Hebrews 4

Hebrews 4:1

A Promise being left] there is yet to day a promise left concerning a spirituall and everlasting rest, of which the Apostle speaks afterwards, besides of the rest in Canaan, vers. 9. Others translate it, Lest that some of you, having (namely through incredulity, or by a revolt) forgon the promise of entring into his rest, seem to be deprived of it Should seem] not that he is indeed excluded through his own fault: a kinde of speech to mitigate the hardnesse of the thing, see Hebrews 12:15.

Hebrews 4:2

For unto us] he confirms the former exhortation (for) unto Christians is made a promise of grace, as there was formerly to the ancient Jews Mixed] the Italian, incorporated; the Apostle useth a terme which seems to be taken from food which is digested, and therefore inseparably united to his body that eateth it: So Gods word is the food of the soul which profiteth not, unlesse it be applied by lively faith, which is in stead of the mouth and other organs of nourishment, see John 6:35.

Hebrews 4:3

For we] a continuation of the same confirmation. If we have received a promise of the same kinde, we shall likewise obtain the like effect of rest by means of a faith like unto that faith which was required in our Ancestours Do enter] that is to say, We have all those qualities which are required for to enter into it, and shall assuredly enter into it, and do already begin to enter into it, even in this world, by rest of conscience and by ceasing from sinne As he said] we must supply, but unbeleevers shall not enter into it according to this threatning of the Psal. 95. Although the] that is to say, Gods rest promised to beleevers, is no more the land of Canaan, but a rest correspondent unto that of which it is said that God resteth himself, after he had made an end of creating his works; for as aftet that, God, as one should say, did retire himself to the quiet enjoying of himself, and of his glory and blessednesse. So beleevers being by death freed from the works of this life, and from all sinnes and troubles, shall live together with God in perfect rest of glory, Revelation 14:13.

Hebrews 4:4

He spake] namely, God speaking in the Scriptures.

Hebrews 4:6

Seeing therefore] seeing there is a rest, like unto Gods rest, and that some must enter into it, as it appears by the comparing of those two passages which cannot be done but onely by faith, seeing the others were for incredulity excluded out of it, God would by David admonish the Church, that he had appointed a certain time, namely, that of the preaching of the Gospell, in which he would for the last time, and at full propound his promise of eternall rest, inviting men to enter into it by faith, with threatnings to unbeleevers to banish them from it for ever It remaineth] seeing this stands firme and irrevocable by Gods order, and that this promise is not yet performed Of unbeleefe] or rebellion.

Hebrews 4:7

Again] besides his old time of patience with the Israelites in the wildernesse In David] namely, in his Psalms After so long] namely, after the entring into the land of Canaa, which was the rest out of which the unbeleevers of those dayes were excluded.

Hebrews 4:8

For if] he proveth that there is another rest besides the ancient rest in the land of Canaan; for if all the promise of Gods rest had been accomplished at the entring into the land ofCanaan with Joshua, God needed not to have exhorted them by David, not to harden themselves against his voice, upon pain of being excluded out of his rest, into which they were gathered long before.

Hebrews 4:9

A rest] the Italian, 〈◊〉 Sabbaths rest; namely, a spirituall, saced, and divine rest from all works, sinnes, and troubles of this present life, to live wholly to God.

Hebrews 4:10

For he] he gives a reason why he had called an everlasting rest a Sabbaths rest, namely, because in it a man obtains a rest like unto Gods rest.

Hebrews 4:11

Fall] that is to say, Perish, as anciently the children of Israels bodies fell dead in the wildernesse, Numb. 14. 29, 32. After the same] namely, in imitation of the same sinne: or by such another exemplary punishment.

Hebrews 4:12

For] to draw away the Hebrews from sinning against Christ that great Prophets word, he shews the terrible power of it against Hypocrites and unbeleevers The word] he attributes that to Gods Word which belongeth to God himself, or to Christ working by it, and mortally wounding the unbeleevers and rebellious mans soul by a true feeling of Gods curse, and against which there is no defence nor remedy, seeing it doth penetrate into all parts of man, see Isa. 11. 4. and 49. 2 Revel. 1. 16. and 2. 16. and 2 Corinthians 2:16. To the dividing] namely, so far into man, that it divides the very soul, &c. Figurative termes, taken from a well ground and sharpned knife, which doth so peece-meal cut out the arcase of a beast, that it pierceth through every joynt, be it never so straight or small. Now the soul is here represented as a body, whose principall parts are the soul, that is to say, the animall and sensuall part: and the Spirit, that is to say, the intellectuall and rationall part, and by these divisions and dismembrings of the inner parts, is meant the totall slaying and destruction of the soul A discerner of]the Italian, Is the judge of; in as much as the conscience being lively touched, doth redargue those thoughts and intents in man himself on Gods behalf, see Acts 2. 37. and 19. 18: 1 Corinthians 14:24. man being not able to shun this judgement, neither by flight nor by hiding himself.

Hebrews 4:13

Opened unto] the Greek word signifieth, a body lying upon the ground with its face upward With whom we have] the Italian, to whom we must give an account; or of whom we speak.

Hebrews 4:14

That we have] seeing we have said, Hebrews 3:1. that Christ is the chief Apostle and Priest of the Church, as by the first qualitie, you have heard how dangerous it is, to not beleeve in him, or rebell against his word: so by the second, of Priest, consider how profitable and saving it will be for you to cleave unto him by faith & perseverance That is passed into] namely, who after he had fulfilled all parts of his priestly function upon earth, is entred into Gods most inward presence, there to make intercession for the Church perpetually, to the likenesse of the high Priest under the Law, who went once a yeer into the Sanctuary, Levit. 16. 2. to shew that if Christ hath accomplished his work, and doth make the fruit thereof eternall by his intercession: man ought also to perform his duty by perseverance if he means to partake of that fruit Our profession] the Italian, the confession; that is to say, the profession of Christian faith and religion in words and deeds, see Romans 10:9-10.

Hebrews 4:15

Which cannot] that is, incapable of being moved to compassion towards us sinners and afflicted persons, to relieve us according to his office, either not knowing, or having not tried our miseries, Heb. 2 18. or wanting power to aid us, as it would have been if Christ himself being righteous had not suffered for us unrighteous Tempted] that is to say, afflicted, exercised, and tried by all manner of torments and troubles Without sinn] there being no cause of those evils in him, he paying that which he did not owe, Psal. 69. 4. Isai. 53. 9. 1 Pe.3. 18. or without corrupting any of his sufferances by any act of sinne, but with a most perfect obedience, patience, and charity, which makes his sufferings meritorious before God to give satisfaction for sinners. Others, except sin.

Hebrews 4:16

Unto the throne] that is to say, to God, proceeding not as an inexorable Judge, Psal. 97. 〈◊〉. but as a Soveraign Prince appeased and propitious, granting his grace and pardon to absolve, save, and defend.