326 AN EXPOSITION OF THE [CHAP. IV.
would have us remember to keep. Now, our apostle having proved that the con- sideration of that original rest of God, as to its first ends and purposes, is re- moved, and consequently the day itself founded thereon, and another rest intro- duced, to be expressed in and by another day, he calls it a “sabbatism,” to express both the rest itself and the observation of another day likewise, as a pledge and token of that other rest of God, and of our spiritual interest therein. The word, then, doth not precisely intend either a day of rest or a spiritual rest, but the whole of our rest in God with respect unto his, and that day that is the token thereof comprised therein.’
Ver. 9.—There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. ©
And hereby the apostle completes the due analogy that is be- tween the several rests of God and his people, which he hath dis- coursed of in this chapter. For as at the beginning of the world there was first the work of God and his rest thereon; which made way for a rest for his people in himself, and in his worship, by the contemplation of his works which he had made, and on whose finish- ing he rested; and a day designed, determined, blessed, and sancti- fied, to express that rest of God,—whence mention is made of those works in the command for the observation of that day, seemg the worship of God in and on that day consisted principally in the glori- fying of God by and for those works of his,—as also to be a means to further men in their entrance into his eternal rest, whereunto all these things do tend; and this was the oa€Cariowés of the people of God from the foundation of the world: and as at the giving of the law there was a great work of God, and his rest thereon, in the finishing of his work and the establishing of his worship in the land of Canaan; which made way for the people’s entering into his rest in that worship and country, and had a day assigned them to express the one and the other, and to help them to enter finally into the rest of God,—all which were types and shadows of the rest mentioned by David; and this was their ou€Carioués, or sabbatizing rest: so now, under the gospel, there is a sabbatism comprehensive of all these; for there was, as we shall see, a great work of God, and a rest of his own that ensued thereon ; on this is founded the promise of rest, spiritual and eternal, unto them that do believe; and the determi- nation of a new day, expressive of the one and the other,—that is, the rest of God, and our rest in him; which is the sabbatism that our apostle here affirms to remain for the people of God. And what day this is hath been declared,:namely, the first day of the week.
1 TRANSLATIONS.—Sa6. The celebration of a Sabbath.—Ebrard. A Sabbath. rest.—Boothroyd, De Wette, Tholuck, Craik. A Sabbath-rest, or, in extenso, a keeping of sabbatical rest.—Conybeare and Howson. A Sabbath-keeping.— Scholefield.—Ep.
VER. 9.] EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS, 327
Now, besides the evidence that ariseth from the consideration of the whole context, there are two things which make it undeniably manifest that the apostle here proves and asserts the granting of an evangelical Sabbath, or day of rest, for the worship of God to be constantly observed. This, I say, he doth, though he doth not this only, nor separately: which whilst some have aimed to prove, they have failed of their aim, not being able to maintain a Sabbath rest exclusively, in opposition either to a spiritual or eternal rest; for so it is not here considered, but only in the manner and order before laid down.
Now these are, first, the introduction of the seventh day’s rest into this discourse, and the mentioning of our gospel rest by the name of a “day.” Unless the apostle had designed the declaration of a day of rest now under the gospel, as well as a real spiritual rest by believing, there is no tolerable reason to be given of his mention- ing the works of God and his rest, and his appointment of the old Sabbath; which, without respect unto another day, doth greatly ob- seure and involve his whole discourse. Again; his use of this word, framed and as it were coined to this purpose, that it might both comprise the spiritual rest aimed at, and also express a Sabbath- keeping or observation. When he speaks of our rest in general, he still doth it by xarévavoig ; adding there was an especial day for its enjoyment. Here he introduceth cat¢arioués, which his way of arguing would not have allowed, had he not designed to express the Christian Sabbath.
_ Secondly, He shows who they are to whom this sabbatism doth belong, who are to enter into this rest, to enjoy it, with all the pri- vileges that do attend it; and these are é Aai¢ rot Oro, —“ the people of God.” Those of old to whom the rest of Canaan was proposed were the people of God, and God hath a people still; and wherever he hath so, rest is promised to them and prepared for them, These he had before described by their own grace and obedience, verse 38, “ We who have believed do enter into rest.” Here he doth it by their relation unto God, and the privilege that depended thereon; they are the “ people of God” that are interested in this sabbatism. And the apostle makes use of this description of them upon a double account :— -