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them, so great and unspeakable, as they are every where in the gospel manifested to be the effects of infinite grace and love. On account of safety: the end proposed is deliverance from sin, death, hell, and vengeance everlasting; with the attainment of rest, peace, and blessedness, in the enjoyment of God. Now the gospel proposeth the things which it requires to be believed, as the only way and means for the attaining of this end; and that this way is safe, and secure, that never any one miscarried in it, or shall do for ever; it gives all assurance that the word, promises, covenant, and oath of God can afford. On all which accounts it follows, that it is a reasonable thing that we should believe. Again; consider the manner how the gospel proposeth to us the object of faith, or the things which it requireth us to believe; for it doth not do this by a mere naked declaration of them, attended with a severe command; its adds entreaties, exhortations, reasonings, encouragements, promises, threatenings, and every generous and moving topic that is calculated to prevail on the minds of rational creatures. All the things of our own eternal concernment are proposed to us with that gentleness, tenderness, and condescension; that love, that earnestness, that evidence of an high concern for our good, and that compassionate affection, as will assuredly aggravate the guilt of rejecting the tender it makes. And hence it is that the scripture every where layeth the cause of men's unbelief on their wills, their love of sin, their obstinacy, and hardness of heart.

§18. Obs. 8. Unbelief not only justifies, but also glorifies, the greatest severities of God, against them in whom it prevails. The apostle having declared the severity of God towards the people in the wilderness, adds this as the reason of it "because of their unbe

lief." They provoked him by their unbelief, and therefore were so severely destroyed, as he had declared. And besides, his principal intention is to manifest, that those who follow them in the same sin, now under the gospel, should in like manner perish-eternally perish by which God will glorify himself. His design in the gospel, and by the objects proposed to our faith, is to glorify himself, and all the holy attributes of his nature; and it is that which becomes him, because it is natural and necessary to him in all things to will his own glory. Now unbelief is nothing but the attempt of sin and Satan to frustrate the whole design of God, to make him a liar, 1 John v, 10; to keep him from being known and worshipped, as God only wise, infinitely righteous, holy, faithful, gracious, and bountiful. And where then is the glory of God? Or what is left him for which he should be glorified or worshipped? And can this atheistical, rebellious attempt be too severely revenged? Is not God not only justified in that decretory sentence, "He that believeth not shall be damned?" but doth it not, even in the hearts of all the creation, call aloud for the vindication of his glory, from this attempt cast upon it, an horrible attempt to frustrate his design for the advancement of it? As sure as God is God, unbelief shall not go unpunished. Yes, from the gracious salvation of believers, and righteous condemnation of them who will not believe doth arise that great and triumphant glory, wherein God will be admired and adored by the whole rational creation to eternity.

$19. Obs. 9. The oath of God is engaged against no sin but unbelief. As God hath given his oath for the confirmation and consolation of believers, both as to the things themselves which they are to believe, and as to their assured safety on their believing, and tə

nothing else directly in a way of grace; so he hath, in a way of justice, engaged his oath against no sin but that of unbelief, and for the exclusion of unbelievers from eternal rest. "To whom swear he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not?" Other sins there are that have great provocations in them; so had the murmurings of the people in the wilderness. But it is their relation to unbelief, their growing upon that stock, that gives them such an height of provocation, as that God at any time enters a caveat against them by his oath. And in this sense it is not said amiss, that "unbelief is the only damning sin;" because as there is no other sin but may be, but shall be remitted to men upon believing; so the formal consideration, on which other sins, in gospel hearers, fall under judgment, is unbelief.

$20. Some doubt whether they should believe or no; not notionally and indefinitely, but practically and in particular; which causeth them to fluctuate all their days. But what is it they doubt of in this matter? Is it whether it be their duty to believe or no? It is indispensably required of them by the command of God; so that not to do so, is the greatest height of disobedience that they can make themselves guilty of. Is it whether they may do so, and whether they shall find acceptance with God in their so doing? This calls his righteousness and faithfulness in question. Is it because of the many objections which they find arising against themselves, which leave them no hope of a personal participation of the good things promised? But what are all their objections before those evidences that are rendered in the gospel to the contrary? The truth is, if men will not believe, it is out of love to sin, and a dislike of the design of God to glorify himself by Jesus Christ; if then it be a question with

you whether you should believe or not, consider if you do not, what will be the event. The demerit of your sin is such, as that it will justify, yea, and glorify God in his greatest severity against you; and his oath is engaged that you shall never enter his rest. What like this can you fear on the other hand; and why do you doubt what course to take?

§21. To the foregoing observations let the following be added:

1. Whatever we consider in sin, God principally considers the spring of it in unbelief, as that which maketh the most direct and immediate opposition to himself.

2. Unbelief is the immediate root and cause of all provoking sins. As faith is the spring of all obedience, so is unbelief of all sin; all sins of flesh and spirit have no other root. Did men believe either the promises or threatenings of God, they would not by their sins so neglect him as they do. And as this is so with respect to the total prevalency of unbelief; so it is as to its partial efficacy. As our disobedience follows in proportion to the operation of our faith; so do all our sins and irregularities answer the working and prevalency of unbelief in us.

3. To disbelieve God; with respect to any special design of glorifying himself, is the greatest and highest provocation. Unbelief deprives men of all interest in or right to the promises of God for no unbeliever shall ever enter into the rest of God.

CHAPTER IV.

VERSE 1, 2.

Let us therefore fear, lest a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them; but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.

$1. Introduction. §2. (I.) The kind of fear intended. §3. What is meant by the promise being left. $4. What the rest bere meant. $5. Its nature described. $6-9. The remaining clauses explained. $10---15. (II.) Observations. $16-18, The great mystery of profitable believing consists in the proper mixing of truth and faith.

§1. THIS chapter is of the same nature, and carrieth on the same design with that foregoing. That contained an exhortation to faith, obedience, and perseverance, enforced by a most apposite and striking instance in the punishment which befell some ancient professors who were guilty of sins contrary to those duties. And this was done by the exposition and application of a prophetical testimony, suggesting an example of God's dealing with former unbelievers. Now whereas in the words of the psalmist there is not only a moral example proposed, but a prophecy also interwoven concerning the rest of God in Christ by the gospel, and our duty thereon; the apostle proceeds to expound, improve, and confirm his exhortation from the scope and word of that prophecy. They might be apt to say, what have we to do with the people in the wilderness, with the promise of entering into Canaan; or with what the psalmist from thence exhorted our fathers to? Nay, these things, saith the apostle, belong to you in an especial manner: for, besides that, you may in the example proposed see evidently what you are to expect if you fall into the same sins; the things treat

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