HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Ver. 1.-Fear of failin_q to realize the promised rest. "Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left," etc. Let us notice- I. THE GREAT PROMISE. "A promise being left of entering into his rest." Lnter in the chapter (vers. 6-9) the writer shows from the Old Testament thnt such a. promise was left to Christians. The rest pl'omised is God's rest-" his rest; " because : 1. It corresponds with his. (1) It is not the rest of inactivity, but of harmonious activities. "My Father," said Christ, "worketh hitherto, and I work." 'rhe highest rest is not in quiescence, but in unwearying and joyful endeavours; and it is illustrateJ, uot by the stillness and silence of the sepulchre, but by the swift and serene move- ments of the plauets. "Absence or occupation is not rest: A mind quite vacant is a. mind distrest." (Cowper.) Robertson well saye, "In creation the rest of God is exhibited as a sense of power which nothing wearies." (2) It is not ma.terial, but spiritual; not of the senses, but of the soul. He who has this rest will have peace in his spirit even when sorely pained in his body. Like St. Paul, he may be enabled even to glory in physical "infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon" him. (3) It is not in circumst.'lnces, but in the being. Circumstances are variable, uncertain, unrelinble; no real o.nd abiding rest can spring from them or depend upon them. But the rest which is promised in the sacred Word is not dependent upon circumstances or upon any outward thing!i. It is a deep inward rest even amidst outward conflict. "And con tro.1 peace subsisting at the heart; Of endless agitation." (Wordsworth.) "These things have I spoken unto you, that in me ye may have peace. In the world ye have tribulation," etc. 2. It is conferred by him. God is the Giver of this l'Cst. He bestows it (1) through the mc<l.iat1on of his Son Jesus Christ. 'l'hrougb him he 118 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [oH. IV, 1-16.
removes the hindrances to this rest; e.g. guilt, servile fear, distrust of God, etc. And he inspires the spiritual conditions and constituents of this rest ; e.g. the assurance o\" pardon, the possession of peace, the exercise of confidence in God, etc. " Come unto me, all Y~ that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest," etc.; "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give unto you," etc. God bestows this rest (2) by the ngen~y o~ his Holy Spirit. He brings the redempti~e po\vers of the gospel into relat10n_ with the hearts of men. "He shall take of mrne," said,our Lord, "and shall declare 1t unto you." How great and gracious is this promise! II. THE ORA.VE POSSIBILITY. " Lest any one of you should seem to have come short of it." The grave possibility is that when the great testing-time shall come any one should be found without a personal participation in the promised rest. 'l'he word "seem" does not indicate the apparent as distinguished from the real; but is, as Alford says, "a mild term, conveying indeed a sterner intimation behind it." But bow should any one come short of the promised rest? Clearly by unbelief, even as the Israelites who left Egypt came short of the rest of Canaan. To these Hebrew Christians there was more than a possibility of the failure of their faith in Jesus Christ. His system had no imposing ceremonial, no pomp or pageantry to commend it, as Judaism had. He himself was despised and rejected by the conventionally and officially great and noble, and was condemned and crucified. The claims of Christianity upon the acceptance of men were spiritual, and could only be spiritually discerned. Hence the danger of those to whom the text was primarily addressed. And still men are in danger of coming short of the attainment of the great promise. This peril arises from the temptation to seek satisfaction in visible and material things rather than in invisible and spiritual things; or to seek for ease and happiness mther than for peace and rest; or to seek for rest in the creature rather than in the Creator. Or the danger may arise from the temptation to absorption in present pursuits without due considero.tion of their relation to the future and the eternal. III. THE SOLEMN EXHORTATION. " Let us therefore fear," etc. This fear is not synonymous with dread or terror; but it indicates a humble, reverent, watchful, prayerful spirit. "Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling," etc. How would this fear guard one against coming short of the promised rest? 1. This fear is the antithesis and corrective of self-will and presumption. In humility there is security. "Gird yourselves with humility; for God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble." 2. T!tis fear will lead to wariness and watchfulness. It will incite to the exercise of caution and care. 3. This fear will lead to distrust of self and confidence in God. "In the fear of the Lord is strong confidence; and his children shall have a place of refuge." And he who puts bis trust in God shall not fail to attaiu unto the promised rest. "Let us therefore fear, lest,'' etc.-W. J.
Ver. 3.-Rest a present possession of the Ohristian believer. "For we which have believed do enter iato rest." The use of the present tense here (" do enter") has co.used some difficulty to some expositors. Alford explains the text thus, that they are to enter into the rest who at the time of the fulfilment of the promise shall be found to have believed. Stuart points out that in "the idiom of the Bible, the present tense is often used as a universal tense, embracing time past, present, and future." It is indisputable that the words of the text, taken alone, suggest the subject which is stated above. And if further justification of our application of the text be needed, we may adduce two facts. 1. '.l'hat our Lord promises rest.-and, as we understand hiru, present rest-to those who believe in him (Matt. xi. 28-30). 2. That faith in the Lord Jesus Christ admits the soul into rest here and now is a fact of Christian consciousness. So we proceed to consider the rest which is the present privilege and possession of those who intelligently and heartily believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. l. REST FBOM THE GUILT AND BURDEN OF BIN IS ATTAINED BY FAITll IN THE LORD JEsus CHRIST. He reveals the infinite mercy of God towards tho sinner. lie delivers those who trust him from the condemnation of the holy Law which they have broken (John iii. 14-18; Rom. viii. 1). He freely and fully forgave the sinners who penitently approached unto him (Matt. ix. 2; Luke vii. 48-50). He imparts freedom from the bondage of sin (John viii. 31-36; Hom. vi. 12-22). And from this forgiveness ancl freedom from sin there follows rest from tho dread of the punishment .OH, IV. 1-18.] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 119