This is the great preparation for the soul’s admittance into the. treasury of sacred truths. Go to the reading, hearing,’ studying of the Scripture, with hearts sensible of your own unworthiness to be taught, and of your disability to learn; go with hearts ready to receive, embrace, and submit unto what shall be made known unto you; this is the way to be taught of God. And in this way, if you learn not so much as others, yet that which you do learn shall be of as much use, benefit, and advantage unto you as theirs shall be who attain unto the greatest degrees of spiritual light and knowledge. The word thus inquired unto, will be as manna to them that gathered it, Exod. xvi. 18.
Obs. VI. Secondly. Earnest prayer for the guidance, direction, assistance, and illumination of the Holy Ghost, to enable us to find ont, discern, and understand the deep things of God.— Where this is neglected, whatever we know, we know it not as we ought. David's prayer was, as we observed before, ‘Open my eyes, and | shall see wonderful things out of thy law,’ Ps. cxix. 18. This opening of our eyes 1s the immediate work of the Holy Ghost. Without this we shall never be able to discern the wondrous mysterious things that are in the word of God, 2 Cor. i. 18, ch. iv. 6. The Lord Christ promiseth that the ‘Comforter shall teach us all things,’ John xiv. 26, and as the Spirit of truth, ‘ guide us into all truth,’ ch. xvi. 13. And although in these promises, there may be somewhat peculiar to the apostles, namely, to guide them by extraordinary inspiration and _ revelation; yet also there is grace promised in them to all his disciples, that they also shall be guided into the truth by the word through his instruction. For, as he tells all believers, that ‘his Father will give the Holy Spirit unto them that ask him of him:’ so John tells them, that they have ‘an unction from the Holy One, 1 John ii. 20, which abideth in them and teacheth them all things,’ ver. 27, that is, all things which God would have them know in their stations, and which are needful for them. That this is the only way whereby we may come to know the things of God, the great and wondrous things of God laid up in the word, our apostle discourseth at large, 1 Cor. ii. ‘ The natural man,’ he tells us, that is, such an one as hath not the help and assistance of the Spirit of God, ‘cannot receive the things that are of God,’ ver. 14. He can neither find them out himself, nor own them when they are discovered by others. But the Spirit ‘ searcheth the deep things of God,’ ver. 10. Many of the things of God in the Scripture are very deep, so that they cannot be discovered but by the help of the Spirit of God; as he shows that they are manifested to believers, ver. 11—16. And to this purpose are we directed to pray by the example of our apostle, Ephes. i. 16—20, ch. iii. 16—19; Col li. 2. Now what the work of the Holy Spirit is in this matter, by what way and means he leads us to the knowledge and acknowledgment of sacred truths, how he guides and directs us, into the discovery of the sense and meaning of God in his word, shall, if God will, and 1 live, be handled apart in another discourse, and shall not therefore be now insisted on. But this is the great and principal rule, which is to be given unto those who would find out the mind of God in the Seripture, who would search out the mysterious truths that are contained in it, and would be kept from errors in their so doing, and that both to understand things aright for their own advantage, and to interpret the word aright for the advantage and edification of others. Let them be earnest, diligent, constant, fervent in their supplications and prayers, that God, according to his promise, would graciously send his Holy Spirit, to guide, lead, instruct, and teach them, to open their understandings, that they may understand the Scriptures, as our Lord Jesus did for the disciples by the way, and to preserve them from mistakes and errors. Unless we have his guidance we shall labour to little purpose in this matter. Yea, woe be to him who leans to his own understanding herein.* And these prayers ought to be, 1. A constant part of our daily supplications; 2. Brief elevations of soui unto God, whenever occasionally or statedly we read the word of God; 3. At solemn or appointed seasons.
Obs. VII. Thirdly. Endeavour in all inquirings into the word, to mind and aim at the same ends which God hath in the giving and granting of it unto us.—Then do we comply with the will of God in what we do, and may comfortably expect his gracious assistance. Now in general God had a fivefold end, in granting this inestimable privilege of the Scripture unto the church. ws
1, That it might be such a revelation of himself, and of his mind and will unto us, as that we might so know him, as to believe in him, fear him, love him, tru t in him, and obey him in all things. This is the great and principal end of the Scripture, Deut. xxix. 29. Without this, all things concerning God and our duty since the entrance of sin, are wrapt up in darkness and confusion; as is manifest at this day in all nations and places left destitute of it. And this therefore is to be our principal aim in our study of the Scripture. That we may know God, as he hath revealed, and declared himself; that we may come to an acquaintance with him by an infallible rule and light given us by himself for that purpose, that so in all things we may glorify him as God, and live unto him; is the first thing which in this matter we ought toaim at. Anda due consideration hereof, will be exceedingly useful and effectual to curb the vanity and curiosity of our minds, which are apt to turn us aside towards corrupt, unprofitable, and sinister ends.
2. Another end of God was, that we might have a safe rule and infallible guide for the due performance of all the duties towards himself and one another, which he requires of us in the whole course of our obedience, 2 Tim. 1]. 15—17. God hath in infinite wisdom trea- sured up in this book every thing, that either for the matter or manner of its performance, is any way necessary for us to know or do, that we may be wise unto salvation, and thoroughly furnished for every duty, that he requireth at our hands. And here lies our next end. Wecome to the Scripture to learn these things, and nowhere else can we so learn them, as to attain either assurance and peace in our souls, or so perform them as that they should be acceptable unto God. This mind therefore ought to be in us, in all wherein we have to do with the Scriptures. We go to them, or ought so to do, to learn our own duty, to be instructed in the whole course of our obedience, in what God requires of us in particular. With this design We may go on and prosper.
3. God hath given us his word to guide and direct us in our ways under all dispensations of his providence, that we sin not against him, nor hurt or damage ourselves, Ps. cxix. 24. The providences of God towards us as to our course in this world, do oftentimes bring us into great straits and difficulties; so that we know not well how to steer our course, so as neither to sin against God, nor to prejudice or ruin ourselves without just and cogent reasons. God hath given us his word to counsel us in this matter, and by a diligent attendance unto it, we shall not fail of blessed guidance and directions. Here we ought to seek it, and here we may find it if we seek it in a due manner. -
4. The Scriptures are given us of God, to administer unto us consolations and hope in all our distresses and tribulations, Rom. xv. 4; Ps. cxix. 92. In them hath God graciously treasured up whatever is useful or needful to this purpose. Whatever be our distresses, fear, disconsolations, as to what hath befallen, or doth, or may befal us in this world, God hath designed a relief under it and against it in his word. ‘That we may be always furnished with this blessed and precious provision, ought to be one end also that we aim at in our considerations of it.
5. God hath done this, that he might give us infallible assurance of eternal life, when we shall be here no more, with some prospect into the glories of it, and foretastes of its sweetness, 2 Tim. 1. 10. As we stand in need of this, so the constant fixing of our eye upon it, as our utmost end, will be a safe and blessed guidance unto us in our whole course. These are the ends of God, in giving us his word, and these ought to be continually our ends in our search into it. And the want hereof, whilst some have indulged their fancies in the pursuit of unuseful notions and speculations, hath caused them to err from the truth.
