Epi/lle to the EI E D R 't vv so But thatwhich feetns moft cfpecia 1y to have perplexed them, wastheir relinquifhment of that Worjbip ofGod whereunto theyhad been fo zealoirfly addicted. That this would prove grievous unto them our Saviour had before intimated, Mardi. 24. V. 2o- Hence were they fo flow in_ te theirObedience unto that Heavenly0ra,, although excited with the remembrance of what befell Lots Wife in the like Tergiverfation. Nay, as it is likely from this Epijrle, manyofthem who had made Profef/ion of the Goffiel, rather than they would now utterly forego their old Way ofWarfhip, deferred the Faith, and cleav- ing totheir unbelievingCountreymen, perifhed in their Apolìafie, whom our Apofile in an efpecial.manner, forewarns of their inevitable and fore dcftruéhon, by that Fire ofGodsIndignation, whichwas thorny todevour the ttdverfaries, to whom they affociated themfelves, Chap. Io. 0.25,26,27, 28,29; 30, 31 Thiswas the Time wherein this EpiJlle was written ; This the Condition of the Ile- brims unto whom it waswrote, both in refpeét of their Political, andEcclefialtical estate. .caul, whohad an inexpreffiblezeal, and overflowing Affeélion forhis Countceymen, being now in Italy, confidering the prefènt condition of their Aflàirs, how pertinacioully they adhered to btofaical Inffitutions, how near the approach of their utter abolition was , how backward during that frame of Spirit they would be to Cave them- felves by-flying from the mid[f of that perifhing Generation, what danger they were in to forego theprofeffion of theGa el, When it could not be retained without a relinquifhment of their former DivineService andCeremonies, writes this Epiffla unto them, whereinheftrikes at the veryroot ofall their dangers anddiflrelfes. For where- . asall the danger of their abode injerufalem andJudea, and fo offalling in thedeftruéli- on of the City andPeople , all the Fears the Apoflle had of their Apojlafie intoJuda- ifm ; all their own difconfolationsinreference Unto theirflight and departure, arofe from their adherence unto, and zeal for the Law ofMofees, by declaring unto them the Na- ture, ufe, End and Expiration of his Ordinances and Inflitutionsí he utterly removes and takes away the ground and occafion of all the Evils mentioned. This was the feafon wherein this Epiille was written; and thefe fume of the principal occafion (though it hadother reafonsalfo, as we [hall fee afterwards) of its Writing. AndI noway doubt, ( though particular eventsof thofé dayes are buried in Oblivion) but that throughhis Grace who moved anddirehed the Apoffle unto, and in the Writingof it, it wasmade fignally effeélual towards theprofeffing Hebrews, both to free them from thatyoiZ ofbondage wherein they had beendetained; and to prepare them with' cheer, fulnefs untothe obfervation of EvangelicalWorfhip, leaving their Countreymen to pe- rifh in their Sin andUnbelief. Exercitatio +3
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