of God is not in itself capable of such commotions, of such smoking wrath and anger as are therein described and represented, the sole end of these expressions must needs be to shew the heinousness of the sin that the people were guiity of. And herein lies an infinite condescension of God, in taking care to instruct some in and by his deserved wrath against others. For such weak and mean creatures are we, that we have need thus to be instructed in the holiness of God's nature, and the severity of his justice against sin. For whatever we may ween concerning ourselves, we are not indeed capable of any perfect notions, or direct apprehensions of them: but stand in need to have them represented unto us by such effects, as we can take in the species of, into minds.

Thirdly, There is in the words, the punishment itself denounced against this provoking people; that they should not enter into the rest of God. And there is a double aggravation of the punishment in the manner of the expressing of it.

1. In the act denied; they shall not enter; no not so much as enter into it. Doubtless many of the people during their wandering in the wilderness, had great desires that they might at least see the place promised for an habitation to their posterity, and wherein all their future interests were to be stated. So in particular had Moses. He prayed, saying, "I pray thee let me go over and see the good land that is beyond Jordan, that goodly mountain and Lebanon," Deut. iii. 25. So doubtless did many others of them pray and desire. But the sentence is past, they shall not now so much as enter into it, nor set one foot within its borders.

2. In the expression of the object denied there lieth another aggravation. He doth not say, that they shall not enter into the land of Canaan, no nor yet into the promised land; but he describes it by such an adjunct, as may let them see the greatness of their sin and their punishment, and of his displeasure. They shall not, saith he, enter into my rest. It is my rest, the place where I will dwell, where I will fix my worship and make myself known; you shall not enter into my rest.

And so have we passed through this passage of this chapter, on which, though it may be we have seemed to dwell somewhat long, yet as I suppose not longer than the matter doth require; nor indeed so long as we should and would have done, but that sundry concerns of it, will again occur to us, both in this and the next chapter. Some few observations from the last clause of the words we may yet touch on, as,

Obs. XXXI. When God expresseth great indignation in himself against sin, it is to teach men the greatness of sin in themselves. For that end is he said here," to swear in his wrath." There are expressions in Scripture about God's respect to the

sins of men that are strangely emphatical. As sometimes he is said to be "pressed under them as a cart is pressed that is laden with sheaves" sometimes that he is made to serve with sin and wearied with iniquity;" sometimes to be "broken" with the whorish heart of a people, and "grieved at the heart" that he had ever made such a creature as man; sometimes that the sins of men are a "fume in his nostrils," that which his soul loatheth; commonly to be angry, vexed and grieved, to be wrathful, stirred up to fury, and the like. Now all these things taken properly do include such alteration, and consequently imperfections and weaknesses, as the pure, holy perfect nature of God can by no means admit of. What is it then that God intends by all these expressions, by these ascriptions of that to himself which really is not in him, but might indeed justly befal that nature whereof we are partakers, on the supposition of the like occasions? As was said, it is all to express what sin doth indeed deserve, and that a recompence of revenge is to be expected, or that it is of so great a demerit, as to excite all the perturbations mentioned in the nature of God, were it any way capable of them. So doth he make use of all ways and means to deter us from sin. And there is much of love, tenderness and care in all these expressions of anger, wrath and displeasure. So is he pleased to teach us, and such teachings do we stand in need of. Again,

Obs. XXXII. God gives the same firmitude and stability to his threatenings that he doth to his promises.-He swears to them also as he doth in this place. Men are apt secretly to harbour a supposition of a difference in this matter. The promises of God they think indeed are firm and stable, but as for his threatenings they suppose one way or other they may be evaded. This deceit hath greatly prevailed in and inflamed the minds of men ever since the first entrance of sin. By this deceit sin came into the world, namely that the threatenings of God either would not be accomplished, or that they were to be understood after another manner than was apprehended. "Hath God said so,

