Hebrews 4:6

Having thus removed an objection that might arise against the new proposal of a rest of God distinct from the sabbatical rest, which was appointed from the foundation of the world, and manifested that although there was in the state of nature, or under the law of our creation, a working and rest of God, and a rest for men to enter into, and a day set apart as a pledge of that rest, yet this was not the rest which he now inquired after, the apostle in this and the following verses proceedeth to improve his testimonies already produced to a further end, namely, to prove that although after the original rest now mentioned there was a second rest promised and proposed unto the people of God, yet neither was that it which is proposed in this place of the psalm, but a third, that yet remained for them, and was now proposed unto them, and that under the same promises and threatenings with the former; whence the carriage and issue of things with that people with respect thereunto is greatly by us to be considered.

Hebrews 4:6. ᾿Επεὶ ου῏ν ἀπολείπεταί τινας εἰσελθεῖν εἰς αὐτὴν, καὶ οἱ πρόΤερον εὐαγγελισθέντες οὐκ εἰσῆλθον δι ᾿ ἀπείθεια·

᾿Επεὶ ου῏ν, “quoniam igitur,” “seeing therefore,” “whereas therefore;” or as Beza,” quia, igitur,” “therefore,” “because.” The words are the notes or signs of an inference to be made from what was spoken before, or a conclusion to be evinced from what follows after.

᾿Απολείπεται, “superest,” “reliquum est;” impersonally, “it remaineth.” The word may have respect unto the form of the argument, or to the matter of it. In the first way, it denoteth what he hath evinced by his former reasonings and testimonies, namely this, “that some must enter into rest;” which way the words look as expressed in our translation: in the latter, it intendeth no more but that there are some yet to enter into rest, or this work of entering into the rest of God yet remaineth. Neither is this difference so great as that we need precisely to determine the sense either way.

Τινας εἰσελθεῖν εἰς αὐτὴν, “quosdam introire in earn,” “ut aliqui introeant in eam;” “that some enter into it.” The Syriac changeth both the words and sense in this place: מֶטוּל הָכִיל דִּאית חֲוָא אַתְרָא דֵּאנָשׁ אַנָשׁ נְעוּל לֵהּ; “seeing therefore there was a place into which any man might enter,” or “every man,” “a man,” “man.” It seemeth precisely to respect the land of Canaan, as that rest whereinto some may, do, or must enter; whereas the apostle is proving that it was not that, but another. Arab., “seeing some remain that must enter into it.”

Καὶ οἱ πρότερον εὐαγγελισθέντες. Vulg. Lat., “quibus prioribus annunciatum est;” that is, πρώτοις : it refers the word to the persons, and not to the thing or the preaching itself. Rhem., “and they to whom first it was preached,” instead of “they to whom it was first preached.” Πρότερον, “prius,” “first;” not absolutely, but with respect unto what follows.

The remainder of the words have been opened before.

Hebrews 4:6. Whereas, therefore, it remaineth that some enter into it, and those to whom it was first preached [who were first evangelized] entered not in, because of unbelief, [or disobedience.]

The words contain an assertion, and a particular assumption from it, The assertion is, that “some must” (or “shall”) “enter into the rest of God.” This he concludes as evinced and proved by his former arguments and testimonies. And this is not the rest of God and the Sabbath from the foundation of the world; for express mention is made afterwards, and on another occasion, of another rest of God, whereinto an entrance was to be obtained. This he proves from those words of the psalmist, as cited out of Moses, “If they shall enter into my rest.” For although he cites the words immediately out of the psalm, yet he argues from them as first recorded in Moses; for he proves in the next verse that David intends another rest than that which was before spoken of, although typically included in the former. So the words prove that there is yet a remaining entrance into a rest of God. Not as if these particles, אִם and εἰ, used here, had in the same place a contrary signification, and might be interpreted negatively or affirmatively, “If they shall,” that is, ‘they shall not,' for that was the intention of the words towards them concerning whom they were first spoken, and, “They shall enter,” ‘some shall,'as the apostle applies them; but that a promise is included in every conditional threatening, as we have before declared. The sense of these words, then, is, ‘That from what hath been spoken, it is evident that some must yet enter into another rest of God besides that which was in the Sabbath appointed from the foundation of the world.'

