called. This state of rest therefore, cannot be impeached by any outward troubles.

But it seems not inwardly and spiritually to answer the description that hath been given of it. For, 1. There are many true believers who all their days never come to any abiding sense of peace with God; but are filled with trouble, and exercised with fears and perplexities, so that they go mourning and heavily all their days. These find it not a place of rest. 2. There are no believers, but are exercised with continual troubles from the remainders of sin yet abiding in them. These keep them in a continual conflict, and make their lives a warfare, causing them to cry out and complain because of their trouble, Rom. vii. 24. And it may be said, How can these things consist with a state of rest?

Some few distinctions will clear our way also from the encumbrance of this objection. As,

1. It is one thing to be in a state of rest; another to know that a man is so. Believers are by faith instated in rest, and have every one of them peace with God, being reconciled unto him by the blood of the cross; but as to what shall be the measure of their own understanding of their interest therein, this is left to the sovereign grace and pleasure of God.

2. There is a difference between a state of rest in general, and actual rest in all particulars. A state of rest, denominated from all the principal concerns of it, may admit of much actual disquietment; whereby the state itself is not overthrown or changed, nor the interests of any in it disannulled. And the contests of indwelling sin against our spiritual rest are no other.

3. There is a difference between a state itself, and men's participations of that state. This gospel-state in and of itself, is an estate of complete peace and rest, but our participation of it is various and gradual. Rest in it is provided, prepared and exhibited; this we receive according to our several measures and attainments.

4. Let it be remembered that our whole interest in this rest, is called our entrance; we do enter, and we do but enter: we are so possessed as that we are continually entering into it; and this will admit of the difficulties before insisted on, without the least impeachment of this state of rest.

Obs. II. It is faith alone which is the only way and means of entering into this blessed state of rest. "We who have believed do enter." This is that which all along the apostle both asserteth and proveth. His whole design indeed is to manifest, by testimonies and examples, that unbelief cuts off from, and faith gives an entrance into, the rest of God. Only whereas it is evident that the unbelief which cut them off of old, did produce and was attended with disobedience, whence, as we observed, the VOL. IV. T

apostle expresseth their sin by a word that may signify either the one or the other, the cause or the effect, unbelief or disobedience, so the faith which gives us this admission into the rest of God, is such as produceth, and is accompanied with the obedience that the gospel requireth. But yet neither doth this obedience belong to the formal nature of faith, nor is it the condition of our entrance, but only the due manner of our behaviour in our entering. The entrance itself depends on faith alone; and that both negatively, so that without it no entrance is to be obtained, whatever else men may plead to obtain it by; and positively, in that it alone effects it, without a contribution of aid or strength in its so doing, from any other grace or duty whatever. This is not a purchase to be obtained by silver and gold, as men may buy a rest from purgatory; works of the law, or supererogation, if they might be found, will not open this way unto us: it is faith alone that gives this entrance; we which have believed do enter into rest; which is the apostle's assertion in this place.

The second thing in these words is the proof produced by the apostle in the confirmation of the foregoing assertion. And this lies in the next part of the verse. As he said, "As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest." The exposition of these words absolutely considered we have passed through on the former chapter. Our present inquiry is only into their use in this place. And it is evident that they are intended by the apostle for a confirmation of what he had before affirmed. But yet it is certain, that this at the first view they do not seem to do. For how is it proved that we who believe do enter into rest; because God sware concerning others, that they should not so do? This difficulty we must remove by a due application of these words unto the apostle's purpose.

1. Logically, mere

The words may be considered two ways. ly as to the rational and artificial form of the argument in them. 2. Theologically as to their force and intention according to the analogy of faith. And both ways we shall find the apostle's intention and assertion evinced by them.

For the first, the apostle's argument depends upon a known rule; namely, that unto immediate contraries, or things immediately contrary one to another, contrary attributes may be certainly ascribed so that he who affirms the one, at the same time denies the other; and on the contrary he that denies the one affirms the other. He that says, it is day, doth as really say, it is not night, as if he had used those formal words. Now the proposition laid down by the apostle in proof of his assertion, is this; they who believed not, did not enter into God's rest; for God sware that they should not, and that because they believed not. Hence it follows inevitably in a just ratiocination, that they who do believe do enter into that rest. Supposing what he

hath already proved and intends farther to confirm, namely, that the promise belongs unto us, as well as unto them; the promise is the same, only the rest is changed; and supposing also what 'he hath already fully proved, namely, that the enjoying of the promise or entering into rest, depends on the mixing of it with faith or believing; and his proof that those who do believe do enter into rest, because God hath sworn that those who believe not shall not enter, is plain and manifest. For the promise being the same, if unbelief exclude, faith gives entrance: for what is denied of the one, is therein affirmed of the other. Some expo. sitors of the Roman church, do greatly perplex themselves and their readers, in answering an objection which they raise to them selves on this place. For say they, by the rule and reason of contraries, if unbelief alone exclude from the rest of God, that is, the glory of God in heaven, then faith alone gives admission into glory; this they cannot bear, for fear they should lose the advantage of their own merits. And they are incompetent to salve their own objection. For the rule they respect will inevitably carry it, that in what sense soever unbelief excludes. faith gives admission. But the truth is, that both their objections and their answers are in this place importune and unseasonable. For it is not the rest of glory that is here intended; and that faith alone gives us admission into a gospel-state of rest, they will not deny.