Obs. VIII. Fourthly. They that would search the Scriptures to find out the sacred truths that lie hid in them, ought to take care that they entertain no corrupt lusts in their hearts or minds, which will certainly refuse to give admittance unto spiritual truth when it is tendered unto them. Hence is that advice of the apostle, James i. 21. They that will receive the word, so as to have it an ingrafted word, to effect in them the work and end whereunto it is designed, must cast out all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness. Fleshly and corrupt lusts indulged in the hearts and minds of men, will make their most industrious search into the Scripture, of no advantage to themselves, Love of sin will make all study of the Scripture to be mere lost labour. Hearts pure and undefiled, minds serene and heavenly, so far as b the grace of God we can attain them, are required to this’ work. And it ought to be one great motive unto an endeavour after them, that we may be the more able to discern the mind of God in his word.; Obs. IX. Fifthly. Sedulity and constancy in this duty, are great helps to a profitable discharge of it. When men read the word but seldom, so that the things. of it are strange to them or not familiar with them, they will be continually at a loss in what they are about. This is that which the wise man directs us unto, Prov. vii. 1—4. Constant reading and meditation on the word will create a familiarity between our minds and it, when occasional diversions only unto it, will make an estrangedness between them. Hence our apostle commends it in his Timothy, that of a child he had known the Scriptures, 2 Tim. ii. 15; whereby being made familiar unto him, he was much assisted in the right understanding and use of them. And there is not any thing in our walking before God that is more acceptable unto him. For this expresseth somewhat of that reverence which we ought to have of the greatness and holiness of him with whom we have to do. The Jews’ frontispiece to their great Bible is that saying of Jacob upon the vision of God that he had at Bethel, ‘ How dreadful is this place! This is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.’ So ought we to look upon the word with a holy awe and reverence of the presence of God in it. Our faith and dependence on him, with our valuation of the knowledge of his mind and will, are: hereby expressed; and hereby also do we give glory to him*. Obs. X. Sixthly. In our search after truth, our minds are greatly to be influenced and guided by the analogy of faith.—‘ He that prophesieth,’ that is, interpreteth Scripture, must do it xara την avaXoylav της πίστεως, Rom. xii. 6, ‘according,’ say we, ‘to the proportion of faith.” There is a harmony, an answerableness, and a proportion in the whole system of faith, or things to be believed. Particular ~ places are so to be interpreted, as that they do not break or disturb their order, or fall in upon their due relation to one another. This our apostle calls ὑποτυπωσιν ὑγιαινοντων λογων, 2 Tim. i. 13, a fixed, and as it were an engraved form of sound, wholesome, or healing words or doctrines; or a summary of fundamental truths; ὑγιαίνουσα διδασκαλία, the sound doctrine of the gospel, 2 Tim. iv. 3. And this probably is that which he intends by his μορφωσις evoebeac, ch. iil. 5, a form or delineation of godliness, in the doctrines of it, which many may have, who, as we say, are orthodox and sound in the faith, who yet in their hearts and lives deny the power of it. This proportion of faith, this form of sound words, is continually to be remembered, in our inquiry after the mind of God in any particular place of the Scripture. For all the Scripture is from the same spring of divine inspiration, and is in all things perfectly consistent with itself. And the things that are of greatest importance, are delivered in it plainly, clearly, and frequently. Unto these the sense of every particular place is to be reduced; none is to be assigned unto it, none to be pretended from it, that falls in upon any of the truths elsewhere clearly and fully confirmed. For men to come to a place of Scripture, it may be dark and obscure in itself, and, through I know not what pretences, draw a sense from it which is inconsistent with other doctrines of faith elsewhere plainly revealed, is openly to corrupt the word of God. And as indeed there is no place which doth not afford a sense fairly reconcileable unto the analogy of faith; so, if it do not appear unto us, we must sit down in the acknowledgment of our own darkness and ignorance, and not admit of any such sense as riseth up in contradiction thereunto. Want of a due attention unto this rule, 15 that which hath produced the most pestilent heresies in the church. Thus the Papists, taking up those words, ‘ This is my body,’ without a due consideration of the analogy of faith about the human nature of Christ, the spirituality of the union and communion of believers with him, the nature of sacramental expressions and actions, which are elsewhere evidently declared, by which the interpretation, according to the apostle’s rule, is to be regulated and squared, have from them fancied the monstrous figment of their transubstantiation, absolutely destructive of them all. It is the known way of the Quakers amongst ourselves; if they can get any one single text of Scripture, which, in the sound of the words, or on any other account, seems to favour some fancy they have a mind unto, instantly they take it up, not once considering whether it do not dissolve the whole proportion of faith, and overthrow the most fundamental articles of Christianity. Thus, from the outward sound of that one text, John 1. 9, ‘ That was the true light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world;’ they fear not to take up a pretended sense of them, destructive to what is taught about the nature of Christ, the work of the Holy Spirit, of faith, grace, conversion to God, plainly and evidently in a thousand other places. Our apostle doth not so. But although he deduce great and mysterious truths out of the Scriptures of the Old Testament, yet they are such as answer the whole system of divine pence, and have a due place and order in the form of sound
Obs. XI. Seventhly. A due consideration of the nature of the discourse wherein any words are used, tends much to give light into their sense and importance. And the discourses in the Scripture may be referred materially to four general heads. For they are either historical, or prophetical, or dogmatical, or hortatory. And for the way or form of writing used in them, it is in general either proper and literal; or figurative and allegorical, as is the whole book of Canticles, and many other parts or passages in the Scripture. Now these things are duly to be weighed by them who intend to dig deep into this mine of sacred truth. But particular directions in reference unto them, are too many here to be insisted on, ᾿
Obs. XII. Eighthly. The proper grammatical sense of the words themselves is duly to be inquired into and pondered. This principally respects them who are able to pursue this search after truth, in the original languages. Others also may have much help by comparing parallel places, even in translations, whence the proper sense or usual acceptation of any words may be learned. And of this nature many other particular rules might be added, which are by others commonly insisted on, and therefore may be here omitted.
This that hath been spoken may serve, as for the reproof of some, so for the direction of others. Whence is it that some receive so little benefit by their studying of the Scriptures, at least in their pretending so todo? Alas! their manifold miscarriages are manifest unto all. Without diligence, without humility, without watching unto prayer, they go on in the confidence of their own strength and abilities to search and expound it; which is to attempt the opening of brazen doors without a key, and the digging of mines for hidden treasures with men’s nails and fingers. It is true that as the Scripture is a writing consisting of propositions and reasonings, there are sundry things which are common to it with all other writings. An apprehension and understanding of many of these, lieth obvious to every superficial reader. But to come to a clear understanding of the secrets of the mind of God, and mysteries of his will, this is not to be attained without the sedulous diligent use of the means before mentioned. And what guidance lies in them and other particular rules to the same purpose is, though in great weakness, looked after in this exposition.
Ver. 8.—In this verse, the apostle gives a farther confirmation unto his argument, by a particular application of it unto the especial matter in hand. Herewithal he removeth or preventeth an objection, that might probably be raised against one part of his discourse. And the preventing of those objections to which what we affirm and teach, is at first view liable, is as needful, as the raising of objections, which possibly would never come into the minds of our hearers, or readers, is needless and foolish.
Ex yag, ‘ for if;’ αὐτους, that is, the ‘ people of old,’ those of whom he hath treated, particularly the new generation that entered Canaan.
Kareravoev. The apostle in this chapter useth this word both in a neutral and active signification. Ver. 4. κατεπαυσεν ὁ Θεος; ‘ God rested;’ here, ‘caused them to rest,’ had given them rest. Beza, “ in requiem collocasset.’ Arias, ‘ requiem prestitisset.’ The word properly, and usually in other authors, signifies finent imponere, cessare facere, ‘to put an end,’ or ‘ to make to cease;’ as rest puts an end to labour. So the word is used, ver. 10, careravoev aro των ἐργων, ‘hath ceased from his works.’ Inoove, ‘ Jesus,’ that is Joshua; and by so calling him, the apostle also declares what was the true ἐν name of
Jesus Christ, which the Greeks express by Jesus. His name was originally yon, Hoshea, the same with that of Hosea the prophet, Hos. i..1, Thence, when he went to espy out the land, his name was changed by Moses into ywins, ‘ Jehoshua,’ Num. xui. 16. It is true, in the writing over the history of those times, he is called Jehoshua before, as Exod. xvil. 9. But it is most probable, that Moses now by divine direction’ changed his name, when he went to view that land, whither he was to conduct the people; and writing the story of things afterwards, he used the name whereby he was then called. Some of those who had most imbibed the Chaldee dialect or tongue during the captivity, changed this name into yw, ‘Jeshua,’ Ezra i. 2; Nehem. iii. 19; though the prophets Haggai and Zechariah retain the name of Jehoshua, Hag. 1. 1, ii. 2, 4: Zech. in. 1. Now all these names are from the same root, and of the same signification. From yw in Hiphil, (for in Kal the verb is not found), is yws, Jesha, salus, health, help, salvation. Thence are yo Hoshea, yw Jehoshua, and ys Jeshua; that is σωτηρ, ‘salvator, sospitator, liberator;’ though Cicero affirms, that the Greek word cannot be expressed by any one proper Latin word. Salvator, is coined for that purpose; ‘a saviour.’ Now as persons on great occasions had their names as to their signification wholly changed, as when in the Old Testament Jacob was called Israel, and Solomon, Jedediah; and in the New Testament Simon was called Peter, and Saul was called Paul; as divers had double names occasionally given them; as Esther and Hadassa, Daniel and Belteshazzar; so God was pleased sometimes to change one letter in a name, not without a mystical signification; so the name of Abram was changed unto Abraham, by the interposition of one letter of the name of God; and that of Sarai into Sarah, by an addition of the same, Gen. xvil. 5,15. So here the name of Hoshea, is changed into Jehoshua, by the addition of one of the letters of the name of God, increasing the signification; and this name was given him, as he was a type of Christ, and the typical saviour or deliverer of the people.
taken from its signification of saving, ‘he shall save,’ be the Saviour: so that all the attempts that some have made, to derive it from other words, are vain and frivolous; and so also are theirs, who would deduce the Greek name Inoove, from caw, tacw, ‘to heal.’ For Inoove is of no signification at all in the Greek tongue; it being only their manner of pronunciation of yw», Jeshua, which is a Saviour; which name was given to the Lord Christ because of the work he had to do. So also was it to this Jesus, the son of Nun. The wickedness of the perfidious Jews in writing his name w», and the horrible abuse they made thereof, are known to the learned; and there is no need to acquaint others with them.
Περι αλλης ἡμερας, “ concerning another day.’ The apostle having described the rest he discourseth of, by the especial day of rest, that was in several estates of the church peculiarly to be observed, now -by a synecdoche expresseth the whole rest itself, and all the concernments of it by the name of a day.
Oux av ελαλει, ‘he would not have spoken;’ that is, either God absolutely; or the Holy Ghost, whose immediate work the inspiration of the Psalmist was, whose words these are.
Mera ταῦτα, ‘ after these things,’ the things which befel the people in the wilderness, and what they afterwards attained under the conduct of Joshua.