Secondly, He assumes that those to whom that rest was first preached “entered not in, because of their disobedience.” It is manifest whom the apostle intends in these words, namely, those who came out of Egypt under the conduct of Moses, whose sin and punishment he had so fully expressed in the foregoing chapter. Now to these was the rest of God first declared, they were first evangelized with it And hereby the apostle shows what rest it is that he intends, namely, not absolutely the spiritual rest of the promise, for this was preached and declared unto believers from the foundation of the world; but it was the church rest of the land of Canaan, that was first preached unto them; that is, the accomplishment of the promise, upon their faith and obedience, was first proposed unto them; for otherwise the promise itself was first given to Abraham, but the actual accomplishment of it was never proposed unto him, on any condition. Into this rest they entered not, by reason of their unbelief and disobedience, as hath been at large declared on the third chapter, which the apostle here refers unto.

This, therefore, is the substance of this verse: Besides the rest of God from the foundation of the world, and the institution of the seventh-day Sabbath as a pledge thereof, there was another rest for men to enter into, namely, the rest of God and his worship in the land of Canaan. This being proposed unto the people of old, they entered not into it, by reason of their unbelief.

And in proportion unto what was declared before, concerning the rest of God after the finishing of his works from the foundation of the world, we may briefly consider what this rest was, which those to whom it was first proposed entered not into. For it is not observed that they entered not into it to manifest that the same rest which they entered not into did still remain for those that now would enter into it by faith; for the apostle plainly proves afterwards that it is another rest that he treats of, and that although some did enter into that rest under the conduct of Joshua, yet there was still another rest besides that prophesied of in the psalm: but this is called over in the pursuit of his former exhortation, that we should take heed lest we come short of the rest proposed unto us, as they came short of that which was then proposed unto them. We may therefore here consider what was that rest which God calls “his rest;” and which he invited them to enter into, and what did concur in the constitution of it. And these things, although they have been mentioned before, must here be laid down in their proper place.

First, This being a rest of God, there must be some work of God preceding it, with respect whereunto it is so called. Now this was the mighty work of God in erecting the church-state of the Israelites, compared unto his work in the creation of heaven and earth, whereby he made way for the first state of rest before mentioned, Isaiah 51:15-16; and this it everyway answered unto. And this work of God had two parts; or two sorts of works concurred thereunto:

1. Such as were preparatory unto it, namely, the works that he wrought for the delivery of the people out of Egypt. These were effected “by temptations, by signs, and by wonders, and by war, and by a mighty hand, and by a stretched-out arm, and by great terrors,” Deuteronomy 4:34. These things of dread and terror answer the creation of the first matter, which was “void, and without form.”

2. Perfective of it, in the giving of the law with all its statutes and ordinances, and the whole worship of God to be observed among that people. This was the especial and particular forming of the church into such a state as wherein God might rest, Ezekiel 16:8-13, answering the six days'work, wherein God made and formed all kind of creatures out of the first created, informed [that is, formless] mass. For as on their finishing God looked on them, and saw that they were “good,” and declared them so to be, Genesis 1.; so upon the erection of this church-state and disposition of the people, he saw that it was good, and declared it so to be: Ezekiel 16:14,

“Thy renown went forth among the heathen for thy beauty; for it was perfect, through my honor that I put upon thee.”

So was the work of the creation of that church-state, the generation of these heavens and earth, and all the host of them, finished.

