and dependence upon himself. When therefore we consider any promises of God, and do not find ourselves actually possessed of the things promised; our duty is to apply ourselves to what in our present station is required of us, and not to faint, or charge the Lord as unjust, all whose ways are mercy and truth, and whose promises are firm and steadfast.

VERSE 7.

Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, to-day, after so long a time; as it is said, to-day, If ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts.

$1, 2. (I.) The words explained. §3. (II.) Observations. 1. In reading and hearing the scripture, we ought to consider that God speaks to us. $4. 2 The holy scripture is an inexhaustible repository of spiritual truths. $5. 3. Many important truths lie deep and secret in the scripture, and therefore require a very diligent search. $6. Use of reproof and direction.

§1. (I.) “AGAIN, he limiteth a certain day." (Iaλ) Again; it may denote either the repetition of an old act, or the introduction of a new testimony; but it rather expresses here the repetition of the thing spoken, and is to be joined in construction with "he limiteth," or "he limiteth again."—(O'píger) "He limiteth;" that is, absolutely, God doth so, whose authority alone in these things is the rule of our faith and obedience, particularly the Holy Ghost; this limitation being made in the scriptures which were given by his immediate and peculiar inspiration, 2 Pet. i, 21. "Limiteth;" that is, either describes, or defineth it in a prophetical prediction, or determineth and appoints it by an authoritative institution. He describes it in itself, and appoints it unto us. The word may comprise both; and we have no ground to exclude either. (Tiva nuɛpay) A certain day; that is, another determinate day, in answer to the days before-mentioned, and

whose season was now elapsed. It is certain that the apostle doth principally intend to evince, the new rest of God under the gospel, and to persuade the Hebrews to secure their entrance into it, and possession of it. But he here changeth his terms, and calls it not a rest, but proposeth it from the psalmist under the notion of a day, and this he doth because he had before proved and illustrated the rest of God, from the day that was set apart as a pledge and means of it, as also because he designs to manifest that there is another day determined, as a pledge and representation of this new rest, or as an especial season for the enjoyment of its privileges.

§2. (Znμεроv) To-day; the day he intends is that which in the psalmist is called (n) to-day, the former day he called (eßdoun) the 'seventh' day, but this new spiritual rest in Christ by the gospel, is to have another day to express it. Thus is 'to-day' in the psalmist left at liberty to be any day in the prophecy, but limited to the first by the resurrection of Christ. 'Speaking in David,' who was the person by whom this matter was revealed to the church, in a psalm that he composed, by divine inspiration, for that purpose: for the scripture is the voice of God, and he always speaks to us thereby; and itself is said to speak, because of God's speaking in it. After so long a time;' the date of this time is to be taken either from the coming of the Israelites out of Egypt, or from the second year after, when the spies were sent to search the land; a space of about five hundred years; so that our apostle might well call it, 'after so long a time;' or so great a space of time.

§3. (II.) The remaining words of this verse have been opened before; we shall therefore proceed to some improving observations:

Obs. 1. In reading and hearing the scripture, we ought to consider that God speaks to us in and by it.

He saith;' that is, God saith; or, more especially, the Holy Ghost. He both spake in David, in the inspir ation of that psalm; and by David, or, in the psalm, he spake to us. This alone will give us that revers ence and subjection of soul and conscience to the word of God, which are required of us, and which are necessary, that we have benefit thereby. In that kind of careless deportment, whereby men 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 it immediately to them; and to prevent this, God doth not only preface what he speaks with, "Thus saith the Lord,' but oftentimes 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 what is spoken.

§4. Obs. 2. The holy scripture is an inexhaustible repository of spiritual mysteries and sacred truths. We had never known what is in the Old Testament, had it not been for the New, 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 these riches. 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 to it in the dark, he can see nothing that is desirable; but rather feel an horror and a fear come upon him. It is by the Spirit of Christ, and the light of the gospel, that this vail of darkness and blindness is taken away. But what are these excellencies and riches? We reply; here is the mystery of his love,

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grace, wisdom, righteousness, and holiness, in Christ Jesus. 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. 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. Again, the souls of believers are carried, by the aids of these revealed mysteries, out of this world, and have future eternal glories presented to them. Now, how large, how extensive, and unsearchable must that repository of mysterious truths be, wherein all these things, with all the particulars whereinto they branch themselves, all the whole intercourse, between God and man in all ages are stored! O heavenly! O blessed depositum of Divine grace and goodness!

$5. Obs. 3. Many important truths lie deep and secret in the scripture, requiring a very diligent search in their investigation, and for their discovery. And the reason why in this place I insist on these things, is not so much to explain the sense of it, as to vindicate the way of our apostle's arguing, and of citing testimonies out of scripture, with his exposition and application of them. That which we are therefore to inquire into for our own advantage, is the ways and means whereby a due search may be made into the scriptures, and what is necessarily required thereto, so that we may not fail of light and instruction; and they are, amongst others, these that follow:

(1.) A humble, teachable frame of spirit; this is the great preparation for the soul's admittance into the TREASURY of sacred truths. Go to the reading, hearing, or studying of the scripture with hearts sensible of

your own unworthiness to be taught, of your disability to learn, ready to receive, embrace, and submit to what shall be made known to you; and this is the way to be taught of God: and suppose in this way you learn not so much as others, yet that which you do learn shall be of so much use and advantage to you, as theirs shall be who attain to the greatest degree of spiritual light and knowledge. The word inquired into will be as manna to them that gather it, Exod. xvi, 18.

(2.) Earnest prayer for the guidance, direction, assistance, and illumination of the Holy Ghost, to enable us to find out, discern, and understand the deep things of God. Where this is neglected, whatever we know we know it not as we ought. That this is the only way whereby we come to know the things of God, the great and wondrous things laid up in the word, our apostle shews at large, 1 Cor. ii, "The natural man," he tells us, that is, such as hath not the help and assistance of the Spirit of God, "cannot receive the things which are of God," ver. 14, he can neither find them out himself, nor own them when they are discovered by others; yea, woe be to him who leans to his own understanding in this weighty matter.

(3.) Endeavor, in all your inquiries into the word, to mind and aim at the same ends which God hath in the giving of it. Then do we comply with the will of God in what we do, and may comfortably expect his gracious assistance.

(4.) They that would search the scriptures to find out the sacred truths that lie hid in them, ought to take care that they entertain no corrupt lusts in their hearts or minds, which will certainly refuse to give admittance to spiritual truth when it is tendered to them.` Love of sin will make all study of the scriptures to be