Ver. 8.—For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not, after these things, have spoken concerning another day,
The confirmation of his principal assertion from the words of David, concerning the rest prepared and proposed in the gospel unto believers, is that which our apostle still insists on, as was declared. Hereon was his whole exhortation of the Hebrews founded, and hereinto was it resolved. Andon the same truth depended all the reasonings and motives whereby he enforced his exhortation. This therefore was fully to be established, and clearly vindicated. And that which last of all Temained to that purpose, was the removal of an objection, which “it was evidently among the Jews, liable and obnoxious unto; and this he doth by the due stating of the time when these words were spoken, which he had pleaded in evidence of his assertion. The objection laid down by way of anticipation, is plain in the words. And it 15 this, ‘Although the people which came out of Egypt entered not into the rest of God that was promised, by reason of their unbelief and disobedience, as you have proved; yet the next generation under the conduct of Joshua went into and enjoyed the rest, which they were excluded from. This therefore was the rest intended, which we being in the enjoyment of, what ground have you to propose another rest unto us.’ This is the force of the objection. And two things are comprised in the apostle’s answer unto it. First. A denial of the supposition on which the objection is founded; this is done virtually in the manner of the proposal of the objection itself. ‘For if Jesus had given them rest.’ That is whatever be pretended and pleaded, he did not do so; that is not that full and ultimate rest which in all these things God aimed at. Secondly. He gives the reason of this his de- nial; which is this, That five hundred years after, God in David, and by him, proposeth another rest, or another day of rest, and invites the people unto an entrance, after they were so long fully possessed of all that Joshua conducted them into. And whereas there was no new rest for the people to enter into in the days of David, and the Psalm wherein these words are recorded, is acknowledged to be prophetical of the days of the Mesiah, it unavoidably follows, that there is yet a rest, and a day of rest, remaining for the people of God, which he lays down as his conclusion in the verse ensuing. This interpretation of the words, perfectly satisfieth the argument in hand; but yet I judge there is more in them, than a mere answer to the objections mentioned, though expositors look no farther. And this is, that the apostle also designs to teach the Hebrews, that all those things which were spoken about the rest of God in the land of Canaan, and Mosaic institutions, had not the reality or substance of the things themselves in them, Heb. x. 1; so that absolutely neither did God rest, nor were the people to look for rest in them. They had no other end nor use, but only to teach them to look out after, and to prepare for, that rest. which was promised from of old; so that Joshua did not give them real rest, but only that which was a typical instruction for that season, in what was to come. And therefore in David the same matter is carried still on, and direction is still given to look out after the rest to come. And we may learn hence principally, that, Obs. I. There is no true rest for the souls of men, but only in Jesus Christ by the gospel.—Notwithstanding all that was done to and for the Israelites by Joshua, yet he gave them not rest; he brought them not into the full and complete rest of God; God ‘having provided some better things for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.’ And the reasons hereof are. First. Because God himself resteth not in any thing else. And in his rest alone it is that we can find rest. It is in vain for us to seek for rest, in that wherein God resteth not. We have seen that at the beginning, when he had created man, he entered into his rest; in that satisfaction which he took in the effects of his own power, wisdom, and goodness, Exod. xxxi. 17. He provided likewise rest in himself for man; and gave him a day as a pledge of his entrance into it. Gen. 11. ὦ. In this condition, trouble and disquietment entered into the whole creation, by the sin and apostasy of Adam. God no more rested in the works of his hands, ‘ but cursed the earth,’ Gen. 111. 17—19, made the whole creation subject to vanity, Rom, viii, 20, and ‘revealed his wrath from heaven against the ungodliness of men,’ Rom. 1. 18; and hereof he hath in all ages since given signal instances: as in the flood of waters wherewith he drowned the old world, and the fire from heaven wherewith he consumed Sodom and Gomorrah. And of the same kind are those severe judgments by pestilences, famines, earthquakes, inundations, eruptions of subterraneous vapours, conflagrations, and the like; all testifying the indignation of God against the works of his own hands because of the sin of man, to whom he had given them for a possession, and put them in subjection. For God had decreed from eternity to permit a disturbance by sin, in the first order of things, that he might ‘ vather all things unto an head,’ with durable rest and peace, in Jesus Christ, Isai. xlu. 1; Eph. i. 10. Man hath also utterly lost his rest in that first rest of God; and though he several ways seeks after it, yet, like the unclean spirit cast out of his habitation, he can find none. Some seek it in the world, the pleasures and profits of it; some in the satisfaction of their sensual lusts; some in themselves, their own goodness and righteousness, some in superstition and vain ways of religious worship invented by themselves, some of them horrid and dreadful, Micah v. 6,7. Allin vain. Man hath lost his rest by falling off from God, and nothing will afford him the least quietness but what brings him to him again, which none of these ways will do. It is in and by Christ alone that our lost rest may be recovered.
Obs. II. For, Secondly. Other things will not give rest to the souls of men. An higher instance hereof we cannot have than in these Israelites. They had been for sundry ages in bondage to cruel oppressors, who ruled over them with unparalleled severity and rage. Such, besides their hard and continual labour in the furnace, was that of their having their tender infants, the comfort of their lives, and hope of the continuance of their name and race on the earth, taken from the womb, and cruelly murdered. This they were now delivered from, and all their enemies subdued under them, until they set their feet upon the necks of kings. Who would not now think that this would give them rest? And so it did, outward rest and peace, until it was said that God gave them ‘ rest on every hand.’ And many yet in the like condition of bondage, shut up in the hands of hard and cruel rulers, are apt to think that a deliverance from that condition, would give them perfect rest and satisfaction But yet the Holy Ghost tells us, that this did not give them rest; not that rest wherein they might ultimately acquiesce. Besides; whereas neither they nor their forefathers, for four hundred and thirty years, had ever had either house, or land, or possession, but wandered up und down, in those places wherein they were strangers, and had _ not one foot’s breadth that they might call their own, but only a cave or two to bury them when they were dead; they had now a whole plentiful country given unto them to inhabit and possess, a fruitful country, a land flowing with milk and honey; and therein cities which they had not walled, houses which they had not built, vineyards which they did not plant, with all sorts of riches and substance unspeakable. This might add unto their former satisfaction, especially being suddenly given, and flowing in upon them. And where there is wealth in abundance, and absolute liberty, what can be desired more to give men rest: but yet it did not so. Yet farther; whereas before they lived in a loose scattered condition, without law or rule of their own, or amongst them, God had now gathered them into a firm, well compacted political body, and given them a great and righteous law for the rule and instrument of their government, which all nations did admire, Deut iv. 5,6. This, as it gave them glory and honour in the world, so it was a means of securing that wealth and liberty which they enjoyed. And where these three things are, there a people may be supposed to be at perfect rest. For liberty, wealth, and rule make up a state of rest in this world. But it was not so with them. Joshua gave them not rest. More than all this, God had established his glorious worship amongst them, entrusted them with his oracles and ordinances, and that whole system of religious honour which he would then accept in the world, Rom. ix. 4. ΑἹ] these things with other mercies innumerable, they were made partakers of, by and under the conduct of Joshua. And yet it is here plainly affirmed and proved, that he did not give them rest, that is the ultimate and chief rest which God had provided for his church and people in this world. Why, what was wanting hereunto? what was yet behind? That the apostle declares in this plan. The promise was not yet fulfilled, the Messiah was not yet come, nor had finished his work, nor were the glorious liberty and rest of the gospel as yet exhibited and given to them. It were easy to demonstrate how all these things singly and jointly do come short of true rest. For notwithstanding all these, and in particular the best and highest of them, namely, the law and ordinances of worship, they had not spiritual liberty, rest, and peace, but’ were kept in a bondage-frame of spirit, and laid up all their hopes and expectations in that which was not yet granted to them. So our apostle tells us, that the ‘law made nothing perfect,’ and that their sacrifices could never completely pacify their consciences, and therefore were continually renewed with a remembrance of sin. It is Christ then alone, as declared in the gospel, in whom God doth rest, and in whom our souls may find rest. The reasons hereof may be taken from that description which we have given before, of this gospel rest which the apostle insisteth on.
It is surely therefore our wisdom, im our inquest after rest, which, whether we take notice of it or not, is the main design of our lives, in all that we project or execute, not to take up in anything beneath him or without him. All those things, the enjoyments of the world, the righteousness of the law, the outward ordinances of divine worship, say openly and plainly to us, that rest is not in them. If all those in conjunction had been satisfactory to that end, then had Joshua given the people rest, and there had been no mention of another day. Yea, whatever lawfully used, they may have of rest in them, it is no rest in comparison of that which is to be obtained in Christ Jesus. Hence he invites us to him under the very notion of ‘giving rest unto our souls,’ Matt. xi. 28. And here, in him there is no want, no defect, no disappointment, no fadingness, nothing that hinders those other things from giving complete rest to men. He that rests in the world, or rests in himself, or rests in his own righteousness, or rests even in God’s ordinances, will never come to rest, until he be deprived of all expectation from them, and confidence in them.
Obs. III. The gospel church state is a state of spiritual rest in Christ.—This, for the substance of it, hath been handled at large before. I mention it now only for two ends. First. To show what we ought to look after in this gospel church state, and under the enjoyment of gospel privileges. And then, Secondly. To discover a little how men deceive themselves in this matter. For, First. This is that which distinguisheth our present church state, from that of. theirs under the Old Testament. Joshua gave them all other things, only he gave them not rest, the rest of God. This is now the portion of them that believe. This all the children of the church are to look after. What is it then that men do seek after, or join themselves to the church of Christ on the account of? What do they look for in the worship, in the ordinances, in the ways of the church? If it be any thing but only to enter into the rest of God through Christ, they do but deceive themselves; whatever they take up in, short hereof, they frustrate the whole counsel of God towards themselves in the gospel. Secondly. How many pretend to an interest in this gospel church state, who plainly, openly, and visibly, seek after their rest in other things! Many in their own duties, most in their lusts and the pleasures of the world. Where is the privilege of such persons as these, above that of the Israelites under the conduct of Joshua? Can they say, that although in and under all the enjoyments before mentioned, they obtained not rest, yet the Lord Christ hath given rest to their souls in the gospel? Alas, they have no rest at all; and that which they do pursue is such as the gospel hath no concern in. Did Christ come, think you, to give you rest in your lusts, in your sins, in your pleasures? God forbid; he came to give you rest from these things, in himself, which alone is the rest here preached to you.
Obs. IV. It is a great mercy and privilege to have a day of rest and worship given to us.—The apostle doth not say here, that after these things he speaks of’ another rest, but of anotherday. For from the foundation of the world, we were taught our rest in God by a day of rest given to us. When by sin, we forfeited our interest in that rest of God, God might justly have deprived all the world of the knowledge of the day of rest first appointed. And indeed while he left his law standing as a testimony of his holiness, and a rule of his future judgment, but did not by any outward means press it on the consciences and practices of men, all knowledge of a day of rest was lost from amongst mankind, some few excepted, whom ‘God took into his special care. For to what purpose should they look after a day of rest, who had utterly lost all desires after, and all interest in the rest of God itself? But when God would revive in men a hope and expectation of returning to rest in and with himself, he recalls to their remembrance the day of rest which was at first appointed. But as he then led men into rest only typically, and in order to the representation of a future rest to be brought in; so he renewed to them the remembrance of the day of rest typically also; that it might be a sign between him and them. But now, the rest of God being again established, he hath appointed to us ‘ another day,’ as it is in the text, a day of rest, for the ends which have been often mentioned. And this is a great mercy and privilege; for,
1. It isa pledge of our rest in God, which is the life, happiness, and blessedness of our souls. It is given us to this end and purpose, that so it might be; which was the end of a day of rest from the foundation of the world, as hath been declared.