Secondly, This thing done, God rests or enters into his own rest: “He and the ark of his strength arose, and entered into his rest,” in answer to his rest after his finishing of the works of the first creation, Psalms 132:8. The settlement of his worship, and the typical representation of his presence among the people therein, shadowing out his glorious presence in Him in whom the fullness of the Godhead was to dwell bodily, he calls it “his rest,” and “his own rest.” And hereon ensued a double rest proposed to the people:

1. A spiritual rest in God, as having entered into a special covenant with them. Upon God's rest on the creation, men were invited to enter into God's rest as the God of nature, upon the terms and according unto the law of creation; but by sin this rest was rendered useless and unprofitable unto all mankind, and the covenant itself lost all its power of bringing men unto God. But now, in this erection of a new church-state among the posterity of Abraham, the foundation of it was the promise made unto Abraham, which contained in it the substance of another covenant, whereinto God through Jesus Christ would enter and rest therein; whereon he invites them by faith and obedience to enter into it also, into the rest of God.

2. There was a pledge of this spiritual rest proposed unto the people; and this was the land of Canaan, and the quiet possession thereof, and exercise of the worship of God therein. By this and their respect unto it God tried their faith and obedience as to that spiritual rest which, as it were, lay hid under it. And herein it was that they failed, whose example is proposed and considered in this chapter.

Thirdly, God's rest after the creation of the world at first was on the first seventh day; which he therefore “blessed and sanctified,” that it might be a pledge and token both of his own acquiescency in his works and in the law of obedience that he had assigned unto them all; as also unto men of that eternal rest which was in himself prepared for them, upon the observance of that law whose institution he himself rested in, and also that they might have an especial time and season solemnly to express their faith and obedience. And this day he again, for the same ends, renewed unto the people of Israel, and that without any change of it, both because the time was not yet come wherein the great reformation of all things was to be wrought, and because the first covenant, whereunto that day's rest was annexed, was materially revived and represented anew unto that people. And this day of rest, or the institution of the seventh-day Sabbath in the church of the Jews, is necessarily included in this verse: for without the consideration of it this rest doth not answer the rest of God before insisted on, and which is the rule and measure of all that follow; for therein there was a day of rest, which is mentioned synecdochically for the whole rest of God, in these words, “For one speaking of the seventh day;” and therefore our apostle, in his next review of this testimony, doth not say there was another rest, but only that “another day” was determined, which extends both to the general season wherein the rest of God is proposed to any, as also to the especial day, which was the visible pledge of the rest of God, and whereby the people might enter into it, as in the ensuing words will be made manifest.

This, then, is that which the apostle hath proved, or entered upon the proof of, towards his main design in these verses, namely, that there being a rest of God for men to enter into, and this not the rest of the land of Canaan, seeing they who had it proposed and offered first unto them did not enter into it, there must be yet that other rest remaining which he provokes the Hebrews to labor for an entrance into. And the ground of his argument ties herein, in that the rest of Canaan, although it was a distinct rest of itself, yet it was typical of that other rest which he is inquiring after, and the good things of this new rest were obscurely represented unto the people therein; so that by rejecting that rest they rejected the virtue and benefits of this also. And we may hence observe, that,

Obs. 1. The faithfulness of God in his promises is not to be measured by the faith or obedience of men at any one season, in any one generation, or their sins whereby they come short of them, nor by any providential dispensations towards them.

The people in the wilderness having a promise proposed unto them of entering into the rest of God, when they all failed and came short of it, there was an appearance of the failure of the promise itself. So they seem themselves to have tacitly charged God, when he denounced the irrevocable sentence against their entering into the land of promise: for after the declaration of it he adds, “And ye shall know my breach of promise,” Numbers 14:34; which is a severe and ironical reproof of them. They seem to have argued, that if they entered not, God failed in his promise, and so reflected on his truth and veracity. ‘That,'saith God, ‘shall be known when you are utterly destroyed;'(for then it was that it should be accomplished.)

‘Ye shall know that it is your sin, unbelief, and rebellion, and not any failure on my part.'

