of their unbelief, so shall ze^e, if we mix not faith with the truths we hear.
Now this view of the Apostle's words limits the term " Gospel " to that which alone is mentioned in the context, the promised rest. Hence, to compare the Gospel, as revealed to the Jews by Moses and the Prophets, with that which is revealed to us by Christ and his Apostles in a general view, would be beside the proper scope of our text. It would be profitable indeed to see how the moral law shuts us up to Christ, and how the ceremonial law shadows forth his work and offices ; and how the Prophets also de- clare the fulness and excellency of his salvation ; or, in the words of the Apostle, how " the righteousness which is by faith in Christ is rvitnessed by the Law and the Prophets^ :" but we prefer confining our views to the precise idea that was in the Apostle's mind, be- cause we then have more clearly the mind of the Holy Ghost. This then we shall do, whilst we en- deavour to shew,
I. What is that Gospel which is preached to us in common with the Jews —
To the Jews were sent '' the glad tidings " of a promised rest —
[The promise given them included three things, deliver- ance, 'preservation, rest ; deliverance from Egypt, preservation in the wilderness, and rest in Canaan. Their deliverance was to be by the blood of the paschal lamb, which, being sprinkled on their door-posts, was to protect them from the sword of the destroying angel, whilst all the first-born of Egypt were slain. That it was which burst their bands asunder, and caused their former masters not merely to liberate them from their bondage, but to thrust them out from amongst them : and from that time they were in all future ages to kill and eat the paschal lamb in remembrance of that great deliverance. From thence- forth, committing themselves to the Divine guidance and protection, they were to subsist entirely on the manna given them from the clouds, and on the water that issued from the rock. At the expiration of the time appointed for their sojourning in the wilderness, they were to enter into Canaan, there to serve and enjoy God as their God to the latest gene- rations.
b Rom. iii. 21, 22. o 2