been already observed, typical of that eternal rest, into which all the faithful of every dispensation shall one day be admitted. The Israelites, without exception, had a promise of entering into the land of Canaan; and under that, a promise of entering into a far better rest, when their works on earth should be finished. Thus was this promise understood by all those among them who looked through the law to the spiritual meaning of it; that is, by all those to whom the law served, as it was intended that it should serve, though in a degree suited to the imperfection of the dispensation under which they were placed, as "a school"master to bring them to Christ;" in consequence of which spiritual foresight, as we have already observed, from the Apostle, many departed this life in full assurance of faith, that the promises of God would eventually be made good to them, The Israelites, as we read, fell in the wilderness, because they obeyed not the law of God, delivered by the WORD of God to Moses, and because they had no spiritual discernment of the promises

promises annexed to it, nor of the services enjoined by it. "The word preached," says the Apostle in their case, "did not “profit them, not being mixed with faith." Because, (as Justin Martyr said to Trypho the Jew,)" they understand all things car "nally" a disposition of mind which naturally terminated in disobedience and want of faith; the Israelites were excluded from the temporal Canaan. For as the Chaldees taught their morality by mystic words, the Egyptians by hieroglyphics, and the Greeks by fables, so by rites and ceremonies external, did God intend to lead the Israelites as it were by the hand to the purities of the heart, and by the service of the body to the obedience of the spirit.

Passing on therefore from the conside ration of the unhappy case of their forefathers in the wilderness, who, possessing a carnal appetite, rested in a carnal service; the Apostle proceeds to that analogical conclusion, in which his reasoning on this occasion was intended to terminate, as the conclusion most likely to leave a permanent effect on the minds of his

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Hebrew brethren.

As if he had said, seeing then that such fatal things did actually happen to our fathers in consequence of their unbelief under a former dispensation, which, in the wisdom of God, was intended to be a type or figure of that dispensation under which we are now placed; "let us, who have been admitted "members of the Christian Church, la"bour therefore, to enter into that rest," (of which the rest in Canaan was but the shadow for the time being,)" lest any man "fall after the same example of unbe"lief." For this WORD OF GOD, who heretofore spake to Moses on Mount Sinai, and since his coming in the flesh has personally spoken unto us, is to come again at the end of the world to be the judge of all mankind.

That the persons to whom this epistle was addressed might not therefore deceive themselves, by vainly thinking to deceive him; the Apostle proceeds to give the following sublime and impressive description of the character of this Divine Judge, which I translate for myself, because the translation in our Bible does not appear to

do

do justice to the original. "For the "WORD OF GOD," proceeds the Apostle, "is living and effectual in operation, and sharper than any two-edged instrument,

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piercing even to the dividing asunder "of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the

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thoughts and intents of the heart. "Neither is there any creature that is not "manifest in his sight; but all things are "naked and laid open to the eyes of

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HIM, to whom we are to render an ac"count."

Now though the word of God written or preached may, in a figurative sense, be said (according to the language of our translation,) to be quick and powerful; and, from its penetrating quality, to be more sharp or piercing than any two-edged sword, still it never can be said of the letter of the word, that it is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart much less can it be said, consistently, either with truth or correctness of expression, that there is not any creature that is not manifest in his sight, but that all things are laid open to the eyes of him. This strong

strong language then, in its strict and proper sense can apply only to that omniscient Being, who is marked in Scripture by the distinctive title of THE WORD OF GOD; that divine Being, who the Apos tle tells us is finally" to judge the secrets " of men," who, to his beloved Apostle in the Isle of Patmos, thus emphatically described himself; "I am he, which "searcheth the reins and hearts; and I

will give unto every one of you according to your works;" even that divine Being, unto whom, as our Church in her 'excellent prayer acknowledges, "all hearts are open, all desires known, and from "whom no secrets are hid.”

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In correspendence then with this idea, relative to the omniscience of that divine Judge, before whom all mankind are one day to appear, I have translated the con clusion of that sublime passage, which appears to have the final judgment of the WORD OF GOD, particularly in view. my justification for so doing I have to observe, that the word, which in the pas sage under immediate consideration I have rendered," unto whom we are to give

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