Our apostle manageth a great argument on this subject in another place. Upon the preaching of the gospel, it was seen that, the Gentiles being called, the generality of the Jews were rejected, and not taken into a participation of the benefits thereof. Hence there was an appearance that the promise of God unto the seed of Abraham, and the faithfulness of God therein, were failed. This objection he proposeth to himself by way of anticipation, Romans 9:6, “Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect.” The “word of God” intended is the word of promise, as is declared, verse 8. This seemed to fail, in that the seed of Abraham were not universally, or at least generally, made partakers of it. ‘It is not so,'saith he; ‘the promise is firm and stable, and hath its effect, notwithstanding this appearing failure.'Thereon he proceeds at large in the removal of that objection, by manifesting that in the fleshly seed of Abraham the promise was effectual, according to the eternal counsel of God and his purpose of election.

And thus it frequently falls out among the people of God. Having, it may be, made some undue applications of promises unto themselves; it may be, misinterpreted or misunderstood them; or, it may be, supposed that they were in a greater forwardness towards their accomplishment than indeed they were; upon their own personal trouble, or calamities of the whole church, they have been ready at least to expostulate with God about the truth and stability of his promises. See Psalms 116:11; 1 Samuel 27:1; Jeremiah 12:1; Habakkuk 1:2-4; Habakkuk 1:13. The greatness of their troubles, and the urgency of their temptations, cast them art such expressions, The psalmist gives one corrective to all such Failings, Psalms 77:10,

“I said, This is my infirmity; but I will remember the years of the right hand of the Most High;”

‘All my troublesome apprehensions of God's dispensations, and the accomplishment of his promises, are fruits and effects of my own weakness. To relieve me against them for the future, I will consider the eternity, and power, and sovereignty of God; which will secure me from such weak apprehensions.'And to help us in the discharge of our duty herein, we may take the help of the ensuing observations and rules:

Obs. 2. 1. The promises of God are such as belong only to the grace of the covenant, or such as respect also the outward administration of it in this world. Those of the first sort are always, at all times, actually fulfilled and made good unto all believers, by virtue of their union unto Christ, whether themselves have the sense and comfort of that accomplishment in their own souls at all times or no; but of this sort of promises we do not now treat peculiarly. Besides these, there are promises which respect the outward administration of the covenant, under the providence of God in this world. Such are all those which concern the peace and prosperity of the church, in its deliverance out of trouble, the increase of light and truth in the world, the joy and comfort of believers therein, with others innumerable of the like importance; and it is those of this kind concerning which we speak.

Obs. 3. 2. Some, yea, many promises of God, may have a full accomplishment when very few know or take notice that so they are, it may be none at all.

And this falls out on sundry reasons; for,

(1.) Such things may, in the providence of God, fall out in and with the accomplishment of them, as may keep men from discerning and acknowledging of it. Great wisdom and understanding were ever required to apprehend aright the accomplishment of such promises as are mixed with God's dispensations in the affairs of this world, Revelation 13:18; nor was this wisdom ever attained in any age by the generality of professors. Thus, when God came to fulfill his promise in the deliverance of his people from Egypt, he suffered at the same time their bondage and misery to be so increased that they could not believe it, Exodus 5:21-23. See Exodus 4:31, compared with Exodus 6:9. Believers, according to their duty, pray for the accomplishment of the promise of God, it may be in their great distress. God answers their desires, But how? “By terrible things in righteousness,” Psalms 65:5. It is “in righteousness” that he answers them; that is, the righteousness of fidelity and veracity in the accomplishment of his promises. But withal he sees it necessary, in his holiness and wisdom, to mix it with such “terrible things” in the works of his providence as make their hearts to tremble; so that at the present they take little notice of the love, grace, and mercy of the promise. There are many wonderful promises and predictions in the Revelation that are unquestionably fulfilled. Such are those which concern the destruction of the Pagan-Roman empire, under the opening of the six seals, Revelation 6. Yet the accomplishment thereof was accompanied with such terrible things, in the ruin of nations and families, that very few, if any one individual person, took notice of them, at the time when they were under their completion.

