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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. ii. 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. lxiii. 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, as it 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 shews 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 go 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. And so hath it fallen out with them. For ever since they ceased to 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 this people of God. But yet there is a considerable difficulty that ariseth against the whole design of 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 was 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 their 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 whatever is 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, John i. 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 purpose, and not beg the matter in question, and it shall suffice. Moreover, God hath ordered all things in the dispensation of his grace, and institution of his worship, that Jesus Christ should have the pre-eminence 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 thercof? 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 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 it is 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 in a 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 malæ 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 a right to the chief of them, and cannot be excluded from them without the highest injustice. But ask some whether they are the people 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. ii. 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.

VER. 10. Ο γαρ εισελθών εις την καταπαυσιν αυτού, και αυτός κατά παυσιν από των εργων αύτου, ώσπερ απο των ίδιων ὁ Θεός.

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.

So are the words to be read; speaking of the works of God, he calls them his, dia, his own;" μwo Twy diwy, from his own." And of the other compared with him, he says only, тa igya άvhis works; somewhat otherwise than they are rendered in our version.

ту,

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 such as wrest the Scripture to the confirmation of errors and heresies; or pervert the testimonies which in any texts 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 particular 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. "In six 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 shewed before.

It appears, therefore, that it is the rest of another that is here intended; even the rest of Christ from his works, which

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