Hebrews 4:10

Heb. 4:10. For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God (did) from his.

Earlier in the sermon series on the Sabbath, Edwards goes into a deeper discussion of meaning:

The gospel state is everywhere spoken of as a renewed state of things, wherein old things are passed away, and all things become new: we are said to be created in Christ Jesus unto good works: all things are restored and reconciled whether in heaven or in earth, and God hath caused light to shine out of darkness, as he did at the beginning; and the dissolution of the Jewish state was often spoken of in the Old Testament as the end of the world. But we who belong to the gospel church belong to the new creation; and therefore there seems to be at least as much reason, that we should commemorate the work of this creation, as that the members of the ancient Jewish church should commemorate the work of the old creation.

3. There is another thing which confirms it, that the fourth command teaches God's resting from the new creation, as well as from the old; which is that the Scriptures do expressly speak of the one, as parallel with the other, i.e. Christ's resting from the work of redemption, is expressly spoken of as being parallel with God's resting from the work of creation, as in Hebrews 4:10: "For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his."

Now, Christ rested from his works when he rose from the dead, on the first day of the week. When he rose from the dead, then he finished his work of redemption; his humiliation was then at an end; he then rested and was refreshed. When it is said in this place, "There remaineth a rest to the people of God;" in the original, it is, a Sabbatism, or the keeping of a Sabbath: and this reason is given for it, "For he that entereth into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his." These three things at least we are taught by these words:

(1.) We are taught by them to look upon Christ's rest from his work of redemption, as parallel with God's rest from the work of creation; for they are expressly compared together, as parallel one with the other.

(2.) They are spoken of as parallel, particularly in this respect, viz., the relation which they both have to the keeping of a Sabbath among God's people, or with respect to the influence which these two rests have, as to Sabbatizing in the church of God: for it is expressly with respect to this that they are compared together. Here is an evident reference to God's blessing and hallowing the day of his rest from the creation to be a Sabbath, and appointing a Sabbath of rest in imitation of his. For the apostle is speaking of this, Hebrews 4:4, 'For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works." Thus far is evident; whatever the apostle has respect to by his keeping of a Sabbath by the people of God, whether it be a weekly Sabbatizing on earth, or a Sabbatizing in heaven.

(3.) It is evident in these words, that the preference is given to the latter rest, viz., the rest of our Saviour from his works, with respect to the influence it should have, or relation it bears to the Sabbatizing of the people of God now under the gospel, evidently implied in the expression, "There remaineth therefore a Sabbatism to the people of God. For he that entereth into his rest," etc. For, in this expression, there remaineth, it is intimated, that the old Sabbatism appointed in remembrance of God's rest from the work of creation, doth not remain, but ceases; and that this new rest, in commemoration of Christ's resting from his works, remains in the room of it.

Heb. 4:11