2. It is a pledge of the recovery of this rest for us, and that it is not absolutely the same rest in God whereunto we were made, but another rest, a better and more sure. And therefore it is, ‘another day,’ that is given to us, and not the same day as of old. God kept the people under the law, in an intermediate state, between the duties of the old covenant and the promises of the new. This kept them to the precise day of the old covenant. For although virtually they were made partakers of the rest of God which is in Christ Jesus, yet the foundation and cause of it being not as yet laid and wrought, they were to content themselves with pledges of it, as a thing to come; such as were their sacrifices and ordinances of worship, with the old day typically renewed. But to have another day, which could not be established but with respect to the works of Christ already wrought, and so to be a pledge of what was done before, this they could not have. This God hath reserved for us; and the day we now have, being another day, is a pledge of rest already wrought out, and actually prepared.
3. It is given us as a means of entering into the rest of God. For hereon hath God ordained, that the solemn declaration of his mind and will concerning his rest, and our entrance into it, should be made tous. Hereon do we celebrate all that solemn worship of God, whereby we express our faith concerning our rest in him, and by which, as means appointed for that end, we are admitted into that rest, and carried on gradually towards its full and eternal enjoyment. And these things the apostle further confirms.
Ver. 9.—Havine passed through his testimonies and arguments, the apostle in this and the following verse, lays down both what he hath evinced in his whole disputation, as also the general foundation of it, in answer to the principles of his preceding discourse.
Apa, itaque, igitur; the common note of inferring a conclusion from any argument, whether inartificial or artificial, of both which. sorts the apostle makes use in this place. Hereby therefore, he would mind the Hebrews to attend both to what he was about to assert, and to the dependence of it on the former testimonies and arguments that he had pleaded and vindicated.
Απολειπεται, relinquitur, superest; ‘it is left,’ ‘it remains,’ ‘it is evinced.’ For this word may refer to aoa, ‘ therefore,’ and be a part of the induction of the conclusion following. So the verb is to be taken impersonally, ‘It remaineth therefore, or this is that which we have proved. In thence, ἀπολείπεται is the modification of the conclusion, and is not of the substance of it, or one of the terms of the proposition. And this exposition the Syriac version follows, reading the whole words, xm5x7 ΤΩΡ ὃ snawad ὙΠ DD pI: “ Wherefore it is certain that the people of God ought to sabbatize, or keep a Sabbath.’ This is certain, a truth that is proved and vindicated; so that the people of God may know their privilege and their duty. The Ethiopic version renders the words somewhat strangely, ‘Is the priesthood of the people of God abrogated?’ that is, itis not; so that standing still in the same peculiar relation to God, as they did of old when they were a royal priesthood, they ought still to attend to his worship, and celebrate his ordinances, the great work of the day of their rest. Or, απολειπεται, may refer to σαββατισμος following, and be of a neutral signification. A sabbatism, or day of rest remaineth. There is yet another rest remaining and abiding for the people of God to enter into, besides those before mentioned and discoursed of. ‘It remaineth,’ that is, God hath prepared it, promised it, and invites us to enter into it.
Σαββατισμος. This word is framed by our apostle from a Hebrew original, by the addition of a Greek termination, and so becomes comprehensive of the whole sense to be expressed, which no other single word in either would do. The original of it is in the Hebrew naw, which signifies ‘to rest.’ And itis, 1. Used to express the rest of God after his works of the creation, Gen. 1. 2, syawr Dra naw}: ‘ and he rested, or sabbatized on the seventh day.’ And this being so of old, the word is used by our apostle to show, that the rest which he now asserts for the people of God, is founded in the rest of God himself. If this it had not been, it might have been avaravoie, a rest in general, it could not have been caariopoc, ‘a sabbatism,’ a sabbatizing rest; for there is no foundation for any such name or thing but in the rest of God. 2. From the ‘rest of God,’ this word came to give name to the day of rest appointed for men, Exod. xx. 1O—12. Because God naw, shabath, ‘ rested from his works,’ he -blessed nawz dy, iom hashabbath, ‘the day of rest,’ the sabbath, which he would have us remember to keep. Now our apostle having proved, that the consideration of that original rest of God, as to its first ends and purposes, is removed, and consequently the day itself founded thereon, and another rest introduced to be expressed in and by another day, he calls it a sabbatism, to express both the rest itself, and the observance of another day likewise, as a pledge and token of that other rest of God, and of our spiritual interest therein. The word then doth not precisely intend either a day of rest, or a spiritual rest; but the whole of our rest in God with respect unto his, and that day that is the token thereof, comprised therein. And hereby the apostle completes the due analogy that is between the several rests of God and his people, which he hath discoursed of in this chapter. For as at the beginning of the world, there was first the work of God, and his rest thereon, which made way for a rest for his people in himself, and in his worship, by the contemplation of his works which he had made, and on whose finishing he rested; and a day designed, determined, blest, and sanctified to express that rest of God; whence mention is made of those works in the command for the observance of that day, seeing the worship of God in and on that day consisted principally in the glorifying of God by and for those works of his, as also to be a means to further men in their entrance into his eternal rest, whereunto all these things do tend. This was the σαβίβατισμος of the people of God from the foundation of the world. And as at the giving of the law, there was a great work of God, and his rest thereon in the finishing of his work, and the establishing of his worship in the land of Canaan, which made way for the people’s entering into his rest, in that worship and country, and had a day assigned them to express the one and the other, and to help them to enter finally into the rest of God; all which were types and shadows of the rest mentioned by David, and this was their σαββατισμος, or sabbatizing rest. So now under the gospel, there is a sabbatism comprehensive of all these. For there was, as we shall see, a great work of God, and a rest of his own that ensued thereon. On this is founded the promise of rest spiritual and eternal to them that do believe; and the determination of a new day, expressive of the one and the other, that is, the rest of God, and our rest in him; which is the sabbatism that our apostle here affirms to remain for the people of God. And what day this is, hath been declared, namely, the first day of the week.
Now, besides the evidence that ariseth from the consideration of the whole context, there are two things which make it undeniably manifest, that the apostle here proves and asserts the granting of an evangelical Sabbath or day of rest, for the worship of God to be constantly observed. This, I say, he doth, though he doth not this only, nor separately; which, whilst some have aimed to prove, they have failed of their aim, not being able to maintain a Sabbath rest exclusively, in opposition either to a spiritual or eternal rest. For so it is not here considered, but only in the manner and order before laid down. '~ Now these are, first, the introduction of the seventh day’s rest into this discourse; and the mentioning of our gospel rest by the name of a day. Unless the apostle had designed the declaration of a day of rest now under the gospel, as well as a real spiritual rest by believing, there is no tolerable reason to be given of his mentioning the works of God and his rest, and his appointment of the old Sabbath, which without respect unto another day, doth greatly obscure and involve his whole discourse. Again, his use of this word, framed, and as it were, coined to this purpose, that it might both comprise the spiritual rest aimed at, and also express a Sabbath-keeping or observance. When he speaks of our rest in general, he still doth it by καταπαυσις; adding there was an especial day for its enjoyment. Here he introduceth caBParicpoc, which his way of arguing would not have allowed had he not designed to express the Christian Sabbath.
Secondly. He shows who they are to whom this Sabbatism doth belong, who are to enter into this rest, to enjoy it with all the privileges that do attend it; and these are ὃ λαος του Θεου; “ the people of God.’ Those of old to whom the rest of Canaan was proposed, were the people of God; and God hath a people still; and wherever he hath so, rest is promised to them, and prepared for them. These he had before described by their own grace and obedience, ver. 3, ‘ We who have believed do enter into rest.’ Here he doth it by their relation unto God and the privilege that depended thereon; they are the people of God.that are interested in this Sabbatism. And the apostle makes use of this description of them upon a double account.
1. Because their being the people of God, that is, in covenant, (for where a people is God’s people, he is their God, Hos. 11. 23,) was the greatest and most comprehensive privilege that the Hebrews had to boast of, or to trust in. This was their glory, and that which exalted them above all nations in the world. So their church pleads with respect unto all others, Isa. Ixili. 19, ‘We are thine, thou never barest rule over them, thy name was not called on them.’ That is, they were never called the people of Jehovah, because never taken into covenant with him. ‘This privilege wherein they trusted, the apostle lets them know, belongs as well to them that believe under the New Testament, asit did to them under the Old. Abram was now become Abraham, a father of many nations. And as those who were his carnal seed of old were the people of God, so God had now a people in and of all those who were his children according to the faith. They may see, therefore, that they shall lose nothing, no privilege, by coming over to the gospel state by faith in Christ Jesus. Upon a new account they become the people of God, which interests them and their children in the covenant, with the seals and all the ordinances of it, even as formerly. For this name, people, doth not first respect individuals, but a collective body of men, with and in all their relations. Believers, not singly considered, but they and their seed, or their children, are this people; and where they are excluded from the initial ordinance of the covenant, I know not how believers can be called the people of God.
