Of the following words, see chap. iii. 11. 18.

Kaitos, et quidem, and truly.' Beza, quamvis, although." Erasm. quanquam, so the Syriac.

Año xarαßoλng xooμev Ar. a fundatione mundi, from the foundation of the world.' Syr. from the beginning of the world." Beza, a jacto mundi fundamento, properly; which we can no way render but by from the foundation of the world.'

Tender, genitis, factis, perfectis, made, finished, perfected.' VER. 3.-For we do enter into rest who have believed, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath; if they shall enter into my rest; although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.

The assertion laid down in the entrance of the verse is first to be considered, and therein,

First, The causal connection, yag, for.' Now, this, as we have shewed, doth not refer precisely to any particular passage foregoing. Only it makes way to the farther improvement of the whole design of the apostle, which use of that particle we have before observed. The promise, threatening, example, duty treated of, belong unto us; and this appears from hence, that we are entered into rest, who have believed.

Secondly, The subject of the proposition or persons spoken of, are, iσTUTES, who have believed.' The persons included in the verb gud, regulating also this participle, are transferred over unto it in the translation, "we who have believed." Believing in general is only mentioned; the object of it, or what we believe, is implied, and it is to be taken from the subject-matter treated of. Now this is the gospel, or Christ in the gospel. This is that which he proposeth unto them, and which he encourageth them in, from his own example. With respect hereunto, men in the New Testament are every where termed, TOTES, BIOTOI, OF MAIOT, 'believers,' or 'unbelievers.' "We who have believed in Jesus Christ through the preaching of the gospel."

πιστευσαντες,

Εισερχόμεθα. Exqueda. We observed before, that one old manuscript reads exuda xv, let us therefore enter;' making it answer unto Pandey 8y, ver. 1. "Let us fear therefore;" and odnowvy, ver. 11. "Let us therefore labour." But the sense in this place will not admit of this reading, because of the addition of of Tires, who have believed." The Vulg. Lat. renders it ingrediemur in the future tense, which sense is allowed by most expositors. But that which induced them to embrace it, was a mistake of the rest here intended. The word expresseth a present act, as a fruit, effect or consequent of believing. That it is which in a spiritual way answers unto the Israelites entering into the land of Canaan under the conduct of Joshua.

Wherefore, this entering, this going in, is an allusion taken both in general from the entrance that a man makes into his land or house to take possession of it; and in particular, unto the entrance of those Israelites who were not rebellious or disobedient into the land of Canaan.

Εις την καταπαυσιν, '

Eis Thy xaτañavoir, into that rest,' the promised rest. What the rest here intended is, hath been declared on the first verse of this chapter. But, because the right stating hereof is the basis on which the whole ensuing exposition of the apostle's discourse is founded, and the hinge on which it turns, I shall further confirm the interpretation of it before laid down, principally with such reasons as the present text doth suggest. This rest, then, we say, first and principally, is that spiritual rest of God, which believers obtain an entrance into by Jesus Christ, in the faith and worship of the gospel; and is not to be restrained unto their eternal rest in heaven. Supposing then what hath been argued on the first verse, I add,

First, That the express words here used do assign a present entrance into rest, unto them that do believe, or have believed: sexouda, we do enter in.' It may be said, and it is confessed that the present tense doth sometimes express that which is instantly future, as some think it may be proved from Luke xxii. 20. "This cup is the New Testament in my blood, to się ipwr exxuvoμevor, which is shed for you." So also is the same word used, Matt. xxvi. 28. The Vulg. Lat. renders the word in each place effundetur, shall be shed,' or poured out for you, with respect unto the death of Christ which was shortly to ensue. I will not deny, as was said, but that the present tense is some. times put for the future when the thing intended is immediately to ensue; but yet it is not proved from this place. For our Saviour speaks of the virtue of his blood, and not of the time of shedding it. It was unto them in the participation of that ordinance, as if it had been then shed, as to the virtue and ef

ficacy of it. But ερχεται seems to be put for ελεύσεται, John iv. 21. is come, for shall come speedily; and sexμss is sometimes he that is to come. But whenever there is such an enallage of tenses, the instant accomplishment of the thing supposed future is intended, which cannot be said with respect unto eternal rest in heaven. So this change is not to be supposed or allowed, but where the nature of the thing spoken of doth necessarily require it. This sense is not to be imposed on passages, where the proper signification of a word so timed, is natural and genuine, as it is in this place. It is here then plainly affirmed, that believers do here in this world, enter into rest in their gospel

state.

Secondly, The apostle is not primarily in this place exhorting sincere believers unto perseverance, that so at last they may

be saved or enter into eternal rest; but professors, and all to whom the word did come, that they would be sincere and sound in believing. He considers them in the same state with the people in the wilderness, when the promise was proposed unto them. Their faith in it, when they were tried, would have given them an immediate entrance into the land of Canaan. Together with the promise, there was a rest to be on their believing instantly enjoyed. Accordingly, considering the Hebrews in the like condition, he exhorts them to close with the promise, whereby they may enter into the rest that it proposed unto them. And unto perseverance he exhorts them as an evidence of that faith which will give them an assured entrance into this rest of God; as chap. iii. 14. "We are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end."