(2.) It so falls out from the prejudicate opinions that men may and oftentimes do conceive concerning the sense and meaning of the promises, or the nature of the things promised. They apprehend them to be one thing, and in the event they prove another; which makes them either utterly reject them, or not to see their accomplishment. So was it in the exhibition or coming of the Lord Christ in the flesh, according to the promise. The Jews looked for it, and longed after it continually, Malachi 3:1-2. But they had framed a notion of the promise and the thing promised unto themselves which was no way answered thereby. They expected he should come in worldly honor, power, and glory, to satisfy them with peace, dominion, wealth, and prosperity; but he comes quite in another manner, and for other ends: hence they received him not, nor would at all believe the promise to be fulfilled when it had its exact and complete accomplishment. It may be so with others. They may misunderstand the promises, and look for such things by them as are not indeed intended in them. So many men miscarry, when they overlook the true spiritual importance and intention of prophetical promises, to take up with the carnal things which in the letter they are shadowed out by.

(3.) Unbelief itself hides the accomplishment of promises from the eyes of men. So our Lord Christ, speaking of his coming to avenge his elect, adds unto it, “Nevertheless, when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?” Luke 18:8. Men will not apprehend nor understand his work through unbelief.

And this one consideration should teach us great moderation in our judgments concerning the application of promises, prophecies, and predictions, unto their seasons. I am persuaded that many have contended (thereby troubling themselves and others) about the seasons and time wherein some prophecies are to be fulfilled, which have long since received their principal accomplishment, in such a way as those who now contend about them think not of. Such are many of those which are by some applied unto a future estate of the kingdom of Christ in this world, which were fulfilled in his coming and erection of his church. And whereas many of that nature do yet doubtless remain upon record, which shall be accomplished in their proper season, yet when that is come, it may possibly very little answer the notions which some have conceived of their sense and importance. Experience also hath sufficiently taught us that those computations and conjectures at the times of fulfilling some promises which seem to have been most sedate and sober, have hitherto constantly disappointed men in their expectations. That God is faithful in all his promises and predictions; that they shall every one of them be accomplished in their proper season; that the things contained in them and intended by them are all of them fruits of his love and care towards his church; that they all tend unto the advancement of that glory which he hath designed unto himself by Jesus Christ; are things that ought to be certain and fixed with us. Beyond these we ought to be careful,

(1.) That we affix no sense unto any promise which we conceive as yet unaccomplished, that is,

[1.] In any thing unsuited to the analogy of faith, like these who dreamed of old of such a promised kingdom of Christ as wherein all the Mosaical worship and rites should be restored;

[2.] That debaseth spiritual promises unto carnal lusts and interests, like them who, in the foregoing age, under a pretense of filling up Christ's promised kingdom, gave countenance thereby unto their own violence, rapine, and filthiness:

(2.) That we be not peremptory, troubling our own faith and that of others about the future accomplishment of such promises as probably are fulfilled already, and that in a sense suited to the analogy of faith and tenor of the new covenant:

(3.) That in such as wherein we have a well-grounded assurance that they are yet to be fulfilled, we wait quietly and patiently for the salvation of God; not making our understanding of them the rule of any actions for which we have not a plain warranty in the prescription of our duty in other places of Scripture.

Obs. 4. 3. Some promises of God, as to their full accomplishment, maybe confined unto some certain time and season, although they may have, and have, their use and benefit in all seasons; and until this is come there can be no failure charged, though they be not fulfilled.

