78 OBLIGATION OF THE SABBATH. 



Constant reference to a future life. A defective conception. 



tical symbolism of the Grospel;" only I differ with him altogether 

 when he sajs it is "without the slightest reference to a 

 future life.'' (p. 36.) On the contrary, it is with perpetual refer- 

 ence to a future life. Christ, says the Apostle, as " our fore- 

 runner hath entered for us within the vail f he is seated on 

 the right hand of God in heaven ; he reigns tJiere as King j he 

 officiates tliere as our High Friest and Intercessor ; he speaks 

 from thence as our Prophet^ in distinction from Moses, " who 

 spake on earth.'' He receives there, at last, those who "in- 

 herit the promises," even those " who draw not back unto per- 

 dition/' but " believe to the saving of the soul." Tliere the 

 ^' elders who, by faith, obtained a good report," and ^^ of whom 

 the world was not worthy," are already entered ; and we who 

 follow tliem are said to '' have here no continuing city, but to 

 seek one which is to come." But enough. A future life, and 

 the way, divinely ordained, to enjoy its blessings forover, are 

 the very substance and soul of this Epistle to the Hebrews ; 

 all Kabbinic opinions, indorsed by Christian divines, of the 

 phrase, " world to come,^' to the contrary, notwithstanding. 



And 2. This opinion of W. B. T. rests upon an inadequatc 

 conæption of the confext. For the particular scope of the 

 Apostle, in the passage under consideration, is peculiarly 

 directed to this doctrine of a future life. For he is here 

 exhorting the Hebrews (iii. 6 — 19; iv. 1 — 13) to beware lest 

 *' through unbclief," they, like their fathers in the wilderness, 

 fall under the irrevocable oath of exclusion from the Rest of 

 Grod with Christ. This Eest, of which God speaks so solemnly 

 in Ps. xcv. 11, the Apostle proves L^ the time of its mention 

 there, cannot be either the rest of the original Sabbath (^Gen. 

 ii. 2), or the rest of Israel in Canaan [Josh. i. 15), both which 

 wcre in actual possession of the persons addressed in the time 

 of David. Therefore it is a rest ^' which remaineth" still to 

 be enjoyed by "the people of God," that is, by believers. 



As to the time of entering it, W. B. T. lays unwarrantable 

 stress upon the tonse of tlie verb. '^ For iL'e which helieve, 