that you shall die if you eat?" Mistake not, that is not the meaning of the threatening; or if it be, God doth not intend to execute it; it will be otherwise, and God knows it will be otherwise. This gave sin its first entrance into the world. And the same deceit still prevails in the minds of men. Hath God said that sinners shall die, shall be cursed, shall be cast into hell? Nay but sure enough it will be otherwise, there will be one way or other of escape; it is good to affright men with these things, but God intends not so to deal with them. Whatever the threatening be, many things may intervene to prevent their execution. What God promiseth indeed that shall come to pass, we may expect it and look for it. But as for these threatenings,

they depend on so many conditions, and may so easily at any time be evaded, as that there is no great fear of their execution. But what is the ground of this feigned difference between the promises and threatenings of God, as to their stability, certainty and accomplishment? Where is the difference between the two clauses in that text, " He that believeth shall be saved, and he that believeth not shall be damned?” Is not the holiness of God and his faithfulness as much concerned in the comminatory part, as in the promissory part of his word? Would not a failure in the one, be as prejudicial to his glory as in the other? The principles from which his threatenings proceed, are no less essential properties of his nature, than those which are springs of his promises. His declaration of them, is no less accompanied with the engagement of his veracity and faithfulness, than that of the other. And the end aimed at in them is no less necessary to the demonstration of his glory, than that which he designeth in his promises. We see in this particular instance, that they are also confirmed with the oath of God, even as his promises are. And let none think that this was an extraordinary case, and concerned only the men of that generation. This oath of God is part of his law, it abides for ever; and all that fall into the like sin with them, attended with the like circumstances, do fall under the same oath of God; he swears concerning them, "that they shall not enter into his rest." And we little know how many are even in this world overtaken in this condition; the oath of God lying against them for their punishment and that eternal. Let men take heed of this great self-deceiving; and let not men be mockers in this matter, lest their bonds be made strong; for,

Obs. XXXIII. When men have provoked God by their impenitency, to decree their punishment irrevocably, they will find severity in the execution. They shall not enter, no not so much as enter. "Behold," saith our apostle," the severity of God; towards them that fell, severity," Rom. xi. 22. Men will find that there is severity in the execution who despised the threatening; and that it is a "fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God." When sinners shall see the whole creation on fire about them; hell open under them, and the glorious dreadful Judge of all over them, they will begin to have a due apprehension of his terror. But then cries, outcries, repentings and wailings will be of no use. This is the time and place for such considerations, not when the sentence is executed, no not when it is irrevocably confirmed.

Obs. XXXIV. It is the presence of God alone that renders any place or condition good or desirable. They shall not," saith God," enter into my rest."-This makes heaven to be heaven, and the church to be the church; every thing answers

the manner and measure of the presence of God. And without this, Moses expressly preferred the wilderness before Canaan.

VER. 12-14.-IN the close of this chapter, the apostle makes application of the example which he had produced out of the psalmist unto his present purpose; namely, to dehort the Hebrews from that sin which in them would answer unto the unbelief and disobedience of their forefathers, from the pernicious and destructive event which befel them thereon. And it must be still remembered that he presseth on them the consideration of that season of trial which they were then under, and which directly answered unto that time of trial which their fathers had in the wilderness. And there are three parts of that discourse of the apostle which ensueth unto the end of this chapter.

First, An exhortation built upon what he had before laid down and given evidence of, with confirmation unto by the example produced out of the psalmist, ver. 12--14.

Secondly, An especial consideration and improvement unto the end aimed at of sundry parts of the example insisted on, ver. 15 -18. and therein many enforcements of the exhortation laid down are contained.

Thirdly, A general conclusion is drawn out of his whole previous discourse, and laid down as the ground of his future progress, ver. 19.

The first part of this discourse comes now under consideration in the ensuing words.

VER. 12—14. Βλεπετε, αδελφοι, μη ποτε εσται εν τινι ὑμων καρδια πονηρα απιστίας, εν τω αποστηναι απο Θεό ζωντος· αλλα παρακαλείτε εαυτός καθ ̓ ἑκαστην ἡμέραν, άχρις į το σημερον καλείται· ἵνα μη σκλη ξύνθη τις εξ ύμων απατη της άμαρτίας μετοχοι γαρ γεγόναμεν το Χριστό, εάνπες την αρχην της ὑποστασεως μέχρι τέλος βέβαιαν καλασ

χωμεν.