Thus was it with the great promise of the coming of Christ before mentioned. It was given out from the foundation of the world, Genesis 3:15, and in the counsel of God confined to a certain period of time, determined afterwards in the prophecies of Jacob, Daniel, Haggai, and otherwise. This all the saints of God were in expectation of from the first giving of the promise itself. Some think that Eve, upon the birth of Cain, concerning whom she used these words, “I have obtained a man from the LORD,” which they contend should be rendered, “the man the LORD,” did suppose and hope that the promise of the exhibiting of the blessing Seed was accomplished. And if they looked for him on the nativity of the first man that was born in the world, it is very probable that their hearts were frequently made sick, when their hopes were deferred for four thousand years. See Genesis 5:29; Genesis 49:18, compared with Luke 2:30; Exodus 4:13. And many a time, no doubt, they were ready to call the truth of the promise, and therein the faithfulness of God, into question. Great desires they had, and great expectations, which were frustrated. Hence our Savior tells his disciples, that “many prophets and righteous men desired to see the things which they saw, and saw them not,” Matthew 13:17. They desired, hoped, prayed, that the promise might be fulfilled in their days; which yet it was not. Hence our apostle tells us that “these all died in faith, not having received the promise,” Hebrews 11:13; that is, not the accomplishment of it. Yet this their disappointment did not in the least shake the stability of the promise; for although it was not yet actually fulfilled, yet they had benefit from it, yea, life and salvation by it. And this God hath provided, in reference unto those promises whose actual accomplishment is confined unto a certain season, which a present generation shall not be made partakers of: there is that grace and consolation in them, for and unto them that do believe, that they have the full benefit of the merciful and spiritual part of them, when they are utterly useless to them who have only a carnal expectation of their outward accomplishment. Thus, that other promise made unto Abraham, for the delivery of his posterity out of thraldom, was limited to the space of four hundred years, Genesis 15:13-14. Very probable it is that the Israelites, during their bondage in Egypt, were utterly unacquainted with the computation of this time, although they knew that there was a promise of deliverance; for, as it is most likely they had lost the tradition of the revelation itself, or at least knew not how to state and compute the time, so did God order things that they should depend on his absolute sovereignty, and neither make haste nor despond. And yet, doubtless, through the delay they apprehended in the accomplishment of the promise, some of them fell into one of these extremes, and some of them into the other; the first way the children of Ephraim seem to have offended, “whom the men of Gath who were born in the land slew,” when “they came down to take away their cattle,” 1 Chronicles 7:21. Probably these sons of Ephraim would have been entering upon Canaan, and spoiling of the Amorites before the appointed and full time came; and they perished in their undertaking. Others again, no doubt, in their great distresses and anguish of soul, were exercised with many fears lest the promise had utterly failed. But there was no alteration in God or his word all this while. This made the holy men afterwards have a great respect unto the set time of the fulfilling of promises, when by any means it was infallibly discovered, and then to fix themselves to such duties as might be meet for their season. So the psalmist prays that “God would arise and have mercy upon Zion, because the time to favor her, yea, the set time,” the time fore-designed and appointed, “was come,” Psalms 102:13. And when Daniel understood, by the books of Jeremiah the prophet, that the time of the fulfilling of the promise for returning the captivity of Judah was at hand, he set himself to prayer, that it might he done accordingly, Daniel 9:2-3; Daniel 9:17. But what shall men do inreference unto such promises, when they know not by any means the set time of their accomplishment?

