the difficulties that await us. The apostle expressing our faith and gospel obedience, with the end of them, by "entering into the rest of God," a phrase of speech taken from the people's entering into the land of Canaan of old, he reminds us of the great opposition we shall be sure to meet with. It is well known what difficulties and storms the people met with in their peregrinations through the wilderness. 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. And that we shall meet with the like oppositions in our faith and profession, the apostle instructs us by his using this phrase of speech-"entering into the rest of God."

§3. The word (TT) to fall, is ambiguous; for men may fall into sin, and they may fall into the pun ishment due to their sin. Now if (vτodelyμa) example, in this place, be taken merely for a document, or instruction, which is undoubtedly the most proper and usual signification of the original, then the sense may be, Lest any of you should fall into that unbelief of which, and its pernicious consequences, you have an instructive example in them that went before, proposed on purpose, that you might be stirred up to avoid it. But if the word be taken for another kindred term (TapaSεyμa) as sometimes it is, and so including the signification of 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 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 to 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 will we do. Your condition is now like 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 engagements; they persisted not in their profession, but were disobedient and stubborn, and God destroyed them. They fell and perished in the wilderness. If now you, or any amongst you, shall be found guilty of the like sin, do not think that you shall avoid the like punishment. An awful example of God's severity is set before you in their destruction; and if you would not fall into it, or under it, labor by faith and obedience to enter inta the rest of Christ."

§4. (II.) Obs. 1. That great oppositions will rise against men in the work of entering into God's rest; that is, as to gospel faith and obedience. The very first lessons of the gospel discourage many from looking any farther; so when our Savior 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. In the gospel there is proposed a new way of "entering into the rest of God," of acceptance with him, of rightcousness and salvation, which is contrary to our nat ural principle of self-righteousness. This fills our hearts naturally with enmity and contempt, making us esteem

it foolish and weak, no way able to effect what it promiseth. And if the work of the gospel go on, if men endeavor 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, which renders our "endeavor to enter," a great and difficult work. He that shall tell men that it is plain, easy, suited to nature, as weak or corrupt, will but delude and deceive them. To mortify sin, to keep our bodies in subjection, to deny ourselves, pulling out our right eyes, cutting off right hands, taking up the cross in all sorts of afflictions and persecutions these, all these, are required of us in this matter; and surely 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 also in their lusts, in the world, in their earthly accommodations, is to deceive 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."

$5. Obs. 2. That as the utmost of our labors and endeavors are required to our obtaining an entrance into the rest of Christ, so it very well deserves them. "Let us," saith the apostle, "endeavor this matter with all diligence," as the word imports. Men are content to lay out themselves to 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

pursuit of perishing things; and men are so foolish as to think that they 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." A few other observations must not be omitted.

§6. 1. Preceding judgments on others are monitory ordinances to us. This is the use we are to make of God's judgments, without a censorious reflection on them in particular who fall under them, as our Savior teacheth us.

2. It is better to have an example, than to be made an example of Divine displeasure; yet this will befall us if we neglect the former; for,

3. We ought to have no expectation of escaping that vengeance which others, being guilty in like manner, 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 to 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 dealing with others in a similar condition; they are all effects of eternal and invariable righteousness; and with God there is no respect of persons.

VERSES 12, 13.

For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Neither is there any. creature that is not manifest in his sight; but all things are naked, and opened unto the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.

§1. Introduction. $2-10. (1) The phrase--the word of God--refers to the person of Christ. The various parts of the words explained. §11, 12, (II.) Observations. $13. The power of Christ in his word is irresistible, as to its designed effects. $14-19. Other important Observations.

$1. THESE HESE Verses contain a new enforcement of the preceding exhortation. Two things are apt to rise in the minds of men for their relief against the fear of such comminations; either that their failing in point of duty may not be taken notice of; or that threatenings are proposed (in terrorem) for terror only; not with a mind of putting them into execution. But these vain pretences and deceiving reliefs, our apostle in these verses obviates; letting them know that they are to be tried by 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 it behoves them to attend to his exhortation, not by a mere outward profession, but with an holy jealousy and watchfulness over their hearts, and all their intimate recesses, seeing all these things are open to his cognizance, and subject to his trial.

§2. The whole exposition of these words depends on the subject spoken of, verse 12, (o λoyos 78 ©ɛ8) the word of God. To elucidate this matter, I would remark;

1. I grant, that this name is ascribed sometimes to the essential word of God, and sometimes to his enunciative word, or the holy scripture.