enings are no less sanctified of God for the ends mentioned than promises are; nor are they when duly used and improved, less effectual to that purpose. God leaves no part of his word, in its proper place, unaccompanied with his Spirit and grace; especially not that which is of so near a concernment unto his glory. Hence many have had grace administered unto them by threatenings, on whom the promises have made no impresAnd this not only persons before conversion for their conviction and humiliation; but even believers themselves, for their awakening, recovery from backsliding, awe and reverence of God in secret duties, encouragements in sufferings, and the like. Now from what hath been spoken it follows, that faith being duly exercised about and towards gospel-threatenings, yea the most severe of them, may find the same love and the same grace in them as in the most sweet and gracious promises. And there can be no reason why men should dislike the preaching and consideration of them, but because they too well like the sins and evils, that are the condition of their execution.

We shall now proceed to the opening of the last clause of this verse, wherein the apostle illustrates and confirms the truth of the proof he had produced, by evincing that he had made a right application of the testimony used to that purpose. For proving that those who believe under the gospel do enter into rest, from those words of the psalmist, "if they shall enter into my rest;" it was incumbent on him to manifest, that the rest intended in those words, had respect unto the rest of the gospel, which was now preached unto all the Hebrews, and entered into by all that believed. Whereas therefore a rest of God is mentioned in that testimony, he proceeds to consider the various rests that on several accounts are so called in the Scripture; the rests of God. From the consideration of them he concludes, that after all other rests formerly enjoyed by the people of God were past, there yet remained a rest for them under the Messiah, which was principally intended in the prophetical words of David. This is the design of his ensuing discourse, which here he makes an entrance into with some seeming abruptness, or at least with an elliptical phrase of speech, in these words, "Although the works were finished from the foundation of the world."

Καίτοι,

Kairo. Some render it, et quidem, and truly, some, quamvis, and quanquam, although,'-some, sed, but. The Syriac, , quia ecce, or et ecce, and behold.' The addition of the particle To to the conjunction, causeth this variety. And xaitos is variously used, and variously rendered, out of other authors, which I should not mention, as seeming too light a matter here to be insisted on, but that various interpretations do often depend on the different acceptation of these particles. The com

6

mon use of it is, quamvis; so it is here rendered by Erasmus and Beza, who are followed by ours, although.' So Demosthenes, καίτοι τοιγε αισχρον όμοιως, quamvis et id similiter turpe, • although that be dishonest in like manner.' What this exception intends, shall be afterwards declared.

Tay sgy, the works;' that is, of God's creation: the works of the creation. So the Syriac, 27ba7 1717ay, the works

6

,כל מלאכתו אשר ברא אלהים לעשות,of God himself, that is

.

'all his work that God created and made;' or, that he designed to make in that first creation.

6

Ty, perfectis, were perfected,' or finished.' Syr. 11, fuerunt, or facta sunt, were,' or were made,' genitis, being born,' from nihin abx, Gen. ii. 4. or created, finished, perfected, from 1, Gen. ii. 1. were finished.' The y, he made.' There was, in the creation, God's to make all things; according thereunto or wy, he created' or made:' the end whereof was, they were finished. For the apostle, in these words, applies the three first verses of the second chapter of Genesis, to his

end of design

6

own purpose.

מן שוריה דעלמא

,יכלו

The season of the whole is added, απο καταβολης κοσμου. à jacta mundi fundamento, à jactis mundi fundamentis, ab institutione mundi, à constitutione mundi, 'from the foundation of the world.' Syr. 1, from the beginning of the world.' Karabon is properly, jactus ex loco superiore, a casting of any thing from above, thither where it may abide.' Hence Chrysostom, on Ephes. i. 3. on the same word; sa tivos i↓ous naταβεβλημερον μεγαλου αυτον δεικνυς, the founding of the world comes from above, from the power of God over all.' The word is but once in the New Testament applied unto any other purpose, Heb. xi. 11. But frequently in that construction here used, καταβολη κόσμου. See Matt. xiii. 35. xxv. 34. Luke xi. 50. John xvii. 24. Eph. i. 4. Heb. ix. 26. 1 Pet. i. 20. Rev. xiii. 8. xvii. 8. Twice with go, that is, before,' Eph. i. 4. 1 Pet. i. 20. before the foundation of the world;' else with año, 'from it,' denoting the beginning of time, as the other doth eternity.

Although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.

I do acknowledge that these words, as they relate to the preceding and ensuing discourses of the apostle, are attended with great difficulties. For the manner of the ratiocination, or arguing here used, seems to be exceedingly perplexed. But we have a relief against the consideration of the obscurity of this and the like passages of holy writ. For the things delivered obscurely in them, as far as they are needful for us to know or practise, are more fully and clearly explained in other

places. Nor is there the least semblance that any thing contained in this place, should have an inconsistency with what is elsewhere declared. The principal difficulties lie in the discovery of the especial design of the apostle, with the force of the arguments, reasons, and testimonies whereby he confirmeth his purpose; that is, that we may clearly discern, both what it is which he intends to prove, and how he proves it. For the sense of the words is obvious. These are the things that we are to inquire into, with what spiritual skill and diligence God is pleased to impart. And here, because the words under consideration do give an entrance into the whole ensuing discourse, I shall on them, lay down the general principles of it, which I would desire the reader a little to attend unto, and afterwards to consider how they are severally educed from the particular passages of it.

