276 AN EXPOSITION OF THE [CHAP. Iv.
proportion of time as was requisite for the worship of God, and ap- pointed as a pledge of his rest under the law of creation, wherein it had:respect unto God’s rest from the works of creation alone; (2dly.) As it received a new institution, with superadded ends and significations, as a token and pledge of God’s rest under the law of institutions; but materially the day was to be the same until that work was done, and that rest was brought in, which both of them did signify. Thus both these states of the church had these three things distinctly in them :—a rest of God for their foundation; a rest in obedience and worship for the people to enter into; and a day of rest, as a pledge and token of both the others.
(3.) The apostle proves, from the words of the psalmist, that yet there was to be a third state of the church,—an especial state under the Messiah, or of the gospel, whereof the others were appointed to be types and shadows. And thence he likewise manifests that there is yet remaining also another state of rest, belonging unto it, which is yet to be entered into. Now, to the constitution of this rest, as before, three things are required:—[1.] That there be some signal work of God which he must have completed and finished, and thereon entered into his rest. This must be the foundation of the whole new church-state to be introduced, and of the rest to be obtained therein. [2.] That there be a spiritual rest ensuing thereon, and arising thence, for them that believe to enter into. [8.] That there be a new or a renewed day of rest, to express the rest of God unto us, and to be a means and pledge of our entering into it.
And that all these do concur in this new state of the church it is the apostle’s design to demonstrate, which also he doth; for he showeth,—[1.] That there isa great work of God, and that finished, for the foundation of the whole. This he had made way for, chap. iii. 3, 4, where he both expressly asserts Christ to be God who made all things, and shows the analogy and correspondency that is be- tween the creation of all things and the building of the church. As God, then, wrought in the creation of all, so Christ, who is God, wrought in the setting up of this new church-state; and upon his finishing of it he entered into his rest, ceasing from his works, as God also did upon the creation from his, chap. iv. 10: for that the words of that verse contain the foundation of the gospel church-state, in the work of Christ and rest that ensued thereon, shall be declared in its proper place. [2.] That there is hence arising “a rest for the people of God,” or believers, to enter into. This is the main of his design to prove, and he doth it invincibly from the testimony of the psalm- ist. [8.] It remains that there must be a new day of rest, suited and accommodated to this new church-state. And this new day must arise from the rest that the Lord Christ entered into, when he had finished the work whereby that new church-state was founded,
VER. 3.] EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 277
This is the “sabbath-keeping” which the apostle concludes that he had evinced from his former discourse, verse 9.
And concerning this day we may observe,—1s¢. That it hath this in common with the former days, that it is a sabbatism, or one day tm seven; for this portion of time to be dedicated unto rest, having its foundation in the light and law of nature, was equally to pass through all estates of the church. 2dly. That although both the for- mer states of the church had one and the same day, though varied as to some ends of it in the latter institution, now the day itself is changed; because it now respects a work quite of another nature as its foundation than that day did which went before. And therefore is the day now changed, which before could not be so. 3dly. That the observation of it is suited unto the spiritual state of the church under the gospel, delivered from the bondage frame of spirit wherewith it was observed under the law.
These are the rests the apostle here discourseth of, or a three- fold rest, under a threefold state of the church; and if any of these be left out of our consideration, the whole structure of the discourse is loosened and dissolved.
The involvedness of this context, with the importance of the mat- ter treated of in it, with the consideration of the very little light which hath been given unto it by any expositors whom I could as yet attain to the sight of, hath caused me to insist thus long in the investigation of the true analysis of it. And if the reader obtain any guidance by it into an understanding of the mind of the Holy Ghost, he will not think it tedious; nor yet the repetition of sundry things which must necessarily be called over again in the exposition of the several passages of the context, whereby the whole will be further opened and confirmed.