Ans. Believe, and pray; and then take the encouragement given, Isaiah 60:22, “I the LORD will hasten it in its time.” It hath its appointed time, which cannot be changed; but if you will consider the oppositions that lie against it, the unlikelihood and improbability of its accomplishment, the want of all outward means for it, upon faith and prayer it shall be hastened. Thus in the days of the gospel there are signal promises remaining concerning the calling of the Jews, the destruction of Antichrist, the peace and glory of the churches of Christ. We know how men have miscarried in these things: some have precipitately antedated them, some unwarrantably stated the times of them; whose disappointment and their own unbelief and carnal wisdom have brought the generality of men to look no more after them, and either to think that the promises of them are failed, or that indeed such promises were never made, wherein unbelief hath found very learned advocates. But it is certain that there are periods of time affixed unto these things. “The vision of them is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie; though it tarry,” and be delayed beyond the computation of some, and the expectation of all, yet “wait for it, because it will surely come.” It will not tarry one moment beyond the time of old prefixed unto it, as Habakkuk 2:3. In the meantime God hath given us certain directions, in general computations of the times to come; from whence yet the most diligent inquirers have been able to learn nothing stable and certain, but that the time must needs be long from the first prediction, and that it is certainly stated for its accomplishment in the counsel of God. The rule, therefore, confirmed by these instances, duly considered, may evidence the stability of God's promises, notwithstanding the intervening of cross providential dispensations.

Obs. 5. 4. There are many promises whose signal accomplishment God hath not limited unto any especial season, but keeps it in his own will to act according to them towards his church as is best suited to his wisdom and love. Only there is no such promise made but God will at one time or other verify his word in it, by acting according to it, or fulfilling of it. And God hath thus disposed of things,

(1.) That he may always have in a readiness wherewith to manifest his displeasure against the sins of his own people;

(2.) That he may have wherewith to exercise their faith; and,

(3.) To encourage them to prayer, expectation, and crying unto him in their distresses.

Thus setting aside the promises that are limited unto a certain period of time, there are enough of these promises at all times to satisfy the desires and prayers of the church. When God hath limited his promises to a certain season and time, let the men of that age, time, and season, be what they will, “the decree will bring forth,” and the faithfulness of God requires the exact accomplishment of such determinate promises. Thus the promise of the coming of Christ being limited and determined, he was to come, and he did come accordingly, whatever was the state with the church, which was as bad as almost it could be in this world; so that one of themselves confessed not long after, that if the Romans had not destroyed them, he thought “God would have sent fire upon them from heaven, as he did on Sodom and Gomorrah.” But then was Christ to come, according to the time fore-appointed, and then he did come amongst those murderers. So God had limited the time of the bondage of Abraham's posterity unto four hundred and thirty years. When that time was expired, the people were wicked, unbelieving, murmuring, and no way prepared for such a mercy; yet in the “very same night” whereunto the promise was limited they were delivered. But now as to their entrance into Canaan, God left the promise at a greater latitude. Hence they are brought to the very door and turned back again, by reason of their sins and unbelief; and yet the promise of God failed not, as it would have done had they not been delivered from the Egyptians at the end of four hundred and thirty years, whatever their sins or unbelief were. And of this sort, as was said, there are promises recorded in the Scripture innumerable; and there is not one of them but shall at one time or other be accomplished. For although, as to their accomplishment at this or that season, they depend much upon the faith, repentance, and obedience of the church, yet they have not absolutely a respect unto that condition that shall or may never be performed, that so they should come to be utterly frustrated. God, therefore, doth by them try and exercise the faith of his people in this or that age, as he did those in the wilderness by the promise of entering into rest; but yet he will take care, in the administrations of his grace, that his church at one season or another shall be made partaker of them, that his word do not fall to the ground.

Obs. 6 . 5. Some concerns of the glory of God in the world may suspend the full and outward accomplishment of some promises for a season.

Thus there are many promises made to the church of deliverance out of afflictions and persecutions, and of the destruction of its adversaries. When such occasions do befall the church, it may and ought to plead these promises of God, for they are given and left unto it for that purpose. But yet it often falls out that the fulfilling of them is for a tong time suspended. God hath other ends to accomplish by their sufferings than are yet brought about or effected. It is needful, it may be, that his grace should be glorified in their patience, and the truth of the gospel be confirmed by their sufferings, and a testimony be given to and against the world. It may be, also, that God hath so ordered things, that the straits and persecutions of the church shall tend more to the furtherance of the gospel and the interest of Christ than its peace and tranquillity would do. And in such a season God hath furnished his people with other promises, which they ought to “mix with faith,” and which shall be accomplished. Such are those of his presence with them, abiding by them, owning and supporting of them, comforting them in their distresses, and of ordering all things to their good and satisfaction. Besides, they have relief and consolation in the goodness, faithfulness, and tenderness of God, in those other promises whose fulfilling and performance he hath reserved unto his own sovereignty. Herein in all their tribulation do they rejoice, as Abraham did in his foresight of the day of Christ, then so many generations distant. And the consideration of these rules will evidence that neither the sons of men, nor any other troubling intervenings of providence, can any way shake the truth and stability of the promises of God. And we may hence learn,

