respect pòs öv, in the end of this verse. For the interposition of the adversative particle dé, "but," and the introduction of the relative airou again, do necessarily refer this aurou to i Aóyos, and proves the same person to be all along intended.

Γυμνὰ καὶ τε τραχηλισμένα.

Πάντα δὲ γυμνὰ καὶ τετραχηλισμένα. The unusual application of the word rpanouas in this place hath made work more than enough for critics. But the design of the apostle is open and plain, however the use of the word be rare, with some especial allusion. All agree that repaxn8μένα is as much as πεφανερωμένα, “ absolutely open” or manifest." Only Ecumenius hath a peculiar conceit about it. It is, saith he, κάτω κύπτοντα, καὶ τὸν τράχηλον ἐπικλίνοντα, διὰ τὸ μὴ ἰσχύειν ἀτενίσαι τῇ δοξῃ ἐκείνῃ τοῦ κριτοῦ καὶ Θεοῦ ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ•" bowing down, and declining or turning aside the neck, as not being able to behold the glory of Jesus, our Judge and God." But he gives us another signification of the word himself. Tpáxλos, “the neck,” is a word commonly used in Scripture, and in all authors. Thence spaxniqua, in the sense here used, "to be manifest," must reτραχηλίζομαι, ceive its signification from some posture of the neck; and as joined here with yuuvós, "naked," it may have respect unto a double allusion. First, unto wrestlers and contenders in games. First they were made naked, or stripped of their clothes; whence, as it is known, comes γυμνάζω and γυμνάσιον, " vigorously to exercise,” and a place of such exercise. Then, in their contending, when one was thrown on his back, when he was "resupinatus," he was rpaxnλCóuevos, “laid open, with his throat and neck upwards." Hence the word comes to signify things that are "open, naked, evident, manifest." The face and neck of a naked person being turned upwards, it is manifest who he is. This is to have " os resupinatum;" and, as he speaks, "aulam resupinat amici" [Juv., Sat. iii. 112], of him who sees what is in it to the bottom. There is yet anotherallusion that may be intended, and this is taken from beasts that are slain, and, being stripped of their

skins, are hanged by the neck, that all may see and discern them. This is also mentioned by Ecumenius. And Varinus gives us a further sense, and says that τραχηλίζειν is as much as διχοτομεῖν, “ to divide into parts;" or diù rñs páxews oxía, "to cut," "cleave," or "divide through the back-bone," that all may be discovered. And from these two significations I suppose the design of the apostle in this allusion may most probably be collected. It is evident that he hath great regard unto, and doth much instruct the Hebrews by and from the customs in use amongst themselves. Unto one of them doth he here seem to have respect, namely, the beasts that were sacrificed. The first thing that was done with the body of it, after it was slain, was its being flayed. This work was done by the priests. Hereby the carcass of the beast was made yʊuvóv, “naked," laid open to the view of all. Then were all its entrails opened, from the neck down to the belly; after which the body was cut into its pieces through the chine-bone: whereby in both the senses mentioned, both of opening and division, it became rerpanévov, "opened and divided," so that every part of it was exposed to view. Hence the apostle, having compared the Word of God before in his operations to a "two-edged sword, that pierceth to the dividing asunder of the joints and marrow," as did the sharp knife or instrument of the sacrificer; here affirms that "all things" whatever, and so consequently the hearts and ways of professors, were "evident, open, and naked before him," as the body of the sacrificed beast was to the priests when flayed, opened, and cut to pieces. This is the most probable account of these expressions in particular, whose general design is plain and evident. And this appears yet further from the next words.

μοῖς αὐτοῦ.

Toi ipluλuois aurou, "to the eyes of him." He followeth on his ὀφθαλμοῖς former allusion; and having ascribed the evidence of all Tis a things unto the omniscience of the Word, by the similitude before opened, in answer thereunto he mentions his eyes wherewith he beholds the things so naked and open before him. Both expressions are metaphorical, containing a declaration of the omniscience of Christ, whom he further describes in the last words, by our respect unto him in all these things.

Πρὸς ὃν ἡμῖν ὁ λόγος. How variously these words are rendered, and thereby what various senses are put upon them, hath been declared. But both the proper signification of them and the design of the place direct us to one certain sense, namely, "to whom we must give an account." Aéyos is "an account;" there is no other word used in the New Testament to express it. IIpòs öv is properly "unto whom," and not "of whom," or "concerning whom;" that is, it expresseth the object of the action here mentioned, and not the subject of the proposition. And the whole is rightly rendered, "to

whom we must give an account;" or, "before whom our account is to be made." And this answers the design of the apostle in the place. For evidencing unto them the efficacy and omniscience of the Word of God, trying all things, and discerning all things, he minds them of their near concernment in these matters, in that he and they must all give up their final accounts unto and before him who is so intimately acquainted with what they are, and with whatsoever they shall do in this world.

