(3.) An interest of power. Hence sin is said to have “ strongholds” in us, which are not easily cast down, But hereof I have treated i in a peculiar discourse.
Secondly, Another reason of the difficulty of this work ariseth from the combined opposition that is made unto it; for as the Egyp- tians, the Canaanites, and the Amorites, did all of them their ut- most to hinder the Israelites from entering into Canaan,—and what they could not effect really by their opposition, they did morally, by occasioning the people’s unbelief through their fighting against them, which proved their ruin,—so do our spiritual adversaries deal in this matter. If the work of the gospel go on, if men endeavour by it to enter into God’s rest, Satan must lose his subjects, and the world its friends, and sin its life. And there is not one instance wherein they will not try their utmost to retain their interest. All
VER. 11.] EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 343 —
these endeavour to hinder us from entering into the rest of God; which renders it a great and difficult work.
It will be said, ‘ That if there be all these difficulties lying before us, they must needs be so many discouragements, and turn men aside from attempting of it.’ I answer,—
1. Of old, indeed, they did so. The difficulties and discourage- ments that lay in the way of the people quite took off their hearts and minds from endeavouring an entrance into the promised land. But what was the event? The apostle declares at large that on this account the indignation of God came upon them, and “ their carcasses fell in the wilderness.” And no otherwise will it be with them who are afraid to engage in those spiritual difficulties we have now to conflict withal. They will die and perish under the wrath of God, and that unto eternity. He that shall tell men that their entering into the rest of Christ is plain, easy, suited to nature as it is weak or corrupt, will but delude and deceive them. To mortify sin, subdue our bodies, and keep them in subjection,—to deny our- selves, not only in the crucifying of lusts that have the secretest tendency unto things unlawful, but also in the use of things lawful, and our affections to them, pulling out right eyes, cutting off right hands, taking up the cross in all sorts of afflictions and persecutions,— are required of us in this matter: and they are not at present joyous, but grievous; not easy and pleasant, but difficult, and attended with many hardships. ‘To lull men asleep with hopes of a rest in Christ, and in their lusts, in the world, in their earthly accommodations, is to deceive them and ruin them. We must not represent the duties ‘of gospel faith and obedience as the Jesuits preached Christ to the Indians,—never letting them know that he was crucified, lest they should be offended at it. But we must tell men the plain truth as it is, and let them know what they are to expect from within and from without, if they intend to enter into rest.
2. Notwithstanding all these difficulties, the promise of God, being mixed with faith, will carry us safely through them all. After the unbelieving generation was destroyed in the wilderness the hard- ships and difficulties still remained ; yet their children, believing the promise, passed through them and entered into rest. The power of God, and his faithfulness amongst them and unto them, conquered them all. And it will be so with them infallibly that shall mix the promise with faith in reference unto this spiritual rest. God will both supply them with strength and subdue their enemies, so as that they shall not fail of rest. Whatever, therefore, may be pre- tended, it is nothing but unbelief that can cause us to come short of rest; and this will do it effectually. Faith in the promise will engage the power of Christ unto our assistance; and where he will work none shall let him. To this end we might consider the various
344 AN EXPOSITION OF THE [CHAP. Iv.
ways whereby he will make mountains become plains, dry up rivers, yea, seas of opposition, and make all those things light and easy unto us which seem so grievous and insupportable unto our nature, either as weak and frail, or as corrupt and sinful. But we must not too far digress into these things. And I say, thirdly, which is a second observation from the words,—
Obs. II. That as the utmost of our labours and endeavours are required to our obtaining an entrance into the rest of Christ, so it doth very well deserve that they should be laid out therein.
‘Let us,’ saith the apostle, ‘endeavour this matter with all dili- gence,’ as the word imports. Men are content to lay out themselves unto the utmost for other things, and to spend their strength for “the bread that perisheth,” yea, “for that which is not bread.” Every one may see how busy and industrious the world is in the pursuit of perishing things; and men are so foolish as to think that they deserve their whole time and strength; and more they would expend in the same way, if they were intrusted with it. “This their way is their folly.” But how easy a thing were it to demon- strate, from the nature of it, its procurement and end, with our eter- nal concernment in it, that this rest deserves the utmost of our diligence and endeavours. To convince men hereof is one of the chief ends of the preaching of the gospel in general, and so needs not here to be insisted on.