First, It is evident that the apostle here engageth into the confirmation of what he had laid down and positively asserted in the foregoing verses. Now this is, That there is yet under the gospel, a promise of entering into the rest of God left or remaining unto believers, and that they do enter into that rest, by mixing the promise of it with faith. This he declares, and the declaration of it was useful unto and necessary for these Hebrews. For he lets them know, as hath been shewed, that notwithstanding their enjoyment of the rest of Canaan, with the worship and rest of God therein, which their forefathers fell short of by their unbelief, they were now under a new trial; a new rest being proposed unto them in the promise. This he proves by a testimony out of the ninety-fifth psalm. But the application of that testimony unto his purpose, is obnoxious unto a great objection. For the rest mentioned in that psalm seems to be a rest long since past and enjoyed, either by themselves or others; so that they could have no concern in it, nor be in any danger of coming short of it. And if this were so, all the arguments and exhortations of the apostle in this place, might be rejected as groundless and incogent, as drawn from a mistaken and misapplied testimony. To remove this objection, and thereby confirm his former assertion and exhortation, is the present design of the apostle.

Secondly, To the end mentioned, he proceeds unto the expoposition and vindication of the testimony which he had cited out of the psalm. And herein he shews from the proper signification of the words, from the time when they were spoken, and the persons to whom, that no other rest is intended in them, but what was now by him proposed unto them, or the rest of God and of his people in the gospel. This he proves by various arguments, laying singular weight upon this matter. For if there was a new rest promised and now proposed unto them,

1.

if they mixed not the promise of it with faith during the time of their day, or continuance of God's patience towards them, they must perish, and that eternally.

Thirdly, The general argument to his purpose which he insists on, consists in an enumeration of all the several rests of God and his people, which are mentioned in the Scripture. For from the consideration of them all, he proves that no other rest could be principally intended in the words of David, but only the rest of the gospel whereinto they enter who do believe.

Fourthly, From that respect which the words of the psalmist have unto the other foregoing rests, he manifests that those also were representations of that spiritual rest, which was now brought in and established. These things comprise the design of the apostle in general.

In pursuit hereof, he declares in particular, 1. That the rest mentioned in the psalm, is not that which ensued immediately on the creation. This he evinceth, because it is spoken of afterwards, a long time after, and that to another purpose, ver. 4, 5. 2. That it is not the rest of the land of Canaan, because that was not entered into by them unto whom it was promised, for they came short of it by their unbelief, and perished in the wilderness. But now this rest is offered afresh, ver. 6, 7. 3. Whereas it may be objected, that although the wildernessgeneration entered not in, yet their posterity did under the conduct of Joshua, ver. 8.; he answers, that this rest in the psalm being promised and proposed by David so long a time (above 400 years) after the people had quietly possessed the land, whereunto they were conducted by Joshua, it must needs be, that another rest yet to come was intended in those words of the psalmist, ver. 9. And, 4 To conclude his arguments, he declareth that this new rest hath a new peculiar foundation, that the other had no interest or concern in: namely, his ceasing from his own work, and entering into his rest, who is the Author of it, ver. 10. This is the way and manner of the apostle's arguing, for the proof of what he had said before in the beginning of the chapter, and which he issueth in the conclusion, expressed ver. 9.

But we are yet further to inquire into the nature of the seve ral rests here discoursed of by the apostle, with their relation one to another, and the especial concerns of that rest which he exhorts them to enter into, wherein the principal difficulties of the place do lie. And some light into the whole may be given in the ensuing propositions.

1. The rest of God is the foundation and principal cause of our rest so it is still called God's rest; "if they shall enter into my rest." It is, on some account or other, God's rest before it is our's.

2. God's rest is not spoken of absolutely with respect unto himself only, but with reference to the rest that ensued thereon, for the church to rest with him in. Hence it follows that the rests here mentioned are, as it were, double; namely, the rest of God, and the rest that ensued thereon for us to enter into. For instance, at the finishing of the works of creation, which is first proposed, "God ceased from his work and rested;" this was his own rest. Herested on the seventh day." But that was not all; he blessed it for the rest of man; a rest for us, ensuing on his rest; that is, an expressive representation of it, and a figure or means of our entering into, or being taken into a participation of the rest of God. For the sum of all that is proposed unto us, is an entrance into the rest of God.

3. The apostle proposeth the threefold state of the church of God, unto consideration. 1. The state under the law of nature or creation. 2. The state of it under the law of institution and carnal ordinances. 3. That now introducing under the gospel. To each of these he assigns a distinct rest of God, a rest of the church entering into God's rest; and a day of rest as a means and pledge thereof. And withal, he manifests that the former two were ordered to be previous representations of the latter, though not equally, nor on the same account.

66

First, He considers the church and the state of it under the law of nature, before the entrance of sin. And herein he shews first, that there was a rest of God. "For the works," saith he, were finished from the foundation of the world," and God did rest from all his works, ver. 3, 4. This was God's own rest, and was the foundation of the church's rest. For, 1. It was the duty of man hereon, to enter into the rest of God, that is, to make God his rest here, in faith and obedience, and hereafter, in immediate fruition; for which end also he was made. 2. A day of rest, namely, the seventh day, was blessed and sanctified for the present means of entering into that rest of God, in the performance of his worship, and a pledge of the eternal fulness and continuance thereof, ver. 3, 4. So that in this state of the church, there were three things considerable. 1. God's rest. 2. Men's entering into God's rest by faith and obedience. 3. A day of rest, or a remembrance of the one, aud a pledge of the other. And in all this, there was a type of our rest under the gospel (for which end it is mentioned) wherein he who is God doth cease from his work, and therein lay the foundation of the rests that ensued, as we shall see.

Secondly, He considers the church under the law of institutions. And herein he representeth the rest of Canaan ; wherein also the three distinct rests before mentioned do occur.