(1.) In any condition wherein we judge ourselves to be called to plead any promises of God, and to have an expectation of their accomplishment, not to make haste. This is the great rule given the church in reference unto the greatest promise that ever was given unto it, “He that believeth shall not make haste,” Isaiah 28:16. A promise of the sending of Christ is given in the words foregoing: “Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner-stone, a sure foundation.” This might well raise up a great expectation in the hearts of the people in their distressed and troublous condition. But, alas! this was not actually fulfilled until many generations after. Here patience is required. “He that believeth shall not make haste;” that is, impatiently press after the future accomplishment of the promise, unto the neglect of present duties. So are we all apt to do. When our condition is grievous and burdensome, and there are promises on record of better things for them that fear God, we are apt to give place to impatient desires after them, unto the neglect of present duties. The same advice is given us in reference unto any providences of God wherein his church is concerned that fall under any promises. Such are those before mentioned about Antichrist and his destruction; with respect unto them also we are to wait, and not make haste, Habakkuk 2:3. We see how many occasions there may be of retarding the actual accomplishment of promises. Our wisdom and duty therefore is, to leave that unto his sovereign pleasure, and to live upon his truth, goodness, and faithfulness in them. They shall all be “hastened in their appointed time.” I could easily instance in evils great and fatal that would ensue on our miscarriage in this thing. I shall name that which is the greatest amongst them. This is that which puts men upon irregular ways to partake of the promise; which when they fail in, as God will blast such ways, they begin to question, yea, to disbelieve the promise itself.

(2.) Again; when the accomplishment of promises seemeth to be deferred, we are not to faint in our duty. The benefit and advantage which we have in and by the accomplishment of promises is not the sole end why they are given unto us of God; but he intends in and by their proposal unto us to try and exercise all our graces, our faith, patience, obedience, and submission unto him. So he dealt with those Israelites in the wilderness, proposing unto them the promise of entering into rest, he tried them how they would trust him, and cleave unto him, and fully follow after him. Failing herein, they came short of the promise. So God deals with us; he will exercise and prove us, whilst we are waiting for the actual performance of the promise. Now, if we find this deferred beyond our hopes, and it may be our fears, and we do begin to faint, as though the promise itself did fail, it is the readiest way to cause us to come short of it, Something of this nature befell the father of the faithful himself. He had received the great promise, that “in his seed all the nations of the earth should be blessed.” Many years after this he was childless, until his own body was in a manner dead, and so was Sarah's womb also. The hope that he had remaining was above hope, or all rational appearing grounds of it, This once put him so to it as that he cried, “Lord GOD, what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless?” All this while God was bringing him to his foot, training him up to obedience, submission, and dependence upon himself. When, therefore, we consider of any promises of God, and do not find that we are actually possessed of the things promised, nor do know when we shall be so, our duty is to apply ourselves unto what in our present station is required of us. We may see and learn the love and goodness that is in every promise, what grace and kindness it proceeds from, what faithfulness it is accompanied withal; which is the sum of what the saints under the old testament had respect unto in the promise of the Messiah. Moreover, what God requires at our hands, what patience, waiting, submission, we must be searching into. These, I say, and the like, are our duties in this case; and not to faint, or charge the Lord unjustly, all whose ways are mercy and truth, and all whose promises are firm and steadfast.