Thirdly, The rest here intended is that whereof the land of Canaan was a type. But there were no types of heaven absolutely as a future state of glory. But both the land and all the institutions to be observed in it were types of Christ, with the rest and worship of believers in and by him. They "were shadows of things to come, the body whereof was CHRIST," Col. ii. 17. The whole substance of what was intended in them and represented by them was in Christ mystical, and that in this world, before his giving up the kingdom unto the Father at the end, that God may be all in all. Our apostle indeed declares, that the most holy place in the tabernacle and temple did represent and figure out heaven itself, or the holy places not made with hands, as we shall see at large afterwards, Heb. ix. 8-10. But then, heaven is not considered as the place of eternal rest and glory to them that die in the Lord, but as the place wherein the gospel-worship of believers is celebrated and accepted under the conduct and ministration of our High Priest, the Lord Jesus Christ; which office ceaseth when his saints are brought into glory. The rest, therefore, here intended, being that which was typified and represented by the land of Canaan, is not the rest of heaven, but of that gospel-state whereunto we are admitted by Jesus Christ. Hereof, and not of heaven itself, was the whole Mosaic economy as shall elsewhere be at large demonstrated.

This, therefore, is the sense and import of the apostle's assertion in this verse; we who have believed in Jesus Christ, through the gospel, have thereby an admittance and entrance given unto us, into that blessed state of rest in the worship of God, which of old was promised,' Luke i. 69–73. It remains only that we inquire into the nature of this rest, what it is, and wherein it doth consist. Now this we have done also already on the first verse; but the whole matter may be farther ex

plained, especially with respect unto the principal consideration of it. And this is, on what account this gospel-state is called God's rest, for so it is in this verse, "If they shall enter into my rest."

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First, It is the rest of God upon the account of the author of it, in whom his soul doth rest. This is Jesus Christ his Son. Isa. xlii. 1. "Behold," saith God the Father of him, my servant whom I uphold, WD) ANX¬ '7'7, mine elect, my soul delighteth," resteth in him, Matt. iii. 17. "This is my beloved Son," e à sudoxnσa, 12 : both the words contain more than we can well express in our language. The full satisfaction of the mind of God, with that delight and rest which answers the propensity of the affections towards a most suitable object, is intended in them. The same with that of Prov. viii. 30. "I was by him, as one brought up with him, and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him." In which words the infinite, intimate affection and mutual satisfaction between the Father and the Son are expressed. Now God is said to rest in Christ on a two-fold account.

First, Because in him, in the glorious mystery of his person as Gon and MAN, he hath satisfied and glorified all the holy properties of his nature in the execution and manifestation of them. For all the effects of his wisdom, righteousness, holiness, grace and goodness do centre in him, and are in him fully expressed. This is termed by our apostle, dož To O προσώπου Ιησού Χριστό, 2 Cor. iv. 6. “ The glory of God in the face or person of Jesus Christ;" that is, a glorious representation of the holy properties of the nature of God, is made in him unto angels and men. For so it "pleased the Father that in him all fulness should dwell," Col. í. 19. that he might have the pre-eminence in all things, ver. 18. especially in the perfect representation of God unto the creation. Yea, the fulness of the Godhead dwelt in him bodily," Col. ii. 9. in the union of his person, the highest and most mysterious effect of divine wisdom and grace, 1 Tim. iii. 16. 1 Pet. i. 11, 12. In this sense is he said to be the "image of the invisible God," Col. i. 15. which, though it principally respects his divine nature, yet doth not so absolutely, but as he was incarnate. For an image must be in a sort aspectable, and represent that which in itself is not seen, which the divine nature of the Son, essentially the same with the Father's, doth not do. God doth, maketh, worketh all things for himself, Prov. xvi. 4.; that is, the satisfaction of the holy perfection of his nature in acts suitable unto them, and the manifestation of his glory thereon. Hence in them all, God in some sense doth rest. So when he had finished his works in the creation of the world, he saw that they were good; that is, that they answered his greatness, wisdom

and power, and he rested from them, Gen. ii. 2. Which rest, as it doth not include an antecedent lassitude or weariness, as rest doth in poor finite creatures, so it includes more than a mere cessation from operation; namely, complacency and satisfaction in the works themselves. So it is said, Éxod. xxxi. 17. "that on the seventh day God rested and was refreshed," which expresseth the complacency he had in his works. But this rest was but partial, not absolute and complete. For God in the works of nature had but partially acted and manifested his divine properties, and some of them, as his grace, patience and love, not at all. But now in the person of Christ, the author of the gospel, who is the "brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person," God doth absolutely and ultimately rest, and that in the manifestation of all his glorious properties, as hath been declared. Hence, in the sacrifices that

וירח יהוה את ריח הניחה were typical of him, it is said

Gen. viii. 20. " God smelt a savour of rest;" as prefiguring that, and foregoing it, wherein he would always rest: For,

of

Secondly, As in the person, so also in the work of Christ, doth God perfectly rest; namely, in the work of his mediation. He so rests in it, that as it needeth not, so he will never admit any addition to be made unto it, any help or assistance to be joined with it, for any ends of his glory. This is the design of our apostle to prove, Heb. x. 5-7. God had designed the sacrifices of the law for the great ends of his glory in the typical expiation of sin. But he manifested by various means, that he did never absolutely rest in them. Oft-times he preferred his moral worship before them; oft-times he rebuked the people for their carnal trust in them, and declared that he had appointed a time when he would utterly take them away, Heb. ix. 10. But as to the mediation and sacrifice of Christ, things are absolutely otherwise. Nothing is once named in competition with it; nay, the adding of any thing unto it, the using of any thing with it to the same end and purposes, is, or would be ruinous to the souls of men. And as for those who will not take up their rest herein, that accept not of the work that he hath wrought, and the atonement that he hath made, by faith, there remains no more sacrifice for their sin, but perish they must, and that for ever. Two ways there are whereby God manifesteth his absolute rest in the person and mediation of Christ.

1. By giving unto him all power in heaven and earth upon his exaltation. Of this power and the collation of it, we have discoursed on the first chapter. It was as if God had said unto him, My work is done, my will perfectly accomplished, my name fully manifested, I have no more to do in the world, take now then possession of all my glory, sit at my right hand, for in thee is my soul well pleased."