4, The same grace is administered in the covenant to make the one and the other effectual. Men are apt to think that the pro- mises of the gospel are accompanied towards the elect with a supply of eftectual 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
270 AN EXPOSITION OF THE [CHAP, IV.
may be freed from the evil which they portend, they care not how little they converse with them. As for any assistance in their obe- dience to be communicated by them, they do not expect it. But this is a great mistake. Threatenings are no less sanctified of God for the end mentioned than promises are; nor are they, when duly used and improved, less effectual to that purpose. God leaves no part of his word, in its proper place, unaccompanied with his Spirit and grace; especially not that which is of so near a concernment unto his glory. Hence many have had grace administered unto them by threatenings, on whom the promises have made no im- pression: and this not only persons before conversion, for their con- viction and humiliation, but even believers themselves, for their awakening, recovery from backsliding, awe and reverence of God in secret duties, encouragement in sufterings, and the like, Now, from what hath been spoken, it follows that faith, being duly exercised about and towards gospel threatenings, yea, the most severe of them, muy find the same love and the same grace in them as in the most sweet and gracious promises. And there can be no reason why men should dislike the preaching and consideration of them, but because they too well like the sins and evils that are the condition of their execution.
We shall now proceed to the opening of the last clause of this verse, wherein the apostle illustrates and confirms the truth of the proof he had produced, by evincing that he had made a right appli- cation of the testimony used to that purpose. For proving that those who believe under the gospel do enter into rest, from these words of the psalmist, “If they shall enter into my rest,” it was incumbent on him to manifest that the rest intended in these words had respect unto the rest of the gospel, which was now preached unto all the Hebrews, and entered into by all that believed. Whereas, there- fore, a rest of God is mentioned in that testimony, he proceeds to consider the various rests that, on several accounts, are so called in the Scripture, “the rests of God.’ From the consideration of them he concludes, that after all other rests formerly enjoyed by the people of God were past, there yet remained a rest for them under the Messiah, which was principally intended in the prophetical words of David. This is the design of his ensuing discourse, which here he makes an entrance into with some seeming abruptness, or at least with an elliptical phrase of speech, in these words, “ Although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.”
Kafro Some render it “et quidem,” “and truly;” some “ quamvis,” and “ quanquam,” “although;” some “sed,” “but;” the Syriac, N21, “quia ecce,” or “et ecce,” “and behold.” The addition of the particle ro to the conjunction causeth this variety. And xa/ro is variously used and variously rendered
Kairos.
VER. 3.] EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. Py #
out of other authors; which I should not mention, as seeming too light a matter here to be insisted on, but that various interpretations do often depend on the different acceptation of these particles. The common use of it is “quamvis:” so is it here rendered by Erasmus and Beza, who are followed by ours, “ although.” So Demosthenes, Kalror rive aloypby suoiws, “Quamvis et id similiter turpe,’—“Although that be dishonest in like manner.” What this exception intends shall be afterwards declared.
Tay tpywv, “the works;” that is, of God’s creation: the works of the creation. So the Syriac, 8728172Y,—“the works |, of God himself;” that is My? ovjoy Na Wa inpNdm ba, 7" 7°" —“all his work that God created and made,” or that he designed to make in that first creation.
Tevndévrwy, “perfectis,’—“ were perfected,” or “finished.” Syr, 3, “fuerunt,” or “facta sunt,’—“ were,” or “ were made,” : “Genitis,” “being born,” from niqpin nb, Gen. ii. 4; or ahioaa “created,” “ finished,” “ perfected,” from 372"), Gen. ii, 1,— were finished.” The end of "¥Y, “he made.” There was, in the creation, God’s design, nivye, to “ make all things;” according thereunto, 812 or MWY, he “created” or “made;” the end whereof was 172’, they “were finished.” For the apostle in these words applies the first three verses of the second chapter of Genesis to his own purpose.
The season of the whole is added, dard xarutorrs xdomov, “ a jacto mundi fundamento,” “a jactis mundi fundamen- — tis,’ “ab institutione mundi,” “a constitutione mundi,” GEAes — from the foundation of the world.” Syr., WY }> S291 ,—“ from the beginning of the world.” Karaca% is properly “jactus ex loco superiore,” a casting of any thing from above, thither where it may abide. Hence Chrysostom on Eph. i. 3, on the same word: ‘Qs dé rivog trboug xarateCrAnuévoy meydAov airdy demvbg-—the founding of the word comes from above, from the power of God over all. The word is but once in the New Testa- ment applied unto any other purpose, Heb, xi. 11; but frequently in that construction here used, xara€ory xdouov. See Matt. xiii. 35, xxv. 34; Luke xi. 50; John xvii. 24; Eph. 1. 4; Heb. ix. 26; 1 Pet. i, 20; Rev. xiii. 8, xvii. 8. Twice with <pé, that is, “before,” Eph. i, 4; 1 Pet. i. 20, “Before the foundation of the world;” else with as, “from” it, denoting the beginning of time, as the other doth eternity,