There are many things remaining to be observed from these words, which are both of great importance in themselves, and do also serve to the further explanation of the mind of the Holy Ghost in these words, as to what of our instruction is particularly intended in them. And from the properties that are assigned to the Word of God, verse 12, we may observe, that,

Obs. I. It is the way of the Spirit of God, to excite us unto especial duties by proposing unto us and minding us of such properties of God as the consideration whereof may in an especial manner incline us unto them.

Here the Hebrews are minded that the Word of God is living, to give unto their hearts that awe and reverence of him which might deter them from backsliding or falling away from him. Our whole duty in general respects the nature of God. It is our giving glory to him because he is God, and as he is God, "glorifying him as God," Exod. xx. 2; Isa. xlii. 8; Deut. xxviii. 58; Rom. i. 21. It is our giving him the honour which is due to his being. That is the formal reason of all divine worship and obedience. And as this duty in general brancheth itself into many particular duties in the kinds of them, all which in various instances are continually to be attended unto; so God hath not only revealed his being unto us in general, but he hath done it by many distinct properties, all of them suited to promote in our minds our whole duty towards God, and this or that duty in particular. And he often distinctly presseth upon us the consideration of those properties, for to stir us up unto those distinct duties which they direct unto. God in his nature exists in one simple essence or being; nor are there any things really different or distinct therein. His nature is all his properties, and every one of his properties is his whole nature; but in the revelation of himself unto us he proposeth his nature under the notion of these distinct properties, that we may the better know the nature of the duty which we owe unto him: Hosea iii. 5, "Fear the LORD and his goodness." So in places innumerable doth he mind us of his power and greatness; that upon our thoughts and apprehensions of them we might be stirred up to fear him, to trust in him, to get our hearts filled with a due awe and reverence of him, with many other duties of the like nature with them, or evidently proceeding

from them:-to trust, Isa. xxvi. 4; fear, Jer. x. 6, 7. His goodness, grace, bounty, patience, are all of them distinctly proposed unto us; and they all lead us unto especial duties, as the apostle speaks, Rom. ii. 4, "The goodness of God leadeth to repentance.' From these, or the efficacy of the consideration of them upon our souls, ought to proceed our love, our gratitude, our delight in God, our praise and thankfulness; and by them ought they to be influenced. So his holiness ingenerates terror in the wicked, Isa. xxxiii. 14; and holy reverence in others, Heb. xii. 28, 29. The like may be spoken of the rest of the properties of God, with respect unto the remainder of our duties. In like manner, and to the same purpose, did God of old reveal himself by his name. He still ascribed such a name to himself as might be prevalent on the minds of men unto their present duties. So when he called Abraham to "walk before him," in the midst of many difficulties, temptations, hardships, and dangers, he revealed himself unto him by the name of God Almighty, thereby to encourage him to sincerity and perseverance, Gen. xvii. 1. Hence, in his greatest distress he peculiarly acted his faith on the power of God, Heb. xi. 19. And when he called his posterity to comply in their faith and obedience with his faithfulness in the accomplishment of his promises, he revealed himself unto them by his name Jehovah; which was suited to their especial encouragement and direction, Exod. vi. 3. To the same end are the properties of the Word of God here distinctly proposed unto us. We are called to the faith and profession of the gospel. Herein we meet with many difficulties without, and are ofttimes ready to faint in ourselves, or otherwise to fail and miscarry. In this matter we have to do with the Lord Christ; to him we must one day give an account. Wherefore, to stir us up to carefulness, diligence, and spiritual watchfulness, that we give not place to any decays or declensions in our profession, we are especially minded that he is the living one, and one that continually exerciseth acts of life toward us. And in all duties of obedience, it will be our wisdom always to mind that respect which the properties of God or of Christ have unto them. Again, the Word of God is so living as that also it is powerful, or actually always exercising itself in power, actually efficacious toward the ends mentioned,-vepys. So that,

Obs. II. The life and power of Christ are continually exercised about the concernments of the souls of professors; are always actually efficacious in them and upon them.

And this power he putteth forth by his word and Spirit; for we declared, in the opening of the words, that the effects here ascribed unto the essential Word are such as he produceth by the word preached, which is accompanied with and made effectual by the dispensation of the Spirit, Isa. lix. 21. And the power here intended