2. He proceeds farther and shows them that indeed this privilege is now transferred from the old estate and Canaan rest, unto them that shall and do enter into this rest of God under the gospel. Hence, instead of losing the privilege of being the people of God by faith in Christ, he lets them know that they could no longer retain it without it. If they failed herein, they would be no longer the people of God; and as a signification thereof, they would become no people at all.
be God’s people, they have been no people, or enjoy no political rule and society in the world. Thus then there remaineth a rest or Sabbath-keeping for the people of God. But yet there is a considerable difficulty that ariseth against the whole design οὗ the apostle; and this is, that this Sabbatism of the people of God wanteth a due foundation, in an especial work and rest of God. For, as, if God had not done a new work, and rested in it at the giving of the law and establishment of his worship, whereby a new world, as it were, was erected, there could have been no new rest for his people to enter into, but all must have regarded the rest that was from the foundation of the world; so if there be not a new work and rest of God now wrought and entered into by him, there cannot be a new rest, and a new day of rest for the people of God. This objection, therefore, the apostle removes, and manifests that there is a new blessed foundation of that rest which he now proposeth to the Hebrews, ver. 10, as we shall see. For the present we may observe, that,
Obs. I. Believers under the New Testament have lost nothing, no privilege that was enjoyed by them under the old. Many things they have gained, and those of unspeakable excellence, but they have lost nothing at all. Whatever they had of privilege in any ordinance, that is continued; and whatever is of burden or bondage, that is taken away. All that they had of old was on this account, that they were the people of God. To them, as such, did all the advantages and privileges belong. But they were yet so the people of God, as to be kept like servants under the severe discipline of the law, Gal. iv. 1. Into this great fountain-privilege, believers under the gospel have now succeeded. And what was of servitude in reference unto the law, is removed and taken away; but whateveris of advantage is continued unto them as the people of God. This, I suppose, is unquestionable; that God making them to be his people who were not a people, would not cut them short of any privilege which belonged before to his people as such, Rom. ix. 25, 26. Besides, the state of the gospel is an estate of more grace and favour from God, than that under the law, Johni. 17, 18. The whole gospel is an ampliation of divine spiritual grace and favour to God’s people. So is it a better estate than that which went before, accompanied with better promises, more liberty, grace, and privileges than it. Nothing, then, of this nature can be lost therein or thereby to believers, but all privileges at any time granted unto the people of God are made over to them, that under the gospel are so. Let men but give one instance to this putpose, and not beg the matter in question, and it shail suffice. Moreover, God hath ordered all things in the dispensation of his grace, and institution of his worship, that Jesus Christ should have the preeminence in all. All things are gathered up unto a head in him. And is it possible that any man should be a loser by the coming of Christ, or by his own coming unto Christ? It is against the whole gospel once to imagine it in the least instance. Let it now be inquired whether it were not a great privilege of the people of God of old, that their infant seed were taken into covenant with them, and were made partakers of the initial seal thereof? Doubtless it was the greatest they enjoyed, next to the grace they received for the saving of their own souls. ‘That it was so granted to them, so esteemed by them, may be easily proved. And without this, whatever they were, they were not a people. Believers under the gospel are, as we have spoken, the people of God; and that with all sorts of advantages annexed unto that condition, above what were enjoyed by them who of old were so. How is it then that this people of God, made so by Jesus Christ in the gospel, should have their charter upon its renewal razed, with a deprivation of one of their choicest rights and privileges? Assuredly itis not so. And therefore, if believers are now, as the apostle says they are, the people of God, their children have a right to the initial seal of the covenant. Again,
Obs. II. It is the people of God alone who have a right unto all the privileges of the gospel; and who ina due manner can perform all the duties of it. The rest of the gospel, and all that is comprised in it, is for them, and for them only. All others who lay hand on them, or use them, are agri alieni invasores, ‘ wrongful invaders of the rights and inclosures of others,’ and male fidei possessores, or do but ‘ unjustly possess what they have injuriously seized on’ And the reason hereof is, because all gospel-privileges are but adjuncts of the covenant of grace, and annexed unto the administration of it. Without an interest in that covenant, none can attain the least right unto them. And this they alone have who are the people of God, for by that interest they become so. There is therefore great rapine and spoil committed upon the gospel and its ordinances in the world. Every one thinks he is born with aright to the chief of them, and cannot be excluded from them without the highest injustice. But ask some whether they are the children of God or not, and they will be ready to deride both name and thing. Custom and an opinion received by tradition, hath put an esteem and valuation upon the enjoyment of the ordinances of the gospel. These, therefore, or their pretended right to them, men will by no means forego, nor suffer themselves to be divested of them; but for the true, real, spiritual foundation and use of them, they are generally despised. But all may know that this is the method of the gospel. First become the people of God, by entering into covenant with him in Jesus Christ, and all other spiritual mercies will be added unto you.
Obs. III. The people of God as such, have work to do, and labour incumbent on them. Rest and labour are correlates; the one supposeth the other. Affirming therefore, that there is a rest for them, it includes in like manner that they have work to do. What this is, cannot here be declared in particular: none that knows in any measure, what is their condition in themselves, what their station in the world, what enemies they have to conflict withal, what duties are continually incumbent on them, but knows there is work and labour required of them. Thus our Saviour commends the church of Ephesus, by saying, ‘I know thy works and thy labour,’ Rev. 11. 2. The people of God dwell not as Laish, in security; nor are Sybarites, spending their time in sloth, luxury, and riot. But they are an industrious working people; and I wish that those who profess themselves to be so, were less industrious in earthly things, and more in heavenly. Although I must say that those who are industrious heavenwards, will not be negligent or slothful in their stations in this world. But Christ calls men to work; and that our portion in this world is intermixed withal.
Obs. IV. God hath graciously given his people an entrance into rest, during their state of work and labour, to sweeten it unto them, and to enable them for it. The state of sin under the law, is a state of all labour and no rest. For there is no peace or rest to the wicked, saith God, Isa. lvii. 21. The future state of glory is all of rest, all rest. The present state of believing and obedience is a mixed state, partly of labour, partly of rest, of labour in ourselves in the world, against sin, under affliction and persecution; of rest in Christ, in his love, in his worship, and grace. And these things have a great mutual respect unto one another. Our labour makes our rest sweet, and our rest makes our labour easy. So is God pleased to fill us, and exercise us, all to prepare us duly for eternal rest with himself.
Obs. V. Believers may and do find assured rest, in a due attendance unto, and performance of the duties of the gospel. This is that which the apostle asserts and proves.
Obs. VI. There is a weekly sacred day of rest appointed for believers under the gospel, as will appear from the next verse.
There is no difficulty in these words, nor difference in the translation of them.
Ver. 10.—For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his works, as God from his own.
Expositors generally apply these words unto believers, and their entering into the rest of God, whether satisfactorily to themselves or others, either as to their design, coherence, scope, or signification of particular expressions, I know not. Nor is it my way to oppose or confute the expositions of others; unless they are of suchas wrest the Scripture to the confirmation of errors and heresies: or pervert the testimonies which in any text or places are given unto important and fundamental truths of the gospel; such as we have met with many, in our passage. But where things spoken or delivered are true with respect unto the analogy of faith, though they may not be rightly or regularly deduced from this or that text in particular, yet they may have their use unto edification, through their conformity unto what is taught in other places. In such cases I shall not contend with any, but with all humility propose my own thoughts and reasons to the consideration of them who are wise, learned, and godly. I am not then satisfied with the exposition mentioned of this place; but look upon it as that which neither suits the design of the apostle, nor can bear a tolerable sense in its pavticular application. For, first, supposing believers to be here intended, what are the works they are said to rest from? Their sins, say some, their labours, sorrows, and sufferings, say others; from these they rest in heaven. But how can they be said to rest from these works, as God rested from his own? - For God so rested from his, as to take the greatest delight and satisfaction in them, to be refreshed by them. ‘ Insix days the Lord made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed,’ Exod. xxxi. 17. He so rested from them, as that he rested in them, and blessed them, and blessed and sanctified the time wherein they were finished. Indeed, God’s rest from and upon his works, besides a mere cessation of working, consisted principally in the satisfaction and complacency that he had in them. But now if those mentioned be the works here intended, men cannot so rest from them as God did from his. But they cease from them with a detestation of them as far as they are sinful; and joy for their deliverance from them as far as they are sorrowful. Now this is not to rest as God rested.
Again, When are men supposed to rest from these works? It cannot be in this world: for here we rest not at all from temptations, sufferings, and sorrows; and in that mortification of sin, which we attain unto, we are to fight continually, resisting even unto blood. It must therefore be in heaven that they so rest, and this is affirmed accordingly. But this utterly excludes the rest in and of the gospel from the apostle’s discourse, and enervates it; so as that his whole present argument is nothing to his purpose, as we have shown before.
It appears, therefore, that it is the rest of another that is here intended; even the rest of Christ from his works, which is compared with the rest of God from his at the foundation of the world.— For,.
First. The conjunction yag, ‘for,’ which introduceth this assertion, manifests that the apostle in these words gives an account, whence it is that there isa new Sabbatism remaining for the people of God. He had proved before, that there could be no such rest, but what was founded in the works of God, and his rest that ensued thereon. Such a foundation, therefore, he saith, this new rest must have, and it hath it. Now this is, and must be, in the works and rest of him by whom the church was built, that is Christ, who is God, as it is expressly argued, ch. 1]. 9, 4. For as that rest, which all the world was to observe, was founded in the works and rest of him who built or made the world, and all things in it; so the rest of the church of the gospel is to be founded in the works and rest of him, by whom the church itself was built, that is Jesus Christ. For he, on the account of his works and rest, is also Lord of the Sabbath, to abrogate one day of rest, and to institute another.
Secondly. The apostle here changeth the manner of his expression; from the plural absolutely, ‘we who believe,’ or virtually in the name of a multitude, the ‘ people of God,’ into that which is absolutely singular: 6 eocASwy, ‘he that is entered.’ A single person is here expressed, one on whose account the things mentioned are asserted. And of this change of phrase there can no reason be given, but only to signify the introduction of a singular person.
Thirdly. The rest which he is said to enter into, is called his rest, absolutely; as God, speaking of the former rest, calls it my rest. So this is the my rest of another; his rest, namely, the rest of Christ. When the entering of believers into rest is mentioned, it is called either God’s rest, ‘they shall not enter into my rest;’ or rest absolutely, ‘We that believe do enter into rest.’ But not their rest, or our rest; for it is not our own, but God’s rest, whereinto we enter, and wherein we rest. The rest here, is the rest of himwhose it ts, who is the author of it; that is, it is the rest of Christ.