And here by the way we may take notice of the use of reason, or logical deductions in the proposing, handling, and confirming of sacred supernatural truths, or articles of faith. For the validity of the apostle's proof in this place depends on the certainty of the logical maxim before mentioned, the consideration of which removes its whole difficulty. And to deny this liberty of deducing consequences, or one thing from another, according to the just rules of due ratiocination, is quite to take away the use of the Scripture, and to banish reason from those things wherein it ought to be principally employed.

Secondly, The words may be considered theologically; that is, by other rules of Scripture, according to the analogy of faith. And thus the force of the apostle's proof springs out of another root; or there lies a reason in the testimony used by him taken from another consideration. And this is from the nature of God's covenant with us, and the end thereof. For whereas the covenant of God is administered unto us in promises and threatenings, they have all of them the same end allotted to them, and the same grace to make them effectual. Hence every threatening includes a promise in it, and every promise hath also the nature of a threatening in its proposal. There is a natural inbeing of promises and threatenings in reference unto the ends of the covenant. God expressing his mind in various ways, hath still

the same end in them all. The first covenant was given out in a mere word of threatening; "the day thou eatest thou shalt die." But yet none doubteth but that there was a promise of life upon obedience included in that threatening, yea and principally intended. So there is a threatening in every promise of the gospel. Whereas therefore there is a great threatening, confirmed with the oath of God, in these words, that those who believed not, should not enter into his rest; there is a promise included in the same words, no less solemnly confirmed; that those who do believe, should enter into rest and thence doth the apostle confirm the truth of his assertion. From what hath been discoursed, we may observe, that,

Obs. III. There is a mutual inbeing of the promises and threatenings of the covenant, so that in our faith and consideration of them, they ought not utterly to be separated.-Whereever there is a promise, there a threatening in reference unto the same matter is tacitly understood. And wherever there is a threatening, that is no more than a threatening; be it never so severe, there is a gracious promise included in it. Yea, sometimes God gives out an express threatening, for no other end, but that men may lay hold on the promise tacitly included. The threatening that Nineveh should perish, was given out that it might not perish. And John Baptist's preaching, that the axe was laid to the root of the tree, was a call to repentance, that none might be cut down and cast into the fire. And the reasons hereof are,

1. Because they have both of them the same rise and spring. Both promises and threatenings do flow from, and are expressive of the holy gracious nature of God, with respect unto his actings towards men in covenant with himself. Now, though there are distinct properties in the nature of God, which operate, act, and express themselves distinctly, yet they are all of them essential properties of one and the same nature and what proceeds from them hath the same fountain. So, declaring his nature by his name, he ascribes that unto his one Being, which will produce contrary effects, Exod. xxxiv. 6, 7. that he gracious, long-suffering, abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity, transgression and sin," he expresseth in and by his promises; that "he will by no means clear the guilty, but visit sin and iniquity," he expresseth by his threatenings. They do both of them but declare the actings of the one holy God according to the distinct properties of his nature, upon distinct objects. This is the foundation of that mutual inbeing of promises and threatenings whereof we discourse.

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2. Both of them, as annexed to the covenant, or as the covenant is administered by them, have the same end. God doth

not design one end by a promise, and another by a threatening; but only different ways of compassing or effecting the same end. The end of both is, to increase in us faith and obedience. Now this is variously effected according to the variety of those faculties and affections of our souls which are affected by them, and according to the great variety of occasions that we are to pass through in the world. Faith and obedience are principally in our minds and wills. But they are excited to act by our affections. Now these are differently wrought upon by promises and threatenings; yet all directing to the same end. The use of divine threatenings is to make such a representation of divine holiness and righteousness to men, as that being moved by fear, an affection suited to be wrought upon by the effects of them, they may be stirred up unto faith and obedience. So Noah upon God's warning, that is, his threatening the world with destruction, being moved by fear, prepared an ark, Heb. xi. 7. which our apostle instanceth in, as an effect of his faith, and evidence of his obedience. The threatenings of God then are not assigned unto any other end, but what the promises are assigned unto; only they work and operate another way. Hereon faith coming unto the consideration of them, finds the same love and grace in them as in the promise, because they lead to the same end.

3. Again, Threatenings are conditional; and the nature of such conditions is, not only somewhat is affirmed upon their supposal, and denied upon their denial; but the contrary unto it, is affirmed upon their denial; and that because the denial of them doth assert a contrary condition. For instance, the threatening is, that he who believeth not, shall not enter into the rest of God." Upon a supposition of unbelief, it is affirmed herein, that there shall be no entrance into rest. Upon the denial of that supposal, not only, it is not averred that there shall be no such entrance, but it is also affirmed that men shall enter into it. And this because the denial of unbelief doth include and assert faithitself, which plainly gives the threatening the nature of a promise; and as such may it be used and improved.

4. The same grace is administered in the covenant, to make the one and the other effectual. Men are apt to think that the promises of the gospel are accompanied towards the elect with a supply of effectual grace to render them useful, to enable them to believe and obey. This makes them hear them willingly, and attend unto them gladly. They think they can never enough consider or meditate upon them; but as for the threatenings of the gospel, they suppose that they have no other end but to make them afraid. And so they may be freed from the evil which they portend, they care not how little they converse with them. As for any assistance in their obedience to be communicated by them, they do not expect it. But this is a great mistake. Threat