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not only express the revelation itself, but the manner of it also. The Holy Ghost spake in them, whom he employed as his instruments, using their minds, tongues and pens, for the receiving and declaring his sense and words, without leaving any thing unto their own inventions and memories. So David adds in the foregoing place, by inni,“ he spake in me, and his word was, upon my tongue." Or, secondly, the name David, may be taken by a metonymy for the psalm itself, whereof he was the penman; speaks in the psalm which David wrote. Thus not his inspiration of David is intended, or his speaking in his person, but the continued speaking of the Holy Ghost unto the church in that psalm, as in and by all other Scriptures. For the Scripture is the voice of God, and he always speaks unto us thereby; and itself is said to speak, because of God's speaking in it.

Mira TOFOUTOV Xeovov, « after so long a time;" namely, spent and bygone. The date of this time is to be taken from the coming of the Israelites out of Egypt, or from the second year after, when the spies were sent to search the land, and all that ensued thereon, which our apostle hath so considered and improved. From thence to the times of David, was about five hundred years. So that our apostle might well call it outo xovo”, “ so long a time," or so great a space of time.

The remaining words of this verse have been opened before. VER. 7.-He limiteth a certain day again, saying in David,

to-day, after so long a time, as it is said, to-day, if you will hear his voice, harden not your hearts.

The design of the apostle in these words, is to confirm what he had before asserted about a new rest, and a new day of rest, now remaining for the people of God to enter into, and to possess. And there are three things considerable in them. First, The proposition of his argument, wherein its strength lies. Secondly, An enforcement of it from a considerable circumstance. Thirdly, The confirmation of it, by an introduction of the divine testimony from whence it is taken.

1. His argument lies in this, That after the constitution of the Sabbatical rest from the beginning of the world, and the proposition of the rest of Canaan to the people in the wilderness; God, besides them, hath limited, determined, designed another certain day, which was neither of the former. This must needs therefore be another day, and that can be no other but the day of the gospel. And as we observed before, he calls it not merely a rest, but a day, that it may fully, and in all particulars, answer the rests before insisted on, that were types and shadows of it.

2. His enforcement of this argument is taken from the cir cumstance of time when this day was limited and determined.

Had the words here recorded, been spoken at or near the time, when the people's entering into the other typical rest of Canaan was under consideration, they might have been thought to have pertained thereunto; and to have contained an exhortation unto them to make use of their season. But now, whereas God speaks these words, wherein a day of rest is limited, so long a space of time after, viz. five hundred years or thereabouts, it cannot be but that another day of rest must be intended in them. And therefore there is still a promise remaining of entering into the rest of God, which we must take heed that we come not short of by unbelief and disobedience.

3. He confirms his proposition, by repeating the divine testimony which it is built upon; " as it is said, To-day if you will hear his voice." Much use hath the apostle made of these words in these chapters. It is only one word of them that he now builds on, namely, to-day, whence he educeth the great mysteries of a gospel-rest, and the answering of it, both to the rests under the Old Testament, and to the day whereby it was expressed. Sundry doctrinal observations may be hence taken; namely, from the manner of the expressions here used; the matter hath been spoken unto already.

Obs. I. In reading and hearing the Scripture, we ought to consider God speaking in it, and by it unto us. "He saith," that is, God saith; or more especially the Holy Ghost. He both spake in David in the inspiration of that psalm; and by David; or in the psalm, he speaks unto us. This alone will give us that reverence and subjection of soul and conscience unto the word of God, which are required of us, and which are necessary, that we may have benefit and advantage thereby. In that kind of careless and way-side deportment, whereby men enjoy or hear the word, and immediately lose it, this is not the least evil, that they do not sufficiently consider whose word it is, and who speaks immediately unto them. Our apostle commends the Thessalonians, that they "received the word, not as the word of man, but as it is in truth the word of God," 1 Thess. ii. 13. They considered whose word it was, and whilst the apostle spake to their outward ears, they attended unto God speaking to their hearts, which made them receive it in a due manner with faith and obedience. So God promiseth to look graciously unto him that "trembleth at his word," Isa. lxvi. 2. which frame of heart proceedeth alone from a due consideration of its being his. Cus tomariness, negligence and sloth, are apt to spoil us of this frame, of this grace, and so to deprive us of the benefit of the word. And to prevent this, God doth not only preface what he speaks with "thus saith the Lord;" but oft-times adjoins such of his attributes and excellencies, as are suited to beget an awe and reverence in our hearts, both of him that speaketh, and of that

which is spoken. See Isa. xxx. 15. lvii. 15. Let a man but con“ sider that it is God, the Great and Holy One, that speaketh unto him in his word, and it cannot but excite in him, faith, attention, and readiness unto obedience; as also work in him that awe, reverence and trembling, which God delighteth in, and which brings the mind into a profiting frame.

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2. That

And this concerns the word preached as well as read. vided that, 1. Those that preach it are sent of God. what is preached be according to the analogy of faith. 3. That it be drawn from the written word. 4. That it be delivered in the name and authority of God.

Obs. II. Divine inspiration, or the authority of God speaking in and by the pen-men of the Scripture, is the ground and foundation of our faith, and is that which gives them authority over our consciences and efficacy in them. This hath been argued elsewhere.

Obs. III. The Holy Scripture is an inexhaustible treasury or sepository of spiritual mysteries, and sacred truths. And,

Obs. IV. Many important truths lie deep and secret in the Scripture, and stand in need of a very diligent search and hard digging in their investigation, and for their finding out.