Fourthly. There is a direct parallel in the whole verse, between the works of the old creation, and those of the new, which the apostle is openly comparing together. 1. For the authors ofthem, Of the one it is said to be God; as God did from his, that is, the Creator; of the other, He, avroc; who is that He of whom we speak, saith our apostle, ver. 13. For in these words he makes also a transition to the person of Christ, allowing only the interposition of an appheat ons exhor- tation, ver. 11. 2. The works of the one and the other are expressed. The works of the Creator are ida ἐργα, ‘ his proper works,’ his own works, the works of the old creation. And there are the works of him, of whom he speaks τὰ eoya avrou, ‘his works;’ those which he wrought in like manner as God did his own at the beginning; that is, the work of building the church. For these works must answer each other, and have the same respect unto their authors or workers. They must be good and complete in their kind, and such as rest and refreshment may be taken in, as well as upon. To compare the sins or the sufferings of men with the works of God, our apostle did not intend. 3, There is the rest of the one and the other. And these must also have their proportion to one another. Now, God rested from his own works of creation. 1. By ceasing from creating, only continuing all things by his power in their order, and propagating them to his glory. 2. By his respect unto them, or refreshment in them, as those which set forth his praise, and satisfy his glorious design. And so also must He rest, who is here spoken of. 1. He must cease from working in the like kind. He must suffer no more, die no more, but only continue the work of his grace, in the preservation of the new creature, and orderly increase and propagation of it by the Spirit. 2. In his delight and satisfaction which he taketh in his works, which Jesus Christ hath to the utmost. He sees of the travail of his soul, and is satisfied, and is in possession of that glory which was set before him, while he was at his work..
ἢ unprejudiced and impartial minds, that it is the person of Jesus Christ that isthe subject here spoken of; and we shall confidently allow a supposition thereof, to regulate our exposition of this verse. As there is considerable in it. ' First. The person spoken of, ὃ εἰσελϑων, ‘He that is entered into his rest;’ that is the Lord Jesus Christ, the builder of the church, the author of the new creation. And this gives an account of the causal connexion, for; there remaineth a Sabbatism now for the people of God; for Christ is entered into his rest.
Secondly. There are the works that this rest of his respects; which it is said he hath ceased or rested from, απὸ τῶν eoywv avtov. These works have been fully opened and declared on the third and fourth verses of the third chapter, whither we refer the reader. All that he did and suffered from his incarnation to his resurrection, as the Mediator of the covenant, with all the fruits, effects, and consequents of what he so did and suffered, belong to these works.
Thirdly. There is the rest that he entered into to be considered, εἰς THY καταπαυσιν αὐτου. Hereof we have seen before in general, that there are two parts. 1. A cessation from his work. He hungered no more, was tempted no more, in a word, died no more. 2. A satisfaction in his works, and the product of them. This Christ had in his; whence he says upon a view of their effects, the “ lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; [ have a goodly heritage,’ Ps. avis.7,
Fourthly.—His entrance into his rest is in like manner proposed unto us. Now, this was not his lying down in the grave. His body indeed there rested for a while; but that was no part of his mediatory rest, as the founder and builder of the church. For, 1. [Ὁ was a part of his humiliation; not only his death, but his abode or continuance in the state of death was so; and that a principal part of it. For after the whole human nature was personally united unto the Son of God, to have it brought into a state of dissolution, to have the body and soul separated from each other, wasa great humiliation. And every thing of this sort belonged to his works, not his rest. 2. This separation of body and soul under the power of death, was penal, part of the sentence of the law which he underwent. And therefore, Peter declares that the pains of death were not loosed but in his resurrection, Acts n. 24, ‘Whom God,’ saith he, ‘hath raised up, loosing the pains of death, because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.’ Whilst he was held of it, he was under it penally. This therefore could not be his rest, nor any part of it, nor did he in it enter into his rest, but continued his work. Nor, secondly, did he first enter into his rest at his ascension. Then indeed he took actual possession of his glory, as to the full public manifestation of it. But to enter into rest 1s one thing, and to take possession of glory another. And it is placed by our apostle as a remote consequent of the Lord Christ’s being justified in the Spirit, when he entered into his rest, 1 Tim. ii. 16. But this his entrance into rest, was in, by, and at his resurrection from the dead. For, 1. Therein, and then, was he freed from the sentence, power, and stroke of the law, and discharged of all the debt of our sin, which he had undertaken to make satisfaction for, Acts 11. 24. 2. Then, and therein, were all types, all prophecies and predictions fulfilled, that concerned the work of our redemption. 3. Then indeed his work was done, I mean that which answereth God’s creating work, though he still continueth that which answers his work of preservation. Then was the law fully satisfied, Satan absolutely subdued, peace with God made, the price of our redemption paid, and the whole foundation of the church gloriously laid in and upon his own person. Then the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy. 4. Then, and therein, was he ‘declared to be the Son of God with power,’ Rom. i. 4; God manifesting to all that this was he, concerning and to whom he said, ‘Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee.’ Acts xiii. 33. This might be farther confirmed, but that, as I know, it is not much questioned. Therefore did the Lord Christ enter into his rest, after he had finished, and ceased from his. works, on the morning of the first day of the week, when he arose from the dead, the foundation of the new creation being laid and perfected.
Here lieth the foundation of our Sabbatizing, of the Sabbatism that remains for the people of God. This reason doth the apostle give of it. He had before asserted it; and there remained no more for him to do, but to manifest, that as those other rests which were passed, the one at the beginning of the world, the other at the giving of the law, had their foundation in the works and rests of God whence a day of rest was given out to the church; so had this new rest a Bhai in the works and rests of Christ, who built all these things and is God, determining a day for our use, in and by that whereon himself entered into his rest, that is, the first day of the week. See hence, that,
Obs. I. The whole church, all the duties, worship, and privileges of of it, are founded in the person, authority, and actions of Jesus Christ. Me’
Obs. II. The first day of the week, the day of the resurrection of Christ, when he rested from his works, is appointed and determined for a day of rest, or Sabbath unto the church, to be constantly observed in the room of the seventh day, appointed and observed from the foundation of the world, under the Old Testament.
This proposition, containing a truth of great importance, and greatly opposed by many on various accounts, that the full discussion of it may not too much interrupt the course of our exposition, is handled apart, and at large in Exercitations to that purpose, whereunto the reader in this place is remitted.
In this verse, we have a return made unto the principal exhortation which the apostle had before proposed, and an improvement of it. In the first verse he laid it down in those words, ‘ Let us fear, lest a promise being left of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.’ Here he declares, how that fear there recommended, is to exert itself, or how it is to be improved and exercised. It appears therefore hence, as we observed before, that it was not a fear of dread, terror, or doubting, that might weaken, discourage, or dishearten them, which he enjoined on them; but such a reverential respect unto the promises and threatenings of God, as might quicken and stir them up unto all diligence, in seeking to inherit the one and avoid the other. Here therefore the same exhortation is resumed and carried on, and that on sundry suppositions which he had laid down, explained, and confirmed, in his preceding discourse, being all of them effectual enforcements of it. Now these are, 1. That there is a rest promised unto us, and yet remaining for us, which is foretold and described in the 95th Psalm. For he hath shown that the rest mentioned therein, was not a rest that was past, or enjoyed by any that went before us in any state of the church from the foundation of the world, but it is that which is now declared and proposed in the gospel. 2. That others had a rest typical hereof proposed unto them, seeing God never ordained his church in any state without a rest, and a day of rest as a token thereof. 3. That some by sin, or unbelief, and disobedience, fell short of the rest proposed to them, and did not enter into it, but were destroyed in the just indignation of God against them. 4. That in their sin, and God’s displeasure with the event of the one and effects of the other, there was an example set forth of what would be the event with them, and God’s dealings towards them, who through unbelief should neglect the rest now declared and proposed unto them, Unto all these propositions, he subjoins a description of this new rest, in the cause, origin, and nature of it, with that day of rest wherein it is expressed. Having therefore proved and confirmed these things in his exposition and discourses upon the 95th Psalm, he lays them down as the foundation of his exhorting the Hebrews to faith and perseverance, keeping himself unto the notion of a rest, and of entering into it, which the testimony he had chosen to insist upon led him unto. ὺ
‘Iva pn ev τῳ AUTW τις ὑποδειγματι TECH τῆς απειθειας. Vulg. Lat. Ue ne in id ipsum quis incidat incredulitatisexemplum. Rhem. ‘That no man fall into the same example of incredulity,’ somewhat ambiguously. Beza, Ne quis in idem incidat contumacie exemplum, ‘That no man fall into the same example of stubborn disobedience,’ that is, into the like sin. Eras. Ne quis concidat eodem incredulitatis exemplo, to the same purpose: as ours also, ‘ Lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.’ Syr. ‘That we fall not after the manner of them who believed not, like unto them;’ Bidmutha; ad similitudinem. And in all these translations it is left somewhat ambiguous, whether it be the sin of the people, or their punishment, that is proposed to consideration.
Ver. 11.—ZLet us labour therefore (or diligently endeavour) ἕο enter into that rest; lest any should fall in the same example of unbelief.
In the words three things may be observed: First. The illative particle, ovy, ‘ therefore;’ denoting an inference from and dependence upon what was before discoursed. The things he now introduceth, arise from the consideration of what was before alleged and proved, with an especial respect unto that part of the example insisted on, which consisted in the sin and punishment of the people of old, ‘therefore.’ Secondly. An exhortation unto duty ensues. Thirdly. A motive thereunto is proposed. In the exhortation, there is the duty itself exhorted unto, which is to enter into that rest; and the manner of its performance, it is to be done with labour and diligence, ‘ Let us labour to enter into that rest.
The duty exhorted unto is expressed in terms whose use is taken from the example before insisted on, ‘ entering into rest,’ εἰς ἐκείνην τὴν καταπαυσιν. The thingsintended may be considered two ways; either as to the act of the duty, or the duty itself; and the effect of it, both included in the words. The duty itself intended is faith and obedience unto the gospel; these were represented of old, by the people’s applying themselves to enter into the promised land of Canaan. Here therefore he exhorts them unto their present duty, under these terms. And the effect of this duty, which is a participation of the rest of God, is also included.
And indeed glorious advantages are comprised in all gospel-duties. To know God in Christ is life eternal, John xvu.3. To believe is to enter into the rest of God. Again, for the farther explication of these words, we may observe, that the apostle changeth his expression from what it was in the preceding verse. He tells us, ver. 9, that there remained σαξξατισμος, a Sabbatism for the people of God. But here he doth not exhort them to enter, εἰς sxkevov tov σαξξατισμον, into that Sabbatism, but changeth it into καταπαύυσιν, that is mm, as the other is pnaw. And the reason is, because by that word ‘Sabbatism, he intended to express the rest of the gospel not absolutely, but with respect unto the pledge of it, in the day of rest, whichis given and determined unto them that believe, for the wership of God, and other ends before recounted. But the apostle here returns to exhort the Hebrews to endeavour after an interest in, and participation of the whole rest of God in the gospel, with all the privileges and advantages contained in it; and therefore he resumes the word, whereby he had before expressed the rest of God in general.
