have not known my ways. 11 So Ifware in my wrath. They shall not enter into my reft. 12 Take heed, brethren, left there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in depart ing from the living God to Swear by Himself, That they A. D.63. 12. Take heed then, that Their Cafe in refpect of that Temporal Bleffing of Canaan, be not Yours now, in refpect to the eternal Bleffings of Christ's Religion. Remember, that by forfaking Christianity, you Apoftatize from the fame God, who lives Eternally to Reward the Faithful, and Punish the Difobedient. God. 13 But exhort one another daily while it is called, To day, left any of you be hardened through the deceitful 13. To prevent which, make it your immediate Endeavour, fo to encourage one another to Patience and Perfeverance; that none, if poffible, may be drawn from their Profeffion, by the fubtle Infinuations, or most violent Perfecutions from their Adverfaries, nefs of fin. (14 For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence fted faft unto the end.)* 15 While it is faid, Today if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation. [14. Remember, that the great Privileges of Christianity are to be enjoyed only upon Condition of a refolute Perfeverance in That Religion, to which you have engaged your felves. ] 15. Confider how much it concerns you to lay hold of the prefent Time afforded for it; and the Danger of neglecting it, as the Jews did in the Wilderness, Q4 16. For *Ver. 14. Note, This Verfe being included in a Parenthefis, makes the cleareft Connection between the 13 and 15 Verfes which, otherwife, is much interrupted. A.D. 63. 16 *For fome when they had heard, did provoke: howbeit not all that came out of Egypt by Moses. 17 But with whom was he grieved forty Years? was it not with them that had finned, whofe carcaffes fell in the wildernefs. 16, 17 & 18. And let it move you the more, to obferve how Infectious and Epidemical their Diffatisfactions and Difobedience was, That the whole Congregation were drawn to murmur againfi Mofes and Aaron, except Caleb and Joshua (Numb. xiv.) Nor did their Numbers prevent the Certainty of that Punishment God had fworn to inflict upon them; for they all, except these two, died in the Wilderness. 18 And to whom 19 So we fee that they could not enter in because of unbelief. 19. As therefore Infidelity and a Revolt from the Divine Commands loft them the Promised Land; fo will your renouncing the Chriftian Profeffion, for any Perfecutions whatever, forfeit you all the Bleffings of this New and Gracious Covenant. *For fome, when they heard, &c. Tis 28 άxécartes Tapexinpayar z ἀλλ ̓ ἐ πάντες Who did provoke? Did not all that came out of Egypt? Interrogatively, as the two following Verses are. Or elfe the Sence is this,- Though your Apoftacy from Chriftianity be now too general, as theirs was then-Yet remember you have Caleb and Joshua for your Example and Encouragement; who were preferved for their fingular Obedience, while all the reft were" deftroyed. CHAP. A CHA P. IV. The CONTENTS. The fame Exhortation to Conftancy and Patience continued. Christianity promises a future and better State of Happiness, than the Land of Canaan was. That there is fuch a State provided for good and faithful Men, proved from the ancient Scriptures of the Old Teftament. Chrift a Severe and Terrible Governour to the Obftinate and Dif obedient. No concealing our Cowardife and Infidelity from Him. The Exhortation of Chap. ii. 10. renewed. I. B E exceedingly careful therefore, I fay, that by a Revolt from the True Religion, you lofe not the Celestial Happiness of the Gospel, as the murmuring Jews did that of the Terreftrial Canaan. 2. You have now the Substantial Religion and Promifes of Chrift as fully declared and confirmed to you, as they had their Law, and the Promife of the Land of Canaan; and may, through your own Default, forfeit the Bleffings of it, as they did theirs. 3, 4, 5 & 6. For that there is fuch Happiness, referved for God's faith- of * Seem to come short of it. Doxy in the fame Sense as in Lake viii. 18. A.D. 63. Cap.ii. 18, 19. of the Creation he is faid to have refted from his Work *. And when the Pfalmift (Pfal. xcv.) mentions the Entrance into God's Reft; it is indeed, fo far as it refers to the Jews in the Wilderness, meant of their entering into the Land of Canaan, as a Reft from their Travels in the Wilderness, refembling that of God's Refting from his Creation: But, as it relates to the Jews of his own Time, to whom David fpoke them, it must have a Higher Meaning than the Reft of Canaan, which thofe Murmurers loft by their Infidelity. 7, 8 & 9. For as that Exhortation of David, Not to harden the Hearts was directed to the People, then living, who had for a long Time been poffeffed of the Land of Canaan, into which Joshua brought their Forefathers; The Reft of God propofed to Them could not be That, but muft fignify a future State of Heavenly Happiness; the fame that the Gospel promiseth to us Chriftians. 9 There remaineth 10 For he that is entered into his reft, 10. Nor indeed could the Happiness and Reward of a true Servant of God be properly compared to God's Reft from all his Work, unless it be a Final and Compleat Deliverance from all the Labours and Troubles of this Life. as God did from his. 11 Let us labour therefore to enter into fall after the fame ex- 12 For 11. Strive therefore to attain this Perfect State of Felicity, and not lofe it by Apoftacy, as the Ifraelites did their Canaan. 12 & 13. And 12 For the word of God is quick and powerful, and sharper two edged * than any heart. 13 Neither is there any creature that is not manifeft in his 12 & 13. And confider, how ex- A.D. 63. quifitely Wife, All-knowing, and terribly Powerful this Jefus, the Son and Word of God is: That there is no Way to conceal your Cowardife and Hypocrify from him, the Searcher of Hearts; who is both your Saviour and your Judge*. Confider alfo what a powerful and effectual Thing the Word of God is, (viz. his Promifes and Threatnings) when duly believed, and attended to, in the Minds of Men. fight: but all things are naked and open unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do. 14 Seeing then that we have a great high prieft, that is pafled into the heavens, Jefus the Son of God, let us hold faft our profeffion. 15 For we have not an high + priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities ; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet with. 14. Look on him, and adhere to his Profeffion, to his Word and Promife, as your Great High Priest, that hath both Attoned for your Sins, and, by his Exaltation into Heaven, is become your powerful and conftant Interceffor with God. 3,6. 15. Embrace him, as a far more able and fufficient High Prieft than + Chap. . the Mofaical one could be; as in all 17. I, other Refpects, fo particularly in this, That he has not only perfect Power to help and affift you, but is one that must be moft compaffionately willing, and free to do it; as having Himself been expofed to Sufferings, and felt the Miseries of Human Life, as you do ; only with this Difference, that those Miseries We feel, are the Refult of Sin, while He fuffered in pure and unfpotted Innocence.‡ out fin. Chap. vii. 26. 1 Job. ii. 16. Relying 1, 2. and xix. 13, and 15. with See Rev. i. 16. and ii. 12, 16. my Paraphrafe on thofe Paffages. And let the Reader compare the Notes of the learned Mr. Pierce and then judge for himself. I thought it proper to exprefs both Senfes; each of them having its Favourers amongst the Learned. |