These propositions are nearly related; and do both arise from the same consideration of the text. How many deep and mysterious truths, and those of great importance, and of signal use, hath our apostle found out in the words of the psalm produced by him; and how doth he here, by stating aright the true intention of one single word or expression, and that gathered from the consideration of all its circumstances, as, by whom it was spoken, when it was spoken, and to what purpose, make the eminent conclusion we have insisted on! And these things are for our instruction.

First, It is hence collected, That the Holy Scripture is an inexhaustible treasury or repository of spiritual mysteries, and sacred truths. We had never known what had been in the Old Testament, had it not been for the New, and the spirit of it, Luke xxiv. 45.; and we should never know fully what is in the New Testament were it not for heaven and glory, where we shall know as we are known, 1 Cor. xiii. 12. It may be some will say, they can see none of these stores, can find little or nothing of the riches pretended here to be laid up. It may be so; for this treasure is such as men can see little of it, if they have not a guide and a light. Let a treasury that is made deep, or closely immured, be filled never so full with gold and precious things, yet if you turn a man into it in the dark, he can see nothing that is desirable, but rather feel a horror and a fear come upon him. The Jews have at this day the Old Testament, wherein a great part of this treasure is contained. And they have a gene

Fal faith that it is full of mysteries and truths. But being utterly destitute of the Spirit, and of all heavenly light, they see nothing of it, but search for I know not what ridiculous fancies, rather than sacred mysteries, in the words and letters of the book. This account our apostle gives, 2 Cor. iii. 14, 15. Their minds are blinded, for until this day remaineth the vail untaken away in the reading of the Old Testament, which vail is done away in Christ. But even to this day when Moses is read, the vail is upon their hearts." Poor creatures, they put a vail when they read the Scripture upon their hats or their heads; but there is one indeed upon their hearts; whence their minds are blinded, that they can discern no part of the mysterious treasures that are laid up therein. It is by the Spirit of Christ, and light of the gospel, that this vail of darkness and blindness is taken away. Wherefore, to make the truth of what we have asserted the more evident, we may consider that the whole counsel of God concerning all his ways and works that are outwardly of him, is contained in this book, Acts xx. 27. If a wise man, and a man of great experience in the world, should commit, if Solomon had committed all his counsels, all the effects of his wisdom unto writing, it would be, it would have been justly valued, and much inquired into. But here we have all the counsel of the infinitely wise God himself concerning his ways and works. To give some instances hereof:

1. Here is expressed and contained the mystery of his love, grace, wisdom, righteousness, and holiness in Christ Jesus. Now, what heart can search into the bottom of these things, what mind can fully receive or comprehend them, what tongue can express them? the things which God himself delighteth in, and which the angels desire to bow down and look into. This he calls the "riches of his grace, wherein he hath abounded towards us, in all wisdom and prudence," Eph. i. 7, 8. the "mystery of his will," ver. 9. the "riches of glory," ver. 18. the "exceeding riches of his grace," chap. ii. 7. "the mystery which. from the beginning of the world was hid in him, but by the gospel is manifested unto principalities and powers in heavenly places, even the manifold wisdom of God," chap. iii. 9, 10. These riches, these treasures, these mysterious truths, are rather by us to be admired and adored, than fully comprehended in this life; yet here are they deposited, revealed, declared, and laid up safe, for the use, instruction and edification of the church in all ages. Some men pass by the door of this treasury, and scarce deign to look aside towards it. There is nothing that they do more despise. Some look into it superficially and cursorily, and see nothing in it, that they can much delight in or desire to know more of. But humble believing souls, whom God by his Spirit leads into the secret stores of divine truth,

they behold the riches of God, admire his bounty, and take out for their own use continually. While the mystery of this love and grace is contained in the Scripture, it may well be esteemed a treasure, rich and absolutely inexhaustible. And our beholding of it, our acquaintance with it, make us partakers of it, 2 Cor. iii. 18.

2. There is in it, the whole counsel of God, concerning his own worship and the whole of that obedience which he requires of us, that we may come to be accepted with him here, and to the eternal enjoyment of him in glory. For "all Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works,” 2 Tim. iii. 16, 17. Here is all say some, here is enough say most, and I am sure that whoever walketh according to this rule, mercy and peace shall be on him, as on the whole Israel of God. This increaseth the riches of this treasury. Here we may find all that God would have us do, that we may please him; all that he requires of us in this world, our whole duty with reference unto eternity. Here is our guide, our rule, ready to direct us in all stated duties, on all occasions and emergencies, so that nothing can befal us, nothing can be required of us in the worship of God, in the course, ways, and actions of our lives, but what we may have here light, guidance and direction for. It is the word of his wisdom, will and grace, who made us these souls, and who foreknows every thought that would be in them to eternity, and hath secretly laid up in his word, that which shall suit, and answer unto every occasion of all that believe in him. Whence one cried out of old, Adoro plenitudinem Scripturarum, • I adore the fulness of the Scripture; in which posture of holy admiration I desire my mind may be found, whilst I am in this world.

3. There is in it, a glorious discovery of the eternal being or nature of God, with its glorious essential excellencies, so far as we are capable of an encouraging contemplation of them in this world. It is true, that the being, nature and properties of God, may be known by the light of nature, and from the consideration of those works which are the certain product of his power and goodness. But how dark, weak, obscure, and imperfect is that discovery, in comparison of that which is made unto us in the word? Of many things indispensably necessary to be known of God, it knows nothing at all; as of the eternal existence of the one individual nature of God in three persons; and what it doth teach, it doth so marvellously unevenly, unsteadily, and darkly. Consult the writings of them who have most improved the light of nature in their disquisitions after the being and nature of God; who have most industriously and curiously traced the footsteps

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