Secondly. For the manner of the performance of this duty, the word σπουδάσωμεν doth declare it. Let us diligently study, endeavour, or labour to this purpose. If we suppose labour in our language to be the most proper word (though I would rather use endeavour) such a labouring is to be understood, as wherein the mind and whole soul is very intently exercised: and that upon the account of the difficulties which, in the performance of this duty, we shall meet withal. For the apostle, expressing our faith and gospel-obedience, with the end of them, by entering into the rest of God, a phrase taken from the people’s entering into the land of Canaan of old, reminds us of the great opposition which in and unto them we shall be sure to meet withal. It is known what difficulties, storms, and contrary winds, the people met with in their wilderness peregrination. So great were they that the discouragements which arose from them were the principal occasions of their acting that unbelief which proved their ruin. Sometimes their want of water and food, sometimes the weariness and tediousness of the way, sometimes the reports they had of giants and walled towns stirred up their unbelief to murmurings, and hastened their destruction. That we shall meet with the like oppositions in our faith and profession, the apostle instructs us, by his using this phrase, with respect unto the occasion of it, ‘entering into the rest of God.’ And we may observe hence,
Obs. I. That great oppositions will and do arise against men in the work of entering into God’s rest; thatis, as unto gospel-faith and obedience. The very first lessons of the gospel discourage many from looking any farther. So when our Saviour entertained the young man that came to him for instruction with the lesson of self-denial, he had no mind to hear any more, but went away sorrowful, Matt. xix. 22. And the reasons hereof may be taken partly from the nature of the gospel itself and partly from our own natures to whom the gospel is proposed. I shall not instance in that general consideration which alone would bear the weight of thisassertion. And this is, that in the gospel there is proposed unto us, a new way of entering into the rest of God, of acceptance with him, of righteousness and salvation, which 15 contrary to our natural principle of self-righteousness, and seeking after it, as it were by the works of the law. For this fills our hearts naturally with an enmity unto it and contempt of it; making us esteem it foolish and weak, no way able to effect what it proposeth and promiseth. But this would be too large a field to enter into at present; and I shall therefore insist only on some particular instances, giving evidence to the proposition as laid down. These I shall take from among the precepts of the gospel, some whereof are very difficult unto our nature as it is weak, and all of them contrary unto it as it is corrupt.
First. Some gospel-precepts are exceedingly difficult unto our nature as itis weak. This our Saviour takes notice of, when exhorting his disciples to watchfulness and prayer in an hour of temptation. He tells them that the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak, Matt. xxvi. 41. Where, by the flesh, he intendeth not that corrupt principle which is in us, that is often called by that name, but our nature in its whole composition with respect unto that weakness, whence it is apt to succumb and sink under difficult duties. To fix on one instance among many, of this nature is self-denial, so indispensably required of all in the gospel. The denial of ourlusts, and corrupt inclinations, fall under another consideration, and must on other accounts have violence offered unto them, as afterwards. But, in the first place, we may weigh this precept as it extends unto things in themselves lawful, and which _ have an exceeding suitableness unto our natures as weak and infirm. We are but dust, and God knows that we are but dust, Ps. ci. 14. And he hath in his providence provided many things, and allowed us the use of them, which are fitted and suited to our refreshment and relief in our pilgrimage. Such are houses, lands, possessions, the comfort of relations and friends, which he hath given us a right unto, and an interest in. And as we are persuaded that through the weakness and frailty of our natures, we do greatly stand in need of these things, so it is known how our hearts are apt to cleave unto them. But here this gospel-precept of self-denial interposeth itself, and requireth two things of us.
Ist. It requires an undervaluation of them, or at least introduceth a new affection over them and above them, which shall put the heart into a continual readiness and preparedness, to part with them at the call and upon the occasions of the gospel, Matt. x. 37. Our acceptance of Christ on gospel terms, is like a man’s entrance into a marriage relation. It introduceth a new affection, that goes above and regulates all former affections. For a man must forsake both father and mother, to cleave unto his wife. All others are to be steered and regulated hereby. And he that by his acceptance of Christ would enter into rest, must subordinate all former affections to lawful things, unto this new one, which will not abide in any heart but where it is supreme.
2dly. On sundry occasions which the profession of the gospel will present us withal, actually to relinquish and forego them, and to trust our persons, with all their weaknesses and frailties, to the provision that Christ will make for them, Mark viii. 34, 37. This is difficult to our nature, because of its weakness. It is apt to say, Let me be spared in this or that: to make an intercession for a Zoar; what shall become of me when all is lost and gone? what shall I do for rest, for ease, for liberty, for society, yea, for food and raiment? Yet are all these to be conquered by faith, if we intend to enter into the rest of God. We condemn them of old, who were afraid of giants and walled towns, which made them murmur and withdraw from their duty. These are our giants and fenced cities; and, alas! how many are hindered by them from inheriting the promise? The like may be said of that particular branch of the great duty of self-denial, in taking up the cross, or willingness to undergo all sorts of persecutions for the sake of Jesus Christ. Many of these are exceedingly dreadful and terrible to our nature as mortal, weak, and infirm. Peter knew how it was with us all in our natural principle, when he advised his Lord and Master to spare himself, as he was foretelling his own sufferings. Here the weakness of our nature would betake itself to a thousand pretences to be spared. But the gospel requires severely, that they be all discarded, and the cross be cheerfully taken up, whenever by the rule of it we are called thereunto. And they do but deceive themselves who engage into a profession of it, without a readiness and preparation for these things. It is true, God may spare whom he pleaseth, and when he pleaseth, as to the bitterness of them; and some in his tenderness and compassion are little, it may be, exercised with them all their days. But this is by especial dispensation and extraordinary indulgence. The rule is plain; we must be all ready in the school of Christ to say this lesson, and he may call forth whom he pleaseth unto its repetition. We are, it may be, loath to come forth, loath to be brought to the trial; but we must stand to it, or expect to be turned out of doors, and to be denied by the great Master at the last day. We are, for the most part, grown tender and delicate, and unwilling to come (so much as in our minds) to a resolved conversation with these things. Various hopes and contrivances shall relieve our thoughts from them. But the precept is universal, absolute, indispensable, and such as our entrance into the rest of God doth depend on its due observance. By the dread hereof are multitudes kept in the wilderness of the world, wandering up and down between Egypt and Canaan, and, at length, fall finally under the power of unbelief. These, and the like things, are very difficult unto our nature as it is weak.
Secondly. All the commands of the gospel are opposite and contrary to our nature, as it is corrupt. And this hath so large an interest in all men, as to make those things very difficult to them which are wholly opposite to our corrupt nature. <A sense hereof has made some endeavour a composition between the gospel and their lusts; so turning the grace of God into lasciviousness, by seeking countenance from thence unto their sins, which hath no design but to. destroy them. From the corruption of our nature it is, that the things which the gospel in its precepts requires us severely to cast off and destroy, have a treble interest in us, that is not easy to be overcome. An interest of love, an interest of usefulness, and an interest of power.
1. An interest of love. Hence we are commanded to pull out right eyes if they offend us, Matt. v. 29. Things that are dear unto us, as our eye, as our right eye. And it is a proverbial expression to set out the high valuation and dear esteem we have of any thing, to say that it is unto us as our eye. As God himself, to express his tender care over his people, says, ‘ He that toucheth them, toucheth the apple of his eye,’ Deut. xxx. 10; Zech. 1. 8. And such are the lusts of the flesh naturally to men; whence the precept of the gospel, if ‘ thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out and cast it from thee,’ immediately subjoined to that doctrine of purity and chastity, ‘ Whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her, hath committed adultery with her already in his heart, Matt. v. 28. Now, there cannot but be great difficulty in cutting off, and castmg away from us such things, as have so great an interest of love in us, as these lusts have in corrupted nature. Every one is unwilling to part with what he loves; and the more he loves it, the less willing is he to part with it, the longer and more earnestly will he hold it. And there is nothing that men naturally love more than their carnal lusts. They will part with their names, their estates, and venture their lives, all to satisfy them.
2. An interest of usefulness. Nature as corrupt, would persuade a man that he cannot live nor subsist in this world, without the help and advantage of some of those things, which the gospel forbids to all them that will enter into the rest of God. Hence is the command to cut off the right hand, if it offend, Matt. v. 30; that is, things apprehended as useful unto us, as a right hand is to the common services of life. Of this kind is that inordinate love of the world, and all the ways whereby it is pursued, which the gospel doth so condemn. These things are to many, what, Micah’s gods were unto him; who cried out upon the loss of them, when they were stolen by the Danites, ‘ You have taken away my gods, and what have I more?’ Take away from men their love of this world, and the inordinate pursuit of it, and they think they have no more; they will scarce think it worth while to live in the world any longer. And this interest also is to be overcome, which it cannot be without great difficulty; and a cleaving
3. An interest of power. Hence, sin is said to have strong holds in us, which are not easily cast down. But hereof I have treated in a peculiar discourse.
Secondly. Another reason of the difficulty of this work, ariseth from the combined opposition that is made unto it. For as the Eeyptians, the Canaanites, and the Amorites, did all of them their utmost to hinder the Israelites from entering into Canaan; and what they could not effect really by their opposition, they did morally by occasioning the people’s unbelief, through their fighting against them, which proved their ruin; so do our spiritual adversaries deal in this matter. Ifthe work of the gospel go on, if men endeavour by it to enter into God’s rest, Satan must lose his subjects, and the world its friends, and sin its life. And there is not one instance wherein they will not try their utmost to retain their interest. All these endeavour to hinder us from entering into the rest of God, which renders it a great and difficult work.
