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was the solemn word of blessing at the moving of the ark of God. "Arise, O Lord, into thy rest;" see Psalm cxxxii, 3; 2 Chron. vi, 41. "A place for the Lord, an habitaton for the mighty God of Jacob," Psalm cxxxii, 5. So he calls his worship "his rest," and the place of his rest, Isa. xi, 10, and lxvi, 1.

$12. (II.) From the words thus particularly insisted on, the following observations may be made:

Obs. 1. No Divine truth when delivered should be passed by without manifesting its use, and endeavoring its improvement for promoting holiness and obedience. So soon as the apostle had evinced his proposition concerning the excellency of Christ in his prophetical office, he turns himself to the application of it. Divine knowledge is like a practical science, the end of all the principles and theorems of which is their practice; take that away, and it is of no use. It is our wisdom and understanding to know how to live to God; to that purpose are all the principles, truths, and doctrines of religion to be improved. If this be not done in the teaching and hearing of it, we fight uncertainly, as men beating the air.

$13. Obs. 2. In times of temptations and trials, arguments and exhortations to watchfulness against sin, and to constancy in obedience, are to be multiplied in number, and pressed with wisdom, earnestness, and diligence. Such was the season now with these Hebrews. They were exposed to great trials and temptations. Seduction on the one hand by false teachers, and persecution on the other hand by wrathful adversaries, closely beset them. The apostle therefore adds one argument to another, and pursues them all with pathetic exhortations. He understood their temptations and saw their dangers, and with what wisdom, variety of arguments, expostulations, exhortations, and

awakening reproofs, doth he deal with them? What care, tenderness, compassion, and love appear in them all? In nothing did the excellency of Spirit more evidence itself than in his holy jealousy, and tender care for persons in such a condition. And herein Christ set him forth for an example to all those to whom the dispensation of the gospel should afterwards be committed; in this care and watchfulness lies the very life and soul of their ministry. Where this is wanting, whatever else be done, there is but the carcase or shadow of it. This then is of excellent use, provided,

(1.) That the argument be solid and firm, that our foundation fail us not in our work. Earnest exhortations on feeble principles have more of noise than weight. When there is an aim of reaching men's affections, without possessing their minds with due reasons of the things treated of, it deservedly proves most evanid.

(2.) That the exhortations itself be grave and weighty. Duty ought to be clothed with words of wisdom, such as may not by their weakness, unfitness, and uncomliness, expose the matter to contempt or scorn. Hence the apostle requires a singular ability for the duty of admonition, Rom. xv, 14; "Filled with all knowledge, and able to admonish one another."

(3.) That the love, care, and compassion of those who give such exhortations and admonitions be made to appear. Prejudices are the bane and ruin of mutual warnings; and these nothing can remove but a demonstration of love, tenderness, and compassion. Morose, peevish, wrathful admonitions, as they bring guilt upon the admonisher, so they seldom free the admonished from any.

$14. Obs. 3. Exhortations to duty ought to be resolved into an authority which may influence the conscience. Without this they will be weak and ridiculously nerveless; especially if the duties exhorted to be difficult, burdensome, or any way grievous. Authority is the formal reason of duty; when God gave out his law of commandments, he prefaced it with a signification of his sovereign authority over the people; "I am the Lord thy God." And it is our duty in giving our exhortations and commands from him, to manifest his authority in them. "Teach men," saith our Savior, "to do and observe whatsoever I have commanded you," Matt. xxviii, 20. His commands are to be proposed, and his authority in them to be appli · ed to their souls and consciences. To exhort men in the things of God, and to say, this or that man saith so, be he the pope or who he will, is of no use or efficacy. That which we are to attend to, is what the Holy Ghost saith, from whose authority there is no appeal.

$15. Obs. 4. Whatever was given by inspiration of the Holy Ghost, and is recorded in scripture for the use of the church, he continues therein to speak it to us, unto this day. As he lives for ever, so he continues to speak for ever; that is, whilst his voice or word shall be of established use to the church. "As the Holy Ghost saith," that is, speaks now to us; and where doth he speak it? In the ninety-fifth Psalm. Many men have invented several ways to lessen the authority of the scripture; and few are willing to acknowledge an immediate speaking of God to them therein. Various pretences are used to subduct the consciences of men from a sense of his authority in it. But whatever authority, efficacy, or power, the word of God was accompanied with, whether to evidence

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itself to be divine, or otherwise to affect the minds of men to obedience, when it was first spoken by the Holy Ghost, the same it retains now it is recorded in scripture, seeing the same Divine Spirit yet continues to speak therein. The psalmist speaks to the people, as if the voice of God was then sounding in their ears. It being not only materially his revealed will and command, but also accompanied with that special impression of his authority, with which it was at first attested. And on this ground (the sacredness of the means by which they are transferred) all the miracles wherewith the word of old was confirmed, are of the same validity and efficacy towards us, as they were towards those who saw them.

§16. Obs. 5. The formal reason of all our obedience consists in its relation to the voice or authority of God. If we do the things that are commanded, but not with respect to the authority of God by whom they are commanded, what we so do is not obedience properly so called. It hath the matter of obedience, but the formal reason, which is the life and soul of obedience, it hath not: what is so done is but (allow the expression) the carcase of duty, no way acceptable to God. In all our concerns with him, God is to be regarded as our sovereign Lord and only lawgiver. By this, therefore, let our souls be influenced to duty in general, and to every special duty in particular. Let this be the reason we render to ourselves and others, of all our obedience. If it be asked, why we do such or such a thing? We answer, because we must obey the voice of the Lord our God. And many advantages we have by a constant attendance to this authority, for this will keep us to the proper rule and compass of duty, and will not suffer us to omit any thing that God requires of us; it will strengthen

and fortify the soul against all dangers, difficulties, and temptations that oppose it in the way of obedience; and it will not be (territa monstris) frightened or deterred by any thing that lies in its way, it will have a readiness wherewith to answer all objections, and oppose all contradictions.

§17. Obs. 6. Every thing in the commands of God, relating to the manner of their promulgation is to be retained in our minds, and considered as present to us. The psalmist "after so long a season," as the apostle speaks, calls the people to hear the voice of God, as it sounded on mount Sinai at the giving of the law. Not only the law itself, and the authority of God therein, but the manner also of its delivery by the great and terrible voice of God is to be regarded, as if God did still continue so to speak to us: so also is it in respect to the gospel. In the first revelation of it, God spake immediately "in the Son," and a reverence for that speaking we should continually maintain. He continues yet to speak from heaven, Heb. xii, 25. The gospel is his voice and word now, no less than it was when in person he spake on earth. And God being thus both in his commands and the manner of their promulgation, rendered present to us by faith, is a great incitement to obedience.

$18. Obs. 7. Consideration and choice are a stable and permanent foundation of obedience. The ommand of God is here proposed to the people's understanding, that they may consider it; to their will, that they may choose and embrace it: "If you will hear his voice." Consider this matter thoroughly, whose command it is, in what manner given, what is the matter of it, and what are its ends. Men that are engaged in a course of profession or obedience, as it were by

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