Manere ; Tort is omitted or neglected in many translations; as the Syriac, Arabic, Ethiopic; ne sit, that there be not, let there not be.' Vulg. Lat. ne forte, lest haply; with respect unto the uncertainty of the event: some, ne quando, ne ullo tempore, lest at any time, that at no time;' with respect unto the season of such events.

E TV uw; in aliquo vestrum. So the Vulg. Lat. An. in ullo vestrum, Beza; more properly: so we, in any of you :' 112

WIND in homine ex vobis, in a man,' in any man of you.' Arab. in corde ullius vestrum; in the heart of any of you;' taking in the word HEART out of the next clause, which it there supplies by adding wickedness; the wickedness of unbelief.

Kagdia @omga axiotias, cor malum incredulitatis. So the Vulg. Lat.

: לבא בישא דלא מהימן .An evil heart of unbelief •

cor malum quod non fidele sit. An evil heart that is not faithful or believing others, cor malum et incredulum; an evil and unbelieving heart.'

Εν τω αποστηναι. An in discedere. Vulg. Lat. discedendi; Beza, ut desciscatis; properly, descisco is to depart unlawfully, to withdraw wickedly; that is, to apostatize from an engagement of duty. Syr. 11p and you should withdraw or draw back. Пagaxaxus lautes; Vulg. Lat. adhortamini vosmetipsos, exhort yourselves.' Eras. vos invicem, to the same purpose. Beza, exhertamini alii alios, exhort one another;' as we also. Syr. 11 we h; sed postulate ab anima vestra; but ask or require it of your soul;' that is of yourself. Tremel. sed examinate vos ipsos, but examine yourselves;' that is by inquiry this expresseth somewhat another duty as to the manner of its performance, but to the same purpose.

Kal’ixaorny husqar, Arias, per unumquemque diem: Vulg. Lat. per singulos dies, every day;' that is, sigillatim, separately and distinctly considered. Syr. nr : omnibus diebus, always.' Beza, quotidie; that is, as ours, daily, every day.'

Αχρις Axers is to onμrgor xansiraι, Vulg. Lat. Donec hodie cognominatur. Arias. usque quo. Beza, quoad dies appellatur hodiernus: whilst

עדמא ליומא דמתקרא .it is called the present day ; to-day

until the day which is called to-day;' or this day. It is uncertain what day is intended by that translator. It seems to be the day of death; which answers the omnibus diebus before; that is, hujus vita; all the days of this life.

Ίνα μη σκληρυνθη τις εξ ύμων. Vulg. Lat. ut non induretur quis ex vobis. Beza, ne quis ex vobis; lest any of you be hardened.' The Ethiopic adds; that there be none that may say, that any one of them is hardened in any sin.'

Awan; is rendered by some deceptio, by some seductio; a seducing deceit Rhemist,That none of you be obdurate with the fallacy of sin most darkly and corruptly.

Μετοχοι γεγόναμεν το Χριστου ; Christi participes facti, efecti sumus. Beza, consortes. Syr. johnnæ commixti sumus Christo. • We are immixt with Christ ;' that is, as I suppose, united unto him. Ethiop. we are as Christ.'

Earwig. Vulg. Lat. si tamen; but wig is not exceptive. Si modo; Beza, If so be.' The Syriac takes no notice of it; nor

we in our translation; if.'

·

Agxny TAS VTOOTHσtws. Vulg Lat. Initium substantiæ ejus: adding ejus to the text and corrupting the sense. Beza, Principium illud quo sustentamur; that beginning,' or the beginning of that, whereby we are supported.' We, the beginning of our con fidence. Rhemist, Yet so, as if we keep the beginning of his substance firm.' Castalio, Hoc argumentum ab initio ad finem usque, this argument or evidence from the beginning unto the end.