It will be said, that if there be all these difficulties lying before us, they must needs be so many discouragements, and turn men aside from attempting of it. I answer,
1. Of old indeed they did so; the difficulties and discouragements that lay in the way of the people, quite took off their hearts and minds from endeavouring an entrance into the promised land. But what was the event? The apostle declares at large, that on this account the indignation of God came upon them, and their carcases fell in the wilderness. And no otherwise will it be with them who are afraid to engage in those spiritual difficulties we have now to conflict withal. They will die and perish under the wrath of God, and that unto eternity. He that shall tell men that their entering into the rest of Christ, is plain, easy, suited to nature, as it is weak or corrupt, will but delude and deceive them. To mortify sin, subdue our bodies, and keep them in subjection; to deny ourselves, not only in the crucifying of lusts that have the most secret tendency unto things unlawful, but also in the use οὗ things lawful, and our affections to them, pulling out right eyes, cutting off right hands, taking up the cross in all sorts of afflictions and persecutions, are required of us in this matter; and they are not at present joyous but grievous, not easy and pleasant, but difficult, and attended with many hardships. To lull men asleep with hopes of a rest in Christ, and in their lusts, in the world, in their earthly accommodations, is to deceive them and ruin them. We must not represent the duties of gospel faith and obedience, as the Jesuits preached Christ to the Indians, never letting them know that he was crucified, lest they should be offended at it. But we must tell men the plain truth as it is, and let them know what they are to expect from within and from without, if they intend to enter into rest.
2. Notwithstanding all these difficulties, the promise of God being mixed with faith, will carry us safely through them all. After the unbelieving generation was destroyed in the wilderness, the hardships and difficulties still remained; yet their children believing the promise, passed through them and entered into rest. The power of God, and his faithfulness amongst them and unto them, conquered them all. And it will infallibly be so with them that shall mix the promise with faith, in reference unto this spiritual rest. God will both supply them with strength, and subdue their enemies, so as that they.shall not fail of rest. Whatever therefore may be pretended, it is nothing but unbelief that can cause us to come short of rest, and this will do it effectually. Faith in the promise will engage the power of Christ unto our assistance; and where he will work, none shall let him. To this end we might consider the various ways whereby he will make mountains become plains, dry up rivers, yea, seas of opposition, and make all those things light and easy unto us, which seem so grievous and insupportable unto our nature, either as weak and frail, or as corrupt and sinful. But we must not too far digress into these things. And I say, thirdly, which is a second observation from the words,
Obs. 11. That as the utmost of our labours and endeavours are required to our obtaining an entrance into the rest of Christ, so it doth very well deserve that they should be laid out therein.—Let us, saith the apostle, endeavour this matter with all diligence, as the word imports. Men are content to lay out themselves unto the utmost for other things, and to spend their strength for the bread that perisheth, yea, for that which is not bread. Every one may see how busy and industrious the world is in the pursuit of perishing things. And men are so foolish as to think that these deserve their whole time and strength, and more they would expend in the same way, if they were intrusted with it. This their way is their folly. But how easy a thing were it to demonstrate from the nature of it, its procurement and end, with our eternal concernment in it, that this rest deserves the utmost of our diligence and endeavours. To convince men hereof, is one of the chief ends of the preaching of the gospel in general; and so needs” not here to be insisted on.
Obs. III. Again, There is a present excellency in gospel faith and obedience, and a present reward attending them. ‘They are an entrance into the rest of Christ; or they give us a present interest therein. They are not only a present means of entering into future eternal rest with God; but they give us a present participation of the rest of Christ; and wherein this doth consist, hath been before declared.
The latter part of this verse yet remains to be explained and applied. Therein unto the precedent exhortation a motive is subjoined; ‘ lest any fall after the same example of unbelief’ These words, as was in part before intimated, do express either the sin to be avoided, or the punishment whereby we should be deterred from it.
The word, ‘to fall,’ is ambiguous, and may be applied to either sense. For men may fall into sin; and they may fall into the punishment due to their sin; when that word is used in a moral sense. Matt. xv. 14, ‘the blind lead the blind,’ ἀμφοτεροι εἰς BoSuvoy πεσουνται, “ both shall fall into the ditch,’ of sin or trouble. See Rom. xi. 22; James vy. 12, For the prime use of the word is in things natural, and it is only metaphorically translated to express things moral. And ὑποδειγμα is most commonly a teaching example. So ὑποδεικνυμι, is “ to teach,’ or “ to instruct, by showing, Matt. iii. 7, “O generation of vipers,’ τὶς ὑπεδειξεν ὕμιν; ‘ who hath warned, taught, instructed you.’ Thence ὑποδειγμα; is ‘ documentum.’ Tavra ὑποδειγματα ϑσται τῳ Πολοδαμνῃ ὧν det επιμεληδηναι, ν These are instructions for Polodamnes, about the things that are to be provided for.’ But it is also often used as παραδειγμα, ‘ an exemplary punishment;’ as ὑποδείιγμα w πληδϑει ποιων avrov, ‘ making him an example to the multitude;’ that is, in his punishment. And so among the Latins, ‘ exemplum’ is often put absolutely for punishment, and that of the highest nature. Now if ὑποδείγμα in this place, be taken merely for a ‘ document’ or ‘ instruction,’ which is undoubtedly the most proper and usual signification of the word, then the sense may be, ‘ Lest any of you should fall into that unbelief, whereof, and of its pernicious consequents, you have an instructive example in them that went before; proposed on purpose unto you, that you might be stirred up to avoid it.’ If it be taken for παραδειγμα, as sometimes it is, and so include in its signification an ‘ exemplary punishment;” then the meaning of the words is, ‘ Lest any of you, through your unbelief fall into that punishment, which hath been made exemplary, in the ruin of those other unbelievers who went before you.’ And this I take to be the meaning of the words. You have the gospel, and the rest of Christ therein, preached and proposed unto you. Some of you have already taken upon you the profession of it, as the people did of old at Mount Sinai, when they said, ‘ All that the Lord our God shall command, that we will do.’ Your condition is now like unto theirs, and was represented therein. Consider therefore how things fell out with them, and what was the event of their sin, and God’s dealing with them. They believed not, they made not good their engagement, they persisted not in their profession, but were disobedient and stubborn, and God destroyed them. They fell in the wilderness and perished, not enterig into God’s rest, as hath been declared. If now you, or any amongst you, shall be found guilty of their sin, or the like answering unto it, do not think or hope that you shall avoid the hike punishment. An example of God’s severity is set before you in their destruction. If you would not fall into it, or fall under it, labour, by faith and obedience, to enter into the rest of Christ. And this [ take to be the true sense and importance of the words answering their coherence and relation unto them that go before. For those words, ‘ Let us labour to enter into that rest, are no more but let us sincerely believe and obey, wherein we shall find, through Jesus Christ, rest to our souls. Hereunto this clause of the verse is a motive, ‘ Lest any of you fall in the same example of unbelief.’ Now, if their sense should be, ¢ Lest any of you, after their example, should fall into unbelief,’ then that of the whole must be, let us labour to believe, that we fall not into unbelief; which is a mere battalogy, and remote from our divine Author. Hence observe,
Obs. IV. Precedent judgments on others, are monitory ordinances unto us.—They are so in general in all things that fall out in the providence of God in that kind, whereof we may judge by a certain rule. This is the use that we are to make of God’s judgments, without a censorious reflection on them in particular,-who fall under them; as our Saviour teacheth us in the instances of the Galileans, whose sacrifices Pilate mingled with their blood, and those men on whom the tower in Siloam fell. But there are many things peculiar in the examples of this kind given us in the Scripture. For, 1. We have an infallible rule therein to judge both of the sins of men, and of the respect that the judgments of God had unto them. Besides, 2. They are designed instances of the love and care of God towards us; as our apostle declares, 1 Cor. x. 11. God suffered their sins to fall out, and recorded his own judgments against them in his word, on purpose for our instruction. So that, as he declared his severity in them towards others, he makes known by them his love and care towards us. This gives them the nature of ordinances, which all proceed from love. To this end, and with a sense hereof, are we to undertake the consideration of them. So are they exceedingly instructive; to which purpose we have treated somewhat on the third chapter, whither we refer the reader. Again,
Obs. V. It is better to have an example, than to be made an ex~ ample of divine displeasure; yet this will befal us, if we neglect the former. For,
Obs. VI. We ought to have no expectation of escaping vengeance under the guilt of those sins, which others in a like manner guilty of, have not escaped.—We are apt to flatter ourselves, that however it fared with others, it will go well with us, like him who blesseth himself, and says he shall have peace, when he hears the words of the curse. This self-pleasing and security variously insinuates itself into our minds, and tenaciously cleaves unto us. But as we have any care of our eternal welfare, we are to look upon it as our greatest enemy. There is no more certain rule for us to judge of our own condition, than the examples of God’s dealings with others in the same. They are all effects of eternal and invariable righteousness; and with God there is no respect of persons. I might here insist on the ways and means, whereby this self-flattery imposeth false hopes and expectations on men; as also on the duties required of us for to obviate and prevent its actings; but must not too often digress from our main purpose and design.
Ver. 12, 13.—TuHEseE next verses contain a new enforcement of the preceding exhortation, taken from the consideration of the means of the event threatened in case of unbelief. Two things are apt to arise in the minds of men for their relief, against the fear of such comminations as are proposed to them. 1. That their failing in point of», duty, may not be discerned or taken notice of. For they will resolve against such transgressions as are open, gross, and visible to all. For what is partial and secret, in a defect of exactness and accuracy, that may be overlooked, or not be discovered. 2. That threatenings are proposed in terrorem only, to terrify and awe men, but not with a mind or will of putting them into execution. Both these vain pretences, and deceiving reliefs, our apostle in these verses obviates the way of, or deprives men of them, where they have been admitted. For he lets them know that they are to be tried by that, or have to do with him, who both actually discovers all the secret frames of our hearts, and will deal with all men accordingly. Moreover, herein he informs them how, and in what manner, it is necessary for them to attend to his exhortation in the performance of their duty, namely, not in or by a mere outward observance of what is required of them with respect to profession only, but with a holy jealousy and watchfulness over their hearts, and all the intimate recesses of their souls, the most secret actings of their spirits and thoughts of their minds, seeing all these things are open to cognizance, and subject to trial.